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For Media
- Daily read-outs from Conference Secretary-General
- UN Media Advisory & Logistics for Rio+20
- Media advisory in French
- Media Accreditation
- Preliminary Information note
- Briefing on logistics by the Government of Brazil
- UN System Media Contacts
- Logo & Guidelines
- A ONU Brasil na Rio+20
Hotels for Press
Accommodation levels in Rio de Janeiro are anticipated to be at full occupancy during the conference. While it is not the responsibility of the United Nations to procure accommodation for the media, it should be noted that the Brazilian national organizing committee for Rio+20 has committed to blocking a minimum of 500 hotel rooms in Rio de Janeiro for media covering the conference. Costs must be covered by the media. For more details, visit: http://www.rio20.gov.br For information regarding room availability please contact: Terramar Travel Agency Emails: firstname.lastname@example.com or email@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.com Tel: (+55+21) 35120067 or (+55+11) 30142042 or (+55+19) 35145600 Media representatives must present their approval letter and copy email@example.com when requesting their accommodations.
- Published on: 20 Jan 2012
- Submitted by: International Olympic Committee to the United Nations
- More information
Educating young athletes about global issues


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Main Content
You've been called a hipster once or twice. Whether you rock skinny jeans on a regular basis or prefer bohemian skirts, you'll look the part of a local fashionista when you walk around with the Jive purse from Dakine. It features a cross-body, seat belt-inspired strap and a contrast lining.
- 100% Cotton fabric
- Adjustable, seat belt-inspired strap
- Approximately 8" x 10"
- Contrast interior lining
- Engineered graphics
- Front zippered pocket
- Imported
- Interior zip pocket
- Quality embroidery
- Zippered closure
- Imported
- Brand: Dakine
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Special event items are produced by manufacturers only after the outcome of a game or event. These are advanced sale items and will ship immediately after they are received in our warehouse.
Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


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Bangkok - Massage, Meditation and More
White sandy beaches, tropical temperatures, hospitable hosts – as if that weren't wellness enough… but Thailand has even more to offer! For example, an ancient massage technique that smiling practitioners happily pass on to Western visitors, and spa resorts that combine holistic healing with modern luxury. Even in Bangkok, the bustling capital city, you will find some wonderfully peaceful oases in which to enjoy a tranquil moment of time out. Bring a little more time and you could even discover some fantastic feel-good havens complete with a sea view.
Massage, Meditation and More
Wat Po:
Wat Po Temple (with its famous, 46-meter-long Reclining Buddha statue) features on many visitors' "to see" list. But what most tourists don't expect to find here is the opportunity to relax beneath the professional hands of the masseurs at the temple's own, highly respected massage school. People come from all over the world to train here and then – in return for a small fee and under the supervision of their instructors ¬– to try out their newly acquired skills. The ancient art of Thai massage is said to have been developed by Buddha's personal physician.
Wat Po Massage School: 392/25-28 Maharaj Road, Soi Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, Tel.: +66-(0)2/22 12 974. Cost: around 10 euros for a one-hour massage. www.watpomassage.com
Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit/Spa:
In actual fact, the massage technique has its roots in Indian and Chinese medicine. In the West, it is also known as "Thai yoga massage" or "Yoga for the lazy." In Thai massage, the limbs are stretched and brought into positions similar to those of yoga. In other words, the client is exercised without having to move a muscle because the massage therapist does all the work. For Thais, this kind of massage is simply a regular element of preventive health care, but for tourists it is often slightly modified, and the spas of luxury hotels (for instance, the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit) frequently offer further traditional Thai treatments.
Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit: 250 Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok, Tel.: +66-(0)/26 49 88 88. www.sheratongrandesukhumvit.com
Mandarin Oriental/Spa:
For many guests, just staying at this hotel is like a wonderful wellness treatment. The Hotel Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok counts among the planet's legendary luxury hostelries – and according to the experts, also boasts the "world's best" spa. There, guests can relax and enjoy an ayurvedic treatment, a Thai massage or any of a host of international standard treatments in one of the spa's exclusive suites. Should your onward journey take you to the city of Chiang Mai in the north of the country, you will have another chance to stay at a Mandarin Oriental hotel. It has a superb spa, too, but also boasts 60 hectares of lush gardens.
Mandarin Oriental: 48 Oriental Avenue, Bangkok, Tel.: +66-(0)2/659 90 00. wwww.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok
Chiva Som:
Quiet oases amid a bustling megalopolis: In Bangkok, wellness treatments are a way of recharging your batteries to cope with the hectic pace of daily life – which unfortunately often catches up with you just a few hours later. Anyone looking for a longer break from the rat race will find some veritable havens of peace and relaxation on the Gulf of Thailand. One such is the Chiva Som Health Resort in the seaside town of Hua Hin, some 185 kilometers south of the capital. The resort has a private beach and an ample, seven-hectare tropical garden. Traditional Thai pavilions await guests, who can take yoga classes and choose from a selection of holistic healing and conventional medical treatments.
Chiva Som: 73/4 Petchkasem Road, Hua Hin, Tel.:+66-(0)32/53 65 36. Double rooms start at 100,000 bahts for a 3-day retreat (minimum stay, some treatments and full board included in the price). www.chivasom.com
The Spa Resort:
Like Bali, Goa and Ibiza, Ko Samui was one of the original Eldorados for dropouts. Today, people usually come here to relax – and book themselves into luxury hotels, such as the Spa Resort. This dream resort complex pampers its guests with a vast range of treatments and activities (detox and massages, meditation and yoga courses). It also features a multi-award-winning restaurant that prepares vegetarian and vegan meals to customer specification. In addition to the hotel on the beach at Ko Samui, further Spa Resorts have now opened at the heart of the island and also on Ko Chang and in Chiang Mai.
Spa Resort: Lamai Beach, Ko Samui, Tel.: +66-(0)77/23 08 55. Double rooms start at 1050 bahts. www.thesparesorts.net
The holistic ideals of onetime dropouts are still in evidence at the Kamalaya Resort on Ko Samui, a wonderful resort where the main attraction is a cave once used by Buddhist monks as a quiet retreat in which to meditate. Today's guests enjoy far more luxurious accommodation than the monks in the old days, and can choose, for example, between a pool or beach villa – and select from a host of different treatments: yoga courses, detox, fitness, antistress or other, tailored programs… More specific alternative and conventional medical treatments are also available at retreats and workshops (see event calendar on the website).
Kamalaya-Resort: Laem Set Road, Na-Muang, Ko Samui, Tel.: +66-(0)77 42 98 00. double room starts at 7100 bahts. www.kamalaya.com
Photos: Corbis (2), PR (4)
Further travel information
- Lufthansa Highlights Bangkok
- Information about the city of Bangkok


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Patrick E. Boyle, Director of Implementation Services at the Center for Evidence-Based Practices (CEBP) at the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, has been providing consulting and training to several organizations in The Netherlands since 2004 to help them implement an evidence-based practice called Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT). He also has been helping Dutch government organizations, providers and universities develop a collaborative technical-assistance organization whose staff of consultants, trainers and evaluators are helping inform the development of public policies for integrated treatment and helping the service organizations sustain IDDT over time.
Since his initial introduction to the Dutch, Boyle has fostered an ongoing cultural exchange between Dutch institutions and the Mandel School. In March 2005, he and his colleagues at the CEBP hosted in Cleveland a group of 21 Dutch researchers, program managers and clinicians who represented six provinces in The Netherlands. The cultural exchange has also gone the other way, as Boyle has made several week-long trips overseas as an instructor of the Mandel School's spring break study program in The Netherlands. In addition to instructing CWRU undergraduates and graduate students during the week-long course, he uses these trips as an opportunity to provide consulting and training to Dutch institutions, new IDDT implementers and policy makers. Boyle is a licensed social worker and chemical dependency counselor who has practiced in Ohio for over 35 years and has taught at the Mandel School for 20 years.


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Useful Links
- Date submitted: 1 Nov 2011
- Stakeholder type: Member State
- Name: Montenegro
- Submission Document: Download
Full Submission1 Introduction This Report presents in a condensed form the main findings and recommendations from several activities that were carried out in the framework of national preparations for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) to be held in Rio in 2012 (also known as Rio+20). The Report draws on the following: - Assessments and information included in the Questionnaire on experiences, success factors, risks and challenges with regard to objective and themes of UNCSD; - Results of the compatible national processes, such as an assessment of the key achievements and weaknesses exhibited with Implementation of the Declaration on Ecological State (analysis prepared by National Council of Sustainable Development to mark 20th anniversary of the adoption of Declaration); - Stocktaking report and consultations with various stakeholders; - Key discussion points and messages from the national multi-stakeholder conference on sustainable development held in October 2011. The Questionnaire was submitted to the UN in December 2010 and it contains a comprehensive set of answers pertinent to the objective and themes of UNCSD, including information on experiences gained during the past 20 years in the area of sustainable development as well as views on successes, risks and challenges. The Stakeholder Conference on Sustainable Development was held in October 2011, organised by the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, with the support of UNDP. The objective of the Conference was to provide a forum for debate on achievements and problems encountered with the Implementation of sustainable development in Montenegro and to identify/ reach consensus on priority issues of relevance at the national level, priorities relevant for regional actions as well as those that could be significant for the decisions at the UNCSD itself. 2 Sustainable development commitments over the past 20 years: the key developments in Montenegro In the wake of 1992 Earth Summit in Rio (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development or UNCED), Montenegrin Parliament adopted a Declaration on Ecological State in September of 1991. The Declaration has stated a high level of commitment to preservation of natural environment and balanced development, and these strategic determinations were later reflected in Montenegrin Constitution which defines the country (inter alia) as an ecological state. The Declaration has also been recognised at the Rio Summit and enlisted as one of the Conference documents. During the 1990s little has been done to operationalize and implement the concept of ecological state and Rio Summit outcomes. The first steps were taken to set up a modern legal and institutional framework for environmental protection and integrate environmental concerns into development planning, however the negative developments of the decade (including wars and breakdown of former country, pronounced political and economic instability, international isolation and similar) hindered these efforts and prevented achievement of progress towards sustainability. Consequently, the opposite trends ? deterioration of conditions and indicators for the three pillars of sustainable development - characterised much of the 1990s. Montenegro took part in the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in 2002 in Johannesburg by reaffirming the ecological state idea. In the beginning of 2000s the region entered a more stable period and the country turned towards development of a comprehensive and systemic response to sustainable development challenges. The progress throughout the decade has been steady, although not as rapid and effective as desired. The past decade was also a decade when Montenegro renewed its statehood and joined the United Nations as an independent state, and embarked on a path of European integrations. The country has received a status of candidate country in 2010 and is expected to start with accession negotiations in the forthcoming period. When it comes to mechanisms and policy instruments for sustainable development, it is worth of mentioning that National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD) has been operational since 2002, while National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS) was adopted in 2007. 3 Political commitment to sustainable development, progress achieved and gaps in Implementation 3.1 National efforts to implement sustainable development principles The main characteristic of the country's evolving legal framework in all the areas pertinent to sustainable development is its progressive harmonisation with the EU acquis, as a part of the accession process. The EU integration is a strong driver for Implementation of sustainable development concepts in Montenegro as European regulations and policies are seen as one of the most progressive ones worldwide, striving to achieve goals of competitive and knowledge based economy, equitable and inclusive society and preserved natural environments. In addition to intensive work on aligning national with the EU legislation, a large number of strategic documents were adopted during the past five years for areas and sectors significant for sustainable development, including inter alia spatial planning, energy, transport, waste and wastewater management, climate change, biodiversity, forestry, agriculture, regional development and others. Furthermore, much has been done to improve policy and strategic frameworks for public participation, development of partnerships among stakeholders, application of principles of solidarity and equity (within current generation and among generations), equal access to resources and services (including health and education), poverty reduction and similar. As for the local level, a limited number of municipalities have developed local sustainable development strategies, environmental action plans and similar documents addressing sustainability issues. Montenegro is committed to Implementation of Millennium Development Goals and is monitoring the progress in this area. Country specific Human Development Reports are prepared periodically. Montenegro has ratified three major UN conventions (on biodiversity, climate change and on combating desertification) and is at the various levels of Implementation of responsibilities undertaken at ratification. In 2010, the First National Communication to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has been completed, as well as National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. Besides these major UN conventions, Montenegro is a party or signatory to around 60 multilateral environmental agreements. Regarding the institutional set up for sustainable development, National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD) as an advisory body to the Government plays an important role. The Council was established in 2002 and it is currently composed in a way that provides for participation of different stakeholders ranging from the national and local government representatives to members of academia, business and the NGO sector as well as independent experts. The NCSD task is to, inter alia, consider all the strategic documents pertinent to sustainable development (SD) and issue related opinions and recommendations to the Government, thus contributing to policy integration. The Council's mission is to promote and communicate sustainable development and contribute to Implementation of SD principles in Montenegro. The Office for Sustainable Development, which used to operate as a separate body at Government level, acts as a Secretariat to the Council and also has a mandate to ensure coordination of the line ministries in the processes of the adoption of long term policies. As of June 2011, the Office has been integrated in the relevant ministry (Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism). With regards to the public sector, competences and responsibilities for sustainable development are spread over a large number of administrative bodies and public institutions. Status and mandate of the part of administration responsible for environmental protection has often changed over the course of the past two decades. Environment is now predominantly under competence of the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism (a composite ministry responsible for spatial planning, construction, communal issues ? including waste and wastewater, housing, and tourism, in addition to environmental protection). Other ministries, administrative bodies and institutions that have competences relevant for sustainable development include: Ministry of Economy; Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs; Ministry of Internal Affairs; Ministry of Justice; Ministry of External Affairs and European Integrations; Ministry of Education and Sport; Ministry of Science; Agency for Environmental Protection; Nature Protection Institute; Hydro-meteorological Institute; Public Enterprise National Parks; Public Enterprise for Public Maritime Domain; Centre for Eco-toxicological Research; Water Administration; Forestry Administration; Public Health Institute; Real Estate Administration, and others. Local self-governments also have important competencies for Implementation of SD principles. Civil society has contributed significantly to formulation and Implementation of sustainability policies, especially during the last decade. Contribution of civil society stakeholders has been particularly important when it comes to opening and discussion of sensitive issues and to identification of societal problems that have a negative impact on development perspectives and equal rights of all citizens. A number of scientific and research institutions are operating in Montenegro and they comprise an important segment of total capacities for development of knowledge based economy/ society and for fulfilling sustainability objectives. Business sector is another highly significant stakeholder for sustainable development. International organisations have, through various forms of assistance, played a very important role in implementing SD in Montenegro. UN assistance was particularly pronounced with development and Implementation of SD policies and standards and development of national and local capacities. 3.2 Progress achieved and remaining gaps in Implementation A more substantial progress with Implementation of sustainable development was evidenced during the past decade, as opposed to 1990s when, despite some significant events, little has been done on balanced development within three SD pillars (economy ? environment ? society). The progress can be primarily attributed to improvements in legal and strategic frameworks, as well as to certain steps forward with institutional solutions. This primarily refers to the establishment of National Council of Sustainable Development, the Office for Sustainable Development and the adoption of the National SD Strategy, harmonisation of numerous national regulations with the EU legislation (and advancement in the EU integration in general), as well as to adoption of important documents for biodiversity, forests, climate change, waste and wastewater management, regional development, energy efficiency etc. Environmental Protection Agency has been established and decisions brought to remediate certain environmental 'hot spots' (some of these decisions have been realised and remediation projects completed), and a new national park (fifth one - Prokletije) has been declared. A progress has been achieved in the area of access to information and participation in decision making, and slight improvements in the overall development were recorded (as measured by the Human Development Index). It should be noted however that indicators showing progress (or opposite trends) in relation to SD goals are not always available. Situation is somewhat better when socio-economic aspects of sustainable development are considered (including indicators such as poverty rate, human development index etc.). Sustainability indicators for socio-economic development aspects have been mainly revolving around same values during the past 7 ? 8 years, with some variations in both directions (increases and decreases). Classical economic indicators (such as GDP, employment etc.) have exhibited positive trends throughout the last decade and have peaked in 2008, before the effects of economic crisis. In the years prior to 2008, Montenegrin economy was one of the fastest growing in the region. In depth analysis on the extent to which this growth was sustainable is not available. When it comes to environment, there are no composite indicators (such as ecological footprint or similar) that could show whether environmental performances of Montenegrin society/ economy are sustainable. Generally speaking, environmental statistics and indicators are not sufficiently developed; a GEF (Global Environmental Facility) project is currently being implemented to address these gaps. Implementation of laws, policies and strategies is still not fully adequate and should be further improved. Other identified challenges that also contribute to Implementation weaknesses include insufficient levels of harmonisation among sectoral policies, low level of integration of environmental concerns in sectoral/ economic policies, inadequate estimation and lack of financial resources necessary for Implementation, lack of sufficiently developed monitoring and enforcement mechanisms and similar. Necessity of cooperation and partnerships among stakeholders based of the principles of transparency and participation has been recognised as a precondition for sustainable development. When reviewing developments over the past 20 years in Montenegro, positive examples of synergetic conduct of different stakeholders towards common sustainability objectives can be identified, as well as examples of opposite practices. Lack of integrated approaches is pronounced. Institutional framework and stakeholder cooperation are certainly areas where it is possible and necessary to achieve substantial improvements in the forthcoming period. Though the organisational infrastructure for sustainable development is in place, but certain challenges persist. Some of the issues that decrease public sector capacities to adequately respond to challenges and requirements of sustainable development are overlapping competences, insufficient or ineffective coordination, and lack of necessary skills and preparedness for strict enforcement of regulations. The areas over which these deficiencies have had an impact so far i.e. problems they generate include: deterioration of protected areas; illegal construction; illegal waste disposal; conversion of agricultural land; unsustainable forest cutting; poor enforcement of regulations for industrial pollution of air, water and soil; inadequate water management, etc. Problem of insufficient capacities (human, technical and financial) in public administration bodies has been also noted, especially on local level. Scientific and research capacities for numerous, often new and complex environmental, climate change and sustainable development issues can be also assessed as insufficient. This refers to human resources, equipment, assets and projects undertaken by these institutions. The role of civil society stakeholders and their contributions to sustainable development need to be further strengthened through continuous efforts to allow for meaningful participation in policy and decision making. Existing partnerships need to be extended and new ones built to harness potential of this stakeholder group to its full potential. Relative to the role of civil sector in the society, capacities are significant. This is mainly due to flexibility and openness of civil society stakeholders. On the other hand, there is a room for improvements. Media, for example, could do more on awareness raising agenda and with better/ more in depth coverage on all the issues from the sustainable development corpus. Despite some positive examples during the last few years, the level of involvement of business sector and its contribution to sustainable development goals has remained at relatively low level. Concepts such as sustainable consumption and production and corporate social responsibility are not widely applied. Development of public-private partnerships is still at initial stage. During the past decade, the UN assistance was to a large degree extended through UNDP office in Montenegro and was referring to issues such as establishment and operation of the Office for Sustainable Development, functioning and reform of NCSD as well as to preparation of NSDS. Assistance from UN DESA was received in improving the existing set of core indicators of sustainable development. Furthermore, the UN system provided an essential support to Montenegro in the areas of: ? Climate change (strengthening capacities to address climate change and analyse its impacts on people, economy and environment); ? Biodiversity (building capacities for development and Implementation of adequate policies, improving management of protected areas); ? Monitoring and reporting on the Implementation of Millennium Development Goals and preparation of Human Development Reports; ? Preparation of strategic documents for regional development, public administration reform etc. Continued support of the UN system and cooperation towards Montenegro?s sustainable development is expected in the future through the ?Delivering as One? initiative, based on consultations between UN agencies and Government partners. Notwithstanding achieved progress, challenges with Implementation of sustainable development goals remain numerous. They have been exacerbated lately by global challenges such as climate change and financial/ economic crisis. In addition, long lasting negative trends that have been recorded within the country, such as spatial degradation, inadequate waste management, non-compliance with regulations, regional development disparities, poverty and economic vulnerability, inequitable distribution of benefits among social groups, inefficient use of resources and similar, make facing these challenges a more demanding and difficult task. Due to pressures to achieve rapid economic improvements in the transitional period, there has been insufficient ability to translate the growing political commitment to sustainable development into concrete transformative actions and policies. Lack of longer term perspective in policy formulation has been frequently seen due to pressures to achieve rapid economic improvements, and so despite formal advocating of the SD principles ? the need to renew political commitment to this concept is evident. Priorities identified through the hitherto preparations for Rio+20 and the key challenges for accelerating progress towards sustainable development over the course of the next decade are: ? Sustainable management and use of space; ? Waste and wastewater management; ? Biodiversity protection, preservation of resilience and stability of ecosystems, and rational use of water and forests; ? Energy efficiency in all sectors and orientation towards new and alternative energy sources (especially solar and wind energy); ? Decrease of currently large regional development disparities and poverty eradication. In order to address these challenges it will be necessary to: ? Further harmonise national legislation with the EU acquis, international conventions and UN recommendations as well as to strengthen commitment and readiness (also capacities) to implement regulations and undertaken responsibilities fully and efficiently; ? Improve governance system (to enable stronger involvement of stakeholders in decision making and building of partnerships); ? Develop and implement educational and awareness raising programmes in order to recognise and adopt values, principles and standards of sustainable development; ? Build institutions and capacities at all levels; improve coordination; ? Ensure provision of adequate financial support from the national and local budgets for Implementation of sustainability policies and strategies; ? Integrate climate change into sectoral policies; develop climate change adaptation strategies; ? Provide for continuous development of scientific, academic, business and administrative capacities in order to promote and stimulate innovation; ? Establish statistical system that will generate adequate basis for adoption of policies for sustainable development and their evaluation. 3.3 Recommendations 3.3.1 International level (1) The outcomes of UNCED in 1992 and WSSD in 2002 were highly relevant for Montenegro and had to a significant extent affected national level policy making. The Rio principles, including the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, should continue to serve as the guiding principles and basis for international cooperation and move towards sustainable development. (2) The forthcoming UNCSD or Rio+20 will be a unique opportunity to renew political commitment for sustainable development, to reinvigorate global SD efforts and to emphasise the need for integration of environmental, economic and social pillars. International organisations, in particular the international financial institutions, national and local governments, all other groups (in particular vulnerable groups, women and youth, civil society, academia and business sector) must be involved in order to ensure sustainable future. (3) UN Member States should lead discussions at the Rio+20 Conference with the aim to ensure outcomes that will address global, regional and national challenges and provide for tangible, effective and action-oriented results. These outcomes will need to make a positive impact across the world now as well as future generations. (4) Developed countries need to continue and enhance provision of assistance to developing countries ensuring at the same time improved effectiveness and coordination. 3.3.2 National level (1) High level political commitment to sustainable development has been exhibited in Montenegro in the past period on strategic and policy level however it proved insufficient on the level of practical Implementation and for delivering substantial results. It is therefore necessary to work on renewing and strengthening political commitment for Implementation and for integration of all three pillars of sustainable development. (2) Government should have a leading role in SD Implementation and integration, while other stakeholders need to be fully included in decision-making and assessment of the scope and dynamics in fulfilling the commitments. Accountability is important for all stakeholders. Partnerships must be strengthened both within the country and with international actors. (3) Coordination between line ministries, national expert, research and scientific institutions as well as between national and local levels of administration has to improve and effective mechanisms for information and knowledge sharing need to be established. Clear delineation of competencies and capacity building is necessary to this end. (4) The process of EU integration and SD Implementation are synergetic processes that are reinforcing each other. Advancement in transposition and Implementation of European standards (especially in areas such as environmental protection, energy, competitiveness, regional and rural development, social inclusion and equity) will yield benefits for sustainability agenda and vice versa. It is therefore of the utmost importance to vigorously pursue the EU accession priorities. (5) National Sustainable Development Strategy needs to be renewed to take into account progress made and remaining/ emerging challenges. Implementation of the updated Strategy needs to be improved by securing adequate political backing and wide acceptance, as well as by setting aside adequate resources both for its Implementation and progress monitoring. A strong move from proclamations to actions is necessary. (6) Funding sources for Implementation of sustainable development policies and actions need to be diversified to include both public and private sources. Additional efforts are needed to mobilise more funds from already recognized sources and to use them more effectively, as well as to identify new sources of finance. (7) Knowledge and data availability need to be improved to ensure that informed decisions are made and sustainability achieved. (8) Comprehensive education and awareness raising programmes need to be continuously developed and implemented to incorporate sustainable development values and principles into everyday life. 4 Addressing new and emerging challenges From the long list of new and emerging challenges that are expected to put sustainable development on test globally, the following have been recognised as the most relevant ones for Montenegro: ? Climate change; ? Sustainable land use/ management of space and linkages with biodiversity conservation, water management and energy; ? Inefficient and harmful consumption and production patterns; ? Degradation of coastal zone and marine ecosystems; ? Further progress towards fulfilment of Millennium Development Goals, particularly regarding the position of vulnerable groups and regional development, since these are areas of particular interest in the national context; ? The unfolding of global financial crisis and recession and related negative impacts on the national economy. Climate change is a relatively new policy area in Montenegro. Country specific assessment of potential impacts on communities, environment and the economy and efforts to develop adequate responses are in the initial stages. Sustainable use of space and degradation of coastal zone/ marine ecosystems are, on the other hand, recognised as re-emerging challenges for sustainable development due to prolonged negative trends that threaten to cause irreversible changes and thus affect future development prospects. Similarly, efforts to contribute to full Implementation of Millennium Development Goals and related national priorities of eradicating poverty and providing for balanced regional development emerge in somewhat changed form in light of economic crisis of the past few years. Adapting to and overcoming the impacts of crisis and creating innovative and sustainable approaches to growth is another new area, as is the need to establish sustainable consumption and production standards and practice. Taking into account the size of the country and its limited resources, addressing all these challenges in an efficient and effective way is of vital interest. Existing mechanisms for addressing these challenges are not well developed, nevertheless significant efforts have been made to establish coordinating bodies (such as National Council on Sustainable Development; establishment of climate change council is being considered), to develop adequate strategies and to implement projects that pilot sustainable approaches in dealing with these problems. Furthermore, Montenegro has been contributing to establishment of regional mechanisms and networks on economic development, coastal zone management and climate change (Regional Forum on Climate Change for the Western Balkans being an example). At the local level, individual positive examples in addressing some of the new and emerging challenges have been recorded (including efforts to develop sustainable transport systems, increase energy efficiency for public buildings and lighting, etc.). However, a lot remains to be done to ensure proactive role of local communities in addressing the stated challenges. The country has so far received significant technical and financial assistance to address new and emerging challenges and related areas, such as biodiversity and nature protection, climate change, energy efficiency, regional and rural development, organic agriculture, sustainable tourism development etc. There are continuous efforts and projects to enhance education for sustainable development at all levels, nevertheless both scope and effectiveness of these programmes needs to be further improved. Sustainable consumption and production is a new theme on Montenegrin development agenda where significant progress is of the utmost importance for the future given current and inherited wasteful and polluting production and consumption patterns. Assistance in this area has so far come through projects aiming to introduce cleaner production processes, and an assessment of technological needs for climate change mitigation and adaptation is on-going. It is necessary to provide continued and increased support for, in particular, climate change adaptation and mitigation, use of sustainable renewable energy sources, agriculture and sustainable tourism, as well as for introduction of sustainable consumption and production patterns in key sectors (energy, transport, construction etc.). Further assistance is also necessary for strengthening capacities for integrated policy making and strategy development. 4.1 Recommendations (1) The success of the Rio+20 will to a large degree depend on the way the most significant global challenges ? climate change, sustainable consumption and production, Millennium Development Goals, water scarcity, degradation of marine ecosystems, loss of biodiversity, unfolding energy, food and economic crisis ? will be addressed. The Conference needs to provide commonly agreed guidelines for adequate responses while at the same time ensuring their flexibility and applicability for different levels of governance and county specific conditions. (2) Cooperation in the areas of technology and research and development, as well as knowledge and technology transfers between developed and developing countries are needed, alongside with education, training programmes and capacity building activities to ensure adequate skills, information and technologies to address new and emerging challenges, and climate change in particular, exist around the world. (3) Public awareness raising activities and strengthened management tools are needed to shift behaviours towards more sustainable lifestyles. (4) Montenegro has recognized the significance of addressing the causes of climate change and adapting to it. Improved cooperation and coordination on national, regional and international levels is needed in order to successfully address climate change threats. Integration of climate change concerns into development planning is very important as the changing climate poses significant risks to economic growth and development of the country. (5) A more significant emphasis on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) is needed on the national level. Further integration of SCP requirements into sectoral policies for energy, industry, transport, agriculture and services is needed. (6) Integration of development policies under the sustainability umbrella is necessary to provide for land use practices that will safeguard long term development opportunities and quality of life. Rational use of space, in particular in the coastal zone, efficient use of resources such as water and energy, and preservation of ecosystem services are necessary preconditions for sustainable response to new and emerging challenges. (7) Efforts to provide for economic growth and development need to be paralleled by more robust mechanisms and tools for balanced regional development and equitable sharing of benefits among all society groups. 5 Green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication: experiences and aspirations Similar to the situation on global level, there is still no consensus on the meaning of term 'green economy' and no applicable definition. However, some examples of policies and measures that could be characterised as efforts towards green economy development have been recorded. These include Implementation (limited but evolving) of the polluter pays principle, introduction of the concept of low-carbon development into national strategies and plans, increased attention paid to biodiversity protection and energy efficiency, incentives for research and development, introduction of clean technologies, strengthening of statistical system and information basis, adaptation to climate change and similar. The concept of green economy is generally understood as a way of achieving sustainable development and it includes social aspects such as poverty reduction, equitable regional development and building up of human capital. Pollution charges are in place (although with limited effects) as a way of implementing polluter pays principle. Nevertheless there is still a need for more comprehensive and effective application of market based instruments for greening the economy. Legislation, strategies and action plans to improve resource efficiency are being developed, and specific projects are implemented in the areas such as energy and waste management. Incentives for energy efficiency improvements in small and medium sized enterprises, public buildings and housing sector are increasing both in number and scope. Even though there is no integral strategy on the development of green economy, some fundamental concepts and principles have been established in the National Sustainable Development Strategy. Regional Development Strategy (2010) links reduction of development disparities (within the country) and increase in employment to the concept of low-carbon development in the main economic sectors and envisages introduction of measures for encouraging private investments into green businesses. Preparation of the new strategy for construction sector based on green standards is planned, and measures to promote sustainable growth have been recorded in various sectors (examples include organic agriculture, eco-tourism, renewable energy sources etc.). A diversified policy mix is needed to achieve green, inclusive and competitive economy. Market-based instruments include environmental taxes, charges and fees, tradable permits and subsidies. Carbon pricing, which comprises carbon taxes and emission-trading schemes, has a central place in global attempts to achieve green economy. Non-market instruments include regulatory and voluntary approaches. Legislative or regulatory instruments are based on performance standards, licensing and banning of certain products or practices, while voluntary approaches include ratings, labelling and certification. Within the EU accession process, Montenegro needs to develop adequate policy mix that will deliver results in its transition to a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. Priority sectors for green economy development in Montenegro include energy, tourism, construction, agriculture and forestry. More specifically, opportunities exist for increased use of renewable energy sources (particularly sun and wind), improved energy efficiency, introduction of the environmental standards (low carbon buildings) into construction, development of rural, mountain and eco-tourism, organic agriculture, rural development, sustainable forestry etc. Besides these, greening opportunities exist for transport (introduction of combined transport, improvements in public transportation systems) and waste management (waste minimisation reuse and recycling). There are also untapped opportunities with sustainable public procurement (the new Law on Public Procurement has recently been adopted by the Government and it includes general provisions for introduction of both environmental and social criteria for the public procurement rules) and introduction of voluntary instruments such as labelling and eco-certification schemes. Partnerships with scientific institutions and business sector need to be developed in order to support development of low-carbon technologies and green jobs creation. Development of adequate human and technical capacity is a prerequisite for transition to a green economy. Availability of international assistance is also very important. Discussions held during the national multi-stakeholder conference on sustainable development (October 2011) confirmed Montenegrins aspirations to become a pilot country for thorough restructuring and greening of the national economy based on the principles of social equity, resource efficiency and preservation of the environment. The idea and possibility to secure support for such an endeavour has been tested during the 19th Session of UN Commission on Sustainable Development in May 2011, when it was generally evaluated in a positive manner. Rio+20 Conference is seen as an opportunity to pursue this idea further, marking the twentieth anniversary of the initial presentation of Montenegro as an ecological state at the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992. As for the expectations from UNCSD, Montenegro holds a position that the existing momentum for green economy development should be utilised to re-emphasise complementarity between economic growth, preservation of the natural environments and resources, and stimulating employment and social equity. The Conference should also provide guidelines for development of green economy and ensure commitment and support of developed countries to the developing ones through technology transfers, information sharing and continued financial assistance. Sustainable development and green economy should not be understood as concepts that exclude or replace each other. The recommendations/ guidelines for Implementation of the green economy concept should be adjustable to individual countries? contexts and include examples of best practices and successful instruments. Measurable indicators for monitoring results should be defined. Linked to this, definition of targets would be desirable. 5.1 Recommendations (1) The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) defines green economy as the ?one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities?. This definition is compatible with the view advocated in the UNCSD preparations that greening the economy can be a tool to help achieve sustainable development and eradicate poverty. In this context, green economy is considered to be at the heart of renewed efforts to integrate environmental and social considerations with economic decision-making. Montenegro supports these views and sees green economy as a low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive economy. (2) The multiple crises in recent years have underlined the need to reorient current economic growth models. Global community needs to rethink development together. Growth should be inclusive, equitable and strongly oriented towards poverty eradication. Environmental impacts of this growth have to be reduced through sensible policies on energy, water, agriculture, marine environments, land/use urbanization, climate change, and job creation. (3) Progress towards green economy needs to be measured. Rio+20 should contribute to the adoption of a new set of indicators complementing GDP and integrating economic, social and environmental dimensions in a balanced manner. (4) Technology, finance and capacity building needed for the economic transformation have to be provided and developing countries supported in their efforts to pursue sustainable development. Technology cooperation and technology transfer should be strengthened. (5) Financing for a green economy as a means for sustainable development and poverty eradication needs to be secured and to come from various sources ? public and private. New/ innovative sources need to be identified. (6) Ecosystem services valuation represents an important tool and a good argument in advocating for green economy. Structure and functions of ecosystems that support our economy and well-being i.e. ecological resilience, have to be maintained. (7) Increasing resource efficiency can yield economic savings and social benefits and reduce environmental impacts of production activities. On the other hand, these are necessary to gain competitive advantages on global markets and adjust to increasing global competition for resources and environmental constraints. Furthermore, strong commitment is needed for moving from just increasing the eco-efficiency in the production processes to improving the eco-effectiveness in the context of the life cycle approach. (8) The transition to a green economy requires a well-balanced policy mix and financing mechanisms. Choosing the most cost-effective and efficient policy mixes for the green economy needs to be country specific and to rely on specific information and analysis. To this end, it is necessary to develop adequate national capacities and to secure international coordination. Full cost pricing should be a central element of the policy mix across all sectors. (9) Measuring progress is the first step to managing the transition towards a green economy. Information-gathering tools and processes need to be strengthened at all levels. This is an area where significant benefits can be gained through improved cooperation and information exchange (within countries, on regional and global levels). (10) Active engagement of the private sector and civil society in green economy discussions and Implementation is necessary to promote sustainable practices and fully utilise employment potential of the green economy. Workers? education and training will play an important role in facilitating transition to a green economy. (11) Private sector, through investment, trade and innovation, has a prominent role to play in delivering a green economy. The governments have a responsibility to create conditions to ensure that this will happen, especially by stimulating green innovation at the level of small and medium sized enterprises. Partnerships at all levels in the key green economy sectors and areas are of the utmost importance. (12) Transition to a green economy will require significant efforts on education and awareness raising for all stakeholders, including consumers and businesses, environmental and non-environmental parts of administrations and others, to allow for informed decision-making. Governments should stimulate green markets creation through green public procurement and similar instruments. (13) Investing in energy and resource efficiency has proven to be a win-win solution regardless of countries? economic structures. The same applies for waste prevention, reuse and recycling. Replication of best practices from other countries/ regions and expansion of current programmes would be a welcome support for Montenegrin ambitions to move to a green economy. (14) The United Nations system (most notably UNDP) has been providing continued assistance to Montenegro with sustainable development and green economy agendas. Building national and local level capacities for green economic policymaking and a focused analysis of and investment in key economic sectors with an effort to decouple economic growth from resource consumption remains an important area for future assistance too. This is all the more important in the Montenegrin context, considering that the major contributors to the country?s GDP are sectors that rest on a vibrant, resilient environment and natural capital (i.e. tourism). Running down this capital will directly result in the loss of jobs and income. (15) National and local governments, civil society, international organizations and business sector have been carrying out a number of initiatives which are contributing to a transition towards the green economy. Such initiatives need to be further strengthened and scaled up in the forthcoming period to assist Montenegro with its green economy aspirations. At the same time, a significant shift in perceptions and priorities and will need to be achieved in the country, starting from decision makers down to general public. 6 Institutional framework for sustainable development: experiences and aspirations As already discussed in chapter three of this Report, institutional framework for sustainable development has been reasonably well developed in Montenegro and rich experiences have been gained with different solutions over the course of the past two decades. This is not to say that the practice has always been satisfactory and yielding positive outcomes. On contrary, areas where significant improvements are needed have been identified and they include but are not limited to strengthening of capacities and clarifying roles, improved coordination, efficient and effective operation, etc. Positive experiences include establishment and work of the National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD), improved participation and a more significant role played by civil society, business sector and academia and independent experts, strengthened capacities of environmental and other parts of administration for policy integration and Implementation, etc. On the local level, a pilot project to establish local sustainable development council has been completed in December 2010, while few other municipalities established different inter-sectoral mechanisms to follow up on development policies Implementation and sustainability issues. As regards the cooperation between government and other stakeholders, non-governmental organisations and independent experts, as active members of the NCSD, stand out as one the main counterparts in the process of consultations and preparations of policies relevant for sustainable development. The business sector and trade unions are more involved in the work of the Social Council, which gathers representatives of the Government, employers and employees, but are also represented in the NCSD. Participation of the business sector has increased significantly after the reform of the NCSD, which provided for a more specialised and continuous work of the Council throughout the year. Local self-governments participate in policy making through the Union of Municipalities as well as through direct membership in some of the advisory bodies. Academia, universities and other educational and research institutions have an important role too. Cooperation with international organisations is highly significant. Some of the most significant challenges national institutions need to address and key tasks lying ahead of them in the attempts to provide adequate backing for sustainable development include: ? Raising awareness at all levels ? from decision makers to general public ? on the need for integrated approaches to development planning and policy making; ? Improving cooperation, coordination and information sharing for streamlined responses to complex problems; ? Development and strengthening of institutions and capacities at national and local levels, with particular focus on the latter; ? Clear delineation of competences among the key institutions; ? Establishment of transparent mechanisms for effective engagement of all stakeholders in policy and decision making; ? Establishment of an efficient system for monitoring the progress with Implementation of sustainable development principles and standards (primarily through creation of adequate mechanism, but also through strengthening of statistical capacities in institutions tasked with data collection and analysis); ? Development and Implementation of comprehensive awareness raising and educational programmes to promote sustainable development values and principles. As regards the international level, a large number of institutions and agencies are operating in the areas relevant for sustainable development. The UN Commission on Sustainable Development, however, does not have the mandate to coordinate globally implemented initiatives, programmes and activities and its resources have been significantly reduced in terms of its ability to provide technical/expert support to the member countries. Establishment of integrated and rational coordination system would largely contribute to fulfilment of sustainability objectives. This due to the fact that insufficient coordination, overlapping responsibilities and use of various concepts without sufficient effort to integrate them, have been also evident for these actors. Within the UN system, it would be useful to assess cumulative performance at the level of overall organization rather than the results achieved within frameworks of individual UN agencies. An already applied approach through which the UN system attempted to accelerate its endeavours and increase coherence and efficiency of its operations was the so-called "Delivering as One? approach. Montenegro expects that the UNCSD will adopt decisions on reforming the existing institutional framework for sustainable development and contribute to governance improvements at all levels. Clear and strengthened mandate of lead agencies and enhanced coordination to consolidate and align the activities would be welcome. Recommendations on more effective ways of delivering support to developing countries would make another welcome output of the Conference. 6.1 Recommendations (1) The UNCSD should emphasise importance of governance for sustainable development at all levels. (2) The need to reform institutional framework for sustainable development (IFSD) is apparent in order to provide for adequate responses to current and future challenges, to bridge gaps in the Implementation of the sustainable development agenda as well as to accelerate global action towards a greener and more sustainable economy and eradication of poverty. International Environmental Governance (IEG) needs to be strengthened as a part of the broader IFSD reform. (3) The IFSD reform should be guided by the need to improve the integration of the three pillars of sustainable development, enhance transparency and participation, and simplify administration and Implementation while maintaining ability to address complex issues. (4) Montenegro supports a strengthened role for the UNEP and better coordination across the UN system in integrating environment into development, and in supporting sustainable development. Revision of the role of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development is, in our view, necessary. As a part of the UN system that has so far played a leading role in sustainable development efforts and was directly present in the country, UNDP should continue to play an important role as the only agency with capacities to speak on all three pillars of sustainable development- social, environmental, economic; UNDP?s capacities and experiences should be utilised in the best possible ways. (5) Sustainable development progress needs to be measured and information widely shared. One of the UNCSD outcomes should be increased emphasis on monitoring and evaluation. (6) Montenegro supports the proposals to streamline and reinforce the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) system and to reinforce and mainstream the environmental dimension within the UN system, as was for example the case with the "Delivering as One" initiative. (7) On the national level, it will be necessary to review mandates of certain institutions, improve their coordination (horizontal and vertical) and work on capacity building. For efficiency purposes, existing institutions should be consolidated whenever possible, but at the same time there will be a need for creation of new institutions to address the EU integration and sustainability agendas. The practice of NCSD providing advices on policy integration to the Government and overseeing Implementation of NSDS should be maintained. (8) Institutional framework for sustainable development in Montenegro needs to be expanded to include Parliament in an effort to strengthen the oversight and monitoring function. (9) Capacity building is especially relevant for the local administrations; establishment of local councils on sustainable development should be promoted and supported whenever feasible. (10) Achieved progress in consultations and participation of relevant stakeholders should be maintained and improved in the forthcoming period. In Montenegrin experience, NCSD with evolving/ improved structure has proven to be a useful tool to enhance stakeholder participation and wide consultations, and there is potential to replicate this experience to other countries.


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Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar Map
1201 Lake Woodlands Dr. (I-45)
281-362-0103 | Make Restaurant Reservations
Need directions to Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar? This map will help you find the best route to and from the restaurant so you can enjoy your meal. Clicking on the green arrow can help you get the best route to and from this restaurant if you don't see the "Get directions" pop-up.
Sign up to receive the 2016 edition of GAYOT's Annual Restaurant Issue, which will feature the Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. and more.


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Shun Ye is an assistant professor in the Information Systems and Operations Management area at George Mason University's School of Business. He earned his doctoral degree in management information systems from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland.
Ye was one of the eight students selected worldwide for the 2011 NSFD-Funded WikiSym Symposium. He was also a finalist for the Frank T. Paine Doctoral Award for Academic Achievement at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland.
His major research interests include strategic and competitive impacts of emerging technologies, electronic market design, online consumer behavior, and social networks. Ye has presented his research in major IS conferences, including the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS), the workshop on Information Systems and Economics (WISE), the Conference on Information Systems and Technology (CIST), and the INFORMS annual meeting.
Ye has previously worked as a software developer in China. He has taught at the Robert H. Smith School of Business and the University of Science and Technology of China.
He is a member of the Association of Information Systems (AIS), and the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS).


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Turkish Airlines Copyright © 1996 - 2016
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Warning: Attention to Fake E-mails
Dear Passengers,
We would like to alert you about fake e-mails that you may have received.
These e-mails, that are sent under the name of some credible companies, include viruses in the attachments.
Turkish Airlines does not send any confirmation e-mail unless you make a reservation or booking.
We would like to remind you that you should delete these e-mails immediately without opening.
17.03.2013 Updated


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Warm/Cool Quilt
Yeah, baby! I'll have a post about it tomorrow.
Farmer's Wife Quilt-Along - currently caught up
Fourteen blocks down, 97 to go. : ) (One managed to escape from this picture, but I've rounded it back up.) Click here to read more about the blocks I made this week.
Skill Builder Sampler Quilt-Along - currently caught up
Loved this week's cute Pinwheel Parade block. As I was working on it, it occurred to me that I'm currently working on two year-long bed-size sampler quilts (this one and Farmer's Wife). And I just happen to have two little girls who need bed-size quilts made by their mommy. : ) So, a year from now, I'll have one for each—it's almost like I planned it or something.
Summer Sampler Series
My first four blocks are above. We've been having a great time with this quilt-along, and it's not too late to join in—click here for a list of all the posts so far. And our first paper-pieced block will be up this morning on Faith's blog, Fresh Lemons Quilts. I know paper-piecing makes a lot of people nervous, but I promise it's entirely doable, regardless of skill level. It is a whole different way of thinking about piecing, so sometimes it takes a little practice to get the concept. But once you get your mind around it and it clicks, it's a piece of cake! Give it a try with us!
Completed tops awaiting quilting:
Hope Valley (the original Supernova)
Completed quilts awaiting binding:
Modern Meadow - Yes. Really.
No progress:
Kaleidoscope QA (I'm sticking with the yellow background, but I may rearrange a bit. We'll see.)
Secret project (on hold while I reconsider fabric selections)
Figgy Pudding quilt
Wonky Log Cabin
This week's stats:
New projects - 0
Completed projects - 1
Currently in progress - 11
Let's see those WIPs! Link 'em up below, and have a lovely week!


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Concord captured its second consecutive 1A-2 South District Tournament championship on Saturday at Midland with a 73-64 victory over Cleburne County rival West Side. Electrifying junior guard Jacob Roark led the Class 1A No. 6 ranked Pirates (32-7) with a game-high 45 points and forward Ryan Cornelison added 13 points. Center Ben Hargrove led West Side (26-9) with 22 points, while guards Bryce Hipp and Logan Bailey each scored 16. Concord, which has won three of four against West Side this season and finished conference and district play with an unblemished record of 16-0, reached the finals with a 73-54 win over South Side Bee Branch. Roark led the Pirates with 28 points, Cornelison followed with 16, forward Hanse Bowman had 13 and power forward Ethan Hebert finished with 12. Concord opens Class 1A, Region 3 play tonight at 8:30 p.m. in Greers Ferry.
Location, ST | website.com


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Tigers On Top: Fencers Win Program's First Combined NCAA Title
When Zoltan Dudas took over as the head coach of Princeton fencing in 2006, an NCAA championship was both a distant reality and a distant dream. The men's team had won one in 1964, but that was more than 40 years ago.
Dudas inherited a team that finished eighth at the NCAA finals in the year before he came to Princeton, and in his first two years, the Tigers finished 10th. Then, the climb began in an amazing pattern. Tenth turned to eighth, then sixth, then fourth, then a year ago, second.
The pattern of jumping two places had to be broken, but Dudas and the Tigers are more than happy to move up only one spot this time.
Finishing seven bout victories ahead of Dudas's former home, Notre Dame, 182-175, the Tigers claimed the first joint men's/women's NCAA fencing championship under a format that began in 1990. In doing so, Princeton unseated one of the sport's dominant teams. In the 24 championships since the 1990, a team not named Penn State, Ohio State or Notre Dame has now won just five times. Princeton's win breaks a six-year hold on the NCAA title for that triumverate.
Dudas helped Notre Dame to two titles in five seasons working with the team. On a warm Sunday in San Antonio, Dudas earned his first as a head coach.
Princeton's women had won the most bouts of any team in each of the last two seasons, but no titles are awarded for that these days. The men's team had to rise higher than it had in recent years, and the Tiger men did that Thursday and Friday. Four of the six Tiger men earned All-America honors, and senior epeeists Jonathan Yergler and Edward Kelley made it to the medal round and faced each other in the semifinals. Yergler won, coming in second in the nation.
Then came time for the women's team to do what they had done the last two years. Princeton was in a tight battle with Penn State and Notre Dame after the men's competition, Penn State leading Princeton 94-83 with Notre Dame at 77 wins.
It proved to be enough to get Princeton over the top. The Tiger women vaulted the team into first place at Saturday's close and held off Notre Dame Sunday to win.
But Princeton didn't stop with the team title. All six Tiger women earned All-America honors and three qualified for the medal round, including sisters and saberists Gracie, a freshman, and Eliza Stone, a senior, and junior epeeist Susannah Scanlan.
Eliza Stone used two stretches of dominance to become only the second Princeton woman to win an NCAA individual title alongside foilist Eva Petschnigg in 2000. Against North Carolina's Gillian Litynski in the semifinal, Stone scored the first nine touches and won 15-6, but she saved the most amazing run for the final. Down 9-4 to Anna Limbach of St. John's, allowing one point after a disputed call went against her to make it 8-4, Stone rattled off 11 of the final 12 touches to defeat Limbach 15-10 after Limbach had ousted freshman sister Gracie in the semifinal, 15-9.
Scanlan also faced a familiar foe in her medal round, taking on 2012 Olympic teammate Courtney Hurley of Notre Dame in the final after defeating Stanford's Vivian Kong 15-10 in the semis. While both share an Olympic bronze medal in team epee from this past summer, it was Hurley who went home with NCAA gold, 15-6 over Scanlan.
All six Tigers finished in the top 10 of their weapons. Sophomore Katharine Holmes nearly qualified for the medal round in the epee, placing fifth and standing one win short, at 16 victories, of advancing to the elimination bracket. Sophomore foilist Ambika Singh and junior foilist Eve Levin each won 13 bouts, Singh finishing ninth and Levin 10th.
Eliza Stone was the winningest Tiger in the pool round and nearly the winningest women's fencer overall, taking 21 bout victories to win the top saber seed. Only Notre Dame foilist Lee Kiefer, who went on to win the foil title, won more pool bouts at 22 of 23. Gracie Stone won 17 times in pool bouts and Scanlan won the top seed in epee by taking 19 of 23 round-robin bouts.
The All-America honor was the fourth for Eliza Stone making her the first Princeton women's saberist to be a four-time All-America. Only epeeist Maya Lawrence '02, who was an Olympic teammate of Scanlan last summer, and foilist Jacqueline Leahy '06 were also four-time All-Americas.
Eliza and Gracie Stone were only two of the three siblings who contributed 53 of Princeton's 182 bout victories, as junior saberist Robert Stone was also an All-America with a seventh-place finish Thursday and Friday, winning 15 bouts. If the Stone siblings formed their own team, they would have placed 10th at the NCAA finals, and without their wins Princeton would have placed sixth in the trio's only year fencing all together at Princeton.
All six Tiger women have won All-America honors in each possible season, with senior Eliza Stone doing so four times, juniors Scanlan and Levin doing so three times, sophomores Holmes and Singh doing so for the second time, and freshman Gracie Stone earning the honor in her first chance.
The NCAA championship concludes a season that saw Princeton's women win the Ivy League title for the fourth straight year, while the men's seniors were Ivy champions twice during their career. The victory also gives Princeton two NCAA team titles in the same academic year, along with the field hockey title this past fall, for the first time since 1994, when both lacrosse teams were NCAA champions.Photos from Sunday at the NCAA Championship


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30 Day Return PolicyWith our unbeatable 30 day return policy, you can be sure that you have made the right purchase. Simply return or exchange any item within 30 days after receiving it as long as it was not a special order.
If for any reason you are not satisfied, you can return any item as long as it is not a special order item. Special order items include, but are not limited to, any items that have been engraved. Please note that items showing signs of wear or those that have been altered, resized (by a jeweler other than Alcias Jewelers), or damaged in any way cannot be accepted for return.
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I first heard of Ezca Chocolate on The Chocolate Life a little while ago. They're a brand new company interested in chocolate making that were looking for some tasting opinions. Since I am working to train my palette so I can "read" chocolate with its many flavor nuances, I offered my taste buds to see what this new chocolate could say to me.
Now a little about Ezca Chocolate. It's handcrafted, small batch chocolate from made from bean to bar. The bar I got was a 65% cacao from Ocumare in Venezuela, batch #001. The 2 oz bar is beautifully wrapped in an elegant, yet slightly exotic wrapper made from recycled paper. The ingredients read simply as: cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, whole organic vanilla bean. No artificial flavors or preservatives.
Under the paper wrapper, the chocolate is nicely packaged in medium weight gold foil. I love the way the foil is folded too, with triangular edges which are very easy to unwrap and then re-wrap if you want to save more for later. The mold of the bar is interesting as it's sectioned into squares with a smaller square that's raised in the middle. The interesting part is that there's also raised "piping" that connects the squares and it reminds me of machinery. A fascinating choice of design for a bar of chocolate. The chocolate has a nice deep red-brown color with a subtle gloss. The backside of the bar has a few air bubbles but is otherwise smooth and pristine.
The aroma is very robust. It's nice to have a chocolate with such a strong aroma. It's a very roasted smell: notes of coffee and cocoa hit me first, then underneath I sense vanilla, honey, and caramel. This is complimented with subtle notes of woods, mushrooms, and olives. I'm excited already because these nuances are favorites of mine.
The flavor starts off like green coffee with notes of caramel and a little cinnamon. These flavors linger a moment before bursting in with a small crescendo of flavor that is very chocolatey: strong notes of cocoa, vanilla, and cream with slight accents of mushrooms and moss. The finish is slow and sweet with the middle flavors gradually becoming more and more faint. The aftertaste is clean with a finishing note of coffee.
The mouthfeel is smooth and rich with a teensy bit of grain to it. I liked that though, as it gives is a fuzzy like texture and really rounds out the chocolate for me. At some points I get a larger sugar crystal and it feels more like a welcome surprise than an unwelcome intruder. The chew is excellent too since the chocolate isn't as dark as other varieties and is has a a nice give to it that feels thick when you work in in your teeth. It's very satisfying.
I was pleased with this bar as the flavors come across as a little sweeter than most 65% I've had because of the wonderful flavor notes of the chocolate. Also there's no hint of acidity or bitterness in this. Just wonderful deep roasted flavors that translate as very "chocolatey' to me. This Ezca bar is delicate and sweet with a complexity that's been coaxed and cultured.
A marvelous first attempt at a chocolate bar. I don't know what else to say other than I'm enthusiastically waiting to taste what other chocolate Ezca produces.
Rating: Will Buy Again
Ezca Chocolate


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Tricky best describes trying to hit a target hundreds of yards away. Laser rangefinders are the answer to help improve your aim and increase success in the field. Golf rangefinders can assist with the selection of a club. You can choose from our selection of hunting rangefinders or digital rangefinder binoculars.
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What is the best way to ensure your datacenter keeps pace with today's big-data requirements? How can you build a private cloud quickly enough to open a new division? What's the best way to ensure that an acquired company's IT migration happens smoothly?
Join Future Cities and noted IT expert Carrie Higbie at 12:00 p.m. ET on June 11 for this webinar that identifies the fundamental concerns of datacenter scalability while offering a range of approaches to consider in addressing datacenter growth.
You will learn:
Carrie Higbie, Global Director for Data Center Solutions and Services at The Siemon Company
Carrie Higbie has been involved in the computing and networking industries for over 30 years, and she has participated in the design of numerous datacenters in all tier levels for both end-user and colo/hosted facilities. She currently works with The Siemon Company as the Global Director for Data Center Solutions and Services. Carrie has extensive background in all aspects of networking and application development as a programmer, consultant, project manager, and Fortune 500 executive running datacenters with multimillion-dollar budgets. She is the former President of the BladeSystems Alliance and member of the Board of Directors. She participates in numerous industry panels and groups, and she has affiliations with and/or participates in the following organizations: IEEE, TIA, COMMON, ASHRAE, USGBC, WGBC, ISO, ODCA, GDCA, FCIA, AFCOM, The Uptime Institute, and various consortia for standards acceptance.


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Keep your tripod handy with our popular carrying cases and tripod straps. An extra quick release plate is always a smart addition. A practical anti-twist spotting scope plate can eliminate the worry of your scope coming loose. Your spotting scope and tripod are ready to use at a moment's notice with a tripod backpack. At Eagle Optics you will find the best advice on tripod accessories to meet your needs.
Allows fast equipment changes.
Connect to car window mounts and tripod heads.
Manfrotto's padded 45-inch bag.
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Review general baggage information that all the passengers should know.
Receive information regarding your baggage that will be carried during your flight.
Receive detailed information regarding the baggage that is allowed inside the cabin.
Receive information regarding excess baggage rules and conditions.
We carry golf and skiing equipment free of charge. Receive information regarding the price and conditions.
Receive information regarding the transportation of Health, Music and Baby equipment.
Receive information regarding the prohibited goods that passengers cannot carry
Receive detailed information on how the baggage transfer is done in connecting flights.
Receive detailed information regarding travelling with pets.
Rules that apply to US arriving/departing TK online transport.
Report your baggage irregularity and get information regarding the process
Baggage rules for code share airlines.
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Enjoy our decadent seasonal spa day at the beautiful Bailiffscourt Spa .... find out more
A Brief History of Bailiffscourt
With all the appearance of an ancient manor house, Bailiffscourt's best kept secret is that until 1927 it didn't exist. It was designed for Lord Moyne, then Walter Guinness of the brewing family, by the antiquarian and architect, Amyas Phillips.
His brief was to recreate a house in the medieval style, which was favoured by Lord Moyne's wife Evelyn. Phillips searched the country for original stone, woodwork, doors, windows and fireplaces, bringing them all together at Climping to create the exquisite country house and park that we see today. In 1933 he went on to landscape the gardens to complement the buildings.
Throughout the 1930's, Bailiffscourt played host to the high society of the day until the death of Lady Moyne in 1939, and in 1948 it became a hotel. For more information please click here to download our Bailiffscourt Hotel History Booklet.


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You've been a Magic fan since the beginning, so reward your fandom with this Winthrop Flex hat from '47 Brand. This garment-washed hat has distressed detailing for a vintage look and features an embroidered team logo on the crown, team location on the left side of the bill and a Hardwood Classics logo on the back, giving you a timeless Orlando basketball look. Small fits 6 3/4 - 7. Medium fits 7 - 7 1/4. Large fits 7 1/4 - 7 1/2. Extra Large fits 7 1/2 - 7 5/8. Sizes are approximate.
- 100% Cotton fabric
- Officially licensed NBA product
- Quality embroidery
- Six panels with eyelets
- Stretch fit
- Unstructured fit
- Contrast under bill
- Imported
- Imported
- Brand: '47
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Special event items are produced by manufacturers only after the outcome of a game or event. These are advanced sale items and will ship immediately after they are received in our warehouse.
Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


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HOME Miami Hurricanes Gear Miami Hurricanes Kids Miami Hurricanes Kids Kids Miami Hurricanes Kids Kids Accessories (1 items) Product ID: 846080
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Order as many items as you like with our $7.99 flat rate shipping.
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Your young Hurricanes fan may not quite be on par with Doogie Howser, but he still deserves to be comfortable in Miami style. These scrubs from Gelscrubs are the ultimate in comfort for kids of all ages, and they won't have to sacrifice their team pride. They feature an embroidered logo on the pants leg, as well as a drawstring waist so your young fanatic will have room to grow. Your bright youngster may have a few years before enrolling at UM for a pre-med degree, but these comfy scrubs will start any child on the track to Hurricanes level success.
- Material: 65% Polyester/35% Cotton
- Lightweight pants
- Back right pocket
- Machine wash
- Officially licensed
- Imported
- Brand: GelScrubs
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Special event items are produced by manufacturers only after the outcome of a game or event. These are advanced sale items and will ship immediately after they are received in our warehouse.
Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


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Clinical Quality Rated in {facilityRatedProceduresCount} Conditions and Procedures
Rated in 10 Conditions and Procedures
Healthgrades ratings show you how well a hospital performed in providing patient care. When receiving treatment for a specific condition or undergoing a specific procedure in the hospital, you want the best care possible. Hospitals with five-star ratings had statistically significantly better patient outcomes.
New from Healthgrades: Is hospital quality putting your health at risk?
All Healthgrades Ratings by Category
Healthgrades analyzes patient outcomes for virtually every hospital in the country.
30 Days
Heart Failure
mortality-based rating
|Critical Care
Respiratory Failure
mortality-based rating
mortality-based rating
Bowel Obstruction
mortality-based rating
Gastrointestinal Bleed
mortality-based rating
mortality-based rating
Hip Fracture Treatment
complications-based rating
|Not Measured
Total Knee Replacement
complications-based rating
|Not Measured
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
mortality-based rating
mortality-based rating
* A hospital may not be rated for a procedure or condition when the hospital saw too few patients or when the hospital is in a state that does not publicly provide patient outcome data.
Patient Safety Excellence Award™
The Patient Safety Excellence Award™ recognizes hospitals for how well a hospital prevents infections, medical errors, and other complications based on 14 serious, potentially preventable adverse events. Patients receiving care at Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient hospitals have, on average, a lower risk of experiencing patient safety events.
Stroke Care Excellence Award™
The Stroke Care Excellence Award™ recognizes hospitals for superior outcomes in the care and treatment of stroke. Patients who receive stroke treatment at these nationally recognized hospitals have a lower risk of dying.
Healthgrades Quality Ratings
Healthgrades quality ratings tell you how well patients fared during their hospital stay in terms of mortality, complications, and other quality measures.
Healthgrades objectively evaluates hospital quality by measuring the actual and predicted number of patients who experienced complications or died during their hospital stay for a specific procedure or treatment.
Healthgrades designates hospitals with 5 stars (better than expected), 3 stars (as expected), or 1 star (worse than expected) based on their performance in specific conditions and procedures.
Your risk of complications and death from your treatment can be significantly lower at hospitals with a 5-star rating for the specific condition or procedure.
If you need medical care in one of the procedures or conditions we rate, consider a hospital with a 5-star rating for the specific care that you need.
Five minutes with this information could save your life. Taking the time to carefully review a hospital's performance is critical to your health—statistics show that it can mean the difference between life and death.
Before choosing a hospital, think carefully about the services you might need and do your research.


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A 33-year-old Middletown area man is in critical condition after being thrown from his motorcycle in the Willow Grove Mill neighborhood early Sunday morning.
Kory Dyer, who lives in the 600 block of Port Penn Road, was riding a 2013 Harley Davidson motorcycle west on Trupenny Turn, near Hampden Road, sometime before 3:20 a.m. when he lost control and struck a curb, according to Middletown police.
Dyer, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered head trauma and was flown to Christiana Medical Center.
Speed and alcohol appear to be factors in the crash, police said.
No charges had been filed as of Sunday afternoon.
An investigation is ongoing, police said.
Location, ST | website.com


text: Lead Belly, one of the most influential musicians of the twentieth century is the honoree for the ninth annual American Music Masters series. Lead Belly lived a life that included brutalizing poverty and long stretches in prison to become an emblem of authentic American music. He is renowned for his songs - the best known of which include "Rock Island Line," "Goodnight, Irene," "The Midnight Special" and "Cotton Fields" - as well as his prowess on the 12-string guitar. In his sixty-plus years, he essentially lived two distinctly different lives: first, as a field worker, blues singer, rambling man and prisoner in the rural South; second, as a city-dwelling folksinger, performer and recording artist in the urban North. Tribute Concert Performers: Robert Plant, Harry Belafonte, Los Lobos, Odetta, Dave Alvin, Alison Krauss, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Dan Zanes and Friends, Jon Langford and Tarbox Ramblers Robert Plant and Alison Krauss performed onstage together for the first time to honor Lead Belly. In 2009 the pair was awarded the highest honors of Album of the Year for Raising Sand and Record of the Year for "Please Read the Letter" at the 51st annual Grammy awards.


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The application period is open for Master Gardener training in Kent and Sussex Counties at the University of Delaware and Delaware State University Extension offices.
Following a 12-week training program with day-time classes alternating between the two county Extension offices, the trainees will volunteer a minimum of 45 hours during their first year before becoming official Master Gardeners. Training is held every other year in the fall. Sessions for the Class of 2013 will begin in September, right after Labor Day, and will be completed before Thanksgiving.
Master Gardeners are working volunteers and are supported by Delaware Cooperative Extension through the University of Delaware and Delaware State University Extension offices. Master Gardeners are part of a vibrant community of individuals dedicated to growing a greener Delaware, with a more bio-diverse and sustainable environment. They extend the home garden outreach of Delaware Cooperative Extension, staffing garden "hotlines" for much of the year, offering information at events such as community fairs, festivals and farmers' markets, talking to local civic groups and working with youth groups and schools. Many provide workshops on favorite garden topics and are available through a speakers' bureau to make presentations for community groups upon request. A dedicated group of puppeteers in Sussex County perform an educational version of "Peter Rabbit" for children of all ages.
The training program includes formal lectures, discussion sessions, tours, workshops, and problem-solving sessions. Advanced training opportunities include state, regional and national workshops, lectures at monthly business meetings, special training sessions, and the shared experiences of a group of skilled, experienced gardeners.
The application is available at http://extension.udel.edu. Send completed applications to: Kent County Extension Office, 69 Transportation Circle, Dover, Del. 19901, by June 1.
For more information, call (302) 856-2585, ext. 544 in Sussex County, or (302) 857-6426 in Kent County.
Location, ST | website.com