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BEIRUT (AP) — Syria's main Western-backed opposition group on Wednesday rejected Russian accusations that rebels made sarin nerve gas and used it in a deadly chemical attack outside Aleppo in March.
The Syrian National Coalition called the charges "desperate" and "fabricated." Russia is a key ally of President Bashar Assad's regime.
Use of chemical weapons is an explosive issue, potentially guiding whether the West increases its aid to rebel forces. President Barack Obama called chemical weapons use by the Assad government a "red line," while such accusations against the rebels could reinforce Western misgivings about arming them.
Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, blamed opposition fighters for the March 19 attack in the government-controlled Aleppo suburb of Khan al-Assal, which he said killed 26 people, including 16 government troops, and injured 86 others.
The rebels have blamed the government for the attack. The U.S., Britain and France have said they have seen no evidence that the opposition has acquired or used chemical weapons.
"Evidence provided by parties that support Assad's tyrannical regime with money, weapons, and ammunition is false and clearly fabricated," said the statement by the SNC, a group made up mostly of exiled dissidents.
"The recent Russian analysis on the use of chemical weapons in Khan al-Assal is a desperate attempt by Russia to deceive the world and justify Assad's crimes," it added. "The Syrian people consider Russia (to be) Assad's partner in the murder of innocent Syrian civilians."
The Coalition invited a U.N. fact-finding mission to enter areas under rebel control in Syria to investigate the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.
On Monday, the Syrian government also invited Ake Sellstrom, the Swedish head of the U.N. fact-finding mission on allegations of chemical weapons use in Syria, and U.N. disarmament chief Angela Kane to visit Damascus for foreign minister level talks on conducting an inquiry into the Khan al-Assal attack alone. The U.N. has sought wider access.
Up to now the government and U.N. have not been able to agree on the scope of an inquiry, and there has been no independent investigation.
Sellstrom was expected to meet Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at U.N. in New York later Wednesday. A U.N. diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters, said Sellstrom and U.N. disarmament chief Angela Kane are likely to visit Damascus "quite quickly" for high-level talks on a possible U.N. investigation.
Churkin delivered an 80-page report to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Tuesday. He said Syria asked its ally Russia to investigate the attack because of the impasse with the U.N.
The samples taken from the impact site were analyzed at a Russian laboratory, Churkin said, and "there is every reason to believe that it was the armed opposition fighters who used the chemical weapons in Khan al-Assal."
British U.N. Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant told reporters Wednesday, "It's nice that the Syrian regime has given access to Russian experts to collect samples of alleged chemical weapons use, but it is considerably more important that they give access to independent and credible U.N. investigators."
In Washington, White House spokesman Jay Carney replied, "We have yet to see any evidence that backs up the assertion that anybody besides the Syrian government has had the ability to use chemical weapons or has used chemical weapons."
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki accused Russia of blocking the effort to allow the U.N. "unfettered access" to Syria to investigate all allegations of chemical weapons use.
The U.S. says it has "high confidence" that Assad's forces have killed up to 150 people with sarin gas.
In violence Wednesday, woman and her four children were killed as they fled shelling near Damascus, the Observatory said.
Residents of two northern Syrian towns demonstrated against al-Qaida-linked rebels, an activist said Wednesday, suggesting growing discontent in opposition areas toward hard-line Islamists fighting against the Syrian regime.
There have been similar protests over the past month in rebel-held areas, said Rami Abdul-Rahman of the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The organization receives its information through a wide network of activists on the ground.
"There's clear dissatisfaction against them," Abdul-Rahman said. He said most residents' anger was directed against one specific group, "The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant," an al-Qaida-linked coalition announced by the head of Iraq's al-Qaida arm, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in April.
The Syrian al-Qaida element, the Al-Nusra Front, rejected the merger. Last month Al-Qaida's global leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was said to be trying to end the squabbling, ordering that the merger be dissolved.
Hard-line Sunni fighters, some from other countries, form the most organized part of the chaotic brigades battling Assad's rule. The war in Syria is now in its third year, and different groups of rebels control northern and southern parts of the country.
Abdul-Rahman said it seemed residents were angry because fighters had been arresting youths on flimsy pretexts.
"They are trying to show their muscle," he said.
Similar demonstrations took place in Aleppo province.
Associated Press writers Edith M. Lederer at the U.N. and Deb Riechmann in Washington contributed this report.
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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Smiling, even laughing, at questions about a report linking him to a company that purports to make performance-enhancers, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis said Wednesday he "never, ever took" the stuff.
Lewis described himself as "agitated," not angry, that the story has become part of the Super Bowl-week prelude to Baltimore's game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
He added that he's certain his teammates won't be distracted by the report in Sports Illustrated. The magazine said Lewis sought help from a company that says its deer-antler spray and pills contain a banned product connected to human growth hormone. The 37-year-old Lewis is the leading tackler in the NFL postseason after returning from a torn right triceps that sidelined him for 10 games.
In a private conversation with Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, and later in the public setting of a news conference, Lewis distanced himself from Sports With Alternatives To Steroids (SWATS). SI reported that company owner Mitch Ross recorded a call with Lewis hours after the player hurt his arm in an October game against Dallas. According to the report, Lewis asked Ross to send him deer-antler spray and pills, along with other items made by the company.
"It's so funny of a story because I never, ever took what he says or whatever I was supposed to do. And it's just sad once again that someone can have this much attention on a stage this big, where the dreams are really real," Lewis said Wednesday, wearing his white No. 52 Ravens jersey, gray sweatpants and a black hat with the team's purple logo. "I don't need it. My teammates don't need it. The 49ers don't need it. Nobody needs it."
The magazine reported that when it spoke to Lewis for its story, he acknowledged asking Ross for "some more of the regular stuff" on the night of the injury and that he has been associated with the company "for a couple years."
Lewis' stance Wednesday was different.
"He told me there's nothing to it. ... He's told us in the past, he's told us now, that he's never taken any of that stuff, ever. And I believe Ray. I trust Ray completely. We have a relationship. I know this man. And I know what he's all about," Harbaugh said. "It's just too bad it has to be something that gets so much play."
Harbaugh didn't think his players would be bothered a bit by the subject this week, dismissively waving his left hand while saying: "As a football team, it's not even a factor for us."
Known for his frequent references to God and faith, 2001 Super Bowl MVP Lewis called the whole episode a "joke" and a "trick of the devil," adding that he told teammates: "Don't let people from the outside ever come and try to disturb what's inside."
Faced with a handful of questions about SWATS, and on-field topics, Lewis never had to deal with a single reference to a dark chapter in his life: He pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in connection with a double murder after a Super Bowl party at an Atlanta nightclub in 2000.
"We all in here have a past. You know? But how many people actually dwell into it? You know? Nah, it ain't about your past. It's about your future," Lewis said in response to a question about the Ravens keeping focused on Sunday's game.
"And for me and my teammates, I promise you, we have a strong group of men that we don't bend too much," he said, raising a clenched right fist, "and we keep pushing forward. So it's not a distraction at all for us."
Asked about deer-antler spray, San Francisco's tight end Vernon Davis' take was, "I don't think Ray would take any substance."
Carlos Rogers, a 49ers cornerback, chuckled when asked about it and what effect the headlines could have on the Ravens.
"I don't think they'll get a distraction. I don't know what to make of that. I heard it was something that can't be detected. They can't test (for) it, anyway," Rogers said. "Him saying that he's never failed a test, he probably hasn't failed a test for what they test for."
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Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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Another MAC Lipglass is up for grabs in this product giveaway! This time, the winner gets to pick the shade of their choice from the available colors on the MAC website. MAC's lipglass is one of their most popular, versatile products. With multiple ways to enter, this giveaway is a no brainer. Enter when you have a minute. It's easy peasy!
Category Archives: MAC Cosmetics for Lips
Win a Free MAC Cosmetics Lipglass in This Giveaway!
The girls over at FreeMakeup&BeautySamples.com are hosting a giveaway for a MAC Cosmetics Lipglass in Oyster Girl (one of my FAV shades). This shade is a must-own color for sure. This is their first giveaway, so the number of entrants is bound to be lower.. which means YOU have a much better chance of winning! Entering is super easy. Just follow the instructions below! Good luck everyone :)
Get a Free MAC Cosmetics Lipstick with the Back to MAC Program
Although the program has been around for years, many shoppers aren't aware of MAC's ongoing Back to MAC program. This program helps protect the environment by promoting the recycling of used makeup compacts and containers. MAC customers can bring in six empty MAC makeup containers in exchange for one new MAC lipstick (excluding Viva Glam Lipsticks). The old makeup compact get recycled and you get free makeup product as a reward.
To get your free lipstick, you simply need to bring in six empty makeup containers to any MAC Cosmetics counter or to a MAC freestanding store. Or, you can submit your info here and send your containers in by mail. On occasion, MAC freestanding stores will also let you choose an eyeshadow in the place of a lipstick if you would prefer.
The empty container must be one of the following qualifying containers:
Eye Shadow Container/Pot
Trio Compact
Quad Compact
Cream Colour Base Compact
Paint Tube
Pigment Container
Mascara Tube
Liquid Liner Tube
Powder Compact
Blush compact
Lipstick Tube
Lipglass Tube
Foundation Bottle
Foundation Tube
Foundation Bottle Jar
Free MAC Cosmetics Lipglass in Prrr – Product Giveaway
Update: Congratulations to Esther C. from Monroe, New York – the winner of our April MAC Lipglass Giveaway!
As one of our favorite all time glosses, we decided to feature MAC Cosmetics Lipglass in our first SoKiss&Makeup.com Giveaway. One winner will receive a free MAC Lipglass in the shade Prrr, a delightful, neutral, peachy-pink shade. The giveaway ends on April 20!
To enter, do one or more of the following. You can enter as many ways as you like. Then, send us an email listing each of the ways you entered. The winner will be notified by email from the email address provided, so you must send us your entries by email for your entries to be valid.
1. Subscribe to SoKiss&Makeup's "featured posts" mailing list and confirm your subscription – http://www.sokissandmakeup.com/subscribe/ (1 entry)
2. Subscribe to SoKiss&Makeup.com's "featured posts" rss feed in a reader – http://www.sokissandmakeup.com/subscribe/ (1 entry)
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3. Follow SoKiss&Makeup.com on Twitter – http://twitter.com/sokissandmakeup (1 entry)
4. Like SoKissandMakeup.com on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/sokissandmakeup (1 entry)
5. Tweet about this giveaway (leave a direct link to your tweet in your giveaway entry email).
6. Follow FreeMakeup&BeautySamples.com on Twitter – http://twitter.com/free_makeup_ (1 entry)
7. Like FreeMakeup&BeautySamples.com on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/freemakeupandbeautysamples (1 entry)
8. Link to SoKissandMakeup.com from your blog* (5 entries)
9. Blog about this giveaway and include a link back to this post* (5 entries)
10. Add SoKissandmakeup.com to your blogroll or sidebar* (5 entries)
* Be sure to include the url of your blog in your giveaway entry email.
This deadline to enter is 12pm PST on April 20, 2011. Winner will be chosen randomly and posted on this page once the winner has confirmed. This Giveaway is open only to U.S. residents only. You must be 18 or older to participate. Winner will be notified by email. Winner must respond within 48 hours. Failure to do so will result in disqualification of the notified participant and new winner will be chosen randomly. One win per 90 days. No Purchase Necessary. Void where prohibited by law.
MAC: Jeanius Collection
Release Date: March 3rd, 2011
International Release Date: March 2011
MAC's spring line is starting out fierce with the new collection Jeanius. The collection offers products from eyeshadow, liner, and blush, to lipstick, lipglass, and nail lacquer. As implied by the name, this collection speaks to the denim lover in each of us.
After first glance at all of the products offered in this collection it doesn't necessarily strike me as a spring collection. When I think of spring, I think of soft pinks, purples and even yellows. This collection does offer some of those, but it mainly includes a lot of grays and blues. I love that the collection name so specifically fits the color scheme. And you do have to hand it to MAC for the way they play on words. At least the name of the collection is genius even if the complete color scheme is not.
And as pretty as I think some of the colors look, I am not exactly sure how they will look on. For me, it takes the right outfit and the right venue to want to wear blue eye makeup. If blues aren't done right, they just look cheap to me. But MAC does often get it right so I am willing to give this collection a chance.
Some of the nail lacquer colors are particularly interesting to me. I find that I get more into nail polish at the change of the seasons. Spring truly brings out my desire to have my toes nicely painted and my fingers matching in style. Fray-to-order looks like it will be a really pretty color. It is a white matte with soft pink duochrome pearl.
When my nails are painted, I like to have my lip color match when appropriate. I am not sure that any of these lip colors offered in this collection match completely, but I think that the lipstick shade Pretty Please might compliment the nail color nicely. I am excited to try it.
What do you think MAC customers? Is there something in this collection you are especially excited about? Or is this a collection that won't put a dent in your wallet?
Jeanius is a celebration of the journey America made a national obsession. M∙A∙C keeps up with a Jeanius collection of moody blues and indigo ink, the quantum of modern cool, with four new limited-life denimized Eye Shadows, Lipglass, Blush and Biker Blue Nail Lacquer. Completely riveting.
Diva In Distress—Mid-tone gray with silver pearl (Limited Edition)
Motorhead—Mid-tone blue with copper pearl (Limited Edition)
Stove Pipe Black—Black with copper pearl (Limited Edition)
White Jeanius—White with silver pearl (Limited Edition)
Docile—Chrome pink peach with gold (Limited Edition) (Repromote from Fabulous Felines, '10)
Indigo Pink—Deep burgundy with blue pearl (Limited Edition)
Painted On—Grayish beige with gold pearl (Limited Edition)
Acid Washed—Grayish beige with gold pearl (Glaze) (Limited Edition)
Pretty Please—Pale pink pearl (Lustre) (Permanent)
Riveting Rose—Deep burgundy with blue pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Nail Lacquer
Biker Blue—Black base with purple and blue pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Frayed-to-Order—White matte with soft pink duochrome pearl (Matte) (Limited Edition)
Overdyed—Bright magenta (Satin) (Limited Edition)
Pink Cult—Mid-tone neutral pink (Matte) (Limited Edition)
Rapidblack—True black (Permanent)
MAC: Viva Glam Gaga II Collection
Release Date: February 17th, 2011
International Release Date: March 2011
No Bad Romance here. We're unveiling a hot new shade inspired by Lady Gaga and her passions, in both Lipstick and Lipglass. And by now you know every cent from the sale of M∙A∙C VIVA GLAM goes toward the M∙A∙C AIDS Fund.
MAC has released another addition to their Viva Glam line with Viva Glam Gaga II. Promoted and inspired by Lada Gaga it offers a lipstick and a lipglass color. As always, all proceeds go to the MAC AIDS Fund.
Whether you are a fan of Lada Gaga or not, these two products might be worth your time and money. Both the lipstick and lipglass are considered beige or nude tones. At first I thought, "Yuck!". I usually think of nude colors as background tones. Like me, you might not always think of beige and nude colors as something that will stand out. These colors break the mold and make a statement. They are getting rave reviews as well. Apparently, they aren't your typical nude tones.
While I really like both the Lipstick and Lipglass on their own, I also think MAC has brilliantly paired them together. The two really compliment each other giving just a little extra wow-factor. Because the money goes to charity, the pro discount is not available for this collection. I am always a fan of anything that results in money to much needed charities, but it's nice if what you buy with the money for charity is a great product. What do you think MAC fans?
Viva Glam Gaga II Nude—A light warm beige with an amplified finish
Viva Glam Gaga II Nude—Pale milky-beige
MAC: Wonder Woman Collection
Release Date: February 10th, 2011
International Release Date: March 2011
MAC has amped up their superhuman forces with their latest collection, Wonder Woman. The collection is a very big one complete with accessories and online exclusives. The products offered include everything from lipsticks to eyeshadow quads, from lashes to nail lacquer.
When I first heard this collection was going to be be released, I was really excited. Wonder Woman is one of the first well-known female superheros. She was one of my superheros. What better icon is there to speak to the strong, capable woman in each of us?
Once I started to review the collection, my feelings started changing. My first thoughts were, "How fun!" But unfortunately, my thoughts didn't go much beyond that, at least not in positive terms. Even though I want my makeup to be fun and playful, I think this collection might be a little too much for even me. As I reviewed the colors, I found myself envisioning me in this year's Halloween costume as Wonder Woman. All of the products would definitely come in handy then.
Even many of the names went a little over the top for me. I usually love the intelligent names that MAC comes up with for their products. They fit the products so well. I guess in this case, MAC still held true to their M.O. The names do fit the products. Names like Pink Power, Spinning Transformation, Deep Truth; Again, it's all just a little too juvenile for me.
The packaging is another thing to make mention of. Usually, MAC packaging is so perfect. This packaging just makes me think of saving my pennies to buy that one toy I wanted at the local drug store. I have seen many mixed reviews on the packaging. Many think it looks too tacky—especially for MAC. Others feel it is reminiscent of their childhood. I think I have to agree with those who feel it's just a little too tacky.
I think the only positive note for me in this collection is that it does offer lipstick and nail lacquer in true red colors. Every once in a while, an occasion or outfit will call for a nice red lipstick and nail polish. I might consider adding one or both of these products to my personal collection.
I will also say that the collection does take me back to my childhood. My childhood is a place with many fond memories. I remember how terrible I was at putting on makeup and how I wanted to look sophisticated and beautiful. I still want to look sophisticated and beautiful and for me, this collection just isn't doing the trick. What do you think? Are any of these products your favorite picks?
M∙A∙C Spring Colour 2011 is the feminine force that saves the day! No nemesis can match her super-sized Mineralize Skinfinish, Eye Shadows, Lipsticks and Powder Blush for this transformation! Our Artists work wonders every day – now with the help of one of the most exciting feminist figures…
Marquise d'–Sandy cream peach (Lustre) (Limited Edition) (Repromote from Brunette, Blonde, Redhead '09)
Russian Red—Intense bluish-red (Matte) (Permanent)
Spitfire—Bright creamy magenta (Satin) (Limited Edition)
Heroine—Brown bronze (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Emancipation—Pale neutral pink (Limited Edition)
Wonder Woman—Bright red with soft pearl (Limited Edition)
Athena's Kiss—Bright blue fuchsia (Limited Edition)
Secret Identity—Mid-tone copper with soft pearl (Limited Edition)
Nail Lacquer
Obey Me—True red (Limited Edition)
Spirit of Truth—Navy blue (Limited Edition)
Opulash Mascara
Victorious—Purple (Limited Edition)
Army of Amazons—Green (Limited Edition)
Themyscira—Blue (Limited Edition)
Black—Black (Permanent)
Penultimate Eye Liner
Rapidblack—True black (Permanent)
#48 Lash
Defiance Eyeshadow Quad
Defiance—Iridescent white pink (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition)
Paradise Island—Soft warm pink (Satin) (Limited Edition)
Star Studded—Mid-tone violet pink (Satin) (Limited Edition)
Real Drama—Dark burgundy with pink pearl (Satin) (Limited Edition)
Lady Justice Eyeshadow Quad
Lady Justice—Bright silver with white pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Insurmountable—Dirty blue grey (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition)
Bold Babe—Deep metal blue with white pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Deep Truth—True dark blue (Frost) (Permanent)
Valiant Eyeshadow Quad
Valiant—Light lime with yellow pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Spinning Transformation—Deep olive bronze with yellow pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Diana Undercover—Dark forest green (Satin) (Limited Edition)
Manila Paper—Pale frost white gold (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition) (Repromote from Spring Colour Forecast '10)
Reflects Glitter
Reflects Pearl—White glitter with pearl sheen (Glitter) (Permanent at PRO)
Reflects Bronze—Sparkling rich gold (Glitter) (Permanent at PRO)
Bright Fuchsia—Bright magenta (Permanent)
Marine Ultra—Vivid marine blue (Permanent at PRO)
Blush Duo
Mighty Aphrodite—Warm peach coral with gold pearl/Bright coral pink with gold pearl (Satin/Frost) (Limited Edition)
Amazon Princess—Bright yellow pink/Deep blue pink with gold pearl (Satin/Satin) (Limited Edition)
Mineralize Skinfinish
Pink Power—Peachy rose with pink shimmer/Soft rosy bronze/Soft shell pink with fine shimmer (Limited Edition)
Golden Lariat—True coral with fine gold shimmer/Soft suntanned bronze/Soft gold with fine shimmer (Limited Edition)
Wonder Woman Makeup Bag
Wonder Woman—Red (Limited Edition)
Bulletproof—Blue (Limited Edition)
Utility Belt Eye Brush Set (Limited Edition)
Includes 224SE, 213SE, and 194SE
Utility Belt Face Brush Set (Limited Edition)
Includes 129SE, 109SE, and 190SE
Wonder Woman T (Online Exclusive) (Limited Edition)
Invincible Mirror (Online Exclusive) (Limited Edition)
MAC: Lightfully Bright Collection
Release Date: February 2011 (online exclusive)
MAC has a new collection that is keeping things light for the Spring. The Lightfully Bright Collection is primarily a skin care launch with just a bit of color from four limited edition Lipglass colors.
While I am usually into skin care and love to pamper my face, I am not that excited about these skin care products. What's going to be different about them? When I read about this skin care line, I just think about the money it will cost. The skin care products are all limited edition as well so for me personally, if I were to try something and really like it, I'd be bummed out that I couldn't get more of it in the coming months. I prefer to just find my favorite skin care products knowing they will be around in months to come.
I am intrigued by the Lipglasses in this collection. I get really excited for spring to get here when I see colors like these. I want to try Outer Space. It is a white with pink pearl in it; Although, I may have to work on my tan before I can truly pull off the color. I also want to try the Astro Cool Lipglass. I think the light lavender with pink pearl sounds really feminine and pretty.
This collection is only available online here in the United States. It you want to buy it in MAC stores, you'll have to travel to Asia.
Outer Space—White with pink pearl (Limited Edition)
Astro Cool—Light lavender with pink pearl (Limited Edition)
Atmospheric—Pink with blue pearl (Limited Edition)
Ethereal—Pale blue with pink pearl (Limited Edition)
Lightful Deep Ultramoisture Creme
A lightweight, gel-like cream. Provides a moisture-locking barrier for long-lasting protection. Instantly hydrates the skin for a smoother skin surface, and helps it look more luminous over time.
Lightful Active Softening Lotion
Hydrating, water-based lotion. Absorbed quickly into skin. Immediately infuses depleted skin with moisture. Leaves it feeling refreshed, soothed and soft with a more even-toned look.
Lightful Foaming Creme Cleanser
Soothing whipped creamy mousse cleanses and rebalances skin. Rinses quickly. Leaving skin feeling clean and comfortable…never stripped or dehydrated.
Lightful Charged Essence">Lightful Charged Essence
Concentrated, lightweight, gel-like essence. Absorbed quickly into the skin. Helps it look and feel smoother, softer, brighter and more resilient.
MAC & Mickey Contractor Collection
Release Date: January 6th, 2011
As M·A·C's Director of Makeup Artistry for India, Mickey has mentored Artists around the world. This collection of his musts is about natural skin and total performance. Foundation, Concealer, goddess-gorgeous eye shades and his favorite brushes to star in your own Bollywood hit.
Mickey Contractor is the Director of Makeup Artistry for MAC Cosmetics in India. He is known for his exquisite eye and beautiful taste. Have you ever seen how beautiful the makeup is on the Bollywood movie stars? Mickey Contractor has been the makeup artist for many of the famous who can be seen in the Bollywood spotlight. MAC has teamed up with his genius to bring us the MAC & Mickey Contractor Collection.
Why is it if something is harder to get, I just want it more? Please tell me I am not alone in this. The MAC & Mickey Contractor collection is a limited in-store launch. At this point, it looks like only 22 of MAC's top stores will be carrying the collection.
Some of the collection is a little bit disappointing to me in that there are a lot of repromotes. I am always more curious to see what MAC is coming out with that is new. It is okay to have one or two repromotes in a large collection, but I feel like this one has just a few too many. That being said, there is one repromote I am very excited for.
I love the Prep + Prime Finishing Powder. It gives the skin such a great glow with an overall finished look. I especially like to wear it on days when I don't wear as much makeup. It can just give the clean, smooth, youthful look all over. I have seen several reviews that state it is not the best for someone with sensitive skin so that is definitely something to take into consideration if you think you might want this product.
The colors and eyeshadows have quite a bit of new material with some permanents intermixed. The eyeshadow quad does look like something I'd like to have in my makeup bag. The colors are the typical colors I would use, but you can tell that when used together, the four colors work really well to compliment one another.
Overall, I think the collection has a lot to offer, but I feel it lacking. I don't even know what exactly I was hoping for, just more when it comes to the combined genius of Mickey Contractor and MAC. What catches your eye about this collection? Did you want more or is it just what you expected from the notorious Mickey Contractor and MAC?
Gulabi—Bright fuchsia (Amplified) (Limited Edition)
Mehr—Dirty blue pink (Matte) (Limited Edition)
Mocha—Peachy yellow-brown (Satin) (Permanent)
Yash—Deep neutral (Matte) (Limited Edition)
Flesh—Dirty nude brown (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Lust—Soft muted pink (Frost) (Permanent)
Marvel – Deep purple with soft pink pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Oomph – Forest green with soft gold pearl (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition)
Rani – Bright fuchsia with soft pink pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Saffron – Deep coral caramel (Satin) (Limited Edition)
Eyeshadow Quad – Athma
Carbon -Matte black (Matte) (Permanent)
Folie -Reddish-plum brown (Satin) (Permanent)
Jaan – Light neutral with soft gold pearl (Lustre) (Limited Edition)
Vivah – Brown with gold pearl (Lustre) (Limited Edition)
Ivy – Bright green (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Siahi – Deep turquoise blue (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Gana—Bright white gold (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Sur—Dirty rose brown (Satin) (Limited Edition)
NC41 (Limited Edition)
NC43.5 (Limited Edition)
NC44.5 (Limited Edition)
Moisturecover Concealer
NC23 (Limited Edition)
NC43 (Limited Edition)
NC44 (Limited Edition)
NC45.5 (Limited Edition)
Moisturecover Double-End Concealer
Coral Corrector/Yellow Corrector (Limited Edition)
Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder (Permanent)
116 Blush Brush (Permanent)
219 Pencil Brush (Permanent)
239 Eye Shader (Permanent)
How to Spot Fake MAC Cosmetics Products
If you are looking to save a bit of money on your MAC makeup addiction, you might be tempted to take advantage of some of the deals you can find online. While it is possible to find some good bargains on MAC on places like eBay, counterfeit MAC is becoming increasingly more common. Here are a few tips on how to identify counterfeit MAC Cosmetics and avoid buying fake MAC items.
First, trust your instincts. If a price sounds good to be true, you should look at the item with a very skeptical eye. It's extremely difficult to find true bargains on MAC Cosmetics products these days. If it's just a few dollars off of retail, it is more likely to be legitimate. If it's a limited edition pigment from 1999 being sold for $2 new in box, you can rule it out right away.
photo credit: iferneinez
In order to determine the validity of the item in question, you need to examine it closely. If buying online, you should request pictures from the seller of the item from several angles including the top, bottom, side view, inside of lid, and the box. You need to compare these with original items either from your own collection or using pictures found online. There are a lot of subtle differences that fake MAC makeup products carry.
The packaging is one area where fakes tend to stand out if you know what to look for. For example, many counterfeit MAC eyeshadows come in a pot that looks suspiciously like the real thing… until you notice the compartment with the mirror and applicator underneath. MAC pot shadows never come with applicators or mirrors yet somehow this is very common on fakes. Also, the lid on many fake MAC shadows has a higher dome and opens at a smaller angle than real MAC shadows.
The packaging can offer several clues as well. Often counterfeit MAC boxes will have a very convincing MAC logo but the font on the rest of the box is very different from that of legitimate MAC boxes. Because many of these fakes are manufactured in other countries, you can often spot misspellings on the packaging as well. In some cases, the dimensions of the boxes might be different than real boxes too. If you suspect an item is not real MAC, pore over it very carefully before committing to buy it. Compare the item in question with one that you know is real and scrutinize the size, shape, writing, color and finish of the lid, weight, and scent.
Another tip-off to potentially fake MAC items is the source. Legitimate MAC products can be purchased from MAC counters, MAC stores, MAC's official website, and Cosmetics Company Outlet stores. Sometimes individuals will sell their MAC items secondhand for extra cash online. eBay is a overrun with MAC items but the sad truth is that many of these are counterfeit. When shopping for MAC on eBay, look at the seller's history. Check their feedback carefully for complaints of counterfeits. Look at the other items they are selling. If they have hundreds of new MAC items up for sale, especially without boxes, there is a good chance what they are selling isn't MAC at all.
Unfortunately, you have to do a bit of detective work when you are buying MAC from unofficial sources. Counterfeit MAC makeup items are not just poor quality imitations of the real thing. Some of these items might even contain ingredients that can irritate your skin or eyes. Truly good deals on MAC are few and far between but if you look very carefully, you can still find a few bargains.
MAC: Pro Longwear Lip Creme Collection
Release Date: September 16, 2010
It's an age-old dilemma that still doesn't seem to have a good solution: How can you get your lipstick to stay put while eating? Cosmetics companies come out with long wearing lipsticks from time to time but most of these leave your lips dry and an unsightly ring of color around your lips. MAC addresses this problem head-on with their new Pro Longwear Lip Creme Collection.
As the name implies, these lipsticks are very creamy. They come in a wind-up tube that is similar to MAC's lipstick packaging but taller and narrower. The consistency of these lip cremes is actually closer to a balm and they do a decent job of keeping lips hydrated.
One of the best things about these lipsticks is that they don't require a special top coat like most long-wearing lipsticks. This means application is a snap, although you should probably use a mirror since the color is so pigmented that it's not very forgiving. They do deliver on their promise to stay in place for up to twelve hours but don't tempt fate by eating an oily pasta sauce. The colors go on pretty evenly and they have a subtle sheen to them. These lip cremes will be part of the permanent collection so MAC is placing a lot of confidence in this product. Don't expect it to be just a passing trend.
Fading lipstick is a particular problem with bright and dark colors so MAC made sure to include several of these shades in the collection. Good to Go is a bold bright orange shade that is not for the faint of heart. Love Forever! is a daring bright pink with blue undertones. The dark brick red Extended Play is a great shade for fall. Prolong is a ruby red shade that is destined to become a classic for those who can pull off red lips. These are mostly cream formulas but there are also two frosty shades: the coppery Sweet Ever After and the nude/plum Made to Last. All of the colors provide full coverage.
MAC: Dare to Wear Collection
Release Date: July 29th, 2010
August 2010 (International)
Join the brigade of loud-and-proud who daily dare to declare their own individuality. High-powered pigment and holographic pearl create a crazy-intense, shine-saturated gloss, combined with eye shadow shades as over-the-top as Lady G live! Not afraid to DARE TO WEAR? Bravo!
Dare to Wear is a fun new collection from MAC for early fall 2010. As the name implies, this collection features a lot of bright, bold colors. However, even the more conservative MAC fans can find a few shades they will feel comfortable wearing so it's something everyone should check out.
Dare to Wear is pretty straightforward as far as MAC releases go in the sense that it consists only of eyeshadows and lipglasses. Most of the eyeshadows are matte shades with a heavy emphasis on blues and greens. Brown-eyed girls in particular can pull off these colors with ease. One of the loudest colors, the bright blue Zingy, is a limited release that is sure to make a statement. Those looking for a safer blue might want to check out Aqua Subdued, which is a softer turquoise color with enough gray mixed in to help tone down the brightness. MAC has also resurrected the popular Going Bananas shadow from the C-shock collection. This frosty canary yellow shade is surprisingly subtle on the eyes and looks great paired with the Rubenesque Paint Pot.
The Dare to Wear Lipglasses are perfect for days when you want to make a statement with your lips. Ban This! is a pearly true violet shade that is certainly bright but the more adventurous cool-toned girls out there will be able to pull it off, especially when paired with a black or navy blue eye look. So Bad is another vibrant shade but this is one of the more wearable colors in the collection. It's a straight up coral with gold pearl that looks great on its own but could also be worn with a neutral shade underneath for a more natural look. Dare to Wear is a great way to say goodbye to summer makeup colors before fall sets in.
Ban This! – Deep purple with multi-pearl (Limited Edition)
Bold & Brash – Bright red with multi-pearl (Limited Edition)
Dare to Dare – Light blue pink with multi-pearl (Limited Edition)
Gimme That! – Bright fuchsia pink with pink pearl (Limited Edition)
So Bad – Mid-tone coral orange with pink and gold pearl (Limited Edition)
Wind Me Up – Dirty bronze with pink and gold pearl (Limited Edition)
Aqua – Subdued, pale greyed aqua (Matte) (Permanent, PRO)
Atlantic Blue – Bright violet blue (Matte) (Permanent)
Crazy Cool – Pale frosty lavender (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition)
Free to Be – Bright true coral (Matte) (Permanent)
Going Bananas – Soft lemon yellow (Frost) (Limited Edition) (Repromote)
Lime – Lime green (Matte) (Permanent, PRO)
Louder – Please Bright fuchsia (Matte) (Limited Edition)
Sassy Grass – Bright grass green (Matte) (Limited Edition)
Shock-a-holic – Deep purple (Matte) (Limited Edition)
Sky Blue – Robin's egg blue (Frost) (Permanent, PRO)
Winkle – Mid-tone cornflower blue (Satin) (Permanent)
Zingy – Bright sky blue (Matte) (Limited Edition)
MAC: To the Beach Collection
Release Date: May 27, 2010
International: May 2010
Asia: June 2010
MAC's To The Beach collection is filled with the sort of items you might expect to find in a summer collection – bronzes and bright colors that look great against tanned skin. Most of us find that the colors we've been wearing all winter just don't look right once we start spending more time outdoors in the summer. MAC comes to the rescue once again with great selections in eye shadow, lipstick, and bronzers.
Everything in this collection features special beach-themed packaging. At first the green eyeshadow pots with white seashells outlined on the front are a bit jarring and almost look like they are not even from MAC. But these cases and the similar green blush compacts with their starfish design actually do have their charm. In fact, it's fun to pull these out when you're putting on your makeup and it also makes it easier to find the new summer shades among the sea of black shadow pots you probably have swimming in your makeup drawer. The Sweet & Punch shadow is a fun color that reminds me of key limes. It's a festive shade perfect for an outdoor lunch or lounging on a boat.
The lipsticks here are perfectly suited to the theme if a bit predictable and boring. Lazy Day is the requisite blue-based pink that only the tannest among us can pull off. Beach Bound is a frosty peach shade that is great if you're going for a nude lip look, especially if you pair it with the sparkly peach Flurry of Fun Lipglass also in this collection. The lipsticks come in orange tubes with white conch shells and the Lipglasses have orange caps emblazoned with seahorses.
Lustre Drops make a reappearance here from the Style Warrior collection. This is a multi-purpose liquid highlighter that helps you achieve a sun-kissed look. The golden bronze Sun Rush Lustre Drops are the perfect complement to a tan while the Pink Rebel Lustre Drops help give paler skin a fresh glow. Dot on with your fingers or blend into foundation or cream blush for a pearly glow. Scorcher Nail Lacquer could very well be one of the best Nail Lacquers MAC Cosmetics has ever released. It's the perfect coral shade to paint on your toes for the beach but bright enough that you will want to confine its use only to the summertime.
The Marine Life High-Light Powder is a pressed powder highlighter that uses shades of pink, peach, bronze, and brown to transform the surface of the powder into a work of art depicting a seahorse swimming in the ocean. The design is so beautiful that you almost don't want to use it but the powder gives such a nice glow that you don't feel too bad about disturbing the scene.
Eyeshadow – $14.50 US/$17.50 CDN
* Firecraker – Frosted mid-tone red orange (Veluxe Pearl)
* Humid – Intense green with shimmer (Frost)
* Sand & Sun – Light peach (Matte)
* Sweet & Punchy – Bright yellow green (Veluxe Pearl)
* Shimmermoss – Green with green pearl (Veluxe Pearl)
Eye Kohl – $14.50 US/$17.50 CDN
* Float on By – Dark green turquoise
* Rosemary & Thyme – Mid-tone olive gold with shimmer
Lipstick – $14.00 US/$16.50 CDN
* Beachbound – Sheer frosted pale peach (Glaze)
* Lazy Day – Light dirty blue pink (Lustre)
* Thrills – Rosy copper with gold pearl (Frost)
* Funbathing – Mid-tone bronzed plum (Cremesheen)
Lipglass – $14.00 US/$16.50 CDN
* Easy Lounger – Light baby pink with multi-dimensional pear
* Flurry of Fun – Sheer sparkly peach
* Splashing – Mid-tone blue pink with soft gold pearl
Lip Pencil – $13.00 US/$15.50 CDN
* Life's a Breeze – Soft pink
* Temperature Rising – Loudmouth orange
Powder Blush – $18.50 US/$22.00 CDN
* Get-Away Bronze – Mid-tone Suntan (Frost)
* Hipness – Intense coral with soft white pearl (Frost)
High-Light Powder – $26.00 US/$32.00 CDN
* Marine Life – Multicolour pressed powder
MAC Cream Bronzer – $25.00 US/$30.00 CDN
* Beach Bronze – Golden Glow with Soft Gold Finish
* Weekend – Mid-tone deep orange brown with soft pink pearl
Luster Drops – $18.50 US/$22.50 CDN
* Pink Rebel – Blue pink with gold pearl
* Sun Rush – Peachy bronze with gold pearl
Bronzing Powder – $22.00 US/$27.00 CDN
* Golden – Muted golden tan-beige with golden shimmer
* Refined Golden – Finely spun golden with soft pearl finish
Bronze Body Oil – $22.00 US/$27.00 CDN
* Glowing tan with multidimensional golden shimmer
Nail Lacquer – $12.00 US/$14.50 CDN
* In the Buff – Muted taupe avocado (Cream)
* Scorcher – Creamy bright coral red (Cream)
* MAC To The Beach Bag – $49.50 US/$59.50 CDN
Available at MAC Stores only.
Brush 130 – Short Duo Fibre – $38.00 US/$45.50 CDN
Brush 130 Short Duo Fibre Powder/Blush – $34.00 US/$41.00 CDN
MAC: Superglass Collection
Release Date: May 7th, 2010
International: May 2010
Shattered, decimated, blinded by a fantastic, intergalactic lip light! Just when you thought Dazzleglass was the best-of bright, along comes Superglass, with secret, snowflake-shaped helicone pearls sparkling in three different facets for triple the dazzle! Lips have gone big bang, explosively dimensional, a rare eclipse! Gloss feels slick and sleek on application with no draggy speed bumps, not a hint of grit. A light aroma of vanilla enhances kissability. Extreme innovation that's a good reflection on MAC and the seductress lucky enough to strike upon it.
If you thought Dazzleglass was as sparkly as lip gloss could possibly get, MAC has come out with something new that will prove you wrong. MAC decided to kick the glitter up yet another notch and the result is Superglass, a new lip gloss formula that surpasses even the high sparkle of Dazzleglass. MAC has come up with special multi-faceted glitter particles that reflect more light than ever without being too chunky, giving this gloss a technological edge over other similar glosses.
Superglass is not for the timid or cosmetically conservative. Make no mistake about it- this gloss is extremely glittery. Not shimmery, not sparkly, but full of straight-up glitter. It's more for clubbing than every day wear. It is a bit thicker than other MAC glosses and slightly more pigmented as well to help give the glitter a good base. Although you can feel the glitter on your lips, it is not gritty at all like many other glittery glosses.
The collection will launch with nine sparkly colors that cover all the typical gloss shades so everyone will be able to find a color that suits them. These are all limited edition so don't wait too long to decide or you may leave your MAC makeup counter empty-handed. Cherry Electric is a very bright cherry red that looks especially nice on lighter skin tones. Sugar Overload is one of the more unexpected shades- a glitter-packed beige that helps you get the sparkly look without having to wear a bright color at the same time. Fab Frenzy is a deep wine shade perfect for creating a vampy look that has a little more life to it than the typical matte vamp shades.
Superglass is a bit more expensive than other MAC glasses. This would be a lot easier to accept if we got more gloss than usual. However, Superglass tubes actually contain less product than the other glosses in the MAC Cosmetics line. The high sparkle payoff is a bit hard to find in other glosses and may end up justifying the cost if this is the look you're after. For incredibly glittery lips without a gritty feel, Superglass truly takes the cake.
Superglass ($18.00 US/$21.50 CDN)
* Cherry Electric – Bright cherry pink (Pearl) (Limited Edition)
* Disco Blend – Light tan (Pearl) (Limited Edition)
* Fab Frenzy – Deep blue purple (Pearl) (Limited Edition)
* Gift Wrap – Light pinky peach (Pearl) (Limited Edition)
* Sugar Overload – White beige (Pearl) (Limited Edition)
* Superflash! – Mid-tone yellow pink (Pearl) (Limited Edition)
* Sweet Tart – Baby pale pink (Pearl) (Limited Edition)
* Totally Bang! – Fuchsia (Pearl) (Limited Edition)
* Tunnel of Love – Deep blue brown (Pearl) (Limited Edition)
MAC: Pret a Papier Collection
Release Date: April 22, 2010
International: May 2010
Craft Paper Couture – an inspired idea cut like a pattern and whipped up into a frisky little "funny face" frock. Then, strip it back to its essence for Summer 2010 for a Pret-a-Papier colour collection. It was a Project Runway challenge of sorts, with paper as the source, the instigator of ideas, the beginning of something simply, basically beautiful. Lipstick, Lipglass, Eyeshadow, Paint Pot, Chromografic Pencil, Studio Fix Lash, Impeccable Brow Pencil, Sheertone and Mineralize Blushes, and Nail Lacquer in a seamless spectrum of parchment-to-vellum beiges, with an occasional, clever colour spill, coral among the most au courant.
MAC's Pret a Papier collection is sure to please lovers of beige and coral. The promo materials play up the contrast of bright pinks and peaches against the backdrop of soft golden beige. Even if those don't rank among your favorite cosmetics colors, there are still a few items here worth checking out.
This collection features two paint pots that match the theme perfectly. The new Coral Crepe Paint Pot is a lovely muted coral shade that is limited edition. There is also Groundwork, a repromote of the classic creamy taupe paint pot that is the perfect base for just about any eyeshadow look.
MAC is offering two coral lipsticks as part of this collection. Dressmaker, Dressmaker is a light coral with some peach thrown in for a result that is bright without being bold and helps you look more awake. Made to Order is the other coral and this one is more on the neutral side for those who want to wear coral but have trouble pulling off so much pink. Both are the Lustre formulation which means you can expect a wash of color with a soft sheen and plenty of hydration. MAC also dug up Archetype from the McQueen collection for this occasion. This beige-gold lipstick creates a nude lip that pairs well the Coral Crepe Paint Pot eye look without competing with it. However, without other bright colors on your face to balance out your look, this lipstick can make you look washed out.
Chromagraphic Pencils are flesh-toned pencil liners that have many great uses. The two available are NC15/NW20 and NW25/NC30 but getting an exact match is not really necessary. These are perfect for your waterline because they aren't as obvious as using white or a light blue. They can also be used right next to your usual darker eyeliner to help make the dark line look cleaner and more defined.
Five eyeshadows make up part of this collection. Tissue Weight is one of the prettiest. This is a very soft and subtle frosted peach that is great as a lid wash or brow highlighter. Gazette Grey is one of the more unique shades of eyeshadow MAC has released recently. This dark grey-meets-green color has a pearly gold sheen to it that does not immediately call to mind any other color in MAC's range. Gold and grey seem like an unusual combination but the green helps bring everything together and the result is a dramatic look that is particularly suited to blue eyes.
Lipstick $14.00 US/$16.50 CDN
* ArcheType – Sheer Light Gold (Lustre)
* Dressmaker, Dressmaker – Creamy light peach coral (Lustre)
* Kraft – Creamy mid-tone warm brown (Amplified)
* Made To Order – Creamy mid-tone dirty coral (Lustre)
Lipglass $14.00 US/$16.50 CDN
* C-Thru – Peachy beige with shimmer
* Fold and Tuck – Mid-tone bright coral with soft pearl
* Pret-a-Papier – Dark reddened bronze with pearl
Eyeshadow $14.50 US/$17.50 CDN
* Bamboo – Light beige with peach (Matte)
* Cut To Fit – Frosted red-bronze (Frost)
* Gazette Grey – Dark green-grey with gold-pearl (Velvet)
* Memorabilia – Dirty purple (Matte)
* Tissue Weight – Frosted pale peach (Frost)
Paint Pot $16.50 US/$22.00 CDN
* Coral Crepe – Soft Coral
* Ground Work: Mid Tone Neutral Taupe
Chromagraphic Pencil $14.50 US/$17.50 CDN
Impeccable Brow Pencil $15.00 US/$18.00 CDN
* Dirty Blonde – Blackened dark neutral brown
* Taupe – Mid-tone dirty taupe
Studio Fix Lash $13.00 US/$15.50 CDN
* Black Fix – Black
Sheertone Blush $18.50 US/$22.00 CDN
* Garb – Light golden suntan
* Instant Chic – Mid-tone muted coral
Mineralize Blush $23.00 US/$27.50 CDN
* Light Over Dark – Light yellow brown / dark peach (Frost)
Nail Lacquer $12.00 US/$14.50 CDN
* Brown Bag – Mid-tone warm dirty beige (Cream)
* Originality – Sparkly copper bronze (Frost)


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The Russian-American pianist Sergey Schepkin has performed around the globe, from the United States to Russia to Japan to New Zealand. He made his Carnegie Hall recital début in 1993 (at Weill Recital Hall) to an enthusiastic reception from the audience and The New York Times, and has performed on the Great Performers Series at Lincoln Center, Celebrity Series of Boston, LACMA and Maestro Series in Los Angeles, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, St. Petersburg Grand and Chamber Philharmonic Halls, the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, and the Sumida Triphony Hall in Tokyo, among many other venues and series. Schepkin's discography includes major works by Bach (the complete Well-Tempered Clavier, the Partitas, Italian Concerto, French Overture, Four Duets, and two recordings of the Goldberg Variations), Schumann, Brahms (complete late piano works), Mussorgsky, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, and Schnittke. Schepkin is a recipient of numerous prizes and awards; his concerts and recordings have garnered critical acclaim from such publications as The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, The Boston Phoenix, the Boston Musical Intelligencer, the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, BBC Music Magazine, International Piano, Gramophone, Fanfare, and Musicweb-International. Schepkin's repertoire extends from late Renaissance to the present day and includes several hundred piano and chamber works.
Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Schepkin studied piano at the St. Petersburg Conservatory with Alexandra Zhukovsky, Grigory Sokolov, and Alexander Ikharev, and graduated with highest honors in 1985. He was the assistant to Prof. Ekaterina Murina at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1987-89. He made his orchestral début with the St. Petersburg Academic Symphony Orchestra in 1984. After his move to the US in 1990, he studied with Russell Sherman at New England Conservatory, where he earned an Artist Diploma in 1992 and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in 1999. He has been a member of the piano faculty at the NEC School of Preparatory and Continuing Education since 1993, and has served as Associate Professor of Piano at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh since 2003. He taught piano at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1988-90 and coached chamber music at the Boston Conservatory in 2006-07. He was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of Iowa in 1997-98, and a Visiting Associate Professor of Music at Boston University in 2011-13. He was also a member of the Music History and Musicology faculty at NEC in 1995-2006. Schepkin has presented lecture-recitals and master classes at NEC, UCLA, Oberlin, the San Francisco Conservatory, MIT, Longy, Duquesne, the Norwegian Academy of Music, and other institutions of higher learning.
Sergey Schepkin is a Steinway Artist.
Recordings on Ongaku, Bridge, Centaur, Simax.
Artist Diploma, D.M.A., NEC.
photo by Carolyn Hine


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You've finally unpacked the last plastic tub and are fully moved in to your new place. This calls for a drink, yes? Stocking your home bar is probably the most enjoyable move-in task, but keep in mind that Rome wasn't built in a day. I've been living in my current apartment for a year and half, and I'm still adding bottles to my bar cart. You don't need to drop hundreds of dollars at once to create a home bar—just know what you like. Below are guidelines for creating a well-rounded, serviceable bar, but tailor it to your tastes: more wine, a range of whiskeys, a few types of gin … or all of the above. Cheers!
email@example.com @redeyeeatdrink
10 basic bottles to buy
Rum: A white rum is versatile in both cocktails (like daiquiris) and highballs (like rum and Cokes), but an aged, brown rum is the next step for both sipping and mixing.
Gin: There are as many gin varieties out there—London dry, sloe, Plymouth—as there are gin cocktails, so best to taste test and find what you like. With so many great Midwestern distilleries, why not start with some locally made offerings from Letherbee, Journeyman or North Shore?
Bourbon: Bourbon is a word that can only be attached to whiskey that meets certain characteristics related to its recipe and barrel-aging process, and it's mostly associated with whiskey from Kentucky. This is a place to splurge a bit on a better-than-bottom-shelf option, especially if you plan to drink it straight.
Whiskey: Whiskeys that aren't bourbon are … whiskeys. Fans of smoky, peaty flavors may want to stock a scotch for serious post-dinner drinking.
Vodka: Ah, the universal mixer. While those wacko-flavored bottles may be bizarrely intriguing—caramel? whipped cream?—best to stick to the plain stuff if you want versatility. (And to be taken seriously.)
Tequila: Mixto denotes a tequila that's a blend of agave tequila and other sugars. Mixtos and gold tequilas are generally fine for margaritas and other sweet cocktails, but upgrade to an anejo or reposado for a smoother sip.
Wine(s): You don't need a whole cellar, so don't be intimidated. Find a good wine store with friendly employees who can guide you toward some reds and whites with a spectrum of light and heavy bodies. Also, consider whether you mostly drink wine on its own or with a meal when choosing a bottle.
Beer: Again, find a liquor store with helpful employees to guide you. Personal preference reigns here, but you can't go wrong with having a balanced IPA, a porter and something less than 5 percent ABV in your fridge at all times.
Bitters: Your first bitters should be angostura, which will generally work anytime you see "bitters" listed in a cocktail recipe.
Vermouth: One small (375-milliliter) bottle each of dry and sweet vermouth will greatly expand the range of cocktails you can make at home; just be sure to store them in the fridge once they're opened.
Mixers—especially fizzy ones—are helpful to buy in cans or small bottles to ensure that they don't get flat. Stock a six-pack each of tonic water, soda water, ginger beer, ginger ale and cola and you'll have most basic highballs covered.
5 must-have tools
Juicer: Squeezing fresh lime, lemon and orange juice for cocktails improves their flavor exponentially. Trust me. (Read up on a bartender's tips for home juicing.)
Shaker: You don't need anything fancy, though there are some pretty ones on the market. Make sure it's big enough to mix a few drinks at once, but not so big that you can't shake it without straining your biceps.
Strainer: After "wet shaking" ingredients—shaking them with ice—you don't always want that ice to end up in the glass.
Jigger: Find a jigger to measure at least one- and one-and-a-half ounce pours; bonus points if it has half-ounce and three-quarter-ounce markings.
Bar spoon: For drinks that are stirred, not shaken.
Optional upgrades
Herbs: Buying small packets of mint, rosemary and basil can be costly. If you make a ton of mojitos each summer, consider planting mint in a backyard pot—it's nearly impossible to kill. (See an expert's tips for building a cocktail-centric herb garden.)
Pitcher: Making a batch of cocktails all at once for a party saves time.
Amaro: I'm certainly partial to sipping these bitter liqueurs both before and after a meal, but they're also a wonderful way to balance sweetness in cocktails.
Syrups: Artisan syrups are fun to buy to add a twist to plain sparkling wine or for making mocktails (just add soda water), but you also can try your hand at making your own with fresh fruits. No need buy bottled simple syrup, either—anyone with a stove, water and plain white sugar can make it herself.
Liqueurs: Elderflower, orange, agave, coffee, hazelnut—nearly any flavor has been made into a liqueur that can add depth and complexity to your mixed drinks.
Ice cube trays: The easiest way to impress your guests? Those fancy, square ice cubes. (Their actual purpose: They melt less quickly, keeping your drink less diluted). Flexible plastic trays are available online and at most kitchen stores.
Glassware: Basic rocks glasses are key, but if you find yourself making drinks at home often, consider a set of coupes, Collins glasses or martini glasses.


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Ho ho ho-my golly, we have a lot of stuff to giveaway this season. The giveaways continue, and today we have an offer for the quick. The first 25 people that comment below and tell us their favorite PlayStation game (PSOne, PS2, or PS3) of all time will receive a code that unlocks the beta for next year's PS3 exclusive, Starhawk.
That's it, all you have to do is post and we'll email you off a code this week.
For those that aren't familiar with the game, thanks for reading this post anyone. We appreciate it. For everyone else, you probably already know the basics. Starhawk is a spiritual successor to the 2007 title Warhawk, but in space. The game takes place on the fringes of the habitable worlds that man has begun to colonize, following an event called The Rush, which transformed miners into violent, territorial creatures known as outcasts.
The game will place a heavy influence on multiplayer, as well as co-op. It is due out as a PS3 exclusive on July 10.


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Making Connections Through Peer Groups
Women-only mentoring groups are gaining traction and helping women tackle both personal and professional issues.
"As a woman, when you assume the higher ranks, there are fewer and fewer of you around," says
Kim Stone, right, with Jodi Cross [Photo: Donna Victor]
It's the first Tuesday of the month and a half-dozen women are gathered in discussion, their BlackBerrys muted, around a long table in a Miami conference room. On this particular day, Kim Stone, executive vice president and general manager of the American Airlines Arena, presents a plan for how she will draw more business to her facility. The women chime in, offering suggestions based on their own efforts to lure customers during the recession. By the time Stone leaves, she has tweaked her strategy, adding a few elements, including the idea of packaging arena events with overnight hotel stays.
The gathering embodies a trend: Peer-mentoring, long a feature of the broader business world, is finding a new expression in women-only groups that are forming all over Florida. The groups typically consist of between six and 20 upper-level executives and business owners who meet monthly for a few hours at a time.
No single organization is behind the trend; the mentoring efforts have spun out of a number of existing women's organizations as businesswomen network and turn to each other for practical advice and personal support. The women at the Miami gathering, for example, are all members of the Florida branch of The Commonwealth Institute, a non-profit group for women entrepreneurs and executives that now operates six forums in Miami-Dade and Broward counties and will launch one in Palm Beach County this summer. Elsewhere, the Women Presidents' Organization, with chapters in Miami and Tampa Bay, also recruits high-level women executives for its roundtables; the Florida Women's Business Center operates mentoring circles for profitable business owners in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Melbourne and Jacksonville.
While the formation of the groups reflects the fact that more women have entered the ranks of top management and entrepreneurs, it also indicates how few women are in major leadership roles, particularly in the executive ranks and boardrooms of public companies and major law firms. In 2008, for example, only 7.4% of the board seats at the 150 largest public companies in Florida were held by women — "the same level as in 2007 but significantly down from 2006 (8.7%)," according to the Women Executive Leadership group, which works to link qualified women executives with companies needing directors.
That dynamic leaves many women searching for what they consider a true peer group. "As a woman, when you assume the higher ranks, there are fewer and fewer of you around," says Stone. "Sometimes it's good to have people at the same level outside your company to get good ideas and help with strategy."
Rosemary DiDio Brehm, president of turningpoints2results and a founder of the Tampa Bay chapter of the Women Presidents' Organization, also cites the "I'm-not-alone" factor. "Most of the time, when someone brings up an issue they are dealing with, others will say, 'I'm dealing with the same issue and here's how I'm handling it.' "
One difference some notice between women's peer-mentoring groups and all-male or mixed-gender groups is the willingness of women to share personal information and problems in a group setting. In one recent forum, an owner discussed her hesitancy about her pending marriage and its potential effect on her business. "These women have work-related issues and home-related issues. One impacts the other," says Jodi Cross, executive director of The Commonwealth Institute/South Florida. "They look to their peers for help to meld the two."


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cell confluency & effect on cells...??
Posted 03 August 2010 - 03:36 AM
I was trying to findout if splitting cells continuously at 50 - 60% confluency or splitting them when they are over confluent bring any changes to the cell line.
if they dont why exactly do we split cells between 80-95% confluency...?? please help understand the reason behind this.
thanks in advance
Posted 03 August 2010 - 02:18 PM
This is the reason why publications now often ask for proof that the cell lines you are using are validated to be the cell line that you said they are.
Posted 04 August 2010 - 01:10 AM
With any cell line the aim is to make sure that the cells are not undergoing selective processes that may change the phenotype of the cells... splitting them when they are at too low a density will cause selection for cells that can survive well at low densities. Leaving them to become over confluent results in cell populations that are able to function well at high density. Either of these states may be "normal" for the cell line, but if you do these sorts of things it is a good idea to compare them to the parent line every so often to ensure that they haven't changed behavior, morphology etc.
This is the reason why publications now often ask for proof that the cell lines you are using are validated to be the cell line that you said they are.
Hi there,
thanks for the reply thats really helpful. regarding the comparision of the cell lines how do we do it..?
is it using methods like isoenzyme analysis and PCR or something else. i also wanted to ask if you end up selecting the cells would that affect your assay in way. (like if you have selected cells that grow well at low densities would they still survive at higher densities and things like that). i know this sounds like a stupid question but i really want to what happens...??
Posted 04 August 2010 - 06:08 PM
Posted 20 September 2011 - 09:32 AM


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A group for those of us who live (whether intentionally or not) in the 1st state... which is also often mistaken for a city in Maryland.
Location: Delaware, USA
Members: 29
Latest Activity: Jan 30, 2014
This group does not have any discussions yet.
My wife's more or less an atheist - she still clings to a few pseudo-mystical beliefs and is a bit more accepting of conspiracy stuff than I tend to be, but overall we're definitely sitting on the same side of the fence.
Bringing the kids is a tough one, for the same reason babysitters are hard to find: My oldest has asperger syndrome & some serious anxiety issues, so I always have to weigh the benefits of bringing her along to that kind of event (she'd probably enjoy it and actively participate in conversation with the adults) vs. the likelihood she'll flip out in a screaming fit when somebody says something she disagrees with.
Is your wife not atheist? Bring the kids! The little girl who was on the bus came to the meetup at Dead Presidents last weekend. She was really good at the Rally, too. :)
I know about them but haven't been to any of their events yet. They mostly have weekend pub get-togethers as far as I know. Babysitters are a rare commodity, and I want to limit the number times I leave my wife home while I go out to social events. :)
I think I remember you. :)
Do you know about the DE Association for Humanism? I found them online and I went to one of their meetups last weekend so I could meet a few people who were going to the rally. I had a great time with them so I'm pretty sure I'm going to become a member.
I sat a little over halfway back on what would be the passenger side in a car. I was the, er, somewhat rounded 40ish guy in a red shirt & black jacket.
I don't know that I count as "from here" because in all the time I've been a Nexus member I've posted exactly one time, and that was last week in the run-up to the rally - but I was on the bus as well. I uploaded a few pictures to a couple of FB groups on my blog at http://drl2.com/blog/2012/03/recovering-from-the-reason-rally/ if anybody's interested.
I don't think anyone else from here was on the bus. I was with some people from the DE Association for Humanism. We had a good time together.
Was it just you or were there others?
© 2018 Atheist Nexus. All rights reserved. Admin: The Nexus Group. Powered by


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Asthma Control Education Classes A.C.E. Class Schedule
WHAT: The A.C.E. class teaches what causes asthma, how to notice your child's early asthma signs, how to use the Asthma Action Plan, and the best and most effective ways to give asthma medicines. Kids have fun learning about asthma; adults have time for questions and answers.
WHY: Asthma control means less sick and missed school days, fewer emergency room visits and the chance for your child to run and play just like other kids!
WHO May Attend:
Parents, grandparents, babysitters of any child with asthma.
Children with asthma who are 5 years of age or older (An adult must attend the session with the child).
HOW TO REGISTER or FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 314.454.KIDS (5437) or 1.800.678.KIDS (5437), then press 3 to register.
Pre-registration is required. Directions are mailed with registration.
NOTE: Minimum of five attendees needed to hold class. Additional classes can be arranged if minimum of five attendees guaranteed. Call Patty Rice at 314.286.0947.
NO COST: Offered free of charge by the Asthma Education Committee of St. Louis Children's Hospital.


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Middle Management: an existence sandwiched somewhere between power and pointlessness. Seems like a strange theme to work up into a game, but give it the DoubleFine treatment - Tim Schafer's studio, the head honcho behind turn-based classic Monkey Island - and something altogether more exciting happens. But that's because this is Middle Manager of Justice, and it's your job to manage superheroes. Yup, superheroes.
Middle Manager of Justice
- Format
- iPhone & iPad (iOS)
- Price
- £Free
- Where
- iTunes
If you have a desk job then, well, you probably ought to not play this game as it's so endearing, amusing and downright fun that it'll eat up far too much of your time. And make you wish that you managed superheroes.
Middle Manager of Justice is one of those genre-surfing titles, but done in a way where it pools the best of multiple ideas into one place. It's hard for it not to sound complicated, but play through it and you'll quickly see that, at the core of it, it's simple, good ole gaming done right.
The bulk of the game swings around a The Sims or even Sim-City-esque theme of building up an office, buying superheroes and various training facilities. But to do that you need to spend money, which has to be earnted in a number of different ways.
The most fun one is to keep various areas on the map clear, safe and villain-free by jumping in to real-time, yet turn-based fight "levels". It's possible to send in up to four superheroes - as and when you acquire them - to try to topple the bad guys.
If that keeps the townsfolk happy then coins come raining in from, er, well somewhere. We don't exactly know where, not that's it's important - but it's cash that you'll want because it's essential to buy all the rooms and hardware required to train up your 'heroes.
It's not just the pride thing of building up a top-notch office with all the best nuts and bolts, it's an essential as you advance through the game because you'll need to boost superheroes' abilities to pass the tougher fights.
Each superhero's abilities are broken down into power, health and intelligence, or, roughly speaking, "how hard you punch", "how hard you can be punched", and how you can use your brain to make special items.
There are also individual superhero's special moves, shop-bought items - which you can create the more intelligent you become - to boost energy mid-fight. You, AKA the middle manager, also have some additional specials on offer - such as reversing power bars.
However, buying new superheroes isn't dependent on coins. As per lots of "these sorts of games" there's a dual money system, here represented by coins and, secondly, "Superium". Although the game is free to download it is possible to buy both of these currencies in the game using real cash.
Where Middle Manager of Justice differs from those other - and, as you'll see, unnamed - titles that depend on a similar ecosystem is that the waiting times for training and the logic of earning more coins and Superium doesn't feel so far stretched out or plain unreasonable that you'll ever really feel the need to buy into the ecosystem. At least we didn't and, frankly, that pleased us.
In fact, if the game was a mere money-grabbing experiment then it wouldn't have made it into an "app of the day" consideration, which many similar "build your empire" type titles that we've played have fallen foul of. There might be times when you want to treat yourself to 69 pence of Superium to buy that next level superhero, but at least you can legitimately "work" instead of paying out the cash.
As the game progresses it doesn't get particularly "difficult", as such, but the management process does become more complex. It's only possible to handle a limited number of superheroes within the office space, despite your being able to purchase more and use more to fight. Then it becomes about juggling heroes to keep everything ticking over successfully and that's where the complexity comes in.
What makes Middle Manager of Justice even more charming than its gameplay is its stylised graphics and, typical of DoubleFine and, indeed, Tim Schafer, its absurd humour. Let's face it, the theme was hint enough of that, but the dialogue is entertainingly silly enough to make us smile. There's a storyline running throughout here, which makes you want to kill the bigger bosses to progress and keep coming back to the game to see if your toughest hero has finally learnt his level three "butt slam" of death. Sounds like Asda-style to the extreme.
We're rather taken by Middle Manager of Justice. It's well worth giving some time to. In fact it's quite hard not to.


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U.S. Rep. Sander Levin warns against cuts in mental health
U.S. Rep. Sander Levin warns that Congress' current path toward cuts in mental health research stands in contrast to national support for blocking the emotionally deranged from gaining access to guns.
The impending automatic, "sequester" cuts on Congress' agenda would exacerbate a trend in which only one in six requests for grants from the medical community currently receive approval from the National Institutes of Health. For the National Institutes of Mental Health, the news is much worse: less than 5 percent of funding requests are granted.
"If we're going to rely only on spending" to reduce the deficit, "that would have a major impact on programs such as NIH," said Levin in an interview with The Macomb Daily "With … so much emphasis on gun control and mental health issues of late, to have such a drop in funding in child development and mental health is very worrisome."
The sequester cuts would require a $1 trillion reduction in federal spending, over 10 years, that would chop funding mostly from the Defense Department and a wide array of "discretionary funding" – everything from food stamps to national parks to border patrols.
Levin, a Royal Oak Democrat who represents most of Macomb County, concedes that he's biased toward NIH funding because his deceased wife and his new wife both spent much of their life working for the agency. But the congressman said NIH is one of many valuable, underfunded programs that could take a big hit if the sequestration process is initiated in March.
Levin predicts a "50-50" chance that the across-the-board sequester cuts will take effect, in part because of a Congress sharply divided along partisan lines.
At the same time, the veteran lawmaker worries about defense cuts that, if prolonged, could have an impact on Macomb County's hundreds of defense contractors. If the sequester cuts stand as a long-term approach, the Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township should be safe but the M1A1 battle tank program run by Sterling Heights-based General Dynamics Land Systems could be in jeopardy.
In addition, Levin, the ranking Democrat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, bristles at the possibility that House Republicans will accepts tax reforms that would reduce basic deductions for middle class families such as tax breaks for mortgage interest costs, charitable deductions, and state and local taxes.
Proposals calling for the elimination of corporate tax breaks also frustrate Levin because certain tax credits are a big advantage for southeast Michigan manufacturers.
Yet, political observers warn that an all-out debate on Capitol Hill over tax breaks and federal spending, with partisan and geographic differences coming to the fore, could result in gridlock. Overall, Levin said cuts in roads and infrastructure projects or basic higher education programs such as Pell grants would be counterproductive.
"I think it will depend on what programs you want to cut," Levin said. "I'm in favor of preserving funding for economic development and education and basic-needs programs. You have to pick and choose."


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Gun sights darting from each edge of the screen. The iconic theme kicks in. A man in a tuxedo walks into view, turns to the camera. BANG! Fade to red.
BOND IS BACK! We're just weeks away from the release of Skyfall, Daniel Craig's third outing as 007, and the 23rd adventure for the world's most famous spy.
Today's also World Bond Day, marking the 50th anniversary of the release of Dr. No, Bond's first silver screen assignment. With it comes the release of the latest Bond theme, "Skyfall" sung by Adele and written by the songstress herself along with Paul Epworth. It's a return to the sweeping sound that characterised early Bond themes after a run of more rock-tinged tracks, but the classic sound hasn't won everyone over. You can hear it in the video embedded below.
So what is the very best Bond song ever? We've pulled together our favourite Bond songs at Brandish below. See if you agree with our choices! Though our license to kill probably means you should think twice about disagreeing with us…
Carly Simon – Nobody Does It Better
The best Bond song ever? If it was down to the amount of times it had been covered by other artists, this one would definitely stand a good chance, with everyone from Radiohead to fictional North Norfolk radio host Alan Partridge (AKA Steve Coogan) putting their spin on the tune. The title song to The Spy Who Loved Me, it's a classy, soulful track that stands up as a great pop song in its own right.
Louis Armstrong – We Have All The Time In The World
If ever there's been a Bond song that's transcended categorisation as purely a Bond theme, it's got to be this one. What a beauty! Louis Armstrong's last recorded track, it's actually the secondary theme for On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and soundtracks one of the warmest, most heart-warming endings in Bond history. It's easily the best song on the list, but does that make it the best BOND song? We'll let you decide that.
Duran Duran – View To A Kill
A definite change of pace for the series, Duran Duran's theme swaps strings and brass for new romantic synths. It still manages to retain the suave Bond style though, and marked a new modern direction for the ever-changing Bond.
A-Ha – The Living Daylights
In the same vein as the Duran Duran track, The Living Daylights has a killer pop hook, and is one of the punchier Bond songs written.
Nancy Sinatra – You Only Live Twice
Kicking off with unforgettable lush strings, You Only Live Twice is the sound of Bond at his most dashing. Even heavy sampling by Robbie Williams can't sully this song.
Paul McCartney and Wings – Live and Let Die
Wings: only the band The Beatles could have been. Here McCartney rocks out to one of the most instantly recognisable Bond songs, with an excellent riff and almost jaunty breakdown. Typical McCartney then. We actually prefer the Guns N' Roses version though. Whatever. So shoot us.
Shirley Bassey – Diamonds Are Forever
Shirley Bassey, regular Bond songstress, laid the foundations for what we now consider that Bond theme "sound". Though many point to Goldfinger as her best, we prefer Diamonds Are Forever. It sounds more modern, and in our opinion has aged better. Which is probably why everyone from Kanye West to the Arctic Monkeys have played about with the track in some way or other in recent times.
Tina Turner – Goldeneye
Not the biggest Tina Turner fan in the world, to be honest. You have to be a 50+ housewife to like much of the stuff she's done since her 1960s R&B heyday in our opinion. But when she's on form, she's got a cracking voice, and she totally nails it with Goldeneye. Little known fact, but this one was written by U2's Bono and The Edge. Listen to those strings again and you can definitely imagine a reverb-laden riff by The Edge taking the lead instead.
So what do you think of our choice? Do they leave you shaken or stirred? Let us know in the comments below!


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Disney Blu-ray Wrap Up (US - BD)
Gabe explores three of the Magic Kingdom's latest Blu-ray releases...
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
It's hard to trust a movie that requires as much speedy back-story as The Sorcerer's Apprentice. I immediately find myself reminded of the unfortunate Korean Dragon movie D-War. Fortunately, The Sorcerer's Apprentice has huge advantages over the Mystery Science Theater 3000-worthy D-War, namely its massive budget, and professional actors. The excessive plot actually works here because the storytelling never really lets up, and rarely gives the audience proper time to realize how silly the whole thing is. The production design is also top notch, better than expected, and the special effects are honestly among the best I've seen in 2010. The most enduring surprise is the film's sharp sense of humour, which plays strongly to the lead cast's strengths (though even Jay Baruchel and Nic Cage can't stand up against the wall of charm named Alfred Molina). I actually enjoyed this brief and light adventure quite a bit, and readily admit I didn't want to. It's a much more fun and engaging adventure than Bruckheimer's other summer flop Prince of Persia (which also featured a scene stealing Molina) thanks to a sharper focus on character rather than slow motion action. The love stories are predictable and disappointing, but entirely acceptable within the confines of the plot's needs. Good performances, strong special effects, and a cheeky tribute to Fantasia make The Sorcerer's Apprentice worth a look. Who would have predicted Jon Turteltaub making a better movie than Mike Newell?
The Sorcerer's Apprentice looks good in 1080p, and I'm sure such news doesn't surprise anyone. Much of the film takes place under cover of darkness, which leads to some really sharp contrast, and beautifully deep blacks. That said, the most impressive looking scene takes place in broad daylight in New York's Chinatown district, which is simply overflowing with warm colours. The DTS-HD Master Audio follow suit with warm, incidental surround sound equaling the impressionably action packed scenes. The action scenes, however, are more likely to excite, with their powerful LFE support, zippy directional effects, and well integrated musical score. Extras include 'Magic in the City' (HD, 12:50), a fluffy chat about production, covering mostly technical aspects, 'The Science of Sorcery' (HD, 10:30), about the special effects, 'Making Magic Real' (HD, 11:44) about practical effects, ' Fantasia: Reinventing a Classic' (HD, 10:10) is all about the Sorcerers Apprentice of Fantasia, 'The Fashionable Drake Stone' (HD, 2:00), 'The Grimhold: an Evil Work of Art' (HD, 3:50), 'The Encantus' (HD. 2:20), 'Wolves and Puppies' (HD, 3:00), and the 'World's Coolest Car' (HD,1:30). Next up are 3 deleted scenes (HD), an outtake reel (HD), and Disney trailers.
Step Up 3
Picking up roughly where Step Up 2 ended, all the street dancers are moving on to college. Once again dancing is something that can change the world, and is mostly verboten, dark like a knife fight, and gambled on. As expected Step Up 3 isn't so much a plot driven film, but more of an excuse for dancing set-pieces (or the occasional Parkour run). The basic set up is the usual 'we need money to keep some important community project going', so just substitute dancing for kung-fu, or a singing competition. The screenwriters really do their best to inject drama, and the dancers do they're best to be actors, but it's all about the dancing, which is once again over-edited. I enjoy watching dancing, but don't really dig trying to put the movements together after the fact because the camera won't hold still on an image for longer than a few seconds. Fortunately, this time around there are a few numbers that are shot entirely head-on to maximize 3D. Still, it boils down to annoying characters, a predictable plot, and 3D style that doesn't work as well in 2D. Only recommended to huge fans of the series. The colourful costumes and production design, and speeding pacing are appreciated.
So it's not in 3D like it was in theaters, but this is an extremely sharp 1080p transfer. The fact that every scene is an excuse to thrust something colourful into the frame for the 3D audience certainly helps. Occasionally the extreme lighting schemes separate the elements so much the frame is kind of artificial looking. There also aren't many wide shots, so the frame feels pretty cramped, The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is very aggressive, specifically when it comes to the grinding, bass-heavy beats, and surround sound enhanced musical tracks. Directional effects aren't super common, but the occasional dialogue scene features plenty of ambient noise. The gear grinding noise they give the guy that does the robot is a nice touch. Extras include 'Born from a Boombox' (HD), the film made within the film, 'Extra Moves' (7:20, HD), a look behind the scenes montage, 8 deleted scenes with option director's commentary, 8 music videos, and 'Making of the Music Videos' (7:10, HD), along with a few Disney trailers.
Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue
So far Disney's Tinker Bell brand STV movies have been shockingly watchable, even, gasp, entertaining. As long as the viewer can stomach the little-girl-friendly songs that accompany the films they probably won't want to slit their wrists while watching the series with their kids (there's no real reason to own these films otherwise, unlike some Disney animated releases, which are 'must owns' for Blu-ray enthusiasts). The Great Fairy Rescue isn't quite as much fun as the more adventurous Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure (which was infinitely more boy-friendly), but is genuinely funny, and fills out some members of the supporting fairy cast far beyond the last two films, especially 'bad grrl' Vidia. This episode includes a few human characters, who are, unfortunately, not very well animated, which is odd since the fairies basically look the same, just with more pronounced features (though when wet they do look kind of like plastic Barbie dolls). When the little girl that captures Tink speaks it's clear that this isn't exactly the studio's biggest monetary investment. The creature animation once again stands apart, and is likely the film's most charming visual.
Great Fairy Rescue follows the tradition of the other two CG Tinker Bell staring movies, and looks pretty much perfect on Blu-ray. The animation style is smooth, and not as finely textured as a big budget Pixar release, but for an STV quickie it looks great, especially the more detailed background material. Colours are more important than clarity here, and these are noticeably brighter than the included DVD copy, which also features compression noise around the most vibrant hues. This transfer features no noticeable compression artefacts. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 sound doesn't really compare to the studio's theatrical releases, but everything is clear, cleanly separated, and obvious directional effects (like a character moving from screen left to right) work fine. There's even a collection of decent ambient effects, but the majority of the track is devoted to the score, which continues the series' delicate balance between traditional, whimsical animation music, and traditional Celtic jigs. Extras are brief and include a sneak peek at Tangled, five deleted scenes with optional director and producer introductions (14:40, HD), 'How to Believe' music video, a 'Fairy Field Guide Builder' game, 'Design a Fairy House' featurette (1:50, HD), and Disney trailers.
Review by Gabriel Powers
Existing Posts
Is Disney starting to release all their movies with 2D Blu-Ray/DVD Combos and 3D Blu-Ray/2D Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Copy Combo Packs as competition rather than just the Blu-Ray and Blu-Ray Combo Pack. That would be very cool!!!!
Some material may not be suitable for children
Disc Details
Release Date: 30th November 2010
Discs: 6
Disc Type: Blu-ray Disc
RCE: No
Video: 1080p
Aspect: Various
Anamorphic: No
Colour: Yes
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 English, Dolby Digital 5.1 French and Spanish
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Extras: Deleted Scenes, Outtakes, Magic in the City, The Science of Sorcery, Making Magic Real, Fantasia: Reinventing a Classic, The Fashionable Drake Stone, The Grimhold: an Evil Work of Art, The Encantus, Wolves and Puppies, World's Coolest Car, Born from a Boombox, Extra Moves, Sneak Peek at Tangled, Fairy Field Guide Builder, How to Build a Fairy House, Trailers, DVD Copies
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Jon Turteltaub, Bradley Raymond
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Toby Kebbell, Sharni Vinson, Rick Malambri, Adam G. Sevani, Michael Sheen, Mae Whitman, Raven-Symoné, Kristin Chenoweth, Lucy Liu
Length: 353 minutes
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Non Display Review Name "Got a 2017 Kia Sorento and love it! Went in know what I wanted so it wasn't too hard of a sale but Steven and Toby worked with us to get us the deal w"... Read more Review by: BLJones09


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I got an NN4 with the adapter for my 5DII with battery grip.
I have no problem stitching panos...in fact, everything is going good so far but...I do have a question:
How important is it to get "center bubble" perfectly around the rotation of the head?
I have a pretty beefy tripod; a Vanguard 463AT with a GH-200 head, and when the tripod shows level, the NN4 still show's things to be off. I thought maybe that the "ball" part of it was the weak link so I attached the NN4 directly to the tripod legs but that didn't change anything significantly.
When I level the NN4 and spin it in a circle, the bubble wanders. I can tell that there is play in the whole apparatus just due to manufacturing tolerances...it can't be avoided, so my camera sags a slight bit.
I'm wondering if I'm just not getting an accurate "center bubble" to start with, and was wondering if an EZ-Leveler would be something I'd need or if a slight bubble wander is not that big of a deal.
The lens I'm using is a 14mm Rokinon, not a huge lens at all.