Phulkari is a prominent artwork of the state of Punjab that adds to the popularity of the most happening place in India. The term Phulkari means flowering or floral work that is clearly visible in the final artwork. The craft basically involves embroidery of floral designs and patterns on various garments like shawls, scarf, handkerchief, sarees, and dupattas.
Evolution of this captivating craft dates back to the sixteenth century when women of the state started involving themselves in this activity during their free time. The craft started as an unprofessional disposition but over a period of time, its charm, beauty, and elegance was widespread. With this increasing worth, Phulkari turned out to be a professional artwork in the nineteenth century.
This beautiful craft is done by making small darn stitches over the cloth in an artistic manner. The stitches are done in various intricate designs using a silk yarn that is available in a spectrum of colors and shades. The base cloth is hand woven and adding immensely beautiful designs on that adds more charm and beauty to the cloth. Some of the most common designs and patterns embroidered are figures of vegetables, fruits, animals, birds, leaves, rivers, sun, buildings, and moon. Furthermore, sun-shade pattern, coriander design, jasmine picture, and rainbow pattern are most popular patterns of Phulkari. A wide range of color combinations are used to make these figures and artistic designs. Some prominent colors used are yellow, crimson, golden, green, pink, and blue. Apart from these there are abundant of color options and shades that add vibrancy and life to the Phulkari garment or textile.
The traditional craft also reflects the rich heritage of the state and is considered to be a symbol of love. Some of the Phulakri clothes are believed to showcase various scenes from real life that narrate the essence of cultural activities. With various designs and patterns, the Phulkari craft expresses every emotion of love, care, concern, and humanity.
Showing posts with label Anjana Sukhani Hot Photos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anjana Sukhani Hot Photos. Show all posts
Sunday, 10 July 2011
How To Buy And Pick The Right Shuriken Ninja Stars
First, most shuriken you see in martial arts catalogs & at gun shows are too big or bulky. They should be no larger than the palm of your hand 3" - 4" across and between 1/16" - 1/8" think. Any bigger than this and they will become heavy and unwieldy. Smaller than this and they will not be accurate past a few feet due to outside forces such as the wind. Shuriken should be light enough that they don't weigh you down even in quantity but heavy enough to fly far and stick well with as little effect from wind as possible.
Second, many shuriken are made of cheap foreign stainless. Whilst stainless is hard, it is also brittle and more likely to shatter on a bad impact. Mild carbon steel is a better choice. It is more likely to bend rather than break and can easily be bent back into shape and resharpened. If a hard but brittle stainless shuriken gets damaged you might end up needing special tools to repair or resharpen it. On mild carbon steel you can usually use any common file (available at any hardware store for very cheap) to resharpen it. We don't recommend using a grinder to sharpen/resharpen shuriken as they can take off too much metal and if they grab and yank a shuriken from your hand they can be dangerous.
Lastly, shuriken should be as flat as possible. This is so you can stack and carry multiples. Traditionally most ninja carried 9 shuriken at a time. If they are not flat they will be more difficult to carry in quantity and throw in rapid succession since they won't stack symmetrically.
Surprisingly many styles of shuriken intentionally do not have sharpened edges. This is because a lot of shurikenjutsu ryu (shuriken schools) also use the shuriken in hand to hand/melee combat. If the star is sharp on the edges, you are likely to cut yourself while using them in this manner. These ryu still retain the sharp tips but do away with the bladed edges. This also allows shuriken to remain legal in virtually all cases since without a bladed edge, they are effectively no more than a decorative washer as far as law enforcement is concerned.
Second, many shuriken are made of cheap foreign stainless. Whilst stainless is hard, it is also brittle and more likely to shatter on a bad impact. Mild carbon steel is a better choice. It is more likely to bend rather than break and can easily be bent back into shape and resharpened. If a hard but brittle stainless shuriken gets damaged you might end up needing special tools to repair or resharpen it. On mild carbon steel you can usually use any common file (available at any hardware store for very cheap) to resharpen it. We don't recommend using a grinder to sharpen/resharpen shuriken as they can take off too much metal and if they grab and yank a shuriken from your hand they can be dangerous.
Lastly, shuriken should be as flat as possible. This is so you can stack and carry multiples. Traditionally most ninja carried 9 shuriken at a time. If they are not flat they will be more difficult to carry in quantity and throw in rapid succession since they won't stack symmetrically.
Surprisingly many styles of shuriken intentionally do not have sharpened edges. This is because a lot of shurikenjutsu ryu (shuriken schools) also use the shuriken in hand to hand/melee combat. If the star is sharp on the edges, you are likely to cut yourself while using them in this manner. These ryu still retain the sharp tips but do away with the bladed edges. This also allows shuriken to remain legal in virtually all cases since without a bladed edge, they are effectively no more than a decorative washer as far as law enforcement is concerned.
How Does Magic Fool You?
Magic and Illusion has been a popular art form for hundreds of years. It's a love/hate relationship. Audiences love to be fooled, but also don't like to as well. How can magic fool your mind when all your senses are telling your brain NOT to be deceived. Here are some of the finer points of exactly how that happens:
- Surprise. Magic and illusion is all about the element of surprise. You simply do not know what is coming, and therefore, when it arrives, it often fools you too. Think of it in these terms. If you are sitting in a quiet movie theater waiting for the film to start and someone in the back of the theater yelled really loudly, your instinct to immediately turn around and see who shouted that out is powerful. It's a natural reflex. Magic is a series of surprises that you cannot help but react instinctively to.
- Choregraphy. Well choreographed illusions lead you down a path of belief and logic. Your brain naturally fills in empty spots with assumptions. As a magician, performing the effect, we do our best to understand what those assumptions will be and continue to allow you to convince yourself what you are seeing is real and true. A great magic illusion has many more ingredients, but this one forms the foundation of creating a amazing effect that fools not only the eyes, but the brain too.
- Misdirection. Lot's of obvious thought about this mis-used word - misdirection. Does it mean you are looking in the place the magician wants you to look? Or does it mean you are looking somewhere he does not want you to look. Both actually. But it's not that simple. Good misdirection is designed to fool the mind more than the eye. The hand in NOT quicker than the eye as myth has you believe. But if your brain interprets that the magician's hand is naturally empty because of certain factors such as, the relaxed manner, not cramped, not awkward looking and so forth, then naturally your brain tells you "his hand is empty." But imagine his hand is actually hiding something. The magician then has quite the advantage over you, as far as, your acquired knowledge. When an object is then produced, you are fooled because you were certain his hand was empty.
- Attitude. The disposition and attitude of the magician goes a long way in making you either feel at ease or feel as if something is "fishy." You may not be able to put your finger on what is making you feel this way, as it may be something intangible, but you know not everything is really what it seems. You also do not necessarily believe the story he is telling. If a magician is to be successful at fooling you with an illusion, his/her approach and attitude must relay a sense of rationality. If this approach is undertaken with great thought as to what the demeanor of the magician is and what he or she is trying to tell you in the story of the illusion, then it will be a difficult task for you NOT to be fooled.
- Human Nature. We tend to believe what we are told. Marketing gurus know this and sprinkle the truth with the lie in their marketing campaigns when they are trying to sell you a product or service. Magicians are no different. We sometimes tell you the truth, we often lie and unfortunately for you, you do not know when we are doing either, therefore, human nature is to lean toward believing all of it. Human nature is a deep well of information that we have only tapped the surface of understanding, but this one factor is something that magicians try to learn more and more about so that we can fool you even more thoroughly with our magic and illusions.
Monday, 6 June 2011
United States Night Life Shows Variety At Its Best
Throughout the US cities light up when the sun goes down. It's true that in numerous well-known areas country wide nightclubs play a critical role in the health and enjoyment of the people. A successful lifestyle isn't just a sign of health and happiness but also of prosperity. Nightclubs are small measures of the active night life in any given city but they do play an necessary part in assisting to determine just what type of city you'll end up moving or travelling to.
Hollywood night clubs are shimmering gems in a city stuffed with "pretty" people. These dance clubs can be easily revealed by the long lines of people looking forward to the opportunity to get inside. Some are seeking the opportunity to rub elbows with celebrities inside while some are merely hoping to sneak a peak at how the other half part. If these nightclubs aren't hopping enough on any given night, it's usually not too much trouble to consider a few nightclubs in LA. Doing this you are definite to find the happening spot for the evening outings.
Japanese nightclubs can be found through the entire US. These types of clubs incorporate a touch of style and class with the driving music and lights that can be expected from any given night life. These nightclubs are certainly not all about seeing and being seen and can be a terrific time for those who are more interested in the experience compared to the crowd.
NJ clubs have the attitude and grit you would expect from the proper Jersey haunt. You can find a little bit of everything in the night clubs here and many reasons to keep coming back for much more night after night. Night clubs, pubs, and casinos make up the majority of the infamous Jersey nightlife and can be a site to see anytime of the year.
Night Clubs in NYC take the cake when you are in search of something somewhat fun or quite creative. You'll find many great dance clubs in New york city to choose from and one or more will certainly catch your fancy and make your night.
District of Columbia night clubs charm a wide cross section of the population. You can find nightclubs in DC that appeal to the high class politicians in the city, the worker bee local community, and then you will find those that are designed to meet the needs of the countless holiday-makers that pour into the capital city all year round. Because of so many options and so much variety there are sure to be a few nightclubs in DC that satisfy your nightlife needs.
Vegas is a city that provides wide appeal to folks searching for a vigorous nightlife. Because of the nature of the city and the many gambling establishments it is home to many night clubs in Las Vegas that operate night and day. Regardless of the time you think you would like to check out the local nightlife there are sure to be plenty of night clubs in Las Vegas that will have all you want and more. Casinos, stripclubs, Vegas shows, and night clubs are just the start.
Hollywood night clubs are shimmering gems in a city stuffed with "pretty" people. These dance clubs can be easily revealed by the long lines of people looking forward to the opportunity to get inside. Some are seeking the opportunity to rub elbows with celebrities inside while some are merely hoping to sneak a peak at how the other half part. If these nightclubs aren't hopping enough on any given night, it's usually not too much trouble to consider a few nightclubs in LA. Doing this you are definite to find the happening spot for the evening outings.
Japanese nightclubs can be found through the entire US. These types of clubs incorporate a touch of style and class with the driving music and lights that can be expected from any given night life. These nightclubs are certainly not all about seeing and being seen and can be a terrific time for those who are more interested in the experience compared to the crowd.
NJ clubs have the attitude and grit you would expect from the proper Jersey haunt. You can find a little bit of everything in the night clubs here and many reasons to keep coming back for much more night after night. Night clubs, pubs, and casinos make up the majority of the infamous Jersey nightlife and can be a site to see anytime of the year.
Night Clubs in NYC take the cake when you are in search of something somewhat fun or quite creative. You'll find many great dance clubs in New york city to choose from and one or more will certainly catch your fancy and make your night.
District of Columbia night clubs charm a wide cross section of the population. You can find nightclubs in DC that appeal to the high class politicians in the city, the worker bee local community, and then you will find those that are designed to meet the needs of the countless holiday-makers that pour into the capital city all year round. Because of so many options and so much variety there are sure to be a few nightclubs in DC that satisfy your nightlife needs.
Vegas is a city that provides wide appeal to folks searching for a vigorous nightlife. Because of the nature of the city and the many gambling establishments it is home to many night clubs in Las Vegas that operate night and day. Regardless of the time you think you would like to check out the local nightlife there are sure to be plenty of night clubs in Las Vegas that will have all you want and more. Casinos, stripclubs, Vegas shows, and night clubs are just the start.
J. Cole Concert at the Charlottesville Pavilion
On Friday, April 8, I attended a hip hop performance by J. Cole at the Charlottesville Pavilion. Though the concert was hosted by University Programs Council Springfest, student turnout was relatively poor on account of the dreary, rainy weather at the outdoor venue. However, there was still a sizable crowd underneath the venue's massive awning. From my modest experience going to concerts in the past, I had learned that people only get mad about you pushing past them if you stop in front of them. With this knowledge in mind, I determinedly cut through the crowd until I was about 30 feet from the stage with a great view of the show that had already started.
J. Cole, born Jermaine Lamarr Cole, has been rapping for half his life, since the age of 13, and his experience showed. His presentation and style reminded me of that of T.I. when he performed here in Charlottesville a couple years ago, except Cole didn't need hype men on stage with him to finish his lines. He was very energetic, refusing to stay in one place for very long, and his voice had enough power that I was convinced it would have carried across the crowd without a microphone. The distinct emphasis he placed on many of his lines made it sound as if he almost barked some of his lyrics. While barking lyrics might carry a negative connotation in some contexts, Cole pulled it off in a way that instead conveyed his passion to the audience.
Near the end of his show, J. Cole performed his debut single, Who Dat, an exhibition of bravado for everyone who doubted his rise to fame. The name of the song references a popular battle cry of New Orleans' football team, "Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints," alluding to Cole questioning what rapper is brave enough to challenge him in a contest of lyricism. After instructing the men in the crowd to menacingly chant "Who Dat" along with him during the chorus, Cole rapped the line "A couple of y'all ain't took a field trip to the hood." It reminded me of the "field trip" I took to the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans this past spring break to see the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. That thought soon became a wish that I hadn't dropped my camera off a balcony overlooking Bourbon Street the night before Mardi Gras so I could take pictures of the show.
Overall, I thought J. Cole's music was a refreshing departure from the either aloof or insipid rap that currently dominates hip hop culture. In my opinion, most hip hop artists on the radio today fall into one of two groups: rappers who have become so jaded by their fame and fortune that they cease to put true thought into their music because they know they will continue to make money regardless, and artists who force their way into the mainstream by capitalizing on current trends that cater to the lowest common denominator of the American public in terms of taste. J. Cole contributes to contemporary music by breaking both these molds, delivering music that is, for the most part, fresh, witty, and compelling. Considering that Cole moved to New York and went to college on an academic scholarship while fighting for a record deal, it is no surprise that his music demonstrates both street smarts and intelligence that are impressive for his age. Cole's gritty yet well-versed persona must have appealed to music mogul, Jay-Z, as the first artist signed to his record label, Roc Nation, allowing Cole to rise from the underground without sacrificing the content of his music. With encouraging prospects for his future, I believe J. Cole can make a very positive impact on contemporary hip hop if he continues unapologetically on this seldom-traveled path.
J. Cole, born Jermaine Lamarr Cole, has been rapping for half his life, since the age of 13, and his experience showed. His presentation and style reminded me of that of T.I. when he performed here in Charlottesville a couple years ago, except Cole didn't need hype men on stage with him to finish his lines. He was very energetic, refusing to stay in one place for very long, and his voice had enough power that I was convinced it would have carried across the crowd without a microphone. The distinct emphasis he placed on many of his lines made it sound as if he almost barked some of his lyrics. While barking lyrics might carry a negative connotation in some contexts, Cole pulled it off in a way that instead conveyed his passion to the audience.
Near the end of his show, J. Cole performed his debut single, Who Dat, an exhibition of bravado for everyone who doubted his rise to fame. The name of the song references a popular battle cry of New Orleans' football team, "Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints," alluding to Cole questioning what rapper is brave enough to challenge him in a contest of lyricism. After instructing the men in the crowd to menacingly chant "Who Dat" along with him during the chorus, Cole rapped the line "A couple of y'all ain't took a field trip to the hood." It reminded me of the "field trip" I took to the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans this past spring break to see the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. That thought soon became a wish that I hadn't dropped my camera off a balcony overlooking Bourbon Street the night before Mardi Gras so I could take pictures of the show.
Overall, I thought J. Cole's music was a refreshing departure from the either aloof or insipid rap that currently dominates hip hop culture. In my opinion, most hip hop artists on the radio today fall into one of two groups: rappers who have become so jaded by their fame and fortune that they cease to put true thought into their music because they know they will continue to make money regardless, and artists who force their way into the mainstream by capitalizing on current trends that cater to the lowest common denominator of the American public in terms of taste. J. Cole contributes to contemporary music by breaking both these molds, delivering music that is, for the most part, fresh, witty, and compelling. Considering that Cole moved to New York and went to college on an academic scholarship while fighting for a record deal, it is no surprise that his music demonstrates both street smarts and intelligence that are impressive for his age. Cole's gritty yet well-versed persona must have appealed to music mogul, Jay-Z, as the first artist signed to his record label, Roc Nation, allowing Cole to rise from the underground without sacrificing the content of his music. With encouraging prospects for his future, I believe J. Cole can make a very positive impact on contemporary hip hop if he continues unapologetically on this seldom-traveled path.
Sunday, 5 June 2011
Review: Cut Copy "Zonoscope"
Over a meal, I had a friend wax philosophic about this new band "Cut Copy". He said it was this great 'French' (in actuality, Australia) band that sounded a lot like Joy Division. Once I got home, I noodled around on Google and saw a video of them performing on the Jimmy Fallon show. These guys were performing some amazing music, but there was this guy wearing a gorilla outfit. I'm not sure what that was about, but he was going nuts on the tom toms. I think it distracted a bit from the song, but it definitely got my attention, so I decided to do some more digging.
As it turns out, the band is from Australia and are a throwback to 1980's synth pop. What's great to hear about this band is that they take sounds from my youth and actually modernize it with a fresh take on today's music. So, with Cut//Copy officially on my radar, I found their latest CD, "Zonoscope" at my local record store and I picked it up.
I'm not sure why I was skeptical in the beginning, but this album grew on me like a fungus. After the first listen, there were a few tracks that stuck out for me and I thought were interesting. "Need You Now" brings back the zany goodness of the auxiliary percussion (ie. more cowbells) akin back to Big Audio Dynamite, "Pharoahs & Pyramids" takes me down memory lane with the unique synth sounds that early Depeche Mode provided and "Corner Of The Sky" touched upon a few Sigue Sigue Sputnik nerve-endings.
You know that a band is good when they can bring you an original sound that seems fresh and new, but upon further discovery you can pick it apart and point out bits and phrases of similar sounding notes in a wide multitude of songs from that era. The sounds are the only thing similar in the music, the notes are completely their own and bring about a sophistication and respect for the bands that pioneered this genre in the mid 80's. Australia's, Cut//Copy are masterful at what they do and there is a reason why their music is popping up in all kinds of commercials and reality tv spots. The music is timeless and fun.
As it turns out, the band is from Australia and are a throwback to 1980's synth pop. What's great to hear about this band is that they take sounds from my youth and actually modernize it with a fresh take on today's music. So, with Cut//Copy officially on my radar, I found their latest CD, "Zonoscope" at my local record store and I picked it up.
I'm not sure why I was skeptical in the beginning, but this album grew on me like a fungus. After the first listen, there were a few tracks that stuck out for me and I thought were interesting. "Need You Now" brings back the zany goodness of the auxiliary percussion (ie. more cowbells) akin back to Big Audio Dynamite, "Pharoahs & Pyramids" takes me down memory lane with the unique synth sounds that early Depeche Mode provided and "Corner Of The Sky" touched upon a few Sigue Sigue Sputnik nerve-endings.
You know that a band is good when they can bring you an original sound that seems fresh and new, but upon further discovery you can pick it apart and point out bits and phrases of similar sounding notes in a wide multitude of songs from that era. The sounds are the only thing similar in the music, the notes are completely their own and bring about a sophistication and respect for the bands that pioneered this genre in the mid 80's. Australia's, Cut//Copy are masterful at what they do and there is a reason why their music is popping up in all kinds of commercials and reality tv spots. The music is timeless and fun.
Modern Classical Music
Classical music in strict terms is music that was written and composed during a very specific time period. This time period is 1750 to 1820. What is it that sets this particular period apart from the Baroque period which comes right before or the Romantic which is the period right after? These are not just random dates that some forgotten historian chose, but rather refer to the actual way that the music was composed.
In literature, there are a number of recognized styles of writing. A limerick or a Haiku are both poems, and yet each one has a very strict format and layout. This same principle applies to music. Pieces written during the classical period have a very distinct structure and layout as well. A person who has classical music training can recognize the differences between pieces in the same way that a person schooled in literature can tell you the exact difference between an English sonnet and an Italian one.
So what happens when you have a piece of music that follows this exact format, but was written during a later period? Do you call it a piece of classical music, or maybe, a modern classical piece?
One of the latest trends in the world of video gaming is to have background music that is written in the classical style. These are not simple tunes, these are pieces that are written to be preformed and played by an entire orchestra. The people who are composing the music are those that have been educated in the field of music and are following the format of the classic composition. The creators of these pieces are not only wonderful writers, they are often musicians themselves.
A spin-off of this trend is a change in the productions being held in theatres and auditoriums all around the globe. People are flocking to these places to go and see concerts that are played by the orchestras. These productions are much more than a listening experience. Many of the productions involve huge screens with videos and lights. One special tour even permitted audience participation. Select members of the audience were given the chance to show off their gaming skills against others on the big screens while the entire audience watched and cheered. Prizes awarded to the best gamers at each performance.
The modern classical piece may not be exactly what Beethoven had in mind when he was writing his great works, but you can imagine what he would have been able to do with all the new resources and advancements. Who knows, he might have written his twentieth symphony as an elf battle theme.
In literature, there are a number of recognized styles of writing. A limerick or a Haiku are both poems, and yet each one has a very strict format and layout. This same principle applies to music. Pieces written during the classical period have a very distinct structure and layout as well. A person who has classical music training can recognize the differences between pieces in the same way that a person schooled in literature can tell you the exact difference between an English sonnet and an Italian one.
So what happens when you have a piece of music that follows this exact format, but was written during a later period? Do you call it a piece of classical music, or maybe, a modern classical piece?
One of the latest trends in the world of video gaming is to have background music that is written in the classical style. These are not simple tunes, these are pieces that are written to be preformed and played by an entire orchestra. The people who are composing the music are those that have been educated in the field of music and are following the format of the classic composition. The creators of these pieces are not only wonderful writers, they are often musicians themselves.
A spin-off of this trend is a change in the productions being held in theatres and auditoriums all around the globe. People are flocking to these places to go and see concerts that are played by the orchestras. These productions are much more than a listening experience. Many of the productions involve huge screens with videos and lights. One special tour even permitted audience participation. Select members of the audience were given the chance to show off their gaming skills against others on the big screens while the entire audience watched and cheered. Prizes awarded to the best gamers at each performance.
The modern classical piece may not be exactly what Beethoven had in mind when he was writing his great works, but you can imagine what he would have been able to do with all the new resources and advancements. Who knows, he might have written his twentieth symphony as an elf battle theme.
The Best Folk Rock Songs
The folk rock genre was built on the extraordinary songwriting of Bob Dylan and the ground breaking representations of the "The Byrds." In the years that followed, a legion of songwriters, bands, and artists, continued to grow this dynamic genre into the vibrant musical art form that it remains today.
Determining the best folk rock songs is not a topic that can ever be brought to consensus or conclusion. Ultimately, it is a spirited discourse between companions, friends and musicians to be perpetually debated over good food and good drink. Here's my top ten contenders:
Number 10, "Suite, Judy Blue Eyes" by "Crosby Still and Nash." This fine four-sectioned song further expanded the folk rock genre and added in a new generation of fans.
Number 9, "Maggie May" by Rod Stewart. A great story-line lyric augmented by elements of Irish and English folk music and accentuated by Rod Stewart's raw vocals. I love the mandolin work at the end of this song.
Number 8, "Tangled Up In Blue" by Bob Dylan. "Tangled Up In Blue" has a very similar style and feel as Rod Stewart's "Maggie May". This is classic Dylan story telling at it's best.
Number 7, "California Dreamin'" by the "Mamas and Papas." John Phillips planted his mixed folk quartet at the pinnacle of the American pop charts with this enduring classic.
Number 6, "Subterranean Homesick Blues" by Bob Dylan. Dylan strikes again with first-rate poetry and driving rhythm delivered in a rap-like style and cadence.
Number 5, "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by "The Byrds." The Old Testament never had more meaning or relevance than when sung by McGuinn, Hillman, Clark, and Crosby.
Number 4, "The Sounds of Silence" by "Simon & Garfunkel." Paul Simon penned a dusky and morose back-drop to spot-light the duo's singular vocal gifts.
Number 3, "For What It's Worth" by "Buffalo Springfield." This is brilliant composition seething with the political overtones of the times. "For What It's Worth" is well recognized as one of the anthems of its' era.
Number 2, "Mr. Tambourine Man" by the Byrds. It's hard to improve on a Bob Dylan song recorded by the finest folk rock band in history.
And, for my money, the best folk rock song is, "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan. At the time of the song's release, Dylan was greatly criticized for "going electric" and selling out his folk roots. However, audiences quickly adjusted and got on-board with his new sound and expanded horizons. This seminal composition pushed the boundaries of the folk rock genre beyond conventional limits and opened new possibilities and expectations.
Determining the best folk rock songs is not a topic that can ever be brought to consensus or conclusion. Ultimately, it is a spirited discourse between companions, friends and musicians to be perpetually debated over good food and good drink. Here's my top ten contenders:
Number 10, "Suite, Judy Blue Eyes" by "Crosby Still and Nash." This fine four-sectioned song further expanded the folk rock genre and added in a new generation of fans.
Number 9, "Maggie May" by Rod Stewart. A great story-line lyric augmented by elements of Irish and English folk music and accentuated by Rod Stewart's raw vocals. I love the mandolin work at the end of this song.
Number 8, "Tangled Up In Blue" by Bob Dylan. "Tangled Up In Blue" has a very similar style and feel as Rod Stewart's "Maggie May". This is classic Dylan story telling at it's best.
Number 7, "California Dreamin'" by the "Mamas and Papas." John Phillips planted his mixed folk quartet at the pinnacle of the American pop charts with this enduring classic.
Number 6, "Subterranean Homesick Blues" by Bob Dylan. Dylan strikes again with first-rate poetry and driving rhythm delivered in a rap-like style and cadence.
Number 5, "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by "The Byrds." The Old Testament never had more meaning or relevance than when sung by McGuinn, Hillman, Clark, and Crosby.
Number 4, "The Sounds of Silence" by "Simon & Garfunkel." Paul Simon penned a dusky and morose back-drop to spot-light the duo's singular vocal gifts.
Number 3, "For What It's Worth" by "Buffalo Springfield." This is brilliant composition seething with the political overtones of the times. "For What It's Worth" is well recognized as one of the anthems of its' era.
Number 2, "Mr. Tambourine Man" by the Byrds. It's hard to improve on a Bob Dylan song recorded by the finest folk rock band in history.
And, for my money, the best folk rock song is, "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan. At the time of the song's release, Dylan was greatly criticized for "going electric" and selling out his folk roots. However, audiences quickly adjusted and got on-board with his new sound and expanded horizons. This seminal composition pushed the boundaries of the folk rock genre beyond conventional limits and opened new possibilities and expectations.
Improve Your Freestyle Rap
Once it becomes known that you are into rapping you can bet your bottom dollar it won't be long before friends ask you to show your skills with some Freestyle. Preparing something is not an option because you will receive at the moment a word upon which to Freestyle. This will require you to think a few lines ahead. Here are some tips on how you can develop this quality.
First try talking for ten minutes without rhyming and without a beat. For newbies this can be quite difficult. With practice you will soon find it possible. When you get the hang of this start adding some words that rhyme and give it some structure in the form of lines. At this point it is not necessary to have flow. For now it will be difficult enough getting your words to rhyme. After a few months of this you will be pretty good so it is time to begin some impromptu freestyling. Freestyle about anything and everything. When you make breakfast - about the bread. On your way to school - Freestyle about your exam.
Around the time that this becomes easy you should begin freestyling about a beat. Select a CD with an instrumental version and try freestyling about it. If you change the topic during one of these sessions that's OK.
Once you can do this relatively well you can tell your friends that you're into freestyling. If do this earlier then be prepared for some amount of laughter and humiliation.
It is only now that you should consider using multi's and wordplay. Multi's are multi-syllable rhymes and wordplay is suggestive use of words. By working on this in written rap you will slowly see that you will be able to work it into your freestyling.
Once you have reached this level you will be known as a pretty respectable rapper. Now is the time to make a big step forward. I'm talking about the use of punchlines. This will come with time and practice but is a difficult step.
To be able to come up with punchline you will have to think ahead. Give yourself time by using filler (an empty line without metafoor, similie, wordplay or punchlines used mostly just to fill out the line). The very best don't even use filler but the chance is small that one of us will reach his level. If you want to think of punchlines before hand and write them down that's not a problem as long as at least 80 % really is Freestyle. Eventually you will see that you will be able to work them into your Freestyle.
When you are finally successful at this you can begin to do some Freestyle Battles. Little by little you will become the best in your neighborhood.
Work on how long you can Freestyle. Begin with one minute and extend this to ten minutes. Try recording your Freestyle. It's handy to keep a track of your progress. Good luck and enjoy!
First try talking for ten minutes without rhyming and without a beat. For newbies this can be quite difficult. With practice you will soon find it possible. When you get the hang of this start adding some words that rhyme and give it some structure in the form of lines. At this point it is not necessary to have flow. For now it will be difficult enough getting your words to rhyme. After a few months of this you will be pretty good so it is time to begin some impromptu freestyling. Freestyle about anything and everything. When you make breakfast - about the bread. On your way to school - Freestyle about your exam.
Around the time that this becomes easy you should begin freestyling about a beat. Select a CD with an instrumental version and try freestyling about it. If you change the topic during one of these sessions that's OK.
Once you can do this relatively well you can tell your friends that you're into freestyling. If do this earlier then be prepared for some amount of laughter and humiliation.
It is only now that you should consider using multi's and wordplay. Multi's are multi-syllable rhymes and wordplay is suggestive use of words. By working on this in written rap you will slowly see that you will be able to work it into your freestyling.
Once you have reached this level you will be known as a pretty respectable rapper. Now is the time to make a big step forward. I'm talking about the use of punchlines. This will come with time and practice but is a difficult step.
To be able to come up with punchline you will have to think ahead. Give yourself time by using filler (an empty line without metafoor, similie, wordplay or punchlines used mostly just to fill out the line). The very best don't even use filler but the chance is small that one of us will reach his level. If you want to think of punchlines before hand and write them down that's not a problem as long as at least 80 % really is Freestyle. Eventually you will see that you will be able to work them into your Freestyle.
When you are finally successful at this you can begin to do some Freestyle Battles. Little by little you will become the best in your neighborhood.
Work on how long you can Freestyle. Begin with one minute and extend this to ten minutes. Try recording your Freestyle. It's handy to keep a track of your progress. Good luck and enjoy!
Friday, 3 June 2011
How to Build a Great Party Playlist Using Song BPM
What is BPM:
BPM stands for Beats Per Minute, it's basically a unit used to measure the tempo of music. When you want to build a great party playlist, you want to make sure that you use BPM to create "waves" of music that help excite and enchant your partiers. How do you do that:
Depending on your party style of course, you want to keep people going up and down in energy level.
First, establish your baseline BPM. Find some songs you think have a good energy level, not too high, and not too low, and use the BPM for these songs as the average BPM for your party playlist.
Now that you know your baseline, you need to determine your BPM range. Find some songs with much higher BPM and much lower BPM and see if they suit the people you're inviting to the party. E.g. if you are hosting a party for senior citizens, you won't want songs with very high BPM because they won't like them and might also die if they try to keep up...:)
You also need to consider the genre of the songs. In most cases, mixed genres work well, but if you are hosting a party for the Hip-Hop awards show, you should probably stick to the party genre and not stray too much into other areas.
Now that you have your baseline and range, your job is easy. You'll need to build your party playlist so that the list cycles through 6 -10 songs going from low BPM range, to baseline BPM, to high BPM range.
After you've built your first cycle, you need to cycle down, but when you do that, make it shorter (3-5 songs) and also don't go back down to the starting BPM you used, go back to a slightly higher BPM.
If you do that over and over during the party, your partiers will slowly be building up their energy levels and depending on how many songs you have, and how long the party is, you'll end up with a super energized crowd by the end of the night, not wanting to go home and wanting to keep going and building more and more energy and fun.
One thing you need to remember is to make sure you don't go too low in energy level so that people don't lose their buzz, or too high in energy level for too long so people don't burn out. This is more of a trial and error thing depending on who the people in the party are and how well you know their taste in music.
BPM stands for Beats Per Minute, it's basically a unit used to measure the tempo of music. When you want to build a great party playlist, you want to make sure that you use BPM to create "waves" of music that help excite and enchant your partiers. How do you do that:
Depending on your party style of course, you want to keep people going up and down in energy level.
First, establish your baseline BPM. Find some songs you think have a good energy level, not too high, and not too low, and use the BPM for these songs as the average BPM for your party playlist.
Now that you know your baseline, you need to determine your BPM range. Find some songs with much higher BPM and much lower BPM and see if they suit the people you're inviting to the party. E.g. if you are hosting a party for senior citizens, you won't want songs with very high BPM because they won't like them and might also die if they try to keep up...:)
You also need to consider the genre of the songs. In most cases, mixed genres work well, but if you are hosting a party for the Hip-Hop awards show, you should probably stick to the party genre and not stray too much into other areas.
Now that you have your baseline and range, your job is easy. You'll need to build your party playlist so that the list cycles through 6 -10 songs going from low BPM range, to baseline BPM, to high BPM range.
After you've built your first cycle, you need to cycle down, but when you do that, make it shorter (3-5 songs) and also don't go back down to the starting BPM you used, go back to a slightly higher BPM.
If you do that over and over during the party, your partiers will slowly be building up their energy levels and depending on how many songs you have, and how long the party is, you'll end up with a super energized crowd by the end of the night, not wanting to go home and wanting to keep going and building more and more energy and fun.
One thing you need to remember is to make sure you don't go too low in energy level so that people don't lose their buzz, or too high in energy level for too long so people don't burn out. This is more of a trial and error thing depending on who the people in the party are and how well you know their taste in music.
Diana Rogers
Diana in Savannah
Savannah. The setting of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The events that unravelled around the fascinating characters in 'The Book' happened 30 years ago. But Savannah still revels in larger than life people.
In the heart of the Victorian District is the Gingerbread House, home to the marvellous musician Diana Rogers. Lavender's Blue arrived over one sultry Sunday afternoon to meet Diana in her kitchen. Exquisitely clad in oyster pink - hat, long gloves and real shell earrings to boot - she firstly entertained us with her witticisms, homemade sugared scones and a glass or two of bubbly.
Her house is a collectors' paradise. Tables overflowing with vintage finds glisten in the scorching sunlight. Diana's originally from Oklahoma. "All they do there is watch TV and go to church!" she howls with laughter.
Rural life wasn't for her. A classically trained pianist and singer, her wonderfully intoxicating voice, not to mention her superlative keyboard skills, ensured that she was an instant Blues hit in New Orleans. Soon she outgrew even the jazz capital and it was off to the Big Apple.
In New York Diana deftly launched herself on the music scene. She played and sang at all the top hotels and clubs: the Waldorf Astoria, Harry's Bar, One Fifth Avenue, Windows on the World...
Hot in demand, Diana enjoyed a long engagement at Nino's in New York throughout the Nineties. She performed at the Madison Arms in East Hampton during the summer months. Diana was flown over to London and Cornwall to perform at private parties. She released an album of hits at the end of the Nineties featuring 'I Know Him So Well', 'La Vie en Rose' and her own composition 'Middle Class Princess'.
In 2003 she decided it was time for a new phase of her life to begin so it was off to the Deep South. She bought a restored timber Victorian home on the pink azalea-lined East Gaston Street in Savannah.
"I still return to New York every couple of months," she confesses. "Last time I was there I spent $2,000 on a hat. But it's a real nice hat. My wardrobe takes up the whole top floor of the house."
Diana has fully established herself as a firm fixture on Savannah's music circuit. She's performed in more than a dozen venues and can currently be heard in the basement piano bar of The Olde Pink House. In fact that's where Lavender's Blue first came across her. Descending the stairs from the classy restaurant above, we heard 'Moon River' in dulcet tones floating across the heavy evening air. Fast forward 48 hours and we are in her house.
"Come on through to the parlour," Diana waves. Keeping her gloves on - natch - she embarks on a one woman cabaret show, jauntily weaving her way through the music of Cole Porter and George Gershwin before celebrating the present day with Andrew Lloyd Weber and John Kander.
Diana reveals, "Imelda Marcos' daughter lives next door. And Jerry Spence, the hairdresser mentioned in The Book is a frequent visitor. 'Honey, you can find me on page 47!' he tells everyone he meets!"
Another neighbour, Patricia, arrives. "She was big in Washington!" Diana confides in a stage whisper. Diana plays a medley of Johnny Mercer songs. Outside, a clap of thunder resounds across the gunpowder grey sky. Rain beats down heavily on the veranda. But it doesn't dampen the decadent party spirit indoors.
Leopold, a grand tortoiseshell cat appears at the parlour door. "She guards the house!" exclaims Diana. The cat got her name before her gender was determined at the vets. "My workman Mr Tiles is built like Tarzan! He was upstairs doing work when I was away and he rang me sayin', 'I can't get down the stairs! Your cat won't let me past!' Anyway, he had to jump out the bedroom window and slide down the porch roof!"
As we say our goodbyes late afternoon, Diana's phone rings. More guests arrive. The party is just getting started. A competitive cacophony of church bells and thunder erupts but it goes unnoticed, drowned out by the echo of laughter, clinking of glasses and Diana upping the tempo with 'All That Jazz'.
Savannah. The setting of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The events that unravelled around the fascinating characters in 'The Book' happened 30 years ago. But Savannah still revels in larger than life people.
In the heart of the Victorian District is the Gingerbread House, home to the marvellous musician Diana Rogers. Lavender's Blue arrived over one sultry Sunday afternoon to meet Diana in her kitchen. Exquisitely clad in oyster pink - hat, long gloves and real shell earrings to boot - she firstly entertained us with her witticisms, homemade sugared scones and a glass or two of bubbly.
Her house is a collectors' paradise. Tables overflowing with vintage finds glisten in the scorching sunlight. Diana's originally from Oklahoma. "All they do there is watch TV and go to church!" she howls with laughter.
Rural life wasn't for her. A classically trained pianist and singer, her wonderfully intoxicating voice, not to mention her superlative keyboard skills, ensured that she was an instant Blues hit in New Orleans. Soon she outgrew even the jazz capital and it was off to the Big Apple.
In New York Diana deftly launched herself on the music scene. She played and sang at all the top hotels and clubs: the Waldorf Astoria, Harry's Bar, One Fifth Avenue, Windows on the World...
Hot in demand, Diana enjoyed a long engagement at Nino's in New York throughout the Nineties. She performed at the Madison Arms in East Hampton during the summer months. Diana was flown over to London and Cornwall to perform at private parties. She released an album of hits at the end of the Nineties featuring 'I Know Him So Well', 'La Vie en Rose' and her own composition 'Middle Class Princess'.
In 2003 she decided it was time for a new phase of her life to begin so it was off to the Deep South. She bought a restored timber Victorian home on the pink azalea-lined East Gaston Street in Savannah.
"I still return to New York every couple of months," she confesses. "Last time I was there I spent $2,000 on a hat. But it's a real nice hat. My wardrobe takes up the whole top floor of the house."
Diana has fully established herself as a firm fixture on Savannah's music circuit. She's performed in more than a dozen venues and can currently be heard in the basement piano bar of The Olde Pink House. In fact that's where Lavender's Blue first came across her. Descending the stairs from the classy restaurant above, we heard 'Moon River' in dulcet tones floating across the heavy evening air. Fast forward 48 hours and we are in her house.
"Come on through to the parlour," Diana waves. Keeping her gloves on - natch - she embarks on a one woman cabaret show, jauntily weaving her way through the music of Cole Porter and George Gershwin before celebrating the present day with Andrew Lloyd Weber and John Kander.
Diana reveals, "Imelda Marcos' daughter lives next door. And Jerry Spence, the hairdresser mentioned in The Book is a frequent visitor. 'Honey, you can find me on page 47!' he tells everyone he meets!"
Another neighbour, Patricia, arrives. "She was big in Washington!" Diana confides in a stage whisper. Diana plays a medley of Johnny Mercer songs. Outside, a clap of thunder resounds across the gunpowder grey sky. Rain beats down heavily on the veranda. But it doesn't dampen the decadent party spirit indoors.
Leopold, a grand tortoiseshell cat appears at the parlour door. "She guards the house!" exclaims Diana. The cat got her name before her gender was determined at the vets. "My workman Mr Tiles is built like Tarzan! He was upstairs doing work when I was away and he rang me sayin', 'I can't get down the stairs! Your cat won't let me past!' Anyway, he had to jump out the bedroom window and slide down the porch roof!"
As we say our goodbyes late afternoon, Diana's phone rings. More guests arrive. The party is just getting started. A competitive cacophony of church bells and thunder erupts but it goes unnoticed, drowned out by the echo of laughter, clinking of glasses and Diana upping the tempo with 'All That Jazz'.
Friday, 3 September 2010
Anjana Sukhani Hot Photos
Anjana Sukhani was born on 10. December 1978. She was born in a Sindhi family hails from Jaipur. Her sister, Mina is also seeking an actress, was seen in Bachna Hai Haseeno .
Sukhani completed her education in secondary school stump, Mumbai. She continued to receive a master's degree in international business and foreign trade.
It almost forty commercials, starting with milk Cadbury's Milk ad with Amitabh Bachchan. Addition, it was noticeable in the music video "Dulhnaiya March Jayegi".
Anjana Sukhani's Movies
Anjana Sukhani small part Tum Jaano Na Na Hum (2002), after which she landed roles in Hum Dum (2005), Sun Zara (2006) and Jaana: Let's love (2006).
In Nikhil Advani's Salaam-E-Ishq (2007), it is regarded as Ange, who is dealing with a married man, played by Anil Kapoor. In the hit comedy Golmaal Returns (2008), she worked with some of the biggest names in the industry and Azhay Devgan, Kareena Kapoor. She played the role Tusshar Kapoor against Daisy.
Her release in 2009, Puneet Sira's Zay Veeru who also stars Fardeen Khan, Kuna Khemu and Dia Mirza.
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Anjana Sukhani Hot Photos, Anjana Sukhani Hot Pics, Anjana Sukhani Biography
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You are always Beautiful
We believe that we lack the beauty and to live in an imperfect world, but it is only because we can not see properly.
Beauty is an act of consciousness. This evaluation of color and form in the phenomena of experience.
Your form is always beautiful, because it is created with exquisite craftsmanship. Each cell represents the triumph of evolutionary genius.
And if you go beyond the form in your view, you can only feel a sense of fear and wonder.
The mind can process trillions of bits of information per second. At this point, your mind is organizing the exchange of oxygen from the internal organs, blood, and your eyes are busy reading these words and your mind busy, to understand them.
All are beautiful, because everyone has arisen in connection with the creative genius of pure consciousness.
And the world is alive, that moves poems, full of beautiful sounds, and countless impressions.
The saddest thing of all is how little we appreciate it all.
Sunsets and sunrises are lost to us, the morning dew and touch hands of her lover lost to us all. We do not see that before us, or feel what is inside us, because we are busy with things great folly.
Is there any sense that people think about you? Is there any sense if you're working hard to collect more papers with pictures of dead presidents on them? It is not true prosperity for myself and walk on this earth?
Throughout the day, spend a trivialization of things of inestimable value and reflect the real state of things trivial value.
We are proud to be moral, but there you are busy making a deadly sin lightly life and beauty, joy and carefree performance.
You are always beautiful, whether they admit it or not, but this beauty has nothing to do with the artificial standards of the best forms of human color, shape and height. Your beauty is manifested as an act of creativity itself.
The only thing more surprising is alive than alive, as you. What else is needed? That's not all just Footnotes to this beauty, the beauty of having a conscience?
Best to create you. How long does it take before you raise the head of your problems and give him notice?
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