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Archive for category vocabulary
Bilingualism has cognitive benefits unless you are Latinx
Posted by Elizabeth D. Peña in assessment, bilingual, bilingualism, child bilingualism, vocabulary on July 12, 2016
This popped up on the habla.lab facebook page today and I shared it there, but I thought I'd share it here too.
GRRRR is of course my first reaction. We've talked about this so many times in the past but these myths persist. The one that is currently in vogue is that bilinguals are delayed in both languages (which is basically what this is) but that is not, in fact the case. It depends on the domain and the language being tested (and how it is being tested).
What we find for bilinguals is that often they show what we term "mixed dominance" that is for one domain (e.g., semantics) an individual child will show dominance in one language (e.g., English)– and that is well within normal limits, but in another domain (grammar) they may show dominance in the other language (e.g., Spanish). If you look at only one language they may look delayed, but if you look at the stronger language in each domain they do not (we developed the Bilingual English Spanish Assessment to derive a language composite based on the strongest performance by domain).
I think that this happens also when you test groups of bilinguals, average scores are lower than average in each language (AS A GROUP), but if you look at the HIGHER language, individual children are performing well. Actually, they may be performing better because they know MORE (they know the vocabulary and grammar and discourse style of at least TWO languages)== that's more not less.
A few years ago I was talking with an assistant principal of a bilingual school. He cited research about the cognitive benefits of bilingualism as a primary rationale for his school's bilingual approach. Yet, he also lamented the fact that many of the Latinx students at his school were "lost in translation" in that they didn't have full competency in Spanish or English. I was left wondering how it was possible for bilingualism to be positioned as leading to cognitive benefits while actual bilingual children were positioned as linguistically deficient.
This deficit perspective of the bilingualism of Latinx students is certainly not new, though its framing has changed over time. Prior to the 1960s researchers argued that bilingualism led to cognitive deficiencies. These alleged cognitive deficiencies were used to explain the low IQ scores of Latinx students. The basic argument was that bilingualism confused Latinx students and inhibited their cognitive development.
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Planning for between-language transfer
Posted by Elizabeth D. Peña in between-language, child bilingualism, grammar, morphosyntax, narratives, semantics, vocabulary on May 29, 2015
I don't think that transfer (between languages) just happens. I think you have to plan for it. So, what kind of things transfer? How can we use what we know about language transfer to maximize transfer between two languages? Last time I talked a little about a study we had recently published in Seminars in Speech and Language s (I encourage you to read the whole issue btw, it's a very nice set of papers). We saw improvement in both languages in semantics and narratives. Some kids demonstrated gains in morphosyntax but others did not. Read the rest of this entry »
Receptive-Expressive Gaps in Bilinguals with LI
Posted by Elizabeth D. Peña in child bilingualism, ESL, language impairment, vocabulary on October 14, 2014
In a new paper in the area of semantics, we did an analysis of a group of bilingual 7 to 9;11 year old children with and without language impairment. We were interested in seeing if children with LI showed similar patterns on receptive and expressive semantics tasks compared to bilingual children with typical development. In a previous study, we examined younger (preschool age) bilingual children on expressive and receptive semantics items on the BESOS. In that study, described here, we found that in English, children showed higher standard scores receptivity compared to the scores they were able to achieve expressively when they had very little English exposure. We proposed that it was important to understand this potential for a receptive-expressive gap in children with LI. Read the rest of this entry »
Really? Can kids with Language Impairment or _____ Learn TWO Languages?
Posted by Elizabeth D. Peña in child bilingualism, ESL, language impairment, research, vocabulary on June 19, 2014
Is the earth round, really? It seems flat to me. I've been in many places in the world and I haven't heard about anyone falling off it and so from my own logic and experience it appears the earth is flat. This is how evidence goes it seems and I find myself getting frustrated but I do try to understand the logic of disbelief– even in light of evidence. Yes, the earth is round (a sphere actually) and children with language impairment and those with other disabilities that affect language learning CAN (and do) become bilingual. No, they do not become MORE delayed. Read the rest of this entry »
Learning English differently
Posted by Gabriela Simon-Cereijido in child bilingualism, ESL, language impairment, vocabulary on April 18, 2014
Young dual language learners with language impairments always amaze me. I love to observe how they negotiate communicative needs, ideas, and understanding of the world with the mind tools they possess. Some of them have maintained their home language; others let it behind. Some have a strong desire to use and live in English while others appear to drift between their home language and English. You can never tell.
I find this variability, these differences, fascinating. What do these children pay attention to when they are learning English? What do they do to learn new words and new ideas? What do they do to make friends, in their emerging English, for example?
This week, I observed a young 3rd grader from a Spanish-speaking family. In the school system, he is considered an English language learner at the Beginning stage of English Language Development. His parents shared that he understands Spanish but he rarely, perhaps never, uses or used Spanish. He may ask for "agua" or "pollo", but that's it! Mamá and Papá speak to him in Spanish, he responds in English, and life goes on. The child is also a child with a language learning disability. How does he manage to learn at school, to have fun, to be another kid in the playground?
I was lucky to observe a fascinating interaction the child had with a graduate student I was supervising. My student "read" him a frog story and after the retelling and other comprehension questions, he asked the child what part of the story was the most unbelievable. He was attempting to assess the child's comprehension skills. My student also asked "Do you know what unbelievable means?"
And this is what the child said: "Yes, awesome!" As my student started to say "No, that is not the right meaning", the child provided an alternative: "Excellent!" The child, of course, did not explain frogs cannot be pets or frogs do not wave their little "hand" to children. But, of course, unbelievable is many times awesome and excellent!
What do we do with this type of observations as clinicians? What is the child showing us? He has definitely (at least partly) acquired the word "unbelievable", he also knows that there are synonyms in the language. How is this little interaction aligned with the Beginning stage of English Language Development? He did not appear to use his home language to learn the word "unbelievable". Perhaps more importantly, how can we acknowledge his insights and guide him forward?
Have you ever asked yourself these questions before?
Bilingual intervention: why not?
Posted by Gabriela Simon-Cereijido in child bilingualism, grammar, language impairment, research, vocabulary on April 5, 2014
Bilingualism is finally being understood as what it is: a typical, positive and enriching form of living and of communicating in the United States. That is, an asset rather than a deficit. In many cities, dual language programs are flourishing and parents from multiple backgrounds are showing a commitment to bilingual language and literacy development. This is great news; however, there are still some concerns about bilingual education and bilingual children with language disorders. Are these children able to learn in a dual language classroom? Will they feel overwhelmed and confused? Will they manage to learn English? What should we recommend their parents?
We can now make some recommendations based on recent research conducted with Latino Spanish-speaking preschoolers with language impairment (Gutierrez-Clellen et al., 2012; Restrepo et al., 2013; Simon-Cereijido et al., 2013). And the recommendation is definitely bilingual! We found that the Spanish-speaking children with language disorders learned new English words and increased the length of their English phrases at a faster rate from interventions in Spanish and English, rather than in English only. Moreover, they also showed gains in Spanish.
In a separate study, we collaborated with Head Start teachers who taught our lessons in small groups to bilingual children with and without language impairment (Simon-Cereijido & Gutierrez-Clellen, 2014). All of the children, regardless of ability, made more progress than the bilingual children who did not receive the lessons and who were instructed in English only. Thus, a bilingual approach proved to be more beneficial than an English only approach for the children with language impairment.
This intense vocabulary and oral language intervention was developed following quality preschool evidence-based practices combined with a bilingual approach. Units of four 30-minute lessons were designed around bilingual picture books and every unit introduced the storybook, the new words, and the games in Spanish, the strong language of these children. The children, then, were ready to listen to the same information in English the following day. Days 3 and 4 alternated the languages. We explicitly designed several hands-on activities to repeatedly teach new, less frequent vocabulary (a weakness found in a great number of typical and atypical Latino children). We also designed "Talk and Play" games to facilitate the production of longer utterances. The "Talk and Play" activities used themes from the storybooks, familiar words, and a few toys that would allow the children to take "speaking" risks in a playful environment.
There is still much more to figure out about interventions and programs for bilingual children with language disorders. However, we do know more than before, and we should feel more and more confident to support bilingualism at home and at school.
Gutierrez-Clellen et al., 2012
Restrepo et al., 2013
Simon-Cereijido et al., 2013
Simon-Cereijido & Gutierrez-Clellen, 2014
Posted by Elizabeth D. Peña in child bilingualism, ESL, grammar, language impairment, speech sounds, vocabulary on February 1, 2014
When working with bilingual children, it is a matter of course that one will need to translate from one language to another. Children who are English language learners may need instructions or directions translated so that they can know what to do. Curricula may need to be translated to maximize learning. Tests are also translated for ease of assessment of knowledge in a given domain. In the area of speech and language assessment however, translation is not the best option. Read the rest of this entry »
The Bilingual English Spanish Assessment
Posted by Elizabeth D. Peña in announcements, child bilingualism, grammar, speech sounds, vocabulary on November 10, 2013
We're very excited to let everyone know that now, after a number of years of development and testing the BESA is available to speech-language pathologists.
My co-authors and I developed the Bilingual English Spanish Assessment (BESA) in response to a critical need for valid, reliable instruments to assessment of speech and language ability in Spanish-English bilingual children. It focuses on children (ages 4 years, 0 months through 6 years, 11 months) who have varying levels of Spanish-English bilingualism. BESA was specifically developed to determine if speech and/or language errors observed in some young children were due to limited exposure to English or to a language impairment. We know that with time, children with typical development will learn a second language. But, at the same time, early intervention for children who have speech and language impairment is critical.
How should a child's two languages be combined in bilingual clinical decision making?
Posted by Elizabeth D. Peña in child bilingualism, language impairment, vocabulary on November 3, 2013
Across both these posts, presentations, chapters and journal articles, I often say that we need to test children in both of their languages. I think that many of us know that. The question however is what do you do with that information once you've obtained it. Read the rest of this entry »
Assessment of Bilingual Children
Posted by Elizabeth D. Peña in child bilingualism, language impairment, reading, research, vocabulary on October 12, 2013
Accurate assessment of bilingual children is a challenge for educators including speech-language pathologists all over the world. When children have exposure to more than one language it might be difficult to know if low language and reading scores are due to lack of enough experience in the language tested or if these are indicative of a language impairment or language based reading delay. A number of research groups all over the world have been working on this problem for a number of years. Three years ago I participated in a workshop on bilingualism in Wales. A two-volume book, in part, is the current product of that workshop. For those who buy the pair, currently there is a discount offered. Read the rest of this entry »


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This is a repackaged edition of The Tick Special Edition #1 which was a reprint of the 1st issue of New England Comics The Tick #1; The original Special Edition was serially numbered from 1 to 5,000 and this Reprise is serially numbered from 5,001 to 14,000 making it a print run of 9,000.
Discusses the Special Edition with its individual numbering as well as a short history of The Tick comic.
Tick quick quip of the month: "I...AM...NOT...A...ROACH. I AM A TICK. In fact I...uh...I've never seen a roach in my life!!!"
Done as a parody of a nature strip about ticks.
Credits from The Tick: The Complete Edlund (New England Comics, 2008 series) #[nn].

subset: commoncrawl


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New Customer? Start here
Name: Duke
Breed: Newfie
Submitted by: John R.
This is Duke A 130 pound 8 year old Newfie that has an unbelievable amount of hair. He came By way of my late brother in law and ended up in Topeka Kansas. I could of never imagined what an adventure this was going to be.
He loves car rides and I mean that he goes BERSERK IF he thinks he is going and for a 130 pound dog that is an uncontrollable site. He does sit, lay, and roll over real well, as well as shake. Back to the car ride deal he knows what "stay" means! (so he knows he is staying) just don't say "are you ready to go" Because he is ready in a heart beat!
Duke loves to get a big hug and have his belle scratched. I think that's what got me giving that big guy a hug and seeing the look on his face. He has taught me that you can never judge a book by its cover. That berserk dog is actually a fun loving part of our family making us laugh when he makes all the funny noises and expressions. And cry when he gets the cake we were going to have for desert.
As for toys he likes anything I can put a little bit of peanut butter in.
What a Dog.
He is a great dog. He has taught me well.
Do you have stories, jokes, or other interesting facts about your pet? Share them on EntirelyPets.com! Send A picture of your pet along with a detail description of why your favorite pet should be The Pet of The Week to:
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Death by Bowles v. Russell?
The Supreme Court's 5-4 decision in Bowles v. Russell "dismiss[ed] the appeal of a convicted murderer because it had been filed two days late, even though it had met a separate deadline set by the trial judge." The NYT now reports on a prisoner who has been executed due to his attorneys' barely missing a deadline:
The presiding judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is the target of a rising national outcry a month after turning away the last appeal of a death row inmate because the rushed filing was delayed past the court's 5 p.m. closing time. The inmate, Michael Richard, was then executed for a 1986 sexual assault and murder — the last person to die in Texas while the United States Supreme Court reviews the constitutionality of lethal injection.
The judge, Sharon Keller, has said she did not know that Mr. Richard's defense lawyers in Houston were having computer problems when they asked the court for 20 more minutes to deliver their final state appeal to Austin hours before the scheduled execution on Sept. 25.
I suppose one question raised here is: did Judge Keller have a choice? Was she forced by Bowles not to extend the deadline? Justice Thomas's opinion in Bowles stated that the "taking of an appeal within the prescribed time is 'mandatory and jurisdictional.'" But Justice Souter's dissent suggests there is ample precedent out there to make the majority's view the "outlier;" he states that the majority "suddenly restore[d] [the] indiscriminate use of the 'mandatory and jurisdictional' label to good law in the face of three unanimous repudiations of [this] error." It's not my area, but I'd be fascinated to hear what others think.
Hat Tip: Doug Berman.


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Coppolella Banned As Part Of Braves' Penalties Sellout Crowd Turns Out For Crew Playoffs MLS Union Looks To Grow Ticket Base For '18 Red Wings, Pistons Secondary Ticket Prices Up Stars Get Away From Typical Injury Descriptions Atlanta United Surpasses 36,000 Season Tickets Browns' On-Field Woes Affecting Attendance Belichick In No Rush To Return To Mexico Yankees Crowdsourcing Managerial Candidates Marlins Use Stanton To Sell Tickets Amid Trade Rumors
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SBD/July 18, 2012/Franchises
Jeremy Lin Seen As Key Component In Rockets' Effort To Attract The Asian Market
Published July 18, 2012
STORES READY TO STOCK UP: In Houston, Randy Harvey wrote, "Score one for sporting goods stories in Houston." When Lin "became the overnight sensation in New York last season, sales of Knicks goods, mostly his jerseys and T-shirts, increased by, oh, about 3,000 percent." His jersey in February and March "was the hottest-selling one in the NBA." In a one-year period between April '11-April '12, his jerseys "sold more than any other NBA's player" except for Bulls G Derrick Rose. And Lin "didn't even play for about 10 months of that time." A Houston-area Sports Authority employee said, "Obviously, this is going to be a big plus for us. Now it's the scramble to get the jerseys in." The employee also said that it "could take three or four days or two weeks depending on how quickly they could be manufactured and shipped." Harvey: "I would guess there's a rush order on them" (CHRON.com, 7/17). Meanwhile, in N.Y., Christian Red notes business owners like Modell's Sporting Goods CEO Mitch Modell "are lamenting Linsanity's end." Modell said that fans "will have a 'field day' starting Wednesday, when the roughly 40,000 Lin-related items sold at the chain will have prices slashed significantly" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/18). Also in N.Y., Kerber & Berman note NetsDaily, "an online treasure trove of all stories regarding the rival Brooklyn Nets, proposed fans exchange their Jeremy Lin Knicks gear for free Nets T-shirts" (N.Y. POST, 7/18).


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Winehouse seems fragile, but she's a tough act to follow
Published 4:00 am, Saturday, April 28, 2007
Nothing about Amy Winehouse's appearance prepares you for her voice. Stumbling onstage at Popscene for her first Bay Area concert Thursday, the 23-year-old British soul sensation looked a bit like Christina Aguilera after being put through a shredder.
She wore her pile of black hair in an enormous beehive that, even before she walked into the room, had unraveled so much it resembled a haystack. Dropping her bruised leather jacket to the ground, she revealed skinny arms covered with scars and tattoos of naked women. And while the members of her 10-piece backing band were decked out in impeccable Motown-style suits, Winehouse opted for a dirty white tank top with thick bra straps tumbling out the sides. A new diamond barely clung to her ring finger.
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Then she started to sing.
Playing nearly all the songs from her second album and American debut, "Back to Black," Winehouse revealed a natural instrument that was gentle, aching, rich, gauzy and incredibly soulful -- especially when paired with the band's lush arrangements and sharp lyrical twists like, "They tried to make me go to rehab, I won't go go go/ I'd rather be home with Ray/ I ain't got 70 days."
Those words arrived with her breakthrough hit, "Rehab," toward the end of the hourlong set, and throughout the night she made certain she lived by them.
"The first person to get me a Jack and Coke gets a kiss on the lips," she drawled in a coarse cockney accent miles removed from the delicate voice that graces her music, part Lauryn Hill, part Sarah Vaughan. When the drink arrived -- the first of many requested from the stage -- Winehouse delivered on her promise: "You're lucky my fiance's asleep."
The atmosphere was electric. As the night wore on, the songs grew more beautiful, while the singer grew more belligerent. Swaying back and forth with her eyes half closed, she knocked out a succession of heartbreaking R&B tunes such as "Just Friends" and "Me & Mr. Jones" just as quickly as she knocked back the drinks handed to her. When a fan passed along a couple boxes of Cracker Jack, having read in an interview that she liked it, Winehouse sank to the floor and momentarily examined them before throwing them at the band, the Dap Kings (on loan from New York R&B singer Sharon Jones). While the musicians did not look amused, the audience cheered on her every move.
It was entertaining stuff, for sure, but considering that Winehouse has admitted that she is battling a range of psychological issues -- from eating disorders to manic depression for which she refuses to take medication -- you have to wonder whether she was essentially facing a roomful of enablers.
At the same time, Winehouse seemed to realize what was at stake. She saved the most telling song, "You Know I'm No Good," for last: "I cheated myself/ Like I knew I would," she wailed over a blast of horns. "I told you I was trouble/ You know I'm no good." Well, at least she was half right.
Meanwhile, another group of London newcomers called Klaxons had the unenviable task of following the Winehouse spectacle. They'd been booked as the original headliners at the Britpop club, but a scheduling conflict relegated them to the second-tier attraction at their own show.
Not that it mattered. Celebrated back home for rejuvenating the sound of the '90s -- complete with synth sirens, wobbly dance rhythms and, yes, glow sticks -- the group felt more like a great art stunt than statement. However, there were a few perfect pop moments to be found amid the numbing keyboard drones and strobe lights, including the impossibly catchy "Golden Skans" and delirious "Atlantis to Interzone."


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ESCONDIDO - Esmeralda Estrada is certain that there are people out there who know who killed her husband.
Hemet resident Carlos Estrada, 35, was fatally shot at a family party Oct. 27 after a fight broke out between several partygoers and a group of people - believed to be gang members - who were not invited to the gathering, police said. Carlos Estrada died shortly thereafter; two family friends injured in the fray survived, authorities said.
Police have since arrested a woman suspected as an accomplice of the group; they are continuing to seek information leading to the other suspects, Lt. Bob Benton said.
"They turned our whole world around," Esmeralda Estrada said of the suspects, adding that her family is working to offer a cash reward for tips leading to the arrest of the gunman. She spoke softly while talking about her husband of 17 years, a native of Escondido who had graduated from San Pasqual High School.
"There are other people that know these people," added Sara Nava, who attended the party. "Hopefully, someone comes forward."
According to Esmeralda Estrada, she and her husband had been attending a Halloween party with a group of longtime friends and their families, including about a dozen children. The fight broke out after a friend of the family showed up at Dixon Lake-area home with about eight other people, whom none of the partygoers had seen before.
The uninvited group, made up of about four couples, soon began causing trouble, witnesses said.
"They started asking where our husbands are from, what do they claim," said Ana Nava, a family friend and the owner of the home where the shooting took place. She was stabbed during the confrontation and subsequently spent a week in the hospital.
Added Esmeralda Estrada, "They don't claim anything, they're here with their families."
The suspects soon turned violent and within moments, Carlos Estrada and Ana Nava's nephew had been shot, witnesses said. Ana Nava was stabbed and recovered after a week in the hospital.
The suspects ran off, witnesses said.
Carlos Estrada was shot while shielding several of the couples' children, including his 12-year-old son, the women said.
"It's bad that he got shot, but who knows how many more funerals (there could have been) … he covered all the kids," Esmeralda Estrada said.
Added Ana Nava, "All of our kids see him as a hero, we see him as a hero. He saved all of our kids."
Police have so far arrested one suspect, Leticia Ramirez, who turned herself in Dec. 18, Benton said. Ramirez was taken into custody as an accessory suspected of harboring or aiding a suspect, he said.
"We had reason to believe that she knew about the shooting and she was present," Benton said.
A warrant remains out for suspect Jaime Reyes, 26, who is suspected of stabbing Ana Nava, Benton said.
No additional warrants have been issued and no other suspects have yet been named, he said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Miguel Ramirez at (760) 839-4925.
- Contact staff writer Sarah Wilkins at (760) 740-3524 or firstname.lastname@example.com .


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What I've Been Watching: The Catch-All Film Thread
View Single Post
November 9th, 2007, 16:48
It's hard to do ghosts convincingly. They seem to need a lot more and better story than other horror "bad guys". AFA
Ghost Ship
, we did both enjoy it , dte--and I for one didn't mind not clutching my seat in terror the whole time.
As curiously undead says, a lot of movies in the horror genre push the blood and gore over everything else, which just leaves you with shock value. This movie did try to use the story and plot to scare you as much as the special effects, and I thought the actor playing the villain did an excellent job. Some of the others gave a decent performance, but for some reason the whole team dynamic didn't quite gel. You could clearly see the influence of my favorite ghost/horror movie,
The Shining
, but that's a tough one to equal.
Unfortunately I kind of killed that movie for myself by watching the remake--talk about bad casting….that guy from Wings was no Jack Nicholson.
Where there's smoke, there's mirrors.
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Plans have been unveiled for the next phase of expansion at the Sharp Project, the digital industries and production hub in Manchester.
A multi-million pound transformation of the city council-owned former Fujitsu Tower in Gorton will see it turned into a centre for the production of TV and film dramas and will generate nearly 500 jobs.
Council chiefs will consider the proposals at a meeting on Wednesday.
The blueprint features new production stage, space for offices, dressing room, prop storage and make-up. There will also be flexible office accommodation to support digital sector businesses and a 22,000 sq ft data centre.
The Sharp Project's current production stages at its Newton Heath facility are fully-let and work has had to be turned away, including interest from national and international firms, the city council said.
Sir Richard Leese, leader of the council, said: "The Sharp Project really does go from strength to strength. These latest proposals have the potential to cement the Manchester city region's reputation as the UK's creative industry capital and will help us attract major production companies from both the UK and overseas.
"We estimate that up to 475 jobs could be created at this new site alone, which is fantastic news for the local community. And, as well as creating opportunities for them at the expanded Sharp Project, it will also help drive the wider regeneration of the West Gorton area, which in turn will attract more businesses and create even more jobs."
Sue Woodward, director of the Sharp Project, said: "These proposals are very exciting.
"As demand is so high, it's a no-brainer to take this successful formula and recreate it elsewhere in Manchester. The facilities at Fujitsu would be ideal."
The Sharp Project's Newton Heath facility has been used for the production of TV dramas such as Fresh Meat and Mount Pleasant.
The complex has four production stages as well as office space, converted shipping containers for start-ups and a music and recording studio.
Three green screen stages are due to open there next spring.


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STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State senior linebacker Dominic Douglas and senior defensive back Derek Pegues were both tabbed with second-team all-Southeastern Conference honors as determined by a vote of the league's coaches, the SEC announced Tuesday.
Douglas, also selected to the Associated Press all-SEC second team, led the conference with 116 total tackles. He was the first Bulldog defender to lead the league in tackles since Mario Haggan posted 132 in 2000. The Clinton, Miss, native played the first four games at outside linebacker before making a switch to the middle linebacker spot.
Pegues was named to the squad for the third-consecutive season, becoming the first State player since Haggan (2000-02) to accomplish that feat. He finished his career with school records for total kick returns, total kick return yardage, kickoff returns and kickoff return yardage. He also closed out his tenure in Starkville with 12 interceptions, tied for second all time in school history.


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The Binc Foundation, created to provide financial assistance to booksellers in need, added two new categories that qualify for help: homelessness prevention and funeral expenses.
A bookseller who is homelessness, or facing imminent eviction from their residence, can apply for a grant for security deposits, deposits for essential utilities, or application fees. Binc will also provide grants to pay for the basic funeral and burial expenses of an immediate family member.
For more information, visit Binc's website.


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quote:This scene has been taking place an awful lot lately at our Mobil Store..A very new looking TDI drives up, the driver gets out with a grin on is face and says "I'm back George! The warranty is over on my TDI and I am finished with that XXXX oil and back to Delvac 1". So far all oil analysis results I have seen have indicated a decrease in wear metals, etc.. I would very much like someone to share how a full group IV synthetic 40W is going to cause cam issues, especially with its robust anti-wear package to boot, vs. a group II+ or Group III containing far less addization... Please enlighten.. I am missing something......George
quote:Originally posted by Bryanccfshr: I will have to bet he will do better.


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Five print providers share their experiences working with fine art and artists.
By Clare Baker
In tandem with the importance of the proofing process is the value of having a knowledgeable artist on staff. A successful printmaker should be able to speak to an artist, and as Karen Schlesinger explains, "If you're targeting artists, you have to understand their needs, and I think [that's] very difficult if you're not an artist yourself." JD Jarvis expounds upon this idea: "Having a printer that knows what is required and is willing to do the work in order to get it as perfect as possible is essential...From my experience, I know where I'm going to need to adjust a specific area in order to bring it into acceptability, so it really requires a seasoned eye and some experience." Similarly, Jim Respess prides himself on building a reputation on his ability to reproduce the colors his clients want: "The proof is in the printing. The talent is to be able to look at the colors on the proof, look at the original artwork, and see what needs to be done."
While knowledgeable artists are certainly assets to a fine-art print shop, Kimberly Hoffman points out that a variety of skillsets are needed for a business to be successful. "I think it is very important to have a mixture of people in your studio." Juan Galindo, the shop owner and printmaker, has a very technology-driven background while Hoffman has a degree in graphic design, and another coworker is a skilled photographer. "We need all three of our full-time staff to make it work," she says.
The future of fine-art printmaking
Digital printing, still in its infancy compared to traditional printmaking, has come a long way over the years and is constantly evolving. This rapid growth and the popularity of the technology may have printmakers wondering where digital printing is headed and what that means for them.
The commercial viability of the technology and the subsequent advancements in printers, inks, and media have opened up a world of possibilities for the fine artist. "There really is no limitation for the artist now," says Jack Duganne. "Artists aren't having to compromise their standards when they're having prints made because they can get [the prints] exactly the way they want them. Duganne also sees the trend of artists personalizing their work after it is printed. "I see a need to humanize the work and get the hand of the artist back into [it]." Enhancing the image after it's printed, he says, helps people who buy the art see the work of the artist rather than seeing it as just a reproduction.
The introduction of new printers is also sure to create a stir in the world of fine-art printing. "HP and Canon are coming out with commercial machines that are less expensive than the bigger machines out here," says Jim Respess. "So that's good competition-it will raise the quality [of the marketplace]." He also anticipates the release of inks with more longevity and color gamut. One problem, though, that he foresees with the introduction of new inks is the change in color profiles. If a client asks for a reprint of a piece done a few years back, the print provider will essentially have to start from scratch in order to match it to the original reprint.
And with these advancements, as it has in the past, the role of print provider will continue to evolve. With the advancements in technology and more affordable prices, JD Jarvis acknowledges that artists may invest in this equipment for their own studios rather than outsourcing all of their work, however, he believes that the print provider will always play an important role in the reproduction of art, especially in artwork that was not originally done digitally.
Whatever direction these advancements push print providers in-whether it's to become more innovative in their work or to offer a wider range of services or to further develop their expertise on the subject-it looks like the boundaries are few. "The future, as I see it, is just explosive," says Duganne, "There really is no limit to what can be done in terms of the quality of the work."
Clare Baker is assistant editor of The Big Picture magazine.


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Learning and Skills Improvement Services
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Technology conference
More than 100 delegates attended the fourth annual Technology for Success Conference.
Participation and contributions confirmed the continued commitment to adoption and adaptation of technology across the sector.
Organised by LSIS, the conference is a national showcase for innovation and inventive practice in the Further Education and Skills sector, with a clear focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning.
This year's event took place on Thursday 8 March in Birmingham and highlighted some of the technological advances being embraced by the sector, by making imaginative use of technology, particularly low cost solutions.
Technology has an important role to play in improving the quality of teaching and learning. One of the advances that was highlighted was a pioneering method of conducting classroom observations at Tyne Metropolitan College using a freestanding camera. The camera allows staff to record themselves teaching in the classroom and then play it back in order to observe their performance. One of the benefits is that the footage can be viewed with a mentor, meaning that staff don't have to take time out from their busy schedules in order to observe colleagues, and can view footage when it is more convenient. Consultant Tim Kelly, who has been delivering the LSIS-funded project said: "The early signs from the College are that the teaching staff are enthusiastic about this advance which it is hoped will help with reflection skills."
Other projects featured at the event included newly-formed Woodspeen Training's cost-cutting online delivery of staff training to sites in Yorkshire, the Midlands and the South coast. Providers are rising to the new challenges and opportunities in the sector by making imaginative use of technology. Mainstream developments were represented at the event too, including Walsall College's use of ITunesU and South Devon College's implementation of the latest generation of virtual learning environments.
Head of Organisational Efficiency and Curriculum Development at LSIS, Peter Munday, said: "There are countless examples of creativity and invention in providers in all parts of the sector. Innovation with teaching and learning is commonplace, but it is often hidden. This conference is one part of a wider LSIS' strategy, working closely with partners such as JISC Advance, to stimulate local ingenuity, to share the outcomes with a national audience and to deliver the benefits of technological innovation to all of our learners nationwide."
The conference concluded with a closing speech from Stuart Edwards, Deputy Director, Learning, Quality and Systems, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, who applauded delegates' commitment to innovation in technology for learning and teaching. He encouraged providers to continue to identify and share the impact that the technology is having on their organisations, so that other managers have the confidence to continue to invest in infrastructure and skills.


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Weird Furniture: Louis Vuitton Electric Chair
Artist Peter Gronquist opened a solo show,"The Revolution Will Be Fabulous," at LA's Gallery 1988 this weekend featuring his designer knock-off weaponry. NotCot was there and got a peek of his Louis Vuitton electric chair ($4,500), a "traditional" wooden electric chair printed with company's monogram and made with LV buckles used for wrist and ankle straps. The general consensus seemed to be that the quality of the chair, as well as other pieces like PacMan hand grenades and a peacock-feathered Gucci gun, didn't meet the standards of the brands they tried to emulate. To hear what I think of this artwork,
While I will admit that building an LV electric chair certainly qualifies as thinking out of the box, I don't think knocking off big-name designers (who tend to prostitute their own logos to begin with) is much of a "revolutionary" statement. One of NotCot's commenters wrote, "To think that mass consumer culture can co-opt revolutionary ideals as some sort of a buzzword or the latest fad, is insulting and vulgar. If this is what the revolution looks like, then it is a sad day for the youth of today." Do you agree? Or do you think Gronquist is challenging the consumer-obsessed mentality in a valuable way?


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There has been a 1.8 per cent reduction in overall crime in Derry, figures released by the Police Service for 2013/14 show.
With 8,028 crimes reported, there were 149 fewer victims of crime, Chief Inspector Jon Burrows, the Area Commander, said.
Chief Inspector Burrows said the crimes reflected reductions in violence with injury (down by 171); theft (down by 101); burglary (down by 75) and criminal damage (down by 248).
He added: "There are, though, some areas that continue to concern us and one of those is the number of incidents of violence that did not lead to injury. We saw an increase of 171 incidents and many of those are associated with overindulgence in alcohol and the night time economy. These are areas we will be looking at.
"The number of drugs offences detected also increased by 84, which also reflects the priority we give to them. In 2013/14 we seized around a quarter of a million pounds worth of drugs and made almost 300 arrests. That is a measure of our response, and it is a priority that people in the Derry community share.


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Not everyone judges the Beatles by just their music.
To longtime L.A. paparazzo Brad Elterman, the band represents both the world of his early days as a celebrity photographer and the elusive nature of the perfect shot.
"If I would have photographed the band together, it would have been worth several hundred thousand dollars," Elterman says.
He points to an enlarged print of a photograph he took in 1978, smiling like a proud parent. Rematted and numbered, this black-and-white picture is of John Lennon and Ringo Starr standing outside West Hollywood's Roxy, Starr holding a key to the then-highly exclusive On the Rox.
But a shot of all four Beatles? It was exceedingly difficult to get a candid shot of the group together. And a celebrity who is impossible to catch always makes the price go up.


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Red-hot Peralta given day out of lineup
Red-hot Peralta given day out of lineup
ANAHEIM -- It couldn't have been easy for Indians manager Eric Wedge to post a lineup without shortstop Jhonny Peralta's name in the cleanup spot, but that's what he did Tuesday night against the Angels. Wedge has made an effort to get Peralta consistent days off all season to keep him fresh, and Peralta's surge in the No. 4 spot wasn't going to change that. "We'll give him two out of the next three days off [with Thursday's off-day]," Wedge said. "It's a good time to get him a day off. There are days we'll give him from time to time here in the second half to keep him strong and keep him going."
Asdrubal Cabrera moved over to short Tuesday, with Jamey Carroll taking over at second base. While the Indians can undoubtedly make a defensive improvement at short by inserting Cabrera at the position in Peralta's place, no one on the Tribe this season has taken to the middle of the order quite like Peralta has in the past month. Since moving to the cleanup spot on June 22, Peralta has hit .337 (31-for-92) with 13 doubles, six homers and 21 RBIs in 23 games. He also has a current 11-game hitting streak in which he's batted .356 (16-for-45) with five homers and 15 RBIs. He has five multi-hit games in his last nine games. "He's really stepped up," said Wedge, who temporarily put Casey Blake in the cleanup spot Tuesday. "He's stepped up in a primary role. He looks comfortable there, he's playing with confidence, he's hitting with confidence, he's a run-producer. It's a great experience for him, and it's good for us as a ballclub, too." But while Peralta is delivering with his bat, his glove is always under scrutiny. Cabrera is the superior defender at short, and that leads to speculation that Peralta's days as the everyday shortstop could be numbered and a move to third base might be in the offing. For now, though, Wedge is quick to shoot down such talk. "He's our shortstop," Wedge said earlier this week. "I don't see us making any change anytime soon."
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Whistler BC has one of North America's top-quality skiing and snowboarding resorts – Whistler Blackcomb. Whistler Blackcomb, by measurments like terrain, is the most significant skiing and snowboarding resort destination in North America. This ski resort keeps ranking as one of the best ski destinations on the globe and is extremely popular with vacationers for this reason specifically.
However, Whistler has loads of attractive features. Among the most captivating is the Whistler Village pedestrian zone which is a pleasing car-free area where pedestrians can stroll freely. This section is fantastic for enjoying shopping, restaurants and outdoor patios. But, amongst its most pleasing traits is its makeover during a festival. The pedestrian area changes into an amusement gathering place with booths, displays, and exhibits featuring entertainment, products, and giveaways.
Whistler Blackcomb hosts countless events and a number of festivals all through the year. Two of the most significant celebrations are as follows:
- Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival is a ten-day and ten-night celebration which shows off the most recent in skiing and snowboarding where there are open-air concerts, ski and snowboarding showdowns, fashion displays, infinite amounts of night entertainment and a fun gathering on the streets of Whistler. This festival occurs during the month of April.
- Kokanee Crankworx Mountain Bike Festival is a big visitor celebration attracting over 20,000 viewers to the leading biking events. Whistler Village buzzes with action including an active and enjoyable pedestrian zone where there are displays, shows, booths, and free giveaways.
There's still space on the hill for sports lovers to mountain bike or ski/snowboard during the course of these festivals. And, in case you aren't interested in the adrenaline rush, there are lots of pursuits in Whistler such as spas, restaurants, strolling in the market, a children zone, close-at-hand lake, hiking, wide-reaching paved trails and much more.
Whistler Village has resorts and condominiums which have easy-access to the pedestrian area and the skiing and snowboarding hills. However, if the hubbub of the town center is just not of interest, the village is separated into a couple of zones including:
- Whistler Village which usually describes the main core.
- Whistler Upper Village which is found at the base of Blackcomb Mountain and is only steps from the downtown core.
- Whistler Creekside is a supplementary part situated at the base of Whistler Mountain. It's one of the first parts of town and has been through a significant renovation for the 2010 Olympics.
- Whistler Village North gives guests convenience and privacy. It is structured around a market place and supermarket and also merely minutes from the village pedestrian zone.
- Whistler Valley is fantastic for people that have a car making an excellent alternative to the village as it's tranquil with terrific scenic views.
If you're going to Whistler BC for a holiday vacation and entertainment, Whistler Village has a large number of things to provide visitors. It's extremely fun to visit during one of the major events. Be sure to book lodging in advance and choose a part of the village that is best suited for your needs and interests.
Lise Pin hosts several travel web sites as a hobby. Learn more about at Whistler-BC.net.


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Barry Eichengreen (Kenneth Kletzer and
Ashoka Mody
Santa Cruz Department of Economics, Working Paper Series from Department of Economics, UC Santa Cruz
At the spring 2003 meetings of the IMF and World Bank it was decided to push ahead with the contractual approach to smoothing the process of sovereign debt restructuring by encouraging the more widespread use of collective action clauses (CACs) in international bonds. This decision was shaped by Mexico's successful launch the preceding March of a $1 billion global bond, subject to New York law but featuring CACs, and by subsequent issues with similar provisions from a number of other emerging market countries. In this paper we reassess the efficacy of this strategy for addressing problems of crisis resolution. We concentrate on two questions, drawing on both theory and new empirical evidence. First, are speculative credits likely to follow investment grade countries in adding CACs to their loan instruments? While our analysis of sources of resistance to contractual innovation creates reasons for hoping that Mexico's pathbreaking issue may have broken an important logjam, both theory and evidence highlight the moral hazard associated with restructuring-friendly provisions for countries with poor credit. They suggest that CACs may raise the cost of borrowing for countries with poor credit ratings, especially in periods when sentiment toward emerging markets is relatively unfavorable, leaving them slow to embrace these provisions. Second, are CACs sufficient to solve problems of cross issue coordination among creditors, the so-called aggregation problem? The market appears to be most concerned about aggregation with respect to poor credits with very limited market access. However, because investors may not anticipate the relapse of good credits into repayment difficulties, cross issue coordination may become a problem for other issuers as well. We therefore conclude that there is a need to encourage the development of super-collective action clauses, bondholders committees, and a code of creditor conduct.
Date: 2003-06-01
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" Genre: Hip-Hop & Rap - Gangsta & Hardcore / Artist: The Game / Import / Audio CD released at Polydor "
LAX is the Game's third studio album. For me this release is really a mixed bag, there are a few tracks i'm simply in love with and a few that could have been left out. Upon beginning of this album the listener is greeted by a strangely erie introduction and later outro which features DMX giving a strange sermon type religious speech which is while extremely strange it does set a serious tone for the album from the word go. The first track LAX Files is an instant classic, a hard beat along with game expressing some serious issues with an immaculate lyrical ability shining through. A wonderful inclusion in my opinion was the Bulletproof diaries track with Raekwon of wu tang. Both rap in almost a tag team lyrical assault on the listener and the product is wonderful, i would like to hear more from the two, i would also urge anyone to download flashback memories an even better track by the both of them. A few tracks i disliked were touchdown, and a skit called hard liquor which acts as almost a snippet of an unreleased track by Game and Dre which should have been on the album in my opinion. Also Camera Phone is missing which is a shame because that was not only a great song but released as a single. In summary This is a great album but is missing a few gems which are luckily available free download.
"Raised in the city of angels, where safe and danger switch lanes."
You don't have to be gangster to know the backstory behind 28 year-old rapper, The Game, releasing his third album since breaking on to the scene in 2005. Just as Dr Dre introduced Eminem to the rap business, and the two of them brought up 50 Cent as their prodigy -- they planned to expand their avenues with The Game as the newest of their investments.
'The Documentary' was the debut release on the Aftermath/G-Unit label (founded by Dr Dre and 50 Cent respectively) and promptly found its way to the top of the US Billboard propelled by the success of 'How We Do'. The album also featured 'Hate It or Love It', which remains to this date The Game's most successful US single release.
Despite his previous closeness shown in videos with mentor 50 Cent and other members of G-Unit, the relationship quickly broke down in a time where it doesn't take much for rappers to fall out. And get shot. The Game broke loose, showing signals of his headstrong nature growing up as a member of the Bloods that are worldly famous for their feud on the streets with Crips.
Almost two years on, in late 2006, The Game would release his second studio album under new label Geffen, having distanced himself from all he had worked with previously. And despite reports, Dr Dre did not produce any tracks for the album -- although there had been rumours of problems between Dre and 50 Cent due to Dre's refusal to break away from Game.
'Doctor's Advocate' only managed to shift 1.5 million worldwide compared to 'The Documentary' shifting over 5 million copies. Although the album still managed to reach #1 on the US Billboard, a lack of exposure meant the album would not enter the top 20 in the UK market. However, the album did feature The Game's most successful UK single to date -- 'Wouldn't Get Far' featuring Kanye West peaked at #3 on the UK charts. This album included appearances from more commercial artists in the form of The Game's new friends, i.e. Will.I.Am.
Straight out of Compton, the California rap star is back with what it is expected to be his third and final studio album (although reports suggest he may already be working on a fourth album titled 'DOC - Diaries of Compton'). L.A.X. is the Life And Times of The Game and two years on from his last album it looks as though it could be his biggest effort to date.
"So there ain't no proof that I ever walked through 8 Mile, and since their ain't no Proof I'll never walk through 8 Mile."
Born, Jayceon Terrell Taylor, there has been no attempted publicity stunts to report as yet in order to build up the anticipation for the new album. Whilst lesser characters maybe tempted to create 'beef' between rival artists in order to get people talking, it appears The Game has opted for an attitude of letting the music do the talking.
From a design perspective, there is a very familar trend with the artwork for the albums. Just as special editions of all The Game's two previous albums featured his first son, Harlem, on the front cover -- the default cover for L.A.X. features Harlem (now 5 years-old) and his second son, King Justice (who recently celebrated his first birthday). Whilst the other album covers have featured the trademark chrome alloy wheels with The Game taking a relaxed pose, the latest album replaces the tyres with an even more relaxing leather couch.
L.A.X.'s release was delayed from its original June release to August '08 with no real reason given, however it has been reported that a total of 220 tracks were recorded for the album with only 19 making the final cut. This has resulted in a lot of tracks leaking on to the internet actually not being from the final cut, although many have left a lasting impression on fans and wetted their appetite for what does make the final cut. 'Camera Phone featuring Ne-Yo' is a personal favourite of mine.
"California sunshine, in the summer time."
01, Intro ft. DMX (1.21)
02, LAX Files (3.59), 4*
One thing you have been able to bank on with The Game after his previous projects is that he shall record a track that will feature the title of the album, and what I am happy about with 'LAX Files' is that it comes literally, right at the beginning of the album and really informs you of his intentions on the album. 'LAX' is an emotional track, but with an interesting effect added to the vocals on the chorus this becomes a track for any occassion and if the rest of the album is anything like its namesake track we should be left impressed.
03, State of Emergency ft. Ice Cube (3.39), 3*
04, Bulletproof Diaries ft. Raekwon (4.52), 2*
05, My Life ft. Lil Wayne (5.21), 5*
Ice Cube is just one of many artists to feature on the album, something that The Game has previously been faulted for, and unless you are a real rap fan there are very few guest appearances on this album that will actually catch your interest. 'State of Emergency' is a track that you could hear banging out of someones car, but it would only come on as part of a playlist and not as someones choice. Raekwon is a former member of Wu-Tang Clan and relatively unknown, and 'Bulletproof Diaries' continues down a slippery slope. That is when everything changes, and 'My Life' shows what LAX truly is all about, as it features man of the moment in the shape of Lil Wayne (who currently holds the record for this years best selling album). 'My Life' has fast became my song of the summer, although it is almost over, and earnt legendary status in my mind for its powerful lyrics and any song that reminds me of Tupac Shakur's 'Ghetto Gospel' deserves an incredible amount of praise. Whilst I am not trying to say that The Game is 2Pac, what I am trying to say is that powerful lyrics about; Kurt Cobain, John Lennon and Eminem are bound to make a memorable track. Lil Wayne's vocals for the chorus do a lot for the song as well, this is in a similar vein to the chorus on 'LAX Files' and adds an addictiveness to the track. Of course with comments about burning pictures of Eminem and the deceased D12 member, Proof, the track has managed to cause controversy that The Game has been quick to come out and rectify. You can hate Lil Wayne's 'Lollipop' but still love him on 'My Life', and as the third track to be released from the album I am hoping this shall be his most successful single to date.
06, Money (5.13), 4*
07, Cali Sunshine ft. Bilal (4.33), 4*
Sampling vocals from soul singer, Betty Wright, 'Money' continues to supply the album with tracks that include infectous hooks. Whilst I do not usually appreciate hearing rappers singing about their money, 'Money' as a track is one of the most fun tracks I have heard in a long time. And probably makes for The Game's best effort on the entire album without a featured artist, although not technically true with the added vocals. Continuing the trend of fun tracks, 'Cali Sunshine' is a song to have you bouncing in your chair, featurnig the vocals of jazz singer, Bilal. Unfortunately the track comes a bit late to become the new summer anthem, although the track has the potential to live on until Summer '09.
08, Ya Heard ft. Ludacris (4.05), 2*
09, Hard Liqour (Interlude) (1.51), 1*
10, House of Pain (4.32), 2*
'Ya Heard' begins off sounding as though it could be another summer banger, but quickly drifts off into sounding almost the same all the way through. Unfortunately, after being known for adding so much as a featured artist on previous tracks, Ludacris does very little to improve this track. 'Hard Liqour' went completely over my head, and is more of a skit than anything, at this point I'm more interested in getting back to the good standard of music than listening to some jokes through music. 'House of Pain' will be the fourth single released from the album, produced by DJ Toomp -- the man behind many of T.I.'s biggest hits and worked with Kanye West on 'Graduation'. This is one of The Game's trademark hard hitting tracks, although compared to some of his previous hits you wonder why this was chosen as a single.
11, Gentleman's Affair ft. Ne-Yo (3.39), 4*
12, Let Us Live ft. Chrisette Michele (4.39), 1*
13, Touchdown ft. Raheem DeVaughn (4.00), 1*
Two faces you never would have put together back in 2005 would be The Game and Ne-Yo for their different music styles, and also because Ne-Yo didn't actually break on to the scene until 2006 (although it feels as though he has been around forever). The title of the track represents the two styles you would expect to collide, as Ne-Yo is well known for being a presentable R&B star with a large collection of love songs. 'Gentleman's Affair' is not as good as the other Ne-Yo featured track that appears on the Deluxe Edition, however it is one of the most listenable tracks on L.A.X. Chrisette is a Grammy-nominated R&B singer and continues down the trend at this point of the album with artists you wouldn't really expect to be making appearances, although Chrisette has previously worked with Jay-Z and Nas. 'Let Us Live' never really picks up, and is almost monotone all the way through. Raheem is another unknown artist, and 'Touchdown' is nothing more than gangsta love making music.
14, Angel ft. Common (4.28), 2*
15, Never Can Say Goodbye ft. Latoya Williams (4.40), 1*
16, Dope Boys ft. Travis Barker (4.01), 3*
'Angel' is the morning after the night before, opening 'Goodmorning, baby." The track is also the only one on the album produced by Kanye West. Whilst it sounds as though there is quite a lot going on in the background, it never takes off like a Kanye track should. Latoya Williams is interestingly an artist I know nothing about, but the intro to 'Never Can Say Goodbye' grabs my attention. Shame the rest doesn't. 'Dope Boys' wasn't the second single released from the album and features Blink-182 drummer, Travis Barker. 'Dope Boys' failed to make any kind of impact on the US Billboard, although it still one of the better tracks. Think along the lines of Busta Rhymes clashing with Linkin Park.
17, Game's Pain ft. Keyshia Cole (4.22), 4*
18, Letter to the King ft. Nas (5.46), 2*
19, Outro ft. DMX (1.28)
'Pain' was the first track released from the album, and shows so much promise it's a shame there have been so many other singles pushed out that did not live up to the early promise. Whilst this and 'My Life' have made for excellent singles, the other two are questionable. Keyshia is most recently memorable for her appearance on a track with P Diddy. Nas's second featured appearance on the album comes in the shape of the longest song on the album, and as I'm not even a Nas fan you can forgive me for not getting excited about that. I feel for you if you can get through this track, and I don't even really know what it's about.
"The Game's won Round 3 by making his third straight album that's better than it has any right to be-- but the fact that the Game can make perfectly uncompelling cmopetence sound like victory is proof that he's a master thespian of hip-hop theater." - Pitchfork
"Let the top down, California's my birthplace, so I'ma take you there like BIG took niggas to New York."
Cool & Dre were mainly responsible for producing 'L.A.X.', not to be confused with Dr Dre who is unlikely to ever work with The Game again, however Cool & Dre should not be disregarded. These producers are the ones responsible for the shining moments on the album. I also have to mention J.R. Rotem who produces some good work on the album, the man who has worked with artists from 50 Cent to Britney Spears.
I'm unsure why everyone is so quick to jump on The Game as producing a terrible album, it's almost as though he's becoming the joke of the business. However, what he has created on LAX is quite a few gems with moments of boredom inbetween. That's still better than his last effort, and it would be a shame if a lot of this goes unheard. With his policy of apparently releasing almost every track before the albums even released, I think it's unlikely the album will go unheard.
Whilist 'Doctors Advocate' did have a lot of featured artists, it feels as though L.A.X. has returned to 'The Documentary' policy of having as many as possible. Coincidently LAX and Documentary also feature the exact same number of tracks, so maybe The Game is trying to recreate what he did so well on his debut.
Reviewers are insulting the guy, but they are still handing out good ratings come the end of the review. And although there are songs I never want to listen to again, there are a few I'm going to listen to over and over. If this is his last album, it will be interesting to see how he does as a producer, because his attempt at co-producing on 'Never Can Say Goodbye' didn't go that terribly. I just won't expect Eminem to be lining up to work with him.
"L.A.X."(Life and Times) is the third, and supposedly final, album by the Compton rapper, The Game. I say 'supposedly' because many rappers have claimed to be retiring in the past, but it doesn't happen too many of those times, so I doubt that an artist with only three albums under his belt and a record label with no mainstream artists will just call it quits.
1. "Intro"
2. "LAX Files"
The Game kicks the album off in a big way as he challenges all the fake thugs out there who have no idea of waht it's like to be subject to a Gangsta lifestyle; where your life is constantly under threat. With a haunting piano to back it up and the utilisation of the screwed techinque, you feel intimidated by the lyrics which he comes out with, making those who it is directed to question whether they should continue to do so.
**Three Stars**
3. "State Of Emergency" (feat. Ice Cube)
Finally, The Game gets a chance to rap alongside his life-long favourite rapper, ice Cube, and to make it extra special for him, he is given some throwback early nineties G-Funk to rap on. Although the originator of this sound, Dr. Dre doens't produce it, J.R. Rotem makes it sound just as authenic as you would like. Here you also get to hear the similarities from the two with their hardcore Gangsta Rap lyrics.
**Four Stars**
4. "Bulletproof Diaries" (feat. Raekwon)
From collaborating to a West Coast legend from N.W.A, he takes it to the East as he recruits Wu-Tang's Raekwon to help him in a track whihc has him rapping in the typical Mafioso Rap form which Brooklyn built-up through the nineties. The Southern producer (who specialises in West Coast Rap), Jelly Roll does the beat for this one, and seems to change his stlye up quite significantly with a smooth tune which has The Game and Raekwon compare their stories of living a Gangsta lifestyle in the cities which they represent.
**Three Stars**.
5. "My Life" (feat. Lil' Wayne)
A big Hip Hip album couldn't be relased today without one of these: a collaboration with Lil' Wayne, and this is the one of this album (as he is featured on all the other big relases of the past couple of years in Rap and R&B). As with lots of the recent appearances which he has made, Lil' Wayne strays away from his rapping an instead sings for this one, and uses the T-Pain auto-tuner for added effect from a track which he had previosuly doen with Birdman.
This is an emotionly-charged tune by The Game which has him refer to tough subjects, such as having to cope without a father, due to his drug addiction. The Game takes influence from various sources, including topical issues, and you could probably guess the date of its recording by what is said concerning people such as Kanye Wst and Jesse Jackson, as well as the use of Lil' Wayne's phrase "We are not the same, I am a martian".
**Three Stars**
6. "Money"
Thsi is the second, and final, Cool & Dre-produced track off "L.A.X." and has them provide an exciting tune which as the title sums up, is about "Money". The Game gets depe as he refers to all that can be done with currency and how it has shaped his by the decisions which he's had to make for it. I was impressed by the cutting of a short sample of someone simply saying the title to be used in such an inventive way to make up the chorus, which doesn't seem to lose its power, desite the repitition.
**Four Stars**
7. "Cali Sunshine" (feat. Bilal)
With foundations which have thte producer, Nottz, utilsing The Dramatics' "California Sunshine", The Game proforms a track which has him celebrate his ends and hw climate has effected the way of life for people way out West. Although I liked the main elemnets of it, with the Neo-Soul singer Bilal singing in the chorus, it didn't have enough power to be effective to the listener.
**Two Stars**
8. "Ya Heard" (feat. Ludacris)
Reading all about what has gone into this track (before actually listening to it), I was extremely excited as one of my favourite rappers, Ludacris, makes an appearance and Nottz is a big producer, with this he offers a sample of an Old School classic joint of Newcleus' "Jam On It", and it certainly didn't disappoint as they played around with this foundation and had it altered to a degree where you can' treally notice it. However you have a subliminal hint of fun from this sample, allwoing for a light-hearted track from The Game (making a change from his usual hardcore lyrics).
**Four Stars**
9. "Hard Liqour" (Lude)
10. "House of Pain"
This is to be the fourthsingle from the album and it has The Game rapping upon a beat beat by T.I.'s right-hand man, DJ Toomp, who has produced some of his biggest hits including "What You Know", "24's" and "U Don't Know Me". However, I didn't really feel as though I was getting the same sort of sound which he presented with T.I.'s (or other southern rappers') tunes in the past as it was quite a dark opne, but regardless of this it really work well with The Game's style of rapping as it gets you in the correct mood to listen to these tough raps.
**Four Stars**
11. "Gentleman's Affair" (feat. Ne-Yo)
An unexpected collabo in the album comes when The Game is jopined by the R&B singer about to drop an album entitled "Year Of The Gentleman", Ne-Yo, and this tune seems to fit in with his angle for the year. As The Game alters his typical ways for a short while, he comes with a nice and calm love song, which would only work with the aid of such an established name for R&B in Ne-Yo.
**Three Stars**
12. "Let Us Live" (feat. Chrisette Michele)
Scott Storch offers the production for this tune and yet again we hear a surprising change in what the producer is aminly known for doing. Aside from this, I thought that Storch really knew what what required to make a hard West Coast banger, and it's engery manged to come through as The Game rapped along to it in a relvant way. I thought that the singing from Chrisette Michele was the only downfall to it as it didn;t really suit the direction of the tune.
**Four Stars**
13. "Touchdown" (feat. Raheem DeVaughn)
You get a smooth track from The Game, making clear similairities with the earlier Ne-Yo collaboration,, "Gentleman's Affair", however this one was a bit different from this one as it seemed as though the guest here, Raheem DeVaughn took control over the track, and Game' hardly got any in, asa result it was more of a cool-down tune, to gve you chance to chill before he comes with harder stuff later on.
**Three Stars**
14. "Angel" (feat. Common)
I was pleased to hear Common make an apprearance on the album, but when you consider what this means for the artist, he is rapping alongside a figure who completel;y contrasts from himself musically (within the Hip Hop genre), but still manages to connect on a deeper level with their love for 'The Game'. With this thing which draws them together, they come with an incredibly strong Hip Hop track, switching from the direction of the rest of the album. Kanye offers the production with a clear sample of an '80s RB groove form Gil Scott Heron to give this one a retro feel.
**Four Stars**
15. "Never Can Say Goodbye" (feat. Latoiya Williams)
When I read that this one included samples of both Biggie's "Big Pppa" and the Isley Brothers' "Between The Sheets", I was excited as I expected to hear a nice and smooth track from Game, however, these were only little things which allowed Game to show his influences over the rests as he follow a similar delivery which Notorious B.I.G. did in "Big Poppa". Thsi track has lyrics whcih completely contrast from the beat, and as he himself had a part in producing it, it makes it a lot more personal to him, and when you get into the lyrics, you will understand why.
**Four Stars**
16. "Dope Boys" (feat. Travis Barker)
This is the second track off the album and it is a banger of a tune as it has The Game with a surprising collaboration with blink-182's former drummer, Travis Barker, performing together on some hard 1500 or Nothin' production. The drumming of Barker offers something unexpected from them, however the rock percussion seems to fit in with the raps which The Game performs. I felt as if The Game was taking influence from his idols as he grew, N.W.A, as this sounds like a modern version of "Dopeman".
**Five Stars**
17. "Game's Pain" (feat. Keisha Cole)
This is great track as it acs as the West Coast equivalent to Common's "I Used To Love H.E.R. (Hip Hop In It's Essence and Real), that way a classic as even in 1993, when it was released it showed that Common had realised changes in the industry to make it more mainstream, and Gangsta Rap, which originated out on the West, was seen as part of the negative downfall of Hip Hop. At the time Ice Cube rebelled against this by standing up for the West, and as The Game claims that Cube was his favourite rapper, he has taken it upon him to continue what he started, because Common served Cube the first time around.
I found this very intersting as it sems to go through a similar pattern to Common as he chronologically goes through the journey of this current form, but siginificantly he only focuses on rap (as this is one of four elements to Hip Hop, I felt it was quite ignorant to do so), but then again things are different out in the West, so he talks on wanting to be like his favourites at the time, such as NWA, Biggie, and surprisingly the Fresh Prince (as you wouldn't expect a gangsta rapper to be interested in some Philly Hip Popper like Will Smith.
**Five Stars**
18. "Letter To the King" (feat. Nas)
It's good to see more of The Game and Nas together collaborating because I loved the track off "Hip Hop Is Dead" called "Hustlers" as well as the more recent "Make the World Go Round", from Nas' "Untitled" release, and it's good to see if the quality continues in further progression of the pair on this Hi-Tek tune. It's an inspiring one from the pair with (as always) thought-provoking messages in the lyrics.
**Four Stars**
19. "Outro"
The 'Intro' and 'Outro' to this album has DMX offering his famous Prayers, which have featured on his own records. They must have a deeper meaning than what I can see in them (without spirtual belief), but they must have a high significance for The Game, to have them introduce and end his 'final' release.
I'm sure that The Game is extremly proud of this relase and should it be his final record, it is a good way to end it all. It seems as though with all of the variation through the album, he has managed to express everything which he needed to get out, and as there are so many tracks, he has been able to go about doing this in such a deep way.
If you are unaware, nearly thirty other tracks were recorded for this album, so you know that only the best have manged to come through to the final release of it. However I think that the choices were given in order to display the variation which he needed to give in order to make this album special.
I liked that The Game's maturity has come through in this album as oppsed to past ones, by this I mean that he has gone from an array of simple, obvious Gangsta Rap tracks, to fianlly settleing and being able to perfom his music, but in a way which allows him to address deeper issues as he goes into Consious raps as well as ones which challenge 'The Game' as a whole.
I think that's it's important to note that I never really liked The Game, but since I've seen significant changes in him (such as seeing him cry over Hip Hop), you know that he is passionate for what he does, and isn't just in it for the money as a lot of other rappers out there. It wouldn't have surprised me if he gave the album away for free.