Summer Guide 2013: Beaches

Explore the coral beaches and white-sand shores of Connemara in Ireland on a new sea-kayaking adventure. The guided ocean trek is based on the tales of Granuaile, a 16th-century Gaelic pirate queen. It traces her route along the Atlantic coast from Connemara to Achill Island, staying at waterfront B&Bs along the way. The price is 1,250 (1,058)pp, based on two sharing, with Wilderness Ireland (01479 420020; wildernessireland.com), including six nights' B&B, some meals, equipment hire and the services of a guide. Travel to Connemara costs extra. Departs 1 June and 7 September.

Imagine lying back on a sunlounger and losing yourself in a good book without fear of being disturbed by screaming children, mobile-phone conversations or music blaring out of the nearest beach bar. Now the Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay (00 90 252 3110303; kempinski.com/bodrum), near Bodrum in Turkey, has turned that fancy into a reality: an adult-only "silent beach" on a strip of sand at its resort on the Aegean. ITC Classics (01244 355550; itcclassics.co.uk) offers a week from 1,059pp, based on two sharing, including return flights with easyJet from Stansted or Gatwick to Bodrum, transfers and B&B.

Pack your bucket and spade and head for the beach at Westward Ho! on the Devon coast this summer with a break at Nirvana, a new apartment sleeping four on the edge of this vast stretch of sands. When you're not out on the beach, admire it from this vantage point the open-plan living room offers sea views through its wall of windows and there are two balconies on which to take in the salty air. From 656 to 990 for a week in summer through Marsdens Cottage Holidays (01271 813777; marsdens.co.uk).

INSIDER TIP

James Daley, money expert at Which? (which.co.uk)

"If you're flying abroad this summer, one of the best ways to get a great rate on foreign currency is to order online with a provider that has a bureau at your departure airport. The rate is better in advance and it's more convenient to collect your money at the airport."

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Summer Guide 2013: Beaches

NASA's Center for Astronomy Education Teaching Excellence Workshops

NASA's Center for Astronomy Education, or CAE, announces a series of educator workshops for astronomy and space science educators.

These workshops provide participants with experiences needed to create effective and productive active-learning classroom environments. Workshop leaders model best practices in implementing many different classroom-tested instructional strategies. But most importantly, you and your workshop colleagues will gain first-hand experience implementing these proven strategies yourselves. During many microteaching events, you will have the opportunity to role-play the parts of student and instructor. You will assess and critique each other's implementation in real time, as part of a supportive learning community. You will have the opportunity to use unfamiliar teaching techniques in collaboration with mentors before using them with your students. CAE is funded through NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Exoplanet Exploration Program.

June 1-2, 2013 -- Indianapolis, Ind. CAE Tier I Teaching Excellence Workshop for Current and Future Astronomy and Space Science Instructors

June 17-20, 2013 -- College Park, Md. New Faculty Workshop for Physics and Astronomy

Aug. 24-25, 2013 -- Albuquerque, N.M. CAE Tier I Teaching Excellence Workshop for Current and Future Astronomy and Space Science Instructors

For more information and to register for workshops online, visit http://astronomy101.jpl.nasa.gov/workshops/index.cfm.

Inquiries about this series of workshops should be directed to Gina Brissenden at gbrissenden@as.arizona.edu.

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NASA's Center for Astronomy Education Teaching Excellence Workshops

Navigating in 3-d using human level artificial intelligence (pt 1) – Video


Navigating in 3-d using human level artificial intelligence (pt 1)
This video shows a robot navigating in a 3-dimensional environment. There are no sound in this video because I wanted the viewers to focus on the robot #39;s thoughts while navigating in a 3-d...

By: electronicdave2

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Navigating in 3-d using human level artificial intelligence (pt 1) - Video