Prince William Qualified Search And Rescue Captain

Prince William piloted a RAF Search and Rescue Force helicopter deployed to save a teenage girl drowning off the coast of Wales. Caught in a riptide when they were body-boarding the 16-year-old and her friend were dragged out to sea. The friend, 13, was rescued by a surfer. The other teen swallowed water and was slipping under the surface when the alert was raised.

The Duke of Cambridge reached the scene in only 38 seconds.

"When I got to her, the girl was clearly exhausted and was going under the water for what was the very last time," paramedic Master Aircrew Harry Harrison told the BBC.

"Sometimes it's just a twisted ankle or a broken bone, but this was one rescue where we truly did arrive in the nick of time."

Flight Lt. Wales, as he's known to his crew, has been stationed at the search and rescue base on the Welsh island of Anglesey – where he lives with wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge – since 2010. In May, he qualified as search and rescue captain after previously serving as co-pilot.

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Ivanka Trump Grants A Wish

Teen jewelry designer Linda Cifuentes was recently granted a wish to spend a day with Trump at her SoHo jewelry boutique, through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Cifuentes is 16-year-old and was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma earlier this year. Her mother brought her beads to make jewelry with from her hospital bed. A passion was born.

“She’s really, really very good,” Trump says.

Trump gifted the teen with a piece from her fine jewelry collection.

Trump also gave Cifuentes three emeralds, used to create a piece auctioned at a Make-A-Wish event. Funds raised will help grant four children’s wishes. - August 12th 2012

Source: http://mahlonsmissivescom.ipage.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Ivanka.jpg

Artists - Keep The Heart Of A Child

I think Picasso said; I learned how to draw like Raphael in five years . . . . and it's taken a life time to paint like a Child…

Or as a very dear friend Sir Toss Woollaston told me once; I’m just trying to see with the clarity and simplicity of vision that I had when I was five years old.

New Marilyn H. and Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Director, Brian Ferriso

The Portland Art Museum is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Murawski, Ph.D., as director of education and public programs. Murawski will begin his tenure on October 15. “This is an important role at the Museum. Our education programs expand and amplify the visitor’s experience in the galleries through innovative installations, lectures with leading scholars, and special programs for school children, college students, artists, educators, and adult learners,” said Brian Ferriso, The Marilyn H. and Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Director. “I am pleased that we have been able to recruit and hire Mike Murawski, one of today’s leading thinkers around art museum education.”

In his new position, Murawski will be responsible for creating a vision for the Museum’s public programs for families, students, and adults and ensuring the highest quality for all education programs.

“I am so excited to step into this new role at the Portland Art Museum and become part of a distinguished institution dedicated to creating compelling experiences for all visitors,” said Murawski. “I look forward to working with their exceptional team to further strengthen the Museum’s role in the community and help shape the Museum’s vision for the future.”

Murawski is currently the director of school services at the Saint Louis Art Museum. In this role he directs all school, teacher, and docent programs for the Museum and creates programs, tours, and partnerships for K-12 students, facilitating innovative museum learning. The programs serve approximately 35,000 students per year.

Prior to his work at the Saint Louis Art Museum, he was the coordinator of education and public programs at the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum at Washington University, Saint Louis.

Murawski holds both master and doctorate degrees in education from American University, Washington, D.C. and received a bachelor’s degree in art history from Truman State University, Missouri.

“We are confident that Mike will continue to strengthen our existing programs such as Object Stories, Shine a Light, and Artist Talks while creating a vision for the future to help the Museum deliver its important mission in our community,” said Ferriso.

1,582 Artists from 36 Countries and 43 States Will Participate in ArtPrize 2011

1,582 artists from 36 countries and 43 states will show their work in 164 venues within three-square miles of downtown Grand Rapids, Mich. Each artist will compete for the world’s largest prize for art, which will take place Sept. 21-Oct. 9, 2011. Participating artists and venues can all be viewed on the Artist List. Event organizers today closed Connections—the period when artists can officially secure a venue and participate in ArtPrize 2011. Applications for entries were open to any artist who could secure a location to display their art.

“ArtPrize facilitates relationships between artists of the world, venues in Grand Rapids and people from all over,” said Catherine Creamer, executive director of ArtPrize. “We broaden the conversation about art by making it accessible to everyone who comes to the event, inviting each person to create and discuss their own story.”

While Michigan is home to a large number of participating artists, as an international competition, artists from as far as Singapore and South Africa will descend on Grand Rapids. Canada, with 23 artists, has the greatest number of artists participating in ArtPrize 2011 who are coming from outside of the United States.

The number of national artists has also increased in 2011. Illinois alone has more than 96 artists traveling to Grand Rapids. New York artists total 29 participating artists, while California and Ohio will send 30 artists each to ArtPrize 2011. Hundreds more are coming from Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin.

Inspired by such competitions as the X-Prize and large-scale events like the Sundance Film Festival, ArtPrize is among the most unique competitions in the art world. It has no formal jury, curator or judge, asking the public to vote and decide winners using mobile devices and the web.

During its 2009 inaugural season, more than 200,000 people attended ArtPrize and more than 334,000 votes were cast. Numbers swelled in 2010 to more than 400,000 people and 465,000 votes cast. ArtPrize organizers expect more than 500,000 people to attend the 19-day event.

Jon Brion To Score ParaNorman for LAIKA

Two-time Grammy Award-nominated composer Jon Brion has signed to create the original score for ParaNorman. LAIKA President and CEO Travis Knight made the announcement today. Mr. Brion’s original score for Focus’ Academy Award-winning Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Best Score Soundtrack Album, among other honors. He was previously a Grammy nominee in the same category for scoring Magnolia.

A highly accomplished singer/songwriter, arranger, and conductor, Mr. Brion is renowned for his production work. He holds co-writing credits on albums by such artists as Kanye West, Beck, Aimee Mann, Fiona Apple, Rufus Wainwright, the Eels and Dido.

Mr. Knight said, “Jon Brion is so prodigiously gifted it’s almost unseemly. His virtuoso compositions are at once moody and imaginative, clever and subtle. Jon’s inventive, genre-defying musical storytelling will provide the perfect accompaniment to ParaNorman’s groundbreaking visuals and emotionally resonant narrative.” Mr. Brion stated, “I’ve been waiting for the right animation project for some time now. This production and the people at LAIKA and Focus have an inspiring amount of heart. One can’t help being swept up in the passion.”

Sing: The Art Of The Love Song

Glimpse what is possibly the most exciting performance of a love song ever. STING LIVE, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; 'Whenever I Say Your Name'.StingLiveInBerlin

When I took my lovely wife to the New Zealand version of this concert, I was hoping for a special evening.  I wrongly assumed the orchestra would be back-up to Stings band. Intoxicatingly the orchestra was the band!

The layered harmony and all encompassing sound of the NZ symphony orchestra with maestro conductor, Steven Mercurio, was so full and powerful, yet quite unlike a typical amped ‘rock’ sound. The experience was pure magic! On the attached track, stick around for the Marsalis solo, when the Orchestra really becomes a Jazz-Rock 'over-drive' sound machine!

Now Imagine me 'filling-in' on the 'school run' at 8:30 A.M.  The girls have named our Champagne Merc, Samantha.  I love the Merc's willingness to beep, whenever I get too close to anything, only slightly less than its Bose sound system. Once buckled up our twins almost always chant, 'push track #9', ‘Whenever I Say Your Name’, starts playing perhaps  the hundredth time! ‘Turn it up dad’, they say. From the moment the 1st violinist starts, the hairs on the back of my neck are standing up, I'm with my 'girlfriend' at the Hawkes Bay N.Z. concert.  Wonderful!

Among the comments posted about this clip is; ‘I want to be Jo Lawry’s microphone’. Yes her performance, you'll notice is passionate and outstanding also!

When I'm working overseas, and especially when I'm traveling solo, this song has the power to get me on a plane, and arrive back home to my darling wife and family unexpectedly early.  It’s a totally passionate, ‘in love’ love song.  Even if Sting is not your thing, you’re very likely to thoroughly enjoy this! Sting: Whenever I say Your Name.

 

Find the Album here on Amazon.com

Max Nikias, Pat Haden, Ron Tutor, Tamara Gustavson and Ed Roski Break Ground on USC's John McKay Center

In front of a festive crowd of more than 400 people, USC officially broke ground today on the new John McKay Center, a $70 million, 110,000-square foot facility on the west side of Heritage Hall that will house meeting rooms, coaches offices and a locker room for the football program, as well as an academic center, weight room, athletic training room and state-of-the-art digital media production facility for all of USC's 21 sports. USC president Max Nikias and Trojan athletic director Pat Haden presided over the ceremony in front of a crowd that included members of the USC Board of Trustees, university deans and administrators, athletic department staff, coaches, student-athletes, donors and fans.

The Trojan Marching Band and USC Song Girls performed. After brief speeches, Nikias and Haden were joined in hardhats by USC Board of Trustee members Ron Tutor, Tamara Gustavson and Ed Roski and the group placed commemorative shovels into the ground.

Construction of the 2-story (plus basement) building is expected to take 18 months.

Daniel Day-Lewis to Star as Lincoln for Steven Spielberg

Two-time Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis will star as the 16th President of the United States in DreamWorks Studios’ Lincoln to be directed by Steven Spielberg. The announcement was made today by Spielberg and Stacey Snider, Co-Chairman and CEO of DreamWorks Studios. “Daniel Day-Lewis would have always been counted as one of the greatest of actors, were he from the silent era, the golden age of film or even some time in cinema's distant future. I am grateful and inspired that our paths will finally cross with Lincoln,” said Steven Spielberg. "Throughout his career, he has been exceptionally selective in his choice of material," added Stacey Snider, "which makes us feel even more fortunate that he has chosen to join with us for Lincoln."

Based on the best-selling book, Team of Rivals, by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, the screenplay has been written by the Pulitzer Prize winner, Tony Award winner, and Academy Award nominated writer Tony Kushner. It will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Steven Spielberg.

It is anticipated that the film will focus on the political collision of Lincoln and the powerful men of his cabinet on the road to abolition and the end of the Civil War.

Doris Kearns Goodwin won her Pulitzer Prize for No Ordinary Time, the story of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt and the home front in World War II. Kushner's prize was for his play Angels in America, which later became an Emmy Award-winning television special. He had previously worked with Spielberg on Munich for which he was nominated for an Oscar in the Adapted Screenplay category.

Filming is expected to begin in the fall of 2011 for release in the fourth quarter of 2012 through Disney’s Touchstone distribution label.

My Close Encounter with Jim Carrey

A few Saturdays ago in the course of photographing a family in the States, I got to meet, hang out with, and photograph the inimitable Jim Carrey.  The images are private so you’ll never see them.  I can tell you however how much I enjoyed the man.  In my experience Jim Carrey was gracious, candid, totally fun, and fabulous with kids.  Check out his official website at http://www.jimcarrey.com/

Sundance Institute And The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Present Short Documentary Films To Inspire Global Community

Sundance Institute today announced a special collaborative project with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation designed to harness the power of film to create communities and inspire action on issues related to global health, poverty and education. Six short documentary films commissioned by the Institute's Documentary Film Program from award-winning filmmakers Glenn Baker, Teboho Edkins, Mark Monroe, Maren Grainger-Monsen, MD, Nicole Newnham, Jonathan Stack, Ricki Stern, and Annie Sundberg, will become part of a multi-platform communications initiative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation which plans to share the films online and at speeches and public events around the world. For nearly three decades, Sundance Institute has promoted independent storytelling to inform and inspire across political, social, religious and cultural differences. The Sundance Institute Documentary Fund is the pre-eminent global funder of cinematic documentary films committed to excellence in storytelling around human rights, social justice, civil liberties, the environment and other contemporary issues.

Excerpts from selected films will first premiere September 20, 2010 as part of TEDxChange, a live event convened by Melinda French Gates, to mark the 10th anniversary of the creation of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals to improve social and economic conditions in the world’s poorest countries. TEDxChange will look at what advancements have been made since the U.N. adopted its Millennium Goals, and what needs to happen to ensure success for the future. Hosted by TED Curator Chris Anderson at the Paley Center for Media in New York and simulcast in Los Angeles, the 90-minute event will stream live on TED.com and www.tedxchange.org at 11a.m. EDT, with simultaneous satellite events planned in over 50 other communities around the world.

"As longtime admirers of the important work that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is undertaking in some of the poorest regions on earth, and the most challenging sectors here in the U.S., Sundance Institute is honored to collaborate on this important initiative," said Keri Putnam, Executive Director, Sundance Institute. "It is a privilege to partner with them in connecting global audiences with stories from the frontlines of global development, health and education," Putnam added.

Shot on location in Bangladesh, India, Haiti, Kenya, the Congo (DRC), Lesotho as well as the United States, the six commissioned films illustrate personal stories of communities leading vaccination drives; empowering the poor with safe and affordable means to manage their money, success at an urban American charter school and an intimate portrait of parenting while HIV positive.

"Documentary storytelling is incredibly effective at highlighting complex realities by humanizing the issues," said Cara Mertes, Director, Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program. "Creating these films with independent filmmakers already exploring the issues that the Gates Foundation addresses has uncovered some extraordinary stories that will help galvanize audiences towards awareness and action."

Louis, The Movie, by Dan Pritzker

Louis, a silent film directed by Dan Pritzker, starring Jackie Earle Haley and Shanti Lowry, will premiere in US cities in late August with live musical accompaniment by Wynton Marsalis, renowned pianist Cecile Licad and a 10-piece all-star jazz ensemble. Marsalis will play a score comprised primarily of his own compositions. Licad will play the music of 19th century American composer L.M. Gottschalk. The group will perform live with the film in a series of special performances in New York City, Chicago, Washington DC, Detroit and Philadelphia. Shot by Academy Award-winning cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond as a modern re-imagining of early silent film, LOUIS is an homage to Louis Armstrong, Charlie Chaplin, beautiful women and the birth of American music. The grand Storyville bordellos, alleys and cemeteries of 1907 New Orleans provide a backdrop of lust, blood and magic for 6 year old Louis (Anthony Coleman) as he navigates the colorful intricacies of life in the city. Young Louis’s dreams of playing the trumpet are interrupted by a chance meeting with a beautiful and vulnerable girl named Grace (Lowry) and her baby, Jasmine. Haley, in a performance reminiscent of the great comic stars of the silent screen, plays the evil Judge Perry who is determined not to let Jasmine's true heritage derail his candidacy for governor.

"The idea of accompanying a silent film telling a mythical tale of a young Louis Armstrong was appealing to me,” says Marsalis. “Of course, calling it a silent film is a misnomer -- there will be plenty of music, and jazz is like a conversation between the players so there'll be no shortage of dialogue."

John Houghtaling and Franco Valobra Hold New Orleans Fundraising Dinner

In support of Louisiana cuisine at a time when its seafood industry has been jeopardized by the Horizon oil spill, world-renowned chefs Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud and Jerome Bocuse will team with New Orleans Chef Scott Boswell for a September 14 fundraiser at his French Quarter restaurant Stella! The event will benefit the Barrier Islands Restoration & Development Society (B.I.R.D.S.) and the Bocuse d'Or USA Foundation. It is the first meal the distinguished chefs will cook together.

"These leaders of America's culinary revolution are committed to preserving our food culture and traditions," said Chef Boswell. "Like me, they're frustrated about the repercussions of the oil gushing in the Gulf, so we will unite in the kitchen to raise funds for our wetlands and the next generation of culinary professionals."

The benefit will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 14, beginning at 7 p.m. with cocktails in the Ursuline Convent gardens, followed by dinner at Restaurant Stella! Tickets for the evening are $2,000 per person, and may be obtained by calling 504-587-0091 (Extension 100) or e-mailing cbrannon@chefscottboswell.com.

New Orleans businessmen John Houghtaling and Franco Valobra organized the event to raise awareness of the region's cuisine and Louisiana's wetlands.

B.I.R.D.S. was formed by a group of concerned civic leaders and Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser to establish, maintain and restore the precious barrier islands of Southeast Louisiana. These natural barriers, which have been disappearing over the last century, provide a first line of defense for the fragile marshes, estuaries, and animal habitats that permeate the landscape surrounding the lower portion of the Mississippi River as it empties into the Gulf of Mexico.

"We've gathered some of the best culinary artists in the world to highlight our cuisine and draw attention to our struggle," Houghtaling said. "The barrier islands are home to brown pelicans, the symbol of our state and the wildlife upon which many of our cultural traditions are based. B.I.R.D.S. is a critically important cause."

Clay Cliffs

I recently took the girls to a far out location called the 'clay cliffs' (Lord of the Rings location)... very dangerous the girls reckoned.... Sienna shoot me playing golf at 'the Hills' very exclusive Home of the New Zealand open.... wearing jeans....

YES! Some members have been known to play in shorts and singlets... and it's 'allowed' after all they ARE MEMBERS and have paid the big bucks!

International Competition Offers World's Largest ARTPRIZE

ArtPrize invites artists of all kinds from around the world to participate in an unprecedented competition that will award nearly one-half million dollars to prize winners, including $250,000 to the artist who receives the most public votes. Details of ArtPrize, which will run from Sept. 23 through Oct. 10, were announced today from the competition’s host city of Grand Rapids, Mich. ArtPrize will have no formal jury, curator or judge. The public will decide who wins the prizes by voting, using mobile devices and the web.

“It’s time to reboot the conversation between artists and the public. ArtPrize will be a celebration of art, design, and innovation that will bring artists and the public together like never before,” said ArtPrize creator Rick DeVos.

The city of Grand Rapids will become art gallery. ArtPrize art works and performances, professional and amateur, will be exhibited at hundreds of venues, all within a three-square mile area in Grand Rapids’ downtown riverfront district. The city has offered up parks and bridges for outdoor venue displays. Scores of businesses will convert lobbies and public space for displays.

“Our family sees ArtPrize as a new and innovative way to engage and support the arts for the future,” said Betsy DeVos. The Dick & Betsy DeVos Family Foundation is underwriting ArtPrize. “Dick and I share our son’s vision for encouraging everyone to explore the arts in a truly democratic way.”

Grand Rapids, a city of about 200,000 amidst a metropolis of more than a million people, has an impressive cultural urban core and a rich history of supporting public art. It is home to Alexander Calder’s “La Grand Vitesse,” the first community sculpture project funded through the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as major works by Mark di Suvero, Robert Morris and Maya Lin.

“It is increasingly important to find new ways to engage people, especially young people, in the arts,” said Michael Kaiser, president of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. “ArtPrize is a dynamic and creative way to use technology to engage people of all ages.”

ArtPrize is expected to draw thousands of entries, and art enthusiasts from across the globe are expected to attend. The ArtPrize team directly communicated with about 10,000 artists, design schools, art schools, museums and galleries worldwide as part of today’s launch. “This is a bit of an art revolution,” said Jeff Speck, former director of design for the National Endowment for the Arts and author of Suburban Nation. “It will be exciting to see a city use its downtown area as an art gallery to share with the world.”

“I’m astounded by the potential for social networking, community involvement, and the expanded view of the role of art,” said Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell. “ArtPrize will excite the world, and the world will look at our city differently because of it.”

Kids Are Installation Artists

Marlana one of my daughters did an 'installation' last week. 'Dinosaur...with pink hand bag' ...it must be in the genes... I'm going to send you a picture..I think you'll love it....Donnell was pleading with me to drop everything and capture it.....

Phantom of the Opera

Took Sienna and Marlana to the Phantom of the Opera yesterday Totally intoxicating for them...it was beautiful ! They had masquerade masks I'd got them from Venice!!!

Two days ago I won a few industry awards -Gold! Ten years ago this would've been a really big deal for us PR etc.....but it is neat to let the families evolved know that their pictures have been judged 'outstanding' by a panel of 5 judges!

A Buckingham Palace shot you can see on my portfolio www.mahlon.com is fun...and no, the police would never allow this shot to be taken as you see it! The little guy has a really big 'thing' for the soldiers..so the family love this picture.

I had a big busy blast of a  summer; All over the States, then over to UK, back to N.Y. and all over the States again.....my girls were very glad to see me back home.