Over the Weekend I finally bought some mulch for the mailbox area and for the new bed I put in June after we moved in. I chose red mulch becuse I knew even in Kentucky black faded and I didn't want to waste my money in an area with more intense Sun.  I have also removed two bushes in an area where my Coconut Palm was being crowded out by them and not growing very well. I just decided to remove thos two bushes, cutting them weekly was annoying since they grew at such a such rate. Then I trimmed two of the other bushes on the other side so they wouldn't continue to crowd out the Banana Tree that I bought at the end of June. I also found a Rose that I didn't plant that as sprouted in the cleared out area by the Coconut Tree.

I took all of the pictures today as it was about to storm. The dark clouds really made the flash show up in the pictures. I also took pictures of what I now believe is a Varigated Hibiscus, which I had never heard of; we will see if it is for sure once it hopefully blooms. I then took pictures of the two Castor Bean seeds that I planted about a week and a half ago and some Cannas that are blooming at the front of the house.

There are also pictures of the dark clouds that were rolling in. The clouds don't show uo as dark as it actually was. It was windy and lighting was flashing all around and loud booming thunder made sure it ws heard. So pease Enjoy!

Banana Tree Area before

Coconut Area Before, look center back

Coconut before again

Thanks for reading and check back soon,

Jake

Damn. It's gotten really hot outside.

I always think about the details of things that most people skip over.. Such as, what should I drink during a workout or just during the day depending on the activity I am doing, and how could it be used to my benefit?

An example would be drinking 'Accelerade' or 'Gatorade' mixed with water on a criterium.. or would just drinking tap water be more beneficial to my performance?

I'm drinking a big bottle of Fiji water right now... Sparkling water tastes good too.

During crits (usually under 40 minutes of duration), I have been told to stick with one large bottle of plain water, or two smaller bottles, one of a heavily diluted sports drink and the other of water. 

Also, I guess it would be better to have the sports drink before the race, and just plain water during the race, so your muscles just receive the pure water without added mix. 

If you are going on a longer ride.. maybe.. over 2 hours, you could use Accelerade which replenishes you with both proteins and carbohydrates, or Gatorade replenishing you with carbs.

Just speculation.. it's a topic that has been on my mind.

:)

Mengenal Standar DVB

Dibawah kategori: Teknologi Pertelevisian, Televisi Digital 

DUDY EFFENDI, ASSI NEWSLETTER - Pada saat ini dapat dikatakan bahwa seluruh mata rantai broadcasting mulai dari proses produksi hingga ke distribusi televisi telah dilakukan secara digital, namun mata rantai terakhir proses transmisi ke end-user umumnya masih dilakukan secara analog. DVB (Digital Video Broadcast) adalah salah satu sistem yang digunakan untuk mentransmisikan siaran TV digital hingga ke end-user.

Upaya pengembangan DVB sebagai standard global untuk penyiaran televisi digital baik melalui satelit maupun terestrial berawal dari pembentukan DVB Project pada tahun 1993. DVB Project beranggotakan sekitar 250 institusi yang berasal dari 30-an negara dan terdiri dari broadcaster, manufaktur, network operator, badan regulasi dan institusi akademik. Project DVB tidak menjalankan fungsi sebagai regulator melainkan bekerja berdasarkan aspek bisnis dan komersial. 

Dalam perkembangan selanjutnya Project DVB telah berhasil mengembangkan serangkaian spesifikasi DVB yang tidak terbatas pada video broadcasting namun juga telah merambah hingga ke aplikasi dan layanan multimedia.

Tulisan ini akan mencoba memberikan sekelumit gambaran tentang standard DVB. Mengingat keluasan dan kedalaman standard DVB, tulisan ini tidak mungkin dapat mencakup semuanya. Bagi pembaca yang berminat mengetahui lebih mendalam tentang DVB dapat membaca berbagai referensi yang tersedia, diantaranya melalui http://www.dvb.org  maupun http://www.etsi.org .

Mengapa DVB

DVB dikembangkan berdasarkan latar belakang pentingnya sistem broadcasting yang bersifat terbuka (open system) yang ditunjang oleh kemampuan interoperability, fleksibilitas dan aspek komersial. Sebagai suatu open system, maka standard DVB dapat dimanfaatkan oleh para vendor untuk mengembangkan berbagai layanan inovatif dan jasa nilai tambah yang saling kompatibel dengan perangkat DVB dari vendor lain. Selain itu program digital yang dikirimkan berdasarkan spesifikasi DVB dapat ditransfer dari satu medium transmisi ke medium transmisi lain dengan murah dan mudah. Pendekatan yang dilakukan oleh DVB adalah dengan memaksimalkan perangkat eksisting dan sistem umum yang tersedia di pasar komersial.

Dengan teknologi digital, DVB dapat memanfaatkan penggunaan bandwidth secara lebih efisien. Satu transponder satelit yang biasanya hanya dapat digunakan untuk satu program TV analog, dengan menggunakan DVB dapat digunakan untuk menyiarkan 8 kanal TV digital. Selain penambahan kapasitas kanal TV, pada media transmisi terestrial dapat diperoleh kualitas gambar yang lebih baik dan bahkan pada media kabel TV, DVB-C menawarkan layanan interaksi two-way.

Salah satu keputusan mendasar yang diambil dalam menetapkan standard DVB adalah pemilihan MPEG-2 sebagai “data containers”. Dengan konsepsi tersebut maka transmisi informasi digital dapat dilakukan secara fleksibel tanpa perlu memberikan batasan jenis informasi apa yang akan disimpan dalam “data container” tersebut. Pemilihan MPEG-2 untuk sistem koding dan kompresi dilakukan karena terbukti bahwa MPEG-2 mampu memberikan kualitas yang baik sesuai dengan sumber daya yang tersedia. Dari sudut pandang komersial, pengadopsian MPEG-2 yang merupakan standard eksisting dan proven sangat menguntungkan karena memungkinkan DVB untuk berkonsentrasi pada upayanya dalam menemukan cara untuk mengemas paket data MPEG-2 melalui media transmisi yang berbeda-beda termasuk satelit, kabel, SMATV, LMDS, maupun terestrial. Chip-sets untuk keperluan coding dan decoding MPEG-2 telah tersedia secara komersial sehingga harga decoder di pasar komersial berharga murah. Walaupun demikian karena MPEG-2 yang terdapat pada dokumen ISO bersifat generik, maka Projek DVB mengembangkan dokumen yang berisikan pembatasan terhadap sintaks dan parameter MPEG-2 serta rekomendasi nilai yang digunakan dalam aplikasi DVB.

Layanan DVB masa depan akan terdiri dari berbagai jenis program yang dikembangkan melalui sejumlah kanal transmisi. Agar IRD dapat ditune untuk layanan tertentu secara otomatis melalui sistem navigasi yang user friendly maka DVB menambahkan alat bantu navigasi DVB-SI (Service Information) yang merupakan perluasan Programme Specific Information (PSI) dari MPEG-2. Service information pada DVB berfungsi sebagai header terhadap kontainer MPEG sehingga receiver dapat mengetahui apa yang diperlukan untuk mendecode sinyal.

Selain itu, MPEG-2 memungkinkan desain decoder yang fleksibel seiring peningkatan kualitas pada sisi encoding. Setiap peningkatan unjuk kerja baru karena pengembangan sistem encoding akan secara otomatis direfleksikan pada kualitas gambar dari decoder.

Transmisi

Standard DVB dapat diterapkan untuk berbagai media transmisi mulai dari satelit (DVB-S), Kabel (DVB-C) ataupun gelombang radio terestrial (DVB-T).
Standard DVB-S adalah produk pertama project DVB yang memungkinkan pengiriman sinyal DVB melalui satelit. Dokumen tersebut menggambarkan berbagai tools untuk keperluan pengkodingan kanal termasuk implementasi modulasi Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK).
Sistem channel coding dan modulasi DVB pada sistem Cable (CATV) digambarkan pada dokumen standard DVB-C. Dokumen ini menjadi dasar pengembangan lebih jauh bagi spesifikasi [DVB-CS yang menggunakan, (Satellite) Master Antenna TV (SMATV).
DVB juga mengatur penggunakan media transmisi terrestrial dalam spesifikasi DVB-T. Pemanfaatan gelombang mikro untuk pengiriman sinyal DVB melalui MMDS (Multichannel Microwave Distribution System) dibedakan menjadi dua spesifikasi: untuk MMDS pada frekuensi diatas 10 GHz (DVB-MS) menggunakan spesifikasi DVB-S sedangkan untuk Frekuensi dibawah 10 GHz (DVB-MC) terutama didasarkan pada DVB-C.

Conditional Access System

CAS (Conditional Access System) adalah subsistem yang berfungsi sebagai kontrol akses terhadap program atau layanan sehingga yang dapat menerima layanan hanyalah user yang sudah mendapat otorisasi. CAS terdiri dari beberapa blok diantaranya mekanisma untuk mengacak program atau layanan, Subscriber Management System (SMS), Subscriber Authorization System (SAS) dll. SMS pada dasarnya adalah data base yang berisi informasi pelanggan suatu layanan, sedangkan SAS berfungsi meng-encrypt dan mengirimkan code-words yang memungkinkan IRD dapat mendescrambler suatu program. DVB Project tidak membuat CAS sebagai bagian dari standard DVB. Namun DVB mengembangkan suatu Common Scrambling Algorithm, yaitu tools untuk mengacak Transport Streams atau Program Elementary Streams. DVB membebaskan penggunaan jenis CAS yang sesuai dengan kebutuhan operator dari beberapa vendor anggota DVB yang menawarkan produk komersialnya secara kompetitif.
Disamping standard DVB memungkinkan terjadinya cross-medium interoperabillity yang memungkinkan berbagai media delivery berbeda dapat saling berinteroperasi, salah satu aspek dari interoperability adalah bahwa semua perangkat yang DVB-compliant dari vendor yang berbeda dapat dengan mudah saling terhubung dalam satu mata rantai broadcast.
Walaupun demikian integrated receiver-decoders (IRD) yang menggunakan teknologi Conditional Access yang berbeda mungkin tidak selalu dapat saling berinteroperasi. Ada dua pendekatan yang dilakukan DVB untuk terjadinya interoperasi di antara berbagai CAS yang berbeda yaitu :

• SimulCrypt, dalam hal ini beberapa program provider melakukan negosiasi komersil sehingga memungkinkan pengguna yang telah memiliki IRD dengan CAS proprietary yang embedded di dalamnya dapat menikmati layanan dari CAS yang berbeda karena adanya supply informasi proprietary yang diperlukan.
• Multicrypt, berbagai teknologi CAS dapat berada pada satu platform IRD yang sama sehingga dapat menerima program yang dibroadcast secara simultan dari beberapa program yang CASnya berbeda.

Interactivity

Sistem DVB mempunyai kemampuan untuk memanfaatkan return path antara IRD dan Service Provider melalui modul Subscriber Management System. Untuk keperluan return path ini diperlukan modem dan jaringan telepon atau cable TV return path atau bahkan satelit uplink. Return path ini dapat digunakan untuk mengirimkan sinyal balik dari user seperti pada aplikasi televoting, games playing, tele-shopping, and tele-banking, dan juga untuk mengirimkan command browsing pada website internet. Walaupun keterbatasan bandwidth untuk return path tersebut tidak cocok untuk mengirimkan citra video bergerak dari rumah ke broadcaster, pengembangan tahap berikutnya diperkirakan akan memungkinkan hal tersebut terjadi. Selain itu DVB juga menawarkan sejenis interaktifitas tanpa memerlukan return path yaitu penyediaan beragam program pilihan sesuai dengan pilihan user.

Banyak layanan yang ditawarkan dalam DVB akan membutuhkan beberapa bentuk interaksi antara pengguna dan program provider atau operator network. Interaksi tersebut bisa berupa transmisi sekelumit perintah tapi mungkin juga memerlukan interaksi cukup intensif seperti yang terjadi pada komunikasi melalui internet. TV interaktif diidentifikasi sebagai salah satu kunci penting yang akan menguasai sistem transmisi digital di masa mendatang. Berbagai anggota DVB telah mengembangkan rencana komprehensif pengenalan TV interaktif sejak tahun 1997. Terjadinya konvergensi dalam area ini memungkinkan terjadinya titik balik pada masa depan dunia broadcasting.
Berbagai spesifikasi return channel DVB telah dipublikasikan oleh ETSI termasuk didalamnya DVB-RCC (Cable) dan DVB-RCT (Telephone or ISDN) yang merupakan komplemen dari DVB-NIP (Network Independent Protocols) yang berdasarkan kepada MPEG-2 DSM-CC (Digital Storage Media –Command and Control).
DVB memungkinkan terjadinya interaksi tersebut dan menspesifikasikan dua jenis tools untuk keperluan tersebut. Yang pertama adalah tools interatif yang bersifat network-independent yang dapat dianggap sebagai layer 2 atau tiga pada protocol stack ISO/OSI yang diturunkan dari protokol Digital Storage Media Command Control (DSM-CC) dari MPEG.
Kelompok kedua yaitu berhubungan dengan layer yang lebih rendah (layer 1 atau dua) dari model OSI/ISO yang berupa tools interaktif yang bersifat network-dependent. Ada beberapa spesifikasi yang telah dikembangkan antara lain melalui Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN) dan Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDN). Selain itu juga dikembangkan solusi komprehensif untuk interaksi melalui jaringan CATV, Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC), Terrestrial Systems, Satellite Master Antenna Television Systems (SMATV), LDMS, VSAT, DECT, dan GSM.

Interoperability

Sistem DVB didesain dengan memanfaatkan secara maksimal berbagai elemen umum yang ada di pasar komersial. Hal tersebut memungkinkan starndard digunakan dalam mendistribusikan sinyal tanpa harus melakukan proses rumit dalam proses decoding dan coding ulang dari satu medium ke medium lain. Interoperability di antara standard memungkinkan pabrikan untuk mencapai skala ekonomi. Kebanyakan elemen yang sama digunakan dalam semua sisytem. Diagram berikut menggambarkan rangkaian yang umum terdapat pada DVB IRD.

Pengembangan DVB

Hasil yang telah dicapai DVB Project berupa berbagai dokumen komprehensif baik yang bersifat teknis maupun non-teknis, menggambarkan solusi yang diperlukan oleh para pemain di pasar untuk mendayagunakan teknologi digital dalam bidang broadcasting. Sejak diterimanya DAVIC (Digital Audio-Visual Council) sebagai badan pusat koordinasi untuk aspek-aspek konvergensi media digital, DVB telah bekerja sama dalam hal menentukan solusi teknis dan operasional dalam pengembangan berbagai media transmisi multimedia. Banyak diantara sistem DVB yang diterima sebagai standard DAVIC. Apa yang dilakukan oleh DVB dan DAVIC telah meluas dari hanya sekedar aspek broadcasting menuju ke arah pengembangan end-to-end interoperability. Sistem DVB dengan MPEG-2 sebagai inti skema koding video, audio dan data dapat digunakan untuk mengemas semua macam format yang digunakan untuk keperluan multimedia baik berupa teks, citra, grafik, dan berbagai tipe citra bergerak memungkinkan ekstensi multimedia ditambahkan pada saat kemunculannya, namun yang patut diperhatikan adalah bahwa kunci pokok dari DVB adalah ‘broadcasting”, sehingga fokus dari pengembangan DVB adalah untuk pasar broadcasting komersial. Sistem DVB tergolong teknologi baru bagi vendor, broadcaster maupun network providers. Salah satu kekuatan dari teknologi DVB terletak pada kenyataan bahwa DVB memungkinkan transmisi sejumlah desar data pada kecepatan tinggi secara point-to-multipoint dengan cara yang aman dari kemungkinan kesalahan transmisi. Untuk memungkinkan transmisi data yang dimaksud termasuk kemungkinan pengulangan transmisi data yang sama pada interval waktu yang tetap atau tak tetap maka DVB telah mengembangkan spesifikasi untuk data broadcasting.

Walaupun DVB project telah mencapai tahap kematangannya namun berbagai aktivitas pengembangan terus berlanjut diantaranya, pengembangan solusi DVB untuk membroadcast High Definition TeleVision (HDTV), Spesifikasi untuk Digital Satellite News Gathering (D-SNG), Spesifikasi untuk interface yang akan menghubungkan dunia sinyal DVB dengan jaringan PDH, ATM dan SDH yang dikelola oleh para operator jaringan telekomunikasi, dll.  

Dudy Effendi, IP, Staf Direktorat Perencanaan dan Teknologi PT. Telekomunikasi Indonesia, Alumni Jurusan Teknik Fisika ITB dan School of Information Science University of Pittsburgh.

Sumber: ASSI Newsletter, Number 6, Volume I, Juli 2000 [ tautan ]

Navegando en Mercado Libre ® (para los que me conocen, ya saben que soy compradora compulsiva... si soy mujer! algún defecto tenía que tener, no? XD) me encontré con otro de los miles de productos milagrosos que existen en el mercado, leí la publicidad, de inmediato me olió a charlatanería, las referencias "cientificas" sonaban como las de todos estos productos "milagrosos", ya saben: "un estudio en Indonesia....", "científicos de una universidad prestigiada", etc., etc., pero jamás ponen la referencia bien citada y mucho menos el link a la publicación... seguí leyendo... y pues el fundamento no estaba tan descabellado... hablaba de que contenía ÁCIDO LINOLÉICO, un ácido graso esencial, (o sea que nuestro cuerpo no es capaz de producirlo y hay que ingerirlo en la dieta), algo había escuchado yo de este ácido y el beneficio de la pérdida de peso. Así que mi instinto investigador salió a flote.

Obviamente el artículo tenía mil preguntas y varios compradores incrédulos de tan maravillosa promesa de perder 15 grasosos kilos en tan sólo 30 días!!! Además de esto, se ofrecen unas gotas "anticelulitis y flacidad" gratis, si depositas en las primeras 24 horas. Cheque las calificacionesy reputación del vendedor, y pues muchos compradores reclamaban que llevaban 15 días de consumo y no habían perdido un solo gramo de grasa.

Investigando sobre esto, llegue a un blog de una estudiante de medicina, la cual señala que estos suplementos son un total fraude. En lo personal, como profesional de salud, creo que no se puede descartar por completo algo si no tienes las pruebas en la mano para fundamentar tu rechazo, e igualmente para promoverlo o recomendarlo. Al menos, cuando yo he escrito sobre algún producto o suplemento que causa alguna toxicidad o efecto secundario, trato de fundamentarlo también, y no sólo decir: no sirve, es un fraude!

Seguí con la investigación y me topé con un artículo científico bastante interesante, es de la Revista Chilena de Nutrición, ahí mencionan varios de los beneficios del ácido linoléico, cada uno con sus referencias científicas por supuesto.

• Efecto hipercolesterolémico y antiaterogénico. Osea que disminuye los niveles colesterol en sangre y evita la formación de placa lípidica en las arterias. (1) (2)

• Prevención y tratamiento de alergias alimentarias. Esto porque favorece el aumento de varias inmunoglobulinas que forman parte esencial del sistema de defensa del cuerpo. (3) (4)

• Efectos anticarcinogénicos. Ha mostrado mayor efecto benéfico en la prevención de cáncer de mama incluso que el ácido omega. (5) (6)

• Efectos antioxidantes. Ha demostrado tener capacidad atrapadora de radicales libres peroxidantes (los que dañan y envejecen a nuestras células), además que resultó ser un gran inhibidor del estrés oxidativo (cuando se rompe el equilibrio entre los radicales libres y la capacidad celular de nuestras células de eliminar o neutralizarlos). (7) (8) (9) (10) (11)

Y ahora, el más importante y el que nos atañe aquí:

• Efecto sobre el peso corporal.

Este es quizás el efecto del ALC que despierta más curiosidad y que tendría también mas impacto nutricional. La acción reductora del peso corporal atribuída al ALC, ha derivado en una creciente explotación comercial del ácido graso sin tener, por el momento, un sustento científico sólido.

La administración de una dieta que contiene 5% de aceite de maíz suplementada con un 0,5 % de Ácido Linoléico Conjugado a ratas desde las seis semanas de edad, produce a las cuatro semanas de administración de la dieta, una reducción del 60% del contenido de grasa del tejido adiposo. (12) Este puede ser uno de los artículos en los que muchos productos como el que estamos tratando, pueden fundamentarse, pero... nosotros no somos ratas, así que en humanos aunque hay pérdida, no es en la misma cantidad.

En estudios similares, no se ha observado una disminución de la ingestión de alimento, pero sí una reducción de la grasa y del peso corporal. (13)

Estudios realizados con personas que presentan sobrepeso, o que son obesas, han demostrado que la ingestión diaria de 3,4 g de Ácido Linoléico Conjugado produce una disminución de la masa grasa total sin afectar el recuento de eritrocitos y la cantidad de masa magra (músculo). esto en un periodo de 12 semanas. (14)

Hay más artículos que describen los procesos en los que influye el Ácido Linoléico, pero sería entrar en cuestiones bioquímicas y fisiológicas para poder explicarlos.

Conclusiones:

Aunque no puede descartarse por completo el beneficio del Ácido Linoléico  Conjugado como agente reductor del peso corporal, tampoco puede aceptarse y proponerse como nuevo método clínico para disminución de peso, puesto que aún hay muy poca información y estudios realizados. Una cosa es cierta, a pesar de que hay evidencia de una reducción de grasa y peso corporal, es un hecho que la pérdida prometida de 15 kg en 30 días es falsa.

Así que, como siempre, la recomendación es no creer en ningún producto milagroso. El cuerpo funciona de tal forma que cada célula tiene una función especializada, la unión de cada célula forma el tejido u órgano, y estos a su vez, forman nuestro cuerpo como un todo, es lo mismo con la alimentacioó, cada alimento, cada nutrimento, tiene una función, un beneficio y un perjuicio, la cuestión es saber equilibrarlos para lograr un estado óptimo de salud.

Bibliografía

1. Nicolisi RJ, Rogers EJ, Kritchevky D, Scimeca JA and Huth P.J. Dietary conjugated linoleic acid reduces plasma lipoprotein and early aortic atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic hamsters. Artery 1997; 22: 266-277.

2. Lee KN, Kritschevky D, Pariza MW. Conjugated linoleic acid and atherosclerosis in rabbits. Atherosclerosis 1994; 108: 19-25.

3. Sugano M, Tsujita A, Yamasaki M, Noguchi M and Yamada K. Conjugated linoleic acid modulates tissue levels of chemical mediator and inmune globulins in rats. Lipids 1998; 33: 521-527.

4. Tarek JJ, Li Y, Schoenlein IA, Alle K and Watkins BA. Modulation of macrophage citokine production by conjugated linoleic acid is influenced by dietary n-6:n-3 fatty acid ratio. J Nutr Biochem 1998; 9: 258-266.

5. Ip C. Review of the effects of trans fatty acid, oelic acid, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and conjugated linoleic acid on mammary carcinogenesis in animals. Am J Clin Nutr 1997; 66: 1523-1529.

6. Aro A, Mannisto S, Salminen I, Ovaskainen ML, Kataja V and Uusitupa M. Inverse association between dietary and serum conjugated linoleic acid and risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Nutr Cancer 2000; 38: 151-157.

7. Pariza MW, Park Y, Cook ME. The biologically active isomers of conjugated linoleic acid. Prog Lipid Res 2001; 40: 283-298.

8. anni S, Angioni E, Contini M, Carta G, Casu V, Lengo G, Melis P, Deiana M, Dessi A, Corongiu F. Conjugated linoleic acid and oxidative stree. J. Am Oil Chem Soc 1998; 75: 261-267.

9. Yu L. Free radical scavenging properties of conjugated linoleic acid. J Agric Food Chem 2001; 49 3452-3456.

10. Ha YL, Storkson J, Pariza MW. Inhibition of benzo(a)pyrene-induce mouse forestomach neoplasia by conjugated derivatives of linoleic acid. Cancer Res 1990; 50: 1097-10101.

11. Devery R, Miller A, Stanton C. Conjugated linoleic acid and oxidative behaviour in cancer cells. Biochem Soc Trans 2001; 29: 341-344.

12. Rahman SM, Wang YM, Yotsumoto H, Cha JY, Han SY, Inoue S and Yanagita T. Effects of conjugated linoleic acid on serum leptin concentration, body-fat accumulation, and b -oxidation of fatty acid in OLETF Rats Nutr 2001; 17: 385-390.

13. Delany JP, Blohm F, Truett AA, Scimeca JA and West DB. Conjugated linoleic acid rapidly reduces body fat content in mice withouth affecting energy intake. Am J Physiol 1999; 276: R 1172-R1179.

14. Blankson H, Stakkestad JA, Erling HF, Wadstein TJ and Gudmundsen O. Conjugated linoleic acid reduces body fat mass in overweigth and obese humans. J Nutr 2000; 130: 2943-2948.

PRIMEIRA ETAPA DO CIRCUITO VIVO DE SURF PROFISSIONAL

Altas fotos dos atletas profissionais, um verdadeiro banco de imagens de surf

Raoni Monteiro, Victor Ribas, Bruno Santos e David do Carmo são alguns dos destaques das oitavas-de-final da competição, que conhecerá seu vencedor neste domingo (20/7), no Arpoador*

Valeu a pena esperar pelas melhores ondas. Neste sábado (19/7), a Praia do Arpoador recebeu ondulações de meio metro e séries maiores, com excelente formação, e os competidores do Circuito Vivo de Surf Profissional (que define os campeões cariocas de 2008) mostraram todo seu potencial e muita competitividade nesta primeira etapa. Neste domingo, a partir das 7h, serão realizadas as baterias restantes do feminino e masculino, e serão conhecidos os grandes campeões.

O surfista Raoni Monteiro, de Saquarema, foi o maior destaque deste primeiro dia de disputas no Arpoador. Ex-top do WCT, a elite do surfe mundial, ele briga pelo título carioca, além dos R$ 30 mil em premiação e os pontos para o ranking brasileiro de acesso (Brasil Tour). Ele conseguiu não apenas a maior nota do campeonato até agora, um 9,17 pontos, como também a maior soma: 16 pontos. Ricardo Ferreira fez 11,23 e ficou em segundo nesta bateria, e segue na disputa. Greg Cordeiro, com 9, 47, e Wagner Martinez, com 7,10, foram eliminados.

Next, Flower started running a low-grade fever today and complaining of a sore throat.

Yesterday Moe had a scary experience - he blacked out! I know that whether a person "sees" black or white before passing out can have something to do with high or low blood pressure. He saw black all around until he could only see a center point of light before he blacked out. Freaked me out.

Of course I had him at the pediatrician first thing this morning. The doc listened to his heart - my first concern of course! - and ordered blood and urine tests. I'm waiting for the results and an appointment with a cardiologist and possibly a neurologist as this could have something to do with balance and equilibrium (???) or something. I wasn't at my usual "doctor best". I've learned to show up at doctor's appointments armed with questions, a notebook with pockets and a pen. But, I just wasn't prepared this time around with Moe; I was too busy fighting tears and panic. He's my healthy boy and this is kinda freaking me out.

Tonight, he is feeling achy - pain in his back - and he's running a fever up to 102.4. Thankfully it came down right away with Tylenol but still, so worried!

All this is making it hard for me to write happy stuff about Cancun and trumpets and weddings. I'm feeling run down and I hope its not because I'm catching something. Work is insane - another audited inventory and on a new computer system no less. WildDad is working insane hours as well, sometimes until 9pm. Bear with me - I will definitely update as soon as I know anything! In the meantime, please remember my babies in your prayers.

Tales from a Small Town No. 2
Tractor Test Drive

Tonight I was working in the garage, unpacking more boxes when I heard a strange sound.  I heard a muffled engine and what sounded like large tires crunching the pavement.  Now we live in-town.  We live two blocks from the major highway that cuts through Campbellsville.  What could this sound be?

Well, a minute or two later, I see a big, green, John Deere tractor cruising down my neighborhood street.  In my head I thought, "Huh, he must be trying to avoid the highway traffic and is instead using the neighborhood roads to get to his fields."  But then 10 minutes later, the man and his tractor came roaring down my street again.  He had his pressed white t-shirt on, a nice pair of blue jeans, a well-worn John Deere hat, and a cig hanging from his lips. 

As I watched him go by, I noticed he was checking the gauges, testing out the brakes, and changing gears.  You know what he was doing?  He was test driving that tractor.  He was taking it out for a spin.  Now that is something you only see in a small town.

     Aquí  hemos señalado, como el carrito de la nieve, mil veces, el grave riesgo que la operación del parián implica, pero, por lo visto, hemos sido sólo voz del que clama en el desierto.

     La advertencia de León Soto, sin embargo, es muy tímida: se centra en la carencia de suficientes extinguidores para casos de incendio en el inmueble, pero para nada se refiere a la sobrepoblación de locales comerciales que, estúpidamente, a lo mexicano pues, ocuparon hasta las puertas de acceso, y eso sí, pese a la despreocupación de Gerardo, está más malo que una cruda con hipo.

     A grandes males, reza el dicho, grandes remedios, y este preocupante problema debe ser atacado de frente, con gran valor y energía, si no queremos lamentar luego una gravísima tragedia en "El Mercado de las Hilachas" como lo llamaba con sorna mi inolvidable amigo Don Chayito...

                                                                                                     (- eusebioosuna)

From the FRESH AIR folks,

Please host a child or help us get the word out that we need folks who can welcome a child from the city into their homes next month.  One last thing that is actually very important. We are looking for families who want to extend an invitation to a 9-12 year old. We really need more families who want older children and boys.

Interested?  Call Angie at 1 (800) 367-0003 or (212) 897-8900.  She can also be emailed at angie@freshair.org.

Heute, nachdem wir die Universidad de Antioquia besichtigt hatten, wollte Angela, eine Studentin aus dem Projekt Patio13, uns zeigen, wo die Studentinnen arbeiten. Sie fuehrte uns genau zu diesem Platz, von dem Herr Prof. Dr. Weber mir gesagt hatte, dass er uns dort nicht alleine hinschicken will...

Ich denke wir schlagen uns hier ganz gut...

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яuno Caяяeiяão diz:

Akhirnya punya blog wordpress juga setelah punya multiply. Oya disini yang dipake "moddle",hmmmmmm

Along the way, the author discovers where products from China hide under different names, how others react to such a boycott, and what others experienced with similar goals.

The larger question: China's not quite strangle-hold on U.S. instant gratification, as well as necessities, startles the uninitiated. Honestly, one must stop to consider the question after reading the book because the issues faced by this one family occur on a small scale. The author continues to reflect on the minimal impact one family's boycott would have on the economy. The point might be missed readers must think beyond the subject matter of the book-a family- to the larger global issue-China's influence on the U.S. economy.

An interesting read. Recommend it for a rainy afternoon or a vacation.

Covered bonds are securities issued by a bank and backed by a dedicated group of loans known as a “cover pool”. There are two different types of covered bonds: those backed by high-quality mortgage loans and those backed by public sector loans. If the issuing bank becomes insolvent, the assets in the cover pool are separated from the issuer’s other assets solely for the benefit of the covered bondholders. Asset eligibility for the cover pool and the process in the event of an issuer insolvency are determined by laws specific to each country.

--PIMCO

Ok so funny little quirky things have been happening lately for example.

We went to pick out a refrigerator and out of the blue my 8 year old starts crying. I'm like what's wrong? He says to me.. "Mom I don't want to give up our old refrigerator, I'm attached to it!" I'm like are you kidding me its a refrigerator LOL!!!!! After some talking and walking around the store we found out it was because he thought the new one did not have water in the door LOL!!!!! (water spout is on the inside). So all is well in that category. Someone bought our old refrigerator today and holy cow I never knew that much stuff could fit under the refrigerator. Hot wheels, money, spoons, magnets, hockey pucks you name it. It was like a treasure trove for oompa loopas LOL.

Then Last night my 11 year old is playing with Simba our cat and she is like "Mom what is this and I open my hand up and she drops something weird in it. I pause... look at it... and Oh my gosh it's the cats boob!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes you heard that right the cats boob!!!!!!  ROFL!!!! It fell off!!!! I was teasing her asking her why she pulled the cats boob off LOL, I think I heart here feelings though and had to tell her I was just kidding! Then I ran to my hubby and sais look at this he was like what is it and I was like the cats boob. He just gave me the oddest look and started cracking up laughing , he thought I was kidding.

So now what do I do ? Do I worry? he looks fine nothing is bleeding so I guess he is ok. I have heard of them losing there claws but not there boobs?

Well as you can see there is always something exciting going on in the house, we are definatly never board.

I finally got my husband to sign up for my website and start posting. I think it will be a good outlet for him.That now makes a total of 7700 ladies and 3 guys LOL!!! Hey what's wrong with guys wanting to save money too? LOL!!! They are a hoot and they keep the site fun and best of all I know at least 2 are Christians!!  My next goal is to get him posting here on my blog.

Well thats all for tonight folks I could write more but I can tell daniel is getting tired so until tomorrow!

Relief came when entered the iron gated confines of St George's Hospital and Hospice for the Infirm. Large neoclassical columns dominated the brilliant white facade. Everything about the place was enormous. From the wide empty corridors to the surrounding gardens that stretched to the horizon. It looked more like a mausoleum than a place for the healing of souls. The staff looked friendly enough with their white uniforms and blue shawls. The décor would not be out of place in an World War Two war movie. I half expected the scene to turn black and white before my eyes. No luck there.

Michael plowed ahead, clutching the bouquet of flowers nervously as he sped through the corridors. He didn't run. I doubted the nurses would have put up with such nonsense, but had I not been a fast walker myself he would have left behind. We finally reached our destination, the large gardens that enchanted the grounds. He headed straight for a small figure sitting under an oak tree. I hung back and watched. That had to be Michael's mother. Their where the kisses and hugs and the giving of the flowers. From this distance Michael appeared to be a completely different creature. The angry youth morphed into a caring son, doting over his ailing mother and she doing the same.

"He is a good boy" said a nurse as she came up behind me. She wore the uniform well. Her eyes reflected the many patients she had cared for over the years.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Mrs. Mendoza's son. Comes here every Sunday. Spends hours with her. I know he can't come more often, with his school and all."

"How long has she been sick?"

"The past two years. Took a terrible toll on her husband. Always serious that Mr. Mendoza. He was nervous, but he tried to hide it. Always quick with the questions, even if he had to struggle with the language".

"How quaint. Never saw head or hair of him when my mother died."

"Are you related to Mr. Mendoza?" she asked. But it sounded like she already knew the answers. How many times had she seen scenes like these? Families members pushed together by the grim reaper.

"Mr. Mendoza was my father."

"I see, so sorry for your loss."

"No long hospital stays for my mother. She died of sudden heart failure. I found her dead on the kitchen floor. Doctor said that if she had received treatment in time she would have survived. At least she didn't suffer much or so they told me."

"Saying goodbye brings closure."

"I guess. I wouldn't know anything about that."

"Well I have other patients to take care off, good to meet you Mr. Mendoza" she said as she walked away.

I turned back to the scene between Michael and his mother. He was lucky to have these moments with her. I was not. Seeing my brother and his mother together I thought of the time that was denied to me, the time to say goodbye.

Michael approached "She wants to talk to you."

We switched places, I sat beside her while Michael stood a ways back, but close enough to eavesdrop. I could see the resemblance, the green eyes and the red hair, although hers was fading to white. She extended her hand and I shook it. It was thin and frail. I guessed she was in her late forties or so. I would say a decade or so younger than dad, but in her current condition it was hard to tell.

"You look so much like him" she said.

I sat down in the bench next to her "Like who?"

"Your father" she said, her eyes piercing me.

"Of course, and Michael looks a lot like you" I replied. For some reason, with her legs covered by a mantle and the bouquet of lilies lying in her lap, all the fire and venom that I wanted to spew forth at her would not come forth. Here she was, the woman that had been the center of my father life for the past twenty years and I could do nothing but exchange the obligatory pleasantries.

"So how is the house? Have you settle in ok?"

"Still there. Although to be honest I don't spend much time in it, with the business and all."

"Of course" her eyes where searching for something in my face. "Call Mrs. Cravis, she does her fair share of house cleaning around the neighborhood. Her fees are reasonable and she was very helpful when, well, when I first fell ill".

"I see."

"And how is Charlie and the gang?"

"Doing well, I guess".

"Charlie is good people and so its James. Be careful with James. He will talk you to death if you let him".

"Of course."

She then changed tack suddenly "Antonio, am I what you expected?"

What?

The question caught me by surprised and it showed.

"I was hoping that it didn't come down to this. I wanted to meet you for so long but..." her voiced trailed off.

"I understand" no I did not understand, but I was not about to tell her that.

"Well I think its time for us to go" I said as I got up quickly. I never felt the urge to flee a place as strong as I did at that moment.

On the way back Michael spoke up "Happy now?"

"No."

"She is dying you know. The doctors say is a matter of time, with the bone loss and all."

Silence marked the trip back to 354 Church Drive. Both of us alone with our thoughts.

[audio http://www.aveleen.com/music/dannythedog.mp3]

Amanhã é o grande dia, dia da IV Maratona da Mocidade às 20:00 h. após o Círculo de Oração da Mocidade, sobre os livros de I e II Coríntios. O feliz ganhador levará para casa como prêmio um MP3 Player de 1GB. Esperamos que todos estejam estudando muito. E lembrando sempre que o maior prêmio é desfrutar da benção que é estar estudando a Bíblia, com certeza, quem estiver estudando só tem a ganhar, tanto materialmente como espiritualmente.

Um abraço a todos.

Marcos Cesar

Líder de Mocidade.

This week I went to my first Astros game. It was a pretty cool way to do baseball, except for the obvious absence of liquor. My friend James was appalled to discover we wouldn't be sipping hops or eating processed meats; beer and hot dogs are the American way. We felt pretty spoiled either way, we were in a sweet suite. The food was great, the company was better, and we actually won the game. The outlook wasn't pretty going into the game, but what do they say in sports "Its not whether you win or lose, its how you play the game." Well, they played well, and they won!

After the game ended, I felt like a kid seeing the snow for the first time.  After a little Guitar Hero competition by some middle schoolers (don't ask, really) the roof or the stadium began to retract and the skyline of Houston emerged in the background. I marveled at the engineering and grand scale of the roof.  We watched a fireworks show choreographed to disco funk, wiggled in our seats, and felt distinctly American.  Huge mirrored skyscrapers reflected the pyrotechnical masterpiece.

I did feel quite urban in the situation.  Skyscrapers bring that out in me I think.  And maybe baseball.  I'm glad I got to see the sights, since I've felt like an American Rejects without chronicling our national sport and city-scape wonder.  Maybe wonder is too strong a word...

After our July 4th trip to Austin we came back to meet some folks from a Dachshund rescue in Dallas and to check out adding another dog to the family. Boomer was the dog that Kelli and I got before we were even married and while we love him to death, we found that after trips back to either Norman or Tyler he seemed depressed because he didn't have anyone to play with during the day so we thought it might be a good idea to get him a sister.

Kelli got to pick this dog - Boomer wasn't exactly all her choice - and she went back and forth between several different types before settling on a Dachshund (which I still can't correctly spell).  Kelli found Gretta online before we left for Austin and the first thing we did when we got back to Dallas was to go meet her and make sure that she and Boomer got on well (..or about as well and Boomer can get on with any other dog).

So far so good but I suspect she has some house-breaking still yet to do.  I'll add pictures to this Flickr set as I take them.