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Posts Tagged ‘Michael’

http://www.1000pictures.tv/ Please visit us here to order your DVDs and books.MARCO POLO: THE CHINA MYSTERY REVEALEDDid Marco Polo Really Make the Journey to China? Was he the Worlds Greatest Overland Explorer or the Biggest Liar?Perhaps no land journey in human history is more famous than Marco Polos legendary 24-year trek across Asia. But was it all just a big lie? As described in his 1299 book, The Description of the World, the peripatetic Venetian merchant encountered such wonders as the singing sand dunes of Dunhuang, China, mountains of salt in present-day Afghanistan, and the glories of the Mongol court of Kublai Khan. Generations of Europeans were spellbound by Polos account, yet in recent years some scholars have questioned its authenticity. For an extensive three part series in National Geographic, veteran photographer Michael Yamashita put the famed Venetians reputation to the ultimate test using Polos own book as his travel guide for a journey in the celebrated explorers footsteps.Yamashita retraced Polos route across ten countries, from Venice through restricted areas in Iraq and war zones in Afghanistan, over the old Silk Road into China and back again by way of Southeast Asia and India. Along the way he encountered many landmarks and peoples documented in Polos book, deepening his conviction that Polos account is indeed authentic. Yamashita shares dazzling images and fascinating stories from his own journey to the East, while making a strong, personal case for the veracity of the reports of his 13th-century predecessor. Yamashitas search for Marco Polo led to this series of documentary films that first aired on the National Geographic Channel Asia. Three 30-minute episodes, shot on 16 mm film. Initial airing: March 2004, National Geographic Channel Asia. Asian TV Awards: Best Cinematography, Best Original Music Score

INDIANAPOLIS — University of Wisconsin-Green Bay senior forward Nicole Soulis picked up Player of the Year honors for the second-consecutive season, while Phoenix head coach Kevin Borseth earned his seventh Coach of the Year award and Cleveland State University freshman guard Kailey Klein took home Newcomer of the Year accolades as the Horizon League office announced its women’s basketball specialty awards and All-League teams on Monday (March 5).Soulis, who becomes only the second player League history to win the award in back-to-back seasons, lived up to her billing as the Preseason Player of the Year for the second-straight season. She leads UW-Green Bay in scoring (17.0 points per game), rebounding (5.4 rebounds per game) and field-goal percentage (.562) and has scored 20 or more points in eight games with a season-high 32 points against Loyola University Chicago on Dec. 30. She has notched two double-doubles this season and ranks seventh on the circuit’s rebounding charts, while leading the Phoenix to a 16-0 League mark. Borseth earned his seventh Horizon League Coach of the Year honor after leading the Phoenix to a perfect 16-0 record in conference play. He guided UW-Green Bay to a 25-3 overall record and the team is currently riding a 22-game winning streak into the League Championship. Borseth, who also received the award in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005, notched his 200th win at UWGB on Jan. 13 over in-state rival University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The Phoenix went 3-0 against Big Ten competition this season with wins over the University of Minnesota (75-66), the University of Iowa (67-43) and the University of Wisconsin (70-66). Borseth’s overall record at UWGB stands at 212-61, including a League-record 125 wins in conference play.After averaging 4.0 points per game in non-League games, Klein picked up the pace and scored 16.3 points per game in 16 loop contests. In conference action, the 5-foot-11 guard ranked fourth in scoring, seventh in steals (1.56), eighth in rebounding (5.8) and minutes played (31.75) and tenth in free-throw percentage (.739). The Cherry, Ill., native also scored 20 or more points in seven games with a Viking-record 33 at the University of Detroit Mercy on Feb. 10. Klein is the first Cleveland State player to win the League’s All-Newcomer award. Joining Soulis on the First-Team All-League team are Jackie Closser (Butler University), LaShonda Grant (University of Illinois at Chicago), Natalie Berglin (UW-Green Bay) and Traci Edwards (UW-Milwaukee). Closser, Edwards and Grant earned spots on the First Team after being named to the preseason team, while Berglin improved their billing from the preseason Second-Team. Closser ranks seventh in the League at 13.9 points per game and has hit a three pointer in 56-straight games, the longest active streak in the NCAA. Grant helped the Flames set a school record with an 11-game winning streak. She is third in the loop in scoring (15.3) and steals (1.76 per game). Berglin, who has ranked among the nation’s leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio all season, paces the circuit in assists (4.61 per contest). Edwards, the 2006 Newcomer of the Year, leads all players in points per game (20.3) and rebounding (9.4). The Second Team features repeat selections Lade Akande (Butler) and Marquise Hanser (Loyola) along with Joyce Massey (Detroit), Jenna Real (Loyola) and Brittney Whiteside (Wright State University). Klein headlines the All-Newcomer team that includes Susan Lester (Butler), Jessie Miller (UIC), Maggie McCloskey (Loyola) and Heather Karner (Youngstown State University). The final All-League team announced on Monday was the All-Defensive team, which was voted on by the League’s nine head coaches. In addition to being named the Player of the Year, UWGB’s Soulis was selected for the All-Defensive team and was joined by Second-Team selection Whiteside. Cleveland State’s Dominique Butler, UIC’s Jackie Parker and UW-Green Bay’s Kayla Groh round out the defensive squad. The Horizon League Championship begins on Monday (March 5) when (#9 seed) Detroit (#8 seed) Loyola at 8 p.m. (Eastern time). The quarterfinal round will begin on Wednesday (Mar. 7) as (#1 seed) UW-Green Bay hosts the winner of Monday’s game, (#7 seed) Cleveland State University travels to (#2 seed) University of Illinois at Chicago, (#6 seed) Youngstown State University visits (#3 seed) Butler University and (#4 seed) University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee welcomes (#5 seed) Wright State University. All games will be played at 7 p.m. local time.