Saturday September 4th 2010

Categories

Interesting Sites

Insider

Archives

harry reid racist comments

You know what, why not play the race card and call Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) a racist. He not only hates smelly people who visit the Capitol, he in addition doesn’t wish any of 3 Illinois politicians, all black, to fill Pres-elect Obama’s vacant seat. Proof of which was in a recorded dialogue between Reid and the embattled Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. He pressured Blagojevich not to appoint one of the 3 politicians for the reason that they were unelectable.

One of the potential candidates is Illinois Congressman Jessie Jackson, Jr, who we all know was Candidate Number 5. The other two politicians were Congressman Danny Davis and Illinois Senate President Emil Jones. Jones was basically a mentor to President-elect Obama.

Instead Reid insisted on Illinois Veterans romances director Tammy Duckworth or Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, both Democrats. Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran, recipient of the Air Medal, and Purple Heart, lost a bid to the US House in 2006. She was even endorsed by former Republican Senator and 1996 presidential candidate Bob Dole. To be sincere, I wouldn’t mind seeing Duckworth in the Senate. Not just as a result of her sacrifice, but as a result of her support of much necessary improvements in the VA system. With that told, Tammy Duckworth lost an selection to the house. She previously proved she was unelectable even with her credentials, sacrifice, and service while Jackson and Davis are sitting congressmen.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex) has ripped into Reid not necessarily for the potential racism angle but as a result of him using his influence as a party leader to influence the Illinois senate choose. Cornyn believes the people of Illinois should choose their new senator in a specific election given the controversy surrounding Blagojevich. While Blagojevich has been arrested, he hasn’t been impeached and therefore legally can make his choose, which he did already with Roland Burris.

What I see is liberal Democrats falling victim to one of their own weapons, the race card. Harry Reid has played it himself all through the presidential selection when the GOP linked Obama with former Fannie CEO Franklin Raines. Now he has a few ’splainin to do as to why he campaigned against 3 well known black politicians.

manhattan transfer

The Manhattan Transfer weren’t an overnight success, but a result of numerous years of dues-paying and persistence, specifically by bass singer and founder Tim Hauser. Tim’s musical history goes back to a doo-wop group called the Criterions, who recorded a number of singles on Cecilia archive when Tim was 15. Subsequently, Tim trained the first Manhattan Transfer, 5 members potent and featuring Gene Pistilli, who had co-written a few songs recorded by Spanky and Our Gang. The resulting album was not stylistically well-integrated, and did not catch on commercially either. That first version of the group broke up in 1971.

The Manhattan Transfer re-emerged as a four-piece, with Janis Siegel (alto), Laurel Masse (soprano), and Alan Paul (tenor), who found out each other in a series of glad accidents. Tim Hauser was driving a cab at the time, and picked up passenger Laurel Masse; they ought to talking. Tim met Janis Siegel by means of a drummer acquaintance. Janis had been executing at the Greenwich Village coffeehouse scene with a group called “Laurel Canyon.” Alan Paul had been appearing in the musical “Grease!” (Laurel’s boyfriend was a musician in the production, and referred him).

With personnel in place, they began to create a going after at each and every one of the hip New York clubs: Max’s Kansas City, Reno Sweeney’s, Cafe Carlyle, etc. Atlantic’s Ahmet Ertegun heard of them and came to a gig. His enthusiastic response resulted in a record deal and an association that lasted for numerous years. The Manhattan Transfer’s first recording, the self-titled “Manhattan Transfer” featured “Operator,” a fifties gospel tune, which reached number #22 on the Billboard chart and was their first hit. They were complicated to catagorize – “Cabaret Rock” or “Disco Sha Na Na” were a few of the labels attached to them – but their popularity grew solidly, accompanied by intensive touring. They even had their own short-lived TV series (as well as normal guest appearances on other multiplicity programs). “Coming Out, ” “Pastiche” and the first live album followed. “Pastiche” was noteworthy as it was the first time the group collaborated with Jon Hendricks (of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross), and was the initiating of a long and remarkably fecund relationship. anyhow, the record didn’t sell well, and as fate would have it, Laurel was in a vehicle accident in 1978, which curtailed her tasks (her jaw was wired shut for 3 months). She ultimately renounce the group. The Manhattan Transfer re-located to California and began the search for a new soprano vocalist.

Cheryl Bentyne joined in 1979. Her father had been a jazz bandleader and she had sung with him, initiating a technical facility that she would require with the Transfer. Her audition pieces were “You Can Depend On Me” and “Candy.” With Cheryl in the group, the group went forward with their next record: “Extensions.” It was a hit and the group were swept up in the disco craze with the single “Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone.” as well, “Extensions” included “Birdland,” the Weather Report composition that became a Manhattan Transfer signature tune. The group won two Grammy’s for that album, the first of numerous.

“Mecca For Moderns” followed, which included Gene Puerling’s “A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square” and “Boy From New York City.” Having identified them, the public and the critics continued to bestow honors upon the Manhattan Transfer, as they received the absolute Pop Performance by a Duo or Group Grammy, and “Boy” reached number 7 on Billboard.

Atlantic released their first greatest hits album, while the group went to work on “Bodies and Souls.” The record company’s calendar, which necessitated more pop hits, prevailed, but the record didn’t do well and the group was not musically satisfied. The record that followed it, “Bop Doo Wopp,” included a few live recordings of standards and doo-wop classics, but did not connect with its audience either. Given the disappointing sales, the group saw no circumstance to pursue a commercial direction, but decided to go back to the music that they felt was their strongest suit, and for which they had a demonstrated skill unlike any of their contemporaries. With collaborators Jon Hendricks and Richie Cole, they focused on the utilization of the vocalese method – singing lyrics through jazz solos – the album, entitled naturally, “Vocalese.” The group previously had modeled their distinctive voicings on that of the enormous band horn section of Count Basie, and this approach culminated in a accomplishment. They received twelve Grammy nominations for “Vocalese,” and won 3.

“Brasil” was an research of the textures and rhythms of world music, juxtaposed with jazz. The group worked with Brazilian songwriters such as Milton Nascimento, Ivan Lins and Djavan on the record, and it was another unique musical collage, bringing the decade of the 1980’s to a nearby. Manhattan Transfer in addition had won the Playboy and Downbeat “Best Jazz Vocal Group” classification every year from 1980 to 1990.

The group went to Columbia for two releases: “The Offbeat of Avenues,” which was a usually self-written collection, and their Christmas record. Unfortunately, “Avenues” didn’t get the emphasis it deserved. The group members in addition ventured out on a multiplicity of solo projects, this includes movie soundtracks, and guest starred on the TV series, “Home Improvement.”

The group’s next project was a children’s album, “Tubby The Tuba.” The group played all the parts for this charming story of an insecure tuba looking for a melody. Then, after returning to Atlantic, the Manhattan Transfer made “Tonin’,” featuring such luminaries as Laura Nyro, Frankie Valli, James Taylor and Chaka Khan, singing classic pop hits. A most entertaining record, it nonetheless did not break any new area musically for the group. Their newest recording, “Swing,” was a tribute to the music of the 1930’s and 1940’s, and no one could do it better than America’s preeminent purveyors of vocal harmony. They reinterpreted many tracks, such as “Java Jive,” especially for this recording, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Jazz Chart.

What now, after so numerous years of success? Only time will say, needless to say, but the 4 singers carry on to be partners in my point of view and proficiently, and absolutely an motivation to all who hear them. anything it is, it’ll be completed as only the Manhattan Transfer can do it!

liz cheney

As closely every HuffPost Media Monitor (well, mainly Derrick, Clayton, Chad, “RStein,” and Teresa) observed today, former State Department official Liz Cheney came on MSNBC to protect her father’s legacy, with regard to the administration’s role in authorizing the torture or terror detainees. That’s kind of sad. But sympathy wears thin when Cheney indulges in what I guess is the family business — pretending that waterboarding isn’t torture.

“It’s what our own people go by means of in SERE training,” Cheney mentions, as if that turns it all OK. Naturally, I’m pretty sure that our soldiers suffer SERE training to learn what it’s like to be tortured, if not withstand it. I mean, if we’ve reached the point where it’s fine to not be outraged when our own soldiers are waterboarded, somebody should tell so. But either waterboarding is a tolerable method for military interrogations in every case or it is torture and thus the provenance of sadistic regimes.

cleveland airport power outage

TAMPA – At first glance, it looked such as a normal Thursday night at Tampa International Airport. Warm summer evening No crowds. People hugging goodbye, kissing hello. But there was lots of frustration to go around. The ripples of an enormous power outage that blacked out the Eastern U.S. caused problem even in Tampa. The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday afternoon grounded all flights outbound for Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports in New York City, and also airports in Newark, Ottawa and Toronto. A groundstop additionally was put on Continental Airlines flights bound for Cleveland. Aircraft earlier in the air could carry on to those destinations, told Kathleen Bergen, a spokeswoman for the FAA. But everyone else was stuck. The clog began to clear by mid evening, when the Newark, LaGuardia and Cleveland airports reopened for frequent business. Kennedy, Toronto and Ottawa were expected to reopen before the closing of the night. But by then, the hurt had been done. People at TIA stared blank-eyed as the words “canceled” and “delayed” spread across television screens all through the airport. Nearly every flight coming and going to New York or Newark was doing neither. TIA spokeswoman Christine Osborn said 6 scheduled flights to New York on Thursday night were delayed. That meant headaches for people like Patrick and Kathy Groark of New Port Richey, who were pushing their 22-month-old son, Patrick Jr., around the airport in a luggage cart. The Groarks are moving to be near family until Kathy, 3 months pregnant, gives birth to the couple’s second child. Mother and son were supposed to catch a 7:55 p.m. flight to New York on Thursday, and Patrick was supposed to prevail with a friend and leave at 5 a.m. this morning in a automobile packed with family belongings. “It’s a emergency,” told Patrick, who wore NYPD shorts and perused a New York Post. “We have nowhere to sleep if the flight does not go,” Kathy told. Louis Miller, executive director of the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, told it would be hours until the backlog of flights might be cleared. “There’s surely nothing we can do,” Miller told. “I expect to see more delays and cancellations into the night, and it could even spill through into (Friday).” -Information from the affiliated Press was used in this report.

keep america safe

The mission of Keep America secure is to provide information for concerned Americans about critical national safety issues. Keep America secure seeks to influence public policy by encouraging chat between American citizens and their elected representatives in order to generate legislation and executive action that improves the national safety of the U.S..

The United States stays a nation at war. We face a growing threat from rogue regimes that seek or have previously obtained nuclear weapons. America’s interests are challenged by an authoritarian China, a resurgent Russia, and dictators in our own hemisphere who ally themselves with our adversaries. Amidst the marvelous challenges to America’s safety and prosperity, the ongoing administration too often appears uncertain, wishful, irresolute, and unwilling to stand up for America, our allies and our interests.

Since 9/11, the U.S. Government, by ways of our armed forces and our intelligence and law enforcement professionals, has succeeded in preventing any furthermore attacks on the American homeland. This is a radical achievement. By turning away from the policies that have kept us secure, by treating terrorism as a law enforcement matter, giving foreign terrorists an identical rights as American citizens, launching investigations of CIA agents, cutting protection spending, breaking faith with our allies and attempting to appease our adversaries, the ongoing administration is weakening the nation, and making it more complicated for us to protect our safety and our interests.

Keep America secure believes the U.S. can only defeat our adversaries and protect our interests from a position of strength. it is clear that America has, for 233 years, been an unparalleled force for better in the world, that our fighting forces are the absolute the world has ever known, and that the world is a safer place when America is trusted by our allies and feared and outstanding by our enemies. Keep America secure will come to the case for an unapologetic approach to fighting terrorism around the globe, for victory in the wars this country fights, for democracy and human rights, and for a powerful American military that is necessary in the harmful world in which we live.

christopher marley

This book presents the compositions of Christopher Marley: assemblages of real insect bodies that display brilliant color and otherworldly form. The colors are absolutely natural, and to render the reproductions as precise as doable some have been reproduced with fifth-color metallic inks and remarked with spot varnish. Accompanying the broad sample of Marley’s work is a series of essays by the artist: “Design of Insects,” “Insects in Design,” “History,” “Color,” “The Coleoptera Mosaics: An Exercise in Color,” “Repetition,” “Structure,” “Texture,” “Variations,” “Botanicals,” “Size,” and “Environmental Effects.”

Christopher Marley was born in Covina, California, and grew up near Salem, Oregon. At 19 years old, he began his travels while serving as a missionary for two years in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. Upon his return, he balanced studying design at Brigham Young University with popular sabbaticals to work both on and off camera for scores of fashion brands such as Donna Karan, Gucci, and Giorgio Armani. through more than a decade, his assignments to dozens of countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas spawned an ardent drive to share the unending multiplicity of surprising natural artifacts with an unsuspecting public by means of his artwork. as well to insects, his mediums of design include fossils, minerals, botanicals, bones, and sea life. His work has been featured in lots magazines and is sold by means of hundreds of galleries, stores, and showrooms in the U.S. and abroad.

sharrif floyd

The champ of the Sharrif Floyd sweepstakes, expected to be either Ohio State or Florida, will be announced tomorrow in the course of the live broadcast of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Floyd, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound senior from George Washington High, plans to unconver his decision during the game, which will be nationally televised on NBC initiating at 1 p.m.

Floyd is ranked by one publication as the No. 1 defensive tackle in the country. For his efforts this season while principal the Eagles to their third consecutive Public League championship, he was an Inquirer first-team all-Southeastern Pennsylvania choice on protection.

Floyd, a two-way lineman for the Eagles, generated official visits to Ohio State, Florida, Southern Cal, and North Carolina.

Ohio State’s Jim Tressel and Florida’s Urban Meyer were between the head coaches to visit the blue-chip recruit last month at George Washington. South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier automatically followed Meyer’s stop in Northeast Philadelphia.

Floyd practiced with the East squad yesterday at C. Marvin Gustafson Stadium. George Washington instructor Ron Cohen, in San Antonio for the game, mentioned Floyd was selected as most remunerative player in the team’s first practice.

According to a challengers.com report, East head instructor George Quarles mentioned Floyd probable would be among tomorrow’s starters.

Signs point toward Floyd’s selecting Ohio State, with Florida as the runner-up. His destination will be revealed early tomorrow afternoon.

google gravity

I’ve been remiss in writing for Gravity Medium currently, because of a bunch of things occurring in my paid professional life.

We’re still in the midst of a strategic reconfiguration at the office, yet that looks to be slowing down now, as… well, I can’t really clarify it without betraying confidences. essentially the process of reviewing the company’s structure and mission has stalled out and I don’t know when, or if, it will re-engage. I’m anxious that we can startup again before June, but who realizes. It’s been quite the roller coaster and in the intervening time I just wish to get off and find a Sno Cone.

—–

Separately — and way more fun — I’ve been working on moving my firm and all its workers over to Google Apps, in the process dumping our Microsoft Exchange e-mail server and Outlook (at least officially).

So here’s the question: Do you have experience with moving your firm over to Google Apps, mainly away from Exchange and Outlook? If so, I’d like to hear about it either in the comments or via e-mail.

Right now I’m still in the preparing and early-adopter transition phase, but finally I have to migrate about 40 people to the service (which is tiny, I know), moving most of their archived mail to the service. I’ve previously run into a couple mail migration glitches and I’m still figuring out how to handle public folders.

In the end, I expect to save anywhere from a couple of thousand to many thousand dollars per year (electricity, server upkeep, backup management, software licensing, staff time) and get a few intangible cultural exploits pushing the firm further online. immediate messaging integrated with the web e-mail buyer is compelling, as is extensive e-mail storage space and the document sharing attributes of Google Docs.

So keep me informed if you’re a Google Apps shop. What works? What doesn’t work? Send me your cheers and your jeers for the service. I can share my experiences, too, if that’s useful.

plano isd

A hypothetical space trip by young explorers to colonize a new “livable” planet provides the vehicle for teaching the content of chemistry through challenging and imaginative units centered around typical life-essential scenarios, via this Web-based course. A Plano school district’s rules regulating when students can hand out religious materials are constitutional, a federal appeals court has ruled. School year 2009-2010 assignments are shown, unless otherwise indicated. Plano ISD is growing rapidly, necessitating frequent changes to school attendance zones. There may be occasional inaccuracies in school assignment data due to these changes. If you cannot locate your school, please call the PISD Communications Department at (469) 752-8150 or check with any area school. Plano ISD’s 68 schools feature award-winning architecture, state-of-the-art technology, and well-maintained grounds. As beacons of knowledge in our masterfully-planned and celebrated Plano community, our schools and administrative facilities house our more than 53,000 students and 7,000 employees. If you paid $30,000 for a car, and the brakes were squeaky, you’d bring it back before driving your kids in it. During grades K-12, you’ll pay well over $30,000 to the PISD, and you trust them with your kids every day. Remember, it’s your money, and they’re your kids. If you have a problem, you have to tell somebody.

lewisville isd

LISD is committed to high standards of ethical conduct from our employees and our vendors. In that regard, the district recently selected EthicsPoint, a third party hotline provider, to offer a safe and simple way to anonymously and confidentially report concerns that may involve criminal, unethical or otherwise inappropriate behavior in violation of public law and/or LISD policies. With the spring school semester fast approaching don’t forget to look at dual credit for your child. These allow a student on the distinguished program to receive both high school and college credit simultaneously. The Lewisville Independent School District currently operates thirty-nine elementary schools, fifteen middle schools, six high schools and two special programs centers.

 Page 3 of 8 « 1  2  3  4  5 » ...  Last »