IU, SNSD And T-Ara Meet Their Teddy Bear Counterparts

K-Pop figures IU, SNSD and T-ara met their cuddly teddy bear counterparts at the 2011 Seoul Doll Fair. IU and SNSD visited Korea’s biggest doll exhibit on December 28, while T-ara dropped in on Christmas Day, December 25.
IU, nicknamed the “nation’s little sister,” was impressed at the teddy bear that was modeled after her. “She’s wearing long hair, and this does look like my clothes,” she said. “I’m surprised that this is how I appear like as a doll. We look the same. I feel a little wonder at it.”
Meanwhile, SNSD’s Taeyeon, Yoona and Seohyun were presented teddy bears that take after their appearances during their promotions of “Genie,” including the iconic white military cap and jacket, hot pants and high-heeled pumps.
T-ara also posed with not only their doll counterparts, but with the various other cuddly toys they found interesting during their visit.
The idol-dolls are reportedly popular among visitors, and children would take the time to take photographs with some of their favorites. The doll-makers were also delighted to have met the idols, on whom they modeled their creations after, in person.
The Seoul Doll Fair, now on its fourth year, features not only dolls modeled after celebrities, but the “2011 Hot Issue Doll Look,” a variety of themes, as well as the world’s largest and most elaborate moving marionette. Interesting finds are doll figures of world celebrities like Apple founder Steve Jobs.
The Seoul Doll Fair opened at the Seoul COEX Hall A on December 23 and will run through to January 2.

Lu Xun's 130th Birth Anniversary

It appears that Lu Xun's popularity never dies out, though the pioneer of modern Chinese literature has been dead for 75 years.Streams of people laid flowers in front of the granite tomb of Lu Xun in Shanghai on Saturday, his 130th birth anniversary, paying their respect to the writer whose works are believed to have enlightened the public when Chinese were under the pressure of feudal rulers and imperialist bullies.
The number of visitors to the Lu Xun Museum on Saturday was several times more than usual. They all lined up to get a memorial postmark to commemorate the late writer's birthday.The newly-renovated museum in Shanghai exhibits over 1,000 items in memory of Lu Xun, which includes many of his personal belongings.
The exhibition also displays the fruit of the past ten years of research on Lu Xun, said Wang Xirong, curator of the museum.Over the past decades, thousands of experts and scholars across the world have been studying Lu Xun's works and thoughts.
Lu Xun is the pen name of Zhou Shuren. He was born in Shaoxing County of east China's Zhejiang Province on September 25, 1881 and died on October 9, 1936.He gave up medical study in Japan in his 20s after realizing that it was more important to spiritually enlighten his compatriots rather than to cure their physical diseases.
Through his works, the master of irony produced harsh criticism on social problems in China.He wrote a number of literary classics including essays, poems and short stories. Among his great works are "The True Story of Ah Q", "A Madman's Diary", "Kong Yiji" and "Medicine", which exposed the ugly side of feudal society and human nature and emancipated people's minds.
His works have been in textbooks for Chinese classes for years.

A Historical Film Titled I Am the King Of Chosun

Actress Han Hyo Joo has decided on her next project, a historical film titled “I Am the King of Chosun.” The film has already confirmed Lee Byeong Heon as its male lead. The film follows the Prince and the Pauper motif, and Lee Byeong Heon will play both the 15th century King of Chosun (Gwanghaegun) and the commoner who looks exactly like the king. At the request of Gwanghaegun, the commoner poses as the King, while the King experiences the world beyond his palace walls. The film has already garnered much attention because it is Lee Byeong Heon’s first attempt at a historical piece in his long and illustrious career.
Lee Min Jung practiced singing, dancing, and playing the guitar for her role as Shin Jin Ah for the film “Wonderful Radio” (in theaters January 2012).
Kim Ah Joong and Park Bo Young are cases in which the films they starred in were box office hits. The movie “200 Pounds Beauty” premiered in 2006 and had 620,000 people watch it, while “Speedy Scandal,” which premiered in 2008, had 820,000 viewers.
Han Hyo Joo will play the Queen, a resilient woman who maintains her dignity and grace even when unexpected events occur. The actress is no stranger to historical pieces, having successful pulled off her role as Dong Yi, a lowborn slave maid who eventually becomes a Concubine to the King during the Chosun dynasty, in MBC’s “Dong Yi” (2010). In “I Am the King of Chosun,” Han Hyo Joo will be able to showcase a different appeal through her role as the spirited Queen.
Based on these two movies, films that emphasize the actresses’ singing tend to be successful. “Wonderful Radio” is garnering attention amongst viewers, as they want to see if it would be the third blockbuster movie hit featuring a singing female lead.“I Am the King of Chosun” aims to premiere sometime during the second half of 2012.

Robin Hood Has Been Portrayed In Several TV Shows

Robin Hood has been portrayed in several TV shows and Hollywood movies throughout the years. The romantic notion of taking from the rich and giving to the poor still resonates to this day. However, historians are split on who this man was and whether or not he actually existed.
The very legend of Robin Hood is taken from tales and ballads, all written before the year 1550. Several published works written in the 1400s all gave accounts of the actions of a brave and noble Englishman, fighting for the rights and freedoms of the oppressed. While many believe these works to be pure fiction, there are many who believe these stories are accounts of real events.
England’s most famous outlaw lived in and around the English city of Nottingham. Evidence uncovered in the area paints a compelling picture and suggests that such a high profile outlaw did exist after all. The evidence also supports that legend’s claim of a band of ‘merry men’ including the infamous names of Little John, Maid Marion and Friar Tuck.
During medieval times, only the rich and educated could read or write. This is why so little is known about the man. Much has been passed down the generations in the form of stories told to children and gossip. However, it is believed that much of the legend may be accurate. This includes the man’s desire to live as an outlaw in Sherwood Forest and poach deer from the King’s land. The references to a Sheriff of Nottingham are also thought to originate from the truth.
The earliest reference to the legend appears in a poem written by William Langland in 1377, some 200 years before the time of William Shakespeare. Although historians cannot be completely certain, they place Robin between the years of 1190 and 1307.
While many historians believe Robin came from elsewhere in England, they agree that he made his home in Sherwood Forest at some point in his life. The forest covered an area of several thousand acres and was the location of the famous Major Oak, or ‘council tree’ used by Robin Hood and his band of outlaws. Incredibly, this tree still exists and visitors can still visit this ancient meeting place.
At the time, the man would most probably have been a wanted man across all of England. His acts of defiant theft from the King’s land would have been punishable by death. The fact that the man continued to provide for the poor suggests the man was compassionate and brave, a far cry from the man described by the Royal Court. The legend is much more than a man however. The legend represents the fight for freedom and equality. It represents the fight against tyranny and dictatorship which many people around the world will identify with, 800 years later.

Memphis Tourism

For anyone that thinks there isn’t much to do in Memphis — think again! Memphis, the largest city in Tennessee and the nineteenth largest in the USA, bursts with the vibrant and active bustle and hustle of day to day life. However step back from the Memphis hustle and bustle and you get to stop at many of the city’s popular attraction spots.For all those museum lovers out there who dote on the peacefulness of a museum for an educational and fun-filled afternoon of fun, Memphis has sixteen different types of museums to choose from.
The Pink Palace Museum is one of the Memphis city’s largest museums. The Memphis mansion was the to be home of Clarence Saunders, one of Memphis’ celebrities who created the famous Piggy Wiggly stores, before the company was forced to file for bankruptcy.Some of the other awesome museums are the National Civil Rights Museum, which takes you back through the civil rights struggles of Memphis as well as the nation, enabling you to set foot into the world of yesterday. The Memphis ‘Rock n Soul’ museum, ‘Slave-haven Underground Railroad museum’ are just some of the other well-known museums there.
Apart from the many museums, there are some regions in Memphis that a tourist of any kind just has to see. The Mississippi River is one such place. It is the second largest river running through the The United States and acts as Memphis’ western boundary. Just across the river is West Memphis, Arkansas.There are a lot of establishments at the banks of this river that enable you to sit by it and relax. There are also a lot of public parks and some water recreations that a person can enjoy there.
Beale Street is one of Memphis’ most happening streets with a vibrant intoxicating pulse that is both refreshing and entertaining at once. Bars, coffee houses, and restaurants line the street, enticing tired customers with refreshments. It also houses dance clubs and live bands, for those dying to dance or get tantalized with music of all sorts.
The AutoZone Park is The City of Memphis’ own baseball stadium and home to the minor league baseball team, the Memphis Redbirds. This is a special place for the people of Memphis, bringing them together to cheer for the team they all support.One of Memphis’ greatest tourist locales is Graceland. The home of Elvis, his personal entertainment areas and grave can all be seen in Graceland. This place is an attraction to all music lovers and Elvis fans and is often thronged with crowds like no other.

The Lukacs Gallery Of Fairfield University Hosted The Opening Reception Of “The Blame Show"

On Tuesday Oct 15, 2002, The Lukacs Gallery of Fairfield University hosted the opening reception of “The Blame Show;” curated by Eleanor Heartney and Larry Litt.The show features a collection of visual and documentary art reflecting the political unrest of America since the terrorist attacks of Sept 11.Each piece is laced with heavy political symbolism, opinions and an appreciation for free expression. Upon entering the gallery, guests are greeted by a television monitor looping a video documentary entitled, “The Blame Show,” and “The Blame Show 2: Queens,” by Larry Litt.
The artist filmed a variety of New Yorkers and recorded their thoughts and feelings concerning discrimination, taxes, stereotyping, apathy, Corporate America, and the Bush Administration. Litt captured a sincere dissatisfaction in politics with the subsequent events in New York after Sept 11.The video begs the question of who is to blame. To the right of the video hangs “Datamap: Chicago,” a photographic/graphic collage by Jim Costanzo. The images involve protestors, protests, permits, pickets, and authority figures.
The piece is further bordered with repeated black and white pictures of Martin Luther King, President Bush, Malcom X, miscellaneous Afghanis, and other highly covered media personalities.Two identical street signs are hung in the archway between the two gallery spaces. Each sign resembles the familiar “one way” street sign, however, the artist has chosen “end war” as the appropriate text instead. The symbolism is deafening.Immediately to the left after entering the large gallery room, a slide projector clicks through a series of paintings entitled “Animal Farm.”Tim Rollins and the Kids of Survival painted caricatures of political figures ranging from Reagan to Clinton: all as farm animals.
The most powerful and educational piece was Svetlana Mintcheva’s”Censorship Timeline.” Within eight panels the artist outlined, in chronological order, every art controversy since 1989 to the present.Each act of censorship was concise, crisp and succinct, leaving little for viewers to argue or further interpret.Two of the show’s larger pieces were two wall panels displaying protest activities. The pieces were completed by the Artist Network of Refuse and Resist . Dan Perkins, also known as Tom Tomorrow, completed a series of comic strip cartoons illustrating different perspectives of 9-11. His cartoons were titled “This Modern World,” and included animated characters resembling everyone from George Bush to Enron Executives.
Each week, Perkins attacked new issues with a satirical humor that trivialized our government’s attempts to remedy the economy, patriotic optimism, etc.Towards the rear of the gallery, the film “Public Interventions” allows visitors to view the effect of public art in America. The video was written by Eleanor Heartney and directed by Branca Bogdanov.The remaining posters were two pieces by Sara Glover for the ACLU’s current civil liberties campaign. The first poster exclaims, “you have the right not to remain silent.” The second poster, “A Patriot Act,” is a high-contrast photograph of the Washington Monument with a figure in the foreground cloaked in an American flag.

Adele Tops Rolling Stone's 2011 album

Adele, who received six Grammy nominations last week, was chosen by Rolling Stone editors for her multi-platinum selling sophomore album -- officially the U.K's best selling album of the 21st century and 2011's best-selling album in the United States.'21' was this year's most stunning pop success, transmuting the young Brit's personal sorrow -- the collapse of an 18-month relationship -- into a 13-million-selling smash that leapt across borders and oceans and united everyone from teeny-boppers to baby boomers to hip-hop-heads," said Rolling Stone editors.
Jay-Z and Kanye West's "Watch The Throne," came second on the album list, followed by Paul Simon's "So Beautiful or So What" at No. 3, Fleet Foxes "Helplessness Blues" at No. 4 and Radiohead's eighth studio album "The King of Limbs" rounding out the top five.Adele's song "Rolling In The Deep," was named the best single of 2011 by the magazine, as editors described it as the "breakup scorcher to beat all breakup scorchers."
Jay-Z and Kanye West's "Ni**as in Paris" clocked in at No. 2, while Britney Spears' "'Til The World Ends" made No. 3 on the list, Foo Fighters' "These Days" at No. 4 and Paul Simon's "Rewrite" at No. 5.As well as compiling the album and singles lists, Rolling Stone editors also chose "Drive," starring Ryan Gosling, as the best film of 2011.

Cherish Childhood With Baby Photography

When it comes to baby photography, you need to be friendly with the little ones. Friendly, in this scenario means becoming adaptable and comfortable with the baby. Generally, it is believed that in-house is the best location for clicking the pictures of a baby. But if you wish to take the photos outdoors, better make the place comfortable. Keeping the babies’ best toys and stuff can make the knick knack play with ease. Taking the child to the actual location of the shoot helps him or her to adjust well in the new environment. In case of child photography, you need to remember the fact that you are dealing with the one who is a complete master or his or her own self. You actually have to wait to get his or her grace. So it is imperative not to keep your camera off even for a single second because you never know when the child will give the best pose.
Baby photography also demands various camera strategies and tactics. The camera needs to have high shutter speed in order to have the picture when the baby moves constantly. It is also a good idea to click at the child’s eye level. This will ultimately make the picture appear more expressive and interesting. Using flash to take the baby pictures can be upsetting however and so it is better to utilize the natural light.
This type of photography demands tweaks in skills and patience on the part of the photographer. It is thus better to use the handheld camera or the digital camera. These cameras are preferred because you may need to take a large number of pictures to have the perfect click. Taking pictures of a baby in various angles can also provide a completely different look. You can opt for taking the image from high up to highlight that the baby is really small. Also, you can take photograph with super close up condition to make the child look bigger.
Needless to say, you can even get the photograph of the baby framed. If you really wish to make the baby photography earn great composition, you can try with different innocent frames. You can add the frame of the baby sleeping in the lap of his or her parents. It is a great option to add some toys in the frame as well.
In other words, there is no other way to turn back the time again. Children will remain small and little just for a short period of time. With child photography, we have everything to capture about our little ones. This way, memories will be saved in the brains each time we will look at the wonderfully clicked pictures. So wait no more and get the best of images captured of your baby.