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The conveyor belt
For all the endless discussion of various aspects of Twin Peaks, one quality that sometimes feels neglected is the incongruous fact that it had one of the most attractive casts in television history. In that respect—and maybe in that one alone—it was like just about every other series that ever existed. From prestige dramas to reality shows to local newscasts, the story of television has inescapably been that of beautiful men and women on camera. A show like The Hills, which was one of my guilty pleasures, seemed to be consciously trying to see how long it could coast on surface beauty alone, and nearly every series, ambitious or otherwise, has used the attractiveness of its actors as a commercial or artistic strategy. (In one of the commentary tracks on The Simpsons, a producer describes how a network executive might ask indirectly about the looks of the cast of a sitcom: "So how are we doing aesthetically?") If this seemed even more pronounced on Twin Peaks, it was partially because, like Mad Men, it took its conventionally glamorous actors into dark, unpredictable places, and also because David Lynch had an eye for a certain kind of beauty, both male and female, that was more distinctive than that of the usual soap opera star. He's continued this trend in the third season, which has been populated so far by such striking presences as Chrysta Bell, Ben Rosenfield, and Madeline Zima, and last night's episode features an extended, very funny scene between a delighted Gordon Cole and a character played by Bérénice Marlohe, who, with her red lipstick and "très chic" spike heels, might be the platonic ideal of his type.
Lynch isn't the first director to display a preference for actors, particularly women, with a very specific look—although he's thankfully never taken it as far as his precursor Alfred Hitchcock did. And the notion that a film or television series can consist of little more than following around two beautiful people with a camera has a long and honorable history. My two favorite movies of my lifetime, Blue Velvet and Chungking Express, both understand this implicitly. It's fair to say that the second half of the latter film would be far less watchable if it didn't involve Tony Leung and Faye Wong, two of the most attractive people in the world, and Wong Kar-Wai, like so many filmmakers before him, uses it as a psychological hook to take us into strange, funny, romantic places. Blue Velvet is a much darker work, but it employs a similar lure, with the actors made up to look like illustrations of themselves. In a Time cover story on Lynch from the early nineties, Richard Corliss writes of Kyle MacLachlan's face: "It is a startling visage, as pure of line as an art deco vase, with soft, all-American features and a comic-book hero's jutting chin—you could park a Packard on it." It echoes what Pauline Kael says of Isabella Rossellini in Blue Velvet: "She even has the kind of nostrils that cover artists can represent accurately with two dots." MacLachlan's chin and Rossellini's nose would have caught our attention in any case, but it's also a matter of lighting and makeup, and Lynch shoots them to emphasize their roots in the pulp tradition, or, more accurately, in the subconscious store of images that we take from those sources. And the casting gets him halfway there.
This leaves us in a peculiar position when it comes to the third season of Twin Peaks, which, both by nature and by design, is about aging. Mark Frost said in an interview: "It's an exercise in engaging with one of the most powerful themes in all of art, which is the ruthless passage of time…We're all trapped in time and we're all going to die. We're all traveling along this conveyor belt that is relentlessly moving us toward this very certain outcome." One of the first, unforgettable images from the show's promotional materials was Kyle MacLachlan's face, a quarter of a century older, emerging from the darkness into light, and our feelings toward these characters when they were younger inevitably shape the way we regard them now. I felt this strongly in two contrasting scenes from last night's episode. It offers us our first extended look at Sarah Palmer, played by Grace Zabriskie, who delivers a freakout in a grocery store that reminds us of how much we've missed and needed her—it's one of the most electrifying moments of the season. And we also finally see Audrey Horne again, in a brutally frustrating sequence that feels to me like the first time that the show's alienating style comes off as a miscalculation, rather than as a considered choice. Audrey isn't just in a bad place, which we might have expected, but a sad, unpleasant one, with a sham marriage and a monster of a son, and she doesn't even know the worst of it yet. It would be a hard scene to watch with anyone, but it's particularly painful when we set it against our first glimpse of Audrey in the original series, when we might have said, along with the Norwegian businessman at the Great Northern Hotel: "Excuse me, is there something wrong, young pretty girl?"
Yet the two scenes aren't all that dissimilar. Both Sarah and Audrey are deeply damaged characters who could fairly say: "Things can happen. Something happened to me." And I can only explain away the difference by confessing that I was a little in love in my early teens with Audrey. Using those feelings against us—much as the show resists giving us Dale Cooper again, even as it extravagantly develops everything around him—must have been what Lynch and Frost had in mind. And it isn't the first time that this series has toyed with our emotions about beauty and death. The original dream girl of Twin Peaks, after all, was Laura Palmer herself, as captured in two of its most indelible images: Laura's prom photo, and her body wrapped in plastic. (Sheryl Lee, like January Jones in Mad Men, was originally cast for her look, and only later did anyone try to find out whether or not she could act.) The contrast between Laura's lovely features and her horrifying fate, in death and in the afterlife, was practically the motor on which the show ran. Her face still opens every episode of the revival, dimly visible in the title sequence, but it also ended each installment of the original run, gazing out from behind the prison bars of the closing credits to the strains of "Laura Palmer's Theme." In the new season, the episodes generally conclude with whatever dream pop band Lynch feels like showcasing, usually with a few cool women, and I wouldn't want to give that up. But I also wonder whether we're missing something when we take away Laura at the end. This season began with Cooper being asked to find her, but she often seems like the last thing on anyone's mind. Twin Peaks never allowed us to forget her before, because it left us staring at her photograph each week, which was the only time that one of its beautiful faces seemed to be looking back at us.
Tagged with Alfred Hitchcock, Blue Velvet, Chungking Express, David Lynch, Mad Men, Mark Frost, Pauline Kael, Richard Corliss, The Hills, The Simpsons, Time magazine, Twin Peaks, Wong Kar-Wai
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Easing into 2017, we're still shocked at the losses the music world suffered in 2016, but still soaking in all the great music that came. As 2017 promises to be quite significant, with many anticipated album releases, I find myself thinking of other landmark years, many of which end in 7. 1957 saw Buddy Holly's first album. 1967 had Sgt. Pepper and San Francisco. 1977 saw the rise of punk. And then there was 1987, the year the 80's came to fruition. Album production became crisp and grandiose and artists were routinely using music as a platform for global-reaching messages. Lasting careers were made on the basis of albums that came out this year. As a 13-year old who was just starting to expand his musical tastes, this was not lost on me. And I've yet to shake it. Neither has the music world which is, in some regard, still chasing this monumental year. Here are ten albums that shook my world thirty years ago.
With their first four albums, U2 had found considerable success but this is the album that, thanks to "With Or Without You", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", and "Bullet The Blue Sky", transformed U2 from college rock darlings into a worldwide phenomenon. Produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, this album possesses a sonic texture that no one has dared to replicate. U2 went on to far greater success in the 90's but they have never, nor will they ever, replicate the perfection that is this album.
Like U2, REM spent the 80's building a solid college following and released four of the greatest albums that era had to offer. For no.5, REM got more focused than ever. The guitars got louder, the songs more forceful, and Michael Stipe's vocals and lyrics were more direct than ever. While politics had made their way into REM songs before, never had it been as explicit, especially on songs such as "Welcome To The Occupation" and "Exhuming McCarthy", while others such as "The One I Love" helped the band reach new commercial heights.
Fusing the raw power of punk with the grit of AC/DC and the swagger of the Stones, Guns N' Roses exploded into public awareness with their debut album. A flawless masterpiece, every song on this album is a classic burst of drinkin', smokin', headbangin' fire, full of sweat, spit, and more hooks than a tackle box. Few bands, if any, have made themselves known in a more realized manner.
Rush always operated in four-album cycles and this was the culmination of a period that began with 1982's Signals and the rising dominance of synthesizers. This album found guitars returning to the fore alongside lots of bright, shiny synths. Featuring some of the band's most accomplished writing and arranging, this was not only some of their most complex work to date, but it also boasted some truly impressive songs such "Time Stand Still" and the overlooked "Open Secrets".
The Alarm always toiled in the shadows of U2, cranking out albums full of earnest anthems with killer hooks and fierce passion, but never quite getting that hit that they were always looking for. Their fourth album got them closer than ever, thanks to "Rain In The Summertime" and "Rescue Me", while deeper cuts such as "Newtown Jericho" proved that they were no clones.
The 80's proved that Prince could do just about anything, from funk to soul to pop to psychedelia, and all in between. Just when we thought that he couldn't possibly get any better, he drops this double album, full of social messages and killer, killer tracks, such as "Starfish And Coffee" and the exquisite title cut. It was years before Prince came close to matching this.
Seven years had passed since the Dead had made an album but they'd been chugging along the whole time, writing new songs every now and then. Released in time for all that "Summer Of Love" nostalgia, this album shot up the charts, thanks to the classic "Touch Of Grey" and turned the Dead from a cult band into a phenomenon. They would never recover from the level of attention this album brought them.
One of the more overlooked albums in the Yes canon, this was an album fraught with drama and took far longer to make than it should have. It didn't match the success of 1983's 90125 but it was still fantastic, thanks to songs like "Rhythm Of Love", "Love Will Find A Way", and "Shoot High Aim Low", and is significant to me as it was their current release when I discovered Yes. I still adore the hell out of this album.
The death of Minutemen frontman, D. Boon, was a mighty blow to the music world. To the surprise of many, the surviving members, along with guitarist Ed Crawford, reformed as fIREHOSE and delivered five of the best albums that not enough people heard. While their 1986 debut was a bold statement of purpose, If'n proved that they were for real. The fact that "Sometimes" was not a hit is still a sore spot with me.
Nine years after their debut, Midnight Oil was still a bit of a secret outside of Australia. That changed with Diesel And Dust. Aussie-centric, with songs that fought for Aboriginal justice, these were themes that resonated worldwide, especially in songs like "Beds Are Burning" and "The Dead Heart". A most deserved US breakthrough.
That is just a taste of the greatness that was 1987, but this is a mighty pile of albums that completely shaped me as a listener, fan, songwriter, and musician, and are all albums that still stick with me. So the main question now is – 2017, whatcha got?


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Owlcat Mountain
What to read when you're in, what to do when you're out
The Owlcat's Reviews
Review archive by title and author
Around California
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Tag: Mercedes Lackey
No True Way, edited by Mercedes Lackey
February 6, 2015 Tenaya
This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
(Description nicked from B&N.com.)
"In March 1987, Mercedes Lackey, a young author from Oklahoma, published her first novel, Arrows of the Queen. No one could have envisioned that this modest book about a magical land called Valdemar would be the beginning of a fantasy masterwork series that would span decades and include more than two dozen titles.
Now the voices of other authors add their own special touches to the ancient land where Heralds "Chosen" from all walks of life by magical horse-like Companions patrol their ancient kingdom, dispensing justice, facing adversaries, and protecting their monarch and country from whatever threatens. Trained rigorously by the Herald's Collegium, these special protectors each have extraordinary Gifts: Mindspeaking, FarSeeing, FarSpeaking, Empathy, Firestarting and ForeSeeing, and are bonded for life with their mysterious Companions. Travel with these astounding adventurers in sixteen original stories."
Closer to Home by Mercedes Lackey
November 17, 2014 Tenaya
"Mags was once an enslaved orphan living a harsh life in the mines, until the King's Own Herald discovered his talent and trained him as a spy. Now a Herald in his own right, at the newly established Heralds' Collegium, Mags has found a supportive family, including his Companion Dallen.
Although normally a Herald in his first year of Whites would be sent off on circuit, Mags is needed close to home for his abilities as a spy and his powerful Mindspeech gift. There is a secret, treacherous plot within the royal court to destroy the Heralds. The situation becomes dire after the life of Mags' mentor, King's Own Nikolas, is imperiled. His daughter Amily is chosen as the new King's Own, a complicated and dangerous job that is made more so by this perilous time. Can Mags and Amily save the court, the Heralds, and the Collegium itself?"
The House of the Four Winds by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
August 22, 2014 Tenaya
"The rulers of tiny, impoverished Swansgaard have twelve daughters and one son. While the prince's future is assured, his twelve sisters must find their own fortunes.
Disguising herself as Clarence, a sailor, Princess Clarice intends to work her way to the New World. When the crew rebels, Clarice/Clarence, an expert with rapier and dagger, sides with the handsome navigator, Dominick, and kills the cruel captain.
Dominick leads the now-outlawed crew in search of treasure in the secret pirate haven known as The House of Four Winds. They encounter the sorceress Shamal, who claims Dominick for her own—but Clarice has fallen hard for Dominick and won't give him up without a fight."
Blood Red by Mercedes Lackey
June 4, 2014 Tenaya
"Rosamund is an Earth Master in the Schwarzwald, the ancient Black Forest of Germany. Since the age of ten, she has lived with her teacher, the Hunt Master and Earth Magician of the Schwarzwald Foresters, a man she calls "Papa." Her adoptive Papa rescued her after her original Earth Master teacher, an old woman who lived alone in a small cottage in the forest, was brutally murdered by werewolves. Rosa herself barely escaped, and this terrifying incident molded the course of her future.
For like her fellow Earth Masters of the Schwarzwald Lodge, Rosa is not a healer. Instead, her talents lead her on the more violent path of protection and defense— "cleansing" the Earth and protecting its gentle fae creatures from those evil beings who seek to do them harm.
And so Rosa becomes the first woman Hunt Master and the scourge of evil creatures, with a deadly specialty in werewolves and all shapeshifters.
While visiting with a Fire Master—a friend of her mentor from the Schwarzwald Lodge— Rosa meets a pair of Elemental Magicians from Hungary who have come looking for help. They suspect that there is a dark power responsible for a string of murders happening in the remote countryside of Transylvania, but they have no proof. Rosa agrees to help them, but there is a catch: one of the two men asking for aid is a hereditary werewolf."
Victories by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill
May 19, 2014 Tenaya
"Spirit White and her friends Burke, Loch, and Addie have escaped from Oakhurst Academy. But their freedom has come at a terrible cost—a dear friend sacrificed her own life to save theirs. In the wake of Muirin's death, they are also forced to deal with the terrifying truth behind the facade of Oakhurst Academy: all of the legends are true.
Queen Guinevere, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table really had existed. With the magic of Merlin, they were able to imprison their greatest foe, Mordred, before he could plunge the world back into the Dark Ages. But Mordred is now free, in charge of Oakhurst Academy, and determined to finish what he started so long ago.
Pursued by Shadow Knights, the reincarnated remnants of Mordred's original army, Spirit's small band undertakes a quest to recover the Four Hallows, objects of immeasurable power. Memories of a past life have begun to surface, one in which Spirit wields a legendary sword. She comes to realize that these memories are the true key to Mordred's defeat. Can Spirit and her friends manage to recapture the magic of Camelot in time to save their fellow students and prevent the end of the world?"
Elementary edited by Mercedes Lackey
January 27, 2014 Tenaya
"In March 1987, Mercedes Lackey, a young author from Oklahoma, published her first novel, Arrows of the Queen. No one could have envisioned that this modest book would be the beginning of a fantasy career that would span decades and more than a hundred novels, with no signs of slowing yet.
And among Ms. Lackey's many novels, few are as critically-acclaimed and beloved as those of the Elemental Masters. The novels in this series are loosely based on classic fairy tales, and take place in a fantasy version of turn-of-the-century London, where magic is real and Elemental Masters control the powers of Fire, Water, Air and Earth.
Now the voices of other authors join Mercedes Lackey to add their own special touches to this delightful alternate history, in a world where magic is always just around the corner…"
Bastion by Mercedes Lackey
October 16, 2013 Tenaya
(Description nicked—mostly—from B&N.com.)
"Mags returns to the Collegium, but there are mixed feelings—his included—about him actually remaining there. No one doubts that he is and should be a Herald, but he is afraid that his mere presence is going to incite more danger right in the heart of Valdemar. The heads of the Collegia are afraid that coming back to his known haunt is going to give him less protection than if he went into hiding. Everyone decides that going elsewhere is the solution for now. So since he is going elsewhere—why not return to the place he was found in the first place and look for clues? And those who are closest to him, and might provide secondary targets, are going along. With Herald Jakyr, Bard Lita, and his friends Bear, Lena, and Amily, they head for the Bastion, the hidden spot in the hills that had once been the headquarters of a powerful band of raiders that had held him and his parents prisoner. But what they find is not what anyone expected."
Sacrifices by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill
July 17, 2013 Tenaya
"The students of Oakhurst Academy believe they have triumphed over the Shadow Knights. But Spirit, Burke, Muirin, Loch, and Addie know better. Under the guise of a company called Breakthrough Adventure Systems, the Shadow Knights have actually taken over the campus. The new regime is brutal, designed to turn the students into soldiers wielding both weapons and magic. Anyone who protests disappears.
Desperate, the group decides that Muirin should go undercover to spy on Breakthrough. But Muirin's act is a little too good, and Spirit begins to fear that her friend's loyalties might have truly changed. Surrounded by enemies and friends who suddenly seem like strangers, Spirit has to decide who can—and cannot—be trusted."
Firebird by Mercedes Lackey
March 21, 2008 Tenaya
While Celtic and British mythology is a fertile hunting ground for novel ideas, occasionally another nationality crops up. For example, Mercedes Lackey's Firebird draws on a Russian fairy tale to tell a tale of magic, adventure, and the journey to adulthood.
Ilya, one of the younger sons of a Russian tsar, spends his life wondering when he will next suffer a beating at the hands of his brutal older brothers. But one day, something happens that distracts everybody's attention—the tsars prize cherry trees are being picked clean every night despite being guarded.
Curious, Ilya hides in the orchard and catches a glimpse of a glowing creature, a firebird. But seeing this mythical being is bad luck, and soon Ilya's life takes a turn for the worse. When his brothers maroon him the forest to die, he sets out to find his destiny elsewhere.
Instead of safety, he finds the palace of the Katschei, a sorcerer who keeps beautiful women prisoner and turns their would-be rescuers to stone. When Ilya falls in love with one of the women and vows to rescue her, the firebird arrives to help him, although she cautions that not all is as it seems in that strange place.
Phoenix and Ashes by Mercedes Lackey
October 7, 2004 Tenaya
Fans have endured a long three-year wait for the Elemental Masters' return, but they need not languish in suspense any longer. Mercedes Lackey sets her Cinderella tale against the backdrop of World War I in Phoenix and Ashes.
Eleanor Robinson's fortunes have gone from good to intolerable. When her father remarried, she found herself relegated to the status of a servant. But upon her father's untimely death in France, the horror truly begins: Her stepmother, Alison, cuts off one of Eleanor's little fingers and uses it to magically bind her to the house in utter servitude. Freedom still may be at hand, though, in the forms of Eleanor's godmother (also a mage) and the little creatures that live in the fire.
Eleanor isn't her stepmother's only target. Reggie Fenyx, a pilot and Air Master, has come home wounded and shell-shocked. While trapped in a collapsed bunker and tormented by Earth monsters, he shut himself off from his power. He must regain it before Alison launches an attempt to marry him off to one of her daughters. She'll use any means to achieve her ends, magical or mundane, because Dark Masters never are satisfied with anything less than destruction. Even greater dangers await both Reggie and Eleanor, unless a way is found to fight back.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I'm not a horror fan; this is played for laughs. I do like fine animation (notice the cool shadow effects) and musicals (Danny Elfman's movie music is a secret pleasure). Too bad about the silly Peter Lorre imitation.
On first viewing this movie wasn't as satisfying musically as Nightmare Before Christmas, but my expectations were lots higher. One song was pure G&S. No Kurt Weill moments in this score.
I did notice the name Jane Horrocks in the cast - watch Little Voice and you'll notice it too.


I need my website re-configured.I already have a design, I just need you to build a website for my small business.
Hey :) We're highly experienced with node.js and building websites. Let's discuss the details in chat, regards.
Just exploring freelancer. Not too many reviews or work is done on Freelancer. A Laravel + VueJS nerd. Try me out.
An outcome for a great value for your money is what I can provide you.


Black Ops returns - in your face. Featuring gritty, grounded, fluid Multiplayer combat, a massive Zombies offering with 3 full undead adventures at launch, and Blackout, where the universe of Black Ops comes to life in one huge battle royale experience featuring the largest map in Call of Duty history, signature Black Ops combat, characters, locations and weapons from the entire Black Ops series. Soldier up for all-out combat – tailor made for the Black Ops community.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is also available on PC & PS4.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is a game that looks at the entire first-person shooter genre, past and present, takes all the best ideas, and assembles them into what feels like the easiest to recommend shooter I have ever played. The only caveat to that recommendation is that some gamers will find themselves absolutely ignoring two thirds of what the game has to offer, and that makes me wonder if a different model of monetization would have been better suited for what feels like a collection of three different games.
Even if lacking the the trademark narrative pillar of the series, CoD: Black Ops 4 manages to deliver an impressive and content-filled package with a more tactical and grounded multiplayer, a way improved and rich Zombie mode and probably the best - and definitely the most polished - Battle Royale mode available today.
Call of Duty Black Ops 4 is one of the best multiplayer shooters of the year. Its new proposal and the Battle Royale mode make it a must of this generation.
In pruning the campaign from its suite of modes, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has discovered a renewed focus on the nuts and bolts of what most players demand from Activision's undying shooter series. Blackout is a superb addition, in which Treyarch improves upon the battle royale formula, ensuring the gamble in losing single-player ultimately pays off.
With three strong and well-designed online experiences, Black Ops 4 is a fantastic and addictive experience for young players. Its own Battle Royale called Black Out turns out to be better than people expected and could establish a new direction for this popular genre. A must-play for Call of Duty long time fans.


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Home Razzamataz Theatre Schools > News > Principal Blogs > Theatre school joins top dance professionals at MOVE IT
Theatre school joins top dance professionals at MOVE IT
Thousands of professional performers and teachers applied but only a select handful get chosen to teach at the prestigious MOVE IT event in London.
Following on from her sell out class last year, Charlotte Young, Principal of Razzamataz West Cumbria has been asked to return this year to MOVE IT on 10-12 March 2017 at Excel London to inspire more youngsters who dream of dancing.
"Last year was incredible and I loved every moment of it," says Charlotte. "It's a real honour to be asked to return again this year and to be among some of the most recognised names in dance."
Charlotte will be joining some of the top dance professionals including Kimberly Wyatt from the Pussycat Dolls, Flawless, finalist in Britain's Got Talent and Zoonation Youth Company, a company comprising some of the best young hip-hoppers in the UK.
MOVE IT is a celebration of all forms of dance and the performing arts. Over three days, it is expected more than 24,500 dancers will walk (or pirouette) through the doors to take part in classes, watch performances and get specialist careers advice. As well as dance, participants will also be able to brush up on their acting and vocal skills.
Charlotte Young, Principal of Razzamataz West Cumbria at MOVE IT 2016
"Last year's class was focused on street dance and this year we will be showcasing musical theatre," says Charlotte. "Having a good understanding of both genres is important for youngsters who want to progress to working in the industry professionally."
At Razzamataz, the students are offered a comprehensive training in dance, drama and singing and cover both traditional musical theatre as well as the commercial worlds of pop singing and street dance.
"The professional industry is very tough and performers today are expected to have experience in all sorts of areas enabling them to be 'triple threat performers' so they can undertake a wide variety of roles," adds Charlotte. "At Razzamataz, we give students a strong foundation to work from and during their time with us, they get to experience many performing opportunities to showcase their skills."
Due to the demand from Razzamataz students wishing to progress their performing ambitions, the company has recently launched Razz Project Intense, which focusses on the key skills that students need to successfully audition for colleges and universities.
As well as the musical theatre class on Saturday 11th March, which is now totally sold out, Razzamataz will also be exhibiting at MOVE IT on all three days on stand 215. As well as chatting to potential students, Razzamataz would like to reach out to recruit more performing arts teachers for the UK and overseas to fulfill a new contract with holiday company Eurocamp. The company are also keen to speak to potential franchisees wishing to open their own part-time Razzamataz Theatre School.
"There are lots of opportunities within Razzamataz for both teachers and anyone considering running their own part-time theatre school," says Denise Hutton-Gosney, MD and Founder of Razzamataz. "Within our network of theatre school Principals we have many young performing arts graduates who combine working professionally in the industry with running their own Razzamataz school."
If you want to find out more, pop over to stand 215 at MOVE IT or make an appointment to come along to one of the regular but informal Discovery Den days in London, Glasgow or Sheffield to find out more about this exciting and flexible business opportunity. To book a place contact Head of Franchisee Recruitment Suzie McCafferty on [email protected] or call Suzie on 07793 054 233.
For more details visit: www.razzamataz.co.uk
About Razzamataz
Razzamataz Theatre Schools has been trading since 2000 with a strong, robust and proven franchise system for the last 11 years. Razzamataz remains one of the top five classic entrepreneurs from Dragons' Den. Since the appearance on the BBC show in 2007, the company has forged strong partnerships with First Choice, Disney, The Stage, a leading Talent Agency, Her Majesty's Theatre and new for 2017 Eurocamp.
Franchisees come from a range of backgrounds and are able to work flexibly around their lifestyles. Through a wide range of additional revenue streams, franchisees have been able to achieve a six-figure turnover. Razzamataz is delighted to be working with a new Business Management System for 2017.


You may be asked to lead meetings as part of your job or volunteer activities. Make them pleasant and productive by learning how to help people stick to the agenda and feel engaged.
Reviewing these guidelines and coping techniques for tricky situations that may occur during your meetings will help you accomplish your purpose in record time.
2. Circulate an agenda. Ask for agenda items beforehand and make it easier for people to come prepared by circulating it in advance. Review it at the start of the session for any additions or changes that need to be made. Set a maximum time for each topic so you stay on track.
3. Tailor your facilitation style to the group. The best approach depends on the experience and preferences of the group. Some organizations may follow strict protocols while others enjoy more informal discussions.
6. Focus on objectives. Identify objectives for each agenda item. Develop action plans for implementing decisions. Ask for volunteers to take responsibility for the follow-up tasks. Don't be afraid of silence. People will step up to the plate if you give them a chance.
1. Get people talking. Give everyone a chance to contribute. Go around the table. Ask to hear from people who haven't spoken yet. Watch for subtle signals like facial expressions that suggest someone may be waiting for an opening to chime in.
3. Remain neutral. The role of a facilitator is to enable a productive group process and open discussion. Stay objective to avoid imposing your personal opinions. This is especially important because, as a facilitator, your statements may carry more weight.
4. Overcome impasses. If you sense that there's going to be some trouble reaching a consensus, try pointing out the common ground and agreements you've already reached.
Poll before taking a vote to see if more discussion is needed to reach a decision. Suggest tabling topics that cause resistant and may not be resolved quickly. You can ask for volunteers to form a committee to study them further and report back with suggestions.
5. Minimize distractions. Having a meeting is difficult when everyone is texting. Start off with an announcement to turn phones off and to step outside for emergency calls. As any classroom teacher knows, side conversations will usually subside if you wander over in the participants' direction.


Definition: Estimated percentage of aggregate household income by quintile (e.g., in 2013-2017, households with incomes in the highest quintile (80th percentile and above) earned 52.1% of all household income in California).
Footnote: Lowest quintile households are the 20 percent of households with the lowest incomes, second quintile households are those with incomes between the 20th and 40th percentile, and so on. Data are displayed for geographies with at least 10,000 people based on 2017 population estimates. These estimates are based on a survey of the population and are subject to both sampling and nonsampling error. The notation S refers to estimates that have been suppressed because the margin of error was greater than 5 percentage points. N/A means that data are not available. Some regions listed are Census Designated Places (CDPs), such as East Los Angeles; CDPs are communities within the unincorporated part of a county. In 2010 the Census Bureau implemented new population benchmarks, so caution should be taken when comparing 2005-2009 data with later years.


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Григорій Семенович Сєнін (, Катеринославська губернія, тепер Донецька область — ?) — український радянський партійний діяч, 2-й секретар Одеського обкому КП(б)У.

Біографія
Народився в родині шахтаря.

Член РКП(б) з 1920 року.

Перебував на партійній роботі. У 1938—1939 роках — 1-й секретар Євпаторійського районного комітету ВКП(б) Кримської АРСР. У 1939—1941 роках — 1-й секретар Євпаторійського міського комітету ВКП(б) Кримської АРСР.

У березні — жовтні 1941 року — 2-й секретар Одеського обласного комітету КП(б)У.

З жовтня 1941 року — на політичній роботі в Червоній армії, учасник німецько-радянської війни. Служив членом Військової ради 9-ї окремої армії Південного і Північно-Кавказького фронтів.

У 1944—1945 роках — 2-й секретар Одеського обласного комітету КП(б)У.

У 1945—1948 роках — директор Одеського обласного тресту зернових радгоспів. У 1948—1952 роках — директор свинорадгоспу «Богданівка» Одеської області.

Звання
 полковий комісар

Нагороди
 орден «Знак Пошани» (23.01.1948)
 ордени
 медаль «За оборону Одеси»
 медаль «За оборону Кавказу»
 медаль «За перемогу над Німеччиною у Великій Вітчизняній війні 1941—1945 рр.»
 медалі

Джерела
 Сенин Григорий Семёнович // Справочник по истории Коммунистической партии и Советского Союза (1898—1991).

Другі секретарі Одеського обласного комітету КПУ
Персоналії за алфавітом
Партійні діячі
Діячі УРСР
Члени КПРС
Керівники підприємств Одеси

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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The O'Jays Announce 2022 Farewell Tour Dates
The O'Jays will perform their hits and classics one last time. The legendary R&B group (Eddie Levert, Sr. Walter Williams, Sr. and Eric Nolan Grant) has announced dates for their farewell tour.
Dubbed Last Stop On The Love Train, the 12-date tour kicks off Friday, June, 17 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The O'Jays will play in cities across the U.S., including Columbia, Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta. The tour will conclude Thursday, Sept. 8 in Memphis, Tennessee.
Williams jokingly said in a statement, "The reason that this is our last tour is because, between Eddie and I, our ages will be over 160 years old by the end of the tour. I will be 60, and Eddie… you can do the rest of the math. But really, we wanted one last tour to say goodbye to our friends, family and fans, and ride The Love Train together, one last time."
Levert added, "I was thinking that I would quietly retire, but our fans and my body weren't having it…The love and physical benefits of performing keeps us on the younger side of our age. This tour is a celebration of all of our lives and the struggles and joys that got us to today. It is time for us to say goodbye and we would like to do it in person. Please come join us as we play the music we have shared together over the past 60 years, one last time."
In 2019, The O'Jays released their final album, The Last Word. The album includes production by Steve Greenberg, Mike Mangini, Betty Wright and Sam Hollander, as well as songwriting support from Bruno Mars ("Enjoy Yourself").
"I look at what is going on in the world and not much seems to have changed from when we first started doing this," said Levert. "We are still dealing with the same issues. On this album, we addressed those issues as well as the intolerance we see coming out of the Trump Administration on a daily basis. We also offer a solution. That solution is to combat hatred with love and acceptance."
A post shared by The O'Jays (@themightyojays)
Williams added, "I want to believe things will eventually change but we have a long way to go. With this final album, we are providing a soundtrack for those that are speaking truth to power and encouraging people to come together through love."
For six decades, The O'Jays have gifted the world with timeless music, including "Love Train," "Back Stabbers," "For The Love of Money," "Stairway to Heaven," "I Love Music," "Use Ta Be My Girl" and many more.
Their extensive discography includes nine platinum albums, 10 gold albums and 10 number-one hits. In 2005, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
See The O'Jay's farewell tour dates below.
The O'Jays 2022 Farewell Tour Dates
Jun 17 — Philadelphia, PA @ ExCITe Center
Jun 18 — Columbus, OH @ Columbus Commons
Jun 19 — Baltimore, MD @ AFRAM Festival
Jul 4 — Cambden, NJ @ Wiggins Park
Jul 21 — Chicago, IL @ Arie Crown Theater
Jul 23 — Cincinnati, OH @ Cincinatti Music Festival
Jul 29 — Detroit, MI @ The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre
Aug 6 — Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
Aug 12 — New York, NY @ Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden
Aug 13 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
Sep 8 — Memphis, TN @ Orpheum Theatre
Tickets are on sale now on The O'Jay's website.
Tags: the o'jays
Harry Styles, An Icon, Was Simply Too Famous To Play Elvis, Another Icon
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The Oxford Bus Company has increased the size of its on-demand ride-sharing minibus service, PickMeUp, expanding the fleet by two vehicles due to increased demand.
Two 15-seater EVM City Low Floor-bodied, extra-long wheelbase Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 516CDIs with 163bhp engines and seven-speed G-Tronic automatic transmissions have been delivered.
The specification includes Masats double leaf powered sliding entry doors leading to 15 Kiel Ligero seats, with two tables in the rear section of the vehicles. USB ports are provided to all seats.
Additionally, EVM Panoramic double-glazed saloon side windows, Alex Original roof-mounted air conditioning and Hanover white LED destination displays have been specified.


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Home/Media & PR/Global net sales flat for Mattel in Q3 2016 results
Global net sales flat for Mattel in Q3 2016 results
Robert Hutchins 20th October 2016	Media & PR 451 Views
For the third quarter of 2016, Mattel's worldwide net sales and worldwide gross sales were both flat.
Third quarter net sales in the North American region, which consists of the US, Canada and American Girl, increased by three per cent, while in the international region, net sales decreased by four per cent.
Q3 gross sales in the North American region increased by one per cent, while in the international region, gross sales decreased by three per cent.
Elsewhere, worldwide gross sales for Mattel's girls and boys brands was $1.06 billion, down five per cent, while worldwide gross sales for the Barbie brand were up 16 per cent.
Worldwide gross sales for Mattel's other girls brands were down 50 per cent, but gross sales for the firm's wheels category, which boasts includes the Hot Wheels and Matchbox brands, was up six per cent.
Q3 2016 worldwide gross sales for Fisher-Price were $661.5 million, up six per cent, while worldwide gross sales for Mattel's entertainment business, which includes Radica and Games, is up 16 per cent on 2015.
Third quarter gross sales for Mattel's construction and arts and crafts brands, which includes the Mega Bloks and RoseArt brands, were $118.6 million, flat year-on-year.
"In the third quarter, we continued to make solid progress against our strategic priorities, and we are pleased with our momentum as we head into the holiday season," said Christopher Sinclair, chairman and CEO of Mattel.
"Our core brands continue to show improved strength and vibrancy, contributing to very encouraging and broad-based top-line momentum. And we continued to manage costs effectively, while making important investments in brand building, commercial excellence and emerging market expansion.
"Overall, our strategies are generating good progress on many fronts, and while we still have a critical fourth quarter to execute, we remain broadly on track to deliver on our full-year outlook."
Tags billy-langsworthyintentmedia-co-uk Mattel
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Pokémon celebrates 25 years with toy partner collabs, card game extensions, and a music programme led by Katy Perry
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Dolled up and looking plush: ToyNews' guide to the latest in the dolls and plush markets


From home to business and auto to flood insurance, learn how Southeastern Insurance offers the best rates to suit your needs.
We write all lines of personal and commercial insurance across the entire states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Virginia.
Southeastern Insurance agents are certified and experienced. More importantly, they're conscientious, responsive and reliable.


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Class is in Session: What Advertisers Need to Know about This Year's Back to School Season
(Spoiler Alert: It starts now)
April 12, 2021 | Authored By
As students, teachers and parents alike settle into school after Spring Break, the promise of summer vacation is on the horizon. And with that comes the hope of in-person learning in the fall. Students will prepare to return to the classroom—some for the first time in nearly two years—and they'll need far more than just pencils and books to succeed.
For brands, back-to-school is both a timeless tradition and an enormous opportunity. Back-to-school shopping is the second largest expenditure of the year—bigger than Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Easter combined. Even in 2020, as families both tightened their belts and brought the classroom to the living room, back-to-school spending increased 26%—and we're projecting more growth this upcoming season.
Still, in order for marketers to realize the full potential of back-to-school shopping, they have to reach the right audience, at the right time, with the right message. Here's how:
Don't be late for school: Taking advantage of a white space
Today, there is a misalignment between consumer purchasing behavior and advertising spend. While brands' top media spend is happening between September and December, 75 percent of back-to-school shopping occurs before the last two weeks of August. The most prepared parents—nearly 40 percent of them—are shopping even earlier than that, a good four to six weeks before school starts.
In other words, advertisers are late for school. By synchronizing your calendar with consumer spending habits, your brand can better reach your audiences when they're actually shopping, and take advantage of a comparatively empty Q2-Q3 ad space.
Choose your classes carefully: Reaching a valuable audience
Of course, finding the right audience isn't just a matter of when, but how.
Whether it's maximizing reach with a broad audience or homing in on a strategic target, NBCUniversal offers the tools and insights needed to optimize media mix, drive relevant reach, and connect with shoppers, wherever and however they're watching.
Not to mention, brands can leverage local capabilities to alter messaging based on varying consumer needs, schedule media based on different back-to-school timelines, and increase presence in competitive markets.
Raise your hand: Engaging with values-driven marketing.
Parents know better than anyone that this upcoming school year will be different, and at times, difficult—and 80 percent of them expect brands to keep advertising with this in mind.
With over two thirds of consumers expecting companies to discuss the current moment—and communicate brand values—purpose-driven messaging is the name of the game. That could mean supporting students with empowering content, or partnering with NBCUniversal to honor teachers and give back to schools, both through Teacher Appreciation Week in May and long after it.
Do your homework: embracing culture-driven creative
Though teachers, students, and parents alike are hoping for a fully in-person school experience, the hybrid learning model is likely here to stay. Rather than running from the new normal, advertisers have the opportunity to leverage One Platform to support evolving classroom needs—from custom content with lifestyle tips for students, to SYFY Gift Guides that highlight must-have tech for at-home education.
In addition, ads should represent the celebratory nature of this back-to-school season. With the United States on pace to immunize 85 percent of Americans by mid-September—and parents and kids (perhaps for the first time ever) eager for summer to end and school to begin—advertisers can, with the help of NBCUniversal talent and creative, mark this joyful occasion.
No matter how your brand chooses to approach this moment, One Platform is here to help you make the most of it. And with Shoppable content and commerce capabilities, there's never been a better time to partner with NBCUniversal.
Because once school's out for summer—advertisers, it's time to jump in.
2021 Back to School NBCUniversal Opportunities
ONE21: Key Takeaways For
NBCUniversal's ONE21 Brings Tech & Data Capabilities To The Forefront, Previews Latest One Platform Innovations


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Sullivan County Schools
Livingston Manor Schools
Livingston Manor Central School District is located at 19 School Street Livingston Manor, NY serving grades PK-12 in Sullivan County. Situated on a peninsula of land known as the Island, facing the Willowemoc River and the village of Livingston Manor, the imposing building of Georgian colonial architecture commands the attention and admiration of all. The Livingston Manor Central School has 5 computer labs, 4 mobile computer carts, and approximately 300 computers. 95% of them are PC's running Windows XP. The rest are PC's running Vista Business. Although many of the computers are "hard-wired" into the network, there are currently also 20 wireless access points throughout the school. No matter where students are in the building and no matter which computer they are using, students are able to access their work.
The 2008-2013 Technology Plans has at its focus an alignment with our district vision and mission and strategic directions. The goals of the Technology Plan center on using technology to further our vision of academic excellence as well as ensuring that students demonstrate proficiency in Information and Technology Literacy Standards as led by the Media and Technology Program. In a time when change is the rule rather than the exception, students need to learn how to adapt to the explosion of new information. In effect, teaching them how to learn is the most critical responsibility we have to students. It is not only about what we teach; it is about how we teach it.
The Technology Plan's goals speak to the larger issues of preparing our students for their future, providing professional learning for teachers to use information technology tools and resources in the everyday business of teaching, and ensuring proper and adequate funding and resources necessary to equip our classrooms for teaching digitally.
Livingston Manor Central School District Information
Livingston Manor Central School District
Livingston Manor, NY 12758
Sullivan County, New York
Livingston Manor Central School District Schools
Livingston Manor Elementary School
Livingston Manor High School
Superintendent: Debra Lynker
All Schools in Livingston Manor Central School District
Livingston Manor Central School District, Sullivan County, New York


text:
Comtact
Franchise in Croatia
How we can assist (help) you
What is a franchise?
Franchise – yesterday, today, tomorrow
Modern Franchise
Books about franchising in croatian language
Books about franchising
Code of ethics & usefull links
Franchise A – Z seminar
The content of the seminar
Who is the "Franchise from A to Z" seminar for?
Apply for the seminar "Franchising from A to Z"
The Franchise Center, as a part of The Center For Entrepreneurship Osijek in cooperation with The Franchise Center (TCF) University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) has developed a program and activities with a main goal being introduction of a franchise concept to the local entrepreneurs and a promotion of that concept in Croatia in general. One of every four business started in the world is a franchise business. Why wouldn't it be like that in Croatia, too?
The Franchise Center Osijek is a franchise office of the The Franchise Center (TCF) University of Texas El Paso (UTEP). There are only two franchise offices of this kind in Europe. One in Osijek and the second one is The Franchise Center within University of Jyvaskyla, Finland, since 1989.
The above mentioned centers have the common goal: to become a mayor role players in spreading the awareness about franchise business through the development of educational and training programs, research projects, advising programs and all other means of spreading the information about franchise business in general.
Project managers are:
Aleksandar Erceg
Mirela Alpeza
Goals & Mission
The mission –To become a leader in spreading the awareness about franchise business through the development of educational and training programs, research and advising programs and other means of spreading the information about franchise business.
Main goals of The Franchise Center of the Center for Entrepreneurship Osijek:
To become a leader in spreading the awareness about franchise business in Croatia,
To help entrepreneurs develop their business into a franchise, with the purpose of helping the Croatian export growth,
To help with the development of educational and training programs, research and advising programs and other means of spreading the information about franchise business as tools for business development and expansions.
Quad Light28. May 2021. - 20:57
Sr.Patata28. May 2021. - 20:57
Jumicar28. May 2021. - 20:56
Franchise in Croatia (17)
The Franchise Center
part of The Center For Entrepreneurship Osijek
Strossmayerova 341
e- mail: info@fransiza.hr
© Copyright Centar za franšizu 2021 {} studio::at product


THERE will be two comedies and one drama on offer at this year's 35th annual One-Act Play Festival at Noosa Arts next month. And tickets are selling like hot cakes, so book now if you want to see these award-winning plays.
The three finalists in the 2012 Noosa Arts Theatre National One-Act Playwriting Competition are: The Boy in the Cardboard Box, a drama by Rainee Skinner (Maroochydore); Here's the Thing, an hilarious farcical comedy by Debra Chalmers (Brisbane); and Three Angry Brides, a comedy by past winner and three-time finalist Hugh O'Brien (Brisbane).
First-time finalist Debra Chalmers is ecstatic at being chosen, as this is the first time she has entered the competition.
Her comedy Here's The Thing is a tale of sisters Amanda and Carolyn who did not expect to have much more than blinding headaches on the morning after their big night out on the town.
But finding a passed-out young man on their couch makes you ask the question: What the hell did you do last night?
If only they could remember.
Starring highly experienced actresses Jenni McCaul and Jodie Bushby as the sisters, under the direction of Jane Rivers, this fast-paced farce is bound to be a hoot.
The three new one-act plays will be performed each night and the audience will vote for the Nancy Cato Audience Choice Award.
The winner of this year's Best Play will be announced after the final performance on Saturday, June 16, where $3000 prizemoney will be presented to the winning playwright, along with the Audience Choice Award sponsored by Maverick Musicals and Plays.
When: June 7-9, 13, 14 and 15* at 7.30pm. Matinees: June 10 and 16* at 2pm. Cost: $26, concessions $22, group 10+ $20 (*except Noosa Longweekend performances).


Mini bikes…they are also called pocket bikes, mini motos, and an array of other nicknames, but they are one and the same. Designed as miniature motorcycles, they are just shrunken versions of traditional working motor bikes, with a more motocross, dirt bike feel than classic cruiser or chopper. There are some ideal for adults and some well-suited to kids.
In this list of the best mini bikes, we'll look at a healthy serving of both types, letting you know when one is good for a child or better for an adult, and lots of important details about each individual bike.
First, though, let's take just a few minutes to consider why a mini bike might be the best choice for your or your household.
First and foremost, you should always try to remember that a mini bike is small, but its power can be big. Consider the horsepower before investing, and whether it is for a novice biker or a younger person, it might be wise to go with lower horsepower until you've mastered riding a bike.
Keep in mind that bikes are often tagged with weight and age specifications. For example, some cannot support passengers over a certain body weight, making them better as kids' bikes. Some actually have an age limit and this can make it much easier to choose the right ride.
Also, remember that a mini bike can be a great way to learn how to ride the bigger bikes. Though they are not allowed on the roads (no mini bikes are street legal), they are great for empty parking lots, parks designated for their use, and off-road experiences. Then, when you are confident on the smaller bike, you can safely advance to a larger, street-legal bike!
As you can see, those are the only real pros or cons of using gas or electric, and what is best for you really depends on your preferences.
And there is also the matter of style, with most mini bikes taking a dirt, pit, motocross or even street style over other looks. And with all of that in mind, let's dive into the nine best mini bikes for 2019.
Easily ranking as one of the most preferred and highly rated, this mini bike is described using words like old school and classic. It runs on a 4-stroke OHV single-cylinder 98cc gas engine. Offering 3-horsepower, it can hit speeds as high as 25MPH, and offers the ability to run for about three hours on a full tank of gas.
With its sturdy frame and excellent, ergonomic design, it uses low pressure tires, handle-operated disc brakes and a dual suspension for the smoothest and softest ride imaginable. Reliable and consistent stopping is assured with this bike, and its rugged clutch also allows optimal control. Some say it is heavy at 85 pounds, but it is weighted and aged for kids 13 and up, and has a weight cap of 150 pounds, though it is described as suitable for some adults.
The latest release from Monster Moto is this "Merica" model that features a bold and patriotic red, white and blue design and color scheme. Designed for teens and youth riders, it is chain operated and features an 80cc, heavy-duty overhead valve engine and automatic clutch, all powered through the use of the motorcycle-styled throttle. Topping out at 23 MPH, it uses 14" super grip tires and rear disc brakes set on the reinforced and rugged frame.
With a newer, and larger seat designed for optimal comfort, it is a bike designed specifically for heavier duty outdoor use. It offers spring loaded foot pets, no dent fenders and a chain guard along with heat shield and simple engine kill switch to ensure loads of safe fun. Rated for up to 160 pounds, it is an ideal teen or even children's ride. This mini bike is able to run for up to an hour on a full tank, but overall mileage depends on the weight of the rider and the terrain.
Noted as one of the durably constructed, easy to setup and use, safest and stylish mini bikes for kids and pre-teens, this mini bike is a goo choice for a child who enjoys more rugged terrain and challenging rides.
As the name explains, this is a battery powered bike that offers a much quieter ride than other options. It runs on a chain-driven motor that provides 350 watts of high torque power. It maxes out at 12 to 14 MPH and is able to cover up to ten miles on a full charge (usually around 30 minutes of non-stop riding).
It features 12" knobby pneumatic tires and a dual suspension for a super comfortable ride, even over bumpier conditions. A hand operated rear brake an, easy pull-start operation makes it easy to ride. And though it has adjustable riser bars, this is not a bike for larger riders or even larger teens. A weight limit of around 150 pounds makes this a definite "kids' bike" and would be well-suited to those six and up (Note: It does not include training wheels).
At one of the fairest prices in the market, this is a perfect choice for an experienced rider ready to move up to a motocross-like ride.
Consistently ranking at the top of the lists for the best 2-stroke gas powered mini bikes is this 49cc model from GBMoto. Described as capable of handling almost any riding scenario, it is a durably made bike with all of the good looks of a classic motocross or off-road bike. With front and rear disk brakes, this one has a lot of control, and a rear suspension meant to soften even the toughest riding conditions and ensuring control.
Rated for riders aged 13 and over, it has a maximum weight cap of 175 pounds, putting it at the larger end of the spectrum and able to offer a fun ride for adults in the right weight range. With a lot of color options, a fair price and high quality (EPA certified) parts and materials, this is a great first ride for a pre-teen or teen eager to get out and explore the trails.
One of the most popular of the mini bikes available, it is described as the perfect option for teens and some adults (with a recommended age range at 16 and older) since its weight cap is a surprising 220 pounds.
It features a pretty powerful 650 watt electric motor (variable speed chain drive) that can hit speeds as high as 17 MPH. And though battery life is noted as unpredictable as it is based on both rider weight and terrain, it is described as a performance model. With a motocross model frame, it can master the off-road terrain, and relies on hand operated dual disc brakes and throttle controls to give a rider an even more authentic, dirt bike feel to each ride.
It is one of the more powerful and comfortable of mini bikes. It features adjustable riser handlebars and a dual suspension made even more comfortable through the larger 16-inch knobby tires.
Powerful and well-built, with great dirt bike style, this one offers a smooth ride, consistent performance and would be a great upgrade for the pre-teen ready to tackle a heavier bike and more challenging terrain.
Described consistently as a wonderful choice for kids, this super flashy mini bike has road-bike good looks and sleek design, and as it weighs only 52 pounds, is great for smaller riders, and has a weight cap of around 165 pounds.
This is not a high performance ride, though its 40cc, 4-stroke engine does deliver a nice hit of power and speed. It can run at roughly 18 MPH and has just over 26 miles in total range. For riders 12 and up, it is designed to allow kids to learn how to ride actual bikes from an early age and is perfect when you want to help a them master balance and coordination while rolling along on a bike.
It provides total control through its front and rear disc brakes and 11" pneumatic tires. With a steel frame and impressive design (along with a lot of options in terms of colors and style), it is a perfect ride for the "someday" road rider.
Named for one of the most famous dirt bike riders in the industry, this is a mini bike designed to give an authentic motocross look and ride. With a variable speed electric motor, it can hit a stride of 15 MPH and ride wide open for around 40 minutes at a time. It runs on a 36v sealed rechargeable battery system that counts on three batteries to deliver consistent power.
The design and features offer lots of comfort and control thanks to its dual suspension, larger 16" front tire and smaller 14" rear tire (both pneumatic knobby tires), hand operated dual disc brakes, and adjustable handlebars. Covered in authentic graphics and colors, this mini bike relies on classic dirt bike design and style along with a high torque engine to introduce younger riders to the delights of motocross.
Designed for riders ages 14 and up, and with a weight cap of 175 pounds, it is a perfect bike for teens. If you have a rider eager to hit the motocross scene, this mini bike is a great choice for introducing them to the fun and excitement of the sport, while also giving them plenty of control and just enough power to get a taste of what it is really like.
Described by fans and enthusiasts as a not so mini bike, this one is a far more powerful and beefier option that is ideal for adult riders and experienced teens alike.
It packs a 212cc overhead valve engine and relies on an automatic clutch for ease and safety when riding. With top speeds of 35 MPH, this is easily one of the fastest rides available, but mileage varies based on speed and rider weight, so it is not possible to give a fixed figure, though a .95 gallon tank should give you a good 45 minutes to an hour before a refuel is needed.
It sits on a durably made welded tube steel frame and comes with no dent fenders for the ultimate in outdoor enjoyment. It is meant to be easily handled and features spring loaded foot pegs, standard motorcycle throttle, and a comfortably oversized seat. The super grip tires are pneumatic and oversized for a comfortable and controllable ride.
Remain safe at all times thanks to the exhaust heat shield, engine kill switch and chain guard, as well as the front and rear hydraulic disc brakes that enable you to stop on a dime.
If you are an adult eager to enjoy a bit of fun on a larger and sturdier mini bike, this is the ideal choice for you. It has out of the box readiness, too, meaning a fast setup and you are out on the trails!
For the teen eager to get a bit more power out of their mini bike rides, this may be a good choice. The 49cc, 2-stroke gas engine ensures that you can race through the terrain, and the rear suspension means your fast-paced adventures are also comfortable and controlled. Front and rear disc brakes make this doubly certain.
Sized for riders 13 and up, and weighing in at 128 pounds or less, it can hit speeds of 35 MPH and provides around 20 miles of riding at that pace. With its sturdy frame and design, it can handle most terrain, though it is clearly designed for the dirt and motocross riders or riders-to-be. Loaded with safety features, it is a sensible choice.
Weighing in at around 45 pounds out of the box, this lightweight but rugged and powerful mini bike is a fairly priced option for the first-time rider or the teen eager to kick up the speed, handling and performance.
Now that you know a bit about the basics of mini bikes and have nine great options to consider, you should be able to choose a model just right for you or your rider. Remember to check age and weight rangers, understand whether you want gas or battery, and consider the terrain and style of riding to be done, and you'll find a great choice among the options here.


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Kent Cochrane ( – ), également connu sous le nom de Patient K.C., était un patient canadien dont les troubles de la mémoire ont été largement étudiés, et qui a été utilisé comme sujet d'étude pour plus de 20 articles de neuropsychologie au cours des années 1980 à 2010. En 1981, K. Cochrane a été victime d'un accident de mobylette qui lui a laissé une amnésie antérograde sévère, ainsi qu'une amnésie rétrograde graduelle. Contrairement à d'autres patients amnésiques (le patient HM, par exemple), la mémoire sémantique de K. Cochrane était intacte, mais sa mémoire épisodique avait totalement disparu, pour l'ensemble de sa vie passée. En tant que sujet d'étude, K. Cochrane est lié à la réfutation de l'hypothèse de locus unique et de mémoire unique au sujet de l'amnésie, selon laquelle une mémoire individuelle est localisée à un endroit unique dans le cerveau.

Biographie

Kent Cochrane est né le , aîné d'une famille de cinq enfants. Il a grandi dans la banlieue de Toronto (Canada). Après avoir fréquenté un collège communautaire pour étudier l'administration des affaires, il a obtenu un emploi dans une usine de production, qu'il a occupé jusqu'à son accident de motocyclette.

Cochrane est décédé le  à l'âge de 62 ans. La cause exacte de la mort est inconnue, mais sa sœur, Karen Casswell, affirme que la cause la plus plausible est celle d'une crise cardiaque ou d'un accident vasculaire cérébral. Il est décédé dans sa chambre de la maison de santé dans laquelle il vivait. La famille a choisi de refuser que soit pratiquée une autopsie.

Accident et dommages neurologiques

En , Cochrane a été victime d'un accident sans tiers alors qu'il quittait l'usine de fabrication pour laquelle il travaillait, lorsque la motocyclette qu'il conduisait a quitté une rampe de sortie. Cet accident a provoqué une lésion cérébrale traumatique. À son arrivée à l'hôpital, K. Cochrane était inconscient, et sujet à des crises d'épilepsie cloniques. Une opération chirurgicale permit de lui enlever un hématome sous-dural sur le côté gauche. Après quelques jours à l'hôpital, K. Cochrane était en mesure de répondre à des ordres simples. Après une semaine, il put à nouveau reconnaître sa mère. Une tomodensitométrie de suivi révéla un hématome sous-dural frontal bilatéral chronique, des ventricules et des sulci élargis, et un infarctus du lobe occipital gauche.

À son arrivée en centre de rééducation, K. Cochrane était capable de reconnaître ses amis et les membres de sa famille, mais il présentait encore une capacité de réflexion plus lente, ainsi qu'une paralysie partielle de la moitié droite du corps et des problèmes de vision à l'œil droit. À sa sortie du centre de rééducation en , l'étendue complète des lésions neurologiques de K. Cochrane avait été établie. Il avait une blessure grave au niveau de ses lobes temporaux médians, ainsi qu'une perte bilatérale presque complète de son hippocampe. Son profil neurologique finit par se stabiliser, comme on le voit dans les tomodensitogrammes qu'il a reçus tous les dix ans après son accident.

Héritage

Les études conduites sur K. Cochrane ont fourni aux chercheurs de nombreuses informations sur divers sujets des neurosciences, en particulier sur les questions de troubles de la mémoire, de stockage et de traitement de la mémoire, de capacités d'amorçage, d'apprentissage sémantique ou encore de réhabilitation.

Troubles de la mémoire

À la suite des dommages neurologiques qu'il a subis, K. Cochrane souffrait de graves déficits cognitifs qui ont entravé sa capacité à former de nouveaux souvenirs épisodiques. Cependant, sa mémoire sémantique et sa conscience noétique sont restées intactes. Pour mettre en évidence ce phénomène, les recherches menées sur K. Cochrane ont montré qu'il était capable de se rappeler des informations factuelles qu'il avait apprises avant son accident, comme sa capacité à savoir la différence entre une stalactite et une stalagmite. Cependant, K. Cochrane était incapable de se rappeler des détails émotifs d'événements de son passé comme la mort de son frère, ou une chute dangereuse qu'il avait faite chez lui.

K. Cochrane souffrait également d'une grave altération de sa conscience autonoétique. Cela signifie qu'il était incapable de se projeter dans le futur. Lorsqu'on a demandé ce qu'il ferait plus tard durant un jour, un mois ou même une année précise, il était incapable de fournir une réponse. Tout comme il était incapable de se souvenir d'avoir été physiquement impliqué dans des événements de son passé, il était incapable d'imaginer des événements futurs. Il finissait par perdre tout souvenir de ses actions du jour une fois que ses pensées avaient été dirigées ailleurs. Cependant, son absence de perception du temps subjectif et son incapacité à se projeter dans le temps n'empêchait pas K. Cochrane de se représenter le temps physique : en particulier, il savait que le temps est divisé en unités, qu'il se mesure notamment en utilisant une horloge ou un calendrier.

Du point de vue neuropathologique, K. Cochrane souffrait à la fois d'une amnésie antérograde et d'une amnésie rétrograde temporalisée. Les deux formes d'amnésie sont caractérisées par une atteinte des lobes temporaux médians, en particulier dans la région de l'hippocampe. Le traumatisme causé par l'accident de K. Cochrane lui a laissé une grave amnésie antérograde qui l'a empêché de mémoriser à la fois de nouvelles expériences personnelles et d'informations sémantiques. Du point de vue de son amnésie rétrograde graduelle, K. Cochrane était considéré comme une anomalie. En d'autres termes, sa capacité à se rappeler des événements antérieurs à l'accident dépendait du moment où ces événements s'étaient produits. Bien qu'il ne puisse pas se rappeler des événements qu'il avait personnellement vécus, ses connaissances sémantiques avant son accident étaient restées intactes. Ses souvenirs des informations factuelles dans des domaines comme les mathématiques, l'histoire et les sciences, par exemple, n'ont pas été affectés.

Stockage et traitement de la mémoire

Les effets de la neuropathologie de K. Cochrane ont montré que des dommages dans des régions spécifiques du cerveau sont associés à différentes formes de perte de mémoire. À la suite de la lésion du lobe temporal médian de K. Cochrane, en particulier de son hippocampe, les recherches ont conclu que cette zone intervenait dans le traitement de la mémoire épisodique. Néanmoins, des dommages subis par cette zone ont laissé sa mémoire sémantique entièrement intacte. Cela implique que les composantes épisodiques et sémantiques de la mémoire pourraient être formées et stockées séparément, et ainsi traitées par des régions différentes du cerveau.

Amorçage

Des études d'amorçage sur K. Cochrane ont révélé que les personnes atteintes d'amnésie grave pouvaient faire preuve de capacités d'amorçage intactes, indépendamment des dommages sur la mémoire épisodique. L'amorçage implique d'abord d'exposer un sujet à un mot ou à une image de sorte qu'une mémoire de ce mot ou de cette image puisse être formée. Ce type d'expérience est destiné à faire en sorte que le sujet se rappelle mieux de ce mot ou de cette image  lorsque lui-ci ou celle-ci lui est affiché ultérieurement. K. Cochrane a également montré que les effets d'amorçage pouvaient durer longtemps: dans une des études, les chercheurs ont présenté à K. Cochrane une liste de mots et, après 12 mois, lui ont montré à nouveau ces mots avec des lettres manquantes. K. Cochrane a été capable de compléter ces mots fragmentés avec autant de succès qu'une personne ayant des fonctions cérébrales normales à qui l'on aurait montré la même liste au départ. Cela a remis en question l'idée précédemment admise selon laquelle des patients atteints d'amnésie antérograde sont incapables d'ajouter des informations à leur mémoire déclarative.

Apprentissage sémantique

Des études sur K. Cochrane ont également mis en lumière le lien entre apprentissage sémantique et mémoire épisodique, montrant que les patients atteints d'amnésie sévère sont capables de conserver de nouvelles connaissances sémantiques en l'absence de mémoire épisodique. Les chercheurs ont constaté que K. Cochrane était capable d'apprendre de nouvelles connaissances sémantiques et de les conserver sur une longue période de temps. Dans une des études, les chercheurs ont appris à K. Cochrane 64 phrases de trois mots en plusieurs essais et, après 12 mois, lui ont présenté les mêmes phrases où le dernier des trois mots était manquant. K. Cochrane a fait preuve d'une rétention significative de cette connaissance sémantique, en étant capable de compléter 25 des 64 phrases. Cette expérience a montré que les patients amnésiques pouvaient acquérir de nouvelles informations sémantiques, bien que de manière plus lente que les sujets de test normaux.

Même si K. Cochrane ne pouvait pas se souvenir des séances d'enseignement elles-mêmes, il était capable de conserver les informations brutes qui lui étaient présentées au cours de ces séances – les phrases de trois mots. Ces résultats a montré que la mémoire épisodique et la mémoire sémantique étaient indépendantes l'une de l'autre, car la mémoire épisodique de K. Cochrane n'était pas intacte, alors que sa mémoire sémantique fonctionnait toujours correctement. Ils ont aussi montré que l'acquisition de connaissances sémantiques était possible même en l'absence de mémoire épisodique.

Les recherches sur le patient K.C. ont également permis de mieux comprendre le mécanisme d'amorçage chez les amnésiques. L'amorçage implique d'exposer une personne à une information sous un faux motif. Cette information est finalement rappelée ultérieurement en espérant que l'amorçage précédent aura amélioré la capacité de rappel de cette information par le sujet. Concernant le patient K.C., les chercheurs ont constaté que l'amorçage réussi était indépendant des mémoires sémantiques et épisodiques. Les mémoires épisodiques et sémantiques sont donc décrites comme faisant preuve d'une indépendance stochastique, en écartant l'idée que K. Cochrane était capable de retenir l'information parce que certains mots lui étaient plus importants que d'autres.

Des études sur l'apprentissage sémantique de K. Cochrane ont également fourni un aperçu des conditions nécessaires à la réussite de l'apprentissage sémantique chez les patients amnésiques. Les chercheurs ont constaté que pour maximiser la capacité des amnésiques à acquérir de nouvelles informations, il fallait faire des efforts pour minimiser les interférences, ce qui se produit lorsque les informations précédemment apprises empêchent les patients de se souvenir correctement des informations ultérieures. La découverte que l'interférence empêche de manière significative un bon apprentissage sémantique chez les amnésiques a permis d'expliquer pourquoi les expériences antérieures avaient échoué : aucun effort n'avait été fait pour minimiser l'interférence.

Réhabilitation

D'autres études sur K. Cochrane ont testé la possibilité pour les patients amnésiques d'apprendre des informations plus complexes que les informations acquises par amorçage. Les chercheurs ont également étudié si les patients amnésiques pouvaient apprendre des informations permettant d'accomplir des tâches quotidiennes. L'une des études a montré que K. Cochrane pouvait apprendre le vocabulaire associé à l'utilisation d'un ordinateur de bureau ; d'autres études ont révélé que K. Cochrane pouvait réellement apprendre des commandes informatiques, dans la mesure où il s'est avéré capable d'effectuer des tâches de programmation élémentaire sur un micro-ordinateur.

Cependant, l'apprentissage de K. Cochrane de cette information plus complexe a été jugée hyperspécifique. Lorsqu'on lui a posé des questions générales sur les tâches qu'il avait à réaliser, K. Cochrane ne pouvait pas expliquer la signification de la nouvelle information qu'il avait acquise au sujet des ordinateurs. De même, si les instructions de commande qu'il avait apprises étaient légèrement modifiées, K. Cochrane était incapable d'effectuer les tâches de programmation. Cela reflète le fait que K. Cochrane n'a pas compris la signification de l'information qu'il avait apprise, et qu'il n'avait formé que de simples connexions de stimulus. L'amnésie de K. Cochrane impliquait donc à la fois une perte d'information et une altération des processus qui permettent l'intégration de l'information pour créer une mémoire interconnectée. Néanmoins, K. Cochrane a montré qu'une amnésie antérograde sévère n'empêchait pas les individus de retenir des connaissances plus complexes que celles apprises lors d'un amorçage.

Notes et références

Voir aussi
 Neuropsychologie
 Cognition
 Lobe frontal
 Henry Gustav Molaison, autrefois connu sous le nom de patient H.M., dont des portions de son lobe temporal médian ont été retirées par chirurgie en traitement de l'épilepsie.
 , dont l'amnésie résultait d'une encéphalite à herpès simplex.
 Phineas Gage, un travailleur du chemin de fer du  siècle qui a connu des changements de personnalité majeurs après une lésion cérébrale traumatique.

Naissance en août 1951
Décès en mars 2014
Neurotraumatisme
Cas de neurologie
Décès à 62 ans
Mémoire
Page sans Infobox SHS souhaitée


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