Cricket ACT defends Comets' first-class future focus

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Adelaide Strikers opener Jono Dean hasn't been picked for the ACT Comets in the Futures League this season. Photo: Paul Kane

Cricket ACT high performance manager Andrew Dawsonmakes no apologies for the ACT Comets narrowing their focus to produce more cricketers who can progress to first-class level.

A record-low three players from the Canberra first-grade competition were in the Comets line-up for this week's four-day Futures League match against Tasmania at Manuka Oval.

The remaining players were drawn from Sydney grade cricket a mix of former Canberra players and those with a country NSW background.

This year, there has also been a memorandum of understanding signed between Cricket ACT and Cricket NSW to having joint ACT/Country NSW junior teams at national carnivals.

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Concerns have been raised among Canberra clubs that there is too much of a focus on high performance at the detriment of the grassroots level.

Eastlake batsman Michael Spaseski told The Canberra Times this week the standard of the Canberra first-grade competition had declined as a result of Cricket Australia's guidelines on how Cricket ACT selects the Comets team.

Dawsonsaid the changes had reduced the opportunities for Canberra-based players in the second-tier Futures League, but was part of a broader objective designed to produce first-class cricketers.

"The message from Cricket Australia is that if you're not in a first-class system by 23 or 24, then Australian cricket will severely question the investment into that player," Dawson said.

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Cricket ACT defends Comets' first-class future focus

Clinton Comets Appreciation Night Will be December 13

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December 5, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL) Utica Comets The Utica Comets are proud to announce that the club will celebrate this year's Clinton Comets Appreciation Night on Friday, Dec. 13 prior to the Comets game against the Syracuse Crunch.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early for a special pregame celebration that will begin at 6:45 p.m. Former Comets players Bill Bannerman, Howie Dietrich and Pat Kelly will be honored during the ceremony. All three players will have their jersey numbers displayed at The AUD alongside the eight players that were honored last season.

The player that were honored last year were: Dave Armstrong, Archie Burton, Tim Hook, Jack Kane, Tom Mitchell, Borden Smith, Pete Prevost, and the late Ian Anderson.

Kelly was player, head coach and general manager of the Clinton Comets during his tenure with the club. An Eastern Hockey League all-star nine times as a defenseman and three times as head coach, Kelly led the Comets to three straight Walker Cups (EHL championships). He went on to coach in the AHL, WHA and NHL as well as serving first commissioner of the ECHL.

Bannerman played his entire professional career with the Comets, starting in 1965. He was the right wing on the most prolific scoring line in EHL history with center Kane and left wing Smith. He ranks second all-time in assists (395), third in goals (279) and points (674). He was an EHL Northern Division All-Star in 1968-69 and 1969-70.

Dietrich joined the Comets in 1962 and is one of only four Comets players to reach the 60-goal plateau as part of his 118-point season in 1967-68. He spent six seasons with the Comets and was part of two Walker Cup championship teams.

For a complete schedule of Utica Comets games, as well as ticketing information, visit http://www.uticacomets.com.

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Clinton Comets Appreciation Night Will be December 13

Exploring Comets and Asteroids is an International Endeavor

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NASA and space agencies across the globe are opening up new possibilities for space exploration with missions to comets, asteroids, and other celestial bodies.

Following NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) spacecraft observations of the close flyby of Mars by comet Siding Spring in October, and the successful November landing of ESA's Philae lander on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully launched its Hayabusa2 mission on Dec. 3 to rendezvous with an asteroid, land a small probe plus three mini rovers on its surface, and then return samples to Earth.

NASA and JAXA are cooperating on the science of the mission and NASA will receive a portion of the Hayabusa2 sample in exchange for providing Deep Space Network communications and navigation support for the mission.

Hayabusa2 builds on lessons learned from JAXA's initial Hayabusa mission, which collected samples from a small asteroid named Itokawa and returned them to Earth in June 2010. Hayabusa2's target is a 750 meter- wide asteroid named 1999 JU3, because of the year when it was discovered by the NASA-sponsored Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research project, Lexington, Massachusetts.

This is a C-type asteroid which are thought to contain more organic material than other asteroids. Scientists hope to better understand how the solar system evolved by studying samples from these asteroids.

"We think of C-type asteroids as being less altered than others," says Lucy McFadden, a planetary scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "Bringing that material back and being able to look at it in the lab - I think it's going to be very exciting."

On Nov. 17, NASA and JAXA signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation on the Hayabusa2 mission and NASA's Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security - Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission to mutually maximize their missions' results.

OSIRIS-REx is scheduled to launch in 2016. It will be the first U.S. asteroid sample return mission. OSIRIS-REx will rendezvous with the 500-meter-sized asteroid Bennu in 2019 for detailed reconnaissance and a return of samples to Earth in 2023.

Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx will further strengthen the two space agencies' relationship in asteroid exploration.

The missions will also help NASA choose its target for the first-ever mission to capture and redirect an asteroid. NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) in the 2020s will help NASA test new technologies needed for future human missions for the Journey to Mars.

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Exploring Comets and Asteroids is an International Endeavor

Oswego County Comets Food Drive Scheduled

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NEW HAVEN, NY At its November monthly meeting, the Oswego County Comets Motorcycle Riding Club met to gear up for the holidays.

The Comets will again be giving gift cards at Christmas to families in our local area in need of a little assistance during the holidays.

In addition, we will once again hold our annual canned food drive.

Canned and other non-perishable goods can be dropped off at the home of the Comets, Hazzys Tavern in New Haven, or at Custom Novelty Prints in Mexico, anytime during business hours.

All items collected will be donated to our local food pantries.

The Comets would also like to extend an invitation to join us at our annual Christmas party to be held at Hazzys Tavern on December 13 beginning at 7 p.m.

Comets Food Drive Scheduled

Please bring a dish to pass and remember to bring non-perishable, canned food items for our canned food drive for the holidays.

Pictured are Comets members and our collection boxes ready to be placed throughout the area.

If you see one of these boxes in your local grocery or other area businesses, please help us to help our friends and neighbors and leave your donations in the boxes.

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Oswego County Comets Food Drive Scheduled

Kyle Howarth completes Workington Comets speedway line-up

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Last updated at 08:29, Friday, 05 December 2014

Workington Comets have completed their 2015 line-up by signing popular Mancunian Kyle Howarth.

Kyle Howarth

Howarth follows the announcements of Ricky Wells returning and the signing of Michael Palm Toft earlier this week.

Palm Toft is the fourth Dane in blue and white for the 2015 season, joining Kenneth Hansen, Rene Bach and Nicki Barrett, as well as the returning Aussie Mason Campton.

The 24-year-old was recommended to the club by ex-Comet Craig Cook, who was team-mates with the Dane at Belle Vue last season.

Comets co-promoter Steve Whitehead said: In the end it was quite an easy deal to do. Michael was very keen to join us and team up with the other Danes, and we feel that weve bagged a rider on a bargain average.

Ricky Wells returns on a 6.49 average and final addition Kyle Howarth is back on a 6.57 average. Campton and Barrett will start the season at reserve in a Comets team with impressive strength in depth.

Comets team manager Tony Jackson added: One of the main reasons we signed Ricky last season was for his away form and he starts next season on an average that he is more than capable of adding to by some way.

Ricky is very professional and ambitious in his outlook and I am very much looking forward to working with him again next season.

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Kyle Howarth completes Workington Comets speedway line-up

Catonsville boys basketball leans on size and experience

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Catonsville's boys basketball team went 10-10 during the regular season last year, but for the third year in a row the Comets lost a first-round playoff game.

Catonsville coach Matt Fannon is hoping to break that streak in his fourth season as coach.

Our goal is to get past that first hump in the playoffs, get a home game and get to the second round, Fannon said.

Leading the charge in the frontcourt are a pair of 6-foot-6 bookends Antwan Pearson and Musa Wichhart.

Behind them, Fannon can also call on 6-6 sophomore Ross Kidd or 6-6 junior Kajaun Jeter, who both move up from the junior varsity.

We have a ton of height this year, Fannon said. You cant teach height, which is a good thing to have.

Fannon noted Pearson averaged in double figures in scoring last season and was close to double digits in rebounding.

Pearson, who played football in the fall, played in the all-star football game for Baltimore County against Baltimore City and led his squad to victory for the third year in a row.

He was also named Most Valuable Player and competed with Comet gridiron teammates Danny Bruno, Garrett Wack, Arsalan Syed and Nate Merrill.

His interior play will be most valuable on the basketball court as well.

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Catonsville boys basketball leans on size and experience

Travel deals: Qamea Resort and Spa Fiji 50 per cent off package

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Julietta Jameson Dec 5 2014 at 3:46 AM

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FIJI

The 17-room Qamea Resort and Spa Fiji, was recently named "Leading Spa Resort In Fiji" at the World Travel Awards.

To mark the occasion, the resort is offering a "South Pacific Splendor" package that represents a 50 per cent saving on regular rates. It includes accommodation, buffet breakfast, afternoon tea and coffee, water sports and a hosted wine tasting.

The price is from US$293 twin share a night. Valid for sale till December 31 and for travel till May 15.

Couples booking more than five nights by December 31, receive a one-hour couples massage.

See http://www.quamea.com.

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Travel deals: Qamea Resort and Spa Fiji 50 per cent off package

Football: Balotelli charged over 'racist' post

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LONDON: Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli was charged by the Football Association on Friday for re-posting a message on Instagram that contained racist and anti-Semitic references.

Balotelli appeared to endorse an image of computer game character Super Mario on the social media website which included the words "jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a Jew". The post was titled "Don't be a racist" and continued: "Be like Mario. He's an Italian plumber, created by Japanese people, who speaks English and looks like a Mexican."

The FA announced in a statement: "Mario Balotelli has been charged by the FA in relation to a recent posting on social media. It is alleged the Liverpool player breached FA rule E3 (1) in that his posting was abusive and/or insulting and/or improper. It is further alleged that this is an 'aggravated breach' as defined by FA rule E3 (2) as it included a reference to ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race and/or nationality and/or religion or belief."

Balotelli deleted the post following criticism from other social media users, but after the FA confirmed it was looking into the matter, he wrote on Twitter: "I apologise if I've offended anyone.

"The post was meant to be anti-racist with humour. I now understand that out of context (it) may have the opposite effect. Not all Mexicans have moustache, not all black people jump high and not all Jewish people love money. I used a cartoon done by someone else because it has Super Mario and I thought it was funny and not offensive. Again, I'm sorry."

Balotelli, who has been a victim of racism throughout his career, initially defended himself against accusations of anti-Semitism, tweeting: "My Mom is jewish so all of u shut up please." The 24-year-old, born in Italy to Ghanaian parents and then adopted by an Italian family, also described his decision to repost the image as "my unlucky moment".

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Football: Balotelli charged over 'racist' post