Mark Langans Unique Cardboard Art

October 1st, 2015

Mark Langan is an artist who is living in Cleveland, Ohio. He is skilled in many different artistic mediums. Since 2004, he has focused on making art out of cardboard. He uses corrugated boxes, a mat, a cutting edge, a razor knife, and non-toxic glue. With these, he turns the cardboard boxes into amazing works of sculpture. While making cardboard art does use up a good bit of the boxes that people throw out, Mark Langan will be the first to say that it doesnt do as much as needs to be done in the move to recycle and reduce what goes into landfills. However, he says it is something and thats better than nothing is, and cardboard art certainly draws attention to the fact that the boxes are much more useful than to just fill up dumpsters and landfills. It really helps draw attention to the recycling movement.

While many sculptors struggle to find those who appreciate their art, Mark Langan has had a good bit of success finding venues where his cardboard art is appreciated. He has had sculptures commissioned by both large and small business firms throughout the United States, some of them very well known. Recycling firms, packaging companies, various manufacturers, and other industries and organizations all have asked for his sculptures to represent their logo, company, or simply to decorate their lobbies. Some companies even have his cardboard art hanging in their boardrooms and perhaps this helps to remind them to pay a little more attention to the environment in the work that they do.

While cardboard may be a surprising medium and may be in abundant supply, it is not the easiest medium for an artist to work with. To make his amazing sculptures, Mark Langan sometimes spends up to 100 hours working on each piece. He carefully cuts the cardboard into the shapes and designs he desires, and then glues them into position. It is careful and precise work, requiring the kind of patience that many people simply dont have. Thanks to this, and Mark Langans amazing creativity, there are unique cardboard art sculptures for everything from a homage to a painting to corporate logos for famous TV shows. Some of his pieces are even interpretative to religion, and these are not only celebrating the religion, but bring new life to religious stories by using symbolism to represent different aspects, all in a beautiful sculpture that draws the eye and forces the mind to understand.

While Mark Langan doesnt particularly like the term green art many people revere him for making artwork that is good for the environment and good for peoples minds, as many people are simply amazed at what can be created from simple cardboard boxes. Unless you see his sculptures up close, it is impossible to tell that they are made from cardboard. Many look as though they have been carved. It is not until you get up close that you can see the intricate details in each piece and truly appreciate the beauty of cardboard art.

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Kids Karate Martial Arts In Ft. Lauderdale, Fl

October 1st, 2015

Self-confidence, self-esteem, discipline, courage, respect, are the 5 most important qualities a parent wants their child to have. Sometimes, this is easier said than done. However, all it takes is a kids karate or kids martial arts class in Ft. Lauderdale, FL to really improve a childs life, allowing them to gain all of the above qualities, as well as developing strength, stamina, coordination, balance, and flexibility. How can you go wrong when enrolling your child in such a class? You cant. Ft. Lauderdale Kids karate and kids martial arts classes is truly the best thing for your child. They will learn so much all while getting fit and staying healthy.

Ft. Lauderdale Kickboxing Classes

A healthy body leads to a healthy mind. To be attentive is essential, and for a child to be able to be focused and develop important qualities that will help them succeed in daily encounters is an opportunity that you should not pass up. Kids karate and martial arts in Ft. Lauderdale will provide a safe and healthy outlet for children. Children will engage in physical activity, staying fit and staying healthy, all while developing a high form of skill and technique.

Now-a-days children are fully focused on their video games, iPods, computers, etc. Whereas 10 years ago children were riding their bikes and running around the neighborhood with close friends. Such electronic advancements have created a society which does not encourage physical fitness the same way that it once did. This becomes a huge problem for children growing up. They are not motivated and they are lazy. They can become unhealthy at such a young age and are not encouraged by anyone or anything to do something good. Here is their chance! Sign your kid up for kids karate and kids martial arts classes in Dade, FL today! This allows them to have a social life with children that are also part of the class. This will help them become motivated and driven. Enrolling your child in kids karate and kids martial arts classes in Dade can provide them with the opportunity and desire to engage in physical activity which can lead to healthier bodies and minds.

Kid’s Love Martial Arts

A healthy, confident child, generally gains more positive behavior outside of the class rather than a child who is not fit and lacks self-confidence. The physical qualities as well as the 5 most important life qualities that your child will learn during a Ft. Lauderdale, FL kids karate and kids martial arts class is essential to a good lifestyle. Enroll your child today and encourage them to be better! You will notice a difference almost immediately.

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The 2012 National Black Arts Festival

September 20th, 2015

The National Black Arts Festival is an Atlanta festival that celebrates the art, music, and culture of people of African descent. The family friendly festival is scheduled from July 6-15 and includes activities such as literary, musical, and theater performances, fine arts exhibits, and an international market. Although a few events are ticketed, many of the activities are free.

The main weekend of the festival is July 12-15, with many activities taking place at Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta. Festival attendees can visit the International Marketplace, which will feature artisans from all over the world. Offerings will include paintings, sculpture, clothing, jewelry, and other items. In past years exhibitors have come from such diverse places as Jamaica, Haiti, South Africa, Senegal, Ghana, Brazil, Canada, and India. The kids will be entertained at the Childrens Educational Village. This years theme will be Destination Africa and Beyond. There will be musical entertainment all weekend from the concert stage. Local and international chefs will be giving cooking demonstrations at the Publix Healthy Cooking Pavilion. Attendees can learn to prepare healthy and balanced foods as well as enjoy tasty samples. All of these activities are free to the public.

Several other free events are planned during the festival. City Gallery at Chastain will present JOuvert: At the Devils Playground, featuring the work of Jamaican born photographer Radcliffe Roye. The exhibition, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of Jamaican independence, will run from June 14-July 28. An artist talk is planned for June 30 from 1-3pm. Pre-registration is required for the talk. Jah Music- A Celebration of Traditional Jamaican Music, featuring the Tallawah Mento Band, will take place on June 24 at the Auburn Avenue Research Library. The program is scheduled for 3-5pm, and pre-registration is required.

There will be two free screenings of A Raisin in the Sun at the Southwest Arts Center. This will be the original film version of Lorraine Hansberrys play starring Claudia McNeil, Sidney Poitier, and Ruby Dee. Screening dates are July 6, and a special screening for seniors and students on July 11.

The Hagedorn Foundation Gallery will host an exhibition of intimate photos of Michael Jackson by his personal photographer, Todd Gray. The Gray Room with Act 1 of the Performance Piece, Caliban in the Mirror is scheduled for July 6-August 31. The Coretta Scott King Book Fair will be held on July 11 at the Central Branch of the Atlanta Fulton Library. Attendees will meet award winning author Walter Dean Myers and award winning illustrator Michele Wood. The event is free, but pre-registration is required.

The festival also includes several ticketed events. Those events include a gala fundraiser and tribute to actress Ruby Dee on July 14. The play Guess Whos Coming to Dinner? will run July 10-29. There will be an exhibition of the art of Vivian Schuyler Key at the Hammonds House Museum and the exhibition Rise Up: Hale Woodruffs Murals from Talladega College at the High Museum of Art. A benefit event for the National Black Arts Festival, Slavery By Another Name: The Dialogue is planned for July 12.

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Mixed Martial Arts – The World’s Fastest-growing Sport

September 19th, 2015

How soon things change. It seems like yesterday we were talking about how fast the fan base for Nascar was growing. Some people even foolishly talked about it possible taking over the NFL in popularity someday. Nascar’s growth and fan base has since taken a hit, most likely due to the recent economy problems over the last couple of years. That said, Mixed Martial Arts, MMA is the new reigning “worlds fastest growing sport” as we enter 2010, and looks to be for the foreseeable future.

Don’t get me wrong, the NFL is still the 800 pound gorilla when it comes to total fan base and world popularity, but MMA has shown substantial growth over the last decade, and even faster over the last 5 years. No growth like this ever lasts forever, but it’s hard to say how long it could last for MMA, given the momentum the sport has, and more specifically, the UFC or Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The UFC is currently MMA’s biggest promotion, and therefore has the world’s best stable of fighter’s. The UFC has also become the new darling of Las Vegas much to the chagrin of the powers that be in the boxing world. But instead of being bitter, the sport of boxing needs to take a look at why that is. For one, you can’t get any big fights for free anymore when it comes to boxing. The UFC on the other hand, air’s free broadcast’s labled “UFC Fight Night” on Spike ever couple of months at least, and usually more than that. And these are normally big main events that the hardcore fans want to see, not fighters that nobody knows.

And more recent, news of StrikeForce’s signing of the worlds best fighter Fedor Emelianenko shook the MMA world, and now Fedor will hope to become a household name by way of free network broadcasting of the sport’s most popular fighter in a contract with CBS.

The key to enjoying the excitement of the sport though, is to understand all the different aspects of the sport, and to recognize the transitions that you see throughout a typical fight. The least understood of these being the “ground game”. To the casual observer, this might seem boring compared to striking (the term used in MMA referring to the stand up phase of a fight). And sometimes it is with average talent. But when you have two world class grappler’s going at it, its the most exciting part of a fight in my opinion.

What a new fan should watch for on the ground is the use of “the guard”, and the escape from this position for the other fighter, also known as “passing the guard.” The guard position consists of the fighter on bottom to control his/her opponent by wrapping his/her legs around the waist of the fighter on top while controlling the head, keeping him/her off balance, making it easier to sweep or submit the other. Normally the fighter on top or “in the guard” will try to get his/her legs around the leg’s of the opponent, or to “ground and pound” the other fighter with strikes from the top position. There are usually no submissions from inside the guard.

It’s impossible to cover all the nuances of the sport in this article, but once the more common ideas of the grappling part of MMA is understood by new and non fans, the more enjoyment will come out of watching great fights and understanding how technical these fighters are, not to mention the level of conditioning that it takes to compete in this sport. Most think it rivals that of their counterparts in the NFL, or any other sport for that matter. So the next time you are around a new fan, take a minute to explain the fastest growing sport in the world. See you at the fights!

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Only Real Martial Arts Stop Rapists

August 24th, 2015

One of my favorite stories to tell is about the time my brother-in-law’s girlfriend got her black belt in karate…

She had her big flashy test…kicked the bag…sparred other girls (and a couple of guys that looked like girls!) with the foam booties and gloves on…did her kata with the appropriate “snap” in her movements…very nice.

Now, I’m not a complete jerk, so I let her have her moment. Congratulated her, hobnobbed with the karate “master”, and ate a piece of the sheet cake with little icing karate dudes on it….

That was until a couple of months later at a family graduation party when she began to tell all the girls how the type of “karate” she studies is great for fitness (ok), fun (ok), and self defense (BZZZZZ!).

I had stood what I could, but I couldn’t stands it no more…

I walked right up into the middle of the gaggling girls, singled her out and flat out asked her, “Tell me the truth…If a 225 pound man attacked and tried to rape and kill you, can you 100%, honestly say that you would know what to do? Could you save your own life?”

There was a deathly quiet pause as every single girl in the room visualized that horrible situation in their own minds. Then came the same answer I’ve heard from every single women martial artist I’ve ever met in my life who doesn’t train with us…

“Ummm…I guess not.”

Here in the United States there seems to be a government agency looking into just about every consumer industry in an effort to protect people from scammers, hucksters, and other assorted con men or corporate swindle.

Unfortunately, for women who are looking for a martial arts style that will provide them with a way to defend themselves, there is no government agency licensing or even looking into instructors or the proven effectiveness of the claims.

Therefore there is an over abundance of inexperienced, untrained, liars who claim they are teaching self-defense. These frauds will often teach a style that sounds and perhaps even looks good on the mat, but lacks any value in real combat.

Moreover, dealing with criminal rapist scum is no time for a woman to find out that her “training” was really just cardio kickboxing in disguise… So share the following information with a woman you care for.
Examining the profiles of rapists gives incite into a dangerous enemy.

The Power-assertive rapist considers himself manly and is the one most likely to commit date rapes. This type makes up 44% of rapists and will try to con a victim and gain her trust, but will have no problem using whatever level of physical force he needs to take control.

The Anger-retaliatory rapist hates women and will look to brutalize and punish them. He looks for targets of opportunity and will most likely beat you unconscious then commit rape. This animal makes up 33% of rapists and is easily enraged.

Power-reassurance rapists account for 21% of rapes and often spies on or stalks his victims since he lacks the confidence to have a normal relationship with women. In his twisted fantasy, he sees himself and the victim as lovers, and will force her to wear lingerie and kiss her while seeing the attack as lovemaking. However, using violence is not out of the question if it comes down to making a woman give in to his demands.

The Anger-excitation is the worst of the lot. A sexual sadist, this sick bastard only makes up 5% of all rapists. He has his attacks preplanned and victims can be women he knows or just spots haphazardly on the street. He derives sexual pleasure from inflicting pain and will tie up, gag and torture women for days on end. So vile is this creature that he will even film or photograph his victims so he can relive the attacks. He is the hardest to catch of the group because he usually kills his victims when he’s through.

During an attack your mind will be racing and you won’t be thinking clearing about what kind of rapist you are dealing with and what approach to take, but what all experts agree on is that a “properly trained” woman who fights back early DOUBLES their chance of escape…AGAINST ANY SIZE OR STRENGTH ATTACKER.

The Department of Justice reported that 93,934 women were forcibly raped in 2005 (They’re still calculating ’06)…These numbers are completely unacceptable as women can and should know how to defend themselves.

In Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, safety is listed right after breathing and eating. Personal protection is too important to be left to the police alone, or to depend on others for help.

Teaching and learning a martial art is ok as it has plenty of redeeming physical, cultural, social, & mental benefits. However, what people (especially women) need to understand, is that 99% of martial arts are NOT legitimate methods of self-defense.

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