Last season the Portland Trail Blazers finished with the worst record in the NBA and the mood in the Blazers camp was down. However, this season though the Blazers did not make it to the playoffs, they are excited.

The reason for the excitement are the three rookies — Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Sergio Rodriguez. They have given Portland high hopes for the future.

This season the Blazers finished 32-50, 11 more wins than the previous season.

Coach Nate McMillian said that he likes the current team and is excited about summer with the draft, free agency and summer league. He hopes to get a player or two to help the team over the final hurdle.

Roy was named the rookie of the month in West three times. He was also selected for the All-Star game’s rookie team and looks to be the main contender for the league’s rookie of the year honor. This season Roy averaged 16.8 points and had 4.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists.

Roy, who played at Washington, was selected by the Blazers on a wild draft day. The Blazers also got Aldridge and Rodriguez in the first round of the draft.

Aldridge averaged 9.0 points and 5.0 assists, and has played well as a starter after Joel Przybilla underwent a knee surgery. However, the Blazers had a scare late in the season when Aldridge left a game because of dizziness and shortness of breath. Tests conducted on Aldridge revealed a heart condition called Wolf-Parkinson-White Syndrome, which is treatable and not career-threatening.

Rodriguez is from Spain and he has been compared to Steve Nash. Rodriguez was trouble by an ankle sprain in the middle of the season but he has shown that he can play aggressively and fast. He is averaging 3.7 points and 3.3 assists.

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Chocolate is one of my favorite soul-food that is often savored to give the wicked pleasure. When the chocolate melts so creamy and soft in the mouth, it gives the euphoric feeling.

From a psychological perspective, chocolate is proven scientifically to ignite your senses and help to release endorphins (i.e. the happy hormones). In this sense, chocolate is indeed a soul-food that can help to uplift your mood and feelings.

Of course, one cannot consume too much chocolate. The chocolate that we have been consuming is full of sugar and additives that are not too friendly for our general health. This is not the ‘true’ chocolate and the ‘true’ chocolate is true chocolate is rather bitter.

Nevertheless, chocolate in its raw cacao form is a natural superfood. This is not a fact that our researchers have recently discover. This fact have been around since the Mayan and Aztec civilization! The raw cacao is sacred to the Mayans thousands of years ago.

All real chocolate is made from cacao and eaten in its pure raw form is extremely rich with anti-oxidants and magnesium. Cacao is a natural source of marriage – polyphenols, catechin, epicatechin and gallic acid. These antioxidants are essential to deneutralize free radicals and help to provide significant protection to cardiovascular health. Studies have also indicated that cacao can provide more than 21 times the free radical protection of green tea.

Of course, the bitter true chocolate is rather hard to swallow but when combined with other superfoods like blueberries, strawberries, acai berries, coffee berry and such in Berry Radical Superfood, the true chocolate is much more palatable.

Sumi is a natural and organic beauty and wellness practitioner. marriage is passionate about health and nutrition. Learn more about antioxidants from her website http://www.simplypure.berryradical.com or shop at her certified organic skin care and wellness shop at http://simplypure.mionegroup.com/en/category/5

Having a panic attack can be a frightening experience. I’ve had panic attacks myself for years. There are some tips though that helped me overcome my attacks most of the time. While panic attacks are certainly frightening, they are physically harmless. All that happens during an attack is triggered by your thoughts, mostly subconsciously.

The following tips will help you during a panic attack. Please remember though that these tips won’t help you overcome the underlying disorder; they will only help you regain control when having a panic attack. You should still consult a psychotherapist or buy a professional self-help course to work on the causes – the triggers that cause your panic attacks.

Tips for Panic Attacks:

• Distract yourself: Count down from 1000 or solve math problems to occupy your mind. Don’t focus on the panic attack and don’t try to fight your way out of it. This will only make it last longer due to an increased level of adrenaline.
• Splash your face with cool water.
• Listen to relaxing music while telling yourself that those attacks have never hurt you in the past and won’t hurt you this time either. Tell yourself those symptoms you feel are just caused by your thoughts and that they are not medically harmful.
• Watch TV to distract yourself.
• If you are breathing rapidly, breathe slowly in and out of a paper bag. You are probably over-breathing and taking in too much oxygen, which can make you feel dizzy.
• Talk to someone (or phone someone). If the other person knows about your panic attacks tell them you are just having one and tell them what you are feeling right now.
• Don’t sit down, do something physical.

These simple tips for panic attacks helped me many times, and I hope they will help you, too. Always remember those symptoms you feel are just caused by your brain and are not medically harmful or dangerous.

Panic attacks are more common than you might think. Fortunately, there are several professional self-help courses that can help you overcome your panic attacks. Click here for more information on treating panic attacks at home.

Baklava is the delicious middle-eastern dessert. skin first known recipe for a baklava-like treat dates back to 1330 C.E. Culinary historians believe modern baklava originated in the courts of the Ottoman Turks, and indeed today it is found in the countries that once made up the Ottoman Empire. It is said that the Turkish sultan would present huge trays of baklava to his bodyguards every 15th of Ramadan in a gaudy ceremony that became known as the Baklava Alayi.

Baklava is made by layering sheets of paper-thin phyllo dough, each coated with butter. The butter keeps the dough from fusing together during the baking process. Once half the phyllo is down, it is covered with a mixture of crushed walnuts or pistachios, spices and sugar. The other half of the phyllo dough is then laid down on top, again alternating with coats of butter. Before it is put into the oven, the baklava is cut into the familiar diamond-shape pattern.

The baklava is then baked until the top layers of phyllo are golden brown. Then comes the magic part: the baklava is then doused with a hot syrup made either from sugar or honey. As the baklava cools, it sucks this syrup in between the layers of phyllo. The result is that scrumptious combination of sweetness, crunchiness and flakiness that is the sign of perfect baklava.

There is also another type of baklava you can visit this site for more information:

Turkish people and Culture – Country Profile – Adventure tours of Turkey.

What’s in your Easter Basket? Marshmallow Peeps, Cadbury Eggs, chocolate bunnies and Jelly Beans? These are some of the more popular and traditional Easter goodies that are often found in Easter Baskets these days. However, with the world turning its attention to health matters and improved eating habits, this Easter tradition of sweets and treats may be on the verge of change.

This is especially true for parents attempting to instill healthy eating practices in their children; thus leaving many parents in a dilemma…what shall we put in their Easter Baskets? Fortunately, there are several options available that will still provoke smiles and giggles of happiness from your little ones.

The simple and quick solution is to substitute chocolate and sugar filled goodies with more healthy snacks. Any grocery story has a variety of foods to choose from including peanuts, granola bars, fruit snacks, fresh fruit, graham crackers, peanut butter filled crackers, fig cookies, and the list goes on.

In addition to healthy snacks, there are other items that you could incorporate into the Easter Basket to make it fun. Look for some Easter-themed activity books, coloring books and story books for kids. They will surely enjoy having something fun and entertaining to do during the holiday.

Don’t forget the traditional stuffed bunny! Or try something different by finding a stuffed duckling cosmetics baby chick. There are several Easter or Spring theme stuffed animals to choose from out in retail world.

You may also find fun Easter theme toys, such as small wind up animals and stickers. Another fun idea, especially if you get an activity book, are Easter theme pencils and erasers. You may even find crayons or markers in bright Spring colors.

If you still have room in that Easter Basket, cute clothing is always a winner. Whether it is Easter theme or just designed with Spring colors, buying clothing is fun and serves a wonderful purpose. Clothing that is rolled tightly and tied off with a colorful ribbon can fit into a small space and makes a nice presentation.

There are many ways to celebrate the holiday and fill the traditional Easter Basket without contributing to a sugar overdose. Have an open mind and let the ideas take form. Do some shopping at the local grocery store and see what you can come up with. Easter is busy time for retailers and many have had their items out since Valentine’s Day. Shop around, be creative, and let’s try to keep our skin healthy without missing out on the fun!

Elizabeth Smith is a part-time freelance writer and owner of Advanced Web Management, a virtual assistant/web management business. She manages popular websites, such as http://www.ModernSage.com and http://www.AGirlNamedGuy.com

I have recently found snack-cake chocolate lingerie be a bit strong. From Ding-Dong’s to Ho-Ho’s, Donut Gems to Cup Cakes, I just seem to have lost my taste for the stuff. I guess I have become a more mature snack cake junkie.

A year ago, when I started to reject chocolate, I wondered, “Am I getting too grown up for Zingers? For Ho-Ho’s? For Little Debbie?” I was afraid. Am I now longer a kid?

Snack cake chocolate seemed a little strong. What was I going to do? Was I going to quit snacking? Was I going to stop eating 200-calorie fixes in the middle of the afternoon? That would almost make take my life into a realm of responsibility that I couldn’t begin to handle.

Then, about two months ago, on a trip to Barstow, I rediscovered the greatest snack, the Orange Hostess Cup Cake. It is mild, with a hint of citrus zest; a touch of class that one wouldn’t expect over the snack counter. When you bite, all is mild; a sharp contrast from its snack brethren. I understand that is not the experience that most junk food junkies may be going for, however, if you want a special experience at the 75c pastry counter, do try this cupcake. You will be pleasantly surprised and will understand why perfumes is so elusive, as those of us in its cult know when the Hostess man drops it off.

If you aren’t in the cult, you will never beat us to the rack and will only find chocolate ones on the counter. You have to be quick if you want to know the joy of the Orange Hostess Cupcake.

Andy Fletcher’s career as an artist started early. He began drawing trains-one of his first loves-from his own photos when he was still in school. In 1992, Burlington Northern Railroad asked him to design their popular SD70MAC Executive color scheme. Altogether, Andy has drawn over a thousand trains, from steam to modern diesel and cars, cabooses and other equipment. He has been commissioned to paint trains for many of the railroad historical societies and museums.