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Update: I was working on the results and clicked the wrong button on the save before closing screen and URGH
honestly I don't feel like redoing it all again tonight .-.
I'll think of a new ending date tomorrow.
Because I'm feeling nice for christmas/new year and still haven't filled up my to-do list enough for 2013. :'D
Everything's pretty simple - you follow 5 little rules and there's a slight chance you'll receive free art, points or even a premium membership!
How to enter:
1. You must be my watcher, because this raffle is a way of appreciating you all. <3 doesn't matter if you've been one for years through all my account changes or just added me to your list two minutes ago, you're still a watcher!
2. Make a new journal entry with a link to this raffle, so word is spread and more people enter!
3. Post a comment on this journal with the link to your entry.
4. Favourite this journal.
5. That's it, you're in the raffle! now you just got to wait and wish for the best.
What you could possibly win:
3 flat coloured drawings + transparent bg - from me
2 x 150 points - from me
2 speedpaintings of one character + simple background - from me
1 fully coloured picture + full background - from me
1 x 3 months premium membership - from me
2 flat color drawings + simple or transparent bg - from Aquinassar
1 full drawing of max. 2 characters - from Aquinassar
3 pixel dolls + shading - from Aquinassar
3 soundtracks each for a single character - from SilentClawDD
1 fullbody icon (chibi or normal) - from CaledonCat
1 chibi drawing (transparent bg) - from asceii
3 pixel icons - from Maekii
2 journal dolls - from Maekii
1 chibi drawing (transparent bg) - from Maekii
2 colours pictures + bg - from Hawkpath-tail
1 pixel animation - from SniperJessi
2 flat coloured headshots - from SniperJessi
1 full painting - from SniperJessi
2 colored drawings (transparent bg) - from squalled-101
2 headshot icons + shading - from Emecay
1 journal doll - from That-CrazyCat
1 character study - from Riversun
1 realistic chest-up drawing - from DarkWolfArtist
4 digital headshots - from freeiwi
1 flat colour full body (wolf character only) - from wolfnhorseluver101
1 chest up drawing - from Techno--Mutt
however, if lots of people enter, I will throw in the following prizes:
100 people - 10 random people will get a feature on my page
150 people - 2 people will get a pixel icon
200 people - 2 more people will win 150 points
250 people - 1 person will win a highly detailed portrait + simple background
300 people - 1 person will win a 12 month premium membership
That's it. go ahead, now~


text:
Chutzpah: Authors blame PLOS ONE for failing to find plagiarism in paper on Botulinum toxin
Holy Chutzpah, Batman! A team of researchers in India has retracted their 2012 paper in PLoS One on botulinum toxin for plagiarism — while blaming the journal for failing to use its "soft wares" to catch the plagiarism.
The article, "Small-Molecule Quinolinol Inhibitor Identified Provides Protection against BoNT/A in Mice," was written by a group from the Defence Research and Development Establishment, in Madhya Pradesh.
According to the retraction notice:
It has been brought to the attention of the PLOS ONE editors that substantial parts of the text in this article were appropriated from text in the following publications:
Identification and biochemical characterization of small-molecule inhibitors of Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin serotype A.
Roxas-Duncan V, Enyedy I, Montgomery VA, Eccard VS, Carrington MA, Lai H, Gul N, Yang DC, Smith LA.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2009 Aug;53(8):3478-86
Eubanks LM, Hixon MS, Jin W, Hong S, Clancy CM, et al. (2007) An in vitro and in vivo disconnect uncovered through high-throughput identification of botulinum neurotoxin A antagonists. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA104: 2602–2607.
PLOS ONE therefore retracts this article due to the identified case of plagiarism. PLOS ONE apologizes to the authors of the publications above and to the readers.
The corresponding author, Ram Kumar Dhaked, took to the journal's website to comment on the retraction. In a Sept. 6, 2013, post, titled "The response of the editors to the paper," he wrote:
I have discussed your response with a Senior Editor. We appreciate that the data reported in the PLOS ONE article are original, and there have been no allegations about misattribution of data., however, the overlap in text with that from previous publications is substantial, and you have acknowledged that te [ends here]
A week later, Dhaked wrote:
There was some text overlapping in the article especially in introduction. That was went un-noticed by us. However, PLOS ONE could have checked for the overlap as they have soft wares etc. The editorial board has written to us that Data is original and there is no allegation of results attribution. This is very unfortunate.
Unfortunate indeed. Because the authors might be looking at more than embarrassment. Here's their funding statement, which lists U.S. government support:
National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health, USA acknowledged for providing chemicals bearing NSC prefix. Ms. Padma Singh is a JRF working in ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) scheme (Ref No: 3/1/3/JRF-2008/MPD-78, 31500). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
35 Responses
I think an even greater concern is that the corresponding author apparently writes incoherent messages on web sites.
It's not just typos, bad grammar, or the fact that Indian English is somewhat different from western English. I really can't understand what Dhaked was trying to say in those comments.
what kind of western blots are they? very strange! Journals need to be careful.
Figure 3 is a very obvious copy/paste. How could reviewers not see that?
24000 papers published last year. One would wonder how it is possible to get enough good reviewers.
well, they have more than enough editorial board members, they could review the articles submitted. I thought that isone of the reasons they have huge number (i.e. almost 5000) of editorial board members (check this out http://www.plosone.org/static/edboard.action#)
Right… So each paper submitted to PLOS ONE needs at least two reviewers, and there are about 25000 to 30000 papers submitted there each year, which means each editor has to be reviewing 10 to 12 papers a year for PLOS ONE alone on top of their PLOS ONE editorial duties, their other commitments and their real jobs.
Umm, no. Especially since every paper I've ever been asked to review for PLOS ONE has been rubbish and sometimes the English has been barely intelligible.
Bobo2. I am curious, do PLoS editors or reviewers get remunerated? If so, please indicate actual amounts per paper or job.
ten to 12 papers a year for their own journal is not bad. I review many more articles for different journals in a year. For being in the editorial board, they can do their part at least.
" PLoS editors or reviewers get remunerated?"
I can answer. No.
Thanks for that. I are back my comment, it appears that, financially at least, things are sound. I think I was letting my inherent bias against their model color my attitude.
"Take back". Sorry
Somewhat at random, I copied this phrase from the retracted article,
mechanical ventilation which is necessary once BoNT-induced paralysis compromises thoracic muscle contraction
popped it into Google, and the first hit is
Pharmacophore Refinement Guides the Rational Design of …
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › Journal List › NIHPA Author Manuscripts
by JE Nuss – 2010 – Cited by 4 – Related articles
Oct 14, 2010 – Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are the deadliest of microbial toxins. … via the proteolysis of SNARE proteins, terminates neuron-to-muscle signaling, resulting … only after enervation) and 2) mechanical ventilation, which is necessary once BoNT-induced paralysis compromises thoracic muscle contraction.
with URL http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2992458/
NIH Public Access
Author Manuscript
ACS Med Chem Lett. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2011 October 14.
Published in final edited form as:
ACS Med Chem Lett. 2010 October 14; 1(7): 301–305. doi:10.1021/ml100056v.
This article was not even listed as one of the sources of plagiarized materials in the retraction notice, so the list of plagiarized articles is by no means complete.
Furthermore, this article is not listed in the references of the retracted article.
The sentence following the one I Googled is interesting.
From the retracted article:
"However, the latter form of treatment would also be impractical, even a limited act of bioterror employing BoNT(s), as critical care resources would likely to be overwhelmed."
From the plagiarized original:
"However, the latter form of treatment would also be impractical following even a limited act of bioterror employing a BoNT(s), as critical care resources would likely
be overwhelmed."
The Indian English "tells" include the additional "to" in "likely to be overwhelmed" so the plagiarism was not purely copy/paste, but rather it appears that the Indian authors read the original and retyped the material, introducing and deleting various particles/articles/prepositions etc. that make English such a vexing language to learn and understand.
There is no way someone in India would innocently type out such a sentence, matching word for word (save the vexing particles/articles etc.) with a previously published article.
The plagiarized sentences do not appear in quotes, with a reference to the original, as any such closely matching phrases should appear in a decent scientific article.
So, JATdS, how exactly should PLoS One report such plagiarism? Can you provide the algorithm to allow EXACT reporting of the number of words plagiarized? Do you count the extra "to"? Do you count, or not count, the omitted "following"? If the PLoS One report includes the "to", is their report EXACT? Since the Indian authors dropped the "following" and added the "to", is it now original?
If I can grab a fairly random phrase from the article and get a hit so readily from Google, my sympathies are with the editors of PLoS One. Tracking down and reporting every bit of plagiarized material for this paper would require substantial effort, far more effort than reasonably required to readily demonstrate unacceptable levels of near-verbatim copying resulting in the charge of plagiarism.
For reviewers, iThenticate and other specialized software is not essential, given the awesome text matching algorithms in Google software.
Maybe the problem is that I'm not natively English-speaking (Italian) but why it appears that I'm the only to consider this as a minor issue? I'm not referring to the PLoSONE paper specifically but more generally to plagarism in the introduction. The introduction is usually the section where most of the citations are inserted, isn't it sufficient to correctly cite all the articles? Do you have to produce an original piece of prose for every manuscript you write?
I was a little sad reading some comments regarding discounts for developing countries… as it seem that it was subtly suggested that because they are paying less they doesn't deserve a full and fair editor and peer-reviewed process (but maybe it is because I can't fully understand the tone of the posts).
Sorry for my sloppy English/Italian
I don't agree at all with this argument,
First, the introduction is where an author gives the background to the field in which they are supposedly expert and explains their motivation for performing the specific work.
If they can't do that in their own words, they really shouldn't be publishing in the field.
Second, wherever they did it, it's fraud to take someone else's writing and pretend it's yours.
"The introduction is usually the section where most of the citations are inserted, isn't it sufficient to correctly cite all the articles?" No, you have to make it clear you are copying another source by using quotation marks like I did here, both for the sake of clarity and honesty.
It is nice having an Italian colleague bringing up this issue. I am Brazilian and I have seen awfully many Brazilians are unaware of the importance of correct referencing and also tend to tolerate what they call small innocent plagiarism, specially in the introduction. Many of my Brazilian colleagues claims this is inherently cultural because non-English speakers MUST resort to copy/paste in order to write a good paper, but I think this is fundamentally a major educational issue — that no one explained referencing practices to them clearly (and about the existence of copyright) and they took little time learning English and plus do not want to invest any time/money on good translators/reviewers.
What do you or others think?
I do confirm, same feeling on this side. Brazilians are amazingly used to this. Almost irreversibly.
Thanks Deus for your impression. Of course I am not generalising here, but this is even hard to do as the practice is widespread. I really think the "small plagiarism" practice has been imprinted in Brazilian academia by omission. This can be easily fixed with a lot of exposure and corrective actions plus educational measures but it seems to me the system leaders do not wish to bring this up for their own sake…
" The introduction is usually the section where most of the citations are inserted, isn't it sufficient to correctly cite all the articles? Do you have to produce an original piece of prose for every manuscript you write?"
Short answers: No; Yes. Putting together a decent introduction takes effort and time, for both native English speakers and foreigners. Ditto for the abstract.
@Adam and @Ivan. This is a bizarre fraud story to say the least, I think it deserve a RW post:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
In response to:
What is worse than our government's ambassador being Planned Parenthood? Let us come to your country and abort your children...we don't want even your children to be born, so your nationality will die out eventually. Wasnt that Margaret Sanger and Hitler's goal to begin with? DEFUND PLANNED PARENTHOOD!!!
In response to:
I do NOT stand with Planned Parenthood or any OTHER profit making business. What the heck are we doing as taxpayers, subsidizing and paying for the murder of infants? Has everyone seen the picture of the baby holding the hand of the doctor as he or she is being delivered? Planned Parenthood would have not only recommended that little life be extinguished, but their doctors would have sucked the brains of that same baby if it had not be being delivered cesearean, as it moved down the birth canal. The baby would have been delivered dead.. Planned Parenthood is a profit making company that uses Title 10 as a thinly disguised effort to force taxpayers who disagree with them, to make money. I for one OBJECT!!


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Good teachers with average to below average administrators. Leadership changed a year ago. They do not want parental involvement in the school. We were told No when we tried to volunteer in our second graders class as they want them to work independently. Any requests that originate from the parent are strongly resisted. One example..at the parent s night, they were begging people to move their children from AM to PM classes as all of the PM classes had literally half of the students of the AM classes. When we approached the Principal and VP, they were literally dancing that someone would make the switch. Then we said that if we made the switch, we wanted our child in a specific classroom. Immediately countenances changed and we received pushback. Dealings with a specific office staff can be prickly as well. Example..My wife had to get a broken tooth fixed.. It was before school started, so she brought our daughter. The secretary said in a condescending tone that since the appointment was not for the child, it was an unexcused absence. No support from higher up on this issue.
Both of my children have attended this school. I have a son that is in the Special Education class. He loves his teachers and I know that his teachers care about each child as if they were their own. With that being said, Great Bridge Primary is a warm, caring and very responsive school with great teachers.
I am a single working mom (Realtor) in the Great Bridge area. This is one of the nicest communities to reside, prosper, raise your family and enjoy a safe environment. Great Bridge Primary is one of the two elementary schools. The principal is very well loved by the children and the staff she supports reflects the same excellence.
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(Source: raduyev, via just-another-black-guy)
(Source: palabras-de-mi-silencio, via inbetweenfictionandreality)
"When adults say, "Teenagers think they are invincible" with that sly, stupid smile on their faces, they don't know how right they are. We need never be hopeless, because we can never be irreparably broken. We think that we are invincible because we are. We cannot be born, and we cannot die. Like all energy, we can only change shapes and sizes and manifestations. They forget that when they get old. They get scared of losing and failing. But that part of us greater than the sum of our parts cannot begin and cannot end, and so it cannot fail."
(Source: movedtojjackoconnells, via inbetweenfictionandreality)
(Source: dragonflaly, via just-another-black-guy)
(Source: rebeccacohenart, via passivemanipulations)
this is my exact reaction when my crush says goodnight, good morning or just a simple hello


text:
5157 Creek Trail has a Walk Score of 6 out of 100. This location is a Car-Dependent neighborhood so almost all errands require a car.
This location is in Las Cruces.
Nearby schools include Columbia Elementary School and Vista Middle School.
The closest grocery store is Schwan Food Co.
The closest restaurant is Jake's Cafe.
5157 Creek Trail is near Sunset Hills Park, Four Hills Park and Veteran's Park.


text:
Global Lens Film: BEIJING FLICKERS (You-Zhong)
WhenMonday, September 16, 2013 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
WhereBates College Olin Arts Center - Room 104
75 Russell Street
Lewiston, ME 04240
San Bao is a young man left behind by Beijing's fabulous new wealth, having just lost his job, his apartment and the woman he loves (who's left him for a richer man). Even Happiness, his dog, has run away from him. Lovelorn, self-destructive and desperately aimless, San Bao nevertheless has moments of euphoria amid his own despair, as he roams the sleek, shifting city with other soulful, cash-poor dreamers and misfits. Such heavenly losers form the vital spirit of Beijing in acclaimed director Zhang Yuan's gorgeously gritty, angst-ridden portrait of youthful disaffection and perseverance in the teeth of heartbreak, ruthless inequality and unfeeling ambition.
Director: Zhang Yuan
Mandarin, with subtitles in English
Contact Us
Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Wednesday evenings until 7 p.m. during the academic year
Closed between exhibitions, see exhibition page for dates.
***The Museum will be closed Thursday, November 27 and
Friday, November 28


text:
Related Photo Galleries
Another early truck is this Model A that was built on the East Coast in '58. It still has its 276 Desoto Hemi that might have grenaded one or two of those '39 Ford gearboxes that's behind it. We're gonna guess that the un-chopped but channeled p/u likes living in the California sunshine.


text:
How to drive an English language pedant nuts.
4 Notes/ Hide
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How to drive an English language pedant nuts.
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LEGO The Lord of the Rings Movie (Xbox360)
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- Dev Diary: The Fellowship Rises
The Fellowship's journey across Middle-earth brought them into the company, and TT Games is making sure that both the heroes and the villains are faithfully reproduced.
Movie added: 02.10.2012 | legolotrdev2360.flv | 12.78 MB | 0 downloads
- Dev Diary: Recreating Middle-Earth
While the Fellowship may have taken up the great task to save Middle-earth, TT Games has taken up the creative challenge to recreate it.
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- GamesCom 2012 Trailer
Players can relive The Lord of the Rings through the LEGO minifigures, as they explore wonders, solve timeless riddles, and overcome endless foes in their quest to destroy the Ring.
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- Debut Trailer
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
Movie added: 01.06.2012 | legolorddebut360.flv | 9.14 MB | 0 downloads


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Bench San Francisco contrast vest
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In today's world of hyper-partisan political bickering, we're not even sure where the line of good taste lies anymore. But we're pretty sure making fun of cancer patient for having cancer is decidedly over even that murky line. Republican Pinellas County Committeeman Dan Tucker is in hot water for ... More >>
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All last week, New Times' own Jacob Katel and Victor Gonzalez dove headfirst into the $75 million dollar lake of fire that was the Republican National Convention in Tampa, all so they could ask the tough questions the rest of the media wouldn't. Should Jesus be on the dollar bill? What the F is a We ... More >>
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Early morning yesterday, Miami super-strippers Skrawberry (left) and Tip Drill vaulted to the top of the political punditry heap when they crashed a South Beach filming of Morning Joe. With the Florida primary vote going down today, we caught up with these acrobatic pole-dancing Howard Zinns for ... More >>
We'd been obsessively tracking the Republican presidential candidates on the campaign trail for weeks when something strange happened. The words coming out of their mouths started to sound like, well, a joke. From statements at debates to sound bytes on CNN, each politician seemed to be subtly pa ... More >>
Our fellow Floridians, another round of primary elections is upon us and with it comes the usual sleazy political drama. Attack ads clog our airwaves; politicians deliver lofty promises they can't keep; and national news organizations have another chance to bring up the "hanging chad" incident.This ... More >>
15 years out of government and Newt's still crazyThe 3 a.m. phone call has struck again. In tonight's GOP primary debate, NBC anchor Bryan Williams asked the candidates what they would do if told that Fidel Castro had finally died and "half a million Cubans" were on their way to the United States ... More >>
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The nationwide comedy tour known as the Republican presidential race is in Florida this week. Over several months, rich candidates have perfected the game of politics in their quest for the Republican Party's nomination and the chance to go up against President Barack Obama in November. Pr ... More >>
Luther Campbell, the man whose booty-shaking madness made the U.S. Supreme Court stand up for free speech, gets as nasty as he wants to be for Miami New Times. This week, Campbell rates the racist credentials of the Republican Party presidential nominees. What happened to the party of Abraham Lin ... More >>
Today the voters of New Hampshire will trudge through miserable weather and vote for their preferred Republican candidate in the presidential primary. You are probably familiar with all of the folks running by now: Newty, Mittens, Sneezy, Grumpy, etc. If they look a bit pale and green around t ... More >>
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After a brief spell where Florida Republicans seemed to favor Newt Ginrgrich as their GOP flavor of the month, Mitt Romney is firmly back on top in the Sunshine State after his Iowa caucus victory. Gingrich remains second, while Rick Santorum has seen his fortunes rise somewhat but is still a dis ... More >>
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Today, The New York Times tallied up the list of U.S. Representatives who have missed the most votes so far this year. A local name popped up at 6th on the list: Frederica Wilson. The first term congresswoman from District 17 hasn't cast a vote since October 3rd.
photo by Tim ElfrinkEchoing the ongoing "Occupy" movements from Wall Street to San Francisco, hundreds of sign-waving, drum-beating, flyer-hawking protesters gathered in Bayfront Park this afternoon, drawing supportive honks from cars pouring down Biscayne Boulevard and bewildered stares from tou ... More >>
This is what democracy looks like. Thanks to unbelievable unemployment rates, two U.S. wars that went nowhere good, and about a million other awful current American realities, what was once comfortable enough has become unbearable.Economic inequality and the corporate influence over governmental ... More >>
J. Kenji Lopez-AltLadies and Gentlemen, meet Governor Rick Perry!Barbara Walters once infamously asked Katherine Hepburn: "If you were a tree, what kind would it be?" It is in that spirit that we attempt to figure out: If each Republican Presidential candidate were a food, what kind would he or s ... More >>
David Shankbone via Wikimedia CommonsWould you vote for this woman, Florida?The nation is all atwitter over Michele Bachmann. Not only did she thoroughly corn-poll Iowa this past Saturday -- winning the state's straw poll over Smucker's jam spokesman Ron Paul -- but also the congresswoman claimed ... More >>
"Well, hey, Mitt. That's dandy.""Vice President Marco Rubio."Sound a little strange? 2012 Republican presidential hopeful (and early Florida frontrunner) Mitt Romney said he's thinking about making it happen, according to conservative Virginia blog Bearing Drift.
USDABlood Beans: Do you know how your veggies are harvested?Not content to pay their employees minimum wage, ten Homestead farms and contractors have been screwing their bean pickers -- actual job description, not an ethnic slur -- out of even that measly pay to the tune of nearly $700,000.As if ... More >>
Mitt Romney is the man to beat in Florida as the 2012 Republican primary horse race heats up. Romney holds a ten-point advantage over second place finishers Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin. Romney also benefits from incredibly low support for similar candidates like John Hunstman and Tim Paw ... More >>
Mittens in guayabera. Back in 2008, Mitt Romney came in second place to John McCain in Florida's GOP primary, a loss that signaled the beginning of the end for his campaign. Perhaps though the Sunshine State could prove warmer to Romney's presidential hopes a second time around. A new poll from M ... More >>
Historically speaking, he's still in the Asshole Minor Leagues.So Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez has apologized-- after much coercion--for not running after a kicked ball and then lashing out at his teammates and manager Fredi Gonzalez. He's been reinstated into his God-given spot in the ... More >>
It's like Miami, but with uglier beaches and whiter people. Tampa, our slightly "off" cousin to the North East, has been chosen to host the 2012 Republican National Convention in which the Grand Ol' Party will nominate Sarah Palin or Marco Rubio or Ron Paul or someone else slightly "off" to take ... More >>
Ridiculous civil limitation in the vague name of security never makes us smile, but one state has now literally outlawed smiling in the name of safety. Virginia has forbidden anyone from cracking a smile in driver's license photos because it interferes with facial recognition technology.The Palm Be ... More >>
So maybe this took about as much insight as it would to predict that Rosie O'Donnell wouldn't win Ms. America, but it still feel good to be right. Friday we had this to say of Ol' Charles Crist's chances in the CPAC straw poll: "If Crist comes in anywhere else but near the bottom next to Giuliani an ... More >>
The Conservative Political Action Conference is taking place in Washington, DC this week and has already been dubbed the "the comedy festival of the year!" Noted public intellectuals (and more than a few 2012 hopefuls) like Ron Paul, Michelle Bachman, Newt Gingrich, and the Anti-Crist himself, Bobby ... More >>
It's difficult to make the leap directly from the state Senate to a state-wide elected office. But it's not impossible. Lawton Chiles got elected to the US Senate in 1970 by taking a 91 day, 1,003 mile walking trip across Florida. Bob Graham was elected to Governor in 1978 after starting a Workdays ... More >>
Fidel Castro is reportedly on his deathbed, and these reports are more sound than the one Perez Hilton posted last year. [Herald]Some thieves drove to the Village of Merrick Park, smashed their car into the Gucci store window, grabbed everything in sight, and took off. Police are on the lookout for ... More >>


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Enter to win trip to Manchester Derby - England - Deadline to enter Oct 25, 2014.
The WYSL U8 5v5 Festival is set to go!
2 hr Coach Courses Now Available!
Important! WYSL Concussion Management Policy
The Westchester Youth Soccer League Academy Program offers a unique opportunity for aspiring boys and girls ages 5 to 10 years.
The WYSL joins with the Westchester Soccer Referee Organization (WSRO) to invite both adults and teenagers to become soccer refs.


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Some additions form my photo essay for class. I find that all things bicycle related catches my eye and aways sparks my interest. I think the next piece will start with a similar concept, yet reflect back to the people that watch me as I shoot photos.
How interesting would that be?--- 3 years ago --- 5 notes ---
Well, the photo. Should I explain this?
A buddy heads out of town on the move and few get together, have a bite, some laughs, and more than a few brews. We say our goodbyes, and if not that? A firm - till next time.
Needless to say, we were in the middle of the beers portion.--- 3 years ago --- ---


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We grew up listening to her songs, well in my case, I frequently hear my mom singing her songs since I was a kid. My mom loves singing in the karaoke almost everyday when she's at home.
Obviously, Whitney Houston was a legend, an undying legend, she became an inspiration to aspiring singers of today and I believe she will still become an inspiration for future generations.
But sadly, she had to face a terrible end. What's with celebrities taking up illegal drugs? What drives them to do such a thing? Why ruin their life? Illegal drugs is not the answer to anyone's problem. It will only make things worst for you and for the people around you.
Whitney Houston was a good example and also a bad example. If you cant make yourself happy, make other people happy, why waste your money on drugs and risk your life if you can use that money to help others instead?
I'm not one to speak coz I don't have an idea why she did it, she threw it away, all the years that she should have lived and the opportunity to sing more for the people and for her fans. I tell you Whitney, it was not worth it.
But we thank you for being an inspiration and people will never forget you and the feeling that we get whenever we hear your songs.


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General: Army has a discipline problem
Wednesday - 10/5/2011, 11:51am EDT
By ROBERT BURNS
National Security Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Soldier discipline has deteriorated to the point where it risks becoming "cancerous," a senior Army general said Wednesday.
Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling told a group of reporters over breakfast that only a small percentage of soldiers lack proper discipline, but he stressed his concern that it be fixed, now that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are winding down and more troops are returning to their home bases.
"In some cases there are discipline problems that we have not paid as much attention to as we should," he said, adding, "If you allow that to go unnoticed it becomes cancerous."
Hertling said soldiers need more training in the Army's professional values. And he said officers and commanders are guilty of too frequently overlooking what he called "acts of indiscipline." He cited as an example a failure to adequately punish soldiers for offenses such as drunken driving.
Hertling said that when he arrived in Germany in March to take command of U.S. Army Europe he asked for list of soldiers who had been cited more than once for drunk driving. He declined reveal the number he was given but said he was surprised at how high it was.
"And then when I asked the question, `What has happened to these soldiers?'" the answer was, "Not much," he said.
"If we are going to reduce our Army, and all indicators are that we are, we've got to maintain the very best, and those very best have to be counseled and developed and trained _ but they also have to be disciplined," he said.
Hertling's remarks were unusually pointed, although he is not the first senior defense leader to express concern that as soldiers return from combat, where they often were given leeway by commanders, there could be discipline problems at home. Robert Gates raised the issue shortly before he stepped down as defense secretary in June, and the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, has noted it.
On his first day in office Oct. 1, Dempsey issued a statement calling on all service members to renew their commitment to professionalism.
"We're not a profession simply because we say we're a profession," Dempsey wrote. "We must continue to learn, to understand and to promote the knowledge, skills, attributes and behaviors that define us as a profession."
Robert Burns can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/robertburnsAP
(Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
This story is part of Federal News Radio's daily DoD Report. For more defense news, click here.


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this is a classic case of sexy.
Tags: sexy fixed gear bianchi track ride a bike fuck off
solo ride up to stoners peak, today. perfect weather.
Tags: ride a bike fixed gear weed stoners peak fuck it ride fast
Tags: Ol' Dirty Bastard ride a bike fixed gear ODB Wu Tang Clan
why, hello there, madame.
Tags: hello fixed gear women sexy madame ride a bike
wookie skid.
Tags: wookie chewbacca star wars fixed gear ride a bike fuck off yeah
Avery "Brown Bear" was a lil' upset that i was taking a photo of him after our parkin' garage hunt night ride. hit up 7 garages and tracked 48 miles. fun night.
Tags: bikes brown bear fixed gear fuck off night ride ride a bike bianchi pista
finally decided to put the track drops on for the time being. can't wait for the leader 721 frame to get here.
Tags: bike fixed gear ride a bike slut yeah mine
my lil' slut.
well what was.
after the 'monday night ride gettin' hit by a car' incident, she's been broken and bruised. fork. frame. wheel. bars. they're all thrashed, along with my awesome broken wrist.
time for a new build. i've been wantin' to do one anyways. gotta lot of new fresh ideas for this upcoming build.
and to the fuckin' thundercunt that hit me and drove off, i hope you drive your car into an AIDs tree and feel good about hittin' people on bicylces. fuck you.
Tags: bike ride a bike new build fixed gear sexy photography ride fast and ride hard get hit by cars fuck off
hello, sexy.
Tags: bike ride a bike sexy fixed gear fuck you
pure fun.
ride a bike & ride fast.
Tags: ride a bike ride fast downhill fixed gear bikes fun
after the monday night booze ride. right on.
Tags: ride a bike blood fixed gear booze monday night ride sluts blunts fuck off
The back end of my sexy.
Tags: bike fixed gear back end cog ride a bike sluts fuck off
my sexy. pt.II
Tags: my bike ride a bike sexy fixed gear fuck off sluts
my sexy.
Tags: my bike ride a bike fixed gear fuck off wu sluts
bike. check.
tecate. check.
automatically sexy woman. check.
yes. yes. and yes.
Tags: bikes women booze sexy girl fixed gear tecate yes fuck you ride a bike
stevie. 27.
I like when I get light headed.
instagram: thatcatstevie
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English. 1045 members
There are two men on the hourse. They are ride in the river.
Firstly you should to choice meal and you prepare food supplies.
I don't know because I am not doctor.
Yes , It is very different.
First I don't eat garlic and I get up early and shave. I wear my best clotes.


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Press Conference: Task Force Report findings on detainee Tx and tortureSubmitted by Peggy R on Sat, 04/20/2013 - 09:11
This is the video of the press conference released by The Constitution Project's Task Force on Detainee Treatment is an independent, bipartisan, blue-ribbon panel charged with examining the federal government's policies and actions related to the capture, detention and treatment of suspected terrorists during the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations.
I now see this has already been posted but it seems it was overshadowed by the Marathon bombings. This is definitely worth watching.
Could Mods upload?
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One of the longtime members of the APAC family, Jenny Lando, also recently visited Vesta, and wrote up her experience for us, and I am so happy to share it with all of you here. Without further ado, here's Jenny!
The very first time I went to Vesta was an after-party for an APAC show. Since then it is a regular go-to spot for me for good, simple, seasonal food.
If you are attending an APAC show on a Thursday or a Friday please take advantage of Vesta's Happy Hour (5 – 7 pm M – F). Not only are prices reduced on house wines but they offer something called a family meal.
I had a choice of two different types of pasta – a pesto orecchiette with parmesan or a penne with cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and asparagus. I chose the orecchiette but also ordered a side of Brussels Sprouts. *
The meal is served with a delicious soft bread and small side of rich olive oil. The pasta was al dente and had exactly the right amount of pesto balanced with large slivers of parmesan. Brussels sprouts were cooked magically – flaky and slightly flame burnt on outside, soft and deliciously moist on the inside.
Dessert. I normally get the Baby Jesus cake (and to be transparent, I normally get it as an appetizer) but there was a buttermilk honey panna cotta with strawberry sauce and a balsamic reduction that looked good on menu and tasted even better in practice. I suggest making a 5:30 or 6 pm reservation which will allow you a leisurely meal and still give you plenty of time to walk a few blocks to APAC before the show begins.
As Vesta says on their website " vieni a casa". Come home.
Vesta Trattoria and Wine Bar 21-02 30th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102 tel. (718) 545-5550 http://vestavino.com/
Joining 15 other Senior Stars for the fourth week of rehearsal for the big show on June 21.
Cannot tell you how much I enjoy answering my e-mail by saying, "Will get back to you after rehearsal."
Working out, helping each other, encouraging each other under the direction of a professional choreographer and musical director.
Where has this been all my life? Twice weekly I find out I can sing (a little) dance (very little). It makes it fun to be 80 and "Stayin' Alive."
-Frances Luhmann McDonald
If you haven't been to William Hallet on 30th Avenue, you should definitely check it out. We had a great time getting to know George Rallis, the chef and owner (recently featured on Chopped! Check out the video here), and I know the APAC staff is excited to go back to William Hallet again soon- the restaurant has a laid back, unique menu and a comfortable ambience that we loved. And of course, the food is fantastic! We especially loved the chickpea fries, the marinated chicken skewers, and the sliders. George made sure our party went perfectly, and we had a wonderful time there. It was just what we needed, after a long and busy week of tech rehearsals, previews, and finally opening night, to relax and celebrate together!
Of course, the best thing to do is check out some of the pictures, so take a look at the great time we had at William Hallet!
Tonight is our second preview of Allegro, and today is the end of my third week at APAC as the new Executive Director. What a busy three weeks it has been!
Soon after arriving for the first time at our office in Kaufman Astoria Studios, learning where everything was and figuring out all the important things like how the filing system works, where to pick up the mail, and the closest Starbucks, it was time to get to work. Lucky for me, the work at APAC is the best part, because it means connecting with our audiences and our artists.
APAC is nothing without its audience- you are all the reason we're here, and the community of our audience is one of the best things about APAC. So, one of my favorite things of these first few weeks was getting together with Annie and our intern, Jamie, and choosing the winners of our Annual Raffle, live tweeting the results, and sending out emails to the lucky prize winners.
Meeting with our Board, getting in touch with our supporters in the community to introduce myself and set up meetings was next on the agenda. APAC's Board is an incredible group of people; they are so invested and passionate about our theatre, and care deeply about Astoria's cultural organizations. We are setting out an ambitious plan for APAC's future, and I am thrilled to work with them as APAC moves forward.
And of course as all of this was happening was perhaps the most exciting part of my time here so far- Allegro rehearsals and the countdown to opening night. From the first rehearsal in our performance space to last night's first preview, the show has grown and developed so wonderfully. Tech week is a hectic time, with many changes, lots of late nights, but with an undercurrent of excitement. It's challenging even when it isn't your first week or two on the job! It is such a privilege to watch our actors, musicians, director and choreographer, and our designers work. I mentioned that one of the best things about APAC is its community, and tech week is when you really see our community of artists as a whole come together. It is an energizing, collaborative environment.
And that brings us back to tonight. Our second preview. One more night until opening. I'll be there, and I hope I'll see you there as well! I can't imagine a better way to start a new job- right in the thick of it as our show opens, with a chance to meet all of you.
See you at the theatre!
I honestly don't remember when I first became aware of Allegro. When I was in high school, the school library had a copy of Six Plays by Rodgers and Hammerstein, which included Allegro. I know read it, although I don't know if I had heard of it before then.
What I do remember is being absolutely fascinated from the first page: a Greek chorus, describing the thoughts and feelings of a lone woman onstage. Even without knowing any of the music, it was thrilling to just read the script – it felt so experimental and modern. And the story was so pure and lovely and moving.
Unfortunately, the original cast recording only captured about 30 minutes of music, which is almost less than one third of the entire score. So I could never quite get a feeling for what this show must be like from listening to that album. I just had that script, that incredibly exciting script. From then on, Allegro stayed with me.
It wasn't until 2008, when the gorgeous studio recording was released, that I could finally get a sense of what this show was, and it exceeded the conception I had of it in my head.
Getting to work at APAC with Tom, Christine, and Julianne once again is wonderful. But getting to work with some of my favorite people on this show, which has haunted me for fifteen years, it's a dream come true. If I told 14 year-old Mark that eventually he'd live in New York City and be the Associate Director on a production of Allegro, he would never believe me. Going to rehearsal is a complete joy. I love watching Tom work with the actors to find the heart of the scenes, Christine's dances take shape and form in front of my eyes, and Julianne molding Rodgers' beautiful harmonies out of the chorus. When I'm working on this show, I feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be and doing what I'm supposed to be doing.
Maybe that's why this show won't leave me – I see myself in Joseph Taylor, Jr. I hope each and every one of you who comes to this show sees yourself in him as well.]]>
I'm so happy to be back at APAC for my fifth musical. Since Tom selected Allegro, we have been excited to finally do a musical together with so much dancing in it. And there is: So. Much. Dancing. At the end of rehearsal every night, my feet hurt in the best possible way, and in the morning I can't wait to get up and get right back on them.
This show has required more pre-production work than any other I've choreographed, but I love the challenge. In addition to the movement the traditional musical numbers call for, there are also three extended dance sequences. So far we've taught two.
The first is "Children's Dance", during which we meet Joe Taylor as a child, see him interact with his family and the community—and court his childhood sweetheart, Jennie Brinker. Christopher and Fiona, the children that play Young Joe and Young Jennie, are such naturals. They are the glue that holds together this five-minute dance, and I can't take my eyes off of them.
The next big dance scene is the "Freshmen Get Together", when an 18-year-old Joe finds himself a fish out of water among his peers who are much better dancers than he. Here, we see college students performing the dance crazes of the 1920s (The Turkey Trot, Charleston, Bunny Hug and Toddle), while Joe struggles to remember "one foot, other foot." This dance required the most research, but we've had a blast putting it together—the 20s dances are so fun.
We have one more big one to teach—arguably the biggest: the title song "Allegro." My Associate Choreographer, Julianne Katz, and I have been spending a few hours a day finalizing the routines and traffic patterns for this one, which we'll be teaching over the course of 6 hours next week. During "Allegro" we will see the emotional and psychological toll that the pace and style of city life has taken on adult Joe Taylor and his two friends, Emily and Charlie. Routed in ballet and jazz, this dance takes its cue from the lyrics and is "Brisk! Lively, merry, and bright!"
When we were all first getting started on this project back in August, I had a feeling that we were going to want a lot of space for long, sweeping dance passes across the floor filled with chasés, jumps, and turns; and Stephen Dobay, our set designer, has incorporated a wide-open space that is a choreographer's dream. It's a thrill to see the dancers really travel across the floor with ease. Sometimes an audience member might even feel a breeze as they go by!
Agnes DeMille, the original director/choreographer of Allegro (but best known for her work on Oklahoma! and Carousel), has always been lauded for the narratives in her dance, and I have been working hard to honor that legacy. Though we might have slightly different through-lines, Tom and I are so excited about how each dance advances the plot and teaches us something new about our story's leading man, Joe Taylor.
We just had our work through of Act One last night, and I can't believe how much the ensemble has learned and retained so far! My work would be nothing without them, and I am so grateful for their dedication, training, and hard work. I'm sure their feet hurt just as much as mine!]]>
In late January, Crystal Skillman, who is my assistant and who brings great talent and skill to our program as a teacher and playwright, wrote a blog about our Playmaking Program at APAC. She described what we do and the significance for the students who work with us, who express their hopes and fears through the metaphors they imagine and who grow leaps and bounds from the experience of creating four characters and writing a play. What begins as a daydream from the deepest parts of the imagination becomes a full fledged piece of work to share with theatre artists and ultimately an audience.
It was another brutally cold day with morning snow showers when we started our second round of Playmaking on February 28. But in our room at IS 10, it was warm and cosy and grew increasingly so with the energy, eagerness and creativity of the new 6th, 7th and 8th grade students who had signed up to write a brand new play. When asked why people write plays, among the many reasons they gave was "it's fun!" And it was.
Here are some moments from this particular six week session.
Each day of the Playmaking program has the students doing some acting activities and some writing. During our first class, the students created animal characters and then all of us interviewed these characters. We met an Owl named Snow who wanted to explore the forest against her parents wishes. Day 2 brought inanimate objects into life; we met a Pencil named Jeff who was afraid of being cracked, a moonstone named Moon Light who brought luck to her owner and whose fear was to fall down, be broken into pieces and thrown away, and a pair of scissors who was also afraid of becoming useless and tossed out. Day 3, Nature characters came into being: A Fog and Water were two. Finally the students created Human Being characters, being cautioned to make them up!
All along, Crystal and I gave students both improvisational skills to illustrate the importance of need, conflict and action, and writing activities to put their new skills into being on paper.
Relief! No more snow days to interrupt our work as had happened in January and February three times! And the joy of watching the sky turn pink from our 3rd floor window was something to share and also relevant as we constantly asked for sensory details and descriptions. Our own view was an example.
One of our activities is an imaginary "Trip to the Beach" with a visiting aunt or uncle. We contact all the senses…the heat of a summer day, the feel of a tarred parking lot on our feet and the sound of dogs barking on the beach. When asked about what they chose to eat for lunch, one girl talked about the spinach pie her aunt makes and she could taste that! That was a first for me; usually we eat chicken, barbeque or sandwiches.
It's now April 4 and the students' plays are typed and ready for the rehearsal tomorrow and for the performance Thursday, April 10 at 6:00. Come and see if Snow, Jeff and the other characters I have mentioned were given life in the young playwright's plays! We guarantee you a most unique experience of theatre. You will see plays with great originality, performed by professional actors who put their hearts and souls into them and directed by committed directors who understand that they have the hopes and fears of tender hearted young people in their hands.]]>
I'm really excited to be back at APAC working with Tom and designing Allegro. Many of the people who are involved in this show also worked on last season's Blood Brothers, so it's great to have an established comfort level and sense of trust among the team.
One of my favorite moments working on any show is the first read/sing-through with the cast, because it tells me more about what a show will look like than any model or sketch I could create on my own. And because Allegro is set in a town, the actors who inhabit this world are as much a part of the stage picture we're creating as any set piece.
Because Allegro is centered around one character's life, the design must be reflective of his unique journey and world. From a technical standpoint, this means creating many different locations and set pieces that feel personal and specific. This can be a challenge in a small space like APAC's, without the conventions of a fly space and wings (like a traditional Broadway house). Addressing these issues in ways that are both creative, and true to the musical itself, is one of the great pleasures of working at APAC. As matter of fact, this is the fifth show I've designed here, and I'm proud to say that I still haven't exhausted the number of stage & audience configurations possible in the space!
Truthfully, when Tom approached me about designing Allegro, I wasn't entirely familiar with it. But I've been lucky enough to work with Tom since he first started at APAC, and I've witnessed first-hand what a unique and creative sensibility he brings to every project he does. So that was what initially excited me about working on this show. Then I got to know the terrific music and story, and I was completely sold. I truly think everyone who sees the show will be able to relate to the characters, plot and themes in some way, and I hope to see everyone there!]]>
In March of 1943 Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II opened their first musical collaboration, Oklahoma!, on Broadway. Two years after this watershed musical swept New York City, the pair repeated their success in 1945 with Carousel. With two major triumphs under their collective belt, the theatre community anxiously awaited the duo's next piece, and in 1947, Allegro appeared – the first (and one of few) R&H musicals not destined to become a household name. Rodgers and Hammerstein maintained their musical-every-two-years trend, and in '49 came South Pacific, followed by The King and I in '51, then Me and Juliet and Pipe Dreams in 1953 and '55 respectively, before culminating with their immensely popular The Sound of Music in 1959. The walloping catalogue of musicals is virtually unparalleled, and Allegro has always been the anomaly; the blotch on a nearly unstained reputation; and for many musical theatre fans and aficionados – the source of much curiosity and speculation.
When Artistic Director Tom Wojtunik mentioned to me that Allegro would be APAC's spring musical, I lit up with excitement. Finally someone was willing to take on this seldom produced work, and give audiences the opportunity to experience a hidden gem of the R&H collection, and make this diamond in the rough sparkle again. I do not know if it was my blatant giddiness about this news that led Tom to ask me to be his Dramaturg on this production, but I don't think he finished asking the question before I jumped in with a "yes" and a handshake.
A Dramaturg aids the director in fleshing out the world of the play through historical research about the time/place when the play is set, in addition to researching the original production, it's critical reception, and dissecting the script to figure out what works and what could be tweaked so the show can have the utmost relevance to an audience in 2014. What has always fascinated me about Rodgers & Hammerstein is their reputation for "family-friendly" and "wholesome" musicals, when in fact they led the charge in creating some incredibly daring, cutting-edge, and even experimental works. The form and musical integration of Oklahoma!, the dark and misogynistic themes of Carousel, and the racial tensions explored in both South Pacific and The King & I are often forgotten beneath lavish choruses singing "June is bustin' out all over" or multitudes of children "whistling a happy tune."
What distinguishes Allegro in the R&H canon is the conceptual nature of the musical. Hammerstein (who also wrote the book) takes a fairly simple story of Joe Taylor Jr. who is born the son of a doctor in a simple rural town in Illinois, and tracks his life to the big city, and his return home. However, Hammerstein abandons a traditional narrative form. At times he places the audience in the shoes of the protagonist, at other he imposes a greek chorus to voice Joe's subconscious; scenery was scant (perhaps an homage to the Our Town-feel of the show), the staging was incredibly fluid (thanks to a curtain on a track that would wipe one scene into another), and Hammerstein points the proverbial finger at urbanites and socialites (who would have been in attendance at the time) for their excessive lifestyles. These reasons attributed to the show's mixed critical response, which in turn contributed to Allegro's legacy in obscurity.
The tropes and devices employed by the creators of Allegro have enjoyed a comfortable existence in many successful concept-musicals in the decades following. Shows such as: Company, West Side Story, Cabaret, Pippin, Caroline, Or Change, Chicago, A Chorus Line, Merrily We Roll Along, Godspell, Hair, Spring Awakening, etc. are made possible because Rodgers & Hammerstein invented something new, and challenged themselves and their audience. Even the musical demi-god and protege of Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, acknowledges that Allegro played a major part in influencing his artistic voice. It is fascinating to see how a ripple becomes a wave; to look back over nearly 70 years of musical theatre history and observe how one musical served as a turning point and then faded into the cultural memory. "Fascinating" does not begin to describe this process. In addition to the rewards of working with an historically significant title, it has also been eye-opening to discover the beauty and care that went into this gorgeous musical. Spending a few minutes with a song or scene from this show constantly leads to new discoveries. The richness of this show's history is only outmatched by the richness of the story, the score, the characters, and the concepts inherent in the piece. Allegro was ahead of its time, and we hope our contemporary audience enjoys re-discovering this musical, as much as we've enjoyed breathing life back into it.]]>
I've been working in musical theater for most of my life…first as an actor in middle and high school, and later as a director when I moved to New York City for college. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that I've "geeked out" on the art form, listening to cast recordings and devouring the history.
Rodgers and Hammerstein's Allegro was one of those musicals where I could tell you all of the reasons it was important to the history of the genre (the first concept musical! the first director/choreographer! the first female director! the first fluid staging, sans in-one scenes! the experimental use of a Greek chorus! the influence on Stephen Sondheim and his later work!), but I admit that I never really got to know the show itself.
When I took over as Artistic Director of APAC in 2008, I started reading and re-reading tons of musicals, as I was now tasked with the job of programming APAC's annual season. Around that time The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization produced a beautiful studio recording of the full score to Allegro. The first time I read and listened to it I bawled at the end—there are moments in this show that are as moving as the best stuff the legendary team ever wrote. There were also parts of the script that perplexed me enough that, although I kept it on my short list for APAC, I would pass it over every year when it came time to pick our next musical.
Last summer, my friend and mentor Pat Hoag Simon (also APAC Advisory Board Member) convinced me that I should give it another look. She also introduced me to Bruce Pomahac, Director of Music at The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. Bruce has been a champion of my ideas for the production and an endless fountain of insight and knowledge into the material. Bruce later introduced me to R&H President Ted Chapin, who was equally as supportive. When my trusted collaborators Christine O'Grady (choreographer) and Julianne Merrill (musical director) met the project with the same enthusiasm, I knew it was the right choice for APAC.
Popularly considered the first "concept" musical (one in which the overall themes are more important than the plot), it can be difficult to describe Allegro to someone. In a nutshell, the story follows a small-town boy who studies to be a country doctor like his father. Circumstances lead him down a career path far from his original intention, resulting in an existential crisis. The thing I find so affecting about the story is how Rodgers and Hammerstein choose to take us through it. It's the telling of this tale that gives it its power—the book, music and lyrics, and hopefully our staging. The more I dig into it, the more I realize it's a treasure trove of theatrical possibilities and one I'm positive APAC audiences will respond to.
The truth is, maybe I just wasn't ready to direct Allegro when I first read it.
I think I'm ready now.]]>


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Why We Use Distractions to Escape Our Pain
Escaping pain never works. You can try, but there will always be a time when you are left alone in the abyss of your thoughts and the pain will re-surface. Drugs, sex, alcohol.. they are perfect engines for your own escape, but eventually they will become your consistent means of running away from what is actually hurting you.


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Senior portraits, from ZoneCreative. Great faces and character. 21824887, 21826084, 21825675
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We want to make sure that everyone is plenty relaxed in order to properly appreciate all the high-jumping and pommel-horse and discus-throwing that's about to go down. So here are some very pretty shots of people taking it very, very easy. Click back here any time over the next few weeks if you start to feel overwhelmed.
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Voyage 7106
Day 1 - Ushuaia, Argentina
Day 2 - At sea en route to the Falkland Islands
Day 3 - Saunders Island, Falkland Islands
Day 4 - Stanley, Falkland Islands
Day 5 - At Sea
Day 6 - At sea
Day 7 - Salisbury Plain, Prion Island and Fortuna Bay, South Georgia
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Day 14 - At Sea en route to Tristan da Cunha
Day 15 - Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha Island group
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Day 17 - Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Tristan da Cunha
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Day 16 - Tristan da Cunha
Voyage Journal 7106 Day 16
Day 16 - March 18, 2011 - Tristan da Cunha
By Juan Carlos Restrepo, Geologist
Co-ordinates: S 37º03'27", W 012º18'56"
Weather: Sunny
Air Temperature: 17ºC
Pressure: 1003 hPa
Wind: 25 knots
What a beautiful day in the middle of the South Atlantic! As far away as you can get from anywhere and hope to get ashore. Notice the word "hope" because unfortunately we haven't been able to. We have had a great time, don't take me wrong dear reader, the scenery, wildlife and the weather have been wonderful, but we haven't managed to come ashore as the port has been closed by the harbour master due to heavy swells breaking straight into the only jetty on the island.
During the night at 2:30 am the MV Oliva broke in two. That is very unfortunate as the potential environmental damage could be big if you consider the amount of breeding birds that live on Nightingale Island and particularly the endemic Northern Rockhopper Penguins, which are only found in this archipelago. There are some reports today of penguins coming out of the water covered in oil… Not a pretty picture. We are hoping that the wind keeps blowing south so the oil is blown away from the islands, and that no rats from the shipwreck (which was carrying soy beans) manage to get ashore.
And so considering that going ashore was not possible, Captain Alexander Golubev sailed the ship around the island of Tristan da Cunha to the calmer eastern side, where a local boat managed to bring the local officials on board the
Prince Albert II
to do customs and immigration clearance. After the officials had finished their job, we sailed back to Edinburgh of the Seven Seas but the port was still closed. At 11 am guest lecturer David Guggenheim gave a lecture on Oil Spills - Lessons Learnt from the Deepwater Horizon Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Very interesting and relevant, given the circumstances.
The Outdoor Grill was open and most guests enjoyed lunch on deck as we sailed south to Inaccessible Island. The amount of seabirds here is staggering: thousands of great shearwaters and broad billed prions, plus spectacled petrels, yellow-nosed albatrosses, Antarctic terns, southern giant petrels and Tristan skuas, all in great numbers. Despite the swell, the sun was out and the scenery was stunning. We then headed over to Nightingale to have a look at the shipwreck and found her now in two pieces about 100 meters away from each other. Thank goodness we managed to get those sailors off the Oliva yesterday, as today the story would have been different…
There were black blobs of oil in the water and a distinctive diesel fuel smell, as the Captain brought us close to the MV Oliva. It was interesting to see the superstructure half sunken, where we had rescued the crew just 24 hours ago, and also to see how the whole front of the ship had broken off and drifted back onto the rocky shore around the headland where it had run aground.
As we sailed away from Nightingale towards Tristan again, the hotel department hosted a cocktail party out on deck. Everybody enjoyed the nice conditions, warm temperatures, tons of birds and beautiful sunset. Towards the end of the cocktail party, Expedition Leader Robin West briefed our guests on our plans for tomorrow. We are all crossing fingers for good sea conditions so we can step onto the most remote inhabited island on Earth!
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The delegates from the World Bank Group, escorted by Ms. PIA PEETERS, SR Social Development Specialist Africa Region, Conflict and Social Development Unit, visited HEAL Africa DRC on Tuesday November 26th, 2013. The group composed of Ms. PIA PEETERS, Ms. LISETTE KHONDE and Dr. HARALD HINKEL was received by the administrative team of HEAL Africa DRC in Goma.
The main purpose of this visit was to follow-up on promises made by the UN General Secretary, BAN KI-MOON, during his last joint visit in DRC on 23rd May 2013, during which he was accompanied by the President of the Word Bank Group Dr. JIM YONG KIM. The local team presented a PowerPoint presentation of HEAL Africa, which showed and explained HEAL Africa and its achievements in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as its different partners throughout the world. In response to the presentation, Ms. PIA noted that they were on a mission that covers the African Great Lakes region. They were collecting project design information from different NGOs. She asked HEAL Africa to submit/provide information on the gaps remaining uncovered in specific areas like Gender-based Sexual Violence, Reproductive Health, as well as the shared experiences between the three countries in the Great Lakes region namely the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Burundi. Ms. PIA noted the fact that the World Bank Group never funds or signs contracts with NGOs, but rather with governments. That is its intervention approach. Therefore, no other organization or individual can be its intermediate. She added that the World Bank will develop project ideas that will be submitted to the Government for issuing calls for tenders; the government will then publish the offer for which NGOs including HEAL Africa will apply for funding. HEAL Africa shared with the World Bank team observations about gaps in the above mentioned areas and shared reports of evaluation studies already made by HEAL Africa in the areas of Gender-based Sexual Violence and reproductive health. Ms. Pia expressed satisfaction with the visit and the work of HEAL Africa, she wrote the following words in the HEAL Africa visitors' book: "Dear Colleagues, Thank you very much for sharing your insights and an overview of the incredible work HEAL Africa does. I am sure this is the first of other visits to come in future." Mrs. PIA promised to come the following week for a visit to the HEAL Africa hospital. As promised, the delegates came to visit the hospital. They were taken around by Dr. Justin Paluku, Deputy Director of HEAL Africa. At the end of the tour, the delegates met with 3 members of the Coordination Committee of HEAL Africa. The delegates expressed the willingness of the World Bank to work with HEAL Africa in North-Kivu province and Panzi Foundation in South-Kivu province through the DRC government. The delegates confirmed that 3 projects will be funded by the World Bank in the Great Lakes region. Many issues were discussed regarding the role that HEAL Africa will have to play in the 3 projects. The discussion was very fruitful.