School will be back in session by midAugust. The good news, kids and parents？There’s still time to enjoy yourself. From sports to movies, here’s a selection of familyfriendly activities we found, including some deals to make it easier on the wallet.

Free Golfing for Kids

Tired of your kids being in the house all summer？Get them outside, physically active and possibly interested in a new sport. Kids 5 to 15 can leave their electronic devices and onto the golf course with one free bucket of range balls and free golfing with one paid adult. 7:00 am－6:30 pm daily through Aug. 31. Plantation Palms Golf Club, 23253 Plantation Blvd. , Land O’Lakes. (813) 9967122. plantationpalms. net.

Family Movies in Historic Theatres

Families can experience a bit of Tampa Bay history as they watch movies in two renovated(翻新的) area landmarks(地标).

As part of the summer Hollywood Classic Series, Tampa Theatre invites you to 1939’s The Wizard of Oz(Aug. 26). (You can remind the kids that Tampa Theatre is old enough to have showed The Wizard of Oz on its first run.) $10. 711 N Franklin St. , Tampa. (813)2748982. tampatheatre. org.

Together with Ruth Eckerd Hall’s 201819 Broadway Season, the historic Capitol Theatre presents movie versions of the Broadway musicals. Next up is The Lion King(Aug.11). $5. Upgrade to $9 for unlimited fountain drinks and popcorn. 3pm 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater. (727) 7917400. rutheckerdhall. com.

Summer Series

Curtis Hixon Park has turned into a 12, 000squarefoot play wonderland focused on fitness and adventures. Free. Rotating(循环的) daily activities include live animals and animal education by Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park(Aug. 6), kids fitness classes by the YMCA(Aug.11),        kidfriendly recipes by Salt Block Catering(Aug. 7) and craft activities by the Hillsborough County Library(Aug. 8). Curtis Hixon Park, 600 N Ashley Drive, Tampa. (262) 9399908. tampasdowntown. com.

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson was born on 9 June, 1836, in Whitechapel, East London. She was expected to marry well and live the life of a lady. However, meetings with the feminist(女权主义者) Emily Davies and Elizabeth Blackwell, the first American woman physician, convinced Elizabeth Garrett that she should become a doctor.

This was unheard of at that time and her attempts to study at a number of medical schools were refused. She enrolled(入学) as a nursing student at Middlesex Hospital and attended classes for male doctors, but was driven out after complaints from other students. As the Society of Apothecaries did not specifically forbid women from taking its examinations, in 1865 she passed their exams and gained a certificate which enabled her to become a doctor. The Society then changed its rules to prevent other women entering the profession this way.

In 1866, she set up a clinic for women in London, thanks to her father’s backing；in 1870 she was made a visiting physician to the East London Hospital. There she met James Anderson, a successful businessman, who she married in 1871.

In 1872, Anderson founded the New Hospital for Women in London, staffed entirely by women. She appointed her spiritual guide, Elizabeth Blackwell, as a professor there.

Anderson’s efforts paved the way for other women, and in 1876 an act was passed permitting women to enter the medical professions. In 1883, Anderson was appointed to manage the London School of Medicine for Women, which she had helped to found in 1874. It was the first medical school in Britain to train women as doctors.

Anderson, Britain’s first female doctor, retired in 1902. Six years later, she became the mayor(市长) of Aldeburgh, the first female mayor in England. Anderson died on 17 December, 1917.

Even for a first-time visitor to China, it is impossible to ignore the popularity of Quick-Response (QR) codes. These square-shaped black-and-white symbols in WeChat or Alipay where QR codes are scanned to add new friends or make payments.

The QR Code system originated in Japan. The engineer Masahiro Hara felt the limitation of the one-dimension barcode in use and thus developed the QR codes which could carry data horizontally and vertically. QR codes could hold much more information than barcode due to their extra dimension. In addition, QR codes have larger data capacity, smaller print—out size and higher resistance to dirt and damage, which make them widely applied in many other applications.

Though the technology of QR codes is complicated, we can easily create our own QR codes with the help of QR code generators, many of which are available online for free. Users could enter the data they wish the QR code to display, and the generator turns it into a symbol that can be printed or displayed in electronic form. The process of creating QR codes could be really fun when we customise the design of the codes according to our specific needs. For instance, we can adjust the color, add a logo, and create social options etc. Moreover, dynamic (动态的) QR codes are also available. They are more various than standard QR codes because they allow users to edit data entered previously whereas data in standard QR codes cannot be edited once printed. Plus, don’t limit your QR code to one mobile scanner. Anyone can scan your code with any reader. A lower barrier to entry makes success more likely for you and the user.

Meanwhile, we must also recognize the vulnerability of QR codes. Due to its easy access, criminals can steal simply by replacing the QR codes with their own, routing cash into their own bank accounts. Hence, we should all become more conscious towards virtual money transactions through QR codes and participate in additional security measures.

Fairs and theme parks never seem to lose their attraction. My kids love them as much as I do. Not everyone will agree with me though. My wife is terrified of anything more exciting than the merry-go-round. So why do I love Blackpool’s Big One while she goes white on hearing the word “rollercoaster(过山车)”？

According to psychologists, it comes down to something called a “Type T” personality. Type T’s are thrillseekers who welcome the uncertainty of activities that most people would find hairraising. It seems some of us enjoy the physical sensations associated with fear: the adrenaline(肾上腺素) rush and the beating heart. Scary rides make us feel alive. Terrifying experiences encourage a sense of excitement once we’re back on solid ground though we only enjoy them, experts say, when we’re within a “protective frame” that assures us that deep down, we’re still safe.

Recent research has found certain genes(基因) which may be responsible for those of us with Type T personalities. Biochemists have separated a gene called DRD4 which seems more common in rollercoaster lovers like me.

New technologies have allowed engineers to design coasters that change speeds quickly,        shoot up hundreds of feet into the air and make all sorts of twists. Research suggests that extreme fairground rides tend to appeal particularly to those of us who lead stressful, structured or controlled lives. It’s certainly true that roller coasters are a way of breaking out of the humdrum(乏味的) expectations of everyday life. Theme parks allow us to act like children again, to experience true excitement and behave a little wildly. Where else as an adult can you scream at the top of your lungs and throw your arms in the air without being sent for psychological evaluation?

If you’re looking for a great place this summer where you can get in touch with your inner risktaker, head for the nearest theme park. It’s a scream!