“Monks’ message of humility”

From http://www.boston.com

Reuters photographer Ricardo Moraes spent time documenting a religious fraternity called O Caminho, (The Way), a group of Franciscan monks and nuns who help the homeless on the streets of Rio de Janeiro. They consider the election of Pope Francis, the first pontiff to take the name of St Francis of Assisi, to be a confirmation of their beliefs in poverty and simplicity. — Reuters ( 20 photos total)

Brother Jose Wellington Damasio Antonio, a member of the Franciscan fraternity O Caminho, prays in the chapel of fraternity’s house in the Campo Grande neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro on April 2. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)

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Brother Placido ,left, a member of the Franciscan fraternity O Caminho, shaves a homeless man in the Campo Grande neighborhood. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Jose Wellington Damasio, left, and Antonio, members of the Franciscan fraternity O Caminho, pray before breakfast in the kitchen of the fraternity’s house in the Campo Grande neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro on April 2. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Sister Juliana Santos, a member of Franciscan fraternity O Caminho, wears a bracelet that signifies her dedication to Jesus, at the fraternity’s house in the Campo Grande neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro on April 16. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Lidiane Pereira, right, reacts after she receives her habit upon reaching the level of “aspirant” within Franciscan fraternity O Caminho, during a mass at the group’s house in the Campo Grande neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro on April 8. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Sister Filoteia, a member of the Franciscan fraternity O Caminho, cuts a homeless person’s nails in the Campo Grande neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro on April 16. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Brother Glaudio, of Franciscan fraternity O Caminho, plays the guitar in the chapel of the fraternity’s house. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Members of the Franciscan fraternity, O Caminho from left; Renata Florencio, Palloma Barradas, and Juliana Santos, receive their habits upon reaching the level of “aspirant”, during a mass at the group’s house. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Members of the Franciscan fraternity O Caminho, play religious music in the Campo Grande neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro on April 17. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Members of the Franciscan fraternity, O Caminho, prepare breakfast in their kitchen in the Campo Grande neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro on April 2. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Paulo Fernandes, who is homeless, sits in a house belonging to Franciscan fraternity O Caminho, where he has been living for two months. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Sister Clara, of Franciscan fraternity O Caminho, walks past clothes lines at the fraternity’s house. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Brother Marcos Martins, member of Franciscan fraternity, O Caminho, cleans a bathroom at the fraternity’s house in the Campo Grande neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro on April 2. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Members of the Franciscan fraternity, O Caminho, give haircuts and shave homeless people in the Campo Grande neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro on April 16. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Brother Placido, left, of the Franciscan fraternity O Caminho, prays at the chapel of the fraternity’s house as apprentice Leanderson rests in another room in the Campo Grande neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro on April 2. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Placido, left, and Jose Wellington Damasio Antonio, members of the Franciscan fraternity O Caminho, pray at the chapel in the fraternity’s house. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Members of Franciscan fraternity, O Caminho from left; Dayane Ervencio, Lidiane Pereira, and Juliana Santos, pray during a mass at the group’s house in the Campo Grande neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro on April 8. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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A nun from the Franciscan fraternity O Caminho, talks to the homeless in the Campo Grande neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Two members, center, of the Franciscan fraternity O Caminho attend a mass to mark 100 days until World Youth Day, in the Metropolitan Cathedral, in Rio de Janeiro on April 13. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

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Elaine dos Santos, right, who is homeless and lives with Franciscan fraternity O Caminho, receives a hug from a nun after an early morning prayer in the Campo Grande neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro on April 16. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) #

Protests Spread Across Brazil

From http://www.theatlantic.com

Starting late last week, with several small protests denouncing a hike in public transport fares, demonstrations flared up yesterday, encompassing larger public anger at poor public services, police violence and government corruption. More than 200,000 took to the streets of Brazil’s biggest cities yesterday, voicing frustration with the billions of dollars set aside for upcoming sports events like the World Cup and the 2014 Olympics, despite crushing levels of poverty in some places, and underfunded public education, health, security and transportation. Though the majority of the protests were peaceful, a few violent demonstrations were broken up by police in Rio de Janeiro. [32 photos]

A military policeman sprays pepper gas at a protester during a demonstration in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 17, 2013. Protesters massed in at least seven Brazilian cities Monday for renewed round of demonstrations voicing dissatisfaction with the government’s economic policies, including billions of dollars spent on large sports projects, despite a serious need to fund public health, education and welfare. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

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Protesters shout slogans in Rio de Janeiro, on June 16, 2013. Brazilian police dispersed a small protest against a public transport fare hike that broke out in front of Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium ahead of the Mexico-Italy soccer match during the Confederations Cup. (AP Photo/Nicolas Tanner) #

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Activists and students clash with riot police in a cloud of tear gas outside the Mane Garrincha National Stadium in Brasilia, on June 15, 2013. Protests continued in Brasilia over the government’s economic policies and the hosting of major sporting events as Brazil’s national soccer team prepared to play Japan in the Confederations Cup opening match. (Reuters/Gustavo Froner) #

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Activists and students scuffle with riot police outside the Mane Garrincha National Stadium in Brasilia, on June 15, 2013. (Reuters/Ueslei Marcelino) #

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Demonstrators carry a sign reading in Portuguese “No to violence” in Brasilia, on June 17, 2013. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) #

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A policeman sprays pepper gas at demonstrators during a protest in Brasilia, on June 15, 2013. About 1,000 protesters complaining about the high cost of staging the World Cup demonstrated in front of the National Stadium in Brasilia just hours before Brazil played Japan in the opening match of the Confederations Cup on Saturday, police said. (AP Photo/Agencia Brasil, Marcello Casal) #

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Demonstrators march toward the Mineirao Stadium, where Nigeria was playing Tahiti in the Confederations Cup, during one of the many protests around Brazil’s major cities in Belo Horizonte, on June 17, 2013. (Reuters/Pedro Vilela) #

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Activists demonstrate in front of riot police outside the Mane Garrincha National Stadium in Brasilia, on June 15, 2013. (Reuters/Ueslei Marcelino) #

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Protestors clash with riot police outside of Maracana stadium during the FIFA 2013 Confederation Cup football match between Mexico and Italy in Rio de Janeiro, on June 16, 2013. Police deployed tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse around 3,000 demonstrators attempting to enter the stadium in protest at the vast sums of money spent on the organization of the tournament and next year’s World Cup. (Tasso Marcelo/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Demonstrators march during one of the many protests around Brazil’s major cities in Belem, Para State, on June 17, 2013. As many as 200,000 demonstrators marched through the streets of Brazil’s biggest cities on Monday in a swelling wave of protest tapping into widespread anger at poor public services, police violence and government corruption. The signs read, “Rebel against the increase in transportation”, and “Sao Paulo is not alone, we’re together”. (Reuters/Paulo Santos) #

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Protesters gather at the Municipal theater during a march in Rio de Janeiro, on June 17, 2013. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) #

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Demonstrators protest against the government of Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff outside the National Congress in Brasilia, on June 17, 2013. (Reuters/Ueslei Marcelino) #

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Policemen struggle to arrest students during a protest at the National Congress, on June 17, 2013 in Brasilia. (Evaristo Sa/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Demonstrators dance around a bonfire as some clash with the riot police outside the Municipal Theater in downtown Rio de Janeiro, on June 17, 2013, after a protest against higher public transportation fares and the use of public funds to finance international football tournaments. (Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images) #

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A masked protester, during clashes in Rio de Janeiro’s downtown, on June 17, 2013. (Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Demonstrators face riot police during one of the many protests around Brazil’s major cities in Belo Horizonte, on June 17, 2013. (Reuters/Pedro Vilela) #

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A girl suffering from the effects of tear gas used by police is helped during a protest in Sao Paulo, on June 17, 2013. (AP Photo/Nelson Antoine) #

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Protesters fill the streets of Rio de Janeiro, on June 17, 2013. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) #

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A bus driver looks at demonstrators during one of the many protests around Brazil’s major cities in Sao Paulo, on June 17, 2013. (Reuters/Nacho Doce) #

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Police fire rubber bullets at demonstrators in Sao Paulo, on June 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Nelson Antoine) #

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Chased by demonstrators, police officers retreat during a protest near the state legislative assembly in Rio de Janeiro, on June 17, 2013. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) #

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Demonstrators clash with riot police in front of Rio de Janeiro’s Legislative Assembly (ALERJ) building, on June 17, 2013. (Tasso Marcelo/AFP/Getty Images) #

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A policeman lies injured on the ground after clashing with demonstrators in Rio de Janeiro, on June 17, 2013. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) #

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A riot police officer, during clashes in Rio de Janeiro’s downtown, on June 17, 2013. (Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images) #

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A protester looks at vandalized cash machines in a bank during a demonstration in Rio de Janeiro, on June 17, 2013. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano) #

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A car burns during a protest in downtown Rio de Janeiro, on June 17, 2013. (Reuters/Sergio Moraes) #

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A demonstrator who was shot in the leg during clashes in Rio de Janeiro’s downtown is assisted, on June 17, 2013. (Lluis Gene/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Demonstrators attempt to break into the Tiradentes Palace — Rio de Janeiro’s Legislative Assembly (ALERJ) building — during a protest in Rio de Janeiro, on June 17, 2013. (Tasso Marcelo/AFP/Getty Images) #

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A demonstrator holds a Brazilian flag in front of a burning barricade during a protest in Rio de Janeiro, on June 17, 2013. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) #

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A police officer uses pepper spray on demonstrators protesting against the Confederation’s Cup and the government of Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff, outside the national congress in Brasilia, on June 17, 2013. (Reuters/Ueslei Marcelino) #

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A riot police officer arrests a demonstrator during clashes in Rio de Janeiro’s downtown, on June 17, 2013. (Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images) #

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A military policeman removes journalists from near the Rio de Janeiro state legislature, background, during a demonstration in Rio, on June 17, 2013. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano) #

25 Creative Door Knockers

From http://www.beautifullife.info

Almost at the same time with putting up doors on dwelling people invented door knockers. And they don’t just announce visitors. Through the centuries a door knocker is charged with guarding and blessing the home. And their forms are absolutely different: classic hammer or handle; mythological creatures and animals which are symbols of protection according to ancient legends; ordinary things showing the main profession of the home owners. Door knocker open a huge space for the imagination and in this collection we’ve gathered some of the most interesting door knocker that we’ve found in the web. Have fun!

 

 

Rebecca Rose’s Rings-Sculptures

From http://www.beautifullife.info

Today we want to show you two things at once: ring and sculptures. The author is Rebecca Rose. She creates unique rings-sculptures. “My methods involve a process called kit bashing, where I assemble found and burnable objects reminiscent of childhood toys, game pieces, organic materials, and imported miniatures in order to convey a narrative or story. An avid art collector myself, I create works with the collector in mind. The precious metals used in the series retain monetary value, as sterling silver consistently appreciates in the world market, and by providing accurate and highly detailed documentation for each piece, provenance is a cinch.” If you’re interested – then go to Rebecca Rose’s website where you can select and buy any of them!

 

 

Gangnam Building Redesign by MVRDV

From http://www.beautifullife.info

Dutch architects MVRDV have redesigned a 1980s building in the Gangnam district of Seoul, South Korea. Dutch studio has transformed the facade of an ageing mixed-use building into a stack of shop windows in Gangnam, the trendy district of Seoul described in the world-famous Korean pop song. Positioned amongst the designer boutiques of Apgujung Road, the 1980s Chungha building contains a leather accessories store on its ground floor. The upper levels accommodate more private businesses, including a wedding planner and two plastic surgery practices, so its tenants had previously covered over the strip windows and created a messy-looking exterior. For the renovation, MVRDV removed the beige stone cladding and original glazing and replaced them with a facade of 18 boxes, each with a glazed shop window across its face. Different boxes were handed over to the various tenants, who can either fill them with product displays or screen them using translucent posters. “The windows no longer correspond with the interior,” MVRDV’s Jan Knikker told Dezeen. “The general ambition was to keep them as large as possible. The upper windows also follow view lines across the city.” Take a look

 

 

The start of the Monsoon season

From http://www.boston.com

Monsoon season in southern Asia has begun, and in India the rains arrived ahead of schedule, easing drought concerns. Monsoon rains can be disruptive and even deadly, but crucial for the farmers whose crops feed millions of people. Though concerns for flooding are prevalent, the arrival of the rains brings colorful celebrations and relief from the heat every year. -Leanne Burden Seidel (32 photos total)

An Indian buffalo herder holding a traditional handmade umbrella stands in a field to keep watch of his buffaloes as monsoon clouds hover above in Bhubaneswar, India, on June 13, 2013. (Biswaranjan Rout/Associated Press)

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The Kumari, considered a living goddess, attends festivities on the last day of the Rato Machindranath chariot festival, also known as Bhoto Jatra, in Jwalakhel, on the outskirts of Kathmandu on June 7, 2013. The event, celebrated every year to herald good monsoon rains for increased rice harvest, prosperity and goodluck, is one of the main festivals observed by both the Buddhist and Hindu communities of Kathmandu. (Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Indian women protect themselves standing under tree during rain in Hyderabad, India, on June 11, 2013. Monsoon rains, that lash India from June to September, are considered crucial for farmers whose crops feed millions of people. (Mahesh Kumar A./Associated Press) #

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A farmer removes dried grass from his rice field against on the outskirts of the western Indian city of Ahmedabad June 13, 2013. The annual monsoon rains are crucial for the 55 percent of farmland without irrigation in India, one of the world’s biggest producers and consumers of foodstuffs. (Amit Dave/Reuters) #

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The dark rain clouds appear off Dehiwala in the suburbs of Colombo, Sri Lanka, on June 8, 2013. Strong gale force winds from early this morning due to the south-west monsoon resulted in several fisher craft being reported missing.(M.A Pushpa Kumara/EPA)#

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Dark clouds are seen in the sky over high-rise buildings, heralding heavy rainfalls in the eastern Indian city of Calcutta, India, on June 7, 2013. The summer monsoon season in India usually begins in the months of June and July and lasts until October. (Piyal Adhikary/EPA)#

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Indian fishermen push a fishing boat to anchor it near the Arabic Sea shore at the Chowk Dongri village in Thane, India, on June 8, 2013. The local fishermen stop fishing between 10 June and 15 August during the monsoon period due to rough seas, uncertain wind conditions and continuous rain which also can cause damage to the boats. (Divyakant Solanki/EPA) #

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A man holds an umbrella as he sits on a bench during monsoon rains in Mumbai, India, on June 12, 2013. (Rafiq Laqbool/Associated Press)#

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An egret feeds its baby on a tree along the River Brahmaputra in Gauhati, India, on June 3, 2013. The arrival of egrets usually indicates the beginning of the monsoon season in this region. (Anupam Nath/Associated Press)#

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A woman carries her child through a heavy rain shower in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh on June 11, 2013. India’s monsoon rains recorded higher than average levels in the first week of the four-month rainy season, weather office sources said, reflecting a timely onset and progress so far over southern states. (Ajay Verma/Reuters)#

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An Indian buffalo herder returns with water buffaloes on a dry river bed in Allahabad on June 9, 2013. India’s 235 million farmers still rely on the erratic rains to soak around 60 percent of the country’s farmland — despite calls for the government to improve irrigation and water-harvesting methods to ensure more stable crop output. (Sanjay Kanojia/AFP/Getty Images)#

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People enjoy high tide waves during monsoon rains on the Arabian Sea coast in Mumbai, India, on June 12, 2013. (Rajanish Kakade/Associated Press) #

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A man holds a cloth during a marriage ceremony between a pair of donkeys in Mumbai June 5, 2013. Dozens of farmers from the drought-hit district of Solapur attended this marriage ceremony in protest against what they say was lack of assistance from the state government during the drought. According to a local Hindu belief, the marriage of donkeys speeds up the arrival of monsoon rains. (Danish Siddiqui/Reuters)#

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Sri Lanka Navy personnel attempt unsuccessfully to reach marooned fishing boats off the coasts of Dehiwala in the suburbs of Colombo, Sri Lanka, on June 8, 2013. Strong gale force winds from early this morning due to the south-west monsoon resulted in several fisher craft being reported missing. Several of them were rescued while four fishermen were reported killed and 17 others have been reported missing.(M.A Pushpa Kumara/EPA)#

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Family members of a missing fisherman cry in Dehiwala, Sri Lanka, on June 8, 2013. Heavy wind and rains caused by the southwestern monsoon killed five people and left 17 fishermen missing along Sri Lanka’s coast Saturday, an official said. (Eranga Jayawardena/Associated Press)#

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Volunteers learn how to install sand bags and panels at homes in case of a flash flood during the rain season in Seoul, South Korea, on June 13, 2013. Forecasters predict the monsoon season will begin around 17 June, starting from the country’s central region. (Yonhapnews/EPA)#

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A member of the Bathini Goud family administers ‘fish medicine’ to a patient at the Nampally Exhibition Grounds in Hyderabad on June 9, 2013. The medicine, which has been offered by the family of the southern Indian city to patients for the last 162 years as a cure for asthma and other breathing disorders, is placed in the mouth of a live murrel fish and then slipped into the mouth of the patient. The medicine is administered on the auspicious day of ‘Mrigasira Karti’ which falls in June with the onset of the annual monsoon. The treatment, which is based on a secret herb formula, draws thousands of people from all over the country. (Noah Seelam/AFP/Getty Images) #

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A man sleeps on a cot in a flooded lane during monsoon rains in Mumbai, India, on June 10, 2013. Heavy rains disrupted rail and road traffic in India’s commercial capital affecting normal life.(Rafiq Maqbool/Associated Press)#

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A Nepalese farmer works in a field at Khokana on the outskirts of Katmandu, on June 6, 2013. Farmers are busy ploughing fields for planting rice in preparation for the monsoon season. (Niranjan Shrestha/Associated Press) #

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A photographer holds an umbrella to shield himself from the rain on a beach in Mumbai June 13, 2013. Annual monsoon rains have covered half of India two days ahead of the usual date, easing concern over southwestern regions parched by drought. (Danish Siddiqui/Reuters)#

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Nepalese devotees carry traditional torches during festivities on the last day of the Rato Machindranath chariot festival, also known as Bhoto Jatra, in Bungamati on June 7, 2013. The event, celebrated every year to herald good monsoon rains for increased rice harvest, prosperity and goodluck, is one of the main festivals observed by both the Buddhist and Hindu communities of Kathmandu.(Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Boys play at a sea wall as waves crash over it during a monsoon rain shower in Mumbai, June 13, 2013. (Vivek Prakash/Reuters)#

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Young Indian Muslim boys mop the floor of a mosque which got wet during rains in New Delhi, India, on June 14, 2013. The monsoon rains which usually hit India from June to September are crucial for farmers whose crops feed hundreds of millions of people. (Altaf Qadri/Associated Press)#

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A fish vendor carries his basket on his head covered with plastic as he walks through a street during monsoon rains in Mumbai, India, on June 9, 2013. The Southwest monsoon, arrived in the city Saturday, three days ahead of schedule, according to the meteorological department. (Rafiq Maqbool/Associated Press)#

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Excavators clear debris as rescue workers look for trapped people after a residential building collapsed, killing at least seven people in Mumbai on June 10, 2013. Four diggers and a crowd of people were gathered around a high mound of rubble — the remains of half of the four-story building that caved in on the second day of heavy monsoon rains in the city. (Punit ParanjpeAFP/Getty Images)#

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Rescue workers take out a body from the rubble after a residential building collapsed in heavy monsoon rains in Mumbai, India, on June 11, 2013. (Rajanish Kakade/Associated Press) #

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A boy plays as a car drives through a flooded street during monsoon rains in Mumbai, India on June 10, 2013. Heavy rains disrupted rail and road traffic in India’s commercial capital. (Rafiq Maqbool/Associated Press)#

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Indian people shelter under umbrellas as they wait for a bus during heavy rain in Mumbai, India on June 8, 2013. Monsoon rains lash India from June to September. (Rajanish Kakade/Associated Press) #

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An Indian farmer ploughs a field as part of preparations for paddy crop planting on the outskirts of Hyderabad on June 11, 2013. India’s monsoon rains are the main source of irrigation for the nation’s 235 million farmers who depend on the timing of the monsoon in order to decide which crops to grow.The farm sector accounts for about 15 percent of a nearly USD 2-trillion economy, Asia’s third-biggest.( Noah Seelam/AFP/Getty Images)#

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An Indian man looks at damage to a road during heavy monsoon rains near Govindghat town in the Indian state of Uttrakhand on June 17, 2013. Heavy rains lashed parts of north India Monday, resulting in the deaths of at least 18 people, as the annual monsoon covered the country nearly two weeks ahead of schedule. (AFP/Getty Images)#

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Indian people walk along the sea front during rain showers in Mumbai on June 14, 2013. The weather department has forecast India will receive normal rains this year, raising prospects of a stronger performance by Asia’s third-largest economy. (Punit Paranjpe/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Fast moving water flows over a Hindu statue during a heavy monsoon rain in Rishikesh town in the Indian state of Uttrakhand on June 17, 2013. More than a dozen people lost their lives due to record downpours in Uttarakhand state, situated in the foothills of the Himalayas. (AFP/Getty Images)#

Reenacting the Past

From http://www.theatlantic.com

One of the oldest forms of storytelling is that of re-enactment, donning the costumes of the story’s subjects, miming their actions, performing a narrative before a live audience. Whether organized by history enthusiasts, government offices, religious groups, or just for fun, military battles and religious events are the most popular subjects for re-enactment. Collected here are recent performances from around the world, covering a few events from the past 2,000 years. [36 photos]

Actors wearing military uniforms of the Hungarian and Austrian Hapsburg dynasty reenact the first stage of the 1849 Battle of Isaszeg, Hungary, on April 6, 2013 during the Isaszeg Historical Days event. The battle was part of the Spring Campaign of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 between the Austrian Empire and the Hungarian Revolutionary Army. (Peter Kohalmi/AFP/Getty Images)

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An 18th century Maltese militia re-enactor of the Historical Reenactment Group of Malta fires his musket at the Napoleonic French enemy during a multi-period reenactment event in the grounds of Verdala Palace outside Valletta, on September 23, 2012. (Reuters/Darrin Zammit Lupi) #

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A man dressed as a samurai warrior screams while charging enemy fighters during a reenactment of the Battle of Kawanakajima, which was fought in the mid 16th century, in Fuefuki, Yamanashi Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, Japan, on April 21, 2013. Every April participants hold a reenactment to mark the harshest of a series of five battles between two famous warlords, Kenshin Uesugi and Shingen Takeda. (AP Photo/Junji Kurokawa) #

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Men dressed as samurai warriors finish off an enemy during a reenactment of the Battle of Kawanakajima, which was fought in the mid 16th century, in Fuefuki, Japan, on April 21, 2013. The event reflects growing interest among Japanese in feudal-era leaders. (AP Photo/Junji Kurokawa) #

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A matchlock gun preservation society member shoots a firearm as he and others participate in a reenactment of the Battle of Kawanakajima, in Fuefuki, Japan, on April 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Junji Kurokawa) #

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A man takes part in a historical reenactment in the forecourt of the Maison Carree as part of the third edition of the Roman Games in Nimes, southern France, on April 28, 2012. The priests of the Imperial cult performed a ceremony in honor of Emperor Hadrian passing through Nîmes. (Pascal Guyot/AFP/GettyImages) #

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Groups of people costumed as ancient Romans parade near the Colosseum, Circus Maximus and Roman Forum to celebrate the festivities of Christmas of Rome, in Rome, Italy, on April 21, 2013. Legend says that Rome was founded by Romulus in 753 BC in an area surrounded by seven hills. Every year the city celebrates the Birth of Rome with parades and fighting in costume, reenacting the deeds of the great ancient Roman Empire. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) #

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Actors dressed as knights stage a medieval jousting competition at Eltham Palace on June 16, 2013 in Eltham, England. The “Grand Medieval Joust” event is held at Eltham Palace, an English Heritage property which was the childhood home of King Henry VIII. (Oli Scarff/Getty Images) #

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A man dressed as a World War II soldier walks with a bicycle along Juno Beach in Courseulles-sur-Mer, on June 6, 2013, during the commemoration of the 69th anniversary of the D-Day landing in Normandy. (Thomas Bregardis/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Revolutionary War reenactors stand at attention during a reenactment of Washington crossing the Delaware River, on December 25, 2012, in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek) #

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A replica of a Kuomintang aircraft explodes during a battle re-enactment of the Defense of Yan’an at a tourist attraction in Yan’an, in northwestern China’s Shaanxi province, on October 19, 2012. Yan’an was the 1940s communist base where Mao traveled, retreating from Kuomintang forces and regrouping to plot a revolution that brought the Communists into power in 1949. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) #

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An actor dressed as a Japanese military soldier jumps and kicks a man acting as a villager during a performance at the Eighth Route Army Culture Park, one of two theme parks, in Wuxiang county, north China’s Shanxi province, on October 20, 2012. Visitors to the theme parks pay to participate in a dress up action play with performers, where they can choose to role play as soldiers from the Japanese army or the Eighth Route Army, with professional sound and lighting effects. A live-action show and the parks, located near the former headquarters of the Eighth Route Army, a military group controlled by the Communist Party of China during the Chinese Civil War and the Second Sino-Japanese War, cost the Wuxiang government around 500 million RMB ($80 million) to construct. (Reuters/Jason Lee) #

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Actors wearing military uniforms of the Hungarian and Austrian Hapsburg dynasty, reenact the first stage of the 1849 Battle of Isaszeg, Hungary, on April 6, 2013. (Peter Kohalmi/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Masked men ride in a morning procession as part of the “Cavalhadas” festival in Pirenopolis, Brazil, on May 19, 2013. The popular festival is a tradition that was introduced in the 1800′s by a Portuguese priest to mark the the ascension of Christ. The 3-day festival reenacts the Christian knights’ medieval defeat of the Moors. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) #

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Performers wearing World War Two Nazi German and Soviet Red Army uniforms wait for the start of a reenactment of the 1945 battle of Berlin as part of the 7. Biennale in Berlin, on April 29, 2012. (Reuters/Thomas Peter) #

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History enthusiasts dressed as soldiers fight during the reenactment of Napoleon’s famous battle of Austerlitz near the southern Moravian town of Slavkov, on December 1, 2012. (Reuters/David W Cerny) #

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Actors take part in a reenactment of the Battle of Austerlitz to mark its 207th anniversary near the city of Brno, Czech Republic, on December 1, 2012. The Battle of Austerlitz is widely considered to be Napoleon’s greatest victory, as he destroyed the troops of the Third Coalition made up of Russian and Austrian forces, giving France a victory and prompting other changes in the European diplomatic area. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) #

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Actors and actresses from Iere Theatre Productions play the roles of indentured East Indian laborers and British constabulary police (right), during a reenactment of the first arrival of East Indians to Trinidad and Tobago organized by the Ministry of National Diversity and Social Integration to mark Indian Arrival Day, on Nelson Island in the Gulf of Paria off the west coast of Trinidad, on May 25, 2013. Indian Arrival Day is a national holiday and is celebrated on May 30 every year. (Reuters/Andrea De Silva) #

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An archer wearing a samurai costume riding on horseback shoots an arrow at a target in Sumida Park in Tokyo, on April 20, 2013. The archer was taking part in a Yabusame, or archery on horseback during a demonstration of the samurai martial arts. (Toru Yamanaka/AFP/Getty Images) #

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A man dressed as a Austro-Hungarian soldier poses for a picture during a reenactment of a battle in World War One at a Military History festival organized in Fundata village, 210 km (129 miles) northwest of Bucharest, on June 15, 2013. (Reuters/Radu Sigheti) #

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History enthusiasts sit in a tent prior a reenactment of the Battle of Austerlitz, near the city of Brno, Czech Republic, on December 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) #

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Children take part in a mock military parade at an amusement park in Pyongyang to mark International Children’s Day, in this photo taken by Kyodo, on June 1, 2013. (Reuters/Kyodo) #

23

Members of the Battlefront reenactment group playing the part of Second World War British soldiers take part in their Sicily 1943 commemoration at Targa Gap Battery in Mosta, outside Valletta, on June 9, 2013. Malta’s strategic importance played an important role in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily by the Allies in July 1943. (Reuters/Darrin Zammit Lupi) #

24

Actors take part in a reenactment of the “Via Crucis” (Way of the Cross), which commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, during the Orthodox Church’s Good Friday celebrations in Bucharest, on May 3, 2013. (Reuters/Bogdan Cristel) #

25

Portraying the part of Satan, inmate Cesar Rivera Aguilar participates in a reenactment of the Passion of Christ on Good Friday at the Reclusorio Oriente prison in Mexico City, on March 29, 2013. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills) #

26

A penintent is nailed to a cross during the reenactment of crucifixion on Good Friday in the village of San Juan, San Fernando City, north of Manila, Philippines, on March 29, 2013. (Noel Celis/AFP/Getty Images) #

27

An Armstrong 17.72 inch muzzle-loading 100-ton gun is fired during a historical reenactment at the Fort Rinella coastal battery in Kalkara, outside Valletta, on May 5, 2013. Fort Rinella was built by the British Royal Engineers in 1878 as part of a set of four equally designed coastal batteries in Gibraltar and Malta. Each fort was armed with a single 100-ton gun, none of which were ever fired in anger. (Reuters/Darrin Zammit Lupi) #

28

Shiite Muslims re-enact the seventh century battle of Karbala during the festival of Ashoura in the Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City in Baghdad, Iraq, on November 30, 2012. The festival of Ashoura commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala, Iraq, in the year 680 A.D. (AP Photo/ Karim Kadim) #

29

Shiite Muslims re-enact the seventh century battle of Karbala during the festival of Ashoura in the Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City in Baghdad, Iraq, on November 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim) #

30

Reenactors dressed as British soldiers fire their rifles during the 235th anniversary of the Revolutionary War’s Battle of Monmouth, on June 16, 2013, in Manalapan, New Jersey. (AP Photo/Mel Evans) #

31

Cambodian students re-enact torture executed by the Khmer Rouge during their reign of terror in the 1970s to mark the annual “Day of Anger” at Choeung Ek, a former Khmer Rouge “Killing Field” dotted with mass graves, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on May 20, 2013. Cambodian Buddhist monks, nuns, civil servants, students attend the annual “Day of Anger” events to remember the atrocities and killings committed under the Khmer Rouge’s 1975-79 rule. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) #

32

People dressed in the historic uniforms of the Imperial Russian and French army take part in a re-enactment of the 1812 Battle of Berezina, to mark the 200th anniversary of the battle, near the village of Bryli, some 115 km (71 miles) east of Minsk, on November 24, 2012. The battle between the attacking Imperial Russian army and Napoleon’s retreating army ended in a victory for Russia and heavy losses for the French. (Reuters/Vasily Fedosenko) #

33

Performers acting as civilians scuffle with performers wearing World War Two Soviet Red Army uniforms during a re-enactment of the 1945 battle of Berlin as part of the 7. Biennale in Berlin, on April 29, 2012. (Reuters/Thomas Peter) #

34

Members of historical reenactment groups, assuming the role of Saxon and Norman soldiers, perform the annual reenactment of the Battle of Hastings at Battle Abbey, on October 14, 2012 in Battle, England. One thousand and sixty six Saxon and Norman soldiers from reenactment groups across Europe will aim to faithfully recreate the Battle of Hastings in 1066 which saw the death of King Harold. (Oli Scarff/Getty Images) #

35

Actors portraying Norman soldiers receive a briefing before the annual reenactment of the Battle of Hastings at Battle Abbey in Battle, England, on October 13, 2012. (Oli Scarff/Getty Images) #

36

Members of historical reenactment groups walk past a row of portable toilets prior to the annual reenactment of the Battle of Hastings in Battle, England, on October 14, 2012. (Oli Scarff/Getty Images) #

Amazing Flowers of Carol Cavalaris

From http://www.beautifullife.info

Today we want to show you amazing paintings of Carol Cavalaris. “I live in the middle of a forest in the high country of Colorado. It is the wild beauty of my surroundings that inspires my digital paintings of wildlife and nature. Painting wildlife and nature, color and detail, are my passions. I have a fine art background in oil painting, however I really enjoy the freedom of the digital medium as it stimulates my imagination and offers so many exciting possibilities. I explore art programs, like Photoshop and ArtRage, still using brushes to paint, but now the computer screen is my canvas. Some of my art is painted entirely in Photoshop. Other work is a blend of reality and fantasy as I combine photo sources and painting techniques to create my unique mixed medium images that I call living art.” Take a look!

 

 

 

The Ends of the Road

From http://www.theatlantic.com

Inspired in part by the great geography game GeoGuessr, I spent some time recently in Google Maps, finding the edges of their Street View image coverage. I’ve always been drawn to the end of the road, to the edges of where one might be allowed to travel, whether blocked by geographic features, international borders, or simply the lack of any further road. Gathered below is a virtual visit to a few of these road ends around the world — borders, shorelines, dead ends and overlooks from New Zealand to Svalbard, from Alaska to South Africa. [26 photos]

At the end of the Milford Sound Highway, in Southland, New Zealand, part of Fiordland National Park. See it Mapped. (© Google, Inc.)

2

Kaimu-Chain of Craters Road, Hawaii. Past eruptions of the Kilauea volcano have covered the road in several places. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

3

The Southernmost point buoy in Key West, Florida. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

4

A village at the end of the road, near Sund, Norway – Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

5

Sha Tau Kok crossing, New Territories, Hong Kong. This crossing marks the entry into the Frontier Closed Area, a tightly controlled buffer zone between Hong Kong and mainland China. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

6

A weathered jetty on Sand Island, Midway Islands. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

7

Melago, at the end of a valley road in South Tirol, Italy. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

8

The southernmost point in Africa, Cape Agulhas, South Africa. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

9

Massive sculptures of U.S. presidents, in the lot of SculpturWorx, at the end of Summer Street in Houston, Texas. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

10

The rocks of El Arco de Cabo San Lucas, viewed between buildings in Cabo San Lucas, at the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

11

Lighthouse Road, Byron Bay, New South Wales, on Australia’s easternmost shoreline. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

12

Ocean Park, in Hong Kong’s Southern District. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

13

As far north as the van was allowed to drive in Alaska. A BP checkpoint, on Spine Road, Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Construction facilities are visible in the distance at upper right. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

14

The Buckner Building, a massive WWII-era abandoned structure in the tiny port town of Whittier, Alaska. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

15

Lagoa Azul, part of a twin-lake complex situated in the crater of a massive volcano on the island of Sao Miguel, Azores. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

16

Canada to the left, United States to the right, on Henderson Road, British Columbia. The road turns left just ahead, the line cut through the trees at center marks the international border. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

17

A CBC News camera operator at work on the U.S.-Canada border. Gladwyn Road, in British Columbia, dead-ends at the border, the trees in the background are on U.S. soil. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

18

Kun Iam Temple, Coloane, on a hilltop in Macau. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

19

A bust of Vladimir Lenin in Pyramiden, a former Soviet-run coal mining facility, now abandoned in Svalbard. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

20

One of the easternmost points along Brazil’s Atlantic shoreline (at least as far as Google’s Street View team have covered), Avenida Beira Mar, in the town of Paulista. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

21

The northermost point in Thailand, along the Mae Sai River. Burma lies across the river. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

22

A view of the Chilkat Range, across Lynn Canal from the borough of Juneau, Alaska, about as far north of the city as one can drive. The capital city has a small road system, but is not connected to any outside roads — the only way in or out is by air or by sea. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

23

Ubehebe Crater, a volcanic crater in Death Valley National Park, California. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

24

Southland, New Zealand, about as far south as one can go on South Island. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

25

Nordkaphallen, a visitor center at the northernmost tip of Europe, in northern Norway. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

26

A Google Maps Street View car, photographed at the end of Navy Road, north of Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada. Mapped. (© Google, Inc.) #

Graduation season 2013

From http://www.boston.com

US Naval Academy graduates throw their hats at the conclusion of their commencement and commission ceremony, attended by President Barack Obama at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on May 24 in Annapolis, Md. (Michael Reynolds/European Pressphoto Agency)

2

University of Minnesota, Rochester student Lauren Smith of Allen Park, Mich., takes an iPhone self portrait before graduation ceremony at the Mayo Civic Center on May 18 in Rochester, Minn. (David Joles/The Star Tribune via Associated Press) #

3

A secondary school graduate plays in a fountain as he celebrates the last day of school in Kiev on May 24. Students across Ukraine celebrated the end of the academic year on Friday, traditionally called the “last bell”. (Gleb Garanich/Reuters) #

4

Seniors of Service High School watch balloons drop from above at the conclusion of their graduation ceremony on May 15 at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage, Alaska. Ceremonies for graduates in the Anchorage School District began on May 8 and continue through May 23. (Marc Lester/Anchorage Daily News via Associated Press) #

5

Midshipmen celebrate at the end of the US Naval Academy Graduation and Commissioning ceremonies on May 24 in Annapolis, Md. In President Barack Obama’s speech at the graduation he addressed the rising number of sexual assaults reported in the military. (Molly Riley/pool via Getty Images) #

6

Class president Cory Beaumont, Saint Clair Area School District, Pa., stands up as Paula Hromyak, Schuylkill I.U. 29 Maple Avenue Campus principal, mentions him as “The Mayor” in her greetings to those gathered during the Schuylkill I.U. 29 Maple Avenue Campus commencement in Mar Lin, Pa., on May 28. (Jacqueline Dormer/The Republican-Herald via Associated Press) #

7

Graduate Leland Shelton is congratulated as he is acknowledged by President Barack Obama during his 129th commencement ceremony address at Morehouse College on May 19 in Atlanta. After a difficult childhood Shelton graduated Phi Beta Kappa and is on his way to Harvard Law School. (Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press) #

8

Hannah Booth, 17, front, helps lead the valedictorians, salutatorians and the rest of Kamiakin High School’s graduating class in a dance from High School Musical during Kamiakin High School’s commencement ceremony on June 1 at the Toyota Center in Kennewick, Wash. (Kai-Huei Yau/Tri-City Herald via Associated Press) #

9

University of Minnesota, Rochester student Hannah Salk, of St. Joseph, Minn., faces a corner and practices her speech before delivering the student perspective for commencement ceremony at Mayo Civic Center on May 18 in Rochester, Minn. (David Joles/The Star Tribune via Associated Press) #

10

David McCullough, right, receives an honorary degree during Lesley University commencement in Boston on May 18. (Michael Dwyer/Associated Press) #

11

A graduate celebrates at the US Naval Academy commencement ceremony in Annapolis on May 24. (Larry Downing/Reuters) #

12

A man tries to stay dry during a rain shower as he waits for a graduation ceremony to begin at Morehouse College on May 19 in Atlanta. (John Bazemore/Associated Press) #

13

Southmoore High School senior Miranda Mann adjusts her mortar board as she gets ready to attend her commencement ceremony in Oklahoma City, on May 25 five days after a tornado wreaked havoc in Moore, Okla. Mann’s home was among those destroyed after a huge tornado roared through the Oklahoma City suburb Monday, flattening a wide swath of homes and businesses. (Charlie Riedel/Associated Press) #

14

A high school graduate carried a little girl, the bell-ringer, during the last school bell ringing ceremony to celebrate the last day of the classes outside a school in the Belarus capital of Minsk on May 30. Belarus teenagers celebrated today the end of their studies in a traditional ceremony called the “Last Bell” that has rung out across the country. (Viktor Drachev/AFP/Getty Images) #

15

Afghan girls hold their certificates as they graduate from a local Islamic school or madrassa, during a graduation ceremony at the Mazharal Olom mosque in Ghazni province west of Kabul, Afghanistan, on June 12. (Rahmatullah Nikzad/Associated Press) #

16

Graduates line up to receive their diplomas at the New York State Police Basic School graduation ceremony in Albany, N.Y., on May 29. (Tim Roske/Associated Press) #

17

Just before receiving his diploma, Benedictine College Preparatory Academy graduate Zachary Cade Johnson kisses the symbol of his school at center court of the gym floor, in Richmond, Va., on May 31. It was the last graduation at the school’s Sheppard Street address. In the fall, it will relocate over 12 miles away to Goochland County. In the background, men of the class of 1963 sit in the front row. (Kevin Morley/Richmond Times-Dispatch via Associated Press) #

18

Virginia Tech graduating students from the School of Veterinary Medicine celebrate the announcement of their graduation at Lane Stadium during the 2013 spring graduation ceremony on May 17 in Blacksburg, Va. (Kyle Green/The Roanoke Times via Associated Press) #

19

Ben Goldfarb of New York checks his phone during commencement at Yale University in New Haven, Conn., on May 20. Goldfarb is receiving a degree from the School of Forestry with a focus on Marine Conservation. (Jessica Hill/Associated Press) #

20

Buena Vista graduating seniors dance following the commencement ceremony at Buena Vista High School on June 4. (Rachel Sonnenshine /The Saginaw News via Associated Press) #

21

Brown University graduates pass through the Van Winkle Gates during the procession before commencement ceremonies in Providence, R.I., on May 26. (Michael Dwyer/Associated Press) #

22

South Kitsap graduates, Daniel Hill, left, and Mitchell Blankenship peek out from behind the divider curtain to wave to family and friends prior to the start of their commencement ceremony at the Tacoma Dome on June 11 in Tacoma, Wash. (Meegan M. Reid/Kitsap Sun via Associated Press) #

23

Graduates of Bowie State University put messages on their mortarboard caps during the school’s graduation ceremony at the Comcast Center on the campus of the University of Maryland on May 17 in College Park, Md. First lady Michelle Obama delivered the commencement speech for the 600 graduates of Maryland’s oldest historically black university and one of the ten oldest in the country. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) #

24

A Virginia Tech graduating student holds his cap in the air at Lane Stadium during the 2013 spring graduation ceremony on May 17 in Blacksburg, Va. (Kyle Green/The Roanoke Times, via Associated Press) #

25

The Dalai Lama speaks at Tulane University’s 179th commencement ceremony at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on May 18. (Gerald Herbert/Associated Press) #

26

Kindergarteners, from the left, Xykyvonna Martin, Deyonna Vanerson, Lahery Varnado, and Santonio Washington, wait to enter the McComb High School Auditorium on May 21 for the kindergarten graduation ceremony at McComb High School in McComb, Miss. (Philip Hall /Enterprise-Journal via Associated Press) #

27

Jeffrey Canas, of Union City, holds up a sign at Rutgers University’s football stadium in Piscataway, N.J., on May 19 during graduation ceremonies. (Mel Evans/Associated Press) #

28

Kanesha Whitworth cheers with fellow graduates during North Carolina Central University’s commencement exercises on May 11 in Durham, N.C. NCCU awarded more than 700 bachelors degrees Saturday during the 121st commencement at OÌKelly-Riddick stadium. (Christine T. Nguyen/The Herald-Sun via Associated Press) #

29

Graduating students arrive for commencement exercises at Boston College on May 20. (Brian Snyder/Reuters) #

30

First lady Michelle Obama hugs Jenika Headley-Greene as Obama hands out diplomas during the graduation ceremony for Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet High School, on May 18 in Nashville, Tenn. (Mark Humphrey/Associated Press) #

31

Virginia Tech graduating student Emily Moonan turns and jumps to touch the Hokie Stone as she leaves Lane Stadium after the 2013 spring graduation ceremony on May 17 in Blacksburg, Va. (Kyle Green/The Roanoke Times via Associated Press) #