text: Gift certificates in any denomination are available from Vermont Artisan Designs or our sister store, Kitchen Sync. They can be redeemed for any of our mostly locally-made merchandise including jewelry, paintings, pottery, blown glass, scarves, rocking chairs, and so on. And, if you're a cook or know one, Kitchen Sync offers a great variety of cookware, bakeware, glassware, cutlery, table linens, spices, maple syrup, cutting boards, and much more! We'll gift wrap your gift certificate and mail it to you or to the person you'd like to receive it. Shipping and wrapping is free!


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Vanity Fair's Maureen Orth Reveals More Details From Explosive Mia Farrow Interview
Maureen Orth talks to "Nightline" about her explosive sitdown with the actress.
Oct. 3, 2013 -- There are new questions this week about one of Hollywood's most famous and famously fractured families. Among them are whether Ronan Farrow, the son of the Oscar-winning director Woody Allen, may actually be the biological child of Frank Sinatra. Ronan's mother and Allen's longtime romantic partner, Mia Farrow, suggested in a recent interview that might be the case.
In the interview with Vanity Fair magazine special correspondent Maureen Orth, Farrow was asked point-blank if her son Ronan Farrow is really Sinatra's son. Farrow responded, "Possibly."
Her response unleashed a tidal wave of speculation. Farrow and Sinatra were once married and the romance reportedly continued after their divorce. Ronan does bear more than a passing resemblance to "Ol' Blue Eyes" Frank Sinatra and, according to Orth, it goes beyond looks.
"He was singing a Steven Sondheim song," Orth told "Nightline" in an interview Tuesday. "It was just the way he moved, the way he sort of was at ease and the way he sort of threw the phrases out there, and I thought, 'Wow, this is pretty professional sounding, and it isn't that far away.'"
WATCH: Maureen Orth on Interviewing Usually Private Actress
Sinatra, the man Farrow calls the "love of her life" in the Vanity Fair interview, was one of the most glamorous stars of his day, and he was behind some of the most iconic songs of his generation.
Sinatra and Farrow met when she was the 19-year-old star of the 1960s TV series "Peyton Place." He was 30 years her senior. The two were married in 1966.
But after a year and a half of marriage, Sinatra famously served Farrow with divorce papers while she was shooting the 1968 movie "Rosemary's Baby." But their love affair reportedly didn't end there.
"She and Frank had never really completely broken up," Orth told "Nightline." "They had remained close throughout the years on and off, and I asked her, 'Is he the great love of your life?' And she said, 'Yes.'"
The two were so close that Orth said the Sinatras treated Ronan like family.
"I also did email Nancy Sinatra Jr., and she was very forthcoming in how much they loved Ronan and consider him a member of the family," Orth said. "He told me that his, that Nancy Sinatra Sr. cooked for him and fussed over him, and I really do think they do consider him a member of their family."
But Frank Sinatra's widow dismissed it as "phony" reports that the late singer may have fathered Mia Farrow's son, Ronan.
"I can't hardly believe that. It's just a bunch of junk. There's always junk written -- lies that aren't true," Barbara Sinatra, 85, who has a home in Rancho Mirage, Ariz., told The Desert Sun.
Woody Allen was the other legendary man in Farrow's love life. Over the course of 12 years, the couple adopted two children, and Allen was a father figure to the others that Farrow had adopted. But only one -- Ronan -- was thought to be Allen's biological child.
Farrow was Allen's artistic muse in more than a dozen movies, including such Oscar-winning classics as 1986's "Hannah and Her Sisters." But their collaboration came crashing down during the filming of "Husbands and Wives," released in 1992, when Farrow found lewd Polaroids of her adoptive daughter Soon-Yi on Allen's fireplace mantle at his apartment. The scandal became a prolonged tabloid obsession.
Allen and Farrow's break-up hit the entire family hard. Their biological and adoptive children, many with severe disabilities, were devastated, according to Orth.
"The Soon-Yi revelations were absolutely devastating to this family, according to the eight children I spoke to. Not a single one said it was anything less than utterly shocking," Orth said. "Because here he was, the de facto dad in the family for a long, long time. ... So the fact that suddenly their sister ... sort of betrayed their mother and ran off with Woody and he didn't act like anything had gone wrong."
Ronan Farrow was 4 years old at the time, and, according to Orth, always had a difficult relationship with the famed auteur.
"Ronan and Woody seemed to have always been like oil and water," Orth said.
Ronan turned out to be a highly gifted prodigy, and started attending college when he was 11 years old.
"Mia drove him every day to Bard College, which is 90 minutes each way," Orth said. "She told me that she herself got a college education because he was so excited about going to school that he would tell her the whole -- everything that he had learned during the day on the way home."
He went on to graduate from Yale Law School at age 21 and won a prestigious Rhodes scholarship.
But 20 years after Farrow discovered Allen's relationship with Soon-Yi, Ronan remains estranged from Allen, who eventually married Ronan's adoptive sister.
Last year, Ronan tweeted "Happy father's day – or as they call it in my family, happy brother-in-law's day." His mother retweeted him, adding a simple word: "Boom."
Orth also interviewed another of Farrow and Allen's children, their adoptive daughter Dylan, for her Vanity Fair interview. Now 28, Dylan spoke publicly for the first time about an alleged incident that arose during a heated custody battle. There were allegations that Allen sexually abused Dylan in the attic of the family home when she was 7 years old, which Allen strongly denied.
"These totally false and outrageous allegations have sickened me so that I felt for the sake of all three children I must try to remove them from an atmosphere so unhealthy it can truly leave irreparable scars," Allen told reporters in 1992 when the allegations were first investigated.
"According to what Dylan told me, she truly is terrified of Woody Allen to this day," Orth told "Nightline." "She can't bear to even look at one of his pictures in a magazine.
When asked if Dylan explicitly told Orth that Allen molested her in the attic, Orth said, "She told me that she remembers very clearly what happened to her in the attic and what she was wearing when she got there and what wasn't on when she left. ... And so then she told me, 'my advice to the 7 year old Dylan today would be "be brave, testify."'"
When asked again to clarify whether Dylan told Orth if she had been molested and not just that she was made to feel uncomfortable, Orth said, "She told me that she was made to feel very uncomfortable."
Woody Allen's representatives told "Nightline" that Allen continues to categorically deny those charges. They pointed out that at the time, doctors at the Child Sexual Abuse Clinic at Yale New Haven Hospital conducted an investigation, interviewing Dylan, her parents and their nannies, and that they concluded that, in their opinion, Dylan had not been sexually abused.
"There are only two people who know what happened in that attic, Woody Allen and Dylan," Orth said. "They are the only two people."
Criminal charges were never filed against Allen, though in the early '90s, Frank Maco, the Litchfield County (Connecticut) state's attorney at the time, issued a statement saying he did not want to risk exposing Dylan, whom he called the "child victim," to the criminal process. But Allen did lose his custody battle and was only allowed supervised visits with his children.
"Woody went through four different legal proceedings to try to get visitation rights and more visitation rights with both Ronan and Dylan, and Ronan did not want to have anything to do with it," Orth said.
We may never know what happened between Allen and his kids, but what is known is that they are seemingly devoted to their mother.
Ronan and his mother are extremely close and travel the globe to crusade for humanitarian causes together.
"Mia did a very unusual thing. She took in four biological children and 10 adopted children, some with very severe physical and emotional difficulties, and she was able to meld them into a whole family," Orth said. "Of the eight that I talked to, they all said that they were very proud to be part of that family that they consider themselves to be cool and unique."
As to the identity of Ronan's father, Ronan responded to the Vanity article Tuesday with a wink, tweeting, "Listen, we're all 'possibly' Frank Sinatra's son."

subset: commoncrawl


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Interacting With Other Sims
Being Social[edit]
Seth's and Holly's jobs start tomorrow, and they've spent the whole day apart so far. They're young and still crazy for each other, so they decide to spend the rest of the day together and being romantic.
Holly gets home second, and immediately decides to move in for a hug. Or rather, I give her the order to. To do this, with Holly as the selected Sim, I click Seth. First, you pick the category of the action you want to do. In this case, I pick "Romantic…" New options pop up, and I select "Amorous Hug." Simple as that: that's how you increase relationships and keep the fires burning at home.
As the two hug, in the top-left corner, you see an update on their relationship, as well as what the target thinks of the action. Here, because Holly is the selected Sim, the game tells us what Seth (the target) thinks of her hug. Seth specifically believes Holly is being flirty. If they were strangers and Seth wasn't into romance, he'd actually be repulsed by this, and the relationship would go down. However, these two are hot for each other, and this only increases their relationship.
They continue being flirty and such until the evening, when their stomachs start calling. Holly has the Natural Cook trait, so she makes a meal… but before we get to that, let me take a quick detour here. Holly has also studied, so she's got one point of Cooking. Go into the Skills Panel, then click the little icon to the right of your skill baubles.
This pulls up the skill journal, which is a rather incredible source of information. For the sake of cooking, it shows various milestones Holly can achieve, as well was what she is lacking. Here, she can get an award for preparing at least 50 meals. She knows 21% of the game's recipes, and the meal she has prepared the most is listed as well (although right now, she hasn't prepared anything, so nothing is listed). Also listed, specifically for cooking, are the ingredients it takes to prepare the dish.
Knowing all this is extremely important for social Sims. Once Holly gets really good at cooking, she can start being sure to prepare the favorite meal of a Sim she is trying to befriend. This will give a bit of a mood boost to the target, and make them like Holly more.
That's all in the future, though; for now, Holly can only make macaroni and cheese. To do this, click the oven, and you'll get a pie menu with "Serve Meal…" and "Make Meal…" The former lets you make a large serving that feeds multiple people. The latter uses fewer ingredients but only makes the meal for one. "Make Meal…" is obviously preferred for single Sims.
With the meal prepared, Holly uses the command "Call Household to Meal" on the serving bowl. This summons Seth too, and they eat together while chatting. This is by far one of the most important social interactions, because when a group of Sims eat, they all gain relationship points with each other! This is a great icebreaker to make friends… which I'll demonstrate in a moment.
You've got a handle on the basics of life now, so read on to get advanced tips in the world of The Sims 3!


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How Hookup Culture Is Leaving a Generation Unhappy, Sexually Unfulfilled and Confused about Intimacy
- By Donna Freitas
- Basic Books, 221 pages, $29
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/4/2013 (2509 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
English poet Philip Larkin famously told us that: "Sexual intercourse began/ In nineteen sixty-three/ Between the end of the Chatterley ban/ And the Beatles' first LP."
Now, a mere 50 years later, Brooklyn professor Donna Freitas tells us that sex is coming to an end.
Well, not really. Just as Larkin's verse was meant to be a facetious take on the post-Pill increase in promiscuity, so Freitas's title is intended to provoke concern about the negative effects of hookup culture pervading American campuses.
To study the hookup phenomenon, Freitas visited a number of colleges and universities, "conducted an online survey, did in-depth interviews, and collected a series of journals that students wrote for the purposes of the study."
She presents her findings in a clear, well-organized and engaging way, and offers some good and rational suggestions for change. Her book in some ways is an update on what Tom Wolfe found when he researched campus morality for his 2004 novel I Am Charlotte Simmons.
A college hookup is the pairing off of students, usually male and female, and usually at a weekend party in the dorm, for the purpose of sex. It is "purely physical in nature and involves both [students] shutting down any communication or connection that might lead to emotional attachment."
An essential ingredient is alcohol, which flows freely at what is often a theme party, where the young men and women play roles. These are influenced by porn movies, the men acting as business executives or sports heroes and always in authority, the women scantily clad secretaries or nurses or French maids and always submissive.
The sexiness of women's outfits is mostly dictated by fashion marketers, who even have grade-school girls wearing thong underwear.
In hookups, oral sex — usually the girl giving, the guy receiving — is the new making out. As Freitas amusingly reminds us, this practice was made popular by the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky affair.
For men, hookup culture provides camaraderie, and it's important to be involved so that you can maintain your social status. Women take part to avoid being seen as virgins.
Personal reputations are made or ruined swiftly through social media. It is essential to be known as a hookup participant who shows no emotion and wants no commitment.
Hooking up represses romantic feeling, love and sexual desire in favour of greater access to sex. "Women and men both learn ... to be ashamed if they long for love, and embarrassed if they fail to uphold the social contract and do not happen to enjoy no-strings-attached sex that much."
Lack of meaningful intimacy is enhanced by the latest technology. "Rather than looking at the people right in front of us, we look at our phones, preferring to touch a screen rather than the hand of a partner."
The hookup culture is reinforced by college administrations, who, at orientation time, give out information not on building relationships but on protecting yourself from pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
Freitas discovered that many of those she interviewed wanted more romance in their college experience (though they would never tell their peers this). She seems a little surprised that no one dates anymore, but, as far back as 1973, Joyce Maynard wrote in her memoir Looking Back: "The death of the formal date (with dinner and the theatre, high heels and a good-night kiss afterward) has put a new ambiguity on male-female relationships." In 2006, Seattle's Diane Mapes published a book with the paradoxical title How to Date in a Post-Dating World.
Dating is one of the solutions Freitas suggests for combating hookup culture. Most of those she interviewed admitted knowing nothing about how to approach a person they were attracted to. No wonder they turn to alcohol-soaked hookup parties.
Freitas says abstinence preached by faith-based colleges — keeping virginity until marriage — might be worth promoting if it hadn't been politicized by the religious right. A better idea might be to encourage dating and then temporary abstinence while the couple sorts out their feelings for each other.
Freitas points to the great irony in the fact that institutions of higher learning foster critical thinking but never turn that critical thinking upon a student's own life. She advocates at least motivating staff and students to start the conversation about developing relationships and understanding what meaningful intimacy can be.
It is perhaps a significant symptom of how damaging the hookup culture has become that only one of the hundreds of students surveyed by Freitas referred to sex as "making love."
Winnipeg writer Dave Williamson's latest novel, Dating, has been shortlisted for Manitoba's 2012 McNally Robinson book of the year award.
How Hookup Culture Is Leaving a Generation Unhappy, Sexually Unfulfilled and Confused about Intimacy


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"The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom."
- Henry Ward Beecher
I am still struggling to find a way to fit our lessons into our busy weeks. I am so thankful for these posts, where I'm able to focus on what we actually did, and see that it was enough, instead of only remembering what we did not get to. I have heard that homeschooling pre-K and Kindergarten (I feel we have a foot in both of these places) can be done in just one hour per day. And so 5 hours a week is my goal – you would think it wouldn't be so hard to manage 5 hours, wouldn't you? You homeschooling mothers that do 5 hours every day… you are amazing!!
Here's a bit of what we've been up to…
M has been writing up a storm. We were recently given an old school desk that my husband had as a child, and we placed it in our breezeway for M:The top opens and there is storage space inside the desk. I filled it up with lots of goodies: notebook, dry erase board, markers, pencils, his ABC collage and trace book, game book, etc.
The first thing he did was grab a pen and his little notebook and set to work writing. Here is his very first all-on-his-own journal entry:Need a translation? :) It says, "Matthew loves Mommy and Daddy I'm 5 years old!" Not bad, huh? Some letters are missing and some things are written right to left instead of the other way around, but it is an awfully sweet first sentence if you ask the Mommy or the Daddy. :) M did this mostly on his own, only asking me how to spell "years" and "old".
We do a bit of copy work each week too (or more often, if he asks). I let him decide what he would like to write, and he dictates it to me while I write it out on his whiteboard. He then copies it into his little notebook. Interestingly, this gives me a bit of insight into what 5 year old boys think about:"Car! Go car! Go scooter!" Hee hee. :) This is similar to what you would find in an early reader, isn't it? I find it interesting that he despises early readers and does not want anything to do with them because there is often no "real" story involved. Yet, he LOVES writing similar things and is so proud of himself when he does.
And, do you think the love of exclamation points is possibly genetic? (!!!) I like to think we are just very enthusiastic about life around here. ;) Actually M found out about exclamation points from a bottle of OFF! bug spray. He recognized the word "off", and was very excited to learn that an exclamation point gives emphasis to what you are saying, almost like shouting. Let's just say he likes to emphasize everything he says. It makes things much more exciting, you know. :)
We did some fun science activities and experiments related to light and colors this week. I'll be writing about them on Sunday, and linking it up to Ticia's Science Sunday post, so be sure to check back!
For now, I want to tell you about a great gift M received for his birthday in late August. Have you heard of Snap Circuits?
The set consists of metal connectors that snap together (so you don't have to worry about your child playing with actual wires, although two "jumper cables" are included also), and you can build electrical circuits, using two AA batteries. You can make the circuits do a variety of things. There is a motor that makes a plastic fan spin, a music box, other sound boxes, lights, etc. M has the junior set which came with a book of over 100 electricity-themed projects to do. There are add-on sets too, which I'm sure he'll be getting in the future. He is really into batteries and figuring out how electricity works, so this is perfect for him! You can learn more at the website I've linked to above. Sets of Snap Circuits have won a number of awards, and it is such a great tool for learning. I'm not receiving anything for writing about this (although I think I may sound like a commercial), I just think it's an outstanding product and I'm so happy we heard about it. M works with his set every day, and it's such a fun and easy way to fit a bit of science and engineering into our days.
I am finding math work to be the easiest to prepare and actually do these days, but that means some worksheets, and well, you probably know how I feel about worksheets. I am planning on using a lot of the great games found in Peggy Kaye's book, in future weeks, to supplement: (Thanks for the recommendation, Kim!)
This week however, we did a 1-100 dot-to-dot page, for numeral recognition and practice counting. M loves dot-to-dots, and he's working very hard to get to the point where he can work one of these all the way to 100 on his own:
I've started posting some blank pattern block puzzles on our fridge for M to work on throughout the week, whenever he wants. I also place the blocks he'll need next to it (which means I have to solve the puzzle beforehand, not always an easy thing to do!). He has done great so far and really enjoys this:
We also played "store", which is great for learning about money and making change, as well as grouping items into categories! Where are my sofa cushions, you ask? You'll find out below. ;)
M and Daddy had fun this week working on more engineering skills. They built a huge (HUGE!) airplane out of Tinker Toys:
And M spent a little time aboard a ship he made in the living room: Ah, that's where those sofa cushions went! We are currently reading The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle, by Hugh Lofting. There is plenty of ship adventure involved. Very exciting stuff. :) I so enjoy seeing him act out books he loves.
We went on a little field trip to a local art center which has gardens and trails on its property. We'd never been here before and it was a wonderful experience. We had perfect weather and were surrounded by beauty. There were trails splitting off in every direction and we wanted to stay and explore them all. We'll definitely be going back!
There was a pretty little creek with lots of bridges:
We walked along the creek, through a little tunnel, which was very cool:
Beautiful. Perfect for sitting and reflecting:
We talked a bit about how lakes and ponds, and creeks, rivers, and streams are different… water that is always going somewhere vs. water that stays in its home. :) I wonder which is happier?
The art center was next, but we were not overly impressed with what it had to offer. We liked these two pieces best:
A hanging sphere made up of fabric pieces cut to look like clothing…
and this pony, encrusted with beads, buttons, and all kinds of things.
I hope you all had an interesting and sparkly week as well. ;)
Linking this post up to Preschool Corner and Weekly Wrap-Up. Check them out for some great homeschooling posts!


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Margo Price explores the dark side of country music
Clip: 01/09/2019 | 4m 34s
Margo Price is a rising star in the world of country music, nominated for a Grammy Award for her songs about rural America, her own personal struggles with alcohol, loss and trying to make it in Nashville. The NewsHour caught up with her at Washington, D.C.'s 9:30 Club.
Aired: 01/09/19Video has closed captioning.
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Allstate Students of the Month - Malea Stotts & Shawn Bishop
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text:
It's easy to assume videogames are made by overworked, underpaid, pasty geeks who subsist on pizza and soda and are ridden hard by publishers eager to capitalize on market trends and consumer ignorance by releasing the same game over and over again. Actually, most of that is true. With the industry expanding and game budgets on the way to rivaling Hollywood movies, publishers are intent on playing it safe, which explains the glut of me-too shooting games on the Xbox 360 -- if you can't beat 'em, copy 'em. This got us thinking: What if there was a step-by-step guide to crafting a stellar shooter, or at least a shooter that blatantly rips off stellar shooters?
After kissing Cliff Bleszinski's ass, grilling enough frog legs to put the species on the endangered species list to satisfy Ubisoft's voracious French appetite, and breaking into Infinity Ward boss Robert Bowling's house using night vision goggles, we've compiled the strategies behind building grim-dark war games for an audience of armchair commandos.
Sure, a whole lot of work goes into developing a game, but coming up with a kick-ass name is arguably one of the most important parts. Equally important: making sure the word "of" is between two nouns. That could make all the difference between selling a million copies and being relegated to the bargain bin.
Another vital step is designing the perfect box art. They say that those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. With war games, repeating the past is necessary, and not just because many war games are retelling WORLD WAR II for the umpteenth time; D-Day is to shooters as Hoth is to Star Wars.
A quick look at the Xbox 360 software library yields some interesting information. Based on statistics made up on the spot for this study, a whopping 75% of Xbox 360 retail releases feature a man holding a gun on the cover. 80% of the time, he's a member of the military. And, perhaps most importantly, those games make a profit 100% of the time.
If you're making a shooter (and 75% of Xbox 360 developers are), remember these key rules to creating box art that we found on an encrypted email intercepted from Treyarch, keepers of the Call of Duty franchise when Infinity Ward is on vacation.
There is more to designing a shooter than kick-ass box art, a killer, if misleading ad campaign (more on that later), and succinct title. Gameplay might not rank as important as graphics in today's visuals-obsessed market, but like nipples on a man it still has to be there. The trifecta of characters, enemies, and levels are the crux of most games, and shooting games are no different.
Characters should embody time-honored archetypes. The protagonist should be the unwilling hero, swept into events bigger than himself and forced to fight for the greater good to save everything. His partners can run the gamut -- one could be a grizzled veteran who lives on the battlefield, another the smarmy cynic always cracking jokes, and of course a leader who holds rules and regulations above all else. ProTip: The leader should be the one you kill off at the end of the first level.
When choosing enemies, developers have free reign and can really flex their creative muscle. With a variety of bad guys to choose from, it's often tough to pick just one. In that case, feel free to combine two distinct enemy types. "Nazi zombies" has already been done, so consider spicing things up. Gamers love shooting terrorists, and aliens are still a hot commodity, so make the antagonists part of a Martian terror cell intent on destroying the planet because of ideological differences: Martians despise the electoral college more than humans do.
And lastly, there's picking the levels your bullet drama plays out in. War-torn villages and shantytowns are nice, but put them on the moon and you're golden. If you're covering World War II (again), be sure to include the invasion of Normandy on D-Day since according to gaming that was the most important part of the entire war. If your game tackles real-world political issues in geographical hotspots, play that up as much as possible. Favelas are basically shit-holes where the poor eke out a miserable existence, but in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 they are awesome places to shoot terrorists and "accidentally" put civilians out of their misery. Afghanistan is tragically proving increasingly dangerous for real-life U.S. troops, but its mountainous terrain is a great place for campers to get a kill streak going.
So, you've finished your dream shooter... or just a shooter modeled after another company's dream shooter that was picked up to fill a gap in a publisher's portfolio. Now, you have to let people know about it.
To ensure maximum consumer penetration, millions of dollars should be dropped on TV spots featuring zero gameplay footage, magazine ads with months-old, out-of-context quotes taken from the same magazines they are featured in, and a series of live-action viral videos. If the game has a modern, realistic bent, consider using beat-boxing terrorists in caves rapping about destroying America ("We da Mujahideen/we come clean/Praisin' Allah with our AKs in ya grill/we's ballahs").
Another good idea is a contest. If your game is called "Twilight of Liberty," the suits in marketing could challenge contestants to send in photos of themselves LARPing in a post-apocalyptic, martial law-run America. The winner would need to be very convincing: building a replica Vault-Tec fallout shelter in your backyard is good, but stocking it with food stolen from convenience stores with illegal weapons you purchased at a gun show is better.
The game just hit shelves. Reviews are pouring in. Super Hardcore Gamer Quarterly called it "A masterpiece of game design... best shooter ever!" Popular website EGN.com declared it the "Game of the Forever." You just received an interview request by a mainstream media outlet that typically refuses to cover anything gaming-related because they are a legitimate news source and don't like to lower themselves to reporting on videogames. Fanboys on various videogame message boards are engaging in vicious flame wars defending or attacking your game even though none of them have actually played it. Analysts are predicting huge sales figures. Your company has already started planning the sequel, which will actually be a prequel.
Time to do it all over again... again.


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Zero Punctuation: Top 5 of 2010
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Finally, a funny episode. Seems like a while. :)
Actually, a very funny episode. Well done.
I've been on the fence for a while about limbo but I still haven't used the 1600 point card my brother got me(with a $30 gamestop gift card as well), so I'll give it a go. But I'm confused I thought you said that Just Cause 2 was bad? How is it game of the year?
Metroid deserves the number one spot if you ask me. Yes Kane and Lynch 2 was ass, but it was ass that was preceded by slightly less... ass. Other M is a thorough rape of one of video game's most iconic character and video game series... and that's so deliciously tragic.
Interesting that every game on his worst list is a sequel, albeit his top two are sequels as well so I'll admit I'm not sure why it's interesting or what it proves.
Anyway, really good episode. I picked up JC2 on impulse during the Steam sale and it is a whole lot of fun.
WHOA, nice one, I would never have thought to say that, fantastic, good sir.
Well I was pleasantly surprised by this list, especially the number 1 game of the year! It's one of my games of the year and one of the most fun games I have ever played, ever. I would still pick the number 3 best game of the year for my personal game of the year, cos I think it's the best game ever.
But that's just me.
Batman was 2009
I'm absolutely surprised to see not a single mention to the awesomeness that is Supeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer Meat Boooooooooooooy. *cough*
Still, I like this a lot more than any other I've seen so far. At least here it's bullshit free and both sides are actually believable.
Not surprised Yahtzee absolutely despised Kane and Lynch 2 (I also thought it tearing-blood awful); really surprised he loved the hell out of Just Cause 2 and Dead Rising 2
Though I can totally see why anyone loved those games, their just simply FUN = no pretensions to realism or seriousness or epicness; just pure, unadulterated, psychotic, ADHD, crazy fun
I agree Other M had a rather dodgy story, but the gameplay was good and the final scenes were great. I could easily find you some far worse games this year I assure you. Surprised Mass Effect 2 didn't show up.
Also, are you going to review fable 3? Cause I liked that.
He says why he makes the reviews like this, in one of his early reviews I think he says something like People don't like it when he likes a game and gives it a positive review no one likes it as much as when he rips the crap out of a game.
Wow, I was NOT expecting JC2.
Fantastic. I love his made up awards!
i actually thought hed for sure put fable3 on as worst game. a lot of people hated it. also,
hed love that game, and we havent had a positive review in a while. i have no doubt itd make it to the top of his game of the year list, if he had played it this year
I think Bolo Santosi would approve. *nods*
I personally haven't played any of those games, although I am planning to play Amnesia, Dark Decent.
The Clockwork Orange music was an amusing touch.
You could do this easily last week, but I understand you had a week off yourself.
You better have a treat for us next week!
I loved Bioshock 2 so I think Yahtzee can go do something.....yeah, that's good
I highly disagree with Yahtzee on the Bioshock 2 part
Dead rising 2 and just cause 2 are just simple fun, no strong narrative, no stupid realism, just over the top violence. And RDR is just simply awesome.
- shame 'bout bioshock 2 though -
It was his game for 2009, as it came out that year.
and by the way Yahtzee, if you're go to lie about Samus LIE BETTER. If Samus was "badass" then so is every other cement block they try and excuse as "characters". Marionettes are not characters, THEY'RE PUPPETS FOR THE PLAYER TO PROJECT ONTO.
That was probably one of the funniest videos he has done in a while. And oddly enough, I sorta agree with the games he picked (Obviously the one's I actually played anyway, but the others seem correct too).
Twice out of the three years I have been watching ZP has my GOTY lined up with Yahtzee's. Saint's Row and Just Cause 2, I preferred Borderlands over Arkham Asylum last year.
Yeah, maybe I do have a thing for sandboxes, what of it?
It was also used in Conkers Bad Fur Day- atleast that's where i remembered it from.
The only thing I have to say and the only time I have ever disagreed was that Kane & Lynch 2 was not shit, and was better than everything on both lists. It was a huge improvement over the first, (apart from the plot and levels) all the game mechanics worked much better with the exception of some filters, but those werent so bad after some time. It is really just a shooter's shooter and obviously doesnt really offer anything to those who dont love to shoot asians in the face all day long. The co-op made it even better, which is an important part of the fun in games. This, as usual never gets reviewed. It is basically just like getting a blind dog to review cat porn. You have no say in the matter. It wasnt the best game by far but, it was decent, and I thought it was much more uniquely styled and had better gameplay than most games in the past few years.
Oh and Red Dead Redemption sucked. It followed in GTA4's footsteps and offered a vast world of fun and it turns out to just be a hollow shell of a game. Boring and tedious gameplay and missions. I finished it 1000/1000 even did the free co-op achievements too, but it was just awful. The only redeeming feature, also like GTA4 was the online free roam. At least in that you dont have to hold a button to walk, keep taking your gun back out, and not having to manually wipe your horses arse hole clean with a rolled up sombrero.
The best games this year were Fallout New Vegas, and Battlefield Bad Company 2. Infact they are in the top 5 of best games on next gen consoles.
All multiplayer and co-op games reviewed are void, if the whole game hasnt been experienced.
Yeah, already said he didn't like it on his Twitter, I do believe. Sorry brosef.
Please tell me what's the name of that clockwork orange music. I love that music.
Oooh, did anyone else catch that Garry's Mod reference?
I genuinely want to see a Gmod review.
oh hooooo you had me there for a second, i'm really looking forward to playing limbo and amnesia when i finally have the time
Just a couple of thoughts:
2) Laughed out loud at the #3 good blurb before the reveal: All I can say is "you motorboating sumbitch!"
I pretty much agree, except the XBLA titles. Can't really give a damn about those.
The last game review/pick was awesome. I honestly expected Fable III because it's so damn SHIT but Kane & Lynch take that prize indeed.
*thumbs up*
Nice lists. I was surprised to see Just Cause 2 as the #1, but I'll roll with it.
And I'm glad Fable 3 and Halo Reach didn't make the worst list.
Great video, much better than the usual awards. I might buy Just Cause 2 now, just because of that harrier jet description.
Also, the jokes about Metroid Other M were brilliant. That game was much more shit than I was expecting.
Lastly, where the hell is Mario Galaxy 2?
Not a bad list, I'm going to check out some of them
I'm glad Limbo was mentioned. Damn fine puzzle game.
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As we approach the end of 2009, we wanted to share our holiday card with all our family and friends. Some of you will be getting these in the mail (late, sorry!), but we wanted to share the spirit of the holidays with everyone! This year has brought us a wonderful gift – Aiden!
Though at night we may be tired because of his colic, we are treasuring every moment with our little prince. Every day I get out for a long walk with him and get to watch him as he discovers the world a little more each day. It's amazing to see everything from the perspective of a parent.
I hope 2009 has brought some measure of joy to each and every one of you!
Here also is our birth announcement card, which was also just completed in time for Christmas. Both cards were created with Little Star Greetings.


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About Us
With its beginnings in professional development in NYC in 1986, Mondo expanded in the mid 90s into publishing elementary literacy resources that make it easier for teachers to meet the needs of all their students. The mission of Mondo's founder and CEO, Mark Vineis, is to provide elementary classrooms with high-quality literacy resources and ongoing professional learning that supports more effective teaching and improved student learning. Mondo has stayed true to its professional development roots based on a strong belief that all children can learn to a high standard given sufficient time and opportunity. Teachers hold the key to this. Mondo supports districts, schools, and teachers across the US, in all settings, by providing customized, system-wide professional development coupled with supportive and engaging resources. To improve literacy practices and student outcomes, Mondo partners with school districts to customize professional development solutions focused on refining the cultures and systems around effective literacy leadership and instructional practices. Central to this is engaging all stakeholders—district, school, and classroom level—in nurturing the culture and systems that drive literacy improvement. Better outcomes are achieved by engaging all stakeholders in ongoing professional development to help calibrate a shared understanding of effective instructional practices and to reap the full potential of the resources.
For over twenty years Mondo has been developing engaging materials for classrooms. They create resources built on the Common Core that allow teachers to concentrate their time on effective instruction that meets the needs of their students. The aim has always been to provide teachers with strong support that is flexible enough to meet their unique context, and to provide students with authentic and engaging books they want to read. Mondo's resources are a great alternative to traditional basals, which have had limited success in improving early literacy. The comprehensive teacher materials provide manageable support and flexible design for teachers of all experience levels to be successful.
The word "mondo" means "world" in Italian. Here at Mondo we are working to help all students become fully literate and expand their world in all its diversity. We want to help them access to the real world of information and the imaginative world of literature, and to empower them with the ability to comprehend, communicate, and contribute to their word.


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I am a homebirth midwife serving NE Kansas and the surrounding area. I am a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). I have been attending homebirths in the Lawrence area since December of 1997. I am the mama of 3 homebirthed, homeschooled children and partnered with a lovely man for over 20 years. I have attended Ancient Art Midwifery Institute. I have been involved in the production of Birth, the play, a global BOLD movement.
I believe pregnancy and birth are natural physiological processes that open and move through a woman's body, mind and spirit. Pregnancy and birth are parts of the deeply personal and intimate journey involving every aspect of a woman's being. This journey can be a time of great vulnerability and a time of great empowerment. I believe in a woman's ability and right to birth safely, healthfully and joyfully where she chooses, how she chooses and with whom she chooses. Birth is a rite of passage for the whole family: For the partner, who has been there through the tender emotional outpourings, the queasy days, the first fluttering kicks, the frolics felt just beneath the ribs and, finally, the labor and birth—the grand event. For the baby, who is profoundly affected in ways that we are only beginning to recognize. Everyone is moved by this transition of life, from womb to room. The midwifery care I offer is a culmination of 10 years of midwifery study, an apprenticeship with a local midwife, births of my own three children and my passion. The care I offer is my contribution to creating a better world one baby, one mama, one family at a time. Please check out my website, lawrence-homebirth.com. I am easy to reach by phone. For more information please call me at 785-843-0995. I look forward to meeting you and your family.


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If you have an idea for a book, but just can't get it together, this is the class for you. Steve Alcorn gives you the tools and the confidence to pull your ideas together and give them structure. Before you know it, you are inspired and writing. What a class! Steve Alcorn is a gifted instructor.
I have taken both Write Like a Pro and Steve's Mystery Writing course. I have now published three of the stories I worked on in Write Fiction Like a Pro, as a result of the course. Thank you, Steve, for offering it.
Can you see me? I'm giving you a standing ovation! Haven't done this much thinking, rethinking, breaking pencils, and eventually cheering since I graduated from college. Thank you for an inspiring and brilliant class!
I don't know how much more I can rave about this course and the invaluable lessons and inspiration it has provided me. The thing that shocks me most is that I am only a new starter to this writing business and to have stumbled upon such a gem of a course so early in my learning makes me feel very lucky indeed. This course has given me a story, a passion and a dream. It has sparked a creativity I had no way of finding before. I am going to write this book and love doing it.
I let four people read my course work. I was overwhelmed with their comments. All four people said they would buy my book. What a compliment! Steve, thank you for your great lessons and for the confidence you have helped me to discover. I recommend this class to anyone who wants to learn to write successfully.
It was nice to have an instructor who wasn't afraid to have fun right along with the students. For me, it created a relaxed environment where even the smallest question never felt out of place or foolish.
I've told people that this class was life-changing when it comes to my ability to structure and complete a work of fiction. I always became blocked and wondered how people knew where their story was going next and how to make sure they were headed in the right direction. This answered all my questions and forced me to get to work on my idea. All around fantastic - worth every penny!
I was given this course as a Christmas present from my husband. It has turned out to be the best gift ever. The course is incredibly well structured and well presented. Being a person of great ideas, but little completion, this course forced me to start and FINISH an idea. I truly appreciated instructor feedback, as I've never been able to previously allow myself the vulnerability of sharing any work. Thank you for this opportunity.
If you want to write a novel, you MUST take this course. It will set you on the right foot and save you all kinds of time you might spend floundering around on your own. Thanks, Steve, and I highly recommend this course.
Wow! This has been an amazing six weeks! My story started literally as a lark in response to Steve's question in the first lesson. I have watched it grow and develop almost on its own, an entire world of my imagination being born before my eyes. That's the most astonishing part, it came from inside ME somewhere! And I never knew I had it in me. Remarkable!
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Throughout history, no subgroup of people has experienced as much oppression, institutionalized discrimination, and outright hatred as the world's Ferrari owners. Woe are these poor souls, these seekers of speed, as they strive to overcome whilst maintaining a modicum of dignity in their lives!
Okay, I'm exaggerating. But one Ferrari owner in Aspen, Colorado, claims his local cops are targeting Ferraris just like his.
According to the Aspen Daily News, multi-millionaire and red Ferrari driver Marc Ostrofsky claims the town's police force is actively "discriminating against that type of car owner and pulling them over more compared to the average motorist."
Ostrofsky claims he was nailed for doing 49 mph in a 25 mph zone in late August, but when he was cited the officer only wrote him a ticket for going 34 mph. Ostrofsky denied speeding at all, and demanded to a municipal court judge that the officer take a lie detector test, for which he pledged $10,000 of his own money.
But the judge wasn't having any of that, and so Ostrofsky pled not guilty to speeding 5 to 9 mph over the limit only to later change his plea to no contest because he's too busy to deal with the court proceedings.
Nevertheless, he still claims discrimination, and threatened to mobilize other Aspen Ferrari owners to stand up to this perceived injustice. From the story:
"I don't speed in that car. No way," Ostrofsky said. "You specifically don't speed when you have that kind of car. You're very, very aware of this town and speeding."
He said he consulted with an attorney ahead of Wednesday's hearing. The lawyer advised him to get all the other Ferrari owners in Aspen — he estimated there are six or so — to come to court and speak about "how they're targeted."
Ostrofsky said that was too tough to arrange, but reiterated that he feels like a "target."
Online police statistics show that "a red sports car is the No. 1 car that cops go after," he said. "And so when you drive a red sports car in this town and you live here, you drive very slowly."
But Aspen Police Chief Richard Pryor (awesome name) claims the department targets no one, and they actually only hand out tickets to some 12 percent of stopped drivers. As for the speed discrepancy, Pryor said claims officers cite for less than the recorded speed to make the penalty less detrimental to the owner's license.
In the meantime, Ostrofsky has to take an online defensive driving course.
Photo credit Highway Patrol Images
Hat tip to Cass!


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Presentation Slides / Handout
Related Services / Support Staff, Administrators, Educators
Family/Community Engagement
All Ages
Kansas Parent Information Resource Center
Example of a Parent Homework Help Tips flyer for Module 8
Funded by
KSDE Special Education and Title Services (SETS).
Administered by the Pittsburg State University, Center for Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education (TAESE) and Keystone Learning Services.
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We work with clients so they can adopt leading technologies across data center, network, workplace and infrastructure operations.
These technologies are the key to greater operational efficiencies.
Technology independence
A strong and varied partnership ecosystem
A next-generation data center roadmap and extensive implementation experience
Implementation through run experience
Remote managed services strategy
We help clients with a complete set of services and capabilities, combined with the latest technologies from our cloud ecosystem.
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«Let me solve it for you»
Today's crossword puzzle clue is a quick one: Oar. We will try to find the right answer to this particular crossword clue. Here are the possible solutions for "Oar" clue. It was last seen in The Daily Telegraph quick crossword. We have 4 possible answers in our database.
We provide the likeliest answers for every crossword clue. Undoubtedly, there may be other solutions for Oar. If you discover one of these, please send it to us, and we'll add it to our database of clues and answers, so others can benefit from your research.
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an algoritmic music generator that interprets cellular automata as notes, its an alsa MIDI device.
Cellular automata rules are described by a simple RAM machine language and are evolved. There are some interesting things about the language itself, I'll post the details later.
Fitness function is a human clicking on "the nice ones".


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Paul Simon – Graceland 4
On June - 26 - 2012
Graceland ultimately became one of the most successful albums of Paul Simon's career. It sold 14 million albums, and won the Album of the Year Grammy in 1987. While it turned a new generation of fans on to the music of South Africa, Simon was often criticized that the songs didn't do enough to point out the injustices of Apartheid. But as he remembers how the songs came together, he was merely reflecting the joyous, apolitical South African pop songs that inspired the project.
Paul Simon - Graceland - Part 4 [ 6:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Paul Simon – Graceland: 25th Anniversary editions in stores 6/5 from Legacy Recordings
- CD/DVD set includes original album, bonus tracks and bonus DVD of Under African Skies documentary film.
- Collectors Edition Deluxe Box Set adds previously unreleased live tracks, additional concert film DVD and rare collectibles for the true fans.
Categories: Paul Simon • Simon & Garfunkel | Tags: Joyride Media


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Used to treat miliary dermatitis (also known as 'scabby cat disease,' 'feline eczema,' and 'blotch') as well as for preventing skin outbreaks due to flea allergy.
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Be sure to check out the dog parks near you!
Pet podcast #37 features an interview with Dr. Lee a veterinarian in Mesa and Phoenix Arizona. In this interview we discuss diseases that cats can give dogs and dogs can give cats. Some of these diseases include; ringworm, bite wounds …
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The Bantam is stylishly cased in a classic red housing.
Bantam Tools
About Victorinox
In 1884, Swiss cutler Karl Elsener set up shop in Ibach-Schwyz, installing a waterwheel in Tobelbach Brook to run his grinding and polishing machines. Thus began what would become the international brand name Victorinox, a combination of Victoria, for Elsener's mother, and "inox," or stainless steel. Today, Victorinox produces watches, luggage, clothing, and, famously, Swiss Army Knives. The original product dates to 1897, when Elsener patented the Swiss Officer's and Sports Knife he supplied to the Swiss Army. Following World War II, American servicemen and women shopping in PX stores shortened the name to Swiss Army Knife, which lives on in English-speaking countries around the world and has become a metaphor for versatility.


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Medium-sized duck, dives for invertebrates. Often in flocks and pairs on variety of water bodies. Head shape is best way to separate from nearly identical Greater Scaup; note peak near rear of crown. Also similar to Ring-necked Duck but grayer back and whiter flanks. Breeding males have dark head with green or purple sheen and bright white sides with some faint barring. Females are darker brown than Ring-necked Duck.
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High School Artists and Writers Win more than $200,000 in Scholarships through the 2012 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
New York, NY — March 20, 2012 — The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the country's longest-running and most prestigious award and recognition program for creative teenagers, today announced the winners of its 2012 competition. Fifteen high school seniors were honored with a Portfolio Gold Award, the highest level of achievement that includes a $10,000 cash scholarship. The graduating seniors who received national Awards are now eligible for $5 million in scholarships from more than 60 colleges, universities and art institutes across the country; other student medalists won cash awards for "Best in Grade" and other special designations.
More than 1,600 of the most talented and ambitious students in grades 7-12, representing 48 U.S. states, as well as students in Washington, DC and American schools abroad, were chosen to receive national medals. Students' works were blindly adjudicated, first locally through the 116 affiliates of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the presenting nonprofit of the Awards, and then nationally by panels of judges comprised of renowned artists, authors, educators, and industry professionals. This year's list of jurors included David Sedaris, Mary Ellen Mark, Edwidge Danticat, Roz Chast, among others. Works were judged on originality, technical skill, and the emergence of personal vision or voice. The teachers of national winners were also recognized with awards.
This year's competition attracted more participants than ever before, with over 200,000 submissions in 28 categories, including dramatic script, journalism, humor, novel-writing and science- fiction, as well as painting, sculpture, photography, fashion design, film and animation, and video game design. 2012 is also a milestone for poets as it marks the inaugural year of the National Student Poets Program, the highest honor for youth poets and open exclusively to winners of the Scholastic Award in poetry. It is presented by the Alliance in partnership with the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Recipients of the 2012 Portfolio Gold Awards are: Lashanda Anakwah of Bronx, NY; Chelsea Borsack of Oceanside, NY; Haeyeon Cho of Milton, MA; Sarah Devlin of New Orleans, LA; Felipe Di Poi of West Hartford, CT;Emma Goldberg of New York, NY; Leah Lierz of Greenville, SC; Leo Purman of Milwaukee, WI; Brianna Robinson of Charlotte, NC; Drew Shields of Milwaukee, WI; Diane Ward of Brandon, MS; Rosa Wolf of Boise, ID; Elise Wunderlich of Lake Oswego, OR; Batrek Yassa of Jersey City, NJ and Yan Zhang of Omaha, NE. Additional monetary awards were provided by the AMD Foundation, the New York Life Foundation, Sanford Prismacolor, Bloomberg L.P., Ovation, and the National Constitution Center. A complete list of winners is available here.
"The 2012 Scholastic Art & Writing Award winners have once again proven the broad and brilliant capacity of our nation's teens to produce exquisite works of art and writing," said Virginia McEnerney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. "The Awards continues to be the largest source of scholarships and recognition for our nation's student artists and writers, and our program's reach only grows as we recruit new partners each year to join us in honoring creative teens and providing the necessary support for them to explore their potential. After meeting these students and viewing their work, you can't help but feel optimistic and excited about the future of America's creative leadership."
This year's National Celebration of the Awards will kick off in New York City on the night of May 31 when the top of the Empire State Building will be lit in gold. On June 1, the national winners will be honored onstage alongside well-known illustrator and Award alumnus Edward Sorel at a special ceremony at the world-famous Carnegie Hall, and to extend the festivities, select Award-winning art and writing will be exhibited at Parsons The New School for Design in Manhattan through June 16, 2012. The exhibition and accompanying public programs are co-sponsored by the Sheila C. Johnson Design Center at Parsons The New School for Design.
Alumni of the Scholastic Awards have gone on to continue their education at many of the top colleges, universities and institutes across the country, such as Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), Kenyon College, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Carnegie Mellon University, the School of Visual Arts, Parsons The New School for Design, Columbia University, and Yale University. Distinguished alumni include Andy Warhol, Robert Redford, Richard Avedon, Zac Posen, Joyce Carol Oates, John Baldessari, Sylvia Plath, John Lithgow, Ned Vizzini and Abdi Farah (first-season winner of the Bravo reality show Work of Art: The Next Great Artist). As the program prepares for its 90th anniversary in 2013, the Alliance is calling all alumni to reconnect and join in the celebration.
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is generously supported by Scholastic Inc., the Maurice R. Robinson Fund, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, AMD Foundation, Command Web Offset Co., Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, The New York Times, Blick Art Materials, Ovation, New York Life, Amazon.com, Bloomberg L.P., the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Trust, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and additional contributions from numerous other individual, foundation, and corporate funders.
For more information, please visit the media room.
The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, identifies teenagers with exceptional creative talent and brings their remarkable work to a national audience through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Founded in 1923, the Awards is the longest-running, most prestigious program of its kind, having fostered the creativity and talent of millions of students through recognition, exhibitions and publications. Over the past five years, students have submitted nearly 700,000 pieces of work and over $25 million has been made available in scholarships and awards to top winning participants. The Alliance partners with 116 regional affiliates across the country to bring the program to local communities, and works with a network of more than 60 colleges and universities to increase the range of scholarship and award opportunities. With the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Alliance is a founding partner of the National Student Poets Program, the country's highest honor for youth poets, which selects five students exclusively from current Scholastic Art & Writing Award poetry winners. More information about the Alliance and its programs can be found at www.artandwriting.org.
Anne Sparkmann
Lia Zneimer


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An oasis in the country's capital
Found amidst the dynamic neighborhood of Ermita in Manila, Casa Bocobo allows both local and foreign visitors to delight themselves in elegant lodging spaces and enjoy the many conveniences the city offers at the same time. This classy hotel allows their guests to have easy access to the city's attractions. While at Casa Bocobo, travelers may visit historic landmarks and parks within the vicinity like Intramuros, Luneta Park, Manila Ocean Park, National Museum, and the National Library.
Casa Bocobo's location also gives its stayers every advantage as it is within the proximity of major roads like Roxas Boulevard and Taft Avenue. It is also just a short drive away from shopping malls like SM City Manila and Robinsons Place Manila. Meanwhile, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is a 45-minute drive away. Casa Bocobo is the suitable choice for guests seeking a blend of convenience and comfort or travelers looking for a relaxing abode before heading out to another city or country.
Classy accommodations for everyone
Casa Bocobo offers hotel accommodations with interiors that balance the elegance of modern-day appeal with Spanish Colonial Era aesthetics. This simple luxury comes at inexpensive rates, allowing travelers to find an elegant home for their much-deserved break without burning holes in their pockets. Each room is draped in warm colors and soft lights, providing the comfort you need for your vacation.
The cozy rooms have been equipped with the much-needed amenities such as air conditioning, LCD cable TV, safety deposit box, writing desk, a telephone and an en suite bathroom with hot and cold shower. Selected rooms at Casa Bocobo are also furnished with a bathtub, an orthopaedic bed, a microwave oven, a DVD player, and a mini refrigerator. Guests may also access the hotel's free WiFi directly from their rooms. Linens and towels are also provided by the hotel upon the guest's request.
-Petite Room-
Furnished with a double bed and a flat screen television set, this cozy room is ideal for couples on a holiday or travelers wanting to spend a quiet night alone. It has a total floor area of 17 square meters, just enough to accommodate a maximum of two people for an overnight stay.
-Standard Twin Room-
Casa Bocobo's Standard Twin Room features two single beds and a television equipped with cable channels. This 21-square meter room is also complete with bathroom amenities including a hot and cold shower facility.
-Superior Twin Room-
Slightly larger than the Standard Twin Room, Superior Twin Room serves as a traveler's home in the heart of Manila. It resembles a typical Filipino home with its two single beds, separate dining area, a refrigerator, and a television with cable channels. It also has a bathroom with a hot and cold shower.
-Deluxe Twin Room-
This spacious room in Casa Bocobo has a total floor area of 25.9 square meters, allowing small groups of travelers to find comfort within the confines of a luxury space. With its complete set of amenities, Deluxe Twin Room is perfect for families of three or a barkada on a getaway.
-King Rooms-
Casa Bocobo's King Rooms has three variations: the Standard, the Deluxe, and the Superior. Guests can expect to feel like a royalty once they step inside these rooms that have tiled, marble floors and complete contemporary furnishings. The rooms are also furnished with sofas for guests who want to lounge around. The king rooms are ideal for long-term stayers who are looking for elegant accommodations in Manila without an expensive price tag.
-Executive Room-
If you're the type of traveler who prefer comfort in expansive spaces, Casa Bocobo's Executive Room is for you. This spacious lodge features a king-size bed, a dining area, a fridge, and a television. The rooms are also equipped with kitchenettes furnished with microwave ovens and coffee makers. Guests can also expect to have spacious bathroom facilities with a hairdryers and hot and cold showers.
Wide list of facilities and services
Guests can satisfy their cravings for delightful Filipino and continental dishes at the onsite restaurant, Café Bocobo. They serve mouthwatering desserts, pastas, sandwiches, and main courses. If you are a checked-in guest, Café Bocobo can also serve your food at your room.
Meanwhile, business travelers can make use of the conference rooms, complete with audio-visual equipment for their event needs. Casa Bocobo also offers services such as laundry service, currency exchange, and 24-hour security service. Their 24-hour front desk will gladly assist all your needs any time of the day. They also have a tour desk where you can request for tour activities and services to be arranged. Free WiFi access throughout the hotel is also accessible, making sure that guests stay connected during their vacation. Travelers who brought their cars with them will have nothing to worry about as Casa Bocobo has a spacious parking area for their guests.
Outstanding customer service
What sets Casa Bocobo apart from other budget hotels in the area is the personalized customer service they offer to their guests. Patrons of the hotel applaud the friendly and helpful hoteliers who made their stay even more comfortable, saying that such quality service is quite unexpected for a budget hotel. Guests also commend the peaceful ambiance of the property, which allows them to find temporary solitude amidst the busy streets of Manila.
Whether you are staying overnight or a little while longer, you can be assured to have an enjoyable time to relax and unwind in the heart of the country's capital with Casa Bocobo. Its advantageous location, elegant interiors, relaxing ambiance, and luxurious accommodation make the hotel an ideal hideaway from the loud city life. Even with very affordable rates, Casa Bocobo exceeds the expectations of many travelers with their first-class hotel services. (Show More) (Show Less)


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Hello! I wanted to submit another tutorial this time based on "how to draw a babe", step by step! I know I've submitted a lesson on drawing sexy, but this time, how about a rocker styled chick in a sexy stance? When I think of 'babe', I think of a chick in long scene hair and a cute outfit. You'll be needing to advance yourself in drawing the basic female anatomy in order to "draw babes" on your own. Without further ado, I hope this tut will satisfy your drawing needs (yes I mean you too, boys ;D). Have fun and good luck!
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


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The folks over at Kelley Blue Book have announced the ten vehicles they predict will have the best resale value over the next five years in each category. Not surprisingly, the Corvette Z06 makes the list for "high performance vehicle" as there's no high privilege charge attached to buying a new one. They predict you should be able to get 50% of what you paid back in five years on the Vette. The full list below the jump:
High Performance: Chevrolet Corvette - 50% Sedan: Honda Civic - 52% Coupe: Infiniti G37 Coupe - 52% Convertible: Mini Cooper Convertible - 50% Wagon: Scion xB- 52% Hatchback: Scion tC - 52% Luxury: BMW 6-Series - 50% Pickup: Toyota Tundra - 41% SUV: Acura MDX - 49% Minivan: Honda Odyssey - 39% Hybrid: Honda Civic Hybrid - 45%
[KBB via CNN Money]


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By the time I arrived home, I was very wet. It started drizzling and then it started really raining and there wasn't much I could do about it except ride through it and it was mostly fine because it was neither especially hot or especially cold nor especially dark nor did the rain prove especially daunting. If anything, it was a boring rain. But a boring rain still leaves you wet and it still leaves your bike slightly less responsive with regards to braking and so I found myself nearly colliding into the rear end of a car that was in the process of being maneuvered out of a parking spot by Lincoln Park. I went around a blind-ish curve and maybe I went too fast, but there I was shooting the gap between the car pulling out and the car alongside me that had stopped to allow the car to pull out. Rain. It can get you sometimes. But it didn't.
Well before the rain happened, I had left work and I rode behind a woman who took her hands off her handlebars to tie the front of her shirt into a knot, exposing her midriff. Ok.
I rode down Massachusetts and I was tailgated by a bus driver. This is a decisively most unpleasant experience. I ran a red light to put some distance between us. I'm not especially apologetic about that.
When the rain starts, how do I know when to put on my lights? I don't have windshield wipers. I don't have a windshield. I didn't put my lights on my bike.
I wore my new Road Holland jersey home. Typically, I'm the kind of person who would make fun of this kind of admission, but gosh, sometimes it feels great to don bike clothes and bike home like you're not some kind of citizen cyclist, but instead some kind of super-special bike person who is special and different and special. You may mock me accordingly. I don't think I rode any differently.
So many bikes. Even in the rain. Someone should give the bicycle a Nobel Prize. Maybe for economics? Or peace? Or medicine? Basically, any and all Nobel Prizes should probably be given to bikes. Except for literature. That should go to some obscure midcentury small country European playwright because boo Nobel Prizes.


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Tooling Update
Compact, Long-Range M8 Inductive Sensor
The very short length and in-built amplifier of these sensors makes them ideal for embedding into machines and assembly fixtures, especially where sensor access is restricted and longer devices will not fit, says Contrinex. Unlike other available short devices, the overall system design is more compact because there is no requirement for a large support amplifier.
Ruggedly built with an AISI 303 stainless-steel housing and protected to IP67, the sensor can be flush-mounted and has an extended operating distance of 2 mm—twice the distance of standard sensors of this size. This long operating distance means the sensor can be installed a from the target and any moving parts, making it less susceptible to collision damage. In addition, the sensing range is completely stable from -25 to +70 C.
Contrinex, Inc.: 860/388-3573; www.contrinex.com
See also: Contrinex, Inc.
Related Enterprise Zones: Sensing/Electronics


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Kindred to offer full day winter break sessions
TRUCKEE, Calif. – Need some inspiration over the holiday break? Kindred Art and Folk Institute has full-day sessions to share that include a main project, a hike and cooking each day, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at Martis Village Complex, 10015 Palisades Drive, Ste. A4, Truckee.
Wednesday, Dec. 26: Salt, Glue and Sewing Too. A simple design turned into amazing art using positive and negative space. While the first creation is drying we will use the same design in a stitching project and incorporate them into one.
Thursday, Dec. 27: Ice Skating, S'mores, Coco and Art. A fun day of skating, s'mores and ice cube art.
Friday, Dec. 28: Dream Box. Ever want a place to keep precious dreams and wishes? Students will start with a wood box and using paint, words and aspects of collage turn it into a treasure.
Wednesday, Jan. 2: Wooden Picture. Do you have a favorite photo and have always wanted to do something special with it? This is that something. Students will need to provide a high-res digital image prior to this session, two-day project.
Thursday, Jan. 3: Lets get cooking! Chicken and Dumplings. Students will measure, chop and work together to create a culinary delight. In the afternoon enjoy a kindred feast as a community. Families are welcome to join the feast at 4 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 4: Mantra Patch. Symbols and words hold a strong sense of strength, students will take this positive energy and put it into a patch sacred to them for the new year.
Sessions include healthy snacks. Students will need to bring a water bottle and a sack lunch for full day sessions.
Pre-registration is required for the correct number of supplies.
For more information and registration contact Kindred at 530-205-7336, by email at email@example.com, visit http://www.kindredtruckee.org or like them on Facebook.


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The picture is care of RIP Amanda Todd's Facebook page. When I started out today I thought I was going to do a Quotes of the day article but I am so touched by the tragic story of Amanda Todd I felt compelled to share her story. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family during […]
Posts Tagged 'suicides'
Banish Bullying
October 16th, 2012 Lucky
Posted in Personal Rants Tags: Amanda Todd, anti bullying, bullying, cyber bullying, cyber memorial, cyberbullying, facebook, hanging, memorial, movies on bullying, online pedophile, Social Media, suicide, suicide videos, suicides, teen bullying, videos on bullying, What is bullying, what is suicide, why suicide, Youtube No Comments »


text: MOVIES Box Office Lesson: Older Crowd Prefers Seasoned Stars, Shuns Youngsters 5:00 AM PDT 10/23/2013 by Pamela McClintock FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Illustration by: Ryan Inzana George Clooney, Sandra Bullock and Tom Hanks helped "Gravity" and "Captain Phillips" become hits in part because the over-50 demo loves stars their own age -- a problem for youngsters. This story first appeared in the Nov. 1 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. As moviegoers began lining up for Gravity in early October, box-office observers predicted that the Saturday haul would increase by 5 percent over the Friday opening. But defying the normal pattern, Alfonso Cuaron's space epic shot up 32 percent on Saturday on its way to a $55.8 million opening, one of the top October debuts of all time. The secret? Instead of younger males, who typically turn out on Friday nights, the film drew older ticket buyers -- and especially baby boomers -- who waited a day to see favorites Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. The weekend's takeaway: Stars still matter to the growing older demo of moviegoers. The largest segment of Gravity's opening-weekend audience -- 32 percent -- was 50 or over; nearly 60 percent was older than 35, according to exit-polling service CinemaScore. And they came not just for the visual effects: Forty-two percent of the audience said they showed up to watch Bullock, while 40 percent turned out for Clooney. PHOTOS: NY 'Gravity' Premiere: Sandra Bullock and George Clooney Are Out of This World The same phenomenon repeated itself when Sony's Captain Phillips opened to a better-than-expected $25.7 million the following weekend. Twenty-eight percent of ticket buyers were 50 and older, and many were attracted by the reassuring presence of Tom Hanks. "Older audiences require a more substantive reason to see a movie than just a 'wow' factor or an effective trailer. Star power, while seemingly unimportant to younger moviegoers who appear to only care about concept, acts as sort of a movie insurance policy," says Rentrak box-office analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "A Hanks, Clooney or Bullock in a movie takes some of the risk out of the equation when older audiences make the decision to invest their time and money in a particular film." Warner Bros. distribution chief Dan Fellman agrees: "Sandra and George absolutely serve as a point of reference." According to his studio's private exit polls, a lot of people, many of them older who have made only one trip to the multiplex this year, are turning out for Gravity. PHOTOS: 25 of Fall's Most Anticipated Movies Some boomers might have fallen out of regular moviegoing, but many retain the habits they grew up with. The 76 million boomers -- those born between 1946 and 1964 -- have tremendous spending power and increasingly are becoming important to Hollywood. Even though Leonardo DiCaprio is only 38, he holds a certain sway among boomers, who contributed to The Great Gatsby's $145 million domestic take. And The Weinstein Co. made sure Oprah Winfrey and Forest Whitaker were front and center when it rolled out Lee Daniels' The Butler, cultivating an audience that spent more than $114 million domestically. "Older moviegoers are drawn to films where talent is willing to do publicity. Oprah and Forest did everything we asked," says TWC distribution chief Erik Lomis. "I think some of today's younger talent could borrow a page from some of the older stars." Indeed, newer stars seem to carry little weight with older generations, who prefer to patronize movies starring old favorites. Ron Howard's Rush got good reviews but Chris Hemsworth and newcomer Daniel Bruhl aren't recognizable, and the movie has flopped. Rush appealed mostly to an older audience, but the stars lured just 23 percent of ticket-buyers. Ditto for The Fifth Estate, starring Benedict Cumberbatch. It died a quick death over the Oct. 18 weekend, grossing $1.7 million. STORY: Oscar Whisper Campaigns Waged Against '12 Years,' 'Captain Phillips,' 'Gravity' and 'The Butler' Kevin Goetz of pollster PostTrak believes the allure of movie stars is generational. "For those who are over the age of 40 or 45, a nostalgia factor sets in," he says. "Stars used to be nurtured in a different way. They had real careers and worked on movies that were important, such as Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump. Show me a younger star who has the same meaning." This summer, nearly 40 percent of Man of Steel's opening-weekend audience was under 25. They ranked the subject matter as the biggest reason for showing up (63 percent); only 21 percent lined up for star Henry Cavill. For Star Trek Into Darkness, only 11 percent of ticket buyers said they were attracted by male leads Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. "Know thy audience," says Dergarabedian. "Each age group responds differently to wildly divergent motivating factors. As the adult drama is having a resurgence, so are the older stars who are fueling the success of many of those films." FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Pamela McClintock firstname.lastname@example.com PamelaDayM


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Archive for the 'unrated' Tag
"The 40 Year-Old Homo" Blog Roast!
Alas, it's true…I'm a mere 2 weeks away from this notorious milestone. I aim to make it as whimsical and festive as possible. I welcome a blog roast here on jcm! So, fire away…hit me with your best shot! Whatchyoo got on me? Make Joan Rivers and Kathy Griffin proud.
def: noun. A facetious tribute, as at a banquet, in which the honoree is alternately praised and insulted.


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Yes, Hubby HATES raisins – so much so that he wouldn't even try one of these cookies! The worst part about his hate for raisins is it seems he has somehow passed on the genetic hate of raisins to our children. They both tried a cookie but they picked out the raisins! Seriously! Freaking crazy kids!
Oh and when I told them that raisins were merely just tried grapes – they did not believe me.
Anyway, I like these cookies but they were not a panel favourite and now that I have had some feedback and looked at the ingredients, they are more of a muffin than a cookie. So if you are looking for an excuse to eat cookies for breakfast – here you go!
Little Boy: (as he is spitting out a raisin) it's good, I like them, I don't like the raisins. They are very soft.1 out of 5 stars
Little Girl: Are there raisins in them? I don't like raisins. They are tasty.2 out of 5 stars
Hubby: refused to allow a raisin to pass his lips.
At Work Panel:
Brent: It's not a cookie. It's a muffin. It's a good muffin. It tastes like a chocolate chip muffin without the chocolate.1 out of 5 stars
Bryce: Good, unique. I would call it a breakfast cookie.4 out of 5 stars
Sandee: Too dry, they don't have a lot of flavour. The raisins are good, I like that they are round and thick.2 out of 5 stars
Barb: Not my favourite. You would probably like them if you liked scones.2 out of 5 stars
Adam: Like grandma's cookies. (He came back for more.)3.5 out of 5 stars
Sarah: I like the softness, needs more raisins or something. Something is missing? A spice? Cinnamon maybe?3 out of 5 stars
Average rating: 2.9 out of 5 stars
Soft Raisin Cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sour cream
2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 375F.Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
Using either a stand mixer or by hand, beat together the butter and sour cream until well mixed. Add in the brown sugar, vanilla and eggs and continue mixing, scraping down the sides as needed. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just combined, then add in the raisins and stir until incorporated.
Drop by rounded tablespoon onto parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 12-14 minutes until nicely browned and set.
Yield: 3 1/3 – 4 dozen cookies.
|Little Girl's plate of picked out raisins.


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Q: What is mantra and how does it work?
A: Click here to read Namadeva's answers to these questions in an excerpt fom his book Healing Mantras.
Q: What mantras are good for beginners to start their mantra practice with?
A: Click here to read Namadeva's suggestions, excerpted from The Ancient Power of Sanskrit Mantra and Ceremony, Volume 1.
Q: I want to work with more than one mantra at a time, because I want to work on several things at once. Is this a good thing to do?
A: For your first experiment with mantras, I recommend you work with only one mantra for a full forty-day discipline. After that, work with any combination that makes sense to you. Remember, mantras work with energy - both yours and what you bring in from the universe - so if you work on more than one thing, try to keep them at least in the same general area.
Q: I notice that in your books you say that after the age of 28, the endings of many mantras should be changed to Swaha from Namaha. I'm working with Om Gum Ganapatayei Namaha and I am 35 years old. Do I need to change the ending?
A: Some Mantras do not, as a rule, change their endings. Here are mantras that do not change endings except for certain special circumstances:
Q: I sometimes say mantras silently when I am around other people. Is this OK?
A: Ultimately, saying mantras silently is the most powerful way to say them. The silent repetition stimulates the corresponding petals of the chakras so that energy is brought into the subtle body.
Q: I have heard that one must receive a mantra from a guru for it to work. Is this true?
A: Those who have unwrapped the power of a mantra through many repetitions achieve something called "Mantra Siddhi." This means that they have attained some measure of power and proficiency with the mantra. At this point, they may give a mantra to others "with power," meaning that the recipient will achieve results faster than doing it without having received it "with power." However, Sanskrit mantras are your spiritual birthright since they are directly linked to the chakras. They will work even if you read them from a book and begin practice. The minimum number of repetitions to achieve Mantra Siddhi is generally recognized as 125,000.
Q: I want to do a mantra on behalf of another person. Is this OK?
A: Praying for another person is a good thing to do for anybody at any time. However, Sanskrit Mantra is not exactly prayer because in is proactive and specific, whereas prayer leaves the mechanism of an answer up to Divine authority. Therefore, I recommend that where possible you ask permission from a person to undertake mantra work on their behalf. If this is not possible, then start with a prayer that this energy be used for their highest good and begin. I also recommend that you begin with the declaration that while you are performing this mantra on someone's behalf (state their name) that you are by no means taking their karma. Parents have an automatic right as well as responsibility to perform mantra work on behalf of their children.
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