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Tellus A
© Blackwell Munksgaard
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Special Issues
Probabilistic short-range weather forecasting.
This special issue edited by Trond Iversen contains 16 papers addressing different aspects of complete systems for probabilistic forecasting. One paper addresses the medium-range predictions in a region strongly influenced by geographically fixed ground-surface forcing, while the others analyze and describe systems for ∼10–20 km short-range EPS and even finer-resolution convection-permitting systems for the very-short range.
Read the Preface here.
Regional Climate Studies using the SMHI-Rossby Model. Since 1997, three versions of the Rossby Centre's Regional atmosphere-land climate model have been released (RCA1, RCA2 and RCA3), along with two regional ocean-ice–atmosphere-land coupled models, one for the Baltic (RCAO-Baltic, and one for the Arctic (RCAO-Arctic). This special issue documents a range of scientific studies based on the latest official RCA release, RCA3.
Read the Introduction here.
Cyclones and the North Atlantic Climate System. This special issue edited by Burghard Brümmer features 15 articles representing the latest research results elaborated within the Collaborative Research Centre (Sonderforschungsbereich) SFB 512.
Read the Preface to the special issue here.
Tellus A is now published by Co-Action Publishing
From 2012 Tellus A will be published by Co-Action Publishing. Journal information can be found at www.tellusa.net.
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PROVO, Utah (AP) - Matthew Dellavedova hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer, Stephen Holt scored 22 points and Saint Mary's slipped by BYU 70-69 Wednesday night.
Holt was 5 of 9 from 3-point range for the Gaels (14-4, 3-1 West Coast). Dellavedova scored 18 points. James Walker III had 13 points and seven rebounds, and Mitchell Young had 10 points and seven rebounds. Brad Waldow had seven rebounds.
BYU (14-5, 4-1) led 34-27 at halftime. In the second half, the Gaels were 7 of 11 from 3-point range.
Dellavedova made a free throw, tying the game at 65 with 1:48 to play. Tyler Haws put BYU up with a jumper, but Dellavedova scored, tying the game again. Haws hit a jumper with 2 seconds to play. Dellavedova hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Saint Mary's the win.
The play made the top position on ESPN SportsCenter's popular "Play of the Day" feature.
Haws had 23 points, seven rebounds. Matt Carlino had 16 points. Brandon Davies added 12.

subset: commoncrawl


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An open letter to:
Gary Bettman, NHL commissioner
Donald Fehr, NHL Players Association executive director
James Dolan, New York Rangers owner
Ed Snider, Philadelphia Flyers owner
Jeffrey Vanderbeek, New Jersey Devils owner
Charles Wang, New York Islanders owner
New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, and Philadelphia Flyers players
November 2, 2012
New York
As you are obviously well aware, this week's storm wreaked havoc on the northeastern coast of the United States, causing billions of dollars in damage and, more importantly, a brutal human cost, with the death toll still rising and chaos for many survivors.
Often, in times of crisis, people turn to sports for at least a momentary diversion. You are also aware of this, as it is precisely why the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the Islanders' AHL affiliate in Connecticut, are throwing the doors to this weekend's games open for free—come one, come all, and let hockey put a smile on your face for a couple of hours before returning to the grim tasks of real life.
— More Spector: Winter Classic canceled; now what?
Unfortunately, because you have spent the past four months exhibiting only stubbornness and greed, there is no NHL hockey in the New York or Philadelphia metropolitan areas. For thousands, and maybe millions of hurricane survivors, the NHL lockout has taken away what would have been a brief respite from harsh reality.
Fortunately, unlike millions in the Northeast, you have power now. It's time for you to use it.
I'm not suggesting that you settle your squabble over money just because of the hurricane, although anytime you feel like doing that would be great. What you can do is be grown-ups and put aside your differences long enough to use the power of hockey to help people.
Because of the lockout, teams and players have not been allowed to communicate since September, and the ban has included players taking part in teams' charitable efforts. To show your goodwill for the people who have made you as wealthy as you are, lift this ban immediately, and get back to working together for the good of your communities.
While resuming your standard outreach operations is a good start, it is only a start to the difference you can make to help people recover from this disaster. As admirable as all of your community work is, this is a tragedy that requires something bigger. The NHL already has shown an awareness of this, encouraging fans to donate to the Red Cross.
For one night, then, I urge you to forget about the lockout and play. For one night, stop squabbling over hockey-related revenue, and donate 100 percent of it to people who need it much more than you ever will. For one night, give your fans a chance to smile.
Between the four teams whose markets were hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy, you should be able to find an open arena for a charity hockey game. Between Mr. Dolan and Mr. Snider, you should be able to get a charity hockey game on television, with a phone number and web address on-screen throughout to solicit donations. Between your four teams, you should be able to find enough players who haven't left for Europe to play. While you're at it, give a call to Vancouver Canucks forward Chris Higgins, the ex-Ranger from Long Island whose dad is a New York firefighter and whose brother is a New York cop.
Since we're probably not going to have an NHL All-Star Game this year, unless all of you come to your senses quickly in labor negotiations, let this charity game be the stand-in. Pick two captains—maybe retired fan favorites like Sean Avery and Keith Primeau—and have them pick the teams. Make special jerseys, and auction them off for charity after the game. Sell tickets for charity, sure, but give your luxury boxes to victims and first responders.
I know that you know how to run an event like this, and run it well. I hope you know that what happened this week is bigger than your argument over a few million dollars out of a multibillion-dollar pot. If you believe in the power of your sport and care about your fans as much as you say you do, show them. This is their time of need, and you have the power to help them. Put aside your differences for one night, and do it.
Jesse Spector


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No Worries
A minor day of selling gives the bears a little hope, but the underlying support and strong finish suggest that the bulls are still solidly in charge. Breadth was 2400 gainers to 3050 losers, but there wasn't any major weakness. Apple (AAPL) continues to struggle but that was offset by strength in Amazon (AMZN), Netflix (NFLX), eBay (EBAY) and others.
Biotechnology stocks attracted speculative interest again, but mortgage service companies such as Walter Investment (WAC), Ocwen Financial (OCN), Home Loan Servicing (HLSS) and Nationstar Mortgage (NSM) managed the best momentum. That group should continue to be of interest over the next few days....80 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
There's no substitute for a trading floor to get great ideas, so Jim Cramer created a better one at Real Money and blogs there exclusively. We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and analysts, Real Money Pro gives you a flood of opinions, analysis and actionable trading advice found nowhere else, and allows you to interact directly with each expert.
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In this classic routine three gleaming bracelets are linked and unlinked according to your will, even while being held by a spectator! At the end of the routine the rings are handed to the audience for close examination.
Many hours of thought and preparation have gone into the routine plus hundreds of actual performances to test its solidity. The serious student of magic will, at once, appreciate the built-in psychology and misdirection incorporated in the routine.
Includes instructional DVD and practice rings.
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MUSICAL acts are being sought to help entertain the crowds at a summer comedy festival.
The Courtyard in Hereford is staging its third #Courtlaughing Comedy Festival from Friday to Sunday, June 6-8 and bands, solo artists and DJs are needed to keep the fun flowing in the Wye Valley Brewery festival marquee throughout the evenings.
An acoustic session is also being programmed from noon to 4pm on the Sunday and interested acts can send CDs or links to their music to Herefordshire's centre for the arts, stating which days they can play.
The comedy festival itself will feature three main headline acts alongside smaller studio comedy events and a marquee holding smaller fringe events.
Applications should be sent to firstname.lastname@example.com by 6pm on Wednesday, February 19.
For more information and tickets, call Jennifer Booton on 01432 346534 or go to courtyard.org.uk.


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Surf Stripe Duvet Cover + Sham
No longer available
- Overview
Like the traditional Guatemalan fabrics that inspired it, our cotton percale bedding is woven in a tapestry of vibrant stripes, lively patterns and eye-catching colors.
- 100% cotton percale.
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- Duvet cover has interior ties and a hidden button closure; sham has an envelope closure.
- Twin-sized duvet cover fits both standard twin and twin XL dorm mattresses.
- Duvet cover, sham and inserts sold separately.
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- Imported.
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This item will arrive in 3-5 business days. Please proceed to the Payment & Review page of Checkout for a precise delivery estimate.
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« Back to Schedule |
Print Camp Details
| Download Camp Waiver Form
Grad Years - 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Location: Greer Field at Turchin Stadium-New Orleans, LA
Saturday, August 3, 2013 to Sunday, August 4, 2013
The Rick Jones Tulane Baseball Prospect camp is open to rising 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 high school graduates who have a desire and are committed to playing at the highest level of collegiate baseball.
This camp is designed for the player to demonstrate their abilities and improve their skills in front of the Tulane University coaching staff and other college coaches from all levels.
This two-day camp will emphasize individual position play, hitting fundamentals, and live game competition. Intensive instruction in all phases of the game will take place on Saturday and Sunday, along with live games to apply the information.
Camp Cost:
Position Player - $325.00
Pitcher Only - $225.00
These camps are filled by position to ensure everyone gets equal playing time during Sunday's games. All infielders will play 2B, SS, 3B and all outfielders will play LF, CF, RF. Primary pitching slots are limited to 20, and each primary pitcher will have the opportunity to face hitters during live gameplay situations. Please register as your primary position.
Secondary Pitcher Option: For those primary position players who also pitch, we offer the option of pitching to live hitters during gameplay. By choosing this option, you will be given the opportunity to play in two separate games on Sunday, one as a position player and one as a pitcher.
The Secondary Pitcher Option is $200 (in addition to the original camp fee).
Secondary Position Player Option: For those primary pitchers who are also interested in participating as a position player, we offer the opportunity to participate in the college skills workout on Saturday and face live pitching during gameplay on Sunday. By choosing this option, you will be given the opportunity to play in two separate games on Sunday, one as a pitcher and one as a position player.
The Secondary Position Player Option is $225 (in addition to the original camp fee).
Players Receive:
- 2 days of quality, professional instruction
- Opportunity to meet, learn and perform in front of the Tulane Coaching Staff
- Camp T-Shirt
Saturday, August 3 12:00pm - 6:00pm
11:15am - 12:00pm Check In
12:00 Camp Introductions/Overview
12:15 Stretch/Throwing Program
12:45 Defensive Workout
01:30 Defensive Instruction
02:30 Facilities Tour
03:15 Offensive Rotations
05:30 Academic Talk
06:00 End of Camp
Sunday, August 4 9:00am - 1:00pm
08:15am - 09:00am Pitcher Only Check In
09:00 Game 1 (Team 1 vs Team 2)
10:30am - 11:00am Pitcher Only Check In
11:00 Game 2 (Team 3 vs Team 4)
Please check your email regularly as this is our primary way we communicate. Any additional information that we need to convey as the camp draws closer will be passed on to you via the e-mail address that you supplied when you signed up for camp. Please make it a habit to check your e-mail daily, this will eliminate any confusion and or miscommunication.
Medical forms will be attached to your e-mailed receipt and are available on-line. Please print fill out and bring to camp.
Download Waiver Form
See camp FAQ's.
Hotel accommodations are not included in the price of camp. All campers are responsible for making their own hotel arrangements. We have partnered with the Holiday Inn Metairie to offer a "Tulane Camp Rate" for those who will need accommodations. To make reservations during the Elite Prospect Camp, click here or call Tahane Khaled at 504-373-5946 ext 7126.
Tulane University Baseball merchandise will be available at this event.
Medical Care: A trainer will be present during each session to ensure each campers safety
Refunds Refunds will only be given if Rick Jones is notified in writing 30 days in advance of the camp in which the camper is registered.
Questions regarding Rick Jones Tulane Baseball Camps at Tulane University? Contact Brian Meyer at (504) 862-8216 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com
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Irish Terrier Mugs are an Idakoos specialtiy! Idakoos has many things to offer. Whether you want to get a Irish Terrier Mug for a special occasion, give a Irish Terrier Printed Mug as a present or need to represent with a funny Irish Terrier Coffee Mugs during Holidays or Family and Friends get-togethers, Idakoos is sure to have the right Irish Terrier Mug for you! Even if it turns out you can't find the right Irish Terrier Coffee Mugs with the perfect design for your mother, father or children (or friends!); Idakoos offers all of its Irish Terrier Mugs as Custom Irish Terrier Mugs. Personalize any Irish Terrier Mug the way you want to ensure the perfect gift.
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Undefeated league favorite topples Dutch men's basketball team
PELLA—The Central College men's basketball team battled, but was toppled by undefeated league favorite Dubuque 74-67 at P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium Saturday evening.
The Dutch (8-5 overall, 1-1 conference) led the Spartans (13-0, 2-0 conference) by nine points at the intermission, but were unable to fend off their second-half run. Dubuque, which won the 2013 Iowa Conference tournament and was picked to finish first this season in the Iowa Conference preseason poll, bested its first-half point total by 22 (48-26) en route to the victory.
"We were right there," coach Craig Douma said. "We put ourselves in a position to win, but we need to turn the corner. It came down to making shots and Dubuque made more."
Central led from the 15-minute mark in the first half until the Spartans knotted the game 51-51 with 7:42 remaining in the second. The two teams went back-and-forth until a 9-0 Dubuque run in the final 1:18 put the game out of reach.
"We had opportunities to stretch our lead and take control of the game, but we didn't do it," said Douma. "Dubuque is a good ball club and they made some big plays in key moments."
Guard Kevin Kaerwer (senior, El Paso, Texas, John L. Chapin HS) led the Dutch with 17 points, including 10-of-10 from the free throw line, and grabbed six rebounds. Forward Matt Greenfield (senior, Huxley, Ballard HS) notched his fifth double-double of the season with 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
Douma noted the play of forward Colby Taylor (freshman, Creston), who recorded 15 points and eight rebounds and contributed a lot of the defensive end of the floor.
Both teams struggled offensively, as Central finished 22-of-61 (36.1 percent) and Dubuque finished 24-of-62 (38.7 percent). The Spartans entered the game averaging more than 85 points per contest, a credit to the Dutch defense.
Douma praised the defensive efforts of guard Nile Eckermann (junior, Cosgrove, Clear Creek Amana HS), forward Yaw Sapon-Amoah (senior, Ghana, Africa, Des Moines Christian HS) and center Spencer Bakerink (senior, Creston), particularly around the perimeter and against Dubuque's top scorer.
"Nile is doing a great job defensively," Douma said. "He's improved a lot. Yaw and Spencer did a great job on Norris, too. Norris is going to score some points because he's just that good. But our defensive game plan was great.
"We had good offensive looks, but didn't knock them down. If some of those fall, it's a whole different ballgame. We did some things well, but we need to make more plays. That was the difference."
Dubuque forward Gage Heffernan scored a game-high 22 points and hauled in eight rebounds, while forward Andre Norris finished with 19 points on 6-of-16 shooting and nine rebounds. Guard Chris Frazier also reached double digits with 13 points.
The Dutch return to action Wednesday against Wartburg College (7-6 overall, 1-1 conference) at Waverly. Last season the Knights swept the two-game series with an eight-point home win and a six-point road win. Wartburg opened the conference schedule with a 67-63 loss at Dubuque Wednesday before besting Luther Saturday on its home court 76-69.Print this ad for $10 off your next oil change


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Safe and efficient heat exchangers
To quickly heat water when under power, Atwood has developed efficient heat exchangers. Each heat exchanger is specifically designed for the water heater's capacity which makes heat-up times superior to competitive models. These heat exchangers ensure safety by using a unique double tube construction which prevents any possibility of engine coolant contaminating the fresh water system.
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The casing of every Atwood electric water heater is constructed from corrosion-resistant materials and the non-stainless steel models are carefully painted to stand up against the most corrosive marine environments. Special attention to detail on edges and corners helps assure greater handling safety. The Atwood tank is constructed of high strength aluminum core with a bonded corrosion-fighting cladding material on the interior surface to assure a long life. This eliminates the need for an anode and annual replacement.
Designed for installation flexibility
The cubic shape and lightweight aluminum-alloy tank offers greater flexibility for water heater location in floor plans.
Atwood marine water heaters offer substantial weight savings
Through the years, Atwood has advanced the technology and the application of highly specialized aluminum alloys used in forming the tanks of water heaters.
Product dimensions: 13.0"H x 13.0"W x 19.8"D


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The Bikes of the 2013 New York International Motorcycle Show
Tracing back six previous generations since 1953, expectations were high for this automotive icon, and Chevy delivered. As if a 450-hp engine and seven-speed manual weren't enough, the new 'Vette also comes full of gee-whiz tech, including a carbon-fiber roof and hood and electronically controlled limited-slip differential. We love the way it looks, and the new interior is nice enough to make a Porsche owner blush. It was easily the biggest car of this year's show.
A preview of the upcoming MKC small sport utility, this concept is the best execution of Lincoln's current design language, with the split-wing motif repeated in the grille, taillights, and dashboard. It shares a platform with the Ford Escape, though you'd never guess that by looking. If the production car looks this sleek and the interior is anywhere near as luxurious as the show car, Lincoln could have a hit on its hands.
10 Weird and Wonderful Car Museums


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This Is A Love Song is a fresh new brand, founded in 2013, that offers super cute women's clothing using a number of different fabrics, color combinations, and dyes. This Is A Love Song was created by girls who are armed with a passion for fashion and music. The top three things these ladies can't live without are music, love, and good times. This brand offers a handful of basic, yet not-so-basic pieces, which incorporate fun color and graphic messages. The ladies behind the brand understand the importance of comfortable basics in one's wardrobe, but also feel that everybody needs to let loose and get a little crazy sometimes. This Is A Love Song's muse is a girl who lives a carefree lifestyle, spends most of her money on concerts and clothes, and truly believes that having fun is the most important objective in life. So this upcoming festival season, let your hair down and dance to the beat of your own drum with This Is A Love Song.
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Corn prices were mostly lower on Monday. Export inspections were a little better than they have been in recent weeks, but not strong enough to give the market much of a boost. Traders are expecting an uptick in farmer sales right before – or right after the new year. The March contract settled at $7.24 near the bottom of the trading range that has been in place for the last three months. New crop December was down 6 cents at $6.22.
Soybean prices were higher for much of Monday but closed mostly lower. Market fundamentals remain generally bullish, but no new news coupled with weaker corn and wheat prices put pressure on soybean futures. USDA announced an export sale of 151,000 metric tons to unknown destinations, but that didn't provide much support. The January contract settled at $14.96 1/2 , up ½ cent. The March contract lost 3 ½ cents and settled at $14.88 ½.
Wheat futures were mostly 5 cents to 8 cents lower on Monday. Trade volume was light, which will probably be the case for most of the rest of the year. Export inspections were below the level needed to reach the USDA's forecast for the year, which probably added to the generally bearish tone of the market. The March contract settled at $8.08, the lowest close since early July. The July contract settled at $8.27 ½, down 5 ¾ cents.
Live cattle futures settled with good gains on Monday. Futures were higher in part due to the strong cash cattle market that developed on Friday. Most contracts rose by between 75 cents and $1 except for December that jumped more than $2. The February contract settled 90 cents higher at $133.50. June was up 85 cents at $133.25. Feeder cattle futures also rose Monday with most contracts up by a little more than $1. The January contract settled at $154.25, up $1.18.
Lean hog futures settled lower on Monday. There was no new news to move the market, but traders are concerned about the longer term outlook for pork. There is also growing worries that pork production next spring and summer will be higher than previously thought because it does not appear that producers really cut back much in late summer and early fall. The June contract has declined by nearly $2 per cwt since the beginning of the month and the chart looks increasingly bearish. February settled at $84.75, down 65 cents. June was 60 cents lower at $99.25.


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Before the roomful of women seek to melt away stress, pain and stiffness, they close their eyes for a personal assessment.
Instructor Niki Parker asks them to scan their bodies as they stand in The Pilates Place in Westminster. After evaluating how they feel, they begin rolling a small, soft ball under their feet, stepping, rocking and pushing to apply pressure. Parker's direction and a diagram of the sole of the foot help guide their movements.
The hourlong Melt Method class progresses with several more self-assessments, as well as use of a long, soft roller, placed under the back, neck or hips, for gentle massage. The balls are also used on the hands and underside of the knuckles.
"It has a cumulative effect," said participant Debbie Bourne, 66, of Cypress. "You start learning to be more sensitive to your body."
Melt is not a traditional exercise class, but rather a type of self-massage intended to relieve pain while creating flexibility and improving posture.
Parker, a Pilates instructor, has been teaching Melt since 2011, including free or low-cost classes at senior centers and in studios like The Pilates Place. She's among 500 in the United States teaching the program developed by Sue Hitzmann, a manual therapist who uses only her hands to treat the body.
"I have been in traditional exercise for over 30 years and I have my aches and pains," Parker said. "It helps me feel better so I can keep exercising. It's changed my body."
Melt targets the body's connective tissue, also known as "cellular glue," which gives tissues their shape and helps them function.
Many of the movements are subtle, and Parker said they can be done by anyone. Despite the group setting, the program is intended to be personalized. Parker asked participants to repeat certain movements on whatever side of the body needs more attention. Throughout class, Parker asked if one side of the body felt heavier than the other or one arm felt longer than the other.
At the end, she asked if participants felt more balanced.
"Once you've done the assessment, you can identify your tight spots or where you've gotten relief or benefits," said Judi Clark, 69, of Cypress.
Clark said she feels more flexible and relaxed after class. She plays golf, walks daily and does Pilates. When she's used the ball on her feet at home before an hourlong walk, she's felt like she could go a longer distance.
"The majority of the other (activities) are more intense," Clark said. "This relaxes the muscles a little bit. I've got more movement. I think it really helps the joints."
Clark said she experiences occasional pain but nothing chronic.
"I want to stay in this kind of shape for a long time," she said.
Contact the writer: 714-796-3686 or firstname.lastname@example.com


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|The National Center for Public Policy Research
Download our latest newsletter
About Us
The National Center for Public Policy Research is a communications and research foundation supportive of a strong national defense and dedicated to providing free market solutions to today's public policy problems. We believe that the principles of a free market, individual liberty and personal responsibility provide the greatest hope for meeting the challenges facing America in the 21st century.
In 1982, we started The National Center to provide the conservative movement with a versatile and energetic organization capable of responding quickly and decisively to fast-breaking issues. Today, we continue to fill this critical niche through a top-flight research and communications operation driven by results and the bottom line.
In the 1980s, The National Center helped change public opinion through vocal national campaigns aimed at supporting Reagan administration initiatives concerning the USSR, arms control, Central America and human rights. With the Cold War won, The National Center now trains its sights on other issues, including:
Environmental Policy: Firm in the belief that private owners are the best stewards of the environment, The National Center's Center for Environmental and Regulatory Affairs advocates private, free market solutions to today's environmental challenges. The Task Force highlights the perverse nature of many government-first environmental policies through the collection and promotion of regulatory horror stories, which attach human faces to very real problems caused by regulation.
In 2005, for example, The National Center was one of the few groups addressing the loss of property rights stemming from the application of the 1973 Endangered Species Act and perverse incentives within the original ESA that harm the species the ESA is supposed to protect. But when the U.S. House of Representatives began to overhaul the ESA in 2005, the proposed new ESA would have lacked sufficient property rights protections and would, through new "invasive species" regulations, have massively expanded the power of the government to regulate private land use and human activity.
Incredibly, the proposed legislation would have permitted the federal government to take up to 49.9% of a person's property in the name of wildlife protection without paying anything for it. In response, The National Center:
* Developed and led a grassroots coalition of dozens of groups to educate the public and Members of Congress on these issues;
* Wrote two coalition letters, the first signed by seventy policy organizations and the second by ninety (including the American Conservative Union, the National Taxpayers Union, Eagle Forum and other well-known conservative groups), to House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo expressing these concerns, and publicizing these letters to the grassroots, to other Members of Congress and to the news media;
* Published a detailed, 3,500-word analysis of the bill, which identified seven specific problems with it;
* Personally briefed House Resources Committee staff, Members of Congress, the House Majority Whip (twice), environmental staff for the then-House Majority Leader and the Chairman of the corresponding Senate committee on the problem areas; and
* Participated in scores of news media interviews about the issues involved.
Result: when the reform bill was finally introduced it was a very different proposal. Five of the seven specific problems we had identified - the five most significant - were addressed. Other dangerous new regulations simply vanished from the bill. The provision to compensate landowners was altered in favor of full compensation. The revised measure was approved by the full House of Representatives.
Regulatory Policy: The National Center promotes regulatory reform. We educate Americans about sound science, Congress's constitutional authority to legislate, and in the importance of considering the financial impact on families, individuals and disadvantaged Americans when drafting regulations. In 2007, the National Center published the fourth edition of our book, Shattered Dreams: 100 Stories of Government Abuse, available here.
Ongoing projects in the arena have been magnified with the appointment of Deroy Murdock, a Scripps Howard syndicated columnist, as a National Center Distinguished Fellow. Since his appointment, Mr. Murdock, a recognized expert in entitlement reform policies, has written over a dozen new editions of The National Center's "Talking Points on Social Security" publication, which is distributed by mail to several thousand journalists and talk show hosts and to Members of Congress and other policymakers, and also is available in electronic format.
In 2006 and 2007, these programs continued their expansion with a commitment to a through examination of the true record of patient service in nations with government-run health care systems. The National Center also is scrutinizing, with a critical eye, various plans for expanding the public role in health care delivery here in the United States.
National Defense: Believing that peace is best achieved when democratic nations are well-defended, the National Center supports a strong U.S. military and policies that support U.S. service personnel. We also advocate foreign and defense policies that serve America's national interests. One example of such work includes three critical analyses of the proposed Law of the Sea Treaty, one each by Vice President David Ridenour, Senior Fellow Bonner Cohen and Policy Analyst Ryan Balis.
National Sovereignty: Believing that Americans should be governed by Americans, not by persons overseas, The National Center opposes policies that expand the authority of the United Nations at the expense of the U.S. Congress and executive branch. In 2005, the National Center initiated a series of research reports under the direction of policy analyst Ryan Balis, a graduate of the London School of Economics, to examine recent U.N. scandals, the funding structure of the U.N. and institutional obstacles to U.N. reform.
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Half Of 13...Trick brain teasers appear difficult at first, but they have a trick that makes them really easy.
How can half of 12 be equal to half of 13?
HintWhat time is it?
AnswerOn a standard digital watch, each of the numbers 12 and 13 contain 7 lines, thus 1/2 * 12 ( 3.5 ) is equal to 1/2 * 13 (3.5) .
Note that the upper half of 13 and the upper half of 12 are identical.
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Gil B. Fried, Professor, Sport Management, J.D., Ohio State University
Our master's program is the oldest and most established in Connecticut and the oldest program in the United States continually housed in a business school. We have always focused on business and continue to lead the nation in cutting-edge business applications in sports. Boiled down to its essence, our degree is focused on cultivating and training industry leaders to work in the sports industry, or any other industry through hands-on experiential education.
The M.S. Sport Management program offers an exciting hands-on 36-credit degree program designed to prepare you for a successful career in professional sport team management, collegiate athletic administration, sport marketing, sport finance, sport facility management, or other career options. Internships and opportunities to learn from experienced practitioners in sport management have helped to launch successful careers for program graduates in corporations such as Octagon, WWE, ESPN, and Major League Soccer. Program participants can earn the right to have assigned industry mentors ranging from athletic directors to GMs of professional teams. The College of Business further prepares students through the Professional Enrichment Program, which has brought to campus experienced sports professionals such as ESPN's Chris Berman, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, and New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman. To earn your degree, you will complete a sequence of interdisciplinary business and sports management core courses. You may elect to complete your degree with a series of electives or select one of our degree concentrations in collegiate athletic administration, facility management, or sport analytics.
Click here to review the M.S. in Sport Management Curriculum.
Concentration in Collegiate Athletic Administration
Designed for students interested in understanding and managing collegiate sport departments and programs, this concentration provides coursework that covers NCAA compliance, athletes' rights, collegiate fitness and athletic programs, college sports and the IRS, program finance, and similar topics.
Concentration in Facility Management
This concentration provides students with the knowledge necessary to safely and successfully manage large public-assembly facilities such as arenas and stadiums. The program was developed in conjunction with and endorsed by the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM).
Concentration in Sport Analytics
Sport analytics is not just about getting the best players, but how to use big data to make the best business decisions.
To learn more about the exciting experiences awaiting you as a student in the program click on the "Get Info" button on the right side of this screen!


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Correia solid, but Iwakuma stays thorn in Twins' side
Righty charged with 11th loss despite limiting Mariners to two runs
SEATTLE -- Tough-luck losses are becoming the norm for Kevin Correia, and unfortunately for the Twins, losses in general, have been the norm over the last two weeks.
Correia tossed seven strong innings, but Hisashi Iwakuma continued his mastery of the Twins to lead the Mariners to a 2-0 win on Monday night at Safeco Field. It handed the Twins their 11th loss over their last 14 games, and dropped them to a season-worst 10 games under .500 at 39-49.
The Twins can't seem to match up strong pitching performances with any offense, and on the days they do have the offense going, the pitching struggles.
"Kevin did a fantastic job," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Unfortunately, we weren't able to come through with any runs on their guy. He was really good too and did a nice job. So a tough night."
Correia gave up two runs on five hits and three walks, but was saddled with the hard-luck loss -- his American League-leading 11th of the year. Correia has a 3.39 ERA over his last 10 outings, including seven quality starts, but still has six losses over that span.
"I've been on streaks," said Correia, who has a 4.79 ERA on the year. "I had a rough start where I thought I was due to have some better outings and I was able to do that. But I still want to win some games. I feel like we scored a lot of runs early in the season and I wasn't able to take advantage of it, and now we're not scoring as many runs. So hopefully the two will come together and we'll be able to turn it around."
Both runs given up by Correia came on homers. The first homer he surrendered came in the second inning on a shot to Mike Zunino. It was the 13th homer of the year for Zunino and came on 3-2 fastball.
The Mariners added another run in the seventh on a blast from Michael Saunders. It was the seventh homer of the year for Saunders and was just out of reach of a leaping Sam Fuld in center field. It also came on a fastball from Correia with a full count.
"That's a tough play that Sam makes more often than you'd think," Saunders said. "I'm glad he's OK. And I'm glad he didn't catch the ball."
It was enough offense for Iwakuma, who scattered four hits over seven scoreless innings while setting a season-high with 10 strikeouts. Iwakuma improved to 5-0 with a 0.00 ERA in five starts against the Twins, as he's yet to allow an earned run against Minnesota in 33 2/3 innings dating back to 2012.
"He had his good stuff," said third baseman Trevor Plouffe, who went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. "He kept everything down tonight. He was getting that low pitch and using that to his advantage. His keeping guys off-balance with his split. When he's on, it's going to be a tough game."
The Twins had few scoring chances against Iwakuma, but their best opportunity came in the seventh, when Kendrys Morales opened the inning with a single against his former team. Oswaldo Arcia doubled to right field with one out, but the slow-running Morales was held at third base on the play.
Fellow first baseman Chris Parmelee was brought in to pinch-run for Morales at third base, but was stranded there, as Chris Colabello grounded out to third base and Fuld struck out to end the inning.
Gardenhire was frustrated with himself after the game, as he said he thought about pinch-running Parmelee earlier in the inning but didn't.
"I don't know if Parmelee would've scored on that ball either, but it's important, and I'm frustrated because maybe he could've," Gardenhire said. "We needed to get that run in. But I'm more mad at myself than anything else because I thought about it and didn't do it because of the situation with our bench."
Danny Farquhar and Fernando Rodney each threw a scoreless inning after Iwakuma departed to complete the shutout. It marked the seventh time the Twins have been held scoreless this year.
"It's always frustrating to lose games," Correia said. "No matter what the situation is, there's going to be some frustration losing games."
Rhett Bollinger is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Bollinger Beat, and follow him on Twitter @RhettBollinger. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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On Sunday, Green DogGoods is sponsoring a Meet and Greet fundraiser for ASG to introduce the greyhounds to the public. The event will be at Green DogGoods, 3421 N. Anthony Blvd. On Saturday, you can have a photo portrait of your pet taken to raise funds for the organization. "Flash Your Pet" begins at 1 p.m. at Green DogGoods; call 483-1267 to schedule a portrait.
Raffles, prizes, live music by the Distractions, refreshments and adoption applications for the Greyhounds will be available.
ASG usually gets "six to eight dogs at a time, and they're put into foster homes until we find them permanent homes, which is generally every two to three months," said Scott, an owner of a retired red fawn racer and a black lurcher (greyhound mix).
"Greyhound racing's declining — when I first started in the mid-1990s, there were 40-plus tracks, and now there are only 22 tracks. Racing is seasonal — ends in October and picks up in February or March. Years ago, the public didn't know what happened to the dogs or how they were treated, which back then may have been inhumanely. Many were turned loose or killed. Education to the public has really helped change that a lot. Most of the tracks have adoption kennels right on site, but the majority of dogs are adopted through organizations such as ours.
"We pay for their spaying and neutering and have a whole line of vet work done, like shots, and we pay a nominal fee to help with their expenses. They bring the dogs from Florida in a trailer that looks like a big Airstream and has stalls in it. We pick out the dogs from the website descriptions and with help from the track adoption coordinator. Once they're on their way here, we're responsible for them."
Those who have never seen a dog race might wonder how the dogs are encouraged to run. According to Scott, they chase an artificial lure around the track.
"Greyhounds are in the sight-hound family, which means they hunt by sight as opposed to scent," Scott said, "and it is natural instinct that propels them to run. The track is a quarter-mile long, and each race, which lasts less than one minute, is comprised of eight dogs."
Scott first got involved with saving retired greyhounds in 1995 after her first adoption, Greta. Asked why she rescues greyhounds as opposed to other breeds that may have been mistreated, neglected or abused, Scott acknowledged there were many needs "out there, and one person can only do so much. After adopting Greta, I was hooked and it grew from there."
How is it that a lot of these retired racers end up in Indiana? Adoption/rescue groups are all over the country, Scott said, including several in this area due to relatively close proximity to the tracks in Wisconsin. Those tracks have closed, but groups still exist to help with greyhound rescue from other tracks/areas.
Scott, in her 21st-year of teaching with Northwest Allen County Schools, was previously a dog groomer for 15 years and an active competitor in dog shows, exhibiting miniature pinschers.
"Over the years of working in the pet industry, I saw the need for more education to the general public in regards to responsible pet ownership, spaying/neutering, etc.," Scott said.
"While there are many wonderful dog owners out there, there are also many who regard animals as a way to make money and don't care for them in the manner the animals deserve. I was not grooming anymore but wanted to stay active with the dog world. I knew a little about the racing industry and had an acquaintance who had an excellent retired racer."
"Greta was one of the best dogs I've ever been graced with. When we took her to awareness programs, if people didn't pet her, she would stick her head in their crotches. She had an uncanny quality of keeping our other dogs in control without growling or biting, and her eyes just melted your soul. Without a doubt, she loved unconditionally. She died in 2007 at 14 1/2 years old."
Those considering adopting a greyhound can come to Green DogGoods on Sunday to see if there might be a greyhound in their future. And they might want to consider this, to paraphrase the late pet author Mordecai Siegal — "Acquiring a greyhound may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative."
More Information
Fall for themWhat: "Fall for a Greyhound" event at Green DogGoods for All-Star Greyhounds http://allstargreyhounds.org a nonprofit that helps find homes for retired racers and other homeless greyhounds. It's a way to get a hands-on introduction to the breed.
When: 1-5 p.m. Sunday
Where: Green DogGoods, 3421 N. Anthony Blvd.
For more information: Call Green DogGoods, 483-1267 Etc.: Beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday "Flash Your Pet" is an opportunity to have portraits of your pet taken at Green DogGoods; call 483-1267 for a reservation.


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The U.S. National Arboretum was established in 1927 by an Act of Congress as part of the U.S. Department's of Agriculture's research endeavors. The purpose and mission of the Arboretum is to serve the public need for scientific research gardens to conserve and showcase plants to enhance the environment. The current display of Azalea's and Boxwood collections are currently in bloom.
The arboretum is open daily from 8:00am to 5:00pm, excluding December 25th. Admission is free. The National Bonsai and Penjing museum are open from 10:00am to 4:00pm daily excluding certain Federal Holidays. Please visit the information page on the U.S. National Arboretum's website for additional information.
The U.S. National Arboretums is located at 3501 New York Avenue, NE. The most convenient way to access the grounds is via the Rhode Island metro station and a short ride on metro bus.
Happy travels!
Alexis, Innkeeper
American Guest House in Washington DC


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If you consider yourself a musician of any kind then take one hour and fifty minutes out of your schedule and watch this movie. Originally released in March 2005 on Sony Pictures it tells the amazing, sad, crazy, unbelievable story of artist and singer song-writer Daniel Johnston.
Director Jeff Feuerzeig exquisitely depicts a perfect example of brilliance and madness going hand in hand with subject Daniel Johnston. As an artist suffering from manic depression with delusions of grandeur, Daniel Johnston's wild fluctuations, numerous downward spirals, and periodic respites are exposed in this deeply moving documentary. – sonyclassics.com
The best thing about the film is you get to discover Daniel's music. Songs like "Story of an Artist" completely blow me away. Since I saw the film I keep heading over to Hi, How Are You? the official website of Daniel Johnston and buying music. He was seriously prolific and there are over 400 songs ready to buy straight from his old cassettes as downloads. Rotten Tomatoes gives this movie an 87%, I give it a 100% you should give it a serious viewing.


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Evan Rachel Wood Photo 700x525
Evan Rachel Wood
Evan Rachel Wood (born September 7, 1987) is an American actress and singer. She made her debut as a leading film actress in Little Secrets (2002) and became well known after her transition to a more adult-oriented Golden Globe-nominated role in the teen drama film Thirteen (2003). Wood has been described by The Guardian as "one of the best actresses of her generation."
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Veterinary medicine needs to critically assess workforce needs, watchdogs say
NATIONAL REPORT — With veterinary practice caseloads falling, some watchdogs in the profession are sounding the alarm on increasing veterinary school enrollments.
At the same time, leaders in veterinary education say new opportunities for DVMs will emerge outside of practice and it's up to veterinarians to carve new paths for themselves.
"I truly fear that we're looking at graduating way more people than the profession is going to be able to employ. The worst of it is that the debt levels are rising so fast it's almost becoming a bad investment to spend between $140,00 for residents and $260,000 for a nonresident or private school DVM education to enter an absolutely flat job market," says James F. Wilson, DVM, JD, a veterinary consultant who serves on the VetPartners Career Development Committee, Veterinary Pet Insurance's (VPI) Veterinary Advisory Board, and as national adviser for the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA).The problem is there isn't enough hard data on what happens to students once they leave college with their DVM in hand, says Paul Pion, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, co-founder of VIN. More students go through veterinary programs, but when they are done and can't find a job, they often have no one to look to for help. A shortage of veterinarians would increase the value of the profession, but smaller class size would increase veterinary student fees even more, Pion says.
"There's no one thing you can change here that will make it better," Pion says. "How do we increase the value of the degree these kids pay for and mortgage their future for?"
Loan forgiveness programs awarded to draw students into underserved areas are working, according Marguerite Pappaioanou, executive director of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), who says more students are entering veterinary school with an interest in shortage areas like rural or production medicine.
But there are problems on the other end that aren't being acknowledged, Pion counters. Students in Kansas told him recently that they had to return money they received through a loan repayment program because they couldn't find jobs in the "underserved" area they were needed to work in.
"We have to really look at what's happening overall, and we have to be really honest about what we're seeing and what are the drivers," Pion says.
(See related story, "There's no shortage of veterinarians in most areas of rural practice, AABP reports.") What the profession really needs is an overall plan that will increase the value of veterinary medicine and make it a viable choice for the next generation, Pion says.
"We're always reacting instead of planning," he says. "To me, it comes down to you have to lead from the top. We don't have to blame anybody but those who choose to be leaders, it behooves them to make the hard choices."
Hard choices are something many new veterinary graduates will have to face, with jobs being harder to find and student debt levels increasing.
"There are not many jobs out there," says Dr. Nan Boss, owner of Best Friends Veterinary Center in Grafton, Wis. "I think there's a lot of discouraged fourth- and fifth-year students."
While veterinary students used to have their first post-grad jobs lined up by early spring, Boss says many are still looking.
"It's very scary because these students have such overwhelming amounts of debt, and now they're not able to find jobs," she says. "It's all very regional. I think a lot of it's the economy, but it's also saturation in some markets."
Boss says there are plenty of students who want to practice in underserved areas like rural medicine, but find themselves so saddled with debt upon graduation, they choose to go into more lucrative fields like companion-animal medicine. But graduating veterinary school and working in a practice are two very different things to graduates, Boss says.


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Treat yourself
With a Purezense massage in Baden-Baden
From a classical massage to an aromatherapy message to an Ayurvedic / Abhyanga massage Purezense© Baden-Baden can offer you any sort of massage you desire.
For example, treat yourself to a Lomi-lomi. This massage, originally from Hawaii, flows rhythmically and harmoniously over your body like a wave. It will gentle release tensions in your muscles, ease your spirit, and soothe away daily stresses.
Enjoy relaxation for both body and mind in our cosy massage oasis in the hotel, in your hotel room or in the professional spa atmosphere of the Purezense day spa, located only a few minutes from the Hotel MERKUR. You can easily book one of our specially selected massages at the time of room booking. You can also book a massage at any time during your stay subject to availability.
Hotel MERKUR is happy to book any other massage from the extensive Purezense day spa brochure for you. Relax with Purezense and the Hotel MERKUR and turn your stay into a feel-good experience.


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TASMANIAN devils suffered from low genetic diversity long before European settlement, according to new research which sheds light on the animal's battle with the deadly facial tumour disease.
Low genetic diversity has been linked to the spread of devil facial tumour disease but it has never been clear when devils, which once roamed the mainland, lost their immune diversity.
Since European settlement in Tasmania, there have been several population crashes, although the cause has been a mystery. However research by scientists from Adelaide and Sydney universities shows that both mainland and Tasmanian devils had shallow gene pools long before the facial tumour disease arrived.
This low diversity aided the spread of the disease.
''When a population has low immune gene diversity it means that if one individual is susceptible to a disease then generally the entire population is susceptible,'' said Katrina Morris, from Sydney University's faculty of veterinary science.
Ms Morris is a member of a research team, which for the first time took a genetic approach to the problem. Using ancient DNA retrieved from Tasmanian devil specimens collected over the last 200 years and stored in museums, scientists established that low genetic diversity in Tasmanian devils dates back thousands of years.
The research included testing the oldest marsupial genes to have ever had their genetic code sequenced - using samples taken from mainland devil specimens at least 3000 years old.
Tasmanian devils disappeared from the Australian mainland about 3000 years ago, possibly a result of competition from dingoes.
''What we found was not what we initially expected,'' said Ms Morris, the lead author of a paper outlining the findings published in Biology Letters on Wednesday.
''We found that there was actually very low immune diversity in Tasmania across the 200 years and this was the case with the samples from before European arrival, so it looks like low immune diversity pre-dates European arrival in Tasmania.''
Ms Morris said the findings reinforced the importance of breeding programs and the importance of ensuring the captive animals remained as genetically diverse as possible.
Devil facial tumour disease is an aggressive parasitic cancer first described in 1996. Spread by devils biting each other's heads when fighting over food, the disease has caused a collapse in the devil population from about 130,000-150,000 in the mid-1990s to under 24,000 mature individuals now.
In 2009, the Tasmanian devil was listed nationally as endangered. Unless spread of the disease can be stopped, extinction in the wild is likely within 35 years.


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Asia Society Senior Advisor Hassan Abbas says Pakistan's election slated for later this year is crucial for the country's progress, though many in Pakistan are skeptical.
©2017 Asia Society | Privacy Statement | About AsiaSociety.org | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap | Contact
Asia Society takes no institutional position on policy issues and has no affiliation with any government. All views expressed in its publications and on its website are the sole responsibility of the author or authors.


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It was my birthday last week so we decided to take my children to the soft play in Greenock to tire them out and as the weather was not great it needed to be something indoors. It is very easy to park they have their own parking with plenty of spaces and we managed to find somewhere to park easily even with it being Easter break.
**Toddler soft play area 3 and under **
This has a small climbing frame with obstacles on it not too challenging cause of course it for younger children and also has a large ground area where they have things like ride on's a little tikes kitchen and just general small toys for children to play with, It also has a jumparoo for children and a sit me up cosy so even young babies have something to do while playing in there. There is a soft mat covering the whole of this area so if children lose their footing they will not hurt themselves and generally has a lot for younger children to do. My youngest boy who is two in May loved this area although I did have to go in with him as he did not want to play by himself and my little girl who is three loved playing with the kitchen and other toys that were in there.
**Pirate ship 5 and over **
This is a large play area the biggest in the centre that has lots of netting all over it for children to climb across and climb over obstacles in the way it looked great fun for older children but my little boy who is just coming up to five did not enjoy it at all. It is designed for 5 years and over and there are lots of different platforms to climb and things to do but it all looked a little repetitive and is definitely aimed at older children who like a challenge.
**2 bouncy slides **
These are both large inflatable slides one is for 5 and under and one for 5 and over at the entrance of each of these slide are small obstacle courses so a small whole to climb through and then soft poles to squeeze through to reach the stairs to climb the slide. My children loved these this was the most used item by most of the children in the soft play and they went up and down over and over again.
They are not too challenging for the age ranges they are designed for and it provided something a little different for them to enjoy of course I was frightened as the large slide is rather huge but both my three year old and four year old decided they liked this one best so my heart was in my mouth but my children loved it and had no fear at all while playing on it.
**2 bouncy castles** - There are 2 bouncy castles 1 for 5 years and younger and one for 5 years plus there is no one watching to make sure that the children abide by the age recommendations but of course parents will be watching their children to make sure they are on the right equipment. My children did not really spend too much time on these they just were not interested enough as there were other things to do but they were a nice addition and very quiet as all the children seemed to prefer different areas.
**Soft ball area **
This is in a netted area that children have to climb into to find a small court to play on there are basketball nets up in there and a number of soft balls very simple but my children loved it this also was a very quiet area meaning each child can easily have a ball and lots of space to move around it may have been nice to have football posts or such in there but it was nice all the same to have an open space where children can run around and let of some steam.
**Laser tag **
There is also an option to play laser tag you can buy an all inclusive pass that allows you access to this and the whole play area but as my children are too young for this we did not take advantage but it would be good for older children as there is not much for them to do in the main play area of the building so would be worth looking into of you decide to go.
**Cars area **
This is a small track where there was 4 to 5 cars for little one to ride they are like go carts and the child simply press the peddle and rides around the track. Most of the cars have 2 seats so the children can go on together or a parent can go on with younger children. These are not included in the price and you have to pay a £1 a shot for the children to ride so of course this happened to be one of my children's favourites and we ended up paying an extra £5 for them all to have goes on them.
This area could have been used for something else for the children that was free but to be honest it is a good addition as my children loved it even if it did add to the amount of money we spent while we were there the smiles on their face was definitely worth it.
**Large blue way slide **
This is a plastic wavy slide that children climb steps and slide down very simple yet provides lots of fun as they do come down at some speed. My children did not notice it until the end as it is tucked away in the left hand side behind the pirate ship but as soon as they did it became another favourite and they went up and down over and over again.
**Price and getting there **
Babies not walking:
All Inclusive Pass - Children:
(For 2 hours & 1 game of Laser Matrix)
All Inclusive Pass - Adults:
(For 2 hours & 1 game of Laser Matrix)
Under 5's:
(For 2 hours)
5 years and over:
(For 2 hours)
1 hour play any age:
(Between 9.30am and 4pm)
Last hour:
(Between 5.30pm and 6.30pm)
(Members free)
We were not members so were only charged £1 each for us to get in so it was not to high an admission fee for us all to get in as we just paid for the soft play rather than the al inclusive pass. The children were £4 each to get in but they certainly got here money's worth and were tired out by the end of their 2 hour play.
We drove to the soft play which I would say would be your best bet but it is not too far from the centre of Greenock so public transport would also be able to take you there rather easily.
Fun world Leisure Ltd
Unit 1 - 2
Fort Matilda Industrial Estate
Eldon Street
**Food **
We had just eaten before we got there so did not purchase any food but they did have a large range available to order mainly fast food like chips and burgers the prices seemed reasonable for what you usually pay in children play areas we brought 3 fruit shoots and 2 regular cokes and it came to around £6.50 in total. There is a canteen area to sit and eat or you can choose to take it across to a table in the viewing area which is what we decided to do as the children wanted to continue playing and the canteen is in a different area so we would not have been able to see them.
**The staff **
The ladies we were first greeted with were lovely I asked where the toilets were and as she then knew that we had not been before she took the time to explain everything to us like where all the areas were, that we were allowed to go on the apparatus with the children though we must wear socks or it was a £50 fine that children could go on the older activities if they like it was down to us to decide and that none of the areas were supervised by staff and of course it was our responsibility.
We only came across 3 members of staff after this and to be honest they could have cracked a smile I understand they had been working all day and children can be very loud and irritable but the attitude of some of them was appalling considering they were working around children.
I asked one lady for change of a £2 coin at the canteen so my children could go on the cars and you honestly would have thought I was asking for her to run a mile she sulked to the counter and back with my change.
Another was supervising the cars this is the only area that had a member of staff and he looked really bored and quite agitated with the children but she did leave to take a break five minutes later so maybe it was long overdue.
**Overall **
They also have toddler classes and exercise groups with notices pinned around everywhere as to when they are on but as it is an hour's drive away from us I was not interested in them so did not take much notice to be honest. They also offer parties and have 2 separate rooms for children who are booked in with parties although you do share the whole hall will paying visitors also.
The whole place is set out very well there is lots of room between each area for children to run about. The small bouncy castle and small slide are next to each other as is the bigger slide and bouncy castle.
We went last week and was actually dreading it as it was the Easter holidays but actually it was not too bad at all it was busy but not overly so and there was plenty of room for everyone on the activities.
A lot of parents were moaning there was no staff watching over each area but to be honest even if there was staff doted around I would have been watching my children anyway it is not like we are paying for a babysitting service we pay to use the items they have there so I do not think this is a problem at all.
The whole area is clean light and well laid out and all the equipment in perfect condition for use by young children. There is lots to do and my children really enjoyed it although as it is a hour drive each way to us it is ok for special occasions but not something I would do on a regular basis as we actually have good soft plays around us that are more suited to all of my children's age range but this is a very nice change for older children as a lot of the play areas only have little ones in mind.
It is a great way to tire little one out and I actually was tired out by the end of it as I found myself on many of the activities with my children and at seven months pregnant a bouncy castle is not the best place for m to be so we all slept well that night.
Funworld Leisure was opened in June 2005 by brother and sister,
Douglas Brands and Sharon Murdoch. It is situated about 25 miles from Glasgow and 50 miles from Ayrshire. It can be found on the A8 between Greenock and Gourock and is very well signposted. There is a train station less than one mile away with direct trains to and from Glasgow. It is also on a frequently served bus route. There is a large car park and parking has never been a problem for me even when it is very busy.
Funworld is said to be the largest Indoor Family Entertanment Centre in Scotland.
When you go in, the doors open automatically which is great if you have a pram or a few children with you. In front of you is the reception desk. You go in at one side and exit at the other side.
There are electronic barriers in place on each side which can only be operated from behind the admission desk,so a member of staff has to let you in or out.
When you are paying you have to give the name or names of your child or children. You are then allowed entry.
It is very spacious with a high roof making it bright and airy.
There is a large segregated play area for toddlers with ball pools, cars, small climbing frames and lots of soft play toys.
Beside this is a very large bouncy castle and depending on whether it is busy or not toddlers can have a go. I know my grandaughter just loves this.
There is a pirate ship called "Giggling Racara" which is on three levels. The upper two levels being more suitable for over fives.
It has a tunnel slide going from level three to the ground and spiral slides at different levels. You can also find rope bridges and ball cannons alongside soft play stairs and climbing frames.
When the kids get bored of this there is an inflated assault course where they have to climb, crawl and slide to get to the finish.
For older children there is also a football and basketball area.
There is a lage seating area with plenty of tables, chairs and highchairs (which are very clean). The cafe sells a variety of coffees, teas and juices along with sandwiches, cakes, scones and biscuits. Hot snacks are always available and vary depending on the time of day. The prices are reasonable with a white coffee costing £1.10 and a cake costing on average 80p. Free daily newspapers are available.
The toilets are clean and are inspected regularly. There is a disabled toilet and a baby change. These are also regularly inspected.
Funworld also caters for birthday parties. You can book a two hour party for a minimum of 10 children and choose which "deal"
you would like ranging from one to five. Funworld provide a decorated room with a large table and chairs for the party. There are spotlights on the roof and disco music is played for the kids. You have to provide your own Birthday cake and party bags.
Deal one:- Buccaneer Picnic £6.95 (including entry charge)
Snack box containing two sandwiches, carton of juice,
packet of crisps, yoghurt and a bar of chocolate.
Deal five:- Themed Party £8.95 (including entry charge)
Hot buffet (sausage rolls chicken pieces etc), jugs of
juice on the table and ice cream. Foil balloon for
birthday person and a free entry to funworld.
You can choose your own theme for the party.
Deals two, three and four are somewhere between the two above.
There is a shop just next to the cafe. It sells a range of goods including fancy dress outfits, travel games, activity toys, pogo sticks etc. etc. The prices are a bit more expensive than you would pay on the High street.
Funworld opens from 9.30am to 6.30pm every day except Christmas and New Year.
Prices are as follows:-
Adults and babies Free
Under fives £3.95
Five to twelve years £4.50
Family pass with four children of any age is £15.95
If you go in for the last hour a child of any age will cost £2.50.
This is a great day out for all kids from tots to twelve year olds. The staff have no problem with adults joining in the fun, and many do, including myself.
There are plenty of staff supervising the kids and all have their badges and uniforms on to make them easily recognisable.
If this is not enough there is a large park situated just beside funworld which has large grassy areas, swings, slides and sandpits. It is at the water's edge and the kids will love this. There is a large cafe which opens from early morning till about 8pm. About two miles along the road there is a large swimming complex with large slides and a lazy river. Just across the street from this is the Oak Mall shopping centre which has a great selction of shops to suit all tastes.
We went on Thursday during the day and what fun we had,the area for toddlers was great plenty for them to do and more to the point it is clean ! and the whole area is safe not only that but us mummies were allowed on the equipment we had so much fun on the chute it was a pity at times that we had to have children with us !! the staff were very helpfull and i am sure the had fun watching us on the bouncy castle, good value for money and the cafe area is well priced and food is fresh.
Funworld Leisure - Family Entertainment Centre.
Situated in Greenock (right next to Gourock) on the West Coast of Scotland, Reached easily by the M8 motorway, also Fort Matilda train station nearby, local buses run past very regularly too. Because it's based on the firth of Clyde it is even accessible by boat!
This centre opened in May/June 2005 so is still relatively new.
This is the address for anyone interested
Funworld Leisure Ltd
Unit 1-2
Fort Matilda Industrial Estate
Eldon Street, Greenock
(Next to Battery Park)
Website is http://www.funworld-leisure.co.uk/ where you can get a map and directions.
Busy times include weekends, early evening and school holidays, so best to check with them if you're after a quiet(ish) time.
Open 7 days a week from 9.30am til 7.30pm
Entry Fees
Under 5's - £3.75 for a 2 hour session
Over 5's - £4.25 for a 2 hour session
(January 2006 special offer - pay for one child, 2nd goes half price)
Adults - Free unless attending fitness class
Babies - Free unless joining in.
The last hour before closing is £2 for all.
Party bookings are also available from £5.95 - £7.50 per child
What is Funworld?
It's an amazing indoor adventure area for children up to the age of 12, They have various different areas within the centre.
Toddler area
This is a pretty big area for the little ones, It has a large soft play area, which is usually attended by the trained staff, The soft play includes a climbing frame apparatus with which has a ball pool, tunnel slide, This is 3 level platform but low enough for a 2 yr old to climb quite easily.
There are a couple of little cars that the children can play in, and little chairs and tables that they can use for their role play etc ..
This whole area is brilliant for all areas of development.
Pirate Ship
There is a huge slide from the highest level, which has 4 lanes and is like the ones you see at the fairground that you come down on sacks .and when you sit at the top it looks like big waves (in keeping with the sea theme)
There is also the tunnel slide, a huge one - helter skelter style, I haven't braved this as I'd probably get my ample bottom stuck halfway lol.
Again a large ball pit area for everyone to have a good laugh in, but beware there are various areas around the ball pit with ball shooting cannons which the children can use to fire the cannons (hollow plastic balls) into the ball arena! If there's an adult in there it is usually them getting aimed at! I pity the staff lol
The children really enjoy climbing from one level to another, finding different ways of getting to them and different things to do at each level.
Enclosed football/basketball area
This is a large area which is enclosed with a net, the children/adult helpers can climb through an opening to join in with a mini football game, shoot some hoops, or basically just throw balls to each other.
Bouncy castle
Over at the other side of the large open plan floor there is a huge bouncy castle This is designed to look like the sea, with large inflatable sea creatures that the children can climb onto or bounce off of. If your child likes bouncy castles then this one is superb .. (I even had a shot)
The Big Challenge
This is basically an inflatable assault course designed for children. They have to climb over, squeeze through, crawl under inflatable apparatus, climb net then slide down the slide to reach the finish line .This is great fun for the children as 2 usually go at a time and "race" even the younger children can do this, I'd say from 3-4 yr olds upwards.
There is quite a big seating area for parents/guardians to sit and keep an eye on the children, this is situated in the middle so that parents can keep watch, the actual café Is situated beside the entrance/exit, You place your order and if it's hot food or drinks you're ordering you give them your table number and they will bring it over to you when it is ready. This is for health and safety reasons obviously.
The food is quite reasonably priced with a jug of diluting juice costing around £2
A plate of chips about £1.50 and a large diet coke about £1, there are meals available too from about £2.50 - £6.
Now I have taken my own 2 children to Funworld quite a few times now and each time they have loved it, but I hadn't actually joined in with the play when I was there with them as they would've been embarrassed lol.
I then went with the nursery class I help out in on a Friday morning, and I was encouraged to join in, climb with the children, go down chutes etc ..all I can say is phewwww I had no idea fun was so exhausting haha.
The nursery class I help with are 3-5yr olds, but when we went it was a quiet morning, and it was in term time so the only other children who were there at same time was a crèche!
Because it was so quiet our brood of children were able to play on all the equipment including the huge Pirate ship climbing platform .there are lots of levels and the smaller children did need help occasionally to shimmy up! Most managed it though without help, as children will find a way if you leave them to use their brains.
You don't have to book a session in advance (unless it's a party booking) but it is advisable to phone in advance to check if it's busy or if they have party booked in as these can become quite rowdy!
There is a party room, which is decorated with very bright colours in an underwater theme again, and has spotlights and ultraviolet lights too. This is used for group bookings and also discos.
There are also various events and classes on throughout the week at Funworld.
I cannot give my opinion on these as I have not used them yet.
Funfit classes
This is an fun exercise class with different levels for the different age groups.
Each class costs £1.75 or £3.75 with an hours play included, They are paid for in blocks of 6 classes, and must be booked beforehand.
18 mths - 3 years: Tuesday and Thursday 10:00 - 10:45 (parent participation required)
3 - 5 year olds: Tuesday 12:00 - 12:45 and Friday 10:00 - 10:45
5 - 8 year olds: Wednesday 16:00 - 16:45
8 - 12 year olds: Thursday 16:00 - 16:45
Adult Fun-fit: Tuesday 13:30 - 14:15 (Priced @ £2)
Toddler Morning
This is on every weekday morning from 9.30am til 11.30am
Baby special - £1.50 includes tea/coffee, plus morning roll or fruit salad for parent.
Toddler special - £4.95 includes tea/coffee, plus morning roll or fruit salad for parent, plus juice and biscuits for child.
Manicure Monday
10am til 2.30pm
Get a full manicure, French polish etc, prices vary. (haven't yet tried this either)
Sumo Fight Night
Every Monday night from 5.30pm til 7.30pm
Costs £3 for 9 rounds. This is for adults and children over 8yrs old.
A friend of mine works in the centre and says this is great fun, What happens is you get dressed up in one of those huge Japanese Sumo wrestling outfits ..this is inflatable! And basically just wrestle each other. I say wrestle but it more like bouncing each other around .and if you fall down it is very hard to get back up, making it hilarious to watch!
Mums and Tums
Wednesday morning 10am til 10.45am
This is a 45mins exercise class for adults, there is no need to bring your child but you can if you wish, and they can play for 2 hours whilst you exercise then relax and watch.
Class - £2
Child - £2.75
All exercise classes are run by qualified instructors and all play leaders looking after children are qualified and strict checks are run via Disclosure Scotland.
Before Funworld opened last year I used to have to travel out of town to take my kids to places like this, Kidzplay in Prestwick, Big Adventure in Linwood, But these places only cater for the younger children with nothing (as far as I know) except the cafés for teens and adults. I don't drive so relied on trains and buses to take me to these places which cost me a fortune. I am now within walking distance to a much better facility, It takes me about 30-40mins to get there by foot, but only 10mins in a taxi costing about £3. We usually walk down the hill ..a nice walk and the kids don't complain because they know they're going to enjoy it, and then we get a taxi back up the rather steep hill as they're usually too exhausted to walk lol.
I should also mention that there is a huge park right beside Funworld which is 100% FREE!!! This is superb in the summer as there is a huge grass area, a playpark for under 5s and another for the over 5s which are well maintained and filled with deep sand. This is called the Battery Park and I have spent many a summer's day there over the years .This is situated right on the waterfront, so the kids can go throw stones into the water or collect crabs etc ..In the good weather, you can also soak up the rays and use the café facilities!
Thanks for reading.
Michelle x


text:
Volunteer Link transport schemes are failing to claim all the cash they are entitled to, says Wiltshire councillor John Thomson.
Last month, Wiltshire Council withdrew its 5p-per-mile support funding which was on offer to the region's 45 groups, which take the elderly to medical appointments and shopping, saving around £39,000 from their annual budget.
But Cllr Thomson, cabinet member for highways, said that last year £15,000 of the £45,000 available from the council for Link schemes was not claimed.
He said: "I hope the Link groups claim and the full amount will go to them this year.
"We are looking at making our region's area boards a more active part of supporting Link schemes and simplifying the funding system."
On Wednesday, representatives from Wiltshire's Links met to discuss how they will cope with the loss of the 5p-per-mile support.
Last year, Trowbridge's Link received £5,200 core funding from the council and an extra £2,500 for the 60,000 miles their volunteers travelled.
Doug Ross, Trowbridge Link chairman, said: "All Links are different, some don't need to claim because they get enough from their clients and we've been aware the council need to make cutbacks.
"We want to make sure Links survive and the ones in most need of funding get it."


text:
The Defense Business Board, which advises the U.S. Department of Defense, mostly on matters of civilian contracting, will report in October on ways to cut costs and modernize military retirement plans.
A preliminary retirement planning report calling for reform has raised the hackles of a wide swath of military and other types who oppose any cuts, especially while we have soldiers at war. It's true that the timing isn't ideal, but the business board's report makes some good points. In calling for a 401(k)-type plan to replace the pension that military retirees get after 20 years of duty, it pointed out that 83 percent of military personnel don't get a pension at all because they don't make it 20 years.
The report said the current military retirement system is more than 100 years old and was designed when times were different:
- Life spans were shorter.
- Military pay wasn't competitive with civilian pay. (Current enlisted military pay is in the top quartile for high school graduates.)
- Second careers were rare because military skills didn't transition to the private sector.
The board said that because military retirement benefits are received after 20 years, 76 percent of those who do qualify for retirement benefits leave the military at 20 years -- when they are in their 40s -- which makes retaining trained people difficult. The current retirement system also doesn't provide extra compensation for those who serve in combat areas.
Costs for today's plan are skyrocketing. Current liability is $1.3 trillion of which $385 billion is funded. By 2034, the military calculates that its liability will reach $2.7 trillion.
The board suggests substituting a 401(k)-like plan based on the government's Thrift Savings Plan with Department of Defense and military personnel contributing. Military personnel could access their plans without penalty at age 65 and the plans would be part of their estates. Fully disabled participants would qualify for an immediate pension. There would be no impact on existing retirees.
Is this kind of plan fair? I think so. The idea that you can retire in your 40s and receive 50 percent of your salary for the rest of your life isn't feasible in a world where people routinely live to be 85 and increasingly hit 100.


text:
Main Page
|Society of American Foresters
|International Society of Tropical Foresters
|Associate Editors:
|Forests and Forestry in the Americas: An Encyclopedia is a web-based encyclopedia, which will have approximately 300 separate entries, contributed by forest and natural resource scholars and experts. The audience for the encyclopedia generally will be persons not familiar with forestry, including the general public and students through graduate work, teachers, journalists, and professionals who want a brief summary of a subject outside their area of expertise.
|Contributing to the encyclopedia:
|The Entries:
|The articles in the encyclopedia will range between 1,000 to 5,000 words. We will balance short, medium, and long essays, as well as disciplines, regions, and value perspectives of forests. The subjects of tropical to temperate forest in Latin America are likely to be of equal interest to all readers in the Americas, and a web-based encyclopedia should facilitate wider and cheaper distribution of the articles than a traditional book. Thus the encyclopedia will have a reasonable distribution of articles for each region. We will have some core, similar articles for all major regions—Canada, U.S.A., Central America, and South America. But we will avoid replicating the same technical subject titles in four different regions for the entire encyclopedia, so authors should try to write each technical entry broadly to cover the principles that might apply to all regions in the Americas to the extent possible. Subject categories identified are: countries and regions, forest biology and ecology, forest management, forest measurements and monitoring, forest ownership, tenure and social systems, forest policies and administration, forest products and manufacturing, contemporary issues, historical events, and leading figures.
|Review Process:
|All entries will be undergo a sequential submission, review, posting, and further review process. Articles will first be submitted and reviewed by one of the Associate Editors or the Editor before being posted to the web site in initial form, perhaps with technical changes being required. Second, entries will be reviewed by colleagues who are contributing to the encyclopedia or by SAF/ISTF members for technical comments and suggestions. These secondary review comments will be provided to the for the authors to revise and update the article. The encyclopedia will use English as the preferred language, but Spanish or Portuguese are acceptable if appropriate for the entry and region. As such, grammatical correctness and editing are the joint responsibility of the author and the respective Associate Editor most familiar with the language and the subject matter. We will use the Journal of Forestry author (date) citation form, with alphabetic references at the end of the entries for cited works or for useful references.
|Citation Format:
|Works in this Forestry Encyclopedia may be cited as: Author Last Name, First Name. Year. Entry title. In: Forests and Forestry in the Americas: An Encyclopedia. Edited by: F. W. Cubbage. Society of American Foresters and International Society of Tropical Foresters. Accessed at: http://188.8.131.52/index.php/Main_Page. Date, month, and year accessed.
|Timing and Contributions:
|This work has been compiled since 2007. It is updated and maintained continually. We are continuing to post articles that have been submitted, and are seeking authors and articles to continue to expand our coverage and content. We have identified more than 300 subjects that cover much of the subject of forests and forestry in the Americas, and have articles or commitments for almost half of those entries.
Contact -- Fred Cubbage


text:
Longoria looks to take sting out of tough loss
ST. PETERSBURG -- Rays third baseman Evan Longoria said it's his job to mimic manager Joe Maddon in the clubhouse after a disappointing loss like Monday's 8-7 decision to the Blue Jays at Tropicana Field.
So it's only fitting that Longoria and Maddon used the same phrase to describe the feeling right after Tampa Bay let a 7-0 lead slip away, both saying the loss "stings a little bit." It's equally fitting that they both preached the importance of bouncing back Tuesday -- not through sweeping changes or rousing speeches, but simply by playing their game.
"It wasn't the last day of the world. It's business as usual today," Longoria said. "That was one of those games that you hope at the end of the year, you don't look back and say, 'That was the game we needed,' if we don't make the playoffs by a game or two. But again, it's a game that hopefully we can come out and put behind us tonight and find something positive to take out of it."
Added Maddon: "It stings a little bit, but it's a loss. It's a loss. You have to be able to put those losses behind you, regardless of how they occur. It just happened to be a very lopsided situation last night that turned against us. It's a loss. Move on."
The Rays have earned a reputation for having a loose clubhouse, with Maddon fostering an environment in which the players don't overly celebrate their big wins or mourn their tough losses. It's part of the reason they have also come to be known as a resilient group.
"That comes, I think, with the culture, the Rays culture that Joe and our management have created. I don't see any difference in this group," Longoria said. "It's not so much the mentality as it's been, really, the on-field play. We've been a loose group. We're having fun in here. It's just we're not getting the results on the field. There comes a point where you have to have those. It starts with tonight and it starts with going out there and putting yesterday behind us."
One thing the Rays aren't used to doing is losing leads -- especially not on the consistent basis they have this season. They've lost 12 games in which they held a lead at some point, the most in the Majors. But Maddon believes that will turn around, as well.
"It's been different. I don't know if concerning is the right word. I really believe in our guys," Maddon said. "We have a lot of really great, talented, good starting pitchers and pitchers in general. They're going through a tough stretch right now. I think it's going to come back to us."
Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com. Adam Berry is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @adamdberry. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
International body to punish polluters?
In Venice, the International Environmental Sciences Academy will meet to consider a court to penalize nations for pollution. Nobel Peace Prize Adolfo Perez Esquivel, president of the Academy, has proposed that the United Nations establish an International Penal Court for the Environment. The court would punish nations for intentional environmental "crimes against humanity," such as the Chernobyl disaster. We'll see how the community of nations responds. In the meantime, ordinary citizens can sign the Venice Charter for an International Criminal Environmental Court "to protect ecosystems, human and environmental health" here.


text:
Right there. Allowing a suspended player to play in the PDGA sanctioned event is a violation of the rules.
You have to initial that you agree.
Edit: The following disciplinary actions are in effect between the begin and end dates shown. This information is provided as a notification to the membership and to PDGA tournament directors to assist with enforcement. For questions regarding these actions, please contact Executive Director Brian Graham.
jenb wrote:Fritz wrote:The suspended player isn't a non-member, they are a suspended member. Meaning they cannot play a PDGA sanctioned event. If the TD lets them play, the TD runs the risk of getting non-sanctioned.
That would piss off a lot of players. When you sanction a tournament the PDGA sends you a list of suspended players and players on probation, so the TD couldn't claim they didn't know.
Is that what you mean?
Where in the sanctioning agreement does it say that the TD agrees to refuse entry to suspended members? I expect there must be something somewhere, but all I've seen that the TDs are obligated to do is not refuse entry to members, send the pdga $10 for every non-member who competes in a B or C-tier, refuse entry to non-members in A-tiers, majors, and NTs, enforce the PDGA rules of play, and get the results in by the end of the year.
I guess it's just the lawyer in me, but on it's face, the rule doesn't say that the suspended member can't compete in any tournaments. It says he loses the rights and privileges of PDGA membership. So that would seem to mean that he stands on the same footing as any non-member.


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