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Today's post comes via TheUnexplainedMysteries.com.
Just how much do YOU think you know about Halloween?
Today's post comes via TheUnexplainedMysteries.com.
Just how much do YOU think you know about Halloween?
Dracula; of course. Lestat—cool. Edward Cullen… maybe.
Everyone's heard of these Pop Culture vampires. But how about Lamias, Upírs, or Striges?
There are vampires of all varieties all around the world, pervading every culture from Romania to India, from China to South America. And believe me, some of them are so horrifying that they make your typical Hollywood vampire look like a not-particularly-threatening school bully in comparison.
Legends of vampires date back to ancient Mesopotamia—the lands of the Assyrian and Babylonian empires, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Assyrian legend speaks of a demon goddess known as the Lamastu (meaning: 'she who erases').
The Lamastu preyed on humans, creeping into a house at night to kill babies and drink their blood. Infant death was often attributed to the Lamastu. This legend gave rise to the Lamia and Striges in ancient Greece, which also preyed upon children.
The vampires we know of today in books and films is a direct descendent of the Slavic vampire of the ninth century. Vampire lore from Eastern Europe saw vampirism as a result of birth mutations or evil dispositions; a deformed baby or person with murderous tendencies were said to become vampires. Vampires emerging from the Balkan region were referred to as the Upiers.
The Russian vampire—the Upír—has the power to mesmerize a victim with its evil eye, leading him to his death.
Truly horrifying to behold, the Penanggalan is a vampiric ghost of Malaysian folklore. A beautiful woman by day, the Penanggalan will detach its head at night—entrails and organs dangling beneath it—and seek out its victims (often children) to drain of blood.
A person who so much as comes into contact with the fluids dripping from its entrails will become violently ill. One can escape this loathsome creature by luring it into thorny patches, where its viscera will become entangled.
The Chinese hopping vampire known as the chiang-shih (or jiangshi) is said to come about if a corpse is exposed to sunlight or moonlight before burial. A person who led a dishonest life or committed suicide will also become a chiang-shih according to legend.
Wearing clothes dating back to the Quing Dynasty, it hops stiffly about with its arms out, sucking the life force from its victims. Some legends state that it has poisonous breath, cannot cross moving water, and cannot climb ladders. Cremating the corpse is the only way to destroy the chiang-shih.
There are scholars who believe that vampire mythology actually began in India and then spread to Eastern Europe through the spice and silk trade routes. India has several vampiric figures, including the Rakshasa, Churel, and Vetalas.
A Churel is the vampiric spirit of a woman who died in childbirth, making her last lover in life as her first victim, followed by her male relatives. The Churel charms men with her beauty, though her demonic nature is sometimes given away by her feet which are turned backwards.
The Vetalas was a part man and part bat, possibly giving rise to the vampire's association with bats in modern mythology.
Below is an article I wrote for Crystal Age last year – I am happy to bring it to my Supernatural Wonders readers this week!
There is a legend of thirteen ancient crystal skulls from the Mayans lost civilization, that when united will bring universal knowledge. There are today real crystal skulls in existence that range from a few inches in diameter to life size. They are in the possession of various owners, the remainder on exhibition in the British Museum, the Smithsonian, and the Musee de l'Homme in Paris.
Believers in the supernatural consider crystal skulls to be much more than simply interesting artefacts. They look to the skulls as objects of divination, that can be used similarly to crystal balls for scrying and seeing into the future.
There is still great controversy amongst believers and sceptics as to the origins of the skulls. Believers will say that they are thousands of years old, possibly relics of lost civilizations like Atlantis. Sceptics say they are fakes, carved not much longer than a few hundred years ago.
Art restorer Frank Dorland studied the skull for six years, claiming the sound of a choir singing coming from its structure. Dorland also said while gazing into the skull, he was able to see shifting images. Dorland took the skull to Hewlett-Packard researchers who determined that it was carved from a single piece of crystal.
Those who believe in the supernatural qualities of crystal skulls point to the piezoelectric properties of quartz crystal as evidence of the skulls' power. Devotees assert that the skulls hold the history of the earth in their structure, rather like computer chips. All that is needed is the correct method of reading this information. Today, crystal skulls are very popular as ornaments and, depending on what crystal they are carved from, are said to be useful for scrying and divination.
Are the thirteen skulls true supernatural objects or are they recent fakes? It is a fact that skulls figure prominently in Mexican and Central American culture, therefore some of the skulls could indeed be ancient artefacts. Are they doorways into the past or future? Until their complex codes can be deciphered, we can only speculate.
What would you do if strangers appeared at your door and said this to you? Unnerving enough, but what if those strangers were children with totally black eyes and a strange air of dread about them?
The Black Eyed Kids phenomenon is happening all around the world, with incidents of these weird encounters with groups of small children (averaging 8-10 years of age) appearing at doorsteps, cars, or even out in the open, asking for help, only to vanish moments later. The most unsettling thing about these kids are their eyes – totally black, covering the iris and sclera, soulless and unblinking. But what exactly do these children want?
Paranormal researcher David Weatherly reports many such encounters in his book, Black Eyed Children. One such incident occurred in Dallas, Texas, where a gentleman came home, placed his hand on the door handle and suddenly a child appeared out of nowhere by the steps. Startled, the man looked at the boy, noting the child's pale skin and solid black eyes. 'Is it food time?' the boy asked. The man was stunned. The boy repeated his question, 'Is it food time?'.
Glancing inside, he saw that his three-year-old Pitbull was charging at the front door. This was the most fearsome of guard animals, having bit rattlesnakes in half on many an occasion. Upon seeing the black eyed child, the dog skidded to a stop. Wining, tail between its legs, the Pitbull shot under the bed and stayed there for days, refusing to come out. The man slipped inside and locked the door. The child peered through the glass of the door and continued tapping. Eventually, the child vanished.
Reports of encounters with Black-Eyed Kids have been coming in to paranormal researchers since the late 1990s, and are on the increase. A typical encounter begins with a continual knocking at a resident's door. The home owner opens the door to see a trio of young children standing on the doorstep who are not in anyway known in the neighborhood and who are dressed in nondescript clothing – like what Amish kids might wear. Other times they wear modern clothes like jeans and hoodies, though drab brown or gray, as if trying not to be noticed. The clothes may be ill-fitting, as though they don't quite know how to dress. There are no signs of phones, iPods, or other gadgets. The skin of the children is pasty, almost artificial looking. The eyes are totally black. Body movements are very minimal, and have been described as 'awkward' or 'stiff'.
'Please, can we come in?' they typically ask. 'We just want to use your phone. This won't take long. We're just kids.' The voices are droning, mechanical – repeating these entreaties over and over again: 'Please, let us in. This won't take long.'
These encounters usually happen in the evening, just when the sun is going down.
One thing most encounters have in common is that these children want to be allowed inside or want you to follow them.
But what does it all mean? Researchers such as David Weatherly and Dave Schrader agree that there does seem to be a sinister agenda. Although very few reports have trickled where people have let these strange kids inside, no real harm has yet come to anyone who has come face to face with these entitie – yet – though victims have been left in a permanently anxious state.
So what is going on? Are these demon in the guise of children? Alien hybrids? Or just children playing pranks? The way these children seem to appear and disappear seems to preclude the latter.
Case in point:
Host of Darkness Radio, Dave Schrader, was contacted in 2011 by an elderly woman from Minnesota with details of a particularly frightening encounter. One night in the middle of summer, at about 10pm, after it had been raining non-stop for several days, she and her husband heard what sounded to be children laughing and playing outside in their front yard. The woman got a very uncomfortable feeling and wondered who would let their kids out at this time of night. Looking outside, she didn't see any children.
After retiring to bed, the woman woke at 2am to find a trio of young children standing at her bedside. They had pale skin and totally black eyes. She quickly squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath, expecting that the children would be gone once she opened them again – a dream. But they were still there.
Just as the woman opened her mouth to scream, the child in the middle of the trio put a finger to his lips and said, 'Shhhh, we just want to look at you.'
The woman screamed, awaking her husband. Flicking on the lights, the woman looked around the bedroom… but the children were gone.
Whatever the implications of this growing phenomenon, we can be sure of one thing – it will not be giving up all of its secrets anytime soon. And just with ghosts, alien abductions, and bigfoot encounters, the run-ins with Black Eyed Kids will soon become a part of the paranormal lexicon.
April 2, 2004 was the earliest date I have recorded for the inception of Blood Family. Also known as Blood Family ~ Quest for the Vampire Key, the novel was going to be a Young Adult horror adventure which would by my take on vampires and what vampires might be. And when I'd decided that, I knew I was in for an interesting journey, but had no idea where it would take me…
Recently I was given the opportunity to contribute a vampire-themed short story or novella to In Vein – a vampire charity anthology book where 100% of the proceeds will go to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital!
My story is entitled 'Mom'. A lonely school child brings home his first friend, but struggles to hide the fact that his daylight-hating mother is a vampire.
This anthology was spearheaded by the endlessly energetic Jodie Pierce – author of the Vampire Queen trilogy. Thanks, Jodie! You are a star.
In Vein is available on Amazon.com and Smashwords.com
Giveaway! A special set of ebookmarks will be sent to the first reader to comment on this post!
Contributing Authors:
Tara Fox Hall
Mark Knight
Ann Snizek
Mark Mackey
Zoey Sweete
Autumn Starr
Geoffrey Porter
Frank Franklin
Jay Wilburn
Errick Nunnally
Samuel Southwell
Lourna Dounaeva
Mathias Jaanson
TP Keating
T.G. Reaper
Laurie Treacy
Charie D. La Marr
Jodie Pierce
Welcome back to fantasy and Sci Fi author, M. Pax!
M. Pax is known for her hit 'Backworlds' series of novels and the adult urban fantasy Hetty Locklear series. I am very pleased to have her back on Written Worlds! She has taken a fun look at the similarities between bloodsuckers and spacefarers – and also has a special announcement for her fans!
Take it away, M. Pax!
What fun to swap blogs with Mark Knight today. You'll find him at mpaxauthor.com. We both have a love for things in the night.
Nine Things Vampires and Space Adventurers Have in Common:
1. Both work in the dark
2. They both fly – Vampires as bats. Spacepeople in spaceships
3. An irresistible allure – Vampires use their eyes. Spaceships use tractor beams.
4. Traveling at high speeds — Vampires faster than the eye, Spaceships faster than light
5. Both types of stories search for understanding of what it means to be human
6. Both space explorers and vampires enjoy seeing other people in red shirts
7. Eating a lot of garlic repels vampires and your shipmates
8. Some people think space travelers and vampires exist, some think it's bullarky
9. Space travelers can also be very pale from a lack of sun if in space a long time
Can you think of any more?
I'm celebrating the audio release of The Backworlds. Currently available from Audible. You can win an audiobook by commenting at Samantha Geary's blog on THIS POST before October 18, 2013.
In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendents to survive in a harsh universe. This is the first book in the science fiction series, The Backworlds. Try it for free. A space opera adventure.
After the war with the Foreworlders, Backworlders scatter across the remaining planets. Competition is fierce, and pickings are scant. Scant enough that Craze's father decides to improve his fortunes by destroying his son. He tells his only boy their moon isn't big enough for them both and gives Craze a ticket for the next transport leaving the space dock.
Treated worse than a stranger, like the scuzzbag of the galaxy, Craze is forced to flee his home. Cut off from everyone he knows with little money and no knowledge of the worlds beyond his, he must find away to forge a new life and make sure his father regrets this day.
And stay tuned! Backworlds #4, Beyond the Edge will be available any hour now.
M. Pax — Inspiring the words I write, I spend my summers as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory in stunning Central Oregon where I live with the Husband Unit and two demanding cats. I write science fiction and fantasy mostly You can find out more by visiting my website: mpaxauthor.com
Ellie Garratt is a science fiction and horror writer. A life-long addiction to reading science fiction and horror meant writing was the logical outlet for her passions. She is a reader, writer, blogger, Trekkie, and would happily die to be an extra in The Walking Dead. Her short stories have been published in anthologies and online. Passing Time: Nine Short Tales of the Strange and Macabre and Taking Time and Other Science Fiction Stories are now available on Kindle. Other eBook formats to follow soon. In early 2014, she will be launching a nine-part science fiction serial called The Third Dimension.
Passing Time: Nine Short Tales of the Strange and Macabre
Book Blurb
Nine dark fiction stories that may just give you nightmares.
A man lives to regret Passing Time. A father will do anything to save his son in Expiration Date. An author finds out her worst nightmare is back in The Devil's Song. A woman gets more than the claim fee when she takes out vampire insurance in Luna Black.In Dining in Hell, the Death Valley Diner becomes the wrong place to stop. A serial killer wants to add another file to his collection in The Vegas Screamer. In Eating Mr. Bone, an undertaker could meet an unfortunate end. A con man meets his first ghost in Land of the Free. And will truth finally be set free in The Letter?
Book Links
Back in January I interviewed fantasy artist David M Rabbitte, known for his Star Wars and Lord of the Rings art, as well as the magnificent background vistas seen in such animated films as Anastasia and Titan A.E.
I caught up with David after his return from ComicCon 2013 in San Diego…
Mark Knight: David, you attended ComicCon in San Diego recently. This has not been your first ComicCon. How many years have you been attending and what is your routine as a guest artist?
David Rabbitte: I have been attending Comic Con since 1996 as an attendee and I have been set up in Artists' Alley since 2008. I would typically have a table where I would sell my printed art and do on site commissions upon request from attendees.
Mark Knight: Part of your display was the artwork you completed for my upcoming teen novel, Solomon Grimm and the Well of Souls. Talk about some of the other book cover commissions you have done and the challenges they presented.
David Rabbitte: I have worked with both independent authors and established publishers. The art direction varies with each publisher. My first professionally published book was for Marvel/Byron Preiss Books around 2001, when I was asked to produce three covers for the X-Men novel trilogy X-Men: The Legacy Quest. They went through a series of changes as instructed by the art director and Marvel, which sometimes included reworking the layout before going to color.
On another occasion I did a cover piece for Muppet Peter Pan published by Boom! Studios, for which the art direction was pretty straight forward with almost no changes. I sent them a few sketches as ideas for the cover, and the picked the one they liked. I went on to color and it was approved.
With independent authors the cover is of characters and a story which is invented by them, so I would ask for any information that would help in bringing their ideas to life. Occasionally they would provide me some photo reference to help me visualize what they are trying to convey.
Mark Knight: You have done sketch cards for both the Star Wars and Lord of the Rings franchises, which have proven very popular with collectors. Why do you think these two fantasies continue to endure?
David Rabbitte: Lord of the Rings is just an amazing story populated with wonderful characters. Tolkien didn't just write a story – he created the world of Middle Earth in such depth you can almost believe it actually existed.
Star Wars is so unlike other science fiction films because it really isn't sci-fi at all, it's a fairy tale set in space. It is a story which contains those ideas which stand the test of time. Up until the release of the original film, we had not seen a movie of this genre done in such a unique way that was also believable.
Mark Knight: Lastly, what is your current project?
David Rabbitte: I just finished working on some sketch cards for Topps for their Star Wars Galactic Files series 2. Right now I am working on another exciting card set for a different company, but I can't share anything about it yet – keep an eye out for news on my website though, as I will be posting more about that in the coming months!
We all know that zombie games and zombie movies are at the height of their popularity. Zombie novels? They are big too. I always wanted to write one, but I knew I had to do it differently.
As well as the 'Blood Family' sequel, I am currently preparing my teen adventure novel, 'Solomon Grimm and the Well of Souls' for publication.
I wrote this supernatural tale in 2010, having been interested in exploring Irish folk tales and mythology, and setting a story in Galway, Ireland – a magical place where my parents now live and where my father was born.
Popular author and mythologist Dr Bob Curran helped me research this book.
The novel is intended for a slightly younger audience than Blood Family.
Solomon is a 15-year-old British teen who gets himself cursed – and becomes undead. Now, he has to find a cure.
Just as 'Blood Family' was a new take on vampire lore, this is my own twist on zombie mythology. Plenty of magic, strange creatures, and rollicking adventure here… plus a trip to the Underworld.
'Solomon Grimm and the Well of Souls' is due for Amazon release end March 2014.
Here for you is the textless cover artwork by noted fantasy artist David M. Rabbitte along with the back cover blurb, which should set the stage for you!
I hope you will love this book – aimed at teens, but also meant for everyone
~ Mark Knight.
Solomon Grimm is a pretty average teen. He goes to school. He hangs out with friends. He plays guitar in a band. There's a lot to look forward to—new friends, playing gigs around the country, and hopefully a special girl to become part of his life.
All that is about to change.
While on Easter vacation in Ireland, Solomon falls foul of a gypsy woman. He is cursed and joins the marbh bheo—the living dead. Never to breathe, or grow, or love, and now able to see every supernatural being once invisible to him, his fate is to wander the fog-shrouded hills of Shanvarra for eternity… never to return home.
Solomon tracks down the woman who cursed him. She makes a deal with him. If he will bring her abducted daughter, Tara Danan, back to her, she will reverse the spell and restore Solomon to his old self. Solomon now has a terrifying task ahead of him. For Tara has been taken to the Underworld, a place reachable only through the forbidden Well of Souls.
Along with his new friend, the incurably curious Mungo, Solomon must brave the darkening depths of this hidden world, where the slavering, flesh-eating Savage Dead search endlessly for a way to the surface. If Solomon's bravery—as well as a whole host of undead powers—holds out, he might just find Tara Danan before becoming trapped in the Underworld forever…
SOLOMON GRIMM AND THE WELL OF SOULS by MARK KNIGHT


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Though they met when she was the new girl in school in fifth grade, and started "dating" in seventh grade, this Bride and Groom didn't officially start dating until freshman year when her father's "no dating until high school" rule expired. A year later, they shared their first kiss. And the rest is history — until their winter wedding. See every sweet moment, captured by Texture Photo, in The Vault!
From The Bride…Davis and I met when we were just twelve years old. I had just moved to Knoxville from Colorado and we both were going to the same school. Keep in mind this is fifth grade and I was the new girl in school. Not the new girl that everyone wants to be friends with, but more the weird one that showed up in a pink camo backpack and pigtails. Needless to say Davis didn't fall in love with me right then and there. Fast forward to seventh grade and we had home room together. By this point I had lost the pigtails and camo backpack and was a little less awkward. I remember thinking Davis was so cute and wondering if there was a chance that he would ever like me. At this point in time not many people had cell phones and so Davis and I would email back and forth. I look back on those emails and laugh at the amount of times we ask who each other likes and how many times we answer with "I'll tell you if you tell me". Each time we would always say each other, and each time it was like we had no idea. Davis and I say we started dating in 7th grade because without the title, we did. We talked all the time and honestly grew up together. My dad had a rule though that I wasn't allowed to "officially" date until I was a freshman in high school. As soon as that day came, Davis asked me out and we started dating! My dad also had a rule that Davis had to wait a year to kiss me. His reasoning behind this was that if a boy can't wait a year for something then it isn't that important to him. He wanted Davis to know how important it really was. Davis has always been so kind and respectful. I am amazed at how caring he was even at such a young age. In middle school sports aren't that relevant so when I went to my first high school football game and heard Davis' name over the intercom more times than I can count, I realized I really needed to learn more about football. Our high school experience was somewhat of a dream. Davis went on to break a national football record and I was able to cheer him on in the stands every game. We went through so many stages of life together, it is hard to remember a time when Davis wasn't my best friend. We went to college together at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga where Davis played football. After our freshman year we knew that Chattanooga wasn't our home and decided to transfer to the University of Tennessee Knoxville. This leads us to our Junior year of college.
Davis was a ranch hand at one of our family friends ranch in Knoxville. I would go up there with him some days to take care of the horses and just watch him. These were some of my favorite days because it felt like we were escaping reality for a little bit. In February of 2015 Davis said that one of the horses was hurt and he was going to go up to the ranch if I wanted to come. Of course I said yes and he came and picked me up. We drove up to the ranch and he told me that the medicine was on the top level of the barn and he asked me if I could go get it. I didn't expect a thing and went up the stairs. That is when I saw hundreds of candles lining the floor, bistro lights draped across the ceiling, and a huge projector that said "Press Play". I went up to the computer and in a moment of panic forgot his password. I shouted down, "Davis what is your password" and the crisis was averted. The video started playing and it was hundreds of photos and videos documenting our whole life together. From pigtails and camo back packs to where we were that day, Davis had it all in that video. At the end it said turn around and when I did there was Davis, with Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheehan playing in the background, walking towards me. I wish I could remember all that he said to me in those few minutes. Before I knew it he was down on one knee and my absolute best friend was proposing to me. It was a whirlwind of emotions when we walked downstairs to our whole family cheering us on. I can honestly say that I have never known a man to love so completely and so mindfully as Davis Howell. That day, up until our wedding, was the very best day of my life.
Photography: Texture Photo | Floral Design: Swank Floral Creations | Wedding Dress: Sweet Elegance Bridal | Cake: Cheryl McMillan Cake Design | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Bari Jay | Makeup: Southern Belle Beauty | Hair: Grow Knoxville | DJ: Ogle Entertainment | Venue: Hunter Valley Farm | Coffee Sleeves: Four Things Paper | Men's Socks: Ace And Everett | Signage: Southern Timber

subset: commoncrawl


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Russia's Banged-Up Aircraft Carrier Prepares for Her Upgrade
'Admiral Kuznetsov' to get new cruise missiles, flight deck
WIB sea April 26, 2017 Robert Beckhusen
Russia's rusty aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov has been back at her home port near Murmansk since February following a 2016 combat deployment off the Syrian coast. Kuznetsov took a beating from heavy use and what's next is a long-awaited refit, of which we now have a few details.
First of all, the Kuznetsov is not technically an aircraft carrier—according to the Russian Navy's definition—but a clumsily-titled "heavy aircraft-carrying missile cruiser" owing to her 12 Granit anti-ship cruise missiles. The retrofit will replace these with Kalibr-NK land-attack missiles, substantially boosting range, and fitted inside universal vertical launchers also capable of firing P-800 Oniks anti-ship missiles, according to Tass.
Russian warships have on several prior occasions fired Kalibr missiles at Syrian rebel and Islamic State targets in Syria.
In addition, the Russian Navy wants to upgrade its sole aircraft carrier's flight deck, replace the electrical systems and swap out "several worn-out boilers." The extent of the work reads like it's practically a rebuild.
The question is whether Kuznetsov, which launched in 1985 as the Leonid Brezhnev, is still worth keeping around. Kuznetsov's mission to Syria, the first time Russia has ever sent a carrier in combat, was not significant in strictly military terms.
Above—'Admiral Kuznetsov.' Photo via ermaleksandr/Flickr. At top—'Kuznetsov' in dry dock. Cmichel photo via Flickr
Russia can keep warplanes taking off far more regularly, and with more armaments, from its Syria land base at Khmeimim than from its carrier, which can only deploy for short periods of time compared to U.S. carriers, and which has a ski-jump ramp instead of catapults—which means Kuznetsov's planes must sacrifice fuel or payload to get airborne.
Two of the carrier's planes, a MiG-29KR and an Su-33, crashed during the mission—the latter went into the sea after an arresting cable broke. Afterwards, it appeared Russia moved some of the carrier's air wing to Khmeimim, an indication of a hazard on the carrier or other problems with maintaining flight operations.
But Russia's spending on Kuznetsov is not about strict military utility. It's political and a matter of national pride. Important states have aircraft carriers, and since Russia is an important state, then it must have one, too. Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin claimed the Kuznetsov's voyage came from "his personal initiative." Putin is well aware of the charged symbolism and global attention the combat deployment brought to Russia.
By the time Kuznetsov finishes her refit, the Syrian war may very well be over, meaning she likely had a limited window to see combat.
And the carrier is an economic engine. Kuznetsov's modernization will take at least until the end of 2020 and cost around $713 million, according to TASS. Though a fraction of the cost of a new Gerald R. Ford-class carrier, it is a substantial investment and will keep the shipyard at Roslyakovo near Murmask busy.
In any case, Russian aviators surely learned some valuable lessons from the Syrian deployment, and we will surely see a new and improved Kuznetsov at sea in a few years.


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- وای-فای
- پارکینگ
- تهویه هوا
- خانواده
- بیزینس
اتاق خود را انتخاب کنید
This is a charming 4 stars hotel located in the heart of Rome. The hotel Stendhal is in Via del Tritone, just 50 meter away from the Barberini station. The Hotel offer exclusive accommodation with impeccable service in Rome. The hotel is elegantly furnished within a refined and comfortable environment, and offers every kind of service to make your holidays unforgettable: a library room where guests can enjoy some relaxing moments while sipping a drink or reading a book, a meeting room designed with vintage stone and wood, a tea room and a bar. The hotel offers single, double and double single use rooms, all featuring a private bathroom with shower or bathtub and hairdryer. The rooms are soundproof and equipped with air-conditioning, direct dial telephone, satellite TV, mini bar, mini safe and Internet access ***There is city tax payable by guest directly to hotel
اطلاعات مفید:نامهای دیگر هتل Stendhal:
Stendhal Nonrefundable


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No Stick Kids Allowed! :)
A blog for elementary art lesson ideas, tips and tricks.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Sailboat Reflections
Kindergarten and first graders made these adorable sailboat paintings using liquid tempera paints. Students were given a 12x18 sheet of paper that was folded in half "hot dog" style. I demonstrated how to draw a simple sailboat and stressed the importance of making sure the bottom of the boat did not go too far past the fold line (otherwise the paint would transfer onto the sails once folded). Students then used a light blue tempera paint for the sky and a teal for the water. Once dry, students painted details on the sails and added black for the pole and bottom of their boats. Next, students folded the paper along the original fold line and rubbed on the back so that the wet paint would transfer onto the bottom half of the page creating a reflection in the water! This technique creates a very fuzzy, impressionistic look!
Klee Castles
These drawings were inspired by Paul Klee's Castle and Sun. Students used a ruler to create several large rectangles and squares for buildings on black paper. Students then used their rulers to make diagonal, horizontal and vertical lines inside of each building creating a variety of shapes. A sun or moon was added to the sky. Students then traced all pencil lines with white colored pencil and colored each shape a different, bright color.
Paper Weaving
Second and third grade students created these paper weavings using recycled painted paper strips and fuzzy wire. We first made a simple loom from a 9x12 sheet of colored construction paper then wove the painted strips "over and under" until the loom was full. Next we wove more painted strips and wire in the opposite direction and cut fringe on the edges.
Monet's Waterlilies
These mixed media works were made by kindergarten and first grade students using crayon, watercolor and construction paper. We drew our inspiration from Monet's Waterlily masterpieces. Students first drew lily pads with green crayon then drew wavy and spiral lines with white crayon. Next, we painted with green, blue, teal and purple watercolor paint for the water. The white lines showed up like magic through the watercolor paint (simple resist technique)! Lastly we used construction paper to make the flowers. So pretty!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Calder Wire Fish
This lesson was inspired by the artist Alexander Calder. Students used an assortment of twist wire, pipe cleaners, beads and sequins to complete their sculptures. They have lots of personality!!!
Starry Night Quilling
This is a lesson for fourth and fifth graders inspired by Van Gogh's Starry Night. Students were instructed to draw a large tree similar to Van Gogh's and several small buildings and color with colored pencil. For the sky we used a basic quilling technique in various shades of blue for the swirls/wind and yellow for the moon and stars.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Another Jasper Johns!
This is one of my all time favorite lessons. The results are always so colorful and dramatic! For this lesson, I made a simple line drawing of the United States map for students to trace. Once their map was drawn students then traced over the pencil lines with a black sharpie and erased any stray marks. Next, we used white crayon to trace just inside of each state's shape(this created a kind of reverse shadow once painted with watercolor). The students were instructed to choose either two warm colors or two cool colors to paint the area around the map and then a variety of colors inside of the map.
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Tens of millions of Chinese students are already learning English a mandatory part of their curriculum. But the reverse number is much smaller. One Washington, D.C. based organization is working on changing that.
CCTV America's Roee Ruttenberg has the report.
DC organization looks to improve cultural bonds between China-USThe group is known as the US-China Strong Foundation & their new goal is getting 1 million American youth to learn Mandarin in the U.S.
The group is known as the US-China Strong Foundation. Their new goal is getting 1 million American youth to learn Mandarin in the U.S.
"We focus on dramatic expansion of Mandarin-language learning and cultural exposure at the youngest age; we focus on increasing opportunities for students of all backgrounds to study abroad in China," Carola McGiffert, president of U.S.-China Strong Foundation said.
There are currently more than 2 million people living in the U.S. who were born in China. Another 2 million visit each year a number that's expected to grow.
Another quarter of a million Chinese students are studying in the U.S. But for many Americans, their only sample of China may be Chinese restaurants and so-called "Chinatowns" across the U.S.


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We had a short staycation at Doubletree@Hilton, Johor Bahru and went to Legoland. Find out about our experience here!
Category: Entertainment
Review: Splash @ KidsAmaze (Safra Punggol)
Thinking of going to Splash@KidsAmaze? Read to find out about our experience there!
Long Gang Fishing at Fish@Bugis+
We recently went long gang fishing in the middle of town! Read about our experience in this post!
Our Secret Hideout: Keppel Island
Wondering where to go with the kid over the weekend? Here's a place to connect with nature without the pesky mosquitos and huge crowds!
Taiwan Holiday with the Toddler [Post-trip Itinerary and Highlights]
Here's our final itinerary for the Taiwan trip and it's a really slack one. We felt like we were hotel hopping initially instead of sightseeing. Day 1: Taoyuan Airport -> Taichung Having been to Taiwan 6 times, we chose to exclude Taipei this time round and went straight to Taichung on Day 1. The initial…
Taiwan Holiday with the Toddler [Hotels Review]
We're back from our holiday! Glad to say that we survived 10 days travelling with the little one. As promised, this is a review of the hotels we stayed in at Taiwan and how baby-friendly they are. To recap, we stayed in 5 hotels in Taichung, Cing Jing, Tainan and Yilan. For our pre-trip planning…
Entertainment Review: Jurong East Swimming Complex @ Jurong East Street 31
Jurong East Swimming Complex was opened back in year 2000. I recall back in the days when the hubs and I were dating, we used to go to the pool and laze in the lazy river and then after a day of "exercise", we'd go to the KFC at the pool entrance and have a…
Entertainment Review: An Afternoon in Wonderland
~Warning: This post contains spoilers~ "Long Live the Queen! Ka-ka-ka!" Was very excited to win free passes to Andsoforth's Wonderland play via the Bumblebee Mum's giveaway because I had been thinking of buying tickets but the hubs thinks that Baby E is too young for it. She was indeed a little overwhelmed initially because it was the…


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ASUS Philippines launched its new Zenfone 4 series last August 19 at the SMX Convention Center. Usually, phone companies just launch one model at a time but ASUS released a whole line of different phones for the inner photographer in you.
We Love Photo 💗
Basically, ASUS' market (for now) are millennials (and non-millennials) that value experience or rather documenting experience. If it ain't documented, it didn't happen. Those who love taking pictures of travels or any memorable moment.
Focusing on the different aspects of mobile photography (i.e., aperture, battery and beautification feature), ASUS came up with a line of powerful and affordable smartphones ready to compete with its predecessors.


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The Marvel Universe has a long history of vigilantes, stretching back the days of the Old West. Before Spider-Man was slinging webs, heroes like the Two-Gun Kid were slinging guns. Decades later, a new breed of vigilante began to emerge, dressed in colorful costumes and battling villains with superpowers or advanced training.
Now, the lawless tradition of the Old West returns in "Six Guns," a five-issue miniseries by the "Daredevil: Reborn" creative team of writer Andy Diggle and artist Davide Gianfelice. Comic Book Resources spoke with Diggle about the project, which revamps several classic Marvel Western characters and embroils them an action-packed international conspiracy.
In "Daredevil: Reborn," Diggle and Gianfelice told a story with the trappings of a modern-day Western. The success of that collaboration led Diggle to pitch "Six Guns" to Marvel.
"It's an idea I've have had for a couple of years now," Diggle told CBR News. "I thought that dusty Spaghetti Western vibe worked pretty well in 'Reborn,' and Davide and I had a great time working together. So I thought, 'Why don't we go for it?' I pitched 'Six Guns' to Tom Brevoort, clearly expecting it to get knocked back, but everyone at Marvel was really enthusiastic. So we went in guns blazing."
"Six Guns" is an ensemble book that stars five classic Marvel Western characters re-imagined and updated for a contemporary setting. "You'd think from the title there'd be six of them, but it's actually five Marvel Western characters, reinvented," Diggle explained. "One of them has already been revamped; Tarantula from Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti's 'Heroes for Hire.' I'm using her in a non-superpowered role. She's become a solo hero for hire in this story. The original Tarantula was a Western character that was reinvented in the '70s as a Spider-Man villain. This is just the latest incarnation of the character. We also have new versions of characters like Tex Dawson, Matt Slade, the Black Rider and the Two-Gun Kid -- all of them coming into the story from different angles. They all end up on a collision course."
The gunslingers of "Six Guns" come from a variety of backgrounds and have wildly different outlooks when it comes to concepts like law and order. "I wanted to make sure that each character is visually distinct and distinct in terms of their approach to the story," Diggle said. "Tex Dawson, for instance, is a Texas Ranger. He's a lawman; he does things by the book. He has a reputation to maintain, so he can't just wade in guns blazing. He has to follow procedure...at least to a degree. Whereas at the other end of the spectrum, you have characters like the Black Rider, who in this incarnation is the leader of the Black Riders Motorcycle Club, an outlaw biker gang. He's a completely lawless character, but you'll learn as the series moves forward that he's not completely a bad guy. He has his own code. These characters are anti-heroes, standing on the borderline between black and white, and good and evil.
"A lot of the old Marvel and DC Western characters were named the Something-Or-Other Kid," Diggle continued. "Marvel had Kid Colt and the Rawhide Kid, among others. I decided that you can't really pull that off in the present day unless they're literally a kid. So I promised myself the Two-Gun Kid would be the only character with the word 'kid' in his name, and he would be an actual kid. He's this ambidextrous teen who's grown up rocking two-player console shooters with a gun in each hand. When we first see him, he's shoveling coins into a Punisher arcade game -- until he pulls out a real pair of guns and mayhem ensues."
As the mayhem unfolds in "Six Guns," readers will get a chance to see things from the unique perspectives of each of the five characters. "It's a challenge to have the story unfold clearly with a strong narrative drive when you have to keep jumping between all these characters," Diggle remarked. "So oftentimes we'll see two or three of the main characters together, like in the opening scene that was previewed on CBR, featuring Tex Dawson and the Black Rider. Then, in a later scene, the Black Rider will confront the Two-Gun Kid, and we'll see Tarantula pursued by Matt Slade. So it's an ensemble book. Eventually you'll see how the plot lines converge and the characters are forced together into a team, although a slightly dysfunctional one."
In "Six Guns" #1, the Black Rider sets the stage for the all-star team of gunslingers to come together when he and his gang attack Tex Dawson's prisoner transfer vehicle on a remote Texas highway. That attack sets off a cascade of events that will take the book's cast all the way to the fictional South American nation of San Diablo.
"We kick things off with the Tarantula being extradited from San Diablo for a double murder," the writer teased. "She's being transported by the Texas Rangers to her arraignment, and she warns them that there are people out there who want her dead. The Rangers are like, 'Sure. Tell it to the judge.' That's when the bikers arrive to grab Tarantula from this situation. It's not immediately clear whose side they're on. Are they there to kill her or save her? That investigation leads Tex Dawson to San Diablo, where the other characters are already converging. They're all working the same case from different angles. And they'll all be crossing paths as they uncover what Tarantula discovered and why people want her dead.
"San Diablo is a country that I believe Stan Lee created back in an old issue of 'Thor,'" Diggle went on. "Since then, it's popped up in various different stories. I wanted to go somewhere lawless and South American with an 'anything goes' attitude. That quickly frees up some of the characters from having to worry too much about obeying the law, because there really isn't any law. The name San Diablo translates as 'Saint Devil,' which doesn't really make any sense. So in the story, we suggest that it was basically two countries that were forced together long ago and are now threatening to break apart again. In the north you have the verdant region of Santa Maria, and in the south you have the arid and inhospitable Sierra Del Diablo. Put them together and you have got San Diablo. Even the country's name is at war with itself."
When the cast of "Six Guns" arrives in San Diablo, they'll find a nation on the brink of civil war. "Two PMCs (Private Military Contractors) are preparing to fight it out for control of the whole country," Diggle revealed. "Our heroes end up embroiled in a conspiracy behind the scenes as these two rival mercenary companies face off. So there's going to be a lot of guns. When our characters begin to investigate, they uncover a corporate conspiracy. I didn't want the problem to be something they could just shoot. You can't shoot a company. Of course, that's what these heroes are good at, and that's how they solve most of their problems. And even if they did want to shoot it out, the representatives of this company are protected by private armies. So they're literally outgunned. You always want your heroes to be underdogs."
The villains behind San Diablo's troubles will be a mix of new and familiar faces and organizations. "There are two different companies: One is Kane-Meyer and the other is Blackguard, whom Jason Aaron used in his 'Wolverine' run," Diggle stated. "The main antagonist is a slimy corporate creep named Vance. His guard dog is a guy called Colonel Keller. He's the muscle. Basically it's those guys pointing armies at the heroes."
The heroes of "Six Guns" will have to overcome all these enemies with nothing but their wits and a ton of bullets. "This story is set in the Marvel Universe, but it involves very few fantastical elements like superpowers," Diggle explained. "We're going for more of an action-movie vibe. If you look at something like 'Die Hard' or 'Desperado,' the characters are doing stuff that they couldn't actually survive in real life. That's how I view this. It's a little louder and crazier than the real world. It's reality turned up to 11."
Diggle's collaborator, artist Davide Gianfelice, is having a lot fun depicting the insane action sequences of "Six Guns." "The action level is cranked way up from 'Daredevil: Reborn,'" Diggle enthused. "I enjoy writing really tightly choreographed action scenes, and it takes a certain kind of artist to really pull those off so the reader can clearly follow things moment by moment. The clarity and the movement in Davide's storytelling is absolutely amazing. You can see from those preview pages the sense of movement, weight and momentum he can give to chase scenes or a car crash. Some people think you can't do effective car chases in comics, but I think that's crazy. Just look at 'Akira.' There's an incredible sense of movement and speed that [Katsuhiro] Otomo gets on the page, and I think Davide really pulls that off.
"Of course, it's not just action -- Davide has made each character visually distinct, and man, can they act!" Diggle continued. "When we have dialogue-heavy scenes, the characters can really chew scenery with the best of them. So I couldn't be happier with what Davide's doing."
Gianfelice's art work will also help establish the gritty and morally murky tone of "Six Guns." "I grew up with Spaghetti Westerns, Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood movies where basically everybody, even the hero, is a scumbag," Diggle said. "I've always enjoyed stories where they don't tell you this is right and that's wrong, where they drop you into a situation and let you decide for yourself where your sympathies lie. There are good guys and bad guys in this, but there also a lot of shades of gray. Also, I come from the British comics background of '2000 A.D.,' which has always been about anti-heroes, moral ambiguity and questioning the nature of authority figures. Someone like Judge Dredd can be a hero, but he can also be a villain. You have to make up your own mind in each story. I think that's more interesting. If you have a squeaky-clean hero, you always know exactly what he's going to do in any given situation, because he's always going to do the right thing. That can get a little dull.
"That's one of the fun things about creating new characters, because the reader doesn't know them yet, and doesn't know which way they're going to jump," Diggle continued. "So they hopefully still have the opportunity to surprise you. The other great thing about creating new characters and revamping old ones is that the readers know you're not going to kill off Batman or Captain America, or if you do, they know they'll be back in a year or two. So there's no real sense of jeopardy. But with a story like this, full of unknown underdogs, you never know who's going to make it out alive. Obviously I'm not going to spoil the ending here, but who knows if there'll be enough of them left alive to do a sequel. But if readers respond to the series, I'd love to do more of this kind of stuff.
"So if this sounds like something you'd be interested in, please buy it," Diggle implored. "It's something new, but it's still a Marvel book and has that Marvel entertainment value to it. It's a fun read. It's something new and exciting. Readers are always saying how jaded they are with the mainstream, and hopefully with something like this you get the best of both worlds; an indie sensibility but still from a major publisher. So I'd love to see people put their money where their mouth is and buy something a bit different."


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Mind-Blowing Independence Day Songs to Celebrate the Festival
Independence Day is an important national festival that is celebrated in India with great pomp and show every year. It is a magnificent day that brings a lot of happiness in the life of people. Many of the people celebrate the day by listening to the melodious Independence Day Songs that ignite the fire of patriotism in all the people. The songs that I have got here to share with you all are best according to me.
Also see: Incredible Happy Independence Day Quotes
Independence Day brings with it great happiness in everyone's heart. People are cheerful on the day. Listening to the Independence Day Songs is one of the popular ways of celebrating Independence Day. Some like to listen to songs with their earphones, while some prefer listening to the songs on loudspeakers. There are wonderful Independence Day Songs buzzing in every nook and corner of India.
Pleasing Independence Day Songs to feel Proud of Being an Indian
- Sare Jahan Se Acha
It is a wonderful song that fills Indians with great pride and passion and evokes the feelings of patriotism for their own country. The song is in the melodious voice of veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar.
- Aao Bachchon Tumhen Dikhayein
This one is too good. This might be a very old song, but till now, it is listened to with great enthusiasm. The song is from the classic movie 'Jagriti' sung by Pranoti Ghosh, Abhi Bhattacharya, Bipin Gupta, Ghanshyam, Kanu Roy, Mehmood, and Dhumal.
- Bharat Mata Ki Jai
This is the song of today's generation. The song portrays the young and enthusiastic feelings of today's people. The song is from the film Shanghai that stars Emraan Hashmi, Abhay Deol, and Kalki Koechlin.
- Rang De Basanti
This one is stupendous. The song is full of energy and fervour and full of patriotism. The song has been sung by Daler Mehndi and K S Chitra, and it stars Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi, Siddharth Narayan, Kunal Kapoor, and Atul Kulkarni.
- Ae Mere Pyare Watan
This song is my all time favourite. It is a harmonious song that makes me feel happy every time I listen to it. It is from the film Kabuliwala and has been sung by Manna Dey. The film had Balraj Sahni, Paul Mahendra, Sajjan, Sonu and Usha Kiran in the lead roles.
- Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani
This is another wonderful from Bollywood that is full of Indianpan. Everyone enjoys listening to this song. The song is from the film 'Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani' starring Shah Rukh Khan & Juhi Chawla.
- Aisa Desh Hai Mera
It is a beautiful patriotic song from another Shah Rukh Khan's movie. The song is from the movie 'Veer-Zaara' and stars Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta in the lead roles. The mesmerising song has been sung by Udit Narayan and Lata Mangeshkar.
- Desh Mere Desh Mere Meri Jaan Hai Tu
It is an amazing song from the film 'The Legend of Bhagat Singh' starring Ajay Devgan. The song has got beautiful inspirational lyrics.
- Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo
This is one of the most popular patriotic songs that is played on almost every national day to pay homage to the brave leaders and freedom fighters. The song has been sung by everyone's favourite Lata Mangeshkar.
- Maa Tujhe Salaam
The song is my favourite. A.R. Rahman has given us a wonderful song to feel happy and proud of our country. Even the video of the song is quite amazing.
There are much more beautiful Independence Day Songs that ignite the fire of a proud Indian is us every time we listen to them.


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I'm going to be linking up to some amazing blogs on Thursday for the 4th event in the Bloggy Olympics! You can head on over to Here's to Handy Andy, c.w.frosting, or freaking craft to check out all the Bloggy Olympics awesomeness!
UPDATE: Picture's from the 4th of July! William and I drove down to Houston to see Jeff, and we went to the Museum of Natural Science. It was so much fun! William loved the paleontology exhibit.
I'm also linking up to these amazing blogs:


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300mm SQUARE WHITE TRUCard SINGLE COATED GLOSS CARD (180gsm)
Please note: This product has now been discontinued and is not available180gsm - TRUcard 1 gloss is a coated one side, solid bleached sulphate board available in a range of weights. Perfect for use in creating Postcards and Decoupage. This high quality card is one of our newest ranges, consisting of 180gsm, 240gsm and 300gsm. Look through the category to find out more. Fantastic print quality results can be acheived with Laser printers, sadly this product does not work well with Inkjet printers.
The product images on the screen are representative, and the colour may differ from the actual product. If you wish to place an order, we recommend you request a physical sample.
|300mm Square
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What Tamara McFarland said. Poor man lost his brother, cared for the animals as long as he could, reached out for help... Sad story all around.
I like your publication... What I don't like is that you attached a bio to this article with his childrens names.
Make sure you're signed up so we can inbox you the latest.


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Ruby on Rails and Java?
Guys at the RailsEnvy.com site has created a video comparing Ruby on Rails with Java. Actually they are comparing J2EE with ROR. It seems to suggest that to develop any Web application, you need everything from Hibernate to Spring.
But reality is slightly different. None of the technologies are essential. You can create industry strength Java Web application by using Spring DAO. Hibernate is not a must for it!
I do agree that being a recent framework, Ruby on Rails is an improvement in many respects over other frameworks. At the same time it may not be that safe to use it on a heavy duty site as the twitter debacle had shown.
Anyway I am not envious of Ruby or Rails. In fact I don't understand the friction between Ruby and other languages. My advice is this, if you feel threatened by Ruby, learn it. :-) At the same time I don't understand why some Ruby developers are so arrogant. I guess they have no practical experience in other languages!


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If the U.S. Census Bureau has it right, the 300 millionth American entered the United States kicking and screaming on Tuesday morning. The odds are that this milestone American is a boy, born to a white family in a California suburb. He will have a 1-in-4 shot of graduating from college, will probably marry, father two children, struggle with his weight, and live to see his 85th birthday.
What he will probably not have -- that his grandfather likely did -- is a pair of blue eyes.
Once a hallmark of the boy and girl next door, blue eyes have become increasingly rare among American children. Immigration patterns, intermarriage, and genetics all play a part in their steady decline. While the drop-off has been a century in the making, the plunge in the past few decades has taken place at a remarkable rate.
About half of Americans born at the turn of the 20th century had blue eyes, according to a 2002 Loyola University study in Chicago. By mid-century that number had dropped to a third. Today only about one 1 of every 6 Americans has blue eyes, said Mark Grant, the epidemiologist who conducted the study.
Grant was moved to research the subject when he noticed that blue eyes were much more prevalent among his elderly patients in the nursing home where he worked than in the general population. At first he thought blue eyes might be connected to life expectancy, so he began comparing data from early 20th- century health surveys. Turns out it has more to do with marriage patterns.
A century ago, 80 percent of people married within their ethnic group, Grant said. Blue eyes -- a genetically recessive trait -- were routinely passed down, especially among people of English, Irish, and Northern European ancestry.
By mid-century, a person's level of education -- and not ethnicity -- became the primary factor in selecting a spouse. As intermarriage between ethnic groups became the norm, blue eyes began to disappear, replaced by brown.
The influx of nonwhites into the United States, especially from Latin America and Asia, hastened the disappearance. Between 1900 and 1950, only about 1 in 10 Americans was nonwhite. Today that ratio is 1 in 3.
With the exception of an increased risk of macular degeneration (blue eyes are at greater risk) , eye color is biologically indicative of almost nothing. Boys are 3 percent to 5 percent likelier to have blue eyes than girls, but beyond that it's a non-issue -- physiologically speaking. The cultural implications are another story.
Preferences for fair skin and blue eyes stretch back in Europe to at least the Middle Ages, according to Hema Sundaram , author of "Face Value," a book about the history of beauty. For women in particular, especially those of European descent, fair skin and light eyes have long been seen as indicators of fertility and beauty.
America adopted those biases early on, and Hollywood reinforced them by anointing a long line of blue-eyed blondes such as Marilyn Monroe as the nation's sex symbols.
In the 1930s, eugenicists used the disappearance of blue eyes as a rallying cry to support immigration restrictions. They went so far as to map the parts of the country with the highest and lowest percentage of blue-eyed people.
So consumed were Americans with this ideal that in the '70s and '80s the fashion models who exemplified the All-American look were typically Scandinavian, said Katie Ford, CEO of Ford Models in New York, which has been in business for 60 years. But in the past decade those standards have begun to change, and Madison Avenue has taken note. The look advertisers want today favors honey-colored skin, brown hair, and green or brown eyes. The most successful models are coming from Brazil.
"Advertisers want the idealized form of the general population," Ford said. "Someone with perfect features but who the everyday person can relate to."
But even as blue eyes give way to brown, lighter eyes will maintain a certain allure, said Carolyn Kaufman, who teaches evolutionary psychology at Otterbein College in Ohio. When people see something pleasurable, their eyes dilate, Kaufman said. Dilated pupils signal happiness and are, in turn, considered attractive. Since they are easier to see on lighter eyes, they have a natural appeal.


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Had the absolute pleasure of working with Helena from Scotland today – we're definitely going to do this again… SOON! Check out just a few of the quick edits from this amazing afternoon…
Monthly Archives: June 2013
Featured on the FSTOPPERS Website!
Well this was kind of a big deal for me I guess lol….
You can read the full article here: http://fstoppers.com/potd/portrait-of-sean-jones


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Thursday, 31 December 2009
Sherlock Holmes
In which Guy Ritchie demonstrates the kind of film he can make when he's not holding himself back by writing his own scripts.
Bloody marvellous.
Posted by McK at 11:13 1 comment:
Sunday, 27 December 2009
Pirates Of The Carribean: At World's End
Complex web of betrayals and doublecrossing that pushes the pirate thing just about as far as it can go.
Posted by McK at 11:03 1 comment:
Saturday, 26 December 2009
My Name Is Bruce
I was unable to decide whether this pitiful remake of Three Amigos was the sorry sight of a man sending a love letter to himself, or just a tragic cry for help.
I was able to decide that it was a big heap of piss.
Posted by McK at 18:39 1 comment:
Monday, 21 December 2009
Monday, 14 December 2009
Where The Wild Things Are
I really wanted to like this, but unfortunately it features a total shitehawk of a child romping through what appears to be an unusual hybrid of an episode of Ally Mcbeal and a very brown version of 'In The Night Garden', so it's balls.
In its defence, however, the Wild Things are a technical marvel.
Posted by McK at 17:40 4 comments:
Thursday, 10 December 2009
The Box
The shat out result of a director trying really, really hard to make something that's as good as his first film.
Unfortunately it's not as good as his first film.
Posted by McK at 23:48 1 comment:
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
Strip Nude For Your Killer [Nude per l'assassino]
Nasty piece of sleaze that features a heavy emphasis on absurd combinations of naked women and brutal stabbings perpetrated by somebody in a motorcycle helmet.
Loved it, obviously.
Posted by McK at 22:17 No comments:
:| Giallo
Sunday, 6 December 2009
The Haunting
The original Paranormal Activity.
A masterpiece of the lost art of subtlety, and suitably chilling along with it.
Posted by McK at 23:34 No comments:
Saturday, 5 December 2009
Le Donk & Scor-Zay-Zee
Typically excellent Shane Meadows fare.
Despite it's whimsical running time and puddle deep plot, it is pushed into excellence by the manner in which it was filmed and some truly incredible rapping from the eponymous Scor-Zay-Zee.
Why isn't there a fucking soundtrack ? Warp are obviously idiots.
Posted by McK at 00:00 1 comment:
Friday, 4 December 2009
Paranormal Activity
The offspring that would be produced were The Blair Witch Project to have frantic sexual relations with The Amityville Horror whilst BBC's Ghostwatch stood close by having a wank.
Posted by McK at 23:56 1 comment:
Monday, 30 November 2009
The Grudge 3
The Grudge series gets mouth raped by americans who are after a quick buck.
The only redeeming quality to this film is that were I to meet the director I'd be able to take pleasure in breaking his teeth. Twat.
Posted by McK at 22:37 No comments:
Sunday, 29 November 2009
My Bloody Valentine
Posted by McK at 22:42 No comments:
Sunday, 22 November 2009
The Men Who Stare At Goats
Has an idealist free spirited air about it that makes you think that the person who wrote it has at some point taken a large amount of hallucinogenic drugs, probably in a desert.
Posted by McK at 23:11 1 comment:
The Bourne Ultimatum
I felt duty bound to watch this since I've seen the first two.
This one is comprised of 70% sudden sharp zooms on buildings and/or people with appropriate swooshing noises, 25% shaky, motion-sickness inducing action sequences which make you wish somebody would buy Paul Greengrass a tripod for Christmas and 5% utter greatness.
Posted by McK at 23:05 1 comment:
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1 [L'ennemi public n°1]
Second part of the biopic about a bungling criminal whose ineptitude is only exceeded by the police force pursuing him, thus by default making him Public Enemy No. 1.
The story in this one still skitters about like a baby giraffe on an ice rink but it's far more entertaining than the first due to it's focus on Cassel running around shooting guns (and usually missing), escaping from prisons (by waving guns around) and crashing cars (whilst attempting to escape).
Posted by McK at 22:45 1 comment:
Monday, 16 November 2009
Some of the most impressive FX I've ever seen fail to hide the fact that Roland Emmerich is a cock gargling moron who really shouldn't attempt to make intelligent, emotionally rich films and should maybe pursue a more suitable alternative career.
Maybe as a paperweight, or a doorstop.
Posted by McK at 08:23 1 comment:
Sunday, 15 November 2009
The Uninvited [4 Inyong shiktak/A Table For 4]
Korean film that isn't the ghost story that it presents itself to be.
Slowly reveals a complication of plot strands that completely absorb and as an added bonus contains some of the finest one shot deaths ever committed to film.
The biggest mystery, though, is who sent it to me?
Posted by McK at 19:54 No comments:
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
The Punisher
The Punisher is not a difficult concept to fuck up, but in this everybody tries their best to do just that.
Posted by McK at 16:37 No comments:
:| Marvel
Monday, 9 November 2009
Godzilla [Gojira]
Despite it's age, watching a giant lizard wade through a sea of fire that was once Tokyo is an impressive speactacle.
And despite it's legacy there's not an ounce of kitsch on it.
Posted by McK at 19:55 1 comment:
Sunday, 8 November 2009
Posted by McK at 21:41 No comments:
The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus
Posted by McK at 21:36 No comments:
Jennifer's Body
I had read that this was a feminist horror movie (a quite preposterous notion), but it's not. It's a horror movie made by women (who are probably fed up that everything they do is seen as a pro-feminist stance), and that's a very different thing.
Posted by McK at 21:30 3 comments:
Saturday, 7 November 2009
Love Is The Devil: Study For A Portrait Of Francis Bacon
Pretentious, incoherent twaddle that attempts to document the relationship between Francis Bacon and George Dyer.
Except it doesn't because it spends all it's time desperately trying to be a film equivalent of a Bacon painting and failing catastrophically.
Total bollocks.
Posted by McK at 21:03 No comments:
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Cherry, Harry & Raquel!
Posted by McK at 19:31 No comments:
Monday, 2 November 2009
Death Proof
Tarantino surprised me by making a fairly excellent 70 min Grindhouse pastiche.
He then quickly let me down by making a far, far shittier second movie and clumsily bolting it onto the end. What a nob.
Posted by McK at 17:58 1 comment:
:| Tarantino
Saturday, 31 October 2009
The Ruins
What starts out looking like a shitty teens in peril movie, slowly blossoms into a brilliant hour and a half of slow, drawn out nastiness with a modicum of wit about itself.
Written by the same bloke who wrote A Simple Plan, it's best watched knowing as little as possible about what's going to happen, for there are some genuinely neat moments of realisation in here.
Posted by McK at 16:52 No comments:
Fantastic Mr. Fox
A children's film refracted through the prism of cynical, oh so clever, american indie film making.
The end result felt like somebody had held a bitter sixth form film student, with no friends, at gunpoint and forced him to remake Bagpuss.
But then what do I know, the child loved it ("equally as good as Bolt", apparently).
Posted by McK at 16:45 1 comment:
:| The Monster
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Sunday, 18 October 2009
Art masquerading as porn. Or porn masquerading as art.
Or possibly just an excuse to get hard willes onto the shelves of HMV.
Up [3D]
Posted by McK at 18:46 No comments:
:| Pixar, The Monster
Friday, 16 October 2009
Fluctuates wildy between crazy frat-boy comedy and the inevitable pathos that comes from setting your film in a world where everybody has died, but haven't quite realised it yet.
Add to this a startling paucity of zombies, given the title, and you end up with a big brown plasticine ball of disappointment.
Posted by McK at 20:37 No comments:
:| Zombies
Thursday, 15 October 2009
Death Race
Certainly shit, just couldn't decide which type; Fabulous shit, incredibly shit or just total fucking shit.
Actually, that's a lie, I did decide.
Option 3.
Posted by McK at 21:01 No comments:
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
A visually sumptuous, often overlooked gem. Compares favourably to modern takes on dystopia by demonstrating a willingness to stop and investigate some of the deeper notions that are raised, not always successfully, but a nod in the right direction is better than the braindead fuckwittery we currently put up with.
Posted by McK at 18:00 1 comment:
Thursday, 8 October 2009
Grotesque [Gurotesuku]
Due to this being the first film banned by the BBFC in quite some time, I watched it simply because a finger wagging moron in a suit told me I couldn't.
It's nothing more than a modern update of the infamous Guinea Pig series i.e. a tissue paper plot propping up a huge amount of torture, sexual humiliation and dismemberment. The end result being that the part of me that enjoys watching a film mainly tutted and rolled its eyes a lot whilst the part of me that enjoys extreme imagery sat back and gawked in admiration.
Posted by McK at 00:15 1 comment:
Sunday, 4 October 2009
The director of Terminator 3 contines to demonstrate an uncanny knack for taking an idea that could be shaped into a deep, absorbing, intelligent concept and instead pissing it up a wall.
Posted by McK at 23:46 1 comment:
Shutter [2008 Remake]
An american studio gets a japanese director to remake a thai horror film, and guess what ? It's crap!
I will of course now hunt out the original.
Posted by McK at 23:40 No comments:
:| Remake
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs
Posted by McK at 19:08 No comments:
:| The Monster
Saturday, 3 October 2009
Torso [I corpi presentano tracce di violenza carnale/Bodies Bear Traces Of Carnal Violence]
Despite being a flimsy whodunnit stretched around a series of girls in short skirts being brutally murdered and sawn into pieces, Torso has an undeniable charm that is difficult to explain.
Posted by McK at 00:27 1 comment:
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Embodiment Of Evil [Encarnação do Demônio]
Sequel to a pair of 1960s, z-grade, brazilian nasties (with the same director) in which the villain of the series is released into the world 40 years on as an old man who, whilst being hounded by the black and white ghosts of past victims, has to contend with the difficulties of favela life in modern Brazil as he continues his quest to conceive a perfect child by randomly capturing people and torturing them in outrageously insane ways (such as a woman sewn inside a dead pig!) until a beautiful lady walks up to him, takes off her clothes and demands he put his baby inside her. This happens several times.
Posted by McK at 16:50 No comments:
:| Coffin Joe, King
Monday, 28 September 2009
Bloody ridiculous.
Although it did raise some important questions, like "What's the point of Gerard Butler?" and...
No, got it wrong, that's the only question it raised.
Saturday, 26 September 2009
Paris, je t'aime
18 directors, including names like Wes Craven, Tom Tykwer, Alfonso Cuarón and the Coens, struggle with the short film format.
In order the 18 films are 1.Slight 2.Sweet 3.Ironic 4.Funny 5.Notional 6.Bizarre 7.Sad 8.Shit 9.Surreal 10.Clever 11.Bollocks 12.Dull 13.Nonsense 14.Total Arse 15.Stupid 16. Excellent 17.Bittersweet 18.Just nice.
Posted by McK at 12:32 No comments:
Wednesday, 23 September 2009
Hellevator: The Bottled Fools [Gusha no bindume]
A squalid, brutal version of Con Air set in an elevator.
This would be great if it were a description of the whole film, but it's not, it's only the first 40 mins and the rest of the film doesn't know what to do with itself afterward.
Like watching premature ejaculation.
Posted by McK at 23:04 No comments:
Monday, 21 September 2009
Tetsuo II: Body Hammer
Posted by McK at 18:20 No comments:
Friday, 18 September 2009
Pulse [2006 Remake]
I was curious as to how bad this could actually be.
It contained a destruction of both subtlety and nuance on a par with a child attempting to recreate an artistic masterpiece with orange crayon.
Only if a child were actually to do this you would probably cock your head to one side and say "Well done", whereas this film just gave me the irrepressible urge to force my fist down the director's throat and drag his asshole out though his mouth so he can taste the same shit I had to watch.
Posted by McK at 23:55 No comments:
:| Remake
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
The Thing
Posted by McK at 16:44 No comments:
Sunday, 13 September 2009
Dorian Gray
Complete bastard trains up some young fellow into the ultimate complete bastard. There's something about a painting as well.
Great bit of modern Gothic.
Posted by McK at 23:05 No comments:
Mad Detective [Sun taam]
Above average multiple personality disorder adventure.
The true joy when watching this film is the amount of intelligence credited to the viewer, western cinema still struggles with this concept.
Posted by McK at 13:43 No comments:
Saturday, 12 September 2009
DOA: Dead Or Alive
Lovefilm make a chronic error.
I'm fairly certain that Takashi Miike won't have been within a 1000 miles of this tragic teenage boy wank fantasy shit.
A strongly worded email has been composed and sent.
Posted by McK at 13:21 3 comments:
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
The Final Destination [3D]
Nothing more than a series of Mouse-Trap style deaths that exploit 3D to the absolute maximum. Although, to its credit, it never pretends to be anything else.
Posted by McK at 19:30 No comments:
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text:
Today was my last day as a home care RN at South Nassau Communities Hospital after six years of service. Saying goodbye was bittersweet. While I am ready to move forward with my career and focus on another area of nursing, it was sad to leave behind what felt like family. My supervisor Mary Beth arranged for a beautiful goodbye breakfast to wish me luck on my new endeavor. Saying goodbye was harder than I expected, but everyone made my day an easy one. My work "mom" Beryl treated me to a delicious lunch of soft shell crab at Ayhan's!!! Saying that final goodbye to everyone at the end of the day was difficult, but I am looking forward to my future at Winthrop University Hospital.
Now that today is just about over, I am so excited to be leaving for Pennsylvania tomorrow to head to the Runner's World Half and Festival.
Thanks to Runner's World I will be joining 19 other bloggers for an awesome weekend filled with running, seminars and fun!!!! The timing couldn't be better as this will be a great "vacation" prior to starting my new job on Monday!!!
I will be tweeting all weekend, so be sure and follow me, @tonee78. I will also be sharing my adventures on instagram @runninglovingliving. Runner's World will also be live tweeting all weekend, so be sure and follow @RWhalf and #RWHalf all weekend for updates!!!
I may or may not be blogging over the weekend, but I promise full recaps next week!!!!
Have a great weekend all!!!!!
If you are running any of the races this weekend at Runner's World be sure to look for me!


text:
Regardless, I continue to play in the kitchen.
A recent highlight was chicken wings marinaded in jerk seasoning, lime and coconut. After a massively impulsive shopping trip I was left with quite an eclectic bunch of ingredients but I was really rather proud of the result! A few old favourites have been revisited - namely, kedgeree and moussaka. I am now a super-fan of the frittata in it's many incarnations. A couple of batches of cookies went mysteriously wrong, and I wondered if I might be losing my touch, but today I triumphed with Earl Grey cupcakes...
Earl Grey Cupcakes (makes 6 cupcakes)
This uses the all-in-one method so it's very easy and quick to make. Don't think too much about it and all will be well!
120g plain gluten free flour (I used Doves Farm)
1 1/2tsp baking powder
120g butter, softened
120g caster sugar
2 large eggs
an Earl Grey teabag
100ml just boiled water
- Heat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
- Pour the boiled water over the teabag and leave to steep for 5 minutes. Squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the teabag and leave the tea to cool
- Throw all the flour, baking powder, butter, sugar, eggs and 50ml of tea in a bowl and beat together until well mixed and smooth.
- Spoon the mixture into 6 cupcake cases and bake for 15 minutes, until golden.
If you like, you can mix the remaining tea with some icing sugar to make a speedy icing glaze.
Easy as that!


text:
Multiplayer Survival Game Template for Unreal Engine 4
A downloadable asset pack
This 100% blueprint powered template has everything you need to get your survival game up and running quick and easily with full multiplayer support.
Packed to the brim with all the standard survival game mechanics, as well as some of the more exotic ones, the template is easy to configure, easy to extend and easy to learn. Mechanics are all modular so you can drop anything you don't need to save time and processing power.
Built with almost a year of feedback on the singleplayer origins, this template is now 100% multiplayer ready and optimized for network play.
Including systems to manage hunger, thirst, time of day, temperature (both body and world), health, oxygen, blood, stamina, power, poison and more. You will be able to give your players the survival challenge of a life time! Includes a full extensive graphical inventory with support for randomized loot spawning, chests, item cooldowns and more.
All blueprint logic is extensively commented and easily laid out for learning and understanding.
Please note that this system will work in both singleplayer and multiplayer projects. Included controller is setup for third and first person, but template can be adapted to topdown and other views with a little work. For more details, documentation, future roadmap plans and a full feature list, please visit survivalgame.site.
Additionally, please be aware that this template will only work in Unreal Engine 4. The example content included is all provided by Epic Games them self, or other authors credited in the project itself, and is strictly for use within the Unreal Engine. If you really want to use some of the content included in another engine, please contact me and I can attempt to discuss this with the other authors. Content provided by Epic Games is strictly for use within UE4 without exception.
The Multiplayer Survival Game Template has already received several updates since launch, and will continue to receive new and exciting features, based on public demand, over time. For an idea of what is to come, please visit the trello roadmap. An ever growing list of tutorials regarding integrating other marketplace assets into the template is available via this YouTube playlist.
|Dapper Raptor Development
|Made with
|Unreal Engine
|blueprint, dapper-raptor, First-Person, Multiplayer, template, Third Person, ue4, Unreal Engine
|Homepage, Support, Documentation, Dapper Raptor Discord Server
In order to download this asset pack you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $39.99 USD. You will get access to the following files:
Leave a comment
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text:
Information about customer needs, the technical composition of services, and service performance are fundamental to effective service management. Service modelling is a structured approach to utilizing this information to improve the way services are delivered. Consistent application of service modelling provides the automation of processes and timely access to information.
Service Modelling presents a comprehensive, up–to–date overview of the topic, presented in the context both of business processes, and of requirements stemming from the need to manage network resources. Vilho Räisänen delivers a justification for service modelling, and explains state–of–the–art concepts, frameworks and standards in detail.
Service Modelling:
- Provides a complete and illustrated overview of state–of–the–art concepts for service modelling, covering requirements and frameworks.
- Includes industry initiatives, conceptual frameworks, and the work of standardisation bodies.
- Discusses different modelling approaches, and the positioning of modelling of services in service management and in the wider operational context.
- Sets the modelling framework in the context of business drivers and modelling paradigms.
- Illustrates principles with real–world use cases, providing both fixed Internet and mobile network examples.
- Relates concepts to the work of TeleManagement Forum, giving practical examples throughout.
Service Modelling: Principles and Applications is an invaluable guide to service modelling for telecommunications and data communications professionals, including vendors, operators, consultants, training organizations, service and content providers, system architects and engineers for IP–based services. Educational organizations, advanced undergraduate and graduate students on telecommunications and networking courses will also find this text invaluable.
How to Read This Book.
Information About Trademarks and Copyrights.
List of Figures.
List of Tables.
I Background.
1 Introduction.
1.1 Definition of Service Modelling.
1.2 Packet–based Services.
1.3 Emerging Technologies.
1.4 Summary.
1.5 Highlights.
2 Approaches to Modelling.
2.1 Introduction to Modelling.
2.2 Software Engineering Paradigm.
2.3 Object–Oriented Modelling.
2.4 Expert Systems.
2.5 Service–Oriented Architectures.
2.6 Databases.
2.7 Architecture Design.
2.8 Other Modelling Methods.
2.9 Summary.
2.10 Highlights.
3 Industry Initiatives.
3.1 Introduction.
3.3 Business Process Management.
3.6 TeleManagement Forum.
3.7 IT Service Management Forum.
3.8 Activities Related to Internet Services.
3.9 Other Fora and Viewpoints.
3.10 Summary.
3.11 Highlights.
II Service Modelling Concepts.
4 Requirements for Service Modelling.
4.1 Notation.
4.2 General Requirements and Concerns.
4.3 Technology–related Requirements.
4.4 Process–related Requirements.
4.5 Information Modelling Related Requirements.
4.6 Stakeholder Type Specific Requirements and Concerns.
4.7 Summary.
4.8 Highlights.
5 Management Framework.
5.1 Description of the Framework.
5.2 Assumptions about Inter–provider Relations.
5.3 Relation to Existing Frameworks.
5.4 Summary.
5.5 Highlights.
6 Service Framework.
6.1 Introduction.
6.2 Service Quality Framework.
6.3 Security Framework.
6.4 Using of Service Framework in Management Framework.
6.5 End–user Services.
6.6 Summary.
6.7 Highlights.
7 Service Modelling Patterns.
7.1 Modelling Framework.
7.2 Modelling Patterns.
7.3 Notes About Using Service Model Patterns.
7.4 Relationship to Existing Models.
7.5 Summary.
7.6 Highlights.
III Use Cases.
8 DiffServ Network Example.
8.1 Introduction.
8.2 Description.
8.3 Service Framework.
8.4 Service Model.
8.5 Link to Service Management.
8.6 Summary.
8.7 Highlights.
9 Mobile Network Example.
9.1 Introduction.
9.2 Description.
9.3 Service Framework.
9.4 Service Model.
9.5 Link to Service Management.
9.6 Summary.
9.7 Highlights.
10 Distributed Network Example.
10.1 Introduction.
10.2 Description.
10.3 Service Framework.
10.4 Service Model.
10.5 Link to Service Management.
10.6 Summary.
10.7 Highlights.
IV Summary.
11 Summary.
11.1 Issues for the Future.
V Appendices.
A 3GPP Bearer Concepts.
B DiffServ SLA Concepts.


text:
Regular price
303 is THE LEADER in UV screening technology. 303 Aerospace Protectant really is like "SPF 40 Sunscreen...For Your Stuff." Regular use gives 100% prevention of UV caused slow-fade with regular use. Because of its enduring cosmetic properties, the resistance of 303-treated surfaces to dust, soiling, and staining, its water repellent and unparalleled protective characteristics, manufacturers worldwide recommend 303 Aerospace Protectant. 32 oz trigger spray.


text:
Budget blushes for spring cheeks09 April
20 comments
Some beautiful products here, a few I've tried, but a few I haven't. I'm a huge fan of theBALM Frat Boy blush so I think i'll have to check out Down Boy as well. The Body Shop offering sounds lovely too, I think I'll have to pick that up on my next shopping trip! Super helpful post as always, Sophia!ReplyDelete
Heather, porcelainbeautyxReplies
I LOVE theBalm Frat Boy, it was the first theBalm blush I tried :) Thank you Heather! Always makes me smile to know you've enjoyed my posts, you're support is massively appreciated xoDelete
The Max Factor blushes look so pretty, I'm definitely checking out Lovely Pink next time I'm in Boots! And I totally agree about brighter Spring blushes. I prefer powder formulas (oily skin problems) but the Bourjois Cream Blushes sound lovely.ReplyDelete
Laura x FloraLoo Two
Laura x FloraLoo TwoReplies
I cannot get enough of the Max Factor Creme Puff Blush range, I am completely and utterly smitten! I have oily skin too and find of all the cream blushes I have tried, the Bourjois ones are the best! xoDelete
The Makeup Rev blushes are amazing in pigmentation and for £1 you cant complain xReplyDelete
Emma | Emmys BlogReplies
They definitely have incredible colour pay-off for the price xoDelete
Definitely need to check out the Makeup Revolution Cream Blushers as I love my powder blushers from them so much!ReplyDelete
Kat | www.kathorrocks.comReplies
Let me know if you manage to get your hands on any :) I'm wondering if the range was discontinued! xoDelete
The Max Factor ones look so lovely!ReplyDelete
They really are - I'm smitten with the entire range xoDelete
They all look gorgeous! I'd love to try the Makeup Revolution blushes, especially the shade you have :) xReplyDelete
Elise @ Elise DopsonReplies
The cream or powder one? :) xoDelete
Makeup Revolution blushes are great for the cheap price. Also the balm blush looks gorgeous. I want to add the balm blush "Toile" in my collection. You should check out Essence and Catrice blushes as well, they are really good quality.ReplyDelete
I'm not sure if we can get Catrice in the UK - I'll have to do some research and check them out if we do have them here :) xoDelete
Macaroon from the Body Shop looks sooo pretty! I've never tried their blushers before :) I will have to grab some of the Makeup Revolution ones in my next order too! xxReplyDelete
Magpie Jasmine | Zoeva Brush Set GiveawayReplies
I love The Body Shop blushes, they are so, so good! xoDelete
I love peachy/pinky shades for Spring and Summer, they compliment my pale and my tanned skin xoReplyDelete
I think pink and peach blushes are so great because they compliment any skin tone :) xoDelete
Lovely picks! I have my eye on the Topshop cream blushers for Spring and Summer xxReplyDelete
Ramblings of a Beauty Bird | Beauty BlogReplies
I've tried Topshop cream blushes before and never been able to get on with them unfortunately! I love their cream highlighter in Glow though xoDelete


text:
The chance to make fresh "Star Wars" films and pepper theme parks with space creatures from a "galaxy far, far away" was the big "get" in the Walt Disney Company's $4.05 billion purchase of Lucasfilm this week.
Less heralded, but equally important was that more than 30 years after they first rocketed across screens, Luke, Leia and Han Solo's stars have not dimmed in the home-entertainment universe. In a market hit hard by digital upstarts like Netflix as well as piracy, the "Star Wars" films and their tentpole cousin, the "Indiana Jones" series, still sell Blu-rays and DVDs as well as franchises half their age.
"Disney is buying one of the strongest intellectual properties in entertainment history," industry consultant Seth Willenson told TheWrap.
When the six-disc set of "Star Wars: The Complete Saga," was released in 2011, it sold $84 million in Blu-rays worldwide in its first week of release and became the highest-selling Blu-ray catalogue title in history.
Slightly less robust, but nonetheless impressive, was this year's release of the "Indiana Jones" series as a Blu-ray box set, The bullwhip-wielding archeologist's last adventure "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" was panned by critics, but the re-release of the full series showed that fans still have affection for Indy, opening in first place with 239,000 units sold to the tune of $15.55 million.
Also read: Will the Force Be With Disney's $4B 'Star Wars' Gamble?
Those are numbers that would make any studio envious. After all, studios much prefer the higher margins afforded by sales of physical media to the smaller profits they receive from digital downloads, even if streaming services and web companies represent the future of the business.
"The 'Star Wars' titles and the other things that Lucas does are sort of perennial good performers," Michael Arrington, senior analyst for U.S. video at IHS Screen Digest, told TheWrap. "No 'Star Wars' film ever flopped at the box office or on home video. Even in today's market where you have constantly declining sales of physical media that are not being made up for by sales of digital media, they sell well."
As with Disney's $4 billion purchase of Marvel three years ago, there will be challenges. Many of the rights to Lucasfilm properties, like those of the comic book company, are tied up with other studios like 20th Century Fox, which distributed the original "Star Wars" films, and Paramount, which distributed all of the "Indiana Jones" films.
George Lucas promised to re-release all six "Star Wars" films in 3D, a process Fox initiated by re-releasing "Episode I — the Phantom Menace" in February. It will distribute 3D versions of "Episode II" and "Episode III" next fall. A Fox spokeswoman said she could not comment on the future of the rights at this time.
Disney has a huge incentive to untangle that web of rights, just as it had substantial motivation to shell out a cool $115 million to buy back the distribution of Marvel properties like "The Avengers" and "Iron Man 3" from Paramount.
As its recent 3D re-release of "The Lion King" and "Finding Nemo" demonstrate, the studio has been adept at applying a new varnish on older titles and unearthing more gold at the box office. Moreover, the $43.4 million the recent 3D re-release of "The Phantom Menace" made at the box office put it on par with the $40.4 million "Nemo" grossed in its re-release, which is impressive considering it is the least well-regarded film in the series.
"It could have just flopped, which would have made it hard to justify bringing the others out. But that's not a bad performance, and that's a tough comparable [with 'Finding Nemo']," Bruce Nash, founder of box office statistics site The Numbers, told TheWrap. "I expect the original 'Star Wars' films to do quite well on re-release."
These theatrical re-releases and home entertainment sales do not occur in a vacuum, as Disney's upcoming "Star Wars" films will inject new life into a franchise that appeals to an older audience. The new movies could bring an older generation back to Disney and potentially entice younger viewers to revisit the original "Star Wars."
"To extend and revive one of top 10 franchises in movie histories, they can stir up the characters like what happened with 'The Avengers,'" Willenson said. "My kids like 'Star Wars,' but they don't feel the same emotional connection to it as people a little bit older."
No studio is better equipped at exploiting library titles than Disney, which routinely dusts off its animated classics and reintroduces them to younger generations in theaters and on DVD. Analysts predict the Mouse House could pull off a similar trick with the House that George Built.
"Look at how they handle properties like 'Bambi' or 'Cinderella," Arrington said. "They put them in a locker and wait until the silver anniversary or whatever comes along and then they sell like new releases. This is a kids franchise and a nostalgia franchise, and Disney knows how to handle that."
If Disney pulls it off, the force will be strong with Lucasfilm and its new corporate emperor for a few more generations.
Lucas Shaw contributed to this report.


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1. To support the lifting platform operation of the important preparatory work, should choose a flat surface, such as the foundation soft or uneven, need to do the appropriate treatment of the rear can work.
2. In the lifting platform in the process of rotation, must be in the next arm lifting height before the rotation, slowly rotating, and the shear arm and a platform, the range of equipment to meet the safety requirements. Where any State or industry regulation is inconsistent, by country or by industry
3. Working platform operators should wear seat belts, live in the field of work, should be in accordance with the provisions of the ground lifting platform, lifting operations should be directed by the person in charge.
4. The power system of the lift does not start, so it is common that the most obvious switch is not started, which is a problem that many people overlook.
5. The screw is too loose or too tight, this problem is generally not how to be found, but there is a great safety problem, so in the daily use of lifts, we must pay attention to safety.


text:
Jonesin' For a Long Stroller Run?
In honor of the National Stoller Running Day that will be here before we know it I wanted to share this post that I wrote a while back to be features on the I'm Fit Possible Blog. Check it out and let me know if you have any tips, tricks or secrets to a Successful… Continue reading Jonesin' For a Long Stroller Run?


text:
Manhattan - Gold
$ 48.00
For the cool-girl with timeless style, Manhattan sunnies are right for you. This classic cat-eye style features a gold metal frame and bold round lenses. Reflect on the good times in these chic sunnnies that are the perfect addtion to any sunglass wardrobe.
— Metal Frames
— 400% UV protection
— Branded sleeve and certificate of authenticity included.


text:
Allyson Felix Overcomes Injury in Olympics Trials
Allyson Felix, one of the most notable American athletes, has proven beyond doubt that she is committed and determined to become the first US woman to win gold in both 400 and 200-meter races. Since her debut into the Olympics limelight, she has won six medals; one is a gold medal that she won in the 200-meter race in the London Olympics.
At first, her quest to join the US team looked farfetched after she injured her right ankle this spring while training. Her performance on Sunday proved to the world that she has fully recovered and is ready to show that she is the best athlete in the world.
She clocked 49.68 seconds in the 400 meters final race and 0.26 seconds before Phyllis Francis, another competitive athlete who collapsed on the track due to exhaustion. After her success, she told reporters that she was overwhelmed by how she managed to comeback considering that two months before the trials, she could barely walk.
Other US athletes who are well on their way to Rio de Janeiro are Ashton Eaton, LawShawn Merrit, and Justin Gatlin. Gatlin clocked 9.8 seconds in the U.S Olympics 100 meters trials on Sunday to prove that he can no longer be considered an underdog when competing against renowned athletes such as Usain Bolt of Jamaica. Bolt's physical fitness is not yet known after he pulled out of the Jamaican national championships this week.
On the other hand, LawShawn Merrit looks ready to compete against the world's famous players after completing the run in 43.97 seconds. This is 0.76 seconds over Gil Roberts' record. Merritt is on record saying that he feels good and ready to compete in the 200 meters race.
Clearly, the US has one of the best Olympic teams in the world. Only time will tell if these athletes will successfully emerge as winners and pocket medals.