I received the following alert from the American Society of Bariatric Physicians (link) and would like to share it with you.

Alli 60 mg capsules (120 count refill kit): Counterfeit Product

FDA notified consumers and healthcare professionals about a counterfeit and potentially harmful version of Alli 60 mg capsules (120 count refill kit). The counterfeit version contained the controlled substance sibutramine and did not contain orlistat, the active ingredient. Sibutramine is a drug that should not be used in certain patient populations or without physician oversight. Sibutramine can also interact in a harmful way with other medications the consumer may be taking. GSK has determined that the counterfeit product has been sold over the internet. However, there is no evidence at this time that the counterfeit Alli product has been sold through other channels, such as retail stores. The differences between the counterfeit and authentic products are described in both text and photos in the FDA news release.

Consumers who believe they have received counterfeit Alli are asked to contact the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) by calling 800-551-3989 or by visiting the OCI Web site (http://www.fda.gov/OCI).

Any adverse events that may be related to use should be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program online [at www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm], by phone 1-800-332-1088, or by returning the postage-paid FDA form 3500 [which may be downloaded from the MedWatch "Download Forms" page] by mail [to address on the pre-addressed form] or fax [1-800-FDA-0178].

Read the complete MedWatch 2010 Safety summary, including a link to the FDA news release with photographs and description of differences between the authentic and counterfeit product, at: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm197862.htm

Thank you, once again, to the American Society of Bariatric Physicians (link) for keeping us informed.

Best regards,

Dr. Sass
Sasson Moulavi, M.D., LMCC, ABBM
Medical Director
Smart For Life Cookie Diet
TheCookieDiet.com
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Parents had better get a back bone if they want healthy kids!

Parents have become wimps ruled by their kids when it comes to food choices.  Recently in my office, I saw an overweight 12-year-old girl whose concerned parents brought her in because she was 30 pounds overweight and complaining of fatigue. What amazed me most was that during the educational process, this child turned to her parents and basically told them that she will decide what to eat and what to buy, and they can’t do anything about it.  Then she left the center and her parents could not get her back in.

Of course, this is an extreme example, but I have seen it too many times.  Parents come in with good intentions and their kids overpowering them with aggressive, degrading speech.  More often than not, the parents just sit there without any significant or meaningful response. I also see it in the shopping carts of parents when buying high fat, high sugar foods to please their kids.  They are simply unable to say ‘No’ to their kids when it comes to these poor choices.

It seems as if everyone is working against the parents: The huge food companies are brainwashing them and their children.  Parents are afraid of controlling their children because they do not want to be called an ‘abuser’.  This fear has been perpetuated by the media who focus on those rare cases where good parents are accused by a state agency.

Parents must get over this and learn to say ‘No’ to poor quality food.  If you have to put it back on the shelf or leave it at the checkout counter, be strong, don’t bring it home.  Remember, if it gets into your home, it will get into your kids.

Another observation, I have watched parents at popular coffee shops be manipulated by 9-year-old children who insist on having a 1000 calorie drink, full of fat and empty calories, and double the price of healthy alternatives.

Enough already!  Just say ‘No’ – the sooner you start the better.  Yes, there will be a tough week or two but stick to your guns and remain firm.  Your kids will thank you when they are older.  I have seen too many overweight, depressed teenagers.  Trust me, the pain from being overweight and depressed at 17 is much greater than not having a sugary drink for a week at the age of 9.

Here are some games/quizzes to share with your kids to start the conversation and introduce new “rules” to the family.   Of course, on-going parenting will continually be necessary from teaching kids about good nutrition and choices to be made.

• Explain the food groups for adequate growth and ask where their favorite foods fall.
• Show the kids the nutrition panels of foods to compare calories, fat, sugars, sodium – that alone may prompt them to make a healthier choice.  Arm them with the information and then they will be able to be in control.  Rarely will a kid seriously choose something unhealthy when given the information.  If they do…put your foot down and tell them that you will not allow it.
• Allow occasional splurges but let the kids earn them and have them keep track of how many per day.  Just cutting back on 1-2 per day will be a start in the right direction.
• For smaller children, be the family’s “Healthy Hero” and challenge them to pick nutritious choices in a fun, light manner.

Keep an eye out for a FREE educational video I am creating especially for parents that will be on youtube.com.  I think it will help some parents improve their parenting skills and stand up to their kids.

Be strong, it’s good to say ‘No’ to your kids when they make poor choices.

Happy New Year!

Dr. Sass
Sasson Moulavi, M.D., LMCC, ABBM
Medical Director
Smart For Life Cookie Diet
TheCookieDiet.com
under-way.com
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Many people do not realize the dangers of shelf stable foods.  A shelf stable food is one normally stored in the refrigerator which has been altered so that it can be stored at room temperature for a long shelf life.

Shelf stable food contains bacteria which do not eat the food.  If bacteria is not eating it, why are you?  Many weight loss companies use shelf stable food as part of their program.  It is easily shipped unrefrigerated, reduces costs and increases profits.  The consumers get all the risks and very few benefits.

The risks arise from the various food preservation techniques used to extend a food’s shelf  life.  Decreasing the amount of water, increasing its acidity, or irradiating/sterilizing the food and then sealing in an air-tight container, can all extend a food’s shelf life.  Additives such as sodium phosphate are used to make food last a very long time unrefrigerated.  Many countries have banned some of the preservatives to produce shelf stable foods that are still allowed in the United States.

Another reason to increase shelf life revolves around common oils and fats that would become rancid quickly if not refrigerated.  Food manufacturers replaced these oils and fats with trans fats in order to delay the onset of rancidity thus increasing shelf life.  Would you eat an unrefrigerated chicken and pasta dish that is over a year old? Yet many weight loss companies want customers to do just that.

Consumers should avoid shelf stable food altogether.  If you think it should be refrigerated or frozen, you are probably right.  Instead use as much fresh, and preferably organic based foods.  Frozen entrees are usually not a problem but the label should be checked to be sure.  I recommend fresh chicken, fish and seafood and frozen is good as well, especially if it is organic.

It pays to be educated about the food you eat and your eating lifestyle.  Once you know what goes into the foods you eat, you can better build your body to be as healthy as possible.

Dr. Sass
Sasson Moulavi, M.D., LMCC, ABBM
Medical Director
Smart For Life Cookie Diet
TheCookieDiet.com
under-way.com
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Recently I blogged that food advertising is such a science that the average customer has no chance of being able to stop eating high sugar, high fat foods.

Whether you are watching television or walking in a mall, companies are able to get you to salivate for their food. They persuade you to spend good money on food you do not really need. If it ends up making you sick, it will cost you more in healthcare dollars.

It amazes me when I see overweight adults and children waiting in line to give their money and health away for a bag of fried, high fat, low nutrient, poor quality food. Most people in our society are in a trance brought on by millions of television commercials and other forms of advertising where we can’t say “no”. What chance does a mother have to say no to that burger and fries when her kids have seen a scientifically put- together commercial to get them to purchase this food?

There is no easy solution except other companies need to come up with healthy foods and advertise just as much and educate the public. Over time, if enough companies began to produce food that is made with good fats, low sugar, more fiber and more nutrients, maybe the public will shift their focus and start waking up from this nightmare that overweight and obesity has unleashed on us and our children.

Ultimately the change will have to come from the public; they have to decide if they want to be a healthy weight or a sick weight. If they keep spending their hard earned money on poor quality food, these companies will keep making them. If the public begins to be more demanding and buy less food, these companies will not have so much money to advertise. They are using our own money to sell us unhealthy food. We are paying for our own demise.

Dr. Sass
Sasson Moulavi, M.D., LMCC, ABBM
Medical Director
Smart For Life Cookie Diet
TheCookieDiet.com
under-way.com
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In a previous blog I explained many of the benefits Smart for Life^® Cookie Diet provides that other diets do not.  One of those benefits is that we use triple filtered water because most municipal water systems have contaminates in them and sometimes more.

It seems water contamination is in the news every day.  A recent research study shows that an estimated one in 10 Americans have been exposed to drinking water that contains dangerous chemicals.

Because most water pollutants have no scent or taste, many people do not realize they are consuming these chemicals, even after they become sick.

This is why we only use triple filtered water.  We continue to emphasize that the Smart for Life^® Cookie Diet Program is based on sound scientific facts and water contamination is one area that has been studied consistently.

The research study also reported that “because it is difficult to determine what causes diseases like cancer, it is impossible to know how many illnesses are the result of water pollution, or contaminants’ role in the health problems of specific individuals”.

That is why Smart for Life^® Cookie Diet provides clients with support and expert guidance because we know that working together with a doctor will help you achieve weight loss results faster and with more success.  If you have any health conditions or medications that require close attention, our Smart for Life staff and Medical Director (Dr. Sass) are available to you.

You can also check your home’s water as well.  To start, check your water utility’s “Consumer Confidence Report,” which it must mail to you each year before July 1 by law.  The report details where your drinking water comes from, what contaminants have been found in it and how contaminant levels compare to national standards.  You can also call your utility and ask for a copy, or visit http://www.epa.gov/safewater to see if it’s online

The Smart for Life^® Cookie Diet team will continue to go above and beyond the usual requirements to provide a safe and effective program that ensures your short and long term success.  Triple filtered water is just one more beneficial step we add to your weight loss journey.

Dr. Sass
Sasson Moulavi, M.D., LMCC, ABBM
Medical Director
Smart For Life Cookie Diet
TheCookieDiet.com
under-way.com
Follow me on Myspace and Facebook

My Mother’s night fire (candle) is still burning as the sun has not risen yet. Hopefully it should be up at around 8.11, so it won’t be long until we can be confident we have seen of the onset of Fimbulvinter for another year.

Last night, I chose to remember and honour my ancestors and the local wights, who, as we moved in just over a year ago, probably aren’t the same people. I baked a cake according to the recipe for Huselhlaf in “Tastes of Anglo-Saxon England” and offered them some of that as part of a shared feast. After dinner I told my children about my grandmothers, whom I knew, and all I knew about older relatives who had died before I was born.

As part of a forum my wife moderates, we have exchanged presents with a family we didn’t know, this time from Norway. They kindly sent us, among other things, a tiny Nisse (land-wight) who feasted heartily on our cake and still has a smile on his face this morning.

I decided, as my wife is Russian and will be doing a lot of stuff with the children for New Year, that I would associate the present giving with the end of Yule rather than the beginning, at least for this year.  I have a little playdough outline of Odin on Sleipnir on the Christmas/New Year/Yule tree, we’ll be leaving him presents in his Russian guise of Ded Moroz, and hopefully he’ll return the favour. Russian Ded Moroz has turned into something of a St Nicholas like personage, but as he used to be partial to “Wild Hunt” like collection of the weak and poorly, I have a feeling that our presents will get to the right addressee.

After a few short days of thaw, a few of sunshine, i can already feel the chill blowing back in, riding the winds from the west, icy in our blood and tight in our throats.  A wind like this, at this time of  year could freeze a man’s heart so brittle that the next beat could cause it to shatter, leaving him standing there looking a  fool. Winter, she keeps doing it to me this year, pulling me in for the kiss and slapping my cheek with a laugh as i draw nearer.

The worse part of it all is that i didn’t even see it coming, all the signs were there but made little sense until after the fact: the gathering clouds and graying day as the sun quickly and willingly departs, the mangy little father of the slain eyeing me again, barrow wights hovering close about, the storm that refuses to rage ending in the one that does. Just fucking feel it, it’s out there, clawing at the pane, a snow-white breath bogeyman whispering fear and nightmares so insidious and accurate our minds can’t bear to recall their torment consciously, which matters naught for the damage is already done. The things we notice the least often hurt us the most, like frostbite nibbling at your nose.

It’s like another man’s dream i once watched of mountaineers dying in a blizzard and led into false safety, i too am haunted by Yuki-onna but neither young enough nor beautiful enough to be spared her wrath.

annoncer:

pour plus d’information s’il vous plaît visitez le site – Perte de poids rapide

 

perte de poids rapide

Try and broach a conversation about food and fitness. Its like chanting to the open skies and begging them to run you down you with a torrential storm.  To the average human with the average sense of ethics, its like standing in the middle of an Aladdin like bazaar, where people are shouting at you from all corners, urging you to buy their point of view.  Everybody’s showing you their stats, coming up with ostensibly solid arguments and telling you what the right line of thinking is, and also with no pretence of subtlety pointing out that you’re an idiot if you’re actually going to consider the other side of it.

  Trying to make sense of any of it and arrive at your point of view is a difficult task. There’s every conceivable shade of argument thrown into the mix and your head will probably hurt by the end of it. It’s the worst time to be objective and the temptation to go with the one that’s the glossiest or vouched for by Oprah is strong. But being a no-fun, rational person is a curse apparently.

   There are simply too many conflicting ideas about fitness and food for anyone to not have an opinion. I happen to have one. Its not the most scientific, or the most politically correct or the most extreme, but its what it is. It works for me and I plan on keeping it that way. 

   Its presumptuous to think that one person’s experience can be used to generalize for everybody. But I also think, there are a lot of people like me out there, who’re tired of figuring their place out in this web of opinions. I think at this point, I am finally ready to stop figuring it out and letting it be.

    The fat acceptance movement is not something I necessarily agree with in its entirety. But it’s a very progressive and much needed bent of thinking to the question of obesity and weight .Before you can ask, no I am not obese or overweight or plus sized. I’ve never been any of those things anytime in my life. So you’re right, I‘ll never understand completely the frustrations and the agony of someone who is. I don’t get it because I don’t get shunned, or judged or sniggered or frowned upon by the shallow and the plastic. I don’t have to settle for baggy, biscuit colored shirts because I can’t a find a size that fits me in anything remotely fashionable or flattering. But that doesn’t make me blind to the fact that it happens. It doesn’t make me ignorant of the shocking levels of unrealism and cruelty that gets pushed into our faces in the name of beauty. Fat is not the same as unhealthy always and health is not simply about thin curves and its time we understand that.

     But having said that I also wish to point out that being thin or wanting to be thin doesn’t always make you stupid or insecure or shallow or neurotic. Its something that a few proponents of this thinking seem to unfairly assume. Add some leftist feminism to the mix, and you’re suddenly this poor, empty headed girl hopped up on diet pills and fed on diet book propaganda, failing to see how the big bad pharmaceutical companies are just preying upon your weak, gullible mind by publishing pages after pages of dubious info on the lethalness of over weight. But how can you possibly understand that? Your judgment is already clouded by your insecurities that stem from the skinny and the evil fashionistas always tsk tsking at you for looking the way you do.

    My respect to the feminists (I’m almost one of you, if it weren’t for your whole no bra rule because no way in hell am I furthering gravity’s assault on my breasts) But sometimes they really underestimate their own kind. The obesity myth is a big economic conspiracy. No shit! I would never be able to see through that had that not been pointed out to me, because I couldn’t even for argument’s sake be a thinking individual right?

   Give us a little more credit than that please. Its not like one doesn’t catch up with that little fact. I understand that and plenty more. Like the fact that the sugar and wheat lobbies exercise enormous amounts of control over government policies that try to promote healthy eating. How’s that for a little economic agenda of the corporate machine? Do I sound like a desperate person willing to clutch at anything to prove my point?  Maybe I do, but I what I am trying to say is that it works both ways and we should be way past gasping over how profit drives everything by now. Of course it does. Marx told us that two centuries ago remember.

     The question is do you see and understand all of it and then make your choice? Why can it never be that a woman chooses to get thin because it’s the choice she makes? If there’s nothing wrong with being fat, why should there be anything wrong with being thin or aspiring towards it?

     I don’t buy any diet book or video that comes my way and I have never followed any celebrity regime or believed any fads. But that doesn’t stop me from watching what I eat, or counting my calories or staying away from junk food. It doesn’t stop me from working out everyday or losing the extra weight when I gain it. It also doesn’t automatically make me a self-tortured, borderline eating disorder case. I’ve read up on a lot of diverse, sensible literature and worked with a lot of different routines before I narrowed down on something that worked for me in terms of what I eat and how I burn it. I want to keep my figure and I work hard towards it. I love the fact that my arms are shapely from all those weights or that my curves are tight from crunches. I happen to like the fact that I can wear skinny jeans and that they look good on my legs.

       I’ve been a vegetarian way before it became popular and the term Vegan was simply a superhero name you’d assume in games. Generations before me in my family have been vegetarian. It’s the way I was raised and it had nothing to do with animal cruelty or carbon emissions though I am glad it serves that purpose too. The reasons were religious and mostly logistical. Nobody eats meat in my family except my dad who enjoys it occasionally. Its never cooked or brought home. I tried it my childhood, decided I didn’t like it and have never since tried again to eat it. Recently, I’ve begun to read up quite a lot on the vegan and the raw food movement and incorporate some of the things that I like into my own diet. I’ve never asked anyone to give meat up or espoused vegetarianism as a healthier alternative. I don’t eat any sugar or butter and generally stay away from sweet and creamy things. But I’ve never asked anyone to do the same.

       However,  I am not going to think its okay to indulge in fatty foods heavily and celebrate that as some misguided tenet of fat acceptance which its not. It’s a stupid and unhealthy way of living and it’s a stupid argument to make.  It’s also a little self-delusional. For all the agenda driven, pharmaceutical sponsored, ‘thinspirational’ media, there is also a significant amount of credible data that tells us respectfully and with consideration, that we can’t treat our bodies like a dumping ground for anything. We can’t deny that certain eating and lifestyle practices are unhealthy and need to be changed. It’s what’s good for us, and the environment. It’s very detrimental to hide behind a progressive thought process and deny that there’s anything wrong with the choices we’re making. It’s also a little childish to point fingers at all those who make the right choices and tell them they’re skinny bitches or bimbos who are being sucked into a trap of artificial beauty.

     I am not making any claims to being self-assured or comfortable in my skin. There are very many times when I don’t. I get insecure all the time. I can constantly obsess over my weight, and feel ugly when I look in the mirror. But its harmless for the most part. It doesn’t mean I’ll spiral into anorexia or value all my life’s worth over my BMI. It simply means that I care, probably a lot more than the carefree person who’ll eat guilt free and a lot less than someone who will starve themselves to get that weight off. I doubt there’s any such thing as an actual healthy body image. You can be a size zero or a plus size and there’s a good chance you’re both worried that your thighs are too big. The only thing that you need to ask yourself is how large is that anxiety. Is it big enough for you to ruin your life and lose all sense of your self or is it just the right amount of motivation to live active and eat healthy?

Ok, I had originally decided to make thursday my “focus on recovery day”. But wrong… is not working. I have to work. But I had an appointment with my nutritionist today and also with my psychiatrist.
The nutritionist started out with weighing myself. I lost 3 more pounds… I really don’t feel it thought. My friend was here all last week and we did eat and I did not starve and I did not even exercise, so I believe muscles are gone, fat is back, since muscles weigh more than fat… and all these theories in my head.
Anyway, she disapproves with such. At any rate, I told her that I was just so so so so scared of gaining weight. I seriously don’t want to lose more, I don’t want to be anorexic, but I want to be thin. I really want to be thin so so badly. She says – and of course she says that, it’s her job – well, that I really should not lose more. But I am so fat, and I don’t want to gain and I am just scared of so many foods and eating and I feel like I am obsessed with these issues now. I told her and she wants to help me lose that fear and obsession. I am not sure yet, how but I hope it will work. She asked me again on how serious I was with recovery and I again told her that it is just not working for me, like I wished I simply did not have to deal with it at all. But I guess I can’t change it and I have to deal with it now.
We set up a meal plan, or at least talk about different dishes or food items that I should incorporate in my day. We decided on eating 4 times a day. 3 full meals and one snack. More my tight schedule simply does not allow. So, I need to incorporate more protein and more dietary fats… I am kind of scared of those, although I know that protein is even necessary if I want to keep up my exercising. The idea to eat pasta or rice, however, is just immensely scary to me. I LOVE pasta, but it is my typical “let’s start a binge (and Purge)” session type of food. I am so so scared to binge, that I developed the habit not to eat at all, or basically avoid food.
At any rate, she asked me what I wanted to work on with her in the future and besides the things I just mentioned above it certainly is to reestablish my view of my body. I start to believe that I might really have body image distortion, but I don’t know enough about it to really say I do.
I need to do more research and sort things out.

At the psychiatrist I actually started crying. I wanted to tell her right away that things are not working the way I expect them to and that it is all kind of difficult and frustrating for me to understand. I really don’t understand how it came about for me to be the way I am today. I kind of scratched the difficulties I am facing at school, in the department and work-wise. I just cannot meet the demanded standard anymore, I feel overwhelmed and scared. She told me that I have anxiety and that this is part of my depression. Further she said that depression was part of my eating disorder. I forgot to ask what was there first. But probably in the end it doesn’t matter?!
I am not sure. I know I am depressed and I know I have an eating disorder. I know I need to recover. BUT what started out like a journey to find my true self just turned in to be a pragmatic healing process, which may eventually not really help.
Seriously, I cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. My psychiatrist said that I am too impatient. Maybe, yes, but sorry? I need to work, I need to be better NOW. I have no time to waste on this and I just can’t stand myself any longer like this either. The whole process is frustratingly too slow.
BUT, I guess she gave me an option to speed it up: meds! So, serotonin is missing in my brain and it can be helped by an anti-depressant and eventually I will recognize a change. Some people, however, don’t, but apparently the people around. Strange explanation. Anyway, I ALWAYS opposed and refused Meds but I guess it is the only way for me to speed it up.
She said that I should at least try, but she did not quite understand my question on what happens if I then one day don’t take it anymore. I mean, what I know about anti-depressants is that many people fall back into their usual cycles and there is actually a high number of suicidal reactions after stopping the intake. So, I have to do more research on that as well.
Further she explained to me how the situation with Daniel (the break up) has eventually lead to trigger my depression. As well as the time back home. That is why I will not go home now for a while. I believe I am better off here and I also believe I don’t want anyone to visit me in the next few months or year. I really need to beat my mental illness first and then deal with the triggering moments. I cannot run away from Daniel, unfortunately. This would have been my choice if I was in Germany. I would run, fast and far. But here I have no chance, but work in the same building, live in the same city and basically breathe the same air. Plus, I feel like he is the only one who can help me besides my doctors. Emailing him or talking to him does stir up a lot of emotions, but I am starting to accept them and I am staring to work with them or I am at least telling myself so.
At any rate, I have to start taking meds to feel better faster.
Then I need to focus on the little things. But thinking about it now, really scares me. When Paula said it this morning, I felt like she was right, but now it feels undoable, because I ALWAYS have other things on my mind at the same time. It is not that easy. I can lay out plans and set up times, I will still not start doing what deserves priority just like right now when I rather just type down what’s on my mind. And yes, this is exhausting, too.. And it is already 1pm.
Ok, breathe, she said, breathe in deep and breathe out… I am trying, but I feel like my chest is strangulated. I cannot breathe. I am so overwhelmed. And lost and lonely and sad. I want to escape. Paula said I need to accept these feelings. They are not mine. They are coming from the depression. And I know she is right, just like Jenni separated herself from Ed, I need to do the same, just that my Ed focuses more on the destruction of myself than on the obsession with food and weight, although this is certainly one thing my Ed incorporates and performs perfectly well also. And My Ed is called Bulimia. And yes, she is female. And I hate her very much. I hate her as much as I can hate myself and yes, that is a lot. And I believe with every move I can make to eliminate her I will eliminate my self hatred feelings and disgust.
I’ll fight.
For myself.

a cat with black and wight spots it looked like a cow so i called it cow cat

(a compendium of queer words for the modern fag with a passion for the Middle Ages added hebdomadally on the Sabbath day)

82.) Wight
-noun singular, or adjective

a.) A living being (especially a human).

b.) A creature.

c.) Valorous or brave.

[Origin: From the Old English wiht, a word used to describe a creature or a living being.]

*The Old English wiht is akin to Old High German wiht, meaning a creature or thing. The Wicht, Wichtel or Wichtelchen of Germanic folklore is most commonly translated into English as an imp, a small, shy character who often does helpful domestic chores when nobody is looking. Here we find undoubtedly in the word wight, another incarnation of a member of our tribe.

SEVEN Island beaches have lost their ‘recommended’ status for bathing in the latest Good Beach Guide — just two weeks after the Isle of Wight was placed joint top in Britain for its number of quality beaches.
Of the 16 Island beaches tested, Gurnard, Ryde West, Shanklin, Totland Bay, Seagrove, St Helens and Whitecliff Bay all slipped off the list.
However, all seven achieved a basic pass and Southern Water and the Isle of Wight Council said every beach met European standards for bathing water quality.
The bathing water tests, carried out between May and September last year, coincided with the seventh wettest British summer on record.
With so much heavy rain, John Spence, Southern Water’s head of wastewater and environmental strategy, said run-off from roads and farmland or storm overflows entering the sea could have affected standards.
“We are pleased that, despite the rain, beaches on the Island again met the European standards. This success compares with just 41 per cent of beaches meeting the same standard in 1988, when South Water began a multi-million pound programme of work to help,” he said.
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) published its Good Beach Guide for 2009, after testing 777 UK beaches.
Across Britain, recommended beaches fell by almost a sixth — the biggest annual fall in the guide’s 22-year history.
Thomas Bell, MCS coastal pollution officer, said: “These results reflect last summer’s heavy rain, which swept waterborne pollutants like raw sewage, petro-chemicals and farm waste into rivers and the sea.”
The society believes specific counter pollution measures are required now, including new farming practices, investment in sustainable urban drainage systems, a significant expansion of the sewer system, to handle large volumes of storm water, and end-of-pipe monitoring on combined sewer overflows.

• The Isle of Wight recently received 14 awards in the Keep Britain Tidy Blue Flags and Quality Coast Awards (QCA) — putting it joint top alongside Torbay, Devon.
• Ventnor and Sandown beaches have both been awarded prestigious blue flags, while 12 beaches have been given QCAs.
• QCA criteria includes good access, top facilities, such as lifeguard provision, being litter free and having clean bathing water. Similar criteria is also required for blue flag status, although the water quality test is more stringent.
• MCS Recommended is the only scheme focusing entirely on water quality standards and risk of sewage pollution.

Reporter: martinn@iwcpmail.co.uk

Read the original article from TheIsle of Wight County Press Online here

The junior riders dominated the combined Open Women category at this season’s national downhill races, and two riders stood out. Madeline Taylor won the overall NZ series points, and Georgia Wight took out the national champs. The craziest thing about these two girls – they were both racing on borrowed bikes while they get started!

15 year old Hawkes Bay rider Madeline Taylor used to race motocross but quit after having a few big crashes and some knocks to the head. After quitting motocross, she got a mountain bike instead and started racing downhill earlier in 2008. She was hooked after doing the DH at the NZ Secondary School Champs: “I did the cross country, hill climb, and downhill at Secondary Schools. My Dad didn’t want me to race downhill because it’s too dangerous, but when he saw how good I rode, he was ok about it!” Alathough DH is now her main focus, she also competes at freestyle skiing and wakeboarding.

Madeline Taylor on the podium in Rotorua

Madeline has been pushing herself to improve ever since that first race, doing well at the AKDH North Island Series in the lead-up to Nationals, and then winning every race in the North Island series. “My favorite race was Levin. I didn’t do all the big jumps but I got the two step-ups, it was a cool track.” Luckily she has a supportive family who helped her get to all the South Island Series races too. “We drove to Dunedin then back to school, flew down to Queenstown then back to school, then drove to Blenheim then back to school, now Nelson, and then back to school… aaaaah! After all this, I’m just looking forward to sitting around and watching TV!”

Levin: Open Women winner, 15 year old Madeline Taylor, jumping the big step-up at the end of the course.

Avanti Plus in Hastings generously lent Madeline a Specialized Bighit demo bike that has had a very hard time this summer, being ridden fast down some tough tracks, not to mention falling off the shuttle trailers twice. “Yeah, we have to pay for what’s broken on the bike… I’m not looking forward to returning it! But it’s been pretty good.” She’s also had a good time hanging out with the other junior women.  “We’ll keep in touch, we’re already trying to plan a riding trip to Rotorua, it’s been great meeting people this summer.”

Gerogia Wight won the Open Women’s title at National Champs after deciding to race in Coronet on a borrowed Specialized Demo and finishing second. “The track here [Nelson] was cool, I crashed twice in my race run but it’s a good track! It’s similar to some of the tracks at home, with lots of rocks.”

Georgia after National Champs

This isn’t her first Nationals season however, last year she raced the South Island XC Cup. Like Madeline, she competed at all disciplines at Secondary School Champs, and enjoyed the downhill. “I ride cross country, road, trails, and downhill. But I like racing downhill the most, everyone’s so relaxed compared to road or cross country!”

Georgia keeps up with the guys down in Alexandra and rides with the local club and bike shop guys there. She’s keen to get her own DH bike and continue racing – look out for Georgia and Madeline kickin arse on their very own bikes next season!

there is a new puffle! its white and u can see it evry 30 minuts at the dojo court yard and the ski hill! i wounder what its abilitys are and when it will come out?

The Isle of Wight.  England’s pretty little front garden with it’s Cowes Festival and Osborne House, home of Queen Victoria.  And Zombies.

Hang on… ZOMBIES??!

Thats right, a whole tribe of them live alongside the seaside donkeys and daytrippers.  Led by Darren Winter, artist, film-maker and zombie-in-chief, they have expanded to club nights, movies and even advertising beer.

So how does this fit into the teashop and candy-floss image of the Isle of Wight?  Well, it doesn’t to be honest.  In fact the whole burgeoning horror scene is the island’s counter-culture.

For the last two years they have held the Zombie march through Ryde and other towns, stumbling, swaying, peering in windows and generally scaring the living shit out of people.  I so want to join in one year.

Most recently Darren and his team have been working on their feature film, Bad Place.  The Isle of Wight’s own Blair Witch?  We wait with bated breath as it is now in post-production.

When he is not scaring the bejeysus out of the tourists Darren works on his art project, inked in the blood of his victims, presumably.

Actually no, some of them are cut from Vinyl.  He also does comissioned portraits.

So I had a few questions for the King of the Undead:

I bet Halloween is fun in your house?

We do dress up with our daughter and have Halloween dinner but this year we hope to go trick or treating now she’s older.

We usually do the Wightzombie march in the evening around
Halloween time which is always good fun but my dream would be to have a big house and lots of money to turn it into a haunted house for a week or longer, have people come in and scaring the hell out of them, maybe a competition where someone get money if they spend a whole night there……..

How big is the horror scene in the Isle of Wight?

We have a large alternative scene on the Island (Dark Wight) so horror films go down well here. Most islanders are still quite naive and sceptical to new things, that’s why the alternative island is so strong.

You either conform to the island way or you don’t, its very black and white (pardon the pun) and as a horror film maker who has a deferent point of view I’m up against some resistance when it comes to ideas and the business side.

What fiendish plans have you made for 2009?

2009 is going to be a busy year with another baby on the way in May and a planned house move in with parents who are moving down from London.

I also want to get started on a new, scary as hell, horror film this year plus some music vids, 2 film festivals, finding a distributor for my first horror film Bad Place, hopefully a EWF Wrestling horror film with another film producer Joe Jenkins and various other scripts and film project in pre-production, Ahhhhhhh.

Tell us something about your art?

I mainly do it as a sideline; I do two types of art, abstract art (the graffiti artist in me) and a new style of art using Vinyl and Enamel.

The abstract art is all about flow and colour and the vinyl at is a technique I started in 1990 when i started work in a sign shop, basically i take a photo and I separate the photo in to a maximum of 4 colours, I then blow it up and hand cut each separation out of the coloured vinyl. Then i get a glass coated metal panel made by A.J.Wells that gets put in a furnace at around 500 degrees creating a tough as hell Enamel panel. Finally I lay the hand cut vinyls on the panel colour by colour and hey presto. its kind-a like posturizing a photo on the computer but without the pixelisation you get from those cheap looking, pop art style canvases you can get.

I’m hoping Sharon and Ozzy will buy me portrait of them so if anyone reading this knows them please let me know, he he.

If you want to see my stuff please go to www. darrenwinter. com

Rising up from the earth,
a gust of wind through the wood,
cloaked in autumn’s orange-gold fire,
the rattling of leaves their only fanfare,
as they ride through the night

Britain’s biggest Roman villa uncovered on Isle of Wight. He said Afghanistan wants a Pakistani president that pursues peace by his actions, and not only through words. London also considers Czech twink time of arrest without charge. …
blackofdown.gratuitcfree.com

The Zone Diet vs. Jenny Craig Weight Loss
www.fatloss4idiots.com

Our Review of these 2 programs:

The Zone Diet is based on the theory of 40/30/30 — which means that 40% of calories should be from carbs, 30% from protein, and 30% from fats. This program was created by Barry Sears……and a well known book was published about this diet called “Enter the Zone”.

So when a dieter eats a meal which is “40/30/30″ — then it’s referred to as a “Zone Favorable” meal.

The author of the Zone Program (Barry Sears) claims that if you make all meals “Zone Favorable” then your body will have reduced insulin levels, which will lead to weight loss and fat burning.

However, we do not agree that eating a 40/30/30 meal (Zone Favorable meal) is the best way to reduce insulin levels.

Also, another thing to remember is that it can be difficult to follow the Zone Diet because everything must be calculated “precisely” at every meal (and most people will find such calculations very tedious, especially people with busy schedules).

We believe that average dieters may find this program too difficult to use for any serious length of time, and therefore we do not like the Zone Diet program.

The makers of this diet have even created their own line of Zone Favorable Food products (such as Zone bars, Zone Shakes, and other Zone products for dieters).

But of course, such products cost much more than “average food” costs……so many average dieters may discover that buying such products is not economical for them. This is yet one more reason why we do not recommend using this program.

The Jenny Craig weight loss program is a bit more traditional and simple in our opinion, though it probably costs a bit too much for the average person (it’s also a little too basic in its principles, in our opinion).

This entire diet seems to be based on eating fewer calories while exercising more, which is a very old concept. With Jenny Craig you get assigned your own weight loss expert (nutrition counselor) who will help to keep you motivated each week so that you’ll remain on the diet.

This is possible because Jenny Craig has many weight loss centers throughout the world, and if dieters live close to a facility then they can choose to meet with a nutrition consultant “in person”. Or, if dieters do not live near a facility then they can choose to meet with their nutrition counselor “via telephone” each week.

…But regardless of whether you meet with your nutrition consultant via telephone or in person — you’ll still have to buy Jenny Craig’s expensive “pre-packaged” meals. That’s the downside of this diet program in our opinion, since you have to continually buy Jenny’s pre-packaged meals (which are fairly expensive when compared to normal meals).

From everything we’ve seen these pre-packaged meals seem to be lower calorie versions of normal meals, so they don’t seem to be anything too earth shattering or special (from our perspective).

So with Jenny Craig you’ll basically be eating fewer calories (smaller portioned meals) and exercising more while meeting weekly with a nutrition counselor (who will keep you motivated so that you don’t quit the diet).

Plus, don’t forget that you’ll be required to buy Jenny Craig’s pre-packaged food every single week — which can be expensive over time.

So overall we don’t think that it’s smart to use the Jenny Craig program, since any diet that requires you to continually spend money for “special meals” is not a good choice in our opinion.

When we compare the Zone Diet to Jenny Craig we find that both programs have too many negative qualities to recommend — though the Zone Program is probably just a tad better in our opinion.

But overall we strongly recommend against both of these weight loss programs.

END OF REVIEW.

If you want to lose 9 lbs. every 11 Days then read about this New Diet Right Here.

If you’ve got a memory like an elephant, the old saying goes, then your noggin’s in good shape. Mine, when challenged under the gun, tends to shoot blanks. I’m a research kind of guy, not a living, breathing almanac…. Each week “Loreology” will unravel the mysteries behind something in gaming that I may have known once and completely forgot, or something that I should probably know and cram up into my nearly full brain cavity.

This Week: The Wight Stuff

I never knew if these guys sported a rib cage like some skeletal graveyard reject, wavered insubstantial like the spirits of the past or looked like something else strange and unearthly. What were wights? I remembered that barrow-wights from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” were corpses with corrupt souls that bound them to the world to continue with their evil deeds, and wights in the D&D Monster Manual had this vicious power to drain the life essence out of their victims and turn them into fellow wights.

Turns out the word wight comes from Middle English and means “living being” or “creature.” Perfectly generic to confuse us even further. A wight can also label a being from one of the Nine Worlds in Norse mythology, especially a nature spirit or ancestor. The English Channel’s famous Isle of Wight, by the way, has nothing to do with our creature wights, though that would be a crazily disturbing sight if it did, like something straight out of 28 Days Later.

Wights are a fascinating part of fantasy history that aren’t as fleshed out (no pun intended) than some of their famous elven and faerie brethren. Dwarves, goblins, dragons have become canon in fantasy literature; not the wight. They’ve only shown up as bit players on the fantasy stage. And that’s probably the way they like it, left to their own horrible devices in secret lairs beneath the earth. It’s enough to make a Balrog envious.