LilSugar

Rave Reviews for new CHINA Photo Book!!!

tomcarter — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 05:31:35 -0800

As Thomas Carter's new photobook CHINA: Portrait of a People makes its debut as the most comprehensive book of photography on modern China ever published by a single author, literati and the press are unable to hold back their acclaim. Following are excerpts from the praise CHINA: Portrait of a People continues to receive from readers and media reviewers:

"Unless you want to undertake your own two-year trek through some of the mainland's most difficult terrain to take your own shots, this is a study well worth having on your bookshelf." - South China Morning Post"CHINA: Portrait of a People is not just an idyllic souvenir for Sinophiles, but a timeless piece of literature that...can be passed down through the dynasties as one of the most honest and educational illustrated books on contemporary China ever published." - New Asia Books (read the entire China Portrait review here)

"The pictures are evocative, although not works of art. Instead, the systematicclassification of images is almost anthropological." - China Review (read the entire China Portrait review here)"The collection of 800 photos paints a beautiful, comprehensive portrait of China and its people in a way that words never could." - the Beijinger (read the entire China Portrait review here)

"China: Portrait of a People is a snapshot of an entire country in a time of great change; a truthful and touching portrayal of the Chinese people in all their variety, charm and earthiness. As such, even if it does not turn out a best-seller, it will have lasting value as a social document. This isn't a coffee table book of the Great Wall or the quintessentially Chinese landscapes of Guilin. It isn't a travel book either, although it may well inspire many to come see China for themselves." - China.Org (read the entire China Portrait review here)

"Instead of similar photo books, China: Portrait of a People (published by Blacksmith Books, 635 pages, 280 yuan) is a more portable volume. Rather than focus on geographic, landscape or sight-seeing photos, Carter focuses on the distinct features and lifestyles that define the nation’s 56 ethnic groups collected in 33 provinces." - Beijing Today (read the entire China Portrait review here)

"CHINA: Portrait of a People is not to be dismissed as another light-hearted snapshot collection. But neither is it heavy socio-political commentary. Photojournalist-cum-travel writer Tom Carter has successfully struck a fine balance between the two, dividing the 600-plus pages of annotated photography into 33 chapters, a document of the two years he spent travelling in different Chinese provinces." - HK Magazine (read the entire China Portrait review here)

"Tom Carter gets around. Thirty three provinces, 56 ethnic cultures, 10,000 portraits. The 35-year-old American spent two years on the road photographing people from every nook and cranny in China for his ambitious 640-page coffee-table book, CHINA: Portrait of a People. His stated mission: To dispel the stereotype of the Chinese as a homogeneous single nationality." - Urbanatomy Shanghai (read the entire China Portrait review here)

"For those who read more in a twinkling eye or a lined brow than in a slate roof, (CHINA: Portrait of a People) is a revelation, providing a more honest picture of this turbulent land than a rack of China travel books pre-approved by the Ministry of Information." - China Expat (read the entire China Portrait review here)"Tom gives us an incredible insight to the people of China, from poor to wealthy, young to old. You can see he gets into their culture and delivers a fabulous insider view, capturing emotions through the lens. Each region has a selection of Tom's photos with brief, but informative captions. It's not a travel guide or a photography technique guide but it will keep you enthralled for hours at a time." - ePhotozine (read the entire China Portrait review here)

"Travel photos taken by a stranger seldom fascinate. But 800 color images captured by Tom Carter as he spent two years on the road, traveling 56,000 kilometers through all of China's 33 provinces, make a dramatic exception... Carter's weighty book takes an effort to carry home from a store. But anyone interested in China should love owning it." - Cairns Media Magazine (read the entire China Portrait review here)

"The images veer between the light-hearted (laughing children playing on a sand dune in Gansu), titillating (a pair of female KTV hostesses in Shandong lean in for a kiss), appalling (a mentally ill girl lies in the middle of the road as cars just pass her by), and thought provoking (the worn and sunburned face of a destitute old Tibetan lady). But there is a constant - the peering visages of all ethnicities, of all China. Through Carter's journey of self-discovery, we end up discovering a little more about ourselves - and a land so vast, so disparate, that 638 pages of photos barely manage to scratch the surface. Still, Portrait of a People is a very good place to start peeling back the layers." - Time Out (read the entire China Portrait review here)

"'Tom Carter is an extraordinary photographer whose powerful work captures the heart and soul of the Chinese people." - Anchee Min, author of Red Azalea and Empress Orchid (read the entire China Portrait review here)"Tom Carter's photo book is an honest and objective record of the Chinese and our way of life- his camera leads us through 33 wide-sweeping scenes of the real and the surreal." - Mian Mian, author of Candy (read the entire China Portrait review here)

"It takes a great boldness of spirit to set out to capture the essence of so diverse a people as the Chinese in a single volume of photography. The thrill is to discover that Tom Carter has achieved just that." - Asia Literary Review (read the entire China Portrait review here)

"As photojournalist Tom Carter discovered on his journey across China, to know the true spirit and culture of a place, you must look into the faces of its people." - MiNDFOOD magazine (read the entire China Portrait review here)

Doing business in China is all about getting to know the Chinese people and their culture. Precisely what this stunning book by Tom Carter has to offer. Eye opener!" - China Success Stories (read the entire China Portrait review here)"Tom Carter is a guerrilla hit-and-run photojournalist with a camera instead of a grenade launcher. To take the up-close and personal pictures in Portrait of a People, Carter risked jail; almost froze on the way to Tibet; faced exhaustion and hunger; was beaten by drunks; plagued by viral infections; and risked being shot by North Korean border guards. The hundreds of photos in Portrait are priceless. I doubt if there will ever be another book about China like this one." - Lloyd Lofthouse, author of My Splendid Concubine (read the entire China Portrait review here)

###Click here to purchase CHINA: Portrait of a People

Join the China Portrait fan page on FaceBook. Also check out the cool China Portrait and Chinese Architecture videos on YouTube. Check out these China Postcards. Join the China Portrait discussions. Browse China Portrait news. Read the China Portrait interview. Blogs in Chinese: 中国旅游 背包博客 China Travel China Backpacker Tom Carter Thomas Carter Photography Book Review China Photographer video

Cool China Photo Book Trailer

tomcarter — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:16:42 -0700

Photojournalist Tom Carter's CHINA: Portrait of a People is the most comprehensive book of photography on modern China ever published by a single author. Over 600 pages and 800 images from the 33 provinces of the PRC.

AVAILABLE NOW!
http://www.TomCarter.org

ISBN-13: 978-988-99799-42
Size: 15cm x 15cm, soft cover, with maps of each province
Published: Summer 2008 by Blacksmith Books, Hong Kong, in association with Haven Books
Price: HK$280 / US$35.95

One of the Cutest Books Ever-Fashion

Lil Community — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 04:00:00 -0800

This post was submitted by member Lauren in our The Mommy Club group.
I have a wonderful 14-month-old niece and this Christmas I, of course, went a little present crazy. One of my favorites though was a kid's book called Fashion. The whole book is full of fashion word plays. My niece loves the book too and will go through and make the sounds of the animals. I took a couple of pictures of my favorites and had to share.

To see another image of the adorable book Lauren chose, just read more.
I love buying my niece books, any suggestions?

Do you have a treasure trove of sweet baby book suggestions? Start sharing your advice and tips in our The Mommy Club! Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

One of the Cutest Books Ever-Fashion

lauren — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:20:11 -0800

I have a wonderful 14 month old niece and this Christmas I, of course, went a little present crazy. One of my favorites though was a kid's book called Fashion. The whole book is full of fashion word plays. My niece loves the book too and will go through and make the sounds of the animals. I took a couple of pictures of my favorites and had to share. I love buying my niece books, any suggestions?

What is your Favorite Book that Became a Movie?

iBrenna — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:52:48 -0700

Ok sooo I was reading this book Twilight && everyone said it was to become a movie! ( The book is a great Love Story btw!!! ) And it made me think what is YOUR favorite book that became a movie? Harry Potter? Series of Unfortunate Events ( Nothing like the books btw), Pride & Predigice, ect ect. So tell us which is your Favorite!

===

Get Fit For 2010: Challenge 10, Share Your Healthy Snack

FitSugar — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 21:14:25 -0700

Healthy snacks are important for gals on the go, no matter if your healthy goal for 2010 is to lose weight or run a marathon.

This week's challenge: write a blog post in the Get Fit group sharing the details of your fave healthy snack. Be sure to add a photo of your food to your post too. By meeting this challenge, not only will you be planning ahead, which is essential for healthy snacking, but you will be entered to win our weekly prize - a $100 Nike gift card.

Sharing your snack in the community group also enters you to win our fabulous grand prize: a $1,000 gift card from Nike; a year of personalized nutrition plans by nutritionist Alexa Fishback, plus a copy of her book; a year membership to 24 Hour Fitness for you and a friend; and two Bodybuggs. At the end of three months, we will pick a grand prize winner at random from all of the entries in all of the weekly challenges. The more you participate, the more chances you have to win the grand prize! A little extra motivation to help you meet your healthy goals for 2010.

If you're not already a member of the PopSugar Community, register here now. Click here for the official rules.

You have until 11:59 p.m. PDT on Sunday, March 21, to complete the 10th challenge. I need new snack ideas, so bring it!

A Highly Recommended Book

-B- — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:54:16 -0800

I have not been feeling well, which is obligatory of what I am going through, and I know there are people who are happy about this. So, I have turned from Sugar to reading a LOT! But, when I do have something of interest for you I will post it for you as I care deeply about so many of you. I am not looking for sympathy or empathy of any nature. Far from it. Taking a break from Sugar has been situational. Therefore READING has been a serenity of sorts. Absorbing information which I wish I would have attained months ago.

A book advised for reading:
"The Moral Sense" by James Q. Wilson

Mark Twain once advised, "Always do right. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest." (you know how I love my quotes). The thought of astonishing people is certainly appealing, yet somehow we have to know what's right before we can do it. How do we know what's right? It's not easy, despite the fact that there's a vast field of study devoted to the topic which is described using terms like "Ethics," or "Moral Philosophy." However, countless philosophers writing shelves full of books over have hardly improved on the age-old cliche', "treat others as you want to be treated." Albert Schweitzer rephrased it this way: "A man is truly ethical only when he obeys the compulsion to help all life which he is able to assist, and shrinks from injuring anything that lives."

But why should we even be interested in opening the question? Why not just leave the discussion of ethics to theologians?

Despite the fact that religion and ethics are sometimes assumed to be interchangeable ideas, a standard of morality is important whether one believes in a higher power or not. It makes society work and establishes the basis by which human beings can relate to each other and to their environment safely and responsibly. If our ethical lines shift according to whim, others won't be able to anticipate our responses or predict our stance on any issue. We all have a strong desire to know where we "stand" in relation to others. Do they care about us? Do we care about them? How do we know whether our relationships can be relied upon? Generally we know "where we stand" with others based on their treatment of us and their responses to our actions. We have the best relationships with those people we feel certain will react more or less as we expect. Since this works both ways, we want to treat them with the same regard and respect that we expect them to extend to us.

In his book, "The Moral Sense", modern philosopher and educator James Q. Wilson argues that there are ethical "inclinations" that are common to almost all people. Although he cautions that "this doesn't mean we have found a set of moral rules," he also believes that most of us try to keep society's laws out of higher concerns than merely a fear of retribution. He notes, "a sense of duty, a desire to please, a belief in fairness, and sympathy for the plight of others."

Discoveries in neuroscience over the past decade suggest that there might even be something of this sort hard-wired in our brains. "Mirror neurons" have created quite a stir since their discovery by Italian scientists in the 90's, and subsequent studies have had fascinating results. The same areas of the brain are activated not only when we perform an action ourselves, but also when we watch the same action being performed by somone else. Many scientists are convinced that this indicates the seat of our brain's ability to internally simulate the experiences of others. As some neuroscientists say "Today, mirror neurons play a major explanatory role in the understanding of a number of human features, from imitation to empathy."

Empathy, of course, is what allows us to "treat others as we want to be treated." Maybe we really do have a certain degree of a "moral sense," as Wilson argues. If so, it would seem to weaken the arguments for moral relativism and to elevate words like "values" and "ethics" to a status somewhat higher than "tastes" or "preferences." This distinction is very important in the study of ethics. Among other things it allows us to see modern examples of man's inhumanity to man as the horrors they are, rather than as merely another culture's chosen practices.

Those who believe in a higher power may have reasons to adhere to a variety of additional codes and ethical standards, but whether one believes in a higher power or not, our "moral sense" at least should compel us to go about our lives with ethical standards founded on empathy and concern for others.

As for John Q. Wilson, in a still, small voice he concludes his book with the words, "Mankind's moral sense is not a strong beacon light, radiating outward to illuminate in sharp outline all that it touches. It is, rather, a small candle flame, casting vague and multiple shadows, flickering and sputtering in the strong winds of power and passion, greed and ideology. But brought close to the heart and cupped in one's hands, it dispels the darkness and warms the soul."

Please be good to one another. It is so easy and healthy. Let us consider the feelings of one another - not just ourSELVES. This book has taught me more than was learned through 16 years of schooling.

It is not expensive - yet is so very valuable.

Love
B

Obama helped fund 'Alinsky Academy'

Eleuthera — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:44:15 -0700

Teaches tactics of direct action, confrontation and intimidation

By Aaron Klein
March 18, 2010

A Chicago nonprofit on which President Obama served as paid director provided startup capital and later funding to Midwest Academy, an activist organization described as teaching tactics of direct action, confrontation and intimidation, WND has learned.

Also, in 1998, Obama participated on a panel discussion alongside Midwest Academy founder Heather Booth, an extremist organizer and dedicated disciple of radical community organizer Saul Alinsky.

The Woods Fund, a nonprofit on which Obama served as paid director from 1999 to December 2002, provided startup funding and later capital to the Midwest Academy. WND first reported Obama sat on the Woods Fund board alongside William Ayers, founder of the Weather Underground domestic terrorist organization.

Midwest was co-founded by Booth's husband, Paul Booth, a founder and the former national secretary of Students for a Democratic Society, the radical 1960s anti-war movement from which Ayers' Weathermen splintered.

In 1999, Booth's Midwest Academy received $75,000 from the Woods Fund. In 2002, with Obama still serving on the Woods Fund, Midwest received another $23,500 for its Young Organizers Development Program.

Midwest describes itself as "one of the nation's oldest and best-known schools for community organizations, citizen organizations and individuals committed to progressive social change."

It later morphed into a national organizing institute for an emerging network of organizations known as Citizen Action. Midwest teaches Alinsky tactics of community organizing.

Discover the Networks describes Midwest as "teach[ing] tactics of direct action, confrontation, and intimidation."

In August 1998, Obama participated in a panel discussion following the opening performance in Chicago of the play "The Love Song of Saul Alinsky," a work described by the Chicago Sun-Times as "bringing to life one of America's greatest community organizers."

Obama participated in the discussion alongside other Alinskyites, including Booth, political analyst Aaron Freeman, Don Turner of the Chicago Federation of Labor and Northwestern University history professor Charles Paine.

"Alinsky had so much fire burning within," stated local actor Gary Houston, who portrayed Alinsky in the play. "There was a lot of complexity to him. Yet he was a really cool character."

Booth herself is a notorious radical community activist and self-described dedicated disciple of Alinsky, of whom she says: "Alinsky is to community-organizing as Freud is to psychoanalysis."

Booth's vision of uniting various left-leaning organizations and factions has also been the subject of her two books: "Toward a Radical Movement and Citizen Action" and "The New American Populism."

Former 1960s radical and FrontPageMagazine Editor David Horowitz describes Alinsky as the "communist/Marxist fellow-traveler who helped establish the dual political tactics of confrontation and infiltration that characterized the 1960s and have remained central to all subsequent revolutionary movements in the United States."

Horowitz writes in his 2009 pamphlet "Barack Obama's Rules for Revolution. The Alinsky Model":

"The strategy of working within the system until you can accumulate enough power to destroy it was what sixties radicals called 'boring from within.' .... Like termites, they set about to eat away at the foundations of the building in expectation that one day they could cause it to collapse."
As WND reported, Obama approached Northwestern University professor John L. McKnight – a loyal student of Alinsky's radical tactics – to pen a letter of recommendation for him when he applied to Harvard Law School. Under the tutelage of McKnight and other hardcore students of Alinsky, Obama said he got the "best education I ever had, better than anything I got at Harvard Law School."

In a letter to the editor of the Boston Globe, Alinsky's son praised Obama for stirring up the masses at the 2008 Democratic National Convention "Saul Alinsky style," saying, "Obama learned his lesson well."

The letter, signed L. David Alinsky, closed with, "I am proud to see that my father's model for organizing is being applied successfully."

With research by Brenda J. Elliott

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=129361

The Book of Druthers

Cherlene — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:28:49 -0800

This is a very unique book. It is self exploring, humbling. Reading it by oneself is wonderful, but sharing it with family and friends and gathering the opinions of others makes it quite a fun read. The cliche' is true with this book - I could not put it down from the first page on.

I plan on giving this as Christmas gifts.

Review of ‘Remember Me’ London Premiere from Film4

sharpysunshine — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:01:45 -0700

Film4’s resident Twi-hard Rachel George went along to absorb the madness of R-Pattz mania at the Leicester Square premiere of his new film, Remember Me. Warning: contains serious squee. Last night I developed profound industrial deafness from all the screaming. It was totally worth it. Every 16 year olds’ (and a few Twilight Moms’) obsession, Robert Pattinson, graced the red carpet in Leicester Square for the premiere of his new movie Remember Me. Looking every bit as biteable as he does playing vegetarian vampire Edward Cullen (if slightly more pink-skinned) in a suit jacket and light blue shirt, Rob proved he’s not only a decent actor but a lovely, charming man, whose self deprecating, thoughtful, unaffected interview persona is utterly real. The levels of adoration Robert Pattinson inspires seems to make words like ‘heartthrob’ redundant. Fans slept overnight in Leicester Square to see their obsession, the boy from Barnes with the semi-fro, and their patience was rewarded. R-Pattz spent at least an hour and a half speaking to fans, signing books, posters, notepads and hopefully not expertly folded marriage contracts. He posed for photos, joked and hugged the squealing girls (and a few boys) who’d waited for hours for him, going back to fans even when his people were trying to pull him away to speak to the waiting throngs of press and cameras. One Twi-hard, Mel Webber, 25, said „When Rob came back over to the lines, after speaking to the press, he checked with fans where he’d gotten up to so he didn’t miss anyone out. He signed my copy of Twilight with a legible ‘R’. I’m still shaking!“ He ended up delaying the start of the Remember Me screening, and the subsequent press conference, utterly cementing your humble reporter’s obsession with the vampire-acting, piano-playing shampoo-shunner. When Rob finally introduced the film, a tale of love and grief set in New York City, after almost two hours on the red carpet, he promised he’d reimburse us all for having to buy our own popcorn. Sigh. Only 16 weeks to go until Eclipse…