tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414857561551305612024-02-07T12:04:36.366-08:00Sheryl PoulsA Sheryl Pouls BlogSheryl Poulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807167067782627083noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441485756155130561.post-53769858509232089522014-08-12T12:13:00.000-07:002014-08-12T12:13:29.077-07:00REPOST: Victoria Beckham to sell 600 personal clothing items for charity<i>Want to own fashionable pieces from Victoria Beckham’s personal wardrobe collection while raising money for charity? Now you can! The fashion designer has just unveiled a new charity project, where she sells 600 iconic outfits to support the charity mothers2mothers. <i><a href="http://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/victoria-beckham-to-sell-600-personal-clothing-items-for-charity-1.1946950">CTV News</a></i> has the full story below.</i><br />
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The fashion designer and former Spice Girl has unveiled a new charitable project with the e-commerce site.<br />
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Remember Beckham's fluorescent yellow Roberto Cavalli gown at the pre-World Cup party in 2006? Remember the white Dolce & Gabbana dress she wore to the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards? If you do, you're in for a treat, as they'll be up for grabs at the end of the month.<br />
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Beckham first got the idea when she spent time with mothers2mothers, a charity that raises money to train and employ 'Mentor Mothers', South African women living with HIV, in order to educate them on how to prevent the transmission of HIV from mothers to babies as well as improve the health of women and their families.<br />
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Beckham then selected some 600 iconic pieces from her wardrobe, including 'Posh Spice' outfits that range from the early days of the Spice Girls through her courtship with footballer David Beckham, fashion party and runway show appearances and other major events. Pieces include dresses, coats, shoes, bags, hats, jewelry and even skiwear. The items were valued by Christie's, who will also host the sale, which runs from August 20 to 25 exclusively online at The Outnet, with all proceeds going to the charity.<br />
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"I laughed a lot when we were going through my wardrobe as the pieces hold so many happy memories for me, David and the children," added the 40-year-old star. "A lot of the clothes have been specially designed for me by the most talented designers and I've loved wearing them, however I now feel it's someone else's turn to enjoy them."<br />
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If you're interested, you'll have to register at The Outnet from today, ahead of the start of the sale. To add to the fun, ten of the most iconic pieces will also be on sale as part of a ‘Going, Going, Gone' reverse auction, where the starting price reduces by a fixed amount every five minutes.</blockquote>
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<i>Sheryl Pouls is a mother and philanthropist from Gladwyne, Pennsylvania. Read more discussions on motherhood and philanthropy <a href="http://sherylpouls.tumblr.com/">here</a>.</i>Sheryl Poulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807167067782627083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441485756155130561.post-54798070047699034812014-07-10T07:04:00.000-07:002014-07-11T08:20:49.029-07:00REPOST: Nicholas Sparks’ latest love story appeals to teen readers<i>Nicholas Sparks' novels have tugged the heartstrings of largely mature (and later young adult) readers for years. </i> <a href="http://teensandtwenties.com/nicholas-sparks-latest-love-story-appeals-to-teen-readers/">Teens and Twenties</a>' <i>Kristian Whitesell writes about how Sparks' 2011 book “The Best of Me” would fare with teen readers.</i><br />
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Nicholas Sparks has done it again. He’s added another novel of romance and tragedy to his already extensive list of novels. “The Best of Me,” released on Oct. 11, is a story about two high school sweethearts, Dawson and Amanda, whose teenage romance was quickly halted because the two were not from the same social status. Amanda was born into a family that was highly respected by others.<br />
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Against her family’s wishes, she began seeing a man whose family was in and out of prison. Amanda didn’t judge Dawson because of his family; she didn’t care who his father was.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image source: <a href="http://nicholassparks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/BairdCreek.jpg">NicholasSparks.com</a></td></tr>
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Unfortunately, life doesn’t always let us make our own choices. Dawson cared for Amanda more than himself, so he let her go. Neither of them ever forgot each other, but they created lives for themselves and moved on. Amanda went to college, married a good man and raised a family with him. Dawson’s life changed, too. After another incident with his family that landed him in jail, he determined that he would never go back to that town. <br />
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As is everything in life, though, things happen that we don’t expect. When a mentor of Dawson and Amanda passes away, his last request to them brings them back together in the small town in North Carolina where they first met and fell in love.<br />
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Through a series of events afterward, Dawson and Amanda fall in love again and face hard decisions that result from it. <br />
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Nicholas Sparks is famous for his use of many emotions in his novels. Gripping everyone’s hearts with its believable characters and tragic events, “The Best of Me” is no different.<br />
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<i>For more on the works of Nicholas Sparks, visit this Sheryl Pouls <a href="http://sherylpouls.tumblr.com/">blog</a>.</i><br />
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<i></i>Sheryl Poulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807167067782627083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441485756155130561.post-15274613573357663342014-06-05T04:33:00.000-07:002014-06-06T09:30:25.256-07:00REPOST: HBO’s ‘Boardwalk Empire’ Featurette Goes Behind the Scenes<i>HBO's television productions are known for their stellar quality that have, at some points, surpassed that of their cinematic counterparts. Rob Frappier of </i><a href="http://screenrant.com/boardwalk-empire-hbo-behind-the-scenes-featurette-robf-75507/" target="_blank">ScreenRant</a><i> describes the behind-the-scenes featurette that brings viewers into the the production of Boardwalk Empire.</i><br />
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Without a doubt, my number one most anticipated new television show of the fall season is HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. The series, which comes our way thanks to the Emmy Award-winning writer of The Sopranos, Terence Winter, details how criminals and corrupt politicians in Atlantic City made millions during prohibition in the 1920s.<br />
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As if the subject matter of Boardwalk Empire weren’t interesting enough, the show stars the always terrific Steve Buscemi and the pilot episode was directed by none other than Martin Scorsese. Seriously, does it get better than that?<br />
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In anticipation of the show’s September 19th premiere, HBO has released a lengthy behind-the-scenes featurette. The featurette offers insight from Winter, Buscemi, Scorsese, and others on the subject matter of the show – as well as how Boardwalk Empire intends to capture one of the most interesting periods of American history.<br />
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Check out the behind-the-scenes video below:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" seamless="seamless" src="http://www.hbo.com/data/content/global/videos/embed/data/1112581.html?height=480&width=640" style="overflow: hidden;" type="text/html" width="640"></iframe><br />
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Pretty cool, right? If the “Making Of” video doesn’t have you hooked into Boardwalk Empire, then maybe you should go back and check out one of the trailers for the show. If you’re still not convinced that it’s going to be awesome, well I’m afraid you and I just can’t be friends.<br />
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Speaking of The Wire, I’m incredibly excited to see Michael K. Williams in the cast of Boardwalk Empire as the character Chalky White. For those not hip to The Wire, Williams played one of TV’s greatest anti-heroes – the gay stick-up man Omar Little. I didn’t get a chance to catch Williams on the big screen in The Road this past year, so I’m excited to see him back on the small screen.<br />
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Anyway, you know where my TV will be set on September 19th. In the meantime, feel free to use the comments to stir up some debate about your favorite HBO shows of all time. Am I the only one who thinks HBO is king when it comes to original programming?<br />
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<i>Sheryl Pouls is a mother of two daughters residing in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, and is a fan of Boardwalk Empire and other programs. Visit this <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sheryl.Pouls1">Facebook page</a> page for more updates on TV productions, parenting, and other related topics.</i><br />
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Sheryl Poulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807167067782627083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441485756155130561.post-34181547936885525742014-02-13T03:56:00.000-08:002014-02-16T01:48:40.730-08:00REPOST: 5 Myths About Teens and Technology Every Parent Should Ignore<i>It’s normal for people to be scared of something they know nothing about, which is most often the situation between parents and the technology their kids are hooked to. Read this article from the </i><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-perle/4-myths-about-teens-and-t_b_4711061.html">Huffington Post</a><i> which discusses the misconceptions adults have about teens and technology.</i><br />
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As the editor of HuffPost Teen, I spend a good part of my day talking to Snapchat-sending, Facebook-hating, selfie-taking, iPhone-obsessed teens that many adults love to judge. I also talk to their parents.<br />
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This week, I received a fairly typical email from the concerned mom of one of our bloggers asking questions like: Is having an Internet profile safe? How many people will see it? Will strangers try to communicate with my kid? What about online predators?<br />
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The note surprised me, however, because of who her teen is: a prolific writer with a huge social media following. (To protect the teen's privacy I am not identifying them by gender.) Though the teen uses the name of a fictional character across social accounts, they use a real photo and regularly share personal anecdotes with an audience of thousands. Given the mom's questions, I assume she has no idea her kid has such an active, public presence.<br />
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It's not unusual for teens to be deeply involved in large, online communities that their families know nothing about, and this makes me sad. I want all parents to know how amazing, eloquent and popular their teenagers are in a world they're often too scared to be a part of.<br />
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But I'm not writing this article to convince that one mom to face her fears and get on Instagram. I'm writing it because she is part of a chorus of adult voices -- online and off -- who seem frightened by teenagers' daily use of technology, in its various forms. I'm writing this article because I see too many parents willfully alienate themselves from teens due to fear-mongering, technophobic myths that inundate them in mainstream media.<br />
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Here are a few of the misconceptions about teens, technology and the Internet I see come up again and again in articles and in my own conversations with "experts" -- and all the reasons why parents should not believe them.<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/01/17/parenting-style-linked-to-kids-internet-addiction/" target="_blank">"Teens are addicted to technology."</a><br />
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Most of the time, when I hear this, it's referring to teenagers' constant need to be online. But here's the thing: the Internet is not (just) technology -- it's people. Teens are obsessively engaging with friends, not screens. Youth researcher danah boyd discusses this idea in her insightful new book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Its-Complicated-Social-Lives-Networked/dp/0300166311" target="_blank"><i>It's Complicated</i></a>. "Teens aren't addicted to social media," she says. "They're addicted to each other." boyd also points to teens' increasingly monitored and over-scheduled lives, which may have resulted in childhoods that had less in-person connection than previous generations. Meaning: Teens are not developing strange, worrisome relationships with technology. They just want to hang out with their friends, and behind a screen is their easiest -- or sometimes only -- option.<br />
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2. <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationopinion/9966117/Text-speak-language-evolution-or-just-laziness.html" target="_blank">"All their 'text-speak' is making them stupid."</a><br />
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In fact, the opposite is happening: their reading and writing skills are being strengthened by the hundreds of "textisms" (OMG LOL SMH) they are sending every day. <a href="http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/can-texting-help-spelling" target="_blank">Studies show</a> that teens' obsession with texting and tweeting is actually improving literacy rates, because they are spending so much time creating and responding to words. Who would want to discourage young people from engaging with something that's making them read even more -- and by choice?<br />
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3. "<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1312119/Facebook-internet-wire-brain-shorten-attention-span.html" target="_blank">The Internet is giving teens a two-second attention span."</a><br />
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Here's what the Internet is actually doing: making them less passive. Teens are <a href="http://www.dailydot.com/fandom/teen-wolf-fan-video-promo/" target="_blank">interacting with</a> their entertainment directly, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/09/pretty-little-liars-winter-premiere_n_4567541.html" target="_blank">consuming communally</a> using social media, producing <a href="http://www.fuse.tv/2013/11/one-direction-fan-fiction-stories-must-read" target="_blank">alternative narratives and content</a> and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/30/petition-make-plus-size-princesses-in-disney-movies_n_4695664.html?utm_hp_ref=teen" target="_blank">in</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">terrogating</a> their media. They are engaging so deeply with stories and ideas that they are forming their own online communities around them, and even creating their <a href="http://machi36.tumblr.com/post/49260525439/michaelfkingjones-fuchsimeon-tardisity" target="_blank">own, unique dialects</a>. This is far from "thrill-of-the-moment" interactions with technology; it's persistent, obsessive engagement with information.<br />
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4. <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/school-bans-phones-in-playground-to-rekindle-teenage-social-skills-20131028-2wbb6.html" target="_blank">"The more time teens spend behind screens, the more antisocial they become."</a><br />
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Communicating online is an important part of most adults' daily personal and work lives. Having strong online social skills will continue to be similarly -- if not more -- important for this generation of teens as they grow up. It troubles me to see adults dismiss online communication as less meaningful or worthy of our attention, and to read articles encouraging parents to <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/school-bans-phones-in-playground-to-rekindle-teenage-social-skills-20131028-2wbb6.html" target="_blank">limit or ban their teen's </a>access to technology in the name of "healthier" relationships. Ask yourself this: Would you be worried if one of your close friends stopped communicating with you for a few weeks? When parents prohibit screen time, their teen is often cut off from peers in a similar way. If parents want to help teens develop rich, healthy relationships as adults, they need to teach them complete social etiquette -- which means acknowledging the importance of both their online and offline friendships.<br />
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5. <a href="http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/danger-teen-networking-2237.html" target="_blank">"Teens are careless about online privacy."</a><br />
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Admittedly, this is a complicated topic that warrants its own separate article, but let me just say this: most teens grew up using social media, and because of this they understand extraordinarily well how to be private in a very public space. On Twitter, for example, many HuffPost Teen bloggers have joint handles with friends using made-up names, they "<a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=subtweeting" target="_blank">subtweet</a>" each other using coded personal messages... the list of their creative, privacy-conscious communication strategies goes on and on. Sidneyeve Matrix, associate professor of media at Queen's University in Ontario, echoed this idea when she spoke to T<a href="http://www.thestar.com/life/technology/2014/02/03/happy_10th_birthday_facebook.html" target="_blank">he Toronto Star about millennials and online privacy this week:</a><br />
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Over the past three years, the amazingly loud message from my students is that young people are very conscious of their privacy... They understand data privacy; they partition all their uses of social networks. Some are for professional, some are for personal and some are for school, some are for friends only.<br />
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Youth researcher <a href="http://www.danah.org/papers/talks/2013/ASTD2013.html" target="_blank">danah boyd agrees:</a><br />
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Just because teens are trying to help shape public culture doesn't mean that they want their dirty laundry exposed. The notion that today's youth don't care about privacy is foolish. Sure, there are some teenagers who are exhibitionists, just as there are some adults who are. But most teens are very conscious about privacy, just as they're very conscious about their public self-expressions.<br />
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In my eyes, it's careless of parents to create rules around online privacy if they do not understand how social media platforms work. From the parent perspective, HuffPost's Lisa Belkin, wrote about <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-belkin/parents-internet_b_1266330.html" target="_blank">why not "getting it" isn't an option.</a><br />
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Don't do it because you have specific fears that your daughter has fallen down the Tumblr rabbit hole looking for "thinspiration." Do it so that if you ever have those fears you won't dismiss them because you don't know where to begin to look. Parenting is about leading and teaching them, yes. But sometimes we help them most when we learn, and follow.<br />
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So, parents: don't be frightened by your teen's love for technology. Let them teach you how and why they're using it -- and maybe you'll get a glimpse into the engaged, energetic and complex teenage online world I have the privilege of seeing every day.<br />
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Follow Elizabeth Perle on Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/lizperle" target="_blank">www.twitter.com/lizperle </a><br />
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<i>Sheryl Pouls is a mother residing in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania. She has two daughters: Samantha and Amanda. For more articles about parenting, visit this <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Sheryl.Pouls1">Facebook page</a>.</i><br />
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Sheryl Poulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807167067782627083noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441485756155130561.post-32818301335673781532014-01-05T13:13:00.002-08:002014-01-05T13:13:33.724-08:00REPOST: Top ten parenting resolutions for 2014<i>Do you have parenting resolutions this year? Get ideas from Josette Plank whose resolutions include finding her kids an alternative role model to Miley Cyrus. Read her list in this article from</i> <a href="http://www.pennlive.com/living/index.ssf/2013/12/top_ten_parenting_resolutions.html">PennLive</a>.<i> </i><br />
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Goodbye, 2013! Hello 365 more days of being an awesome parent!<br /><br />In 2013, we all agreed that a great parenting resolution would be to teach "Thou shalt not toss gallons of milk down the grocery store dairy aisle, even if my friends think it's hilarious." </blockquote>
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Now it's time to write our resolutions for 2014. I came up with a few I think could be on most parents' top ten list. Let me know if I missed any.<br /><br /><b>Like Kate Middleton, my child will be a prince—but not household ruler.</b><br /><br />All children are as special as royal offspring. But waiting on kids hand and glass-slippered-foot can create little tyrants.<br /><br />I resolve to help my children learn to do things for themselves — fold laundry, make a sandwich, work for their own "can you buy this for me" money. When kids earn their own self-esteem, they feel like true kings and queens.<br /><br /><b>I will offer an alternative to Miley Cyrus as a role model.</b><br /><br />Kids may say they adore actors, sports personalities and Bad Hannah Montana. But the people children look up to the most are the grown-ups under their own roof.<br /><br />I'll try to be the person I'd like my child to be. I'll be honest and kind. I'll work hard, and I'll spend time with my family. I will not drive 90 miles an hour to catch up with some guy who cut me off in traffic, just to flip him the bird.<br /><br /><b>I will kick my kids out of the house.</b><br /><br />Bickering kids, grouchy kids, kids with ants in their pants — nothing takes the stink out of a child like a good ole shove out the door and into fresh air. And no matter the weather, there's a thermal base layer, waterproof jacket and sunscreen with insect repellent to meet your parenting need, i.e. maintaining your sanity.<br /><br /><b>I will stop saying "I'm not a techy."</b><br /><br />Pop quiz: Your 11-year-old daughter says she is tweeting Instragram screenshots from Vine videos she posts on Tumblr. Should you a) follow her on Twitter, b) say "I smell something burning on the stove" and excuse yourself, or c) move to an 18th-century reenactment community. <br /><br />The answer is d) I need to understand what the heck my kid is talking about. Internet safety and know-how is part of today's parenting.<br /><br /><b>I will not compare my after-baby body to the svelte bodies of new celebrity mothers.</b><br /><br />Unless I have access to a full-time trainer, housekeeper, nutritionist, cook and nanny, I will set reasonable goals for getting back in shape. "Nine months up in weight, nine months down" is the common wisdom for mere mortal women.<br /><br /><b>"Kids will be kids" is an explanation, but it will not be my excuse.</b><br /><br />Even the most well-behaved kids will make choices that are crazy, stupid and downright dangerous. Hopefully, they'll grow out of their goofiness. Until then, I will continue to set limits and allow my kids to learn from the logical consequences of their decisions.<br /><br /><b>I won't be a dangerous sports parent.</b><br /><br />I will take potential head injuries seriously. I will not allow myself or an over-enthusiastic coach to risk permanently affecting my child's brain for a sporting event. Not even the Very Important All-Township Mini Peewee Super Duper Deluxe Championship.<br /><br /><b>I will not overreact and wrap my kids in Kevlar.</b><br /><br />Bike helmets, seat belts and hand-washing—I will be sensible and teach my children how to reduce risks. However, most of the United States is a pretty safe place for kids,and human bodies are designed to withstand childhood bumps and bruises. I will chill out.<br /><br /><b>I will learn to cook a few green things.</b><br /><br />The future me will prepare three nutritious, well-balanced meals every day and not ever serve frozen pizza or chicken nuggets for dinner. Until I morph into Jamie Oliver, I vow to add at least one fresh produce item to each meal—cut carrots, steamed broccoli, a side salad. I will get good at this, and then set my bar of culinary awesomeness a little higher.<br /><br /><b>I will volunteer.</b><br /><br />I work several jobs. I have a mob of kids. I need more hours in my day. However, I also know how much my children benefit from sports, scouting and community clubs. I will find an hour or two each month to help out, even if I have to paint numbers 13 and 14 on my clock.<i><br /></i></blockquote>
<i>Sheryl Pouls is the mother to teenagers Amanda and Samantha. Follow this <a href="https://twitter.com/SherylPouls">Twitter account</a> for more discussions on parenting.</i>Sheryl Poulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807167067782627083noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441485756155130561.post-616569657277926922013-12-10T03:33:00.000-08:002013-12-10T07:41:02.710-08:00REPOST: Michelle Monaghan joins Nicholas Sparks film 'The Best of Me' (Exclusive)<i>Nicholas Sparks has done it again with </i>The Best of Me<i> becoming the ninth of his novels to be turned into a movie. <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michelle-monaghan-joins-nicholas-sparks-650038">Hollywoodreporter.com</a> has the details on the potential blockbuster. </i><br />
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<b>Michael Hoffman will direct the pic for Relativity.</b><br />
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Michelle Monaghan will star in the next romantic Nicholas Sparks adaptation, <i>The Best of Me</i>.</blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image source: <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2013/10/michelle_monaghan_0.jpg">hollywoodreporter.com</a></td></tr>
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Gambit helmer Michael Hoffman will direct the film, which follows a pair of former high school sweethearts who reunite after many years when they both return to their small North Carolina hometown.<br />
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Sparks wrote the book, which was released in March 2013. He is also producing along with Ryan Kavanaugh, Theresa Park. </blockquote>
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J. Mills Goodloe and Will Fetters wrote the script. <br />
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In July, Relativity picked up the rights toThe Best of Me, making it the third partnership between the author and studio. Warner Bros. initially bought the rights to the novel back in 2011.<br />
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Best of Me will be the ninth Sparks book made into a film.<br />
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Relativity worked with Sparks on his previous film adaptation,Safe Haven, which starred Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel. That film, which opened on Valentine's Day this year, has earned $71.3 million domestically to date.<br />
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Monaghan's previous work includes Mission: Impossible III, Gone Baby Gone and Source Code. Her upcoming projects include HBO's drama True Detective, and on the film side, she'll be in Claudia Myers' Fort Bliss with Ron Livingston, A Many Splintered Thing opposite Chris Evans and Better Living Through Chemistry. She's repped by ICM Partners, Circle of Confusion and Sloane Offer.<br />
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<i>Sheryl Pouls is a mother of two and a fan of novelist Nicholas Sparks. For articles on her interests, visit this <a href="http://sherylpouls.livejournal.com/">blog</a>. </i>Sheryl Poulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807167067782627083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441485756155130561.post-78737822317119970572013-11-01T01:17:00.000-07:002013-11-01T10:58:51.328-07:00REPOST: Michelle Monaghan will front Nicholas Sparks adaptation The Best of Me<i>There's a new film in pre-production based on a Nicholas Sparks novel on the works and actress Michelle Monaghan is taking the lead. <a href="http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Michelle-Monaghan-Front-Nicholas-Sparks-Adaptation-Best-Me-39972.html">Cinematic Blend</a> shares some of the details here:</i><br />
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<blockquote><p><center><img alt="Michelle Monaghan" src="http://www.cinemablend.com/images/news_img/39972/michelle_monaghan_39972.jpg"/><p></center><p>After years of playing the love interests and sidekicks to quipping action heroes in movies like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Mission: Impossible III, Eagle Eye and Source Code, Michelle Monaghan is finally stepping into a lead role in the romantic drama The Best of Me. <a href=" http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michelle-monaghan-joins-nicholas-sparks-650038|">THR</a> reports the American actress will headline the project, which is based on the 2011 Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name. This production will mark the ninth movie made from Sparks' tragedy-strewn romance novels, following A Walk to Remember, Dear John, The Notebook and Safe Haven, which proved a hit for Relativity Media earlier this year. </p><br />
<p>Set in 1984 North Carolina, within the small town of Oriental, The Best of Me follows the troubled love story of Amanda Collier and Dawson Cole, two high schoolers who come together despite coming from opposite sides of the tracks. But their relationship turns out to be short-lived, and they break up the summer of their senior year. Leap ahead twenty-five years spent without each other, and the two, whose lives haven't turned out as they'd hoped, are forced to return to Oriental and reunite at the funeral of a beloved and departed mentor, Tuck Hostetler. Urged by Tuck's final request to reconsider the past they once shared, Amanda and Dawson have a second shot at love and the life they truly want. But will they be brave enough to take it? </p><br />
<p>While the THR piece never says so directly, we expect Monaghan is set to play Amanda, though no hint is given to who might play opposite her as Dawson. Former leading men in the Sparks adaptations include Josh Duhamel, Shane West, Ryan Gosling, and Channing Tatum. So presumably only the strapping and dreamy need apply to this casting call. </p><br />
<p>Perhaps more than any other Sparks adaptation, The Best of Me was made to be a movie. The rights to the book were bought by <a href=" http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Next-Nicholas-Sparks-Novel-The-Best-Of-Me-Sells-To-Warner-Bros-25292.html">Warner Bros.</a> executives based on a pitch Sparks had offered back before he'd written a word of the would-be novel. However, WB dropped the project last summer, selling to Relativity, who was eager to get back into business with Sparks following the success of Safe Haven, a $28 million production that pulled in more than $71 million worldwide. Back in September of 2012, Warner Bros hired One Fine Day director <a href=" http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Michael-Hoffman-Up-Direct-Nicholas-Sparks-Romance-Best-Me-33302.html">Michael Hoffman</a> to helm the feature, and J. Mills Goodloe to pen its adaptation. Even with the studio shift, both names are still attached to the project. However, The Lucky One scribe Will Fetters has since been added as a co-writer. </p><br />
<p>It's unclear when production on The Best of Me will begin. But considering how well these movies tend to play in the first quarter of the year, I'd bet that we'll see this romance debut around Valentine's Day 2015. In the meantime, you can look for Monaghan in the upcoming drama <a href=" http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Michael-Hoffman-Up-Direct-Nicholas-Sparks-Romance-Best-Me-33302.html">Fort Bliss</a>, the star-studded dramedy <a href=" http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Ray-Liotta-Discovering-Better-Living-Through-Chemistry-30170.html">Better Living Through Chemistry</a>, and the Chris Evans-fronted comedy <a href=" http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Topher-Grace-Anthony-Mackie-Aubrey-Plaza-Giovanni-Ribisi-Join-Many-Splintered-Thing-33317.html">A Many Splintered Thing</a>.</p></blockquote><br />
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<p><i>Sheryl Pouls is an avid reader of Nicholas Sparks' novels. She also enjoys watching films with her two teenage daughters. Visit this <a href=" http://sherylpouls.livejournal.com/">blog</a> to read more updates like these.</i> <br />
Sheryl Poulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807167067782627083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441485756155130561.post-48314075715937046152013-10-04T04:50:00.001-07:002013-10-04T04:50:40.493-07:00REPOST: We Killed Our Television. And I Have No Regrets.<i>In a hyper-connected society, cutting off technology may seem a little extreme, but it just might be what families need to do to build strong connections with each other.</i> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/d-r-lionheart/we-killed-our-television-and-i-have-no-regrets_b_3989752.html?utm_hp_ref=parents&ir=Parents">The Huffington Post</a> <i>shares the benefits one family are currently enjoying.</i><br />
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We killed our television in the living room yesterday. It happened fast.
I read a study that correlated even small amounts of TV viewing with
expressive speech delay (my son's recently diagnosed delay is noticeable
-- he regressed from talking to "mute" at 18 months after a seizure,
and is still not talking at 22 months), and I sounded the alarm. We only
allowed him to watch "educational programming," but that was
specifically the kind of TV mentioned in the study! Anyway, it couldn't
hurt to try less TV, right? My husband took swift action. He took the TV
down with a drill and buried it in a box in the garage. </blockquote>
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Since then, we have noticed about a million surprising and wonderful things. </blockquote>
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1. It feels like we have more time. Way more time. What parent doesn't need more of that? </blockquote>
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2. My husband and I talk to each other more and feel more connected and in love. Before, our conversations were always rushed and not very thorough. In this one weekend without TV, my husband has told me more fun stories about himself; stuff I never knew before, but always craved. We are in sync. </blockquote>
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3. We pay better quality attention to our son. </blockquote>
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4. Our son seems happier -- I'm sure the additional attention helps a lot. We were very attentive before, but the quality and duration of our attention could definitely suffer depending on what was happening on TV. </blockquote>
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5. We both have plopped down in the recliner and reached reflexively for the remote at least a dozen times in the 36 hours since we packed the TV away. Neither of us had realized before how automatic this behavior had become for us. </blockquote>
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6. When we reached for the remote but couldn't find it, we often discovered that we were actually bored, or thirsty, or tired, or craving a change of scenery. </blockquote>
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7. Since taking the TV down, we have suddenly regained our long-lost creativity at coming up with good ways to spend our time with each other, alone or at play with our son. </blockquote>
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8. We both have had three times the glasses of water per day that we did before -- because somehow taking down the TV got us in touch with our long-lost sense of thirst. I don't get that one either... </blockquote>
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9. We have eaten more protein snacks to regain energy when feeling sluggish, instead of plopping into the recliner. </blockquote>
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10. We have gone outside twice as much as before, in order to satisfy our cravings for a change of scenery. </blockquote>
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11. My husband and I both feel much more aware of ourselves, our thinking, our bodies, each other and "in the moment." </blockquote>
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12. My son has exponentially increased his vocalizing and word attempts since TV went bye-bye; this after five months of zero progress in the regaining speech department. The immediate results of his receiving extra, high-quality face-talk time have been truly staggering and such a blessing. </blockquote>
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Before taking the TV down, we wouldn't have considered ourselves TV addicts. At best, I now believe we weren't being completely honest with ourselves. By unplugging the darn thing, we only then noticed how much we were abusing TV time instead of satisfying our true needs. The TV was easy and brought a false sense of satisfaction, while simultaneously causing us to unwittingly neglect many of our real needs and desires and waste valuable time in the process. </blockquote>
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We often lamented how little time we had for keeping up with stuff
around the house; however, without a TV on, we plowed through a list of
household chores AND played really fun games with our very active
toddler, all in half a day -- and these were chores that might have
taken three or more full weekends to complete before! It felt fantastic
to accomplish so much and still have plenty of time left over in our
weekend for an awesome, spontaneous day trip with Grandma to the train
museum and river. My son, his Grandma, my husband and I will have warm
memories of the day forever! </blockquote>
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It has been a fascinating and rewarding experience. </blockquote>
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I will never judge another person's beloved TV time and that is not my purpose here. In fact, we haven't gone cold turkey, and we do keep a TV in our bedroom to watch one cartoon in the morning with our son and news/funny stuff after our son goes to bed. </blockquote>
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I hope that people won't dismiss my experience by thinking that we were some kind of crazy TV junkies turned anti-TV activists. My only hope is that some of you, who perhaps have wondered about life with less TV, might hear my sincere desire for you to experience the joy of greener pastures on this side of TV land, and might be inspired to experiment with your wonderings. </blockquote>
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It really is awesome over here in the land of less TV. Even my husband, a
super-gadgety, loves-his-screen-time-kinda-guy, has spontaneously and
sincerely expressed supreme happiness and pleasant surprise at this
dramatic change in our household. </blockquote>
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For us, this experiment wouldn't work unless the TV was completely removed from the main room of the house. Our habitual remote-grabbing would have prematurely ended the experiment -- so we had to banish the whole contraption and its accoutrements to the garage. I wasn't sure how long we'd make it, but I figured a couple days would satisfy my curiosity. I am shocked to say it, but I don't think that TV will come back anytime soon. The many wonderful surprises we have gained and deep satisfaction we feel will keep this experiment going in our household for a long time. </blockquote>
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Happy experimenting. Or not. Whatever floats your boat, people. </blockquote>
<i>Sheryl Pouls lives in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, with her two teenage daughters. More articles on parenting can be found <a href="http://sherylpouls.livejournal.com/">here</a>.</i>Sheryl Poulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807167067782627083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441485756155130561.post-40741193029833030142013-09-03T07:55:00.000-07:002013-09-03T08:50:03.026-07:00REPOST: 'Twilight' Saga leads Teen Choice Award winners<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 9px; orphans: auto; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<i>In the recent awarding of the most popular teen TV, movie, and music icons, the Twilight Saga franchise brought home the most number of awards. </i><i><i><a href="http://www.starpulse.com/news/Lucy_Hobson/2013/08/12/twilight_saga_leads_teen_choice_award_" target="_blank">Star Pulse</a> </i>lists the stars in each category </i></div>
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'<b style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.starpulse.com/Movies/Twilight_Saga:_Breaking_Dawn_-_Part_2,_The/" style="color: #003366; text-decoration: underline;">The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II</a></b>' was the big winner at last night's Teen Choice Awards, picking up seven prizes.</div>
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The final movie in the popular vampire franchise picked up the Choice Movie accolades in both the Sci-Fi/Fantasy and Romance categories, while its star Kristen Stewart took home Movie Actress in both categories. Her co-star and former boyfriend Robert Pattinson scooped Choice Movie Actor: Romance, while Taylor Lautner picked up the same prize in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy section, while Kellan Lutz took home Choice Movie Scene Stealer from the fan-voted ceremony.</div>
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Elsewhere, 'Pitch Perfect' picked up three awards - which are handed out in the form of life-sized surf boards - and its star Rebel Wilson drew laughs from the crowd at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles when she accepted her Choice Movie Actress: Comedy prize in an unusual outfit.</div>
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She said: "I'm so happy I won, you guys. Or else I'd be really embarrassed wearing this wetsuit."</div>
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One Direction - who opened the show with a performance of new single 'Best Song Ever' - had a successful night, picking up Choice Music: Group, Choice Love Song for 'Little Things,' and Choice Single: Group for 'Live While We're Young'. Band member Harry Styles was also voted Choice Male Hottie and Choice Smile.</div>
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In the TV category, 'Pretty Little Liars' scooped four trophies, as did 'Glee' - with the cast paying tribute to late co-star Cory Monteith - while 'The X Factor' and 'The Vampire Diaries' were both awarded four prizes.</div>
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Special honors went to Ultimate Choice Ashton Kutcher - who joked he was picking up the "old guy award" - and Acuvue Inspire Award winner Nick Jonas.</div>
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Demi Lovato, Paramore and Florida Georgia Line with Nelly all performed at the show, which was hosted by 'Glee's Darren Criss and 'Pretty Little Liars' actress Lucy Hale.</div>
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Teen Choice Awards complete winners list:</div>
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MOVIES</div>
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Choice Movie: Action: 'Iron Man 3'</div>
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Choice Movie Actor: Action: Robert Downey, Jr., 'Iron Man 3'</div>
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Choice Movie Actress: Action: Anne Hathaway, 'The Dark Knight Rises'</div>
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Choice Movie: Sci-Fi/Fantasy: 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2'</div>
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Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Taylor Lautner, 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2'</div>
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Choice Movie Actress: Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Kristen Stewart, 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2'</div>
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Choice Movie: Drama: 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'</div>
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Choice Movie Actor: Drama: Logan Lerman, 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'</div>
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Choice Movie Actress: Drama: Emma Watson, 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'</div>
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Choice Movie: Comedy: 'Pitch Perfect'</div>
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Choice Movie Actor: Comedy: Skylar Astin, 'Pitch Perfect'</div>
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Choice Movie Actress: Comedy: Rebel Wilson, 'Pitch Perfect'</div>
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Choice Movie: Romance: 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2'</div>
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Choice Movie Actor: Romance: Robert Pattinson, 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2'</div>
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Choice Movie Actress: Romance: Kristen Stewart, 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2″</div>
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Choice Movie Villain: Adam DeVine, 'Pitch Perfect'</div>
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Choice Movie Scene Stealer: Kellan Lutz, 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2'</div>
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Choice Movie Breakout Star: Nicholas Hoult, 'Warm Bodies'</div>
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TELEVISION</div>
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Choice TV Show: Drama: 'Pretty Little Liars'</div>
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Choice TV Actor: Drama: Ian Harding, 'Pretty Little Liars'</div>
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Choice TV Actress: Drama: Troian Bellisario, 'Pretty Little Liars'</div>
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Choice TV Show: Fantasy/Sci-Fi: 'The Vampire Diaries'</div>
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Choice TV Actor: Fantasy/Sci-Fi: Ian Somerhalder, 'The Vampire Diaries'</div>
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Choice TV Actress: Fantasy/Sci-Fi: Nina Dobrev, 'The Vampire Diaries'</div>
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Choice TV Show: Action: 'NCIS: Los Angeles'</div>
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Choice TV Actor: Action: LL Cool J, 'NCIS: Los Angeles'</div>
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Choice TV Actress: Action: Lucy Liu, 'Elementary'</div>
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Choice TV Show: Comedy: 'Glee'</div>
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Choice TV Actor: Comedy: Jim Parsons, 'The Big Bang Theory'</div>
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Choice TV Actress: Comedy: Lea Michele, 'Glee'</div>
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Choice TV: Animated Show: 'The Simpsons'</div>
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Choice TV: Reality Competition Show: 'The X Factor'</div>
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Choice TV: Reality Show: 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians'</div>
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Choice TV Villain: Janel Parrish, 'Pretty Little Liars'</div>
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Choice TV Personality - Male: Simon Cowell, 'The X Factor'</div>
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Choice TV Personality - Female: Demi Lovato, 'The X Factor'</div>
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Choice TV Female Reality Star: The Kardashians & Jenners, 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians'</div>
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Choice TV Male Reality Star: Kevin Jonas, 'Married to Jonas'</div>
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Choice TV Male Scene Stealer: Chord Overstreet, 'Glee'</div>
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Choice TV Female Scene Stealer: Miley Cyrus, 'Two and a Half Men'</div>
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Choice TV Breakout Star: Blake Jenner, 'Glee'</div>
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Choice TV Breakout Show: 'The Fosters'</div>
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MUSIC</div>
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Choice Male Artist: Justin Bieber</div>
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Choice Female Artist: Demi Lovato</div>
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Choice Music Group: One Direction</div>
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Choice R&B Artist: Bruno Mars</div>
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Choice Hip-Hop/Rap Artist: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis</div>
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Choice Rock Group: Paramore</div>
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Choice Electronic Dance Music (EDM) Artist: David Guetta</div>
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Choice Male Country Artist: Hunter Hayes</div>
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Choice Female Country Artist: Taylor Swift</div>
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Choice Country Group: Lady Antebellum</div>
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Choice Country Song: 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,' Taylor Swift</div>
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Choice Single: Female Artist: 'Heart Attack,' Demi Lovato</div>
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Choice Single: Male Artist: 'Beauty And A Beat,' Justin Bieber, featuring Nicki Minaj</div>
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Choice Single: Group: 'Live While We're Young,' One Direction</div>
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Choice R&B/Hip-Hop Song: 'Can't Hold Us,' Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, featuring Ray Dalton</div>
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Choice Rock Song: 'Radioactive,' Imagine Dragons</div>
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Choice Love Song: 'Little Things,' One Direction</div>
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Choice Break-Up Song: 'Come and Get It,' Selena Gomez</div>
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Choice Music Breakout Artist: Ed Sheeran</div>
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Choice Music Breakout Group: Emblem3</div>
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FASHION</div>
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Choice Style Icon: Miley Cyrus</div>
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Choice Female Hottie: Selena Gomez</div>
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Choice Male Hottie: Harry Styles</div>
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Choice Smile: Harry Styles</div>
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SPORTS</div>
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Choice Female Athlete: Gabby Douglas</div>
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Choice Male Athlete: David Beckham</div>
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OTHER</div>
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Choice Comedian: Ellen DeGeneres</div>
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Choice Web Star: Cimorelli</div>
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Choice Social Network: Twitter</div>
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Candie's Choice Style Icon: Demi Lovato</div>
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Choice Twitter Personality: Justin Bieber</div>
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Ultimate Choice Award: Ashton Kutcher</div>
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Acuvue Inspire Award: Nick Jonas</div>
</blockquote>
<i>Sheryl Pouls' children got their love for music and movies from their mother. A philanthropist based in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, Sheryl continues to build a family with a strong appreciation toward culture and the arts. Visit this </i><i><i><a href="http://www.facebook.com/Sheryl.Pouls1" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </i>page for more of this busy mom's interests.</i>Sheryl Poulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807167067782627083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441485756155130561.post-27554710043287609632013-08-09T11:56:00.003-07:002013-08-09T11:56:58.489-07:00The Scooby Connection: AT40 and its creator with a thousand voices<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRAenTO9CgRuY6wa4c3Hl7VTyK9V402N-WniNKjrK7PlE2xGBgtPKIrnH3PbJ4OF8l8LdmmPkhuSz-S5ivAbJTGo27oYRIZwQf3aCwqZo0MP8Vn00XzByCZhWMxVrZ6h7LqPPc538_-8/s1600/Casey_Kasem.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRAenTO9CgRuY6wa4c3Hl7VTyK9V402N-WniNKjrK7PlE2xGBgtPKIrnH3PbJ4OF8l8LdmmPkhuSz-S5ivAbJTGo27oYRIZwQf3aCwqZo0MP8Vn00XzByCZhWMxVrZ6h7LqPPc538_-8/s320/Casey_Kasem.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: <a href="http://scoobydoo.wikia.com/wiki/Casey_Kasem">scoobydoo.wikia.com</a><br />
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<br />What does <i>American Top 40</i>, an internationally recognized radio countdown show, and the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon Scooby Doo have in common? <br />
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Casey Kasem, that’s who.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-X7YOuxKBU75122muoqqzQDMghPREjD0WPO1Tl7_ZWz5VJTMVrVSDWlNthNGZlgjJRuDsa75FoBjNlbROKKUb1IcyKABC1cskQXX8bTsfZ2_XzlpgN6kF3h-nU19GesCpYmq1ihs3uQ/s1600/360_casey_kasem_0706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-X7YOuxKBU75122muoqqzQDMghPREjD0WPO1Tl7_ZWz5VJTMVrVSDWlNthNGZlgjJRuDsa75FoBjNlbROKKUb1IcyKABC1cskQXX8bTsfZ2_XzlpgN6kF3h-nU19GesCpYmq1ihs3uQ/s1600/360_casey_kasem_0706.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: <a href="http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1908941,00.html">time.com</a></td></tr>
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Radio personality Casey Kasem is one of the co-creators of American Top 40, which began as an independent project based on the top songs listed by Billboard (and later, Radio and Records). He had hosted the radio show since its inception in 1970 until 1988 and returned to host it ten years later. He acted as host until 2003, continuing to co-host with Ryan Seacrest and AT40’s spin off show, <i>Top 10</i>, until his retirement in 2009. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0tJ68LoEI3ci-ZciwsTBUijNar_Z3pT16DJxXvchc4XpulK_VKQzzykydSRsIoAFTBayFRJYXqd6Vjhay_yUcO6sn4Oz9qWuAsOHrr0_7dgQLlYztRQATvTRebHA5jAmyNri6PeF4hro/s1600/caseykasempostimage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0tJ68LoEI3ci-ZciwsTBUijNar_Z3pT16DJxXvchc4XpulK_VKQzzykydSRsIoAFTBayFRJYXqd6Vjhay_yUcO6sn4Oz9qWuAsOHrr0_7dgQLlYztRQATvTRebHA5jAmyNri6PeF4hro/s320/caseykasempostimage1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: <a href="http://kool.cbslocal.com/2013/06/17/casey-counts-down-the-hits-from-june-21-1975/">kool.cbslocal.com</a></td></tr>
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In his storied career as a radio presenter, he also became a noted activist for the rights of Arab-Americans (of Arab Lebanese descent himself) and had appropriated his vocal talents for other productions. While he has made several television and advertising appearances, the most notable of his non-radio work is that of a voice actor for animated programs, most of them from Hanna-Barbera. He lent his versatile voice to Scooby Doo’s best friend Norville “Shaggy” Rogers—a role that he reprised for decades. He had a huge influence on how the character was portrayed and, to have him return to the role, executives have agreed to portray Shaggy as a vegetarian to reflect Kasem’s real life commitment to veganism.<br />
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His legacy as the definitive voice of Shaggy Rogers was so great that he continued to guest star in more recent incarnations of Scooby Doo, often as relatives of his primary character. <br />
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<i>A mother to two teenagers, <a href="https://twitter.com/SherylPouls">Sheryl Pouls</a> is an avid fan of Top 40 music. Visit <a href="http://sherylpouls.blogspot.com/">this blog</a> for more updates about her interests.</i>Sheryl Poulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807167067782627083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441485756155130561.post-67577388640581841302013-05-28T00:44:00.001-07:002013-05-28T00:44:56.374-07:00A mother's love: Braving the stormTheir <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/lightbox/file-may-20-2013-file-photo-latisha-garcia-photo-194722085.html">photo</a> was one of the most haunting images in the wake of the deadly tornado that barreled through Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20. <i>Associated Press</i> photographer Sue Ogrocki captured LaTisha Garcia carrying her 8-year-old daughter Jazmin Rodriguez away from tons of rubble of what used to be her daughter’s school, Plaza Towers Elementary School.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoZWDOkxNbCFFmMTlGyDyvTiwbjFyj2FSuvkWNhAoByfShVOPyq3GvIFyGS7g1R7p22igrXwpPE6QqR3p1IapbAyAQW-1sM_cbmzvGWuQ4-C0uQp4TUFBzLsh1g37oKGllglanETWLV4/s1600/s1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoZWDOkxNbCFFmMTlGyDyvTiwbjFyj2FSuvkWNhAoByfShVOPyq3GvIFyGS7g1R7p22igrXwpPE6QqR3p1IapbAyAQW-1sM_cbmzvGWuQ4-C0uQp4TUFBzLsh1g37oKGllglanETWLV4/s400/s1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image source: <a href="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1155634/thumbs/o-LATISHA-GARCIA-facebook.jpg" target="_blank">huffingtonpost.com</a></i></td></tr>
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It was an image filled with so many emotions: mother and daughter, holding on to each other as they make their way to safety through a devastated neighborhood. It was a run for survival. It was a journey any mother will not hesitate taking for her child. <br />
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“It was a long way toward the end of the parking lot,” Garcia <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/23/iconic-photo-oklahoma-tornado/2356653/">told AP</a>. “And she’s a heavy girl. There were times I didn’t think I was going to make it. But I did.”<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY59CvFhm634m8i2EoAniwR1pluAL0KeU4I9OK_NH_Rr0BQ93f83gSwrme48I_7OnbAaQrePFDqt9kmPH2BykcFvDeXlq3H913QZOF4MXCioV00hpDa4XFS5dYlDtXg0RnLrXEd_wScPA/s1600/s2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY59CvFhm634m8i2EoAniwR1pluAL0KeU4I9OK_NH_Rr0BQ93f83gSwrme48I_7OnbAaQrePFDqt9kmPH2BykcFvDeXlq3H913QZOF4MXCioV00hpDa4XFS5dYlDtXg0RnLrXEd_wScPA/s400/s2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image source: <a href="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1354449.1369465022!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_635/tornado25n-6-copy.jpg" target="_blank">nydailynews.com</a></i></td></tr>
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Any mother will understand why Garcia braved the massive tornado just to get to her daughter. As Dame Agatha Christie once wrote, “A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.”<br />
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The photo of Garcia and her daughter is considered one of the most enduring images of the storm. But for Jazmin, it will serve as a beautiful reminder of what her mother will do for her. “I know she’s always [be] there for me.”<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMVOwiVXGL0huIBmhrTecm-8r_7enfY-FoWLTEERiDIQ51Pol-AGMP0-QJcxqP2upz0rzr4O03ZRedBSKIko7pEaZEdpuqYomejsrkLZ-bYSsyUpsW0r8kwUOZnt9Uj3wKsjoixJ8hcAs/s1600/s3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMVOwiVXGL0huIBmhrTecm-8r_7enfY-FoWLTEERiDIQ51Pol-AGMP0-QJcxqP2upz0rzr4O03ZRedBSKIko7pEaZEdpuqYomejsrkLZ-bYSsyUpsW0r8kwUOZnt9Uj3wKsjoixJ8hcAs/s400/s3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image source: <a href="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1353765.1369412330!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_635/oklahoma-tornado-face-storm.jpg" target="_blank">nydailynews.com</a></i></td></tr>
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<i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sheryl.pouls"><br />Sheryl Pouls</a> is a mother to two teenage daughters, Samantha and Amanda. More thoughts about parenting and motherhood are available at this <a href="https://twitter.com/SherylPouls">Twitter account</a>.</i>Sheryl Poulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807167067782627083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441485756155130561.post-920319184734460022013-04-21T23:25:00.000-07:002013-04-21T23:26:09.881-07:00REPOST: Why Teach Philanthropy -- and How?<i>Elizabeth Marquardt <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-marquardt/why-teach-philanthropyand_b_3104445.html">ponders </a>on the idea of teaching philanthropy in schools. Although The Huffington Post contributor has misgivings about the study of philanthropy in higher education, she hopes that students who were taught “the principles of giving and serving humanity will find new ways to improve our nation, and make us proud.” </i><br />
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Reading, writing, 'rithmetic... and philanthropy?<br />
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Granted, philanthropy is not the first topic that comes to mind when thinking about standard offerings at liberal arts colleges. But increasingly, students studying humanities, social or hard sciences, or business can learn about philanthropy, and it's easy to see why. Philanthropy represents annually an approximately 300 billion dollar sector of the American economy. Americans appear uniquely to value civil society responses to social problems, contributing generously through philanthropic means of their time, talent, and especially, treasure. As observers since de Tocqueville have discovered, when Americans identify a concern their instinct seems to be to form a little group, raise some money, and make things better. In today's lingo it's sometimes called "social entrepreneurship." But the term philanthropy, the Greek for "love of humanity," continues best to capture the pro-social, virtuous thrust of the practice of giving and giving well.<br />
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And, like any virtue, philanthropy can be learned. In his recent book, Philanthropy and Fundraising in American Higher Education, University of Maryland professor Noah D. Drezner summarizes some of the research on how seeing one's parents give can influence later giving and altruistic behaviors in children. For example: <br />
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...Bentley and Nissan (1996) explored how primary school students learn philanthropy and altruistic behavior. The study suggests that witnessing an influential adult (parent or guardian, teacher, religious or youth organization leader) engage in acts of philanthropy is most effective in passing along the importance of helping others. Schervish and Havens (1997), using the 1992 Survey of Giving and Volunteering in the United States, found that witnessing at least one parent or guardian engage in volunteer work, watching a family member help others, or being the recipient of help while young was associated with higher levels of giving as an adult. Hunt (1990) referred to it as "modeling theory." This teachable moment is intensified when it is coupled with a discussion about the importance of such actions (Bar-Tal, 1976; Bentley and Nissan, 1996). (p. 59)</blockquote>
If giving is teachable, then the college years represent a tremendous opportunity to instill such behaviors in the next generation -- and the need is arguably greater than ever. In the future, all of us are going to have to be more savvy about philanthropy. As taxpayers are increasingly less willing to fund public giving, everyone in the non-profit world has to get out, beat the bushes, and make the case for why we are deserving of funds. As globalization ramps up competition, many of us are now competing with the best from around the world. Finally, the rise in social media fuels a need for us to be vivid, authentic tellers of our own story. The key to successful philanthropy is story, that is, understanding and telling the story of what the problem is, why the giver is the best leader to respond to the problem, and why the recipient is the best candidate for solving the problem on the ground.<br />
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Earlier this month, the first national school for philanthropy -- at Indiana University -- was renamed in honor of the Lilly family and the Lilly Endowment, a leading American foundation that was established 75 years ago. But another, less well-known foundation has also been propelling the study of philanthropy in higher education into the news: the Once Upon a Time Foundation. As the Yale Daily News reported, the Forth Worth, Texas foundation has been approaching professors at elite universities and providing 50-100,000 dollars for students to give away to charities of their choice. Professors at Harvard, Northwestern, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, University of Michigan, Yale, Stanford, University of Texas, University of Virginia, Princeton and elsewhere have incorporated the philanthropic activity of students into their class syllabi, using foundation funds to equip their students to learn how to give money away.<br />
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When I recently stumbled upon articles about these activities, I thought I was misreading. I had assumed that students in a class about philanthropy would be, well, learning how to get some philanthropy! I had imagined that, in addition to learning the history, theory, and social science of philanthropy, students might also study practical skills such as grant writing, foundation and prospect research, how to make a three minute pitch to a potential donor, or even the timeless and endangered art of writing a handwritten thank-you note.<br />
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After all, the likelihood that today's college students will become philanthropists any time soon is slim. Unless their families have already established foundations, or they get a rare, coveted job in the foundation world, and especially given increasing economic inequality and concentration of wealth, it's far more likely that in the near future today's students will be grant seekers rather than grant givers. And, there is something about college students giving away money they have not earned that seems a little, well, offensive. Giving away your own money, which you have often earned through sweat, risk, long hours, and sacrifices of other interests you might wish to have pursued (such as being with your family, or having more leisure), is much harder than giving away money someone has handed to you. What, realistically, are these students learning?<br />
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Time will tell. Perhaps, like the student-led "Pennies for Patients" campaign at my children's elementary school, graduating seniors who have studied philanthropy will find creative ways to pool even limited resources to bring about social change. Perhaps they will be like the Binghamton University graduates who this month won 10,000 dollars and gave it to a community health program they learned about when taking professor David Campbell's "Philanthropy in Civil Society" course. Or, perhaps they'll become disgruntled, stymied, would-be philanthropists, wondering why after slaving forty hours in a cubicle no one is giving them free money so they can be lauded leaders in their communities.<br />
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I am willing to believe that my skepticism is for naught. I am more than willing to believe that today's students, taught the principles of giving and serving humanity, and even given a chance to take those principles out for a spin thanks to the generosity of a Texas-based foundation, will find new ways to improve our nation, surprise us, and make us proud.<br />
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Sheryl Pouls is a mother and philanthropist living in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania. Subscribe to this <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sheryl.Pouls1">Facebook page</a> for more updates on giving and philanthropy. </i><br />
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<br />Sheryl Poulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807167067782627083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441485756155130561.post-86127238648018996412013-03-27T02:02:00.001-07:002013-03-27T02:02:14.709-07:00Before ‘Gatsby’: Leonardo DiCaprio and his philanthropy <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-EWUOXsvI7QgSkyvJ2NbH0OltMrdxXIwHB2pd1HDUT1xoaw0HXNn49mbYMhQufxdOGboCXU-NQPvNuXIn3Ij6Yq0UTFe3oEQZFlvg_ttNI_Ygp_9WFZ1o7vAwOfD6Zvyv1iobtWNeVA/s1600/TheGreatGatsby2012Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-EWUOXsvI7QgSkyvJ2NbH0OltMrdxXIwHB2pd1HDUT1xoaw0HXNn49mbYMhQufxdOGboCXU-NQPvNuXIn3Ij6Yq0UTFe3oEQZFlvg_ttNI_Ygp_9WFZ1o7vAwOfD6Zvyv1iobtWNeVA/s320/TheGreatGatsby2012Poster.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image source: <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/26/TheGreatGatsby2012Poster.jpg">commons.wikimedia.org</a></td></tr>
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There are tons of reasons why everybody should be excited about the filmization of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel <i>The Great Gatsby</i>
despite it having been made into a film for four times. First off, it's
the newest film version since David Merrick's 1974 failed attempt to
give life to Jay Gatsby; secondly, it was directed by the conscientious
filmmaker behind <i>The Red Curtain Trilogy</i>, Baz Luhrmann; and
lastly—or more importantly—inasmuch as it is the much-awaited quick
comeback of Leonardo DiCaprio from the just recently premiered <i>Django Unchained</i>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZccZduK2FVv-aJ1aw94vtxFRVHUCOL1QisMxEqNVPJ1pvMfPoYHUv-DOeqSXCwNp0CaRZby3uL1SaekfoA-9clOBL5sLIOCsLIYNQDBxNttc5cee6eNeboBwvX97-nEQ_ukk9lVRYTs/s1600/Leonardo_DiCaprio_by_David_Shankbone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZccZduK2FVv-aJ1aw94vtxFRVHUCOL1QisMxEqNVPJ1pvMfPoYHUv-DOeqSXCwNp0CaRZby3uL1SaekfoA-9clOBL5sLIOCsLIYNQDBxNttc5cee6eNeboBwvX97-nEQ_ukk9lVRYTs/s320/Leonardo_DiCaprio_by_David_Shankbone.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image source: <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Leonardo_DiCaprio_by_David_Shankbone.jpg">commons.wikimedia.org</a></td></tr>
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But before Gatsby, along with reading the Lost Generation's foremost member's novel, knowing the guy who characterized from book to celluloid the self-made American teenager Jay Gatsby a little bit deeper is a good start in understanding and scrutinizing his anticipated performance.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwuCBRPyJ1FquCIHF7Mfd4dJxtQSO8wTZJrkCwcTZo_zDHip96xMUJNJSF-zx5fZ5MwPZkMf9xp_eM8IMqkKg4xoj5Fyv0qIWU6rCcODXhw9Zza-C6XMPJBJ1mSGgw8yVjdr8ykee2SM/s1600/LD_Nepal2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwuCBRPyJ1FquCIHF7Mfd4dJxtQSO8wTZJrkCwcTZo_zDHip96xMUJNJSF-zx5fZ5MwPZkMf9xp_eM8IMqkKg4xoj5Fyv0qIWU6rCcODXhw9Zza-C6XMPJBJ1mSGgw8yVjdr8ykee2SM/s320/LD_Nepal2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image source: <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/lela-articles/LD_Nepal2.jpg">leonardodicaprio.com</a></td></tr>
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Off-screen, DiCaprio’s life is opposite to that of Gatsby. He's not linked to any form of prohibition, and he uses his money for matters productive and charitable—he is a philanthropist. His humanitarian endeavors are like a vast expanse of good works, for he is involved with many causes such as anti-AIDS campaign, environmental activism, and human rights and anti-poverty crusade, et al. <br />
And having knowledge of his philanthropy is important, for he is known for accepting roles that are close to his heart, characters who have the capacity to deliver a positive message. <br />
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<i><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/sherylpouls1/">Sheryl Pouls</a> is a philanthropist residing in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania. This <a herf="http://www.facebook.com/Sheryl.Pouls1" href="http://www.blogger.com/null">Facebook page</a> offers updates on charity and philanthropy.</i><br />
<br />Sheryl Poulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807167067782627083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441485756155130561.post-69751736933767408132013-03-04T02:15:00.000-08:002013-03-04T02:15:18.534-08:00How Nika Kljun killed it in The X FactorA particularly enticing episode of <i>The X Factor</i> involves the casting of a handful of elite dancers from the world over. A not-so-surprising standout was Nika Kljun, the object of most appreciative praise in the comments section of the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KYIFQ_3Ex0">viral video</a> of the auditions. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWI5v7V0VdAlR8wjhRVLjggerBcqyQk409gBXNhz7z5An6-mvAXATH7dQKJpgQTTumGnQ731UhBAZBekohi9brlNGyE7sZ3duDc78i_IvXcMAM0568LjHhKtt8vLAO_n5W6k13vuwkTo/s1600/the-x-factor1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWI5v7V0VdAlR8wjhRVLjggerBcqyQk409gBXNhz7z5An6-mvAXATH7dQKJpgQTTumGnQ731UhBAZBekohi9brlNGyE7sZ3duDc78i_IvXcMAM0568LjHhKtt8vLAO_n5W6k13vuwkTo/s320/the-x-factor1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image Source: <a href="http://musicianstogether.com/magazine/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/the-x-factor1.jpg">musicianstogether.com</a></i></td></tr>
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Clad in a loose cropped shirt, a fringed skirt, and killer heels, the Slovenian dancer/choreographer edged out the competition with striking accents to her dance and high-energy moves that washed out her fellow dancers into an inconsequential chorus. Her flowing platinum blond hair was tossed to the beat, proving that, as a professional dancer, every bit of her dances. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAjqjY8v1JO7Ix9uXD81i-Ll8u7D1m1B15qvVvsPoInmEoG6VapXlIfd9sYoTa5ujIh3xGFV4bsEsCFRy8PruoaidlNtZusO8XrxBt86gpoL_2alJRu9NxCd3s1BriAMWjlA9hi9PT_c/s1600/Nika-Kljun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAjqjY8v1JO7Ix9uXD81i-Ll8u7D1m1B15qvVvsPoInmEoG6VapXlIfd9sYoTa5ujIh3xGFV4bsEsCFRy8PruoaidlNtZusO8XrxBt86gpoL_2alJRu9NxCd3s1BriAMWjlA9hi9PT_c/s320/Nika-Kljun.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image Source: <a href="http://www.revijaok.si/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Nika-Kljun.jpg">revijaok.si</a></i></td></tr>
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Auditioning for <i>The X Factor</i> may be superfluous by the standards of her personal success. Dancers are often painted to the background of high-wattage performances. They are supporting roles next to Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, or Madonna. Kljun, however, became famous for her dancing. <a href="http://www.nikakljun.com/Bio/">She has been dancing since the tender age of three</a>, picking up the fish-in-water feel of the craft from her parents’ dance school in her hometown. Her range is defined by a lifetime of exposure --- ballroom, Latin, jazz, and tap all culminated in a good kinesthetic feel for hiphop and other modern dances. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizT0p3wx45WtZkqeAeNHfm6dJb6mmhZqE4NANdysFXKd0G9KhR8PHGZGCoLv2wP3n7QXec6QY6SUdzmn2QBph70dVj-G4sJhulJcTpsTFTBtal9YoEFHFYtGYLbr0unpjZ1Ntcyl4nMoA/s1600/634891903583046329_nika_kljun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizT0p3wx45WtZkqeAeNHfm6dJb6mmhZqE4NANdysFXKd0G9KhR8PHGZGCoLv2wP3n7QXec6QY6SUdzmn2QBph70dVj-G4sJhulJcTpsTFTBtal9YoEFHFYtGYLbr0unpjZ1Ntcyl4nMoA/s320/634891903583046329_nika_kljun.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image Source: <a href="http://cdn1.siol.net/sn/img/12/327/634891903583046329_nika_kljun.jpg">siol.net</a></i></td></tr>
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The global turn of her fame is attributed to her <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE20uLVOdik">endorsement of Nike</a>, icing on her weightier stints in shows such as <i>The X Factor</i> and <i>Dancing with the Stars</i>. She has also worked with best-selling artists such as Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Pitbull, and T-Pain. <br />
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<i><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/sherylpouls1/">Sheryl Pouls</a> is a mother of two who is also a devoted fan of The X Factor. Learn more about her favorite TV series through <a href="https://twitter.com/SherylPouls">this Twitter page</a>.</i>
Sheryl Poulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807167067782627083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441485756155130561.post-41053803885884985382013-02-03T19:05:00.002-08:002013-02-03T19:33:34.616-08:00What charities and the world biomes have in common<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrO4GYnJmfJ5ZVrOTGWhQ0vOZgzWDLf7rKZzCH0A8m0U4pFdX4wvl7aJREmnfFVr-LFxSG7TBxoQ_2gErZaaxWPGihirrlKxeV2MEtKnatJHLcgLCPSofIzP-jp5fuKgl-HsMCRgYygQc/s1600/Hands-Earth.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrO4GYnJmfJ5ZVrOTGWhQ0vOZgzWDLf7rKZzCH0A8m0U4pFdX4wvl7aJREmnfFVr-LFxSG7TBxoQ_2gErZaaxWPGihirrlKxeV2MEtKnatJHLcgLCPSofIzP-jp5fuKgl-HsMCRgYygQc/s320/Hands-Earth.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Image source: <a href="http://www.masterheartmagazine.com/collaborators/Thomas_Heather/_images/Hands-Earth.gif">masterheartmagazine.com</a></i></div>
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There are currently thousands of registered charity organizations worldwide, which support specific causes, and they anchor on the help of people, such as ordinary individuals, like homemaker <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/SherylPouls">Sheryl Pouls</a>, and high-profile celebrities like singer <a href="http://www.barefootfoundation.com/">Shakira</a>, who are able to relate with what they are advocating. Charities range from those that want to improve the lives of the poor, to those that aim to save the deteriorating environment. <br />
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While philanthropy is mostly about giving material help to those who are in need, it has a scope that encompasses many facets of life and the society. Just like world biomes, charities need a concrete support system, large life network, and renewable resources to maintain or expand their altruistic activities.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8LEmtBUmwRB1FxxKZLB2UV9yG0-9V77sES32vXdncWFiJ5qdnO7WykD1QrfHYpaSgtL2wVGdj2faYkcJghzDY25xnOtV2Lnig0yqoOLlGRqxSmHSSl6FnCVZQZBOYBnLhsshO0yXG7Y/s1600/rainforest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8LEmtBUmwRB1FxxKZLB2UV9yG0-9V77sES32vXdncWFiJ5qdnO7WykD1QrfHYpaSgtL2wVGdj2faYkcJghzDY25xnOtV2Lnig0yqoOLlGRqxSmHSSl6FnCVZQZBOYBnLhsshO0yXG7Y/s320/rainforest.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Image source: <a href="http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/003/cache/mt-des-voeux_300_600x450.jpg">nationalgeographic.com</a></i></div>
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Tropical rainforest biomes provide an abundant supply of oxygen, water, and food supply for its inhabitants. The same level of resource abundance is needed by charities. Especially in third world nations where financial help mainly comes from foreign aid, the haunt for generous donors is very difficult.<br />
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Charities also need a “fertile” ground to grow and expand their networks. Much like the prairie biome, where the soil quality is among the richest in the world, plentiful harvest is never a problem. However, this type of environment lacks enough water supply. It needs appropriate artificial irrigation to evenly distribute water in all of its farms. Charities need this kind of “irrigation,” particularly from government leaders and wealthy businessmen whom they are most dependent with.<br />
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Whether a charity is as rich as the Palawan rainforests in the Philippines or as financially challenged as the dry deserts of Atacama in Chile, they are all aiming for one noble cause: to save humanity.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDbT-_3XsnEk4wTgiZAxLYq-8iKvnJzpOuUFP8FEFt7lg-aDM0ktPt0Bx3bIX1uH5mp2j_DRYV-Z7PFpxYrWxE7a4W3NzVlq2XbI7LHjGSQQ091RWhdH70ZCZbhP8Dt83mTax60mpQoG8/s1600/atacama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDbT-_3XsnEk4wTgiZAxLYq-8iKvnJzpOuUFP8FEFt7lg-aDM0ktPt0Bx3bIX1uH5mp2j_DRYV-Z7PFpxYrWxE7a4W3NzVlq2XbI7LHjGSQQ091RWhdH70ZCZbhP8Dt83mTax60mpQoG8/s320/atacama.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Image source: <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Laguna_Verde_-_Atacama_2.jpg/800px-Laguna_Verde_-_Atacama_2.jpg">wikimedia.org</a></i></div>
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Sheryl Poulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06807167067782627083noreply@blogger.com0