Creatine has two main effects: increase of muscles and increase the amount of protein synthesis. The increase comes from the water retention of cells that store creatine. For protein synthesis, it is not entirely known, but creatine can help with the recovery of muscle. During the time a body recovers from training, the creatine gives extra energy so the cells of the muscle can speed up the protein absorption of the cells.
The creatine is used by all the human body because it travels by the blood stream. The heart and the muscles are the main parts that use creatine cells. Most of the creatine production will be stored in the skeletal muscle because these muscles need a lot of energy and they need it quickly. The body produces about two grams of creatine per day. Only 90 to 95 percent of the human creatine production will travel in the blood stream. The five to ten percent that is not used is lost.
LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a certification program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings since 2002. This mark of excellence is known across the world and there are four levels of excellence. There are 100 possible base points distributed across five major credit categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, plus an additional six points for Innovation in Design and an additional four points for Regional Priority. Buildings can qualify for four levels of certification.
LEED is not a standard but an evaluation grid. LEED is a way to think up and realise art projects in a durable way. LEED only applies to buildings and not to products. It is not a prize but a certification that is delivered by the CaGBC (Canada Green Building Consil). They are the ones who will make sure that all the points are well applied and respected.
So, LEED is a grid that helps us obtain a maximum gain of money, health conditions and restrictions on earth pollution. If there is a house to build in Canada, we must do the excavation and that earth is usually brought to a landfill. But, if you want to stay within LEED standards, that earth must be left on the site. Also, if you have to demolish a building, you must use and demonstrate that you recycled all materials in the construction. Also, that you used the maximum quantity of material possible from the old building to the one being built.
Certified: 40–49 points,
Silver: 50–59 points,
Gold: 60–79 points,
Platinum: 80 points and above
There are several benefits but there are also disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage is the amount of money it takes to start a project. At first, it may seem expensive. If you look at it as a long term investment, though, a LEED project can save a good amount of money.
A 2008 white paper by the Leonardo Academy compared LEED-EB buildings to data from BOMA's Experience Exchange Report in 2007. This showed that LEED-EB certified buildings had better operating cost savings, in 63% of the buildings surveyed. It ranged from $4.94 to $15.59 per square foot of floor space, with an average valuation of $6.68 and a median valuation of $6.07.
Synchronized swimming
Synchronized swimming is a sport that is practiced in the water. It is a routine performed with music, like dancing. This sport is demanding because it needs cardio and muscular power. It also requires a good capacity of location in three dimensions in the water while the athletes are performing.
Synchronized swimming became an Olympic sport in 1884, in Los Angeles, with solo and duo routines. In Montreal, the first competition took place in 1924. Also, in 2000, they included team routines at Sydney’s Olympics. Synchronized swimming and rhythmic gymnastics are the only sports exclusively practiced by women at the Olympics.
In Quebec, the provincial competitions are organised by Synchro Quebec. There are three different events to accomplish at the competition. First, the swimmer does a flexibility test that will count for 30% of the results. Secondly, the swimmer presents two to four figures in front of judges, depending on the level. Finally, all the athletes present their routine in front of the judges; there are solo, duo, combo and team routines. Figure and routine will count for 70% of results.
In the USA there are many levels of competition including State, Regional, Zone, Age Group National, and US Junior and Senior Opens. In each competition, athletes are judged on their level and age. There are four levels that are determined by skill level: novice (beginners), intermediate, age group (advanced), and masters (over the age of 20). Within these levels, are groups according to age: 8 and under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-15, 16-17, and 18-19. During a competition, there can be two to three events to accomplish. During the figure test, a swimmer needs to perform four figures that vary from competition to competition and level to level in front of a panel of judges. The four judges will each give a score from 1-10. The scores from each panel are averaged and added up. The results from the figure test are 50% of the team's final routine score. The next event is routines, where the performer presents a routine to the judges. There are four different types, solo (one swimmer), duet (two swimmers), trio (three swimmers) and team (four to eight swimmers). Because the more people in a team routine, the harder it is to synchronize, a point will be added for each swimmer. Each routine has a certain length and certain elements that need to be included according to age and skill level. Occasionally, a large competition will have a flexibility test. For each team member who passes the test, a point will be added to the routine's final score.
To practice synchronized swimming, athletes need a swimsuit for training, a black suit for the figure test and a routine suit for each routine competition that fits with the music. For example, if an athlete is swimming a duet and a team routine, two different competition swimsuits will be needed. Also, they will need goggles and bathing cap for trainings. These are not allowed for routine competition, only for the figure test. Only a white or black bathing cap can be worn at the figure test, because the objective is to not recognise athletes. To keep hair up on their head during the routine competition, athletes make a bun that is held by bobby pins and edible gelatin. Girls put on make-up that fits with their swimsuits.
Finally, it is important for synchronized swimming athletes to train. Training can consolidate muscle endurance, cardio endurance and increase flexibility. It allows a better performance during competitions. Trainings are frequent and very demanding. Swimmers need to be at their best in competition because only few points can determine the first and the second place.
Boardwalk Empire
Boardwalk Empire is an American television show. It was created by Terrence Winter, who also created "The Sopranos". This television show is based on the novel "Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times and the Corruption in Atlantic City" from Nelson Johnson. The show started on HBO on September 19, 2010. It has been running for three seasons, with a total of 36 episodes. A fourth season will start showing in the second half of 2013. On September 26, 2013, HBO announced that they were renewing the show for a fifth and final season starting in 2014. The producer is Mark Walhberg, who also produced the show "Entourage". The show is about one of the first boardwalks in Atlantic City and the rise to power of legendary notorious gangsters like Al Capone, Lucky Luciano and Nucky Johnson (called Nucky Thompson here).