Music Of Malaysia And Singapore

 Music Of Singapore

Singapore has an urban musical scene, and is a center for rock, punk and other genres in the region. The 1960s produced bands like The Crecendos with hit songs like Mr Twister. The Quests, who had hits like "Shanty", "Don't Play That Song", "Jesamine" and "Mr Rainbow". "Naomi & The Boys" with a house hold hit song "Happy Happy Birthday Baby" as well as other pop-rock bands including The Thunderbirds, The Trailers, The Western Union Band, October Cherries and The Silver Strings. Folk music includes the ethnic Chinese, Malay and Tamil sounds.
The launch of the nation's arts centre, Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, has served to focus the island's classical music making. It is now the venue for the Singapore Symphony Orchestra's subscription and gala concerts. In addition, the arts centre has ensured a representation of classical music from the four primary cultures in the land. In particular, the regular festivals of Hua Yi, Pesta Raya and Kalaa Utsavam ensure that interpreters of these different repertories are heard on a regular basis.

Folk music

Peranakan folk music is noted for its fusion of English in Malay-inspired tunes, largely because the Peranakans themselves are often conversant in both languages. Contemporary tunes continue to be composed based on the Peranakan culture, such as "Bunga Sayang", a theme song from Dick Lee's musical "Kampung Amber". The song became an often-sung staple of the National Day Parade, and gained international exposure when it was performed for the opening ceremony of the 117th IOC Session at the Esplanade.

Pop and rock music

Singapore's pop scene began in 1960, when the Blue Diamonds performed, and really launched after Cliff Richard & the Shadows arrived a year later, thus launching the beat boom. Like much of the world, the British Invasion began in 1963, led by The Beatles. Some bands remained instrumental, while others incorporated singers. Soon, British R&B became popular, and spawned a local Malay variety. Pop stars of the 1960s included Naomi & the Boys, D'4 Ever, Antarctics, Mike Ibrahim & the Nite Walkers, Swallows, Ismail Haron & the Guys and Les Kafila's.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s saw the rise of rock bands such as Sweet Charity fronted by the charismatic vocalist Ramli Sarip. The band had such an influence in the Singapore and Malaysia music scene that it later led to a rock explosion in the mid 1980s. Malaysian based M.Nasir is also a Singaporean born singer, actor, composer & producer.
The 1990s produced bands with alternative and indie influences such as Concave Scream, Humpback Oak, The Padres, Oddfellows, Livionia, with the band KICK!, signed to the Pony Canyon label, making a strong wave in the POP scene with a slew of radio hits & a strong fan base.

Punk and hardcore genres

A popular band in Singapore is an all-Malay punk band Rancour which have gained popularity and musical success in a Malay "battle of the bands" programme called "Anugerah Band". Canadian Hardcore Punk band Comeback Kid and American Hardcore punk band Sick of It All have played in Singapore before. Screamo is less popular but is still known in the music scene with Japanese screamo band Envy having a maintainable fan base in Singapore. Emo is less common but there are still bands who have or are still playing of that genre.

Heavy metal

Heavy metal has a small but not insignificant presence in Singapore's music scene. Popular bands like Slayer, Dream Theater and Helloween have played in Singapore to receptive crowds, usually at an open field at Fort Canning Park. Weekly small scale to medium scale gigs are held almost weekly at locations such as BlackHole212 or Substation. Most recently, on 15th February, 2011, Iron Maiden played to a crowd of 12,000 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

No Singaporean reach successful international act except some Mandarin language singer that have made it in China, Hong Kong & Taiwan.

 Music Of Malaysia

Music of Malaysia is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres in Malaysia. A great variety of genres in Malaysian music reflect the specific ethnic groups of multiracial Malaysian society consisting of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban, Dayak, Kadazandusun, Eurasians and other groups.
In general, music of Malaysia may be categorized as classical, folk, syncretic (or acculturated music), popular and contemporary art music. Classical and folk music emerged during the pre-colonial period and exists in the form of vocal, dance and theatrical music such as Nobat, Mak Yong, Mak Inang, Dikir barat, Ulek mayang and Menora. The syncretic music developed during the post-Portuguese period (16th century) and contains elements from both local music and foreign elements of Arabian, Persian, Indian, Chinese and Western musical and theatrical sources. Among genres of this music are Zapin, Ghazal, Dondang sayang, Joget, Jikey, Boria, Keroncong and Bangsawan.
Both Malaysian popular music and contemporary art music are essentially Western-based music combined with some local elements. In 1950s, the musician P.Ramlee helped in creating a Malaysian music that combined folks songs with Western dance rhythms and western Asian music.

Folk Music

Besides Malay music, Chinese and Indian Malaysians have their own forms of music, and the indigenous tribes of Peninsula and East Malaysia have unique traditional instruments.

Malay music

Traditional Malay music and performing arts appear to have originated in the Kelantan-Pattani region with influences from India, China, Thailand and Indonesia. The music is based around percussion instruments, the most important of which is the gendang (drum). There are at least 14 types of traditional drums. Drums and other traditional percussion instruments are often made from natural materials. Besides drums, other percussion instruments (some made of shells) include: the rebab (a bowed string instrument), the serunai (a double-reed oboe-like instrument), the seruling (flute), and trumpets. Music is traditionally used for storytelling, celebrating life-cycle events, and times like harvest. It was once used as a form of long-distance communication.
The Malays of Kelantan and Terengganu are culturally linked to peoples from the South China Sea area, and are quite different from the West Coast of Malaya. The martial art of silat Melayu developed in the Malay peninsula since the beginning of common era also popular in Malaysia, while essentially still important as a branch of the self defence form. Similar to tai chi, though of independent origin, it is a mix of martial arts, dance and music typically accompanied by gongs, drums and Indian oboes.
The natives of the Malay Peninsula played in small ensembles called kertok, which performed swift and rhythmic xylophone music. This may have led to the development of dikir barat. In recent years, the Malaysian government has promoted this Kelantanese music form as a national cultural icon.
Arabic-derived zapin music and dance is popular throughout Malaysia, and is usually accompanied by a gambus and some drums. Ghazals from Arabia are popular in the markets and malls of Kuala Lumpur and Johor, and stars like Kamariah Noor are very successful. In Malacca, ronggeng is the dominant form of folk music. It played with a violin, drums, button accordion and a gong instrument. Another style, Dondang Sayang is slow and intense; it mixes influences from China, India, Arabia, and Portugal with traditional elements.

Chinese music

The Hua Yue Tuan (華乐团), or "Modern Chinese Orchestra," is made up of a blend of western and traditional Chinese musical instruments. The music itself combines western polyphony with Chinese melodies and scales. Although the bulk of its repertoire consists of music imported from Hong Kong, Taiwan and China, many local Chinese orchestras also regularly perform Malay folk tunes with various local composers making a definite effort to absorb elements of surrounding musical cultures, especially Malay, into their compositions. In Malaysia, Chinese orchestras exist nationwide in urban areas which have large concentrations of Chinese Malaysians. Sponsored largely by various Chinese organizations including schools and Buddhist societies, a typical orchestra consists of between 12 to 50 members.
The orchestra is usually made up of four sections:
Bowed string instruments, consisting of:
  • erhu (range of three octaves; performs the role of the violin)
  • banhu (a high pitched fiddle with coconut sound box)
  • gaohu (;pitch is higher than erhu)
  • zhonghu ( tenor erhu, similar to viola)
  • gehu (like the cello)
  • bei-da-ge-hu ( like the double bass)
plucked strings comprising various sized lutes:
  • pipa ( highest pitch)
  • liu-yue-qin
  • yueqin
  • zhongruan
  • daruan
  • sanxian
  • guzheng *yangqin
the wind section consisting of:
  • dizi (笛子; transverse flutes)
  • xiao (箫; vertical flutes)
  • sheng (笙; mouth organ)
  • suona (唢呐; reed aerophone)
percussion section consisting of:
  • paigu (排鼓; drums)
  • taigu (太鼓; drums)
  • dabo (大钹; cymbals)
  • lo (锣; hand held tam-tam)
  • shih mian lo (十面锣; frame mounted tam-tam)
  • ling (铃; bell)
  • ma ling (马铃; 5 suspended bells)
  • shuang yin mu (双音木), bang zi (棒子) and mu yu (木鱼; wood blocks)
There is no lack of virtuoso performers in the Chinese classical tradition in Malaysia. Advanced training is however not presently available with most Malaysian virtuoso musicians obtaining their advanced training either in China or Singapore. Various professional and semi-professional Chinese orchestras are in existence. Malaysian western trained classical conductors are employed full time. Much of the music played is imported from China. There are however some accomplished Malaysian composers for this medium such as Saw Boon Kiat and Chew Hee Chiat.
New generations of Chinese singers are more into pop music. These include Eric Moo, Lee Sin Je, Fish Leong, Z Chen, Penny Tai and lately Daniel Lee.

Indian music

Indian music is strongly associated with religious tradition and faith. As its origins in India, there are two systems of traditional or classical Indian music in Malaysia, viz. Carnatic Music and Hindustani Music. Since Tamils from South India are the predominant group among the Indian population in Malaysia, it is the South Indian carnatic music which predominates. Simply speaking, Hindustani classical music is more lyric-oriented, while Carnatic classical music emphasises musical structure.
Indian classical music as it is performed in Malaysia has remained true to its origin. There is practically no other cultural influence. Other than reflecting Indian life, the purpose of Indian classical music is to refine the soul.
The fundamental elements of carnatic music are raaga and taala. A raaga is a scale of notes, while the taala is the time-measure. A carnatic music concert usually starts with a composition with lyrical and passages in a particular raaga. This will be followed by a few major and subsequently some minor compositions.
In Malaysia, traditional or classical Indian music are studied and performed by Malaysians of Indian ethnic origin with material that still comes from India. Musical productions are mainly in the form of dance dramas incorporating instrumental ensemble, vocal music and dance. Musical instruments used in the performances are imported from India.
Over the years, Punjabi music have established itself in Malaysia. One example of famous Punjabi music is bhangra. Many Malaysian songs today has the Punjabi influence. For example, the sound of the dhol, an instrument used mainly by the Punjabis have been incorporated in many Malay, Chinese and Indian songs in Malaysia. The increase of interest in Punjabi music have led to the birth of Malaysia's very first Urban Bhangra themed group, called Goldkartz.

World Music

Ethnic music has also found a new and vigorous following, with world music festivals like the Rainforest World Music Festival, held annually since 1998 in a scenic open-air setting in Sarawak. The first Malaysian "ethnic fusion" group to play on this international platform was Akar Umbi - comprising Temuan ceremonial singer Minah Angong (1930–1999) and Rafique Rashid. Unfortunately, the charismatic Minah Angong (better known as Mak Minah) died just three weeks after winning over the hearts of a whole new audience at the RWMF 1999. This left Akar Umbi with only one posthumously released CD to its name ('Songs of the Dragon,' Magick River, 2002).
Private companies like Trident Entertainment have begun to invest in the production, distribution and promotion of the "ethnic fringe" in Malaysian music.

Classical Music

Within Malaysia, the largest performing arts venue is the Petronas Philharmonic Hall. The resident orchestra is the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO). Malay popular music is a combination of the music from all ethnicities in the country. The Malaysian government has taken steps in controlling what music is available in Malaysia; rap music has been criticised, heavy metal has been limited, and foreign bands must submit a copy of a recent concert before playing in Malaysia. It is believed that this music is a bad influence on youth.

21st century

The 21st century has witnessed the rapid rise of a variety of new musical trends, imported from different shores and strongly influenced by an urban elite hip to jazz-fusion and fringe music (classical revivals, ethnic-flavored folk, trance, and so on). Students who studied in Europe and the Americas began returning with a staunch passion for more progressive musical modalities.
Petronas, the national petro-chemical corporation responsible for the construction of the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas and statutory bodies like the Sarawak Tourism Board have contributed significantly to the development of a broader interest in jazz, classical and world music amongst the new generation of Malaysians. Private institutions like the Temple of Fine Arts have also produced a steady flow of students skilled in world music, primarily Hindustani & Carnatic musical traditions. The Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (Petronas Philhrmonic Hall), home to the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, has become a popular venue amongst the affluent new Malaysian middle class for acts encompassing jazz, classical, and world music concerts.
Malaysia has a handful of homegrown musicians who have achieved world class stature in jazz exposition e.g., keyboardists Michael Veerapan and David Gomes; freestyle bassist Zailan Razak; multi-instrumentalists and vocalists, The Solianos; and virtuoso drummer Lewis Pragasam. Mohar and Prabhu Ganesh, two flautists with ethnic leanings, are Malaysian musicians who have begun to make waves abroad. Many of these innovators are ex-alumni of the Berklee School of Music in Boston, and the Juilliard School of Music in New York. The promise of even more exciting things to come can be seen in the emergence of youthful, ethnic-flavored percussion ensembles like the Diplomats of Drum.

Fusion music

In the field of Malaysian contemporary music a number of composers have gained international recognition, for example award-winning composers Chong Kee Yong, Dr Tazul Izan Tajuddin, Yii Kah Hoe, Saidah Rastam, Adeline Wong and others, encompassing a diverse range of styles and aesthetics.
For example, at the cutting edge of the avant garde are Chong Kee Yong and Tazul Tajuddin. Yii Kah Hoe is slowly exploring a similar direction as a departure, or perhaps an enrichment, of his work with Chinese orchestral music, while pianist-composer Ng Chong Lim treads the ground between atonalism and aleatoric music based on the live interaction of more tonal fragments.
Pursuing a more accessible tonal language is the colourful and rhythmically vibrant music of Adeline Wong and Johan Othman, the latter combining a quasi minimalist approach with elements of Malaysian aesthetics tempered with jazzy undercurrents. Saidah Rastam experiments with jazz and atonalism in combination with ethnic Malaysian elements, and has even worked with reinventing Chinese Opera through atonal jazz. Ahmad Muriz Che Rose works with a more populist approach to Malay traditional instruments in a contemporary language through his work with the Petronas Performing Arts Group, Prabhu Ganesh fuses European Classical Music with undertones of North Indian Raagas, bringing back similar feelings explored by Philip Glass and Ravi Shankar in the early 90's through their venture Passages (BMG).
Since the turn of the new millennium Malaysian composers have begun to earn recognition and respect for their work, and increased coverage and interest in the media has also helped to bring the efforts of serious composers to the foreground of musical activity in the country.

Popular music

Malaysia's pop music scene developed from traditional asli (pure) music popularized in the 1920s and 1930s by Bangsawan troupes. These troupes are in fact a type of Malaysia opera influenced by Indian opera at first known as Wayang Pasir (Persia) which was started by rich Persians residing in India. They portrayed stories from diverse groups such as Indian, Western, Islamic, Chinese, Indonesian and Malay. Music, dance, acting with costumes are used in performance depending on the stories told. The musicians were mostly local Malays, Filipinos and Guanis (descendants from Gua in India).
One of the earliest modern Malay pop songs was "Tudung Periok", sung by Momo Latif, who recorded it in 1930. In the 1950s, P.Ramlee became the most popular Malay singer and composer with a range of slow ballads such as "Azizah", "Dendang Perantau" and the evergreen "Di Mana Kan Ku Cari Ganti".

Pop Yeh-yeh

In the 1960s, western-influenced Yé-yé music came to the forefront. The localised name 'Pop Yeh-yeh' genre was popular in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei in the 1960s. Pop Yeh-yeh ruled the Malay music scene from 1965 to 1971. The music and fashion of The Beatles and other British rock and roll bands during the 1960s were a strong influence of the pop yeh-yeh bands and also generally influenced the Malay music industry of that period. In fact, the term "pop yeh-yeh" was taken from a line from the popular Beatles song, "She Loves You" ("she loves you, yeah-yeah-yeah".)This may not be a fact as the term "pop yeh yeh" was never used in the 1960s but much later when such music was revived in the 1980s by M. Shariff & The Zurah. It might be that music journalists of the 1980s coined the term.
The first local song in the Pop Yeh-yeh vein was a song called "Suzanna", sung by M Osman in 1964. During the height of the pop yeh-yeh craze, a lot of the bands that were formed tried their best to mimic The Beatles in their look, songwriting and performance style. But still the musical style was taken from The Shadows and The Ventures. Usually the bands (also referred to as "kumpulan gitar rancak" - "rhythmic guitar bands" – or its acronym "kugiran") consists of four members who sings on top of handling the basic four musical instruments (two electric guitars, electric bass and drums). Most of the bands were formed in Singapore but also in Malaysia. The southern state of Johore and Singapore were the hub of activity for these bands. Most of the recordings were done in Singapore such as at the old EMI Studio at MacDonald's House in Orchard Road and many small studios owned privately.
The word "Kugiran" was first aired on Radio Singapore in the weekly Top Chart "Lagu Pujaan Minggu Ini" programme on Radio Singapore and hosted by the 1st Malay DJ M.I.A. (Mohd Ismail Abdullah). It was understood the acronym "Ku-Gi-Ran" was the idea of a subtitling officer, Daud Abdul Rahman. It is also said that it was P. Ramli who coined the term to differentiate it from the combo styled Malay bands of earlier times. "Kugiran" comprises 5 piece band members and a vocalist, one lead-guitarist, one bassist, one rhythm-guitarist, one organist (keyboardist) and a drummer.
The formation and development of these kugiran's encouraged the establishment and existence of various recording companies in Singapore in the 1960s and a lot of these songs were recorded on vinyl and sold well commercially. Some of the singers who made their name during that period include M Osman, A Ramlie, Jeffrydin, Roziah Latiff & The Jayhawkers, Adnan Othman, Halim "Jandaku" Yatim, Afidah Es, J Kamisah, Siti Zaiton, J. Sham, A Rahman Onn, Hasnah Haron, J Kamisah, Fatimah M Amin, Asmah Atan, Orkid Abdullah, A. Remie, Zamzam, Salim I, Kassim Selamat, M Rahmat, A Karim Jais, M Ishak, Hussien Ismail, Jaafor O, A Halim, Azizah Mohamed, S Jibeng and L Ramlee. Other popular rock and pop bands of the period include The Rhythm Boys, The Siglap Five, The Hooks which featured A Romzi as their lead vocalist (they scored a hit with the song "Dendang Remaja"), Siglap Boys, Les Kafilas, Cliffters featuring Rikieno Bajuri, Impian Bateks featuring Rudyn Al-Haj with his popular number "Naik Kereta Ku" and a cappella like "Oh Posmen", "Gadis Sekolah" etc., The Swallows featuring "La Aube", "Angkut-angkut Bilis" etc. whose vocalist was Kassim Selamat and the EP was featured in a radio station in Germany. There, "La Aube" was in the German pop chart. Almost all the above mentioned artistes were Singaporeans. The most popular ones from the Malaysian side of the divide must include L. Ramli, Roziah Latiff & The Jayhawkers, J.Sham, Orkes Nirvana, The Sangam Boys and Les Flingers. The music and lyrics were usually composed by the bands themselves. The band leaders were also the producers of the albums of the period.
The golden age of pop yeh-yeh started to dwindle in 1971. Since the fall of the popularity of pop yeh-yeh, the center of the Malay music industry shifted up north from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. A lot of composers, songwriters, lyricists, singers, and producers started to gain foothold not only in Kuala Lumpur but also in other cities including Johor Bahru and Ipoh to grab the opportunity of the emerging and rapidly changing Malay music industry.

Changes in musical tastes

DJ Dave, Hail Amir and Uji Rashid introduced Hindustani-influenced music in the 1970s. Between the late 1970s and mid 1980s, the market for local recordings and artiste was in big demand, bands and musicians performing in clubs and pubs were contracted to record. Although The Jayhawkers led by Joe Chelliah was the first wholly non-Malay pop band to record Malay pop songs as a pre-cursor, it was in the mid-1970's that later non-Malay artistes, bands and businessmen ventured into the Malay music industry. Bands like Alleycats, Discovery, Carefree and Cenderawasih took the lead to modernize Malaysian Pop music; solo singers like Sudirman, Sharifah Aini further push the music to its peak. Between 1979 to early 1980 - emergence of blues outfit/band called THE BLUES GANG in Malaysia specialising in blues and the emergence of a hard rock/heavy metal outfit/band called SWEET CHARITY from Singapore - these two groups changed the Malay music scene.
Before the mid 1980s another genre of music appeared. This time it was slow rock, heavy metal, hard rock and the blues. Popular bands from the west like Scorpions, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Def Leppard were some of the major influences for these Malaysian bands. M. Nasir previously a Singaporean played a leading role in shaping rock music in Malaysia as a song writer and producer for a period of almost ten years. He produced local rock bands like Search and Wings and took them to their highest level of Malaysian rock music. Piracy in the form of duplicating cassettes and CDs became rampant and uncontrollable around this period as sales of these items soar which was supported by the country’s wave of economic success.
Between the mid 80s and early 90s, R&B and Pop music became the focus of the urban youngsters. This music was cosmopolitan and catered to a professional and educated crowd. In 1985, Sheila Majid a singer groomed by engineer/producer Roslan Aziz made a debut album called "Dimensi Baru" which was financed and produced by Roslan Aziz himself. With a lovely mellow voice together with a bunch of creative musicians like Mac Chew and Jenny Chin both influenced by R&B, fusion and jazz achieved their dreams and set a new direction for many Malaysian R&B artistes to come. This was evidently clear when her second album EMOSI was released in Indonesia and earned the BEST R&B ALBUM in the prestigious BASF awards in 1986. This historical release has changed the facet of the music industry. In the mid 1990s, a rap group 4U2C with 7 young boys was introduced by ZMAN Production and a producer Man Senoi & Mam Rap and they had made a big hit in the market and received few gold and platinum and also KRU, a vocal group composed of three brothers among others developed Malay rap and hip-hop.

Islam-influenced pop

In 1991, an environmental album recorded by Zainal Abidin, songs written by Mukhlis Nor and produced by Roslan Aziz was released. This was received very positively by the public and the international music scene especially in Asia. Around this time nasyid pop music which was a form of Islamic religious which utilized a vocal group and accompaniment of only percussions music entered the market. Developed by vocal groups like Raihan, Rabbani and Brothers, this music got a lot of support from the countryside and religious fans.
In 1996 a school girl by the name of Siti Nurhaliza from a rural town Kuala Lipis in the state of Pahang released an album produced by a talented pop music producer named Adnan Abu Hassan. This album of Malay Pop genre was a huge success. She included different genres such as Malay pop, R&B and Malay Traditional music in her later albums with much success. This singer is now very popular in the country.

Malaysian Alternative & 1990s Rock

The Malaysian underground music scene (also known as the Malaysian independent or urban music scene, with the term "urban" introduced in the late 90s)
The first signs of a underground music scene, as in real bands and original recordings, in Malaysia actually started in the city of Kuala Lumpur in the mid 1980s.
Musicians involved in the underground scene are usually guitar-driven bands with inclination towards rock music, although there are a number of acts with differing musical influences such as Folk, hip-hop, electronica and dance music. The current rise of singer-songwriters in the acoustic or folk vein in the underground scene. The first wave of singer-songwriters who have established and gained reputation in this genre include Meor Aziddin Yusof, Sherry and Kit Lee (now known as Antares). The new generation of singer-songwriters include Pete Teo, Azmyl Yunor and Shanon Shah.
They were those in the scene who practically refused to play the mainstream music industry game due to the lack of transparency and fair-play in the dealings of the music companies, including one-sided and exploitative recording deals which they see as grossly unfair.
The underground scene in Malaysia used to be a strong and unified community, especially from its birth in the mid-80s to the mid-90s. Bands or acts of different persuasions, such as punk, hardcore, Oi!/street punk, metal and ska usually performed together. The scene became less united by 1996 when most hardcore punk bands then started to apply a more staunch anti-corporate and DIY ideals into their activities.
It was also the days when fascist and right-wing elements started to rear its head via gangs of "chaos punk" and some skinhead bands. Metal bands had also removed itself from the usual multi-genre gig circuit, preferring to play only with other metal bands. Anti-corporate DIY punk bands, with anarchist ideals also started to be on their own, cutting off all ties to the others; building their own network and starting small bistros and labels. On the other hand, bands who originally started in the underground scene such as Butterfingers and OAG began to work with major label-affiliated record companies; which was seen by some as a betrayal of the DIY underground spirit.
This resulted in the break-up of the larger scene into smaller pockets which refused to acknowledge the other. The scene essentially split into two larger camps, on one hand the mainstream-friendly bands and the other, a deeper underground scene alienating themselves from the larger picture or any form of media exposure apart from their own fanzines.
Lately, major shows features bands from the mainstream hardcore scene with established bands (Cassandra, Love Me Butch) and also from the burgeoning folk singer-songwriter scene with established performers such as Azmyl Yunor.

Malaysian punk band
Famous Malaysian punk bands include the anarcho punk Carburetor Dung and streetpunk/oi! A.C.A.B..
The first punk rock scene in Malaysia started in Terengganu in 1978/1979. It started in the small town of Dungun by a group of friends influenced by British music magazines such as NME, Melody Maker, Sounds and Zig Zag, as well as their brothers and friends studying or living in the more modern West Coast cities who would pass them the magazines and music.
It was known as the Malaysian capital of punk rock throughout the late 1979 and the 1980s but there were no bands then as the punks were too poor to afford the equipment. The scene then was more a covergence of pioneering punk rockers trading pre-recorded music and fanzines acquired from pen-pals and friends from overseas while dabbling in home-made DIY punk fashion.
Most of the trading material came from friends studying overseas, friends living in the West Coast cities and also punk rockers from UK, Europe and US who sent tapes and magazines. Irregular trips were made to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur (and Georgetown, but rarely as it was too far) to dub punk rock records at the music stores or buy pirated tapes.
Some fishing villages would have the most punks and thus became the center of activities. The main two villages were Kampung Mengabang Telipot (an hour north to the city) and Kampung Tanjung (right at the mouth of the city's river system). In Mengabang Telipot, there was a small punk community library with fanzines, magazines and music, which the kids would share. This library was actually a wooden cupboard situated at one of the punk rockers' houses, it was called as "logen".
The first Malaysian punk fanzine came out from this scene. It appeared in 1986 with the title of Huru Hara (meaning "chaos"); it was written in Terengganu slang by editor Mamat Hitam but never distributed on a large scale. The first fanzine to do that was Aedes, which lasted until 1996.
Bands like The Pilgrims, Carburetor Dung, The Bollocks, A.C.A.B and A.R.T were playing in the underground gig circuit 90's around Kuala Lumpur, sharing the same stage with other bands playing different genres. The Oi! scene was also popular with street punk music by bands like A.C.A.B, The Official & Roots N Boots, with the look of the mods and skinheads. Joe Kidd (Carburetor Dung), who was a journalist from Malaysia's The Sun newspaper, wrote his column called 'Blasting Concept' which reviewed most of the records and demo released by D.I.Y bands in the 1990s. There was also reviews of concerts and shows all around Malaysia. Joe Kidd now owns a D.I.Y shop called 'The Ricecooker' which is located in the heart of the Malaysian underground scene, Central Market.
A new generation picked it up again in the late 1990s with bands, DIY labels and intermittent gigs.
There are still a lot of active punk-influenced bands such as Dirty Divider and The Goodnight Goodies, and hardcore/experimental/trance Mad Monsters Attack.

By the late 1990s with the internet easily available, downloading was the easiest and cheapest way to obtain recordings through mp3 files. Hardware CDs were also available in shops, illegal CD stalls and night markets. Priced at a quarter (1/4) of the original product price, CDs from major distributors and recording companies were no competition for these pirates. Many of the Malaysians prefer illegal music copies than original music copies. The market further deteriorated with the arrival of hardware such as mp3 players and mobile phones with similar features.
Many factors has caused the Malaysian music industry declined:
  • Excessive piracy (piracy is not a new phenomenon in Malaysian music market, it has been a phenomenon since 1970s, with pirated vinyls and audio cassettes sell at the half of the price of the original product)
  • The revenue for Malaysian music industry decreased from over RM300 million in 1997 to only RM60 million in 2009
  • Many local record labels out of business
  • Illegal downloads
  • The price of original cassettes and CDs decreased
  • The number of local artists active in the music industry dropped from over 200 in 1997 to less than 100 in 2009
  • Local record labels has forced local artists to produce album themselves
  • Many local albums released after 2006 have less songs (mostly 5 - 9 songs)
As a result, Malaysia, along with its neighboring country, Singapore, is two of the countries in South East Asia where illegal music copies outsells legal music copies. Sales of domestic and international repertoire are in the same levels in both countries, comparing to other South East Asian nations.
The piracy of music CDs has caused all original albums sold in Malaysia, whether local or foreign to be attached with an original hologram sticker since 2000 before it can be sold. At the time of introduction, it only covers audio CDs, cassettes and music VCDs. In 2003, the sticker was updated with hologram feature and now also covers non-music video releases and video games. Also, in 2004, the certification levels were down from 15,000 copies and 25,000 copies to 10,000 copies and 20,000 copies for an album to be certified as Gold and Platinum, respectively.
The encouragement from the Malaysian government towards privatization of broadcasting stations received support from the public. An array of new radio and TV stations were built.
During the early 2000s, introduction to a new form of entertainment called “Reality Shows” revived public interest in music entertainment. Shows such as Akademi Fantasia and Malaysian Idol allowed the public to choose their own stars by sending SMS through hand phones or computers at the convenience of the audiences. This excited the public because they were involved in the making of a celebrity and could choose who they wanted instead of having record companies create & distribute artistes.
Research implied that comparing from the past decades many other forms of entertainment such as DVDs, cable TVs, increased radio programmes and change of life styles has affected the musical interest of the public towards local musicians. However, this is still not representative of the active live music circuit with performers who compose and perform their own materials. Increased commercialisation and product placements using musicians casts a giant shadow over the local independent music scene and gives a skewed perception of what the local music "industry" represents instead of the voice of local musicians who still actively perform at pubs, gig venues and cafes.
From reality shows, stars such as Vincent Chong, Jaclyn Victor, Danell Lee Chee Hun and Mawi are able to sell larger numbers of CDs compared to other musicians.

Indonesian Music Invasion

Indonesian music has always been welcomed by Malay music listeners until recently when some radio stations play more Indonesian songs than local songs. This phenomenon could be attributed to Malay music listeners who are tired of the local musicians' tendency to keep recycling old songs like 'Rock Kapak' and power-ballads that are deemed safe in terms of music industry strategy. Artist society like 'Karyawan' has tried to introduce a 90:10 quota, whereby 90% is allocated to Malaysian music and 10% for outsider music. This quota failed, as a lot of Indonesian music was aired by local radio stations. There has been mounting resistance to this invasion with many limitations in terms of airplay and show permits, but the lack of creativity by local musicians only accelerates the invasion of Indonesian music in Malaysia's community.
However, starting from March 1, 2010, all Malay-language radio station has been required to play the latest song from local artists taken from their new singles/albums in order to crack down the stimulating Malaysian music industry.

Ancient Indian ship carving in South East Asia
The old name for Singapore or Singapura is Temasik. Singapura is a sanskrit word for city of lion. The old Temasik was name that when Sang Nila Utama a malay prince the founder of Singapore saw a lion in the island. The Earliest settlement is around 2 century AD. At this time around Hindu / Buddha is the religion of this region & other malay kingdom (nusantara) spread by Hindu merchant & colony maker. When Arab trader came they brought Islam & Arab culture there that is melt with local culture replacing Hindu-Buddha religion. We can still hear & watch those thousands year old ancient Hindu influence in Malay or nusantara culture today.

Orkes Keroncong
The name keroncong came from the strumming sound of Portuguese little guitar  cavaquinho, braguinha, rajão & ukulele (Hawaii guitar). The music can be traced back to medieval &baroque Portuguese. The name keroncong only used in1800s a hundreds of years after Portuguese ex slaves settled in Batavia. Today the music is similar to Fado in Portugal. Up to this days gamelan element have been ad into the music and now become one of Indonesian musical heritage and identity.

Blues Gang a Malaysian blues band who play American blues rock style music with some local element in Malay language. They also sing it in local dialect of Negeri Sembilan -"Apo Nak Di kato" & "Jambatan Tamparuli" in Dusun Language.Their first album Any Time Any Day released in 1979.


The core temperature of sourdough before baking

Hi. Could anybody tell me what the core temperature of the sourdough should be just before baking?

We retard sourdough overnight after shaping, then bake off in the morning. The retarder stays at 4 degree Celsius until a few hours before baking. A few hours before baking, the prover kicks off, and the temperature of the retarder-prover gradually goes up. It's set to be 28 degrees just before baking.

When I stick a thermometer into the sourdough just before baking, I realise that the internal temperature of the sourdough is sitting anywhere between 10 degrees and 14 degrees. I'm thinking that this is too cold, and hence we've been having problems with large blow out holes on the bottom of loaves.

I could be wrong, but we've done so many different experiments to identify the cause of the holes, to no avail.

If anybody could kindly tell me what the core temperature of the sourdough after retarding but before baking, that'd be great. Also, if you could suggest any different ways of retarding sourdoughs, I'd appreciate that too.

Thank you.

Hi Naomi,

Sorry to hear you are still having problems.

I'm only a home baker and only know what I know and have read about.  There are reports of people going straight from the fridge to the oven and also leaving the loaf at room temperature for several hours after retarding before baking with what seems to be equal success.

I don't know whether your bakery schedule would allow it, but why don't you try some loaves that haven't been retarded and thus must be at full temperature and also a sequence of loaves that have been given progressively more time after retarding to see if the quality is different.

I realise that you run into the potential problem of overproving with the latter approach because the chemistry does not stop during retardation, just slows down.  But, for the sake of a trial, a few loaves are worth the sacrifice.

I'm with Farinam. I have personally baked at all temps between straight out of fridge (~4 C) and room temp - eitehr warmed after retard or not retarded at all, and temp variations never seem to - for me - precipitate this kind of result.

As I posted in the other thread, The only times I have had anything approaching this effect is when I have had the top of the loaf separate from the body in an otherwise similar looking way - and that I have correlated with occasions when the loaf has stuck badly in the banetton, and I have had to "hang" the loaf and cajole it out - causing a shearing under the top skin. That's why I wondered (in that other thread) whether there was any possibility of a similar force/action on the bottom of the proofed loaves - in that process of transferring to peel or even in the pulling away of the peel to get the loaf in the oven? (Are they shoved in roughly, or do they stick a bit to the peel?) Of course this may have nothing to do with what is happening... Alternatively does that top surface of the proving loaf  (that presumably becomes the bottom crust,  in the oven) dry out such that the expanding loaf might suffer a shear force between the loaf body which is expanding and the locally drier/harder skin which can't expand as much (eg imagine two balloons one inside the other, with  tape stuck over part of the outer balloon - when you blow up the inside balloon, the two don't move relative to each other, except where the tape is - the inner balloon expands but the outer one can't)? Probably way off course, but just a thought.

Or what about this - how is that heat applied as the loaves are finally proved - 28 C seems high to me! I like them to warm slowly at around 20 deg C. I wonder if there is differential heat coming mainly onto that top skin (that becomes the bottom crust when it's turned over on the peel???). Could you be promoting a whole lot more expansion action just under that skin (much more than through the rest of the loaf)- as you say it's 10-14 in the middle, and presumably 28 C (ish) on that skin. Then those local large bubbles hit the stone, there's a whole lot of differential expansion - lots just inside the skin where the loaf is well warm, and way less in the body of the loaf which is relatively much cooler. Frankly I doubt this because I have baked partly warmed loaves that are probably 6C in the middle and 15 C on the skin, and had no problem! But it's a thought.

Could you set the prover to kick in much earlier for a slower rise to say 20 or 22C? And does the heat get applied all around the loaves - or through the top (which will be bottom crust) only???

Hi Naomi,

I had the problem of blow out holes at the bottom of my loaves during the experimental stage of learning sourdough after only doing yeasted bread in the past. It was very clear what was causing my problem- I was cooking 2 uncovered loaves side by side (but not touching) and the moisture sitting between the loaves was causing weak spots in the crust that persisted after the slashes in the tops had hardened a bit so that is where the oven-spring went- not via slashes as hoped but between the loaves. I now bake single loaves covered to retain moisture until rising is completed and have not had the problem ever under this current system.

That is why I am wondering if it is an air circulation problem ie the tops are setting or drying out before the sides while the bread is still rising in the oven.


KBGX - FM 105.3 - Kea'au, HI

The Greatest Hits of All Time

KBGX (105.3 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Oldies format. Licensed to Keaau, Hawaii, the station serves the Hilo area. The station is currently owned by Mahalo Broadcasting L.L.C. and features programing from Citadel Media's "The True Oldies Channel" satellite feed.


Quapaw Reservation

The Quapaw Indian reservation is situated in the extreme northeast corner of the agency, and is 6.5 miles wide north and south, 14 miles long east and west, and contains 56,685 acres of land. The land is mostly prairie and well watered. Indications of mineral are found on this reservation in almost all the land

Quapaw Indians

Quapaw Tribe: Meaning “downstream people.” They were known by some form of this word to the Omaha, Ponca, Kansa, Osage, and Creeks. Also called: Akansa, or Arkansas, by the Illinois and other Algonquian Indians, a name probably derived from one of the Quapaw social subdivisions. Beaux Hommes, a name given them by the French. Bow

Modoc Tribe

Modoc Indians (from Móatokni, ‘southerners’). A Lutuamian tribe, forming the southern division of that stock, in south west Oregon. The Modoc language is practically the same as the Klamath, the dialectic differences being extremely slight. This linguistic identity would indicate that the local separation of the two tribes must have been comparatively recent and has

Modoc Indians

Modoc Indians were located on Little Klamath Lake, Modoc Lake, Tule Lake, Lost River Valley, and Clear Lake, extending at times as far east as Goose Lake in Oregon.

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highway supertanker

The price of a gallon of gasoline has been a major downer so far in 2011, and data shows that it may be affecting driving habits. According to The Detroit News, the Federal Highway Administration claims that Americans drove 1.453 trillion miles in the first half of 2011. That's down 1.1 percent compared to the first six months of 2010, or an eye-popping 15.5 billion fewer miles compared to the first half of last year. In fact, the government report shows that total miles are down to the lowest level since 2004.

Traffic was down on both rural and urban roads during that time span, though the greater drop occurred outside our nation's cities. Rural roads dropped by 1.7 percent, while urban roads declined by only one percent.

There is no telling if economic woes and pricey petrol will continue to keep Americans out of their vehicles in the second half of 2011, but it's a solid bet that we'll fall short of the 3 trillion miles traveled in 2010.


April 16, 2014

Homework Help: Physics

Posted by Elyssa on Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 7:15pm.

An object experiences an acceleration of 6.8m/s^2. As a result, it accelerates from rest to 24m/s. How much distance did it travel during that acceleration?

A car which is traveling at a velocity of 15m/s undergoes an acceleration of 6.5m/s^2 over a distance of 340m. How fast is it going after that acceleration?

A car slams on its breaks creating an acceleration of /3.2m/s^2. It comes to rest after traveling a distance of 210m. What was its velocity before it began to accelerate.

An object is dropped from a 32m tall building. How fast will it be going when it strikes the ground?

An object is dropped from a building and strikes the ground with a speed of 31m/s. How tall is the building?

A hopper jumps straight up to a height of 1.3m. With what velocity did it leave the floor?

A hopper jumps straight up to a height of 0.45m. With what velocity will it return to the table?

What is the landing velocity of an object that is thrown vertically down with a velocity of a 5m/s from a height of 25m?

An object accelerates from rest with a constant acceleration of 7.5m/s^2. How fast will it be travelling after it goes 12m?

An object is traveling at a constant velocity of 11m/s when it experiences a constant acceleration of 1.5m/s^2 for a time of 14s. What will its velocity be after the acceleration?

An object is thrown vertically up with a velocity of 35m/s. What was the maximum height?

A boy throws a ball vertically up and catches it after 3s. What height did the ball reach?

An object is moving at velocity of 5.8m/s. It accelerates to a velocity of 25m/s over a time of 3.3s. What acceleration did it experience?

A car which is traveling at velocity a 9.6m/s undergoes an acceleration of 4.2m/s^2 over a distance of 420 m. How fast is it going after that acceleration?

A marble is projected vertically up by a spring gun, and reaches the maximum height of 9.8m. What is the initial speed of the marble? How long did it take the marble to reach maximum height?

An arrow is shot vertically up by a bow, and after 8s returns to the ground level. What is the initial velocity of the arrow? How high did it go?

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Sunyata Recordings are completely annihilating all label competition at the moment. I have no idea where they find the artists; I just hope they keep plumbing the abyssal underground for these gems. Pre-orders have just been put up for the ultra limited Life In The Dark EP; The Sunya Is Rising. Limited to 25 copies, a purple CDR enshrined in black card, all sealed and stamped in an envelope. A truly picturesque aesthetic for an honest, poignant release.

Piano and voice ebb and flow as a candid sense of melancholy and appropriation swamp the listener. You are greeted by sultry notes that glisten to the spoken word of Anne Sexton’s ‘The Fury Of Sunrises’. Within minutes the track has evolved and hazily breaks into the recognizable Nadja-fed drone. Piano strokes haunt and recur throughout the piece lending an overall feel that leaves me somewhat reminiscent of early Nortt material. There are even harsher moments tamed by underlying ambient fuzz that bring Heartache era Jesu to mind. The release integrates all the familiar aspects of shoegaze, drone, industrial and even funeral doom to create a pivotally compelling piece of music.

The composition is heavily drone oriented with a brilliantly calculated ear for refrain and release that has largely dissipated from Nadja releases as their back catalogue became ever more convoluted and uninteresting. 35 minutes of unabashed hazed up synthdrone teeming with melancholy and splendour. Drums hiss and crackle behind a field of reverb, samples pulse from the wreckage and shine side by side with piano as the only sensibly clear sounds. Vocals wail under the current of the track – left deep at the bottom of the mix. I implore you to check out an excerpt from The Sunya Is Rising on the Sunyata Recordings Sampler (here), and immediately pre-order before this ultra limited release ends up in the dark too.

Fellow LURKER Richard described this to me as ‘epic’, and few words really hold as true. For a two track, 35 minute drone metal EP to hold sway over you for the duration and not fall into the catacombs of blatant Nadja worship, there is a telling sense of artistic integrity that is not being celebrated enough. Pre-order or miss out.

Related musings:


10.0 Priority Sync

Priority Sync is a new feature in NetIQ eDirectory 8.8 that is complimentary to the current synchronization process in eDirectory. Through Priority Sync, you can synchronize the modified critical data, such as passwords, immediately.

You can sync your critical data through Priority Sync when you cannot wait for normal synchronization. The Priority Sync process is faster than the normal synchronization process. Priority Sync is supported only between two or more eDirectory 8.8 or later servers hosting the same partition.

The following table lists the platforms that support the Priority Sync feature:

Feature List

Priority Sync

This chapter includes the following information:


Two free-ranging packs of dholes (Asiatic wild dog, Cuon alpinus) were monitored for a period of 6 yr (Sep. 1990-Sep. 1996) in the Mudumalai sanctuary, southern India. Demographic data on age structure, litter-size, sex ratio and age and sex specific dispersal were collected. Behavioural data on social interactions and reproductive behaviour among pack members were obtained to determine the frequencies of dominant and subordinate behaviours shown by male and female pack members and a measure of each male's reproductive access to females. Behaviours displayed by pack members at dens were recorded to determine whether any age- or sex-specific role specialization existed during pup care. Tenures for dominant males and females within the pack were calculated to ascertain the rate of breeding vacancies occurring within packs. Approximate levels of genetic relatedness within packs were determined by studying pedigrees.

In most years one study pack had a male-biased adult sex ratio. This was caused by almost two-fold higher dispersal of adult females over adult males. A considerable variance existed in the percentage of sub-adults dispersing from the two packs. Differences existed in the frequencies of dominant and subordinate behaviours shown by males. For males, dominance ranks and ranks based on submissive behaviours were not correlated with frequencies of reproductive behaviours. Subordinate males also displayed reproductive behaviours. In packs, dominant males had lower tenures than dominant females indicating that among males breeding vacancies arose more quickly. The litter size was found to be negatively correlated with the age of the breeding female. There were no significant differences across individuals of varying age or sex classes in the display of pup care behaviours. Significant differences did exist among individual adults. Genetic relatedness among packs tended to vary temporally as a consequence of possible mating by subordinate animals and immigration of new males into the pack.

In conclusion, it appears that males delay dispersal and cooperate within their natal packs because of the variety of reproductive strategies they could pursue within. A combination of ecological constraints and the difficulties of achieving breeding status within non-natal packs may make early dispersal and independent breeding less beneficial.


Having to replace a radiator is a hassle, but tolerable. Replacing a muffler or alternator is more costly and thus, more frustrating. But it's still bearable. Your car's engine, on the other hand, is among the few assemblies (your transmission is the other one) where a failure can empty your pocket book.

Below, we'll explore the decision to fix the assembly versus having it replaced. We'll explain why uncovering the root causes of a given problem is a critical piece to making this decision. Lastly, we'll describe the key differences between a brand new engine and a remanufactured unit.

Deciding Whether To Repair The Assembly

Suppose your vehicle is eight or nine years old and you've driven it extremely hard over those years. As a result, your engine has finally failed. The first question to ask is whether you should keep your car, or retire it and buy a new one. A lot depends on its age, value, and overall condition.

Differences Between New And Remanufactured Engines

You can buy a used assembly from a junkyard, but doing so may be dangerous. There's no way to be certain whether there are problems hidden from view, especially with engines that have a lot of miles. Even if you find a used assembly with low miles and a limited warranty, it will usually be a less-than-ideal option. The price will be consistent with a remanufactured unit, which will have been brought up to OEM standards. At that point, you're better off investing in the latter.

Alamo Heights | Balcones Heights | Castle Hills | Cibolo | Converse | Elmendorf | Fair Oaks Ranch | Grey Forest | Helotes | Hill Country Village | Kirby | Leon Valley | Live Oak | Lytle | Olmos Park | San Antonio | Schertz | Selma | Shavano Park | Somerset | Terrell Hills | Universal City | Von Ormy | Windcrest | China Grove | Hollywood Park | St. Hedwig | Cross Mountain | Scenic Oaks | Timberwood | Park Adkins | Atascosa | Macdona | Martinez | Sayers Bulverde | Fair Oaks Ranch | Garden Ridge | New Braunfels | San Antonio | Schertz | Selma | Canyon City | Fischer | Spring Branch | D'Hanis | Dunlay | Mico | Pearson | Rio Medina | Yancey | Castroville | Devine | Hondo | LaCoste | Lytle | Natalia | Bexar County | Comal County | Medina County


Just before leaving Syria late last month, U.N. weapons inspectors discovered an odd-looking projectile sticking out of the dirt near the spot where hundreds of Syrians died Aug. 21. Experts who studied the device would call it a "trash can on a rocket," citing its long fuselage and fat warhead capable of carrying 15 gallons of poison.

The reference to the rocket's discovery would take up only a few lines in Monday's highly technical U.N. report confirming the use of lethal sarin gas against Syrian civilians. But the new details about one of the weapons allegedly used in the attack came closer than ever to pinning the blame on the Syrian government, diplomats and weapons experts said.

The 41-page U.N. report concluded that much of the sarin used in the attack was hurled east of Damascus in unusually shaped, 330mm artillery rockets, similar to the one found protruding from the soil in the Zamalka suburb. The finding is significant, weapons experts say, because the rockets appear to be of a unique Syrian design, different from any of the shells and warheads associated with other producers of chemical arms.

The size of the warhead — capable of carrying up to 20 times as much liquid as other commonly used munitions — could account for the unexpectedly large number of deaths from the Aug. 21 attack, in which more than 1,000 people are estimated to have died, diplomats and weapons experts said.

Moreover, the 330mm rocket and its Iranian-built launching system are known to be tightly controlled by Syrian forces. Since the conflict began, there have been only a handful of accounts of government forces using such rockets and no reports of rebels acquiring either the weapons or the specialized launching tubes required to fire them, experts say.

"The U.N. report provides solid confirmation as to the two types of rockets used in the attack, and its evidence provides even greater proof that the government was responsible," said Peter Bouckaert, emergencies program director at Human Rights Watch, which last week issued a study that also pointed to the rockets as vital clues linking the Syrian regime to the attack.

Although the U.N. report does not explicitly assign blame, Bouckaert said the rockets' flight path and the military-grade quality of the sarin also point to the government.

The U.N. report said the larger, 330mm rockets were found in Zamalka and Ein Tarma, two southeastern neighborhoods that recorded the highest numbers of casualties.

The report included photographs and drawings of the 330mm rockets' barrel-shaped warhead, which it described as being about 14 inches wide and 30 inches long. At those dimensions, the weapon's carrying capacity would have been about 120 pounds of liquid sarin, the report said.

Environmental samples from the rocket remnants and surrounding soil tested positive for sarin, the report said.

Highlights of the report

What was used?

How was it delivered?

The U.N. team found remnants of rockets that were 25 inches long and 5½ inches wide, with a small rocket motor on the bottom, a central shaft and a cylindrical warhead. The warhead had a capacity to hold about 14.8 gallons of liquid sarin, plus or minus 1.6 gallons. The rockets were "variants of the M14 artillery rocket, with either an original or improvised warhead." The team was able to trace back the trajectories of two of the rockets and found their path could have come from a single, multi-barreled launcher.

Who fired the weapons?

The U.N. team's mandate was strictly limited to evidence-gathering and testing to determine if a banned chemical weapon as used. Syria had requested the dispatch of the U.N. team to investigate a March 19 incident at Khan al-Assal earlier this year. After protracted negotiations with the United Nations, agreement was finally reached for the team to check that and two other alleged attack sites. But the team was not to assign blame for the attacks.

Who has chemical weapons?

According to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Albania, India, Iraq, Libya, Russia and the United States, along with a country identified by the OPCW only as "a State Party" but widely believed to be South Korea, have declared stockpiles of chemical weapons to The Hague-based organization. The Associated Press


Gender Neutral Bathrooms

What is a gender neutral bathroom?

A gender neutral bathroom is a bathroom that anyone of any gender can use. In contrast, gender segregated bathrooms are those that mark "women" or "men" on the door. Gender neutral bathrooms can be single or multi-stall. Single stall gender neutral bathrooms (often marked as a "family restroom" or with a pants/skirt/handicap sign) are ones that you enter, close the door behind you, and have the facility to yourself. Multi-stall gender neutral restrooms are larger rooms with multiple stalls and multiple sinks where any one of any gender can enter. Gender neutral bathrooms can benefit several different groups of people including parents with differently gendered children, people who necessitate an attendant in the restroom who may be of a different gender, and trans* and gender nonconforming people. This page is dedicated to explaining the issue as it pertains to the trans* and gender nonconforming population at Portland Community College.

Why are gender neutral bathrooms important when creating a safe space for gender minorities?

Gender neutral bathrooms are a way to create a safer campus environment for trans* and gender nonconforming students, staff, faculty and community members at PCC. They are also a way for PCC to show trans* and gender nonconforming people that our community values their presence and cares about their health and safety.
For trans* and gender nonconforming individuals, gender segregated bathrooms can be spaces where they are met with intimidation, harassment, run-ins with security, and/or violence. These occurrences happen when people using the restroom police the gender of others based on binary assumptions and expectations of who men and women are and what they look like. This policing can effect trans* individuals, but also cisgender individuals (those who are not trans*) who present or express their gender in ways that are not culturally normative. This phenomenon is commonly referred to in gender minority communities as "The Bathroom Problem," and is an experience that most trans* and gender nonconforming people have encountered, often repeatedly, in their lives.
Gender segregated bathrooms threaten the safety of many trans* and gender nonconforming individuals. In addition to being a safety concern, this bathroom configuration can lead to health concerns. When one does not have a bathroom option that they feel comfortable and/or safe accessing, they may choose to not use the bathroom. Depending on how a person goes about avoiding the bathroom, whether it be by not eating or drinking all day or by holding it, doing so can cause serious health problems.
Gender neutral restrooms are safer for trans* and gender nonconforming people and not any less safe for others (See "Common Arguments" below). When a bathroom is gender neutral, a person who does not identify within the binary as a man or woman does not have to choose a bathroom that does not align with their gender identity. When a bathroom is gender neutral, trans* and gender nonconforming people do not stand out in ways that can make them vulnerable to intimidation, harassment or attack. When a bathroom is gender neutral, "who counts" and "who is allowed" is expanded to include everyone, which lessens the likelihood of exclusionary gender policing in the bathroom. Finally, when a trans* or gender nonconforming person sees a gender neutral bathroom when they access a PCC campus, especially if PCC is explicit about the ways in which they serve gender minority populations, the bathroom will act as a sign of PCC's commitment to serving and supporting a diverse student body and PCC community.

Does Portland Community College have gender neutral bathrooms?

YES!!! PCC has gender neutral bathrooms (GNBs) on every campus, and we are working for more. For information about how to find them, please contact genderinclusivespaces@pcc.edu.

What can you do to encourage Portland Community College to institute more gender neutral bathrooms?

  • Join the Gender Neutral Bathroom Task Force, which meets every other Friday at each campus in a round robin style. For more information contact genderneutralspaces@pcc.edu. The chair of this committee is Nash Jones.
  • Educate others about this topic, which some have never thought about or encountered. If you feel comfortable speaking to the topic yourself, do so! If you do not, you can refer them to this webpage, to the Queer Resource Center at Rock Creek Campus, or the Gender Neutral Bathroom Task Force, at genderinclusivespaces@pcc.edu.

Common Arguments and Frequently Asked Questions

1. argument: gender neutral bathrooms are unsafe for women and children

  • allowing people to use the bathroom that works best for their gender identity does not compromise the safety of women or children. Trans* and gender nonconforming people should not be assumed to be predators or dangerous. Also, a sign on a gender segregated bathroom does not keep actual violent or dangerous people (of any gender) out of the restroom.

  • gender neutral bathrooms do not only increase bathroom accessibility and safety for trans* and gender nonconforming individuals. Gender neutral bathrooms also increase access for guardians who accompany a child of another gender to the bathroom, thus increasing the safety of that child. Gender neutral bathrooms also increase access for attendants who assist people of another gender in the restroom, thus increasing the safety of the person who necessitates assistance in the bathroom.

3. argument: If only gender segregated bathroom options exist, which bathroom should we let transgender people use? What if they do not present in a gender normative way?

  • trans* folks should not be told which restroom they should use. Trans* folks should be allowed to use the restroom that they believe is most fitting, comfortable or useful for them. For binary trans* folks, this would most likely be the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity. For genderqueer or gender nonconforming folks, this decision may depend on several personal factors.

  • There are no rules about how feminine or masculine one needs to be to access the restroom. This is called “gender policing” the rules of the gender binary. Almost no one (trans, queer, or cis) conforms perfectly to gender norms all of the time, thus the gender binary is restrictive for all. Policing gender in or outside of the bathroom can lead to discrimination and violence.

4. argument: men are messier and stinkier than women, so women shouldn’t be forced to share a bathroom with them

  • men are not inherently or naturally messier than women. Often women’s restrooms can get messy. If this is an observed comparison between bathrooms in a given place, maybe making the bathrooms gender neutral will encourage a culture of cleanliness.

  • most people use gender neutral bathrooms at home or in others’ homes without questions of messiness. The ease at which restrooms are shared with all genders in the home indicates that people could do so successfully in public.

5. argument: gender neutral bathrooms will make cisgender people (often communicated as “real,” “natural,” “regular,” or “normal” women/men) uncomfortable. Also, sharing the bathroom with the “opposite” sex will be embarrassing.

  • Comfort should not take precedence over safety.

  • Folks may feel uncomfortable with a change in a rule that did not negatively effect them personally, but most likely only at first.

  • avoiding embarrassment should not be more important than creating safety.

  • the preferences of the majority should not be prioritized over the needs of a minority

6. argument: I understand that gender neutral bathrooms increase safety and health of trans* and gender nonconforming people, but we just don’t have the money or space to build more bathrooms. I also don’t have the power to change the bathrooms we have into gender neutral options.

  • Multi-stall gender neutral bathrooms actually take up the same amount or even less space as gender segregated restrooms. They are simply a single room instead of two separate rooms assigned to women and men. They are also more cost efficient because you need fewer of them, you can convert pre-existing bathrooms with only slight changes, and if you choose to take the urinals out, you will have less maintenance cost as urinals are known to clog and break down at a faster rate than toilets.


**CS Saturday LangExch PICNIC IN THE PARK (regular meeting)**

Organized by Oscar Barrofet
Let's meet at 15.30 in front of the main gate, the one in front of Arc de Triomf, or if you are late just go to the meeting point.

My number if you are lost: +34 654-58-66-89

good time is arrived, let's settle for Parc de la Ciutadella. I am sure that it will be a great good weather and a nice picnic it is a must!!! so bring your sandwiches, snacks, salads, fruits, your picnic towel and some fresh drinks to enjoy until the sun go away.

  • main_thread_for_E:event/22292


Hydrodemolition Trailer

A photo of a Rampart Hydro trailer

Our Hydro-demolition Trailer transports and stores all equipment, parts and supplies used on a job site.  The cleverly-organized trailer can contain up to three X-Pumps, a 1,200 gallon water tank, four 150-gallon diesel fuel tanks, a waste oil tank, cutting tractor, aluminum canopy for adverse working conditions, generator and lights plus all the parts and tools necessary for a project.  This innovative piece of Rampart-designed equipment wastes no space.  An inside container houses the cutting tractor during transport and becomes an enclosed workshop at the job site.


Historical Background

Horvat Omrit is a Roman-era sanctuary site located in the foothills of Mt. Hermon, just south of the modern Israeli border with Lebanon. Omrit stands near the crossroads of the ancient highway system, which linked important urban centers such as Scythopolis and Tyre to the Roman provincial capital of Damascus. During Hellenistic and Roman times, Omrit was part of an unruly region, famous for banditry, known as Iturea (Strabo Geo. 16.2, 18). The population of this mountainous region was primarily composed of Greek-speaking pagans, whose culture was most closely aligned with the cities of Syria and Phoenicia. There was also a significant population of Jews living in Iturea, many of whom, according to Josephus (Ant. 13.9), had been forcibly converted to Judaism during the rule of the Hasmonean king, Alexander Jannaeus (103-76 BCE).

Following the battle of Actium in 31 BCE, the emperor Augustus ceded control of Iturea to Herod the Great and tasked him with restoring order to the unruly region. Herod crushed all military opposition with his typical ruthless efficiency and then initiated an audacious building program designed to win over the people of Iturea (Josephus Ant. 15.344). Among the sites that benefited from Herod’s largesse was Horvat Omrit. During the early first century CE, Herod constructed a lavish sanctuary complex at Omrit, which was likely dedicated to the worship of the Roman emperor, Augustus. This sanctuary was expanded several times over the course of first century CE and remained in use until 363 CE, when it was destroyed in an earthquake. A small Christian chapel was later erected on the spot of the Herodian sanctuary using blocks from collapsed Roman buildings. The Christian community that built this chapel continued to thrive at Omrit until a second major earthquake destroyed the site in the mid-eighth century CE.

Israeli and American archaeologists rediscovered Horvat Omrit in 1998 after a brush fire cleared away the vegetation, revealing the ancient ruins. Archaeological excavations began on the site in 1999, under the direction of Prof. J. Andrew Overman of Macalester College. For twelve seasons (1999-2011), J.A. Overman and his team, with the assistance of co-directors Daniel Schowalter of Carthage College and Michael Nelson of Queens College in NY, worked to uncover the Roman sanctuary complex at Omrit. Their excavations have recovered evidence of three separate building phases of the temple. The first phase, commonly known as the “Early Shrine,” was built around 20 BCE. The Early Shrine was constructed out of local limestone which was stuccoed and painted with polychrome frescoes meant to imitate precious stone veneer. Many of these frescoes have survived in startlingly good condition and preserving them will be a top priority in the years to come.

During the first century CE, Herod the Great decided to replace the Early Shrine with a new, much larger temple (Temple I). This new temple conformed to the standard paradigm used for emperor-cult temples in East: prostyle, tetrastyle with a high podium and staircase. The Roman historian, Josephus (Ant. 15.363; War 1.404), states that Herod built an Augusteum (i.e., a temple of Augustus) in the region of Caesarea Phillipi, a town approximately 2 kilometers away from Omrit. Based on its architectural design, J.A. Overman has identified Temple I at Omrit as the Augusteum mentioned by Josephus. The construction of this new Augusteum not only reaffirmed Herod’s loyalty to Augustus, but also helped to assure the continued participation of the local Iturean population in the imperial regime.

During the late first century CE (c. 79-96 CE), the temple at Omrit underwent a final phase of expansion (Temple II). The podium was significantly widened and a peripteros (or row of columns) was installed around the entire temple. J.A. Overman believes that this final expansion of temple at Omrit may have been related to the visit of the Roman general, Titus, to Iturea in 70 CE. Josephus reports (War 7.24) that after quelling the Great Jewish Revolt, Titus held his victory games at Caesarea Phillipi. It seems likely, therefore, that while he was in the region, Titus decided to renovate the Augusteum at Omrit as a way of permanently commemorating his victory over the Jews.

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Encyclopedia Astronautica
2001.04.26 - STS-100 Mission Status Report #16

As flight controllers continued to troubleshoot computer systems on board the International Space Station (ISS), the ten crewmembers were told late today they would spend some bonus time together, after mission managers requested an additional two days of docked operations to allow ground teams to recover the use of command computers in the Destiny laboratory and to complete joint activities.

Final confirmation of the two-day extension is pending Russian concurrence of NASA's request for a one-day delay to their Soyuz launch, currently scheduled for Saturday. That would allow Endeavour to remain docked to the Station until at least Monday to help resolve the computer problems which were first noticed Tuesday night. The Soyuz vehicle was rolled out to its launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at dawn today.

With one of three command and control computers still up and running on board the station, flight controllers worked through the day to overcome what is believed to be a software problem with the other two command computers and their processing systems. Ultimately a decision was made to postpone the unberthing of the Raffaello logistics module from the Unity module until Friday while ground controllers worked to recover the computers. With other work on hold, the crewmembers completed packing up Raffaello with unneeded gear and trash, which will be brought back to Earth.

If at least one additional command computer can be recovered overnight, and engineers can reboot two fault protection computers in the Unity module which also shut down earlier today, the Raffaello module could be unberthed around midday Friday. Procedures to bring at least one additional computer back on line for further operations are expected to take about 10 hours.

If Raffaello can be returned to Endeavour's cargo bay tomorrow, then the crew will likely be given the green light to press ahead with the handoff of a pallet from the newly installed Canadarm2 Station robot arm to Endeavour's slightly smaller robot arm on Saturday, setting the stage for undocking on Monday.

To recover the two Unity computers, which offer a defense against other computer malfunctions by automatically rebooting them, controllers will have to perform a complex resynchronization procedure early Friday shortly before the planned wakeup of the two crews.

Endeavour has enough power and other consumables to remain in orbit until Friday, if necessary. With a two-day mission extension, landing would occur on Wednesday.

The crews of Endeavour and the International Space Station are scheduled to be awakened around 2:40 a.m. Central time Friday. Meanwhile, all of Endeavour's systems continue to function flawlessly as it orbits the Earth linked to the ISS.

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Lean Lemon Chicken Breast
Source: dLife

Chicken breast deliciously seasoned and baked.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate

Nutrition Facts

Makes 4 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 145.4
Total Carbs 6.4 g
Dietary Fiber 1.0 g
Sugars 1.6 g
Total Fat 1.4 g
Saturated Fat 0.4 g
Unsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Potassium 377.9 mg
Protein 26.6 g
Sodium 310.1 mg
Dietary Exchanges
, 1/2 Fruits , 4 Lean Meat
See the Detailed Nutritional Analysis
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Ingredients Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray an 8-inch x 8-inch glass or non-stick baking dish with olive oil spray.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, lemon pepper, and seasoned salt. Mix to blend.
  3. Place the chicken on a large plate or platter. Rub the seasoning mixture evenly over the chicken. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 15 minutes for the seasonings to flavor the chicken.
  4. Place a large non-stick skillet over high heat until it is hot enough for a squirt of water to sizzle on it. Using an oven mitt, remove the skillet from heat to spray lightly with olive oil spray.
  5. Put the chicken in the pan, cooking it for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until browned.
  6. Place the cooked chicken into the baking dish, smooth sides up, making sure the pieces don't overlap. Spray each breast with 2 spritzes of butter-flavored cooking spray. Pour the lemon juice over the chicken, topping each breast with a lemon slice.
  7. Bake for 21 to 24 minutes, or until no longer pink and the juices run clear. Remove from the oven, basting with pan juices. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

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What's the difference between leadership and management?

Winston Churchill sitting at his desk
Winston Churchill is a great example of a leader, but he is not manager. Photograph: Hulton Getty

Management and leadership practises were once just a subject for TV sitcoms – the Office's David Brent, a master of 'management speak', was celebrated as an example of all that is bad about bosses.

But recent scandals, such as those concerning the BBC, NHS and the banking sector, have forced the debate about management and leadership up the agenda. Employers and politicians alike are now asking how our public and private bodies should be organised – and how we can prepare the next generation of leaders.

Key to the problem is understanding the difference between management and leadership, says John Kotter, Konosuke Matsushita professor of leadership at Harvard University. He fears that too often, employers use the terms synonymously.

"Management is a set of processes that keep an organisation functioning. They make it work today – they make it hit this quarter's numbers. The processes are about planning, budgeting, staffing, clarifying jobs, measuring performance, and problem-solving when results did not go to plan."

Leadership is very different. "It is about aligning people to the vision, that means buy-in and communication, motivation and inspiration."

Churchill is a great example of a leader, but he is not manager. "He is not beloved because he made the bureaucracy function."

If an organisation is run effectively, leadership and management will exist in tandem, adds Jonathan Gosling, professor of leadership studies at the University of Exeter Business School. He points to the management technique known as target-setting – a concept that will only work when good leadership is present.

"Target setting is a management technique used to focus attention on certain activities. A hospital, for example, might set targets around waiting times."

For this exercise to work, someone within the hospital must show leadership by emphasising the importance of the activity. "In this example, the wider purpose is helping patients to lead better lives. A leader needs to inspire employees by showing how meeting a target can contribute towards this aim. They also need to think of new ways of reaching that target."

How an organisation strikes a balance between management and leadership depends on the environment in which it operates. "If the world is not changing and you are on top, then management is essential but more leadership really is not," says Kotter. "Leadership is always about change: it's not about mobilising people to do what they've always done well to continue to do it well."

But at a time of economic crisis and technological transformation, leadership has never been more essential, according to Dame Mary Marsh founding director of the Clore Social Leadership Programme and former chief executive of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). She emphasises that employees should be encouraged to develop the necessary qualities as soon as possible.

"It's crazy to think that you only need to lead when you're working at the top of an organisation – you simply can't learn it all then because you'll be too busy doing it."

While management and leadership are distinct concepts, there is a natural overlap between the skills they require, argues Marsh.

"There will be senior leaders who are particularly focused on strategic aims, but it's a great mistake to think that if you're managing a team you're only managing it. You're actually leading as well."

Mentoring and formal training can help employees make the most of opportunities to use leadership skills, according to research by the Chartered Management Institute. It reports that 90% of members who have completed a management and leadership qualification found the experience improved their performance at work. There was also a "ripple effect", with 81% of those surveyed passing on their knowledge to colleagues.

Academics say that training demystifies the idea of leadership. They fear the media's representations of popular "hero leaders", such as Steve Jobs or Churchill, have caused some to believe that only a select few are born with the ability to work in a top-level position.

"At any one time the world has a very limited number of Steve Jobs or Winston Churchills or Thomas Watson the firsts," says Kotter. "These are wonderful people and we can learn much from them, but praying for a few more of them to solve the world's problems is not a great idea."

Celebrating individual leaders can also cause some to forget that it is never just one person running the show, adds Marsh.

"Leadership needs to be clear and strategic, but it also needs to be collaborative both between and within organisations."

"You've got to be able to listen, to engage, to emphasise. You need to be maintaining a customer focus and growing the people around you." At a time when many businesses are facing budget cuts, such qualities are essential, she adds.

For Julie Davenport, founder and chief executive of Good Energy, the path to effective management and leadership begins at school.

While communication and writing should be nutured in the classroom, team work exercises should also be prioritised.

"These can be developed through other areas including sport, art, design, and music, activities that aren't confined to the classroom and are sometimes neglected in the push for academic results."

These soft skills, Gosling agrees, are essential to all those helping to run an organisation. "There are people who have a lot of great qualities and capacities for huge workloads or discerning what is and isn't of strategic importance – but who have no ability to communicate or engender trust among people.

"In any workplace, these are the qualities that matter."


Eyes are probably the most important symbolic sensory organ. They can represent clairvoyance, omniscience, and/or a gateway into the soul. Other qualities that eyes are commonly associated with are: intelligence, light, vigilance, moral conscience, and truth. Looking someone in the eye is a western custom of honesty. In this way covering of the eyes, by wearing a helmet, sunglasses, etc. can mean mystery, not seeing the complete truth, or deceit. However, in other cultural contexts the obscuring of the eyes can convey respect (Asian) or modesty and submission (many middle eastern women wear VEILS for this purpose). The eye often means judgment and authority. Jung considers its original symbol as the eternal bosom with the pupil its 'child.' It is the place where love begins (ending at the mouth).

Different colors of the eyes carry different meanings: blue - a sign of being in love, innocence; green - jealousy, a sign of distrust, rarity; red - demonic, weeping, fury. Different numbers of eyes have different meanings as well: one - subhuman, divine omniscience, superhuman (usually negative); two - normality, both physically and spiritually; three - superhuman powers, can be either benevolent or malevolent; multiple - stars and darkness.

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9 Purdue professors elected as fellows by top science organization

November 29, 2012

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Nine Purdue University professors have been awarded the distinction of fellow from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world's largest general scientific society.

The fellows from Purdue are:

* Mahdi Abu-Omar, professor of chemistry, for distinguished contributions to the field of mechanistic inorganic chemistry, with particular emphasis on atom transfer reactions of oxorhenium complexes.

* Mark Cushman, distinguished professor of medicinal chemistry, for outstanding contributions to medicinal chemistry and drug discovery, particularly his impact on fundamental science and delivery of novel therapeutics.

* Vincent Jo Davisson, professor of medicinal chemistry and molecular pharmacology, for important contributions to the understanding and exploitation of molecular specificity in pharmacological systems.

* David Nolte, professor of physics, for distinguished contributions to the field of optical interferometric devices, particularly the development and commercialization of dynamic holographic films, the BioCD and motility contrast imaging.

* Ian Shipsey, the Julian Schwinger Distinguished Professor of Physics, for his contributions to the field of experimental particle physics, particularly for heavy quark physics and leadership in the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment.

* Gabriela Weaver, professor of chemistry, for distinguished contributions to transforming science education at the undergraduate and pre-college levels through the use of inquiry-based pedagogies and innovative technologies.

* Howard Zelaznik, professor of health and kinesiology and associate vice president for research, for distinguished contributions to the fields of psychology and kinesiology, particularly for the development of a theoretical framework in movement timing.

These new AAAS fellows bring the Purdue total to 54.

Brian Wallheimer, 765-496-2050, bwallhei@purdue.edu


Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz

(1651 - 1695 / San Miguel Nepantla / Mexico)

Biography of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz

Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz poet

Maria Luisa and Sor Juana embarked on a passionate friendship that may have crossed the boundaries of the propriety of the day. In any case, it produced decidedly amorous poetry. Sor Juana wrote, "That you're a woman far away is no hindrance to my love: for the soul, as you well know, distance and sex don't count." Whether she was a lesbian by modern-day standards is unclear, and probably irrelevant. What is clear is that her poetry expresses a spiritual solidarity with women, a sublime affinity that transcends sex. That this solidarity excluded men is apparent in her anti-male work -- in "You Men," the accused are a sniveling bunch "adept at wrongly faulting womankind."

However, it was not the Sapphic content of her verses that upset Sor Juana's contemporaries. Rather, she drew fire after a private letter criticizing a member of the clergy was published without her permission. When the Archbishop of Mexico tried to silence her, she wrote a defense entitled "La Respuesta." This letter is her defining work -- and the instrument of her downfall. Sor Juana turned around the logic used by the Church to justify her oppression and subverted it into a magnificent defense for women's intellectual rights and education. Though the letter’s tone is superficially humble, Sor Juana forcefully insists that women have a natural right to the mind. Her use of biblical evidence to support her call for strong, educated women is downright clever -- and has earned her recognition for her rhetorical skills. Naturally, "La Respuesta" brought indignation from the Church and unwanted attention from the Inquisition. To save herself, Sor Juana was forced to stop writing and to give up her books. She died a nun’s death in 1695, succumbing to illness while caring for the poor during an epidemic.

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