Once again, Mardi Gras celebrations were relatively tame in San Jose this year, with police reporting no violent incidents and only moderate crowds.

"There are people down there, it's Mardi Gras, but it's not critical mass," said police spokesman Sgt. Jason Dwyer.

Of course, the annual fat Tuesday partying locally pales in scope to the celebrations in New Orleans. But the unofficial, scattered festivities in the South Bay, mostly around the downtown San Jose bars, have produced their fair share of hangovers into Ash Wednesday over the years -- albeit much less recently.

Though the number of arrests won't be known until Wednesday, early indications suggested a spike in arrests seemed unlikely. Dwyer said it's also possible that more serious crimes could be reported as the clock ticked into the wee hours of the morning, when the most people are drunk and clubs and bars reach capacity.

Last year, San Jose officers booked 26 Mardi Gras revelers, including 15 felony violations. There were also 26 arrests in 2010, 16 in 2009 and about four dozen in 2008.

The past half-decade followed a string that began in 2001 that featured a couple of riots, scattered vandalism and even violent outbursts, including stabbings and crowds that surpassed 10,000 partyers on a single night. Police have since cracked down, using mostly traffic officers and the rapid response Metro unit to keep the normal staffing of patrol officers roaming the rest of the city.

This year, crowds were particularly plentiful along Santa Clara Street, and near the bars on second and first streets.

"It's a work night," Dwyer said. "A lot of people want to have a good time but they have to get up and go to work in the morning."

Contact Mike Rosenberg at 408-920-5705.

Most of us are aware of the term NTP servers as these are commonly used network elements and perform the very important role of synchronizing the clocks of network client and other devices. But how many of us know about the algorithms that enable these servers to perform this sync task? Here is a quick overview of the behind the scenes of any NTP server.

The key algorithms that act behind every NTP server are the Marzullo's algorithm and the Intersection Algorithm. Marzullo's algorithm was invented by Marzullo in the year 1984. this is an agreement algorithm that is used to select the correct sources for finding the accurate time from different time sources. The algorithm acts at a great speed and produces the result in optimal time. According to this, the best estimate from a list of estimates is the smallest interval that is consistent with the largest number of sources. in more stringent form it the smallest interval that is consistent with all the sources and if no such interval is found then, the one that matches large number of sources is the winner. The algorithm also states that the desired result is the best value from this chosen interval and it it's the center value of the interval.

The key disadvantage or demerit of the original Marzullo algorithm is that the returned result does not include the center point or the calculated offset of the different sources the intersection. to overcome this modified version of the original algorithm was introduced and was named the Intersection algorithm. this new mechanism is now the part of the current version of NTP. this algorithm returns the best interval that is returned by the Marzullo's but will also include the center points and hence may be larger than the one returned by the Marzullo's algorithm.

In recent years it has been fairly obvious who the WWE had earmarked for future greatness. the Rock, Brock Lesner, John Cena and Kurt Angle where all pushed very early in there pro wrestling careers without the need to pay their dues. but do any of the current roster stand out in the same way? Here's a quick look at some of the stars who could potentially be the next main event superstar.

If it wasn't for Orton's terrible attitude and behavioral problems Randy Orton would already be one of WWE's top dogs. his first run as champion came too soon and was a panic decision after Chris Benoit's title reign failed to bring ratings success, this plus the problem that WWE pushed him as a fan favorite but because of his arrogant attitude the fans where never likely to except Orton. Each time Orton has been considered for a title run since he's done some thing stupid to put the stoppers on it.

It was believed Orton would feud with Triple H at Summerslam upon Triple H's return but it is now known Triple H is pushing for Orton to be given a run as champion as he feels Orton is ready and the fans attitude towards John Cena would be greater if he spent a little time chasing the title instead of holding it, the question is will Orton screw up before that time?

A lot of wrestling experts have commented on Nitro claiming him to be the next Shawn Michaels. his character certainly resembles Michaels in his early career, from his cocky attitude to his in the ring look but how many next Shawn Michaels have there been over the years and how many have reached the same heights? This said it does seem WWE management think a great deal of Johnny Nitro and if you proves he can handle himself as ECW world champion then his next reign could be right at the very top of the WWE.

Not exactly a revelation but WWE obviously see Lashley as a potential Megastar. his look and powerhouse style will always win him fans but despite been given massive air time and the benefit of feuding with Vince McMahon (McMahon only ever feuds with guys earmarked for the top) I haven't been overly impressed. He's definitely improving but for me the jury is still out on whether Lashley can really live up to the WWE's high expectations.

Probably the best worker on the microphone since the Rock, which was always going to give him a huge advantage over the rest of the competition. Entertaining and no doubt a massive fan following awaits once he's done his part as an heel ( something Lesner, Cena, Angle and the Rock all did). Slight improvement on his in ring performances and a long spell without being sidelined by injuries could yet see mr. Kennedy fulfilling his dream of competing in the main event of Wrestlemania .

Punk would definitely be one of the fans top picks but within the WWE itself things don't seem as possible. He was famously on the end of a slating from Triple H and Shawn Michaels (they said he couldn't work a WWE style match) and his clean living persona may not make him the most popular guy backstage.

His strong belief in the clean living attitude could however be a blessing for CM Punk, with the recent problems WWE have had with the media over steroid abuse who would make a better champion than CM Punk. Bret Hart's road to the top was helped in the 90's because of the steroids trial of Vince McMahon perhaps CM Punk could benefit in a similar way.

WWE have so far been impressed with the performances of MVP both in the ring and on the microphone which bodes well for the future of MVP. certainly not the frontrunner to be the WWE's next big thing but if others slip up MVP could very well step into the upper tier of the WWE.

When wrestling in TNA as Monty Brown he was seen as a star of the future but since joining WWE things haven't quite continued in the same vein. This isn't a complete surprise however as WWE have in recent years made wrestlers coming from outside the WWE's own development promotions work harder and in the middle of the card before allowing them to shine. Some feel this is to make WWE seem superior to and harder to conquer than other promotions, whether true or not Marcus Cor Von isn't currently where he'd like to be in the WWE's pecking order.

Still, don't discount Cor Von's chances of becoming the next big thing as WWE clearly saw something in him to bring Marcus Cor Von to the company in the first place and maybe once he's shown WWE his commitment to the company he could get the push that most of us expected.

Let's hope one of these guys can make it as the next best thing as although none are the finished article all are open, and capable of, improvement and of putting on decent entertaining matches. I would much rather see any of these guys given a chance to fight at the top of the card than the likes of Mark Henry and the Great Khali any day of the week.

Kombucha is a fermented tea. most people with candida stand up from their chairs and prepare to run for their lives upon hearing the word fermented. Although Kombucha is a fermented beverage, candida does not like it. Kombucha is on the side of health whereas candida is not.

All it takes is a small amount of Kombucha each day to reap the benefits. you can brew it with less sugar or let it ferment an extra day to make sure the sugar is eaten up by the Kombucha pellicle. more people begin to add Kombucha as a part of their candida and parasite cleansing diet, along with other supplements. It contains the B vitamins we need as well as digestive enzymes. Kombucha helps to heal damaged tissue, as well.

According to a testimony from a candidiasis sufferer, she is a strong believer in Kombucha and has been on it for a year. the ancient probiotics has helped her to get to a point where she has the strength to do what she has to do to cure the candida. It is a powerful detoxifier and helps to rid your body of the waste products generated by candida die-off.

If you prefer to make your own Kombucha, she suggests harvesting the 'mother' on the eighth day, which is the most potent nutrient wise. However, if ingesting any kind of sugar is a concern, let it go for nine or ten days so the pellicle eats up the sugar. she usually makes her Kombucha with a Roybiis tea or s special Tibetan whole leaf tea. these teas are fresher and less moldy than the tea 'dust' you find in commercial tea bags.

Each year, Catholics struggle to decide what to give up for Lent. we may give up junk food, soda, or even alcohol. often times, we try to bargain with God by trying to choose something that is challenging, but not too challenging. we are afraid to stretch our faith. this year, as you begin to ponder this yearly tradition, take a step in faith. this year, try giving up food.

Some might say that it sounds insane. Others might say that we already give up food by not eating meat on Fridays. Let's take it a step further. from dawn to dusk, do not eat any food, and not just on Friday, everyday. Sound impossible? It's not.

Last year, I found myself in the same decision-making process. however, I was an adult going through the RCIA process, and I was set to be Confirmed Easter weekend. I knew that this was a major step in my life, and I decided to really make a commitment in my first Lent participation. I wanted God to know that I was serious. Christ sacrificed everything for us on the cross. the least I could do is endure being hungry.

As someone new to the Catholic faith, I did not know where to begin. like you, I turned to the Internet to get ideas for Lent. the Internet was full of different sacrifices we could make. Most of them seemed luke warm. Christ died on the cross, and we show him appreciation by giving up cookies for a month? it hardly compares.

As I kept searching, I came across a few websites that mentioned fasting. Fasting was not out of my vocabulary, but I had never known much about it. So, I decided to learn more. there were many views on fasting. in the end, I realized that it was something that I would have to figure out on my own. by combining a few methods, I came up with my own method of fasting.

When Lent began, I decided to not eat during the day. some websites had recommended eating bread and water during that time. I decided to use this idea and only eat bread, crackers, and the occasional bagel. but, snacking lightly on crackers is different from stuffing yourself with bread. Even with the bread and crackers, the idea was to not feel full.

Water is a must. we cannot completely ignore our bodies. it is unhealthy, and I would not recommend abstaining from water. Even with the bread, do not starve yourself. the idea is to strengthen our faith, not harm our bodies. And, by no means is this a diet plan. in fact, I lost a little bit of weight at first, but then leveled off. After the first week, my body adjusted, and I remained the same weight throughout Lent.

What did I gain from this? in the end, I grew in faith, and I had a stronger relationship with God. it was challenging from day one until Easter Sunday. Faith carried me through the rough times. on the mornings that I woke up too late to eat because the sun was already up, the Father gave me strength. when lunch came and my coworkers all left for lunch, the Son was there with me. one month into Lent when I felt that I could not go any longer, the Spirit carried me.

Giving up food for Lent may seem like a radical idea. in many ways, it is. it will be one of the toughest challenges that you will ever willingly take on. it will not be easy. it will not give you the body of a rock star. but, it will give you a new outlook on life, and a stronger relationship with God. this year, leave the mediocre sacrifices behind. take on a new challenge. Christ gave up His life for you. what are you willing to give up for him?

If you're looking for the top natural skin care products, you'll see lots of different reviews on the internet. What you'll find here is a little bit different. instead of learning about specific brands, you'll learn about the best ingredients, in terms of safety and effectiveness.

For decades, cosmetic companies have been allowed to use all but a few banned ingredients. the adverse reactions caused by cosmetics are numerous. Dermatologists see problems caused by harsh cleansers, pore-clogging moisturizers, artificial preservatives, fragrances and common allergens.

The cosmetic companies deal with this by blaming the individual. They say that people are prone to allergic reactions, have increased sensitivities or different complexion types. They have managed to create markets for people with oily, dry or combination complexions, when the truth is this. we all have the same type of complexions. We're humans.

Other than the inclusion of common allergens and toxins, the problem with most cosmetics is that the base creams used are derived from crude oil, which is not compatible with human beings. the top natural skin care products on the market today are those that contain plant-based oils which are compatible with our complexions.

They will not cause excessive oiliness or dryness. They can be used to balance sebum production, in the event that a person tends to have some oily spots and some dry ones. That is commonly the case, anyway.

When a person does suffer from excessive dryness, it is usually due to the use of drying cleansers or showering in chlorinated water. Studies have shown that plain tap water strips the skin's oils, whether a cleanser is used or not.

Since most of us are in the habit of using a cleanser on a daily basis, we need to replenish the skin's moisture content. the top natural skin care products do that.

Research has shown that the creams containing the antioxidant coenzyme Q10 increase the skin's moisture content by more than 30% after six weeks of use. other studies have shown that the active form of the protein keratin increases the skin's moisture content by more than 20% after the very first use.

Those ingredients are unique. not many companies use them. the research supporting their use is relatively new. It takes big manufacturers years to respond to new research and change their formulas.

But, today's top natural skin care products come from smaller companies that can quickly change their formulas when new cell rejuvenation research is published. What, you may ask, is cell rejuvenation?

That's a pretty long subject, but basically, if we support the skin's natural cell rejuvenation processes, we can delay the signs of age. Wrinkles can be reversed. Stretch marks and scars will fade.

All it takes is a few simple tools for the skin's repair work to shift into high gear. Protein and antioxidants are the two most important tools. You'll only find those kinds of ingredients in the top natural skin care products. If you see a positive review for a product that does not contain them, you're smart to be skeptical.

Mardi Gras is one of those occasions that really marks a high point in the social calendar. there can be no doubt that people will be marking the occasion out as a night to really go for it. indeed, there is a competitive element to having the best costume, the best look and the best time on a parade.

So, what is the best look for a parade? Well, don't assume that just because the occasion is seen as a loud, garish party that your mask needs to be in any way tacky. You just need to make sure that you have a mask that looks spectacular - one of the most popular masks is the Venetian mask.

Venetian masks, also often known as Venetian masquerade masks, are classic costume items, with their links to romantic tragedy and comedy. They are just right for evoking a mysterious look, and masquerade masks have been a common part of celebrations in different cultures for some time now.

Mardi gras masquerade masks are of course just one option, and it is for you to decide what look you will go for on the occasion. It is important to remember that on Mardi gras, there is no point trying to blend into the background - you should try to look remarkable because that is what the occasion demands.

An alternative to Mardi gras masquerade masks could be feathered Mardi Gras masks. They carry a subtlety that is unmatched by most other masks and are a favorite for a lot of revellers. They are among the classiest Mardi Gras party masks.

If you are planning on throwing a big shindig, then bear in mind that you can always by cheap Mardi Gras masks wholesale and ensure that there are enough to go around for everyone - after all, on this day of all days, no-one wants to feel left out.

Among all the problems that physicists struggle over, mass has emerged one of the strangest things to understand at present. For much of science, mass was something that did not pose much problems. it was considered an intrinsic part of the world, and when Newton related mass to inertia, it was something that seemed very logical and clear, and the understanding of mass must have been thought to be in the bag by scientists at that time.

But a great problem arose with Einstein's theory of Relativity. Because in this it was suddenly proposed that mass increased at relativistic speeds, that is, an object became heavier, or rather, acquired more mass when it moved at speeds close to light speed. This went against all our intuitive understanding. there seems to be no reason why mass should increase when something moves at great speed. Subsequently under quantum physics, this idea developed further and moved into ever more mysterious realms, to the point that the present scientific idea of mass is far beyond the reach of our conventional notion of the world.

The present idea of mass is that it did not arise at the point of the beginning of the Universe, the big Bang, but some time later. in the beginning, mass existed only as virtual particles, particles that were in a superfluid state. they were in perfect symmetry, and so did not manifest, and no particle in the universe at that time had mass. it was only when the field of virtual particles cooled down that this symmetry was broken, and the mass particles condensed on other particles, and elementary particles acquired their mass.

This field of virtual mass particles is called the Higg's field. there are too many unresolved questions associated with this field, like the exact nature of the field and the particles associated with it, why certain elementary particles are heavier than others, and so on.

To understand this, scientists have constructed the Large Hadron Collider, a huge machine that will accelerate particles to speeds very near the speeds of light, and duplicate the conditions of that early period just after the big Bang. With this experiment, scientists hope to create a particle called the Higg's Boson, a particle that will precipitate out of the Higg's field, just as it did at that early period. By studying the nature of this Higg's boson, its mass, etc. scientists at last hope to understand the Higg's field and solve one of the most important problems confronting science at present.

The Large Hadron Collider is truly a large machine. it has an underground tunnel or ring which is 27 kms in length, and will eventually cost about 5 billion dollars. Within this tunnel, scientists will accelerate a beam of Hadrons. either protons or lead ions, to speeds near the speed of light. the particles themselves will travel in two beam about the cross section of a drinking straw going in opposite directions. When they have sufficiently speeded up, they will be narrowed down to approximately the cross section of a hair, at which stage they will start to collide. This collision will take place only at designated portions of the tunnels which have huge detectors. At such high speeds and masses, scientists hope that the Higg's Boson will appear. it will however remain only for a tiny fraction of time, and scientists will detect it indirectly.

This event will give enough data for scientists to confirm their understanding of mass and all the theories associated with present quantum physics. we are now finally close to understanding what mass actually is. Either that, or if the experiment fails to confirm the present theory, we will be faced with not having any idea at all about mass.

Warfarin and its counterparts are commonly prescribed prescription medications today. Warfarin is a blood thinner, and is used primarily to prevent blood clots in patients with cardiovascular disease, or who are otherwise at a higher than average risk of stroke or heart attack.

Warfarin prevents clots from forming or from growing larger by stopping the formation of substances that cause clots. Because warfarin thins your blood, it's important to stop taking it before any surgical procedures. Check with your doctor regarding his recommendations before your surgery.

Warfarin's side effects include

Recently, there has been discussion that some beverages may inhibit the blood thinning properties of warfarin. the beverages in question include cranberry juice, grape juice and tea. the theory was that the beverages inhibited the human enzyme upon which warfarin works to prevent the formation of clots. this led patients to wonder if it was safe to consume these beverages while taking warfarin and similar drugs. Similar concerns were raised for patients who might be taking an anti-fungal such as fluconazole; the drug commonly prescribed to treat yeast infections.

A study was conducted to measure the effects of these three beverages on the effectiveness of warfarin. To conduct the study, researchers performed experiments both in vitro and on human participants, using flurbiprofen, a common anti-inflammatory drug. the flurbiprofen mimics warfarin's action in the body, so it was thought to be a safer alternative for the participants.

The human participants were given grape juice, cranberry juice, brewed tea, or a placebo cranberry juice for control. the patients were also given either flurbiprofen to determine any interactions. In addition, the patients were given fluconazole along with flubiprofen to study its possible interaction, too.

The study used 14 healthy volunteers and studied them weekly over a 5 week period. At each visit, the volunteer would receive a different combination, so that each combination could be compared on each participant.

In addition to using human participants, researchers also studied the reactions created by these various combinations in the lab. under these conditions, scientists can more closely monitor exactly how the substances might affect each other.

The studies concluded that the beverages in question did not inhibit the effectiveness of warfarin in terms of its ability to thin the blood in the human studies. However, the in vitro trials showed a slight inhibition when the flurbiprofen was combined with tea or grape juice -but this finding was not replicated in the human studies.

What the studies did find, however, was that fluconazole did appear to inhibit the effectiveness of warfarin in both human trials and in vitro tests.

So, this study concluded that those who drink juices and tea need not worry that their beverages will interfere with the drug's ability to do its job. you should speak to your doctor, however, if you are prescribed fluconazole while taking warfarin, as the interaction may cause warfarin to be less effective.
But, you can feel safe drinking your usual beverages without fear that you'll have an interaction. and, in fact, if your beverage of choice is green tea, you may actually be working your way out of taking that warfarin in the future.

Green tea's potent anti-oxidants have been shown to help improve blood pressure and lower cholesterol. An improvement in blood pressure and cholesterol can mean a significant improvement in any cardiovascular disease that you might have.

Abnormally high blood pressure puts pressure on the arterial walls, which often causes them to have little nicks. Blood clots are formed as your body attempts to repair these little nicks. but, if the blood clots grow too large or break off, they can block an artery to the heart, causing a heart attack. Or, if they block an artery that supplies the brain, they can cause a stroke.

Warfarin is prescribed to help prevent these clots from forming, but if blood pressure and cholesterol are lowered naturally, the need for a blood thinner can sometimes be eliminated. of course, you should never discontinue any medication without consulting your doctor, but wouldn't it be nice to be able to manage your blood pressure naturally?

In general, adding green tea to your diet is a healthy idea. it has been shown in study after study to help prevent premature aging and a whole host of diseases, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and some cancers. it may also help you keep your weight under control, which also helps keep you healthy and strong.

Try adding two to three cups of green tea per day to your diet to start seeing the healthy benefits. You'll find green tea available in a wide variety of flavors, in both loose form and tea bag form. you can drink it hot or iced - and add milk if you wish. Any way you drink it, you can be sure you're doing something healthy - and that won't interfere with medications you're already taking.

It has well and truly been quite some time now since the invention of one of the most popular sports around which is the sport of basketball. now played indoors and out in leagues around the world it has evolved quite dramatically since it's inception and also has changed substantially in the past twenty years or so to the leagues that we have now, which include the NBA in the United States, the NBL in Australia and several leagues around Europe. also played quite frequently in outdoor competitions which are often more promotional such as the And1 Mix tape tours which draws a massive crowd due to the visual treats that they serve up with some spectacular moves.

It began back in 1891 almost one hundred and twenty years ago now and was invented by a Canadian born physical education teacher at a Christian school in Springfield in the USA. what he was looking for at the time being a PE teacher was a physical fast paced game for his students in order for them to develop their fitness and in fact to keep them busy also. there were some other ideas of this new sport before it became what it is today but he had rejected them because they did not suit the environment of an indoor gym.

In the end he nailed a peach basket up about ten feet high which is now the standard height but instead of the net that we see today the basket still had a bottom so that after every time the ball went in they had to manually get up there and grab them out. certainly not as fast paced as it could have been in that respect but it grew from there to the thriving sport that we now know which has kept kids occupied to this day.