In Japanese, a kigurumi () is a costumed performer who represents a cartoon character. It is very important in the Harajuku fashion. The name literally translates to "wearing a soft toy". Kigurumi come in cute characters such as Totoro, Hello Kitty and Pikachu. They are considered cute. The costumed characters at Disneyland are considered kigurami.
Hiiu County
Hiiu County () is one of the 15 counties of Estonia. It is the smallest county both in terms of area and population. It is made up of Hiiumaa, the second-largest island of Estonia, and several smaller islands near it.
The county has 1 rural municipality - Hiiumaa Parish. The only urban settlement, Kärdla, is part of the parish since 2017.
Harju County
Harju County () is one of the 15 counties of Estonia. It is in northern Estonia. Around 528,468 people live in Harju County. This is about 39.4% of the total population in Estonia (as of January 2011).
There are a number of protected areas in Harju County. Lahemaa National Park was the first national park in the Soviet Union. There are 21 nature reserves and 25 landscape protection areas, that are at least partly in Harju County. The largest is the Põhja-Kõrvemaa Nature Reserve.
Harju County is divided into 16 municipalities. Four are urban and 12 are rural.
Rapla County
Rapla County (), or Raplamaa, is one of the 15 counties of Estonia. It is located west of the country. 36,678 people live in Rapla County. This is 2.7% of the total population in Estonia (as of January 2009).
The first written records of Rapla date back to the 1241 Danish census ("Liber Census Daniae").
The county government (') is led by a governor ('). The governor is appointed by the Government of Estonia for a term of five years.
The county is divided into municipalities. There are 4 rural municipalities in Rapla County:
Natural resources in Rapla county include limestone, dolomite, peat, and clay.
Jean Dunn
Jean Dunn is an Australian diplomat and a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
On 8 December 2011, Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said that Dunn would be the next Ambassador to Poland. Dunn gave her credentials to Polish President Bronisław Komorowski on 17 January 2012.
Before this, Dunn was Australian Ambassador to Lebanon from 2009 to 2010 and to Turkey from 2004 to 2007. She had earlier jobs with the department in South Korea and the United States.
Dunn holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honours in Japanese language and politics from Monash University. She has three children.
Heidi Bootle
Heidi Bootle is an Australian diplomat and a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
On 24 November 2011, Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd appointed Bootle as the new Consul-General in Nouméa.
Before this, Bootle was the Director of the Solomon Islands Section, a job she held from February 2009 until August 2011. Bootle has previously served overseas in France and the Solomon Islands.
Bootle holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Tasmania and a Graduate Diploma in Foreign Affairs and Trade from the Australian National University. She has two children. She is able to speak French.
Agnes Monica
Agnes Monica Muljoto (born 1 July 1986) is an Indonesian pop singer, songwriter, actress, dancer. She began her career in singing at the age of six. In addition to singing, she also became a presenter on a children's television show. When she was a teenager, Agnes started working as an actor. Her appearance on the soap opera "Pernikahan Dini" (2001) made her famous. Agnes then starred in a series of soap operas that made her the highest-paid teenage artist in Indonesia at that time.
Patricia Holmes
Patricia Ann Holmes is an Australian diplomat and is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
On 13 September 2011, Acting Foreign Minister Craig Emerson said that he had appointed Holmes as Australia's new Ambassador to Argentina; with concurrent non-resident accreditation to Paraguay and Uruguay. She gave her credentials to President of Argentina Cristina Fernández de Kirchner on 10 April 2012.
Before this, Holmes was Assistant Secretary of the department's Legal Counsel Branch. She had held this job since April 2010. Holmes has served previously in Geneva WTO (Counsellor 2006-2009), Papua New Guinea (First Secretary 1998-2000) and Vanuatu (Third, later Second, Secretary 1994-1996).
Holmes holds a Bachelor of Science with a Bachelor of Law degree from Macquarie University; a Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies from the University of Technology, Sydney; a Masters of Arts in Foreign Affairs and Trade and a Masters of Laws in Environmental Law from the Australian National University. Holmes was admitted to the Bar of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory in 1992. She can speak Spanish. She has a partner and three children.
Libation
A libation is a ritual sacrifice of a liquid. Usually, this was done by pouring the liquid over a sacred object.
Quantum foam
Quantum foam (or space time foam) is a concept in quantum mechanics. It was created by John Wheeler in 1955. The "foam" is supposed to be thought of as the foundation of the things that make up the universe.
Virtual learning environment
A virtual learning environment (VLE) is a kind of e-learning system placed on a website. It gives learners online access to tools and information to help them with learning something.
Common tools offered on a VLE are: online quizzes, email, discussion forums and student blogs. Common information shared with learners via a VLE is: worksheets, lesson plans, homework, grades, assignments and deadlines.
Combining the use of a VLE and normal classes is often called blended learning.
Some well-known VLEs are Moodle, WebCT and BlackBoard, but many others exist.
Semper Fidelis
"Semper Fidelis" is the official march of the United States Marine Corps. It was written by John Philip Sousa in 1888. The words Semper Fidelis mean "Always Faithful" in Latin.
Sousa became conductor of the United States Marine Corps band in 1880. He had some success with his earliest works like "The Gladiator" (1886), but his first big hit with the public was "Semper Fidelis".
This march is sometimes thought to be the prototype for American marches. Until "Semper Fidelis", American marches had taken European marches as their models. It was "the first musical composition to receive the official recognition of the United States government." "Semper Fidelis" is the only march authorized for a service by Congress. The USMC uses it for the Pass in Review during Change of Command Ceremonies, as well as Public Parades. It was played along the parade route for Bill Clinton's second inauguration. The march has an AaBbCcDd form. Its meter is 6/8. Other marches by Sousa are "The Stars and Stripes Forever" and "The Washington Post".
Barclays Center
Barclays Center is an indoor arena in Brooklyn, New York. It is about east of downtown New York City. The arena is the home court for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the arena for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). The arena was opened on September 21, 2012. The arena cost more than US$1 billion to build.
The first basketball game that was played there was an NBA preseason game between the Nets and the Washington Wizards on October 15, 2012.
On October 24, 2012, the New York Islanders announced that they signed a 25-year deal with the arena and would be moving to the Barclays Center in 2015 after their lease of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum ends. They played their first preseason game against the New Jersey Devils in a 3–0 loss. The first regular season NHL game was played on October 9, 2015 against the 2015 Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. The Islanders lost 3–2 in overtime.