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Daily entertainment news with what to watch tonight on TV, a video of Kristen Stewart apologizing for cheating and something to do this weekend.
What to watch: 'Top Chef Masters' on Bravo at 10 p.m. EDT/ 9 p.m. CDT
Tonight is the season premiere of "Top Chef Masters." Season 4 takes place in Las Vegas with 12 new award-winning chefs hungry to compete for $100,000 for charity.
Weekend tip: Watch the Olympic Games!
Make sure to catch some of the Olympic Games on TV! Events will be on NBC channels, including NBC Sports Network, and also online at http://www.nbcolympics.com. See a schedule of Olympic events here.
Video: Kristen Stewart apologizes for cheating
Kristen says she's "deeply sorry" for the hurt and embarrassment she's caused. Hear her statement.
-- GateHouse News Service


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When ESPN and EA Sports announced that they would team up to let fans select the Madden 2012 cover boy, we predicted that the angry loud people would quickly sound off about the selections. The pool is now down to 16 selections, and the shit-stirring has begun: in a totally unoriginal outcome, the loud angry people are PETA and the selection under fire is Philadelphia's Michael Vick.
Peter Moore, President of EA Sports, says that PETA and independent animal-rights activists have written letters to the company urging them to remove Vick from the bracket. Moore has responded with a fairly emphatic no: "We believe that Michael Vick, as the runner-up in MVP for the league and the comeback player of the year, deserved his slot," he told CNBC at the World Congress of Sports on Wednesday. "I personally believe, and this is personal commentary right now, that Michael served his time. He's had a tremendous season."
Vick is currently paired against Andre Johnson in the round of 16, and despite PETA's efforts, he has a good chance at winning it all and earning his second cover for the most important football game of all time. ProFootballTalk has already suggested that PETA's efforts would be better spent voting for Johnson than writing letters to a massive corporation; we encourage you to offset that back-up plan by voting for Vick for a video game that doesn't exist yet based on a sport that might not be played next year. It will be time well spent.

subset: commoncrawl


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Amid mounting violence that has killed more than five thousand in Syria, it is "almost inevitable" the regime of President Bashar al-Assad will collapse, says Dennis Ross, a former senior Middle East adviser to President Obama. "When a regime is entirely dependent on coercion that is not succeeding, you know that that's a regime that's not going to be around for an extended period," Ross says. The best hope for the country is an opposition movement led by the Syrian National Council, he says, describing it as non-sectarian and inclusive.
Even though the Syrians have now accepted an Arab League proposal to send observers to Syria, the killing continues. It seems astounding that some five thousand people have been killed in the nine months of the uprising. How important is Syria to the evolving Middle East?
One needs to look at it from a variety of different perspectives. First, if you look at it just from what I could describe as the Arab Awakening, what you're seeing is a leader [Bashar al-Assad] who, in the face of his people's peaceful desire for change, decided that the right answer was to engage in a kind of "killing machine," to quote the Saudi king. What you're seeing is someone who is resisting change and is prepared to use all the means at his disposal to kill his own citizens to resist that change. It is a measure of how this region has changed that the Arab League voted for sanctions.
Did the Arab League sanctions surprise you?
Although that is something that would have been literally unthinkable even a year ago, it's another reminder of the realities of the region. It was impossible for those in the Arab League to look like they would do nothing in the face of a regime killing its citizens the way the Syrian regime was doing. The first point is to put it in the context of the Arab Awakening, both in terms of what it says about a regime trying to hold on, but also what it says about others in the region who realize that you can't simply be passive in the face of that.
It has been reported that the Iranians are very concerned about what's happening in Syria, its closest Arab ally. Is that the case?
There is no doubt that the Iranians see the Syrian regime as a critical ally and vehicle to providing arms and a connection to Hezbollah in Lebanon. What happens in Syria is critical to the overall balance of power in the region as it relates to Iran. So the Iranians have been doing everything they could to support the Syrian regime as it tries to hold on. That has added to why Iran is so discredited in the region right now.
It's not just that it's out of step with what's going on in the area as a whole, as people make it clear that they have a voice, and they have demands, and they want their voices heard. Iran obviously has very little interest in having its own citizens speak out, but Iran also is utterly determined to try to keep a regime in power in Damascus that serves Iran's interests even though it is so destructive to the interests of the Syrian people.
The Gulf Cooperation Council has now moved closer together over the Syrian issue and has voiced concerns about Iran. I guess the Saudis are pushing that because they seem very concerned about Iran, right?
Yes. There are probably two aspects to it. Bear in mind that the most severe crackdown in terms of killing by the Syrian regime was during Ramadan. And for the Saudis in particular to sit aside and not become more vocal in response to the Syrian regime doing that during Ramadan would have been unthinkable. And that's actually when King Abdullah used the term "killing machine" to describe what was going on.
[I]t's the regime itself that is sharpening the sectarian divide and is increasingly responsible for the sectarian conflict.
When the Assad regime goes--and it seems almost inevitable that it will go--it is going to be a major loss for Iran. The Saudis and others in the Gulf Cooperation Council see it through that lens.
Do we have any idea who would succeed Assad?
This is a regime that is entirely dependent on coercion, and the coercion is failing and when a regime is entirely dependent on coercion that is not succeeding, you know that that's a regime that's not going to be around for an extended period. I would say in answer to your question on succession, if you look at the Syrian National Council (SNC), if you look at local coordination committees, you know they represent a cross section of Syria.
One interesting thing about the opposition is that it's not sectarian. The Assad regime is trying to create the impression that it's the opposition that's sectarian and the reality is that it's the regime itself that is sharpening the sectarian divide and is increasingly responsible for the sectarian conflict.
When there were the first demonstrations in Syria in Daraa in March, many experts in the region thought Assad would make some reforms and that would quiet things down. Why did he become so hard line?
One of the great paradoxes is that he had presented himself to be avant garde, a reformer, a modern person, and he had convinced many that that was his persona and identity. Had that actually been the case, he would have actually been given the benefit of the doubt by the Syrian public.
In the very beginning, because he had cultivated an image of being modern and he had created the impression that he was opening up Syria, had he actually made reforms and acted on them and shown that he was truly determined to modernize Syria, both politically and economically, he could have succeeded. You asked the question why the crackdown. At the end of the day, the image he'd created about being a modernizer was purely an image and didn't reflect reality.
Some people speculate that his brother, Maher, who heads the Republican Guard, pushed him into it.
I don't buy it. He presided over a very corrupt regime that depended on operating a certain way and really opening it up is what would have threatened it, and that's what he wasn't prepared to do. That's what he wasn't prepared to countenance.
Now Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah, has come out strongly in support of the Syrian regime. Is he going to be discredited too?
He already has been, not necessarily with the Shiites in Lebanon, but throughout the region. Compare the image of Nasrallah after 2006 with what it is today. In 2006, after the war with the Israelis, he was seen as the embodiment of resistance, and he was a hero throughout the area, across sectarian lines.
The consequence of the sanctions is really biting and making it clear that you're not going to have a future in Syria so long as this regime is there.
Today he's seen as purely a sectarian leader and you see his picture being burned in Syria. He had tried to present himself as having a kind of purity, of being associated with justice, and how he is seen today is much more as a narrow sectarian leader and an Iranian tool. The idea that he could somehow be the embodiment of social justice when he supports the killing of innocents in Syria is something that has unmasked him.
What's the U.S. position in all this? Is there much the United States can do?
The United States has been active in terms of working to build the pressure on the Syrian regime, add to the isolation, make it clear there's a price to be paid economically. Clearly there are those within Syria who, for a long time, felt they were part of a social compact with the regime. The regime offered them a piece of the pie and stability. Today, the regime offers them no stability and there's no pie. The consequence of the sanctions is really biting and making it clear that you're not going to have a future in Syria so long as this regime is there.
The key for us and others is increasingly, not only to talk about the inevitability that Assad's going to be gone, but the inevitability that the opposition--and I would say increasingly as identified and led by the SNC--represents the future. The more it becomes clear that that's the way the world sees the SNC, the more it will resonate within Syria itself. And those who aren't certain about what the future will be can take some comfort from a group that is not sectarian, that is inclusive, that realizes that the future for Syria needs to be a future characterized by tolerance, inclusion, and basically progress.
There were reports early on that Christians in Syria were alarmed. They were concerned that the Islamists would take over and make it tough on them. That seemed to ease, or am I wrong?
The balance is shifting there. There's no doubt that for a while there was deep concern among the Christian community. One of the reasons to want to see the process of change accelerated and to see this regime leave is [that] the longer it goes on, the more violent the situation in Syria is going to become. The demonstrations against the regime were originally peaceful.
There is increasing violence now because, frankly, you have a regime that declared war on its own citizens and there are those who are looking at how you can defend that within Syria. The SNC is trying to continue to emphasize a nonviolent approach. You have a regime that makes it increasingly difficult to minimize the violence within Syria.


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Javed Chaudhry February 09, 2014 187
Javed Chaudhry is a newspaper columnist in Pakistan. His series of columns have been published in six volumes in Urdu language. His most notable column ZERO POINT has great influence upon people of Pakistan especially Youth and Muslims of Pakistan. He writes for the Urdu newspaper Daily Express four time a week, covering topics ranging from social issues to politics.


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Happy Birthday, George! A look at today's Facebook postings will quickly reveal that it's George Harrison's birthday. Fest For Beatles Fans points to a site that's offering a 24-hour streaming event of Concert For George, the various artists tribute that was held in his honor shortly after his death. Here's a link to the Manchester Gallery episode I did for Sunday Morning Coffee With Jeff featuring my George Harrison and Graham Nash soft sculptures.
Surprise Attack Of The Smithereens. Don't know if this took anyone else completely by surprise, but a new Smithereens CD is upon us. Pat Dinizio broke the good news via a Facebook post with a link on to a preview of Smithereens 2011. The first CD of new original material from the band in over ten years has 13 songs that definitely sound like vintage Smithereens material. No word yet on a release date.
IPO Info. The schedule for the 10th Annual International Pop Overthrow - Chicago hasn't been officially announced yet, but word is getting around about some of the performances. Singer-guitarist Mike Cohen, who has been a participant in all of David Bash's traveling power pop extravaganza's visits to the Windy City, will be performing in two bands again this year. The Abbeys will have an afternoon gig at The Abbey on Saturday, April 16th, and The Pop Dollys will be playing the Red Line Tap on Sunday, April 17th.
The April 23rd IPO Chicago showcase at The Abbey will feature a performance by Material re-Issue, which includes original band members drummer Mike Zelenko and bassist Ted Ansani, along with singer-guitarist Phil Angotti. Angotti has effectively covered bands like The Beatles and Squeeze in the past, so there's no doubt he'll do fine filling in for the late Jim Ellison. I haven't seen the entire IPO - Chicago schedule, but this will definitely be one of the highlights. Makes you wonder what else Bash has up his sleeve. The Valley Downs, led by vocalist Marianne Shimkus and bassist Mike Galassini (another longtime IPO veteran) are also on the April 23rd bill, along with Waiflike, Johnny Monaco, The Velvet Cadillacs and Van Go. International Pop Overthrow - Chicago takes place from April 14th to the 23rd.
Cover Girl Turns Into A Pumpkin. Rolling Stone, Lost at E Minor, and Jason Kottke at the liberal arts weblog kottke.org have reported that Nicole Fiorentino, the new bassist for Smashing Pumpkins was one of the two little girls who posed on the cover of the Siamese Dream CD. Reportedly, founding member Billy Corgan had no idea of the connection prior to giving her the job.
Tears From The Tardis. Earlier this week, The Nerdist blog site brought the sad news that Nicholas Courtney, the actor who played Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart on Doctor Who has passed away. Courtney was a talented and funny actor who was a perfect foil for a few incarnations of The Doctor.
Neux Teune. Matt Dodge & The Lobsters have a new single available on iTunes, called "Wood Jeux Merry Mi?" The title suggests a Christmas song, but this is more high-speed pop in the style of the tunes on the band's debut CD, Lobsters!
Rocking Down Your Street. The Bangles will be playing at The Speakeasy as well as The Cedar Street Courtyard on March 17th as part of this year's South By Southwest music fest.
Ask Grandpa If You Can Borrow His Victrola. The Second Disc, a blog site that offers expanded and remastered music news, revealed this week that Capitol Records plans to release a 78 RPM two-sided Beach Boys single featuring "Good Vibrations" and "Heroes & Villains" for Record Store Day in April.
Howell's Hitch. Singer-guitarist Eric Howell, the guy who has been behind some of the funnier song parodies heard on WXRT, will be joined by an assortment of musical guests as he performs songs from his Greatest Hitch! CD at Quenchers Saloon tomorrow night. Power pop veteran Kevin Lee, the opening act, is slated to kick things off at 9:30PM. Quenchers is located at 2410 N. Western Avenue.
Cafe Competition. Little Steven's Underground Garage is spreading the word about Hard Rock Cafe's Battle Of The Bands 2011 competition. Four groups from around the globe will be chosen to appear at the Hard Rock Calling festival in London on June 24-26, and the prize includes round-trip airfare, three nights in a posh hotel, and some spending cash. Non-musicians can play a role in the selection by choosing a band from events held in their hometown.
The Hard Rock Cafe in Chicago has a Semi-Finals Battle Of The Bands showcase coming up on March 3rd, with four bands competing; and a Finals competition on March 10th with the last two local bands going head to head. There will be additional entertainment after each battle, with Band Called Catch slated for March 3rd, and Hollus for March 10th. Doors open at 8:00PM and the shows are open to all ages. A suggested donation of $5 will help benefit Starlight Children's Foundation Midwest, and there will be a silent auction, as well as food and beverages. See the Hard Rock Cafe site for band rules and registration.


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Going Photo App Crazy!
I've loved taking IPhoto's for a long time, but recently I found an app that I adore! The DistressedFX app for IPhone is so fun! I am addicted. When I drive to town or walk around my house or yard I am constantly looking for interesting shots that will work well on the app. I can almost envision what they will look like.
Here are some of the shots I have been taking lately.
For more photos, follow me on Instagram at @stillwatersstudio.


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Sailin' away!
These unique knobs will pull together your nautical themed room. These knobs add the perfect finishing touch to drawers, closet doors or armoires. Each knob is hand painted by a professional artist, using high quality, child friendly, water based paints and will surely last for generations to come.


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Thursday, August 11. 2011
Hey, Lets go Over There!
Ok, it has been 5 1/2 years since I started a blog on Chili Peppers tour in '06. Had no idea where it would go or really even that anyone would read it. To be perfectly honest, I did it to remember. To remember the adventures of travel and to captures snapshots of the details that hopefully would be spontaneous enough that at some future date I could look back and feel a how it felt. I wanted to document the experiments with sound so there was a feeling of progress in my life rather than an endless stream of unfinished projects.
Well, who woulda knew the added dynamics, interactions and adventures it would bring. So fun, so cool and to meet so many people all over.
Anyway, I am going to bring this blog to an end, or at least let it rest. I am not one much for repetition, I love excitement, change and motion. And to put it more simply, it is a real pain in the ass to blog this way. I actually have been writing the posts in Dreamweaver, crushing the pics down in Firefox, uploading pics, then embedding links, then saving and finally copying the HTML code into the blog, posting, testing and done.
So it has been that inconvenience rather than the lack of things to post that has grinded the blog to a crawl
Still in the learning curve, and hoping the wordpress world will bump it up a notch toward smoother and the new Dave Rat blog address is:
Posted by Dave Rat at 22:16 | Comments (9) | Trackbacks (0)
Thursday, June 23. 2011
Heavy Gear
Heavy Gear
So getting ready to tour with Soundgarden and the gear left on trucks today. I cool K1 rig and lots of toys. Jamie and the rest of the shop Rats have spent the last week or so building up the ,complex kluge of gear for the run and it should be cool. Here is snap of the FOH racks as I will start the tour. I have some fun new things going on with subs that I am hoping will pan out as planned. A newer cleaner setup to replace the vortex, though not quite as sexy looking plus some new control features I am pretty psyched about. I am planning on setting up sideways again with the console controlled by my right hand as I face forward towards the band. In front and off to the right will be the racks shown below. The goal is to have a wide open space between the band and I with no gear between while being able to clearly see the RTA, system EQ's and the rack gear. Stepping back will allow a full scan of everything going on with the system.
The Dorroughs meters are new and I am hoping the average versus peak simultaneous metering will do a good job of giving a clear visual on how well the subgroup compression technique I use is working. For more info on that, check out the youtube video I did on the subject.
Cool cool, excited to get out and about have some fun getting this rig dialled in for some epic gigs with a super cool heavy band!
-Dave Rat
Posted by Dave Rat at 01:31 | Comments (13) | Trackbacks (0)
Thursday, June 9. 2011
Here We Go
Here comes summer sunshine and time to jump back in to making the world a louder place to live in. Red Hot Chili Peppers have a new album coming out at the end of August directly followed by a world tour schedule that keeps rolling through 2013. Bye bye home. well, not really as Peppers tend to travel a 3 week on, 2 week off pattern so I wont totally disconnect from the world I currently live in. Plus with my daughters now 15, I am planning to have them take turns coming out to visit on and get in some travels and adventures. Oh, and the first gig is in Hong Kong, never been so its always cool to go to a new city.
But before all that kicks in, I will be out for all of July mixing Soundgarden for a one month North America run. It just all comes at once. Unfortunately I could not take the upcoming Blink 182 tour as it overlaps both Soundgarden and Peppers, but at least two of the three bands I mix have schedules that fit well enough.
Whenever I head out on the road for a major full production tour, I try and formulate some sort of useful or memorable adventure to attach to the travels. On Rage Against the Machine tour in 1996, I decided I would learn HTML and build a web site, back when it was not a point and click process. Unfortunately "Way Back Machine" did not capture the images of the old Rat Site but here is a link to the archive.
And if you are not familiar with Way Back Machine, it archives the internet so you can see web sites as they were, way back when.
The very first Twitter Web Page
I find it both interesting and useful. I use it to look up old specification on audio gear that is no longer made and with a bit of digging there is all kinds of seemingly long lost info that is still around.
Speaking of way back, way back in April Rat Sound provided the gear for our 11th Coachella Festival and our 5th year supporting Stagecoach Festival, except this time there were three weekends instead of two and a the Big 4 show with Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeth kept us in the desert for three weekends with 7 semi trucks of gear.
Oh, so back to useful and memorable, one tour I learned to weld and had a 200 amp welder shipped to my hotel and made an electric gocart, another tour I learned to scuba dive during a week off in Bali, but mainly I try and focus on the fact that I have a giant sound system at me disposal and try and figure out some sort of new or improved way of presenting large scale audio.
So, for these tours, so far, I have four things on my plate:
1) I have a new sub setup that appears to be an improvement over the Vortex/Orgasmatron configuration
2) I have worked out a sub woofer processing method that should reduce if not eliminate the two primary nulls realized from two spaced sub sources. I did some youtube vids on subs setups and I look forward to testing the new processing.
3) As the sound world clamours deeper into the layered menus of digital control, the amount of information involved with mixing is growing exponentially while the amount of useful information we have access to becomes buried and diluted. Maybe it is all my punk rock anti follow the flow tendencies or perhaps I just want a simple clean controllable environment to mix in. Either way, I am excited about adding big giant VU meters to my setup. http://www.dorrough.com/ There is more to this than just a having a big meters as these provide some valuable insight into the sound being reproduced directly in line with my mixing strategy.
4) And more down that line, I had a great time mixing Paul Van Dyk in the Sahara Tent at Coachella this year. Two inputs, both Left and Right. I made a point of running the audio in a direct super clean path and used some Tonelux Mic pre's, EQ's and went directly into the amps from there. The sound quality difference over the more complex audio path from the normal setup was audible and preferable So, I am going to do some work on cleaning up and reducing the complexity of the audio path to get a cleaner sound to the speakers.
Ok, that's it for now, except one more thing. I officially declare the recession over. Just as it took a year for the realities of the recession to penetrate deeply enough into the depths of our economy for all to agree that it actually existed, the recovery will be denied by those late in the healing process until long after positive momentum is firmly entrenched and and driving the powerful core economic direction in a positive direction. Unfortunately the late healers involve employment figures and housing prices, so bemoan if you wish but the reality is that now, right now is the time that point that 5 years from now you will look back and go "man, I should have blah blah blah'ed back then because the people that did are on top of the world."
Ok, that's it for now, I will try and get some regular pattern for blogging again now that I am getting back into touring mode. In the mean time to fill the spaces between the blog posts that actually require me to sit down at a computer, I will continue doing updates and such via twitter and Facebook as well as posting links to stuff on daverat.com. Cool cool and see ya'all soon!
Dave Rat
Posted by Dave Rat at 18:54 | Comments (10) | Trackbacks (0)
Tuesday, March 29. 2011
Old Bloggery Post
Ok, time to start firing up the rusty bloggery engine as the tour season begins to ramp up. And diving in, look what I found! An old blog entry I forgot to post from back in December. So here it is as it was and will try and do some catch up as well as share some more hopefully interesting or useful pics and info soon.
**** Old Bloggery Post ****
Been pretty busy with time spongey adventures. Mainly business stuff which does not come natural to me. Its a state of mind that tends to be fully impressive with overlays of inter related projects so I have been doing a lot more mini posts on Facebook and Twitter as they are higher on the instant gratification scale.
Oh, looks like Jon Monson and I will be heading to Arizona in January for Tour Link http://tourlinkconference.com/ We have been meaning to go for a few years and with Rat Sound got nominated for an award, that tilted the scales.
The AES speaking gigs seemed to go well, yet I still feel a bit stumbly with public speaking I do enjoy it and my inevitable absent mindedness keeps it fun and challenging. It was very cool that so many people showed up and thank you! Anyway, if you are interested in seeing the slides I showed and/or hearing the audio, here is a link. AES sells the audio portion for $18 and you need to scroll about 3/4 down to find it
10AES-SE02 Friday Lunchtime Keynote - Dave Rat Audio
And if you would like to see pictures I showed, here is a slide show that goes along with the audio
Slide Show to match AES Keynote Audio http://daverat.com/aesframe.html
Also I had the honor of being asked to sit on two panels as well
10AES-L06 Subwoofer Directionality
10AES-L08 Fill Speakers in Live Sound Reinforcement Systems
They are also available for download as well. AES was good fun and especially to see all my audio friends.
Subwoofer Adventures
After doing the subwoofer panel I started pondering the disparities between sub prediction software and the realities of sub woofer setups. Once I was able to form some clear descriptions I put together some youtube videos so if you are a fan of the intricacies of the bottom end, you may want to take a look. My Youtube channel is
I will try and do one or two more one the subject soon going into more depth on larger setups and offer some more tips on getting better results.
I went out for the third year in a row to speak at Citrus College to Japanese sound students. This year they came to the Rat Shop
Back in october I got to do a cool show for Matador Record's 21st anniversary with some amazing bands. I came in as the FOH assist and mixed Guided by Voices and a few others. Here is the band list:
and here are a few pics:
**** End Old Bloggery Post ****
Posted by Dave Rat at 19:38 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
Monday, October 11. 2010
Selective Listening
Hey, if you are thinking of heading to AES in San Francisco, I am the lunch time keynote speaker on Friday Nov 5th
Also I will be on two panels as well:
Fill Speakers in Live Reinforcement where will be discussing aspects of the additional non-main system loudspeakers, placement and such
And Subwoofer Directionality which should be interesting as that has been something I have been doing quite a bit of messing around with in real world large scale applications
Here is the full calendar:
As I think of them, I have been Tweeting SoundTips and have compiled the latest since blog post:
1) Carry a fml-fml-ml xlr Y & if talkback turned on is forgotten, Y TB mic into lead vox snake line for check & you'll be heard!
2) If you are a FOH eng, work out a hand signal line check plan with backline techs so you don't rely on a talkback mic. Easy, fast & efficient
3) For EQ'ing a system, I 1st set analyzer mic near me to calibrate my ears to what I see, I then move it to audience ear level
4) For dynamic bands, "Y" the drums to both gated and non gated inputs with a VCA for each. Now u can easily slide between open and gated sounds
5) When mixing, listen think, adjust, don't fiddle! Imagine a camera on u & u will be made to justify every knob and fader change
6) Creep some reverb into pre-show music before your band to create the illusion that your show comes up extra clean and tight.
7) In highly reverberant venues using more compression reduces the decay from louder peaks from stepping on the rest of the mix
8) Technology is important and useful but never ever forget that the final judge of the quality of your work is the human ear
9) If you are ever thinking a rock show is too loud, try going to some top fuel drag races or an air show and be humbled.
10) Why mix from a riser? Oh ya, so u can hear what the audience doesn't. I mix from the ground or 1' max whenever possible.
11) When using 2 kick mics, high pass the vent mic with the internal mic full range for a tight sound, do the reverse for a loose sound
12) If sending effects post fader, don't assign the efx return ch to same VCA as the send ch or the efx return level will be magnified 2:1
13) Never use overeasy/softknee limiters for system protection, all they do is ruin the sound before letting speakers blow anyway.
14) Never mix from 2/3s back in a room with solid back wall. 2/3s is exactly 1/2 way. Sound travels 2/3ds to you, 1/3 to the wall and 1/3 back to you.
15) Mixing is like driving a car, turn off interior lights keep eyes on the road & glance, don't stare at the speedo and gauges
16) I mix with no light so I pull the 2.5K and 250 knobs off my 1/3oct EQ so I can EQ by feel, very 3rd knob is 1/2 or double freq
17) Never tape the grill of Shure SM57 back on by taping around the mic, the gap between grill and body is a sound port & it'll kill lows
18) In the time sound passes thru a digi console with 2.5ms latency sound travels 250miles in copper wire READ http://bit.ly/9OoJEm #FB
19) Condenser mics have lower mass diaphragms than dynamic mics, are more sensitive to detail, wind & feedback and 'faster'
20) Ever wonder why flown PA sounds better? The steeper angle of incidence allows sound to penetrate the human heat thermal layer and reduces sound blockage by the human heads in front of you
Soundgarden did a gig at a mock CBGB's built on Paramount Studios back lot.
Hanging with Donnie from Ncompass at the bar, It's crazy how the life size club photo's on the wall look in pics. This is us in front of a flat photo.
A combo of real stuff and the wall pictures form the CBGB's production office.
Louise and Robert have lots of old CBGB's stuff and worked there for years.
An old console from the club
CBGB's mix position with Justin
Getting ready to sound check Soundgarden
Sideways mix
May as well dive into the mic'ing I used. This is Chris' rig with 57 on one amp, and a Royer 122 and 57 panned stereo on the other
Same setup for Kim with the panning reversed.
For Ben I ran a Beta98 and and a DI
98 on the toms and HH, all clamps, no stands
98's on the toms and a mic I really like that is beat to crap, an AKG C5600 on underhead.
I am not to picky and like to use a mish mash of mics, I had a U89 so I put it on ride.
Audix D6 in the hole and Beta91 inside
Two MicroWedge 15's and 2 MicroWedge 15's for Matt's drumfill
MicroWedge 12's for frontline wedges
The Show
And went to Muse with my daughter Maddie. Check out MC's mix position! All good, low racks, mixes from the floor and all about being able to see everything with full control. All he need to do is loose the lights. Ha! MC you rock!
All the amps for 1/2 the PA. One rack per side, all the fly cables drop into the top, awesome setup and if it was an L' Acoustics rig, it would be 1/2 the size.
360 degree D&B J Rig
And some gratuitous band pics
OK, ever mix on a 5D? Ever glance to the side and see trails? Ever notice that dose not happen on most other boards or at least not as much? Yamaha, please, please soften the flash rate so your consoles are not so darn annoying!
So I usually try and offer some sort of life observation in my posts to counterbalance audio nerdery and the world of rock, so I'll give it a shot. A happy change in my recent life has been boycotting the corporate news machine. I realized it while in Europe with Blink and it dawned on me that there is a total disconnect between the world I live in and the worlds as presented by the corporations whose survival depends on parasiting human nature's infatuation with train wrecks, car crashes, dire futures and disregard for reality. In the course of trying to be responsible and aware, I was dedicating a portion of each day to staying on top of happenings of the world. While finding that simultaneously their negativity feels like being hooked on a fisherman's line and being methodically towed into the useless illusion.
It's a quandary. On one hand I discovered the world I live in and love by following music with disregard. On the other, things have grown to a point where if I do not embrace the bigger picture, stagnation will set in and those with whom my life is interlocked will pay the price of me not carrying my weight and unraveling my piece of the puzzle. Everything in in life is either growing or dying and since extended periods of motionless is either dead or never alive, to change, grow and thrive is to be alive. While to grow with too much veracity is to become a mindless predator. Balance. Life balance. Personal happiness, family, friends and the enjoyment of the adventures of exploring new ground, new heights.
So how do I be a part of guiding my Rat family upward without embracing the cactus and yet still being aware enough to avoid the pot holes? Hmmm, don't know but am going to start with remembering that controlled exposure is wise, whether I am dealing with the warmth of a campfire, abrupt velocity changes or pretending I am a businessman.
And pondering back to some useful news, this 2001 satire was about the most accurate thing in memory:
And just as the ship was swirled into a whirlpool of greed and violence, the dread I felt back then has now been replaced by positive momentum. This year was better and next looks to be better yet. I smile at the gun shy still grasping life preservers rather than swimming to shore to build a new boat. Timid is boring, smiles are magnetic and pessimists get the outcome they deserve.
Dave Rat
Posted by Dave Rat at 17:30 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
Monday, September 20. 2010
Home from six weeks away and this time rather than acclimate I am enjoying maintaining the pace. Bring it on, hit the ground running with morning jogs, surfing anything remotely resembling waves and full steam ahead in work world. I finally have wrapped my head around embracing the business side of things by reframing it from a chore to a challenge.
Oh, I just got asked by Jonathan Novick to be a noon time Keynote speaker at AES in San Francisco on friday November 5th as well as to be on a panel with Tom Young discussing fill speakers for live concerts. I have been pondering what to speak about putting together an outline and am thinking I will start with a bit about the allure and challenges of the road life. I want to also cover understanding some fundamental differences between live and recording worlds hopefully from a fresh angle followed by some technical of the live sound challenges that would be beneficial to overcome. Finally talking about how the brilliant AES audio minds could help push live audio to the next level.
Since it is important that I am on track with covering aspects that wants to heard, I though I would ask. If you you are going to be attending AES and have subjects or suggestions you feel would be interesting that may fit, send me message or post a comment and I will try and cover it. Plus this will hopefully give me a better understanding of the direction to take it.
And while we are rocking social networking for the betterment and fun of all involved, it took me a while to find but I stumbled on an angle with twitter that seems to be going well. The random twitter updates without some substance never felt quite right to me so I started intermixing "Sound Tips." What I found was that not only was I getting a positive response but also it acts as a simple 'thought storage space' to hold concepts I feel worth remembering. So here is a consolidation of the Sound Tips so far and if you want further expansion on the concepts, there are some great response threads on my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/?ref=mb&sk=messages#!/1drat
1) Spaced apart subs create a power alley. Use this instead of stacked behind for drumfill to get less lows washing the stage
2) Be sure to actually listen to your reference RTA or smaart mic before trusting it. A lot of those mics distort at higher volumes
3) Find the room resonance and kill it. Typically 200 hz for 2k cap dropping to 125 hz for 20000 cap
4) Ears want to hear a smooth response over time, disregard short term peaks, use 10 seconds averaging minimum on Smaart/RTA
5) For line checks in headphones PFL the L&R, turn all channels on/up to hear post fader actual relative levels rather than solo
6) The closer u mic the more instrument u get & the less background noise. Downside? Extra low end but lows are easy to EQ out!
7) Point the guitar rig on stage slightly outward or upward so it does not blast you at FOH a few inches makes a big difference
8) If you have hum and you can't fix or no time, try polarity reversing some channels like backing vox to force cancel it out
9) The whole 'phantom from foh OR mons is silly. Phantom from both is all good and gives redundancy and won't hurt anything
10) Why use boomy mics on boomy instruments? Try small dia condensers for clear sound, Use boomy Lg dia mics on thin instruments
11) Sound Tip: Engineers that mix with blasting kick are like 'learning to drive drivers.' Gas it on green & slam breaks on reds. Pro's r balanced.
Oh, also I have been trying to centralize all the info on http://www.daverat.com which streams my blog, twitter, Rat Forum and has links to many of the articles I have written.
Ok, here are some more pics
Mark Hoppus, Blink 182
Monster Magnet
Paris from the Eiffel Tower
The Arch!
Mel, Robert, Daniel and I hanging in Vienna. Daniel took us on an awesome tour of the city, thank you!
Ahh the ramp push
Uh oh!
Travis says hello to Daniel
Pretty Sure this was Vienna and I think we have all felt this at one point or another
Cool cool, and off to rock some homework with one of my shorties,
Dave Rat
Posted by Dave Rat at 22:07 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
Monday, August 23. 2010
Indelible Ink
I love my pockets empty except for a cell phone and the omnipotent brightly colored ID tag dangling from my belt loops. The sensation of pure freedom. A single page road map defines my 'must do' events for the day. So grounded and clear the world becomes. The biggest challenge is to try not to lose any physical object that pretends it is important. But what is expended to drop into this reality of unsustainable wanderlust? This world of tour, pure motion of a bus rolling 60 while home slowly rotates with the spin of the earth. Where to plop myself down mentally and at what balance determines happiness or misery. To stay fully immersed in the world of home while my body jumps through all the extra hoops enduring mishaps and chewing through time in order to drag home a paycheck and some stories? Or chose the perception that everyday is beautiful in every way, regardless of how miserable it may appear. There are no problems, just an endless stream of puzzles to solve as each day a brand new city is delivered to feet. When I first quit my job at Hughes Aircraft to rent out small PA systems with a van, I leaped from that cliff into the ethereal structure less world. I remember taking off my wristwatch and crashing it into the ground as I swore off being chained to concept of time. I remember sitting in Mark Mahoney's tattoo studio as I asked him to keep enlarging the photo copy of the rat intended for my forearm. Bigger, bigger, bigger, I wanted the tail of my first tattoo to be visible even when I wear a long sleeve shirt. I wanted to make sure I would never be able to work for anyone offended by it. I wanted it to remind me to be adventurous, curious and to have the endurance to succeed regardless of the obstacles. I wanted it to remind me never to forget that barriers and strings are only as strong as I allow them to be. I realized I am guided by the failsafe wrench-thrower built into my mind. As if a part of me already knows where I am headed and happiness is only felt when the right decisions are made. Wrong turns down paths un-righted cant help but turn sour into depression, anxiety, anger, frustration and finally destructive wrench-throwing irrational actions that break the pattern and hopefully end up forcing a me to change directions.
Well alrighty now how about a bit of soundnerdery fun?
**** Sound Nerd Speak ****
Ok, I have written about grasping a consist ant reference points with headphones, an analyzer and physical settings. I did a video and wrote about my take on what EQ's what in a sound system. Here's something pretty simple that is another piece of the 'get a sound system to sound good' adventure.
There are various ways to EQ a sound system. Voice mic, pink noise, familiar cd, tone sweep, pulse and EQ on the fly. Over the years I have put much thought into the concepts of perception of sound versus tonal balance. Part of the method I use to EQ a system is keeping an eye on tonal balance over time. The tonal balance of a show is constantly changing. Having a readout such as an RTA or spectrograph gives a series of visual snap shot or shots with a history. What is often overlooked and tends to be more relevant is the overall tonal balance averaged of the course of a longer time periods. Our ears are forgiving and enjoy the short time frame tonal diversity yet if certain frequencies are dominate over a longer time frame, it can be undesirable. With short period time averaging of a few seconds or less we see these lines moving around but it is difficult to accurately see the trend of which frequencies are persistently too loud. By using a longer averaging time of 10 seconds or longer, you can tame the readout so it gives a stable read out more similar to what we see when using pink noise. Now with this stable line it becomes much easier to EQ the system with music as a source. Taking this further, if you do some long period averages with your test CD and save the curve when you have a desirable system tuning, you can then display this curve over the live band's real time long term average and keep yourself tonally in check over the course of the show.
**** End Sound Nerd Speak ****
And may as well share some snapshots.
Finding the show times of the various bands requires a bit of research.
Iron Maiden, gotta love the old school big rock!
So I have decided to try something new for this tour and mix sideways. Mix with my left, band in front and free hand for a drink in the right. Hey drink is far from the board and clear view of the system analyzer, racks and band. All good!
Found a friend!
I must admit, like the Ting Tings
Our mighty drummer
And meet Triggerfinger, rocking show, super cool and one of those groups of people you just instantly like and can hang with.
Alright. just finished Germany show 2, festival three on a K1 rig and the off to Hamburg.
The ever confused,
Dave Rat
Posted by Dave Rat at 14:28 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
Thursday, August 19. 2010
Another Terrible Day at the Office
Two hours of sleep and then a bus ride to Pukkelpop in Belgium on the Ocho with Blink. Yes, we are actually on production bus #2 but the core Blink crew refuses to ride on anything but a bus with a #8. Oh and I forgot but I did grab a few shots of the Soundgarden Vic show.
**** Sound Nerd Speak ****
So prepping for Blink we soundies get word of an all new ground support drum riser with two spinning axis, being built. Hmmm, end over end flips of a spinning disk, this should make for some interesting cable runs. We have no idea how many flips or spins, just that it is going to need audio and AC power and if the we lose audio during the drum solo with a spinning drummer doing a solo, well, to say the least, that would be really bad.
The plan as presented by the creators of the contraption was "just run audio wireless." Hmmm, where would that put me? Run wireless drum mics the entire show? Yuck. Run hardwired and switch to wireless for the drum solo? Yuck. And what kind of wireless? We need full 48 volt phantom power for half the mics up there. Start swapping out mics? Oh my, this is bit of a mind knot. Figure out a hardwire solution? But what if it does not work? We wont even get to see the riser till three days before I leave for Soundgarden so we can not count on implementing a hardwired solution.
After a bit of pondering and a call to Showrig who was building the contraption, they agreed to have some extra holes drilled, and I think I have a way to route the cable. Thank you Justin! for the updates and taking care of getting things worked out. Then a custom snake and spare snake, 20 ch mult to tinned bare ends was ordered plus a box with terminal strips and a mult. This would allow the cable to be threaded through openings of unknown dimension and attached without soldering. For the next several weeks Steve Walsh and I brain stormed and waited for the various pieces to arrive.
So here she is in all of her 4000 pounds of glory. It was all about getting the audio working with minimal complexity and high reliability with a big pile of unknowns and little time for errors as the whole shebang shipped to Europe 6 days after we get our hands on it.
The two arms lift, the disc flips end over end and spins at the same time. Since and audio failure is a show stopper, it's all about redundancy so after some looking around, decided on the cool Sennheiser SKB2000 plug in wireless transmitters. Full 48 volt phantom, lots o channels and they come in little leather pouches that can clip to the cymbal legs. Unfortunately we needed a minimum of 10 and finding 10 of these matched rarities is both really tough and/or really expensive. So we decided to buy them. Oh, and hey, we will be selling most of them as well as the matching receivers after the tour next month so let Daniella know if you are interested. Basically they just plug onto any mic and make it wireless. http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/professional_wireless-microphone-systems_plug-on-transmitter_2000-series_021738
Locking in the wireless backup took a pile of weight off. We now had at least something that had a good chance of working assuming we did not get drop outs when the metal riser flips and we don't get crushed by interference in Europe. The AC power backup was easy, just bolt down a UPS unit on the riser and pull power during the solo and let the run off the battery backup for the 6 minute adventure. Here are the 10 wireless transmitters hitting a set of snake tails into the mult of the stage box.
The other parallel mult of the stage box hits a snake and power cable that feeds through the center hole. Turns out we were barely able to fit the 20 channel mult cable after all. It was less than a 1/32 of an inch to spare.
This is the cable drum that Showrig added to the riser for us with a plexiglas bottom. Since the riser splits in half, so does the cable drum. The cable then feeds through a small trough on the left. Note that the drum does not spin and is attached to the outer ring that only flips.
The rotator post which does spin, holds the cable such that it coils and un coils itself.
After traveling down the non spinning trough, the cable enters the axle past the spinning disk and exits the end. The twist caused by flipping can be manually paged by our SSE monitor tech, Perttu. Oh, and I forgot to mention, the riser also drives downstage, turns to one side, backs up and turns again before driving back home again. The final choreography has three spins a few partial rotations and a single flip over. The tour is only 15 shows so we are pretty confident we wont have to change the cable out.
Meanwhile, we also have the 10 wireless redundant channels as a backup in the event the cable gets caught and chewed. The only weak link is that a chewed cable will most likely short out the mic lines but fortunately if we had to, we could risk Perttu's life and have him dash up and pull the hardwire mult except during the flips and spins to save the finally of the solo. And there you have it. I am sure there are plenty of youtube videos getting posted so do a search if you want to see the actual machine in action.
So now we have two shows under our belt. Both the wired and wireless lines are solid and the wireless does not sound as good but is good enough to get me through if need be. I have the wired drums on one VCA and the wireless on another VCA. I can slide between the two sets seamlessly. I actually started bypassing the gates on the wireless toms and snares and adding them in when Travis plays softer parts. And on to other adventures....
It has been a while but we are closer to done on the NL4 Sniffers, here is a shot of the final production first run. Soon soon.
Oh, and while I am nerding it up, here is one for my analog brethren. Here is a significant and almost always overlooked issue I constantly see on Midas and other consoles. Can you spot the issue?
Notice the st aux 7&8 knob lower right. All knobs are turned all the way down bit it has been put on such that it points exactly at infinity while the other three are swept to below infinity. While this ma seem innocuous, it is common, especially when dialling up matrixes and such to set the knobs pointing at "0." Except when the the knob is incorrectly placed on the shaft, it will send at a lower volume level than it should due to not being rotated far enough yet visually looking correct. Now take the cumulative effect of this occurring on an aux send, to a group to left and right and then to a matrix and you can get very audible imbalances. The correct knob placement is for it to point below infinity when turned down all the way.
**** End Sound Nerd Speak ****
Oh, check this out, Nick Taylor made my day. Imagine getting a message asking me if I would like to go for a surf in the North Sea while I am in Scotland.
Instant YES! So he pics me up at the gig, loans me a suit and board and off we go to some chilly water and waves.
How big? Well, Ronnie Kimball and I have perfected a wave measurement system. The great neutralizer between the whole measure the back of the wave, front of the wave, exaggerations or whatever. All waves are 2-3 ft.and if they are bigger, 2-3 +, and smaller is 2-3 -. Done. So these waves? Well, they were 2-3 +. Oh, and the water is never 'cold,' only some days are just more 'refreshing' than others.
A quick walk through a small 500 year old village
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footdee filled with miniature houses
And then back to the gig for another terrible day at the world office.
Dave Rat
PS, If I am ever on tour near you and you want to come take me surfing, I am in!
Posted by Dave Rat at 06:50 | Comments (11) | Trackbacks (0)
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text:
Apple developer event sells out in two hours
Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference has sold out just two hours after the company announced the dates, showing just how popular the OS X and iOS platforms continue to be for developers.
To be held from June 11 to 15 in San Francisco, the event will see Apple sharing 'the latest news' about iOS 5 and the forthcoming OS X Mountain Lion, as well as presenting over 100 technical sessions to help people learn to develop, deploy and integrate apps on the iPhone, iPad and Mac platforms.
The dates were announced on the same day as Apple presented its quarterly results, revealing sales of 35.1 million iPhones, 11.8 million iPads, and 4 million Macs.
The company's cash reserves are US$110.2 billion, a spiralling figure that Apple is struggling to control.
Videos of the WWDC sessions will be available shortly after they are presented, and Apple is also giving away 150 student scholarship tickets for promising young developers. Applications for these tickets close on May 2 (you must be a member of either the iOS developer programme, the iOS developer University programme, or the Mac developer programme to enter).
Apple shares rose almost US$50, or 8.9%, throughout the day, currently sitting on exactly US$610.


text:
Airport Design that moves you emotionally, today and tomorrow
By Dian Hasan | Mary 21, 2010
Madrid Barajas Airport, Madrid, Spain
Design: Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, 1997 – 2010
In the world of architecture, airports command an interesting challenge. They are concurrently showcases of efficiency, cathedrals of awe, hubs of human and flying machine activities, and cocoons of security. The challenge that rests on the shoulders of designer, engineers, programmers, security specialists, and an unending host of other specialists with specific skill sets must be able to capture all this and package into an edifice that can move people, both literally and figuratively.
Airport design is all about connecting emotionally with the international travel community, which translates into anyone, anywhere, at any time. Practically the entire human race, first-time air travelers and seasoned frequent flyers. Here's a glimpse of the latest in contemporary airport design from around the world.
There's so much potential to improve airline travel in so many ways with the creation of a better experience, deliver a sense of freedom that was previously unavailable to all but the wealthiest of travelers. Sustainability and energy efficiency are extremely important. There's a trend of pushing cars farther away from the terminals and improving access to public transit with better rail links and easy-to-use connections. Quieter airplanes make it possible to close the distance between city and airport, which will cut down transit times.
Today's architects must reconsider the basic structure of airports. If they land planes on an incline to assist in deceleration and have runways end on top of the terminals to eliminate the need for taxiing, they can save billions of gallons of fuel each day. It's not that radical of an idea. They can utilize the concept to make airports more efficient.
As anyone who has been to Boston, Berlin, Bali, Brisbane, Bogota, or Bamako will attest, travel is more than the mere experience of going somewhere. Travel design must convey the complex messages of: place, pleasure, and international exchange.
Terminals are the Taj Mahals of travel design. The best are those that can convey gateways to an optimistic future. Like a cathedral, the terminal's inspires a feeling of exaltation before sending you on your way. It is a focus of constant motion, and yet the traveler is encouraged to pause for a quick bite, a gourmet meal or a relaxing cocktail, or just to sit on a comfortable bench and gape at the terminal's celestial ceiling, upon which the cosmos have been painted.
There will never be a final word on airport design, as airports are in a constant state of flux. New terminals are built in response to new complications, such as increased traffic and heightened security. Old terminals, no matter how beautiful, are continually modified.


text:
Common Core may be the most controversial education issue you know nothing about. It's been trashed on radio talk shows and touted in speeches, and it will be the subject of three public hearings across the state this month. Yet 55 percent of parents are clueless about the nationwide initiative, a recent poll showed.
Here are answers to some of the most common Common Core questions.
What is Common Core?
Common Core is a set of academic standards spelling out what students should learn in language arts and math from kindergarten to 12th grade. The standards have been adopted by 45 states, including Florida. Educators use these standards to create courses, select textbooks and devise lessons.
Why did Florida adopt Common Core? Didn't we already have standards?
Yes, Florida had its own language-arts and math standards (plus standards for science, social studies and other subjects). State educators say the Common Core standards are similar to but better than Florida's current ones, which they describe as sometimes vague. Common Core requires students to learn math, reading and writing at a "deeper level of mastery." That means less focus on rote memorization and more on problem-solving and reading more complex texts.
Why is that better?
Common Core advocates say more rigorous standards mean higher expectations for students — and more students will leave high school ready for college or decent-paying jobs. They also argue common standards across many states will better position American students in a global economy.
So why is there opposition?
Many opponents in Florida view the standards as a "federal intrusion" into public education, which they say should be a state and local concern.
"It's a loss of local control and parental input in the process," said Laura Caruso, a St. Cloud mother opposed to Common Core. "Florida has given up her educational independence. She's signed it away."
Some fear the multistate standards will lead to a national student database and "data mining" that will violate youngsters' privacy. Others worry the new standards will lead to more high-stakes standardized testing and siphon money away from other public-school programs.
Is the controversy over Common Core a conservative-vs.-liberal issue?
No. In fact, Common Core has created some unlikely allies. Some conservatives, such as former Gov. Jeb Bush, are staunch supporters. But so is the American Federation of Teachers, the national teachers union. Other conservatives, including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, talk-show host Glenn Beck and tea-party activists, are opposed. So is the Badass Teachers Association, a nonpartisan group with left-leaning leaders.
Is it true that Common Core standards are the work of the federal government?
No. The standards were developed through the National Governors Association and state education commissioners, with Florida an early supporter. President Barack Obama's administration, however, encouraged states to adopt the standards by making them a key part of its Race to the Top competition. Some say that amounted to federal coercion. Florida adopted the standards the same day it learned it was a Race to the Top finalist. It eventually won $700 million.
Will Common Core undermine security of student data?
No, the state does not share "student-level information" with the federal government now and won't do so under Common Core, said the Florida Department of Education. The Data Quality Campaign, an advocacy group, said federal law doesn't allow the creation of a national student database. But those worries, especially given the recent controversy over the actions of the National Security Agency, aren't surprising, said Aimee Guidera, the Data Quality Campaign's executive director.
What do teachers think?
Florida has more than 171,000 public-school teachers, so opinions vary. But many seem to support the standards, even as they worry whether they are ready to teach them.
"I think some are nervous. I think some really see this is the direction we need to be going," said Michelle Durni-Austin, math and science coach at Apopka Middle in Orange County. "I'm for it, definitely."
She likes that Common Core-based lessons require students to work through multistep problems and justify their answers. She also likes that some math skills once saved for secondary students will be introduced in elementary school, giving youngsters more time to master them. The end result, she hopes, will be more students graduating and leaving high school well-prepared for college.
Does Common Core mean new standardized tests?
Yes. Once Common Core standards are in place, Florida will need to retire most of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test and some of its end-of-course exams, as they are aligned to old standards. The state is creating new exams in math, reading and writing, likely for students in grades three to 11.
Will the new tests be like FCAT?
The new exams are meant to be more involved than the FCAT, which is mostly multiple choice. They could require students also to show their work on math problems and write essays citing evidence from documents. And state leaders want tests that can compare Florida student performance to that in other states.
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text:
I have always wanted to own a Clarisonic device. The only thing that's getting in the way is the stingy person in me. You see, I always feel that the benefits of the product doesn't really compensate for the cost. It's way too expensive for me.
Then, I came across a similar product while window shopping. I didn't really intend to buy something. But with $7 on the tag, the impulsive person took over.
This is what the front side looks like unopened. It doesn't give much information and it got me looking for the brand name.
This is the reverse side. Here, it tells you the parts of the brush as well as the must-do's. If you're reading them, you can tell that it's made in China (aside from the label that says so). What I am saying is, everything is not clear.
The tool
It has 3 switches- the speeds high and low, and the off switch. The low speed is used for normal cleansing of the face. The second speed is high which is for exfoliation. It is operated by using 2 AA batteries, which are not included in the purchase. It includes 5 accessories.
These are the attachable pieces. You need to make sure that you hear a clicking sound before turning on the device. Otherwise, they will just fall off. In case you are wondering, the brush heads rotate.
Make up sponge
Before squeezing out some facial wash, I first dampen the sponge with tap water. Amazingly, it produces enough lather to clean my face. It also provides a relaxing massage at the same time.
Latex soft sponge
This is harder than the make up sponge. According to the package, it is used for eye and cheek massage. When I tried this, it also felt good. I just don't think that frequent use of this is safe. Latex sponges shouldn't be used for a long time because they hoard bacteria. I think this is also good to be used for applying BB cream and foundation. It gave me a better coverage.
Nylon brush
This what I frequently use for exfoliation. After I use this with my facial wash, it leaves my skin feeling clean. All my white heads cleared out. I don't recommend this for people with sensitive skin and also those who have acne as well. It will just cause irritation and soreness. For me, this is good to be used with a low setting. If switched to high, it will just leave your face in pain.
Massage sand sheet
I don't totally understand what the package meant with "accessory to rip tough skin and cutin off". This just sounded too painful for me. I think this pumice looking thing is used for calluses, as well as for areas around the elbow and knees.
Massage wheel
I love this one. I use this after I apply serum, moisturizer and oils. I also use this after using a mask sheet, . I feel that they are absorbed well with the help of this accessory. I can also feel that my facial blood circulation improved with this.
Overall say
I think the product is worth the cheap price. Just don't expect much of it because I feel like it can break anytime. So far, it is serving its purpose for me which is cleansing, improving circulation and exfoliation. I also don't think that the device is waterproof so I don't recommend to use this in the shower.
- Cleanses face effectively
- Exfoliates – also removes black and white heads
- Accessories spin – I saw similar devices online that just vibrates and don't really spin at all.
- Leaves my skin soft and smooth
- Small size- convenient for traveling
- Unclear instructions
- Packaging is not easy to open
- Can leave your skin sore if not used properly.
- Doesn't look well built.
- Not waterproof
- Rotating heads aren't replaceable. Once they break, you need to repurchase everything
What do you guys think? Please comment below. Thank you for reading.


text:
The deck just keeps shuffling.
With Alessio Sakara forced out of August's UFC 133 event, Constantinos Philippou (7-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has been pulled from a preliminary card bout with Rafael "Sapo" Natal (12-3-1 MMA, 0-1-1 UFC) and will now face Jorge Rivera (19-8 MMA, 7-6 UFC) on the evening's pay-per-view broadcast.
UFC officials today announced the switch.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has confirmed with sources close to the event that the promotion is currently seeking a replacement opponent for Natal, as well.
Featuring a light heavyweight headliner between Rashad Evans and Tito Ortiz, UFC 133 takes place at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Aug. 6.
Philippou, a Serra-Longo Fight Team fighter, suffered an elimination-round loss to Joseph Henle on "The Ultimate Fighter 11." However, as a late replacement on the UFC 128 card, he signed a UFC contract and suffered a unanimous-decision loss to Nick Catone. Prior to the setback, the Ring of Combat veteran owned a seven-fight win streak with five stoppage victories.
Rivera looks to rebound from a February loss to contender Michael Bisping. Rivera, who was slowed by an accidental low blow, waged a trash-talking campaign ahead of the UFC 127 co-headliner but ultimately suffered a second-round TKO defeat. Prior to the loss, he entered title contention with four victories in five UFC fights. Three of the victories (over Kendall Grove, Rob Kimmons and Nate Quarry) came via knockout.
For more on UFC 133, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.
(Pictured: Constantinos Philippou)


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Education in the Media
New K-12 Advocacy Groups Wield State-Level CloutMay 14, 2012
By all accounts, the process of passing a new educator-evaluation law in Colorado was a bruising one. Lawmakers recall tearful meetings with teachers and their unions, vicious emails from constituents, and tense exchanges with colleagues.
It was 2010, the federal Race to the Top competition was well under way, and Terrance Carroll, a Democrat who was then the speaker of the House of Representatives, had the task of getting a bill that the state's largest and most powerful teachers' union refused to support through several key committee votes.
Senate Bill 191, which had already passed the Senate, tied evaluations to student achievement, revamped the tenure-granting process, and based teacher placement on factors other than seniority. It was a bitter pill for the Colorado Education Association, an affiliate of the National Education Association.
But despite that obstacle, Mr. Carroll, a product of the District of Columbia public schools and a proponent of the bill, was determined to demonstrate a shift within the Democratic Party on education measures often resisted by the party.
"One of the first things I said was, 'We're not going to pass this bill with all Republicans and just one Democratic vote. It doesn't have to be the entire Democratic caucus, but I need eight to 10 votes to come along with me, so it's clear there's movement in the Democratic Party to support education reform,' " recalled Mr. Carroll, who was term-limited out of office in 2011.
To accomplish that goal, he turned to relatively new players on the political scene: the education advocacy groups Democrats for Education Reform/Education Reform Now and Stand for Children."One of the first things I said was, 'We're not going to pass this bill with all Republicans and just one Democratic vote. It doesn't have to be the entire Democratic caucus, but I need eight to 10 votes to come along with me, so it's clear there's movement in the Democratic Party to support education reform,' " recalled Mr. Carroll, who was term-limited out of office in 2011.
The latter group—based in Portland, Ore., but with a presence in 10 states—and its network of local volunteers, plus its connections to other community groups, proved especially pivotal in drumming up backers for the proposal, Mr. Carroll said.
"They were exceptionally helpful," he said. "They organized parents and students and teachers who might have been union teachers, but disagreed with the union's position, to come down and talk to legislators. And that was key, because the teachers' union had hoards of members at the Capitol every day."
State-Level Influence
If there is a clear sign of the growing influence of a new breed of national education advocacy organizations, it surely lies in their entry into state-level politics. That involvement has advanced the groups' similar policy priorities on such issues as overhauling teacher evaluation and expanding charter schools.
The story of SB 191's passage in Colorado is among the most striking examples, but in just five years, groups such as DFER, Stand for Children, and the more recently launched StudentsFirst have helped shape legislative proposals in statehouse after statehouse.
Although the list is not comprehensive and the details vary by state, their efforts include these examples:
- Stand for Children has lobbied in support of bills revamping teacher evaluation in all 10 states in which it has an office. In several of those states, such as Illinois and Massachusetts, it has had a representative on panels charged with writing regulations or legislation governing teacher evaluations.
- Stand for Children Oregon, in 2008-09, successfully lobbied for funding for a mentoring program for new teachers and worked with other nonprofit organizations on a project to improve teacher professional development. In 2010-11, it supported several bills in a legislative education package, including one that changed the state schools superintendency from an elected to an appointed position.
- DFER has been a power player in New York education politics since 2006, pushing successfully, for example, to raise the state's charter school cap in 2010 to prepare the state to compete in the federal Race to the Top competition, in which it won $700 million.
- The StudentsFirst group spent some $900,000 last year on lobbying in Michigan, including support for a variety of teacher-quality proposals.
Mobilizing Forces
Political scientists attribute the groups' state-level successes partly to a rearrangement of political coalitions around education in statehouses, and to a favorable policy climate created by the Obama administration.
The Race to the Top initiative, initially financed through the 2009 federal economic-stimulus legislation, gave Democrats the political cover to push for priorities such as expansion of charter schools, alternative teacher training, and teacher performance evaluations tied in part to students' academic gains—issues that previously had been associated most closely with Republicans.
"These are people who believe strongly in the public school system, but really felt that unless they took it in a quite significantly different direction, it was not going to survive, maintain itself, or improve itself," Lorraine M. McDonnell, a professor of political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said about the Obama administration. "And these groups were important in allying with that point of view."
Advocacy can take many forms, ranging from grassroots lobbying, to direct lobbying of legislators, to explicitly political activities such as campaigning. Each of the entities operated by the advocacy organizations is subject to different restrictions under the U.S. tax code and campaign-finance laws.
The groups' lobbying priorities have spanned any number of issues. Take, for example, the Tennessee wing of StudentsFirst. Since opening its doors in 2011, the organization has backed legislation or policies to link teacher evaluations to student performance, including test scores; set higher standards for teacher tenure; lift restrictions on class sizes; and offer private school vouchers for disadvantaged students in academically struggling schools.
Not all of those efforts, such as the class-size and voucher measures, became law. But the group is convinced it's building a reputation as an authoritative voice on school issues at the Statehouse, said Mike Carpenter, the director of StudentsFirst's Tennessee chapter.
"The message is, 'We're here for the long term,' " said Mr. Carpenter, a Republican and a former member of the Shelby County Commission. "We're not here to parachute in for one or two issues and then leave."
The organization's success will be measured by whether it becomes a "go-to organization when people want to know something about education, and education reform," he said. "When legislators start saying, 'Where is StudentsFirst on this issue?' then I'll know we're having an impact."
The Tennessee chapter has eight registered lobbyists, some of them hired on a contract basis, working on its behalf at the Statehouse, including Mr. Carpenter and Michelle A. Rhee, the founder and chief executive officer of the national Students First organization. That's about the same number the Tennessee Education Association says it has promoting its agenda.
These national K-12 advocacy groups are also providing campaign muscle.
"Our approach is look at states, and then within states, to look at the districts where we feel like we can, over time, have a significant impact," said Jonah Edelman, the founder and CEO of Stand for Children. "Elections in those places are sometimes key opportunities for impact, either to sustain a positive direction or shift to a more constructive direction."
Colorado Race
One candidate who received Stand for Children's support was Keith Swerdfeger, a construction executive who two years ago ran for the Colorado legislature from House District 47, in the Pueblo area. Mr. Swerdfeger, a Republican, faced Carole Partin, a Democrat and retired middle school teacher, who was also a former president of the Pueblo Education Association, an affiliate of the CEA.
Ms. Partin received support from the CEA and the Colorado affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers. But the Colorado chapter of Stand for Children was impressed with the Republican's positions, including his favorable view of SB 191.
Mr. Swerdfeger raised $129,904 during his campaign, outspending Ms. Partin, who collected $78,579. At least $16,000 of Ms. Partin's financial backing came from groups that identified themselves in state campaign-finance records as state teachers' unions or their affiliates. Stand for Children's small-donor committee helped Mr. Swerdfeger counter the union spending by contributing $4,000 to his campaign, the organization confirmed.
But the group's main influence on the race was not financial, Mr. Swerdfeger said. Stand for Children's endorsement bolstered the Republican's message to voters that he supports public schools, he said, despite his opponent's backing from teachers' organizations.
"It put the word out that we were all concerned about kids and building a strong foundation through education," he said.
Ms. Partin did not support SB 191, regarding it as unfair to teachers, a view she said she conveyed in a pre-election interview with representatives of Stand for Children. The Democrat believes she faced long odds in winning election, given the losses her party suffered in Colorado and around the country in 2010. But she also says Stand for Children's support for her opponent had an impact. Mr. Swerdfeger won handily, with 63 percent of the vote to 37 percent for Ms. Partin.
"I didn't realize how well organized they were, what a machine they had," Ms. Partin said. Overall, she felt that she had to fight the perception that she was aligned with the "big, bad teachers' union."
But Kayla McGannon, the director of advocacy for Stand for Children Colorado, said that while backing candidates who supported SB 191 was a "big priority" for the group, it also favored incumbents or challengers who shared the organization's broader views of education policy, not just on teacher effectiveness.
StudentsFirst, like Stand for Children, presents itself as an issue-based nonpartisan group willing to back candidates from both major political parties.
The organization's New Jersey partner, Better Education for New Jersey Kids, for instance, spent some $548,000 last year to help elect two Democrats, Troy Singleton and Gabriela Mosquera, to the state Assembly, campaign-finance records show. The group also supported two Republican candidates, who did not win their races.
The group selected its candidates through questionnaires that asked, among other queries, whether they supported teacher-tenure reform.
Delicate Balance
"We didn't purposely set out to support two and two like that, but in the end it was a nice representation of our philosophy, which is that education reform should be nonpartisan," said Mike Lilley, the executive director of the New Jersey organization.
Even so, a mix of endorsements across the political aisle can be a delicate issue for lawmakers in an era in which many other policy debates are riven by partisanship. Some state legislators have found the willingness of Stand for Children and StudentsFirst to back candidates based on policy rather than party line unnerving.
"It's a bit of a deal breaker," said one state Democratic lawmaker, who has worked with Stand for Children. "Once you spend to help cost us a seat, you're no longer really in the family." The lawmaker declined to be named, citing his relationship with the group.
Across the states in which Democrats for Education Reform is active, that group—as its name suggests—has supported only Democrats. But it has also faced difficult decisions about whether to endorse candidates when their positions on some issues contrast sharply with the views of donors to the group, according to Joe Williams, DFER's executive director.
Mr. Williams cited the example of one Democratic candidate for state legislature who supported charter schools and other school improvement steps favored by DFER. But the candidate, whom Mr. Williams declined to name, opposed gay marriage, a stance that angered some donors.
Mr. Williams said he was able to persuade some of those donors to back the candidate anyway. "He was an important person to have on our side," he said.
Protecting Wins
Such advocacy groups increasingly appear to be stepping up to protect candidates who have bucked other constituencies on key policy votes.
Teachers' unions are among the strongest backers of Democrats in state races, and "yes" votes on Colorado's SB 191 carried political consequences for some Democrats in that state. Smarting from the bill's successful passage, CEA affiliates vetted local candidates facing re-election in 2010 based in part on their support for the bill.
"What was good about that process was that a conversation ensued where we talked to those folks about questions we may have had about why the vote took place," said Tony Salazar, the executive director of the CEA.
Ultimately, the unions' affiliates withheld legislative endorsements from six House Democrats and two Senate Democrats facing re-election. The union also withheld contributions from those candidates' re-election bids, campaign-finance records show.
To make up the difference, the DFER group, through its 501(c)4 entity, provided more than $400,000 to independent-expenditure accounts managed by party leaders that were used to support the Democratic incumbents.
"We wanted to make sure there was no political price for those votes," Mr. Williams said.
In Tennessee, one of StudentsFirst's goals is to provide a political firewall of support for legislators who have continued to back a controversial 2010 law that tied teachers' and administrators' evaluations to gains in student achievement, despite vehement criticism from some quarters.
StudentsFirst counted well over a dozen bills that have been introduced this year that it contends would water down the evaluation system in some way, said Mr. Carpenter. So far, he said, StudentsFirst has had a role in helping defeat them all.
Many Tennessee legislators have heard complaints about the law from teachers, administrators, and others in their districts, Mr. Carpenter said. But StudentsFirst has sought to persuade those lawmakers that the public is with them.
"For education reform to happen, you've got to have continuity of leadership," Mr. Carpenter said. Lawmakers who backed the policy may worry that "they stick their necks out, and then there's no one there to support them at election time," he said.
StudentsFirst, he said, is trying to remind those legislators "they're not alone."
Some observers, like Ms. McDonnell of the University of California, ask whether these new-breed groups can keep the same momentum they've had over the past few years. Ideas the groups have supported, such as teacher evaluation tied in part to student performance, have become mainstream in K-12 education, she said. Because of that, those ideas "are being scrutinized, not just politically but by researchers," she said.
"Those kinds of things are going to slow the political momentum down," Ms. McDonnell. "There are implementation glitches that are going to have be fixed. So I just don't see them needing to play the same kind of role."
Influence Overstated?
Tennessee Education Association officials suggest that StudentsFirst has overstated its own influence on school policy debates in that state. The union does not believe that teacher evaluation will be an overriding issue at the polls in 2012, said Al Mance, the TEA's executive director, so much as the overall spate of what he terms "anti-teacher" legislation approved recently by state lawmakers.
Mr. Mance cited a 2011 law that stripped teachers' collective bargaining powers and replaced them with "collaborative conferencing" between groups of educators and school boards. (StudentsFirst said it did not support the law.)
StudentsFirst "can make any claims they want," Mr. Mance said. "The people who get into office in Tennessee are elected by the voters in Tennessee," and the idea that StudentsFirst would have major role in determining those outcomes is "terribly politically naive," he said.
Whatever the future of the new generation of advocacy groups, elected officials who have worked with them say their campaign activities show the strength of their commitment to being serious players in education politics.
"To a large degree, it showed that education reform had grown up," Mr. Carroll, the former Colorado speaker of the House, said of the discussion over Senate Bill 191, "and that these groups were willing to play the political game in a much more substantive way."


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With the 2010 release of Rapunzel, Disney will only have four common fairy tales left to make feature films out of (The Princess and the Pea, Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Plato's Republic). Knowing that they are nearing the end, Disney is pulling out all the stops on this one, using cutting-edge computer animation and filming the entire production in something called Hair-O-Vision.
Originally, Rapunzel was to be titled Rapunzel Unbraided, but an episode of Mythbusters dealing with the usefulness of hair for climbing proved that braided hair was actually stronger than unbraided hair, climbing wise, and if Rapunzel was going to have braided hair, they couldn't advertise that she would be unbraided (for legal reasons).
Tags: Rapunzel


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In early 2013, the US State Department released some safety tips aimed specifically at gay travellers. Most travel safety tips are the same regardless of your sexual orientation, but in certain countries gay and lesbian travelers have to be especially aware of the environment around them. Because of this, here is a reminder of some of those safety tips sanctioned by the US Government, as well as some extra safety tips it would make sense to bear in mind. Much of this is common sense, but if you think 'safety' as you travel then you can be sure of an uneventful and thoroughly enjoyable vacation!
Do your Research
Before you book your vacation take a little time to do some research into the country you're thinking of travelling to. Right now Russia, for example, is not the best country for gay tourists to be visiting. Remember that cultural differences are still relevant, and many countries aren't as welcoming to same sex couples as others. Last year a bed and breakfast in the UK refused to allow a gay couple to stay in their accomodation: their decision was ultimately overturned by the high court, but by that point the vacation of the couple involved had been ruined. Bearing this in mind, you should always reserve your hotel room with knowledge. Take to the internet to find out how welcoming to gay people the country you're wishing to visit is. Some hotels won't allow same-sex guests to stay in a room with one bed: you may find you are put in a room with twin beds or even separate rooms. It's best to inquire before booking, to avoid any upset when you arrive at your destination hotel.
Be Drug Aware
Research has shown that drug use is around seven times higher amongst the gay community, and approximately one third of Americans who are imprisoned abroad are imprisoned on drug offences. Because of this it's important to be drug-aware when you're travelling abroad. The government advises a zero tolerance policy towards buying and taking drugs abroad. In many countries drug offences carry full life penalties, and the risk just isn't worth the reward. If you can't spend two weeks on vacation without taking recreational drugs then you should explore rehab options before you travel. Buying and using drugs abroad can lead to criminal charges, arrest and imprisonment. You should be aware when buying medication abroad too: although your regular medication may be a much lower cost in a different country, they may not be the same quality or have the same safety testing standards as the medication you take back home. It is also illegal to bring medication from foreign soil into the United States. If in doubt, just don't do it!
Trust Your Instincts
Whenever you're travelling in a foreign and unfamiliar country you should keep your wits about you. Be aware of what's going on around you and trust your instincts. If you're in a situation you don't feel comfortable with then get out of it, if possible. Always keep enough cash on you to jump into a taxi to your hotel, and carry your hotel's business card so that you always have the address to hand. In January a pair of gay tourists were attacked in Rome by two Russian tourists. They were subjected to homophobic insults, kicks and punches. If you do find yourself in a dangerous situation then try to keep as calm as possible. It's unlikely for any attack to be motivated by homophobia: Often any threatening behavior will ultimately be a simple robbery. Remember that it's better to lose your wallet or your camera than to risk injury.
Who's Your Next of Kin?
If you need any emergency hospital treatment whilst you're abroad then it's worth carrying a legal document of your wishes that will authorize, on your behalf, any medical treatment you need (if you're in a situation where you can't voice your wishes and needs for yourself). You should take this safety precaution because in some less-liberal parts of the world, your same sex partner may not be recognized as your next of kin, and therefore will not be able to speak for you, or make decisions on your behalf if needed.
Get With the Program
Finally if you're a frequent traveler, or just planning a one-off vacation then you should register for the Government's Smart Traveler Program. The program is open to everyone, regardless of your color, creed, or sexual orientation. All you do is register your intention to travel on the website, and then the state department will know where you are if a crisis arises. They will also be able to send you emails updating you on the status in the country your visiting, and warning you if a dangerous situation arises.