Author: Martin D'Anjou

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Uncategorized

Eat grapes, lose weight

A study by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in France (or National Centre for Scientific Research) describes a compound that could help reduce weight gain.

The news was published in the journal BMC Physiology. This study found that resveratrol, a naturally occurring compound, had a significant effect on weight gain. It is found in the skin of grapes, plus blueberries and peanuts, as well.

Tests conducted on lemurs, a type of small primate, demonstrated the effectiveness of resveratrol. Researchers introduced a resveratrol supplement into the diet of lemurs. They noted a 13% decrease in the lemurs’ food intake after four weeks.

Fabienne Aujard is with the CNRS and lead author of the study. She commented: "The physiological benefits of resveratrol are currently under intensive investigation, with recent work suggesting that it could be a good candidate for the development of obesity therapies."

Researchers conclude the discovery is very promising. Resveratrol was already known for its anti-aging properties but this is the first time its anti-obesity  properties have been documented in primates.

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Uncategorized

Canada ranks near the bottom of industrialized countries

According to a study by the Commonwealth Fund, Canada ranks second-last for the quality of its health care among a group of 13 industrialized countries. Only the United States ranks worse.

This study examined the state of health care in Canada, the United States, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, France, Italy and the United Kingdom.

Study results were announced after an analysis of data plus surveys conducted among doctors and patients in each of these countries.

Cathy Schoen, report co-author for the Commonwealth Fund, says Canada loses points for weak primary care services and because it has been slow computerize patient records.

Other negative aspects revealed in interviews with patients include wait times to see a doctor and the overuse of emergency room  beds for non-emergency situations.

An analysis of data collected by the study shows that Canada has the fewest doctors per capita among the 13 countries. In Canada, the average is 2.2 physicians per 1,000 inhabitants. In comparison, the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland have 3.9 doctors for the same ratio.

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Uncategorized

Sexual peaking at age 36

A study of 1,500 people aged 45 and older suggests that men and women enjoy their sex life most when they are 36 years old.

There is a marked decrease in sexual appetite starting at age 45. As the 50s approach, respondents noted they worry about having a heart attack while having sex and so have less of it.

31% of study participants admitted they have faster sex or cut it short because they are too tired.

The average 45-year old respondent has sexual relations once a week that last 22 minutes, including foreplay.

The study was commissioned by Kwai Garlic, a company that sells natural supplements that promote health.

A Kwai spokesperson commented: "The results of the survey highlight that maintaining a healthy lifestyle together with taking care of your heart could help keep your sex life on track. People over 45 should add sex to their exercise routine in order to help maintain optimum heart health, while having fun between the sheets."

Categories
Cinéma

Channing Tatum is out of this world

The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision Blog announced Channing Tatum will play the lead in Ion, a romantic sci-fi drama à la Avatar.

Brothers Ridley and Tony Scott will produce this flick about "a man who travels to different Earths and dimensions in order to find his reincarnated lover."

Ion is riding the coattails of the unprecedented success of James Cameron’s Avatar. Several studios are tripping over each other in their rush to get similar-themed projects off the ground and into theatres.

30-year old Channing Tatum does have some recent action experience to his credit. He starred in last summer’s G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra. He has also gained a following from his roles in romance films like Dear John.

Tatum apparently knows how to keep the romance alive in real life too. He tied the knot with Step Up co-star Jenna Dewan almost a year ago. Fans around the world breathed a deep sigh of regret last July as this hunky actor was taken off the market.

Wife Jenna Dewan-Tatum talked to Jared at JustJared.com about their relationship. She shared: "I think we’ve been in the honeymoon phase since the day we met. We’ve always been very happy and in love and I think as with all actors, the lifestyle we lead and live keeps things really exciting."

Channing Tatum is proving he understands how the Hollywood game works. Besides starring in Ion, he has signed on to produce the film as well.

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Potins

Robert Pattinson and Dracula go way back

Robert Pattinson shot to fame playing vampire Edward Cullen in the popular Twilight series. Swooning girls around the world would die to receive a love bite from this particular British actor.

Now genealogists at Ancestry.com say the 24-year-old actually does descend from vampires. Research into the Twilight star’s family tree revealed he is related to Vlad the Impaler, widely thought to be the inspiration for Count Dracula in Bram Stoker’s 1897 classic.

Anastasia Tyler is a genealogist at Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource. She says: "Tracing Pattinson’s family back to Vlad was difficult research, but the pieces that unravelled created the perfect accompaniment to the Twilight Saga. Without any myth or magic, we find royalty and vampires lurking in Pattinson’s life – making his story just as supernatural as the one he’s playing on screen."

The royalty referred to is none other than British Princes William and Harry. It seems Pattinson is a distant cousin of the princes on their father’s side.

Proving fact can really be stranger than fiction, the website even found another Twilight-Dracula connection. Twilight author Stephenie Meyer is also a distant cousin of the British royals and so can claim this blood-curdling connection as well.

Twilight: Eclipse hits theatres on June 30.

 

Categories
Nouvelles quotidiennes

China Eastern Airlines increases service to Canada

As of June 20, China Eastern Airlines will offer a new daily flight between Vancouver and Shanghai, China.

This new flight will be in effect throughout the summer season until September 10. It will allow more Canadians to easily travel to the 2010 Expo that opened on May 1 in Shanghai. This is the second largest city in all of China.

The Chinese airline will maintain this new route all year long starting on November 1.

China Eastern Airlines will fly into the Vancouver airport using the Airbus A340.

According to some sources, China Eastern Airlines could add more flights to Canada in the future .The city of Montreal would be another Canadian city served by the carrier.

Categories
Musique

New project for Sum 41 bassist

The Operation MD is a side project for Sum 41 bassist Jason McCaslin. He calls himself Dr. Dynamite and works with Dr. Rocco, a.k.a Todd Morse from H20.

The duo already launched We Have An Emergency in February 2007. Their second album, Birds + Bee Stings, will be released on June 29.

In addition to this new album available in digital format only, the duo also contributes another song, We Stand, to the album Song for Africa – Rwanda Rises Up that hits shelves on June 22.

All this work is on top of their already busy schedules. McCaslin’s group, Sum 41, begins a tour on June 24 as part of the Vans Warped Tour. This event will take Sum 41 across the United States and Canada.

For its part, H20 hits the road on June 12. After some shows in the United States, the group heads to Europe, South America and Japan.

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Palmarès/Charts

A Look At This Week’s Music Charts

Here are the top five country songs on Bob Kingsley’s Country Top 40:

1. TEMPORARY HOME – CARRIE UNDERWOOD
2. HIGHWAY 20 RIDE – ZAC BROWN BAND
3. A LITTLE MORE COUNTRY THAN THAT – EASTON CORBIN?4. AMERICAN HONEY – LADY ANTEBELLUM
5. TIL SUMMER COMES AROUND – KEITH URBAN

The top five songs on the Rock 20 Countdown on Calgary’s Best Rock, CJAY 92, are:

1. YOUR DECISION – ALICE IN CHAINS
2. SHAKIN’ HANDS – NICKELBACK
3. IF YOU ONLY KNEW – SHINEDOWN
4. NO WAY BUT THE HARD WAY – AIRBOURNE
5. BACK AGAINST THE WALL – CAGE THE ELEPHANT

The top six songs on 99.9 FM, Virgin Radio’s Six@Six in Toronto are:

1. WAVIN’ FLAG – YOUNG ARTISTS FOR HAITI
2. BREAK YOUR HEART – TAIO CRUZ
3. IF WE EVER MEET AGAIN – TIMBALAND FEATURING KATY PERRY
4. HEY, SOUL SISTER – TRAIN
5. IN MY HEAD – JASON DERULO
6. PERFECT – HEDLEY

Categories
Palmarès/Charts

A Look At This Week’s Music Charts

Here are the top five country songs on Bob Kingsley’s Country Top 40:

1. A LITTLE MORE COUNTRY THAN THAT – EASTON CORBIN
2. HILLBILLY BONE – BLAKE SHELTON w/ TRACE ADKINS
3. TEMPORARY HOME – CARRIE UNDERWOOD
4. TIL SUMMER COMES AROUND – KEITH URBAN
5. HIGHWAY 20 RIDE – ZAC BROWN BAND

The top five songs on 100.3 FM The Bear, Edmonton’s Best Rock, are:

1. YOUR DECISION – ALICE IN CHAINS
2. SHAKIN’ HANDS – NICKELBACK
3. IF YOU ONLY KNEW – SHINEDOWN
4. NO WAY BUT THE HARD WAY – AIRBOURNE
5. BACK AGAINST THE WALL – CAGE THE ELEPHANT

The top five songs on Saskatoon’s 92.9 FM The Bull are:

1. FEARLESS – TAYLOR SWIFT
2. AMERICAN HONEY –LADY ANTEBELLUM
3. OLD FLAME – JOHNNY REID
4. UNSTOPPABLE – RASCAL FLATTS
5. UP ALL NIGHT – DERIC RUTTAN

Categories
Mode et accessoires

Doc Martens turn 50

The Dr. Martens’ 50th anniversary website says, "To celebrate our 50th Anniversary, we asked 10 artists to record their version of a cult classic track which represents the spirit of the people who’ve worn DM’s over the past 50 years. We also asked 10 directors to make videos for each of the tracks."

The results of this original concept can be viewed at the Dr. Martens’ 50th anniversary website.

The company also reissued two of its most important models, a low version of the "1460" and the "1461" in black or cherry.

These new models are offered in limited edition and can be purchased on the Dr. Martens’ website.

Three songs and accompanying videos are already available online. They include the Noisettes’ version of the Buzzcocks’ Ever Fallen in Love with Someone You Should’n’t’ve, The Duke Spirit’s remake of Sham 69’s If The Kids are United and DaM-FunK’s cover of a Human League song, Things That Dreams are Made Of.

More songs and videos will be released in the coming months.