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Internet Edition Wednesday morning at 5 o'clock as the day begins... January 22, 2020
The Heroes of Olympus
Series by Rick Riordan
• Star Trek
• The Beatles
• Fast Food
• Space
The Beatles:
• Beatles News
• Internet Beatles Album
• Beatles Fan Day
• Victor Spinetti
• Rutles Tragical History Tour
• Dan Ingram Tapes
• New Age 411
• Los Angeles Telephone
• Manufacture Discontinued
• Beyond Hogwarts
that I've created
• Mr. Brian Epstein
• Mods & Rockers
• Martin Lewis
• Springtime!
Remember the
My tribute to the memory of the events of 9-11 can be found here.
What Goes On
• Waxwork collector plans to sell George Harrison's head
• Surrey home where John Lennon and Ringo Starr lived in the 60s for sale
• John Lennon's first wife reveals moment she walked in on him with Yoko
• Al Di Meola to release second Beatles covers album
• Cirque du Soleil's Love cast reveal how the Beatles' music affects them
> More from BeatlesNews.com
Billy Preston, while visiting Apple, was convinced by George to join the Let It Be sessions on this day in 1969.
More Beatles History...
Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime...
But sometimes, you just gotta give the guy the friggin' fish.
Page 2 of 14 (Click here to read newest blog posts)
Night of the living dead wax
[Posted by Adam Forrest on Thursday, 11/03/16 5:29 pm] [Permalink] [Tweet This]
There is a company that makes it possible for you to save the memory of a loved one on a vinyl record, inviting you to "live on from beyond the groove".
The name of the company is And Vinyly (a play on the phrase "and finally", I assume). They advertise that for just �3,000, they will press the ashes of a deceased person into a vinyl disc. You pick the music or speaking audio message for the disc.
Grandparents finally become groovy
Or, you can keep the record silent. The ashes are sprinkled on the vinyl just before it's pressed by the record stamper into a translucent disc. So, the pops and crackles you hear on the record are a result of the dear departed's actual ashes. You can actually see the ashes if you hold the record up to the light.
The UK-based company has been offering this service since 2010. Ashes from dead pets can also be used, and you can also have your record sent to shops around the world to be sold just like any other album.
And Vinyly creator and music producer Jason Leach says, "It's a bit more interesting than being in a pot on a shelf."
Teetering on the brink of the unknowable
[Posted by Adam Forrest on Monday, 07/11/16 12:37 pm] [Permalink] [Tweet This]
In the early hours of Friday morning, July 8, police killed the suspect in the shootings of five Dallas police officers using a bomb disposal robot, by causing the robot to explode nearby the suspect by remote control. This is believed to be the first use of such a device for this purpose on U.S. soil.
The device was (it perished along with the scumbag suspect) probably a MARCbot IV, which stands for Multi-function Agile Remote-Controlled Robot, or a unit very much like it. These were originally made for use by the U.S. Army in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The MARCbot IV
The MARCbot was designed for situations like the inspection of suspicious objects without having to wait for a bomb disposal team, or putting one in danger.
MARCbot looking for a bomb in car
In the US, these robots are now used by local police departments for its originally intended purpose, and also, equipped with 2-way communications, for armed-suspect negotiations.
To me, this story of using the bomb disposal robot against the shooter in Dallas is very scary, because although the action was apparently warranted in this circumstance, this kind of thing, robots being used to kill people, is exactly the dark future foretold by science fiction writer Isaac Asimov in his robot stories, especially his novel The Caves of Steel .
The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov
Originally published in 1954, and still in print, The Caves of Steel takes place on a future Earth where humans have gone off to colonize other planets, and later come back as beings that are thought of by the remaining earthlings as superior. While still shunned and feared on Earth, humanoid robots are common on the "Spacer" worlds.
The book is about an Earth detective, "Lije" Baley, who is reluctantly teamed with a Spacer, Daneel Olivaw, to solve a murder. Daneel's full name turns out to be R. Daneel Olivaw, the "R" standing for robot. An important aspect of the story is what is now called "Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics" (which they just call "the Three Laws" in the story). They are:
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
In the course of the story (this isn't a spoiler, you've had since 1954 to read the book!) Baley figures out that his own boss, Chief of Police Enderby, had gotten around the Three Laws in a very ingenious way and used a Spacer robot to kill a Spacer.
The Three Laws and the breaking thereof is a recurring theme of Asimov's work and much of the science fiction which followed him (including, especially, Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey), stories of robots taking over the world or otherwise causing dangerous havoc, because of their mis-use or mis-treatment by humans.
And now, we have the use of a robot in Dallas to kill a bad guy.
I'm in a pickle about this
[Posted by Adam Forrest on Thursday, 05/19/16 9:32 am] [Permalink] [Tweet This]
There's a great brand of pickles called Mt. Olive.
I can't stop wondering, why doesn't the Mt. Olive company also make olives? It would seem like a natural to me, but they don't.
It's not like they're adverse to non-cucumber based products.
They make several different flavors of peppers.
So, fess up, Mt. Olive! What do you have against olives?
Thinking inside of the box
[Posted by Adam Forrest on Friday, 04/29/16 11:03 am] [Permalink] [Related Posts] [Tweet This]
I think this is gonna make a lot of dough!
Sorry, that joke was cheesy...
[Posted by Adam Forrest on Wednesday, 04/06/16 10:15 am] [Permalink] [Related Posts] [Tweet This]
A lie told often enough becomes the truth
[Posted by Adam Forrest on Wednesday, 03/02/16 3:30 pm] [Permalink] [Related Posts] [Tweet This]
In 1969, American comedy troupe The Firesign Theatre released their second satirical comedy LP entitled "How Can You Be in Two Places at Once When You're Not Anywhere at All," which famously featured this picture on its cover:
It took 47 years, but now that punchline has finally come full circle.
According to the French news agency AFP, since the February 2014 ouster of the ex-Soviet republic's Russian-backed president, and an April 2015 law banning public displays of communist symbols, large swathes of Ukraine have been erasing remnants of their totalitarian past.
Today it was reported that in Kalyny, a western Ukrainian village of about 5,000 people located just 12 miles from the European Union's eastern border, a street which used to honor Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin has now been officially renamed, ironically, after The Beatles' John Lennon.
While some streets have been renamed by the proposal of local communities, in the case of John Lennon Street, the governor of the region himself ordered the change.
I wonder, does this mean future releases of the Beatles' White Album in the Ukraine will have to be issued without "Back In The USSR?"
(Image thanks to Phil Proctor)
No, the app must be broken!
[Posted by Adam Forrest on Sunday, 02/14/16 5:26 pm] [Permalink] [Tweet This]
Can't give these Beemers away
[Posted by Adam Forrest on Friday, 02/12/16 1:31 pm] [Permalink] [Tweet This]
This is one of my favorite eBay auction listings so far:
The seller, who's listed as being located in Redwood City, California, explains he's "trying to purchase a house in the Valley of Silicon."
It's a really good thing he listed this auction as Free Shipping. Can you imagine what it would cost to send a license plate with a BMW attached to it through UPS?
Marty! Where's my cell phone?
This artifact, a clay tablet claimed to be dated to the 13th Century, was recently found in the Fuschl am See archaeological dig in Salzburg, Austria:
The artifact is curious for several reasons, first of which is that it so closely resembles a cell phone from 1998:
But the weirdness does not end there, because the symbols on the "buttons" of the "cell phone" are in the Sumerian writing style known as Cuneiform. Finding artifacts with Cuneiform writing on them are common in areas like Iran, but they are rare in Austria. And it's the first artifact ever uncovered that appeared to look like a cell phone.
So, why was this artifact with Cuneiform out of place in Austria? Does the uncovering of this strange artifact prove that people from our time have Time Travelled to the past? Or that ancient aliens visited our world long ago with similar technology?
Nokia could not be reached for comment, but we suspect that the Sumerian cell phone would no longer have active service.
Where's Waldo?
[Posted by Adam Forrest on Monday, 11/23/15 12:16 pm] [Permalink] [Related Posts] [Tweet This]
Oh, wait. There he is.
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On this date…16th January 1934
The Swansea Little Theatre began their five night run of performances at Southend, Mumbles, of their latest undertaking, the 18th Century William Congreve comedy, The Way of the World.
Dylan played the part of the foolish young Witwoud. The programme however, listed him as 'Dilyn' Thomas.
Mrs. Evelyn Burman a fellow cast mate of Dylan's at the Little Theatre recalled Dylan's impromptu trips to the 'Prince of Wales' pub or 'Cheeses' as it was known locally due to the owner being one Mr. Cheddar. She said…
'In 1934 I played the very minor role of Mincing..woman to Mrs. Millamant in The Way of the World and as Dylan was Witwoud, a follower of Mrs. Millamant, it meant that we were often waiting in the wings. He would say to me 'Mincing! I'm mincing off' (the pub was less than two minutes from the theatre.)
She went on to say,
'he never failed to appear ready for his next entry' by all accounts Dylan was a burgeoning great actor and could hold his audience in a transfixed state.'
Of the performances of this Congreve play Evelyn recounted,
'One of his (Dylan's) lines, 'Gad, I have forgot what I was about to say to you' he used more than once to cover up a whirlwind entry until he composed himself.'
on 16 January, 2017 at 9:00 am Leave a Comment
Tags: 16th January, 1930s, 1934, Acting, Actor, Comedy, dylan thomas, Fun, Mumbles, Newspaper, On This Date, Performance, Play, Poems, poet, Poetry, Pub, Swansea, Swansea Little Theatre, The Way of the World, Theatre, Trivia, Wales, Welsh Periodical, William Congreve
12 year old D.M. Thomas of Swansea had a poem entitled His Requiem published in Wales' national newspaper, the Western Mail.
Nearly 45 years later it was discovered that he had cribbed the verse from one of his favourite boyhood reads The Boy's Own Paper of November 1923. Had the act been committed for mere devilment? More likely it had been an attempt by the young boy with aspirations of becoming a poet, to gain the approval from his parents which he so craved.
The paper would send the Thomases a postal order of 10 shillings as payment but Dylan's parents were so proud of their son's achievement that it was never spent.
In 1971, upon publication of Dylan Thomas: The Poems (edited by Dylan's great friend Daniel Jones) a keen eyed reader by the name of Mr. Richard Parker of London alerted The Sunday Telegraph to this poem which featured in the book's Early Poems section. It seems that Mr. Parker had a very good memory and remembered His Requiem being published by a Miss Lillian Gard, a regular contributor of poems and stories to the Boy's Own Paper in the 1920s.
As a result, Daniel Jones book at first carried a publisher's note acknowledging the new finding and then the poem was removed in later editions.
on 14 January, 2017 at 12:33 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: 14th January, Book, Boy's Own Paper, Daniel Jones, dylan thomas, His Requiem, Lillian Gard, Newspaper, Plagiarism, Poems, poet, Poetry, The Sunday Telegraph, Western Mail
An in depth review of Dylan's 18 Poems appeared in the Herald of Wales newpaper. Reviewer, A. Spencer Vaughan-Thomas B.A. (Oxon) wrote…
'No one can read his work without feeling that here is a poet magnificently equipped to achieve great things.'
on 12 January, 2017 at 4:30 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: 18 Poems, 1935, Article, dylan thomas, Herald of Wales, January 12th, Newspaper, Poems, poet, Poetry, Review, Swansea, Writing
A highly complimentary review of Dylan's first published book Eighteen Poems appeared in The Swansea Review section of the Swansea & West Wales Guardian newspaper.
This seems to be the first instance where the book was reviewed in a Welsh periodical.
The reviewer, "20th CENTURY" says of Dylan…
'Modern poets fall into two categories, those who are the creatures of their age, and those who are it's creators. In the latter group we find Auden, Spender and Dylan Thomas. It is a fault of both Auden and Spender, that having perfected their technique as poets, they strain themselves to become perfect media for propaganda. Dylan Thomas is too much the artist to allow politics to bemuse his muse. One knows instinctively his politics are correct, but they hover like a faint perfume above the lines of his poetry; they neither intrude or obtrude.'
He closes with…
'Mr. Thomas is doing with poetry much the same as James Joyce did with prose. He is making a new language, not a Joyce did by making numerous languages to produce an illegitimate literary off-spring, but hammering new meaning into old worlds and phrases; crowning backs with the alchemy of his essentially poetic imagination.
Tags: 1935, dylan thomas, January 11th, Newspaper, On This Date, Poems, poet, Poetry, Review, Swansea, Swansea & West Wales Guardian, Wales, Writer, Writing
An advert in the South Wales Evening Post gives mention that the first book of poems by Swansea's Dylan Thomas entitled 18 Poems, will be reviewed in its sister paper the Herald of Wales.
on 10 January, 2017 at 10:28 am Leave a Comment
Tags: 18 Poems, 1935, dylan thomas, Herald of Wales, On This Date, Poems, Poetry, Review, South Wales Evening Post, Swansea, Wales, Writer

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


All kids need is a little help, a little hope and somebody who believes in them. This is especially true for the children in Orang Asli Village. Every little gift they receive means a lot to those living in poverty. And what is better than blessing the children with education and literacy, which is the KEY to breaking the poverty circle? The power of education will in turn improve their general livelihood. This is the objective of the "Library of HOPE" program.
A library will be built from scratch for the children of Orang Asli Village, Kampung Paya Buluh, Daerah Bera, Pahang. The library will be filled with children's book and toys. And, most importantly, it will be filled with love that will nurture the children, and with hope that will inspire them!
Give these children a little help and love. When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too. They are the seeds of today who will one day blossom into the flowers of tomorrow!
A program created to build a library from server racks, recycled from IT companies, for under privileged children, mainly the "Orang Asli" of a small village located on the outskirts of Bidor, Perak. The library will be filled with toys and children's books. The aim is to bring joy and provide literacy and education to the children of the village, empowering them to break the cycle of poverty.
Did you know that one in every two Orang Asli live under the poverty line? Nearly half of the 30,000 Orang Asli households (or 150,000 people) live below the poverty line. Of these, about 5,700 households (19%) are considered to be extremely poor.
How will the library be built?
The library will be built with the fund raised with online campaign and sponsorship from Ho Hup Construction Company Berhad. It will be equipped with shelves, computers, children books, toys, soft floor mat and beanbags. On 7th Nov 2015, all volunteers will be there to help build the library in "gotong royong" way.
Where do the books and toys come from?
The children's books and toys are collected from the public as part of the "Happy Library in a Box" program. This program was launched on July 20th, 2013, and the collection point is in several places.
Library of HOPE was created and is run by PeopleGiving. PeopleGiving is a registered non-profit organization started by a group of volunteers. The program is enabled by the spirit of volunteerism. This program is funded by PeopleGiving and our generous sponsor, Ho Hup Construction Company Berhad. We acknowledge sponsors by featuring them in the design of the Library, not forgetting all of the volunteers that have contributed selflessly to the program.
With the success of the 5 projects, we are moving ahead with the sixth library in orang asli villages located in Pahang, namely kampung Paya Buluh. The Library of HOPE program has started with all of the background works for the design, the sourcing of server racks and locating the space and village for this program. This library will be build on 7th Nov 2015. Thus, we are in the midst of collecting books, toys, stationaries, foods and many more for the purpose of furnishing the children's library.


We all woke up at 4:00 this morning to the hot stove cooking up news that Giancarlo Stanton was possibly within a physical examination of becoming a Yankee. Stanton negotiations took a sharp turn late this week as he stated that he would prefer a trade to one of four teams: the Yankees, Dodgers, Astros or Cubs rather than to the Cardinals or Giants.
It now appears the two sides have a deal involving Stanton, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. The expectation up to this point, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, is that the 28-year-old Stanton will waive his no-trade clause for the Yankees, if he has not already, pending his physical.
In the early hours of this morning, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported early, early this morning that the deal was "virtually done." and that Starlin Castro plus good but not top prospects that aren't close to majors would head to Miami, if completed. While Sherman reminded us in another tweet that Stanton's physical is not a slam dunk, that he has old injuries from football and high school, it would be even bigger news if he failed the physical at this point and did not get traded to the Yankees.
Sending Castro to Miami would open up second base for Gleyber Torres, who is expected to compete for a starting job in spring training. Ronald Torreyes and Tyler Wade would also get a shot at the second base job, if Torres isn't 100 percent ready to go.
Rumors circulated overnight that Brian Cashman got involved in trade talks for Stanton even prior to Stanton turning down the Giants because he found out that the Yankees could be in play. Now it seems, Cashman may pull off a deal on par with the deal that brought Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees in 2004.
The prospect of a lineup featuring Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Giancarlo Stanton, hitting 2-3-4, will undoubtedly strike fear into the heart of opposing pitchers. Forget the All-Star Game Home Run Derby, every day will be derby day if Stanton joins the bombers.
The very sound front office plan to get the 2018 salary commitments below the punitive CBA levels is endangered, but not necessarily dead…if Cashman can wheel and deal to get a trading partner with cap room to take Ellsbury and his ENTIRE manhole cover contract. That may require him to sweeten the deal with some of the touted farm system prospects…maybe even Clint Frazier. Game on!


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Wild Classroom Spotlight
Connecting educators and parents with the tools and resources they need to help kids explore and understand the world around them. Together we can inspire the next generation to build a future where people and nature thrive!
Featured Educator / Class
Bridget Berg
Palouse Prairie Charter School, a public charter school in Moscow, Idaho, utilizes "expeditions" to create meaningful, challenging, and joyful work for its students. Here, Bridget Berg, a former teacher at Palouse Prairie, reflects on last year's expedition led by her 5th grade class to deliver a sense of urgency to protect our planet's endangered species. Click to read more
Lindsey Fella Berry
Lindsey Fella Berry is a mother of four children and CEO of Helping Ninjas, a nonprofit organization founded and created by her ten-year old son, Leo. Here, Lindsey reflects on how Wild Classroom's Conservation in the Classroom livestream program has helped sparked new enthusiasm and action project ideas for many of the Helping Ninjas. Click to read more
Previous Spotlights
Trevor Hance
Trevor Hance, the Coordinator for Enrichment and the Environment at a public school in Austin, Texas, was a winner of Natural Habitat Adventures' first-ever Monarch Butterfly Scholarship Grant–an opportunity awarded to exemplary environmental educators to travel to Mexico and observe millions of monarch butterflies during their winter hibernation as part of the Kingdom of the Monarchs adventure. Here, Trevor shares of his continued curiosity in nature and why it's important for young people to form a relationship with the environment. Click to read more
Janelle McCarthy and her Class
Janelle McCarthy, Multiple Disabilities Support Teacher at South Lebanon Elementary School in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, shares how she used Wild Classroom with her students and why it's important to bring conservation to life in the classroom. Click to read more
Mireille Hess
Mireille Hess, a third-grade teacher at Edgewood Elementary in Greenfield, Wisconsin, was a winner of Natural Habitat Adventures' first-ever Monarch Butterfly Scholarship Grant—an opportunity awarded to exemplary environmental educators to travel to Mexico and observe millions of monarch butterflies during their winter hibernation as part of the Kingdom of the Monarchs adventure. Here, Mireille shares how she uses her experience to inspire her students. Click to read more
Molly Foster
Molly Foster, an art teacher at Hollymead Elementary School in Charlottesville, Virginia, empowers students each year to put their artistic creativity towards a great cause by hosting an art fair to raise awareness and fundraise for endangered animals. Click to read more
Palouse Prairie Charter School, a public charter school in Moscow, Idaho, utilizes "expeditions" to create meaningful, challenging, and joyful work for its students. Here, Bridget Berg, a former teacher at Palouse Prairie, reflects on last year's expedition led by her 5th grade class to deliver a sense of urgency to protect our planet's endangered species.
© Bridget Berg
Bridget Berg and Students
The expeditionary learning method used by Palouse Prairie consists of long-term, in-depth, standards-based units that have strong real-world connections. My 5th grade students spent all semester on their expedition "The 6th Mass Extinction", becoming experts on the environment while recognizing that we are in the midst of a human-caused mass extinction. Students gathered a well-rounded understanding of why biodiversity is important and how everything is interconnected, often using WWF's website as a reference. After exploring climate change and other threats facing our environment, small groups became experts on a specific biome, including why their biome is at risk today. Group members then selected specific threatened species native to their biome that they would highlight in the final product of their expedition. The final product consisted of a moving two- or three-sentence voiced poem from the perspective of their species, as well as a watercolor visual of each species. After several weeks of peer-editing, revising, and rehearsal, the poetry and art came together in a powerful performance at a local theater called The Kenworthy.
As a teacher, it is important to bring the topic of conservation into the classroom because humans are at the center of the environmental crisis and young people stand to lose the most. You cannot learn about ecosystems, biodiversity, adaptations, and other biological topics, without also discussing the risks that all species and ecosystems are facing right now. In the wake of the IPCC report and the UN's declaration that one million species could go extinct in our lifetimes, now is the time to ensure that everyone is taking the importance of biodiversity to heart.
Bridget Berg Student Artwork
As the 5th-grade students learned more about the state of the world, it was incredibly important to me that they did not fall into apathy and the mindset of, "That's just the way things are", or "It's just too big of an issue." Instead of feeling defeated by their knowledge, through this project, students recognized the incredible power their voices can have and focused their passion into raising awareness about the situation. Their end-of-unit product was meant to help my students see that they can be leaders in the fight for a better world for all. When students see themselves as leaders and see that others are listening to their important words, they indeed have the power to change the world.
Check out Ms. Berg's 5th grade class' performance on YouTube
Lindsey Fella Berry is a mother of four children and CEO of Helping Ninjas, a nonprofit organization founded and created by her ten-year old son, Leo. The mission behind Helping Ninjas is to create awareness of the importance of teaching our youth how to help the planet, each other, and oneself, while becoming future leaders and ambassadors of help, hope, and change. Here, Lindsey reflects on how Wild Classroom's "Conservation in the Classroom" livestream program has helped sparked new enthusiasm and action project ideas for many of the Helping Ninjas.
Helping Ninjas seeks like-minded young people who are wildly passionate about doing the best we can for our planet and for all living species on Earth. Wild Classroom enabled Helping Ninjas to learn, help, and share about subjects that are important to us, such as our oceans and endangered species.
On World Oceans Day 2019, a group of Helping Ninjas organized a community party in Indianapolis, Indiana to celebrate nature and learn more about how to help our oceans and marine life by participating in Wild Classroom's Conservation in the Classroom livestream program debut with WWF sustainability expert, Erin Simon. This live session with a WWF staffer gave Helping Ninjas youth the opportunity to talk with Erin and learn about how plastic is harming ecosystems, why it matters, and what measures are being taken. Because of the visual and virtual interaction, the kids felt more connected to the subject of healthy oceans and better understand plastic pollution causes, consequences, and ways to help.
This Conservation in the Classroom experience led Helping Ninjas creator and founder, 10-year old Leo Berry, to invite his fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Roher, and his class at College Wood Elementary to participate in the next livestream event.
Wild Classroom is a new arena of learning that promotes children's thinking and problem-solving skills, while allowing development of their own ideas and questions. After participating in the Conservation in the Classroom livestream events, the Helping Ninjas shared what they learned through drawings, pictures, and text, building on their understanding of global issues and connecting with others. Letting children learn how to help the world and share that knowledge is truly empowering. When kids are willing and can successfully interact with peers and socialize for a cause—there really is reason to celebrate!
Trevor Hance, the Coordinator for Enrichment and the Environment at a public school in Austin, Texas, was a winner of Natural Habitat Adventures' first-ever Monarch Butterfly Scholarship Grant–an opportunity awarded to exemplary environmental educators to travel to Mexico and observe millions of monarch butterflies during their winter hibernation as part of the Kingdom of the Monarchs adventure. Here, Trevor shares of his continued curiosity in nature and why it's important for young people to form a relationship with the environment.
© Trevor Hance
Trevor Hance at Velo de Novia Waterfall, Valle de Bravo, Mexico
Mountain forests hug you and hold you tight. They are simultaneously wild and tranquil; seemingly infinite, yet intimate. Millions of monarch butterflies embrace that "hug" each winter as they cluster tightly amongst the stunning oyamel ("sacred fir") forests high in the mountains of Central Mexico after completing a remarkable five-generation, 3,000-kilometer migration from Canada.
As a recipient of Natural Habitat Adventures' first ever Monarch Butterfly Scholarship Grant, I witnessed the monarchs in those forests early each morning on an expedition in January. There, cool mornings would give way to warmer skies and warm wings, and the monarchs would simultaneously take flight, flitting and floating downhill like an orange and black river rushing through bouquets of wildflowers.
My teaching philosophy centers on creating transformative experiences that recognize interdependence in nature and holding ourselves accountable for our role in it. Connecting people with the world we all share increases self-awareness and an understanding of our responsibilities as part of the interconnected systems in the Universe. Over the past decade, I have designed and developed numerous living laboratories that provide a backdrop to cultivate wonder and create legacy. In these wild spaces, students are given time and freedom to explore, craft their own questions, and independently discover answers. They become conservationists through these long-lens experiences and develop a land-ethic that frequently carries them into positions of leadership.
"A forest-hug" on Day 1 in El Rosario Sanctuary near Angangueo, Mexico
Monarchs migrate through Texas twice each school year and are part of our interdisciplinary learning journey that recognizes relationships between economics and ecology, and how those subjects relate to critical contemporary challenges due to rapid changes to our planet. My journey to the Kingdom of the Monarchs extended my personal boundaries and allowed me to pursue a point of collective curiosity I share with my students. The expedition experience included mountains and monarchs, as well as direct exposure to forestry-conservation work by WWF, visits with local community leaders, and an afternoon in a school in Angangueo, the town in the valley below the El Rosario Sanctuary. My images and experiences from the expedition help students see we all have a voice in this multinational conservation story. They have their own special place among the people around the world who are actively working towards a better, more informed tomorrow.
Janelle McCarthy, Multiple Disabilities Support Teacher at South Lebanon Elementary School in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, shares how she used Wild Classroom with her students and why it's important to bring conservation to life in the classroom.
My name is Janelle McCarthy and I love my students! I teach Multiple Disabilities Support for kindergarten and first grade students. My kiddos have complex educational needs—many of them are nonverbal and all need some degree of physical support.
A large part of my role is finding and adapting grade-level curriculum to meet the needs of my students. I am so grateful for Wild Classroom materials because they provided relevant, easily adaptable lessons across content areas. Because of Wild Classroom, my students were able to learn about conservation in a hands-on way, just like their typical peers!
Conservation is relevant to all of us—regardless of age or ability, we all call this planet our home. The fact that Wild Classroom makes the abstract concept of conservation concrete in their lessons is developmentally appropriate and very engaging!
© Janelle McCarthy
Mireille Hess, a third-grade teacher at Edgewood Elementary in Greenfield, Wisconsin, was a winner of Natural Habitat Adventures' first-ever Monarch Butterfly Scholarship Grant—an opportunity awarded to exemplary environmental educators to travel to Mexico and observe millions of monarch butterflies during their winter hibernation as part of the Kingdom of the Monarchs adventure. Here, Mireille shares how she uses her experience to inspire her students.
© Mireille Hess
Mireille Hess and her students planting milkweed
When I applied for the grant, I knew a lot about the monarch. But after my amazing experience in the sanctuary, I understood more than ever that we are all in this together. Mexico, Canada, the US, and every one of us needs to come together to save this incredible species. My experience in Mexico renewed my sense of urgency to educate people about the monarch and about the importance of planting milkweed and native flowering plants. It's going to take all of us, especially in the Midwest, working together to plant native flowers and milkweed to save this migration.
Where I live in Wisconsin, the monarchs arrive at the end of May, stay all summer, and begin their migration in early September, if not sooner. I spend my summers educating groups of people and whoever will listen about the monarch. I kick off my school year with an in-depth study of the monarch. I enjoy having students raise a small caterpillar into an adult butterfly and tag and release the butterfly. Unfortunately, with the population of monarchs continuing to decline, I can't always collect enough caterpillars for every student, so I don't necessarily get to carry out this activity each year. During this unit, students discover the issues the monarchs face. Children love to help so we put together a plan for something they can do—planting milkweed, petitions to stop using pesticides, etc. These lessons are part of a greater migration unit, where students study a grand migration that an animal takes and then make an action plan to help it flourish.
Mireille Hess amidst the monarchs in Mexico
Our children will be facing many issues relating to climate change and species survival. To get people to care about something enough to make changes in their own lives, they have to see it and experience it. I hope that raising and releasing a butterfly is an experience they're not likely to forget. After traveling to Mexico, I realized it's just as important to learn about the other people that want to save the monarch, as it is to learn about the monarch. When everyone comes together, creative solutions can be found. Conservation is more than just loving an animal; it's taking action in a meaningful and respectful way.
Molly Foster, an art teacher at Hollymead Elementary School in Charlottesville, Virginia, empowers students each year to put their artistic creativity towards a great cause by hosting an art fair to raise awareness and fundraise for endangered animals.
As the art teacher at an arts integration-based elementary school (preK-5), I came up with the idea to put an art show together that would showcase all of our students' work in art and other content areas. Now in its fifth year, the art show raises funds for WWF by selling our artworks of endangered animals.
Earth Day seemed a perfect time to integrate the arts with learning about our planet, the animals that live among us, and how human behavior is affecting the Earth. Local artists, environmentalists, and musicians join us in this day of art and support of endangered animals everywhere. A local animal sanctuary even brings in a few animals to visit with our students.
The students work for months on their art. They include the name of the animal and some students include the population of those animals left in the wild, which impacts viewers in a strong way. Students also make posters that share ways to help the planet. They feel empowered because they are raising money for endangered animals through their art and learning new ways they can help the Earth.
© Molly Foster
Join us to make change. Speak up for species and places through WWF's Action Center.
Make a symbolic animal adoption to help save some of the world's most endangered animals from extinction and support WWF's conservation efforts.


text:
DeKalb County teachers get moment to relax before school year
By KEVIN SOLARI
Diane Gomez, and instructional assistant with Early Learning and Development Center in DeKalb, selects the washi tape she wants to use for her picture frame. Art therapy was one of the activities teachers could participate in at he second annual Spirit Days Thursday at the Community Outreach Building. (Kevin Solari)
DeKALB – When you find trivia, zumba, free massages and comfort dogs all in one place, it can only mean summer nearly is over and school is about to begin.
On Thursday, the DeKalb County Regional Office of Education held its second annual Spirit Day at the Community Outreach Building, 2500 N. Annie Glidden Road, DeKalb. Vendors from across the county came to show support and help teachers get ready for the new school year.
Regional Superintendent Amanda Christensen said the idea was inspired by school spirit days.
"You wear your shirt and have an assembly to show your spirit," she said. "We as a county office wanted to show our spirit for our personnel," she said.
The idea was designed to help teachers prepare for the upcoming school year, but didn't include reading, writing or arithmetic.
"It was all generally toward stress management, health, wellness and self-care," Christensen said.
Activities focused on laughter, fitness and mindfulness, she said, and comfort and coping strategies to kick off the new year.
Teaching often is cited as one of the most stressful professions. Earlier this year, a study from the National Foundation for Educational Research found that 20% of teachers in the United Kingdom feel tense about their job "most or all of the time."
In 2017, a study at a Midwestern school district reported that 93% of teachers reported high stress, while only 7% said they were "well-adjusted."
Laura Russman, curator at the Schingoethe Center at Aurora University, hosted an art therapy class for teachers.
"Studies show that doing art for just 20 minutes can reduce stress," she said. She walked teachers through making a scratch board or washi tape picture frames.
A scratch board is a black sheet of paper that, when run over with a a tool to scratch it, would reveal a white drawing underneath. The picture frames used decorative tape to make designs on the outside of a plain picture frame.
"It's not unlike something we do with students at the college," Russman said.
Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Ministries brought three of their comfort dogs to the event.
Volunteer Ray Pemoller said that the dogs go to all sorts of events and locations, from disasters to schools and hospital visits. The ministry began after the shooting at Northern Illinois University, when the organization brought dogs to comfort students.
"We saw the benefit of using our dogs to bring comfort," Pemoller said
Missy Hester, a first-grade teacher at Prairie View Elementary School in Sandwich said she thought the day was a neat idea.
"There are a lot of resources and things I'd never heard of," she said.
During the school year, when there isn't a fair to help deal with the stress, she said she and her fellow teachers work together. She attended the fair with a fellow Prairie View teacher Amanda Forester.
"We work with each other, and we can make light of a lot of it," Forester said of the school year stress.
The event was free for everyone to attend. All of the time from vendors and gifts bag for the raffle were donated by local businesses, Christensen said.
#localcrime


The town of Pec in western Kosovo was been devastated by the conflict.
Houses and businesses owned by the ethnic Albanian community were destroyed by their Serb neighbours and the Yugolsav army.
Now the Serbs have fled, but the destruction remains.
A plastics factory on the outskirts of town which used to employ over 100 people was used as a base by the Yugoslav army during the war and blown apart by Nato bombs.
Its former manager has no criticism of Nato for the bombing, but can only guess at what the damage means for his own future.
Now living in a tent in the ruins of his former home, Ismaijl Haki Nushi wonders if the business will ever re-open.
"Like me other workers have returned but there's nothing to do. We're just cleaning up the factory but eventually I suppose I'll have to find another job," he said.
It is not only the workers in factories hit by Nato bombs who are facing an uncertain future.
The whole economy has been shattered by the war, and people do whatever they can to earn a little money.
Opening a market stall is one of the few ways that people who have lost everything can earn a little money.
One formerly successful entrepeneur now trades on a market stall after losing his house, his fruit and vegetable store and thriving billiard hall.
"Everything was completely destroyed. Two cars that I owned were also stolen. It's very difficult now to be able to survive. That's why I'm forced to do this. I have five people to support," said trader Jusuf Hajdini.
No goods are being produced locally, so market traders have to cross to neighbouring Albania and Macedonia for supplies - the first sign of returning economic life.
But re-opening large factories is a much more complex enterprise, requiring supplies of raw materials, electric power and a way of distributing what is made.
Amid the appalling destruction, some of the big factories around Pec are trying to start up again.
The largest business that has attempted to re-open is the local brewery.
Serb managers in charge before the war have all fled and the new boss is a returning fighter from the Kosovo Liberation Army.
But the main problem is the frequent power cuts, which are impossible to predict, and bring production to a grinding halt for days on end.
Word that beer is sometimes produced has spread and lorries are queuing up outside to buy supplies.
Many have been queuing for a long time.
"I've travelled about 70 kilometres to get here and I've been waiting for 4 days," said engineering graduate Samee Gashee.
Waiting for things to get going again is the shared experience of everyone in Pec.
Although some businesses will restart unaided, many more will need outside help.
Pec's newly-appointed mayor - another former KLA fighter, Ethem Ceku - says help cannot come quickly enough.
"We are counting the days and hours, not the months. Every Albanian family in Kosovo has had someone killed or had their economic position changed for the worse. So we are appealing to the international community for financial help, because without their help we can't survive, " he said.
The first signs of rebuilding Kosovo's economy can already be seen on the streets of Pec.
But it will be a long time before most people in this town can resume ordinary jobs and ordinary lives.


Verhelst, Tom, Herwig Reynaert, and Kristof Steyvers. 2011. "Notions of Local Democracy: An Empirical Analysis of Local Councillors in Belgium." In 61st Political Studies Association Annual Conference : Transforming Politics : New Synergies, Proceedings, 1–17. Ghent, Belgium: Ghent University, Department of Political Science.
Verhelst, T., Reynaert, H., & Steyvers, K. (2011). Notions of local democracy: an empirical analysis of local councillors in Belgium. 61st political studies association annual conference : transforming politics : new synergies, Proceedings (pp. 1–17). Presented at the 61st Political Studies Association Annual Conference : Transforming Politics : New Synergies, Ghent, Belgium: Ghent University, Department of Political Science.
Verhelst T, Reynaert H, Steyvers K. Notions of local democracy: an empirical analysis of local councillors in Belgium. 61st political studies association annual conference : transforming politics : new synergies, Proceedings. Ghent, Belgium: Ghent University, Department of Political Science; 2011. p. 1–17.
Verhelst, Tom, Herwig Reynaert, and Kristof Steyvers. "Notions of Local Democracy: An Empirical Analysis of Local Councillors in Belgium." 61st Political Studies Association Annual Conference : Transforming Politics : New Synergies, Proceedings. Ghent, Belgium: Ghent University, Department of Political Science, 2011. 1–17. Print.


Google Now on Tap is a great idea in theory, but when it first launched last year the new feature had one undeniable flaw. It took too long to load (sometimes as long as five seconds). Thankfully, it looks like Google may have finally given Now on Tap the speed boost it deserved.
The new and improved version of Now on Tap was spotted by a Reddit user, who shared the information along with video proof on Sunday. A handful of people quickly chimed in to confirm that the service really does load a lot quicker, making it much more enjoyable to use. In the video, Now on Tap appears to pop up less than a second after the user presses down on the Home Button.
The idea behind Now on Tap is pretty simple. By holding down the home button from any screen you can call on Google to provide contextual information. So, if you're reading a movie review, you might see the option to buy tickets. If you just got an email about a package you ordered, Now on Tap can bring up tracking info, too.
The Google app for Android received an update last week on March 17. That might explain the recent speed boost though Google doesn't offer a specific changelog. Still, you can hit the source link below to grab the latest version of the app on Google Play if you haven't already.


text:
United Through Arts celebrates Black History Month as we feature the achievements of the
Musicians of the Harlem Renaissance.
The Harlem Renaisance was a period of increased recognition and involvement in various cultural movements and developments. Duke Ellington played a major role in popularizing jazz music in Harlem, and throughout the nation. Aside from his live performances at the Cotton Club, Ellington also wrote music for Broadway musicals
Born on April 29, 1899, Ellington was raised by two talented, musical parents in a middle-class neighborhood of Washington, D.C. At the age of seven, he began studying piano and earned the nickname "Duke" for his gentlemanly ways. Inspired by his job as a soda jerk, he wrote his first composition, "Soda Fountain Rag," at the age of 15. Despite being awarded an art scholarship to the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, Ellington followed his passion for ragtime and began to play professionally at age 17.
In the 1920s, Ellington performed in Broadway nightclubs as the bandleader of a sextet, a group which in time grew to a 10-piece ensemble. Ellington sought out musicians with unique playing styles, such as Bubber Miley, who used a plunger to make the "wa-wa" sound, and Joe Nanton, who gave the world his trombone "growl." At various times, his ensemble included the trumpeter Cootie Williams, cornetist Rex Stewart and alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges. Ellington made hundreds of recordings with his bands, appeared in films and on radio, and toured Europe on two occasions in the 1930s.
Ellington's fame rose to the rafters in the 1940s when he composed several masterworks, including "Concerto for Cootie," "Cotton Tail" and "Ko-Ko." Some of his most popular songs included "It Don't Mean a Thing if It Ain't Got That Swing," "Sophisticated Lady," "Prelude to a Kiss," "Solitude" and "Satin Doll." A number of his hits were sung by the impressive Ivie Anderson, a favorite female vocalist of Ellington's band.
Ellington became a staple in the Harlem Renaissance. He and Greer left Sweatman, trying to make it on their own. They were met with stiff competition. In 1923, Ellington began a four-year engagement with the Hollywood Club, later known as the Kentucky Club.
In 1926, Ellington met Irving Mills, an agent and publisher who had worked with Hoagy Carmichael, Dorothy Fields, and Harold Arien. He signed with Mills, later recording with multiple record labels.
In 1927, King Oliver turned down a regular booking at the Cotton Club. This opened the door for Ellington as an artist. He increased his band to eleven people, meeting the Club's requirements. He began a weekly radio broadcast, increasing his exposure, especially to the white and wealthy clients of the Cotton Club.
After the Harlem Renaissance, the Great Depression hit. It nearly destroyed the recording industry, but due to his newfound notoriety, Ellington was not dropped by the record labels. The Orchestra hired Ivie Anderson as a vocalist; she can be heard on "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing.)"
While the Great Depression gripped the world, Ellington and his Orchestra gained a following internationally. In 1933 and 1934, they visited Europe, finally reaching their European fans. In the later 1930's, he left Mills and signed with the William Morris Agency. Ellington went on another successful European tour, but was overshadowed by the looming World War.
Duke Ellington's greatness is undeniable. He is arguably the greatest jazz musician ever, was a key aspect of the Harlem Renaissance, and was an era-defining musical genius. In 1965, Ellington was on the short list for the Pulitzer Prize in music, but no award was given that year. In 1999, he posthumously received a special Pulitzer Prize "in recognition of his musical genius."
SOUTH JERSEY MUSICIAN
PERFORMS A TRIBUTE TO DUKE ELLINGTON
SEE Mark Smith's Tribute here...


text:
The burden of Damascus: "Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
The [mournful, inspired] oracle (a burden to be carried) concerning Damascus [capital of Aram (Syria), and Israel's defense against Assyria]. "Listen carefully, Damascus will cease to be a city And will become a fallen ruin.
AMPC
The mournful, inspired prediction (a burden to be lifted up) concerning Damascus [capital of Syria, and Israel's bulwark against Assyria]. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins.
A pronouncement concerning Damascus: Look, Damascus is no longer a city. It has become a ruined heap.
An oracle about Damascus. Look! Damascus is finished as a city; it will become a fallen ruin.
This is a prophecy about Dammesek: "Dammesek will soon stop being a city; it will become a heap of ruins.
This is a message about Damascus: Damascus is doomed! It will end up in ruins.
The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from [being] a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
The burden of Damascus. Behold Damascus shall cease to be a city, and shall be as a ruinous heap of stones.
This is a message about Damascus: "Damascus is now a city, but it will be destroyed. Only ruined buildings will be left there.
EHV
An oracle against Damascus. Soon Damascus will no longer be a city. It will become a heap of ruins.
An oracle concerning Damascus. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins.
ESVUK
EXB
This is a ·message [prophecy; oracle; burden] about Damascus: "[L Look; T Behold] The city of Damascus will ·be destroyed [L cease to be]; only ruins will remain.
1 A prophecy of the destruction of Damascus and Ephraim, 7 calamity moveth to repentance. The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, for it shall be a ruinous heap.
This is the divine revelation about Damascus. "Damascus will no longer be a city. It will become a pile of rubble.
The Lord said, "Damascus will not be a city any longer; it will be only a pile of ruins.
An oracle against Damascus: Look, Damascus is no longer a city. It has become a ruined heap.
This is the message for Damascus: "The city of Damascus will be destroyed. Only ruins will be left there.
A message about Damascus: "Look! Damascus will cease to be a city. Instead, it will become a pile of ruins.
¶ The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
AKJV
An oracle of Damascus: "Look! Damascus will cease being a city and will become a heap of ruins.
TLB
This is God's message to Damascus, capital of Syria: Look, Damascus is gone! It is no longer a city—it has become a heap of ruins!
A Message concerning Damascus: "Watch this: Damascus undone as a city, a pile of dust and rubble! Her towns emptied of people. The sheep and goats will move in And take over the towns as if they owned them—which they will! Not a sign of a fort is left in Ephraim, not a trace of government left in Damascus. What's left of Aram? The same as what's left of Israel—not much." Decree of God-of-the-Angel-Armies.
The oracle of Damascus. See, Damascus will cease from being a city; it shall be a ruinous heap.
Oracle on Damascus: See, Damascus shall cease to be a city and become a pile of ruins;
The oracle concerning Damascus. "Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city And will become a fallen ruin.
This is a message about Damascus: "The city of Damascus will be destroyed; only ruins will remain.
This is an oracle about Damascus: "Look, Damascus is no longer a city, it is a heap of ruins!
Here is a prophecy against Damascus that the Lord gave me. He said, "Damascus will not be a city anymore. Instead, all its buildings will be knocked down.
A prophecy against Damascus: "See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins.
A prophecy against Damascus: 'See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins.
The burden against Damascus. "Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, And it will be a ruinous heap.
The special word about Damascus: "See, Damascus will no longer be a city. It will be destroyed and laid waste.
This message came to me concerning Damascus: "Look, the city of Damascus will disappear! It will become a heap of ruins.
An oracle concerning Damascus. See, Damascus will cease to be a city, and will become a heap of ruins.
NRSVA
NRSVACE
NRSVCE
OJB
The massa (burden) of Damascus. Hinei, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a heap of ruins.
This is God's message for Damascus: "Behold, Damascus is gone! It is no longer a city, only a heap of rubble.
An oracle concerning Damascus. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city, and will become a heap of ruins.
The burden of Damascus: Behold, Damascus will cease as a city and will become a ruinous heap.
A message about Damascus: Eternal One: So much for the "city of Damascus." It's done for. Soon it will be just a pile of rubble.
The burden of Damascus. "Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap.
The burden of Damascus. Lo! Damascus shall fail to be a city, and it shall be as an heap of stones in falling. (The burden of Damascus. Lo! Damascus shall cease to be a city, and it shall become but a heap of fallen stones.)
The burden of Damascus. Lo, Damascus is taken away from [being] a city, And it hath been a heap -- a ruin.
Isaiah 16:14Isaiah 17:2
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It looks like Sanjay Gupta is in no mood to take anything wrong about his film 'Jazbaa'. Few days ago, when the trailer of the film was out, one of the critics wrote bad things about it and the director was upset with the media personnel. And now, he has once again bashed a daily newspaper as they have reported something about his film which is apparently not true.
So, people out there, think twice before you mess with Sanjay Gupta.
As Sonakshi Opts Out Of Haseena, Which Actress Can Portray The Role?


When Ricky Chase turns twelve, he learns about the world of Legionnaires, boys and girls who change into animals to battle evil, and he is whisked from his home to train at the American Preserve in NYC. Expecting a gothic fantasy castle, Ricky's is surprised to find that the Preserve is a Daft-Punk-style New York Times skyscraper in midtown Manhattan, with techno music, auto clothing, airvators (elevators of air), and water slides that go from floor to floor on demand, all for the purpose of training the world's most elite children in the unique craft of channeling their inner animal. Not only do Legionnaires develop their animal's coolest abilities, but their dietary preferences as well—hopefully Ricky becomes something other than a beaver.
While Legionnaires can only channel one animal each, their enemies change into grotesque combinations, becoming fierce chimera-like warriors. Ricky struggles during his first year and ends up changing into more than one animal, casting suspicion that he is an enemy spy. When his new best friend, a Korean girl who transferred from the Asian Preserve, goes missing, he not only has to prove his innocence, but master his abilities, and channel his true animal or he'll never defeat the real spy and save her in time.
Ricky gazed down through his second floor window at the bustling Manhattan streets and wondered what life was like for the fourteen-thousand other foster kids in the city. The morning sun cast long shadows as people pinballed down the sidewalks, scurrying off to wherever it was they went on Sunday mornings.
The alley across the street loomed dark and quiet as usual, until a teenage boy emerged into the light and locked eyes with Ricky. He wore blue jeans and a gray hoodie, but instead of shoes, he had huge webbed feet, like an enormous bullfrog, and his hands were massive, red lobster claws.
Carlos nestled his pencil behind his ear, its yellow shaft contrasting with his black hair. He bounced over and gazed out the window with Ricky. The boy was still there, but his lobster claws and webbed feet were gone, replaced by regular hands and shoes. Ricky shook his head. Impossible. He'd only glanced away for a second. He pulled off his glasses, cleaned the lenses with his t-shirt, and slid them back on. Same. How had he changed so quickly?
Twelve-year-old Cat Brökkenwier wishes her life was a fairy tale because she believes she sees magical creatures everywhere. But home school in the suburbs falls way short of satisfying her over-active imagination, and her obsession begins to influence her schoolwork and the family business. Her mother, fed up with Cat's head-in-the-clouds attitude, takes away her treasured books and tells her it's time she grew up.
After weeks of living up to Mom's fun-sucking expectations, Cat snaps. She sneaks into the garage to rescue her beloved books while the family sleeps and stumbles upon an ancient diary all about the fae. Cat embarks on a quest to learn more and meets a centuries-old dryad who tells her the faerie-folk were real but they've blended in over the years until they look almost human, and Cat can spot them because she's one of them. Oh, and since she has royal blood and this "fae-dar," she's a candidate to become the last Princess of the Fae.
Now, Cat must earn the favor of the cliquish fae-born and united them before her rival, a goblin prince, uses his sinister magic to turn them into an army ... to destroy the humans.
I could just see him through a gap in the plywood. He was standing at the end of the alley behind our booth, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts and gnawing on a big, greasy turkey leg. He had a hook nose and black hair, and one bushy eyebrow all the way across his forehead. Black hair curled on his long arms and legs, too. Classic ogre.
Of course, to everyone else he just looked like a regular guy. You know how some people can look up at the clouds and find elephants and pirate ships and bunny rabbits? Me, I look at people and see fairies and dwarves and trolls. And they're everywhere.
I made another mark on my tally sheet and hid it under my homework. Besides the ogre, that made three pixies, one sprite, two elves, and that lady who might have been a gnome. All before lunch. Weekends at the fair always brought them out.
Feeling a twinge of guilt, I looked down at my homework. I was homeschooled, so Mom would be the one reading my paper – and the only thing I'd written so far was, "Catherine Brökkenwier, age 12." I was supposed to be writing a report on Windsor Castle in England. But instead, all of these fairy-tale people just reminded me how I wasn't a princess in my own fairy-tale castle.
They say, "Be careful what you wish for – you just might get it." Yeah, I'm not seeing the downside there.
Okay, I can see why I'm the first commenter. This is a really hard match up. Please keep in mind that both MG and fantasy aren't my expertise when reading my thoughts.
I don't have a lot of notes on the actual pages. I think you do a great job of setting up Ricky and his world without it feeling too much like an info dump. I actually work in the city, so I love the imagery of people pinballing down the sidewalks. And the reference to all the characters who have taken over Times Square. My main thoughts were on the query. I love how subtlety you acknowledged the sure-to-happen Harry Potter comparisons with the "expecting a gothic fantasy castle." I'd reword the beaver line so it's more from Ricky's POV: Ricky hopes he becomes something other than a beaver. I wanted to know more about the enemies in the query, specifically I wanted a name from them and maybe a line about their life's goal: for instance, to eliminate all kids? Turn them into one of them? I'd also look up dividing up some of your longer sentences. Some are a bit wordy and make it a bit hard to read.
I think the voice is super strong here. I got such a great sense of Cat. I love the imagery of an ogre wearing a Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts and gnawing on a big, greasy turkey leg. I would another line a bit to: That made one ogre, three pixies, one sprite, two elves, and that lady who might have been a gnome. The only thing that really felt out of place to me was the last line. The quote just felt a bit awkward to me.
I had a few more concerns with your query. I wanted a bit more details, because the details are what are going to set your story apart and make people want to read the great pages. Give us a taste of exactly how her obsession begins to influence her schoolwork and the family business. Can you explain the quest more. Like is it this land? Another land? I also don't think you need the "Oh" part. Finally, the Mom's fun-sucking expectations made me laugh a little too loudly.
Humanimals: Intriguing concept! It took me a bit to follow along, I feel the opening could use some tightening and perhaps a little more voice, it seems too matter of fact for something that Ricky knew nothing about.
I love your 250! What a wonderful introduction into Ricky and his about-to-change world!
Battle Royale: I'm a little confused, how does Cat meet the dryad? I feel the reveal that Cat is a Fae is understated, I'd love that to be more powerful, for us to get the feeling she already knew she had this fae-dar (I feared I was speculating here, until your 250, definitely bring this out!), and her reaction to the news herself.
Excellent 250! Lots of voice from Cat and I love how you show us her world right from the first words. A nitpick, I wanted to remove the "could just see" and "was standing" in the second paragraph to strengthen the language.
I swear, the hosts are enjoying the torture in these match ups! I really, really, REALLY want to choose both these entries, and it really pains me that I can only choose one. Victory to Battle Royale.
Oh, wow! These are both great.
I love the query in general. You give a great sense of setting, conflict, and stakes. My suggestions for the query are only a few: First, I'd mention that Ricky finds out HE is a Legionnaire, not only that they exist. Second, I LOVE that you're going for a little voice and humor with the beaver line, but it feels a little forced to me. I'd say something like "Legionnaires take on all of their animals' traits: abilities, weaknesses, even diets--Ricky hopes he doesn't get stuck as a beaver." (That's a little awkward too, since I just made it up off the top of my head, but more of a natural lead-in from the abilities, and more of Ricky's POV?) I'd also maybe go into detail on the enemies a little more--why are they enemies? What's so bad about them? Is there a name for them, this world's equivalent of "Death Eaters" or "Sith" or whatever? I'd like to have some kind of name for them to contrast with "Legionnaires."
As far as the first 250, I love the strong image of the boy with the webbed feet and claws, and I think it gives a good, ominous indication (much like some of the opening chapters of Harry Potter!) that Ricky's life is about to be changed by things he doesn't quite understand. The VERY FIRST LINE is a little lackluster for me. I wish something HAPPENED there. Instead, it feel like you're just saying that today was another day, and working in the fact that Ricky is a foster kid. I would EITHER start with the boy across the street, mention right off the bat that there was a kid with webbed feet, OR, follow Rowling's example and start with a "Nothing was ever going to happen to Ricky, just like it never happened to any other foster kid" opening that also sneakily makes it obvious that this is not true. I'd also like to know who Carlos is.... foster brother? Other than that, I think you're off to a great start.
I love how you start off with an introduction to the character that's very easy to identify with, set up both an intermediate and a long-term goal, and stakes. The idea of having to win over the clique-ish fae-born is great, and reminds me of Hermione's and Draco's arcs from the Harry Potter books (yay!). The main advice I'd give about the query is that some sentences seem a bit longer than they need to be. You could probably cut the first sentence off at "fairy tale," for example, and the sentence beginning "Cat embarks on a quest" could be split into at least two shorter, more concise sentences.
The first 250 are interesting. I love the subtle way you've introduced the setting... do Cat and her mother work at a fair? I'm not sure the physical description of the ogre needs to be as long as it is... it would be fine anywhere but the first page, but you're putting that little bit of distance between the reader and Cat at the beginning of the story... I want to get to know HER? Her immediate goal here is also a little weak. Wanting to be a princess seems a little young for a 12-year-old, and impossible (as far as she knows) enough that I want to know what she wants in REAL life here (to be reading a book? To finish her paper? To convince her mom that ogres are real?). This reminds me a lot of the opening of Labyrinth, which is great! ...but that seemed a bit young for the character too. Possibly also a matter of personal taste.
I really want to read this, NOW! The world you're building is sketched so well in the Query and First 250 that I can see it clearly, and I feel as surprised as Ricky discovering it. Just a few notes… On the query, I agree with the other judges that while the beaver line made me laugh out loud, it feels a little forced. Try switching it up so it's in Ricky's voice - "Ricky hopes he doesn't…" I'd also add my vote to giving us a little more on the big bad. What does the enemy want? Why are they spying? I think if you do that, it will also strengthen the stakes line. On the First 250, that pinball line is fantastic! I'm in SF, not NYC, but the same visual holds true. And it's particularly good for an MG voice. That's an analogy a 12 year old would make. I am a little confused as to where Ricky is, though. In a different foster home? Otherwise, his voice rings true and the humor and wonder are there already. Great job!
The voice in the First 250 is spot on. Hilarious imagery while also giving us an eye into Cat's frustrating circumstances. She can see all these wild things and she can't do anything about them. Moreover, she's made to feel guilty about it. As with Humanimals, I'm a little confused as to where she is. At the fair? That seems to be the case, but she's doing homework. In a booth then? Just a technical point. Otherwise, this definitely hooks me. It doesn't seem to sync up with the query, though. The First 250 reads like she already knows she's magical; the query like she doesn't discover that for a while. Also in the query, I'd like to know a bit more about the rival and why it matters to Cat to protect the human race.
Well, this is a first. My suggestions are essentially the same for both in that the 250s are great. They pull in the reader with interesting details and totally give a voice to the MC. Great, great job! As for the queries . . .
They both have strong first paragraphs, and then, for me, kind of veer off. In Humanimals I think you need something about the overall purpose of the Humanimals—what they're fighting and why a spy is so devastating. Why are there enemies? What's the conflict between the groups? Also, what is Ricky accused of? Killing his friend? Overall, I think that can be tightened/better explained.
In Battle Royale, the jump to the dryad needs to be clearer, and "embarks on a quest" and "learning more" are way too vague since MG characters are always embarking on quests. Does she travel to another land? How does a dryad come into the picture? Like in Humanimals' query, I think there needs to be some clarification and more specificity as to the basis of the personal conflict and stakes. (also, should be unite, not united).
Ugh. This one is so close. I'm going to have to go with the concept I'd prefer to read simply because you tied on 250 and tied on query. So . . .
I think the other judges have done a wonderful job in thoroughly analyzing some of the issues here. I'd basically reiterate what Buttercup says below. I think the first 250 words of each entry are marvelous. On the query side, I agree that Humanimals could use a tad more voice and Battle Royale would benefit from a bit more clarity (Bernadine's analysis is great).
I love both entries but I must say that I am so totally smitten with the concept of Humanimals that I have to give it my vote!
I can see why this one has been giving other judges so much trouble!
HUMANIMALS - I think this is basically the perfect concept for a MG book. The one thing I think is missing from the query is the WHY. I don't know why the legionnaires exist and why they need to train. I also don't get much voice from the query.
BATTLE ROYALE - Also a good concept, though I've seen it many times, so I want to know why your story is different from other fae books. What makes is stand out?
For concept, I'm going with VICTORY TO HUMANIMALS!
Jumping in on the last day to vote! Since the 250s for both of these entries draw me in equally, I'll focus on the queries in my critique, then overall for voting. I didn't read other comments and apologize if I repeat.
What a cool premise! My only concern is that your query seems to bog down with worldbuilding details about the school, and we lose Ricky's voice. I think you could easily fix this by presenting the worldbuilding from his pov. Keep him present in the query and show the world by how it impacts him.
Who is the enemy that can change into grotesque animal combinations? Is the world at war? A little more detail about who the enemy is and why it's important to defeat them may add to your stakes.
I also think you should bring his friend into the first paragraph, so we have an idea who she is from the start. Then, when she's kidnapped, we rooting for Ricky to save her.
In my opinion, you've got too much going on in your query. The first part shouts contemporary, and I love the part about her saving her books, but I'm jarred when this turns into a quest to earn the fae's favor, unite them, something about a prince, and an army bent on destroying humans.
Because this is a fantasy, I believe you should get to the fantasy elements sooner. I'm going out on a limb here, but suggest you cut the first paragraph and begin with her stumbling on the book about the fae, then use the rest of your words to build the fantasy world, so that when we're presented with the fabulous stakes, they have meaning.
Strange--I usually don't like shifter stories. Or Fae stories. I've just been tired of both, but each of these entries has such charm!
Wow, he's really going for it.
"Hey come check out this guy's costume." Ricky motioned Carlos to the window.
That's just me brainstorming a way to get more white space and maybe a reaction to the snarl.
THE LAST PRINCESS – also a charming premise laid out well in the query, which also introduces the world, stakes, and MC. All boxes checked. I love how much I hate Cat's mom for taking her books. Who does that?!? But I felt like I've read this storyline before, and I'm wondering how it will stand out, and I'm thinking if Cat is a powerhouse character, then maybe… just maybe… Alas, as well-written as the first page was, it just didn't have the punch of a big personality that I'd want in a fae story. For example, maybe replace "Feeling a twinge of guilt" with some kind of super-personality inner thought that really gives a glimpse into how Cat thinks and introduces her quirkiness. I just felt like I wanted a bit more voice in this first page.
I love the nickname. Very fun!
To start, I feel like you're missing a hook. Something that snazzy and awesome that makes us want to read more right off the bat.
The first paragraph has a lot of information, but I feel like it's world setting, so a lot of stuff is just being described. I'd really like to get into the inciting incident a bit faster so I know what's going on within this awesome world you've created.
Once you get to the second paragraph, I think it's great. I finally get some details on what the book is about, but I think it comes a bit too little too late. I have no connection to the Korean Girl, no idea who his master is, and the stakes, at least to me, fall a little flat because of it. I'd really like to know more about the story and less about the setting.
I see where you're going with this, but you've basically just got Ricky doing a lot of 'looking' to open up the scene. I also feel like the protagonists name is not only overused, but it comes at the beginning of the sentence quite a bit. You need to work on rearranging the syntax to give a variety of sentence types. Getting rid of filter words is going to help in that aspect.
I'm assuming this is setting up for Ricky to find out about his abilities, so I think you're at the right spot, I just feel like it needs a bit of tweaking so the reader isn't just 'looking' at everything so much. It might even work better if you start with him asking Carlos to come and see the costume, as opposed to giving us three paragraphs of description to start.
I really like this concept, but I feel like the opening is just missing something.
I like the first line, but I think it can be a bit stronger. As it stands, it's a bit passive, and I think with some tweaking you can make it a strong hook, especially by giving it a more active stance. The second sentence is a bit choppy. You start with a conjunction, which in my opinion can weaken a sentence, and then you have two more conjunctions (and) within the same sentence. The syntax is awkward, so you might want to break it up and see if you can work on that a bit.
The second paragraph is a lot stronger than the first, and really pulls me into what's happening. We've got the inciting incident, but I also feel like there's so much left out about the goblin prince—if he's her rival why are we only getting information on him at the last line? I think if you take away some of the back story you can start us off closer to the inciting incident, and open word space so you can get some important information in there. At this point, I want to know about this prince, why he's the rival, and why he wants to turn them into an army to destroy humans. That's the meat of your story, so that's what needs to be in the query.
This is another case of 'looking' with nothing actually happening. It's great she sees an ogre, but something needs to be happening other than just looking. You also have a habit of starting sentences with conjunctions, so you might want to work on avoiding that. At this point, I also feel like this one starts in the wrong spot. I'd glance over this trying to find some action to pull me into the story. Does her mom catch her after this? Do they get into an argument about how she's not allowed to have her books? Even as they're arguing does Catherine see the ogre standing behind he mother, which makes it hard for her to believe that her mother's lecture is right? I feel like there's so much more the character can be doing besides 'looking', and I'd really like to see that in the opening 250.
Again, love the idea, and I know that it's fantasy, but there's too much scene setting and looking.
This is a hard one to match up. Both need a bit of work to get it to the next level in the query, both have characters just 'looking' in the opening pages, and both are really awesome concepts.
Fun entries, guys! I would read both of these books.
Humanimals: Regarding the query, I know it's a bit inferred, but maybe make it clearer upfront that Ricky is a Legionnaire. I also wanted a tad bit more info about the chimeras. They felt stuck in there—where do they come from, what makes them evil? And my last thing would be to perhaps streamline the whole query a tad; cut a few things that aren't really necessary (like how Ricky expects the school to be a gothic fantasy castle) to make it punchier and more concise. Really like the 250! I only wanted to a bit of a hint dropped in about who Carlos is. I assume he's a friend and is an orphan like Ricky, but I would rather know for sure upfront. Really fun concept, though, and great writing overall!
Battle Royale: I think the query is well-written in general, but this is the part I get thrown for a loop: "Cat embarks on a quest to learn more and meets a centuries-old dryad." What does embark on a quest mean—what does she do, exactly? Read the diary? Find the owner of the diary and ask him or her about the fae?" I need a connector here, as I'm a bit lost. Also not sure what "fae-dar" is (maybe explain a bit?). Lastly, small thing: place a comma after "and stumbles upon an ancient" because otherwise it sounds like the family is doing that in addition to sleeping . Cute 250. Do kids write how old they are on their assignments? I thought it was more like current date, assignment title, etc.
Good luck to both you of guys! Fun concepts with excellent writing.
Humanimals: I love the title! I can see it really grabbing my attention as I walk by in a bookstore. The whole concept/story sounds amazing, and I really get a feel for the world you've built in the query. I almost think the first sentence of the query could be broken into two. Also, I wonder if there is a way to move your hook—Ricky saving his friend, proving his innocence--up higher in the query, rather than at the end of the 2nd paragraph. As for your first 250: your opening sentence says a lot about your character as well as the setting. I'm immediately drawn into this world and wondering more about Ricky. The first 250 seems perfect for a MG audience: you see your MC, see a strange character out the window with webbed feet, see the feet turn back to normal, the MC wonders what the heck happened – I bet a MG reader will love that and be drawn in immediately too. The only thing I might suggest would be to put more about how Ricky feels in there, though you might already do that beyond the 1st 250. Very, very well done!
Battle Royale: I love your story idea. You set readers up to discover many conflicts here, but I love the fact that there is one that kids could immediately identify with: struggling to be themselves when others (including parents) are trying to make them into something else. I really get a feeling for your character's voice in the query, which is so great & so important. My only critique would be to somehow condense the first two paragraphs, so we see more about where the story is going more quickly. Also, to maybe mention how Cat begins her journey. Is it through the book? Or will she actually leave home physically? As for your first 250: I absolutely LOVE the opening. Readers will immediately get drawn in and wonder about an ogre. I honestly can't find anything to suggest in your first 250. I wish I could be more helpful, but I think it's awesome as it is. Great work!
These are two seriously strong entries. I'm glad I don't have to pick one! Best of luck to both! I really hope to see these published so I can read the rest.
Battle Royale: I love your query! I would definitely read this book! It actually reminds me a little of the movie Paranorman. Very unique premise! Your 250 has a very clear voice, and I'd definitely keep reading. She did seem a bit older than twelve years old though, but not by much.
A tough match-up! There is so much I like about both of them! I definitely want to read both.
Humanimals: I love the fun world building details in your query. So hard to do! I agree with commenters above that I would add the idea of Ricky being a Legionnaire. I also wanted to know more about why these two groups are fighting. What's at stake if one side loses the fight?
Battle Royale: I love the humor in your query: fae-dar, fun-sucking expectations! I would break up the first sentence into 2 ideas. A few questions as I read: Is her imagination really crippling the family business? Why is she working at 12? I was also confused about what world we are in once she meets the dryad. Does she find the dryad in a fairy realm? Or is everything still happening on earth?
I loved the top of your 250, but her ambition to be a princess in a castle left me with a few questions. If fairy-tale characters are walking around in our world, are there really castles out there for her to inhabit? Is her ambition to be a princess less of an ambition and more of an idle wish? I guess I am unclear about whether she wants to be a princess walking around incognito (like the ogre) or if she wishes something even more impossible (that fairy tales are real and she is living in one of them). Are there incognito princesses walking around with the incognito ogres that she has seen? Essentially: does she believe being a princess is an attainable goal?
Humanimals: Query: This is just me but I get tired of kids turning twelve and coming into powers. Ever since Harry Potter I seem to see it a lot more. If they have waterslides to travel on, does that mean they are always wet and the ground slippery? I don't think you need to mention his best friend is Korean. It makes it seem like you are adding diversity for diversity sake. It's fine if she is Asian but it doesn't seem like it needs to me mention in the query to move the plot along. I like the line about how he hopes he doesn't turn into a Beaver. It makes me wonder what he wants to turn into. I think the stakes are high in the fact that everyone thinks he is a spy and he has to not only save his best friend but also clear his name. 250: I am drawn in with the first 250. I like how you set the scene and how he sees the guy who he thinks is in costume. I think it would be cool if Ricky sees the Legionnaire but his friend can't.
Battle Royale: Query: What girl doesn't dream of being a princess and a Fae one at that. I think you set it up good, but I would like to see more specific stakes other than wipe out the entire human race. It seems to broad. 250: I like how she sees people as goblins, trolls and fairies. the first 250 really drew me in and mated me want to read more.
Query: I really like the concept, but in the query you get into the trap of listing cool things instead of sticking to the plot. If you cut out some of the unnecessary tidbits describing the school and streamline the query to focus on your MC, I think you will have an excellent entry.
250: Good job setting up the story and ending at a point that makes me want to turn the page. Nicely done.
250: I really like your opening line, and the rest of the page doesn't disappoint. You have a great first page, now I think if you work on the query a little more, you will have an awesome entry.
Good job both of you and good luck. I can see why the judges are so divided on this.
Oooh! A shifter tale! Me like! I suggest breaking up the first sentence of the query. Oh, and definitely the next one too. And my novel features several Korean characters too, so I'm enjoying the multi-cultural angle as well. That first paragraph's last sentence needs breaking up too. Does a twelve year old boy *really* ponder the plight of his fellow foster kids? "Pinballed" provided great imagery! First 250's last sentence of the second paragraph--you know the drill.
I like Cat already, a dreamer girl. Snapping and then sneaking into the garage don't seem to jive well. Perhaps Cat has had enough and then sneaks into the garage, or snaps and blows up at her mom. A run on sentence in the second paragraph of the query should be broken up. "fae-dar"--priceless! Wow, love the opening of the first 250. Would she look down at her paper and mull how she's just written her name and age or state them as you've written? The first 250 has a great end, as she's about to find out!


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text:
The 2018–19 Ukrainian Basketball SuperLeague was the 2018–19 edition of the Ukrainian top-tier basketball championship. Cherkaski Mavpy were the defending champions.

Khimik won its third domestic title, its first one since 2016, after beating Kyiv-Basket in the finals. Khimik's Deon Edwin was named the USL Most Valuable Player this season.

Teams

Eight teams joined the competition. Budivelnyk and BIPA Odessa were replaced by Kyiv-Basket and Odesa respectively.

On 21 June 2018, the Ukrainian federation announced that Budivelnyk would not participate because of its open debts to its players.

Regular season

Standings

Results

Playoffs
Quarterfinals will be played in a best-of-three games format, while semifinals and final in a best-of-five (2–2–1) format.

Bracket

Quarter-finals

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Semi-finals

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Third place series

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Finals

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Ukrainian clubs in European competitions

References

External links
Official Ukrainian Basketball Federation website

Ukrainian Basketball SuperLeague seasons
1
Ukraine

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia