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5 Star Hotel located just off Oxford Street has a beautiful chic restaurant on the ground floor with views of a gorgeous little courtyard. I can only assume that you can dine outside in the summer.
I visited this restaurant on a set meal of 3 courses and a cocktail for £26. The choice of starters was cauliflower soup with truffle, confit of duck or crab cakes. The mains were risotto, fish, or rump steak and the desserts were coconut and mango posset, dark chocolate mousse or popping candy ice cream.
I tucked into the duck, rump steak and coconut posset and I was extremely full at the end of the meal. The food was well presented and very tasty. If you want more drinks, they offer house red or white for £6 a glass and the cocktails are priced around £12-14.
There is a service charge of 15% but as the staff were so friendly and attentive, it was deserved. Would love to return in the summer to have a drink the beautiful courtyard.


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Ask Emerald Knight about Carbon Credits and Other Ethical Investments
Climate change is a global game-changer when it comes to investments and money markets. The increasing vulnerability of the world's ecosystem to natural calamities is causing revenue-generating schemes to shift from the traditional to the alternative. From the stock market, investors are pouring money directly and indirectly into ethical investments like carbon credits and funds that promote sustainable development.
Carbon credits are a form of currency awarded or sold to companies employing environmentally-sound processes that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel dependence. Sectors that handle carbon credits are usually those that have divested from controversial industries like tobacco, oil and gas or mining. If you want to play your part through socially responsible investing ask companies like Emerald Knight about carbon credits trading and other socially-responsible investments such as renewable energy, clean technology, or forestation projects.
ScreeningThis method's goal is to highlight the socially positive and negative industry segments to a client. Negative screening aims to eliminate companies involved in activities seen to compromise the status of the environment. This helps investors avoid industries such as cigarette manufacturing or nuclear energy ventures.
Positive screening highlights projects deemed to be socially responsible. Companies marketing these ethical financial projects (like Emerald Knight Consultants) select sustainable investment prospects such as green farming (i.e. organic cultivation of plants) and carbon credits for their clients to review.


text: Your body is an amazing thing, and your health is important. Sometimes, a wound may not heal as quickly as it should because of an infection or underlying medical condition. When that happens, you have a team of specialists ready to help you in the Banner Health wound care clinics. What Are Chronic or Slow-Healing Wounds? Wounds sometimes take a while to heal. Other times, they keep coming back. These wounds may have an underlying issue causing them. Our compassionate wound care specialists will help you manage these wounds and feel better. Some of the more common conditions we treat include: Pressure ulcers Diabetic foot ulcers Ostomy care Surgical wounds Wounds caused by infections Traumatic wounds Wounds due to circulatory problems Wounds due to autoimmune disorders What Treatments Are There For Slow-Healing Wounds? There are a lot of different ways we can treat slow-healing wounds. Our wound care specialists will work with you and your doctor to find the best treatment option to help you feel like yourself again. All treatments will depend on the severity and underlying cause of the wound. Some common treatment options we may use include: Hyperbaric oxygen treatments Removing dead tissue from the wounds (called debridement) Changing bandages Managing and infections Compression therapy Electrical stimulation Mist therapy Casting for wound healing


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PKG4072 Best of Coorg 2 Nights Rs. 8,450/- (Per Person)
Valid: Oct 01, 2017 to Mar 31, 2018
This package has expired
Package Day Description
Day 1: Bangalore - Coorg [270 Kms/6-7 Hrs]: Arrival at Bangalore meet and transfer to Coorg, On Arrival at Coorg visit Golden Temple at Byalekupe (Tibetan Monastery) and Nisargadhama, Arrive Coorg and check into Hotel. Evening visit Raja's Seat. Overnight stay at Coorg.
Day 2: Coorg: After breakfast proceed to visit Omkareshwar temple, Raja's Tomb, Abbey Falls, Dubar Elephant Camp, Tala Cauvery, Bagmandala. Evening return back to the Hotel. Overnight stay at Hotel/Resort
Day 3: Coorg - Bangalore [270 Kms/6-7 Hrs]: After breakfast checkout from the hotel and proceed to Bangalore to board your train or flight.
Choice of hotels and tour prices
Cost Includes
Cost per person on twin sharing basis
Accommodation in Coorg in Standard hotel
Daily breakfast
A/c Indica car at disposal for use as mentioned in the itinerary
All Permit Fees, Driver Bata, Fuel Charges & Toll Parking & Hotel Taxes
Sightseeing As Per The Itinerary
Ex. Bangalore
Cost Excludes
Any Air/Train Fares
Personal Expenses Like Telephone, Fax, Internet, Laundry
Entry Ticket, Permit Fees, Boat/Ferry Ticket, Camera Ticket At Various Places Of Sightseeing
Cancellation Policy
Prior to 30 days or more: Non-refundable deposit of Rs.10,000 per person
For cancellation made between 29 - 20 days of check-in date 25% retention on the package amount
For cancellation made between 19 - 14 days of check-in date 50% retention on the package amount
For cancellation made between 13 - 08 days of check-in date 75% retention on the package amount
For cancellation made within 07 days of check-in date 100% retention on the package amount
During Peak time like republic holidays, dasara, diwali, christmas & New year 100% retention on the package amount
Terms and Conditions
If the hotels mentioned in the itinerary are fully booked, under such unavoidable circumstances the passengers will be accommodated in similar hotels
No refunds for absences from a tour or for any missed sightseeing
This price is hiked by 20% during Dassera / Diwali / Christmas / New year Season Rates Applicable
This price is not valid between 23rd Dec 2017 to 05th Jan 2018
Note: In case of group of more than four, please submit your query for special price.
Taxes: 1.24% Extra
Extra price per adult: NA
Extra price per child: NA


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A wealth of ridiculous full-screen explosions, jumps that far exceed expected altitude, wild explosions, amazing colours, even wilder explosions, chaos, hyper-combos and a fighting system that's about as well balanced as a tightrope dancing elephant. Did I mention the explosions?
After Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, the developer set about to build a slightly toned down update with Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom3: and its this latest build that's the version debuting on Sony's PS Vita.
We say "toned down". Only as much as you'd expect when you can team together Arthur from Ghost 'n Goblins, Frank West from Dead Rising and Wesker from Resident Evil to punch (or shoot) Hulk, Spiderman and Captain America.
As such it's understandable that balancing is more happy accident than microscopically refined perfection.
The roster weighs in at nearly fifty characters (and if you've already invested in the PS3 DLC packages you can transfer them to the handheld version - delicious), and many have costumes that pay heavy nod to their wearer's history. So we get Spider-Man both the classical and the black costume, and a smattering of more recent getups. Hulk is available both as Hulk in two shades of green, the Grey Hulk and Red Hulk. The same applies to virtually all other figures on the list.
The banter between characters is great, and shows Capcom has worked on adding a touch of personality into the ego-clashes. Listen to how Hulk mocks "mustache man" (Haggar from Final Fight), or Redfield noting pre-match that he refuses to lose a colleague.
Add that each character has their own theme music, you'll see how robust the game is for content. Needless to say the individual designs must have been a headache, but are worth the work: when Arthur is moving, it's with same animation as from Ghost 'n Goblins game, while a guitar version of the classic graveyard scene wails out.
The Capcom side is a veritable kaleidoscope of mad whim. Take Phoenix Wright's iconic "Objection" that knocks out attackers, or how he tosses items from his franchise repertoire at the other side. Even the classic Street Fighters are not exempt, drowning in air-juggles, air-cancels, X-Factors, combo-tagging, hyper combos.
Yet the whole experience is more efficient than the previous versions of Marvel vs. Capcom. Some characters have suffered a blow with the NERF-bat and can no longer repeat exaggerated blows so swiftly.
For example, X-Factor (your "super form") is more balanced and less exaggerated (and lasts longer on slower characters). "Balanced" might be too strong a word, but its emphasis is toned down, and its less of a random element to winning or losing matches.
Since all this chaos is occurring on handheld, you might fear the framerate issues, sharply scaled shapes or else in the major: but none are evident.
Graphically, it's hard to tell the difference on this handheld version and the larger console releases. It is simply impressive. The frame rate is rock solid and seems like 60FPS, while the Vita screen really comes into its own when the beautiful and colorful characters.
The most important thing about a fighting game is in the control. Vita's smaller buttons do take some getting used to, but once adapted, UMVsC3 works fine, and you'll be firing out combos easily.
You can use the touch screen to jump a character in for an assist move, or switch. I found it pleasant to be able to juggle between my characters at the touch of the screen, but both the digital pad and analog sticks are so good on the PS Vita, that I quickly become attached to them.
Heading online is quite simple. Up to eight players can go in the same lobby, and you can have your team assembled ready in the wings from the beginning and assemble them with a single button press. You can choose a direct play against play fight, and even whether you will allow matches from a different territory than yours. Of course there are also smaller settings to tweak, such as whether you allow touch-control on rumbles.
It is debatable whether this is a game that works best with a human opponent, but I amused myself admirably against many different opponents even in single player. Speaking of SP, there's plenty of time to be found if you want to collect all the costumes, comics and artwork.
If the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is the quality level for future fighting games on the PS Vita, then the machine is proving to be a heavy-weight contender for the fighting genre on the move.


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CBC/Radio-Canada today made its second quarterly report for 2016-2017 available online.
"Whether it was the 32 million proud Canadians who watched our Olympic coverage, or the 11 million Canadians who tuned in to the emotional concert by The Tragically Hip, the message is clear: Canadians turn to their public broadcaster for events of significance and it is important that we continue to evolve, through our platforms, into the public space of the future," said Hubert T. Lacroix, President and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada.
Q2 Results
As we continue to be guided by Strategy 2020, we are aiming to put the public broadcaster on strong, stable financial footing, despite an unpredictable media environment.
"The federal government's reinvestment is allowing us to develop new content, which we're beginning to see reflected in our results this quarter. We'll notice more program expenses in the third quarter when more of our new programs are broadcast during the fall TV season," said Judith Purves, Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer.
Q2 Business Update
This quarter featured special multiplatform events, including our Olympic coverage, which reached more than 32 million Canadians, while almost one in three Canadians tuned into the final summer tour show of iconic band The Tragically Hip either on television or online.
In September, CBC/Radio-Canada hosted more than 60 public broadcasters from around the world at PBI Montreal 2016. The conference was a forum to explore shared challenges and propose innovative solutions to the global challenges facing public broadcasters.
On November 22, the CBC/Radio-Canada Board of Directors approved the Maison de Radio-Canada redevelopment project, selecting the proposal of the Broccolini group for the construction of the new broadcast centre and Groupe Mach for the acquisition of the current Maison de Radio-Canada site.
For more highlights, please see our Fast Facts infographic for Q2.
CBC/Radio-Canada defines Results on a Current Operating Basis as Net Results under IFRS less the adjustments for non-cash expenses that will not require operating funds within one year and non-cash revenues that will not generate operating funds within one year. This measure is used regularly by management to help monitor performance and balance the Corporation's budget consistent with parliamentary appropriations. We believe this measure provides useful complementary information to readers, while recognizing that it does not have a standard meaning under IFRS and will not likely be comparable to measures presented by other companies.
Adjustments include the elimination of non-cash pension and other employee future benefit costs, which represent the excess of the IFRS expense over the actual cash contribution for the year. Adjustments are also made for other non-cash items such as the depreciation, amortization and decommissioning of capital assets; the amortization of deferred capital funding; and non-budgetary annual leave. Other less significant items not funded or generating funds in the current period, primarily employee benefit-related, are adjusted for in the reconciliation to Results on a Current Operating Basis.
About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada's national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. We are Canada's trusted source of news, information and Canadian entertainment. Deeply rooted in communities all across the country, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also provide international news and information from a uniquely Canadian perspective.
Follow us on Twitter: @CBCRadioCanada


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Half of men fall asleep while driving, survey finds
Sleeping at the wheel is common, with men by far the worst offenders.
Driving tired carries similar risks to driving drunk. But sleeping at the wheel is common, with men by far the worst offenders.
In a survey of 1,000 drivers, British road safety charity Brake found that 45 percent of men admitted "microsleeps" of up to 30 seconds while driving. The figure for women was 22 percent. A further 14 percent of male drivers have slept for longer periods behind the wheel, while just 2 percent of women had done the same.
An estimated one in six fatal road crashes result from tiredness. These typically involve vehicles veering off the road or a driver failing to brake.
"Men are much more likely to take risks at the wheel such as setting off on journeys without enough sleep, or trying to push through if they feel drowsy," Ellen Booth, senior campaigns officer at Brake, told Metro. "We see this trend across the board when it comes to road safety."
Booth believes "cultural and biological" factors explain why men take more risks. Over 90 percent of those convicted for dangerous driving in Britain are male, while a recent US study found that men caused 80 percent of crashes. Researchers are concerned that tiredness is adding to the trend.
"Men feel pressure to work harder and longer in this economic climate, with more shift work and driving time," says Dr. Louise Reyner of the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University, UK.
Brake are calling for more education to ensure that drivers sleep enough and take regular breaks, as well as an audit of roads to guarantee rest areas. In the US, the state of New Jersey has gone further by making tired driving a criminal offence. Another possible solution may come from technology, with devices in development that aim to keep drivers awake.


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Fourth Station: Jesus is Denied by Peter
Reader:Â Â Â Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the maids came over to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." But he denied it in front of everyone, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about!" As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazorean." Again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man!" A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; even your speech gives you away." At that he began to curse and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately a cock crowed. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: "Before the cock crows you will deny me three times." He went out and began to weep bitterly.
Matthew 26: 69-75
grant us the gift of honesty
that we may not fear to speak the truth even when difficult.


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50 Years Later, A Look Back To 1967's Top Mets Prospects
With the proliferation of web sites now dedicated to evaluating minor league prospects, fans have a fairly easy time reciting their team's top prospects, usually "in order". Back in the '80's, there was only Baseball America to provide this glimpse into the future.
In retrospect, there were many more misses than hits, but it's fun to look back on these lists and reflect on them. Like, whatever happened to one-time Mets' top prospects like Tito Navarro and Rick Ownbey ?
Before Baseball America was born in 1980, prospect hunters looked forward to the annual March issue of Baseball Digest which was dedicated to providing scouting reports on every rookie listed on every major league team's 40-man roster. These reports were usually extremely conservative. For example, several future Hall Of Famers were tagged with "has a chance at the big leagues".
Baseball Digest listed the prospects alphabetically by team, so you'd have to read the reports in order to make a mental 1 to 10 list. Thankfully, I've saved all of these issues from the sixties. Just prior to the 1967 season, the Mets were loaded with prospects and had 17 of them listed, although a few like Al Schmelz and Bart Shirley weren't even projected for the big leagues at any time.
These lists also were restricted to the 40-man rosters, so #1 draft pick Steve Chilcott doesn't show up (although he would have certainly rated near the top for potential alone).
Here then is my list of the Mets' top prospects for 1967 with scouting reports courtesy of Baseball Digest. The rankings are based on how Baseball Digest projected the player's chances, and the words are verbatim from Baseball Digest's published scouting reports:
1. Don Bosch CF – Good speed, fine fielder. Can be a good centerfielder. Sure to make big leagues.
2. Tom Seaver RHP – Good fastball. Curve only fair. Control and fielding OK. First year man with hard fast one. Best of futures on Jacksonville club.
3. Greg Goossen C – Has a power bat. Very good looking young hitter. Crude catcher and needs work. Should improve and have chance for a solid long major league career.
4. Nolan Ryan RHP – Must be considered a major league future at this time. Fastball good and poise better than average.
5. Les Rohr LHP – Has tools including good arm. All he needs is to learn to move ball around and improve curve. Fastball is alive. If he continues improvement, has good future, even majors.
6. Ken Boswell 2B – Hitting improved from beginning to end of '66. Fairly good fielder now and should get better. Not ready yet, but should be with another year of 3A.
7. Jerry Koosman LHP – Fair fastball. Average curve. Control only fair. Needs to improve curveball and help in control. Needs to pitch more.
8. Joe Moock IF – Pretty good hitter. Good arm. Needs improvement in field.
9. Terry Christman LHP – Has one of best moves to first seen in minors. Also has better than average curve and poise. Fair fastball, curve, and control.
10. Bob Heise IF – Good competitor. Good hustler. Hits better than average with fair power. Throwing fair.
Looking back on this list, of course Bosch was a major disappointment, Seaver, Ryan, and Koosman were severely underrated and Rohr never lived up to his "raw potential". Goossen had a decent major league career after he left the Mets, but never was a star. Boswell basically became what was expected. So, even though this was 46 years ago, the list is not unlike the recent typical Top 10 Prospect lists when viewed in retrospect.
Of course, most teams' annual prospect lists don't include two future Hall Of Famers and another who was almost in that class. This was possibly the Mets' best group of prospects ever.


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November 11, 2008
gilamon Black X'mas T-Shirt Collection
Gilamon's Black Xmas Ts come just in time (phew~) for this year's yuletide season shopping spree. These are very limited hand printed T and its the best Xmas present to your friends and enemies(remember, 'tis a season to love and forgive too).
Black Xmas #01 Kaktus
This one features our resident chinese eyes cowgirl gotten herself in a tight spot.
Black Xmas #02 Skull O'Skuit
Villian of the day is this drunken Irish squit who had too much stouts.
Read all about it in your Major Zombie comic book which comes FREE with any purchase of the T.
We are only selling them online and at a very special price. Please email us for the confirmation of order, but before that, you have to read the R&R listed below.
Rules and Regulations
Please read all the rules and regulations before you place an order. we are not responsible for any unavoidable incontinences after the order is placed.
01 All T-shirts are readied stock.
02 There might be a slight difference in colour from the picture shown through different computer monitor.
03 Once the order is confirmed, FULL AMOUNT of the payment should be bank in within 3 days
04 Order will be cancelled automatically if we did not receive the full payment within 3 days after the order is confirmed.
05 All prices are excluding shipping and handling.
06 All goods will be sent through POSLAJU (Shipping and handling fees of RM5 will be charge for each item purchased.)
07 Gilamon does not responsible for any lost or damage of the goods during shipping.
08 Please email us at +email@example.com for all order enquiries.
09 Once you bank in, please scan (or take a clear digital shot) of the bank-in slip/ online banking notification and email it to +email@example.com as a proof of payment.
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Chapter 9 - International Sport
International Sport Chapter 9 Introduction • Sports is increasing in interaction and expansion across international borders. • Thanks to internet-based technology, access to major sport leagues from anywhere in the world is easier than ever. • Globalization does not mean Americanization. • Club system form of sport organization is more common outside of the United States. Introduction: Club System • The club-based system is separate and distinct from the education system (i.e., one does not have to attend college to play at the elite level). • The primary purpose of the club sport system is to fulfill social and fitness functions, rather than to promote superior athletes. • The club system allows anyone to participate and take advantage of good facilities that are often maintained by local or state government. • Promotion and relegation in global sport leagues History • Sports first spread across international borders through imperialistic efforts. – As nations such as Great Britain colonized various areas of the world, sports were used to impose the conquerors' culture on colonized land. • Sports have fueled feelings of nationalism. – Platform for political and social protests and boycotts • As the United States attempts to expand its major leagues overseas, so too does FIFA attempt to expand football (soccer) in the United States. Globalization of Sports • Corporations have begun to adopt a global strategy in selling their products. • Corporations create products with appeal to generate the same demand in all corners of the world. • Technological advances and increased accessibility of technology worldwide have been major driving factors in the globalization of sport. • Globalization is largely influenced by countries with dominance over worldwide media, leading to high-profile sports receiving greater media exposure; however, globalization is not dependent on media alone. – Need to be cognizant of cultural differences Global Strategy: Global Brand • Cooper (2010) suggests the following five strategies for building a successful global brand: 1.Build a strong consistent brand culture. 2.Be borderless in your marketing. 3.Build yourself an internal hub. 4.Adopt a "global" structure. 5.Make customers your co-creators. Corporate Involvement with International Sport • Activities can be grouped into two categories: 1.Efforts by manufacturers of sport-related products, such as athletic shoes, athletic equipment, and sport drinks 2.Efforts by nonsport-related companies that sponsor international sporting events, teams, and athletes to gain name recognition and thus sell their products in new global markets Corporate Involvement: Efforts of Product Manufacturers • North American markets are becoming saturated. • Average consumer purchases only a certain amount of sport products and merchandise in a given year. • Sport corporations are attempting to broaden their product distribution by focusing on global markets, or even playing a direct role in the development of sports in new markets. • Case Study: Since 2000, Nike has sold more products overseas than in the United States. Pro Sport Leagues' International Focus • Professional sport leagues seek to increase the popularity and consumption of their products overseas. • Each league has created an international division to guide such efforts and maintain offices abroad. • International efforts focus on: 1. Broadcasting 2. Licensing and merchandising 3. Playing exhibition and regular season games 4. Cultivating participation in sports throughout each country (grassroots efforts) 5. Placing teams in international markets Pro Sport Leagues' International Focus: Broadcasting • Visual images are easily exportable commodities. • Access to television and internet increasing at rapid rate • Major corporations now own major media outlets in countries throughout the world. • Case Study: ESPN International • Leagues often rely on actual game broadcasts and also utilize highlight shows to build an audience. • Case Study: 2012 NFL Super Bowl televised in180 countries Pro Sport Leagues' International Focus: Licensing and Merchandising • Sport leagues are increasingly using the sales of logo merchandise as a means to increase league popularity overseas. – Especially with increase in online shopping • Team-logo merchandise provides people with a means to identify and associate with favorite teams. • Sale of licensed merchandise serves as a promotional vehicle for the team or league. Pro Sport Leagues' International Focus: Exhibition and Regular Season Games • People in different countries have the opportunity to witness the sport "live." • Examples – NFL has played exhibition games outside the United States since 1986 and plays 1 regular season game on foreign soil. – MLB has Opening Day series in Japan every year and opened season in Australia in 2014. – NBA has had exhibition games overseas since 1988 and plays regular season games overseas. Pro Sport Leagues' International Focus: Marketing Foreign Athletes • • • • Decrease in barriers as more top players play in top professional sport leagues in the world Presence of foreign players has enabled professional leagues to increase popularity overseas. Case Study: NBA had 84 international players from 37 countries on rosters during 2012−2013. Exposure aided by the rise of satellite television and increasing exhibition games held in foreign countries featuring some of these foreign stars Pro Sport Leagues' International Focus: Sport Tourism • Increased ease and convenience of international travel have brought increase in international sport tourism. • Three types of sport tourism: 1. Travel to participate in sport activity 2. Travel to view a sport activity (led by groups structuring trips, see Barmy Army, etc.) 3. Travel to visit sport hall of fame, stadium, or museum 4. Travel to volunteer at sport events Pro Sport Leagues' International Focus: Sport Tourism (cont.) • Benefits to host destination driving blending of sports and tourism: economic gain, social benefits for community, generation of tourism for megasport events, and holidays to increase involvement in sports – Now common for cities to compete fiercely to host Olympics to justify sport facility expenditures and enhance sporting profile of country Pro Sport Leagues' International Focus: Grassroots Programs • Programs and activities undertaken to increase sport participation and interest in a particular international region • Focused on two areas: – Increasing participation – Educating people about the specifics of a particular sport • Long-term popularity and interest can be achieved only when there is a knowledgeable fan base and a significant number of participants Pro Sport Leagues' International Focus: Sport for All • International movement that seeks to promote mass participation in sports without discrimination • Purpose is not competition, but participation for participation's sake • Sports viewed as both a human right and a key component to healthy lifestyle • Seeks to involve all sectors of population regardless of age, gender, social or economic distinction, or physical or mental ability • Advocated by IOC and UN Pro Sport Leagues' International Focus: Sport For Development and Peace • Use of sport as a tool to promote positive social change (Beutler, 2006) • This broad area of international sport is referred to as sport for development and peace (SDP). • Objective: Use of sport to educate youth, to provide leadership opportunities, and to bring communities together to help others less fortunate Pro Sport Leagues' International Focus: Sport For Development and Peace (cont.) • SDP programs can be divided into several categories based on their primary purposes, including: – – – – – – Peace-building Post-disaster response Empowerment of girls and women Sport for persons with disabilities Health, education, and economic development Career development Olympic Movement: Olympism • A philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will, and mind • Conceived by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, on whose initiative the International Athletic Congress of Paris was held on June 23, 1894 • There the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was constituted as the supreme authority of the Olympic Movement. • The Olympic Games provide a space where countries from around the world can unite through a shared interest in festival and sport. Olympic Movement: History • Began in 1896 in Athens, Greece • Prior to 1980s, focused on amateur sport • 1984 LA Olympic Games marked turning point for commercial involvement; over $200M in profit • Amateurism dropped for 1992 Barcelona Games • "Celebrate Humanity" begun in 2000 to highlight Olympic ideals • Olympic Games returned to Athens in 2004. – Now included 200+ nations, 300+ events, billions of viewers worldwide Olympic Movement: International Olympic Committee (IOC) • Governmental, nonprofit organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland • Olympic Charter: Codification of fundamental principles, rules, and bylaws adopted by the IOC • IOC has final authority on all questions concerning Olympic Games/Olympic Movement • Governed by its self-selected members, who make up three bodies: – The session – The executive board – The president Olympic Movement: National Olympic Committees (NOCs) • Organized regionally • Responsible for developing and protecting the Olympic Movement in their respective countries, in accordance with the Olympic Charter • Authority to designate cities that may bid to host Olympic Games in their respective countries • Example: USOC includes: – Officers – An executive committee – A board of directors Olympic Movement: Organizing Committees (OCOGs) • An Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) is formed when a city is awarded the Games. • Example: ROCOG is the committee for the 2016 RIO Olympic Games. • The OCOG is responsible for planning, implementing, and staging the Games, including the following duties, among others: – Venue construction – Athlete accommodations – Accreditation and security Olympic Movement: Organizing Committees (OCOGs) (cont.) • OCOG duties: – Logistics (medical services, protocol, technology, tickets, transportation, operations) – Host broadcasting and communications – Finances and risk management – Government relations – Volunteer services – Sports competition Olympic Movement: International Federations (IFs) • Nongovernmental, international governing bodies recognized by the IOC to administer one or more sports at the world level and encompassing organizations administering such sports at the national level • Each IF sanctions international competitions and establishes its own eligibility rules for the sport(s) it governs. Olympic Movement: National Governing Bodies (NGBs) • Organizations governing a specific sport in each country • NGBs approve and sanction competitions open to all athletes in its country. • NGBs set national policies and eligibility standards for participation in their respective sports. • NGBs are responsible for training, development, and selection of Olympic teams in their respective sports. Paralympic Games • Introduced in 1960 in Rome • Where the world's elite athletes with physical disabilities compete • Wide variety of athletes: Amputees, wheelchair athletes, the visually impaired, dwarfs, athletes with cerebral palsy, and athletes with spinal cord injuries • Challenge: Raising money to cover operating costs – Not governed or funded by IOC Career Opportunities • Sport marketing agencies • Professional sport leagues • Sport Mega Events and International Sport Competitions • International Sport Federations • National Sport Confederations • Sport for Development and Peace • Sporting Goods • Corporate Sponsors • Organizing Committees for Olympic Games • National Olympic Committee • Paralympic Committee Current Issues: Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity • When selling products overseas, some degree of adaptation to the local or regional culture is necessary. – Example: Nike tailors the presentation of its products to the markets it serves. • A lack of cultural awareness can negatively affect efforts of companies sponsoring international events. Current Issues: Foreign Student-Athletes in the U.S. • Colleges began recruiting older student-athletes who had prior experience with international teams. • NCAA implemented rule whereby a student-athlete loses a year of eligibility for every year that studentathlete competes after his or her 20th birthday. • This rule has not had dramatic effect on recruitment of foreign student-athletes because participation of foreign student-athletes is on the rise. Current Issues: Marketing the Olympic Games − Broadcasting • Broadcasting rights account for 47% of all Olympic revenue, representing billions of dollars. • Olympic Movement Strategy: – Increase broadcast revenue while avoiding market fluctuations – Establish long-term rights fees contracts with profitsharing to provide more programs and improved global coverage – Forge stronger links between sponsors, broadcasters, and Olympic family to promote agenda that goes beyond games Current Issues: Marketing the Olympic Games − Sponsorship • Olympic Partner Program – Pay for official sponsorship for four years • NOC Sponsorship Program – Target domestic sponsorships • OCOG Sponsorship Program – Finds own sponsors – Needs approval from IOC and NOCs Current Issues: Doping • The deliberate or inadvertent use by athletes of banned substances or methods that may enhance performance • 1999: World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) created • International cooperation among countries allows worldwide standard of definitions and procedures, replacing isolated and disjointed efforts by individual governing bodies – Provides testing and education, funds research, and conducts athlete outreach Summary • Today, more than ever, corporations, sport leagues, and sport governing bodies are attempting to increase their popularity and revenues in international markets. • Technology greatly enhances the ease with which sport managers can introduce their products to foreign markets. • Both corporations and professional sport leagues are attempting to improve the global appeal of their products, and to do so they must hire people with experience in international sport management.


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Who better than a past hotel guest to give you some first-hand insight into what you can expect at your chosen accommodation? If you want access to some true insider's knowledge drawn from the experience of the true experts (the holidaymakers), check out the reviews of many of our customers who've been there, done that and judged the quality of the hotels and resorts we at The Holiday Place offer as part of our holiday packages.
All the reviews you will find below are from genuine past guests who have stayed at the hotels and resorts described below. Have a read through them to get a true picture of what awaits you at your chosen destination and learn from the experiences of other travellers just like yourself.
It was my mom & dad's 60th birthday. The hotel done our food table up fantastic. Everything about this holiday was fantastic. As a family we enjoyed every minute.
Wonderful peaceful and friendly resort.......I do hope the staff are well looked after by management as we were by them!
Bathroom a little bit shabby. All inclusive cocktails vey limited and poor quality. Extra money for decent cocktails a bit steep. Not a 4 star.
great for relaxation
Talk to a specialist
Call 020 7644 1755 to speak with our award-winning travel consultants.
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As I noted in my last post, I recently started working full-time. Unfortunately, my body is still adjusting to going to bed early and waking up at the buttcrack of dawn. This has resulted in a lack of sleep.
It seems like every time I start to become sleep-deprived I catch a cold, no matter how healthy my diet is.
Sleep is so, so, SO important. Lack of sleep leads to weight gain, stress, imbalanced hormones, a messed up metabolism, and case-in-point, sickness! I made it through the entire winter perfectly healthy, but as soon as I started losing sleep I caught a cold. Talk about a bad trade-off.
Now that I'm fighting a cold, here's what I've been doing to support a quick recovery:
– Trying to sleep as much as I can! Since I have to wake up around 6:30 a.m., I try to be in bed by 10 p.m. Our bodies have an amazing way of repairing themselves, and much of that is done while we're asleep. When we curtail sleep we're robbing our bodies of their ability to fight for us.
– Cutting down on sugar & loading up on whole foods! Sugar suppresses your immune system. When I'm sick, I try to avoid any extra work my body has to do to maintain my homeostasis. This way, my cells & immune system can focus on keeping me healthy. Avoiding processed foods and choosing whole foods like vegetables, fruit and plant-based proteins seems to help! (I'm not a vegetarian, just an FYI…)
– Drinking fluids! Water, tea and coffee are my staples. As far as vitamin C, I choose whole oranges over processed OJ. I read somewhere that the manufacturing of OJ adds chemicals that make it less-than-ideal to drink; not to mention the concentrated sugar & lack of fiber. I also have a theory that your body absorbs nutrients better when the food is closest to its natural form.
– Resting! I've been keeping it pretty low-key at home…
– Exercising! …Except when I'm on my treadmill! No, it's not a paradox; light exercise is thought to help your immune system. (But always listen to your body – if you don't feel up to it, then don't do it.)
– Taking PM cold medicine! I am anti-pharma to a degree, BUT I do take pain relievers and cold medicine in moderation. I don't think cold medicine removes the cold quicker, but where's the harm in making the symptoms more bearable? It also helps my breathing while I sleep.
And something I wish I hadn't done:
– Take generic airborne! Drug Mart brand, to be exact. I can't say for sure whether it was the 'borne or my lunch, but my stomach felt like death! Seeing how I frequently eat the same thing for lunch, I think it was the medicine…
How do you prevent or fight off the common cold??


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Silver bells. Mistletoe. A miniature sleigh with eight tiny reindeer.
Familiar cliches surround us at the holidays, and many have found their way into our seasonal decorating.
When December arrives, even the most elegant homes can easily get infiltrated by tacky tree ornaments and plastic snowmen.
"Everybody has a lot more Christmas stuff than they want," said interior designer Brian Patrick Flynn, founder of decordemon.com. We tend to keep all the items we have gotten as gifts or inherited as hand-me-downs, because only Scrooge would toss a tree-topper in the trash.
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Besides, we tend to unpack all those decorations tucked away in closets and attics quickly, and set them out with little time to rethink the way we decorate for the holidays.
Don't have time to brainstorm a new look this year? We've asked Flynn and two other designers how to create holiday glamour at home without the cliches.
Be a tough editor
"Less is more," said Betsy Burnham of Burnham Design, in Los Angeles. Use just some of your decorations each year, just as an art curator might display only part of a collection at one time. If you put out fewer items, she said, "each thing you use to decorate will mean more."
And don't feel obligated to decorate every room.
"One of my rules is there really should only be one 'holiday room' in the house," Flynn says. Put a few decorations in your entryway, where they are visible from the street and to arriving guests. Then concentrate on the room where you spend the most time.
"We get caught up in who's coming over for Christmas, but that one day everybody comes over is a small fraction of the time these decorations will be up," Flynn said. So decorate where you will most enjoy it.
Play with your palette
Your holiday decorating stash probably is heavy on traditional red and green. For a different look, try altering the palette by using only your red and cream pieces, or only the green and gold. Or try "doing it all ivory and white, with some plaid," said Burnham.
You also can inject fresh style by bringing in new shades. Ornaments can be inexpensive, so try using all the silver and white pieces you have, then adding new ones in violet or hot pink. Those shades look sophisticated and festive, Flynn says.
He also suggests adding shades of brown with purple or deep red to balance "the femininity of garlands and bows."
HGTV.com blogger Erinn Valencich loves using retro-inspired ornaments in "lime green, burnt oranges, turquoise and even a bit of fuchsia." These colors look great against a white artificial Christmas tree. Another option is "using spray-on snow" to create a whiter background on a green tree, Valencich says.
If the holidays without lots of red and green seems like heresy, try using those colors in unexpected shades -- say, a holiday table in lime green and deep cranberry. Burnham likes using "a really dark, British racing green, with a brick red or a warm brown-red."
"With all the glitter that comes with holiday decorating," Valencich promises, "it's going to feel like Christmas" even if you don't use the standard red and green.
Focus on winter
Holiday decor takes on a fresh look when it's focused on celebrating the season, so think snowflakes rather than Santa.
"I like a nod to the holidays," Burnham said, but "then have a couple of elements that really stand for winter," such as pine branches, birch logs and chestnuts.
A holiday table set with white dishes and white linens evokes snowy winters.
Use presents, cards as decor
Let the wrapping you choose this year bring a new look to your decorating. Assuming you can get the gift wrapping done early, Valencich suggests buying three different papers that you love, then "using the gifts to decorate the house."
"Pile them on an entryway table with some hurricane candles next to it," she said, "or on a side table in the corner of the living room."
Pretty wrapping can be inexpensive (try plain brown paper with luxurious plaid ribbons) and "you get to unwrap your decorating" as you give gifts.
Another idea: Repurpose last year's holiday cards as new ornaments by cutting them into circles and triangles with crafting scissors that give a beveled edge. Hang them on the tree with ribbon.
For this year's cards, string a length of twine just a few feet below the ceiling "like a Z from one wall to the other," Flynn said, "then take clothespins to attach the cards onto the line."
Using "old clothespins, maybe with paint on them," he says, gives "more of a Charlie Brown Christmas look" that can bring a bit of irony to a room that's otherwise traditionally decorated.
Unexpected shapes
"Think about the classic shapes and do something different," Burnham said, such as skipping the wreath in favor of a cluster of pine branches on the front door.
Rather than using a lot of round ornaments on your tree, try hanging small wooden animals or other trinkets found around your home. "Fill in with the shiny balls," she said, "rather than starting with them."
"With the tree toppers, I usually don't put a star or angel," Valencich said. Last year, when decorating a tree for actress Jaime Pressly, she used "huge feathers, tied to the top of tree," to create a dramatic topping. It's simple, she says: You can "wire them up there or use some ribbon to tie them."
Of course, one person's cliche is another's beloved tradition. There is no need to jettison your favorite items. You can include "the classic stuff people love," Burnham said, but you may want to keep it subtle.
"Maybe the answer is using candy canes on your table, but just candy canes," she said. "Not candy canes and Santa and stars and the rest of it."


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|You are in: Americas
Sunday, 4 August, 2002, 14:15 GMT 15:15 UK
Firefighters reached WTC crash zone
Firefighters who perished in the south tower of the World Trade Center on 11 September climbed almost 30 floors higher than previously believed, a tape of emergency radio transmissions has revealed.
Four people who have heard the recording said at least two firefighters reached the fiery crash site on the 78th floor.
The 78-minute tape was discovered in the rubble months ago but could not be played until fire officials and relatives signed a confidentiality agreement.
The agreement was requested because the tape may be used as evidence in the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, who is accused of helping to plan the attacks.
Moussaoui, who faces the death penalty, admits to being an al-Qaeda member but denies involvement in the 11 September attacks.
Officials had thought that fire crews did not get beyond the 50th floor in either tower.
Families listen
The voices of at least 16 firefighters have been identified on the recording, and their families were invited to listen to the tape on Friday after signing agreements not to reveal content relevant to the Moussaoui trial.
"I didn't hear fear, I didn't hear panic," she told The New York Times.
"When the tape is made public to the world, people will hear that they all went about their jobs without fear, and selflessly."
See also:
03 Aug 02 | Americas
03 Aug 02 | Americas
07 Mar 02 | Science/Nature
24 Sep 01 | Americas
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Internet links:
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
Top Americas stories now:
Links to more Americas stories are at the foot of the page.
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Cboe's Media HubSM was designed specifically for today's working press. Information is organized by topics on which Cboe offers unrivaled expertise, including:
Besides links to frequently used resources, Cboe features numerous daily and weekly video market reports - including activity in Cboe's VIX Index market and Weeklys options. Each provides up-to-date information for financial reporters.
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The large salad bar is overflowing with salads and condiments, made with ingredients from the Scandinavian kitchen's treasure trove. Our chefs have prepared a variety of barbecue delicacies on the large castle barbecue. For our young guests, our chefs have prepared all their favourite dishes.
Step into the Castle and let the fantastic setting, delicious food and beautiful damsels give you an experience fit for a king.
Worth knowing
- Allergen information is available at the restaurants/sales outlets.
- Your dog is allowed in the ourdoor areas of the restaurants, but not in the restaurants in LEGOLAND. Certified assistance dogs are excepted.
- Open during weeks 24-33 and October 12-20.
- We reserve the right to close the restaurant for private parties.


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Ossur Flex Sport Ligament Knee Brace
Out of the box and onto the field, the Flex Sport is the first ready-to-fit brace to offer fine tuned fitting. Flex Sport was developed using state-of-the-art laser scanning technology for an anatomically-contoured, ready-to-fit frame that is perfectly suited to lean, athletic legs. The Flex Sport's "second skin" fit conforms to the subtleties of the athletic leg like no other off-the-shelf knee brace.
- Total support system for ACL, MCL, LCL, PCL, rotary and combined instabilities.
- Rigid frame helps control flexion/extension, insures accurate application and is durable for both sports and everyday activities.
- Extension blocks(0-10°, 10-20°,20-30°,30-40°).
- Precision Accutrac hinges.
- Anterior tibial strap for precise hinge depth location and tibial control.
- Pivoting buckles enable proper strap placement above gastoc muscle.
- Simple, 4-strap design allows for quick application and removal.
- Flex Sport is indicated for more lean, athletic leg.
- Flex Sport is available only in White clear carbon.


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Previous Fragment Next Fragment
- Start of Business
- Indigenous Affairs: Reconciliation
- D'Emden, Mr Peter
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Funding
- Education: Funding
- Workplace Relations: Blue Ribbon Products
- Bronte Surf Life Saving Club
- Fowler Electorate: Support for Children with a Disability
- Iraq
- Charlton Electorate: Morisset Community Festival
- Thredbo: Telecommunications Infrastructure
- Health: Gene Sequencer
(Crean, Simon, MP, Howard, John, MP)
Iraq: Sanctions
(Jull, David, MP, Vaile, Mark, MP)
(Crean, Simon, MP, Howard, John, MP)
Economy: Performance
(Elson, Kay, MP, Costello, Peter, MP)
(Crean, Simon, MP, Howard, John, MP)
Transport: Driver Education
(Baldwin, Robert, MP, Anderson, John, MP)
(Crean, Simon, MP, Howard, John, MP)
Education: Funding
(Cadman, Alan, MP, Nelson, Dr Brendan, MP)
(Crean, Simon, MP, Howard, John, MP)
Workplace Relations: Small Business
(Secker, Patrick, MP, Abbott, Tony, MP)
(Macklin, Jenny, MP, Howard, John, MP)
Trade: Free Trade Agreement
(Kelly, De-Anne, MP, Vaile, Mark, MP)
Prime Minister
(Roxon, Nicola, MP, Howard, John, MP)
Drought: Assistance
(Hull, Kay, MP, Truss, Warren, MP)
(Crean, Simon, MP, Howard, John, MP)
- Governor-General
- Iraq
- Iraq
- Immigration: Asylum Seekers
- Iraq
- Iraq
- Iraq
- Communications: Australian Broadcasting Authority
- Wallalong: Postcode
- Immigration: Asylum Seekers
- Immigration: Asylum Seekers
- Environment: Kangaroos
- Immigration: Asylum Seekers
- Immigration: Asylum Seekers
- Family Services: Child Care
- Iraq
- Taxation: Income Tax
- Australian Defence Force: Military Compensation Scheme
- Medicare: Logan City Office
- Telstra: Privatisation
- Australia Post: Services
- Iraq
- Family Services: Child Care
- Medicare: Bulk-Billing
- Iraq
- Iraq
- Immigration: Asylum Seekers
- Shipping: Nuclear Armed and Powered Vessels
- Immigration: Asylum Seekers
- Environment: Climate Change
- Insurance: Medical Indemnity
- Environment: Kyoto Protocol
- Iraq
- Medicare: Bulk-Billing
- Family Services: Child Care
- Iraq
- Iraq
- Procedural Text
- Environment: Parks, Conservation Areas and Reserves
- Supported Employment Sector
- Alice Springs After-Hours General Practice
- Australian Labor Party: Policies
- Bendigo Electorate: Freak Storm
- Health: National HIV-AIDS Strategy
- Information Technology: Internet Service Providers
- Environment: Murray River Irrigation System
- Veterans: National Service Medal
- Paterson Electorate: Raymond Terrace Courthouse
- Environment: Water Management
- Paterson Electorate: Centenary Medal Recipients
- Budget: Fuel Excise
- Makin Electorate: Centenary Medal Recipients
- Lowe Electorate: Solar Power Station
- Robertson Electorate: Work for the Dole Project
- Adjournment
Australian Taxation Office
(Thomson, Kelvin, MP, Costello, Peter, MP)
Australian Taxation Office: Superannuation Guarantee Contributions
(Jackson, Sharryn, MP, Costello, Peter, MP)
Aviation: Passenger Ticket Levy
(Ferguson, Martin, MP, Anderson, John, MP)
Taxation: Bankruptcy Laws
(Murphy, John, MP, Williams, Daryl, MP)
Taxation: Bankruptcy Laws
(Murphy, John, MP, Williams, Daryl, MP)
Australian Taxation Office: Penalty Tax
(Emerson, Craig, MP, Costello, Peter, MP)
Office of the Employment Advocate
(Jackson, Sharryn, MP, Abbott, Tony, MP)
Taxation: Income Tax
(Murphy, John, MP, Costello, Peter, MP)
Taxation: Bankruptcy Laws
(Murphy, John, MP, Williams, Daryl, MP)
Taxation: Bankruptcy Laws
(Murphy, John, MP, Williams, Daryl, MP)
Taxation: Bankruptcy Laws
(Murphy, John, MP, Williams, Daryl, MP)
Taxation: Bankruptcy Laws
(Murphy, John, MP, Williams, Daryl, MP)
Taxation: Bankruptcy Laws
(Murphy, John, MP, Williams, Daryl, MP)
Taxation: Bankruptcy Laws
(Murphy, John, MP, Williams, Daryl, MP)
Employment and Workplace Relations: Program Funding
(Grierson, Sharon, MP, Abbott, Tony, MP)
Taxation: Bankruptcy Laws
(Murphy, John, MP, Williams, Daryl, MP)
Member for Paterson: Electorate Office Accomodation
(Baldwin, Robert, MP, Abbott, Tony, MP)
Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry
(Murphy, John, MP, Abbott, Tony, MP)
Aviation: Airservices Australia
(Ferguson, Martin, MP, Anderson, John, MP)
Electruck Pty Ltd: Workers Entitlements
(Price, Roger, MP, Abbott, Tony, MP)
Charlton Electorate: Program Funding
(Hoare, Kelly, MP, Downer, Alexander, MP)
Charlton Electorate: Program Funding
(Hoare, Kelly, MP, Vale, Danna, MP)
Charlton Electorate: Program Funding
(Hoare, Kelly, MP, Nelson, Dr Brendan, MP)
Immigration: Refugees
(Rudd, Kevin, MP, Downer, Alexander, MP)
Foreign Affairs: Pakistan
(Crosio, Janice, MP, Downer, Alexander, MP)
Local Government: Grants
(Vamvakinou, Maria, MP, Tuckey, Wilson, MP)
Family and Community Services: Child-care Assistance
(Vamvakinou, Maria, MP, Anthony, Larry, MP)
Ministerial Correspondence
(Jackson, Sharryn, MP, Howard, John, MP)
Environment: Endangered Species
(Causley, Ian, MP, Kemp, Dr David, MP)
Australian Broadcasting Ccorporation: Relocation
(Danby, Michael, MP, McGauran, Peter, MP)
(Murphy, John, MP, Vale, Danna, MP)
(Murphy, John, MP, Vale, Danna, MP)
Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry
(Murphy, John, MP, Costello, Peter, MP)
Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry
(Murphy, John, MP, Abbott, Tony, MP)
Australian Electoral Commission
(Hall, Jill, MP, Abbott, Tony, MP)
Australian Electoral Commission
(Hall, Jill, MP, Abbott, Tony, MP)
National Roads and Motorists Association: Annual General Meeting
(Andren, Peter, MP, Howard, John, MP)
- Australian Taxation Office
Page: 14937
Mr McMULLAN (7:08 PM) —I rise to speak on Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2003-2004. The budget we are about to begin debating here in the parliament, the public has, in an economic sense, stopped debating. The budget was an economic non-event but it may well mark something of a watershed in Australian politics. The government would have you believe this was a steady as she goes budget, the big features being the tax cut and a few other measures to do with security, health and education. However, this budget is about much more than that. Both the government and the opposition have had much to say, in the budget speech and in the reply delivered by the Leader of the Opposition, about Medicare and about tertiary education. While the subject matter was the same—Medicare and tertiary education—the approaches were significantly different. That is why this budget has the potential to be a watershed: it demonstrates more starkly than any other budget for many years the political choices facing Australia.
The government's budget and the opposition's reply demonstrated that there are clear and important differences between the parties—differences both in our immediate policy prescriptions and in our underlying values. This budget demonstrates clearly the choices and priorities of each side of politics. It presents clear choices and priorities for Australian voters, and for that reason it has sharpened the edge of political debate between the parties and in the community in Australia. In some ways that is a very healthy development, although the manner in which it was brought about by the government has been a cause of some concern.
One particular aspect of this budget that I want to focus on today is that this is a budget that betrays the battlers. The Prime Minister's most famous boast used to be that he would look after the Aussie battlers. It was a mantra that he thought showed his common touch and his concern for ordinary Australians. He does not make this boast anymore; we have not heard it for a long time. There is no wonder about that. The Prime Minister's betrayal of the battlers in this budget reflects his core beliefs about the role of government. The budget brings into the open an ideological agenda that has always been a core political belief of the Prime Minister but which, until recently, he has kept in the shadows.
This budget reveals that this government is pursuing an ideological agenda of shifting costs and responsibilities from government to individuals. One of the lessons that I think needs to be learnt from the assessment of and commentary on this budget is that people use the word `reform' very loosely these days. It is as if it is a synonym for change. Not all change equals reform. The changes to Medicare and to higher education—and they are significant changes—are not reform. Reform carries with it the implication of improvement and progress. These are definitely changes, but they are a long way from being reforms.
The consequence of the agenda that the government has outlined is deeply disturbing. It undermines a crucial value that has traditionally been very strong in Australian society: the value of fairness. This budget confirms that under this Prime Minister most Australian families are getting less and less help from the government for services once considered an essential part of the government's role. The biggest losers, across the broad range of policy issues, are working families earning more than $30,000 a year. These Australians are the backbone of the economy—the nation is built on the backbone of their hard work. They aspire to a better life for themselves and particularly for their children. It is a cruel hoax for the government to pretend to be interested in them when it betrays their interest at every turn. Their losses are driven by an insidious pattern to the Howard government's policy changes. In many key areas of this budget, most importantly in health and education, the government is withdrawing support and transferring the burden to families.
The bills we are dealing with tonight translate the main spending decisions announced in the budget into law. They do this by appropriating money from the consolidated revenue fund for the business of government. The opposition, of course, will not oppose the bill—we have never opposed appropriation bills. It is strangely ironic to hear the Prime Minister talking about Senate obstructionism. He is the one person in this parliament who was associated with and supported the proposition, while a member of parliament, that the then opposition should use its numbers in the Senate to block supply. That in the same career he could say with equanimity, `I support the right of the Senate to block supply but I am opposed to it defeating any of the legislation I put forward,' is the high point of something for which there is a well-known Australian phrase—which is unparliamentary—that means you say one thing but you do another. Mr Deputy Speaker, there is a well-known word for it but I do not think you would allow me to use it—but every Australian knows what it is. We will not be exercising that double standard. We will not be opposing the bill. However, in the light of the criticisms I have mentioned, we will be moving a second reading amendment. I move:
That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:
"whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House condemns the government for:
(1) Its obsession with shifting the cost of health and education from the budget to Australian families;
(2) Imposing higher costs of doctors visits on families without concession cards and a 30 per cent hike in essential medicine prices;
(3) Allowing HECS fees to rise by 30%, introducing a loan scheme with a 6% interest rate and doubling the number of places reserved for full fee paying students;
(4) Its cynical attempt to distract the public from these higher costs by offering miserly tax cuts of $4 a week for the average family;
(5) Its failure to address the complexity of superannuation and its determination to offer super cuts only to the wealthiest families;
(6) Its willingness to deliver tax cuts to corporate Australia while imposing a record tax burden on Australian families;
(7) Its failure to protect the superannuation savings of Australian families by protecting them from corporate greed;
(8) Its decision to hire yet more tax officials rather than take steps to ease the BAS compliance burden on small business; and
(9) Its failure to provide leadership on environmental issues and in particular its failure to address water reform".
In moving that second reading amendment on behalf of the opposition, I want to focus for a while on this issue of the budget betraying the battlers. In speaking to the National Press Club on this matter last week, I outlined several important ways in which the budget betrayed the battlers. I will refer to them briefly on this occasion. Most damaging of all are the changes to Medicare. The budget demonstrates that the government's goal is not reform of Medicare but Medicare's destruction. The government's Medicare changes will make most Australians pay three times for their health care: by paying a Medicare levy, by purchasing private health insurance and then by paying every time they see a doctor. By contrast, the measures announced by the Leader of the Opposition in his budget reply speech aim to staunch the wound created by the government's changes. More importantly, they are the first step towards Labor's long-term objective of saving Medicare—starting with the goal of lifting the average national rate of bulk-billing back to 80 per cent, the level at which it stood when the Howard government came to office.
The changes to higher education in the budget will further shift the burden of paying for education from the government to Australian families. As a result of the massive increase in HECS fees already made prior to this budget under the Howard government, Australian families are paying $900 million more this year towards higher education than they were in 1996. Yet the government's main idea for increasing funding to Australian universities is to make students and their families pay even more.
The tax cuts offered in this budget will disappear in the blink of an eye. The significance of the tax cuts is only that they provide clear evidence that John Howard and Peter Costello felt the need to respond to the widely accepted fact that they run the highest-taxing government in history.
The budget papers also reveal that the Prime Minister's much-touted baby bonus is a flop. The baby bonus was the centrepiece of the government's family policy in the 2001 election. When it was introduced last year, the baby bonus was expected to provide $335 million in assistance to families in its first two years, but the budget papers show the estimated benefit from the baby bonus in its first two years has slumped to $230 million—that is, 31 per cent less than expected and $105 million less in support for families than was promised. It appears the fall has occurred because substantially fewer women than the government originally estimated have taken up the baby bonus. This is not surprising. The baby bonus, after all, provides the biggest benefit to those who need it least and fails to provide financial support when it is most needed, and the average baby bonus payment is only $680 per year—or less than $2 per day—which is less than one-third of the amount paid to the most well-off. The poor take-up of the baby bonus is yet another sign of the government's mistaken priorities. The so-called Howard battlers on low to middle incomes have been hit from all directions by the budget, and they certainly will get very little benefit from the baby bonus.
All those reasons are reasons we put on the public record on budget night and last week. Today I want to outline a couple more areas where the budget betrays the battlers. Firstly, I will go to the issue of golden handshakes. The revelations last week about the payout to former BHP Billiton chief executive Brian Gilberston, which could total as much as $50 million, highlight the government's failure to take steps to impose constraints on excessive executive payouts. The opposition leader in his budget reply speech outlined our proposal to end tax deductibility for businesses for the portion of a redundancy payment that exceeds $1 million. The government has been performing the most amazing contortions in seeking to justify its inaction on this issue. We had, for example, the Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer, Senator Coonan, at the weekend in a television interview saying that it was moving into `dangerous territory' to use the tax system to dissuade companies from making excessive payments to executives.
Unfortunately, apparently nobody has told the Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer that her government, the government of which she is a member—and the tax system for which she has responsibility to this parliament—has for seven years retained a law introduced by the previous Labor government which denies tax deductions to companies making excessive contributions to superannuation. That is good policy and it is appropriate that the government should continue it, but how can the Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer say that denying tax deductibility to excessive golden handshakes is a dangerous precedent which should not be pursued but continue to deny it for excessive superannuation payments? If it is all right to limit tax deductions for excessive contributions to superannuation, what is wrong with limiting tax deductions for other golden handshake retirement payments?
Bizarrely, in that same interview, Senator Coonan applauded the action of shareholders in British company GlaxoSmithKline, who voted to reject an executive pay deal. I agree with her that that was a good decision. But she seems to be unaware that her government, through the portfolio of which she is an office holder, has rejected amendments moved by the Labor Party here in Australia that would have allowed Australian shareholders the same opportunity as the shareholders of GlaxoSmithKline. She thought it was a terrific idea for shareholders in the UK, but she voted against it in Australia. There is only one conclusion to be drawn: the budget betrays the battlers on golden handshakes too.
Let me turn to the very important issue of jobs, because another way the budget betrays the battlers is, when properly analysed, through its gloomy prognosis of the outlook for employment. There is a disturbing warning within the budget figures of the risk that unemployment will rise above current levels of around six per cent. The level of jobs growth usually follows changes in the growth of the economy, which is what you would expect. But statistics indicate that it usually occurs with a lag of around a year—about 12 months after growth slows, you see the consequential slowing in employment. The budget forecasts that non-farm GDP will grow 2.75 per cent in 2003-04, with no fall in unemployment. The budget unemployment forecasts do not go out beyond 2003-04. However, an analysis of the statistics suggests that there is a serious risk that the economy will follow the usual pattern of employment slowing in the year after a slowdown in economic growth. If this occurs, unemployment is likely to rise above six per cent in financial year 2004-05.
There are warnings not in the budget but in commentaries about and subsequent to the budget that the outlook could be worse still than the budget predicts. The budget forecasts are based on the assumption that the Australian dollar will remain at a value of US60c on average over the year. But a Macquarie Bank research report last week argued that the recent rise in the Australian dollar is becoming an increasingly important risk to growth. Macquarie Bank warns that a sustained 10 per cent rise in the dollar could directly cut economic growth by around half a percentage point. This is because the stronger dollar lowers the return received by exporters and increases prices of imports. If that happens, employment growth is likely to be weaker still than that already implied in the budget forecasts.
Yet the government seems to have no appreciation of this serious risk. If non-farm GDP were to fall by half a per cent to 2.25 per cent, that would not be sufficient growth to sustain unemployment at its current level; 2.25 per cent non-farm GDP would not be sufficient to prevent unemployment from going up. Yet the government seems to have no appreciation of this serious risk. The Treasurer recently on a TV interview dismissed the prospects of employment falling below about six per cent. He seems to have given up on that goal. He seems equally unconcerned about the prospects of it rising higher. That is why on jobs, as in so many other areas, this is a budget that betrays the battler.
Let me speak briefly about Labor's approach to budget policy. Of course we recognise the crucial importance of sound macroeconomic policy—this is the first of what I call the four foundations of sound economic management. Achieving low inflation and low interest rates will be a critical goal for a Labor government. As part of this, we will maintain our commitment to the golden rule of balancing the budget over the economic cycle. As an opposition we have been rigorous in demonstrating, in the lead-up to every election, that we will meet that golden rule. We have done this by providing full costings for all our promises. I have challenged the Treasurer from time to time to come up with any of the savings which we outlined in the Leader of the Opposition's speech on the last sitting Thursday that he believes will not be able to be delivered in full and on time. He has not responded because he knows that all the numbers are the government's numbers, straight out of the budget papers.
Over the four years to 2006-07—that is, the forward estimates period—through redirecting specified parts of the government's Medicare package, opposing the reduction in the superannuation surcharge, not proceeding with the government's changes to public sector superannuation and not proceeding at this stage with the proposed changes to business tax, the opposition have identified $2,884 million of savings—almost $3 billion of savings. And we will achieve further savings by reallocating the unfair and failed baby bonus, which the government has said will ultimately cost more than $500 million a year. This money will go to families, but in a fairer and more efficient way. I have already challenged the Treasurer to find in these figures any saving that is not achievable in full on the timetables we have specified. But of course there has been no reply because, as I said, he well knows that all the figures come from his own budget papers.
That list of savings is not only important in itself; it also demonstrates the opposition's preparedness to make tough savings decisions. More than $3 billion of savings is only the beginning of our effort in identifying our better priorities; there is a lot more to come. Let no-one be in any doubt about our determination to run a sound and sensible budgetary policy and our willingness to make the tough decisions—sometimes the unpopular decisions—to achieve those outcomes. Let no-one be in any doubt either of our determination to do so in a way that redirects the budget priorities to those abandoned in this budget: working families—the battlers that John Howard has abandoned, the battlers that this budget has betrayed.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER (Hon. L.R.S. Price)—Is the amendment seconded?
Ms Livermore —I second the amendment.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER —The original question was that this bill be now read a second time. To this the honourable member for Fraser has moved as an amendment that all words after `That' be omitted with a view to substituting other words. The question now is that the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the question.


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Missing Thai students' rented car found at bottom of cliff in US national park
national August 01, 2017 16:57
By The Nation
18,049 Viewed
Authorities in the US have found the rented car of two Thai students that plunged into a canyon in Kings Canyon National Park in California, but they could not reach the site of the crash due to strong river currents and steep cliffs, said Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Busadee Santipitak on Tuesday.
The Thai Consulate General in Los Angeles has contacted local authorities involved in investigating the accident and has been told that the California Highway Patrol is using all available means to retrieve the vehicle, she said.
The disappearance of Thiwadee Sangsuriyarit and her friend was revealed by Methinee Meeluea, a Facebook user, who posted on Facebook that Thiwadee, or "Min", and her friend rented a car to visit Kings Canyon National Park but she had lost contact with her since July 26.
Thiwadee's sister alerted US police that she had gone missing during her road trip to the park. The police then searched for her by helicopter and found the vehicle, which had plunged over a 150-metre deep cliff, leaving half of the car submerged in water.
However, they could not locate Thiwadee and her friend, who was identified only by her nickname "Golf".
Methinee asked other Facebook users to pray for the pair's safe return.
Methinee said the accident appeared to take place on Freeway 180 on the way to the park.
Busadee told a press briefing that the site where the car was found had strong water currents and challenging geographical conditions that made it difficult to reach.
"The site is deep down a cliff and the water there rises fast and the current is very strong," she said.
Thai Consul General Tanee Sangrat will meet police on Wednesday to coordinate the search for the students.
The spokesperson said that the families of both students were travelling from Thailand to the US.
The Consular Affairs Department has issued a letter of recommendation for the families to help facilitate their entry to the US, she said.


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At Vacances Sous Voiles in the British Virgin Islands, Hanse yachts in a range of sizes make up the lion's share of our rental fleet. We also have model yachts at the Willsboro Bay Marina on Lake Champlain.
If you would like to take a yacht out for a spin, VSV offers you several options. Whether you want to rent a yacht, with or without a crew, in the Virgin Islands, take a short test cruise at sea or on Lake Champlain, or simply take a quick tour of your dream boat, please get in touch with us. It will be a pleasure to share our passion for these yachts with you. Knowledgeable VSV sales consultants can show you the ropes and suggest a yacht best-suited to your expectations and needs.
If you do decide to follow your heart and take the plunge, we can offer you various ownership programs that include crediting you for the cost of the test cruise.


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Benefit of DB and Info Gathering Techniques
Benefits of a Database and Information-Gathering Techniques
July 27, 2013
I am being interviewed by ACME Global Consulting services as a potential new employee to its growing work force of world-class systems analysts and requirements engineering group. Through a tip, I found out that they will be asking several questions relating to planning for a new database for one of their national restaurant chains. I found out that one of the executives at the restaurant chain only believes in using Microsoft Excel for running reports. For this assignment I will be focusing on 3 main topics. First, I will describe the benefits of using a database management system and how it supports this restaurant chain. Second, I will propose how I would address the issues with flat file systems, such as Excel and Text files, for storing data. Lastly, I will list and describe three tools, techniques, or methodologies for eliciting and documenting requirements related to the development of a new database. So, as you see, you have your plenty of things to get ready for. A Database Management System (DBMS) is the software system that allows users to define, create and maintain a database and provides controlled access to the data provided by your database administrator(s). DBMS is an intermediate layer between programs and the data. Programs access the DBMS, which then accesses the data. There are different types of DBMS ranging from small systems that run on personal computers, corporation window servers, large mainframes, etc. Let's look at some of the benefits from have a DBMS. 1) Controlling Redundancy: In file system, each application has its own private files, which cannot be shared between multiple applications. This can often lead to considerable redundancy in the stored data, which results in wastage of storage space. By having centralized database most of this can be avoided. 2) Integrity can be enforced: Integrity of data means...
References: Baron, Robert A., & Kalsher, Michael J.(2008). Introduction to Psychology Third Custom
Edition taken from Psychology: From Science to Practice, Second edition. Major Subfields of Psychology Table 1.2. 11, 50.
Please join StudyMode to read the full document


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Caterpillar spending $7.6 billion on Bucyrus mining equipment
In an effort to expand the company, equipment manufacturer Caterpillar is going to purchase Bucyrus mining equipment. Caterpillar currently manufactures everything from big machines to diesel engines. The purchase of Bucyrus will help Caterpillar expand into the mining equipment industry.
The business of Bucyrus
Far from a household name, Bucyrus is a mining-equipment manufacturer. Based in South Milwaukee, Wis., Bucyrus employs just less than 7,000 people and did about $2.65 billion worth of business in 2009. It manufactures equipment to be used in both surface and underground mining for coal, gold, copper and other high-value minerals around the world. Bucyrus equipment has been used to dig everything, up to and including the Panama Canal.
Caterpillar's offer for Bucyrus
Bucyrus has been on an expansion kick for the last few years. In 2007 and 2010, Bucyrus made deals with DBT GmbH and Terex Mining. Bucyrus is a publicly owned company, and stockholders will be getting $92 a share from Caterpillar. This is about 30 percent above what Bucyrus stocks were trading for at the time of the purchase. This $7.6 billion dollar deal will be financed with equity, debt and available cash via a corporate-sized payday loan no faxing. Caterpillar is relying on the "cheap financing" from low interest rates available in banks.
What the Bucyrus/Caterpillar deal means
The deal between Bucyrus and Caterpillar is orchestrated in such a way that Caterpillar may be able to take advantage of the growing business of mining and the world's heavy appetite for metals, rare-earth minerals and mined products. While one-third of the business of Bucyrus is sales of their products, two-thirds includes after-market parts and services. In short, Caterpillar will be expanding into a major growth industry. This will also help vertically integrate Caterpillar — meaning the company will not only provide the trucks and big equipment for mining sites but the equipment that will be pulling minerals out of the ground.
Wall Street Journal


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Houston Intercontinental Airport, 24 April 2008
The agenda for this meeting is given as Appendix 1. It was agreed that we would begin at 8:00 am with agenda item 1 and continue with items in order until the majority of participants had to depart. These notes briefly describe the discussion/conclusions relative to the agenda items.
- Method for improving inter-RA communications.
- The informal contacts between the IT staff of CaRA, GCOOS-RA, and SECOORA are working well and should be continued.
- Exchange names of key education and outreach (E/O) persons between CaRA, FLCOOS, GOMA, SECOORA, and GCOOS. Then have regular exchanges of E/O information and/or products. There also was discussion of the possibility of forming a national COOS E/O communication forum through NFRA.
- RA leaders should identify modelers working on specific models within their RAs. Then modelers working on the same or similar model should be encouraged to exchange ideas.
- There have been three IOOS projects on storm surge inundation in SECOORA and a tsunami inundation model in CaRA. The key players should be encouraged to caucus to decide on how to make results more visible (and so potentially usable).
- GCOOS-RA will approach GOMA to determine possible interest in a workshop for ecosystem modelers. CaRA and SECOORA would be involved in any such workshop.
- Each RA should invite representatives from the other RAs and from GOMA to major annual or semi-annual meetings. This would be in lieu of regular inter-RA meetings.
- Procedures for developing joint pilot projects and proposals for funding.
- Nowlin reviewed the GCOOS approach to developing pilot projects and support and the status of that effort. There was agreement that one approach to be followed will be to identify pilot projects of common interest to the three RAs (perhaps including GOMA) and pursue funding mechanisms. By 1 July 2008 each RA will provide brief descriptions of a series (say six to twelve) pilot projects of interest. Potential pilots mentioned include:
- Extension of aggregation and distribution of beach quality data to southeast. University of South Carolina has a potentially useful modeling effort. It was suggested that Paul Sandifer and/or Jay Grimes might be able to quantify the value of such a project to make the economic case for such a study.
- A pilot project to suggest approaches on how to (1) serve and archive model output and/or (2) deal with legacy data such as historical data or measurements and products not collected in real-time for the Gulf of Mexico; maps of marine mammals and endangered turtles in the Gulf based on legacy information from NMFS and MMS and real-time observations from the oil and gas industry.
- Pilot to consider and prepare rip current predictions–perhaps for display on weather.com.
- Possible participation of SECOORA and CaRA in the pilot Regional Operations Center being pursued by GCOOS-RA.
- Develop possible pilot projects for Education and Outreach.
- We need to identify foundations with potential interest in ocean observing or its subelements such as effects of climate change, public education and outreach, or environmental assessment. It was mentioned that SURA may have recently completed an identification of interests of foundations, and it was suggested that we might approach and work with SURA.
- A suggestion was made that RAs offer special memberships to a broad range of stakeholders for a very limited (say ten to twenty-five dollars per annum) membership fee. In return when that member accesses the RA website s/he will be directed immediately to the information s/he has specified to be of interest. A non-profit status would be needed. The benefits of this approach might include:
- Increase of individual memberships;
- Assistance with identification of stakeholder priorities;
- Provide stakeholders information they desire; and
- Broaden the base of support for the RA.
- Nowlin reviewed the GCOOS approach to developing pilot projects and support and the status of that effort. There was agreement that one approach to be followed will be to identify pilot projects of common interest to the three RAs (perhaps including GOMA) and pursue funding mechanisms. By 1 July 2008 each RA will provide brief descriptions of a series (say six to twelve) pilot projects of interest. Potential pilots mentioned include:
- DMAC Standards and delivery of products
- There was considerable status review and discussion of common vocabularies and building a catalog. Upcoming workshops to these ends were discussed and support was solicited from the NOAA IOOS Program Office. A workshop to create a common dictionary that will serve interoperability will likely be held in August-September 2008.
- There were no decisions made regarding new products or product delivery except for suggested pilots. One suggestion was that each RA should maintain an inventory of its assets as an ongoing product.
- A data hub is a data aggregation point. SECOORA has three hubs: University of South Carolina, University of North Carolina, and USF. The USF hub is to be the exchange point with GCOOS-RA and CaRA. SECOORA has its DMAC plan on web site and will share information regarding what is needed for a hub. It was suggested that all RAs have back up data hubs.
- Interactions with federal agencies.
After some discussion, the consensus seemed to be that the direct RA interactions with local representatives of federal agencies is working, although sometimes it is time consuming. It was agreed that the RA need greater visibility with the agencies.
- Education and Outreach activities.
Most of our information is delivered via web sites. It was suggested that we might tailor pages on our web sites to specific user groups, e.g., a page with links to information believed useful to recreational boaters. Further, rather than just providing a link to a web site where a useful product (say surface waves) might be found, the link should be directly to the product believed to be useful. Other ideas discussed were to consider (1) whether inter-regional COOS programs should have similar E/O web designs with comparable information; (2) whether there is value in the development of common outreach materials on selected subjects; and (3) how much interpretive information and product customization is needed or appropriate.
We did not discuss agenda items 6 and 7.
Appendix 1:
Inter-RA (CaRA, GCOOS-RA, SECOORA) Meeting
24 April 2008
Houston, TX
Representatives from the three RAs have agreed on the priority in which potential agenda items will be discussed. We will begin with agenda item 1 and work through as many as feasible in the allotted time: 0800 to 1500 hr.
|Methods of improving regular communication between our RAs
|Exchange contact information for people in our regions working on specific issues, i.e., outreach, coastal weather forecasting, improving resiliency to inundation, surface current nowcasting and forecasting, etc. [The willingness of individuals to be listed would need to be obtained in advance of exchanging this information]
|Agreement on times and venues for future inter-regional meetings.
|Ideas for marketing–new sources of funding; Procedures for developing joint pilot projects and proposals
|Discuss procedures used to select proposals in response to calls for proposals. Then agree on procedures for exchanging information early in the cycle to determine whether joint proposals would be desirable.
|Share information on potential/developing pilot projects.
|Common brochure, bookmarkers, posters, other hand-outs (possibly some for sale?)
|Experimental sub-system with interconnections between Caribbean, GOM, and SE Atlantic for NSF? Ecosystem?
|Foundations/Trusts? (e.g., E/O aspects)
|DMAC Standards and Delivery of Products.
|Construction of a machine accessible catalog of available near real-time data. Participants will explore the way forward toward building a catalog which will accept a machine request (constrained by x, y, z, & t, and parameter) and will return a list of data access points (URLs and methods). This goal contains several required elements.
|Data providers must post an accurate current list of available data. This task has been initiated within the scope of the IOOS Regional Observation Registry Project. The Inter-RA participants should discuss strategies to ensure that providers meet the "accurate & current" requirements of a useful catalog.
|Mapping data provider parameter names to a common dictionary. The practical solution to the problem of locating similar parameters that are named differently by different data providers is to create a translation service. At some point, humans will have to compare terms and establish how terms are related – the rest can be automated. There are computer-based tools to aid this process and to record the outcome in machine usable form. The Inter-RA participants will discuss the selection of a common vocabulary and the possible avenues for getting the human-provided input to the mapping process.
|Building the catalog. The catalog itself needs to be built. Catalogs are a needed in so many disciplines. So it's not surprising that standards-based catalogs are being discussed in many groups including the Open Geospatial Consortium. Will it be standards-based? If so which one? Even community agreements can be defacto standards. Given our resources who will actually build it? Should this activity be promoted to the NOAA level? The Inter-RA participants should discuss the way forward for building this catalog.
The Inter-RA group should discuss product formats–clearly drawing from the SECOORA experience as GCOOS and CaRa are not producing a lot of products at the present time.
|What do users want? GIS-compatible, web pages, pictures formatted for smart-phones?
|Do users want to construct their own suites of overlays or are canned products best?
|Are users interested in Dash-board presentations?
|Do users want subscription services (RSS or other), data/product push or data/product pull?
|Data Hubs
Discuss establishing
hubs and coordinating their activities USF will be one of SECOORA's hubs and be charged with coordinating with GCOOS.
|Interactions with federal agencies
These is the need for collective interaction with federal agencies; their regional boundaries do not align with our boundaries.
|Education and Outreach Activities
|Design and maintain similar Education and Outreach web designs or at least include comparable information.
|Develop common outreach materials on selected subjects
|Common newsletter with outreach information?
|Creative E/O funding sources with joint projects
|Discuss how to integrate COSEEs into our E&O efforts
|Promote poster ideas as done in SEACOOS
|Need for international coordination
|Sharing technology
|HAB sensors
|HF radar
|Wave measurements


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First one is none other than Siberian beauty queen Maria Sharapova. Tall, blonde, elegant with amazing body. The only pitty is that we lately haven't seen much of her because of injury.
Our next suggestion is another Russian cutie, this time under name of Anna Chakvetadze. Anna has some ups and downs in her tennis game but she definitely always looks hot when playing.