The Litvak Legacy

Criss Angel tickets are now available to be bought or sold at Stubhub.com.

With his emo haircut, dark shades and tattoos, Criss Angel looks more the part of the rock star than the man who pulls a rabbit out of a hat. But then, a rabbit out of a hat isn’t his style—it’s too simple, and not extreme enough.

Angel has capitalized on his image and unique style to craft a new kind of magic show, one that celebrates the wonder of illusion that doubtlessly inspired him as a kid, yet also combines a modern and edgy approach to entertainment that appeals to a lot of people and keeps them interested.

Magic has been around for centuries. Conjurors first began to appear in the Middle Ages, working on street corners and traveling the countryside, using simple tricks and sleight-of-hand to impress small crowds. As entertainment evolved, so did magic, eventually becoming the more elaborate art form developed in the 18th century and 19th century. Late in the 1800s, Harry Houdini cemented his position as the world’s best known magician—an honor he still holds today. His escapology and showmanship are things that Criss Angel obviously looked up to and borrowed a bit for his own shows.

The modern age of the magician is one still filled with eye-popping stunts that people have trouble believing. If anything, with the spread of education and skepticism, people are less likely to expect the amazement that comes with a great magic trick. Criss Angel has sought to restore that faith in the impossible in a grand old fashion, much in the way that Houdini did in his time. But for Angel, magic is a much more rock ‘n’ roll endeavor, more charged and energetic and a little bit dangerous.

He’s grown in fame performing live shows, and eventually secured a television show, “Mindfreak with Criss Angel.” That show increased his recognition and brought his unique brand of magic to the country. Now he’s got a regular gig performing at the Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV. Better than that, Cirque Du Soleil has teamed up with him to create a Criss Angel themed show. Get Criss Angel tickets today!

A PhD degree in distance learning is the most prestigious degree awarded in the field of education these days. PhD or Doctor of Philosophy is awarded for a number of specializations including Instructional Design for Online Learning, Leadership for Higher Education, Leadership in Educational Administration, Postsecondary and Adult Education, Professional Studies in Education, Training and Performance Improvement, etc. The PhD degree is awarded in recognition of an original contribution to the subject, the demonstrated mastery and knowledge of the subject or for conducting and presenting scholarly research on a selected topic. This is known as the doctoral thesis or dissertation.

Educational Requirements for PhD Degree

The PhD degree in distance learning requires completion of a master’s degree in education accompanied by two to five years of postgraduate research training. Some institutions may not require a master’s degree, if the candidate has relevant expertise. The aspiring doctoral candidates in distance learning are selected on the basis of written and oral examination. Then they must conduct the research on their chosen subject and write a dissertation. On completion of the research, doctoral students have to satisfactorily present the dissertation before a committee of professors in the field.

The minimum registration period for a full-time PhD is two years and a maximum of three to four years. But there can be broad variations from university to university. Most of the PhD programs in distance learning have a residency requirement. Doctoral students are required to spend a specific time at their chosen university. This provides the support and valuable sources of information from fellow students and instructors.

Advantages of Acquiring a PhD Degree

The PhD degree in distance learning can lead to a high level position in a number of educational settings whether they are traditional, corporate or online. The PhD program in distance learning is designed to prepare researchers and includes coursework, internships, and independent work in distance learning course planning, data analysis, and instructional theory. A PhD degree is required to become a professor, dean or an administrator in a university.

The PhD degree in distance learning is offered by a number of accredited universities. Some of them are University of Phoenix Online, Walden University, Capella University, University of Maryland University College, Boston University, University of Florida, etc. PhDs in distance learning offered by these universities prepare students to lead and manage challenges in a variety of educational settings. The program provides expertise in designing, organizing, teaching, and evaluating course work for online education.

So, if you aspire to achieve a high level position in any type of educational set up or gain indepth knowledge and expertise in the field of distance learning, a PhD degree is extremely helpful.

Finding the right Florida attorney can be a confusing and time consuming process that can ultimately determine the success or failure of your court proceedings. In order to increase the likelihood of a legal victory it is important to identify your particular legal needs, decide upon a lawyer that you trust and that specializes in the correct legal field, and finally to negotiate appropriate legal fees if a verdict is rendered. The process is further complicated in a populous state such as Florida because of its dense population, changing demographics, and complicated legal regulations.

Before determining what type of attorney best suits your legal needs, it is important to correctly identify your particular legal situation. Are you fighting a traffic ticket, filing a lawsuit, or defending a criminal charge? There are literally hundreds of different legal specialties so it is important to limit your search for an attorney to only those specialties that apply to your particular need. You would not, for example, want to hire a divorce lawyer if you are fighting a traffic ticket. Most court clerks will be able to help you classify your legal problem by the typical legal fields (for example divorce court, traffic court, aviation law, or securities law). Using this information will help you identify and classify your particular problem.

Once you have ascertained the legal field in which you need advice, the next step is finding a Florida attorney that you both trust and have confidence in. By attaining a lawyer that is not familiar with your legal problem, you can hurt your chances for success and also cost yourself more money. A lawyer that is not comfortable in a particular field usually charges more for legal advice that may or may not be as sound as advice from someone more specialized. Therefore, for a successful legal conclusion, you must find the appropriate attorney.

The internet is a great resource for finding specialized lawyers in the Florida area. However, do not necessarily trust private web pages. They are not fact checked and are prone to hubris. Instead, use the sites to find names of prominent attorneys and then crosscheck those names with the Florida bar association or better business bureau for more factual and statistical information.

In many cases you will find that there are several attorneys in your needed field with credible credentials and strong resumes. When this happens it is important to choose a lawyer who you feel most comfortable with. Depending on the type of case that is before you, you may have to have some very personal conversations with your lawyer. These can include some very embarrassing information and very private financial transactions. You want to make sure that your private information stays private. Also the legal market is a fluid one. Prices are not posted like they are in a grocery store. One lawyer might charge double what another lawyer charges for the same service. Shop around, ask friends for references, and ultimately rely on your best judgement.

Florida presents a unique problem for identifying the correct attorney that suits a specific need. However, by correctly identifying your legal needs, researching the credentials of the lawyers, and ultimately finding someone you trust, you can assure a successful legal outcome.

As a former college sports coach i was often amazed at how little research some student-athletes did when it came to selecting their school. College can be some of the best years of your life and if you get it wrong they can also provide you with some bad experiences.

I know that most athletes are controlled by the “money factor” when it comes to choosing schools but you should still understand the various types of schools on offer and which one is best for you.

If you are thinking about playing a sport in college then you will need to complete some thorough research into the various types of colleges available to you. Below you will find some of your options.

The normal term for obtaining a bachelor’s degree at a U.S. college or university is four years in length. Some students can finish in less than four years and some may take longer. Some students want to fast track their degrees by taking summer school classes.

When you are pursuing a bachelor’s degree you will first participate in the schools’ required classes during your freshmen year and then will likely be required to declare a major by the end of your sophomore year. In order to graduate you will be required to study a certain number of hours and complete several other school criteria such as obtaining cultural credits. Check your school as these will vary.

When you graduate you will likely be awarded one of the following two most common degrees in a Bachelor of Science Degree or a Bachelor of Arts Degree. At a community college you will receive an Associates Degree.

You will attend one of the following types of schools when trying to obtain a Bachelors Degree. All vary in their structure, cost and requirements. Therefore it is important to understand their differences when selecting your school.

It often comes down to a personal preference when choosing your school. Various factors such as location, costs, size of the school, its sports programs, facilities, reputation, friends will all play a role in your decision making process.

The first thing to know about private schools is that they are likely to be more expensive than other schools. Costs can often go past the $25,000 mark which is just out of reach for many students and parents. The private schools are not controlled by government agencies as are public schools. As a result they receive less financial support in the form of government funding. Private universities are structured differently in the way that they are run by private groups and also supported through private funds.

Public Schools are governed and subsidized by the state they are located in and often have the word “state” in their name. For example, North Carolina State University or Florida State University. These public schools are often more popular with in-state residents as they provide a lot of financial assistance and are a lot cheaper than their private school alternative.

If you are an out-of-state student then you will pay higher fees as your taxes have not contributed to that particular states funding. However, it may still be a cheaper alternative than attending a private school in your state. Many of the state schools have great academic reputations and sporting programs so follow your list when selecting a school.

Religious Affiliated Schools – in the U.S. system of equal rights and your right to choose; you can still decide attend one of these religious affiliated schools and still maintain your right to be of a different religion. Although some schools will require you to attend some of their religious programs for cultural credits. These schools are often privately funded so that they do not have to be governed by the state and can still make their own independent choices about how the school exists.

Liberal Arts Schools strive to provide students with a broad education that aims to develop all aspects of a person and expose them to a wide variety of topics, life experiences and social experiences. They are trying to develop a “well-rounded” student by having them participate is a wide range of classes. Along with the specific classes in your major you are also likely to take classes that can range from history, religion, music, arts and geography to name a few.

Most liberal arts colleges will be smaller private schools where the majority of students (often over 75 %) live on campus. One major benefit is that you will find yourself in a class of less than 40 students which has obvious benefits. The teacher is more likely to know your name and be there to assist you on a more personal level.

Community Colleges award a student an associates degree or technical degree. These institutions are often two years and are sometimes referred to as Junior Colleges. You will hear about many athletes attending a junior college prior to attending a four year school. This is also a good way to prepare yourself and then transfer to for a four year program. Community colleges have increased in popularity due to their ability to work with students busy schedules and needs.

Ivy Leagues Schools are well known for their high academic standards and are very difficult to get into. Only a small percentage of applicants will be accepted into an Ivy League school and you will find that each college and university will set their own admissions criteria so look into each school individually and you will see which ones you have more of a chance of getting into. Go for the schools that put more emphasis on the areas that you are strong in.

Some of the Ivy League schools include: Yale, Princeton, Harvard, Cornell, Columbia, Brown, Penn and Dartmouth.

Diversity in College – Many colleges will strive to be schools that value diversity amongst its student population. Colleges aim for a balance between males and females as well as students from a variety of different backgrounds including ethnic, religious, sexual, racial and international identities.

A college campus will be comprised of many diverse groups and most schools strive to achieve a balance when selecting students.

You will find that many of the athletes are from different countries. Most of these athletes are only able to pay for the costs of college because they receive aid in the form of an athletic scholarship.

Whether you are an International athlete or a local athlete in the USA; there are many factors that you will need to take into account before selecting your college. Most often this will be dictated by where you are able to get enough scholarship money to help pay for the high costs of college. Some of the key factors you need to look at include location of the school, the costs, availability of financial aid, weather, size of school, do they have your field of study, quality of facilities, do they have a dedicated tennis coach or just a part-time coach.

You will also want to check out the standard of players currently on the team, budget given to the tennis team, housing facilities, the campus, graduation rates and reputation of both the athletic department and the college.

As an athlete you would love to get a lot of “Free” money from the school in the form of grants and scholarships to help pay for the costs of going to college. However, you can fill the gap by applying for one of the many federal loans or even looking into private loans.

There are many options when it comes to paying for college so don’t let money get in the way of playing a sport in college. This is just one key points to ask the financial aid office at your potential college of choice.

The baseball world recently celebrated “Jackie Robinson Day.” On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to play Major League Baseball when he stepped onto Ebbets Field as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Many commentators have lamented the fact that 60 years after Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier, today, only 8.4% of Major League Baseball (MLB) players are black. In fact, MLB has been going backwards. The current percentage of black players is the lowest in more than 20 years. Just over a decade ago, in 1995, 19% of MLB players were black.

No one disputes that the numbers of black professional baseball players is declining, the controversy is over why.

One article I read recently attributed the decline to baseball’s legacy of segregation and racism. The writer argued that because of its history, baseball fails to “capture the imagination” of today’s young black athletes.

Others have argued that inner-city black athletes face various economic challenges that limit their access to baseball fields, equipment, etc.

All of these arguments have some merit to them. But, ultimately, they fall short because other sports, like football and basketball, share baseball’s legacy of segregation and racism. Yet, black participation in those other sports has continued to grow.

Last week, a co-worker sent me an article about Title IX by Hubert Mizell of Gainesville.com. It hit me like a thunderbolt that Title IX is the most obvious reason there are so few blacks in pro baseball.

The way Title IX has been interpreted and implemented, it effectively restricts the number of baseball scholarships colleges and universities offer. In fact, most schools, even major schools like the University of Florida, do not offer any “full-ride” college baseball scholarships at all.

I was shocked when I found that out.

Obviously, without a scholarship, many, many young black athletes cannot afford to go to college and play college baseball or, later, professional baseball. Naturally, young black athletes will gravitate towards football and basketball; sports that offer more scholarships. Over the past generation, this shift has become pronounced.

Title IX was enacted by the Congress in 1972. The law, itself, is not controversial at all. It simply states that “No person in the United States, shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

So, Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. It applies to discrimination in athletics. So far, so good. The problem comes in the interpretation of the law.

In 1979, The U.S. Department of Heath, Education, and Welfare (this was before we had a separate “Department of Education”) issued a policy interpreting Title IX. The policy provided that, in order to comply with Title IX, a college or university must pass one of three tests. The college or university must show that it:

1. Provides athletic opportunities substantially proportionate to student enrollment; or,

2. Demonstrates a continual expansion of athletic opportunities for the underrepresented gender; or,

3. Provides full and effective accommodation of the interest and ability of the underrepresented gender.

Many schools try to comply with Title IX by passing the third test. The problem is that this test is very subjective. How do you prove you are providing “full and effective accommodation of interest and ability….?” You can take surveys to get some gauge of interest. But, in the end, if a school relies on the third test, it will be vulnerable to a law suit by someone who thinks it has not complied.

Some of the larger, financially strong, schools comply with Title IX by meeting the second test. They “demonstrate a continual expansion of athletic opportunities for the underrepresented gender” by adding a women’s sports team. Every time a school does that, it is “good to go” for about five years. But, adding new sports is a money-losing proposition and smaller, less affluent, schools can’t afford to do that. At least, not forever.

So, ultimately, all schools will want, or need, to comply with Title IX by meeting the first test. And, it is this first test that has really caused the problems.

If a school has a Division I football team, it can award up to 85 football scholarships (per NCAA rules). The school can also award up to 13 scholarships for it’s men’s basketball team. Of course, to compete in these sports, at the Division I level, the school will have to award these 98 men’s athletics scholarships.

Women now make up a whopping 58% of college enrollment. So, to pass the first test, and award scholarships “substantially proportionate” to student enrollment, the school has to award about 110 scholarships to women just to equal the scholarships provided for men’s football and basketball.

And, when you add in other men’s sports – it becomes impossible to meet the “substantially proportionate” test without severely cutting scholarships in other men’s sports or dropping some sports altogether.

So, that’s exactly what schools do. When you look at sports like Tennis, Golf, Track and Field/Cross Country, Swimming/Diving – there are more scholarships awarded to women than men in each of these sports. Even in basketball – men’s college basketball teams get 13 scholarships; women’s teams get 15.

Wrestling is one of the biggest sports at most high schools. There is a large base of college wrestling fans. But, thanks to Title IX, there are few college wrestling scholarships.

James Madison University is the latest school to announce it will be dropping 10 sports; 7 men’s teams; 3 women’s teams in order to meet the “substantially proportionate” test of Title IX.

You might say: “well, they should just get rid of football.” The problem with that idea is that football is the only college sport that makes money. Men’s basketball about breaks even (if the school is lucky). No other college sport pays for itself.

This means the college will likely lose money on every other sports team it adds, including every women’s sports team. Football is the bill-payer for many of these sports at many schools. So, getting rid of football is not the answer.

So, what does all this have to do with Jackie Robinson and the lack of black professional baseball players today?

Here’s what.

Because of the way Title IX has been interpreted and implemented, college baseball programs are only allowed 11.7 scholarships. Since about 30 players are on a college baseball team, normally, no one gets a full scholarship.

So, baseball is becoming, increasingly, a sport for the relatively affluent. The reason is simple. You have to be able to afford to pay for college to play college baseball.

By contrast, in football and basketball, almost everyone on the team has a full scholarship.

For a young, black athlete, football and basketball offer a much more likely scholarship opportunity. It’s not surprising, then, that black athletes have gravitated toward football and basketball and away from baseball. It’s common sense.

It’s ironic that, Title IX, a law intended to limit sex discrimination in athletics has morphed into, perhaps, the most significant cause of sex, race and class discrimination in college athletics today.

A Florida securities attorney settles the majority of cases through arbitration for many reasons. While similar to a court hearing, arbitration is more fluid in structure, allows more evidence to be presented, and allows more dialogue between parties in order to come to an agreeable decision that satisfies all individuals involved. Securities attorneys settle many cases in this manner because the litigation involved with such cases can oftentimes be complicated, time consuming, and expensive. It is usually easier and, more importantly, cheaper to come together outside the court of law and decide on a compromise. Another reason this process is utilized is that it can be confined to the offices of an arbiter. While certain requirements make the process semi-public, it is much easier to keep embarrassing disclosures and confidential numbers private.

Arbitration is a conflict resolution process in which participating parties agree to come together outside the purview of a judge or jury and present their cases to a an arbiter or group of arbiters. This decision is legally binding and permanent – very few courts ever review or overturn arbitration. A Florida securities attorney deals with this methodology more often than not because it is a quicker process, more private, and less complicated.

The primary reason that arbitration is so common to securities law is that this particular field of law can be very complicated with lots of figures and numbers, deal with several individual entities, and span numerous state, local, and federal laws. It is, therefore, more expedient to dispatch all of that complicated nonsense and come to resolution between concerned parties outside the court of law. Because the parties do away with a number of the more entangling legal aspects of the field, they can quickly negotiate a settlement thereby saving all of those involved time and money.

Another reason a Florida securities attorney might chose to enter into arbitration is that the process is more fluid. While the rules of evidence that guide a court room still technically apply to out of court discussions, this process allows for a bending of those laws. For example hearsay – a form of communication in which information is related to the court through a third party – is not allowed during court proceedings. However, this particular example is often allowed in arbitration proceedings. This means that information can be deal with on a much more liberal level, thereby allowing a conclusion to be reached much more quickly than a lawsuit would.

Finally, arbitration is a common manner to reach a decision because it is much more private and an open court lawsuit. Guaranteed in the Constitution is the right to a speedy and public trial. For many individuals involved in securities lawsuits, it is the ‘public’ part of that guarantee that worries them. They would much rather keep their financial numbers, dealings, and settlements as private as possible. They, therefore, choose to enter into discussions outside of the purview of the judge and all the attached documentation. It is important to note, however, that, by law, decisions made through arbitration have to be presented to the public. This information though is not widely recognized in public circles.