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iPhone 12 plans
NBN deals
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided review
By Jake Tucker 22 August 2016
Increased agency, but at what cost?
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is a great game, but going into this review I want you to know, as an absolute, that it's just a few short steps from greatness.
I've been thinking about it pretty solidly for the past week since I've finished it, and I've come to the conclusion that like all great things it has flaws. At its best, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is one of the finest games I've played this year. At its worst, it feels like it's pulling in two directions. While the narrative and gameplay aren't at a full scale war, there's definitely a spot of animosity there.
Most of the time you'll forgive it its ills. The world of Mankind Divided is full to bursting with individuals and objects to interact with; there are emails to read, doors to hack, people to investigate and stores to rob every five minutes. Roaming the game's world you'll always find another alley to run down or computer to hack.
It feels, despite the enhanced graphics, moody soundtrack and other additions afforded to the game by the jump to the next console generation, like a Deus Ex game. You'll get yourself involved in conspiracies, spend more time than is really healthy skulking around futuristic visions of European Cities. There's so much to discover, you won't want to stop.
Although there's only the one hub this time, the anti-aug city of Prague. You'll revisit it several times during the game as the situation in the city worsens. By the time the game starts to come to an end, you feel a sense of belonging for the city, and all that exists within it. It's the most impressive hub in a Deus Ex game yet though, and as I said in the previous paragraph and want to repeat here for emphasis: there's a mind-boggling density of stuff to pick through.
This, or at least my desire to look at everything, is the cause for one of the first moments of dissonance in Mankind Divided. You're playing again as Adam Jensen, returning from the previous title Human Revolution. Jensen this time has a lot more agency, but people still want you to do a bunch of stuff, and they want you to tackle it fast: go save your friend from thugs, go get your augs fixed, go investigate a bombing.
Working for Interpol's shadowy TaskForce 29 doesn't seem like it should be a casual job, but my Jensen has a nearly obsessive compulsion to read every email and loot every chest. "Jensen, are you at the bomb site yet?" my commanding officers asks curtly "Not yet, something's come up" Jensen lies, playing catch with a fridge in a back-alley in Prague.
Jensen has so much agency in fact, that the game's central allegory, where it compares those with augments to victims of racism in the modern day, comes off completely flat. Police will call you made-up slurs while checking your papers, and people at work will be shitty towards you no matter how many lives you save, but knowing that Jensen could quite easily take all of them out means there's no risk.
Jensen doesn't care that police are checking his papers and making thinly veiled threats, and nor does the player, because both know how easily they could turn the guard inside out. This means the plot's central theme dies in pursuit of giving Jensen more agency, and letting the players live out their power fantasy.
These moments of ludonarrative dissonance were jarring, but if the greatest complaint tossed at the game is that it gives the player too much freedom, it's hard to complain too much.
When you get into its combat, Mankind Divided is a lot of fun to play. There's a wide selection of augments (aka combat abilities), ranging from being able to jump quite high or punch through walls, all the way to a wrist mounted taser or a functional teleport, which allows you to surprise people with elbow blades to the neck.
There's a hint of resource management here as several of the more powerful augs 'overclock' your system, causing them to become glitchy. Effective power management can keep your safe, but as this system is restricted to the flashier powers, I found myself steering clear of them just to make sure nothing shorted out at the wrong moment.
Combat still isn't as tight as the latest and greatest FPS options, but it feels right. There are just so many options. Running out of ammo in one fight I hid in a vent and scuttled to safety. Getting caught short in another I used a fridge as a projectile weapon. Adam Jensen isn't an unstoppable killing machine and underestimating your opponents will get you hurt, but he is superhuman, so you can do wondrous things to overcome any obstacles.
Weapons get more use even for stealth players this time around due to the addition of EMP ammo, which will disable cameras, robots, and other electrical equipment for a few seconds. The weapons themselves are still fairly formulaic, but the game now boasts a Crysis-esque ability to change ammo types and attachments on the fly.
It's key not to think of Deus Ex as a shooter, because it doesn't play like one and if you expect it to you'll leave disappointed. Fights are more a series of puzzles, often starting with you sliding into cover to decide how you're going to triumph. You've always got plenty of options, whether it's by turning invisible and punching a lot of people, turning turrets to your side, or cutting loose and tossing armfuls of grenades at enemies.
Wrapping the bundle up are the stand-alone Jensen Stories, smaller chunks of Deus Ex that you can play without digging into the full game, and the Breach game mode, an attempt to distill Mankind Divided's gameplay into short speed-runnable chunks. Breach is filled with everything grim about modern videogames, focussing on things like booster packs, leaderboards and progression systems. It's still fun to play, but lacks the sizzle of the main game.
While Deus Ex is more of the same from Square Enix, it's still one of the best games to have broken cover this year. Adam Jensen's continuing adventures suffer from a faintly ridiculous story and dodgy use of allegories, but none of that gets in the way of stellar gameplay and one of the best worlds in videogames. If you do decide to take a visit to Prague this summer you won't regret it.
This game was reviewed on PC.
Techradar's review system scores games as 'Don't Play It', 'Play It' and 'Play It Now', the last of which is the highest score we can give. A 'Play It' score suggests a solid game with some flaws, but the written review will reveal the exact justifications.
See more Gaming news


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Bargaining Team to make our case before arbitration panel end of January.
During the summer the parties met and agreed upon an arbitration process, following which the Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board selected an arbitrator for our wage dispute, consistent with our agreement.
Yesterday (November 15th) we received notice from the Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board that a hearing date has been set for our dispute – January 31st. Should the CRA receive a mandate to resume negotiations with us, we will be prepared to set dates and return to the bargaining table. Otherwise we will be making our case before the arbitration panel on January 31st.
We will continue to update as things progress. Be sure to go to www.ute-sei.org and psacunion.ca for updates. Also, should you have any questions please contact your UTE Local President.


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Shift of SEC resources to RIA oversight not likely to stop push for third-party exams
Regulator plans to increase number of RIA examiners by almost 20% this year, but more are still needed
By Mark Schoeff Jr.
A move by the Securities and Exchange Commission to beef up oversight of registered investment advisers probably will not stop the agency's effort to establish third-party examiners as well.
The SEC plans to increase the number of RIA examiners by almost 20% this year — to 630 from 530, according to someone familiar with the initiative.
The increase will be achieved by shifting SEC broker-examination staff to RIA exams and by using a budget increase to hire more RIA examiners. Congressional appropriators gave the agency a $105 million budget increase — to a total of $1.6 billion — for fiscal 2016 in the recently approved omnibus spending bill.
Strengthening oversight of advisers has long been a priority for SEC Chairman Mary Jo White. The agency examined 10% of the approximately 11,500 registered advisers in fiscal 2015. The current number of broker examiners is about 300.
The SEC and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc., the industry-funded broker regulator, together examined 51% of approximately 4,500 brokers in fiscal 2015. Finra conducted about 80% of those exams.
Monitoring RIAs is an SEC imperative because of the growth of the industry. A decade ago, there were 8,500 SEC-registered advisers with $24 trillion in assets under management. Those numbers were projected to grow to 12,000 advisers with $65 trillion in AUM in fiscal 2016, according to the agency.
DROP IN THE BUCKET
The SEC is drafting a rule designed to increase adviser examinations by allowing third parties to conduct them. The reallocation of internal resources to adviser oversight shouldn't stop that rule, according to one of its champions.
"Every little bit can help. It's still a drop in the bucket given the overall population of advisers," said Daniel Gallagher, president of Patomak Global Partners, a financial services consulting firm and until recently an SEC commissioner. "I don't think [the reallocation] obviates the need for third-party exams, not even close."
Skip Schweiss, managing director of adviser advocacy and industry affairs at TD Ameritrade Institutional, also wants the SEC to proceed with a third-party exam rule despite the agency's internal rejiggering.
"My hope would be that it doesn't forestall other efforts to bolster RIA exams," Mr. Schweiss said. "I doubt reallocating 100 examiners will sufficiently address this problem."
But many advisers are leery of third-party exams, fearing that it could open the door to a self-regulatory organization for advisers and perhaps could result in Finra extending its reach to advisers.
The Investment Adviser Association wants the SEC to continue to conduct RIA exams. It opposes third-party assessments because of concerns about the quality of the organizations conducting the exams, the costs to advisers and the confidentiality of the reviews.
Karen Barr, IAA president and chief executive, praised the SEC's internal adjustments, saying they, along with other improvements, "should make a meaningful difference in the examination program."
She said that move shows that the SEC can handle RIA exams itself.
"It's consistent with what we've been saying all along: Examinations are a government function," she said. "We agree with [chairwoman] White that SEC examiners are the most qualified to carry out the SEC's investor-protection mission."
The Financial Planning Coalition favors imposing user fees on advisers to pay for an increase in exams. But it backed the SEC initiative.
"As the expert agency, the SEC is best positioned to examine investment advisers to ensure that they are adhering to their obligations under the [Investment Adviser] Act," the group said in a statement.
The person familiar with the SEC's reallocation of examination resources did not know how many more RIA exams would be conducted with the shift in SEC manpower. Those reviews have risen from 964 in fiscal 2013 to 1,150 in fiscal 2014 and 1,221 in fiscal 2015. The SEC conducted 493 broker exams in fiscal 2014 and was projected to execute 495 in fiscal 2015.
The decrease in the number of SEC staff doing broker exams probably will put more pressure on Finra to pick up the slack. A Finra spokeswoman declined to comment.
Mr. Schweiss is concerned about the SEC taking its eye off of broker examinations.
"This is not in any way adding to SEC resources," Mr. Schweiss said. "This is robbing Peter to pay Paul. This is reallocating resources from the broker-oversight side to the RIA-oversight side."
Even though the SEC and Finra examine half of all broker-dealers each year, the coverage of far-flung brokerage operations is much less.
"[R]egulators are examining well below 1% of the approximately 160,000 branch offices each year," the SEC stated in its fiscal 2016 budget request.
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For Trevecca men's head golf coach, David Head, winning a fourth consecutive Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) championship is the goal for the season.
"We've been successful in the past, and we are hopefully looking to set ourselves up for a fourth championship," said Head.
Head is entering his second full season as Director of Golf (men's and women's head coach) at Trevecca.
Last season the men's golf team won the G-MAC tournament by a single stroke. Something unprecedented in the sport.
"We worked hard all spring and we did the best we could to prepare and we got out there and we were behind on the last day, but we ended up making a final push and were able to win just by a shot, a narrow margin of victory. In college golf, one shot is extremely close," said Head.
In the G-MAC tournament last spring, the Trojans edged out foe Alderson Broaddus by the single stroke for a three-round total of 982 (328-332-322).
The Trojans fall golf season was highlighted by an outstanding effort from lone freshman, Larken Whittemore. Whittemore was a two time G-MAC player of the month in September and October. Whittemore was the first recruit made by Coach Head as the Trojans roster is lead mostly by an experienced bunch of juniors and seniors.
"I couldn't be happier with the success he's had so far and the effort he's putting forth to try and continue to get better. He has set some ambitious goals for the year, and I think he has a great chance of accomplishing what he wants to do. He's a good player, but he's also a good young man," said Head.
The Trojans won the Trevecca Fall Invitational last October competing at Old Hickory Country Club, one of four "home" courses the golfers enjoy. That tournament was the last they competed in for the fall semester.
"Anytime you win your home tournament is good. Playing at home always brings the added comfort as well as expectations. It was a good win, we beat some good teams. It was a great way to end the fall semester, a win is a win and I so hope that carries over to this year," said Head.
For the spring season, the Trojans will not have the luxury of hosting their own tournament. The closest tournament they will compete in is the Bulldog Invitational at the Windtree Golf Course, in Mt. Juliet. As with all other G-MAC sports, travelling has been a persistent issue for student-athletes.
"We travel in a van or mini-bus, a lot of times when we travel it is a six, seven or eight hour drive, so when you are cooped up in a van for that length of a period of time and you get of the van and have to go play golf it is really tough. It impacts us, but every other team is doing the same thing, in a perfect world we are able to travel a day ahead of time" said Head.
The Trojans will travel as far as Ohio, Mississippi and Arkansas for competitions this season, with Batavia, Ohio being the closest at 291 miles or four and a half hours away. The G-MAC championships will be held at Liberty Township, north of Cincinnati good for a four hour forty five minute drive. Finally, tournaments in Madison, MS and Danville, AR are six and six and a half hour drives respectively.
"I have all good kids. They're committed to being Christian-Scholar-Athletes, in that order. Golf is extremely important to us, but so is being good Christians and good students as well and I take that very serious," said Head.


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OTT at the Winter 2016 TCA
The Television Critics Association 2016 winter press tour occurred over the past two weeks in Pasadena, Calif.
Executives from broadcast and cable networks, as well as streaming services, revealed plans for new shows, renewals, cancellations and premiere dates, with actors and celebrities making appearances as well.
Even amongst non-OTT companies, though, many had their eye on the rise of the Over-the-Top industry.
The CW president Mark Pedowitz emphasized viewers watching content anywhere.
"The CW has always been: great, watch us on linear, watch us on live plus same day, but just watch us. Our point of view is, if you missed it, come see it on [video on demand], come see it on DVR, come see it on digital. Just come see it and talk about it," said Pedowitz. "I just want the consumer and the audience to feel that they can find the show wherever they can find it."
Judd Apatow, who created an upcoming comedy series for Netflix called "Love," praised working with the company.
"These services are unlike networks," Apatow said during the Netflix panel. "They're much more interested in doing things that have never been done before."
And NBCUniversal research President Alan Wurtzel expressed concern about the success of OTT companies.
"Every single day in my company, and I know in other companies, there's a question of: 'Did we do something ... to build a monster that will come back to kill us?'" Wurtzel said.
Meanwhile, Showtime CEO David Nevins unveiled a new term: "cord cobblers" – those who utilize multiple streaming services.
"2016 is going to be the year of customized viewing," said Nevins. "Today's audiences are cord cobblers, individuals and households who creatively manage their content consumption with an assortment of subscriptions that work uniquely for their needs."
"We are absolutely clear that every decision we make must ultimately come back to driving quality programming and a great consumer experience," added Nevins, who also mentioned the premium cable network's streaming service "transform[ed] our company and significantly diversif[ied] our distribution."
FX Networks CEO John Landgraf discussed the ongoing alteration of the TV production business model.
"The process of making television can be much more fluid and can continue to evolve in the sense that it follows the voice, the timing, the needs and the schedule of the creative people," Landgraf said, "rather than them having to mold themselves into a pre-determined business structure in which they have to be creative on demand. … To me, that's a recipe for mediocrity."
Overall, Netflix revealed six new original series and five season premiere dates. In the last year, its share price rose 121 percent. What further actions by the streamer will keep networks on their toes?


You may recall the days when an entrepreneur would choose to buy domain names only to sell them in the near future. This was the online equivalent to "flipping" a property, as it was often possible to purchase a name for quite cheap only to sell it for many times its initial value.
Some made a full-time living off of this innovative approach. However, times have changed. The 2010's have seen a massive rise in the number of freelancers and entrepreneurs who are entering into the digital world.
Do you fall into this category and are you unsure where to begin? If so, it is best to start with the basics.
You will need to brainstorm and obtain a quality domain name if you hope to attract visitors to your website. What strategies should you embrace and are there any tools that are able to help?
Think of a domain name as the cover of a book. Which covers tend to stand out the most if you happen to be perusing the contents of a library? Assuming that you are unfamiliar with the title, books that immediately attract the shopper due to their visual and aesthetic appeal are those which are the most likely to be read.
Try to keep the name as simple as possible.
Be sure that the title is relevant to the products and services that you are offering.
Take inspiration from other firms which are already established within your intended retail sector.
Of course, the process will take a bit of time and it is important to be patient. You might also be pleased to learn that there are a handful of useful software bundles which can make choosing the proper name much easier and streamlined than in the past.
There are several cloud-based systems which are now able to guide you along the way. Not only will they immediately determine whether or not a name has already been registered, but bundles such as Shopify can even help you manage any sub-domains that might be present. From securing this name to subsequently setting up an e-commerce platform and managing online sales, there are a wealth of utilities at your disposal.
Selecting the most appropriate domain name for your website is arguably the most crucial phase in terms of online marketing. This is why a bit of patience will be required if you hope to walk away a digital winner.
Watch this handy little video for some tips on making your eCommerce journey a success.


new ipad2 vs new ipad?
is this really the case & if so, how do i know which one i am getting?
Better battery life, not necessarily performance. Yes, it's true. You can't tell until you've opened the box, turned the thing on, and installed Geekbench.
The 32nm iPad 2 has a few hours more battery life than the current iPad. It does not process any faster. It simply gets better battery life. The current iPad is a better processor (once who processes) than the iPad 2 thanks to its new processor (the chip, meaning the graphics).
I actually really prefer the iPad2, after the novelty of the screen disappears from the iPad3 it looses it's mystique. The iPad2 is really light and thin, I also get about 3 more hours with it. You'll start noticing the weight real quick after holding the iPad3 for more then 30 min. However It all depends on what you want to do with it, I use mine in a cradle that never moves for music recording and editing so the weight doesn't bother me but for surfing and reading, iPad2 all the way.
Really?? ... 1/10th of a pound makes a difference for you? ... perhaps it's time to eat your spinach!
If you think you'll do a lot of reading on it, then the screen on the New iPad is worth every extra penny over the iPad2... it really is that much better.
As a reader who grew up in the pre-ebook era, I'm also puzzled by all these weight complaints. I've read hardcover books that weighed a lot more than the iPad but I can't ever recall a situation where I was thinking "man, is this book heavy." Unless people are somehow holding the device in their outstretched arms for hours at a time (can you access this forum from Abu Ghraib?) I just don't get it.
the weight isnt a concern for me. i am just going to browse the web with it and rent some movies for when i travel. i am thinking ipad2 and an appleTV is going to be the way to go but i def wanna get the newest version.
i think ipad2 is a good choice for the cheap price and nice function!Cost-effective anyway!
The New iPad has awesome features like a new Retina display, five-megapixel photo photographic camera, 4G unique online, quad-core GPU among others. But should you upgrade from the 2nd development iPad to the 3rd-generation iPad?
For surfing and reading iPad 2 all the way? Reading with that new screen is a HUGE improvement, thats the one thing that bothered me about my iPad 2, it was otherwise perfect to keep for a long time.
looks like ios6 will be on the ipad2, so i think thats the way to go. but i still am trying to figure out how to make sure i get the newest version of it.
You can't, as I said. You can only know once you've opened it and installed Geekbench.
i understand what you said but at some point they must be discontinuing the older chips and only using the new ones. i dont imagine that its random which ones get the new chips. and shouldnt you be able to tell the manufacturing date based on the ser. # on the box?
Nope, can't tell from that, as they're using both simultaneously.
We could only know for certain if we got confirmation from Apple that starting such-and-such week they were going to only the 32nm chips.
We will never get that confirmation.


The 8100 ES is a folding treadmill and does not have a DMX adjustment as noted above. However, it is cheap and the motor belt will stretch after about 2 years, requiring the purchaser to replace ($22.50 plus $18 shipping). With treadmills, you get what you pay for, simple as that. I would not recommend this model or manufacturer to anyone.


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HTML5 2D renderer pixi.js revealed
By Creative Bloq Staff (netmag) 2013-02-22T10:00:00.52Z Web design
Aims to make it easier to create cross-platform games
Digital entertainment creators Goodboy have revealed pixi.js. The company describes it as a fast, lightweight 2D library that's designed to work across desktop and mobile. The renderer also enables anyone to "enjoy the power of hardware acceleration without prior knowledge of WebGL".
The engine taps into the company's philosophy of 'build once, play anywhere', and Goodboy strongly believes that HTML5 is becoming a viable tool to achieve that goal. Pixi.js source code will be released on GitHub within the next two weeks, once documentation and tutorials are complete. In the meantime, .net spoke to Goodboy founder John Denton about the engine and how it could benefit web developers.
.net: What's different about pixi.js? Why will our readers be interested?
JD: It focuses purely on rendering — it's not just a games engine. So it's great for other rich media experiences. It also works with WebGL, so it's super fast! With mobile browsers now starting to adopt WebGL, this becomes increasingly relevant, and if WebGL is not available, pixi.js seamlessly adopts a Canvas renderer. The two renderers look the same, and so there are no visual discrepancies between browsers, although we are looking to implement specific additional features to make use of added horsepower, such as filters, displacements and particle effects.
.net: What sort of projects do you see pixi.js as being useful for?
JD: Our aim is to make a useful set of tools enabling easy creation of Flash-like experiences, but across as broad a spectrum of devices as possible. We can't match the performance of native apps, but we can deliver genuinely high-quality app-like experiences to mobile browsers. The Run Pixie Run demo is an example of the visual fidelity achievable on good-spec mobiles.
.net: What have you done to make things easier for developers?
JD: Pixi.js was designed with speed in mind and to shield the user from device-specific issues. The API is also simple to use, abstracting away WebGL/Canvas implementations. So if you get something working in one browser, it should work on them all.
.net: Do you think a 'build once, play everywhere' philosophy is realistic?
JD: We follow this philosophy by sticking to three steps. First, we design and concept an experience by considering how it will need to adapt or perform from large screens down to mobile. We then ensure the layout is fluid when required — something increasingly commonplace with websites but less so with entertainment experiences. Finally, we follow the PC games model with the core experience remaining consistent and bells and whistles scaling to fit the hardware.
On that last point, Run Pixie Run degrades and removes some effects on slower browsers. To achieve this automatically, we do a three-second stress test on a device before loading the rest of the game. But we're not looking for what the platform is — just how fast it runs. We can then go to town, safe in the knowledge that if the hardware's going to be stressed, you'll get a version to suit.
.net: You've mentioned using tools such as yours for side-stepping the App Store and similar ventures. Do you have any thoughts on monetisation when doing so?
JD: From our perspective, the ability to create interactive mobile content in-browser is of particular use for client applications and, as such, is perhaps less focused on the type of paid/IAP [in-app purchase] revenue-generation apps are good at. We do still make apps when that is the goal, but mobile brand experiences of the kind Flash has been doing on desktops is where we see this deployment model really offering something exciting and new.
Paid content is currently trickier due to the open nature of HTML. However, with pixi.js being built entirely from JavaScript, anything using it can be packaged into an app by using something like PhoneGap.
See more Web design html5
5 things that might happen to Apple when Jony Ive leaves
8 sensational side projects to inspire you
Discover 2019's hottest design books


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Home Europe Norway Norway Fjord Cruises: A Traveller Guide
Norway Fjord Cruises: A Traveller Guide
The Norwegian fjords have been rated among the most beautiful travel destinations in the world.
A cruise around this majestic part of the world will take you through a wealth of incredible towns and cities including Bergen, Tromso, Stavanger and the most northerly point of Europe, the North Cape. Along the way, you will experience some of the most breath-taking views and spectacular scenery in the world. Norway fjord cruises can be a truly amazing experience, and is found on many bucket lists.
The bustling west coast city of Bergen is famous for its enthralling pastel-coloured houses lining the waterfront, and streets lined with coffee shops and bakeries to warm visitors from the fresh Nordic air.
One of the cultural highlights in this part of the world is the iconic Edvard Grieg museum. Since his death in 1907, the composer's house has been judiciously preserved as a museum and a permanent exhibition is open to the public year-round.
Bergen is also home to one of the Europe's largest aquariums, with more than 60 viewing tanks of varying capacity. The aquarium forms a key part of the city's local identity, and boasts a selection of wildlife, including crocodiles, snakes, lizards and tropical fish.
If you find yourself with a few hours spare, this amazing city is renowned for its sporting activities, Make the most of what's on offer, from fishing to cycling and hiking.
The Geirangerfjord is one of the most unique and striking destinations in the world.
On a cruise, you'll get the chance to embark at the small village of Greiranger, which has just one church to its name and only 250 people who call it home. Here, you will have the opportunity to visit some truly spectacular landscapes. From here, you can sail to the foot of the Skageflå mountain, before climbing to the top to experience stunning views of the surrounding fjords.
Geiranger's most famous attraction is the Seven Sisters waterfall, which is located just west of the village. The Seven Sisters waterfall is so named because of the seven streams flowing from the mountain peak. Norwegian legend tells of seven flirtatious sisters who dance for 'The Suitor', the waterfall which sits opposite.
Stavanger is a popular stop-off for foodies. Renowned for its traditional Norwegian cuisine, this west-coast city is home to some of the country's finest restaurants and a fantastic selection of local eateries, where you can sample the best dishes around.
Popular activities include ice skating on the Stokkavannet the biggest lake in Norway, and visiting the magnificent Månafossen free fall waterfall.
And history buffs will enjoy the wealth of Stavanger's museums, such as the Oil Museum and the Gamle Stavanger history museum.
The village of Honningsvag is the most northerly point in Europe tucked deep inside the Arctic Circle. From here, you can access the Northern Cape, which is an area of land cutting into the open sea.
The Midnight Sun is one of the world's most magical attractions, and a must-see if you're cruising to Norway. Visitors stand on the 1,000 foot high cliffs at the Northern Cape, and witness the sun cast a ubiquitous serene glow over the Arctic Ocean.
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Remember when you were in school and you used to swap collectible trading cards with your friends? Remember how your 'shiny' cards were the best ones, the ones you were really proud of? It's no surprise - when it comes to shiny things, people are like magpies. We just can't resist them! That's what makes this holographic hen party banner such a brilliant buy: it's shiny, and nobody at your party will be able to take their eyes off it!
This 8ft banner is the ultimate decoration for a hen party. It's not the longest banner in our Decorations department, but the holographic design ensures that this party banner will really make a statement! Attractive decorations can turn a decent hen night into a truly delightful one, so don't take your banner choice lightly - get one that really stands out, like this holographic 8ft banner!
Shimmery, shiny, and totally spectacular, this really is the perfect party banner, and a fantastic finishing touch for any big night!


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Q: mat-expansion-panel [expanded] input does not work properly when set asynchronously I have a mat-accordion which has a mat-expansion-panel set like this:
<mat-expansion-panel *ngFor="let item of menuItems; index as i" [hideToggle]="item.hideToggle" [expanded]="item.active">

You can see the "expanded" input is true if "item" has the boolean property "active" evaluating as true. Well, here is the weird part: if "item.active" is set synchronously, for example on the ngOnInit method of my component, everything works and the panel opens. However, if "item.active" is set asynchronously, e.g. inside a "subscribe" method of an observable, panel does not open. Why does this happen, and how can I fix it?
Thank you in advance,
Thomas

A: I had a similar problem as this where I was loading the contents of the expansion panel asynchronously. The issue is caused by ngFor directive re-rendering the DOM when the contents change via the default trackByFunction implementation that returns the object as the identity.see here.
I got around this by providing my custom trackBy function
identify(index:number, item:any){
    return item.ExternalId;   // this is the unique id
}

then invoking it in the template
<div *ngFor="let item of items;trackBy:identify">

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Q: floating a list of strings I want to ask a question about converting strings into floats in python.
I have the following list:
coordinates_S
>>> ['0.00000000', '0.00000000', '0.10224900']

and I want to convert each item into a decimal using float()
Evidently, float(coordinates_S didn't work:
TypeError: float() argument must be a string or a number, not 'list'

which makes sense.
I tried this however:
flt_coordinates_S = []
    for item in coordinates_S:
        flt_coordinates_S += float(item)

i.e. iterating through each item in the list and it doesn't work. The error given is:
TypeError: 'float' object is not iterable

but I can't seem to understand why.
What am I doing wrong here?
I have not found a question that involves iterating items in a list and converting them to a float.

A: The issue is that you used += (used for extending a list with the elements from another list) when you should have used .append() (used for adding a single element to a list). So that's why you get the error, because it thinks float(item) is a list because you've used +=.
coordinates_S = ['0.00000000', '0.00000000', '0.10224900']
flt_coordinates_S = []
for item in coordinates_S:
    flt_coordinates_S.append(float(item))

Alternatively if you want to do it in one line:
coordinates_S = ['0.00000000', '0.00000000', '0.10224900']
flt_coordinates_S = [float(item) for item in coordinates_S]

A: flt_coordinates_S += float(item) is equivalent to flt_coordinates_S.extend(float(item)); += extends a list with the contents of another iterable.
You want to append a float to the list.
flt_coordinates_S = []
for item in coordinates_S:
    flt_coordinates_S.append(float(item))

A: lst = ['0.00000000', '0.00000000', '0.10224900']
lst_float = [float(i) for i in lst]
print(lst_float)
[0.0, 0.0, 0.102249]

Try this. Issue with your code is +=. This works in case of string or numbers. Not to append elements to list

A: You could use map to convert all the elements of the list directly into a new list
 flt_coordinates_S = list(map(float,coordinates_S))


text:
Features Digital Covers Opinion Lists
Friday Rewind: 10 EDM Releases To Jump Start The Weekend
February 21, 2014 - 8:23 pm by Laryssa Loza
The hottest electronic dance music to kickoff your weekend starts here.
1. Popeska feat. Denny White - "Heart of Glass"
Popeska dropped his new track "Heart of Glass," a collaboration with Denny White. The first of his three-part "Spirit Animal" concept series, the single is melodic nostalgia; blending a pop/indie driven sound with the underlying electronic dance elements. Cop it now via Kindergarten Recordings.
2. Ray Foxx, Tom Piper feat. Ayah Marar - "Only Way"
Ray Foxx is back with a new club smasher. Teaming up with Tom Piper and Ayah to deliver a dynamic synth-infused track, topped with a heavy percussion filled backdrop.
3. Mystery Skulls - "Ghost" (Viceroy Remix)
We loved Mystery Skulls' electro retro funk "Ghost". Viceroy takes the cake with his nu-disco interpretation of the tune.
4. The Alexanders feat Anna Lunoe - "Don't Miss"
Alex Metric and Yuksek are The Alexanders. The combination yields a dynamic union of studio firepower from two producers very much on top of their game. Check out their latest tune, debuted by Annie Mac.
5. Galantis - "You"
Galantis, the duo of Christian "Bloodshy" Karlsson of Miike Snow and Linus Eklow aka Style of Eye, have announced that they will release their debut self-titled EP on April 1 via Big Beat Records. In advance of the EP, the duo drops "You", which blends male and female vocals before the beat explodes to meteoric heights.
6. The Crystal Method feat. Dia Frampton - "Over It" (Bixel Boys Remix)
Bixel Boys reduce The Crystal Method's "Over It" to a thick and savory delight. Don't sleep on this one, grab it for free download.
7. Neon Hitch - "Some Like It Hot" (Mike Bugout & Michael York Remix)
NYC's Mike Bugout and Michael York do not take their remix duties lightly. The two deliver an ill downtempo banger with a big room drop. Feast your ears on this.
8. Pegboard Nerds - "Bassline Kickin'" The Remixes
The much revered "Bassline Kickin" single by Monstercat powerhouse Pegboard Nerds has gotten heavy remix treatment by compliments of Astronaut, Dzeko & Torres, and Silverback. With a little something for everyone, check 'em out to see which suits you.
9. Dr. Dre - "Forgot About Dre" (The Golden Pony Remix)
We've all come to know and love the smash hit "Forgot About Dre". In honor of Dre's birthday, The Golden Pony dishes up a funky new version of the beloved tune, and for free download. Cake for all.
10. Yoann Feynman x Monomotion - "LZR"
"LZR" is a sick crossover tune by the Parisian duo. It boasts a heavy beat with soaring synths and glimmering harmonies.
Alex Metric,
Anna Lunoe,
Ayah Marar,
dance music,
Dr. Dre,
EDM,
electronic dance music,
Grammy Contender Lucky Daye Is Waving R&B's Melodic Flag With Pride
Perhaps it was a baton passed by February 2019 Vibe digital cover star H.E.R. during Grammy that solidified Lucky Daye's 2020 nominations. At an intimate gathering during Grammy weekend last year, the 2019 Best R&B Album and Best R&B Performance winner sweetly sang a rendition of "Roll Some Mo," much to Daye's amazement. As H.E.R. struck gold with five nominations last year, walking away with two gramophones, Lucky is poised for a similar fate, nominated for Best R&B Song ("Roll Some Mo"), Best R&B Album (Painted), Best R&B Performance ("Roll Some Mo"), and Best Traditional R&B Performance ("Real Games"). Though the nominations were announced merely two months ago, for Daye, the news finally sunk in as he attended The Recording Academy's L.A. Chapter Celebration.
"My body doesn't react to verbal news, it's like a normal thing. I'm so used to expecting stuff that people say--especially in music--and it not happening," Daye says, as we speak a day following the L.A. Chapter Celebration. "Now that I should be excited early--because I want to be excited this whole time--it [doesn't] happen until I walk into a room. Then I get all jittery and nervous, like, 'oh my God, this is happening.'"
While the Grammys have previously been attuned with Black artists accruing few awards (only ten Black artists have won Album of the Year in the show's 60-year history), the Recording Academy has attempted to diversify their categories. This means adapting to the stark change in the R&B climate, leaning on subgenres and mixtapes, rather than solely mainstream artists. Daye's 2019 debut album Painted was transfixed in the lush, instrument-driven sounds of funk's heyday, enriched by vocal sensibilities and near-spiritual opulence, stamping his destiny in R&B. Fellow singer-songwriter Victoria Monet shared with Billboard that Painted was her favorite album of last year, noting that Daye's hometown of New Orleans was "the soul of the project". For Daye, Painted wasn't just a reclamation of home, but a testament of emotional reverence.
"I got a chance to get everything out, like, my deepest emotions and feelings. To finally say it without getting cut off, or to finally say it and not get a rebuttal before I actually try to get people to hear it… Most times, I get feedback and it discourages me, [but] this time, it was too late for anybody to discourage me since the album was done," he says. "I was already like, 'I love it, so I don't care what anybody thinks'. To me, it felt good to get a response from people [but] a positive one, for once. I'm still adjusting, [so] I'm kind of new to how it's moving and I'm new to the people liking stuff from me. People don't really get it, it's a different side of life that I've never been on."
Daye, previously known as D. Brown during a run of being a songwriter and background vocalist, follows a tradition of fellow songwriter-turned-full fledged R&B artists including D'Angelo and Faith Evans. However, he assures that crafting music behind the scenes wasn't his end goal, as collaborating with producer D'Mile ignited his passion of re-pursuing solo stardom. In a recent Rolling Stone profile of D'Mile, the producer noticed an uptick in contemporary R&B paying homage to the 70's, notably psychedelic cut "Redbone", which snagged Childish Gambino a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance in 2018.
Both Daye and D'Mile followed suit, with their own formulaic reverence to 70's funk and soul on Painted, ushering in a modern take. Daye mentions that while D'Mile is knowledgeable of music theory, it was Daye's "chemical imbalance" over D'Mile's production and radical instrumentation that essentially made them musical soulmates. "When it comes to music, [it] will teach consciousness in the body to be open, to be understanding of everything. To have multiple perceptions, it's rare, and [D'Mile] has that," Daye says. "If anything else, we know that at the end of the day, it's all going to boil down to music. We're here to do something on Earth at this age and time, and I'm indebted to him."
For long-time fans of Daye, some were initially surprised once playing the album, as songs featured on his introductory EPs I and II were featured prominently on Painted. For Daye, he wanted to ease his listeners into living with his music for a while longer before presenting the remainder of his debut, unexpectedly recommended by a rap icon. "I didn't want [fans] to listen to it and be like, 'yo, it's a jumble of a bunch of mess', because honestly, that's how I felt at the time. I just felt like, 'they're not gonna like it'. If we're going to really put it out and [make] it a big deal, I don't want to mess this up. The best advice was putting it out piece by piece. I talked to Nicki Minaj about that and that's where the idea originally came from," he says, referencing that he accompanied a friend to a studio session with Minaj.
"This was probably eight months before [Painted] came out. We're sitting in there, they couldn't come up with [any] ideas and she was like, 'Why you sitting over there quiet? What you humming? Sounds like you got something if you wanna hop in, you can.' I just hopped in and freestyled a whole song."
Taking Minaj's advice made for the organic success of his EPs, and a gradual acclimation of 'Daye Ones'--a token for Daye's dedicated fanbase--especially those who witnessed his performances during a streak of three tours in the past year. After joining Ella Mai and Kiana Lede during Mai's debut tour, Daye launched into The Painted Tour, later heading to Australia with Khalid during The Spirit Tour. Daye admits the stage is where he's most carefree, but that he's still getting acclimated with finding time to rest. "It's so crazy because I look around [and] sometimes I'll push my friends too hard, or I'll push other people too hard because of my expectations," he says. "Fresh off the Khalid tour, I didn't sleep for a week, I was like 'I don't know what's going on'. I'm calling doctors, Kehlani's helping me like, 'maybe you should drink that', I just realized it was adrenaline. It's hard to go to sleep when you're running off that kind of energy."
Daye's adrenaline and charismatic stage presence made his mainly-female audiences buckle at their knees, even intimately crooning select attendees to violin-driven track "Concentrate" at shows. But it was the track "Roll Some Mo" that stood apart from his catalog, instantly becoming a fan favorite and soundtracking The Photograph, which premieres on Valentine's Day next month. Though "Roll Some Mo" is beloved for its penchant in marijuana-infused desire, Daye says he initially rejected the song being featured on Painted. "That was the fastest song I did. Most times when I write fast, I'm not trying and I felt like I didn't put my all into it. That's why, to me, "Roll Some Mo" wasn't strong. I felt like I could do better, but everyone else was like 'that's the one'," he says. "So I should just write and not think, that's a lesson I've learned from misjudging "Roll Some Mo": don't overthink and do not try to make it perfect."
Long accustomed to songwriting, Daye had a natural inclination to join the ranks of Keep Cool Records, especially the intensity of their songwriting boot camps. Prior guests of the boot camps have included Masego and Baby Rose, and Daye mentions that he also attended recording sessions of Revenge of the Dreamers III on their final day. "It's so much pressure at writing camps like [Keep Cool Records] because there are so many people that are amazing. They go in with that mindset--and I understand that because I can write, as well--I just don't do it with that type of intensity, because my confidence has been killed in that area," Daye says. "Being in a room with those people, you learn different ways to make music and that's the beauty [of it]. Music is art, it's in me and I can't do nothing about that, so to be in that environment is paradise."
With writing credits for Keith Sweat, Boyz II Men and Keke Palmer years prior to releasing Painted, it was mentorship from Mary J. Blige during recording sessions for Blige's 2017 album Strength of a Woman, that aided Daye with honing in on lyrical simplicity. Co-writing "Love Yourself" and "U + Me (Love Session)", with admiration for Blige, Daye even attended her 2018 Walk of Fame commencement. "[Blige] always speaks vulnerability and she always taught me a lot about changing words [for them] to make more sense," Daye says. "I'm way more abstract than I was when Painted came out, and she'd always bring me back, like, 'why don't you just say it like this?' I'm like, 'that's ghetto'. (laughs) She'd be like, 'but it's good'. I'd be like, 'Well, alright, I got it; just do what I normally do if I was talking to somebody.'"
With Blige's guidance in mind, Daye knew that he wanted the apex of Painted to revolve around intricacies of love, his previous relationships being the basis of the album, notably, overexerting himself while in those relationships. "On Painted, I wanted to convey love as being misunderstood and not what you always expect it to be. I feel like we watch all of these things around us and we got these high expectations of what love is supposed to be and it's really an illusion. When you find somebody who's actually a real person and they don't meet your illusion, they fail in your eyes," he says, subtly warning women to beware of overzealous suitors. "I just wanted to say 'it's fine to not be perfect, it's fine to be normal'. Being normal is actually what love is, everything else is extra. You can't always exhaust yourself. I've exhausted myself and I wanted to portray that on the album, like, I've done that already. I've tried everything I could to try to stay in love and try to be in love. It allowed me to fall in love and get my heartbroken, and that created more content for me and it created more depth for my character."
With room to create meaningful content, though not intentional, Daye withheld from having collaborations on Painted. For many listeners, the "Roll Some Mo" remix featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Wale was the first time they heard Daye accompanied by featured guests. "I don't think I had any power to even get anybody that wanted to get on my record. I would like to think that the music industry would hear good music and want to get with it because it's good to them, not necessarily good to popular people," he says. "I wanted to at least do my first album complete and not wait on features. I think all great artists can do an album with no features and you'll still be able to listen to the whole album. I don't care who it is, if someone's not good on my record, I'm not putting it out."
While Painted didn't lack in vulnerability, Daye is open to the possibility of having features on his sophomore album. With his majorly-female audience in mind, he wants to reintroduce an influx of female features to create melodic balance. "The second album might be a little bit different. I'm probably gonna do an album that has a great amount of features on it and I'm working on that right now. We're reaching for gold," he says. "When it comes to singing, girls are listening to me. Most guys, they have too much ego to listen to me, I'm too real. They don't want to feel soft. I feel like if get girls featured, it'll make more sense for me than male features because I talk about love a lot. Ain't too many guys I know that's gonna open up like that on a record. That's one of my goals, I want to do a lot of songs with girls like Marvin Gaye did."
With music videos traditionally having a cinematic, thoroughly crafted feel, Daye shares that a visual album is soon to come, with a slew of screenplays already written. Initially wanting to release a visual album alongside Painted, he's tentatively reserving it for his sophomore album. Though he's mapped out his plans for 2020, Daye says that he's willing to let go of his reigns to get better acquainted with fans. "I'm gonna make myself more uncomfortable this year when it comes to putting myself out there--controlling less of what I think I should be controlling--and just be more free and just be present. I want them to know, if there's anything I should do, I'm open [to it]."
During a generation of R&B when artists are arguably most hands-on with their creative intention, Daye fits right in, nominated in nearly every R&B category of the 2020 Grammys. Hinting at surprise single before the ceremony, while arguably a veteran, Daye assures that his journey is far from over. "The fact that [artists] can reach so many people, just with one button, that's awesome. Most people have to climb, they climb a long way from city to city and it takes years just to get to a level. I have millions of views in a year, and I believe ["Roll Some Mo"] might be gold. Just to do that in one year, being able to touch so many people, I feel like we're getting closer," he says. "It's come back around, for sure, [but] there's way more to accomplish. I plan on having at least eleven albums, and I feel satisfied, kind of, but this is the beginning. I just started, it's the first day."
Drake accepts Best Rap Song for 'God's Plan' onstage during the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
10 Problems With The Grammy Awards And How To Fix Them
Going into the 2020 iteration of the show, The Grammy Awards couldn't be more irrelevant and in a place of struggling to attract younger viewers. Each year sets new lows in the coveted 18-49 demographic, and the show continues to take one step forward and ten steps back when it comes to its relationship with hip-hop. The step forward this year will be the confirmed tribute to the late Nipsey Hussle featuring Kirk Franklin, DJ Khaled, John Legend, Meek Mill, Roddy Ricch, and YG. Fixing what was once the most cherished institution of the music business and one of the most-watched events of each year is complicated and will require drastic directional shifts and changes to elements of the show that have been part of its fabric for many years. These are the 10 problems with the Grammy Awards and how to fix them.
D'Angelo at the VH1 Men Strike Back concert at Madison Square Gardens in New York, USA on April 11, 2000.
"Envision this: a lone man in a haunted room surrounded by glowing instruments. What sounds are evoked from a room where Jimi once slept? What are the rewards of those who tend to their God-given talents as they would have the Creator tend to their spirits and daily lives? What happens when the artist becomes the conjur man?"
Twenty years ago, poet Saul Williams posed this question in the liner notes for D'Angelo's sophomore offering, Voodoo: notes that served as a listener guide while exploring the long-awaited follow up to 1995's Brown Sugar. Voodoo is considered by most as D'Angelo's definitive work. (In fairness, he's only graced us with three studio albums in his 25-year career.) Upon release, the LP was widely celebrated; it landed near the top of every major year-end list for 2000, and garnered the Grammy for Best R&B Album in 2001. In the years since, living up to its name, Voodoo has become something spiritual for many – a totem of musical greatness and genius. Okayplayer declared it "neo-soul's most salient creation," and no doubt this month there'll be a flood of pieces examining the project's importance in R&B music. Indeed, D'Angelo's debut and sophomore albums each marked turning points in R&B. The Virginia native's first outing came two years before the phrase "neo-soul" was coined. Add Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite (1996), Erykah Badu's Baduizm (1997), and Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998), and you have the four musical horsemen of neo-soul. Baduizm inspired executive Kedar Massenberg, who also oversaw Brown Sugar, to create a descriptor that came to define a subgenre. But when Brown Sugar first hit the streets, it simply felt like an extension of the jazz and classic soul influences found in the work of D'Angelo's future collaborators from A Tribe Called Quest and The Roots.
Five years later, Voodoo bowed at the top of a new millennium, at a time when the R&B genre was evolving and fracturing in ways that R&B and soul purists are still lamenting today (Hi, it's me. I'm lamenting). In 1999, TLC's Fanmail and Destiny's Child's Writing's on the Wall signaled the pop-leaning, bounce and tempo-driven, slickly-produced direction R&B was heading toward to maintain a presence on hip-hop dominated airwaves. Voodoo was a collective resistance, a labor of love from some of the finest artists of the era. A harkening back to musical foundations. Rolling Stone dubbed it "an ambitious record that seeks nothing less than to unstick black music from commercial considerations and leave it free to seek its muse." Questlove wrote of the album effort shortly before release, "It was a love for the dead state of black music, a love to show our idols how much they taught us. (T)his was the love movement. (A)nd this was the beginning."
"We have come in the name of Jimi, Sly, Marvin, Stevie, all artists formerly known as spirits and all spirits formerly known as stars. We have come in the tradition of burning bushes, burning ghettos, burning splifs, and the ever-burning candles of our bedrooms and silent chambers. We have come bearing instruments and our voices: Falsetto and baritone, percussion and horns…We speak of darkness, not as ignorance, but as the unknown and the mysterious of the unseen." - Saul Williams
The Avengers-esque origin story of Voodoo is part of the album's power and mythology. The project inspired the formation of the Soulquarians collective, a superhero music taskforce that began with D'Angelo, Questlove, J. Dilla and James Poyser (all Aquarians), taking over the long-dormant Electric Lady Studios – former studio home of Jimi Hendrix – to create something new and real. The crew expanded as Common and Erykah also camped out at Electric Lady to work on their upcoming projects, and other collaborators including Q-Tip and Raphael Saadiq fell through in regular rotation. Quest, D and camp went full music nerd, using the studio's vintage equipment and keeping everything as organic and analog as possible to create a retro energy and sound. They studied old performances of Prince, Stevie Wonder and other Yodas - their name for the masters - obsessively, channeling the spirits of their heroes. Voodoo was the start of a legacy.
Famed music critic Robert Christgau said Voodoo is "widely regarded as the greatest R&B album of the post-Prince era." And it is…but are we puttin' too much on it? I do believe D's lack of visibility and minimal output since Voodoo adds a preciousness to the album (not unlike Miseducation, which might be discussed differently if there was more work to talk about). But also, Voodoo is not an R&B album; it's some unnamed sh*t (calling it neo-soul is reductive) that the Soulquarians pioneered and mastered. You can't approach it casually; you're not gonna just throw this joint on while cleaning the house. Quest additionally said of Voodoo in his (admittedly biased) review, "Music lovers come under 2 umbrellas. (N)umber one: those who use it for growth and spiritual fulfillment and number two: those who use it for mere background music. (T)he thing is, this record is too extreme to play the middle of the fence. (T)his record is the litmus test that will reveal the most for your personality."
"Here is a peer that is focused wholly on his craft and has given himself the challenge of bettering himself. I mean really, D could have come out with any ol' follow-up album after Brown Sugar dropped so that he could double his sales "While he's still hot." You know, an album that sounds just like Brown Sugar, uses all the same formulas, so that audiences don't have to think….or grow, they just keep liking the same shit. He could even sample songs that you're already familiar with so that you don't have to go through the "hard work" of getting used to a new melody or bass line. Y'all don't hear me." – Saul Williams
Voodoo is without question a superior album to Brown Sugar, technically and sonically. It takes the formula D'Angelo created in his mama's Virginia home, blending soul, funk and a dash of hip-hop, and elevates it. Late trumpeter Roy Hargrove added jazz's controlled chaos. J. Dilla's beat alchemy and Premier's deft precision rendered the few samples used almost unrecognizable. Pino Palladino contributed his legendary bass lines. Rounded out with Tip and Ray Ray, plus Quest steering the ship as co-captain along with D'Angelo – it was a soul fantasy league. Yes, Voodoo is a stronger album, but I'd argue Brown Sugar is more focused (though some would say it's just more formulaic). It's definitely a more accessible work. The New York Times, examining how the Soulquarians brought Voodoo together, said the process was "vague, halting, nonlinear." Voodoo is a long jam session – literally. They approached much of the completely original material through retro engineering: long jam sessions of hero material - Prince, Curtis, etc - would evolve into a new song. You can especially pick this up in "The Line," which feels like it was maybe going to be an interlude and just kept going, and "Chicken Grease."
The transitions between songs can be jarring, and the songs are so gritty and raw that some give a bootleg or demo feel – undoubtedly intentional, as Questlove and D'Angelo were studying bootlegs of their faves. Rolling Stone's reviewer declared the album sounded "loose and unfinished" (but worth noting that it was No. 4 on their top albums of the year list later). The highest praise for a single universally went to "Untitled (How Does It Feel)," D'Angelo's outstanding homage to his and Questlove's most esteemed Yoda, Prince. It's one of the more familiar-sounding tracks, along with "Send it On," "Feel Like Making Love" and "Left and Right," which feel the most like Brown Sugar follow-ups.
Those aside, Voodoo is to Brown Sugar what Kendrick's To Pimp a Butterfly is to Good Kid m.A.A.d City in terms of expansion and departure from the sound fans originally fell in love with. Some embraced it, some couldn't get all the way with it. I can testify firsthand that when D'Angelo brought that jam session energy to Essence Fest in 2012 to launch his first tour in over ten years, folks were less than thrilled that after waiting so long to see him on stage again, he was prioritizing the un-danceable, less melodic cuts like "Devil's Pie" and "Chicken Grease" on the setlist, and then didn't play the album versions of the hits so they could hit a two-step and sing along.
What Voodoo is, is grown. As hell. Not only is it not music for a casual fan, it's not music for a casual love thing, either. Brown Sugar is adoration expressed publicly; let me tell folks how much I'm digging you. Brown Sugar is dating. You can let it rock at a kick back with a crew. Voodoo is intimate. It's a relationship. You don't play "How Does It Feel" or "Send it On" in a house full of people (and if you do, I have questions).
Which brings us to the gift and curse of Voodoo: D'Angelo becoming a sex symbol. The 20-year old, lip licking, possibly blunted D'Angelo was sexy in a dude-off-the-block way with his baggy jeans, Avirex coats, and timbs. But 25-year old D'Angelo took the baggy clothes off, and had cut abs, a v-line, and the bold audacity to showcase it, on the album cover and in the visual for the project's third single…and nobody knew how to act. This is where Voodoo simultaneously goes left and becomes legend all at once. Also, why we can't have nice things.
Twenty years ago, there were no blogs, no social media and no such thing as going viral. Music video channels still specialized in… music videos. And D'Angelo's manager Dominique Trenier, and director Paul Hunter conceptualized a visual for "Untitled (How Does it Feel)" that The New York Times called "the most controversial video to air in years." The clip, eventually referred to in conversation as simply "the video," was a four and a half minute-long, single shot of D'Angelo wearing nothing but a gold chain and cornrows. And sweat. There were no shiny suits, no dancers, no fish-eye lenses. Just Michael Archer staring into our souls through the camera.
The success and notoriety of the video propelled Voodoo to a No. 1 debut on the Billboard Top 200. The plan was to break D'Angelo out of the R&B/neo-soul space to a broader audience, and it worked. Too well. By the time D launched the Voodoo tour in the Spring of 2000, the attention, grabbing, catcalling and screaming were overwhelming. As an artist, he'd put painstaking time and effort into creating the greatest piece of work possible; art that would impact hearts and minds. Spent grueling hours preparing a live show that would measure up to James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic - and fans were just yelling incessantly for him to take his shirt off. "It feels good, actually, when I do it," D 'Angelo told Rolling Stone near the beginning of the tour. "But I don't want it to turn into a thing where that's what it's all about. I don't want it to turn things away from the music and what we doin' up there…I'm not no stripper. I'm up there doin' somethin' I strongly believe in."
(Shout out to Anthony Hamilton's background vocals coming through all loud and clear)
Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened, and D grew so self-conscious and uncomfortable he eventually suspended the tour three weeks early, and retreated from the public eye. Over the next several years there were multiple arrests (with bloated mugshots looking kind of like Thor when he took his hammer and went home in Endgame), at least one trip to rehab, and several tentative returns before he surprised the world with Black Messiah in December of 2014 – almost 15 years later.
"Untitled (How Does it Feel)" is still a highlight in Voodoo conversations, it still evokes immediate remarks about D's body and sex (I'm guilty of this), and it's still a sore spot for the artist. So much so that when he reemerged in the public eye in 2012, he and Paul Hunter insisted the video's inspiration was D'Angelo's grandmother's cooking and the Holy Ghost. (Insert side-eye gif here.)
But this is the challenge of a great artist: put everything you have into the work, then give that work to the world, and by doing so relinquish control over what the world does with it. So is Voodoo the millennial answer to John Coltrane's A Love Supreme? Is it the centerpiece of the neo-soul movement? Is it the Soulquarian stone? Is it just an outstanding groove? Is it just D'Angelo in leather pants and no shirt and you really don't care about all that other stuff? The answer, according to our original Voodoo guide, Saul Williams, depends on us.
"D'Angelo has made his choices, carefully weaving them into his character, and has courageously stepped into the void bearing these sonic offerings to be delivered to the beckoning goddess of the new age. I do not wish to overly dissect this album. It's true dissection occurs in how it seeps into your life shapes your moments. What you were doing when you realized he was saying this or that? How it played softly in the back ground when you first saw him or her. How you kept it on repeat on that special night. You'll see. These songs are incantations" – Saul Williams


Is there a way to do this or any workaround that could let the drop target know that a dragged was dropped on him?
There is a checkbox called Raycast Target on certain components or Blocks Raycasts on CanvasGroup. So when you release the drag, your mouse is over the object that you are dragging. You can just uncheck that box on objects that you are dragging, so that raycast would go through. If you want to use LayerMask, or you want to raycast multiple targets, you can create a custom raycasting solution and your own interfaces for it.
GraphicRaycaster.Raycast - this example explains pretty much how to create custom behaviour for raycasting. You could combine it with OnDrop but I would suggest just writing your own if it's required. But it's probably achievable with current system. I bet what EventSystem does is basically checks for button press, when button was pressed/released it raycasts, if object hit implements IDropHandler, then call OnDrop. With custom system you can have LayerMask which will tell what layer to hit while raycasting.
How do I drag my widgets without dragging other widgets?
In Unity, how do I handle very short mouse drags as click events?
Why is Raycast hitting masked layer?
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Melody est une chaîne de télévision musicale du Groupe AB ayant émis entre 1996 et 1997.

Elle fusionne rapidement avec Nostalgie la télé ayant le même style de programmation, la musique des années 1960 à 1980.

Historique
Le Groupe AB lance en , un bouquet de 20 chaines thématiques AB Sat, où Melody est présente comme chaîne musicale du bouquet avec Musique classique, cette dernière diffusant des opéras.

Le , le groupe AB lance en partenariat avec Sofirad de RMC, Nostalgie la télé sur AB Sat et Canalsatellite numérique. Elle vise le même public que Melody et la station radio Nostalgie, c'est-à-dire de 25 à 49 ans. Nostalgie la télé remplace Melody.

En 2001, une chaîne nommé Mélody est lancée et diffusée sur l'ensemble des opérateurs.

Identité visuelle (logo)

Annexes

Références

Articles connexes
 Télé Mélody

Chaîne de télévision disparue en France
Chaîne de télévision musicale
AB Groupe
Chaîne ou station de télévision fondée en 1996
Chaîne ou station de télévision disparue en 1997

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Post udostępniony przez Jakub Knera (@noweidzieodmorza) Gru 8, 2018 o 2:33 PST
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Sunwatchers: culture and art inseparable from political thought
2 March 2019 in INTERVIEWS
Jakub Knera
Posted in INTERVIEWSTags: jazz, minimalism, punk, trouble in mind
Handy albums from the road
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"If we don't attach that gravity to it, it's meaningless and we refuse to contribute to the morass of abstraction within music. We use our music and our platform that we have in order to generate progress and further our conditions and beliefs as people, politically and otherwise."
Translation: Aleksandra Szkudłapska
Sunwatchers are back. After II, the fantastic album they put out last year, the New York quartet is not slowing down one bit and has just released another record: Illegal Moves. Apparently they have plenty more material – given the fact that last year they also made a live record and an album with Eugene Chadbourne, I find that easy to believe.
Yet Sunwatchers are not just prolific. Their music is all about being inspired by a number of traditions: the musicians, who grew up in the punk rock and DIY ethos, reach for jazz (with their own rendition of an Alice Coltrane track on Illegal Moves), minimalism, blues, even Thai and Lao music, which is where Jim McHugh's electric phin guitar comes from (McHugh furthers his interest in Molam music in the amazing Drunken Foreigner Band).
On Illegal Moves, all these influences conflate in a killer combo: extremely expressive, evocative, and more coherent than the previous album. Sunwatchers are also, or above all, interested in the here and now, commenting on the world around them and engaging in current social and political affairs –by taking part in public protests, donating the proceeds from their records to NGOs, and the rather outspoken album covers. While the visual layout of II was beautifully simple and spot on, the cover of Illegal Moves takes a jibe at the political and cultural establishment of today's USA, easily being one of the most radical record covers of the last couple of years.
Sunwatchers are a unique band, whose music makes a poignant reference to topical problems, because – according to their guitar player – they just don't see it any other way. To them, music cannot exist as an abstract entity or mere entertainment, but solely as active reaction and a commentary rooted in the everyday.
Jakub Knera: Please choose the first question: I can ask you about the electric phin guitar you play, the cover of the new Sunwatchers album or the political aspect of your music.
James McHugh: The album cover sort of depicts our political beliefs, so we can start with this. I came up with the idea while on an airplane. I was reading Post-Scarcity Anarchism by Murray Bookchin for the first time in about 10 years. It's a highly radicalizing, definitive book about modern anarchism – his ideas and approach are and were hugely influential on me while I was growing up. I also had a copy of Mad Magazine, which I hadn't read in about 20 years – it's a magazine that was made for kids in the 1960s and it's still around. There are cartoons in it and humor writings – a lot of it was really subversive, almost every kid that I knew read it. I was re-reading both of them and then the idea for our album cover popped into my head like a lightbulb. The cartoon style that's on the album cover is directly inspired by a specific artist who worked for Mad Magazine – I had the idea of a highly radicalized, leftist, anticapitalistic propaganda made in a cartoon, Mad Magazine style. The artist Scott Lenhardt did our first album cover and he loved the idea – he really made it a lot more amazing that I even envisioned.
Sunwatchers, Illegal Moves, cover: Scott Lenhardt
I like the cover of your second album – it was really moving, and this one seems to be a step forward. It's much bigger.
Thank you. The album cover for II was made by our really good friend Catherine Wheeler when she was travelling across Africa by bus. She presented it to us as a surprise – it was so beautiful and amazing that we just knew it had to be our cover.
Our political interests, beliefs, convictions and involvements came around before the current regime in our country. With the last album we really felt – because things were getting so extremely and overtly racist and fascistic – that we had to be overt with what we believe in.
If we don't attach that gravity to it, it's meaningless and we refuse to contribute to the morass of abstraction within music – we don't dedicate our lives to just merely be entertainers for wealthy people. We use our music and our platform that we have in order to generate progress and further our conditions and beliefs as people, politically and otherwise.
Then you developed the idea of the cover on Illegal Moves.
It's an extension of our beliefs, but it also combines our sense of humor – we are really goofy guys. We wanted a mixture of an overtly political album cover, because it's really extreme in a way, but also our sense of play.
This political and social engagement is a huge part of Sunwatchers. Do you remember when it all began? Was it a part of your life before you started playing music or did both things happen simultaneously?
Absolutely simultaneously. When I was a teenager, I grew up in a really small town in the south of the US, in North Carolina. When I discovered punk rock, it changed my life. I regard my discovery of punk rock as the beginning of me as an adult and my own person. In transit to that discovery was how intertwined and absolutely inseparable leftist politics from punk rock is. I started going to punk shows as a 15-, 16-year-old person, getting information about going to marches, political movements that were not necessarily in the foreground of American politics, because they're progressive and somewhat extreme with regard to the way people think about politics on the mainstream level. I started feeling empowered to play music the same time. Punk rock encourages do-it-yourself and teach-yourself music – I'm self-taught as a musician. It all happened at the same time. It was me discovering music that really inspired me and gave me the idea that they were other things outside of my reality in this small town in the south of North Carolina. I started playing music and going to marches: anti-police brutality marches, leftist marches and meetings, Food Not Bombs, stuff like that. It all happened at the same time, which was 25 years ago. And I can say similar things about other people in Sunwatchers. With punk rock and underground music came the awareness of leftist politics. One thing that I mourn in American life is the separation of that. In my opinion, in Sunwatchers' opinion, underground music, culture and art should be inseparable from progressive political thought. Anti-capitalist thought should be forever married to underground art.
Most punk rock bands or politically involved bands have a singer to convey that message, but Sunwatchers' music is strictly instrumental. How do you see yourself in that role?
That is a really interesting and valid question – that's why we are really overt with our album covers. We also travel around with information that we put on our table where we sell merch and records after concerts. We have free pamphlets and books about political movements that we believe in. We have a group that we organize under: Music Against Mass Incarceration. We organize prison abolitionist benefits and anti-prison, anti-capitalist benefits under this organization.
The lack of vocalist or a mouthpiece per se has made us pursue more direct ways of expressing our political beliefs. If you have a singer singing about whatever's happening in Africa or Venezuela and it stops there, what's the fucking use? You have to take another step: spreading information is highly important and valuable, but at this point you need to take a step further and make things happen in the ways that you can.
Here it would be apt to mention that the proceeds from your first album went to the Human Rights Coalition and you're donating the proceeds from II to JustLeadershipUSA. Are you also going to do it with Illegal Moves?
We're thinking the proceeds from that one will be going to the Sylvia Rivera Law Project. They are a really fascinating, grassroots progressive group. We had a benefit show with Music Against Mass Incarceration at the end of February with them speaking, and proceeds from that show went to them as well.
I can hear this engagement throughout the music as well – Sunwatchers brings to my mind Albert Ayler's music, but also punk music, prog, or even blues.
We're actually named after an Albert Ayler song. And the way they were involved… We made a record with Arthur Doyle and I'll just speak about what I know from talking about this with him, because this is direct. Arthur Doyle just wanted to be a musician – his vision of music was very extreme, amazing and beautiful. He was pushed into political involvement because he was a progressive black man, simply a black man from Alabama. He had no choice but to be engaged politically, because he was being harassed and haunted on a daily level. It's not something he wanted, it's something he had to deal with. He had to face it straight on and the music he made became more extreme as a result of the anger, the rage, but also the transcendence and the seeking of beauty in a life that's fraught with that sort of harassment.
That's why I feel that people like Doyle, Ayler, Pharoah Sanders and Alice Coltrane made music that's inherently political because of their position as progressive thinking people of color in this country. It's the same with blues people. By the way check out the book Blues People – it's amazing. They were inherently politically involved because they were people of color trying to survive in a directly, systemically racist system. That's where the anger, the sadness, and the rage comes from.
Punk music is different, because it's largely made by white people. There's a level of divide between direct oppression and most middle-class white people – like myself – who make punk music. That's a choice they make. Arthur Doyle was making angry music because he was sort of driven to it. We had the privilege of playing with him, so we soaked up that rage – and we're angry people because of what's going on – but I feel that's where our political engagement musically comes from. We're making hyper-direct underground music that's not for anybody but alienated people who are driven into another scene by their ostracized nature and alienation from mainstream American culture which is all about consumption. Our music is made for people with this sense of rage that we have and we sense as conscious, aware people in this country and in this world right now. We hope to translate the rage of the alienated and the oppressed – we're working class people, so we are a part of that.
You mentioned the current regime in the US, but this kind of political context is quite common in many countries in the world right now. Do you think this situation makes it easier to make socially engaged art?
I think that's kind of an abstract question. No matter who's been president of the United States for the last 100 years, it's been a systemic, racist system of oppression and exploitation based on consumption. The mindset inherent in the propagation of capitalism is one of exploitation, frustration and alienation. Until we get rid of that it doesn't matter who's president – it could be the fat fucking fascist clown that we have now, or it could be Obama who deported more people than anybody in history and conducted a forever war in the Middle East. Now things are really bad here – people are committing suicide, overdosing left and right, people on the street are going to prison. Those things are way more important than an atmosphere conducive to making angry music. I would easily give up the last 50 songs I've written to make this world a better place. The progress that we make as humans in caring for each other and helping each other to survive is the most important thing we are facing right now.
You've told me about the ideas for your albums covers. What was the idea behind the music on Illegal Moves? For me, it sounds more coherent and less raw than II.
It took us a while to make it, and because there's three songwriters in Sunwatchers, we generate a lot of material. We're already finishing another album – that's how we work. For II we were just generating new material, recording it and then we released it – what can explain the lack of coherence, I agree with you. The album feels more like individual statements. For Illegal Moves we recorded a lot of material and had the luxury to spend some time and pick out a lot of different stuff – so that it's more like one overarching statement. One of the reasons is in the autumn we made a record with Eugene Chadbourne and the way he works is very inspirational to me. He does whatever he wants, his engagement as a performer and improviser is so immediate and contemporaneous with whatever is going on at the moment. I wanted to be less exacting, I just wanted to crank stuff out. We were less precious about Illegal Moves – we had the material and thought "let's get it down, this is the new song." We didn't have to spend a lot of time doing it – given that we had a lot of stuff to choose from made at the same period of time, we could put it together in a way that made it fit.
There's also an Alice Coltrane song on the record.
We consciously did that to place us within a jazz tradition of playing other people's music.
Her music should be a national standard or even our national anthem.
We consciously did that to put us in this tradition – maybe that contributes to the way it fits together.
Sunwatchers.
Since you've already mentioned tradition – that's another interesting topic in your music. There's the jazz tradition, punk tradition, blues tradition, but also minimalist tradition. Sunwatchers seems to be a punk band that's very much rooted in all those different worlds.
Our saxophone and keyboard player Jeff Tobias is a very beautiful instrumentalist. He's the polar opposite to the composers in the band. And you know, my favorite guitar players are Mississippi Fred McDowell, Pete Cosey and Sonny Sharrock – these blues and jazz tradition guys. But then you listen to it and you're like "whoa, he's only played one chord for the past 30 minutes."
What's more minimalist than that and what's more punk rock than that in terms just doing whatever you want? All of those things are linked in that way: beautiful and simple music that's just so to the point and amazing. Jeff's ideas sound like they're from Terry Riley or Steve Reich and then I'm just like "oh, that's cool, I can just play this one chord that I figured out from listening to Fred McDowell for the last 6 hours."
It all fits so perfectly together in that way – jazz and sax playing particularly is really redolent of this cyclical, circular playing of Philip Glass's keyboards. Sonny Sharrock said one thing years ago: the most progress innovations made on an instrument are made in attempts to imitate other instruments. I find a lot of truth and inspiration in that. Sharrock wanted to play saxophone, but he had asthma, so he had to play guitar – but he wanted to play it as if it was saxophone. He said, "I don't play guitar, man, I'm just a saxophonist with a fucked-up axe." I found a lot of inspiration in that and Jeff does too – he likes to play his saxophone the way Terry Riley plays keyboards.
We're going for an independent doing-whatever-we-want, and it ends up fitting in the traditions of music we listen to obsessively and love. We're not trying necessarily to play punk rock on the guitar. Jeff is trying to play American minimalist traditional music on a saxophone, I'm trying to play like Mississippi Fred McDowell through my huge stupid amps and my electric guitar as opposed to a resonating acoustic guitar.
3 Characters by Sunwatchers and Eugene Chadbourne
In terms of releases, you've got quite an impressive track record – in just one year, you've released 4 albums: II, your live album, the album with Eugene Chadbourne –3 Characters, and now Illegal Moves. What's the story behind your collaboration with Chadbourne?
Another thing about my growing up in North Carolina was the fact that me, Eugene and actually Henry Flynt are from the same town. As a musician and as a young person I had the immense luck of growing up seeing Eugene play very often. You'd see him going down the street, and he'd be like "Hi, I'm playing in a record store for free with this guy that I'm going on tour with." You'd go there and it'd be Han Bennink, Paul Lovens or Jimmy Carl Black. He was bringing them to my small hometown to play for free in a record store. It couldn't have been more influential on my sense of the music that I wanted to play. On top of that they were playing songs like The Byrds, Albert Ayler or Ornette Coleman songs. That's a huge influence on us in terms of doing whatever you want as long as you do it with all your guts. That's how Eugene did it. I've known him since I was a teenager.
How did your collaboration come about?
He used to play in my DIY punk space in Greensboro, North Carolina, but we got back in touch when he played a show in Brooklyn. Back when I lived in Georgia, I had a band called Dark Meat – we used to do Albert Ayler songs. One time I brought the Swedish filmmaker Kasper Collin, who made the My Name Is Albert Ayler documentary, to Athens for a screening. We really wanted Eugene to come play. We couldn't raise enough money, but we stayed in touch. Later I was helping him get shows in New York and we had a two-day gap between shows, so I booked some studio time and we went in there to records something. While we were there, he'd just suggest we do some Minuteman songs – and so we did, without any rehearsals. Later he said the same about Doug Sahm or Henry Flynt songs. That's what that record is, and Eugene's sense of coherence is that he can create this overarching concept album. He's so instantaneous and so in the moment. His ability as an improviser, his engagement in the material is hugely influential on us.
Now it's time to finally ask you about your electric phin guitar from Thailand. How did you start playing this instrument?
I connected with a band from the Isan region of northern Thailand and Southern Laos named Khun Narin. They put me in touch with the person who makes their instruments and I bought two. In the process of learning Thai music with Drunken Foreigner Band, Jeff and I started developing the idea of playing it in a different context and that's how we started writing songs in that way. I play it in about 30% of Sunwatchers stuff and I also play saz, an instrument from Turkey, especially in the Alice Coltrane tune on our new record.
Drunken Foreigner Band is interesting concept of playing electrified version of the Akha and Lam Lao music of Thailand and Laos. We've talked about different traditions – how did you discover this one?
A good friend of mine, Dave Kadden, who sometimes plays with Sunwatchers, like on our new record, has made several trips to South-East Asia and collected cassette tapes of largely vocal music. He also plays an instrument from Thailand called the khene, which is a reed instrument you play with your mouth. He's obsessed with that music and adopted a lot of the vocal music from cassette into this electric Velvet Underground-inspired rock music that we play. I started playing with them basically to learn playing the phin, but we eventually decided to record an album which was released by Electric Cowbell. This music is just amazing, and it's got everything we love. It's droning, over here, the melodies played would translated to what we call the blues scale. It's super ancient and really beautiful. And we don't write music, it's all music that we've learned.
White Guy Disease by Drunken Foreigner Band
It's directly part of a tradition and you're not composing.
We've gotten hits from people that this is cultural appropriation, but the thing is, the way I feel about it is that music is a universal language. We're not making any money from it, it's not exploitation in the financial sense. When people who have pretentions to being leftist started telling me that I have to ask permission or there's a limit to what I can express as an artist or what I can pay tribute to or what I can play…. I get my hackles up. These ideas of cultural segregation and censorship are much more in a way of a right-winger. We're about freedom and a globalist notion of connection and what expresses that more than music being spread across the world?
The name of the band sounds a bit ironic.
We're definitely pointing out the notion that we're all American people and we're making fun of that aspect of tourist culture that's so repulsive in a lot of ways. The album is even called White Guy Disease. We're definitely pointing it out, we're not hiding anything.
We've not written this music. This is Molam music that we love, and I think we can play whatever the fuck we want. We're also very conscious of the idea how this can be construed, so that's why we're ironic about it.
Funny how we've come full circle, and went back to the kind of social commentary from the very beginning of our conversation.
Exactly. However, making beautiful music from the other half of the world is why we live. The spreading of that information is also part of our role.
Illegal Moves is out now by Trouble in Mind Records.
Listen 🎶 Bandcamp 🎶 Spotify 🎶 Tidal 🎶 Apple Music.
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Jackson Circle residents voice concerns, offer kudos during Fort Lee's third Walking Town Hall
By Chad MenegayJuly 11, 2022
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Mark T. Simerly, CASCOM and Fort Lee commanding general, and Command Sgt. Maj. Tamisha A. Love, garrison CSM, knock on the front door of a Jackson Circle resident during the installation's third Walking Town Hall event July 7. The command visit was focused on resident satisfaction with housing conditions and ways to further enhance quality of life for service members and their families. "You're not in trouble," Love said jokingly to Cpl. Tycorey Dudley, a human resource specialist with the 23rd Quartermaster Brigade, when he and his dog greeted the leaders at the door. (U.S. Army photo by Chad Menegay) (Photo Credit: Chad Menegay) VIEW ORIGINAL
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Mark T. Simerly, CASCOM and Fort Lee commanding general, discusses issues of security with residents during Fort Lee's third Walking Town Hall in the Jackson Circle neighborhood. The event was focused on resident satisfaction with housing conditions and ways to further enhance quality of life for service members and their families. The Army's goal is for every installation to offer Soldiers and families a high quality of life with appropriate services, programs and facilities in which to live, work and train. (U.S. Army photo by Chad Menegay) (Photo Credit: Chad Menegay) VIEW ORIGINAL
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Mark T. Simerly, CASCOM and Fort Lee commanding general, discusses issues of security and noise with Lashawn Morris, a medical support assistant with the Department of Veterans Affairs and spouse of Army Staff Sgt. Marcus Morris, a small arms instructor at the Ordnance School. The conversation took place during Fort Lee's third Walking Town Hall in the Jackson Circle neighborhood. The event was focused on resident satisfaction with housing conditions and ways to further enhance quality of life for service members and their families. The Army's goal is for every installation to offer Soldiers and families a high quality of life with appropriate services, programs and facilities in which to live, work and train. (U.S. Army photo by Chad Menegay) (Photo Credit: Chad Menegay) VIEW ORIGINAL
FORT LEE, Va. – Post leaders made themselves available to residents of Jackson Circle, a community of 174 duplexes mostly accommodating junior-enlisted families, during a third Walking Town Hall event here July 7.
Discussions throughout the command visit were focused on resident satisfaction with housing conditions and ways to further enhance quality of life for service members and their families living on the installation.
Walking in two groups on either side of the street – one led by Col. Karin L. Watson, Fort Lee garrison commander, and the other by Maj. Gen. Mark T. Simerly, CASCOM and Fort Lee commanding general – the entourage repeatedly stopped to chat with residents and identify their concerns.
Other participants in the Walking Town Hall groups included Command Sgt. Maj. Tamisha A. Love, garrison CSM, and representatives of Fort Lee Family Housing, the Directorate of Emergency Services, Fort Lee Family and MWR, the Safety Office; the Garrison Chaplain's Office; and the Installation Housing Office.
"This is an important way to contact the community directly and hear what they're concerned about," Simerly observed as the event got underway. "We want to be able to answer their concerns as much as we can and be diligent in following up."
Of primary worry for residents was the recent announcement of gate hour changes, including the elimination of a security guard at the entrance of their housing area. Post leaders pointed out that it was the result of funds being discontinued. Law enforcement officials noted their ongoing efforts to protect the community have not diminished. They described Fort Lee as a safe community with a long tradition of excellent force protection and emergency services support.
Other concerns included noise from the Ordnance School's morning physical training and the square footage of the duplexes and their garages.
Residents reported they are generally happy with the modernized appliances inside, the maintenance response times and the overall vibe among neighbors in the community.
"Jackson Circle is the best living situation I've had since I've been in the military," commented Cpl. Tycorey Dudley, a human resource specialist with the 23rd Quartermaster Brigade. "At my last duty station, there was more space, but the quality wasn't as good and the (maintenance) response times took two weeks. Here, I called, and repairs came the next day."
Jackson Circle is the oldest community in the Fort Lee Family Housing inventory, according to Al Williams, housing division chief for Fort Lee.
"We decided at year 25 that it was time to renovate and bring that up to the newest standards," he said of a recent Jackson Circle renovation project. "It was an 18-month process. We went in and basically gutted the majority of the home, rebuilding it with an open-floor plan, new appliances, granite countertops, luxury vinyl tile, updated HVAC systems, replacement siding in some areas, and garage door openers in every garage. The bathrooms have the best fixtures, new doors, new windows … the whole vision was just making it a really good product for the families."
Most residents who spoke with the senior leaders approved of the manner in which their homes have been modernized, and they appeared happy overall with their community. There were a few, though, who still felt there is room for improvement.
"The [renovated homes] here at Jackson Circle look nice, and they're open," said Lashawn Morris, a medical support assistant with the Department of Veterans Affairs and wife of Army Staff Sgt. Marcus Morris, a small arms instructor at the Ordnance School. "It definitely looks updated, but it's still small like the one-car garage. I don't think it's up to the industry standard of what a modern, two-parent working family would need now."
Residents expressed that it is a nice gesture for leadership to come to their community and listen to their concerns.
"Talking to the general and colonel, I felt like they asked the right questions, and I feel like they actually want to do something about it," Staff Sgt. Morris said. "I'm pretty sure they have other things to do, but being here shows they are concerned with our quality of life. I really appreciate that. I feel like we're being heard."
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