text:
Difference between revisions of "Algeciras"
Revision as of 15:02, 23 June 2012
Algeciras [2] is a city in the Andalucia region of southwestern Spain.
Most travellers come to Algeciras for its numerous ferry connections to Morocco and don't spend more than a few hours in the city. A shame, given the town's quiet charm.
The north-south coastal road, Avenida de la Marina, is Algeciras's main artery. The tourist information office (Calle Cervantes), is well signed from this road.
Algeciras is on the Western side of Bahia de Algeciras (Algeciras Bay) virtually opposite Gibraltar. Roughly speaking it is orientated North to South. The Avenida Virgen del Carmen is the main road that runs along the water front. The ferry port is about midway along the Abenida del Carmen - it can't really be missed as dozen of signs are pointing in its direction and there is constant ferry traffic in and out of the port. There is also an elevated heliport right in front of the ferry port.
The main shopping streets, together with the town square and central market, are set back behind the Avenida Virgen del Carmen and are mainly pedestrianised. There is a wide range of shops here, from local food shops and boutiques to the main brands.
The bus and railway stations are close together, about 300m west (and slightly to the south) of the fery port in the main town.
Get in
By train
The Algeciras train station is located 300 metres west of the port entrance. Just walk outside the station and straight down Calle Cervantes (the street in front of you) until you reach the Avenida de la Marina. You will see signs from here to the port. From Algeciras there are daily train connections to Madrid. Three a day on the picturesque route to Ronda and Granada.
By bus
The central bus station is just up the road from the tourist office, heading away from the port.
By boat
The ferry terminal is the heart of Algeciras and is well-signed from most roads in the city. Services from the following destinations arrive at the port:
If you are headed for the bus station, you have to leave the port and walk about 7 minutes up the hill (opposite of the ocean).
Get around
See the beautiful Plaza Alta and the nearby San Isidro district.
Getares beach and Rinconcillo beach.
You'll find plenty of cheap bars, cafes and restaurants along the Avenida de la Marina, Calle Alfonso Once and around Plaza Alta. They stay open long into the night. Often not closing until the early hours.
If you're stuck in Algeciras after the last ferry or bus has left town, you'll find plenty of budget accommodation options in the neigbourhood around Avenida de la Marina. In the busy season, you can expect to get a double for €18 a night.
The Hotel AC on the eastern edge of the city centre is a fantastic brand new hotel with very friendly staff. Rates can be as low as 65 Euros per night.
There are a couple of basic hotels opposite the ferry port entrance:
Stay safe
Avoid going to neighbourhoods like Saladillo, Bajadilla or La Piñera. Even though it's full of friendly gypsy people, you might get in trouble if you look foreign.
Get out


text:
The util_uri_escape function converts any special characters in the URI into the URI format (%XX, where XX is the hexadecimal equivalent of the ASCII character), and returns the escaped string. The special characters are %?#:+&*"<>, space, carriage return, and line feed.
Use util_uri_escape before sending a URI back to the client.
char *util_uri_escape(char *d, char *s);
The string (possibly newly allocated) with escaped characters replaced.
char *d is a string. If d is not NULL, the function copies the formatted string into d and returns d. If d is NULL, the function allocates a properly sized string and copies the formatted special characters into the new string, then returns d.
The util_uri_escape function does not check bounds for the parameter d. Therefore, if d is not NULL, it should be at least three times as large as the string s.
char *s is the string containing the original unescaped URI.
util_uri_is_evil, util_uri_parse, util_uri_unescape

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Diablo III Power Leveling Note:
- Level up is the main concern;
- Refrain to login during Power Leveling session as it will interupt our agent from the game. Please inform our customer services if you need to login into game.
- All valuable loots will remain and retain in your character inventory.
Paragon Levels packages required Lv 60 character for Diablo III or Lv 70 character for Diablo III: Reaper of Soul expansion.
Power Leveling for Lv 60 and above required Diablo III: Reaper of Soul expansion.
Login detail required. Please fill detail required in remarks before placing order.
** PSN login credential are required for PS3 and PS4 packages.
You may update your login password once Power Leveling are completed.


text:
Cartoonist James Husbands has produced this collection of - sometimes disturbing - images of some of the most recognisable managers in world football as you've never seen them before for his 'Sexy Managers' calendar for next year. Enjoy . . .
Accessibility links
Sunday 11 November 2018
In Football
More from the web


text:
Firebird Condensing Oil Boiler - Additional Boiler Connection Pipe - 3 inches by 49 inches Length - FB PDK1250KIT
Product ID • FBPDK1250KIT
Firebird Condensing Oil Fired Boilers Chimney Liner Venting Connection System. The below images show most pieces - but may not include all.
Flex Liners are sold separately in 25, 39 and 49 foot Lenghts. Extension Connection pipe also sold and you can have a maximun of 15 feet lenght with 90° elbow equivalent of 3 feet and 45° elbow equivalent of 1 1/2 feet.


text:
Volunteers search for evidence
Some of the more than 100 volunteer sheriff's police and firefighters search an area near Willow Springs, Ill., for clues about the case of the slain Grimes sisters. In this image, searchers comb a culvert near German Church Rd., near the spot where the bodies of Barbara and Patricia Grimes were found.
Chicago Tribune archive photo
Copyright © 2018, Sun Sentinel


text:
Product Description
The Producer EL or 6L solves the age-old conundrum of how to make modern tubes deliver classic tube warmth consistently and reliably. We've discovered that copying old circuits is more and more dangerous due to the fact that old circuits were designed around tubes that could take the voltage, and modern tubes just can't. So we've come up with our own, unique solution. In fact, we don't just make modern tubes sound as good as old tubes. We make them sound even better.
The Producer runs EL34s, EL84's or 6L6s in an extremely safe and unconventional way that no off-the-shelf guitar amp transformer can do. So with help from Mercury Magnetics, we've come up with a new transformer that that not only makes our EL34s, EL84's and 6L6's outstandingly reliable, but also produces a really great tone. In fact, our circuit is so loving to power tubes, we've estimated that you won't have to change your tubes for years to come! No more re-tubing every year and paying for biasing and tune-ups!
Much to even our surprise, the Producer also achieves an amazing clean sound. EL34s are not known for their clean sounds and 6L6s don't do distortion, but with this new setup, they both sound fantastic.
In addition, EL34 and 6L6 amps are usually too loud for most players who are then forced to use attenuators or master volumes to compensate. The Producer delivers 28 Watts and incorporates 65amps' proprietary Master Voltage circuit that allows players to get the classic EL34 distortion or "that" big 6L6 clean and fantastic cleans at human volumes.
The Producer EL or 6L has 2 channels, each with an independent 65amps Bump control, totaling to four voices that are all accessible through a standard 2-button foot-switch. All this plus our legendary build quality equal an amp that really delivers.
Output: 28 Watts
Tubes: Power – 2 EL34s or 2 x 6L6s or 4 EL84 Preamp - 3x12AX7
Front panel controls: ON/OFF, Standby, Master Voltage, Tone, Volume 2, Channel Switch, Bass, Treble, Volume 1, Input, Bump Switch (one for each channel).
Extras: Footswitch input jack, dual speaker outs, switch for 8O & 16O impedance
Cabinet: Finger-jointed Baltic birch
Dimensions: 25" L x 9" D x 11" H
Weight in box: 41 lbs.
Accessories: Footswitch included


text:
By: Brandy Bidlack, sports information assistant
March 5, 2009
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - The Bluffton University baseball team fell to John Carroll, 7-1, in their second meeting of the Snowbird Classic on Thursday, March 5, 2009. The Beavers now stand 3-4, while the Blue Steaks improved to 5-1 this season.
The lone Bluffton run was scored by Stephen Torres (Lima/Juan Diego) in the bottom of the fifth inning. After being walked and moving to second on a single by infielder Corey Conn (London), he went to third on a wild pitch. Torres raced to the plate when David Riddle (Loveland/Milford) grounded out.
John Carroll tallied 11 hits and seven runs off starting pitcher James Hausman (Milford). Relief pitcher Tyler Stephenson (Sprinfield/Northwestern) fanned two batters in two innings of scoreless relief.
Cody McPherson (Northwood/Millbury Lake) went 2-for-3 in the contest, while both Conn and freshman outfielder Nick Broyles (Toledo/Whitmer) collected hits in the loss.
The Beavers will return to action on Friday, March 6, when Bluffton faces Coach Grandey's alma mater, Muskingum College, at 9 a.m. and Heidelberg at noon. Both games are slated for the North County Park in Port Charlotte, Florida.


text:
Frustrating Close to Season Fuels Canton Charge into First Round Matchup with Skyforce
As the NBA Development League playoffs approach, the Canton Charge and Sioux Falls Skyforce can claim some similarities. One of those includes a fast start courtesy of a home heavy schedule.
Much like Sioux Falls, Canton got out of the gate quickly to a hot start. A steady diet of Eastern Division teams spiced with a win from a struggling Tulsa team propelled Canton to an 8-1 start. By December's end, the Charge were a healthy 9-4 with a lot of those contest played at home.
January found the Wine and Gold at the top of the Eastern Division standings forging ahead with an 8-5 mark. Two crucial home wins against Fort Wayne placed Canton in prime position to win their second division title in their third year in existence. A levelling off occurred in February with the Charge posting a 6-5 mark, but still good enough to safely put them in the playoff chase.
The homestretch for Canton was road heavy and the Charge finished 5-8 through March and April. A split at home with Sioux Falls plus two double digit losses to the Los Angeles D-Fenders and a road split with the Iowa Energy stand out among the contests among playoff contenders. As the regular season closed, Canton was within reach of one of the top seeds. Three straight losses including a listless performance at Tulsa closed the season. That appears to be the starkest contrast between the two first round combatants.
Despite the disappointing end to the regular season, Canton was the lower-seeded team nobody wanted to play in the first round. With plenty of weapons including assignees from the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Canton Charge will be ready to lace it up Thursday night at the Canton Memorial Civic Center.


text:
Promote your beer to thirsty patrons looking for it.Learn More
Heads up! Omaha Kokokuchen may not be available near you. Follow this beer to get notified when it's available nearby, try searching in a different area, or discover some similar beer.
Irish Stout4.2% ABV40 IBU
St. James Gate (Guinness)Dublin, Ireland
Available at very few places nearby
Is made from water, barley, roast malt extract, hops, and brewer's yeast. An old and firm favourite.
American Porter5.2% ABV30 IBU
Deschutes BreweryBend, OR
Dark and distinctive like Black Butte itself, Black Butte Porter uses chocolate and crystal malts, crafting a rich, approachable porter.
Imperial Stout13.0% ABV65 IBU
Stone Brewing Escondido, CA
IMPERIAL STOUT ~ Pecans, wheat, flaked rye & bourbon-soaked wood provide complex superhero version of an imperial stout. +$


text:
Sign Up for Our Monthly Family Getaways Newsletter
I accept the T&C and Privacy Policy.
No one would argue that Bondi Beach in Australia is identical to Seven Mile Beach in Negril, Jamaica, or that Lover's Beach in Los Cabos provides the same experience as Waikiki Beach in Oahu. While beach destinations around the world have unique qualities, they also share much in common for families planning a winter season sun-and-fun vacation. No matter which destination a family chooses for their getaway, there are some things that remain the same. We asked industry experts for their tips on how to create a great sun-and-sand vacation.
Stress-Free Travel"For a vacation to be successful, the whole family needs to have a sense of satisfaction," said Gary Sadler, senior vice president of sales at Sandals Resorts International. "First you must identify what each member of the family wants to do — one size does not fit all."
Sadler noted that a small, extra expenditure can alleviate a lot of stress.
"We hire a driver to take us to the airport," he said. "This eliminates the hassle of parking and carrying your luggage. A driver is worth the expense."
Sadler also recommended arriving to your destination one night early; this means you will be in a prime position for the next day's activities.
"I could save $140 arriving the next day," he said, "but by checking in a night early, we are ready to start our vacation early the next morning."
Sadler is willing to pay a bit extra for convenience, but he also knows the importance of picking the right destination and sticking to a budget.
"I just returned from a family vacation, and I'm exhausted and broke," he said. "We vacationed in a city that will remain nameless — let's just say it's four hours from Miami. I almost received cardiac arrest when I received the final bill. Everything we did cost us money."
Sadler noted that an all-inclusive Beaches resort vacation makes it easy to keep to a budget. A Beaches stay also has something for everyone: golf, a spa, multiple themed restaurants, an Xbox Play Lounge and children's clubs.
Sadler suggests families consider not just the type of guestroom to book but where on property they want to be as well.
"When we're vacationing at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resorts Villages & Spa, we choose rooms in the new Key West Village," said Sadler. "The rooms are the perfect size for us, plus we're located right behind the resort's Caribbean Village, where many of the restaurants are located."
Thinking AheadThe first rule is to book early, according to Jack Richards, president and CEO of Pleasant Holidays.
"The traditional year-end holidays are celebrated the world over, which means everyone wants to vacation at the same time. By midsummer, many of the most popular resorts have limited or no room inventory left for holiday travel. This also applies to tours and activities. To ensure that the flight, accommodation categories and excursions clients want are available, remind them that time is of the essence."
What happens if it's too late to book early?
"If that's the case, then make sure you've got a tour operator partner to rely on," he said. "Pleasant Holidays has extensive partner relationships, especially in Hawaii, Tahiti, Mexico and the Caribbean. These relationships translate into confirmed bookings for the travel agent when they would not be able to access room inventory otherwise."
Richards also advises agents to pre-qualify their clients.
"The needs and interests of a family with young children will vary from one with teens or college students," he said. "Make sure you pick a resort that has the right family-friendly accommodations, activities and amenities for your clients. Your clients will also want to consider more spacious accommodations when traveling over the holidays. Suite, condo or villa accommodations will help them feel more at home while celebrating away."
Travel during the holiday season can be fraught with challenges. Inclement weather, over-crowded airports, flight delays and missed connections can dampen spirits.
"To keep everyone merry and bright, travel agents might consider gifting their clients with a few emergency essentials in a small holiday stocking or gift bag," advised Richards. "Consider including a deck of cards, a roll of Lifesavers, a pack of gum, trail mix, a Starbucks gift card and a small book of puzzles or the like. It's a small touch that can make a big difference, getting their vacation off to a good start and ensuring they will book with you all year long."
Richards had some recommendations when it comes to choosing the perfect resort. In Hawaii, Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa is an excellent choice for a multigenerational family trip. The resort has a variety of room categories, including three-bedroom suites that accommodate up to 12 people. In the Caribbean, Beaches Resorts cater to families with young children and teens. Mexico's all-inclusive resorts are an excellent choice year-round; families with teens will appreciate Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort's new Wired teen lounge, which features an all-inclusive dessert bar and a FlowRider surf simulator.
Make It Count"Since I'm in the travel business, my 5-year-old son has traveled quite a bit — he already has some stamps in his passport," said Jonna Jackson, senior of director product development at Classic Vacations.
Getting to the airport on time and boarding a plane can be a challenge for some.
"Give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport and pack kid-friendly snacks, since the airlines are unreliable when it comes to feeding passengers," said Jackson. "We like to book resorts with a great pool area for small kids. We also don't pack a lot of pool toys, preferring to buy or rent them once we get there. This works out better, considering what airlines are currently charging for luggage."
Jackson noted that Classic Vacations has seen a trend toward multigenerational travel.
"It can be more economical booking a two- or three-bedroom unit rather than separate rooms," said Jackson.
In the past, teenage members of families sometimes got lost in the shuffle when it came to resort amenities and features. Classic Vacations brochures now have an icon for teen clubs.
Jackson just returned from a family vacation in Fiji and gives the destination high marks. She also noted that Costa Rica is an up-and-coming beach destination, especially for been-there, done-that family travelers.
"It's important to remember that on a family beach vacation, you can make experiences that resonate," said Jackson. "We were just at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua with our son, and he was fascinated by the two pigs on the property. Every morning we would have to go down and see the pigs and watch them being fed. You never know what is going to resonate with a child — it's best to keep an eye open for unexpectedly memorable experiences."
Classic Vacationswww.classicvacations.com
Pleasant Holidayswww.pleasantholidays.com


text:
Ed Balls today launched a national campaign to make our primary schools come alive with the sound of music, involving a £332 million investment in choirs, orchestras, new instruments, performance and free music lessons.
The Government has already gained backing from musical heavyweights Andrew Lloyd Webber and Julian Lloyd Webber and top pop star Jamelia in its bid to renew the country's musical traditions, creating a musical culture in schools for all to embrace, not just the few.
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls said: "Every child from all backgrounds should have the chance to perform, play an instrument or sing and I want every school to become a musical school.
"I'm delighted that people like Andrew Lloyd Webber, who have put English music on the map, are supporting the Music Manifesto. Everyone should get behind our efforts to make music a key part of the school day - for the educational and personal benefits for children and the cultural enrichment and enjoyment it brings people of all ages.
"Every parent knows how much it means to their child to be involved in a school performance and the pride and inspiration it offers the whole family."
Over the next three years £332 million funding will be make available to raise the standard of music education for children. This includes:
- £82million a year for the next three years of continued funding for Local Authorities to spend on music education. This will pay for free music tuition for every primary school child for a year in the early years of primary school and the Government wants to see at least half of primary school pupils continuing with further tuition thereafter. It will also fund choirs, orchestras and other ensembles;
- £40million to buy brand new musical instruments. This comes on top of last year's £1million funding which paid for 11,000 new instruments, ranging from traditional violins, flutes and clarinets to ocarinas, African drumming sets and bassoons;
- £40million to the Sing Up programme to provide a national song bank and training to put singing back into the classroom;
- Pilots based on the highly successful Venezuelan project, El Sistema, featured in this year's Proms. Targeted at deprived areas, the project aims to encourage young children to explore the benefits of music by playing in groups; and
- Building on the partnership work that has made the Music Manifesto a success, the Government will continue to work with a wide range of musicians to make sure that all children get the chance to listen to, and take part in, live music. England's 8 Symphony Orchestras today confirmed that their ambitious plan to provide children with a free orchestral performance is firmly on target.
- Andrew Lloyd Webber and Julian Lloyd Webber today signed up to the Music Manifesto which the DCMS and then DfES established in partnership with the music sector in 2004.
Andrew Lloyd Webber said: "Whether you want to take up music professionally or just to make music for fun, never has it been more important to learn to play a musical instrument than now.
"The music business as we know it is virtually dead. The day of lip-sync manufactured pop is dying. Now everything is about live performance. That is one of the reasons that I am thrilled by the Government's initiative."
Julian Lloyd Webber, the cellist and long time champion of music education, said:
"I have always been one hundred per cent behind the aims and aspirations of the Music Manifesto. The reason I did not sign up to it before now was because there seemed to be too much wishful thinking without the wherewithal to deliver its promises. Today the government has proved that it really does mean business with this massive extra commitment towards music education.
"Today is a red letter day for music in the United Kingdom and I urge everyone involved in music to welcome this extraordinary opportunity and to seize it with both hands."
The £40million 'Sing-Up' programme, launched today by singer Jamelia and Singing Ambassador Howard Goodall, is led by Youth Music and aims to get all primary school children singing regularly as part of their learning. It includes:
- a web based 'songbook' and termly singing magazine for schools. This easy to use resource is aimed at teachers and will suggest innovative ideas as well as backing tracks and lessons plans to help them bring singing to their schools;
- a programme of training for teachers and others involved in leading singing; and
- a media campaign aimed at teachers and parents to generate awareness and support for the programme.
Launching the campaign Jamelia said: "I'm so excited to be involved with the Sing Up campaign and can't wait to get kids singing again. Singing in a class is something I got a great deal from as a child – it really helped to build up my confidence and taught me how to better express myself. I want all children to have the same opportunities to sing in school. It's crucial that kids today learn how to find their voice and realise how much fun they can have through singing."
Singing ambassador and composer Howard Goodall said: "We already know that young people who are lucky enough to learn music and sing from an early age develop better social skills, memory, ability to listen and have more confidence. There are proven links between productive music lessons and a better all-round development of young children. Singing, in particular, is brilliant. It's a positive, life-affirming activity that builds a child's self-esteem, promotes team-work irrespective of age, gender, and background, celebrates diversity, facilitates self-expression, and is just plain fun.
"We want to show that with Sing Up, teachers, parents and children can have fun and learn together; using a trusted and easy-to-use resource which delivers positive developmental benefits and helps kids sing well."
Today's programme of funding and action builds on the record levels of investment the Government has put into music education in the last seven years and the priorities for improvement in music education that were identified in the Music Manifesto report "Making Every Child's Music Matter."
Culture secretary James Purnell said: "Learning about the arts is part of a good education. We want all children to have the chance to develop their creativity and today's announcement on music marks a step change in our ability to do so."


text:
4 Ways to Focus on the Environment, But How Can We Do It?
- 36 Posts
Global warming is a booming issue that happens because of the change of climate. Climate change is not a specific problem such as desertification, forest fire, or illegal logging but it is general problem confronted by all countries in the world.
The United Nations agency focusing on climate change is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. They have drafted strategies to tackle this issue by holding key steps including the Kyoto Protocol, Bali Road Map, Cancun Agreements, Durban Outcomes and Doha Climate Gateway. As a result, greenhouse gas emissions have diminished gradually. For instance, during the first commitment period, 37 industrialized countries and the European Community committed to reduce GHG emissions to an average of five percent against 1990 levels (UNFCCC official website).
How Youth Are Actively Involved:
As we know, that UN agency in partnership with public, private, and individual has encouraged the implementation of 4 focus strategies: adaptation, mitigation, finance and technology. One of the ways to implement these focuses is by engaging youth actively.
Dewan Nasional Perubahan Iklim (DPNI), in partnership with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), committed a big endeavor to involve youth as a role model on reducing GHG emissions. Young people came up with initiatives and spirits to deal with the climate change in a forum which was known as YFCC 2013 (Youth for Climate Change 2013). The event was held on October 1-3, in Taman Wiladatika Cibubur Camp Park, West Java, Indonesia .
Youth who were selected to represent their universities got together to raise the awareness towards climate change. They shared their experiences and activities which enabled them to mitigate and adapt to that problem. Apparently, they believed the small activities combined with considering the use of energy wisely and/ or unwisely contributed to bring about the reduction and increase of GHG emissions.
Some of the YFCC participants felt disappointed to see the bad habits of human beings toward the environment such as- throwing out rubbish everywhere, burning forest, converting the peat land, and wasting energy and food. The participants also concluded that the disturbances of climate were due to irresponsible humankind.
You are youth, So what should we do as soon as possible to settle this problem? Don't neglect our responsibility to maintain the environment. We are the change, so let's change our behavior to overcome climate change!!!! If not you, who else will?


text:
The obesity epedemic has spared no one - not even our nation's youth. To build a brighter tomorrow, we must bring weight management to children today.
According to the American Dietetic Association, the number of children in the United States who are overweight or obese has more than doubled in the past 30 years. In fact, one in five U.S. children would be classified as "morbidly obese" if he or she were an adult.
Childhood obesity is a serious health threat to America's children. Action must be taken now to slow the increase in the number of obese children in the United States.
Physicians who provide health care for children can make a strong case against obesity and the potential life-changing health problems it can cause if not dealt with immediately. Currently, 60 percent of children who are overweight display at least one medical risk, such as high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol levels, triglycerides or insulin. Type II diabetes (formerly a disease affecting only older adults) is now becoming more prevalent in teen-agers and young adults. This alarming increase is shocking when one considers the high medical costs that will most likely be incurred later in life. The cost of treating teen-agers and young adults with Type II diabetes is high, mainly due to Type II's potential to cause blindness, limb amputations and kidney disease - among other debilitating conditions.
The Dallas branch of the Women, Infant and Children Federal Food Assistance Program (WIC) is extremely concerned about the increase in pediatric obesity. WIC assists families with young children (i.e., newborns to 6-year-olds). According to WIC's Cindy Wachtler, R.D., L.D., "We are now seeing kids who are 5 years old weighing over 100 pounds. They will not outgrow this weight, especially when they're drinking three or more sodas a day."
This information should come as no surprise since today's food and restaurant industry promotes and actively markets "super-sized meals," which create havoc with weight management - especially in children. The increased incidence of pediatric obesity and related health concerns has prompted the U.S. government to issue mandates dealing with this epidemic. Are "sin taxes" in our future? Wachtler thinks so.
"Several years ago, if I had heard about a `sin tax' on foods that are high in fat and/or sugar, I would have laughed and said, `Not in a million years,'" she notes. "I now believe that we may very well see a future tax on unhealthy, high-fat foods."
Poor nutrition isn't the only culprint responsible for childhood obesity. Lack of physical activity is another contributor, as many studies have proved. The average child spends 900 hours per year in a school setting, yet still manages to squeeze in 1,500-plus hours per year to watch television - and this doesn't even include the amount of hours dedicated to playing video games and/or surfing the Internet. An alarming statistic is that an estimated 50 percent of children (starting at age 5) have televisions in their bedrooms - enabling youngsters to watch television from the moment they wake up until they go to bed at night.
Because WIC interacts with young children on a daily basis, the organization is actively involved in the effort to slow the growing epidemic of childhood obesity. Federal statistics help strengthen the message that children of preschool age are not too young to learn how to prevent obesity. In fact, it has been shown to be easier to treat pediatric obesity when children are young than when they reach their teen-age years.
Puberty is an especially difficult period for children - a time of weight gain that can be hard to lose later in life. Studies have shown that an obese 12-year-old has a 75 percent chance of becoming an obese adult, whereas an obese 6-year-old only has a 25 percent risk of obesity in later life. That's why early intervention is so important to the health of child.
Fortunately, some health and fitness clubs are now starting to address the problem of pediatric obesity. For example, Pro Sports Club in Bellevue, Wash., has just started a program to assist obese children and their families.
"One of the barriers preventing fitness facilities from offering programs for obese children and adults is because many of the programs don't work," says Mark Dedomenico, M.D., owner of the Pro Sports Club. "People gain their weight back. For a program to work with obese children, it must be a multidisciplined approach that works with the family."
Indeed, family involvement is crucial to weight management for children. After all, overweight children often have overweight parents; therefore, weight management must require an effort from the entire family.
Pro Sports Club's new program will be directed by a psychologist who will work alongside dietitians and exercise specialists to assist overweight children. Dr. Dedomenico stresses the importance of staffing when developing a program for obese children.
"Staff must be qualified and able to deal with young children and their families," he says. "The family must be involved and committed for the behavior and lifestyle changes to occur. That takes commitment from all parties - parents, children and staff."
Why involve a psychologist in weight management for children? Several reasons. A psychologist may discover that a child's overeating stems from problems at home. Furthermore, a psychologist can help promote safe weight loss.
"A psychologist must be involved to lessen the risk of obese children turning into bulimics and/or anorex-ics while involved in a weight-management program," Dr. Dedomenico claims. "Obesity is a complicated problem among youth that needs the supervision of a highly trained staff."
Although the weight-management program is new to the Pro Sports Club, Dr. Dedomenico doesn't anticipate any problems marketing the program to the club's 21,000 members. "We have already had inquiries into the program and word-of-mouth is already getting around the Belle-vue area," he says.
As evidenced by Pro Sports Club's new weight-management program, the fitness industry can do much to assist children and their families with the problem of obesity. How? "Fitness clubs can do many meaningful and educational projects with kids that support physical activity," says WIC's Wachtler. "The logic to prevent childhood obesity is to start early to teach families how to be active together. Health clubs can offer fitness classes for parents and their children to do together, with more comprehensive programming geared towards lifetime activity as the child grows."
Jen Keznor, children's program director at Pike Creek Fitness in Wilmington, Del., has been offering comprehensive children's fitness programs since 1997. "We offer a kids' fitness class for children ages 18 months to 8 years," she says. "We started our program because we saw an increase in childhood obesity within our community. We looked at our own childcare center and noticed that our kids were sedentary, so our goal became one of offering physical activity classes to children in a safe and noncompetitive environment."
How are the fitness programs doing now? "We have had an overwhelming response from our members," Keznor says. "We started our classes in a converted racquetball court and have now expanded to three courts. We recently started to offer our fitness classes at off-site preschools in the area as well."
Pike Creek Fitness provides 45-minute children's fitness classes for $6 per member and $8 for nonmembers. And nonmembers have responded favorably. "With our off-site pre-schools, we generally have over 100 kids in our program each week," Keznor claims.
While Pike Creek Fitness was able to create its own children's fitness program, some clubs may lack the resources required for that approach. Fortunately, pre-existing programs are available for clubs that want to help overweight children. Consider ShapeDown - a leading weight-management program for children and adolescents that health and fitness clubs can purchase.
Created by Laurel M. Mellin (as-sistant clinical professor of family and community medicine and pediatrics at the University of California-San Francisco), ShapeDown is a family-based, developmentally sensitive program that addresses underlying factors associated with pediatric obesity. The program's concept is to bring families together to foster improved communication skills and to make better health choices - from nutrition, to exercise, to relationship-building.
Linwood, N.J.-based Atlantic Coast Living Center - a small, for-profit fitness facility affiliated with a hospital - has implemented ShapeDown successfully at its location. Registered Dietitian Debbie Bourgoin facilitates the program and teams with a li-censed family therapist to address the needs of obese children. (Again, overeating may indicate troubles at home, and licensed therapists know how to make behavioral changes.)
"We offer ShapeDown sessions throughout the year, with a 10-week session that meets every Wednesday evening," Bourgoin says. The program costs $500, with an average of four to eight children in attendance at each session.
After children and their families have completed the 10-week course, they become eligible for an advanced program that meets once or twice per month, depending upon the needs of the child. The advanced program carries a fee of $60.
Does the program work? Bourgoin answers with a story about the Smith family (not the real name). Mom is a physician, dad is an attorney. They brought their 9-year-old son, Eric, to Atlantic Coast Living Center to ask Bourgoin for her assistance with Eric's weight problem. Eric's peers and older (athletic) siblings had been teasing him about his weight.
How did Eric progress in the ShapeDown program? "At first, he didn't want to come," Bourgoin ex-plains. "But by the time he finished the basic ShapeDown sessions, he was happy to be here."
Bourgoin shared that, since joining ShapeDown, Eric has started swimming and fishing. He has also grown a vegetable garden on his own - his pride and joy. "I saw an entire personality change in this child," Bourgoin enthuses. "He has become a confident and very positive boy."
Even clubs that lack the personnel necessary to offer a comprehensive, multidisciplined program like Shape-Down can still do plenty to prevent childhood obesity. According to a recent U.S. surgeon general's report, adults and children need at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day to achieve positive health benefits. Fit-ness clubs are encouraged to find ways to incorporate children's programs into their schedules. By starting now, health and fitness organizations can join many other facilities in getting children and their families started on the road to better health.
You realize that most children could use better diets and more activity in their lives. But how do you make them - and, more importantly, their parents - realize that as well? We can help. Go to clubindustry.com for free handouts that will allow you to spread your fitness message to youngsters and their families.


text:
STUTTGART, Germany, April 24 (UPI) -- Jelena Jankovic and Carla Suarez Navarro advanced with first-round upset wins Wednesday at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Germany.
Jankovic finished the day's schedule with a 6-4, 6-4 win over sixth-seeded Samantha Stosur. Jankovic saved the only break-point chance Stosur had and had a break in each set to earn a spot in the second round.
Jankovic put the match away by winning 70 percent of the points in serve in the second set.
Suarez Navarro was a 7-6 (8-6), 6-1 winner over No. 7-seeded Caroline Wozniacki. She held Wozniacki to 21 points in the second set. Suarez Navarro was good on 75 percent of her first serve and ended up winning nearly two-thirds of the points when serving.
Fifth-seeded Petra Kvitova barely escaped an upset, getting past Annika Beck 7-5, 6-7 (0-7), 6-3. She had three breaks in both sets she won.
Also Wednesday, as first-round play wrapped up, Lucie Safarova defeated Mona Barthel 6-4, 6-1; Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova got by Ekaterina Makarova 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-4; Yaroslava Shvedova eliminated Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-2 in 61 minutes; Bethanie Mattek-Sands beat Yanina Wickmayer 6-2, 6-1 in less than an hour; and Julia Goerges advanced over Kirsten Flipkens when Flipkens retired in the second set with Goerges ahead 6-2, 2-1.


text:
North American Semiconductor Equipment Industry Posts November 2012 Book-to-Bill Ratio of 0.79
SAN JOSE, Calif. — December 18, 2012 — North America-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted $720.4 million in orders worldwide in November 2012 (three-month average basis) and a book-to-bill ratio of 0.79, according to the November Book-to-Bill Report published today by SEMI. A book-to-bill of 0.79 means that $79 worth of orders were received for every $100 of product billed for the month.
The three-month average of worldwide bookings in November 2012 was $720.4 million. The bookings figure is 3.0 percent lower than the revised October 2012 level of $742.8 million, and is 26.3 percent lower than the November 2011 order level of $977.2 million.
The three-month average of worldwide billings in November 2012 was $911.9 million. The billings figure is 7.5 percent lower than the revised October 2012 level of $985.5 million, and is 22.5 percent less than the November 2011 billings level of $1.18 billion.
"Economic headwinds, higher chip inventory levels, and soft PC demand are among the factors tempering chip makers' investment in additional manufacturing capacity," said Denny McGuirk, president and CEO of SEMI. "Softening in the market for new semiconductor manufacturing equipment has persisted through the second half of 2012 and the November equipment billings are at a three-year low."
The SEMI book-to-bill is a ratio of three-month moving averages of worldwide bookings and billings for North American-based semiconductor equipment manufacturers. Billings and bookings figures are in millions of U.S. dollars.
June 2012
July 2012
August 2012
September 2012 (final)
October 2012 (revised)
November 2012 (prelim)
Source: SEMI, December 2012
The data contained in this release were compiled by David Powell, Inc., an independent financial services firm, without audit, from data submitted directly by the participants. SEMI and David Powell, Inc. assume no responsibility for the accuracy of the underlying data.
The data are contained in a monthly Book-to-Bill Report published by SEMI. The report tracks billings and bookings worldwide of North American-headquartered manufacturers of equipment used to manufacture semiconductor devices, not billings and bookings of the chips themselves. The Book-to-Bill report is one of three reports included with the Equipment Market Data Subscription (EMDS).
SEMI is the global industry association serving the nano- and micro-electronic manufacturing supply chains. Our 2,000 member companies are the engine of the future, enabling smarter, faster and more economical products that improve our lives. Since 1970, SEMI has been committed to helping members grow more profitably, create new markets and meet common industry challenges. SEMI maintains offices in Beijing, Bengaluru, Berlin, Brussels, Grenoble, Hsinchu, Moscow, San Jose, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.semi.org.
Association Contacts
Dan Tracy/SEMI
Phone: 1.408.943.7987
Email: email@example.com
Deborah Geiger/SEMI
Phone: 1.408.943.7988
Email: email@example.com
- Next SEMI Book-to-Bill: January 24, 2013 at 3:00pm PST
- The SEMI North American Book-to-Bill data trends include estimates for some North American companies that do not participate in the SEMI data collection program. Estimates are based on most current public financial statements and announcements from companies, in addition to analysis of overall equipment industry trends. These estimates represent up to approximately 20 percent of the SEMI Book-to-Bill.
- Beginning with the July 2012 data, SEMI returns to a reporting format that accommodates two months of data refinement (revision): the first month of data is labeled 'preliminary'; the second month, the data is labeled 'revised'; and the third month, the data is labeled 'final'. This reporting procedure was used for the SEMI North American Book-to-Bill up until October 2001.
- For information on SEAJ Book-to-Bill Report, visit www.seaj.or.jp
# # #