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Wednesday, August 17, 2011
MSE responds to CBS Sports
Let's look at the CBS Sports, Gary Parrish article 'Jerron Love is top 8th grader, says his dad' posted on CBSSports.com soon after the release of the Wall Street Journal publication by Scott Cacciola 'Can't Miss Basketball Prodigy- Just Ask Dad'.
Gary Parrish gives credit to Mr. Cacciola for a great story and then offers this advice, "I would encourage every father of a young basketball player to read it (Can't Miss Basketball Prodigy -Just Ask Dad) because it's a nice guide to how not to handle a boy's amateur career."
I'm not offended nor is something wrong with what Mr. Parrish wrote. He actually touched on an interesting topic.
Mr. Parrish takes excerpts from WSJ , 'Can't Miss Basketball Prodigy- Just Ask Dad'.
"[The website] Middle School Elite celebrates Jerron Love as a 5-foot-7 playmaker and the country's top eighth-grader. His potential? Limitless. Just ask the guy who runs the site—his dad. "I'm the Wizard of Oz, the man behind the curtain," Jerry Love said.
I said, "I'm the Wizard of OZ, the man behind the curtain" jokingly to Scott when we met. But, Clark Francis is the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain.
Mr. Parrish says, "If you didn't catch that, here's the deal: A man named Jerry Love started a website that ranks middle school basketball players, and he's declared his son, Jerron Love, the nation's top-ranked eighth-grade prospect.
You're correct, I ranked my son country's top 8th grader. Do you suppose he's No.50?
"This is ridiculous on lots of levels not the least of which is that his son is a 15-year-old eighth-grader and shorter than me"
You're saying Jerron's older than most 8th graders and has difficulty competing because, he's "shorter" than you (Mr. Parrish).
Size doesn't matter! It's absurd that there's hardly no on-line national representation for grammar school student-athletes.
Mr. Parrish continues "and it'll almost certainly do more harm than good." In other words, "don't train too serious and definitely don't exploit it. Let us do it, if at all."
Mr. Parrish goes further, " Love is now a national name and not for good reasons." We hope, Jerron Love, being a "national name" will inspire others to reach for their goals.
"He'll have incredible pressure on him throughout high school and most likely be a "failure" relative to the expectations his father has placed upon him." "Failure" is an inability to perform. So you can't mean Jerron. Besides I never said Jerron was college basketball or NBA bound.
"And for what? Because the dad wanted to hype his son?" said Mr. Parrish. Instead of the word "hype" I prefer "early exposure" to spare youngsters from showcasing in obscurity.
"Eighth-graders don't need hype. They need parents who love them and teach them and shield them from things like this." I loved them, taught them and shielded them from the nasty politics of some youth scouting and ranking services.
"If the kid's legitimate, we would've all found out in proper time." When exactly is the proper time? We believe legitimacy is "emphasizing skills" as taught by James Naismith, who stood 5'10" 1/2.
"But nobody needed a website started by Jerry Love to tell us Jerron Love is the best from sea to shining sea." I'd have to disagree, speaking for hundreds of thousands of readers following Middle School Elite. I believe we do more good than harm.
"Guess who needed it less than anybody? Jerron Love" Really?? Now our struggle is for players like Demetrius Walker and Andre Allen.
"Make no mistake, I wish the kid luck. You call it "luck", I call it "life".
"But I'm not optimistic, and his father isn't helping. Lastly, thanks Mr. Parrish for your pessimism. I'm pretty sure Jerron would be delighted to play you one-on-one. LoL
Stay tuned as we bring you remarks from ESPN Eamonn Brennan 'Today in Depressing Hoop News' concerning the WSJ article 'Can't Miss Basketball Prodigy-Just Ask Dad.'
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After upgrading my computers from Windows 7 to 8 my backups, made using Windows Home Server 2011 (which I run as a virtual machine for the sole purpose of backups), did not work. I got this error on the client machines:
Volume Shadow Copy Service error: Unexpected error querying for the IVssWriterCallback interface. hr = 0x80070005, Access is denied.
. This is often caused by incorrect security settings in either the writer or requestor process.
Gathering Writer Data
Writer Class Id: {e8132975-6f93-4464-a53e-1050253ae220}
Writer Name: System Writer
Writer Instance ID: {bc66abce-f123-4f20-9121-8ebe21c3134f}
It turned out this error message is rather misleading. What was really the problem was that Windows Home Server 2011 does not support client backup on Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)-based computers that contain a GUID partition table (GPT)-formatted disk. But luckily, there is a hotfix from Microsoft: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2781272/en-us
After applying this hotfix, reinstalling WHS client software and extending the virtual disk for WHS (it was full), the backups started working.

subset: commoncrawl


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COMFORT DESIGN BUILDING is a 60-year Leasehold factory located at 110 Eunos Avenue 7 in District 14 (Central east - Paya Lebar / Geylang / Eunos) - Rest of Central Region in Singapore.
The nearest MRT/LRT station for COMFORT DESIGN BUILDING is EW8 Paya Lebar which is about0.7km away. There are8bus stops near COMFORT DESIGN BUILDING. The nearest expressway exits for COMFORT DESIGN BUILDING are PIE Exit 11 - 0.45 km away).
COMFORT DESIGN BUILDING is within the URA growth area ofPaya Lebar Central.
Please note the distance is based on straight line and may not be accurate.


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Good morning, dear friends 😀
Hehe, I forgot to post my recipe for Lung Cleansing Watercress Soup that I had promised earlier in my Lung Cleansing Breathing Exercise post CLICK HERE TO READ, until I was reminded by my very good friend, Rose. 😳
This easy-to-make and delicious soup is loaded with nutrition and was taught to me by a healer lady that I usually visit for my joint pains therapy. This elderly lady is a wealth of information on various herbs and soups for natural healing for our body, an art that she has inherited from her late grandmother. She strongly recommends this soup to smokers, those that inhale second-hand cigarette smoke and those living in polluted air environment as this soup is very effective in cleansing our lungs of toxins. She said never to underestimate the goodness of this simple vegetable and she told me to make this soup every 2 weeks for my husband, who is a heavy cigarette smoker.
Red & Honey Dates
Nutritious, Lung Cleansing Watercress Soup (for 6 persons)
Ingredients –
1 kg of watercress, use stems and leaves
500 gm of pork ribs, or lean pork, or skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of dried honey dates (mutt joe in Cantonese), omit this if you can't find this in your area (or you can use 1 1/2 cups dried red dates pictured above instead)
4 litres of water
enough salt to taste
Method –
Put all ingredients in a pot or slow cooker, bring to a boil, remove any "scum" that is floating at the top, bring down the heat to low and simmer the soup for 4 hours (minimum). Season to taste.
** Note – for a vegan version – omit meat and salt and double the amount of dried honey dates
A pot of Sweet Watercress soup using just 1 kg watercress, 400 gm of dried honey dates, water
A cup of sweet watercress soup (vegan type)
This soup is very tasty and can be served with hot white rice, and your other dishes. Each of my family usually have a large bowl of this yummy soup, and I especially love eating the soft watercress.
** Note – it is important to use so much watercress and to simmer the soup for 4 hours so that the watercress' strong "cooling" properties are removed, and the soup becomes very nutritious for our health, and it will have the potency to detoxify our lungs.
Otherwise, you can use a lesser amount of watercress, boil it in some chicken stock, add in your favourite meats (like shrimps, fish balls, sliced pork or chicken), season to taste, bring to a boil and the soup's ready for you. In this method, this soup will be very "cooling" to your body but you can't consume this too often. However, it will be very suitable when your body is heaty with symptoms of sore gums, sore throat, headaches, flu.
I heard that someone was sick in bed and drank this simpler version of watercress soup and she got well in a day! In other areas, watercress is good for anaemia as it has loads of iron (in this case, it is best to eat it fresh in a salad). 😀
With best wishes for good health,
choesf 😀


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natalia vodianova, daria werbowy + Kate Moss for david yurman
makes you crave those warm summer nights at the beach yes..
i don't know which i prefer
Daria or the jewelry!
I'm gonna go with Daria wearing his jewelry ;)
i love this video~!
Daria's amazing. she's got that effortless inherent beauty to her. Not to mention wonderful style!
lol i ended up posting a Daria post actually lol! purely coincidence too, as i just came over here and remembered this great video! lol!
I checked for Crazy/Beautiful stills but Kirsten looked sooooo cracked out in all of them so i just didnt want to post that as i dont think it accurately represents her free-spirit awesome character in the film- even is she was on something most of the film, she was soo awesome at the same time! too bad...


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Sir James MacMillan is one of today's most successful composers and is also internationally active as a conductor. His musical language is flooded with influences from his Scottish heritage, Catholic faith, social conscience and close connection with Celtic folk music, blended with influences from Far Eastern, Scandinavian and Eastern European music.
MacMillan first became internationally recognised after the extraordinary success of The Confession of Isobel Gowdie at the BBC Proms in 1990. His prolific output has since been performed and broadcast around the world. His major works include percussion concerto Veni, Veni, Emmanuel, which has received close to 500 performances, a cello concerto for Mstislav Rostropovich and four symphonies. Recent major works include his Percussion Concerto No.2 for Colin Currie, co-commissioned by the Philharmonia Orchestra, Edinburgh International Festival, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, São Paulo Symphony Orchestra and Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music and, most recently, his Trombone Concerto, written for Jörgen van Rijen, which was premiered by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Iván Fischer.
MacMillan enjoys a flourishing career as conductor of his own music alongside a range of contemporary and standard repertoire, praised for the composer's insight he brings to each score. He has conducted orchestras such as the National Symphony Orchestra Washington, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, Vienna Radio Symphony, Danish Radio Symphony, Gothenburg Symphony, Bergen Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and NHK Symphony Orchestra among others. He was Principal Guest Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Kamer Filharmonie until 2013 and Composer/Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic from 2000-09.
Highlights of the 2017/18 season include a performance at Edinburgh International Festival, conducting BBC Scottish Symphony and appearances with London Philharmonic Orchestra, where he also mentors the 2017/18 Young Composers Scheme. Elsewhere this season MacMillan conducts the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and the Scottish Ensemble. This season a number of new MacMillan works will be premiered including Larghetto for Orchestra by Pittsburgh Symphony, The Sun Danced by Gulbenkian Orchestra, a choral work for The Sixteen and a saxophone concerto for Amy Dickson.
In October 2014 MacMillan founded his music festival, The Cumnock Tryst, which takes place annually in his native Ayrshire. MacMillan was awarded a CBE in 2004 and a Knighthood in 2015.
MacMillan has directed many of his own works on disc for Chandos, BIS and BMG, most recently a series on Challenge Records including MacMillan's violin concerto A Deep but Dazzling Darkness and percussion concerto Veni, Veni, Emmanuel with Colin Currie and the Netherlands Radio Kamer Filharmonie. His recent release on Harmonia Mundi conducting Britten Sinfonia included his Oboe Concerto and won the 2016 BBC Music Magazine Award; in 2017 The Sixteen's recording of MacMillan's Stabat Mater was nominated for a Gramophone Award and won the Diapason d'Or Choral Award.
Conducting highlights & programmes
James MacMillan was Composer-Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic from 2000-2009 and of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonie from 2009-2013. In Spring 2014 MacMillan conducted three projects with the BBC Scottish Symphony including a the orchestra's first tour to India. Highlights of the current season include a new production of his 1990 opera Ines de Castro with Scottish opera, Composer in Residence with the Sao Paulo Symphony where he conducts a choral programme, return conducting engagements with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia and debuts with Bergen Philharmonic among others. In recent seasons he has conducted orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Danish National Symphony, Baltimore Symphony and New Zealand Symphony.
Orchestral conducting programmes:
Britten Four Sea Interludes
MacMillan Credo
MacMillan The Sacrifice: Three Interludes
Vaughan Williams Symphony No.4
Adès Polaris
MacMillan Viola Concerto
Anderson Prayer
Turnage Frieze
MacMillan The Sacrifice: Three Interludes
Elgar Cello Concerto
Vaughan Williams Symphony No.4
Rimsky-Korsakov Russian Easter Festival Overture
Beethoven Piano Concerto No.4
Wagner Good Friday Music
MacMillan The World's Ransoming
Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings
MacMillan St Luke Passion
Mendelssohn Hebrides Overture, Op.26
Mozart Violin Concerto No.5
MacMillan Symphony No.3, 'Silence'
Britten Prelude & Fugue op.29
Shostakovich Cello Concerto No.1
MacMillan Seven Last Words from the Cross
Ulvo Shadows and Shields (premiere)
MacMillan Viola Concerto
Mendelssohn Symphony No.3 in A minor, Op.56 'Scottish'
Choral conducting programmes:
MacMillan After Virtue
Gorecki Church Songs (selection)
MacMillan Sun Dogs
MacMillan Cum vidisset Jesus
MacMillan They Saw the Stone had been Rolled Away
MacMillan Alleluia
MacMillan Catherine's Lullabies
Victoria Tenebrae Responsaries (excerpts)
MacMillan Sun Dogs
Poulenc Salve Regina / Ave verum corpus / Exultate Deo
MacMillan Mairi / O bone Jesu
Composer of the Year, Pittsburgh Symphony 2016/17
Composer in Residence, Grafenegg Festival 2012
Making Music Carnegie Hall, 2011
Principal Guest Conductor, Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonie 2009-2013
London Symphony Orchestra Artist Portrait, 2009/10
Composer-Conductor, BBC Philharmonic 2000-2009
James MacMillan is one of today's most performed composers, with a rich catalogue of orchestral and choral music performed by leadings orchestras around the world. Recent years have brought a successful sequence of concertos by MacMillan: for violinist Vadim Repin, pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet (his third piano concerto), oboist Nicholas Daniel, violist Lawrence Power and percussionist Colin Currie (his second percussion concerto). 2014 saw MacMillan launching Cumnock Tryst, a new music festival in his home town of Cumnock, Ayrshire.
The music of James MacMillan is published by Boosey & Hawkes
Selected work highlights:
Percussion Concerto No. 2 (2014)
Solo percussion and orchestra (soloist Colin Currie)
St Luke Passion (2013) 60'
SATB chorus, children's choir, organ and chamber orchestra
Viola Concerto (2013) 31'
Viola and orchestra (soloist Lawrence Power)
Oboe Concerto (2010) 23'
Oboe and chamber orchestra
Violin Concerto (2009) 25'
Violin and orchestra (soloist Vadim Repin)
Piano Concerto no. 3 (2008) 25'
Piano and orchestra (soloist Jean-Yves Thibaudet)
St John Passion (2007) 87'
Baritone, small chorus, large chorus and orchestra
The Sacrifice: Three Interludes (2006) 15'
Orchestral overture
Symphony No. 3: 'Silence' (2002) 36'
Seven Last Words from the Cross (1993) 45'
Cantata for chamber choir and strings
Veni, Veni, Emmanuel (1992) 26'
Solo percussion and orchestra (soloists include Colin Currie)
The Confession of Isobel Gowdie (1990) 26'
Symphony orchestra
Sunday Times
A towering performance by the BBC Philharmonic under the composer James MacMillan. He is proving a conductor of daunting ability.
New York Times
MacMillan conducted his own music that was ceaselessly inventive, evocative and penetrating...His estimable mastery of orchestral timbre and effect was evident throughout.
How do we characterise the phenomenal concert given on Saturday night by the BBC SSO, with a string of premieres, all conducted by the man himself? The night featured music that was beguiling, intriguing, poignant, hilarious, electrifyingly exciting, challenging and, for those who know a little about MacMillan's music, comprehensively revelatory.


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Thursday, November 13, 2008
The problem with bailouts
10 comments:
- OregonGuy said...
Common sense.
Perhaps this common sense thing could be revealed to our governor?
- Thursday, November 13, 2008 3:01:00 PM
- R. L. said...
"The company is failing because of its medical and pension liabilities, not so much because its cars are bad."
Yeah, it's all those coddled automotive workers and not the fact that GM's sales dropped %45 from this time last year. Nope, that would be a minor issue.
- Thursday, November 13, 2008 3:32:00 PM
I read somewhere (don't know if this is credible,) that during the civil war the confederate constitution didn't allow laws to pass as a "package" they had to pass one by one.
I'm in the housing industry as an assistant to both mortgage bankers and Realtors. Since we just had to "close our eyes and open our mouth" with all these bailout plans, everyone in the housing industry is feeling ignorant and just yesterday the bailout plan changed course towards student loans, auto loans and credit card debt. Our trade associations are constantly advocating for one thing or another, I'm wary of "package" ideas. "Support the mortgage makeover bailout plan!" Support the "Credit for lousy borrowers plan" And it's hard to get to the bottom of the 'plans.'
The best part was when the media starting saying there had been an economic upturn the day after Obama was elected.
- Thursday, November 13, 2008 4:43:00 PM
Hi Rob - Clarification needed concerning "not so much because its cars are bad." Does this mean you think Detroit's cars are bad but the problem is caused by medical/pension costs, or does it mean you think Detroit's cars are not bad?
- Thursday, November 13, 2008 9:05:00 PM
- MAX Redline said...
Oddly, the cars sell well in Europe. Why would that be? Smaller engines, better fuel efficiency, and fewer safety standards - which is why those cars can't be sold in the USA.
What's killing the US automakers? A combination of government and unions.
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By DAVE BURGESS - The Dominion Post
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Public anger over a proliferation of cellphone towers and broadband cabinets has prompted Wellington City Council to look at tightening controls on communication companies.
Council planners have received applications covering more than 170 sites from telecommunication companies this year. They include more than 100 roadside cabinets, each the size of a large fridge, to be installed in Wellington as part of Telecom's "cabinetisation" programme for faster broadband. Also included are 70 applications from NZ Communications, which is establishing a national mobile network. Complaints from residents and business owners over the proliferation of towers and cabinets prompted Mayor Kerry Prendergast to seek a review of the council's district plan rules.
The rules allow almost all telecommunication installations on council-owned reserve land, and on land next to roads, to proceed unhindered.
Ms Prendergast said the recent installation of two separate towers by Vodafone and NZ Communications in Churton Park had angered residents and sparked the review.
"Residents are annoyed that the telecommunications companies are siting new infrastructure on reserve land, or on a roadside, and the council can't stop them doing so."
She said people were especially concerned at the height of some cellphone towers, and an apparent reluctance of companies to share the same tower for their equipment.
"Telecommunications equipment is essential to our collective welfare and to keeping Wellington an internationally competitive capital city.
"However, the installation of this infrastructure should be balanced against the wishes of residents not to have their views, and enjoyment of life, compromised."
Churton Park resident Malcolm Weight said there was concern in the community about the visual impact of the towers, and whether prolonged exposure to tower emissions could make people ill.
"What I think should change is that these companies should have to apply for resource consent in the usual way so people can send in submissions and voice their concerns to the council."
The review would include an investigation into how the council could effectively use the new National Environmental Standards, introduced by the Government last month.
Though the standards set limits on the height and size of telecommunication masts and antennas and cabinets, , council officers are uncertain how to police them.
Telecom spokesman Ian Bonnar said the telecommunications company had always worked in line with national guidelines and local council district plans.
"Generally the National Environmental Standards provide technical specifications for the infrastructure, and it is the district plan that determines the location." He said Telecom would discuss the planned rule changes if invited by the council.


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REIMANN, A.: Medea (Vienna State Opera, 2010) (NTSC) 101551
REIMANN, A.: Medea (Vienna State Opera, 2010) (Blu-ray, Full-HD) 101552
... Reimann's dark, abrasive music is perfect for the subject, as are the stark sets. Action is not interrupted by "arias," as the tragic story progresses. It is a tour-de-force for a singer who can get it all together, and Marlis Petersen surely manages that. Video and audio are excellent as experienced on the Blu-Ray edition. The usually reserved Viennese audience gave this a resounding ovation, all included. This a powerful modern treatment of the legendary Greek scorned woman, in a performance that could not be bettered. Experienced on Blu-Ray, video and audio are state-of-the-art. Recommended!
For those who find too many jokes in Wozzeck, Elektra or Die Soldaten this is your moment. Aribert Reimann's opera in four pictures Medea is just under two hours of intense and emotional drama which will leave you drained but deeply impressed. The DVD makes the usual mistake of putting an extract from the opera over the disc menu but apart from that they don't put a foot wrong. That is, except near the end when the death of King Creon seems to take place on stage but just off camera and one has to guess what has just happened from the fleeting shadows. It was recorded at the premiere plus two subsequent performances in the same run early in 2010. The sound is very good with the DD5.1 placing you virtually in the orchestra pit with the singers close in front of you and the orchestra all around. Were this a concert that aural picture would be very disturbing but for an opera it is only odd but acceptable. Picture quality is first class, which makes one regret that it did not arrive on Blu-ray.
Medea proceeds by a series of set-pieces to its quiet and chilling conclusion and, on disc at least, pauses just once. First we see Medea as outsider, dressed in a plausibly prehistoric woollen cloak with hair dressed to match. Her nurse Gora is dressed in different colours but is clearly from the same culture. By contrast Jason arrives in a boiler suit with his suitcase from which he produces jacket, trousers and shoes that would not be out of place on the Centre Court at Wimbledon. I must admit that was a worrying moment but when the Corinthians appeared attired in elegant long white and cream coats and dresses the designer's decisions made sense. Medea is the unwelcome foreigner and the Corinthians are the civilised and cultured people. Jason is trying to gain acceptance by looking as much like them as he can. Medea is firmly her own woman. The third element in the drama is the group from the council of the Amphyctions led by the herald. They are silver clad and distinctly 'Ancient Greek', as befits those bringing verdicts from a group containing the famous Delphic Oracle and thus associated with the Gods. Medea fails to be accepted; the herald announces banishment for Jason and Medea; Jason blames her; she revenges herself on the Corinthians and on Jason in the most horrific way and finally goes off to face her punishment at the hands of the Delphic priests. Such a grim and archaic scenario might seem far from the concerns of 2010 but without any hint of political emphasis points are made about the rejection of foreigners, the assumption of inherent superiority by the 'cultured' and 'civilised' who dress well simply because they are rich and at peace, and the ease with which the women are made to take the blame and the children frequently suffer the consequences. Medea is faced with her own 'Sophie's choice' when Jason bargains with her to take just one of her sons. She can choose which! All this is staged against a rocky Moonscape with the elegant palace literally dropping in from above for its inhabitants to issue orders and rejections. The landscape itself falls in avalanche as Medea takes her revenge.
The music for all this must have posed problems for the cast but they acquit themselves triumphantly well, particularly Marlis Petersen and Max Emanuel Cencic. The clean picture shows how closely the cast are watching the conductor, as well they might. There are no tunes as such but the score has an audible structure and a huge range of expression allowing it to illustrate the plot as well as imply much of the violent emotional undercurrent. The bass instruments and the percussion have prominent parts throughout. Those who have heard the recording of Reimann's Lear will be relieved to know Medea isn't quite so loud as that but still generates quite enough noise to frighten the horses. I certainly cannot imagine Reimann writing a successful comedy! The music can be quiet however, as at the very end when Medea walks slowly off into the stony landscape to face the judgement of the Gods with the final words to Jason, "the dream is over…the night not yet". Chilling indeed.
REIMANN, A.: Medea (Vienna State Opera, 2010) (NTSC) 101551
REIMANN, A.: Medea (Vienna State Opera, 2010) (Blu-ray, Full-HD)101552
This fabulous recording of a commission by the Wiener Staatsoper, in collaboration with the Frankfurt Opera, brings us the world premiere of Medea. Reimann's eighth opera and his first in ten years, Medea was awarded World Premiere of the Year by the German magazine Opernwelt. Reimann focuses on a few hours of the life of Medea, a mythological Greek protagonist who seeks revenge on her husband, who has fallen in love with another woman. Visions from Reimann's scarred childhood—during which he saw Berlin and Potsdam bombed and blazing—are incorporated into Medea as they were in his other operas Traumspiel, Melusine, and Troades.
The primary cast of six features German coloratura Marlis Petersen, who is intense and accurate as Medea. Her angular leaps sound effortless, and she easily elicits sympathy from the viewer with her desperate, wailing melismas. She spends most of her time crawling around on a desolate, futuristic landscape. The score is dense, powerful, and atonal, yet the music reflects the physical ambiance and actions of the characters so artfully that its accessibility to the general listener is pretty much a non-issue. Conductor Michael Boder was wisely chosen for his familiarity with Reimann, having premiered his Schloss in 1992, and stage director Marelli's reputation for world premieres will continue unscathed. This production is not one to miss.
STRAUSS, R.: Elektra (Baden-Baden, 2010) (NTSC) OA1046D
REIMANN, A.: Medea (Vienna State Opera, 2010) (NTSC) 101551
By a coincidence, new videos of two operas based on Greek tragedies have appeared in the same month. Richard Strauss' "Elektra" (1909) is on the Opus Arte label and features a 2010 performance from the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden with Christian Thielemann conducting. The other, on an ArtHaus DVD, is Aribert Reimann's "Medea" in a 2010 performance at the Vienna State Opera, conducted by Michael Boder. [In this article, the German spellings of the Greek names will be used.]
Both works center on a woman driven to the utmost limits of human endurance and bent on a horrible revenge. Elektra lives only for the day when her brother Orestes will return to murder their mother Klytamnestra, who had murdered their father Agamemnon. Medea has given up all for love of Jason, who had stolen the Golden Fleece from her father. Once back in Greece, Jason decides to marry a Corinthian princess, take the children and send Medea into exile.
Stories like this demand powerful music. After experimenting with a new orchestral sound for his "Salome" (another female you would not like to meet), Strauss went a step further with "Elektra." But the score is entirely dramatic and seems to fit the action and emotions. A leitmotif based on the word "Agamemnon" opens the work and is heard at crucial points. The effeminacy of Aegisth is clearly underlined by the bouncy little theme that accompanies his first entrance. (His stage time is very short!)
The score for "Medea" is more like a movie soundtrack. As the program notes point out, Reimann abandons any sense of beat and lets the music flow around the action. This might be very well, but the effect is that it all sounds the same, regardless of what is happening on stage. The declamatory style of singing so beloved of recent composers (could they give us a beautiful melody if they wanted to?) will strike some as a group of actors shouting at each other at the top of their vocal range.
This works fine for Medea, who is almost always at the end of her patience—and sanity. But when every one else on stage is in the same flight path, it does become (well, let me say it) boring. Some relief comes when the young Princess sings; she does sound like a classic Grecian Sandra Dee. But it is also practically a "vocalise" in which arbitrary syllables are given multiple notes.
The set of "Elektra" consists of a huge black parallelogram with a blood red background peeking through. When the shape is rotated out of sight, the rest of the stage is all red, with a silly staircase leading nowhere. "Medea" takes place in a sort of bombed out-building site that suits the mood of the action.
Both productions start with the women dressed in an approximation of Greek costume. And then—as is absolutely required in opera today—the male chorus of "Elektra" show up in modern garb, with one dressed in a clownish top hat and tails. "Medea" also has the women dressed in period costume. Then enter Jason in modern fatigues. And later Orestes in a dark suit. Why? Timelessness? Saving money on effective costumes? They are all doing it? The audience didn't seem to mind and I read that this production was the hottest ticket in town.
Finally, a very touchy subject. Elektra (Linda Watson) is done no favors by her close-ups. And for a character who eats her meals from a dish along with the dogs, she has not lost any weight (to be tactful). Klytamnestra (Jane Henschel) is simply obese; but that fits the character of a totally decadent Queen. On the other hand, Medea (Marlis Petersen) is very sexy and believable in the role.
One last point. Hugo Hoffmannsthal's libretto for "Elektra" sticks pretty closely to the Sophocles play. Reimann based his libretto for "Medea" on the Euripides version with deletions and with additions taken from an earlier German treatment of the legend. Much is made of the Golden Fleece in the opera, although it is only alluded to in the play.
So there we are. Two works with so many similarities—Greek tragic sources, idiosyncratic scores, mixed costuming, surreal staging—and yet so different in effect because of casting and (in the case of the videos) camera work.
In 2006, Aribert Reimann was offered a commission to create a new work for Vienna State Opera. After initial hesitation—"The creative process can sometimes be rather a struggle and isn't necessarily a pleasant experience"—he went to work. After a flirtation with a Camus drama, he settled on Franz Grillparzer's version of Medea as his subject matter.
Arthaus Musik has released a DVD of a live performance of this Medea, during its world premiere run in Vienna. A remarkable ensemble cast and brilliant stage direction by Marco Arturo Marelli bring this startling music drama to vivid life.
Reimann's extremely dense score peers into the minds and emotions of its characters, and maintains a powerful dramatic tension throughout its 113 minutes of music. Those looking for tonal and melodic beauty will decidedly not find it here. There are absolutely no moments of repose in the score.
The DVD's accompanying notes quote conductor Michael Boder: "It is all about deep seated insecurities, yawning abysses…Reimann has achieved this feeling of insecurity by creating fields of sound that have less to do with a regular beat than with song and breathing." The music is unrelentingly unpleasant, but is absolutely brilliant in reflecting his troubled characters' states of mind and feeling.
This production emphasizes Jason's "vaulting ambition" as he gradually finds Medea an impediment to his personal and career advancement. The production gives a stark contrast between Kreon's Corinth, a high-tech city that rises into the sky, and the desolate wasteland outside, looking much like a lunar landscape. Medea and her Colchian servant Gora are dressed in vibrant, messy, primitive reds and earth colors while the Corinth leaders are dressed in clean lines, all in pure white. This becomes particularly striking when Medea's children change from Colchian garb into the "civilized" whites of Corinth.
The opera begins with Medea literally burying the artifacts of her mystical past, including the Golden Fleece, so that she and Jason might be acceptable to Kreon. It is immediately clear that Jason intends to find protection in Corinth whether Medea is accepted or not; this husband-wife conflict is palpable throughout the opera.
Jason is gradually seduced by Kreon's daughter Kreusa, played splendidly as a slightly demented Barbie by Michaela Selinger. There is a wonderful scene in which Creusa, trying to find common ground with Medea, tries to teach her Corinthian civility with both a workout routine and harp lessons, at which Medea fails disastrously. The scene is both amusing and pathetic.
The most striking scene in the opera is the arrival of the Herald of the Amphyctions, who comes to demand that Kreon ban both Jason and Medea from the city's protection. The Herald is sung by the astonishing countertenor Max Emanuel Cencic, in an otherworldly male soprano voice of power, beauty, and clarity. I have never heard a male singer produce this kind of sound. If you've never heard Cencic, you must. The scene becomes eerie, frightening, and deeply strange.
Soprano Marlis Peterson, a noted Lulu, is simply brilliant as Medea, both vocally and dramatically. The role gives new meaning to "high tessitura", with much of the vocal writing in the highest and most emotional range. There are hair-raising leaps in pitch throughout, and the role demands an emotional and vocal intensity from which most singing actresses would shrink. Peterson has mastered this role completely, and never "lets the ball drop" in her searing intensity.
The entire cast is excellent. Adrian Erod is a three-dimensional Jason; always clear in his character's shifting intentions and singing with a variety of vocal choices. Michael Roider's Kreon has its woofy moments, but we hear and see the King's semi-paranoid behavior in protecting the city and helping his daughter to her desired husband. Mezzo Elisabeth Kulman is a potent Gora, producing torrents of powerful singing with clarity of tone and volume to spare.
I cannot imagine a more difficult score to conduct, but Boder has mastered it, drawing an emotional and precise reading from the Orchester der Weiner Staatsoper. From beginning to end, Boder assures his audience that he is in complete control of Reimann's twisting, turning music.
I would urge those watching this DVD to give it time. It took me at least 15 minutes to accommodate myself to Reimann's sometimes-cacophonic sounds. At first I thought, "OK, unrelentingly ugly attempt at being darker than Berg." But soon, I was swept up in the drama and realized that the sounds were remarkably perceptive in expressing the inner workings of the characters' minds. This is a work for those who love opera as theatre…


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Thursday, October 01, 2009
Babytattooville this weekend
No they are not tattooing babies. It is an art event in Riverside, some sweeeet artists on the roster. I'll be there too. I'm bringing some things for the Babytattooville pop up store- 24 small watercolor paintings. Cheap. Fun. Mini. Also will have a few copies of my sold out book "Potato Stamp Dreams". I only have a few of these left, very hard to find. Also some zines, and Qee toys. If you're coming, I'll see ya! Looks like only 3 spots left...
3 comments:
Damn, only 24? Hopefully I can score one. Glad to hear you are coming, cheers.
- 2:11 PM, October 01, 2009
- Iona said...
I love the little yellow guy in front. He looks so happy :)
- 2:36 AM, October 02, 2009
- Joshua said...
Oh man... Yoskay and I were caught in a conversation so I missed the chance to buy a piece! Actually I was looking forward to meeting you so badly and the only time I saw you was when you were eating brunch! I'll be there next year though, so I hope to see you then :)
- 11:09 PM, October 07, 2009
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Luz, Vondrousova Win Milan Grade A Titles, Rise to Top Spot in ITF Junior Rankings; French Junior Championships Begin Sunday
It's been a long day of travel, and I hope to get to bed early, so I can get on French Open time, but I've got a lot of catching up to do on what went on in junior tennis while I was covering the NCAAs for 12 days.
The ITF Grade A Trofeo Bonfiglio in Milan finished on Sunday, with Brazil's Orlando Luz and Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic winning the singles titles, and Vondrousova also claiming the doubles championship.
With those results, Luz and Vondrousova have moved into the No. 1 position in the ITF junior rankings.
The top-seeded Luz was in a race with No. 2 seed Taylor Fritz for the ITF No. 1 ranking last week, but the second-seeded American lost to No. 5 seed Corentin Denolly of France in the semifinals and that was enough to vault Luz ahead of him. In the final, Luz beat Denolly 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-6(3), and the 17-year-old Brazilian is now a clear favorite for the boys title at the French Open Junior Championships, which begin Sunday. In addition to Fritz's semifinal, other US juniors with good results in Milan include William Blumberg and Nathan Ponwith, who reached the quarterfinals.
Michal Dembek of Poland and Patrik Niklas-Salminen of Finland won the boys doubles title, defeating Marcelo Barrios Vera of Chile and Juan Jose Rosas of Peru 4-6, 6-1, 11-9.
This week's warmup tournament for the French is the Grade 1 Astrid Bowl in Belgium, with both Luz and Robilllard-Millette withdrawing. Sam Riffice moved into the top spot in the draw, replacing Luz, and he has advanced to the third round, as have US boys Vasil Kirkov, Nathan Ponwith(9) and Ulisses Blanch(6). US girls into the third round are Francesca Di Lorenzo(5) and 15-year-old qualifier Nada Dimovska.
Two weekends ago, Chase Colton and 13-year-old Whitney Osuigwe won the ITF Grade 4 singles titles in Plantation. The ninth-seeded Colton defeated No. 5 seed Patrick Kypson 6-2, 6-4, while wild card Osuigwe, only eligible to begin ITF play after her 13th birthday last month, defeated No. 9 seed Carson Branstine 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. Osuigwe is now 9-1 in her ITF junior career, which includes just two tournaments.
Kypson and John McNally won the doubles in Plantation, with the No. 6 seeds beating unseeded Juan Martin Ramirez Mejia of Colombia and Marcelo Arturo Rodriguez Mojica of Panama 6-0, 4-6, 10-3. The girls doubles title in Plantation went to No. 5 seeds Victoria Emma and River Hart of Canada. They defeated No. 7 seeds Branstine and Taylor Johnson 2-6, 6-3, 10-5.
Last week's Grade 4 in Sweden produced an American champion with Sangeet Sridhar, the No. 3 seed, taking the singles title with a 6-1, 6-1 decision over Kristofer Siimar of Estonia, the No. 4 seed. Sridhar also reached the doubles final.
The teenaged winners of the USTA's French Open reciprocal wild cards, Frances Tiafoe and Louisa Chirico, fell in their opening round matches in Paris over the weekend. Chirico lost to No. 9 seed Ekaterina Makarova of Russia 6-4, 6-2, and Tiafoe lost to Slovakia's Martin Klizan 6-2, 6-1, 6-4. For more on Tiafoe's loss, see this USA Today article. Sandra Harwitt spoke with Chirico in Paris for this Tennis Shorts article.


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Dear Friends,
Throughout the sands of times, there have been many champions distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength who have faced an evil agency whose glory was found in our hero's destruction - Gadget and Dr. Claw, Optimus Prime and Magatron, Cinderella and the Ugly Stepsisters, Rapport and the BP Zone.
I have my own arch nemesis – the MMC candy jar. Yes. You now know who stole the candy from the candy jar. As I walk to the Situation Room, it whispers its teasing taunts from behind its cabinet door offering 'just one little indulgence of chocolate, caramel, nougat, peanut goodness.' One piece leads to another that leads to another. Next thing you know, I've fallen off the wagon and headed into a downward spiral of flat belly destruction.
Why should you care, you ask? Because every Batman needs a Robin. Someone to hold them accountable and to keep them in check. Still, why should you care, you ask? Because I'm offering an incentive. Should you catch me pilfering from that jar or its friend The Candy Closet, I will pay out to you $10. Yes. I'm that serious.
We must have courage, Friends. We can't ignore the danger. We must conquer it.
Thank you for your support.


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When it came time to select a jersey number her freshman season, Morgan Lucy didn't have much of choice in numbers.
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Wednesday, December 5, 2007
banana and macadamia cupcakes with passionfruit icing
I had three very sad looking bananas languishing in the fruit bowl. Normally I would make these into muffins for the freezer, but on Sunday afternoon I decided to use them to make banana cupcakes. I think just plain old banana cake can be a bit boring, so after looking through some books and magazines I based my recipe on the one below from an old Donna Hay magazine. I had also bought some macadamia nuts last week and being in danger of eating them all I decided to add them to the banana cakes for a bit of texture. It worked really well actually. Macadamia nuts have a slight tropical feel to them and they seem to go well with bananas. They are my favourite nuts and sometimes I will get a few at the supermarket to eat while I am packing my groceries!!
The recipe I followed had a passionfruit drizzle, but cupcakes require something a bit more than that I think, so I made a passionfruit butter cream icing and swirled it on the top of the cakes. I think they looked pretty good and they tasted nice as well.
By the way, my limoncello is delicious!!!! I decanted it last night and have put one bottle in the wine cellar and one in the freezer. Now I just hope that I have the willpower not to keep having a wee tipple from the freezer each night!!!
Banana & macadamia cupcakes with passionfruit icing (adapted from Donna Hay magazine)
125g softened butter
¾ c castor sugar
½ c brown sugar
3 eggs
2 c flour
2 tsp b powder
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
¾ c sour cream (I used cyclops natural yoghurt)
1 c mashed banana (I used three)
1 c chopped macadamia nuts (my own variation)
· Cream butter and sugars; add eggs, one at a time
· Fold in dry ingredients and then mix in sour cream, bananas and macadamia nuts
· Spoon into 24 cupcakes cases and bake at 180 for about 18 minutes
· Ice with the following passionfruit icing
Beat together 50g softened butter, ¼ c passionfruit pulp, 1 tbsp milk and about 5 c icing sugar
5 comments:
OMG, these were the best cupcakes I have ever tasted!! I will happily taste test any baking you make.
- December 5, 2007 at 11:44 AM
- Tammy said...
thanks Sally - pleased you enjoyed them!
Tammy :0)
- December 5, 2007 at 1:11 PM
- Carolyn said...
Lishimo as usual.I'm so glad JJJ brings home the extas.
- December 5, 2007 at 4:36 PM
- December 6, 2007 at 5:05 PM
- Deborah said...
These cupcakes look and sound delicious!
- December 8, 2007 at 5:24 AM
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Good morning everyone! Today we're docking in Messina, Italy (Sicily) and touring Garibaldi, but I'm leaving you in very capable hands. My dear friend Lauren is with us again, this time to share her recipe for Quinoa Mac and Cheese in Tomato Bowls. I definitely have to try this when I get back since I've gotten the family to eat quinoa twice now. It sounds delicious!
How many of you have been inspired to eat meatless meals one day of the week (if you haven't already)? You should be creative when eating vegetarian. There are so many possibilities, why not explore them all? I LOVE quinoa (pronounced KEEN-WAH). Quinoa is actually a seed, but is very much like a grain. Unlike grains, quinoa is a complete protein (it contains all nine essential amino acids) and is also packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It really is a SUPER food! My kids love mac and cheese (I do too ) Why not try Quinoa "Mac" and Cheese and put them in Tomato bowls?
Hi my name is Lauren Kelly. I am a Certified Nutritionist who has a passion for nutrition, health, food and wellness. I am a busy mother of 3 little boys and have been happily married for 10 years. I love teaching my family and friends healthy fun tips and how eating whole, unprocessed foods benefit your mind and body. Please feel free to email me at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Quinoa "Mac" and Cheese with Spinach in Broiled Tomato Bowls
adapted from allrecipes
- 1/4 cup quinoa
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- 2 tablespoons pignoli nuts
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
- 1/2 juice of fresh lemon
- 1/4 cup grated cheese of your choice, I used parmesan and asiago blend
- 4 organic beef steak tomatoes, top 1 inch sliced off, pulp and seeds scooped out
- Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the quinoa, and cook until the quinoa is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain in a mesh strainer, and rinse until cold; set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, stir in pignoli nuts, and cook until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic, and cook until the garlic softens , about 2 minutes. Stir in the quinoa and spinach; cook and stir until the quinoa is hot, and the spinach has wilted. Stir in the lemon juice, and the cheese.
- Meanwhile place tomatoes in a baking dish and place sliced top back on top of the tomato. Place in broiler for 5 minutes until softens slightly but still remains intact.
- Take tomatoes out and place the quinoa mixture inside the tomato, like a bowl. The juices of the tomato combine with the quinoa mixture and taste delicious! ENJOY!!
Serving Size 1 tomato bowl with quinoa blend
Amount Per Serving
Calories 155
Calories from Fat 81 (4 WW Points per serving)
Total Fat 9.0g
Saturated Fat 1.6g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 5mg
Sodium 82mg
Total Carbohydrates 14.8g
Dietary Fiber 2.1g
Sugars 4.2g
Protein 5.3g
*Nutrition information provided by www.caloriecount.com, not 100% guaranteed accurate


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About half of those killed by Israeli forces were not involved in hostilities
Israeli security forces killed 660 Palestinians in 2006 – three times more than in 2005, according to an Israeli human rights group. B'Tselem, which monitors human rights in the occupied territories, said the figure included 141 children.
At least 322 had taken no part in hostile acts, the group said.
In the same period, the number of deadly Palestinian attacks on Israelis has fallen – 23 Israelis were killed in 2006 compared with 50 last year.
The Israeli military renewed ground operations in the Gaza Strip after militants captured an Israeli soldier in a border raid in June.
Since June, Israeli troops have killed about 405 Palestinians in Gaza, including 88 children. More than half of the casualties were civilians, B'Tselem said.
As of November, 9,075 Palestinians were being held in Israeli jails. This number included 345 minors, it said.
Of these, 738 (22 minors) were being detained without trial and without knowing the charges against them, the group said.


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Friday, May 17, 2013
Upfronts 2013: Kanye Rants, "Psych" Dances, Robin Williams Quips and Much, Much More
Every year the TV networks fly to New York and present their new fare wares to the nation's media buyers. It's called the upfronts, and although everyone grumbles that it's an outdated and expensive practice, there are still reasons to do it (as Joe Adalian explains here). This year the networks announced nearly 60 new shows -- and by Friday, it's hard to remember everyone and everything we've seen. But it will be hard to forget some of the other highlights of the week -- including Adult Swim's upfront party. Kanye West was the featured performer, and he definitely brought the crazy, in the form of a mid-concert tirade about... well, I'm still not sure. The media? The world? Celebrity culture? Whatever it was, it was fun. (Not so fun: Kanye's painful new track "Awesome," about you-know-who.) Kanye performed his entire show inside a mesh-covered pyramid (the Kanyeramid -- trademark pending), but briefly ran out to say hi to the crowd -- which is when I snapped this blurry pic. Meanwhile, other highlights included Passion Pit performing a few hits at the USA Network upfront; Icona Pop performing "I Love It" at the CW upfront; and attending the "Saturday Night Live" dress rehearsal featuring guest host Kristin Wiig. Some pics from my week in NYC:
Kanye performs inside his Kanyeramid (trademark pending).
Icona Pop at CW upfront.
Passion Pit at the USA upfront.
More of Passion Pit at the USA upfront.
Cousins Robbie and Stephen Amell, now stars of their own respective CW series. The CW breeding program is a success!
The pretty people of the CW.
The cast of "Psych" performs "Psych: The Musical" at the USA Network upfront.
"New Girl's" Max Greenfield cracks wise and shows off his guns on the Fox upfront stage (at the Beacon Theatre).
Rising star Rebel Wilson gives a deadpan speech on stage at the ABC upfront (at Lincoln Center).
The cast of hot ABC drama "Scandal" on stage at the network's upfronts.
"Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." on the ABC stage.
Robin Williams at the CBS upfront.
Congrats to Paul Hewitt for getting this "#dropthemic" reference all the way through and on screen at the CBS upfront (at Carnegie Hall). Sadly, Leslie Moonves is not really on Twitter.
When David Letterman walked on stage for his first upfront in several years, we all started to brace for a potential retirement announcement. He hugged Moonves and started talking fondly about CBS. "This could be it," I thought to myself. And then it wasn't. Thank goodness. That would have turned our afternoon upside down.
Labels: ABC, Agents of Shield, CBS, CW, David Letterman, Fox, Icona Pop, Kanye West, Max Greenfield, New York, Passion Pit, Psych, Rebel Wilson, Robin Williams, Saturday Night Live, Scandal, Upfronts, USA
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Taxi drivers, just like politicians, are a law unto themselves. There are also allegations that the taxi companies are controlled by corrupt politicians.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohamed Nazri Aziz said that the government was serious in fighting corruption and announced the latest Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) initiative whereby taxi drivers would become mini-ambassadors and informers on behalf of the MACC.
He added that if the information the cabbies supplied was successful in securing arrests and convictions, they could also be rewarded for their efforts.
Nazri said: "The government is committed to battling corruption through its transformation plan by establishing a National Key Results Area for corruption and reducing corruption via increased enforcement and prevention, while improving the people's perception of the government's and public services' integrity."
The campaign was launched by Nazri at the MACC's Hari Raya Aidil Fitri open house on Sept 13. He said that over 30,000 taxi drivers would be the MACC's informers and that around 200 taxi drivers operating in the Klang Valley would start the campaign.
Why does Nazri participate in another thoughtless measure rather than confront the problem of corruption head-on? Nazri, who is also the de facto Law Minister, should perhaps be reassigned the title "Defective Law Minister".
It is possible he is taking his cue from Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and also the former PMs who only pay lip service, when it comes to tackling corruption.
It appears that this latest measure to raise the public's awareness, increase their responsibility, and hence engage the community in fighting corruption was the brainchild of the MACC.
According to Nazri, cab drivers made ideal informers because they would pick up information as they talked with their passengers.
Perhaps Nazri could tell us how many high-ranking politicians ever use cabs? These representatives of the people are some of those who are allegedly most corrupt. The big fish allegedly involved in corruption are driven around in chauffeur-driven cars.
He said: "They (the taxi drivers) are at the frontline of the tourism industry as they are the first group to interact with overseas tourists.
"They can be considered the country's duta kecil (mini ambassadors) in disseminating information (about the country). Therefore, programmes like this are needed.
"They can be our whistleblower and can play the rôle as deliverer of information to MACC. We expect them to play a crucial rôle. I believe that after this, MACC will brief NGOs and government agencies and may even train them because we are serious in enlisting their help to fight graft."
The MACC chief commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamed also said: "Taxi drivers will be MACC's eyes and ears in reporting corruption. They pick up a lot of information from passengers' conversations, or might even witness corrupt transactions in their taxis."
Public being ripped off
Public being ripped off
When did Nazri and Abu Kassim last take a taxi? The last time I did, I was ripped off going from Medan Gopeng to my home which is just around the corner. The journey of 2.3km took less than five minutes but cost me RM30. The bus fare from KL to Ipoh was less than this last step of the journey.
Do these men not realise that the public is constantly being ripped off by errant taxi drivers and that passengers, especially tourists, are at their mercy?
Taxi drivers, their companies and the government agency under which taxis come, should be among the people to be investigated for corrupt practices. The drivers fleece the public with expensive fares, they refuse to use the meter and many of the vehicles they operate are unsafe.
The latest taxi I travelled in was not working, the boot would not shut and my suitcase balanced precariously on top of the taxi driver's effects, which took up most of the space in the boot. The taxi was filthy and the driver refused to use the meter. He told me I could be dropped by the roadside if "kamu tidak suka".
The belligerent attitude of some of our taxi drivers is similar to that of our politicians.
If Nazri were to read the newspapers, especially the mainstream media, he might realise the number of complaints which passengers, especially tourists, make against taxi drivers. The ambassadorial rôle played by the taxi drivers would drive tourists away.
As it is, locals have given up complaining as they do not see any action forthcoming from the authorities.
Taxi drivers, just like politicians, are a law unto themselves. There are also allegations that the taxi companies are controlled by corrupt politicians.
Why should Nazri and the MACC waste more taxpayers' money on idiotic schemes? Why should we waste more of the public purse paying for the salaries of these dim-witted ministers and heads of public institutions?
If anyone wants to seriously tackle corruption, they need only go to the corridors of power, not the back of a filthy, unsafe taxi. In which case, they should make Putrajaya their first stop.
At the end of 2010, the Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) concluded that Malaysia had been perceived as becoming more corrupt while other countries, such as China and Indonesia, had improved in their efforts to tackle corruption.
Nazri, however, maintained that the level of corruption in Malaysia was very low compared to developed countries.
It is outrageous how the de facto law minister disregards the feelings of the rakyat.
'Not important'
Recently, he admitted that the five pre-conditions set by Pakatan Rakyat for its participation in the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on electoral reform had not been deliberated by the Cabinet.
He said: "The Cabinet did not discuss them. They are not important."
He also said that the reported review of the Internal Security Act (ISA) had been omitted from discussion by the Cabinet.
Nazri sees no importance in getting rid of corruption, wanting clean elections and repealing the ISA.
This defective law minister is only serious about things that do not matter and ignores things that do.
But it is interesting to note that Najib has announced that he intends to abolish the ISA (which he did yesterday).


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LightsHailing from Canada this young and bright women is a mine field of talent. I love her. From songs like Ice, about fighting a daemon, who may have been your best friend or even yourself.. Too second go, about messing about and asking for a second chance.
For a concert I would wear a cool grunge look, Just like Lights. I would pair a white tank top and some deep blue skinnies with combat boots too this type of show with a cocoon vest. She sport a all white version of this look in Ice.
Hey MondayCassadee Pope, I not only have Voice envy but hair envy. This punk-pop band has some serious edge. I think Paramore with a slight chill factor. Other then the genre though and the fact the girls are fronts of all men bands. There is little that I can say to bridge there huge gap. Cassadee songs are prideful cheers, of I am better off without you, and how dare you try to tear me down.
This concert look is fun and bold. Pair a hey Monday band tee with some pale grey skinnies and some kicks. Add a vest and some crazy bangles.
Friday night boysThis band recently broke up, but not before making this soundtrack hit for the movie, When in Rome. It is an awesome song about falling in love and being turned down. I love them.
Till next time


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Heavy Bokken for solo Suburi (swinging) practice. A very useful tool to develop the muscles and tendons in the arms and shoulders.
Approximate weight is 1000g - Natural materials will vary in weight between individual pieces.
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Shiro Kashi - Top class white oak Japanese weapons. These weapons have a straight, fine & consistent grain throughout their length and have the perfect balance of strength and flexibility.
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This is the sort of lawsuit that springs either from malignant optimism or, more likely, a simple desire to use the courts as an instrument of harassment. Either that or it was thought up at a "too many martinis lunch by Walmart's lawyers. For some time the United Food and Commercial Workers Canada have had a website Walmart Workers Canada. To say the least the site is critical of Wal-Mart. The Big W, rather than answering the criticisms, or perish forbid actually make their workers' lives better and allowing them to unionize is trying to kill the union's freedom of speech by using the courts. What they want to censor will astonish you. Personally I hope against hope that the judge levies all costs against the plaintiff in this obviously vexatious lawsuit. Here's the story from the Wake Up Walmart site.
Stop Walmart's War on Free Speech:
Remember when Walmart tried to restrict usage of the ubiquitous yellow smiley face? Well, the company's legal team is it again.
Stop Walmart's War on Free Speech:
Remember when Walmart tried to restrict usage of the ubiquitous yellow smiley face? Well, the company's legal team is it again.
Walmart has filed an injunction against a website critical of its Canadian business practices, and their "legal basis" will outrage you. Walmart wants to stop WalmartWorkersCanada.ca from using the word "Wal-Mart" either "alone or with other words... in a color scheme of blue, white and gold." Even more ridiculous, the company wants to restrict the usage of circular shapes on the group's website!
If Walmart has its way, "an oval, circular or semi-circular design" will be off limits to groups critical of its business practices. We're sure you agree--this is simply too bizarre for words.
You can take a stand against Walmart's censorship threat. It takes just a few seconds to put the pressure on Walmart to respect freedom of expression.
Tell Walmart to respect free speech: sign our petition today
If we let Walmart set the standard for free speech online, there is no telling where the company's absurd demands will end. Can you imagine a world where Walmart has exclusive rights to blue, white, gold, and abstract geometrical shapes? Rest assured that Walmart can.
Please take a moment to show your solidarity for the activists at WalmartWorkersCanada.ca. Sign our petition today, and don't forget to show your support online by hosting a banner on Facebook, MySpace, or your blog.
Help stop Walmart's war against the freedom of expression online
Thanks for all that you do,
The Team,
Yup, that's the honest truth. Walmart would like to be able to control not just the ubiquitous smiley face but even colour schemes and geometrical shapes. There is now a Facebook group dedicated to opposing this bizarre attempt. See the Save the Circle facebook group. Yes folks the circle will become an endangered species if WalMart has its way. If you like sign the following petition against this act of corporate craziness by going to THIS LINK.
We, the undersigned, jointly demand that Walmart adhere to the ideals of free expression.
Walmart must respect the sanctity of free speech, and must not unduly interfere with groups expressing their views with regard to Walmart, though they may be critical of Walmart's business practices.
Walmart must respect the sanctity of free speech, and must not unduly interfere with groups expressing their views with regard to Walmart, though they may be critical of Walmart's business practices.
The frivolous demands levied against WalmartWorkersCanada.ca, restricting the use of color schemes and shapes, are contrary to our most basic ideals, and must be retracted at once.


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It's not for lack of trying.
That there's more or less a picture of our current fiscal contraction. The reduction in Real Government Consumption Expenditures and Gross Investment drains the life out of our recovery, making it tepid at best. And if our recovery halts before we make a dent in our output gap, that's the obvious main culprit right there.


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I stand here today saying: Whats next? What do I want? Where am I going?
For me, my thesis remains: An exploration inside of my own journey with grief and the strong women who brought me to the water.
My Beyonce hymnal: Every day I have to listen to Beyonce. She marks herself as the first artist I listened to after my dad died and after my MaryAnn died. I listen to her before a show, after a show. Drinking-not drinking. Working out. She was the first artist I listened to after my serious break up a year and a half ago. Every morning, I played "Flawless" (The Remix) on my way to work. It got me ready to face the day ahead of me with fierceness, enough anger to move forward and class to do it.
I not only admire her, I respect her for what she has done and how she has done it. She is not my form of worship but she is my dose of reality smashed into a million pieces reminding me, WE ARE FLAWLESS. This is my exploration into loss, work, love, female friendships, fashion, with a good dose of BUZZZZ.
For: I was her witness.
And maybe, in some ways, she was mine.
How this works: Each page inside the menu bar is tabbed based on the degree of separation.
Each week I will post to each page. Click on a page and see what I'm thinkin. The pages are as follows (sidebar: your patience is much appreciated as I get the kinks figured out):
WWBD: Think Dear Sugar meets Lucy at the Lemonade Stand. Send me your woes and I'll send you some honey.
The Buzz: My chance to silence the hateration with the force of Beyhive power and sweet honey knowledge.
Freedom: Justice brought to you by African American women, Latinx women, Indigenous Women, LGBTQIA people, Asian women and the power list is limitless. This is a chance to bring Lemonade to life while I give people the mic.
45 Minutes: Bey Fashion Advice answered every Friday because on Fridays we wear our Beyst outfits.
9-5: My horror work stories given to you in the form of comedy soaked tears in 500 words or less.
B-Vault: All the times I got drunk and talked about Beyonce, throw in some poetry to class it up a bit.
Code Blue: My stories of grief in the face of loss and a chance to give space, resources and life to the grieving. For if we are going to heal, let it BE glorious.
Save the Bees: The Bee population is in danger of going extinct. This is my opportunity to spread the news and do something about it. You Ready?
My artistic and worldly commitment:
To the horror and awe of this era we live in a culture that is capable of publishing their own writing whenever they please. We also live in a culture that values intense vulnerability and oversharing on social media in the hopes it creates a viral intensity that sparks a self made machine or maybe the silver lining connection with another. We live in a time that while being vulnerable and naked in front of another we cannot properly access each other through artistic cultivated lenses. In other words we press art against a wall as either good or bad, or worse, we press people "good" or "bad" against a moment or a place and the filter we put them through is harsh, so very harsh, with no reconciliation in sight but simply righteousness that we are doing it right and they are not.
When we do this it looks like a badly made horror movie with weird goo oozing off the wall. Not properly made or accessed. Slippery content does not create change. However, I am one of these people. I love judging other people but it has created a person who doesn't do but simply observes. I was and continue to be one of these people: until today. I am tired of sitting on the sidelines judging other peoples ideas, opinions, artistic expressions and voices while having no courage to voice my own. For legitimate reasons might I add. I am a white middle class female. I know this makes me blind.
Do I really want to put out a story that annex's me to the attic with other powerful but short sighted women? No. Just no.
The fancy BUT is: what is my other option?
What is the secret trap door? What if I put my work out there consciously? As conscious as it possibly could be because I refuse to:
a) filter critique but welcome it and
b) surround myself with women who are wiser, more educated and experienced than me?
Experience is my greatest teacher and therefore I guess I better try this, than sit out as someone's shadow. That doesn't mean I am a fool. I believe I have enough to start with, to begin. I have seen and experienced much and it has value enough. I am enough. And if I can cultivate power inside of my privilege and use it for good not evil, then shouldn't I absolutely being playing the cards I have been dealt?
In my artistic experiences I have been lucky to meet so many different people and what brings us all together is this: we are really weird and strange and complex. What keeps us together? The choice to continue past disappointment and for me, to listen, more than I talk.


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Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Welcome to Game Podcast MashUp!
Beginning in 2008, you will be able to download a single Podcast of best moment of the previous week's gaming podcasts. I will be documenting each show's highlights, and compile them in a one Frankenstein Podcast(MP3). All the goodness none of the filler.
Posted by kenn at Wednesday, January 02, 2008 No comments:
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Anybody who knows me (like, at all) knows that I am a lover of traditions. New, old, silly, serious…family traditions own me. Sharing MY childhood traditions with my own kids is my absolute favorite part of the holiday season. Every once in a while though, we stumble upon a newbie worth hanging onto.
We all know about new PJs on Christmas Eve, baking cookies for Santa, and all of those tried and true Christmas traditions, but here is a list of our family's funky homemade traditions. Just in case you're looking for something to spice up your Christmas season.
Wake your kids up for the first snow! Unless they're already awake. Either way, when that first glorious sparkly flake falls, get your child outside. No matter what time it is. Catch them on your tongue, sled if you have enough of the stuff, build a midnight snowman, make it magical. Worried it will ruin their whole schedule? Loosen up. This one gets even better as your kids get older.
Decorate an outside tree! String popcorn, make ornaments out of birdseed (Roll a pinecone in peanut butter, then in birdseed!) and hang the goods on a real tree in the front yard.
Wake your kids up to see Christmas lights! (BONUS-this started as a last ditch attempt to get a sleepless toddler sleepy…and it was so special that we have done it every year since. Drive around until they're asleep, or don't) This is such a fun and special surprise. Get your kiddos all ready for the night, then announce that before they head to their beds, they must take a ride on "The Polar Express!" Load 'em up, swing through Starbucks for some hot chocolate, and drive around looking at pretty lights. Think that will be boring for them? Ummm…they just got out of bedtime at the last minute. They will be stoked. Promise.
Celebrate St. Nicholas Day. It is on December 6th and it is the perfect opportunity to teach your little ones about giving, charity, and the true spirit of Christmas. We spend the day doing something kind for a stranger. In the past we have used the day to perform random acts of kindness all over town, purchase a toy for the Toys for Tots bin, adopt a family, or volunteer our (my) time. I read them the story of Saint Nicholas http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/who-is-st-nicholas/ and we go out on a mission to do what Saint Nicholas would do.
Have a cake tasting/cookie tasting party! This is a GREAT exercise for early readers/writers or even for older kids learning about research. You need about 6 different kinds of cake and/or cookies. Have your child make a chart with each one listed. Talk about the different tastes and textures as you take a bite of each one. Write down your observations and rate them one a scale of whatever (we did 1-5.) The cookie (cake) with the highest average score wins!
Pick out a special ornament. We go to the thrift shop for this one. This year, we picked out a Dr. Seuss hat to mark the year Eldon started reading, and a cute little vintage block to mark Max's first Christmas. Cost? $2
Make a Wish List. This can be done at any age, but was especially special at this age. Eldon had no idea that this was a reading exercise (again…I'm tricky like that.) We went to Toys R Us with a pen and paper. We walked around the entiiiiiire store while Eldon pointed out what he wanted, with the catch that he had to sound it out and write it down himself. He parked himself smack in the middle of the aisles, on the floor, as he sounded out and recorded each item on his clipboard. It took up the better part of our afternoon, but it was the PERFECT mom and me date. Mainly because it was free, but also because his eyes lit up (duh, he was in a toy store) and he was SO proud of himself. The list will also become part of what I assume will be my very favorite collection. (They have a scan option for those of you with smart phones, but I reallllllllly strongly suggest doing it the old fashioned way.)
Have a hot chocolate stand! Do it to donate, do it for kids to earn their own gift giving money, or even just for money to keep. It doesn't really matter, because it's fun! I'm pretty sure it's sorta illegal, but…meh. We're a family of rebels over here.
I am leaving this list at 8. Relax….it will all be ok.