text: In a response to some of our reader's questions and comment concerning the HIPAA Security Rule(s), our staff search activities recently came across a new tool offered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Information Technology Laboratory. This "NIST HIPAA SECURITY TOOLKIT" is an easy to learn and easy to use resource intended to help organizations better understand the requirements of the HIPAA Security Rule(s), implement those requirements, and asses those implementations in their own organization's operational environment. According to information received on … [Read more...]


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Champion Hill Stadium Edgar Kail Way East Dulwich LONDON SE22 8BD View with Google Maps
This website is part of the Pitchero Football network. Create your own free Football club website with Pitchero.
© Pitch Hero Ltd 2008-2017
Pitch Hero Ltd Registered in ENGLAND | WF3 1DR | Company Number - 636 1033

subset: commoncrawl


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LAKE FOREST – The overwhelming majority of residents and businesses are pleased with city services, according to the most recent version of a biennial satisfaction study.
The survey, conducted by phone in late 2012 by True North Research, reported that 96 percent of residents rated life in Lake Forest as either excellent or good.
When asked what the city should do to improve Lake Forest living, 36 percent said they did not want any or could not think of any needed changes, according to the report.
Of the remaining suggestions given to the open-ended question, 13 percent asked for improved parks and recreation opportunities, 11 percent to reduce traffic congestion, 6 percent to improve and repair infrastructure and 5 percent to increase public safety.
Of businesses surveyed, 89 percent said the city's business climate is excellent or good compared with surrounding areas – a sign of recovery from the recession, True North President Timothy McLarney said.
That percentage is up from 78 percent in 2010 and 71 percent in 2008.
Business managers who were asked how to improve the city's business climate suggested increasing business and networking opportunities (15 percent), reducing signage restrictions (14 percent), reducing fees and taxes (6 percent), and improving or providing additional customer parking (5 percent).
Of those managers surveyed, 47 percent said either no changes were needed or they could not think of any changes that should be made.
A new question about the need for recycling, added to the 2012 survey, showed "some demand" for such services, McLarney said.
Overall, all statistically significant changes shown in the study results were positive, he said.
He recommended Lake Forest use the results as encouragement to "stay the course."
See the full study at lakeforestca.gov/depts/ms/special_studies.asp.
Contact the writer: 949-454-7307 or firstname.lastname@example.com


text: A twist on WVU-Herd By Dave Hickman December 4, 2012 Story Share AP Photo Bob Huggins' Mountaineers are off to a 2-3 start. MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - As a general rule, by the time West Virginia has approached its annual game with Marshall under Bob Huggins, the Mountaineers have already accomplished a lot.They have usually completed a largely successful non-conference schedule, are well into the meat of their conference slate and have the incentive to earn yet another notch in their collective belt where NCAA resumes are concerned.Not so this time. Not on any of those counts.In fact, when the teams meet tonight at the Charleston Civic Center, West Virginia finds itself in almost desperate straits. The Mountaineers don't need a win to pad a resume, they need one just to get a resume started."We need to win games,'' Huggins said rather succinctly. "I don't think there's any doubt about that.''The teams meet at 7:30 p.m., playing at the Civic Center for the 22nd consecutive year. The game will be televised throughout the state on the Capital Classic Network (WOWK in Charleston).Marshall (5-3) has won three in a row, while West Virginia is just 2-3.West Virginia holds a commanding 29-11 lead in the series, 16-5 since it was anchored in Charleston in 1992. The Mountaineers have won 12 of the last 16 and five of the last six, but 11 of the last 14 have been decided by single digits. Two of those games went to overtime.For the first time since 1996 and only the second time since the series moved to Charleston, the game won't be played in the middle of the teams' conference schedules. It was moved from its traditional January spot because WVU couldn't work both it and a previously contracted non-conference game with Purdue into its new Big 12 schedule. Therein lies one reason the game is so important to West Virginia this time around. It's always significant because of the nature of the rivalry, but in years past the Mountaineers could usually pass it off as just another in a long line of difficult tests.This year it's certainly not the first, but given that West Virginia has yet to begin any sort of a push toward establishing an NCAA tournament resume, time is of the essence. Marshall is just No. 239 in the Rating Percentage Index, but given that WVU's only two wins (Marist and VMI) were against teams ranked No. 250 or worse, the push has to begin somewhere.After this game the Mountaineers play Virginia Tech and Michigan within the following 10 days, and those teams are a combined 14-0. West Virginia can't afford to wait and pin its hopes of a sixth straight NCAA tournament invitation on the Big 12 schedule. It has to start winning games now."They used to say [it was important to play well in] your last 10 games. You haven't heard that in a while,'' Huggins said. "I think they look at how many games you've won against [good opponents]. It's great to play against good competition, but you've got to win some.''Marshall, of course, is in a somewhat similar position, but then again that's almost always the case for the Herd when it comes to playing WVU. Marshall's opportunities for quality wins throughout its schedule are less than that of West Virginia because of the relative strength of Conference USA versus the Big 12, so the game with the Mountaineers is generally more significant to any postseason resume.In order for Marshall to succeed tonight, the Herd might have to lean on its rebounding strength. Marshall is 13th in the country in rebounding and 14th in offensive rebounds. West Virginia is outrebounding its opponents, but that's a figure skewed by the two wins over outclassed opponents. "They're a terrific rebounding team,'' Huggins said of the Herd. "We haven't outrebounded anyone. We don't even outrebound ourselves in practice.''That could be difficult to do tonight, too, because the Mountaineers might play small if given the opportunity. They have been largely ineffective trying to play big men Deniz Kilicli and Aaric Murray together, and that also doesn't lend itself to Huggins' desire to play faster.If that's the case, Marshall forward Dennis Tinnon and center Nigel Spikes would have even more of an advantage on the boards. West Virginia could negate that by shooting well, but for the most part that hasn't been the case this season. The Mountaineers are shooting just 41 percent from the floor and 25 percent on 3-pointers.Reach Dave Hickman at 304-348-1734 or firstname.lastname@example.com or follow him at Twitter.com/dphickman1. Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 Police seek car driven by woman found dead in Kanawha River 2 Teen pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Oakes Field shooting 3 Facebook founder visits Cabin Creek Health Systems 4 Man allegedly cuts father in Rand over argument about sandwich 5 Esa Ahmad ineligible for first half of WVU men's basketball season Herd's Pittman ready for first taste of rivalry with WVU Previous Story Jon Anderson named West Virginia State football coach Next Story


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The PRO BUILDER SHOOT‐OUT is a new feature event added for 2011 to the CAR CRAFT Summer NationalsTM. It is a program designed to drive attendance to and traffic within the Summer Nationals by spotlighting some of the best builders in the country. Readers of CAR CRAFT magazine and show attendees will have the opportunity to not only meet these extremely popular and creative individuals, but also vote on their favorite car designed and crafted by these various builders. The winning entry will earn the builder the honor of becoming the CAR CRAFT Pro Builder Of The Year for 2011.
Six different builders were selected to kick off this new program. It is estimated that the designated cars in this prestigious gathering will be worth over $500,000.00 and will exemplify some of the most leading edge designs in the performance aftermarket industry. This editor‐developed program will culminate with the awarding of the Custom winner's trophy on site, as well as with a follow up editorial feature on the winning car.
Rad Rides by Troy: 1970 Chevy Nova
It all started in 1986 when his grandfather gave him a 1966 Chevelle to "fix up" for himself. After a good effort he took that car to the 1990 Street Machine Nationals event in DuQuoin, IL. He was amazed at the building techniques he saw there, so he rebuilt his Chevelle shortly thereafter with a unique blend of ideas like brushed trim (taken from a John Buttera car) and Boyd wheels. The car was called Pro Box. It was a huge hit that spawned a new company.
Rad Rides by Troy was established in 1995 as a father and son business, and has since grown to become one of America's top automotive shops in 16 short years.
Along the way Troy has become a team builder ‐ from the close‐knit pack of fabricators, mechanics, painters and machinists that make up the company to the essential partnerships he has forged with some of the industry's leading suppliers.
Ring Brothers: 1970 Mustang Fastback, Dragon
Mike and Jim Ring got their start rebuilding custom cars as kids using discarded lawn mower engines they found in the local dump in Plain, WI where their dad ran a service station.
The brothers were two of seven kids raised in a one‐bathroom, three‐bedroom home with a garage below, and where they attempted in vain to hide their car‐building experiments from their mother long before either boy could legally drive.
These brothers, now in their mid‐40s with kids of their own, made custom hot rod history by winning Goodguys Rod and Custom Association Street Machine of the Year for the second year in a row for a car they created.
The Roadster Shop: 1967 Nova "Innovator"
The Roadster Shop has been owned and operated by Neal, Phillip, and Jeremy Gerber since 2004 when it was purchased from the original owner. At the time of the Gerbers' purchase, The Roadster Shop had been an industry main stay for over 20 years in the street rod chassis and fabrication market. The goal was to start with the solid chassis production foundation and grow that into the leader in the street rod chassis market. Many changes were made to improve the quality and ease the installation for the customer, as well as adding several new models to the chassis line up.
Being in the hot rod industry turned out to be the perfect excuse to build a custom hot rod. The first car under the new ownership, a red and silver 1932 Dearborn Deuce, was built as a company display vehicle to showcase the chassis, while at the same time showcase the custom fabrication and build quality possessed by the Roadster Shop.
Route 66: 1967 Chevy Nova
Bill Jelinek, Owner of Route 66 Motorsports, has over 30 years experience in the automotive industry. The state of the art facility is located in New Lenox, Illinois. Route 66 Motorsports specializes in muscle cars, classic cars, & hot rods. They take on any project – big or small – whether it is a radical pro‐touring build up, a partial or full auto restoration, or something as minor as repairing a dent. Route 66 Motorsports provides complete restoration and customization of classic cars from start to finish. All of their work is about thorough research and meticulous craftsmanship. Whether you live nearby or 3,000 miles away, you'll always know the current status of your vehicle with documented photos and regular progress reports.
Schwartz Performance: 1965 Pontiac Tempest
Jeff Schwartz, a native of Minnesota and long time resident of the Chicago suburb of Crystal Lake Illinois, has been an automobile and motorcycle enthusiast his whole life. Subscribing to Hot Rod Magazine and learning to weld when he was 12 years old, Jeff went on to become an accomplished machinist and Motocross rider. Spending most of his career managing automotive parts and equipment manufacturing plants, Jeff raced whenever possible.
This vast competition experience, which includes engine building and chassis set‐up, separates Schwartz from his car building peers. After building custom cars and motorcycles as a hobby for 26 years, many of which have been seen in major magazines, in 2004 Jeff decided to help others build their dream cars. Jeff's combinations have not only proven themselves on cross country events like Hot Rod Power Tour, but have also won numerous track events and magazine shootouts. If you want total Performance, equally at home on the street or blasting around your favorite racetrack, contact Schwartz Performance.
Woody's Hot Rodz: 1969 Camaro
From humble beginnings in a backyard garage, Woody's Hot Rodz was founded with the dream of becoming one of the Nation's premier builders of classic hot rods. Fast forward 6 years and they now have eight employees working out of two separate facilities in Bright, IN with more than 7,500 sq ft of floor space; the dream is coming to fruition.
Woody's specializes in creating one‐of‐a‐kind turnkey hot rods and muscle cars. Christopher Sondles, the founder of Woody's Hot Rodz, has had a life long passion with classic and performance cars. At the age of two Christopher got his first taste of hot rods as he observed his father, Fred, restore a 1957 Chevy, which is the same car he has today. Ever since Chris has been heavily involved in the industry. Woody's is considered by many to be one of the best kept secrets in the hot rod world, but they continue to gain greater recognition with each passing project.


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Gays In Comics: From Northstar to Shatterstar
The most recent issue of "X-Factor" ended with two male team members, Shatterstar and Rictor, making out. While we'll have to wait till next month to find out whether they're gay, bisexual, or it's some sort of mind-control plot point, consider writer Peter David's track record of supporting gay characters in comics — and the lesser-known fact that writers planned for the pair to hook up back in the mid-90s.There's a good shot this is the start of a whirlwind romance.
Yet Mainstream comics haven't always been so progressive. The Comics Code Authority was created in the 50s partly out of paranoid fears that Batman and Robin were secret gay lovers, and forbade homosexuality as a "sex perversion" until 1989.
In honor of the "X-Factor" liplock — and recent promotion of the crime-fighting lesbian Batwoman to the helm of "Detective Comics" — here's an overview of the most important gay characters in comics, and how attitudes in the industry have changed from censorship to celebration.
"Alpha Flight" hero Northstar broke ground as one of the very first high profile gay superheroes in comics, although his path out of the closet was not an easy one. Writer John Byrne's original idea to make him gay was stymied by the "no gays in Marvel" comics edict of then Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter, making his sexuality something that could only be implied, not acknowledged.
Years later, Northstar contracted an illness that was intended to be AIDS, but editors quashed the storyline and decided that instead of AIDS, it was actually a magical disease that could be healed by going back to his magic homeland. No, that isn't a joke.
In 1992, Northstar finally came out, an announcement that made mainstream news. Despite their step forward, the Marvel Comics of the day didn't seem very happy with the publicity, and as current "X-Factor" writer Peter David said at the time:
"The message being delivered to the American public was clear. Someone high up, probably very high up (certainly higher than [editor Tom] DeFalco) was extremely embarrassed by the story. Here various news agencies were ready to heap praise upon Marvel for daring storytelling, and the silence of Marvel's response was positively ringing. Not only did Marvel Corporate not seem proud of their achievement, but instead they came across as hoping that it would all die down very quickly."
Northstar's sexuality was then ignored for the rest of the series, and not addressed again directly until he joined the X-Men in the early 2000s.
Like Northstar, Apollo and Midnighter weren't introduced as gay, although breadcrumbs were dropped until their relationship finally came out into the open in 2000. Both were members of the DC/Wildstorm team The Authority, and the pair didn't just become a gay couple, but a married gay couple who later adopted a child and were making out in front of readers long before Rictor and Shatterstar kicked it up a notch.
With Apollo's invulnerability, flight, and heat vision, and Midnighter's hyperviolent fighting skills, Apollo was also a clear analog for Superman, and Midnighter for Batman — a spin on the famous DC Comics partnership that Frederic Wertham surely would have loved.
In 2003, Marvel decided they were going to revamp the 1950s gunslinger The Rawhide Kid by making him gay in a new series called "Rawhide Kid: Slap Leather." He became the first gay title character in a comic, but in a move that prompted criticism from gay supporters, Marvel released the comic — which had no more violence than mainstream books, only indirect references to homosexuality, and no sex at all — as an Adults Only MAX title, with the warning "Parental Advisory Explicit Content."
The content it referred to, of course, was gay innuendo and double entendres, like the Rawhide Kid's frighteningly explicit comment that "[the Lone Ranger's] mask and the powder blue outfit are fantastic. I can certainly see why the Indian follows him around."
Originally a cartoon character from "Batman: The Animated Series," Latina policewoman Renee Montoya made her way into the "Batman" comic, but didn't come into her own until 2003's "Gotham Central," a stunning, gritty police procedural comic about what it's like to be a beat cop in a city haunted by insane mass murderers and dark angels.
Unlike most other gay characters, Montoya did not come out, but was outed (and framed for murder) by Two-Face, leading her coworkers to mock her and her conservative family to disown her — and many readers seemed to want to do the same.
As writer Greg Rucka said, "People got angry at this story. They accused me … of all sorts of things… Most ridiculous to me was the accusation that we 'made' Montoya gay. As far as I'm concerned, we did no such thing. She was always gay. We were simply the first story to actually say so, and to say it in no uncertain terms."
Montoya left the force and later became The Question after the original hero died of cancer. She currently has a backup feature in "Detective Comics," after the adventures of her former lover Batwoman.
"Young Avengers" characters Hulking and Wiccan were not only revealed as a gay couple in 2005, they were created by openly gay comics and television writer Allan Heinberg ("The O.C.," "Grey's Anatomy"). Although Hulkling was originally pitched as a female shapeshifter who posed as a man, Heinberg later approached his editor about portraying him as a gay man instead, and in a sign of the changing times got the go ahead.
Unlike another shapeshifting Marvel character, Xavin, who often shifted into a female form for his lesbian girlfriend Karolina, Heinberg said that "it's actually meaningful to me that someone like Hulkling — who has the ability to change shape, to hide, to appear 'normal' — doesn't. He simply is who he is."
Although some readers complained about the relationship, many others wrote in support, including one fan who said, "Five years ago I could have been that 16-year-old 'Young Avengers' reader who says, 'Wow, these kids are my age, they're openly gay, and they're being accepted. Maybe I don't need to commit suicide.' "
In 2006, Batwoman underwent one of the most dramatic and controversial retcons in comics history, transforming from a hyper-feminine Silver Age character who was created expressly to reaffirm the heterosexuality of Batman — and who constantly fantasized about being his girlfriend while fighting crime with lipstick and charm bracelets — to the ass-kicking heroine who just took over "Detective Comics" from no less than Batman himself.
If you're not reading the new run by Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams, their first issue is still on the shelves, and it's scary beautiful — like the lady herself.
There are plenty more examples, of course, including Pied Piper, Obsidian, Freedom Ring, Terry Berg, Ultimate Colossus, Lord Fanny, Phat and Vivisector, Maggie Sawyer, Josiah Power, those three characters from "Watchmen," and the countless others like Shatterstar and Rictor who are able to follow them now that the doors to the comic book closet have been opened.
Vampires — In Space! Or the Future! Or both! At io9!
Watch the Saturday Morning Watchmen cartoon at Gorillamask.
A preview of the all-new Adventure Comics at DC Comics!


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Fairfax County Addresses Identity Theft Concerns
Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
Contact: Merni Fitzgerald, Director of Public Affairs
703-324-3187, TTY 711, Fax 703-324-2010
Media Pager: 703-324-NEWS (6397)
Jan. 7, 2008
Fairfax County Addresses Identity Theft Concerns
Identity theft is a growing national concern, and the Fairfax County government has taken steps to address it while allowing online access to information needed for business and personal use. The Fairfax County Web site does not list sensitive personal information, and Social Security numbers are not available on this site.
To protect the integrity of the online information, the county does quarterly penetration tests of the Web site and the technology environment to ensure that no inappropriate information is available and no unauthorized penetration has occurred. Fairfax County does have a secure, subscription-only, password-protected, online portal for court records.
As a public service and in accordance with Virginia law (Virginia Code Section 2.2-3808.2), public records, some which may contain Social Security numbers, are available for viewing through subscription from CPAN, the Fairfax Circuit Court's public access network.
In accordance with the Virginia Information Technology Agency (VITA), documentation is required for each person who subscribes to CPAN. Fairfax County follows VITA's stringent security standards. There is a fee for accessing these Circuit Court public records, and original, notarized documents must be submitted before a potential user gains approved access. Then each user is given a unique user ID and password that ensures only the individual allowed to access this subscription portal will be accessing data.
This protected site is used primarily by title companies, real estate attorneys and local and state governmental agencies needing access to the records for business purposes. All of these records are also available in the Fairfax County courthouse, in accordance with Virginia Law.
Fairfax County provides access to useful online resources and empowers the public to be able to obtain this information without being dependent upon county staff. The combination of the county's award-winning Web site and the subscription-only, password-protected, online portal for court records is a prudent effort to provide public information while guarding personal data.
Consumers can protect themselves in a variety of ways. The Department of Cable Communications and Consumer Protection offers the following advice:
Do not give personal information about yourself over the phone, the
Internet or by mail unless you initiated the contact, or you are sure
you know who you are dealing with. Also, be cautious about providing
personal information on a cellular or cordless phone.
Do not put your address, telephone number or driver's license number on
a credit card sales receipt.
Remove your Social Security number from your driver's license. The
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles will provide another number for
you; call 1-866-368-5463 for more information.
Do not carry your Social Security card, Social Security number, birth
certificate or passport with you unless they are necessary. These
documents should be placed in a secured location.
Check monthly credit card statements for charges you did not make and
bank statements for transactions you do not recognize. Immediately
report all discrepancies.
Get a copy of your credit report from each of the major credit bureaus
each year. Check your report for mistakes and immediately report any
unauthorized information or accounts.
- Shred financial or confidential information.
For more information, call the Office of Public Affairs at 703-324-3187, TTY 711.
For more news and information, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news.


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Weather forecasts last week implied a significant window for planting corn in early May. However, the latest reports were not as encouraging, thereby sparking a major surge in corn futures Monday. The weekly USDA Export Inspections report seemed neutral, since the latest result, at 11.576 million bushels (mib), essentially matched industry expectations. May corn spiked 40.0 cents to $6.84/bushel by its Monday close, while December leapt 35.5 cent to $5.595.
Persistently tight spot markets and the strong basis apparently boosted nearby soybean futures Monday. The fact that the weekly Export Inspections total, at 8.935 million bushels, slightly exceeded expectations (in the 4.0-8.0 mib range) probably sparked some additional buying. Ideas that acreage could shift to beans from corn limited deferred gains, whereas Asian vegetable oil prices slipping over the weekend likely undercut the soyoil market. May soybeans jumped 41.0 cents to $14.7175/bushel as the Monday CBOT session wound down, while May soyoil fell 0.22 cents to 49.46 cents/pound; May soybean meal added $13.5 to $431.4/ton.
Talk that spring wheat plantings could also be substantially delayed, as well as concerns about the viability of the winter wheat crop in light of recent frosts (and forecasts for more of the same later this week) boosted wheat futures Monday. The Export Inspections report seemed bullish, since the latest result, at 30.857 mib easily topped forecasts. Strength spilling over from the corn and bean pits likely boosted prices as well. May CBOT wheat futures settled 20.75 cents higher, at $7.0975/bushel, Monday afternoon, while May KCBT wheat climbed 25.25 cents to $7.8075 and May MGE futures advanced 20.25 cents to $8.3175.
Cattle futures ended Monday narrowly mixed, which almost surely disappointed bullish traders. They anticipate continued cash market strength through early May, especially if the wholesale market leads the way higher. Thus, the fact that futures could not build upon early gains despite the strong midday beef report suggests underlying weakness. Feeder future fell in response to the prospect of increased feed costs implied by the grain/soy rally. June cattle closed 0.05 cents lower, at 122.55 cents/pound Monday, while December rose 0.07 cents to 128.07. May feeder cattle futures dove 1.37 cents to 140.42 cents/pound, and August tumbled 1.30 cents to 149.87.
Although hog traders began the week looking for seasonal gains in hog and pork values over the short run, CME futures turned downward Monday. Having the preliminary quote for the Friday CME lean hog index come in 1.00-cent higher, at 82.42 cents/pound, seemed quite supportive, as did the mid-session jump in pork values. Bullish traders may simply have been looking for a larger increase. The early setback from chart resistance in the 93.00-cent area may also have triggered technical selling. May hog futures edged 0.05 cents lower to 89.30 cents/pound at its Monday settlement, and the June contract fell 0.37 cents to 92.15.


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Hello PHPers. This is my first time back to these forums in a number of years, as I am currently working on starting a business designing and developing web applications.
I've been immersing myself in all the new technologies that have cropped up for the web over the last three to four years (I was stuck doing backend work, and haven't touched a "real" web site in years...all I ever did was write REST APIs with MVC.) My background is in C#, .NET, and ASP.NET MVC. I feel I have a LOT of power in these technologies, especially when combined with newer tools and platforms like HTML5, CSS3 (+Less), Twitter Bootstrap, etc. I am also intimately familiar with all of the .NET platforms libraries, both official and third party, as well as extremely well versed in C#...so it takes little effort to code apps on that platform. Combined with WinHost (which clocks in at $4.11/month), it has become a very cost effective platform for the power it offers.
It seems that the two real giants in web development, however, are PHP (still...its been big since the early 2000's) and Ruby. As someone who aims to offer my services to as many customers as possible, I've begun looking into PHP and possibly Ruby as alternative platforms, just in case a customer insists on hosting on a server other than windows. My question about PHP is, quite simply, why? What draws so many developers to use PHP over something else, such as Java or .NET? What are the benefits over other technologies? What are the drawbacks? In terms of capability, how does it fair? In terms of ease and rapidness of development, how does it fair? Why choose PHP over Ruby? How cheap is hosting for PHP?
These are honest questions. I would particularly like to know in comparison with Ruby as well, as that seems to be the other major alternative (although Node.js seems to be flying high with popularity right now as well...however I am not sure I want to use JavaScript as my primary or sole development language for everything...) Well, thank you for your responses!
Because PHP is FREE.
Because PHP is use by 90% of web hosting companies, around the world. Which is not the case for .NET or Ruby.
PHP is robust and easy to learn.
I know asp is free too but .net is not.
To be fair, .NET is FREE too. You don't have to buy Visual Studio to develop in it, it is freely available for download/installation, you do have to buy a license of Windows Server to host it though, but .NET itself, is FREE (and you can technically host it on other platforms through Mono).
1) Most inexpensive hosting providers offer LAMP stacks.2) Documentation and community support is another big reason why PHP remains popular. Other languages lack in this a little bit.3) It's been around for a long time and has a solid foothold in the development community.4) It has a low bar to entry.
@cpradio ;
Sorry, I did not know it's free too.Thanks for correction.That's the advantage of PHP I guess It can be hosted on LAMP, which is free.
In my humble opinion...
No worries, it is a common misconception everyone has about .NET since it is a Microsoft Technology. Just for kicks and giggles, I'll play devil's advocate and list reasons why .NET may be preferred
Why asking a question like this on a PHP forum/section?
I prefer PHP because it has more benefits they areopen sourceobject orientedcross platformscalabilityflexibilityeasy to useeasy to understandeasy to learneasy to fix problemsfree of costsupports all major web serversupports all major databaseGood PHP communityMore securityMore fastereasy integrationeasy deployment and so on.
Many of these are subjective and not necessarily unique to PHP.
Can be said the same for PHP (desktop yeah, not 100% sure on mobile native apps)
I'd say (from my experience), PHP has a much lower bar to entry than Java, .Net, Ruby, Python. The only alternative to PHP I've seen which is as easy to get going is Node.js where you write Javascript which runs on the server. Though the performance boost that Node.js can offer can pretty quickly outstrip PHP (say when being run under fcgi w/ nginx) once you start to take heavy load & scale (from what I've read - I'm yet to test/see this myself).
I personally wouldn't go for a language just because its the cheapest to host. These days, the cost difference is negligible, most decent quality hosts would provide PHP & Ruby out of the box, a lot of them would also throw in Python in the same plan.
Maybe so, but you can't say it is stable and mature like you can for .NET. Desktop apps created by PHP are still in their infancy stage, in fact, most of the development behind them dies after a year or two (then another one crops up).
As for the libraries, I've yet to find a nice parallel library that comes close to matching the power of the .NET one. I honestly don't think it exists...
No I can't; .Net was made with that as primary purpose, PHP was made to run on the web, both of them excel at what they were primarily made for.
Hah, they've been so for ages. PHP GTK is still alive if somewhat, then there are some others like phpdesktop etc.
pthreads is quite good from what I've read, its a native pecl ext. Google have their own implementation as Task Queues on App Engine. A lot of people use their own home-grown libs which use exec() to run background processes when they want to do multi-threading. Personally I think if I need async/multi-threading then Node.js would be better than anything else.
It doesn't. PThreads looks to show some promise but I haven't tried it yet. I can't wait to gain a full understanding of GoLang which masters it.
One slight correction, .NET was made with both desktop and web in mind from the get go. Prior to the .NET framework, there was a bit of mixing but you primarily had ASP versus VB6 versus C++, etc. But yes, PHP was definitely designed for web, however, I do agree that as PHP becomes more OO desktop integration will become easier.
PHP GTK was one of the first ones I played with, and I did find phpdesktop and winbinder when I did a search before posting my statement, so I did do a "bit" of research, and I hope one day some perfects PHP on the desktop, it would be nice to be able to quickly throw a GUI together that is cross compatible with much less effort than working in Mono (although that has improved greatly over the past couple of years too).
I'll have to try pthreads the next time I need parallel processing (in fact, I may convert one of my own projects to use it to speed it up as a good test). I'm not a huge fan of having to use external systems/apps to achieve parallel processing (or languages), simply because you then segment your development force and increase your dependencies all for something that really should (could) be "baked in". Call it a personal bias if you will, but I just don't like having to do that!
Don't get me wrong, I also believe in "pick the language that fits the job" but if you mix and match, it just gets ugly. For example, where I work someone thought it'd be cool to do our rating engine in F# and the rest of the project in C#. F# is very well suited for a rating engine, no argument there, but the problem quickly became only a small handful of devs knew F# well enough to fix and continue to maintain the rating engine. That meant they really couldn't do anything else, and when they had to, they knew nothing about the rest of the system. Same was true for the C# devs, when they had to work in the F# projects, they really didn't understand it well enough to make good changes. In the end, the F# code was eventually replaced with C# to allow the devs to jump in and out of each project with ease.
More often than not, I can't do that with PHP. I always need to utilize another tool, another language, another application, etc to complete a task... It just frustrates me to no end on how often I must do those things. I'm not saying that never happens with .NET, but it happens far less often (to me at least, that may not be true for others in specialized areas).
Don't get me wrong, I love PHP, but I'll also be first to admit, I hate PHP. I don't love or hate .NET, I simply "like it". I just wish I wasn't always feeling like I was pushing PHP's limits/boundaries whereas, with .NET I seem to always feel like there is still another level or two I can take it before those boundaries/limits become apparent.
Yeah I know what you mean. I just hope it doesn't go the way Java did with native UI & swift UI. From the looks of it phpdesktop is something I'd want with chromium embedded into it, then if I want to build a desktop app all I'll need to do is make the UI in HTML5/CSS3 and JS something which is already familiar and the only learning curve would be the container API to interact with host OS.
In a usual generic case, mix & match can very possibly get ugly, un-maintainable, & a big pita. But then again, it might not. Use cases vary and so does architectures and the goals which drive toward the mix-n-match philosophy. I've seen examples of this work on a very big scale and I've also seen cases where it caused more problems than it was worth fixing them.
Out of curiosity I have to ask, (besides multi-threading and desktop/native mobile apps) any examples of stuff that you want to do but can't in PHP?
Completely Agree! That'd be cool.
Return Types! I despise there isn't a way to force a return type as this renders Interfaces to be nearly useless and Interfaces are a big deal when you are working on APIs or Services or working with a Third Party Service. As it is today, I can't trust anything I get back from a function, class, whatever. I have to validate that it is an array or a number or an array of class X. Drives me crazy.
I primarily find myself needing a good parallel library in PHP, one that doesn't require additional software or configuration (so it can run on a variety of hosts). Most of my time in PHP is spent on "special" projects. Strange projects that are no where near designing a website, CMS, e-commerce, etc. They are usually always interfacing with other services or systems and have almost always would have benefited from having a parallel library.
PHP is fairly robust and can manage to do a lot, I just seem to work in the sector that is long forgotten or "not as common" and so the key components I need, aren't there. I really don't mind that it can't do Desktop applications, that isn't a real bother, it just identifies one reason you may choose .NET or Java over PHP for a particular job. If you need to run things in parallel, you may want to use .NET (unless you are knowledgeable about beanstalk and php and how they tie together, or golang, or you have experience with pthreads).
I think it'll be added sooner than later, the parameter types for functions finally made it through. This stuff can be frustrating for those coming from .Net or Java etc but for someone who's been doing PHP for years, they usually take it in stride.
Seems like multi-threading is what work on most in PHP. You do have my sympathies!
Php it's like a tool that gives you everything and all features by little investment in terms of time, energy and money. but one bad thing about php , it is not well decorated or organised language compare to java , .net, that irritates me . Still way better than doing 100 lines of coding ,when it can be done in 40 - 60 lines using php


text: The Letters Patent were ... written upon open sheets of parchment, with the Great Seal pendent at the bottom ... [while] the 'Litteræ Clausæ,' or Letters Close, ... being of a more private nature, and addressed to one or two individuals only, were closed or folded up and sealed on the outside. [S.R. Scargill-Bird, "A Guide to the Principal Classes of Documents at the Public Record Office," 1891]Meaning "a licence covering an invention" is from 1580s.


text:
A patron found this article, "Springfield's Progress in 1909", listing the progress of businesses and public works in the Springfield Republican. Newspapers often made reports of this type to attract new businesses to the area.
Springfield Republican
1 Jan 1910, page 1.
Springfield's Progress in 1909
More histories of Springfield and Greene County are online. More postcards are available too.
Find this article at


text:
" Brand: Mookie Toys / Type: Kids Sport Equipment "
* Prices may differ from that shown
We have a fairly small garden which isn't big enough for a proper football as this would end up with some serious damage to the house! I have been looking around for a ball which was light and soft that would not cause too much damage and would last a long time. I spotted this after googling "foam ball", it was on amazon and I decided to give it a try. The ball cost me £4 including p&p which I believed to be an ideal price and fairly cheap for an item so large to post. The ball is a size 5 and looks funky and bright.
The ball is soft, yet feels firm. Some foam balls are too soft and light which make playing football difficult. This is heavy enough to direct your kicks well and it is good quality. The ball has not worn in any way yet and is keeping Its original shape well. It will not cause any damage to windows which is a huge bonus. The only damage this ball will do is knock over plant pots in the garden. The ball is excellent quality and I believe it is well worth the investment. I will be buying more. This ball is ideal for children who are learning how to play, and also good for adults who have a small garden and want a kick around. It's suitable for all ages.
Do not leave these balls outside overnight or when it is raining. They will absorb the water and will become hard to use and feel too heavy, keep the ball indoors to prolong its life. Also this ball is not suitable if you have a dog as one bite from a dog and the foam will start to fall out.
I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in football. It can give hours of fun to kids and is great for a small area which contains breakables in. The value of the item is excellent, buying from amazon is easy and the ball didnt take long to arrive in the post. I will be giving this ball a 5 star rating as there is no problems with the ball itself.
Thanks for reading my review and I hope it helped you.
5 star item
~Foam footie fun with Mookie~
The reason that I bought one of the brightly coloured Mookie foam based play balls was that it could potentially be used both indoors and outdoors for soft play and football type games without it being something that might cause damage to items around the home. Having had one of these foam play balls in use over the course of a number of months last summer I have found that children of a range of ages do seem to enjoy playing with these light and often easy to catch and throw football themed Mookie balls. When the ball was bought it cost just £2.49 which I felt was fair value for this type of toy and as there was a choice of colours to pick from I feel that these could appeal to both boys and girls as they come in red, blue or yellow colour options.
~Using the product~
When new the foam that makes up these play balls was very smooth and well finished in my opinion and there was certainly nothing rough or sharp on the outer surface that caused any harm to any of the children that played with the ball. The ball seemed very light and easy for the children to play with and it was used for games of catch and piggy in the middle very often, being something that kept everyone entertained for a good length of time. As the ball is made of a foam based material it can be thrown and caught by younger as well as older children and in many ways can be easier for a younger child to play with, although I must point out that the recommended age range begins at 3 years upwards.
Older kinds of kids (mummies and daddies) can play along with their children when using the Mookie ball with equal ease. I found that an adult with a strong throwing arm can end up throwing one of these far too far away with very little effort (oops!), which can be a slight downside (although the children do end up getting a little more exercise when running off eagerly to fetch it back again). As the balls are made from foam they can also be use in the pool in the summer time which goes down rather well with the children, as they can be put in to the pool and used to splash about with. The balls do fill with water and become heavier if used this way although I found that they can be easily drained off afterwards.
The foam material used to make the play balls does tend to get a little pock marked after repeated use when used outside which is to be expected with something that has such a soft outer surface. The foam material doesn't allow the ball to bounce much during play, however this wasn't an issue at all as it was used mainly for catching games and the odd game of football. I found that these Mookie play balls should not be left outside in wet weather as they can end up wet and water filled and over time they can end up being rather mouldy smelling if left out side for any length of time in the rain, making them something that would need a good deal of cleaning if being used again in future.
~Product rating~
On the whole these soft foam balls are a good size, being roughly 20cms and are a toy that can be used both outdoors and indoors if wanted. The foam material isn't so rough that it grazes the skin of anyone playing with it even when thrown with some force, although when water filled the ball is considerably heavier so care should be taken if older children decide to play catch with it alongside younger less able children. Other than that there is no reason why the ball should not provide plenty of fun for a range of children from 3 onwards, when it can be really useful for younger children to learn how to catch etc. My rating for this toy is 4 stars as the one I bought had plenty of use during its lifetime and provided lots of fun at the same time.
This is one of those toys I did not feel would last long or be worth the money, even though I think I only paid about £3.00 for it. I just felt that it would tear easily and be very difficult to keep clean. Of course these ideas never cross a child's mind and my son was dying to have one. He asked several times, over a long period of time. He even thought of the best ways to persuade me, saying his younger brother would like it, and it would be easier for him to play with. My youngest was just a baby at the time, and it did make a good argument, but the clincher was the hopeful look on my son's face. I suggested and alternative, told him I did not think it would last long, but finally gave in and bought it.
We have had this over two years and it is basically as good as new. We have used this primarily indoors, or on the trampoline. It has only ever been kicked about in the garden on warm dry days. I still do not think this would hold up to heavy use on the street, or in puddles. It has however ended up in the pool once and dried with no noticeable effects. I have been able to clean this up with a damp cloth, and it has not torn at all. It even survived the jaws of death for footballs, our staffy, although we did take it away from her right away. I have to admit, I was wrong about this toy, it really has lasted well and provided a lot of fun.
This ball is perfect for indoor football on the landing, or even an indoor game of hoops. It was also lovely when my son youngest was just learning to catch as it does not hurt at all if it hits you in the face. He could dig his little fingers in to get a good grip and really loved playing with this. This also makes it handy for teaching headers. We also like to play ball tag, and again this ball is perfect. It is lightweight and easy to carry about, and can be smashed into a rucksack.
Of course there are a few drawbacks. I have seen some these used by older children on the street and parking lots. The rough surface of the tarmac does eventually damage the balls. While they will not break a window, tv or fish tank indoors, they certainly will knock things off shelves or mantles, so I do keep this to the landing or computer / play room. It will not travel the same distance as a real football, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing when you have a small garden. They don't have as much bounce either.
The best thing about this ball though, is that the kids really do love it. Considering how well it has lasted, and the amount of fun they have had with this, I would consider this a bargain now at £10 , and would certainly buy another if it did become damaged or lost now.
The minimum age for this is meant to be 36 months. I can understand this, because I believe it might be possible for a child to bite a chunk off and possibly choke, although very unlikely. But I also think the key ingredient is supervision. My son loved rolling this back and forth, then catching and throwing, and as long as a parent is present and playing with the child, I see absolutely no risk. I can also see a lot of benefits as ball games do improve motor skills as well as providing a pleasant way for baby and parent to interact. It is certainly a toy that babies will love as much as the older children. I feel no hesitation in recommending this as soon as your child is able to sit and roll a ball about, so long as you are there to take the ball away should they start teething on it. I would not recommend that you leave the child to play unsupervised with this until they are past the biting and choking stage. As to an upper age limit, amazon recommends 16, but I don't see any reason the rest of us can't have a bit of fun too :)
At the local soft play centre they have a section where the children can kick around foam footballs, shoot at targets or try and throw the ball through a basketball net and when I was there one day I realised that it was a good idea to have a ball like that at home where my son could potentially kick it around inside as well as outside and not cause much damage.
I looked on amazon and saw the mookie foam footballs for sale for £2.85 with a £2.00 postage and package charge which seemed reasonable enough and so I purchased one. The ball comes in red, blue or yellow and we received the yellow one which my son was happy about as it is one of his favourite colours!
The ball is 20cm in diameter which is a good size, around the size of any of the other footballs that my son has had in the past and certainly big enough to kick around when playing football. The ball is made of foam which is squishy yet feels pretty hard wearing as well. As the ball is made from foam it bounces really well as well as travels far when you kick it hard so this is something to be aware of!
Now as I mentioned earlier I bought this ball thinking that we could play with it inside as well but after my son hit a few ornaments and things kicking it inside and the ball causing just as much damage to them as any other ball would I decided that there would be a strict "no kicking" rule in the house. We do still play some games with this ball inside the house though including catch and sometimes we just sit and roll the ball to each other for a little while as well.
My son plays football with this ball outside in the back garden but we also take it on trips to the park or beach sometimes too. As I mentioned earlier the ball can travel quite some distance particularly if kicked by an adult as it is quite light weight so this is something to be aware of when you are playing. The ball is ideal for playing dodge ball with when there is a group of people together as it is soft enough not to really hurt if you get hit with it.
As the ball is made from foam sometimes my son will stick it in the paddling pool on a sunny day and just throw it around there as it floats but I draw the line when he starts throwing it at me from the paddling pool!
This really is a decent ball to have at home and it is versatile too. It stays quite clean surprisingly but on the odd times that my son has managed to get it muddy I just wash it when we get home and some marks stay on but for the most part it washes up pretty well. I would recommend one of these balls if you have a ball loving toddler right up to school children as I think it is a product that will be well used by both.
Thank you for reading my review!
Since having my daughter almost 6 years ago, I have found I have bought a lot of mookie toys for her, its a brand I trust and they have a wide range of safe toys for kids of all ages. I was looking for a football for my daughter, after debating with my husband between foam or leather? I choose to buy the foam ball. My daughter was 3 years old at the time and I felt a foam ball was more appropriate for her age.
I bought the mookie soft foam ball from toys r us for £4.00 at the time but that was a good few years ago now, Amazon is currently selling the ball for £5.17 with free postage. I have also seen tesco selling them, im sure if you are interested in buying the ball you will look around for the best price like most mothers do.
The ball comes in a verity of colours, I bought my daughter the red ball but have also seen them in yellow, blue, green and many more colours, you can also purchase them in different sizes I bought the 20cm ball as its the perfect size for my daughter. The ball comes in a clear plastic packaging which is a waste to be honest, I would have been much more happy to buy the ball without any packaging. The packaging has soft ball printed on it in colourful letters with a picture of a person playing football. On the back of the packaging is the makers address and information about the ball what its made from e.t.c.
The ball is soft and smooth mainly red with black hexagonal on it like most balls. The ball is made from foam, which I feel is better than a leather for young kids. It causes less pain if the ball accidental hits your child. Its also quite light weight but does not fly away if there is a breeze, my daughter manages to control the ball easily, we have used the ball for playing football, basketball and netball but the game we like to play most of all is dodge ball!
We have owned the mookie soft foam ball for about 3 years now and its still in excellent condition, it seems to have a slight waterproof coating to it but we still store it away in the garden shed mainly to keep our 3 dogs away from it, my dogs would have a field day tearing the foam apart. It can also be used indoors as it is soft but could still knock things over and damage them so we prefer to use it outdoor in the fresh air.
My daughter loves her red ball and plays with it a lot, as a family we have had many fun summers in the garden playing dodge ball and usually have her friends around playing too. Its lasting well and was cheap to buy compared to some balls. As I have said I trust mookie and love there toys, any child would love this ball and it encourages outdoor play and fine motor skills.
My three year old loves playing with balls, but while this is fine through the summer it can be a bit dodgy to let her play indoors with them. When we moved house we inherited a huge hallway which we've tweaked to turn it into a play area, it's the perfect size for safe play even with boisterous toys (such as balls) which would usually be restricted to the garden when the weather is decent. There's absolutely nothing that can be broken in that area so during the particularly nasty snap in late December Mark let Hollie have her plastic/rubber Winnie the Pooh ball in to play. It would have been fine, but five minutes of listening to the ball slapping against the tile floor (in an enclosed space too <shudder> I can hear it now!) sent me almost insane! Back outside the ball went, the cue for lots of tears from Hollie!
I felt bad about it as she'd been enjoying herself, but mummies and daddies reading this will know that sometimes general crabbiness gets in the way of letting your little one turn the house into a nursery. The problem was solved the very same day however, when Mark came back from the shop with a football sized foam ball. Brilliant! Hollie's tears dried up amazingly quickly and she went straight into the hallway to try it out. With every bounce glancing at big-bad-mummy as if I was about to scupper her fun once again.
It's a 20cm ball made of dense foam, ours is blue but they're also available in red and yellow. The colours are actually all very 1970s and very dull (for primary colours!), this is surprising for Mookie as their plastic balls are all so brightly coloured. The ball is printed with the hexagons (or to defend myself from the maths pedants, whatever shape they are) that you'd find stitched into a real football, and despite the uninspired colours the balls do look the part.
As this is a foam ball it won't bounce as long, or as high, as balls made from plastic and filled with air. Which is good for our purposes of finding a ball that wouldn't make a racket on the wooden floor. It can be treated like any other football, kicking and throwing it is made even easier as the ball seems to travel through the air better than hollow plastic balls.
The one thing you want to avoid is letting the ball sit outside in the rain. The foam soaks up any water like a sponge (which is what it basically is) and honestly takes days to dry out. Even if you think it's dry you'll be likely to throw or kick it and end up with a damp splodge wherever it landed! Plus a wet foam ball can hurt if kicked hard at you!
I highly recommend this foam football if, like me, you're looking for a ball which can safely be used inside. The thing to remember is this is still quite a heavy ball so will do damage if it hits your TV or anything else that's delicate or breakable. The main thing for me is that it's quiet, and this is definitely the least irritating noise of all the balls Hollie owns.
£2 - £3 from most shops which sell a selection of kids toys.
I have the 20cm Mookie foam football in my garden and prefer it to a leather ball. Obviously, because the garden is near the house I dont have a leather ball in the garden because of the windows. When we have family around with their young children we play with the ball and this is also a reason for the foam ball. here is little chance of anybody getting hurt with a foam football and it is lighter than a leather football so kids prefer it for that reason too.
At around £5-6 the ball is a little expensive online, but I have seen them for much cheaper in large supermarkets and they are quite popular with most families with children. The Mookie foam football comes in a range of colours and I have seen yellow, blue and red. They are of a soft foam construction and are suitable for indoor and outdoor use. I wouldn't advise leaving the ball outside in the rain, though, as when they get wet they become very heavy and they can begin to disintegrate if they are left outside exposed to the elements for a period of time.
I much prefer the foam football to rubber or leather as they are more child friendly. Foam footballs are great toys for kids as they dont need any looking after. They don't need batteries or contain small parts and they are suitable for all age ranges. Most children like playing with a ball, even if it is just catch.
I decided to buy my kids one of these balls as they love to play catch and throw the ball around but I noticed it always ended up with someone crying from being hurt by the ball.
Amazon is my first stop when searching for something where I came across this foam football at just £4 including delivery a small price to pay for the safety of my children.We only brought the one as I'm trying to encourage them to play well together and share.
The guidance age is for 3 years +.
We received the ball a nice colour of red around 20 cm in diameter and so very light and as you may have guessed it was a lovely soft ball. The ball is made out of foam and was a hit with my children straight away.
My partner took them outside while I got on with the housework safe in the knowledge I wouldn't need to kiss any boo boos better while they were playing with this ball. As usual they kicked the ball around, played catch and then decided to throw it at each other.This is normally where the trouble begins but as its made of foam it just bounces off with no injury's.
They are also great to use in doors on rainy days as its so soft and light it causes minimum damage if it hits anything in your house and as yet hasn't caused any breakages with my ornaments. Also as my son try's to up his football skills he has started to header the ball as its so soft and light its perfect to practice football skills with until he's a bit older and can move on to a more heavier ball.
Although my children are still young and can not kick a ball as hard as an older child i would recommend this ball just for peace of mind I know I'm very over protective as a mum but honestly this soft ball has stopped a lot of worry for me.
The one down side for me is that my daughter has a tendency to bite things as an initiation test so I had to stop her eating a bit of foam and she is 20 months old so below suitable age guidance range. I supervise them when playing to make sure she does not repeat this but a warning just the same for anyone with younger children.
I also recently seen these balls at my local pound shop where I stoked up on a few for family members so its maybe worth a look around to see if you can get them cheaper than they usually sell at £5.
As I am a trainee primary school teacher who has a love for sport, especially football, I decided that it was a good idea to purchase a few of these balls for when I am on placement. In many schools around my area if the weather is even slightly bad, children are not allowed on their school field meaning that the whole school must then spend their break and lunch times on a, usually very small, playground. This often means that the normal leather footballs are forbidden due to the lack of space.
Remembering back to my primary school days I hated not being able to play with anything at lunch time when the weather was bad. When I saw this ball, however, I thought it would bring an end to this situation.
I purchased this ball from a local sports supplier in town but have yet to see them being sold anywhere else other than Amazon. The Amazon price is around £5.50 for one ball with no postage and packaging however one can buy a collection of three for around £13.00 meaning a saving of around £2.00. When buying the three together they come in three different colours, one red, one yellow and one blue. When I purchased my ball it was purchased in a clear, sealed, see-through bag, the presentation of which was very child friendly.
One worry I had about this ball was how similar it would be to that of a real football. Although I never assumed that it would play like that of a leather ball I had hoped that it would certainly be better than the plastic air floaters that tend to fly around and swerve everywhere. I was actually very impressed with this as it did seem to travel true to the direction that it was kicked.
There is one disadvantage to the material of this ball however. Where it excels in a dry environment, in the wet it becomes a soggy, heavy mess and cannot be played with properly. This is due to the sponge soaking up water and holding it in. Also due to the material, for some incredibly strange reason I have witnessed many children biting lumps out of it. Now from the smell it does not appear appetising to me but for many children it is.
This ball does not just have to be used for football. It can also be used as an aid to help with teaching children about throwing and catching, it can beu sed to play dodgeball (without the fear of a heavy ball knocking you off of your feet), parachute games and in team sports such as over and under games.
My girlfriend is also training to work in the Early Years primary classroom and borrowed these balls from me to use in circle games such as; learning each others names and also as a toy to hold when it is their turn to talk. Younger children seem to enjoy these balls because of the bright colours and the smooth, soft spongey texture, the red seems to be a particular favourite. Also as it is only light, weighing 209 grams, younger children find it easy to play with.
Overall this is a great product for schools and at home for younger children.
We've got these foam footballs at home for my sisters to play with and there are also LOADS of them at the playgroup I help out at twice a week..... at least 10 of them!
The balls are made completely of foam, these 20cm ones are a bit smaller than proper footballs but Mookie make bigger ones and also balls that are about the same size as a tennish ball. The foam is very strong and when you squeeze one of the footballs you can tell that the foam is dense, that's a good thing because it means they're going to be a lot more durable than you would think with them being foam.
It takes more than play to damage one of these balls, one of the little boys bites the playgroup ones and with his sharp little teeth he has taken quite a few chunks out of the footballs. At home my 11 year old sister likes kicking the foam ball up the wall but that doesn't seem to damage the foam at all even though it sometimes gets very dirty.
The balls bounce good so you can play the same sort of games with these as you would with normal pumped up footballs. You can't slam dunk it into a MASSIVE bounce but it's deffo good enough for most games, the thing is that it LOOKS like a football and to PLAY football it's brilliant. The added thing is that because it's made out of foam it's a softer ball than plastic so if you get hit in the face with one of these balls it's not going to hurt!
My sister never puts her balls away so hers have been out in the rain and snow and everything and they're fine, the red one has started looking a bit faded but it's a couple of years old and only cost about £2.00 so you can't moan about that. The playgroup ones haven't lost any colour because we only play inside with them and they go in the lockers at the end of the session...... but them are the ones with the bite marks out so they don't bounce all that straight! lol
On Amazon these Mookie footballs are £3.99 but you can get them cheaper off line, they sell foam footballs in the pound shop sometimes but the quality usually isn't as good as these.
Mookie Toys Foam Football
Est 1987
Manufacturer of sporting toy goods
Based in Bedford
- **** --
Guess what? I'm no Alex Ferguson, though I do possess a vocal hairdryer, so much that I can actually move one of these foam footballs with vocal cords alone. Mookie balls are that light; almost as light as a Malteser except at 20cms wide the Mookie ball can't be picked up on a straw, unless you're lucky enough to have a suction equivalent to 10 Henry's. I don't mean the legendary ex Arsenal player, now sporadic Barcelona bench heater.
Foam Footballs are a incredible source of fun in many offices around the country whereby the work-force are predominantly males; Saatchi's in London have them in every corner of passageways, or next to bins in their cubicle offices. A great stress reliever, and not as messy either as the foam footballs shaped as a football, looks like a footie, feels like a foundation puffy sponge and bounces like a blancmange. So it's for keepy uppy only or major league basketball with your waste paper bin. It won't break anything if you allow your delinquents to mess about with the Mookie. Though insure any frail vases that may be a family heir loom, just in case the wind knocks them over, similar to a Didier Drogba in the penalty box. Now if you are breeding a football team and one isn't enough, Mookie Toys do allow members to purchase more than one foam football that ranges from up to 5.00 GBP each.
Lads being lads inevitably will play with Mookie to hone in on their Lionel Blair fanciful foot movements; that will naturally baffle the opposition in wonderment, may even wet their pants; a win is a win, it is not how you play it is the result that matters. Ask umbrella man Steve McClaren the ex England carrot head chief. Mookie could have made that big difference in qualifying in the European Cup in Portugal 2008. What a long summer that was. After seeing Joey Barton slinging his fistful of dollars into a party reveller outside a public house several years ago, the first thing that sprung to mind was, he looks highly stressed and needs a Mookie foam football to lay into, instead of a hefty fee of many thousands to pay for the reveller to go private. Joey, a Mookie is only 5.00 GBP on your inflatable earning power surely that is a spit in the Pacific, for you; it is better than a stretch behind bars, well almost. Apparently Barton is determined from now on to be a good boy, Barton quoted: "I regret that my career has been affected negatively at times by making the wrong decisions." Well, I'm telling you now lad a Mookie is better than a hookie, especially a right hookie.
Football clubs all across the country have embraced Mookie, some pie eating fans who aren't known for their litotes, blatantly still think Mookie is a signing from the lower divisions like Bedford Town. "Ahem, he must be a good player Mookie is in big red writing below. He's name is Spencer By Mookie, look he has even got his address in Bedford".
The problem with the heavy leather football on a drizzly wet pitch is that scores of young men have mild brain damage due to excessively heading soggy leather footballs leaving you seeing stars, welcome to the average British footballer; except for Graeme Le Soux, he reads the Guardian you know, and has a double barrelled name, he would of played with the Mookie Foam Football, you can tell how eloquently he speaks and that all his brain cells are in full working order. Cristiano Ronaldo the manipulative tinker, winker was actually winking to the bench to get the lady army of make-up artists to play Mookie 'Keepy Uppy with him. It was reported incorrectly and the mass media frenzy were making a huge song and dance about the fact whether Ronaldo and Rooney were ever going to kiss and make up, which they did over a Mookie Keepy Uppy session, no tongues were reported.
Thanks to Mookie, the end is nigh for the leather football, as top flight footballers want to keep their Andrea Corr good looks and angelic tones for future careers in show business. David Beckham's muddy days at the wind swept brutal encounters where the only means of getting studded was on your rear and not ear; has been swapped over for cucumber eye massages and avocado face creams. Along with his electronic pig, many Mookies are embraced by his siblings, creating havoc down the wing of Beckingham Palace, using Victoria Beckham as one of the goalposts. Foam football is the future. Chelsea Captain John Terry has been getting in some Mookie practice, look how good a player he is. A face on a par with Peter Beardsley, oh perhaps that is a 'Bridge too far'.
Mookie is a stepping stone for stardom and riches.
Mookie can also take your wishes.
Mookie can make you feel on top of the world like Edmund Hillary,
Mookie is just a foam football, maybe I'm being silly.
The Mookie Foam Football is available at an Amazon near you, please check for details. WAG not included.
We have three of these balls at home, 1 for each child so that there is no fighting.
They are around 20cms and are made entirely of foam. We have them in red, yellow and blue. We wanted to get some of these as they are used at our local football training group and are really light for trying to encourage children to do keepy uppys and headers. The foam means that it takes longer for the ball to fall compared to a leather ball so children have a greater time to react. It also means that they cant get hurt and have no fear of the ball hitting them. In fact ours play a game where they have to try to throw the ball and hit each others legs, its similar to tig and is called dodge ball. The printed panels on it make it look like a football and children easily recognise it as such.
These seem to be sold at various places on line for around £5 but we picked ours up at the local pound shop.
I love the fact that they are only made of foam so they can hit the windows, tv, vases etc and cant break any of them.
These are well worth investing in, especially at a £1.


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Posted 7 years ago
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Little did I know when I bought this sheet as a kid in Boston that I'd end up living half a mile from the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge, pictured in this stamp. Alot of planes go over it nowadays, but I don't think much airmail. Scott C36, issued in 1947.


text: Marquee mismatch? By Dave Hickman December 14, 2012 Story Share AP Photo Michigan's Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) throws down a dunk against Western Michigan during a game earlier this season. MORGANTOWN -- When West Virginia and Michigan agreed to play this season in a made-for-TV game at Brooklyn's new Barclays Center, it seemed to have all the elements of a terrific matchup with an intriguing plot line.That plot line is, of course, still there. West Virginia's last two ultra-successful coaches will match wits - current Mountaineer coach Bob Huggins, he of the 714 career victories, and his predecessor, John Beilein, who rebuilt the WVU program before moving on to Michigan.The terrific matchup on the court? Well, that remains to be seen. Judging by the way the season has played out so far, it's more of a mismatch than a great matchup, at least on paper. That was made even more so Friday when junior center Aaric Murray did not make the trip to New York for unknown reasons."Obviously, we thought that at this time we were going to be better than what we've been. I think everybody felt that,'' Huggins said. "I think people thought it would be a marquee national game and we haven't held up our end of the bargain.''Still, the game goes on and anything can happen. The two teams meet at 8 p.m. today at that shiny new facility and it will be telecast on ESPN.While West Virginia (4-4) has struggled mightily this season, Michigan has had no such troubles. Beilein's team is a perfect 10-0 and ranked No. 3 in both major polls. The Wolverines haven't even had many close calls, despite playing what the Rating Percentage Index currently calls the No. 19 schedule in the country. The closest was a five-point win over Pitt at Madison Square Garden, and the only other single-digit wins were over then-No. 18 North Carolina State and Bradley.Michigan's average margin of victory is more than 21 points. All of which has created a rather odd circumstance for Beilein. In his 35 years of coaching, his teams were generally considered overachievers. Even in his five years at West Virginia, the Mountaineers were seldom the big kids on the block, usually winning their biggest games as decided underdogs. Ditto his first five seasons at Michigan.This year, that's not the case. That 10-0 record and No. 3 ranking - No. 2 in the RPI - assures that."It is different,'' Beilein said. "I've always been very comfortable in the underdog role.''Still, the team that West Virginia will face tonight is not exactly a seasoned, been-through-it-all group. In fact, five of the nine players that Beilein seems to have settled on for now in his rotation are true freshmen - two starters and three of the primary four off the bench. So there remains a great deal of teaching and refinement to be done if Michigan is going to continue its success."We've played five freshmen, more than any team in the country. And it's very rare for those type of young men to be able to sustain success,'' Beilein said. "We're trying every day to continue to get them to understand prosperity and continue to get better.''Of course, Michigan does rely heavily on a pair of relative veterans. Sophomore Trey Burke (17.1 points, 5.1 assists per game) is one of the best point guards in the country and 6-foot-6, 205-pound guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (14.8 points) does a little bit of everything. The Wolverines also have a pair of burly big men in 6-8, 250-pound starter Jordan Morgan and 6-10, 250-pound reserve Jon Horford.But a lot of the scoring comes from newcomers. Nik Stauskas, a 6-6, 190- pound Canadian guard, averages 13.5 points and is a deadly 3-point shooter, making 58.7 percent. Glenn Robinson III, a 6-6, 210-pounder, averages 11.6 points and 6.5 rebounds. All in all, Michigan has just about everything and has depth, too. Mitch McGary is another in the mold of Morgan and Horford at 6-10, 250 pounds, while Spike Albrecht gives Burke a breather at point. And 6-5 Caris LeVert is working his way in after breaking his redshirt four games ago and provides defensive length. All three are freshmen.With all of that, it's little wonder Michigan is ranked so highly, but Beilein cautions not to get carried away with early season hype and predictions."I don't think that I'm uncomfortable with any of the preseason, preconference type of gossip about who's the best. But that's got to be determined down the road,'' Beilein said. "You can't always get there, but we always want to be Top 20, Top 30, Top 40 somewhere when we get into March. That means you get to play in the NCAA tournament and if the ball bounces your way, these kids can fulfill their dreams."I'm comfortable with our mission and the process will take care of itself. I don't give a hoot about how [good] people think we are.''West Virginia, meanwhile, has no such burden of high hopes these days, not after starting 4-4 and losing Tuesday at Duquesne, blowing a 15-point lead."They're all important for us now,'' Huggins said. "We're sitting here with four losses in eight games and every game becomes critical for us if we want to continue to play in the NCAA tournament.'' Reach Dave Hickman at 304-348-1734 or firstname.lastname@example.com or follow him at twitter.com/dphickman1 Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 Deer in 8 WV counties found dead from EHD 2 WVU law professor announces run for Congress 3 Richwood mayor on leave amid investigation of purchases 4 New company planning $73M synthetic fuel plant in Greenbrier County 5 West Virginia high school football scores, local box scores -- Week 5 Mays in line to get SC football job Previous Story Short-handed Herd welcomes No. 11 Cincinnati to Civic Center Next Story


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Feb. 6, 2009
San Antonians Urged to "Bring Your Little Wranglers to the Rodeo" Feb. 22
Texas Parks and Wildlife Brings Great Outdoors to Rodeo Family Day
SAN ANTONIO — Families with kids are encouraged to take advantage of discounted pricing and experience outdoor activities like learning to cast, archery, rock climbing and more on Sunday, Feb. 22, the last day of the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo.
For the first time, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is bringing its Life's Better Outside Experience to the stock show and rodeo. Here, children ages 6-17 can try multiple activities for a chance to win a complete camping gear package.
Feb. 22 is Family Day at the stock show and rodeo, with deeply discounted prices. Admission is $1 per person and parking is $3 for any lot. (Normally it's $7 to enter and a minimum of $8 to park.) And, if attendees pick up a Denny's coupon available at 17 area Denny's restaurant locations, admission is free.
"We are looking forward to partnering with Texas Parks and Wildlife to bring a taste of the outdoors and all the activities it has to offer to the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo," said Russell Bading, an Assistant Vice-President of the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo.
Activities in the Life's Better Outside Experience include Archery, Rock Climbing, Camping Basics, Texas State Parks, Texas Outdoor Family Program, Operation Game Thief's "Wall of Shame," Game Warden Who Dunnit?, Backyard Bass, Take Me Fishing Trailer, Mystery Boxes, Sea Senses, Drawing Tables and Habitat Puzzles.
This will take place in the Horse Show Tent Annex, two blue and white tents next to Horse Barn 2. Life's Better Outside Experience activities are open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., although the rodeo runs 9 a.m.-8 p.m. that day.
TPW Commissioner Margaret Martin of Boerne will be on hand, and volunteers staffing the activities include students from Incarnate Word, Saint Mary's University, Texas State University, plus angler education and archery volunteer instructors. To volunteer, contact Trey Hamlett at firstname.lastname@example.com or (512) 389-4361.
More information is on the stock show and rodeo Web site, including the full schedule of activities for Feb. 22, plus driving directions to the stock show and rodeo.
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This may be a stupid question but, I'm working on real sounds in my game, and I was wondering if the sound from a distance is attenuated the same as light 1/(dist*dist) or is there a special formula for sound? I know that sound in space in nil since there are no air particles, and sound is not as loud in very high altitude due to much less air density. So I'm talking strictly sea level sound propagation. Any idea?
Maybe try looking at this - Stokes law for sound attenuation (you can google also some physics books ofc) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stokes'_law_(sound_attenuation)
Anyway I'm sure you can go with some 'constant / (dist * dist)' as well (maybe with some fine tuning) ... OpenAL afaik does something similar to hack the propagation.
For complete sound propagation you'd need sound reflection, correct rabbit-hole propagation, etc. etc. - e.g. doing path tracing for sound (that would be :ph34r:-like and it would really need looking deep into physics books) ... but imo total overkill and maybe less visible than focusing the resources on graphics - especially if you know that most people just don't have enough quality speakers for this stuff.
Though I don't say it wouldn't be worth of trying - if I'd have the time, i'd definitely try it B)
ha! doing a path tracer for sound! wow, I've never thought of that one, and I got to try it, that should be fun!
Thanks Vilem.
Actually, thinking about it (for few minutes)...
That algorithm could be quite easily done to actually be real time w/o some heavy effort. It even could be optimized to actually do the whole stuff on single core of CPU (which means that it could be game applicable).
So basically you'd have scene geometry (lets say just static, no dynamic now - though extending it would be quite easy with dynamiccaly re-building acceleration structure for ray tracing), sound sources (with info like position, volume, etc.) and listener.
I'd basically do it in very simple way - using bi-directional path-tracing to compute sound propagation. The algorithm would be 2-pass one:
1st Pass
1.) Generate ray directions at sound source position (generated in directions with probability function that would describe F.e. direction of sound source)
2.) Path trace these, storing hit points as "Virtual sound sources" (with all parameters, also with "time-offset" effect - e.g. rays would have time parameter - you'd get "sound motion blur").
2nd Pass
1.) Generate random ray directions from listener position
2.) Path trace these, plus every step (even the first one which starts at listener) calculate "sound visiblity" to "every" sound source position (every means every reachable from hitpoint - optimization).
3.) Mix the sounds together - getting correct result (don't forget to compute with Stokes equation for sound propagation)
It could be extended also with sound propagation through solid materials (in the Pass 2 2. phase - with quite simple code extension - getting all hits along ray and material parameters (of course until it hits the source)).
Totally you'd need a lot lower number than I get for realtime ray tracing per single core - so actually making it realtime would be possible on single core of CPU.
For path tracing sound I'd expect you'd want to keep track of the phase of the waves as well, since audible sound wavelengths long enough (anywhere from \~2 cm to \~20 meters) that phase differences and interference/diffraction effects would be important. Fortunately sound waves are longitudinal so there is no polarization to worry about. Also, note that since the Stokes' law depends on frequency, to realistically attenuate the sounds you'll have to incorporate an equalizer or similar pass that can independently apply attenuation to different frequency bands.
Also keep in mind that every surface is like mirror for sound, not diffuse, so general path tracers works incorrectly. I think it's better to solve wave equation directly on some sparse grid (about 1m cells).
WOW, it works incredibly well and sounds much better than commercial games!
Each characters have a sound and a loudness, as in light color and power. It also have a normal which define the direction of the sound it emit, but it's 180 degree feathered.
Each material have an acoustic absorption value, and of course, the reminder is reflected. Like dark colors absorbs more and reflect less. No diffuse tho.
For each audio channel (speakers)...
get the global position in the scene, and, the normal of each one which define the direction it is listening.
shot random rays out into the scene, and for each rays...
a. if nothing hit, do next.
b. cast ray to each audible source
c. if it hit, get the sound * constant/(dist*dist) * (1-material_absorb)
d. next
The above produces stunning results. I have modified it to do more depth like a path tracer, and I've included real time propagation of sound, then wow, it is absolutely amazing. When you move the character, the sound is so 3D, it feels so real, you know exactly where the monsters are!
Does this already exist? Or did I simply made a money maker thing public domain? Because none of the commercial games we play have real 3D sound.
I don't know about games, but in research ray tracing and other 'graphics' algorithms have been used for quite a while to do sound rendering. My former employer, for example, had a group working on this stuff, google for 'sound tracing' and 'phonon tracing'. There are also real-time approaches. So the idea is certainly not new, but packaged in a cool library it could be a nice thing.
So I did not invent anything then. ](http://static.rcgroups.net/forums/attachments/1/7/6/0/7/2/a3863053-114-male19-male-crying-tears-smiley-emoticon-000061-large.gif?d=1300008028[/img])
That smiley is just EPIC! ... almost as epic as chibi Zaraki Kenpachi:
I actually never seen *solid* library doing this-like stuff and I'm sure lots of people would definitely like to use it (incl. me for example).
Of course it might need lots of work to do (because users will put insanely large meshes into it, etc. - so you won't get far without fast KD-Trees or (Q)BVHs for example ... of course one can use F.e. Luxrender as a library for this to solve the problems ... or create own solution).
FMOD does this:
Custom geometry engine to add polygon scenes (FMOD Ex will factor in obstruction/occlusion)
Basically you give it a scene and it will perform calculations for you.


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£4.50 GBP - Excellent stock
With this product you can design your own iPhone 6 plus case with our product designer. There is no additional cost, and the price you see on screen includes the case itself, printing in full colour and first class postage if you are sending within the UK.
Please note, this case will fit the iPhone 6 plus, for the 6 and 6s please click here.


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Indrajala wrote:Gwenn Dana wrote:The beings for which he deemed that to be necessary must have had some tough karma?
Or maybe there is some truth to astrology?
While I am not as educated as yourself on the subject Venerable, I don't think it was ever about whether astrology was true or not.


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Large, solid dining set option perfect for spacious interiors and family dining
A dining set to suit the smartest of traditional homes. When fully extended, the table can easily accommodate a large group for dinner, while the extension leaf stores neatly away when not in use. Combine with 6 traditional black leather Boston dining chairs with oak legs to match.
looked exactly as photo and details, extremely pleased with both the table and chairs
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) Personnel Surety Program has a new proposed structure that would allow companies to directly submit employee background information for screening to DHS; to submit information to verify an employee was enrolled in another terrorism screening program; or to verify information using a Transportation Worker Identification Credential program reader.
DHS estimates the program would affect 192,000 individuals and cost $4.7 million to operate and maintain. A previous personnel surety proposal was withdrawn by DHS in July after industry groups raised concerns the program would impose significant burdens on facilities with limited security benefit.
DHS has met several times with the Agricultural Retailers Association and other members in crafting the new proposal that "reflects input from all sides," a senior DHS official told a congressional subcommittee March 14.
The proposal, in the form of an information collection request, is open for public comment through May 21.
Michael Kennedy, ARA's public policy counsel, was interviewed recently by BNA, and explained that the personnel surety program as drafted would apply one standard across the board, which would be overly burdensome for small facilities. Kennedy said Tier 3 and Tier 4 facilities, considered lower risk on the CFATS tiering scale of 1 through 4, should have an exemption from the more stringent requirements.
"The department should not require every tier, facility and personnel under the PSP definition to be electronically verified," Kennedy said. "This requirement is impractical at most agricultural retail facilities operating in rural areas."
Under Section 550 of the 2007 DHS appropriations bill, which authorized CFATS, chemical facilities must conduct background checks on personnel by examining and verifying their criminal history, identity, and work status and by running them through federal terrorist databases.
Although industry groups commended DHS for working with industry in crafting the proposal and called it "well-drafted," they maintained the proposal still calls for overly burdensome and duplicative actions from facilities.


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Autopsies set for 2 found dead in SC front yard
Sun, 06 Jan 2013 14:25:07 GMT —
SENECA, S.C. (AP) -- A South Carolina coroner is planning autopsies to check suspicions two people found dead outside their home are victims of a murder and a suicide.
Oconee County Coroner Karl Addis says autopsies will be performed Sunday on 58-year-old Gwendolyn Hiott and 50-year-old James Wesley Foxx.
Oconee Sheriff's Capt. Travis Tilson said the two were found early Saturday outside the home they shared in Seneca. Both had been shot.
Addis says Hiott appears to have died from a gunshot wound to the chest while Foxx was shot in the head. A handgun was found lying near his body.


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Donations fund free breast cancer screenings
EUGENE, Ore. - A program offers Lane County Women free breast cancer screenings.
The Cavan Fund recently contributed $25,000 to the program, and the Oregon Medical Group matched the donation. The nonprofit was started in honor of Dr. Joe Cavan, en early pioneer in breast cancer treatment.
The Oregon Medical Group said the increase in funding will help more women get screened this year. Last year more than 100 women in Lane County were screened for free.
The program is organized by Cascade Health Solutions is organizing the program. Women who qualify will see a nurse at Cascade Health Solutions and then have a mammogram at the Oregon Medical Group.
"At the age of 40 is when women should start annual screening and that means every year," Dr. Michael Milestein, a radiologist at the Oregon Medical Group said. "A baseline mammogram sometime in the 30's, 35, 36 is also recommended."
Milestein said women who don't have insurance or who's insurance does not cover breast cancer screening usually qualify.
He said annual screening is important to early detection.
"Basically screening does make it much easier to take care of breast cancer," Milestein said. "If it is discovered early when it is small it can be treated very easily with a lot less hassle."
More information on the program can be found by contacting Cascade Health Solutions.


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The Sciences at Augustana
After months of planning, architectural renderings for Augustana's new Froiland Science Complex are now complete.
Designed by SmithGroupJJR and TSP, the $35 million project will begin with a 41,000-square-foot addition to the existing Gilbert Science Center (GSC) and will include a complete renovation of the current building.
When it's complete, College officials say the new, LEED-certified 125,000-square-foot facility will enable Augustana's Natural Science Division faculty to incorporate modern pedagogies proven to equip students with enhanced critical thinking skills and hands-on experience.
The project comes at a key time for the Natural Sciences division.
For the 2013-14 academic year, Natural Science majors represented 36 percent of all majors at Augustana – up nearly 10 percent from a decade ago. College officials cite a number of reasons for the growth, including an increased demand for health care professionals, a growing interest in the natural sciences among high school students and Augustana's reputation for delivering high job placement rates among its graduates.
Named in honor of Dr. Sven Froiland, longtime biology professor and a champion of scientific research at Augustana, the new facility will feature multiple new, technology-rich "classatories," rooms featuring traditional classroom elements and laboratory components.
These rooms will enable faculty to build "active learning" philosophies into their curriculum – a proven teaching method pairing traditional lecture with group work and hands-on exercises.
The new facility will also feature core research areas for faculty researchers and their student collaborators and glass-enclosed laboratories, designs College officials say will put "science on display" for all students and further enhance the culture of research that exists on the campus today.
Along with more research space, the Froiland Complex will include numerous open study areas for students near faculty offices.
Mark David Kranz, principal and design director for Smithgroup JJR, said the design of the study spaces will encourage the exchange of ideas and build community among students and their faculty mentors.
"These spaces will have tack-able surfaces, wipe boards, tables and chairs, and the technology students need to study and collaborate," Kranz said. "And, they'll be flooded with light."
"The Froiland Science Complex will absolutely position Augustana as a center for undergraduate scientific research and discovery," said Rob Oliver, president. "We already have the best faculty teaching the brightest students. Now, we'll have a facility that will support and enhance all the amazing teaching and learning that happens today."
"Augustana is already revered as the training ground for many of the country's top doctors, nurses, scientists, engineers, teachers and wellness professionals," Oliver said. "Just imagine how we'll be able to impact tomorrow with this new facility."
"We are incredibly grateful to all those who have made gifts or pledges in support of this project, the largest and most complex building endeavor in our 154-year history," he said. "And we are excited beyond measure to break ground and begin construction."
An early leadership gift for the Froiland Complex was generously provided by Augustana Trustee Dr. Greg Schultz (class of 1974) and his wife Karen Devick-Schultz (class of 1975). "Augustana is such an extraordinary place to learn and grow — intellectually, spiritually and physically. For those of us whose careers were shaped and launched at Augie, giving back is a joy and a privilege."
A more recent gift, the "Paul Mohrman Family Lab," will focus on ecological research, an initiative alumnus Paul Mohrman, class of 1972, and his wife, Julie, hold close to their hearts.
Learn more about the project in this video: