Coffee Cup Stain

One of the most interesting exhibits running this summer is located in Newcastle, England.  Bill Fontana’s sculpture of sound will run through October 2, 2009 in various venues in and around the city.  Northern Rock Foundation Hall just closed the show last Friday.  It will run until August 2, 2009 at Katherine Shears Studio, and then will continue through October 2 in the stairwells of the Baltic Gallery.  This is part of the Summer Tyne series of various art exhibits and live performances.  These are world class events and festivals that are part of the collaboration of Culture 10.  One may find a listing of events running at any given time, at the Newcastle hotel they find accommodations with.

The exhibit features recorded sound of the three bridges over the Tyne, the river itself and acoustic “recordings” of atmosphere taken from the Baltic Gallery and the Sage Gateshead.  The recordings are live, so that each time someone experiences the show, it will be a different experience.  Improvisational Jazz accompanies the atmospheric sounds, the work of Asaf Sirkis on percussion and Tim Garland on saxophone.  These guys are award winning musicians and performers, and are elemental in the entire production.

Fonatana states that this was the first time he received a commission of this nature, and that he had always been drawn to the river and the bridges that criss-cross it.  His collaborators he credits, as their understanding of sound facilitated his creative inspiration and vision.  The title of the show is “Tyne Soundings”.  Just the nature of the water, the expansion joints used in the construction of the bridges, and the sounds of the voices of the people as they cross the bridges, together form a music of nature, of architecture and of human culture.   Live sensors have been placed in the various locations to capture the sound real time.  Sometimes the fog horn of the Souter Lighthouse is included, as well as the sound of an escalator from the Tyne Pedestrian Tunnel.

Fonatana was a student of John Cage, and was perhaps inspired by Cage’s fascination with the sound of everyday life.  He has also presented exhibits at the Tate Museum, the Venice Biennale and the Whitney Museum of Art.  This is an incredible way to experience and to rediscover the sounds of life.  From the nature of a river flowing to the clicks and grinds of mechanical objects.  For anyone visiting the Tyne region this summer, this is one attraction that should not be missed.

I was almost late catching my flight from Newark to Dubai UAE, but luckily, my taxi driver actually made an illegal turn and managed to get me to the airport just in time. I even had time to eat in a restaurant in the airport Terminal, breakfast, that’s how much time the taxi driver saved me with that highly illegal turn. I won’t tell you what he did, cause it really was dangerous and could’ve caused accidents, he was just lucky this time, but I could tell, he’s done this maneuver many times before.

At the restaurant, I could tell that most of the people surrounding me were going to Dubai also. I could tell because they were of Mid-Eastern descent. But, there was a good mix of Malay, Indian and Arab. Skullcaps, prayer beads, full black burqa’s including gloves to cover even the hands. Every exotic and international indeed. This only added to my excitement of my trip. Boarding my flight, I could tell it was booked to full capacity. Not many flights are available since 9/11, so it makes since that this flight is full. I’m anticipating the airport in Dubai will be beyond all description, and hopefully, despite the long flight, I’ll be able to enjoy the opulence of Dubai’s International airport. The Middle East’s busiest airport and home base of all the UAE.

When I arrived at the airport, it’s design struck me as something in-between the lobby of all the Dubai UAE Luxury Hotels and an upscale shopping mall with shops selling gold bullion’s and luxury cars. Very Trump-esk, Vegas opulence and a much better Rodeo Drive. I found the airport to be efficient, security screening non-sense free and no I.D. checks. All I had to do was go quickly through an x-ray scanners and a half-a-minute scrutiny of my passport. Dubai might be rich and showy, but there’s a certain austerity about it too. Only after 2 days, I could tell things were much cheaper here, like high quality items, where much less than expected. I asked a shop owner why, and he told me that it’s to attract in more tourist. Makes sense to me.

There is much to do and see in the beautiful city Barcelona, Spain. With that in mind, the diverse cuisine offered by the restaurants contributes to the overall pleasure of residents, as well as making a vacation there that much more rewarding and satisfying. While it is not usually the top priority consideration in making vacation plans, dining options actually play a large role in the overall experience of a city and region. Many people who travel like to taste the local flavors and traditional foods associated with their destination. In addition, many people like to know that they will be able to find standard options that they can rely on when they just need to get something to eat. Barcelona offers something for everyone, and features food options from around the world.

The top Barcelona hotels generally have a restaurant and lounge or bar as part of their services. The luxury hotels will often have top chiefs and serve specialty menu items. Of course simple cafes are also standard expectations with most resorts and the nearby area. Barcelona restaurants are diverse and proud of serving some of the most unique offerings available. Some of the standard ethnic and thematic options are traditional Basque, Catalan, Spanish, Italian, French, Mediterranean, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and well, the list could just go on and on. Ca l’Estevet is a Catalan restaurant located in Old Town Barcelona. It provides great food at reasonable prices and does so in a quaint, quiet and romantic setting. Some of the favorite options include the asparagus cooked over coals, the deep fried baby octopus and the duck breast. El Bulli is located on the northern outskirts of Barcelona and offers some of the best Spanish food to be found in Spain. It has a private chief who creates special menu options for the small, 50 seat, restaurant. The black garlic ravioli is a rare find.

Letters from Barcelona is an autobiographical commentary novel written on the eve of World War Two. It tells the experiences of a young radical female socialist who was living and working in Barcelona at the time of the Spanish Civil War and Catalan Revolution. The books tells the story of dictatorship from her perspective. These are both major events that are responsible for the shaping the direction of Spain and its legal system as well as cultural aspects. It is a powerful work, and provides great insight into the experiences and circumstances faced by much of the population during this time. Many of the tourists staying in a Barcelona Spain hotel are unaware of the tremendous struggles experienced during this time, and though they are reflected in the cultural dynamic, the city is in an entirely different state, and the thriving arts, entertainment, sciences and other social aspects are now progressive, cutting edge and vibrant.

During the Spanish Civil War there was a strong movement in Catalonia supporting anarchy. Anarchist Catalonia as the self named stateless territory that existed between 1936 and 1039. There was a film made on the subject in 1997 called Vivir la Utopia, which is translated as Living Utopia. It is a documentary that tells the story of the anarchists and their effects on the Spanish Republic and many parts of the country’s society. The film consists of interviews given by 30 survivors of the movement and they describe their experiences and efforts toward the social revolution the background of the Spanish Libertarian Movement. This seems today like an event that would only occur in the past, and the country’s progress post Franco has been great. Today Spain, and the city of Barcelona are thriving and Barcelona is considered to be a global city due to its financial importance, its cultural significance and its arts scene.

As I awoke, the sun was coming up and I heard a chorus of birds, insects clattering a mating call and the chatter from a Plantain Squirrel. I would’ve never have thought I would be awoken by such beautiful sounds staying at one of the Luxury Singapore Business hotels. But here I was, with may hotel window open and listening not only to the city traffic but to Singapore’s wonderful nature.

But, this was small consolation as I reflect on the many extinct species which has been caused by the nearly complete devastation of Singapore’s forests. Ever since the 1900’s when Singapore was established as a colonial trading post. It only took about seven decades to wipe out the birds, fish, mammals, Insects and plants which mother nature so diligently worked on. Currently, more than half of the native freshwater fish, a quarter of the seed plants, one-third of the birds and a few mammals are now extinct. That’s truly a significant statistic.

Singapore’s tiger is already extinct and so is the leopard, the sambar and the barking deer. It really amazed me to find out that the Hornbills, the Broadbills and the Trogons are gone too. I’ve seen indications that there are limits to the regenerative ability of Singapore’s forest. There’s been too much fragmentation and isolation which makes regeneration an impossibility. The delicate complex ecosystem that was once Singapore’s rainforest is falling apart at the seams, ever so slowly, but steadily. This even despite it is now officially protected as a Nature Reserve. The Central Catchment Nature Reserve forest. It’s a part of the remnant terrestrial forest. Only about 2,000 hectares and make up roughly 4 percent of the original forest which covered Singapore.

A Green Plan is currently being revised and the Society’s Conservation Committee has submitted a comprehensive report recommending existing nature as well as new sites be preserved. But until then, the natural heritage will be under scrutiny. I’ve added my voice to the cause and hopefully you will too.

We were taking lunch at a Dhaba near the railway station at Barog when at one point this tractor had a bumper sticker inviting everyone to honk tht was parked nearby. I got annoyed when people honk at me. I mean I believe tht honking is bad manners, but apparently all these Tractor people did not. But, at least, spotting the Crimson Sunbird at the station made a very pretty picture and was a pleasure to watch, but not easy to photograph.

I was heading back to my Palace Hotel India, taking the steps down the terrace fields when I was overwhelmed by the trees filled with birds. They filled every corner of the trees, every branch. An astonishing site. So, I decided to spend more time at the Barog Station and watch. Someone told me that Barog is home to the longest tunnel on the Kalka Shimla route which is just over a kilometer long. I was chatting with a railway official and he said there were no trains coing into the station until 11am. So, I decided to walk inside the tunnel and cross it. It was dark only after a few meters inside. I switched on the light of my cell phone and placed it close to the tracks. I could see faint outlines of the tracks. I walked for what seemed like must be mid-way of the tunnel when I heard a train coming. I moved my light from my cell phone around to see if I could seek shelter. Luckily, there was an arch right next to where I was standing. I hurried into it just as the train past by me. As soon as it past, I got the heck out of there.

I headed for the tea stall and asked for a very hot tea. The proprietor saw that I had just come from the tunnel and asked me what happened inside the tunnel when the train came.  I told him that the arch was right next to me, so I hopped into it just in the nick of time!  The proprietor was amazed that I was allowed to walk inside the tunnel. Then he told me to go party tonight because I just had a very close call. I told the proprietor that that suggestion was it self a good call, that I will indeed make a party of it tonight.

Saying that staying competitive right now in business is difficult is an understatement. Every business regardless of what sector it is in is having more difficulty selling their product or services than they used to.  So what can you do to give your business and its employees the upper-hand when the unemployment rate is staggering towards 10 percent? Well really the only thing you can do is come up with ways to make your product or service more marketable. Think of ways to improve the leadership development of your employees or any other kind of training that can help make a difference in your bottom-line.

Yes, it does not seem like the best idea to be spending un-necessary money at this time, but think of it as an investment. An investment that just may be what your business needs to get you through the tough times right now, and flourish when it’s all over.  Also, implementing some kind of management development can do wonders to boost morale within your company and make your employees more inclined to their absolute best to keep the business open.  It will help them realize that you are doing everything within your power to make sure that they still have a job at the end of the day and they will appreciate that.

Another way you can stay competitive is by improving your product or service, or bundling them into deals that consumers will appreciate. With everything on the market being slashed price wise, consumers are more inclined to buy products or services that they think they are getting a good deal on. Make consumers realize how amazing your product or service is and then give them a great deal on it, they are more inclined then to purchase something even if it is not vital to their lives at this time.

Five-star New York hotels offer the finest accommodations in the world’s greatest city.  There is a long history of accommodation here, enough so that New York is one of the places that sets the gold standard for hospitality and service.  This means that not only are guests treated to the finest lodgings that meet the highest industry standards, but also have access to a staff that knows that city inside and out.  The enormous diversity of cultures here bring their culinary traditions to the city, which has some of the finest restaurants in the world.  Guests at our hotels are treated to cuisines prepared by top chefs who know a huge range of gastronomical trends, both traditional and contemporary.  The good life is here, and the whole world is right outside the door.

The cultural scene in New York is always a step ahead of everywhere else, and for this reason it attracts some of the best intellects, financiers, and artists in the world.  There is perhaps no better place for star-gazing and people-watching.  One of the world’s most acclaimed theatrical groups, The Wooster Group is here.  They are, it is easy to argue, the world’s most accomplished avant-garde performance company.  Their productions are always a mind-blowing barrage of sounds and images, where classical texts are taken apart and reconstructed with state of the art technologies, and an extremely adept group of performers.  Their home is an unassuming Soho space, the Performing Garage, where their new works are developed in phases before they tour the rest of the world.

Elizabeth LeCompte began this particular story with Spaulding Gray in 1975, when they decided to branch off of Richard Schechner’s Performance Group, and start doing their own work.  In the three plus decades of the Wooster Group’s subsequent years, they have created some of the most interesting and controversial works of world theatre.  With such illustrious members as Ron Vawter, Kate Valk, Peyton Smith, and Willem Defoe, they have developed a style of performance that is uniquely their own, and very widely imitated.  Always under the direction of Elizabeth LeCompte, their sublime live performance work is developed in conjunction with some of the most influential designers, technicians, and musicians working in their fields.  Always challenging, always risky, and often extremely funny, this is an international act that could only happen in New York.

For the discerning traveler, our five-star hotels in Goa offer the finest in luxury hotels in a heavenly setting.  With our hotels, you will be treated to a heady combination of innovation and tradition, where comfort and hospitality meet cutting edge technology, and all the latest design trends in the field of accommodation.  We meet or exceed the highest standards in the industry, and there is a generous supply of extra details to remind you that we go the extra distance to provide you with an experience that is meant to nourish the mind and body.  In our hotels, there are many activities beyond pure relaxation that will keep the whole family happy.  With spas and swimming pools and sports facilities, not to mention impeccable dining, there is almost too much to choose from.

And Goa itself is an amazing place.  With tours and sight-seeing in the natural areas, with a long coastline and amazing beaches, along with all sorts of cultural events, people watching, and shopping, there are ecological as well as urban distractions and adventures.  You’ll see why people have been making Goa a tourist destination for many decades.  You might notice scientists and volunteers from around the world near the beaches.  There are many projects connected to Goa, and there are many efforts in place to help the cause of sea turtle conservation.  There are scientific symposia held here to discuss the particular geography and climate and how this relates to the sea turtle population, and Goa is part of many other global efforts to help the sea turtle population at large.  There are species that are specifically drawn to Goa, but generally, they don’t pay a whole lot of attention to political borders, and follow currents and temperatures.

Working together is key to the global problem of the decline in the sea turtle population.  Local efforts, then, are necessarily connected to the efforts of other nations and many different organizations.  There are, however, nesting sites that are specific to each part of the world, and Goa has theirs, with species who make Goa their home.  With 105 km of coastline, there is room for a great diversity of turtle homes.  Many species might pass through the waters, but generally speaking, Goa’s local sea turtles are the Olive Ridleys.  These are among the smallest sea turtles, and their main nesting sites are Morjim, Agonda, and Galgibag beaches.  Students looking to get involved in the conservation efforts here should contact their local conservation agencies to begin investigating the options for volunteering.

There many choices for entertainment when one is visiting and staying in one of the best Hong Kong hotels.  One form is colorful and exciting and magical and that is the theater of Banraku.  This is a story-telling tradition that is illustrated by puppets, and began as two separate are forms.  This combination has no known date or time when the traveling puppets actors joined up with the story tellers, but the first organized theater was established in 1684, by Takemoto Gidayu.  Until then both of these forms were known as traveling shows.  Gidayu was a well known voice in the story telling circles, often providing the narration .  He became famous for the intimate and emotional way he told the story, as if he could get into the hearts of the various characters and knew their stories as his own.

He teamed up with one of the most famous playwrights in Japan at the time, and to this day, Chikamatsu Monzaemon.  Monzaemon often kept many of his traditional techniques such as the fantasy and magical elements, but was extremely well known for doing this in a way that retain a very human element.  Loyalty was a main theme in many of his works.  And the sad truth when characters do not remain so with friends and family.  He was a bit like an Asian Shakespeare in theme and content of his plays.  He also created many plays about the merchants, a class that was still considered inferior even as they were become more and more economically influential.  He wrote love stories, in which the characters choose emotion over loyalty, and the imagination of the audiences was ignited.  His works were many times copied, but never equalled.

When the two died it was the end of an era, but the form of Bunraku entered somewhat of a golden age of popularity and production.  The public was interested in the intriguing puppetry as well as the stories being illustrated.  The Kabuki authors would write quite often for the puppets, and the entire form became extremely stylized.  The two forms of theater did look to each other for new ideas and innovative ways to increase the creations, and to draw an audience.  There are many of both forms of this theater in Hong Kong today, and the shows are just enchanting.