A game’s difficulty should never make you feel that way, period. It didn’t make me want to get better, it made me feel as if I would never get better. I had a lot of fun with Sonic Adventure 2, but getting D and E grade after trying my hardest was pretty draining. Now imagine how crappy it is when I’m given a big fat E grade and told through Sonic’s smug voiceover that I totally sucked. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not especially good at video games, but when I persist through a level in a platformer and make it to the end after a million tries I get an incredible sense of achievement. Where Sonic Adventure 2 goes wrong is in the scaling, making even a paltry C grade its own challenge. In principle it’s a very good thing to encourage players to become better at clearing levels, especially in a series like Sonic where the key is not only being able to pick up speed but having the proficieny to maintain it. I also have a bone to pick with the grading system. It makes the challenge of later levels feel unearned, leaving a sour taste in your mouth through a large portion of the final stretch. When these issues compound with the trickier Sonic and Shadow stages you end up feeling cheated out of almost every life you lose, most frustrating of all in the topsy-turvy Crazy Gadget Zone. Not to mention, the camera sometimes doesn’t show obstacles ahead which almost guarantees death the very first playthrough of certain stages. The railing segments of Sonic and Shadow levels are generally fun but jumping from rail to rail can be incredibly slippery. The most obvious clarity problem is the repeated mistake of putting multiple functions on one button, which can be incredibly agitating when you attempt a light dash but end up sommersaulting off a cliff. And while design clarity and camera issues aren’t as prevalent as the original they do come up in the Sonic and Shadow stages. Knuckles and Rouge stages suffer from occassionally being too cryptic with clues, and Tails and Eggman stages turn into a bit of a monotonous slog as you quickly reach the depths of its mechanics. On top of all that it offers even more great visual highlights with its brief cinematic cutaways.īut it’s not all smooth sailing. By trimming the fat and nailing the game down to three fully realised play styles it becomes a lot more enjoyable and coherent. Knuckles’ stages are a little more puzzle oriented and shared with Rouge The Bat, offering something a little more mellow while still being slick and fast. The original games’ E-102 Gamma shooting stages are re-tooled around Tails and Eggman, ditching the time limit for a health bar and making targeting faster and smoother for more rapid pacing. Sonic’s manuevering in general is also tighter, and the design of his levels is meatier and more succintly built around speed and a smooth ebb-and-flow of momentum (ditto the Shadow stages). The opening City Escape Zone is immediately one of the most engaging experiences in any Sonic game, encapsulating both in design and presentation the pure visceral thrill of, well, going fast. Right from the get-go you’re launched in with Sonic jumping from a helicopter and surfing his way down the hills of the bustling cityscape, all to the tune of the awesomely goofy and upbeat ‘Escape From The City’. Speaking of which, the action is a lot more fine-tuned. This lets you get into the action a lot quicker with far less lulls. Sonic Adventure 2 ditches this by taking you from level to level immediately while also offering a stage select map in the menu. I found it complicated to navigate at times but also sparse as far as actual things to do. If you read what I said about the original Sonic Adventure you would know I wasn’t a fan of the overworld. What endeared me to Sonic Adventure 2 almost immediately is the streamlining of bouncing from level to level. Just pointing it out because some people take this stuff very *ahem* personally. Never touched the Battle content and technical differences aren’t a big factor in my impressions so it makes no difference. It’s a similarly bumpy ride to the original, but it manages to hit a lot more highs along the way.īy the way I played the HD version on PSN, not the original Dreamcast version. Sonic Adventure 2 is a pretty good game. The original Sonic Adventure was overflowing with ideas and constantly vying to be on the cutting edge of its era, but it spread itself thin and ended up being seen as an awkward product of its time. By contrast Sonic Adventure 2 is a noticeably tighter game, with a more singular and solid focus that brings everything into a more complete experience.
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It appears to be very effective in both finding and removing various factors contributing to system inefficiency. Note: in Avast Cleanup free edition the only feature available is Maintenance scan that shows actual info and system status to optimize.Īccording totheirwebsite, the application's malware engine has been tested in a number of environments. The pop-up includes information on issues with settings, applications, and/or disk space, and gives you the option of fixing the issues.Appallows users to tweak the notification settings, including opting out of receiving notifications altogether. If Cleanup detects performance issues on your computer it will let you know with a popup notification. Sleep Mode: allows you to "pause" or put programs "to sleep" and to reactivate them, it optimize usage of memory and CPU significantly.Īvast Cleanup also offers real-time notifications.Bloatware Removal: removes expired trial software, adware, and toolbars that needlessly take up valuable hard drive space.Shortcut Cleaner: removes redundant and broken shortcuts and icons.
As long as you are subscribed to your Outlook Calendar, it will show up in your Google Calendar. You can now copy that link to your clipboard.įinally, head over to your Google Calendar and select the “+” sign next to “Other calendars.” When the menu appears, click “From URL.” You’ll then want to paste the ICS link. Go ahead and select the “Copy link” option. If you click the ICS link, a new menu will appear. The ICS link, however, will let people import your calendar into their preferred calendar program. With the HTML link, other people can view your calendar in a browser. Two links should now appear an HTML link and an ICS link. Select “Can view all details” in the second dropdown, and click “Publish.”.Choose the calendar you want to share in the “Publish a calendar” section.When opened, you’ll need to do the following: So, log into your Office 365 account and open the app launcher - those nine dots in the upper left corner. But, now you can only do this via the app if you want to subscribe to your calendar that’s outside of your organization. There was a time when you could do this from your laptop. The first step is to get the link for your Outlook Calendar. In this case, your Outlook Calendar with your Google Calendar.īest of all? You can do this by subscribing to a link. Without having to get all sorts of technical, this allows you to exchange calendar and scheduling information between two different platforms. It’s a file format that has been used since the late 1990s. Both Outlook and Google calendars support the iCal format. Adding Outlook Calendar to Google Calendar That means that you can have your Outlook Calendar appear on your Google Calendar to prevent any scheduling conflicts. Thankfully, Outlook Calendar can easily be imported and synced with most other calendars and calendar tools. In short, there’s a good chance that you’re using more than one calendar. Or, even you only use Outlook Calendar, you may want to integrate it with another tool to streamline tasks like scheduling appointments. And, those other two have been designed to help people keep track of their personal lives and not just business obligations.īecause of this, it’s entirely possible that you rely on Outlook Calendar for work and then Google or Apple Calendar for your life outside of the office. But, Google and Apple are more comfortable to use. Outlook is probably best suited for those in the professional world. Unfortunately, Outlook can get pretty complicated. And, since it’s a part of the Office 365 ecosystem, events from your email can be automatically added to your calendar. You can easily share your calendar via email. It can be used to create appointments and events, organize meetings, and view group schedules. Today, it’s embedded within Outlook, which is why it’s called Outlook Calendar. A calendar app was included with Windows 1.0. Microsoft has been in the calendar business for years. Why would you want Outlook Calendar to show up somewhere else? And, it’s the latter that I want to focus on. Besides the competition from Google and Apple, there are a variety of options when it comes to word documents, spreadsheets, and calendars. After all, at the time of writing this article, more than 900 million devices are running on Windows 10.Īt the same time, we’re no longer regulated to just using Microsoft’s suite of tools. As such, you became familiar with the suite of tools that included Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Instead, when you jumped onto a computer, you were using Microsoft Office. However, Apple and Google weren’t the behemoths that they are today - Google didn’t even arrive until 1998. It’s hard to fathom for younger generations. If you’re a child of the 90s, then you grow-up on Microsoft. We only use secure connections(https) and we do not submit any info to 3rd party servers, all the information is stored on the device and is encrypted. Dropbox backup: none of your data and statistics get lost even on an app reinstall Charts: daily earnings for every agency, pie chart of agencies that sell best Notifications on WiFi: you get a notification for new sales Extra Agencies: Colourbox, Zoonar, Cutcaster, Photodune, Vectorstock, Clipdealer, Mostphotos, MotionElements, Graphicleftovers, Fineartamerica, Stockphotomedia Shutterstock, Getty ESP, Dreamstime, Fotolia, Depositphotos, Bigstockphoto, 123RF, Canstockphoto, Yaymicro, Panthermedia, Photodune, Colourbox, Zoonar, Cutcaster, Vectorstock, Clipdealer, Mostphotos, MotionElements, Graphicleftovers, Fineartamerica, StockphotomediaĮxtra features available on Subscription: We're in a public Beta, feel free to try it and let us know what you think. We launched Microstockr Pro, a desktop app that offers a lot more statistics, data and charts. Just swipe down on the dashboard to refresh earnings. They can access their sales statistics for currently 12 microstock agencies. It displays the current balance for each agency and a list of latest downloads. It displays the current balance for each agency and a list of latest downloads. With Microstockr app photographers can check out their earnings wherever they are. Microstockr is an Android app that helps you track sales on major microstock photography agencies. Microstockr is an Android app that helps you track sales on major microstock photography agencies. After the capsule was deemed unsafe to return the astronauts, Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, launched a replacement vehicle on February 23. In December, a Russian Soyuz spacecraft that had been used to transport two cosmonauts and one NASA astronaut to the space station sprang a coolant leak. The mission comes as the astronauts currently on the ISS have been grappling with a separate transportation issue. Check back or follow us on Facebook for additional information on upcoming events. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex provides the closest public viewing of rocket launches with live launch commentary from space experts. They’re expected to spend up to six months on board the orbiting laboratory, carrying out science experiments and maintaining the two-decade-old station. How to Watch a Rocket Launch at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Events and astronaut appearances are subject to change. Once Bowen, Hoburg, Fedyaev and Alneyadi are on board the ISS, they’ll work to take over operations from the SpaceX Crew-5 astronauts who arrived at the space station in October 2022. 'Weve deliberated and decided that the best launch attempt is no earlier than July 21 for CFT,'. The Crew-6 team that will launch on the SpaceX capsule include NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen, a veteran of three space shuttle missions, and first-time flier Warren Hoburg, as well as Sultan Alneyadi, who will be the second astronaut from the UAE ever to travel to space, and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. But a spring liftoff for CFT is now off the table, agency officials announced today (March 29). and tons of supplies to International Space Station (1999-2011). an array of live programming, such as coverage of missions. NASA said it would now look to launch the SpaceX Crew-6 mission at 12:34 a.m. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is pictured shortly after the launch was called off on Monday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Discovery also flew every type of mission during the space shuttle era and has a record. Ten years ago, Atlantis rose from the launch pad on a plume of fire and parted the high clouds on its way to the International Space Station and to its place. Direct from America's space program to YouTube, watch NASA TV live streaming. They’ll stay on site at Kennedy Space Center until the next launch attempt. With the equipment mounted and wired, the last step in this system installation was to configure the amp for the head unit and speakers the client chose. Given the proximity of the rear speakers to the driver and passenger, the extra power to the front speakers balances the system nicely. The rear speaker pods are wired in stereo to channels five and six and receive 75 watts of power each. The front speakers are wired to the amp in a bridged configuration to provide them with a healthy 200 watts of power. We connected the amp to the factory source unit using MESA interconnect cables. Four AWG power and ground wiring run to the battery in the rear of the Slingshot to provide the juice the amp needs to perform. The amplifier is mounted to the floor of the Slingshot under the driver’s seat. At our suggestion, the client chose a JL Audio M600/6 six-channel amp to power the system. The stock radio was retained for this audio system.Ī key part of ensuring the client would be able to enjoy his music was a suitable amplifier. This optimization helps improve bass output from the relatively small speaker system. Each pod features 6.5-inch coaxial speaker designed specifically for the air volume the enclosures provide. We mounted the VeX pods between the headrests to ensure all the music is easy to hear. We mounted a set of PS650-VeX-SG-TMB speaker pods to the roll cage the client had added to his three-wheeler. The fiberglass enclosures fit perfectly around the chassis and provide ample space for the speakers to perform magnificently without taking up much leg room.įor rear speakers, we turned to the JL Audio VeX speaker pods. As we mentioned, the extra tweeters ensure that the client’s music is audible, even at 70 miles per hour. We loaded a set of JL Audio MX650-CCX-SG-TB 6.5-inch coaxial speakers into the enclosures and drilled mounting holes for 1-inch JL Audio M10-CT-SG-TB tweeters in the upper corners. These fiberglass enclosures are designed specifically for the 20 Polaris Slingshot and mount inside the external tubular frame using existing mounting hardware. We started the project by installing a set of SSV Works SS-F65-U front speaker pods. Our plan for the Polaris Slingshot audio system upgrade included two sets of JL Audio speakers and an extra set of tweeters to help overcome wind noise. Our crew was able to mount the VeX pods back far enough so they didn’t interfere with driving. Draw: Use these tools when you want to create freehand shapes or lines on your work design.Select: There are six selection tools that allow you to grab onto a layer or object and move it, change its position, resize, cut, or group objects into a single layer.If you’ve ever used other Adobe design software, like Photoshop or InDesign, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Illustrator also has a wide variety of professional-grade tools. You can also rearrange the order of the layers so nothing is hidden behind a different layer. For starters, it allows you to add colors, shadows, and other visual effects to a specific object without it affecting or altering the other layers. There are many benefits to working with layers when creating a design in Illustrator. Give each layer a name – so you can find it quickly If you’ve never worked with layers, you can imagine each layer is a separate card, and you’re stacking one on top of another to create a final picture. These updates, combined with the excellent selection of precision drawing tools, continue to make Adobe Illustrator the leader among graphic designers working with vector-based images. Reducing the number of anchor points to make it easier to create a path.Automatic spell check when adding copy to your design.Adobe Illustrator FeaturesĪdobe frequently updates the Illustrator features to keep up with the demand and needs of graphic designers. It is compatible with other Adobe programs, like InDesign, Premiere Pro, Lightroom, and Acrobat Pro DC. As mentioned in the tutorial above, you can download it as a standalone app or together with the entire bundle of Adobe apps. Illustrator is part of the Adobe Creative Cloud. These days, Illustrator can be used on PC, Windows, and iPads, and has many more features and functions, although the drawing tool is still there. It has become the industry standard for logo design, icons, and styling different types of text. The advantage of working with vectors, as opposed to pixels, is that you can increase the size of the graphic without distorting it or harming the quality. Illustrator is the leading vector-based graphic design software. If you chose to download all 20+ apps, they would begin installing one at a time.ĭownload Adobe Illustrator for Free! Adobe Illustrator Overview Once the Creative Cloud is complete, it will begin installing Illustrator on your computer.Creative Cloud will install on your computer.When the file download is complete, open the file and enter your password in the proper field.Adobe will confirm that your credit card or PayPal information is correct, and then the setup wizard file will automatically download to your computer.Otherwise, create a secure password and press the Continue button. If you have an account, you can log in now.Even though Adobe won’t charge you until the end of your 7-day free trial, you need to either enter your credit card number or PayPal account to continue. I’m only downloading Illustrator for this example, but the instructions are the same in both cases. Choose your preferred package and click the Start Free Trial button. Download the entire Creative Cloud app collection, which includes over 20 programs, such as Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere Pro, and more.Download Illustrator, which includes 100 GB of storage, a portfolio website, and premium fonts.Click here to go directly to the official Adobe Illustrator download page.You can download a free trial of Illustrator through the Adobe Creative Cloud, which will also give you the option for free trial access to other Adobe products, like InDesign, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro.įollow the instructions below and I’ll show you how to download it free for 7 days.ĭownload Adobe Illustrator for Free! How to Download and Install Adobe Illustrator for Free You can use the video tutorials to get familiar with the different options and then customize your toolbars only to display the ones you use. At first glance, Illustrator can look very intimidating, as the workstation is packed with tools. Written by: Shauli Zacks Last updated on May 04, 2023Īdobe Illustrator is a great software for creating, editing, and producing scalable vector-based images. Best Parental Control for iPhone & iPad.IPVanish VPN vs Private Internet Access. Faraone, Mystery Cults and Incantions: Evidence for Orphic Charms Gunnel Ekroth, The sacrificial rituals of Greek hero-cults in the Archaic to the early Hellenistic periodsĬhristopher A. _ That Old Titanic Nature: Orphism and Plato Laws 701bc _ Tearing Apart the Zagreus Myth: A Few Disparaging Remarks On Orphism and Original Sin Radcliffe Edmonds III, Recycling Laertes’ Shroud: More on Orphism and Original Sin Susan Guettel Cole, New Evidence for the Mysteries of DionysosĮric Csapo, The Dionysian Parade and the Poetics of Plenitudeīruno Currie, Euthymos of Locri: A case study of heroization in the Classical Periodĭaniel del Nido, The Body of Socrates: Plato’s Appropriation of Dionysian Mystery Religion in the Symposiumįátima Díez-Platas, From the Heart and with a Serpent Laura Miguélez Cavero, The Appearance of the Gods in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus Nicole Cama, Defining the ‘Strano’: Madness in Renaissance Italy Astour, Ancient Greek Civilization in Southern Italyĭan Attrell, Dead Kings and Saviour Gods – Euhemerizing Shamanism in Thracian Religion Or as the prophets of Orpheus once put it: βίος. We remember and so these traditions live again. All those peoples who lived between the Gulfs of Tyrhennia and Tarentum have so utterly deteriorated that it is difficult even to distinguish their several settlements and the reason is that no common organisation longer endures in any one of the separate territories and their characteristic differences in language, armour, dress, and the like, have completely disappeared. However, the man who busies himself with the description of the earth must needs speak, not only of the facts of the present, but also sometimes of the facts of the past, especially when they are notable. But to‑day all parts of it, except Taras, Rhegium, and Neapolis, have become completely barbarised, and some parts have been taken and are held by the Leucani and the Brettii, and others by the Campani - that is, nominally by the Campani but in truth by the Romans, since the Campani themselves have become Romans. Later on, beginning from the time of the Trojan war, the Greeks had taken away from the earlier inhabitants much of the interior country also, and indeed had increased in power to such an extent that they called this part of Italy, together with Sicily, Magna Graecia. Then the tyrants of Sicily, and afterwards the Carthaginians, at one time at war with the Romans for the possession of Sicily and at another for the possession of Italy itself, maltreated all the peoples in this part of the world, but especially the Greeks. But after the Samnitae had grown considerably in power, and had ejected the Chones and the Oenotri, and had settled a colony of Leucani in this portion of Italy, while at the same time the Greeks were holding possession of both seaboards as far as the Strait, the Greeks and the barbarians carried on war with one another for a long time. Before the Greeks came, however, the Leucani were as yet not even in existence, and the regions were occupied by the Chones and the Oenotri. To root yourself in the history of this place, consider the words of Strabo:Īs for the other sea, they could not reach it at first in fact, the Greeks who held the Gulf of Tarentum were in control there. This site (a companion to Smoky Words) is dedicated to an exploration of the Gods, Spirits and Heroes of Southern Italy and Sicily – a Greece outside of Greece, greater than the one that birthed it.Ĭlick the black box to the left to read sources on religion in the ancient poleis of Magna Graecia so that you can more properly envision the rebirth of the labyrinthine traditions of the Mezzogiorno in our world today, wherever (like the courageous colonists of old) we may find ourselves, we who are exiles and adventurers scattered to the Winds. When rating accommodation in Glenbeigh, guests awarded Towers Hotel Glenbeigh for Cleanliness, Dining and Rooms. There are other attractions and points of interest around Glenbeigh, for example Burke's Beach Riding. Kerry Bog Village Museum can easily be reached with a quick walk from Towers Hotel Glenbeigh. When hungry, guests of Towers Hotel Glenbeigh can enjoy the availability of a Bar and Lounge and an on-site restaurant. This property features air conditioned rooms. This Hotel offers a wide range of drinking options. In addition to Air Conditioned Rooms, this Hotel offers Parking and Restaurant. Ideally situated in this coastal town on the world famous Ring of Kerry, this is Cahersiveens new 4-star deluxe hotel and spa.Towers Hotel Glenbeigh, located in Glenbeigh, delights its guests with Babysitting / Child Services, Cable / Satellite TV and Private Toilet, which makes it an excellent choice for anyone who wants to explore Glenbeigh. I liked the relaxed atmosphere and the tranquility of the hotel. Friendliness of Staff, Good Food, Facilities at Spa. Very friendly atmosphere, staff and swiming pool. The changing rooms in the pool area could do with more attention.The safety aspect of the grab rail into Jacuzzi should be assessed. Small Item, 4 Poster Bed to me it looked ugly and pointless. This is a luxuriously appointed 19 bedroom hotel with state-of-the art leisure facilities. Room very stuffy, lack of air even with window left open fully!. Separately, in Caherciveen, Co Kerry, a price tag of more than 6m has been put on the Watermarque Hotel. The food did let the hotel down but not the service staff. Very quiet out of season - no atmosphere. didn't feel comfortable staying there upon being informed by the locals that there have been protests outside it due to the builders not being paid for its constrtuction. Dept, C/O Ibis Hotel (Heathrow), 112-114 Bath. room had no cupboard and therefore little hanging space, no clock, little bench space in bathroom for personal toiletries. 1256, Birmingham Printmakers, Fao Kerry Phillips, 1 Woodman Close. Where you had to hang clothes was a joke. This is not a 4 star hotel as is referred to on the website. There are no facilities in the room whatsoever. No haridryer, no tea/coffee facilites, not even a small fridge. Room was small, no Tea or Coffee making facilaties. Some projects - Hotels & Private Clients Le Caf Joinville, France - Decorative Painters Paris, France - Maison Scene Watermarque Hotel, Co Kerry, Ireland. Bar service poor and dirty, lacked organisation. The hotel reserves the right to preauthorise credit cards prior to arrival. American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Maestro (Switch) Book Now Ideally situated in this coastal town on the world famous Ring of Kerry, this is Cahersiveen’s new 4-star deluxe hotel and spa. The Watermarque Hotel offers a highly personalised service under the direction of an expert management team. Great design is the key to the hotel, with a stylish, pleasant and family-friendly environment. If cancelled up to 2 days before date of arrival, no fee will be charged. If cancelled later, the first night will be charged. In case of no-show, the total price of the reservation will be charged.Īll children are welcome. All children under 3 years stay free of charge when using existing bedding. All children under 2 years stay free of charge for cots. There is no capacity for extra beds in the room. Maximum capacity of babycots in a room is 1. Wireless internet is available in public areas and is free of charge. Wired internet is available in the hotel rooms and is free of charge. Pickleball is proving attractive to a wide range of corporate sponsors as the sport seeks new sources of revenue. "I'm hoping that I learn just one skill that improves my game." "It's going to be six days of intense video instruction and games," Yueh added. This spring the couple is traveling with two others to a pickleball training camp in North Carolina. "It's addictive so we just started playing and now with our other friends and relatives-actually everybody we know now plays pickleball," said Freida Yueh, who joined the Meredith program with her husband two years ago after they retired in the area. The program is capped at around fifty people with dozens on the waiting list, and some pickleball players got so serious that their sessions are now supervised and players are separated by skill level. In Meredith, New Hampshire, the town's Parks and Rec Department offers indoor pickleball in a multipurpose gym that's also used for basketball, tennis and other sports. Municipalities nationwide are also trying to meet the demand for pickleball venues-so many that USA Pickleball is putting together a "toolkit" for community planners with guidelines and cost estimates for building new courts, which can range from $300 for a temporary net, equipment and tape to mark lines, to $30,000 for a permanent court. Sports clubs and hotel groups, including Marriott and Omni Resorts, are converting tennis courts or purpose-building new courts for pickleball, while a restaurant chain called Chicken N' Pickle that has locations in four states has said it will double its footprint within the next year. The country has only about ten thousand places to play, by USA Pickleball's count, but that continues to grow by several dozen every month. Most of pickleball's core players-those who play more than eight times per year-are over age 65, but the game is getting younger, with the strongest growth among players under 55, according to USA Pickleball.īut with so many new players, the US is struggling to keep up with demand for courts. "That's a pretty important thing in our society today I believe."Īn 'addictive' game that won't stop growing "People are looking for avenues to have some fun, get some exercise, but do it in an environment that's not divisive," he said. Upson believes pickleball can keep growing without losing the accessibility that's fueled its rise over the last decade. The organization was formed in 2005 to set rules and promote the sport. "We're still small and scrappy but we're not so innocent anymore," said Stu Upson, who was hired in late 2020 as the first-ever CEO of USA Pickleball, the sport's official governing body. and abroad as part of a bid for Olympic inclusion. The game now has two national professional tournaments, both formed in the last four years, and pickleball organizers are courting corporate sponsors to help grow the sport in the U.S. With 4.8 million people now playing-almost double the number from just five years ago, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association - some of the sport's devotees are capitalizing on pickleball's spike in popularity. The founders are said to have named the game after a family dog called Pickles. Invented in 1965 by three middle-aged fathers in Washington state, pickleball is a quirky cross between tennis, ping pong and badminton, played with a paddle and a perforated plastic ball. For the rapidly decreasing number of Americans who've never heard of pickleball, the obscure paddleball game is America's fastest growing sport for the second year in a row. |