 |
| Image by Getty Images via @daylife |
China's Chocolate
World... |
| Image by Getty Images via @daylife |
http://travel.msn.co.nz/glance/209048/chinas-chocolate-world.glance
Thursday, December 29, 2011
The chocolate world of China...
China's Chocolate
World...http://travel.msn.co.nz/glance/209048/chinas-chocolate-world.glance
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Former prisoners want Angelina Jolie's new film banned...
The head of a group for Serbs held prisoner during
Bosnia's 1992-95 war says Angelina Jolie's movie
In the Land of Blood and
Honeyshould be banned in the Serb-run part of the
country.
Branislav Djukic of the Bosnian Serb Association of Camp Prisoners said that although he has seen only the trailer, he can already say the movie "is showing lies" and portraying Serbs as the only ones who raped women during the war.
Jolie's movie will be released in the US on December 23 and is a drama about a Serb soldier who finds his ex-lover, a Muslim Bosnian woman, among sex slaves in a camp.
The movie was praised by a selected audience of 11 non-Serb war victim groups who saw it in Sarajevo earlier this month.
Check out the trailer for In the Land of Blood and Honey:
Acknowledgements:- AP
Branislav Djukic of the Bosnian Serb Association of Camp Prisoners said that although he has seen only the trailer, he can already say the movie "is showing lies" and portraying Serbs as the only ones who raped women during the war.
Jolie's movie will be released in the US on December 23 and is a drama about a Serb soldier who finds his ex-lover, a Muslim Bosnian woman, among sex slaves in a camp.
The movie was praised by a selected audience of 11 non-Serb war victim groups who saw it in Sarajevo earlier this month.
Check out the trailer for In the Land of Blood and Honey:
Acknowledgements:- AP
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Senate moves to allow military to intern Americans without trial...
 |  |  |  |  |
NDAA detention provision would turn America into a “battlefield”
Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet.com
The Senate is set to vote on a bill next week that would define the whole of the United States as a “battlefield” and allow the U.S. Military to arrest American citizens in their own back yard without charge or trial.
“The Senate is going to vote on whether Congress will give this president—and every future president — the power to order the military to pick up and imprison without charge or trial civilians anywhere in the world. The power is so broad that even U.S. citizens could be swept up by the military and the military could be used far from any battlefield, even within the United States itself,” writes Chris Anders of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office.
Under the ‘worldwide indefinite detention without charge or trial’ provision of S.1867, the National Defense Authorization Act bill, which is set to be up for a vote on the Senate floor Monday, the legislation will “basically say in law for the first time that the homeland is part of the battlefield,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who supports the bill.
The bill was drafted in secret by Senators Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), before being passed in a closed-door committee meeting without any kind of hearing. The language appears in sections 1031 and 1032 of the NDAA bill.
“I would also point out that these provisions raise serious questions as to who we are as a society and what our Constitution seeks to protect,” Colorado Senator Mark Udall said in a speech last week. One section of these provisions, section 1031, would be interpreted as allowing the military to capture and indefinitely detain American citizens on U.S. soil. Section 1031 essentially repeals the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 by authorizing the U.S. military to perform law enforcement functions on American soil. That alone should alarm my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, but there are other problems with these provisions that must be resolved.”
- A d v e r t i s e m e n t
-
This means Americans could be declared domestic terrorists and thrown in a military brig with no recourse whatsoever. Given that the Department of Homeland Security has characterized behavior such as buying gold, owning guns, using a watch or binoculars, donating to charity, using the telephone or email to find information, using cash, and all manner of mundane behaviors as potential indicators of domestic terrorism, such a provision would be wide open to abuse.
“American citizens and people picked up on American or Canadian or British streets being sent to military prisons indefinitely without even being charged with a crime. Really? Does anyone think this is a good idea? And why now?” asks Anders.
The ACLU is urging citizens to call their Senator and demand that the Udall Amendment be added to the bill, a change that would at least act as a check to prevent Americans being snatched off the streets without some form of Congressional oversight.
We have been warning for over a decade that Americans would become the target of laws supposedly aimed at terrorists and enemy combatants. Alex Jones personally documented how U.S. troops were being trained to arrest U.S. citizens in the event of martial law during urban warfare training drills back in the 90′s. Under the the National Defense Authorization Act bill, no declaration of martial law is necessary since Americans would now be subject to the same treatment as suspected insurgents in places like Afghanistan and Iraq.
If you thought that the executive assassination of American citizens abroad was bad enough, now similar powers will be extended to the “homeland,” in other words, your town, your community, your back yard.
*********************
Paul Joseph Watson is the editor and writer for Prison Planet.com. He is the author of Order Out Of Chaos. Watson is also a regular fill-in host for The Alex Jones Show.
Acknowledgements: http://prisonplanet.com
Friday, November 11, 2011
11/11/11: Eleven crazy facts to know about...
From Freemasons, spiritualists to RPG-fans around the world, this day has something to offer to everyone.
1) First and foremost – the date’s number is a full palindrome (reads the same from left to right, and right to left), which occurs only once per century. Nothing crazy about this one, it's just plain math. Rather, it’s the date’s palindromic qualities that get people stirred up. Occultists, Freemasons and numerologists each have their own connotation for the number. Oh, and lotto players often refer to 11 as “the drumsticks”. The Last time a full double-figure palindrome date occurred (November 11, 1911), US citizens in Missouri witnessed an extraordinary temperature drop from 80F to 10 F. Friday will show if it had anything to do with the date or was mere coincidence.
2) Russians get married en masse. Registry services in various Russian towns will be working overtime and setting up additional offices to cater for all the couples who wish to tie the knot. The other popular wedding days – like January 1st, or August 28th – are given a run for their money, as the trend doesn’t stay exclusively Russian. There was also a funny coincidence concerning divorce: trying to stand out in the happy crowd, one Russian couple got married on 09/09/09…and got divorced on 11/11/11!
3) South Korean mothers desperately want to give birth on this date exactly. They flood hospitals with requests for a Caesarean section delivery in order to have the magical 111111 in their children’s registration number. The latter, according to Korean law is composed of 13 numbers, with the first six corresponding for the date of birth.
4) The Anonymous hacker group – in the spotlight lately with its promises to hack the upcoming US election – also plans to organize a flashmob reenactment of the “V for Vendetta” finale in London. They have called for protesters to join together on Friday evening from 9 to 12pm wearing Guy Fawkes masks.
5) Peruvian spiritualist Solara calls to mark the significance of having a “triple master number” date – 11, 22, 33 are called master numbers because are believed by some to process more potential than others. Some 50 groups around the world will mark the date, according to Solara. “I envision a big shift in consciousness on the planet, and it’s coming to a point with this date,” she is quoted by Scotsman.com
6) Mystics in Egypt and beyond who had planned on commemorating the day with rituals and rites have been less than lucky. In order to avoid religious clashes, Egyptian authorities have closed the Pyramids of Giza to tourists and locals alike. Several groups had planned events at the foot of the pyramids, which have long been revered for their supposedly numerological and supernatural powers.
7) Twins celebrate birthday in Wisconsin. The adorable Betsy and Katie Overman are turning eleven on this remarkable day, promising to spend no more than 11 minutes in school. RT wishes them success in each of their other future endeavors. But more than anything this stresses a lack of news topics in US regional press.
8) Mars may be seen in tandem with Regulus – the brightest star the Lion constellation and one of the most noticeable ones in the sky. To witness the rare astronomical event, one has to look eastwards around 9pm GMT. Right above the line of the horizon the orange Mars will be seen, with Regulus rising to the right of it.
Regulus and surrounding region
9) The Chinese calendar provides that silver lining, claiming 11/11/11 is in fact the most successful day of the century, as it “embodies mirror unity and balance between the sky and the land”, whatever that means. Chinese numerology regards number one as a symbol of leadership and independence – no surprises here, while Feng Shui sees it as meaning luck and success. And to think of a day that in fact contains two of those!
10) Nothing in India. Yeah, you heard it – nothing. Indian media was quick to dismiss all the speculation regarding the date saying it holds no significance in the Hindu calendar. Well, in a country as ravaged by sectarian violence as India is, the desire to get rid of numerology freaks at least is understandable. Then again wasn’t there a religion craving for nothing in India?
11) An alternative way of doing nothing can be achieved by purchasing Skyrim – the fifth Elder Scrolls series video game – 11/11/11 is the day of its release. Be advised, though, Elder Scrolls, which is the biggest Role Playing Games (RPG) franchise in history, tends to render you doing nothing for substantially longer time than just 24 hours.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
The search for hangover cures - the hair of the dog and a variety of others...
Image by Getty Images via @daylifeBy Peter Petterson
First published at Qondio:
I recently posted about when, where and who was responsible for introducing wine and beer to humankind many thousands of years ago.
But as I wrote, no definate cures for hangovers were available. However I promised my friends who had commented about the unavailability of such cures that I would try and rectify the situation. It was even suggested, tongue in cheek no doubt, that it gave me an opportunity to post an intel dedicated to cures. Do you seriously believe that?
With a bit of 'googling' I have discovered an article which deals with that subject. "Hangover cures from around the world: From the scientific to the outlandish, every culture has its own perspective on curing a hangover." Just what do you do?
There is certainly a few to choose from: Food is a recurring theme in many of the cures.
The scientific:
In the north of England you are encouraged to eat as much carbohydrates as possible - as a consequence there are always long queues at Greggs bakery there.
At the Waldorf in 1894, New York socialite, Samuel Benedict, introduced his contribution which has become known as 'Eggs Benedict' - half an English muffin, topped with bacon or ham, poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce. Just a hungry man? However research by Newcastle University concluded it was the bread - those carbohydrates again - and bacon is full of proteins. Together they break down into amino acid which helps our system to counter the effects of alcohol.
The outlandish:
During the 19th century chimney sweeps were known to dose themselves with a lump of soot and warm milk - something also used by hospitals at the time to mop up toxins in the stomach and intestines.
In China today they drink strong green tea; the Italians prefer a pot of strong black coffee (a well known cure to us in the West). Romanians, Mexicans and Turks all recommend tripe boiled in greasy, salty soup with garlic and cream.
Koreans have a stomach soup - pork spine or cow bones with coagulated blood, cabbage and vegetables.
Rabbit dropping tea was favorites with cowboys in the old west to counter the whiskey drunk the night before, something considered in the script of Brokeback Mountain, but finally rejected.
Sicilians eat dried bulls penis; while the old Celts were buried up to their necks in moist river sand. Ancient Romans had deep fried canaries, while we today have a bucket of KFC. Some New Zealanders have a cheese and mince pie with chocolate milk.
Cannabis has been suggested because it stops nausea and creates hunger. But the Dutch have decided over many years that a bit of the hair of the dog is good for you - have a few more drinks in the morning.
As I stated earlier, food is a recurring theme in the 'cures'. I suggest you drink as much water as possible, have a strong black coffee and eat when able.
There are many more available, but we will settle with what I have revealed here. Will you be trying any of these in the future?
http://huttriver.qondio.com
Friday, October 28, 2011
Some Britons outraged at Australian 'mooning' of Queen recently...
Image via Wikipedia
An Australian accused of "mooning" the Queen in Brisbane yesterday has been condemned by angry Britons. Sydney's Liam Warriner, 22, admitted to reporters yesterday that he exposed his rear end to the monarch as she travelled along Kingsford Smith Drive on her royal visit.
According to reports, he had the Australian flag wedged between the cheeks of his bare bottom when he exposed himself at about 11.40am.
It was unlikely the Queen saw Warriner's exposed backside, a police spokesman said today
.
While flashing a V for victory sign yesterday, Warriner declared "I mooned the Queen".
"Everybody's seen someone's butt, come on. You see it on TV all the time, you see it in movies, it's accepted in PG rated programming these days, but yet it's an offence to the Queen," he told The Courier Mail.
English tabloid The Daily Mail reported on the incident, labelling Warriner "remorseless".
The article drew a furious reaction from its readers.
"A citizen for Australia to be proud of. I bet his parents think he's wonderful!" Onthereceivingend, Somewhere in England, wrote.
"Maybe all the Australians who regularly write disparaging things about the English might like to consider the vulgarity of one of their own people. Not only was it disgusting and disrespectful but also a public offence. Hope he gets a good fine for it," Despairing citizen, UK, contributed.
John of Pompey wrote of Warriner's decision to put the Australian flag in between his cheeks: "All it is fit for if idiots like this are typical."
There were some messages of support for the Sydney man, with an American reader giving Warriner's actions the thumbs up.
"Well done! May the Aussies never loose (sic) their rugged, outback culture and sense of humor (sic). Too bad Slim Dusty is gone, I'm sure he would have appreciated that and then done an Aussie C&W song about mooning the Queen," wrote Pete Sagi, of St Louis, Missouri.
On his Facebook page, Warriner proudly showed off news reports of the incident, with friends praising him for "making a difference in this world".
This prompted a series of politically-motivated posts from the member of the Occupy protest movement.
"Just doing my job..." Warriner wrote of yesterday's incident on his Facebook profile.
"As should all people. The spirit of rebellion must rise in man if we are to overcome this elite corporate financial dictatorship we are currently selling our souls to.
"Otherwise nothing happens... nothing you may control anyhow.. centralised control is what its (sic) all about. while minimising education, and when educating always maintaining the current status quo of power."
Warriner is due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday.
But it is doubtful that the Queen was aware of what happened.
Acknowledgements- Brisbane Times
Kiwipete
Monday, October 24, 2011
Gay coffee has arrived in the LGBT community...
Image via Wikipedia. Gay Coffee Has Arrived In The LGBT Community...
How do you combine your love for the LGBT community with an unbridled passion for roasting the very best coffee? If you’re java devotee Melissa Krueger, you create a new brand of coffee that embraces and celebrates the wonderful diversity of queer culture called Gay Coffee. (Naturally.)
Krueger’s queer coffee quest began in 2004 in Northampton, Massachusetts where she opened a small café called the Elbow Room. It was there that she honed her craft of coffee roasting and earned her café’s reputation for serving the best hand-roasted coffees in town. Krueger’s success soon inspired her to sell her small café and follow her passion by pursuing a new career as a full time coffee roaster.
Shortly thereafter, while watching images of gay couples in New York marrying on television, Melissa Krueger and her partner Mary began brainstorming a way to combine their new coffee roasting company with another big area of their life—being gay. This was the conversation from which Gay Coffee was born... or rather, came out.
Gay Coffee debuted at the Castro Street Fair in San Francisco, California on October 2, 2011 with five new hand-roasted coffee blends. Each named after various aspects of queer culture, Stone Butch Breakfast Blend, Good Morning Mary!, Red Hanky Roast, Second Date, and Weekend Pass mix humor with history to create a product that is both educational and enjoyable. Rather than simply tap into queer culture for the camp value, each package of Gay Coffee is also informative. Every blend named after an aspect of gay culture also includes a description of its place in LGBT history.
“One part of our branding is to take some stereotypes and themes we are all sort of familiar with, take ownership of them in what we hope is a fun and funny way, and then compliment the wink and chuckle with a piece of something more meaningful and thoughtful,” said Krueger. “I have actually learned quite a bit about gay history during this project. I’m always particularly delighted when someone reads the back of one of our coffees and says, ‘Oh cool, I didn't know that!’”
A brand name with such obvious ties to the LGBT community might have made some entrepreneurs nervous, but Krueger says the idea that her coffee could be controversial was never an issue. “My main concern launching Gay Coffee was more that people would take the time to interact … and really enjoy the whole product – our branding, our sense of humor, our mission and, of course, our coffee. ”
Aside from perpetuating the unique legacy of queer culture, a percentage of all profits from Gay Coffee are also donated to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. However, it was also important to Krueger that her company be mindful in another way as well.
“Unlike the vast majority of coffee companies out there, 100% of our coffee is sourced fair trade and organic. We think the fair trade price and mission should apply to all of the coffee farmers we buy from, not just a couple,” Krueger said. “I have travelled to coffee producing areas and spoken with coffee farmers, stayed at their houses, and feel very strongly about our commitment to being a real fair trade company.”
Melissa Krueger’s commitment to fairness and quality has earned Gay Coffee high praise since the brand debuted earlier this month.
“The response to the product has been incredibly positive,” Krueger said. “I am personally in awe of the tremendous positive feedback we have received, and inspired to continue to create something that does good, tastes great, and makes people happy.”
Friday, October 21, 2011
More oil pumped from the crippled MV Rena off the Bay of Plenty, NZ...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Image via WikipediaMore oil pumped from crippled ship...
Maritime New Zealand says 171 tonnes of oil has been pumped off a badly damaged container ship of the coast of Tauranga.
The Rena ran aground on Astrolabe Reef on 5 October, spilling up to 350 tonnes of oil and shedding 88 containers into the ocean.
Work resumed on Thursday to transfer the oil from the ship to a barge following heavy swells during the week.
More oil has been transferred from the Rena to a barge on Friday.
Maritime New Zealand's salvage unit manager says a specialist was on board the ship on Friday to fine-tune the operation.
Bruce Anderson says the salvage team encountered problems on Friday including a booster pump that needed to be replaced and a 15-minute power outage.
Mr Anderson says a dive platform has been constructed so divers can start working around the ship's starboard side.
The salvage team will continue pumping overnight on Friday, weather permitting.
"We have fine weather forecast until Wednesday so we are taking advantage of the good weather while we can."
Mount Maunganui beach open
Maritime New Zealand says part of Mount Maunganui beach has been reopened to the public after it was fouled by oil and debris.
The section of beach up to Tay Street was opened on Friday afternoon.
Maritime New Zealand's commander on the scene Alex van Winjgaarden says more of the beach may be reopened to the public for the long weekend, but there is still some oil appearing along the shore.
Public access to the beach from Tay Street to Maketu Point, including the Maketu Estuary, remains restricted.
The exclusion zone surrounding the Rena has been reduced.
The Bay of Plenty regional council says the reduction is possible because oil and containers from the ship have been contained, reducing the risk of injury or damage due to navigational safety hazards.
The council says vessel operators need to maintain an active lookout for response vessels helping with the oil recovery.
It has also asked people to contact Maritime New Zealand if they see oil or containers in the water.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Banish your beer belly for good...
Related articles
Struggling to get rid of that spare tyre? We've consulted the experts to find out how to banish that beer belly for good.
There are plenty of reasons many men find themselves carrying excess 'timber' around their middle. The good news is there are also numerous ways to reduce it. We asked a team of health experts to explain 10 ways a man can banish his beer belly forever.
It's not just about the booze
First things first, if you're carrying a few spare tyres, your love of a cold beer is unlikely to be the only cause.
"Alcohol is not the main contributor to developing a beer belly — people get beer bellies due to a number of lifestyle factors that are interconnected," points out sports psychologist and personal trainer Lisa Foley.
"Saturated fat is obviously a contributor but sugar and carbs also have a major role in storing fat and building the beer belly. When we eat food that's high in sugar and carbohydrates we release the hormone insulin. Insulin's job is to store the excess blood sugar, and its favourite place to store blood sugar is in our fat cells."
Calorie counting
However, as beer lovers it's all too easy to forget just how many calories a beer can contain.
"The higher the alcoholic content, the more calories the drink has," points out personal trainer and nutritionist Kevin Witham. "Most beer will have around 150-200 calories if you buy a pint."
Additionally, alcohol is an appetite-stimulant, so it's not just the calories in your pint that can lead to weight gain, but that fat-laden kebab or burger you'll wolf down after closing time.
The processed problem
Processed food is just one example of a food item that can lead to what we refer to as a beer belly.
"Try and cut out as much processed food as possible," suggests personal trainer Lee Siemaszko. "Eat fresh produce, try a variety of fruit and veg, and eat organic food where possible. Change your diet to one that is high in protein, but lower in carbs, have lean cuts of meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, cut down on pasta, rice, potatoes and try to cut down on bread.
"Drink lots of water: cut down on alcohol, tea and coffee, with the odd cup of green tea. This will help clear your body of toxins, hydrate you, and speed up your metabolism."
Tummy trouble
It's common knowledge that having a beer belly can spell disaster for heart health.
"The problem with belly fat is that it is active," explains Lee Siemaszko. "It works like a separate organ, releasing substances that are harmful to your body. Abdominal fat bears the blame for many heart-related health problems because the fat sits within striking distance of your heart, liver and other organs, pressing on them, feeding them poisons and messing with their daily function."
Exercise alone is not enough
The bad news? While certain exercises can help tone stomach muscles, no amount of squats or crunches will banish your beer belly if you don't change your diet.
"You cannot spot reduce fat by targeting that area with specific exercises like crunches," warns Kevin Witham. "This is because the body breaks down fat where it wants to and then sends it to the liver to be used. However, you can certainly tone specific muscles with exercises."
Diet vs exercise
In other words, no matter how much exercise you do, if you don't change your diet, you'll struggle to change your body shape.
"I'd say it's about 20% exercise and 80% diet," reveals personal trainer Matthew Knights. "In trained individuals — those exercising consistently for years — exercise plays a bigger role in retaining leanness but it's still not great. We didn't evolve to cope with high calorie modern diets and they're just not balanced by the odd few hours of exercise. If the odds of exercise helping were better I'd be a millionaire!"
Walk it off
So, once you've got the diet sorted, what are the types of exercise that can make a difference?
"Walking is a great one," says Matthew Knights. "It won't get you thin — no exercise alone will — but it can help you with the common conditions associated with a beer belly such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
"Weight training can combat the loss of muscle and reverse the slowing of the base metabolic rate, although this is only suitable for those without other coronary risk factors and won't get rid of a beer belly without major dietary changes."
Reduce stress
Are you worried about that impending deadline or important presentation? Take a chill pill — research suggests that those suffering from stress are more likely to carry fat around the abdomen.
"There's evidence that high levels of cortisol can encourage the body to store fat around the middle," says nutritional therapist Angela Walker. "Cortisol is part of the body's response to stress, so working on managing stress can help to reduce the tendency to carry weight in this area."
The age issue
Unfortunately, shifting that spare tyre becomes harder as we get older.
"Men are most likely to develop what we know as a beer belly from mid-30s onwards," reveals Matthew Knights. "That's because after this age your metabolism slows due to sarcopenia (loss of muscle tissue with age) if you're not training your muscles correctly. So as you lose muscle you burn fewer calories but you're still putting the same amount of calories in, and the excess must go somewhere so it's stored as fat."
Chubby child?
Were you skinny or chubby as a child? You'll be surprised to hear that those who were overweight as children are less likely to develop what we refer to as a beer belly.
"We know that the number of fat cells under the skin is determined in childhood — if you were a lean child then you didn't grow many under the skin fat cells," explains Matthew Knights. "Lean children who then gain fat in adult life don't therefore have much fat storage capacity under the skin. So when the fat cells beneath the skin become full, the excess body fat 'spills over' into the abdomen around the organs. It's those who were lean children who you'll see with the extreme apple (beer belly) shape."
Share
http://blogging-along-with-pete.wallinside.com
There are plenty of reasons many men find themselves carrying excess 'timber' around their middle. The good news is there are also numerous ways to reduce it. We asked a team of health experts to explain 10 ways a man can banish his beer belly forever.
It's not just about the booze
First things first, if you're carrying a few spare tyres, your love of a cold beer is unlikely to be the only cause.
"Alcohol is not the main contributor to developing a beer belly — people get beer bellies due to a number of lifestyle factors that are interconnected," points out sports psychologist and personal trainer Lisa Foley.
"Saturated fat is obviously a contributor but sugar and carbs also have a major role in storing fat and building the beer belly. When we eat food that's high in sugar and carbohydrates we release the hormone insulin. Insulin's job is to store the excess blood sugar, and its favourite place to store blood sugar is in our fat cells."
Calorie counting
However, as beer lovers it's all too easy to forget just how many calories a beer can contain.
"The higher the alcoholic content, the more calories the drink has," points out personal trainer and nutritionist Kevin Witham. "Most beer will have around 150-200 calories if you buy a pint."
Additionally, alcohol is an appetite-stimulant, so it's not just the calories in your pint that can lead to weight gain, but that fat-laden kebab or burger you'll wolf down after closing time.
The processed problem
Processed food is just one example of a food item that can lead to what we refer to as a beer belly.
"Try and cut out as much processed food as possible," suggests personal trainer Lee Siemaszko. "Eat fresh produce, try a variety of fruit and veg, and eat organic food where possible. Change your diet to one that is high in protein, but lower in carbs, have lean cuts of meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, cut down on pasta, rice, potatoes and try to cut down on bread.
"Drink lots of water: cut down on alcohol, tea and coffee, with the odd cup of green tea. This will help clear your body of toxins, hydrate you, and speed up your metabolism."
Tummy trouble
It's common knowledge that having a beer belly can spell disaster for heart health.
"The problem with belly fat is that it is active," explains Lee Siemaszko. "It works like a separate organ, releasing substances that are harmful to your body. Abdominal fat bears the blame for many heart-related health problems because the fat sits within striking distance of your heart, liver and other organs, pressing on them, feeding them poisons and messing with their daily function."
Exercise alone is not enough
The bad news? While certain exercises can help tone stomach muscles, no amount of squats or crunches will banish your beer belly if you don't change your diet.
"You cannot spot reduce fat by targeting that area with specific exercises like crunches," warns Kevin Witham. "This is because the body breaks down fat where it wants to and then sends it to the liver to be used. However, you can certainly tone specific muscles with exercises."
Diet vs exercise
In other words, no matter how much exercise you do, if you don't change your diet, you'll struggle to change your body shape.
"I'd say it's about 20% exercise and 80% diet," reveals personal trainer Matthew Knights. "In trained individuals — those exercising consistently for years — exercise plays a bigger role in retaining leanness but it's still not great. We didn't evolve to cope with high calorie modern diets and they're just not balanced by the odd few hours of exercise. If the odds of exercise helping were better I'd be a millionaire!"
Walk it off
So, once you've got the diet sorted, what are the types of exercise that can make a difference?
"Walking is a great one," says Matthew Knights. "It won't get you thin — no exercise alone will — but it can help you with the common conditions associated with a beer belly such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
"Weight training can combat the loss of muscle and reverse the slowing of the base metabolic rate, although this is only suitable for those without other coronary risk factors and won't get rid of a beer belly without major dietary changes."
Reduce stress
Are you worried about that impending deadline or important presentation? Take a chill pill — research suggests that those suffering from stress are more likely to carry fat around the abdomen.
"There's evidence that high levels of cortisol can encourage the body to store fat around the middle," says nutritional therapist Angela Walker. "Cortisol is part of the body's response to stress, so working on managing stress can help to reduce the tendency to carry weight in this area."
The age issue
Unfortunately, shifting that spare tyre becomes harder as we get older.
"Men are most likely to develop what we know as a beer belly from mid-30s onwards," reveals Matthew Knights. "That's because after this age your metabolism slows due to sarcopenia (loss of muscle tissue with age) if you're not training your muscles correctly. So as you lose muscle you burn fewer calories but you're still putting the same amount of calories in, and the excess must go somewhere so it's stored as fat."
Chubby child?
Were you skinny or chubby as a child? You'll be surprised to hear that those who were overweight as children are less likely to develop what we refer to as a beer belly.
"We know that the number of fat cells under the skin is determined in childhood — if you were a lean child then you didn't grow many under the skin fat cells," explains Matthew Knights. "Lean children who then gain fat in adult life don't therefore have much fat storage capacity under the skin. So when the fat cells beneath the skin become full, the excess body fat 'spills over' into the abdomen around the organs. It's those who were lean children who you'll see with the extreme apple (beer belly) shape."
Share
Friday, September 30, 2011
John Travolta and Nicholas Cage doubles...
Cover of Con Air
John Travolta
has popped up in a vintage photograph from the mid-19th century,
according to an eBay seller peddling an uncanny resemblance to the
A-list actor.
Travolta's doppelganger is a bow-tied, austere-faced gentleman who posed for a camera in 1860.
The seller, from Ontario in Canada, is billing the ruby glass ambrotype photograph as a "very young John Travolta Scientologist time traveller".
The Scientology reference may be a cheeky allusion to the Church's belief in reincarnation.
The photo is listed on eBay for NZ$65,000 "or nearest offer".
"I've had this interesting photograph for years and I've been unable to part with it," the seller said on the auction site.
"When you look at it and into the eyes of the sitter you will see what I mean!"
An antique photo purporting to resemble Travolta's Face/Off co-star Nicholas Cage also recently appeared on eBay.
But this American Civil War-era photo of Cage's doppelganger comes with starting price tag of NZ$1 million.
Seller Jack Mord, from the US city of Seattle, jokes that the 47-year-old Con Air star is a vampire who rejuvenates himself every 80 years or so, before appearing in "some other part of the world, young again, and ready to start all over".
The 10cm x 6cm thin paper photograph, dated around 1870, shows a man who lived in Tennessee but his name is not known, the seller said.
Mr Mord, who collects antique portraits, believes the photograph was taken by a confederate Civil War prisoner of war photographer.
Both sellers say their images are genuine and have not been tampered with in any way.
http://money.msn.co.nz/8354054/travolta-time-traveller-photo-on-ebay
http://blogging-along-with-pete.wallinside.
Travolta's doppelganger is a bow-tied, austere-faced gentleman who posed for a camera in 1860.
The seller, from Ontario in Canada, is billing the ruby glass ambrotype photograph as a "very young John Travolta Scientologist time traveller".
The Scientology reference may be a cheeky allusion to the Church's belief in reincarnation.
The photo is listed on eBay for NZ$65,000 "or nearest offer".
"I've had this interesting photograph for years and I've been unable to part with it," the seller said on the auction site.
"When you look at it and into the eyes of the sitter you will see what I mean!"
An antique photo purporting to resemble Travolta's Face/Off co-star Nicholas Cage also recently appeared on eBay.
But this American Civil War-era photo of Cage's doppelganger comes with starting price tag of NZ$1 million.
Seller Jack Mord, from the US city of Seattle, jokes that the 47-year-old Con Air star is a vampire who rejuvenates himself every 80 years or so, before appearing in "some other part of the world, young again, and ready to start all over".
The 10cm x 6cm thin paper photograph, dated around 1870, shows a man who lived in Tennessee but his name is not known, the seller said.
Mr Mord, who collects antique portraits, believes the photograph was taken by a confederate Civil War prisoner of war photographer.
Both sellers say their images are genuine and have not been tampered with in any way.
http://money.msn.co.nz/8354054/travolta-time-traveller-photo-on-ebay
http://blogging-along-with-pete.wallinside.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Gives a whole new meaning to cloud 
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