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Japan: let's wait and (East) see
Japan and Korea have a lot to gain at sharing the same vision of history, developping a relationship based on mutual respect.
And sooner or later, Japan will decide for good or for worse what to do with its own past : face it or erase it. If lately, the trend has definitely been in favor of revisionism (see "Claiming Dokdo as Takeshima equals claiming Seoul as Gyeongseong"), Hatoyama's victory yesterday clearly revives hopes for much sounder relationships between Japan and Korea.
As a cautious but hopeful celebration, I spilled this "white blogule" today :
Land of the rinsing sun ?
As Taro Aso became Prime Minister, he fulfilled a personal ambition to the risk of marring his own name : Japan was bound to face tough times, and his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) bound to struggle at the 2009 elections.
Base case scenario then was a 1993 style victory for the Democratic Party of Japan.
Even if a few DPJ leaders have experienced their own turpitudes over the past year, LDP took very much the expected dive. Taro Aso's era and sense of timing could be summed up by one drunken Finance Minister at a G7 summit, and record high unemployment figures published on the eve of elections.
Forget about the base case scenario : Sunday, DPJ claimed over 300 seats out of 480 at the Lower House.
Hopefully, this worst case scenario for the LDP could turn out to be the best case scenario for Japan.
Because Japan badly needs change. Not change as in "political alternation", but change as in "political and societal shift".
Before becoming a controversial Prime Minister, Taro Aso was a controversial Foreign Minister, pushing all the (extreme) right buttons to please imperialist dieharders, infuriating Chinese and Korean neighbors*, and even dispising Hiromu Nonaka, a LDP rival, for being "burakumin", a person coming from a minority. Nevermind the fact that Korean blood runs through the body of the Emperor himself.
Taro's successor Yukio Hatoyama defends burakus and Japanese of Korean origin. He fights against discrimination at home and for reconciliation with neighbors. He leads a movement in favor of stronger ties between Korea and Japan, and has a vision for both countries as natural partners in the region.
Behind this 62 year-old leader, DPJ sent to the Diet an impressive roster of young people, many of whom women, kicking out of the political landscape a collection of dinosaurs who'd be running for decades a country glued in keiretsu conservatism and bureaucracy.
These elections could mean the end of Post-War Japan and the beginning of something new. Now would be the perfect time to - at last** ! - set the record straight about what happened during and before the said war, and to get rid of the only minority that tarnishes its greatness : a dangerous clique of nostalgist and revisionist fascists.
Japan has a unique opportunity to embrace the new millenium as a great nation at peace with its neighbors, its own past, and its own citizens.
blogules 2009 (also in French : "Le Pays du Soleil Lavant ?")
* see "Taro Aso after Tzipi Livni and before... ?"
** see too many previous blogules about Japan, and why unrepentant Japan shouldn't be allowed to seat as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Posted by Stephane MOT at 10:30 PM 0 comments
Labels: history, Japan, politics, Taro Aso, Yukio Hatoyama
Donguibogam listed in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register
In 1596, King Seonjo ordered his physician Heo Jun to oversee the compilation of every piece of information related to medicinal herbs with a focus on Korea because the country relied only on Chinese references which mentioned plants often unavailable in the peninsula. The 25 volumes of Donguibogam (동의보감 or Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine) were published in 1613, five years after Seonjo's death.
Today July 31st, 2009, almost four centuries later, and one year after its submission, the book kept in The National Library of Korea and The Academy of Korean Studies has been awarded inscription to UNESCO's Memory of the World Register.
Beyond its sometimes weird bits of traditional medicine wisdom, Dongui Bogam has been praised for its modern vision (see "Donguibogam: Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine" on UNESCO portal) : "In terms of health care system, it developed the ideals of preventive medicine and public health care by the state, which was virtually an unprecedented idea up to the 19th century". Considering today's heated debate about health care in the US, one could even push that up to the 21th century...
Initiated in 1992, the UNESCO Memory of the World Program aims for preservation, documentation, and awareness of key documents. Donguibogam is Korea's 7th entry to a list of about 190 representing more than 80 countries. That's a lot, particularly when you compared with France (5), the UK (2), or the US (1).
But these figures tell more about each country's efficiency in submissions than about the size of their respective treasures. UK's Magna Carta joined the crowd only this year (submitted last year). It also seems to be a matter of what priorities are on each submitter's minds : USA is not represented by its Constitution but by a movie. Citizen Kane ? No : The Wizard of Oz. Go figure...
Korea's special role also appears in the UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize, named after what is undoubtedly one of the World's most important documents in history : Jikji, the first metal type printed book (1377, Guthenberg's 42-line Bible came much later, in 1455). Every other year since 2005 (year of Jikji's induction to the UNESCO list), the UNESCO Jikji Prize is awarded, along with USD 30,000, to "individuals or institutions that have made significant contributions to the preservation and accessibility of documentary heritage". First laureate : the National Library of the Czech Republic.
Note that the UNESCO/Jikji prize was created one year before the 120th anniversary of French-Korean diplomatic relationships, putting a gentle pressure on France for giving the only extant part of the book back to Korea, or at least making it more accessible to the public. The Baegun hwasang chorok buljo jikji simche yojeol volume II, or second volume of "Anthology of Great Buddhist Priests' Zen Teachings", is kept in the Bibliotheque Nationale de France. La BNF also holds part of Uigwe, but the bulk of the Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty remains in Korea's Royal Libraries (Kyujanggak, Jangseogak). If you've ever been to Korea, you've probably already come across visual elements of Uigwe : many museographies and all costumed revivals of royal ceremonies tap into that ultimate blueprint.
So now you know at least 4 of the 7 Korean documents listed by the UNESCO :
- Donguibogam (listed in 2009)
- Jikji (listed in 2001 - the same year as Guthemberg's bible)
- Uigwe (listed in 2007), and
- Tripitaka Koreana (listed in 2007) : we mentioned that great marvel last year in our focus on "Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panja".
Another essential document is Hunminjeongeum (훈민정음 - listed in 1997, now in Gansong Art Museum), the code that set the Korean alphabet in 1446. Nowadays, bits of that fundamental text are used to decorate the fence protecting, on Gwanghwamun Square, the site where King Sejong's statue and information center will be erected. Does the name ring a bell ? We recently mentioned the Hunminjeongeum Society, a private initiative trying to promote hangul overseas (see "Hangeul lands in Bau-Bau, Indonesia... to save the Cia !").
If you intend to read the other two Korean entries in the register, take a big breath and make plans for a borgesian-size library :
- Joseonwangjosillok (조선왕조실록 or Annals of the Joseon Dynasty), listed in 1997 and preserved at Jeongjoksan Archive / Jeongjoksan Sagobon in Seoul, cover 472 years (1392-1863) in 1,893 books.
- Seungjeongwon Ilgi (승정원일기, or Diaries of the Royal Secretariat), listed in 2001 and kept at Kyujanggak and Seoul National University, deliver more crispy state secrets and many volumes have been lost for good, but that's still a collection of 3,243 diaries stretching over 288 years (1623-1910). Those diaries shouldn't threaten Bridget Jones' days on top of the bestseller list.
Korea does have a knack for written arts, and a long tradition of great respect for scholars over warriors. Still today, I'm sure there's something in the air (beyond the smog, that is). A good place to live if you love books.
SM 20090731 updated 0826
Labels: culture, Donguibogam, France, hangeul, Heo Jun, Hunminjeongeum Society, Hunminjongeum, Jikji, Joseonwangjosillok, King Sejong, King Seonjo, literature, Seungjeongwon Ilgi, Uigwe, UNESCO Heritage
We don't need no education. Do we ?
In Korea, cities are merging*, and schools too.
500 small rural schools will be closed by 2012. That's more than one third of all schools outside of Seoul. Every establishment responsible for fewer than 60 kids.
Of course, you can't beat demographics. Even with the significant contribution of foreign spouses in the countryside, South Korea keeps breaking all negative records of birth rates.
But what should be a natural but long process has obviously be hastened by the government for budgetary reasons. So 500 villages will miss the lively song of pupils learning just hectometers away from home.
After this small but traumatic death, many shall keep bitter "memories of murder".
* see "Seongnam and Hanam merge"
Labels: education, Korea, politics
Naro-1 took off
Last week, on August 19th, Naro-1 remained on its pad as the countdown was stopped 7'56 before ignition.
Today, the 33 m high rocket also known as KSLV-1 (Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1) left Naro Space Center at 5 pm.
Russia provided key technology, know how, and assistance on the way to success, and the first totally indigenous rocket is only planned for 2018, but that's a giant leap nonetheless.
This also puts Naro-do, Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, on the map. I remember passing by last year, with all the billboards advertising the space capital of Korea in the middle of a remote and green area.
KSLV website : kslv.or.kr
Goheung-gun website : goheung.go.kr
UPDATE 20090825
Naro-ho eventually failed to stabilize in the right orbit... more fish to fry for Naro-do sky team...
Labels: Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea, Naro Space Center, Russia
Clean Air @ Seoul
Well. For a start, "clean air" is the name of the website displaying all data on air quality in Seoul : cleanair.seoul.go.kr.
How is the capital city doing this morning ? Since rain just cleaned the air, at 9 o'clock and on a scale of 1 (good) to 6 (terrible), Seoul stood at "2" except for Nowon-gu (at "1" - thanks to the mountains), and two gus at "3" (Seodaemun-gu and Yeongdeungpo-gu). Eunpyeong-gu was awarded a "0" for lack of data. Temperature was 24.5, humidity 60%, wind speed .4 m/s, and my personal "maemimeter" indicated 4 (cicadas were rather quiet this morning).
But scales can tell any tale and be easily manipulated. This website also delivers detailed results for certain elements, and here was the composition of our breakfast :
. Nitrogen Dioxide (NOx - NO, NO2) : 0.046 ppm (0.030 in Nowon - 0.066 in Yeongdeungpo)
. Ozone (O3) : 0.005 ppm (0.003 in Seodaemun, Mapo and Yeongdeungpo - 0.021 in Gwanak)
. Carbon Monoxide (CO) : 1.1 ppm (I wonder how Seoul can reach that average : the max is 0.9 and the minimum 0.5 - in Gangbuk and Yangcheon)
. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) : 0.005 ppm (0.001 in Dobong - 0.011 in Geumcheon and Yangcheon)
. Particulate Matter (PM) : 37 μg / m³ (18 in Nowon - 45 in Yangcheon)
Good start, knowing that this kind of tools can always be improved : lead levels are missing, and should be added (even if not on a daily basis) to get a fairer picture of the quality of ambient air... and to put more pressure in favor of change. Giving the mix of Particulate Matter (under 2.5 μm and bewteen 2.5 and 10 μm) could prove also useful.
Raising the level of transparency and public awareness is essential to continue the effort in favor of a really cleaner air. Considerable improvements have been made over the past decade, but much remains to be done.
The gu level gives some indications, but at the micro level, the differences can be much more spectacular : some streets are irrespirable, and too many people live and work in locals saturated with carcigens. Construction material norms have improved, but too new pollutants keep being added to the mix without much monitoring from authorities.
I'm also worried about radio pollution. I'm shocked to see 2G, 3G or WiBro antennas installed carelessly by home windows or even at street level without any security perimeter whatsoever. It's not only very dangerous but strictly forbidden in many countries. It's not a matter of if but when : change must and will come.
Empowering citizens is a sound way of preparing the future : now any Seoulite can measure the effects of weather condition or environment policies, benchmark his city with other countries. In Europe, there's even a website (airqualitynow.eu) to facilitate direct comparisons.
So Seoul City took a good measure, and it would be interesting to do the same for neighboring cities, the way Paris Ile de France region did with Airparif.fr : pollution doesn't just come and go, we are all connected. I was surprised to learn that a major forest near Paris was more polluted than the city center because its landscape trapped pollutants more effectively.
Labels: environment, Seoul
Seongnam and Hanam merge
The cities of Seongnam and Hanam (both in Gyeonggi-do) announced their intention to merge by 2014 in a new city which would border Southeast Seoul from Gangdong-gu to Gangnam-gu via Songpa-gu.
In such mergers, more ambitious and harmonious policies can be developped, and the new ensemble can forge a stronger identity, be more competitive at the national and international level. But the union has to be carefully and soundly planned, and it is essential to preserve the soul of each area of the newly formed city. Spotting and reviving key cultural assets should even be considered an essential mission. So I would strongly advise planners to make a lot of research back in time before starting anything irreversible. This is clearly a promise for the future and a new start, but certainly not from scratch, from a blank page.
And I hope this won't end up in more destruction of Seoul's vital greenbelts.
A FORESEEABLE TREND
A referendum involving Seongnam and Hanam citizens shall be held, but the final decision remain in the hands of the national government... which shouldn't oppose the move : LEE Myung-bak wants to regroup 246 administrative areas into 60 to 70 municipalities, a natural trend that Japan has been experiencing for years, and that Nicolas Sarkozy is also considering for Paris' "little belt".
Among other regroupments under discussion within Gyeonggi-do : Guri with Namyangju (an obvious team just booming, just North of Seongnam-Hanam, on the other side of the Han river), and Hwaseong with Suwon (a powerful economic - cultural combo south, which could counterbalance the impressive rise of nearby Incheon).
I don't see small and unpopulated cities like Gwacheon (35.9 km2 / 74,600 inh.) or Uiwang (53 / 142,000) remain much longer on their own : a merger with Anyang (58 / 618,000) could be a solution. Gimpo seems big enough, but not so dense (276.6 km2 / 203,000), but many areas are either booming or about to (ie near Incheon's Cheongna, Ganghwa-do). Bucheon or Gwangmyeong are populated (850,000 and 341,000) but small (53.4 and 38.5 km2). For this pair, joining forces with Siheung (441,000 / 131) and why not even Ansan (Southwards) would make sense... Combinations are countless.
GWANGJU OUT OF THE LOOP... FOR THE MOMENT
Seongnam-Hanam project started as an even more ambitious project : Gwangju (the Gyeonggi-do city not to be confused with South West Korea's metro city) was initally in the loop and eventually declined to join Seongnam and Hanam, which would have created a major and relevant powerhouse :
- Today, Seongnam claims 141.8 square kilometers and 1,023,000 inhabitants (including people about to move in Pangyo New Town). Hanam 93 and 128,000. The 235 km2 and 1,13 million inhabitants ensemble will claim the "Metropolitan City" status and can even beat Suwon (121 km2, 1,087,000 inhabitants) as Gyeonggi-do's most populated city, but Gwangju would add 431 km2 and 215,000 inhabitants, forming a 3-city bigger than Seoul itself (605 km2 - but over 10 M souls).
- From a geographical point of view, Seongnam-Hanam looks a bit crooked : only a tiny kilometer of common border (at Hanam's Hakam-dong) unites two otherwise distant blocks and furthermore, a mountain (Namhansan) prevents both urban centers from actually connecting. Gwangju is the obvious missing piece that would complete a puzzle as harmoniously* shaped as the capital Seoul.
- Precisely, Gwangju used to be a capital, and the 3-city-merger would have made perfect sense at the historical level. The young city of Hanam (established on January 1st, 1989) owes its name to the former capital of Baekjae Kingdom, and used to belong to Gwangju-gun. Besides, the Gwangju corner that fills the puzzle, the fortress of Namhansanseong, would be the trio's perfect pivotal landmark.
Joining the duo later may prove more difficult...
A STIMULATING URBAN CHALLENGE
This administrative measure will necessarily have more or less telluric effects. Typically, the old core of Seongnam city, sidelined by Bundang and Pangyo, appears now central and is very much likely to experience some kind of revival.
Today, Seongnam-Hanam looks as unbalanced as Incheon, with very various landscapes, from the Southwestern New Towns to the Northeastern nature (Hangang, Geomdansan). And each block is disfigured by a major highway hub : Pangyo InterChange (Highway 1 to Busan / Circular 100) for Seongnam, Hanam Junction for Hanam (100 with Highway 35 to Daejeon).
Bundang lost some of its luster but remains a success story. Yet competition is raging with cities further south. Cities which don't have as many natural obstacles to development.
I'm sure city planners are full of ideas. But I hope destroying Namhansan is not one of them. Seoul green belts are definitely in real danger these days.
* from a distance at least, because each city lies in a different valley and connecting the centers would somehow mean replacing mountains with concrete.
Labels: Baekjae, Bundang, environment, Gangdong-gu, Gangnam-gu, Geomdansan, Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do, Hanam, Hwaseong, Namhansanseong, Pangyo, Seongnam, Songpa-gu, Suwon, transports, urbanism
Seoul Fringe Festival
Indy Seoul generally meets at Hongdae. Less "theatrical" than Daehangno, less "cute" than Idae, this university area is less prone to follow trends than to shape them. Students like to design their own look from head to toes, without going too far : it shouldn't appear too staged.
Some do their own art, some their own music, and sometimes that music can become art.
That's where the Seoul Fringe Festival steps in. For its 12th edition, it decided to extend pervasively with the complicity of performers, and I would say this BYOV (Bring Your Own Venue) concept refreshes parts other festivals cannot reach.
Any material can be recycled, and the party will mix with Seoul Open Night on Saturday the 22nd.
Seoul Fringe Festival 2009
From August 13th to 29th
Telephone: +82.02.325.8150
website: seoulfringefestival.net (full program and map of events)
Labels: culture, Hongdae, music, Seoul, Seoul Fringe Festival
Seoul Open Night
Imagine Paris experiencing at the same time its Nuit Blanche, Paris Plage, and the Fête de la Musique. That would be Seoul this Saturday, August 22nd :
- "Seoul Plage" (1st edition) is a private and rather feeble attempt to copy the Parisian event (itself a copy of a concept created by the city of Saint Quentin) on one segment of Hangang riverside. So let's forget about it.
- The "Fête de la Musique" would be the Seoul Fringe Festival (12th edition, until August 29th). I'll get back to that later.
- And the equivalent to "Nuit Blanche" is "Seoul Open Night". The said "night" doesn't stretch as far as it does in Paris but it starts at 2 pm and, for the second edition, its limits have been pushed from 10 pm to midnight, which makes the label much more relevant... The concept is basically the same : the city opens its museums and galleries during one special night when many cultural events take place, casting a new light on an art capital.
To go from one Seoul Open Night spot to another, I won't be riding a Seoul Velib', but my own Korean bike.
Seoul Open Night will last from 2 pm to 12 pm on Saturday the 22nd, 2009 across 6 locations, but the program may change due to yesterday's tragic news : following Kim Dae-jung's death, the general mood is not set on partying mode...
Here are a few of the many events initially planned * :
- Seoul Plaza : free "opening" ceremony between 7 and 8 pm featuring Major OH Se-hoon and singer LEE Seung-hwan. I guess that would be the place to pay a formal tribute to DJ (I'm not talking about the Disk Jockey).
- Hongdae : Seoul Open Night will spice up the Seoul Fringe Festival, a free market will be held at the usual spot (Hongdae Playground) between 7 and 12 pm, street performances, indie concerts... A KRW 10,000 Unlimited Cultural Pass includes entrance to 12 live clubs and theaters.
- Daehangno : the usual hotspots, and a free concert at Marronnier Park (8 to 9 pm).
- Jeong-dong : various events around the Deoksugung (concert) and along Deoksugung-gil (including meetings with Nanta performers). All key museums and parks will be opened until midnight.
- Bukchon : most galleries open until midnight free of charge (there's a 10,000 Cultural Pass including admission to 12 paid museums and galleries in the area). At Jaedong Elementary School crossroad, a Bukchon Traditional Street Performance and Food Feast will be held between 7 and 11 pm.
- Insa-dong : most galleries open until midnight free of charge, many performances are held, and Ssamziegil visitors can enjoy a free traditional craftwork training.
Not all events are free, and some even require bookings (ie architectural tours highlighting key city landmarks). So check the program of Seoul Open Night on Seoul city website or directly on the SON website (cafe.naver.com/seoulopennight).
Labels: Bukchon, culture, Daehangno, Deoksugung, Hongdae, Insadong, Jeong-dong, Seoul, Seoul Fringe Festival, Seoul Open Night, Seoul Plage, Ssamziegil
Kim Dae-jung - The Commander Statue
Tragic year for former Korean Presidents : today, pneumonia eventually claimed KIM Dae-jung (1998-2003) a few months after his successor ROH Moo-hyun (2003-2008) committed suicide*.
Korea's first Nobel laureate had been treated for over one month at the Severance Hospital, and when his fate seemed sealed, all former foes paid him a visit to "make peace" with a man whose disparition was bound to spark a new wave of criticisms on their own past.
Most notable stars of this strange "Sunshine Policy", 3 presidents : CHUN Doo-hwan has already been judged, KIM Young-sam still struggles to balance his own legacy, but LEE Myung-bak is about present time, history in the making.
And KIM Dae-jung was particularly vocal against him. Actually, his very last public breaths were to denounce repeated attacks on democracy, particularly following the disparition of ROH Moo-hyun (see "A Yellow Sea for Roh Moo-hyun").
At least for the weeks to come, KIM Dae-jung shall stand as an embarrassing "Commander Statue" for a Don Juan already struggling to reconquer public opinion.
* See "Roh Moo-hyun follows Pierre Beregovoy".
ADDENDUM 20090819
Kim Dae-jung family designated Kim Young-sam as head of the organization for the tribute to the deceased. Now that's Sunshine Policy !!!
Labels: Chun Doo-hwan, KIM Dae-jung, KIM Young-sam, LEE Myung-bak, politics, ROH Moo-hyun, Severance Hospital
Bike Friendly Subway Trains and Stations
Until now, only foldable bikes are allowed on subway trains in Seoul, and no bike at all during rush hours.
A few months ago, special subway wagons were announced : bicycle owners would be able to carry their vehicles on certain lines. Some seats would be removed to install bike racks in the first and last wagons of each train.
Starting this October, bikes will officially be allowed in subways on sundays and holidays, and Seoul will start testing bike friendly stations until March 2010 (see "Bike riders to travel by subway" - JoongAng Ilbo 20090818).
Asia News Agency released two interesting pictures (see "10월부터 자전거 끌고 지하철 탄다") :
- a man pushing his bike along a dedicated slope at Seokgye Station on line 6 : the slope has a thin gutter to maintain the tires in the right direction, and the carrier about 50 cm of staircase separated from the crowd by a big metal banister. it's better than carrying your bike on your shoulder but you can see him struggling... and certain stations have daunting staircases. expect many cheaters to be fined for using the elevators.
- a 3D rendering of a wagon equipped with bike racks : there's room for two bikes on each side, to lean on a simple metal structure where people can also store some luggage. not optimal but that's a start.
The Chosun Ilbo (see "10월부터 지하철에 '자전거 전용칸'") released this video of a man using the same slope, and an automated bike parking / storage service :
Here are the 38 stations selected for the trial (with the main subway line for each - many are connections) :
- Line 1 (3) : City Hall, Jongno 3-ga, Dongdaemun
- Line 2 (7) : Euljiro 1-ga, Hanyang University, Konkuk University, Seongnae, Sincheon, Seoul National University of Education, Dangsan
- Line 3 (5) : Gupabal, Oksu, Apkujeong, Maebong, Suseo
- Line 4 (5) : Nowon, Gileum, Hansung University, Dongjak, Sadang
- Line 5 (5) : Omokgyo, Yeouido, Gwanghwamun (with its new slope !), Gwangnaru, Olympic Park
- Line 6 (5) : Saejeol, World Cup Stadium, Korea University, Seokgye, Hwarangdae
- Line 7 (5) : Nowon, Junghwa, Ttukseom Resort, Naebang, Onsu
- Line 8 (3) : Mongcheontoseong, Seokchon, Songpa
Many universities and riverside bike hubs (Ttukseom, Yeouido...). And enough to study the complete bicycle... cycle.
Labels: Asia News Agency, bicycle, Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, subway, transports, Ttukseom, video, Yeouido
Gocheok-dong baseball stadium will be domed
In the focus on future Dongdaemun Design Plaza, I mentioned the destination for the replacement of the old baseball stadium : Gocheok-dong in Guro-gu.
Seoul just announced that it eventually will seat 22,000 under a dome covering all the stadium, thus delaying the delivery from September 2010 to September 2011 (see "Korea to Get First Domed Ballpark" - Chosun Ilbo 20090814). A 2 mn promotional video can be viewed on Guro TV (gbsi.guro.go.kr).
Not a giant by all standards, but an interesting infrastructure for indoor entertainment in a rather forsaken "gu", and a major landmark between two outdoor entertainment areas, Anyangcheon and Hangang riversides (ferry connections announced by 2012).
Labels: Anyangcheon, baseball, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Dongdaemun Stadium, Gocheok-dong, Guro-gu, Hangang, sports, stadium
Baekundongcheon / Gwanghwamun-gil - A River Runs Through It
Gwanghwamun-gil is the small diagonal street between exits 7 and 4 of Gwanghwamun Station*. This traditionally messy area full of snacks**, restaurants, small shops, and office clerks flocking from Gwanghwamun Station to their towers, is evolving very quickly : buildings under renovation or destruction, old eateries giving way to modern franchises and new restaurants... another consequence of the Gwanghwamun revival.
Gwanghwamun-gil's unusual angle betrays an old age and indeed, on all ancient city maps, it literally jumps at your face as the beginning of the biggest road West of the Gyeongbok palace.
If you take a map of today's Seoul, you can easily retrace its path : you only have to remove Sejong Cultural Center, which was constructed over 30 years ago, to see the diagonal continue Northeastwards all the way to Inwangsan's old fortress.
The Northern section of the old road (about 1.7 km between Gyeongbokgung Station and Jahamun Tunnel / Buam-dong) is still clearly visible : that's Jahamun-gil, Seochon's main vertical road.
Back to the Southern, 800 m long "Gwanghwamun" section now : between Sejong Cultural Center and Jahamun-gil, the street splits into twin alleys named after local dongs (Dohyeon-dong-gil and Naesu-dong-gil) until it meets with Naejadong-gil. It then becomes a narrow path surrounded by office buildings, and reaches Sajikno between Gyeongbokgung Station exits 6 and 7.
This diagonal looks quite thin nowadays compared to the horizontal lines of Sajikno or even Naejadong-gil, but these two roads were considerably smaller before the opening of Sajik Tunnel (the first tunnel ever built in Seoul was inaugurated on May 30th, 1967). Of great historical significance, the link between Gyeongbokgung and Sajik-dan stopped at the shrine : a founding street for the future capital city, but not exactly today's six lanes of traffic.
Why was this diagonal so important then ? The biggest axis West of Sejongno simply follows Baekundongcheon (백운동천), the stream that becomes Cheonggyecheon when it meets Junghakcheon (중학천), exactly under today's Cheonggyecheon Square.
More vertical, Junghakcheon flows down from Bugaksan, through Samcheong-dong, following the Eaestern walls of Gyeongbokgung. This stream left its name to Junghakcheon-gil, the street behind US Embassy, KTF and Kyobo buildings, parallel to Sejongno.
Now let's take a 1946 map : Junghakcheon is still totally uncovered, but Baekundongcheon already hidden on its Southern section. Yet, the map shows 9 torrents joining it from Inwangsan :
- 3 at its root in Singyo-dong,
- 3 at Ogin-dong (still visible as Ogin-gil and other oblique Seochon streets),
- 2 from Sajik-dong (the street that is now between Space Bon and the KFA Building corresponds more or less to Sajikdongcheon or 사직동천, and when I walk there on a rainy day, I can this cub roar under my feet)
- plus the small one coming from Gyeonghuigung, Gyeonghuigungnaesucheon (경희궁내수천). A bridge has symbolically been rebuilt in front of the Seoul Museum of History.
All the waterway names have disappeared, but they sometimes pop up in ancient literature : Okryudongcheon (옥류동천), Daeunamcheon (대은암천), Malliroe rapids (만리뢰)... They might reemerge someday, just like the restoration of Cheonggyecheon marked the revival of ancient bridges.
Because if both affluents are totally covered now, they may see the light again, like Cheonggyecheon itself. Seoul City already plans to reopen Junghakcheon, and Baekundongcheon should come next. Unfortunately, the first thing they will see is 'Spring' : the most regrettable 20 meter-tall seashell / DNA structure erected by Coosje van Bruggen and Claes Oldenburg... part of Cheonggyecheon Restoration's collateral damage.
Imagine downtown after the restoration of its main streams and Seochon's revival... I hope it will be made with taste and consideration for yesterday's as well as tomorrow's Seoul : Seochon should remain alive, not turn into another Bukchon-style open air museum.
* from Sejongno Sageori to Sejong Cultural Center crossroads, where Sejongmunha-gil (perpendicular to Gwanghwamun Square) cuts Sejonggwandeuit-gil (which becomes Hyojaro to the North, the road to Cheonghwadae following Gyeongbokgung walls).
** including Gwanghwamun Jip, the best kimchi jjigae in town and Seoul's other Blue House. The main Blue House, of course, being a little bit up North, in the heart of Seochon : the very cute bookstore Daehoseojeom. Yet, I also heard of a third Blue House, a certain Cheongwadae, even further Northwards...
Labels: Baekundongcheon, Cheonggyecheon, Dangju-dong, food, gimchi jjigae, Gwanghwamun, Jongno-gu, Junghakcheon, Okryudongcheon, restaurant, Sejong Cultural Center, Sejongno, Seochon, Seoul Museum of History
Hoehyeon-dong overpass passed away
Another overpass is being removed in Seoul. As scheduled, the Hoehyeon Sagori concrete structure will disappear, liberating the view on Namsan Tower from the North.
This crossroads is often saturated : it cuts Toegyero at the exit of Namsan's 3rd Tunnel towards City Hall, right in front of Shinsegae, between Myeongdong and Namdaemun market.
The area is getting more residential, with 3 housing complexes nearing delivery : a SK Leaders View opposite the Department Store, a Lotte Castle behind Woori Bank building, and a Ssangyong Platinum next to LG CNS (Ssangyong is also growing an office building on the other side of that tower).
I won't say I'll miss the old Hoehyeon-dong, except for that quiet place guarded by a gigantic gingko tree. The crossroad area may become human friendlier, provided pedestrians are offered better and safer paths above ground. Under it, there's always that old shopping area if you're into corny paintings, vintage LPs, or stamp collections.
Without this overpass, more people may notice the proximity with the mountain in an otherwise green-free area. To make the invitation even more obvious, a small funicular was opened a few months ago, connecting the street with Namsan cable cars, higher on the hill.
I'm afraid it will take bigger investments in public transportation to compensate for the overpass and the flocks of new residents.
I think it would make sense to establish future connections with Yongsan-gu, particularly towards poorly served but soon to be redevelopped Huam-dong.
Labels: Hoehyeon-dong, Huam-dong, Jung-gu, Lotte Castle, Myeong-dong, N Tower, Namdaemun, Namdaemun Market, Namsan, real estate, Shinsegae, SK View, Ssangyong, Toegyero, transports, urbanism, Yongsan-gu
Maemi Serenade
The tenor took position on my window's mosquito net. Moments later, the maemistro started its strident recital.
I only had time to clumsily turn my mobile phone's camera on, and I would be all thumbs with this device if the expression hadn't that positive meaning nowadays... so this video appears on the wrong direction.
I found a way of rotating it perfectly, but then the sound disappeared*. OK, it was poorly reproduced, but it gives you an idea of what filled the room. So here's my lousy bootleg video of that maemi serenade :
The artist left without waiting for a well deserved round of applause. Maybe he was a relative of the cicada I saved two summers ago (see "Save Korean maemis").
SM 200908
* if you happen to know how to rotate a .mp4 video AND preserve the sound, I'm all ears...
Labels: maemi, nature, Seoul, video
Gwanghwamun Plaza - The Aftermath
Following last year's presentation ("Gwanghwamun Square") and last month's sneak peek ("Gwanghwamun Square - Preview"), a few more comments on Seoul's new landmark as a neighbor and frequent user :
- As expected, Gwanghwamun Plaza "reinstates downtown's traditional center and shorten distances between major cultural places. Passers-by will again own the heart of the city, and enjoy a better view on its most prestigious and beautiful perspective". Thanks to new crosswalks, tourists can seamlessly walk between all major monuments, and Gyeongbokgung doesn't look anymore like an island lost in a see of cars. Instead of taking a taxi to hop from one spot to another, many may plan day-long walks from say Deoksugung to Samcheong-dong via Cheonggyecheon. Even Seoulites are already changing habits : instead of sitting at a cafe or sweating in a health club, they pick up a drink and take a long walk before work or at lunch break. Soon, they will discover the pleasure of riding a bike across Seoul's historical center.
- Once again, this a giant leap, but not the last step. Many other changes are under way both sides of Sejongno : from hardware (ie many construction sites in Shinmunro, Susong-dong, or Cheongjin-dong) to software (ie places like KT Art Hall or Kyobo Bookstore are getting too crowded, new cultural spaces will necessarily multiply in the vicinity). The atmosphere is changing really quickly West of the boulevard : Sejong Cultural Center area is swarming with people most of the time, its food alleys remain lively on week-ends (neither food nor drink for sale on the square), and further afield, Shinmunro confirms its spectacular revival. The Prada Transformer operation had already put Gyeonghuigung back on the map for younger generations, and the small square in front of Seoul Museum of History attracted very diverse crowds. Now the museum itself decides to draw new visitors : yesterday it inaugurated a giant map of Seoul (scale 1:1,500 - over 70,000 buildings represented), and unlike model house phantasm replicas most Seoulites are used to, you don't see gigantic Amazonian forests nor totemic subway stations popping up from nowhere. Of course, don't look for detailed compounds around Cheongwadae or Yongsan Army Base...
- As pointed out earlier, the square itself cruelly lacks natural shade. It was a deliberate choice for security reasons : like Seoul Plaza, the area might be used as a demonstration spot, but this time right in front of the Government's headquarters. On the other hand, no more gingko trees means that you can enjoy the panorama on the mountain from any point. But this flat area will be as chilly in winter as it is mercilessly hot in summer. More than the embarrassing sea of flowers covering the Northern section of Gwanghwamun Plaza, waterworks do provide some welcomed refreshment, and flower pot benches do grow a few useful metallic umbrellas... but under a scorching sun, it's safer to bring your own shade.
- The slope leading to Gwanghwamun Station confirms its essential role, but Haechi Madang proves to be rather a disapointment (I won't even comment on the new Haechi "cute" character revealed during the inauguration - you will prefer the photo exhibition at the other end of the plaza). I think it would be wiser to install doors, as discrete as possible not to ruin the overall architecture, to mark the transition between the subway and the square, improve the exhibition experience, and save energy / air conditioning in all seasons.
- The most upsetting experience remains the closeness of cars, particularly at night. I was scared to see kids running in the fake streams on each side of the square : they can slip anytime or simply be hit by a rearview mirror, the only protection being the 10-20 cm high and 20-30 cm wide border of the streamlets. The authorities quickly dispatched one cop every 100 m or so to limit the risks but just two days after the inauguration, an overspeeding taxi trying to avoid a collision entered the plaza and landed in the dead middle of the flower beds. Luckily enough the place was empty at that time of the day, so a real tragedy was avoided (except for the gardener). The "longer term quick fix plan" is to add flower blocks on each side. Likewise, I wouldn't be surprised to see new fences prevent people from falling into the descent...
Anywhere else, this kind of risks would have been carefully taken into account... but that's the surprising way major projects are usually carried out here. And somehow, it fits a city that never ceases to evolve, do, undo, and redo. Seoul is alive and kicking, and Gwanghwamun Square will breathe, grow new features*, catch a cold, develop new cures, adapt and improve.
The first thing that struck me for Cheonggyecheon was the narrowness of sidewalks : the place really seemed to ban couples or wheelchairs ! But since it was not life threatening, it took three and a half years to consider enlarging the sidewalks. Now it's done, and not only around the former mayor's masterpiece. This administration seems to have a better grasp on the details that change everyday life.
But it's not only about what Seoul can do for you, folks. This vast Gwanghwamun Square is what Seoul citizens will make of it.
* and don't count out King Sejong, still getting ready for October
Labels: architecture, Cheonggyecheon, Cheongjin-dong, Gwanghwamun, KT Art Hall, Kyobo Book Center, Prada Transformer, Sejong Cultural Center, Sejongno, Seoul Museum of History, Shinmunro, Susong-dong, urbanism
Hangeul lands in Bau-Bau, Indonesia... to save the Cia !
According to The HunminJeongeum Society (HunminJeongeum Research Institute), representatives from Bau-Bau decided to use the Korean alphabet in order to preserve their own language, a dialect that lacked a writing system.
Created in 1443, Hangeul is often praised by linguists as the most efficient alphabet ever invented and indeed, it takes only a few minutes to understand how it works. Still, Hangeul needed some help to reach Bau-Bau, the most populated town (120,000 inhabitants) of Buton island, at the Southwesternmost point of Sulawesi, Indonesia.
The HunminJeongeum institute has been trying to export Hangeul for years. The easiest and most obvious entry points are non written languages with a limited reach and on the verge of extinction : a writing system means an easier conservation, transmission, and of course a global reach via the internet.
Last year, the vice president of the association (headed by Seoul National University Professor Kim Ju-won), Chun Tai-hyun, Professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, announced in a Korean Times interview* that representatives from Bau-Bau would visit Korea to learn Hangeul and find out how to implement it. "In Indonesia, ethnic minority communities are losing their own spoken languages. We realized that the Korean alphabet could actually help preserve these endangered local languages."
The said trip bore interesting fruits : a comprehensive textbook in Hangeul created by the Institute and titled "bahasa jjia-jjia 1", and a Korean center soon to be opened (see Yonhap article*).
I found this information both exciting and surprising : If it were say in Thailand, where the national language uses a specific writing system, I would understand the trial... but Bahasa Indonesia itself, the Indonesian language, has adopted the Latin alphabet about one century ago. Indonesian is spoken everywhere, even if many dialects survive, and Latin alphabet already offers a potentially global reach. Choosing an alphabet is a founding moment, and picking a different alphabet almost has to have a political meaning...
I did some quick research :
- on the island's official website (baubau.go.id), there's nothing about the issue yet : all pages seem written in perfect Bahasa Indonesia... as much as I can tell (I haven't practiced the very little I know for 20 years !).
- on the always fascinating UNESCO Atlas of endangered languages, I found only Busoa ("vulnerable") and Taloki ("definitely endangered") in the area. If Indonesia boasts about 130 endangered languages, this very one is not on the list.
- on the "Ethnologue report for Sulawesi, Indonesia", I found the language mentioned on the manual : in 2005, 79,000 people spoke Cia-cia language (or simply cia, which means "no") across this part of Sulawesi, but with many variant dialects. The language is said to be "vigorous" and spoken at "all ages", along with Indonesian and the dominant Austranesian language of Buton island, wlo (or wolio).
- I couldn't dig any clue in the political / social context that may cast a particular light on such a bold move from local representatives.
So my guess is that in this more "push" than "pull" operation, the survival of cia-cia language was not as essential as the opportunity to see how Hangeul performs in a completely new context. Professor Kim Ju-won is even more specific : "In the long run, the spread of Hangeul will also help enhance Korea's economy as it will activate exchanges with societies that use the language."*
I understand that this kind of arguments help raise funds for research, but I sincerely hope that linguistics remain the main topic, and that someone is planning to closely monitor the impacts. For example, I'm anxious to see if there is any impact on pronunciation.
If this thrilling (in all senses of the expression) experiment turns out to be a success, other local languages may be tempted to adopt Hangeul... if they simply don't catch the virus by contagion.
To be followed up...
* "Linguistics Scholar Seeks to Globalize Korean Alphabet" (Korea Times)
** featuring "writing, speaking and reading sections", "the tribe's history, language and culture" (definitely a must), and as a bonus "a Korean fairy tale" - see "Indonesian tribe picks Korean alphabet as official writing system" (Yonhap 20090806)
Labels: Bau-Bau, culture, hangeul, Hunminjeongeum Society, Indonesia
Incheon Women Artists' Biennale
"So Close Yet So Far Away", the thema for IWA Biennale's second edition*, could sum up your experience as a visitor of an event stretched all over Incheon's Jung-gu : you can enjoy at the same time the encounter with 297 very different women artists from 41 very different countries, and the visit of a city center under complete cultural revival.
Special mention to the heart of IWAB : Incheon Art Platform, a new exhibition complex giving a second life to old warehouses, each building serving potentially as a residence for a group of artists. IAP brilliantly fills a cultural gap, both in space and time, at the feet of the hill leading to Freedom Park through old foreign concessions.
All three exhibitions have one foot in the Incheon Art Platform :
- the rest of "main exhibition" is hosted by Incheon Korean-Chinese Cultural Center, a much kitscher building at the end of this new art village's main street.
- "Participation" ("Alone Together" - 93 Korean artists) put its other foot in the Incheon Educational and Cultural Center for Students...
- ... where "Tunig" ("The 21st Century, The Feminine Century, and the Century of Diversity and Hope" - 86 international artists, both male and female) only sets one toe, the rest being scattered across various buildings and hotels.
I particularly liked Faith Ringgold's "Tar Beach 2" (1990), Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook's videos of villagers reacting to XIXth century master paintings, and the touching tribute of Imhathai Suwatthanasilp to her father. The last two come from Thailand, as does Sutthirat Supaparinya, co-curator (along with Thalia Vrachopoulos) of the exhibition. The Biennale Organising Committee is chaired by Kwon Kyung-ae.
I saw visitors from all generations, but visited on a rather quiet Tuesday, and a hot summer afternoon. So I cannot tell if the Biennale is a popular success. But considering their limited budget (compared to Gwangju Biennale, for instance), organizers did a fantastic job. Furthermore, beyond the artists and their works, and beyond the Incheon Art Platform, Incheon Women Artists' Biennale is a very interesting way of rediscovering Incheon, its streets and architecture, its past and future, its relation to modernity and the world.
I'll definitely be back for the next edition.
* the second edition as the World's first international women artists' biennale after 2007 (thema: "Knocking On The Door"), but the fourth including 2004 ("Incheon Women Artists" meaning artists from Incheon area) and 2006 (Pre-International Women Artists' Biennale).
2009 Incheon Women Artists' Biennale
August 1 to 31, 2009 (Preview July 30-31)
iwabiennale.org
Tel : +82.32.772.7727
Labels: culture, exhibition, Incheon, Incheon Art Platform, Incheon Women Artists' Biennale

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Daniil Medvedev after losing to Jeremy Chardy: It
Daniil Medvedev after losing to Jeremy Chardy: It's a shame because I had my chances
Agencies | Updated: Oct 31, 2019, 08:40 IST
Jeremy Chardy (above), Dominic Thiem and Stefanos Tsitsipas (left) during the Paris Masters
Medvedev rationalises shocking loss to Chardy, says he feared defeat
Daniil Medvedev said that he "hates losing" after suffering a shock second-round defeat by French world number 65 Jeremy Chardy at the Paris Masters, ending his bid to reach a seventh straight final. The 23-year-old Russian took the opening set but slipped to a 4-6 6-2 6-4 loss at Bercy Arena.
The second set ended a streak of 19 consecutive sets won by Medvedev (pictured yesterday), while the eventual loss snapped a ninematch winning run. "I wasn't thinking at all about the streak while on court," he said. "I was just afraid of losing. I hate to lose. But I also know what I can do when I play. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Even though I lost, I can take it as an experience."
Chardy, roared on by the home crowd in the French capital, saved nine break points in a dramatic deciding set. "Jeremy played very well, but it's a shame because I had my chances," added Medvedev, who is the only current player other than the 'big four' of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray to have made six consecutive ATP finals. "The difference was that he was able to take the opportunities that came his way and I wasn't."
Daniil Medvedev: I had no fear, it's Rafael Nadal who had something to lose
Daniil Medvedev said he was incredibly proud of a remarkable six-week hardcourt run in North America that culminated with Sunday's agonizing five-set loss to Rafael Nadal in the US Open final.
Medvedev's run of finals dated back to July, during which he had claimed the Cincinnati and Shanghai Masters titles and lost an epic US Open championship match to Rafael Nadal. In New York, he was the first Russian man to reach a Grand Slam final since Marat Safin at the 2005 Australian Open and he has won four ATP tournaments in 2019 in total.
Medvedev will next head to London for his maiden appearance at the ATP Tour Finals next month, where he is hoping to emulate last year's champion and fellow youngster Alexander Zverev. "Now I have more time to prepare for the Tour Finals. It really is a dream for me to be going there. It's a tournament where anything can happen, Zverev showed that there last year. It's going to be a good experience."
It is the first time that Chardy has reached the third round at Bercy, having already come through two matches of qualifying and a firstround tie with Sam Querrey. "To win against a guy like him (Medvedev) is a great feeling," said the 32-year-old. "At the end there everything was shaking, but I had nothing to lose."
Thiem , Tsitsipas advance
Meanwhile, Dominic Thiem booked his spot in the Paris Masters third round by edging out Milos Raonic in a marathon encounter, Fifth seed Thiem had to dig deep to get past Raonic 7-6 (7/5) 5-7 6-4 as the Canadian powered down 30 aces in a thunderous serving display. World number seven Stefanos Tsitsipas continued his return to form with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 victory over American Taylor Fritz.
Novak Djokovic heaps praise on Daniil Medvedev: He's playing tennis of his life
Djokovic heaps praise on volatile Medvedev who won three titles and also beat the Serb twice this year
Fabio Fognini's hopes of qualifying for the season-ending ATP finals ended when the Italian lost 3-6 6-3 6-3 to Canada's Denis Shapovalov.
In women's tennis, Elina Svitolina qualified for the semi-finals of the season-ending WTA Finals by beating Simona Halep 7-5, 6-3. Svitolina, the only competitor in the eightplayer field not to win a title this season, last won a tournament at last year's WTA Finals.
PARIS MASTERS RESULTS
► Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x7) bt Taylor Fritz (USA) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3
► Cristian Garin (CHI) bt John Isner (USA x15) 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4)
► Dominic Thiem (AUT x5) bt Milos Raonic (CAN) 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 6-4
► Denis Shapovalov (CAN) bt Fabio Fognini (ITA x11) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
GU are WZ tennis champs
ATP Cup, tennis' latest innovation, kicks off tomorrow
Devesh, Karan excel in state tennis meet
From Sports
After India's humiliating defeat agains... After India's humiliating defeat against Australia, Twitterati stirs it up with memes
BCCI to come out with advert for new se... BCCI to come out with advert for new selectors
Mumbai do the double over Bengaluru
Rajkot: India defeat Australia by 36 ru... Rajkot: India defeat Australia by 36 runs in 2nd ODI
Spinner Bapu Nadkarni passes away
Conflict complaint against Shantha Rang... Conflict complaint against Shantha Rangaswamy, Anshuman Gaekwad rendered 'infructuous'
Not just a 'workhorse'


In the class-obsessed and religiously divided UK of the early 1920s, two determined young runners train for the 1924 Paris Olympics. Eric Liddell, a devout Christian born to Scottish missionaries in China, sees running as part of his worship of God's glory and refuses to train or compete on the Sabbath. Harold Abrahams overcomes anti-Semitism and class bias, but neglects his beloved sweetheart in his single-minded quest.


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By Larry Fire	Comic Books, Television & Streaming
Gotham's Final Season To Premiere On January 3, 2019
Fox announced its midseason premiere dates today and, in addition to setting Gotham's premiere date as Thursday, January 3, 2019, they also revealed that the fifth and final season of the series will be getting two additional episodes going from 10 to 12.
The final season of Gotham will feature the addition of the villain Bane, who will be played by Shane West.
It's also rumored that during this final season, Bruce Wayne will finally become Batman for the first time.
Tagged Batman, Comic Books, Fox, Gotham, Television & Streaming


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Read more from Katja
Weekend Larks (Nov 4-6)
International Guitar Festival, movies at Edge Hill Station, Pin Ups and another jumble sale
Written by Katja Driver. Published on November 4th 2011.
Plucking hell
OK, so this weekend we celebrate Guy Fawkes not blowing up the Parliament by blowing up a load of over-priced fireworks. But it's not all about things that go boom, the next few days.
It's also about things that go... stringy? Strung? Anyway, the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain, apparently the oldest and largest annual festival of its kind, kicks off this weekend. The programme promises to illuminate the breadth and scope of the guitar, highlighting its importance within every musical genre.
Je suis un rock starFeatured artists this year include Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings, Bellowhead, Phil Manzanera, Martin Taylor's Gypsy Journey, Tony Remy & The Blues Experience and classical guitarist Xuefei Yang, as well as the Katona Twins and The Impossible Gentlemen, featuring the incredible Mike Walker and Mercury Prize nominated pianist, Gwilym Simcock.
Guitar workshops will take place covering playing styles, guitar maintenance and detailed sessions on working within the music industry, a must if you fancy yourself as the next Richie Sambora. And, to top it off, a special concert featuring the Wirral Schools Jazz Orchestra and guitar virtuosi, Esmond Selwyn spotlights the vibrant musical youth within Wirral.
*International Guitar Festival of Great Britain, all around the Wirral during November. For more information and tickets, see here
YOU also might want to check out Pin Ups - an exhibition of portraits by Matthew Stradling & Sadie Lee.
Part of Homptopia, which opens this weekend, it takes its name from the David Bowie 1970s album of cover versions of some of his favourite songs.
Here Matthew and Sadie have created a series of new portraits that turn the sitter into their own version of an iconic Pin Up in their first exhibition together.
Both Sadie's and Matthew's subject matter and cultural references are strongly influenced by popular music. Artists such as David Bowie were crucial in allowing new ideas about sexuality and gender to infiltrate popular culture in the 1970s. Boys in make-up wearing feather boas and girls in suits and skin-head feather-cuts danced to his tracks in school discos where a new generation of musicians were to take this aesthetic forward into punk and new romantic fashion and style.
Mathew and Sadie were very much part of this revolution, and swapped tapes to listen to while they worked on their paintings of the likes of Marc Almond and Holly Woodlawn.
Whilst Sadie's new portraits of her own personal celebrities may intentionally relate to Andy Warhol's screen prints, they also subvert them by bringing centuries of painterly tradition to the Pop Art aesthetic.
Matthew similarly references the repetitive nature of Pop Art to portray his own Pin Up in a series of portraits, though these are treated in the grand manner of the 18th Century Masters rather than the throwaway medium of the polaroid.
*Pin Ups, The Gallery, Upper Stanhope St, Liverpool, from Friday November 4 onwards. Free
Going Kukoo
Kukoo Fairs are back from their summer break with what they boast to be their biggest and best ever event! The non-profit vintage and craft fairs organisers are again pulling a fantastic day from their 1950s bag.
It's not just about clothes and fashion in this day of fun and frolics. While getting to know what the event has to offer you can sip on cocktails and stuff cupcakes down your gob. Then there obviously is the compulsory show of vintage clothing and accessories, but it doesn't end there. Visitors are introduced to crafts, jewellery, art and fancily recycled items all in Navy Bar's somewhat kitsch surroundings.... oh and did we mention the top tunes?
*Kukoo Vintage Fair, Navy Bar, Stanley St, Saturday 5th November, from 12pm, FREE EVENT
Film Station
And, if you really want to hide away from the booming fireworks, find classic movies at Metal on Tunnel Road.
This Friday they offer a cult classic, The Colour Purple (15), directed by Steven Spielberg. Following that, on consecutive Fridays, you can enjoy The General (U) Directed by Clyde Bruckman & Buster, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch (15) by John Cameron Mitchell.
Metal was founded by Jude Kelly OBE in 2002 and was created as an artistic laboratory to champion the need for continual investment in artistic investigation and the development of innovative ideas that could shift the thinking in the UK cultural sector.
Alongside providing space for artists and thinkers to develop their ideas and further the philosophy of their work, Metal are interested in how this artistic process can potentially influence political and social issues of the day.
But wait! There's more! If you would like to nominate a film screening please contact Jenny or Adrian at Metal with the above details and who knows, maybe the next screening will have something of your own liking... maybe even a film of your own. Metal are looking for local artist's short films (max 20 mins) to show before features. Please submit DVD's, short synopses or web-links to edgehill@metalculture.com or hand them in at a film screening.
*Film Station: The Colour Purple, Friday November 4, Metal at Edge Hill Station, at 6.30pm and 8.30pm
Lewis Carroll's timeless novels, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, have fascinated and inspired many generations of artists since the first novel was published over 150 years ago. Alice in Wonderland at Tate Liverpool is the first exhibition to provide a comprehensive historical exploration of how the stories have influenced the visual arts, providing insight into the creation of the novels, the adoption of the text as an inspiration for artists and the revision of its key themes by artists up to the present day.
The starting point for the exhibition is Carroll's original manuscript, given to the twelve year old Alice Liddell as a Christmas present in 1864. Carroll's own illustrations in the manuscript, and the famous illustrations by Sir John Tenniel in the first published edition, indicate that images were an integral part of the story, creating a visual world which took on a life of its own. Carroll was very much part of the art scene of his day: a photographer and art connoisseur, he mixed in artistic circles and counted artists such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Sir John Everett Millais amongst his friends. Work by Rossetti and Millais will feature, alongside paintings by William Holman Hunt and Arthur Hughes, referenced in Carroll's diaries. There will be a rare opportunity to view Carroll's own drawings, photographs and photographic equipment, alongside Victorian Alice memorabilia, documents from early stage adaptations, and original drawings by Sir John Tenniel.
Carroll's stories were soon adopted by artists, both inspiring and providing an expression for themes within their work. Surrealist artists from the 1930s onwards were drawn towards this fantastical world where natural laws were suspended. There will be the opportunity to see Salvador Dalí's series of twelve Alice in Wonderland illustrations and work by Max Ernst, René Magritte and Dorothea Tanning. The British Surrealists, dubbed 'the children of Alice,' will be examined, with key pieces from Paul Nash, Roland Penrose, Conroy Maddox and F.E. McWilliam.
From the 1960s through the 1970s, conceptual artists took Alice as foil for exploring our relationship to perception and reality, and the stories inspired responses in both Pop and Psychedelic art. This section will bring together work by Mel Bochner, Jan Dibbets, Dan Graham, Yayoi Kusama, Adrian Piper, and Marcel Broodthaers amongst others to highlight the era's responses to the novel as it reached its centenary. Mel Bochner will reprise his seminal 1969 work Measurement: Perimeter in the Wolfson Gallery. The work displays the exact measurements of the room, with a unique 'Alice' twist, giving the
viewer a new perspective of the scale of their surroundings. The artist has entitled the piece Measurement: Eye-level Perimeter (Ask Alice) 1969/2011 especially for the exhibition.
Contemporary artists continue to take inspiration from the books, exploring ideas such as the journey from childhood to adulthood; language, meaning and nonsense; scale and perspective; and perception and reality. The photography of Anna Gaskell, alongside more recent pieces by AA Bronson, Joseph Grigely, Torsten Lauschmann, Jimmy Robert and Annelies Štrba demonstrate how the continuous revision of the form and themes within Carroll's novels have preserved their artistic relevance.
The exhibition is curated by Christoph Benjamin Schulz with Gavin Delahunty, Head of Exhibitions & Displays, Tate Liverpool assisted by Eleanor Clayton. Accompanying the exhibition will be a full colour publication with contributions by Dame Gillian Beer, Carol Mavor, Christoph Benjamin Schulz, Edward Wakeling and Alberto Manguel. The exhibition will tour to MART - the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Trento and Rovereto, Italy from 25 February - 3 June 2012.


If you love buying gifts for the kids in your life, you are going to love our guide that has gift ideas for kids of all ages.
Getting gift ideas for my kids is easy as they come in the form of requests every week!
And when I get those requests, I note down the toys and stuff they are interested in. And end up buying them on sale on Amazon.
This gift buying process is not so easy for kids I do not know that well. By that I mean my friends' kids or my kids' friends.
As I am the primary gift buyer and giver in my family, I am also the most confused when it comes to buying presents for other kids. What I truly needed was a wish-list for gift ideas. I am building that within the "wish me app". But for now, here are some suggestions that I have collected over time from my kids, their friends and kids of parents I know.
And to make your life easier, I present to you a gift guide for kids of all ages. Hopefully this will help you through-out the year as your kids are invited to birthday parties. If I have missed anything please write to me here and let me know.
You can find more ideas on planning birthdays on a budget here..
Here are some suggestions that I have for your next baby gift purchase. Buying from Amazon is quick and easy with the Prime Membership.
If you are starting to plan your a child's birthday party, read our tips on how to create starting with a birthday party vision board.
I have to admit – buying for toddlers is not so bad either – they still like to parallel play and like bright colours and sounds. They want to play with EVERYTHING – baby toys and big kid toys. Their favourite toy is a phone (adult phones). I always recommend asking the parents what their toddlers need or what toy their parents saving up for. The toy could be a balance bike or a playhouse.
I always recommend gift cards so parents can buy whatever they like, when they like. However, here are a few more toddler toy suggestions if you just don't have the time to "go shopping".
It's the perfect time to plan a backyard birthday. More ideas here.
From my experience gift ideas for pre-schoolers or kids between the ages of 3 years and 6 years, are a bit tricky. At this age, kids either like an activity or they don't. They are also very curious and love to explore and get dirty. The activities that always seems to work in my home at any age (especially this age) are crafts, art and reading.
Here are some ideas for gifts for this age group. And if you do not like any suggestion from the list below, you can always buy a gift card to give them the choice of buying their gift when they want !
While toddlers and preschoolers need constant supervision, school-age children become gradually ready for more independence. I especially love giving gift cards for this age because they like choosing their gifts. However I have found that kids between the ages of 6 and 12 years also like experimenting, learning and creating more complex projects. Arts and crafts also remain a favourite for this age group. Here are some ideas to help you pick the perfect gift for a school-age child in your life.
Research from the Child Development Institute shows that a positive family environment including fun family activities leads to independence and confidence in a teenager.
Therefore, depending on the various activities teenagers are interested in, we are not always able to give them gifts that are perfect for them.
It's advisable to even ask them what they want as gifts and buy them gift cards for those or simply hand them cash with a loving note. Not surprisingly, the best gift ideas come from conversations with our kids and asking them simple questions.
Want your own FREE birthday party check-list ?
Send me the check-list now!
Cash is King or Queen!
Ultimately, after a certain age, kids love receiving gift cards and cash. And also look forward to spending quality time with parents, aunts and uncles. This can be easily accomplished with mall shopping dates. They can also put to use the gift cards that you gave them. Gift carts also give them the ability to donate the cash or give it to a cause they believe in.
Overall, giving gift cards also makes it easier and fun to plan "shopping dates" with kids so we can spend some quality time with them. This is especially important for aunts and uncles that love the kids in their life. .


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Have a look at our guides above by clicking on the menu link. We'll show you our favourite places to buy fabric – whether on foot or online.
We've also added some great places to buy haberdashery plus a guide to what you need to get you started in the wonderful world of sewing.
Want to buy your first sewing machine? Or taking the next step and buying an overlocker? Read our articles above and arm yourself with knowledge!


Philippine Airlines flight promos are often offered for booking every weekend.
For this post, we will check the available PALmazing deals seat sale for 2017 and 2018.
Check the Philippine Airlines ticket promo rates below for both domestic and international routes. Take note that not all routes have the same promo travel period.
The great thing about the above Philippines Airlines promo tickets are they already include inflight meals or snacks and free baggage allowance.
You may do your seat sale booking at the PAL website: philippineairlines.com from September 15 to 17, 2017 only.
We are on FACEBOOK, LIKE and FOLLOW our PAGE: PISO FARE PROMOS 2017 to 2018 to get looped in the latest airlines promos.


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Facts on Greening Garbage Trucks: New Technologies for Cleaner Air
Home » Sustainable Transportation » Facts on Greening Garbage Trucks: New Technologies for Cleaner Air
INFORM's new report investigates the role that the 179,000 waste collection, waste transfer, and recycling vehicles on US roads play in generating vehicle emissions that threaten public health in cities coast to coast.
Garbage Trucks in the US
The refuse business serves a critical function in American society, collecting garbage from over 75 million homes, 7 million businesses, and 100,000 government enterprises. Public concerns regarding waste normally focus on its growing quantities or on the dangers posed by landfills to the environment. However, one element of the waste management industry that often goes unnoticed, yet has significant impacts on health and the environment in cities coast to coast, is the vast garbage truck fleet that processes this country's garbage.
INFORM found that 179,000 waste collection, waste transfer, and recycling vehicles are on US roads today — 91% of them diesel-fueled and most of them old. While these vehicles perform a vital public service, their emissions contain large quantities of gases, fine particulates, and more than three dozen toxic contaminants. In addition, diesel garbage trucks generate noise levels that can be high enough to cause "serious hearing damage." This air and noise pollution is delivered to virtually every street in America.
Diesel-powered garbage trucks pose significant threats to the environment, to the health of residents in the communities they serve, and to the workers who maintain and operate them. But there is good news.
In its investigation of garbage truck projects in the US, Japan, and the Netherlands, INFORM found that cleaner fuels and quieter garbage truck technologies have significant potential to revolutionize this vital fleet sector. The trucks of the future will be able to clean our streets while also helping to ensure clean and healthy air for the communities they serve. The most exciting news is that the future is now. Natural gas trucks, which are 90 percent cleaner and quieter, are commercially available. The challenge is to make the shift to this new generation of vehicles and fuels as rapidly as possible.
Beyond the immediate environmental, health, and quality of life benefits they provide, natural gas trucks also help reduce our dependence on foreign oil and move us toward the era of the hydrogen fuel cell — possibly the ultimate sustainable, pollution-free, and renewable fuel and power source.
GARBAGE TRUCK FACTS
An estimated 136,000 garbage trucks, 12,000 transfer vehicles, and 31,000 dedicated recycling vehicles haul away America's garbage (179,000 vehicles in total).
Two-thirds of the estimated 700 natural gas garbage trucks in operation in the US operate on liquid natural gas, while the rest use compressed natural gas.
An average garbage truck travels 25,000 miles annually, gets less than 3 miles per gallon, and uses approximately 8,600 gallons of fuel each year.
Over 40% of garbage trucks are over 10 years old, making it the oldest fleet in the US.
The average diesel-powered garbage truck costs over $170,000 and is not retired for 12 years.
Over 27,000 organizations in the waste industry employ over 280,000 people.
82% of collection services are carried out by private companies, and 18% by public entities.
Industry revenues for 2000, including waste hauling and recycling, exceeded $43 billion.
Impacts of Garbage Trucks
Air quality. Over 133 million Americans live in areas that violate federal clean air standards. Vehicle emissions, including those from diesel-powered garbage trucks, are responsible for most of the pollution blanketing US cities.
Scientists have long known that air pollution can sicken or kill sensitive groups of people, including children and the elderly. According to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, people living in the most heavily polluted areas have a 12% higher risk of dying of lung cancer than people in the least polluted areas. That risk increases to 50% for those who are repeatedly and regularly exposed to diesel exhaust, such as the workers who spend long days at the back of or inside garbage trucks. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has identified 41 toxic constituents of diesel exhaust that pose an additional health threat. Air pollution is also responsible for a variety of other health problems, including aggravation of the symptoms of asthma, reduced lung function, and other respiratory problems.
Noise. Diesel garbage trucks are notoriously loud, generating noise that can cause serious hearing damage. Garbage truck operators, as well as those living along garbage truck routes, are affected by these dangerous noise levels.
Energy security. The garbage truck sector alone is responsible for consuming approximately 1 billion gallons of diesel fuel annually, representing nearly 3% of total diesel fuel consumed in the US. And it is the unstable Middle East that provides the US with 30% of its oil imports.
Natural Gas: A Cleaner, Domestically Produced Fuel
INFORM has found that natural gas, in both compressed and liquefied form, is the primary alternative fuel that, increasingly, is being used in garbage truck fleets. INFORM's analysis of air pollution and public health studies, as well as the experiences of 26 waste collection agencies in 25 US cities, indicates that natural gas used in garbage trucks releases up to 90% less air pollution than conventional diesel fuel. It is non-corrosive and non-carcinogenic, and because it does not pool when spilled, natural gas use and storage is not a threat to soil, surface water, or groundwater.
A Natural Gas Pioneer: Waste Management, Inc.
Waste Management, Inc., is the largest hauling and disposal company in the waste industry, and it is also the US leader in the use of natural gas garbage trucks. Thirteen fleets in California and one in Washington, Pennsylvania, currently operate a total of nearly 400 natural gas garbage trucks. The transition to natural gas began six years ago and is now spreading throughout the company, as operators in different regions follow industry trends and gain internal support. Waste Management cites environmental regulations as the primary driver of its natural gas program.
According to recent studies from CARB, heavy-duty natural gas vehicles continue to be cleaner for all criteria pollutants (except carbon monoxide) than low-sulfur diesel equipped with the most advanced after-market treatments, although the emissions of both natural gas and diesel vehicles could be improved with further technological advances. Moreover, production of natural gas avoids the pollution risks associated with the manufacture of diesel, such as crude oil spills, releases of toxic pollutants from refineries, and leaks from underground tanks to groundwater.
Summary of Benefits: Natural Gas vs. Diesel Garbage Trucks
% Reduction with Natural Gas
Air Pollution Particulate matter 67%-94%
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) 32%-73%
Non-methane hydrocarbons 69%-83%
Noise Decibels 50% (behind)
90% (inside)
98% (beside)
Water Pollution Organics 100%
Natural gas garbage trucks are also much quieter than diesel garbage trucks. A comprehensive study in the Netherlands found noise reductions of 90% inside the truck, 98% beside the truck, and 50% behind the truck. In the long run, natural gas engines may require less maintenance than diesel engines.
By switching to natural gas garbage trucks, the US has an opportunity to reduce its dependence on foreign oil. This country currently imports 61% of its oil, with a large portion (30%) coming from the Middle East. In contrast, according to the American Gas Association, 99% of the natural gas used in the US originates in North America. Proven global natural gas reserves available in 2000 have been projected to last more than 60 years, at the 2000 rate of production.
Market Drivers: Why Fleets Are Using Natural Gas Garbage Trucks
Fleet operators interviewed for INFORM's study consistently said that they were driven to use natural gas garbage trucks for three primary reasons: to comply with clean air regulations, to improve the environment in which they operate, and to profit from the economic incentives available for natural gas use.
Compliance with clean air regulations. Clean air regulations have provided a strong motivation for pioneering clean-fueled garbage truck projects around the country. Natural gas garbage trucks have helped fleet managers satisfy regulations and local ordinances such as anti-idling rules, tighter particulate emission standards, and occupational safety and health rules. In areas with poor air quality where diesel is banned, natural gas has provided a way to keep operations moving. Ultimately, restrictions on diesel fuel have led to a wider range of road-tested, commercially available, and cleaner natural gas vehicles. By shifting to alternative-fuel technologies like natural gas today, refuse haulers can avoid interruptions of their business from current and future regulations and local ordinances.
Protecting the local environment. In recent years, citizens groups have filed lawsuits holding diesel fleets responsible for the impact of their operations on residents' health. The repercussions of these suits, combined with the desire to improve quality of life in the communities they serve by reducing air and noise pollution, have led to an increase in natural gas garbage trucks. In addition, the switch to natural gas has provided some companies with a marketing and public relations tool in areas where more than one company is involved in the local refuse sector.
Profit from economic and other incentives. Natural gas vehicles have both costs and benefits compared to diesel vehicles. On average, a natural gas garbage truck costs $40,000 more than a conventional diesel-powered truck. "Repowering" a conventional diesel garbage truck to operate on natural gas (by replacing the engine and fuel system) can cost from $30,000 to $100,000. When fueling takes place on-site, there are additional costs associated with the installation of natural gas fueling infrastructure. However, in many areas, grants and tax incentives are available to offset these added capital costs.
Public funds are available from federal, state, and local policymakers in California, New York, and other states to ease the switch to alternative fuels. Many the programs studied by INFORM obtained some grant money to offset the costs of their natural gas garbage truck program.
Although the costs of natural gas can fluctuate widely from region to region and season to season, fleet operators in many areas are able to realize a fuel cost savings for natural gas compared to diesel. And because natural gas can be purchased with long-term supply contracts, large fleets can be insulated from market fuel price volatility, ensuring more consistent operating costs. Natural gas is also taxed at a lower rate than diesel in many states.
Operators that introduce natural gas trucks into their fleets may also be able to generate mobile-source emissions reduction credits (MSERCs). These are awarded for low-emission vehicle projects that go beyond the requirements of current government standards. Reducing garbage truck emissions, for example, could result in marketable MSERCs for refuse collection companies. The South Coast Air Quality Management District permits the trading of MSERCs in Southern California, and this practice could have applicability elsewhere.
Southern California Diesel Ban: Rule 1193
In June 2000, the South Coast Air Quality Management District voted unanimously to require the region's garbage trucks and transit buses to stop using diesel fuel and convert to cleaner-burning alternative fuels. This local regulation, known as Rule 1193, requires all public and private refuse haulers within the agency's jurisdiction owning more than 50 refuse trucks to purchase new vehicles that burn alternative fuels when adding or replacing vehicles beginning on July 1, 2001.
Municipal and private waste collection agencies can:
Plan ahead and deploy alternative-fuel garbage trucks now to avoid interruptions in business when more stringent EPA and state government standards go into effect.
Utilize currently available grants and other economic incentives to cover the incremental costs of new natural gas trucks and refueling facilities.
Develop partnerships with fuel suppliers,refueling infrastructure builders, and vehicle providers to help reduce the costs of implementation.
Federal, state, and local governments can:
Provide economic incentives for vehicle procurement, infrastructure development, and alternative-fuel use that reward investment in clean-fueled garbage trucks.
Implement stronger regulatory measures to ensure the shift away from diesel garbage trucks to cleaner fuels.
Encourage or require the use of clean fuels in franchise contract negotiations and awards.
Industry, government, and community groups can:
Develop public/private partnerships specifically designed to implement alternative-fuel garbage truck programs.
Disseminate information about opportunities for expanding the use of clean-fueled garbage trucks.
Future research should focus on:
Developing emerging technologies for garbage trucks such as hybrid electric and fuel cells, landfill gas, biodiesel, propane, and hydrogen.
Emissions testing of garbage trucks to refine estimates of emissions reductions and more accurately identify the costs and benefits of the transition to clean fuels.
Developing garbage trucks that can meet the needs of the industry while maintaining competitiveness with conventional garbage trucks.
On the Way to Greener Garbage Trucks
Operators across the country are increasingly adding natural gas garbage trucks to their fleets. In the past four years, the number of natural gas garbage trucks in the US more than doubled, and nearly 700 natural gas garbage trucks are in operation today. By 2010, INFORM projects that over 2,200 natural gas garbage trucks will be operating on American roadways. These vehicles alone will displace approximately 476,000 million barrels of oil annually.
If all the garbage trucks in the 21 dirtiest US metropolitan areas were operating on natural gas, an estimated 80 million Americans would breathe cleaner air every day, and emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides from garbage trucks would be cut by approximately 90% and 40%, respectively. Ultimately, a complete switch to natural gas garbage trucks would displace all of the roughly 1 billion gallons of diesel consumed by diesel-fueled garbage trucks in the US.
Over 2,200 natural gas garbage trucks will be in operation by 2010.
These 2,200 natural gas garbage trucks will displace an estimated 476,000 barrels of oil annually.
80 million Americans would breathe cleaner air if garbage trucks in the 21 dirtiest US metropolitan areas operated on natural gas.
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Q&A Tomboy | LA-based androgynous songwriter creating Pop, RnB and Dance influenced sounds
Roel Wensink20 June 2022Artist Q&AArtist interviewPop
posted on Jun. 20, 2022 at 10:58 pm 20 June 2022
Tomboy is an androgynous singer-songwriter changing the game in music. Originally from Massachusetts, they're now based in LA creating Pop, RnB and Dance influenced sounds. Tomboy has been in Nylon, V Magazine, Vogue Thailand, Vogue Italia, Elle, Vulkan and many more publications. Recently they landed the cover of Vestal Magazine. Eccentric, unique and bold are just three words that describe the kind of artistry Tomboy creates. Listeners can always trust that this is one Tomboy with a twist.
We sat down with Madison Thibodeau to talk about his music, influences and more.
Tell us about one of your tracks, You. How did it come together?
'You' is a pop/rnb track about obsessive love. I became so obsessed with this person after only a few times of hooking up, that I made a complete fool of myself trying to make it work. It didn't sadly and I felt terrible, so what better way to kind of amend the situation than to write a hit pop song about it?
There's no better way in my opinion! I wanted to take light, happy, energetic sounds like you hear in the production and pair it with a message about a hopeless romantic fantasy. If your fantasies could talk, it would be this song. The melodies remind me of dancing on a cloud, a sort of euphoric feeling it gives you. And the catchy hook will stay in your head, just like the lingering of a really great hookup.
Why did you choose this artist name? Is there a meaning, a secret or twisted side?
Tomboy came about from a previous Instagram bio I had. When I was modeling in New York, my bio was "tomboy with a twist". And when I started writing music and creating my persona in LA, I thought 'what a cool name!' Tomboy, works with the hair and my look and all my friends can call me Tommy. So the bio was actually a pre-face to the artistry I would embark on!
What is your main inspiration?
My main inspiration in what I do is fulfilment. That might not make sense yet, but hear me out. Why do anything if it's not going to fulfil you in the end? When I was living in New York, I felt hopeless. I was searching for my purpose, but couldn't seem to find it. When I would sing, it would be there.
Something I didn't have to look for even, it just felt natural. And every time even now, when I sing or write or perform, I feel the fulfilment of my purpose in action. Music has kept me alive, it's kept me healthy, and it's allowed me to become who I'm meant to be. And the best part is I get to help others as I grow as an artist. It's the greatest gift.
What made you want to become a musician?
When I was younger, I saw Lady Gaga as she was just starting to become famous after she released her single, 'Pokerface" at Six Flags where I'm from. I remember her wearing this bubble dress and standing on a chair playing a piano made out of bubbles. It was in that moment I realized I wanted to sing and perform for the rest of my life. And ever since then, I've been on a pursuit to perform and be that artist that was inspired when they saw Lady Gaga years ago.
What is your routine for creating a song? What is the weirdest moment/place/way a song started to form? And the most boring one?
My routine for songwriting is random honestly. Sometimes it's an idea that starts from my voice notes, sometimes I get the beat and I write a hit in 10 minutes and sometimes it takes myself and usually the producer to create a bop! The weirdest place I've ever written a song was on a job as a hostess at the front desk while I was working. I got the lyrics stuck in my head for my single 'Pucker Up' and had to record it in my notes.
I took a small piece of paper from the stand at the front and wrote the lyrics right after. I actually brought that little paper to the session to sing off of when recording. Most boring is probably whenever I'm just home by the keyboard, pretty typical song-writer stuff.
What's your process for dealing with performance anxiety?
I get nervous EVERYTIME I perform. Even if it's a virtual performance, like going live on Tik Tok or Instagram, there's still nerves. The best thing that helps me is actually advice from an interview I watched with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga. He told Gaga that because she gets nervous every time before she performs, it means she cares. And that is what makes the nerves worth it.
Do you follow a process or ritual before a performance to get rid of nerves or performance anxiety?
Before a performance I always have to meditate, it helps with calming me down and my anxiety. I do my hair and makeup 3 hours before I have to leave. Then of course, you have to get your pre-show content. Always have tea with honey and warm water with me. I never eat two hours minimum before a show. I love performing and moving on stage, but that does not make my stomach happy if there's food in it! Always take a moment to breath before and affirmations have been really helping me lately. Legit in the mirror telling myself I'm a bad ass bitch and I've got this.
What type of musician would you prefer to collaborate with?
I would love to perform with Lady Gaga. I think our music styles would mesh really well together and our voices would sound sick on a track. I did a remix to 'Stupid Love' for fun once and I was pleasantly surprised with how good it sounded. I can't wait to work with her one day, for me that's when I'll know I made it.
What do you like most about playing music?
My favorite part about music is of course singing, it's just so fun knowing how to sing and practicing riffs and different techniques to use. But mainly, the best part is performing. The energy of a live crowd and how they react to your music is everything. It motivates me to keep going and to create music that not only inspires, but puts people in the mood to want to dance, be free and have fun!
What is it about music that makes you feel passionate?
For me, when I put music out and see how other people react to it, how it effects them in different ways, makes me feel so passionate about what I do. I've learned as an artist, you never know where your music will go and who will be impacted by it. I met someone who learned every lyric of my song 'High Tea' and used it in their drag show. It was not only such an honor, but so cool to see that my music made someone feel confident enough to want to perform it on their own.
If you had to write a theme song for a movie, which movie would that be? And would it be a current song? Or would you write a new one?
I would write the theme to Batman. Batman and that whole franchise is my second favorite franchise of all time. Batman The Dark Knight to be exact is my second favorite movie. Second to Moulin Rouge, of course. I think it would be really cool to get some hyper pop sounds and maybe even some RnB influenced sounds in certain parts of the film. An epic rock/hyperpop theme song would make the movies modern while still keeping that rugged tough appeal. I would 100% make my own and not use an already released track. I'm too much of a control freak and would want all the credit haha.
Describe your favorite venue for performing.
My favorite venue thus far has been Viper Room in West Hollywood. The energy of that place is unmatched. With the history of all the legends who have performed there before, you can feel that in the room. I've actually gotten to perform there 3 times and each time gets better and better. Also just to add, the photos I've gotten back each time are phenomenal…something about that lighting.
What musician/ artist/ instrument would you like to add to your band?
I want to add a vocal looper to my set. My goal is to get one this year and start learning. I was raised in acapella choir, so it's always been in my blood to make beats from vocals. I think it's going to be so fun to do an acoustic track all from my voice and sing a song on top of it. It's going be an intimate experience to hear good vocals and also for the audience to step inside my artistry a little deeper.
What accomplishments do you see yourself achieving in the next five to 10 years?
In the next 5-10 years, I'm going to be nominated and win a Grammy. I'm going to do a world tour and I'm going to be in the Billboard Top 10. I also plan to be on the cover of Vogue talking about eating disorders and mental health, which is something I'm extremely passionate about. Being in recovery, I will use my platform to spread awareness and help others. For example, starting treatment centers and even safe spaces at festivals for people who are struggling around the food to come and feel safe, while still enjoying their time.
Connect with Tomboy via
Find more artist interviews here. More Artist Q&A here.
Tags:Artist interviewPop
Roel Wensink 20 June 2022
Keep Mars Red Interview | Packed with grit and grime
the authorRoel Wensink
Roel started ForTheLoveOfBands to provide bands and artists with a platform to get their music heard and provide tips gathered along the way. Being a musician himself, he knows how hard it is and how much time it takes to promote your newly recorded gems.
All posts byRoel Wensink
Gianna Branca says:
This was such an awesome article! The Batman theme is a MUST!!!
Georgie says:
I love the idea of using a looper to recreate their acapella origins – look forward to hearing the result!
Zelda says:
I would LOVE to hear a collab between Tomboy and Gaga! That would be kickass!!!
eka says:
I actually use a looper and I use it to create lots of harmonies. I also just listened to " High Tea" and "You" and really loved her voice and her style! Good luck…
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This is a fabulous book! If teachers will read it, they can transform their classrooms.
I believe the message in this book can change the course of learning and life for all of us.
The Compassionate Classroom helps teachers and students practice communicating nonviolently. Its message is crucially important and its activities provide both fun and engaged learning.
We remember most how we were treated in school rather than what we were required to learn.
Las Virgenes School District, Calabasas, CA.
This book is easy to read and easy to relate to. It provides small, tangible steps that can be implemented by any teacher or parent. It is the 'scaffold' that educators have been looking for to set the stage for tremendous learning.
Copyright 2009 Kindle-Hart Communication™. All rights reserved. The No-Fault Zone® is a registered trademark.