ace value in blackjack ORLANDO, Fla. — UCF coach Gus Malzahn is resigning after four seasons with the school. ESPN’s Pete Thamel was the first to report the move, which will see Malzahn to leave to take the offensive coordinator job at Florida State. Malzahn previously worked with FSU coach Mike Norvell during their time at Tulsa under then-coach Todd Graham from 2007-08. The Knights ended a disappointing 4-8 season in which they lost eight of their last nine games, the longest losing streak since 2015. Malzahn, 59, was in the fourth year of a contract through 2028. His buyout, it is reported, would have been $13.75 million. He finished 27-25 at UCF but lost 16 of his last 22 games and was a dismal 4-14 in two seasons in the Big 12. After back-to-back nine-win seasons in 2021-22, the Knights went 6-7 in 2023 and 4-8 in 2024. This season started with high expectations as Malzahn made sweeping changes to the program. He retooled the strength and conditioning department and hired Ted Roof and Tim Harris Jr. as defensive and offensive coordinators, respectively. He also added nearly 50 new players to the roster, leaning heavily on the transfer market. UCF started by winning its first three games against New Hampshire, Sam Houston and a thrilling comeback at TCU, but offensive struggles saw the Knights tumble through a TBD-game losing streak to finish the season. Terry Mohajir hired Malzahn on Feb. 15, 2021, six days after he was hired to replace Danny White. The move came eight weeks after Malzahn had been fired at Auburn after eight seasons of coaching the Tigers. The two briefly worked together at Arkansas State in 2012 before Malzahn left for the Auburn job. “When he [Mohajir] offered the job, I was like, ‘I’m in.’ There wasn’t thinking about or talking about ...,” Malzahn said during his introductory press conference. “This will be one of the best programs in college football in a short time. This is a job that I plan on being here and building it.” UCF opened the 2021 season with non-conference wins over Boise State and Bethune-Cookman before traveling to Louisville on Sept. 17, where quarterback Dillon Gabriel suffered a fractured collarbone in the final minute of a 42-35 loss. Backup Mikey Keene would finish out the season as Gabriel announced his intention to transfer. The Knights would finish the season on the plus side by accepting a bid to join the Big 12 Conference in September and then by defeating Florida 29-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl. Malzahn struck transfer portal gold in the offseason when he signed former Ole Miss quarterback John Rhys Plumlee. Plumlee, a two-sport star with the Rebels, helped guide UCF to the American Athletic Conference Championship in its final season. However, Plumlee’s injury forced the Knights to go with Keene and freshman Thomas Castellanos. The team finished with losses to Tulane in the conference championship and Duke in the Military Bowl. Plumlee would return in 2023 as UCF transitioned to the Big 12 but would go down with a knee injury in the final minute of the Knights’ 18-16 win at Boise State on Sept. 9. He would miss the next four games as backup Timmy McClain took over the team. Even on his return, Plumlee couldn’t help UCF, on a five-game losing streak to open conference play. The Knights got their first Big 12 win at Cincinnati on Nov. 4 and upset No. 15 Oklahoma State the following week, but the team still needed a win over Houston in the regular-season finale to secure a bowl bid for the eighth straight season. From the moment Malzahn stepped on campus, he prioritized recruiting, particularly in Central Florida. “We’re going to recruit like our hair’s on fire,” Malzahn said at the time. “We’re going to go after the best players in America and we’re not backing down to anybody.” From 2007 to 2020, UCF signed 10 four-star high school and junior college prospects. Eight four-star prospects were in the three recruiting classes signed under Malzahn. The 2024 recruiting class earned a composite ranking of 39 from 247Sports, the highest-ranked class in school history. The 2025 recruiting class is ranked No. 41 and has commitments from three four-star prospects. Malzahn has always leaned on the transfer market, signing 60 players over the past three seasons. Some have paid huge dividends, such as Javon Baker, Lee Hunter, Kobe Hudson, Tylan Grable, Bula Schmidt, Amari Kight, Marcellus Marshall, Trent Whittemore, Gage King, Ethan Barr, Deshawn Pace and Plumlee. Others haven’t been as successful, such as quarterback KJ Jefferson, who started the first five games of this season before being benched for poor performance. Jefferson’s struggles forced the Knights to play musical chairs at quarterback, with true freshman EJ Colson, redshirt sophomore Jacurri Brown and redshirt freshman Dylan Rizk all seeing action at one point or another this season. This season’s struggles led to several players utilizing the NCAA’s redshirt rule after four games, including starting slot receiver Xavier Townsend and kicker Colton Boomer, who have also entered the transfer portal. Defensive end Kaven Call posted a letter to Malzahn on Twitter in which he accused the UCF coaching staff of recently kicking him off the team when he requested to be redshirted. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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Uwill Founder & CEO Michael London Named Innovator in HealthcareTourists visit the Harbin Ice-Snow World, the world’s largest ice-and-snow theme park, in Harbin, the capital city of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. — Xinhua photo HARBIN (Dec 24): Gliding down an over-500-meter-long ice slide, Zhang Jiajia felt like she was flying, and that her one-minute experience had been worth the hour-plus wait in line. “It’s super exciting. My heart soared with me,” said Zhang, a tourist from east China’s Zhejiang Province, after trying the Super Ice Slide at the iconic Harbin Ice-Snow World, which kicked off its annual run on Saturday. The world’s largest ice-and-snow theme park, the 26th edition of the Harbin Ice-Snow World, officially opened at 10 a.m. in Harbin, the capital of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province also known as the “city of ice.” Tourists visit the Harbin Ice-Snow World, the world’s largest ice-and-snow theme park, in Harbin, the capital city of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. — Xinhua photo Themed “Dream of Winter, Love among Asia,” the park was built using 300,000 cubic meters of ice and snow, incorporating elements inspired by the upcoming 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games, which will open next February, right after China’s Spring Festival holiday. It is also the first major international ice and snow event hosted by China since the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. With an overall planned area of 1 million square meters, up from last year’s 800,000 square meters, the park is the largest in its 26-year history. A tourist poses for photos at the Harbin Ice-Snow World, the world’s largest ice-and-snow theme park, in Harbin, the capital city of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. — Xinhua photo The park features nine major zones, recreating landmark landscapes of 42 countries and 3 regions that are members of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in the form of ice-and-snow structures that can be illuminated at night, including replicas of the Temple of Heaven in China, Osaka Castle in Japan and the Taj Mahal in India. The main tower stands on the main axis of the park, featuring towering ice columns that depict the official emblem of the OCA. “The ice sculptures are incredibly exquisite. It’s hard to imagine that they are made of ice blocks harvested from the Songhua River. Each piece of artwork showcases the superb craftsmanship of the artists,” said Zhong Xueying, another tourist from Zhejiang. An aerial drone photo shows tourists queuing at the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. — Xinhua photo The most popular attraction in the park, the Super Ice Slide, has increased the number of its lanes to 24, with a 300-meter-long windproof warm house mounted at the queuing area, allowing visitors to take a break from freezing weather while overlooking the park’s scenery. Saturday also marks the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. The day not only means another solar term but also marks an important festive day on Chinese lunar calendar. Just one hour after the park opened, the queue for the Super Ice Slide stretched hundreds of meters. An aerial drone photo shows the emblem of the 9th Asian Winter Games made of ice at the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. — Xinhua photo In addition to ice-and-snow landscapes, the park has added fantasy shows, virtual reality projects and an immersive digital art museum to its inventory of winter wonders, offering new and exciting experiences for both global and domestic visitors. The “Snow Disco” event, which attracted thousands of tourists last winter, will also be held at the Dream Stage in the park for this year’s edition. “How lucky! Today is the last day of my trip to Harbin, and I didn’t expect to witness the opening of the Ice-Snow World. I’m so happy that it feels like I’m celebrating the Lunar New Year in advance,” said Dai Xiaoqin, a tourist from Wuhan City in Hubei Province. “We wish to showcase the enthusiasm and confidence of the people in participating in ice-and-snow sports, and integrate a variety of new elements into this edition of the park,” said Guo Hongwei, Party secretary and chairman of Harbin Ice-Snow World Co., Ltd. Staff members greet tourists at the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. — Xinhua photo An adult park ticket is priced at 328 yuan (about 45.6 U.S. dollars). The park also offers discounted tickets and free admission to certain groups of visitors. As an established ice-and-snow theme park, Harbin Ice-Snow World stands out as one of China’s iconic winter attractions. It surged in popularity on Chinese social media last winter, becoming an internet sensation as passion for winter sports and tourism continues to rise across the country. Last year, China recorded over 385 million winter leisure visits nationwide, a year-on-year increase of 38 percent, with related revenue up 50 percent. Tourists visit the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. — Xinhua photo In Harbin alone, last snow season saw over 87 million visitors, up 300 percent year on year, and 124.8 billion yuan in tourism revenue, up 500 percent. The 25th edition of the Harbin Ice-Snow World, in particular, received over 2.7 million tourists. To accelerate growth of winter economy in the country’s northeastern region, the Chinese government has recently unveiled initiatives including establishing dedicated ice-and-snow holidays, increasing flight routes and optimizing visa-free policies, all aimed at attracting more domestic and international visitors. — Xinhua

Building on unparalleled nuclear experience, James Owen to lead Fuse's strategy to build technology solutions for sustainable, clean, reliable energy SAN LEANDRO, Calif. , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fuse , a leading nuclear fusion company dedicated to accelerating the world's transition to fusion energy while safeguarding humankind, today announced the appointment of Los Alamos National Laboratory's (LANL) Chief Engineer for Nuclear Weapons, James Owen , as President of Fuse Federal, the company's wholly-owned subsidiary focused on U.S. government business. " James Owen's unparalleled background in nuclear engineering and his leadership at Los Alamos National Lab make him the ideal person to spearhead our federal business," said JC Btaiche, Founder and CEO of Fuse. "His experience and unique background at LANL will be invaluable as we strive to solve one of humanity's grandest challenges: fusion energy." At Los Alamos , Owen was responsible for the oversight of all weapons engineering activities in support of the Lab's national security mission to ensure America's nuclear deterrent remains effective and secure. Notably, Owen led and delivered four stockpile modernization programs while sustaining the United States' legacy deterrent through surveillance, weapons response, and more. Owen oversaw six divisions at Los Alamos with over 1,300 staff members and an annual budget of $1 billion dollars . LANL's heritage stretches back to the Manhattan Project, and now Owen will be working on what many consider humanity's next Manhattan Project: unlocking clean and abundant fusion energy. As President of Fuse Federal, Owen will leverage his extensive experience in nuclear technologies to lead the company's efforts in providing critical products and testing services for components of the nuclear stockpile and other defense infrastructure. He will focus on expanding the company's radiation services, a critical component of nuclear fusion energy, for government customers while also contributing to Fuse's overall strategy for commercializing fusion energy technology as a source of clean energy. Owen will join Fuse's executive team to drive the expansion of fusion and pulsed power products and services for the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and other customers. Owen expressed enthusiasm about joining Fuse: "Since beginning as a summer student in 1988, I have been privileged to work with the most amazing people on the most important mission for the nation," Owen said. "And I am looking forward to working on one of the most difficult yet important technological challenges facing humanity and our planet – fusion energy." The Honorable Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, Fuse board member and former Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security, added: "Fuse will provide critically needed and groundbreaking technologies to the national security ecosystem and will support a clean energy future. I am thrilled that James Owen , a pioneer in the nuclear security community has joined the Fuse team, bringing invaluable experience and expertise which will enable the nuclear enterprise to accelerate and execute important missions." About Fuse Fuse is a California -based nuclear fusion company dedicated to accelerating the world's transition to fusion energy while safeguarding humankind. Through its subsidiary, Fuse Federal, the company provides essential radiation services to U.S. government agencies, supporting critical defense and energy initiatives. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/los-alamos-chief-engineer-joins-nuclear-fusion-startup-fuse-to-lead-federal-business-302313709.html SOURCE Fuse Energy Technologies CorporationAeroVironment Inc CFO Kevin McDonnell sells $78,697 in stock

President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100 percent tariff on the BRICS group nations if they undercut the US dollar. “We require a commitment... that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty US Dollar or, they will face 100 percent Tariffs,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social website, referring to the grouping that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and others. The statement comes after a BRICS summit held last month in Kazan, Russia, where the countries discussed boosting non-dollar transactions and strengthening local currencies. The BRICS group has expanded significantly since its inception in 2009, and now includes countries such as Iran, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Altogether the BRICS coalition accounts for a significant minority of the world’s economic output. At the Kazan summit in October, Moscow secured a joint declaration encouraging the “strengthening of correspondent banking networks within BRICS and enabling settlements in local currencies in line with BRICS Cross-Border Payments Initiative.” But at the end of the summit Putin indicated that little progress had been made on launching a possible competitor to the Belgium-based SWIFT financial messaging system. “As for SWIFT and any alternatives, we have not created and are not creating any alternatives,” Putin told reporters at the end of the summit. He added: “As for a unified BRICS currency, we are not considering that question at the moment.” Trump has vowed to pursue a protectionist agenda, threatening hefty tariffs on neighbors and rivals. If BRICS countries continue with their plans, Trump warned, they “should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful US Economy,” he wrote. “They can go find another ‘sucker!’ There is no chance that the BRICS will replace the US Dollar in International Trade, and any Country that tries should wave goodbye to America.”Krispy Kreme’s Minnesota Comeback In case you haven’t heard: Krispy Kreme is coming back to Minnesota early next year after exiting the market nearly 20 years ago. The North Carolina-based donut maker is opening up a retail and dine-in location with a drive-thru in Fridley, but it’ll primarily be a donut production factory for its product to be sold at ancillary locations, such as other restaurants and retail stores. Despite when Krispy Kreme first came to the state in 2002, the donut company abruptly shut down its Minnesota location in Maple Grove just six years later. So, what happened then, and why is the donut maker coming back now? According to Jonathan Maze, editor-in-chief at , it was an issue of “overestimation.” Krispy Kreme has developed a cult-like reputation for its glazed donuts. The iconic brand and the scarcity of Krispy Kreme in Minnesota is what drove first-week sales of more than $480,000 at its Maple Grove location in 2002. But once that novelty wears off, what happens? “The mistake that [Krispy Kreme] made was in assuming that it going to be able to generate and keep generating those sales from those existing locations,” said Maze. You can only eat donuts so many times, he added, unlike coffee which is often purchased repeatedly throughout the week. Krispy Kreme is also one of the few donut chains that makes its donuts fresh in-house, but donuts have a low shelf-life and usually aren’t as good on day two, said Maze. Freshly baked donuts vary with Dunkin’ locations, for example, which can help keep costs low. Although Krispy Kreme did sell some donuts at ancillary locations like gas stations, it wasn’t enough to sustain the brand in Minnesota. “It had a tough time paying for these [Krispy Kreme stores] because they’re really expensive, and you needed really strong sales to be able to pay for those giant donut balances,” said Maze. In 2008, Krispy Kreme was struggling, and not just in Minnesota. , which also caused Krispy Kreme stock to fall. There was also a health movement at the time, where Krispy Kreme along with other fast food chains switched out ingredients for more healthy alternatives. “Krispy Kreme had to pull back massively. It exited a ton of markets, Minneapolis included, and the result is we lost our Krispy Kreme, and it never really came back,” he said. In early 2024, Krispy Kreme and McDonald’s announced an where the latter will begin selling Krispy’s donuts in its restaurants. A phased market rollout has already begun, and nationwide availability at participating restaurants is expected at the end of 2026. This partnership is what’s helping fuel Krispy Kreme’s return to the Minnesota market. “Essentially, Krispy Kreme created a hub-and-spoke model where it just opens a smaller number of these giant donut palaces and then it uses these donut facilities to ship donuts every day to ancillary sites,” said Maze, adding that the company piloted out the model successfully in the United Kingdom. Krispy Kreme calls it the Delivered Fresh Daily (DFD) door expansion, which it began heavily rolling out in the U.S. in 2022. The new McDonald’s partnership is accelerating that initiative, and it appears to be working so far. In 2024, the company had a —a positive net income after three consecutive years of losses and its first positive quarter this year. That’s why Krispy Kreme is taking over a former CVS location in Fridley. It’s right near Interstate 694, making it more accessible for quick transportation to ancillary sites. Currently, Fridley is still waiting on a contractor to be selected to issue the building permit for the Krispy Kreme store, according to Stacy Stromberg, planning manager for the city of Fridley. Maze also predicts the Fridley location will be Krispy Kreme’s only Minnesota location, applying lesson learned by making its product still somewhat limited. “Krispy Kreme has quietly done a really good job of figuring this out,” he said. “It’s perfected this hub-and-spoke model.” Krispy Kreme’s reentrance will likely be met with much excitement. That glazed donut hype is what drove one enterprising Minnesota college student to drive across state lines to Iowa—the nearest Krispy Kreme location—to pick up . Maze also added that he doesn’t think the Fridley location will do any damage to other existing donut brands in Minnesota, but actually generate more demand. “Krispy Kreme is gonna get us all thinking about donuts for a while,” he said.Have you ever heard the expression, “Music calms the savage beast”? The saying means music can be so powerful, it can soothe anyone – no matter how upset, distressed or worked up they may be. In today’s tale, we’ll meet a musician whose sounds don’t just ‘calm the savage beast.’ They make it dance! Our tale is called “Dancing to a Different Tune.” It’s inspired by tales from the South American country of Brazil... though you’ll find versions in many other places, including Denmark, Egypt, England, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Russia and the Ozark Mountains of the United States. Voices in this episode include Ryan Dalusung, Todd Scofield and Hilary Hahn. Three-time Grammy Award-winning violinist Hilary Hahn has made a career of connecting with fans and musicians of all ages – from her recordings of the first three Suzuki violin books to her “Bring Your Own Baby” concerts and “ 100 Days of Practice ” project on social media. Not only does Hilary play the main character in our story; she also did us the honor of playing the violin! This episode was adapted for Circle Round by Rebecca Sheir, with help from our composer and sound designer Eric Shimelonis. It was edited by Dean Russell. Our artist is Sabina Hahn. GROWN-UPS! PRINT THIS so everyone can color while listening. We’re also keeping an album so please share your picture on Facebook and Instagram , and tag it with #CircleRoundPodcast. To access all the coloring pages for past episodes click HERE. Our resident artist is Sabina Hahn and you can learn more about her HERE. Now it’s your turn! Luciana was passionate about making music. What’s something you’re passionate about? Perhaps you enjoy being in nature, or practicing gymnastics. Maybe you love doing art or gathering with family during the holidays. Find some paper and draw a picture of you and your passion. When you’re finished, share it with someone you have fun with. And if you’d like, share it with us! Ask a grown-up to snap a photo of you and your drawing and email it to circleround@wbur.org . With your permission, we may feature it in “The Lion’s Roar,” the monthly newsletter of the Circle Round Club. Learn more about this super-fun opportunity for super-fans like you here . Musical Spotlight: Violin Since its invention in Italy in the 16th century, the violin has been a significant player in many styles of music. The violin is the smallest member of the string family (or “chordophones”), which also includes the viola, cello and bass. All members of the string family are played either by drawing a bow over the strings, or by plucking the strings with your fingers, in a technique called pizzicato. The violin’s body is usually made from different types of wood. The strings are most often made from nylon, steel or gut (a type of cord prepared from the natural fiber found in animal intestines!). An individual who builds or repairs violins is called a luthier (from the French word for “lute”). A person who makes or repairs bows is called an archetier (from the French word for “bow”). Story Transcript: NARRATOR: Luciana lived with her father Lucio out in the countryside, where they ran a cozy little farm with a modest piece of land for growing crops, a tiny orchard for picking fruit, and a small flock of sheep for making milk and cheese. Of all Luciana’s chores, her favorite was herding the sheep. LUCIANA: Come along, Tulip and Petunia! You too, Magnolia and Bluebell! There are some yummy dandelions just over this hill. You fluff balls are going to love them! NARRATOR: But her true passion wasn’t growing crops or picking fruit or even herding her beloved “fluff balls.” Her true passion... was music. Ever since she was little, Luciana longed to play... the violin. It thrilled her to think about gliding her elegant bow back and forth as her fingers danced across the strings. But every time she asked Lucio if she could have a violin of her own...? LUCIO: (warmly) I’m sorry, my dear. But even though we’ve been scrimping and saving, we could never afford a violin. Never. NARRATOR: The years went by, and Lucio grew old and frail. One day, as he was resting his creaky bones in bed, he called his daughter to his side. LUCIO: (older, weaker, but still spirited) Luciana. You are the apple of my eye. The light of my life. But I believe I’m drawing closer to the end of that life. LUCIANA: Come now, Father. Your body has slowed down a bit. But your mind is as quick as ever! LUCIO: That’s sweet of you to say, my dear. But you and I both know I won’t be around forever. And when I go, there isn’t much I can leave you in the way of worldly riches. Other than this farm, of course. LUCIANA: And I adore this place! I grew up here! I don’t need anything else. LUCIO: But you DO need something else, Luciana. And that is why, once I’m gone, I want you to sell whatever you need – the land, the orchard, even the sheep – and buy yourself a violin . NARRATOR: Luciana’s heart did a somersault in her chest. LUCIANA: Are you serious? You want me to buy a violin? LUCIO: (warmly) Having a violin has always been your dream, has it not? And to be honest, buying one for you has always been MY dream. NARRATOR: Luciana wiped away a tear. Then she reached down and wrapped Lucio in a hug. LUCIANA: Oh, Father. Thank you so much! I love you. LUCIO: And I love YOU, my child. Forever. NARRATOR: Not long after that, Lucio was gone. Luciana had never felt so heartbroken or alone. But she did as her dearly-departed father instructed. She sold the land and orchard – though she held onto the sheep. LUCIANA: Tulip and Petunia? Leave some clover for Magnolia and Bluebell! You fluff balls are hogging the whole patch! NARRATOR: Luciana made just enough money from the sale to set aside a handful of coins for savings... and spend the rest on a violin. Her first notes on her new instrument were shaky and uncertain. But Luciana practiced... ...and practiced... ...and with each passing day, week, month and year, she felt more and more in command. The music that sailed forth from Luciana’s violin was rich and beautiful. But there was a melancholy to it: a sense of sorrow and loss. You see, when Luciana’s father was alive, she had shared everything with him: her thoughts, her hopes, her dreams. Now that Lucio was no longer around, she had no one to turn to... save for her violin. So she poured her heart and soul into her playing, day after day after day. But while Luciana’s musical prowess was growing... her savings were dwindling. LUCIANA : Ugh. I need to find some work and bring in some cash. In my wildest dreams I would become a professional musician , and earn money doing something I love! But let’s face it. There aren’t exactly a ton of opportunities for a violinist out here in the country. NARRATOR: Luciana frowned, picked up her violin, and went outside. Perhaps practicing in the warm summer air would help soothe her worries. But soon after she settled on the porch and began to play... LUCIANA: Tulip? What are you doing here? Did you come to hear my music? Petunia! You’re here, too? And Magnolia? And Bluebell? I had no idea you fluff balls were music fans! If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were dancing ! NARRATOR: Indeed, as note after sweet note filled the air, the sheep were bobbing their heads and swaying back and forth. LUCIANA: Well... if you fluff balls really want to cut a rug... this melancholy music will never do. (beat) I think it’s finally time to try something different. NARRATOR : Luciana paused for a moment, then began playing again. And for the first time ever, the music coming from Luciana's violin wasn’t aching with grief. It was bursting with gaiety! Brimming with so much life and energy that the notes seemed to skip, jump and leap through the air. And get this: the notes weren’t the only things skipping, jumping and leaping. The sheep were, too! Tulip, Petunia, Magnolia and Bluebell were all bouncing from hoof to hoof and shimmying their rumps as they danced in time to the music. Little did Luciana know, but her audience was about to get a whole lot bigger... and WILDER! What do you think will happen as Luciana keeps playing? We’ll find out what it is, after a quick break. [BREAK] NARRATOR: Welcome back to Circle Round. I’m Rebecca Sheir. Today our story is called “Dancing to a Different Tune.” Before the break, Luciana was grieving the loss of her father, Lucio. As she played sad, melancholy music on her violin, her sheep came over and began to sway back and forth. Luciana was so delighted by the sight that she began playing more gayly... and the sheep followed suit! They started prancing and dancing all over the lawn. And as the music continued, who should come scurrying over to join the flock... but a horde of mice! ...followed by a family of frogs... ...then a flock of birds... ...then a pack of wolves... ...then a tangle of snakes... Soon, animals from all corners of the countryside were running, crawling, jumping, winging and slithering Luciana’s way... then boogieing to the music! Luciana rose to her feet and began marching around the cavorting, capering critters. The animals formed themselves into a long line... following right behind her! Advertisement LUCIANA: Oh! So we’re going to have a little parade, are we? Or a big one, more like. (beat) Either way, follow me! NARRATOR: With her elegant bow gliding back and forth and her fingers dancing across the strings, Luciana led the animals away from the farm and across the countryside. They jigged through meadows carpeted with flowers and forests thick with trees... they jived past rivers teeming with fish and mountains capped with snow. Next thing Luciana knew, they were parading past the royal palace, with its gleaming stone towers and walls. And standing atop one of those walls... was the king! He was surrounded by his royal guards. And much to Luciana’s surprise, he was tossing back his crowned head... KING: (laughter) NARRATOR: ...and laughing ! KING: (laughter) Welcome to the palace, my friends! (laughs) You must be the most entertaining visitors we have ever received! NARRATOR: Luciana was so stunned she stopped playing... ...and the animals went still. KING: Oh no! Please don’t stop the music! OR the dancing! Something tells me you are JUST what my daughter needs! NARRATOR: Luciana had no idea what the king was talking about. She gave a little curtsy, then flashed him a nervous smile. LUCIANA: Your Majesty! I appreciate your interest in our merry band! I truly do! (beat) But with all due respect... how could the animals and I possibly be of service... to a princess? NARRATOR: The king’s face grew grim. KING: (sigh) Haven’t you heard? It’s been years since the princess LAUGHED! Ever since her mother died, my daughter has been melancholy, full of sorrow. NARRATOR: Luciana felt a twinge in her heart. She too knew that feeling – all too well. KING: I have offered a generous reward to anyone who can make the princess laugh again. Countless people have shown her their funniest tricks, told her their most hilarious jokes. She won’t even crack a smile. But something tells me you will fare better. (beat) Well – you and your dancing menagerie! Never before have I seen or heard such JOY!!!!! NARRATOR: The king turned to one of his guards and whispered in his ear. The guard bustled into the palace. When he reappeared, he had the princess in tow. Her eyes were cast downward and her shoulders were slumped. The king laid a gentle hand on her arm. KING: My dear daughter. I have a surprise for you. I think you’ll like it. NARRATOR: The king gestured toward Luciana. The violinist smiled, took a breath, then lifted her bow to the strings... and began to play. At the sound of such joyful and sprightly strains, the princess lifted her gaze. At the sight of hundreds of animals frisking and frolicking to the beat, she straightened her shoulders. With each new note and phrase, her eyes grew brighter... her lips curled into an arc... and for the first time in years, not only did the princess smile ... PRINCESS: (laughter) NARRATOR: ...but she laughed! PRINCESS: (laughter) NARRATOR: She laughed and laughed and laughed. And when the music finally came to an end... ...she threw herself into her father’s arms. The king beamed, and turned to Luciana with admiring eyes. KING: You’ve done it! You’ve made my daughter laugh! Tell me, oh talented one, what reward do you wish to have? What is something your heart truly desires? NARRATOR: Luciana blushed. LUCIANA: Honestly, Your Majesty? The one thing my heart desires... is music! I long to make music my livelihood: earning my daily bread by playing and performing and sharing my music with the world! KING: Is that so...? NARRATOR: The king tapped a bejeweled finger to his chin. KING: In that case... my daughter and I shall become your patrons! LUCIANA: “Patrons,” Your Majesty? KING: Yes! We shall provide the money you need to devote yourself to your music. We’ll make sure you’re able to practice and keep your violin in top shape. And naturally, we'll want you to perform all across the kingdom! To share this joy. What do you think? NARRATOR: Luciana’s heart felt like one of her dancing animals: it was jumping and leaping and bouncing inside her chest. She gratefully accepted the king’s offer. And from that day forward, she played her violin for audiences far and wide. But Luciana didn’t just provide them with music. She provided them with inspiration! Inspiration to dance, inspiration to dream, and inspiration to follow their hearts and maybe, just maybe, make music of their own.