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Centuries-Old Wisdom on The Meaning of the Lord's Prayer
Home / Church Blog / Uncategorized / Centuries-Old…
Here is some helpful insight from the Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647) on the meaning of the Lord's Prayer.
Q. 99. What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?
A. The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called the Lord's Prayer.
Q. 100. What doth the preface of the Lord's Prayer teach us?
A. The preface of the Lord's Prayer, which is, Our Father which art in heaven, teacheth us to draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us; and that we should pray with and for others.
Q. 101. What do we pray for in the first petition?
A. In the first petition, which is, Hallowed be thy name, we pray that God would enable us, and others, to glorify him in all that whereby he maketh himself known; and that he would dispose all things to his own glory.
Q. 102. What do we pray for in the second petition?
A. In the second petition, which is, Thy kingdom come, we pray that Satan's kingdom may be destroyed; and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it; and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened.
Q. 103. What do we pray for in the third petition?
A. In the third petition, which is, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven, we pray that God, by his grace, would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to his will in all things, as the angels do in heaven.
Q. 104. What do we pray for in the fourth petition?
A. In the fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our daily bread, we pray that of God's free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy his blessing with them.
Q. 105. What do we pray for in the fifth petition?
A. In the fifth petition, which is, And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, we pray that God, for Christ's sake, would freely pardon all our sins;f which we are the rather encouraged to ask, because by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.
Q. 106. What do we pray for in the sixth petition?
A. In the sixth petition, which is, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, we pray that God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.
Q. 107. What doth the conclusion of the Lord's Prayer teach us?
A. The conclusion of the Lord's Prayer, which is, For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen, teacheth us to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to him; and, in testimony of our desire, and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen.
Mary's Faith (Dec. 2, 2018)
Don Whitney's-Praying the Bible

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Keeping unused opioid medications could have very dangerous outcomes.
Did you know? Every year, the DEA holds a national Prescription Drug Take Back Day - get your leftovers ready to return on April 24, 2019!
If your physician has prescribed opioids for your pain, chances are you store them in your bathroom medicine cabinet. And if you find that you don't finish all the medication, you may be thinking that the medicine cabinet is the best place to keep the pills in case you need them in the future. Experts, however, say you should reconsider where you keep these medicines, and they recommend disposing of any unused medication.
For starters, "If you are on chronic opioids, you should have lockable storage, such as a safe, and that is where they should be," says Lawrence W. Epstein, MD, FIPP, director of outpatient services in the Pain Management Division, Department of Anesthesiology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. This will help avoid any diversion, that is, letting the medication fall into the hands of a family member or friend.
Almost one-third of older Americans filled a prescription for opioids in the past two years, but many didn't receive adequate counseling on the risks of taking them, how to reduce their use, and what to do with unused pills, according to a University of Michigan poll.
About half (49%) of the adults had leftover medication and 86% of these individuals said they kept the pills in case their pain returned. Approximately 9% threw the pills in the trash or flushed them down the toilet, while just 13% took them to an approved disposal facility (see below).
Individuals on chronic opioid therapy should also ask their doctor about take-home naloxone, an emergency overdose medication that can be used if an opioid-related accident should occur.
If you have unused opioid medication, don't flush it down the toilet or toss it in the trash. Instead, find out if your pharmacy or your police station has a "give back" program. Some states do, so learn whether yours is on the list. Your pharmacy is not obligated to take back the medication but it is possible they will—so be sure to call ahead.
The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) offers an online search tool titled: "Looking for a permanent drug disposal site?" You can enter your zip code and see how many miles the nearest disposal site exists.
If you cannot locate a give-back program, you may render the medication unusable, Dr. Epstein says. You can then crush the pills, mix them with coffee grounds or cat litter, and place them into the trash, he advises.
Saving unused opioids that have been prescribed to you is not recommended, Dr. Epstein says. If you should decide to use them at a future time, you need to consider the consequences of how they might interact with whatever other medications you take, he says.
Individuals who are seeing several doctors for various conditions and are on multiple medications need to ensure that all their doctors know each and every medication they're taking. Respiratory depression, which is extremely dangerous, can result from mixing certain drugs, explains Michael Genovese, MD, JD, chief medical officer at Acadia Healthcare and Medical director of the Officer Safety and Wellness Committee of the FBI National Academy Associates. "If you are getting Valium from one doctor for anxiety and then you are prescribed opioids for pain, this could be very dangerous," he says.
Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, "Leftover opioids? Most older adults hang onto them." July 30, 2018. http://ihpi.umich.edu/news/opioids-older-adults-poll-finds-support-prescribing-limits-need-better-counseling-disposal-options. Accessed October 17, 2018.


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Gnathoncus — род жуков-карапузиков из подсемейства Saprininae.

Описание
Верх в явственной пунктировке. Передние голени с зубцами по наружному краю и с желобком для вкладывания лапки.

Виды
Некоторые виды рода:

Примечания

Карапузики
Роды жесткокрылых

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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The Surprising Device The Office Creators Think Helped The Show's Popularity
By Brooke Mondor/July 26, 2021 3:59 pm EST
Since its debut in 2005, "The Office" has been considered one of the funniest sitcoms of all time. Inspired by the original UK series of the same name, "The Office" details the exploits of the employees of the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in a characteristic mockumentary-style format.
Over the show's nine-season run, we watched Michael Scott (Steve Carell), Jim Halpert (John Krasinski), Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer), Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson), and the rest of the Dunder Mifflin gang as they went about their lives — some got married, some got promoted, and others probably shouldn't have been hired in the first place. It was a great ride, and the show still has a devoted fan base to this day.
While tons of people love "The Office," some don't understand how the deadpan sitcom got so popular in the first place. As it turns out, the writers of "The Office" have their own theory, and it's probably not what you'd expect.
An electronic device boosted The Office's popularity
As reported by Yahoo, Greg Daniels and Michael Schur — two writers and producers who worked on "The Office" — recently appeared on an episode of CNN's "History of the Sitcom," where they revealed the reason they believe the show started gaining popularity. "I wrote a Christmas episode where Michael had bought Ryan a video iPod, which had just come out," Schur explained. "About four days later, Apple announces that it has made content deals with NBC. The first episode back was the highest-rated episode because everyone had spent weeks doing nothing but watching The Office on their video iPods."
In the famous Christmas episode, the brand new (at the time) fifth generation iPod was featured, which also happened to be the first iPod that offered a video-watching feature (per Yahoo). Furthermore, the producers were stunned to learn that the people watching "The Office" were high school and college-aged kids, connecting the younger audience with the technology featured on the show.
Though most people probably don't watch "The Office" on iPods these days, you can catch up with the Dunder Mifflin crew on Peacock.


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Date: Friday, April 6th, 2018 at 5:49 am | Category: Uncategorized | RSS Feed: RSS 2.0 feed.


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Skovbo is a former municipality (Danish, kommune) in Roskilde County on the island of Zealand (Sjælland) in east Denmark.  It covered an area of 132 km², and had a total population of 14,873 (2005).  Its last mayor was Ole Hansen, a member of the Venstre (Liberal Party) political party.

The main town and the site of its municipal council was the town of Borup.

Neighboring municipalities were Køge to the east, Solrød, Ramsø, Lejre, and Hvalsø to the north, and Ringsted and Haslev to the west.

On January 1, 2007 Skovbo municipality, as the result of Kommunalreformen ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007), merged with the existing municipality of Køge to form the new Køge municipality.   This created a municipality with an area of 255 km² and a total population of 54,926 (2005).  The new municipality belongs to the new Region Sjælland ("Zealand Region").

External links

 The new Køge municipality's official website (Danish only)

References
 Municipal statistics: NetBorger Kommunefakta, delivered from KMD aka Kommunedata (Municipal Data)
 Municipal mergers and neighbors: Eniro new municipalities map

Former municipalities of Denmark


Foliage is important to us. Sarah and I both seek out places where lots of greenery (via a mini garden, or an abundance of potted plants) has been incorporated into the overall design of a space. We do so partly because we just like lots of plants, and largely because public outdoor areas with grass and trees in Phnom Penh are few. The latter is unfortunate because such spaces allow people the opportunity to disconnect from the grind of city life, and connect with nature instead; they help us relax and energise when car fumes and construction noises make us frazzled and fatigued. In other words, green spaces have a positive impact on one's overall wellbeing, and we wish we had more of them here. Until we do, here are a few spots in Phnom Penh we like for all the lush leaves they've got going on - enough to provide a little rejuvenation and respite from the dusty hustle and bustle of Phnom Penh. They are also places you can grab a coffee, a bite and a cocktail, so, win win win!
Relatively new on the block, Kinin is a fresh addition to the increasingly "happening" Toul Tom Poung scene. A dynamic little space has been created here with layers of foliage and trees at varying heights and angles, and a range of seating areas - including one spot specifically designed for lounging under the canopies. A deli is situated on site, and a wine shop is opening soon!
The French Institute isn't just an exhibition space, a library, a cinema and a restaurant! It is also a garden. This venue is open to visitors six days a week, and has a really lovely and peaceful green space with tall leafy trees, and plenty of places under shade to sit (or recline!) and relax.
Truly and oasis in the Penh, Kabiki hotel has enough of a garden to have a little walk about in. Situated under a lush canopy is a refreshing viridian-tiled swimming pool - the color of which, combined with the vibrant vegetation, reminds one of some blissfully verdurous spot along the Taitai river.
Eleven One Kitchen not only has lots of beautiful fresh foliage - it also has shade, and fans! (Hooray!) Pops of colour are to be found too, from the hibiscus growing in the corners, to the carnations sweetly placed on the tables.
Farm To Table is home to many trees and plants - some of which are edible and buyable. There are also a few chickens wondering around from time to time, which is usually amusing (occasionally stressing, if you take your dogs along, as I do!) The animals and the small garden patch make for the farm-like vibe. It's a kiddie-friendly, chilled-out, refreshing place to be.
The entrance to Botanico - a winding pathway lined with palms and large leaves in varying shades of red and green - is one of my favourite things about this venue. Once you are in, more palms line the walls and fill the corners while others emerge from a small water feature situated to one side. It's a cosy venue, where one is never too far from all the many hues of tropical foliage.
If you know of any other green spaces in the Penh that we haven't included here, drop us a line and tell us about them! We'd love to know of more!


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An Enlightened Music Agency
IDGY DEAN
T0W3RS
Atypical Sounds
19 Apr 2017 Featured, Latest, lifestyle trends, Music Related News	atypical beasts, Atypical Beasts Agency, atypical sounds, atypicalsounds, defunding, feminism, feminist, Innovate, Innovation, magazine, new york, nyc, online, Online Magazine, Planned Parenthood, start up, startup	0
Asia Ewart
At 21, I walked a childhood friend into Planned Parenthood when she feared she might be pregnant. With our shaky hands intertwined—hers seeking support and mine offering it—we walked inside, straight into the place we knew would have the answers should her fears be confirmed.
On April 13, President Donald Trump approved a bill giving states the legal right to withhold funding for Planned Parenthoods clinics should they choose. For men and women in more conservative territories, their means of receiving a free and reduced price yearly physicals, pap smears, mammograms, condoms abortion services have been taken away. In the name of "religious freedom", their access to affordable reproductive healthcare is gone.
It's a move many of Americans who didn't vote for Trump in 2016's election feared would become a reality. While every Republican isn't anti-pro-choice, the President has proven himself to be staunchly anti-pro-choice. As well as also being an advocate for "family values"—which, by action and not words, means homophobic, transphobic, and against feminism—and one who has displayed sexist, classist, and rape culture-sympathetic behavior, Trump at the helm of the country's operations spells danger for women.
President Trump's witch hunt against Planned Parenthood and feminist adjacent aides to female healthcare, despite what his cabinet insists isn't true, is, in fact, a war on women. When he proposed keeping the organization's funding in place as long as they got rid of abortion services, it was the latest battle waged in this war. Taking services and entire organizations that directly assist women's healthcare and cut them because they don't fit the narrative of "family values" is why advocates are rising up.
Musical artists from Best Coast to Katy Perry, actors like American Ferrera and Scarlett Johansson, and political figures like former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) are among the most vocal advocates for the continued funding of Planned Parenthood clinics in the U.S. They know the importance of having condoms, breast exams, STD and STI tests and treatments, and yes, abortion services, available to those who need them.
Because personal judgments shouldn't interfere with the health of your fellow man and woman.
So what can we as a people do now that the war is on?
We can donate to Planned Parenthood. You can sign petitions and advocate with groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and the Human Rights Campaign. You can volunteer at your local Planned Parenthood clinic or attend an appointment there. You can use the hashtag #WeWontGoBack to spread the organization's message on social media, and/or speak with family and friends (this guide is handy all year round!) about the benefits of Planned Parenthood and the current government's involvement.
Even though my childhood friend wasn't pregnant all those years ago, she knew that Planned Parenthood had her back if push came to shove. She knew that the state of her health was important to them. President Trump can't take away what the American people put up a fight to protect. Planned Parenthood is a savior for so many, and we're not backing down to save it.
Check out our playlist that is filled with badass songs about empowering women and giving us the right to choose what we do with our bodies.
19 Apr 2017 Latest, Tech News	atypical beasts, Atypical Beasts Agency, atypical sounds, brooklyn, e commerce, indie, Innovation, magazine, Marketing, review, start up, tech	0
Clint Owens
Have you ever been interested in learning more about digital marketing? Perhaps you're interested in building a website or tracking social media analytics for your business.
If you're just starting out, navigating the world of digital marketing can be confusing.
To help us navigate this field more in-depth, ATYPICAL SOUNDS caught up with Ashley Panter, an Athens, Georgia-based digital marketing specialist with substantial professional experience in areas including website design, graphic design, and social media marketing.
Panter currently works as the marketing manager of UGA Small Business Development Center, and as the creative director of her company, Blu Mountain Expressions. She is also currently a master's candidate in the Emerging Media program at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Here are several tips Panter swears have been instrumental in her own development as a marketing specialist and an entrepreneur.
1. For someone new to digital marketing, what are essential tips about your field?
"For someone new to digital marketing, knowing which social networks your audience is on is key," Panter says. "Taking it one step further, knowing which days and times your audience is online are also critical. You don't want to be pushing out content at times when your audience isn't present."
According to Panter, maintaining a balance between content consistency and diversity is essential to engaging your target audience. Pushing content through multiple channels, i.e. graphic design, website design, UX, email marketing, etc., is a good strategy for maintaining a wider audience.
"My last tip for someone new to digital marketing is to not discount the value of your website," she says.
She referenced her recent article "How Poor Website Design Will Affect Your Business".
2. Talk about building your freelance network. How long did it take? How did you gain new clients?
Panter started by creating free flyers for professors' courses around Augusta State University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in communications with a minor in art.
"The first client I picked up was a professor's church friend who owned a medical billing business," she says. "I created a website for her for a menial fee of $300. At the time, that was a lot of money for me though. She was so happy with her website, she referred two of her friends to me. And the chain then continued."
After two years of freelancing, she had built a network of roughly 20 steady clients, doing work ranging from "websites to business cards, logos, brochures, ads, promotional products, etc."
According to Panter, being willing to be flexible on pricing, or even do jobs for free, is essential to building your client list when starting out.
"[Technology] also helps you pinpoint your exact target audience which ensures you are pushing out the right content and messaging to be the most engaging to your target group"—Ashley Panter, Blu Mountain Expressions
3. What is the role of tech in your job? How has technology made it easier to work as an entrepreneur?
"Technology plays a huge role in my day-to-day job, but an even bigger role in my freelance gigs," Panter says. "The ability to reach people via social media by a targeted digital ad based on a user's age, location, interests is huge."
She explains that things like the ability to take notes on an iPad and capture quality video and audio with her smartphone make her job as a marketer and business owner much easier.
"Can you imagine being a marketer and being asked to create a flyer and market an event before technology? No InDesign, no Photoshop, no Illustrator, no social media, no email marketing. Wow, that would be a tough job."
4. Talk about work-life balance. How do you manage your daily life while being a successful business woman?
"Usually, I take on 3-4 freelance projects monthly, which require 30 to 90 minutes of time each," Panter explains. "So, as you can see, I live by a pretty packed schedule, but find it easy to manage as long as I can keep everything organized and the line of communication open."
She says that maintaining a work-life balance while completing a master's degree is sometimes tough to manage, but she manages her commitments by being extremely organized and communicative.
Check out more articles on ATYPICAL SOUNDS.
Interested in checking out more of Ashley Panter's work? Check out her blog here.
17 Apr 2017 Artist News, Latest, Music Related News	arts, atypical beasts, Atypical Beasts Agency, atypical sounds, atypicalsounds, brooklyn, David Byrne, Donald Trump, flotus, funding, indie, Innovate, Innovation, Julie Andrews, magazine, music, national endowment of the arts, nea, new york, nyc, online, potus, president, Robert Redford, st louis symphony, start up, startup, sundance, trump, Wynton Marsalis	0
Brian Furman
President Donald Trump is not the most popular person in the U.S., which is funny considering how he won the presidency.
Nevertheless, he is the president, and the president gets to make a budget to float to Congress. Just last month, Trump floated a budget that would completely cut funding to the Corporation For Public Broadcasting, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts, a notion that hasn't been spoken about since LBJ. The NEA budget is $150 million, which factors out to every American being charged $0.46 as a result. It's a small piece of the overall big picture and would kill art projects across the country.
Many of these cuts would have direct impacts on various TV and radio mainstays like PBS and NPR, in addition to the many shows that have loyal fan bases across America, like the beloved "Sesame Street".
There have been multiple musicians and artists that have been vocal about their distaste for funding cuts; like us, they would love to see the annual budget increase, not decrease. We would like to showcase these musicians and artists and stand toe-to-toe with them in the fight against cutting any funding for these great programs that have driven art projects across America.
We ask the question "What is more American than the freedom to show the world how you feel about being American?" At ATYPICAL SOUNDS, we say fuck that shit, and so do many others in the arts community.
Byrne is the charismatic frontman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-inducted band Talking Heads. He is a powerful voice in the music community and has also extended his influence well into other sectors of the arts. Byrne has been one of the most vocal against the cuts, attending a rally at New York's City Hall in protest. Byrne also penned a wonderful essay entitled "What Good Are the Arts?" on his website adding that killing the economy in the arts sector is "completely stupid". He continues "It's probably the best investment the government makes—as far as a means of generating jobs, growth and social good […]".
Wynton Marsalis is a Grammy Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musician and composer. He is also the co-artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Marsalis recently took to "CBS This Morning" to speak out against the funding. Marsalis said that the proposed cuts to arts education and funding are "preparing the public to become more ignorant". Marsalis expanded on this, stating: "When we tell people our arts are not important, we're preparing our public to be more ignorant so that we can exploit them more."
Redford, an Oscar-winning director and Oscar-nominated actor, cited the NEA as playing a fundamental role in the creation of the Sundance Institute. The NEA has made significant contributions to the Institute, including the grant to help launch its first labs for independent filmmaking. He also credited the NEA with launching the Sundance Film Festival, which has, in turn, become a mainstay for launching the careers of a variety of filmmakers across the world. In an open letter posted on the Sundance Institute's website, found here, Redford passionately writes about the funding cuts occurring at the wrong time and how "more than dollars, the NEA represents a civilization that values critical and creative thought."
The St. Louis Symphony
The St. Louis Symphony is a hallmark of the Midwest. Founded in 1880, it is the second-oldest symphony orchestra in the United States. The symphony asked their board members to call their elected officials and let them know why cutting funding was important. Chief Executive of the symphony, Marie-Helene Bernard, joined other symphonies across the country, including the Metropolitan Opera, to voice opposition to the cuts. Bernard also urged its board members to contact members of their elected officials to oppose addition cuts under the Trump administration.
Listen, when Julie Andrews speaks, you fucking listen. Andrews recently co-authored an article on CNN with her daughter Emma Walton with regards to children's participation in the arts. The screen and stage legend speaks to how arts budget cuts are a "huge mistake and enrich kids lives through community and culture sharing." They highlight the importance of the arts by drawing on history, stating that "decades worth of research attests to the fact that the arts are among the most profoundly important and valuable ways to improve learning and promote success, from early childhood through adulthood." The two then invite readers to view the positive statistics in a linked study published by the NEA, showing the long-term academic achievements for children involved in the arts. Their article can be read in its entirety here.
October 28, 2016	4:20 am
28 Oct 2016 Album Reviews, Latest, Soundtrack Review	Alternative, atypical beasts, Atypical Beasts Agency, atypical sounds, atypicalsounds, band, bel biv devoe, bob marley, eddy grant, electric avenue, electro pop, Hip Hop, indie, indie music, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Innovate, Innovation, james franco, lost at birth, m.i.a., magazine, MIA, music, nyc, online, paper planes, pineapple express, pop, public enemy, rap, reggae, review, ring of fire johny cash, seth rogen, Soundtrack, soundtrack review, start up, startup, tech, tnt	0
So, here's the thing. I'm supposed to write a serious music review, and I totally could, except it's 2AM on a Friday and I'm watching Pineapple Express on TNT (We Know Drama). I should really be sleeping. That's what a sensible person would be doing. They'd be sleeping there all numbly-bumbly thinking how sweet it is being asleep safe and sound right as rain, all cozied up gaining valuable, usable energy for the strenuous day that may or may not be ahead of them, I don't know, I don't know who we're talking about. But I cherish that thought, that sleepy paradise. I want it so bad. Dammit if I could only just produce some content first lickety split. And also dammit because this is a great movie. I will, without a doubt, watch this entire thing right now instead of sleeping. Can't leave Dale and Saul hanging.
This soundtrack too though, this is a work of art. This is the real winner, all the way through til the end. This is a content goldmine staring me square in the face screaming "Hey what's up let me just turn your whole world upside down for a second here thanks." I've been thinking about this all wrong, what am I doing?! Well I guess about to review this movie soundtrack, that's what I'm doing. Buckle up.
Okay first we have Paper Planes, duh. Gotta be first on the list. M.I.A. blew up that year, not saying all because of this movie, but hey I'm not saying otherwise neither. That was a great year for everybody. Stay woke. The song isn't actually in the movie, but I mean everyone remembers that trailer, right? Fuck this is a good movie.
The real headliner is Electric Avenue from Dale's sweet opening "you've been served" montage. Instant classic. The scene, not the song. It's an old song. Eddy Grant was already "classic." But the movie really brought him to the forefront, at least for me, and I'll always be thankful for that. We need to focus on the good things in life. "Out in the streets!" That's what he says in the song, and it's pretty good, because it's a song about a street. Pure genius.
Next up is the most dopety-dope song ever, and by "next" I don't mean chronologically next, but rather in terms of my vaunted quality-assessment hierarchy, determined through my capacity as self-proclaimed official movie-soundtrack reviewer. I'm talking of course about Poison by Bel Biv Devoe, and if you don't know that then you don't know jack. Wake up. Your world is not as it seems. What a seriously good song, mad props to Pineapple Express. They really nailed it with this whole soundtrack. Jeez Louise!
Uh oh, look out, we got a piping hot track coming fresh out the oven–Public Enemy's Lost At Birth. I like this scene because he says "melon farmers," which is what they say instead of motherfuckers on TNT (We Know Drama). You're not allowed to swear on television. Wow, Public Enemy really ties this whole scene together. Somebody did their job real good when they picked that song for this scene. What a sick nasty awesome so fucking sick movie soundtrack.
Damn there's a lotta reggae on this mix. Wanted Dread and Alive (see what they did there? With the dread?! Cuz they have dreads!), a Bob Marley deep cut (well obviously), a reeeal laid-back Ring Of Fire cover (like Johnny Cash but way chiller). See, the movie is named after a kind of marijuana from the movie, and there's a lot of people who sometimes associate reggae music with marijuana usage for some reason. So when a movie gets made about a hairy Mary Jane strain, they're gonna mix up a little reggae in there. That's just the world we live in. We didn't choose it, we were born into it. Forced from the warmths of prebirth out into the cruel, unforgiving hellscape we inhabit every waking hour of our lives. I mean it's just monstrous out here.
Well, that's all the time we have for today. The movie is over so I've now fully exhausted my content resource. Thanks to all who participated, especially you still reading this and also the good people over at TNT (We Know Drama). Let it be known that this is a can't-miss, won't-disappoint, doesn't-even-flinch-as-it-knocks-you-out-of-your-socks kinda flick, and if you haven't seen it, well why did you read this entire review of a soundtrack for a movie you've never seen? Yeah, that's what I thought, you've definitely seen Pineapple Express. It has a pretty awesome soundtrack. I know, right? Cool, glad we're on the same page. Let's be sure to always stay positive in the face of any near-universal suffering we might encounter on a regular basis. Okay bye!
25 Oct 2016 Album Reviews, Artist News, Latest, Music Related News, New Release	Alternative, american alundromat records, atypical beasts, Atypical Beasts Agency, atypical sounds, atypicalsounds, brooklyn, elliot smith, Figure 8, from a basement on a hill, indie, indie music, Indie Rock, Innovate, Innovation, j. mascis, Julien Baker, lou barlow, magazine, music, new album, new music, new release, online, Online Magazine, rock, say yes!, start up, startup, the Beatles, tribute album, waxatachee, yuck	0
Desarae Petersen
It's been thirteen long years since Elliott Smith took his own life on October 21st,e 2003. He battled demons a majority of his short life and his music brought so many people the harsh reality of that struggle into the words we could tangibly use to forget our own aches for a few moments, or for an entire album. In my opinion he is one of the most underrated geniuses in modern music.
A group of other musicians apparently felt the same way when they decided to get together and create a tribute album for Smith titled Say Yes! as released by American Laundromat Records. It features bands such as Yuck, Waxatachee and artists like J. Mascis and Julien Baker. A wide array of sludgy rock to intensely acoustic indie artists. I think my favorite from the album is the Yuck version of "Bled White", which is also an all time favorite Elliott song of mine.
I've personally covered one Smith song during a live performance "The Biggest Lie". While I enjoyed singing my heart out, Elliott's songs are a force to be reckoned with. A tantrum of eloquence and equally as dark currents raging inside of a drowning man. It's nearly impossible to recreate the feelings Smith captured in his music.
Honestly, I was pretty giddy at first and while I wholeheartedly appreciate these artists showing their influence by Smith, it was almost a little hard to hear the songs without Elliott. The fact that 13 years after I find him, he is no longer putting out new material is a heart wrenching realization for me. There just isn't a way for other artists to recreate something so personal, and the despair he felt daily triggered the wild agony in his songs. These things made them what they are, and it is a travesty to deny that.
However, these songs are a tribute and we can not look into them as if Elliott is there, but more so that he was inspiration to them.
Songs you can find on this album include but are not limited to, "Waltz #2" done by J. Mascis, "Easy way out" done by Wild Sun, and "Division Day" done by Lou Barlow. Yuck's upbeat version of "Bled White" got me pretty pumped up for the album as the first song I heard with its punchy drums and rock version of a song always adored. In J. Mascis' version of Waltz #2, he seemingly chose specific parts of the song to use, and it's very eerily pasted together with slow vocals and droning guitar and drums, at first I wasn't even sure it was the same song.
We may have lost a very valuable and pivotal force in indie, acoustic and rock and roll music thirteen years ago, but his music transcends time and is not fleeting by any means of the word. Elliott had an unwavering ability to create classic music that would punch you in the gut every time you listen. There is no simplicity, paper thin vocals, shuttering harmonies, both clean and distorted guitar riffs in all the right places, so much Beatles influence you'll be humming "The Two of Us" or "Helter Skelter" without even knowing why after checking out Figure 8 or From a Basement on a Hill.
Take a listen to this new tribute album, and if you haven't yet listen to Elliott's albums front to back in memory of 13 years without him in the physical realm, go and do that too. He's always here in the musical realm, hats off to you Elliott Smith.
18 Oct 2016 Album Reviews, Artist News, Latest, New Release	Alternative, Arcade Fire, atypical beasts, Atypical Beasts Agency, atypical sounds, band, Brave Baby, Charleston, Death Cab for Cutie, Electric Friends, electro pop, electronic, forty bells, hearts and plugs, indie, indie music, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, indiepop, Innovate, Innovation, keon masters, magazine, music, new album, new music, new release, online, South Carolina, start up, tech, The Shins	0
Brave Baby are a band from Charleston, South Carolina that currently carries the torch for the niche genre of southern indie rock. That title is normally reserved for bands that have at least one banjo, or cracklin' piano, not synthesizers, 60's-style organs, nor lead singer Keon Masters breathy delivery. The 5-piece is an eclectic mix of tender melodies, upbeat, danceable, radio ready singles, and southern charm.
They released their debut record Forty Bells on Charleston indie rock label Hearts and Plugs in 2013 that bring a DIY ethos, self-producing that record in their storage unit turned recording studio. The band released their follow up, Electric Friends, in 2015 to critical acclaim taking a giant step forward in terms of songwriting, and musicianship. The band's multi-layered, synth-pop approach falls right in line with the millennial culture. Songs like "Daisy Child", "Ancients", and "Larry on the Weekend" have poured on comparisons to Arcade Fire, The Shins, and Death Cab for Cutie. The band is at once delicate, needing great care and undivided attention, yet ready for the long road-trip, with too many friends, crammed in the backseat of a Toyota Corolla.
14 Oct 2016 Latest, lifestyle trends, New Apps, Tech News	#inspire, android, animal shelter, app, atypical beasts, Atypical Beasts Agency, atypical sounds, charity, electronic, god, indie, Innovate, Innovation, iphone, magazine, music, new music, New york city, newapp, review, start up, startup, tech, walkforadog	0
Greg Cala
Having to trudge through the overpopulated, polluted-as-all-hell maze that is New York City every day can be dispiriting. Shoulders are bumped, footwear gets dirty, and faith in humanity is questioned. Perhaps the one glimmer of hope most people here get all day is the moment a cute dog waltzes past them with a big smile on its face and no worries whatsoever.
Dogs have no idea that we're all prisoners to capitalism, nor do they complain about being surrounded by concrete and steel barriers that are illegal for them to pee on. They're just happy to be outside! It's fresh air time. Dogs are the living embodiment of optimism and being able to see them throughout the day helps me treat others slightly better than I normally would have. Thank you, dogs. You inspire me to be a slightly less terrible person.
More than anything, I want to show my appreciation for dogs and help out the ones not lucky enough to have a home yet. But because life, especially in the city, is just an endless cycle of work and commute, there isn't much time to do that. This is why I got so excited when I heard about the app WalkForADog.
From a functionality standpoint, WalkForADog couldn't be simpler. All you have to do is set up an account, select an animal shelter you want to raise money for, keep the app open, and then walk. The more you walk, the more money you raise for that shelter. That's it. Seriously, it's the easiest thing in the world. Why aren't you doing this.
You see? I shouldn't have to persuade you any longer. Just download the app and start helping out some dogs in need. They already do so much for us!! It couldn't be any easier and there is nothing stopping you from trying it out.
October 7, 2016	12:58 pm
7 Oct 2016 Artist News, Latest, Local Art, Music Related News, New Release	Adele-X, Alternative, Anik Khan, atypical beasts, Atypical Beasts Agency, atypicalsounds, beyonce, brooklyn, Curate EP, DJ, Electropop, guggenheim, Hip Hop, hold up, indie, indie music, Indie Pop, Innovate, Innovation, Jay-Z, kilo Kish, lemonade, little simz, magazine, MeLo-X, MeloX, MoMA, music, music writer, new music, new release, On The Run Tour, online, pop, producer, rap, Raury, review, start up, startup, tech, yonce-X	0
Bryan Culver
MeLo-X is traveling at warp speed. Pedal to the metal. The Brooklyn-based multimedia artist has a boundless artistic vision that rejects the conventional division lines between sight and sound.
Although best known for his collaborations with Beyoncé—the free-spirited rapper and hip-hop producer has also directed and scored films, designed art installations that they have at the MoMA and Guggenheim, is a trending fashion tastemaker and an advocate for staying grounded and true to your roots.
It would be difficult to find an artist in Brooklyn with a more varied palette than MeLo-X, and that's saying a lot.
Yoncé-X
The self-proclaimed Renaissance man—born Sean Rhoden—got his first big break in 2014 following the release of Beyoncé's self-titled surprise album. MeLo-X released an unauthorized collection of remixes titled Yoncé-X EP which when picked up speed and went viral, eventually catching the attention of Queen B herself.
And there's no one more powerful, more influential in the music biz than Beyoncé.
Pop artists are often treated as gods living among mortals—transcending human existence and amassing devout worship. If ever there was a pop artist that fits—if not demands this treatment from her fans—it would be Beyoncé Knowles.
So when MeLo-X was asked to co-direct the accompanying film scores to Beyoncé and Jay Z's On the Run Tour, he jumped at the opportunity and didn't look back.
Soon he was flying out to LA to help Beyoncé co-write and co-produce tracks "Hold Up" and "Sorry" off her 2016 album Lemonade.
Keep in mind, producing a Beyoncé album isn't a typical of the industry. Rather, to visualize the scale of such a project, it's easier to liken the undertaking to that of a Hollywood blockbuster—dozens of writers and producers converge on each track to produce the most immaculate, pungent production possible. But that's exactly where MeLo-X excels—collaboration.
His sparse productions, often centered around spaced-out percolating frequencies, give a dark, spatial depth to the music he touches—his voice is understated yet distinct at the same time.
Both his overall aesthetic as well as his affinity for collaboration are in full view on his 2015 solo CURATE EP which features music from buzzing hip-hop artists Little Simz, Kilo Kish, and Raury—he also released an interactive app to accompany the EP allowing fans to create their own remixes.
2016 has been nothing short of a whirlwind for MeLo-X. He hit the year off with another remix collection, titled Adele-X, centering yet again on the music of a pop music enigma as his subject.
MeLo-X also recently released a track with glitch-centric electronic artist Machinedrum called "Angel Voice"—as well as helping produce track "Cleopatra" for up-and-comer Queens-via-Bengal hip-hop buzz magnet Anik Khan. While it might be impossible to tell what MeLo-X will take on next, it's certain he won't be slowing down his pace anytime soon.
September 30, 2016	2:20 am
30 Sep 2016 Artist News, Featured, Latest, lifestyle trends, Music Related News	#eCom, #inspire, Agency, Alternative, atypical beasts, Atypical Beasts Agency, atypical sounds, Band Shirts, bands, Black Flag, brooklyn, classic rock, design, heavy metal, heavy rock, Iconic, Indie Rock, Innovate, Johnny Cash, joy division, Justin Bieber, Led Zeppelin, magazine, metal, Metallica, Misfits, music, nyc, online, Pink Floyd, red hook, rolling stones, Run-DMC, start up, tech, tshirts, Unknown Pleasures	0
The culture surrounding band shirts is so fucking masturbatorial. I know this first hand, since I own roughly 20-30 of them. As someone who spends far too much time obsessing over both music and sports, I can't help but notice the similar satisfaction each respective fan base takes in showing off how passionate with specific articles of clothing. For sports fans, it's a jersey. For music fans, it's a band shirt. I've seen 20 minute long interactions heavy on mutual admiration over both of these items at a game or a concert countless times. It's like a secret handshake for these people.
Again, I am part of this very snobbish problem. I proudly trot out my Darko Milicic jersey as often as possible in public. People need to know that I know about the Human Victory Cigar. And as a teen, I found a rinky dink website that allowed me to slap a .jpg of a Simpsonized Sonic Youth onto a t-shirt that they then gladly pressed for me. Nothing gives me greater satisfaction than when somebody jealously squees "where did you get that?!?!" at me. Might be why all my relationships never last over a month, who knows.
Because this is the type of monster I am, my standards for this subset of fashion is absurdly high. Specifically band tees, since they're the more commonly worn item. Some are perfect. Others are probably more useful as food for fire. Others, however, reach a rare air of ubiquity that transcend music taste altogether. The design strikes such a cord that people who might not have ever heard a song by a band will proudly wear the shirt.
Whether or not that's a bad thing is an entirely different discussion that really only means anything to the most annoying realms of my personality. What I want to try to figure out is how many of these iconic shirts are actually worth the hubbub from a design standpoint. Are these shirts worth their hype? Well, let me put my Hat of Objective Judgement on and discuss.
1) Johnny Cash's Middle Finger Shirt
What a rebel! Boy, oh boy, Johnny Cash was sure a troublemaker back in his day, wasn't he? A middle finger? My word, what a provocateur! The sheer amount of rebellion it takes to pose in front of a camera with all but Mr. Middle Finger (the most important of all fingers) folded down is unheard of. Not enough artists flip off photographers nowadays! That's what's wrong with today's music. Man, we need more dirtbags like Johnny around, man. Ugh, I'm done pretending that this shirt is cool in any way or that Johnny Cash makes enjoyable music.
NOT WORTH THE HYPE.
2) Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures Shirt
While there've been a myriad of spins on the original design recently, from Wu-Tang to Mickey Mouse, oddly enough, nothing can beat the original. It's a beautifully simplistic design that's gotten more and more popular over the years. I can never see myself getting tired of seeing it.
WORTH THE HYPE
3) Metallica's Master of Puppets Shirt
Considering that the breed of YouTube commenter most likely to post a homophobic slur on a Justin Bieber video tends to have a Heavy Metal album cover as their their picture, it tickled me beyond belief when the Beebz started incorporating those bands' shirts into his daily fashion. Metallica, Slayer, Iron Maiden, all of them Biebered. He even copied Iron Maiden's font for his latest tour's merch. The trend's caught on like wildfire. These shirts are all over places like Urban Outfitters and H&M now. It's kind of impossible to explain exactly how or why it happened, but I'm so over the moon with the fact that it did.
4) Rolling Stones Tongue Shirt
Look at this stupid fucking logo. This dumb, overly glossy piece of pop-art trash is going to wind up outliving each member of the Rolling Stones themselves. It remains a mystery to me why anyone would want to have some hornily panting tongue smack dab on the middle of their chest, but this is the America that we live in today.
NOT WORTH THE HYPE
5) Black Flag Logo Shirt
Even more than the Unknown Pleasures tee, this one has had so many parodies to it. And it's more minimal than Joy Division's design, too! It's just the band's name with a bunch of skinny rectangles sloppily lined up. There's no reason why this should be so exceptional, but it is. It's basically the shirt every Punk band wishes they could call their own.
6) Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon
Listen, I don't really want to spend too much time on this one. It's fine, okay? I get it, rainbow on one end, no rainbow on the other. Very symbolic. Is symbolic the right word to use there? I really don't care enough. For me, this shirt screams 'Guy In His 40s Who Buys All His Graphic Tees At The Gap'.
IT'S FINE, WHO CARES.
7) RUN-DMC Shirt
For some odd reason, Run-DMC is one of the few rap outfits that currently have a truly exception shirt to call their own. I'm not really sure why that's been the case, but considering how awesome the merch from guys like Kanye, Drake and Tyler, The Creator have looked the past few years, that should be changing real soon. For now, though, this one remains the genre's gold standard.
8) Led Zeppelin's Naked Angel Shirt
Something about a naked angel who appears to be writhing in agony just seems to resonate with a bunch of folks. Whenever I see this dumb angel, I just want to shout "GET OVER IT, STUPID ANGEL!!!" at it. Then I realize I'd be shouting this at someone's chest and that isn't really cool. The odd thing is, I do get it on some strange level. Like, when I see this angel being all histrionic, it does sort of epitomize the bombast of Led Zeppelin's music. No part of me ever wants to wear this shirt, but I understand the appeal.
MEDIOCRE ENOUGH TO BE WORTHY OF SOME HYPE
9) Misfits Logo Shirt
Years before I heard a single note come out of Glenn Danzig's mouth, I was introduced to this shirt. I had no idea if Misfits was a band, a clothing brand, or some horror movie I've never seen before. The imagery always stuck with me, though. Once I finally started listening to this legendary band, I was obviously more than pleased, but I still think what Misfits is most known for is this fucking shirt. It's amazing. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if this shirt's outsold their entire catalogue 10 times over. Everybody has this shirt. And with good reason, too.
WORTH THE HYPE.
Aaaaand that'll be it for this installment of 'Is This Band Shirt Worth The Hype?' As you can see, the color black reigns supreme in the iconic band shirt world. Or maybe it doesn't, and that's simply a byproduct of my darkness bias coming through. There were a few other shirts I was considering adding to this list, but no other seemed as much of a no-brainer as these did. Perhaps a sequel is in order.
September 29, 2016	5:27 pm
29 Sep 2016 Artist News, Latest, Music Festivals, New Release	alex trimble, Alternative, atypical beasts, Atypical Beasts Agency, atypical sounds, band, beacon, changing of the seasons, electro pop, electronic, four words to stand on, gameshow, indie, indie music, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Innovate, Innovation, ireland, irish, kevin baird, magazine, music, new album, new music, new release, online, parlophone records, review, sam halliday, start up, startup, tour, tourist history, trio, tudor cinema, two door cinema club, what we see	0
Two Door Cinema Club are an Irish indie rock trio that seemingly just want to dance. Alex Trimble, Sam Halliday, and Kevin Baird make music that instantly plug ear-worms to your cerebellum with instant infection. Their music videos are also as infectious, showcasing the band's quirky, yet honest, sense of humor. Forming in 2007, while the lads were still in school, they have since released two full-length albums, with one on the way in October, and a handful of EP's. They have gained a substantial following in their home country of Ireland, and are doing the same in the US with incessant touring and festival appearances.
Prior to forming Two Door Cinema Club, the trio performed as a band in their teenage years dubbed "Life Without Rory". The band, released 3 demos, finished dead last in local competitions, and decided to move on to greener pastures. The trio came back together to form another band without a full-time drummer and settled on the name Two Door Cinema Club after Sam Halliday's mispronunciation of the local movie theater the Tudor Cinema.
Two Door Cinema Club released an EP in 2009 titled Four Words to Stand On that gained a little interest. Their first full-length record, Tourist History, was released in 2010 with the band finding their niche. Tourist History went on to be selected for the Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of the Year. Follow-up album Beacon was released 3 years later to similar reaction pushing the band to release a four-part tour documentary entitled What We See. An EP, Changing of the Seasons, came in 2013 coupled with a jump to Parlophone Records in 2015. Their third proper album, Gameshow, and first for Parlophone, is slated for release in October, 2016.
Two Door Cinema Club will be featured at the Austin City Limits Festival on October 1st, and will continue touring North America through November 2016.
Atypical Beasts Agency © 2015


Infinite expansion for the best value.
All devices can be connected via IP only.
Commax Home IoT, which combines very easy installation and innovative technology.
The solution features borderless expandability and convenience.
Beyond the space constraints, we will provide convenient and smart living services.
The COMMAX IoT is applicable to all residential environments.
COMMAX Home IoT provides Home Security and Home IoT service by connecting door camera, lobby phone, security camera, Digtal Doorlock, courier box and various IoT sensors around the smart videophone.
The lobby phone equipped with biometric technology is able to open the door by the facial recognition and the iris recognition its registered even in the dark night or when holding luggage.
The lobby phone is linked with the public zone service and automatically calls the elevator when the door is opened and moves directly to the resident floor.
You may also be able to use mobile apps to identify visitors and open doors from outside of the home.
When the motion detection sensor(PIR) detects the user is entering the front door, Home IoT system sets the welcome mode. The curtains open and the lights are turned on automatically, and Smart Mirror shows the environmental information of the house including temperature, humidity, and air quality.
The A.I(Artificial Intelligence) platform analyzes user life patterns and controls IoT devices and home appliances. Users also can control the lights, gas lock, lighting, heating, elevator calls and home appliances by his voice from anywhere in the home.
When the security mode is set at the user going out, a magnetic sensor detects door opening such as a veranda door or a window. When the door is opened, the alarm is activated, the guard is called, and emergency notifications and CCTV images are provided to the mobile app.
In addition, when a gas leaking, fire, water leaking, and dangers in a targeted area are detected, the mobile app notifies the situation and provides CCTV images.
If there is an elderly or weakened person in your home, the installed IoT device can monitor the activity changes for 24 hours, and emergency notifications will be provided to the wall-pad and mobile app if it is recognized as an emergency. If the user does not turn the notification off as in normal, it will be automatically connected to the set emergency network(family, emergency center).


text:
A sample of our graduands: from left to right–Raven Rickner, Deena Robak, Janel Bortoluzzi, Michelle Biddell, Chloe Philippot, Taylor Kerelluke, Irlanda Gomez, Spencer Paddock, Shaelyn Plett, Gustav Nelson, Aimee Schwager (Photo credit: Dr. Justin Friesen)
On June 14th and 15th, 2018, students from the Psychology and Biopsychology programs graduated at the 113th UWinnipeg Spring Convocation. The above collage is just a sample of the numerous students who graduated from our programs. We congratulate all of our graduands on the successful completion of their degrees, and wish them the very best–whatever they may undertake in the next phase of their respective journeys!
2018 Award Recipients in Psychology and Biopsychology
Ron Norton Prize in Psychology: Alyssia Wilson
(This prize is awarded in honour of Dr. G. Ronald Norton who taught at The University of Winnipeg from 1968 to 1999, serving as Department Chair from 1986 to 1991. It is awarded annually to the student who has written the best thesis in completion of the requirements of the Psychology [Honours] program.)
O.T. Anderson Award: Mohamed Abo Aoun
(The O.T. Anderson Award was established by the Class of '62 in memory of Professor O.T. Anderson, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, United College, from 1926 to 1958. The award of a miniature of the O.T. Anderson Trophy is made to the outstanding graduate of the year for distinguished academic and extra-curricular achievement during undergraduate year.)
University Silver Medal for Second Highest Standing in Arts (Honours): Chloe Korade
University Silver Medal for Second Highest Standing in Science (Honours): Mohamed Abo Aoun
Medal for Achievement in Biopsychology (Major–Honours program): Mohamed Abo Aoun
Medal for Achievement in Psychology (Major–Honours program): Keadon Shebaylo
Medal for Achievement in Biopsychology (Major-4-year general program): Siavash Koosheh
Medal for Achievement in Psychology (Major–4-year general program): Satya Hahlweg
Medal for Achievement in Biopsychology (Major–3 year program): Andrew Pierce
Medal for Achievement in Psychology (Major–3-year program): Tamara Janssen


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Tuesday 31st January 2006 -- 10:30 am
Last day of January 2006 and no diary entry since 20th December last year. Should I put this down to a Christmas/New Year letting go of the reins? Or is it simply the usual pre-occupation with all things creative? A lot of the former and quite a bit of the latter is the answer.
The usual over-indulgences at Christmas and New year have taken their toll, as they always do. Last year's constant pace came to a halt as soon as the shops closed on Christmas Eve and I dropped my accumulated stress at the door along with the final bags of shopping.
I'd eventually posted all my Christmas cards, found gifts for everyone, bought enough food to see us through to the New Year and stocked up on wine, mulled and otherwise, to keep the cold at bay.
It wasn't a white Christmas but it snowed a little the day after Boxing Day, enough to make the landscape momentarily magical. Walking through York's Museum Gardens at twilight, snowflakes spinning in gentle orbit around the amber glow of the old street lamps, the river gleaming silver at the foot of the hill beneath an indigo and rose pink star studded sky, I felt a welcome sense of wonder.
It didn't last, of course, the snow that is. Within a couple of days it was a brown muddy sludge that made everything seem grimy and forlorn. A sudden grey plunge into the annual January doldrums.
For a few brief days though, it had been a hedonistic, friends and family centred celebration of, not just the season, but for me, the completion of a year's constant work, a year with hardly a breathing space between one project and another.
Early in the year, I had worked hard on the design of the Dreamsville website, gathering visual material and bouncing ideas back and forth with David Graham until we got a look that suited the site's purpose. Then 'stage one' of Dreamsville was opened up to the world, generating a very positive response from all those who accessed it.
Later, there was the release of the two Rosewood acoustic guitar instrumental albums. Again, artwork had to be created for them, once I'd completed the composition and recording of the music. (And yet another challenge for Dave and myself.)
These two albums, particularly Rosewood Volume One, I found very satisfying to make. I'd wanted to create a set of acoustic flavoured instrumental compositions for several years but, somehow, had never got around to it until the Rosewood project.
What really took me by surprise though was the next of the year's albums: 'The Alchemical Adventures Of Sailor Bill.' For some reason, I was gripped more tightly by the hand of the muse with this album than anything I'd done for a long time. It completely took over my life and I worked longer and harder on the composition, arrangement and recording of the songs than I would normally have thought wise. Nothing's ever perfect, of course, but this set of songs comes as close to being personally fulfilling than almost any other album of mine.
I think the reason for this is to be found in my current state of mind, conditioned as it is by advancing age and thoughts of mortality. Not morbid thoughts, mind, just melancholy ones... At least some of the time. 'Sailor Bill' successfully captures a certain mood, something that could, I think, genuinely be called an indicator of the 'essence' of myself. It is, if I may be allowed the indulgence, a 'mature' statement. In three years I'll be sixty, (and how fast three years travels in this light-speed era of ours). But sixty, damn it! I can't really comprehend this, it's somehow beyond belief, staggering. My childhood seems only a few heartbeats away, its memories still vivid, its hopes and fears hardly changed. Nevertheless, the face in the mirror reminds me that young Billy has vanished with the passing clouds of time and now only grandfather William remains, hobbled and earthbound.
And do I feel my age? Well, yes and no but increasingly yes. Aches and pains and other little annoyances, a brittle creakiness, an inevitable erosion of flexibility, physical or otherwise, a stealthy dulling of the senses, an increasing world weariness. Life as she is lived, with wear and tear an inevitable part of the living. Yet still a mystery and still a wonder...Snowflakes under gaslight, a river beneath the stars. As good a reason to make music as any, I suppose. What else occupied my energies last year? Have I forgotten? Already it seems to have become a blur. A lot achieved though, all told. Here are some of the other things that I found time for:- The recording of the limited edition 'Orpheus In Ultraland' fan convention album.
The Nelsonica 05 fan convention project with its attendant preparations and programming of content. The 'Popular Music From Other Planets' concert tour around the U.K. And yes, of course...lots of new music and video was created for that.
But even earlier last year, before the above, more live concerts: The Harold Budd tribute that I took part in that was held at Brighton's Dome. Fun with Harold and John Foxx, Jah Wobble, Theo Travis, Steve Jansen, Robin Guthrie and others...a lovely, memorable event.
Then the Lewes Guitar Festival with more new material to perform. And some other bits and pieces that slip my thoughts at this moment. Too much time spent in my room though, hidden from the world. Whichever way I look at it, the last two years have been intensely creative. Maybe I should feel a much higher sense of achievement than I currently do? Here and now, at the end of January, there's the usual weight gain to contend with, the usual promise to myself that it will be easier come spring, that the return of outdoor weather will coax the bike from the shed and encourage some sort of exercise...
What usually happens is the opposite of course. I end up trapped here in the studio, hypnotised by guitars and keyboards and computer screens whilst time accelerates around my wristwatch in dizzy circles. A little vortex of used-up life.
Some progress already: A couple of days ago, I completed the task of checking through Paul Sutton-Reeves' book about my career, ('Music In Dreamland'). It's taken me most of January to get through it all as I felt that I should explain to Paul in some detail my observations and reasons for suggested amendments. Due to approximately 30,000 words being edited from Paul's original text by the publishers, I felt that there were places where a little re-clarification might help. I've left it entirely up to Paul to incorporate or ignore these suggestions as he sees fit but I'm hoping that the time I've spent typing out emails to him will prove valuable to the book's integrity.
It has been a weird experience reading about my career in this way. I imagine it would be disconcerting for anyone who had been made the subject of such a book, but I found it particularly strange. Sometimes I don't recognise the person on the page and am not even sure that I want to. At other times it's like being caught with my clothes off in public. I'm too unguarded, too ready to explain the music away, this eagerness to please resulting in some invented 'on the spot' descriptions of what the songs are about when often, in truth, I don't really have a clue as to their meaning. Do songs have to mean anything? It seems that, most of the time, mine do. I can't find a suitable justification for this though and would be equally happy if they contained no meaning at all.
Here's something I've learned over the years but still regularly ignore: An honest pop musician does not generate as much public 'mystique' as a dishonest one. (Or one that plays his cards close to his chest.) And in pop music, mystique is everything. This indicates two things to me. First of all, I'm not by nature a pop musician, despite once, many years ago, pretending to be so.
Secondly: I'm more interested in unmasking the conceits of celebrity than perpetuating them. This, of course, is not a formula for a successful commercial career, nor is it an attitude welcomed by those who benefit from such jiggery-pokery. The cult of fame, that so captures the imagination of the 'general public', thrives on fake glamour and artfully manipulated image-mongering.
People, it seems, prefer being hoodwinked to being liberated. Certainly my own experience backs that up. Whilst the majority of my own audience appears to be reasonably intelligent and sane, there have been, (and sometimes still are,) worrying exceptions. I've occasionally gotten into quite heated arguments with overzealous fans who have taken issue with the fact that the 'real' Bill Nelson doesn't quite fit the 'virtual' Bill Nelson of their dreams. In fact, one sure way to experience just how negatively the cult of celebrity affects the human mind is to enter the arena of popular music. No matter how modest the level of celebrity one attains, sooner or later comes encounters with people who will obsessively claim you as the spiritual centre of their own fragile lives. You will be unceremoniously crowned the tin-pot God of their tin-pot universe... And woe betide you should you ever seek to unburden them of their illusion. Hell hath no fury like a fantasist brought down to earth.
How easy it must be to create a spurious religion with so many willing, potential disciples. But such unhealthy mystification is all part of the entertainment business and is accepted as its general currency. Entertainment over enlightenment? As Brian Eno said in a recent article, 'we're all entertained to death.' Or something like that. Anyway, back to the book. All said and done, (and taking the above into account), I enjoyed reading it and expect that fans will enjoy reading it even more. It's Paul Sutton-Reeves' first published book and the first published biography of my career. A cause for celebration or trepidation? Well, perhaps we're both nervous of its reception. Will I have to hide from old girlfriends and ex-wives? Will my children understand their father any more than they do now? Will my friends still talk to me or look at me as if I've escaped from some travelling freak show? (Or do they already see me in that way?)
The problem with books is they exile our frail lives to cruel islands of print. They banish fleeting experience to the state of permanence. Books adopt a form that appears, on the surface, substantial. We invest the printed word with a faith that would do the Pope proud. Words on a computer screen can be made to vanish with the click of a mouse but that thick brick of a thing that sits on your bookshelf or coffee table in constant view..? Well, it can't be denied so easily. It can't be switched off by the removal of its electricity. Well...let's see what this thing unlocks when it's published. Maybe I'll have to leave the country.
There was some sad news just after Christmas which I've already commented on in postings on the Dreamsville Inn Forum. Derek Bailey, pioneer free-music guitarist and someone who has proved constantly inspirational to me over many years, passed away on 25th December, 2005. This came as quite a shock. I knew he had suffered some illness in recent years but didn't realise quite how serious things were. Derek died from complications arising from motor neurone disease. I learned of his death a couple of days after it happened. Ironically, I'd finally completed Ben Watson's lengthy biography of Derek and the free-music scene on Christmas Eve. On Boxing day, when my son Elliot and daughter Elle came to the house for a seasonal dinner, the conversation got around to Derek and I played them some selections of his music. The following day, the news came that he'd gone.
Perhaps many of my fans might be puzzled as to why Derek was so important or as to why I found his work inspirational. It could be argued that, in terms of form and intent, our approach to music was quite different. Derek's playing might be seen by some fans of mine as being too abstract, too confrontational, too fractured, too something or other, but certainly not comfortable listening. But these 'too whatevers' were exactly what atttracted me to his work. He appealed to the part of me that resists the herd mentality, that akward, stubborn, 'I know best' part of me that rudely and clumsily and some times stupidly resists compromise. His music also worked as a purely aesthetic artform, sound and gesture for its own sake, open to appreciation without it always being dependent upon the academic theories that surround much of free music's barbed history. There were threads, I might have argued, that connected Derek's music to Cage and Partch, though I'm sure he'd have considered these slender and quite possibly totally subjective. Webern seems to have come into his equation though, through his own admission.
There was also humour and mischievousness, grace and fire in Derek's playing. In his hands, the guitar was elevated to gallery status, a legitimate instrument of art. He was, in my mind, astonishing, revolutionary, the one player who I hoped I might one day be given the pleasure and challenge of playing with. Too late now. Like Cage, like Partch, like Picasso and Pollock and all of Art's far scouts and secret agents, the world required only one Derek Bailey. To attempt to play like him, (and some people did and still do), would be a travesty. What he created was his and his alone, unique, absolutely essential and unrepeatable. The world of music was made more curious, more kinetic by his contribution to it. And that's an achievement.
There's an eloquent and reasoned account of Derek Bailey's life in the latest issue of WIRE magazine, a piece written by David Toop, (who curated the Hayward Gallery's 'Sonic Boom' exhibition that I contributed some music to a few years ago). It's worth reading, especially as David had the opportunity to talk with Derek on numerous occasions over the years. It's as fine an introduction to the man and his music as possible within the restrictions of a slim magazine. Derek's own book , 'Improvisation' is an essential read too, even for musicians who aren't naturally sympathetic to the free-music cause. Yet another positive force...gone, gone, gone...but not yet forgotten.
Whilst on the subject of books. Christmas brought me new ones, as it always does. They were added to the small mountain of books that have accumulated throughout last year and which pressure of work has denied me access. I've made a start, although my reading is still done at the end of the day in the minutes before sleep. Here are some of the titles stacked by my bedside:-
'Despite The System: Orson Welles Versus The Hollywood Studios' by Clinton Heylin.
'Lovesick Blues, The Life Of Hank Williams' by Paul Hemphill.
'Dylan Thomas, A New Life' by Andrew Lycett.
'Quicksilver' by Neal Stephenson.
'The Sea' by John Banville.
'The Spirit Of Place, Nine Neo-Romantic Artists And Their Times.' by Malcolm Yorke.
'Untold Stories' and 'Writing Home' by Alan Bennett.
'Audio Culture, Readings In Modern Music' by Christopher Cox and Daniel Warner.
'The Rise Of The Sixties' by Thomas Crow.
'The Making Of Modern Britain' by Jeremy Black.
'Surrealism In Britain' by Michel Remy. 'Lost Highway' by Peter Guralnick. 'Ted Hughes, The Life Of A Poet' by Elaine Feinstein.
'American Odyssey, The Letters and Journals Of Wilhelm Reich' edited by Mary Boyd Higgins.
'Fritz Lang, The Nature Of The Beast' by Patrick McGilligan.
'Bill Brandt, A Life' by Paul Delaney.
Some of the above I made a start on earlier last year but because I was so busy I broke off reading them and need to begin again when time allows. I also was given some very welcome DVDs, the most special of which is a boxed set of a mammoth twelve and a half hour long film/series called simply 'JAZZ, A Film By Ken Burns.' I'd caught some of this when it was screened as a series on tv, quite a while ago now, but never got around to buying the DVD, partly due to its high price. However, Christmas presents are one of life's little luxuries and Emiko generously bought it for me as a surprise gift.
Whilst some have said that Ken Burns' view of Jazz history is a particularly selective one, for me the film is beautifully put together. I could watch it over and over again...it's uplifting, inspiring and heartfelt. Watching it is a wonderful way to unwind at the end of the day, the film's music and musicians providing a poetic reminder of why some of us became so besotted with music in the first place. It's the kind of programme that makes me feel proud to be part of a tremendous chain of musicians stretching back through history, meagre though my own contribution has been.
Anyway, I'd recommend this fine piece of work to all music lovers, irrespective of whether Jazz rings their bell or not. If, after watching this film, the penny still hasn't dropped, then they're beyond redemption. In terms of musical listening, when I've found the time, (usually over dinner), I've been in a retro mood, albums by Ella Fitzgerald, Artie Shaw, Duke Ellington and Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Django Reinhardt, Ben Webster, Wes Montgomery and Joe Pass. Also Bill Evans' 'Conversations With Myself' album and, (not exactly a 'retro' record), Bill Frisell's 'East-West' live album. There's a real sense of elegance, intelligence and sophistication in these jazz albums, qualities that seem to have gone missing in action amongst our current pop/rock luminaries. To listen to these classic recordings is to enter another world, a world, I have to say, in which I feel comfortably at home.
So, what are my plans for this coming year? Well, the 'Music In Dreamland' book's obligations now discharged, the next thing on the agenda is the possibility of working with Russian musicians again. My old 'Nautilus Pompillius' friend Slava Butusov and his new band 'Jupiter.' Still awaiting budget conformation on this though.
The next thing I'll need to do after this is to mix the Be Bop Deluxe Decca audition tapes. I'm hoping to make these available on my own 'Sonoluxe' label before very long. Current favourite title for this cd is 'Tomorrow The World.' (Which was the title of an early Be Bop Deluxe song but equally suggests the group's ambition back in those early days.) Also, I've been asked by EMI records to mix some later Be Bop Deluxe live album tracks, different takes from those that found their way onto the 'Live In The Air Age' album, but from the same tour, or so I'm presuming. These tracks will be part of EMI's proposed big Be Bop Box set which will contain just about everything the band ever recorded. This is due for release later this year.
Then I must work on a new instrumental guitar album, volume two in the 'Painting With Guitars' series, (of which 'The Romance Of Sustain' was volume one). I've yet to choose the 'main' title for this album but it will contain
versions of the more recent instrumental material that I've incorporated into my solo performances these last two years, tracks such as 'The Girl On The Fairground Waltzer,' 'Blue Amorini,' 'Blackpool Pleasure Beach And The Road To Enlightenment,' and 'Electric Milkcart Blues' amongst others. Also planned is an album of unreleased sketches and demos from my 1980's archives.
The main focus of my attention will be a new vocal album, the next step on from 'Sailor Bill.' I want to take my time with this though and, bearing in mind the archive material already planned for release, I may not find time to complete a brand new album this year. We'll see... This year's fan convention, Nelsonica 06, is yet another project to deal with, and very soon too if it is to be ready for a proposed autumn event date. New venues to check out first. I have had an idea about including a sort of guitar 'masterclass' as part of the convention, a non-academically inclined one that will allow me to talk about aesthetic approaches to the instrument as well as technical ones.
A special, limited edition CD will be required for the convention too, as is usual, and 'Snow Is Falling', a song which I featured in last year's tour, is definitely going to be one of the tracks on it. Live dates? Well...I have some ambitious plans but I'm not sure at this stage how practical they will be. As always, it's down to funding. And that's plenty to be getting on with, I think. Letters from Harold who is moving house, heart and head. A jolly note from Roger Eno too. Emails from Peter Coulombe and Chuck Bird with reference to a possible Nelsonica USA fan convention. They are starting to get results back from a survey to discover how many American fans would be interested in attending such a thing. I'm told it looks promising at the moment. If all goes to plan, it may be that there will be two Nelsonicas next year, one here in England and one in the States.
Three new doors being fitted to the house due to weather damage. Awaiting quotations from decorators to repair all the exterior woodwork which will need doing once the new doors are fitted. One door has been hung today, ('though only undercoated at the moment). The other two were not quite the right fit so have been taken away to be adjusted and will be fitted next Monday I'm told.
Elliot passed his driving test, first time! I'm pleased but now I've something extra to worry about. Part of being a parent, I suppose. My mother still worries about me when I'm out on the roads, even though I'm 57 years old and have been driving since the 1960's. (Why does that last sentence remind me of Alan Bennett?)
Emiko has had one day a week cut from her schedule at the flower shop and is looking for a way to fill the financial gap. She's thinking about putting in some time at an old people's home as a carer. Whilst I'm sure that she'd be able to do this quite well, it seems a shame as her talent is really with flowers. Sometimes, I wish she had more ambition and would make more of her gifts but she says she's too old to do so. I think she's too easy going in some ways but, I love her as she is. She accepts the difficulties of being married to someone whose career is always up and down and insecure so I have nothing to complain about. I'm very lucky to have her share my life with me. Outside my window: grey, undistinguished January weather. Nothing much to uplift the spirits, just that typically flat, beginning of the year mood-dulling atmosphere. Roll on Spring and the saffron song of daffodils.
William's Study (Diary Of A Hyperdreamer)
© Bill Nelson 2020


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Petraeus in profile: the man who could be president
Former commander of allied forces in Iraq is seen by some as future Republican candidate for White House
Ewen MacAskill in Washington
Wed 27 Apr 2011 14.13 EDT First published on Wed 27 Apr 2011 14.13 EDT
General Petraeus is seen by many as a hero after his record in Iraq, and some believe he may run for the presidency in 2016. Photograph: Michael Reynolds/EPA/Corbis
General David Petraeus has achieved the status of hero in the US, mainly because of his performance in Iraq, which helped build a reputation that could eventually propel him into the White House.
There was speculation, given the failure of the existing bunch of Republican candidates to generate much excitement, that Petraeus might stand against Barack Obama next year. That was always unlikely. But he would be a formidable candidate in 2016, and the CIA job will help him, broadening out his experience beyond the military.
Petraeus has denied that he has political ambitions, but on trips back from Iraq and now Afghanistan, he behaves as if he is preparing the ground. He makes speeches at thinktanks and is not shy of interviews, unlike many of his military comrades.
His career might have ended in 1991 when he was shot in the chest during an exercise in the US, after a soldier tripped and discharged his rifle. The incident added to Petraeus's reputation; he was released early, after demonstrating to doctors he was fit enough by doing 50 push-ups within days of the shooting.
Some former CIA staff have criticised his appointment, arguing that the next director needs to be from within the intelligence community. But Petraeus has long argued in favour of better intelligence within the military. As head of US central command before moving to Afghanistan last year, he signed an order to broaden the scope of surveillance and other undercover work in the Middle East, central Asia and the Horn of Africa. That marked a shift away from conventional warfare, a recognition the main threat to US interests is posed by insurgents, not states.
There is often friction between military intelligence and the CIA, but the latter argued at the time that this expansion would not lead to conflict because the military would only become involved in operations that the CIA could not carry out.
Petraeus, 58, graduated near the top of his class at the US military academy at West Point in 1974 and, ever since, has continued academic studies alongside his military duties. He completed a PhD in international relations at Princeton in 1987.
He was commander of US and allied forces in Iraq from 2007 to 2008, overseeing the surge in US troops seen in the US as having helped turn the war. He then became head of US central command, and in July last year took over as commander of US and allied forces in Afghanistan after Obama sacked General Stanley McChrystal.
Petraeus is a specialist in counter-insurgency and oversaw the writing of the army/marine corps counter-insurgency manual. He tried to reduce civilian deaths in Afghanistan from US and allied forces and earlier this year, in an unusual departure for a US commander, apologised publicly after one such incident sparked protests.
He has overseen a surge of 30,000 US troops in Afghanistan and these have been deployed mainly in the south and east of the country, fighting for the first time over the winter to try to deny the Taliban their usual strongholds. The test of that strategy will come now, as the Taliban return for spring offensives.
Petraeus had been due to remain in Afghanistan until the end of the year and, in terms of his political domestic ambitions, it may be good for him to leave early, as Afghanistan is proving more difficult than Iraq. He had coveted the most senior military job, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, which Admiral Mike Mullen is due to vacate later this year. But the CIA post is better for a move into politics. He would not be the first president with a CIA background: George H Bush was once a director.
Leon Panetta and David Petraeus given new roles in US security reshuffle
Formidable Gates-Clinton partnership split up in changes which will influence Middle East approach
General Petraeus, US commander in Afghanistan, set to be head of CIA
David Petraeus: Born in the USA