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People visit ice sculptures for the 25th Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin, China on December 23, 2008.

The Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, in Harbin, China, opened on Jan. 5, 2009. The festival lasts for one month, and features large ice and snow sculptures, ice lanterns, swimming in the icy Songhua River and more. The northern hemisphere is a hospitable place for ice festivals these days, so in that spirit, here is a collection of recent photographs of all things frozen, and some of the ways we live and play with ice.

A swan attempts to land on a frozen lake near Castleford northern England Monday Jan. 5, 2009. Freezing temperatures and snow have struck large areas of Britain.

Visitors slide on tracks at an ice sculpture during a preview for the 25th Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival at a park in Harbin, China on December 23, 2008.  read more »

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(above) Norway - Bright beaks and feet signal the breeding season for Atlantic puffins on Hornoya Island. The birds’ colors dull for winter. Puffins in summer and winter coloration look so different they were once thought different species.

(left) Among cities, San Diego may be the most animal-centric. Animals at the zoo and SeaWorld have names, constituencies and birthday parties. So when Zhen Zhen, a giant panda at the San Diego Zoo, turned 1 year old on Sunday, she celebrated with a jumbo-sized birthday cake: a honey-glazed exterior, stuffed inside with fruit, vegetables and bamboo. Sister Su Lin turned three a few days earlier, with a similar fest. For pandaphiles, Zhen Zhen is now 45 pounds and is approaching the day of independence from her mother, Bai Yun. Su Lin is about two years away from potential motherhood.

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Photos courtesy of Jan Vermeer, Foto Nature, San Diego Zoological Society, ppalmward/wallpaperbase.com, and First People  read more »

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Excerpt from Off the Train of Morrow
by LuCxeed

Is Past a past
or a ghost?
Mind of Time, haunted,
disturbed, confused,
cannot think, nor rest...

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From the book: Love’s Footsteps ~ dedicated to a Bridge for Wisdom to Walk on

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Chuckles from the Top of Everest
by LuCxeed

Love delivers kisses aplenty
so does lust or affection
so does scheme or infatuation
so does courtesy or flirtation

chuckles from the top of Everest
laughing at the rest
of romance fled
as Daylight brooms the bedroom

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From pages 19 & 20 of the book: Love’s Footsteps ~ dedicated to a Bridge for Wisdom to Walk on

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Matt Harding is a 32-year-old deadbeat from Connecticut who used to think that all he ever wanted to do in life was make and play videogames. Matt achieved this goal pretty early and enjoyed it for a while, but eventually realized there might be other stuff he was missing out on.

In February of 2003, he quit his job in Brisbane, Australia and used the money he'd saved to wander around Asia until it ran out. He made this site so he could keep his family and friends updated about where he is. A few months into his trip, a travel buddy gave Matt an idea. They were standing around taking pictures in Hanoi, and his friend said "Hey, why don't you stand over there and do that dance. I'll record it." He was referring to a particular dance Matt does.

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ThinkAhead^TM Calendar
"For Kids, the Future of Our World"
January 2009 - December 2009

Click here to view larger image and download the 8.5"x11" letter-size printable calendar (pdf file).

If “Habit is the nursery of errors”, let ThinkAhead^TM Calendar be the nursery of greatness.

ThinkAhead^TM Calendar is vision in visuals, visual vision.
Nature tosses lives into the constant flow of time.
Think ahead for Life ahead. Vision delivers options to embrace the near future with choices.

The traditional calendar presents dates based on the position of the sun.
The planner is more about “planning” events, schedules by the hour.
ThinkAhead^TM Calendar is a visual presentation of your own vision, choices for a better life in a better world, to mark inspired ideas for the near future on the seasonally-renewed always-12-months-ahead calendar.

Vision in visuals, visual vision.
Concept having been told, here are the design features -
? always 12 months ahead, dynamic, seasonally-renewed, i.e.
   January 2009 - December 2009;
   April 2009 - March 2010;
   July 2009 - June 2010; …
   October 2010 - September 2011 and so on
? downloadable pdf file, ready to print (letter size)
? background & foreground images with area for notes
? foldable, easy to jot notes on and carry around
? inexpensive & replaceable, convenient to be filed away,
   impressive for handing out

Destiny is a mystery.  read more »