Elf Magic is Christmas spirit you can hold in your hand and feel in your heart!
Kids dress, cuddle, and play with their adorable Elf Magic Elves all day, then delight in discovering their Elves' magical, nighttime adventures each morning! The fun lasts all season long, with the Elves returning to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. But don't worry – they'll be back throughout the year to spread joy, love, and Christmas cheer!
A special Elf is chosen – either by Santa at the North Pole or by the child at one of the Official Elf Magic North Pole Supply Posts. You'll know it's an Elf Magic Elf if you see Santa's snowflake on the heart!
Once the Elf has arrived, the Elf instantly becomes the child's best friend – they'll play together all day, sharing the joy, laughter, and love of Christmas.
The Elves won't want to be parted from you, so take them everywhere you go – they love a good adventure!
The child supplies crackers (they remind the Elves of crunching snow!) and ice water (like melting snowflakes!) for their Elf and sprinkles the Elf with Magic North Pole Snowflakes.
When everyone is asleep, the Elves get adventurous! Their Elfcapades range from the sweet – snow angles in rice and mixing hot cocoa – to the mischievous - hiding in freezers, climbing Christmas trees, even taking late night car rides – you never know where your Elf will turn up!
All Elves return to the North Pole with Santa on Christmas Eve!
But they'll be back each holiday season to continue this playful tradition. They also make surprise visits throughout the year, spending special occasions with their child or offering support during tough times.


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Venezuela: Looters Destroy Altar of Mary, Steal Communion Artifacts from Catholic Church
AP Photo/Fernando Llano
Frances Martel
The Santa Rosa de Lima church in Venezuela's capital, Caracas, is reeling from a looting that left an altar of Mary destroyed and the church without its tools to perform Communion, including the Eucharist and chalice used to take in the holy wine.
The Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional reported, citing local sources, that the incident occurred early Monday morning around 3:00 AM and appeared to be both an act of larceny and desecration. The culprits destroyed an altar to the Virgin Mary, stealing some jewels from the statue at the altar, as well as stealing the chalice used for Communion, the Eucharist, and the tabernacle.
"We found the tabernacle on the roof of the church, though it is significantly damaged," vicar Oswaldo Montilla said following the incident. He noted that the other stolen items remain lost.
The incident is the latest in a string of attacks on Catholic churches in the country, as an increasingly violent socialist dictatorship attempts to silence dissenting voices supported by Venezuelan Catholic leadership. Venezuela is about 96 percent Roman Catholic, and its anti-socialist leaders have repeatedly alluded to religion in their struggle against Nicolás Maduro's dictatorship.
On Sunday, in five states – Caracas, Miranda, Vargas, Aragua, and Carabobo – Venezuelan Catholics assembled to celebrate the tradition St. John the Baptist festival. The festival occurred days after protesters shut down streets carrying a statue of Jesus wearing a Venezuelan flag in Maracaibo and a week after the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) attacked Catholic protesters congregating in the capital with tear gas.
That same week, the National Police (PNB) blocked protesters from entering a cathedral in Mérida to pray.
Both the GNB and armed Chavista gangs have attacked Catholic centers of congregation and disrupted Catholic services for months, with the situation worsening following the daily protests that began in March against the Supreme Court. That month, the Supreme Court attempted to nullify the opposition-controlled legislature and establish itself as the lawmaking body of the country, a flagrant violation of the constitution. The court retracted its ruling, but protests have persisted daily into June.
Attacks against Catholic anti-socialists peaked in April when a Chavista gang stormed Holy Thursday services in Caracas and attacked the city's archbishop, Jorge Urosa Savino. The attackers interrupted Urosa Savino's sermon, in which he was advising peaceful dissident against the dictatorship. Multiple opposition leaders were in attendance at that service.
These attacks began long before Lent, however. In January, the Spanish newspaper ABC reported that the Venezuelan Catholic Church had documented regular attacks on its services for at least six months by Maduro supporters, according to Venezuelan Episcopal Conference president Monsignor Diego Padrón. That month, Chavista gangs attacked a Caracas church, took the believers inside hostage, and forced them to listen to a pro-socialist rant.
Given the overwhelming Catholic majority in the country, both Maduro and the opposition have attempted to reach out to the Vatican for mediation in the years of unrest in the country. Throughout 2016, the Vatican mediated "talks" between Maduro's henchmen and the socialist-led Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) that led to no resolution.
The MUD eventually left the talks, while Maduro's negotiators called Pope Francis "disrespectful." Pope Francis met with Maduro personally and had previously met with opposition leaders, though he did not do so the last time Lilian Tintori, wife of political prisoner Leopoldo López, traveled to Rome.
The Venezuelan Catholic Church has been more aggressive than the Vatican in condemning Maduro. "It it is time to ask oneself, respectfully and seriously, if civil disobedience, peaceful marches, the just demands of national and international public powers, and civic protests are valid and opportune," the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference said in a note distributed at Mass in April, apparently encouraging resistance.
Padrón, of the Venezuelan conference, issued a statement recently denying that Pope Francis was not as invested in the struggle for freedom in Venezuela as the country's native clergy. "We are convinced that the Pope today supports all things done in favor of Venezuela," he said in a press conference.
FaithNational SecurityCatholicsNicolas MaduroPope FrancissocialismVenezuela

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Exception Details: System.AccessViolationException: Attempted to read or write protected memory. This is often an indication that other memory is corrupt.
This error usually means there is a version mismatch between the component itself (such as asppdf.dll) and the .NET interop assembly (such as ASPPDFLib.dll). For example, the server has version 1.5 of AspPDF installed, but the application uses the interop assembly shipped with version 1.6.
Method 1 (recommended): Download the component in question from its respective web site and reinstall it. The component and interop assembly DLLs included in the installer are guaranteed to match each other.
Due to the way garbage collection works under .NET, object destruction is delayed and a long-running loop creating new objects may cause the process to run out of memory and crash. Forcing garbage collection inside the loop will help avoid the crash.
This article applies to AspUpload, AspEmail, AspEncrypt, AspJpeg, AspPDF, AspUser, and AspGrid.


I am using DNN 7 for a company website with a SQL Server back-end. I have a few workarounds in place in terms of Feature Branching. This a common practice of separating code changes (features) off of the main branch so the team of developers can also access our dev branch and publish/execute other changes. However with each feature branch we take we have to or are going through an entire setup of DNN for each feature. Is there a way to cut a feature branch and run it on the same instance of the initial install? Also is there a way to share this branch? Each developer has a local install, so the database currently is relevant only to the machine it's on. We use separate environments for production, dev, and testing. I have workarounds in place just curious as to what everyone else is doing..
Branching, for us, is a last resort. We utilize extensions and providers to override or change core functionality. What sort of workarounds are you creating?
Well we have a couple workarounds really nothing to efficient hence asking the question to see what others in the community are doing. The main issue is sharing the database, as this is the main feature to running DNN. Everything lives in the database, creating a feature branch is just code. So pointing the code to a shareable database is target.
We are using a DNN server installation and having all developers use this database as their development database. So we share common DNN features. Then create feature branches, so the code is featured specific while using a shared resource. Not a bad thing, but if something in DNN changes (not frequently) we just need to communicate it.
We tried using several installations of DNN Databases, one for each developer, one for each branch, and it was a pain because we had to do installation and replenish licenses for each. And again not quite as dynamic as we liked.
Originally we were trying shelve sets (TFS)/stashes (GIT) of code. With local DNN Database installs, merging the stashes on top of local environment. Worked but highly inefficient.
The shared DNN database seems to be working just curious as to what others do. We, also tried using Evotiva for database backups to share. This helped as well as sharing the resource but again everything requires reinstalling/licensing. The challenge is surrounds itself around the database.


text:
Go Back to Shop All CategoriesBlog and NewsFashion Blogs & NewsGossips and Breaking NewsGossips and Breaking NewsNews and BlogsUncategorized
HomeBlogGossips and Breaking NewsREAD THIS!!! WhatsApp might switch off your message If….
READ THIS!!! WhatsApp might switch off your message If….
by Editor Marc
Gossips and Breaking News, News and Blogs
Whatsapp users who do not accept its updated terms and conditions by the 15 May deadline will be unable to receive or send messages until they do so.
Their account will be listed as "inactive". And inactive accounts can be deleted after 120 days.
Calls and notifications will still function for "a short while" but, TechCrunch reported, probably only a "few weeks".
3pcs For Only R120
WhatsApp announced the update in January.
There was a backlash among many users who thought it meant the company was planning to change the amount of data it shared with its parent company, Facebook.
It later clarified this was not the case – the update is actually aimed at enabling payments to be made to businesses.
Buy Now Only R399
Beautiful Office dress only R450
2 Piece winter Set R350
Notifying Users
WhatsApp already shares some information with Facebook, such as the user's IP address (a sequence of numbers attached to every device which connects to the internet, it can also be used to pin down its location) and purchases made via the platform.
But this is not the case in Europe and the UK, where different privacy laws exist.
Following the initial announcement, platforms such as Telegram and Signal saw a huge surge in demand as WhatsApp users sought alternative encrypted-messaging services.
WhatsApp delayed the initial rollout and has now changed the way it is notifying users of the changes.
VUSI NOVA: ME AND SOMIZI ARE STRONGER THAN THE WORLD
Speaking to broadcaster Jon Savage on his podcast Whats Your Poison, singer Vusi Nova dished on his previous drug use and his relationship with TV personality Somizi Mhlongo The star explains that it was in his teenage years after moving to Johannesburg, that his drug addiction started to take flight."It started with a joint here...
All of You Playing Master KG "Jerusalema" He is asking for his Royalties or?
South African DJ, Master KG, has reportedly issued letters demanding licence fees from brands that have used his hit single 'Jerusalema' for profit through the globally popular #JerusalemaChallenge. Master KG has reportedly filed letters of demand pertaining to licence fees for the illegal commercial use of his viral hit single "Jerusalema". This comes after the hit...
South African DJ, Master KG, has reportedly issued letters demanding licence fees from brands that have used his hit single 'Jerusalema' for profit through the globally popular #JerusalemaChallenge. Master KG has reportedly filed letters of demand pertaining to licence fees for the illegal commercial use of his viral hit single "Jerusalema"....
Speaking to broadcaster Jon Savage on his podcast Whats Your Poison, singer Vusi Nova dished on his previous drug use and his relationship with TV personality Somizi Mhlongo The star explains that it was in his teenage years after moving to Johannesburg, that his drug addiction started to take flight."It...
It has ended in tears for Lasizwe…..
Just a week after announcing he has found new love, media personality and comedian Lasizwe is left with a broken heart and opened up about his partner's untruthful ways. In an interview with TshisaLIVE, Lasizwe revealed he had bought his bae a plane ticket to Cape Town and dropped him at the...
www.mydmcshop.com


I recently finished teaching a class on Evangelism and trying to walk the balance between creating urgency to share faith, and fostering thoughtfulness and sensitivity about how it ought to be undertaken. D.L. Moody reportedly responded to a critic of his evangelistic style with this: "I don't much like it either. How do you do it?" When the reply came that the critic didn't do it at all, Moody uttered these reverberating words: "I like my way of doing it, better than your way of not doing it." As challenging as these words are, I don't always agree. Some do evangelism so poorly the world might be better off without it at all. But, of course, that some do it poorly, is no excuse that I shouldn't do it at all. Perhaps the very fact that I observe others doing evangelism poorly means that I'm well equipped to do a decent job of it. I suppose that those Christians with the harshest critiques of evangelism might make the church's best evangelists if they would just get to it. Gandhi apparently noted that "If all Christians lived like Jesus, the whole world would be converted." I have to agree. And yet, how can any of us behave like Jesus unless we feel like Jesus. How can we act like Jesus unless we have attitudes like Jesus. And then, how do we arrive at attitudes like Jesus? Well, we have to follow Jesus' pattern of life: a cycle of solitude, community and ministry (H. Nouwen). But that's a matter for another blog. So let's just assume that we could miraculously behave like Jesus, would that negate the need for spoken evangelism? Critics of spoken evangelism often quote St. Francis as having said "Preach the gospel always, if necessary use words." It's a memorable way of noting the importance of witnessing by our lives. Letting our lives speak, so to speak. But this isn't what Francis actually said. He said "Preach the gospel always, when necessary use words." WHEN necessary, as in "it is only a matter of time." And the fact of the matter is, it is always necessary eventually. Consider Paul and Barnabas who after performing miracles among the Greeks were mistaken for Greek gods. They had to do some proclaiming to explain the meaning of their actions. And such is always the case. Indeed, our actions ought to cause those around us to question their source, but it remains our task to identify the source as Jesus. So why don't we do spoken evangelism? Is it really because we're afraid of damaging seekers impressions of God? Or is it because we fear damaging our impression in their eyes? Do we really think it's not necessary given the witness of our lives? Or are we concerned that our lives don't match up to whatever we might speak of the gospel? Only you can say. I suggest that rather than not doing it, we preach the gospel always by living like Jesus, and that when words inevitably become necessary we not shrink from our task out of either insecurity or pride.
It was Lauren Hill who sung the song "Lost Ones." She sings that "You may win some but you just Lost One." This song reminds me that we have to continously seek God's will for these people that we share with.
Anyways, what is up James'!?


[ffmpeg-qsv][h264_ffmpeg]decode dump file has garbage on iHD driver.
The dump file md5 is not equal to reference, and the dump file has garbage.
crop-to-container-dims-canon.mov (524.1 KB) - added by zhuqingliang 8 months ago.
Summary changed from ffmpeg qsv h264 decode dump file has garbage on iHD driver. to [ffmpeg-qsv][h264_ffmpeg]decode dump file has garbage on iHD driver.
This seems to work for me? Or at least, I don't get garbage in the output.
Both msdk.yuv and dump.yuv have garbage in my test.
dump.yuv don't have garbage on latest code base.


Carew Cheriton Control Tower is hosting a Prize Bingo evening on 28th April 2017 at 7pm in Carew Memorial Hall. Once again we have some fantastic prizes and refreshments will be available. We look forward to seeing you all soon.
We would like to take the opportunity to thank you all for your continued support at Carew Cheriton Control Tower. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


Stylish, glamorous and technically exceptional, the digital edition of Harrods Magazine is everything you would expect a high-end publication to be.
Harrods have been ahead of the digital curve for some time now. They released their iPad-only edition over two years ago, but have since acknowledged the demand for an Android and mobile version and earlier this year, released their fully-responsive native app.


Searching a mover can be as simple or as complicated as you make it. We have tried to make it easy by offering a free relocation rate directly from our website. Make sure that you get that request before you begin an everlasting and tiring search.
Our Apartment Movers Florida is full service moving and storage company. They provide our customers with courteous relocation professionals, clean, modern moving trucks and a variety of packing equipments. Our clientele always get friendly, certified and sound advice on scheduling their change of address and low estimate.At Nationwide Moving Company believes that a victorious move requires proper planning and preparation.Every move has unique wants and requirement. Our progression is calculated to educate and please each customer whom relocation individually, to accurately understand and assess the requirements before the move procedure begins, to insure smooth and peaceful change of address and avoid last minute surprises. Become one of our content customers.


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SWG 06: Routines and Routine Dynamics
Martha S. Feldman, University of California at Irvine, USA
Brian T. Pentland, Michigan State University, USA
Luciana D'Adderio, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
SWG 06 was born out of the increasing popularity of the routine dynamics topic, as well as the desire to consolidate and expand both its important research agenda and the very diverse and vibrant international scholarly community which underpins it. The notion of "Routine Dynamics" (Feldman & Pentland, 2003; Feldman et al., 2016) builds on the idea that routines are practices with internal dynamics that contribute to both stability and change in organizations. Routines, when examined closely, do not seem like fixed or static objects. They are dynamic because they exist through a process of (re)production, over time and space, through the on-going effort of actants (people and things) which shape routines in fundamental ways (Pentland & Feldman, 2008; D'Adderio, 2008, 2011). Since its conception in the early 2000s, the field of Routine Dynamics has been growing steadily, producing substantial theoretical advances to the way we understand the workings of routines in organizations and beyond, as well as a substantial body of empirical evidence.
The aim of SWG 06 is to further our investigation into routines through studying the internal mechanisms by which they emerge as practices (Feldman, 2000; Feldman & Pentland, 2003).
Moving on from the early conceptualization of routines as automatic, dead or opaque black boxes, we advance a view which sees them as alive, embodying agency and the potential for change (Cohen, 2007; Pentland & Feldman, 2008). Empirical research and modeling of routine dynamics has extended our understanding of the role of routines in producing stability and change (Howard-Grenville, 2005; Levinthal & Rerup, 2006; D'Adderio, 2014; Zbaracki & Bergen, 2010; Rerup & Feldman, 2011; Pentland et al., 2011; Salvato & Rerup, 2011, 2018; Turner & Rindova, 2012; Pentland et al., 2012; see also articles in the Organization Science special issue on routine dynamics, 2016).
Over the first phase of this SWG (2014–2018), we have been able to develop a coherent set of concepts, vocabulary and methods. We are now seeking to apply these concepts and methods to challenging new problems and topics, as follows:
New Ways of Organizing. We start from the observation that recent trends in technology and innovation are prompting substantially new ways of organizing holding implications which to date are as yet poorly understood.
Further advances in routine dynamics can help us address the emergent challenges by capturing and theorizing practices and routines in increasingly complex, distributed and materially-enabled and -mediated domains. Example topics include:
The relationship between routines and innovation
New (technology enabled) forms of organizing
Innovation and creativity through digital technology
Transparency and responsibility in the era of automation
The influence of materiality on temporality and rhythm
Routines and Global Challenges. We want to examine the relationship between large-scale social phenomena and routine dynamics. Insights about routines could be applied to these global challenges, such as climate change. At the same time, these phenomena may challenge our ways of thinking about routines and routine dynamics. Here some example topics that would fit with this SWG:
Micro-macro connection across routines and their context
Practical impact of routines on organizations and institutions (rules, policies)
Routines as implements or impediments for change
Routines as regulating tipping points between incremental and radical change
Effects of routines on phenomena that occur over long temporal spans
Cohen, M.D. (2007): "Reading Dewey: Reflections on the Study of Routine." Organization Studies, 28 (5), 773–786.
D'Adderio, L. (2008): "The performativity of routines: Theorising the influence of artefacts and distributed agencies on routines dynamics." Research Policy, 37 (5), 769–789.
D'Adderio, L. (2011): "Artifacts at the centre of routines: performing the material turn in routines theory." Journal of Institutional Economics, 7 (2), 197–230.
D'Adderio, L. (2014): "The Replication Dilemma Unravelled: How Organizations Enact Multiple Goals in Routines Transfer." Organization Science, 25 (5), 1325–1350.
Feldman, M.S. (2000): "Organizational Routines as a Source of Continuous Change." Organization Science, 11 (6), 611–629.
Feldman, M.S., & Pentland, B.T. (2003): "Reconceptualizing Organizational Routines as a Source of Flexibility and Change." Administrative Science Quarterly, 48 (1), 94–118.
Feldman, M.S., Pentland, B.T., D'Adderio, L., & Lazaric, N. (2016): "Beyond Routines as Things: Introduction to the Special Issue on Routine Dynamics." Organization Science, 27 (3), 505–513.
Howard-Grenville, J.A. (2005): "The Persistence of Flexible Organizational Routines: The Role of Agency and Organizational Context." Organization Science, 16 (6), 618–636.
Levinthal, D.A., & Rerup, C. (2006): "Crossing an Apparent Chasm: Bridging Mindful and Less-Mindful Perspectives on Organizational Learning." Organization Science, 17 (4), 502–513.
Pentland, B.T., & Feldman, M.S. (2008): "Designing routines: On the folly of designing artifacts, while hoping for patterns of action." Information and Organization, 18 (4), 235–250.
Pentland, B.T, Haerem, T., & Hillison, D. (2011): "Comparing Organizational Routines as Recurrent Patterms of Action." Organization Studies, 31 (7), 917–940.
Pentland, B.T., Feldman, M.S., Becker, M.C., & Liu, P. (2012): "Dynamics of Organizational Routines: A Generative Model." Journal of Management Studies, 49 (8), 1484–1508.
Salvato, C., & Rerup, C. (2011): "Beyond Collective Entities: Multilevel Research on Organizational Routines and Capabilities." Journal of Management, 37 (2), 468–490.
Salvato, C., & Rerup, C. (2018): "Routine Regulation: Balancing Conflicting Goals in Organizational Routines." Administrative Science Quarterly, 63 (1), 170–209.
Rerup, C., & Feldman, M.S. (2011): "Routines as a Source of Change in Organizational Schemata: The Role of Trial-and-Error Learning." Academy of Management Journal, 54 (3), 577–610.
Turner, S.F., & Rindova, V. (2012): "A Balancing Act: How Organizations Pursue Consistency in Routine Functioning in the Face of Ongoing Change." Organization Science, 23 (1), 24–46.
Zbaracki, M.J., & Bergen, M. (2010): "When Truces Collapse: A Longitudinal Study of Price-Adjustment Routines." Organization Science, 21 (5), 955–972.
About the Coordinators
Martha S. Feldman is the Johnson Chair for Civic Governance and Public Management at the University of California, Irvine, USA. Her research on organizational routines, inclusive public management and qualitative methods draws heavily on her ethnographic research and on practice theory. She is best known for her work establishing the field of routine dynamics, which explores the internal dynamics of routines. Martha has been a Senior Editor at Organization Science since 2006 and a Fellow of the Academy of Management since 2015.
Brian T. Pentland is the Main Street Capital Partners Endowed Professor in the Broad College of Business at Michigan State University, USA. His creative work has appeared in Academy of Management Review, Administrative Science Quarterly, Journal of Management Studies, Management Science, MIS Quarterly, Organization Science, Organization Studies, YouTube and elsewhere. He served as co-convenor in the sub-themes on Routine Dynamics at the EGOS Colloquiua 2016 in Naples and 2018 in Tallinn.
Luciana D'Adderio is Chancellor's Fellow at the Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Her research focuses on the micro dynamics of organizational practices and routines, with an emphasis on the role of agency and materiality on their emergence, evolution and maintenance, codification, transfer and replication. Luciana is a member of the Organization Science Editorial Board and served as a Senior Editor for the Special Issue of Organization Science on 'Routine Dynamics' (routinedynamics.org).


text:
What We Said Then: Annihilation: Ronan #1 (of 4)
Columns, What We Said Then
The Full Run: Hickman's 'New Avengers' #19 and 20
Big Two, Columns, Marvel Comics, The Full Run
INTERVIEW: Fábio Moon & Gabriel Bá Pt 3: The Tragedy of "TWO BROTHERS"
Dark Horse, Interviews, Miscellaneous Comic Book Content
Review: "Behind the Scenes!!" tells a Charming, Character-driven Story
DC Fontana: Making The Trek Again
Classic Interview: Alan Kupperberg - From the Beginning
Exclusive Marvel Preview: "Miracleman" #3
Tiny Pages Made of Ashes 9/9/16: SF Zine Fest -- Finding Old Friends
Small Press, Tiny Pages Made of Ashes
Review: 'Machete Squad' is a Disappointing Afghan Memoir
Busted Knuckles Stimulus Package
Busted Knuckles, Columns
Here we are in the new year of 2009 and it's nice to know that there are still obscure comic book facts that can be uncovered.
You'd think that they'd all been discovered by now after a good ten years of heavy internet play, but yet, some things still pop up. That's a good thing. When I'm doing research or just have a little extra time, I enjoy going through the boxes and boxes of what I guess you could call my "lifetime comic book collection." It never fails that I trip across some story, character, comic book, or piece of material that I hadn't thought about in years or now has a new sheen of importance.
Recently I came across a few comic books that I had a part in and I thought I'd share a slice of their back-story with you.
Total Eclipse #4
Eclipse Comics, 1988.
52 pages, Deluxe Format.
Written By Marv Wolfman.
Art by Bo Hampton. (Feature story)
NOTE: Secondary story is written by Neil Gaiman and his FIRST time writing Miracleman.
When I was the VP of Sales and Marketing for Eclipse Comics in the 1980s and 1990s, we did one of the first multi-character crossover events for independent publishers in the 5 issue series Total Eclipse. We hired noted Marvel and DC Comics writer, Marv Wolfman and one of the very talented Hampton Brothers, Bo, to draw it. Other creators of note were also had their hands in the series as well. Once such creator was Neil Gaiman. Issue #4 of Total Eclipse has very special comic book historic meaning because it's the first time that Neil Gaiman wrote the most popular and controversial super hero of the last 25 years, Miracleman.
The series was filled with all the Eclipse Universe characters from the most popular such as Airboy, Black Terror, The Heap to the more obscure such as The Liberty Project and Beanworld. It was a beautifully done series by A-List talent. Today issue #4 is quite the hidden gem collector's item because of the debut Miracleman story by Gaiman, now layered with all kinds of historic meaning. On an average you can find this in the back issue bin for around $2.50. Quite a steal considering the fairly low print run.
Total Eclipse One
Image Comics, 1998.
One Shot Retail Incentive Book.
Written by Beau Smith and Ted Adams.
Art by Terry Dodson, Greg Capullo, Kelly Jones, Brian Stelfreeze, Dwayne Turner, Alex Garner, Danny Miki, John K. Snyder III, Flint Henry, Richard Johnson, Chance Wolf, Aron Wiesenfeld, Richard Bennett and more.
In 1998 while VP of Publishing/Marketing for Todd McFarlane Productions and Image Comics, I also had the wonderful opportunity to be a part of a "Sorta" revival of the Eclipse Comics characters that I once worked on. When Eclipse Comics went bankrupt in 1994, Todd McFarlane stepped in and bought the company in the auction. His intent was to bring all the characters back at some point and add them to the Spawn publishing empire.
Things happened, only bits and pieces of the Eclipse characters surfaced and not always in the forms readers remembered. Total Eclipse Onewas the new "Bible" for most of those Eclipse characters, Airboy, Skywolf, The Black Terror, The Heap, Valkyrie, Misery and others. Ted Adams, who was then VP of Entertainment of TMP and now-IDW Publishing President, and I, worked up a rather large publishing business plan for not only the Eclipse characters, but the Spawn characters as well. Under Todd's suggestions, we revamped the Eclipse characters for this new character bible. We then offered this book as a limited, direct market retail incentive (one of the first) for retailers. We published roughly 3,000 copies BUT, only 1,000 got stapled and produced as comic books. The other 2,000 were "guts", interior pages that we were going to eventually produce into comics and or use as company manuals for creators once the new publishing banner was established. That didn't happen. Todd's mind changed on producing more characters as well as some lawsuits that are now pretty common knowledge. Stuff happens.
It doesn't change the fact that there were only 1,000 copies of Total Eclipse One produced and put into circulation. Most of the "guts issues" were thrown away, destroyed or are laying around in a box somewhere. As a side note, Total Eclipse One had a Miracleman "Easter Egg" placed in it. Besides the comic book being very rare, this also adds a little more rarity to its air. When you do find a copy of Total Eclipse One, you'll usually find it pretty cheap at around $2.50. This is because most folks don't realize what they have.
The Black Terror #1 through #3.
Eclipse Comics 1989. Prestige Format.
Created and Written By Beau Smith & Chuck Dixon. Painted Art By Dan Brereton.
Again, during my time at Eclipse Comics, I was fortunate enough to make one of my dad's dreams and my childhood dreams come to life. Growing up in the 1940's and 50's, my dad's two favorite comic book characters were Blackhawk and The Black Terror. He even gave me a couple of the Golden Age issues of each that managed to survive his childhood. I must have read those books a million times just as my dad did. I always dreamed of one day getting to read new adventures of The Black Terror. By the time I was an adult it still hadn't happened. In 1989 I decided that it was up to me to make it happen.
The Black Terror, along with other characters from Better Publications/Standard Comics all were and still are public domain. I worked up a pitch and story for The Black Terror as a modern, hard-boiled crime story in a politically alternative universe. One where the Kennedy family were the Capones and the Capones were basically the Kennedys. After this three issues series I planned to bring in the other characters from the public domain limbo where they were all living.
I told Chuck Dixon of my plans and asked him if he wanted in. Chuck and I had always wanted to write together and this seemed like the perfect project. Dean Mullaney, the publisher of Eclipse Comics really liked the pitch and gave us the green light. The light got greener when the book's editor, Fred Burke found painter/Illustrator, Dan Brereton fresh out of art school and signed him on to pain this prestige format series. Both Chuck and I knew Dan was perfect after we saw his pitch art. Needless to say, Dan went on to win the Russ Manning Award after his stint on The Black Terror. He was/is THAT good!
The book sold very well and if I remember right the first issue sold around 18,800 copies. (I still have tons of old Distributor purchase orders.) That was pretty good for a prestige format Indy book with a $4.95 cover price. The series was a critic's favorite. As I've mentioned before with lots of self-esteem, I think the book was way ahead of its time and still holds up today to anything you want to throw at it. Because it was never collected into a trade paperback, its chances to be read by a wider and new audience has been denied. These are bold words, but I believe the series should be and could be grouped in the same league as Sin City, Miracleman and even Watchmen. I'm not saying this comic is
better than those ones, but it's right up there with them. No brag, just personal belief. If you've read it, you might agree with me. If not, give it a chance.
The series, when you can find it, will cost you about $5.00 a book. Basically it goes for cover price even today, but that's if you can find it. As far as I know, Todd McFarlane still has the rights to reprint the series as a trade paperback. There is standing problem of film. Todd doesn't have it and in fact, I don't know where it ended up either. Even so, with today's technology, it could still be collected. Those are my hopes.
Hellspawn #6
Image Comics. 2001.
Written by Brian Michael Bendis and Steve Niles. Art by Ashley Wood.
Why is this issue of Hellspawn listed here? Well, because it is another hidden gem in the history of the Miracleman mythos. This fairly obscure issue written and drawn by today's very bankable A-Listers, has the controversial cameo of Miracleman in his alter ego of Mike Moran. A great last page surprise that still has Miracleman collectors scurrying to find this issue in back issue bins and on EBay. The good news is that you can usually find it for around $3.00 or less. When all the murky ownership waters are finally clear again, this will be one of the sought after issues for any fan of Miracleman.
I hope you check out some of these issues and remember that there are all kinds of collector's items out there, some for less than the cover price of a brand new comic. With the economy like it is, it might be a good thing to look for some fun issues with back stories that may just be tomorrow's big investment payoffs.
The Balls To The Wall Blog Of "Concrete" Chuck Dixon
I've got a new bookmark for your web surfing. It's my friend and sometimes co-writer, Chuck Dixon website. For well over 20 years, Chuck has entertained you with his writing on Conan, Batman, the Punisher, The Simpsons and currently G.I. Joe. Recently Chuck has added his own must read blog to his site. Chuck has never been one to cut corners and he proves that with his informative, entertaining and sometimes controversial new Blog. His opinion may not always be your opinion, but I promise you will always learn something from it. Check it out today. Make sure you tell him that Beau shoved you that way.
Busted Knuckles Babe of the Week
Elizabeth Banks is an actress with a lot of range. She can play the girl next door, a vixen (Where did that word come from?), a smart, go for the throat type and she can do some great comedy. You know her from such films as Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Spider-Man 3, W. , The 40 Year Old Virgin and, my favorite,Silther. Thing is, you must check her out in the new horror film The Uninvited. There she really shows what she can do. I'd love to see her in a flat out action role. I hope you enjoy her as this week's Busted Knuckles Babe of the Week.
Busted Knuckles Manly Cover of the Week
Art By Earl Norem.
One of my favorite manly man painters and artists is the immortal Earl Norem. Every cover and painting that he has done is filled with no-nonsense testosterone. Like Nick Cardy, Norem has a natural flair for all things manly. Anytime you see one of his Hulk Magazine or Planet Of The Apes covers, you will automatically feel the hair on your chest sprout up. This He-Man and the Masters of the Universepainting is a true eye-popper. I hope you enjoy. Click the image for a larger version.
Things have been a little crazy here at the ranch. We had an ice/snow storm hit us last Tuesday the 27th, and over 71,000 homes in this area lost power. Some still don't have any. We went 48 hours without it and it sure put me behind. It also made me appreciate what others in disaster areas go through. I only had a small taste of what others have gone through with storms, floods and such. I hope I don't have to experience any more. I sure admire those that go through it and come out okay. A lot of folks really step up to the plate and help others when this happens. The best part is that the really good folks don't ask if you're left wing, right wing, gay, straight, or not as handsome of me, they just step up and extend their hand. I saw people do that in the last week. It was a good thing to see.
My friends on The Weather Channel tell me that we may have another ice/snow storm hit this coming Tuesday. Needless to say, I'm gonna be out looking to buy a portable propane heater and maybe a camping stove. I need to be a little better prepared in case there is a next time. Here is a photo my wife, Beth, took of me and my dog Blue during the outage. (My other dog, Chubb, was attending the call of nature.) Yeah, there's a smile on my face, but know that as soon as she finished taking the photo I crawled into the fetal position and cried like a baby. Blue snorted, hiked his leg and pissed at me in disgust. Mother Nature 1, Beau 0.
Stay warm and dry, amigos.
Ceredo, WV. 25507
www.flyingfistranch.com
beau@flyingfistranch.com
Beau SmithBusted Knuckles
Essential Wolverine Volume 5
Secret Warriors #1


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Lacto Bacto
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Tag: 25-hydroxyvitamin D
Problems When Vitamin D Levels Are Low
Author SimaPublished on August 15, 2014 October 12, 2016
Two new studies find problems when vitamin D levels are low. From Science Daily:
Low vitamin D levels linked to increased risks after noncardiac surgery
Patients with low blood levels of vitamin D are at increased risk of death and serious complications after noncardiac surgery, suggests a study. The researchers analyzed the relationship between vitamin D level and surgical outcomes in approximately 3,500 patients who underwent operations other than heart surgery between 2005 and 2011. Only patients who had available data on vitamin D levels around the time of surgery -- from three months before to one month afterward -- were included in the study.
Most patients did not meet the recommended 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration of greater than 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). The median vitamin D level was 23.5 ng/mL -- more than 60 percent of patients were in the range of vitamin D insufficiency (10 to 30 ng/mL). Nearly 20 percent had vitamin D deficiency (less than 10 ng/mL).
"Higher vitamin D concentrations were associated with decreased odds of in-hospital mortality/morbidity," the researchers write. For each 5 ng/mL increase in 25-hydroxyvitamin D level, the combined risk of death, cardiovascular events, or serious infections decreased by seven percent.
From Science Daily:
Vitamin D deficiency may reduce pregnancy rate in women undergoing IVF
Women with a vitamin D deficiency were nearly half as likely to conceive through in vitro fertilization (IVF) as women who had sufficient levels of the vitamin, according to a new study. Long known for its role in bone health, vitamin D is a steroid hormone that is emerging as a factor in fertility.
Women who had sufficient levels of vitamin D were nearly twice as likely to conceive as their counterparts with vitamin D deficiency. Since women with sufficient levels of the hormone were more likely to produce top-quality embryos, researchers theorized vitamin D was involved in the production of quality eggs in the ovaries as well as the successful implantation of embryos in the uterus.
Published on August 15, 2014 October 12, 2016 Categories healthy living, nutrition, UncategorizedTags 25-hydroxyvitamin D, conception, in vitro fertilization (IVF), post-surgical complications, Vitamin D, vitamin D deficiency
Risks of Too Low Vitamin D Levels
Author SimaPublished on June 13, 2014 October 12, 2016
Another study finding risks from too low vitamin D levels. From Science Daily:
Lower vitamin D level in blood linked to higher premature death rate
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have found that persons with lower blood levels of vitamin D were twice as likely to die prematurely as people with higher blood levels of vitamin D.
The finding, published in the June 12 issue of American Journal of Public Health, was based on a systematic review of 32 previous studies that included analyses of vitamin D, blood levels and human mortality rates. The specific variant of vitamin D assessed was 25-hydroxyvitamin D, the primary form found in blood.
This new finding is based on the association of low vitamin D with risk of premature death from all causes, not just bone diseases."
Garland said the blood level amount of vitamin D associated with about half of the death rate was 30 ng/ml. He noted that two-thirds of the U.S. population has an estimated blood vitamin D level below 30 ng/ml."This study should give the medical community and public substantial reassurance that vitamin D is safe when used in appropriate doses up to 4,000 International Units (IU) per day," said Heather Hofflich, DO, professor in the UC San Diego School of Medicine's Department of Medicine.
The average age when the blood was drawn in this study was 55 years; the average length of follow-up was nine years. The study included residents of 14 countries, including the United States, and data from 566,583 participants.
Published on June 13, 2014 October 12, 2016 Categories healthy living, nutritionTags 25-hydroxyvitamin D, Vitamin D
Author SimaPublished on March 7, 2014 October 12, 2016
Two studies about Vitamin D. From Science Daily:
Vitamin D increases breast cancer patient survival, study shows
Breast cancer patients with high levels of vitamin D in their blood are twice as likely to survive the disease as women with low levels of this nutrient, report University of California, San Diego School of Medicine researchers in the March issue of Anticancer Research.
In previous studies, Cedric F. Garland, DrPH, professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, showed that low vitamin D levels were linked to a high risk of premenopausal breast cancer. That finding, he said, prompted him to question the relationship between 25-hydroxyvitamin D -- a metabolite produced by the body from the ingestion of vitamin D -- and breast cancer survival rates.
Garland and colleagues performed a statistical analysis of five studies of 25-hydroxyvitamin D obtained at the time of patient diagnosis and their follow-up for an average of nine years. Combined, the studies included 4,443 breast cancer patients.
Women in the high serum group had an average level of 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in their blood. The low group averaged 17 ng/ml. The average level in patients with breast cancer in the United States is 17 ng/ml.
A 2011 meta-analysis by Garland and colleagues estimated that a serum level of 50 ng/ml is associated with 50 percent lower risk of breast cancer. While there are some variations in absorption, those who consume 4,000 International Units (IU) per day of vitamin D from food or a supplement normally would reach a serum level of 50 ng/ml.
Vitamin D deficiency may compromise immune function
Older individuals who are vitamin D deficient also tend to have compromised immune function, according to new research accepted for publication in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).
"Our data suggest vitamin D may be involved in maintaining the health of the immune system as well as the skeletal system," said one of the study's authors, Mary Ward, PhD, of the University of Ulster in Coleraine, U.K.
The observational study of 957 Irish adults who were at least 60 years old examined vitamin D levels as well as biomarkers of inflammation. Participants who were vitamin D deficient were more likely to have high levels of these biomarkers, which are linked to cardiovascular disease and inflammatory conditions such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Published on March 7, 2014 October 12, 2016 Categories breast cancer, cancer, healthy aging, nutritionTags 25-hydroxyvitamin D, breast cancer, Vitamin D
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Seattle to DC ... DC to Dubai. I admit to flying in the front and sleeping well. Dubai hotel has exceeded my expectations including a Mecca directional finder right next to my bed. Swam and relaxed, spoiled - I suspect things will change a bit in a few hours when I fly to Kabul.
Old Afghan trip story # 1. I had been in Mashad in Eastern Iran - It is one of the holiest cities for Muslims in the world and the second largest and the holiest city in Iran. I had traveled across Iran, but Mashad on Muhammad's birthday was an experience. My Persian friends dressed me appropriately and took me to the grand Mosque with the instruction that if anyone talked to me, I was to walk away quickly. After the holiday, I left Mashad for the Afghani border. The border was in a remote area with a wide no man's land between them. The Iranian side was fairly modern with the best propaganda photo I had ever seen; it was the Shah, dressed in a business suit but looking regal with the earth superimposed below him. He seemed to be bigger than life, bigger than the world.
After clearing Iranian customs, such as they were, we were told that there was a bus to take us the mile or so to the Afghan side. Great, but the price though less than a kebab in Seattle now, seemed arbitrary and I refused to pay saying I could walk. Several others joined me and began the bus started following us with an ongoing negotiation. We eventually boarded and I had found a friend; Brian, a Canadian, but not covered in maple leafs, also traveling by himself to the East.
On arrival at the mud hut on the Afghan side, we found disheveled but uniformed guards. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that the uniforms were WWII vintage US Air force uniforms with the insignias removed. Welcome to Afghanistan circa 1974. I was asked for my immunization papers which I am certain was only a request for baksheesh since the literacy of the guards was in synch with their uniforms. My new friend Brian unfortunately had no immunization documents so had to go to the clinic, to which I accompanied him. He was to get a shot and I had to force the question to get basic sterilization for the needle. I traveled with Brian to Herat (where he was a pied piper since he had a flute and hundreds of kids would follow us as we sang, danced and he flauted.) He was still healthy a week or two later so the inoculation was innocuous. I can't imagine that tomorrow's re-entry to Afghanistan will be any weirder than my first.


The Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the latest edition of Android OS was launched in October last year. Motorola, LG and HTC have already started rolling out Android 6.0 upgrade for their smartphones. However, Sony has still not released Android M update for its flagship smartphones.
According to Mobi Picker, Sony was expected to release Android 6.0 Marshmallow upgrade for its Xperia Z series smartphones in this month. However, it has only managed to release a concept beta version of the update to select smartphones like Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact.
Fresh information suggests that none of the eligible Sony Xperia smartphones will be receiving Android 6.0 upgrade in this month. The Marshmallow update has received certification from Wi-Fi alliance for devices like Sony Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z4 smartphones.
The publication has reported that Sony will be releasing Android 6.0 upgrade for Xperia smartphones in the middle of the next month. The Sony Xperia Z5, Z5 Premium and Z5 Compact smartphones will be the first smartphones to get Android 6.0 in the coming month.
The Xperia Z3 smartphones are also likely to receive Android M update in February as Sony is testing beta edition of Android 6.0 with over 10,000 users of Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact smartphones spanning across multiple countries in the Europe.
The Sony Xperia Z3+ and Z2 owners are also expected to receive Android 6.0 update starting next month. The non-Xperia Z series smartphones M4 Aqua, Xperia M5, Xperia C4 and Xperia Z5 are all Android M eligible devices that are poised to receive upgrade soon.
At the beginning of this month, it was reported that event tablets like Sony Z3 Tablet and Xperia Z2 Tablet will also receive Android 6.0 upgrade. The older Sony Xperia Z Ultra Google Play Edition smartphone from 2013 will also be updated to Android M.


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Dappled Annie and the Tigrish by Mary McCallum
Annie, or more correctly Dappled Annie, and her littlebrother Robbie live in a remote (and idyllic) location; their father is the lighthouse keeper. I know this is supposed to be the lighthouse at Castlepoint (the afterword tells me so) but it could be anywhere along the New Zealand coastline. For me, it's Burgess Island in the Mokohinau Islands of the Hauraki Gulf. A place so remote as to be perfect.
With busy parents, the two children in this book only have each other and their imaginations to fill the long summer days. Annie likes to get close, very close, to the natural world. When she stands surrounded by the interleaving branches, the individual trees come alive. To Annie, the trees are alive; she hears and converses in their language. I found the way the trees come alive a little forced, but in reality, how else do you make trees come alive? The wind brings a pivotal creature – the Tigrish – into the story. And the adventure begins. It was easy to get swept up in the tale and by the end I came to view the hedge as alive as Annie herself. After all, who hasn't seen faces in a hedgerow or a tree trunk? And noticed the dappled light as shadows come, grow, and eventually disappear?
I love the way Mary McCallum brings a wonderful child-level view to the world. For example running through a pine forest dodging the pinecone grenades that drop from the sky. She captures the exaggerated nervousness that can only occur in one's own mind:
"Annie heard a sound on the stairs as if someone was following her. Out of the corner of her eye something flickered. A moth? A mouse? Something bigger?"
She captures the bravado of a child:
""I'm ready," she said again, which meant she wasn't really ready but was trying to be."
And she captures the musings of a child eavesdropping on a fantail family as they "Pick! Pick! Pick! Me!" The baby fantails call to their father as they jostle for the next unlucky insect he brings. Annie hears the yearning and angst of that family.
It's a lovely original story. Children with vivid imaginations, who love playing outside (like we all used to do), will find some synergies with delightful Annie. All children need to push themselves outside of their comfort zone and Annie and her brother do that – facing their fears and embarking on a unique adventure. This is a thoroughly New Zealand adventure and delightful story.
Published by Gecko Press
This review was first published on the booksellers.co.nz blog
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck, By Jeff Kinney
This is the eighth book in this hugely popular series and delivers completely. Series fans and newcomers will be equally entertained by Jeff Kinney's clever interpretation of everyday life. If you have not encountered this series, or the movies, before, the main character and narrator, whose diary this purports to be, is Greg Heffley. Greg is a typical boy in many ways – adventurous, mischievous, and at times utterly hapless and out of luck. At other times, pure genius and the luckiest boy at school. These books remind us what is to be a child trying to fit in and find a yet to be determined niche in the world.
In order to connect with young readers and be "believable" children's authors are required to tap into the expectations and psyche of their readers. This is not that different for any writer, you need to know your audience, but for an adult writing for a primarily much younger audience this can be a tricky pathway to tread. Kinney is a master at this. I remember once being in a writers' workshop with the wonderful Joy Cowley who encouraged us all to meditate to take us into our own childhoods; to evoke a memory and the feelings associated with that memory; to imagine ourselves as a child of that age. It wasn't totally unsuccessful and I could see immediately this was a very useful tool for any adult writing a children's book. But Jeff Kinney seems to have surpassed even this phase – in capturing Greg's story he seems to not so much been remembering but living Greg's life. This is powerful and engaging narrative at its best. My own children have devoured all of the books in this series, and although they have moved onto more sophisticated texts, they both paused to read this book cover to cover one evening and loved the humour, and dare I say it, comfort, of another Wimpy Kid book.
If you are a kid, have ever been a kid, or a parent, then these books will trigger a memory or two. If you do not find something that resonates with your own life I would be surprised. This particular book is about wider families and the idiosyncrasies that always accompany them; it's about friendships and the waning and waxing and rekindling of them; it's about the challenges of being a loving parent and wanting to do the best for for your most beloved children whilst not smothering their individuality. But most of all it's funny and entertaining. You will laugh at Greg, his friends, his family and yourself. If you don't laugh at yourself, then you need to try harder. To laugh that is.
Jeff Kinney has been described as a rock star in the publishing world, and one of the most influential (top 100) people in the world by Time magazine. The key reasons for his publishing success are an amazing ability to tune into the lives of young people; and a very accessible way of writing and drawing that looks incredibly easy, but clearly requires consummate skill. this is a book for everyone, and after you read this go back and read the early books in the series, if you haven't already. You won't be disappointed.
published by Puffin
Brave Company, by David Hill
Brave Company sees our main character, a teenage naval recruit, travelling aboard a New Zealand naval vessel towards an increasingly hostile Korean War in 1952. Amongst his baggage is the intangible need to prove his worth. Worth that is both bolstered and challenged by a family tradition of bravery in the armed services.
Russel, the main character, lives with his mother, and the memory of an uncle who was a decorated war hero. Or was he? Did he die with honour? Or was he a coward? Russel finds evidence to convince him of the latter, so he joins the forces in part to reinstate the honour his uncle has destroyed. Russel is a young man with a point to prove.
Russel finds himself in foreign territory that he knows little about. He knows the enemy are communist and that the world needs to be saved from their power so he is willing to fight for freedom. Mostly, the role of this NZ navy ship is a support one, and little active fighting is encountered. Which is a good thing, as Russel realises quickly how inexperienced and ill-prepared he really is.
When Russel finds himself in the midst of active warfare, he quickly learns the truth – the truth about his uncle, the enemy and himself.
Drawing on the "not everything is really as it appears" approach, David Hill has written a pacey story with action and adventure. Along the way, the readers will become attached to the characters, especially Russel, and his story will feel authentic and real. Readers can't help but wonder why Russel and his NZ naval crew were even in this war, and about the fine line between cowardice and bravery, and between right and wrong.
Published by Penguin NZ
Red Rocks by Rachael King
It takes quite a lot of trust and faith in your reader to mix a thoroughly ancient legend, in this case about mythical selkies, with a modern of coming of age story. Half of the main characters in this book by Rachael King are in fact seals; seals that, in keeping with Scottish legend, turn into beautiful young women when they cast their skins aside to walk on land. The mythical selkies. The other characters are one half of a modern day separated family trying to get on with life as best they can. It also takes a good storyteller to pull it off.
Surprisingly perhaps, I found myself suspending disbelief; and I became entranced by this book and its characters. And it happened so subtly that I didn't even notice. The main character Jake is a little lost – his parents are divorced, his mother remarried with a new baby. He visits his father who is living a nomadic writer's existence on the Wellington coast. But the school holidays are never much fun without friends, so the adventurous Jake takes off to explore the rocks of the Wellington coastline. He makes friends with another equally lonely young girl and an old man and attracts the interest of some local bullies. But it is when he finds an abandoned seal skin which he hauls home that the trouble really begins. The taking of the skin is the key turning point in this book as it unravels the story and importantly prevents its rightful owner from going to back to the sea.
Hindsight is a great thing. And of course, I can tell you now that I knew all along which characters were human and which were seals, but what's clever is the way this realisation subtly unfolds. There is not a moment of mass revelation, you just suddenly begin to understand who the characters are and how they inter-relate and it feels natural. I guess that's why it easy to believe in all of the characters in this book; they just work.
Interestingly, I just handed the book to my eleven year old saying it was great and I think you will like it. He read the back (which mentions seal skins but nothing about selkies) and he asked "What's up with selkies? This is the third book this year that's had slekies in it."
Really? I had no idea. Apparently, his teacher has been reading these books to them in class.
"What time period have they been set in?" I asked.
"Ancient of course" was his reply. "And all in Scotland."
"What about one set in Wellington in modern times. Could that work?"
"Hmm, maybe."
But there is no maybe about it. This book works and it's a gripping page-turning tale.
The book should appeal to any reader (young or old) who is able to suspend reality briefly, but after all isn't that what reading is all about?
Published by Random House
ISBN 9781869799144 (paperback)
ISBN 9781869799151 (e-book)
A Winters Day in 1939 by Melinda Szymanik
It's always interesting when you read a book about a well-known event and an entirely different perspective is presented that makes you pause and think. As the cover of this book suggests, it is set in World War II and the narrator is Adam, a 12 year-old Polish boy whose family are uprooted and relocated to various labour camps in Russia.
Reminiscent of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, the main character, an adventurous boy named Adam, has no idea what is actually happening to him; the political background remains unspoken. Of course, as readers in 2012 we know the unspeakable terrors of World War II are not far away.
I really like the authentic voice that this character has – he is undeniably his age, and he never quite comes to grip with why the events that unfold in this book (and his life) actually happen. It's easy to believe in this young character, who is in fact the author's father.
Melinda Szymanik has skilfully managed to recreate her father's young persona and avoids any temptation to preach, inform, or explain this war. Adam never becomes bitter and jaded, he still notices the small wonders of life and is resolute in his will to survive.
The book opens with the family's idyllic life on a farm awarded to Adam's father for military service. They are hard working, and enjoy a comfortable and fruitful, if not wealthy, life. But the new authorities have decided the farm should be re-gifted to another man and rather suddenly, the family are ousted from their farm and find themselves heading to places unknown. Their imposed long train journey starts in a cattle wagon and finishes in what appears to be a concentration camp albeit without the gas chambers. Disease, death and hunger accompany this family through their enforced journeys through a vast area we would know as Russia and Persia.
Weeks, months and years pass. The end, when it comes, is thrust upon Adam's family as suddenly as that first train trip was thrust upon them. This plight of displaced persons during World War II makes a sobering read, but this is a tale of survival and although Adam's family is changed beyond recognition through their experience, there is a happily ever after.
Published by Scholastic
Telling Lies by Tricia Glensor
I love the idea of a historical fiction novel that is based on real characters. For me, there's a sense of immediacy when you open the book, or perhaps it's simply that the hurdle of believability is removed before you start. But, this type of fiction only works if you have strong characters and a great storyline.This book has both – a young kiwi WWII airman shot down over France and the brave family who help him escape the Germans.
When reading these details on the back cover of the book and then learning that the author is the airman's daughter, my expectations were running high. And I was not disappointed.
This is a real story that chronicles the everyday lives of a farming family in German-occupied France. It's 1942 when the wounded airman's plane crashes into rural farmland and a French-family decide to help him get back to England. This is no easy task, and requires significant risk-taking, lies and surreptitious behaviour.
The book tackles the complex family and village relationships as each individual copes with the German-occupation in their own way. German soldiers have an overbearing presence, seemingly always appearing at the farmhouse unannounced and stopping everyone in the streets to examine their identities. You certainly are left with a strong picture of how the German army embedded themselves into everyday French life.
The book is honest and reflective, with a couple of unexpected and satisfying twists at the end; survival is never assumed and certain events remind us of that. Individuals' actions and cooperation with the Germans are risky, but each villager makes their choices about who and how to support the warring sides.
I read the book in single sitting. Emotional at the close, I reflected how I might have reacted given the intolerable situation these people found themselves in and thankful I have never faced such personal tests. Almost any child over the age of 10 could read and enjoy this book, but older readers will appreciate the deeper social context as well.
Reviewed by Gillian Torckler
Published by HarperCollins
Yes by Deborah Burnside
This engaging story is about a couple of teenage boys coming to terms with all that life throws at modern teenagers – girls, homework, and uncooperative parents. I am reluctant to tell you that the main character Marty has a mild form of autism, because although it is central to the way the story is told and to the way Marty sees the world, the book is not about "dealing with autism".
It is neither condescending nor seeking sympathy. Autism is in the background but only to just explain the unusual and charming way that Marty experiences his world. Marty's best friend, Luke, is coping with his own issues – he's lost a lower leg to meningitis – and both get involved with a school based business young enterprise scheme (YES) in part to be close to the girls they are both besotted with. As in real life, Marty has to deal with a number of issues and personal challenges along the way. As their YES project progresses, life's challenges threaten to overpower their lives. The constant in Marty's life is his recently deceased grandfather – a rock whose influence was far reaching in the boy's life and whose absence is sorely missed.
This is a story that almost any teenage readers could associate with.Each of the teenage characters, including the flawed but irresistible female muses, is utterly believable. I had fallen in love with Marty by page 10, and really wanted his life issues to be resolved. More importantly I wanted to go on the journey with Marty and see where he ended up. Most teenagers will enjoy sharing Marty's journey as well and will relate to much of this modern story themselves.
This book was first reviewed on the booksellers.co.nz blog
I review books that appeal to me and focus on New Zealand titles. I do review across different genres, including non-fiction, kids' books, and general fiction.


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'shy girl'
I'm A Celebrity's Harry Redknapp thought Jamie's ex-wife Louise was 'quiet and shy' and was utterly baffled by her 'sexy' pop career
The singer was married to Harry's son Jamie for almost 20 years, and the footie manager was extremely fond of the former Eternal star
By Louise Randell
6 Dec 2018, 8:46
Updated: 6 Dec 2018, 8:49
I'M A Celebrity star Harry Redknapp thought his former daughter-in-law Louise was "quiet and shy" and was utterly baffled by her "sexy" pop career.
The singer was married to Harry's son Jamie for almost 20 years, and he was extremely fond of the former Eternal star.
Harry Redknapp always liked his ex-daughter-in-law LouiseCredit: Rex Features
Harry thought Louise was shy and quietCredit: Rex Features
In his 1998 autobiography, Harry, 71, opened up about his relationship with Jamie's then-wife, 44, who is the mother of his two grandsons.
Harry, 71, revealed he always saw Louise as a "nice" and "caring" person and struggled to understand her role as a saucy pop star.
He wrote: "Louise... is the most down-to-earth girl you could hope to meet.
I'm A Celebrity viewers vow to get Harry Redknapp's cover of My Way to Christmas number one after jungle karaoke
"She may be a pop-star temptress to the youngsters who read those laddish magazine but to me she's just a lovely girl who's married to my youngest son.
"Louise... is the least showbizzy person you could imagine.
"She's so quiet and shy away from the spotlight that I can't believe she has the front to go live on stage in front of thousands of people.
Louise and Jamie split last year after almost 20 years of marriageCredit: Rex Features
"I see her in those glamorous videos for her latest record and find it impossible to reconcile the sexy image I see on screen with the Louise who comes to my home with Jamie for Sunday dinner."
Louise and Jamie split last year, but Harry was always big supporter of their marriage and said they made a "lovely couple".
He added: "Jamie and her make a lovely couple, so Sandra and I were thrilled when the two of them got married.
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text:
2020 Top 100 Recruiting Rankings
(Photo courtesy of USA Softball)
Here are the best 100 players in the class of 2020.
In formulating rankings for the sophomore through senior classes, Softball America places an emphasis on real-time developmental growth in conducting player-profile analysis. Prospect potential, projected upside, overall and position-specific athleticism as well as other quantifiable metrics are key components of evaluation. At the same time, current skill set, production and impact at the club and/or high school level are fundamental analytical data points. SA's methodology includes consultation with club, scholastic, collegiate and Team USA sources nationwide.
Click here to find the Top 100 recruits in the class of 2019.
Updated on: 10/22/2019 1-2526-5051-7576-100 See Full List
Last: 1
Jayda Coleman
The Colony (Texas) SS
CLUB TEAM: Texas Glory
College Commitment: Oklahoma
The consensus No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2020 did nothing to dispel that notion this summer, looking anything but out of place with the Under-19 Junior Women's National Team. Coleman, a left-handed-throwing shortstop and Oklahoma commit, hit .432 with a .510 on-base percentage and 13 steals in 32 games for the JWNT.
Bailey Dowling
St. Joseph-Ogden (St. Joseph, Ill.) SS
CLUB TEAM: Georgia Impact
College Commitment: Alabama
Already the owner of the Illinois career home run record with 65 dingers in three years, Dowling continued her power stroke over the summer with the Under-19 Junior Women's National Team. The Alabama commit cracked six home runs for the JWNT, including two multi-homer games. In 32 games, Dowling hit .338 with 27 RBI and a .649 slugging percentage.
Maddie Penta
Bohemia Manor (Chesapeake, Md.) P
CLUB TEAM: PA Chaos
College Commitment: Auburn
Penta was arguably the summer's most impressive pitcher, lifting the PA Chaos to the TC/USA Nationals 18U championship, and earning all-tournament status at the PGF Premier tournament with a 1.03 ERA and 58 Ks in 39 innings. She was 21-0 with a 0.11 ERA in high school, leading her team to its third straight state title.
Foothill (Pleasanton, Calif.) P/3B
CLUB TEAM: OC Batbusters
May followed up a perfect high school season by leading the Batbusters to a strong fifth-place finish at the 18U PGF National Championships. The Oklahoma commit was the MaxPreps National Junior of the Year after a spring season in which she finished 24-0 with a 0.32 ERA and 246 strikeouts.
Tiare Jennings
St. Anthony (Long Beach, Calif.) SS
Jennings played only two games in the spring for St. Anthony's because of an injury, but she had a strong summer for the Batbusters, who finished fifth at the 18U PGF National Championships, and should be a major player as a senior for the Saints. The Oklahoma commit is one of three St. Anthony seniors ranked in the SA Top 100.
Avery Goelz
Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton, Fla.) 1B/OF
CLUB TEAM: Tampa Mustangs
College Commitment: Florida
Goelz is one of five Lakewood Ranch seniors in the SA Top 100 and all are members of a Tampa Mustangs team that finished third at the 18U PGF National Championships over the summer. The Florida commit is a two-time Florida Class 8A Offensive Player of the Year who hit .543 with a 1.141 slugging percentage as a junior.
Last: 17
Alex Salter
Estero (Fla.) P
Salter zooms into the Top 10 as she was the No. 1 starter for a Georgia Impact team that finished second in the 18U Premier Division at the PGF National Championships. As a high school junior for Estero, the Alabama commit struck out 161 batters and allowed just eight walks in 81.2 innings, finishing with an 11-1 record and a 0.43 ERA.
Sarah Willis
Norco (Calif.) P/OF
CLUB TEAM: Corona Angels
College Commitment: Washington
Willis was more than solid for the Corona Angels this summer, helping the team to a 17th-place finish at the 18U PGF National Championships. The Washington commit posted a 1-0 record with a 1.13 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 18.2 innings.
Shelby Lowe
Pickens Academy (Carrollton, Ala.) P/1B
CLUB TEAM: Birmingham Thunderbolts
A year after pacing the Birmingham Thunderbolts to a PGF 16U national title, Lowe led the 18U team to a fifth-place finish, going 4-1 in the tournament with 42 strikeouts in 40.1 innings. A five-time all-state selection, the Auburn recruit was named AISA Pitcher of the Year in high school, going 19-4 with a 0.14 ERA, a 0.31 WHIP, six no-hitters and 336 strikeouts.
Jahni Kerr
Wesleyan School (Norcross, Ga.) OF
CLUB TEAM: Atlanta Vipers
College Commitment: Florida State
One of the fastest players in the nation, Kerr has led her high school team to two consecutive state titles and has the Wolves off to an undefeated start this fall. The dynamic center fielder also swings a powerful bat, contributing seven home runs, 10 doubles and seven triples to go with her .596 batting average as a junior.
Jasmine Perezchica
Palm Desert (Calif.) OF/2B
College Commitment: Arizona
The daughter of Arizona Diamondbacks third base coach Tony Perezchica, the Arizona commit hit .550 as a junior for Palm Desert with 40 runs scored, nine home runs and 31 extra-base hits in 100 at-bats. She committed just two errors as a middle infielder.
Sophia Carroll
Shadow Ridge (Surprise, Ariz.) INF/OF
CLUB TEAM: Firecrackers AZ
Carroll can play just about anywhere on the diamond, but she spent her summer locking down the shortstop position and the No. 3 hole in the lineup for Firecrackers AZ. The Arizona commit, who will be joined in Tucson by identical twin sister Aris, hit .660 as a high school junior with a .739 on-base percentage.
Abby Doerr
Marist Catholic (Eugene, Ore.) C
CLUB TEAM: Beverly Bandits
Doerr had a monster PGF National Championships, batting .444 with a pair of home runs to help the Bandits to a ninth-place finish in the 18U Premier Division. As a junior for Marist, the Alabama commit hit .699 with 19 homers, 74 RBI and a 1.639 slugging percentage.
Erin Coffel
Bremen (Ind.) SS
CLUB TEAM: Indiana Magic Gold
College Commitment: Kentucky
Coffel was the top offensive threat for an Indiana Magic squad that placed third at the PGF 16U National Championships. The Kentucky commit was Indiana's Gatorade Player of the Year in the spring, batting .663 with 19 HR, 52 RBI and an OPS of 2.217.
Riley Blampied
Crisp County (Cordele, Ga.) MIF
College Commitment: South Carolina
The power-hitting infielder was an easy selection for the U17 national team. As a junior, Blampied blasted 17 home runs to go with a .671 batting average, 47 RBI, 45 runs scored and 16 doubles, earning Georgia first team all-state honors.
Raegan Breedlove
Central Valley (Shasta Lake, Calif.) P/1B
CLUB TEAM: Universal Fastpitch
College Commitment: Oregon
Breedlove was one of the top pitchers at the 18U PGF National Championships this summer, posting a 5-2 record with 46 strikeouts in 39 innings to lead Universal Fastpitch to a fifth-place finish. The Oregon commit averaged more than two strikeouts per inning as a high school junior while batting .500 with a .649 on-base percentage.
Ryleigh White
Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.) P/3B
CLUB TEAM: Athletics Mercado
College Commitment: Texas
White was outstanding at the 18U PGF Nationals, going 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA while allowing 11 hits and striking out 19 in 18.1 innings. The recent Texas commit was also outstanding in high school, posting a 20-2 mark with a 0.62 ERA and 277 Ks in 136 IP.
Jessie Fontes
Grace Brethren (Simi Valley, Calif.) P
CLUB TEAM: So Cal Choppers
The Arizona commit was a force on the mound and at the plate for Grace Brethren. Fontes went21-5 with a 0.36 ERA and 264 strikeouts, while also batting .530 with seven HRs and 36 RBI.
Carlie Scupin
Tucson Magnet (Ariz.) 1B
CLUB TEAM: Oro Valley Suncats
Scupin does nothing but hit. After a high school season in which she won the Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year award by batting .683 with 17 home runs in just 63 at-bats, the Arizona commit didn't slow down in the summer. In four games for the Oro Valley Suncats at the 18U PGF National Championships, Scupin hit .600 with two home runs and 11 RBI.
Haley Pittman
Alabama Christian (Montgomery, Ala.) P
The Alabama Class 4A Pitcher and Player of the Year, Pittman has been named to four All-State teams and will enter her final varsity season with over 1,300 career strikeouts. The southpaw recorded a 36-8 record with a 1.29 ERA in 2019, striking out 448 in 238.1 innings, while also hitting .487.
Aynslie Furbush
Winter Springs (Fla.) 1B/P
CLUB TEAM: Jacksonville Storm
College Commitment: Ole Miss
Furbush had a strong PGF National Championships for the Storm, leading the team to a 17th-place finish. Furbush was 2-1 with a 2.72 ERA in the circle and slugged two home runs with six RBI. That came after a spring in which the Ole Miss commit led Winter Springs to a perfect season, the Florida Class 8A state title and the No. 1 slot in the final Softball America national rankings.
Aaliyah Ortiz
Southwest (San Antonio, Texas) UT
CLUB TEAM: Texas Bombers
College Commitment: McNeese State
Ortiz was the most dangerous hitter in the 16U Premier Division at the PGF National Championships, clubbing four home runs and knocking in 15 in seven games to lead the Texas Bombers to a runner-up finish. That followed a high school season in which the McNeese State commit hit .667 with 22 home runs and a 1.711 slugging percentage.
Devyn Netz
Maranatha (Pasadena, Calif.) P/IF
CLUB TEAM: So Cal Athletics
Netz was the No. 1 pitcher this summer for the So Cal Athletics, who finished third in the 18U Premier Division at the PGF National Championships. As a high school junior, the Arizona commit struck out 253 batters in 140 innings and also hit .494 at the plate.
Trinity Cannon
Forney (Texas) 3B
College Commitment: Texas A&M
Cannon was a rock-solid third baseman last spring for Forney, which reached the Texas Class 5A state semifinals and finished the year ranked No. 19 by Softball America. The Texas A&M commit batted .575 with 18 home runs, 72 RBI and a 1.321 slugging percentage for the Jackrabbits.
Regan Krause
Pontiac (Ill.) P/1B
College Commitment: Stanford
Krause followed up a strong high school season with an even better summer, leading the Beverly Bandits to the 16U Premier Division title at the PGF National Championships. The Stanford commit was 7-0 with a 0.55 ERA for the Bandits, highlighted by a no-hitter with 10 strikeouts against OC Batbusters Lara.
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Malvern Vet has been re-awarded ASAVA (Australian Small Animal Veterinary Association) "Hospital of Excellence " Accreditation repeatedly since 1981. There are currently only 14 practices in Victoria that have been awarded this honour. Hospital of Excellence status is continuously re-assessed and is presented in recognition of very high standards of diagnostic, surgical, laboratory, and nursing facilities in the practice.
Malvern Vet Hospital was established in 1956 and is one of the leading vet clinics in Melbourne. Malvern Vet Hospital has a team of highly qualified vets and nurses to assist with your animals. Be it cat or dog desexing, dog grooming, cat boarding, cat grooming, veterinary consults or vaccinations, our veterinary staff have the expertise and accreditation to ensure your pet obtains the highest level of service and care.
Malvern Vet Hospital has a convenient location for Prahran residents and those in surrounding suburbs. Our vet clinic offers the best in animal care and can provide services to those in Armadale, Malvern, Prahran, Caulfield and nearby suburbs.
Our highly trained veterinary staff will provide a professional, friendly service and ensure you feel comfortable leaving your pet in our care. Aside from our team, there are many other reasons to visit Malvern Vet Hospital.
Open 7 days a week – our vet clinic is open every day of the week. Monday to Friday: 8.00am-7.00pm, Saturday 9am- 4.00pm and Sunday 10.00am- 12.30pm.
Wide range of Services - we provide a comprehensive range of animal and health related services. From cat desexing and dog desexing to cat boarding and dog grooming, we offer it all.
Up to the Minute Technology - our hospital is equipped with the latest machinery including anaesthetic machines, monitoring equipment (pulse oximetry, blood pressure monitors, heart and respiratory rate monitors), digital radiology, ultrasound, blood analysers - both biochemistry and haematology, electrocardiographs, cryosurgery unit, dental unit, surgical air drill, operating microscope, endoscope, laryngoscope and more. Our staff members are fully trained to use this equipment.
Our team of highly qualified reception, nursing, and veterinary staff are always willing to go the extra mile to ensure you (and your pet) have the best possible experience.
Attending our pet hospital supports community based independent veterinary practices.
Such Lovely and friendly staff! They were very helpful and informative. Great experience at the Malvern Vet Hospital..
Great personal service, knowing our cat well and offering great explanations regards costs involved for getting him better. The vet and nurses gave regular updates though the testing process including X-rays and blood tests. They also provided contacts for emergency treatment if needed overnight. Overall the care shown by all staff was excellent!
Love Malvern Vet Hospital. Have been with them for almost 13 years with my dogs. Always great advice and information sharing and the highest quality of service through all procedures and consultations. Andrea , Charlene and the others are amazing vets.
Always friendly and helpful, and very mindful of the individual personality and needs of your pet. Highly recommend this business, and the staff and Vets who work there.
I highly recommend the caring staff at Malvern Vet Hospital. Have been taking my dogs there for years.


Im replying to the Summer Analyst Program opportunity advertised on your website. The program fits very well with my knowledge, experience, and future goals. Im looking for an opportunity to learn what investment banking industry has to offer for me in the future and apply the skills and knowledge I learned in school.
By far, my best quality is that I can eat seven hot dogs at once. At least, that is what I was successful at making my friends believe. I acted very influentially and made them buy and cook seven hot dogs for me. Although I did not finish all seven, this event shows that I exhibited strong influence over others by making them believe that I could do the impossible.


Kota Kinabalu (pop 500,000) is the state capital of Sabah. Almost all of the town was destroyed during the 2nd World War and has been completely rebuilt with a number of new and impressive buildings. Places of interest are the State Museum with galleries on ethnography, ceramic, natural history, archaeology, history and limestone caves. Drive up Signal Hill for a bird's eye view of the town and the surrounding South China Sea. The 32 – storey Sabah Foundation Headquarters in Likas Bay is the only building in Asia with column – free floors. Not far away is the Po Toh Tze Temple, very colourful Chinese buddhist temple with a statue of Kuan Yin,City Mosque, State Mosque and beach at Tanjung Aru is an ideal spot to catch the balmy sea breeze, watch the sunset and try out fresh coconut water and satay.


Sometimes it's difficult to determine how much responsibility to give your children. Assigning household chores to your child sends a great message – they are contributing something important to the family. This can benefit your children's personal development, they learn to take responsibility and to take pride in their work. Scheduling regular chores also helps establish a routine for your children as well.
Below you will find a guide on how to set chores for your children by age. This document also addresses chores in co-parenting relationships.


Este es nuestro espacio interno de organización y debate sobre proyectos y actividades.
Para un vistazo general de lo que está pasando, se puede revisar el: resumen de actividad.
and push mass changes in a reliable, fail-safe way.
Small script that collects info (network settings, wifi stations, etc) from a router, and sends it to a map server.
AlterMap is a very lightweight but flexible free network mapping and visualization solution.


text:
Q: GPU gives no performance improvement in Julia set computation I am trying to compare performance in CPU and GPU. I have

*

*CPU : Intel® Core™ i5 CPU M 480 @ 2.67GHz × 4

*GPU : NVidia GeForce GT 420M

I can confirm that GPU is configured and works correctly with CUDA.
I am implementing Julia set computation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_set
Basically for every pixel, if the co-ordinate is in the set it will paint it red
else paint it white.
Although, I get identical answer with both CPU and GPU but instead of getting a
performance improvement, I get a performance penalty by using GPU.
Running times

*

*CPU : 0.052s

*GPU : 0.784s

I am aware that transferring data from device to host can take up some time.
But still, how do I know if use of GPU is actually beneficial?
Here is the relevant GPU code
    #include <stdio.h>
    #include <cuda.h>

    __device__ bool isJulia( float x, float y, float maxX_2, float maxY_2 )
    {
        float z_r = 0.8 * (float) (maxX_2 - x) / maxX_2;
        float z_i = 0.8 * (float) (maxY_2 - y) / maxY_2;

        float c_r = -0.8;
        float c_i = 0.156;
        for( int i=1 ; i<100 ; i++ )
        {
        float tmp_r = z_r*z_r - z_i*z_i + c_r;
        float tmp_i = 2*z_r*z_i + c_i;

        z_r = tmp_r;
        z_i = tmp_i;

        if( sqrt( z_r*z_r + z_i*z_i ) > 1000 )
            return false;
        }
        return true;
    }

    __global__ void kernel( unsigned char * im, int dimx, int dimy )
    {
        //int tid = blockIdx.y*gridDim.x + blockIdx.x;
        int tid = blockIdx.x*blockDim.x + threadIdx.x;
        tid *= 3;
        if( isJulia((float)blockIdx.x, (float)threadIdx.x, (float)dimx/2, (float)dimy/2)==true )
        {
        im[tid] = 255;
        im[tid+1] = 0;
        im[tid+2] = 0;
        }
        else
        {
        im[tid] = 255;
        im[tid+1] = 255;
        im[tid+2] = 255;
        }

    }

    int main()
    {
        int dimx=768, dimy=768;

        //on cpu
        unsigned char * im = (unsigned char*) malloc( 3*dimx*dimy );

        //on GPU
        unsigned char * im_dev;

        //allocate mem on GPU
        cudaMalloc( (void**)&im_dev, 3*dimx*dimy );

        //launch kernel.
**for( int z=0 ; z<10000 ; z++ ) // loop for multiple times computation**
{
        kernel<<<dimx,dimy>>>(im_dev, dimx, dimy);
}

        cudaMemcpy( im, im_dev, 3*dimx*dimy, cudaMemcpyDeviceToHost );

        writePPMImage( im, dimx, dimy, 3, "out_gpu.ppm" ); //assume this writes a ppm file

        free( im );
        cudaFree( im_dev );
    }

Here is the CPU code
    bool isJulia( float x, float y, float maxX_2, float maxY_2 )
    {
        float z_r = 0.8 * (float) (maxX_2 - x) / maxX_2;
        float z_i = 0.8 * (float) (maxY_2 - y) / maxY_2;

        float c_r = -0.8;
        float c_i = 0.156;
        for( int i=1 ; i<100 ; i++ )
        {
        float tmp_r = z_r*z_r - z_i*z_i + c_r;
        float tmp_i = 2*z_r*z_i + c_i;

        z_r = tmp_r;
        z_i = tmp_i;

        if( sqrt( z_r*z_r + z_i*z_i ) > 1000 )
            return false;
        }
        return true;
    }

    #include <stdlib.h>
    #include <stdio.h>

    int main(void)
    {
      const int dimx = 768, dimy = 768;
      int i, j;

      unsigned char * data = new unsigned char[dimx*dimy*3];

**for( int z=0 ; z<10000 ; z++ ) // loop for multiple times computation**
{
      for (j = 0; j < dimy; ++j)
      {
        for (i = 0; i < dimx; ++i)
        {
          if( isJulia(i,j,dimx/2,dimy/2) == true )
          {
          data[3*j*dimx + 3*i + 0] = (unsigned char)255;  /* red */
          data[3*j*dimx + 3*i + 1] = (unsigned char)0;  /* green */
          data[3*j*dimx + 3*i + 2] = (unsigned char)0;  /* blue */
          }
          else
          {
          data[3*j*dimx + 3*i + 0] = (unsigned char)255;  /* red */
          data[3*j*dimx + 3*i + 1] = (unsigned char)255;  /* green */
          data[3*j*dimx + 3*i + 2] = (unsigned char)255;  /* blue */
          }
        }
      }
}

      writePPMImage( data, dimx, dimy, 3, "out_cpu.ppm" ); //assume this writes a ppm file
      delete [] data

      return 0;
    }

Further, following suggestions from @hyde I have looped the computation-only part to generate 10,000 images. I am not bothering to write all those images though. Computation only is what I am doing.
Here are the running times

*

*CPU : more than 10min and code still running

*GPU : 1m 14.765s

A: Turning comments to answer:
To get relevant figures, you needs to calculate more than one image, so that execution time is seconds or tens of seconds at least. Also, including file saving time in results is going to add noise and hide the actual CPU vs GPU difference.
Another way to get real results is to select a Julia set which has lot points belonging to the set, then upping the iteration count so high it takes many seconds to calculate just one image. Then there is only one single calculation setup, so this is likely to be the most advantageous scenario for GPU/CUDA.
To measure how much overhead there is, change image size to 1x1 and iteration limit 1, and then calculate enough images that it takes at least a few seconds. In this scenario, GPU is likely significantly slower.
To get most relevant timings for your use case, select image size and iteration count you are really going to use, and then measure the image count, where both versions are equally fast. That will give you a rough rule-of-thumb to decide which you should use when.
Alternative approach for practical results, if you are going to get just one image: find the iteration limit for single worst-case image, where CPU and GPU are equally fast. If that many or more iterations would be advantageous, choose GPU, otherwise choose CPU.

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