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Whey protein and essential amino acids promote the reduction of adipose tissue and increased muscle protein synthesis during caloric restriction-induced weight loss in elderly, obese individuals
Nutrition Journal volume 11, Article number: 105 (2012)
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Excess adipose tissue and sarcopenia presents a multifaceted clinical challenge that promotes morbidity and mortality in the obese, elderly population. Unfortunately, the mortality risks of muscle loss may outweigh the potential benefits of weight loss in the elderly. We have previously demonstrated the effectiveness of whey protein and essential amino acids towards the preservation of lean tissue, even under the conditions of strict bedrest in the elderly.
In the context of caloric restriction-based weight loss, we hypothesized that a similar formulation given as a meal replacement (EAAMR) would foster the retention of lean tissue through an increase in the skeletal muscle fractional synthesis rate (FSR). We also proposed that EAAMR would promote the preferential loss of adipose tissue through the increased energy cost of skeletal muscle FSR. We recruited and randomized 12 elderly individuals to an 8 week, caloric restriction diet utilizing equivalent caloric meal replacements (800 kcal/day): 1) EAAMR or a 2) competitive meal replacement (CMR) in conjunction with 400 kcal of solid food that totaled 1200 kcal/day designed to induce 7% weight loss. Combined with weekly measurements of total body weight and body composition, we also measured the acute change in the skeletal muscle FSR to EAAMR and CMR.
By design, both groups lost ~7% of total body weight. While EAAMR did not promote a significant preservation of lean tissue, the reduction in adipose tissue was greater in EAAMR compared to CMR. Interestingly, these results corresponded to an increase in the acute skeletal muscle protein FSR.
The provision of EAAMR during caloric restriction-induced weight loss promotes the preferential reduction of adipose tissue and the modest loss of lean tissue in the elderly population.
The elderly population is particularly prone to the accelerated loss of muscle mass or sarcopenia with advancing age. Sarcopenia is complicated by the combined influence of physical inactivity and poor nutrition that often accompanies the aging process [1]. The condition of sarcopenia is inextricably linked to loss of functional capacity, and increased risk of morbidity and mortality [2–5]. While the precise etiology of sarcopenia has yet to elucidated, recent evidence points to a overall reduction in the anabolic response of skeletal muscle to the consumption of mixed macronutrient intake [6, 7], potentially contributing to chronic, progressive reduction of muscle mass with advancing age.
Combined with the challenge of sarcopenia, the prevalence of obesity among elderly adults has increased dramatically [8]. The concomitant development of sarcopenic obesity results in the formation of overlapping health problems that combine the negative influences of inflammation, frailty and metabolic syndrome [9, 10]. Moreover, caloric restriction-induced weight loss that is often utilized to dampen the negative consequences of metabolic syndrome may be considered counterproductive when measured against weight loss-induced acceleration of sarcopenia [11].
While moderate increases in dietary protein intake beyond the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) have been suggested to enhance anabolic activity in skeletal muscle [12], amino acid consumption have also been shown to facilitate an increase in muscle protein synthesis [13, 14]. In addition, supplementation of high quality protein twice a day promoted an increase in lean body mass, strength and functional capacity in elderly volunteers with concomitant changes in diet or activity [15]. The development of the most potent formulation of whey protein and amino acid supplementation would potentially protect against the negative consequences of sarcopenic obesity in the elderly.
To meet our aims, we chose a caloric restriction paradigm designed to elicit 7% weight loss and decrease metabolic risk [15]. Our overriding hypothesis was that the supplementation of our whey protein + essential amino acid meal replacement (EAAMR) formulation will be required to promote the optimal reduction of adipose tissue while preserving lean tissue in obese, elderly adults. We also proposed that the changes in body composition would occur in conjunction with an increase in the skeletal muscle protein fractional synthetic rate (FSR) to EAAMR compared to competitive meal replacement (CMR).
Recruitment and screening
We recruited and enrolled healthy males and females, ages = 65-80 years of age and of all races and ethnic backgrounds for a caloric restriction-based weight loss intervention designed to promote 7% weight loss. All volunteers were weight stable and were not participating in a weight loss or exercise program at the time of enrollment. Volunteers refrained from alcohol consumption (24 h) and intense physical activities (72 h) prior to pre- and post-weight loss study visits. Volunteers also reported in the fasted state beginning at 20:00 h the day prior to pre- and post-weight loss study visits.
In conjunction with the consumption of solid food in both groups, subjects were randomized to one of two groups that would consume either EAAMR or a CMR five times/day. Volunteers were recruited through the conspicuous placement of IRB-approved flyer throughout the community, and completed a telephone screening. Potential subjects were then asked to report for a visit to our clinic, where they were then consented.
We excluded any patient with a chronic inflammatory condition or malignancy. We also excluded any individual who could not discontinue the use of aspirin or other anti-coagulant medication. In addition, volunteers with a history of diabetes, cardiovascular disease or recent history of cancer (within 3 years) were also excluded. We also excluded any individual whose body weight had changed more than 10 pounds in the previous 3 months. Due to the nature of the weight loss intervention, we excluded all volunteer with allergies to milk products.
It would have been impractical to exclude all patients taking medications, and we could not ethically discontinue all medications for the duration of the intervention. As a result, we permitted the concomitant use of HMG CoA-reductase inhibitors, thiazide diuretics, beta-1 selective blockers, clonidine, antidepressant selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and estrogen replacement/oral contraceptives.
Weight loss study design
All medical screenings included a baseline blood sample collection for a lipid and metabolic panel. Based on eligibility, volunteers were randomly assigned to one of two groups: 1) 7% weight loss with EAAMR, or 7% weight loss using CMR. Both groups consumed 5 servings of a meal replacement (170 kcal x 5 servings/day) and ~400 kcal/day of solid food that yielded ~1250 kcal/day. Regardless of group assignment, the total kcal/week remained constant throughout the intervention to ensure a high level of compliance and allow for consistent, reliable reductions in the amount of weight lost. Obese, elderly volunteers in both groups (EAAMR or CMR) completed one visits that included a stable isotope experimental session described below. Following the completion of the experimental testing sessions, all volunteers were instructed to consume a low calorie diet for 8 weeks. During this weight loss intervention, volunteers consumed ~1250 kcal/day consisting of solid food and liquid supplements. Although the time course of the caloric restriction phase may seem somewhat overbearing from a logistical standpoint, the difficulty entailed was dramatically reduced through the use of pre-packaged meal replacements either in the form of EAAMR or CMR that required no preparation. In addition, we suggested solid food products preferred by clients in the UAMS weight loss clinic that achieve optimal compliance and consistently provide predictable weight loss. Body weight and body composition was measured weekly by our clinical staff. Any volunteer that failed to lose weight on two subsequent visits was removed from the study for noncompliance to the protocol.
Experimental Paradigm. Prior to initiation of the weight loss intervention, volunteers in both groups completed a testing session designed to examine the influence of EAAMR and CMR on skeletal muscle protein FSR. Subjects were instructed to fast after 2200 hrs, with water permitted. On the day of the testing session, subjects reported to the study site, and two intravenous catheters were inserted by our registered nurse. One catheter was utilized for the infusion of stable isotopes, while the other was utilized for blood sampling. A primed (2 μmol/kg), constant (0.07 μmol/kg/min) infusion of ring- [13]C6-phenylalanine began after obtaining a background blood sample and the isotopic infusion was maintained for 6 hours. Blood was sampled at 20 min intervals to determine tracer enrichment and blood amino acid levels. A tissue biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle was taken under local anesthesia at t = 60, 180 and 240 min [16]. Biopsies were utilized for the determination of skeletal muscle protein FSR by tracer methodology [17]. After the initial biopsy at t = 60 min, subjects were provided with a single dose of EAAMR or CMR. At t = 180 and t = 240 min, two biopsies were taken to evaluate the influence of EAAMR or CMR on the incorporation of the phenyalalnine tracer into the muscle.
We have previously demonstrated that characterization of this acute response to EAA reflects the 24 h response, and that skeletal muscle protein FSR remains constant for the entire 8 hours if no drink is given [18]. While both products were presented in a tetrapak, and in a palatability format that precluded specific determination of either product by the volunteer, the knowledge of the product alone would not have influenced skeletal muscle protein FSR. Following the completion of the infusion protocol and biopsy, catheters were withdrawn, the biopsy site was dressed, and after consult with the study physician, the subject was released.
Body weight and composition
We measured body mass, BMI, and body composition pre- and post-weight loss, and during each weekly visit. Total body mass was to the nearest 0.1 kg using an electronic scale (Ohaus Corp, USA). A GAIA 359 PLUS (Kyungsang Buk-do, KOREA) unit measured fat mass, lean tissue mass, soft lean mass and percent body fat using bioelectrical impedance analysis via the tetra-polar electrode method.
Analysis of samples
The isotopic enrichment of L-[ring- [13]C6phenylalanine in blood was determined on an HP Model 5973 GCMS (Hewlett-Packard Co., Palo Alto, CA) by electron impact ionization and selected ion monitoring [17].
Tissue biopsies of the vastus lateralis were immediately rinsed with cold saline, blotted, and frozen in liquid nitrogen. These tissue samples were stored at -80°C until processed. The TBDMS derivative was prepared for the intracellular free water as previously described 56, and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GCMS) (Model 5973) using electron impact ionization. The protein-bound enrichment of phenylalanine was analyzed as previously described by GCMS [17].
Calculation of skeletal muscle protein FSR
Skeletal muscle protein FSR was calculated from the determination of the rate of tracer incorporation into the protein and the enrichment of the intracellular pool as the precursor:
where Ep1 and Ep2 are the enrichments of the protein-bound L-[ring- [13]C6phenylalanine at t = 60, 180, and 240 min. EM represented the average intracellular L-[ring- [13]C6phenylalanine enrichments over the time of incorporation; and t is the time in minutes. The factors 60 and 100 were required to express skeletal muscle protein FSR in percent per hour. Skeletal muscle protein FSR was calculated from the biopsies at 60 and 180 min to determine fasting protein synthetic rate, and also from t = 180 min and t = 240 min to determine the effect of drink administration. The drink was given immediately after the 180 min biopsy and thus incorporation of the tracer from 180-240 min reflects acute nutritional response. From the skeletal muscle protein FSR and lean body mass determination the total change in skeletal muscle protein synthesis was estimated [18].
Statistical analysis
Variables were summarized using means, standard deviations, medians and ranges. The groups were compared with respect to changes in adipose and lean tissue, and skeletal muscle protein synthesis as measured by skeletal muscle protein FSR, using Student two-sample t-tests. An alpha-level of 5% was used to determine statistical significance.
We enrolled 12 volunteers, and one subject dropped out due to their inability to comply with the protocol. Therefore, 11 obese women and men lost 7% of total body weight, and completed all aspects of the study. There were no baseline differences in age, BMI or percent fat, or the distribution of gender equity between the EAAMR and CMR groups (p > 0.05) (Table 1). Of these individuals, one of the individuals in the EAAMR group had undergone a hip replacement in 2003, and one of the individuals in the CMR group had been successfully treated for cancer in 1999. In addition, four out of the 11 individuals were taking simvastatin or nexium, and two of the 11 individuals were taking estradiol.
Baseline Metabolic and Lipid Parameters. There were no significant differences in the fasting glucose values between EAAMR and CMR (p > 0.05) (Table 2). In addition, there were no differences in triglycerides, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein or very low density lipoprotein (p > 0.05). While there was a trend towards reduced low density lipoprotein in EAAMR, it was not significant (p = 0.10).
Relative to the caloric restriction-induced weight loss interventions, there was a significant and similar 7% reduction in body weight in EAAMR and CMR (Table 1). While there was no difference in absolute amount of weight loss, EAAMR promoted a greater reduction in adipose tissue compared to CMR (p < 0.05) (Table 1) (Figure 1). The consumption of the EAAMR also seemed to foster greater preservation of lean tissue compared to CMR. However, the difference between EAAMR and CMR was not significant (p = 0.26) (Figure 2).
Plasma and muscle phenyalanine enrichments
Basal plasma phenyalanine enrichments were not different between EAAMR and CMR (p > 0.05). Upon ingestion of each product, muscle phenyalanine enrichments increased (p < 0.05) dramatically in EAAMR compared to no change with CMR (p > 0.05).
Skeletal Muscle Fractional Protein Synthesis. Skeletal muscle protein FSR increased by 0.0142 ± 0.0154% in CMR (Figure 3). In contrast, there was a greater increase (ie., 0.0534 ± 0.0069%) in skeletal muscle protein FSR in EAAMR (p < 0.05) (Figure 3).
Our experimental approach allowed us to determine whether consumption of EAAMR was more effective than CMR in promoting the concomitant reduction of adipose tissue and preservation of lean tissue during caloric restriction-induced weight loss in elderly, obese individuals. Due to the relative importance of in vivo energetics of muscle protein turnover towards energy expenditure [19], we also evaluated the acute influence of EAAMR compared to CMR on skeletal muscle protein FSR. Using a 1200 kcal/day, 8 week caloric restriction-weight loss paradigm, there was a 30% greater loss of adipose tissue with EAAMR compared to CMR. While the sample size may have affected the outcome, consumption of EAAMR seemed to favor the preservation of lean tissue but was not significant with the limited number of participants [20]. Nonetheless, skeletal muscle FSR was significantly higher with the acute consumption of EAAMR versus CMR, and may have been responsible for the preferential loss of adipose tissue with EAAMR.
The macronutrients contained in a single serving of EAAMR and CMR are described in Table 3. It is important to mention that the total caloric value for a single serving of EAAMR and CMR was ~170 kcal. The amount/type of carbohydrate was identical in both formulations. Also, the total amount of fat was 4 grams in EAAMR and 3 grams in CMR with the proportion of saturated fat being 1 gram in both EAAMR and CMR. The primary differences between EAAMR and CMR were the total amount/type of intact protein and the total amount and formulation of essential amino acids. While EAAMR contained 7 grams of intact protein from whey protein, CMR contained 14 grams intact protein derived from sodium casenate and calcium casenate. Leucine comprises approximately 40% of the EAAs, in accord with our research defining the optimal formulation of EAAs for elderly [13, 16, 21]. We have also previously demonstrated greater accrual of muscle protein with whey protein [22], and we proposed that the combination of whey protein plus 6 grams of our proprietary essential amino acid formulation would be the most effective approach against sarcopenic obesity. The total amount of essential amino acids derived from intact protein and the essential amino formulation was 9.7 grams in EAAMR. The total amount of essential amino acids derived from intact protein was 3.5 grams in CMR. The description highlights the fundamental differences between EAAMR and CMR and the rationale for the source of intact protein and importance of the essential amino acids formulation.
There are several factors that should be considered when comparing the effects of meal replacements on changes in body composition and the energetics of skeletal muscle in the context of weight loss. Typically, total energy expenditure is represented by the sum of resting energy expenditure, the thermic effect of food, and the energy related to activity [23]. Given that that the experimental protocol was identical in both groups except for the nutrient profile of the meal replacements, we can make the assumption that basal energy expenditure and activity related energy expenditure were not responsible for the differences between EAAMR and CMR. Other factors such as the administration of the meal replacements, timing sequence of the protocol, the characterization of the subjects, and the length of the protocol could have also influenced the results related to body composition. These factors were either well controlled by the experimental design or were not significantly different between groups. Therefore, the impact of the nutrient profiles (ie., type of protein and formulation of essential amino acids) was likely responsible for the greater loss of adipose tissue through differences in diet-induced energy expenditure or the impact of muscle loss sparing on overall energy expenditure.
While we were not able to achieve statistical significance in terms of EAAMR promoting enhanced preservation of lean tissue, the sparing influence of muscle loss might have been demonstrated with a larger sample size. This remains an important issue. Acute administration of EAAMR did promote a significant increase in skeletal muscle protein FSR compared to CMR. Assuming that the energy cost of protein synthesis is 3.6 kJ/g and the baseline GAIA-derived lean tissue mass was 56.4 kg for EAAMR and 54.4 kg for the CMR, we can extrapolate that the overall energy discrepancy between the two groups was roughly equivalent to 27,170 kcal or 3.5 kg of weight loss across the entire caloric restriction-based weight loss paradigm. Based on the amount of total lean mass in each group, this value takes into account a consistent intervention structure of five servings/day across an eight week period. In short, these calculations suggest that differences in the source of intact protein/formulation of EAA may have a significant influence on diet induced energy expenditure that coincides closely with the greater reduction of adipose tissue in EAAMR compared to CMR.
Despite the greater stimulation of skeletal muscle protein FSR in EAAMR, these individuals still lost 2.1 ± 0.5 kg of lean tissue. With an estimated protein intake of 90 grams/day, this might seem confusing since the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of 0.88 kg-1· d-1 would equate to 50 grams of protein in the EAAMR group [24]. On the other hand, the RDA for protein has been shown to be inadequate for the maintenance of lean body mass in the elderly population [25]. Therefore, the optimal amount of protein intake in the elderly population remains uncertain [26], especially in the context of caloric restriction. The underlying reason for the lack of precise information when it comes to protein intake during weight loss in this population may be largely due to the fact that the protein RDA levels were determined by studies using nitrogen balance in younger individuals [27]. In order to attenuate the acceleration of sarcopenia, the amount/type of protein and/or formulation of essential amino acids must be elucidated to promote efficacious caloric restriction-based weight loss in the elderly.
For the effective treatment of sarcopenic obesity, it might be argued that exercise training should be utilized instead of or in conjunction with caloric restriction [28]. In fact, we have also recently demonstrated greater reduction of adipose tissue through the use of exercise-induced weight loss compared to caloric restriction [29]. There was also a greater preservation of lean tissue with exercise-induced weight loss compared to caloric restriction-induced weight loss [30]. Unfortunately, individuals at risk for metabolic disease may be limited in their ability to even meet the guidelines for physical activity much less induce weight loss through exercise training [30]. In fact, only 30% of young, healthy Americans currently utilize exercise as an efficacious strategy for weight loss [31]. These issues are compounded by the difficulties entailed with maintaining exercise compliance [32]. Therefore, caloric restriction-based weight loss provides a potential avenue for an improvement in metabolic health status and may influence functional status as well due to the inverse relationship between obesity and physical activity [33].
Weight loss in the obese, elderly population is typically contraindicated due to difficult, clinical conundrum of sarcopenic obesity. While the results of the present study do not suggest that EAAMR would be sufficient to completely prevent the reduction of lean tissue during caloric restriction-induced weight loss, we were able to demonstrate the preferential reduction of adipose tissue with 7% weight loss. Moreover, the acute anabolic response to the ingestion of EAAMR was directly linked to increased diet-induced caloric expenditure that may have responsible for the increased loss of adipose tissue. Due to results of the current investigation, we anticipate that improvements in insulin sensitivity derived from the preferential loss of adipose tissue will maximize the anabolic efficiency to nutrition. Based on earlier studies where we have examined the influence of EAA on muscle protein synthesis [21], a two-sample t-test would have 80% power to detect effect sizes as small as 0.566 in 35 volunteers. It is also important to mention that the individuals in the current study were still deficient in terms of the their total protein intake in the context of caloric restriction, and we are currently revising our formulation to address this issue. In conclusion, we propose that high quality protein + essential amino acids represent a critical variable in the preservation of lean tissue and augmentation of adipose tissue reduction in the elderly population.
Essential amino acid meal replacement
Competitive meal replacement
Recommended daily allowance
Fractional synthetic rate
Gas chromatography/Mass spectrometry
Body mass index.
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Supported by NIH SBIR grant and NIH "GO" grant (list numbers of grants). We extend our gratitude for the expert technical assistance of Cosby Jolley and Rick Williams. We also extend our sincere appreciation to our volunteers for their effort towards the completion of this demanding study.
Disclosure statement
We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to our volunteers for their effort towards the completion of this study. Drs. Coker, Deutz, and Wolfe, and Mr. Schultzer were compensated by Healthspan, LLC as consultants through funds from the NIH SBIR grant for this study.
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Competing interests
The authors' declare that they have no competing interests.
Authors' contributions
RHC conceived the study, and participated in its design and coordination, performed the statistical analysis and drafted the original manuscript. SM and SS participated in the design and coordination of the study. ND participated in the design and coordination of the study, and served as the study physician. RW provided key insight into the conception of the study and edited the final draft of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Coker, R.H., Miller, S., Schutzler, S. et al. Whey protein and essential amino acids promote the reduction of adipose tissue and increased muscle protein synthesis during caloric restriction-induced weight loss in elderly, obese individuals. Nutr J 11, 105 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-11-105
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-11-105
- Obesity
- Fat
- Protein


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ALBANY, N.Y. » A man charged with killing a woman and raping her 10-year-old daughter after a carjacking at an upstate New York mall last week was able to remove and reassemble his court-ordered electronic monitoring bracelet to go undetected for hours while carrying out the attacks, federal authorities said.
David Renz, 29, put the ankle bracelet back together so quickly that it may have prompted what appeared to be a false alarm Thursday night. Officials had told the company not to notify them of the briefest interruptions of monitor signals because they were getting alerts when the bracelets simply struck something.
"He disassembled the bracelet and took it off his leg and reassembled it in a very short time frame so we were never alerted that the bracelet was tampered with," said Matthew Brown, U.S. chief probation officer for the Northern District of New York. "We've never had a case where someone was able to defeat the system like this."
The bracelets have light circuits that set off an alarm when disrupted, but officers had found themselves answering tamper alerts when a monitor simply got bumped. "We put in place a system where it's got to be longer than an instant. It's a matter of minutes," Brown said, declining to say how exactly long.
Renz was facing federal charges of possessing child pornography. A note in the case file from Jan. 11 said federal prosecutors "have changed their position in regards to detention" and agreed to Renz's release on the recommended conditions, which included a curfew, remaining at an authorized address — his mother's house — avoiding children and places they congregate and restricted computer use. A federal judge agreed to the release conditions.
"Ankle bracelets don't protect people. They monitor people," said Will Marling, executive director of the National Organization for Victim Assistance. He said pretrial safety is an important issue, and he wonders what safety assessment was done on Renz.
Brown said most sex offenders, probably 95 percent, get to sentencing with no further criminal violations. "You don't see what this guy did. It's a complete anomaly," he said.
Defense attorneys said anyone can cut off ankle bracelets, which are usually authorized by judges for defendants accused of nonviolent crimes like drug offenses. They are advocated by authorities as far less expensive than jail and by defense lawyers as a fairer alternative for people still presumed innocent. However, longtime lawyers, authorities and contractors all said few defendants remove them, since it usually means going right to jail and facing an additional criminal charge.
"I did have a client cut one off one time. He was caught almost instantaneously," said Albany attorney Terence Kindlon. "If nothing else, it's considered an insult to the authority of the court."
An alarm generates a phone call to the defendant, followed by calls to family, friends and collateral contacts if needed to find him. If that fails, and the defendant is deemed dangerous enough, Brown said they'd go to a judge for an emergency warrant, then try to find the person.
Police said Renz went to the mall in suburban Syracuse and abducted the woman and her daughter as they left gymnastics class. He bound them, raped the girl and stabbed the woman, authorities said. The girl escaped.
In Renz's case, Brown said the Boulder, Colo.-based contractor, BI Inc., notified them about 4 1/2 hours later, about 11:30 p.m. Thursday, with an alert that the bracelet, operating with a global positioning system, wasn't moving.
Company spokeswoman Monica Hook declined to discuss what happened.
Renz, now in isolation after he was beaten by another prisoner in the Onondaga County jail, is charged with murder, rape and kidnapping.

subset: commoncrawl


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G'day all, hope all is well! I got back from Atlanta very very late Friday night, and it seems it took until this morning to recover! Whew, travel wipes me out these days, and I felt like being lazy with my family for the last 36 hours. I'll share more of what I did back east tomorrow.
Now I've got my coffee and I'm ready to talk DIY! People, you are amazing, I mean really. I just love love love reading about all of these incredible projects, what did we ever do without the blogosphere before? Consider me completely inspired yet again this week. Amanda and I are back, teaming up to bring you our favorites in this continuing weekend series, enjoy!
No this is not an image from a catalog, these are the newly transformed bookcases by Jilly and Mia trimmed out with new arches, aren't they completely gorgeous?
Have you toured Julia's sunroom this season? What a wonderfully cozy space! Pay a visit over at Hooked on Houses.
Rhoda transformed her sister's bedroom into a fresh and modern glamorous space, be sure to get the full story over at Southern Hospitality.
We spy some new custom built ins at Stacy's place, get the full story over at Red Door Home.
Here's another great kitchen update over at Mrs. Southern Belle, we're loving the open shelving and the dramatic dark cabinetry.
Jenny pulls off another stunner at Little Green Notebook with this diamond tufted headboard, simply gorgeous!
Simplicity brings beauty (and a great scent) with this tutorial for how to make a scented pinecone wreath at Hi Sugarplum. This is one craft project that will look beautiful from autumn through the holiday season.
Dress up your holiday tabletop by making your own seasonal wine bottle labels with Yana at Wine Country Life.
Do you struggle with how to take good pictures of your kids? Struggle no more. Follow these ten tips for taking great pictures of children over at How Does She?
Thanks Amanda as always for helping me round up some of these favorites! HIgh five girl! Visit Amanda over at her blog Serenity Now.
If you'd like your latest project or post considered for this weekend series, be sure to send it our way to [email protected].
Cheers all, see you tomorrow!


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Welcome to Allister North Hills, a luxurious apartment community, where you'll discover unparalleled convenience and modern style. Take a walk to North Hills, where a vast array of dining, shopping and recreation choices await in the coveted "Midtown." Or, breathe in the fresh Carolina air as you and your dogs explore nearby paths on the Raleigh Greenway.
Centrally located with quick access to downtown, Research Triangle Park and RDU International Airport, Allister North Hills enjoys a superior location, where Six Forks Road meets the Raleigh Beltline. From here, Cary, Chapel Hill and Durham are all within easy reach. Even the mountains and the coast are just a few hours away.
By making your home at Allister North Hills, you will enjoy two resort-inspired pools, a fully-equipped fitness center, a two-story clubhouse with kitchen, an enclosed dog park, professional management, 24-hour emergency maintenance, and much more.
Allister North Hills offers distinctive homes, including studio, one, two, and three bedroom floor plans. Our homes feature elegant interiors, gracious living areas for entertaining, private patios and balconies for relaxation, amid a secluded neighborhood. Close attention to detail inspires each apartment home, all amenities, and of course, our professional on-site management team.


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Can anyone out there help me identify the brand behind this mobius strip logo on Peter Luczak?
The Aussie lost his first singles rubber against Chilean Fernando Gonzalez at this weekend's Davis Cup tie. The score: 6-2, 6-2, 6-3. He'll face Nicolas Massu in reverse singles on Sunday. (More scores.)
We're all about the use of Australian national sports colors (green and yellow) as accents to Pete's white shirt — instead of letting the bright shades dominate, ala Hewitt and Chris Guccione. The green wristbands are good, too.
(photos by Getty Images)


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Defense lawyers for five of Bernard Madoff's ex-employees painted a picture of innocence in federal court on Thursday, claiming that their clients knew nothing of his notorious Ponzi scheme.
They began by attacking Frank DiPascali, Jr., another ex-Madoff employee who has pleaded guilty to fraud and is now testifying against his former colleagues on behalf of the government. He has yet to be sentenced.
Joann Crupi and Annette Bongiorno, who were both account managers for Madoff, as well as auditor Daniel Bonventre and computer programmers Jerome O'Hara and George Perez have all pleaded not guilty to fraud charges. Their trial, which is expected to last five months, began this week.
Attorney Andrew Frisch, who is representing Bonventre, told the court that DiPascali has little credibility, calling him "a pathological liar [and] a shredder of documents ... whose first instinct was to run and hide."
Frisch added that "the only way he can avoid a staggering sentence is to implicate others. Otherwise, he'll spend the rest of his life in prison." Finally, he described DiPascali as a villain who "didn't mind stealing from the Elie Wiesels of the world to get ahead." Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor who authored the book "Night" and a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987, was one of Madoff's victims.
Related: Ex-employees set to testify in new Madoff trial
Likewise, Annette Bongiorno's attorney Roland Riopelle said the government wouldn't be able to prove that his client "ever intended to steal from Madoff's customers, or anyone else."
He said she invested most of her own money with Madoff, and that, although she was friends with her former boss, "friendship is not fraud."
Related: Prison exclusive: Bernie Madoff, the king of thieves
Jerome O'Hara's attorney Gordon Mehler said the programmer lived in modest circumstances and was too insulated from Madoff's wrongdoing to have known about it.
"Jerry O'Hara almost never set foot in Bernie Madoff's office," he said, noting that they lived in "almost entirely separate worlds."
Madoff is currently serving a 150-year sentence in a federal prison in North Carolina. He pleaded guilty in 2009, three months after the collapse of his long-running Ponzi scheme, which siphoned $17.5 billion from thousands of victims. About $9.5 billion in missing assets has been recovered.


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Approx max dimensions: - 73cms x 66cms x 100cms
Approx weight: - 30kgs
This 3D fibre glass Buddha will make a great impression in any Oriental restaurant, garden, Oriental theme or Yoga studio. Buddha's are known to bring you good luck, wealth and happiness.The Buddha would be perfect to help you create a tranquil retreat or meditation area. The Buddha sits with hands out stretched looking peaceful with eyes shut.
It can be used in any themed area or in shops, businesses, pubs, restaurants, coffee shops, adventure golf courses, zoos, theme-parks or even in your own home.
All our models are high quality, durable, cold cast poly-resin & fibre-glass, not cheaper plastic or single-skin resin copies. The detail & modelling of these sculptures is superb. Well cared for, models supplied by the JollyRoger will give you & your customers pleasure for many years to come. We recommend that all models & point-of sale items which are going to be used outdoors be given a protective coat of clear lacquer or exterior varnish.
PLEASE CONTACT US ON 01626 833646 or 07860 680181 TO DISCUSS THIS MODEL & THE OTHER POINT-OF-SALE MODELS IN OUR RANGE, PLACE AN ORDER OR FOR AN EXACT QUOTE FOR DELIVERY COST TO YOUR POSTCODE.
NB -DELIVERY - Please note that the delivery price quoted through the website ordering system is based on average delivery costs when the ordered item is sent via a pallet-line service or for smaller items by a business-post service. Wherever possible we try to personally deliver large items to your door when we can combine deliveries in an area; this does require flexibility for delivery date. Delivery charges on orders for multiple items will of course be discounted accordingly.Before placing your order, if you have any queries or special requirements, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss these with you by phone or email.


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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), a member of the Senate General Aviation Caucus and CFI with more than 10,000 flight hours, hailed the Senate's unanimous passage of his bill, the Pilots' Bill of Rights (S.1335). Inhofe has worked to pass the legislation for the past year. His bill had 65 co-sponsors.
For the past few weeks, Inhofe has worked with Sens. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee, to reach a unanimous agreement on the legislation.
"This is a big victory for general aviation pilots all across the country," said Inhofe. "Last year, I introduced this bill and presented it to the general aviation community at Oshkosh. Thanks to the efforts of so many pilots, and organizations like AOPA and EAA, we were able to get this important bill passed. Over the course of my years in Congress, I have helped an untold number of pilots facing the pressure of dealing with the FAA. This bill remedies many of the most serious deficiencies in the relationship between general aviation and the FAA, and ensures that pilots are, like everyone else, treated in a fair and equitable manner by the justice system.
Makes FAA Enforcement Proceedings and NTSB Review Fair for Pilots
Requires NTSB review of FAA enforcement actions to conform, to the extent practicable, with the Federal Rules of Evidence and Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Requires the FAA to provide timely notice to a pilot who is the subject of an investigation, and that any response by the pilot can be used as evidence against him.
Requires that in an FAA enforcement action against a pilot, the FAA must grant the pilot all relevant evidence 30 days prior to a decision to proceed with an enforcement action. This is currently not done and often leaves the pilot grossly uninformed of his violation and recourse.
Makes contractor-run flight service station and contract tower communications available to airmen. Currently, if a request is made for flight service station information under FOIA, it is denied to the requestor because the contractor is not the government, per se. However, the contractor is performing an inherently governmental function and this information should be available to pilots who need it to defend themselves in an enforcement proceeding.
Removes the special statutory deference as it relates to National Transportation Safety Board reviews of FAA actions. Too often the NTSB rubber stamps a decision of the FAA, giving wide latitude to the FAA and making the appeals process meaningless. This returns NTSB's deference to the FAA to general administrative law principles, just like every other government agency.
Allows for federal district court review of appeals from the NTSB, at the election of the appellant. This is important because a review by the Federal district court is de novo, meaning the pilot gets a new trial with the ability to introduce evidence and a new review of the facts.
NOTAM Improvement Program
Requires that the FAA undertake a NOTAM Improvement Program, requiring simplification and archival of NOTAMs in a central location. The process by which Notices to Airmen are provided by the FAA has long needed revision. This will ensure that the most relevant information reaches the pilot. Currently, FAA makes pilots responsible for knowledge of pre-flight conditions. Non-profit general aviation groups will make up an advisory panel.
Medical Certification Review
The FAA's medical certification process has long been known to present a multitude of problems for pilots seeking an airman certificate. The bill requires a GAO review of the FAA's medical certification process and forms, with the goal of demonstrating how the FAA can provide greater clarity in the questions and reduce the instances of misinterpretation that have, in the past, lead to allegations of intentional falsification against pilots. Non-profit general aviation groups will make up an advisory panel, which will give advice to the FAA on how the medical certification process can be improved. The FAA is required to take appropriate action on the GAO recommendations within one year.
People who read this article also read articles on airparks, airshow, airshows, avgas, aviation fuel, aviation news, aircraft owner, avionics, buy a plane, FAA, fly-in, flying, general aviation, learn to fly, pilots, Light-Sport Aircraft, LSA, and Sport Pilot.


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Lexus invited Gizmodo along for a ride in the new LS 460 L super rich guy sedan. The thing is packed to the gills with tech. In fact, I'd call it the most geeked-out car evar, next to the Tesla.
But even the Tesla car can't park itself. Explanation of how the Advanced Parking Guidance System works, information on how this thing rips CDs, and other e-goodies, after the jump.
UPDATE: The video had some hiccups. Fixed.
Here's how it works.
1. You drive past a parking spot at 12mph or less. The four rear and six front sonar sensors detect the cars, and the gap between them.
2. Putting the car into reverse activates the wide-angle backup camera. There's a little button on the bottom of the screen that looks like a car parking. Hit it. If the spot is more than 6.5 feet longer than the car itself, the car enters Advanced Parking Guidance System mode. This is where the magic happens.
3. Crawl backwards, keeping your foot on the brake. If you touch the gas, or the wheel, the mode shuts itself off. Make sure to stay under 2.5mph, or it'll shut off, too. The wheel, as you can see from the video above, spins itself like its being ghost-driven. The sonar system is constantly measuring distance, beeping with more urgency as you get closer to obstacles.
4. When you're in the spot, the computer will announce that parking is complete.
Sonar Panels
Parking Mode buttons
Pretty sweet. Dan Neil, automotive journalist for the LA Times, and one of my favorite writers evar, sat next to me when I got the demo. He said he thought it was a pretty neat system. And that he could use it, since his better half was also the better parallel parker.
That's the best part of this car, but it's not the only awesome thing about it.
The car has adaptive cruise control, which uses millimeter-wave radar to slow you if a car in front of you hits the brakes. If the system detects a collision, it'll add pressure to the brakes to help stop time, and electronically tighten seatbelts.
It has the world's first 8-speed transmission, which uses fewer moving parts than the old 6-speed, in about the same space. I thought a car with 8 gears would flip through them like playing cards, but they were geared fairly tall to take advantage of the grunty 4.6-liter, 380-horsepower V8 engine. By the way, the pair gets the car up to 60mph in 5.4 seconds.
Like the Prius and other late-model Lexus cars, its key uses radio frequency to enable the door lock and starter buttons from a few feet away. Seems like a hack waiting to happen. But there's another drawback: One journalist took the car back to SF from Marin county, and left the key at the restaurant. The car keeps going, until you shut it off. Then, get ready to call AAA for a tow.
The headlights were inspired by crystal wine glasses. When they modeled a plastic assembly after the glasses, it didn't shine the way they wanted it to. So they took the headlamp, made it out of crystal, and studied the way it refracted light to get a similar look. The taillights are made from LEDs.
The car is so quiet, they had to redesign motors in the windows and locks because they were intrusive at first.
The backseat is not a bad place to be. The seats are adjustable in position, and feature heating, as well individual climate controls. There's a refrigerator big enough to hold a four cans of...soda. There are individual vanity mirrors, and a 9-inch motorized fold-down screen for the DVD player. The screen also can view and control (not sure if that's by remote or touch) the navigation, in case the driver is too busy speeding. There are rear sun shades that go down when the car is in reverse, and back up automatically when the car goes over 9mph.
The controls...for the back seat.
The tire pressure monitoring receiver sits on the roof, checking all 5 tires, yes, even the full-sized spare.
Finally, we reach the center console.
The nav system is the fifth generation of Toyota's system, centered around a 9-inch, 800x600 screen. The system uses XM to receive live traffic data, with icons for traffic jams, accidents, closed roads, construction, bad weather conditions, etc. But that data is only available in some areas. The system also has integrated Bluetooth for pairing with a cellphone, for speakerphone and addressbook access. The entire system can be controlled by voice commands.
The stereo's 7.1-channel surround, with some 19 speakers pushes 15 discreet channels. The total power? 450 watts. It sounded...okay. The optical drive in the dash plays back CDs, DVDs, and CDs burned with WMA and MP3s. What's cool is that the same HDD that the satellite nav system uses to store maps can also hold MP3s that the car rips from CDs. First car, to my knowledge, that can do this.
The Intuitive parking system is the more simple of the two parking aids. It uses the car's sonar to increase the tempo of beeps as you get closer to cars you're parking near.
How does it drive? It moves a bit like a hurricane-driven cloud, quickly running through its 8 gears to its electronically regulated 135MPH, or something close to that. The car moves, but without much confidence that the road won't fly out from under you in corners.
Lexus LS 460L [Jalopnik]


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LG Electronics today announced it is now selling the world's first OLED TV with 4K (3840 x 2160-pixel) resolution.
The sets, available in 77-in. and 65-in. screen sizes, will come in a curved panel form factor. The 65-in model will retail for about $11,700. Pricing for the 77-in has not yet been released.
LG will begin taking pre-orders for the two models starting in Korea this week, with availability in North America and Europe to follow soon after.
The company plans on demonstrating the technology at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin from September 5-10.
LG's 55-in. curved-screen, OLED UHD TV was displayed at CES in January. (Image: LG).
OLED, which stands for organic light-emitting diodes, promises larger, lighter screens with the ability to retain consistent color from even the widest of viewing angles.
LG's OLED TVs use a proprietary four-color pixel WRGB (white, red, green, blue) technology, with 33 million sub-pixels working to produce the LG's contrast ratio. Typically, high-definition TVs have an RGB-color pixel scheme.
The OLED products are also "smart TVs" in that they can connect to the Internet for content streaming. The TVs will run WebOS, the platform created by Palm, which LG acquired last year.
"LG 4K OLED TV is the pinnacle of technological achievement and a new paradigm that will change the dynamics of the next-generation TV market," Hyun-hwoi Ha, CEO of LG's Home Entertainment division, said in a statement. "As the next evolutionary step in display technology, OLED will play a major role in reshaping our industry. I feel confident when I say that 4K OLED is a bona fide game changer."
Read more about emerging technologies in Computerworld's Emerging Technologies Topic Center.


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Microsoft is gearing up to expand its Trustworthy Computing initiative by sharing more information with end users and with other security vendors. The Microsoft Exploitability Index and the Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP) will provide new visibility into security vulnerabilities that affect Microsoft products.
The new initiatives come as Microsoft makes its third appearance at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas, a conference that has in the past offered up some significant Microsoft vulnerabilities.
"One of the reasons why we're at Black Hat is to hear feedback and make sure that these programs are as effective as we intend them to be," Mike Reavey group manager at the Microsoft Security Response Center told InternetNews.com. "The overall theme of Trustworthy Computing is about continuing to evolve as the online threats continue to involve and the exploit index and MAPP are examples of our evolution."
Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing initiative debuted in 2001 as an effort by Microsoft to restore trust in Microsoft's security practices. One of the items that came out of the Trustworthy computing initiative is Microsoft's monthly patch Tuesday update. The new exploitability index will supplement the patch Tuesday announcement with a new metric that will help users understand the risks that a given vulnerability may pose.
In order to gauge risk, Microsoft will detail with the exploitability index, whether or not exploit code exists or is likely to exist for a given vulnerability. The general idea is to help Microsoft customers to prioritize the importance of updates based on their likelihood of being exploited.
"The exploitability index is not a hard score, " Reavey commented. "It's more about providing information."
Reavey explained that Microsoft will look at classifying vulnerabilities into three broad buckets. The first bucket will be highly exploitable vulnerabilities where Microsoft is of the opinion that exploit code that will work consistent is likely to be released inside of the first 30 days of the Microsoft patch being made available. The second bucked is if there is the possibility of an inconsistent exploit code that being produced that might work some of the time. The third bucket will identify vulnerabilities for which Microsoft believes it is unlikely that exploit code will be released inside of 30 days.
"When we looked at trends for the last two years, we saw that 30 percent of the vulnerabilities that we had updates for, actually had exploit code of any form," Reavey commented.
The Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP) will complement the exploitability index by creating a new community of Microsoft partners that will be given the details of vulnerabilites before the official patches are released. Microsoft's plan is to have these partners provide protection in their own respective products be they intrusion prevention vendors , anti-virus or otherwise.
Reavey commented that the members of MAPP will also collaborate with Microsoft on the exploitability index to verify Microsoft's assessment of risk.
Both the MAPP and exploitability index initiatives are expected by Microsoft to be ready to debut in October of this year. Until then Microsoft is soliciting security vendors to be part of the MAPP program.
According to Reavey, there is no cost to a security vendor for joining the program, though a non-disclosure agreement will need to be signed. Though MAPP participants will get an early look at some vulnerabilities Microsoft will still be keeping a tight lid on their issues.
"There are no hard timelines yet for when we'll disclose to MAPP," Reavey said. "But our intent is to provide information, just in time as we want to limit the time the information is exposed. So likely days and not weeks."


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This article is more than 1 year old
Database growth boosts Oracle
Billion dollar profit in Q4
Oracle posted solid revenue growth during its fourth quarter on the back on improved database sales.
Larry's shop reported a 26 per cent jump in revenue to $3.88bn, while net income rose 3 per cent to $1.02bn. The results came as Oracle manages a number of rocky acquisitions. These deals, however, didn't seem to affect the company's core database business.
"Oracle's database business delivered another strong growth quarter," said Oracle CEO Larry Ellison. "The latest Gartner, IDC and Morgan Stanley database surveys all agree that Oracle is increasing database market share while IBM's DB2 database is in decline."
New license revenue for database and middleware products rose 16 per cent to $1.26bn. That type of growth is a strong sign for Oracle, which like many software makers rates new license revenue as a key metric. Overall, Oracle software revenue cam in at $3.12bn - up 24 per cent year-over-year.
For the full year, Oracle reported a 16 per cent rise in revenue to $11.8bn and a 8 per cent net income rise to $2.9bn. ®
Related stories
Open-source projects get free checkup by automated tools
Oracle becomes EJB 3.0 'standard'
Ex-MS man joins Oracle


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Qualitative odor-structure relationships have been applied for more than a century. The results of these studies are mostly the consequence (outcome) of the application of common sense gathered by experience. Two main features characterize the molecular structures of odorant molecules: "electronicity" (electronic charge distribution over a molecule) and "stereocity" (volume, shape and profile of a molecule). We will show herein that odorant molecules with similar structures possess similar odor qualities. Sometimes chemical functional groups (aldehyde-nitrile-nitro, acetyl-acetate) with similar electronicity can replace each other in odorants without disturbing the odor quality to a great extent. The same holds true for the substitution of sterical parts of the odoriferous molecules (phenyl-isobutenyl, cyclohexylisoamyl, sulfur-ethenyl, chloro-methyl), which determine stereocity.
History For more than a century, attempts have been made to correlate the structures of odorant molecules with their olfactory responses. It seems worthwhile to review some important statements, concepts and theories that have been published over the last century.
In 1918, the Nobel Prize winner, Ruzicka, was already stating: molecular shape determines the character of an odoriferous substance, while the osmophoric (functional) group only causes variations in its character.


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What is 'Allow Mobizen to access 1. Storage, 2. Camera, 3. Microphone permissions?' pop-up message?
A pop-up message asking for permissions will appear on devices with Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) to allow Mobizen to Record, Capture, Storage, Settings and Edit.
In order to use all the features that Mobizen brings you, users must 'Allow' all permission requests.
1. Allow Mobizen to access your storage.
2. Allow Mobizen to access your camera
3. Allow Mobizen to access your microphone.
Oops! What if I have already pressed 'Deny'?
Go to Settings > enable 'Microphone, Storage, Camera' permission.
- Mobizen will work as intended only if permissions to Storage, Camera and Microphone are allowed.
- In case the permission pop-up is not shown, try disabling "Blue Screen Filter" and try again. (Learn more>)


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Obstetrician Doctor in South Miami
A Gynecologist is a medical professional who deals with the reproductive health of women. The practice examines areas of the woman who can be susceptible to complications and disease, such as the vagina, ovaries, uterus, and breasts. For all women aged 21 and over, it is highly advised that a gynecological exam is scheduled at least once a year. Our Obstetrician Doctor in South Miami, Dr. Susan Fox offers some of the most in depth and expert gynecology treatment in the field.
Some women may feel nervous and anxious when scheduling a gynecology appointment. Many fear that the process will be uncomfortable or even painful. At Dr. Susan Fox's Center for Women, we recognize that many women feel this way and it is our goal to ensure that each and every patient that walks into our clinic feels comfortable, safe, and at ease. Our professionals take special care in performing quick and effective examinations that will be both informative and helpful.
Gynecology Information
When visiting a gynecologist for the first time, you may want to know what to expect in order to feel more at ease. As a part of most gynecological visits to our center, you may be asked to complete a Pap Smear Test. A Pap Smear test is a typical part of a gynecological examination. This test is performed in order to search for any early signs of serious abnormalities such as cervical cancer. The results of a pap smear will allow our experts to address the issue in its early stages and could potentially prove to be life saving.
Another routine process you can expect from your gynecology visit at Dr. Susan Fox's Center for Women, is a pelvic exam. This exam is relatively short and our professionals do everything within their power to help you feel calm and relaxed. After being directed to position yourself in the proper position, our expert doctors will examine the external areas surrounding the vagina, such as the vulva folds, for any signs of abnormal discharge, cysts, inflammation, or genital warts. A speculum will then be used to secure an easy opening for our specialists to collect any needed samples that will be tested for various aspects.
Female OB GYN
Ensure that all aspects of your reproductive health are in top condition by contacting our Female OB GYN Dr. Susan Fox's Center for Women now at (305) 595-6488 or click here to schedule your first appointment with your new gynecologist.


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Clip pouch grey tribal HeartHighwayLeather
Wear as hip bag or hand bag and enjoy the open road in exciting fashion!
Beautiful real leather construction
Heavy duty hardware.
Wear as hip bag or hand bag.
Includes detachable strap.
Two snap hooks for attaching to belt loops.
One zipper pocket.
One flap compartment
Grey tribal heart design


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While on your Windows desktop, you can join a support session using the Support URL or Support Key provided by your agent in various ways. However, your experience joining the support session will depend on whether the GoToAssist Opener "helper" application has been installed previously.
Joining from a Mac? Check out the Customer Guide for Mac.
Show All | Hide All
Note: If prompted by the User Account Control (UAC) setting, click Yes to continue.
Note: To easily access the GoToAssist Customer Attended app from your desktop, locate the "G2A-RS Customer Attended App" in your "Downloads" folder, right-click on the file, then click Create shortcut.
Return to Top
Once you have joined a support session, you are prompted to share your screen with the agent and allow them to remotely control your keyboard and mouse. You can click Stop Screen Sharing on the GoToAssist Customer toolbar to stop screen sharing and remote control at any time.
Note: When an agent's account is enabled for session recording, an additional message, "This session will be recorded" is displayed when you are prompted to join the support session.
Show All | Hide All
I stopped sharing my screen. How do I start sharing it again?
I have multiple monitors. Can the agent see all of my screens?
Why doesn't the agent have remote control during my session?
I see a message that the session will be recorded. What exactly will be recorded?
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During your support session, you can send files to the agent, and they can send files to you.
Note: If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes to proceed with the file transfer. You will only be prompted once during your session.
Show All | Hide All
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You can use the chat feature on the GoToAssist Customer toolbar to send & receive chat messages during your support session with the agent.
When you join, the GoToAssist Customer toolbar will be minimized. Click Chat to expand the chat window, where you can exchange messages with the agent during your support session.


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Are You Ready To Reveal Your Best Body Ever?
As you rang in 2012 surrounded by friends and family members, you were positive that this was the year you'd lose weight. But throughout the month of January, things got off track. Work became busy. The gym was too crowded. It was too cold to go outside.
If these obstacles kept you off track, you're not alone. Recent research indicates that over half of people give up on their New Year's resolutions by the end of January – and with a large majority of people indicating that they'd like to lose weight, that means people are giving up on their dreams of their best body.
Here at […]


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It's "discreet;" that's why you didn't hear about Citricos until you'd been going to Disney World for years. At least, that was my story! When I finally found this restaurant, I knew I'd stumbled onto a gem.
Located in the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, tucked up into the corner between Mizner's Lounge and Victoria & Albert's, Citricos looks like a giant living room. In fact, you might mistake it for a seating/lounge area for Victoria & Albert's until you realize that there is actually a kitchen back there!
The long, open style of the restaurant and big, cushy chairs really do scream "comfy living area" vs. "hoity toity restaurant," so you definitely know you'll be at ease. In fact, as soon as I first sat on the chairs during my first visit to Citricos, I knew instantly that this was going to be a relaxing, comfortable meal.
Citricos doesn't have any special views. You can't see fireworks from here, or Electric Water Pageants or parades. Overall, the restaurant can't offer the opulence of Victoria & Albert's or the view of Narcoossee's, but what it does offer that I haven't been able to find in any other restaurant in Disney World is the unmistakable feeling of comfort and welcome — as though I'm a guest in an old friend's relaxed dining room (and she's serving me five-star cuisine)!
So, while you won't find any special draws to this restaurant, you will find a relaxed pace and the feeling that they want you to sit back, stay a while, and really enjoy your meal.
We like it so much that we often have to flip a coin to decide between California Grill and Citricos, and last year I even celebrated my birthday there!
Remember, if you're having a special event, the Citricos Chef's Domain is now available and seats up to 12 people. This is a lot like the Chef's Table at Victoria & Albert's, and gives you and your party the chance to interact with the chefs at the restaurant!
Citricos is a signature dining experience in Disney World, which means it's more expensive than many other restaurants. The menu focuses on a menu of "American dishes inspired by the cuisine of Provençe, Tuscany and the Spanish Riviera." From my personal experience, I translate this to mean, "a little bit of everything based on what's fresh at the market." There's always a delicious oak-grilled beef filet, there's always a wonderful seasonal soup, and there's always a fantastic selection of fish dishes. With the rest of the menu, you'll likely be delighted and surprised.
Speaking of the menu, I mentioned we last visited for my birthday. On the occasion, we were given special birthday keepsake menus, so keep that in mind!
I started with a margarita — tradition, of course — and for apps we couldn't resist the cheese plate and the arancini! I'm a cheese plate girl, so I get them wherever I go.
Unfortunately, Citricos' cheese plate includes only a trio of cheeses and one is always the Lemon Ricotta from Central Florida, which I'm not fond of. So, while the other two (harder) cheeses are usually winners, I probably won't get the cheese plate here again.
However, the arancini (currently Crispy Risotto with Crimini Mushrooms, Asiago, and Charred-Tomato Coulis — when we were there, it had sausage) is always incredible. It's a pretty solid staple on the menu, too, so you can probably expect it to be there when you are. Recipe might change up a bit, though.
From there, we ordered the Salad of Romaine Lettuce with Creamy Roasted Garlic Emulsion
with White Anchovies, Hearts of Palm, and Pickled Peppers; and the Florida Sweet Corn Soup with Smoked Corn Relish and Chive Cream.
The salad was pretty standard fare; nothing all that special about this one. But the soup — heavenly! How could it not be? Florida sweet corn? Chive cream?! It was the perfect blend of sweet and savory and had a wonderful thick consistency. The only problem is that I keep falling in love with these "seasonal soups," and they're never there when I go back!
Dinner for both of us was the Oak-grilled Filet of Beef with Spanish Onions, Peppadew and Banana Peppers, Quattro Formaggi-Crushed Potatoes, and Veal Glace de Viande. (I admit, by the time I got to this my margarita was kicking in and I forgot to take the photo before I started eating [cardinal sin!]. So I'm borrowing a photo of the same dish from a much better food photographer than myself — Jennifer!)
As for taste, this was pretty much my favorite steak in Disney World for many years. It looks simple, but the combination of the sauces with the four cheese mashed potatoes and the tender steak to top it off is just ideal.
Finally it was time for dessert. And for dessert, you should never order anything but the Lemon Cheesecake with fresh Raspberry Sauce if you can help it. An incredible dessert and one of my favorites in Disney World, it was the ideal "birthday cake." We've ordered a lot of desserts here and I've never been able to top this one.
True to form for Citricos, this meal had been a long one, but it had been extremely relaxing and easy to enjoy. While my family can be known for our "go, go, GO" attitude (we're good at efficiency and making the best use of our time…we talk a lot about "value propositions"), Citricos has the magical effect of making us slow down and truly enjoy the food, the ambiance, and the company. I've even seen it work its magic on kids, who are more than welcome in Citricos.
I've honestly never had a bad meal here, and the biggest potential complaint would be about the slow pace of the service. So consider this one when you'd like something a bit less "bright lights, big city" than California Grill, but are still looking for a relaxing, top-quality meal based on market-fresh and local ingredients.
Have you been to Citricos? What are your thoughts about the restaurant? The service? Let us know in the comments section below if you'd recommend Citricos, and why!
For more detailed information about Citricos, including links to updated menus, info about discounts and dining plans, and more, see our Citricos Page.
Filet photo used via flickr with photographer permission! Thanks Jennifer!


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Same-Sex Attraction and the Inevitability of Change
Whether sexual orientation can change or not, hearts can change and turn any sexual orientation into an occasion for the glory of Christ. When Paul says, "You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19–20), he did not exclude people with same-sex attraction.
Feasting and fasting have always been ways of glorifying Christ with food. Similarly sexual relations in marriage and sexual abstinence outside marriage have always been ways of glorifying Christ with our sexuality.
"We are all changing — in a hundred ways, including how sexuality fits into our lives."
The Bible is not unclear that same-sex attraction is disordered (Romans 1:26–27), and that same-sex intercourse (as all adultery and fornication) is sin (1 Corinthians 6:9). Therefore, those with same-sex attraction glorify Christ through sexual abstinence and through the enrichment of significant Christ-exalting relationships in other ways.
This is true whether there are genetic roots of same-sex attraction and whether the attraction can be changed.
Nevertheless, we should follow Stanton Jones and Mark Yarhouse in refusing to reject the possibility of change. Their caution is commendable ("Honest Sex Science" in First Things, Oct. 2012, 18–20).
They do not follow Robert Spitzer who recently recanted his 2003 study where he wrote, "There is evidence that change in sexual orientation following some form of reparative therapy does occur in some gay men and lesbians." He no longer interprets the data that way.
But Jones and Yarhouse do not recant their 2011 study in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy titled, "A Longitudinal Study of Attempted Religiously Mediated Sexual Orientation Change."
On the whole, however, our evidence suggests that some people experience meaningful shifts in sexual orientation and that the attempt to change is not intrinsically or necessarily harmful. . . . We do not believe that reports of change can be summarily dismissed.
Much of the science surrounding sexual orientation in general and efforts to change sexual orientation in particular is yet inconclusive. Some may be able to change their sexual orientation to a degree, but many, perhaps the majority, cannot and will not. People may be harmed when practitioners, professional or religious, do not properly protect human welfare, but harm does not appear inevitable.
This is a wise and cautious balance. It is wise not only because with God all things are possible, but also because "either-or" thinking is especially unsuitable when dealing with sexual orientation.
"Sexual relations in marriage and sexual abstinence outside marriage have always been ways of glorifying Christ."
There are not simply three groups: Heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual. There are hundreds of variations of impulses that make up our peculiar sexual identities. This means that "change" is not a movement from one of three groups to another of three groups. Rather, it is a totally unpredictable reconfiguration of dozens of impulses and desires. And these desires and impulses are interwoven with dozens of personal and relational and spiritual realities, all of which are moving and shifting as God and his word and his people come to bear on the totality of a person's life.
Is change possible? From this perspective change is inevitable. We are all changing — in a hundred ways, including how sexuality fits into our lives. And for the Christian, the Spirit of God and the word of God are gloriously in the mix. It is a lifelong quest. Jones and Yarhouse sound a warning not to promise too much or to hope for too little.


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21 comments
Such a col Idea. Need something like this for my officeReplyDelete
Jana, this looks so great! And it looks like the varnish slightly darkens the cork - I love that!ReplyDelete
This is very cool!!I will do it!!Thank you for sharing!Super!!:)ReplyDelete
so cute...and so simple!ReplyDelete
ps indian summers sure past in Chicago!
Very cute! Looks like something you could get the little ones to help with. Might be a nice "teacher" gift! Include some treats, teas, and other niceties!ReplyDelete
Very cute! Looks like something the little ones could help with. Can't help but think it would be a great "teacher" gift. Include some teas and treats with other niceties!ReplyDelete
How cute, loving this tray!!ReplyDelete
Such a talent!ReplyDelete
great idea! love it and it looks great!ReplyDelete
Definitely one of the cooler projects I've come across lately. Leopard print is so hot right now!ReplyDelete
Thats a brilliant idea! i'll keep this in mind for when we have winter on our side!ReplyDelete
Thanks for the share!
Eeeek that's genius! I've been wanting a lucite tray since I saw them on this blog. But this is such a cute way of updating them without buying another one. I'd also do a pastel chevron print for the spring/summer!ReplyDelete
wow you are so creative and talented!!!!ReplyDelete
So cool and yet it seems so easy! Thanks xReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 03, 2012
Love this DIY,how couldi not?!Big fan of leopard prints:)ReplyDelete
This is absolutely adorable. Such a great DIY. Thanks so much for sharing!ReplyDelete
Absolutely love this idea! I really want to try this :)ReplyDelete
Amazing! I love it!ReplyDelete
Welcome to my blog
That is cool outReplyDelete
okay I have to admit, as I was scrolling through the photos I thought "this is going to look like shit"ReplyDelete
But its totally cute- bravo so much more talented than me.
Great technique for painting leopard print. Thanks!ReplyDelete
Thank you for your comments! Be sure to visit my shop at www.madebygirl.com


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Harvard Study Predicts Upswing in Home Improvements
Spending by homeowners on improvement projects is expected to accelerate as the year progresses, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. On top of the almost 10 percent growth reflected in U.S. Census Bureau figures for 2012, the LIRA projects strong gains in homeowner remodeling spending continuing throughout 2013, with some moderation in the pace of growth toward the end of the year. "Existing home sales were up almost nine percent last year, and house prices are increasing in most markets across the country," says Eric S. Belsky, managing director of the Joint Center. "This has increased the home equity levels for most homeowners, encouraging them to reinvest in their homes." "The strong growth that we've seen recently is putting pressure on the current capacity of the home improvement industry," says Kermit Baker, director of the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center. "Contractors and subcontractors are having more difficulty finding skilled labor, and building materials costs are unusually volatile for this stage of a recovery."


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American and British intelligence has been spying on gamers across the world, media outlets reported Monday, saying that the world's most powerful espionage agencies packed virtual universes full of undercover agents and surreptitiously monitored traffic across online fantasy games such as "World of Warcraft."
Stories carried Monday in The New York Times, the Guardian, and ProPublica said U.S. and U.K. spies have spent years trawling online games for terrorists or informants. The stories, based on documents leaked by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, offer an unusual take on America's world-spanning surveillance campaign, suggesting that even the fantasy worlds popular with children, teens, and escapists of all ages aren't beyond the attention of the NSA and its British counterpart, GCHQ.
Virtual universes like World of Warcraft can be massively popular, drawing in millions of players who log months' worth of real world time competing with other players for online glory, virtual treasure, and magical loot. At its height, World of Warcraft boasted some 12 million paying subscribers, more than the population of Greece. Other virtual worlds, like Linden Labs' "Second Life" or the various games hosted by Microsoft's Xbox — home to the popular science fiction-themed shoot-em-up "Halo" — host millions more.
Spy agencies have long worried that such games serve as a good cover for terrorists or other evildoers who could use in-game messaging systems to swap information. In one of the documents cited Monday by media outlets, the NSA warned that the games could give intelligence targets a place to "hide in plain sight."
The 82-page-document, published on The New York Times' website, also noted that opponents could use video games to recruit other users or carry out virtual weapons training — pointing to the Sept. 11, 2001 hijackers as examples of terrorists who had used flight simulation software to hone their skills.
Important details — such as how the agencies secured access to gamers' data, how many players' information was compromised, or whether Americans were swept up in the spying — were not clear, the Times and ProPublica said, but the reports point to a determined effort to infiltrate a world many people associate with adolescents and shut-ins.
At the request of GCHQ, the NSA began extracting "World of Warcraft" data from its global intelligence haul, trying to tie specific accounts and characters to Islamic extremism and arms dealing efforts, the Guardian reported. Intelligence on the fantasy world could eventually translate to real-world espionage success, one of the documents suggested, noting that "World of Warcraft" subscribers included "telecom engineers, embassy drivers, scientists, the military and other intelligence agencies."
"World of Warcraft" wasn't the only target. Another memo noted that GCHQ had "successfully been able to get the discussions between different game players on Xbox Live." Meanwhile, so many U.S. spies were roaming around "Second Life" that a special "deconfliction" unit was set up to prevent them from stepping on each other's toes.
Blizzard Activision Inc. —the company behind of "World of Warcraft" — Linden Labs, and Microsoft Inc. did not immediately return messages seeking comment, although the Times cited a Blizzard spokesman as saying that any surveillance "would have been done without our knowledge or permission." GCHQ said it had no comment on the stories beside the assertion that it operated in "a strict legal and policy framework" with rigorous oversight.
Barbara Ortutay in New York contributed to this report.


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Capture Your Need For Speed With Continental Tire
Buy some Contis, get an iON Air Pro WiFi Lite-Camera or 70 bucks
Related Video
Capture Your Need For Speed With Continental Tire Details:
- Buy 4 Conti tires for a total of $499 or more to receive an iON lipstick cam or $70 Visa gift card
- Conti product in the film includes ExtremeContact, ContiSportContact and PureContact lines
- Visit your local Continental dealer for more info on the promotion
- DreamWorks Studios' Need For Speed (NFS) film opens March 14
We're just days away from the March 14 opening of DreamWorks Studios' Need For Speed (NFS) film, and Continental Tire is marking the occasion with a new promotional campaign. Now through April 4, folk who purchase four Continental passenger or light truck tires for a total of $499 or more will receive an iON Air Pro WiFi Lite-Camera or a $70 VISA gift card.
As you might have guessed, Conti provides the rubber for the exotics and sports cars featured in NFS. The Torino driven by Aaron Paul's character, Toby Marshall, flosses ExtremeContactTM DW UHP tires, as do the Koenigsegg's, Bugatti's, Saleen S7's, Spano's and McLaren's throughout the movie. Mustangs in Need for Speed sport ContiSportContactTM 3 and 5P soles, while Continental's newest luxury and all-season tire, the PureContactTM, dresses the Dodge Charger police cars.
Visit your local Continental Tire dealer for more information on the "Capture Your Need For Speed" promotion. For a dealer near you, visit www.continentaltire.com. And join in the conversation about the movie on Twitter (@continentaltire) at #NeedForSpeed.
Movie captures provided by Need for Speed
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UAW-Detroit Automaker Strike Expands to More GM, Ford Plants: What You Need to Know


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By Alex Dobuzinskis
Jan 5 (Reuters) - Retired Rhode Island Congressman Patrick
Kennedy is taking aim at what he sees as knee-jerk support for
marijuana legalization among his fellow liberals, in a project
that carries special meaning for the self-confessed former
Oxycontin addict.
Kennedy, 45, a Democrat and younger son of the late "Lion of
the Senate" Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, is leading a
group called Project SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) that
opposes legalization and seeks to rise above America's culture
war over pot with its images of long-haired hippies battling
law-and-order conservatives.
Project proposals include increased funding for mental
health courts and treatment of drug dependency, so those caught
using marijuana might avoid incarceration, get help and
potentially have their criminal records cleared.
Kennedy wants cancer patients and others with serious
illnesses to be able to obtain drugs with cannabinoids, but in a
more regulated way that could involve the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration playing a larger role.
The eight-term former congressman from Rhode Island and the
group he chairs will put forth their plan on Wednesday with a
media appearance in Denver.
Their efforts follow the November election that saw voters
in Washington state and Colorado become the first in the nation
to approve measures to tax and regulate pot sales for
recreational use. Kennedy's group is seeking to shift the debate
and reclaim momentum for the anti-legalization movement, in part
by proposing new solutions with appeal to liberals, such as
taking a public health approach to combat marijuana use.
Legalization backers have argued that the so-called War on
Drugs launched in 1971 by former President Richard Nixon has
failed to stem marijuana use, and has instead saddled otherwise
law-abiding pot smokers with criminal records that may block
their avenues to landing a successful job.
Kennedy faults the U.S. government for allocating too much
of its $25 billion drug control budget to law enforcement rather
than to treatment and prevention.
"Yes, the drug war has been a failure, but let's look at the
science and let's look at what works. And let's not just throw
out the baby with the bathwater," Kennedy, who served in the
U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2011, said in a
telephone interview.
The U.S. Department of Justice is still developing a policy
in regard to the new state legalization measures.
President Barack Obama said in an interview with ABC News
last month that it did not make sense for the federal government
to "focus on recreational drug users in a state that has already
said that, under state law, that's legal."
Conservative political commentator David Frum, a speech
writer for former President George W. Bush, is also a board
member on Project SAM, which lends it a bipartisan flavor.
For his part, Kennedy is aiming many of his arguments toward
liberals like himself. Polls show Democrats largely favoring
legalizing marijuana, and among the 18 states that allow medical
marijuana, several are in the West and Northeast and are heavily
"The fact is people are afraid on the (political) left to
look like they're not for an alternative to incarceration and
criminalization, and they're afraid they're not going to look
sympathetic to a cancer patient" who might use marijuana,
Kennedy said. As a result, he said the legalization position
mistakenly comes to be seen as "glamorous."
Kennedy admits to having smoked pot but also said that, as
an asthma sufferer, he "found other ways to get high."
In 2006, he crashed his car into a security barrier in
Washington, D.C., and soon after sought treatment for drug
dependency. He said he was addicted to the pain reliever
Oxycontin at that time and suffered from alcoholism. He added
that he has been continuously sober for nearly two years.
Kennedy, who was married for the first time in 2011, said he
worries his 8-month-old son might be predisposed to drug abuse -
due to a kind of genetic "trigger" - and that is part of his
fight against legalization.
He also said he wants to "reduce the environmental factors
that pull that trigger," such as marijuana use being commonly
Meanwhile, another prominent figure from Rhode Island, the
newly crowned Miss Universe Olivia Culpo, is making waves by
also objecting to legalization. She told Fox News this week
there are "too many bad habits that go with the drug."
In Washington state, Alison Holcomb was campaign director
for the legalization measure, which billed itself as having a
public health element to help people dependent on marijuana.
The measure, which is not set to go into full effect until
after state regulators spend most of 2013 setting guidelines,
would allow adults 21 and older to buy marijuana at special
Holcomb argued that drug dependency courts are more geared
toward users of hardcore drugs, and that the approach her group
put forward is the sensible one.
"I don't know what a public health approach without
legalization looks like, if you're still arresting people," she
Taxes on marijuana sales would generate, at the high end of
estimates, over $500 million a year with $67 million of that
going to a state agency that provides drug treatment, said Mark
Cooke, policy adviser for the American Civil Liberties Union of
Washington state, which supported the campaign.
Also included in the tax revenue would be $44 million for
education and public health campaigns - including a phone line
for people wanting to quit using marijuana, Cooke said.
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Daniel Trotta and
Gunna Dickson)


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New product
Biggest and meanest Xenomorph you will encouner in your life. But only once.
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Alien King German Edition
Biggest and meanest Xenomorph you will encouner in your life. But only once.
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Among the largest, and most terrifying, biologics that an alien hive can bring to bear upon its enemies, is a creature dubbed the Monstrosity or "King" xenomorph. Towering several stories over its smaller brethren, this creature shakes the ground wherever it goes, causing small localized earthquakes in its wake. Near impervious to small arms fire, wounds dealt to it are regenerated almost instantly. It has been noted that when it eats its victims, its alien healing power actually speeds up, knitting even the most terrible wounds back together.
At range, it can project a huge ball of acid which if it hits even a target that is dug in, will melt them to little more than a puddle of matter. When it gets in close, it will unleash a screech, killing its initial enemies and then rush in with surprising speed for a creature of its size. Its gigantic claws and long tail are able to tear tanks and infantry to pieces in equal measure. Luckily, only a handful of such creatures found in the largest xenomorph hives, has ever been catalogued by human scientists.
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That veterans struggle after going from the military into a scholastic environment is a point of view not shared by Student Veterans of America (SVA). And data seems to back up their stance.
On March 24, SVA representatives released the results of their Million Records Project, a joint study between SVA, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC). The three entities matched two sets of data: a randomly selected sample of approximately 1 million Montgomery and Post-9/11 GI Bill veteran education beneficiary records from 2002 to 2010, and U.S. student postsecondary enrollment and completion records collected by the NSC.
Of those users analyzed, 51.7 percent have received a postsecondary degree or certificate, a completion rate similar to traditional college students and surpassing the rate of other nontraditional students.
"Americans have invested substantial dollars in giving our veterans an opportunity to further their education, and this report shows many positive signs that they are doing just that," said Wayne Robinson, SVA president and CEO. "The majority of student veterans accessing their GI Bill benefits are completing degrees and showing unparalleled determination to do so, despite many unique barriers. A single deployment can interrupt a student veteran's education for at least nine to 13 months, but they're returning to the classroom and completing."
SVA partnered with the VA and the NSC to gather and analyze the data. Their work indicated that although many take longer than traditional students to graduate, most student veterans complete their initial studies and often earn additional higher level degrees as well. Their delayed time-to-completion is due in large part to the unique challenges facing student veterans who are atypical of traditional college students, including sometimes taking a break from their studies to serve in the military.
"We have validated that veterans are motivated," said Curtis Coy, VA's deputy undersecretary for Economic Opportunity. "They're focused and, regardless of the odds, continue to persist and achieve. The investment of these veterans is critical to the economic success of this country."
The report also shows the majority of students complete a bachelor's degree within four to six years and associate degrees within four. Many of these veterans enroll in college after high school graduation, withdraw to join the military, then re-enroll after military service.
Other veterans enroll in postsecondary institutions after they complete their military service; others earn college credit before, during and after military service but may need to repeat some coursework that was lost due to deployments.
"It is clear that veterans are persisting in their education and graduating at levels comparable to the general population," Robinson said. "They're pursuing high-demand degrees, making them highly attractive in today's job market. Based on these findings, Americans can now see the value of their smart investment in student veterans."