SANDWICH On May 24, the Sandwich Board of Education honored faculty and staff members throughout the district who have served the students, parents and community of Sandwich for at least 10 years.

The SHS student council was instrumental in the planning and set-up of the program and the SHS jazz band provided entertainment.

Superintendent Rick Schmitt welcomed those in attendance and said, This is a perfect time to recognize and show appreciation for the many years of dedicated service the staff has provided to the Sandwich learning community as tonight, we are honoring 41 members of our professional team who collectively have accumulated over 600 years of service toward teaching and learning.

Retention of great employees is beautiful to any organization, and it is important that we recognize and celebrate longevity, Schmitt said.

During the program, the following staff members were presented service awards:

10 years Amy Barone, SHS English; Amy Blocker, WWW library; Rebecca Bonneau, SMS special needs; Linda Bright, HED fifth grade; Jeri Crawley, SMS life skills; Jamie Duvick, SMS language arts; Janet Hansen, bilingual TA; Marie Jewell, transportation aide; Bobbie Johnson, district sub caller; Stacy Johnson, elementary music; Marisa Kafka, SHS health; Connie Kaufmann, district nurse; William Kolb, LGH custodian; Tina Lavery, SHS special needs; George McCuistion, SHS industrial arts; Barb McGregory, HED art; April Nelle, SMS special needs; Lynn Schaaf, HED fifth grade; Sheri Schroeder, WWW head secretary; Shane Smart, HED fifth grade; David Steimel, PV third grade; and Mark Werthmann, SMS special needs.

15 years Terri Clemmons, HED gifted education; Ronnie Crane, PV reading; Kathy Greif, SHS TA; Deb Heilemeier, SHS English; Lana Kurtz, WWW second grade; and Marcia Mall, SHS TA.

20 years Sandi Curtin, elementary PE aide; Dennis McAnally, SHS science; and Rick Schmitt, superintendent of schools.

25 years JoAnn Beckwell, SMS art and Cindy Fraser, LGH special needs.

30 years Lon Gerrish, SHS dean of students.

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Sandwich schools celebrate longevity

If longevity and dependability are the stuff of an effective volunteer, then James Sifford certainly has the right stuff.

This fall, he'll have completed his 22nd year of service to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina. The work which Sifford, 85, has done most Tuesday afternoons in retirement involves critical recordkeeping tasks in distribution. The food bank distributes food to 400 partner-agency programs.

This past April, Gov. Bev Perdue recognized Sifford as one of the state's top volunteers, awarding him a Governor's Medallion in a ceremony coordinated by the N.C. Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service.

"It's an honor to have won it," Sifford said recently. He added that he enjoys volunteering at the food bank.

"I feel like it's a group thing where everybody's on the same page," he said. "Everybody's working for the same goal. Most people feel it's a real needed thing."

Clyde Fitzgerald, the executive director of the food bank, said his organization has been blessed and privileged to have Sifford as a volunteer.

Sifford "knows the roles that he has to follow and the job he does for us in the distribution area," Fitzgerald said. "We count on that. I don't know what we'd do without Jim."

Fitzgerald said Sifford's role "is to take several days' worth of paperwork and properly input it to the computer," so that partner agencies know "how many pounds of food they've got and how much money they've saved by getting it here." The agencies then supply this information to funders.

So far in 2012, Fitzgerald said, the food bank saved its partner agencies "over $35 million in food-acquisition costs because they got it from us."

"The way we communicate that to them is on each order and on each shopping trip," Fitzgerald said. "Jim is critical to our ability to do that."

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Volunteer, 85, awarded Governor's Medallion

Israelis love to gripe about the country. Israelis think life here is much harder than in other Western countries. It turns out that Israelis also have a lot of time to devote to their grousing: life here may be difficult, but Israelis live long lives.

At 81.5, Israel has the sixth highest life expectancy in the world. This is mainly because of the men, statistically speaking. Israeli men can expect to live 79.6 years, on average, the third highest in the world, bested only by men in Switzerland (79.9) and Iceland (79.7).

How do Israelis enjoy such longevity?

Part of the answer lies simply in money. Citizens of OECD member countries are not only the richest: they boast the highest life expectancy. This is little surprise: it is well recognized that money can buy health services, which in turn prolongs life.

Research carried out in numerous countries has shown that three factors combine to prolong longevity: a good health system, good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. All three depend on a countrys affluence and its ability to invest in improving health services, in education towards healthy living, and in its ability to provide a wide variety of nutritious food.

Israel is one of the more developed countries in the world, and a member of the OECD. It could therefore be expected to have high life expectancy.

Specifically, its health services are apparently still one of the better ones on the globe. Despite growing concerns about recent deterioration, the health system here is quite advanced and fairly egalitarian and accessible.

An additional major contributor to longevity is the local Mediterranean diet, with its abundance of fruit, vegetables and olive oil, as well as a preference for poultry over red meat. The climate is also thought to be salubrious, with moderate temperatures and long daylight hours on average, all contributing to reducing stress and seasonal depression.

However, other Mediterranean countries have similar dietary habits and climate, without boasting particularly long life-spans. Greece, for example, lags far behind Israel in its citizens life expectancy.

The argument by which the advanced egalitarian health system is conducive to a long life is also problematic. Scandinavian countries have no less of an advanced and progressive health system, yet Israelis tend to live longer.

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Why do Israelis live so long?

You've heard the constant drumbeat about the need to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, maintain your proper weight, get enough sleep, drink in moderation, and quit smoking if you want to live long and well. Now scientists have discovered proof positive that this regimen really does work for women.

As reported in the online resource PLoS ONE, a cross-sectional analysis of the now-classic Nurses' Health Study done by Qi Sun, M.D of the Harvard School of Public Health and colleagues found that women who led healthy lifestyles had longer telomeres than those who didn't. Telomeres are buffers on the ends of chromosomes that help keep the chromosomes from deteriorating during cell division. If telomeres become too short, cellular senescence, or old age, can result. Previous research has shown that artificial lengthening of telomeres in laboratory mice and worms has successfully reversed signs of aging. The studies have never been replicated in humans, but Dr Sun's work suggests that we don't need to wait for a science fiction style medical miracle to keep our telomeres from shortening over time. Instead, all we have to do is buy into the healthy practices we all know by now are good for us.

As Dr. Sun and his colleagues wrote in their conclusion: "Adherence to a healthy lifestyle, defined by major modifiable risk factors, was associated with longer telomere length." Why not commit right now to making any changes in your health habits that have room for improvement? But don't overwhelm your good intentions by trying to do everything at once. Pick one area as a starting place and work on that until you're successful. Then move on to another goal. Before you know it, you'll be living the long telomere lifestyle and giving yourself the best chance possible of a celebrating many more healthy birthdays to come!

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Good Health Habits=Longevity

No one can cheat death, but the longevity of Saskatchewan residents has improved.

According to life expectancy figures released Thursday by Statistics Canada, deaths in the province from 2008 to 2009 dropped to 8,972 from 9,243 - a decrease of 2.9 per cent.

Nationally, the drop in the death rate was less significant - to 238,418 from 238,617 - a change of 0.1 per cent.

In 2008, Saskatchewan had the second-highest standardized death rate of the provinces with 595 deaths per 100,000 people. A year later, that rate dropped to fourth with 574 deaths reported per 100,000 residents.

In keeping with past trends, statistics for 2007 to 2009 show Saskatchewan women were outliving men. The life expectancy at birth for men was 77 years and 82 for women.

As the population continues to grey, the provincial government is mapping out a plan to improve services and access for seniors.

"Seniors have told us that they want to remain at home independently as long as possible, so we're considering ways and doing some work over the next year of looking at how we can assist seniors to do that through some innovative models of care," said Linda Restau, director of continuing care and rehabilitation with the Ministry of Health.

In July, a new seniors personal care home benefit will come into effect to assist lowincome seniors who reside in private personal care homes.

Although most of the people living in long-term care homes are seniors, only five per cent of the province's older crowd reside in publicly funded long-term care facilities.

"We're really interested in looking at and considering, as our aging population grows, to meet their needs and maintain their dignity and assist them to remain at home independently for as long as possible," Restau said.

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Statistics show longevity of Sask. residents improving

NATICK, Mass., May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved revised product labeling for the Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX) INCEPTA, ENERGEN, PUNCTUA, COGNIS and TELIGEN implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-Ds), to reflect increased longevity projections for these devices. The longevity projections are based on data submitted to the FDA and vary for each device dependent on the model type and settings.

Projected device longevity exceeds 10 years for some models of Boston Scientific ICDs, and approaches eight years for its CRT-D devices, and nearly double that of comparable competitive device models (1,2,3). The company backs these devices with warranties of up to 10 years* in the U.S. and many other international markets. Depending on the model, the device warranties are also up to twice as long as other currently-marketed comparable devices.

"We're pleased with the new labeling for our U.S. defibrillator products which provides doctors and patients with additional assurance about the longevity and reliability of these devices," said Kenneth Stein, M.D., chief medical officer of Boston Scientific's Cardiac Rhythm Management Group. "Boston Scientific ICDs and CRT-Ds benefit from our proprietary advanced battery technology. The new battery was first introduced in the COGNIS and TELIGEN devices in 2008 and has now been incorporated into our newest devices with up to a 10-year warranty."

"The Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure Trial (SCD-HeFT) long-term follow-up study results, which were recently presented at the Heart Rhythm Society annual meeting in Boston, demonstrates that ICD therapy continues to benefit patients for a median follow-up of 11 years. Particularly in New York Heart Association Class II patients, it appears that an ICD may prolong a patient's life for at least a decade by rescuing the patient from sudden cardiac death," said Jeanne Poole, M.D., director, Arrhythmia Service and Electrophysiology Laboratory at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. "By helping to mitigate the frequency of replacing an ICD or CRT-D device, this technology provides us with the potential to reduce the complications associated with replacement procedures and to reduce healthcare costs. Not only does the patient benefit from fewer surgeries, but the financial benefit can be significant."

*INCEPTA & ENERGEN VR ICD: 10 years; INCEPTA & ENERGEN DR ICD: 8 years; PUNCTUA & TELIGEN ICD: 7 years; INCEPTA & ENERGEN CRT-D: 6 years; and PUNCTUA & COGNIS CRT-D: 5 years.

About Boston Scientific

Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices that are used in a broad range of interventional medical specialties. For more information, please visit: http://www.bostonscientific.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words like "anticipate," "expect," "project," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "intend" and similar words. These forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and estimates using information available to us at the time and are not intended to be guarantees of future events or performance. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding, regulatory approvals, clinical trials, clinical outcomes, financial savings associated with the use of our products, product performance and competitive offerings. If our underlying assumptions turn out to be incorrect, or if certain risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. These factors, in some cases, have affected and in the future (together with other factors) could affect our ability to implement our business strategy and may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the statements expressed in this press release. As a result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of our forward-looking statements.

Factors that may cause such differences include, among other things: future economic, competitive, reimbursement and regulatory conditions; new product introductions; demographic trends; intellectual property; litigation; financial market conditions; and future business decisions made by us and our competitors. All of these factors are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of them are beyond our control. For a further list and description of these and other important risks and uncertainties that may affect our future operations, see Part I, Item 1A Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which we may update in Part II, Item 1A Risk Factors in Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q we have filed or will file hereafter. We disclaim any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which those expectations may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. This cautionary statement is applicable to all forward-looking statements contained in this document.

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Boston Scientific Increases Longevity Projections for Its U.S. Defibrillators

LOS ANGELES, May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The UCLA Longevity Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing and extending productive and healthy lives through research and education, honors Sidney Poitier, Jane and Terry Semel, Peter Whybrow, MD, Shlomo Rechnitz and Steve Rechnitz at the 2012 ICON Awards gala, June 6 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Quincy Jones presents; author and former "first daughter" Patti Davis is guest speaker.Natalie Cole performs and Lisa Ann Walter hosts.

The ICON Award for Artistic Excellence will be presented to Sidney Poitier. In 1963, Poitier became the first black person to win an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Lilies of the Field. Most recently, President Barack Obama awarded Poitier the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States of America's highest civilian honor.

Jane and Terry Semel receive the ICON Award for Visionary Leadership in Science and Medicine. Chairman and CEO of Windsor Media, Semel previously served as Chairman and CEO of Yahoo! Inc. and Chairman and Co-CEO of Warner Bros. Jane Bovingdon Semel is the founder of ijane inc., the nonprofit production company that produced the Face The Issue PSA campaign. The Semels endowed the Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior at UCLA, one of the largest and most distinguished institutes engaged in the study of the brain.

The ICON Award for Visionary Leadership in Science and Medicine will also be presented to Dr. Peter Whybrow, Director of the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA.

Shlomo Rechnitz and Steve Rechnitz receive the ICON Award for Visionary Leadership in Business and Philanthropy. In 2004, Shlomo Rechnitz founded Brius Healthcare Company. He is the co-founder and CEO of Twin Med, LLC.

In 1998, Steve Rechnitz formed Twin Med with his twin brother, Shlomo. They have utilized their success in the healthcare field to give back to the field of medicine and have contributed millions of dollars to cancer research.

The UCLA Longevity Center, directed by aging and memory expert Dr. Gary Small, is an essential component of the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and represents the best of UCLA. Through cutting-edge research and innovative programs, the Center's endeavors are improving lives every day.

http://www.longevity.ucla.edu

The ICON gala is produced by Scott Mauro Entertainment.

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UCLA Longevity Center To Honor Sidney Poitier, Jane & Terry Semel, Dr. Peter Whybrow, Shlomo Rechnitz & Steve Rechnitz ...

Now approaching a quarter-century in existence, Skydiggers are a band that needs little introduction.

The groups 1989 self-titled debut and the still-devastating single A Penny More from their 1992 follow-up Restless long ago earned the bands roots-folk sound a deserved spot in the CanRock canon.

Northern Shore, released last month on the Latent Recordings label, is their eighth studio release and marks the beginning of a new chapter for the group. Its their first recording since 2009s The Truth About Us, a best-of retrospective that doubled as a 20th anniversary celebration of their career. As singer Andy Maize explained on the eve of setting out on the bands latest tour, combing the archives for The Truth About Us allowed the group, whose lineup includes fellow founding members Josh Finlayson (guitar) and Ron Macey (bass), a chance to consider their journey to date.

We went through a lot of old material choosing the songs for that retrospective and that just got us thinking about some of the things that we had done in the past and got us thinking about some of the older songs as well. So I think that part of the new recording was informed by the retrospective, he said.

The collection came about after several years of prodding by music industry executive Kim Cooke, who signed the group to Warner Music Canada in 1994 where they released their third record, Road Radio. Though Skydiggers fans may have initially feared the anthology was intended as a swan song, Maize said the groups future was never in doubt.

We thought that 20 years was worth celebrating and Kim had a big role in putting together the retrospective, but it was never meant to be a farewell or a parting shot. For us, it was rewarding because we got to reflect over what wed done and that definitely helped us to move forward, he said.

For Northern Shore, the band enlisted producer Saam Hashemi, who guided them through an unorthodox recording process that Maize said had the band putting songs to tape in whatever way made sense. That included working up tracks from simple guitar and vocal takes in Finlaysons basement to separate sessions at Blue Rodeos Woodshed recording space and live-off-the-floor recordings made at the Tragically Hips Bathouse studio near Kingston, Ont.

Saams abilities gave us the flexibility to record in different ways, Maize said.

The album is also available in a four-disc deluxe edition that will delight longtime fans, with highlights including the bands original 1988 demo (recorded at Grant Avenue studio in Hamilton) and mid-90s sessions recorded at Chemical Sound in Toronto that were the last to feature founding member Peter Cash until now.

Weve been doing more work with Peter recently, said Maize. We recorded some of his material for Northern Shore, he sings on some of the songs on Northern Shore, so it just seemed like a good way of reconnecting with some of that older material, which we still play live.

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Skydiggers celebrate their longevity

29-05-2012 15:13 The LONGEVITY TIGWELD 160 SX is a super simple AC/DC TIG welder with stick capability. In this video, Tim shows off how his settings and setup of the TIGWELD 160 SX. You can order the model here: Here is the link to the product spec sheet:

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LONGEVITY TIGWELD 160 SX 160AMP AC/DC TIG STICK WELDER REVIEW 110V/220V $649.99 - Video

by Denis Puska May 30, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL) Fort Wayne Komets A prediction and preview of the Stanley Cup Championship Series and an interview with the President of the Fort Wayne Komets who will call the ECHL home this fall highlights Episode 42 of Puska on Pucks, The Original Internet Hockey Show.

Join host Denis J. Puska as he spends time with Komets President Michael Franke to discuss the move from the Central Hockey League to the ECHL. Franke will also talk about the new rivalries the Komets will enjoy in the new league.

Coaching Longevity is something that isn't talked about that much anymore. But two coaches still believe that longevity with one team can still be found. Ft. Wayne Komets Head Coach Al Sims and Columbus Cottonmouths Head Coach and General Manager Jerome Bechard have combined for 26 years in the same city. Sims and Bechard will share their thoughts on the cities they have called home for an extended period of time.

The NHL's Stanley Cup final features the Los Angeles Kings and the New Jersey Devils. Puska will have a preview of the final series and his prediction of who will take home the Cup.

The Phoenix Coyotes have come off an outstanding season in the NHL, but there still is speculation regarding their future in Arizona. Puska on Pucks has some information regarding the Coyotes and the ownership situation there.

Ice Chips News and Notes Presented By TST Media has Central Hockey League Awards Results from their annual convention, and how one AHL team the Manchester Monarchs are Crossing Borders and trying to eliminate discrimination on and off the ice.

Listen to new and past episodes of the weekly pod-cast at http://www.puskamediaservices.com under the Puska on Pucks tab. Several other websites also carry the program including the Michigan Regional Sports Network, SPHL Forums and http://www.oursportscentral.com under the OSC Radio link section.

Discuss this story on the ECHL message board... Digg this story Add to Del.icio.us

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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Michael Franke, Coaching Longevity and a Stanley Cup Prediction on Puska on Pucks

VEEDERSBURG, Ind. Teachers retiring at Fountain Central High School have enjoyed their time with the students and staff.

Dan Halladay, Phil Rash and Dorie Johnson are leaving with more than 30 years at the school. And while Brad Smiths time at Fountain Central is much shorter, he has been in education for 40 years.

I wanted to teach since I was in elementary school, Halladay said. I liked grading, and I liked teaching other kids.

Halladay was involved in coaching, including 10 years with girls basketball, one year in baseball, three years in girls track, 10 years as a football assistant and 10 years with junior high football.

I have really enjoyed it, Halladay said. We have very good community support. We have tons of great people.

He will continue to work with a football officiating crew and umpire girls softball. He also sells sports cards on eBay.

Halladay is proud that four of his former students are now school superintendents.

Many others are pillars of their community, he said. I have lots of friendships from teachers and coaches.

Halladay estimated that 60 percent of his students now are second generation from local families.

Halladay took students to Russia in 1995 and has taken students to Germany four times, a program that continues annually at Fountain Central.

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Longevity the mark at school

29-05-2012 04:44 Interview by @Amarudontv @MrAmaru

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Akala and Amaru Don TV: Musical Longevity and Commercial Success - Video

The 1993 movie Grumpy Old Men played up a common stereotype about those who live well beyond their golden years. With lines like, "Do me a favor. Put your lip over your head... and swallow," they're not the nicest lot. But a study published in the May 2012 issue of Aging found that those who lived to be 100 generally had a "positive attitude towards life and emotional expression." It also found that those positive traits are located in your genes.

But the study is a long way from proving that a positive outlook causes these centenarians to live longer, said Dr. Nir Barzilai, one of the study's researchers. "There are personality changes and physiological changes that make a lot of elderly people become just more agreeable personalities," Barzilai said. "It has nothing to do with what got them to be 100."

Researchers looked at a group of more than 500 Ashkenazi Jews age 95 to 107, and 700 of their offspring. They're a favorite in longevity studies because they're genetically homogenous (40 percent of Ashkenazim derive from just four Jewish mothers). By creating a personality trait index focusing on levels of neuroticism, positive attitudes toward life and emotional expression, researchers found that the group was less likely to have high levels of neuroticism and were more likely to be extroverts. The same was true of their children, creating an argument for personality genes.

"My own interpretation from the study is that, yes, this is the personality were seeing [but] we still have to figure out if its important," Barzilai said. "The most interesting thing for me is to see if the longevity genes influence the personality."

Yet the health benefits of a sunny disposition can't be denied, the study notes:

The study's findings hew closely to what other researchers have found regarding the link between personality genes and longevity. The George Centenarian Study, the Swedish Centenarian Study and a study done in Japan found that centenarians had a more positive outlook than those in their respective mixed-age population.

The next step for the researchers is a study that will look at people who are the offspring of centenarians and those who aren't "to see the association between longevity phenotype and genotype and personality," Barzilai said. "Then well see if personality is part of living longer. Well watch them until theyll die to see if theyre personality changed or if it was personality that was part of what was important for longevity."

For readers who think they should change their attitudes so they can live longer, Barzilai has this to say: "Yes, everybody [should] become nicer," he laughed. But those are his thoughts "just as a citizen though, not as a responsible scientist."

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Personality Genes May Affect Your Longevity

PARKERSBURG - City council members, acting in committees, unanimously agreed to suspend the employee longevity pay program for another year.

The committees also agreed to look at across-the-board pay raises for employees and a reclassification of positions that could result in base pay raises greater than the annual longevity raises traditionally doled out.

"We want a system our employees can count on," said personnel committee chairwoman Sharon Lynch. "We want to retain our employees."

"We want to do something better than longevity," Mayor Bob Newell said.

Both the personnel and finance committees met Tuesday and agreed to the continued suspension of longevity pay for city employees. The suspension will not affect the previously approved 20-cent-an-hour pay increase approved by council earlier this year.

Discussion bogged down between the committees with regard to across-the-board pay raises. Members of the personnel committee wanted to see how much money they have to work with for possible base pay raises for employees.

Lynch submitted possibilities that included an increased base rate, plus a 1 percent increase on the base. The committee could reach no consensus to act.

Members of the finance committee voted to postpone discussion on base wages until the personnel committee had a figure.

"How much money do we need?" finance committee chairman Jim Reed asked.

"We are all in agreement that this needs to be done," said finance committee member Nancy Wilcox. "We need to know where the revenue is coming from forever."

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Council committees discuss suspending longevity pay

INDIANAPOLIS Pacers coach Frank Vogel hopes to steal the script from his NFL neighbors.

Five days after Indiana ended its longest playoff run in seven years, Vogel told reporters he believes if the progress continues at this rate, the Pacers could become the NBAs version of the Colts perennial championship contenders for nearly a decade.

I think weve built something thats sustainable here around a young group of guys, and I think were going to have a chance every year for the next five to seven years, Vogel said Tuesday. I think thats what the Colts had for about eight to 10 years where every year might not be a Super Bowl year, but they were always in the mix.

Pacers fans would certainly take it after enduring the misery of the previous six seasons.

Following the 2004 brawl in Detroit and the subsequent retirement of star guard Reggie Miller, the combination of legal woes and playoff failures left loyal fans dismayed. Many stayed home and opted to follow a Colts team that won seven division crowns, two AFC titles and a Super Bowl championship between 2003 and 2010.

Now, the tables may be turning again with the Colts rebuilding and the Pacers emerging as one of the NBAs best young teams.

This season proved just how good the Pacers could be.

Indiana finished with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference (42-24) and closed the regular season with 12 wins in 15 games. It rebounded from an inexplicable stumble in Game 1 to win four straight against Orlando, giving the Pacers their first playoff series win in seven years. Then, after taking a 2-1 lead against Miami in Round 2 and being on the verge of pulling a huge upset, Indiana fans spent May tracking developments at both the Indianapolis 500 and Bankers Life Fieldhouse with equal vigor, just like the good old days.

And playoff games were actually sold out.

Despite losing the last three games to Miami, this seasons success has renewed hope in Indianapolis.

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Longevity goal of Pacers coach

BOULDER, CO--(Marketwire -05/30/12)- The Center for Productive Longevity (CPL), which serves as the bridge between people 55 and older and opportunities that enable them to continue in productive activities, is organizing a nationwide competition to select the best entrepreneur success story and inspiring life story from people 55 and older.

The Later-Life Story Contest begins on June 1, 2012 and ends on August 31, 2012 with the winner in each category selected by a panel of three independent judges. Each winner will receive $1,000 and a specially designed trophy. The best stories will be posted on the CPL website throughout the duration of the contest. The winners will be announced on October 1, 2012 and will be posted on the CPL website (ctrpl.org) under "Success Stories".

CPL created the contest to stimulate discussion and dialogue about how people 55 and older can continue adding value to their extended lives in an era when they are living 30 years longer than people did at the beginning of the 20th century. The Later-Life Story Contest is intended to achieve three objectives:

1) Stimulate people to continue leading meaningful and rewarding lives after reaching the age of 55. Baby Boomers were acculturated to believe that when they reached a certain age (55, 60, 65), they were over the hill and out of the game. Many of them need to understand that, with their increased longevity, they have the opportunity to become entrepreneurs or lead inspirational lives.

2) Demonstrate that older people can remain productively engaged and live inspiring lives into their latter 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and beyond. There are 78 million Baby Boomers who began reaching traditional retirement age of 65 in 2011 and will continue to do so each year through 2029 at the rate of 4.2 million per year. These are people with experience, expertise, seasoned judgment and proven performance (referred to as EESP). Many of them have also acquired some accumulated wisdom. At a time when unemployment is high and economic growth low, creating a new business is a bright spot on a gloomy employment horizon. Stories about how older entrepreneurs have successfully taken the new-business route may stimulate others to do so. Stories about how people 55 and older have led inspirational lives may have a similar impact.

3) Change the pervasive national mindset that when people reach a certain age, they should move to the sidelines. This thinking encourages older workers to shed the wrinkles, hide the years, and pretend to be younger than they are. With people living substantially longer lives, Americans must recognize and find ways to enable this large and growing talent pool to continue adding value.

"We look forward to learning about the trailblazers around the country and to celebrating their stories," says William Zinke, 85, Founder and President of CPL. "We believe that this contest can achieve these three objectives and look forward to sharing success stories with the public."

We have selected three highly qualified judges for the competition:

All have had substantial experience regarding the productive engagement of people 55 and older.

To submit a story, visit http://www.ctrpl.org/laterlifestorycontest and complete a submission form. Entrants must be over the age of 55, have a compelling story to share, and be willing to have it posted on the CPL website for viewing by the general public and for possible publication. Stories may also be emailed to James R. Hooks, Director of Marketing and Technology, at jhooks@ctrpl.org.

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Center for Productive Longevity Seeking Best Stories on Entrepreneurship and Inspired Living From People 55+

MARC GREENHILL

Key decisions on Christchurch's annual plan could become irrelevant once the Government's central-city blueprint is finished, councillors fear.

Annual plan hearings will begin tomorrow, but some councillors are still unsure what it will mean, with the Government-led Christchurch Central Development Unit (CCDU) blueprint not due for release until July.

Cr Yani Johanson said it was "pretty clear we're not in control here".

The Government was "basically going to tell us where things go and what they are", and the council would fund it, Johanson said. He said the CCDU blueprint should have been released before the draft annual plan was approved.

In emails to the Save Centennial Pool group, Cr Sally Buck said the CCDU had removed the council from central-city decision-making, and Cr Jamie Gough said it made sense to wait until the unit's plan was finalised.

Cr Aaron Keown said he was "comfortable" with council staff working with the unit.

"The central-city plan may skew things in the future, but let's see what it is before we criticise it," he said.

Save Centennial Pool spokeswoman Simone Pearson said the number of agencies involved in the central-city recovery had confused the public. "Up until now there have been no comments regarding the relationship between the draft central-city plan and the anchor projects plan. There's been no obvious connection made in the documentation," she said.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee said the annual plan "does matter".

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Councillors in limbo over plan's longevity

COLLINGSWOOD Jen Brandt sought out younger friends. Julia Slimm was helped by good genes. And Phil Sheafer rarely missed a meal.

All three took different routes to cracking the century mark, and on Thursday they were among seven people here to celebrate their longevity at Collingswood Manor.

The retirement community provided a cake for its centenarians, their family members and friends. In turn, the members of the 100-year club shared their pasts and pondered their lifespans.

Honestly, I think I just have good genes, said Slimm, who has lived at the Manor for 15 of her 101 years. She enjoys the bus tours that are provided by the staff, as well as teaching crafts to other residents.

Sheafer, whos 100, was the only man in the group. His advice for a long life: Eat three meals a day.

Brandt, a lively 103, described the 1950s as her favorite decade.

They had a lot of good music, she recalled. Im a music person. I love all kinds.

Brandt, who recently took part in a fashion show at the Manor, had her own strategy for a full life. I always spent time with people younger than I was, she said. Maybe that had something to do with it.

The oldest of the bunch, Mabel Cordier, was born in 1903 in Philadelphia, making her 109 years old. The Haddon Avenue facility also is home to Millie Goodman, 100, and Thelma Chew, 101.

Cathy Anthony from Haddon Heights was at the celebration to honor her grandmother Marion Oldfield, who is to turn 100 in August. She never drank or smoke and was careful with her diet so I think that had a lot to do with it, Anthony said.

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Centenarians celebrate secrets to longevity

BOSTON -- Following his last start, Clay Buchholz promised stronger results.

After surrendering at least five runs in seven starts, the right-hander wanted to reward the Red Sox' offense for its run support. Buchholz aimed to accomplish the goal by providing stability and longevity moving forward.

Sunday's outing was a strong beginning toward ensuring that. Although he didn't receive a decision in the 4-3 loss to the Rays, Buchholz enjoyed his longest and best start, going seven innings while striking out a season-high six batters. He allowed just two runs.

"I've been able to start trusting [my changeup] again and start throwing it like I have in the past instead of trying to baby it, guide it and throw it for a strike," Buchholz said. "It's been just trying to throw a fastball with a different grip right now, and that's when it's at its best."

The first run Buchholz yielded was a byproduct of Adrian Gonzalez's inexperience in the outfield. When Matt Joyce roped a double into right field, Gonzalez fielded it cleanly, but he misfired on the cutoff throw to second base.

As a result of the fourth-inning error, Joyce advanced to third and ultimately scored on Ben Zobrist's groundout. Buchholz was still able to avoid the kind of big inning that has plagued him for the majority of April and May.

"I was very encouraged," Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said. "He looked good. He gave up that second run and he was still throwing pretty good. I thought we were going to pull that one out and get him what he deserved. I thought he deserved a win."

But Buchholz at least emerged with confidence. He tallied a season-high in pitches (111) and innings while matching lows in runs and walks (one), key components to regaining his old form.

"The big thing was I stayed out of the middle of the plate for the most part," Buchholz said. "When I missed, I missed off -- either away or in. I felt like I was able to throw almost all my pitches for strikes at some point during the game. I felt this good my past three starts, just hadn't had the results."

Behind the backstop, Jarrod Saltalamacchia credit Buchholz's smooth start to the hurler's changeup. By leaning on the pitch, Buchholz was able to routinely induce weak contact from Tampa Bay's hitters.

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Clay Buchholz Leans on Improved Changeup to Finally Provide Stability, Longevity in Start

Not sure running back Matt Forte noticed, but the Bears all but announced this week they now think they are a passing team.

Hardly able to contain his excitement at Halas Hall, quarterback Jay Cutler threw passes in the general direction of Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall under the guidance of whiz-kid quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates.

Is it worth pointing out the Broncos' leading rusher that season gained 343 yards?

Nothing about coordinator Mike Tice's newly installed Broncos-styled offense Cutler and Marshall described made anybody conclude it needs a marquee running back. It functioned at a high level in '08 with a running back committee, a point I hope the Bears avoid trying to prove in '12.

Anyway, despite Pro Bowl-caliber productivity in 2011, Forte picked the worst offseason to gauge his worth to a Bears offense in transition.

His value remains a source of debate and contention.

Eagles running back LeSean McCoy's five-year, $45 million deal with $20.8 million in guarantees was thought to provide a blueprint for Forte, who has yet to sign the one-year franchise tender guaranteeing him $7.7 million. It raised hopes to everyone who didn't realize that a five-year, $40 million deal with $20 million in guarantees was what Forte sought before a stellar season likely drove up his price, a source said.

Also overlooked was that McCoy is 29 months younger and has been used considerably less, a factor considering a source claimed Forte's durability has emerged as an obstacle during negotiations.

Throughout the league, people have wondered why the Bears can't agree on a multiyear contract extension for one of the NFL's most productive running backs. A major sticking point could stem from the Bears' worry over how long Forte's knees will hold up, a source suggested to the Tribune. The wear and tear on Forte's knees drew the attention of several teams, including the Bears, before the 2008 NFL draft when he came out of Tulane.

According to the source, given Forte's past the Bears cannot rule out arthritis setting in and becoming a chronic problem for the fifth-year running back with 1,237 career NFL touches who turns 27 in December. In the NFL, data show running backs start declining after age 28.

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Haugh: Forte's longevity a factor in contract talks