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One of the biggest advantages of digital is that you can shoot vast quantities of images without having to reload rolls of film and worry about the cost. This freedom greatly increases the likelihood of you capturing the shot you want. However that abundance of images can also be a huge problem especially when it comes to filtering through and locating the few pictures that you actually need from the shoot. A quick way to sort through these is by rating images in Bridge and in this tutorial I'll take a look at just how easy it is.
On a recent shoot it's fair to say I was a little trigger happy, but with well over 50 images required by the client and with only one short day to shoot I had to make every second count.
The tally at the end of the day was around a thousand, yes OK slightly over the top on the trigger, but in the end the client was able to use 100 images and I walked away tired but happy that the brief was fulfilled.
As ever the shoot is only the start of the journey and after day's hard toil you need to filter through those images before they get sent to the client, be that a paying individual or if even if you're taking images for yourself.
The client definitely doesn't want to see test shots of your model picking their nose, you having a cuppa, the ceiling, floor or those shots that quite simply didn't work.
For your own integrity you need to filter them down, and the only way to do this is to become your own worst critic. Even if you did shoot a thousand shots do you want your client to know that?
Of course not, you want your client to think that every shot you take is a winner and you really are a seasoned pro. If you're shooting for pleasure then you just want to get to those gems as quickly as possible before you lose interest.
The big problem is time and turn around, a client will want to see those shots as quickly as possible, likewise you don't want to spend a day going through them and then another day processing, especially if you have agreed on a fee upfront. Who'd do something that amateur!
Be it a professional shoot, a shoot for the family, friend or you just love camera craft the process is the same. Like touch typing the more you filter your images the faster the process will become.
Telling you that filtering your images is a great idea, but how do you actually do it?
Adobe Bridge is an ideal application for getting your images sorted, it features a wide variety of tools that enable you to delete, reject, rate and tag your images at speed.
In this tutorial we're going to look at the speed side of filtering in Adobe Bridge, this is for when time is short, the client, friend or partner is desperate for the images and you just need to get on with it..
When it comes to filtering down your images in Adobe Bridge at speed we're going to look at:
- Delete the dud images
- Reject the images that aren't right, but one day might be useful
- Rating the decent images
- Filter the images so you just see the best
Step 01: Delete the dud images
Start by navigating to the folder of images you want to sort through, then adjust the thumbnail size so you can get a good idea of the image but you don't really need to see all the details. Now hold down Ctrl / Click on a PC cmd / Click on a Mac on each of the image you want to delete. Once you have made your selection hit Ctrl / cmd delete to permanently delete the file.
Step 02: Reject the images that aren't right, but one day might be useful
Rejecting images isn't as harsh as deleting them as they stay on your system and can be recalled in the future. In the same way as before use Ctrl or cmd Click to select the images you want to reject and then alt / Click to reject. Once done go to View > Show Reject Files to hide or reveal the files in Bridge.
Step 03: Rating the decent images
One of the fastest ways to filter images is through a star rating. Click on an image and just below the thumbnail and above the file name you'll see a row of small dots, click the third dot and you'll see three stars appear, meaning that you have now given that image a three star rating. You have five stars for which you can rate images. As with the delete and reject command you can select and rate multiple images.
Step 04: Filter the images so you just see the best
On the right of the screen you'll see the filter options. There's plenty of meta tag data here that you can use to filter the images, but here with speed at the heart of what we're doing we're going to filter by stars. The top Filter should be ratings and will show the different star ratings that have been applied to the images. I usually start with three and as I filter down the images I drop some down to two and increase others to four until I'm left with only the images I need.


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While Sledgehammer Games continues to support the last year's Call of Duty title that brought the series back on a more suitable path, sound murmuring has already started among fans of first-person shooters about Activision working on a sequel to 2008's Call of Duty: World at War; one of the most critically acclaimed video game in the series that focuses on World War II-era warfare. After several rumors and unofficial confirmations, an alleged promo poster has leaked online revealing that Call of Duty: World at War 2 will be publicly unveiled on May 4.
Leaked Poster for Call of Duty: World at War 2 and Xbox Community Manager's Tweet Strongly Hint at World Reveal of the Game in May
After letting players enjoy futuristic warfare with advanced weaponry and exosuits, Activision may be planning to take fans back to the roots of the series with a veteran World War II-based video game title. Rumors concerning Call of Duty: World at War 2, a sequel to the fifth main installment in the series and the last World War-based video game in Call of Duty franchise, have been in the streets for quite long now, and if the latest leaked promo poster is to be believed, we will have to wait quite a while to see first actual footage of the game running on Microsoft's Xbox One console.
The latest leak comes from a Twitter account titled Anonymous Protection. The unknown tipster tweeted an alleged promo poster revealing that Call of Duty: World at War 2 is going to be, just as many predicted, this year's installment in the Call of Duty series, and the game will be unveiled publicly on May 4, 2015 at 10AM PDT/1PM EDT. Just to put that in perspective, fans got their first glimpse of Kevin Spacey's villainous role in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare on May 1 last year. You can check out the leaked promo poster below. It is, of course, tagged with Xbox logo due to Activision and Microsoft's long-term agreement that puts Call of Duty content first on Xbox consoles.
Another good reason to believe in Call of Duty: World at War 2 is that, as many know, the first-person shooter video game series follows a yearly development cycle pattern. This means that developers Treyarch, Infinity Ward, and Sledgehammer Games take turns each year on the production of next installment in the series, in order to stick to the annual release schedule without delaying or restricting the development time. Since Sledgehammer Games developed 2014's Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, this year's title is coming from Treyarch; the developer responsible for the production of 2008's Call of Duty: World at War.
In addition, Xbox Canada community manager Raj Patel recently tweeted a mysterious image that contains a hidden message. The image contains a large red roman numeral two in the center and lines of dots and dashes around it. Hawk-eyed members of NeoGAF quickly picked up the image and successfully translated the hidden message that was written in Morse code. Now that Roman numeral "II" could have been picked as a hint towards any other sequel, such as Ryse 2, but the translated message makes it match perfectly with what the leaked promo poster shared above says. The message reads:
"Presented by Xbox, 10am PDT, 1pm EST, May 4th 2015"
Patel was quick to follow up his mysterious tweet with another one clarifying that the image is not any sort of tease and is "unofficial (not from Xbox)," but what has been seen can't be unseen. The Morse code on the image translating into the same reveal date and time as listed by the alleged Call of Duty: World at War 2 promo poster can't be for nothing. Also, Activision usually likes to showoff new title in its veteran first-person shooter series in May.
On the other hand Anonymous Protection stands up on its claims. After leaking out the alleged promo poster and the reveal date of Call of Duty: World at War 2, the unknown tipster tweeted the same image again, saying that if it gets a certain number of retweets, the first official trailer of the game will be leaked online.
Despite some very convincing facts and leaks, this year's Call of Duty title still remains a mystery, as Activision or Treyarch, both have not spoken officially about the game, so for now, all we can do is wait a speculate until some official world about Call of Duty: World at War 2 rolls out.

subset: commoncrawl


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Yes, Don Cheadle Was Shocked That Mark Ruffalo Almost Spoiled Avengers: Infinity War
Tom Holland, the current live action Spider-Man, has developed a reputation for spoiling things, especially concerning the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but he isn't the only actor from this franchise who's accidentally revealed things they shouldn't have. Mark Ruaffo, a.k.a. Bruce Banner/The Hulk, easily takes second place in the Spoiler Rankings, mainly because he accidentally live streamed part of Thor: Ragnarok last year. Ruffalo's second biggest offense was when he nearly spoiled Avengers: Infinity War's ending, with Don Cheadle by his side. As you might expect, the War Machine actor was shocked that Ruffalo clued people in on how high Infinity War's body count would be before the movie had even been released to the public, as you'll see below.
Technically Mark Ruffalo didn't provide any specific details about Avengers: Infinity War when he and Don Cheadle were promoting the movie on Good Morning America, but he nonetheless let slip that a lot of heroes would die at the end. It's been almost four full months since that interview, and as you can tell by Cheadle's face during his recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, he's still astounded that Ruffalo delved into spoilery territory despite Cheadle warning him to tread cautiously. As Cheadle noted, it could have been worse, because if you listen closely, Ruffalo starts to say "Ha..." before then switching to "Everybody dies," indicating he was about to "half" of all the heroes would die, a.k.a. "the absolute truth." Needless to say that Marvel is going to keep an even closer eye on Ruffalo in the future, and Cheadle even joked that the Hulk actor wouldn't be allowed to do press for any movie for fear of accidentally spoiling something Marvel-related.
Since Avengers: Infinity War was touted as the biggest MCU entry to date, it was generally assumed that there would be a lot to unpack, especially given the source material this movie was inspired by, 1991's The Infinity Gauntlet. Nevertheless, many were shocked to see Thanos erase half of all life in the universe after obtaining all six Infinity Stones, which included heroes like Spider-Man, Black Panther and Scarlet Witch disappearing. Fortunately for Bruce Banner and James Rhodes, they were among the lucky half who survived the Thanos snap, and we'll find out how them and the other survivors are coping in this changed landscape when Avengers 4 comes out next year. Of course, Marvel is staying just as secretive about Avengers 4 as it was with Infinity War, if not more, so unless the studio decides to evict from Ruffalo from the press tour, the actor will need to practice self control.
Avengers: Infinity War is now available on Digital HD, Blu-ray and DVD, and while the MCU wrapped up its 2018 theatrical offerings with Ant-Man and the Wasp last month, the franchise will continue on March 8, 2019 with Captain Marvel, followed by Avengers 4 on May 3 and Spider-Man: Far From Home on July 5.
Connoisseur of Marvel, DC, Star Wars, John Wick, MonsterVerse and Doctor Who lore. He's aware he looks like Harry Potter and Clark Kent.
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
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As I celebrate my 30th year in the wine industry, there is an exciting change in the focus of my life and career.
Almost 30 years ago to the day, I began at Sonoma-Cutrer. At the start, I was mentored by many of the early marketing gurus in this field. Over the years, I have had the privilege of representing the finest wine brands in the world and, more importantly, breaking bread with the pioneers who have blazed the trails in this great industry. Thankfully, they invited me into their lives and trusted me with their stories.
My company, MGPR, was honored to be on the teams of wineries such as Ferrari-Carano, Bernardus, Robert Mondavi, Corison, David Bruce, Davis Bynum and Gloria Ferrer. In the early 1990s on the Gauer train, we transported fresh, local organic Sonoma County foods up and down and across the country exposing food and wine media, trade and VIPs to the veritable cornucopia of Sonoma Select delicacies. We were also among the first PR firms to venture to Argentina in 2002, when awareness of that magical country as a wine destination was just beginning to emerge.
Being taught about vineyards from the likes of Robert Young, Andy Beckstoffer, Warren Dutton, Saralee and Rich Kunde has provided memories to serve a lifetime. And, working with the Benziger family, as they transitioned from conventional farming to becoming an American leader in Biodynamic viticultural practices, changed my life as well as my business.
Now, in celebration of this milestone, I'm taking a sabbatical through the end of the year for extended travel and inspiration. In January 2014, I'll return to welcome my first grandchild and to begin a new chapter in my career. My intention is to work with colleague John Garn, one of the leading experts on environmental solutions, to assist wineries and food purveyors in implementing and promoting sustainable business practices, and in becoming agricultural models for responsible global business.
September winds of change are blowing me in the direction of Scotland, Turkey, Greece, and France. The plan is to be in France during harvest. I'm taking my laptop so that we can stay in touch and I can share adventures throughout my travels.
Thank you for your support and friendship throughout these many years.
Cheers & warm regards,
Marie Gewirtz


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by Lyn JuliusCynthia Kaplan Shamash was just nine when she was taken alone into a room by the Iraqi secret police and accused of spying: her interrogators dismembered the doll she was clutching to see if it had a bugging device inside it.
Cynthia still has the doll, a lasting reminder of the antisemitism her Jewish family had endured in the 1970s. They made a failed attempt to escape, followed by five weeks of detention. Cynthia, her three siblings and parents eventually leave Iraq with a passport, but their home is sequestered and their possessions stolen. The day of permanent departure arrives, the children incongruously dressed in their smartest clothes.
'The Strangers we became: lessons in exile from one of Iraq's last Jews' is Cynthia's charming coming-of-age memoir: she moved from Iraq to Turkey, then Israel, settling in Holland, one of few countries then to offer Iraqi Jews asylum. Cynthia moves to the US to pursue her dentistry studies. Five countries in 12 years.
On leaving Iraq, she captures beautifully her first sighting of the sea, the welcome ringing of 'phones - Jews were not allowed telephones in Iraq - but also the estrangement of exile in the West. Perhaps because they hoped their father stood a better chance of finding a job, the family choose not to join their raucous relatives in Israel and resettle in Holland instead.
The small number of Jewish refugees from Iraq are housed in a dour Amsterdam apartment block with Surinamese immigrants for neighbours. Mastering Dutch is difficult. Cynthia's Jewish school is no less alien and the pupils cliquey and spoilt. Her attempt to gain popularity by taking up horse-riding (literally) barely gets off the ground.
Cynthia's father is 24 years older than her mother - and sensing the couple's unhappiness, the family's well-meaning social worker sends him away from the family home despite his fragile health. But the separation kills him. Even for unhappy couples, Iraqi custom dictates 'till death us do part'. After her husband's death a widow will not remarry.
The refugees must navigate between different worlds: uninhibited liberalism and conservatism, Dutch rationalism and Iraqi superstition. Whereas a Dutch person might offer a visitor a cup of coffee, an Iraqi hostess will cook a whole meal for them. There are later challenges - such as how a girl from a sheltered background might handle boyfriends.
Aged 12, like a character from a Bronte novel, Cynthia is sent to live with an ultra-orthodox family in London's Stamford Hill. The experience is not the disaster one might have expected. The religious, if austere, atmosphere gives Cynthia the structure which has been lacking in her life.
She returns to Holland determined to do well academically - somewhat more devout than when she left, yet with the confidence to face the world.
This is a vivid, witty, exhilarating and at times disarmingly frank, read. Some things are best expressed in Judeo-Arabic, which Cynthia obligingly translates for us. These are the lessons of exile: strive to do well, make your family proud, be optimistic, resilient, and don't look back.


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2013-14 Catalogs
MS in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis
The Master of Science in Educational Psychology with a concentration in applied behavior analysis (MSEPABA) prepares master's-level clinicians with the education and training to sit for the examination to become Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA). The program's goals are:
- to provide a consistent and coherent program of study in educational psychology founded on specific conceptual frameworks (outlined below),
- to teach and demonstrate best practices in behavior analysis in all program courses and activities, and
- to prepare students for the practice of behavior analysis in Maine and elsewhere.
The MSEPABA objectives pull together the mission and goals by providing courses and practical strategies for implementing best practices in behavior analysis by using empirically validated assessment, intervention, and consultation methods.
The M.S. in Educational Psychology program prepares students to meet competencies set forth by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). Upon completion of the program, graduates have earned the academic requirements in the preparation for the practice of behavior analysis. The program is designed to meet the academic requirements necessary for the following credentials: Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
Based on the models and professional standards found in the program philosophy, students in the M.S. program receive training in the following areas: functional behavior assessment (e.g., indirect, direct, and analogue), clinical interviews, interventions, consultation, positive behavioral supports, social psychology, applied research and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions, and single case experimental design.
In addition to the academic requirements, BACB requires a 1,500-hour supervised work experience; this work experience must occur in a behavior analytic environment under the supervision of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. The supervised work is intended to provide students or graduates with experience utilizing the knowledge and skills gained during and concurrent with coursework. The supervised work is conducted under the direct supervision of a BCBA and may or may not involve direct supervision by University faculty. The supervised work experience is arranged by the student independent of the University or educational psychology program, by the student and may occur concurrent with or upon completion of the coursework.
Consistent with BACB Guidelines for Responsible Conduct For Behavior Analysts (August 2010), graduates of the program are encouraged to maintain a rigorous course of professional development throughout their careers and are bound to limit their practice to competencies and populations in which they are trained.
Graduates who are interested in further development in behavior analysis or as an educational or school psychology practitioner are encouraged to pursue doctoral training. Doctoral training typically prepares practitioners in advanced skills practice (e.g., neuro-psychological assessment, behavioral assessment, counseling, applied behavior analysis, applied research, supervision) with specific populations (e.g., emotional disability, developmental disabilities, autism, learning disability).
Program Requirements
Program Requirements (36 credits)
EDU 600 Research Methods and Techniques (Must be taken within first year)
SED 540 Learners Who are Exceptional in General Education
SPY 601 Behavioral Principles of Learning
SPY 602 Clinical Research Methods
SPY 604 Functional Behavioral Assessment
SPY 605 Advanced Applied Behavior Analysis
SPY 606 Behavior Therapy
SPY 607 Consultation in School Psychology
SPY 608 Professional Ethics in behavior Analysis
SPY 671 Physical Bases of Behavior
SPY 673 Social Foundations of Behavior
SPY 675 Indirect Behavioral Assessment
For course descriptions, please click here: http://usm.maine.edu/sehd
Admission Information
Minimum Requirements: Applicant must have a bachelor's degree U.S. institution of higher learning accredited at the time the credits were earned by a regional and/or national accrediting body and recognized as accredited by the U.S. Department of Education, and have earned a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) in a baccalaureate degree program; Applicants who do not have a 2.5 overall GPA can enclose a letter asking for special consideration, in which they provide evidence of an ability to complete graduate studies successfully. Without such a letter, applicants who fail to meet eligibility requirements may be automatically denied.. Exceptions to this policy will be considered on a case-by-case basis and are up to the discretion of the admitting program.
Successful candidates will be selected on the basis of overall quality of all required application components (GPA, test score, recommendations, and personal narrative).
Application Deadline
Rolling with priority deadlines for fall by May 1, spring by October 1, and summer by March 15.
- Candidates should submit all application materials to the USM Office of Graduate Admissions, P.O. Box 9300, Portland, ME 04104-9300 by the application deadline.
Application must include:
- A submitted online graduate admission application;
- The application fee of $65.00;
- Two sets of official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended, including USM;
- Three letters of recommendation attesting to the applicant's ability to study at the graduate level. Recommendations are easily submitted using our online application form. You will need to provide the name and email address for each of your recommenders during the application process. Once you submit your application, an email will be automatically generated to your recommenders directing them to fill out the electronic letter of recommendation;
- Essay (see below);
- Certification of finances (international students only);
- Submission of test score (see below);
- Submission of official TOEFL or IELTS scores (if English is not first language); and
- Current resume.
Special Essay Question
In addition to the general admission requirements of the University, applicants to the Educational Psychology master's program must provide a narrative essay that answers this question:
"Why do you seek training in applied behavior analysis?"
This narrative is evaluated in terms of clarity of expression, grammatical construction, and other facets of English composition, as well as the quality of information given about the following: how the study of behavior analysis aligns with your professional goals and your understanding of and commitment to the field of applied behavior analysis.
Testing Requirements
Applicants to the education psychology program must take the MAT or GRE. One of the tests must be taken within five years of application. For those taking the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) you must have earned a score of 390 or above. For the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) those applicants who took the exam before September 1, 2011 must have earned a score of 900 or above on the combined verbal and quantitative scores. For applicants who took the GRE exam on or after 1 September 2011, the minimum combined score is 290. Applicants with a prior graduate degree do not have to submit MAT or GRE scores (Note that this exception is not applicable to admission to the Psy.D. program). For applicants who are English language learners, a minimum score of 550 on the on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), 79 or higher on the internet-based TOEFL test, or 213 on the computer-based test, or an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher for students whose native language is not English.
Applicants who did not who do not meet the above minimum score requirements can enclose a letter asking for special consideration, in which they provide evidence of an ability to complete graduate studies successfully. Without such a letter, applicants who fail to meet eligibility requirements may be automatically denied.
Transfer Credit
Students admitted to the Master of Science in Educational Psychology program can request permission to transfer up to six graduate credits toward the M.S. in Educational Psychology. In order for credits to be eligible for transfer, they must meet the following criteria:
The credits must have been earned as part of a graduate course (e.g., 500 level or higher) offered at a U.S. institution of higher learning accredited at the time the credits were earned by a regional and/or national accrediting body and recognized as accredited by the U.S. Department of Education.
The credits must have been earned for a course which is equivalent in content covered and skills developed to one required in the student's USM program of study.
The earned grade for the course must be a B or higher (GPA equivalent of 3.0).
The credits must have been earned within 3 years from the date when transfer credit is requested.
The credits must not have been applied to any previously earned degree.
For students seeking certification for BCBA, any applicable course(s) must be transferred from a program that is approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.
Transferred credits will be noted on the student's USM transcript and counted toward the student's degree or certificate program of study. To request transfer of credit(s), a student must submit the course syllabus and official transcript(s) showing the course grade(s) for the course(s) already taken to the Educational and School Psychology Program Coordinator. The coordinator will refer the request to the program faculty with expertise in the content area to determine if the credit transfer is approved. Once approved, the program will notify the USM Registrar to enter the official transfer onto the student's record.


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Soap opera characters go big on Valentine's Day.
Valentine's Day is upon us. In the land of soap operas that often means declarations of love, over the top romantic gestures, and marriage proposals. Soaps.com is taking a look back at four such memorable moments in soap opera history between characters we love, but who may or may not still be in love with each other.
The Bold and the Beautiful
Rick (Jacob Young) and Maya Forrester (Karla Mosley) recently separated – off-screen. But last year on Valentine's Day, Rick and Maya were blissfully married and taking full advantage of the love holiday. After procuring a babysitter for their daughter Lizzie, the marrieds took some much-needed alone time in the Forrester steam room — sans towels, if you know what we mean. After they steamed up the steam room, Maya gushed, "Alone time with my man? That's the perfect gift." Rick wasn't done though; he gave his wife a heart-shaped locket with a photo of their family inside.
More: Throwback – Valentine's Day photo celebrations from all 9 soaps
Days of our Lives
Jack Deveraux (Matthew Ashford) recently returned to Salem, but he doesn't remember his family or the love of his life Jennifer Horton (Melissa Reeves). Things were a bit different in 2003 when Jack surprised Jenn with a heart and candle-filled kitchen on Valentine's Day. Jack made heart-shaped pancakes and then gave his love a watch, serving as a reminder for Jenn to take all the time before she was ready for them to be a family again. Jennifer, in turn, dressed up as Santa – a call back to when he did the same during one of his many proposals. She took off the beard and told him, "My whole life I have only loved one man." She knew all the tests they faced made them stronger. He was the man she loved. She got on one knee and asked him to marry her. He joined her on the floor and said, "Ms. Horton. Yes. Yes, I will marry you."
General Hospital
Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) might currently be engaged to Franco Baldwin (Roger Howarth), but in 1999, a teenaged Liz was head over heels in love with Lucky Spencer (Jonathan Jackson). On Valentine's Day that year, she surprised him with a makeshift school dance at her house because she was too afraid to ask him to take her to the dance the year before. Instead, he went with her sister Sarah Webber (Jennifer Sky). It was also the night Elizabeth was tragically raped. After they enjoyed Liz's surprise in 1999, Lucky took her to a church lit up with candles. Lucky informed his Valentine how deeply in love he was with her. He wanted to make the promises they made to each other about their future in front of God. "You've got my heart," he told her. "It's a permanent lock." After recalling how he helped her move on from the darkness of her rape, Elizabeth reciprocated his love and they pledged themselves to each other forever.
The Young and the Restless
In present-day Genoa City, Billy Abbot (Jason Thompson) is trying to convince Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle) to take another chance on them as a couple, but in 2016 he didn't have to work so hard. On Valentine's Day morning, Billy had a dream of his deceased daughter Delia (Sophie Pollono), who encouraged him to propose to Victoria. She then hid a Valentine's Day card under his pillow. Based on a suggestion from Delia, Billy decorated the Top of the Tower to look like Victoria's favorite Italian restaurant. As they danced, Billy got down on one knee and proposed to Victoria. She said yes. They continued their romantic night at home, whereupon Billy found the card from his daughter with the words "Love, always" written in Italian.
What are more of your favorite Valentine's Day memories on soaps? Share them in the comments!


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Hello and a warm welcome to my blog page. I have been umming and ahhing about whether to set up a blog page for a while. Being insecure like most artists are (we are our own worst critics) I didn't think people would be interested in my ramblings but the more I am becoming involved with social media the more I am realising that not only are people interested but also that it's a great way for me to interact with other creatives and to have a constant source of inspiration. Plus I do like a good natter so why not get some good out of it.
So I guess this is when I waffle on about me….. Well I am an illustrator / artist based in Bognor Regis and a married mum of two who are my constant source of inspiration. My creativeness appeared from an early age, I was always drawing my favourite cartoon characters when I was little and even writing and illustrating my own books. I should have twigged then that this is the path I would naturally be drawn down later on in life. I went to art college after school but didn't really give it my all, going out partying was much more fun I am afraid, I know…. shame on me!
I then met my soul mate, and well, art just wasn't a priority anymore. Next thing you knew I was walking down the aisle and had two beautiful children and the paintbrushes started to gather dust for a good six years. It was my father's passing that really changed everything. It was like a switch had been flicked and I decided enough was enough it was time to do what I always knew I could do deep down. Since then I have been painting / sketching pretty much daily for the past five years. I originally tried the fine art route and sold a fair few pieces through this but it seems to be the illustrating that has flourished. I have been blessed to have worked with some wonderful and fascinating authors over the years and have six published books to date. I absolutely love the whole process of bringing a book to life, it is such a magical experience! To see the joy that something you create brings to someone is just priceless.
I am quite versatile with my work and although the focus is on children's literature if you saw my portfolio you will see that I am a bit of a Jekyl and Hyde character when it comes to my work. I have had many comments saying that you would think that my portfolio is made up of a bunch of different artists. Not sure if that's a good thing or not, as all you keep hearing is stick to one distinct style and perfect that. Oh well, naughty me!
So what can you expect from following my ramblings. Well you can laugh at me trying to crack the world of publishing. I am now at the point where I want to get my own book published and will be attempting this with an alphabet book I am working on. So there will be blogs about the whole publishing / illustrating process.
I have also recently become an administrator for the KLA website: http://www.kidliteratureauthors.com/ and will be reviewing picture books. I will read them to my children and then we will give you our thoughts at the end of the week. Plus like most artists I have a day job that I moan about a lot! So no doubt there will be a few rants here and there thrown in as well about the joys of being a struggling artist and working mum. So if you fancy following me on my journey towards the ultimate dream of being a full time illustrator then jump on board the groovy bus…..


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Giving Back
Chelsea Piers is proud to partner with local organizations, whose mission is to make a positive impact on the lives of children in our community, by helping to raise awareness, supporting their fundraising efforts and providing opportunities to children to learn and grow through sports.
The Chelsea Piers Scholarship Fund
The Chelsea Piers Scholarship Fund ("CPSF") is committed to providing Fairfield County children in need with the opportunity to experience the enormous benefits and enjoyment of participation in athletics. We believe structured sports help children gain self-confidence and self-esteem, develop social skills, learn sportsmanship and teamwork, set and achieve goals, and learn from positive role models. We believe that all children, regardless of their family's financial situation, should be given this opportunity to learn and grow through sports.
Boys & Girls Club Of Stamford
The Boys & Girls Club of Stamford's focus is to offer programming in the core areas of Character and Leadership Development, Education and Career Development, Health and Life Skills, The Arts, and Sports, Fitness and Recreation. The mission of the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford is to enable all youth, especially those most in need, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. Chelsea Piers is honored to host the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford Champions of Youth annual event.
Hance Family Foundation
The Hance Family Foundation honors the lives of three beautiful sisters by ensuring healthy, happy and safe children through innovative self-esteem educational programming and the support of children in need. Chelsea Piers was honored to host the Hance Family Foundation's "Beautiful Me" program, which is a self-esteem program designed to educate females by promoting appreciation for their genuine qualities, accurate self-awareness, and teaches girls how to speak with assurance of their skills, bodies and relationships with other.


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text: Jack_mcs 1,139 Posted September 10, 2009 Updating Ultimate SEO will only prevent it from happening again, not fix the damage that has been done. You have to reload those items back into the database. The code for that is listed elsewhere in this thread. Jack Support Links: For Hire: Contact me for anything you need help with for your shop: upgrading, hosting, repairs, code written, etc. Get the latest versions of my addons Recommended SEO Addons Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Arizona Republic, Beatitudes Campus, Lyft executives honored with ATHENA awards
Three of the most accomplished businesswomen in Arizona earned awards Wednesday honoring excellence in their careers, their community service and their mentorship, especially to other women.
Top honorees were Mi-Ai Parrish, president and publisher of The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com; Michelle Just, president and CEO of the non-profit Beatitudes Campus; and Drena Kusari Berisha, Southwest region manager for the ride-hailing company Lyft.
More than 700 people celebrated the 57 nominees, 11 ATHENA Award finalists and the three winners at the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce's 30th ATHENA Awards luncheon.
Parrish: What makes women so strong? It's the magnificent contradictions
"These are women who are at the pinnacle of success in their careers and demonstrate servant leadership in both their personal and professional lives," 2016 winner Rebecca Clyde said during the luncheon.
"They care deeply about the community and have long histories of giving back to build a stronger foundation for all of us. They also serve as mentors to the next generation and are helping to develop tomorrow's leaders."
Republic, azcentral.com publisher wins
Mi-Ai Parrish, president and publisher of The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, won the private-sector ATHENA Businesswoman of the Year Award.
She has spent the majority of her career in newsroom roles, from reporting and copy editing to travel editor and projects editor.
Parrish, who is a Korean-American, became the first woman and the first person of color to serve as the president and publisher of the Kansas City Star Media Co. in 2011 and came to The Republic in 2015.
As the daughter of a war refugee and the granddaughter of a pastor imprisoned for his religious beliefs, Parrish said her family "inadvertently raised a journalist, someone who really reveres and understands the fragility and the influence of the First Amendment."
In her acceptance speech, Parrish drew parallels between the outstanding women in the room and the award's namesake, Athena, the goddess of both war and wisdom.
"As women, we draw power in the strength and simultaneous contradiction of that small and simple word: 'and.'
"We bring home the bacon and fry it up in the pan. We run companies and care for our families. We suffer crushing miscarriages and get out of bed and tend to our jobs and our aging parents," she said.
"We are told so many times in the course of our days, of our weeks, of our lives, that we can't be these things at once. That if you are pretty, you won't be taken seriously.
"If you have to do tough things, you can't do them in a kind way. If you want to move up, you can't help those next to you. I'm here to say that's not true."
The other nominees in her category were Cox Communications Vice President Susan Anable, Coppersmith Brockelman partner Roopali Desai, and Sacks Tierney P.A. managing partner Judith Dworkin.
CEO dedicates life to helping elderly
Michelle Just, president and CEO of the non-profit Beatitudes Campus, won the public-sector ATHENA Businesswoman of the Year Award.
Beatitudes Campus is a faith-based retirement community that provides a range of care, from independent senior living to nursing and assisted living.
As a child, Just spent a lot of time with her grandmother, helping her deliver flowers for her business and visiting nursing homes with her.
"Even from a little girl, I knew I wanted to do this for my career," she said.
"Women in society today need to learn how to be fierce and fearless. Don't be afraid to take on the new challenges," she said.
"Face it, speak out, be the voice for the voiceless, help other women because it's only together that we can start making a difference."
The other nominees in her category were ASU Gammage Executive Director Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, Planned Parenthood Arizona Vice President Jodi Liggett, and Children's Museum of Phoenix President and CEO Kate Wells.
After surviving war, Lyft exec is excelling
Drena Kusari Berisha won the ATHENA Young Professional Award, which honors a woman between 24 and 35 years old.
She is the first female general manager for ride-hailing company Lyft, overseeing growth strategy, marketing and operations for the Southwest region.
"I'm especially humbled to be here today, to stand here, because I was not supposed to be here," Kusari Berisha said during her acceptance speech.
She grew up in Kosovo and was a teen during the Kosovo War in the late 1990s, which killed thousands and displaced more than 1 million people.
"I sort of vowed to make my survival count because many others didn't survive, so I feel like I have this responsibility and also burden to give back," she said. She moved to the U.S. when she was 17.
She told The Arizona Republic that winning this award is "a recognition of the journey, which has not been a straight line up.
"It's been a lot of ups and downs, but ultimately, it's been one of resilience, it's been one of hard work, but one that hopefully will inspire others."
The other nominees in her category were Jenny Poon, founder of CO+HOOTS co-working space, and Michelle Donati-Grayman, communications manager for AAA Arizona.
30 years of awards in Phoenix
ATHENA International has awarded more than 7,000 leaders in eight countries since it was founded in 1982.
In Phoenix, 47 influential women have been honored since 1987, including Intel Corp. Vice President Shelly Esque, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Assistant Director Deborah Ostreicher and Local First Arizona founder Kimber Lanning.
Arias sues ex-defense lawyer over tell-all book
Can ADOT's $6M grant help with Loop 101 traffic?
Light-rail hub coming to downtown Phoenix
Building starts on downtown Phoenix apartments


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Blog Archives
Best International Trips To Do In A Weekend
While Labor Day weekend is quickly approaching, there's still time to plan a last-minute escape. And although there are many options here in the States, there are some incredible international cities that are totally doable for a short trip. Find out about different destinations you can do in a weekend below: Read the rest of this entry
Why Puerto Vallarta Is A Gay Mecca You Have To Visit (Plus Pride 2016 Photos)
It's not just the 19 gay bars and clubs that make the Mexican Pacific Coast destination of Puerto Vallarta a gay mecca, but they certainly help and keep the evenings entertaining. After spending a few days in PV for its annual Pride festivities, this year with a 15-day agenda that brought together thousands of locals and visitors for the Pride parade and to celebrate this year's approval of same-sex marriage in the state of Jalisco (where Puerto Vallarta is located), I really got to see the power of the beach escape for the LGBT community – and how it's been blossoming for decades.
5 Cool Things About Mexico City
Fresh back from the holidays and my first trip of the new year, I've started contributing to Oyster.com and published my first piece just before the new year. It's on Mexico City and about things you should know about the city that you might've not before. I was very surprised by Mexico City, especially by how massive it was and how many things there was to do there. Below are a few things I liked while I was there pulled from my article: Read the rest of this entry
Gay Travel Guide to Puerto Vallarta
With Puerto Vallarta celebrating Pride this week, I thought I'd put together and share a guide for on Mexican town as a LGBT destination:
Where to Stay
If you want to stay in the heart of gay-friendly Puerto Vallarta, then the Zona Romantica (romantic zone, also known as the old town) is where you'll want to look for a place to book. Most of the gay venues and hotels can be found here in the rather bohemian beach area of town with cobblestone streets. Everything is walkable here, with many stays along the beach or just a block away. Read the rest of this entry
Travel Inspiration: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
In this edition of Travel Inspiration, see highlights from my trip to Puerto Vallarta that'll make you want to visit (especially with this hurricane making its way up the East Coast this weekend). Located along the Pacific Ocean's Bahía de Banderas Bay, I got to experience this Mexican hotspot for a few days last month and explore areas such as Old Vallarta, the resort section, the ocean waters and a little bit of a hidden paradise:
Travel Grooming Essentials For Cancún, Mexico
After picking out a travel ensemble for Cancún and your travel bag and other accessories, grooming selections are next. Opt for products that'll leave you fresh and ready with light scents for your days and nights out. They are also under 3.4 ounces:
- Fresh Shave – The Art of Shaving offers a full shave kit with a pre-shave oil, shaving cream and after-shave balm that is able to give you the same experience as at home with its travel-sized Pure Badger Brush. Leaves you with a nice close shave for your day at the beach or night out on Cancún's bustling Hotel Zonera, and the unscented option is always a good choice to not interfere with the scent from your fragrance and other grooming products. ($175)
- Clean Face – Ursa Major's face wash will give your face a good cleaning and leave bright and clearer skin as it removes oil and grime, dissolves dead surface skin cells and clears blocked pores. Scent features cedar, spearmint and lime. ($10)
- A Light Fragrance – Lacoste Eau De Lacoste L.12.12 Green features a classic, clean and cool fruit-woodland scent with notes of grapefruit, thyme, fig and sandalwood and fig. ($32)
- To Keep Hair In Check – Billy Jealousy has introduced a new styling mud that works with wet or dry hair, leaves a strong hold with a light shine finish, and has an herbal scent ($16).
- Lip Care – TURO Skin's protective lip balm goes further than your usual drugstore chapstick and has the added benefits anti-aging and antioxidant properties. Also is SPF 15 with a peppermint scent. ($10)
Outfit: Cancún Style, From Land To The Caribbean Sea
While in Mexico for the Cancún-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival this year, I had some down time for some much need style posts. Shot on the beach of the Moon Palace, a tee and shorts outfit is something that can be enjoyed both at your resort or by the beach. To add a little stylish flair, lightly layer with a short sleeve linen shirt (this one from Perry Ellis). Then to make a personal statement, talk with your accessories.
The Coach Bleecker Day Tote In Bar Stripe Leather makes a refined, yet colorful statement with the sky blue stripes, and then can glow with gold aviators (this fashionable performance pair is Under Armour UA Alloy). For footwear, if you're not doing sandals go for printed espadrilles like this navy, cloud-turtle design from Sperry Top-Sider as an alternative to florals and tropical plants.
Cancún-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival 2014 Photo Diary
Fresh from Cancun, I had the pleasure in attending the third edition of the Cancún-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival. Over the course of four days across seven different resorts, attendees could partake in events such as the conference series (which featured renowned New York-based, French chef Daniel Boulud who talked about his inspiring career path and about the future of cuisine), tastings of wine and spirits from California, Argentina and of course Mexico, and countless delicious and beautifully displayed bites from all over the world to fill everyone's culinary curiosity.
The Gourmet Tasting Village at Moon Palace was the place to be for two days of Mexican cuisine from local restaurants (such as La Casa del Agua, Cocina de Autor and Alquimia), resorts (such as Palace Resorts, Le Blanc, ME and Nizuc), the local culinary school (El Instituto Culinario de Cancún) and food and drink brands. While I couldn't bring back the food with me (if only!), I was able to snap hundreds of photos. Get a food porn photo sampling below of the tasty goodies at this year's CRM Wine & Food Festival:
Oasis Sens – Gays Up Cancun & Moves Past Spring Break
Forget what comes to mind right away when you think about this coastal Mexicana retreat off the Caribbean Sea. For years MTV—back when shows did not focus on teenage pregnancies and music video ruled the tube—portrayed Cancun as party central 24/7, showcasing the flocks of spring breakers. While that 'party like there's no tomorrow' mindset does exist at the end of February and March during peak season of college visitors, they are not everywhere.
My recent journey to the tropical destination proved that the spring break scene only exists if you go looking for it. If you're partying leans toward that of the gay variety, you're in the clear, as the gay downtown scene was filled with locals and various traveling gays who are were not as rambunctious as your typical college boys and girls.
While downtown Cancun has most of the gay clubs, many come for fun in the sun at oceanfront stays. Leading a new gay hotel revolution of the sorts is the freshly renovated and rebranded Oasis Sens from the Oasis Hotels family, a chain of ten hotels and resorts in Cancun.


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Reader Gilbert wrote in with a great question no one has ever asked me before. He's looking for help identifying the D: drive on his computer: Why is it there, what is it used for, and can he store data on it?
Without actually knowing the size and contents of your drive, I can only make a guess — but I'm pretty confident it's the right one.
Your D: drive is not actually another hard drive, nor is it the letter assigned to a memory-card slot. Instead, it's most likely a partition of your primary hard drive, a separate area created especially to hold certain files or data.
In other words, you have just one physical drive, but it's divided — partitioned — into two chunks.
So, what's on that second chunk, a.k.a. D:? The most likely answer: system-restoration files placed there by the computer manufacturer.
See, few modern PCs come with recovery discs, instead relying on far more convenient recovery software loaded right on the hard drive — and stored on a special partition.
Why use a partition? In part so the software can work its recovery magic on your primary drive (i.e. C:) without overwriting itself, and in part so users are less likely to accidentally delete it.
My advice to you, Gilbert: Leave your D: drive alone. If it has a few extra gigabytes of available space, you could probably house some data there — but why risk it? If you need more storage, pop in a flash drive or external hard drive.
On the flipside, if you don't envision ever needing those recovery tools, you could always wipe the D: partition and absorb the space into your primary drive. Want more info? Read PC World's "How (and Why) to Partition Your Hard Drive."
Contributing Editor Rick Broida writes about business and consumer technology. Ask for help with your PC hassles at firstname.lastname@example.com, or try the treasure trove of helpful folks in the PC World Community Forums. Sign up to have the Hassle-Free PC newsletter e-mailed to you each week.


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Johan Parmentier (BE)
1952 born in Tielt ( B)
1971-74 studies sculpture departement Sint-Lucas Instituut Gent
1977-2009 teatching sculpture Kunsthumaniora Sint-Lucas Gent
1983 lives and works in Huise
…some contemporary artists remain attached to stone. In Flanders, Johan Parmentier is one of the most interesting sculptors in this field…
Parmentier is interested in stones that one can experience by scanning them with one's eyes. The artist is humbled before the crude matter that is the stone. His recent works reveal his ever dwindling desire to contain the matter; instead, he aims to strengthen the inherent language of the stone. " The language of the material must become my own. I attempt to get lost in the work by opening myself up to the specificity and naturalness of the stone. I respect this specificity as much as I possibly can. In actual fact, I do not have to do all that much myself, even though each statue is the culmination of a long process. "
Johan Parmentier's work starts long before a stone is delivered at his studio. First, he explores the quarry where he is going to select his material. lt is only after several visits that he is able to build a picture of the quarry.
Then, he makes a number of photographs and drawings. In doing so, he acquaints himself with the geological features and colours of the stone of the site.
The artist, himself, finds it difficult to explain why he should choose this or that block of stone. In his view, it has to do with " the physicalness and sensuousness of the skin, the rhythmic structures and monumental character of the stone." Besides the individual characteristics of the stone, the artistic process in the studio also depends on the autonomous studies conducted by the artist at regular intervals. Parmentier draws intensively - sometimes for weeks on end : observations of his surroundings, or the rocky cliffs of northern France.
" I record forms, contours and colour gradings that strike me in crayon, charcoal, and oils," the artist says. " The structures and proportions that emerge in the course of the drawing process sink into my memory…
By his own admission, Parmentier is seeking a purely plastic medium that bridges the time/matter relationship. " Within structures that conjure up a kind of simplicity, I paradoxically enough, attempt to comprehend the fullness, chaos and complexity of life."
Eric Bracke june 2001
Artikel verschenen in het Juni-nummer van KUNSTBEELD, 2001.
21.12.19 - 05.01.20
Paviljoen Hedendaagse Kunst Watou
groepstentoonstelling met Herman Bellaert, Paul Bourgeois, David Bruneel, Trees De Mits, Christophe Denys, Willy De Sauter, Isa D'hondt, Laure Forêt, Paul Gees, Jean Goedcharle, Luc Hoekx, Arjan Janssen, Sabine Oosterlynck, Johan Parmentier, Bernard Sercu, Philippe Timmermans, Yumiko Yoneda
21.10 - 12.11.17
Paviljoen Hedendaagse Kunst Watou
groepstentoonstelling met Marc Angeli. Jean-Georges Massart. Johan Parmentier. Alexandra Roozen.
curator Els Wuyts


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Testimonials are a great inbound marketing tool to have in your toolkit for a variety of reasons, not least of which are that they help provide social proof for your customers and that they help you hear what you're doing well (and sometimes what you're doing not-so-well). Having testimonials on your website and other marketing materials can be a great boon for hooking the interest of potential new customers, but if you're going to do it, you need to make sure you're doing it the right way. Below, we've compiled a few tips on using testimonials ethically and effectively as part of your marketing mix.
Tips for Using Testimonials as an Inbound Marketing Tool
- Don't be afraid to ask. If you've got a happy customer, ask them to give you a little blurb about how happy they are – it's that simple. While not everyone will agree to it, many will be more than happy to give you a few words to use, and that's really all you need. You'll be most likely to get a good testimonial right after you've completed a successful project or order for the customer or client, and you can also offer a small freebie or some other kind of incentive to make them more interested in taking the time to provide you with the testimonial. Bonus points if you can get a photo to go along with it, as people like to see faces and it lends even more credibility to the statement if you can show there is indeed a real person behind it. Just make sure you have permission from the speaker to use their words and/or likeness in your marketing materials. And with that said…
- Use only real testimonials. Many businesses make up testimonials and while most of them never get caught doing it, it's not a risk that you really want to take. Hyping up your business with fake hype from fake customers is a good way to do some damage to your credibility.
- Spread them around. You don't want to crowd any one page of your website or the majority of a direct mail postcard with testimonials from customers or anything (though a "See What Customers Are Saying" type page full of testimonials is entirely appropriate), but there's nothing wrong with spreading them around evenly, either. If you're running a site using WordPress, consider using a plugin to display a different random testimonial in the sidebar each time the page is loaded.
Testimonials work well as an inbound marketing tool, and really are a great way to add a little extra something to your promotional materials. When you're looking to add them to your marketing mix, keep these tips in mind to make sure you're using them both ethically and effectively.


text: GP Alumni: The Best of 2015Steve Miller This is my favorite because I took the information, planning and preparation that I learned in the workshop, to go someplace and use the skill set. It still didn't come out as planned but I think that's just being flexible and adjusting to nature. Years ago I wondered how to do this. Now I'm excited that I know how to do this and can go out and explore more with others. Shares Facebook Twitter Email


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St Augustine Ghost Tours
We've located four ghost tours in St. Augustine, Florida. As the nation's oldest city, St. Augustine is number six on CNBC's list of the 10 most haunted cities in America because of the Spanish Fort, Castillo de San Marcos, and the St. Augustine lighthouse.
Book Tickets Now
Here are the St Augustine ghost tours:
Ghost Augustine - St. Augustine, FL
If you're a hardcore believer in ghosts, or just want some actual proof, this is the tour for you. Choose from three interactive tours: the Hearse Ride Tour, the Total Paranormal St. Augustine Tour, the Haunted Pub Tour, or the Dead Walk Tour (which lets guests use a K2 ghost hunt meter inside a haunted building). Call for reservations: 1-888-OLD-1565.
Ghost Hearse - St. Augustine, FL
Climb aboard this vintage hearse and explore the haunted streets of a city teeming with history and paranormal activity. Try the haunted Pub Tour for a double dose of spirits. Adults $23.95, children $12.95. Call for reservations (904) 829-0576.
Ghost Tours of St. Augustine - Saint Augustine, FL
Voted #1 Guided Tour in Florida by Florida Living Magazine, this tour gives you the choice of three spine-chilling frights: the Riding Tour, the Walking Tour, or the Paranormal Experience (EMF meters included). Tours start at 8pm every night of the year. Call 904.829.1122 for information and reservations.
Ghosts and Gravestones St. Augustine - Saint Augustine, FL
The three-time winner for "Best Ghost Tour of St. Augustine," this one-hour-and-twenty-minute ghost trolley tour whisks passengers away to the creepiest sites of a haunted St. Augustine, including "the Old Jail," and the St. Augustine Lighthouse grounds. Tour runs Mon-Sun. See website for discount tickets or call 1-888-920-8687 (TOUR).
Haunted St. Augustine - St. Augustine, FL
If you've ever dreamed of being a paranormal investigator, this is the tour for you! Use authentic paranormal research equipment and learn the tricks of the trade so that you can discover the restless spirits on your own! For reservations call 1-866-266-6641.
Ripley's Ghost Train Adventure - Saint Augustine, FL
Join this award-winning investigation that tours the most historic and haunted spots of St. Augustine, including the Public Burying Grounds of 1821 and the haunted Castle Warden. Tour runs seven days a week. To purchase tickets call (904) 824-1606.
Sheriff's Ghost Walk Tours - St. Augustine, FL
This unique tour features a sheriff as your tour guide and tells the ghostly tales of the country's oldest city. Many paranormal pictures have been captured on these tours so come and take a look for yourself…if you dare. Tours run Tues-Sun 8-9:30pm. Adults $15, children $8. Call (904) 540-0031.
St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum - Saint Augustine, FL
The Dark of the Moon tour offers a guided tour inside the tower and keeper's house so that you can conduct your own paranormal investigation. Step right up for the only ghost tour that grants you entry inside the Lighthouse and Keeper's House at night, known as the most haunted place in the city. Reservations required (904) 829-0745.
Return to see more Florida ghost tours. You may also be interested in our ghost tours in Charleston, Chicago, Gettysburg, Key West, New Orleans, and Savannah.
Shop Funtober for Halloween Costumes
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On the Sintra day, this turned out to be an expensive lunch. Not price wise, time wise.
Little did I guess that the other palace that I wanted to go to would be closed by 5. I should've looked it up, but the Pena Palace was open till 8, so I thought I would still have enough time for the other palace.
This was a late lunch, around 3:00 PM. I wish I would've delayed it more and done the other palace then.
But, no point crying over spilled milk, right? Especially when you eat at a Michelin starred restaurant that you didn't know of, but found (not accidentally, but looked up for it – the things a foodie will do!) and enjoyed your meal.
We had puff pastry stuffed curried vegetables, that they called samosas. The hubster ordered some fish and I went with this super creamy yet flavorful pasta.
A glass of wine each, and it was a happy lunch. We were full enough to skip desserts again. Seemed to have been the norm on this trip. Very unlike me.


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What was the Saint Joseph River called before the white man gave it its present name?
The Potawatomi Indians called the river, whose southern bend gives South Bend its name, Sheggwe ("SHAG-wah"), which means "happened spontaneously." The name comes from the legend of a man who would mysteriously materialize on the banks like a mushroom.
The earliest European explorer to visit the area, La Salle, called it the Miami River for the Miami Indians he met living along its banks in 1679. A second Indian name, possibility used by the Miami, was Sagwasibi, which meant "coming-out river," a reference to its function as a connector to Lake Michigan from the Kankakee River.
Soon after La Salle's visit, the Miami fled to Illinois because of the Second Iroquois War. The Potawatomis began migrating here from Green Bay around 1695.
The earliest reference to a "Saint Joseph River" appears in a 1689 land grant signed by the French Canadian governor general. The grant deeded property near the present Niles, Michigan, north of South Bend, to Jesuit missionaries for the establishment of Mission Saint Joseph.
Sources: Gregory Dowd, associate professor of history; John Palmer, assistant librarian, local history and genealogy room, Saint Joseph County Public Library; the Northern Indiana Center for History.
ND Department of History
St. Joseph County Public Library
Northern Indiana Center for History


text: LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Shares of Martek Biosciences Inc. matk soared by nearly 15% at one point Wednesday, a day after the company said it nearly doubled its second-quarter income, saw a 26% gain in sales and beat analyst estimates by a nickel. The Columbia, Md.-based maker of food products on Tuesday said net income was $6.3 million, or 19 cents a share, on sales of $70.2 million. A year ago, the company reported earnings of $3.4 million, or 11 cents a share, on sales of $55.8 million. Martek said without one-time charges from stock-option expenses, it would have reported earnings of 21 cents a share, while analysts polled by Thomson First Call expected earnings of 16 cents a share. In recent action, shares were up $3.54, or 14%, to $28.75.


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Hey guys, off to Kenya? Here are a few tips to make sure your trip is safe and happy 😉 Most of these apply to all non-first world countries, but make sure you remember them!
1. Always ask the Price of the Taxi before taking it
Like many countries, many taxis do not operate with meters so it is a no brainer to always agree on a price upfront and pay after you arrive at your destination. Make sure you do your research on how much it should cost with your hotel reception or a local. Note that taxis are not cheap like in many places in Asia!
We suggest you to take an UBER as it is available in Nairobi. When you land, get your SIM then book an UBER instead of using the airport taxi service or airport taxi.
2. There will be delays
The saying is true, things won't always go on time in Africa! When you have a "Kenyan Time" appointment, you may have to expect a delay from 5-15 minutes to longer!
3. Traffic you shall be in!
In addition to not always being on time, the main reason is the traffic! A real Pain! We never have seen worse from all the countries we have travelled through so far.
It's recommended to not travel between rush-hour times to avoid 7-9am, 1-2pm, 5-7pm. The wait can be as short as 30 minutes to a crazy 3 hours plus!
4. Nairobi is certainly not Dubai, so avoid Malls
Nothing to see there except if you need to get a SIM card at Nakumatt Junction because you skipped the chance to get it at the airport 🙁 – Go with Airtel or go for Safaricom as they have the best coverage in Kenya.
5. Don't carry too much cash on you
Simply as a precaution, you know, when you are in a foreign country… Just go for Mobile Money! It is quite popular in Kenya. Simply add credit to you phone balance and pay with it at many places like supermarkets, cabs, stores, etc. This only work for informal payments, so use it only if you are in town for quite a bit!
6. It is against the law to smoke in the streets
Don't get in trouble, the rule is clear, you simple can't smoke on the streets of Nairobi's City Center. You can only go smoke in designated smoking areas.
7. Merchants will try to rip you off
If you go to markets and shops, something that might be costing 400Khs (4$US) could be costed to you at 4000KHS (40$US). See the rip off there? Make sure you know the value of what you may buy and go as low as you can that makes some sense.
Tip: Go to Spinners Web Kenya, a proper gift shop in Westland with the original prices! A must if you like arts and crafts to buy as souvenirs.
8. Don't wander around after dark
Stay away from those quiet, dark places. We know many locals that avoid going in the CBD at night, so imagine as a clear foreigner how much of a target you could be. Even during the day in the CBD make sure to lock your doors in the car and wind up the windows. If you are unlucky, someone might just snap your phone out of the window of your car!
9. Mosquitoes
Like most equatorial countries, the risk of mosquito borne transmission is slightly higher, as it is warmer and more humid. So bring your repellent and be smart by closing your doors. Nearly every hotel has mosquito nets for your bed as well.
10. Carry Small Change
Most vendors will not be able to take your bigger money, so get change wherever you can. As a tourist, this will also be good for when you tip.
Are there any tips we have forgotten? Please let us know so we can add them in! Did you have any good or bad experiences while in Kenya?
For updates, follow our Adventures on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and @adventurefaktory & @thuymi !


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listen to what senator roger wicker told my colleague, chris jansing, earlier today. >> what i'm hearing is, we're going to replace about $65 billion worth of appropriation cuts. and we're going to do it sort of with a collection of cats and dogs, fees on airline passengers, spectrum sales and things like that. a real case of small ball, and nothing that makes me think we've bent the curve at all for the long-term debt. >> now, let me tell you, when i hear that from a liberal perspective, where people will be concerned, number one, about getting unemployment insurance into this, which he doesn't exactly mention, and number two, with the idea that we do need new revenues, you could argue it's good you're looking at revenues, even from the small ball stuff. where do you come down? >> well, it sure could be worse. they could be messing around with social security and medicare. and they're not. and they are planning to do something about sequestration, at least not jump into the next trough. on sequestration, which is worse than what we have now. but i always feel saddened and really sorry t
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Below is an excerpt from my collection, Sermons In War, wherein I reflected on that day we call 9/11. Today, let us remember the perished and their families and their friends and the country left behind. We are not united seventeen years after that catastrophic day. We have given into the rhetoric of fear and hatred. As the bells ring out this morning, may they alert us to the power resident within us to make this a land of hope and promise, justice and peace.
"Remembrance is a remarkable gift. Without it, we are imprisoned in a terrifying island of the present, unmoored, bobbing adrift in the sea of time and the chaos of events. When we remember, we sink an anchor into the depths and stabilize our lives for a moment. If we are fortunate, we are permitted to remember within a harbor of peace such as a sanctuary. Taking deep breaths, pondering the heart beat beneath the breastbone of our collective life, we just might stop long enough to remember an event that begs to be remembered if for no other reason than people lost their lives in the conflagration. We want to remember them. We will not forget them or where we were.
"I was standing in the driveway of our home, speaking with a neighbor, puzzled about why the twin towers in New York had had jetliners crashed into them. How could this be? And then suddenly, someone –his wife? another neighbor?—told us that the Pentagon had been hit by a plane. This was the moment of recognition for me. I knew then we were under attack and that these tragic events were not an accident. I wrestled with whether or not to pick my children up from school. I decided to do so, believing that if anything worse were to take place then I wanted to be with them… We walked home along the bike path in Bluemont Park. I walked just a step or two ahead of them. The sky was still blue. I told them I was bringing them home. I told them our nation had been attacked. I could say no more at that moment. I walked with my children and cried." [Afterword, Sermons in War]


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Nine leading senior, consumer, disability and minority organizations are calling on FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski to allow states seven additional months – until Jan. 1, 2013 – to modernize the Universal Service Fund's (USF) Lifeline program.
The joint statement was signed by the Alliance for Generational Equity, California Alliance for Retired Americans, Community Action Partnership, Consumer Action, Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition, National Consumers League, National Grange, National Hispanic Media Coalition and the World Institute on Disability.
Lifeline is a government benefit program that provides discounts on monthly wireless and wireline telephone service for eligible low-income consumers to help ensure they have the opportunities and security that telephone service affords, including being able to connect to jobs, family and 911 services. Lifeline is supported by the federal USF.
The groups claim that absent the necessary lead time, many state agencies that determine the eligibility of wireless Lifeline applicants will effectively close the program to new applicants.
The FCC announced the new rules on Feb. 6 and allowed states until June 1 to have centralized databases in place for the coordinated handling of applicant eligibility. Signatories of the statement note that a number of states have no such computer systems set up and must make arrangements to do so, calling the deadline "unrealistic."
The joint statement contends that failing to extend the deadline to Jan. 1, 2013, would "send a signal that the FCC is willing to deliberately strand America's most vulnerable consumers for no reason other than sticking with a purely arbitrary deadline that easily could be adjusted in a compassionate fashion."
Linda Sherry, director of National Priorities for Consumer Action, said the FCC wanted the databases created as part of reforms aimed at eliminating fraud and waste. She explained that under the current Lifeline rules, people can only take discounts on wireless or wireline service, not both. The databases would help ensure that people weren't doubling up on their discounts.
Sherry said most states simply can't meet the six-month deadline.
"We just think a year would have been much more reasonable," Sherry said, noting that she's hopeful that the FCC will be flexible on the matter.
The FCC could not be reached for comment prior to press time.


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Monday, November 7, 2016
Springfield Scholar Athletes (SSA) launched its third SSA Zone at the High School of Commerce today with a ribbon cutting ceremony. SSA is a nonprofit organization working to reduce the opportunity gap for high school students in Springfield by supporting academic achievement through athletics. SSA began working in the city in August 2014 at Putnam Academy, and the success at Putnam led to the launch of a second SSA Zone at neighboring High School of Science and Technology (HSST) and now it's third at the High School of Commerce.
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno of Springfield, Superintendent of Schools Daniel J. Warwick and Rebekah Salwasser, Executive Director of Scholar Athletes, joined other guests and high school student Zone members to celebrate the ribbon cutting. Springfield Scholar Athletes is the first expansion for Scholar Athletes outside of Boston.
In partnership with Springfield Public School System, the City of Springfield, and the surrounding communities, this expansion is an opportunity to impact more students through this proven model of success. SSA Zones are school-based learning centers designed and resourced to support and encourage students to set academic and athletic goals, gain needed support to help them stay on track, and provide access and opportunities to explore post-secondary education options.
Superintendent Warwick stated the importance of the work of SSA. "Sometimes all students need is that extra support in order to go from good to great and be successful in school. As we see our graduation rate continue to climb in the right direction, we are grateful for SSA and their commitment to Springfield Public Schools. Not only have they started something impactful in our schools, they continue to expand it so that more of our students are beneficiaries of their great work."
"We are truly excited about the addition of our third Zone and supporting more young people through our work in Springfield," said Rebekah Salwasser.
About Springfield Scholar Athletes: (SSA)
Springfield Scholar Athletes', under the umbrella of Scholar Athletes, also operating in Boston as Scholar Athletes (SA) mission is to reduce the opportunity gap for public high school students by supporting academic achievement through athletics. This focus is based on the proven link between athletic participation and positive academic performance. SSA offers students safe, dynamic school-based learning centers called Zones, complete with technology and resources, where they can study and finish their homework during the day and after school. Zones are managed by full-time, fully-trained Program Coordinators to provide academic coaching and mentoring. SSA programming will include tutoring, an effort that engages students from local colleges, post-secondary guidance, intramural sports as well as academic/athletic scholarships and NCAA navigation guidance. These collaborative services instill a mindset of excellence in students and athletes alike; building social/emotional skills, shaping character, and enhancing opportunities for success.


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Harriet Baxter, a 36 year old spinster in 1888 goes to live in Glasgow and meets a young artist, Ned Gillespie, whom she had previously met briefly in London.
She becomes involved with his family, and for no apparent reason, begins to look upon herself as his patron and mentor. In spite of obvious deep affection between Ned and his wife, she also likes to think of herself as closer to him. The story eventually descends into tragedy with the youngest child dying and Harriet being accused of her murder.
When it came to the part about the kidnap and death of the child Rose, it seemed quite impossible that an uneducated servant girl would have been capable of inventing such a complicated plot of discovering all the details of Harriet's bank account. Plus the great unlikelihood of Harriet losing all the receipts from the refurbishment of her uncle's house. She was after all a a very well organised person, helping to put in order the accounts for the Gillespie family.
Her relationship with her stepfather, who offers her a house to live in but tells her he will be abroad, when in fact he is in London, is strange. He obviously wants as little to do with her as possible. In the final part, she suspects that the carer she employs is the "evil" child Sybil who wants to harm her and she goes to great the lengths to prove it.
The book is over 500 pages and a bit long. Rating by Leeds readers of between 3 and 5 stars


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First Look: Mega Man X iOS
You can probably see what's changed from the SNES version.
Famitsu.com managed to get exclusive first pics of the iOS version of Mega Man X. Take a look here:
The site says that the iOS version is based off the current feature phone version of the game. In addition to touch panel support, it adds GameCenter support for a ranking mode. You'll find 80 challenges for showing off your (touch screen) Mega Man skills to the rest of the world.
Mega Man X iOS will be released this month.


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The BADLAND APEX™ 3/4 in. D-Ring Shackle fastens and secures chain, tow straps and wire rope rigging
The BADLAND APEX™ 3/4 in. D-Ring Shackle offers a sturdy, reliable design built to fasten and secure chain or wire rope rigging up to 18,000 lb.. Constructed from ultra-strong forged steel with protective coat to withstand the most extreme off-road conditions.


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BANGKOK — Nearly three months after Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 crashed into the Java Sea, Indonesian officials announced Wednesday that they had recovered the memory module of the aircraft's cockpit voice recorder by pumping up mud and sand from the seafloor.
The crucial memory unit, which apparently broke loose from the cockpit voice recorder on impact, could reveal the final words of the pilot and co-pilot as the Boeing 737-500 plummeted into the sea on Jan. 9.
The module was recovered Tuesday night and brought to shore Wednesday by a Coast Guard ship. Officials said they believed the module was still functional and that it would take three days to a week to download and read its data.
The aircraft crashed minutes after taking off from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport near Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, killing all 62 people aboard, including six active crew members.
The cockpit voice recorder is one of two so-called black boxes carried by commercial aircraft that record flight data and voice communications. The data recorder, which records information about the jet's mechanical operation, was recovered three days after the crash.
Divers searching in waters about 60 feet deep initially found the broken casing of the cockpit voice recorder. But its crucial memory module, which records such sounds as engine noises and cockpit conversations, remained elusive.
In a search hampered by rough weather and poor visibility, divers attempted for six weeks to locate the unit without success. Officials tried various other methods and then brought in a dredging ship last week to pump up mud and sand from the seafloor.
After about eight days of sifting through it, crews finally found the module. They had planned to halt operations with the dredging ship on Wednesday if they had not found the device by then.
"There's a mud sucker that works like a vacuum cleaner," said Soerjanto Tjahjono, chief of the National Transportation Safety Committee. "We extracted the mud down to one meter deep. Last night, when it was the last night of the search, we found it."
A preliminary crash investigation by the committee, which was based in part on information from the data recorder and maintenance records, concluded last month that a difference in the level of thrust between the plane's two engines might have contributed to the aircraft rolling over before it plunged into the sea.
A difference in the level of thrust — the force of the engines that propels the aircraft forward — can make planes difficult to control, but it is unclear why that problem may have occurred during the Sriwijaya flight.
Officials hope that the recovered memory module will shed some light on why the pilot and co-pilot were unable to recover control of the plane, which plummeted more than 10,000 feet in less than a minute.
"Without the cockpit voice recorder, it would be very difficult to know the cause in this Sriwijaya 182 case," Mr. Soerjanto said.
The Sriwijaya aircraft was the third to crash into the Java Sea in just over six years after departing from airports on Java, one of Indonesia's five main islands.
In December 2014, Air Asia Flight 8501 crashed into the Java Sea off the coast of Borneo with 162 people aboard as it flew from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore. Investigators eventually attributed the disaster to the failure of a key component on the Airbus A320-200 and an improper response by the flight crew.
And in October 2018, Lion Air Flight 610 nose-dived into the Java Sea northeast of Jakarta minutes after taking off for Pangkal Pinang with 189 aboard. Investigators concluded that the anti-stall system malfunctioned on the Boeing 737 Max, a newer model than the Boeing that crashed in January.
Source : Nytimes


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The LinkQuad is our new highly versatile autonomous Micro Aerial Vehicle. The platform's airframe is characterized by a modular design which allows for easy reconfiguration to adopt to a variety of applications. Thanks to a compact design (below 70 centimeters tip-to-tip) the platform is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. It is equipped with custom designed optimized propellers which contribute to an endurance of up to 40 minutes. Depending on the required flight time, one or two 2.6 Ah batteries can be placed inside an easily swappable battery module. The maximum take-off weight of the LinkQuad is 1.4 kilograms with up to 300 grams of payload.
A twist and lock approach is used for adding and removing external sensor modules in the field for on-the-fly mission adaptability. A similar modular approach is used for software components. The system is Linux compatible and has a modular software system for programming hybrid automata based on the use of Extended State Machines (ESM). The newest version of the system will also be ROS compatible.
LinkQuad in flight
Video download – HD (MOV, H.264, 720p, 88MB)
Video download – Standard Definition (MP4, H.264, 480×277, 10MB)
Brochure and datasheet
Download the LinkQuad system brochure.
Download the LinkQuad platform datasheet.


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7 Times ASTRO Has Proven That They're Fans Just Like Us
Since their iTeen days, the members of ASTRO have proven time and time again that when they fanboy, they fanboy hard. Not only does this speak to every K-pop fan on an emotional level, but it's also provided their own fans with plenty of hilarious moments. Sometimes, it's even landed them in articles or prompted questions in interviews. It's only appropriate for an idol group to have a huge love for music and senior artists, but ASTRO takes it to a whole new level.
GFRIEND and long time friendships
When they were young, Moon Bin and GFRIEND's SinB modeled together and have been friends ever since. You can easily find compilations of their interactions on music shows and Idol Star Athletics Championships, or the numerous times Moon Bin has mentioned her in interviews. ASTRO showed that they weren't just loyal friends, but also loyal fanboys when they covered "Me Gustas Tu" on NCT's "Youngstreet" radio.
Girl group love
Cha Eun Woo has received a lot attention for his looks and charms, but he also gained lots of attention on variety shows for his love for girl group dances. Almost all of his variety show appearances showcase him performing some portion of a girl group dance. But it's not just Cha Eun Woo. All of the members have shown off their moves, including Rocky and Moon Bin impressing hosts on "Weekly Idol" and "After School Club" with their rendition of Red Velvet's "Dumb Dumb." The group also cross-dressed and performed a girl group dance at a fan-meeting.
ASTRO even made up their own medley of favorite girl group songs from 2016 (with Sanha on the guitar), which they sang on "Weekly Idol" and at an overseas showcase.
Their enjoyment of girl group songs extends beyond covers for shows though. Have you ever blasted a song and just randomly danced and had loads of fun? ASTRO has too – like the time they randomly paused during a V-Live to play MAMAMOO and went crazy in an empty hallway.
BIGBANG is where it's at
Like many boy groups in K-pop, ASTRO is also a fan of BIGBANG. They've mentioned them in interviews and Rocky has even been recorded singing a few of their songs during fansigns. It's only appropriate that Moon Bin's sister, Sua, is a trainee under YG. During one broadcast with Haeyo TV, they showed their love by dancing to BIGBANG's "Fantastic Baby"…
… and giving an energetic karaoke rendition of "Haru Haru."
ASTRO really liked "Really Really"
One of the hottest songs of 2017 was WINNER's "Really Really" and ASTRO didn't hide their obsession with it The song was heard playing in the background during one of their behind-the-scenes videos for their Docca series while they were in a waiting room at a music show. They played it during V-Lives during special broadcasts and even sang along to it in the car between schedules.
When preparing for one of their comebacks, each member had a special V-Live. During Rocky's, he gave fans a peek into his time in the practice room and how he comes up with some of his choreography. Towards the end of the video he played random songs and danced around, "Really Really" being one of his picks.
JinJin and Eric Nam
When Eric Nam promoted his song "Can't Help Myself," Loco was unavailable to perform with him on broadcast shows. Wanting to keep the authenticity of the song, Eric Nam had two other rappers perform with him rather than just play a recording of Loco's voice. The first artist was SEVENTEEN's Vernon, but for all the other recordings, including K-CON LA, JinJin was the featured rapper.
#엠카운트다운 #미션파서볼 의 주인공 #에릭남 ! 오늘 6시! 릭남쓰와 #아스트로 #진진 이 함께하는 코믹댄스와 걸그룹 댄스 3종 세트를 만나보실 수 있다는 거!! 기대하셔도 좋습니당! pic.twitter.com/oYUFJxQKAX
— MCOUNTDOWN (@MnetMcountdown) July 28, 2016
Who can blame JinJin for becoming an instant fan? He's promoted all of Eric Nam's songs on ASTRO's official twitter account ever since. It's basically a tradition now. Eric Nam releases a new song -> JinJin tweets about it.
아로하!! 오랜만이죵ㅎㅎ
오늘은 오랜만에!! 진무룩 + 찐디로 인사드릴까합니당ㅎㅎ
오늘 추천할 노래는!! 이따 6시에 나올!!
에릭남형의 놓지마 입니당ㅎㅎ 굉장히 기대하고있어요 행님~ 파이팅!!! #진무룩 #찐디 #놓지마 #대박 @ericnamofficial pic.twitter.com/vxvGaTgcVd
— 아스트로 (@offclASTRO) December 27, 2017
BTS fanboys
Remember the days when BTS would talk about all the groups that they admired and aspired to be like? As the next generation of artists continue to rise, BTS has become more and more of the ideal for younger groups. The members of ASTRO have been BTS fans for years too. They even performed their own taekwondo-inspired cover while fooling around in the practice room.
In February 2017, a PD uploaded a picture with Cha Eun Woo, and eagle-eyed fans noticed that his phone screen had an image from one of BTS's V-Lives. It became a hot topic on Pann and got a few articles, amusing fans of both groups. Not only do they enjoy the music and dances by their favorite groups, but they even watch their videos too.
아스트로 차은우 분 핸드폰 화면
솝온더스트릿 문닫고 있을 때 화면ㅋㅋㅋㅋ pic.twitter.com/ggPPZLsFeg
— Fox Glove (@FoxGlove0613) February 8, 2017
Moon Bin expressed his wish to meet BTS's maknae, Jungkook, who is close to his own age. His wish seemed to come true during Idol Star Athletics Championships when fans noticed KNK's Seungjun taking Moon Bin over to Jungkook and introducing the two. Months later, Jungkook was shown in a fancam yelling Moon Bin's name while ASTRO performed at the 2016 SBS Gayo Daejun. Afterwards, Moon Bin expressed his disappointment in an interview that the two couldn't meet due to conflicting schedules.
Trainee funk
Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk" was a big thing in Korea when it came out. Numerous artists produced their own covers and videos featuring the song. Back in their iTeen days, the trainees made their own cover, recording and choreographing the video themselves, titled "Trainee Funk."
It's always nice to find ways in which we can relate to our favorite groups. Seeing ASTRO express their love and admiration for senior artists is a reminder that idols can be super fans too, and sometimes understand the disappointment that comes with just being a fan (a.k.a. Moon Bin and Jungkook).
What are some of your favorite "ASTRO being fanboys" moments? Let us know in the comments below!
heytoto currently teaches ELL in Seoul, South Korea and can usually be found sipping a latte while snorting at ASTRO's hilarious, and often ridiculous, antics.


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A brilliant idea
A friend of mine named Scott shared an absolutely brilliant thought with me when I dropped in on him unannounced at his workplace, a bank, the other day.
Everyone thinks all I want to talk about is parenting, like, you know, police only want to talk about the arrests they've made and surgeons only want to talk about operations they've performed and coroners only want to talk about autopsies they've done. So, I drop in on Scott, just to chat, and he starts in on the only topic I don't particularly want to talk about, naturally.
In fact, he was very complimentary, telling me that he and his lovely wife, Monica, started reading this column when their children were young and still keep up with it. In the course of almost putting me to sleep, Scott suddenly wakes me up by telling me he has a theory about parents.
"You probably won't think much of it," he says, "being the expert and all."
"It's probably brilliant," I say, and it was.
Scott has figured out — on his own but remember he's been reading my column for more than 20 years now, so I feel entitled to take some credit — that the reason so many parents these days want to be their children's best friends is because we live in an instant-gratification culture and the attempt to be your child's friend is very likely to bring instant gratification, as in: (a) the parent puts energy into trying to be a friend, (b) the child likes having an adult friend more than he does or would having an adult who accepted the sometimes onerous responsibilities of being an authentic parent, and so (c) the parent receives approval from the child — a synonym for approval being, in this case, instant gratification. (The preceding is known, in literary circles, as a run-on sentence. Thomas Jefferson was famous for them.)
Brilliant! Remember, this was Scott's idea, but he wants to remain anonymous. Indeed, when done properly by properly-thinking people, parenting is not likely to bring instant gratification. Raising a child out of narcissistic incivility into responsible, compassionate adulthood is, after all, a slog that requires of parents that they sometimes do what they would rather not do, like administer punitive discipline.
"Do you mean, John, that parents should never try to have fun with their kids, like take them to Disney World?"
I'm not the person to ask that question. I've been to Disney World four times: once with my own kids when they were young; twice with grandchildren; and once with another adult couple. I've had a genuinely good time at Disney World once. Guess which trip the "once" was. Right! But seriously, I'm not – and neither would Scott – saying that parents or grandparents should never have fun with their kids/grandkids. We're referring to parents who avoid entirely the responsibilities of parenthood by trying to turn it into something it is not: to wit, a friendship.
When you avoid responsibility for something for which you are, in fact, responsible, you are being irresponsible. So, Scott and I are indeed saying that trying to be your child's friend is irresponsible. Children do not need 30- or 40-something year-old friends. They need adult parents who are willing to take the occasional heat and perform the occasional distasteful function, like informing a child that he is not yet well-behaved enough to go to Disney World or even the local petting zoo.
I wrote a similar column years ago, by the way. In it, I coined the term "McParenting." It's what instant-gratification-oriented parents do. They take the easy way out of everything concerning their kids, including trying to be their best buds. The opposite of McParenting is Real-Life Parenting Done By People Who Raise Children Who May Not Realize Until They Are On Their Own That They Were Raised Well And Call You One Day And Thank You.
That's the prize. Go for it!
Visit family psychologist John Rosemond's website at www.johnrosemond.com; readers may send him email at email@example.com; due to the volume of mail, not every question will be answered.