text:
Thursday, January 22, 2009
No awe..... some shock
My jaw dropped listening to Sanjay Dutt - and more so - listening to Maanyata - holding forth on their political ambitions. There is a limit to the public's tolerance in such matters. Or ought to be. If Sanjay can claim with a straight face that he sees himself as a 'leader', not a politician, and insist he wants to 'serve the people' (pray tell us, how?), and those statements go unchallenged by an awestruck anchor (really Mahrukh!) sorry, but we disgrace ourselves in accepting his words at face value. Not just Sanjay, but any convicted individual must be debarred from contesting the elections. Ditto for illiterate candidates. Citizens have the right to push for these basic reforms before it is too late. As for sati savitree Maanyata's virtuous admission that she seeks her husband's permission before going out for coffee with her friends..... wow!! she's come a long way - from pole dancing to political shamming. Shades of Eva Peron?? Maybe we deserve them both. Shall we distribute a few jadu ki jhappis in their honour?
36 comments:
- hitch writer said...
Obama : too much hype before actual action !! lets see how it goes ....
Sanjay : Well, Amarsingh must be a charmer !! I just dont know what is going on in Sanjay's mind !! also again a lot of hype !!! why is he standing in Lucknow ?? does he stand any chance to win !!!???
Not only should he be barred for standing because he is convicted. There should also be a rule that a person who wins an election from a consituency must then spend so many days in the consituency and perform his work...
People like govinda stand, win and then disappear !!! why do people vote for these people is really beyond me !!!
- January 22, 2009 at 12:11 PM
- Paper N Pencil said...
Absolutely agree with you, on debarring Sanjay Dutt from contesting!
What kind of law makers are we looking at? Somebody who has been CONVICTED under the ARMS ACT???? And, still worse, the thought that if he can't contest, his wife Manyatha should....huh....
UP Politics cant stink any further!
Adding spice the this drama, is the daily statements exchanged between Priya & Sanjay Dutt!!
Yes, we all loved him in Munnabai:-). That does'nt anyway even remotely mean, he is fit to be a LAWMAKER!
- January 22, 2009 at 12:16 PM
- Nazish Rahman said...
I think to much is expected from Obama..as its nothing new that one expects a lot from U.S President, but much more from him. Yes the occasion seemed to to get over him as it was easy to make out. One must not forget that he is a new President with some new policies and with a different background but one thing is for sure the same...he is a POLITICIAN. There he had to press this political button and again win the confidence of those who voted for him to be the President of U.S. Yes one should not go by what he says as his actions will be the evidence of his work as how successful he is in his job.
Blame media for all this, as they are the ones who give platform for all this...even someone like Maanyata. Comparing to all the political leaders Ssnjay is far better than them. He has the right to contest elections as the system provides it, change the system and you cant have people who are convicted contest for elections. We need to change the law and also implement it. It does not matter whoever contests elections its the people who choose their leaders so leave it in the hands of the public to decide if they want to choose Sanjay or not. Its such a sorry state of our political system that nine out of ten politicians are somehow booked under some charge or even convicted. Its the youth of India that needs to raise its voice and bring a positive change.
Jai Hind
- January 22, 2009 at 12:29 PM
Why so much talks about president, I am unable to understand.
Hope - Lets see.
We distribute jadu ki jhappis or not but he is/will for sure.
Democracy hai bhaiiiiii...
- January 22, 2009 at 12:32 PM
- meghna said...
give obama a break... the whole world had descended to national mall for his swearing in ceremony--... a few fumbles are only pardonable...when millions of people are watching you.. and all the eyes are on you..
- January 22, 2009 at 1:40 PM
You are never happy with anything, right?? You always have problems, always have something to say against everything.
All you like is food, and cricising everyone..... Grow up Shobhaa..... or a "DE" will come when no one will be reading any of your articles....
I just came here following soem link, and i must say, i will never visit again. .. . . .
- January 22, 2009 at 1:47 PM
- Kannan Kartha said...
1 post ... 2 different contexts ... interesting way to post.
Obama has a tough task at hand and has biggest challenge of living up to the expectations of god knows how many people in various countries. So, I guess, these slight slips should not even count. His step to close Guantanamo Bay detention center is, I think, very bold step in the midst of "fight against terrorism" hysteria.
Regarding Sanjay Dutt, you are spot on and same with any other politicians. Now Azharuddin wants to contest.
I do not think you need leadership skills, education, clean criminal record or a background of community service to get into politics in India. We talk about "VOTE". I say, with no eligible candidate worthy of a vote, we boycott elections.
- January 22, 2009 at 2:19 PM
- Deepak Rajanikanth said...
@Obama: Yes Shobhaa! I completely agree with you. The speech had a negative tone and also reminded people that he was an afro. As for remmbring the past heroes, I liked that he is floowing on the paths laid upon by Lincoln & others!
I just want see what hard measures he was talking about?? and also the thought of defeating the violent people or asking them to unclench their fists to shake hands was the cream!!!!
@Dutt Jr.
Not to worry. janata is NOT-SO-BLIND to believe an actor who was convicted! FAIL!
- January 22, 2009 at 2:20 PM
- www.helloraipur.com said...
www.helloraipur.com in complete details of Raipur & Chhatisgarh, India. It includes all directories, information, tour/ travels, hotel, Govt/ daily information & News paper and also tourist places/ tribal areas of baster.
- January 22, 2009 at 5:11 PM
I don't understand why the President should not emphasize his Dalit background... i think it would have been a good thing. Obama has a long road ahead and deserves all the support he can get. The man is trying. :)
- January 22, 2009 at 6:23 PM
- M.A.Sharma "सेहर" said...
Lets see what this bindaas banda will do??
Count down started .....:)))
- January 22, 2009 at 8:28 PM
Whatever obama is or isin't , he's one great public speaker, As for the fumble, thanks to the chief justice. obama did try to give the guy a chance to correct himself. but does it really matter. and as for his speach , i thought it was awesome, so what if it has a bit of negativity to contrast the positive, that's the way it should be done. An acceptance speech and an address to the country are 2 different things he cannot jump arpound claiming "yes we can" at the slightest chance..As for naming the religions, c'mon do you really expect the president of USA or any president for that matter to go down a long list of obscure religions populating this world :-) some sense please. As for being first black president, i take offense he's as black as he's white more white than black i would say. Born mixed race and raised white makes you more white than black.. I know it's yoru column and you cn critisize, my only advise would be to temper it a bit with logic , you have a sound mind why waste it with mindless rants .
As for sanju and his wife. less spoken the better.
- January 22, 2009 at 8:33 PM
- Sabarish Chandrasekharan said...
Obama's speech had its bad moments..but mind you even if there is an array of speech writers available for him...he needs to deliver...he is an excellent speaker an orator of bill clinton's class. We really cant compare Obama and APJ, coz one is an aggressive young man (pukka politician) and other is a humble-reserved scientist(never meant to be a politician). On the funnier side if our 'behenji' or 'lalu' becomes the next PM, i am 105% sure they will speak of their 'roots'. I adore sanjay dutt but him in politics?? Only if he guarantees me to arrest dawood ibrahim (his old pal) i may even think of voting for him. After all Mumbai,Delhi, Malegaon, Ahmedabad etc blasts..our political parties still thrive on bringing these corrupted individuals to the fray. Only clause of escape is bring back Vajpayeeji from retirement , i feel thats the only way to stop the Battering Ram of Manyata-Sanjay-AmarSingh.
- January 22, 2009 at 9:14 PM
- Miss Cynical said...
a few jadu ki jappi.. for the love of God, people should squeeze the crap out of him!! legendary bollywood after retirement opts for the political order.. it might just prick the janta on the one last nerve left.. but UP is the perfect place that stands complementary to his choice!!
a time will come when people would get confused between bollywood and "pollywood" :P
- January 22, 2009 at 9:20 PM
- Ashutosh Didwania said...
I was actually surprised that the normally over-active Indian media let the fumbling incident pass off without much hype. Anyway, on a more serious note, I guess we shouldn't be making too much out of those fumbled moments. After all even the best of the lot are subject to buckling under pressure. As far as the Sanjay Dutt-Manyata 'naatakbaazi' is concerned, it was all too evident the very first day when Sanjay Dutt adressed Amar Singh as his 'bada bhai'. A sure shot thumbs down for this shitty act and jodi..
- January 22, 2009 at 10:04 PM
- Uma said...
He's going to screw the outsourcing industry and I will lose my livelihood. You rock on, woman. Keep kissing ass in exchange for free food and entertainment.
- January 22, 2009 at 10:42 PM
- NAT said...
Why don't you become the second woman President of India. Gosh, it will be a record second woman from Maharahtra. Then you can at least open your mouth, and the world will know what one should expect from the most upright and PERFECT personified Ms De that you make yourself out to be.
You can also guide the Election commisioner on who is eligible to stand for elections.
I guess you will then cast all the poor to the hills and have a Haven for you and your cronies who time and again you blow their trumpets for them. Remember they have also come up/made their money through.......means.
Agree with what Uma says keep kissing.......
- January 22, 2009 at 11:57 PM
- aryakid said...
It wasnt't Obama who fumbled!!! The chief justice did. The word "faithfully" was jumbled up by the chief justice and hence obama waited to see if the chief justice wud get it right.
Obama is right:) I guess we Indians judge very soon, you are wrong here in saying Obama made a mistake, you too made a fatal judgemental error here
- January 23, 2009 at 7:50 AM
- citizenoftheworld said...
Actually Mrs.De, you're incorrect in being disappointed in President Barak Hussein Obama for fumbling on the speech. In America, the President's Oath has been written in the consitution by the founders of the country and it upon the Supreme Court Judge to administer the speech. Justice Steven Roberts messed up in reciting the oath from the constitution to President Obama(not the other way around). If it's any conciliation, Obama retook the speech today.
Also, Obama brought up the recollection of his father because America still struggles with the issue of race and equality and he wanted to acknowledge the historical signifiance of him being the first president of color and from an immigrant father, especially since it was the day after Martin Luther King's Birthday. I admit his speech didn't live up to people's expectations, but then his speech wasn't terrible either. People just expected too much from his speech. Also, I do believe his speech was a positive reinforcement. The plight of the American economy is getting worse day by day. It would be nonsensical for him to paint a happy-go-lucky message to the public. The American public elected a president that would face reality not pretend like everything is okay and make a big mess out of it like Bush.
- January 23, 2009 at 8:56 AM
Ya... ur absolutely right Shobhaa. I'd rather fall for a braggart...What's with all the nagging about the difficult past...come on! Every step forward is a challenge. I cannot dismiss the sacrifices made...but then who hasn't? It was just not inspirational enough. U do not count on ur past to move forward...it's like this awkward weapon u choose to use everytime u prove a point.
And that 'Yes, We Can' notion never showcased without a hint of the tragedy that had struck years ago....
Hoping for a more cheerful outlook at what needs to be done...in an already sombre atmosphere.
Nandini Rao
- January 23, 2009 at 11:29 AM
- Ankit said...
"come on, if the President of the United States of America, with his team of speech writers can't get it right, who can"
After all they are human..they can make mistake feeling d pressure of such big occasion....u hv prblem wid everything...get life aunty :D
- January 23, 2009 at 5:13 PM
- Balvinder Singh said...
The only thing i like about these westners is that they don't read out their speeches from a paper as our politicians as intelligent and as well read as Dr. Manmohan Singh do.
But frankly speaking Obama's speech sounded like he was still in the election campaign.
As far as Sanjay and Manyata Dutt's utterings are concerned , it is all the fault of media. To get a scoop they just call some controvercial people in the studios ask them few controvercial questions and there you are with new controversy into which the country errupts.
- January 23, 2009 at 5:52 PM
your words seem to point that you have some personal grudge against sanjay and manyata. agreed he is not the ideal person to be a politician, but why dig out the graves from manyata's past by saying that she was a pole dancer or whatever.
you were a model and i am sure you were definitely not chaste then and even now you are not.
first see yourself before pointing fingers to others.
there is a limit to everything.
- January 23, 2009 at 6:07 PM
- *Aham* said...
I suppose De, I was so overwhelmed about Obama becoming the president that I didnt actually objectively look at things. I will need to you tube it tonite for a relook.
Broadly, Yes, I agree with you, Prezzos should not be speaking about skin tones and religions in their speech. there are certain issues that have to be acted upon without being hammered. Discrimination or bias is one such thingy.
Regarding sikhs and buddhists etc, for them it could all be hindus.
Manyata bhabhi??? ohhhh i hate to speak about it. if sanjay dutt gets voted in. then it would be a real slap on every indians face. Priya must have denied him a seat. Rightly so.
- January 23, 2009 at 6:35 PM
I think you were watching some other inauguration. Or maybe, Palin like- not listening. Obama being black is a big deal MM Singh being a Sikh or Abdul Kalam a Muslim not so, because after Obama blacks in the USA can dare to be as big,presidents even. Muslims or minorities in India cannot- still. Indira Gandhi was a woman PM- women are still the secondary citizens in our great nation- that is the difference.Negativity, well, it seemed like reality, unlike the empty rhetoric Indian politicians are full of- inded the very fact that a fraud like Sanjay Dutt with his archaic views on women can be listened to and not shamed for holding them- says a lot about how far as a nation, despite our "minority" leaders and "women" presidents we are. Perhaps Ms De you need to view things in perspective- coming out of a South Mumbai "we are so privileged" bubble.
- January 23, 2009 at 8:27 PM
- KimyaShafinaaz said...
"Obama personalised his status by bringing his father into the speech ("60 years ago, he would have been refused service at a restaurant"). These sort of reminders cause pain and the world needs positive reinforcement rather than an opening up of old wounds."
I agree with your sentiments, Ms De..
While I think that Obama being an African AMerican is a huge deal, I also think that personalising the issue in his inauguration speech and seeing it as a personal victory is a marketing ploy to engender the sentiments of the Third World...
But no, we don't need reminders of his ancestors slavery; we know. Obama has not been plucked from the heart of Africa; He is an American. And from what I remember, 'colour' is purported to be a non-issue.
Lets get on with the bigger issues now. Theres wars raging; children are being slaughtered; innocent people are dying, in Gaza, in Mumbai, in too many parts of the world...
We're a bunch of people forgetting what it is to be human. There are bigger issues.
S. South Africa.
- January 23, 2009 at 11:17 PM
great piece Shobha!!!
The Obama mania is in full swing here in the US. Lets hope he's not only sound and fury.
You have to admit, Manyata is a real sharp one, manipulative to the core, now that Sanjay Dutt has taken off his mask, he looks sinister.....they are one crooked pair!
- January 24, 2009 at 12:29 AM
- Angel's Flight said...
U r supposed to be a journo right? then get ur facts right...it was the chief justice that messed up, and Obama was trying to him him along
Really woman!! u spew a lot of crap without even knowing what is right and what the facts are...
And I bet you published this same crap in the name of a column!
- January 24, 2009 at 3:25 AM
- Rhett said...
His speech has been interpreted more accurately in serious newspapers like NYT. For eg., he kept mentioning past leaders because he believes America needs to return to old values and ousting the constitution like was done in the Bush years must not be done anymore. Read: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/opinion/22cohen.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss and http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/opinion/22kristof.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
- January 25, 2009 at 3:24 AM
Oops I just noticed that I posted my comment in reference to THIS post in the comments section of Jan 20, 2009's post. Sorry.
No offense, Shobhaa-ji, I admire you for saying what is on your mind. And it is rare to come across someone with such a strong sense of self and enough confidence to say more than what is simply "politically correct". However, sometimes, I think you tend to be a bit too picky. Of course, he didn't mention Sikhs and Buddhists in his speech... but that doesn't apparently imply that they don't count. Obama cannot stand up at the podium and rattle off all of the religions in the world. There are so many.
So please, never stop speaking your mind, but go a little easy on the criticism. Most of the things you say are grounded and credible, but when you get so nit-picky - it's just illogical.
I will admit that I am skewed in my perception, perhaps that is why I am so prudent to feel that your criticism goes overboard when Obama is concerned.
I am OKAY with the fact that he got nervous and messed up while taking the oath.
His humanity was apparent in that crucial moment.
Obama was and is hailed for so many things on his famous, successful track to the Presidency. But the fact that he messed up shows that he is human.
And it was a memorable moment in my eyes. Not a let down.
It's OKAY to mess up.
We are all human.
It's great to have high standards that drive us to greatness, but at the same time, let us acknowledge that is OK to stumble. Without many many stumbles, the world would have lost many many success that owe credit to previous failures.
- sydney
- January 25, 2009 at 6:14 AM
Damn! Even If Obama (a mortal human being) does err or jumble up his oath, Why should it matter so much!!! It is just a trivial matter, and he did retake the oath (needlessly).
What a fuss over a single jumble.
God, when will ppl grow up?
- January 26, 2009 at 1:27 PM
- Sidhusaaheb said...
Considering the fact that Americans of Indian origin comprise a large number of Sikhs, not too far fewer than Hindus, the omission was glaring. The same applies for Budhists from other Asian nations. Thanks for highlighting this!
As for Sanjay, he appears to be an angel as compared to those like Bihar's Syed Shahabuddin and U.P.'s Raja Bhaiyya and other such 'Mafia Don-Politicians'.
- January 27, 2009 at 8:28 PM
- Anant said...
Sarcastically calling Manyata as sati savitri does not befit you .Shobhaala he shobhat nahi.
- February 1, 2009 at 9:29 PM
- Piper .. said...
you`ve got your facts wrong, I`m afraid. Obama didnt fumble with the oath. The Chief Justice did. Obama knew the oath by heart, which is why he stopped/waited for the Chief Justice to word the oath correctly. The perfectionist that he is, he insisted on taking the correct oath, as its worded in the constitution, the day after.The Chief Justice of course has been severely criticized thereafter.
Secondly, totally agree with you on the Sanjay Dutt and his wife(read leech) drama. Wonder if they`ll get away with this. Did you know that Manyata thinks that those who havent adopted their husband`s name are not really married but in live-in relationships?!!! :) wanted to do a post trying to persuade people not to vote for them. But then again, are the other candidates any better? Its like having to choose between the devil and the deep sea!
- February 2, 2009 at 6:44 AM
- maha said...
great writing....
Work from home India
- November 9, 2009 at 4:36 PM
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- July 4, 2014 at 12:43 PM


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Chris Valdovino teaches a class on how to create a killer robot.
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In the same way that the brand "Kleenex" is generically used to refer to any tissue for blowing one's nose, "Google" has for many people become the generic term for "search." There are dozens of search engines available, yet only a minority of users can name or have tried more than two or three of them.
You are probably using Google, and you're probably among the large number of users who are uncomfortable with the amount of information the company is collecting about you.
Recently, Google altered their privacy rules so that all your actions on any of their 60+ sites and subsidiaries– like YouTube, Gmail, Google+, Google search, and even Android phones, are combined into a single user profile. The company says this change will improve consumer's user experience and simplify their privacy policy.
Privacy advocates and organizations, as well as government agencies in Canada, the U.S., and Europei have taken a far darker view of Google's privacy changes, concerned that this vast consolidation of information will be leveraged in ways that do not protect consumer privacy.
In fact, the Consumers Union is warning consumers that Google can now create a much more detailed – and intrusive - profile about you with their new method of collecting your data from its many services, through the queries you make on Google Search, and through your YouTube activity.
The Consumers Union highlights that one goal of Google's data collection is to sell other companies the opportunity to target you with more adsii.
Addressing their privacy concerns, Policy Counsel for Consumers Union Ioana Rusu, saidiii, "When a company with as many services as Google is collecting so much information across so many services and combining them into a personal file about you, it naturally raises a lot of questions and concerns. Some of the most popular sites on the web belong to Google. If you're online, one way or the other, you're going to run into a Google product. If you don't like the idea of Google being able to collect your activity on all these different sites into a single dossier, there are some steps you can take to minimize the data that Google gathers about you, but the size and scope of this effort are still troubling."
To help you reduce the amount of information being collected about you when using Google services, the company has created a privacy tools page that outlines the following privacy features:
4. Use a different company: If you don't want Google to collect and aggregate the amount of your personal information that it claims rights to, you can choose to only keep some of your activities on Google services or not use Google services at all. There are many alternative search, email, navigation, photo sharing, etc. tools to choose from.
When it comes to search, the nine most popular search engines (aside from Google) today are: Bing, Yahoo!, Ask, AOL, myWebSearch, Lycos, Dogpile, WebCrawler, and Info. Check out the privacy policies of these to find one that best fits your needs.
Or, you can choose to be entirely anonymous when searching by using a search engine like Ixquick, which has been awarded the European Privacy Seal. Ixquick never collects or shares any user information. When you use Ixquick, it sends your search query to the large search engine companies on your behalf so you remain entirely anonymous. And, because Ixquick forwards your query to several search engines you get the best search results.
The amount of personal information collected by various search engines about you varies drastically, and there's a good chance that the search engine you're using doesn't match your privacy preferences. It's time to check out what search engines know about you, and select one that best fits your privacy needs.
i International Reactions to Google's New Privacy Policy
ii http://www.consumersunion.org/pub/core_telecom_and_utilities/018367.html
iii http://www.consumersunion.org/pub/core_telecom_and_utilities/018367.html
iv http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57379931-281/wsj-google-tricked-apples-safari-in-order-to-track-users/?tag=contentMain;contentBody


text:
Keyboard instruments > Piano solo
Isaac Albéniz
Iberia · First Book
Editor: Norbert Gertsch
33.95 $
Urtext Edition, paperbound
Pages: 51 (VII, 44), Size 23,5 x 31,0 cm
Order no. HN 647 · ISMN 979-0-2018-0647-1
"Spanish music with a universal touch": that is what Isaac Albéniz set out to compose, and he brought it off to perfection in his Iberia Suite. At last all four "books" of this late-romantic masterpiece will be issued in an urtext edition worthy of the name, with top-quality appearance and engraving. Being manageable in their technique, Evocation, El Puerto, and Fête-Dieu à Séville -- the three pieces in volume 1 -- are especially popular. Enjoy these pieces in the same manner as Debussy, who wrote of Iberia: "One closes one's eyes and is bedazzled by the sheer wealth of invention in this music!"
Read more about this edition in the Henle Blog.
« BackOrder this item now directly via our partner Hal Leonard»
Add to wish list »Added to wish list »
Hervorragende Neuausgabe des 1906 komponierten ersten Heftes der Sammlung "Iberia" ... mit ausführlichem Vorwort, kritischem Bericht und … sehr hilfreicher Übersetzung der zahlreichen französischen Vortrags- und Tempobezeichnungen ins Deutsche und Englische (sehr empfehlenswert).
[VdM Literaturempfehlungen, 2004]
Een uitgebreid historisch voorwoord met o.a. citaten uit Debussy's lofrede en een gedetailleerde bronnenvergelijiking maken deze uitgave een ware schat om te koesteren.
[Pianowereld, 2004]
L'apparato critico, a fine volume, rende conto dettagliatamente delle varianti riscontrate nelle suddette fonti, mentre la prefazione fornisce tutti i necessari dettagli relativi alla genesi dell´opera e alle sue vicissitudini editoriali.
[Hortus Musicus, 2003]
- Iberia · First Book
Level of difficulty (Piano): difficult (Level 6/7)Other titles with this level of difficulty »
El Puerto
Level of difficulty (Piano): difficult (Level 7)Other titles with this level of difficulty »
Fête-Dieu à Séville
Level of difficulty (Piano): difficult (Level 8)Other titles with this level of difficulty »
The levels of difficulty of the
piano music published by G. Henle Publishers
The levels of difficulty of the piano music published by G. Henle Publishers
|Bach, Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach, nos. 4 and 5
|Bach, Well-Tempered Clavier I, no. 1 Prelude C major
|Beethoven, Piano Sonatas op. 49,1 and 2
|Grieg, Lyric Pieces op. 12, no. 4
|Schumann, Fantasy Pieces op. 12, no. 1
|Chopin, Nocturnes op. 27, nos. 1 and 2
|Beethoven, Piano Sonata op. 10, no. 3
|Beethoven, Piano Sonata op. 81a
|Schumann, Toccata op. 7
Guide to the levels of difficulty
"I don't know what 'difficult' means. Either you can play or you can't" – this was the rather terse comment by the great violinist Nathan Milstein, on being asked about the unbelievable difficulty of Niccolo Paganini's Caprice no. 1.
The relativity of the evaluation of difficulty in music immediately becomes clear. Yet I gladly take up this great challenge, presented to me by G. Henle Publishers. For I am aware of how useful a guide like this can be, both from my own experience as well as that of many colleagues. In particular so as to be able to identify "appropriate" works. For example for music teachers, who teach at very different levels, from beginners to those preparing for music conservatories, but also for all those interested amateurs for whom this guide is intended.
After careful deliberation I have settled on nine levels of difficulty, which I have divided into three groups: 1–3 (easy), 4–6 (medium), 7–9 (difficult). A number of parameters have been considered when assessing the level of difficulty. I have not just looked at the number of fast or slow notes to be played, or the chord sequences; of central importance are also the complexity of the piece's composition, its rhythmic complexities, the difficulty of reading the text for the first time, and last but not least, how easy or difficult it is to understand its musical structure. I have defined "piece" as being the musical unit of a sonata, or a single piece in a cycle, which is why Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier" Part I comprises a total of 48 levels of difficulty (each prelude and fugue is considered separately), Schumann's Sonata in f sharp minor op.11 only has a single number. My assessment is measured by the ability to prepare a piece for performance.
While assessing the pieces, it became clear that the medium level of difficulty (4–6) is the trickiest. Now and again this means that a piece is judged as a "3/4", even if it only deserved a "3" as far as piano technique is concerned. An example of such a "borderline" case (easy/medium) is Schumann's "Scenes from Childhood" op. 15 Von fremden Ländern und Menschen or at the other end "6/7" part of Bach's "English Suites". And of course within a main category there are also "from-to" evaluations (e.g. 7/8).
Any evaluation of art or music will always be subjective, even if the aim was to be objective. Despite the fact that I have endeavoured to be as careful as possible, I am all too aware that the results of my work can be called into question, and am therefore grateful for any suggestions you might have.
Prof. Rolf Koenen © 2010


text:
Friday, April 3, 2009
My Interview
Well, 5 minutes into my interview today, Lisa asked me, "Do you exaggerate on your blog or do your kids really get into so much stuff every day?" I thought to myself - if I say I exaggerate, there goes my credibility. If I say that they do indeed get into tons of stuff, that makes me a bad mom. As I pondered this, I heard a thud and crying, followed by Brooklyn yelling, "Clayton fell off the refrigerator and hurt himself!" Well, I guess that answers that question. Yeah, they get into insane amounts of stuff.
After I hung up with Lisa, about 15 minutes later, I discovered that Brooklyn had painted her nails. Despite the fact I had JUST painted them before taking the phone call, she decided she needed another coat just for good measure. And while she was at it, she applied a lovely coat of red to my couch as well.
The best part is - I have 18 more interviews scheduled for this coming week. I'd better stock up on marshmallows.
Posted by Dawn at 7:35 PM
36 comments:
- Tammy said...
- April 3, 2009 at 8:09 PM
- Mary@Holy Mackerel said...
You'd better stock up on some Benadryl. Just sayin'.
- April 3, 2009 at 8:35 PM
- Shelli (wishes she was) Mrs. Burchett;) said...
Oh my gosh! Her toes are ADORABLE!!!
- April 3, 2009 at 8:47 PM
- Wendy, Totally Desperate Mom said...
My 2 1/2 year old daughter (who is sick with a fever and whiney and needy and lethargic all day) just walked into the office. She saw this post and immediately perked up, "I saw the blood."
Tell Brooklyn thanking you for perking up a sick kid and encourage her in her future red nail polish endeavors.
- April 3, 2009 at 9:29 PM
- SuburbanCorrespondent said...
No! Not the Ektorp!
- April 3, 2009 at 9:49 PM
- Beth said...
can you get like an extra large play pen with a top to it? like a padded room with pretty pictures on the wall where they can't hurt themselves......=)
- April 3, 2009 at 10:48 PM
Lordie!!! Have you ever heard of hiding stuff? LOL!
- April 3, 2009 at 11:47 PM
- beloved30 said...
I think I would stuff tranquilizers into those marshmallows. Is that bad? I don't know how you do it but I think I'm about to learn the hard way!
- April 4, 2009 at 12:25 AM
Aww she reminds me of my daughter whow is now 21. We used to wake up in the middle of the night & find her munching on cotton candy or anything else sweet she could find. She also took shampoo and smeared it into her mattress. Let's see I have a vague memory of toilet paper through out the whole house! LOL don't worry too much, mine turned out great and has a great outlook on life.
FYI at the nursing home where she works, she gets the Alzheimer patients to cooperate by bribing them with cookies (or a cup of coffee). They just love her!
Give your little pumkin a kiss from me -
a mom missing those days...
Lori H
- April 4, 2009 at 5:37 AM
okay Dawn - I too just got nail polish on my couch this week!... My "art" is a bit smaller and slightly more PINK then yours... but my little girl is 7 so she is a bit "neater" then Brooklyn. LOL! So what is the trick to get the nailpolish OFF the couch???... or do I have one more excuse to keep looking at couch sales!!!
- April 4, 2009 at 8:34 AM
- Magda said...
OMG, at first I thought that was BLOOD, hahaha!!
18 interivews!!?? WOW, that's awesome!!! Any chance you could schedule several of them together and have somebody come babysit for you?
- April 4, 2009 at 10:06 AM
Thank you for your way of handling things...if my daughter had smudged red nail polish all over my couch, I would have had a meltdown!!! Sometimes I need to take a step back and say "it's just stuff--deal with it"...but I agree with stocking up on the marshmallows for next time :)
- April 4, 2009 at 11:08 AM
- Tiffany said...
I feel your pain - my son has forever ruined all my sheets. He's used: red lipstick (i didn't know I had red lipstick not sure where this came from), bag balm, foundation, eye liner and A LOT of dirt to do his damage. I'm not sure what my bed ever did to him but he's getting his revenge!
Gotta love toddlers. Right? Right? We do HAVE to love them don't we?
- April 4, 2009 at 11:44 AM
Did I read something about dyeing your sofa a deep burgandy red?! I'm sure I read it somewhere. No? Just wishful thinking, I guess. Otherwise, I'm speechless. No, don't ask for suggestions, I'm all out! %]
PS - I do kind of like the padded room idea, but you'd have to make padded, hooded suits for the occupents. And no liquids or anything not made of foam allowed. :)
PPS - Is Clay part monkey? (Honestly, he reminds me of my youngest - now 32, but still caught in the wierdest situations at times) Sorry, I wish I could tell you it gets easier... &}
- April 4, 2009 at 12:02 PM
- Veggiemomof2 said...
Thank you so much for this post! I just linked my cousin to it because she sent me pictures of her 3 yr old who "painted" her whole body a pretty pink! I told her it was normal.
- April 4, 2009 at 12:28 PM
Oh my gosh! How are you supposed to get red nail polish out of your couch???
- April 4, 2009 at 1:42 PM
- Sunnyworld said...
I don't know how you stand it. I would lose my temper on a regular basis!
- April 4, 2009 at 2:09 PM
- Jennifer @ Conversion Diary said...
Ooooh, man. That sounds like something that would happen around here.
It seems like kids have an internal detector that allows them to distinguish interview phone calls from regular phone calls. A few weeks ago I was being interviewed on a live radio show and went out into the garage (my mom watching the kids inside) to ensure that there would be complete silence in the background. Hah. My kids were being so crazy that I could hear their screams and howls (and a few other bizarre noises that they seem to have invented just for the occasion) even though I was standing on the other side of the garage.
I'm sure people listening to my interview thought I was calling from prison, or perhaps an insane asylum. (Actually, they wouldn't be too far off if they guessed the latter.)
Nail polish remover mixed with alcohol works for getting nail polish off the couch, BTW. (We have a white couch too.) :)
Best of luck with the rest of your interviews!
- April 4, 2009 at 7:07 PM
- Megan said...
Just think how much worse the damage would be if you had gone on that book tour!
- April 4, 2009 at 9:27 PM
OMG, Dawn, you are the BESTEST!!! Thank you so much for your candidly honest look at life and motherhood! I SO wished I could have been at your first official book signing@ Ah, well, my youngest finished up a sleepover/birthday party (ok the other way around!) with yet YES, I can't believe I'm letting him do it again with yet ANOTHER sleepover. Well, tomorrow will be interesting! Thanks, HUGE HUGS!!!!!!!!
Cheryl from Alexandria, MN
- April 4, 2009 at 9:34 PM
- Amy @ Finer Things said...
Just had to stop by. Found you in my Guideposts magazine tonight while reading (hiding) in the bathtub. Your book sounds fantastic! Can't wait to hear more stories.
- April 4, 2009 at 9:52 PM
- Dayna said...
I just today had to threaten my 3 yr old with not painting her nails herself...again. Luckily she's only so far painted them on the bathroom counter...my counter has a lovely collection of colorful 'dots'.
- April 4, 2009 at 10:52 PM
- Michelle said...
Funny, I totally missed the nail polish today. Oops :)
And ummm what's the likelihood that you can send them on a playdate? Talk your parents into hanging out with them? Handcuff them to their beds without having DCFS called?
- April 4, 2009 at 11:20 PM
Oh, no! Your poor couch. Yeah, I think you can honestly say that you're not exaggerating much!
- April 5, 2009 at 12:32 AM
- Lynn said...
Looks like how I paint my nails. ;-)
- April 5, 2009 at 12:58 AM
Lots and lots of marshmellows! Maybe piles of cereal too? You can always vaccum that up later. Bread sometimes works...
So...how calm were you once you saw that lovely addition to your sofa? Curious because I know I'd probably have flipped out ;o)
- April 5, 2009 at 9:39 AM
- Jkhb said...
I have always thought a suit of super strengh velco was a good idea for toddlers or pre-schoolers, with a wall or chair of the oppisite side so you could just stick them on and they would stay! Of course you would give them some T.V. to watch and only do it so you could get something done!!!
- April 5, 2009 at 7:00 PM
Two words for you. Shannon Lush.
She is the yoda of the cleaning world. Her site is under construction, but I can almost promise you there will be something in her books about getting nail polish off of lounge chairs.
- April 5, 2009 at 11:08 PM
- Jack O'Sullivan said...
My two year old is a princess, and has ruined carpet in my master bedroom and in her room with pink and red nail polish. I feel your pain, but i am so glad that she is a girly girl. That is what most tough guy dads want. HA, like I am a tough guy.
Jack O'Sullivan
Bedroom Sets
- April 5, 2009 at 11:56 PM
- Jessica said...
Can you set up conference calls and combine some of your interviews? That would give them fewer chances to destroy your house.
So glad to hear things are going well with the book! Can you believe how much your life has changed since that little eBay posting? How exciting!
- April 6, 2009 at 6:56 AM
I have to say that I have always totally believed EVERYTHING you write because my kids were as crazy/wild/insane/inquisitive/adventurous as yours and almost everything your kids have done - mine did before them.
At one point we were living in Tucson, AZ and my family is in Rockford, IL which meant we drove back and forth about twice a year. The first day out everything was fine but the 2nd and 3rd days the youngest (age 3-5 then) got Benedryl. It was the only way we both could survive.
When she was 3 I turned the door knob around on her bedroom door to lock her in her room so I could sleep at night. There's something very unnerving about waking up at 2AM to find your 3yo playing in the pool by herself.
One summer I went thru *5* babysitters, the last one - a 19yo college student - left in tears after the 3rd day. I was a single mom - I HAD to work.
Well I can't say anything got any easier as they grew up BUT - they did all grow up and graduate from college, some with advanced degrees, they are all working and self-sufficient, contributing members of society which IS our ultimate goal, right?
from Sparkle
- April 6, 2009 at 7:28 AM
- Anthrax said...
Is that an Ektorp?
If so, Ikea has an AWESOME semi-annual sale that I discovered in January. I stocked up on Ektorp slipcovers - some of the colors were full-price, but I got one for $9 and one for $11. I figure I will stockpile them for things like ... this.
- April 6, 2009 at 7:41 AM
- Funnyrunner said...
hee hee. I do think they look better than my nails do right now though...
- April 6, 2009 at 7:54 AM
- MaNiC MoMMy™ said...
OMG!!!! And is Clayton OK from falling off the Fridge!?!?!
- April 6, 2009 at 11:45 PM
Wow this reminds me of what my 2 year old did with a blue crayon to all 3 cushions of my tan couch... and two windows... and the front door. lol
- April 8, 2009 at 12:05 PM
I think I just had one of your days!! I just posted a blog about some of tonights happenings and it reminded me of this post of yours. Check it out if you want to.
- April 10, 2009 at 10:26 PM


text:
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- President Barack Obama won New Hampshire for a second time Tuesday, defeating Mitt Romney in the Republican's political backyard.
Though the Democratic incumbent carried the state four years ago, New Hampshire was a battleground this time, with much competition for its meager four electoral votes. Obama campaigned heavily in the state, visiting four times since Labor Day alone, and built up a strong organization that included more than twice the number of campaign offices as Romney had.
"We've made real progress these last four years, but New Hampshire, we're here because we know we've got more work to do," Obama told a crowd of 14,000 people outside the Statehouse two days before the election.
Romney, who squeezed in rallies of his own in Portsmouth on Saturday and Manchester on Monday, has a vacation home in Wolfeboro and is well known to New Hampshire voters from his 2008 campaign and his time as governor of neighboring Massachusetts. He kicked off his second presidential campaign in Stratham in June 2011 and won New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary in January.
New Hampshire, where independent voters outnumber either Republicans or Democrats, had long been considered safe Republican ground until Bill Clinton won it in 1992 and again in 1996. George W. Bush narrowly prevailed in 2000, but in the next election, New Hampshire was the only state to reject Bush after voting for him four years earlier.
Obama won the state in 2008, but Republicans made huge gains in 2010, retaking the state's two congressional seats and winning commanding majorities in the state legislature.
Obama wins N.H., 4 electoral votes
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- President Barack Obama won New Hampshire for a second time Tuesday, defeating Mitt Romney in the Republican's political backyard.


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Wednesday, June 8, 2011
"Prelude" Uses TV To Deliver Charity Dollars
It's that time of the year again to dig out a little money for a good cause and get some racing in return. Wednesday night is the seventh year for the Prelude to the Dream charity race from Tony Stewart's Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio.
Eldora is a little half-mile track that lets NASCAR fans take a look at some of their favorite drivers interacting in a very different way and driving Late Model Stock Cars on dirt. Pretty much, it's a blast.
Here is the complete list of drivers who will be participating: Justin Allgaier, Aric Almirola, Marcos Ambrose, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Ron Capps (NHRA), Ricky Carmichael, Austin Dillon, Carl Edwards, Bill Elliott, Ray Evernham, David Gilliland, Denny Hamlin, Ron Hornaday, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Tony Kanaan (IndyCar), Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte, Jason Leffler, Ryan Newman, Cruz Pedregon (NHRA), David Reutiman, Keny Schrader, Tony Stewart, Brian Vickers, Kenny Wallace and JJ Yeley.
There are four charities that benefit from the dollars raised by the PPV telecast:
Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte, N.C.
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, GA.
St. Louis Children's Hospital of St. Louis, MO.
Children's Medical Center in Dallas, TX.
The format is pretty simple. The guys get hot laps, qualify and then run in heats that lead to a main. The track is tipped 24 degrees in the corner and 8 on the straights. The reason this is called the Prelude is because there is another feature race called The Dream that runs at Eldora later in the season.
Basically, first up is a preview show on your cable or satellite PPV channels that lets you locate the right channel and then use your remote or telephone to order. The DirecTV channel is 121 and DISH is 455. The preview should be running at 7:30PM ET. The charity event is $24.95 and gives you a show from 8PM through midnight Eastern or the conclusion of the feature race. It also re-airs for those authorized.
The TV folks donate their time for this one. It's ESPN's Marty Reid in the booth with Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds from FOX. Matt Yocum hosts the event while Dick Berggren and Junior's crew chief Steve Letarte are the pit reporters. Veteran Pam Miller who is currently the Pit Producer for NASCAR on FOX will produce the telecast.
This is a fast track. Stewart holds the qualifying record at 116.8mph. The speedway seats about 23 thousand and it is always packed for this night. It's just a nice glimpse into the reality of short-track racing. DW has driven the water truck before, Tony runs around checking the track as the owner and the fans do the wave.
Click here for the official Prelude to the Dream website. There is a little more info and some videos that offer a look at the participants.
Happy to have your comments on this topic as well as reaction to the telecast. To add your opinion, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting. Thanks for stopping by.
43 comments:
- Anonymous said...
There are no minor roles for DW. If he is there he will be up front beating his gums. I for one will not be loading up PPV to listen to his silliness...sorry Smoke.
- June 7, 2011 at 8:17 PM
- Lisa Hogan said...
I'm glad that you don't have to be an HBO subscriber to order this PPV.
I enjoyed it last year and plan to enjoy it this year. :)
- June 7, 2011 at 8:21 PM
- Roland said...
Marty and DW? Ill pass.
- June 7, 2011 at 8:55 PM
- PammH said...
My office manager is leaving for the race Wed. I told her to take a TON of pics! I can't buy into the HBO view this yr, but I sure wish I could!
- June 7, 2011 at 9:21 PM
- Mike B said...
Darrell Waltrip in the booth for a dirt race is like Vin Scully doing a hockey game. It...Just. Doesn't. Work. Every year, he ruins the broadcast.
- June 7, 2011 at 9:25 PM
- Rockin Rich said...
What happened to Mike Joy? I like the idea of mixing in competing TV broadcasters, but.... If there is any single race for which Mike Joy should be the primary booth personality, this would be it!
- June 7, 2011 at 9:49 PM
- Spencer said...
DW and Marty together, interesting, wish it was on speed though
- June 7, 2011 at 11:55 PM
- Anonymous said...
I wish them the best, but I just cannot and will not put up with dw as a tv commentator. MC
- June 8, 2011 at 5:22 AM
- MRM4 said...
JD, The Dream is not later this season, it is this weekend. That's why they call tonight's race the Prelude - it's all in the same week (weather permitting of course).
I have bought this in past years because I love dirt late model racing as much, if not more, than NASCAR. I cover it on the side as a hobby and a way to make a few extra bucks. The bad thing about the broadcast every year is nobody with a dirt racing background is in the booth to explain things. I like DW's excitement for the race, but it would seem more genuine if he attended more than one race on dirt a year.
I passed on buying last year's race because they had replayed it on SPEED several weeks later. But I was fooled as they did not do that last year. I haven't decided if I will watch tonight's race or not.
- June 8, 2011 at 8:48 AM
- GinaV24 said...
I enjoy watching this race very much and it benefits some IMO good causes so usually I spring for the PPV.
I prefer Mike Joy over Marty - what does he know about dirt racing? and if DW could just curb his enthusiasm a little bit it would be a lot better.
- June 8, 2011 at 9:13 AM
- Anonymous said...
Sorry, $25 is way too expensive.
- June 8, 2011 at 10:37 AM
- Barry in Tennessee said...
You guys do what you want, but I wouldn't care if Barbara Streisand and Piers Morgan were calling the race... I'd still pony up my bucks for this charity event.
If figure if so many of our biggest stars, tv personalities and behind the scenes people can take time out of their hectic schedules to donate their time and travel expenses, it's the least I can do.
Huge kudos to Smoke for organizing this each year. You truly are the man. I'll catch ya on the DVR later.
- June 8, 2011 at 10:38 AM
- sue said...
I can't get over some of you. Not turning in because of ol'DW. This is a charity race. Drivers, announcers, technicians giving up their time and talent for charity. I don't think you folks complaining about DW are being honest. Because if you were you'd be tuning in just to bash the hell out of the broadcast. You never know that someday ol' DW may just be announcing your arrival into heaven. But then again you may opt out for that other place because of him. lol. But seriously its $25.00 bucks and since the money is going to charity you can write it off as a charitable donation. And I am just a fan. I've watched this race since the first year HBO has had it on and honestly its a fun time.
- June 8, 2011 at 11:56 AM
- Anonymous said...
Don't tune in too early according to Jenna Fryers Twitter:
"Holy cow! Channel 771, where the Prelude will eventually be shown, is all soft porn leading into the race. How appropriate?" She later said she has Time Warner Cable
- June 8, 2011 at 12:18 PM
- Anonymous said...
Spencer--SPEED generally runs it again later for those who want to see it again or weren't able to see it/order PPV.
- June 8, 2011 at 12:54 PM
- tom in dayton said...
It's 1 PM and in 15 minutes I'm leaving for the race!
Should be a good one with dry hot weather.
Enjoy watching - I sure will be...
- June 8, 2011 at 1:05 PM
- Charlie said...
I wish I could afford the $25 for this good cause.
Maybe next year.
- June 8, 2011 at 1:57 PM
- julian24 said...
Its only $25 dollars guys. Its for charity. So who cares if its loud mouth DW covering the event, I'll still order the event. I'm not a big fan of Tony Stewart, but I like this event that he puts on every year. I'm proud to help out with my money. I only wish it was in HD. And SPEED wont show it again this year. You have to order the event.
- June 8, 2011 at 2:18 PM
- Zieke said...
Contributing is not a problem, listening to Waldrip is, so I'll just donate some other way.
- June 8, 2011 at 4:06 PM
- Anonymous said...
I'm with julian24...shame on you to deny help to sick kids because of your bias.
- June 8, 2011 at 4:15 PM
- terri said...
All of you saying "It's only $25" must never have had only $25 or less to your name. Give us little people a break. Right now "I" am my favorite charity.
- June 8, 2011 at 4:40 PM
- danny guthrie said...
Please don't be so quick to dismiss those of us that will not spend our charitable dollars due to dw being involved. The only way to get anyone to listen to you sometimes is through your wallet. If there was an option of paying and not having dw involved- plan A or paying and having dw involved- plan B , then the people could speak and the charity would get a lot more money and the fans would get what they want,,,, which is plan A in my book. If there is an economic impact to the decisions that broadcasters make regarding the wants and desires for the fans, then the dollars will take care of themselves,, so to speak. By ordering PPV knowing that any waltrip will have a part in the coverage of the broadcast, the fan is giving a yes vote to whether that fan wants a waltrip to be a commentator. By not ordering PPV and writing that the waltrips are the reason why, will give the organizers something to think about for the "dream" and other future broadcasts. At least with a choice the charity could figure out how much they stand to not receive (lose) in revenue, and why. I have many charities to pick to donate money that do not require me to listen to dw or his brother. I am not going to pay to watch a race that I have to turn off the sound be it charity or not.
- June 8, 2011 at 5:38 PM
- Lisa Hogan said...
If I had a choice as to who was in the booth for this charity race, I would not choose Marty Reid or DW.
Since I was married once, I have a black belt in the art of selective hearing.
I'll be just fine during the race. :)
- June 8, 2011 at 6:02 PM
- Anonymous said...
Love the Prelude but trying to order it, find out the time and channel through Charter Cable TV is a nightmare. I have had trouble every year that the race has been on HBO. Called today and was transferred to 3 different departments with a 15 minute hold time for each transfer. Not one person I talked to at Charter knew anything about the Prelude nor could they find anything regarding it even being on TV. They told me if I knew what time it was to be on I should surf thru the channels on Pay Per View and On Demand and see if I could find anything. All told this process of trying to order the Prelude took over 2 hours and I still do not have it ordered. I will try again surfing the TV at 6:30 Central. Think of the money that will be lost for the charities because people can't locate the program. Tony runs a very organized show and does such a great job but it is really sad that Charter Communications can't do their job to help raise the money for the charities. I am sure they are taking their cut so you would think they would promote it rather than have help that knows nothing about it.
- June 8, 2011 at 6:10 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Anon 6:10PM,
Most Charter cable systems only have a few (less than 10) PPV channels.
Just use your channel guide and go to 7:30PM ET (or whatever that translates to in your time zone) and click through the PPV listings.
You should be able to see the Prelude Preview Show and order the PPV event using your cable TV remote.
If you cannot use your remote to call, the specific number to call will appear during the preview show on your system.
Sorry about the problem, but you will not get a lot of info on a one-time PPV event through the phone.
- June 8, 2011 at 6:37 PM
- Kiboe said...
maybe i am wrong here? but, there is other ways to donate
but, honestly? pay-per-view, okay, i understand the charity stuff.
but most people can't afford this, and yes, 25 dollars is way to expensive when you can buy freakin movies from the cable/sattelite channels for less than 10 bucks.
- June 8, 2011 at 7:23 PM
- Kiboe said...
also, i love how you people automaticly assume that, even though some people consider television as an expendable expense (meaning, one can live without it)
also, just because you think that we are "denying kids the help they need" for choosing to not donate?
yeah, you're not very smart.
i donate to various charities, and have no problem doing so. but for that pay-per-view eventm i highly doubt the full 25 dollar asking price, that every cent of it goes to the charities, PROCEEDS does not really mean the full ammount, someone has to pay the camera folks, the sattelite truck crew, the announcers (since they are contractors in this)
quit living in the fantasy world and assume all the production/TV people are doing this for free.
the world doesn't work like that.
- June 8, 2011 at 7:31 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
This event has been on TV for several years. The hospitals that benefit are listed in my blog post.
The on-air TV talent as well as the producer and director are working this event for free.
The truck crew and the facilities are at cost. HBO traffics the PPV orders and takes a service fee. All the remaining funds are forwarded to charity through Tony's foundation.
Every fan has the right to decide to participate or not. It's just a unique event featuring NASCAR folks racing in a very different kind of environment.
Thanks for the comment.
- June 8, 2011 at 8:24 PM
- Anonymous said...
No need to for us to give to this event. The millionaire drivers and team owners and personalities have a collective net worth of well over a billion dollars.
It's like asking me to give to the NASCAR Foundation. Why, when there is so much wealth embedded in the system, to the point where advertising dominates every single aspect and moment in the sport.
Give to your local causes. Let the eight- and nine-figure millionaires take care of charity from NASCAR.
- June 9, 2011 at 5:40 AM
- Anonymous said...
anon 5:40. Geez. In this case, they are not asking anyone to just 'give'. They are offering us the opportunity to purchase an item that we might enjoy. It's up to us to decide whether we think it's a worthwhile exchange. And knowing that the money ultimately goes to a good cause might make that decision easier for people. Charity is also about making people feel good about being able to contribute to do something positive in this world.
- June 9, 2011 at 8:32 AM
- MRM4 said...
I went ahead and decided to get the PPV this year. I am still disappointed DirecTV did not offer it in HD as they have in the past. Watching it in SD really takes away from the viewing pleasure. The racing was not good.
The production had some glitches with the wrong camera take. One of the wall-mounted cameras got tagged by a car during qualifying. I did not like the high camera angle off turn 2. With the lights beaming down they way they did, it made it hard to tell which car was which with the glare coming off the lights on the tops of the cars.
- June 9, 2011 at 8:39 AM
- Chris said...
They should use Mike Joy, Allen Bestwick and Wally D in the booth in my opinion. Reid is awful. DW isn't too bad and it can be worse: They can always resort to Kyle Petty.
- June 9, 2011 at 10:15 AM
- Steve said...
I ponied up for the event.
Sure it would have been nicer in Hi-Def. Sure it could have been a little better production wise.
But for gods sake, it was done by a group of volunteers who paid their own way to the track.
The main even was rather lackluster since the lead never changed. I don't however feel bad for spending $25 bucks for a night of entertainment.
- June 9, 2011 at 10:26 AM
- Dot said...
I "donated" to see the Prelude. I love Tony Stewart for putting on this race. The drivers and announcers always seem to have a great time. I loved seeing DW when the car given to him pulled up.
May I suggest to those who can't afford the PPV (trust me, I know times are tough) to start saving money for next years' event. Two dollars a month is so worth it. You won't be disappointed.
- June 9, 2011 at 11:06 AM
- tom in dayton said...
Well, I'm back from attending my seventh Prelude.
Some observations:
The track is a north-south oriented track with the main grandstand on the west side. The only open stands that were thinly occupied were those in turns two and three, but those stands usually get the most airborne dirt as the wind either comes from the southwest or northwest. Attendance was 28,000+, down a little from past years. (I've been told that two-thirds of each ticket sold goes to the same charities that Tony designates.)
I was in the infield until 7pm (when the racing starts, it's best to get out of the way, especially in a crowded and small infield!) and then went to my seat in the main grandstand. Around me were folks from IL, Kansas, SC and NY. Only one couple, from KS, were staying for the Dream races this weekend; all the others had come in in the past few days just for the Prelude.
As to the camera placement: the two scissors platforms were at the top of the hill at turn two(behind this location, the headwaters of the Wabash River rise) and in the infield just before turn three. A boom camera was used at the victory lane platform just south of the finish line and other camera placement on top of the main grandstand. The media compound(behing the main grandstand) has two uplink trucks with the label "PPPV HD" on the dishes. Apparently the HD capability was there.
Oh, and a close observation - when the camera isn't on, DW is completely different. just sayin...
- June 9, 2011 at 12:44 PM
- glenc1 said...
tom, I'm guessing most people are...
hey, I didn't get to watch it, but how did Steve Letarte do as a pit reporter?
- June 9, 2011 at 7:26 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Steve did great, he asks good questions and is clearly at ease with the drivers. This is the second year he has been a pit reporter at this event.
- June 9, 2011 at 8:08 PM
- glenc1 said...
not that I want him to retire, but perhaps someday he can actually make the 'tech garage' worthwhile....
- June 9, 2011 at 8:25 PM
- Anonymous said...
Hey Dot, I will save up 2bucks a week for next years race. But if DW is anywhere near the track I will keep the money in my pocket just like I did this year.
- June 9, 2011 at 9:49 PM
- Tinkering No Mas said...
Gordo Say what ? Talking about
the upcoming race at Sonoma ..and
the tests he was doing :
" I hope we lerned some things
but not sure how much. "
What ? Gordo basically has owned
the course at Sonoma. Shaking my
head. Maybe it is the reason that
Gordo has not been up to par last
few yers.
Too much tinkering tinket tinker
- June 10, 2011 at 1:36 PM
- Anonymous said...
I was there as well. Great event to see live if you can.
I spoke to a guy who had a shirt on with "TV Crew" on the back about the HD/SD thing. He said that the truck was an old standard definition truck so even though the Satellite truck was High Definition, the cameras were not. He said that the event would be HD next year.
I wish I had a DVR to see the race again. I'll look forward to the DVD and buy it i guess.
- June 10, 2011 at 2:38 PM
- Adan and Even in the Garage area said...
Golly Adam ...I am taking
heavy breaths just cant wait to
find out about the REAL STORY
about Kyle and RC. Maybe they can
fight again on camera.
breathless in Orange built by
oh i forget Home De Poe.
Oh and congrats Adam .. it seems
that you are everywhere. Sorta like
that stuff over in the dog park..
build by Loews..
Oh wait Adam does another
Raise his Voice THRILLING
PROMO for MLB. Whatever the hell
that is.
Where did this guy come from???
by the home depot. And once again
we dont need louder voices going
to a break.
in otherwors could you simply
sthu tahnk you
- June 10, 2011 at 4:47 PM
- Earl the Pearl said...
The truck race ( announcers )
have finally made me ..
throw the hell up !! They
have not shut up for more
than 5 seconds.
Beyond all belief . The sounds
are great .. but would you crank it
up with these utter morons blabbering forever ?
Time for a phone call .. hah
as if that would accomplish a thing
Uno mas .. and do you think anyone
gives a damn about who wins the
race ? The Trucks. Oh ok I will
shut up. But THEY WONT
- June 10, 2011 at 9:56 PM


text:
...Timbuktu's most famous and long-lasting contribution to Islamic and world civilization is the scholarship practiced there. By at least the fourteenth century, important books were written and copied there, establishing the city as the center of a significant written tradition in Africa.
These ancient manuscripts cover every aspect of human endeavor. The manuscripts are indicative of the high level of civilization attained by West Africans during the Middle Ages and provide irrefutable proof of a powerful African literary tradition. Scholars in the fields of Islamic Studies and African Studies believe that analysis of these texts will cause Islamic, West African, and World History to be reevaluated. These manuscripts, surviving from as long ago as the fourteenth century, are remarkable artifacts important to Malian and West African culture. The exhibited manuscripts date from the sixteenth to eighteenth century.
The manuscripts on view are from the Mamma Haidara Commemorative Library and the Library of Cheick Zayni Baye of Boujbeha, two of the most noteworthy institutions in the Timbuktu area. As part of its continuing effort to create a universal collection of recorded knowledge from all geographic areas and all historical eras, the Library of Congress is particularly proud to have the opportunity to exhibit these important cultural artifacts from Mali. The Library is also pleased that copies of these manuscripts will be deposited in its collections and will be available for use by researchers and scholars.


text:
Who are they?? See if you can beat Clarke!After you name my head, name my talent!
What if you had a ping pong ball lodged in your chin?
You come up with a caption for these two dolls.
I am so beautiful, I don't need to have taste in men!
Hey John, that Mischa Barton is great. I remember reading Katie's blog and she said she loved drawing her. Marc Anthony or whatever the primates name is inspires the hell out of me too! Hope this blog is still impressing the right people!
Jhon, you draw very well (excuse me but my english is bad)
JLo and Marc Anthony are great! He's such weird looking dude... scary! The Resse Witherspoon made me laugh out loud. Thanks for the funny drawings!
pic #1 - Jenny McCarthy (only talent - being naked)
pic #2 - don't know
pic #3 - don't know either
pic #4 - Renee Zellwegger (top) and Nicole Kidman (bottom)
pic #5 - Brittany "spheres" and Kevin Federline
Well, as Meatloaf once sang, "3 out of 5 aint bad". (Or something like that)
Powdered Toast is my breakfast choice of choice!
them ugly people
u draw them correct
Just letting you know, John, the file names of the pictures give away who they are (ie jenny-706767.jpg)!!
I still can't get over the Goldie Hawn from a few weeks ago. My god.
like jenny
John, time to start changing the titles on your uploaded images so we can't cheat.
Now please get to work on the Heartaches for me!
i see nicole kidman, reese witherspoon, and some strange barbara streisand person i cant quite pin point:(:(!! i don't think i know the rest?
i could only tell that one was nicole kidman
These caricatures are a side of you I hadn't fully seen, John!
Fun stuff!
– Corbett
(Quit cheating, you cheating cheaters)
Amazing. Simply amazing.
Great Kidman and Witherspoon! Her chin keeps getting bigger in each photo I see her in. I think it's grown!
Check out this website:
Celebrities with and without makeup
Oh and the Nicole Kidman is EXCELLENT. Definitely captures that scaryness she has.
I recognised Kidman on the spot. and More HeHog, Please!
Since Ricky Martin seems to have re-immerged from the rock which he was under for the last 4 years it would be great to see his caricature...
How did he ever land a gig at the olympics, anyways?
1. jenny mcarthy
2. jlo
3.reese witherspoon
4. renee zelwigger and nicole kidman
5. mischa barton.
these are great!!
Deborah is close.
You only missed one!
John, you have perfected your reese witherspoon. its dead-on.
Muy comico, Mr. K, muy comico. Been trying to draw a caricature of Whitherspoon for awhile now with no luck. You nailed it. Thanks for updating frequently.
That's not Renee Zelwigger with Nicole Kidman, it's Jennifer Garner.
Jlo.. Reese.. Nicole.. Mischa.. I only didn't get the other ones because I don't pay attention to glamour mags. That 'primate' Marc Anthony is really gross and really hilarious! Reese is cute stuff, even if she has a ping-pong ball in her chin.. Mischa is awesome! I love her teeth. That's a good one, buddy. Your caricatures are so refreshing!!
Squeeeel bring on the He-Hog! =)
The Jennifer Garner one almost made me pee on my pants. This blog is the best thing that happened in my life this year!
"Well, as Meatloaf once sang"
you have to draw meat loaf, john
here is my kick ass meat loaf from a long tmie ago:
haha great
I like how you didn't even put an effort up to charicaturize Marc Anthony, just drew him straight.
Weell, Mr. K, since everyone nailed the names of the characters I'll try their talents:
1. Jenny M. : Naughty centerfold; bad jokestress; the new Dr.Spock
2. JLo: Cereal man-og-o-must,
3. Marc A.: Latino Crooner
4. Reese: Southern fried actress
5. Nicole Kidmannnn: Botox investor
6. Barton and her guy: O.C. how obonoxious they can be?
Geeze Louise John... Either my eyes ain't as good as you think, and you need to call me in for a special re-alignment appointment, or some of these are just a little too far out there for me cause shit I was drawing a complete blank on several of these.
I NEVER would have guessed that was J-Low or Jennifer Garner, and for the love of Christ I still can't figure out who the hell Mr. Pretty Boy two-shoes with Mischa Barton is.
All that aside, These are once again all fantastically funny drawings. Especially the portrayal of Marc anthony as some sort of wild man of borneo type.
HA! it looks like he slept under a barbers chair in one of them good ol fashioned shops that specializes in Pubic trims and Ear hair waxing all for a a buck and a half.
Can't wait to see the next batch.
My personal favorites are Marc Anthony (I find he looks like a human rat in reality)---and I really liked the Nicole Kidman one.
Recognized her instantly!
1. Jenna McCarthey
2. J.Lo and Marc Anthony
3. Reese Witherspoon
4. Jennifer Garner, Nicole Kidman
5. Mischa Barton and Brandon Davis
Caption for Jennifer and Nicole:
Oops, forgot the capation:
"The actress who looks like she has down syndrome and the actress who can convey a wide range of emotions without ever changing her facial expression"
I got another caption
"Nicole Kidman: about as expressive as a character on Home Movies"
um i think you should rename some of your files to throw people off... usually the image has a name equal to the person so beautifully rendered... i still would have gotten Garner, Reese.. and nicole kidman(the most realistic/least exaggerated perhaps)
So his X-Ray nipples cut things rather than see through things?
I could've sworn the left head in four was W in drag...
Hi John K...thanks for the archives at the AERO tonight.I had a blast.Can't wait till July for the new box set yeehaaaa..oh HeeHog is awesome i hope to see a more of him


text:
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text:
Originally published on May 7, 2014 9:31 am
The World Health Organization is warning that recent outbreaks of polio in the Middle East, Africa and Asia mark a setback to the decades-long effort to eradicate the disease. In response, the WHO has declared a world health emergency. It's asking Syria, Pakistan and Cameroon — current polio hot spots — to require all travelers leaving those countries to show proof of vaccination.
Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.


text:
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text:
You are what you eat, the old saying goes. But if you change what you eat, are you fundamentally changing who you are?
That question underlies much of the new documentary Soul Food Junkies, premiering Monday night on PBS' Independent Lens series. Director Byron Hurt's highly personal, often funny film explores how traditional Southern comfort fare became entwined with African-American identity. And it asks whether this food, often loaded with salt, fat and sugar, is doing its consumers more harm than good.
The film was inspired by Hurt's father, Jackie Hurt, who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer in 2007. He was overweight and in poor health.
"When he became ill, I started to examine his relationship to food," Hurt tells NPR's Michel Martin, "and it was soul food he grew up with and loved so much."
It's a love affair with deep roots in the African-American community. As the film recounts, soul food was survival food in the black South. Dishes were inspired by a need to make do with what slaves could access: greens they grew themselves, leftover meat parts like pig ears and feet, and cheap foods like rice and yams loaded with calories to fuel a field slave's work. Some of these recipes had origins in Africa. (Gumbo, we learn, was the West African word for "okra.")
And during the civil rights era, it was soul food purveyors like Ms. Peaches of Peaches Restaurant in Jackson, Miss., who fed demonstrators and helped keep the movement going — at no small risk to themselves. "Black women have done so much to sustain us as a community and as a culture," Hurt says. "Ms. Peaches is one example of a woman who used her culinary skills and her courage to help feed the civil rights movement."
But even at that time, when places like Sylvia's in Harlem were bringing soul food to a wider audience, some in the African-American community were raising questions about soul food's toll on health. Nation of Islam leaders denounced soul food as "slave food," while comedian Dick Gregory, who became a vegetarian in the '60s, termed it "death food."
Hurt himself revamped his diet after a dalliance with Nation of Islam teachings. His rejection of pork, he recalls, hit his father hard.
"Maybe he felt like that was me rejecting him, me rejecting black culture, me rejecting the food that he loved, you know?" he says in the film.
These days, lots of people — from vegan chef Bryant Terry to nutrition nonprofits like Oldways — are creating more health-conscious interpretations of traditional soul food recipes. The PBS site offers up its own healthy takes on seven soul food favorites.
But as Hurt notes, it would be overly simplistic to blame soul food for the rampant rates of obesity and diabetes in the African-American community.
"We also have to pay attention to larger issues affecting our community: fast food and processed food," he says.
"It is true that poor and working-class families who live in communities that don't have access to good supermarkets don't have access to good, quality, healthy foods," he says. "And a lot of those poor supermarkets can be easily found in communities of color. And that is a problem."
I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. In a few minutes, we want to talk about how women took center stage at the Golden Globes last night.
But, first, we want to tell you about a new documentary premiering tonight on PBS that takes kind of a tough look at one of America's favorite things. It's called "Soul Food Junkies" and the title alone gives you a taste of what the film is all about. Here's a clip.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: What is it about soul food that you love? What's so appealing?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: The spice, the seasoning.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: I came for the fried chicken.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #2: Now, you haven't had nothing till you had my black-eyed peas.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #3: Soul food tastes good, better than most white man food, that's for sure.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #4: Soul food is a great part of our culture because it's a time of coming together. It's a time of cooking together, talking together, sitting down and consuming together.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #3: That's why, when we pray, good Lord, good meat, come on, let's eat. Hallelujah.
MARTIN: Director Byron Hurt's film is not just a celebration of this traditional fare. He is asking some important questions about whether this food, as loved as it is, but packed with fat, sugar and salt, is actually doing the people who eat it more harm than good, and he's with us now from our bureau in New York.
Welcome. Thanks so much for joining us.
BYRON HURT: Oh, thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it.
MARTIN: You know, you're very up front about your motivation for making the film. It comes out of concern for your own family, particularly your father, who loved food and loved to eat, but also gained a lot of weight and eventually became quite ill.
HURT: Yes. That's exactly right. The film is inspired by my father, who became ill in 2004 with pancreatic cancer and it was at that time that I started to really, really focus in on what could have led to his illness. And I had always been really concerned about my father's health from the time that I was a young boy because he was overweight. He was obese, I would say. I recognized that his eating habits were not the best and so, when he became ill, I started to take a look at, you know, his relationship to food and it was soul food that he grew up with and that he loved so much, in addition to fast food and processed foods.
And so I just started asking questions about, you know, the very nature of sickness and illness in the African-American community and I wondered if other people were experiencing similar things, which is what led me to make this film.
MARTIN: Well, in the course of the film, you dig into the roots of why this food became soul food, why it's so much beloved, you know, where the traditions came from. You make the point that this was survival food, you know, at one point, but you also make this interesting trip, at some point. One of the trips that you make as part of the film - you make a stop to Peaches Restaurant in Mississippi.
HURT: Yes.
MARTIN: And I want to play a clip from your interview with Ms. Peaches, who opened the doors to her restaurant in 1961.
MS. PEACHES: You out there and being misused and mistreated, people are dogging you around and you ain't got nowhere to go. I think it was my duty to open the door and let you in.
MARTIN: Now, she's actually talking on two different levels here. She's talking both just about food as comfort, but she's also talking about her own bravery. She doesn't call it that, but you do, clearly. I think people can appropriately draw that conclusion. She was one of the people feeding demonstrators during the Civil Rights Movement at no small risk to herself. But why did you think it was important to include this in the film?
HURT: You know, black women have done so much to help sustain us as a community and as a culture and Ms. Peaches is one example of a woman, you know, who used her culinary skills and her courage to help feed the Civil Rights Movement. You know, I ran into her restaurant down in Jackson, Mississippi. I talked to her son, who was very - he spoke very, very fondly of his mother and how courageous his mother was and he told stories about the great lengths that his mother went to to make sure that the residents of Jackson, Mississippi were well fed.
You know, I felt like I really had to interview her because she represented so much strength and so much power and soul food was a huge part of her identity and she speaks to how soul food gave her power in her community. So I wanted to use Ms. Peaches as almost like the embodiment of so many women, and not just women - black men, as well - who used food that was cooked and prepared from the heart to help sustain an entire community.
MARTIN: You know, you have another interesting moment in the film that I just had to play. You go to a tailgate at...
HURT: Yes.
MARTIN: ...Jackson State University, an historically black college - university. Football game's going on. The folks brought so much food to the tailgate that I think it was almost more important than the game.
HURT: And there's a clip where some folks are trying to get you to sample their wares. Here it is.
HURT: All right. So wait, wait. You're saying everything in here ain't good for you?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: No. But it's good to you, though.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: But it's good to you.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: You got to have this.
HURT: I'm good. I'm good. I'm good. No, I'm good.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: Taste it. Taste it, man. Taste it.
HURT: I'm a taste it.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: Everything, uh-uh. You got to taste in front of us.
HURT: I'm a taste it right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: All right. Taste it.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: (Unintelligible)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: That's it. Ain't right. Tell the people eating right.
HURT: Yo, I cannot front. That turkey neck drenched in pork juice was delicious.
MARTIN: Well, we're glad you enjoyed it but, one of the things I found fascinating about this is that number one, you don't eat pork.
HURT: Right.
MARTIN: You haven't eaten pork in years.
HURT: Right.
MARTIN: You didn't really want to eat it. It's almost as though people are saying to you if you don't eat this food you are no longer one of us.
HURT: That is exactly right. And you caught that. And you're spot on with that. You know, soul food is a culinary tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation. You know, and it's helped us survive some very, very difficult times. You know, it came with the enslaved Africans over from West Africa to the Americas into the Deep South and people are very emotionally connected to soul food. They're connected to the food that their mother prepared or their grandmother, or great-grandmother, or their great grandfather prepared for them, you know, when they were young people growing up. And I think that's the case with my father and so many other people who love and enjoy soul food. So whenever you challenge that culinary tradition, that culture, you know, people become a little territorial, you know, and protective of it. And they feel like if it was good enough for their grandmother or grandfather, it should be good enough for them.
And so, you know, the point with my film is not to throw the entire tradition out, you know, in the trash, but it's really to say we can continue to enjoy our great tradition if we change the way we prepare it and the way that we cook it - to make modifications, and that's really what the film is suggesting. But we also have to pay attention to some other larger food issues that are affecting our community too - like the fast food industry and processed food, you know, that is so easily accessible and readily accessible in our neighborhoods. So, you know, while the film uses soul food as a jumping off point, it's a much bigger conversation about food and our relationship to food as a community, which may be a factor in what's making us so sick.
MARTIN: We're talking about the new PBS documentary. It premieres tonight. It's called "Soul Food Junkies." We're talking with director Byron Hurt about this.
And Byron though, in the run-up to the premiere, which is today, as I said - and you'll want to check your local listings for exact times - one of the criticisms I've seen of the film by some of the people who've seen it is that they feel that you're connecting this to kind of, one of your commentators says that there is no more pointed manifestation of racism than the lack of access to fresh food. And some people think that that is just a step too far. I mean their argument is that like people are making choices, they have a right to make choices, it's free people about what they want to eat. Processed food is, you know, there's pluses and minuses. And one of the pluses is that it can be, you know, very affordable. And I just wanted to ask if you would address that.
HURT: Well, I thought it was really important to address the issue of food deserts and African-American communities - and I would say poor communities around the country, not just African-American communities, but poor working class communities, the issue is very real. You know, my office is based in what is considered to be a food desert in Newark, New Jersey. It is true that poor and working-class families who live in communities that don't have access to good supermarkets don't have access to good quality healthy foods. And a lot of those poor supermarkets can be easily found in communities of color. And that is a problem and I think it should be addressed. And I think that Marc Lamont Hill, who talks about that in my film, addressed it very, very intelligently.
MARTIN: Before we let you go, I mean it's important to note - as you just noted - that excess weight is not just an issue for African-Americans or other people of color. You know, excess weight...
HURT: No, this is a global issue.
MARTIN: ...it's a global issue. It's certainly an issue for the United States. I mean it's been reported by the first lady, for example, that the number of recruits to the armed forces, a significant, a number of them are rejected because they have excess weight and can't meet the physical requirements.
HURT: Is that right?
MARTIN: You know military service.
HURT: Well, you know what?
MARTIN: So clearly it's an issue for the country. I'm just wondering what you hope people will draw from the film if they see it, whether they're African-American or not.
HURT: You know, if people can connect to the film and personalize it and be inspired by it, and maybe consider it possibility of changing the way they look and the way they prepare their meals or reduce the amount of fast food that they eat, or drink more water, as opposed to drinking soda, then that would be my goal.
I think for those who are open, yes, I think it will have an impact. For those who are not open and their resistant to change, it probably won't have any impact at all. I've had people say to me Byron, your film has really forced me to change my eating habits and I'm eating more salads and that sort of thing. And I've had people say to me Byron, your film made me want to go out and buy a whole carton of fried chicken. You know, so it's gone both ways.
MARTIN: Oh, dear. Well, at least it wasn't pork knuckles, so.
HURT: No. Yeah, pork knuckles, that's a different conversation.
MARTIN: OK. Byron Hurt is director of the new documentary "Soul Food Junkies." It premieres today on PBS, although you will probably want to check your local listings for exact times.
Byron Hurt, thank you. so much for joining us.
HURT: Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


text:
The large full moon lit my trail along Wildcat Boulevard most of last week.
The large full moon lit my trail along Wildcat Boulevard most of last week. The best scene though was one morning when the full moon was setting down into the tree-covered hills west of Neosho Boulevard. The moon peeking through the trees on top of the ridge was spectacular.
For me, the early morning walks are one of life's pleasures. Isn't it peculiar how simple things sometimes give us the most pleasure?
I was thinking of life's pleasures the other morning as I walked along. Some of my favorites follow:
Lifting the bowl and drinking the last milk in the bottom of a bowl of corn flakes is great. Is it the sugar that settled to the bottom mixed with the milk? Is it the last two or three fully soaked corn flakes? Is it the fact that drinking this milk signifies something good is finished — done?
How about kicking off one's shoes and socks at the end of a long working day? The simple relief of letting one's toes and feet be free to breathe is wonderful. Perhaps God did intend for humans to go barefoot instead of restricting the feet with shoes and boots.
Receiving an unexpected compliment is also one of life's special pleasures. The other day I was told that my giving a Lions introduction pamphlet and a buckeye to each visitor has been talked about at a Lions regional meeting. The region members decided all clubs should follow this example.
Getting a hug from someone you haven't seen in a long time is certainly one of life's pleasures. A warm handshake is fine. A clap on the back is great, but a hug is something special.
My family was never one who showed much emotion. We never hugged one another or others when we met. We had some cousins who were huggers, and as a kid I always disliked meeting them, because I'd be hugged a couple times. But as I have aged, I have learned a good hug can be wonderful.
I thought of many other simple pleasures as I walked along that day: having someone stop to visit for five minutes; having a nap after lunch and still being able to sleep all night; being able to eat a bowl of ice cream every day; having a juicy steak covered with barbeque sauce; eating a crisp, sweet apple; cutting open a watermelon to have the melon split in front of the knife; sitting in a rocking chair with a fresh cup of coffee; or getting a hand — written letter or note from an old friend.
Take a walk, enjoy the simple pleasures in life, use those signal lights, watch for pedestrians, and see what you notice while passing along Wildcat Boulevard.
Russell Hively writes a weekly column for the Daily News.


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During the CDP Days 2011 Spring Conference, a few unanswered questions regarding the upcoming sequel The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.
CD Projekt revealed that The Witcher 2 will utilize SecuROM copy-protection for its retail release, deciding it was the least intrusive way to protect its content from piracy. Though they are aware some gamers will groan at the decision to use SecuROM, CD Projekt noted that the game will allow for "unlimited installations on an unlimited number of computers" and allow "play on up to five computers at once." The game requires an internet connection for the game's initial activation. According to the presentation, this will ensure that The Witcher 2 cannot be played before the game's May 17 release.
The Witcher 2 will also be available on digital distribution platforms, including DRM-free on Good Old Games (GOG.com).
Although the game will include a serial code for activation, users that purchase the game on GOG.com will not require the code to play the game. The GOG.com release will come completely unlocked; however, a code will be included for users that wish to download future DLC--which requires the serial key to access the content.
Beginning May 10, users that have pre-purchased The Witcher 2 on GOG.com will have the ability to pre-load 90% of the final game. Good Old Games will be the only digital distribution platform that will feature a pre-load for the game.
Unlike the original game in the series, The Witcher 2 will not see any censorship between regions. Each region will feature the same story and gameplay. Additionally, the sequel features up to sixteen different endings. During the conference, CD Projekt issued a challenge to players of The Witcher 2: the first person to unlock all sixteen endings (and prove it with a save file), will be awarded a special t-shirt.
CD Projekt recently announced the PC specs for the upcoming, anticipated sequel.