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Judge Bao, the flinty and decisive Chinese opera character with a crescent Moon on his forehead, starts to sing and glide across the stage. As usual, he's handing out his verdict to criminals and upholding morality, yet something sets this particular Bao apart from his other incarnations: He sings in Thai.
"We're in Thailand and the main language we use to communicate is Thai. For Chinese opera to survive here, it also has to be in Thai."
That's what Ampan Jarensuklab believes. Although best known for starring in a TV commercial as an abominable man who won't finish eating his fish _ thus his nom de guerre Meng Por Pla _ television is just a side job. Ampan's main role revolves around the stage, contributing greatly to the art of ngiw, or Chinese opera, chiefly by pioneering Thai-language versions of the ancient craft once seen only in Chinatown.
For years he has given lectures on ngiw at universities. He once staged a performance for HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and he trained Thai actresses such as Siriluck "Joy" Pongchok for a Channel 3 soap series which incorporated a ngiw performance. Ampan definitely takes his art and spreads it around.
Ampan Jarensuklab
He had the opportunity to spend his high school years in China and studied the art of Chinese opera. On coming back to Thailand in 1964, his fondness for the art form and immersion in a community appreciative of Chinese operas led him to become the first to translate Teochew Chinese operas into Thai.
We're talking about the times when television was non-existent, let alone the internet or digital devices, and live performances were the public's only source of entertainment. As a young boy, Ampan grew up in a Chinese family that loved to watch the opera, and he skipped class to watch shows when they came to his neighbourhood.
''It was wildly popular because there were a lot of Chinese people in Bangkok then,'' Ampan recalls. ''From Sam Yan, Chula, Hua Lamphong, Sampheng to Yaowarat, Chinese was the main language people used.''
Back in the 1950s they were solely performed in various Chinese dialects, with the main target audience being Chinese people living in Thailand. Usually, audience members had to pay a fee, but if the performances took place at temples they could be viewed for free. These shows would usually take place during festival seasons _ Chinese New Year and others _ where it is believed that Chinese operas should be hired for the the entertainment of the gods, as well as the people.
''However, when the opera troupes went to tour in the countryside, people took great interest in it because it was something new for them,'' Ampan explains. ''If they didn't watch Chinese operas, there were only outdoor films, likay and Surapol Sombatcharoen-styled luk thung concerts.''
With a growing interest for Chinese opera among Thai people and decreasing Teochew-speaking audiences as the generations died out, it later became crucial to provide Thai dubbing so the story could be understood.
''When [Thai] people know there isn't any dubbing, they just get up and leave. The dubbing is done when there is no singing and it's only instrumental, nevertheless it's still beautiful music to listen to. The problem then becomes the Chinese people who didn't like the Thai dub disturbing their show experience altogether.''
It was then that Ampan saw the light and realised it was necessary to make ngiw a type of Thai art altogether in order to ensure its survival.
Judge Bao, timelessly popular whether in Chinese operas or television series.
''Ngiw is a specific type of art performance and it can become a part of Thai culture, just like how likay is from India and musicals also originated from abroad. There are more than 200 types of ngiw in China because every region has their own language. Why can't we make ngiw another type of art in Thailand? We should be able to do that.''
The task of translating Teochew lines to Thai was no picnic, Ampan tells us.
''It's not an easy thing at all because you need to know about music as well the Thai language. You must understand how the scale and the musical system works and how you can put Thai words in so it creates balance and sounds good. Luckily, I liked to listen to luk thung and international music as well, so it helps.
''Back in the day, there wasn't even any note-reading or script. People either had to memorise everything or they simply sang whatever they felt like singing. It was very old-fashioned and very underdeveloped compared to what I saw in China, where they place great importance on performance art. There's no standard, so what the actors sang didn't go with the music and the message they had to deliver blurred. What is their personality? The things they say should be in line with what they are.''
One of the first developments Ampan initiated was teaching the performers to learn to read musical notes and scripts, which in turn, can create harmony and prevent people from speaking at the same time. Today all performances are scripted and are hardly improvised. Other than that, he also tries to bring Thai plotlines into Chinese opera, using great stories such as the ghost story of Nang Nak, or the historical episode of Queen Suriyothai or King Naresuan. Thinking of new actions and dances to go with it is also trying.
''It looks nice when the actor is doing the horse-gallop stunt. When he's 'riding' an elephant, which is non-existent in Chinese stories, his legs are wider apart and it looks less beautiful and silly when he is galloping.
''This is something I must continue to study and figure out every day.''
On top of the difficulty of changing the language and actions, his objective of trying to preserve the art was not without opposition.
''People didn't understand why I was changing everything into Thai and thought that it was a threat to the Teochew heritage,'' Ampan recounts. ''They didn't understand that I was trying to establish this as a Thai art and that it wasn't specifically a Teochew art any more. With my troupe, it's not a performance group out to just make a living. We have our morals and place great emphasis on the artistry of the craft. You can see that in our stage design, more elaborate costumes and our performers going through longer, harder practice hours.''
Ampan's troupe's performances are hard to catch; in fact, any Chinese opera performing in Thai is hard to find nowadays, according to him.
''There is a lack of personnel in this field today and we must hurry to produce more qualified people because with Asean joining together in the future, Chinese opera is actually one of the things that will be used to bridge the different cultures together. I would want to start a school that gives everyone the opportunity to study about the art. There is so much to learn: how it must be sung, how to write scripts, how Shanghai and Peking operas are different and so on. I want to preserve and to develop the art so it is even better. For me, this is not even about business or financial gain but about building a person.''
After all, the old pioneer sees great importance in this old art, but more importantly, what it gives people.
''With ngiw, there is always a moral and the main importance is every single story teaches people to do good things. It is like a movable school and you can learn about so much Chinese history and culture just by watching.
''In fact, the only real Thai people that first entered this field were Isan people, and they were usually young teens who had no homes. During those times, they lacked performers and these kids didn't have anywhere to go so troupes took them in. They may just start out with small roles like soldiers but through time and experience, now they probably have main leading roles.
''It brings many good things because it doesn't only teach Thai people about Chinese culture, it creates. It's not just something Chinese people can perform, anyone can, if given the opportunity.''
Catch Ampan's troupe from today until Tuesday at Seacon Square, which will be hosting the ''Sueb San Tamnan Mungkorn'' fair to celebrate Chinese New Year. A grand line-up of Chinese opera shows in Teochew and Thai languages will be at both Srinakarin and Bang Khae branches. The programme includes
The Teochew Wife, an international Chinese opera; two Teochew operas,
The Good Wife Must Die and Xichu Bawang (The Great Conqueror's Concubine); and two Thai-Chinese operas _ The Blind Empress and Bao Wen Zheng: Beheading Bao Mian.
Make-up, along with costume and set design, is one of the defining physical components of ngiw .
About the author
Writer: Parisa Pichitmarn
Position: Life Writer


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- May 6, 2013
- 4:26 a.m.
- Suggest removal
- Reply to this post
raprap writes:
Amazing how a school can succeed when students are gifted and willing to learn. Unfortunately Schools like the Charter demonstrates the futility of NCLB. Perhaps if all schools should be given the power of expulsion and more could be exceptional.
Congratz to Charter school, nice to see someone is learning to know the Calculus.
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subset: commoncrawl


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by Anthony Enright
Fashion is cyclical and capricious; if hemlines are the ever changing variable in the world of women's style, for men no style choice is more personal or complex than what to do about facial hair. You see, over the past few years the beard and mustache have had a moment. What seemingly began as a sign of hipster affectation akin to the wearing of trucker hats, work boots and lumberjack clothing has lately merged so far into the mainstream that the thoroughly vanilla guys in yogurt and laundry detergent ads can be seen sporting facial hair that wouldn't seem out of place on a Civil War battlefield. What gives? How did facial hair move so quickly into the style mainstream, and how can you try it out without looking like a fashion victim?
I thought about doing a fun rundown of facial hair throughout history, but quickly realized the subject is far too broad for me to do it any kind of justice. Suffice to say that men's individual and cultural relationships to the hair that grows on their face is massively weird. Beards, mustaches and other facial hair have a number of actual physical benefits, including protection, warmth and sheer convenience; shaving sucks now, can you imagine how much worse it would have been in the ancient world? On the cultural side, men's facial hair has always had a link to perceived virility, masculine identity and status. Various cultures have attached religious and social constraints on when facial hair should be grown or removed, and it figures prominently into most of the world's religious traditions either as a requirement or as a taboo. The social, sexual and political implications that can be subverted, hinted at or thwarted by simply growing or shaving your face are kind of astounding.
In small but significant ways, the past decade has seen facial hair variety return to a level not seen since the late 19th and early 20th century. I attribute it to the resurgence of interest in and acceptance of all things organic, natural and heritage. After all, what could be more natural than just letting nature take its course when it comes to your face. As culture has turned away (at least superficially) from things that are visibly artificial or augmented, it's become more acceptable for guys to leave their natural facial hair intact without it being a political statement or direct social signifier. In other words, lots of different kinds of guys are now seen sporting beards and mustaches without it meaning anything or implying any shared social group. That said, there are still some general rules that you should be aware of if you're trying out facial hair for the first time. I'm not going to get all imperious and say you should absolutely never grow a soul patch, but if you're ever tempted to do something on your face you consider questionable just Google 'bad facial hair' to see how a bunch of otherwise attractive celebrities sabotage their own good looks with unfortunate facial hair. Don't be one of those guys, life's too short.
A visual index of facial hair rules is below:
1. Don't Fear the 'Stache
So maybe you can't grow a beard. For me my unique racial heritage precludes an actual beard, somehow though I am able to grow a mustache. While it will never reach the epic majesty of Magnum P.I., it's respectable, and I kind of love it. If you do decide to sport a mustache be prepared for the inevitable "porn 'stache" comments and also for endless compliments from drunk 'bros in bars on your "Awesome 'stache"! (I'm not kidding about the 'bros, someone needs to explain that social phenemenon to me…)
2. Beard Maintenance
If you can grow a beard and it doesn't make you look like an indigent street preacher, congrats! Now you will have the enviable task of maintaining that beard so that it is neither unruly and backwoods or (just as bad) overly groomed into fussy looking stubble. You'll definitely need a good beard trimmer, but remember that the whole point of this look is some level of naturalism, so keep it looking clean, but don't get too obsessive about daily trimming. And for the love of god, do not try to do any kind of fancy shaping, leave that look to nefarious movie villains.
3. Take Inspiration from History; but Don't Go Overboard!
It's probably self-evident that the images above are a mix of inspiration and cautionary tale. There are certainly style lessons to be learned from the past, but taking them too literally can end up in cartoon territory, so some restraint is necessary.
4. Get The Right Tools.
In conclusion, facial hair is a fun way of experimenting with changing your appearance drastically and temporarily, and social conventions accept a much wider variety of styles than in past decades. However, to pull off any of these looks, some tools are handy. Some of my favorites (click for locations to purchase) are below.


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Remember there are many eyes watching and often you are judged by what you say and how you say it. - Mike Martus [more] |
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Re: Playing Field / Control System at MD State Fair
I have really no quarrels about the control system set-up. Obviously it was home made, but it worked just as good most of the times. One thing I would suggest is to have a step-by-step procedure to make your robot sync up, so there wont be huge dealys trying to explain it to everybody. If you are planning to use this field in another competition than the biggest thing I would suggest is to buy some decent casters for the goals. And I would also try to find a way to get rid of the bolts on the inside playing field side. |
The field deffinately was not an official field, but a lot of hard work was put into it. Casters are a need for the goal, we are one of the toughest goal controlling robots, and I noticed difficulty when I was trying to hold onto them. In addition for changes to the goal, the bolts on it are not correct. Where the bars on the bottom are, in between each one are screws. The screws were not flat and caused problems for robots like us, because when you would grab onto the goal you had about an 1" 1/2 less area to shoot for. The screws need to be changed, or you need to warn teams of this. We ended up modifying our arms a bit, however, it was still difficult at times.
I was very surprised that the field stayed as dry as it did. BE VERY CLEAR ON WHAT YOU WILL DO. Do not call a match and then 30 minutes later have the judges decide to call it a different way, and do not have another match where you allow a different group of people to redo a match. Make sure you carefully measure out the placement of the tape on the fields. The distance between the goals should be at 32". The goals should also be set up with the flat side inward, not twisted. Make sure the goals are at the same depth too. Don't have one goal 2" farther away from the player station than the other goal. Overall it was very enjoyable. The changing of the binary is very simple, and would be faster if people would just follow the directions. |
Matt |
The match that the judges changed was our 180 point match. They decided to only give us 90. I would rather not argue about this anymore but I am open for discussion on it.
Then there was another qualifying match (I think WPI was involved) where they re-did the match due to some technicality or something. If they did that, then they should of made it clear. They should of allowd us to re-run our match, when the opposing alliance did not show up. |
For our robot at least... the pieced together panels weren't all that great.. the carpet wasn't the same as at the real comps, and it didn't allow our anchors to attached to the ground well. Plus we took up a chuck of it with us at one point.
Also, the plywood driver stations seemed higher than the FIRST diamond plating, and our average height players couldn't even see the robot until it got into the second endzone when in normal competitions you could lean a bit and see it. With rookie drivers it made it hard, because they had that much less time to see they were heading a little crooked... The controls system seemed alright... as long as you remember to set you channel correctly. |
The high diamond-plate made me feel sorry for the middle school team
The channel switching thing was incredibly simple. Switch the channel then plug it in then turn the bot on. Easy as that. (Here I was told I needed to recall my binary knowledge...seeing as how there are only 10 types of people in this world: people who understand binary and those who don't *chuckle*) Anyways...the playing field was incredibly dry despite the mass amounts of rain. Our rule book took the brunt of the rain (probably soaking up most of the water in our pits) Nothing to do with the playing field...but unlike Maryland, the pit's should be arranged numerically. It was confusing. I walked around the whole pits trying to see the tiny numbers on the paper in the pits to find the team I was looking for was right next to us |
Talking about wierd thing with matches, one of ours was paused. A battery fell out with about 35 seconds to go(when I noticed it), Mike Wade told everyone to stop at about 25 seconds. They took the battery out and restarted the match at about 22 seconds. I was just like..what?
Looking for teams it was easier to look at the robots then the offical signage, prolly about 14 point font on a curled piece of paper. I'm surprised as well at how dry the carpet stayed, but I saw plywood under the carpet after a few matches where it was ripped up. They brought out the staple gun and stapled it back down. We had one match where we had no data/radio the entire time because Griffen forgot to reset the robot after changing the dipswiches. There was some other confusion around this, we had signal, but on the wrong channel. Swiched it when the guy told us to, and then didn't have signal on the correct channel. Way to go Griffen. The carpet was used at the Building Musem demo/thing at the end of the build period, and at Elenor Roosevelt in 2001 for their pre-ship testing day. It worked well, until put under heavy stress/high traction situations. My opinion, as a new driver/part of the flight crew, was that the field was just fine. Thats without comparing it to an 'offical' field/player station. I did feel a bit sorry for the middle school kids, especially the one who's chin was at the edge of the plexi. (I was short then too ) One other thing, another table in the pit would have been tremendously helpful. We ended up working on the bot with it on two chairs. Didn't help that we had standing water on Sunday, and the heat gun didn't do much when there was water comming in. Heat gun worked well on Monday, when it wasn't raining tho. I have a bunch more pics, if people wanna see them I will get unlazy and format them and upload them. Wetzel ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ /me is listening to E:\Snake River Conspiracy\Snake River Conspiracy - Somebody Hates You.mp3 Last edited by Wetzel : 09-05-2002 at 09:30 PM. |
There were a lot of neat things about the Maryland competition.
First of all, the carpet was glued down. I thought that was really nice - it provides a nice, even surface for you to drive around on and never bunches up. I think WPI didn't like it all that much, and I'm guessing because their brakes might not have worked as well or some such. The carpet at FIRST events was not glued to the floor (or stapled, for that matter) and so it could bunch up around brakes and provide additional strength. Also, the field was very well maintained - there were people out there working on it constantly after each match. I didn't think there were that many dips or raises on the field... I think the competition plugs in the control system could have been done better. FIRST released the pinouts and voltages to all of the competition port pins, so technically you could design a control system that was operated solely off the competition port (like FIRST). I think that would be a bit more effective than having to switch the channels yourself (although that wasn't too hard). One thing I really did not like was the continuation of the slack rules that plagued FIRST last year. Tethers were being deployed directly under goals, wrapping around robots, and everything, and nothing was being called. There were some great tethers out there - 888's Segway and 190's mouse come to mind - but others being deployed under robots and goals were aggravating. Also, one thing that really, really annoyed me at MD was that two of our batteries are now gone. We took our robot up there a week in advance, and took 4 batteries. When we got there, two were waiting in our pit. The coordinator said he had loaned one out, and the other one couldn't be found (because of the pits flooding one day and in the shuffle our battery was lost). The loaner was never recovered, and the one that was lost was never found. Also, our charger shorted out, probably due to the dampness, and took one of our batteries with it. We were left with one battery! 615 very graciously donated a battery to us, and 116 and 686 gave us loaners for matches and finals, so we survived, but still... those aren't exactly cheap batteries. The whole standing water thing in pit areas was definitely a turn-off. Having to roll our robot through puddles was not fun. My $.02 |
Yeah. The water wasn't cool. I was wearing Chucks the entire time. And who would have known that canvas shoes with huge holes in them weren't water-proof. I noticed a kid in the pits next to us was using a heat gun to dry their pits. That didn't work very well Maybe if it was about 30 times larger.
It seems like many teams misplaced their batteries. I remember being asked to check ours by a few teams. The only thing we misplaced was our robot cart (that was REEEAl hard to find...a big metal cart...oddly enough, there was another robot on it. *shrug*) |
Matt |
Any word as to when NASA will actually post results/information/pictures on their site or even do a general update of the page?
I just posted lots of new photos, including MD State fair photos. Click on my website link in my tagline, or the WWW button at the bottom of my posts.
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Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
MD State Fair | Wetzel | Off-Season Events | 17 | 01-17-2004 08:05 PM |
Maryland State Fair 2003 | Gui Cavalcanti | Off-Season Events | 13 | 08-23-2003 08:28 PM |
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German Shepherd Dog > IPO and Korung Test (0 replies)
IPO and Korung Test by paul von merapi on 10 August 2012 - 06:51 |
Hello, i'm very new in GSD. I have women dog with IPO title and directly imported from the Germany, the question are: 1. are possiblle In the future her puppies back to The Germany? 2. With IPO title can she following "KORUNG" ? Thank you for all of you before and so sorry my english not so good enaough. |


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Holmes Attorney Requests to Postpone Hearing
CENTENNIAL, Colo.- The attorney for James Holmes has asked a judge to postpone a hearing, originally scheduled for next week, involving a reporter who allegedly leaked information about the case.
FOX news reporter Jana Winter was subpoenaed after she wrote a story about the July 20 massacre with details about a notebook Holmes sent to his psychiatrist.
The defense says revealing those details violated a gag order.
Holmes' lawyers are asking the judge to reschedule the hearing until April so they have more time to prepare.
Holmes is charged with killing 12 people and injuring 70 in the July shooting at an Aurora movie theater.


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Overcoming The Empty Nest Sydrome
Experiencing The Empty Nest Sydrome? Are you feeling blue, you don't know what to do with the extra time, the house is too quiet, you open their bedroom doors and there's no one there? Cheer Up! There is life after raising your children and here are a few tips that will help you move forward with your life:
- Enroll in an adult education class or take a few classes at your local college.
- Make dates with your husband or significant other. If you're not involved join a singles group.
- Get a new hair cut or style.
- If your child has moved permanently, utilize the extra space. Turn their room into an office, den or work area for your crafts.
- Start the business that you always wanted, but could never find the time to devote to it.
- Indulge in your favorite hobbies.
- Make a trip to the local animal shelter and pick out a furry friend.
- Start a book club with family and friends and host regular meetings.
- Eat out as often as you like.
- Start those home improvements that you wanted, but couldn't afford.
- Plan week-end get aways.
- Start scrapbooks for each of your children.
Take one step at a time, and you'll move forward to the next phase of your life. There is life after the children, and be assured you will learn to enjoy it.


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Soc. Agr. de Silgueiros Quinta Da Falorca Vinho Tinto 2006, DO Dão, Portugal: Vintages Wine Panel: A blend of Alfrocheiro, Tinta Roriz (a.k.a. Tempranillo) and Touriga Nacional, Quinta da Falorca Vinho Tinto is the perfect personification of the Portuguese style: forward fruit backed up by a good core of acid and moderate tannins. My note: A full-bodied, lip-smacking, delicious wine of purple goodness. 67512 14% XD 750 mL $16.55 Score: 88/100. February 16, 2008 Full Review
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GTA's debut on the PSP set to go on, and on, and on...
When GTA: Liberty City Stories arrives on the PSP later in the year, fans will be able to continue the experience via an array of downloadable content according to US reports. New vehicles, weapons, music tracks and missions will be on offer, although this has yet to be officially confirmed by Rockstar.
Source:TotalVideoGames.co m
Now that would be cool. :Punk:


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Tuesday, May 3, 2011
The colour of courage
10 comments:
That sounds like such a cool deal for reviewing films for your dvd shop! Aww I loved this film, it really grasped how these apathetic youth finally grow up and care for their country. This was definitely patriotism done in a fab and understanding way.
And how cute was Aamir here?! Now if he had only kept his face circa this film to 3 idiots it would have been much better all round!@Rum: It was the BEST DEAL EVER! I got to see SO MANY AWESOME films - it was the "alternative/arthouse" dvd store so they carried hard to get foreign films and almost everything that came to the festivals. And the guy who ran it was a HUGE movie buff, as you can imagine, so he would be like "Have you heard of this? NO? YOU HAVE TO WATCH IT!" and would make me watch some crazy, awesome things! Plus he'd ALSO let me choose a film for free too. Man, I miss that place.
@Filmi Girl: Oh, I have Khakee on my shelf somewhere, I will dig it out! I CRIED SO SO MUCH, I had to put on Jab We Met to recover! And I wondered, as I was watching, whether you'd got in touch with Alice Patten - she was SO GOOD! I loved that the Brits in this weren't the stereotypical "evil bad actors".Hello there! Didn´t find a better place to poast, forgive me..... Next week is going to be the Magic of Madhuri week! Yes, Madhuri Dixit, one of the greatest actresses of Bollywood ever, will celebrate her 44th birthday, and at that occasion I would like to ask you to publish at least one article related to Madhuri. During the week I shall feature your article/s on my blog and give you a full credit! Please, do join in our celebration of Madhuri Dixit.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting that you had two such different reactions to the same movie! It is such a good film that I am surprised you had a bad reaction that first time, whatever the expectations. We indians do grow up with Bhagat Singh's story which has a deep appeal to all of us. My children, born and brought up in Australia, said when they saw the movie and learnt about Bhagat Singh 'Mum, he is a TERRORIST how can you admire him?' ! :) Terrorist to some, hero to others...thats how it is. I thought the movie was brilliant and the music memorable, especially 'luka chupi' as mentioned by maxqnz.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I do like the movie, it's those kind of films that make you feel like you can fly or do anything after watching it.
But after putting some thought into it, I discovered I had a HUGE big-ass problem with the ending. So apparently the answer to corruption is violence? I guess the violence is justified in Bhagat Singh's era, but for today's context, no way. The Chief Minister is an asshole, true, but did he deserve to die? I don't think so. And the thing is while watching the film, I was actually rooting for him to be killed and that is disturbing. I think the ending to RDB is just completely contrived and manipulative. I wish the film had gone along the lines of this Rotomac ad, without having to resort to murder.
Anyway my favourite thing about the film was the friendship within the group, it was SO nicely portrayed. I felt like I was a part of that group.
P.s Did anybody else notice that Karan (Siddharth) seems to be quietly in love with Sonia (Soha)? I wonder whether that is intentional or just chemistry. After all, Soha and Sid were dating in real life if I'm not wrong.@Naf HAH that Rotomac ad is AWESOME! I think what's interesting about RDB is the juxtaposition between the oldschool revolutionaries and the modern day ones, and how they are viewed so differently because of the differing contexts. But yeah, you're right, the friendship aspect is really well done, regardless of how you look at the ending :)


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Stanley Steemer to the rescue.
Tile Floors
2 Comments
Yay! I'm so glad they were able to clean it up good as new although I am sorry the spill hijacked your earlier plans. (I don't handle change well either).
Marisol- I am so happy! Who needs diamonds when one can have their floor steam cleaned. Gulp, did I say that?


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Private Launch of QREAM Liqueur w/ Pharrell Williams. AW Media Group was recently hired to provide event publicity for the launch of Pharrell Williams new liqueur QREAM in Atlanta, GA. The event took place on Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at a private residence in Buckhead. Our tasks included servicing media with official press release and guest list management. The QREAM event was a huge success in Atlanta, with 400+ key influencers, celebrities, and media outlets in attendance. The event received coverage on national blogs and print publications. To view event photos, click here.
True You Cosmetics Brand Launch Campaign. True You Cosmetics, a new cosmetics line launched October 2010, hired AW Media Group to provide a mixture of social and traditional media and special events to promote their first lip color collection; ICONIC. Our campaign included: Building an online community, developing promotion and contests, engaging with new consumers by providing beauty care information, beauty tips and tricks. The campaign was extremely successful as the brand received features on various websites and publications. The owner, Jessica Truesdale was featured on Inc.com as America's Coolest College Start-up 2011.
Megan Huntz Spring 2011 Preview. AW Media Group was retained by designer Megan Huntz to host a private media preview and meet and greet for her spring 2011 collection. The event was held at the beautiful Vetted Boutique in Atlanta, GA. Our tasks included confirming media attendance, servicing press release, event planning, guest list management, and event recap. Over 15 media outlets confirmed and attended the media preview and over 75 guests were in attendance for the private meet and greet held later that evening. We received media placements in glossies such as 944 Magazine, The Atlantan, and Jezebel Magazine. We provided media relations services for the next couple of months following the preview event. To view event photos, click here.
AW Media Group Complete Event Portfolio, please click here


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text:
Latino Boys Magazine :: Feature Stories
Name: Antonio Cedeno
Sign: Leo
Age: 43 Years Old
Origin: Puerto Rico
Photographer: DaleStine.com
Name: Pablo Hernandez
Sign: Taurus
Age: 22 Years Old
Origin: Cuba/Libanon
Photographer: DaleStein.com
Orlando Florida's Gay Days celebration is back this year with a theme that will bring out the "Heroes" in all of us at the happiest place on earth! With its inception in 1991, the event has grown exponentially from a one day event attracting 3,000 to a week-long event with more than 135,000 celebrants from across the nation and around the globe! In its 20th year, the event continues to grow thanks to the hard work of its supporters and the GLBCC of Orlando – the birthplace of this fabulous event.
Saturday, April 17 will be more extraordinary than ever! Join Miami Beach City Mayor Matti Bower, your friends, family and allies for the 2nd annual Miami Beach Gay PRIDE parade and festival. It's a celebration of the extraordinary strength, beauty and contributions of South Florida's LGBT community, and an exciting all-day event featuring a parade, a Festival with exciting celebrity presentations and musical performances, and an Expo with LGBT-friendly vendors and businesses, refreshments and food, and a family-friendly playzone.
Name: Roberto Martinez
Sign: Libra
Age: 23 Years Old
Origin: Venezuela
Photographer: Dale Stine
Although the economy continues in a recession, there are many events taking place this month. Two of the most important ones are the Pride celebrations that happen annually in Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. PrideFest Fort Lauderdale is one of the most distinguished with roots that were planted over 30 years ago. At that time, Anita Bryant began her "Save Our Children" campaign that sought to annul a Miami-Dade county law that prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation. This event was born from political motives to bring the community together, and although the damage that Anita caused with her campaign wouldn't be repaired until 20 years later, the event continued to grow until today. PrideFest Palm Beach also has a long history with more than 17 years of celebrations.
Name: Maykel Garcia
Sign: Taurus
Age: 23 Years Old
Origin: Cuba
Photographer: Dale Stine
More than 6,000 people dancing on the sands of South Beach is among the many highlights that draw thousands worldwide to one of the country's premier LGBT fund-raising events: the annual Winter Party Festival, which features art and culture, shopping, cocktail receptions, pool parties and multiple dance events with world-class DJs and entertainment. This year's Winter Party Festival takes place March 3-8 and, once again, promises to deliver something for everyone. Even better, the event raises important dollars that benefit many local South Florida causes throughout the year.
Regnier Acosta
35 years old
Leinad Echemendia
33 years old
Photographer: Dale Stine
You may recall Anahi from her tenure with the multi-award winning group RBD or her numerous appearances on television worldwide. Anahi is once again making headlines thanks to the release of her very first solo album. The sexy Mexicana has already hit a high note with critics and audiences as her song Mi Delirio continues to climb numerous music charts. Anahi recently chatted with me about the catchy tune, how she started singing and her love for the gay community.
Page 14 of 17


text: I have been happily using Zone Alarm security suite for the last couple of years and the firewall for about 4 years. Two weeks ago, my subscription ran out so I ponied up for a new subscription. Now my machine is a complete dog. It takes 15 minutes after boot before the system is even semi usable and then it is still very slow. Has anyone else experienced problems with the ver. 7 seruity suite? If it matters the machine is an acer laptop running XP Pro, 1.8ghz amd, 512 meg ram.


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Baked treats taste good, but they're kind of bad. Bad for your body, that is. Cookies, cakes and other flour-filled goodies are usually full of sugar, white flour and other nutritionally-negative ingredients. But I love to bake and I love to eat sweets, so I've begun finding ways of making my faves a bit healthier. I feel better about enjoying a slice of cake if I know it has protein, fiber, or other nutrients that my body actually needs to work well, you know?
Check out some ingredients you can add to your baked goods to make them a little bit better for you—without sacrificing taste.
Photo: Shutterstock


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+ Please read my FAQ before sending me a message.
+ Email me directly at: firstname.lastname@example.com
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"I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best."
- Oscar Wilde
Actress: Diane Kruger
Issue: Tatler Russia | May 2012
Fashion: DSquared², Gucci
(via androgynousdreams)
May 8th, 2012 + originally posted by goshdarnit. + highres + view notes 4,533 notes


text: The fact that every IDE seems to have its own unique way of handling project structure (though I understand Netbeans at least gives you the Ant script needed to build manually) seems to be something that should be addressed. Ideally my project should be fairly portable between Ant+Command Line, Netbeans and Eclipse. Granted, BEA, Oracle and IBM will add their own special sauce but it would be really nice to have a standard/open source solution to this. I've often looking at things from the "newbie" standpoint and what should I tell the folks who are fairly new to Java. At the moment, picking up MyEclipse seems to be the best answer for building basic web applications on an app server from what I can see. Low cost, large marketshare on its own, based on the marketshare leading Eclipse therefore knowlege is transferable to your next position as a developer. The fact that every new project startup (just after the team members have been screened, interviewed and hired) incurs a 1 to 2 week ramp up on things like a standardized build process, folder/file layout, check-in/out, process/procedures and whatever the basic framework is (e.g. Struts, Spring+Hibernate, JSF+EJB, etc) just hurts. Great discussion so far! Thanks Ron! Burr On 2/5/06, Ron Cordell <ron.cordell at gmail.com> wrote: > > I inherited a project that was built with Maven 1.0.2, and there were a > lot of things to like about it. Everything for the project, documentation, > building jars, wars, ears and such can be handled with Maven. But I ripped > out Maven and replaced it with Ant. Many people might think that this is a > step backwards, and I'd have to agree. But the problem with Maven 1.x was > that it takes too long to make changes to it because it's so hard to > understand. Most things Maven does is implicit, rather than explicit like > Ant. Maven relies completely on plugins, but each plugin has idiosyncrasies > that result in slight different behavior from plugin to plugin. The promise > of Maven is clear, especially on larger projects where there are many > inter-related sub-projects that can be built in tandem. But for a simple to > medium level project, I came to the conclusion that it was too expensive to > maintain and modify Maven. > > Outside Maven, there are components and IDE plugins that also want to > dictate project structure. I'm thinking of things like MyEclipseIDE, which > wants your project to be set up in a specific way. I haven't looked at > recent releases of MyEclipseIDE, but there wasn't any way to map there > expected structure to your physical directory layout, much like NetBeans > allows you to do with basic java projects. These complicate things quite a > bit and reduce the number of options in some ways. > > I'm looking foward to reading some of the articles and info people have > put forward on this thread as they look quite interesting. > > -Ron Cordell > > > > _______________________________________________ > ajug-members mailing list > ajug-members at ajug.org > http://www.ajug.org/mailman/listinfo/ajug-members > > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.ajug.org/pipermail/ajug-members/attachments/20060205/a7ee334b/attachment.html


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It's Official, The Yankees Have Run Out Of Numbers For Their Players
Baseball fans have long joked among themselves about the Yankees propensity for retiring numbers and wondered aloud what the team would do if they ever ran out of numbers. Well, that time has finally come in Spring Training this season.
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i've noticed there isn't a whole lot of information regarding screw mapping, so hopefully someone can provide some input.
i've bought a 24" DRO that i plan to use to map my x and y axis screws. hopefully that will be straight forward.
i have no idea what kind of error to expect, but with a 44" travel i'd have to image there is some non linear error that won't be caught with fine tuning motor steps.
my main question is - if i slave Y and B axis, can i screw map these separately? not exactly sure how i will do it yet, besides possible placing the DRO right above the screw.


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Monday, September 13, 2010
SPX Report
(The Sundays table with me, Alex and Melissa - photo courtesy of Jacie Anderson-Coovert)
SPX - No Snoozin'.
Another year, another great SPX. This was my fourth year at the show, and every time I've gone it's been my favorite show of the year. There's something great about having (most of) the best cartoonists in the world trapped in a fancy hotel, sharing chocolate fondue and beer tickets, making gin and tonics out of their backpacks, hanging out in each other's rooms and trading minis and goofy sketches. The Marriot adds a kind of glamor and gravitas to the affair (something that MoCCA Art Fest lost when it moved from The Puck Building into a dark, poorly ventilated gym).
I went down with my good friends Barry and Leon, publishers of Secret Acres, and Ignatz-nominated Ken Dahl aka Gabby Schulz, artist of the great Monsters. We had a grand old time in the car on the way down and even an better one on the way back, after celebrating Gabby's Ignatz win for Outstanding Story and making millions of dollars selling comics.
The Ignatz Awards, hosted by Liz Baillie, were a lot of fun - highlighted by Gabby's Monsters win and a win by Mr. Sturm for Market Day in the Outstanding Graphic Novel category. Both were well deserved. The highlight of the night was probably Dean Haspiel taking off his shirt to present what ended up becoming Sturm's award, leading to a touching skin-on-Sturm bro-hug. The audience was delighted.
The Sundays table, pictured above, which I split with Alex Kim, Melissa Mendes, Chuck Forsman and Joseph Lambert, had a great time, as always.
The show itself was a feel-good affair and seemed well-attended, though from what I gathered from my friends, sales were down a little bit compared to previous shows. Or maybe everyone was just spending all their money at Kate Beaton's table - she seriously had a line that spilled out a side door into the hallway every time I looked over. I was not immune, I purchased one of her Great Gatsbys prints and love it.
I got a ton of great books through trades and purchasing. I haven't had a chance to read them all yet, but my favorites of the show so far, in addition to the Beaton Gatsby print, are:
Melissa Mendes - Freddy More Stories
Jon Naught - Birchfield Close
Aaron Reiner - The Unsinkable Walker Bean
Monster - The new Fort Thunder anthology edited by Paul Lyons and featuring work by pals Chuck Forsman and Melissa Mendes, among a lot of others. (It's huge, I think 10" x 14" or something.)
TOO FAR - a new anthology about taking things too far, edited by Joe Lambert, featuring Dane Martin, Jose Luis Olivares, JP Coovert, James Hindle, Alexis Frederick-Frost, Joe and others. That one sold out pretty quickly - I imagine Joe will post more info about ordering the re-print at Sub Sub at some point.
(no image at this time, but a great great cover.)
I also haggled with Tom Devlin for the new Chris Ware Acme Novelty book and tried to grab the new Love and Rockets, but was too slow on the latter.
Overall, what felt like it might have been the best show yet at SPX was really just par for the course. I bet next year will be even more fun (also, that's when my book comes out).
3 comments:
- Alex Kim said...
Shoo be shoo be shoo bowwww!
- Alex Kim said...
And by that I mean "Nice Post!"
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In advance of launching the Expedition 16 mission to the International Space Station, NASA officials preview the flight's objectives and challenges in this news briefing held Sept. 25 at Johnson Space Center.
Source: NASA TV (59 min 5 sec MPEG-4 (H.264) file)
Download this clip to your hardrive. (Windows users right-click this link. Mac users control-click this link)
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Obama highlights Mich. man in address
Bryan Ritterby sat with Michelle Obama
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - President Barack Obama highlighted a West Michigan man and a local company who hired him after he'd lost his job in his State of the Union address Tuesday night.
The West Michigan resident in question got his job in large part due to a training program offered by Grand Rapids Community College.
Bryan Ritterby was laid off from his job at office furniture maker Haworth Inc. in 2009. He later completed GRCC's Composite Technician Training Program and got a chance at a new career.
The program teaches people the skills they need to work at Energetx Composites, a Holland company that makes wind turbines. The class is held at the plant in Holland.
"We were very excited to hear that someone from the Holland area, and who had been a part of the training with Energetx, had been asked by the President and their administration to come and be a part of the State of the Union address," said GRCC Dean of Academic Outreach Dan Clark.
Ritterby's story resonates with many here in West Michigan and across the country.
"When Bryan Ritterby was laid off from his job making furniture, he said he worried that at 55, no one would give him a second chance. But he found work at Energetx," Obama said about forty minutes into his speech.
24 Hour News 8 covered the first class in May 2010 and found on Tuesday night that about 100 people have gone through the same training program that Ritterby did.
It's an 80-hour course that lasts two weeks. GRCC officials told 24 Hour News 8 the class is made up of students of all ages, from recent high school graduates, to people in their fifties -- like 58-year-old Ritterby.
The class trains, or in many cases retrains, people for jobs.
In Obama's speech, he emphasized that he wants community colleges to become "community career centers" -- a goal that GRCC seems to be well on its way to achieving.
"We do think that we can provide a good model for other community colleges in terms of these kind of programs," said Clark.
GRCC offers several other programs job training/career oriented programs. A couple of those include training for industrial maintenance and a community health worker partnership with Spectrum Health.
Clark pointed out that GRCC has offered career training programs for decades and other community colleges offer career focused classes too.
Clark said the school is always working to create new partnerships, and plans to keep offering programs like this one.
"I think as long as the area businesses are here in the West Michigan area, and we have some very strong businesses who have been here for decades, [and] they've proven they're going to stay [and] they're very successful. We're going to be able to offer lots of good employment for our area residents in lots of different areas," said Clark.
When speaking specifically about the Energetx program, Clark went on to say, "It's really laying the foundation for those individuals to start and in many cases get a head start in terms of working with that business."
Nine people from the first Energetx class were hired to the company. Clark said every student who takes the training class is guaranteed a job interview and application for Energetx.
"Today, it's hiring workers like Bryan, who said, "I'm proud to be working in the industry of the future," Obama said about Energetx.
GRCC has not held the Energetx training program since last August because the company didn't need to fill any positions.
The school and Energetx plan to bring it back this April 20. Seats are available. Clark recommends those interested sign up as soon as possible since they do usually fill up quickly.
Alicia Boler-Davis of Detroit also sat in Michelle Obama's box. Boler-Davis is manager of GM's Orion Assembly Plant and Pontiac Stamping Plant.
Also, a decorated Marine from Holland, Sgt. Cory Gritter, joined US Rep. Bill Huizenga at the State of the Union. Huizenga represents the 2nd District in Michigan.
More Headlines
PHOTOS: GRAM Christmas Tree Lighting
GRAM Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in front of a festive downtown crowd at Rosa Parks Circle Friday night.
Two people hurt after head-on crash
Two people were taken to the hospital after one vehicle crossed the center line, causing a head-on crash in Ada Township Friday night.
Fires, arrests in East Lansing after MSU's win
A mob of people hit the streets and set fires in East Lansing in the wake of Michigan State's win over Ohio State Saturday night.


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Dream: the late start
Just had an interesting dream.
I dreamt that I woke up at 11:48am (according to the clock) today. (I'd intended to get up and out early, with a planned half-day at work followed by various errands before the shops shut for Christmas.) Somehow I'd slept through the alarm.
Despite it being late, I was very sleepy. I stumbled through the house and was surprised to find the washing machine running, yet I couldn't recall having set it to run the previous night.
On the back porch I found my stepfather Peter, up a ladder looking at the drains (not unknown for him), but with suit trousers on (unusual). Nearby on a seat was a man who appeared at first glance to be my Uncle Frank.
Peter said he was urgently checking the drains, and that he'd also had to shut the water off. I replied that I'd need it on, as I was running really late and had to have a shower shortly. He said okay, he'd switch it back on.
Then I woke up in the real world. The clock was actually on 6:05am, about an hour before I usually get up. *Yawn*.
2 comments on Dream: the late start
enno on
Mon, 27th Dec 2010 10:33 pm
Tim on
Sun, 2nd Jan 2011 1:03 pm
I;d be worried about that dream Daniel.
I am always running late in my dreams yet I rarely oversleep in real life. It does seem strange that most of my dreams are about something going wrong.


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The information you provide to us is used for billing and delivery purposes and to measure customer interest in our products.
You may provide us with your email address. We will only ever use your email address so that we can contact you about your order or answer a query, or send you special offers from time to time (if you've requested to receive our newsletter). Your email address is private and we will never sell it to third parties.
Any personal information that you give us is private. We will never release personal information to persons or entities without your explicit consent. Exceptions to this are where Focus Uniforms is required by law to disclose certain information, if you have ordered a product from us that requires personalisation or delivery to you by an external company.
As part of the National Privacy Principles and marketing best practices, customers can advise us at any time if they no longer wish to receive product information from Focus Uniforms.
To protect your privacy, we have strict agreements with all other organisations that provide us with support services. Only authorised employees who are trained in the proper handling of customer information have access to that information.
Customers can advise us at any time if any of their information requires updating.
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Annual Review Hearing Committee
Justification: OP 32.32 Performance Evaluation of Faculty
Purpose: The purpose of this Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) is to establish uniform guidelines and procedures for performance evaluations of members of the faculty.
Paragraph F states: All units should have a procedure established whereby a committee of peers will be available to mediate disagreement between an individual faculty member and the chairperson/coordinator regarding an annual review at the faculty member's request. If the mediation is not successful, a copy of the committee's recommendation shall become part of the annual evaluation. This procedure and/or the possibility of filing a grievance provide the non-binding alternative dispute-resolution processes described in Chapter 154 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code.
1. To establish the Annual Review Committee the Faculty Council will develop a list of tenured faculty from the College of Education . The faculty member and administrator will have the option to omit three names each from the group. In order to avoid conflict of interest, these individuals may not be members of the Annual Review Committee from the faculty member's department, or members of the Promotion and Tenure Committee. The Faculty Council Chair (with the Chair-Elect as witness) will randomly draw five names from the remaining list, and these five names shall constitute the Mediation Committee.
2. Upon receipt of a request from the dean, the Hearing Committee will schedule a hearing. This hearing must be held within 21 calendar days after receipt of the request from the dean. The Hearing Committee will elect its own chairperson. The chairperson's notice scheduling a time and place for the hearing must be delivered to the parties involved seven calendar days prior to the hearing. These time limits are a guide and may be changed for university holidays and by mutual written agreement of the Hearing Committee and the parties involved.
3. The hearing will be conducted in accordance with procedures established by the Annual Review Hearing Committee. The faculty member or the faculty member's representative(s) or counsel will present the faculty member's case. The faculty member has the right to present information, written or oral, considered relevant or material to the annual review, including the calling of witnesses. This information may be presented in written or oral form. After the presentation by the faculty member, the administrator's case will be presented under the same rules as those that were applied for the faculty member. The administrator may be represented in the process as well. The Hearing Committee may call witnesses, as it considers appropriate. The faculty member and the administrator may question all witnesses.
4. Evidence considered in the hearing must relate to the annual review. After all evidence is received, the Hearing Committee will meet and consider the case. The opinion held by the majority of the members will constitute the committee's recommendations. The committee must provide its recommendations in writing to the dean of the college, with copies to the faculty member and administrator(s), within 15 calendar days after the hearing is concluded. Minority opinions of the committee may also be submitted to the dean. Recommendations to the dean are advisory in nature.
5. The dean will send a written decision to the faculty member within 15 calendar days of receipt of the Hearing Committee's recommendations. If the dean's decision differs from that recommended by the Hearing Committee, the written reasons for such difference will be provided to the faculty member and the committee.
6. The parties may agree to a resolution at any time until the dean's decision.


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With every spring comes the theater awards season and as usual, the American Theatre Critics
Association (ATCA) is taking the lead – starting this weekend.
The critics association has announced that Darren M. Canady has won its 2012 M. Elizabeth
Osborn New Play Award for an emerging playwright.
ATCA also has selected six finalists for the Harold and Mimi Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award,
the largest national new play award of its kind at $40,000. The winners will be announced Saturday
March 31 at Actors Theatre of Louisville during the Humana Festival of New American Plays.
The Outer Critics Circle has named
Once the best Broadway musical and
One Man, Two Guvnors the best Broadway play of the past season.
Once, an unusually modest production and a decidedly unconventional musical by Broadway
standards, is a wistful Irish romance adapted from the Oscar-winning film.
One Man, Two Guvnors, an acclaimed London import, is a farce adapted from Goldoni's
The Servant of Two Masters and updated to early-1960s England.
Ed Vaughan has received the Central Ohio Theatre Critics Circle's Roy Bowen Award for Lifetime
Ed Vaughan as Peck and Debra Whitfield as Li'L Bit in CATCO 's 1999 production of How I
Learned To Drive " by Paula Vogel . Photo by Geoff Nelson
Immigration and assimilation is the focus of
Pilgrims Musa and Sheri in the New World, a new play by Yussef El Guindi that just won the
Harold and Mimi Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award for 2012.
The American Theatre Critics Association presented the award and $25,000 to Guindi over the
past weekend in an awards ceremony during the Humana Festival of New American Plays at the Actors
Theatre of Louisville, Ky.
The Central Ohio Theatre Critics Circle has presented its 18th annual citations for outstanding
theater efforts of the past year.
Rather than focusing on competitive annual "best" categories, the circle annually honors
local individuals or groups whose work "promotes the higher values of theater" or "expands the
possibilities of theater."
Three institutions or troupes received citations: Ohio State University, Shadowbox Live and
the fledgling Short North Stage.
The Central Ohio Theatre Roundtable, the Central Ohio Theatre Critics Circle and the area's
leading theater troupes will celebrate the best of the past year Sunday night Jan. 27 at the Jewish
Community Center.
The 13th annual Theater Celebration Night – open to the public – will offer an awards show
with music, humor and other entertainment at 7 p.m. Sunday (reception at 6 p.m.) in the center's
Roth/Resler Theatre.
The evening will be dedicated to the memories of actor Joe Hietter and actor-director-teacher
Ionia Zelenka, who died in 2012.
Sadly, women rarely receive the top playwriting awards at the Tonys or the annual Pulitzer Prize
for drama.
But women inevitably dominate the Primus Prize, which is earmarked annually for an emerging
woman theater artist – perhaps one way to balance recognition in a male-dominated field.
Jointly sponsored by the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) and the Francesca Ronnie
Primus Foundation, the Primus Prize has gone to female playwrights, directors and artistic
Pittsburgh-based playwright Tammy Ryan has won the 2012 Francesca Primus Prize for her play
Lost Boy Found in Whole Foods.
Jay Z had the most nominations, and his album appears on a number of year-end best-of lists, but the artist took a backseat to a couple virtual hip hop newcomers when the 56th annual Grammy Awards were announced yesterday.
While Shawn Carter (a.k.a. Jay Z) grabbed 9 nominations, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Kendrick Lamar gave him 99 problems by taking the high-profile nominations that didn't include the genre's icon. Jay Z's Magna Carta...Holy Grail was passed over for album of the year in favor of Kendrick Lamar's Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' The Heist. Both acts were also nominated for best new artist. Taylor Swift, Daft Punk and Sara Bareilles also were nominated in the category.
The major nominations included a record of the year nomination for Get Lucky by Daft Punk and Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke featuring T.I. & Pharrell, two songs blaring from car stereos all summer. The popular Royals by Lorde also was nominated.
Jay Z wasn't the only popular music mainstay to be passed over. While his only nod in a major award category came in the form of his appearance on Lamar's album, Justin Timberlake was nominated only in minor categories for best solo pop vocal performance (Mirrors) and best pop duo/group performance with (oddly enough) Jay Z.
Kanye West was also passed over in the major categories. A year after vocally expressing distaste for the ceremony, it is not yet known whether the mercurial artist will appear at the Grammys.
Millions of people saw the live TV broadcast of
The Sound of Music, the first major TV musical in years and the first live musical on TV
in decades.
The production went pretty well Thursday on NBC - no major glitches or hitches that I
could see, and the singing and acting were pretty good - enough to justify an encore with more
great musicals brought to TV. If you saw and enjoyed the broadcast, you should grab the
just-released cast album. If you didn't, the singing might prompt you to catch up with the TV show
on Hulu or NBC's website.
Cast albums are not only good souvenirs after seeing a musical, but also
a great way to familiarize yourself with great songs that tell a story.
If you haven't seen the musical yet, cast albums can introduce you to their strengths – and
sometimes, their potential flaws.
Of course, this season, cast albums (and solo albums by Broadway talents) make great stocking
If I had to pick just two cast albums as gifts for people who love good musicals and good
music, I'd recommend
Kinky Boots and
Matilda the Musical – the most impressive new Broadway musicals of the past season
But there was a lot of other worthwhile theater music that came out this year.
If the weather doesn't manage to keep everybody inside, there is one movie that could draw them to the box office this weekend. Out of the Furnace starring Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, Zoe Saldana and Woody Harrelson seems to be the most likely flick to lead the latest pack of newcomers.
The movie tells the story of Russell Baze (Bale), a bare-knuckle boxer and veteran returning from Iraq. He spends his time protecting his brother (Affleck) and devoted to his girlfriend (Saldana).
The story in this movie isn't particularly original. The performances are strong, but they are not enough to save the movie from being too predictable, according to critic Melissa Starker.
"Given the setting and the traumas of war experienced by a main character, Michael Cimino's The Deer Hunter might also come to mind," Starker said. "Unfortunately, (director and co-writer Scott) Cooper's not-so-taut pacing creates too many opportunities for thoughts to drift toward such connections."
By Camryn Garrett
Frozen isn't your typical princess tale. From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes the story of Anna, a fearless young princess. She journeys through the frosty wilderness in order to find her sister, Queen Elsa, who has trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter.
Kids will enjoy watching the optimistic and lively Anna make her journey with the awkward mountain man Kristoff and the hilarious snowman Olaf. Check out what actress Kristen Bell, who voices Anna, had to say about Frozen, which arrived in theaters in late November.


text:
The Keene, NH Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society U pdated: Tuesday January 08, 2013 |
2006 News - and Where We Sing... |
Friday Dec 22 |
Caroling on Main Street - Keene, NH O |
Wednesday Dec 20 |
Keene Chamber of Commerce - Holiday Business After-Hours at Ocean Bank, West St O |
Tuesday |
Holiday Sings at Genesis Eldercare and Langdon Place - Keene O |
Sunday Dec 17 |
Colony Mill Marketplace, Keene, NH O |
Tuesday |
Holiday Sings at Prospect Place, The Woodward and Harborside Healthcare O |
Monday |
Special Performance at
the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center O |
Sunday Dec 10 |
Holiday Sings at Maplewood Home, Cedarcrest and Cheshire Medical Center/DHMC-Keene O |
Saturday Dec 9 |
Holiday Festival of Barbershop Harmony with a production of "Christmas Memories" O |
Friday Dec 1 |
Downtown 'Center Stage' Christmas Tree Lighting with Santa and a Sing-Along! O |
Saturday Oct 28 |
Northeastern District International Qualifying Competition - Providence, RI O |
Sunday Oct 8 |
Alstead Community Gathering "Moments of Reflection"
Program On October 9th 2005, Alstead residents were awakened by the sounds of the floodwaters as Cold River ripped and roared down the riverbeds - over, across and through bridges, homes, fields, businesses - and people. In a few minutes time, the landscape and people were indelibly scarred. Go to: Alstead Flood Page One year later, this community came together to remember - to reflect on those days and the ordeal ever since. One year ago seems so long for some, yesterday for others - best never to have happened for a few. This evening, the town came together to reflect and understand better where they are and where they are going. A program of community participation... of which, the Cheshiremen, were a part. Then and now. We brought our music to help further healing, bringing our music as a reminder of better times. Of life, living and hope. The Cheshiremen were the first responders, so-to-speak, to assist with the funding of disaster relief by making their 2005 Annual Show, held just the next weekend after the floods last year, a benefit show and stage for further relief efforts and donations. We donated our Show proceeds to the Red Cross Flood Relief and later, more raised funds, to the Alstead Flood Relief Fund directly, following a concert in Alstead in January 2006. The Cheshiremen are proud to have been a part of these efforts, then and now. This is what we do. We sang two songs during this service of reflection: "I'll Walk With God" and "When I Lift Up My Head". Other contributors included clergy, Selectmen, flood relief volunteers, residents - as well as a choral group from Vermont Academy, the Alstead Community Chorus, and Charlie Brady, on guitar, who wrote and performed a special song entitled "Cold River Song" ( http://www.alsteadflood.com ) Our thanks to Rev. Jan Howe of the Third Congregational Church of Alstead for allowing us once more to share in the Hope that now Lives in Alstead. Giving is good. We're not done yet. |
Saturday Sept 30 |
54th Annual Show of Barbershop Harmony by the Cheshiremen and Guests, Reveille! Oh what a night! Late September back in ought six! What a special time for harmonics, 'Cause I remember what a night! That train ROARED down those tracks, baby! Good thing it wasn't goin' our way at first! Gave us some time to practice and sing, brother Bemis! And polish our domes, right Thom? Checkin' for Michael's fleas, Andy? Please! Just choo choo me home! To sunny Dee Cee? And so, in the first act of the evening, the Cheshiremen embarked on yet another harmonious excursion - this time to compete in a fictitious international chorus competition in DC - but waylaid in New Haven, stranded with nothing to do but poke fun at each other and ... well... SING! After placing second and securing an all-time high score during this spring's Northeast Regional Barbershop Chorus Competition in Peabody, MA, our gallant Cheshiremen were invited to participate in the East Coast Chorus Competition in our nation's capital. Never in the chorus' 54 years have they had such an opportunity and the guys were giddy with excitement as they spent the summer months training for this historic event. After comparing the prices of the various modes of transportation to Washington, our cost-conscience crooners (hey, they're Yankees after all) had decided to ride the rails to the competition. Following a triumphant send off by family and friends at the train station in Brattleboro, our heroic harmonizers settled in to enjoy the ride to New Haven, CT. Arriving in that city, the singers disembarked and awaited the arrival of the regional express from Boston that would take them directly into Washington. Anticipation turned to concern as Amtrack announced a problem with the inbound train from Boston. Would the train arrive in time to get the chorus to the competition? Would this historic opportunity be forever lost? Would all their training be derailed by a mechanical malfunction? Worst of all, would Casper Bemis suffer a mental meltdown? Well, the audience climbed aboard, took their seats and joined us on our bumpy journey as they found out what happens to a chorus that's been "TRAINED TO SING!" The second act/half of the evening featured, as guests of the Cheshiremen for this show, the International competing and Mid-Atlantic District Champion quartet, Reveille, from the Big Apple Chorus on New York City! What a super treat for Keene! These guys were amazing! An incredible show, Reveille performed some new songs, most notable the "Junk Food" medley which really got our "appetites" going! Other songs included some from their current repertoire with their new tenor, and a very special selection and performance of "Danny Boy", dedicated to their former tenor and dear friend, Roger Payne, who had passed away to the Chapter Eternal just a few weeks prior. Truly a moving moment for them as well as for the audience.
The Cheshiremen returned to the stage for the final song of the evening, with Reveille, the closing song sung at each meeting - for all members and chapters of the Society, "Teach The Children To Sing". Following the main show, many folks joined the Cheshiremen, the chapter quartets Stateline and Junction 1-3-5, and Reveille at the "Afterglow" - the famous and notorious, post-show, more casual moments of more barbershop harmony and food with friends. A fun time indeed. Additional quartet singing by our own "Senior Moments" and "Four On The Floor". We were treated to some additional singing by the visiting quartet "Just4Now" who surprised us with some exquisite harmony! Thank you, gentlemen! That was fun! When the lights went out at the Afterglow at the school, many of us hiked down Main Street to "Ivory's" for an After-Afterglow gathering into the wee hours of the morning. Reveille guys enjoyed singing and as well as listening - they were MOST impressed with "The Rhythm of Life" we sang for them and the patrons of the night spot. The next morning (well, it really was later that morning then), the Reveille guys enjoyed breakfast at the Pub Restaurant with former Cheshiremen, restaurant owner and Keene Mayor Michael Blastos while he cooked up the wake-up fare. These guys sang some more while the restaurant was packed with Sunday brunchers. There's nothin' like Barbershop Harmony and a cup of Hot Joe in the morning! Thanks guys! This was one of the finest evenings of barbershop this City has ever seen! We are most proud to perform ourselves and also bring THE BEST BARBERSHOP TALENT to Keene, with Reveille as our guests. Truly a memorable experience. Be sure to check out our 2006 Annual Show web page here... 2006 Fall Show Page A copy of the program can be viewed here... Show Archive A copy of our 2006-2007 Celebration Yearbook can be viewed here as well... 2006 Program & Yearbook Reveille's CD can be purchased here... "Blowing Our Own Horn" Heartfelt special appreciation by the Cheshiremen goes out to the Keene Middle School (admin & staff), the guys of Reveille and Just4Now, as well as to our spouses and significant better halves who put up with their man - and all this GREAT singing! Many thanks as well are due to our supporters. 152 businesses purchased an advertisement this year in our 48 page 2006-2007 Celebration Yearbook - a compilation of barbershop information, Keene Chapter news and interesting articles, plus the ads. Thank you for supporting our charitable mission! It's Great to Be a Cheshiremen! |
Sunday Sept 17 |
"Deering Recitals" Featured Series Performers - Deering Community Benefit, Town Hall, Deering, NH What a beautiful town! And a grand afternoon for barbershop harmony in a gorgeous, resonant assembly hall - and - with an exceptional audience! The Cheshiremen Chorus thoroughly enjoyed singing for these fine ladies and gentlemen of Deering. What was perhaps the most energizing for us is the acoustics in the Town Hall - and the enthusiastic and responsive audience! We truly delivered a fine performance and it just kept getting better! Quiet selections or passages were met with a sensitivity we have not experienced in a while... and the resulting tone and delivery was outstanding! The afternoon performance was a fundraiser for the United Church of Christ in Deering, and the Cheshiremen chose to forego a typical performance fee this time in order for the church and its membership to enjoy the full benefit of the concert's admission fee. The audience enjoyed 'cabaret style' refreshments while we sang. After our performance, Cheshiremen mingled with the audience, enjoying refreshments while imbibing on... some more impromptu quarteting! And, thank you ladies (and other gents) for singing right along with us... a little barbershop harmony woodshedding by the women! Excellent! Sweet Adeline's anyone? Thank you all for your invitation to sing! We truly enjoyed our afternoon! Next year?! |
Saturday Sept 16 |
Langdon Place, Keene - Greater Keene Memory Walk, Benefit for the Alzheimer's Assoc. Just a bit of entertainment for residents, staff, booth participants, and friends of this fundraising event for the Alzheimer's Association. Our thanks to Bonnie Moore for thinking of us and allow us to provide a breath of fresh barbershop harmony for all those in attendance! |
Saturday Sept 9 |
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital - Health Fair It happens to get funner every year! (Okay, we have more fun every year!) Another great Health Fair! We really had fun roaming and singing! Great day! Lots to be happy about! And what better way to express joy? SING! And what an incredible experience to meet a fine gentleman this year... Dick Revilla (with his wife!)... a past president (ready? 1956!) of the "Keene-Brattleboro" Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society (then known as SPEBSQSA). Many of us were enthralled to speak with him - and we noticed he was lip-synching many of our tunes! Great to meet you, Dick! Many thanks again to Wendy Cornwell, wife of baritone Tim Cornwell, who heads up this magnificent effort for/by the hospital for the community each year! Great job! |
Sunday Aug 27 |
Sunday Service - United Church of Christ - Keene As guest musicians for this Sunday service, the Cheshiremen once again delivered their annual "Thank You" singing message to the Pastors, Directors, Staff and Congregation of the UCC in Keene by performing the music program within the service, with Jim Flanders and Jim Kirschner directing, and at the invitation of UCC Music Director, Renea Waligora We sang four songs throughout the service: • I'll Walk With God • It Is Well With My Soul • I'll Fly Away • When I Lift Up My Head • We enjoyed the sermon by Rev. Ann Plumley, the KUCC new Assistant Pastor, entitled, "Way Closed, Way Open". As a matter of fact, our music directors are always preaching the virtues of singing "way open" and projecting our voices and sound, while opening our eyes and our singing life. Thank you, Ann! We certainly very much appreciate this opportunity to sing again for the Sunday service, but we are most grateful, once again, to acknowledge the UCC for allowing this Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society to meet here weekly for our rehearsals and meetings - and generally call this wonderful place "Home" of the Cheshiremen Chorus. Thank you very much! Perhaps we can show our appreciation again in mid-winter? Just ask! |
Saturday Aug 15 |
Performance at Frost Free Library - Marlborough, NH A perfect evening: crisp, clear air, gentle breezes, blue sky; green lawns and busy dragon flies... a beautiful evening for a summer concert! And again, we so appreciate returning to the residents of Marlborough and region to the Frost Free Library for a evening of fun and harmony. Their Summer Concert series concluded its 2006 season with 42 Cheshiremen in formation and an enthusiastic audience just wanting great barbershop harmony! We delivered! Nice sound! Plus, a real treat this year... a performance by two Chapter quartets - the new Heart's Accord and our old favorites Junction 1-3-5. We enjoyed our evening immensely and look forward to returning next summer! Many thanks to the Library and the Town for having us again. We love singing for you! |
Saturday Aug 12 |
Harmony College Northeast 2006 - Fitchburg State College Fifteen Cheshiremen enriched their knowledge and vocal abilities this weekend by making the short trip to Fitchburg, Mass. and participating in a full day of educational and fun courses all about barbershop harmony and singing. Classes like "Vocal Care through Proper Singing Technique" and "Sight Reading/ Sight Singing", "How to Be an Effective Section Leader" and "Song Themes in Presentation", "Tag Singing with a Tag Lord" and "The Inner Game of Music" were presented and attended by various Cheshiremen throughout the day. Between classes were General Sessions which included a Song Fest, learning a brand-new tag which no one has seen before, as well as a Masters class, featuring Bob Hartley of the 2001 International Championship quartet "Metropolis", who demonstrated with a volunteer quartet how to "go over the top" when performing. That volunteer quartet was a quartet from the Keene chapter! A new quartet from Keene, "Heart's Accord", featured three guys from last year's "Heart" quartet - with a new bass! They were the "Guiney pigs", so-to-speak, and learned quickly to improve their performance and really "Go Over The Top"! Thanks, Bob! Great going, Mark, Jim, Larry & Leif of Heart's Accord! On Saturday night, everyone was treated to some VERY fine barbershop performances! The first, by the boys/men of the concurrently held Harmony Explosion Camp for high school youth. An exquisite experience for these guys, 84 boys performed pieces that were learned over their 3 day camp stay. A quartet from the Hanover, NH chapter, "The Honeymooners", a mixed couple quartet, truly entertained us next. Then, the staff and music educator attendees of Harmony Explosion sang a couple of pieces they learned. The second half of the show featured guest quartets and International Champions "Men In Black" and "Metropolis" in some incredible and enjoyable performances. Wow! Amazing barbershop harmony and great fun too! Our sincere and deepest appreciation goes out to our leaders in the Northeastern District of the Barbershop Harmony Society for another superb "college" experience this year. We all left Sunday having learned much and appreciating this fine craft even more. Our free time (not much), in all cases, was spent singing with various pick-up quartets or VLQ's - there was no shortage of harmony - during the barbeque, in the dorm lobbies, in the cafeteria, on the street and in our classrooms. Fun, fun, fun! Thanks, guys! |
Wednesday Aug 9 |
Keene American Legion Band Summer Concert with the Cheshiremen - Central Square - Keene We are honored to have been included in the Band's program in this performance at the gazebo/bandstand on Central Square this evening. The Band invited the Cheshiremen to join them in three pieces they played that night, among their entire program of exquisite band selections that in itself honored Keene composer, E.E. Bagley. A band music composer, E.E. Bagley lived and composed a good deal of his life in Keene and is credited for writing probably the most acclaimed band selection of OUR time, the National Emblem March. The Cheshiremen, however, sang with the band on three selections, all patriotic, including "God Bless the USA" with soloist Mark Brosseau. A bold, beautiful and moving selection that features the bass voice section as well as the band's trumpets! The Cheshiremen also sang during the Band's intermission, providing the large assembled audience with some classic barbershop harmony . Thanks are due to the Keene American Legion Band, and its director and our (!) director, Mr. Jim Flanders, for the very kind and generous opportunity to join them again on stage. We make beautiful music together! |
Saturday July 8 |
Stoddard Olde Home Days: Performance on the Stymest front lawn. What a glorious day it was! Another fine year for Stoddard and a fine day for a celebration. What an incredibly warm and gracious audience, too! There were about 25 Cheshiremen singing on the front lawn, beside the tree, and - all the men were decked out in their NEW red twill summer shirts. Very sharp, indeed! Many thanks again this year to our dear friend and Cheshiremen supporter, Mary Lou Stymest - one of only a few actual sweet "Mary Lou's" we can sing THAT song to! Thanks! We had a great time and sounded pretty well! Oh, that bass that almost fainted - our youngest guy too - he is just fine! Thanks for the cool, damp cloth, ice water and chocolate! You revived him quite quickly! We enjoy singing for the town of Stoddard and extend our best wishes for another great year! |
Saturday June 24 |
In Loving memory of... Al Skinner 1917-2006... 27-year Member Chesterfield, NH - Asbury Methodist Church, Rev. Jacquelyn Brannen, Rev. Ann Nelson - 2:00 PM I, personally, knew Al as a Cheshiremen for only five years, but my acquaintance with Al actually was much longer. You see, Al, as a contractor, came often into the building supply store where I once worked. It was always a pleasure to work with Al at the counter. He was one of my five favorite customers to wait on. He often came in with a material list in his head, but needed to work out the design again on paper, either drawing or listing materials. It was fun to watch and work with him. He was always cheerful and a "the glass is half FULL" kind of guy. So it was not too out-of-the-ordinary when many friends and relatives chose to share memories about or with Al, with the assembly of folks at his memorial service. He was quite a personable guy. A craftsman. A tinkerer. A problem solver with a smile and usually for free. Ready and able, always willing and positive. He touched the lives of many. He has left his mark in so many ways. A gentle and blessed soul. We sang four songs throughout the service: When I Lift Up My Head • Let There Be Peace On Earth • It Is Well With My Soul • I'll Fly Away We feel honored and privileged to have been able to sing for Al, literally in the last hours of his life. An incredible experience for that quartet. In the words of fellow Cheshiremen... "We are the richer for having had him as a fellow Cheshiremen and mighty poorer at this loss... He is gone - but he will never be forgotten..." Rest in Peace Old Friend. |
Sunday June 11 |
Annual Fireman's Memorial Service at the Keene Fire Department A beautiful Sunday morning service to recognize the men and women who have served our community through the Keene Fire Department. Chief Lamoureux presiding, remembrance and call of the honor roll of firefighters no longer with us. We sang four songs throughout the service: When I Lift Up My Head • Let There Be Peace On Earth • It Is Well With My Soul • I'll Fly Away Many thanks once again for the opportunity to perform in this service as well as for our relationship with these fine men and women who give so much to our community. It's a honor to perform and provide for you. Now... we still believe, Chief, that a "Firehouse Four" Barbershop Quartet is possible someday... soon?! |
Tuesday June 6 |
Rising to the Occasion - Dedication and Inauguration of Additional Risers?! What?! Now, who said we are a boring crowd? I mean, imagine creating a momentous occasion around more risers! Well, we have certainly accomplished much in this chapter in the last few years. But now? Membership! Yes, thanks to the many NEW members who have recently joined our ranks, we needed to purchase more risers! So, tonight we recognize the Risers in their first standing ovation! (no pun intended) Special recognition is necessary. First and foremost to the most gracious and kind leadership, staff, Board and congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC) in Keene. For many years, more than I really know, the church and its member have allowed the Cheshiremen to meet weekly and rehearse in its halls, use its facilities and have generally allowed us to call this place "home". We are so incredibly grateful for this relationship and for their generosity. Our growth, the increasing sense and bonds of brotherhood and camaraderie have really only been enabled in the Cheshiremen because of this fine church, the structure and its people - this place where the Cheshiremen meet and sing their hearts. So a hearty and deeply sincere "thank you" to the UCC of Keene. We truly could not have done it... without you. Second, we need to recognize another deeply committed organization. This is new... and old, for us. For many years, the Cheshiremen have participated and provided musical accompaniment for the annual Keene Fireman's Memorial Service, held each year in June at the fire station here on Vernon Street, next to the church. We have been honored to be a part of the service for so many years and we continue to accept the opportunity to bring an element of pride, duty and honor to the firemen, and their comrades and families, past and present, who serve and protect our community. The Fire Department has now come to our aid and rescued us, in a way, from a dilemma brought on by our increasing membership (a good thing!). The Keene Fire Department is allowing the Cheshiremen to store a new cart - full of new, additional risers and safety railings - in it's garage just beside the church. The UCC folks had no more storage space to accommodate our sorely-needed additional risers and we were faced with a problem of where to store them - or - find a new rehearsal venue! Yikes! We really didn't want to leave! But then, one very bright and resourceful Cheshiremen had an idea. The closest, easiest place besides the church might be this small garage on the back of the Fire Station building, right next to the church and literally just 100 feet away from - and on the same level as - the room where we rehearse each week at the church! Smart guy, eh? Well, the rest is history, they say. Now, through the gracious and heroic actions of the Fire Chief, the Cheshiremen now have an easy access storage solution for the risers. The Fire Department. Thank you, Chief Gary Lamoureux, for the space, the accommodations, and for responding to our distress call. We appreciate IMMENSELY your generous and kind sense of duty and community. The risers and that cart do not take up too much space. But we appreciate that even though you are faced with storage and accessibility issues yourselves, you have managed to make room for us in our predicament. That is exceptional. And special to us. Thank you again. |
Tuesday May 23 |
Guest Night #2 with Special Guests... |
Friday |
Retirement Dinner, Greenfield School District Country Club of Greenfield, Massachusetts Well, Kevin (basso profundo) thought it would be a good idea, a nice gesture, to provide some entertainment at the retirement dinner for four of his colleagues from the middle school in which he teaches. Indeed, a nice gesture! Barbershop harmony from a select group of handsome young men singing perfect harmony!? Entertainment, indeed! And so, a long-distance traveled and a great showing of Cheshiremen sang at the dinner's conclusion - certainly dessert was never so good! Yes - we were a hit! They loved us... and we very much appreciate the opportunity to perform for our way-out-of-town friends as well! Thanks - Kevin, teachers, our director - for the great time. Wonderful audience, too! Now... about Kevin's raise for next year... |
Wednesday May 17 |
111th Birthday Celebration for Mary Jo Ray Maplewood Nursing Home, Westmoreland, NH Yes. She is the oldest person in New Hampshire, the second oldest in New England, the 17th oldest in the US and the 45th oldest in the world. And we had the honor and the privilege to sing for Mary Jo Ray once again! She loves "her men" and especially the Cheshiremen! As one Cheshiremen remarked: "I believe it is her love of music and her enjoyment of sweets that keeps her going. Watching her enjoy her birthday cake was truly amazing!" An absolutely superb effort in the celebration of this beautiful lady's 111th birthday by the Cheshiremen! She is a remarkable woman and I dare say we shall never see anyone that we know ever reach this milestone. The Cheshiremen presented Mary Jo Ray with a "Certificate of Recognition" this year - a giant "card" signed by all the men in the Chorus. (See the image) Our esteemed and beloved member Al Tencati made the presentation and did a super job! See the Certificate/Card >>> HERE!
See the Photo >>> HERE!
(photo courtesy of Steve Hooper of The Keene
Sentinel) |
Tuesday May 16 |
Guest Night #1 |
Tuesday 10th ANNIVERSARY CERTIFICATE |
Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Jim Flanders as Chorus Director (May 2nd) Maybe he figured something was up when the risers were overflowing with members this week, like no other. We figured something was up when we noticed that his wife had come this week. But in true form, Jim Flanders continued with his energy and enthusiasm, dedication and commitment to this chorus, with his tireless effort to improve our singing. We almost couldn't stop him long enough. But we did, finally, with his wife and daughter looking on, and so the Cheshiremen presented Jim with a Certificate of Appreciation, honoring the man who earned the Cheshiremen the 2002 Small Chorus Champion (32 men) award and who propelled the Cheshiremen to 2nd place in the 2003 (37 men) & 2006 (42 men) District Divisional Contest. the 2006 contest returned our Best Ever score! "On this day, May 2nd 2006, the members of the Cheshiremen chorus, the Keene Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, hereby acknowledge and extend our sincerest appreciation to you, Jim, in enthusiastic recognition of your tenth anniversary as director of our ever-improving barbershop chorus."Through your dedicated and compassionate direction, you have challenged members of our chorus to constantly sing better while promoting fun, fellowship, and by capitalizing on opportunities for musical improvement. "Your commitment and dedication have empowered us to sing better, be proud of our style of music, and appreciate the joy of constantly working to improve our sound. "We hope to continue to mirror your efforts in our rehearsals and performances. "We, the undersigned, thank you for your unfailing optimism, enthusiasm, and care in helping us to truly esteem our barbershop singing hobby. All of your contributions to our barbershop family have helped us strive to become one of the best choruses in our division! "Thank you, Jim, for all that you have done for us!" Signed by all of the 55 Members of the Keene Chapter |