Houston Rockets – The Early Years

Category : Region IV

Houston Rockets – The Early Years

The Rockets, along with the Seattle SuperSonics, entered the NBA in 1967 as an expansion team based in San Diego. They selected Pat Riley with their first draft pick in 1967. They went on to produce a then-NBA record 67-loss season.

In 1968 the Rockets won the coin toss versus the Baltimore Bullets, giving them the first overall pick in the 1968 NBA Draft. They selected Elvin “the Big E” Hayes from the University of Houston. Hayes led the team to the franchise’s first ever playoff appearance in 1969. The Rockets lost in the Western divisional semi-final to the Atlanta Hawks two games to four in a best-of-seven series.

The 1970 NBA Draft brought Calvin Murphy and Rudy Tomjanovich to the Rockets – both significant to the franchise after their playing careers were over.

Coached by Jack McMahon and Alex Hannum, the Rockets tallied a 119-209 record over their tenure in San Diego.

In 1971, real estate broker Wayne Duddleston and banker Billy Goldberg bought the franchise for .6 million and relocated the team from San Diego, where fans were more disposed to the Los Angeles Lakers than the Rockets. The Rockets originally had been named for San Diego slogan, “A City in Motion,” but with the move to Houston their name took on even greater relevance. Houston is home to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center and Mission Control, which received national attention during Project Apollo.

The Rockets began playing at various venues in Houston, including the Astrodome, AstroHall, and Hofheinz Pavilion. They also played games at HemisFair Arena in San Antonio and in Waco. However, fan support was weak in the football and baseball-dominated city, and the Rockets averaged less than 5000 fans per game during their first Houston season. It was mused that the local churches in Waco drew more attendance than the Rockets.

Before the start of the 1971 season, Coach Alex Hannum left for the Denver Nuggets of the American Basketball Association. Tex Winter was hired as the new coach shortly before the team was sold. Coach Winter applied a triple-post offensive system that contrasted with the offensive style to which Hayes was accustomed. Houston soon traded Hayes to the Baltimore Bullets for Jack Marin. Lack of success did little to capture the city’s attention, and in the Spring of 1973, following the Rockets 10th straight loss, Winter was relieved of his duties.

In 1975, with Coach Johnny Egan’s guidance and Tomjanovich, Murphy, and Mike Newlin leading the way, the Rockets made their first appearance in the playoffs since arriving in Houston. The Rockets defeated the New York Knicks (led by Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe) in the first round, but lost to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals.

At the start of the 1977 season, the Rockets negotiated a trade with the Buffalo Braves to acquire Moses Malone, who as a high school star made the unprecedented decision of bypassing college basketball to sign on as a professional with the Utah Stars of the ABA in 1974. The Rockets defeated the Washington Bullets in the 1977 Eastern Conference semi-final, but lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the Conference Finals. Malone made an impressive showing against Washington’s Elvin Hayes and waning star Wes Unseld.

On December 9, 1977, in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin Kunnert got into a fight with the Lakers’ Kermit Washington. As Tomjanovich approached the altercation, Washington turned and threw a punch, landing squarely in the face of an approaching Tomjanovich, causing extensive structural damage to his cranium. The shocking scene became the defining moment of the Rockets’ 1977-78 season as well as the playing careers of Tomjanovich and Washington. Tomjanovich spent the next five months in rehabilitation and returned to appear in the 1978 All-Star Game. A book by John Feinstein recording the events surrounding this event and the different paths that Tomjanovich and Washington have taken since that day is entitled “The Punch.”

Malone received the 1979 MVP Award. Not exceptionally big or quick, he used footwork and positioning to become a successful center in the NBA. Malone, Murphy, and Tomjanovich all played in the 1979 NBA All-Star Game. Rick Barry was signed for the 1979 season from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for John Lucas. Barry averaged a modest 13.5 points and set a new NBA record, posting a .947 free-throw percentage for the season. He would play one more year for the Rockets before retiring in 1980.

The Rockets went 47-35 in 1978-79, Nissalke’s last season as coach. They finished second in the Central Division, losing two straight to Atlanta in a best-of-three first-round series.

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Accept That Long Envisioned Colorado Family Vacation You’ve Been Devising for Years

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Accept That Long Envisioned Colorado Family Vacation You’ve Been Devising for Years

Your family-friendly holiday destinations that exist during Colorado will likely be likely to get this vacation your entire family won’t ever neglect.

Called following your Co Lake, Denver originated the particular Speaking spanish time period ‘Rio Colorado’ since water ended up being red from all the actual hill silt that captivated. Co is known as the actual ‘Centennial State’ simply because which it became the 38th condition in the union through the Usa Declaration of Self-sufficiency centennial year.
Colorado is acknowledged for its dazzling canyons, hills, mesas, flatlands, streams, wasteland gets along with levels off. If you are planning to look at the Denver colorado getaway, you might want to investigate Denver Comes and that is the place that the Garden from the Gods can be.

Admire your one-of-a-kind stone formations as well as the look at from Pike’s Top. You will also really like taking snapshots of the infant meerkats along with Komodo dragons with the loved ones friendly Cheyenne Pile Zoo.

Aspen is another fantastic location households really like. Self-sufficiency Pass can be a must-see and thus will be the Ajax Aspen Huge batch that may provide the greatest skiing encounter you’ve ever been through. Browse the local’s favorite Aspen Highlands where one can visit a large amount of dark diamond jewelry.

Try out snowmobiling at the Big t Sluggish 6 Horse Farm and also the rest and also recovery with the David Denver Sanctuary. Require a ride lower the particular Gold Queen Gondola that takes that you the top Aspen Hill in every involving 18 min’s.
Households who will be going to Telluride would want to bike with the San Juan Hut System which usually extends coming from Telluride in order to Moab, Ut. Snowboarders along with snowboarders will not be able to get enough regarding Telluride Huge batch. Relax for as long as you would like within the very hot spgs in which Telluride is renowned for.

Give the children a treat through these to the particular Journey together with Rudy as well as Telluride Horseback Escapades and also a trip to the actual Telluride Canoe University. Everything a person requires are available by clicking hotspringspool.net

To go to the best vacation spot visit Colorado Family Vacation


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College Football – in Just Two Years Nick Saban Has the Crimson Tide No. 1 in the Nation

Category : Region IV

College Football – in Just Two Years Nick Saban Has the Crimson Tide No. 1 in the Nation

Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley

Goodbye Texas. Hello Alabama. It is now the Crimson Tide that have become the No. 1 coveted target in the nation for big-time college football programs in America.

The Texas Longhorns, who were No. 1, took on their 4th top-ranked team in consecutive weeks and came up short on the road Saturday (11-1-08) in Lubbock to No. 6 Texas Tech 39-33 on a scoring play that never should have happened with 1 second left.

In a Texas-style shootout, the Longhorns trailed 19-0 and rallied to take a 33-32 lead on Vondrell McGee’s 4-yard touchdown run with only 1:29 to play. That gave just a little too much time left for the Red Raiders’ Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree, two gifted athletes on a mission few others would dare to take.

With virtually no time left and 28 yards from pay dirt, Harrell found himself surrounded by nasty Longhorns and out of time with Crabtree in double coverage and no room to even turn around. So what does a great quarterback do? He throws high into double coverage, hoping his All-American wide receiver is as great as Harrell thinks he is.

Michael Crabtree does not disappoint either his teammates or himself. He rises to the challenge, grabs the rock with sure hands, breaks the wannabe arm tackle of a sophomore cover back trying to strip the ball, and takes a couple of steps into the end zone and the game clock shows 1 second left.

Amazingly, Crabtree stays in bounds as thousands and thousands of screaming, delirious fans pour onto the field of play. It is sheer bedlam as fans begin to rip down the goal post at one end of the field, and the officials on the field try to restore order for the extra-point attempt and final kickoff to Texas to eliminate the one second left on the clock.

This is college football in America on a Saturday afternoon. A major university with thousands of fans who have suffered through the dominance of Texas and Oklahoma teams for too many years. This is their moment of glory and they will not be denied. It is the competitive spirit of America in its finest hour, their years of hardship and agony are over and their 15 minutes of fame and glory have arrived.

All of the Texas Tech fans, players and coaches need to party down big-time because Texas Tech’s season is not over. The Red Raiders will now run a gauntlet somewhat similar to the one that the Longhorns faced as 8-1 Oklahoma State and 8-1 Oklahoma lie ahead and a lesser-light Baylor team lurks in the background.

The drama of this game could not have been higher. Texas Tech only needed a field goal to win the game, but could not rely on its kicker to convert from some 40 yards out. Not only was Harrell’s pass into double coverage over the top, and even though Crabtree made a great catch, had he been tackled short of the end zone or gone out of bounds, it is unlikely in the moment that the Red Raiders could have called a time out and still had enough time to set up for a game-winning field goal try.

“All we needed was a field goal, but a touchdown’s even sweeter,” said Raider quarterback Graham Harrell after the game. “If you’re a quarterback and don’t want to be in that situation, you should change positions.” Harrell finished with 474 yards passing and 2 touchdowns while completing 36 of 53 attempts.

Was this really THAT big of a win for Texas Tech? Yes it was. The Red Raider win over Texas was the biggest win in Texas Tech history and its first win against a No. 1-ranked team. The victory gave them command of the Big 12 South and put them smack in the middle of the race for a spot in the national championship game.

And just how close was Texas to winning? How about 1 second among 60 minutes of play? Or the fact that on the play prior to Crabtree’s winning 28-yard TD catch, freshman safety Blake Gideon dropped what would have been a game-ending interception on a tipped pass. That single drop meant Harrell could make the dangerous decision to throw into double coverage to Crabtree. The rest is now history.

The win vaulted No. 6 Texas Tech past Penn State, Florida and Oklahoma into the No. 2 spot in this week’s AP Top 25 Poll. For Texas Tech fans around the world, this rise to prominence came none too soon.

The reason Alabama vaulted from No. 2 in the AP rankings to the top spot is because the Crimson Tide shut out Arkansas State Saturday 35-0, scoring in every quarter and looking every bit as if they should be No. 1.

Coach Nick Saban has quickly become better than the gold standard in Alabama. Saban has taken the Crimson Tide to the No. 1 ranking in the nation in only his second year at Tuscaloosa.

Saban is the highest paid coach in college football ( million for 8 years). Many fans and boosters at Alabama believe Saban is worth every penny of it and now you know why.

Saban turned around Michigan State’s program in one year and went to 3 bowl games in his first 3 years. He turned around Louisiana State’s program in one year, won or shared 3 SEC titles, went to bowl games all 5 years and won the National Championship in 2003. He turned around Alabama in his first season last year and went to a bowl game. Now his Crimson Tide players are 9-0 and in the hunt for a spot in this year’s national championship game.

No. 5 Florida recorded a huge win on the road at No. 8 Georgia, putting some major hurt on the Bulldogs, 49-10. Since their unexpected lack of focus and 31-30 loss to Mississippi, Coach Urban Meyer’s Gators have gone ballistic croc hunting, ripping apart Arkansas 38-7, LSU 51-21 and Kentucky 63-5 before hosting Georgia.

Apparently the Gators have become so savage that they will rip apart their victims but also drink their blood in their quest to get into the national championship game.

Both Texas and Georgia lost to top-ranked teams. Texas Tech, Alabama and Florida were among 13 of the 20 AP Poll teams to win this week, 7 others—including Texas and Georgia which played top-ranked teams–lost and 5 teams were idle. No. 3 Penn State, No. 13 Ohio State, No. 18 Ball State, No. 21 North Carolina and No. 25 Maryland were all idle.

The other ranked teams which won big and made a statement included:

No. 4 Oklahoma at home in a waltz over Nebraska 62-28 (the Sooners led 62-21 after 3 quarters), No. 7 Southern Cal on the road shut out Washington 56-0 (the Huskies are dead and waiting for fired head coach Tyrone Willingham to get on down the road), No. 9 Oklahoma State at home over Iowa State 59-17 (the Cowboys scored in every quarter), No. 11 Boise State at home shut out New Mexico State 49-0 (the Broncos scored in every quarter against what we think is a team in the southwest), No. 12 TCU on the road over UNLV 44-14, and No. 15 LSU at home over Tulane 35-10.

Four other ranked teams won but were hardly impressive. They included:

No. 10 Utah on the road over weak, unranked New Mexico 13-10 (the 9-0 unbeaten Utah Utes are overrated big-time and may find that out this week when they clash with 9-1 TCU), No. 14 Missouri on the road over unranked Baylor 31-28 (the now toothless Tigers take down a 3-win Baylor team), No. 17 BYU on the road over weak, unranked Colorado State 45-42 (the Cougars are hardly ferocious, they gave up 32 points to TCU, 35 to UNLV and now 42 to Colorado State after beating a winless 0-8 Washington team 28-27 earlier in the season), and No. 22 Michigan State at home over Wisconsin 25-24 (it’s true that Wisconsin may well be the best 4-5 team in the country, but the Spartans should have won by two touchdowns).

Five other ranked teams committed the unpardonable sin of losing to an unranked team. They included:

No. 16 Florida State lost on the road to Georgia Tech 31-28, No. 19 and unbeaten Tulsa lost on the road to Arkansas 30-23, No. 20 Minnesota lost at home to Northwestern 24-17, No. 23 Oregon lost on the road to California 26-16, and No. 24 South Florida lost on the road to Cincinnati 24-10.

Read my other detailed, knowledgeable, interesting articles on college football, including:

“Texas Handles Unbeaten Oklahoma State, and Penn State Whips Ohio State”

“Top 6 Teams Remain on Top, Led by Unbeaten Texas, Alabama & Penn State”

“Only 10 Undefeated Teams Remain – Oklahoma, Missouri and LSU All Lose”

Find my Blog at:
http://www.edbagleyblog.com
http://www.edbagleyblog.com/Sports.html


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Singapore Lama Lu contract 4 years to become the highest-paid Steelers player

Category : Region V

Singapore Lama Lu contract 4 years to become the highest-paid Steelers player

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Pittsburgh Steelers star Troy slope Lama Lu Zhongwei (Troy Polamalu) on Monday renewed a value of $ 30,190,000 in the four-year contract, making him the team’s highest-paid player in history, but also become Alliance one of the most expensive defender.

The Steelers will have multiple locations competent defensive player until 2011, when the slope of La Malu will be 30 years old, which means he has a chance to end his career in the NFL get another huge contract. However, the slope of La Malu said he did not want this to become a free agent after the season left the team does not want to leave after four years.

“I do not want to quit the player.” Slope Lama Lu said, “I had a very good in the Steelers, the team’s organization and the traditional reputation, I am very happy to be one of them.”

The 2005 season’s All-Star defender this season have been given a salary of $ 1,088,000 and $ 1,722,000 in prize money, a total of $ 2,810,000, $ 1,632,000 salary cap. 2008 next year contract extension in 2011 would make him the deposit and bonus reached $ 15,375,000, as long as he stayed in the team, you can get all the money.

Why should he earn so much?

“4 fitted to the Super Bowl trophy in a row?” He smiled and replied, “In the field hard, this is the only thing I can do.”

Steelers the previous highest paid player is wide receiver Hines Ward, he renewed in 2005, up to $ 25,800,000 a four-year contract, the deposit up to $ 10,000,000. Contract until 2009.

“I am very happy to get the contract, Rooney family is very fair and everything is going great, I feel that the contract or whether the team is very good for me.” Team owner about Singapore Lama Lu Dan Rooney and the team principal Art Rooney II when the said.

Singapore Lama Lu Steelers this contract is the second in two days to sign an important contract, but most likely the last before the start of the new season one. On Sunday, the team with their rookie first-round pick David  outside Sri Lanka (Lawrence Timmons) signed a five-year contract. Margin reached 12 million U.S. dollars contract, the maximum contract value could reach 1,500 million.

The All-Star Allen Tiffany Card (Alan Faneca) glumly in the season of renewal interval, he believes the contract to provide salary compare to other first-class care alliance front.

Mini camp in May, where the card had said he was about to leave Pittsburgh next year, and on Monday, he again expressed the idea. As a 5 time All-Star left-care front, where the cards this season, earned $ 4,375,000, but a free agent next year, he is likely to be twice the present income.

Singapore Lama Lu hoped the successful implementation of their contracts, do not want to open formal negotiations to avoid the experience card as open as any in contractual disputes. When the contract comes to his teammates, he said: “I am sympathetic to Alan Tiffany Card, too bad. He has a wife and children to support, and I hope he can get a fair deal.”

Singapore Lama Lu is the history of the Steelers players up to one of Pittsburgh won the Super Bowl season of 2005, the year he was elected a team of the league’s best team, the 2004 season the best team he has played in two teams . Over the past three seasons, he has participated in the All-Star Game. In addition to exposed outside the helmet striking long black hair flowing, he was considered the league’s best defensive players. The University of Southern California from the former players to complete a four-year career of 10 and 10 intercept the ball sack.

“Singapore Lama Lu contract really exciting.” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin the new (Mike Tomlin) commented, so do not worry about his love will be leaving the team after this season.

Retained by Tomlin’s defensive coach Dick LeBeau often play multiple positions so that slope Lama Lu, in the match by throwing forward pass as a tactic to let him outside when the Guardian, the match ball assault tactics were used him as a guard inside, and sometimes you let him play the traditional Qiang Wei locations.

“Troy slope Lama Lu was a very special player, he is our key to success in recent seasons factor.” Art Rooney II said, “We are very pleased that he can continue the next few seasons on behalf of the Steelers play. “

Singapore Lama Lu contract for the first time in the Steelers training camp announced before the opening few minutes, followed by players in the Tomlin was trained under the leadership of the test, the former coach, Bill examination He (Bill Cowher) always used to this frightening training camp practice on the next day.

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Medical Marijuana Has Been Legal For Years

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Medical Marijuana Has Been Legal For Years

Medical Marijuana Has Been Legal For Years

California was the first State to approve Medical Marijuana in 1996, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had cleared the use of Medicinal Marijuana in 1986, as the pill form of Marinol. Marinol contains the active ingredient in Marijuana known as

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and is considered to be, Medical Marijuana. Marinol is primarily used in association with chemotherapy for Cancer patients, alleviating nausea and vomiting. The “Pill” is also used to assist with loss of appetite by AIDS patients.

Why then did the medical community and FDA, give recent proponents of the leafy plant such static regarding legalization? First of all, Marijuana would have been the FDA’s first (and only) drug approved with a smoking delivery system for medicine. The FDA has long considered the similarities of Tobacco and Marijuana too unsafe for the general public. Tars, 400 plus chemicals burning, poor delivery, difficult to regulate, and difficulty in administering doses, were impassable hurdles facing clearance. To show that they aren’t such a harsh agency, the FDA points to their acceptance of Morphine and the opiate family.

The FDA may have to dig deeper in their acceptance hearts, as the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research has concluded an interesting study. From August 2004, to May 2005 at the University of California San Francisco, smokeless delivery was examined. The primary objective was to evaluate the use of a vaporization system (The Volcano) as a smokeless delivery system for inhaled Marijuana. The results were positive, and a two thumbs up green light has ushered in a new era in the consumption of Medical Marijuana.

Santa may be hauling a lot of extra weight on his sled this year, in the form of Vaporizers.

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The Early Years of the Houston Rockets

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The Early Years of the Houston Rockets

The Rockets, along with the Seattle SuperSonics, entered the NBA in 1967 as an expansion team based in San Diego. They selected Pat Riley with their first draft pick in 1967. They went on to produce a then-NBA record 67-loss season.

In 1968 the Rockets won the coin toss versus the Baltimore Bullets, giving them the first overall pick in the 1968 NBA Draft. They selected Elvin “the Big E” Hayes from the University of Houston. Hayes led the team to the franchise’s first ever playoff appearance in 1969. The Rockets lost in the Western divisional semi-final to the Atlanta Hawks two games to four in a best-of-seven series.

The 1970 NBA Draft brought Calvin Murphy and Rudy Tomjanovich to the Rockets – both significant to the franchise after their playing careers were over.

Coached by Jack McMahon and Alex Hannum, the Rockets tallied a 119-209 record over their tenure in San Diego.

In 1971, real estate broker Wayne Duddleston and banker Billy Goldberg bought the franchise for .6 million and relocated the team from San Diego, where fans were more disposed to the Los Angeles Lakers than the Rockets. The Rockets originally had been named for San Diego slogan, “A City in Motion,” but with the move to Houston their name took on even greater relevance. Houston is home to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center and Mission Control, which received national attention during Project Apollo.

The Rockets began playing at various venues in Houston, including the Astrodome, AstroHall, and Hofheinz Pavilion. They also played games at HemisFair Arena in San Antonio and in Waco. However, fan support was weak in the football and baseball-dominated city, and the Rockets averaged less than 5000 fans per game during their first Houston season. It was mused that the local churches in Waco drew more attendance than the Rockets.

Before the start of the 1971 season, Coach Alex Hannum left for the Denver Nuggets of the American Basketball Association. Tex Winter was hired as the new coach shortly before the team was sold. Coach Winter applied a triple-post offensive system that contrasted with the offensive style to which Hayes was accustomed. Houston soon traded Hayes to the Baltimore Bullets for Jack Marin. Lack of success did little to capture the city’s attention, and in the Spring of 1973, following the Rockets 10th straight loss, Winter was relieved of his duties.

In 1975, with Coach Johnny Egan’s guidance and Tomjanovich, Murphy, and Mike Newlin leading the way, the Rockets made their first appearance in the playoffs since arriving in Houston. The Rockets defeated the New York Knicks (led by Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe) in the first round, but lost to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals.

At the start of the 1977 season, the Rockets negotiated a trade with the Buffalo Braves to acquire Moses Malone, who as a high school star made the unprecedented decision of bypassing college basketball to sign on as a professional with the Utah Stars of the ABA in 1974. The Rockets defeated the Washington Bullets in the 1977 Eastern Conference semi-final, but lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the Conference Finals. Malone made an impressive showing against Washington’s Elvin Hayes and waning star Wes Unseld.

On December 9, 1977, in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin Kunnert got into a fight with the Lakers’ Kermit Washington. As Tomjanovich approached the altercation, Washington turned and threw a punch, landing squarely in the face of an approaching Tomjanovich, causing extensive structural damage to his cranium. The shocking scene became the defining moment of the Rockets’ 1977-78 season as well as the playing careers of Tomjanovich and Washington. Tomjanovich spent the next five months in rehabilitation and returned to appear in the 1978 All-Star Game. A book by John Feinstein recording the events surrounding this event and the different paths that Tomjanovich and Washington have taken since that day is entitled “The Punch.”

Malone received the 1979 MVP Award. Not exceptionally big or quick, he used footwork and positioning to become a successful center in the NBA. Malone, Murphy, and Tomjanovich all played in the 1979 NBA All-Star Game. Rick Barry was signed for the 1979 season from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for John Lucas. Barry averaged a modest 13.5 points and set a new NBA record, posting a .947 free-throw percentage for the season. He would play one more year for the Rockets before retiring in 1980.

The Rockets went 47-35 in 1978-79, Nissalke’s last season as coach. They finished second in the Central Division, losing two straight to Atlanta in a best-of-three first-round series.

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5 Ways to Add Years to Your Life

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5 Ways to Add Years to Your Life

Next time you’re asked to choose between soup and salad, go for salad

+2 years

Italian researchers found that eating as little as one cup of raw vegetables daily can add two years to your life. Why raw? Cooking can deplete up to 30 percent of the antioxidants in vegetables. To eat your quota, fill a ziplock sandwich bag with chopped red and green peppers, broccoli and carrots. Toss the bag into your briefcase, along with a packet of salad dressing – the fat will boost your body’s absorption of certain nutrients.

Learn the Law of Lard: the fat you carry today could kill you tomorrow

+3 years

Researchers at the University of Alabama, in the US, discovered that maintaining a body-mass index of 25 to 35 can shorten your life by up to three years (excess body fat raises your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and colon cancer). If you’re allergic to exercise, sweat with your significant other. A study by Duke University, in the US, shows that sedentary men are 50 percent more likely to work out three times a week if their partners participate.

Eat nuts and extend your expiry date

+3 years

When researchers at Loma Linda University, in the US, tracked the lifestyle habits of 34 000 Seventh-Day Adventists – Christian conservatives famous for their longevity – they discovered that those who munched nuts five days a week, earned an extra 2.9 years on the planet. Pick up a bag of mixed nuts that includes all five key nuts, including walnuts, which are usually left out. Aim to eat 60g a day.

Never forget that your buddies have your back – even when it’s hunched over from osteoporosis

+7 years

In a study of seventy somethings, Australian researchers found that those with the largest network of friends had the longest lease on life. For the average guy, this could add up to seven additional years of existence. Yes, some buddies may encourage risky behavior from time to time but friendship ultimately provides more protection than peril. So try to learn a few new faces at work, trade training tips at the gym or simply say ‘hey’ to that neighbor you’ve never met. You can all thank each other later.

Repeat after us: ‘There is life after retirement’

+7 years

Or at least that’s what you’d better believe if you want to live that long. In a Yale University study of older adults, people with a positive outlook on the ageing process lived more than seven-years longer than those who felt doomed to deteriorating mental and physical health. Already envisioning decades of decrepitude? Volunteer for a cause you’re passionate about: selfless actions can put a positive spin on life and distract from unhealthy obsessing, reports a study in Psychosomatic Medicine.