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With the baby shower coming up soon, I am just finishing up some last final touches to make it a fun and girly shower.
Here are the supplies you will need:
Pens (I used 5 I had around the house - 2 black and 3 purple)
hot glue gun + glue sticks
fake flowers (I got 1 bunch [5 flowers] from the Dollar Tree)
floral tape (also from Dollar Tree)
ribbon ( I pictured green here, but I ended up using pink [from Dollar Tree])
I started off by pulling off the flowers from their stems. I also pulled off the leaves, I was planning on using them but ended up just throwing them away.
I threw away the steps and leaves. I then flipped the flowers over and used my scissors to cut of what was left of the stem.
I took the pens and floral tape and wrapped two layers around the pen. The floral tape is sticky, but not very sticky so I did seal the ends with a small dot of hot glue.
When the pens were all wrapped up in the floral tape, I flipped the flowers over, put a small amount of hot glue on the end of the pen and held it in place on the bottom of the flower until the glue was dry.
I added a pink bow (I just tied a piece of pink ribbon around the base of the flower and cut off the extra ribbon scrap to make the bow the size I wanted.)
Here are the final products. I think they are adorable!
They were cheap and did not take long to make at all.
These would be perfect for a shower - teacher gift - party - or just a cute addition to your desk at work. They look gorgeous in a small vase on the table, and I am excited to display them and use them at the baby shower.
If you make a version of these yourself, please share a picture of them in the comments below, or tag them on Instagram using #CreatingVirginiaAnne
I would love to see your creations!


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Sperm donor's experience of donating to lesbian friends
The first time I saw my baby daughter, my initial reaction was surprise. It was as if someone had taken a knitted version of me and shrunk it in the dryer. Despite the family resemblance, I didn't feel a paternal connection; instead, I was happy I had been able to help my close friends start a family.
On the day my friends, a lesbian couple, asked if I would donate sperm, I was delighted. I didn't think about the reality of what that would entail; I just impulsively said yes. In fact, I was grateful to be asked. Incredibly, my friend became pregnant on that first attempt. I was overjoyed. As a gay man, I had been programmed to believe that this wasn't part of my narrative. Now, though, this pregnancy was exploding the myth that I could never be a father, and it was wonderful.
But five months later, my friend miscarried and I felt responsible, as if it was my fault. We sat down and had a lovely talk where they reassured me and we decided to wait before trying again. It took me three or four months to allow myself to say I had lost a baby. As the donor, I didn't know if I had permission to grieve: they had been watching their baby grow, while I was peripheral. It was a growing-up moment: life had been all fun and games up till then, and now I realised there were consequences to my actions.
A few months later, we all felt ready to try again. It took longer for my friend to become pregnant this time, and I worried that it wouldn't happen; that I'd lost my powers. We settled into a monthly routine and I became less embarrassed about the process. I'd go round to my friends' house, we'd have some tea and a chat, which we called our pillow talk, and then they'd go for a walk and leave me to it.
But I did grow tired of having to dash round as soon as I received a text saying my friend was fertile, so after a while she'd come to my home instead to pick up the donation, wrapped in a brown paper bag. It felt like a drug deal. To keep the sperm at the right temperature, she'd store it in her bra for the journey home.
I used to try to hide what I was doing from my partner, Matt: the text would arrive and I'd slope off to the bathroom, saying I was just brushing my teeth. He'd always guess, though. I'd met Matt just when we began the process, and meeting someone when you're starting a family with someone else is complicated. It took a while before we could talk about what was going on.
Finally, my friend conceived and the pregnancy progressed well. Just before the birth, my friends held a baby shower, which I found unexpectedly painful. Despite the efforts of the mums to include me, and despite being thanked by the grandparents, I found myself sobbing on the floor afterwards. I was still an outsider; it wasn't about me. I was physically having a baby, but I wasn't part of it.
On the day of the birth, last October, I was like a father from the 1950s, but instead of pacing the corridor, I was walking on the treadmill at the gym. After the baby was born, I couldn't tell people without welling up. I never thought I would be announcing to everyone, "I have a child." It was also time to tell my parents, because they hadn't known they were going to be grandparents. They had written off having grandchildren, so they were over the moon.
I think they also felt relieved. As parents of a gay child, they had worried I would struggle, but now that I am a father, I must be OK. We also have a new topic of conversation, one I never thought I'd be party to. It has been a rollercoaster two years, but writing a comedy show about it has been good therapy. I'd be willing to do it again if my friends wanted another child.
The baby is now 10 months old, and although I see her regularly, I'm certainly not "Dad". I'm Shawn. But we will always be open about my connection to her. I don't want a "Darth Vader moment" when she's older. It's important for her to know that she was born in a special way, and that her arrival helped to change ideas of what a family can be.
Article: 19th August 2013 www.guardian.co.uk

subset: commoncrawl


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The Redwood City, Calif. Rocketship charter school will relocate its facility in 2018. The city's planning commission approved the new school location for Redwood City Prep in July.
Rocket Renovations
Rocketship began renovations on the existing structure it purchased in the light industrial area near the homes of the majority of its students. Changes to the structure at 860 Charter Street include:
- adding skylights and windows,
- reconfiguring walls,
- updating the electric, plumbing, and mechanical systems
- construction of a technology and tutoring center,
- playground construction,
- adding a soccer field,
- adding a half court basketball facility,
- building an outdoor assembly area.
Once converted, the one-story, 23,200-square-foot facility will allow the school to accommodate an additional 180 students, bringing its enrollment to 480. The new campus will occupy 1.2 acres. The school will conduct classes at its current location, 1440 Connecticut Drive, during the 2017-2018 school year while renovations take place at the Charter Street facility.
California Dreaming
Rocketship Education, a chain of charter elementary schools, aims to boost early childhood education into the stratosphere. The network of kindergarten through fifth grade schools provides free education using individualized, adaptive methods.
Founded in 2006, the San Jose, Calif. based charter school system now hosts five schools in the San Jose area. It expanded nationally to include schools are in Washington, DC, Nashville, Memphis, Indianapolis and New Orleans. The school's mission includes eliminating the achievement gap and starting children on a college bound path beginning in kindergarten. About 90 percent of its students qualify for the federal free lunch program and approximately 75 percent speak English as a second language. Rocketship schools blend traditional instructional methods with adaptive technologies and targeted tutoring to meet each student's individual needs.


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Man Charged With Soliciting Child For SexMarch 18, 2017 11:44
The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office said that, a Jacksonville man was arrested on Friday on three felony charges after he started talking earlier this month to an undercover detective who he thought was a child.
Kameron Brennen Ruhe, aged 24, is charged with transmitting the harmful materials to a minor, unlawful use of a two-way communication device and also use of a computer to seduce, solicit, to lure or entice a child or person believed to be a child to commit an unlawful sexual act.
Earlier in this month, detectives said that they began an investigation to target the people who are using internet to sexually exploit the children.
According to the Sheriff's Office, Ruhe responded to an undercover detective who he thought was a child and began a conversation with the undercover detective.
Investigators also said that, Ruhe tried to meet the "child," and also sent the detective a photo of him exposing himself.
Three Florida Women Blinded By Unproven Stem Cell Treatment
Deputies said that they obtained an arrest warrant on Wednesday. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office found Ruhe on Friday and arrested him on the warrant.
According to the jail records, Ruhe was booked into the Duval County Jail on the bond of $30,000.
If convicted, Ruhe could face up to 15 years in prison on the charges.
Mrudula Duddempudi.


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Lingmerth Makes Charge At Medal
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Former University of Arkansas All-American David Lingmerth fired a third round 3-under 68 shooting up the leaderboard at the 2016 Rio Olympics on Saturday.
Lingmerth moved up 10 spots into a tie for fourth place with one round remaining on the Olympic Golf Course. He opened with a bogey on the first hole but played the next eight even turning 1-over.
He notched the first of four birdies or better on No. 10 moving back to even par. Lingmerth birdied No. 13, had an eagle on No. 14 and finished strong with a birdie on No. 18 for his 36–32—68.
Playing for his native Sweden, Lingmerth is in the clubhouse with rounds of 69–70–68—207 and is six shots off the lead. He is just three strokes back of the bronze medal spot with the final round on Sunday.
Britain's Justin Rose leads the field with a 201, followed by Lingmerth's Swedish teammate Henrik Stenson with a 202, Australian Marcus Fraser is third at 204 and Lingmerth is tied with American Bubba Watson and Argentine Emillano Grillo in the fourth position with 207.
For more information on Arkansas men's golf, follow @RazorbackMGolf on Twitter.


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November 28, 2012 07:30 ET
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Nov. 28, 2012) - McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE:MUX)(TSX:MUX) would like to provide a friendly reminder to its shareholders that the Rights Offerings will continue to remain open until 5:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, December 4, 2012. Holders of both MUX.RT and MAQ.RT subscription rights will need to exercise their subscription rights prior to that time and date. In addition to normal channels, holders of MUX.RT are also able to use the subscription agent (Computershare Trust Company N.A.) to sell their rights until 11:00 a.m. EST on Thursday, November 29, 2012.
The McEwen Mining rights (MUX.RT) will cease trading on the NYSE at the close of trading day on Monday, December 3, 2012. The McEwen Mining rights (MUX.RT) and Exchange Co. rights (MAQ.RT) will cease trading on the TSX at 12:00 noon EST on Tuesday, December 4, 2012.
If you have any questions regarding the Rights Offerings, please contact McEwen Mining's Investor Relations team at 1-866-441-0690 or by e-mail at email@example.com or the Rights Offering information agent, Georgeson Inc., (an affiliate of our Rights Agent, Computershare) toll-free at 1-888-497-9677 (in North America) or 1-212-440-9800 (outside North America), or by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.
ABOUT MCEWEN MINING (www.mcewenmining.com)
The goal of McEwen Mining is to qualify for inclusion in the S&P 500 by 2015 by creating a high quality, high growth, low-cost, mid-tier gold producer focused in the Americas. McEwen Mining's principal assets consist of the San José mine in Santa Cruz, Argentina (49% interest); the El Gallo complex in Sinaloa, Mexico; the Gold Bar project in Nevada, US; the Los Azules Copper project in San Juan, Argentina and a large portfolio of exploration properties in Argentina, Nevada and Mexico.
McEwen Mining has 268,495,751 shares issued and outstanding (comprised of 190,516,797 Common Shares and 77,987,621 Exchangeable Shares). Rob McEwen, Chairman and Chief Owner, owns approximately 25% of the shares of McEwen Mining (assuming all outstanding Exchangeable Shares are exchanged for an equivalent amount of Common Shares). As of September 30, 2012, McEwen Mining had cash and liquid assets of $20.6 million.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements and information, including "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements and information expressed, as at the date of this press release, McEwen Mining Inc.'s (the "Company") estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations or beliefs as to future events and results. Forward-looking statements and information are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies, and there can be no assurance that such statements and information will prove to be accurate. Therefore, actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements and information. Risks and uncertainties that could cause results or future events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to, risks related to business integration as a result of the business combination between the Company and Minera Andes, factors associated with fluctuations in the market price of precious metals, mining industry risks, political, economic, social and security risks associated with foreign operations, risks associated with the construction of mining operations and commencement of production and the projected costs thereof, risks related to litigation, property title, the state of the capital markets, environmental risks and hazards, uncertainty as to calculation of mineral resources and reserves and other risks. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information included herein, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to reissue or update forward-looking statements or information as a result of new information or events after the date hereof except as may be required by law. See McEwen Mining's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, under the caption "Risk Factors", for additional information on risks, uncertainties and other factors relating to the forward-looking statements and information regarding the Company. All forward-looking statements and information made in this news release are qualified by this cautionary statement.
The NYSE and TSX have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news release, which has been prepared by management of McEwen Mining Inc.
McEwen Mining Inc.Jenya MeshcheryakovaInvestor Relations(647) 258-0395 ext 410 or Toll Free: (866) 441-0690(647) 258-0408 (FAX)McEwen Mining Inc.Mailing Address181 Bay Street Suite 4750Toronto, ON M5J 2T3 PO box firstname.lastname@example.com: www.facebook.com/McEwenRobTwitter: www.twitter.com/McEwenMining
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Thursday, January 26, 2012
Cold Foggy and Wet
9 comments:
Beautiful textures. Love the foxes.ReplyDelete
Absolutely love the pop of the orange in the foxes in this piece. So, so, lovely. Thank you for sharing your process.ReplyDelete
Your work is sensational. I love the progress shots.ReplyDelete
This is stunning. I find this to be so soothing to look at!ReplyDelete
Love the depth and textures, and of course, random foxes. :)ReplyDelete
Hi, Stephanie!ReplyDelete
I'm a new follower. I've been an admirer of your work since I bought Catherine Asaro's fantasy trilogy, some time ago. Your art is just amazing!
I have just featured your cover for Asaro's "The Charmed Sphere" on my blog, "A Night's Dream of Books". I hope you come by and take a look.
Have a wonderful weekend!! : )
Thanks Maria! I'll definitely come by to take a look!ReplyDelete
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
You're very welcome, Stephanie!! You're a VERY talented artist, and all of your illustrations are GORGEOUS!ReplyDelete
Thanks for commenting back on my blog as well as here!
(By the way, I deleted my previous comment because of a typo. So I just posted again. Lol.)
Maria @ http://anightsdreamofbooks.blogspot.com/


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Monday, January 10, 2011
A glimpse into the future?
3.07pm - She spent about 20 min talking on the phone to her cousin Georgia this afternoon. My sister and I both put the phones on hands free so we can listen in on the conversation. It was hilarious. I don't think either of them actually listened to much the other said, they were both to busy trying to say their bit. Jazz had to wander around as she chatted - she even 'took' Georgia into her bedroom to talk about her new kitchen! Very cute, and they both thought they were pretty special.
6.27pm - she was laying quietly doing some drawing when she suddenly rushed to her room. She returned to her spot, phone to her ear and chatted away for a few minutes before carefully placing the phone next to her book and resuming her artistic pursuits!
She loves the telephone. It rings and she wants to talk. If an object is around about the right size and shape, she puts it to her ear and starts chatting away. The wii remotes are a favourite 'phone', and can often be found in use. TV remotes, small boxes, even the occasional shoe have become victim to her obsession. In her Christmas stocking there was a plastic mobile phone - she loves it! I'm thinking that by the time she gets to the teenage years, she will probably have a phone permanently attached to her ear - I'm sure it wont be the freebie or $2 plastic version that is in favour now either, I'm betting it will be something that needs a constant stream of money to keep it functioning...perhaps I should start her on a savings plan now to fund her telephone habits during the up coming years!!!
Posted by Nic Wood at 10:37 PM
2 comments:
- The Handmaden said...
Very cute!
- MY SPACE said...
Love it!!!
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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About the Book
Title: The Phoenix Project
Author: D.M. Cain
Genre: Psychological Thriller
A thought provoking and compelling dystopian world that will change the way you view justice...
Britain has descended into chaos as violence and terrorist attacks seethe across this once-peaceful country. Outraged by the steady stream of lawlessness, citizens demand a harsher penal system, and the Phoenix Project is born.
In prisons across the country, inmates fight to the death in a weekly bloodbath while the nation cheers them on.
Raven Kennedy, a prisoner who has never forgiven himself for his unspeakable crime, struggles against his own guilt and self-loathing. But even as the real war wages on within himself, Raven is forced to battle some of the prison's most ruthless killing machines. Can he survive long enough to unravel the anger and regret that shackle him—and one day find the forgiveness he seeks?
Buy on Amazon
ExcerptEven before he approached Westminster, he could hear the protest chants, the cheering, the megaphones. His stomach prickled with excitement and adrenaline bubbled inside him. As he turned the corner, the crowd came into view. Many people were gathered, but not as many as he'd expected and he felt a little disappointed. He strolled between the stalls and came to a stop before a woman shouting into a loudspeaker.
"The Phoenix Project is an affront to humanity! Civilisation is supposed to progress, not regress, and this is a clear step backwards. We cannot push our problems under the rug and kill the people we disagree with."
The crowd clapped and cheered. Some waved their signs: "Vote NO to the Phoenix Project"; "End the gladiatorial slaughter"; "Respect life—vote NO to Phoenix." Raven walked on and passed a table, plastered with leaflets and posters showing the bodies of young people lying dead on the floor of boxing rings. He looked away, feeling a lump in his throat. No matter how many times he saw the images, they still had a heavy impact on him, his heart churning with revulsion and sympathy.
He'd lied to his colleagues today and told them he had a doctor's appointment. Not only would they have denied him the time off, but they wouldn't have stopped harassing him about it either. They would have scorned and mocked him, told him stories of horrific crimes and the good work the Phoenix Project did in bringing justice to criminals. It made him sick. Sometimes it felt like he was the only one who saw the system for what it was—an uncivilised bloodbath.
He continued to walk around the large grassy area, thrilled with everything he saw. At the far side of the field, a man was barking his opinions to a small crowd.
"What kind of a nation is this, that we can allow such barbaric displays of our government's machismo? That's all this is. The government is afraid that it will look weak in the face of the superpowers. For the past decade, police, politicians, the public, everybody has cowered in the face of violent crime and terrorism. We should have solved this by trying to understand the criminal, the terrorist. And what did our government do? They became worse than them. Sure, they were frightened, we all were. We had come to a point where the threat of terrorism haunted us every day. People were too afraid to use public transport for fear of attack. Something had to be done. Prisons were too soft, too comfortable. Why should the criminals be treated better than the victims? It was no real deterrent. And I'm sure we all acknowledge that a change of system was desperately needed. But this? It's disgusting. When did we stop seeing human life as sacred? Every person has a right to life, even criminals. Ours has become a throw-away culture, and that is the way our government is dealing with our issues. Cast away the problems. Kill the troublemakers. As if once you commit a crime, you forgo your right to life. It isn't that simple. People deserve a second chance to make amends for their wrongdoings."
The crowd cheered and Raven clapped with enthusiasm, before moving to another speaker.
"Religion is not at fault here. As Christians, we stayed true to our faith, to the word of God. We were helping others. After all, in the face of doom we needed people to listen, to acknowledge that when facing the decline of morality we needed to beg for salvation. To lay ourselves at the feet of the Lord and say, 'I'm sorry.' But the world wouldn't listen. They thought they knew better. Of course we're not advocating terrorist action, but in some situations a bold statement is needed to make people hear us. This is NOT religion's fault, this is man's failing. Man's inability to follow the Lord. Man's arrogance. We deserved this. And all we can do now is to pray, to beg the Lord for salvation. Hope is not lost yet. We are all God's children. Let us pray for those in Salverford."
Raven frowned. They all hated the Phoenix Project, but religion? That was taking things a bit far. One or two people prayed with her, but most people kept a wide berth. Religion was too taboo. When the terrorism had started with the tube station bombings and the execution of journalists, the government had blamed the religious groups themselves and passed the first law against freedom of expression. No religion should be allowed to preach their values outside of their designated places of worship. It was the first step in curbing their influence.
People reacted with uproar and riots raged across the country for weeks, but with the steady stream of propaganda in newspapers and across every TV station, the public began to feed off the exaggeration and the fear-mongering. Within a year or two, they started to fear and hate religion itself. When a gunman walked down the street, firing indiscriminately and shouting about their god, some people followed the tabloid press and blamed the entire religion, not that individual.
It wasn't long before attacks on churches, mosques and synagogues became commonplace, and preachers and clergymen were forced out of communities. Shortly after that, places of worship started to be attacked and torn down.
Some religions had become despondent, accepted their fate and faded out. Some die-hard fundamentalists tried to hold on to their faith, but they became outcasts very quickly, scorned by their fellow man. They took to street corners, shouting and waving their signs, until they were physically removed by police for causing a disturbance.
Most people who had lived by a religion before the breakdown continued to believe. Their faith could not be shaken by something so horrid. If anything, their beliefs became stronger in the face of such adversity, but now it was something they had to keep quiet, hidden behind closed doors in the secret of their own homes. And without places for the devout to gather, it became difficult to recruit new followers, to nurture the young in the ways of the faith. With the avalanche of negative propaganda in the media, the younger generations naturally steered away from faith.
Gradually, the influence of religion began to die away, and with it, the number of believers.
The Catholic church had refused to wither away into nothingness and had changed from peaceful to indignant. Even now, three years after the decimation of the Vatican, religion was still a frightening concept. People avoided mention of the Catholics now and they slipped from the public eyes, seemingly forgotten. There were occasional murmurs of an uprising here, a terrorist plot there, but they were mostly dismissed as hearsay.
Raven edged away from the praying people and headed over to a table with a pile of leaflets. He picked one up and began to read.
"The Phoenix Project is currently in its eleventh month of a one year trial period at Salverford Penitentiary, following the successful implementation of the project at West Belsen prison. Intended to rid the world of terrorists and violent offenders, the Phoenix Project pits prisoners against each other, which has freed up a significant amount of space in prisons nationwide. The government is hailing the project as an enormous success, a breakthrough in justice and crime prevention. But what is the truth behind the Phoenix Project? So far, at Salverford there have been twenty-seven deaths. Nineteen men and eight women have died at the hands of fellow inmates in a crude boxing ring set up in an amphitheatre deep within the prison. How long will this continue? This September the government will hold a vote for the public to decide on the continuation of the Phoenix Project. If you feel the inhumanity as we do, join us outside Parliament for the Anti-Phoenix Project rally on September eighteenth and use your vote wisely on the nineteenth. Vote 'no' to the Phoenix Project."
Raven wandered on and came to a small stage, set out at the front of the grassy area directly opposite the Houses of Parliament. Here a young woman was shouting passionately through a megaphone.
"What type of animals are we? I mean, come on, justice is one thing. Retribution? That's fine, but the Phoenix Project isn't either of these things—it's evil. We all hate crime, we're all afraid of terrorists, but this brutality is not the answer. I would like nothing more than to see criminals hang, to see the revival of good old capital punishment. An eye for an eye—that's fair. But what we're doing here is encouraging more violence. Did you know that they are now introducing television cameras into Salverford to film the fights? They are seriously considering broadcasting it to the public. This isn't the time of gladiators and public execution. How long will it be before the public is following this butchery and cheering along to the deaths of their fellow man? It's disgusting. We cannot allow this. So I am urging everybody to vote 'no' to Phoenix before it's too late."
The crowd burst into applause. Raven, invigorated by her zealous display, clapped and cheered along with them. He watched her as she walked to the front of the stage and shook hands with people in the audience, all the time flashing them a charming smile.
He was still clapping when he heard angry voices from across the gathering. He saw them approaching: a gang of around twenty men, marching towards the protesters. It only took one look at their livid faces to know who they were.
'The Phoenix Project by D.M. Cain is a superbly written debut, soaked in tension and intrigue,' ~ Jack Croxall, author of the 'Tethers' trilogy.
My Review
An original, entertaining, thought-provoking and, at times, an uncomfortable read.
The story line was well thought out, refreshingly unique and well worth reading.
I followed Ravens journey in the present as he dealt with life in prison and the brutality of the Phoenix Project, and learnt, through a series of flashbacks, how he ended up there.
His remorse, self-loathing and guilt, but also his survival instinct are graphically brought to life by D.M. Cain.
The world Raven inhabits is also brought to life by the authors detailed and descriptive writing.
I was gifted an eCopy of the book by the author.
Author Bio
D.M. Cain is also a member of the International Thriller Writers and is one of the creators and administrators of the online author group #Awethors. Her short story 'The End' was published in Awethology Dark – an anthology by the #Awethors.
Cain lives in Leicestershire, UK, with her husband and young son, and spends her time reading, writing and reviewing books, playing RPGs and listening to symphonic metal.


text:
These Craghoppers men's walking socks are perfect for long days out in the hills and mountains.
The socks have been constructed from an insulating, wool rich fabric mix which is intended to keep your feet warm and comfortable.
The socks feature heel, ankle and toe padding, and a cushioned terry sole unit, to give extra comfort and durability in the areas subjected to the hardest wear.
An elasticated ankle ensures a snug fit and that the socks won't creep down during the day.
To find out more about what makes a good pair of walking socks check out our article on The Anatomy of a Walking Sock
- Ankle and Toe Padding
- Elasticated Ankle
- Cushioned heel, sole and calf
- 41% wool, 37% nylon, 21% polypropylene, 1% lycra 85g (per pair)
Craghoppers Classic Kiwi Men's TrousersProduct code: CMJ100£29.99 SRP: £45.00
Craghoppers NosiLife Pro Men's Long Sleeved ShirtProduct code: CMS469£36.99 SRP: £60.00
Craghoppers Liston Men's Half Zip FleeceProduct code: CMA1203£31.99 SRP: £45.00
Craghoppers Adults Fit Guide
Craghoppers have developed a few different styles, including their Classic fit, Adventure fit and Active fit. Find which is best for you with this handy guide.


text:
"John Dillon Fellowships give mid-career researchers a great opportunity to build their skills in research management, agricultural policy and communication. They're exposed to Australian agriculture across a range of best-practice organisations and make valuable links with research leaders," said ACIAR's CEO Dr Nick Austin.
The Fellowships, part of the Australian Government's Australia Awards program, are named after Professor John Dillon, one of Australia's leading agricultural economists who was a strong advocate of international agricultural research. By all accounts, the program is resulting in long-lasting benefits.
ACIAR recently produced a short film about the Fellowships featuring the Fellows of 2014, along with a number of short films about individual Fellows (links included in text below).
Making the transition to research manager
While in Australia, the Fellows took part in leadership training at Mt Eliza Business School, along with a program on research communication. They also visited agricultural research agencies in either South Australia or Western Australia, and travelled to other states to meet with research collaborators and others with similar research interests.
"We learnt many things, but the most important thing for me was my stay at Mt Eliza to learn about leadership skills," said Dr Nguyen Viet Hung, Deputy Head of the Centre for Public Health and Ecosystem Research, Hanoi School of Public Health in Vietnam, and a researcher with the International Livestock Research Institute. "We gained a systematic view on how to lead a research group in the context of developing countries, but also working with the agricultural sector."
Dillons meet the Dillons
The 2014 Fellows were the first group to meet with the family of the late John Dillon. This happened as a result of a serendipitous conversation where a group of ACIAR's cyclists discovered that their favourite barista is in fact Dillon's grandson, Patrick Dillon.
Ms Matilda Hamago from the Coffee Industry Cooperation PNG provided Patrick with an appropriate gift of coffee, grown by smallholder women farmers. The meeting was captured in a TV story run on ABC TV.
Lasting benefits
The Fellowship program is producing long-lasting benefits not only for the individuals involved, but also for their agencies.
|Gideon (centre) with Lilis and Malavanh on the Murrimbidgee
River, NSW.
There are now 93 John Dillon Fellows from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Botswana, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Africa, Vanuatu and Vietnam. The bond formed within the group of like-minded professionals from different countries is both strong and enduring.
"We've come from different developing countries which have different experiences and different cultures with high diversity; for the future I can hopefully have a good collaboration with the other Fellows," said Dr Lilis Sadiyah, Research Group Leader, Research Centre for Fisheries Management and Conservation, Jakarta, Indonesia.
|Hassan (2nd from right) during a visit to an Australian dairy
with Fellows Hung and Zhang, and researcher Dr David McGill.
Many of the Fellows plan to pass on what they've learned to their team members on their return. "Mostly in developing countries we are targeting the technical side, there's no system that talks about communication skills and leadership skills. This is really a tremendous and amazing program. Once I go back I will train my whole team who work alongside me," said Dr Hassan Warriach, Project Manager, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
The other 2014 Fellows are Dr Malavanh Chittavong, Vice Head of Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos, Dr Rina Laksmi Hendrati, Researcher, Centre for Forest Biotechnology and Tree Improvement, Indonesia, Ms Maria Lilia Vega, Research Project Coordinator, Visayas State University, Philippines and Dr Yingjun Zhang Dean of Grassland Science Department, China Agricultural University.
Applications sought for 2015 scholarship
Applications are now being sought for the 2015 John Dillon Fellowship Program. Each year ACIAR funds 10 Fellows to visit Australia for a period of 5-6 weeks in February/March 2015. Applicants, who must be associated with ACIAR bilateral projects that are either active or have been completed in the last two years, are encouraged to read the Fellowship guidelines. Applications close 31 August 2014.
Film links
2014 John Dillon Fellowship
Matilda Hamago, PNG
Dr Nguyen Viet Hung, Vietnam
Gideon Pama, PNG
Dr Lilis Sadiyah, Indonesia
Pakistan dairy project (Dr Hassan Warriach)
Lao fish ways project (Dr Malavanh Chittavong)
More information:
Blog about Lilis: Australia Awards: Ensuring there are plenty more fish in the sea
Blog about Matilda: Celebrating International Women's Day 2014
By Mandy Gyles (ACIAR Communications). Films produced by Richard Snashall


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Monday, 19 March 2012
Lovely Weekend
Sunday was a hectic but fun day. As it was Mothers Day the day started as every Sunday does with a telephone visit to my Mummy who has not experienced good health for many years now and cos she lives about 80 miles away, I don't see her as often as I would like.We then dashed off to visit Mark's Mum, again just like we do every Sunday but laden with her favourite choccies and treats for a little Mother's Day indulgence. Swiftly followed by a trip to the opticians.....oh we know how to enjoy a Sunday you know!!!!! It turns out that Mark's last visit was five years ago and of course he needs new specs. The lovely assistant in the opticians was amazed at the speed in which Mark selected his new frames....all of 30 seconds.....he wanted the same as last time......now I'm guessing that there is not a woman on the face of the earth who would do that!!!!!
Opticians sorted.....a spot of shopping for stuff for Mark for our holiday next month. This man is definitely not a shopper....he hates clothes shopping, but the experience of shopping with Mark always makes me laugh!!!!! Think he was certainly ready for a cuppa after all this so we set off to my daughter Kelly's house where all my children and grand babies would be gathering for a lovely Mother's Day dinner. I of course got three fabulous cards and gifts from Kelly, Sarah and Alex but I just have to share this card with you....it made me laugh sooooo much, but a little explanation first. As a silly teenager I was head over heels in love with Donny Osmond. Now I know that many of you are cringing at this point but there will also be a lot of you who shared my love, if you are one of those people you will love this.
OK, so know that I have completely blown my street cred......I'll show you something arty!!!! I've been working on a couple of projects that will be classes later this year, so I thought I would share a couple of sneaky peeks with you.
Hope you all have a fun day.
9 comments:
- Helen said...
Well, my late sister loved Donny - I was a David Cassidy girl myself... love your project, it looks amazing and is sure to make a good class. Hope you get your clutch sorted.
- 19 March 2012 at 10:29
- Kirsten Alicia said...
Gorgeous project!! Glad you had a lovely weekend.
- 19 March 2012 at 10:45
- JoZart said...
Street Cred is safe as Doony is a great guy and I met him when I used to work at the Beeb. So nice to his fans too and he gained another in me after meeting him.
Love the sneak peeks.
Don't you just wonder how you ever managed to run a business.... you seem to be doing more now!
JoZarty x
- 19 March 2012 at 11:56
- Ann B said...
Sounds like you had the perfect weekend with a combination of craft-time and family treats. I'm with Mark with buying new glasses, it takes me about 10 minutes.
My weekend finished off a perfect week - lots of 'me' time, some sunshine, good doggie walks and a lovely Sunday lunch (cooked by me).
We had a visitor from Japan (Mr B's cousin's wife - he teaches over there) and she brought me some beautiful antique silk kimono swatches, and not only that, they were wrapped up in a very large sheet of washi paper - heaven.
- 19 March 2012 at 12:04
- Alison Horne said...
Is it me, or is Donny Morphing into Eamon Holmes?
- 19 March 2012 at 12:05
- Siobhan Brignull said...
ooh it was Donny for me but also David C, LOl
- 19 March 2012 at 20:39
- Rebecca said...
Do you remember when you were aloud to take things in on the last day if term? Well I took my beloved poster of Jimmy (long haired lover from Liverpool, one of my first records!). Anyway I was most put out when some if the lads put darts through it. How horid can 9yr old boys be!
Keep us informed of the workshop dates, looking good.
Happy craftin
- 19 March 2012 at 20:53
- Karen R said...
The sneeky peeks for your class look good, can't wait for the dates hope I'm free. Hope you get your car sorted.
Karen xx
- 20 March 2012 at 10:52
- GillOsmond said...
...and I discovered recently we are related to Donny,my late husbands father George Thomas and Donnys father George were second cousins!
Woo hoo!
Gill Osmond x
- 12 April 2012 at 02:55


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By Rebecca Hagelin
Her face looked haggard and she had aged 10 years, it seemed, in the months since I last saw her. I knew "Joanna" through friends. Although we saw each other infrequently, we enjoyed sharing the highs and lows of our lives and our children. This time, she looked so awful that it was clear something was not right.
In today's highly competitive and busy world, kids can easily believe their value comes from what they do versus who they are. Well-meaning moms and dads bustle their kids around to countless sports, clubs and social activities, then home for quick dinners, homework and weary evenings. We wake up the next morning...
As a Christian and an across-the-board conservative author, I write about a variety of topics: economic freedom, national security, international relations and social issues. My Christian faith informs all areas of my life, and it enables me to share wisdom that is much greater than my own.
But there seems to be another factor that comes heavily into play: teens rarely see their parents or close adult relatives displaying romance or affection towards each other. Aside from images in a video, then, when do young people ever actually see romantic, endearing, long-lasting relationships?
In his last years, Solomon wrote what is now known as the Book of Ecclesiastes. In it he recorded what he discovered through his lifelong hunt so that we might benefit from it. At first reading you get the impression that Solomon had a bleak outlook, but when you dig deeper, you find that his writing, though brutally honest, is indeed hopeful. He shares common sense and profound wisdom with remarkable clarity.
But there's something you have to do if you are to create a healthier culture and build a grounded, courageous and fulfilled family. It's one of the most important things you can do because it provides a steady force, a place of comfort for your children in a harsh world, and more joy for you than you could ever imagine.
By Rebecca Hagelin and Kristin Carey
One of Jesus' most recognizable metaphors is one He shared with His disciples at the last supper, on the eve of His crucifixion. His image of a gardener at work can be found in John 15. It begins, "I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener…"
Have you ever stopped to consider why "story" means so much to us? Why do great books and great movies enrapture us the way they do? When you pick up your empty popcorn bag and slowly—almost mournfully—make your way out of the theater, or when you finally lay a dearly loved book down after you turn the last page, the deep sense of longing you experience suggests that we crave far more than mere entertainment.
It's easy to mistake the means for the ends and in doing so, to settle for less than we were intended for. For example, we all feel pressure to be productive and to use our time wisely, but if we're not careful, we will, as Peter Drucker says, manage for the sake of management instead of managing for the sake of results. There are many stories in the Bible that reflect this part of human nature — our tendency to miss the point, which in biblical terms is often known as sin.
Whether he's in heaven or on earth, we all have a loving father to embrace.
It's true that Christians are persecuted even here in America, and in harsher ways than the open criticism we're used to receiving. We see the steadily tightening grip of government regulations closing in over the free expression of our faith, and we see the public becoming increasingly more and more OK with it.
When you pick up your empty popcorn bag and slowly — almost mournfully — make your way out of the theater, or when you lay down a dearly loved book after you turn the last page, the deep sense of longing you experience suggests that we crave far more than entertainment.
How do you turn a house into a home? We're not talking interior design, crafting parties or cooking lessons. We're talking about the essential differences between a space where people live and a space where people find life.
More often than not, veterans' experiences are forgotten. It is our duty, not theirs, to collect and preserve their stories, and it is always right to recognize their sacrifices and thank them by working at home to restore and maintain an America of virtue.
It's easy to find ourselves annoyed with laws and politicians and discouraged about the direction of our country. But why is it that we are so quick to complain and so slow to pray?
By Rebecca Hagelin & Kristin Carey
It's hard to overemphasize the importance of sharing meals as a family — sitting down, away from distractions, as a group — as often as possible. There is just something about the simple, routine and necessary act of eating that makes it the perfect medium for meaningful human interaction.
Gavin Rupp, a 13-year old Virginia boy with terminal brain cancer, knows what that's like. A baseball player, Gavin's been a Washington Nationals fan for as long as he can remember. Baseball gave him a reprieve from long hours of chemotherapy and radiation and, when he could no longer play, he lived for those Nationals games. When Gavin's cancer recurred for the third time in two years, his doctors could do nothing more.
But his father and the Washington Nationals could.
Our fast-moving society has no time for the slow-pace of elderly folks. As a result, we never glean their wisdom, never hear their rich perspectives and never cherish their attentive affection. Adults whose parents are no longer living consider themselves lucky to be "off the hook," and forget that our elderly deserve honor and respect. They are a national treasure, too often lost.
Her face looked haggard and she had aged 10 years, it seemed, in the months since I last saw her. I knew "Joanna" through friends. Although we saw each other infrequently, we enjoyed sharing the highs and lows of our lives and our children. This time, she looked so awful that it was clear something was not right.
Most parents hope that their children will grow to adulthood and find and marry a good spouse. But it's becoming increasingly difficult for young adults to date in ways that lay a solid foundation for a strong marriage.
Being the Parent Then and Now
The Challenge When Life Gets Hard
The End of Courtship
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Connect With Rebecca Hagelin
Rebecca Hagelin has championed faith and family values in Washington, DC and around the nation for some 30 years. She speaks and writes to encourage and educate parents on how to combat the negative affects of the pop media culture on their children. Her weekly column, co-authored with her daughter Kristin Carey, "Faith and Family: Hope for Every Generation" appears in The Washington Times, Townhall and other national news sites and publications. Rebecca also owns a boutique marketing company that specializes in creating and directing national talk radio marketing campaigns. She previously served as The Heritage Foundation's Vice President of Communications and Marketing, and as Vice President of Communications for WorldNetDaily.com. In 2006, Concerned Women for America named her as one of the nation's "Top Ten Evangelical Women", and in 2007, The Claire Boothe Luce Policy Institute named her one of 12 "Great Conservative Women". She is the author of the acclaimed books, Home Invasion: Protecting Your Family in a Culture That's Gone Stark Raving Mad, and 30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family. The latter book will be re-released in late April. The newly updated version is entitled, "30 Ways in 30 Days to Protect Your Family" and will include reflections from her daughter, Kristin, as well as a bonus new chapter on marriage. Rebecca serves on several boards including FamilyTalk. She and her husband (of 30 years!) Andy, have three grown children, and live on Little Gasparilla Island in Florida.
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LONDON — Spansion, the flash memory venture between AMD and Fujitsu, is planning to collaborate with 'strategic partners' to integrate logic blocks into its MirrorBit technology that would form the basis of a new line of products dubbed Logic on Flash.
The first collaboration, announced Tuesday (Nov. 15), is with M-Systems. Future deals are likely to focus on IP modules such as memory controllers, power management modules, I/O interfaces including USB 2.0 and MMC.
The co-development with M-Systems is expected to lead to tightly integrated monolithic designs combining the flash media, controller and the security core. This would allow for enhanced system architecture, increased security capabilities and streamlined system design, at the same time offering 'significant' production advantages.
The initial devices from the Spansion/M-Systems deal will be targeted at mobile applications.
"By combining Spansion's logic-based design flow and third-party IP, we can offer the industry value-added flash memory solutions with enhanced performance and integration at economical price points," said Bertrand Cambou, president and CEO of Spansion, in a statement.
Spansion says the Logic on Flash range will offer clear low power advantages and be an important addition to its Multi-chip package (MCP) memory devices and Package-on-Chip technology.
The parts will initially be manufactured on Spansion's 90-nm process technology.


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Many states contract with managed care organizations to deliver Medicaid services to beneficiaries. Knowing how hospice services meet the needs of the frailest of those constituents, and how services are billed and paid for, ensures the best possible post-acute care for your members.
Hospice is a way of caring for patients near the end of life. An interdisciplinary team addresses the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of patients and their families. A physician, nurse, hospice aide, chaplain, social worker and volunteers care for patients wherever they call home.
Let VITAS® Healthcare be your partner. As the nation's leading hospice provider, our specialists can provide you with a better understanding of the hospice benefit and end-of-life care. You can be confident that your members are receiving appropriate care, and that claims administration is accurate and efficient. Assuring communication between providers and health plans increases service to your members and our patients.
For information or to make a referral, call 800.93.VITAS.
As provided by Medicare Part A, the most common prerequisite is "a medical prognosis that the resident's life expectancy is six months or less if the illness runs its normal course."
To qualify for services, a member is evaluated by a VITAS registered nurse at no cost to the member or the plan. Similar to Medicare guidelines, patients receiving hospice care beyond the original six-month prognosis must be evaluated "face to face" by the hospice physician. Coverage is extended into 60-day benefit periods as long as the patient is determined to be medically hospice appropriate.
Care is provided and reimbursement is defined based on four levels of care following Medicare guidelines:
When a resident of a long-term care facility is dually eligible for Medicare and long-term Medicaid and elects hospice care, the hospice will bill Medicare Part A for core hospice services and bill the MMC organization for nursing facility room & board. When the health plan reimburses the hospice, the hospice passes the room and board payment through to the contracted facility. Health plan payments should be directed to the hospice provider.
In most states, the health plan will pay 95 percent of the nursing facility room & board
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The format of the UB04, CMS 1500 or 837 electronic formats may differ state to state or even health plan to health plan. Each should contain core hospice services/dates and nursing
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Billing codes often follow Medicare guidelines. Other codes may apply.
651–Routine Home Care
652–Continuous Care
655–Inpatient Respite Care
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657–Physician Charges
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Questions? Call us at 1.800.582.9533 or
contact us online.


text:
Since first coming on the scene, Richie Wess has been known to work with a slew of artists including Rick Ross, Kevin Gates, and OG Maco. Following the release of his latest project Lord Finesse back in July, the South Florida native shoots the official video for his Fat Joe-assisted cut, "Cha-Ching."
Shot by Omar The Director out in New York and Miami, the duo is surrounded by luxurious mansions enjoying the fruits of the labor as they spit about always securing the bag and wanting more for themselves.
Twitter: @RICHIEWESS @fatjoe


text:
Chapter 20
Part 1: Home and School Investigation
Send the Letter to Family (PDF file) home with each child. Once all the children have brought in their numbers from newspapers or magazines, put the children in groups of two. Ask them to talk about the two numbers and about what is alike and different about them. For example, they might talk about the fact that both numbers have three digits and that the digit in one of the places in both numbers is the same. They might also talk about how the digit in one of the places in both numbers is different. After the children have done this, have some of the partners share what they talked about with the whole class.
Part 2: Be an Investigator
A good time to do this investigation is after Lesson 8 on ordering three-digit numbers.
- Investigator Worksheet (PDF file) for each group of two children
Introducing the Investigation
Put the digits 1, 7, and 9 on the board. Ask the children for different ways to write a three-digit number using those digits. Write two or three of their suggestions on the board.
Show the children the worksheet and tell them that they are going to find as many different ways as they can to use the digits 2, 3, and 8 to write a 3-digit number. Tell them that they can use each digit only one time in a number. Tell them when they are finished to write the numbers in order from least to greatest.
Put the children in groups of two for the investigation.
Doing the Investigation
This investigation provides an excellent opportunity for children to practice the strategy of making an organized list. For example, they could list all the three-digit numbers that have 2 in the hundreds place, then those that have 3 in the hundreds place, and finally those that have 8 in the hundreds place.
Have the children share their results when they are finished.
- 238
- 283
- 328
- 382
- 823
- 832
Numbers in order from least to greatest:
238, 283, 328, 382, 823, 832
Extending the Investigation
Have the children do the same investigation with a different set of three digits. For more of a challenge, give them a set of four digits and have them make as many three-digit numbers as they can.


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"Nothing is impossible" is the tagline of the 3D animated feature Bunta (2013) (Chinese Pinyin: Kunta) that opened in theatres throughout China on Friday.
The making of the movie has been a remarkable journey undertaken by Zhejiang Versatile Media for the past three years, mimicking the story it tells:
A young boy named Boca lives on a planet the size of a peanut and populated by little box people hopping on one leg. A hero-worshiper, Boca sets his mind to finding the titular plant, which by legend can save his people from an impending food crisis. Because he is only a child, nobody wants to take him seriously except his buddy, the babbling Neepop. Boca sallies forth with high hopes while being tagged along by Neepop. Their journey begins with meeting an ostrich car and temporarily ends with the two befriending a sassy princess, who joins their cause after a fierce battle with a super villain.
Director "Leo" Lian Li, also President of Zhejiang Versatile Media, describes the tension between him and his team at the beginning of the project as "an arm-wrestling game with 200 people." When he called on them to make a Hollywood-caliber 3D animated film, very few thought that they had the ability to.
It was not until seven months later that the team's uncertainty dissipated. Leo held an internal screening of the first fully rendered demo reel of the movie. The beautiful, detailed, and pin-sharp graphics (see "Bunta (2013) Chinese Trailer" on YouTube and Vimeo) dazzled everyone.
In fact, that was the day that Leo's team finally united behind his vision of a world-class picture. The move enabled the company to weather the storm of 2012, when 85% of domestic animation companies, according to Southern Metropolis Daily, suffered losses because broadcast and cable networks were increasingly reluctant to air low-quality works, even for free.
3D animated features are expensive to make and market. The famous ones by Hollywood in the most recent years such as Kungfu Panda (2008), Toy Story 3 (2010), and Brave (2012) often had runaway budgets of $130 to $200 million.
Several sources state that Bunta has cost roughly RMB100 million (US$16.3 million), which is a fraction of the Hollywood budget for the same category of film, but a number unimaginable for the majority of startup studios in China. According to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television's estimates, the annual animation budget of Chinese TV companies currently totals only RMB50 million, a surprising 60% of the entire industry's yearly revenue.
Having worked in advertising for 20 years, Leo's ties are far and wide. He secured enough capital to start the production as planned, and he garnered other kinds of support. In particular, his long-time friends Wakin Chau and Jonathan Lee volunteered to write the Chinese theme song for the movie. Both men are popular icons and household names in China.
There were other hurdles. To overcome the synchronization issue between physical and virtual cameras, Versatile Media developed a proprietary technology called Kmoke 9-axis Automated Frame-by-Frame Sync Tool, which could measure and produce camera movements down to micrometers.
Scale models were used to create certain scenes that were then shot with miniature effects. This was the fun part for Leo because prior to founding Versatile Media in 1993, he had spent six years as a professional model-ship builder, representing China in international competitions, Sina News Taiwan reports.
Dramatically reducing the amount of time needed to render the final feature film, 6,700 computers running on Alibaba Group's Aliyun OS were pooled to perform the task. It is estimated that every frame in the climatic fighting scene required seven hours of frenzy calculations.
Since 2010, the year that the project got off the ground, Leo has been keen on capturing an audience beyond China. To do so, he insisted on creating universal characters that were not in any way culturally specific. He went to the Cannes Film Festival for three consecutive years to talk with buyers and distributors, whose feedback was then carefully considered and incorporated into the movie.
It was there that Leo met Tim Werenko from DuArt Film and Video, a time-honored film and recording studio in New York City founded in 1922. DuArt was given the task of adapting the movie for an American (read international) audience by rewriting the dialogue, recording new voices, composing new music, and adding all sound design and effects.
The project drew talents that happily surprised Leo, among them was "The X Factor" runner-up, teenage songstress Carly Rose Sonenclar, who gave her voice to the English theme song of the movie.
All of these are exciting highlights of the movie, but so far, it has yet to attract any major Hollywood studios as potential distributors.
As other major Chinese animation studios have learned in the past few years, the industry's collective weakness in branding and marketing is preventing good animated works produced by China from entering the international arena (The Diplomat).
Inside China is a different story. The core audience of Bunta, children aged six to 14 and their families, have been well primed for the release.
Versatile Media rolled out its social networking site Hezi World in 2009. The goal was to build a web-based community familiar with Hezi's products before the company launched its ambitious movie project. It proves to have been a smart move because by May 2013, Hezi had had 40 million registered users, frequenting the website to play computer games, watch animated series, listen to a web radio designed for young mothers and children, and use a voice-supported Twitter-like service for children who could not yet type.
When Leo was visiting DuArt in April, he mentioned that he first came to the U.S. in 1996 as a guest to the 23rd International Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Design also known as SIGGRAPH 96. He described how backward China compared to the U.S. at that point, all the while being unable to understand a single English word.
Today, as he commented, is not yesterday. His company is equipped with some of the same hardware and software as American animation studios. Producing equally impactful visuals as Hollywood is becoming increasingly possible.
However, he also noted, there were still things that his company could not do, and he hired DuArt for exactly this reason.
Bunta (2013) is the first movie of the Bunta Trilogy that Leo plans to make. The characters in it – Boca, Neepop, Pootron the ostrich car, and Princess Gaga – will almost certainly stay with a generation of Chinese children growing up. For now, it is a work in progress; if all goes well, it will be a legend unveiling right before our eyes.


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Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris release date September 15, 2015 (USA) on NBC
Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris release date: 2015-09-15 Example: 2019-12-03 - official release date;
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Date: 2015-08-27
Are you into variety series? Do you think like many others TV viewers that it's one of the most fascinating TV genres? Then you might definitely enjoy the show that proves to be absolutely unique and unlike almost any other of this kind up to date. In the upcoming TV season of 2015-2016 this entertaining show will appear on screens every Tuesday night. Don't miss this fascinating project on HBO!
Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris cancelled or renewed? When Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris be released? Will Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris be final?
Country: USA
TV channel: NBC
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The plan of the NBC channel to bring this amazing show to wide audience on TV screens was announced yet in autumn 2014. Later in 2015 viewers were teased with a promo and then, in May 2015 the administration of HBO has officially announced that the show is added to the channel's lineup.
The person with numerous various talents and outstandingly irresistible Mr. Harris, a proud holder of Emmy (5) and Tony (1) Awards, is undoubtedly just the best-choice star for hosting this upcoming American television show. The project is aired live and lasts for an hour. It's arranged to feature stars from an A-list, numerous hidden camera pranks, mini game shows and incredible performances – all these amazing things that will definitely make viewers mesmerize in from of their screens for an hour.
They say almost anything can possibly happen on their wonderful project while its brave and charming leading star will try to make all upcoming Tuesday nights with the show on TV really the best ones, week after week.
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|Kelly photographed by Sonya Nagels for Issue 14
Keep an eye on the Bonnie Delicious facebook page as she'll be cooking at some beautiful feast events coming up this winter (as well as the requisite delicious food, you can bet any meal Kelly's involved with will be a feast for all the senses).
Have a scroll through these mouth-watering images and click through to her blog for the recipes. On top of blogging, Kelly is a food writer and stylist – and along with fellow creative Amber Armitage, put together the beautiful Autumn Slaw spread on page 34 of the latest issue – where you can read our interview with her.


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Stories by Jennifer Schaefer
Talking with composer Andrew Lippa on how the dark and twisted Addams family became a musical.
While studying towards an anthropology degree at the University of South Alabama, Jeremy Floyd discovered the costume shop. He hasn't ...
Our theater guide untangles the knot of student performances so you don't have to.
The love story musical that happens to be about an artist.
Senior Mike Salomon puts a technical twist on a Shakespearean favorite
Those of you who loved Elle Woods and her designer duds will find that Legally Blonde: The Musical offers a pleasantly clever account of the charming story.
A Northwestern grad opens up about her current job as music director for the national tour of Mary Poppins.
Rhiannon Hansen stars in Legally Blonde:The Musical as the ditzy Margot.
The classic Disney story makes its way to the Windy City.
As a part of FOCUS on the Arts 2009, two actors in the Broadway musical share their rise to fame with the community.
From Shakespeare to Mary Poppins to Rod Blagojevich, check out our guide to Chicago's theatrical fare.
Roller blading, disco balls and cheesy musical numbers galore.
Chicago's run of Wicked, even in its closing days, has set a new precedent for theater in the city
Making a prediction about who will win the World Series title.
Playoff musings on the Dodgers, Red Sox and more.


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By Lynne Adkins
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Workshops are scheduled for May to help parents with special needs children plan for the future.
Parents with special needs children worry about the future, especially what will happen to those children when the parents can no longer care for them. Plan of Pennsylvania is teeming up with experts to help families make those plans. Executive Director Ginny Koehler says the meetings will include legal and financial experts so that parents can ask the difficult questions.
"They want to ensure that if they are on any type of public benefits that they can continue with the quality of life with public benefits, as well as having access to supplemental needs trusts," Koehler says.
The free sessions take place on May 1st, 10th and 22nd in Chester and Delaware Counties. To sign up, call 610-687-4249.
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More posts on the way but in the meantime, I had to share this. A conversation between my little man (4 years old) and his Daddy at bedtime.
Ben: I love you so much.
Daddy: I love you so so much.
Ben (realizing this is a good game): I love you to the planet robot.
Daddy (having read that children's book and knowing the proper response): I love you to the planet robot and back again.
Ben: I love you to the planet robot and back again and around the house 5 times, no not 5 times, 10 times.
Daddy: I love you to the planet robot and back again and one of mommy's long runs.
Ben: all eleven miles?
Daddy: yes all eleven miles.
And with that, Ben was satisfied that he was loved a lot.
Yep, I'm *that* mom. Which one might that be? Oh it's different on any given day. Sometimes I'm the granola crunchy hippy mom... sometimes I'm the mom that wonders if mimosas with breakfast are an okay way to start the day... and all too often I'm the mom who doesn't remember the last time she got to shower.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
the planet robot and all eleven miles: priceless
Posted by Jamie @ *that* mom at 9:40 PM
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Kilkenny's trophy haul not recognised in this All-Star hurling selection
Now that the main inter-county season has ended and the local club championships are ebbing towards a finale, GAA news can sometimes be a little scare at this time of the year. That, though, was not the case during the past week.
The 2012 GAA Hurling All-Stars generated plenty of debate when they were announced last Friday night. The big surprise was the awarding of six statuettes to Galway, with All-Ireland champions Kilkenny receiving five awards.
The same fate befell Kilkenny back in the early seventies when Limerick received one more award than the then reigning All-Ireland champions Kilkenny.
Firstly, I would like to congratulate our five award winners. All were certainties to claim statuettes and three actually received the maximum votes available from the selectors.
There was plenty of disappointment that Kilkenny did not get one or two more awards, but I suspected that six would have been our maximum return given the tone of media articles over recent months.
I was a little surprised, though, to see Galway get one more award than Kilkenny, given the fact that the Cats ended the year as All-Ireland and League champions.
I am pleased to see the Leinster Championship and the Leinster Final in particular receiving such elevated consideration from the All-Star selectors.
The selection of David Collins at left half back was, in my view, a surprise as I felt that Paraic Maher had another outstanding year.
How Tipperary, as Munster Champions, were not worthy of even one award is perplexing. The selection criteria for omitting Tipperary was as flawed as that which failed to nominate Shane Dowling (Limerick) and especially Shane Dooley (Offaly.
While I was surprised at the selection of Damien Hayes (Galway) at left half forward, I was a little more sympathetic to the Galway player's claim after a 'discussion' with a member of the media.
One statistic, though, relating to the selection of the six forwards, three of whom came from Galway is worthy of note.
Over the two All-Ireland Final days Galway used nine different players in attacking positions. Only four of those players scored over the two games and one of those was a substitute.
All-Star selections create a bit of a fuss for a week or two and are then forgotten, but perhaps not by the players who have been edged out in a marginal call.
Ample proof
To have the All-Ireland and League trophies resting by the Nore is ample proof that Kilkenny had twenty plus All-Stars this year.
It must be acknowledged that Galway was not that far behind Kilkenny this year and it would be very wrong to begrudge the Tribesmen their six awards.
Without doubt they pose the strongest threat to Kilkenny retaining the All-Ireland title next year.
Henry Shefflin's achievement in winning his eleventh All-Star award plus his third Player of the Year Award is a remarkable fete.
But then again he is a remarkable individual and he appears willing and ready to don the Black & Amber again in 2013. That's good news for everyone!
Lar and his memoirs
It turned out to be an interesting week for Tipperary GAA supporters. While they would be justifiably annoyed at receiving no All-Star award, I suspect for some it was a reflection of a disappointing year, even if the Munster title was retained.
In many ways this is not a bad starting point for new Manager Eamonn O'Shea. However, he could have done without the publication of Lar Corbett's autobiography.
Let me say that I have not read the book, but the extracts in a Sunday newspaper were sufficient to know that it might have been wiser to defer the publication.
Lar's weekly newspaper column (which is ghost-written by a local journalist) does him no favours either with Tipperary supporters.
If Lar has ambitions to be part of Eamonn O'Shea's new panel the only place to do the talking is on the pitch.
Somehow I suspect that message will be relayed very clearly to every member of next year's Tipperary panel very soon by the new manager.
A competition that refuses to die
I was not surprised that Central Council decided to retain the Inter-Provincial competitions (better known as the Railway Cups). This competition refuses to die even though supporters around the country show little interest in attending games.
Recently some senior GAA people were asked to explore the viability of the competition and came to the conclusion that no suitable date could be found.
Despite that, it goes ahead again next February and the same few hardy diehards will, no doubt, turn up to watch the games.
Oh, I should also say that the exercise will cost at least €50,000. I know a few good GAA projects that could badly do with that sort of money!
Double joy for Paul Murphy
Back to the All-Stars and I have a gem of a story which I want to share with our readers. When Donegal won its first All-Ireland title in 1992 they were captained by midfielder Anthony Molloy.
Molloy was invited to present the Footballer of the Year awards at last Friday night's All-Star ceremony.
What he did not know was that as he was reaching the pinnacle of his football career in 1992 a young lad from Kilkenny was in awe of the Donegal star and adorned his bedroom wall with Molloy and the Sam Maguire Cup.
The prospects of that young boy ever playing in an All-Ireland Football Final were nil, but try telling that to a four year old!
That young boy has now played in two All-Ireland Hurling Finals (three if one counts a replay) and he collected his second All-Star award last Friday night.
When I approached Anthony to explain that he was Paul Murphy's boyhood hero and that Paul and his mother Marian would like to meet him, I know he was really chuffed.
They met and spoke privately. The photo of the former and current inter-county stars can now adorn the sideboard in the Murphy household.
It was a wonderful ending to an emotional evening for Paul and his mum Marian.


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Her mother gave her a glance : "Greg is upsetting you again, isn't he?" Jenny couldn't hold her tears anymore : "He told me he couldn't come because he wanted to fix his car. Windy just called and said she saw him with Susan in the cinema this afternoon. He lied to me, mom. He always does. I hate him." She cried. Her father waited till she calmed down, said smilingly : "Everything is entirely up to you, my dear. You have the complete freedom to choose who is good for you. There are lots of good guys out there and finding one is just a matter of time."
Her mother nodded : "Just treat Greg as your normal friend from now on. Keep making new friends and you will find your Mr. Right in no time." Jenny was herself again : "It really hurts inside though." Her mother smiled : "It does and will always hurt when you choose to be with the wrong man, my dear. Make up your mind to start over and choose the right man starting now." Jenny was no longer sad : "Yes mom, I think I will do that. Thanks for clearing my mind mom, dad. I feel so much better now." Her father smiled : "We are glad to be of help to you. Just remember that we will always be here for you." Jenny was thankful : "Ok dad."
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4 Travel Hacks To Beat Jet Lag
All travellers who cross multiple time zones experience jet lag to some degree.
Jet lag is when your body's circadian rhythms (which govern sleeping, waking, eating and mood) are disrupted.
This happens because air travel across multiple time zones confuses the body, which is a creature of habit. We may have trouble adjusting to our new time zone, lay in bed wide awake or feel lethargic and out of sync.
Jet lag is an annoyance to all travellers, especially those who want to feel fresh and amped for that business meeting, or who are on a tour or leisure holiday, yet feel sleepy at the wrong times and don't feel like they are getting the most out of their journey.
Here are 4 ways to cut jet lag duration and recover faster:
1. Before departure, set your watch to the time zone of your destination.
The earlier you do this, the sooner your can start moving your body clock into sync with your new location. Be careful you don't get the time wrong and miss your flight!
Be mindful of meals times at your destination. Usually planes serve food based on local time, so while you still need to eat, pay attention to the time at your destination. Avoid eating a huge main meal in the middle of the night.
Instead eat lightly if you aren't too ravenous. Disturbances in appetite can be a sign of jet lag.
Pay attention to when you sleep on an aircraft to minimise jet lag. Sometimes sleep depriving a little and trying to sleep in accordance with the local time at your destination will do you favours when you arrive.
This is especially true for travellers who have very little time to adjust to a new country and need to get straight into that business meeting or adventure.
2. Drink plenty of fluids, especially water and dose regularly with Flightamins
Remember that dehydration can worsen symptoms of jet lag. The aircraft environment is dry, with the humidity level resembling that of a desert. Take Flightamins every 6 hours to ensure you remain nourished, hydrated and primed.
3. Get natural light at your destination.
This reminds your body of your new day cycle and helps to get it into a new pattern sooner. Go for a walk when you arrive in the day to help your body adjust to you new time zone.
Sleep cycles are moderated by the hormone melatonin. This is released at night and is involved in multiple processes in the body. When you travel altered sleep patterns can be worsened by a shortage of melatonin, which results in you lying awake at 3am because your body clock doesn't know it's time to sleep.
4. Eat foods which contain tryptophan.
Some foods contain an amino acid called tryptophan, which helps your body to make the chemicals melatonin and serotonin. These chemicals help to regulate sleeping, waking, appetite and mood, which are all affected by this mysterious syndrome known as jet lag.
Eat more of the foods listed below:
Small amounts of cheese
Chamomile tea
Shrimp and lobster
These will help to increase your natural levels of serotonin and melatonin, your sleep boosting hormones. Which will make the transition across time zones easier.
*Even pretzels and white rice can be useful to bring on sleep (but eat in moderation!)
This is because they have a high glycemic index and cause a spike and sudden drop in your blood sugar levels. The increase in insulin and blood sugar actually allows tryptophan to enter your brain more easily.


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News Article
16 October 2005
ADCB announces third quarter profits for 2005
ADCB announced a record net profit for the first 9 months of 2005 of AED 1,425 million against AED 521 million for the same period last year, an increase of 174 per cent. On a quarterly basis profits grew by 168 percent to AED 581 million, compared to AED 217 million for the third quarter of 2004.
Operating profit for the first 9 months of 2005 has risen to AED 1,888 million, a 143 per cent increase over 2004. Total Assets also increased by 31 per cent from AED 38.393 billion to AED 50.433 billion during the first 9 months of 2005.
Reflecting on the results, Eirvin Knox, CEO of ADCB said: "The success we are achieving is clear evidence of the impact of strategic business initiatives we have undertaken. "Many new business lines have been added in the first 9 months of this year. Among the new initiatives was the launch of our Excellency program, the new internet banking service for companies ADCB@ctive which is one of the most comprehensive, easy to use and secure internet banking platforms available, treasury and investment banking joint ventures with Macquarie Bank, the Nokhitha Fund and Al Dhabi Brokerage Services. In addition, new product launches for consumer mortgages, credit cards and personal loans will all substantially increase core revenues in future periods", according to Knox.
Saeed Al Hajeri, Chairman of ADCB, added "the outstanding financial results of ADCB reflect the continuing close working relationship between the Board and management that has been a critical contributor to the rapid improvement at ADCB in the last two years."
"Also, the Bank's investment in training and developing staff and IT systems continues to be a main focus in order to provide the highest levels of efficiency while significantly increasing customer satisfaction." concluded Mr. Knox
The Ministry of Economics has recently approved a 10 for 1 split of the bank's shares and up to 25% foreign ownership. In addition, the bank's capital was increased from AED 1.5 billion to AED 4 billion through issuing bonus shares and a 1 for 1 rights issue. Total shareholder's funds are now AED 8.075 billion.
These important steps will help broaden the shareholder base and support the bank in taking a bigger role in serving the economic development of Abu Dhabi and the UAE, according to the Chairman, Saeed Al Hajeri.
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|The Tara KLamp*, credit: www.iol.co.za
Past studies have shown that circumcision reduces female-to-male HIV transmission.
Circumcision also lowers the risk of infection with other sexually transmitted viruses such as human papillomavirus and herpes simplex virus type 2.
A new study suggests a possible mechanism for HIV protection - the dramatic reduction bacteria living on the penis
The research showed that removing the foreskin affects the type of bacteria that live on the penis. This international collaboration, focused on 156 men in Rakai, Uganda, further found that the decrease was primarily found in 12 types of bacteria, most of which were intolerant to oxygen.
"From an ecological perspective, it's like rolling back a rock and seeing the ecosystem change. You remove the foreskin and you're increasing the amount of oxygen, decreasing the moisture -- we're changing the ecosystem," study corresponding author Lance Price, of the Translational Genomics Research Institute in Arizona and George Washington University, explained
In heterosexual transmission of HIV, the virus on the foreskin needs to reach its target cells, the CD4+ T-cells, which reside primarily in blood or the lymph nodes.
The exact way that the bacterial community on the penis may affect the risk of HIV infection is not known.
The researchers hypothesize that penis bacteria may activate cells in the foreskin called Langerhans cells, preventing them from carrying out their normal role of fighting off viruses. Instead, the activated Langerhans cells may actually help HIV infect by delivering the virus to susceptible T-cells.
They hope their findings could lead to nonsurgical alternatives to circumcision that would alter the bacterial community on the penis and reduce the risk of HIV infection in men.
The above story is based on the April 16, 2013 news release by The Translational Genomics Research Institute.
The findings were published April 16 in the online journal mBio of the Amercian Society for Microbiology:
Liu CM, Hungate BA, Tobian AAR, Serwadda D, Ravel J, Lester R, Kigozi G, Aziz M, Galiwango RM, Nalugoda F, Contente-Cuomo TL, Wawer MJ, Keim P, Gray RH, Price LB. 2013. Male circumcision significantly reduces prevalence and load of genital anaerobic bacteria. mBio 4(2):e00076-13. doi:10.1128/mBio.00076-13.
You can read the Full Text HERE.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about HIV transmission.
* The Tara KLamp circumcision device is the worlds first device based on Non-Invasive Surgery and has been described as the last frontier in circumcision surgery. It was developed by Malaysia's Dr. Gurchran Singh Tara Singh (strange, because Sikhs don't believe in circumcision).