Love and Unity

When you're from the street you're able to notice the others who have been through similar situations. You notice that sadness in the eyes results from seeing things no one should see. You can feel the struggle in their voice, a result of repression from the higher power of society. Yet not always does a beaten soul stay still. Rather it  revolts, and fights back with whatever weapon it has at hand. For an artist, its their voice.

Not long ago I had the opportunity to meet a soul in revolt. At an event called Burning Babylon, Venezuelan singer "BARONI ONE TIME" approached me without notice. He was the only one who did this, separating him from  other singers who are "Internationally famous" to the point that they don't speak to commoners. The first thing that I noticed was his strong character and experience, despite his relatively young age. I noticed that there were many things he wanted to say, and I had a slight feeling that I should listen. When he got on stage he sang a peace called "Love and Unity." Not only did the lyrics strike me as the voice of the street, but this voice was certain in what it had to say. The song was well performed sporting a solid reggae beat. Unlike many song writers "Love and Unity" is not focused on being liked by the critics, or for commercial success, but rather to deliver a message. To show the young crowd that violence and intolerance is not the answer.

In my opinion BARONI ONE TIME is a voice that has to be heard everywhere, because the violence, injustice, and struggle of the poor is the same in every corner around the world........Love and Unity. 

   

                    

Artist Cathy Dobson pwns canvas

"Enchanted by colors themselves
Im compelled to unite my
dreamworlds into mesmerized
manifestations of my soul
revealed onto canvas to share
with you."

Inspired by my Aunt Artiste Painter and teacher E. Pecchioli -who started me painting when I was a child I found my calling in oil paints early on in life. Later in 1973 I studied oil painting at The New School for Social Research/ Parsons School of Design with Stephan Stephanelli- an abstract painter. In 1974 I studied drawing at The Art Students League in NYC with Isaac Soyer -Social Realist. Otherwise self taught and naive, I have continued to evolve my own unique energies through my own original art style. Now after many many art exhibits in Italy, NYC, L.A. and Florida, etc.- I have arrived here in cyperspace to share some of my illuminated oil paintings with you all.  
Visit Cathy Dobson's main art website at: http://www.absolutearts.com/royalmermaid/
Here you can see much of her work and buy pieces.

Despite impossible conditions Square Enix and PlayOnline still bring it.

When a massive earth quake and resulting tsunami hit Japan in March of 2011, it sent the global community into a panic. Worries of mass death, food shortages, and nuclear meltdowns dominated the headlines. One group affected by the disaster that we didn't hear from was the online gaming community on Final Fantasy 11 and Final Fantasy 14. Both games made by SE, run from servers located in Japan. During the first two weeks of the catastrophe, Square Enix was forced to shut them down. This was an attempt to conserve power, as the fate of several power plants was at best uncertain. As a result, one of the most hard core gaming communities was left completely in the dark. With players all over Japan, North and South America, Europe, and other remote areas, the disaster in Japan directly affected the entire world. (of gaming) As the situation progressed, the Japanese government issued guidelines for companies and households about what kind of power consumption would be acceptable. In an act of dedication similar to the heros from their epic story lines, SE found that by turning off the air conditioning in the main corporate building and decreasing the lighting by 50%, they could get the servers running and still meet the power regulations. Despite being front and center in one of the biggest disasters of our time, this infamous online host was able to provide an almost uninterrupted experience. If there was ever a class on the history of gaming, this incredible response to dire circumstances would undoubtedly be a topic of study for years to come.

Dancing Ninja Assassin

So today while lurking on the internetz I found a very interesting video of how ninjas are operating close to us, they are everywhere.....we are not safe!

                      
                             

What is Dubstep?

What Kind of Music is Dubstep?

There are many similarities between dubstep and garage. For example, in both dubstep and garage the rhythm of the music is propelled by an emphatic bass line. Dubstep can usually be identified by a tempo of 140 beats per minute. Typically, it will have what is known as a 2-step rhythm. Syncopation is also frequently used, as are snare drums. More recently, there have been developments into half-time rhythms.

The Development of Dubstep

The earliest forays into dubstep took place in London, England, in 1999. During the development of the genre, the music was far more tentative and integrated break beat, drum and bass, and 2-step garage. The result of which was a much darker sound than the contemporary examples of dubstep.

Although the dubstep genre began to emerge in 1999, it was not named until three years later. In 2002, when the term dubstep first came into usage, the genre had begun to establish itself amongst the many types of dance music. The differences between dubstep, 2-step garage and grime had become more evident by this time. However, it did not spread beyond London, until 2006.

Fundamental to the creation of dubstep was a London club named ‘Forward >>’. It was the first venue dedicated to playing, and producing, dubstep music. The club was first set up in London’s Soho and ran every Sunday night. Eventually, ‘Forward >>’ moved to Shoreditch (also in London), where it continues to operate weekly. ‘Forward >>’ was also responsible for setting up a pirate radio station, Rinse FM, which was based in London. Rinse FM facilitated an increase in dubstep’s audience and helped to create a fan-base outside London.

Expansion of Dubstep

By 2006, the popularity of dubstep had vastly increased. It was gradually becoming a more mainstream genre of dance music. During this period, several websites dedicated to dubstep were created. In addition, dubstep was being written about in music magazines, which further amplified interest.

Currently, dubstep is no longer considered simply a UK genre of music. It has become internationally recognized, but its status in its home country continues to grow. This was demonstrated by the huge popularity of Benga and Coki’s single “Night”, which was one of the biggest selling tracks of the UK Dance Chart for more than a year.