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JOEL VANDROOGENBROECK, Belgian Experimental Music Pioneer & Founder Of Legendary Krautrock Band BRAINTICKET, Passes Away At The Age Of 81
Los Angeles, CA – Joel Vandroogenbroeck was a musical pioneer in every sense of the phrase. His classical and jazz training combined with his passion for computers and electronic synthesizers united the digital and analog worlds, creating some of the most forward-thinking music of the 1970s. Born in Brussels, Vandroogenbroeck earned numerous accolades as a young pianist and was touring Europe by the time he was a teenager. But as the musical and cultural explosion brought on by the '60s spread throughout the world, Vandroogenbroeck found himself drifting further outside of the mainstream to a place of exploration and experimentation in psychedelic music inspired by bands such as Tangerine Dream and Amon Duul II. He formed his own band, Brainticket, and released the highly regarded debut album Cottonwoodhill in 1971. Psychonaut followed the next year and the epic Celestial Ocean capped things off in 1973. These early albums along with the later period Brainticket recordings constitute some of the finest electronic psych music ever laid down.
Vandroogenbroeck teamed with Los Angeles-based indie label Cleopatra Records to reissue his catalog of albums along with unreleased and rare live recordings for Cleopatra's Purple Pyramid imprint. He also revived Brainticket in 2015 with what will be their final album Past, Present & Future helped by the likes of UK Subs guitarist Nicky Garratt and German industrial artist Jürgen Engler of Die Krupps.
"I am honored & lucky to have known him. He was such a gifted & talented person, he will be truly missed by everyone at Cleopatra & all who loved his music" – Brian Perera, Cleopatra Records
The Cleopatra Records family will greatly miss Joel Vandroogenbroeck and would like to extend its deepest condolences to his friends and loved ones.
Billy James
glassonyonpr@gmail.com
PURPLE PYRAMID RECORDS,
A division of CLEOPATRA RECORDS, Inc.
11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
www.CleopatraRecords.com
PURPLE PYRAMID RECORDS
Facebook @PurplePyramidRecords
https://www.facebook.com/PurplePyramidRecords/
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https://www.instagram.com/purple.pyramid/
Twitter @PurplePyramid1
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This entry was posted on Monday, January 6th, 2020 at 15:49	and posted in Brainticket, Joel Vandroogenbroeck, Press Release.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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Beaulieu will be celebrating 70 years of the Land Rover
Mark Salisbury	 Apr 12, 2018
Car News, General News, News, Newsletter, Top News
Mark Salisbury
Beaulieu will be celebrating 70 years of the nation's favourite 4×4 with Simply Land Rover on Sunday June 24th, featuring a Land Rover-themed autojumble, off-road Forest Drive and hundreds of Land Rovers on show.
For the first time the rally will feature Simply Rummage, a one-stop shop for every Land Rover enthusiast where essential and hard-to-find spare parts and accessories will be bought, sold and swapped. Following in the footsteps of Land Rover Rummage, a well-established trading corner of Beaulieu's Spring Autojumble, Simply Rummage will become a bargain-filled extra feature of Simply Land Rover marking the anniversary year.
Another show highlight will be the return of the popular Beaulieu Forest Drive, giving enthusiasts the chance to practice off-road driving skills. Held in association with Land Rover Experience West Country, this separately charged feature allows owners to try their vehicles on the challenging forest course, while those without their own can drive or ride in a Land Rover Experience vehicle. For more details, including prices and terms and conditions, see www.beaulieu.co.uk/events/simply-land-rover.
The rally will see all ages and models of Land Rover park up in the grounds of the National Motor Museum, where enthusiasts can catch-up, compare vehicles and enjoy all of the features of the Beaulieu attraction.
Look out for the Series I that started the Land Rover story, and the rugged Series II, Series III and Defender that followed. The successful Discovery is sure to be well represented in the diverse line-up, along with the Freelander, classic and modern Range Rovers and all manner of home-built Land Rover derivatives. Whether it is a pristine example or well-used working vehicle, all Land Rovers are welcome.
Throughout the day, rally participants and Beaulieu visitors can vote for their favourite Land Rover of the show in the People's Choice Award, with the winner receiving a Beaulieu trophy and Autoglym prize.
For those driving Land Rovers into Beaulieu to take part in the show, participant tickets are £10 an adult, £5 a child (aged 5-16) if bought in advance online before 5pm on June 21st. Tickets bought online after that time, or on the door, are £12 an adult and £6 a child. All other visitors can buy a general admission ticket to Beaulieu. For tickets or more information see www.beaulieu.co.uk/events/simply-land-rover.
Admission includes entrance to all of the Beaulieu attraction, including the National Motor Museum and its collection of more than 250 vehicles, the World of Top Gear, On Screen Cars, 13th century Beaulieu Abbey, the Montagu ancestral home of Palace House and its stunning grounds and gardens.
Entry is from 9am for rally participants, when the Brabazon Restaurant will be serving hot drinks and breakfast snacks. All other visitors should enter Beaulieu though the Visitor Reception building with a standard attraction admission ticket from 10am.
Simply Land Rover is one of nine Simply rallies at Beaulieu in 2018. New for this year is Simply Audi on April 29th, while still to come are Simply Ford on May 6th, Simply Porsche on June 3rd, Simply VW on June 16th, Simply Jaguar on July 8th, Simply Japanese on July 29th and Simply Smart on November 11th. For tickets or more details see www.beaulieu.co.uk/events.
Find us on Twitter @Beaulieu_Hants, on Facebook at /nationalmotormuseum or on Instagram @national_motor_museum and join the conversation.
Beaulieu, Land Rover, Simply Land Rover

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Everett's first budget proposals just the start of work
By Noah Haglund Herald Writer
Wednesday, April 2, 2014 9:17pm
Local NewsEverettLocal news
EVERETT — Shutting the Forest Park Swim Center. Eliminating summer lifeguards at Silver Lake. Closing the Forest Park animal farm.
Those are just some of the budget-cutting measures to ponder this spring, as Everett leaders attempt to balance city expenses and revenues in the years ahead. While the small sample touches the parks system, other proposals would change or cut back library, bus service and public safety.
As city leaders look to trim expenses, they're also eyeing new property and utility taxes.
Mayor Ray Stephanson's administration gave the first overview of the proposals during Wednesday's City Council meeting.
"I don't think for a minute that this is going to be the final list," Stephanson said. "It's really driven by the feedback that we get from the community."
People will have the chance to comment during a half dozen meetings scheduled between now and the end of May. Stephanson hopes to make final decisions in June. Restructuring police, fire and transit services will take more time, with input from consultants.
The root of the problem is that the cost of providing city services has been growing nearly twice as fast as the revenue the city is collecting. Financial models from Stephanson's administration predict annual revenue growth of 2.3 percent per year compared to 4.1 percent per year for expenses.
Without changing the way the city does business, administrators predict a $13 million budget deficit in 2015. That would widen to an estimated $21 million by 2018.
Everett's 2014 budget is $113.2 million. The city employs nearly 1,200.
In December, Stephanson appointed city parks director Paul Kaftanski to lead a group of top-level city staff to come up with ways to realign the budget.
During Wednesday's council meeting, Kaftanski touched on the most realistic ideas that came up during the months of brainstorming.
Some changes on the table strike not just at the city's balance sheet, but at its very identity. Some examples:
There's the possibility of merging Everett Transit and the Everett Library with their regional counterparts — Community Transit and Sno-Isle Libraries. Maintaining these civic institutions has long been a point of pride for the city.
Bus fares also could go up from the current $1 for adult passengers.
To raise money for parks, Everett could ask voters to approve a taxing district dedicated to maintaining city parks. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has endorsed a similar idea for his city.
Everett could reduce the Jetty Island ferry crossings to five days a week, rather than seven, during summer.
The Everett Library System may need to consider discontinuing its mobile outreach programs, which take books to the elderly and disabled.
The city could charge more for business licenses. Instead of the current $10 license fee which never expires, Stephanson has suggested an initial fee in the range of $50 to $100, with an annual renewal of $50.
The City Council could impose a $20 fee on car tabs to pay for road improvements by forming a transportation benefit district. That's a route that Lynnwood, Edmonds and other local cities have taken.
Police may need to have civilian employees carry out some tasks currently performed by higher-paid commissioned officers.
The city could send sentenced inmates to jails outside the Puget Sound, where daily rates are cheaper. The city also could raise the requirements for who qualifies to be represented by a public defender.
Stephanson said he'll wait to hear more from his constituents and the City Council before taking a stance on most of the proposals.
"I am keeping a very open mind in terms of making any value judgments about this proposal," he said. Some proposals would needed to be hammered out with the cooperation of public-sector unions. While appointed and elected city employees pay 10 percent of their health care costs, unionized city employees pay nothing. Getting them to pay the same 10 percent would save an estimated $900,000 annually to help cope with rising health care costs.
Stephanson said the city has been able to get by financially with one-time cuts since the recession hit six years ago. He believes it was prudent to wait until now for more drastic measures.
"Frankly, it was not the time, when people (and businesses) were hurting," he said.
Several factors have constrained how much revenue Everett has been able to bring in: a 1 percent limit on property tax growth that's been in place since 2002; a relative lack of big construction projects in the city; and retailers opting to set up shop outside the city, in places such Alderwood mall in Lynnwood and Seattle Premium Outlets in Tulalip.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465; nhaglund@heraldnet.com.
Budget talks
City leaders plan to discuss budget options further during upcoming City Council meetings. All begin at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers, 3002 Wetmore Ave.:
April 9: cutting expenses
April 16: increasing revenues
April 30: further studies
May 21: summary
The city plans to host two additional meetings at other locations in May:
May 8: 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Evergreen Middle School cafeteria, 7621 Beverly Lane.
May 13: 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Wilderness Auditorium, Jackson Conference Center, Everett Community College, 2000 Tower St.
Find more information at www.everettwa.org.
Catholic church to help with funeral, burial costs
GOP health plan focuses on costs
Marysville home destroyed by fire
There were no injuries after a home burned early Sunday morning in the 6300 block of 35th Street NE.
Did you buy a Lotto ticket in Brier? Get your $12 million
There are more than a dozen prizes worth $10,000 or more that are unclaimed throughout the state.
Sentencing delayed in case of man who froze to death
The Everett man pleaded guilty to robbery and agreed to testify against pair charged with murder.
After 40 years, Skagit college likely done on South Whidbey
Years of funding cuts and dwindling enrollment prompted the idea. The decision hasn't been finalized.
Man sentenced for vehicular homicide faces new charge
Michael Spieker is charged with second-degree domestic violence assault after getting prison term.
HEADS UP Kla Ha Ya Days Snohomish's annual summer festival, Kla Ha… Continue reading
Ready, set, vote: Primary ballots will be arriving this week
Same-day registration will be in place. And the state will be using a new election management system
40-foot long maple bar invades Mill Creek and is devoured
Mill Creek bakery celebrated 10 years in business with a super-size bacon maple bar cake.
Arlington man dies after motorcycle crash in Silvana
Speed may have contributed to the motorcycle hitting a power pole along Pioneer Highway.
Early wake-up call: Twin quakes under Monroe rattle region
Thousands of people felt them. They were magnitude 4.6 and 3.5 and hit minutes apart.
County sees a dense, tall future near light rail stations
Buildings 10 stories or higher could tower over stops off I-5 at Ash Way and Mariner park and rides.
Everett man has history of raping patients, prosecutors say
The nursing assistant is charged with second-degree rape. His license to practice was suspended.
Report: Deputies shot at man 48 times after October chase
They thought he was going to run them over during the Woodinville encounter, new documents say.


139 runners and walkers fronted for the 11th race in Waterfront 5km Series, with 36 making their first appearance in the series. Weather conditions were almost perfect - a gentle zephyr from the northwest was the only dent in the perfection..
Leading everyone home was Yorkshireman Graham Pearce, a fell runner, clocking a 15:54 time on alien road seal. Fastest female was Angela Leck in her first race of the series, in a time of 18:41. First walker was Stuart Hood scoring what must be one of the fastest times in 28:05 we've seen in a while, while Terri Grimmett had another win in the women's walk with a time of 29:39. Both head for the distance walks championship this weekend.


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Q: The image file is inaccessible and is being ignored I installed a Windows 8 from an ISO to VirtualBox running on Ubuntu.  Everything works fine, but I deleted the initial ISO that it was installed from.  Now I get the error in the title (it says it is a "Warning.")  Windows 8 still seems to work fine and I can shut it down, pause the virtual machine, etc. with no problems.  It seems like this is just a warning because the ISO was deleted.

*

*Is this just a warning?

*Why does VirtualBox care about the ISO post installation?

*Is there anything I should do to prevent the warning from popping up?

A: Yes. Right-click your virtual machine in the main Virtual Box window, go to Settings, then Storage. In there, you can see the original .iso is still being tried to be mounted. Just erase the mount point there and you're done.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Tag Archives: Oakland hip-hop
15 Reasons to Go to Hiero Day This Year
Hiero Day 2014
The 2015 Hiero Day lineup looks formidable indeed, especially for fans of West Coast underground hip-hop. With almost 50 live acts and DJs performing, the event—which drew more than 20,000 fans last year—appears to have broken through the stratosphere to major event-status, and is certainly the biggest independent hip-hop festival in the Northern California region. That's a major plus for folks tired of attending mega-hyped music festivals with a dearth of rap or hip-hop artists, and for underground aficionados who have been underserved by mainstream/commercial-oriented rap tours. Best of all, tickets are less than $20—$19.93, to be exact—which portends a high boom-bap for the buck ratio. Oakulture is pretty hyped about the number of underrated/slept-on fan favorites—several of whom are doing reunion shows—scheduled for this year's event, which cover a full spectrum of stylistic diversity within the underground hip-hop subgenre. We're also not mad at the emphasis on Bay Area and Los Angeles groups, nor the inclusion of a few representatives from the Midwest and East Coast for balance.
With so many groups on the bill, it's unlikely you'll see every single act, unless you can be in two places at one time, so we've prepared a special guide for the artists we think will make Hiero Day extra-fresh.
Psalm One
With eight albums and a handful of mixtapes released over the past 12 years, Chicago's Psalm One is one of the most-prolific indie-label female emcees in the industry today. Affiliated with Minnesota's Rhymesayers crew, she's also worked with Hiero's A-Plus. Her recent video, "Free Hug Life" shows her to be an original, creative spirit with an engaging staccato delivery, and topics which offer an intelligent alternative to rachetry.
Phat Kat & Guilty Simpson
This veteran Detroit emcee duo have long collaborated with California's hip-hop scene – Kat was once signed to SF's Look Records, while Simpson has released several albums on Stones Throw. Both are authentic Dilla disciples, having cut their teeth working with the legendary producer, and both boast gritty flows which swerve between backpack and hardcore hip-hop flavors.
First emerging into the Bay Area's underground hip-hop scene in the late 90s, the terrific trio of emcees Marc Stretch and Prozack Turner and producer DJ Design built a reputation for notable live shows while releasing several full-length albums (and one short film); Their return to active duty promises to be one of the feel-good stories of this year's Hiero Day. FL maintain a classic underground hip-hop aesthetic, complete with sampled loops and scratching, but flip the script by balancing braggadocio with honesty and humor.
Another West Coast group some might remember from back in the day, the duo of Rasco and Planet Asia released three well-received full-length albums between 2000-2006. Each has had solo success: Rasco is remembered for the Bay Area classic "The Unassisted," while Asia has collaborated with everyone from Grandmaster Muggs to Bun B to Evidence to Ghostface Killah. As Cali Agents, their remarkable chemistry elevates their individual lyrical deliveries to a higher level.
11. Otayo Dubb & Equipto
Don't look now, but this SF-to-the-O hook-up is swiftly creeping on an indie hip-hop come up. The pairing of the Bored Stiff lyrical wonder with the versatile Co-Deez emcee/producer is one of the bright surprises of the current Bay Area scene. Their current single "Baby Steps" addresses maturity and growing up, with an arrangement which subtly recalls classic West Coast soul and R&B. The album of the same name features similarly-sublime production and features from the likes of L'Roneous, Pep Love, and Mars Today.
An original member of Freestyle Fellowship and a prolific solo artist in his own right, Los Angeles hip-hop veteran Aceyalone should need no introduction. The fact that he does lends credence to the oft-cited complaint that lyrical (read: non-gangsta) emcees from the West tend to get slept-on – except by hip-hop nerds who appreciate Acey's jazz-tinged, highly vocabulistic delivery. Here's a chance for him to expand beyond his core audience of diehards and reach the ears of a younger generation.
Native Guns
Possibly the closest thing Pinoy hip-hop has come to a supergroup is Native Guns, a trio comprised of emcees Bambu and Kiwi and DJ Phatrick who became celebrated multicultural ambassadors during their heyday in the 2000s. Mixing dexterous lyrics and slapping tracks with a fair amount of political and social commentary, they also dropped science on the Filipino-American struggle, and what it means to be an indigenous immigrant. Though both Bambu and Kiwi have remained active as solo artists, their timing of their breakup always seemed unfortunate, coming so soon after the release of their 2006 album Barrel Men – rightfully hailed as a West Coast classic, one which shows the Bay Area was about so much more than hyphy even during the "hyphy era."
Speaking of the hyphy era, Oakland trio The Team were one of the most buzzworthiest groups of that period, helping to define the region's then-emergent sound as uptempo, party-friendly, and club-ready, with hooks for days. We haven't heard from them since 2013's "Slow Down," so it should be interesting to see them drop classics like "It's Getting Hot" and "Bottles Up" and hopefully some new material. Added bonus: Clyde Carson, Kaz Kyzah, and Mayne Mannish are some of the best rapper names ever.
West Coast OGs since the early 90s, Tha Liks' 1993 debut album, 21 & Over, is a high-octane hip-hop classic which set a high bar for both lyrics and production. Four subsequent albums followed, the last being 2006's Firewater, all of which mix hardcore hip-hop with party-oriented themes. One-time disciples of King Tee, they've always been a force to be reckoned with in a live context, and there's no reason to expect anything different from their Hiero Day appearance.
The Luniz
Best known for the all-time cannabis anthem/ Bay Area rallying call, "I Got Five On It," Yukmouth and Numskull are inner-city griots who've lived a wilder life than most of us, and put much of it down on record. It's somewhat gratifying to see them on a bill so saturated with underground and alternative hip-hop – a confirmation of their lyrical finesse, as well as a shout-out to the streets of East Oakland, where Hiero is from.
Compton's Most Wanted
This classic Compton gangsta rap group, possibly second only to NWA in terms of influence and reputation, never enjoyed the mainstream success of their Ruthless peers. But their street-level stories had a louder ring of authenticity to them, and it's safe to call them some of the originators of "reality rap." Though they didn't have an overt political agenda, the sociopolitics and socioeconomic content of songs like "One Time Gaffled Em Up" was omnipresent, and often sublime.
Zion-I
Zion-I have held the Bay Area down for 15 years, being one of the most-consistent underground groups in the region, establishing a national and international fanbase, and collaborating with everyone from Deuce Eclipse to Talib Kweli to Too Short. Their long list of classics ranges from "Inner Light" to "The Bay" to "Warrior Dance" to "Don't Lose Your Head." Though they've experimented with their sound, incorporating everything from EDM to folk, they've always maintained strong hip-hop roots. Their latest release, The Rapture: Live From Oaklandia, follows the departure of producer Amp Live, and finds emcee Zumbi Zoom taking things in a more musical direction by featuring a live band led by the incomparable Kev Choice.
In the mid 90s to early 2000s, hip-hop band Crown City Rockers were often called the Bay Area's version of the Roots – mainly for their uncanny ability to swing jazzy, funky musical elements played on real instruments with the cultural b-boy witticisms of frontman Raashaan Ahmad. They boast a solid, if criminally-underrated, catalog of recordings too, from 2001's One (recorded as Mission) to 2004's Earthtones to 2009's The Day After Forever. Their live shows are legendary, if infrequent these days: the last time they performed as a unit in Oakland, at an Old Oakland Farmer's Market gig, Levende had not yet become District, so prepare to be blown away.
It was only a matter of time before Boots Riley's subversive funk/rock/rap band the Coup played Hiero Day, and this is the year. That's an underground hip-hop lover's fantasy come true. While we are, once again, in-between new Coup albums, Riley has been highly visible of late with a new book of his lyrics and high-profile media appearances discussing activist issues. Though the Coup's sound—and personnel—has evolved since 1993's Kill My Landlord, they are one of the few continuously-active groups from hip-hop's 90s Golden Age on any coast, and thus did not need to be coaxed out of retirement to do this gig. If you've never seen The Coup, expect to be revolutionized and entertained.
A member of Hiero recently tweeted that their independent label, Hiero Imperium, has now outlasted the major record label which signed and then dropped them back in the 90s. That's poetic justice for Oakland's lyrical laureates, an octagon of obtuse emceeing and sick beat-making skills, who have given more back to the community from which they came than any other hip-hop artist or group in Bay Area history, while continuing to make more history with each new release and annual iteration of the event bearing their name. Not only do they have more catalog than J. Peterman and Victoria's Secret combined, but their signature tune, "93 Til Infinity," never gets old.
Categories: Events, Show Preview | Tags: Aceyalone, Boots Riley, Compton's Most Wanted, Foreign Legion, Hiero Day 2015, Hieroglyphics, Native Guns, Oakland hip-hop, Otayo Dubb & Equipto, Psalm One, The Coup, The Luniz, The Team, Zion-I | Permalink.
The Oak Q & A: Jahi as PE2.0
Jahi as PE 2.0 on the set of the "What They Need" video
Being asked to be a part of your favorite group is a dream come true for a music fan. That rarely happens in real life, but it happened for Oakland-based emcee Jahi, who was asked by rap icon Chuck D to be the lead emcee in PE 2.0, a continuation of the legendary hip-hop outfit Public Enemy. The chess-like move made sense: there was a need to update the PE formula for a new generation of listeners, and Jahi—who's been making conscious rap music for more than fifteen years, and is a father and educator who works with youth to boot—fit the bill to a tee.
With the release of People Get Ready, the first PE 2.0 album in a planned trilogy, the dream has become reality. On the album, Jahi swerves between faithful remakes of some of the lesser-known, but still relevant, classics in the PE catalog, and new songs which update the PE ethos. Recently, Oakulture founder and Editorial Director Eric K. Arnold spoke with Jahi about the project, which not only rebrands PE's movement politics-over-beats-and-rhymes-style for the 21st century, but also entailed a number of inherent challenges for the emcee, who was passed the torch of a historical and cultural legacy and expected to run with it. In the first part of a lengthy conversation, Jahi runs down the story of how PE 2.0 came about, and how he approached the task of making People Get Ready.
People Get Ready album cover
Oakulture: What's the concept behind PE 2.0?
Jahi: The concept is two-fold. One, my job is to go inside of Public Enemy's catalog and find songs you haven't heard that still have power and punch, and either cover those, or what we call revisit. Where I may cover a portion of it and write some new material. Second part is, I create brand new songs over either Bomb Squad production, or the new production team we have within PE 2.0., which also really is a part of the Public Enemy family. So, it's those two things, but the goal is, when you do something with Public Enemy, you find it's a tree with many branches. And the trunk is the main part, but also it's a lot of other things. The other thing I want to add is songs, movement, and mindsets. We're trying to create strong songs, in the spirit of Public Enemy, which could either be the soundtrack to the movement, or allow our music to create movement, and ultimately to create better mindsets. PE 2.0 is just another branch on the tree that is Public Enemy. Over the next five to seven years, PE 2.0 will slowly emerge into the core of Public Enemy. Chuck D is not retiring, he's an elder statesman, meaning that so instead of doing a two-hour show, he can do a one-hour show, but you still get a two-hour experience, because PE 2.0 is myself as the lead emcee, but it's the rhythm section of Public Enemy currently.
Oakulture: So you had access to the entire PE vault then?
Jahi: I do.
Oakulture: How did this come about? What was the discussion between you and Chuck D?
Jahi: Hmm. Well, the discussion kinda started, it started on the 20th anniversary tour of Public Enemy, where Chuck had kinda said, James Brown, Bobby Byrd. I was like wow, cause he wanted me to emcee the tour and host, and also perform, so he hit me with that concept and I understood what he meant: the call and response, the connection between James and Bobby so, if you know that history… I knew exactly what he was saying. Over a period of time, we have just been talking about how to extend Public Enemy and how I can become an integral part. We bounced around a couple of ideas, but we landed on PE 2.0 because it represents the second generation. I'm the second generation, right under Public Enemy. Chuck and I have known each other for fifteen years. I have to say, the main way that PE 2.0 really took off was, I got a call from [Professor] Griff, and Griff was like, we gotta make this happen, this is an opportunity, get on it. I had already bought into the idea with Chuck. But I didn't know how to address some of the songs. I'll give you an example. "Yo" was the first record to come out in Cleveland by Public Enemy. So when Chuck was like, revisit that, I couldn't wrap my head around it. I was like, I can't say nothing else on this, 'cause I just hear the original version. But it just took a bit of time, and us having conversations that just really mattered. You know, Chuck is very strategic, this is not a rap group, this is a strategy. And a lot of those conversations about what the strategy would be and all of that, we realized, you have to get out of conversation stage and simply start, and this is the starting point.
Jahi performing live. Photo credit: PE2.0
Oakulture: What's it like for you now to play the Public Enemy #1 position, as someone who came up during the Afrocentric era, during the height of the 1.0 version?
Jahi: You know, one of the biggest words is humble. Humility, honored, appreciative that I'm in this position. Not so much for me individually, but what I can bring to the table that can add—repave the lane of Public Enemy. We know that Public Enemy in the '80s was really our voice, you know, for social, conscious, political, black movement. And I think we are at a time and space where we continue to do that, and I'm just humbled to be a part of it, and have the Public Enemy brand, and I guess more than brand, the Public Enemy overstanding, the Public Enemy energy and spirit to guide my work as an emcee.
Oakulture: How did you approach this project from a lyrical standpoint?
Jahi: I have to say that in my career, this is one of the two toughest challenges I've had as a lyricist. This would be number one, because there's only one Chuck D, you're not dropping Chuck D, you just have to accept that. Chuck D is a one on one. In terms of covering, I was with Blackalicious for a while, and trying to cover Gift of Gab was definitely not an easy task. So that was kind of my proving ground. But the way I approached this lyrically was, number one, what would Chuck say, number two, I'm not trying to be an imitation of somebody, but also bring my own voice. Pay attention to what's happening. In my own way, I had my own ministers of information over the years, giving me information or saying, oh you should come to this, you should talk about this. Because that's part of the Public Enemy formula. Griff and Chuck, Hank, Keith, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler, they would have a lot of conversations and put a lot of things on the table. And out of that is where a lot of those songs came from. In a lot of ways, I tried to use that same energy and spirit, I mean, Chuck counselled me a lot, just on… I wouldn't say counselled like go back and say this or change this, but Chuck set a standard, and I did my best job to meet that. So lyrically, it took some time. The longest time I've ever taken to write an album. Ever.
Jahi as PE2.0 on the set of the "What We Need" video
Oakulture: Some of the songs are faithful remakes, like "Rightstarter." On others, like "Yo!," you add your own lyrics. What was the process like in choosing what PE songs to update?
Jahi: "Rightstarter (Message to the Blackman)", Chuck was able to get the original instrumentals to Yo! Bum Rush the Show, he hadn't had those instrumentals in over 20 years. So when they were unearthed, immediately, I just knew I was gonna cover "Rightstarter (Message to the Black Man)," because number one, it was an incredible challenge, number two it was a song that in the '80s really set my consciousness: mind over matter, mouth in motion, can't deny it cause I'll never be quiet, let's start this… I really had freedom of choice to some degree, and then there were certain times, when Chuck was like, yo, I want you to cover this. Like "Yo" was a song, the record was almost done, but like you need to go and do "Yo." Like, yo, pay attention. So, it was part freedom and part guidance. When I did "What Side You On," to me that just felt like a complete Public Enemy moment. Just the whole way the record comes in. So I wanted to have healthy challenges. And then the other thing is, I can't do "Don't Believe the Hype," "Shut Em Down," "Fight the Power," those are Public Enemy staples. You can't touch those. So it took me a while to go through the catalog. But I wanted to be intentional: let me go to this period. Ok, let me go to this. Let me get away from It Takes A Nation of Millions to a large degree, and let me go to these other spaces and places. Because again, you gotta think about a 28-year catalog of music Public Enemy has. So, you know, and then the other thing I understood is that this [next] record comes out February, and the next record comes out this summer. So we're doing a trilogy before we come up for air. So I also understood, ok, I didn't get to that one, but I'll get to it on the second record, or I'll get to it on the third record.
People Get Ready is available here and here.
Categories: OakQ&A | Tags: Chuck D, hip-hop and politics, Jahi, Oakland hip-hop, PE2.0, People Get Ready, Professor Griff, Public Enemy, Rightstarter (Message to the Black Man), social consciousness, What We Need, Yo! | Permalink.
by Eric K. Arnold	1 Comment
Third Eye Visionaries: Hiero Day 2014
Live music review/ Linden St. Brewery, 9/1/14. All photos © Eric K. Arnold/EKAphotography
A-Plus raises his hands in tribute to 22,000+ Hiero Day attendees
Late Monday afternoon, after watching an unannounced surprise set by Deltron 3030, the alt-rap supergroup featuring Del the Funky Homosapien and Dan the Automator, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan read an official proclamation declaring "Hiero Day" on stage at the event of the same name, in front of a crowd of more than 22,000 hip-hop lovers and diehard fans of the Hieroglyphics. Quan's reading of the proclamation may have been one of the few, if not only, times in recent memory when a major city's top elected official embraced hip-hop culture as part of a community engagement strategy.
All eight members of the Hiero crew—founder Del, emcees Casual, Phesto Dee, Tajai, A-Plus, Opio, DJ Toure, and producer/ road manager Domino—beamed as Quan handed Domino a piece of paper, upon which, one imagines, suitably puissant and laudatory words were written. The gesture may have been symbolic, yet its meaning was magnified by the fact that 2,000 miles away, in Ferguson, Missouri, the aftermath of the Mike Brown police shooting had created a level of civil unrest which threatened to set the clock back to South Central Los Angeles, circa 1992, or perhaps Detroit, 1967 – an uncertain, volatile mix of racially-tinged cries for justice and equally racially-tinged clamors against looting, curfew-breaking, and civil disobedience.
Mayor Jean Quan poses with Hieroglyphics, after handing them an official proclamation
Meanwhile, Oakland—a city not immune to protests against police hostility toward unarmed black men, a city which had marched for Trayvon Martin, as well as its own martyrs Alan Blueford, Oscar Grant, Derrick Jones, and Gary King—remained calm, if that word can be used to describe a boisterous yet well-mannered crowd who thrust 20,000+ three-fingered salutes into the air and smoked enough ganja to give the Mayor's entire entourage a contact high.
For the mayor to co-sign on Hiero's accomplishments was major; Politicians generally don't openly acknowledge the positive contributions of hip-hop, or align themselves with rappers, since such approaches could be perceived as not being tough on crime. Yet crime is down in Oakland, without the mayor or local government resorting to such draconian measures as instituting a youth curfew.
Hieroglyphics/Souls of Mischief emcee Phesto Dee
Hip-hop often gets a bad rap because its practitioners tend to be young and black, even though its audience crosses all racial and ethnic lines. Historically, hip-hop concerts have been linked to violence ever since the infamous Run-DMC Long Beach show in 1986, and Oakland itself once declared a yearlong moratorium on rap shows after violent incidents at the Oakland Coliseum and the HJK Auditorium in 1989. The threat of riots breaking out has been used to justify cancellation of shows and tours, high insurance and security costs, and exorbitant ticket prices, and rap shows which do turn bad are sure to get extra media attention. Just a week prior, a local promoter had been murdered backstage at a Wiz Khalifa show in Mountain View, and a high-profile warrant served on rapper Young Jeezy and his entourage. Yet there was no heavy-handed police presence at Hiero Day, despite a crowd which had swelled by 50% since last year's installment.
The Grouch addresses the Hiero Day massive
That there were no fights, no scuffles, no drama and no violence at an event attended by so many is a testament to Oakland's native sons, whose three-eye logo is synonymous with authentic West Coast underground hip-hop. Hieroglyphics have always represented conscious hip-hop, albeit with gritty urban overtones which never quite sink into clichéd gangsterdom.
Hiero came up at a time when a tongue-twisting lyrical couplet was enough to confer cultural elite status, and for the past two decades, they've outlasted hundreds, if not thousands, of less high-brow rappers with a more simplistic focus on ghetto storytelling—without the conceptual narratives Hiero spin.
Hieroglyphics founder Del The Funky Homosapien
They've obviously remained relevant, as the hundreds of t-shirts emblazoned with their logo visible from the stage Monday afternoon attested; Many of Hiero Day's attendees weren't out of preschool when Hieroglyphics made their first appearance in 1992, on "Burnt," a B-side of a Del tha Funkee Homosapien record. In fact, it's difficult to name another non-mainstream hip-hop act whose fanbase spans such a wide demographic spectrum of listeners.
On Monday, Hiero performed several classics, among them "You Never Knew" and "Oakland Blackouts" from 1998's Full Circle, and a mini-spotlight on Casual (in honor of the 20th anniversary of his 1993 debut Fear Itself), who tore through "I Didn't Mean To Do It," "Me-O-Mi-O" and "That's How It Is." Newer songs like "Gun Fever," however, emphasized the fact that Hiero is no mere hip-hop oldies act.
The highlight of Hieroglyphics set, however, was another unannounced cameo appearance, this time by Goapele, whose regal presence all but confirmed her as the reigning queen of Oakland Soul.
Got Goap?
Up until then, the male-dominated bill had been somewhat of a sword fight—a fact that didn't go unnoticed in online forums in the days leading up to the event. While a valid case can be made that Oakland's resident female emcees should have been represented in the festival's lineup, there's no taking away from the inspirational upliftment Goapele blessed the crowd with, appearing with Hiero on "Make Your Move," then segueing into "Milk and Honey," followed by her signature song, "Closer."
That provided a high note which was only surpassed by the show-closing rendition of Souls of Mischief's eternal classic, "93 Til infinity." The chorus, "this is how we chill from 93 til…," has become not just a mantra, but a truism for Hiero and their fans; no matter how many times one has heard it, the song never fails to take listeners to their happy place.
it's like that, and-a, the Hieroglyphics, yeah!
Hiero's performance, overall, was like watching a well-oiled machine being revved up to maximum capacity. 20 years of rocking together onstage has created some tight-knit bonds between group members, and the show never felt like any one emcee wasn't completely in sync with the rest of the crew; even Del's streak of blonde hair in his natural—a la Wesley Snipes in "Demolition Man"l— didn't prove too much of a distraction during other emcees' verses. Up and coming artists would do well to study Hiero's stage show as a textbook example of how it's done.
Speaking of up and coming artists, Hiero Day offered a potpourri of flavors, from the intricate battle-raps and supreme fluidity of Locksmith and Planet Asia to Los Rakas' vibrant Town variant on reggaeton to the Mystik Journeymen's "underground as fuck" credo, to the Hydra-like mini-supergroup of Zion-I, the Grouch and Eligh – and dozens more I didn't get to see because there were three stages, a high level of crowd density, and the laws of physics say you can only be in one place at one time.
Raka Rich of Los Rakas fires up one of Hiero Day's multiple stages
The best part of Hiero Day was that it remained a free event. That's right, free. While traffic flow could be improved, beer lines were reportedly horrendous, and there was a shortage of water (promoters only expected about 15,000-18,000 people), that's just a tremendous achievement any way you slice it. Attendees came from as far as Los Angeles, Sacramento and Tahoe, and any destination event helps a city's financial bottom line.
Furthermore, when you consider the high prices of music festival tickets, Hiero Day not only has the most bang for the buck of any local event, but leaves festival-goers more room in their wallets to buy merch, which in turn supports artists, musicians, small clothing companies, food vendors, entrepreneurs, and the list goes on.
In other words, Hiero Day is a huge win-win for the hip-hop community, but also, as the mayor made plain, for the city of Oakland.
Categories: Live review | Tags: 93 til Infinity, culture, Del, Deltron 3030, EKAphotography, Goapele, Hiero Day 2014, Hieroglyphics, Mayor Jean Quan, music festivals, Oakland hip-hop, photoset, slideshow, Souls of Mischief | Permalink.


Paper and cardboard are being replaced for wrapping and packaging by plastic and other materials which are almost indestructible and which, when discarded, damage the environment, unless collected for disposal. It is also increasingly acceptable to supply certain goods in non-returnable containers and to use non-returnable plastic cups, plates and cutlery for food. Any saving to the consumer in the initial cost of the product is likely to be offset by the higher indirect charges for waste disposal and by the damage to the environment.
Packaging is specifically designed to become instant waste. Packaging makes up more than a third of all household waste in Western countries. 42% of paper products used in the UK are used for packaging, and are thrown away.


text:
Asia-Pacific, Climate Change, Climate Change Finance, Development & Aid, Editors' Choice, Environment, Featured, Headlines, Humanitarian Emergencies, TerraViva United Nations
Climate Change Finance
Pakistan's 10 Billion Dollar Flood Funding Question
By Zofeen Ebrahim Reprint | | Print |
Experts question Pakistan's 10bn USD funding for flood rehabilitation, asking if it wouldn't have been better to access climate change grants.
A father and son remove their belonging from their flooded home in Taluka, Shujabad, District Mirpurkhas. Credit: RDF
KARACHI, Jan 18 2023 (IPS) - Terming the recent international donors' conference held in Geneva a "success" after Pakistan was able to secure 10 billion US dollars, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has promised "every penny" of the pledges will be used towards rehabilitation of flood-hit people.
"It's looking for an opportunity to take credit for something to try to win back some goodwill," said Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Centre's South Asia Institute, who found the self-congratulatory messaging purely "political" of a government, which he said, was "weak, unpopular and struggling to rein in a cascading economic crisis".
Still, he agreed, the Sharif government deserved credit for shoring up so much support in an "era of donor fatigue and global economic stress".
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But in his own country, Sharif's words have met with much wariness.
Janib Gul Mohammad, a farmer from Fateh Ali Buledi village in Kamber Shahdadkot, one of the worst affected districts in Sindh province, doubted he would even "get a rupee out of the billions of dollars" received on his behalf.
"Our rulers are clueless about how hungry our kids are," said Mohammad, whose family has had to ration and reduce their consumption of roti (flat bread) from "two to three to just one at every meal". He and his family of 13 are among the more than 33 million Pakistanis affected by last year's unprecedented floods caused by record monsoon rains and the melting of glaciers that killed more than 1700.
Seven months since the rains began, thousands continue to live in open areas, tents, and makeshift homes in Sindh and Balochistan, the two worst-hit provinces stalked by a cold spell, disease and food shortages making life even more perilous. According to the UN, an estimated 5 million people remain exposed to or living close to flooded areas. A post-disaster needs assessment (PDNA) has estimated the damage exceeded 30 bn USD—a tenth of Pakistan's entire GDP.
The moot, attended by officials in Geneva on January 9, was from over 40 countries and included private donors and international financial institutions.
The top donors like the Islamic Development Bank pledged 4.2bn USD; the World Bank 2bn USD; the Asian Development Bank 1.5bn USD; the European Union 93million USD; Germany $90m USD; China 100m USD; Japan 77m USD; the United States announced another 100m USD on top of a similar amount already committed to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia 1 bn USD. In addition, Qatar pledged 25m USD, Canada 18.6m USD, Denmark 3.8m USD, France 386.5m USD, Italy 24m USD and Azerbaijan 2m USD had promised these funds over the next three years.
Reminding that pledges were not commitments, Kashmala Kakakhel, a climate finance expert, said she would like to get a clear distinction between the new money and one that is rebottled to address the impact of floods but doubted the government will "ever tell".
Although the multilateral funders have been relatively generous, Kugelman said it could be stemming from, in part, "a desire to support the emerging global norm of climate justice". But, by "only offering pledges, not actual aid, they have given themselves a safety net and a possible way out in case they decide they are not ready to commit to such large figures," he said,
The pledges made by bilateral donors may seem smaller, said Kugelman, but this could be because they had helped earlier on. Giving the example of the United States, he said it made one of the smaller pledges at the donor's conference but was one of the most generous bilateral donors since the floods struck.
However, of the 10bn USD pledges, 8.7 billion are loans that the government has "conveniently underplayed", said Wilson Centre's expert. And these may take several years to arrive, he added.
Ashafque Soomro, heading the Research and Development Foundation, a Sindh-based nongovernmental organization which had been at the forefront of assisting flood-affected communities, is not sure if getting more loans is a good idea at all. In this critical time of economic crunch, he said, the government should have "built a strong case for climate justice" to get grants instead.
"I am very concerned that the government is not only forcing us further into a debt trap but risks defaulting on repayment." According to the former finance minister Miftah Ismail, Pakistan owes the world nearly 100 billion USD and has to repay 21bn USD to lenders during the current fiscal year. "We have no resources to repay our lenders. We will just have to try to borrow from one creditor to pay off another," he wrote in Dawn.
Nevertheless, Soomro said, when the funds do arrive, maximum effort should be made for them to go into livelihood recovery and economic revival – like rehabilitating agricultural land and subsidizing agricultural inputs. This, he said, will generate employment and avert a looming food crisis. At the same time, Soomro said, the aid agencies should ensure their money is spent wisely and smartly to reduce climate disasters.
Kakakhel said she was struck by the finance minister's statement that to turn pledges into an inflow of money, Pakistan needs to quickly prepare project feasibilities. "Why have an emergency donor conference at all if you are treading the same old traditional path of seeking loans?" she asked.
She further added that, "If 90 percent of the pledges are to be projectized anyway, that means the additional cost associated with climate resilience will also need to be built into the project budgets, inflating the loan amounts. Whether that will actually happen or not is anybody's guess."
But even if pledges become commitments, Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, a climate expert, was not sure if Pakistan would be able to put all of it to use, given its "track record on delayed implementation of development projects". Pakistan, he pointed out, was littered with "more than 1,200 unfinished projects worth Rs1.6 trillion [6.67 billion USD]".
That is why, said Dr Fahad Saeed, a climate scientist, the government must come up with not only "well planned but out-of-the-box solutions, and quickly". He suggested investing in models that streamlined philanthropy and involved the private sector and even startups. Decisions made today, he said, needed to be backed by research and science. "Drafting policies inside power corridors or in five-star hotels will not get the desired results; we need to go out, collect evidence and come up with robust solutions to battle climate change."
Getting down to brass tacks, Lieutenant-General Nadeem Ahmed, former deputy chairman of the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA), shared a formula that he said would be a sure-shot success if followed through. "All infrastructural projects may be handled through relevant lines departments whereas the more people-centred recovery programmes can be undertaken by a dedicated special management unit in the province with full autonomy so that it can bypass laborious bureaucratic processes, procedures, and approvals.
"Both systems need to be interactive and coordinate with each other for the sequencing and prioritisation of their respective project domains to ensure one is not causing harm to the other," said the retired army officer, who was also a former chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority.


Musical compositions are gems so June is dazzling, thanks to the Sarasota Music Festival, as old favorites and lesser known pieces are played by the Sarasota Orchestra, and by up and coming students of the invited faculty. Do you like Andre Previn's dreamy, lush, sparkling mood pieces illuminating the poetry of Toni Morrison when sung, and played on piano and cello? It is on the first festival concert, June 7th.
The definition of a non-musical bagatelle is "something of no importance" while in musical terms it is "an unpretentious piece." Six of them (as written by György Ligeti) make a tasty sandwich in between a Mozart Piano Quartet and a Shostakovich Piano Trio on June 14th. A different program has Robert Levin and Jeffrey Kahane performing two Schubert piano duets in between a dreamy Sonatine for Flute and Piano by Gieseking and a Piano Trio by Beethoven. Good stuff.
There is only one Debussy piece on any festival program but the one that appears is Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. There's no denying the power of the piano and flute, in the duet version, as they weave their notes together, but the lushness of the original orchestra version is truly magical. The Sarasota Orchestra's rendition on June 9th should glisten – along with their playing of the Bruch Violin Concerto and Mozart's Symphony No. 39. Three piano concertos and three serenades appear during the festival and there is one of each on June 16th – by Saint-Saëns and Tchaikovsky. Both follow an Overture on Hebrew Themes by Prokofiev – all with full orchestra. Now, a trick question: How many times have you heard Robert Sirota's Luminous Bodies? The answer is, unless you've been inside his brain, zero. This can be rectified on the last symphonic night (June 28th) when it is bracketed by Mozart and Schumann. Go to SarasotaOrchestra.org to check dates, performance details, master classes and Rising Star concerts.
And what to do with the kids and grandkids this summer? That's always a question – at least until the girls are 23 and the boys are ??. But let's focus first on the young ones and what you can do together. The number one choice is Jungle Book at the Asolo Rep. This is a world premiere of the Rudyard Kipling tale by the same folks that brought 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea to Sarasota last year. It will be a mixture of live action, film, anime and fun – sort of like Jumanji, but you and your kids are in it – Asolorep.org.
If your youngsters, aged 6-13, are restless perhaps a week at Sarasota Contemporary Dance's "Intro To Dance" program in July will help them let off steam – as if we need more steam this summer – SarasotaContemporaryDance.org.
Kids older and a bit more focused? Then the Young Performers Company for ages 12-17 at Florida Studio Theatre will give them the tools needed if they have an eye to being in / involved with all aspects of theater. If the theater is an attraction no matter the age, then their Little Theatre (4-6), Children's Performing Arts Camp (7-12), and Intro To Theatre-All The World's A Stage (7-12) will help them to act out their dreams – google FST Summer Camp. The nearby Players Studio runs two, 4 week long summer camps with students learning both performing and technical elements of theatre with a full show staged at camp's end. Multiple one week mini-camps are also offered – Mermaids, Star Wars, Zombies and Dr. Seuss are just some of their themes – Theplayers.org/studio.
Want to keep them in the arts but not perform? The Ringling College of Art and Design Summer Studios combine learning technique and building skills. Sessions are available for teens and tweens (and even adults) for half or full days. Sessions include Experimental Animation, Storyboarding for Animation, Character Design, Concept Sketching and more – ringling.edu/continuingstudies. One of the more comprehensive summer programs are the ones at The Out-Of-Door Academy. They offer a multitude of camps in the arts, STEM, and sports – Marine Biology, Narrative Illustration (create your own graphic novel), Tennis, Future Fashion Designers, Build and Fire Rockets and over two dozen others plus traditional Day Camps with sports, games and adventures. See ODA.edu/summer.
Yes, movie theaters are air conditioned, but eating all that movie theater popcorn is not going to keep you healthy, and seeing that movie more than ten times will probably do something to your neurological system. So, what is another way to keep cool June – September (or October – tell me again when summer ends in Sarasota). One place with plenty of activities is The Ringling Museum. Some say that the circus is for children of all ages. The Ringling response is Summer Circus Spectacular 2018. There are two performances per day from June 12 – July 28 in the Historic Asolo theatre. Admission is reasonably priced and you can use your ticket stub to get a $5 entry into The Ringling's Circus Museum. Plus, as with all Ringling activities, you get to stroll around under the shade of the exotic trees between the visitors center and the Ca'd'Zan. On the west side of Ca'd'Zan is Sarasota Bay which you can view from multiple vantage points.
While the circus is a treat, you can come back another day to see all the glorious art that is on permanent exhibition in the museum's main galleries. And, until June 10th there is Branded/Unbranded which shows the subtle and not so subtle psychological affects of advertising. A Kaleidoscope of Color: Costume Designs runs till August 5th and shows sketches and watercolors paired with actual wardrobe pieces and historic photos of how some were used.
The outside of Ringling's Ca'd'Zan is merely spectacular but the inside rooms are a fantasy land of the 1920s high life. While on tour within the home of John and Mable Ringling your favorite room will be……the one you've just been in. Bath tubs carved out of solid blocks of marble – really! So many paintings that they cover the ceilings with them. On additional days take in the Circus Museum which incorporates the Tibbals Learning Center, home to the 3,800 sq. ft. model of a 1920-30s circus with 44,000 (maybe more) individual pieces. Truly spectacular and worth seeing over and over again (especially when youngsters come to visit). See more at Ringling.org.


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by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Chapter 1 Summary and Analysis
Chapter 10 Summary and Analysis
Hester Prynne
Arthur Dimmesdale
Roger Chillingworth
Essential Quotes by Character: Hester Prynne
Essential Quotes by Theme: Moral Cowardice
Last Updated on June 1, 2019, by eNotes Editorial. Word Count: 439
Dimmesdale finally finishes his sermon. Discussing it amongst themselves, his parishioners declare that his was a brilliant speech and that he's the holiest man to ever live in New England. He himself thinks exactly the opposite, and the disproportionate amount of admiration he receives in this scene leads him to at last reveal his secret. He calls Hester and Pearl to his side, ignoring Chillingworth's claim that he's acting like a madman. He climbs to the scaffold, where he declares that Hester is not the only sinner in their midst. He himself bears a scarlet letter, which he reveals in dramatic fashion by tearing open his shirt. There, the entire crowd can see the A carved into his skin.
Download The Scarlet Letter Study Guide
Weakened by his outburst, Dimmesdale falls down. Hester rushes to him and cradles his head in her arms one last time. Before he dies, he prays that God will forgive Chillingworth's sins, as well as his own. Pearl then kisses her father on the lips, crying over him as he speaks his dying words: that God has shown mercy by forcing them to suffer for their sins in life and that they may still be reunited in the afterlife. With that, he bids her farewell.
It's no accident that Dimmesdale's sudden confession takes place on the same spot of Hester's public humiliation. Hawthorne uses this parallelism to both align and misalign his main characters, binding them together in their sin but differentiating them by the effect that sin has had on their lives.
Hawthorne describes the blush fading from Dimmesdale's hot cheeks "like a flame that sinks down hopelessly among the late decaying embers." This fading of color corresponds to a fading of energy and passion that leaves the Reverend weak and frail.
The Scaffold. Once again, Hawthorne uses the scaffold as a symbol of guilt and shame. When Dimmesdale climbs onto it to make his confession, he's attempting to recreate the scene of public humiliation in Chapter 2. He feels that he should've been labeled a sinner right then, alongside Hester. His failure to reveal himself earlier leads to his death.
Family. Little attention has been paid to the fact that Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale form an unconventional family. In effect, Dimmesdale is the estranged father, Hester the single mother, and Pearl the bastard child born out of wedlock. These are untraditional but not uncommon roles, which Dimmesdale and Hester have chosen for themselves out of fear and shame. This separation makes them miserable. In the content of this novel, their only hope of earthly happiness is to unite as a family. Unfortunately, this proves impossible.
Irony In The Scarlet Letter
How Long Does It Take To Read The Scarlet Letter
What does the scarlet letter mean to Pearl in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter?
In The Scarlet Letter, why does Pearl cry at the the end of chapter 7?
Describe the Puritan women in The Scarlet Letter using one quote from the book.
Young Goodman Brown
The Minister's Black Veil
The Ambitious Guest
Dr. Heidegger's Experiment
Rappaccini's Daughter
The Birthmark
The House of the Seven Gables
The Wives of the Dead
Ethan Brand


There are some who believe and I would count myself among them that Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky saved the Gospel for Russia. They were contemporaries, Tolstoy's War and Peace was serialized in the same periodical at the same time as Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. They both lived and wrote during the late 19th century. When the Revolution came in 1917, the bible was banned, but the themes of justice, personal freedom, redemption and forgiveness lived on in their work. It was Tolstoy who detected and responded to the Russian people. Like Augustine who confronted the fall of Rome, Tolstoy set himself to defend the Christian faith in order that it might survive the troubled years that lay ahead. Tolstoy turned to the Gospels and into his own words and stories beautifully expounded their message.
In November of 1910, Tolstoy lay dying in a tiny village of Astapova in eastern Russia. He was in his eighties and according to his wishes he would be buried on his family estate on the edge of a ravine. A ravine where his brother Nicholas used to say a little green stick was hidden with the secret of the universe engraved on it. Tolstoy never found the green stick, but he died believing in it. He was a brilliant man, a tragic man, at times he desired the celibate life of a Monk, at others, he was a womanizing drunk. In War and Peace he explored power and the appetite of the will. In Anna Karenina, he considered carnality, the appetite of the flesh, the two passions whose destructive consequences he had experienced, especially the latter.
He weighed only 126 pounds, some say his books weighed more. He didn't find the green stick, but he did find the secret to universal love in the Gospels. That secret was and is that a certain kind of person will love, that person would not persecute, commit murder or seek revenge. That person would seek happiness in doing good for others, thereby realizing their own good.
In the upper room, another man of sorrows was saying good bye to his disciples. He was telling them the secret of the universe, how to live in union with God himself. It was not a green stick, it was however, the secret that unlocks the meaning of life. Jesus gave his disciples the characteristics of a person who could change the world, that person is called a disciple.
The first characteristic is that a follower of Christ will develop intimacy with God through communication. " ….if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want and it will be granted you."  It has been my experience and training to teach the bible for explanation, to discover authorial intent. The Evangelical camp has focused on exegesis for the purpose of understanding the text. Of course this is important, without it we would be lost at sea, drowning in a multiplicity of possible interpretations. But this has also led to an academic content driven relationship to God, that the key to maturity is getting the right answer. Relating to the "word of God," also has a reflective dimension. I have found a simple four step method very helpful. Read it, think it, pray it, live it. To read it means simply to take in the initial meaning of the text. To think it is akin to meditation, to mull it over, putting yourself into the event, understanding the history and context. Next is pray it, seek God's application in your life. How does God want to use this story and concept in my life. Finally, live it; how does this apply to my 10:00 AM appointment? As I enter this day, who are the people who irate me and how will I love them in concrete action? Karl Barth said, " I have read many books, but the bible reads me." Another way of saying it is that the primary reason to read the scriptures is in order to submit their teaching. Jesus invites us to enter into the community of the faithful through submission, confession and obedience. That is why Jesus tells us who interact with him via reading scripture can ask for anything and get it. When we read the scriptures in order to submit, with a contrite confession, it strips us of so much fluff and frivolity that plagues consumer based prayer. The words of the late Henri Nouwen come to mind.


DES MOINES – Twenty-one Iowa State Senators are asking President Donald Trump to protect Iowa farmers, businesses and communities as he makes trade policy changes.
Senator Rita Hart of rural Wheatland wrote the letter and invited all Senators to sign it.
"My husband and I farm near Wheatland. We know firsthand that mistakes in trade policy can have severe consequences on Iowa farmers, small businesses and rural communities," said Hart, the former chair of the Senate Economic Growth Committee.
The letter noted that "Iowa is the second largest agricultural export state, shipping $14 billion of products abroad last year." It also drew attention to the fact that proposed U.S. tariffs increasing the cost of imported steel would also hurt Iowa manufacturers. The letter specially mentions Sukup Manufacturing in Sheffield, Iowa. The plant there has 600 Iowa employees and uses 1 million pounds of steel each week to make grain bins and dryers.
The letter was signed by every Democratic member of the Senate and by Independent Senator David Johnson.
Iowa has a rich history of feeding the world and we need to continue to feed the world without barriers. Iowa is the leading national producer of corn, soybeans, hogs, cattle, and eggs. Iowa is the second largest agricultural export state, shipping $14 billion of products abroad last year. And it's important to note that 31 percent of farm income comes directly from exports.
For those reasons, we urge you to reconsider the economic costs and benefits of your plan to impose new tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. It's clear to most observers that the inevitable retaliation to proposed tariffs will have a negative impact on Iowa's agricultural economy by causing other countries to levy burdensome tariffs against Iowa farm products.
Iowa farmers have already faced several years of low commodity prices.
Any reduction in demand would be devastating, making a bad situation worse.
The potential beef tariff threatens Iowa farmers, who have just gotten back into the Chinese market after a long absence. U.S. beef exports to China totaled more than 3,000 metric tons in the last half of 2017, valued at $31 million.
It's worth noting that Iowa leads the nation in ethanol production, which results in 42,000 Iowa jobs. In addition, China imports about 60 percent of global soybean trade.
A trade war – even in the short term – creates the potential for a long-term loss of global market share because other countries will move quickly to fill the void if Iowa's agriculture products become uncompetitive.
Manufacturing is the second largest driver of Iowa's economy. The state economy is heavily dependent on the 3,000-plus factories across the state, many of whom are dependent on the farm economy. For example, the 600 employees of Sukup Manufacturing make iconic grain bins and dryers in rural Sheffield, Iowa, using 1 million pounds of steel each week.
We urge you, Mr. President, to reconsider this strategy because of the negative consequences on Iowans who farm, those who live in rural communities, and those whose livelihoods depend on products whose markets are threatened by a trade war with China.


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With over 30 years of experience in the field of orthotics, John Abramowicz has helped thousands of clients to enhance their mobility and lifestyle.
John's passion for fresh ideas and innovation has led him to create new strategies for restoration of physical function in the disabled community.
Monte started his thirty-year fabrication career in the motion picture industry, designing and building props and sets for eight years. In 2003, he applied his talents to a field where he could positively-impact the daily lives of many people when he began his studies at George Brown College to become a prosthetics and orthotics technician. He worked with some of the industry's best technicians and clinicians at Otto Bock Canada for seven years and began with Kintech Orthopaedics in 2014, where he continues to bring the best in innovative and high-quality orthotics to every client.


Cousin primes are prime pairs that differ by 4. Any prime p in this sequence is such that p = (p-3)/2 + (p+5)/2 - 1, where (p-3)/2 and (p+5)/2 are also primes and they differ by 4.
17 = 7 + 11 - 1. Note that, (17-3)/2 = 7 and (17+5)/2 = 11 and 7, 11 are cousin prime pairs.
29 = 13 + 17 - 1. Note that, (29-3)/2 = 13 and (29+5)/2 = 17 and 13, 17 are cousin prime pairs.
41 = 19 + 23 - 1. Note that, (41-3)/2 = 19 and (41+5)/2 = 23 and 19, 23 are cousin prime pairs.
89 = 43 + 47 - 1. Note that, (89-3)/2 = 43 and (89+5)/2 = 47 and 43, 47 are cousin prime pairs.
Cf. A023200, A152091, A040117, A145471, A089531, A072669.


text:
By By Cody Brunner
By Cody Brunner
The No. 18 Utah volleyball team (9-2 overall, 2-0 MWC) will take its seven-game win streak on the road tonight against the UNLV Rebels (9-3 overall, 1-0 MWC).
The Utes head to Las Vegas after opening their conference schedule last week, humiliating both Colorado State and Air Force in a total of six games to snag a pair of victories.
Emillie Toone played extremely well in the two contests, racking up 16 kills on 26 swings to hit a team-leading .615.
Toone has a significant hand in the Utes' defensive success this season, leading the nation in blocks with an average of 2.23 per game. The middle blocker had a stellar performance last weekend, racking up a total of 19 blocks (four solo, 15 assisted). Her efforts were buoyed by a nine-block outing against Colorado State.
The 6-foot-7 junior is only one piece of the puzzle for the dominant Utah defense, which has held opponents to a scant .083 hitting percentage this year.
"Our defense has been winning matches for us and that was no different in our last few matches. Hopefully, that doesn't change," U head coach Beth Launiere said. "But I was also pleased with our offensive efforts. It's coming around, and the numbers are starting to go up for us."
On the other side of the ball, the Utes are anchored by sophomore outside-hitter Airial Salvo, who comes into the match averaging 4.17 kills per game. Salvo is currently ranked third in the Mountain West Conference and was recently awarded her third MWC Player of the Week Award for her efforts last week.
Sydney Anderson is currently handling the setting duties for the Utes, guiding the offense with an 11.55 assist-per-game average.
The contest against the Rebels will begin a five-match road swing, including two conference dates this week.
The Rebels saw their own winning streak (six matches) come to an end with a 3-1 loss to Long Beach State last week. UNLV rebounded from the loss with a 3-0 win over UC-Riverside.
The daunting task of sneaking balls past the stingy Ute defense will rest on the shoulders of Rebel outside hitter Maria Aladjova, who comes into the contest averaging 3.38 kills per game. The 2005 All-Mountain West selection fired 29 kills in two matches last weekend to lead the Rebels.
Erin Greenwood will try to provide some help from the other side tonight, coming into the match with a .296 hitting percentage.
The Rebel defense hides a pair of gems in their midst, with Lauren Miramontes (1.17 blocks per game) and Jada Walker (5.18 digs per game) causing fits for opposing offenses. The tandem has their work cut out for them tonight though, as the Utes bring in a very potent offense with multiple threats.
Utah currently leads the Mountain West in opponent hitting percentage (.083), assists (14.74) and blocks (4.01). The Utes also rank second in the league in hitting (.283), kills (16.06) and digs (16.49).
Utah carries a 20-1 all-time record against the Rebels and won both meetings last year (3-2, 3-0).
The Utes will conclude their weekend in Southern California on Saturday, facing off against the San Diego State Aztecs.
"These are two big matches for us this week," Launiere said. "This road trip has always been a tough one and both UNLV and San Diego State are quality opponents. They both have good talent and will be a difficult challenge."
Lennie Mahler
Utah's Kathryn Lovell swings toward Air Force defense in Saturday's 3-0 win at Crimson Court.
Petters: H.B 228 And The Discourse of Conversion Therapy In Utah


Dynamic Youth Ministries (DYM) provides programs, curriculum, materials, and training designed to bring children and youth into a living, dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. The four divisions of DYM are: Cadets, The Esther School, GEMS, and Youth Unlimited. These divisions partner with churches in meeting the unique needs of boys, girls, early teens, and high school youth.
The Calvinist Cadet Corps is an independent (non-denominational) youth ministry organization whose purpose is to provide the local church with a ministry program that will enable them to effectively share Christ's love with boys from their church and community.
The Esther School is a Christian day school in an underserved region of Zambia. Opened in the fall of 2012, the school equips children to serve God, their families, and their communities to their fullest potential.
GEMS offers girls the perfect place to learn and grow as they discover who God created them to be. Clubs are offered in local churches and Christian organizations throughout the U.S., Canada, and 15 additional countries. Our mission is to bring girls everywhere into a living, dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.
Youth Unlimited is a non-profit, non-denominational ministry that focuses on assisting congregations in their youth ministry. We are blessed by encouraging, supporting, equipping, and partnering with congregations across North America to reach this generation for Jesus Christ!


This newly developed machine is equipped with Hypertherm HyPrecision Intensifier capable of cutting materials up to 4" with extremely accurate tolerances. This system is based on newly developed gantry and motion system, along with the recently enhanced electronics and Vicon Control software. The system is available in 5' x 5' or 5' x 10' models.
Z Vertical Travel Approx. 8"
Click on the screenshot to the left to view available software for Vicon's cutting systems.


text:
nationality - 9
nation - 5
citizenship - 4
php - 1
Geography - 1
Unitary Authorities - 9
Tags: countries nationality
MF02UK - 2011 SMS Merged LA/LA [Origin and destination of international migra...
Dataset population: All usual residents who were living outside the UK one year ago Country of address one year ago The country in which an individual lived one year ago....
Length of residence in the UK (Great Britain) 2011
Dataset population: Persons Length of residence in the UK The length of residence in the UK is derived from the date that a person last arrived to live in the UK. Short visits...
Country of birth by Year of arrival in the UK (England and Wales) 2011
Dataset population: Persons Country of birth Country of birth is the country in which a person was born. This topic records whether the person was born in or if they were not...
Year of arrival in the UK (Great Britain) 2011
Dataset population: Persons Year of arrival in the UK The year of arrival in the UK is derived from the date that a person last arrived to live in the UK. Short visits away...
Principal passport held by Year of arrival in the UK (England and Wales) 2011
Dataset population: Persons Principal passport held Results for 'Passports held' classify a person according to the passport or passports they held at the time of the 2011...


Automotive News and Motorsports News – including automotive services and products, auto dealers, classic cars and restoration, highway safety, auto racing, motorsports, and related automobile news topics, issued by the Send2Press Newswire service.
BOLINGBROOK, Ill., Sept. 17, 2018 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Seidel Diesel Group has acquired the assets of Associated Fuel Injection of Modesto, California, and the business will continue to operate out of the current Modesto facility. This brings SDG's total number of fuel shops to ten.
LOS ANGELES, Calif., July 3, 2018 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants announced today that risk management and insurance professional Eric Kitei has joined the firm's operations in Southern California as a Principal, focusing on the unique needs of auto dealers and others in the automotive industry.
CHARLESTON, S.C., May 11, 2018 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Automobile marketing firm, Sokal Media Group, signs Charleston Nissan. Starting in April 2018, Sokal Media Group launched new websites for the store, created new advertising campaigns, and assisted in many other areas of dealership business.
ENGLEWOOD, N.J., May 3, 2018 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The latest Lexus LS was unveiled at Lexus of Englewood Thursday, April 19 in a spectacular Launch Event attended by hundreds of the dealership's customers and employees. Carmine DeMaio, Dealer Principal, said that designing a brand-new automobile demands a new way of thinking.


text:
és un exfutbolista equatorià de la dècada de 1990.

Fou 50 cops internacional amb la selecció de l'Equador.

Pel que fa a clubs, defensà els colors de Barcelona Sporting Club, CR Vasco da Gama, Club Sport Emelec, C.F. União a Portugal, Deportivo Pereira de Colòmbia i Deportivo Quito.

Referències

Futbolistes internacionals amb l'Equador
Entrenadors de futbol equatorians
Futbolistes del CF União da Madeira

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Cartoon spongebobs characters have a new home
June 21, 2021 by admin Comedy
Cartoon spongebobs characters have a new home June 21, 2021 June 21, 2021 admin
SpongeBob characters are back in the spotlight after the popular SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon series took a hit in 2012, with Nickelodeon shutting down the animated series after only a few episodes.
But a new SpongeBob comic book has been released, and the creators of the series have released a new, original cartoon series with a different SpongeBob cartoon character in the title.
"The SpongeBob Comic Book" features SpongeBob, his friends and enemies, and a whole bunch of other characters from the SpongeBob series, including Squidward, Squidward's Squidbelly, Squidbob's wife and the Squidward family, among others.
It features a new cover featuring SpongeBob as a SpongeBob sticker, and it features an old episode of the SpongeBobs cartoon series, which was released on September 8, 2012.
The SpongeBob Comic Book comes out this week, so you can preorder it now and get your hands on it when it hits shelves in February.
The series was released in the United States on October 25, 2012, and in Canada on October 29, 2012 with a United Kingdom release date on November 15, 2012 and a European release date for December 4, 2012 on December 9, 2012 in both English and French.
Tags:attractive cartoon characterscartoon spongebob characters


text:
Make It Loud…
Some gigs turn out exactly how one expects, and are fantastic because of it, especially when it is someone who doesn't swing by the local venues all that often. Fans (at least, if there are any others like me) spend years listening to the artists' albums, developing an imaginary setlist for when the tour finally makes it to their city. The risk here is that if the real life show doesn't conform to the high standards of the imagination, one might be let down.
And so it is with Andrew W.K. I'd skipped his combination lecture/concert in 2007 at the Toff, since I'm not a fan of the whole spoken word show thing, and I'd heard rumours that he not only took to the stage alone to a back up tape, but that the tape didn't even have the lyrics removed, karaoke style. The rumours were reportedly true, though the reports of it nevertheless being a night to remember, with most of the audience winding up on stage by the end of the show, and leaving me wondering if I'd made the right decision.
And, of course, the image of the pretend concert in my mind is still all I had: The band would emerge on stage without ceremony, unclear whether they are just roadies tuning the instruments until their free-form sound starts to resemble something familiar… the dynamic build up that is Victory Strikes Again, with the audience chanting 'This is why we are alive!' until Andrew W.K. himself bounds onto the stage just in time to shout along with the audience, 'This is why we love to live our lives!'
Andrew W.K.,
The HiFi Bar, Melbourne, January 29, 2011
Even if the show hadn't opened exactly how I had fantasised, it was still a good night. I arrived to an already packed floor, and contended with more of a throng waiting at the bar than any kind of queue, and was just able to collect a pair of bourbon mixers and a bottle of water before a modest applause from the crowd in the sunken dance floor indicated some action on stage. The band were starting, and as I waded through the more conservative in the back, the earlier applause was topped by a roar as Cherie Lily, Andrew W.K.'s Party Hard girl wife appeared on stage, uniting the entire pit in a fist-pounding acompaniment to the instrumental opening. I passed beneath the air-punching to the front of the stage just in time to see Andrew W.K. headbang across the short stage to the central piano. He held out a hand to the audience, managing to settle the excited crowd only slightly, before inciting them into further intensity by launching loudly into It's Time To Party.
Up close, those famous whites aren't quite so white, but it answers a question I have had for a while – how would you keep a white uniform clean when partying professionally? I know I couldn't. And I guess Andrew W.K. can't keep them so pristine either. But who cares? And who cares that the show didn't open according to my plan? I was impressed anyway. Things like Party Hard girls can go either way, but in this case, it worked. Even some of the lesser known songs from the notoriously hard to come by Close Calls with Brick Walls were perfect material for bouncing along to, even if all we could shout along was nonsense, and the catch phrases this artist gave us.
'Party hard!' and 'Get wet!' could be heard hollered, chanted and shouted from every corner of the room to fill all of the fleeting moments of quiet on stage (although realistically those moments were really only 'less loud.')
The show maintained breakneck speed throughout, though nobody – at least, no one in the front rows – seemed to tire. How could we, when we had Andrew W.K. literally on top of us? The energy was high from the beginning of the show to the final pounding intonations of closer Party Hard, and was even ongoing as hoards of sweaty kids spilled into the surrounding convenience stores to rehydrate before the afterParty. I know it is still early days, but this gig is going to provide some serious competition for show of the year.
Posted in Live Music | Tagged: andrew w.k., andrew wk, bdo, big day out, cherie lily, hi-fi, hi-fi bar, hifi | 2 Comments »
Lily Allen and the Karaoke Machine…
Lily Allen,
Festival Hall, January 28, 2010
After her jaunt at this year's Big Day Out, Lily Allen dropped by Festival Hall, sans the Australian flag she wore along with the usual suspects at the Showgrounds days earlier.
She was joined by a throng of middle-aged women, already teetering on the cusp of intoxication when they arrived via a fleet of double-decker buses, no doubt a ride coming at unreasonable expense and arranged by some entrepreneurial individual. This is probably the same individual that gave these women the Lily Allen 'V.I.P.' lanyards which they wore around their necks, and led them to believe that these entitled bearers to some kind of special privilege. Most were glad just to get inside, but a few argued that they had paid extra money for these passes, and seemed confused when I said that the 'extra money' they had paid had not gone to official channels. Nevertheless, they were dispersed into the stadium easily, and most only returned to express their confusion when Miami Horror took to the stage, having never heard of the phenomena of a support band, and later to state how discriminatory the venue's 'No Smoking' policy is.
I'm not a huge Lily Allen fan, but I thought her album of last year, It's Not Me, It's You was a pop gem. I'd expected an entertaining show, but the performance Lily gave went beyond my expectations. True, it was a short set, but she played all the hits, and a few unexpected covers. She looked diminutive on stage, even while bringing back the Baby Spice-style platform sports shoes, and her two costume changes were brief and didn't interrupt the show too much. A weird, rap interlude during Smile by someone Lily introduced as her best friend, on the other hand, just seemed to confuse everyone.
From my vantage point to the rear of the stage, I'd noticed a small screen at the foot of the stage, and at first didn't pay too much attention to it. As the show progressed, I noticed that this screen was busy with text, and when I stepped closer, noticed that it was displaying the lyrics to all of the songs, scrolling on the screen, karaoke-style. I smiled to myself, surprised, but not disappointed. It was something I hadn't seen before, and it was clearly present just in case of a lyrical emergency. I didn't notice Lily look at the screen during the course of the performance. I did, however, make the mistake of pointing it out to another staff member, who instantly dismissed Lily Allen as 'pathetic.'
'But,' he pointed out, when Lily broke into a cover of Britney's Womanizer. 'At least she really sings.'
Posted in Reviews from the inside | Tagged: big day out, britney spears, festival hall, lily allen | Leave a Comment »
Galvatrons…
Patrons are already jostling to the front of the crowded club to find prime viewing position now that the support act has left the stage. Weaving through the crowd to get to the bar proves a time consuming exercise, but once the sounds of synthesizer and chants of 'We're here to save the world' wash over the building, attention turns instantly to the stage, from where Johnny Galvatron leers seductively at the bouncing fans below. Throughout the snappy set, fists pound the air from the back of the room right up to the front of the stage. The audience shout the lyrics in unison, and the evening reaches a climax when girls in the front row are overcome with exhilaration and throw themselves onto the stage to dance suggestively. Though visibly impressed, the band never misses a beat.
All this excitement for a band who can still count the months since their first rehearsal and are counting down the days until the unveiling of their debut album. 24 hours earlier, the Galvatrons discussed a fledgling career that already boasts the kind of highlights usually reserved for the autobiographies of retiring rock royalty. It wasn't long after their formation that the band was snapped up by a major record label.
'It was really bizarre,' recalls keyboardist Gamma. 'I was the last to join, and then the fourth gig I played with the band was a showcase to Warner. It was pretty sudden.'
Prior to being signed to Warner Music, the band members were each forging paths in their music career to varying degrees of success.
'Johnny wrote a bunch of songs and had the idea for the band,' bassist Condor explains the formation of the Galvatrons. 'He knew Manny – our old drummer – through a Battle Of The Bands, or some high school thing. He called up Manny and said "I need a drummer for this band, do you know anyone?" Manny was like "I'll play drums in your band." Then Manny found me. I was working at Safeway and playing with my old band at the Evelyn, and I was hanging out with a mate there whose band was playing. Gamma was playing bass in that band.'
Manny stepped aside before long, Condor's brother Bozza took up position behind the drums and the Galvatrons were created. 'Yeah,' Condor sighs, shaking his head. 'I never want to step into Safeway again.'
The next step the band did take was onto a tour bus – the first major stop being at the Meredith Music Festival.
'Now that was weird,' says Gamma, his eyes widening with the memory, as Condor nods and laughs in agreement. 'It was our twentieth show ever. We played on the Friday, so when we were checking out the front before we played, it looked like it was just a few pockets of people sort of sitting around everywhere. We thought that was pretty sweet. Well, we went back stage, and then went onto the stage just to set up and everything. By that stage it had just filled up…' Gamma shakes his head. 'It had just got like… wow!'
Condor agrees, saying that he had expected their first Meredith crowd to be little more than 'just a bunch of my mates down the front,' but personally felt more victorious taking to the stage at the Big Day Out.
'It was cool. I've always wanted to play a Big Day Out. We did a sweet show that day, and then had to fly to London that night. It was an awesome thing.'
An invitation to appear at London's Hyde Park Calling festival not only meant live international exposure for the band, but a chance to meet some high profile idols.
'We got to meet the Stranglers,' Condor mentions with the calm of someone discussing the latest news of an old friend. 'They were these big-as dudes – just how they look in the pictures – and really nice. They introduced themselves to us and stuff…'
'And we got to meet the Bangles, too!' Gamma interrupts excitedly, perhaps suggesting the diversity of the group's musical influences. 'The lead singer must be, what? 50 now? She still looks excellent!'
Perhaps suggesting a similar diversity in their fan base, the Galvatrons received positive reviews for their performance at the Download Festival – normally the reserve of heavy metal and more traditional rock bands. Condor says that it is difficult to put Galvatrons fans into a particular category. 'The people going to our gigs are really cool! They're not necessarily always the most trendy, but they just like to go out for a good time. Sometimes we meet the big footy jock dudes, the kind who used to beat me up in high school, and they're like "I love you, it was awesome! It was awesome!"'
It was at Download where the Galvatrons caught up with fellow Australians Airborne, and were invited to fill the support slot for some of their latest European tour.
'They've sold out heaps of European shows last year,' Condor says. 'They're bloody huge, overseas. We played a few gigs with them over there. Two in Ireland and one in Germany, and they were just packed to the rafters. It was mayhem.'
'There was this one place, Molotov, in Hamburg,' Gamma continues. 'It was way oversold, so you literally couldn't move. It was probably a 200 capacity room, but there were at least three or four hundred in the room. It was a sweat den. It was awesome.'
And, perhaps, the inspiration for album track 'Molotov Cocktail,' a typically synth-laden celebration in which Johnny recalls cars parked all the way up the street and that 'these kids know how to have a good time.'
Another of the Galvatrons' tales of European adventure regards being ejected from festival grounds.
'Sarah, our manager, said that they were kicking us out,' Gamma remembers. 'Everyone had to go.'
'They said something like "The man next door complained,"' Condor adds.
The man next door turned out to be playing the same festival with the Police.
'There was a band area where everyone had little cabins,' Condor sets the scene, and Gamma adds that 'Sting had his own section of cabins.'
'Our cabin was right next to his section…' Condor says in summary of the noise complaint.
The brushes with rock fame haven't ended now that The Galvatrons are back on Australian shores. The group were selected as support for the entirety of Def Leppard and Cheap Trick's tour of Australia and New Zealand. While the Galvatrons were able to get along with their hosts, images of the legends still partying all night, rock 'n' roll style, were brought back to earth.
'They were cool,' Condor agrees. 'They gave us their beers and every night, because they didn't want to drink much. It was the end of their three-month tour, so they'd flown all their families over for a big holiday in Australia.'
The Galvatrons are in the midst of their own headlining national tour, taking in capitals and regional shows, and prove they can adapt to the stages of clubs as well as they have larger festival and even arena shows, before the release of their album Laser Graffiti next month, and have no plans to break from the touring cycle soon. Although the band is confident with touring, Gamma admits to being a little nervous at first.
'It was a bit odd for me because these guys had already formed that bond when I came along,' He puts on a shy voice to re-enact the first days of touring with the band. 'I felt like "Yeah, well this is good, you're all talking and I feel weird…" But you spend enough time in the van on tour and you get to know all there is to know'
The new album has a retro-future sound familiar to fans of the band's live shows and first singles 'When We Were Kids,' 'Robots Are Cool,' and 'Cassandra.' Johnny aptly describes the sound as 'like the disco scene from a grand space opera.' The album deals with science fiction themes, computer game victories, and high school romance – themes which seem set to stay, at least for the time being, 'until Johnny works through all of his old heart breaks.'
'Johnny likes to write about that stuff,' Condor laughs. 'It's his therapy. I don't know what he'll write about when he works through it all.'
The Galvatrons' album Laser Graffiti is released on July 3. The 'Cassandra' single tour finishes early this month, and they will then be touring with Something With Numbers, stopping at the Hi-Fi Bar on July 10, the Ferntree Gully Hotel on July 11, and Pelly Bar in Frankston on July 12. Tour details are available at www.myspace.com/thegalvatrons.
From Buzz Magazine, June 2009.
Posted in Buzz Magazine | Tagged: airborne, big day out, buzz, galvatrons, hyde park, meredith | Leave a Comment »