Microscopic appearance of cholesterol crystals in water. Photo taken under polarized light . Cholesterol , from the Ancient Greek chole- ( bile ) and stereos (solid) followed by the chemical suffix -ol for an alcohol, is a hydrocarbon organic molecule . It is a sterol (or modified steroid ), [ 3 ] a lipid molecule and is biosynthesized by all animal cells because it is an essential structural component of animal cell membranes that is required to maintain both membrane structural integrity and fluidity . Cholesterol enables animal cells to (a) not need a cell wall (like plants & bacteria) to protect membrane integrity/cell-viability and thus (b) be able to change shape and (c) animals to move (unlike bacteria and plant cells which are restricted by their cell walls). In addition to its importance within cells, cholesterol also serves as a precursor for the biosynthesis of steroid hormones , bile acids , and vitamin D . [ 4 ] Cholesterol is the principal sterol synthesized by animals. All kinds of cells in animals can produce it. In vertebrates the hepatic cells typically produce greater amounts than other cells. It is almost completely absent among prokaryotes (i.e., bacteria), although there are some exceptions such as Mycoplasma , which require cholesterol for growth. [ 5 ] Since cholesterol is essential for all animal life, each cell synthesizes it from simpler molecules, a complex 37-step process that starts with the intracellular protein enzyme HMG-CoA reductase . However, normal and particularly high levels of fats (including cholesterol) in the blood circulation, depending on how they are transported within lipoproteins , are strongly associated with the progression of atherosclerosis . For a man of about 68 kg (150 lb), typical total body-cholesterol synthesis is approximately 1 g (1,000 mg) per day, and total body content is approximately 35 g, primarily located within the membranes of all the cells of the body. Typical daily dietary intake of additional cholesterol, in the United States, is 200–300 mg. [ 8 ] Most ingested cholesterol is esterified, and esterified cholesterol is poorly absorbed. The body also compensates for any absorption of additional cholesterol by reducing cholesterol synthesis. [ 9 ] For these reasons, cholesterol intake in food has little, if any, effect on total body cholesterol content or concentrations of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol is recycled. The liver excretes it in a non-esterified form (via bile) into the digestive tract. Typically about 50% of the excreted cholesterol is reabsorbed by the small bowel back into the bloodstream. Plants make cholesterol in very small amounts. [ 10 ] Plants manufacture phytosterols (substances chemically similar to cholesterol produced within plants), which can compete with cholesterol for reabsorption in the intestinal tract, thus potentially reducing cholesterol reabsorption. [ 11 ] When intestinal lining cells absorb phytosterols, in place of cholesterol, they usually excrete the phytosterol molecules back into the GI tract , an important protective mechanism. Cholesterol is required to build and maintain membranes ; it modulates membrane fluidity over the range of physiological temperatures. The hydroxyl group on cholesterol interacts with the polar head groups of the membrane phospholipids and sphingolipids , while the bulky steroid and the hydrocarbon chain are embedded in the membrane, alongside the nonpolar fatty-acid chain of the other lipids. Through the interaction with the phospholipid fatty-acid chains, cholesterol increases membrane packing, which reduces membrane fluidity. [ 12 ] The structure of the tetracyclic ring of cholesterol contributes to the decreased fluidity of the cell membrane as the molecule is in a trans conformation making all but the side chain of cholesterol rigid and planar. [ 13 ] In this structural role, cholesterol reduces the permeability of the plasma membrane to neutral solutes, [ 14 ] hydrogen ions, and sodium ions . [ 15 ] Within the cell membrane, cholesterol also functions in intracellular transport, cell signaling and nerve conduction. Cholesterol is essential for the structure and function of invaginated caveolae and clathrin -coated pits, including caveola-dependent and clathrin-dependent endocytosis . The role of cholesterol in such endocytosis can be investigated by using methyl beta cyclodextrin (MβCD) to remove cholesterol from the plasma membrane. Recently, cholesterol has also been implicated in cell signaling processes, assisting in the formation of lipid rafts in the plasma membrane . Lipid raft formation brings receptor proteins in close proximity with high concentrations of second messenger molecules. [ 16 ] In many neurons, a myelin sheath, rich in cholesterol, since it is derived from compacted layers of Schwann cell membrane, provides insulation for more efficient conduction of impulses. [ 17 ] Within cells, cholesterol is the precursor molecule in several biochemical pathways. In the liver, cholesterol is converted to bile , which is then stored in the gallbladder . Bile contains bile salts, which solubilize fats in the digestive tract and aid in the intestinal absorption of fat molecules as well as the fat-soluble vitamins, A , D , E , and K . Cholesterol is an important precursor molecule for the synthesis of vitamin D and the steroid hormones , including the adrenal gland hormones cortisol and aldosterone , as well as the sex hormones progesterone , estrogens , and testosterone , and their derivatives. [ 4 ] From a dietary perspective, cholesterol is not found in significant amounts in plant sources. [ 20 ] [ 22 ] In addition, plant products such as flax seeds and peanuts contain cholesterol-like compounds called phytosterols , which are believed to compete with cholesterol for absorption in the intestines. [ 23 ] Phytosterols can be supplemented through the use of phytosterol-containing functional foods or nutraceuticals that are widely recognized as having a proven LDL cholesterol-lowering efficacy. [ 24 ] Current supplemental guidelines recommend doses of phytosterols in the 1.6-3.0 grams per day range (Health Canada, EFSA, ATP III,FDA) with a recent meta-analysis demonstrating an 8.8% reduction in LDL-cholesterol at a mean dose of 2.15 gram per day. [ 25 ] However, the benefits of a diet supplemented with phytosterol has been questioned. [ 26 ] [ 27 ] Fat intake also plays a role in blood-cholesterol levels. Isocalorically replacing dietary carbohydrates with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats has been shown to lower serum LDL and total cholesterol levels and increase serum HDL levels, while replacing carbohydrates with saturated fat was shown to increase HDL, LDL, and total cholesterol levels. [ 28 ] Trans fats have been shown to reduce levels of HDL while increasing levels of LDL. [ 29 ] Based on such evidence and evidence implicating low HDL and high LDL levels in cardiovascular disease (see Hypercholesterolemia ), many health authorities advocate reducing LDL cholesterol through changes in diet in addition to other lifestyle modifications. [ 30 ] The USDA , for example, recommends that those wishing to reduce their cholesterol through a change in diet should aim to consume less than 7% of their daily energy needs from saturated fat and fewer than 200 mg of cholesterol per day. [ 31 ] An alternative view is that any reduction to dietary cholesterol intake could be counteracted by the organs compensating to try to keep blood cholesterol levels constant. [ 32 ] Other research has found that an increase in the consumption of saturated fats and cholesterol decreases overall serum cholesterol. [ 33 ] All animal cells manufacture cholesterol for their use, with relative production rates varying by cell type and organ function. About 20–25% of total daily cholesterol production occurs in the liver ; other sites of higher synthesis rates include the intestines , adrenal glands , and reproductive organs . Synthesis within the body starts with one molecule of acetyl CoA and one molecule of acetoacetyl-CoA , which are hydrated to form 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA ( HMG-CoA ). [ 34 ] This molecule is then reduced to mevalonate by the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase . This is the regulated, rate-limiting and irreversible step in cholesterol synthesis and is the site of action for the statin drugs (HMG-CoA reductase competitive inhibitors). Mevalonate is then converted to 3-isopentenyl pyrophosphate in three reactions that require ATP . Mevalonate is decarboxylated to isopentenyl pyrophosphate , which is a key metabolite for various biological reactions. Three molecules of isopentenyl pyrophosphate condense to form farnesyl pyrophosphate through the action of geranyl transferase. Two molecules of farnesyl pyrophosphate then condense to form squalene by the action of squalene synthase in the endoplasmic reticulum . [ 34 ] Oxidosqualene cyclase then cyclizes squalene to form lanosterol . Finally, lanosterol is converted to cholesterol through a 19-step process. [ 35 ] [ 36 ] Biosynthesis of cholesterol is directly regulated by the cholesterol levels present, though the homeostatic mechanisms involved are only partly understood. A higher intake from food leads to a net decrease in endogenous production, whereas lower intake from food has the opposite effect. The main regulatory mechanism is the sensing of intracellular cholesterol in the endoplasmic reticulum by the protein SREBP (sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 and 2). [ 37 ] In the presence of cholesterol, SREBP is bound to two other proteins: SCAP (SREBP cleavage activating protein) and Insig1 . When cholesterol levels fall, Insig-1 dissociates from the SREBP-SCAP complex, which allows the complex to migrate to the Golgi apparatus . Here SREBP is cleaved by S1P and S2P (site-1 and -2 protease), two enzymes that are activated by SCAP when cholesterol levels are low. The cleaved SREBP then migrates to the nucleus, and acts as a transcription factor to bind to the sterol regulatory element (SRE), which stimulates the transcription of many genes. Among these are the low-density lipoprotein ( LDL ) receptor and HMG-CoA reductase . The LDL receptor former scavenges circulating LDL from the bloodstream, whereas HMG-CoA reductase leads to an increase of endogenous production of cholesterol. [ 38 ] A large part of this signaling pathway was clarified by Dr. Michael S. Brown and Dr. Joseph L. Goldstein in the 1970s. In 1985, they received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work. Their subsequent work shows how the SREBP pathway regulates expression of many genes that control lipid formation and metabolism and body fuel allocation. Cholesterol synthesis can also be turned off when cholesterol levels are high. HMG-CoA reductase contains both a cytosolic domain (responsible for its catalytic function) and a membrane domain. The membrane domain senses signals for its degradation. Increasing concentrations of cholesterol (and other sterols) cause a change in this domain's oligomerization state, which makes it more susceptible to destruction by the proteosome . This enzyme's activity can also be reduced by phosphorylation by an AMP-activated protein kinase . Because this kinase is activated by AMP, which is produced when ATP is hydrolyzed, it follows that cholesterol synthesis is halted when ATP levels are low. [ 39 ] Cholesterol is only slightly soluble in water ; it can dissolve and travel in the water-based bloodstream at exceedingly small concentrations. Since cholesterol is insoluble in blood, it is transported in the circulatory system within lipoproteins , complex discoidal particles that have an exterior composed of amphiphilic proteins and lipids whose outward-facing surfaces are water-soluble and inward-facing surfaces are lipid-soluble; triglycerides and cholesterol esters are carried internally. Phospholipids and cholesterol, being amphipathic, are transported in the surface monolayer of the lipoprotein particle. In addition to providing a soluble means for transporting cholesterol through the blood, lipoproteins have cell-targeting signals that direct the lipids they carry to certain tissues. For this reason, there are several types of lipoproteins in blood, called, in order of increasing density, chylomicrons , very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The more lipid and less protein a lipoprotein has, the less dense it is. The cholesterol within all the various lipoproteins is identical, although some cholesterol is carried as the "free" alcohol and some is carried as fatty acyl esters referred to as cholesterol esters. However, the different lipoproteins contain apolipoproteins , which serve as ligands for specific receptors on cell membranes. In this way, the lipoprotein particles are molecular addresses that determine the start- and endpoints for cholesterol transport. Chylomicrons, the least dense type of cholesterol transport molecules, contain apolipoprotein B-48 , apolipoprotein C , and apolipoprotein E in their shells. Chylomicrons are the transporters that carry fats from the intestine to muscle and other tissues that need fatty acids for energy or fat production. Cholesterol that is not used by muscles remains in more cholesterol-rich chylomicron remnants, which are taken up from here to the bloodstream by the liver. VLDL molecules are produced by the liver and contain excess triacylglycerol and cholesterol that is not required by the liver for synthesis of bile acids. These molecules contain apolipoprotein B100 and apolipoprotein E in their shells. During transport in the bloodstream, the blood vessels cleave and absorb more triacylglycerol from IDL molecules, which contain an even higher percentage of cholesterol. The IDL molecules have two possible fates: Half are metabolized by HTGL , taken up by the LDL receptor on the liver cell surfaces, and the other half continue to lose triacylglycerols in the bloodstream until they form LDL molecules, which have the highest percentage of cholesterol within them. LDL molecules, therefore, are the major carriers of cholesterol in the blood, and each one contains approximately 1,500 molecules of cholesterol ester. The shell of the LDL molecule contains just one molecule of apolipoprotein B100, which is recognized by the LDL receptor in peripheral tissues. Upon binding of apolipoprotein B100, many LDL receptors become localized in clathrin -coated pits. Both the LDL and its receptor are internalized by endocytosis to form a vesicle within the cell. The vesicle then fuses with a lysosome , which has an enzyme called lysosomal acid lipase that hydrolyzes the cholesterol esters. Now within the cell, the cholesterol can be used for membrane biosynthesis or esterified and stored within the cell, so as to not interfere with cell membranes. Synthesis of the LDL receptor is regulated by SREBP , the same regulatory protein as was used to control synthesis of cholesterol de novo in response to cholesterol presence in the cell. When the cell has abundant cholesterol, LDL receptor synthesis is blocked so new cholesterol in the form of LDL molecules cannot be taken up. On the converse, more LDL receptors are made when the cell is deficient in cholesterol. When this system is deregulated, many LDL molecules appear in the blood without receptors on the peripheral tissues. These LDL molecules are oxidized and taken up by macrophages , which become engorged and form foam cells. These cells often become trapped in the walls of blood vessels and contribute to atherosclerotic plaque formation. Differences in cholesterol homeostasis affect the development of early atherosclerosis (carotid intima-media thickness). [ 40 ] These plaques are the main causes of heart attacks, strokes, and other serious medical problems, leading to the association of so-called LDL cholesterol (actually a lipoprotein ) with "bad" cholesterol. [ 39 ] Also, HDL particles are thought to transport cholesterol back to the liver for excretion or to other tissues that use cholesterol to synthesize hormones in a process known as reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). [ 41 ] Having large numbers of large HDL particles correlates with better health outcomes. [ 42 ] In contrast, having small numbers of large HDL particles is independently associated with atheromatous disease progression in the arteries. Cholesterol is susceptible to oxidation and easily forms oxygenated derivatives known as oxysterols . Three different mechanisms can form these; autoxidation, secondary oxidation to lipid peroxidation, and cholesterol-metabolizing enzyme oxidation. A great interest in oxysterols arose when they were shown to exert inhibitory actions on cholesterol biosynthesis. [ 43 ] This finding became known as the “oxysterol hypothesis”. Additional roles for oxysterols in human physiology include their: participation in bile acid biosynthesis, function as transport forms of cholesterol, and regulation of gene transcription. [ 44 ] In biochemical experiments radiolabelled forms of cholesterol, such as tritiated-cholesterol are used. These derivatives undergo degradation upon storage and it is essential to purify cholesterol prior to use. Cholesterol can be purified using small Sephadex LH-20 columns. [ 45 ] Cholesterol is oxidized by the liver into a variety of bile acids . [ 46 ] These, in turn, are conjugated with glycine , taurine , glucuronic acid , or sulfate . A mixture of conjugated and nonconjugated bile acids, along with cholesterol itself, is excreted from the liver into the bile . Approximately 95% of the bile acids are reabsorbed from the intestines, and the remainder are lost in the feces. [ 47 ] The excretion and reabsorption of bile acids forms the basis of the enterohepatic circulation , which is essential for the digestion and absorption of dietary fats. Under certain circumstances, when more concentrated, as in the gallbladder , cholesterol crystallises and is the major constituent of most gallstones . Although, lecithin and bilirubin gallstones also occur, but less frequently. [ 48 ] Every day, up to 1 g of cholesterol enters the colon. This cholesterol originates from the diet, bile, and desquamated intestinal cells, and can be metabolized by the colonic bacteria. Cholesterol is converted mainly into coprostanol , a nonabsorbable sterol that is excreted in the feces. A cholesterol-reducing bacterium origin has been isolated from human feces. [ 49 ] [ non-primary source needed ] According to the lipid hypothesis , abnormal cholesterol levels ( hypercholesterolemia ) — actually higher concentrations of LDL particles and lower concentrations of functional HDL particles  — are strongly associated with cardiovascular disease because these promote atheroma development in arteries ( atherosclerosis ). This disease process leads to myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke , and peripheral vascular disease . Since higher blood LDL, especially higher LDL particle concentrations and smaller LDL particle size, contribute to this process more than the cholesterol content of the HDL particles, [ 50 ] LDL particles are often termed "bad cholesterol" because they have been linked to atheroma formation. On the other hand, high concentrations of functional HDL, which can remove cholesterol from cells and atheroma, offer protection and are sometimes referred to as "good cholesterol". These balances are mostly genetically determined, but can be changed by body build, medications , food choices, and other factors. [ 51 ] Resistin , a protein secreted by fat tissue, has been shown to increase the production of LDL in human liver cells and also degrades LDL receptors in the liver . As a result, the liver is less able to clear cholesterol from the bloodstream. Resistin accelerates the accumulation of LDL in arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease. Resistin also adversely impacts the effects of statins, the main cholesterol-reducing drug used in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease. [ 52 ] Conditions with elevated concentrations of oxidized LDL particles, especially "small dense LDL" (sdLDL) particles, are associated with atheroma formation in the walls of arteries , a condition known as atherosclerosis , which is the principal cause of coronary heart disease and other forms of cardiovascular disease . In contrast, HDL particles (especially large HDL) have been identified as a mechanism by which cholesterol and inflammatory mediators can be removed from atheroma. Increased concentrations of HDL correlate with lower rates of atheroma progressions and even regression. A 2007 study pooling data on almost 900,000 subjects in 61 cohorts demonstrated that blood total cholesterol levels have an exponential effect on cardiovascular and total mortality, with the association more pronounced in younger subjects. Still, because cardiovascular disease is relatively rare in the younger population, the impact of high cholesterol on health is still larger in older people. [ 53 ] Elevated levels of the lipoprotein fractions, LDL, IDL and VLDL are regarded as atherogenic (prone to cause atherosclerosis). [ 54 ] Levels of these fractions, rather than the total cholesterol level, correlate with the extent and progress of atherosclerosis. Conversely, the total cholesterol can be within normal limits, yet be made up primarily of small LDL and small HDL particles, under which conditions atheroma growth rates would still be high. Recently, a post hoc analysis of the IDEAL and the EPIC prospective studies found an association between high levels of HDL cholesterol (adjusted for apolipoprotein A-I and apolipoprotein B) and increased risk of cardiovascular disease, casting doubt on the cardioprotective role of "good cholesterol". [ 55 ] Elevated cholesterol levels are treated with a strict diet consisting of low saturated fat, trans fat-free, low cholesterol foods, [ 56 ] [ 57 ] often followed by one of various hypolipidemic agents , such as statins , fibrates , cholesterol absorption inhibitors, nicotinic acid derivatives or bile acid sequestrants. [ 58 ] Extreme cases have previously been treated with partial ileal bypass surgery , which has now been superseded by medication. Apheresis -based treatments are still used for very severe hyperlipidemias that are either unresponsive to treatment or require rapid lowering of blood lipids. [ citation needed ] Multiple human trials using HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, known as statins , have repeatedly confirmed that changing lipoprotein transport patterns from unhealthy to healthier patterns significantly lowers cardiovascular disease event rates, even for people with cholesterol values currently considered low for adults. [ 59 ] Studies have also found that statins reduce atheroma progression. [ 60 ] As a result, people with a history of cardiovascular disease may derive benefit from statins irrespective of their cholesterol levels (total cholesterol below 5.0 mmol/L [193 mg/dL]), [ 61 ] and in men without cardiovascular disease, there is benefit from lowering abnormally high cholesterol levels ("primary prevention"). [ 62 ] Primary prevention in women was originally practiced only by extension of the findings in studies on men, [ 63 ] since, in women, none of the large statin trials conducted prior to 2007 demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in overall mortality or in cardiovascular endpoints. [ 64 ] In 2008, a large clinical trial reported that, in apparently healthy adults with increased levels of the inflammatory biomarker high-sensitivity C-reactive protein but with low initial LDL, 20 mg/day of rosuvastatin for 1.9 years resulted in a 44% reduction in the incidence of cardiovascular events and a 20% reduction in all-cause mortality; the effect was statistically significant for both genders. [ 65 ] Though this result was met with some skepticism, later studies and meta-analyses likewise demonstrated statistically significant (but smaller) reductions in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, without significant heterogeneity by gender. [ 66 ] However, as today's testing methods determine LDL ("bad") and HDL ("good") cholesterol separately, this simplistic view has become somewhat outdated. The desirable LDL level is considered to be less than 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol /L), [ 69 ] although a newer upper limit of 70 mg/dL (1.8 mmol/L) can be considered in higher-risk individuals based on some of the above-mentioned trials. A ratio of total cholesterol to HDL—another useful measure—of far less than 5:1 is thought to be healthier. Reference ranges for blood tests , showing usual, as well as optimal, levels of HDL, LDL and total cholesterol in mass and molar concentrations, is found in orange color at right, that is, among the blood constituents with the highest concentration. Total cholesterol is defined as the sum of HDL, LDL, and VLDL. Usually, only the total, HDL, and triglycerides are measured. For cost reasons, the VLDL is usually estimated as one-fifth of the triglycerides and the LDL is estimated using the Friedewald formula (or a variant ): estimated LDL = [total cholesterol] − [total HDL] − [estimated VLDL]. VLDL can be calculated by dividing total triglycerides by five. Direct LDL measures are used when triglycerides exceed 400 mg/dL. The estimated VLDL and LDL have more error when triglycerides are above 400 mg/dL. [ 70 ] Given the well-recognized role of cholesterol in cardiovascular disease, some studies have shown an inverse correlation between cholesterol levels and mortality. A 2009 study of patients with acute coronary syndromes found an association of hypercholesterolemia with better mortality outcomes. [ 71 ] In the Framingham Heart Study , in subjects over 50 years of age, they found an 11% increase overall and 14% increase in cardiovascular disease mortality per 1 mg/dL per year drop in total cholesterol levels. The researchers attributed this phenomenon to the fact that people with severe chronic diseases or cancer tend to have below-normal cholesterol levels. [ 72 ] This explanation is not supported by the Vorarlberg Health Monitoring and Promotion Programme, in which men of all ages and women over 50 with very low cholesterol were likely to die of cancer, liver diseases, and mental diseases. This result indicates the low-cholesterol effect occurs even among younger respondents, contradicting the previous assessment among cohorts of older people that this is a proxy or marker for frailty occurring with age. [ 73 ] Abnormally low levels of cholesterol are termed hypocholesterolemia . Research into the causes of this state is relatively limited, but some studies suggest a link with depression , cancer , and cerebral hemorrhage . In general, the low cholesterol levels seem to be a consequence, rather than a cause, of an underlying illness. [ 53 ] A genetic defect in cholesterol synthesis causes Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome , which is often associated with low plasma cholesterol levels. The American Heart Association recommends testing cholesterol every five years for people aged 20 years or older. [ 76 ] A separate set of American Heart Association guidelines issued in 2013 indicates that patients taking statin medications should have their cholesterol tested 4–12 weeks after their first dose and then every 3–12 months thereafter. [ 77 ] A blood sample after 12-hour fasting is taken by a doctor, or a home cholesterol-monitoring device is used to determine a lipoprotein profile . This measures total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol, and triglycerides. It is recommended to test cholesterol at least every five years if a person has total cholesterol of 5.2 mmol/L or more (200+ mg/dL), or if a man over age 45 or a woman over age 50 has HDL (good) cholesterol less than 1 mmol/L (40 mg/dL), or there are other risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Other risk factors for heart disease include Diabetes, Hypertension (or use of anti-hypertensive medications), low HDL, family history of CAD and hypercholesterolemia, and cigarette smoking. [ 78 ] Some cholesterol derivatives (among other simple cholesteric lipids) are known to generate the liquid crystalline "cholesteric phase". The cholesteric phase is, in fact, a chiral nematic phase , and it changes colour when its temperature changes. This makes cholesterol derivatives useful for indicating temperature in liquid crystal display thermometers and in temperature-sensitive paints. Cholesterol has 256 stereoisomers , although only two of them are of biochemical significance (nat-cholesterol and ent-cholesterol, [ 79 ] [ 80 ] ) and only one of them occurs naturally (nat-cholesterol).


Guess Who Went To The #GracoSafety Event At Babies R Us! Introducing...the new Snug Ride Click Connect 40 from Graco. Last Saturday I was invited to assist at one of the 50 VIP events that took place nationwide, and I had a blast! I took the little peanut along with me. Doesn't she look snug all tucked into her Graco MyRide? It's easy for me to be excited about Graco car seats-they're my favorite brand. I've owned seven! I was thrilled to be involved in the launch of this new car seat, and not only because I got to leave the house and go on a little road trip to Grand Rapids. No, it's also because car seat safety is something that I have always been interested in. Bored and hugely pregnant with my first child, I read article after article about how much safer it was to rear face their car seat, and made up my mind to keep my kids facing backwards until they were to big to fit. Did you know: The American Academy of Pediatrics says that "...toddlers are more than five times safer riding rear facing in a car seat. They should stay rear facing until 2 years of age." We all want to keep our kids safe. Keeping them rear facing is a huge part of that! If this seat had been on the market when I was pregnant, you can bet your britches I would have wanted it. I still want it, but it turns out that collecting car seats is not something my husband approves of. Who knew? The lovely Kate from Sluiter Nation hosted the event and let us all in on the great features of the Snug Ride. There were two events back to back, and she rocked both of them. Not only did we get to spend the afternoon schmoozing and talking about fun things like how important it is to keep your child rear facing until at least two, we also got to give away TWO brand new Snug Rides! Ashleigh from Being Cheap Is Easy was our first winner, and she was thrilled. No word yet if she is going to give it away to her pregnant friend, like she said, or if she's going to keep it, like I totally would. It was such a pleasure to get to know the other bloggers that attended. Heather from Sassy Wassy Momma attended as well, and she brought along her little miss, Aurora. Kate highlighted all the great things about the seat, including the great cushy padding inside. Did you know that when you purchase a car seat, you should never add any inserts or extra padding? The addition of any extra products can reduce the effectiveness of the seat. My all time favorite part of this seat? The Snug Ride has a unique feature allowing you to adjust the harness and headrest WITHOUT undoing the straps. Have you ever removed the straps from a car seat and had to thread them back through those tiny slots, nervously making sure they are exactly right? It's a huge pain. I love that you don't have to remove the straps to adjust them as your child grows. This is my totally unscientific opinion, but I also think this will eliminate a huge chance for user error. The seat comes in two great patterns, Moonstruck (pictured at top) and Mena, which is the one we were able to get up close and personal with. We also got to play with the matching stroller! The new Snug Ride has the Click Connect technology, which means that it clicks right into the stroller and connects securely. Also, this stroller is something else. After wrestling with my huge double jogging stroller, I just about fell over when I saw how easy this one folds up. Trisha was our second winner! I can't believe we got to give away two seats. It was awesome to announce the winners! It was a pleasure to attend and assist at this event, and I'm so glad I had the opportunity. I love that I was able to learn about such a great car seat! If you want to learn more be sure to check out Graco Safety . You can also look on Instagram and Twitter under the hashtag #GracoSafety for more firsthand opinions from the other bloggers that attended the events! The Graco SnugRider Click ConnectT 40 -- the first and only newborn to two-year infant car seat that actually grows with your baby from four pounds all the way up to 40 pounds. The car seat is designed for a parent on the go. The infant car seat can be easily removed from the base and used as a carrier when the infant is small, providing portability and convenience so you can easily move your infant in and out of the car without disturbing them. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently made the recommendation to keep all children in rear-facing car seats until the age of 2. Graco set out to make this product so parents can keep infants rear facing longer while still keeping them comfortable. This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Graco. The opinions and text are all mine. Disclosure I do have affiliate links and ads on this site. Although I do make some money off these links, I never endorse a product or service that I do not believe in 100%! If you have any questions about a particular link, feel free to use the contact button to get in touch with me. In addition, although I do link to other sites and may participate in linkups/blog parties/giveaways, that does not mean that I agree with all statements posted on those sites.


21 of the most AMAZING rainbow cakes that you'll ever see (recipes included) Bright colours, pots of gold, blue skies...what's not to love about a rainbow birthday party? Especially when one of these gorgeous cakes takes center stage. We're obsessed, and we've rounded up recipes and easy-peasy tips for recreating them without the fuss. Colourful Cupcakes We love how simple these rainbow cupcakes are to make: Just buy a few boxes of vanilla cake mix, make the batter and then separate it into five bowls. Add food colouring to get the colours of the rainbow, and then pour each colour into the cupcake pan one layer at a time. (For the best results, follow this tip: After pouring each layer, dip your finger in water to smooth over the mix before pouring the next -- it keeps the colours from blending together.) And once they're out of the oven and cooled, add a dollop of vanilla icing on top for the cloud. Cotton Candy Treats It's not just a rainbow-coloured confection, it's shaped like a rainbow, too! To make, simply bake a round cake, let it cool and then use a 7-9cm round cutter (see it here ) to cut a hole out of the middle. Then, cut the cake in half to make the arch shape. To finish, cover the pieces in vanilla icing, top with M&M's and stick pieces of blue candy floss to the ends to make clouds. (Add those just before serving, so the candy floss doesn't disintegrate!) Six Layers of Love It's not a cake pop -- it's a cake stick ! To make this sweet treat, start by baking six vanilla cakes -- each dyed a different rainbow shade with food colouring. Once they're cooled, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut pieces out. Then ice the tops of all with vanilla icing and layer on a stick. Done -- and yum! Rainbow Mosaic This modern take on the classic rainbow cake looks beautiful -- and it isn't as tough to recreate as you might think. After baking (or buying) square-shaped cakes, ice the layers with vanilla buttercream -- as smooth as you can get it -- and carefully press in bright candy pieces. Cut-up licorice pieces, even Jelly Bellies will work! Rainbows and Sunshine Our favourite cakes are the ones that are easy to make and pretty, too! This super-simple rainbow beauty is just four circular cakes (of any flavour) stacked on top of each other and smothered in bands of colored icing, topped with a cloud of white seven-minute icing . And that sunshine? It's made out of fondant pieces, but we bet you could make it yourself with a piping bag of yellow icing, too. Good Buy Just like an actual rainbow, this candy-covered cake is a joy to see! Here's a piece of news that'll make you just as happy: all parts of this cake are store-bought. You heard us. You'll need to get a cheesecake and various colours of M&M's, and then cover in concentric circles of colour. That's it -- time to party! Rainbow Bites What's better than rainbow cupcakes? Cupcakes arranged to make a rainbow! This beautiful display is perfect for a party and super easy to do: all you need is food colouring, cake mix and some buttercream icing. Add matching sprinkles, arrange in a rainbow shape and you're done! Biggest Surprise Somewhere over the rainbow -- or when you cut into this colourful cake -- little birdies fly in excitement! Imagine the delight in their eyes when this seemingly all-white dessert transforms into colour as you cut the first piece. Need help on all those layers? Martha Stewart did, too. No, seriously: watch it here . Easy Treats Those sugar-lovin', sweets-hoarding kiddos of yours will go ga-ga over this candy cake . Behind that Kit-Kat fence and under that endless pile of M&M's is a two-layer cake that you lovingly made. (Or, you know, bought at the shop and just decorated.) Either way, they'll think you're the coolest mum ever. Pretty in Pastel We love this subtle take on rainbow birthday cupcakes: sweet pastel icing with carefully-carved white fondant on top to let the pretty colours underneath show through. If you're stumped on how to make those delicate designs -- check out the how-to tips here . Pot O' Purple A riot of rainbow sprinkles on the outside plus five gorgeous (purple!) layers of ombre-dyed cake inside make this confection a sweet standout. Even better: making this cake is way easier than it looks -- follow the instructions here . Like, Snap Don't be fooled by these cute-as-can-be cupcakes . They're easy! Buy plain cupcakes at the supermarket  (we won't tell, promise) and a spectrum of fondant colours to cut into circles and form into rainbow shapes. Or take an even simpler approach -- buy the  pre-made fondant shapes. Done and done . Jarred in a Jiffy Everything out of the jar tastes better (and is more fun to eat): pickles, jam, and... cake, of course! Unlike pickling, jarred rainbow cake is super simple -- just spoon layers of dyed batter into the jar, place in a shallow dish filled with a -inch of water, and pop it in the oven for 35 minutes. To serve: top with whipped cream and sprinkles. A is For... Need some inspiration for your little builder's birthday? Pay tribute to his favoruite toy with this personalised alphabet block ! To ahem, build, you'll need four square layers of cake, icing to glue 'em together, and fondant to cover the cube. In the Pink Now this is the kind of gumdrops-and-Carebears rainbow cake we're talkin' about. The six colourful layers hidden inside might seem daunting, but they make a heck of a vibrant surprise! The rainbow pieces can be made ahead of time using royal icing. And best of all: There's no fondant! Just yummy buttercream. Check out the recipe here . Rainbow Love O.M.G.: a dazzling of array of fondant flowers and rainbow coloured layers?! Swoon -- times two. We admit it, this one requires some effort -- but these concise step-by-step photos and tips will help guide you. Wittily Wonderful We love a cake with a sense of humour, and this fun, iced leprechaun trap cake fits the bill. Use an angel food cake pan to make the secret rainbow inside and a textured piping bag for the grassy terrain. The trap is simply pretzel sticks across the hole in the middle, and the ladder is pretzel sticks held together with chocolate candy melts. And the bait? Chocolate "gold" of course! Thrilled for Frills This happy stack of wonder looks pretty darn cool -- and contains no dairy! To make it, first dye, bake and stack six 8-inch layers. Then fill up a piping bag with one colour at a time and use a rose tip to make layers of frilly ruffles. Super Stack We can't decide what we love more: the adorable unicorn cake topper (notice the rainbow hor), the simple white icing covering a hidden rainbow inside or the festive coloured garland decorating the outside. If you need a recipe to use, try this similar cake from Whisk Kid . Rainbow Times Two It's a no-brainer: One rainbow is good, but two are definitely better -- and this cake totally delivers. Bake, stack and frost six 9-inch layers (dying each a different colour) and then get creative with the rainbow decorations on top: Skittles, marshmallows, M&M's -- they all work!


Life has changed so much in a year. I've come so so far that it's quite unbelievable, I feel like I've lept into the real world and suddenly it's not as bad as it all once seemed. I've done so much for myself, grown so much as a person, and I'm the happiest I've ever been. My first year at Uni has been amazing. It wasn't easy to begin with, but some amazing friends helped me to get through it. I challanged myself in ways I never thought I would. I've a large collection of friends now, all willing me on and supporting me through thick and thin. I've done more for other people, things which have helped me as well as them. I've had so much fun doing it as well. Building gardens, doing parades, helping at Open Days, Street collections, and the countless charity events at the Union. It's all been so much fun. I've been awarded for my commitment, I've clocked up my volunteering hours and been awarded for that too. I have an amazing boyfriend now. He treats me like an angel.. he's so understanding of everything. He's helped make me happy. I'm healthier than I've been in a long time too. I'm happy with my weight now and damn it feels good. For once I can say "I look good, I feel good, Everything is good." and mean it. I've moved on from RYL now. I no longer feel the need to come on here for support. I come on here to read general posts, and even then I rarely reply. It's been a great support when I have needed it, but I feel I've moved on now. I hope I've managed to give a little bit back in the 4 years that I've been here, but I guess I'll never really know. Not only have I moved on from RYL, I've moved on in my life.. the past IS behind me now. Last week I ripped up all my old diaries and threw them out. It's all gone now and it feels like there's a weight been lifted from my shoulders. RYL has been a big part of my life, and some of the people I've met through here I will never forget. They've become friends who I wish to keep for life. But I guess we all have to move on at some point, and for me, this is it. But I don't believe in saying Goodbye, because more than likely I'll still be around, and i'll still speak to some of you.. so this isn't a goodbye, more of a See you later. Thank-you to RYL, all the staff and most importantly all the members who have helped me through the difficult times. its so good to hear things are better for you. The even better part is that you have gotten to a stage in your life where you don't need ryl i am happy things are going well and i hope they continue to keep getting better for you. if you ever need us we are here though. See you soooooon :) I'm so glad to read this from you - I know you would've never believed me if I'd said you would've written something like this in a few months time last year so YAYYYYY. Take care of yourself Stephaaaannie. Loveyou. xx "Be nice. Think happy thoughts. Champion silver linings. Love all things (not just cute things like babies and kittens) & when you do love - love like they do in power ballads (you know like on a cliff with the wind in your hair and your eyes shut, knowing you'll never know love like this). Watch out for dog poo. Smile at people - even grumpy ones. Remember anything is possible & whatever you do always try to look on the bright side."


My friend who is pretty boss at highschool only got an offer from aqquanis(or whatever the **** its called), so I'm not feeling very confident. Ahahahahahahahahahaha, I'd rather flat tbqh. He's going to be on a massive hill where you need a shuttle to get to and from uni or even town. He'll also be in a hall combined with inbreds and scum. To be fair there are a few GCs My friend who is pretty boss at highschool only got an offer from aqquanis(or whatever the **** its called), so I'm not feeling very confident. Otago has changed from what I hear. It's a lot harder for the average joe to get a place in the halls. When I was in first year it was just starting to get really popular. I got offered Aranna (or something) which isn't meant to even be the best, and ended up taking Weir at Victoria which is the best (in Wellington). Ahahahahahahahahahaha, I'd rather flat tbqh. He's going to be on a massive hill where you need a shuttle to get to and from uni or even town. He'll also be in a hall combined with inbreds and scum. To be fair there are a few GCs If he got a shithouse like that then there is 0% chance that I'll get into anything. My credintals include; Headboy of primary school 1st 6 lawnbowls team 1st 7 netball team (did it for the bitches and fame) House debator (best speaker) 2x final winning rugby teams gpforums member + custom tag If he's sleeping in my gutter he better prepare to be the small spoon. --- JvJ wrote: I woke up this morning thinking "shit, we don't have enough drunk mods.. ****.. what are we going to do about this serious problem? If only Kelso would stick his hand up as a completely pissed and utterly useless asshole". Otago has changed from what I hear. It's a lot harder for the average joe to get a place in the halls. When I was in first year it was just starting to get really popular. I got offered Aranna (or something) which isn't meant to even be the best, and ended up taking Weir at Victoria which is the best (in Wellington). Arana is pretty good, but there is not necessarily a 'best' hall - each has it's positives and negatives. Except for Salmond, Aquainas and City Col which are just shit.


Journal titles can be a problem for the medical researcher. This is because the editors of some publications require that references should give full journal titles, and other editors require that references should give abbreviated journal titles. For example, JAMA specifies that authors should "abbreviate names of journals according to Index Medicus ". Many other medical journals, including The Medical Journal of Australia , follow the same policy. On the other hand, some journals (for example, The British Journal of Psychiatry ) require journal titles to be given in full. The Index Medicus abbreviations are the abbreviations used in the Medline/PubMed database. These abbreviations are assigned by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), and are sometimes known as the "NLM abbreviations" or "Medline abbreviations". There are also other systems of journal abbreviations in use: always check the "instructions for authors" of the journal to which you are submitting your paper to find the style of abbreviation required. EndNote copes with the problem of journal abbreviations by means of its term lists . A term list can be set up for any field in an EndNote reference, but the term list linked to the Journal field is particularly sophisticated, because it allows you to store not only the titles of all the journals which appear in your EndNote library, but also up to three different abbreviations for each of those titles. It is possible to import ready-made term lists into your EndNote library. The University of Queensland Library has produced a medical journals term list which is based on a list prepared by the makers of the EndNote software, augmented by further titles which have begun publication in recent years. The medical journals term list records titles of journals indexed in the Medline/PubMed database. For each of those titles, it gives the full title, the Index Medicus/Medline/PubMed abbreviation and the same abbreviation with stops after each element. Note that there are some journal titles that do not appear in the medical journals term list (see section 6 below). NOTE: A journals term list is specific to a particular EndNote library. If you have more than one EndNote library, you will need to create a journals term list for each library. Now that you have imported the journals term list, you will have to make sure that the EndNote output styles which you use are configured to select the correct column in that list. For example, if you were submitting a paper to JAMA , which requires Index Medicus abbreviations of journal titles, the output style would have to be configured to take journal titles from the third column (?Abbreviation 2?) of your journals term list. To check the configuration of the output style: Click on Edit>Output Styles>Open Style Manager Highlight the style named "J Amer Medical Association" Click on the Edit button When the edit window opens, you will see a number of options on the left-hand side. Click on Journal Names . When the new screen appears, the option Abbreviation 2 should be checked, as shown below. This output style is correctly configured, and requires no editing. Click on the X button to close the edit window. Not all styles will be correctly configured. Some will have to be edited. For example , look at the output style for the British Journal of Psychiatry , which requires that journal titles be given in full, without abbreviation. Check the output style for the British Journal of Psychiatry , following the instructions given above ( section 3 ). With this output style, the option checked under Journal Names is Don't Replace . This means that when formatting your paper, EndNote will ignore the journals term list and simply use whatever appears in the Journal field in each of your references. NOTE: This is not a problem, if you are sure that you have always used full journal titles in your references, but if you have imported references from Medline/PubMed with abbreviated journal titles, then these abbreviated titles will appear in your formatted paper. If you want EndNote to use the ?Full Journal? column from your journals term list, then you will have to edit the style to reflect this. When you import references into your EndNote library using a filter or connection file, or when you input references manually yourself, EndNote will automatically update your Journals term list . The Journal field in each reference will be checked against every entry in the term list (including the abbreviations). If EndNote does not find a matching entry in the term list, it will insert the new journal title into the first column of the term list. If you are importing references with abbreviated titles in the Journal field, the automatic updating of the Journals term list could cause problems. If the abbreviation is not already in the Journals term list, it will be added to the first column (?Full Journal?). To avoid this, you can disable the automatic updating of the term lists. To disable automatic updating of terms: Select Edit>Preferences When the dialogue box opens, highlight Term Lists in the left-hand frame Uncheck the options ?Update lists when importing or pasting references? and ?Update lists during data entry? When importing references to your library from the Ovid Medline database via the UQ Library web server, we suggest that you use one of the filters which can be downloaded from the UQ Library web server. These filters have been configured so that they will import both the full journal title and the abbreviated journal title. The abbreviated journal title will be imported into the Journal field of each reference, and the full title will be imported into the Alternate Journal field, or vice versa, depending on which filter you have chosen. If you are importing references from the PubMed database, the references will give only the abbreviated journal title. However, as long as this abbreviation matches one of the abbreviations in the medical journals term list, EndNote will be able to identify the full journal title for it when formatting papers using an output style that is configured to use full journal titles. If you are importing references from other databases , e.g. Biological Abstracts or PsycInfo, the reference will probably have the full journal title, as most databases no longer use abbreviated journal titles. However, as long as this title matches one of the titles in the medical journals term list, EndNote will be able to identify the Index Medicus abbreviation for it when formatting papers using an output style that is configured to use those abbreviations. When you are inputting references manually , you will have to use the full journal title, as you are unlikely to know the Index Medicus abbreviation. Again, as long as this title matches one of the titles in the medical journals term list, EndNote will be able to identify the Index Medicus abbreviation for it when formatting papers using an output style that is configured to use those abbreviations. The abbreviations used by Medline/PubMed are not the only abbreviations used by journal editors. Check the ?instructions for authors? of the journal to which you are submitting your paper. Even if you follow all the instructions given above, there will still be occasional problems with journal titles when you are formatting papers with EndNote. a. Using an output style configured to use ?Abbreviation 2?, some journals still appear in full This means that there is no entry for that journal abbreviation in your journals term list. Check the reference in your EndNote library. If you imported the reference from Medline using one of the UQ Library filters or connection files (see above, section 5 ), then both the full and abbreviated title should appear in your reference, in the Journal field and the Alternate Journal field. Check the journal title in LocatorPlus , the online catalogue of the U.S. National Library of Medicine If the journal title is listed, there should be a ?Title Abbreviation? field in the catalogue record, giving the official NLM abbreviation. When you have found the correct abbreviation, edit your Journals term list to include it (see below, section 7 ). If you cannot locate an official abbreviation for this journal title, then the editor of the publication to which you are submitting the paper will probably prefer that you cite the journal title in full. b. Using an output style configured to use ?Full Journal Name?, some journals still appear in abbreviated form This means that you have imported some references with abbreviated journal names, and those abbreviations did not match any of the abbreviations in your Journals term list. Check the reference in your EndNote library. If you imported the reference from Medline using one of the UQ Library filters or connection files (see above, section 5 ), then both the full and abbreviated title should appear in your reference, in the Journal field and the Alternate Journal field. When new journals begin publication, or existing journals change their titles, you will have to edit your Journals term list to insert the new titles. Sometimes you may also need to delete entries, for example when an abbreviated title has found its way into the Full Journals list. To edit the Journals term list: Open your EndNote library Click on Tools>Open Term Lists>Journals Term List Click on the New Term button A dialogue box will open. Enter the full title in the ?Full Journal? window and the Index Medicus abbreviation in the ?Abbreviation 2? window.


Burrow quietly advanced through the opening rounds of competition, building momentum throughout the latter rounds while punctuating his efforts on the final day with an amazing variety of forehand maneuvers. Burrow toppled young Brazilian Gabriel Medina (BRA), 18, and goofy-footer Travis Logie (ZAF), 33, en route to the Final against compatriot Wilkinson. Both Burrow and Wilkinson opened up strongly, but struggled to secure a solid backup score. Wilkinson had an opportunity in the dying moments, but couldn't hold on during a third critical maneuver and came up just short. "This win feels incredible," Burrow said. "It happens sometimes where you never feel like you have the best heats. I was kind of in the zone. I never really had a good heat the whole event, but I still felt good. It's such a tricky wave and I guess the only thing that helped was my wave count. That Final was the battle of the back-ups. We both stacked it on a couple and we were in a fluster. Wilko (Matt Wilkinson) fell on that last one and he would have got the score, but I'll take it." Burrow's win marks his second of the season after snatching the opening event on the Gold Coast of Australia. Western Australia's favorite son now sits at No. 6 on the 2012 ASP WCT rankings. "I really wanted to win another event this year, especially since I'm out of the race for the title," Burrow said. "That's pretty depressing, but I'm really happy that it just fell in to place here in Santa Cruz. To get two wins in a year, I've only done that once before so I'm really happy with that." Wilkinson, a former winner at the venue in 2010, continued his lethal backhand assault at Steamer Lane, belting the day's highest heat total of 17.73 while defeating Adriano de Souza (BRA), 25, and Michel Bourez (PYF), 26, to attain his first ASP WCT Final appearance. "I was stoked when I made it through the third round," Wilkinson said. "Every heat after that, I just kept building. I felt amazing. I was getting 9s and backing them up. All year I've been dropping one big score. Out here, I felt like I was getting better every heat. I had that one that would have been a 9 if I made it out of that last turn." Wilkinson was in desperate need of a result entering the O'Neill Coldwater Classic ranked 30th on the ASP WCT rankings. "I was starting to freak out," Wilkinson said. "I didn't want it to be left up to Hawaii needing points. Anything can happen there. There's a bunch of locals in the contest so it's not like any other event. You have to surf more rounds than usual and the more down the list you are the harder it is because you have to surf more rounds. I'm definitely happy to have these points heading in to Hawaii." Today's Runner-Up finish vaults Wilkinson up to 22nd on the ASP WCT rankings and 15th on the ASP World Rankings, solidifying his requalification position for the 2013 ASP Top 34. Michel Bourez (PYF), 26, marched to his best result of the year, besting veteran Damien Hobgood (USA), 33, and Jeremy Flores (FRA), 24, with an amazing array of powerful carving turns on his forehand. Unfortunately for the Tahitian, he was unable to put a stop to Wilkinson's progressive backhand approach in the Semifinals and finished Equal 3rd overall. "It was a good event for more," Bourez said. "I'm frustrated that I didn't have a better Semifinal. I feel like I haven't had the best year and I was having a good event this week. My son is here with me and my family is my life. They have been my inspiration this week." Travis Logie (ZAF), 33, was another deadly backhander at Steamer Lane, besting current ASP WCT rankings' leader Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, in the Quarterfinals while securing his best result of 2012, an Equal 3rd place finish. Logie's tear continued in the Semifinals, posting an excellent 8.33 against Taj Burrow, but the South African was unable to find a backup score against the Australian, finishing just shy of the Final. "I'm pretty stoked with how I surfed in this event," Logie said. "I'm really disappointed because I had one really good one in that heat and I feel like I just needed an average one to make that heat. Taj has been ripping though and congratulations to him." Logie, who entered the O'Neill Coldwater Classic ranked 26th, vaults up the rankings to 17th, compliments of his 3rd place finish in Santa Cruz, revitalizing his campaign to requalify for the 2013 ASP WCT. "This result is huge for me," Logie said. "These points are massive. I was looking pretty out of it going in to this event and a third place here shoots me quite a bit up the rankings. I'm still not home and dry, but hopefully in Hawaii I can make up some points." Kelly Slater (USA), 40, current ASP WCT No. 2, struggled to find a rhythm in his Round 4 bout against Adriano de Souza, finishing equal 9th overall. Despite Slater's early exit from the event, a 9th place finish replaces his last-place injury points from Brazil, exponentially narrowing the ratings' gap with current frontrunner, Parkinson. "I haven't looked at the numbers, but it's funny enough, I gained a couple thousand points," Slater said. "Joel (Parkinson) dropped a 9th and gained a 5th and I dropped a 500 and gained about 3,000 points. It's a huge opportunity lost for Joel (Parkinson)." Heading into the final event of the year, three surfers remain mathematically in contention for the 2012 ASP World Title: Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, Kelly Slater (AUS), 40, and Mick Fanning (AUS), 31.


If you want me to stay I'll be around today To be available for you to see I'm about to go there Then you'll know For me to stay here I've got to be me You'll never be in doubt That's what it's all about You can't take me for granted and smile Count the days I'm gone Forget reachin' me by phone Cause I promise I'll be gone for a while And when you see me again I hope that you have been The kind of person That you really are now You got to get it straight How could I ever be late When you're my woman Taking up my time Oh how could I ever allow I guess I wonder how I could get out a pocket for fun When you know that You're never number two Number one's gonna be number one I'll be good I wish I could Get this message over to you now When you see me again I hope that you have been The kind of person That you really are now I'll be so good I wish I could Get this message over to you now All lyrics are property and copyright of their respective authors, artists and labels. All lyrics provided for educational purposes only. Please support the artists by purchasing related recordings and merchandise.


Mugged in Disney Court ACT Policing is seeking witnesses to an aggravated robbery which occurred early this morning (Sunday, April 15) in Belconnen. Around 12.37am a 24-year-old man arrived at his home in Disney Court Belconnen after finishing work. As the man parked in his driveway he was approached by three men. The man had a brief conversation with the group before one of the men produced a knife and made threats towards the victim and demanded cash. The victim complied with the demand, and handed the man a sum of cash. The group of men also took some of the victim's motorcycle gear before running off towards College Street in Belconnen. All three male offenders are described as being Caucasian in appearance and around 16-years-of-age with slim to medium builds. One of the offenders was wearing a grey coloured hooded jumper, tracksuit pants and runners. Another of the offenders was described as wearing a grey or black cardigan, jeans and casual shoes. Acting Duty Superintendent Daryl Neit said it's important to remember your safety in situations such as this. Police are urging anyone who witnessed any suspicious activity around Disney Court or College Street Belconnen early this morning to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via the website at www.act.crimestoppers.com.au . Now that the red van has closed there is nothing keeping them off the streets. [quote comment="399766"][quote comment="399745"]The thief wore a cardigan?[/quote] Hipsters are mugging people now, apparently.[/quote] Now that the red van has closed there is nothing keeping them off the streets. This must have been terrifying for the victim, and I shouldn't make a joke... But: 'Another of the offenders was described as wearing...casual shoes.' In my day, muggers wore spats. I'm waiting for the return of the ripple soled boots [quote comment="399777"]This must have been terrifying for the victim, and I shouldn't make a joke... But: 'Another of the offenders was described as wearing...casual shoes.' In my day, muggers wore spats.[/quote] I'm waiting for the return of the ripple soled boots As soon as i saw this all i could think was could there have been a mucical score that this event could have gone along to? Victim(thinking to themselves): It means no worries For the rest of your days It's my problem-free philosophy Hakuna Matata! (Change in musical score to denote something bad is happening to the protanonist.) (Sung to the tune of "A whole new world") Mugger: I can show you my knife Shining, shimmering, splendid Tell me, princess, your money, your life You must now decide. Victim: This is new in my world A not so fantastic point of view I scream out no With no where to go I hope i'm only dreaming Thats all i've got, it was starting to get silly and i havent had coffee yet. As soon as i saw this all i could think was could there have been a mucical score that this event could have gone along to? Victim(thinking to themselves): It means no worries For the rest of your days It's my problem-free philosophy Hakuna Matata! (Change in musical score to denote something bad is happening to the protanonist.) (Sung to the tune of "A whole new world") Mugger: I can show you my knife Shining, shimmering, splendid Tell me, princess, your money, your life You must now decide. Victim: This is new in my world A not so fantastic point of view I scream out no With no where to go I hope i'm only dreaming Thats all i've got, it was starting to get silly and i havent had coffee yet.


Seeing as the tour hasn't been all that interesting, I thought it might be interesting to discuss some of the GC battles we have seen with the WAGs of cycling. I've never been a fan of Twitter, but after reading several of the quoted tweets on here, I decided to visit some of the girlfriend's twitters on here. There was an early exchange between Cath Wiggins and Michelle Cound, which was rather funny to see. Wiggins seems to be one of those ardent defenders, and hunts down twitter to call out anyone saying bad things about Bradley. As the tour went on, MichelleCound's tweets had me worrying for Chris Froome, she seemed to stir things up a lot and many of her tweets seemed to be deleted? I guess Cav must like big boobies, as Peta doesn't seem the brightest lady. What has been the highlight for you all? kanto wrote: Seeing as the tour hasn't been all that interesting, I thought it might be interesting to discuss some of the GC battles we have seen with the WAGs of cycling. I've never been a fan of Twitter, but after reading several of the quoted tweets on here, I decided to visit some of the girlfriend's twitters on here. There was an early exchange between Cath Wiggins and Michelle Cound, which was rather funny to see. Wiggins seems to be one of those ardent defenders, and hunts down twitter to call out anyone saying bad things about Bradley. As the tour went on, MichelleCound's tweets had me worrying for Chris Froome, she seemed to stir things up a lot and many of her tweets seemed to be deleted? I guess Cav must like big boobies, as Peta doesn't seem the brightest lady. What has been the highlight for you all? What a patronising post. I can tell you're not a journalist either. Two "interesting"s in the opening sentence. In the second sentence, two "Twitter"s. Then you say "boobies" and somehow connect her physique to her intellect. I have never met or even seen the lady, but if I were her I'd give you a good hard shove on the left shoulder, frankly. kanto wrote: I guess Cav must like big boobies, as Peta doesn't seem the brightest lady. She's pretty smart - don't get get fooled by stereotypes. On YouTube there's videos of her talking part in a debate at Durham University - she talks very engagingly for ten minutes at a time without notes. kanto wrote: Seeing as the tour hasn't been all that interesting, I thought it might be interesting to discuss some of the GC battles we have seen with the WAGs of cycling. I've never been a fan of Twitter, but after reading several of the quoted tweets on here, I decided to visit some of the girlfriend's twitters on here. There was an early exchange between Cath Wiggins and Michelle Cound, which was rather funny to see. Wiggins seems to be one of those ardent defenders, and hunts down twitter to call out anyone saying bad things about Bradley. As the tour went on, MichelleCound's tweets had me worrying for Chris Froome, she seemed to stir things up a lot and many of her tweets seemed to be deleted? I guess Cav must like big boobies, as Peta doesn't seem the brightest lady. What has been the highlight for you all? What a patronising post. I can tell you're not a journalist either. Two "interesting"s in the opening sentence. In the second sentence, two "Twitter"s. Then you say "boobies" and somehow connect her physique to her intellect. I have never met or even seen the lady, but if I were her I'd give you a good hard shove on the left shoulder, frankly. kanto wrote: Seeing as the tour hasn't been all that interesting, I thought it might be interesting to discuss some of the GC battles we have seen with the WAGs of cycling. I've never been a fan of Twitter, but after reading several of the quoted tweets on here, I decided to visit some of the girlfriend's twitters on here. There was an early exchange between Cath Wiggins and Michelle Cound, which was rather funny to see. Wiggins seems to be one of those ardent defenders, and hunts down twitter to call out anyone saying bad things about Bradley. As the tour went on, MichelleCound's tweets had me worrying for Chris Froome, she seemed to stir things up a lot and many of her tweets seemed to be deleted? I guess Cav must like big boobies, as Peta doesn't seem the brightest lady. What has been the highlight for you all? What a patronising post. I can tell you're not a journalist either. Two "interesting"s in the opening sentence. In the second sentence, two "Twitter"s. Then you say "boobies" and somehow connect her physique to her intellect. I have never met or even seen the lady, but if I were her I'd give you a good hard shove on the left shoulder, frankly. You're a very sensitive/wet/humourless character aren't you?! HAH. I'm a woman. Does that automatically make me sensitive, wet, and humourless to defend the women which the OP automatically slags off/dismisses/makes chauvinistic remarks about? "A no-nonsense Northerner who you take on at your peril. Probably wears the trousers in the Wiggins household. Uses her Twitter account to settle scores and vent her spleen over various perceived injustices, ranging from customer service at her local equestrian centre to the ridiculous costumes worn by Tour de France spectators. I used to be one of her 6,000 followers until I dared disagree with her over something and she ordered me to "unfollow her". Being a gentleman(and coward), I complied."


As I Lay Dying Interview We recently caught up with As I Lay Dying frontman, Tim Lambesis, whilst they were touring the UK with Trivium. Following the release of their recent studio release, Awakened, the band are currently touring Europe with Florida metallers, Trivium. OMG: Summer 2012 had some pretty awesome highlights, namely the Mayhem Festival tour and playing Download 2012 in the UK, were there any other highlights that I've missed, and what was your favourite moment of this summer? TIM: It's all a blur because there's been so much travelling; it's hard to remember real specifics but the Mayhem Tour was a good experience for us because it's that festival atmosphere every day, but we get to re-live it 40 days in a row, so that was pretty exciting. OMG: So you've just released "Awakened," how do you write a song, do you have a specific method and process or is it different for every track? TIM: It's a little different for each track, the general idea is that five of us will start working on individual ideas and start emailing each other those ideas, for everybody in the band we'll program some basic drums, and start layering guitars over it. In some cases the ideas being emailed back and forth are pretty much completed songs, and in other cases they're just a collection of riffs that we finish as a band when we get together in a traditional rehearsal environment. Instrumentally when we're happy with the song, I start evaluating which of the lyrics I have written fit the feeling of the song, and start to match those together at that point. OMG: Did the process for "Awakened" differ from how you normally write a record or is it pretty much the same across the board? TIM: That didn't really start until "Shadows Are Security," which was when we started first demoing stuff with the drum machine before we practiced it acoustically in a rehearsal environment, and then of course modern recording got a little bit easier and easier, so each album became a little bit more developed as far as the overall ideas. Back when we wrote "Shadows Are Security" (2005) we had these incomplete songs and then we'd really need that time together to jam them out. By the time we wrote Awakened, all of us were so good at recording in our individual environments that the jamming process and rehearsing was more to make it feel alive and natural, but the actual creative part of the song writing was primarily done by that point. The other differing factor with "Awakened" is that (bassist) Josh Gilbert was a very big songwriter on this record. He joined the band at An Ocean Between Us, and by the time Awakened came round he wrote about half the record, instrumentally. OMG: "My Only Home" was beautifully written, and to me it sounds like quite a sand song. I know it's about touring and being away from home on a general scale isn't it? Are there any points where you really think, "I want to go back home to California"? TIM: ...Yeah, usually most days I miss home, and if there was a way to be home but still make a living playing music I would do that in a heartbeat, but the catch is that as a profession this is what I'm passionate about and then as my personal life what I'm passionate about is my loved ones back home, so those two are at a conflict with each other. The only thing I can do is find a balance where if I'm gone for a month on tour then I find a month to be home, and just even it out that way. OMG: Absolutely. So how did the recording experience go with Bill Stevenson, and how did it compare to recording "The Powerless Rise" with Adam D from Killswitch? TIM: With Adam and us we really agreed on a lot, we all have a similar background as far as our taste in the way that we like to write metal goes. When it came to working with Bill we wanted somebody who had a different background and maybe, even if they were bad ideas, throw different ideas our way. Bill definitely understands underground music; he gets the mentality that we have. He's not a metalhead through and through, he just appreciates it, so his ideas were big picture kind of things, he didn't care about really small intricacies of guitar parts, he cared more about how the song flowed as a whole. We have very concise and well-structured songs as a result of Bill. OMG: So what do you get up to when you're not on tour or in the studio? TIM: Besides just catching up with my loved ones back home I own a recording studio so I'm there a little bit. I'm (travelling so much that) I try to just get myself organized at home, so I lead as much of a boring life as possible, I know it sounds weird but that's what's exciting to me in contrast, compared to what I normally do. OMG: Did you ever think As I Lay Dying would get to where it is today from when you started out? TIM: No, I always viewed the music we played as pretty underground. When we first started we were, I guess, one of the earlier metalcore bands, and the combination of the heavy rhythmic parts with the metal riffing was pretty abrasive. To me it technically still is. To a completely mainstream audience, it's still a little too overbearing for them and I felt like it would always feel that way. And then the metal genre as a whole has had some changes and trends and we, with Killswitch Engage and a few other bands opened the door for a newer modern era of metal that seems to be pretty readily accepted now. I didn't view that happening when we started the band. OMG: What's your favourite song off "Awakened" and why? TIM: I think for me I enjoy listening to "Wasted Words," because it's not incredibly different, but it's enough of a different style of chorus, and a different style of song, that it has it's own identity for me. Leave A Comment  Search Social Media Message the Studio About One Media Group One Media Group is Staffordshire University's student managed media outlet, producing radio, television and online content. We are based on both Stoke and Stafford campuses and aim to cover everything uni-related, including news, events, music and entertainment.


MOST people in their 20s or 30s already know that love and money don't mix. It's all very well falling for someone's unworldly charm, but it's considerably less romantic two years on when you want to buy a house and your partner refuses to save any money or think beyond next week. Fiona Price, managing director of independent financial advisers Fiona Price & Partners, says she tells clients that being open about money is as important as all the other intimate details you reveal to your partner. "It's very sensible to know what's in your partner's bank balance," she says."You should assume that your relationship is going to work out - but if it doesn't, you should be able to walk away with some financial independence." Being open about money doesn't mean you have to agree every transaction with your partner, and you shouldn't sling out your separate current accounts along with your single status. Independent financial adviser Christine Ross, director of Willis National, says: "A lot of people keep one bank account separate; you don't want to know how much your partner spent on your birthday present." Ms Price says the key to avoiding disagreements about who owes what is to have a joint account for bills and other expenses. Add up how much you'll need to put in the kitty each month and each agree to pay a fair percentage. "Quite often what causes problems is that a couple put in 50 per cent each, taking no account of the fact that one earns more than the other," says Ms Price. Banks can be unenthusiastic when couples set up a joint account that is dedicated to paying bills, especially if the current accounts are held elsewhere. However, the Co-Op Bank's Pathfinder is a savings account that lets you set up standing orders and direct debits for all bills, and you also get Visa/Delta cards. It's also useful for any joint short-term savings you may want to make: interest is paid at 2.5 per cent up to pounds 2,500, and up to pounds 5,000 earns 4 per cent gross. Many married people like to keep their building society or bank savings separate from their partner's, if only to give an illusion of independence. But if one of you is a 40 per cent taxpayer and the other isn't, it does make sense to put savings in the lower- earner's name to save tax. The picture is different if you aren't married. "There could be a hell of an argument if unmarried people split up after having set up joint savings," says Ms Ross. "Remember that when you have a joint account, either partner could draw out all the money." A good compromise are the "linked" savings accounts offered by Direct Line and Standard Life. You both have separate accounts in your own names but all the money is pooled for interest calculation, so you get a higher overall rate. You are especially vulnerable if you've moved in with a partner but have no official share in the house. Even if you pay half the mortgage, you have no automatic rights. "There's no such thing as a common-law husband or wife," says Ms Ross. "The burden of proof is on the person who doesn't own it to prove they've contributed." Married people benefit to an extent from the married couple's tax allowance, currently worth pounds 274.50 a year. If you're getting married in the near future you'll need to ask for form 11PA to claim the money, all of which automatically goes to the husband unless you ask for a different arrangement. (Be warned: deviating from the "norm" involves a lot of complicated form- filling. The Inland Revenue seems unable to cope with the idea that a wife might fill in the claim form.) Finally, everyone in a relationship should make a will. If you die without making a will and aren't married, your partner will keep any assets in joint names (such as the house) but may have to fight the family for a share of the rest. It's not so bad if you are married: if you haven't got kids, the surviving spouse will automatically inherit everything up to pounds 200,000. Anything above that has to be shared 50/50 with the dead spouse's parents and siblings. In Scotland the survivor gets slightly less. 1. Leaving all the finances to one partner to sort out. This is unfair and leaves the financially ignorant partner vulnerable. If your relationship were to end, would you know where to find all the relevant documents and do you know where all the money is invested? (If your relationship is in trouble you should find out and, nasty though it sounds, photocopy everything.) 2. Taking out "joint life" policies. Joint life insurance, such as term assurance to back up a mortgage, is cheaper but it makes more sense to keep separate policies. Given that more than one in three marriages ends in divorce, taking out a joint endowment policy can be disastrous. If you split up, one partner may not be able to afford to buy the policy outright and you'll end up losing money when you surrender it or sell it. Better to buy two policies. If you split up, you've both got something to show for it. 3. Paying unequal shares. If you earn more than your partner, consider whether you shouldn't pay more towards the house and bills. Not being fair breeds resentment. 4. Keeping secrets. By all means keep separate current accounts, but if you share a bathroom with someone, shouldn't you be ready to let them see your bank balance? 5. Being at odds over spending. There's no cure for this one. If you are pounds 2,000 in debt on credit cards and your partner searches behind the sofa for a missing 10p, you are financially incompatible. You can work at it - and it can be fine when each partner helps to curb the other's excesses - but don't bank on it.


Here's how Large cushion Step 1: Using assorted fabrics, cut then stitch together sufficient squares and rectangles with a 1cm seam to make 4 strips that when joined measure 50 x 50cm. Stitch strips together to complete cushion front. Step 2: Referring to image (above) as a guide and centring over seams, use running stitch to secure 2 lengths of braid (1 vertically and 1 horizontally) to cushion front. Step 3: For back cover, cut a 50cm square in plain cotton. Step 4: With right sides facing, and leaving a 25cm opening for turning, stitch cover front to back, using a 1cm seam. How to make Yoyos Step 1: Create yoyo templates by tracing circles in various sizes. Cut out from desired fabrics. Step 2: Make a 2-3mm turnover around edge of each yoyo, then run a small gathering stitch around folded edge, gathering up into the middle to form yoyos. Step 3: Onto a 40cm length of stranded embroidery cotton, use needle to thread, in sequence, 4 small buttons, small yoyo, 3 mid-size buttons, medium yoyo, 4 large buttons, large yoyo and 8 large buttons. Take thread back up through layers, knotting off at the top. Step 4: Leaving length for hanging loop, knot ends.


Billionaires Ruined Football, But What If It Was Your Team? I'd like to dedicate this article to a internal discussion I've been having, with myself (feel free to join in) about how much multi-billionaire businessmen have essentially spoilt the game, but I would imagine it's a test of any fans' morale fibre when one comes to England and says they want to takeover their club, to make them become one of the best in the world. My personal opinion is that football should be played the Dario Gradi way. I.e. placing emphasis on the academy, nuturing a group of young, home-grown prospects and introducing them to the first team early on and developing a team spirit within that group, that will come with them playing together so often. Then, once they grow out of themselves a bit and want a move to a bigger club, you sell them to a Premier League team and make money from them and develop the next group of young players. That's generally how I would feel passionate about seeing my club run. And that's how it used to be about thirty to fourty years ago, when local business men who cared about their club could actually afford to run a football club. Now, possibly partly because of so much football, particularly in the Premiership, being on TV more, more and more foreign chairmen want to takeover clubs. Some of them, i.e. Carson Yeung at my club, Birmingham City, want to make money from it and treat the club like a business. Which makes some logical sense- why would a chairman from Hong Kong that had hardly heard of Birmingham City want to pump loads of money into the club to make them a slightly better team than they were before. His lack of contact with the fans proves that his only intentions with Blues was to make more money. Some of them, i.e. Abramovich, childishly want to takeover clubs so that they become their plaything, to make that club become the best in the world immediately. So he moved to London where he would be loved by all the Chelsea fans and could become a bit of a celebrity, have all the best players and win everything- whilst privately knowing that people only like him because of his money and not who he is as a person. I have to say, I can't help but feel a bit sorry for Abramovich if that's what makes him happy. But realistically speaking, the only way Birmingham City could ever win the Premiership title or the Champions League, is if an Abramovich came in and wanted to buy the club outright. I honestly don't know whether I would still support Birmingham City if that happened. It would go against absolutely everything I believe in, and if it got to a stage where we were winning the Premiership title every season by 10pts or more, I'd probably get bored of it. But before I submit to a resounding declaration that I would never support Birmingham City again if that happened, I'd like to talk a little bit about the club's history. The last time we actually were a good team was in, I think the 1960s when we played in some European competitions and beat Aston Villa in the League Cup final, in 1963? Since then, we've been a little bit of a yo-yo club (although I can't help but think the strings have been cut off now), we got relegated to the third tier of English football in 1989, in the late 90s to early 00s we lost in the playoff semi-finals on penalties about 5 times, finally got up in 2002, spent the next four years thinking we might actually be an 'established' premiership club, went down, went back up, went down, went back up... went down again, and now we're back to about where we were in 1989. The amount us Blues fans have had to put up with is incredible and so many of us have stuck with it through thick and thin, you'd have thought we'd earnt a few glory years. Would we really stop watching it if we won something and had an awesome team that could beat Villa? Also, going to football every Saturday has become such a big, routine part of my life, would I not go? Would I support someone else? I certainly wouldn't support Aston Villa or Wolves I know that much. I'd be tempted to support West Brom, which would feel weird at first, and it would be a bit more of a drive, but worth it for what is at the moment, good quality, Premiership football which we're not even getting at Blues at the moment! But it would be a strange thing to do. The other option, would be to go and support a non-league team, like Solihull Moors, or Halesowen Town. It certainly wouldn't cost as much. But my problem with that, would be that it wouldn't be that serious, there wouldn't be a proper stadium, the crowd watching the game would consist of the player's girlfriends, three men and a dog. The atmosphere would be a bit rubbish, and unproper. And that makes me question my initial values, for supporting a team that doesn't have too much money but can introduce young, homegrown players and have people who have the club's best interests at heart. Which is exactly what non-league football is, but it wouldn't feel quite the same. The brutal reality of football will be that it always comes back to money, and the teams with the most money, will eventually always win. It's as simple as that. So for me, it's a question of where do you draw the line? Because it's the money these chairmen provide that makes the Premier League so exciting. If money didn't exist in football, football at all levels would be like Sunday League and non-league matches, which would be boring, and no football would be on TV. Knowing that, it then seems almost pointless to try and be an ethical football fan, but I also think it would be wrong for the spending in football to go beyond the current level it is at now. About the Author : Hi Im Gabriel, 20 and am working on a football blog called the Score!, where I write predictions/reviews for matches and the big issues in football. Am a season-ticket holder at Birmingham City.