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<br /> <br /> <span style='display:none' class='DO NOT REMOVE - THIS CATEGORY CODE WILL BE HIDDEN - IT IS NEEDED TO BE FOUND BY CATEGORY AND ONE-CLICK SEARCH'>Category: Photography - in Blogs</span>

(NewsUSA) - With so many TV shows, videos, and games vying for a child's attention, it can be hard to keep him or her inspired to read. It can be even harder to do so in "real life" settings, but interacting with other kids and sharing excitement for a series or character is often more powerful than swiping a screen.<br /> <br /> Enter the Barnes & Noble Kids' Book Hangout. This new nationwide program invites kids aged 6 through 12 to go to their local Barnes & Noble to hang out, talk books, and play fun games and activities - all "in real life."<br /> <br /> Through this new program, Barnes & Noble booksellers will lead kids in games and activities related to select titles that showcase a range of genres and tastes.<br /> <br /> "The whole idea of the Hangout is for kids to see how much fun reading can be, and that enjoying characters, stories, and books really can be a social experience," says Stephanie Fryling, Vice President of Merchandising, Children's Books. "If the kids walk away with a new favorite character or series that motivates them to keep reading, then we'll have done our job."<br /> <br /> The first Kids' Book Hangout starts Saturday, July 28, at 2 p.m. in every Barnes & Noble store nationwide. Kids don't have to read the featured books, and everyone from 6-12 is welcome. The national bookseller will continue to host Hangouts on a seasonal schedule.<br /> <br /> For the inaugural gathering, Barnes & Noble has teamed up with Penguin Young Readers to showcase titles that include heartfelt poetry, a hilarious Caveboy, a mysterious adventure, and a Beatle-crazed young woman. The books are:<br /> <br /> * Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson<br /> <br /> * More Scrawny Than Brawny, by Aaron Reynolds<br /> <br /> * The Basque Dragon, by Adam Gidwitz<br /> <br /> * She Loves You (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah), by Ann Hood<br /> <br /> The four titles will be 20 percent off all day at Barnes & Noble on July 28, and Frappuccinos and smoothies will be $1 off for Hangout participants.<br /> <br /> The first Hangout comes at a great time for parents struggling to keep their kids reading during the summer. When school starts up again, the Hangouts will be a good reminder that books aren't just for classrooms.<br /> <br /> "The relationship people have with books and reading often starts in childhood, and we hope these Hangouts will help parents and caregivers lay a great foundation for young readers," Fryling says.<br /> <br /> The program adds to Barnes & Noble's other offerings for kids, including the earn-a-free-book Summer Reading Program, and weekly Storytimes for younger kids.<br /> <br /> The bookseller has more information on its website: www.bn.com/bnhangout, and will be posting about the event at <a class="btn-scroll hashword" href="https://stallios.com/search/hashtag/BNHangout">#BNHangout</a>.<br /> <br /> Ref: Communities - in Blogs

Exploring the Charms of Nature through Tent Camping<br /> <br /> In our fast-paced world, where screens dominate our daily lives, there exists a longing for a simpler, more natural way of living. Tent camping offers a perfect retreat into the heart of nature, where modern distractions fade away, and the beauty of the outdoors takes center stage.<br /> <br /> Imagine waking up to the symphony of chirping birds, the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze, and the warm glow of the sunrise painting the sky. Tent camping allows you to immerse yourself fully in these experiences, providing a direct connection to the environment that is both humbling and rejuvenating.<br /> <br /> One of the most enchanting aspects of tent camping is its versatility. Whether you prefer the rugged terrain of mountain ranges, the tranquil shores of lakes, or the dense foliage of forests, there's a campsite to suit every preference. Each location offers its own unique charm and opportunities for exploration, from hiking trails that lead to breathtaking viewpoints to peaceful spots perfect for stargazing under clear night skies.<br /> <br /> Moreover, tent camping encourages a sense of self-sufficiency and resourcefulness. As you pitch your tent and set up your campsite, you reconnect with basic survival skills and learn to appreciate the essentials. Cooking meals over a campfire or portable stove becomes a communal activity, fostering bonds with fellow campers and creating memories that last a lifetime.<br /> <br /> Beyond the physical benefits of fresh air and exercise, tent camping provides mental and emotional rejuvenation. Away from the constant buzz of notifications and emails, you can truly unwind and reset. The simplicity of life in nature allows for introspection and mindfulness, offering a chance to recharge your spirit and return to daily life with a renewed sense of clarity and purpose.<br /> <br /> In essence, tent camping is more than just a recreational activity—it's a lifestyle that celebrates the beauty of our natural world and the joy of unplugging from the digital realm. Whether you're seeking adventure, relaxation, or a deeper connection with nature, a tent camping vacation promises to deliver an unforgettable experience that nourishes the soul and leaves you longing for more outdoor escapades.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <span style='display:none' class='DO NOT REMOVE - THIS CATEGORY CODE WILL BE HIDDEN - IT IS NEEDED TO BE FOUND BY CATEGORY AND ONE-CLICK SEARCH'>Category: Nature - in Blogs</span>

Just me writing my little story! It's a coming of age story about a girl graduating from high school and not being sure where to go from there. Her family and friends help her out with a little bit of chaos and a lot of luck! <br /><br />“T! Can I borrow your notes for French?” Hailey fluttered her eyelashes at me and gave me her most winning smile, knowing that my notes were at least twenty times better than hers. I rolled my eyes and reached for my bag. I was ready for the French exam later, it was on my study schedule to be way beyond prepared. I started studying months ago so that I could get all of my sleeping in. Of course, Hailey almost never sleeps. <br />“Oh my gosh, girlie hand them over,” speaking of not sleeping, Evelyn had just walked over and was holding her hand out to me. I’m not sure how Evelyn ever slept, since she ran with me every morning at 5 am and she was on every sports team that she could fit into her schedule, plus some advanced classes. <br />“Hey, hey, no! I asked first!” Hailey gave a pouty look, her lip out and her eyes big. With her tiny frame and overly stunning blue eyes she looked adorable, but I knew that Evelyn probably needed the notes more. She struggled with French, and Hailey had had me and Cardan there to help her all year. Evelyn and I had only become friends a couple of months ago, despite having run the same route together everyday for the past four years. <br />I shoot Hailey a sympathetic smile and pull out my red notebook with Iron Man stickers coating it and hand it to Evelyn.<br />“Eek! You’re the best!” She planted a kiss on my cheek, which earned me a jokingly jealous look from Hails. Honestly, I couldn’t blame her either. With her perfectly clear brown skin and her hair always done up in some sort of cute braids, Evelyn was one of the prettiest girls in our grade. Of course, she was also a sweetheart and therefore sat down on the couch next to Hailey so that they could review together. Hailey started chattering with Evelyn about something or another as I closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep. <br /><br />“Pencils down!” Madame Saker’s yell startled me awake and I heard a small, stifled chuckle from Cardan, who was sitting next to me. I wiped the little bit of drool off of my face and shot him a quick glare, but by the time I looked over, he was already staring at his exam again, his lower lip firmly stuck between his teeth. Honestly, at this point it’s a miracle that he still has lips with how often he gnaws on those things. We start passing our tests forward and I toss my pencil onto his desk to get his attention. When Cardan looks over at me, his brow is furrowed and he looks moments from a panic attack. I throw him a thumbs up and a questioning face and he gives a despairing shrug. Cardan is actually one of the smartest kids in our grade, but he never believes he did well on literally anything. I know that the five seconds between our tests getting to her and Madame dismissing us could be vital to Cardan’s mental state, so I reach over and grab his hand. It’s shaking, but he intertwines his fingers with mine and takes a breath deep enough that people across the world could have seen it. He squeezes my hand right as Madame calls that we can leave. The bell won’t ring today because it “disturbs the mind of a studying student”. Basically, the headmaster thinks that anyone who is currently studying and not in an exam will be startled really badly by the bell, even though we are all expecting it. <br />Cardan releases my hand with a small smile and grabs his bag. No one else in the room has theirs except for Hailey who is already pulling out her dance notebook. I grab my pencil from Cardan’s desk and tuck it into my ponytail as I walk over to Hails, Cardan trailing behind me. <br />“So, T, how did you do? Cause I think that I messed up the conjugation of être on the fifth question, but it was a fill in the blank, and if that’s all I messed up, we’re totally fine… Do you think that I could run tendus twice today without some of the younger kids getting annoyed? It really helps their turnout, but they also complain sometimes…” Her tongue appears between her teeth as she scribbles in her notebook, completely lost to the rest of us now. Cardan and I exchange an eye roll over her head. Surprisingly easy, considering that she stopped growing in like fourth grade at 4’ 10”. <br />“Thanks for the notes Tiana, they really helped!” Evelyn bumps my shoulder lightly as she walks past and I wave goodbye to her before placing a gentle hand on Hailey’s back and scooping up her bag, steering her in the direction of the common room. She continues mumbling under her breath as Cardan pulls out a book and follows behind us, already lost to the world as well. <br />By the time we reach the common room, I’ve had to steer the two of them to avoid five different people rushing around and at least three people who tried to talk to them about the exams we’ve taken. Of course, neither of them know this, and both collapse on a couch to continue what they were doing, giving me the room to climb between them and take a nap with my head on Cardan’s lap and feet on Hailey’s. <br /><br />It’s Hailey who wakes me up about an hour later in order to remind me that we need to change for the parties later tonight. Since we’re seniors, we kind of get a free pass to go to every single end-of-year party, and Hailey is also friends with everyone, so she has people to see at all of them. Cardan takes this as his cue to leave, and kisses both of us on the forehead before heading upstairs to his room. He’s probably packing up his cat’s supplies for the trip home tomorrow. I’ll have to leave hails at some point tonight to check up on him before he gets too in his head about going home. <br />“So, what are we thinking? I know that the soccer girls always wear their jerseys, but like cropped or bedazzled or whatever you guys do to them, but I don’t think that you can wear that to every party… Or maybe we could stop back here and change between that and other parties. Well, I wouldn’t want people at the parties to notice you changed, since that might be a little weird. Oh! Can you do my hair for tonight? I can’t just wear it in a ballet bun like usual, since that is what I do all the time. Oh my gosh! Did I send out the message to remind the kids that classes are canceled tonight?” Hailey continued rambling, thankfully remembering that she did actually send out the reminder, several of them actually, as I steered her to our bedroom. She flopped back on my bed, still talking, as I slipped out of my leggings and tank top and into a pair of ripped skinny jeans with my purple and red jersey that Hailey had stitched into a crop top and bedazzled the number 8 on the back. She was still talking as I shoved my clothes in my laundry hamper, so I grabbed one of her decorative pillows that was on the floor and threw it at her. <br />“What?” Hails sat up, and finally looked at me, a cute blush coloring her cheeks as she realized I was already changed. “Are you gonna take that pencil out for the party?” That was her only verbal acknowledgement of my clothes change as she headed over to her closet and grabbed a cute purple dress and white ballet slippers, slipping in for five seconds before coming out already changed. <br />“Hair?” She threw me another dazzling smile before plopping back on my bed. I grabbed my hairbrush from its place on the dresser and climbed on the bed behind her, listening to her ramble about everyone’s summer plans and pretending that it was okay that I had absolutely no clue what I was planning to do once summer ended. I had no college plans, no job plans, nothing prepared for my life. <br />“Done!” I finally said, cutting Hailey off a little, but she barely noticed as she pranced to the mirror to look at her wraparound braid. <br />“You’re an angel! Thank you!” Hails ran back and kissed my cheek before grabbing earrings off of the mess on her dresser and sliding them in as I pulled out my phone. I had a text from Cardan asking if I was done with the book he lent me and double checking the dates I was staying with him, a text from Evelyn that was just a picture of her jersey that she had cut holes into the side of and made slimmer around the waist to fit her, and a few texts in the soccer group chat about who was bringing what. I ignored the group chat, sent Evelyn a thumbs up and a selfie and shot a quick reassuring text (or seven) to Cardan before tossing my phone down and shrieking when I found Hailey standing an inch from my face. <br />“Ready?”<br />“You’re a pain,” I mumbled as I stood up, reaching for my phone again and tucking it in my back pocket. “Let’s go.”<br />“YAY!” Hailey pranced from the room, leading me to the first party of the end of my high school life.

(NewsUSA) - DigiTrax Entertainment, a pioneer in the music technology industry, brings its artificial intelligence (AI) expertise to the popular hip-hop segment.<br /> <br /> With the introduction of KR38R Beats, a unique AI product specifically geared to the hip-hop artist, DigiTrax recognizes the importance of hip-hop music and how it is a great fit for AI technology. The company has paired with Spotlite, a popular and established singing performance app, to create "Rapping with the Robot," a contest for aspiring hip-hop artists.<br /> <br /> The contest is scheduled to begin on Thanksgiving Day and end on New Year's Eve.<br /> <br /> Prizes include an all-expenses-paid recording session, with professional production and distribution across all major platforms.<br /> <br /> "We focused our AI on the most relevant segment of music in today's streaming economy," says Joe Vangieri, CEO of DigiTrax Entertainment.<br /> <br /> "Hip-hop beats comprise one out of every three streams, and generate billions in revenue."<br /> <br /> The KR38R Beats product is based on the Music Builder program, DigiTrax's unique and innovative technology that helps artists harness the power of artificial intelligence. Artists can feed ideas into the program, which then serves as a composing partner and allows them to create more songs more quickly.<br /> <br /> Spotlite is a free, direct-to-fan singing app designed to allow amateur and professional vocalists to sing original music, covers, and karaoke across all musical genres.<br /> <br /> "As a fan, you used to go out and buy CDs to support your favorite artist," says Juan Munoz, general manager of Spotlite Media.<br /> <br /> "With the change in how fans ingest content, Spotlite has not only allowed fans a new way to directly support their favorite artists, but the fans become the tastemakers. Through our contests, fans tell us who should truly be recognized for their talent," he explains.<br /> <br /> Other benefits of using artificial intelligence in creating original hip-hop music include greater profitability and protection for the users under copyright law.<br /> <br /> "Because we own both the publishing and the sound recording that our AI has written," Vangieri explains, "this gives us free reign to fully exploit both sides of a song - the publishing and the sound recording."<br /> <br /> DigiTrax plans to introduce several more contests in 2019 to showcase the way its technology is transforming how music is created and enjoyed.<br /> <br /> For more information about the company and its future business goals, go to digitraxentertainment.com.<br /> <br /> Ref: Bands - in Blogs

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