Abstract:
The Summer Olympic beach volleyball competitions run from Saturday, July 28 through Thursday, August 9. Todd Rogers is one of the athletes who will be representing the U.S. in this sport. My article provides some information on Rogers.
Per the official website of the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games, the beach volleyball competitions will take place between Saturday, July 28, and Thursday, August 9.
In Olympic beach volleyball, two-person teams compete against each other in head-to-head competitions. They play on a sand court, which is divided by a net. Teams try to get the ball to go over the net and fall into their opponents' side of the court. Each score is worth one point. All matches utilize a best of three sets format. In the initial two games, the first team to score 21 points (with a two point cushion) wins the contest. The third game, if necessary, is to 15 points.
Several excellent volleyball players will be representing the United States at the London Summer Olympic Games. One of these athletes is Todd Rogers.
Here is some information on this competitor that will be of interest both to volleyball fans and to casual observers. All of the data comes from USA Volleyball unless otherwise noted.
Name: Todd Rogers
Country: United States
Born: Sept. 30, 1973 (he is 38 years old)
Height: 6 feet, 2 inches
High School: San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara, Calif.
College: University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB), where he majored in religious studies.
Residences: Todd Rogers was born in Santa Barbara, Calif. and currently resides in Solvang, Calif.
Marriage: He is married to Melissa Masonheimer Rogers.
Children: Todd Rogers has a 7-year-old son, Nate, and a 9-year-old daughter, Hannah.
Collegiate Success: Per his official website, Todd Rogers played indoor sixes volleyball at UCSB and earned NCAA All-American honors in 1995 and 1996. He had 783 digs in his collegiate career, which is a school record.
Professional Success: According to Beach Volleyball Database, Todd Rogers made his professional beach volleyball debut in 1995. He has won 78 doubles tournaments and earned approximately $2,025,719 over the course of his career.
Olympic History: Todd Rogers played in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he and his partner, Phil Dalhausser, won the gold medal. According to USA Today, the duo will attempt to win another gold medal when they compete in the men's beach volleyball competition at the London Summer Olympic Games.
Twitter Handle: ProfessorTodd
Nicknames: As his official website notes, he goes by several different nicknames, including Rogey, The Professor, and T-Rog.
Other Interesting Facts: Todd Rogers was an assistant men's (indoor sixes) volleyball coach at UCSB (2000-2005). He "enjoys reading, surfing, soccer and hiking." Rogers has a beach volleyball court in his backyard.
The author played recreational volleyball during his youth and early adulthood, as well as one year of club level volleyball at Roanoke College. He is an avid fan of the Olympic Games.
-- Anthony Hopper
#volleyball #mensvolleyball #sports #Olympics #SummerOlympics #London
Sunday
2012 Summer Olympics U.S. Athletes: Kerri Walsh
Abstract:
The Olympic women's beach volleyball competition will take place between Saturday, July 28 and Thursday, August 8. Here is some information on Kerri Walsh, one of the four women representing the United States in the tournament.
The 2012 London Summer Olympic Games will begin in less than a month, and women's beach volleyball will once again be a featured sport. Per the London Olympics' official website, this event will take place between Saturday, July 28 and Thursday, August 8. A total of 24 women's doubles teams (48 women) from around the world will compete in this event. According to NBC, four women (two duos) will represent the United States in the Olympic beach volleyball tournament.
One of these four athletes is Kerri Walsh. She and her partner, Misty May-Treanor, will try to bring home the gold medal for the United States. This article provides information on Walsh that will be of interest to anyone who plans to watch the Olympic women's beach volleyball games. All of the data comes from USA Volleyball unless otherwise noted.
Name: Kerri Walsh
Age: 33
Height: 6 feet, 3 inches
College: Stanford, where she graduated with a B.A. in American Studies.
Birthplace: Santa Clara, Calif.
Resides: Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Parents: Tim and Margie Walsh
Coach: Troy Tanner
Favorite Band: Sade (per Beach Volleyball Database)
Role Models: Andre Agassi and Paul Newman (per Beach Volleyball Database)
Twitter Name: kerrileewalsh
Marriage: She married Casey Jennings, an American beach volleyball player, on Dec. 4, 2005. On her official website, she still goes by the name, Kerri Walsh.
College Career: According to her official website, Kerri Walsh played indoor sixes volleyball while at Stanford, and impressively, earned NCAA First Team All-American honors all four years (1996-1999). Per her personal website, Walsh "was … the first player in PAC-10 history to record 1,500 kills (1,553), 1,200 digs (1,285) and 500 blocks (502)."
Professional Career: Per Beach Volleyball Database, Kerri Walsh began her professional beach volleyball career in 2001. Since that time, she has won 107 doubles tournaments and has collected approximately $2,015,135 in prize money.
Olympics: Kerri Walsh has been a participant in the last three Olympic Summer Games. Per her official website, Walsh played on the U.S. indoor sixes volleyball team that finished fourth in Sydney in 2000. She then switched to playing beach volleyball. She teamed up with Misty May-Treanor for the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games and won the gold medal on both occasions. She will once again partner with May-Treanor for the London Olympics in the hopes of winning an unprecedented third gold medal in beach volleyball.
The author played recreational volleyball during his youth and early adulthood, as well as one year of club level volleyball at Roanoke College. He is an avid fan of the Olympic Games.
-- Anthony Hopper
#volleyball #sports #Olympics #SummerGames #SummerOlympics #womensvolleyball
The 2012 London Summer Olympic Games will begin in less than a month, and women's beach volleyball will once again be a featured sport. Per the London Olympics' official website, this event will take place between Saturday, July 28 and Thursday, August 8. A total of 24 women's doubles teams (48 women) from around the world will compete in this event. According to NBC, four women (two duos) will represent the United States in the Olympic beach volleyball tournament.
One of these four athletes is Kerri Walsh. She and her partner, Misty May-Treanor, will try to bring home the gold medal for the United States. This article provides information on Walsh that will be of interest to anyone who plans to watch the Olympic women's beach volleyball games. All of the data comes from USA Volleyball unless otherwise noted.
Name: Kerri Walsh
Age: 33
Height: 6 feet, 3 inches
College: Stanford, where she graduated with a B.A. in American Studies.
Birthplace: Santa Clara, Calif.
Resides: Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Parents: Tim and Margie Walsh
Coach: Troy Tanner
Favorite Band: Sade (per Beach Volleyball Database)
Role Models: Andre Agassi and Paul Newman (per Beach Volleyball Database)
Twitter Name: kerrileewalsh
Marriage: She married Casey Jennings, an American beach volleyball player, on Dec. 4, 2005. On her official website, she still goes by the name, Kerri Walsh.
College Career: According to her official website, Kerri Walsh played indoor sixes volleyball while at Stanford, and impressively, earned NCAA First Team All-American honors all four years (1996-1999). Per her personal website, Walsh "was … the first player in PAC-10 history to record 1,500 kills (1,553), 1,200 digs (1,285) and 500 blocks (502)."
Professional Career: Per Beach Volleyball Database, Kerri Walsh began her professional beach volleyball career in 2001. Since that time, she has won 107 doubles tournaments and has collected approximately $2,015,135 in prize money.
Olympics: Kerri Walsh has been a participant in the last three Olympic Summer Games. Per her official website, Walsh played on the U.S. indoor sixes volleyball team that finished fourth in Sydney in 2000. She then switched to playing beach volleyball. She teamed up with Misty May-Treanor for the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games and won the gold medal on both occasions. She will once again partner with May-Treanor for the London Olympics in the hopes of winning an unprecedented third gold medal in beach volleyball.
The author played recreational volleyball during his youth and early adulthood, as well as one year of club level volleyball at Roanoke College. He is an avid fan of the Olympic Games.
-- Anthony Hopper
#volleyball #sports #Olympics #SummerGames #SummerOlympics #womensvolleyball
2012 Commentary on the Supreme Court's Healthcare Decision
Abstract:
The Supreme Court’s ruling on the Affordable Care Act might not be popular. However, I believe the justices made the right decision in leaving it up to the American people to choose whether or not
to keep the healthcare legislation intact.
According to Yahoo News, on Thursday, June 28, the Supreme Court upheld most of the provisions in The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (usually shortened to Affordable Care Act). Importantly, by a 5-4 vote, the justices stated that the individual mandate is constitutional. This portion of the legislation allows the federal government, with some exceptions, to collect fees from uninsured individuals. Per The Hill, a majority of the public wanted the Supreme Court to throw out all or part of the health care act. However, I believe the justices made the right decision in this case.
Many Americans, including me, might have reservations about the Affordable Care Act; however, they have to admit that the legislation was crafted by popularly elected officials in the House and Senate. That is the way it should be. The fate of the Affordable Care Act should be determined by elected representatives, who are beholden to the voters, and not by appointed officials. The Supreme Court's ruling ensures that this will be the case. The American people will now decide, via their votes in November, whether or not the Affordable Care Act is repealed.
And while the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of the individual mandate might not be popular, it is preferable to a scenario in which the justices threw out this portion of the healthcare bill but left everything else intact. As I noted in a previous article, the latter outcome would have created a potential nightmare situation that required federal and state government agencies to provide insurance coverage to all Americans without allocating the funds necessary to achieve this result.
Finally, The Washington Post notes that Republicans are supportive of some parts of the current healthcare law. If that is the case, the Supreme Court's decision is in the best interests of the American people. Whichever party wins in November will find it much easier to repeal sections of the Affordable Care Act it dislikes than to go through the agonizing task of trying to create sweeping new healthcare legislation to replace the current bill. Such a process would not only run the risk of failure, it would waste taxpayer dollars on redundant research and debate. Just as important, it would divert legislators' attentions from other, important issues like immigration reform and Iran.
The Supreme Court's ruling on the Affordable Care Act might not be popular. However, I believe the justices made the right decision in leaving it up to the American people to choose whether or not to keep the healthcare legislation intact when they go to the polls in November.
1. Noclip. (2007, May 7). Supreme Court - Front: At Dusk. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons.
The author has placed the image in the public domain without restrictions.
The author is a freelance writer. He has worked in the health care industry for almost a decade and has interned with a health policy think tank. He has a M.S. in Health Systems Administration from Georgetown University.
-- Anthony Hopper
#SupremeCourt #law #ACA #ObamaCare #AffordableCareAct #healthcare #health #medicine #legal
 |
| U.S. Supreme Court Building at Dusk (1) |
Many Americans, including me, might have reservations about the Affordable Care Act; however, they have to admit that the legislation was crafted by popularly elected officials in the House and Senate. That is the way it should be. The fate of the Affordable Care Act should be determined by elected representatives, who are beholden to the voters, and not by appointed officials. The Supreme Court's ruling ensures that this will be the case. The American people will now decide, via their votes in November, whether or not the Affordable Care Act is repealed.
And while the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of the individual mandate might not be popular, it is preferable to a scenario in which the justices threw out this portion of the healthcare bill but left everything else intact. As I noted in a previous article, the latter outcome would have created a potential nightmare situation that required federal and state government agencies to provide insurance coverage to all Americans without allocating the funds necessary to achieve this result.
Finally, The Washington Post notes that Republicans are supportive of some parts of the current healthcare law. If that is the case, the Supreme Court's decision is in the best interests of the American people. Whichever party wins in November will find it much easier to repeal sections of the Affordable Care Act it dislikes than to go through the agonizing task of trying to create sweeping new healthcare legislation to replace the current bill. Such a process would not only run the risk of failure, it would waste taxpayer dollars on redundant research and debate. Just as important, it would divert legislators' attentions from other, important issues like immigration reform and Iran.
The Supreme Court's ruling on the Affordable Care Act might not be popular. However, I believe the justices made the right decision in leaving it up to the American people to choose whether or not to keep the healthcare legislation intact when they go to the polls in November.
1. Noclip. (2007, May 7). Supreme Court - Front: At Dusk. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons.
The author has placed the image in the public domain without restrictions.
The author is a freelance writer. He has worked in the health care industry for almost a decade and has interned with a health policy think tank. He has a M.S. in Health Systems Administration from Georgetown University.
-- Anthony Hopper
#SupremeCourt #law #ACA #ObamaCare #AffordableCareAct #healthcare #health #medicine #legal
Wimbledon 2012: 10 Sites to See in London When Not Watching Tennis
Abstract:
Fans that are traveling to London to watch the Wimbledon tennis matches may also want to visit some of the city’s other famous attractions. Here are 10 of them.
Tennis fans have to be excited by the fact that Wimbledon begins in less than one week. Per its official website, the tournament starts on Monday, June 25 and runs through Sunday, July 8. The tennis matches will be held at the All England Club in London.
Fans that are traveling to London to watch the Wimbledon tennis matches may also want to visit some of the city's other famous locations.
Here are 10 of them. All the times are based on London time.
British Museum: Per its official website, the museum is over 250 years old, having first opened its doors to the public in January 1759. It houses a vast array of artifacts from the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Africa. I can state from experience that one can spend a whole day (and more) perusing the British Museum's collections. It is located on Great Russell Street and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (and until 8:30 p.m. on Friday). Admission is free.
The Tower of London: Per its official website, work began on the building in the eleventh century under the auspices of William the Conqueror. The Tower of London has been used for a variety of purposes, including as a fortress, as the royal residences, as a prison, and as an execution chamber. It is now a museum housing several exhibits, including the Crown Jewels, which are still used by the royal family during coronation ceremonies and at other, official events. The Tower of London is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., and Sunday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. There is a charge for admission, though ticket prices vary.
The Cartoon Museum: As its website notes, the museum is relatively new. It only opened to the public in 2006. Visitors can delight in the museum's displays of cartoons, caricatures, and comics dating from the 1700s. It is located on Little Russell Street, only a short distance from the British Museum. The Cartoon Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., and on Sunday from 12 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. Adults will have to pay a small admission fee (approximately $8.64).
Big Ben: The building that houses the United Kingdom's parliament is certainly majestic; however, its clock tower, Big Ben, is the chief attraction for most tourists. Per Parliament's official website, Big Ben was completed in 1859. It is over 96 meters (315 feet) tall and 12 meters (around 39.4 feet) square.
The National Gallery: Per its website, the museum contains over 2,300 paintings (mostly from European artists). Its youngest pieces of art are from the 1800s, and its oldest paintings are from the 1200s. Located on Trafalgar Square, the facility is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.., except on Fridays, when it stays open until 9 p.m. Admission is free.
London Eye: Per the information on its website, the London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel with enclosed boxes. It is the largest of its kind in the world. The London Eye hoists visitors around 135 meters (approximately 443 feet) into the air, thereby affording them an excellent view of London. A total of 39 million visitors have lined up to take a ride on the London Eye since it opened in 2000.
Tate Modern: As its name suggests, Tate Modern specializes in contemporary and modern art. The front entrance to the museum is located along Queen's Walk with the back portion of the facility facing Summer Street. Tate Modern is open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Admission is free, though visitors may have to pay a charge to see the special exhibits.
Thames River: London was able to develop into a powerful commercial and trade center because the city is located along the Thames River. Visitors to Wimbledon will want to catch a glimpse of this historic watercourse before they leave London.
The Royal Museums Greenwich: Per its website, The Royal Museums consists of several different attractions, including the National Maritime Museum, a tea clipper (ship) built in 1869, the Royal Observatory (containing a museum, a telescope, and a planetarium), and the Queen's House. The latter building is so named because it served as the home of King Charles I's queen, Henrietta Maria, in the 1600s. All of the attractions are located in the historic Greenwich portion of London. Admission prices vary.
The Seven Stars: England is known for its pubs, which are usually small, friendly establishments that serve alcohol as well as food. Visitors to London, who want to stop by a pub after watching the Wimbledon tennis matches, might think about going to The Seven Stars. Per The Sydney Morning Herald, the pub, which dates back to the 1600s, has the distinction of being one of the oldest in London. It is located on Carey Street.
1. Arancibia, Juan Pablo. (2004, November). The Clock Tower, from Westminster Bridge. Retrieved
from Wikimedia Commons. The author has released this photo into the public domain without
any restrictions.
The author is a freelance writer. He has a B.A. in history and took numerous British history courses while an undergraduate in college. He studied in England for six weeks during the summer between his sophomore and junior years in college. He is also an avid sports fan. He has visited many of the sites on this list.
-- Anthony Hopper
#sports #tennis #Wimbledon #England #London #UK #travel #tourism #museums
Tennis fans have to be excited by the fact that Wimbledon begins in less than one week. Per its official website, the tournament starts on Monday, June 25 and runs through Sunday, July 8. The tennis matches will be held at the All England Club in London.
Fans that are traveling to London to watch the Wimbledon tennis matches may also want to visit some of the city's other famous locations.
Here are 10 of them. All the times are based on London time.
British Museum: Per its official website, the museum is over 250 years old, having first opened its doors to the public in January 1759. It houses a vast array of artifacts from the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Africa. I can state from experience that one can spend a whole day (and more) perusing the British Museum's collections. It is located on Great Russell Street and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (and until 8:30 p.m. on Friday). Admission is free.
The Tower of London: Per its official website, work began on the building in the eleventh century under the auspices of William the Conqueror. The Tower of London has been used for a variety of purposes, including as a fortress, as the royal residences, as a prison, and as an execution chamber. It is now a museum housing several exhibits, including the Crown Jewels, which are still used by the royal family during coronation ceremonies and at other, official events. The Tower of London is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., and Sunday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. There is a charge for admission, though ticket prices vary.
 |
| Big Ben in 2004 (1) |
Big Ben: The building that houses the United Kingdom's parliament is certainly majestic; however, its clock tower, Big Ben, is the chief attraction for most tourists. Per Parliament's official website, Big Ben was completed in 1859. It is over 96 meters (315 feet) tall and 12 meters (around 39.4 feet) square.
The National Gallery: Per its website, the museum contains over 2,300 paintings (mostly from European artists). Its youngest pieces of art are from the 1800s, and its oldest paintings are from the 1200s. Located on Trafalgar Square, the facility is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.., except on Fridays, when it stays open until 9 p.m. Admission is free.
London Eye: Per the information on its website, the London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel with enclosed boxes. It is the largest of its kind in the world. The London Eye hoists visitors around 135 meters (approximately 443 feet) into the air, thereby affording them an excellent view of London. A total of 39 million visitors have lined up to take a ride on the London Eye since it opened in 2000.
Tate Modern: As its name suggests, Tate Modern specializes in contemporary and modern art. The front entrance to the museum is located along Queen's Walk with the back portion of the facility facing Summer Street. Tate Modern is open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Admission is free, though visitors may have to pay a charge to see the special exhibits.
Thames River: London was able to develop into a powerful commercial and trade center because the city is located along the Thames River. Visitors to Wimbledon will want to catch a glimpse of this historic watercourse before they leave London.
The Royal Museums Greenwich: Per its website, The Royal Museums consists of several different attractions, including the National Maritime Museum, a tea clipper (ship) built in 1869, the Royal Observatory (containing a museum, a telescope, and a planetarium), and the Queen's House. The latter building is so named because it served as the home of King Charles I's queen, Henrietta Maria, in the 1600s. All of the attractions are located in the historic Greenwich portion of London. Admission prices vary.
The Seven Stars: England is known for its pubs, which are usually small, friendly establishments that serve alcohol as well as food. Visitors to London, who want to stop by a pub after watching the Wimbledon tennis matches, might think about going to The Seven Stars. Per The Sydney Morning Herald, the pub, which dates back to the 1600s, has the distinction of being one of the oldest in London. It is located on Carey Street.
1. Arancibia, Juan Pablo. (2004, November). The Clock Tower, from Westminster Bridge. Retrieved
from Wikimedia Commons. The author has released this photo into the public domain without
any restrictions.
The author is a freelance writer. He has a B.A. in history and took numerous British history courses while an undergraduate in college. He studied in England for six weeks during the summer between his sophomore and junior years in college. He is also an avid sports fan. He has visited many of the sites on this list.
-- Anthony Hopper
#sports #tennis #Wimbledon #England #London #UK #travel #tourism #museums
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