Rio Olympics 2016: Can Kerri Walsh Jennings take on Australia Without Misty May-Treanor?

Misty May-Treanor & Kerri Walsh Jennings: London 2012 Profile

Walsh Jennings will be returning for her fifth Olympic games, but the first in over ten years without Misty May-Treanor. Can she still win gold against the Brazilians home court advantage?

The London 2012 Games were the end of an era. Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor went together like peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, chocolate and vanilla, the Rio Olympics and every possible misfortune. Winning three gold medals together in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 summer Olympics, Walsh Jennings and May-Treanor have been described as the greatest beach volleyball team of all time.

The two first found each otheralright, they were paired together for the FIVB international tourin 2001 after narrowly missing Olympic medals in Sydney in 2000 (May-Treanor and her partner came in 5th in the beach volleyball tournament, Walsh Jennings came in fourth in the indoor volleyball competition).

Since 2001, the two had been known as a pair on the international and national beach volleyball circuit. They competed together in the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics, becoming a household name even to non-beach volleyball fans.

Thats not to say things were always smooth sailing. The duo suffered losses, difficult matches, and even a brief retirement by May-Treanor, who decided in 2010 that she would take a break from competition. Walsh Jennings partnered with fellow Americanand 2008 Olympic teammateNicole Branagh, but after a change of heart, May-Treanor soon joined her partner back on the court. The two won a third consecutive gold in the 2012 London Games.

But it seems that May-Treanor really means it this time when she says shes not coming back to compete. Walsh Jennings will be competing in the 2016 Rio Olympics with April Ross, who earned second place in the London Olympics.

While Ross is no May-Treanor, the almond-butter and jelly pairing will still be a force to reckon with in Rio.

Ross can certainly hold her own on the court. She has eight AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) and nine FIVB (Fdration Internationale de Volleyball) first-place finishes overall. She was named the Most Outstanding Player in the 2008 Phuket Thailand Open and, together with Jennifer Kessy, beat World Champion couple May-Treanor and Walsh Jennings in the AVP tournament in California. Kessy and Ross also beat Brazilians Juliana Silva and Larissa Frana way back in 2009 before trouncing them again in the semifinals of the 2012 London Olympics.

While Ross and Walsh Jennings are favorites to medal in Rio, they have quite a few challenges ahead. In addition to rebranding, Ross and Walsh Jennings must face Brazilian all-star Larissa Frana on her home turf. On top of that, Walsh Jennings underwent shoulder surgery in the fall.

Heres hoping the 37-year-old can be just as dominant in her 5th Olympics with Ross as she was in three Olympics with May-Treanor.

The team takes on Australia in their first Olympic match together, Saturday, August 6 at 11pm EST.

How to Live Stream the 2016 Rio Olympics:

NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app will be live streaming coverage of the Games for pay TV subscribers via TV Everywhere. You can download the NBC Sports app to your Android TV, Apple TV, Xbox or Roku or use the iOS, Android or Windows Phone apps.

You can also live stream Olympic matches from NBC here.

Source: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/06/rio-olympics-2016-can-kerri-walsh-jennings-take-on-australia-without-misty-may-treanor.html

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ADHD in classroom is struggle for teachers, students

Classroom - Cyanide & Happiness Shorts

MIAMI Hudson Dunn has always been an active boy.

His daycare teachers called him demanding and independent. In preschool, he preferred singing and daydreaming to learning the ABCs. By the time he was in kindergarten in Broward County, Hudson was banned from class field trips unless his mother came along to keep track of him. He often came home crying.

It created an environment in the classroom where he was labeled a bad kid, said his mom, Jenine Dunn.

Emily Michot

Teacher Herbert McArthur Jr. gives a little extra encouragement to Jesus G. to keep him on track during a special summer camp for children with ADHD run by FIU. (Emily Michot/Miami Herald/TNS)

Hudson has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders in children. The Centers for Disease Control estimates 11 percent of American kids have ADHD.

The list of symptoms for kids who have ADHD reads like a recipe for problems in school: trouble paying attention and completing tasks. Being fidgety, talkative and impulsive. Difficulty following rules, making friends and keeping track of things - like homework or class materials.

Increasing academic demands have only made it harder for kids with ADHD, argues Dr. Jeffrey Brosco, professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. With kids spending more time preparing for standardized tests and less time playing at recess, Brosco says the rate of ADHD in children has doubled since the 1970s.

Emily Michot

Teacher Herbert McArthur Jr. works with Samantha N. as Jesus G. gets a little distracted from his studies during a special summer program for children with ADHD run by FIU. (Emily Michot/Miami Herald/TNS)

Weve increased the academic demands, but weve also reduced our demands for allowing children to figure out how to spend their time, Brosco said. Young children learn best by play and by creative kinds of pursuits, and not just practice with reading, writing and arithmetic.

Take, for example, the amount of time that kids spend doing homework. In a paper published in February in JAMA Pediatrics, Brosco and co-author Anna Bona point out that elementary-aged kids in 1997 spent more than two hours on homework, compared with kids in the 1980s who spent less than an hour.

Dunn said the academic rigor of kindergarten definitely contributed to the difficulties her son, Hudson, faced in school. Whereas she remembers hatching eggs and making maple syrup in kindergarten, Dunns son was expected to fill out worksheets and write book reports.

Theres very little free time for imagination. They want these kids in kindergarten sitting at a desk for seven hours a day, she said. It creates an incredible amount of stress.

There could be other causes for increasing ADHD rates. Dr. William Pelham is a world-renowned ADHD researcher at Florida International University. He credits two major developments with boosting the number of diagnoses: One, recognition by the federal government in 1991 that children with ADHD are entitled to special education services in school. Second, the development and marketing of new pharmaceutical drugs in the 2000s.

Whatever the cause, Pelham has focused on effective treatments over his decades-long career. Every summer, Pelham, who leads FIUs Center for Children and Families, runs a summer camp for children with ADHD at Paul W. Bell Middle near Sweetwater, Fla.

There are all the activities youd expect from a summer camp, like basketball and silly songs. But theres also a classroom component with a heavy dose of behavior therapy, where theres a consequence for every action good or bad.

The therapy is on display in Herbert McArthur, Jr.s class. During the school year, hes a Miami-Dade high school teacher. In the summertime, he teaches a roomful of younger students who have ADHD.

He weaves between their desks, offering nonstop praise.

I like the way youre raising your hand without calling out, he tells one.

Thank you for using your materials appropriately, he says to another.

It comes every 30 seconds or so, a pleasant reminder for every tiny thing done right. Because for McArthurs students, every moment spent sitting in class and following the rules is a monumental achievement.

Implementing behavior modification strategies in the classroom takes time - time that teachers dont often feel like they have. A recent survey by the American Federation of Teachers found that being pressed for time was a leading cause of stress among teachers.

Every moment spent fixing bad behavior, praising good behavior or redirecting a student to the task at hand is a moment of teaching that is lost.

The bell-to-bell instruction, it doesnt allow for the extra pat on the back, said McArthur, the summer camp teacher. Youre looking at the clock.

Pelham and his team focus on behavior modification because, he says, it works. Combined with parent training, Pelham has found that starting with behavior-based treatment rather than medication is more effective and costs less. His findings, released in February, led the CDC to change the recommended course of treatment for children with ADHD.

Still, children in Florida are far more likely to receive medicine over therapy. In a 2010 CDC survey, more than 70 percent of kids had taken medication in the past week, while only half had received behavior therapy in the past year.

The problem is that there is no pharmaceutical company for better classroom management practices. There is no pharmaceutical company for better parenting programs. So you dont have gigantic industries helping parents and helping teachers, Pelham said.

Ava Goldman, a director for Miami-Dades Exceptional Student Education, said the school district works with Pelham to train teachers to work with students who have ADHD. The district and Pelham also recently collaborated to revamp the accepted classroom accommodations students with ADHD can receive.

Source: http://www.ajc.com/news/lifestyles/parenting/adhd-in-classroom-is-struggle-for-teachers-student/nsGgm/

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She"s been setting temperatures racing but WHO is Olympic runner Sage Watson?

From Sage Watson 9/11 Operation Xinoehp

All eyes are on the athletes in Rio but one runner has been turning more heads than most.

Sage Watson has won a loyal legion of fans due to her impressive talent and unique running look.

Gearing up for her race recently, she wore a splash of bright red lipstick and flashed a big smile to camera as her name appears on screen.

Rather cheekily, she also threw in a wink for her fans around the world.

But who is Sage Watson?

The athlete is 22-years old from Canada and specialises in the 400 metres hurdles.

Whilst she pushes herself with a gruelling fitness regime and diet, Sage also enjoys downtime.

Sharing a poolside selfie with her 13,000 Instagram followers two weeks before the Olympics, Sage wrote: I love my recovery days! They are a key factor on my road to rio.

And footage of Sage running with ruby red lips has gone viral online.

The star proved popular on Twitter, with one user writing: Sage Watson didn"t win but the cameraman thought she did. Lol.

Another said: Did you see Sage Watson wink? I"m smitten.

One wrote: Every guy who just saw that 800m women"s heat is now image searching Sage Watson.

Source: http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/700613/sage-watson-rio-olympics-runner-viral-imgur

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"It was intense and fun to watch" Murphy"s bronze-medal run

Clayton Murphy After Winning 2016 Olympic Trials 800

C.J. Osborne, 11, was hunkered in front of a giant screen at the Tri-Village High School commons with about 30 of his best friends. Seemingly the entire village of residents was packed around them.

All yelled in unison then lapsed into a defending roar for most of one minute, 42.93 seconds Monday night.

Thats how long it took for favorite son and Tri-Village grad Clayton Murphy to etch his name and this wee village tucked in Darke County next to the Indiana border into Olympic track and field history.

It was intense and fun to watch him, gushed Osborne, after Murphy went from sixth to third over the final 200 meters to place third and capture a coveted bronze medal at the Rio Olympic Games. I want to run track, now.

C.J. likely isnt the only inspired youth in this country after watching Murphy, 21, blaze to world-wide fame. The gangly kid with the infectious smile and cherub-like presence has the running heart of a champion.

Many of the towns residents who know him and his family, and just as many children who only know of him, rooted Murphy on. Among the vocal and partisan Patriots fans were his former Tri-Village track and field coach Scott Warren. The first-year varsity football program had its stadium added this past spring and summer around an all-surface running track that was put down when the school was upgraded in 2004.

Thats where Warren initially envisioned the potential of a skinny underclassman with a big heart. But the thought of Murphy representing the United States last year at the Pan Am Games (he won) and the World Games (12th) would have been a stretch.

He had a great work ethic, said Warren, up front with friends and neighbors during the race that was delayed by weather until about 9:45 p.m. local time. He was a big leader. You just knew he was special; we all knew he was special. This is absolutely amazing; just what we planned for. Its pretty amazing. I was really wishing for the gold, but thats a huge task. I was just hoping hed get in the medals.

Most of Murphys immediate family were at Rio to root him on.

Murphys July U.S. Olympic Trials win was yet another example of the high-caliber and gritty runner hes evolved into since graduating from Tri-Village in 2013. He squeaked out of the first round of the 800 at Rio to claim a non-automatic qualifying spot in the semis. Then he smoked a personal best 1:44.30 for the fourth fastest overall time in the semifinals.

He reset his personal best in the two-lap race yet again on Monday, following an even-pace script that has served him so well. Instead of blazing a first lap, he instead ran close to even lap splits and appeared to run down at least three runners after the final turn. Instead, they slowed and he maintained pace.

Tri-Village athletic director Brad Gray said the school will make contact with Murphy and organize a coming-home event. Murphy has several more international races remaining this season. He turned pro after the trials after running for three seasons at Akron University.

Were going to reach out to him and see what we can do; you can count on that, said Gray, also the schools ultra-successful girls basketball coach. Its unreal to have a kid from this community whos competing as a world-class athlete on the global stage. Thats what dreams are made of, right there.

Source: http://www.mydaytondailynews.com/news/sports/thats-what-dreams-are-made-of-right-there/nsGWM/

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Kathleen Kane"s "war" claims its final casualty: Analysis | PennLive.com

Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane Found Guilty | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

[*This post has been updated to correctly reflect the number of charges lodged against Kathleen Kane.]

Kathleen Kane went to war to punish her enemies. And she went all in, leaking secret grand jury material to embarrass the critics she believed were out to get her.

In prosecuting it, Kane ended the careers of two state Supreme Court justices. She hounded others from state government in a single-minded attempt to root out an "Old Boys" network of e-p**n trading judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys.

And on Monday, Kane"s war claimed its final victim, the attorney general herself, as a Montgomery County jury,comprised of the very voters she"d once sworn to protect, made a clean sweep of it.

The Democratic Attorney General was found guilty on all ninecounts lodged against her, including two felony perjury counts and other misdemeanor counts that included false swearing, obstructing justice, conspiracy and official oppression.

Kane, of Lackawanna County, betrayed no emotion as the jury rendered its verdict, PennLive"s Wallace McKelvey reported.

But it"s tempting to think what emotions must have been roiling her.

She"d once been mentioned as a potential governor, perhaps even a future United States Senator.

The catalogs of her early successes was an impressive one. She closed the so-called "Florida loophole" on gun permits; she derailed Republican Gov. Tom Corbett"s efforts to privatize the day-to-day management of the Pennsylvania Lottery; She famously refused to defend the state"s gay marriage ban, punting a political hot potato back to Corbett himself.

Then, the unraveling. The unforced errors. The botched cases, including revelations of anaborted Philly corruption sting that prompted her to lash out at her critics in the first place.

Thestar that rose and shone so brightly with her election in 2012, as the first woman and first Democrat to serve in the post, went nova with stunning speed.

The history here is worth considering

The jury"s verdict came 21 years and not quite two months after another Attorney General, Republican Ernie Preate, who, like Kane, hails from Scranton,pleaded guilty to federal mail fraud charges and was trundled off to prison to serve a 14-month sentence.

He"d been a rising star once too, andbragged three decades ago that he could serve his time "standing on his head."

But the judicial system, as Preate learned, and Kane has too, or may soon learn, is the great equalizer.

These days, Preate, who literally wrote the book on how to put someone to death, practices law in Scranton andpursues reforms to the very judicial system he once wielded like a cudgelagainst others.

Preate resigned just nine days after entering his plea in June 1995. Under court precedent, Kane doesn"t have to step down until she"s sentenced, which could take weeks.

She could hang on until then. But what would be the point of such an exercise?

For all practical purposes, Kane hasn"t been attorney general in months, since the state Supreme Court suspended her law license.

Bruce L. Castor, the former Montgomery County DA who ran unsuccessfully for AG himself, has been running the office in her absence, leaving little reason for her to stay in a job she no longer does.

She"s not running for re-election. Her career in politics is over.

And if Kane doesn"t quit, it"s entirely likely that the General Assembly will act to remove her. The Republican leaders in the House and Senate called on her to quit, as did Gov. Tom Wolf.

What could happen if not?

Impeachment proceedings willlikely grind back into motionin the House. The state Senate couldresurrect its effort to use an obscure clause of the state Constitution to bounce her from office.

Some wars have victors, generals who can point to hard won territory that charted their path to victory.

Others can only stand among smoldering wreckage of their defeat and contemplate the magnitude of their ruin.

"Wars have casualties," Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said during closing arguments on Monday. "Wars leave scars."

And scars take years to heal - if they ever do at all.

Source: http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2016/08/kathleen_kanes_war_claims_its.html

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Evolution of women"s beach volleyball uniforms

Women"s Beach Volleyball Semi-Finals - USA v CHN | London 2012 Olympics

LAURA WALTERS

Last updated13:52, August 8 2016

SHAUN BOTTERILL/GETTY IMAGES

It"s taken a while but women"s beach volleyball uniform regulations are finally catching up with the diverse beliefs of the sport"s international competitors.

Many beach volleyballersarechoosingto stick withthe traditional two pieces of lycra in Rio, but they no longer have to.

Egyptian teamNada Meawad and Doaa Elghobashy shunned the bikini during their match against Germany on Monday morning (NZT)in favour of long sleeves and long pants -Elghobashy covered her hair with a hijab.

The picture of the pair, the first Egyptian women"s volleyball team to compete at the Olympics,was a stark contrast to what thesport has become known for, since it was added to the Olympic bill in 1996.

SHAUN BOTTERILL/GETTY IMAGES

Egyptian volleyballers Doaa Elghobashy (L) and Nada Meawad opted for long sleeves, long pants and a hijab in a move away from the skimpy bikini that often defines the Olympic sport.

Women"s beach volleyball is one of those much-talked about, highly anticipated events- usually for all the wrong reasons.

READ MORE:*Live: Rio Olympics - day two*Aussie swimmer admits drug taunt was a mind game*Rush for Rio gold costs Kiwi*Three cracks in rider"s spine*Female beach volleyballers can now cover up*Bikinis dominate beach volleyball questioning*There"s more to beach volleyball than skimpy outfits

Shaun Botterill

Laura Ludwig, left, and Kira Walkenhorst of Germany, who defeated the Egyption pair of Doaa Elghobashy and Nada Meawad.

Press conferences are often filled with bikini-focussed questions rather than talk of medal hopes or team strategies.

"Will you promise you will wear bikinis even if it rains?" -A question from a male reporter to UK OlympianZara Dampney.

In 2012, then-London Mayor Boris Johnson referred to "semi-n***d women playing volleyball...glistening like wet otters".

GETTY IMAGES

The Egyptian team"s uniform was a stark contrast to the uniforms worn by most beach volleyball competitors, who say a bikini is best for peak performance.

"The whole thing is magnificent and bonkers," Johnson said in a column titled20 jolly good reasons to feel cheerful about the Games, which was publishedin The Telegraph.

Johnson"s bizarre description of these world-class athletes coincided with the first Olympics where female beach volleyball players were not restricted to lycra by the International Volleyball Federation"s (FIVB) uniform code.

In March2012, FIVB caught up with the diverse culturaland religious beliefs of the sport"s international players, adding three more options to its approved uniforms.

SHAUN BOTTERILL/GETTY IMAGES

Competitors who do opt for the bikini must adhere to the guidelines that state the side panel of the brief must be no wider than 7cm.

If you were a female beach volleyball player pre-2012 you could wear a one-piece bathing suit or a bikini with a maximum side width of 7cm (yes, it was that specific. And that small).

The rules stated competitors could also wearfull body suits could also be used under the bikini in cold weather, something that was rarely done.

Now, there are three extra choices. Players can wear shorts of a maximum length of 3cm above the knee with sleeved or sleeveless tops or a full body suit.

QUINN ROONEY/GETTY IMAGES

Some competitors say they are sick of being sexualised because of their uniforms, others shrug off the attention, saying no other outfit would allow them to perform at their best.

The FIVB said the change was made in order to"respect the custom and/or religious beliefs" of players.

In 2009, New Zealand netballer-turned-volleyballer Anna Scarlett said it was unfortunate the mediafocusedon the bikinis and not the sport itself.

"I find it frustrating, and I know the other players do too. I suppose unfortunately it has been sold a lot on the sexual aspect. If that gets numbers and people interested in the game then that"s a good start...

"I couldn"t think of anything else you could play beach volleyball in. Your pockets fill up with sand, it gets so hot out there and even when it"s raining if you are playing in shorts and singlet it would get heavy."

While some women"s volleyballers, like Scarlett, feelfrustrationat their sport being defined by the lycra in which they compete, US beach volleyballer Kerri Walsh Jennings has shut down the bikini critics.

Walsh Jennings, whose competing in her fifth Olympics,told the Huffington Postbikinis are best for thejob.

"The original way to play beach volleyball was in a bikini and board shorts, and I don"t know what else they want us to wear...

"When it comes to beach volleyball, we"re playing in 100-degree-plus weather.

"I think we"ve just gotta educate the public, take it with a grain of salt and make sure that we"re working hard and not playing up the s*x appeal because it"s inherent anyway."

The bikini she will wear when taking on China with teammate April Rosson Tuesday, is designed for peak performance. It"s not about being "sexy" or "flashy", she says.

-Stuff

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/olympics/82926043/Evolution-of-womens-beach-volleyball-uniforms

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Rio Olympics: Simone Biles is human, Allyson Felix just misses gold on Day 10

Allyson Felix Makes History With Seventh Olympic Medal

Everyone expected Tuesday to be another coronation for Simone Biles, but a stumble sent ripples through the gymnastics world.

Meanwhile on the track, Allyson Felix lost in the most unexpected of ways in the 400-meters. Here are some takeaways from Day 10.

Simone is not a robot

The clear favorite heading into the balance beam final, Simone Biles lost control just enough to have to grab the beam with her hands. The slip-up cost Biles, as she scored nearly a full point below her qualifying score. Because of her skill level, she was still able to secure bronze, her fourth medal of the games.

Look out for Laurie

Biles" teammate, 16-year-old Laurie Hernandez, established herself as a dominant force in the gymnastics world by taking silver in the balance beam final. She also won gold in the team competition.

A loss to a dive

Allyson Felix narrowly missed out on a gold medal as Bahamanian Shaunae Miller dove towards the finish line at the last second to earn the victory in the women"s 400-meters. The dive, which drew some criticism on social media, is perfectly legal.

No gold for USA

The U.S. did not win a gold medal on Monday, ending a streak that dates back to the Beijing games.

Live Updates

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Source: http://www.cbssports.com/olympics/news/rio-olympics-2016-day-10-schedule-events-and-how-to-watch-live-stream/

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