Unusual, Weird & Interesting Scholarships

Many students believe that they won’t be eligible for scholarships unless they’re the valedictorian or a star athlete or got a perfect score on their SAT. What these students don’t realize is that today there are scholarships for almost any skill or unique quality you can think of. You no longer have to break the state track record or win a national science fair to get money for college. Now you can earn scholarship money simply for having an unusual hobby or distinctive trait, for anything from knitting to being left-handed and from duck-calling to being interested in space and science fiction! Take a look at these weird, interesting, and fun scholarships we found and remember that applying for scholarships, just like the whole college admissions process, isn’t about being the world’s most perfect student but about highlighting your personal strengths and abilities.

Scholarships just for being you:

Tall Clubs International (TCI) Scholarship  This scholarship is for those who have always been asked to get things down from the top shelf. Tall Clubs International (TCI) offers a $1,000 scholarship for tall people, the Kae Sumner Einfeldt Scholarship. Women who are at least 5’10” and men who are at least 6’2” are eligible. Candidates must be under 21 years old and plan to attend college in the fall.

Little People of America Scholarship By contrast, The Little People of America scholarship is an award given to future and current students who are 4?10? or less in height attending a college or vocational school. Prizes range from $250 to $1,000—sometimes more. Although one does not have to be a little person to apply, the greatest preference is given to LPA members who have been diagnosed with a form of dwarfism. Students with dwarf-diagnosed family members and those who demonstrate financial need are also given preference.

Scholarship for Left-Handed Students For those in the company of greats like Albert Einstein, Picasso, and Jimmi Hendrix, Juniata College offers the Frederick and Mary F. Beckley Scholarship of up to $1,000 for left-handed students.

Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship Do you delight in finding new ways to cook tofu? Do your parents roll their eyes at your “meat is murder” bumper sticker? If so, you might be eligible for the Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship. High school seniors who promote vegetarianism in their schools and communities are eligible to win one of the group’s two $5,000 scholarships.

National Beef Ambassador Program For those fonder of big macs than veggie burgers, a few lucky award winners will get the chance to represent the beef industry, and will receive a college scholarship. The National Beef Ambassador Program (NBAP) is a speech and interview competition for students between the ages of 16 to 19. Winners can earn between $250 and $2,500.

Twins Who Don’t Mind Seeing Each other for 4 More Years Several schools offer scholarships for twins: Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia, waives tuition for one twin when both enroll, Lake Erie College in Painsville, Ohio, offers half-off tuition for each twin, Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, has 45% discounts available on tuition for female twins only, Carl Albert State College in Oklahoma offers the Paula Nieto Twin Scholarship, George Washington University in Washington, DC gives a 50% discount for the second sibling, Randolph-Macon Women’s College in Lynchburg, VA gives a 15% discount, Sterling College in Kansas offers a 50% discount for each twin, and West Chester University of Pennsylvania offers the Bonnie Evans Feinberg Scholarship for twins.

Last Name Scholarships A number of schools offer scholarships for students with particular last names. The Zolp Scholarship is restricted to students at Loyola University in Chicago who are Catholic and whose last name is Zolp. The good news is, the scholarship provides full tuition for four years; the bad news is, have you ever heard of anyone named Zolp? Texas A&M University pays full cost of attendance at for anyone whose last name is Scarpinato by birth or marriage. The John Gatling Grant provides scholarships for students who were born with a surname of Gatling or Gatlin to attend NC State University. The scholarship provides up to $9,000 for in-state students and $18,000 for out-of-state students. The Van Valkenburg Memorial Scholarship awards $1,000 to students with the Van Valkenburg name or a similar variation . Even Harvard University has several scholarships based on the student’s last name, including Baxendale, Hudson, Thayer, Downer, Bright.

Money for that unique hobby you never thought would pay off:

Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest Students who can quack their hearts out for 90 seconds using four calls: hail, feed, comeback and mating and can win big ducks, I mean, bucks for higher education (we couldn’t resist a least one bad pun). Seriously though, The Duck Calling Contest awards $1,500 to the best duck-calling high school student. The first runner-up receives $500, the second $300 and the third $200 in scholarship money.

Patrick Kerr Skateboard Scholarship Now how to land a kickflip? Could you do Ollies in your sleep? The Patrick Kerr Skateboard Scholarship awards one $5,000 and three $1,000 scholarships to skateboarders who are high school seniors with a GPA of 2. 5 or higher on a 4. 0 scale and submit an essay on how skateboarding has had a positive impact on their lives. Recipients must enroll as a full-time undergraduate at an accredited college or university the fall after high school graduation.

Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contest In our first scholarship for sci-fi enthusiasts, student authors and artists can submit science fiction stories and/or illustrations to be considered for this award of up to $4,000. An entry consists of three black and white works illustrating a science fiction or fantasy story with no recurring theme. Entries may not have been previously published. Should the artist win the Illustrators Contest with their first entry, he is then sent a story from the companion L. Ron Hubbard Writers of The Future Contest for which to render an illustration. This illustration then becomes his or her entry in the yearly Grand Prize competition. Three winners are selected each quarter and are awarded $500 each; the yearly Grand Prize winner is awarded $4000.

American Welding Society Scholarships Student welders familiar with trade skills such as allied joining, brazing, soldering and thermal spraying are eligible for this scholarship. The American Welding Society Foundation offers numerous scholarships to students interested in welding-related education or training programs. Award sizes depend on the scholarship.

SPAACSE Scholarships The Society of Performers, Artists, Athletes and Celebrities for Space Exploration, Inc. (SPAACSE) offers two $1,000 scholarships: The SPAACSE Galaxy Music Scholarship for graduating high school seniors who are pursuing an interest in space music as a means of expressing the beauty and inspiration of the universe and The SPAACSE Liliane Webb Art Scholarship for graduating high school seniors who have an interest in space art. . The music submission must be recorded on either a cassette or CD and should be 4-6 minutes in length. Candidates for the art scholarship must provide an original two-dimensional space artwork to be considered for this award. Candidates must also include a 1-2 page description of prior artistic and other school activities and awards.

Knitting If you know the different between a knit stitch and a purl stitch and your friends make fun of you for having a grandma-hobby, you may be able to get scholarships. The American Sheep Industry Association sponsors four scholarships for applicants who submit a sample of an article of clothing they created completely with wool. Philadelphia University also offers the Bernard Steur Scholarship for textile engineering students with an interest in knitting. Also, The National Make It Yourself with Wool (NMIYWW) competition awards $2,000 and $1,000 scholarships for knitting wool garments. Winners are selected based on the appropriateness to the contestant’s lifestyle, coordination of fabric/yarn with garment style and design, contestant’s presentation, and creativity.

David Letterman Telecommunications Scholarship Because David Letterman was a C student at Ball State University, he established a scholarship at his alma mater that is awarded to telecommunications majors based strictly on the creativity of a submitted project, rather than a student’s GPA. The awards are intended for average students who nevertheless have a creative mind. Projects may involve a variety of media, including written work, research, audio, video, graphics and film. The winner receives a $10,000 scholarship. The first runner-up receives $5,000. The second runner-up receives $3,333.

Aspiring Children’s Television Stars Similarly, The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences awards three $10,000 scholarships annually in the name of the late Fred Rogers (yes, Mr. “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood” Rogers) to college students pursuing a career in children’s media.

Rodeo At last those lasso skills can rope you some money. Institutional awards, like Colorado State University’s rodeo scholarships, are usually reserved for students on the school’s rodeo team. Private awards, like the San Angelo Rodeo Scholarship, give students more flexibility in their college choice, but often have other requirements, like county of residence.

Puppetry The Connecticut Guild of Puppetry offers the Margo Rose Scholarship for students involved in puppetry who wish to attend the National Puppetry Conference. The American chapter of the theatre organization Union Internationale de la Marionette, offers scholarships for students with experience in puppetry to study at the Institut Internationale de la Marionnette in Charleville-Mezieres, France. Since puppetry degree programs are rare, most scholarships in this field are for private programs or for puppetry studies within a theatre arts department. Pinocchio would be proud.

Chess Chess stars could turn their winning moves into money for college. Several colleges, including Texas Tech University, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and the University of Texas at Dallas, offer promising chess players up to four-year, full-tuition scholarships. The United States Chess Federation provides information on chess tournaments and available chess scholarships, both college and privately-sponsored. Casual chess players, be warned, these scholarship programs are often very competitive.

Rugby Rugby may not be an official sport at most U. S. universities, but it can still help pay your college costs. Rugby scholarships are offered at New Mexico University, Texas A&M University, Saint Bonaventure University and many other colleges. Playing rugby can also send you abroad. The Center for International Studies offers a rugby study abroad program for students to study for one or two semesters in Wellington, New Zealand and play in a local rugby club. A $500 scholarship is available to make this program more affordable. Check with USA Rugby for more rugby scholarships.

United States Bowling Congress (USBA) Scholarships Yes, bowling congress. And each season, bowling associations, councils, tournaments and proprietors offer over $6 million in scholarship money. Some of these programs include the Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow Award for $1,500 per year for three years, the Annual Zeb Scholarship for $2,500, the Alberta E. Crowe Star of Tomorrow for $1,500 per year for three years, the Youth Ambassador Award for $1,500, and the Gift for Life Award for $1,000.

Bagpipe Majors at Carnegie Mellon One of the least competitive scholarships in the U. S. —it’s not unusual for there to be zero applicants—is the Carnegie Mellon University Bagpipe Scholarship. It offers $7,000 per year to a student who intends to major in bagpiping. You even get a kilt subsidy.

Just plain unusual scholarships:

Duck® brand duct tape Stuck at Prom® Contest The Duck Brand Duct Tape Stuck on Prom Contest is open to students ages 14 years or older who are attending a high school prom in the spring. Entrants must enter as a couple and attend a high school prom wearing complete attire or accessories made from duct tape. The submission must include a color photograph of the couple together in prom attire. The winning couple gets $3,000 each towards college and some cash for their school to boot. Other prizes include $1,000 for second place, $500 for third, and Duck Tape sportswear for honorable mentions. The winning couple will be selected based on a variety of criteria, including originality, workmanship, quantity of Duck Tape used, use of colors, and creative use of accessories.

Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year (SAMMY) Award If you demonstrate excellence in academics, athletic performance, leadership and community service, and like to sport a milk mustache, this is the scholarship for you. Candidates must also be a resident of one of the 48 contiguous states or the District of Columbia. Each of 25 winners receives $7,500 in scholarship money, a designated place in the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex and a role in a USA Today Milk Mustache special.

Students for Organ Donation Youth Leadership Award Candidates of this awardmust have made a commitment to raising awareness of organ donation and transplantation. Selection is based on effectiveness, leadership, creativity and sustainability of efforts. Applications may be based either on a report of previous events that have successfully raised organ donation awareness, or a detailed and realistic plan to raise donor awareness. One or two $500 to $1,000 scholarships will be awarded.

Evans Scholars Foundation Scholarship Where would golfers be without their caddies? Not very far. For all of their help, caddies are finally being rewarded by the Evans Scholars Foundation. Each year, the Western Golf Association awards scholarships to more than 200 student caddies. Scholarship winners are required to reside in the scholarship house at each participation college. They must also demonstrate academic merit, financial need, exceptional character and, of course, a great caddie record.

Klingon Language Institute Award Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a Klingon-loving Trekky to apply. The Klingon Language Institute (KLI) awards this $500 scholarship award to one graduate or undergraduate student each year. The scholarship was created to encourage the study of and achievement in the area of language. Applicants must be nominated by a school department and must demonstrate academic merit. Submissions should include the nomination letter, two recommendation letters, a resume and a statement of future intent.

The National Candy Technologists Scholarship The American Association of Candy Technologists (AACT) awards a $5,000 scholarship to sophomore, junior and senior students who demonstrate an interest in confectionary technology. The award is paid in two $2,500 installments to winners who attend an accredited four-year college or university. Applicants must earn a 3. 0 GPA and be majoring in food science, chemical science, biological science or a related field, and, of course, be a bit of a chocoholic.

National Marbles Tournament Scholarship This isn’t your friendly game of marbles—this game is for keeps for the eight to fourteen-year-old players who compete. The King and Queen of Marbles (yes, that’s what they call the winners) will each receive $2,000, and, to calm things down a bit, a sportsmanship award of $1,000 will also be granted. The eight pages of rules, albeit in large child-like print, will show you just how serious these competitors are.

The Spirit of the Hiram College Hal Reichle Scholarship Here is some chicken soup for the college student soul. This scholarship is administered by the Secret Society of Serendipitous Service to Hal, otherwise known as SSSSH. Hal Reichle had a history of secretly surprising people with sweet gifts. He was a modern-day Santa Clause and SSSSH is convinced that Hiram College has more of them. It’s about time being nice got you some cash!

 

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Lotto Nonsense?

Lotto nonsense? By Mike L Anderson

I think it was at a church fete. I was around 12 years old. The game was darts. The board had red, green and white stripes. You could double your money if you landed on the correct stripe. I do not remember the bets. I do remember winning and winning big – for a kid, then. I began with coins and ended with notes. It was exhilarating. A small crowd gathered around and cheered me on. People love a winner.

Would you like to know the secret of my success? The trick is to choose the best game and strategy out of the many available. Consider national lotteries. Do they enable people to pass poverty by or do they pass poverty on? It is not enough to point out that they create millionaires and give to charity. To know what is going on, one has to see the big picture and for that one has to do the numbers.

Bad games

Consider the slot machine or so-called one-arm-bandit with its spinning wheels. Whether this is a good game or not turns on what is known as the “expected value. ” It is a very important concept in gaming. Think of it as the long run average (Endnote 1). A game in which your total winnings equal your total losses has an expected value of zero and is called “a fair game. ” Bandits are designed to give an average expected value of something less than 0. In the long run, players as a group will always lose. Casinos do actually want some to win – but only in the short term. Winning or seeing others win means you will come back to lose in the long term.

Long can be really long. I have written a freeware computer simulator to speed things up. It is called The Freudian Slot Machine (see the accompanying screenshot) and is available on my website (www. mikelanderson. com). Instead of pressing a button countless times, just one key press gets the computer to do thousands of bets per minute. You can watch your pile of money oscillate smaller and bigger and smaller and smaller and then vanish completely. It takes a few minutes to lose 1000 simulated bucks. To lose this amount of real bucks at a casino would take five or more hours of non-stop play (Endnote 2). The one-arm-bandit is a bad game. It is a supremely effective way to waste time and money – for the gambler.

For the casino, the slot machine is a supremely effective way to get money. A Las Vegas casino owner candidly put it this way, “When we put 50 machines in, I consider them 50 more mousetraps . You have to have a mousetrap to catch a mouse”(Endnote 3). Another Las Vegas owner said, “If you wanna make money in a casino, own one” (Endnote 4). Billionaire and owner of several casinos, Donald Trump, who knows a thing or two about making money, said, “Frankly, the idea of risking hard-earned money on the toss of the dice or the spin of the wheel seems slightly ludicrous to me personally” (Endnote 5).

Why don’t casinos design quick slot machines like my simulator? Human psychology. We remember the occasional win far better than innumerable losses (Endnote 6). They distribute the pain over time and we feel it less acutely. The trouble with slot machines is that the losses are not “human-sized. ” Unlike a gun-toting bandit, the peril of the one-armed variety takes time and casinos go to a lot of trouble to sugarcoat the peril. Hurrah’s casinos track player’s losses and before they reach the predicted point at which the players will not return for more, a “luck ambassador” is sent to steer the players towards a pleasant diversion (Endnote 7). My simulator, in contrast, gives a quick whammy of reality. You only need to play it a couple of times to be put off slots machines for life.

Perhaps there is a better game out there?

Is the national lottery better or worse? Imagine a lottery that sells only four tickets at one buck each. The person with the winning ticket gets two bucks (the payoff). In this case there is a 0. 25 probability of winning 2 bucks. On average a person can expected to receive (0. 25 X 4) = 50c for every buck spent. The expected value is -50. This imaginary lottery is a waste of time and money.

In real lotteries, you get the same bad expected value ((Endnote 8). Real lotteries are also a waste of time and money. In fact, as bad as one-arm-bandits are, they have a far better expected value than state lotteries. People go for lotteries because all the attention (especially by advertisers) is focused on the payoff while nothing is said about the expected value. Indeed advertisers will encourage you to buy two tickets to double your chance of winning. How many appreciate that the poor expected value remains exactly the same? Lotteries are big on hype and small on mathematical explanation.

Professor of mathematics, Ian Stewart, says that the lottery “is a tribute to public innumeracy”(Endnote 9). A person playing Lotto every week can only expect to win the jackpot about once every quarter of a million years. The expected value is so low because the chance of winning is so low. For the South African National lottery the probability of winning the jackpot is about 1 in 14 million (Endnote 10). According to the National Safety Council, an American getting killed by lightening in a given year is more likely (about 1 chance in 6 million) (Endnote 11). If this is so, I hear someone ask, why do we hear so many reports about lottery winners and so few about lightning victims? Human psychology again. The former is of so much more interest to people than the latter(Endnote 12).

You do not have to wait a quarter of a million years to see the big picture. Download my freeware lottery simulator called Lotto Nonsense? In just a minute you can see the effect on your pocket of playing the lotto for ten years. It enables you to compare spending your money on a lotto ticket or putting it into an interest-bearing savings account instead. I have written another freeware lottery simulator called Lotto Loot? that tracks the effect of a lottery on a community. In this simulation you can manipulate many variables such as the propensity of people to play the lotto, the expected value, the number of balls and the size of the community. It demonstrates that Lotto players get poorer compared to those that save despite the occasional winners and despite being the recipients of the charity raised by the very lottery they played!

Unless they make a mistake, whatever the game of chance, the house or the bookmaker has the advantage over the player. This is why it has been said that, “A racehorse is an animal that can take several thousand people for a ride at the same time. ” This is why journalist Jeffrey Bernard said, “In most betting shops you will see three windows marked “Bet Here,” but only one window with the legend “Pay Out”" (Endnote 13). And it is why Jack Yelton said, “There is a very easy way to return from a casino with a small fortune: go there with a large one. ”

The worst game

From a Christian point of view, examining the payoff and the expected value is far too narrow. There are other more important things to consider. Take freedom for instance. Would winning a game give one more freedom? Dolores Macnamara won 77 million pounds on the Euromillions lottery. Death threats and kidnap plots have forced her and her children into hiding. All her children have been fitted with a personal alarm (Endnote 14).

Or consider being rich towards God. The trouble with winning the lottery is that many people have to lose money they need for you to win money you do not. And it is the very poorest that lose the highest proportion of their income. The National Prevalence study of gambling and problem gambling in South Africa for 2006 found that lowest income regular lottery players spent 7 percent of their income on the lottery compared to 1 percent for high-income regular lottery players (Endnote 15).

When governments promote both the Lotto and numeracy one has to ask whether they are innumerate themselves or simply wicked. God takes a very dim view of those that exploit the weak. “Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them” (Endnote 16). States are culpable before God for making losers out of their citizens through national lotteries. They may improve their coffers, but will lose far more. Perhaps they will inherit a bigger crime problem. One study found that pathological gamblers are three times more likely to have been incarcerated than non-gamblers (Endnote 17). Another compared crime rates in United States counties with and without casinos. The former showed dramatic increases in aggravated assaults, rapes, robberies and other crimes (Endnote 18). Or perhaps they will inherit more suicidal citizens. Reviewers of the evidence found that between 13% and 20% of pathological gamblers have attempted suicide (Endnote 19).

Just a minute I hear someone say. Scripture says, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD” (Endnote 20). And did not the disciples of Jesus cast lots? (Endnote 21). What if I prayed before I gambled? It is true that God is sovereign in all things including the goings on in casinos. It is also true that the ancients gambled. But God never instructs us to follow this example. To pray to win the lottery is to pray that others will lose. “Dear Lord, help me to break even. I need the money” would be a better prayer. But the best prayer is, “Lord enable me to spend my money wisely. ”

From a Christian point of view, exploiting the weak is the worst possible game because not even death lets you off the hook. “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. . . . ” (Endnote 22). The worst game to play is to let others lose money so that you can win. At best you end up rich towards men and poor towards God.

Why do we play bad games?

Biologists suspect that our propensity to gamble may be because has some adaptive value in a variable, natural environment (Endnote 23). Taking risks opens up new environments and new resources. The trouble is that propensities that are useful in a natural environment can be maladaptive in an artificial one. Being attracted to light works for moths on moonlit nights, but became suicidal after the invention of the candle. Humans are attracted to slot machines like moths to a flame and casino owners are taking advantage of it. Don’t get down on yourself if you have struggled with gambling. Instead, confess to God what needs to be confessed. Remember that Jesus died so that all your sins could be forgiven. Try to understand what it going on and look for a better game that rises above mere primal urges.

A better game – how to never lose

The reason for my little bit of success at gambling has little to do with skill or luck. It has to do with my having negligible opportunity to gamble in my formative years and early adulthood. I won because I did not gamble long enough to lose. An even better strategy is not to start. Since casinos and state lotteries do not provide a fair game, the claim that “winners know when to stop” and “you cannot win if you do not play” is more than misleading. It is a lotto nonsense. The wise motto is, “you cannot lose if you do not play”. The way to stop losing is to stop playing. There is a much better game out there.

The best game

From a Christian point of view the best game is to lose so that others can win. Jesus Christ lost His life so that we could win ours. His example reveals a deep and inspiring truth. To live for God and others is to really live. As He said, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Endnote 24). You could do far worse than lose money from gambling – you could forfeit your soul. The trouble with gambling is that it denies the gospel. It focuses attention on self at the expense of others and for the here and now. How parochial are gambling diversions next to the grandeur of the gospel with its focus on God and others. Forget that piddly game called poker. How about joining a game that began in eternity? “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Endnote 25). Now that is a big game indeed!

Wait just a minute. If losing for others is such a good game, I should buy Lotto tickets because the National Lottery gives to good causes. By this argument, I should support tobacco companies because they give to charity. It is being softhearted and softheaded at the same time. One question to ask of a cause is whether and by how much the good outweighs the bad. It was in the context of giving (of oneself) that Jesus said, “Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Endnote 26). It is best to play the best game strategically.

Let us apply this criterion to the Lotto. According to the National Lotteries Board website, for the current seven year license an average of only 30 percent of lottery ticket sales will be contributed to good causes (Endnote 27). This is not a very efficient way of giving. Furthermore, you will have given up your freedom to decide exactly on the causes to which to give. And you may not agree with what the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund considers the best causes. It gives a greater percentage to sport and recreation than it does to reconstruction and development. In 2007 it gave more than one and half million rand to the Castle Military Museum (Endnote 28). And through the jackpot you would be helping to give the few more money than they really need. Does this match your priorities? The National Lottery is not the best way to win money or to give it away.

But, I hear someone say, you have made gambling look like school homework whereas it is meant to be entertainment. It is about the thrill of the risk and the unexpected reward. Indeed, research has revealed that people engage in risky behaviour such as gambling to escape boredom (Endnote 29). The researchers suggest a better way of pursuing excitement – find something to live for. It works. I recall hearing about a novel social programme. They took felons and trained them in dangerous search and rescue operations. Instead of the excitement of a bank robbery, there was the excitement of rescuing people from a precipitous cliff. A former robber explained that he gets a better adrenalin rush now that he is helping people.

Gambling short-changes people. It is big on promise, but small on delivery. It is unlikely, but at best there is only a monetary reward that is left behind when we enter eternity. Many people do not see the big picture. They are like the soldiers who crucified Jesus – looking down at the lots they cast for His clothes instead of up at Him dying for them (Endnote 30). A far greater thing was happening than their little game. If you see the big picture, how about helping another that does not? How about persuading someone to serve Jesus rather than a slot machine? Explain that ultimately, gambling ruins whereas God restores lives. Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full ” (Endnote 31). Because it involves souls, serving Jesus is far bigger than the national lottery. Decisions taken for Him affect heaven and earth for now and eternity.

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(c) Mike L Anderson – PhD Philosophy of Evolutionary Biology (Wits University). Mike develops educational resources and software and plays Starcraft.

Website: => Click here (wwww. mikelanderson. com) for freeware and articles

Notes

1. Bluman, A. G. (2005) Probability Demystified. McGraw-Hill, New York, p. 83. Formally, the expected value is the sum of the product of probabilities of the outcomes and the value of the outcomes. Ashline, G. & J. Ellis-Monaghan (2004) The lottery: A dream come true or a tax on people who are bad at math? Primus XIV (4): 303-314.

2. This is with an expected value of -14. With a better expected value it would just take longer – assuming a negative expected value.

3. http://ffbookmarks. com/ betting_ quotes. htm

4. http://www. iht. com/articles/2000/11/ 18/booksam. 2. t. php

5. Quoted in Goldberg, M. H. (1994) The complete book of greed. William Morrow * Co. , New York, p. 224.

6. Committee on the Social and Economic Impact of Pathological Gambling (1999) Pathological Gambling: A Critical Review National Academy Press, Washington, D. C. , p. 244.

7. Ayres, I. (2007) Super Crunchers: How anything can be predicted. John Murray Publishers, London, pp. 30-31.

8. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Lottery

9. Stewart, I. (1996) It Probably Won’t Be You,” Times Higher Education Supplement, April 12.

10. The probability of winning the 6 pick lottery can be calculated from the formula for combinations (nCr = n!/r!(n-r)!). With n=49 and r=6, nCr = 13,983,816.

11. http://www. nsc. org/research/odds. aspx

12. http://www. dartmouth. edu/~chance/ chance_news/recent_news/chance_news_12. 03. html#item7

13. Quoted in Viner, B. (2008) The set of odds that all gamblers ignore. The Independent http://www. independent. co. uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/brian-viner-the-set-of-odds-that-all-gamblers-ignore-782516. html

14. http://www. mirror. co. uk/news/ tm_objectid=16592986&method=full&siteid=94762&headline=lotto-millions-exclusive–the–77million-curse-name_page. html

15. The lowest income group earned less than R800/month. The highest income group earned more than R12000/month. http://www. responsiblegambling. co. za/media/user/documents/NRGP Prevalence Study 2006. pdf

16. Proverbs 22:22-23.

17. Grinols, E. L. (2000) Casino gambling causes crime. Policy Forum 13(2)1-4.

18. Grinols, E. L. & D. B. (2001) Mustard Measuring industry externalities: The curious case of casinos and crime. http://www. ncalg. org/Library/Studies and White Papers/Crime and Corruption/casinos_and_crime_grinols_mustard. pdf

19. Petry, N. M. , and C. Armentano (1999): Prevalence, assessment, and treatment of pathological gambling: a review. Psychiatric Services 50:1021-1027.

20. Proverbs 16:33.

21. Acts 1:26.

22. Hebrews 9:27.

23. McCoy, A. N. , and Platt, M. L. (2005). Risk-sensitive neurons in macaque posterior cingulate cortex. Nature Neuroscience 8: 1220-1227.

24. Matthew 10:39.

25. Ephesians 2:8-9.

26. Matthew 10:16.

27. http://www. nlb. org. za/nldtf. asp

28. http://www. nlb. org. za/upload/ AnnualReports/Annual Report 2007 . pdf

29. Gosline, A. (December 2007/January 2008). Bored? Scientific American Mind, 18(6), 20-27.

30. John 19:23-24.

31. John 10:10.

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How to Get Your White Sox Tickets and Enjoy the History of the Team

Fans are even ready to kill to get the White Sox Tickets. Based in Illinois, the Chicago White Sox are a Major League baseball team. The White Sox club was founded in Chicago in 1901. Today, they are a member of the Central Division of the American League. Their ball park from 1991 till date has been the U. S. Cellular Field [earlier known as New Comiskey Park]. White Sox wear the colors: black, silver, and white on their uniform. Their motto is ‘We are Chicago Baseball’. Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins are White Sox’s main rivals.

The Past Of The Team

Nicknamed “the South Siders”, “the ChiSox”, “the Go-Go Sox, and “the Black Sox”, the White Sox has a large fan following that buys White Sox tickets to watch every single game of theirs.

It was way back in the 1800s, that known as the Sioux City Cornhuskers; the White Sox played in the Western League. Year 1893 saw reorganization of the team and in year 1894, Comiskey transferred the team to Saint Paul, Minnesota, and renamed it as the White Stockings. The team adopted the shorter name of White Sox in 1904.

Following the ‘Hitless Wonders’ of White Sox in 1906, the team spent the next few years making a strong build up of players such as shortstop Buck Weaver, catcher Ray Schalk, and pitchers Red Faber Eddie Cicotte, and Reb Russell. With them, the White Sox went on to win the American League in 1917. A short time later, the White Sox lost the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds in 1919. This period also saw the team face investigation and penalties for fixed baseball games.

Through 1901 to 1920, the White Sox saw a lean period and did not contend for the Championships again until 1936. Paul Richards, Jimmy Dykes, Marty Marion, and Al Lopez succeeded each other as GMs and refurbished the team till the 1950s.

After 1950s, the team passed out of Charles Comiskey’s family to a new ownership group, led by Bill Veeck. A series of fan-friendly promotional stunts followed that lured fans into buying White Sox tickets. Minnie Miñoso, Luis Aparicio, Nellie Fox, Billy Pierce and Virgil Trucks continued to strengthen the team. The 1960s saw the White Sox relegated to the second place always as the Yankees continued to reign. In 1961, Veeck sold the team to Arthur and John Allyn.

Promotion Tactics Gave The White Sox A Facelift

In 1968-69, Bud Selig and the Allyn brothers signed a contract of nine home games at the Milwaukee County Stadium. That season, thousands of fans bought White Sox tickets to watch the White Sox home games. Year 1972 dodged the team with injuries to its players. Although Bill Veeck made a futile attempt to revive the White Sox in 1975 but by 1980, the Sox were looking for new ownership. Veeck sold the team to an ownership group headed by Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn.

The White Sox continued to slide back into mediocrity through the 1980s.

In the late 1980s, New Comiskey Park was built and the team shifted to this ballpark for their home games. Baseball lovers bought White Sox tickets to enjoy both the stadium and the game.

Bobby Thigpen, Frank Thomas, Alex Fernandez, Jack McDowell, Robin Ventura improved their team in the 1990s. The White Sox also played a Turn Back the Clock game in 1991 as a part of promotion. By year 2000, the White Sox managed to post a good record in the major leagues. A new marketing campaign, known as “Ozzieball” or “Grinderball” during this time also saw the fans buying White Sox tickets to watch all their games.

Fast forward a few more years, after getting a wild-card entry, the White Sox went on to defeat the World Series champions, the Red Sox. Though the 2006-2007 White Sox season has been doused by injuries, faithful fans are buying White Sox tickets. If you have not got yours till now, contact an online broker and get those White Sox Tickets to watch some fabulous baseball action.

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The Second Annual Combine Demolition Derby

“Oh, we have got to see this!”  It was an ad for the Hillsdale, Michigan County Fair.   The entertainment for the opening night was the Second Annual Combine Demolition Derby.   We could hardly stand it.   Long a fantasy of mine to demolish a ’73 Chrysler in a derby, the next best thing had to be seeing giant farm implements annihilating each other in the mud and dust of a county fair track.   Veronica, who grew up outside the farming belt was a bit confused, “Aren’t combines those machines that do something or other with crops?”   Oh yeah, they harvest crops, are extremely huge and this is gonna be great! Immediate Googling was needed for more information on Hillsdale and this wacky, must-see event.  

To make the pot even sweeter, we found out that Hillsdale is the town in Michigan that elected the 18 year old highschooler, Michael Sessions, for mayor and proudly proclaims themselves as home of “The Most Popular Fair on Earth. ” Sweet.   Not the biggest, not the best, not the oldest or even most famous, but the most popular.   Intriguing.

A bit more research, a few phone calls and we were on our way.   We arrived in Hillsdale, a charming little village with a Wal-Mart on the outskirts and more than half of their main street storefronts closed.   The décor of the town seemed to be flag draped with intense lawn ornamentation.   Hillsdale could possibly be the yard ball capital of the world.   And hey, who doesn’t love a good Victorian garden gazing globe? 

We checked in to our room at the Hillsdale Motel, a piece of Americana if there ever was one, complete with the marquee letter board that read “Anything Almost Right Is Wrong” and complimentary lawn chairs for watching the traffic go by on route 99.   Excited to get a bit of flavor before seeing the main event, we immediately headed off in the direction of the fairgrounds.  

Homemade signs directed us toward the parking area, run by a local church, in the cemetery. Wait, what?  Yup, graveside parking, right in the middle of the burial grounds, just 3 bucks.  

Inside the fairgrounds, folks were already lining up at the grandstand gate over an hour before the big event.   This was gonna be huge!  We got our tickets and joined the line so we could stake out the best possible vantage point.   With some fresh roasted peanuts and the obligatory county fair sausage, we were ready.  

The machines entered the arena for the judging, by applause, of  the “Best Decorated” and the $100 prize.   Competition was stiff with numerous great slogans lovingly spray painted across the sheet metal.   “We Eat Deere”, “Git ‘er Done” and “She Thinks My Combine’s Sexy” were among our favorites.   Tributes to sweethearts and sponsoring farms adorned them all, as well as some interesting color schemes. This also gave us some time to size up the drivers.   They were young, determined and very appreciative of their pit crews, standing on the sidelines with welding torches, extra parts and great ideas. The competition was over when The General Lee sounded his horn that blasted Dixie. Nothing fires up a crowd way up north in Michigan like a confederate flag festooned combine that plays Dixie.  

The rodeo-style announcer had the crowd count down to the green flag and they were off.   The site and sound of multi-ton, twelve foot high, thirty foot long heavy equipment monsters bashing head on at full throttle brought us and the entire crowd to its feet cheering and laughing.   Yes, laughing.   The crowd was caught up in a combination of awe and maniacal glee.   Holy crap!  It was great.   Even better than expected.   Combines are big, powerful, heavy machines that are made for harvesting grain in peaceful open fields, not for combat.    They have no natural enemies so their shells are thin and defenses weak.   The damage was immediate and extensive.   Tires shredded, parts flew off, entire axles were removed, all in a matter of seconds.  

After the initial carnage, it began to settle into a war of attrition.   According to the rules–yes, there are rules–there are two ways to be eliminated.   Either your machine is completely disabled or you are pushed out of the ring.   Clouds of diesel smoke filled the air as the survivors played out their strategies.   Once the smaller and weaker were thinned from the herd, it began to resemble sumo wrestling as the big boys settled into imposing their massive wills upon each other.   Sometimes a twosome would gang up to shove another out of the ring, then turn on each other with metal crunching ferocity.   As this stand-off phase proceeded, radiators burst and engines died smoky deaths.   A real treat for the senses, the grins never left our faces.   Amazing sights, sounds and especially smells–while standing a mere few dozen feet away from this pure mayhem.    By the end it took forklifts to drag off the carcasses.

The winning combine, initially purchased at a price upward of a hundred thousand dollars, was awarded $600. 00 and bragging rights for the year.   Certainly not doing it for the money, the winner was asked to give the crowd his thoughts on his experience in the derby. He pronounced it “A great alternative motorsport. ”

We have to agree.

David & Veronica, GypsyNester. com

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Is Your Weight Loss Program Failing You?

Copyright (c) 2008 Jason Zaretzky
Are you failing at your program, or is your program failing you? In today’s society it is a known fact that we have an obesity problem. The funny thing is that there is huge fitness craze going on as well. There are Health clubs and weight loss centers on almost every street corner and everyone I know currently does some form of exercise with the goal of losing weight. If diet and exercise is the answer to losing weight, and if the majority of the population participates in exercise, than why are we still fat?
Is it because people don’t have the discipline to follow a program? Are the people who can’t get results from these programs made differently than those who reap the benefits of diet and exercise? Maybe, Maybe Not! Or maybe it’s the current weight loss and diet programs that are failing us.
In a recent study 96% of all weight loss programs failed to help even those already fit lose weight and keep it off. The study also showed that 95% of all people who lost weight gained the weight back at an alarming rate.
In the media today you are bombarded with weight loss programs that are filled with BS and big promises to give you the ripped abs you’ve always wanted, or those trim buns, hips, and thighs never thought imaginable. These programs are backed with brilliant marketing ads and commercials to keep you confused, That’s their intention. They change the perception of their product to make you believe it’s something it’s not.
For example: Go to your local supermarket and grab a bottle of Slim-Fast (a proven weight loss drink). Now walk over to the beverage isle and pick up a Yoo-Hoo. Now compare the food labels of each one. Curious to see what you’ll find? I’ll tell ya! That can of Slim-Fast that guarantees to be the answer to all your weigh loss needs turns out to be nothing more than a more expensive version of your classic Yoo-hoo. The ingredients are primarily the same.
What about exercise? Another example: Summer time is around the corner and you have to have that beach ready body. You rush over to the store and pick up the latest edition of ‘muscle & fiction’ magazine. Right there on the cover in big bold red letters it states, “Ripped Abs in 15 days”. The media now has your attention and has you thinking that all you have to do is buy this magazine, perform the routine in this article for the next 15 days, and you will have an amazing set of washboard abs. So you begin the routine and after the first 5 days you see a whole inch come off your waist. However, on day 8 only ¼ inch, and by day 15 you find your waist measurement is right back to where you started without any chiseled six pack. Why is this? It was flawed technology. The program guaranteed results with exercise alone. They misled you into believing that all you have to do is the exercise program provided. But they lied. Exercise is only one piece of the puzzle.
Now that we know that it’s the flawed technology that has hindered you weight loss goals, let’s learn how to start getting real results with your program.
Here are my five no fail strategies that I implement into all of my clients fat loss programs:
1. ) In order to achieve the best and fastest results humanly possible, it is essential to incorporate what I call “supportive nutrition”. This does not mean going on the latest “fad diet” or going on the classic starvation diet. Supportive nutrition simply means that you have to eat to support your life-style and physical activity demands. Instead of counting calories or trying to stick a restrictive eating plan, try to consume a more balanced nutritional program that allows you to eat the foods that will support your daily energy demands and exercise goals.
Here are a few general guidelines;
Try to consume a meal every 3 – 4 hours
Drink ½ your body weight in ounces of water each day
Try to consume a protein, starchy and or fibrous carbohydrate carbohydrate, and a fat at every meal
Avoid simple sugars
Avoid / minimize saturated fats & Eliminate hydrogenated oils
Eliminate products made from flour (e. g. – bread, pasta, cookies, cakes, bagels etc. . . )
Take a multi – vitamin on a daily basis
Take 3-6 grams of fish oil/flaxseed oils daily
Try to consume 1-2 servings or more of green tea
2. ) Incorporate interval based cardio – I’m gonna stir gas into the fire on this one!
Long steady-state aerobic activity is counter productive for fat loss. Too much steady activity will do more harm than good with regards to fat loss. Let me explain. When you perform steady-state aerobics for extended periods of time you will increase metabolic rate (burn calories), and even burn a higher percentage of calories from fat. These are both good things. However, after you stop that bout of exercise your metabolic rate goes back to the original state, and your percentage of fat calories is only relative to how many total calories you have burned. And in the long term you will actually decrease your resting metabolic rate (amount of calories burned at rest).
For example, let’s say you go out and run a mile that takes you 15 minutes. During those 15 minutes your metabolic rate increases and you burn 200 calories, with 35% of those coming from fat. Sounds pretty good doesn’t it. But hold on, the next time you run that 15 minute mile you will burn only 150 calories with the same 35% coming from fat. Now you have 2 options, run longer or run faster. Option one will leave you doing endless hours of cardio in order to get the same effect, option 2 will leave you running yourself into the ground, and at some point you will have to incorporate both options. This will lead anyone to dread exercise altogether.
Alternatively, if you perform an anaerobic interval based program, you can reap the same benefits plus more. First, what is anaerobic interval training? Anaerobic interval training is simply performing high intensity exercise (i. e. -sprinting as fast as possible) followed by a lower intensity exercise (i. e. -walking or jogging). Using our same 15 minute example as above, using this type of protocol you will increase your metabolic rate and burn more total calories for the duration of exercise, while using less percentage from fat. So would you rather burn 200 calories with 35 % coming from fat, or would you rather burn 300 calories coming from around 20%-25% coming from fat.
On top of getting more caloric burn in the same amount of time, when you finish anaerobic interval based training your resting metabolic rate will remain elevated for 12-24 hours after your done. This means that you will burn more calories throughout the day at rest resulting in more weight/fat loss.
3. ) When trying to lose fat you need to participate in a structured resistance training program. What you need to realize when it comes to fat loss is that the more muscle you have, the more fat calories you burn throughout the day. The only way to add muscle to your body is by weight lifting. That doesn’t mean you need to become a professional body builder, but you do have lift weights with the intension of adding some quality dense muscle. Using a machine based program or performing single joint isolation type exercises (i. e. – bicep curls) won’t cut it. The easiest way to add muscle and burn fat is by performing multi-joint movements such as squatting, lunging, bending, pushing, pulling and twisting. By using these types of movements you will get more bang for your buck, meaning you will burn more calories, increase strength, and build more muscle than any type of isolation or machine exercise.
4. ) Set achievable and measurable goals. Setting an attainable goal will help motivate you as well as allow you to see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You need to set a time specific goal and plan your program around that date. This will help you monitor progress as well as keep you moving in the right direction. I see way too many people that want to lose weight become stagnate because they don’t have that deadline. By giving yourself a specific time to lose ‘X’ amount of weight, will keep you moving forwards without stop.
5. ) Seek professional help. It has shown time and time again that people who are most successful at weight loss all shared one thing in common. One-on-one counseling from a professional such as a personal trainer. With the guidance and support of a qualified fitness professional you will ensure proper programming, implementation, and instruction of a results oriented fitness and nutrition program.

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Supplements For Athletes

Tucked in Fairfield County, CT, one of the most affluent counties in the US, is the man many professional athletes are calling “The Secret Weapon”. That’s not his real name of course, it’s Jon Doyle. I recently caught up with Jon in New York City where he was training one of his professional clients. Jon works a bit differently from other trainers as he does not name many of his all-star clients. They have all signed a strict non-disclosure agreement and as Jon puts it “If you have just one athlete that tests positive for a drug test your reputation is ruined. And while my guys are clean, I cannot risk my reputation on something I cannot control” (obviously referring to if an athlete were to take performance enhancing drugs behind his back). So while most trainers are lying about who they train, Jon’s hiding them. I had a feel this interview was going to be good! My purpose of this meeting was to get the scoop on performance enhancing supplements and what the average athlete can do to improve their game. PR “Jon, thanks for taking time out to meet with me. Can you please start out by telling our readers a little about yourself?” JD “Sure Phil, no problem. In short, I make athletes better. Even though I’ve built my reputation in baseball, my clients include athletes from all four major sports as well as Olympians. These athletes all call me when they absolutely need results. “ PR “So I presume the athletes you work with are all subjected to strict drug testing procedures. “ JD “That’s correct. “ PR “What’s your stance on performance enhancing drugs such as steroids and Human Growth Hormone?” JD “Well there’s no question they work. However, they are illegal and banned by most organizations. So I will not work with any athlete who isn’t clean. “ PR “Doesn’t this put your athletes at a disadvantage? How do you get your athletes ready to perform against others who are clearly using these performance enhancers. “ JD “It’s certainly no easy task. My athletes all come to me wanting what every other athlete wants: increase speed, power, strength and muscle mass and a decrease in body fat, recovery time and injury rate. Obviously with performance enhancing drugs this becomes easier, but in my mind that’s not an option because it’s illegal and unethical. So we utilize a combination of unique training methods, proper nutrition and over-the-counter supplements. “ PR “Ah, over the counter supplements. Now that’s what I came to get the dirt on. What’s the deal with these anyway. There’s like a million and one company’s out there. It’s so confusing to figure out what works and what doesn’t. And, it seems whenever an athlete test positive they blame in on a ‘tainted’ supplement. What’s the deal here?” JD “Well first of all if an athlete pawns his drug use off on a ‘tainted’ supplement he’s full of it. These guys know full well what’s going into their bodies. They are lying. Second, you’re right. Choosing a supplement from the very crowded shelves can be downright impossible. The big secret is that almost every company is selling the same thing! It all comes down to marketing. Very few companies have anything ‘cutting edge’ like they claim. Except for a few unique products, it’s all window dressing. Of course I cannot tell you, or anyone else what supplements to use as I’m not a doctor, I can provide insight into what my athletes use. This of course is for informational purposes only, agreed?” PR “Agreed!” JD “First of all we start with the basics. Nothing fancy here. A multi-vitamin, omega-3 fish oils, creatine (5 grams per day is all that’s needed) and some protein powder when needed. Then it gets interesting. Please realize I get boxes of supplements sent to me on a daily basis from supplement companies who want me to use their products with my athletes. They know that if they get my endorsement that means big bucks for them down the line. But I’m not for sale so I only use what have been proven to work for us and by the researchers. Even further we must know without a shadow of a doubt that the product is safe and is not banned from any organization. It’s almost hard for me to give this away, but we’ve been using a combination of products from a small supplement company out of Texas called USPLabs. We ‘stack’ their Anabolic-Pump, PowerFULL and SuperCissus RX products and we are simply blown away with the drug-like effects they are delivering. “ PR “Sounds cool. I’ll have to check that out. Well, Jon I know you have to run, but I appreciate you sitting down with me so I could gain a little insight into your world. “ JD “No problem. Thank you. ”

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An Extraordinary Place For Special Occasions

As you start planning for special event in your life, it always comes down to thinking of the perfect place to have it. From large stylish weddings, birthday celebrations, or other intimate gatherings, reception halls provide the facade you want to imply to your guests. As you start planning for special event in your life, it always comes down to thinking of the perfect place to have it. From large stylish weddings, birthday celebrations, or other intimate gatherings, reception halls provide the facade you want to imply to your guests. There are various designs that one can see on reception hall, be it with a hotel, casino, ballroom, theatre, and the like. They say that the reception hall usually represent the establishment. It should depict the impression of warmth, elegance, and a sense of comfort. Here is a list of some establishments, which caters to various special events, and possessing very elegant reception hall designs. New York 1. Charisma Ballroom Contact Information Address: 71-46 Main Street, Kew Gardens, NY 11367 Telephone Number: 718-268-2800 Fax Number: 718-268-2803 Contact Person: Banquet Manager The Charisma Ballroom is a type of business that is family owned and supervised. It was established during the year 1975. Hence, this location is well known for its spacious and stylish ballroom, night-club ambiance, and its courteous, attentive service. For more than thirty years, it has been providing its guests with delightful professional banquet organization and planning, individualized for each client’s taste and preference. This is whether it is a formal or informal occasion. With lots of options to choose from, the renowned Charisma Ballroom’s Banquet Manager as well as Party Consultants would be more than happy to provide you with their expertise, capturing your visions and ideas for your special day and making it happen. So what are you waiting for? Let your dreams come true at Charisma Ballroom. Features: • Seating Capacity: 300 • Venue Type: Ballroom, Standard, Night Club • Cuisine Options: Spanish / Latin, Italian, American Amenities Offered: • Bridal Room • Open Sunday • Coat Check • Available Imported Beer • Available Buffet Menu Premium Liquor, • Audio and/or Visual Equipped • Accepts Major Credit Cards 2. Home for Water Contact information: Address: 525 West 30th St. , New York, NY 10011 Telephone Number: 212-616-1655 Fax Number: 212-616-1653 Contact Person: Banquet Manager The glamorous Home for Water will provide you the ultimate location for corporate events and functions such as awarding events, fundraising events, social gatherings, product launches, press conferences, business and/or sales meetings, fashion schools and/or shows, cocktail receptions, conventions and conferences among others. The place is designed to suit your every need in mind. Moreover, they will be more than happy to provide assistance to your multimedia presentation as well as recording, dining, floral, and seating, along with music, coat check, hosting, photo documentation, ticketing, and internet connection necessitites. Features: • Site Fee: 5000 • Seating Capacity: 200 • Outside Catering Allowed • Venue Type: Conference Hall, Loft, Waterfront 3. Shop Studios Contact Information: Address: 442 West 49 Street, New York, NY 10019 Telephone Number: 212-245-6154 Contact Person: Ben Moore Shop Studios has an approximately 3000 sq. ft. Of studio loft and an outdoor veranda, providing you with beautiful and majestic skyline views. They will also provide you with a full kitchen, along with floral designs, as well as decorating and lighting services. Features: • Site Fee: 5000 • Seating Capacity: 100 • Cocktail/Stand Up Capacity: 150 • Outside Catering Allowed • Venue Type: Loft Amenities Offered: • Wheelchair • Bridal Room • Open Sunday • Tables and Chairs, • Wi-Fi Internet Access • Audio and/or Visual Equipped 4. Gallery Viet Nam Contact Information: Address: 345 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 11377 Telephone Number: 212-431-8889 Contact Person: Banquet Manager The Gallery Viet Nam is located within a marker building with its specialty on American and Vietnamese modern artisans and painters. The 2,000 sq. ft. space prides itself with its exotic art, vaulted ceilings, illuminated floor, magnanimous vintage skylight as well as bare brick walls. The Gallery is also available for formal dinners and cocktail receptions. The much acclaimed Viet Cafe provides the catering service which offers their specialty, Vietnamese cuisine as well as European and French fusion menus. Features: • Seating Capacity: 110 • Venue Type: Restaurant (Private Room), Loft • Cuisine Options: Vegetarian, Asian, French, and other international cuisines Amenities Offered: • Wheelchair • Open Sunday • Onsite Ceremony • Coat Check 5. Maurya Resturant and Banquet Hall Contact Information: Address: 63-108 Woodhaven Blvd. , Rego Park, NY 11374 Telephone Number: 917-941-0234 Telephone Number: 718-997-6462 Contact Person: Randhir Khullar The Maurya Resturant and Banquet Hall has a South Asian feel and can definitely cater to your partying needs. With a beautiful design to match any joyous atmosphere or events, one can celebrate their special moments here, whether it may be a wedding ceremony, an engagement party, anniversaries, sweet 16 occasions, corporate events, and others. Hence, the Maurya Resturant and Banquet Hall offers you services that will best suit your ideas and needs. You can get pleasure from their Indian cuisine appetizers like Tandoori Mixed Grill, pakoras, soups and samosa. Dinner menus comprise of a wide vegetarian food selections such as mattar paneer, alu gobi, malai kofta, and others. They also serve non-vegetable items like chicken vindaloo, shrimp bhuna and lamb curry. Once you check their location you will surely be impressed! Features: • Seating Capacity: 650 • Venue Type: Conference Hall, Ballroom, Restaurant (Private Room) • Cuisine Options: Asian, American, Continental, Vegetarian, and other international cuisines Amenities Offered: • Valet Parking • Wheelchair • Open Sunday • Coat Check • 24 hour Security • Available Imported Beer • Available Buffet Menu • Premium Liquor • Accepts Major Credit Cards Florida 6. Stardust Event Center Contact Information: Address: 2571 12th Street, Sarasota, FL 34237 Telephone Number: 941-365-6888 Telelphone Number: 941-544-9682 Contact Person: Banquet Manager Stardust Event Centre is known to posses a 24,000 sq. ft. clear span facility that can accommodate about 1260 people. It also has a built-in entertainment surround sound, lighting, projector and a full screen video. Hence, charter bus service is also available within the premises so as to transport its guests to their destined facility or affair. One can hold their wedding reception, proms, homecomings, quinceaneras, fund raising events, sporting events, trade shows and fashion shows here at the Stardust Event Centre. Features: • Seating Capacity: 1260 • Outside Catering Allowed • Venue Type: Conference Hall, Ballroom • Cuisine Options: Continental, American, Kosher, Italian, Russian, Asian, Mediterranean, Latin/Spanish, French, Vegetarian, and Child Menu Amenities Offered: • Parking Lot • Valet Parking • Wheelchair • 24 hour Security • Bridal Room • Open Sunday • Onsite Ceremony • Coat Check • Available Imported Beer • Available Buffet Menu • Audio and/or Visual Equipped • Accepts Major Credit Cards Pennsylvania 7. La Luna Banquet Hall Contact Information: Address: 4610 Bensalem Blvd. , Bensalem, PA 19020 Telephone Number: 215-633-8395 Contact Person: Banquet Manager Sophisticated, elegant, exquisite details, romantic, the La Luna Banquet Hall is a one of a kind location for you to celebrate your ideal wedding reception, jubilee, graduation, anniversary gala or other special moments in your life. This is the perfect place for lasting memories. Hence, the La Luna Banquet Hall has a stylish facility situated in the Lower Bucks County, PA. Utterly remodelled with a beautiful and unique Mediterranean style with wood parquet floors, and marble bathrooms, it will provide you with warmth and convenience you deserve. Aside from this, it also provides its guests with an open-air experience of the old European street and combined with a piazza inspired courtyard as well as a fountain. Preferred excellent caterers are provided for wedding packages. With personalize service and wonderful location; your invited guests will surely be thrilled! Features: • Seating Capacity: 275 • Venue Type: Ballroom • Cuisine Options: Continental, American, Kosher, Italian, Russian, Asian, Mediterranean, Latin/Spanish, French, Vegetarian, and Child Menu Amenities Offered: • Parking Lot • Valet Parking • Wheelchair • Bridal Room • Open Sunday • Open Sunday • 24 hour Security • Onsite Ceremony • Outdoor Ceremony • Coat Check • Available Buffet Menu • Audio and/or Visual Equipped • Pre-Fixed Menu Selection 8. Marjeane Caterers Contact Information: Address: 320 South Broad Street, Lansdale, PA 19446 Telephone Number: 215-855-3510 Fax Number: 215-362-7351 Contact Person: Brian Lutz Marjeane Caterers provides excellent cuisine, cordial services, as well as personal attention to each factor in your event. This will go beyond your expectation. Moreover, it will definitely delight all your guests. You will surely have the best time in you life here at Marjeane’s! Features: • Seating Capacity: 300 • Cocktail/ Stand-up Capacity: 500 • Venue Type: Standard • Cuisine Options: Continental, American Amenities Offered: • Parking Lot • Wheelchair • Bridal Room • 24 hour Security • Open Sunday • Garden • Onsite Ceremony • Gazebo • Coat Check • Available Imported Beer Available • Available Buffet Menu Available • Premium Liquor Connecticut 9. Birch Meadow Banquet Facility Contact Information: Address: 76 East Dudley Town Road, Bloomfield, CT 06002 Telephone Number: 860-242-9600 Fax Number: 860-683-8301 Contact Person: Banquet Manager You are always welcome at the Birch Meadow Banquet Facility. They are a brand new state of the art facility. Birch Meadow has beautiful grounds and ballrooms for any kind of event. They are committed to giving their customers the exceptional service and food you deserve. They can also provide you with a tour of their facility, you can simply give them a call. Features: • Seating Capacity: 200 • Venue Type: Standard, Ballroom • Cuisine Options: American, Italian, Vegetarian, International / Other Amenities Offered: • Parking Lot • Wheelchair • Open Sunday • Garden • 24 hour Security • Onsite Ceremony • Outdoor Ceremony • Gazebo • Imported Beer Available • Buffet Menu Available • Premium Liquor 10. New Sorrento Italian Ristorante & Banquet Center Contact Information: Address: 32 Newtown Rd. , Danbury, CT 06810 Telephone Number: 203-748-1322 Telephone Number: 203-790-5939 Fax number: 203-748-6030 Contact Person: Banquet Manager The New Sorrento Italian Ristorante & Banquet Center will surely delight you with its beautiful restaurant which can provide you with mouth watering meals your guests will love! It is the best place for all occasions! You are more than welcome as one of their lucky guests. Features: • Seating Capacity: 110 • Venue Type: Restaurant (Private Room) • Cuisine Options: Italian, Continental Amenities Offered: • Parking Lot, • Open Sunday, • Available Imported Beer • Available Buffet Menu • 24 hour Security • Premium Liquor • Pre-Fixed Menu Selection • Accepts Major Credit Cards Michigan 11. Blue Dress Barn Contact Information: Address: 3893 Territorial Road, Benton Harbor, MI 49022 Telephone Number: 269-944-1751 Contact Person: Banquet Manager This picture perfect reception hall is situated within the historic White-Washed Barn. With its unique and poignant design, everyone will surely have beautiful and lasting memories here at the Blue Dress Barn. Features: • Seating Capacity: 280 • Outside Catering Allowed • Venue Type: Garden, Mansion • Cuisine Options: International Amenities Offered: • Parking Lot • Valet Parking • Wheelchair • Bridal Room • 24 hour Security • Open Sunday • Onsite Ceremony • Outdoor Ceremony • Outdoor Reception • Coat Check • Internet Access • Accepts Major Credit Cards New Jersey 12. Pantagis Renaissance Contact Information: Address: Park & Mountain Avenues, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 Telephone Number: 908-322-7726 Contact Person: Eleni Pantagis The Pantagis Renaissance serves as a wonderland for all kinds of occasions. It has a polished marble Italian floors and stylish spiral staircases which leads to the stunning ballroom areas framed with intricate woodwork. This enchanted place also has cathedrals ceilings made out of stained glass, along wit accompanied gold leaf mirrors. Hence, the Pantagis Renaissance also possesses a beautiful wedding chapel with bridal suites. They also provide catering services with a touch of culinary art for everyone’s delight. These entire specialties are all offered for an affordable price! Features: • Seating Capacity: 350 • Venue Type: Ballroom, Standard • Cuisine Options: Continental, American Amenities Offered: • Parking Lot • Valet Parking • 24 hour Security • Available Buffet Menu • Premium Liquor • Bridal Room • Onsite Ceremony

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Inexpensive Philadelphia Hotels

Philadelphia, with its extraordinary variety of cultural and historical landmarks, awesome museum attractions, delightful cuisine, terrific shopping, and zippy nightlife will make your stay a treasured experience. Philadelphia is famous for its charming paved stone avenues, Liberty bell, famous cheese steaks and dynamic environment. Visitors enjoy rambling through its South streets, visiting Independence Mall, art Museums, Philadelphia harbor and other major attractions. Philadelphia is a splendid place to spend a terrific weekend or perhaps stay even longer. It offers various kind of accommodations including five star, four star, three star or budget hotels. Philadelphia hotel accommodations provide their guests flexible comfort to suit the needs of all visitors. Discount Philadelphia Hotels: 1. Omni Independence Park Hotel: This 4 star Philadelphia hotel is an exceptional hotel that offers gracious hospitality and pleasant ambience to business travelers as well as pleasure seekers in order that they have a pleasurable time. It boasts 150 guestrooms outfitted with the latest facilities to ensure guests enjoy a comfortable and relaxing vacation. 2. Hotel Sheraton University: A four star hotel in Philadelphia, it is situated on the University of Pennsylvania campus, amidst numerous educational and medical establishments. The hotel offers 316 well-appointed, non-smoking guestrooms. Umpteen shopping options are to be found in the hotel premises itself. 3. Hyatt Regency Princeton Hotel: This four star Philadelphia hotel unveiled in 1983 is a luxurious one. Accommodating 348 large rooms, it is strategically situated just one mile from the old town, Princeton. With the Princeton Train Station merely a minute away, linking Philadelphia to New York, this hotel is very suitable for people traveling on business or pleasure. 4. Hotel Hilton Airport: A 4 star Philadelphia hotel, the Hilton Airport is the perfect blend of sophistication and comfort. Situated at the very hub of Philadelphia, with the International Airport located conveniently close by, this hotel provides apart from the basic facilities, a 10,000 square feet conference area, indoor pool and spa. 5. Doubletree Club Northeast Hotel: A three star hotel, the Doubletree Club is situated a couple of minutes away from famous tourist landmarks like Sesame Place and Franklin Mills Mall. It offers a 5,000 square feet conference area for business gatherings and small social get-togethers. 6. Howard Johnson Princeton Hotel: This Philadelphia budget hotel is located in the vicinity of Rider University and Princeton University. It is surrounded by Sesame Place, New Hope, Pennsylvania, and Trenton. A pet-friendly, non-smoking hotel, it also provides handicap accessible accommodation. 7. Sheraton Bucks County Hotel: This hotel provides three star accommodations and is the ideal retreat from the hectic city life. Showcasing a romantic setting, it has 186 smoking as well as non smoking guestrooms, Jacuzzi, top-notch gym facilities, sauna, and heated indoor pool. 8. Sheraton City Center: A four star hotel, it lies about 4 miles from Pennsylvania Convention Centre. This hotel is strikingly trendy and has a mellow and relaxed atmosphere. It has carefully done up 759 guestrooms, bearing in mind guests’ requirements. It also has an indoor heated pool and a souvenir shop. 9. Marriott Mount Laurel Hotel: Nestling at the heart of Mt. Laurel commercial district, the Marriott Mount Laurel three star hotel is near the NJ Turnpike. Around it are the Philadelphia Sports Complex, USS Battleship, and NJ Adventure Aquarium. The guests have the option of relaxing in the indoor pool or exploring the nearby beaches and casinos. 10. Valley Forge Suites Hotels: This three star hotel in Philadelphia offers basic lodging facilities for visitors on extended trips while on family holidays or business travel to Philadelphia. The hotel in addition has a suitably-stocked grocery store within its premises for its guests’ convenience. It houses 88 suites on two floors and has a pet-friendly policy. So, no matter what kind of budget you have, in Philadelphia you’ll always find the ideal accommodation.

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Pennsylvania Real Estate

Economy Pennsylvania’s economy is a major attraction to any businessman who wants to invest in Pennsylvania real estate. This is because the state is the 6th richest in the United States with a total gross product of $430. 31 billion in 2005. This gross product would have made the 17th largest in the whole world, had Pennsylvania been a country that is independent on its own right. The state would have been richer than Belgium. On the per capita ranking, the state only ranks 26th among all the states in the U. S. The reason for Pennsylvania’s surging economy must be that it houses 49 of the Fortune 500 companies. The Coal State Although considered as a coal state in the US, Pennsylvania derives its large economy from its manufacturing factories and workshops. Pennsylvania is so industrialized that it ranks 11th among the most industrialized US states. In agriculture, the state also ranks 19th in overall production although it is first in mushroom production as well as 3rd and 4th in layer chickens and Christmas trees and in milk, nursery and sod, horse and corn production, respectively. A burgeoning economy also translates to a booming Pennsylvania real estate market. There were a large number of farms in the state’s southeastern area that were sold and were developed for housing due to the increase in land prices as well as taxes. This hike is mirrored by quite a substantial demand for Pennsylvania real estate in the fifth largest US metropolitan area. While it were Montgomery and Bucks counties that first started suburbanization, Berks, Chester, Lehigh and Lancaster followed suit in jumping into the bandwagon. This suburbanization trend in the state made the Pennsylvania real estate market what it is today, a viable market that ensures greater capital gains. The Keystone State Pennsylvania is one of the U. S. ‘s five mid-Atlantic States that was known as the Quaker State during the colonial times and later as the Keystone State. This nickname was derived by the state because of its industries and agriculture that it has in common with both the north and south respectively. The state has a coastline that covers up to 51 miles as well as a shoreline of 57 miles. Its largest city is Philadelphia, which houses a major seaport and quite a number of shipyards on its river, named the Delaware. Pennsylvania is the US’ 33rd largest state. The state’s municipalities are integrated as boroughs, cities and townships. Recreation and Entertainment Those who would want to invest in Pennsylvania real estate would largely benefit from the many recreational offerings of the state. This is because those who would want to live in the state’s cities, townships and boroughs would also like to know what are in store for them when it comes to having fun. Pennsylvania is the home of the first zoo ever in the US, which is the Philadelphia Zoo as well as other great zoos. Aside from these zoos, the state also touts the finest museums that includes the Houdini Museum, which is the only structure dedicated to the famed magician. Pennsylvania also has quite a number of state and amusement parks for the enjoyment of families as well as concert halls and sporting activities for music and sports buffs respectively.

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SportsWrap: Pennsbury, Neshaminy, CR North,CR South still alive on the gridiron

Pennsbury senior Davonte Washington turns it upfield in last week’s action vs. Neshaminy.There are only a few varsity teams left playing in postseason action this time of year.The Council Rock North girls volleyball team, this year’s District One-AAA runner-up, won handily last night in the first round of states, outpacing Girls High 25-5, 25-6 and 25-9.Senior setter Jackie Davies led the way

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