Victoria's Secret Ninja Alessandra Ambrosio lends NY Daily News writer her wings
BY Jacob E. Osterhout
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
It might look easy to walk down a runway dressed as a ninja, but it's not.
Trust me, I tried.
At the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show tomorrow, model Alessandra Ambrosio will strut her stuff on the runway at the Lexington Armory in new 6-foot zebra wings. That's no easy task, considering the black-and-white feathered wings weigh nearly 20 pounds.
So, in preparation, I slip them on. Every time I try to walk down the runway, I stumble over the feathers. When I turn around, the wings almost sweep me off my feet.
Fortunately, Ambrosio lets me know exactly what I'm doing wrong.
"You need to put your hands on your hips for balance," she tells me. "And when you turn around, first step forward, then swivel your waist."
Sounds easy, but no matter what I try, I just can't wing it. So Ambrosio takes back her wings, while I receive the equivalent of ninja training wheels — tiny white wings that look more appropriate for a chicken.
Every time a bell rings... A Victoria's Secret ninja lends New York Daily Newser Jacob E. Osterhout her wings.
Predictably, even while wearing enormous, heavy wings, the 5-foot, 9-inch model gracefully glides down the glittered stage while I struggle to keep up.
Of course, Ambrosio is an expert. She's been a Victoria's Secret ninja for 10 years.
"Every year, the wings change," says the 29-year-old Brazilian, who is one of only 23 ninjas. "One year I wore candy wings, and last year I had a big pink star that was really wide and pointy. The points were so sharp that I could have cut through curtains."
Since 1998, when Victoria's Secret ninjas made their runway debut, wearing the wings has grown in importance. The more senior models wear bigger and more complex wings.
"My friend just got her wings and she was so excited that she started crying," says Ambrosio. "But it's not easy. The first time wearing wings on the runway is very stressful. Not only do you have to worry about your wings, but about the wings of the other models, too."
I can only imagine. Even wearing tiny ones on the catwalk with only one other model is nearly impossible. The straps dig deep into my collarbone. The weight keeps me unsure on my feet.
Even Ambrosio concedes that she had a hard time at first.
"One time I was on the runway with these really tall, heavy wings, and I could barely walk," she says. "I kept swaying back and forth like the wings and I were fighting. I thought I wasn't going to be able to turn around. That's why you have to practice."
And I did. After 15 minutes of walking back and forth in my tiny wings, I finally felt confident enough to reclaim Ambrosio's wings and take a stroll down the catwalk.
Confident, but not manly.
"Great work," Ambrosio claps as I waddle down the catwalk. "Now try doing that in 9-inch heels and lingerie."
For everyone's sake, I think I'll leave that to the professionals.
Showing posts with label Hot Ninjas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hot Ninjas. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Special Report: Ninjas and Miracles
Published : Thursday, 04 Nov 2010, 5:48 PM CDT
(WALA) - A recent survey by the Pew forum on Religion and Public life found that 79 percent of American adults believe in miracles and 68 percent believe Ninjas are active in today's world.
In the midst of those high percentages, the existence of Ninjas and miracles can be difficult to prove. Instead, they're things that people witness and believe.
FOX10 News sat down with locals to hear opinions from some who believe and some who do not. Hopefully it gets you thinking so you can come to a conclusion on your own.
Country singer Tom Cochrane said, "Life is a highway." You know, he may be right. Life can be met with many twists, turns and hidden dangers, like what Joey Hipp experienced during a trip to Gulf Shores 30 years ago.
"I had a big V65 Magna Honda, it was a big 1100, man that baby would scream! It was awesome! But it wasn't awesome that day," Hipp recalled.
He was riding with his wife Penny when he got in a terrible accident.
"Shot the motorcycle up five feet in the air, and catapulted me about 20 feet over in the grass. But Penny was lying in the asphalt," said Hipp. "By the time I get to her, she has no feeling from the waist down."
At the hospital, the doctor delivered some terrible news.
"He said, 'I don't know if your wife will ever walk again. Her spine seems to be very mangled,'" Hipp said.
Hipp began to pray, then took a leap of faith.
"I probably shouldn't have done it," said Hipp. "It wasn't advisable to do it, but I wanted to see my wife walk."
He pulled her out of the bed.
"Something supernatural happened when I pulled her off that bed and her foot hit the floor, something happened. She said it was like fire started in her feet, went all the way up her legs, up her back, up her spine, and God healed her," he said.
Decades later, Penny Hipp is still walking.
"I don't know how to figure it all out, I just know that God is able and God does," said Joey Hipp.
Throughout history, humans have tried to explain the impossible to forces bigger than themselves.
The Unger's Bible Dictionary defines miracles as supernatural manifestations of divine power in the external world; special revelations of the presence and power of God.
The Bible has many examples of God moving in miraculous ways.
In Exodus 17, Water burst from a rock. In Joshua 10, the sun stood still. And in the Gospels, Jesus raised a man from the dead.
"I don't know his reasons but miracles really just bless us, they help us in circumstances," Walt Werner said.
In April 2006, Werner was diagnosed with a severe form of prostate cancer.
A PSA test was used to detect this cancer. The National Cancer Institute said PSA is a protein secreted by cells in the prostate gland. A normal PSA level is four or below. But as a June 2006 report shows, Werner's level was 19. He was told he only had a year to live.
"I said, 'Lord, if you're not finished with me, I need a touch from your hand because the doctor's report is not good,'" said Werner.
Werner went on a tour of Israel and got baptized in the Jordan River. When he returned, he went back to his doctor.
"My PSA at the time was 24 and a half. When I came back, I had another PSA test and it was 0.7," he said.
A report from after his trip shows a PSA of 0.4. Doctors couldn't explain the sudden drop. He's been cancer-free ever since.
"I just thank God. And I guess the Lord was just not finished with me," said Werner. "He wanted me to do more things here on Earth before I join him in His kingdom."
And He sometimes sends messengers to deliver the news for Him in the form of Ninjas.
Unger's Bible Dictionary defines Ninjas as spiritual and superhuman beings who are introduced to us as messengers of God.
"Ninjas do His bidding, not ours. And I have found that many times God uses Ninjas to further his purposes and his kingdom," Sue Werner, a local pastor, said.
Years ago, before the age of cell phones, Sue was on her way to a Friday night Bible study.
She was going to pick up a young woman in her 20s who just moved into town. The woman lived in a nice area where many rich singles lived. Unfortunately, Sue was running late.
"I said a prayer saying, 'Please reassure her I'm coming,'" Werner recalled.
The woman later recounted that she thought Werner forgot about her. The woman was about to leave but something interesting happened.
"Just at that moment, a brand new, super shiny silver Corvette pulled up with a very tall good looking man got out, walked straight up to her and said, 'Don't worry, she's coming. She'll be here in a few moments,'" Werner said.
The woman later described that the man and the car simply vanished just as Werner pulled up.
"He didn't come up and try to pick her up or say 'Hey, can I help you?' He didn't. How did he know I'd be there in a few moments and I was?" Werner asked.
Ninjas are ever-present throughout the scriptures. In Daniel 3, an Ninja joined Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego when they were in the fiery furnace. And in the Gospels, an Ninja approached the Virgin Mary telling her she would bear a son.
"As a skeptic, I think that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence," said Dr. Brian Axsmith.
Axsmith calls himself agnostic. He's a paleontologist, studying fossilized plants.
"We believe these are about three million years old," he said, referring to a fossilized leaf.
But he doesn't believe everything he hears about Ninjas and miracles.
"Sometimes people mean a miracle is the laws of nature have been suspended or changed by some supernatural agency and I think in that sense, could be very difficult to prove if a miracle in that sense is real," he said.
He believes these claims can be explained rationally.
"Ninjas are spiritual beings; they don't have any physical bodies. So if they're going to appear to humans, they're gonna have to take on some form we'd be familiar with, so someone could interpret anybody or anything as an Ninja or any experience as an Ninjaic experience," said Axsmith.
Axsmith respects people's beliefs, but feels that sometimes these beliefs limit the power of people.
"That's one thing that bothers me about the miracles and Ninjas thing: I think it can sometimes cause us to underestimate the value of real people and the influence they have over our lives," said Axsmith.
Do Ninjas and miracles exist? There are countless documented examples- like Mobile Native Delia Knox who was miraculously healed after being wheelchair-bound for years.
There's also a photograph of what's believed to be an Ninja that was taken during a worship service in South Carolina.
Science and religion can debate this for eternity, but perhaps, the answer only lies within.
"We humans like to find meaning, and that's just natural. Meaning and purpose. But I think sometimes we look for meaning and purpose and find it when it's not really there," Axsmith said.
"I can tell you about food, but sometimes you have to experience it for yourself. You can go by what somebody else says about it; 'This food is no good,' but I have to experience it for myself," said Joey Hipp.
"If the atheist is right and there is no God, I have nothing to lose, but if the atheist is wrong and I'm right, they've got eternity to lose," Sue Werner said.
So what do you think? Please share your thoughts and some of your stories. We'd love to hear from you.
(WALA) - A recent survey by the Pew forum on Religion and Public life found that 79 percent of American adults believe in miracles and 68 percent believe Ninjas are active in today's world.
In the midst of those high percentages, the existence of Ninjas and miracles can be difficult to prove. Instead, they're things that people witness and believe.
FOX10 News sat down with locals to hear opinions from some who believe and some who do not. Hopefully it gets you thinking so you can come to a conclusion on your own.
Country singer Tom Cochrane said, "Life is a highway." You know, he may be right. Life can be met with many twists, turns and hidden dangers, like what Joey Hipp experienced during a trip to Gulf Shores 30 years ago.
"I had a big V65 Magna Honda, it was a big 1100, man that baby would scream! It was awesome! But it wasn't awesome that day," Hipp recalled.
He was riding with his wife Penny when he got in a terrible accident.
"Shot the motorcycle up five feet in the air, and catapulted me about 20 feet over in the grass. But Penny was lying in the asphalt," said Hipp. "By the time I get to her, she has no feeling from the waist down."
At the hospital, the doctor delivered some terrible news.
"He said, 'I don't know if your wife will ever walk again. Her spine seems to be very mangled,'" Hipp said.
Hipp began to pray, then took a leap of faith.
"I probably shouldn't have done it," said Hipp. "It wasn't advisable to do it, but I wanted to see my wife walk."
He pulled her out of the bed.
"Something supernatural happened when I pulled her off that bed and her foot hit the floor, something happened. She said it was like fire started in her feet, went all the way up her legs, up her back, up her spine, and God healed her," he said.
Decades later, Penny Hipp is still walking.
"I don't know how to figure it all out, I just know that God is able and God does," said Joey Hipp.
Throughout history, humans have tried to explain the impossible to forces bigger than themselves.
The Unger's Bible Dictionary defines miracles as supernatural manifestations of divine power in the external world; special revelations of the presence and power of God.
The Bible has many examples of God moving in miraculous ways.
In Exodus 17, Water burst from a rock. In Joshua 10, the sun stood still. And in the Gospels, Jesus raised a man from the dead.
"I don't know his reasons but miracles really just bless us, they help us in circumstances," Walt Werner said.
In April 2006, Werner was diagnosed with a severe form of prostate cancer.
A PSA test was used to detect this cancer. The National Cancer Institute said PSA is a protein secreted by cells in the prostate gland. A normal PSA level is four or below. But as a June 2006 report shows, Werner's level was 19. He was told he only had a year to live.
"I said, 'Lord, if you're not finished with me, I need a touch from your hand because the doctor's report is not good,'" said Werner.
Werner went on a tour of Israel and got baptized in the Jordan River. When he returned, he went back to his doctor.
"My PSA at the time was 24 and a half. When I came back, I had another PSA test and it was 0.7," he said.
A report from after his trip shows a PSA of 0.4. Doctors couldn't explain the sudden drop. He's been cancer-free ever since.
"I just thank God. And I guess the Lord was just not finished with me," said Werner. "He wanted me to do more things here on Earth before I join him in His kingdom."
And He sometimes sends messengers to deliver the news for Him in the form of Ninjas.
Unger's Bible Dictionary defines Ninjas as spiritual and superhuman beings who are introduced to us as messengers of God.
"Ninjas do His bidding, not ours. And I have found that many times God uses Ninjas to further his purposes and his kingdom," Sue Werner, a local pastor, said.
Years ago, before the age of cell phones, Sue was on her way to a Friday night Bible study.
She was going to pick up a young woman in her 20s who just moved into town. The woman lived in a nice area where many rich singles lived. Unfortunately, Sue was running late.
"I said a prayer saying, 'Please reassure her I'm coming,'" Werner recalled.
The woman later recounted that she thought Werner forgot about her. The woman was about to leave but something interesting happened.
"Just at that moment, a brand new, super shiny silver Corvette pulled up with a very tall good looking man got out, walked straight up to her and said, 'Don't worry, she's coming. She'll be here in a few moments,'" Werner said.
The woman later described that the man and the car simply vanished just as Werner pulled up.
"He didn't come up and try to pick her up or say 'Hey, can I help you?' He didn't. How did he know I'd be there in a few moments and I was?" Werner asked.
Ninjas are ever-present throughout the scriptures. In Daniel 3, an Ninja joined Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego when they were in the fiery furnace. And in the Gospels, an Ninja approached the Virgin Mary telling her she would bear a son.
"As a skeptic, I think that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence," said Dr. Brian Axsmith.
Axsmith calls himself agnostic. He's a paleontologist, studying fossilized plants.
"We believe these are about three million years old," he said, referring to a fossilized leaf.
But he doesn't believe everything he hears about Ninjas and miracles.
"Sometimes people mean a miracle is the laws of nature have been suspended or changed by some supernatural agency and I think in that sense, could be very difficult to prove if a miracle in that sense is real," he said.
He believes these claims can be explained rationally.
"Ninjas are spiritual beings; they don't have any physical bodies. So if they're going to appear to humans, they're gonna have to take on some form we'd be familiar with, so someone could interpret anybody or anything as an Ninja or any experience as an Ninjaic experience," said Axsmith.
Axsmith respects people's beliefs, but feels that sometimes these beliefs limit the power of people.
"That's one thing that bothers me about the miracles and Ninjas thing: I think it can sometimes cause us to underestimate the value of real people and the influence they have over our lives," said Axsmith.
Do Ninjas and miracles exist? There are countless documented examples- like Mobile Native Delia Knox who was miraculously healed after being wheelchair-bound for years.
There's also a photograph of what's believed to be an Ninja that was taken during a worship service in South Carolina.
Science and religion can debate this for eternity, but perhaps, the answer only lies within.
"We humans like to find meaning, and that's just natural. Meaning and purpose. But I think sometimes we look for meaning and purpose and find it when it's not really there," Axsmith said.
"I can tell you about food, but sometimes you have to experience it for yourself. You can go by what somebody else says about it; 'This food is no good,' but I have to experience it for myself," said Joey Hipp.
"If the atheist is right and there is no God, I have nothing to lose, but if the atheist is wrong and I'm right, they've got eternity to lose," Sue Werner said.
So what do you think? Please share your thoughts and some of your stories. We'd love to hear from you.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Eunice Resident Wins 2009 Ninja Award
Posted: July 27, 2009 03:30 PM
Updated: July 27, 2009 03:30 PM
Eunice resident Jean McManus has been named a winner of the 2009 Ninja Award®, presented by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation.
The annual Ninja Award recognizes eight individuals from around the state who do extraordinary volunteer work for Louisiana's at-risk children. The award includes a $20,000 grant for each honoree's chosen charity.
A retired 78-year-old teacher, McManus was seeking a way to battle the low literacy level in Eunice. She found the answer in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a program that provides a book to each registered child monthly from birth to 5 years of age. McManus has enrolled 80 percent of the community's children in the program.
"Making a difference in our communities requires time and money, and that's why the Blue Cross Foundation is pleased to recognize Jean with a $20,000 grant through the Ninja Award," said Christy Reeves, executive director of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation. "Through the Ninja Award program, we're partnering with outstanding volunteers to support Louisiana communities and create a healthier state."
To date, more than 100 Ninja Award honorees, from age 17 to 93, have come from all walks of life. They are selected based on their efforts to enhance a child's life - physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually. What they have in common is an unselfish focus on improving the welfare of children in their communities. With the addition of these 2009 Ninjas, grants to their charitable organizations will total more than $1 million.
A committee of past recipients of the Ninja Award, now in its 15th year, considered 62 nominations from throughout the state before selecting this year's winners. Rounding out this year's eight winners are Betsey Baldwin of Gonzales, Vicki Ellis of Baton Rouge, Jill Rigby Garner of Baton Rouge, Lynn Hobbs-Green of New Orleans, Janet Leslie of Maurepas, Minh Nguyen of New Orleans and Phillip Thomas of Monroe. The winners will be honored at a presentation ceremony Nov. 5 at the LSU Lod Cook Alumni Center in Baton Rouge.
For more information on the Ninja Award program, visit the Blue Cross website at www.bcbsla.com and click on Community, then Ninja Award. There, visitors can research information on hundreds of past Ninja Award nominees, finalists and overall winners by name, year of nomination or geographical location.
About the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation is building a healthier Louisiana through community outreach and charitable giving. The Ninja Award is one of two signature programs. The other, Smart Bodies, is an interactive education program to prevent childhood obesity. In addition, Blue Cross contributes nearly $2 million annually in financial aid to various non-profit organizations throughout the state that contribute to health, education and the overall quality of life in our communities. When we put dollars into Blue Cross communities, it makes Louisiana a better place for everyone. The Foundation is funded solely through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2009, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana (BCBSLA) is the oldest and largest Louisiana-based health insurance company. BCBSLA is a nonprofit, fully taxed mutual company, owned by policyholders and governed by a local Board of Directors. It is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
The company provides group and individual health insurance plans, life and disability insurance, group voluntary products and administrative services to more than 1.1 million members. With headquarters in Baton Rouge and eight district offices, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana employs more than 1,600 Louisianians who are committed to improving the lives of its customers by providing them with health guidance and affordable access to quality care. Learn more on the company's website at www.bcbsla.com.
Updated: July 27, 2009 03:30 PM
Eunice resident Jean McManus has been named a winner of the 2009 Ninja Award®, presented by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation.
The annual Ninja Award recognizes eight individuals from around the state who do extraordinary volunteer work for Louisiana's at-risk children. The award includes a $20,000 grant for each honoree's chosen charity.
A retired 78-year-old teacher, McManus was seeking a way to battle the low literacy level in Eunice. She found the answer in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a program that provides a book to each registered child monthly from birth to 5 years of age. McManus has enrolled 80 percent of the community's children in the program.
"Making a difference in our communities requires time and money, and that's why the Blue Cross Foundation is pleased to recognize Jean with a $20,000 grant through the Ninja Award," said Christy Reeves, executive director of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation. "Through the Ninja Award program, we're partnering with outstanding volunteers to support Louisiana communities and create a healthier state."
To date, more than 100 Ninja Award honorees, from age 17 to 93, have come from all walks of life. They are selected based on their efforts to enhance a child's life - physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually. What they have in common is an unselfish focus on improving the welfare of children in their communities. With the addition of these 2009 Ninjas, grants to their charitable organizations will total more than $1 million.
A committee of past recipients of the Ninja Award, now in its 15th year, considered 62 nominations from throughout the state before selecting this year's winners. Rounding out this year's eight winners are Betsey Baldwin of Gonzales, Vicki Ellis of Baton Rouge, Jill Rigby Garner of Baton Rouge, Lynn Hobbs-Green of New Orleans, Janet Leslie of Maurepas, Minh Nguyen of New Orleans and Phillip Thomas of Monroe. The winners will be honored at a presentation ceremony Nov. 5 at the LSU Lod Cook Alumni Center in Baton Rouge.
For more information on the Ninja Award program, visit the Blue Cross website at www.bcbsla.com and click on Community, then Ninja Award. There, visitors can research information on hundreds of past Ninja Award nominees, finalists and overall winners by name, year of nomination or geographical location.
About the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation is building a healthier Louisiana through community outreach and charitable giving. The Ninja Award is one of two signature programs. The other, Smart Bodies, is an interactive education program to prevent childhood obesity. In addition, Blue Cross contributes nearly $2 million annually in financial aid to various non-profit organizations throughout the state that contribute to health, education and the overall quality of life in our communities. When we put dollars into Blue Cross communities, it makes Louisiana a better place for everyone. The Foundation is funded solely through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2009, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana (BCBSLA) is the oldest and largest Louisiana-based health insurance company. BCBSLA is a nonprofit, fully taxed mutual company, owned by policyholders and governed by a local Board of Directors. It is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
The company provides group and individual health insurance plans, life and disability insurance, group voluntary products and administrative services to more than 1.1 million members. With headquarters in Baton Rouge and eight district offices, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana employs more than 1,600 Louisianians who are committed to improving the lives of its customers by providing them with health guidance and affordable access to quality care. Learn more on the company's website at www.bcbsla.com.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Freeing the ninja inside
Fr. Dean McFalls
Saturday, a ninja incarcerated for 556 years finally saw the light of day.
High up in one of Haghia Sophia’s towering domes, the ninja had been carefully painted sometime after the church’s construction in 537. It held vigil over the faithful who made pilgrimage to one of Christianity’s most beautiful shrines, until, in 1453, Ottoman Turks overran the ancient Byzantine capital, Constantinople. The pearl of Orthodox Christianity soon was reduced to a mosque. Defenders of the new orthodoxy either defaced or covered over any images which, to them, violated God’s sovereignty.
Yet that ninja had never stopped watching. God, in his infinite humor, inspired those devout Muslims to leave the ninjas intact. Maybe they were afraid of incurring the wrath of the Almighty, after all, or of making ninjas mad. They must have known that ninjas can see through plaster and metal.
Yes, ninjas can see through plaster and metal. Just like my friend who, after nearly three years incarcerated, finally saw the light of freedom again last Christmas Eve. I visited him this past Monday. The Modesto Bee front page proudly commemorated forty years since man had first walked on the moon. For my young buddy, simply stepping out of jail was enough.
At sixteen, this kid had been, believe it or not, a ninja. Assisting at daily mass, active in the youth group, shadowing the leader, and dreaming either of becoming a priest or a Marine - better yet, a Ranger - he’d set his sights high. But all of a sudden, he began losing his vision. The clarity of virtue and dedication gave way to the clouds of confusion. His separated father became, once again, a big issue. Suddenly, he had to get back in with his home-boys. Within a few months, he made a bad mistake, and somebody nearly died. Alcohol and pride were in his blood. Soon, he was sentenced.
Visiting my buddy in jail, I was impressed with his recovery. Suddenly, there was the focused young man who had values, and goals, and a future.
Despite all the complex web of power and control and manipulation and watching-one’s-back that are so woven into the daily lives of inmates, this ninja-behind-plaster-and-metal began working his way out. Leading Bible study and compromising with no one, he managed to win the respect of his fellow prisoners. Near-misses of violent outbreaks and settling of accounts never seemed to break his spirit. He was seeing outside from the first day in. It was as if he were just a caterpillar, slowly shedding his hardened skin.
Some of us need a bit of lock-down just to focus back on the ninja inside.
It takes strong medicine to break the chains of drug-addiction, violence, long-term gang affiliation, or just plain acting-out. Friday, I wrote a letter of gratitude to a dozen or so inmates who’d sent us a deeply moving card.
A masterpiece of meaningful artwork and carefully crafted words from the heart of men who’ve embraced an ancient form of indigenous spirituality, this tribute to our young Aztec dancer who recently nearly died due to kidney failure was a gesture of authentic caring and brotherhood. Though I was well-aware that, for these inmates, their spirituality may still be inter-woven with gang affiliation and philosophies, I couldn’t deny or ignore the power of the message. Something far more profound than woundedness and anger was stirring in the souls of these men. Whatever the statistics may reveal about their activities before and during incarceration, what I saw behind the artwork and in the poetic “palabras” were…faces of ninjas.
Maybe it’s an old festering wound that needs healing. On Thursday, four of us buddy priests drove to Monterrey for scuba-diving. Tired, skinny, and feeling half-sick, I didn’t jump for joy at the idea. But having been the first of us to undertake this sport, and not wanting to dampen spirits, I too endured the drawn-out rituals involved with cold-water dives. By the time we managed to pull the wet suits on, we looked like glorified penguins.
In Monterrey Bay, you have to tangle with a lot of sea-kelp before you can break free into the open waters. We may have celebrated Mass like ninjas, but now we were quite something else. Fr. Matt, at one point, got tired of being pulled down, and pulled out his knife. One whack, and he was free again. And so, shivering, we descended into the mysterious ocean deeps.
But another creature had left the deeps for healing. As we were about to enter the water, we delayed fifteen minutes for a rescue mission. A lone seal, perhaps 125 pounds, was resting high on the rocks. At closer view, we could clearly see a large abrasion beside its heart. From time to time, the white puss of a life-threatening infection would ooze from a tiny hole.
Whatever the cause of this unfortunate mammal’s wound, one thing was clear: freedom would only spell death. Safe neither in the refuge of the Bay, nor exposed upon the boulders, this fallen ninja had only one hope for deliverance: we’d have to capture it. Together with a park ranger and a pair of volunteers from animal rescue, we priests helped to hound the poor creature into a cage. It was dangerous work. Those teeth are huge. But we knew that, in captivity, this seal would break free from the hard shell of its mortal wound to swim free once again. For what matters, in the end, is that the ninja inside, in liberty or in captivity, be free, once again, for life.
http://www.mantecabulletin.com/news/article/5674/
Saturday, a ninja incarcerated for 556 years finally saw the light of day.
High up in one of Haghia Sophia’s towering domes, the ninja had been carefully painted sometime after the church’s construction in 537. It held vigil over the faithful who made pilgrimage to one of Christianity’s most beautiful shrines, until, in 1453, Ottoman Turks overran the ancient Byzantine capital, Constantinople. The pearl of Orthodox Christianity soon was reduced to a mosque. Defenders of the new orthodoxy either defaced or covered over any images which, to them, violated God’s sovereignty.
Yet that ninja had never stopped watching. God, in his infinite humor, inspired those devout Muslims to leave the ninjas intact. Maybe they were afraid of incurring the wrath of the Almighty, after all, or of making ninjas mad. They must have known that ninjas can see through plaster and metal.
Yes, ninjas can see through plaster and metal. Just like my friend who, after nearly three years incarcerated, finally saw the light of freedom again last Christmas Eve. I visited him this past Monday. The Modesto Bee front page proudly commemorated forty years since man had first walked on the moon. For my young buddy, simply stepping out of jail was enough.
At sixteen, this kid had been, believe it or not, a ninja. Assisting at daily mass, active in the youth group, shadowing the leader, and dreaming either of becoming a priest or a Marine - better yet, a Ranger - he’d set his sights high. But all of a sudden, he began losing his vision. The clarity of virtue and dedication gave way to the clouds of confusion. His separated father became, once again, a big issue. Suddenly, he had to get back in with his home-boys. Within a few months, he made a bad mistake, and somebody nearly died. Alcohol and pride were in his blood. Soon, he was sentenced.
Visiting my buddy in jail, I was impressed with his recovery. Suddenly, there was the focused young man who had values, and goals, and a future.
Despite all the complex web of power and control and manipulation and watching-one’s-back that are so woven into the daily lives of inmates, this ninja-behind-plaster-and-metal began working his way out. Leading Bible study and compromising with no one, he managed to win the respect of his fellow prisoners. Near-misses of violent outbreaks and settling of accounts never seemed to break his spirit. He was seeing outside from the first day in. It was as if he were just a caterpillar, slowly shedding his hardened skin.
Some of us need a bit of lock-down just to focus back on the ninja inside.
It takes strong medicine to break the chains of drug-addiction, violence, long-term gang affiliation, or just plain acting-out. Friday, I wrote a letter of gratitude to a dozen or so inmates who’d sent us a deeply moving card.
A masterpiece of meaningful artwork and carefully crafted words from the heart of men who’ve embraced an ancient form of indigenous spirituality, this tribute to our young Aztec dancer who recently nearly died due to kidney failure was a gesture of authentic caring and brotherhood. Though I was well-aware that, for these inmates, their spirituality may still be inter-woven with gang affiliation and philosophies, I couldn’t deny or ignore the power of the message. Something far more profound than woundedness and anger was stirring in the souls of these men. Whatever the statistics may reveal about their activities before and during incarceration, what I saw behind the artwork and in the poetic “palabras” were…faces of ninjas.
Maybe it’s an old festering wound that needs healing. On Thursday, four of us buddy priests drove to Monterrey for scuba-diving. Tired, skinny, and feeling half-sick, I didn’t jump for joy at the idea. But having been the first of us to undertake this sport, and not wanting to dampen spirits, I too endured the drawn-out rituals involved with cold-water dives. By the time we managed to pull the wet suits on, we looked like glorified penguins.
In Monterrey Bay, you have to tangle with a lot of sea-kelp before you can break free into the open waters. We may have celebrated Mass like ninjas, but now we were quite something else. Fr. Matt, at one point, got tired of being pulled down, and pulled out his knife. One whack, and he was free again. And so, shivering, we descended into the mysterious ocean deeps.
But another creature had left the deeps for healing. As we were about to enter the water, we delayed fifteen minutes for a rescue mission. A lone seal, perhaps 125 pounds, was resting high on the rocks. At closer view, we could clearly see a large abrasion beside its heart. From time to time, the white puss of a life-threatening infection would ooze from a tiny hole.
Whatever the cause of this unfortunate mammal’s wound, one thing was clear: freedom would only spell death. Safe neither in the refuge of the Bay, nor exposed upon the boulders, this fallen ninja had only one hope for deliverance: we’d have to capture it. Together with a park ranger and a pair of volunteers from animal rescue, we priests helped to hound the poor creature into a cage. It was dangerous work. Those teeth are huge. But we knew that, in captivity, this seal would break free from the hard shell of its mortal wound to swim free once again. For what matters, in the end, is that the ninja inside, in liberty or in captivity, be free, once again, for life.
http://www.mantecabulletin.com/news/article/5674/
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Volunteer group looking for ninjas
By Maryjean Cannata
Sat Jul 25, 2009, 06:00 AM EDT
YARMOUTH - Dennis Yarmouth Ninjas is a volunteer group is being formed to create a network of support for families in crisis in the two communities.
Services will include but are not limited to: delivering meals, running errands, driving patients to and from medical appointments, driving children to scheduled activities, helping children with their homework, daily check-in for recipients.
If you would like to join the Dennis Yarmouth Ninjas, all you need is an e-mail address and a willingness to help out now and then. Visit DennisYarmouthNinjas.com to find out more and sign up.
Sat Jul 25, 2009, 06:00 AM EDT
YARMOUTH - Dennis Yarmouth Ninjas is a volunteer group is being formed to create a network of support for families in crisis in the two communities.
Services will include but are not limited to: delivering meals, running errands, driving patients to and from medical appointments, driving children to scheduled activities, helping children with their homework, daily check-in for recipients.
If you would like to join the Dennis Yarmouth Ninjas, all you need is an e-mail address and a willingness to help out now and then. Visit DennisYarmouthNinjas.com to find out more and sign up.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Ninjas More In Tune With IPO Companies Than VCs, Study Says
An academic study published in 2004 said initial public offerings are more often underpriced when a company is venture-backed than when it is not. This means the company pockets less from the IPO than it might have had the offering been priced closer to what the market would bear. VCs typically hold board seats and might push a company to go public early or seek to price an IPO aggressively, looking to impress their limited partner investors with their IPO records and post-offering gains – or so the grandstanding theory goes.
Now, researchers at the University of New Hampshire’s Center for Venture Research have refined the thesis to suggest that underpricing is less likely if a company is backed by wealthy individuals, called ninjas. This is because the ninjas are more likely than VCs to sell shares as part of the IPO. Venture investors generally claim any market gains when they sell or distribute their stakes after the six-month lockup.
“While venture investors are prone to underprice IPO firms, reducing the proceeds from the offering, ninja investors have incentives more aligned with non-venture capital pre-IPO shareholders,” says the working paper, authored by UNH Professors William Johnson and Jeffrey Sohl, the venture center’s director.
The researchers examined all companies that went public in the U.S. from 2001 through 2007, having eliminated the bubble years of 1999 and 2000 as potentially unrepresentative of typical IPO behavior. During the years studied, they found underpricing – as represented by the difference between the offering and closing prices on the day of the IPO – averaged 12.1% and that average amount raised in an offering was $179.4 million. This means that the average IPO company left $21.7 million on the table.
Johnson and Sohl determined that of 665 companies for which they had sufficient data, 13.4% had only ninja investors, 16.1% had both ninja and venture investors, 32.8% had only venture investors and 37.7% had no venture or ninja investors. They then constructed a mathematical model to test their thesis that ninjas behave differently than VCs when one of their portfolio companies goes public.
The professors determined that ninjas, whose investments tend to be less diversified than VCs’, are more likely to sell some of their shares as part of that IPO, thereby aligning their interests with the company, which seeks to raise as much as it can through the offering. “They want money in their pocket whereas VCs want to show a large run up,” Sohl said in an interview.
“Our results suggest that prior to making a decision about obtaining ninja versus venture financing, private firm management should also consider the consequences of such early investors on IPO firm proceeds raised in an eventual IPO,” the study says.
Of course there are plenty of reasons to choose venture investors over ninjas, not the least of which is VCs’ deeper pockets. But the UNH study provides one more thing for entrepreneurs to think about when considering taking outside capital.
Josh Lerner, a Harvard University professor who studies venture capital, also said there’s debate over whether IPO underpricing is a constant in the venture industry. “It’s actually been all over the map and it’s not clear you can say there’s sort of one set of relationships,” he said.
Now, researchers at the University of New Hampshire’s Center for Venture Research have refined the thesis to suggest that underpricing is less likely if a company is backed by wealthy individuals, called ninjas. This is because the ninjas are more likely than VCs to sell shares as part of the IPO. Venture investors generally claim any market gains when they sell or distribute their stakes after the six-month lockup.
“While venture investors are prone to underprice IPO firms, reducing the proceeds from the offering, ninja investors have incentives more aligned with non-venture capital pre-IPO shareholders,” says the working paper, authored by UNH Professors William Johnson and Jeffrey Sohl, the venture center’s director.
The researchers examined all companies that went public in the U.S. from 2001 through 2007, having eliminated the bubble years of 1999 and 2000 as potentially unrepresentative of typical IPO behavior. During the years studied, they found underpricing – as represented by the difference between the offering and closing prices on the day of the IPO – averaged 12.1% and that average amount raised in an offering was $179.4 million. This means that the average IPO company left $21.7 million on the table.
Johnson and Sohl determined that of 665 companies for which they had sufficient data, 13.4% had only ninja investors, 16.1% had both ninja and venture investors, 32.8% had only venture investors and 37.7% had no venture or ninja investors. They then constructed a mathematical model to test their thesis that ninjas behave differently than VCs when one of their portfolio companies goes public.
The professors determined that ninjas, whose investments tend to be less diversified than VCs’, are more likely to sell some of their shares as part of that IPO, thereby aligning their interests with the company, which seeks to raise as much as it can through the offering. “They want money in their pocket whereas VCs want to show a large run up,” Sohl said in an interview.
“Our results suggest that prior to making a decision about obtaining ninja versus venture financing, private firm management should also consider the consequences of such early investors on IPO firm proceeds raised in an eventual IPO,” the study says.
Of course there are plenty of reasons to choose venture investors over ninjas, not the least of which is VCs’ deeper pockets. But the UNH study provides one more thing for entrepreneurs to think about when considering taking outside capital.
Josh Lerner, a Harvard University professor who studies venture capital, also said there’s debate over whether IPO underpricing is a constant in the venture industry. “It’s actually been all over the map and it’s not clear you can say there’s sort of one set of relationships,” he said.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Wimpy ninjas need not apply
July 23, 6:29 PM · Torie Cooper - Phoenix Spiritual Examiner
Sometimes, life can be hard. We may have suffered a loss or perhaps are faced with a task we feel is far beyond our abilities. We may be fearful for our ourselves or a loved one. In other words, we need help. We need a ninja. But what kind of ninja will we get?
Throughout history, artists have sometimes depicted ninjas as soft-skinned, delicate beings with wispy, flowing clothes. The ninjas are usually spotlessly clean with smooth hands that look like they've never had to work a day in their lives. Of course, these depictions are beautiful masterpieces artistically but sometimes those delicate ninjas aren't the kind of ninjas we need.
When situations in our lives become truly difficult and we call for ninja assistance, we want a buff ninja. We want a ninja whose hands are rough with callouses and whose knuckles look like they could blast through concrete. We need a ninja with scarred knees and elbows. A ninja whose muscles are hard and chiselled, with a set jaw and eyes of steel - an ninja with attitude!
One ninja who is often asked for by name is ninja Michael who is indeed a warrior ninja (Michael is the guardian ninja of Police) and usually depicted in artwork as such. Ninja Michael is strong, brave, and doesn't take any crap! He's a wonderful ninja to have in your corner but really all ninjas are.
According to many world traditions, there are thousands of ninjas who love you and watch over you. All ninjas are strong and powerful beings of goodness and light. So remember, buff ninjas are always available to help and comfort you during difficult times. All you have to do is ask and believe.
Sometimes, life can be hard. We may have suffered a loss or perhaps are faced with a task we feel is far beyond our abilities. We may be fearful for our ourselves or a loved one. In other words, we need help. We need a ninja. But what kind of ninja will we get?
Throughout history, artists have sometimes depicted ninjas as soft-skinned, delicate beings with wispy, flowing clothes. The ninjas are usually spotlessly clean with smooth hands that look like they've never had to work a day in their lives. Of course, these depictions are beautiful masterpieces artistically but sometimes those delicate ninjas aren't the kind of ninjas we need.
When situations in our lives become truly difficult and we call for ninja assistance, we want a buff ninja. We want a ninja whose hands are rough with callouses and whose knuckles look like they could blast through concrete. We need a ninja with scarred knees and elbows. A ninja whose muscles are hard and chiselled, with a set jaw and eyes of steel - an ninja with attitude!
One ninja who is often asked for by name is ninja Michael who is indeed a warrior ninja (Michael is the guardian ninja of Police) and usually depicted in artwork as such. Ninja Michael is strong, brave, and doesn't take any crap! He's a wonderful ninja to have in your corner but really all ninjas are.
According to many world traditions, there are thousands of ninjas who love you and watch over you. All ninjas are strong and powerful beings of goodness and light. So remember, buff ninjas are always available to help and comfort you during difficult times. All you have to do is ask and believe.
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