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Romantic comedy opens 16th annual Maine Jewish Film Festival
PORTLAND, Maine - The Maine Jewish Film Festival (MJFF) opens on Saturday, March 9th with the romantic comedy Dorfman in Love starring Sara Rue (Rules of Engagement, Malibu Country) as a lovelorn 20-something and Elliott Gould (Oceans 13, M.A.S.H.) as her difficult father. Screenwriter Wendy Kout will be in attendance for opening night and a participant in the Sunday, March 10 Women Filmmakers Forum, sponsored by the Davis Family Foundation. The Maine Jewish Film Festival runs March 9-16, 2013; tickets and full schedule details are available online at mjff.org.
After her mother's death, Valley gal Deb Dorfman finds herself in the role of caretaker for her cantankerous father, while being the unrecognized brains of her brother's accounting firm and the object of her sister-in-law's relentless matchmaking efforts. Through a series of awkward events Deb discovers the confidence she needs to stand up to her meddling family and find love in her own unexpected way.
Executive Director of the MJFF, Louise Rosen, said, "This year's festival offers a terrific range of choices for film lovers - from a crowd pleaser like Dorfman in Love to challenging documentaries such as The Last White Knight about the director's facing the KKK in Mississippi decades after they attacked him, to full-on entertainment such as Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy or the edgy Sean Penn/Frances McDormand/Judd Hirsch film This Must Be the Place."
The festival is also offering several free screenings - a youth film for ages 13 - 17 on Sunday, March 10, a film on adaptive skiing at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies on March 11 and Broadway Musicals will screen at USM's Abromson Center, free for seniors on Wednesday, March 13 (please note, advance registration is required). Tickets are required for all free events.
This year, the Women Filmmakers Forum on Sunday, March 10 includes a continental brunch for ticket holders followed by a panel discussion featuring four of the festival filmmakers, joined by noted Boston entertainment attorney Sandra Forman.
In addition to personal appearances by seven of the filmmakers during the Festival, acclaimed soprano and Maine Public Broadcasting Music Director and radio host Suzanne Nance will introduce and facilitate the q&a following a period drama directed by Percy Adlon (Bagdad Cafe) about the last summer of composer Gustav Mahler's life titled Mahler on the Couch.
Adds Rosen, "In addition to our schedule of films and events around Portland and in many other locations, we're honored to be partnering with organizations and institutions such as the Maine Film & Video Association, Maine Adaptive Sports, the Portland NAACP, Maine Media Workshops + College, the Museum of African Culture and others to promote engagement with a wide range of audiences. MJFF is truly a dynamic part of Maine's growing cultural diversity."
For full festival schedule details, film trailers and to purchase tickets, visit www.mjff.org
The festival runs from March 9 – 16, taking place at the Nickelodeon Cinemas in downtown Portland at 1 Temple Street and other locations around Portland and the state including The Frontier in Brunswick, Colby College and a post-festival special screening of Dorfman in Love at the Bangor Opera House on Sunday, March 17. Tickets go are on sale online through mjff.org.
The Maine Jewish Film Festival is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a forum for the presentation of films to enrich, educate and entertain a diverse community about the Jewish experience. Portland is the smallest city in the nation to boast an independent, professional Jewish film festival.
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MJFF Schedule
March 9-16, 2013
Saturday, 3/9 8:00pm - Nickelodeon Opening Night Film (separate ticket required to opening night party and film)
Dorfman in Love - comedy drama
Director: Brad Leong / Writer: Wendy Kout
Starring: Sara Rue, Elliott Gould, Jonathan Chase, Johann Urb, and Haaz Sleiman
Country: USA 2011 / English / 97 minutes
Saturday, 3/9 8:00pm - Nickelodeon Opening Night Film
In Person: Wendy Kout present for q&a
Winner: Best Comedy, The Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival
Winner: Best Feature, Marbella Internacional Film Festival
Official Selection: Cinequest Film Festival
Winner: Best Feature, Miami Jewish Film Festival
Winner: Best Feature, Hollywood Film Festival
Official Selection: USA Film Festival
After her mother's death, 20-something Valley gal Deb Dorfman finds herself in the role of caretaker for her cantankerous father, while being the unrecognized brains of her brother's accounting firm and the object of her sister-in-law's relentless matchmaking efforts. Through a series of awkward events Deb discovers the confidence she needs to stand up to her meddling family and find love in her own unexpected way.
Saturday, 3/9 10:00pm - Nickelodeon
This Must Be the Place - comedy drama
Winner: Cannes Film Festival, Prize of the Ecumenical Jury
Nominated: Cannes Film Festival, Palme d'Or
Winner: Flaiano International Prize, Golden Pegasus for Best Director
Winner: Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists, Silver Ribbon Award for Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Production Design
Director: Paolo Sorrentino / Starring: Sean Penn, Frances McDormand, Judd Hirsch, Harry Dean Stanton, Eve Hewson, David Byrne / Music by David Byrne
Italy-Ireland-France 2011 / English / 118 minutes
Cheyenne is a wealthy former rock star, who at 50 still dresses 'Goth' and lives in Dublin off his royalties. Although they haven't spoken in years, when he learns his father is on his deathbed he's compelled to overcome his fear of flying and make a trip to New York. He discovers his father's obsession has been to seek revenge for a humiliation he suffered at the hands of an SS Officer in Auschwitz. Armed with a large handgun, Cheyenne sets off on a journey across America to find his father's persecutor.
Sunday, 3/10 1:00pm – Nickelodeon
Deceptive Practice: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay – documentary
Directors: Molly Bernstein and Alan Edelstein / Featuring: David Mamet, Steve Martin and others
USA 2012 / English / 88 minutes
In Person: Molly Bernstein present for q&a
Women Filmmakers Forum Focus Film presented by the Davis Family Foundation with the support of Patriot Subaru
Official Selection: 50th New York Film Festival 2012
Ricky Jay (nee Potash) is widely considered the world's greatest magician, a performer whose one-man shows draw rave reviews and sold-out houses. This warm and fascinating portrait of Jay offers a rare glimpse into the very private world of professional magicians, an entertainment tradition that stretches back hundreds of years and yet continues to delight and astonish contemporary audiences around the world.
Sunday, 3/10 3:30pm – Nickelodeon
A Bottle in The Gaza Sea – drama
Director: Thierry Binitsi / Starring: Agathe Bonitzer, Mahmoud Shalaby
Based on the award-winning novel by Valérie Zenatti
France-Israel-Canada 2011 / French, Hebrew, Arabic w/English subtitles / 99 minutes
Free Youth Film for ages 13 – 17
Winner: Narrative Feature Award and Audience Choice Award, Heartland Film Festival
Winner: Grand Prix, From Page to Image Film Festival at Croisic (France)
Official Selection:
Busan Int'l Film Festival
New York Jewish Film Festival
Toronto Jewish Film Festival
San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
17 year-old Tal has emigrated from France to Jerusalem with her family. Following a bombing, she writes an open letter to the world, expressing her refusal to accept that only hatred can reign between Israelis and Palestinians. Her letter-in- a-bottle brings a response from Naïm, a young Palestinian. A turbulent but tender long-distance friendship develops as they both seek change in themselves and their world.
Sunday, 3/10 5:30pm - Nickelodeon
Mahler on the Couch - drama
Directors: Percy and Felix Adlon
Starring: Johannes Silberschneider, Barbara Romaner, Karl Markovics
Scored with Mahler's music, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen
Austria-Germany 2010 / German w/English subtitles / 100 minutes
Following the screening Suzanne Nance will facilitate a discussion of the film and Mahler's music
World Premiere: Los Angeles Film Festival
Opening Night: New York Jewish Film Festival
Official Selection: Rio de Janiero, UK, Washington DC Jewish Film Festivals
This is an exuberant imagining of the real-life marriage of Gustav Mahler and his tempestuous wife Alma Schindler. Alma seeks passion in the arms of the young, dashing architect Walter Gropius, which sends a tormented Mahler to Sigmund Freud for consultation.
Sunday, 3/10 8:00pm – Nickelodeon
Portrait of Wally - documentary
Director: Andrew Shea
USA-Austria 2012 / English / 90 minutes
World Premiere: Tribeca Film Festival
Official Selection: SilverDocs Documentary Festival
Official Selection: Toronto Jewish Film Festival
Official Selection: DocAviv
This tautly paced, arousing film traces the history of this iconic image – from Schiele's gesture of affection for his young lover, to the Nazi theft of the painting, to its exhibition at MOMA and the 13-year court battle that ensued. A cinematic thriller that spins a web of intrigue exposing government manipulation, questionable philanthropists and institutional hypocrisy.
Monday, 3/11 5:30pm – Nickelodeon
400 Miles to Freedom – documentary
Co-Directors: Avishai Mekonen & Shari Rothfarb Mekonen
Israel 2012 / English, Hebrew w/English subtitles / 60 minutes
In Person: Avishai Mekonen present for q&a
Winner: Platinum Remi Award, 2012 World-Fest Houston International Film Festival
In 1984, the Beta Israel—a secluded 2,500-year-old community of observant Jews in the northern Ethiopian mountains—began a secret and dangerous escape to Israel. Co-Director Avishai Mekonen, then 10 years old, was among them. In the film, he retraces his journey revealing the brutal kidnapping he endured as a child in Sudan during his family's exodus and launches an inquiry into identity, immigration and racial diversity.
7:00pm - Reception follows at the Museum of African Culture, 13 Brown Street
Monday, 3/11 6:00pm - Salt Institute for Documentary Studies
Beyond the Boundaries - documentary
Director: Yonatan Nir / Producer: Nina Zale
US 2011 / Hebrew w/English subtitles, English / 63 minutes
Free Film presented in association with Maine Adaptive Sports
In Person: Nina Zale present for q&a
A life-affirming adaptive sports program in Aspen, Colorado Golshim L'Chaim – Ski To Live brings disabled Israeli soldiers to the Rocky Mountains for a week of training and relaxation. This film follows four participants, sharing their transformation from injured to empowered. They leave Aspen with new found self-esteem, allowing them the confidence to move forward in their lives.
Monday, 3/11 8:00pm – Nickelodeon
Mabul (The Flood) - drama
Director: Guy Nattiv / Producer: Ina Fichman
Starring: Ronit Elkabetz, Tzahi Grad and Michael Moshonov
Israel-Canada-France 2010 / Hebrew w/English subtitles / 101 minutes
Nominated: for 6 Israeli Film Academy Awards
Winner: Berlin International Film Festival, Crystal Bear, Best Feature Film
Winner: Thessaloniki Film Festival, Audience Award and Special Artistic Achievement
Yoni's almost 13, academically gifted and tough-minded but physically still a child. He struggles daily to grow before his upcoming bar mitzvah. His classmates bully him and his parents barely speak to each other. Buried secrets come to light and although the foundation of family life is rocked, when forced to deal with this new reality, a delicate transformation begins to unfold.
Monday, 3/11 10:00pm – Nickelodeon
This Must Be the Place - comedy drama
Tuesday, 3/12 5:30pm – Nickelodeon
The Last White Knight - documentary
Director: Paul Saltzman
Canada 2012 / English / 78 minutes
In Person: Paul Saltzman present for q&a
As a young man the filmmaker volunteered on the voter registration drive in the South. He was assaulted by Byron "Delay" De La Beckwith, the son of the man convicted of killing Civil Rights activist Medgar Evers. Decades later, Saltzman returns to Mississippi to meet with Beckwith and see what, if anything, has changed in the New South. He meets a wide range of people, including a trio of dedicated, unregenerate Klansmen.
7:00pm - Reception follows at Greenhut Galleries 146 Middle Street, sponsored by the Portland NAACP
Tuesday, 3/12 8:00pm – Nickelodeon
Let My People Go - comedy
Director: Mikael Buch / Starring: Nicolas Maury, Carmen Maura, Jean-François Stévenin
France 2012 / French and Finnish w/English subtitles / 86 minutes
Winner: Audience Award, Best Comedic Film, Philadelphia QFest
Winner: Best Cinematography, Asheville QFest
A sweet and hilarious fusion of gay romantic comedy, Jewish family drama and French bedroom farce, this zany film follows the lovelorn Reuben, a French-Jewish gay mailman living in fairytale Finland when a series of mishaps involving a parcel of cash and a lovers' quarrel send him back to Paris and his eccentric family. The result is deeply heartwarming, fabulously kitschy and hysterically funny.
Wednesday, 3/13 1:00pm - USM/Abromson Center
Free Film for ages 65+ presented by The Cedars (ticket required)
Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy – documentary
Director: Michael Kantor / Narrator: Joel Gray
USA 2012 / English / 90 minutes
Featuring interviews with Stephen Sondheim, Mel Brooks, Phyllis Newman and Harold Prince, among others. Performance footage includes: Barbra Streisand, Zero Mostel, Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Kristin Chenoweth, David Hyde Pierce and many more!
This film documents the unique role of Jewish composers and lyricists in the creation of the modern American musical, as well as many of the songs that comprise "The American Songbook." A behind-the-scenes of Broadway history - engaging, humorous, and provocative, mixing an ethnic cultural legacy with entertaining perspectives on the origins and meaning of some of Broadway's most beloved songs, stories, and shows.
Wednesday, 3/13 5:30pm – Nickelodeon
In Darkness – drama
Director: Agnieszka Holland
Starring: Robert Wieckiewicz, Benno Furman, Agnieska Grochowska
Poland-Germany 2011 / German, Polish, Yiddish, Ukrainian w/English subtitles / 145 minutes
Academy Award Nominee: Best Foreign Language Film
Critics' Choice Movie Award Nominee: Best Foreign Language Film
When a sewer worker and petty thief in Lvov, a Nazi occupied city in Poland, encounters a group of Jews trying to escape the liquidation of the ghetto, they pay him to be hidden in the labyrinth of sewers beneath the bustling activity of the city above. What starts out as a straightforward and cynical business arrangement turns into something very unexpected and an unlikely alliance forms.
Wednesday, 3/13 8:00pm – Nickelodeon
Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy – documentary
Wednesday, 3/13 10:00pm - Nickelodeon
This Must Be the Place - comedy drama
Thursday, 3/14 1:00pm – Nickelodeon
Ruth Dayan - My Life - documentary
Director: Elke Sasse
Germany 2011 / English / 43 minutes
At 92, Ruth Dayan, ex-wife of legendary military man Moshe Dayan, shows no signs of slowing down. She is more determined than ever to encourage Israeli-Palestinian relations. This intimate documentary follows this tireless campaigner through her exhausting schedule and traces the story of her life. An inspiring glimpse into the heart of someone truly making a difference in the world, against enormous odds.
Thursday, 3/14 2:00pm – Nickelodeon
Through The Eye of the Needle: The Art of Esther Nisenthal Krinitz - documentary
Director: Nina Shapiro-Perl
USA 2011 / English / 30 minutes
Winner: Audience Award, Best Short Film, Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival
Winner: Audience Favorite Documentary Award, Washington Jewish Film Festival
Winner: Golden Eagle Award, Cine Awards
More than 40 years after the Holocaust, Esther Nisenthal Krinitz depicted her remarkable story of survival through a stunningly beautiful series of 36 fabric collage and embroidery panels. Through Esther's own words and images of her art work, as well as interviews with her daughters and others, this film explores the capacity of the human heart to heal.
Thursday, 3/14 3:00pm - Maine Historical Society (60 min version)
Reception follows, sponsored by Maine Media Workshops + College
Jewish Soldiers in Blue and Gray - documentary
Director: Jonathan Gruber / Narrated by John Milius, with Sam Waterston as the voice of Abraham Lincoln
USA 2011 / English / 86, 60 minutes
In Person: Jonathan Gruber present for q&a
The remarkable history of the Civil War Jews who fought on both sides—7,000 for the Union and 3,000 for the Confederacy. The war split the Jewish community as deeply as it did the nation at large: some prominent Jews, including Jewish slave owners, cited the Torah to justify slavery, while others were leaders in the abolitionist movement or established their synagogues as stops on the Underground Railroad.
Thursday, 3/14 5:15pm - Maine Historical Society special work-in-progress screening presented by Maine Media Workshops + College
In Raquel's Footsteps - drama documentary
Director: Gabriela Bohm
USA-Argentina 2013 / Spanish w/English subtitles, English / 30 minutes
In Person: Gabriela Bohm present for q&a
From the shtetl to the tango...more than 30,000 Jewish women were lured from Europe to the New World, only to be devoured in Argentinean prostitution rings run by Jewish criminals. This film is about an ordinary woman — Raquel Liberman — whose story was buried and forgotten, until now. This film traces her journey from wife and mother to exploited woman to a defiantly free woman.
Thursday, 3/14 6:00pm - The Frontier, Brunswick
Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy – documentary
Thursday, 3/14 7:00pm - Free Film at Colby College/Olin Hall 1 (88 min version) Presented by the Lunder Foundation and Sam L. Cohen Foundation
Jewish Soldiers in Blue and Gray - documentary
Reception follows
In Person: Jonathan Gruber present for q&a, joined by Prof. Elizabeth Leonard
Thursday, 3/14 7:15pm - Nickelodeon Double Feature
Director: Eytan Fox
Starring: Ohad Knoller, Oz Zehavi, Lior Ashkenazi, Orly Silbersatz Banai
Israel 2012 / Hebrew w/English subtitles / 84 minutes
Winner: Paris Lesbian Film Festival, People Award, Best Performance
Nominated: Tribeca Film Festival, Best Narrative Feature
Dr. Yossi Hoffman has become a valued and dedicated cardiologist, often using his work as a way to escape from dealing with his anguished life. He lives alone, still closeted, unable to break through the walls and defenses built around him since the death of his lover. After the arrival of a mysterious woman, he receives a rare opportunity to deal with his trauma.
Yossi & Jagger
Director: Eytan Fox
Starring: Ohad Knoller, Yehuda Levi, Assi Cohen, Aya Koren
Israel 2002 / Hebrew w/English subtitles / 65 minutes
Yossi is a serious and strong-featured military commander; Jagger is his free-spirited and boyishly handsome charge. They are both soldiers in the Israeli army, and they are in love. Based on a true story, this film portrays their secret love, set in a remote army base along the Israeli-Lebanese border. In a time of strife and uncertainty, Yossi and Jagger find hope in their unforgettable and emotionally charged romance.
Pre-screening reception at Styxx hosted by Downeast Pride Alliance 5:30 - 7:00pm
Saturday, 3/16 7:00pm - One Longfellow Square
Closing Night Reception follows
Hava Nagila (The Movie) - documentary
Director: Roberta Grossman / Featuring: Harry Belafonte, Leonard Nimoy, Connie Francis, Glen Campbell, Regina Spektor and others
USA 2012 / English / 75 minutes
The musical shorthand for anything Jewish, a happy party tune that you dance to at weddings, bar mitzvahs and even at Major League Baseball games. Yet the song is much more than a tale of Jewish kitsch and bad bar mitzvah fashions. It carries with it an entire constellation of history, values and hopes for the future. In its own way, Hava Nagila encapsulates the Jewish journey over the past 150 years.
Sunday, 3/17 7:00pm - Bangor Opera House in association with the Penobscot Theatre Company
Dorfman in Love - comedy drama


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- A new study has examined the effects of cigarette taxation on alcohol consumption.
- Results suggest that increases in cigarette taxes are associated with modest to moderate reductions in alcohol consumption among vulnerable groups.
- Vulnerable groups include hazardous drinkers, young adult smokers, and smokers in the lowest income category.
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disability in the U.S., while heavy drinking ranks as the third leading cause of preventable death. Cigarette taxation has been recognized as one of the most significant policy instruments to reduce smoking. Given that smoking and drinking often occur together, a first-of-its-kind study has examined cigarette taxation and found that increases are associated with modest to moderate reductions in alcohol consumption among vulnerable groups.
Results will be published in the January 2014 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research and are currently available at Early View.
"Smoking and heavy drinking co-occur at alarmingly high rates," said Sherry McKee, associate professor of psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine as well as corresponding author for the study. "Tobacco can enhance the subjective effects of alcohol and has been shown to increase the risk for heavy and problematic drinking. Smokers drink more frequently and more heavily than non-smokers, and are substantially more likely than non-smokers to meet criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence. The co-occurrence of smoking and drinking is of particular clinical significance given evidence that health consequences exponentially increase with combined versus singular abuse of alcohol and tobacco."
"Smoking and drinking are strongly linked for a host of reasons including complementary pharmacologic effects, shared neuronal pathways, shared genetic associations, common environmental factors, and learned associations," added Christopher W. Kahler, professor and chair of the department of behavioral and social sciences at Brown School of Public Health. "However, it is possible to intervene through behavioral treatments, pharmacotherapy, and policy to affect both behaviors in a positive way."
"Cigarette taxes have broad population reach and have been recognized as one of the most significant policy instruments to reduce smoking," said McKee. "Increases in cigarette taxes predict decreases in smoking initiation, increases in quitting, and reductions in cigarette-related morbidity and mortality. By increasing the price of cigarettes, taxes are thought to encourage smokers to reduce their use of cigarettes or quit altogether, and discourage non-smokers from starting to smoke."
McKee and her colleagues examined data gathered through personal interviews with 21,473 alcohol consumers as part the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, a survey conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Analyses evaluated whether increases in cigarette taxes between Waves I (2001-2002) and II (2004-2005) were associated with reductions in quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption. These analyses were conducted by gender, hazardous drinking status, age, and income group, and were further adjusted for demographics, baseline alcohol consumption, and alcohol price.
"We hypothesized that the public health benefits of cigarette taxes would extend beyond smoking to reduce alcohol consumption," said McKee. "Results suggest that increases in cigarette taxes were associated with reductions in alcohol consumption over time among male smokers. The protective effects were most pronounced among subgroups who are most at risk for adverse alcohol-related consequences, including male heavy drinkers, young adults, and those with the lowest income."
"These findings suggest that if states increase taxes on cigarettes, they are not only likely to reduce smoking – based on a large body of literature – but they also may have a modest impact on heavy drinking rates among men, those with lower income, and those who drink most heavily," said Kahler. "In other words, policies that target one specific health behavior may have broader benefits to public health by affecting additional health behaviors that tend to co-occur with the targeted health behavior."
Kelly Young-Wolff, post-doctoral research fellow at Stanford Prevention Research Center, and one of the study's co-authors, agreed, adding that these results support research that targets the interactions of tobacco and alcohol. "Results from our study can pave the way for a productive line of future research aimed at reducing secondary public health harms such as alcohol-related violence, drunk driving, and alcohol-related morbidity and mortality."
"While the study does not show a causal association," added Kahler, "in the context of laboratory, clinical, and policy studies conducted to date, it suggests that policy makers and clinicians may have significant opportunities to address heavy drinking and smoking together."
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research (ACER) is the official journal of the Research Society on Alcoholism and the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism. Co-authors of the ACER paper, "Increased Cigarette Tax is Associated with Reductions in Alcohol Consumption in a Longitudinal U.S. sample," were: Kelly C. Young-Wolff of Stanford Prevention Research Center at Stanford University School of Medicine; and Karin A. Kasza and Andrew J. Hyland of Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo. The study was funded by the Office of Research on Women's Health, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. This release is supported by the Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network at http://www.ATTCnetwork.org.

subset: commoncrawl


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Four in ten new parents start feeding their babies solid foods before their four-month birthday, according to a new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Physician groups including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) currently recommend against parents introducing solid foods until infants are about six months old.
In part, that's because early solids have been tied to obesity and other chronic conditions and because public health experts agree it's best if mothers can breastfeed exclusively for six months.
"Introducing solid foods early means that the baby gets less breast milk over the course of their infancy, and that decreases the ability to get optimal benefits, like protection against infection," said Dr. Alice Kuo, from the UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities.
Kuo, who wasn't involved in the new study, told Reuters Health there's been less research on when babies are developmentally ready to chew and swallow solid foods without choking - another important consideration.
"Infants should be able to sit up (and) take food off the spoon," said the CDC's Kelley Scanlon, who worked on the research.
"Sometimes if they're not ready, if they get presented with the food, they might not open their mouth… or they might spit it back up."
Her team's research included 1,334 new moms who filled out questionnaires each month about what their baby had eaten in the past week. The surveys were conducted between 2005 and 2007, when AAP recommendations called for starting solid foods no earlier than four months of age.
Breaking News
Just over 40 percent of parents reported their babies were eating solids, such as cereals and purees, before that point.
Those parents said they thought their babies were old enough to eat solid foods, infants seemed hungry or - in the case of more than half of early solid feeders - doctors or nurses had recommended they start introducing those foods.
"There's not clear communication of the recommendations or the potential health impacts of early introduction," Scanlon told Reuters Health.
Nine percent of early introducers gave their baby solid food before one month, according to findings published Monday in Pediatrics.
Women who reported exclusive breastfeeding during their baby's first couple of months were less likely to introduce solid foods earlier than recommended compared to formula-feeding mothers, the CDC researchers found.
Kuo said the new findings are further evidence that pediatricians should tailor their messages about breastfeeding and solid foods to each particular parent and child - rather than always giving "the same spiel" about introducing solids at the four-month visit.
"The decision to start solid foods in babies has to be a compromise between what makes sense for the baby and what makes sense for the mom, who most likely is working," she said.


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Tell Google: Don't Be Evil With ALEC
|Dozens of corporations have dropped their funding of the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). But now Google, Facebook and Yelp are helping to pick up the tab.
SourceWatch: Google, Facebook, Yelp Members ALEC Task Force
FreePress: Tech Titans Jump the Shark
ALEC targets state legislatures around the country to roll back labor rights, environmental protection, civil rights, public health measures and more. Using big money, corporate clout and smooth lobbyists, ALEC teams up with like-minded state lawmakers to draft and enact regressive legislation.
Tell Google and other huge firms to which we'll deliver this petition not to participate in ALEC's corruption of our government:


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As most Twi-hard fans would agree, this long-awaited moment
feels totally bittersweet. Obviously the new Breaking Dawn trailer is like the
best thing that has happened to us since the Hunger Games release, but are we really ready
for the end of the Twilight Saga? After years spent pining over Jacob or Edward, this coming November marks the end of an era!
The good news is, after watching the trailer, it's clear
that Bella, Edward, Jacob and the rest of the Twilight team are prepared to go
out with a bang! After a "monstrous" pregnancy and childbirth, to say the
least, Bella is back stronger than ever, and ready to embrace her new identity
as a vampire, and as a mother. Rumor has
it that Renesmee is an immortal child (lies), and the Volturi are prepared to
destroy her and her family. With their lives on the line, the Cullen clan will
need to call for reinforcements, and this only means one thing...more vampires!
Watch the latest trailer now in honor of Edward's 111th birthday (no big deal), and stay tuned 'til November 16 when our fave film cast hits the
big screen for the last time (cue the tears)!
More From Seventeen
Are you going to see Breaking Dawn Part 2? Sound off in
the comments!


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Frustrated with his ever-growing weight that peaked at 675 pounds, Ronnie Brower began dieting and working out on his way to losing an astounding 458 pounds. His four-year fitness journey, chronicled on Facebook, earned him the admiration of a woman at his gym who similarly was trying to lose a lot of weight.
Brower and that admirer, Andrea Masella, formed a bond around that shared mission, and on Saturday they will get married in their hometown of Syracuse, New York, celebrating their new lives and all they've lost together, a combined 578 pounds.
"I was just really inspired by him and I thought he was super cute," said Masella, 24. "We started talking at the gym and I hate to sound cliche but it was love at first sight."
Nick Murphy, Brower's personal trainer who also will be his best man, calls it "a match made in heaven, a storybook movie."
[NATL] Celebrity Hookups: David Foster, Katharine McPhee Marry
Masella, who works as a hairdresser, said she and Brower plan to continue to support not only each other in their commitment to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but to counsel and inspire others as well.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
"Both of us had used food as a coping mechanism; I would just eat my feelings," Masella said. "We've gone through a lot of counseling to come to terms with that and change."
Brower, 32, is slim, trim and happy now, but he recalls that he hit his peak weight, and rock bottom, in 2013 when he was so heavy he could barely leave his parent's house.
"I was depressed, addicted to pills and alcohol, eating 10 double cheeseburgers or two large pizzas at a time," Brower said. "My turning point was, my doctor told me if I kept on like this I'd be dead before I was 30. I was 28."
At the urging of a friend, Brower contacted Murphy, owner of Mission Fitness. Under Murphy's guidance, Brower gave up drugs and alcohol, followed a low-carbohydrate diet and started working out for three hours a day, beginning with simply lifting his arms while sitting in a chair. Within 100 days he had lost 100 pounds and was able to leave the house and go to the gym for his workouts.
"My job 24 hours a day was to get healthy and save my life," he said.
After 23 months, he had shed much of his excess weight when he met Masella. At 5-foot-4, she had weighed 250 pounds in 2014 and was on her way to losing 120 pounds. Their first date was playing ping pong and basketball at the gym.
"We laugh all the time," he said.
Brower was grateful for Masella's tender loving care when he underwent four surgeries to remove 30 pounds of sagging skin. "It was really intense," he said.
Brower now works two jobs, as a school bus driver and a loading dock worker, and has moved out of his parents' house into his own place. He looks forward to married life after he and Masella take their vows at the Christian church where his trainer baptized him three years ago.
"People come to me all the time, asking for weight-loss advice," Brower said. "I just tell them there's hope out there. If you want it bad enough and put your mind to it, anybody can do it."


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This post has the potential to be as long as the scarf I made Matt for his birthday. Knowing that, I'll try to keep it short and to the point. Opportunity knocked last week and I decided to answer. No, I'm not leaving WordPress or Automattic; get your mind out of the gutter. The owner of a small restaurant here on Tybee (Charly's) is retiring and selling his place, and $10,000 was plunked down as a deposit to buy it so that it could house:
I want to turn it into a bakery/internet cafe/WordPressy community gathering space. Bake in the morning to force some non-computer time, then do my usual WP stuff in the lulls. I wrote a 20-page business plan full of stats and projections, and some smart money types tell me it looks good. But wait! I've spent all my money in the last few years on things like raising my brother's kids, buying braces for same, helping my mom buy her house down here, and stuff like that. I am broke! I can't afford to turn this place into the vision of awesomeness I see in my head, despite the below-market price and my plan to take a loan out against my 401k. So: crowdfunding!
The project — the Jitterbug Bakery — was accepted to Kickstarter yesterday, and on Monday once I finish their project setup, I'll launch a fundraising campaign there. I also set up a WordPress site with a paypal plugin for the non-Kickstarter types, which would mean less lost to fees. If you want to help me make this thing a reality, I'd love it if you'd pitch in (rewards range from my brownies and Jitterbug swag to website setups and reviews), but will in no way hold it against you if you don't.
Did you know a decent refurbished espresso setup costs up to $15k? And I don't even drink coffee!
So if you ever thought to yourself, "I wish I could buy Jane a [drink, dinner, iPad, car] to show her how much I appreciate all she does," here's your chance! I'll provide the drinks and dinner if you come visit the Jitterbug, I don't like iPads, and I have a car I like. I put up a site at BuyJaneABakery.com that is pretty much just what it sounds like. It has all the info on what I (we, if you include my mom and Morgan!) want to create for my local community. The Contribute page has a donation widget at the bottom. Yes, a bit hidden. The Personal Fundraising plugin I wanted to use was pretty and awesome but more trouble than it was worth. If you're a Kickstarter type of person, I'll update this post by Monday when the project goes live there.
If you ever really loved me, help me buy a bakery!


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Details of the rumored smartphone-compatible, Carl Zeiss lens-weilding camera attachment from Sony, set to be announced tomorrow, have been leaked by sonyalpharumors. The promotional video above shows the features of the QX100/QX10 "lens-style cameras".
For devices with NFC, a simple tap hooks up the camera/lens and makes it ready to share or save files right on the spot:
For added convenience, the app can be activated using NFC one-touch with compatible devices. Once pictures are taken, they are saved directly on both the phone and the camera*, and can be shared instantly via social media or other common mobile applications.
The device will take advantage of the PlayMemories Mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. The device will come with a piece to attach to a phone, however, it is also detachable as seen in the video.
The QX100 and QX10 will be available some time later this month for $500 and $250, respectively.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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Mason St. Garden
Sorry for left alignment, can't figure out that aspect of this site :)
The neighborhood of North Beach has created a garden, from Columbus Ave to Lombard St. It's cool. The few times I've walked by there's been folks enjoying it. A woman reading a book, a guy eating his lunch, school kids sitting and eating. I heard that this was a "put it in, see if it works" experiment, between the library and the parking lot ("the triangle") that is under development. City officials were involved, and as you can see there are new trees, greenery, stumps for sitting, etc.
The posted rules include an ominous "no food preparation that involves a health department permit" and oddly "no amplified music" but otherwise it's a true neighborhood, scrappy endeavor.
I for one thought that right turn from Columbus, onto Mason, was one of the most dangerous corners in the city. I've seen a pedestrian get clipped, and always thought it was a matter of time before something really bad happened. It's downhill for cars, after the traffic jam of downtown North Beach, so they're racing through it. For pedestrians, it's an uphill slog that takes a while, and the library entrance is within a few feet meaning there's kids streaming out of there all times of day.


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Aug 16th 1990 (32)
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Cars may be more and more efficient these days, but they still waste more than 60 percent of the energy they consume, mostly due to heat lost through the exhaust system or radiator. Saving even a small fraction of that energy—as little as seven or eight percent—by using thermoelectric generators that convert heat into electricity could save 1.5 billion gallons of diesel a year in heavy trucks alone, according to Clemson University physicist Terry Tritt.
"Thermoelectric generators are currently used in NASA's deep-space probes to convert the heat of radioactive elements to electrical energy," Tritt told a Department of Energy (DoE) conference in Dallas last week. "One of the more promising 'down-to-earth' applications lies in waste-heat recovery in cars."
By relying on a material class that develops voltage when there's a temperature difference across them, thermoelectric devices have helped NASA power spacecraft for some 30 years. But the last decade has seen a wave of new research in the field, drawing interest from programs such as the DoE's Freedom Car initiative. Though they would still have to enhance the efficiency of power recovered from thermoelectric generators, researchers are considering these three main options to thermo-fuel your car ... someday:
More From Popular Mechanics
1. Power the Electrical Systems
Thanks to the increased use of electrical systems such as stability control, telematics, collision avoidance systems, navigation systems, steer-by-wire and electronic braking, the average electrical demand in a midsize car rose from less than 1 kw in 2000 to about 3.5 kw in 2005, according to GM researcher Jihui Yang. This load is a serious drain on fuel efficiency.
2. Propulsion
Using the hybrid electric drive in cars such as the Toyota Prius, electrical power can be channeled directly back into pushing the car forward. It's the most direct way to reduce fuel consumption—assuming you have some electricity left after powering the electrical systems listed above.
3. Cooling
A thermoelectric cooling system could replace the air conditioner, saving a billion barrels of oil day if it was adopted by 90 percent of vehicles by 2020, according to DOE projections. Thermoelectric air conditioning has been tested on the USS Dolphin submarine, since it's a solid-state technology with no moving parts that can operate in "silent mode."
There are other thermoelectric consumer devices on the market, like the Citizen Eco-Drive Thermo watch, which converts the temperature difference between your body and the surrounding air into electrical energy. Coleman and Igloo also offer thermoelectric coolers, and some luxury cars have climate-controlled seats that are thermoelectrically powered.
For automotive applications, the best current prototypes generate about 0.3 kw. The Freedom Car roadmap calls for a 1-kwsystem, improving fuel efficiency by 10 percent, and ready for rollout between 2011 and 2014. The challenge, Tritt says, is developing advanced materials in which the thermoelectric effect is two or three times stronger than in current materials—and that number is still up for debate. Still, such a level of performance has already been achieved in a range of exotic nano-materials, but they are too small and too expensive to power a car. However, combining the nano-materials with current thermoelectric materials—as a thin coating, for instance—has shown promise in experiments, scientists say. —Alex Hutchinson
PM NEWS: Study Says Plug-in Cars Could Slash Global Warming by 2050


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PARIS — Nicolas Ghesquière, one of the stars of the brand reinvention era, is exiting the house he helped rebuild.
In a development Monday that took many in the fashion industry by surprise, Balenciaga and the French designer said they had reached a "joint decision to end their working relationship," effective Nov. 30.
The news came only a month after Ghesquière staged one of the most widely praised shows of the spring fashion season — and amid rumblings that the relationship between the designer and management had, after 15 years, soured and reached an impasse. For several years, Ghesquière was said to resent what he felt was a lack of support and funding for the brand — only exacerbated by increasing friction with chief executive officer Isabelle Guichot. In addition, resources committed to Hedi Slimane and the reinvention of Saint Laurent, while not a primary cause of Ghesquière's departure, added to the tension.
PPR is believed to have been pressing for a more commercial direction at the house, which it had long seen as having the potential one day to rival Gucci and Bottega Veneta in sales volume.
"With an incomparable creative talent, Nicolas has brought to Balenciaga an artistic contribution essential to the unique influence of the house," François-Henri Pinault, chairman and ceo of PPR, parent of Balenciaga, said in a brief press statement. "Cristóbal Balenciaga was a master, a genius whose avant-garde vision dictated fashion's greatest trends and inspired generations of designers."
Pinault, due to speak at today's Pambianco conference in Milan, was not available for further comment Monday. He and other PPR officials had brushed off speculation that the designer and Balenciaga might be heading for a divorce when questioned about it during Paris Fashion Week.
Ghesquière is in Japan for a friend's wedding and could not be reached for comment.
Guichot told WWD a successor would be named "as soon as we're ready."
"We have a short list," she added, declining to identify potential candidates or give a deadline for making an announcement.
"My biggest interest is to focus the organization, accompany the team and develop the brand potential, so it's in my interest to do it as soon as possible," she said.
Guichot characterized the forthcoming change of creative leadership as "part of the life of a fashion house" and that Balenciaga and Ghesquière agreed, after discussions of long duration, to open "new chapters" in their respective development.
"We have huge ambitions and we have huge reserves of growth," the executive said. "Year-to-date, we're still at double-digit growth."
Guichot noted that Balenciaga is a brand with strong codes recognized by consumers, and she stressed it still has room to grow via geographic, retail and product expansion.
Asked if Ghesquière's exit could hurt Balenciaga's momentum, she said the "brand is strong enough, developed enough and structured enough to express itself without fear," she said. "Now the company is so mature in its organization, in its processes, the business is really moving forward."
She also trumpeted the health of its ready-to-wear business, girded by six capsule collections — leather, knits, pants, T-shirts, silk and black dresses — along with its vintage reeditions line, known as Edition.
She declined to speculate on Ghesquière's next move. "It was an incredible tenure for Balenciaga, in its creativity, its content, its length," she said. "Nicolas has many talents, he needs to express his talent and I'm sure he will do so."
Gucci Group, the precursor to PPR's luxury division, acquired the Balenciaga business in 2001 from Groupe Jacques Bogart, a fragrance and fashion firm, with Gucci owning a 91 percent stake and Ghesquière holding the balance.
Guichot declined to say if Ghesquière still held shares in the company, and if so, if Balenciaga or PPR might acquire them. "All I can say is Balenciaga is already 100 percent fully integrated in PPR's accounts."
She also declined to comment on his current employment contract, which sources said expires sometime in 2013.
Among Guichot's other pressing concerns is finding a temporary store for Balenciaga in Manhattan as its flagship in the Chelsea art district was "destroyed" by the storm surge engendered by Hurricane Sandy, and its forthcoming unit in SoHo isn't slated to open until spring.
The exit of one of the industry's most lauded and daring talents is sure to fuel discussion over the tug-of-war between business imperatives and creative expression.
The change also caps off a turbulent year at the highest levels of international fashion, with Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent among French brands bringing in new creative directors.
Ghesquière has been creative director of Balenciaga since 1997, transforming it into one of the most influential French brands and most coveted tickets during Paris Fashion Week.
His rapid-fire shows delivered a fashion message as direct as a bullet, spectacular in their workmanship and imagination. He had a penchant for futurism and the Eighties, while also exploring key silhouettes and themes from Balenciaga, a Spaniard who founded his couture house in 1919 and established himself in Paris in 1936.
Despite international fame, Balenciaga closed his couture business in 1968, leaving licensed fragrances as the main business. He died in 1972.
Ghesquière's next career move could not be learned, but the sudden availability of such a high-profile talent is sure to attract the attention of rival luxury groups.
Dior heavily courted Ghesquière last year as it sought to replace its disgraced couturier John Galliano, ousted in the wake of racist and anti-Semitic outbursts. Dior ultimately opted for Raf Simons, another media darling who had been shown the door at Jil Sander a few months earlier despite an acclaimed seven-year stint at that Milan-based brand.
RELATED STORY: Dior Spring 2013 >>
Meanwhile, YSL, also owned by PPR, ultimately took on designer Hedi Slimane, without a label since he exited Dior Homme in 2007, to succeed Stefano Pilati.
RELATED STORY: Yves Saint Laurent Spring 2013 >>
Sources speculated that Ghesquière might wish to mount a signature brand, an ambition he had stated many times while ensconced at Balenciaga.
The sudden vacancy at Balenciaga is bound to ignite a guessing game about who might take his place in one of the plum seats in Paris. According to sources, Alexander Wang and Joseph Altuzarra could be among the candidates, given their press following and modernist fashion leanings. Kostas Murkudis and Bouchra Jarrar, an alumna of Balenciaga, are among lesser-known possibilities.
According to sources, talent scouts at PPR have also been keeping an eye on hot talents in London, who include Mary Katrantzou, Christopher Kane, J.W. Anderson and Thomas Tait.
Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough of Proenza Schouler were others mentioned as possible candidates, although other sources dismissed that possibility given their new ownership and the designers' focus on building their own brand.
Whomever PPR chooses will walk into a sizable business that now counts 62 directly operated stores and a new fragrance fronted by "Twilight" actress Kristen Stewart. This year, the brand strengthened its presence in Asia, opening stores in Mainland China to bring its complement there to 11.
At a recent press day here, PPR group managing director Jean-François Palus noted that Balenciaga has multiplied in size by 11 times since it was acquired.
Parent of Gucci and Bottega Veneta, PPR does not break out figures for its other luxury brands, which include Stella McCartney, Boucheron, Alexander McQueen and Sergio Rossi. In the third quarter, the division posted sales growth of 45.6 percent, with all brands and regions contributing to the performance. In comparable terms, sales were up 15.5 percent.
"Momentum remained especially strong for fashion and leather goods, which achieved growth of more than 13 percent in the quarter, driven by outstanding success of the designer brands and the very solid performances of Brioni and Sergio Rossi," PPR stated at the time.
In the first nine months of the year, other brands recorded a sales rise of 60.8 percent in reported terms and of 18.8 percent in comparable terms.
Earlier this year, PPR chief financial officer Jean-Marc Duplaix had cited a "strong" performance at Balenciaga in the first quarter.
Hailing from the small French town of Loudun and without any formal fashion training, Ghesquière got his start in fashion by filing, photocopying and cataloguing fabrics at Jean Paul Gaultier, ultimately landing at Balenciaga and designing lowly licensed lines, including office uniforms, bridal gowns and widows' dresses for Japan.
Once promoted to the helm of the ready-to-wear line in 1997, succeeding Josephus Thimister, he quickly won acclaim for sculpted designs straddling futuristic and Parisian chic.
For three seasons straddling the Millennium, he also designed collections for the Milan-based house of Callaghan.
Tom Ford and Domenico De Sole, then creative director and ceo of Gucci Group, respectively, brought Ghesquière into the fold, eager to turn his rising profile into profits.
"We do feel that it is a wonderful brand, but you do need to secure good design talent, and Nicolas Ghesquière is a star," De Sole told WWD at the time.
While primarily known for his creative prowess — and at times criticized for his elitist, exclusive approach to fashion — Ghesquière frequently took pains to show that he was not opposed to big business, even occasionally taking the powers to be at Gucci Group and PPR to task for holding him back.
"Even if we're not a priority in the group — and that's clear we're considered a small brand — I still want to prove that we can be bigger than that," he said in a 2005 interview, stressing that capsule collections for pants and knits, introduced that year, were 100 percent his idea.
"It's not a marketing strategy, and it's not coming from someone else. You don't sign on with these kinds of groups if you don't want to do business and make money," he said at the time. "I like to experiment, but I also like to make beautiful, wearable clothes. I always mix them."
Back in 2000, Ghesquière introduced a much-demanded, logo-free handbag with braided handles and dangling zipper pulls, and the style is still seen in the streets all over the world, though overshadowed by more recent "It" bags.
He is seen as a pioneer in linking fashion and art long before they became cozy bedfellows, tapping French contemporary artist Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster to codesign his otherworldly Balenciaga boutiques and planting them where you least expect them: next to the former Dia Center in New York or on a forgotten street in central Milan, for instance.
He also helped fan the trend to extreme footwear, and often influenced fashion from the designer level down to the high street.
Several market sources characterized Ghesquière as uncompromising in his futuristic vision for the brand. "Nicolas is one of a small coterie of designers, who in spite of the general progress of the world, seems unwilling to address the demands of communication and marketing. It seemed to me that his attitude to protecting exclusivity was at odds with the general focus of the rest of the group," said one industry source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Another source claimed that Balenciaga has been overly dependent on its handbag business, and unable to convert Ghesquière's designs into commercial categories. "There was so much editorial noise around the collections, and a few key reporters decided to champion him. And maybe the more noise there was, the more he felt he needed to push himself and take risks. His ideas were regularly copied — it was directional but never commercial," the source said.
French designer Pierre Hardy, a friend of Ghesquière's who collaborated with him on shoes at Balenciaga, said he had no sense of any internal discord at Balenciaga or PPR.
"This might be exactly the right moment for him [to leave the house]," Hardy said. "The collection was a commercial success and a critical success. He is at the zenith. He probably felt in a cage. It was too small for him."
Retailers expressed regret at fashion's latest divorce.
"I think it's a shame for Balenciaga. I really liked what Nicolas Ghesquière did. I don't know who else can bring that modernity to the brand, and I was a big, big fan of his passion for colors and fabrics," said Martine Hadida, women's wear buyer for L'Eclaireur in Paris. "He did a great job. I loved the modernity of the collections. We had good results with the Balenciaga collection. The pieces we chose for L'Eclaireur sold very well."
Marie-Amélie Sauvé, the Paris-based stylist, fashion editor and consultant who collaborated with Ghesquière since the start of his career at Balenciaga, said it was impossible for her to imagine the brand continuing without the man who defined and energized its image for 15 years.
"He made Balenciaga. Balenciaga and Nicolas are the same thing," she said, calling the brand too small for his talent. "He deserves more than that because he is the biggest designer of our times. His signature is so strong, so unique."
"It is a little hard to believe as he is so linked to the house," said Daniella Vitale, chief operating officer and senior executive vice president of Barneys New York. "What a transformation and an indefatigable talent. He seemed to get better every year but the company has a very strong, talented management team and they are incredible partners."


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You may have not heard the name Michael Badger yet—but you will soon as the 20-year-old budding designer is the official winner of the Red Carpet Green Dress contest. ELLE.com has also learned that he is the first male victor, and his sustainable sketch was unanimously chosen by all four judges (Suzy Amis Cameron, Zem Joaquin, Lewis Perkins, and Vivienne Westwood). Westwood will also mentor Badger as he turns his idea into a gown that will be worn by an A-lister at 85th Academy Awards show in February (last year's celebrity was Missi Pyle). The lucky lad will be flown to London to work with Westwood's couturiers.
Badger stood out by using an old recycled sketchbook as a process journal and submitting his design on 100-percent hemp watercolor paper.
More From ELLE
His dress is inspired by a volcano and how lava flows. The young creative was born in Ghana and is currently working toward a B.F.A. in fashion design at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, Georgia.
"This is such an enormous opportunity," enthused Badger. "I'm thrilled to have the chance to dispel the idea that one must sacrifice glamour and fantasy in order to be eco-friendly, and the idea of working with the incredible icon of fashion design that is Vivienne Westwood is too much. The thought of a dress that once only existed in my head being worn at the Oscars is just mind-blowing."
We're looking forward to seeing his eco-friendly vision come to life during the 2013 Oscars!


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It is really an recognized reality that organizations who want to start with a brand new enterprise or who would like to broaden their existing business tend not to wish to devote a lot of lot of money in long-term lease or connected costs. So, so as to make it with these aggressive times the thought of business center emerged.
Some great benefits of enterprise center is not limited to adaptable hire instead it provides a host of other advantages-like I/T assist, lessened operating cost and furnished workplace.
Now, let's dive into deeply specifics and understand how to purchase a company middle
Spot- The area of any center is very important.It is suggested to be close distance to the loan companies and business professional services. Additionally, the place of economic middle needs to be to ensure that it must be accessible by any mode of carry.
Space- Be sure that the areas are spacious enough to allow for employees and also the office tools. Don't get misled through the bare areas because as soon as the furnishings and place of work machines are in location, it can tell you a different story.
Inside Decoration- The inner design from the company middle needs to be such that it is able to cater to the future requirements and give an ambient surroundings for people operating over there.
Seed Funds- It really is quite essential to consider the seed funds that is needed to start out a conventional business office and examine it having a business centre. Centres in Mumbai give you yet another amenities of copiers, fax and telecom devices. But to have this sort of professional services, you have to down payment a primary stability deposit. Hence, don't forget to get involved with the facts of your bargain.
Expansion- The most effective enterprise centre provides an organization with an more premises of development. When the service operators don't present you with these kinds of center, it is time you look for other options.
Variable Bills- After taking into consideration the upfront expense of starting a serviced place of work there are many expenses that a enterprise enterprise has to take into account like telecom instruments, business office payroll, fixes and routine maintenance, cooking area products, etc.
Administrator Staff- The centre gives you an extra service of receptionist, support staff and assistant who is able to take care of your everyday activities.
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Coaching Bedrooms and Meeting spaces- The worst thing you need to think about is whether or not they offer you an appropriate instruction space and getting together with area and exactly how much they may charge for the similar.
Wrap Up
As a result, just before looking at an enterprise middle, think about the possibilities meticulously. Ask information regarding the corporation and providers offered by them. And don't overlook to examine the potential advantages that your business will receive from Enterprise heart.
Inspired by: ezinearticles


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Following Hurricane Irma
PORT-AU-PRINCE – French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to cut through red tape to quickly rebuild the islands of the French Caribbean.
According to Reuters news agency, Macron said so during a visit on Tuesday. He sought to dispel anger at his government's response to Hurricane Irma, which killed at least 43 people in the region.
The clutch of Caribbean islands hardest hit by the storm were mainly overseas territories belonging to Britain, France and the Netherlands, whose tens of thousands of residents are European Union citizens, Reuters said.
The U.S. Virgin Islands were also hard hit.
European countries and the United States have sent troops to deliver aid and provide security after the storm toppled homes and hospitals, but locals and tourists short of food or shelter say help was slow to arrive, according to the Reuters report.
Macron, who is also facing the first test at home of his resolve to reform the economy with a day of protests against his labor reforms, denied authorities were too slow to react.
Basic services in the region were lost after Irma, weakening law and order, and looting erupted on some islands. Haiti's government said on Tuesday more than 10,000 people were in shelters after heavy rains flooded the former French colony.
Macron was due to travel Tuesday to St. Martin, an island France shares with the Netherlands that suffered some of the worst devastation from Irma. Most of the 10 people killed by Irma lived on French territories there.
"St. Martin will be reborn, I promise," Macron told reporters in Pointe-a-Pitre, on the French island of Guadeloupe. "I will shake up all the rules and procedures so the job is done as quickly as possible. It will be done quickly, it will be done well, and it will be done better," he was reported as saying.
Macron said 50 million euros will be made available as soon as possible, and 2,000 security forces have been deployed, including the army, roughly double the original contingent.
The French government has said it would take at least three months for water distribution to normalize. The electricity supply has also been badly hit, authorities said.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also traveled Tuesday to the Caribbean to visit British territories devastated by Irma. Among the hardest hit islands were the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, plus Antigua and Bermuda.
"He is very keen to see for himself the devastation, to reassure governors who have done a magnificent job under quite the most incredible pressure," said Alan Duncan, Britain's minister for Europe and the Americas.
Four people had died on Anguilla, up from one reported previously, Duncan said, while the death toll on the British Virgin Islands had risen by one to five, Reuters reported.


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Contact Suteam by +8618971548510 ! We are 24 hours stand by !


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The exciting official review of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's air quality study has just been released! OK, so it's not so exciting. But that's good, isn't it?
Once again, Erie's air and water have been shown to be clean — very clean in fact.
The town of Erie has just presented the third factual analysis of the second air quality test in less than a year — and with optimal results. The analysis was done by the Pinyon Group, recommended by activists themselves –you can't be more fair than that.
Are we overdoing it, especially considering there has never been any sign or evidence of a problem?
Consider this: Last year at this time, a controversial political activist group and followers emerged to incite fear and angst in the community with highly misleading and emotionally charged rhetoric about hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells. Predictably, families became alarmed and cautious. Simultaneously, anarchist activists were being sought by law enforcement, suspected in the million-dollar vandalism and destruction of local energy facilities, (narrowly unsuccessful in the attempted detonation of one site). Out-of-state lobby and special interest groups had descended upon the town, regularly sending teams of petition pushers to knock on doors.
Public officials in Boulder were shouted down, while angry, shouting activists ran down and intimidated people who didn't agree with or think like them. All of this in the press and based on allegations and accusations that were missing one essential thing — any proof.
Swiftly and responsibly the Town Board and staff set out to cut through the hype and get to the facts, and that we did. Here's what we found: in daily tests over the last decade, municipal water shows no signs of incursion from any industry. Air tests from NOAA show we have trace propane levels a thousand-fold below EPA minimum concern levels. (On a side note, that is 10 times the level in coastal Pasadena, which has virtually no propane, but is often referenced.)
Colorado Department of Public Health's air quality tests, conducted at the Canyon Creek well during frack and finish phases, show element and pollutant levels that are anywhere from "not present" to well within acceptable limits. To put it in context, the well produces roughly 500 times fewer emissions than pickup and drop-off activity at the nearby school parking lot. Finding out the well site is safer than an elementary school (and no moving vehicles) should be important information to concerned residents.
So regularly obtaining and monitoring facts and the truth is not overkill — it's essential. This comprehensive approach provides peace of mind and quality of life for the 98 percent of us who still value the facts over innuendo.
Don't think extremists will simply disappear though. The truth angers deceivers. There will still be the occasional cleverly worded statements that don't exactly say anything, but insinuate everything (after all, deception is the hallmark of such groups).
One thing you can count on, though, is for a majority of those in Town Hall to be vigilant in keeping the facts available to residents and common-sense policies in place to serve their best interests. That's the Erie way.
Joe Wilson has been mayor of Erie since 2010.


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Powder Room
AS EARLY '90S HIP-HOP pumps through computer speakers in Atmosphere's Southeast Portland office, it's clear where 28-year-old Chris Prosser finds inspiration for his line of men's snowboarding apparel: "We have an East Coast–throwback feel. Very 1993," he says. "The cuts were a little baggier, and the style was a little louder." The surrounding loft seems to echo his words, tacked floor-to-ceiling with neon fabric swatches and bold graphics.
The Portland-based brand takes streetwise style to the mountain with merchandise like the military-themed "Iraq" jacket and "Kriss Kross" pants, which playfully display back pockets in the front. But Atmosphere's aesthetic is as much about clean design as it is about bold statements. "We're really heavy into fit," Prosser says.
Prosser began selling his own screen-printed T-shirts out of his locker as a student at Wilson High School; now he has distributors as far away as Korea, Australia, and Poland, supplying international riders with colorful Atmosphere gear like a nylon twill "Upstate" jacket in sunshine yellow and custom crewneck sweatshirts in cerulean. Last year, he opened Atmosphere's flagship store in Southwest Portland with his father, John, and he recently teamed up with professional snowboarder Darrell Mathes to launch the subsidiary brand Mäsa, whose quirky accessories (like fleecy gaiters to keep your neck warm) line Atmosphere's shelves alongside flannels, goggles, and other mountain must-haves.
After three successful seasons designing men's threads, Atmosphere is psyching up to shred a path in some fresh terrain this year: women's wear.


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Hello everyone,
Today's my last message for the Whiff of joy blog!
But It will not be the last cards that I make with these cute stamps :-)
They are so lovely and sweet, I buy a couple new stamps with the sale!
It was a honnor to design for Whiff of joy!
The cute mouse Henry was my first stamp I ever buy....
I have a great time here, and I'm going to miss the cute mouse!!
Thanks for everything!
Here is a selection from the cards I made for WOJ!
I hope you enjoy it!
And you can see them all here!


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The Sepoy Revolt or First War of Independence
The British military power in India comprised two elements – the Native Armies of the East India Company and British Army units. The armed forces were controlled by the Governor General, an official of the company, appointed with the approval of the crown. In 1857, the three Presidency Armies of Bengal, Bombay and Madras consisted of 2, 33,000 Indian and 36,000 British troops, who were commanded by British officers.
By the middle of the century India had become directly or indirectly subject to British rule. The introduction of a uniform philosophy of jurisprudence, a common civil service and judiciary had generally been welcomed after the chaotic period following the Mughal period. But change had also bred certain reactions and created resentment. The attention of the British had shifted to the outlaying areas of Punjab and beyond, and they were taking their hold on the heartland of Oudh and Bihar a little for granted. The bulk of the troops were recruited from this area, and this shifted attention was resented.
The British had grown over confident and complacent about the handling of sensitive issues relating to the Bengal Army, and disaffection in it spread like wildfire. There had been rumours about forcible conversion to Christianity, a deep distrust in the introduction of cartridge having animal fat greasing and a general resentment to stoppage of allowances. The distrust and discontent had grown over some year and the British officer had been unmindful.
Progressively, the trend of increasing British officers and NCOs control on Indian troops had grown, ignoring Indian sensitivity in the matter. Besides blocking avenues of promotion to deserving Indians, it bred an atmosphere of shifted honour and failing confidence.
The revolt first broke out in the Bengal Army garrison at Meerut on 10 May 1857, after some troops were disgraced and imprisoned. At a time when most British unit personnel were at church, the Indian soldiers released their imprisoned brethren and killed as many British officers, men and family members they could lay hands on. Before the British troops could retaliate, the rebels had fled.
Towards the latter part of 1856 the upheaval was centered on Oudh, the principal recruiting area of Bengal Presidency, but later extended to include Delhi and southwards to Indore and Jabalpur.
On reaching Delhi the next day, that is 11May, the rebels were joined by many more troops of the native garrison who, with the help of the city rabble, began to kill every European that they chanced upon. The British reaction was delayed, as most of the British unit was spending their summer in the nearby hill stations.
The revolt soon spread to Lucknow and Kanpur where British male residents were murdered and their women and children imprisoned. From July 1857, however, the tide turned. The British organised their forces and rushed to the relief of Delhi, Lucknow and Kanpur. The siege and capture of Delhi cost the British in all 3,537 killed and wounded. With the capture of the capital, the trust and belief of the people of India in the ultimate success of the uprising disappeared.
After bitter fighting, particularly at Lucknow and Jhansi their equally hard earned victory at Gwalior by June next year ended the revolt. The heroic tales of outstanding valour of Tantia Tope and the Rani of Jhansi are household lore throughout India today.
Almost three-fourths of the Bengal Army was involved in the uprising. The British managed to control the spread of the uprising to the Madras and Bombay Army units. This control of spread was carried out by other Indian troops who only some years earlier had been the bitterest enemies of the British, that is the Sikhs, Gorkhas, troops of the Punjab Frontier Force and Punjabi Irregulars. The British were quite ruthless in the suppression of the uprising, and their brutalization lingered on against all Indian nationalist movements – as the event at Jalianwala Bagh in 1919 illustrates.
While mopping-up operation continued, very harsh repressive measures were adopted by the British against the rebels and suspects. On 1 September that year the governance of India was transferred to the British Crown, ending the centaury-old rule of East India Company.


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As the Caribbean sun rose over the gently swaying palm trees, a semi-organized army of golf carts rolled out from the first tee, spreading out across the Dorado Beach East golf course in Puerto Rico. It was time for the 2004 Montecristo Cup to begin.
Nearly 100 everyday golfers would spend the next three days playing alongside professionals from the Champions Tour and get to ogle their amazing golf shots, some of which simply made them shake their heads in disbelief. But the December 1 through 5 get-together wasn't only about fun—more than $100,000 was raised in the charity event, co-sponsored by cigarmaker Altadis U.S.A. Inc. and Cigar Aficionado magazine. Other sponsors and contributors included NetJets, Cadillac, Kendall-Jackson, Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Montecristo Rum and Hyatt. The event's proceeds, slated for the Hurricane Relief Funds of the Caribbean Islands, will be used to help rebuild lives shattered by hurricanes. The horrific tsunami that claimed the lives of more than 200,000 souls not a month after the Cup would serve as a poignant reminder of how susceptible people are to the wrath of nature, and how important it is to donate to these types of charities.
This, the sixth annual Montecristo Cup, was the largest one to date. The pro golfers included Jim Thorpe, who won the pro division for the fourth time, shooting a 63 from the back tees in his first round, Larry Laoretti, Tom Wargo, Gibby Gilbert, Walter Hall, Miller Barber, Allen Doyle, Brett Quigley, Walter Morgan and Dana Quigley, who called the event "the best three day pro-am I've ever played in."
It would have been hard to find a dissenter in the crowd of amateurs, who soaked up near-perfect Caribbean weather as they tried to conquer the testy 7,000-yard Dorado Beach East Course. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., the course is well defended with bunkers and water, either in the form of lakes or the ocean—several holes hug the beach. Others put the golfer in the midst of the Puerto Rican rain forest. Each morning, after refueling with a buffet breakfast, the golfers would head to the practice range, hoping to find the secret to shave off a stroke or two.
The entire event was cigar-friendly, and the participants could smoke from sunup to bedtime. Each golf cart came fully equipped with six tubed Altadis-brand cigars, such as Montecristo White and Platinum and Romeo y Julieta, and there were plenty more smokes at lunch and dinner.
The golfers played in foursomes. Each quartet of amateurs was paired with a pro; on the first day, the amateurs played with two pros, one for the first nine holes, one for the back nine; on day two, they were paired with a different pro for the entire 18 holes; and on day three, they were paired with yet another pro, ensuring that each team played with four different pros for the tournament. The pros gave tips when requested, trying to help cure a slice here, a chunk there, and giving professional reads on the greens. They also made extraordinary shots that the amateurs could only execute in their dreams. (On a long par 5, with 260 yards to an uphill flag for his second shot, Brett Quigley took out a fairway wood. "Can you hit it 260 off the deck?" I asked. "I'm sure going to try," he said with a little smile. Ten seconds later the ball was sitting pretty on the fringe.)
The groups played in varying formats, always able to drop from the best drive. On the first two days, they used the best drive and then each golfer played out his or her ball; on day three, it was a full best-ball scramble.
Teams won points depending upon their daily performance—prizes were given to the teams that won each day, and there were also daily contests for getting a ball closest to the hole on par 3s—and the team with the most points at the end of the tournament won. Thursday's contest was won by the team of Paul R. Sweeney, Joe Powell, George Ricehouse and Ray Batey. On Friday, the team of Jim Colucci, Paul Del Rossi, Paul Quigley and Devon Quigley won. Saturday's scramble was won by Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher of Cigar Aficionado, radio star Rush Limbaugh, Bill Terlato of Paterno Imports and Mike Moone of Luna Vineyards.
First-place honors for the tournament went to the foursome of Colucci, the senior vice president of sales and marketing for Altadis U.S.A.; Del Rossi, who owns the Davidoff store in Manhattan's Columbus Circle; and Paul and Devon Quigley, relatives of pro golfer Dana Quigley. Paul is Dana's brother (and father to PGA golfer Brett Quigley), and Devon is Dana's son.
Second place went to a team that has not missed a Montecristo Cup throughout its six-year history. Tom Poole always brings his son, Shepard, his son-in-law, Michael Lahey, and his best friend, Robert Friemann.
After three days of golf (four, for those who arrived on Wednesday and got in a practice round), the weary competitors sat down for a hearty dinner with fine wines, great food, awards aplenty and a charity auction emceed by Laoretti. Tom Poole was invited to speak at the podium.
"How often do you get to golf with your son, your son-in-law and your best friend?" he asked rhetorically. His smile was mirrored by those in the room, all having spent a weekend they wouldn't soon forget.


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Guest Post by Akira German, Founder/ Program Director at Ever Rise Youth Programs, LLC.
At this moment a parent somewhere is wondering where to send their child after school. And let's face it, the options are scarce: you have the overly-priced and nationally recognized childcare centers, a family members home, the home childcare nearby, or even the child can become a latchkey kid.
Why not have their children in your Child Care program? Before and Aftercare programs can seem a bit intimidating to get started but, with strategic planning and execution; it can be a fun and profitable venture.
Are you ready to care for children beyond Preschool age?
First, consider the different kinds of before and after-care customers or parents you would like to cater to.
Everyone is looking for something different so figure out what areas are best for you.
Of course you can't be everything to everybody so never hesitate to say "This program may not be the best fit for you."
I had a couple that wanted me to drill their poor kid consistently in math and English, even after several hours of school, providing no breaks, socialization or even educational games; just drills and correction. This is simply not my thing so I had to let them walk.
Please note that before and after-care customers typically fall in one or more of the following categories:
- Parents who want before/after-care simply because they are working
- Parents who need care because family ARE available but would rather have enrichment activities
- Parents who speak English as a second language and need assistance helping their children with daily homework assignments
- Parents who want tutoring and enrichment with the sole purpose of bringing up the child's grades
- Parents who have children who are excelling and want them stay ahead of the status quo in school
It is important to know which customer you are dealing with so you can cater to their interest. Each parent will look for different qualities in your program.
What about Before/After-care space options?
Where will you care for the school age children? Do you have space in your existing facility where they can have quite time? Older children can get easily distracted by the parents entering the facility and babies crying, they would need their own space. Consider local schools that may have free space for a few hours and can benefit from a on site program. Churches are great and you may even have a few customers already there. Get creative! Some of my colleagues have bought houses near each other and dedicated one solely to older children. I have met one provider that used a double for her childcare and simply put the older children in the other half.
Where do I find my potential customers?
I personally like to go to the source, I found that many school here in Indianapolis still have not taking the initiative to provide before and after-care for their children. Find those schools and contact the local office for permission to send home advertisements. Host a skate party or something similar, at a local bounce house to introduce the program. Pass out stickers with the flyers so children take them home to remind parents.
Become acquainted with the teachers. Consider sending them goodie bags just to let them know you are there to help them if needed. Tutoring and homework assistance at home does wonders for eliminate stress on the teacher's end. Let them know that! Also, be patient. With my first attempt at starting a before an after-care program, I sent out 800+ flyers to one school. I waited 3 months before getting my first callback.
How to start preparing a schedule?
Decide how to organize the children seats and classroom. I would suggest letting them blow off some steam before getting started. Get a simple snack menu together so employees can have the food ready when they arrive. If you are having lots of downtime, consider combining the snack and eating them in one fun activity.
I personally love cooking with children because they are always so engaged. Create a schedule that cycles, as the children arrive; have them go in an area where they can snack and talk. Next, send them to a quiet area to work and read. Then, when they are finish, have them go back into the snack are with games and activities until you are ready to work "one on one" or with that age/grade level group.
I hope that you enjoyed Akira's Before/After Care tips. If so, feel free to leave your comments and thoughts below.


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text:
Society's Child
Family of slain New Jersey girl silent on Facebook posts
Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:58 UTC
"We want swift justice for Autumn," said Paul Spadofora, a great uncle and godfather of Autumn Pasquale, whose body was found in a recycling bin Monday near the teenagers' home. "We don't want to jeopardize the case."
Two brothers, 15 and 17, were charged with murder and other crimes against the girl, who would have turned 13 on Oct. 29. Authorities say the younger boy lured her to their home by promising to trade bicycle parts.
Both teens are due in court Friday for a hearing on whether they should remain in a juvenile detention facility.
A Facebook account that appears to belong to Justin Robinson had a picture posted in August of a BMX bike. On Oct. 17, a post apparently from Autumn asked: "Is tht ur bike?"
The two exchanged a volley of messages in abbreviated language. He answered, "yeuop." She proclaimed, "Thts sexy!" He responded, "lol thx" and later added: "yess cme 2 my house."
The exchange is no longer available on Facebook, but someone took a screenshot and saved it to the photo-sharing site ImageShack.
Autumn disappeared Saturday, three days after the exchange.
The Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office would not comment on the postings.
Authorities said Anita Saunders, the mother of the two suspects, called police because she was concerned about something one of her son's posted on Facebook. But police have not disclosed exactly what the posting said.
Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean Dalton said the mother's tip led investigators to the recycling bin behind a vacant home next to hers where Autumn's body was found - and to her sons.
Authorities have not released the names of the teens because they are charged as juveniles, though prosecutors say they are likely to seek to have the case moved to adult court.
Neighbors and other community members identify the boys as 17-year-old Dante Robinson and 15-year-old Justin Robinson. The boys' father and maternal grandfather both declined to speak about the boys on Thursday, but did not deny their names. Their names have been widely reported in the media.
Since the boys were arrested on Tuesday, the girl's family has criticized authorities for not having a more intense search sooner after she was reported missing - and asked the state Attorney General's Office to investigate the response.
Dalton defended his office's response, saying officials "poured their hearts and souls" into the case. Up to 200 law enforcement officials and hundreds more volunteers joined the search.
Source: The Associated Press


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Cat Stars, Sister & Rat Pack Launch WOS Awards
Date: 3 November 2009
Just days after their London opening in the transatlantic transfer of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Broadway stars James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad and Sanaa Lathan will help launch one of the biggest events in the West End: the TENTH ANNUAL Whatsonstage.com Awards, the "theatregoers' choice". This year's glitzy launch party, at which all of the artists and shows in the 2010 awards running will be revealed, is held at Cafe de Paris, at lunchtime on Friday 4 December 2009.
The three Broadway stars, who have a collection of Tony Awards and other US accolades between them, will be our special guest co-presenters, reading the shortlists for the shortlists of nominations across the 20+ awards categories. The 2010 Awards cover the 2009 theatregoing year, running from 1 December 2008 to 30 November 2009. (As Cat on a Hot Tin Roof opens on 1 December 2009, the three actors and their production will be considered as part of the 2011 Awards.)
The Americans will be joined by British stage and screen legend Jeremy Irons, presenting on behalf of this year's adopted charity, Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass, which gives young people the chance to learn from and be inspired by leading artists (See News, 29 Sep 2009).
There will also be three live musical performances. Patina Miller, who won rave reviews earlier this year for stepping into Whoopi Goldberg's shoes as Deloris von Cartier in blockbuster screen-to-stage hit Sister Act at the London Palladium, will prove why she's "Fabulous, Baby" in the show. And the ever-smooth Frank, Sammy and Dean from Christmas with The Rat Pack at the Adelphi Theatre will get guests in the festive mood with some croon-worthy seasonal classics.
Last but not least, in honour of the tenth anniversary of the Awards, the stars of satirical musical comedy hit Jest End, which returns this month for a five-week season at Jermyn Street Theatre, will perform a special celebratory medley.
Top (l-r): Patina Miller in Sister Act; Jeremy Irons; Bottom (l-r): Cat on a Hot Tin Roof's James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad and Sanaa Lathan with co-star Adrian Lester; Jest End; and Christmas with The Rat Pack.
Charity, voting & sponsors
The nominations phase of the 2010 Whatsonstage.com Awards has now opened – click here to nominate your favourite shows and artists! After the launch party, the race is on to decide the eventual Whatsonstage.com Award winners, with voting on the shortlists opening on Monday 7 December 2009 and continuing until the end of January. Results are announced and awards presented in front of a live audience of theatregoer voters at our Winners' Concert on Sunday 14 February 2010 at the West End's Prince of Wales Theatre.
Both Awards events are held in aid of this year's adopted charity, Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass, which gives young people the chance to learn from and be inspired by leading artists (See News, 29 Sep 2009). Set up by the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 1998, the hugely successful Masterclass programme has now welcomed over 40,000 people aged 17-30. Events are given free of charge and occur at least one Friday a month throughout the year, focusing on all aspects of theatre from acting and directing to writing and producing.
Though Masterclass events are designed for those at the start of their careers, theatregoers and others, of whatever age, are also welcome. The Masterclass Benefactors scheme (priced £55 per annum) has been set up for this purpose. It includes: access to over 12 events a year, an annual friends' party and special ticket offers for Theatre Royal Haymarket productions. Details can be found at www.masterclass.org.uk.
For more information on the charity and our corporate sponsors in relation to the Awards, please visit our awards microsite later this week. For the first time this year, we're also making a limited number of sponsorship packages available to individuals. For information on theatregoers' packages, click here.


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During the recently ended NHL lockout, more than a billion in revenue was lost.
More than 600 games were canceled.
Thousands of workers in and around the game lost wages, and millions of fans were deprived of a sport they love with a passion.
NHL Commissioner, Gary Bettman, had one thing to say Wednesday as he announced the NHL Board of Governors unanimously approved a new labor agreement.
"I am sorry."
It sounded as sincere as it reads. (Read More: 'Hockey Cliff' Averted, Lockout Ends )
Now, only time will tell if his contrition translates into something that can be done to make fans feel at least a little bit respected. (Read More: Drop the Puck: NHL, Players Settle Labor Dispute)