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Episode #10: David Santee
December 18, 2007	allison Podcast 0 Comments
An interview with David Santee, two-time Olympian, World Silver Medalist, now Coach and Technical Specialist. 45 minutes, 28 seconds long.
On his most embarrassing skating moment: If you skate for as long as I have, there are many. I was at an ice show in Kansas City, and I had been there for several years as a featured skater, and it was right after I got the Rocky music, which of course became my signature. And we didn't have time really to come up with a new costume, so we kind of made do, and created a costume of the proper colors based on Rocky I, which were red and white, from an old costume. And the old costume was from a Tony Orlando and Dawn number, for which I had white suspenders and a white bow tie and a straw hat and a red shirt. So we took off the suspenders and the bow tie, and had just the red shirt and the white pants. So I'm doing my number, and after you do a few ice shows you get a feel for what the audience is going to react [to], you know, like the death drop, and I had a pretty good death drop so I knew that the audience would react to that. So you're used to that. And this one night in Kansas City, I started out, and I was landing jumps, and I wasn't getting the normal reaction. It was kind of like, there was applause, but there was also a buzz. There was something that wasn't right. So I finished the program with the death drop, got up, did a fast scratch spin, finished the program, and went to bow. And as I went to bow I noticed the zipper had broken, and the red shirt had come out through the white pants. So needless to say I didn't stick around for the rest of the bows.
The funny part in retrospect is that the name of the show was That's Entertainment, and the announcer on his script would say, "Now if you think that's entertainment, let's bring him back for more". Well, by this time the crowd was completely in hysterics. And then they also decided that they were going to let people know that I was not coming out for an encore because of an "equipment problem" [which had been] very clearly noted by everyone in the audience [laughs]. And after the finale they let me come out and do my encore in black pants, which was just as embarrassing.
On some little-known facts about him: I played trumpet. And in 1975 I was Outstanding Teenager in Illinois, and I think I was top three in the country. That was pretty cool. They had an assembly at the end of the school year, and everybody else was getting these awards, and they announced this thing and it was almost an Emmy-like statue, so for one day I was like the king of this school with this statue [laughs].
David Santee with Agnes Zawadski
On being bullied in high school: One of the stories I like to tell is my freshman year, I was about 4'11", 4'10", and being a male figure skater, I used to get picked on by pretty much everybody, even the ones who were super small. They were small but I was even smaller, the smallest. So after my freshman year I grew about nine inches, and went back and found the guy who had really given me the hardest time. And I was now about five or six inches taller than him. I didn't say anything other than "You remember me?" and he was like "Um, uh, yeah". [And I said] "I'm the guy you picked on all last year, so don't ever pick on me again". No force, no nothing, but that was the end of that. The good part about that was maybe about five to six years ago, my older son was at the same school, and they asked me to speak for their homecoming. So I kind of gave that story in the speech, and I could see my son's reaction – he's a late grower, too, he's grown a bit in the last couple of years. He's in college now but at that point he was one of the smaller ones in high school, and he thought that was great. And all of his friends thought it was great.
On what he learned about coaching from one of his earlier coaches: Rubin Huron, a very good coach, very good technically, but [he was] a very negative coach, which back in those days was more the norm. So a lot of things went on there, good and bad, which really formed my attitude in the way that I like to teach. I'm a very positive coach myself, because I feel like this is a hard enough sport that you don't need to beat down people. And it should be fun. I think that most people that see our skaters at competitions say that these skaters are having fun, and that's the way it should be.
On other skaters he admires: John Misha Petkevich was an idol of mine growing up, and he was a man's man in figure skating, and to me, obviously with my younger son being a hockey player I tend to put things more in hockey terms, but he was the Bobby Hull of figure skating. He was a glamorous guy, his charisma was off the charts. To this day I think the he and Janet Lynn are the two people I have the ultimate respect for, and if I were to be in a room or at a cocktail party those would be the two people I would gravitate toward just because of what they meant not only to skating, but also to my personal skating.
On why he likes the music from Rocky so much: When the movie came out [in 1977] I didn't watch it that much originally. I was at a competition in Milwaukee and seven or eight skaters went to watch it and I just went along. And at that point I had just had kind of battles with my own self-confidence. I just had never given myself credit for having the talent and stuff that I should have. And the light went on because the message of the first movie was that you don't have to be first place to be a champion. He didn't win the fight but he was a winner. And he was the underdog and he came from very humble beginnings to achieve greatness. I just really latched on to that. It was something that at that point in my skating career I needed something to really hang on it, and I found it. I find it very difficult to watch the movies, because it is very emotional for me.
Why he retired from competitive skating in 1982, in between Olympics: I was 24, and I'd had seven years on the world team, and seven years of being under the spotlight, under the microscope all the time. And I think after a while there's only so much you can handle, and then it's time to go on. It was not a done deal as far as being able to stay on past 1981. Even in 1980 the opportunity was there with me being fourth at Olympics and the top three all retired, so then it was, let's try to win a world championship. And then in 1981 to be second and to be so close, to take one more year, it was worth it. But there was not much left in the tank emotionally. I had given so much in 1981 and 1980 both to achieve whatever goals I could achieve, to be the best skater I could be. But there just wasn't much. It wasn't like I didn't train, but the intensity and the passion and stuff that had been there just wasn't there. There's no way I could have done two more years.
On being in John Curry's skating company: It was a tremendous experience that I think I fell into. In 1981 Kenneth Feld [ice show producer] called me up, and he pretty much said, take it or leave it, this is the offer. Ice Capades, same thing. And I made the same decision in both situations. I didn't feel like 50 weeks a year, different city each week. And I may have made the mistake of youth of saying I didn't want to dress up in a Mickey Mouse costume [laughs]. In 1982, the John Curry company came about, and I remember thinking this isn't something I would normally do. And as it turned out it was probably the greatest thing that ever happened to me, because it really taught me such a different side of skating. At the beginning I don't think [John] knew what to make of me. I'm pretty sure that when they hired me, they hired me because of my name – I certainly didn't fit into a dance company on ice with my style being Rocky on ice. So at the beginning I wasn't really involved too much in group numbers. I was always just kind of standing around on the outside and did a couple of things but not too much. And we were supposed to do an exhibition and a couple of skaters came up sick. And John says, oh, we're going to have to teach you the numbers. And I said, "I know them." And he said, "What do you mean, you know them?" And I said," I've been watching them the whole time. Put the music on." And they put the music on and I did the number, and ever since then, we got on great. He always used to joke that I was like the batteries of the show, because I would come out and do these fast aggressive numbers like the Russian sailors dance, and then everybody else could be beautiful and graceful and all that [laughs].
On working as a TV commentator in the 1980s: At one point it was enjoyable, but it's probably a little over my head, as cutthroat a business as it is. And I'm probably a little bit too sensitive for it. My biggest mistake was reading USA Today and listening to comments instead of just saying, do your job. That was the biggest problem I had. My knowledge was there [but] in a lot of cases, like the Calgary Olympics, I was put in as an interviewer, which was certainly not where my expertise is. I would be more like an analyst, but they had Dick Button, so they put me as an interviewer and that was really not my thing. But other times I did pro competitions as a commentator and that was much more successful.
On being appreciative: I look back at a lot of things like the highs and lows of my own competitive career, and I think it really gave me a very humble look at what I was able to do, [and] yet I really appreciate a lot of things. I think one thing I'm really good at is I don't ever take things for granted. I just feel that you gotta just keep plugging away, and if you do the right thing, you earn what you get. I've had a lot of good things happen, and some not so good things, but I certainly wouldn't have changed it. I wouldn't change anything I did as an amateur except maybe believe in myself a little bit more.
On being a technical specialist: That has been a very fulfilling job. When they came to a lot of us former skaters and asked us, because they wanted to put some credibility into this new system, I just felt like I wanted to be part of this new wave. I love the technical side of skating. And just to hear and to be around a whole different atmosphere, now you're on the judging side and you hear what the judges are thinking and what they do, and I have a greater appreciation for the judges and for what they offer. And it's a lot of fun, it really is. It's fun to be in the hot seat. I'm a competitor so I get up for these things just as much as when I skated.


Lauretta & James are looking to complete the rest of their home in Renewal by Andersen windows and doors! We're at your service!
We are replacing 9 double hung wood windows in this townhouse in Lewisberry due to warping and rotting.


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AstroNova to Present at Sidoti Virtual Microcap Conference 2020
By: AstroNova, Inc. via Business Wire News Releases
AstroNova, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALOT), a global leader in data visualization technologies, today announced that Gregory A. Woods, President and Chief Executive Officer, and David S. Smith, Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer, will be presenting and hosting one-on-one meetings at the Sidoti Virtual Microcap Conference 2020. The presentation is scheduled to begin at 3:15 p.m. ET Tuesday, June 30, 2020.
A live webcast of the AstroNova presentation will be available at https://bit.ly/2NutHsl and on the "Investors" section of the Company's website, https://investors.astronovainc.com.
About AstroNova
AstroNova, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALOT), a global leader in data visualization technologies since 1969, designs, manufactures, distributes, and services a broad range of products that acquire, store, analyze, and present data in multiple formats.
The Product Identification segment offers a complete line-up of labeling hardware and supplies allowing customers to mark, track, and enhance the appearance of their products. The segment is comprised of three business units: QuickLabel®, the industry leader in tabletop digital color label printing; TrojanLabel®, an innovative leader for professional label presses; and GetLabels™, the premier supplier of label materials, inks, toners, ribbons, and adhesives, all compatible with the major printer brands. Supported by AstroNova's customer application experts and technology leadership in printing, material science, and high-speed data processing, customers benefit from an optimized, "total solution" approach.
The Test and Measurement segment includes the AstroNova Aerospace business unit, which designs and manufactures flight deck printers, networking hardware, and related accessories serving the world's aerospace and defense industries with proven advanced airborne technology solutions for the cockpit and the cabin; and the Test and Measurement business unit, which offers a suite of products and services that acquire, record, and analyze electronic signal data from local and networked sensors.
AstroNova is a member of the Russell Microcap® Index and the LD Micro Index (INDEXNYSEGIS: LDMICRO). Additional information is available by visiting www.astronovainc.com.
Scott Solomon
Sharon Merrill Associates
ALOT@investorrelations.com
Astronova Inc

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Wild 90 premieres 7 January, and Beyond the Law 2 April.
Preceded by magazine publication (Part I in Harper's and Part II in Commentary), The Armies of the Night (68.8) is published by New American Library on 6 May, 20 years to the day after The Naked and the Dead (48.2). His account receives almost unanimously favorable and enthusiastic reviews, including a front page review by Alfred Kazin in the New York Times Book Review on 5 May.
In July, makes his third experimental film, Maidstone, on Long Island. Mailer plays a famous director, Norman T. Kingsley, and Rip Torn plays his half-brother Raoul. After formal photography is over, Raoul-Torn attacks Kingsley-Mailer with a hammer and they fight. After the recriminations melt, Mailer uses the attack, which was filmed, as the conclusion of the film.
In August, covers the national political conventions, and publishes his account, Miami and the Siege of Chicago (68.25), first in Harper's and then in book form on 24 October.
NM in 1968. Photo by Chris Smith.
Carol Stevens and NM in Maidstone (1968).
NM in Grant Park (1968). Photo by Chicago Sun Times.
NM and Joe Flaherty in 1968. Photo by N.Y. Press Service.
This page was last edited on 2 December 2018, at 16:46.


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Let us design something special for your company and within your price point. Through our wide selection of packaging and your input, we will create a gift of Encore Toffee or Encore Brittle that will be the perfect way to represent your company or business. Contact us for details.
We also have limitless packaging capabilities for hostess gifts, party favors, weddings, showers, birthday parties, retirements, welcoming gifts, or any special event. We will create your selection in bags, boxes or special tins. Contact us and let us know your needs. You'll be glad you did.
Our Encore Toffee is truly amazing. One taste and you will be a believer. We still make our English Toffee and Brittles the old-fashioned way.
If you have a question or comment about our amazing Toffee or Brittles, we'd love to hear from you!


We are so amazingly blessed in the Kitchener-Waterloo area for having so many amazing things happening this weekend. This weekend is Thanksgiving and Oktoberfest wrapped up into one big happy package.
Thanksgiving is a national holiday that is celebrated primarily in the U.S.A, and Canada, but is also observed in other places around the world. Originally it was celebrated as a way of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest. Now, we tend you celebrate with family and friends, the things that we are thankful for.
Oktoberfest is a Bavarian tradition that took roots here in the Kitchener-Waterloo area in 1969. It is a time of fun, dancing, eating, drinking, and laughter among friends and families.
This weekend is also a time where we give ourselves permission to slow down, and spend some quality time with our families. We get to do the things that build relationships and create memories for all of us.
However, holidays are not happy or easy times for all of us. They are times that we must also face our deepest fears or internal struggles. We search desperately for ways to deal with the issues that we fight with.
For some, turning to alcohol may be the way that they want to deal with things. However this is not a healthy way of dealing with our struggles. Drinking does not erase or solve any of our problems.
Please remember this weekend that you can make some healthy choices around drinking so that you can be around for future holidays as well. You may be struggling right now but you will thank yourself later for drinking responsibly.
Reduce your risk of injury and harm by drinking no more than 3 drinks (for women) and 4 drinks (for men) on any single occasion.
If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or before breastfeeding, the safest choice is to drink no alcohol at all.
If you are a child or youth, you should delay drinking until your late teens. Talk with your parents about drinking. Alcohol can harm the way your brain and body develop.
Low-risk drinking helps to promote a culture of moderation.
Low-risk drinking supports healthy lifestyles.
While drinking may provide health benefits for certain groups of people, do not start to drink, or increase your drinking, for health benefits.
For more information on Canada's Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines and related reports, please visit the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) website..
This entry was posted in Addictions. Bookmark the permalink.
i am diabetic and 22 years old (i've had type 1 since i was 8) .i have a drink occolianalsy, but i dont drink beer (loaded with carbs) i usually drink sugar free redbull and vodka .it has never had much of an effect on my blood sugar but then again i dont let myself get drunk so i dont lose control. i had a diabetic friend die at the age 17 due to the fact that she funnelled way too many beers at a party and passed out and no one realized her blood sugar had shot up above 1000 and she flat lined and never came out of a coma. everything should be done in moderation.


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HomeENGLISH
Government announces second round of BPN aid for B40, M40
by1Media.my - September 23, 2020 0
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today announced a second round of cash aid for the B40, M40 households.
Called Bantuan Prihatin Nasional 2.0 (BPN 2.0), the handout is part of the Kita Prihatin economic recovery package, aimed at helping Malaysians face the hardships brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and the movement control order phases that had to be implemented due to the virus.
Speaking in a televised address this afternoon, the prime minister said RM7 billion has been allocated for BPN 2.0 which will benefit 10.6 million recipients.
For the B40 group, households are set to receive RM1,000 while those who are single will receive RM500.
As for the M40 group, households will receive RM600 while those who are single will receive RM300.
The payments will be made in two instalments with the first one in October and the second in Jan 2021.
Those who qualify will not have to apply for BPN 2.0 as the database used is based on the previous BPN aid.
Meanwhile, for those who did not qualify for the previous BPN aid, the government would allow them to appeal and submit a new application.
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/09/626633/government-announces-second-round-bpn-aid-b40-m40
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Hope u will like it, i am planning another versions with high level locations, but i have to lvl up my human first..
And here's the text link ..
Really well done.. Loved the way you cut in the others on the vid and the dance off bit at the end... I wondered if you had managed to capture that.
Thx! But i have to do next one better! I will lvl up my human (this depends on my school right now) and i will try to do another dancing video, more diverse.
yeah and lets see if we can get even more guilding on this time.
Maybe we could do something during one of he event nights. like a social get together thing.
Great stuff Keep it up!!
OMG 2425 views..:O 70 likes/10 Dislikes...we have to do something huge as guild!
» Ib tiam neeg, 2000 xyoo?


This tour starts by taking Waxholmsbolaget's boat from Stockholm, or Vaxholm, to Linanäs on Ljusterö.
Here you'll find Villa Sjövik, beautifully located close to the dock , beach and restaurants. If you want to see more of Ljusterö by bike we recommend the scenic trail to the nature reserve on Östra Lagnö, where rocks, polished by the inland ice, look out over the outer archipelago. If you want to try paddling you can hire a kayak in a sheltered bay on Västra Lagnö. Another pretty spot is the vantage point at Ljusterö Huvud where you can see all the way to Stockholm in clear weather.
The tour continues to the mainland via the car ferry from Ljusterö to Östanå and Roslags-Kulla.
*By boat to Östanå - Alternatively you can take Blidösundsbolaget's boat from Stockholm directly to Östanå. From here, it's a 12 km bike ride to Bergshamra. If you wish to take your bike on the boat, please make a booking with Blidösundsbolaget the day before, tel 08-545 29350.
* Siaröfortet – Waxholmsbolagets ferry also provides a service from Östanå to Siaröfortet –a fort with six anti-aircraft bunkers from World War II that today house an underground museum, hostel, bistro and café.
The parish of Roslags-Kulla boasts a red timbered church from the early 1700's, it's a beautiful landmark with its tower and belfry . When here, don't miss the short detour to Wira Bruk - one of Sweden's most important weapon smithies during the Swedish Empire period (1611-1718). Here you not only get a feeling for living - and working conditions in the 1700s and 1800s but can also experience modern blacksmithing. The picturesque environment is perfect for a stroll and it offers refreshments in the little coffee house by the stream.
Carlberg Bed & Breakfast is situated in a timeless rural setting just 400m from Bergshamra Bay. Bike rentals are available and the surrounding countryside is well suited for day trips. Your hosts can advise you on the wide range of activities offered in the area. The village has a grocery store, pizzeria, and antique shop. Kvarngården, where there often are art exhibitions, is close by. Other places of interest are Penningby Castle, Malmsjöns Nature Reserve, and one of Sweden's oldest national parks, Ängsö, situated on an island just off the coast that can be reached by boat.
Waxholmsbolaget ferry from Stockholm (Strömkajen) or Vaxholm to Linanäs jetty on Ljusterö.


This is an incredibly easy dish to cook. Apart from a bit of chopping at the start and a lot of eating at the end, there's not much to do!
It's a very soothing meal and a favourite of mine if I'm feeling a bit under the weather or at the merest hint of a cold to boost the immune system.
Place the chicken in a large casserole dish and cover with water.
Add the chopped onion, bay leaf, celery, garlic cloves and chopped sweet potatoes. Season well with salt and pepper.
Bring to the boil, then pop the lid on and leave to simmer for about 20 mins.
Now add the carrots and continue to simmer for another 30-40 minutes until the chicken is cooked. The chicken will be ready when you can pull the legs & they come away easily. Remove the chicken from the broth and rest it somewhere it will keep warm.
Add the peas and spinach to the broth and cook for a couple of minutes, until the spinach has wilted.
Spoon off any fat that has risen to the surface. Check the seasoning and add any further salt or pepper to taste.
Pull the chicken off the bone & place in a bowl. Spoon over the broth with the vegetables and sprinkle with the parsley.


Ask Chuck: Discovering The Azores Day 11: Last Morning at Terra Nostra, Driving To Livramento,,Whoa! Hold That Horse! Arrival At Talisman Hotel and Pizza On Display!
Discovering The Azores Day 11: Last Morning at Terra Nostra, Driving To Livramento,,Whoa! Hold That Horse! Arrival At Talisman Hotel and Pizza On Display!
I awoke early and finished my random packing for Ponta Delgada. We went for a final walk around the garden and of course a final dip in the sulfur pool then breakfast. As usual breakfast was quite satisfying. Our bags were already to go so right after we were done breakfast we checked out and soon we were on our way to Livramento!
Located in the southwestern part of Sao Miguel, Livramento is known for its historical tradition. Apparently a family of English people were seeking refuge from the British government and set up house in Livramento. The area prospered during the 19th Century due to a mandatory stoppage by vessels going on long distance voyages in order to collect oranges! Why? Think of Scurvy and vitamin c! Many manor Houses were built around this time.
One of these manor houses that goes back to the 17th Century is Quinta da Terca. The estate was once one of these orange suppliers but as the years passed, the orange trade diminished in direct relation to the higher quality oranges being brought from other areas. Soon the orchards were gone.
The estate now serves as a hospitality depot for recreation and lodging. There are guest rooms with all the amenities for stays on the property as well as dinner facilities, golf courses, recreational diving and snorkeling and various tours. of course then there was Horseback Riding..
For God's Sake Whoa! .
Bruno was our guide and he selected the horses. Now I did tell him that I was not an expert. I also told him that I was uncomfortable in my last horse venture. He picked a clam horse for this two hour tour.
Here's how the tour went.
"The voyage started getting rough. The mighty hips were hurt. With a horse so wide and hips so old the venture would be lost! Now the guide was a mighty horseman and those around me were brave and true but I feared that in the two hour tour my body would be lost----body would be lost!"
After an hour and a saddle that got loose on me ---causing me to hit the ground running! I was asked if I wanted to cut the time down to one hour. I was dying here but I would be damned to give them the pleasure of seeing me quit.
"Of course not!"I remarked---hating myself for not throwing in the towel.
We went on through lovely orchards,beautiful meadows and superb hills. We also went on paved roads whereby cars would go by us. One jerk passed us on a motorcycle and purposely revved his cycle as he passed. My horse jumped and my hips hurt even more. By the time we got to the barn, my body was praying---pleading for relief. On stopping I fell off my horse and tried to walk. It took at least twenty minutes to do so. "You did well," Bruno said! I smiled the smile of "Never More!".
Directions are a great thing but only if you are aware of the names you are being directed to and only if the street names are clear to be read from the roadway! I managed to get from Livramento to Ponta Delgada but once in Ponta Delgada everything became obscure. Road signs did not seem very helpful and I was more concerned not to become entangled in a car accident due to my concentration in looking at signs.
I eventually stopped and asked a man to direct me to the Talisman Hotel. He pondered a bit and then to my surprise he gave me a sign to follow him in his car. Within ten minutes through winding streets we came to the Talisman.
His name was Edwardo and i am eternally grateful! We parked and made our way to the hotel and registered.
Ironically, the vehicle was parked not far from the car rental property and we then made our way to the place. The patron was alone and busy so I brought the car in and advised him of some minor problems with the vehicles operation. He checked the car and thanked us.
I was hungry so looking for an obvious restaurant would have to be quick. we went up and down several streets after asking the hotel day manager about nice places to eat. My patience was quite low however and when I came up to a restaurant called Italiano. The owner told us that he had emigrated from Pakistan and set up a business in the city.
We ordered a superb beer and followed that up with a nice pizza. Now full, we payed our bill of only 10 Euros and off we went to the hotel.
The hotel is located in the older corridor of the Ponta Delgada area not far from the wharf and main business street. The location made it ideal to visit a number of stores and parks in the area. The hotel itself was a reconditioned 17th Century home that was expanded to include a very modern property. The main foyer and staircase were original but there was much in the form of additions.
Our room was excellent. Spacious and had a balcony. The balcony oversaw a lovely small garden and park..
The whole scene was lovely and enchanting.
After our walk and dinner we decided it was time to end our day and get some rest. It was a very long day!


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ELECTRIC CORPSE BRINGING NEW WAVE INDIE GOTH BACK TO LIFE
Electric Corpse is Matthew Dallas on Guitar and lead vocals, Laura Abbruzzese on Drums, Megan Marcoux on Keys, and Danielle Kain on Bass. Although the impetus for the group is appropriately sad and tragic for the bands name, [see below from another recent interview with lead singer Matthew] the growing response to their music is quite impressive. Currently the bands self-titled EP boasts being "most-popular at #1 on the new-wave list" on bandcamp's website.
Think "goth"…. Having heard the band's music, it's gorgeous, stark-yet-layered music reminiscent of Joy Division, and — considering the band members' ages — it's easy to assume that this was a group of young people creating an image of darkness, a gloomy facade to surround themselves with (as so many young people do) to give themselves a cool air of gloom and nihilism.
Almost every song in the Electric Corpse arsenal is about Galanek's girlfriend of five years who died. "Two are about four years old, and I like them so I carried them over from my previous band," he says. "They're all about the same subject."
Galanek, the songwriter of the band, has been through true tragedy, the sort of experience that no person in their 20s should have to go through. Naturally, that experience had a huge impact on his life; when he sits down to write songs about what affects him the most, those are the feelings that pour forth. So the romantic tragedy, the beautiful gothic sound of Electric Corpse, is very, very real. It's authentic, it's honest and it's natural and, though what happened to Galanek and the people surrounding him is horrible, it is refreshing to hear new dark music that isn't cynically constructed."
-VIA Electric Corpse's dark shadows, Metro Times article, Brett Callwood
Where did you grow up in MI? Where does the band live now?
All over SE Michigan. We live in Waterford, Macomb, and Ferndale.
How long have the lead singer, other members been making music? What's your earliest memory of music in your life?
Matt: I was four years old and was staying with my godfather who is a musician. I remember him playing, "This One Goes Out to the One I Love" by REM for my godmother and that made me want to make music. I have been playing guitar for 20 years.
Laura: I have been making music for about seven years.
How long has Electric Corpse been together?
We've been together now for six months. Matthew, Laura and Megan have been involved in other projects with each other in the past before Electric Corpse though.
Why 'Electric Corpse'?
We came up with the name in the very beginning and it is fitting with our music. [See other interview, Electric Corpse's dark shadows for more info.]
When did you release your record?
We just have our EP out right now. We have plans to record a LP in the next few months. There will be a release party for it.
What are your biggest influences musically?
Interpol, Love and Rockets, Danzig, The Pixies, The Smiths
Does Detroit's music history inspire you?
Very much so. It is great playing in an environment where so many great musicians have come before us and played music that affects so many people.
What's your favorite venue to play in Detroit?
Small's in Hamtramck.
Favorite place to dine or drink?
Fast Eddies in Mt. Clemens, and Gusoline Alley in Royal Oak are our favorite places to go for drinks.
Do you listen to other Detroit musicians/bands? Any favorites?
Michael Mars and the God Particle, Rogue Satellites, The Restless Days, Hotel Motel, and Darkwave are some of our favorites to listen to and play with.
Where do you see Detroit in 10 years?
Thriving! We see so many great things going on in Detroit, so many wonderful artists and projects in this community made up of creative people, that I'm sure there will be big and exciting things happening in Detroit in 10 years. We are happy to be a part of the city right now.
What's next for Electric Corpse?
Our next big show is opening up for CRUD for their CRUDdy XXXmas Holiday Bash on December 29th at The Ritz in Warren.
FRIEND THEM ON FACEBOOK!
FOLLOW THEM ON TWITTER!
Check out the EP review from Examiner.com.
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Electric Corpse Hotel Motel LIFESTYLE Michael Mars and the God Particle MUSIC Rogue Satellites Smalls The Restless Days


text:
Political Prisoner or a Prey for Disgraceful Guards
By Arezou Saaberi
Reading time:6 min.
As you have repeatedly heard or read in the press over the years, at various points in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran, this regime has always been accused of widespread rape of political prisoners, which we all know has a solid basis.
The start of this deadly nauseating story goes back to the time of the execution of political prisoners in the 1980s, the same period that people such as Hossein Ali Montazeri, who was the deputy Supreme Leader at the time, protested against the rape of female prisoners in a letter, which is proof of the fact. Later in the aftermath of the 2009 protests, in what is known as the "Bloggers' Case," the defendants announced the "threat of rape" at the time of their arrest, which caused reactions from various authorities in different levels of the regime, and Mehdi Karoubi called for investigation into the matter but virtually nothing was done.
During Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency and the implementation of a security plan by the police, people detained in Kahrizak prison spoke of raping, stripping and urinating on prisoners, and reports of torture and sexual harassment of detainees who were arrested at the tenth presidential elections protests were also reported.
Although the Islamic Republic denounces sexual harassment in its prisons as absurd, there are many cases in which these allegations have been substantiated and there is ample evidence to support these allegations. One of these examples involved the case of Zahra Kazemi, an Iranian / Canadian photographer and journalist who was arrested at street protests and tortured in prison leading to her death. Shahram Azam, a former physician and employee of the Iranian Ministry of Defense, who emigrated later, after examining Zahra Kazemi's body, confirmed that she had signs of severe beatings, torture and rape, skull and nose fractures, crushing of the toes, fractures of middle, small fingers of right hand and middle finger of left hand, pulled nails of thumb and index finger, lung and rib injuries, severe abdominal bruising, genitalia and legs indicate repeated sexual assaults and lashes. All these indicate she was killed under torture and sexual assaults.
Other examples of such practices of the Islamic Republic include the conduct of interrogators during the questioning of Saeed Imami's wife, one of the agents of the Islamic Republic, who was terminated during the "Chain Murder Case", the videos of interrogators are abundantly found on the internet. As reported by Reporters Without Borders, sexual harassment of detainees and political prisoners has been an integral part of the security and intelligence interrogations since the inception of this regime but became public by Mehdi Karroubi's letter.
A nongovernmental organization working against gender apartheid called Aaj (Ivory) also referred to sections 209 and 2A of Evin prison as dangerous sections for women, in which women and girls accused of political and security offences have been subjected to sexual abuse threats; the organization emphasizes in its report that the reenactment of the rape scene for women defendants in these security sections, which is outside Evin Prison supervision and law, such as the reconstruction of executions for men, is a usual practice. It is their permanent procedure in these sections of the prison to touch women and girls' genitalia and sickeningly describe every detail of their private parts. The report also mentions cases of sexual abuse or trafficking and the rape or abuse of women prisoners by former heads of Rajai Shahr and Section 350 of Evin prison. There are, of course, references to women prisoners with other offenses, who have been in danger of being raped:
"Prisoners in need of leave, money and drugs, and even a place to live, some of whom have been convicted of prostitution and drug dealing, have no choice but to accept these conditions and relationships."
The range of these sexual threats goes so far as to rape political prisoners' spouses and children to make forced confessions.
As reported in various reports and news, female political prisoners are even sexually abused during frisking. Deutsche Welle reports on 2012 that 8 female political prisoners were asked by the guards to expose their genitalia to them.
Shahed Alavi, in one of his latest reports on 2019 protests, also cites various cases of sexual harassment of detainees. Amnesty International mentions one of several recent sexual harassment cases against an Iranian protester in its December report:
"One of the female protesters arrested on the street by security guards has been forced into oral sex after being transferred to a police' detention center and the officer has repeatedly tried to rape her."
Another woman from south of the country, detained during widespread November 2019 protests says she was threatened to be raped by ISIS members, which has subjected her to fear and psychological trauma while waiting endlessly.
Among other cases that have been talked about lately is the case of Niloufar Bayani and Sepideh Kashani, environmental activists sexual harassment. Niloufar wrote a letter to the head of Section 2A, IRGC detention center in Evin on January 16 2019, describing parts of the officers' behaviors as follows:
" A large team of interrogators repeatedly saying the filthiest sexual insults in lengthy interrogations, forcing me to complete their fantacies."
In September 2019, in her last defense, she mentions being in constant fear of her interrogator acting on his threats:
"You can see on videos, my main interrogator with the alias Hamid Rezaei, I shake by even calling out his name, how he behaved with me. Because of his shameless behavior towards me, whenever the interrogation took long until after sundown, I would shake from fear of serious assault. I was afraid if I didn't write what he asked me, he would rape me. His unexpected appearance in the dark hallway, or the yard made me feel unsafe everywhere. I've had uninterrupted severe anxiety from all this."
These revelations by Niloufar Bayani, which were repeatedly denied by the authorities of the Islamic Republic, were not only ignored but were also cause to further harm this environmental activist!
It is clear that sexual harassment in Iran prisons is as old as the life of the Islamic Republic, and although not exclusively for women, women inmates experience different kinds of sexual assaults and at a deeper psychological level. The effects of these psychological wounds never heal and will remain with them for the rest of their lives.
This is a translation of this post by Mira Irani.
detainees
Negotiations, "For Now!"
Who Would Rise Up?
Active Measures & Useful Idiots
Iran Cyberspace: Hiding Identity and Resistance
Execution Machine & Intel-Justice
Pillars of Inferno – Shia Totalitarianism
Islamic Republic Regime and Propaganda
Who Said Do Not Execute & Who Said Execute
Coronavirus and Supreme Leader's Network