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HOUSTON - Unemployment is up. The economy is down. What are you doing to balance your family's budget? Many of us are forgoing new cars, canceling vacations and cutting coupons. But what you can't trim are your taxes. It's why KPRC Local 2 investigative reporter Amy Davis is taking a closer look at how Houston-area members of Congress are spending your tax dollars.
WATCH IT: FIND IT: Statement Of Disbursements
We asked all eight Houston-area Congressional members whose expenses we compared to talk with us on camera.
They all answered our questions in writing, but only the three lowest spenders agreed to an on-camera interview.
On the floor of the house, members of Congress are debating health care. But, back at their district offices, the debate is about the cost of paper and printer ink.
"We try to spend the money wisely," said Congressman Ted Poe. "It is the taxpayer's money."
Every member of Congress gets an allowance. They can use the money for travel, paying staff, even to pay rent and utilities at their district offices.
The yearly allowance is use it or lose it. Any money your representative doesn't spend goes toward paying down the national debt.
"I'm really kind of proud that we turn money back every year," said Congressman Gene Green.
Each Congress member gets about the same allowance based on the size of their district and the distance to D.C.
John Culberson gets the most at $1.4 million. Ted Poe gets the least -- $1.3 million.
To be fair, we did the math to find out who spent the biggest percentage of their budget.
It seems saving money has little to do with being red or blue.
Republican Michael McCaul spent 97 percent of his budget in 2007 and 2008.
Republican Kevin Brady saved the most, spending just 77 percent in 2007 and only 80 percent of his allowance in 2008.
What does that mean to you?
In 2008, McCaul sent $45,445.53 back to taxpayers, compared to Brady's $272,700.64.
"It's just a conscious decision, you know. These are not our dollars," said Congressman Kevin Brady. "These are tax dollars."
Here is where everyone else fell in 2008.
Representative John Culberson comes in under McCaul, spending 94 percent of his allowance. He's followed very closely by Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee, also at 94 percent, just a fraction of a percent behind him.
Ron Paul spent 92 percent. Al Green spent 89 percent. Ted Poe spent 83 percent; and Gene Green spent 82 percent.
None of our Representatives went over budget and there's a reason for that.
If a member spends more than they were allotted, they have to pay the difference out of their own pocket.
"It makes you wonder if such a rule were in place for the federal budget of some kind or another, would that give them an incentive to stop adding to the federal deficit?" asked Pete Sepp, the vice president for the National Taxpayer's Union.
Sepp studies the fine print in the records, just like we did. They are huge volumes of expenses released four times each year called the "Statement of Disbursements." While they're public record, they're not so easy to get or read.
"Thousands of pages, yet despite all of that ink, we still don't have a good idea of exactly where the money's going," said Sepp.
We had to ask the elected officials for clarification on some of the line items.
Congressman Ron Paul's office paid "John's Original Photography" $974 for Paul's new portrait, the sitting fee and pictures for his district offices.
When we asked Al Green's office about spending $1,400 on a Nikon camera, his staff told us they use the camera for pictures in the Congressman's newsletters, and since they don't hire a professional photographer, they said "a one-time expense for a high-quality camera saves money."
Sheila Jackson Lee paid a company nearly $10,979.70 in a three-month time period to take still pictures at various town hall meetings and hearings. Her staff told us, "This documentation provides resource material for our legislative work in Washington D.C. based on what we hear directly from our constituents."
When it comes to getting around town, you're leasing 2007 GMC Yukons for both Kevin Brady and Al Green. Gene Green tools around town in an 2007 Chevy Impala. Culberson uses your tax dollars to pay for a Chrysler Pacifica, while Jackson Lee drives and her staff drive a Mercury Mariner Hybrid.
None of the other representatives have vehicles paid for with tax dollars.
"My wife would probably say I'm cheap and maybe the staff would, too," said Green.
Maybe not. Each member decides how many employees they need and how much to pay them.
Ron Paul is the most generous employer, paying an average salary of $56,394 a year.
Culberson is the only area representative with two employees on his staff pulling in well over $100,000 ($155,704.26 and $114,426.49).
On top of the allowance, Congressional members are paid $174,000 a year. Their annual cost-of-living raise is automatic unless they vote not to accept it, which they did for 2010.
"If my Social Security recipients in our district are not getting cost of living, then I shouldn't either," Green told Davis.
Brady agreed saying, "I think Congress should be absolutely the last one given a cost of living increase."
The biggest spender, Congressman McCaul told us that his district is much more spread out. It covers not only West Houston and Kingwood, but also all the way down Highway 290 to Austin and Round Rock, where he says rent for his district office there is more expensive than rent in most parts of Houston.
If you're wondering why Congressman Pete Olson wasn't included in our story, he wasn't elected until the end of 2008, making it impossible to compare his spending with the other legislators.
The "Statement of Disbursements" we reviewed to find the information about how congressional members spent your tax dollars are now available online.
The third quarter of 2009 was the first period posted online.
Below are the statements we received from each member of Congress in our story.
Michael McCaul
"My office utilizes as much of our limited budget as possible to serve all of the constituents of the 10th District, as it is intended. I believe my constituents receive more direct representation through the Member Representational Account (MRA) than they would by sending more of their money back to Speaker Pelosi and the Treasury. The 10th District has the largest population in the state and second largest in the nation. We staff four offices between Houston and Austin to serve more than one million people, up from 651,000 in 2003. I fly back to the district every weekend for constituent events, and traveling within the district is also more expensive because of the size. I have also made it a practice to hire and retain experienced and competent staff, and I believe my district has been better served with continuity and little turnover as a result."
John Culberson
"I do my best to be a watchdog and good steward of our tax dollars, which is why I have never exceeded the budget set for me by the U.S. House of Representatives and have returned over $1.3 million of our tax dollars to the U.S. Treasury for deficit and debt reduction."
Congressman Culberson also pays his staff the second highest wage of all eight Houston-area representatives we compared. The average salary for employees in Culberson's office is $56,128.34. He is the only representative of the eight who has two staffers on the payroll making more than $100,000 a year. A third of the Congressman's staff has been working for him for over nine years -- a retention rate that is higher than any other member of the delegation. Like most employers, salary is determined by merit, experience and years of service.
Sheila Jackson Lee
"Absolutely, these disbursements are used for the constituents. The office has never overspent its budget and all resources are for the betterment of the constituents -- being able to address their needs, provide information and access, etc. We try to utilize every cent for the best representation of the constituency. We understand that we are not alone in trying to effectively manage a budget to provide as much as we can for the district.
"The office spends approximately 10 percent of the budget to give the constituents local access to me and the staff. The office has five district offices -- the cost is approx $134k just to have them open -- rent, utilities and phones. That doesn't include staff salaries, office supplies, equipment and furniture. Other members in the Houston area average three district offices. In addition, only one other member has an office in a GSA building. The rent in the GSA building is non-negotiable and is set by the federal government and is not free and is usually high. This building is in the 18th Congressional District and has been the location of the 18th District office for decades when the seat was held by previous congress persons.
"Sixty percent of the budget is spent on staffs who work on serving the constituency and on the legislative process to serve the diverse constituency for the good of the 18th Congressional District.
"Twelve percent is spent on travel -- mine back and forth from Houston to DC so when the legislative business is over, I can get back to the district with the people I represent, as well as staff who are traveling throughout the district assisting constituents, and those traveling from DC to further the legislative agenda.
"Four percent of the budget is spent on DC communications.
"Seven percent is spent on supplies necessary to maintain optimum office operations as well as reference materials essential for staff to succeed in their jobs.
"Seven percent is spent in communication outreach -- printing and mail, outreach for meetings, forums, hearings, and notices to constituents. The office is finding better and more cost-efficient ways to reach the constituency, like town hall events, informational meetings, and job fairs which benefit the constituents. The office also frequently mails information to constituents."
Ron Paul
"Ten of Congressman Paul's staff have been with him for five or more years. Of those 10, half of them have worked for the Congressman for 10 or more years. Higher turnover offices can start new employees out at lower pay, which likely accounts for their lower average salaries. The congressman's district staff have an outstanding reputation for diligent casework. The length of service and the outstanding performance of his staff in Texas and DC lends itself to a higher pay scale."
If you have a news tip or question for KPRC Local 2 Investigates, drop them an e-mail or call their tipline at (713) 223-TIPS (8477). Copyright 2011 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Fickle weather had many Pacific Northwest resorts covered top-to-bottom with crisp snow by early November to only see it melt away with a rainy backslap of soupy weather. Cooling temperatures, however, were expected to plummet the thermometer enough to start up the snow guns and crank up lifts for Thanksgiving weekend.
Most Washington resorts traditionally open in early December, but a handful shoot for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Crystal Mountain Resort, Stevens Pass, Mission Ridge, and Mt. Baker Ski Area hope to be operating for the holiday weekend, but their exact opening dates are pending snowfall.
Two Idaho resorts have set opening dates. Sun Valley Resort plans to maintain its tradition of starting up the lifts for the season on Thanksgiving Day. Silver Mountain is aiming for Nov. 26 with lifts running Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until Dec. 17 when the resort opens for daily skiing, riding, and tubing.
Oregon is unique: skiers and riders can almost guarantee finding the lifts turning for Thanksgiving at Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood, barring a closure for weather. The resort runs lifts year round, with the exception of September when the lifts receive maintenance. Mt. Hood Ski Bowl and Mt. Bachelor hope to open prior to Thanksgiving Day, but will announce their specific plans as more snow accumulates.
British Columbia began to pop open the weekend before the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday with Whistler Blackcomb opening first. Whistler Mountain opened last Friday while Blackcomb Mountain plans to follow Nov. 25. Sun Peaks Resort is open, with lifts scheduled to run daily for the season. [R364R,] Silver Star Mountain groomed their Nordic trails in time to start up their annual cross-country ski camps Nov. 22 with the goal of cranking up their chairlifts Nov. 26. Whitewater Ski Resort is aiming to open Nov. 27-28, but not starting daily operations until Dec. 10.
Conditions can change fast. Resorts aiming to open may be forced into postponements while those fortunate enough to see a boon of snow may start up early. Bottom line? Check here at OnTheSnow to see that they are open before you drive up.

subset: commoncrawl


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Stocking Stuffers for Coffee Lovers
If your holiday shopping list includes a few java enthusiasts, treat them each to a Christmas stocking stuffed with items that will satisfy their coffee cravings. From coffee bar essentials to travel accessories, our list of stocking-friendly coffee gear is sure to perk up any caffeine lover. If you're looking for a little gift-giving inspiration, we've brewed up a batch of our favorite coffee-inspired stocking stuffers just in time for Christmas.


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Connect 3D and Sapphire Blizzard Radeon X1900 XTXby Josh Venning on 4/10/2006 12:05 AM EST
- Posted in
- GPUs
24 Comments
Back to Article
Gioron - Thursday, April 13, 2006 - linkAs soon as I saw the cooling system I had flashbacks to http://www.dansdata.com/aguatec.htm">this review and http://www.dansdata.com/thermagic.htm">this almost as bad review. There is almost no situation where the water cooling card is a good idea. There is no magic mystical power of water to cool things down, its just an easy way to transfer heat from one place to annother. In the case of most sane water cooling rigs, this means transfering the heat from the small CPU contact patch to the large efficient/quiet radiator elsewhere. You lose efficiency by adding water to the loop, but you more than make up for it with a huge unwieldy radiator that would never fit on the CPU under normal circumstances.
However, in this situation (and in the first linked review) you're moving the heat from the processor contact to a radiator thats exactly the same size and efficiency as one you could attach directly to the processor, which means you lose efficiency moving the heat and then have no way to make up for it. As noted in the article, it does take a bit for the water to warm up which slows the temperature increase, but the final temperature MUST be higher than the temperature of the same heat sink just bolted directly onto the core. Anyone who even glanced at a thermodynamics textbook can tell you that. You may be able to get the water cooling system close to the efficiency of a normal heat sink, but you'll never exceed it and the marketing speel is complete and utter BS.
There is, however, one possible use for this card. Some shuttle boxes have the GPU slot right next to the side of the case, preventing the installation of cards with dual slot coolers. You can use this card to move the heatsink on the other side of the card and get cooling almost as good as a dual slot cooler, but the real solution to this problem is just for the case to be constructed such that dual card coolers will actually fit. (And since I haven't looked at shuttle cases much since I bought mine, they may actually have figured this out by now, leaving this card to be completely pointless.) Reply
tekkstore - Monday, April 17, 2006 - linkhttps://www.tekkstore.com">tekkstore.com Reply
tekkstore - Monday, April 17, 2006 - linkhttps://www.tekkstore.com">tekkstore.com Reply
yacoub - Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - link
One of the purported benefits of the Blizzard water cooled X1900 XTX is that it will supposedly generate significantly less noise than an air cooled solution. We measured the sound levels of both cards and found that this is NOT in fact the case.
Fixed it for you. The numbers listed indicate they are both very loud and neither would be appropriate for a quiet system or HTPC. Reply
jmke - Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - linkHello, are these "A" weighed? Reply
jmke - Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - linkforgot to ask; at what distance? was the card inside a case? Reply
haelduksf - Monday, April 10, 2006 - link"Bigger reservoir = more heat capacity" is a common myth, but a myth none the less. Adding more water to a loop doesn't result in any meaningful increase in heat capacity, and a larger res usually puts more strain on your pump to boot. Reply
NegativeEntropy - Monday, April 10, 2006 - linkI think what you menat was more water does not equal lower temps. By definition more coolant does indeed increase the total heat capacity of the system assuming the same fluid. Reply
JarredWalton - Monday, April 10, 2006 - linkExactly, which is what was intended in this article.If you have a gallon of water vs. a quart of water, both at 25 C, the gallon can absorb 4X as much heat before turning to vapor (not that you'd ever get it that hot with a computer system....) Taken to the extreme, you could have a system sucking water from the ocean and spewing back slightly warmer water into the ocean, and it would never really change the ocean's temperature. The only extra strain on a pump would be if the pump has to pull/push water through more pipes. Reply
z3R0C00L - Monday, April 10, 2006 - linkActually adding more water can make a difference provided you have a larger heat dissipator (radiator).
But I do agree adding more water does not mean better temps.. you need a larger dissipator to remove the heat from that extra water. At least using the logic I have an x1900XT clocked at 750/1700 using water and no voltage tweaks or increases. Reply
gersson - Monday, April 10, 2006 - linkThank you for constantly deleting my posts especially if they have something completely harmless and neutral. I notice that they are usually erased when I am the 1st poster...
This is my last post @ daily tech. Enjoy it while it still exists -_- Reply
JarredWalton - Monday, April 10, 2006 - linkNot sure if Daily Tech has deleted any of your posts or not, but I can tell you that there have been 13 comments on this article so far (this will the #14) and none of them have been deleted. None of them have been "voted down" either, so by default you should see all the comments. You might want to verify that your filter at DailyTech is set to -1 so that you can see all posts. Reply
LoneWolf15 - Monday, April 10, 2006 - linkI think it's likely that a solution from Arctic Cooling (i.e., the Accelero X) or one of Zalman's coolers would do as good of a job, be reasonably quiet, and not have the drawbacks that a liquid-cooled setup would. It would be interesting to make a comparison as to how they would stack up.
The Sapphire card looked interesting, but the results indicated to me it's a lot of sizzle without much steak. Reply
Questar - Monday, April 10, 2006 - link"Of course, if the GPU runs cooler it should draw less power"
This is new to me. Can you point me to anything to back this up? Reply
NegativeEntropy - Monday, April 10, 2006 - linkAs you imply, the author is either mistaken (as the evidence shows) or was making a faulty assumption. For a given CMOS chip to consume less power one of two things needs to happen: lower the frequency or the voltage. This assumes no fancy technology to turn off part of the chip. Assuming this thing runs at stock voltage, it should consume slightly more power than stock due to the frequency increase (not counting the pump). Reply
Gioron - Thursday, April 13, 2006 - linkClose to true, but not quite. The dynamic power of switching transistors is unnafected by temperature (its proportional to frequency and the supply voltage squared), but leakage current through an off transistor does decrease at lower temperatures and this current is a constant unaffected by the frequency. However, for most chips this isn't a huge difference... yet. As processes scale to smaller feature sizes leakage is increasing and some manufacturers have already run into problems with chips where 40% of their power is leakage and they suddenly had a chip using almost twice as much power as they expected, but most current chips see only a very small percent of their power usage as leakage current and making a small change to a small percentage of power is not likely to be noticable. Reply
DerekWilson - Thursday, April 13, 2006 - linkThis comment resulted from a conversation I had with Josh about temperature and power. As you have mentioned here, leakage current does vary with temperature. And, in any material, conductivity is affected by temperature as well -- which will also affect power. Two otherwise identical chips will absolutely draw different ammounts of power if one is very cold and the other very hot. Whether this ammount is significant is not addressed in this article, but the fact does remain that temperature affects power draw.
And, as has been pointed out, with 90nm and below we will see this phenomenon increase (provided no one stumbles upon a miraculous answer to the leakage problem). Reply
Sunrise089 - Monday, April 10, 2006 - linkThe Sapphire card seems pretty dissapointing. You give up an extra slot (right?) and pay ~$50 more to get almost no decrease in noise, almost no more of an overclock, and no less heat. Read that again: NO LESS HEAT! To me, a watercooling setup that runs equally hot as an air cooled setup isnt worth the leak risk, slight as it may be. Reply
JarredWalton - Monday, April 10, 2006 - linkTwo things: it takes longer to get to the same temperatures. Second, standard XT/XTX cards are two-slot solutions, so this just makes the second slot movable to either side of the GPU. But yeah, it's a bit underwhelming. At least it's a bit quieter - X1900XTX cards aren't very good on noise levels. Reply
mkruer - Monday, April 10, 2006 - linkDoes this seem completely pointless? Why not use heat pipes to draw more heat away from the core of the GPU and keep the fan heat sync in one assembly? This seems totally pointless unless you like having the possibility of your graphic card spring a leak. Reply
haelduksf - Monday, April 10, 2006 - linkBecause a well-designed water-cooling setup is more efficient than any heatpipe-based air cooler. See any overclocker's forum on the internet for proof. Reply
NullSubroutine - Monday, April 10, 2006 - linki could have been mistaken, but i thought the x1900xtx and the 7900 gtx xo edition from evga were pretty much tied? Reply
z3R0C00L - Monday, April 10, 2006 - linkNot really..
The x1900XTX has more features, performs better in newer games and also support HDR+AA. There are no extra's over the x1900 series that you can get with the 7900GTX.. save maybe 5FPS more in OpenGL games... but not many people play those games.
The x1900XTX is the better card for HighEnd buyer's.. better drivers, better performance and more features. Reply
NullSubroutine - Monday, April 10, 2006 - linki know it was the inquirer, but the did an article on the overclocked 7900 and it showed they pretty much tied in most situations. granted, it came factory overclocked. i still personally would take x1900xtx for a single card solution, but would take the 7900 for sli (if you can actually find two cards). Reply


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Allergy Clinic
Treatment is available at the health center for students requesting allergy injections on a regular basis.
- For the student's convenience, a registered nurse is available to give allergy injections on Tuesdays and Fridays.
- Appointments take approximately 30 minutes.
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If you are in need of regular allergy injections, please download the forms below. Complete the Patient Agreement form (PDF) yourself and have your allergist complete the Allergy Injection Private Physician Orders (PDF). Have the completed forms faxed to our Allergy/Immunization department 330-672-2272, mail them or drop them off at your convenience. Then, have your antigen vials shipped directly to the health center or dropped off at the health center before or during your first appointment.
Please use the address below to have vials shipped to the health center:
KSU Health Services
1500 Eastway Dr
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Allergy Nurses
If you would like to speak with one of our allergy nurses, please call 330-672-8263. You may need to leave a message if we are busy assisting another student, but your call is important to us.


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While the well-publicized growth in U.S. tight oil production has the potential to significantly alter long-standing relationships in international crude oil markets, domestic price divergences resulting from this growth have already had a major impact on the U.S. refining sector. Monthly data for May from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) confirm two trends: U.S. refineries continue to run at high levels, and disparities in the regional economics of the U.S. refining market persist. U.S. refineries have run 330,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) (2.3 percent) more crude oil year-to-date through May in 2012 compared to 2011 (Figure 1). This increase in crude runs has been concentrated in the Midwest, Gulf Coast, and Rocky Mountain regions, areas which have access to discounted land-locked crude oils or which have refineries with substantial upgrading capacity.
In 2012, the U.S. refining sector has generally been refining more barrels of crude oil than at any point since the large drop in petroleum prices in 2008. In May, U.S. refineries as a whole ran 15.2 million bbl/d of crude oil, a 3-percent increase compared to a year earlier. With the addition of the May data, 2012 year-to-date crude runs at U.S. refineries have averaged about 14.7 million bbl/d, the highest runs during the first five months of the year since 2008, and 220,000 bbl/d (1.5 percent) higher than the five-year average. Looking only at the national level of U.S. refinery runs, however, reveals just part of the picture. There are significant regional disparities in the underlying economics leading refinery runs to vary greatly among regions.
Refineries in the Midwest and Rocky Mountains are running at record-high levels to take advantage of lower-cost feedstocks available as a result of surging tight-oil production in those areas, along with some capacity expansions which have allowed for the processing of more heavy, sour Canadian crude. In 2012, the refiner acquisition cost of crude oil (RAC) for the Midwest and the Rocky Mountains has averaged $11 per barrel and $15 per barrel, respectively, below the U.S. average RAC. This price advantage has resulted in increased margins for refiners with access to the discounted crude oil, encouraging persistently high crude oil runs and refinery capacity utilization. Midwest refineries have run an average of just under 3.5 million bbl/d of crude oil through May in 2012, a 5.7-percent increase over 2011 and an 8.6-percent increase over the average from 2007 through 2011. In April, Midwest runs were the highest of any month since July 2000. Runs have been particularly high in Kansas and Oklahoma, where refineries are closely linked to the Cushing trading hub for West Texas Intermediate crude oil, which has been discounted for much of the past two years compared to global benchmarks such as Brent. Although they have a much smaller total capacity, refineries in the Rocky Mountains have run 559,000 bbl/d of crude oil in 2012, a 4.7-percent increase from 2011.
Gulf Coast refineries are also running at higher levels than they have been in recent years. Although crude oil input costs are not as low for Gulf Coast refiners as they are for those in the Midwest and Rocky Mountains, the Gulf Coast refining complex has added capacity in recent years leading to increased crude oil runs. The Gulf Coast produces more refined products than required to satisfy regional demand, and refineries in the region tend to have deep-conversion capacity. This abundance of relatively sophisticated capacity allows refiners to produce a high-value product slate which, given the Gulf's location, can be efficiently exported to serve other regions of the United States, as well as growing Latin American markets.
The East and West Coasts are the exception to the trend of higher refinery runs. Those regions' reliance on relatively expensive crude oil, along with reductions in capacity over the last several years, has led to below-average runs. West Coast crude runs are down 0.9 percent in 2012 compared to last year, and have been 5.7 percent below their five-year average. On the East Coast, runs are down 9.9 percent year-over-year through May. This decline can be largely attributed to the East Coast having less operable capacity this year than last. In addition, East Coast crude oil costs have been about $12 per barrel above the U.S. average in 2012. These high crude oil costs were part of the reason behind the 2011 announcement of the potential closure of three of the regions' refineries in 2012. However, recent developments indicate that only one of these three refineries - Sunoco's Marcus Hook plant - will be closed permanently. The former ConocoPhillips Trainer facility, now owned by Delta Air Lines, was closed in September 2011 and is expected to return to service later this year. Sunoco's Philadelphia refinery is expected to remain in operation following the formation of a joint venture between The Carlyle Group and Sunoco. Once Trainer restarts, crude runs on the East Coast will likely increase.
The impacts of these changes in crude runs are becoming apparent. Increased gasoline and distillate production in the Midwest, a traditional market for Gulf Coast products, has reduced the requirement to ship products up from the Gulf. As a result, more products produced in the Gulf are available for export or delivery to the East Coast. See the July 5 edition of TWIP for additional discussion of distillate exports.


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Trout, Pujols and Hamilton go hitless in loss to Mariners
SEATTLE -- On an Angels team that entered the season heavy on offense and perceived as light on pitching, Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton are very much at the center.
They're the three that Mike Scioscia eventually opted to connect in the lineup, the three who sat together at a Spring Training press conference and the three you could count on, through thick and thin, in good times and in bad.
Lately, though, they've done the seemingly unfathomable, given their talent and track record -- they've struggled collectively.
On Sunday, in a 2-1 loss to the Mariners at Safeco Field, Trout, Pujols and Hamilton combined to go 0-for-12 with five strikeouts. And over the last six games, a stretch in which the Angels have lost four times, they've combined to bat .167, with 16 strikeouts in 66 at-bats.
"It's part of the game," Pujols said. "That means when we come out, we might come out at the same time, so it'll be a little different."
If there's a silver lining with the current Angels -- now 9-15 after dropping three of four to the Mariners, putting them 6 1/2 games back of the first-place Rangers in the American League West -- it's what the first baseman just referenced. Trout, Pujols and Hamilton will eventually turn it around and get hot -- really hot, you'd think.
It's just not happening yet. With April almost over, they're batting a combined .242 with two homers apiece -- while the Angels have the left side of their infield, four relievers and an ace on the disabled list. On Sunday, they were at the core of an offense that did almost nothing against Hisashi Iwakuma, made Jason Vargas a tough-luck loser and totaled nine runs in the four-game set.
"I think some things this series stalled, but they'll be fine," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of his Nos. 2, 3 and 4 hitters.
"We're battling; it's not like we're going out there trying to fly out or punch out," Trout added. "It's a long year. We're going to be fine."
Making his first appearance against the organization he suited up for the previous four years, Vargas had the best start of his Angels career, throwing eight innings of two-run ball to drop his ERA from 5.82 to 4.85.
On a cool afternoon that saw him scatter six hits, walk two, strike out seven and go longer than any Angels starter has all season, the 30-year-old left-hander made just two mistakes: Two down-the-middle fastballs to Jason Bay and Michael Morse, resulting in a pair of solo homers.
"His changeup was really good today," said Bay, whose Mariners are now 11-16. "It was diving and fading and doing a lot of things and we really couldn't do much with him. Luckily, our pitchers gave us a chance."
The Angels struggled to get anything going off Iwakuma, who limited them to only one unearned run -- on a slow roller by Trout that snuck under the glove of shortstop Robert Andino for an error and scored Andrew Romine -- while striking out eight and walking none in six innings.
After that, Carter Capps blanked them for the next two frames and Tom Wilhelmsen picked up the save while mowing through the middle of the Angels' batting order.
"At some point, you have to beat good pitching," Scioscia said. "We weren't able to do it this series."
The Angels batted .208 in the four games in the Northwest, going a combined 0-for-17 with runners in scoring position. Three days before departing to Seattle, they had swept the defending AL-champion Tigers and looked like they were finally on their way.
Since then, they've dropped five of seven to the Rangers and Mariners, giving them the exact same record they had through 24 games of last year's sluggish April.
"We're mentally strong -- we have a great ballclub," said Pujols, whose team wraps up its seven-game road trip with three in Oakland. "It happens to good teams. At the end, hopefully it happens for a reason. To win a championship, you just don't rise to the top and ride it all year long. You have to go through some tough times, and it's good that it happens right now than in September, or later on in the season.
"We have plenty of time. We said that last year, but we have a lot of games left, so anything can happen. We go to Oakland, win the series, and we had a good road trip."
Alden Gonzalez is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Gonzo and "The Show", and follow him on Twitter @Alden_Gonzalez. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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THE man in charge of Worcestershire's economy has rallied behind a £4 million bid to keep flooding at bay - saying it is vital to stop employers leaving for elsewhere.
John Hobbs, one of Worcestershire County Council's top directors, says the Government needs to step in and help beef up flooding resilience.
As your Worcester News revealed in April, a £4 million bid has been made to the Government for more flooding alleviation measures, which is expected to focus on protecting New Road.
If the cash is forthcoming new engineering work will take place along the important route, which runs along the cricket ground, to stop it flooding.
The bid has been made by Worcestershire's Local Enterprise Partnership, which worked with the council in preparing it.
Mr Hobbs, director for business, the environment and community at County Hall said: "We don't want businesses going elsewhere because we're not doing anything about flooding.
"An important part of this whole plan isn't just about growth (in the economy), it's about business retention too."
Peter Blake, head of integrated transport, said: "Strictly speaking this doesn't tick a 'jobs' or 'economic growth' box, but it does give people assurances we're trying to do more things to tackle flooding."
The flooding over the winter period saw the main Worcester Bridge closed after New Road flooded.
It cost £640,000 to deal with across Worcestershire, with 108 homes and 55 businesses flooded, although if the existing defences were not in place the figures would have been far higher.
Since those events the county council has made some kind of flooding prevention project a priority, but it depends on the success of the bid.
The £4 million ask is part of a series of bids totalling £250 million by the LEP, which is competing with 35 other parts of the country for some money.
The Government has £2 billion a year available for the best projects, and a first announcement on awards for the 2015/16 financial year is expected in August.


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THE Brewhouse Theatre closed one year ago but a community group bringing the building back to life say it will be re-open in six weeks.
Taunton Theatre Association is now the official tenant of the venue after talks with Taunton Deane Council to restore the venue.
The majority of structural work has been completed and contractors will now test the sound and lighting equipment before its opening for the Taunton Scout and Guide Gang Show on April 8-12.
Chair Val Hammond said: "It's time to bring the theatre back into life and we are ready to roll up our sleeves and get on with the job.
"The council has more or less finished their work and then it's up to us."
The not-for-profit organisation was set up after the sudden closure of the Brewhouse, which rocked the county town.
In October, Taunton Deane Council agreed to purchase the 61- year lease of the theatre building after reaching agreement with administrators BDO, who were appointed to deal with the theatre's debts.
Cllr Norman Cavill, who looks after the economic development and arts scene, told the County Gazette in December that the re-opening of the Brewhouse Theatre was a huge step forward for Taunton's economy.
Mrs Hammond said the group's next step is to rebuild a list of contacts and she hopes people and businesses will sign up for information, to offer help or to donate funds via their website.
Taunton Deane Council have given the group an initial start-up grant of £46,000 under a short-term funding agreement while a longer term arrangement is discussed.
The Gang Show is one of two performances set to kickstart the venue's revival as the Young Musical Theatre Company's production of High School Musical is planned for April 16-19.
Tickets for The Gang Show are on sale from the Taunton Tourist Information Office and the Young Musical Theatre Company's performance tickets can be booked through www.ymtcgroup.com.


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You know you're going somewhere this year. Bag ultimate bragging rights and book your trip to one of these hot spots around the globe
The View from The Shard, London: The city's highest and most vertiginous views become accessible to the public on Feb. 1. The View from the Shard is a observation area that spans levels 68 to 72 of the Shard, the pointy 310-metre high Renzo Piano-designed skyscraper, the tallest building in Western Europe. A glass-enclosed deck will offer 360-degree views across a 64-kilometre radius. If you're in need of a stiff drink after the sky-high experience, head a few floors down to the bar of soon-to-be-opened Shangri-La London, the five-star brand's first hotel in the U.K. Tickets for the View from the Shard start at $30 (£18.95) and must be purchased in advance.
(Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg)
Fogo Island, Nfld.: Dot-com millionaire Zita Cobb is spearheading the renaissance of her native Fogo Island, breathing fresh air into the community's cultural heritage and drawing interest from travellers who never would have considered the tiny floating speck in northeast Newfoundland. Established in 2006, her Shorefast Foundation has been hard at work supporting local entrepreneurs through micro-loans, funding artists and developing an inn that is set to open this year. Fogo Island Inn (fogoislandinn.ca) is the work of architect Todd Saunders, a Newfoundlander living in Norway. When complete, the multimillion-dollar boxy structure will house 29 ocean-view rooms, hand-crafted furniture, rooftop hot tubs and saunas, plus an art gallery, library and cinema for both locals and guests.
(Mike Wert/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Amsterdam: It's the year of milestones in Amsterdam and the city plans to whoop it up. This month, join in the fun by skating along the postcard perfect, UNESCO-listed canal ring that was constructed 400 years ago. In April, the Rijksmuseum reopens after a decade of renovations to show off its Rembrandts and Vermeers in new exhibition halls. Vincent van Gogh turns 160 in March, and although his namesake museum turns 40, it is also in the midst of a makeover (to see the artist's colourful works, go to the temporary exhibit at the Hermitage Amsterdam). Other landmark birthdays include the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (125), the Artis Royal Zoo (175), and Felix Meritis cultural centre (225), which translates into special concerts, lectures and exhibits. More details at iamsterdam.com.
Colombia is evolving into a safer, more refined tourist destination. Crime rates are significantly improved, and while the country is less well-trodden than bordering Ecuador, Peru and Panama, it offers everything from beach getaways to colonial city stays (for a bit of both, check out the recently opened Casa San Agustin, hotelcasasanagustin.com, in Cartagena de Indias). Bogota couple Santiago and Camilla traded in city life to open up Hacienda Bambusa (haciendabambusa.com) near Armenia, a peaceful hideaway surrounded by coffee plantations, sleepy villages and lush rain forests. But if you need more action, join sports fans at the 2013 World Games in Cali, a city that was considered a no-go zone in years past.
Hobart, Tasmania: Australia's rugged island outpost has a new sophisticated side. The year-old Museum of Old and New Art (MONA for short) is the unlikely epicentre; a vast subterranean space carved out of an ancient sandstone cliff to display multimillionaire David Walsh's private art collection. Artsy Antipodeans flock here like kids do to Disneyland, immersing themselves in the surrounding estate that is home to a micro-brewery, a winery, a restaurant and a boutique hotel. This month's main event is MONA FOMA, a seven-day festival that showcases international musicians (David Byrne and St. Vincent, Bickram Ghosh, Elvis Costello, and more). Come back in June to see Theatre of the World, an exhibition put together by the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery and curator Jean-Hubert Martin, formerly of Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris.
Pienza, Italy: The Tuscan hills are awash with upmarket holiday villas, but there are few modern boutique hotels that put you in the thick of village life. Former Sony Music executive-turned-hotelier John Voigtmann is changing that with the spring opening of La Bandita Townhouse (labanditatownhouse.com) in Pienza. If the minimalist luxury vibe of Voigtmann's first hotel, La Bandita Countryhouse, flows through his new 12-room venture, the guest book will fill up quickly. Pienza itself is a charming Renaissance village, within an hour's drive to Siena and Cortona, and only a half hour to southern Tuscany's famed wine capitals, Montalcino and Montepulciano.
Bahia, Brazil: Brazil is priming for an epic close-up. If you want to beat the tourist hordes and inflated hotel prices, now is the time to visit, before the crowds descend for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics. And Bahia, in northern Brazil, is the place to find barefoot eco-friendly beach luxury at its best. The seaside village of Trancoso is home to Uxua Casa Hotel (uxua.com), a stylish nine-villa bolthole that was built mostly by hand from recycled wood and designed by the creative director of Italian fashion brand Diesel. Along the more rugged white sand Corumbau shoreline is Fazenda Sao Francisco (corumbau.com.br), a cluster of bungalows that run on solar power and recycled water, and are decorated with a natural combination of wood, straw, tiles and terra cotta materials.
Stockholm, Sweden: On May 7, after a four-year delay, the new ABBA museum opens on the leafy Stockholm island Djurgarden. It will be a permanent exhibition within the new Swedish Music Hall of Fame, and perhaps the ultimate homage to the seventies-era band whose tunes can still be heard blasting in the bars and clubs of Sweden's capital. Band member Bjorn Ulvaeus played a role in its development, making sure the bedazzling displays of costumes, guitars, lyrics and musical mementos appealed to hard-core fans in a contemporary way. Patrons can put the museum's cheesy tagline – "Walk in. Dance Out" – to the test by singing Dancing Queen alongside life-size holograms of the group.
(Visit Sweden)
East Africa: Hoteliers in East Africa are unveiling new accommodations for the well-heeled traveller. Opening in March, Hemingways Nairobi (hemingways-nairobi.com) is the first five-star hotel in the Kenyan capital and delivers such luxe amenities as personal butlers and running coaches who have trained with Olympian sprinters. In Tanzania, you can recover from an early morning game drive with a rubdown in the spa at Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti (fourseasons.com/serengeti), the brand's first foray into sub-Saharan Africa. And on a much more intimate scale, Zambia's recently opened Potato Bush Camp is a good choice for glamp-ers. Its four riverside tents are outfitted with ensuite bathrooms, outdoor hammocks and private plunge pools.
(Potato Bush Camp)
Quito, Ecuador: Much needed infrastructure improvements will make it a lot more pleasant to travel to (and through) Quito. The Ecuadorian capital has long been a launch pad for trips to the Galapagos Islands and into the surrounding highlands, but severely congested city roads and an outdated inner-city airport has made travel difficult. Years in development, a new airport is slated to open in February. It has advanced navigation systems, one of the longest runways in the world, and sits 18 kilometres outside of the city centre, which will no doubt cut down on the endless traffic jams. If you have the time, spend at least two nights in Quito's cobblestone colonial quarter which has a few notable boutique hotels (La Casona de la Ronda Hotel, Casa Gangotena) and an emerging arts scene.
(Casa Gangotena)


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Plastistruct Square Rod, Please view to see available sizes/prices.
Peco Set Track ST-200 - Standard Straight 168mm
Plastistruct Round Tubing. Please view to see all available sizes/prices.
Plastistruct Angle, Please click to view all available sizes/prices.
Plastistruct, H-Column, Please click to view all available sizes/prices.
30ml Poly Cement Glue
F51 - Foliage: Light Green
PECO Set Track ST-231 No.3 Radius Double Curve (505mm Radius)
Peco Set Track ST-203 Special Short Straight
PECO Set Track ST-222 No.1 Radius Half Curve (371mm Radius)
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Ready to Run, N Gauge (1:148)
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OO Gauge Buildings
Printed and laser cut 3D card kits for model railway scenery.
Hornby Country Station
Hornby Scaledale Derelict Barn
Covered footbridge by Bachmann
Width 336mm x Depth 170mm
Hornby Resin Skaledale range comes pre-painted and ready to place on your layout.
Hornby Skaledale: Spire Restaurant


text:
Binge-Watching 101
Who has the time to watch TV when it airs? Learn what you'll need to break those entertainment chains and start binge-watching properly.
dallas where it all started meet the cast see how it all began in the first two seasons...
ITEM#: 2282773When DALLAS premiered on network television in 1978, it became the first nighttime soap opera. Soon thereafter, it became a nationwide sensation. The series follows the lives of several wealthy families live, love, and lust in the oil-driven world of Dallas, Texas. Starring Larry Hagman as the nefarious J.R. Ewing, the series also boasts a talented supporting cast, including Barbara Bel Geddes, Patrick Duffy, Victoria Principal, Jim Davis, Linda Gray, Charlene Tilton, and many more. This release contains all twenty-nine episodes from the show's stellar first two seasons.
|Warner Brothers
|Extra Info
|5-Disc Set
|Television: Series/Drama
|Not Rated
|5.75" x 1.25" x 7.75" WxHxD
|0.84 lbs
|Steve Kanaly, Ken Kercheval, Jim Davis, Victoria Principal, Charlene Tilton, Linda Gray, Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, Barbara Bel Geddes
|Country of Origin
|United States
dallas where it all started meet the cast see how it all began in the first two seasonsRead More
Dallas is one of the very few tv series that my husband and I enjoy watching together and to find the dallas beginning is great.Read More
This really brings back memories! I was happy to see the Dallas series on Overstock. Overstock always has exactly what I'm looking for! The DVDs came very promptly and are good quality. This is something I haven't seen in the stores where I live. I am going to order more for Christmas presents! Perfect.Read More
I never watched Dallas during it`s run on tv. A friend recommended it on DVD so I thought I`d give it a try. Big mistake!!! Now I`m hooked. Have already ordered season 3 and am looking forward to it. Good writing and acting all around. The commentaries, though sparse, gave some neat insights into the show. It was really great to see how some of the people have aged(last disc,side B). I definitely recommend this DVD.Read More
It was fun to re-watch Dallas - It was just as much fun to watch it the 2nd time around as it was back in the day!Read More
Who has the time to watch TV when it airs? Learn what you'll need to break those entertainment chains and start binge-watching properly.
Academy Awards Guide from Overstock.com. Our guides provide customers with information about the Academy Awards.
Looking for the perfect Valentine's Day movie to watch this year? We've picked the best of classic, manly, RomCom, devastatingly sad, and guilty pleasure Valentine's Day flicks.
Tribeca Film Festival Guide from Overstock.com. Our guides provide customers with information about the Tribeca Film Festival.
How to Review a Movie from Overstock.com. Movie reviews are a great way to determine the importance of a film, its impact on viewers, and whether or not it is worth a watch.
Top 5 Prestigious Film Festivals from Overstock.com. Read more about the film festivals behind some of your favorite movies.
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Dallas: The Complete First & Second Seasons (DVD)
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Our Hotel
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Firgrove Hotel
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The Firgrove Hotel in Blackpool is one of Blackpool's most charming hotels.
Our Hotel is situated within minutes of every major attraction in Blackpool.
and for those with more than pleasure in mind, a short walk from the famous Blackpool Winter Gardens Conference Center.
We have Refurbished our en-suite rooms to make you feel very comfortable and welcome.
Location! Location! Location!
Perfect for that weekend retreat.
Within walking distance of Funny Girls, Night clubs, Promenade, North Pier, Tower and the Golden Mile ..
For thoose that prefer a lively holiday, we can custom build a great week/weekend of events
Your Holiday will extra special at the finest hotel in Blackpool.
We can guarantee you satisfaction at the Firgrove Hotel because we always listen to your needs
If you are planning a special occasion let us know and we would love to accommodate you!
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We have the highest standards and I think you we agree on your arrival
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"It all started when I was about six years old and saw that fantastic tornado in The Wizard of Oz."
—Tim Samaras
Photo by Carsten Peter, National Geographic
About Tim Samaras
Photo by Carsten Peter, National Geographic
As families scrambled to avoid deadly tornadoes, Tim Samaras raced straight toward them. He careened across the United States' notorious Tornado Alley on a mission: Predict the exact coordinates of an unborn tornado, arrive before it does, and place a weather-measurement probe directly in the twister's violent, swirling path.
"Data from the probes helps us understand tornado dynamics and how they form. With that piece of the puzzle we can make more precise forecasts and ultimately give people earlier warnings," Samaras explained. Since current warnings average a slim 13 minutes, every extra second of warning can be a lifesaver for residents facing a twister's wrath.
"It all started when I was about six years old and saw that fantastic tornado in The Wizard of Oz," Samaras said. About 20 years ago he began storm chasing. He spent every May and June putting 25,000 miles on his vehicle, chasing zigzagging tornadoes across the Plains.
"About five years ago, as an engineer," he noted, "I designed the next generation of probe to measure pressure drops inside tornadoes." A history-making instrument, Samaras's "turtle" probe has recorded record-breaking drops in pressure—the condition that triggers a tornado's extreme wind speeds. "This information is especially crucial, because it provides data about the lowest ten meters of a tornado, where houses, vehicles, and people are."
His car jammed with GPS gear, radios, scanners, a wireless Internet connection, and satellite tracking devices, Samaras constantly checked the forecast, data, and sky. "I only have one shot at being at the right spot," he said. "The worst is being five minutes late. One traffic jam or detour and you can miss the whole show. That's why we try to anticipate the action and arrive while there's still nothing but blue sky. The storms develop right over our heads, and we follow them as they form."
Often the fury fizzled. Tornadoes developed from only two out of every ten storms Samaras followed. And deploying a probe was only possible during two out of every ten tornadoes. "The odds are really against us," he admitted. "Storm chasing is probably the most frustrating thing one can do."
But then there were days like June 24, 2003. On a sleepy country road near Manchester, South Dakota, a half-mile-wide F4 tornado dropped from the sky and barreled across the landscape with more than 200-mile-an-hour winds. At precisely the right place and time, Samaras deployed three probes, the last one placed as he leapt from his car a mere 100 yards ahead of the approaching tornado. Sixty seconds later the tornado crossed that exact spot, full force.
"That's the closest I've been to a violent tornado, and I have no desire to ever be that close again," he recalled. "The rumble rattled the whole countryside, like a waterfall powered by a jet engine. Debris was flying overhead, telephone poles were snapped and flung 300 yards through the air, roads ripped from the ground, and the town of Manchester literally sucked into the clouds. You could see the tornado's path perfectly carved through a cornfield where, like a giant harvester, it had mowed stalks down to the ground."
Amazingly, his probe survived the tornado's direct hit, unmoved from the spot where it had been deployed. Thanks to the pyramid shape Samaras designed, wind actually pushes the probe into the ground, helping to hold the device in place.
A six-inch-high weather station encased in steel, the probe has sensors that measure humidity, pressure, temperature, wind speed, and direction.
"When I downloaded the probe's data into my computer, it was astounding to see a barometric pressure drop of a hundred millibars at the tornado's center. That's the biggest drop ever recorded—like stepping into an elevator and hurtling up 1,000 feet in ten seconds."
Every storm is different. Some require deploying probes as baseball-size hail falls. In another instance Samaras watched telephone poles fall in front of him, sending arcs of sparks exploding across the road as he made his escape. Yet another tornado developed at night, only allowing glimpses of its oncoming path during flashes of lightning.
"My passion for storm chasing has always been driven by the beautiful and powerful storms displayed in the heartland each spring."×Close
From The Society
"We were shocked and deeply saddened by the news that longtime National Geographic grantee Tim Samaras was killed in a tornado in Oklahoma on Friday, May 31, along with Tim's son Paul and their colleague Carl Young. Tim was a courageous and brilliant scientist who fearlessly pursued tornadoes and lightning in the field in an effort to better understand these phenomena.
The National Geographic Society made 18 grants to Tim for research over the years for field work like he was doing in Oklahoma at the time of his death, and he was one of our 2005 Emerging Explorers. Tim's research included creation of a special probe he would place in the path of a twister to measure data from inside the tornado; his pioneering work on lightning was featured in the August 2012 issue of National Geographic magazine.
Though we sometimes take it for granted, Tim's death is a stark reminder of the risks encountered regularly by the men and women who work for us. This is an enormous loss for his family, his wide circle of friends and colleagues and National Geographic."
—Terry Garcia, Executive Vice President, National Geographic Society
Stories, Photos and Videos
- Pictures: Tim Samaras at Work, June 3, 2013
- Hours Before His Death, Tim Samaras Told Us ..., June 3, 2013
- Our Last Tim Samaras Interview, June 2, 2013
- Top Storm Chaser Dies in Tornado, June 2, 2013
- Inside Tornatoes, National Geographic magazine, June 2005


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BATH head coach Mike Ford admits Friday's Aviva Premiership clash with second-placed Saracens (7.45pm) will be one of his side's biggest challenges of the season.
Ford conceded Bath were below their best despite claiming a bonus-point win at home to Wasps last weekend and is under no illusions as to the scale of his team's upcoming task.
He said: ""We were pleased with the result against Wasps – you can never knock a bonus point win – but we know that we'll have to be much more on our game come kick-off on Friday.
"We played well in patches, but not at the level we know we can reach and have shown we can compete at throughout the season.'
Ford added: "Saracens are a good side. We've said before that they are probably three or four years ahead of us in terms of development, but they've found a great level of consistency in the last couple of seasons that has seen them there or thereabouts at the end of the season.
"This game on Friday will no doubt be one of our biggest challenges all season – they beat a very good Exeter side at the weekend, and will be looking to wrestle the top spot back from Northampton.
"Everyone loves a Friday night game at the Rec, it's such a special place to play with the home crowd getting right behind you, and I've no doubt the team will be up for the challenge that awaits.
"We'd love to be playing in front of a packed house - it really takes the boys to another level knowing that great support is out there."
Tickets are still available for Friday's clash at the Rec. Call 0844 448 1865 or go online at bathrugby.com/tickets.


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springblade running shoe
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The adidas Springblade for men is a high performance running shoe that allows you to get the best out of your runs. The Springblade cushion pads are strategically located around high wear areas and include a fitframe construction for a locked in fit
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If you need any assistance please use our chat.


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You exercise your body to stay physically in shape, so why shouldn't you exercise your brain to stay mentally fit? With these daily exercises you will learn how to flex your mind, improve your creativity and boost your memory. As with any exercise, repetition is necessary for you to see improvement, so pick your favorite exercises from our daily suggestions and repeat them as desired. Try to do some mentalrobics every single day!
Previously we talked about short-term memory and about how you can test it yourself.
Now, Braingle has an interactive short-term memory test that you can use to find your limit. It can also keep track of your results from day to day, so as you use our memory improvement exercises you will be able to see your improvement.
Similar Articles
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Short Term Memory Test
Interactively test your short term memory.
Mentalrobics Public Forums
Chat about these articles and other mind related topics.
Sudoku Logic Puzzle
This puzzle requires logic and a good memory.


text:
|"Are you a wizard or not?"
The title of this article is conjectural. Although it is based on canonical information, the actual name is conjecture and may be supplanted at any time by additional information released from canonical sources. If this occurs, please move this page to the appropriate title.
|Girl who played Asha
|Physical information
- "Little did he know that the students playing Amata and Sir Luckless had been boyfriend and girlfriend until one hour before the curtain rose, at which point 'Sir Luckless' transferred his affections to 'Asha'."
- —Albus Dumbledore[src]
This girl attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the early part of the 20th century. She was cast as Asha in the Christmas production of "The Fountain of Fair Fortune" that Herbert Beery arranged. An hour before the play started, the boy who played Sir Luckless dumped his girlfriend (who had been cast as Amata) in favour of the one playing Asha, causing the two jealous young witches to duel each other on the stage, setting fire to the Great Hall in the process.
- The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Mentioned only)


text:
High school roundup: Gateway girls soccer team tops No. 3 Fox Chapel
Emily Stevens scored on a header off a corner kick in the second half to give Gateway (12-2-1, 10-0-1) a 2-1 Section 3-AAA victory over No. 3-ranked Fox Chapel (14-2, 9-2) on Monday night.
The win also clinched a section title for the Gators.
Fox Chapel struck first with a goal from sophomore Emma Slevin in the 55th minute, but Gateway's Carly Seneca tied the game one minute later.
Norwin 12, Connellsville 0 — Micayla Livingston recorded a hat trick, and Jessica Boydim added two goals for No. 4 Norwin (12-1-2, 10-1) in a Section 1-AAA win.
Franklin Regional 4, Hempfield 0 — Courtney Hanchey scored two goals for Franklin Regional (9-6, 7-4) in a Section 1-AAA victory.
Seneca Valley 3, North Allegheny 1 — Class AAA No. 5 Seneca Valley improved to 14-1 overall and 10-1 in Section 2 with a key victory at North Allegheny (10-4, 6-4).
Pine-Richland 6, North Hills 0 — Lydia Sargent had four goals to lead Pine-Richland (9-5, 5-5) to a Section 2-AAA win.
Canon-McMillan 2, Chartiers Valley 1 — Veronica Rothka scored with nine minutes remaining to give Canon-McMillan (7-5-2, 4-3-2) a Section 5-AAA win.
Laurel Highlands 4, Brashear 1 — In Section 5-AAA, Kaylee Rabatin recorded a hat trick to lead Laurel Highlands (5-8, 2-7).
McKeesport 2, Albert Gallatin 1 — Katie Strohm scored with less than 10 minutes to play to seal a Section 4-AAA win for McKeesport (2-11-1, 1-9-1). Mackenzie Bana recorded six saves.
Derry 3, Uniontown 2 — Senior captain Nichole Klapchar scored twice, and Shauna Wambold added a goal and assist to lead Derry (2-11, 2-8) to victory in Section 1-AA.
Mt. Pleasant 4, Waynesburg 0 — In Section 1-AA, Jordan Toohey scored two goals to lead Mt. Pleasant (8-7, 7-4) to victory.
Yough 6, Greensburg Salem 0 — Mikayla Mance had a hat trick, and Hannah Ponitz (2) and Taylor Hampshire also scored to lead Yough (14-2, 11-0) to a Section 1-AA win. Goalie Kirstin Capenos earned her sixth shutout for the Cougars, who have clinched the section title.
Hopewell 3, Ambridge 0 — Abby Losco scored two goals for Hopewell (10-2-1, 10-0-1) in a Section 3-AA win. Kyra Honeywill recorded two saves.
Quigley Catholic 1, Mohawk 0 — Liz Duer scored the lone goal with 18:40 gone in the second half to lead Quigley Catholic (8-7-1, 7-5-1) to a Section 1-A win. Mia Chis had six saves for her sixth shutout.
South Allegheny 5, Beth-Center 0 — Shannon Wygonik, Amber Brownfield and Melanie Girovski were among the scorers, as No. 4 South Allegheny (13-0, 10-0) clinched the school's first section title in girls soccer in a Section 2-A triumph.
Greensburg Central Catholic 8, Riverview 1 — Frannie Crouse scored three goals and added three assists to lead No. 1 Greensburg Central Catholic (10-1, 10-0) to a Section 4-A win.
Jeannette 3, Geibel 1 — Sydney Pecararo's hat trick keyed a Section 4-A victory for Jeannette (2-10, 2-9).


text:
Wish a merry Christmas and a happy new year to all those in your social circle.
Wish one and all a merry time on Christmas with this bright and beautiful ecard.
Send this warm and wonderful ecard to your business partner/ associate on Christmas.
Reach out to your friends/ family/ loved ones with this crackling New Year wish.
Wish your loved ones the blessings of the Lord with this elegant ecard.
Season's greetings and best wishes for a happy and fulfilling new year.
Send this bouquet of balloons to your sweetheart/ friend/ family/ loved ones on his/...
Wish your loved ones blossoms of happiness with this beautiful floral New Year card.
A birthday wish filled with smiles for your loved one.
Wish your friend a Happy Holiday Season with this cute ecard.
A beautiful ecard to wish your doctor/ lawyer/ neighbor/ teacher a promising New Year.
Image of a sunflower rising and a warm birthday message.
A special birthday ecard for your dear friend/ loved one on his/ her birthday.
A cute ecard to wish your dear ones sparkling good times in the New Year.
Send this birthday ecard to your dear ones. Show them how much you care for them.
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|Books and Other Miscellany
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Reviews of the books I read (including fiction and non-fiction in a variety of genres), thoughts on reading, books, libraries, and bookstores, and other miscellaneous ramblings.
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Maternal Grandmother
Added by deadhead_112357135 20 Aug 2011
maternal grandmother
Added by vlivins_23 21 Nov 2009
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The correct spelling of her name is"Wauhillau". In Cherokee it means "Eagle".
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Added by deadhead_112357135 20 Aug 2011
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Gluten-Free Meal Ideas
If you follow a gluten-free diet your meals and snacks can still be balanced and delicious. Below are some examples of gluten-free meals that you can enjoy throughout the day.
- Gluten-free oats mixed with a sprinkle of cinnamon, nuts, and dried fruit
- Slice of gluten-free toast or a gluten-free English muffin with peanut butter and a small bowl of fresh berries
- Omelet made with 2 eggs, sautéed mushrooms, onions, peppers, and reduced-fat cheese
- Fruit smoothie made with frozen fruit, low-fat milk, and yogurt free of gluten additives
- Gluten-free cereal such as Rice Chex or Corn Chex with low-fat milk and a small piece of fresh fruit
*Add coffee or tea to any of these meals.
- Tuna salad made with light mayo, chopped celery, and chopped carrots; serve tuna salad on gluten-free crackers or wrapped in large lettuce leaves to make lettuce wraps
- Salad made with mixed greens, sundried tomatoes, provolone cheese, red onions, and gluten-free deli turkey, all drizzled with olive oil and red wine vinegar
- Chicken and cheese quesadilla fixed on a pure corn tortilla with a side of pinto beans
- Yogurt parfait made with low-fat vanilla yogurt and fresh berries, plus a small handful of nuts (make sure the yogurt you buy is gluten-free)
- Grain salad made with quinoa, corn, diced avocado, tomatoes, black beans, and chopped fresh cilantro (toss with olive oil and lime juice or toss with a spoonful of salsa)
- Rice noodles topped with sautéed vegetables and tofu
- Grilled salmon filet with wild rice and a side salad (with gluten-free dressing)
- Baked chicken breast with corn on the cob, and cooked broccoli seasoned with lemon juice and freshly ground pepper
- Tacos made with pure corn tortillas filled with lean ground beef, black beans, tomatoes, romaine lettuce and reduced-fat cheese
- Homemade chili or stew made with vegetables and lean meat or chicken (double check that all ingredients are gluten-free, especially if using broth)
- Grilled kabobs with shrimp, peppers, and onions, plus a side of black bean and corn salad
- Spinach salad with tomatoes, carrots, reduced-fat cheddar cheese, garbanzo beans, and grilled chicken drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Some ideas for gluten-free snacks and sides
- Small piece of fresh fruit (some ideas: pears, apples, bananas, nectarines, clementines or 1/2 of a grapefruit) with a handful of almonds
- Apple slices or a small banana with peanut butter or almond butter
- Fresh vegetables (cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, broccoli florets, celery sticks, etc.) with gluten-free light ranch dip or bean dip
- Seasoned steamed vegetables
- Peanut butter spread on gluten-free rice crackers or a gluten-free rice cake
- Hard-boiled egg
- Dried fruit and nut mix
- Gluten-free pretzels with hummus
- Small bowl of gluten-free cereal with low-fat milk
- Air popped popcorn
If you are looking for quick and easy gluten-free recipes, sign up for Recipes for Healthy Living where you'll find a variety of new recipes each month.
Eating Out
You may find it hard to eat out when you follow a gluten-free diet. Some restaurants have gluten-free options on their menu or they may have ingredient lists on their website. A local celiac support group may be able to offer additional guidance and information about restaurants in your area.
Also, plan ahead if you are going to a wedding, out to eat, or somewhere else where food will be served. Always call to find out what your options are ahead of time. If needed, pack your own snacks and food with enough carbohydrate to get you through the day.
Gluten-Free Diets — Basic information on celiac disease and gluten-free diets.
What Foods Have Gluten? — Wondering what foods have gluten? You might be surprised.
What Can I Eat That is Gluten-Free? — Going gluten-free can be difficult, but you still have many choices.
Gluten-Free Meal Ideas — If you follow a gluten-free diet, your meals can still be balanced and delicious!
You can find additional resources and organizations that deal specifically with gluten-free issues by searching for "gluten-free" or "celiac disease" using your preferred search engine.


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William Cline and John Williamson of the Peterson Institute have updated their estimates of 'fundamental equilibrium exchange rates': an exceptionally valuable cheat sheet for working out which currencies are over and under valued. (In fact they have not updated the FEERs, just their estimates of over and under valuation). Read more
© The Financial Times Ltd 2016 FT and 'Financial Times' are trademarks of The Financial Times Ltd.


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| » Gaffes in the age of Twitter
As the first TV showdown between President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney shakes out Wednesday night, Southern Californians will have lots of questions.
What can each candidate do for me? What can each do to bolster the Golden State?
Thrust and parry. Dodge and dart. The verbal zinger. The first bout between the Democratic incumbent and his Republican challenger may help voters glean more about each candidate than months of superficial sound bites.
Each debate performance - or potential gaffe - could sway a race closely tied in battleground states.
"This is a close election, so I think it's highly anticipated," said Peter Marston, a professor of communications at Cal State Northridge whose focus is on political debate.
But, he added, for a region like Southern California, which leans Democratic overall, "it's a pure horse race, pure political theater."
Still, from San Bernardino to Pasadena, from Long Beach to the San Fernando Valley, residents reeling from the recession still want answers for Southern California. | Photos
The Los Angeles News Group has examined the importance of the presidential debates in respect to key issues that affect Southern California: its economy; immigration and enforcement; energy and aerospace; global trade and transport; and education.
Whether Obama or Romney wins on Nov. 6, Southern California and the nation may verge on another recession.
That's the view from the Congressional Budget Office and other observers who worry about the prospect of a "fiscal cliff" - or tax hikes and automatic budget cuts scheduled to go in effect at the beginning of next year.
Immediately after Election Day, the lame duck Congress and president must decide a more surgical approach to deficit reduction than the sweeping cuts that are currently written into law.
If no compromise is made, hundreds of billions of dollars could be taken out of the economy next year. If a deal is made, Washington finds some breathing room to deal with a $1.3 trillion deficit that could still be as high as $612 billion in 2017, according to White House estimates.
The most important thing either candidate can say during Wednesday night's debates is how they would find a way to solve the gridlock of the past few years that has made solving the nation's fiscal problems a virtual impossibility.
"Number one, first and foremost, is how you're going to convince a severely divided Congress to deal with the fiscal cliff," Redlands-based economist John Husing said. "If we don't deal with the fiscal cliff, we are going to have a deep recession in 2013."
Husing doesn't expect either candidate to spend much time talking about the housing market, but he thinks the economy cannot improve as long as so many homeowners' mortgage debt exceeds the values of their homes.
"The only way you're going to deal with that is to bring down what people owe," he said.
The Obama campaign has made higher taxes on upper income earners a part of its deficit-reduction platform, alongside previously enacted spending cuts and anticipated savings from ending the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Romney proposes substantial cuts to nondefense spending and counts on reduced taxes being able to stimulate economic growth.
Los Angeles-based economist Jordan Levine said he wants more details on each candidates' fiscal plans.
"I would like to hear some specifics; obviously, they've talked about getting rid of deductions, but there hasn't been much clarity," he said.
Levine, a researcher for Beacon Economics, said he is concerned about the country's deficit but thinks reducing unemployment is a more immediate concern.
If Obama or Romney debate any stimulus measures, Levine said he would be more interested in hearing about infrastructure work that may help unemployed construction workers.
"In the short run, austerity may undercut the recovery," Levine said.
With nearly 24 million Latinos eligible to vote this year - including almost 6 million in the Golden State - what candidates say about this issue could have real impact at the polls.
"Both candidates may owe Latino voters an apology," said Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC.
Romney has called for "self-deportation" of undocumented immigrants and Obama has continually made promises to address the issue and never followed through, he said.
"Both candidates are dealing with political cross-pressures that have kept them from acting but neither has made any significant effort to realistically address the problem," Schnur said.
Obama will likely stress his recent executive order that allows undocumented immigrants who came to the country as children to work in the country without fear of deportation. Romney will likely discuss his support for legal immigrants, Schnur said.
However, neither is expected to devote much time or effort to the broader question of what to do with the estimated 11.5 million people in the country without documentation.
The sweeping bipartisan naturalization and legalization plan introduced by Sens. Ted Kennedy and John McCain in 2005 under President George W. Bush never made it out of Congress. However, several experts say this plan offers a reasonable starting point for discussion.
Some believe the nation should encourage inclusion and help immigrants maximize their possibilities for education and economic mobility.
"Legal status for honest, hardworking, undocumented immigrants and their families would be a step in this direction, and one that is in the American tradition," said UC Irvine professor Leo Chavez in an email.
David Bier, a policy analyst with the libertarian Competitive Enterprise Institute, said he sees little difference in the two candidates' overall immigration policies.
Both agree with militarization of the border and believe employers are responsible for enforcing immigration law. Both take similar stances on illegal immigration.
Bier argues that a better immigration system would include "an orderly and accessible process for entry" because of how many would-be immigrants are unable to enter legally.
"The only solution to illegal immigration is to legalize it," Bier said.
Energy and Aerospace
Thousands of engineers, scientists and other workers in Southern California's aerospace industry will look for reassurance from Wednesday's presidential debate.
After a decade of strong sales by aerospace and military contractors, government belt-tightening is leading to job cuts and program cancellations or delays.
Even more ominous for the industry is what has become known as sequestration - automatic across-the-board cuts if the federal government cannot agree to a budget by Jan. 1.
Half of the $1.2 trillion in cuts would be in the Department of Defense budget, the main customer for many local aerospace businesses. The Aerospace Industries Association estimates such cuts would eliminate 2.14 million American jobs, many in Southern California.
"The debates are very much in our minds," AIA spokesman Dan Stohr said. "We're hoping to see some discussion and some plans in terms of what's to be done about sequestration, what the overall plan on defense spending is going to be."
For example, Boeing Co. builds Air Force satellites in El Segundo and C-17 military cargo planes in Long Beach. Northrop Grumman Corp. manufactures military aircraft sections in El Segundo and Palmdale.
Aerospace companies also want to hear about plans for NASA's budget, Stohr said.
"We would love to see the research-and-development tax credit become permanent," said Gary Johnson, vice president of Ace Clearwater Enterprises, a Torrance-based aerospace parts maker that also has a facility in Paramount. "We want whoever becomes president or stays president to understand the importance of R&D in aerospace to continue our lead."
From oil refineries in the South Bay to millions of motorists and other consumers, federal energy policy is critical to this region.
If President Obama truly favors a so-called "all-of-the-above energy strategy" that supports a mix of traditional and newer energy sources, some asked why do his policies restrict availability of coal, oil and even natural gas?
"I'm not sure what Obama could tell me to convince me that he sees a future role for fossil fuels," said Joel West, a professor of innovation and entrepreneurship at the Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences in Claremont. "I'd more want to put him on record in supporting these things so later on he could be held accountable for that."
By contrast, Romney has emphasized traditional energy sources by calling for more oil drilling and fewer industry regulations in general.
"I'd like Romney to recognize that there are certain cases in which renewable energy can be successful today or can soon be successful with a little bit of government support," West said. "Because otherwise he risks being perceived as another stooge for the oil companies."
International Trade and Transportation
The role of trade and transportation has been overlooked in the presidential candidates' talk about the economy, according to some local experts.
The presidential debates should address the U.S. competitiveness in international trade and the ability to maintain the movement of goods, said Thomas O'Brien, director of the Research Center for International Trade and Transportation at Cal State Long Beach.
"There's a lot of (political) talk about the economy," O'Brien said, "but not trade and the role it plays."
He said that infrastructure from highways and bridges plays a key role in the success of trade and commerce, with not enough attention on maintenance.
He also said the the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are key to international trade.
About 40 percent of the nation's imports enter through these ports, which then flow via road or rail through Southern California before they're distributed throughout the nation.
The regional impacts of this - from traffic to pollution - have been challenged by local communities.
While Obama has made key trade agreements, China will continue to be a thorn to foreign trade policy, O'Brien said, and the next president will have to balance trade with Asia with human-rights issues.
"It will be a challenge for whoever wins the election," he said. "Whoever is in office will have a difficult balancing act."
Educators say they'll be listening closely to the first presidential debate, and for ideas on how to better prepare students for college and careers, and to lower the dropout rate.
Students also need greater access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics - or STEM education - to meet the demands of a global marketplace, he said.
"Education remains our nation's highest priority and the federal government should shift to allow a strong reliance on local control in providing service to our community," said Dale Marsden, superintendent of San Bernardino City Unified School District.
Others called for a more profound education discussion between presidential candidates.
"The challenge is to decide whether or not we really value what we know and espouse about the American education system ... or are we going to continue this non-stop blame game throughout the system, because what we're asking schools to do is expensive and complex," said Jay Fiene, dean of Cal State San Bernardino's College of Administration.
So far, neither candidate gets an "A," he said.
Obama is moving in the right direction - or toward the so-called common core curriculum and teacher assessments, he said.
But Fiene has been less impressed with Romney's comments on education.
"It still seems like the easiest thing is to bash how expensive it is and how expensive it is to do," he said. "But the reality is we're doing a hell of a lot with a much greater percentage of kids."
'Everything matters'
While the candidates will not be focusing on the Southland per se, political junkies say many of the issues intersect with battleground states such as Ohio, Florida, Iowa and Nevada.
"The bottom line is a lot of the same issues they have, we have in Southern California - jobs, and all the rest," said professor Lawrence Becker, chairman of the CSUN Political Science Department.
"The truth is, in a particularly close election, everything matters. And of all the debates, the first one matters most."
Los Angeles News Group staff writers contributing to this report: Dana Bartholomew, Andrew Edwards, Brenda Gazzar, Joe Segura, Phillip Zonkel, Muhammed El-Hasan, Beau Yarbrough.


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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - In an advantage that could ripple through races statewide, the Republican Party of Florida has raised nearly $14 million since Aug. 10 -- while the Florida Democratic Party has collected about $7.5 million, according to campaign-finance reports filed Friday.
The GOP, which totally controls state government, tapped major donors such as Florida Power & Light, which contributed $435,000, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, which chipped in $425,000.
Democrats, meanwhile, received $535,000 from the Florida Education Association teachers union and $475,250 from Florida Justice PAC, a political offshoot of the Florida Justice Association trial-lawyers group.
The latest party totals, which covered the period from Aug. 10 until Thursday, widened a fund-raising gap that has been evident in campaigns across Florida. In all, the Republican Party has raised about $26 million this year, more than double the $10.8 million raised by Democrats.
That money provides a huge advantage, in part because it can be used to buy television ads and crank out mail pieces in competitive races. Also, the Republican Party has contributed tens of thousands of dollars directly to numerous legislative campaigns, including to some candidates and races that have drawn little attention or are not considered particularly competitive.
As examples, the party recently cut a $25,000 check to the campaign of Rep. Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, and $20,000 to the campaign of Rep. Tom Goodson, R-Cocoa. Those party contributions were more money than the candidates' Democratic opponents have raised during the entire campaign, according to newly filed records.
The Democratic Party also has given directly to some candidates. For instance, in recent days, it sent $26,500 to Frank Bruno, the party's candidate in the closely watched Senate District 8 race in Volusia, Marion and Lake counties.
The parties, candidates and political committees faced a Friday deadline for filing campaign-finance information, giving a final glimpse of how --- and where --- money is flowing before Tuesday's elections. Candidates and committees, which must disclose information more often than parties, provided reports detailing activity from Oct. 13 to Thursday.
While many candidates' reports had not been posted on the state Division of Elections website late Friday afternoon, documents showed that money has continued pouring into a group backing the retention of Supreme Court justices and other groups involved in constitutional-amendment campaigns.
A group called "Defend Justice from Politics,'' which is supporting the retention of Supreme Court justices R. Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente and Peggy Quince, collected $1.77 million between Oct. 13 and Thursday, bringing its overall total to $3.22 million. Some conservative groups and the board of the state Republican Party have called for defeating the justices, which has led Defend Justice from Politics to fight back with campaign ads.
Meanwhile, a group called "Vote No on 6," which opposes the abortion-related Amendment 6 on Tuesday's ballot, reported raising $494,416 between Oct. 13 and Thursday, giving it an overall total of $3.63 million.
Similarly, a group known as "Taxpayers First," which is backed by the Florida Association of Realtors and supports Amendment 4 on the ballot, raised $429,525 during the period and reported an overall total of $4.7 million. Amendment 4 would place new limits on property taxes.
With many of the candidates' reports not yet online, it was difficult to draw conclusions about fund-raising during the final weeks in most of the state's biggest legislative races.
But in Senate District 8, Rep. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, raised $63,475 for her battle against Bruno, the chairman of the Volusia County Council. Hukill reported an overall total for the campaign of $541,531. Bruno collected $46,550 during the most-recent period and had an overall total of $377,598.
Meanwhile, in a Palm Beach County Senate district, Rep. Joseph Abruzzo, D-Royal Palm Beach, stepped up his fund-raising during the final weeks, bringing in $56,585. The District 25 race drew little attention for months, but Republicans have made noise recently about their candidate, Melanie Peterson, possibly being able to beat Abruzzo.
Incoming Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, said Friday he thinks Democrats took the race for granted. But he said Peterson, whose totals had not been posted online, has built a grass-roots campaign.
"Joe Abruzzo knows that he's got a campaign on his hands now,'' said Gaetz, who is spearheading Republican Senate campaigns.
Among House candidates, one of the top fund-raisers during the period appeared to be Rep. Keith Perry, a Gainesville Republican, who is trying to return to Tallahassee in a substantially redrawn district. Perry raised $48,920 during the period, giving him a total of $389,631. Updated totals for his Democratic opponent in District 21, Andrew Morey of Gainesville, were not immediately available.
Copyright 2012 by The News Service of Florida. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text: The xChange Forum podcast series provides an opportunity for those working to end sexual violence to exchange information. It brings together advocates, educators and researchers to share lessons learned that inform practice and research to create broader social change. Learn more about NSVRC's other community spaces for connection around research and practice.


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Science JAG Day
Tuesday, 24 September 2013 - 9:30am - 3:30pm
IUPUI Campus Center
Over the past ten years, growth in STEM occupations was three times as fast as growth in non-STEM jobs, and is projected to grow by 17 percent over the next ten years.
In Indiana, four of the top five fastest growing, high-wage jobs are in either in the fields of information technology or the health sciences.
Discover where your curiosity can take you with Science!
Sign up for a JagDay to engage with dynamic explorers and scholars like yourself; some who study, some who teach; all of whom know firsthand how impact is made every day on the IUPUI campus and around the world.
Let our Science family open the doors to our world-class facilities and guide you to fulfilling undergraduate programs in modern life and health sciences such as neuroscience, as well as computer and information science, physics, chemistry, mathematics and more. Find out how access to diverse research opportunities and an extensive network of academic support can lead to your personal and professional success.