Perfect Preparation For Summer Travel Abroad

An essential part of being able to enjoy your trip abroad is to plan in advance for potential emergencies. Preparing for possible medical needs regarding medications, air ambulances, insurance issues and more is especially important.You have your passport, the bags are packed, and the neighbor will water the plants. Youve packed the sunscreen, arranged for overseas cell service and even picked up universal adapters all items are checked off on your travel to-do list. You are all set for the perfect overseas vacation, or are you?Lets face it, vacation provides the opportunity to temporarily escape from reality. Why ruin the mood with thoughts of doom and gloom?! Planning for emergencies does not have to be a downer. A little preparation will help you to relax knowing that you have it all covered. The quick health tips below will help you to breathe easier as you prepare to travel this summer.Register with the US Embassy or Consulate.Registering with the local embassy is a good idea even when traveling to countries that are safe. In the event of an emergency the American consular officers will be able to assist you. You can register online at the embassy travel registration site or upon arrival Rosetta Stone by visiting the local office.Additionally the embassy can be a wealth of information for Americans traveling abroad. They can provide information about the political climate, local medical physicians or facilities and much more.Medical Evacuation.What happens if you become injured or ill while traveling? You can arrange to be transported back to the US for treatment. Air Ambulance services can transport you to a US facility. You will be safely transported in the company of trained medical professionals. The medical evacuation team can coordinate bed to bed transportation, ensuring that you are safely transported back to the states without compromising your care. Keep the number of an Air Ambulance Service with your medical information for handy access in the event of an emergency.Prescription Medications Keep a separate list of all prescription medications, including dosage, pharmacy number and prescribing physician. This will facilitate replacement if your luggage is lost or in case of a medical emergency. Keep all prescription medications in original bottles.Insurance Check with your health insurance company to ensure that you understand your coverage while traveling. If you need medical attention will you have to pay out of pocket and seek reimbursement? Do they have contracts with physicians and/or facilities where you will be traveling? Is there a special phone number to call while traveling?All vacations near and far require advance planning. This becomes more important when you are traveling abroad. With just a few extra steps of preparation you can truly relax and enjoy your trip knowing that you have truly attended to every detail!

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7 easy steps to an early tax refund

By the end of January, you should have all your checks and receipts broken down in each envelope by deduction category. Add up the receipts and checks (don't double count), and those are the numbers you use on your return or give to your preparer.That's how much you've spent in each deduction category. And with this system you never have to fear an audit.An audit is nothing more than the IRS asking you to prove the numbers you put on your return. You've already done that. Just hand over the deduction-category envelope with the receipts and checks. After a series of matches, it's going to be a quick audit.4. Analyze the numbersSometimes, the raw numbers you have are going to be wrong.On the income side, you're required to report any and all interest and dividends received, even if you don't receive a Form 1099.You'll have to match up the sales of stock with the cost of those shares. The number shown by your broker on Form 1099-B last year was only the sale price. You're not taxed on 100% of that number. You reduce it, on Schedule D of your return, by your cost, including broker's fees. You're taxed only on the net profit. Starting with sales in 2011, Rosetta Stone Chinese your broker is required to report cost basis as well. Speak with your broker before any sales are made, and discuss alternative ways of valuing shares if your whole position isn't liquidated. From a tax point of view, you want to sell the shares with the highest cost to minimize your current tax.If you don't sell 100% of your position, you'll have to allocate your costs on a per-share basis.On the deduction side, you may have deductions not reflected by the raw data.Say you make your Jan. 1, 2012, mortgage payment on Dec. 31, 2011. The interest you pay won't be reflected on the Form 1098 sent by your mortgage company. That's because it won't get the check or the online payment until 2012. (If you pay online, be sure your bank records the date that you send the payment properly. A canceled check is still adequate proof.)Paying before the end of the year transforms your January 2012 payment into a 2011 deduction, and you should run an amortization schedule to compute the additional interest. That additional interest would be shown on line 11 of your Schedule A.(You can make the same tax move at the end of 2012, converting what would normally be a January 2013 payment into a 2012 deduction.)5. Call your accountantIf you're going to have your return professionally prepared, call your accountant now for an appointment.

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The 13 females who passed were known as the Mercury 13

They were Bernice "Bea" Steadman, Janey Hart, Geraldine "Jerri" Sloan Truhill, Rhea Allison Woltman, Sarah Lee Gorelick Ratley, Jan Dietrich, Marion Dietrich, Myrtle Cagle, Irene Leverton, Gene Nora Jessen, Jean Hixson, Wally Funk and Geraldyn "Jerrie" Cobb. Lost and Found: Data on Female ApplicantsThe data collected from these women from their physiological testing were never published and had apparently been lost. Dr. Loeppky, one of the co-authors of the article, had worked with Dr. Ulrich Luft, an eminent physiologist who had performed the original aerobic exercise capacity tests on both the female and male astronaut candidates. For the first time, the current paper summarizes these physiological data, demonstrating that the aerobic capacities of the top four women were comparable to those of male pilots of the time. Jerrie CobbJerrie Cobb was the first female to volunteer for the program. Having taken up flying at just age 12, she held numerous world aviation records for speed, distance and altitude, and had logged more than 10,000 hours of flight time. Of the Mercury 7 astronauts, John Glenn had the most flight experience at a total of 5,100 hours. Cobb had undergone a standard battery of personality and intelligence tests, EEG and neurological tests and psychiatric interviews. On the final day of advanced testing she was immersed in a soundproof isolation tank filled with cold water in order to induce total sensory deprivation. Based on previous experiments in several hundred subjects, it was thought that six hours was the Rosetta Stone English absolute limit of tolerance for the experiment before the onset of hallucinations. Cobb, however, spent more than nine hours in the water, before the staff terminated the experiment. All told, Cobb had tested in the top 2% of all tested candidates, male and female. In May 1961 Cobb received an informal invitation to undergo spaceflight stimulation training at the U.S. Naval School of Aviation Medicine in Pensacola, FL. After ten days of testing, she had scored as well as experienced Navy pilots and plans were made to test the remaining 12 women.Jacqueline "Jackie" CochranJackie Cochran was the leading woman in American aviation in 1960. During World War II, she founded and led the Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) to fly military aircraft domestically (thus freeing up male pilots for combat service). In 1953, she was the first woman to break the sound barrier. Although she knew of the Woman in Space project, and did not meet the qualifications for testing, she believed she had been deprived of a leadership role in the program. In the end, however, she and her husband agreed to fund the Pensacola testing for the 12 women.The End of a VisionDespite Cochran's funding and the promising results, the Pensacola testing had not been authorized and the military would not move forward. Lovelace could not pursue the Woman in Space program further. Cobb assumed the de facto leadership of the women and began extensive lobbying efforts. In a meeting with then-Vice President Lyndon Johnson, he expressed no support for the program. Embittered by her experience Jerrie Cobb continued to lobby until 1965. For the next five years she flew missionary operations in the Amazon and in 1980 was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts. It would be more than 30 years after the testing that 11 of the 13 Mercury women would be reunited. This time, 1995, they came to watch Eileen Collins pilot the first flight of the joint Russian-American Space Program. ConclusionThe vision of Lovelace and Flickinger to launch the Woman in Space Program in 1959 was remarkable not only for the science it attempted to discover, but for the times. The combination of this ingenuity and the capability and willingness of the women in the program ultimately allowed the space program to advance as far as it did.

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Which also means less opportunity for a meltdown to occur

Dear buddy, if you are enthusiastic to obtain dance lessons from a renowned salsa master then online dance schools are the ultimate destination for you. Also by contacting an online dance school, you can take dance classes from the convenience of your own home and altogether there are certain online institutions that offer dance courses at discounted rates. Thus it becomes apparent that if you learn to dance from an internet-based dance establishment you would receive an array of competitive advantages. So, approach an online dance school if you are keen to gain expertise in different ballroom dances, namely, samba, rhumba, tango, tango., cha cha, jive et al.?Guys, it is remarkable that online dance schools facilitate their operations with the help of the latest softwares and other technologies. To take dance classes from an online dance school, you should possess adequate knowledge of the internet and moreover you should have a computer of your own which is equipped with powerful internet connectivity.?However, if you have made up your mind to learn how to dance from an online dance school, then first of all, you should get in touch with one of the reputed dance schools that have established base over the cyberspace. The best dance institutions are always listed at the top in Goggle as well as other search engines and you can find them by searching via relevant keywords. As soon as you get in touch with a reputed online dance academy, you can enrol for a dance course of your choice by filling up an online form. Thereafter, you can start taking dance classes from the convenience of your own home. Rosetta Stone Arabic ?Guys, it is notable that apart from an online dance school, you can also learn ballroom dancing by getting hold of a dance instruction dvd or dance video. You can purchase the best dance instruction video/videos by logging in to an online store that offers dance cd or dance instructional video at reasonable prices. However, soon after obtaining a dance dvd or dance cds from a reputed online source, you can start learning to dance just by sitting at home. Building positive peer relationships is always a challenge for these guys, so the more opportunities they have to practice being a good friend and being a part of a group, the better. Just because they have a disability does not mean that they should be secluded from enjoying the benefits that come from participating in school clubs. The difference with children and young people with FASD, is that they need to do things more often for less time, that way they get to enjoy the experience without having to be there for too long. Which also means less opportunity for a meltdown to occur. Check and check.5. IF IT'S NOT WORKING GO TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL If you get to the point where you are so frustrated you just want to start throwing people through windows(for some weird reason that's what I always picture doing to people when I am mad) then for heaven's sake, go find people who get it. I mean, really get FASD. There are only so many pamphlets and educating you can do. So, take your child somewhere else. Talk with other FASD caregivers, go to other schools and meet with the staff; you are not as powerless as you might think. If the school is not meeting your child's needs then go find one that will!!!School can be a fantastic time for children, even those with FASD. We have to honor their disability and as caregivers we can do that by using the above strategies and reading the amazing document from the link below. With the help of fantastic caregivers like yourself and supportive teachers, you will be amazed at what your child can accomplish.

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Benefits of attending California traffic school

The successful completion of a course from a court approved California traffic school can help you prevent violations from hurting your driving record. In many cases, the court may get a traffic ticket dismissed, if you attend and complete the traffic school course successfully. The course typically consists of lessons explaining safe and defensive driving method, road laws and so on. Learning them can help you tune up your driving knowledge and skills. It also helps you realize the importance of driving safely, so you and your family can be much safer on roads.California is a big state and many Californians rely heavily on a car to travel to their workplace and run their household. It seems absurd for many people to live without a car. However, the traffic laws are somewhat strict. If you occasionally miss a stop sign, you will get a point that may take off your license. The best way to dismiss ticket is to attend a traffic school in California either in person or by enrolling into an online program. Online traffic school is more beneficial, if you are a busy professional, have family responsibilities or do not want to waste your valuable time in sitting in a hot room for hours to complete the course. Online environment always offer more fun. It provides you the freedom and flexibility to learn at your own convenience. You can learn when you are free from virtually anywhere. The only requirement to complete the online traffic school course is a computer with internet connection.One of the most important benefits in attending traffic school in California is that you can reduce the rate on your insurance premium. The insurance companies in California charge higher rates than many other states. If you received a ticket and have points against your license, they will take it as an opportunity to raise your rates. Joining a traffic school and passing the exam can help you save some dollars in your car insurance premium.Completing the traffic school course lends you a hand to show that you are a socially responsible driver. Driving laws are changing year Rosetta Stone after year. Taking the course can help you get to know about new updates in the traffic laws. The cheap and best online traffic school includes updates in road and traffic laws regularly. You can learn them conveniently from your home. It is the best option, if you have been away from home for several years and wants to hone your driving skills. You can get an awareness of safety by completing the traffic school course. It even gives you a chance to prevent a ticket in the long run.Thanks to technological advancements, the process of completing a traffic school course is easy and affordable. You just need to follow some simple steps to dismiss your traffic ticket or reduce your insurance premium quickly. You need to visit the website of the traffic school offering course online and provide some personal details like your name, email ID, phone number, address and purpose of joining the course. You need to give your acceptance to the terms and conditions of the online school. You can then start learning the coursework immediately after registration. The coursework is divided into 5 or 6 easy to read chapters. At the end of each chapter, there is a multiple choice short quiz. You can learn the lesson at your own pace and give answers the quiz to know whether you have understood the lesson fully. After completing the course material, you need to pass the final exam.The online traffic school sends the course completion certificate directly to you or to the court. You just need to pay the court fees and receive your traffic school completion certificate. You can immediately rip up your traffic ticket and get points off your driving record, after receiving the course completion certificate.California is a technologically improved state, so it allows attending online traffic school. You need not travel a long distance to sit in a stale room, trying to keep your eyes open, while some dull traffic teacher giving boring instructions about traffic laws. California traffic school online lets you enjoy a convenient learning process. The coursework comprising of exciting graphics and animations improves your learning experience to a great extent. You can concentrate well on the course material, as you are allowed to read the lessons at the time you want. You can easily pass the required tests without leaving your home.

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The mean scores of students in academic performance

The identified areas where government at different levels could come in will be brought into focus in other to bridge the gap of educational attainment of children of low and high income earners in the society. The importance of achieving the objectives of education programme among the general populace can not be over emphasized. A researcher, Laosa, had posted as follows: "The educational achievement gap has deep root; it is evident very early in child's lives; even before they enter schools. Socio–economic differences – such as health and nutrition status, home environments that provide access to academically related experiences, mobility rates, and financial assets can certainly influence academic achievements" (Laosa, 2005:5)Research hypothesis1. Parental socio – economic status does not have significant effect on the academic achievement of students.2. Parental educational background has no significant effect on students' academic achievements3. Parental qualification has no significant effect on the academic achievement of students4. Health status of students has no significant on the academic achievement of students.MATERIALS AND METHODS Population and sampling procedure The population of the students under the study was made up of both males and females in three senior secondary schools. Sixty students were randomly selected from each of the schools, thus one hundred and eight (180) students came under the study. Random sampling was used for convenience in the selection of schools and respondents using table of random number. In the selected schools, three consecutive ends of term examination results were obtained for twenty students from each of senior classes, I, II and III. Information relating to parental background and students. Questionnaire to elicit relevant information about the demographic data of the students (age, gender), parental socio – economic status, parental educational background and qualification as well as the health statuses of the respondents was used.Statistical analysis The data collected were analyzed using frequency count, percentage for variables such as age and sex. The hypotheses generated from the beginning were tested using t – test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and pair – wise turkey test comparison at 0.05 level of significance.RESULTS AND DATA ANALYSIS The data collected is presented in tabular format for the purpose of analyzing them to expose the major finding in conformity Rosetta Stone Greek with the null hypothesis earlier generated. The data obtained were statistically analyzed using the t – test; analysis of variance (ANOVA), pair – wise comparison using turkey test at 0.05 level of significance. The demographic data were presented using frequency and percentage. Demographic Data: The demographic data of the respondents are shown in table I. This reveals that makes were 81 (45%), while ninety – nine (99) were female (55%). The age range the respondents were divided into three group for convenience. Those respondents that fall within the age range of 11 – 14 years were thirty – two (32) which represent 17.8%, while 108 of the respondents fall within the age range of 15 – 18, giving 60%. Others fall in the age range of 19 and above which were 40 and 22%.TABLE I. Demographic data of the respondents SEX AGE RANGE Male Female 11 – 14 15 - 18 19 above Frequency 81 99 32 108 40Percentage 45 55 17.8 60 22.2THE RESULTS OF THE ANALYZED DATA ON THE FOUR HYPOTHESES The results of the analyzed data on the hypothesis are given below: 1. Parental Socio-Economic Status:- Parental socio-economic status has no significant effect on the academic performance of students as shown in the table II.TABLE II. The mean scores of students in academic performance and parental socio-economics status.Source of Variation N X S.D MD Df t - cal t-crit. Decision (0.05)High 67 53.4 12.06 Low 113 52.3 11.13 NOTE: N.S means not significant at 0.05 levels The mean score of student's performance of high and low parental socio-economics statuses as shown in Table II reveals that parental economic statuses had no significant impact in student's ability to perform well academic study. This is because the calculated t-value in 1.96. Therefore the null hypothesis of no significant influence is retained.

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Launches Ratings & Reviews from Bazaarvoice

Customer-generated ratings and reviews help learners choose best language learning solution suited to their needs AUSTIN, Texas -- Bazaarvoice, the market and technology leader in hosted social commerce applications that drive sales, today announced that Inc. (NYSE:RST), a leading provider of technology-based language-learning solutions, has launched the Bazaarvoice social commerce platform with Ratings & Reviews? at . Now existing customers can easily share their authentic opinions and experiences on a wide range of language-learning solutions covering more than 30 languages. New customers can easily browse customer-generated reviews at the category level (Learn Dutch) or product level (Dutch Level 1, 2, and 3 Set with Audio Companion?) and learn which solution is applicable to their interest and skill level.“ attracts a passionate community of learners who are heavily invested in their language learning success,” said Tom Adams, CEO of . “The positive response to Bazaarvoice Ratings & Reviews has been outstanding and we are eager to further listen, learn, and communicate with our customers and help them in their language learning journey.”launched the Bazaarvoice social commerce platform in April 2009 and has already collected thousands of product reviews. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with over 95 percent having a 4 or 5-star rating. Each review is accompanied Rosetta Stone by an extensive reviewer profile that highlights the reviewer’s previous experience with the language; reason for learning the language; next language to learn; and number of products owned in order to help visitors determine if the review is relevant to their learning needs. “Eight out of 10 shoppers now read reviews as part of the shopping process,” said Brett Hurt, founder and CEO of Bazaarvoice. “ is not only giving the customers the information they need to make the best purchase decision, but they are going a step further by bringing the customer voice into their organization. About Inc.?is changing the way the world learns languages.offers an interactive solution that is acclaimed for its speed and power to unlock the natural language-learning ability in everyone. Available in more than 30 languages, the language-learning solution is used by schools, organizations and millions of individuals in over 150 countries throughout the world. The company was founded in 1992 on the core beliefs that learning a language should be natural and instinctive, and that interactive technology can replicate and activate the immersion method powerfully for learners of any age. The company is based in?Arlington, Va.?For more information, visit . About Bazaarvoice Bazaarvoice’s Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions have served more than 50 billion pieces of customer-generated content on more than 525 brand web sites like Best Buy, Costco, Dell, Macy’s, Overstock, P&G, Panasonic, USAA, and QVC in 36 countries. The company connects organizations to their in fluencers through a unique network that reaches hundreds of millions of consumers around the globe, enabling authentic customer-powered marketing. Through syndication, analytics, partnerships, and consulting, Bazaarvoice brings the voice of the customer to the center of their clients’ business strategy, proving “social” can drive measured revenue growth and cost savings for manufacturing, retail, travel, and financial services companies.?Headquartered in Austin, the company has offices in London, Paris, and Singapore.

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Girl powers big on campus

Charlotte Community School for Girls offers single-gender education opportunity Boys aren't allowed at of Charlotte Community School for Girls, and Takerah Lewis, 10, really likes it that way. She expects to learn more without the distractions. "I am looking forward to getting better in language and writing," she said. Takerah and 17 other girls were chosen for the inaugural class of CCSG, a college preparatory tuition-free private school for girls from low-income families. Takerah has big dreams. She aspires to be a teacher, a fashion designer and a doctor. This year she will have the unique opportunity to incorporate the things that interests her into her curriculum, so she can begin narrowing career options before going off to Yale, her college of choice. Hafsa Abdul Rahman, 10, is also a CCSG scholar. She likes that everything at her new school makes her feel good about herself. Each morning students begin with positive affirmations, reciting "I am beautiful. I am intelligent," aloud. They pledge to "respect each other's opinions and ideas" and vow that they "can do anything." "It feels good to me. When I say I am beautiful, I really feel I am beautiful," Hafsa said. While attending public school, she felt ostracized by classmates who would make fun of her for her religious beliefs and wardrobe. "At my old school, it was a lot of drama," she said. It's all behind Hafsa now, who says she feels embraced by the girls at CCSG, who celebrate their unique differences. CCSG founder Cathy Sheafor said many times discussions about all-girl schools tend to focus on the absence of the distractions of boys, but she Rosetta Stone Software believes that argument misses the point. "The real strength of single gender education is the empowering component. It's not about the absence of boys, but the presence of girls," she said. "We are not about excluding boys; we are about empowering girls." Sheafor said that in allgirl environments, students are more likely to speak up and share opinions. They take more risks and are more confident. "Academically, girls perform better in a singlegender environment than they do in an environment with boys. They out score their co-education counterparts on the SAT," Sheafor said. "They are more likely to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics." Sheafor plans to expand CCSG through the eighth grade. She believes her students will be well prepared to enter into high school, in a private or public setting, because they will develop leadership skills that will enable them to thrive in any environment. Sheafor, who struggled through an unpleasant middle school experience, chose to home school her twin daughters when they reached middle school. She said the experience was valuable. "I learned the value of asking a child her opinion," she said. "They were engaged at a whole different level when they had a say in what they were learning." She integrated that powerful insight into the curriculum at CCSG. Students were asked what they wanted to learn in fifth grade. Their responses were compiled into a checklist to be incorporated into the curriculum this year. Sheafor said she is focusing on grades 5-8 because those are critical years for girls. "Middle school is a difficult time for girls.

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Role of Grandparents in Home Schooling

Grandparents have taken the role of teachers at home. This is also referred to as home schooling. Many parents have various reasons why they opt for home schooling. A parent may decide to home school his or her child due to special needs the child requires. Due to hectic lifestyle adopted by parents, home schooling becomes hard for them. This necessitates the helping hand of the grandparents. Most grandparents have retired and therefore have ample time for schooling their grandchildren.Home schooling needs a lot of caution because a parent must ensure the home offers ideal learning environment for the kid. A parent must also ensure the kid receives necessary discipline from the grandparent during the entire home schooling period. Parents have realized that the discipline of a child deteriorates with parent's absence. Due to this fact, parents request for grandparent's help in instilling discipline in a child. The cost of hiring a teacher to school a kid at home is very high for so some parents. Only wealthy parents can afford to hire private teachers. This leads to parents' need of grandparent's hand in home schooling a kid.Schools are source of bad morals due to aspect of peer pressure as well as bad influence. Kids at a tender age need to learn good morals to acquire a good base early in their life. Children exposed to bad influence at a tender age turn out to be crooks later in life. Rosetta Stone Software To avoid this from happening, many parents opt to home school their kids until the child becomes ready to handle tricky school life. Grandparents teach the kids good morals as they home school them.As one adopts home schooling method, one should cultivate an effective communication with the child. A parent should follow up the learning process to avoid laxity. When a parent is free, he or she should participate in the teaching process. This is very important because it shows concern to both the child and the grandparent. Another paramount factor to consider is learning material used to teach. Many grandparents received different type of education compared to what they teach the child. As a parent, one should ensure what the kids learns is relevant to the modern curriculum.As a grandparent, one should cultivate a sense of discipline in a child. One should prepare a time schedule similar to those used in school. This creates a school environment and helps a child improve on seriousness and attentiveness. When both grandparents are involved in the practice, they should split out responsibilities. For example, a grandmother can decide to coach the child on writing skills while the grandfather may coach the kid on technical subjects such as woodwork, metalwork, art or drawing and design. This helps in creating diversity on material taught as well as style of teaching.Grandparents should learn the importance of examining the kids. The effective way includes issuing of exams offered in schools. This helps in gauging the kid's performance. When taken with seriousness, home schooling has turned the best option in producing diligent and responsible scholars. Grandparents are not good teachers; they are also the best storytellers.

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Understanding The Basics Of Home Schooling

There is no single appropriate method of home schooling. One of the greatest benefits of acquiring education at home is its tremendous flexibility. Every family is free to select subjects and projects that go well with their requirements. They can pick their preferences in programs, techniques, supplies and educational philosophies. There must be an elementary understanding of these and other matters basic to home education. This will empower parents to make a selection that will ensure success.Serious thought should be given to choices in teaching and learning techniques, students improvement stages, potencies and limitations. In addition to all this, the tutor knowledge, practice and assurance should be taken into account. The family supply of time and money as well as the number of children has to be dealt with.In reality there is no single method to home school or a single finest course for everybody. No matter what your personal situation, there are several ways that can make home schooling a good thing for your family.There are cases where at times home schooling is to a large extent more favored than the conventional schools. This happens in circumstances where students are not competent enough to go to conventional classroom surroundings for some reason or the other. General reasons are having troubles with societal inability, psychological aptitude and sentimental Rosetta Stone Spanish Spain behavior. There are numerous things that need to be taken account of prior to placing your child in a home school. Check out the advantages and disadvantages: Prior to adopting home schooling, it is vital that you go through each and every feature of home schooling. You could start by counting the benefits as well as the drawbacks not just for the child but for the entire family as well.Bear in mind that home schooling does not simply have an effect on the child being discussed. It will be chaotic and in particular, the parents get affected, as they have to double up as the educator. The family also has to get geared up for the accountability of trailing along an organized program, amidst routine.Would home schooling be the greatest choice for your child: There are a lot of people who have displayed the efficiency of home schooling by offering education to the youth. However, there are a number of things the children have to give up as well.The approach is not frequently suggested for children who are just beginning to build up their communication and community skills. This is because they might mainly fail to benefit from a lot of budding objectives. However, if it is seriously believed that home schooling is the greatest option, it is fine to highlight the deficiency of the community element. This can be done by way of numerous actions that aptly represent the child to other individuals.Receiving the correct program: It is important to ensure that the adopted home schooling program syllabus is the same as that being taught by the traditional schools around. For this reason it is essential to highlight the subject matter that the child will be learning at home, in addition to the ability he or she is targeted to build up.

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Advantages of Home Schooling

Falling out of favour in recent years, home schooling used to be considered a great way to monitor and enhance your child's intellectual development. Theories about poor social development and emotional exposure led to a downturn in the frequency of home schooling, despite the numerous educational advantages it can bring. By nurturing your child within the home environment, learning and education can seem more of a natural process, whereby your child gains the skills and knowledge required during the course of his daily life. In this article we will consider further some of the advantages of educating your child in your home, and why this form of education may be considered superior to traditional schooling.One of the major advantages that comes with home schooling is the ability to tailor education to the needs and stage of development of the child. In the classroom, there is little in the way of individualised tuition and bonding for most of the children with the authority figure, which can stint and hinder development. Of course the child is exposed to a more social environment, which is certainly beneficial. The problem comes with the lack of direct tailored tuition, which can repress a child's intellectual potential. Secondly, regular schooling cannot move at the same pace, nor can it move at the pace required for the student. A class of pupils can only move as quickly as the Rosetta Stone slowest pupils, which leaves many more developed students bored and lacking intellectual stimulation. With home schooling, on the other hand, the parent or teacher is free to move at the pace of the child, and can devote one hundred percent of his or her attention to the intellectual needs of the child concerned, making for an overall more productive environment for the child.Another advantage of home schooling is that it is more flexible than traditional schooling, catering for the needs of the child concerned rather than the general needs of a class of children. If the child has particular difficulties in any given area, these can be sourced and assisted promptly, without having the burden of thirty other pupils to worry about. By allowing the teacher to focus on teaching the pupil at his own pace, home schooling creates a more flexible environment for intellectual development, which can provide the child with a greater understanding of reason and logic, as well as the basics of elementary arithmetic and literacy.Home schooling seems to be losing popularity in recent years, despite the fact that it still provides much academic and intellectual merit. Children educated in the home environment tend to be more attuned to life-long learning, considering knowledge and information as important assets. Indeed, this form of education allows the child to develop at his own pace where this may otherwise be restricted within the classroom environment. For these reasons, the process of home schooling is particularly worthwhile, and something that should be a consideration of parent everywhere, with the means and ability to educate their own children.

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Home school for your high schooler

Homeschooling at any age can be a challenge, but we have found that home schooling our high school aged children has been the most challenging.? We want to make sure they have everything they need for the real world, but also all the credits they need to get into college.? ?The challenge is not so much with our children, but with finding high school curriculum for home schooling.? Most of the home school curriculum is younger grade based usually below 8th grade.? Yes there are some home school programs out there that have high school aged curriculum, but some of those can be very costly and when you are on a budget it makes it difficult.We prefer to create our own home school curriculum rather than buy something expensive.? Creating your own home school curriculum can be interesting and fun, whether for your younger children or your high schoolers.? With our high schoolers we can include them in creating something they can be interested in and still get the number of credits for graduation.Themed unit studies are one way of creating home school curriculum for your high school children.?? You can determine your children's area of interest whether Rosetta Stone French V3 it be Egypt, Civil War, Automotive, Cooking or any of hundreds of other options.? Themed units should be able to include reading, writing, math, history and science at least.So how do I put a themed unit study together?? Research on the subject is key to creating a home school curriculum yourself.? Let's take Cooking as an example for a high school themed unit study.? The children will need to read recipes and show basic understanding of using it to cook with, they will use math and science when measuring and combining ingredients and of course it is good to learn some history of cooking, techniques and styles.As you can see creating a home school curriculum for your high schooler can be a challenge. Creating your home school curriculum takes some work up front, but in the end when you see how much more interested your children are in learning it is all worth it! ?This of course is just one example of creating your own home school curriculum for your high school children, there are many options out there and don't forget the internet is a very informative place to find great ideas for home schooling your children.

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Venus Willams Mocked By British Press

Click to play video Return to video Video feedback Use this form to: Ask for technichal assistance in playing the multimedia available on this site, or Provide feedback to the multimedia producers. Return to video Video feedback Thank you. Your feedback was successfully sent. Video will begin in 5 seconds. Don't play Play now More video Recommended Click to play video Fit for tennis: Get buff or get beaten Click to play video Jelena Dokic maps out year ahead Click to play video Stosur's Wimbledon knock-out Click to play video Serena and Henin in Open finals Replay video Return to video Video settings What type of connection do you have? Return to video Video settings Your video format settings have been saved. Venus swings with 'jumpsuit' After five-months away from the game, Venus Williams wooed the Wimbledon crowd with her tennis moves, and fashion statement. Video feedback Video settings Venus Williams causes a stir with 'jumper' outfit With a cut out back, draped sleeves, zippers and gold hot pants, Venus Williams's Wimbledon outfit was not the traditional British jumper. The tennis champion wore an eye-catching white playsuit, which she called a "jumper", on day one, attracting the disapproval of the UK tabloid press. Advertisement: Story continues below Mocked by the UK tabloids ... Venus Williams. Photo: Reuters The Sun dubbed it "The Venus eye trap", while the Daily Mail accused her of having "terrible fashion sense". "The back of the playsuit featured an on-trend cutaway, albeit one that is much more suited to black tie evening wear than to a sporting event," the report said. "Venus did not get everything wrong though - the cotton material had a pretty leafy design woven into it which could have made a lovely sun dress." Cut out back ... Venus Williams Photo: AP The Mirror marvelled at her ability to play tennis while wearing an array of chunky jewellery, including a necklace with a pendant and a large ring. "We're pretty sure our PE teacher would never have let us do a sports class wearing all of those at Rosetta Stone Software school." The official Wimbledon website had to translate Williams's use of the word "jumper" to describe the outfit. All-in-one romper suit ... Venus Williams. Photo: Getty Images "The language barrier between American English and English English can be huge and when she called her ensemble a "jumper", the locals looked confused. "Across the pond, a "jumper" is an all-in-one garment. "Over here, that would be called a romper suit for grown-ups." Click for more photos Day one at Wimbledon Venus Williams and her fashionable 'jumper' turned heads on day one at Wimbledon. Photo: AFP and AP The jumpsuit was from her own line EleVen, which has this wordy manifesto: "It's the next level. It's about being more and feeling like more. Be yourself. Feel fabulous. Be fearless. Feel confident. Be triumphant. Feel feminine. Be casual. Feel sexy. Be chic. Feel powerful. Be #1. Feel like an EleVen." Williams explained her fashion choice to reporters after her first round victory over Akgul Amanmuradova. "Jumpers are very in now, as is lace. The shoulders have a lot of draping, which is also in at the moment. "It's just kind of like a trendy dress. I'm really into zippers, so it has like a focal point of a zipper in the front. The elder of the Williams sisters - who have dominated women's tennis for the past decade described the backless feature as a cutout or a "peek-a-boo". "I'm always trying to do something different and fun, but lately I'm really trending towards simplicity. "I'm not sure why. It's just how I feel right now. Everything is getting more simple." In the past, Williams's on-court costumes have included a red and black tutu, a lime green dress with nude underwear and a yellow and brown lattice dress, with a multi-coloured skirt.

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Guide to Dongara in Western Australia

Dongara is located 359 km north of Perth on the Brand Highway and428 km via the Midlands Road. It is a genuinely charming fishingvillage (the ubiquitous Batavia Coast rock lobster is the maincatch) and holiday resort characterised by some beautiful historicbuildings and a main street which has some of the finest stands ofMoreton Bay fig trees anywhere in Australia. Interestingly thetrees were planted in 1906 for a total cost of 16 shillings andfour pence. Like most of the coastline of the Central West the mouth of theIrwin River undoubtedly was passed numerous times by the Dutchmerchant ships which sailed across the Indian Ocean on the RoaringForties and then headed north to the trading post at Batavia (nowJakarta). However no ships were wrecked near Dongara and so itwasn't until Lieutenant George Grey's illfated expedition of 1839was forced to walk from Gantheaume Bay (near Kalbarri) to Perththat the area was in any sense explored by Europeans. In early April 1839 Grey crossed a river which he named theIrwin after a friend, Major Frederick Chidley Irwin (17881860)who, at the time, was commandant of the Swan River settlement. Advertisement: Story continues below Grey's journey and his subsequent reports of good land didenough to engender interest and in 1846 the Gregory brothers(Augustus Charles, Francis and Henry Churchman) travelled northfrom Perth and found both good grazing land and the Irwin Rivercoal seam in the Mingenew area to the east of the coast. The areawas explored further in the late 1840s by Lieutenant Helpmann whofollowed the Irwin River to its source. He reached the present daysites of both Dongara and Port Denison. The first settlers arrived near Dongara in 1850 and two yearslater a townsite named Dhungarra (supposedly meaning 'a meetingplace for seals' in Rosetta Stone French the language of the local Aborigines) wassurveyed. By 1865 the wheat harvest in the area was sufficientlysuccessful to warrant the building of a flour mill. The followingyear a jetty was built and a road from Dongara to Mingenew wascompleted. The port, known at the time as Port Irwin and later tobe renamed Port Denison, was sufficiently active at this time thatobelisks were erected (they still stand at the southern end of theport) and lanterns were lit at night to guide ships through thedangerous offshore reefs. But Dongara is more than just a collection of old buildings. Itis, by any measure, a truly beautiful little seaside town. Apartfrom the residences which look out across the ocean there are anumber of lovely old houses which lie beyond the Police Station inHunt's Road. There are also some superb churches and rectories. Allthese buildings bear witness to the affluence of the earlysettlers. The town was also the birthplace of Sir David Brand who, asleader of the Liberal Party, was State Premier from 19591971making him Western Australia's longest serving Premier.Unfortunately his birthplace, Nurse O'Connor's Maternity Hospital,was destroyed by the floods which followed Cyclone Mavis in1971. Things to see: Dongara Heritage TrailThe visitor wishing to inspect the buildings of historic importancein Dongara should obtain a copy of the Dongara Heritage Trail fromthe Old Police Station and Court House Building (now the Dongaraa Denison Tourist Centre) in Waldeck Street. TheHeritage Trail is particularly good covering seventeen points ofinterest in Dongara.

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Today it's a shadow of its former self

It threw up two international flag manufacturing sites before giving sites for musician James Taylor's CD Flag and Flag Motor Inns. It fared better in tracking down Gallipoli information and most of the computer dictionary results were impressive. You can also look for answers in newsgroups, product search service Froogle, and search for images and video. Extras include street maps, weather and language translation. Sensis Rating For a long time Sensis was the name behind the White and Yellow pages. Sensis is a relative newcomer to the local search market, and it was initially a little clunky to use, but the site has recently been revamped, revealing a brighter design and better search facility. Search results appear in two columns, with content on the left more likely to be relevant to Australians, while the right has a more international focus. And, hallelujah, Sensis was able to tell us where we could go to buy flags in Australia, with the first search result being spot on. Our search on Gallipoli returned better results on the international side of the screen. As for Australianspecific computer dictionary sites, most of the lefthand side proved irrelevant, as expected, but results on the right were more detailed. A good compromise and surprisingly thorough results. ninemsn ninemsn.au RatingMany computers in Australia are shipped with Microsoft's Windows operating system and bundled with Internet Explorer. The default ninemsn home page (complete with search facility) is all some people know which is a shame. This local site, a joint venture between USbased Microsoft and Australian media group PublishingBroadcasting Ltd, does a good job of bringing the companies' brands together, including Channel Nine's TV shows and ACP's magazines, but its search facility performed poorly. Nothing in the first eight results had anything connected to buying a flag. Four of the first 10 results on Gallipoli were OK, but the computer dictionary search was the most successful. As well as being able to search the web, news and images, ninemsn can Rosetta Stone do a basic hunt through Microsoft's Encarta encyclopedia ideal for school work. Yahoo! RatingLike ninemsn, the Yahoo! search facility is embedded into its home page, where many other services such as news, a local TV guide and ads vie for attention. It offers searches in the categories of web, images, video and news. Its muchtouted Local Search (localsearch.yahoo.au) was launched in August last year, but neither it nor the main Yahoo! Australia and NZ site had much luck with our flag request. Local Search thought we wanted a graphic designer, and the main site guessed eBay was the best place to buy exMelbourne Cup banners and flags not exactly what we were after. Our search on Gallipoli was more successful, with five of the first 10 results deemed relevant. There were no problems locating several computer dictionaries. Mixed results. Rating Before there was Google, AltaVista reigned supreme. Today it's a shadow of its former self. Alta Vista now uses the same search index as Yahoo! and results from the two were similar. Alta Vista appears to be thorough by offering web, image, audio, video and news searches. You can choose whether to search Australia or the whole web, and whether to stick to English language results or all languages. But appearances are deceiving. Like ninemsn, AltaVista couldn't tell us where to buy a flag in Melbourne, but threw up a store in Tucson, Arizona and plenty of sites for AFL footy clubs. We found five good Gallipoli links within the first 10 results, and it found the usual computer dictionary suspects with ease. Disappointingly, sponsored links are not clearly separated from the main results. Verdict Sensis was best for Australian searches, with its results relevant and the site easy to use.

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Australians in top six 'best tourists'

Australian tourists may be generous and polite but their dress and reluctance to eat local food lets them down, according to international hoteliers. That's why Australians are ranked only number six by hoteliers asked who they think are the world's best tourists, and who put the Japanese at number one. More than 4,000 hoteliers were questioned in the inaugural Best Tourist Survey by online travel company Expedia. Advertisement: Story continues below Among the topics probed were tourists' behaviour, manners, generosity, willingness to learn the language and try local cuisine and their propensity to complain. Japanese tourists took out the top overall place, followed by the British and Germans in joint second place, and the Canadians in third position. Australians were ranked in joint sixth place with Swedes, and were singled out for their generosity and politeness, coming in at fourth place in both categories. But they were in the lower ranks for dress standards and effort to eat local cuisine. The French, Indians and Chinese were considered the worst tourists among the 31 nationalities, while Americans were considered the least polite. Expedia.au managing director Rosetta Stone Language Arthur Hoffman said Australians had to dress better and make an effort to try more local cuisine in order to rank better in next year's survey. The key was the outward simplicity. "The key invention is the URL (website address), it's the thing you can write on a napkin," said Groff. The first server outside Europe, at the SLAC particle accelerator in California, was connected at the end of 1991. BernersLee later pursued development in the United States and CERN released the software for free in the public domain in 1993. "Back then there were 26 web servers, now there are 10 to the power 11 pages. That's as many as the neurones in your brain," said the BernersLee, now 53, who heads the World wide Web Consortium (3WC). "The difference is that your neurones are going down and the web is growing." Twenty percent of humanity is connected to the web, according to standardsetting authorities. It is used worldwide for personal communications, entertainment, knowledge, education, commerce, shopping and science, in the office, home and increasingly on the move. Twenty years on six generations in the computer world it incorporates more than 30 software standards, as well as audio and video, and even live transmissions. "The web is not all done. It?s just the tip of the iceberg," said Berners Lee.

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Oracle's takeover came together in just days

That represents a 42 percent premium to Sun's closing stock price of $6.69 on Friday, and is about twice what Sun was trading for in March, before word leaked that IBM and Sun were in negotiations. While Sun wouldn't be Oracle's most expensive acquisition, it will be the largest in terms of the people involved. Sun employs about 33,500 workers, far more than the roughly 12,000 that PeopleSoft had when Oracle bought that company in 2005 for $11.1 billion the biggest outlay during Oracle's expansion. Oracle, which already has roughly 86,000 workers, didn't specify how many people will lose their jobs after it takes control of Sun. The cuts might not be as dramatic as they would have been in an IBM acquisition because Sun and Oracle have fewer overlapping products. The smaller overlap also could keep Oracle from facing the antitrust objections that IBM likely would have prompted with Sun. Indeed, one of the sticking points in the IBMSun negotiations was the level of assurance Sun sought that IBM would see the deal through a regulatory review. Regulators figured to look closely at the way that swallowing Sun would expand IBM's lead over HewlettPackard in certain markets for servers and data storage. Oracle already says the Sun acquisition, which it expects to close this summer, will add at least 15 cents per share to its adjusted earnings in the first year after the deal closes. The company estimated Sun will contribute more than $1.5 billion to Oracle's adjusted profit in the first year and more than $2 billion in the second year. With former investment bankers Charles Phillips and Safra Catz steering things as the company's copresidents, Oracle has been able to hit its financial targets in all its acquisitions during the past four years. That helped enable Oracle to earn $5.5 billion on revenue of $22.4 billion in its Rosetta Stone last fiscal year. Investors have enjoyed some of that prosperity too, with Oracle's stock rising about 35 percent since the PeopleSoft takeover was completed in 2005. Oracle recently decided to pay a dividend for the first time. But Oracle's emphasis on increasing profits will likely raise concerns in its new role as the steward of Sun's opensource software. "This gives Oracle the keys to the crown jewels of the opensource movement," said Wang, the Forrester analyst. Ellison said Oracle intends to invest more heavily in Java than Sun has been able to afford as its fortunes waned. While Sun still has big sales $13.9 billion last year its profitability has been hit and miss. Earnings last year were $403 million, but from 2002 through 2006 Sun lost more than $5 billion. The Sunbacked free Open Office software for word processing and spreadsheets also could be used to weaken Microsoft's franchise an objective that would delight Ellison, who, like Sun cofounder and Chairman Scott McNealy, has long sought to undermine Microsoft's dominance of the computing industry. Microsoft said it didn't have specific comments on the Oracle Sun deal, though Neil Charney, general manager of a software develop ment unit at Microsoft, suggested that customers "ask themselves if this will add more complexity and cost" to Oracle and Sun's products. Oracle's takeover came together in just days. Sun and CEO Jonathan Schwartz needed a deal fast after IBM withdrew its offer this month in a dispute over the terms of a buyout, and on Thursday, Sun reached out to Oracle, according to people familiar with the negotiations. That prompted IBM to put its previous offer of $9.40 per share back on the table, but Oracle swooped in with the higher price, these people said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the details of the talks were considered confidential. A person familiar with IBM's position said the company isn't likely to rebid for Sun.

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It as if we are targeting the defenceless

Admission of guilt I rarely use my mobile phone but I have on occasion answered it whilst driving, but also attempting manfully to concentrate on the driving task. In my restricted driving experience, I have yet to see a driver texting. Particular situation about five years ago, driving to the large parking station at Olympic Park on the circumferential road (no directory handy so I cannot give you the street name but the one you take after turning off at Australia Ave). The driver in front was on his mobile phone (Qld number plates!) and driving at about 30 kph. When he got to the two lane section at a left turnoff, he then accelerated in the righthand lane so that there was no chance to pass. As soon as we reverted to one lane again, he dropped back to 30 to continue his conversation. When we reached the two lane section in the Newington vicinity he then straddled both lanes at 30 kph still on the phone for more than half a kilometre. When I finally managed to pass him, I doubt that he managed to hear my request for him to get off the phone. That was at least 3 km of mobile phone angst! Chris WilkinsonTurramurra NSW Drivers behaving badly article. Congratulations on a wonderful article Drivers behaving badly Drive Life 1 Feb 08. The article really summed up the transgressions better than any other motoring media article before it. One sin that might be worthy of a mention in its own right, notwithstanding that it may be contributed to by the sins already covered, is the sin of I want to be where you are, I dont care if you are already there a.k.a. the CutOff. One iteration of this sin is the adjacent lane cut off. Unintentionally this can occur through inattention (mobile phone or otherwise) or carelessness (no head checks) as the transgressor moves in front of you with little to no warning requiring your best evasive action. Intentionally, the adjacent lane cut off results from your vehicular neighbour impatience and their simple need to be where you are more than you do. Of more concern is the second iteration the no giving way cut off. This is Rosetta Stone Language where a car enters a high speed traffic situation from a side road with little regard to the prevailing traffic, usually in front of a car with nothing but clear road behind it. Obviously once they do this it would be imprudent for them to accelerate at a rate to minimise the chance of collision! No the aim of the game here is to test the braking effectiveness and passenger restraint systems of the prevailing car. Headlines are just waiting to go to print should the prevailing car be towing anything, including a tailgater. Great work and have a great (and safe) weekend.Andrew Kiejda Pet Hates on the Road Drivers who enter from a left feeder road on to motorways or multiplelane roads as if they have unarguable right of way, and expect cars in the left lane to move to the right without regard to existing traffic in that lane. Many times I've seen this cause extremely dangerous situations, and occasionally collisions. Trucks and semis are the worst offenders since they have might on their side and assume that most car drivers will simply slow right down or change lanes. Gillian AppletonLeura Pet hates on the road Dear Editor, My pet hate at the moment is this current plague of bashing elderly drivers in the media. We have another burst from Joshua Dowling today who talks about carnage. What carnage? It as if we are targeting the defenceless. What exactly is the problem with them. I live in Pymble and there are probably as many round here as anywhere in Sydney. It seems to me that their biggest difficulty is that they drive too slowly sometimes. Big deal! Dowling quotes some suspicious statistics. He states that National crash figures show that deaths of over 60 have increased by more than the national average.

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First drive: Hyundai ix35

Click for more photos Hyundai ix35 Hyundai ix35 It’s not perfect on the road but Hyundai’s stylish ix35 makes a convincing value case in the compact SUV segment. First for the subjective assessment: this is arguably the bestlooking Hyundai yet. While the popular i30 is undoubtedly a tidily designed hatchback, the new ix35 dramatic creases, aggressivelooking hexagonal grille and strong proportions form a convincingly styled compact SUV that is worth more than a single glance. It a design that is likely to strike fear into rival car makers, because the ix35 debuts the Korean car maker new fluidic sculpture language that looks set to make Hyundais look more desirable than ever. Advertisement: Story continues below The question on our original drive of the replacement for the Tucson, however, is whether the ix35 dynamic looks are reflected in the driving experience. First impressions on the country roads of Mount Macedon, Victoria, are that the ix35 is not about to set a new benchmark for road manners in the ultracompetitive compact softroader segment that includes the likes of the Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, Honda CRV, Nissan XTrail and Volkswagen Tiguan. The steering is vague and prone to kicking back over midcorner bumps, and the new Hyundai underpinnings dont reveal a great deal of enthusiasm for corners. Body roll isnt excessive, though, and there isnt a shortage of grip from the 18inch tyres of the rangetopping Highlander model. Even if dynamics arent at the top of a shopper wish list, though, our first drive of the ix35 suggests the ride will be busy on anything but smooth surfaces despite Hyundai making the effort to tune the SUV suspension for local roads. The ix35 felt solidly constructed, though, even when tested over some rough, gravelly terrain. And there plenty to like about the new 135kW 2.0litre turbo diesel a smaller version of the punchy 2.2litre diesel found in the bigger Santa Fe and its Kia Sorento sister car. There not quite as much torque, but 392Nm produced from 18002500rpm ensures there a noticeable Rosetta Stone Japanese shove in the back when you press hard on the $37,990 ix35 Highlander throttle pedal. And the standard (albeit parttime) allwheeldrive system ensures the front wheels wont spin excessively when accelerating hard from a standstill or out of a corner. It certainly more effortless (and more fuel efficient 7.5 v 8.5 litres per 100km) than the 2.0litre fourcylinder petrol that powers the $26,990 entrylevel Active frontwheeldrive model that Hyundai says will account for half of ix35 sales. Plenty of revs are needed, particularly when hills come into play, though at least the engine is relatively quiet when pushed. The new (optional) sixspeed auto does its best to downshift as quickly as possible on inclines, though it could do with dropping two gears rather than one. Drivers can opt for the tipshift function, though calling it manual mode is stretching the truth slightly: the gearbox wouldnt always change down from third to second when requested and the auto also upshifts automatically before the engine reaches its redline. The base model ix35 also drives the front wheels only, so for those looking for the benefits of extra traction on wet or slippery roads the Elite and Highlander models are the pick for their parttime fourwheeldrive systems (which send power to the rear wheels only when necessary but can be locked in 50:50 mode). The shortish launch drive route meant we didnt get an opportunity to try the biggercapacity (2.4litre) version of the 2.0litre that fitted to the midrange Elite ix35. (It priced from $31,990, or $34,990 if you select the 2.0litre turbo diesel.) The ix35 cabin differs subtly between the three trim levels available, with engines, seat material and features the key distinguishing points. Hyundai interior designers have aimed to match the success of their exterior design colleagues, with a smart dash that is mostly black with splashes of silver plastic.

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Powerhouses ready to face off

Argentina's coach Diego Maradona controls the ball near midfielder Juan Veron in a training session in Pretoria on Thursday. Photo: THE last time Argentina and Germany met in a match that meant anything - a World Cup quarter-final four years ago - it all ended in tears, with players fighting after the final whistle and officials waving red cards after Germany eliminated the South Americans on penalties. And with the way the two camps have been beating up the rivalry between them all week - a bit like two boxers slagging each other off - plenty more fireworks can be expected at midnight tonight when the two soccer powerhouses take each other on in the quarter-finals of this World Cup at Cape Town's Greenpoint Stadium. And why wouldn't there be. Germany and Argentina have been two of the most attractive teams at this tournament, are the two highest goalscorers and both would legitimately see themselves as potential champions. They have plenty of history, having met each other twice in World Cup finals. Advertisement: Story continues below In the first, in 1986, a Diego Maradona-inspired Albicelestes raced to a 2-0 lead before the then West Germany got the game back to 2-2, only for Argentina to get a third through Jorge Burruchaga to win the coveted trophy for the second (and so far, final) time. Four years later the same two teams clashed in the final again in Rome, when a by now united Germany won an ill-tempered game 1-0 through Andreas Brehme's penalty five minutes from time. Argentinian Pedro Monzon became the first man sent off in a World Cup final. Germany's star man Bastian Schweinsteiger has stoked the flames of enmity between the nations already this week, accusing the Argentine players and their combustible coach, Maradona, of disrespect for both opponents Rosetta Stone outlet and referees. Schweinsteiger cited the game in Berlin in that last World Cup clash four years ago, when the Germans won a penalty shootout to send the highly fancied South Americans home, and the ill-tempered denouement with punches thrown and plenty of push and shove after the final whistle. Schweinsteiger also pointed to the unseemly episode at half-time in Argentina's 3-1 victory over Mexico in the round-of-16 game earlier this week when players from both sides clashed as the Mexicans protested against Carlos Tevez's clearly offside opening goal. ''You could see their behaviour at half-time of the game against Mexico. When you look at the body language and gesticulation, the way they try to influence the referees, they have no respect. It's their mentality and character, and we'll have to adjust,'' Schweinsteiger said this week as he poured oil on troubled waters. Germany captain Phillip Lahm added to the mix: ''We know the South Americans are very impulsive and temperamental and don't really know how to lose.'' Maradona, the larger than life character who has overshadowed all the players at this World Cup, responded in his own inimitable fashion, suggesting, in a German accent, that Schweinsteiger's comments mean the Germans were running scared. Still, the South Americans only have to look back at that game to seek motivation to win this one. Argentina was left to rue its overconfidence, as then coach Jose Pekerman had withdrawn stars Hernan Crespo and Juan Riquelme before the end when it was leading 1-0, only to see Germany equalise late in the game and take the match through extra-time. Then German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann had done his homework on the Argentinian penalty takers - he was handed a piece of paper by goalkeeping coach Andreas Kopke to alert him to which way the Argentine kickers were likely to place their efforts - and that was enough to allow him to make the crucial saves that got Germany through.

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