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the band montreal
{ March 31, 2014 @ 6:32 pm } · { profiles }
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of montreal chieftain kevin barnes.
Sometimes the key to unlocking a band's potential is allowing it to operate fully as a band.
That hasn't always been the case with veteran indie-pop fave of Montreal. For over 15 years, it has worked as a nom de plume of sorts for Athens, Ga. song stylist Kevin Barnes. Onstage, a company of musicians would journey through myriad pop styles, from party funk to psychedelia to glammed up Brit pop and more. In nearly all other respects, though, of Montreal was a very singular vehicle with Barnes writing and recording nearly all the band's music on his own.
Now, with a fascination for vintage folk-rock fueling his current songs, Barnes has decided to relinquish some of his command. For his recent Lousy with Sylvianbriar album, he enlisted a new musical team not as a mere foil for live shows but as the basis for a fully functioning band.
"It felt like a new chapter in my career," Barnes said. "I turned over a lot of people that have been with me for awhile and just moved in this new direction. I'm very excited about it. I think it has breathed new life into the project."
"The influences this time are mostly from the late '60s and early '70s. I wanted to make a record that was similar to that in a sense, as far as the way we went about recording and how I went about writing and teaching people parts. I liked the idea of getting other
people involved and having it be more communal and collaborative. But I also wanted to work really quickly, as in the course of just a couple of weeks. As a result, we were making all these spontaneous, creative decisions on the fly and just not laboring over it in a way that I have been laboring over the previous records.
"Basically, I just wanted to follow the blueprint of those records that I love – the Bob Dylan records, the Neil Young records, Leonard Cohen records, Grateful Dead records – all the records that were an inspiration for this record."
Getting into the mindset of that music, however, required some distance – specifically, a pilgrimage to San Francisco, the epicenter of late '60s counterculture.
"I really wanted to get out of Athens and be somewhere new, somewhere that was kind of exotic and mysterious," Barnes said. "I've always been a huge fan of the beat poets and writers and, of course, the hippie scene from the late '60s and early '70s. San Francisco is so interesting and so culturally and ethnically diverse. The architecture is amazing and just the way the city is laid out is really inspiring. I hadn't spent that much time in San Francisco before, so I didn't really know exactly what I was going to get out of it. But some sort of voice was calling me there and I just trusted my instincts. I lived for about three weeks in this rented apartment and wandered around and observed people. I read a lot and wrote a lot."
With the groundwork for Sylvianbriar complete, Barnes was faced with the challenge of allowing his songs to develop with a new of Montreal lineup – vocalist Rebecca Cash, drummer/vocalist Clayton Rychlik, keyboardist Jojo Glidewell, pedal steel guitarist/bassist Bob Parins and guitarist/mandolinist Bennet Lewis – as opposed to by himself in a studio.
"It was difficult at first just because the group of people I had been working with… we were really close. We travelled the world together and had all these ups and downs together. So to basically move on and start a new life without them created a lot of tension and a lot of pain that definitely affected our relationships, which was inevitable. But at the same time, it's exciting to feel like I'm moving in this new direction and dropping all the baggage of the past to move forward. So it's kind of a bittersweet situation, I guess.
"For me, it's all about the present moment and what I hope to accomplish in the future. I don't really care at all about the things I've done in the past. That might seem kind of strange or whatever. But for me, it's all about not looking back and just thinking, 'Okay. Now what? Now what can I do?' So I'm in a good place right now because I'm discarding stuff. Even Sylvianbriar, in a way. I'm just trying to move forward from that into some new area."
of Montreal and Ortolan perform at 10 p.m. April 1 at Cosmic Charlie's. 388 Woodland Ave. Tickets are $20. Call (859) 309-9499 or go towww.cosmic-charlies.com.
in performance: ballister
{ March 30, 2014 @ 2:26 am } · { in performance }
ballister: paal nilssen-love, fred lonberg-holm and dave rempis. photo by lasse marhaug.
It began in a state of willful chaos and ended with a beat of golden silence. Everything in between played out last night like a heated family conversation by the free jazz trio Ballister at the University of Kentucky's John Jacob Niles Center for Traditional Music.
A turbulent ebb and flow fortified the 75 minute set's three untitled improvisations created by saxophonist Dave Rempis, cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm and drummer Paal Nilssen-Love. The first started like a clasp of thunder with the three stepping briskly into a fractured, high volume brawl that placed Rempis' scorched alto lead at its center. Built around all that was the deconstructed chamber backdrop Lonberg-Holm designed by tapping out notes on the neck of the cello with his left hand while his right simultaneously added more sustained rage with a bow. Subsequent solos would formulate a hint of a sustained melody before Lonberg-Holm let the music mutate with assorted pedal effects.
One had to be a traffic cop to monitor all the changes that followed – like Rempis' switch to baritone sax and an ensuing, elemental, groove executed on brushes by Nilssen-Love that slowly built itself into a furious boil. Whispery sax/drums dialogue, a percussion solo on cymbals played by mallets, two more sax changes (back to alto and then on to tenor) and a full-tilt trio rampage brought the 35 minute improv to a conclusion that was as unsettled as the opening.
The second improv downshifted the set's drive, but only slightly. Its introduction returned Nilssen-Love to mallet percussion that faded to a quiet rumble even as bowed cello lines percolated under his playing. Rempis' baritone sax squall later led into another trio skirmish before a clean swipe on the cello strings by Lonberg-Holm brought the improv to a finish that seemed to surprise and delight his bandmates.
An overall quieter chat dominated the final improv of the evening. A rustle of percussion devices that included a half-empty water bottle and an alto sax solo that beautifully opened into a fully functioning wail highlighted the music's unusually harmonious flow. Then everything evaporated into a momentary coda of silence that was as breathtaking as all of the fascinating interplay that preceded it.
in performance: scott miller
scott miller.
You had to feel for Scott Miller. His fine acoustic performance last night at Willie's Locally Known was shifted to an early evening start time to accommodate the late tipoff of the Kentucky/ Louisville NCAA game. But that meant the longtime songsmith, who spent all of his professional career in Knoxville before relocating to his Virginia family farm three years ago, had be onstage as his beloved Tennessee Vols were going down for an Elite Eight placement to Michigan. Miller took it all with a wry wit that was often turned inward, that was until he eulogized his team's impending loss with a solemn finale of Tennessee Waltz. What a hapless, heartfelt and strangely complimentary pairing it was with Miller earnestly singing the classic county lyrics about losing a sweetheart as his team bowed out for the season.
The rest of the performance was no less absorbing. Miller remains, some 18 years after his Lexington debut with the Knoxville quartet The V-Roys a masterful storyteller – one that weaves words with Dylan-esque rhythm and specificity as his narratives become darkly personal. An exquisite example surfaced last night with How Am I Ever Going to Be Me?, a tune that questioned identity, faith and salvation.
Equally sobering and Dylan-drenched was Lo Siento Spanishburg West Virginia, a tale of rural decay that provided a modest whimsical spin on folk tradition ("old times there are Oxycontin").
Both are relatively recent tunes for Miller that favored folkish outlines over the rockish template used for many of his V-Roys and early solo career songs. It was a setting nicely enhanced during the 90 minute set by bassist/accompanist Bryn Davies, last seen locally as a band member to Peter Rowan and Tony Rice. Whether supplementing the subtle groove to Sin in Indiana, adding a lovely bowed bass accent to Is There Room on the Cross for Me? or providing playful, percussive slaps to Freedom's a Stranger, Davies proved a resourceful and often elegant orchestrator for Miller's music.
As has been the case with several crowded weekend shows at Willie's, there was an abundance of idle audience chatter that signaled a disconnect (or perhaps disrespect) among some patrons. But when the performance hushed for the Civil War remembrance Highland County Boy at encore time, the only crowd noise was the unprompted shuffling of ensemble feet that simulated the march of war-beaten soldiers as well as the tune's percussive heartbeat.
having a blast
{ March 28, 2014 @ 2:41 am } · { profiles }
jeff coffin.
When reviewing their separate careers, one would suppose Jeff Coffin and Miles Osland were destined to be great friends.
Both are learned saxophonists, as well as artists active in fields of education and performance – although they have each has chosen one of those areas as a favored pursuit.
Coffin leads his own jazz fusion band, the Mu'tet, but has gained national notoriety as an alumnus of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones (with which he won three Grammy Awards) and for his current role as sax man with the Dave Matthews Band. Osland is perhaps Lexington's most visible jazz personality and the leader of several performance groups. His most enduring musical duty, however, has involved overseeing the jazz studies program at the University of Kentucky.
It was in the latter role that Osland reached out to Coffin, a New England born, Texas educated fellow saxophonist who had relocated to Nashville.
"I just called Jeff up out of the blue one day because I wanted him to come up and play and do some clinics," Osland said. "And he agreed. Jeff is just one of the most humble, gracious cats that I know. He's always giving of his time when he can. We've had him up here two or three times in the past in different capacities. This time, it's going to be two days just jam-packed full of Jeff Coffin."
"This time" is this weekend. Coffin will serve as an auxiliary member of the Osland/Dailey Jazztet, the combo Osland co-leads with pianist and UK faculty mate Raleigh Dailey, Friday at Natasha's. Then on Saturday, Coffin will be the featured guest at UK's annual Big Band Blast, a triple bill concert at the Singletary Center for the Arts that will bring together the high school level Jazz All Stars of Central Kentucky, the college level University of Kentucky Jazz Ensemble (which Osland directs) and the community based Bluegrass Area Jazz Ambassadors. Coffin will perform two tunes with each group and offer a free jazz clinic in the afternoon that will be open to the public.
"A lot of the stuff we talk about in clinics deals with life lessons more so even than music lessons," Coffin said. "I wanted to do clinics because I felt like I had some experience that I could bring to students, that I could talk to them about what they need to do to go out there, perform well and be successful at holding a gig, getting a gig and all the different things that are involved with that.
"It's like, 'I'm out here doing this. I know what it takes. You're trying to get out here where I am.' So I can talk to them about they need to do, and I really lay it on the line. Being able to play your butt off is a given. That's where you start. It's all the other stuff that's going to get you the gig or not get you the gig. Those are the things we talk about. We kind of unwrap the mystery of it all and get in deep."
The only trick in luring Coffin back to Lexington this weekend was logistics. Osland approached Coffin about helping out with the Big Band Blast over six months ago, but recording plans with the Dave Matthews Band kept a confirmation for the weekend out of reach until late into the winter.
"Ultimately, we didn't have to face that conflict," Osland said. "But it was really up in the air for a long time. I had Plan A. I had a Plan B. But everything worked out."
Jeff Coffin performs at
+ 8 p.m. March 28 with the Osland/Dailey Jazztet at Natasha's Bistro, 112 Esplanade. $10 public, $5 students. Call (859) 259-2754 or got to www.beetnik.com.
+ 3 p.m. March 29 for a clinic and discussion at the Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall, 405 Rose St. Free and open to the public.
+ 7:30 p.m. March 29 as part of the Big Band Blast at the Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall. Free. For more info, go to http://finearts.uky.edu/singletary-center.
{ March 27, 2014 @ 9:37 pm } · { Uncategorized }
ballister: dave rempis, paal nilssen-love, fred lonberg-holm.
At the onset of Smolder, one of the three lengthy improvisations that make up the third Ballister album Mi Casa Es En Fuego, the music begins as three separate entities. Or expressions. Or outbursts.
The saxophone punctuation of Dave Rempis starts with a series of jabs and pops that eventually bounce about with an almost mischievous agitation. Countering that is the cello colors of Fred Lonberg-Holm that sound less like the product of an instrument usually thought of for its chamber-like qualities and more like the scratchy, electric disturbances of guitarist Marc Ribot. Underneath it all is Norwegian drummer Paal Nilssen-Love, whose playing can reflect frenzied immediacy one minute, brutal deconstruction the next and, in select passages, an icy calm. Throughout Smolder, he reveals all three tendencies to create a mood that lets the tune live up to it name while fanning the flames that inspired the album title.
After all the English translation for Mi Casa Es En Fuego is My House is on Fire.
"On a lot of levels, this band, to me, is kind of like a punk rock, no holds barred kind of thing," said Rempis, who will perform with Ballister for an WRFL-FM sponsored Outside the Spotlight concert at the University of Kentucky's John Jacob Niles Gallery. "A lot of it is about energy in many ways. Pall is one of the most propulsive drummers I've ever worked with. And Fted just has this great kind of noise thing that he can do with an electronic set up on the cello. So in a lot of ways, it's just coming from that dive-in-head-first type of energy."
Though thoroughly improvised – and, at times, quite brutish and fractured – the music of Ballister is far from musical anarchy. There is a noticeable ebb and flow to the playing, an obvious jazz sensibility to the way the three musicians interact and, quite often, a rhythmic undertow that continually changes the tone and temperament of the music.
"There is definitely a lot of rhythmic interaction happening all the time. I've described it as 'the feeling of moving forward while the carpet is being pulled out from under you.' We're all moving with these rhythms in a very forward kind of way. But they don't necessarily all lock in together, so it's kind of like this overlapping type of thing."
At the heart of Ballister, which issues its vinyl-only Both Ends album this month, is a strong personal and professional bond. Rempis, Lonberg-Holm and Nilssen-Love have all been regular visitors to Lexington over the past decade for Outside the Spotlight shows by numerous bands that bridge a fruitful Chicago free jazz community with several European factions of like-minded improvisers.
Ballister is hardly the prime performance project for any of the three, either. This spring, Rempis will be balancing a string of Ballister dates with concerts alongside Boston pianist Pandelis Karayorgis, festival dates with three other trios that stretch from San Francisco to Finland as well a Quebec run with Audio One, a new ensemble led by Chicago composer/saxophonist Ken Vandermark (who returns to town for his own Outside the Spotlight concert on April 28). On top of all that, Rempis oversees a music label, Aerophonic Records, that is chronicling the music of his many band projects.
"That's actually been the most rewarding part of the last year for me – starting this record label. It's taking up a lot of time, for sure, but it's been incredibly rewarding.
"I feel like the musicians in this music really need to take responsibility for their careers at this point because there are just not too many people out there, whether it be labels or agents, who are promoting this music anymore. We have the capability to do all this. So far for me, it's been a huge pleasure to put out music that, artistically, I feel really strong about."
back home again
For the better part of a decade, Scott Miller was a performance regular in Lexington clubs. An immensely articulate songsmith, he became an ambassador of sorts for two seemingly unconnected musical camps – a thriving Knoxville musical community and a brand of Americana rock that knew a good time when it saw one, especially when it came to the libations that fueled the fun.
Miller returns to Lexington on Friday after a prolonged absence that has seen separations of sorts from both factions. Three years ago, he departed Knoxville – his home since the days of The V Roys, the rock troupe that introduced Miller to Lexington in 1996 – to his family's Virginia farm in Staunton. A year before that, he became sober.
While both events happened out of necessity, Miller said he is now seeing the benefits of how they are playing out – personally as well as professionally.
"It's been weird," Miller said. "I've always thought I could do what I do from anywhere. It's been a little more difficult than I thought, but I'm finding the balance. Not being near Nashville, because so much of my business is there, is tough. But I'm home. I'm where I belong.
Sobriety, not surprisingly, was no less difficult an adjustment. Up through Miller's first post-V Roys albums, the boozy charm of his music was fairly innocuous. But during some of his final local shows at Lynagh's Music Club and The Dame, performance sloppiness ran rampant. Even that wouldn't have been such a big deal had records like 2003's Upside Downside and 2006's Citation not been full of such strong, folk-infused songs.
"Number one, that had to happen," Miller said of giving up drinking. "If I look back on it through all the years, this was inevitable. Two, it's always one day at a time. Who knows? I could go out tomorrow and blow everything I've just built over almost four years. But, man, I sing better. I play better. I'm much more in tune with what I'm doing. Before, I would just get up there and everything I tried to reach this transcendent state to make my art good…well, it really didn't work. It just made it bad and out of time.
"The first year that I was sober was really tough. It was different being in front of crowds. It wasn't stage fright. It was just hard to sort of find a groove. Everybody told me, 'That will come.' And it did. It did. I'm back in the pocket now. I enjoy the shows. Everything is better. It doesn't mean everything is perfect. But at least I've got a fighting shot."
Adding to Miller's current state of renewal was the 2013 release of what is arguably his best album, 2013's Big Big World. The project was a collaborative record with Doug Lancio, long time lieutenant in Patty Griffin's band who currently doubles as John Hiatt's chief guitarist. Many of the songs on Big Big World were sculpted out of sound structures and melodies Lancio created that Miller later set lyrics to.
"Doug would start in the mornings and just sort of mess around and lay down different grooves and tracks. Then I would come in and listen to those and see if it inspired something to write about or else I would take some half-finished stuff I had and build to suit. I'd go down the hall and start splicing that stuff together and try to make a three-and-a-half minute song out of this 20 minute stuff we had.
"I didn't really get to live with these songs before we put them out, so we've finally got everything down now. There is just something about going out and playing them every night. You start finding their cracks and stuff like that."
Scott Miller performs at 7:45 p.m. March 28 at Willie's Locally Known, 805 N. Broadway. Admission is $10. Call (859) 281-1116 or go to www.willieslex.com.
surf's up (but in kentucky?)
{ March 25, 2014 @ 10:45 am } · { Uncategorized }
riding the bluegrass surf: a scene from the billie joe armstrong/norah jones music video for 'kentucky.'
We're all for big imaginations here at The Musical Box, but a new music video referencing our home state is summoning some serious head scratching.
The clip comes to us from the odd couple of Billie Joe Armstrong and Norah Jones and their splendid 2013 Everly Brothers tribute record Foreverly. The song being illustrated is Kentucky, a loving salute that has subsequently been covered by scores of vintage country and bluegrass artists.
Make no mistake, we love Foreverly. Aside from possessing remarkably natural artist chemistry (an attribute underscored by the train wreck performance at the Grammy Awards in February when Armstrong was instead paired for a Phil Everly tribute with a wildly out-of-tune Miranda Lambert), the duo's treatment is subtle, summery and ultra-respectful of the unforced harmony singing that made the Everlys' music so distinctive.
So what's the problem? Well, it's not a big deal, really. It's just that the video chose to show a young couple (not Armstrong and Jones, by the way) enjoying an afternoon of outdoor fun that includes – we kid you not – surfing. Yes, indeed. Nothing captures the natural majesty of the Bluegrass like slapping on a wetsuit, grabbing a surfboard and catching a wave. Last time I checked, though, Lake Cumberland was pretty much at permanent low tide.
The video reminded me of a poster that hung in my father's office. My dad was an ad man for General Electric. The poster was of Leonardo da Vinci pondering an electric toothbrush, as though it were one of his myriad inventions. The caption: "Plug it in where, Leonardo?"
Of course, if the video for Kentucky turns a few more folks on to the exquisite Foreverly, than more power to it. Besides that, it's sort of refreshing for Kentucky to now be battling a stereotype rooted in the West Coast instead of the rural south.
You can check out the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPgZ0mWMByA.
critic's pick 330: glenn kotche, 'adventureland'
Leave it to a precocious percussive talent like Glenn Kotche to deconstruct and retool two suites into a new hour-long recording titled Adventureland – an album that is, in essence, another suite.
Even by the usual daring but playful standards of the longtime Wilco drummer and University of Kentucky graduate, Adventureland is just that. Though it celebrates Kotche's compositions for ensembles as much (if not more) than his actual playing, it still beautifully represents one of contemporary music's most distinctive percussion voices.
Here are the primary inhabitants of Adventureland. First up is a seven movement suite for string quartet and drumkit, Anomaly, which was commissioned by (and presented here as a collaboration with) the famed Kronos Quartet. Then we add The Haunted, a five-movement piece for two pianos and percussionists.
But here is where the scrambling begins. The movements to Anomaly are presented sequentially. The running order of The Haunted is completely reworked (the movements are presented in a sequence of 5-4-1-3-2). Then everything is meshed together with two additional works – one featuring Boston's Gamelan Galak Tika, the other teaming Kronos with Chicago's eighth blackbird.
Perhaps such cut-and-paste assembly of the pieces was intended by Kotche as an observational detour so that the music could be appreciated on its own terms rather than as an assemblage of works featuring a variety of musical participants.
But then how would we explain the album-opening Anomaly, Mvt. 1, which takes Kronos out of the equation so electronics can voice the string and percussion parts? Then there is Dance, the finale movement of The Haunted (which, again, is served as the introductory section on Adventureland), which boasts sharp, clipped dialogue between pianists Lisa Kaplan and Yvonne Lam and the mallet-savvy percussion of Matthew Duvall and Doug Perkins. Kotche is listed as playing only "additional percussion," yet The Haunted's immensely animated tone is a signature mark of his compositions.
A similar giddiness pervades Gamelan's gongs and Balinese percussion on the minimalistic The Traveling Turtle. But it's on Anomaly, Mvt. 4 that Kotche's instrumental voice is as prominent as his compositional profile. As the Kronos strings build from a playful pizzicato intro into more strident chamber passages, Kotche's drumming enters and soon works into a rockish lather that wonderfully matches the drama of the strings before reaching a coda of meditative cool.
Don't let the stylistic variety of the pieces and their shuffled sequencing become a bother. In Adventureland, it's best to discard the road maps and enjoy the ride.
critic's picks 329: billy hart quartet, 'one is the other' and tord gustavsen quartet, 'extended circle'
{ March 19, 2014 @ 7:47 pm } · { critic's picks }
Three decades and homelands half a world apart separate Billy Hart and Tord Gustavsen. But on two new albums for the ECM label, the two blur the cultural, geographical and even age differences between their visions of modern jazz.
Hart, 73, is a NewJersey/NewYork drummer with a dossier of collaborative credits that range from early fusion with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock to magnificent post-bop with McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter and the all-star quartet Quest.
One is the Other is the second ECM album (and his third overall recording) with a young, ultra tasteful group featuring pianist Ethan Iverson of The Bad Plus, bassist Ben Street and the resourceful tenor saxophonist Mark Turner.
Hearing the band conjure the gliding melody of Teule's Redemption from the light rumble of a Hart drum intro and some Coltrane-esque rhythmic assembly is indicative of One is the Other's unhurried but persuasive music. The ways Turner and Iverson delicately compliment Hart's brush strokes on a lovingly deconstructed Some Enchanted Evening also fit comfortably within the quartet' s often impressionistic sound.
The album is perhaps not as atmospheric in texture as Hart's sublime 2012 ECM debut, All Our Reasons. Still, it stands of an evocative American variation on the trusted subtleties, ambience and mystery that have defined much of the label's non-classical output since the '70s.
Where Hart's music reflects the traditions of multiple American jazz generations, Norwegian pianist Gustavsen, 43, embraces history on his sixth ECM album, Extended Circle. Though the recording relies heavily on spacious, slo-mo soundscapes composed by Gustavsen, there are also bits of group-designed improvs within two variations of Entrance, where the hushed tenor sax of Tore Brunborg sounds initially like a distant cry from the wilderness before serving as a subtle but impassioned conversationalist.
Providing balance to the record's Nordic solemnity are the traditional Norwegian hymn Eg Veit I Himmerik Ei Borg (A Castle in Heaven), where Brunberg's entrance over Gustavsen's stately piano shuffle recalls fellow ECM saxophone stylist Jan Garbarek, and the lovely Gustavsen chorale piece Devotion, which is served as a warm, whispery jazz meditation.
Hart's record possesses a sound as soulful as it is scholarly while the Gustavsen quartet embraces a sound altogether wondrous and wintry. Such is the global jazz terrain ECM presides over today. This is the music of two cultures that, when listened to side by side, sound downright neighborly.
in performance: pink martini and the von trapps
thomas lauderdale and china forbes of pink martini.
If you thought squeezing the 15 cumulative members of Pink Martini and The von Trapps onstage at the Lyric Theatre for last night's sold out WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour taping (along with multiple percussion kits and an upright piano) was a neat trick, imagine the task of sufficiently covering the full stylistic scope of this globetrotting crew within the span of a 60 minute program.
Not surprisingly, the collaborative teams splintered into several subgroups during the evening to cover as many bases as possible. Vocalist China Forbes started the party by leading Pink Martini through the brassy rhumba party piece Amado Mio that highlighted the groove of five percussionists and the effortless piano strolls of group founder Thomas Lauderdale that revealed a hearty classical bloodline.
Die Dorfmusik, on the other hand, whittled the onstage convention down to Lauderdale and Sofia, Melanie, Amanda and August von Trapp, the great grandchildren of the family immortalized in The Sound of Music. If that sounds like a gimmick, guess again. The quartet possessed remarkable clarity and precision in tone as well as a harmony. The resulting tune, heavy on polka-esque dance hall cheer, operated more like a vocal ballet. Similarly, Storm, a stunning original work by 19 year old August von Trapp, was essentially an acapella display (save for minimal percussion) with echoes of ancient choral singing, again with spotless tone and vocal phrasing.
From there, the show offered a brisk trip through Japan for Zundoko-Bushi that placed co-vocalist Timothy Nishimoto in front of an arrangement that referenced surf and soul grooves. Later, a fun mashup of Get Happy and Happy Days Are Here Again teamed Forbes and Nishimoto over a summery ensemble serenade while a likewise variation of Dream a Little Dream (sung with rich but understated poise by Amanda von Trapp) was bookended by quotes from Clair de Lune from Lauderdale.
Wrapping it all up were songs that could be viewed as signature piece for both groups. The von Trapps faced their collective past with the yodel-centric Lonely Goatherd from The Sound of Music before Forbes concluded the celebration with the carnival sunshine of Brazil.
There was a touch of irony to this global party, too. Though held on St. Patrick's Day, Ireland wound up as one of the few locales it bypassed.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


DROPSHIP HORIZON: HOF121 SFA Bear Cat Battlesuit 15mm released!
HOF121 SFA Bear Cat Battlesuit 15mm released!
Remember our Black Friday Season Event is on now!
Until 9am GMT Tuesday 27th November our Black Friday Season Mega Event is on. We have automatic Free Worldwide Shipping on all orders over 15GBP of product placed in the cart (you need do nothing but add to cart but please note tracked shipping remains a flat 10GBP charge to select) and we have TEN brand new releases too during the event. Each of these new releases ALONG WITH EVERY OTHER CODE ON THE WEBSITE is 10% off regular price during the event and they are all online now with a place holder image; getting their own news during the event (such as this news). Go HERE for our blog post on the event in detail.


Here at Esquire we love classic style with a contemporary twist, so we're obviously loving the newly leaked Han Solo kits from the so-anticipated-it-literally-hurts Star Wars: Episode VII. In a band-collar bomber jacket, unbuttoned vest, and off-white henley, Han's always had great style, and these new pics show great updates to a couple of his most iconic looks.
First up, we've got a duster jacket paired with a popover shirt and statement belt, that's a clear homage to the camouflage trench coat Han wore on Endor. This sleek, minimalist gear features a totally contemporary palette of fall-ready earth tones, but retains its classic Star Wars aesthetic, unlike some of the crap we saw in Episodes I-III, which, uh, just didn't look quite right.
Han Solo's Episode VII trench reprises classic Endor look/Indie Revolver.
If that's not enough for you (and it's not, clearly) we also have what seems to be a redo of Han's cold-weather Hoth parka and fur boots. When the temperature drops on earth or in a galaxy far, far away, you can't do much better than a fur-trimmed snorkel coat , a style the U.S. Air Force developed in the 1950s for artic flight crews. While the original coat was navy blue, this new one looks to be black (or possibly midnight blue) and does away with Han's gray pants in favor of a monochrome palette that frankly looks much more badass. But it's not all black. The gray boots look just like the original fuzzy moccasins Han wore in The Empire Strikes Back, a style that always reminded us of polar-proof Clarks Wallabees. Either way it works.
Han Solo's Episode VII parka/Indie Revolver.
In case you were worried, Han's also blaster appears in both pics, looking as menacing as ever, all of which should be enough to appease die-hard fans, especially if he gets to shoot first.


text:
The 5 best cheap hotels in New York City
A New York vacation doesn't have to break the bank, especially with these lovely and affordable city stays
Danielle Goldstein
Lena Hanano
Rhys Thomas
Alex Floyd-Douglass
Monday January 9 2023
You can easily spend $500 a night on a New York hotel room, but unless you're a Rockefeller you might be better suited to these cheap NYC hotels. And by the way, that's not meant as an insult either, because each and every one of these hotels have been tried and tested by Time Out's editorial team, and each and every one has been given the Time Out seal of approval.
From the crisp white tablecloths of the finest restaurants to greasy one-dollar pizza joints and dive bars, New York is a city of dichotomies, offering something for everyone. And alongside the most luxurious and, equally, most expensive hotels in the world are some of the best cheap stays. Whether you're in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or further afield, there's a host of hidden, affordable gems throughout NYC. And just because these won't make you weep when you pay the bill, that doesn't mean they're not great. Don't believe us? Well, one includes a massive food hall and beauty bar; another is right on Times Square, and others are decked out like old-school European guesthouses. Who says a hotel stay in NYC has to break the bank? Not us, that's for sure... Welcome to the best cheap hotels New York has to offer!
RECOMMENDED: Full guide to best hotels in NYC
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Cheap New York City hotels that are actually good
price 1 of 4
Not one bargain, but two, the Pod hotel group has two midtown locations for you. Both of which are in its signature style: hip yet inexpensive. If you want to be right in among it all, Pod 51 is the place to book. Just a couple blocks from the booming bright Times Square. The rooms themselves have everything you need (including desks, free wifi, TVs and a rain shower.) With six pod choices to pick from, the rooms can fit anywhere between one and four guests, so bring the mates if you want. In the hotel you'll also find a lively café for good slow coffee mornings, and a rooftop deck suited for sunbathing and shmoozing. The other spot is Pod 39, and that's very much the same, except it's in the less congested lower midtown.
HI NYC Hostel
This Upper West Side hostel has an awesome location: you're right by Broadway Street and a short ten-minute wander all the way to Central Park. So the positioning is excellent: what about the hostel itself? Well, you're in a good place there, too. It's a hostel in the truest sense of the word, so that means domitory-style rooms with shared bathrooms, but it's got a reputation for cleanliness and top-notch services throughout. And if you're looking for some orchestrated fun? HI NYC puts on activities for its guests, including pub crawls and quiz nights. Oh, and there's free wifi throughout.
This is another cheap NYC hotel with an excellent location. It's right on the south-western tip of Central Park, so you've got the whole park right on your doorstep, with Hell's Kitchen and Midtown within very easy reach. You can share to keep the costs down (a four-bed room works out to around $60 a night) or you can have one to yourself for just a little more. There's also a massive fitness center if you want to look after yourself, or pay a bit of physical penance after really enjoying the New York nightlife.
The Jane Hotel
Opened in 1907 as the American Seaman's Friend Society Sailors Home, this 14-story landmark was a residential hotel when Eric Goode and Sean MacPherson took it over and renovated it. The wood-paneled rooms were inspired by vintage train sleeper compartments—there's a bed (or bunk bed) with built-in storage and brass hooks for hanging up your clothes. No en suite, however, which is reserved for the Captain's Cabins, along with iHome docks and wall-mounted TVs. Very much the vibe you'd expect in prime trendy Metpacking District accomodation. There's also the Old Rose, which you can grab good local produce cooked Italian style bite at across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night dining, alongside local craft beers on tap, and natural wines. The hotel offers a 24-hour front desk too, so you can really experience the city that doesn't sleep.
Photograph: Courtesy Michael Kirby
The Harlem Flophouse
With a name so heavily imbued with history and character, you won't be surprised to discover that The Harlem Flophouse is a darkly atmospheric Victorian townhouse. Much of the decor has been kept as such too, so stepping through the door at the top of the stone stairs is a little like stepping back in time (the website looks old-school too!). You're in good company too, as each of the rooms is named after artistic greats of Harlem past, such as Thelonious Monk and Chester Himes, jazzy. While the location is fairly north of central NYC, the lights and the music is just a short subway ride away, and there are plenty of restaurants and bars nearby. The idea was to make this a European-style guesthouse but also an inexpensive alternative to typical NYC hotels, they suceeded. While the heart of NYC is a short subway away, you are right by Colombia University and the world-famous Paris Blues jazz club.
Looking for more NYC on a budget tips?
Photograph: Shutterstock
Cheap things to do in NYC: Your guide to bargains in Gotham
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My post about Knit Picks Chroma Lollipop yarn (which I later turned into a Haruni shawl) has been one of my most popular – presumably due to the fact that Lollipop Chroma yarn is no longer available, and others are looking for it.
I've seen enough comments about it to pique my curiosity, so I dropped their customer service department a note. In their prompt and polite reply, I got bad news and good news.
So there you have it. I'm wishing that I had stocked up when I had the chance, but here's hoping the new color they have planned will be just as beautiful!
Hot on the heels of my Chroma Lollipop Haruni project wrapup, here is the other Haruni shawl that I made soon after. This one was made with my Knit Picks Comfy in Sea Foam.
I'm still not too sure about this one. Because the yarn doesn't have the "halo" that the Chroma has, it seems less forgiving of my uneven stitches.
When it's flat, like it is in the photos, it looks great. But drape it over anything… like, oh, say, shoulders… and it doesn't seem to hang quite right. I do love the color, though, and it was nice to use a solid shade to give more emphasis to the pattern. Another thing I like? The fact that I went with the crocheted edging on this one rather than the I-cord option (which I used on my Chroma version).
In any case, I was very pleased to make this lovely pattern again! I rarely repeat patterns, but I wouldn't mind creating several more Haruni shawls.
To see this project on Ravelry, click here.
You may recall that I purchased some Knit Picks Chroma yarn in Lollipop to make a Haruni shawl. Well here it is!
I got the idea to use the yarn for this pattern after seeing one created by a Ravelry user. It's a fantastic way to take advantage of the gradually transitioning colors – just look at the neat ripples it makes on the edging!
I had a lot of trouble keeping my center stitches even in this pattern. I thought it might just be because of the varying thicknesses found in the yarn, but I had the same problem with the one I made with my Comfy yarn.
Update: Psssssst… to check out what I made with this yarn, click here.
Update 2: Looking for this yarn? Click here to see what I found out about its availability.
…it's like a Lisa Frank explosion, in the best possible way. So nostalgic. It makes me want to search eBay for unicorn-and/or-baby-tiger-emblazoned Trapper Keepers.
I have seen quite a few people use this yarn for kids' projects, but I think it's perfect for kids at heart, too. 🙂 I actually have big plans for my skeins. They are destined to become a Haruni shawl. A fellow Raveler used this yarn for one, and it was amazing. I can't wait.
I'm pretty picky about texture, and many wool yarns just don't feel soft enough to me. I was pleasantly surprised by this blend – it's much softer than I expected.
I also love how the colors fade gradually into one another. That makes the color transitions show between rows instead of looking choppy as some variegated yarns do. Plus, it's cat-approved. So there's that.


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Zero-waste takeout containers successful despite low participation, Ann Arbor businesses say
DGB N : The link between deforestation and climate change
Baker Hughes and Fortescue Future Industries to Collaborate on Exploring Green Hydrogen and Geothermal Projects
Primates colonised the Arctic during a period of ancient global warming — their fate offers a lesson as climate change speeds up
Acclimatization of a coral-dinoflagellate mutualism at a CO2 vent
Report pinpoints state facilities most at risk for sea level rise | News, Sports, Jobs
Home»Let's build a better world»Green Business
Commissioners, council pass measures for local business; county green lights helping veterans – Salisbury Post
By Team Daity Green World October 4, 2022 Green Business No Comments3 Mins Read
Commissioners, council pass measures for local business; county green lights helping veterans
Published 12:08 am Tuesday, October 4, 2022
By Brad Dountz
SALISBURY — The Rowan County Board of Commissioners approved a $165,000 lump sum request from Project Finishing, a manufacturing company looking at the city as a relocation site for the business.
Initially the county had approved $125,000 in a Level 1 Incentive Grant. Due to a mix up, the grant money was not included in the state budget, forcing the company and the county to try to find another way to provide those funds.
"It was our understanding from the company that getting the funds in a lump sum was a key component of their decision whether to relocate to North Carolina versus other states," Scott Shelton, vice president of Rowan Partnership for Economic Development said. The money will now come from the county's Economic Development Fund, which will be treated as a loan that will be forgiven if projected job creation goals are met.
"Instead of getting the incentive which would effect the general fund, this will actually come out of state funds and so actually I think it will be better for the county because we're not going to give that incentive for the 10 years, it'll just be over with with the lump sum for the money we get from the state, Commissioner Mike Caskey said.
"My understanding is a company executive has bought the company and is looking for a relocation site in the south," said Shelton in discussing the project with Salisbury City Council, which also considered the matter at Monday's meeting. The site for Project Finishing's possible new facility will be located where HBD/Thermoid Inc. once operated. They would create 29 new blue and white collar jobs over three years, with 15 jobs the first year, six the second and eight the third year. The grants all have requirements of some kind that will hold the company accountable if it fails to fulfill the hiring promises. In addition, the company has promised to invest just shy of $7 million in the project and they must make a good faith effort to meet that investment, Shelton said.
The city approved economic development incentive requests for Project Finishing consisting of: permitting an applications to the State of North Carolina for a Building Reuse Grant in the amount of $150,000 (which will require $6,000 of "matching funds" from the city), a One NC Fund grant in the amount of $50,000 (which requires a matching amount from the city of $1 for every $2 in the grant or $25,000), a local Level 1 Incentive Grant estimated to total $136,814 over a five year period (which will come from the taxes paid by the company), and hiring a grant administrator in an amount not to exceed $6,000.
The board of commissioners also passed the motion to designate the week of Nov. 7-13 as an observance of Operation Green Light, where the county will commemorate veterans of the military. Businesses and citizens are encouraged to display a green light outside their window to show their support.
Operation Green Light was founded in order for veterans to gain access to their federal benefits with the help from local county veteran service officers.
"This is the first year we did it, so I look for it to go forward in the future," Caskey said. Operation Green Light will also be acknowledged during Veterans Day on Nov. 11.
Scott Shelton gives his presentation on Project Finishing's plan for Rowan County.


I just sat here for a moment, trying to remember what day it was. My sinuses have decided to rebel against me, and whatever upper respiratory plague that has entered our household has seemed to only latch onto the females here. All males are fine.
Maura has actually been the least affected, thank goodness. This is her first illness since weaning off seizure meds. A few years ago, she was the girl in the ER because an ear infection went rogue, and caused her to vomit up all medications, and having a seizure or two a day. Since then, when she gets sick, we raise the awareness levels to Orange. Or at least, my anxiety does.
But she was actually in a chipper mood…until the Xbox controller died as she tried to pick a new show off Netflix, and then had to throw the controller, then come sob on me because it was all "broken". I took her temperature – 100.3. This was after I was down for the count and Miriam was coughing and complaining of a sore throat.
For once, fate has smiled upon us and after a couple days of pure misery on my part, partial misery on Mim's part, and mood swings on Maura's part, we seem to be on the mend.
Maura did sleep about…oh…twelve hours last night. That had to have helped.
The one creature benefiting from all this is the tiny dog. She's enjoyed all the napping with people all day. And my weird sense of humor kicked in when I realized that while I was feeling less than human myself, I was binge-watching a show called "Being Human" yesterday.
Hope you feel better soon, and Maura stays well.
Rather linden blossom tea (to help you get the fever down and get sweaty, so your body can help itself) and something to spread on your chest to make you inhale while you sleep – to help free your tubes. And since your nose might already be sore, some oiled baby wipes, to blow your nose with, so you won't get more sore and my heal. Maybe even some healing ointment for the sore patches under your nose.


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HOME EVENTS & ENTERTAINING
At-Home Wedding Proposal Ideas
By: Christina Hamlett
Cute Ways to Propose From Far Away
How to Propose Long Distance
Fun Last-Minute Anniversary Ideas
Birthday Proposal Ideas
Marriage Proposal Ideas in Oregon
Asking someone to marry you is one of the biggest steps you'll ever take. While some people may resort to giant billboards, stadium declarations or popping the question at a party, an at-home wedding proposal is a thoughtful, sensitive and intimate way to express your love without making your intended feel embarrassed or put on the spot. With some imagination and a respectful awareness of what constitutes good timing, this special moment can become a lasting memory.
Memorable Meal
An at-home dinner for two is a romantic backdrop for a wedding proposal because a familiar setting is often the last place anyone will expect a major surprise. Instead of risking an emergency trip to the doctor or dentist as a result of trying to hide your ring in soup, mashed potatoes or a beverage, however, consider the following ideas:
Pick up Chinese takeout and ask the restaurant to give you an empty container in which to insert the ring box. A variation on this is to put the ring box in with the fortune cookies.
Prepare some finger-food appetizers and place the ring in the center of the platter atop a cut-out heart.
Send your beloved to the refrigerator to take a pair of chilled flutes out of the freezer; the ring will be in one of them.
Hollywood Magic
Create a slide show or video of your favorite moments. Most computers have a built-in program called Windows MovieMaker that allows you to drag and drop audio and video components into a timeline and incorporate transitional effects such as dissolves, wipes, keyholes and flips. Save your finished product on a DVD -- along with an ending title card that says "Marry Me" -- and insert it in your DVD player when your beloved isn't looking. A casual, "Hey, let's see if anything is on TV" cues up the sweet surprise of a lifetime.
Leave your honey a series of rhymed notes that will lead to various hiding places around the house where you have placed small gifts and more clues. The "treasures" can be chocolate, a glass of wine, a favorite photo, a bottle of bubble bath or anything else your imagination conjures. Make sure the last clue sends your beloved to the farthest distance from your actual proposal site so that you will have time to light candles, put on romantic music and be happily waiting with your ring.
Compose and play an original song to pop your question. If you don't play a musical instrument, consider writing your own words to an existing instrumental and singing it. The important thing to remember is that you don't have to have a great voice to pull this proposal off; what your beloved is going to hear and appreciate is that you took the time to prepare it and aren't afraid to look silly in the name of love. If live singing is simply too terrifying for you, consider simply reading your revised lyrics as the music plays. And if you're a ham at heart, entertain your paramour with a lip-synched performance of a favorite love song and top it off by dropping to one knee.
"Chicken Soup for the Soul: True Love - 29 Stories about Proposals, Weddings, and Keeping Love Alive"; Jack Canfield, et al; 2011
"How To Propose: 365 Ways To Pop The Question"; Lane Shearer; 2008
"Will You Marry Me?: The World's Most Romantic Proposals"; Cynthia Clumeck Muchnick; 1996
Ghostwriter and film consultant Christina Hamlett has written professionally since 1970. Her credits include many books, plays, optioned features, articles and interviews. Publishers include HarperCollins, Michael Wiese Productions, "PLAYS," "Writer's Digest" and "The Writer." She holds a B.A. in communications (emphasis on audience analysis and message design) from California State University, Sacramento. She also travels extensively and is a gourmet chef.


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Citizens' Institute on Rural Design
Mayors' Institute on City Design
Operation Homecoming
NEA Announces American Rescue Plan Grants to Local Arts Agencies
The National Endowment for the Arts today announced American Rescue Plan grants totaling $20,200,000 to 66 local arts agencies for subgranting to help the arts and cultural sector recover from the pandemic.
NEA Supports 19 Rural Communities Through Citizens' Institute on Rural Design
In its ongoing support of rural America, the National Endowment for the Arts announces the four workshop communities and 15 communities taking part in the peer learning cohort for this year Citizens' Institute on Rural Design™.
National Endowment for the Arts Honors Centennial of Women's Right to Vote with New Book
Creativity and Persistence: Art that Fueled the Fight for Women's Suffrage features 117 images and explores how poetry, song, editorial cartoons, posters, and postcards helped rally support for the suffrage movement and gave women new tools to make t...
National Endowment for the Arts Approves Arts Organizations for CARES Act Funding
The National Endowment for the Arts announces the nonprofit arts organizations recommended for direct funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Envisioning the Future of Theater for Young Audiences
Recognizing the benefits of theater experiences in developing creative, adept, and resilient young people, the National Endowment for the Arts is releasing Envisioning the Future of Theater for Young Audiences.
National Endowment for the Arts Announces CARES Act Funding to Support Arts Jobs and Help Sustain Arts Organizations
The National Endowment for the Arts announced today its guidelines to swiftly distribute funding to nonprofit arts organizations from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to preserve jobs and help support organizations force...
Brandon Gryde Joins National Endowment for the Arts as Director of Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works and Artist Communities
The National Endowment for the Arts is pleased to announce Brandon Gryde has joined the agency's staff as the new director of presenting and multidisciplinary works and artist communities. He started in this position on March 30, 2020.
National Endowment for the Arts to Distribute $75 million in Relief Aid to Arts Organizations in Need
During Economic Highs and Lows, the Arts Are Key Segment of U.S. Economy
According to the latest data issued today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the National Endowment for the Arts, the arts remain a vital component of the U.S. economy.
POSTPONED: Upcoming Exhibition Features Artwork Developed Through Creative Arts Therapies
National Endowment for the Arts Expands Research
National Endowment for the Arts Releases Latest Survey of Public Participation in the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts today released the full results from the nation's largest, most representative survey of adult participation in the arts.
National Endowment for the Arts Announces Arts Project Grants in All 50 States, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico


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Q: adding dynamic text value in JTextArea I am trying to add dynamic text value which is a string in JTextArea but some how by methodname.add or methodname.addElement is giving me an error. Here is the part of the code what I am trying.
Code:
 ipList = new JTextArea();
    ipList.setForeground(new Color(0, 0, 128));
    ipList.setFont(new Font("Calibri", Font.BOLD, 18));
    ipList.setBackground(new Color(245, 245, 245));
    scrollPane.setViewportView(ipList);

    byte[] ip = localhost.getAddress();
     for (int i = 1; i <= 254; i++)
     {
         ip[3] = (byte)i;
         InetAddress address = InetAddress.getByAddress(ip);
         String hostName = address.getHostName();
         if (address.isReachable(1000))
         {
              ipList.addElement(address.toString().split("/")[1]+ " "+"Device Name: "+hostName);
              ipList.addElement(address.hostName());
            // System.out.println(address.toString().split("/")[1]+ " "+"Device Name: "+hostName);
            // System.out.println(address.getHostName());
         }
     }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Equivalent of `using` aliases for `template`s C++11 added alias templates such as:
 template<typename T> using identity = T;
 template<bool b, typename T = void> using EnableIf = typename std::enable_if<b, T>::type;

These are much easier to use than the old template type maps that give you the return value in a ::type field because even if your type arguments are dependent on the local context, you don't need to inform the compiler that the result is a type.
In effect, you hoist the typename from the location of use to the using alias.
Is there anything equivalent that can be used to get rid of produced extraneous templates?
Suppose you had a metafunction whose output was a class or alias template instead of a type.  The current method is something like this:
template<typename T>
struct my_meta {
  template<typename U>
  using Template = identity<U>;
};

template<typename T>
struct my_meta {
  template<typename U>
  using Template = int;
};

which we can then use like this:
template<typename T, typename U>
typename my_meta<T>::template Template<U>
do_stuff( U&& ) { return {}; }

That extra template keyword in the return type exists to disambiguate the return value of my meta function is what I want to eliminate.
Is there any way to indicate to the compiler that the result of a metacomputation is another alias or class template in C++11 or C++1y, without using the template keyword at the location of invocation?
Ie:
template<typename T, typename U>
my_meta_template<T><U>
do_stuff( U&& ) { return {}; }

or even
template<template<typename> class Template>
void do_more_stuff() {}

template<typename T>
void do_stuff() {
  // syntax I want: just produce an alias or class template directly:
  do_more_stuff< my_meta_template<T> >();
  // vs what I find is required: the disambiguator:
  do_more_stuff< my_meta<T>::template Template >();
};

A: Best way I know to remove template is made simple warper that will do it for you:
template<typename Meta, typename U>
using apply = typename Meta::template Template<U>;

and every where you previously used template<typename> class Template replace it with typename Meta.
template<typename Meta>
void do_more_stuff()
{
    apply<Meta, int>::func(); //=== Meta::template Template<int>::func();
}

template<typename T>
void do_stuff() {
  do_more_stuff< my_meta<T> >();
  do_more_stuff< my_meta<T> >();
};


text:
Chinadaily.com.cn sharing the Olympic spirit
OLYMPICS/ Spotlight
Rogge tells West: Be fair with China
LONDON: The West must stop hectoring China over human rights, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge has told a leading British newspaper.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge smiles as he answers a question at a news conference after the IOC Executive Board meeting in Beijing April 11, 2008. [Agencies]
"You don't obtain anything in China with a loud voice," Rogge told Saturday's Financial Times. "That is the big mistake of people in the West wanting to add their views.
"It took us 200 years to evolve from the French Revolution. China started in 1949," Rogge added, noting that was a time when Britain and other European nations were also colonial powers, "with all the abuse attached to colonial powers".
"It was only 40 years ago that we gave liberty to the colonies. Let's be a little bit more modest."
Rogge said the IOC always believed awarding the 2008 Games to Beijing would "open up China", and that in time, this would happen.
"The Games we believe, over time, will have a good influence on social evolution in China, and the Chinese admit it themselves," he said.
Rogge demands end to hectoring China
Athletes will be victims: Rogge
No plans to cancel torch relay
Rogge condemns violence in Olympic torch relay
IOC chief Rogge calls for unity of Olympic Movement
Rogge questioned whether media attention on Tibet would be as strong if the Games were not taking place in Beijing. "I wonder if Tibet would be front page today were it not that the Games are being organized in Beijing. It would probably be page 4 or 5," he said.
"To keep face (in Asia) is of paramount importance. All the Chinese specialists will tell you that only one thing works - respectful, quiet but firm discussion."
Rogge said his relations with Beijing were excellent, although "they have their priorities and we have ours".
He noted that Beijing has made progress in two policy areas - a media law providing 25,000 foreign media access during the Games, and environmental measures to tackle the city's chronic pollution problems.
Rogge said China had given significant ground to the IOC by opening access to foreign media for the Olympics, which he expected to be extended beyond 2008 and believed would be a key factor in the social evolution of the country.
The Games would continue to be awarded to cities with the best technical bids, and are for the benefit of athletes rather than for international political evolution, he said.
Xinhua-Agencies
Comments of the article(total ) Print This Article E-mail
Rogge says no plans to cancel torch relay
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One Piece: Stampede
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Director Hypes New Unseen Content
By Nick Valdez - December 5, 2021 11:17 pm EST
The director behind the upcoming Jujutsu Kaisen 0 movie is hyping up some new content previously never seen before in the manga or anime releases! When the first season of the series ended its run earlier this year, it was announced that the franchise would be making its feature film debut with an adaptation of the original limited series Gege Akutami had released before finalizing all of the details for Jujutsu Kaisen's main serialization in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine years later. This story not only will be many fans' first introduction to Yuta Okkotsu, but that won't be the only new thing to expect.
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 will be adapting that official prequel series, and while that will be many fans' first introduction to it, the director behind the film, Sunghoo Park (who returns from directing the anime series), teased that there will be some new material that was not explored in the anime's first season and material that fans of the manga won't expect either. In a special message during the ABEMA special for the upcoming movie in Japan (as translated by @soukatsu_ on Twitter), Park opened up about the kinds of new things fans can hope to see.
(Photo: TOHO Animation)
First, Park had teased that one of the highlights of the movie's story is the relationship between Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto, which had never been shown in the anime's first season. This is the same for the manga as well (with an arc specific to the two coming shortly after the Death Painting Arc), but the manga had the benefit of the prequel series setting the stage for the two in the main series. Meaning that the movie will fill in some all important gaps about the two that were only hinted at in the first season.
The juicier tease, however, comes from what Park says about new material in the movie not seen in the manga, "There may also be some brand new, unique depictions in the movie so that even those who have already read the original manga can enjoy watching to their heart's content." Park played coy about what this new material could potentially be, so fans will definitely want to tune into the movie for not only what it reveals about the past, but what it could do to further flesh out the anime for the future.
But what do you think? Are you curious to see what kind of new material will be in Jujutsu Kaisen 0? Does it make you more excited for the movie? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animated and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!
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Q: Treating multiple observations per object I am working on a project whose aim is to analyze the relationship between machine elements and their price.
My data consists of thousands of machine elements, their price, as well as technical and non-technical attributes. Most of the data is categorical
The technical data contains information such as weight, dimensions, material. Each element (identified by unique code) has distinct technical attributes.
The non-technical data contain information such as supplier name, contract type, INCOTERMS, first day of validity of the contract, last day of validity, minimum order quantity, etc. In some cases the prices depend on the order quantity.
One of the problems I am facing is that often each element has a different price depending on the financial data, i.e. element X will cost 100 dollars if Incoterms is A, 200 dollars if Incoterms is B, etc. In other words, there are rows that contain price information on the same element, but one of the columns has a different value and so the price is different.
In other cases the price is 100 if 50-100 elements are ordered, 80 if 100-200 elements are ordered, 60 if 200-500, etc.
I am planning to do some correlations as well as regression. I will probably also try data mining (using Rattle and R).
I need advice on how to treat the (rather) similar observations that each object has in case of correlation, regression and in general for data mining. Should I try to select a single observation per element or do the analysis for "all in". I guess the last option won't work for correlation at all.
Perhaps including a sample screenshot of the data with clarify my problem. So what is visible in the picture happens quite often: one object, different attributes, different price. I am wondering whether I should (try to) have only one row per object with only one set of attributes (we don't need to discuss the criteria) or whether I should keep the multiple rows for the same object when running a correlation analysis or a regression.
Thank you in advance.

A: What is the response variable in your regression? And for what purpose are you finding correlations between these things?  My apologies, I'm not entirely sure if I understand your situation.
I'm going to assume here (please correct me if this is incorrect) that you are attempting to find the relationship behind different things (like building material, size, country of origin, etc.) and the price of the object.  I'm also going to assume you're fairly new to R.  If this is incorrect, please excuse the unnecessary explanation.
So let's take for example a microservo, and we want to know if the price is different for three different building materials -- steel, iron, and titanium.  Do those make a difference, and are those material differences dependant on (say) the size of the microservo.  I would create a categorical variable from my materials (steel = 0, iron = 1, titanium = 2, for arbitrary reasons) and let's assume two levels of size  small (0) and large (1).  Now, we use a regression model to see if these things predict the price. We will also include an interaction term to see if they modify each other's influence on each other.
We first read in your excel (presumably) sheet, taking tab (\t) as the seperator value, and including the column headers in the file (header = true).  We then do a linear regression (try ?lm and ?glm in your R console), and then read the output.
yourdatatable <- read.table("your_excel_table_here.xls", sep = '\t', header = T)
y <- lm(price ~ size*material, data = yourdatatable, na.rm=T)
summary(y)

This will give you the three levels of predictors predicting your price.  Firstly it will show how size affects price and the associated P value, and how material affects price at the associated P value.  The coefficient will be the increase in price per 1 unit increase in your predictor variable.  For example, as size goes from small to large (0 to 1), you may have a coefficient of 5.  This would indicate that your price increases by an average of $5 when your size goes from small to large.  An interpretation of this nature for the materials scale would need a ranked list of materials, which I did not provide.
The interaction line (size*material) will tell you if the size of the microservo affects the increase in price caused by materials.  For example, if it doesn't matter that your microservo is tiny or huge if it is made out of copper because your materials are reasonably inexpensive, then the P value associated with this will be insignificant.  If, however, the increase in size really matters because you're making your microservo out of titanium, then this interaction term will be significant, because the size of the microservo is directly affecting the increase in price associated with material.  Take a look on google for some articles explaining the interaction term.
Let's do a quick example using an example data set called mtcars.  You can copy paste this into R.
ex <- lm(mpg~hp*wt, data = mtcars, na.rm=T)
summary(ex)

This gives the output
                Estimate Std. Error t value Pr(>|t|)
(Intercept) 49.80842    3.60516  13.816 5.01e-14 ***
hp          -0.12010    0.02470  -4.863 4.04e-05 ***
wt          -8.21662    1.26971  -6.471 5.20e-07 ***
hp:wt        0.02785    0.00742   3.753 0.000811 ***

The response variable here was miles/gallon of gas, and our two predictors were horsepower and weight.  So we can see that, yes, both of these have an effect on the miles/gallon of the car.  We can also see our interaction term (hp:wt) is significant, which means that if a car is much heavier it will affect the contribution of horsepower to the miles/gallon.
I hope this helped.  If I really misunderstood, I apologize, please correct me.


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CSDA Company Photo for 10th Year Anniversary –May 2017 ( from left Christine Galvez – Accounting Specialist, Mariel Garabiles – Digital Marketing Specialist, Daryl Guzman – Faculty , Raul Boncan Jr. – School President, Karen Kelley – School Manager , Niño Jose Seriosa – Graphic Designer and Faculty, Wyllimae Lardizabal – Finance Officer, Nanica Cudal – Faculty
The Cordillera School of Digital Arts, Inc. or CSDA was incorporated and has been duly registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Baguio City back in May, 2007. The company has since begun to operate under the guidance and regulatory policies of TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) and hand-in-hand with the organizational programs of the Animation Council of the Philippines (ACPI).
CSDA's primary mission is to provide excellent and cutting edge technical training and education that shall empower its students to not only claim a status of qualification but also a readiness for competition by international standards in the global employment scene. Its vision is to be the school that serves as a catalyst and enabler, a school that equips students with the appropriate capability and ample confidence to fulfill their destiny in the field of Digital Arts. Its goal is to be among the country's leading sources of highly trained graduates who are ready to excel and make their mark in the various animation production outfits both in the local and international setting.
Though beginning as a humble pioneering venture within the heart of Baguio City, an added vision for the school is to eventually establish presence in every key city of the country. Such vision shall be achieved basically through strategic partnerships with other already existing educational institutions as well as joint undertakings with venture capitalists who share in the dream of bringing the remarkable creativity of the Filipino animator into the global arena. These pioneering efforts of CSDA are headed by founder Mr. Raul Boncan, Jr., its President, and Ms. Donna-Liza Lim Boncan, its co-founder and Director. These are two dynamic individuals who respectively bring with them noteworthy years of exposure and expertise in the field of Advertising, Graphic Design and Animation as well as in the field of Human Capital Management.
The added advantage carried by the school lies with its sister company, CSDA Graphics and Animation, Inc.. it is likewise headed by founder Mr. Boncan, this outfit is an animation company programmed to perform outsource work contracts with both local and foreign animation studios. With the current trends in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) today the strategic affiliation between the two companies ushers in a new addition to the rising sunrise industry of animation, first in Baguio City, but eventually within the rest of Northern Luzon. Similarly, the first batch of graduates worked on the first All Digital Full Feature Movie "Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalya" for the 2008 Manila Film Festival, an auspicious
beginning for a startup school and studio.
In 2008 also, we began another animation school to serve the rich region of Central Luzon by establishing the Central Luzon School of Digital Arts, Inc. in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. The co-founders this time are high school classmates Rene B.V. Misa and Raul B. Boncan, Jr., who saw the great potential of another emerging market and hub in the region.
Then, in 2009, the animation studio CSDA Graphics and Animation, Inc. landed an Pilot TV episode named "Project Bond", now currently in production. This 2009 too, we brought in Creative Director Nelson P. Udaundo as our in-house Director, Nelson brings with him more than 23 years of hands on animation experience with over 200 minutes of animation produced locally and internationally. Mr. Udaundo also is now a major shareholder to create a rich blend of business and creative leaders all in one bag.
The business activities of the people behind CSDA and CLSDA (Schools) and CSDA Graphics and Animation, Inc., undoubtedly have become vital contributions in establishing Baguio City as the animation hub in the Northern Luzon region and Cabanatuan in the Central Luzon area.
In 2014, CSDA was a vital part in founding Zigzag Studios Inc. as its graduates of Animation NCII and 2D Digital Animation NCIII were part of the core team in the production of the company's pilot animation projects. Our graduates were able to work on projects such as Wonder Over Yonder a property of Disney Television Animation, Bunnicula a property of Warner Bros. Animation, and Eena Meena Deeka a property of Cosmos Maya. In December 2016, Baguio based animation studio ZigZag Studios Inc. entered into a joint venture agreement with Xentrix Studios Pvt Ltd to form Xentrix Toons, Inc. a Philippine based animation studio that will handle 2D and 3D animation projects.
At present, we continue to offer Digital Art Programs that equips trainees to be competitive in terms of landing careers in the creative and animation industry.
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