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January 3, 2020 / Tony	/ 17 Comments
No 2019 roundup here – if I manage to keep to schedule on these that one should arrive in late October. Instead we roll past the halfway mark of my first decade: 1986.
It's an odd year for music this one. I have vivid memory of the songs of this time – given that radio still plays a lot of them it's no real surprise. I also have a clear memory of a walk home from school (we lived about 10 minutes' walk from my primary school) and seeing a smashed cassette on the ground and having, at the time no idea who Bon Jovi were or why someone would have stomped on Slippery When Wet (my guess, now, is that they couldn't hear 'Without Love' one more time without going loco).
Jon and his hairspray-loving mates didn't really kick in over here in the same way as the US. 'Livin' On A Prayer' did hit the top ten later in the year but here the radio was ruled by songs like Madonna's 'Papa Don't Preach' (True Blue was released in June and went on to bonkers numbers in sales) and Surivor's 'Burning Heart' or, even worse Diana Ross' 'Chain Reaction' and Boris Gardiner's 'I Wanna Wake Up with You' that still haunts my brain. The Communards' take on 'Don't Leave Me This Way' saw off the horrors of Chris De Burgh's 'Lady in Red' and Berlin's 'Take My Breath Away' for the title of biggest single. Dark times on the radio.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame held its first induction ceremony in January '86. The ceremony took place in New York and first inductees included Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry (inducted by Chuck devotee Keith Richards) along with The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and record producer Sam Phillips.
Bob Geldof picked up an award in '86, he was awarded an Honorary Knighthood for his Band Aid / Live Aid work, though as he's not a citizen of the Commonwealth he can never be Sir Bob…
In August, guitarist Bob Stinson was out of The Replacements, the group he founded, with the old 'creative and personal differences' explanation being wheeled out. Stinson preferred the faster, louder sound of the band's earlier songs while Paul Westerberg's growth as a songwriter was taking him down the quieter, introspective route with songs like 'Here Comes a Regular'. Bob's drug and alcohol abuse only made the situation worse.
Late September, Metallica were on tour in Sweden promoting Master of Puppets and members drew cards to determine which bunks on the tour bus they would sleep in. Bass player Cliff Burton won and chose to sleep in Kirk Hammett's bunk. Next morning, as the sun rose, the driver lost control and the bus skidded and rolled over several times. The rest of the band were ok but Burton was thrown out of the window. The bus fell on him, pinning him to the ground and killing him. While detectives would point to the lack of ice and the skid marks being exactly like ones seen when drivers fall asleep at the wheel, the driver was cleared of any fault. Burton would be replaced by Jason Newstead who would remain with the band until 2001.
It was goodnight from The Clash in '86 as what was left of the band disbanded as did Men At Work, ELO and The Firm, the short-lived Paul Rodgers and Jimmy Page supergroup. However, The Afghan Whigs, Band of Susans, Boards of Canada, Manic Street Preachers, Slint, and two of Boston's finest – The Pixies and Buffalo Tom all formed in 1986, putting the scales firmly in the positive.
There were a lot of album releases in 1986 but, in terms of what would fall in my listening orbit, it's a slim entry of a year. Metallica's Master of Puppets which contained not only the stonking title track but 'Battery' and 'Orion' arrived in March and Van Halen, now fronted by an actual singer called Sammy Hagar, dropped 5150 a couple of weeks later – it was the first of their run of four albums with Hagar, all of which would hit Number 1 on the charts. The glorified strip-club MC that previously fronted their band dropped his own debut Eat 'Em and Smile in July. While Dickhead Dave had Steve Vai, there's no comparing to EVH, even when he's in ballad-mode, the guy drips riffs and tricks:
In a similar arena-bound genre, Bon Jovi unleashed Slippery When Wet in '86 with it going on to shift something like 30 million copies. Meanwhile debuts this year came from Bruce Hornsby and the Range who, just for fun, said 'get a job', Big Black, Steve Earle and Crowded House whose strong, eponymous first album featured some absolute great tunes and one of their biggest singles to date:
Having dropped two belters in 1985 you'd be forgiven for expecting Hüsker Dü to take a breather but, instead they released Candy Apple Grey via their new major label Warner Bros. and shifted ever so-slightly enough from their hardcore punk sound to create what could be considered one of the first college-rock records. Former SST label-mates Sonic Youth released EVOL in 1986. It's a real favourite of mine, possibly in the Top 5 of their albums – it's their first with Steve Shelley on the drum stool and marks the turning point from the whole 'no-wave' to the sound they'd perfect over the next few years (1988 is pretty much a done-deal).
Bruce Springsteen topped the charts toward the end of 1986 with Live 1975 – 85. This (until then) career-documenting box set broke records for pre-orders and remains an absolute must in terms of both Springsteen's catalogue and live records.. I mean I could feature this as it wasn't covered in the Least to Most series but going for a live album would open up the ability to include compilations and … well I don't think it can count. So, that leave:
Lifes Rich Pageant – REM
I got into R.E.M around the release of 'E-Bow the Letter' single in 1996. By that time it was impossible not to know who they were, this was after 'Everybody Hurts' and 'What's The Frequency, Kenneth?' etc had been riding the airwaves for a few years but it was that song that properly hooked me when I heard it on the car radio one day. From there, as with so many other bands, I went back and scouring and collecting the back catalogue and discovering R.E.M's IRS albums was almost like finding the work of a different band.
My second-favourite R.E.M album behind New Adventures… Lifes Rich Pageant was the band's fourth and strips away the murky sound of Fables of the Reconstruction for something dramatically more direct and punchy sounding – well, certainly in terms of early R.E.M.
The choice of Don Gheman as producer is an odd one – the dude was known for his work with John Mellencamp and you'd be hard-pushed to listen to 'Jack and Diane' and think 'this is the sound those dudes who did Harborcoat need' – but it works, even if they didn't work together again. Songs like 'Just a Touch' and 'Begin the Begin' are the clearest beneficiaries and were the hardest the band had sounded at that point, paving the way for future tracks like 'Drive' and Accelerate:
Stripping away the deliberate cloud in the sound and opting for a crisper approach may have been down to the fact that Stipe was becoming increasingly confident as a singer and as a songwriter with lyrics that were now taking on political and environmental / ecological themes like the one-two punch of greatness that make up 'Fall on Me' and 'Cuyahoga', which are underpinned by Mike Mills' harmonies and rolling bass lines:
For me this is the album where R.E.M step away from the fog and sound both contemporary and forward-thinking. While it sounds very much of the time it isn't bound by it either. It's riddled with the sounds and hallmarks of what would soon be pegged as the R.E.M sound but still sounds fresh and exciting some three decades plus later and when you listen to the great live albums the band have made, some of the biggest cheers are reserved for songs from early albums like Lifes Rich Pageant – because they're brilliantly crafted nuggets written before all the weight of expectation that would soon greet every R.E.M album and remain highlights in a catalogue stuffed with great tunes.
My only issue with this album isn't the apostrophe. It's the fact that the track listing on the back of the album isn't correct. It's never been and has never been corrected either, it drove me bonkers at first and it still gets me each time I listen to it.
Musical words…. A Top Ten Music Book List
September 4, 2019 / Tony	/ 35 Comments
Alrighty, lets see about combing the two usual focuses of this blog into one post – music and books, books about music.
A good book about music or musicians isn't as common as you'd think. There are shit loads of duffers out there – poorly researched and badly written fluff pieces. Some musicians who you'd expect a really good book out of tend to spend more time talking about their model railway collection than about the making of After The Gold Rush and some make it a little too obvious that they have an ulterior motive in a book release other than just a memoir – Kim Gordon's Girl in a Band, for example.
But, there are some bloody belters out there and there's a reason that a good chunk of my library is given over to a 'music' section. I'm sticking close to this blog's wheelhouse here, obviously, but honourable mentions should go to The Rest is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century by Alex Ross and Peter Doggett's There's a Riot Going on: Revolutionaries, Rock Stars, and the Rise and Fall of 60s Counter-culture.
In no particular order, then, are my ten favourite music biogs / auto-biogs / books etc…
Pearl Jam – Twenty
Put out as part of the celebrations surrounding the band's twentieth anniversary – the clue is in the title – which included a Cameron Crowe helmed documentary, CD, live album, two-day festival and short tour… Pearl Jam Twenty is a year-by-year oral history of the band's career. Stuffed to the bindings with imagery and photos, this is as intimate and candid as you'll get for Pearl Jam, notoriously shy of publicity and exceedingly unlikely to offer anything resembling an official biography. There's a wealth of humour and details in here given the format and it's fuelled many a post on this blog and every time I open it up to refresh my memory I end up absorbed again.
Keith Richards – Life
Did you know Mick Jagger started an autobiography? Sometime in the 80's – presumably during the lull in Stones activity, he got quite far with his book but promptly forgot about it – when he was later approached by a publisher he could neither remember writing it or let it be published. Somehow, Keith Richards remembered even more and not only finished but published his autobiography, Life. Could have been something to do with the publisher giving an advance of $7m based on a short extract, but Life is an essential read for even a minor Stones fan like me. Yes there's the thrills and vicarious spirit of rock 'n' roll excess – but it's his honesty and unflinching and everlasting love for music that really comes across, you understand how he became known as the human riff. Worth following up with the Netflix doc on Keith too if you're in the mood.
Mark Yarm – Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge
This book is, frankly, immense. In its scope, its telling and impact. Just reading it you can feel how much work and love has gone into this telling of the Seattle music scene – from its origins to its current status. The highs (both natural and chemical) and lows – some of which are pretty fucking dark and were a real discovery for me – are all covered in a forthright manner that manages to remain factual and detailed while also a clearly affectionate chronicle, sometimes gossipy, often hilarious and regularly revealing. It can't be easy to build a narrative from so many and often conflicting memories (The Melvins' Buzz Osborne comes across as a bit of a contrary prick) but Yarm has created what can only be described as the Bible of the scene here.
Bob Dylan – Chronicles Vol. One
"I'd been on an eighteen month tour with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. It would be my last. I had no connection to any kind of inspiration. Whatever was there to begin with had all vanished and shrunk. Tom was at the top of his game and I was at the bottom of mine."
Wait, what? Nobody was expecting it, but Bob Dylan's Chronicles Volume One appeared like a revelatory bolt from the blue in 2004 after he got 'carried away' writing linear notes for planned reissues of Bob Dylan, New Morning and Oh Mercy. The memoir – apparently the first of three (who know when) – is a detailed and candid insight into Dylan's life, thinking and writing at the time of those three albums. The dejection and lack of direction he felt for his career while on tour with Petty is pre- Oh Mercy which, it turns out, came about thanks to Bono, an obscure singer with a little-known Irish band called U2* who, for some reason, Dylan showed the songs he'd started putting together and, while old Bob thought about burning them, suggested he call Daniel Lanois instead…
There's a lot to discover in these three 'vignettes' considering the brevity of the periods covered and it's a vital read for any Dylan fan. For a less personal and fuller Dylan read, Howard Sounes' Down The Highway does a comprehensive and enjoyable job of telling Dylan's story while keeping clear of the myth(s).
Speaking of stripping away the myth..
Peter Guralnick – Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of AND Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley
This isn't a double-header, I'm not sneaking two books into one slot, both deserve a spot on this list but as you just can't read one and not the other I'll cover both in one go. I bought these books a long time before I got to reading them. I'm not a big fan of Elvis, I can quite quickly name a Top Ten but I don't go deep with the King. These books do and I'd mark them as essential.
Last Train to Memphis does a magnificent job in detailing – and I mean detailing – the rise of Elvis Presley right up to the point where he's shipped out to Germany in 1958. Where he's from, who he was as a person, his love for music, getting started, this book is rich in detail and interview and a real eye-opener. Guralnick finds the truth behind what has become a much retold and embellished story that's become so familiar that the truth of a poor young truck driver who loved nothing above his mother and music and came out of nowhere to become the biggest thing the world had seen is far too often forgotten. Take, as an example, the words of Marion Keisker, the secretary at Sun records who recognised something special in the polite teenager's voice, words on the enigma surrounding Elvis: "He was like a mirror in a way: whatever you were looking for, you were going to find in him. It was not in him to say anything malicious. He had all the intricacy of the very simple."
The degree to which Last Train to Memphis manages to deliver the real Elvis Presley makes Careless Love all the more affecting. Once again – the demise of Elvis' career and the man himself are too often mistold and the stock of parody: fat Elvis dying on the throne trying to take a dump surrounded by hamburgers and tv sets….
Careless Love gets underway with Elvis' time in the army in '58 and chronicles the gradual unravelling of the dream that had burnt so bright in Last Train To Memphis and details in disturbing detail the complex playing-out of Elvis's relationship with his plotting, money-grabbing and manipulative manager, Colonel Tom Parker. The lying Dutchman's desperate attempts to stop Elvis returning to the road after his comeback special (he'd have less control of him on the road), his continual pushing of terrible movie after terrible movie, the appalling contract and commission he took which fuelled his greed…. it wasn't drugs that did for Elvis if you ask me. Written with a grace and affection for its subject, Careless Love is the real deal, a true insight into the end of one of the biggest and misunderstood figures of the 20th century.
While neither made me run out and buy anything beyond the couple of compilations that sit on my shelves, both of these books changed how I thought about Elvis.
Oddly, looking back as I write this, it's not an Elvis song that comes to mind here:
George Harrison – I, Me, Mine
My love for this book isn't so much down to what's revealed or any 'shocking truths' – this aren't necessary really. Though apparently John Lennon was pissed off (it came out a few months before he was murdered) and claimed to be hurt as the book doesn't refer to Lennon as being a musical influence. What I love is the warmth and feel of I, Me, Mine. My version is that which was published in 2002, not long after Harrison had passed, with a new forward from his wife Olivia. The autobiography itself isn't essentially long or detailed but it's everything else about this book I love – the bounty of photos and the song lyrics- copies of handwritten lyrics included – with details on the writing of each: "'What is Life' was written for Billy Preston in 1969. I wrote it very quickly, fifteen minutes or half an hour maybe…. it seemed too difficult to go in there and say 'Hey I wrote this catch pop sing; while Billy was playing his funky stuff. I did it myself later on All Things Must Pass."
Aerosmith – Walk This Way
My first taste of musical bios is a pretty extreme one. I bought this when it came out (first edition hardback still sitting on my shelves looking rather well read) and I was really starting to get into Aerosmith. Written by Stephen Davis and the band, Walk This Way was the first official telling of the Aerosmith story, from the band members' origins and the formation of the group through to its early rise and debauchery to its drug-fuelled collapse and nadir before being reborn via sobriety in the mid-80s – much is given over to this process and the resentment Tyler felt at the time, Perry being involved in the intervention while still using etc and the troubles that nearly caused another break up prior to Nine Lives.
Since publication three of members have written their own memoirs (oddly I've only read Steven Tyler's) and have suggested that Walk This Way is perhaps a little… sanitised and glosses over a few things. Odd considering just how shocking some of what this covers …
Mark Blake – Pigs Might Fly: The Inside Story of Pink Floyd
I mentioned this one recently and I still believe it deserves a place in my Top 10. While there's never likely to be as complete and comprehensive a Pink Floyd autobiography as desired – Nick Mason's Inside Out comes close but is obviously his own story – as a) Gilmour and Waters don't really get on and b) Syd Barrett and Richard Wright are no longer with us… Pigs Might Fly is a thoroughly detailed and researched 'as close as you'll ever get'.
Of course this is bloody well going to be on here. This is pretty much top of the list and sets a new benchmark for how autobiographies should be written. I wasn't expecting this one to be written so well or so candidly. In my original review for this, which was extensive so I won't go overboard here, I said: It is an absolute blast to read. Written completely solo and without the assistance of a ghost-writer, the voice is clearly that of Bruce – at times cuttingly honest, at others poetic and then written as though delivering a sermon from the stage on the LIFE SAVING POWERS OF ROCK AND ROLL!!! (yes, the caps-lock button is Bruce's friend). Contained within its five hundred or so pages is the story of how a young man from a poor, working class family in the town of Freehold, New Jersey, fell in love with music, got a guitar, learned how to make it talk, refined his craft and cracked the code. It's fascinating and joyous stuff.
*If there isn't a tribute band called 'Not You Too' then I'll bloody well start one.
August 8, 2019 August 8, 2019 / Tony	/ 14 Comments
I actually have a memory from 1982 – and it can really only be 1982 or 83 -but it's not music related. I can't claim that I was sitting under a piano and singing Beatles songs in my second year on this planet.
So I have no memory of either hearing music or music news from 1982 such as that about the bloke from Birmingham , who'd already bitten the head off a dove in '81, doing the same to a bat in January 1982. Of course he claimed he thought it was rubber but you've got to be fairly off your tits not to be able to tell the difference between a squeaky toy and a live mammal. 1982 wasn't his year as he'd be arrested a couple of weeks later for taking a leak on something called The Alamo…
At the same BB King decided he didn't need his record collection and donated the lot – some 7000 rare blues records. I suppose it saved money on IKEA Kallax units.
In March, Billy Joel came off his motorcycle and dinged himself up pretty good – he'd spend more than a month in hospital undergoing physio on his hand which must've gone well judging by the quality of The Nylon Curtain…
I don't really care for Black Sabbath or Ozzy but he seems to have been dominated music headlines in '82. His guitarist Randy Rhodes was killed when the plane he was in crashed after buzzing Osbourne's tour bus. A few months later Ozzy would get married and, presumably, start bellowing "Sharon!"
Pink Floyd released the movie version of Waters' diatribe The Wall which mixed the egos of Waters and director Alan Parker to mixed results.
My favourite bit of music trivia from 1982 though is the point at which, fearing poor ticket sales for a tour in support of Combat Rock, Joe Strummer was convinced to "disappear" – his manager suggested Strummer 'vanish' and stay in Texas for a couple of weeks. Instead, Strummer genuinely disappeared for a couple of months – choosing to run the Paris marathon (he claimed his training consisted of drinking 10 pints of beer the night before) and "dick around" in France. The Clash were falling apart with tension – Topper Headon would be fired in '82 thanks to his cocaine addiction – and Strummer would later say he regretted his vanishing act. Though he would later run the London marathon without any training too.
In 1982 it was goodnight from ABBA, Bad Company, The Blues Brothers (this was the year John Belushi died), The Jam and Blondie (until 1997 that is). Meanwhile American Music Club, A-Ha, James, Public Enemy, The Smiths, Swans and They Might Be Giants all formed in 1982.
So what dropped album wise in '82? I've already mentioned a couple – The Clash dropped their best-selling album Combat Rock in July – it features their biggest singles too in 'Rock the Casbah' and the Stranger Things favourite 'Should I Stay or Should I Go' and the formidable 'Know Your Rights':
There were quite a few albums from artists that feature within this blog's orbit in 1982 including the first Sonic Youth album and the debut EPs from both R.E.M and the Replacements – though neither could really, honestly, be called the band's best work. Split Enz dropped Time and Tide in April of '82 and The Cure released Pornography shortly after. George Thorogood & The Destroyers released their fifth album, Bad to the Bone which continues to thrill me a considerable amount more than Thriller (also released in '82) ever did. B-b-b-b-b-b-b-bad:
The year also saw the previously mentioned Nylon Curtain by Billy Joel which features one of my favourite tunes by the piano chap, 'Goodnight Saigon'.
Kate Bush dropped her least commercial album, The Dreaming, which was full of highlights and served as the perfect bridge to The Hounds of Love… Prince released the extremely commercial and massive-selling 1999 while Neil Young pushed out Trans which was so noncommercial in its orientation that it was one of the albums used by his label Geffen in their lawsuit against him for producing wilfully unrepresentative and noncommercial material. Oh, and Aerosmith released the appropriately named Rock In A Hard Place. Well, I say 'Aerosmith'… even Joey Kramer doesn't consider it a proper entry in the band's catalogue – "it's just me, Steven, and Tom — with a fill-in guitar player." It's not entirely without merit – 'Bolivian Ragamuffin' has a real groove to get stuck on and both 'Jailbait' and 'Lighting Strikes' are decent tunes (the latter featuring Brad Whitford on guitar, presumably recording his rhythm parts on his walk to the door) but were I to tackle Aerosmith on a Least to Most… this would be the least.
Now in terms of albums that do feature high on my personal favourites list… Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released Long After Dark which features 'Straight into Darkness', ' A Change of Heart' and 'You Got Lucky'.
And then there's Nebraska. Once of Springsteen's finest albums, his first 'solo' album and his most stark in terms of subject and sound…. it really, really should be the featured album on this list…. but I've written about it exhaustively as part of the Springsteen Least to Most series and rules are rules. So… it looks like a second entry on the list for one band:
Dire Straits – Love Over Gold
It's fitting really. For a while I questioned whether this should be the choice for this year but there's a number of factors that mean Knopfler and co's fourth album sits here for '82; It's an album I heard a huge amount of in my youth and growing up thanks to my Dad's penchant for the band. So much so that down to the fact that his record had a skip on the "I've seen desperation explode into flames and I don't wanna see it again" in 'Telegraph Road'* that I got so used to that I still expect the skip when listening on CD or online.
As part of my debating whether to go with this album for 1982 I listened to it in full, again, and realised that I didn't need to be questioning it – it's not only a bloody strong album but it's one that resonates with me on so many levels and is part of what formed my tastes moving forward. 'Private Investigations' was one of the first things I set about learning on guitar and will still go to from time to time – especially if I pick up the old 'classical' guitar out of the garage. Combined with 'Telegraph Road' it makes for a faultless Side A:
Love Over Gold is, to me, the final 'classsic' Dire Straits album. There's still a very quintessentially English element about it and it's sound and writing are less direct and radio-ready than the Brothers In Arms era that would follow. It's the final of those early albums before 'Money for Nothing' threw them into bigger venues and TV sets around the world and the scale that would lead to Knopfler walking away began to build.
The music and sound benefits from the addition of Alan Clarke on keyboards – wider and more intricate sounds that mark a natural and real development on that of Making Movies – just listen to the interplay between the two on 'Love Over Gold':
The sheer power and length of the two songs that make up Side A do mean that trio on Side B are often overlooked, much as the album itself – sitting between Making Movies and Brothers In Arms – can be. But the title track, 'Industrial Disease' and 'It Never Rains' are far from filler.
As much as I understand Knoplfer's reasons for not attending the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony and his disinterest in reforming – I do wish that this era of the band (before it became about headbands and filling the largest venues) could get the revisit and attention it deserves.
*Side note/ pub quiz / music trivia point: Jon Bon Jovi, of all people, is also a Dire Straits fan – he was working at his cousin's record studio (The Power Plant) when Making Movies – and has admitted to ripping off 'Telegraph Road' with 'Dry County'.
Spinning some new
June 9, 2019 June 9, 2019 / Tony	/ 13 Comments
In between working, reading the Pink Floyd biog, composing posts about Springsteen (2 in the works) and Dylan, pricing up a Jag and reading / writing fiction I also manage to listen to new music and notice that I've forgotten to post on here again.
So, in an attempt to fix the latter – here's the new that's been getting a lot of rotation of late:
The Pixies – On Graveyard Hill
Despite the fact that I love pretty much every Pixies album, for reasons various it was only a month or so back that I finally got round to listening to their 2016 album Head Carrier. Then, a few evenings back an email pings into my inbox and announces that they have a new one ready for later in the year and this beaut is available to hear now. It's a sodding belter of a song.
Jambinai – Sawtooth
I picked up my copy of the new Jambinai album, Onda, yesterday from the same record store I discovered them in, it was only out on Friday but I've been enjoying this lead track for a bit now. Mixing traditional Korean instruments with heavy, noisy guitars and a Nirvana-like rattly bass punch. I fucking love this band.
Big Thief – Cattails
I did something I hadn't done in years last month and bought a physical copy of a music magazine – complete with a CD of music new and almost-new, hand-picked by The National as part of the press barrage surrounding their, inmho, naff new album. This one… isn't the Big Thief song that was on their but it lead me to their new album U.F.O.F which has my hypnotised… it's impossible to pin it down genre-wise but there's something so… it's a blissful thing with so much going on that's perfect for sunny evening to spin, drift away listening and remembering getting small to.
Sam Fender – Hypersonic Missiles
See… Sam Fender has been cropping up a lot on the one radio station I can stomach listening to these days. I'm gonna say this knowing how old it makes me sound – but this kid is only just 25. There's a real power to his voice and he's got some guitar and song-writing chops on him too, bit of Springsteen influence on this one (especially around the two minute mark)- amongst a bucket load of others – but this still fashions a sound of its own that I quite dig.
Gang of Youths – What Can I Do If the Fire Goes Out?
I listen to the radio in both an effort to wake myself up on the commute and not get stuck in a rut with music by discovering something new. I've discovered a fair few additions to my record collection that way and I'm enjoying these guys lately. There's some dark stuff to their lyrics but they manage to get it into a beat and tune that makes for a good listen. I think 'Let Me Down Easy' was the one that broke Gang of Youths on radio both here and at home – they folks come from that land Down Under – and this one is another getting turned up in the car etc and, again, wears a Springsteen influence on its sleeve.
Bruce Springsteen – Tucson Train
Speaking of the Boss. There's a new album due to hit my shelves a little later this month… 'Tuscon Train' is the third song released (do they do singles anymore?) ahead of Western Stars' release in a week or two (it's already getting cracking reviews) and is easily my favourite thus far. Really looking forward to this one…
April 26, 2019 April 26, 2019 / Tony	/ 11 Comments
Well, it happened. I thought it wasn't going to, certainly not so soon after his 'Vegas residency' period but I woke this morning to the news that Bruce Springsteen's new album Western Stars will drop in June.
Given that I was reading the news while dropping the kids off at the pool* it meant I'd pre-ordered before I stood up.
Recorded predominantly at his home studio in New Jersey, this – the first album of new material in five years (seven if you don't count those heated up left overs of High Hopes), Western Stars, to cite Springsteen's website: takes his music to a new place, drawing inspiration in part from the Southern California pop records of the late '60s and early '70s.
"This record is a return to my solo recordings featuring character driven songs and sweeping, cinematic orchestral arrangements," says Springsteen. "It's a jewel box of a record."
Cover art (the first not to feature Bruce's mug on it since The Ghost of Tom Joad) and track listing have dropped and the first 'single' has also been released (not that these things really exist anymore, do they?) too:
Good things:
It's a return to story-telling Bruce
Album themes encompass a "sweeping range of American themes, of highways and desert spaces, of isolation and community and the permanence of home and hope"
No Tom Morello
It's been a long time coming – this could go either way: Human Touch was laboured but rushed-releases could use better quality control
The song title 'Chasin' Wild Horses' seems promising on its own to me
"Sweeping, cinematic orchestral arrangements"
Bad things:
Ron Aniello
No E Street Band
So… Am I excited? Fuck yeah, I've just finished another Bruce series that's reminded me that there's always a reason to tune in, even if there are warning signs production-wise.
*curious to see if that reference is known across the various blog-oceans
And in the quick of a knife, they reach for their moment… Springsteen's Lyrics (Part 3)
April 24, 2019 April 24, 2019 / Tony	/ 3 Comments
Right, finally – Part Trois.
What started off as a two-part look at my favourite Springsteen's lyrics grew into an easy three-parter as every time I worked on the list it grew when I remembered another lyric. I could have stretched this to four but this Springsteen Series is already long and it's time to wrap it up. I reckon I've still got at least a couple of these BIG BRUCE BLOGS in the works though, so let's move forward and get into the final part of this one, complete with playlist.
"Well I swear if I could spare the spit, I'd lay one on your shiny chrome, and send you on your way back home"
When Bruce started expanding his lyrical framework beyond his immediate locales, his social and political consciousness began growing too. In place of songs about Jersey boardwalks and fortune tellers came lyrics about real people and their struggles in failing economies where 'lately there ain't been much work'. 'Seeds' is one of these early tunes to plow this awareness into his songwriting. Oft-overlooked as it never made it to a studio album (it joins the list of those culled form Born In The USA*) and was only officially released on Live 1975-85 it would feature in Springsteen's sets for a reason – it was a mainstay during the Reagan years and it would slip back into Springsteen's set lists in 2009, when America's economy started to circle the u-bend.
You can feel the anger in this one, another story of how betting everything on following the American dream (chasing the oil boom just after it went bust) fucked someone over, scathing lyrics set against a thumping E Street rhythm and heavy chords.
Human Touch, Better Days & Living Proof
"You can't shut off the risk and the pain, without losing the love that remains"
"But it's a sad man, my friend, who's livin' in his own skin, and can't stand the company"
"Life is just a house of cards, as fragile as each and every breath as this boy sleepin' in our bed"
It's not cheating – to me these are both three great individual songs but their lyrics and arc belong in the same write-up.
They complete a story arc that's clearly autobiographical and highlight one of those elements that – even when a large part of the album's they're on are tosh – makes Springsteen a great writer is that he's able to take that look into himself, and what's in all of us, and carve it into something that you actually want to listen to.
At the end of the 80's Springsteen's first marriage was over and he'd already been fighting depression. The arc represented by these songs shows characters who – in 'Human Touch' – have been bruised by former experiences ('so you've been broken and you've been hurt, show me somebody who aint') but are still willing to lay it on the line for a second chance – but , as Springsteen put it: "to receive what love delivers, they have to surrender themselves to each other and accept fate."
In Better Days those "characters return from broken love affairs and self-doubt and find the tempered optimism to take another shot," – Bruce pointed out in 'Songs' – having "taken a piss, at fortune's sweet kiss", realised what passes by while you sit "listening to the hours and minutes tickin' away" and find the redemption that's out there.
There's an undeniable sense of promise and positivity to the song and it doesn't hurt that the lyrics are strapped to one of the better tunes in terms of production on the two albums.
Despite being the song that kicked off writing for Lucky Town, 'Living Proof' serves as the final chapter in a way as Bruce reflects on fatherhood and the joy and sense of completion that delivers – children being the living proof that "love is real. They are faith and hope transformed into flesh and blood."
The song has meant more to me withe each passing year since my own son arrived "like the missing words to some prayer that I could never make" and will remain a lyrical favourite for just that reason. Springsteen obviously felt pretty similarly about it as it's the sole song from Human Touch and Lucky Town to have been selected for the 'autobiographical' collection Chapter and Verse.
I think any of us that have every fought that black dog can recognise and appreciate Springsteen's lyrics across these three tunes – that there is a light there if you're willing to give it a shot but you gotta be willing to the chance – nor deny his right to apply this more personal light to his lyrics (even if the overall albums and production fall flat).
Last to Die
"Who'll be the last to die for a mistake, whose blood will spill, whose heart will break"
Magic is one of Springsteen's finest collections of songs and easily the strongest of his post-reunion albums. It's certainly his angriest, with Springsteen's rage against Bush and the cost of war on people – I think it was Bono who said that all of America is Springsteen's hometown now – burning beneath the surface of so many of it's tunes. 'Gypsy Biker' updates his 'Nam song 'Shut Out The Light' with harsher consequence and 'Last to Die' takes takes it's lyrics directly from John Kerry's testimony on Vietnam – "How do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"
It's packed with scathing, bitingly angry lines like 'We don't measure the blood we've drawn anymore, we just stack the bodies outside the door' and 'The wise men were all fools' and strapped to the blazing sound of the E Street Band in its final peak.
"We sent our sons to Korea and Vietnam
Now we're wondering what they were dyin' for"
A stand-out story on an album resplendent with story songs and precise lyrics. 'Youngstown' tells the story of that Ohio town from the discovery of the ore that was "linin' Yellow Creek" in 1803, through wars Civil, First, Second, Vietnam and Korean to the city's decline as the arse fell out of the steel industry – "the yard's just scrap and rubble ." The 'Jenny' in the chorus is also the nickname for the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company's Jeanette Blast Furnace – which shut down in '77 (ta, Wikipedia).
There's a real poetry to Springsteen's telling of this potted history and the lyrics work both against the minimal backdrop of The Ghost of Tom Joad and when set alight by Nils Lofgren live:
Hey Blue Eyes
"In this house there's just the dust of bones, the basement's filled with liars
In this house our sons and daughters are spilled like wine."
Technically the last 'new' Springsteen tune released and testament to the fact that he can still punch above the pack with this lyrics even when not amazing with anything musically, 'Hey Blue Eyes' is taken from the American Beauty EP that was released in 2014.
Springsteen has described the track and its allegorical lyrics as "one of my darkest political songs. Written during the Bush years, it's a metaphor for the house of horrors our government's actions created in the years following the invasion of Iraq. At its center is the repressed sexuality and abuse of power that characterized Abu Ghraib prison. I feel this is a shadow we as a country have yet to emerge from."
"Moon rise, moon rise, the light that was in your eyes is gone away.
Daybreak, daybreak, the thing in you that made me ache has gone to stay "
Danny 'The Phantom' Federici, founding member of the E Street Band, died April 17, 2008 after a three year fight with melanoma. Working On A Dream, Springsteen's 2009 album, is dedicated to Federici and 'The Last Carnival' is both a reference to 'Wild Billy's Circus Story' and a touching tribute to the first of the E-Street Band to slip this mortal coil.
"It started out as a way of making sense of his passing. He was a part of that sound of the boardwalk the band grew up with and that's something that's going to be missing now."
Brothers Under The Bridge
"One minute you're right there, and something slips"
A tune cut around The Ghost of Tom Joad though left off and included on Tracks – 'Brothers Under The Bridge' is a story about a homeless Vietnam veteran living beneath a bridge, with other homeless veterans, "who has a grown daughter that he's never seen, and she grows up, and she comes looking for her dad. And what he tells her." At a time when Springsteen was like a factory churning out great short-story like songs against hushed backgrounds that wouldn't hide bad lyrics, this is a stand out and one that sits with his finest 'Nam songs – with lines like 'You were just a beautiful light, in your mama's dark eyes of blue' and that final line 'something slips'.
Jungleland
"Beneath the city two hearts beat
Soul engines running through a night so tender"
Of-fucking-course it was gonna be on here. How can Springsteen's most epic and well-loved 'story' song not be? I've been using its lyrics for the blog titles after all. There's nothing that can be said about this one that hasn't been said by better critics than I – all I'll say is that you can pick any lyric on here and it'll not only be gold but will be sung along to passionately by the entire crowed at any given Springsteen show it's played at.
And….. playlist:
*One of those three posts in the pipeline


text:
Veritone Awarded Contract by the U.S. Department of Justice
aiWARE Government to provide agencies with select artificial intelligence (AI) services and receives FedRAMP authorization extension
COSTA MESA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#AI–Veritone, Inc. (Nasdaq: VERI), the creator of the world's first operating system for artificial intelligence, aiWARE™, today announced that it has received a two-year Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for its aiWARE Government platform from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). aiWARE Government services may be ordered under the contract by the DOJ and the 94 United States Attorneys Offices (USAOs) throughout the country.
The contract includes AI-enabled audio and video transcription and translation services powered by aiWARE. The DOJ identified aiWARE Government as the sole source available to meet the DOJ's requirements for these AI-enabled services. The services can be accessed directly through the DOJ's eDiscovery platform to expedite evidence discovery, greatly reducing human labor and associated costs. Case teams can leverage aiWARE to support the search, discovery and analysis of large amounts of information, regardless of data type or language.
Sponsored initially by the DOJ, aiWARE Government received FedRAMP authorization in March 2019 and is available in the FedRAMP Marketplace for federal agencies to use. The updated aiWARE Government platform recently underwent another stringent assessment of data security, data governance capabilities and practices and achieved recertification status on May 4, 2020.
"We appreciate being selected as the provider of AI-based transcription and translation services for the DOJ to assist their agencies with audio and video based discovery, securely and at scale," said Jon Gacek, Head of Government, Legal and Compliance at Veritone. "In our pursuit to help transform government operations through AI-enabled solutions that provide actionable intelligence and tools that save cost, resources and time, this contract represents a major milestone and opportunity for Veritone."
For more information on Veritone, please visit www.veritone.com.
About Veritone
Veritone (NASDAQ: VERI) is a leading provider of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and solutions. The company's proprietary operating system, aiWARE™, powers a diverse set of AI applications and intelligent process automation solutions that are transforming both commercial and government organizations. aiWARE orchestrates an expanding ecosystem of machine learning models to transform audio, video, and other data sources into actionable intelligence. The company's AI developer tools enable its customers and partners to easily develop and deploy custom applications that leverage the power of AI to dramatically improve operational efficiency and unlock untapped opportunities. Veritone is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, and has offices in Denver, London, New York, San Diego, and Seattle. To learn more, visit Veritone.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements, including without limitation statements regarding the expected benefits of Veritone's aiWARE Government platform, including time and cost savings, to the DOJ and other government customers. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, words such as "may," "will," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "could," "estimate" or "continue" or the negative or other variations thereof or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. Assumptions relating to the foregoing involve judgments and risks with respect to various matters which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the control of Veritone. Certain of such judgments and risks are discussed in Veritone's SEC filings. Although Veritone believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of the assumptions could prove inaccurate and, therefore, there can be no assurance that the results contemplated in forward-looking statements will be realized. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking information included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by Veritone or any other person that their objectives or plans will be achieved. Veritone undertakes no obligation to revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Allison Zullo
Walker Sands, for Veritone
veritone@walkersands.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


How does Moses make his coffee? Hebrews it.
"Hey Koala! What are you doing?"
The koala says: "Smoking a joint." "Come up and have some."
So the little lizard climbs up, sits next to the koala and they enjoy a large doobie.
After a while the little lizard says his mouth is dry and he is going to get a drink from the river.
The little lizard explains to the crocodile that he was sitting in the tree, smoking a joint with the koala, got too stoned, and then fell into the river while taking a drink.
The crocodile says he has to see this.
So they walk into the rain forest and find the tree where the koala is sitting, with yet another joint.
He looks up and says, "Hey you!"
"Fu-u-u-u-c-c-k, Dude....... How much water did you drink?
Jimmo was a bush guide, taking bunches of city types out in the outback. He would show them that even parched looking places could supply food, how to hide from the sun and, if met, what to avoid.
At about midday one of the clients, who's watch had given up in the heat, asked him what the tine was. Jimmo took off his hat, held it up and said, "Twenty to twelve." Another client, having glanced at his watch, said, "Blimey, that's dead on, do you use your hat to measure the Sun's angle?"
"Naw," replied Jimmo, "I don't like me watch on me wrist, it catches on things, so I sewed it inside me hat - always got that near me."
Oh, dear, I always drink black coffee . . .
Not an "Americano", just a black coffee please.
Or I''ll bite yer friggin nose off!
I thought it was kind of amusing. I'm not really that cranky until I've had my coffee in the morning...said no wife ever. j/k, I've been married to the same gal for 37 years. I discovered International Delight Hazelnut Creamer back in about '01. That stuff is soooo good! But it was like crack! I found myself driving to various stores to get it, because I only liked that flavor. 6 AM, driving from store to store, to score it. I finally just went and quit cold turkey. Nothing owns me like that.
Jacko was a fair dinkum bushie that took mobs of townies out bush. He showed them how to get bush tucker even if it was as dry as a dead dingo's donga, how to keep out of the heat and how to avoid getting bushwhacked.
At about noon one day, one of the townies, whose cheap two-bob watch had karked it in the heat, asked him the time. Jacko took off his beaten up old slouch hat held it up and said "twenty to twelve". Another of the townies, having glanced at his watch, said, "Crikey, that's dead set right on, do you use your hat to measure the Sun's angle?"
"Yeah, Nah," replied Jacko, "I don't like me watch on me wrist, it catches on things, so I sewed it inside me hat - always got that near me."
I liked the original, but I just couldn't help myself.
Thanks for the accurate translation Blue. For we yanks it is humorous, but it must be dead serious for authentic Aussies.


We have already had a "people's" vote on EU membership. The people voted to leave. We had another "people's" vote a year later in 2017. This time around 85% of the people voted for the three political parties promising to leave the EU. Just 7.4% of the people chose to vote for the Lib Dems who were offering another referendum on EU membership.
A further referendum would in any case be an utter waste of time and money since almost nobody would accept the result.
If we voted yet again to leave, EU supporters would simply say that it was "only advisory", that the winners "told lies" they would demand that it be halted in the Courts or the House of Lords. They would go around finding people who had claimed to have changed their minds and then present this as evidence that the whole thing should be re-run to a credulous BBC. Meanwhile, without the slightest sense of irony or ability to see the contradictions on their own arguments, a cast of self-interested groups including multinationals, universities, and charities in receipt of EU funding would loudly proclaim that leaving the EU would mean: more unemployment and not enough people to fill the jobs available, inflation and a collapse in house prices. The end of carbon dioxide reductions and an end to the aircraft and motor industry, food running out in the shops and also the country being swamped with cheap food from the US.
Apparently we will also run out of medicine, and according to today's bit of fear mongering in the Times there would be riots and unrest.
I haven't yet read that Brexit will cause a zombie invasion but I suspect it is only a matter of time.
Of course I would not write off the EUs chances of winning a third vote. They have had enormous experience in re-running and winning referendums when they don't like the initial result.
EU supporters are slyly suggesting that instead of a straightforward question we have some sort of multiple choice with a series of options for leaving - and one option for staying in. Splitting the votes cast by an anti-EU majority would give the EU campaign a much better chance of winning. If this were to happen I would assume that Brexit supporters would treat the result with the same level of respect as was shown by the EU campaign for the 2016 result.
Far from uniting the country it would remind millions of British people, who want to leave the EU, of the contemptuous way they are thought of by far too many people with senior positions in politics, the media, and academia.
The people of this country have spoken – twice. It is time for us to listen.


When all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse, the neutral gift sacks were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that a non-specific holiday figure soon would be there.
The children of all race, creed and religion were all snugged in their beds, with visions of sugar- free plums danced in their heads.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter I sprang from my bed to see what was a matter and to see who the hell was causin all that noise in my yard that late at night.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear, an emissions-free vehicle and eight size challenged reindeer. The holiday figure was so lively and quick I knew it must be holiday figure.
He was dressed all in fur (not made from fluffy little animals) from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A wink of his eye and twist of his head, soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread and I could put the shotgun back under my bed.
He had a broad but normal face an advanced sized belly although smaller than last year from eating at " " way deli.
He poured out the "spirited" eggnog and chose water instead. For he knew no one could afford to have Santa crash his sled.
This little verse was written by our middle son when he was in highschool for a school assembly, Oh yes he got sideways glances from the principal, but it helped he lived next door to us. Only in fun was it written, we bring it out each christmas to have a laugh or two because it means so much to us because who wrote it. He has written many a poems about his dad his dad's horse, his Grandpa and more. He has a nack for it, we enjoy his writing with his humour, he also can bring to us a tear or two. But I'd have to say his best role in life is being a Dad, he is dedicated to his kids and we are thankful for him being a loving father.
From our Family Farm to you and yours a Good Night.
Thank you, it's a wonderful poem, and story with it.
Thank you, Blessings to you as well!


text:
Caspar lensgreve von Saldern (født 11. juni 1710 i Aabenraa, død 31. oktober 1786 på Schierensee) var en gottorpsk-russisk greve, statsmand og diplomat, bror til Carl Friedrich von Saldern.

Tidlig karriere

Uddannelse og flugt til Rusland
Han var søn af en amtsforvalter Friedrich von Saldern og Anna Maria Kamphøvener i Aabenraa. Efter at han havde uddannet sig som jurist ved universiteterne i Kiel og Göttingen, kom han ind på embedsbanen i det gottorpske Holsten, hvor han blev amtsforvalter i Neumünster. Her kom han snart i en heftig strid med sin amtmand, grev Gerhard von Dernath, men fik ret af det gottorpske gehejmeråd.

Senere stillede imidlertid forholdene sig mindre heldig for ham som en følge af bitre stridigheder iblandt de ledende statsmænd i det lille fyrstendømme, således at han valgte at flygte til Rusland, hvor den daværende gottorpske hertug, Carl Peter Ulrik, dengang opholdt sig som russisk tronfølger. Da han var så heldig at indynde sig hos denne, nåede han efterhånden at blive holstensk gehejmeråd, i det han som sådan vedblev at opholde sig hos tronfølgeren. Det var i denne stilling, han kunne give sin fyrstelige herre råd, da denne i året 1762 besteg den russiske trone og straks stillede sig det som sit første mål at føre krig imod Danmark.

Holdning overfor Danmark
Saldern var en stor egoist, både herskesyg og pengekær, foruden at han var hidsig og brutal i sin optræden; men han var en begavet mand, der ikke var mindre snu end handlekraftig. Hvor vanskelig end en sådan natur måtte være at have at gøre med, kunde han åbenbart være en højst fordelagtig forbundsfælle, når han ville være det. Under det truende forhold til den russiske kejser trængte regeringen i København hårdt til en sådan, og det traf sig så heldig, at Saldern virkelig var tilbøjelig til at række den sin hånd. Hvor lidt han end mente at ville gøre det for intet, var det dog ikke alene egen fordel, han her tænkte på.

Det synes, som om han har haft øje for, at hans holstenske fædreland kun var ilde tjent med at være delt imellem den danske konge og den gottorpske hertug, og at det ej heller ville være til dets gavn, om det i sin helhed blev knyttet som et lille fjerntliggende appendiks til det store Rusland, men at det var naturligst, at det helt blev bragt under den danske konges herredømme, da det geografisk lå op til hans lande. Men denne hans tankegang faldt nøje sammen med den plan, som den danske regering i længere tid havde været ivrig for, nemlig at komme til en udsoning med det gottorpske fyrstehus ved et mageskifte imellem det hertugelige Holsten og de til Danmark hørende fyrstendømmer Oldenburg og Delmenhorst.

Den mislykkede krig og forhandlingerne optages
Så gerne Saldern end ville virke herfor, var det dog umuligt at formå kejser Peter 3. hertil, da han bare tænkte på krig, og Saldern måtte foreløbig søge at få kejseren til at udsætte krigen. Dette lykkedes ham vel ikke; men krigen blev dog som bekendt ikke til noget, da Peter 3. blev styrtet af Katharina 2.. Efter hendes tronbestigelse var udsigten til en overenskomst om et mageskifte blevet bedre, og Saldern synes i den følgende tid i det hele at have arbejdet alvorlig i den retning, man ønskede i København. Det foreløbige resultat af de forhandlinger, der fandt sted i København i vinteren 1766-67, og hvori han havde en hoveddel, var den foreløbige mageskiftetraktat af 22. april 1767, der omsider efter forskellige vanskeligheder, som dog ikke hang sammen med noget omslag i Salderns synsmåde, førte til den endelige traktat af 30. april 1773.

Salderns rolle i mageskriftetraktaten

Salderns personlighed

Man vil i J.H.E. Bernstorffs breve og depecher jævnlig finde ret stærke ord om den betydning, Salderns venskab havde for Danmark; men hvor meget sandt der end var heri, så måtte
der også betales en høj pris for hans hjælp. For det første rent pekuniært. Intet kan let overgå den uforskammethed, med hvilken Saldern lige fra 1762 ved forskellige lejligheder stillede krav til, hvad man må kalde ligefrem betaling for de tjenester, han viste den danske regering. At disse krav måtte opfyldes, er en selvfølge, og hvad der på den måde måtte ydes ham, løb efterhånden op til 140.000 rigsdaler samt 33.000 rubler foruden 1.000 dukater og en kostbar gulddåse, og så måtte statskassen desuden fra den tid, mageskiftet trådte i kraft, betale ham en årlig pension på 6000 specier og lige så mange rigsdaler. At han tillige 1768 blev lensgreve og Ridder af Elefanten, havde mindre at sige.

Indflydelse på dansk politik
Drøjest var imidlertid det hovmod og den selvrådighed, man i København måtte finde sig i fra hans side under hans ophold her fra efteråret 1766 til 1768. Desto værre var forholdene her kun alt for gunstige for ham, til at han ikke skulle kunne te sig, som han ville. Det var på denne tid, at kongens usle holdning gav spillerum for en række intriger, der bragte usikkerhed i statens styrelse indad til og i politikken udad til, således at Bernstorffs stilling og med den det gode forhold til Rusland var i fare. Det kom så vidt, at selve Bernstorff måtte påkalde Salderns hjælp, og denne holdt så hus med kongen, indtil han gav tabt og fjernede de personer, som Saldern ville have af vejen. Naturligvis undlod Saldern, da han havde lært sin magt at kende, ikke i det hele at bruge den over for sådanne personligheder, som han af en eller anden grund ville til livs.

Også senere, da den endelige traktat var sluttet, og Saldern som gottorpsk kommissær skulle fuldbyrde mageskiftet, viste han sin lyst til at optræde bydende imod den daværende regering i Danmark. For at opnå den ordning af det tyske Kancelli, som han, for øvrigt ikke uden grund, holdt for den politisk rigtige, erklærede han ligefrem regeringen, at hvis man ikke gjorde, hvad han ville, standsede han hele fuldbyrdelsen af mageskiftet og indberettede sagen til kejserinden af Rusland. Intet kunne være brutalere end denne måde at tage sagen på. Naturligvis fik han sin vilje.

Fald i unåde
Men netop på den tid, da han havde set sin politik sejre og stod på sin indflydelses højdepunkt, var hans stilling i Rusland undergravet, thi han havde på flere måder, bl.a. ved ligefrem uredelighed, givet sig sådanne blottelser, at hans fjender fik kejserinden ophidset imod ham, og han faldt fuldstændig i unåde. Resten af sit liv levede han som privatmand på sit gods Schierensee i Holsten, indtil han døde.

Saldern havde været gift, og i sit ægteskab havde han en søn og en datter; sønnen, der bar grevetitelen, som faderen selv ikke havde villet bruge, oppebar af den danske regering en årlig pension på 3000 rigsdaler, som faderen havde af krævet den.

Han er begravet i Bordesholm Kirke. På Schierensee findes adskillige malerier af ham.

Litteratur
 Otto Brandt Caspar von Saldern und die nordeuropäische Politik im Zeitalter Katharinas II, Erlangen og Kiel 1932.

Kilder

Eksterne henvisninger

Diplomater fra Rusland
Diplomater fra Tyskland
Personer i oplysningstiden
Lensgrever fra Danmark
Amtmænd fra Holsten
Caspar
Riddere af Dannebrog (1671-1808)
Danskere i 1700-tallet
Personer fra Aabenraa
Artikler fra 1. udgave af Dansk biografisk leksikon

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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On music's biggest night, it should be no surprise to hear that the most celebrated artists of today's top genres will take the stage. Hosted by Late Late Show funny guy James Corden, the 59th annual Grammy Awards' first batch of announced performers include soul songster John Legend, heavy-metal gods Metallica and country superstars Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban. (Collectively, these musicians are industry veterans, with 29 career Grammys among them!) Another rumored appearance will be by The Weeknd, who's currently making the Internet go wild for reasons other than his music. Stay tuned for more details on the show, which is set for Sunday, February 12, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.


text:
Michael Fairman TV
Days of our Lives Officially Renewed By NBC
Photo: NBC
The sands through the hourglass will continue on NBC per the announcement today by the network that Days of our Lives has been renewed for its 56th season, which will keep the town of Salem hopping through September 2021.
Bruce Evans, EVP, Current Programming, NBC Entertainment said in a statement: "From our incredibly loyal fan base to our wonderful writers, cast and crew, the enthusiasm for Days never wavers. We're thrilled to bring viewers another season of a show that has cemented its place in television history and touches all generations."
Steve Kent, Senior EVP, Programming, Sony Pictures Television added: "Ken Corday and his team continue to build on the legacy of quality storytelling and intriguing characters that connect with audiences of all ages. We are thrilled that viewers in the U.S. and around the world will be able to enjoy the award-winning Days of our Lives for another season."
As well, executive producer, Ken Corday stated: "We are most grateful to NBC for their enduring faith in the future of Days of our Lives, and we are excited to continue delivering compelling stories to our loyal family of fans into this new decade."
Days of our Lives is produced by Corday Productions, Inc. in association with Sony Pictures Television. Ken Corday is the executive producer with co-executive producers Greg Meng and Albert Alarr. Ron Carlivati is the head writer.
So, happy to hear that is officially more DAYS to come? Comment below.
Related Topics:Bruce EvansDays of our LivesFeaturedken cordaynbcRenewalSeason 56SONYSteve Kent
FRIDAY: All My Children Icon Susan Lucci To Co-Host 'The Dr. Oz Show'
ABC To Resume Airing All New Episodes Of General Hospital
Leave a comment | 9 Comments
Recent comment authors
sonniorsolita
But how many of the current actors will return? That is the question.
Thank all that's unholy.
Now if they can just get rid of the ridiculous 8 months ahead taping schedule.
I wish they'd renew for 2 years at a time. Why can't they do that?
This is great news. Days is awesome. Better than Y&R.
4ever DAYS
At least 19 more months of DAYS!
Soaphound
At least DOOL has the best-looking men on daytime… Casey Moss, Chandler Massey, Freddie Smith, Robert Scott Wilson, Eric Martsolf, Galen Gering, Matthew Ashford, Brock Kelly. And many great veterans also. Let's hope they all stick around.
Violet Lemm2
Hi Soaphound,
Just read that Casey/J.J will be leaving show during Feb sweeps.Maybe he was getting sick of the lunatic S.Ls as a lot of us are.
Y&R was just renewed for 4 years. Why can't NBC renew Days for 2 years at least?
angela yoho
Fire the head writer–reduce a lot of characters that aren't shown for weeks at a time. Try shifting focus to have Bradys/Johnsons take the lead for awhile, bring back either Joey or Stephanie and see how it goes. Marlena/John, Nicole/Eric, etc aren't driving ratings being front and center. Let's shake it up.
OverRon
can they please do something about the historical inaccuracies and redundant dialogue??? If I hear "justin's beloved wife" "you deserted her/me" "dear poor adrienne's death" one more time (just a few) one more time I will throw my tv through the window. Then the worst was Kristen telling Nicole something to the effect she hoped she doesn't have to go through what she has..hey, dumb ass writers Nicole lost two children..so over this..then you have dreams, flashbacks, new pairings that are meh, more return from the dead in another form then themselves, etc. RIDICULOUS
DAYS OF OUR LIVES: What Did You Think of the Life-Sized Duke and Ava Scene?
Days of our Lives, General Hospital, and The Young and the Restless Receive WGA Award Nominations
ABC Entertainment President, Craig Erwich Offers Update on 'Pine Valley' and is Open to Additional 'General Hospital' Iterations
Three-Time Daytime Emmy Winner, Cady McClain, Reveals She's 'Back On Set' But On Which Show?
ATWT Alum Cassandra Creech to The Bold and the Beautiful
Michael Fairman TV Names The Best and Worst in Soaps 2021
The Bold and the Beautiful to Dedicate Episode to Betty White On What Would Have Been Her 100th Birthday
Television legend, Betty White, who passed away a few weeks ago at the age of 99, will have the upcoming Monday, January 17th of The Bold and the Beautiful dedicated to her.
What makes the choosing of this date to honor White s so meaningful is that it would have marked Betty's 100th birthday.
Within her storied career, Betty played Ann Douglas on The Bold and the Beautiful – the mother to Pam and Stephanie. She made her final appearances on B&B in 2009 when the show killed-off the character.
White, passed away a few weeks ago on New Year's Eve, and earlier this week it came to light that she suffered a stroke six days before her death.
Pictured in this post are Alley Mills (Pam_, the late Lee Phillip Bell (Co-creator B&B and Y&R), Betty White and Susan Flannery (Ex-Stephanie).
So, what do you think of B&B honoring Betty on what would have been her 100th birthday by dedicating the episode to her? Comment below.
Nominations were announced Thursday morning for the WGA Awards in the fields of television, new media, news, radio/audio and promotional writing.
In the Daytime Drama category, the writing teams from Days of our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless scored nominations.
Of note: The Bold and the Beautiful chose not to submit themselves for competition this year. So, it was not a matter of the series not receiving enough votes to be in contention.
The winners will be announced on Sunday, March 20, at the 74th annual Writers Guild Awards.
Here are the full writing teams nominated in the Daytime Drama category below:
General Hospital, Head Writers: Chris Van Etten, Dan O'Connor Associate Head Writer: Anna T. Cascio Writers: Barbara Bloom, Suzanne Flynn, Charlotte Gibson, Lucky Gold, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, Shannon Peace, David Rupel, Lisa Seidman, Scott Sickles; ABC
The Young and the Restless, Head Writer: Amanda L. Beall Writers: Susan Banks, Jeff Beldner, Sara A. Bibel, Brent Boyd, Susan Dansby, Christopher Dunn, Sara Endsley, Janice Ferri Esser, Marin Gazzaniga, Lynn Martin, Natalie Minardi Slater, Teresa Zimmerman; CBS
Days of Our Lives, Head Writer: Ron Carlivati Writers: Lorraine Broderick, Joanna Cohen, Carolyn Culliton, Richard Culliton, Jamey Giddens, David Kreizman, Rebecca McCarty, Ryan Quan, Dave Ryan, Katherine D. Schock, Elizabeth Snyder; NBC
To view the entire list of nominees click here.
So, who do you hope takes home the prize for the WGA Award for writing in a daytime drama series … DAYS, GH or Y&R? Comment below.
Guiding Light Favorite Robert Newman is Y&R's New Ashland Locke
Major casting news! The Young and the Restless has recast the role of Ashland Locke, previously played by Richard Burgi who has exited the CBS daytime drama series.
According to Soap Opera Digest, longtime Guiding Light veteran, Robert Newman (Ex-Josh Lewis) will be taking over the role.
Look for Robert to begin airing next month in February.
Over the weekend, Burgi announced via his Instagram story that he was no longer with top-rated soap opera.
Newman's daytime career also included time on Santa Barbara and General Hospital.
So, what do you think of Robert Newman as the Genoa City's new Ashland Locke? Comment below.
General HospitalJanuary 19, 2022
FRIDAY: Luke Spencer's Family and Friends Gather To Say Goodbye On General Hospital
As The World TurnsJanuary 19, 2022
Lisa Brown to be Honored In Virtual Interview With '42nd Street' Co-Star Lee Roy Reams
Days Of Our LivesJanuary 19, 2022
ESPN Sports Personality and 'General Hospital' Guest Star, Stephen A. Smith Reveals COVID-19 Nearly Took His Life
NewsJanuary 18, 2022
2022 NAACP Image Award Nominations: 'This Is Us' Stars Sterling K. Brown & Susan Kelechi Watson and Tamron Hall Talker Score Nods
All My ChildrenJanuary 18, 2022
TONIGHT: All My Children's Debbi Morgan and Darnell Williams Together Again on All-New Episode of 'Our Kind of People'
GH's Kristina Wagner On Felicia's Concern Over Maxie's Emotional State
B&B's Lawrence Saint-Victor and Thorsten Kaye to Guest on THE TALK
Breaking NewsJanuary 13, 2022
Richard Burgi Clarifies Why He's OUT as Y&R's Ashland Locke
Remembering One Life to Live on the 10th Anniversary of its Final Episode on ABC
Robert Newman On Joining the Cast of Y&R: "I Feel Pretty Blessed to Have the Opportunity"
RecapsJanuary 11, 2022
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Michael at a Crossroads; What Did You Think of Christian LeBlanc's 30th Anniversary Episode?
'Soapdish' Series Adaptation in the Works for Paramount +; Whoopi Goldberg to Reprise Her Role
InterviewsJanuary 7, 2022
Y&R's Christian LeBlanc and Michelle Stafford Talk On Their Enduring Friendship, Sharing Scenes & Preview Special Episode
RecapsJanuary 4, 2022
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: A Shocked Brooke Exclaims: "Oh, My God! I Was Drinking Last Night!"
PreviewsJanuary 3, 2022
'The Bachelor' Season Premiere: Will Clayton's Season Be Intriguing or a Dud?
Breaking NewsDecember 31, 2021
Betty White, Multi-Emmy Winner, Sitcom Star, and B&B Alum, Dies at 99
As The World TurnsDecember 30, 2021
'As the World Turns' Alums Try to Stump Contestants On All-New Episode of 'Soap Opera Know-It-All' Game Show
This Is UsDecember 29, 2021
'This Is Us' Cast Reflects on the Show as Its Final Season is About to Premiere
NewsDecember 23, 2021
Erika Slezak Shares Holiday Letter & Fan Club Milestone Expressing: "I Thank All Of You For Sticking With Me All These Years"
Cameron Mathison talks with Michael Fairman on taking on the role of GH's Drew Cain, the latest developments in Port Charles for Drew. his busy career outside of soaps and the loss of his mother and his public battle with cancer.Leave A Comment
The Michael Channel
Carol: "Days storylines just keep getting worse and worse. This is a good example."
Jimmy: "Richard Burgi & Robert Newman are actually the exact same age, both 63!"
Rodd: "I am so sick of Rafe being written as an idiot! Are all police supposed to be stupid? SMH. Kick…"
Satan: "JJ has a "medical" degree from Trump University, apparently."
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Sofia Mattsson and Johnny Wactor as Sasha & Brando
Airdate:12-17-2021
Copyright © 2020 The Michael Fairman Company.


Lmao min cash pays 1to2 really!
More important news is that our very own Carl Trooper is 56 of the 478 left right now!
A bunch of known players final table would be awesome. Also a women in the main event FT would be super cool too. How come I can't find Carl Trooper's name, is he out?
great news actually, good luck to him, TID!
Negreanu finished the day with 3,620,000 chips. The average stack among the final 69 players is 2.75 million.
Negreanu offered a rare understatement: "This is fun."
27 left, Negreanu in 9th, FT is really close Negrenu, GOO!!
Currently at 6.5million chips. This could be his year!!
I really want to see Negreanu taking this. Kid's really talented and if there's a man that should be the winner, it's Daniel. Been following him for three years and enjoyed every minute waching his play on Youtube.
KID POKER! Has always been one of my all time favorite Pro Poker players. Great player.. smart and funny.. Seems like he would be a fun guy to play live against.
Daniel had my vote hes such a nice kid!
I just love the way Jake Toole plays .
Ahhh he was so close! That would have been amazing if he had final table'd, but 11th is still good for some tv coverage at least. Read most of the updates, looks like McKeehen got super lucky and then played a good bully towards the end there - he's basically a lock for final two or three. Pretty cool to see that Steinberg made it, probably gonna root for him.
Anyone know when they are doing the November Niner interviews? I've been checking pokernewsdotcom all day.
Yeah I got the news a little bit ago, that's quite unfortunate. He was definitely the most seasoned of the players. I definitely wanted to see him play in the Nov. 9!! Second time he has finished 11th in ME I believe?... Ugh.. so sick.
So sry for Kid poker.
can someone tell where can i watch the main event live?? i'd appreciate it!!
In November, november nine will appear in TV?
I forgot to tell I´m from Brazil. Does anyone knows if it it will be broadcast here? Thank you!
Too bad kid poker is out he is a great player.I personally think the final table should not be played in November but with one or two days after the table has been settled, i personally believe that poker has momentums and if you're in one it wont last until November.It's just a personal opinion.


Serious Case of the Runs: Serious Case of the...Swims?
I long to be out there, even for "just" a few miles because "just" a few miles is better than no miles at all. However, I am excited to try out this water running. It'll be nice to do it without swallowing my weight in chlorinated water. Since I was pressed for time this morning, I didn't try it out, but I'm planning on it tomorrow morning. I'm looking forward to it. Somehow I think that the severe boredom that others complain about as a side-effect of pool running won't really bother me all that much. If you can run for 29 hours and manage to never get bored, you can pool run for 30 minutes, perhaps even an hour without it sucking too much. I'll let you know how that goes.
This past weekend I swam and biked early in the a.m. Saturday we met up with Jim for lunch then headed over to Navy Pier to see our friend Adrian (whom we are all crewing for at Badwater this year) who was running a marathon on the treadmill for charity at the Shamrock Shuffle 8k race expo. It was funny to watch people buying Gu packs for an 8k... Sheesh, I'd be friggin' ecstatic if I cranked out an 8k right now. I shouldn't poke fun at others :) On Sunday, after Geof's run and my bike workout, we walked over to Columbus Avenue to watch the Shamrock Shuffle. We really wanted to see the front runners, and then we were going to meet up with Brian at mile 4 to watch Kelly run by (she was racing). As we stood on the street corner, the pace car appeared at the top of the hill coming over the river, and then suddenly the elites appeared, speeding down the hill toward us. Whoa, those dudes were fast! A couple minutes pass and then they appear...the other 35,000 runners! It was a sea of bodies rushing toward us. We were next to a huge puddle so runners split and ran on either side of us to avoid it. It was intense! I loved it!
So hopefully, this pool running thing will work to my benefit. I hear really good things about it and how it can keep you strong and working those running-specific muscles so you don't miss out too much while taking time off. I read about a guy who trained for Boston entirely in the pool because he had a stress fracture. Dude finished Boston in under 3 hours. Sick. So is it going to make me a sub-3 runner? Doubtful, as I'm not already, but it will definitely keep me in running shape and that's what I'm aiming for. All eyes on Leadville. When I told my PT last night that I'm pool running his eyes got big as he said "THANK YOU!"
Good luck to you! I had to take a month off completely in December and I were not *really* able to run until the end of Jan (really = with no limping).
Get well and strong and get back to running!
Congratulations for taking care of your body! I know a lot of hobbling limping injured runners who still insist on putting the miles in. I've been there, it's not worth it!
Good girl! (...it's my inner mother speaking...) Your bod will thank you.
The pool running as a training method for runners with stress fractures has been around for years and years and years. I've also heard the stories of people emerging stronger-than-ever from the pool running, so good for you for being pro-active. Back when I was a track and field girl (think mid-80's) and you got a stress fracture, this is what you did. Fortunately for me, I survived my teen years of running and competing without even a sprain or strain. So go get it Flipper! And see if you can buy yourself some waterproof music thing-a-ma-bob so you can rock out. Or Crash out.


PLAIN will hold its December meeting, Thursday, December 21 @ 7:30pm in the Beach House.
Prior to the meeting, at the Beach House starting at 6:45pm is "Cosmic Gospel Hour's Lazy Caroling". 30 minutes of holiday tidings. Don't miss it.


Trøgstad kirke is a stone church dating from the first half of the 1200s.
Trøgstad kirke is a stone church dating from the first half of the 1200s; the vestry was added on the north side in 1697. The church is built in the Romanesque style and was restored in 1905.
The decoration is unusual with texts from the Scriptures forming a belt around the interior of the church, which also features an acanthus altarpiece from 1712. During the war in 1808, Prince Christian August and the Norwegian troops camped by the church, which now has a memorial dedicated to him.
The church lies in Rv22, just south of Skjønhaug centre.


text:
Q: How to make react-virtualized list draggable? I work on react-virtualized List and want to make it draggable, is it possible?
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I wanted to inform you that I've successfully installed Acer E15 E5 576 - 56XA. It is a new machine with 4GB Ram i5 8th generation purchased in Korea. I've never used a real Chrome book, so I really am not sure how a Chromebook is supposed function, but it is working like a beauty and it has become my main PC. I use quite a lot of CAT tools (translation tools) but it is handling all of them except one movie translation tool which cannot render Korean characters, all appearing as X's in a box. But I know they are getting inputted correctly because when I copy and paste the characters elsewhere, the characters are correct. It is a website which uses flash and I would consdier the company a tech laggard. Other than that it works flawlessly. At first it gave me some problem with switching between languages, but it works great now.
If you want to make the alt key your language switch key for Korean, this one worked like a charm.
I still have two tradtional offline CAT tools which will not work on Chrome, but I thought it is worth that I use my Windows as a personal server by using chrome remote desktop. And this new Cloudready self-made Acer Chrome laptop will be the main laptop beginning today. So I am very happy and wanted to thank Cloudready.


text:
Q: Leaflet for R : instead of showCoverageOnHover - always show the boundaries I am using library(leaflet) to render maps with markerClusterOptions.  I have also set the showCoverageOnHover=T in markerClusterOptions.  This by default displays the boundaries of the cluster whenever I move the mouse over the cluster.
Is there a way where I can permanently display the coverage area for a cluster - as I want to render the map as an image.


text:
The Republic of Pirates
Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down
Colin Woodard
Digital Audiobook (7/31/2015)
Compact Disc (8/1/2015)
The inspiration for the NBC series "Crossbones." In the early eighteenth century a number of the great pirate captains, including Edward "Blackbeard" Teach and "Black Sam" Bellamy, joined forces. This infamous "Flying Gang" was more than simply a thieving band of brothers. Many of its members had come to piracy as a revolt against conditions in the merchant fleet and in the cities and plantations in the Old and New Worlds. Inspired by notions of self-government, they established a crude but distinctive form of democracy in the Bahamas, carving out their own zone of freedom in which indentured servants were released and leaders chosen or deposed by a vote. They were ultimately overcome by their archnemesis, Captain Woodes Rogers a merchant fleet owner and former privateer and the brief though glorious moment of the Republic of Pirates came to an end. In this unique and fascinating book, Colin Woodard brings to life this virtually unexplored chapter in the Golden Age of Piracy.
Praise For The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down…
PRAISE FOR COLIN WOODARD
"A tremendous reporter . . . and [a] strong, impassioned writer as well."—THE BOSTON GLOBE
PRAISE FOR THE LOBSTER COAST
"A beautifully considered history . . . Woodard's admiration for lobster culture is stirring . . . Mainers' feisty pluck remains undiminished in the face of obstacles."—NEWSDAY
"Woodard''s book explains how this fragile democracy came about, and why the pirates who populated it were actually better suited for such organization than their legends would have us believe."--Alexandria Gazette-Packet
"This breezy, fast-moving book is filled with exciting action and colorful characters. It will provide general readers and those with a special interest in the period much enjoyment."
"[C]hallenges what we think we know about these ruffians, dispelling notions of dictatorial rule aboard ship in favor of an image of egalitarianism."--Boston Magazine
"Using archive material from England, Spain, and the Americas, Woodard tells the real story, brief as it was, of the Caribbean pireates as they fought nature and empire."--Denver Post
"Disregard Robert Louis Stevenson''s rowdy buccaneers, the Disney factory''s lively rascals and those musical lads from Penzance: Here are the real pirates of the Caribbean, and the facts are as colorful and exciting as fiction."
"Fascinating... beyond rip-roaring adventure stories from the distant past, [the book offers] an opportunity to understand pirates as they truly were--and to be grateful that the worst of them, at least, are gone."--New York Times Book Review
"It''s a rollicking tale, filled with rich details of the lives of men who, for their own personal gain, challenged the spread of empires."
"[C]ontain[s] passages that are absolutely riveting, sometimes for their high-seas action, sometimes for their wicked illumination of life aboard an antiquated vessel at sea for months on end."--Toronto Star
"While American piracy extends from the 1600s until almost the end of the 19th century, the real heyday was the brief span 1715 to 1725 that Colin Woodard covers brilliantly in THE REPUBLIC OF PIRATES. This is the first incisive look at the world of Blackbeard, Stede Bonnet, Anne Bonny, and their compatriots, and it illuminates as never before one of the most storied yet misunderstood episodes in our past."
"Narrative history at its best."
Colin Woodard has produced a rollicking, gangplank-swaying read of a book...This scrupulously researched book strikes a balance of human interest, romance, drama, war, and historical fact--all key ingredients for an excellent read.
Woodard gives us a wonderful glimpse into the actual lives of pirates. For anyone who wishes to learn more about these forerunners of democracy on the high seas, THE REPUBLIC OF PIRATES is a must read.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 9780151013029, 400pp.


August 26, 2011 -- They say children keep you young - and it's definitely the case for Arceli Keh.
America's oldest mom is now 78 but still finds the energy to hang out at the mall with her teen daughter and sing Justin Bieber songs.
She draws the line at theme parks though.
Arceli was 63 when she had her baby Cynthia 14 years on and has revealed she has no regrets.
The infant weighed 6lbs 4oz and was conceived via IVF, 14 years after Arceli went through the menopause.
Originally posted on August 26, 2011.
Lots of anecdotes from families with either delayed or remarried fatherhood.


Even if you're not a granola-eating, herbal-tea drinking type of Bubba or Bubbette we still think it's a pretty darn good idea to respect ol' Mother Nature. Especially when you're crashing through the country side in an awesome man-made four wheeling mechanical off-roading fun machine. Which is why we designed The Tree Hugger™, a perfect way to winch yourself out of some difficult situations while still managing to leave your surroundings green and un-scarred. The Tree Hugger™ is made from 3 inch wide 100% polyester webbing that can wrap around a tree like a soft cuddle keeping your winch cable from girdling the bark off your tree buddy's trunk. We also added a tuff Cordura covering over the synthetic webbing for added web protection and reduced eyelets for easily attaching a joining shackle.


Published 04/25/2019 04:43:35 pm at 04/25/2019 04:43:35 pm in Inside Electric Water Heater.
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text:
Providing a Path for Lifelong Learning
The Pumpkin Spice Latte: A History of Basicness
September 28, 2019 October 17, 2019 maddiehuber5
It's officially fall! A time of changing colors, brisk winds, and warm cups of coffee. Speaking of coffee, the Pumpkin Spice Latte! Fall would not feel the same if we did not have the Pumpkin Spice Latte. An American delicacy consisting of nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and espresso, this drink is sure to get anyone in the fall mood. So why is this drink so popular? What is its origins? For just another coffee drink it seems to resonate with the fall season in the U.S. Let's find out why!
The Pumpkin Spice Latte, also known as the PSL, was created in 2003 by a group of Starbucks employees at the Starbucks headquarters in Seattle, Washington. After already having successful holiday drinks like the Eggnog Latte and Peppermint Mocha, Starbucks was ready to create a seasonal fall drink. After numerous experiments with different flavors, including eating pumpkin pie and drinking espresso to get into the spirit of fall, the team finally came up with a recipe consisting of pumpkin spice syrup with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, espresso, and steamed milk.* And the rest is history.
And wow does it have a history. Unfortunately, it's not all sweaters and yoga pants. Like everything in the world, the PSL has a dark side. Let's travel back to the Middle Ages. During this time, the Banda Islands, now modern day Indonesia, were rich in trading spices such as clove and nutmeg. Naturally, the whole world wanted in on this market, particularly the Europeans.
Map of Banda Islands, c. 1650
Arab traders were among some of the first people to enter into this market. Already having access to the Silk Road, the Arabs proved their advanced maritime skills by navigating another trade route that led to the eastern Banda Islands of Java and Sumatra. They became successful in this trade, selling to the Chinese and Europeans.** However, despite the Arab traders trying to keep the location of the nutmeg a secret, the Portuguese eventually found the Islands in 1511 and began to trade the spices for nearly 100 years. It was not until the Dutch showed up that things took a turn for the worst for the Bandanese people.
The Dutch invaded the Islands, built a fort, and forced the Bandanese people to sign a contract which stated that only the Dutch were in charge of trading the spices. Britain also appeared on the Islands as a new partner to the Dutch trade. Despite signing the contracts, which they did not fully understand to begin with, the Bandanese ignored them and continued to do their own trading.
The violence that ensued as a consequence was gruesome. The Dutch beheaded Bandanese leaders and enslaved many of the people to work and to cultivate the spices while also teaching the Dutch how to grow them for themselves. The Bandanese who were not killed or enslaved fled to the mountains where they were either eventually killed by the Dutch, starved, or committed suicide by jumping off of cliffs. After all of this massacring, only about 1,000 of about 15,000 Bandanese survived.
After these events, the English fought the Dutch for total control of the Banda spice trade, leading the Dutch to make a deal with the English. This deal, while it ended English control of the Bandas, gave England the island of Manhattan from the Dutch. And now this all comes full circle because as of now Manhattan is home to 240 Starbucks that serve the PSL every fall season.***
Now more available to the rest of the world, specifically the Western World, people could use these spices more frequently. They had the opportunity to mix them together to make new tastes and flavors, which could then be sold on the market. Even though people wanted to eat and drink things that actually tasted good, it all came down to making a profit. As time has gone, recipes are constantly changed, all for the purpose of something that can be successfully sold to the public. And now today in 2019, Starbucks has made its own concoction that not only brings many Americans happiness but also brings wealth to the company and corporate America.
So next time you are snug in your yoga pants and Ugg boots sipping on your warm Pumpkin Spice Latte, you can raise your cup to the Europeans while also remembering the human cost that now allows you to enjoy such a simple comfort.
References: * https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2014/starbucks-first-pumpkin-spice-latte/. ** Manguin, Pierre-Yves (2016). "Austronesian Shipping in the Indian Ocean: From Outrigger Boats to Trading Ships". In Campbell, Gwyn (ed.). Early Exchange between Africa and the Wider Indian Ocean World. Palgrave Macmillan. pp.51–76. *** https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/08/27/pumpkin-spice-wars-violent-history-behind-your-favorite-fall-starbucks-latte/.
Tagged Maddie Huber
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By embedding RFID tags into tickets for the Tennis Masters Cup 2005, organizers were able to curtail counterfeiting, increase revenues and speed patrons' entry into the stadium.
Dec 22, 2005—As 100,000 tennis fans entered the Shanghai Qi Zhong stadium last month to attend the Tennis Masters Cup 2005, they waved RFID-based tickets past RFID interrogators (readers) stationed at all 16 gates of the stadium. The interrogators read each ticket's section and seat number, the date of the game and a unique ID associated with this data. If the data matched similar information in a database, the automated gate admitted the ticket-holder. The RFID ticket format was used to fight ticket counterfeiting.
Texas Instruments RFID (TI-RFid) Systems supplied the 13.56 MHz Tag-it HF-I RFID inlays embedded in the tickets, which were compliant with the ISO 15693 standard. TI worked with a number of local vendors to deploy the ticketing solution, according to Jeff Kohnle, TI-RFid's director of sales and marketing for the Asia Pacific region. Three firms provided systems integration services: Shanghai HSIC Application System, Shanghai Shenbo Intelligent ID Technology and Shanghai East Ticket. Hua Shen supplied the stationary RFID interrogators deployed at the admission gates, as well as the handheld readers stadium officials carried to spot-check tickets during the event. SATO Shanghai provided its CL408E-HF RFID printer-encoder for printing the tickets and encoding the inlays.
All of these vendors worked with Shanghai Ba-Shi Group, the city's largest mass transit company, which is hosting the event from 2005 to 2007. The event had been held in Houston for the past two years, and in Shanghai in 2002.
Because it knew the RFID tickets would be authenticated at the gates, and that the embedded tags would be impossible for outside parties to counterfeit, New Sports and Entertainment (Shanghai) Co.— the Shanghai Ba-Shi Group subsidiary that served as the event's promoter—was able to begin selling tickets five months before the event, rather than one month in advance, as it did in 2002. This longer sales cycle, combined with the new ticket format, proved successful. Ticket revenue for the 2005 event was double that of past events with comparable ticket sales and prices.
The RFID tickets were delivered to patrons by mail, Kohnle says, accompanied by literature explaining that they contained RFID tags. "The tickets are printed on heavy stock and are large—roughly the size of an airline ticket," he says. They are neither ripped nor folded upon entrance, he adds, and patrons often keep them as mementos or collector's items.
Previously, patrons did not receive their tickets prior to the event. Rather, they were mailed ticket vouchers to be exchanged for tickets upon arrival at the event. This was done to deter counterfeiting of the tickets, but the practice was not as fail-safe as the RFID system, which authenticates each ticket upon entrance to the stadium. In addition, the old two-step process made the entrance process more time-consuming.
According to Kohnle, no personal information was encoded to the RFID tag embedded in each ticket. Instead, the unique ID encoded to the tag was associated with the ticket-holder's identity and payment information in a secure database. Next year, the Shanghai Ba-Shi Group plans to issue RFID tickets that patrons can also use as payment devices during the event. Merchants within the stadium will link RFID interrogators to point-of-sale systems, and patrons will present their tickets to the readers to pay for food and other items. Kohnle says he does not know exactly how this system would work, just that payment could be charged to the credit card account used to purchase the ticket. This account information could be retrieved from patron profiles stored in the secure ticket database.
TI says some attendees tried to work around the RFID authentication system by smuggling out tickets that had already been used to enter the stadium. These tickets were then given or sold to other people, who then tried to use them to gain entrance.