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Monarch Butterfly Migration: The Incredible Journey
Monarch butterfly on Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa).
By Katrina Godshalk
For the vast majority of monarch butterflies living in the eastern US and Canada, an incredible journey begins late each summer. "A butterfly born in Canada or the US begins an epic journey of up to 2800 miles south to a place they've never been before – a very specific place, where their great-great-grandparents went the year before, but never the generations in between them," says Kylee Baumle, author of The Monarch, Saving Our Most-Loved Butterfly. As the days shorten, nights cool off, the milkweed declines, the butterflies begin their journey south and west.
As they travel south, especially through Texas, they begin to be seen in larger and larger groups as they funnel into Mexico and southwards. Not all monarchs make it this far. In addition to the many casualties on the way, some from the east coast move south into Florida and sometimes even to Cuba and will overwinter there. Western monarchs (5%) tend to overwinter along the California coast.
Until 1975, while it was known that monarchs migrated to Mexico, no one knew quite where. After years of research, it was discovered that the monarchs winter over, clustered together in the oyamel fir forests of central Mexico. Here temperatures are cool enough in the winter to slow the butterfly's metabolism and the fir trees provide protection from strong winds and storms. With a perfect humidity, there are about twelve monarch sanctuaries on scattered isolated mountaintops. Clustering together, the branches sag from the collective weight of the monarchs. Mostly staying in the trees, but occasionally leaving for water and nectar, the butterflies siesta through the winter until spring begins to return. As the days lengthen and warmth returns, the monarchs mate and begin their return north, to begin the cycle of life again.
Monarchs clustering together in their winter home in Mexico. Photo by Kylee Baumle.
What's So Special About Monarch Butterflies?
Monarch Butterflies (Danaus plexippus plexippus) populate most of the eastern US and southern Canada. They also exist west of the Rockies, but in smaller numbers. Sightings of monarchs occur in almost every state.
A monarch butterfly's life is intrinsically woven with the milkweed plant (Asclepias), a once-common native perennial plant, throughout its range. Its life begins when a female lays an egg on the underside of the leaf or other part of a milkweed plant. In three to five days, a very tiny, hungry caterpillar emerges and begins feasting on the milkweed plant. As the caterpillar grows to full size, it goes through five molts, stages of life, that are each a large step to becoming a butterfly. Each time the caterpillar literally sheds its skin and reforms a larger one. At the final molt, in about 10-14 days, the caterpillar is a beautiful yellow-green-black striped color about 1 ¾ inches long. Now the caterpillar wanders from the milkweed plant and finds just the right spot. It spins a pad of silk, and attaches itself, hanging upside down. After many hours, its skin will split to reveal its translucent green chrysalis that is its home for the next 11-15 days as it takes its final form as a monarch butterfly. Once emerging, and after drying its beautiful orange wings, it takes flight to find nectar, its new food. The monarch butterfly will live from two to six weeks, during which time it will mate, and begin the cycle again. This cycle may happen from four to five times per summer, four to five generations, and on the final generation of the summer, called the Methuselah generation, something really amazing happens. These butterflies, with more densely scaled and slightly larger wings, will live from seven to eight months.
Monarch caterpillar on a Milkweed (Asclepias) plant.
Challenges Faced By Monarch Butterflies
I remember, as a child, the puffing clouds of milkweed silk that popped open on summer days along corn fields and in the meadows of my childhood home. Sometimes we would spot a monarch butterfly flitting among the plants. Even as children we all knew they were beloved creatures and true butterfly royalty.
Now, many years later, the field-side borders and patches of meadow are hard to find. With their disappearance, so too has followed the fate of our most iconic North American butterfly, the monarch. Over the past 20 years, their population has declined 90%.
While there are many challenges to the survival of the monarch butterfly, such as logging in Mexico, herbicides, pesticides and climate change; we, as gardeners, can have an impact on their survival. By understanding their life cycle, we can play an important role in recreating good monarch Butterfly habitat.
Monarch caterpillar emerging from its chrysalis.
Gardeners Can Help Create Habitat For Monarchs
One of the most important factors in the survival of monarch butterflies is the presence of milkweed (Asclepias). 1.3 million stems of milkweed are needed to restore habitat in the monarch's range and many groups are working to achieve this. If everyone who lives in a monarch breeding area planted a few Asclepias (milkweed) plants, not only would they enjoy the beautiful flowers, but they would be contributing to the restoration of a vital food source for the monarch butterfly. There are over 30 native species of milkweed in the US that monarchs are known to feed from. According to Professor Lincoln Brower, Research Professor of Biology at Sweet Briar College, "Planting native plants that grow naturally in your area is one of the best ways to support monarchs as well as pollinating insects." Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is a good starting place as its range covers most of the US. Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) is another good choice for most of the country except the far West. Asclepias tuberosa, with its bright orange flowers, is a beautiful addition to a butterfly garden and is native to many areas. Be sure to have a full season of nectar rich flowers available too, to feed the butterflies. The Xerces Society has been working to protect invertebrates since 1971, their website LINK has planting guides for every area of the US.
Protect Monarch Butterflies from Harmful Chemicals!
Lastly, and vitally important, is the effect of pesticide and herbicide spraying over much of our agricultural fields and in our landscapes. In our own gardens, we can learn to eliminate or use less by learning to garden naturally. Professor Brower advises, "Supporting local, organic agriculture is another important way to support our local pollinators." The rise in the use of genetically engineered crops have been accompanied by a huge increase in the application of herbicides. Let your representatives know you are concerned by the plight of our monarch butterflies and other pollinating insects. Together, we can bring them back and create a renewed ecosystem that supports the health of all.
Shop Asclepias (Milkweed)
Asclepias incarnata 'Rose' (Swamp Milkweed) is a showy pink blooming Asclepias species that is a food plant for Monarch butterfly caterpillars and a nectar source for ad...
Rose Swamp Milkweed Rose Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata
Asclepias incarnata 'Rose' (Swamp Milkweed) is a showy pink blooming Asclepias species that is a food plant for Monarch butterfly caterpillars and a nectar source for adult butterflies. Also known as Swamp Milkweed, it grows best in moist or wet soils.
Asclepias syriaca 'Common Milkweed' is a gorgeous plant that produces purple/pink flower clusters that wildflower gardeners love and spreads quickly. This native perennia...
Common Milkweed Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca
Asclepias syriaca 'Common Milkweed' is a gorgeous plant that produces purple/pink flower clusters that wildflower gardeners love and spreads quickly. This native perennial is a primary food source for the Monarch butterfly providing large leaves for caterpillars and big pink globe-like flowers that provide nectar for the adult butterflies. Planting it will help to support Monarch populations. Perennial.
Davis Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa 'Davis') is an outstanding western form of this widespread species. 'Davis' Milkweed is grown for its vigor, showy si...
Davis Showy Milkweed Davis Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa Davis
Per Plant - 2.5" Pot
Davis Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa 'Davis') is an outstanding western form of this widespread species. 'Davis' Milkweed is grown for its vigor, showy silver-grey foliage, and large pink flower heads. Recommended for use in the West.
'Prairie Gold' Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is a beautiful golden-yellow form of this popular native wildflower. This selection is grown from seed collected from a...
Prairie Gold Butterfly Weed Prairie Gold Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa 'Prairie Gold'
$14.99 Sale $8.99
'Prairie Gold' Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is a beautiful golden-yellow form of this popular native wildflower. This selection is grown from seed collected from a wild population in its Indiana habitat. Grow this special native cultivar to add unexpected color and an interesting conversation starter to your pollinator garden. A 2021 High Country Gardens Introduction.
Shop All Asclepias


Kitchen is a place of meals and a workplace as well. Smooth overhead lighting is not enough, it is important to install powerful built-in lights in cooking area. The main thing is to avoid vertical lighting that forms shadows. Light must be spread out in all directions, it should not blind people sitting at the table while highlighting their faces.
For many people the appearance of food is as important as its taste. Ceremonial kitchen lighting promotes good appetite. Both working and dining areas require good lighting. To organize or not general kitchen light is worth thinking. It makes the whole kitchen space uniformly illuminated and boring. It's a matter of taste. Some prefer that all items should be equally well lightened, others like zoned light that causes a feeling of mystery through a combination of light and shadow areas.


The article deals with a procedure for development of computer-aided SOA-based systems, which results from system approach principles, is characterized by universality, independence from Customer's hardware and software platform and feasible adaptation to subject domain, and ensures quality of computer-aided system software in accordance with user's requirements within a given time period and a pre-calculated estimate.
Service-oriented architecture, procedure, special-purpose computer-aided system, information technology, system life cycle.
The article deals with a task of visual presentation of environment data. It brings to light disadvantages of the existing approach to information display. It also gives a procedure of phasing of parameters which characterize interaction of objects within a battlespace, which contributes to higher efficiency of data presentation visualization and decision-making support.
Soft computing, environment, decision-making support system.
The article deals with fundamentals of development of wireless data networks as hybrid networks on basis of standard convergence. It also cites fundamentals of a model which allows evaluating characteristics of hybrid wireless data network.
Wireless networks, standard convergence, mechanism of collision avoidance, method of direct sequence, hybrid function of coordination.
The article gives basic ideas and principles of network-centric approach. It deals with applicability aspects of these principles during solution of naval force (troop) control tasks and states current problems related to implementation of these principles for the navy.
Network-centric war, network-centric approach, all-arm forces (troops).
The article gives an account of a principle of data translation via communications channels, which implements an idea of compression and simultaneous jam-immunity achievement. It defines a probability of conditions when the effect is achievable.
Matrix and rank encoding, jam-immunity, data compression.
The present article deals with issues of combination of matrix encoding/decoding of data and error control, which emerge inevitably during data communication via communication channel.
Encryption, encoding, matrix and rank encoding, error control.
The present article is devoted to the development of reliability evaluation methods for software and hardware systems. It analyses factors influencing the reliability of software and hardware systems of information systems. The authors come to the conclusion that it is not fruitful to consider separately reliability of software and reliability of hardware. The reliability evaluation of software and hardware systems is based on a model contributing to the presentation of software and hardware system reliability as a result of interrelated elements (software and hardware).
Hardware reliability, software reliability, failure-resistance, repairability, availability.
The article deals with an algorithm developed to ensure the operation of a system of information protection against unauthorized access, which implements a given function list taking into account introduced assumptions. The mathematical model of the protection system is designed on basis of the algorithm taking into account optimization of time and cost of implementation of some requests.
Information security system, information security during c2 system design, mathematical model of system protection, algorithm of information security system operation, critical information resources, computer-aided combat management system.
The article synthesizes a procedure for technical and economic evaluation of variants of integrated information security system during design of C2 systems. It also deals with a quantitative evaluation procedure developed for software and hardware security of C2 system development in computer-aided environment in case of unauthorized access.
Integrated information security system, technical and economic assessment (evaluation) of information security, quantitative assessment (evaluation) of information security, information protection against unauthorized access, critical information resources, computer-aided design system, information security facilities.
The article presents a formalized description of computer network topology, deals with models of network traffic at transportation level and routing models on basis of fussy metrics. It also suggests a genetic algorithm for optimization of selection of communications equipment and topology.
Cad, computer network, channel, node, routing, fuzzy random variable, genetic optimization .
The article deals with features of virtual organizations (enterprises) involved in design and manufacture of software for integrated C2 system as open developing network of heterogeneous agents. Intelligent tools and service-oriented technologies are selected and applied as infrastructure components of virtual organization.
Architecture, virtual organization, infrastructure, service.
The article presents a software implementation of methods developed at FRPC OJSC 'RPA 'Mars' for computer-aided synthesis of design solutions of hardware and software systems of data processing for shipborne C2 systems. The functional purpose of the hardware and software systems of data processing is an aggregate processing of data from shipborne systems and automatic generation of a range of control actions to shipborne systems in real-time mode and at a given reliability. It also gives distinctive features of design solutions synthesized using developed methods and the approach applied actually.
Automazation system, synthesis of design solutions, mathematical models.
The article deals with an example of synthesis of design solutions for hardware and software system of data processing for shipborne C2 systems and use of dependencies of cost of interface facilities on performance and reliability of processing of data from shipborne systems within them.
Computer-aided design, data processing systems, shipborne c2 systems.
The article deals with issues of creation of information model for a structure and make-up of complex products (scheme of decomposition into components). The information model for decomposition scheme contributes to reduced time period for development of complex systems and higher efficiency of decision- making concerning design.
Development of complex system, information model, decomposition scheme.
The article deals with issues of definition of the sun height relative to observer horizon in an arbitrary point of the Earth surface for a given time period. The task solution contributes to the definition of daylight and twilight condition execution and can be used during the modeling of operation of optoelectronic facilities and sensors.
Day time, sun declination, equation of time.


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Report: Ultra HD TV Penetration to Reach Nearly 50% of Homes by 2020
HDIPTVMarket ResearchVideo
Home » Report: Ultra HD TV Penetration to Reach Nearly 50% of Homes by 2020
Falling prices will prompt a surge in Ultra HD TV penetration this year, according to new market research from Strategy Analytics. The start of a phase-out of 1080p large-screen models will contribute to rise.
Ultra HD TVs will be present in 1 of 8 North American households come year-end as unit sales rise 72% year-over-year (YoY), the market data company highlights in a press release. That translates to UHD TV penetration of more than 11 million North American homes.
Looking forward, Strategy Analytics forecasts Ultra HD TV penetration of nearly 1 in every 2 homes by 2020. Furthermore, by 2020 all large-screen models (40 inches or larger) sold in North America will be Ultra HD models.
More than 8 in every 10 Ultra HD TVs sold in the region last year had 50-inch or larger displays, Strategy Analytics points out. That will shrink in coming years as smaller screen Ultra HD TVs make their way on to retailers' floors. Nonetheless, Strategy Analytics expects 50-inch or larger models will still account for over half of demand by 2020.
Source: Strategy Analytics
Ultra HD TV ownership is highest in North America although shipments are highest in China. Sales in Western Europe were brisk in 2015 as Germany and the U.K. became the first European countries in which more than 1 million units were sold.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Current: The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing: Extended Edition Review
The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing: Extended Edition Review
John-Paul Jones / March 5, 2017
There's little doubt that Hungarian-based Neocore Games has something compelling going on with their Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing series. A distinctly easy going and less than po-faced take on the genre that Blizzard's Diablo built, what the The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing might lack in polish, it makes up for in its execution of a confident genre effort that should please hack and slash fans everywhere.
Putting the humour into hack and slash
Very loosely based upon Bram Stoker's Dracula fable, Van Helsing whisks the player off to an alternate version of 19th century Europe that has been twisted by magic, technology and wayward monstrosities. Cast as the titular Van Helsing, players find themselves tasked with ridding the fictional city of Borgova of its various evil denizens and discovering the root of all the corruption in the process.
Where the developers manage to redeem this almost overwhelmingly generic narrative premise however, is in Katrina, the ghostly companion that accompanies our overly rugged hunter throughout his adventures. Snarky and ass-kicking in equal quantities, the banter between the silver-tongued apparition and Van Helsing himself is frequently amusing, and as such makes The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing feel akin to a wisecracking buddy movie of sorts; a welcome departure from the grindingly serious tone of other like-minded efforts.
This sort of humorous camaraderie actually sits well with the general tone of the game too, as the world of Van Helsing arguably veers more towards the likes of something such as Monty Python than the on-the-nose seriousness that its gothic noir setting would normally prescribe. With talking mechanical werewolves, cheerfully mischievous gypsies, enough pop culture Easter eggs to refloat the Titanic and some of the worst accents you will ever hear, it's fair to say that the Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing doesn't take it itself too seriously and yet, it feels all the better for rejecting the cloying seriousness that so often permeates other dungeon crawlers.
A resoundingly solid dungeon crawler
Beyond the hearty laughs that it elicits on a regular basis, it turns out that the Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing does a rather decent job of incorporating the fundamentals of the hack and slash genre into its design DNA. From the off, players can choose one of three classes; the guns and swords obsessed Hunter, the magic centred Thaumaturge and finally, the technology focused Arcane Mechanic.
Granted, three classes doesn't present that much variety on the face of things, but as per the typical dungeon crawling formula established by the likes of Diablo, Van Helsing provides players with more than ample scope for customisation as a wide range of abilities, perks, skill trees and more ensure that one player character will be very different from another. If anything, the veritable flood of skill trees, ability screens and so on, actually makes navigating these various menus feel more cumbersome than they need to be and can seem especially unintuitive when you're trying to see what things need upgrading.
Naturally, any dungeon crawler worth its salt is distinguished by just how deftly (or not) it implements that classic feedback loop of killing and looting and so it is with a sense of relief that I can cheerfully report that Van Helsing absolutely nails this side of the equation with robust conviction. You see, not only does Van Helsing present a massively varied and imaginative cast of monstrous goons to destroy, it also provides a flood of gold and new gear for eager players to hoover up as well.
In regards to the combat side of things, though it finds itself just short of replicating the deliciously meaty and satisfying hyper-kinetics of Diablo 3's scraps, Van Helsing still manages to give a good account of itself with a raft of monster chunking explosions, messy dismemberments and more besides. In essence then, both killing stuff and looting stuff is handled well in the Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing and should provide a big, robotic werewolf sized tick in the box for genre fiends looking for their next fix of dungeon crawling action going forward.
While it's certainly not unfair to posit that Van Helsing compares unfavourably to Blizzard's dungeon crawling magnum opus, it does have one or two tricks up its sleeves to keep things interesting and fresh. One such feature is a companion system, where Katrina, our friendly neighbourhood spectre, can be given various AI behaviours to make her defensive, aggressive or to act as something that falls in between.
Even better still, Katrina actually has skills and abilities of her own which can be unlocked as she gains experience points and increases in level in an identical fashion to Van Helsing himself, and just like the main protagonist, the ghostly lass must be given healing potions to keep herself alive (though she never 'dies', Katrina just respawns a little while later). This in itself presents a unique wrinkle to the proceedings; as players mustn't just concern themselves with their own well-being, but also ensure that Katrina has enough potions to keep her going and pumping out damage. It's just a shame that the inherent clumsiness of the menus makes splitting the healing potion stacks a little more laborious than it should be.
Interestingly, Van Helsing's deceased companion also turns out to be much more than a fellow face-basher, as Katrina may also be instructed to loot on behalf of the player as well; her inventory being fully accessible and permitting storage of items on her person which she can then sell for money and potions via a handy 'go shopping' command that can be invoked whenever battle isn't raging around you.
In employing such a well-thought out companion system as this, Neocore Games have added an additional facet to the shop-worn hack and slash formula that actually feels meaningful and provides extra depth, rather than coming across as a great lump of micromanagement tedium as it might well have done had the game been fashioned by a lesser pair of hands.
Stuffed with value
Despite being a cheerfully budget priced prospect (the game retails for less than twenty bucks and roughly around that amount in equivalent currencies elsewhere), Neocore Games have nonetheless managed to cram The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing with copious amounts of stuff for would-be monster hunters to get stuck into.
Beyond the enduring appeal of the main campaign which can be tackled solo or with up to four players online, Van Helsing offers Scenario and Neverending Story modes to keep players busy. In the case of the former, players are required to meet a high level requirement as they take part in difficult monster battles that in turn provide gear of substantial quality.
The Neverending Story mode, on the other hand, is essentially a New Game Plus scenario of sorts as it restarts the story with a difficulty level that goes through the roof and allows higher level gear to become available throughout its duration. In truth, neither mode feels essential, and an additional adversarial Battle Royal multiplayer mode certainly feels tacked on, but nonetheless, Van Helsing arguably provides a meaty prospect for dungeon crawling savants and rookies alike to sink their teeth (or swords) into.
In need of some spit and polish
Clearly, one area where Van Helsing stands to improve is its visuals. A far cry from the near unbreakable, liquid smooth 60 frames per second of Diablo 3, Van Helsing suffers from a fluctuating framerate that comes especially undone when the screen fills with enemies and graphical effects; making the whole affair feel more sluggish than it otherwise should. Additionally, frame pacing issues and tearing issues are also present too, lending the impression that Van Helsing just isn't quite as smoothly responsive or polished as Blizzard's seminal PS4 dungeon crawler.
Elsewhere, other visual maladies also raise their ugly head. Notably, the game seems to have a small raft of visual glitches, with occasional, very fine white lines criss-crossing the seams of the game world geometry and lighting effects that trigger strange shapes around the player character from time to time. It's not game breaking stuff in the slightest, but the presence of such issues arguably tarnishes Van Helsing's aesthetic to a degree.
PS4 Pro owners don't escape scot-free either, since while three different graphical modes are available; 1080p for fastest performance, 1620p for balanced performance and 4K for best resolution, they all suffer from the same frame pacing and visual glitches as the base PS4 version does, with 4K mode in particular proving to suffer from huge drops in frame rate. Another thing that will frustrate PS4 Pro folks is that you need to exit back to the main menu change the visual quality settings; a baffling state of affairs when you consider older Pro compliant games like Infamous Second Son allow you to effortlessly swap in-game.
Far from being the second coming of Diablo 3 in either qualitative or quantitative terms, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing nonetheless confidently stakes its claim as a fundamentally solid dungeon crawler. It's an effort that asks players to look beyond its technical shortcomings and embrace the sizeable value and wonderfully light humour that lay beneath its flawed veneer, remaining in the process a prospect that all fans should consider checking out.
Dungeon crawler fiends who have bled Diablo 3's riches dry shouldn't sleep on the Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing. Though not quite as incredible as its namesake, Neocore Games inaugural hack and slash foray onto PS4 proves to be resoundingly satisfying, great value and most importantly, a whole heap of fun.


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32 Kids Killed in Syria
Updated Apr. 21, 2017 4:58PM ET / Published May. 26, 2012 7:18PM ET
Yasser Al-Zayyat, AFP / Getty Images
United Nations observers reported that a brutal attack in a city near Homs on Friday left 32 children and at least 60 adults dead, with an estimated 300 wounded. Syrian anti-government groups claim that official troops raked the city with mortar shells and then sent thugs and soldiers in. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his predecessor, Kofi Annan, released a joint statement calling for a ceasefire and criticizing the government for the attack. Bloody images of the young casualties prompted anti-government demonstrations across the country.


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Search University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives
Fonds SC001 - Federation of Military and United Services Institutes of Canada fonds
Federation of Military and United Services Institutes of Canada fonds
University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives
CA UVICARCH SC001
1974 - 2007 (Creation)
30 cm of textual records
Federation of Military and United Services Institutes of Canada
The Federation of Military and United Services Institutes of Canada (FMUSIC) was founded in 1973 to bring together the various United Services Institutes in Canada recognized by the Department of National Defence, and to further their goals without impinging on their autonomy when dealing with the National Defence Headquarters. Another aim of FMUSIC is to support Canada's development of effective military and non-military policies and capabilities through;study, research and through the submission of position papers to the appropriate government bodies. FMUSIC also endeavours to communicate the defence needs of Canada to the Canadian public.
The fonds consists of biennial conference communications, strategic appraisals, position papers, administrative records, newsletters and material relating to the controversial CBC documentary "The Valour and the Horror" including correspondence, articles, clippings and government transcripts.
Box list available.
Generated finding aid
fmusic-fonds.pdf
Royal United Services Institute of Vancouver Island fonds
Valour and the horror--Sources
federation-of-military-and-united-services-institutes-of-canada-fonds-2
Revised by JF, July 2, 2013.
https://www.uvic.ca/library/locations/home/spcoll/findaids/fmusic_inventory.pdf
Digital object (External URI) rights area
Federation of Military and United Services Institutes of Canada (Creator)


For teenagers, rocking the latest fashion is unbelievably important. To create the rep that your teen boy desires, he will likely need to don just the right, peer-approved garb. While it may seem that teen boys simply roll out of bed and scurry their way off to school, in truth, many teen boys do stay abreast of the latest fashion trends to ensure that they don't get pegged as a fashion loser.
Graphic T-shirts are a staple of any teen boy's wardrobe. Teens can select from a plethora of T-shirts, each emblazoned with a memorable or catchy phrase or picture. From a funny joke to a topical pop-culture reference, many of these T-shirts allow the wearer not only to cover his torso but also to express his interests and personality.
Hoodies are a convenient and comfortable clothing type, commonly favored by teen boys. From the zip-up hoodie to the pull-over type with a front pocket, there are an array of different hoodie options from which teen boys can select.
A favorite warm weather garment for many teen boys in the knee-length short. These shorts allow the teen to chill his calves in a cool, laid back fashion. Many teens opt for khaki or plaid shorts to pair with their T-shirts or hoodies to finish out their outfit.
When it comes to cooler weather wear, worn jeans can't be beat. Teen boys commonly seek jeans that look like they have been put through the ringer instead of the crisp, new denim options. Jeans with holes, patches or worn spots are all the rage among teen boys.
The swimwear of choice for most teen boys is the board short. These bathing suit bottoms traditionally feature bold, often tropical, patterns and sit just at the knee. Board shorts are a versatile clothing choice, because your teen boy can stay comfortable whether catching a wave, going after a volleyball or just chilling in the sand.
Many teen boys cannot be separated from their trusty sneakers. Sneakers allow teens the mobility and comfort that they often desire in a shoe. Most teens opt for a high dollar pair of kicks, but lesser-expensive mock brands also prove popular to teens who lack the capital to shell out big bucks for a pair of shoes.


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City Council & Mayor
Mayor Andy Ross
Andy Ross
Andrew "Andy" Ross was sworn in as Mayor of the City of Temple Terrace on December 1, 2020. Elected to City Council on Nov. 8, 2016, Mr. Ross served as a Member and later Vice Mayor until he assumed the role of Acting Mayor in Spring 2020.
Mr. Ross retired as a captain from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and then served as deputy chief of police at Tampa International Airport. He currently is president of Innovative Training and Consulting, LLC, a local security consulting firm. He also is an adjunct professor at Saint Leo University.
Prior to his election to the City Council, Mr. Ross served as chair on both the Temple Terrace Municipal Code Enforcement Board and River Watch Task Force. He currently represents the City on the Hillsborough River Interlocal Planning Board and is council liaison to the Municipal Code Enforcement Board and River Watch Task Force. Mr. Ross has a master's degree from Saint Leo University and is a graduate of the prestigious Southern Police Institute's Administrative Officers Course at the University of Louisville. He is a member of numerous professional community associations. Mr. Ross and his wife have three children.
Meredith Abel
Cheri Donohue
Gil Schisler


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Nowodwory  – część miasta Ciechanowca położona w jego północnej części. Rozpościera się w o okolicy ulicy Pałacowej, na prawobrzeżnej części miasta.

Do 1952 roku była to południowo-wschodnia część wsi Nowodwory. 1 lipca 1952 wyłączono ją z gminy Klukowo w powiecie wysokomazowieckim i włączono do Ciechanowca w powiecie siemiatyckim.

Przypisy

Ciechanowiec

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Hi! I originally from Brooklyn, New York, I moved to Delaware almost 10 years ago. Why would I move to DELAWARE from New York? Well, to be with my fiance of course! :-) He and I have been together for soon to be 15 years! Yea, a looonnggg time. Since I was 14! We now have 3 beautiful boys. My oldest is will soon be 2 and my twins are about to be 8 months. So right now, I am a stay at home Mom. It gets VERY busy in house with having 3 kids under 2. But I LOVE it, and wouldn't change a thing! Besides my family, I love to read, sew, and a I am obsessed with hair. Especially mine! Lol I love trying new things and I literally have a closet full of hair paraphernalia! Lol smh Some girls love shoes, some love fashion (which I do too) BUT I love all things hair!
My Staples For Awesome Relaxed Hair!


At Be HomeCare we recognize the value of every person and are guided by our commitment to setting a standard of excellence in the home care field.
We understand a person's desire to remain in their home as long as possible. We strive to meet this desire in all aspects of the services we provide.
We respect our caregivers and we are humbled by their dedication to serving others.
This is our mission. And we take it seriously and with full heart.


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Q: Matlab: read csv into array im new to matlab and coding. I have a csv file with data that goes like:
3  2   91  83  17
3  2   86  84  4
3  2   90  83  162
(there's a total of 7000 rows)
I need a way to read this into an array, can the array be something like A[I,J,K,L,M] with age=I for example? How would i go about doing this?

A: M = csvread(filename);
age = M(:,1); Doa = M(:,2); los = M(:,3); gender = M(:,4); dest = M(:,5);

A: dlmread(), csvread(), and xlsread() all work well.
Note that the first two (dlmread and csvread) are for numeric data only, and xlsread is limited by what excel can process (which in my experience is capped at somewhere around 1 million rows). xlsread can get you text and raw as well.

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The Mangyongdae Funfair is an amusement park located in Mangyongdae-guyok, 12 kilometers from Pyongyang, North Korea. It has an area of 70 hectares including a funfair and wading pool.
The Taedong River is a large river in North Korea. It rises in the Rangrim Mountains of the country's north. It then flows southwest into Korea Bay at Namp'o. In between, it runs through the country's capital, Pyongyang. Along the river are landmarks such as the Juche Tower and Kim Il-sung Square.


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Beach Club completed at Harbour Isle
The club, which includes a sandy beach, will serve the residents of the development's Members of the communities.
Island and Manatee chambers, local elected officials and guests joined officials from Minto Communities to cut the ribbon on the newly completed Beach Club at Harbor Isle on Friday. The club features an outdoor pool surrounded by lush vegetation, a cabana bar overlooking the pool, event and yoga lawns, a sandy beach, a luxury indoor lounge, an upstairs Sky Bar, all with unparalleled views of the surrounding waters.
A state of the art fitness center is located in an adjacent building. Senior Vice President William Bullock, who was unable to attend the event, said in a press release, "Minto has taken great care to assure that every design decision made at Harbour Isle maintains the integrity of this rare island location and the surrounding waters.
"For example, the Beach Club is located on a portion of the island that already provides unobstructed water views of Anna Maria Sound and Anna Maria Island. We were thoughtful on placement of the Beach Club, and chose a location that had a lack of shoreline vegetation, thus minimizing environmental impact."
The Harbour Isle development includes two completed neighborhoods, Edgewater Walk and Mangrove Walk, with about 300 residents. Two of those are former Island residents, Karen Di Costanzo and JoAnn Lefner.
"We've been here almost a year," Di Costanzo said. "I love it. The neighbors are wonderful."
Minto Communities The Annex shines with style and location
Margaritaville community coming to PCB
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Rochester Beacon (https://rochesterbeacon.com/2020/03/05/a-hopeful-antidote/)
A hopeful antidote
By WILL ASTOR | March 5, 2020
More on Health & Science
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The good news is that an antiviral treatment effective against the new coronavirus could start to be available in as little as three months and could be tested on some local coronavirus patients even sooner. The bad news is that every other warning and caution against the potentially deadly virus still applies and will continue to apply for the foreseeable future.
There is more good news though. The antiviral is remdesivir, a drug that has previously been used to help combat Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, also known as MERS, and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS viral infections and is thus already produced, with some stockpiles available, and known to be safe.
All coronavirus coverage
The three-month timeline for remdesivir's availability as an anti-corona virus agent is the informed projection of David Topham, a University of Rochester Medical Center virologist and immunologist whose local laboratory is one of five in New York State involved in researching COVID-19, the new coronavirus rapidly spreading to pandemic proportions. His lab is tied into a national and global network of researchers studying the disease.
Topham's is not a lone voice. Previous research has shown Gilead Sciences' remdesivir, an investigational nucleotide analog with broad-spectrum antiviral activity, to be effective against a variety of coronavirus strains. Clinical trials to test its potency as an agent to rein in COVID-19 are already underway, the pharmaceutical research quarterly Drug Target Review reported this week.
Topham projects starting tests of the antiviral's effectiveness against COVID-19 locally as soon as a month from now. That's when he expects coronavirus cases to start appearing in the Rochester area, making test subjects available.
Not a vaccine
To be clear, an antiviral is not a vaccine. A vaccine that would protect those inoculated against COVID-19 infection is at least a year away, Topham says. An antiviral like remdesivir is an agent that can help fight the virus after individuals become infected. Whether it might also provide some residual, short-term preventive effect remains to be seen. If it does, that effect could last only a matter of days or weeks but could last longer, Topham says.
At this point, much is unknown about COVID-19. The virus was first detected in Wuhan, China, in 2019. The World Health Organization on Feb.11 coined the name COVID-19. There are several types of human coronaviruses, some that cause mild respiratory tract afflictions. COVID-19 is a new disease, not previously seen in humans.
Topham, whose experience as a virologist and immunologist stretches back two decades, sees the global research community's response to COVID-19 as outpacing its past efforts to delve into and combat SARS, MERS and swine flu.
David Topham
Fresh off a March 3 conference call with global research colleagues, Topham says, "I'm feeling that we're getting accurate information out of China and out of other parts of the world as well."
That communication is important because the wave of COVID-19 infections, have now spread to every continent save Antarctica. Chinese researchers have the longest experience with the new strain, since it first appeared there last December.
One thing that is known, says Topham, is that COVID-19 has a downside past pandemic viruses did not exhibit: People infected with COVID-19 broadcast the disease during a five-to-seven day period before they begin to show symptoms, whereas flu sufferers become infectious only after they start to sneeze, cough and grow feverish.
That trait has helped COVID-19 spread rapidly and for the time being makes its further spread virtually inevitable and its future containment potentially problematic.
An interactive web-based dashboard to track COVID-19 in real time.
(Source: John Hopkins University)
Preventive response
Preventive measures local officials including Monroe County Executive Adam Bello and Monroe County Public Health Commissioner Michael Mendoza recommended this week—including washing hands regularly, avoiding touching one's face and when possible avoiding public spaces—will need to be followed, Topham advises.
Area colleges, universities and schools frequently post updates on their preparedness for an outbreak in Rochester. The University of Rochester has established a Coronavirus University Response team while Nazareth and St. John Fisher College announced an at-home quarantine for those returning from study abroad programs in Italy. The State University of New York is currently arranging chartered flights from South Korea, Italy and Japan to New York Stewart International Airport in the coming days, state officials say.
Rochester Regional Health is monitoring the situation as well, enacting additional protocols and procedures for its employees, patients and communities.
"As the situation develops, we remain in tight collaboration with the county and state health departments and remain ready and adaptive should COVID-19 reach our region," said Robert Mayo, chief medical officer for Rochester Regional Health, in a statement.
Rochester Regional Health's telemedicine service Care Now is preparing to expand access so that symptomatic patients can consult physicians remotely, minimizing contact with others.
Patients served by the RRH network who come down with viral infections are urged to call their primary care provider. In some cases, they will be told they can remain at home and obtain on-going medical advice through Care Now.
Late last month Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced $40 million for the New York State Department of Health to hire additional staff and procure equipment and any other resources necessary to respond to the pandemic. Rep. Joseph Morelle, who was in town last weekend, underscored the need for precaution and preparedness.
General information posted by responsible media has so far been accurate and has closely reflected what the scientific community has determined, although some tweaks may slightly alter the picture, Topham says. Older individuals and others with less robust immune systems are indeed thought to be likely to be at greater risk of suffering serious consequences, he says.
It has not yet been determined whether some older individuals could have residual immunity from previous infections from other less virulent coronavirus strains. If that turns out to be the case, an effect like that of the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic, which mostly claimed relatively young and healthy individuals, could surface. Whether such an effect would be significant or a statistical blip cannot now be known.
Another upside of a sort: Topham believes the widely forecast 2 percent or higher mortality rate now believed to be the toll COVID-19 is taking is probably too high. That is because reliable testing is not yet in place to identify coronavirus sufferers who aren't showing symptoms or those who only show mild effects and may not seek treatment. If the ratio of those whom the virus kills to an accurate count of all those infected were computed, Topham believes, the mortality rate could be significantly lower.
Still, that would be cold comfort to the dead, whose numbers would remain the same wherever the ratio fell. In the end, says Topham, even if efforts to stay COVID-19's advance come to little or naught, a balance would be most likely achieved sooner or later.
As more and more sufferers survived encounters with the virus and developed resistance to COVID-19, the pathogen would find fewer receptive hosts. The virus's numbers would plummet, and its spread would effectively be contained, Topham explains.
The same effect, known as herd immunity, would of course kick in much sooner with an effective vaccine, which would be a far more preferable outcome.
Herd immunity contained the bubonic plague, a 14th century pandemic known then as the Black Death that struck at a time when neither the existence of the microbes that caused the disease nor the means to contain them were known.
Over the roughly four years it took for herd immunity to do its work in Europe, as many as 100 million died and, historians now say, it took the region's economies and societies 200 years to recover.
One thought on "A hopeful antidote"
david delaney on March 9, 2020 at 8:29 am said:
Thanks for the clear update from an expert. Haven't seen him (Topham) or this message on national TV. His view and this news would be beneficial to many.
Get your message out there Beacon!


Quality pre-schools will have printed material for you to study in making your school choice.
Do the stated learning goals match mine?
Do the goals address all areas of my child's development including social play, control of emotions, language skills, learning letters and numbers, engaging in science, art and physical development?
Am I comfortable with the school's discipline policies?
Is the school licensed by the state? Is it accredited by a national association like the NAEYC?
Does the lead teacher have a Bachelor's degree or certification in Early Childhood Education?
Is there one adult for every ten children?
Are there separate learning centers for various activities such as art, reading, dramatic play, writing, etc.?
Does the school use a well-known quality curriculum preparing children for kindergarten later on?
Does the class follow a daily routine that offers a variety of activities? Do the children play both outdoors and inside?
Are parents free to drop in without making an appointment?
Does the school have a means of regularly communicating with parents?
Do they report the activities of the past week or month?
Are the teachers warm and caring with the children?
Do they have conversations with the children as they work or play?
Do children have the opportunity to choose their activities part of the time?
Are books and read-alouds a regular part of the day?
Is children's art work and other work samples displayed?
Are the furniture, equipment and toys age appropriate?
As you check yes or no to each of these questions, decide which of them are deal-breakers for your family and which are not as important. Jot down notes as they occur to you and feel free to ask more questions of the staff and administrators.
Becoming familiar with the following terms may help you make your pre-school decision.
The Montessori Method focuses on maintaining the individuality of each child in the learning process. Each child learns at his or her own pace and students are not compared. Teachers are specially trained at Montessori institutes.
The Reggio Emilia Approach focuses on providing opportunities for problem solving through creative thinking and exploration.
The Waldorf Approach places an emphasis on imagination in learning providing students with opportunities to explore their world through their senses, participation and analytical thought.
The Bank Street Approach places emphasis on learning through multiple perspectives, both in the classroom setting and out of doors.
The High/Scope Approach allows children to be in charge of their own learning. They're taught to make a plan for each day's activities and participate in review sessions as they plan and brainstorm for the next day's work.
Child-centered: This term describes a method that takes the children's interests into account when planning activities. The child is allowed to choose.
Teacher-led: is the opposite of child centered as the adult selects lessons and leads them. It is a more structured type of learning.
Child-led: This method believes that children learn best when they are engaged and interested. It allows for a high degree of child initiation and allows individualized learning experiences rather than group work.
Faith-based: This term describes pre-school programs run by faith organizations such as churches and synagogues.
Co-operative: These settings ask parents and families to assist in the running of the program. They may sign up to volunteer sometime during the week.
Developmentally Appropriate: This term means the school plans the curriculum and activities based on ones appropriate to the age of the children in the class.
Pre-kindergarten: This term may be used interchangeably with pre-school. It means the program that has a class enrolled in the year before kindergarten, usually age four. These settings may be more structured to ensure the child is ready for the educational rigors of kindergarten.
Read our post on how to find the best preschools in Santa Cruz County.


Today, more information is available than ever before, and medicine has become deeply complex. Most physicians would say they are proficient at using the Internet and bibliographic databases to find information to inform decisions, but there is significant evidence to the contrary. Research continues to show a disconnect between the information physicians need and the information they retrieve: Physicians have two questions for every three patients but use information retrieval systems fewer than nine times per month; most physician-conducted searches retrieve only 25% to 50% of relevant articles; doctors have difficulty reading and interpreting medical research; physicians may overgeneralize findings and may incorrectly apply those findings in clinical practice; adverse clinical outcomes have arisen from these difficulties in interpreting and applying research evidence; and, when physicians try to answer questions, they are almost as likely to make an incorrect conclusion as a correct conclusion.
Because physicians report there is too much information and it takes too long to search for the correct answer, they often "satisfice," or take the fastest, easiest answer when faced with uncertainty. This is unfortunate, as Weightman and Williamson's systematic review on the impact of library services on health outcomes indicated that when health care providers used professional library services, the result was improved general patient care, diagnosis, choice of tests, choice of therapy, and reduced stay. Clearly educating physicians in how to appropriately use information resources could lead to improved health outcomes.
"A librarian or other expert searcher should be involved in the development of the search."
No guff. During my recent search talk for a meta analysis course, I encouraged those in attendance to pass the search responsibilities on to someone who knows what they're doing. Seems to me a strong search would strengthen the methodology and, by extension, the analysis.
Last week I gave the following presentation (minus animations) as part of an intro to meta analyses course. I spoke for about an hour and a half and gave a very short live demo of how I'd go about building and validating a systematic review search. It seemed to be well received.
Do We Need To Teach Search Differently?
It is disappointing that the level of instruction received in undergraduate training has no clear correlation to the current skills of participants in this study, and that little of that training has been retained.
Although just one study with a small sample size, this finding doesn't surprise me. For the majority of graduating medical students to develop a level of search expertise over the course of their medical training, they need to be hit with clinical scenarios that challenge their search presumptions frequently. On top of that, context, too, is, I think, important. Challenge the students search abilities in a situation that's as close to the 'real world' as possible. Repitition and context.
Beyond that, what else can librarians do to better learning outcomes?
How Much Searching Is Enough?
When I'm working on time-consuming searches (such as systematic reviews), I'll generally stop after a) ensuring the known relevant articles are captured by the strategy, b) making a concerted to break the strategy (by finding relevant articles that aren't captured), and c) coming to some sort of understanding with the lead investigator.
It turns out there are, according to PMID 20923586, at least 8 methods to indicate when to call it quits (from the abstract).


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Interview with Daniel Rappaport
Hello friends of fantasy!
Last week, we had the awesome opportunity to promote The Legend of the Lost Rose, a story that's come from the hard work of Pazzaria Productions. Today, we're proud to take you behind the scenes, with an interview with Pazzaria's Daniel Rappaport, their Director of Creation and the writer of The Legend of the Lost Rose. Daniel gave us a bunch of great information about Pazzaria's upcoming projects and whether or not we can see more from the world that Spark the Flying Frog plays in.
Tellest: How did The Legend of the Lost Rose and Spark the Flying Frog come into being?
Daniel Rappaport: The Legend of the Lost Rose came into being as a first, premiere property for Pazzaria Productions, because we needed to establish ourselves as a credible and noteworthy company. The form of a book was chosen, in large part, due to budget. Some of the higher grades I received in school were in writing. I felt that there was a big economic opportunity here. In doing research for my book, I came across a beautiful fantasy clip art book from the publisher Dover:
http://store.doverpublications.com/0486997375.html
Other larger forms of inspiration are Disney's The Princess and the Frog, and Wicked the Musical. For the religious background of the planet LIGHT (where the story takes place), in a world that is rich with Christian values, and those values being twisted into things like hatred of LGBTQ people, the fact that the Bible has been rewritten many times over throughout history, etc., I felt that Wicca was a very suitable choice. It's not only a commentary on repressive religions, but, as well, in fantasy stories, magic just happens, without any explanation as to how it happens. Wicca introduces a definite logical form and process for spells.
In flipping through the book, the vibrant images spoke to me. The Legend of the Lost Rose was born.
At the time of writing Spark the Flying Frog, prequels were very popular in Hollywood. I also thought it a great opportunity to tell a little bit about how the main character, Spark, came to be.
T: How did you conceptualize such whimsical tales?
DR: When I read this question, I interpret is as, "How did you go through the writing process?" After coming up with a basic breakdown, I hit the keyboard. What flowed from my fingers was a somewhat autobiographical sketch, where the main character is concerned. Being fascinated with fantasy stories and creatures, it was a natural choice for me. I should also point out that one or two people attend films that are not family oriented. In the case of fantasy, it's often an entire family event.
There are no epic fantasy books out there that have full, touch screen animations, or pieces of merchandise, within each chapter, that either have something to do with the main character and/or advance the story. We are both wholly unique and cutting edge in this manner.
T: Do you think we've seen the last of Spark? Or are we bound to see him again?
DR: Adorable, cute, popular Spark!? Indeed. He will live in the hearts and minds of children, and children at heart, around the world, for all time.
T: What made you think of the frightening Apovil?
DR: His name is a combination of the Egyptian mythological being "Apophis" :
(https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Apophis – An evil snake-god who tries to devour the sun every night.), and the word "evil".
He was very much inspired by Elpheba in Wicked. The general public thinks that he is pure evil, because he is flying through towns, and completely destroying them. He's really a sweet dragon-like creature, and is just frustrated.
T: Do you think The Legend of the Lost Rose invokes an idea of trying to understand that which is different from you?
DR: Yes. I absolutely think so. After all, we are talking about gay frogs! These sort of themes, with a king dog being called Prince, the evil Chef Crevette being potentially misunderstood, and even the whole question as to how the planet of LIGHT is dying (is it the Apovil, or is the rose dying?) all play into the idea of trying to understand that which is different from the reader. We believe that it's a very healthy tale, in this way.
T: Did you write these stories for anyone in particular, or more for yourself?
DR: I believe that on some level, every writer needs to write for themselves. Writing is far from an easy process. If you are not enjoying what you are doing, there are plenty of other things out there, which will probably yield a much higher return for the work. With that being said, our guests are our number one priority. It is our sincere wish that many people may enjoy a bit of escape into the world of LIGHT, finding out the truth of the "Lost Rose", and perhaps learn something more about themselves along the way.
T: Could you share with us an example of a way that The Legend of the Lost Rose, Spark, or Pazzaria in general has touched one of your readers?
DR: Here is one of our positive reviews from iTunes:
We need more Sparks on this Planet. ★★★★★
"I was not expecting to read such an amazing story, especially at such a low price. This is a delightfully written fantasy story, full of metaphors and beautiful messages. It expresses the challenges that our planet is currently facing and how our kids will have to face even worse challenges than the ones we are facing right now. The earth is being destroyed by humans and our future generations, in this case, Spark will have to deal with the effect or consequences of our greed and our lack of appreciation towards the earth."
– Kornfredy
T: What's next for Pazzaria?
DR: Lots of things! The Legend of the Lost Rose is part of "The Legend" series:
Part I: The Legend of the Lost Rose epic, fantasy, interactive novel.
Part II: The Legend of the Wizard Coven, which is the world's first MMORWRPG, which stands for Massive Multi-player Online and Real World Role Playing Game.
Part III: The Legend of the Lost Oberon, which is a built environment theme park. It will exemplify the highest form of our mission statement: Everything that a guest sees, eats, buys, touches, does, wears, etc., all has to do with their own personal adventure within our world.
T: Well now I'm very intrigued. First off, what can we expect from your MMORWRPG? I don't think anyone has ever heard of such an idea!
DR: You are correct. The MMORWRPG is an original idea. Suffice it to say that, in light of some of the other questions on here, it will certainly be an amazing extension of our world of LIGHT. I can also tell you that it will feature black faeries – another first.
T: You know, that's right. We never really see any fairies of any other ethnicities unless we're looking at something as nuanced as Disney's Fairies franchise. Did you decide to include black faeries as part of a mission of openness, similar to what you did with Spark and LGBTQ folks?
DR: Our black faeries have nothing to do with race. You will just have to wait and see what happens!
T: And then directly following that, what can you tell us about what a built environment theme park is? You certainly seem to have a big imagination!
DR: I really appreciate your comment about Pazzaria Productions having a big imagination! Sometimes, I don't think that it's big enough! Please understand. While I am the director of creation, Pazzaria Productions is a team. There is no "I" in team, and we wouldn't be anywhere near our strength if it wasn't for our people. This part of our website is also a small sampling. As we grow, we look forward to credit ever many more people.
"A built environment theme park". We really can't say too much about our plans. It's only fair, as we wouldn't want to disappoint our guests, should our high profile plans not come to fruition. For now, we would like you to please experience all of our current offerings.
T: What would you suggest to other writers who are just beginning their journey?
DR: Be true to yourself, and your heart. I think that a lot of writers out there (especially new ones) tend to ignore the market. I am not suggesting to be cookie-cutter, and to copy what others are doing. Not at all. I am suggesting that one should take a look at the playing field, and add something to what is already being said. What concerns and issues do you have with the world? Alice in Wonderland is partly a commentary on the British monarchy of the time. To me, Star Wars is basically WWII in space. Look to history, myths, modern politics, etc., for inspiration. What angers you? What concerns you?
If you intend to make any money with your writing, don't be so cryptic that only your stuffed plush toy understands what you are all about. Indeed, J.K. Rowling didn't choose the fantasy genre on accident.
Lastly, I will request that you enjoy the process. Have fun with it!
T: How do you see Pazzaria growing over the next few years?
DR: Please see our "The Future" page.
T: Are you planning on extending the world of LIGHT and the other things that Pazzaria encompasses to other writers as well?
DR: It is entirely possible. It will depend upon the strength and background of any writer that may wish to submit their résumé.
T: Are there any other mediums that we can expect to see Spark or any other Pazzaria creation grace in the near future?
DR: We are planning an audio book and a YouTube show.
T: Finally, where would you like to see Pazzaria by the year 2050?
DR: This is really difficult to say. Technology and methods of telling stories change so rapidly. We are always looking to be on the cutting edge, and explore other areas of entertainment that others aren't touching. Even today, there is a lot that can be done with holographic projection (does anyone remember the Time Traveler video game?), computer networks, audio design, animation, etc., that hasn't been explored. Another thing that we are very interested in is notions of different countries working together towards peaceful goals, and pushing the boundaries of technology, and transportation beyond entertainment.
We'd like to thank Mr. Rappaport for his time. Pazzaria certainly seems like a busy place to work, and we're sure that their Director of Creation is busy! Don't forget, if you're looking to find out more about their current offerings, you can check them out on the Pazzaria site, iBooks and Amazon!
If you're the creator of fantasy worlds and you would like to be interviewed for your work, contact us via the link in the menu bar.
| Tags: Daniel Rappaport, Interview, Legend of the Lost Rose, Otherworld, Pazzaria, Pazzaria Productions, Spark the Flying Frog
← Art – Lyla Brenna Figurine
Character Art – Zoe Hart →


Turns out, dates can get a lot more fun and adventurous than, say, dinner at the top of the Eiffel Tower. And we mean a lot more fun! So if you're looking to impress your better half with personalised experiences or get out and mingle with like minded couples over interesting encounters, look no further than your friendly 'couples-only' community – Couple of Us.
Rhea and Sidd, a dynamic duo living in the cosmopolitan city of Bangalore, realized life after marriage didn't seem so easy. Crazy work schedules coupled with everyday chores, came in the way of almost everything new and interesting they wanted to try. Their conversations with other couples made them realize that they were not the only ones missing out on all the fun. Hence, the desire to solve this very problem lead to the culmination of Couple of Us. A uniquely designed, 'invite only' platform for couples to re-discover themselves.
Their calendar is buzzing with new and eclectic experiences every month. These curated experiences are exclusively designed keeping in mind the pulse of the tribe. The best part, they take the headache out of planning, so all you have to do is show up with your partner in crime. So go on and register here!
After miserably failing to make it to most of their events (thanks to insane work schedules and travel plans) we kind of lost hope. But thanks to Rhea's constant support and super woman planning skills we finally made it to the 3rd edition of The Supper of Secrets! We thanked our stars as it was the perfect night we could have asked for. Think chilling over bonfire tunes and flaming grills. Celebrating the winter chills with a cozy little camp pitched just for us. Sipping on plenty of mulled wine and chatting away with vibrant personalities. Making merry over songs and paper dancing games. It felt like 2009 all over again when Prashanth and I started dating. It didn't just end there. We were seated atop an enchanting private rooftop – all lit up and delicately decorated. We ate our way through toasty, cheesy and spicy escapades curated by none other than Richa Gupta. A celebrated food blogger and the incredible talent behind MyFoodStory.
Alisha, Akshay and their dog Herbie opened their homes to host us. This made it an absolute heart warming and personalised experience.
We got to interact with 6 unassuming, yet like minded couples, out of which one ended up being an old friend (Akash) and his wife. This came as a great surprise and an opportunity to re-connect.
Masterchef Richa whipped up some yummy delights (which need a special mention) like, The Campfire platter (had the best Viennese and Goan Sausages in town) along with Grilled Cheese Troika. Hence, food was bang on point!
Sipped on unlimited Spicy Merlot Mulled Wine courtesy Big Banyan Wines.
Played good ol' games like Tambola & Paper Dance. Yes, we like embracing the inner child within us!
All this and more costed us Rs. 3,800 (per couple) which could easily put a 5-Star dining experience to shame.
If celebrating Valentine's day with chocolates and roses is too cliche or not your type. Head over to COU's Facebook page and get invited to their All Aphrodisiac Secret Brunch. Limited seats left! Sorry Single folks.