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PARENT VS. REFEREE; PLAYER VS. PLAYER; PARENT VS. PARENT

The game started off with a group prayer in the middle of the soccer field. Each player beside her soon to be opponent. Prayer is a hard thing for me. It seems to be most often used as a wishing list. But, seeing the game started this way did make me feel good. (Of course, a group hug would have worked just as well. . . for me.)

Before I begin the Follies, I would like to pose a rhetorical question:

Have you EVER in any sport from pee wee to college seen a referee/umpire . . . any official, change a call because of something a parent yells from the side line? EVER?

The answer is NO.

Such it was on this particular sunny day in the middle of No Man’s Land Kansas.

The referee WAS among the worst I have ever witnessed.

At first his bad calls had no bias. But, to the misfortune of my daughter’s Lazers team, there pacing the sidelines was one particular parent who was feeling a little God like. He knew what SHOULD have been called (every time) and he was not afraid to share this information with the referee. (And as you might have guessed, in his world the Lazers had a perfect game with no fouls, no off sides, no trapping the ball, etc.)

Eventually, it was hard to get a call in favor of the Lazers; that is just how it works. It was inevitable with the God Like Lazers Parent continuously shouting at the referee.

Selfishly, I was more annoyed with him because he was obstructing every ones view - mostly mine - of the game.
(Like a St. Patricks Day Parade Parent. The ones who follow their child performers along the parade path and stand in front of the people who have been waiting and waiting sitting there on the sidewalk. I look up , because of course I am talking about ME, to watch the dancers and I am butt level with a group of obnoxious parents! My kids are crying and I’m….. sorry, I tend to get carried away.)

As I mentioned, this was one of the most deplorable jobs of refereeing I have personally seen. He wasn’t calling fouls. The other team had lots of replacements so they always had a blast of new energy but they didn’t have the skills to even turn the ball around on the field. Girls with no skills on the soccer field are dangerous. They just don’t have any control. (Especially, if they are bigger.) The opposing team were all over our girls.

Another truth to any game: Not calling the personal fouls makes for a wild game! It didn’t take long for the Lazers to become just as reckless if not worse. It is that whole justification thing.

Toward the end of the game, one of the Lazers blatantly shoved her Opponent off of the ball. She “won” the ball and had passed it as the Referee blew his whistle. About the same time, the Opponent ran over to the Lazers girl - who no longer had the ball - and shoved her across the field.

God Like Lazers Parent started yelling, “That is what happens when you don’t call the game.” Over and Over.

The Referee warned him that he was on his way to the parking lot. He then huddled the two girls in question for a fatherly talk. The surprise finish, the Ref gave the ball back to our team. Man, that broke the other team out of their silence.

The next excitement in this brawl was a call no referee could have won.

Lazers Girl had the ball, Opponent was taller and therefore pushing down on Lazers Girls back. Lazers Girl was now trapping the ball. Tit for Tat; both illegal plays. This call did not play out in our favor. Opponent was awarded the ball. Lazers Girl Dad was up out of his seat - crazy mad having his say.

Now for reasons I just don’t know, perhaps the Opponent’s Parents had had enough as well, one of the parents from the other team decided that he was going to set Lazers Girl Dad straight. So the yelling began. First from where they were sitting, and then face to face.

Opponent Dad, “You can’t trap the ball.”
Lazers Girl Dad, “The other girl was on top of her.”
Opponent Dad, “You can’t trap the ball.”
. . . just keep replaying this dialogue and that was about the jest of it.

I wanted to walk up to them and tell them Hallelujah they were both right. That the only foreseeable answer to this problem was for all us parents to storm the field, over throw the Officials and let these two dad’s referee the remainder of the game.

Just as I was about to my feet to offer my solution, the parent confrontation turned from bad to downright UGLY!

Opponent Dad, “Just go sit down. Just go sit down. Just go sit down.”
Lazers Girl Dad, “I will, your not worth my time!”
Then it came down like the judges gavel from the Opponent Dad, “And you call yourself a Christian.”
Lazers Girl Dad. “I am a Christian. I am protecting my daughter!”
Opponent Dad, ” You don’t need to protect your daughter that is what the Referees are for!”

I had to laugh to myself. We had come full circle. Just as both girls on the field were wrong, both dads that stood before us showing their a$$es, were also wrong.

As Opponent Dad stated, Lazers Girl Dad can’t protect his daughter on the field. Besides, she was way past it and still giving her all out there on the field. And as Lazers Girl Dad said, the referees were just plain awful!

The battle was over. Lazers 2 - Opponents -3.

I felt as exhausted as my girl who could barely make her way to the car. Along our way we passed Lazers Girl Dad, God Like Lazers Parent and Opponent Dad who were all huddled together in a group hug.
Amen….

. . . Okay, I made that last part up. I can’t help it. I just love a group hug!

by Joanna Simmons - learningthegray.blogspot.com/ learningthegray.blogspot.com/
Learn more about growing organic tomatos at growingorganictomatoes.blogspot.com/ growingorganictomatoes.blogspot.com/

Literature as common understanding suggests is a representative body of texts admired and appreciated for its formal properties as well as its thematic concerns, which most would term vaguely as artistic or even aesthetic. If asked on the relevance of literature the response would be that the study of literature is akin to appreciating the arts.

However, in the past few decades the notion of literature has itself been called into question by progressive theoretical debates, which if anything have made it impossible to decide what literature is and should be. The point that relegates literature to a subordinate position as opposed to the other humanities like history, is the problematic term of fiction. Today after the collapse of idealism, what we have in a strange twist of events is the return of the importance of language. Perennial questions like what is truth and reality are once again thrown up, this time in the study of literature. Where philosophy and later science, its successor have dominated this field of inquiry, literature seems to be this new platform for these very old questions.

Literature in the mid 20th century moved against its detractors in calling into question all forms of knowledge, because all discourses utilize language inevitably as the main vehicle of communication. As a result, all writings from political theories to psychology are regarded simply as different species of writing and hence, come under the purview of literature. Since literary studies involves analysing writing itself, the field has widened to include other forms of writing instead of what is simply deemed as fiction. Although, the core texts of literary studies have remained traditional i.e. ‘fictional’ works, the methods and devices used are applied to non-fictional texts e.g. biography, journalistic writing etc.

Another point must be added in literature’s recent response to sceptics and that is, since all writing must pertain to a recognisable form of expression, the question remains then, how valid is the truth content of so called non-fictional texts, when it is governed by pre-existing rules of expression? This discussion is an apt example of the fertile ground of modern literary theory, in particular, the relationship between language and experience. Instead on dwelling on these modern issues of how a discourse like literary theory evolved out of the confusion of other disciplines, perhaps a historical look at literary studies must be revived; not in a nostalgic sense, but one that provides a definable shape where the future relevance of literature can be sought.

The study of literature is the study of modes of communication. The texts that are analysed and discussed are literary texts. It can include any writing of stylistic merit and works that contribute to the body of human knowledge. The aim of which is to use this method of inquiry in other fields. I have just outlined a position of literary studies that seems novel but in truth, it is an older attitude.

The study of literature did not exist in the way we know it today. In some ways, it is a very modern discipline, but it can also be said to be one of the oldest disciplines. If we allow ourselves to include the oral tradition of the ancient world, where poets studied the methods of narrating ‘stories’, we understand there is a formal method to those ancient works. These poets had ‘formalised’ techniques in the form of rhythms and refrains, which were learnt and subsequently, performed. The fact that the earliest poets understood devices and techniques is evidence of literary methods. A modern may still make this association that the study of literature is connected to the act of performance in all its manifestations. Indeed, a craftsman must learn the tools of the trade to understand and preserve a tradition, which scholars, in the case of ancient Greece have attributed to Homer, but in the modern day context the study of literature has lost that affinity for creating artistic products. Studying literature does not necessarily result in the production of great literature (whatever that may be).

Literature in the ancient world was inextricably bounded up with social life. We know for instance that poetry was part of religious ritual, rites and collective history. In other words, literature had a social function in the ancient world whose dominant form was poetry, which communicated to the community various aspects of its tradition and history. But what purpose does it serve to our present age, when we can read history from books and learn about the world around us through the media? The answer to this question lies in the way we should receive and look at writings. To explain this I will touch on the academic heritage of literature.

The study of literature was embedded in another related discipline called rhetoric, which in its scope covered a range of topics that to the modern may be shocking. These include philosophy, grammar, history and literary writing. Although in the contemporary context it has acquired a derisive status as being ‘empty’ and persuasive rather than sincere, the ancient and medieval world regarded it as a discipline that encompasses a range of issues.

Central to rhetoric is the study of language akin to our modern day literary studies. If we move ahead to the Renaissance era rhetorical studies expanded into the area of studying the styles and forms of classical authors, including the ideas from Plato to Aristotle in the original Greek. This pivotal moment in Western history is what we define as the Renaissance and the approach is what is called humanism. In the curriculum of universities in Europe in the 14th and 15 the centuries, we have what is called studia humanitatis, the study of grammar, poetry, moral philosophy and history. Interestingly, professional rhetoricians considered these areas under the compass of rhetoric. Rhetoricians who specialised in the study of language whether for its use in political speeches or philosophy saw the importance of the mastery of style. Herein lies a very important point, the rhetoricians saw in language the capacity and potential of knowledge. In other words, knowledge and language are inextricably bounded up together. The world becomes the very words we use to describe it. This may sound very postmodern but its roots are arguably founded on an earlier tradition. Though those scholars believed they were discovering new things out there, they were in fact discovering newer forms of writing.

The key point here is that literary studies is embedded in areas which one may not associate it with. Rhetoric was not the study of highly ornate speech, something similar to the charge against literature. Instead, it covered a broad spectrum of interests. Of course rhetoric and literature are different but the resemblance is striking. The common denominator between both fields is the analysis of language. This does not involve cataloguing types of writing but it goes further into developing ideas from them. The impact of such an endeavour can be seen in the Renaissance period of the Western world. Language and the world of ideas are interdependent components and not mutually exclusive. When we say ideas, we mean all forms of knowledge, from politics to psychology. In the ancient world, the stoics for instance understood logic from language. Language thus is the basis of knowing and the study of which becomes of paramount importance for the development of thought in the respective fields of knowledge.

A separate branch then evolved from rhetoric, philology. This branch is involved in the study of the use of language and the root derivations of meanings from words. An important fact here again like rhetoric, it is the study of writings from politics, philosophy, scientific treatises etc. The eclectic selection of texts included in the study of philology produced sometimes astonishing individuals like, Friedrich Nietzsche, arguably the most influential philosopher on the 20th century who was a trained philologist. This shows the relationship between the analysis of language and ideas. I am not suggesting that literature is philosophy or politics, but on the contrary I am suggesting that literature informs other disciplines.

Today, in the study of English Literature, the analysis of language is what is studied, applied and researched. This is something that contemporary philosophy and theoretical perspectives are engaged with. Literature then is the study of human experiences as much as intellectual ideas of a period, civilization and culture. It then becomes apparent, that literature is derived from older academic disciplines of rhetoric and philology whose traditions are embodied in Literature. It is also pivotal for those studying other disciplines to understand a literary approach, which entails the analysis of language itself. When we compare this with the prevalent modern day stereotype of literature as a noble and elegant way to use up one’s time, we find a disparity between what the discipline offers and how it is regarded. For those still grappling with the significance of literature, it can best be understood as a meta-discipline whose application in other fields I believe is indispensable to the progress of human thought and development.

If we sum up the perspectives offered here in this modest piece, we find that literature includes any form of writing in its purview and it is studied for the purpose of evaluating stylistic innovations and accumulating a body of knowledge from writings. There is a third coordinate that I have failed to mention and that is the manner of reading the text. A text is never literary but is made literary by a reader. The study of literature is not a simple accumulation of devices and facts but it shapes our way of interpreting the world. Literary methods provide a fresh and creative way of looking at the world which is at once imaginative and disciplined. It is this strange marriage of the rational and irrational that proves to be challenging to those who embark on this journey. Moreover, what better approach can we be armed with in facing the realities of this world than with a paradoxical attitude.

Mohamed Jeeshan G.R
idle-eye.com idle-eye.com

The game of Baccarat was originally known as Faro (or Basset), it was the favorite game of Casanova, and other adventures since the 15th century onwards.

Today’s game was a favorite of James Bond, where in the film Casino Royale he skillfully bankrupts an enemy. Baccarat in old colloquial Italian and French means “nothing”.

This article is all about playing baccarat, having fun and winning! Its a great game suitable for both novice or pro, so lets look at how to play baccarat and win.

The odds

Although the odds can be easily calculated, and the strategies few, if one were to believe Casanova, he was able to win or lose as he wished (for whatever reasons he had).

Also in the film, James Bond equally won as he needed to do. In real life, we are not so privileged, and the safe bets are few, in fact, only one, as you will see below.

So its easy to play baccarat with the best odds of winning

The rules

The rules of playing baccarat are very simple.

After the bets are placed, the cards are dealt with the outcome dictated by the results of the deal. More precisely, the dealer deals two cards to each player, and the banker (who is not necessarily the dealer). The object of the game is to get as close to 9 as possible.

If you have 9, or an 8 (both called “naturals”) you win (unless the dealer has the same, and then it’s a tie). If you (the player) has a 6 or 7, you are obliged to stand. If you have a 5 or less, you are obliged to take a 3rd card.

The 10s and face cards have zero value.

Therefore, a 10 and a 5 would be a value of 5. If three cards are dealt, the score of the hand is the right digit of the total of the cards. If the total of the three cards is 14, then the score is 4.

Rules for the dealer.

If the player stands, the dealer must hit if his score is 5 or less. Now the rules become somehow complex. If the player took a 3rd card, the dealer is obliged to act as follows:

Dealer has total of 0, 1, 2: Dealer must draw a third card.

Dealer has total of 3: Dealer draws if Player’s 3rd Card is 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-9-0 (not an

Dealer has total of 4: Dealer must draw if Player’s 3rd Card is 2-3-4-5-6-7

Dealer has total of 5: Dealer must draw if Player’s 3rd Card is 4-5-6-7

Dealer has total of 6: Dealer must draw if Player’s 3rd Card is a 6 or a 7

Dealer has total of 7: Dealer must stand.

The Bets.

When playing baccarat there are only three bets. One is for the player, one is for the banker, and one is for a tie. Betting on the player, or bank does not mean, necessarily on “the” player, or the dealer. If you bet on the player, and win, you are paid even money (1:1) with no commission.

If you bet on the banker, and win, you are paid even money, but charged between 4 and 5% commission. If you bet on a tie, you win 8:1 or 9:1 depending on the rules used, without any commission.

The BEST bet.

When you play baccarat The best bet seems to be betting with the bank. This has the best odds for the better (punter). It’s a boring game, but will keep you in the game longer, and you may leave with some money in your pocket.

Other play Baccarat tips

•Try to play at a table or if electronic, a computer, where the fewest number of decks are used.

•Card counting does not work in baccarat. The dealer will shuffle the decks after each play. Systems don’t work either, so bet with the banker for safety.

•Enjoy yourself, but decide how much money you can lose before you start. Put you winnings aside, and play your stake.

When that stake is over, finish your play, and keep your winnings.

More free gaming articles

For more free information on how to

OBSERVATIONS;

Who is my brother
a question to ask
a statement to make

When the question is asked
what limit shall I set
do I look to family only
or go beyond

My brother is
he who needs
no matter where he is
nor who he be
I shall be the one
he shall see

for this I am responsible
and so it shall be

==================

The true measure of a person
is not to be found in his possessions
nor in being recognized by his peers
nor in the fortune he has amassed

the true measure is judged
when in the mirror he looks
and there is no one on whom to affix
responsibility

Inquire of he who returns your gaze
‘Am I who I say I am…

=============================

The one who makes the loudest noise
is not always the one
whom deserves the credit they seek
So why do they strive so emphatically
for that to which they have no claim

============================

The places I have been, the feelings experienced,
the sights I have seen, the things done

Combine to produce the sum total of
the perceptions I hold,
no other may change them,
no other is responsible for them.

I am them; they are me
for through them I interact and react

Should I therefore not exercise great care in formulating them.

=============================

Individuality is expressed in many ways.
It is not judged by appearance
or other such changeable factors.
Encased in the pod of individuality is
thought process, feelings, and perceptions.

How are we to adjudge these without being the individual we judge.

==================================================

The most profound act on this earth
that a human can do
is not to give his life that
another might yet live.
It is the raising of our children
to be respectful of another
right to live.

=============================

When a man turns his back
on his fellow Human Being
what in reality is he saying?
Are we so caught up in ourselves,
our situations, and our aspirations
that we no longer care for our brothers plight
Have we become so cold to all but personal gain?
I hope not,
for if that is the case
woe be unto us oh mankind
for as our children see us do,
so in kind will they.
With this thought, oh man, will you sleep well tonight

========================================

The various methods that are employed
in planning for the future,
should include at least
two episodes of reflection on the past
So we do not repeat the failures already done.

==================================

The efforts expended by the few
for the benefit of the many
so that the one in need should receive
are often overlooked
in favor of the acquired results.
Even this is as it should be,
the effort should not be forgotten.

=============================

For one to assume
that personal responses are correct
for any given situation without consideration
for the causative factors,
suggests total ignorance of the eventual outcome,
and therefore condemns the person to re-experience the same situation.

======================================================

Within the realm of possibilities,
lies the area of Human dreams.

In this zone of untold potential
resides an aspect of humanity
left long untouched.

It is this wellspring of strength
that in times of great stress or strain
allows us to survive.

The use of this tool is all to infrequent.
But when it is needed
it never fails to respond

It is our Self-sufficiency

Canon is the premiere image and information systems company across the country - amassing a good reputation from its production of quality copiers, printers, lenses, and digital cameras. First on the line of Canon digital camera is the PowerShot S2 IS - 5 mega pixels, 12x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom, this is among the best digital cameras to acquire. It has an Optical Image Stabilizer or the IS reducing camera shakes during shots. The UD lens offers the most amazing color accuracy within the zoom area of a digital camera.

The PowerShot S2 IS records moving pictures without missing a single perfect image because of the Movie Snap feature - with one click, that perfect image stores itself in your PowerShot together with the recorded video. The DIGIC II Image Processor increases its processing speed, image quality and several features that make this digital camera so much more amazing - a quicker start-up time, instant playback, and faster auto focus. The Canon PowerShot S2 IS is USB 2.0 compatible with a Hi-speed standard for an easier file sharing and transfer to and from your computer, together with an super-speed SD card, the PowerShot S2 could ultimately work for your advantage.

The S2 previews images through fold out 1.8 inch LCD screen display with 115,000 pixel resolution. Its 30 frame per second shooting capability can be reduced at night mode to give you sufficient brightness when taking pictures.

The latest point and shoot Canon digital cameras, apart from the S2, are the PowerShot SD500 and PowerShot SD400.

The SD500 is the first Canon digital camera with 7.1 mega pixels. It captures images to its minutest details - high quality for image making. Its 3x optical zoom serves well for close up shooting along with a 37-111 mm lens - equivalent that of a 35mm film camera. Its curvy figure fits your hands very well - which makes it very good to carry around. Its slim design sets itself apart from other digital cameras with its 2.0 inch LCD for an easier frame and playback use. The amazing features of images taken with the SD500 come from the DIGIC II Image Processor, which all Canon digital cameras have. It works well with the combination of USB 2.0 and hi-speed SD card.

The Canon PowerShot SD500 shoots moving images up to 60 frames per second - a perfect gadget for sports and live action. Its 30 frame per second capability makes it perfect for still images too. The SD500 has different scene modes, portrait, foliage, beach, underwater, fireworks, night snapshot, kids and pets, indoor, snow and digital macro, for you to experiment with. This allows you to shoot and edit at the same time. its customization modes include lightening skin tones, positive film, darker skin tones, etc. making the PowerShot SD500 the perfect Canon digital camera.

These are just a pinch of the many features of the SD500, and more yet to be discussed. Canon’s website contains full details of the Canon PowerShot SD500 and other quality Canon products and releases.

see more information on digital cameras here at bestdigitalcamera-review.com/ Digital Camera Review

If you find that you need the perfect poker gift for that special fan or poker enthusiast, let’s explore the possibilities. If someone you know is new to the game, these items will help outfit their poker game room.

If you think playing cards would be appropriate then 100% Plastic playing cards are probably the best in the business. These cards are so durable you can play with them for years without needing to replace them. They’re even washable, so if they get dirty you can wipe ‘em off and they’ll be good as new.

Another suggestion would be authentic Vegas Casino Playing Cards. These are simply Bee Brand playing cards that have been used in play in real casinos from the Bellagio to Caesar’s Palace. The casinos round the corners so you can’t slip them back into play, but it won’t affect the play in your game. A good, cheap option that adds some real authentic flair to any poker table.

If your looking to buy a nice set of poker chip as that perfect poker gift, then there are several choices for that player who wants to give their home game some class and style without busting your bankroll. Clay Poker Chips that you can carry around in its aluminum case is one good option. The clay chips are a nice weight and with the two decks of cards and dealer button that usually come with it, it’s got everything you need for a 6-8 player game. These are simple and plain, with no numbers printed on them so you can decide what each color chip is worth each game.

There are also Metal-Core Poker Chips that have a metal-core composite. Though clay is the most popular chip variety these days, the feel of these durable chips tend to make it easier to shuffle and play with them than clay chips. These sets usually includes 2 decks of plastic playing cards, 5 dice, a dealer button, and comes in an aluminum poker chip case. The 5 color chips aren’t printed with a value, so each can stand for whatever amount you choose each time you play.

If you’ve ever tried to select a poker gift you’ve probably already found that the options for upscale poker gifts are limited. Of course you can buy the decks of cards or the tee shirts that have poker related sayings, but if you’re looking for that special poker gift for the discriminating player it can be very hard to find.

One possible higher end Poker Gift would be a work of art. There are many talented artists that offer a wide variety of original and limited edition prints. There are poker paintings that depict scenes from old poker movies to abstract works of art that feature modern day poker celebrities.

During the recent surge in pokers popularity the number of artists offering poker art has exploded to the point that it is hard to decide upon which artist’s work to buy. Art as a poker gift can range in price from fifty dollars for one of the lesser-known artists, to tens of thousands of dollars for an original Leroy Neiman. Depending upon your budget, you’re sure to find a piece of art that may qualify as the perfect poker gift.

Dennis B. is a writer for Nostalgia Art . com where you can find accurate information about a

It was five bucks to get in. Of the day itself, I don’t remember much, mainly cotton candy and the bright sunny heat of a Midwestern August. Noisy rides, made of rust and covered with bright cheap paint. Twirling cups on octopus machines and screams from spinning kids with their hands above their heads. A fun house and games with prizes of stuffed toys. Words made of small blinking lightbulbs. Walking on dirt and trashcans overflowing. We saw very large pigs, probably other prizewinning animals too. Somewhere there are photos of the girls smiling and wearing face paint.

Summer 1999, I think it was. I was back in Toledo. The night before we drove up, I’d been sitting in the Longhorn after midnight. A five second blip appeared between the commercials for cheap lawyers and used cars : Detroit. Little Richard. James Brown.

The dream turned out to be true and the next day, after an hour’s drive, my daughter, her friend and I finally got out of the car and began to follow the handwritten signs towards the Michigan State Fair. How long would the two girls last? They weren’t even teenagers. James Brown and Little Richard meant little to them, though one of them knew the chorus to Living in America. It was very possible that they’d become dangerously bored or cold and we’d have to leave before Mr. Brown came on.

We went to find food and another concert came to mind, one I‘d seen in Rochester New York at least 15 years earlier. My buddy from high school and I’d jumped the fence and smuggled in a bottle of wine. Sam and Dave were supposed to play, but only Sam showed up. Didn’t seem to matter: the tent was full of women who threw their underwear at Sam-or was it Dave? Everyone was smiling and clapping and singing along. By the end of the show half the crowd was dancing on stage; sweating, funky and joyous.

While we ate hotdogs I imagined the girls in the middle of something like that here in Detroit. They were enjoying this part of the trip, but their good tempers, like the heat of the day, were not going to last forever.

In the evening Little Richard finally came on. I allowed myself one beer and steadied the plastic cup as I meekly bopped back and forth. The older crowd was almost all African-Americans. I wondered what the girls were thinking. At times they tuned into the frenzy on stage and the dancing in the audience, other times we all wished that Little Richard would talk less and play more. The girls rolled their eyes when he came back for a second encore.

I stop now to talk about two of the first CDs I ever bought in 1988, the year my daughter was born; a very happy time. We were living in Tokyo.

Seemingly overnight, records and tapes disappeared; replaced by CDs. They weren’t cheap and we didn’t have much money. James Brown: Live at the Apollo, a” two record set” was my first CD.

The other CD was a greatest hits collection on the Motown label which we played nearly every day. It was shiny, silver and new-futuristic-yet it was also sweet and jazzy. The booklet had the map imprint from the old Motown 45rpm records. Toledo, Ohio-my hometown- was almost visible at the bottom of the map they used. The songs themselves were written and recorded in Memphis-the hometown of the blues and Elvis.

In my mind, I sang along with songs like: “Tired of Being Alone”, “Take Me to the River”, “Let’s Get Married”,” Let’s Stay Together” and “Call Me (Come Back Home)”.
The CD-Al Green’s Greatest Hits, flowed together perfectly and included a cover of the Bee Gees classic, “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart”, the last minute of which will make you cry.

“Love and Happiness” was another song on that CD. Only a master could create something worthy of those words. The song has it all: poetry, musicianship, recording technique, spirit… …”Love and happiness…something that can make you do wrong, make you do right…Love”.
Words on paper do not do justice to the gift that is Al Green’s music.

The night has become very cool. The girls seem ok and we work our way closer to the stage. Soon, I imagine, the crowd will be dancing to “I Feel Good”. The girls will laugh and boogie to ”I Got Ants in My Pants” and no doubt James Brown will pull my daughter up on stage to dance with him. She will be escorted back to me and we will be respectful as Mr. Brown pulls the crowd into another direction, urging them to “Say It Loud-I’m Black and Proud”. His voice is untouched by age and the band is perfection. “Mr. Dynamite” shows the girls another world, a beautiful world built of beats. Funky ninety minutes pass-and then, in the midst of “I Feel Good”… James Brown collapses! My daughter looks into my eyes with terror. He lies on the stage and the troubled band plays on. The crowd is alarmed. Fear and worried funk fill the summer air. An eternity passes.

Then, like secret doctors, the band members nod amongst themselves. The music changes like a gentle shock to the heart and the horn section starts to sound like God in heaven the summer before Judgment Day. Whispering jazzy notewords of soul radiate from the stage, glowing with rays of gentle funk. The backup singers make it Easter. The hand of James Brown twitches.
The angels with guitars strum again and the horn section reaches out with grace of God and… yes! James is given the gift of life! We hear the drums, we hear the heart…the sound of the pounding heart of James Brown now fills the air! An attendant rushes to his side, with a towel…No! the towel’s a cape! A robe! The band blows their funky medicine music stronger! The velvet robe is tossed on the shoulders of the kneeling crawling James Brown. He jumps to his feet, kicks the mike stand! The stand lands in his outstretched hand. The band kicks back into the biggest baddest groove in the universe and James Brown picks up where he left off. He gets his good foot up and the crowd goes wild. OUTTA SIGHT! Men stare and dance and the women whirl like they are in a trance. The girls cry tears of amazement and James Brown takes it even higher. He lets the groove get there, get there, get there one more time and then, with a sideways stuntman acrobat ballet body snap, he stops the world on a dime…and then THE scream from THE Godfather …”Ahhhhhhhhhhh…. 1, 2, 3, 4 and “Sex Machine” starts, bigger than life, all three drummers pulling out the joints..

Back to reality: the girls are impatient and they are getting cold. It is a very real possibility we will not see James Brown. Pioneering iconic revolutionary or not, the girls come first.

They run through snippets of JB classics and the announcer, Danny Ray, builds the excitement…the lights flash…..”Star Time” …and James Brown walks out; smiling, crisp and in command. Perfect hair and mirror shoes. The crowd goes wild and he kicks off with “Make It Funky”. Closes the song with a big finish., then lets the audience catch its breath as he reminisces about Motown and “all the good times and the eras full of bad nothing…You gotta do it for yourselves you know” before kicking into ”Living in America” My daughter sings along with the crowd, but she is tired. The next song will be the last one.

I look towards the stage again, surprised to see a man in front of the microphone. The place is quiet. James steps back. He snaps a look at the vocalist, who gives him a quick cool nod. James then shoots a look at the band and barely moves his hand. They answer with their eyelids. A silent countdown and then…the signature guitar riff of an Al Green song!
Smiling, I nod to the relieved girls and we make our way from the front row towards the exit. As the intro ends and the singer begins, I tap their shoulders and glance towards the stage. “Remember this.” They look but I’m sure they do not see what I see.

That scene, however, I will never forget. Slow dancing in his golden suit, James Brown leads the band through the world’s sweetest version of “Love and Happiness”. He moves across the stage in the same direction as we are moving, looks out into the audience, and for a moment, we are all in sync.

Artist, writer, photographer and more, Stephen Black now lives in Singapore. A revolutionary 3D gamemaking software is his current passion and boy, is he excited about it.

What does movie music do for you??

As I sit here watching the Golden Globe Awards, I can’t help but think of all the fabulous music that I have heard when at the movies. As a child, my sister and I woulod go to the movies most Saturday afternoon and sit through a double-feature. Back in the 50’s, this was often a Western double feature or a horror-flick double feature. I honestly came to love much of the music from the Westerns. I don’t even remember any music that went with a horror film.

You’ve heard me say before that the Hollywood composers are masters of touching emotions with music (and the silent movie pianists before them) and whenever emotions are powerfully touched, the memory is etched and inseparably connected to the music and the emotion. Some of my favorites from childhood (I’m not ashamed to admit) are the Disney tunes like “When You Wish Upon a Star” or “Chim-Chiminee.” In my teen years I loved “April Love” and “Lara’s Theme” from Dr. Zhivago. I’ll always love the theme from “Exodus” and “Bridge on the River Kwai.” You get the point, I’m sure. Music affects the mind and the body in as powerful a way as anything I can imagine. Every time we hear favorite, familiar music, our brains give us a big shot of serotonin, endorphins and other feel-good neurotransmitters. Music is certainly my drug of choice. I’d love to know your thoughts on this? For more information, please go to music-and-the-mind-body-connection.blogspot.com.

Dr. Alice H. Cash is an internationally known speaker, author, and clinical musicologist. She has an award-winning website, HealingMusicEnterprises.com HealingMusicEnterprises.com as well as nine blogs and an article site called BabyBoomerArticles.com BabyBoomerArticles.com

Ever wonder how to get that monstrous sounding rock guitar sound? The principles here are known by almost all rock guitarists and still holds true. Have fun in your adventure!

1) Turn your amp (whether tube or solid-state) up loud to produce some degree of power-stage saturation. Key here is to engage the guitar speakers.

2) Guitar effects will be worthless without amp. Playing through a loud tube amp is a first and a must for getting the most impressive tone out of guitar effects. Buy the tube amp first over guitar effects if you have to choose one. Guitar effects are not as important as having a good tube amp. When using guitar effects, remember that the sound of the effect when used through a loud tube amp offers the best sound compared to using the guitar effect on its own.

3) Rock listeners want to hear the real, physical tone of a stressed speaker wrestling with power tubes. Never connect to the mixer directly.

4) Effects sound better when combined optimally with a tube amp than when used directly into the mixer. You can connect effects and amps in many ways. But the default, optimal way of connecting them in the recording studio is to place time-based effects after, rather than before, any heavily overdriven stage. This prevents beats and preserves a clear basic tone.

5) Eq before distortion or saturation sounds different than eq after distortion. Think of all the tone knobs and frequency response curves of gear placed before a distortion pedal as the first equalizer. Think of all tone knobs and response curves between the distortion pedal and saturating power tubes as the second equalizer. Think of all the tone knobs and response curves between the speaker and recording tape as the third equalizer. Shaping your amp tone is controlled by adjusting, one way or another, one of these three effective-equalizers. To study how eq alternates with distortion, use this chain:

EQ->Dist->EQ

The resulting behavior applies to saturating power tubes as well as each individual stage of preamp distortion. Bass boost before saturation causes a dry, rough, crusty breakup tone. Treble boost before saturation causes a liquidy, glassy breakup tone.

6) A powerful way of connecting guitar effects and tube amps is:

Guitar Effects->Tube Amp->Speaker (Isolation) Cabinet-> Guitar Effects

This approach requires a final amp and a full-range monitor speaker.

A good chain is:

Wah->Compression->Distortion->Time-Effects->Loud Tube Amp

A clearer chain is:

Wah->Compression->Distortion->Loud Tube Amp->Time-Effects

So there you go. If all these information are too much for you to handle, divide it up into chunks and take it step by step. Be patient in your journey.

Andy Ng is a self taught guitar enthusiast. He have played guitar for the last 5 yrs and still going strong! He is also a leading expert on the art of building homemade effect pedals. Pick up tips, techniques and just plain guitar talk at his blog!
guitareffectssecrets.andy-ng.com guitareffectssecrets.andy-ng.com

At 15, my best two-on-two partner on the basketball court had to have been Flea. He was good, very good, and even though we were both short, we kicked some butt on the court.

It seemed like I saw Flea almost everyday shootin’ around with his basketball at Poinsettia Park in West Hollywood, California. They called it the “Park of the Stars” and my dad and I lived right on the corner next to the park. We also rented a small office for our television and film production company that was also located adjacent to the park.

I additionally recall Flea always tellin’ me where he had just finished “giggin” and how his band, The Chili Peppers, were startin’ to take off. To be honest, I really didn’t think nothin’ of it ’cause there were tons of bands in West Hollywood tryin’ to “make it” and I just wanted to win basketball games.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I finally got my first drum set and my dad used to let me practice alone in the office. I’d play some beats, practice my rudiments and beat on my roto toms as loudly as I could…then, guess what happened one day? “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!!” Hard knockin’ on the office door. “Dude, you play drums?”, gleamed my b-ball partner. I let him in, he got on the drums…he was better than me!! “Oh, so you play the drums in your group?”, I asked. “Nah, man, hold up a sec…”.

Flea ran out of the office to his car and moments later came back with an electric bass guitar and a super small red amplifier in the shape of a gasoline can, lol. “Let’s see what you got!”, blurted Flea. He started playin’ somethin’ funky but I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep up. I put up my best effort.

Director/Screenwriter and Author Shavar Ross is best remembered as a child actor. He played “Dudley”, Gary Coleman’s best friend on the hit 1980’s television show “Diff’rent Strokes”. Shavar has been an actor for well over 20 years and has starred in over 100 film and episodic television productions such as Magnum P. I., MacGyver, Friday The 13th Part 5, Chicago Hope, Designing Women, The Bold and the Beautiful, What’s Love Got To Do With It?, Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, Family Matters, and many more.

Currently Shavar is also establishing himself as an up and coming film & television director. “Soul to Take”, Shavar’s 26-minute short film marked his directorial debut and the film has recently received distribution through Simmons Lathan Media Group. Lord Help Us, a romantic comedy starring American Idol’s Nadia Turner and comedian Joe Clair will mark his feature film directorial debut and the movie is currently in stores nationwide on DVD and on Amazon.com among many others.
Flea was a bass player and I jammed with him…for a hot minute.

©2007 Shavar.com Shavar.com

Favorite songs:
“Bust A Move” - Young MC (Flea on Bass)
“Under the Bridge” - The Red Hot Chili Peppers