Annual dance sport competition comes to Billings

Fort Lauderdale The city's downtown area had a distinct South Pacific feel during the kickoff event for the monthly Bank of America International Dance Celebration at Stranahan Park. The event included a Polynesian show with hula dancers a Hawaiian band a Samoan fire show specialty fruit drinks native art vendors and more.

For yoga classes invading rhythms are hard to ignore

By Matt Carroll Globe Staff | COHASSET People who practice yoga like it quiet. It helps them to meditate and relax.
more...

News | Doin’ the sphinx shuffle

Habiba a Middle Eastern dance performer led the crowd in a series of dances seen at Egyptian events. Habiba teaches Egyptian dance moves to children at the Osterhout Free Library on Saturday.

'Bridging Bridges' at SUU Dance notes Compiled by Alicia Greenleigh Article Last Updated:?04/21/2007 01:45:26 PM MDT

The Southern Utah University Department of Performing and Visual Arts presents "Bridging Bridges" Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Multi Purpose Dance Studio on the SUU campus in Cedar City.

Connecticut Ballet mixes things up with 'Razzle Dazzle' - Greenwich Time

It is an image Brett Raphael artistic director of the Connecticut Ballet will try to recast for the company's final performance of its 25th anniversary season. Its "Razzle Dazzle" program which Raphael conceived and produced calls on dance styles ranging from hip-hop to tap and contemporary African to the flamenco.

Annual dance sport competition comes to Billings

Big Sky State Games. You think track and field. You think swimming. You think summer right? On Saturday state games contestants dressed in colorful costumes fancy hairdos and makeup danced up a storm on the stage of Skyview High's auditorium.

Sini-Gang 96 - Would You Rather...

The Cranky Middle Manager Show #088 (MP3 11.5MB 33:38Min)

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Welcome to the show, a really cranky chat with HR strategist Corey Sherman of the HR Strategies blog about why mergers, acquisitions and re-orgs so often crash and burn. A little venting this week- have fun.

Don’t forget, please take our on-line survey! Some exciting things are coming soon, have your say!

Show Notes

0:00 Welcome to the show. Today we’re going to vent about why mergers and acquisitions usually don’t work.

This week’s episode is dedicated to Charles “Chinese” Gordon, and to Muhammed Ahmad, better known as the Mahdi of Sudan. Two sides of the same coin. Talk about a merger that didn’t work and never had much of a plan. Any relationship between this situation and anything going on in the news is purely coincidental- just like every other time in the last 200 years we’ve tried it. But companies don’t seem to learn from history either.

3:32 The quote of the week is from Sun Tzu- the man knew a little about strategy and even he wouldn’t have tried the HP-Compaq merger.

4:52 Welcome Corey Sherman of Strategic Planning Associates. He’s not a big fan of mergers and acquisitions. neither am I, but I’ve been reorged, merged or acquired 7 times in the last 11 years so maybe I’m just bitter. So what’s the logic that makes smart companies believe they’ll succeed where others fail?

7:17 Come on, you know why you listen…we use the word Anschluss in a sentence, who else would do that? But it’s a great description of what happens when you push two companies together. Corey tells a great story about a merger where the integration task force is made up of the same managers who drove both companies into the ground in the first place. Good thinking huh?

9:59 “Corporate Culture” is thrown around a lot, but what does it actually mean? Mergers usually make cultures turn inwards, as opposed to out towards the customer. And guess who’s usually caught in the middle? That’s why they call us middle managers, baby.

13:08 A sadly familiar story of what happens to good managers in bad mergers. Sound like anyone you know?

19:20 Reorgs are just Mergers and Acquisitions without money changing hands. Nothing says failed strategy like reorganization. Check out my blog about this from a few months ago…

Oh, and here’s another chance to bash HR.

25:52 When all the chaos is over, are you left with your best people? I tap dance on the line between stereotype and observation. So what else is new? But why are people the last things considered if they’re your greatest resource?

28:40 Oh and customers don’t enter into the conversation much either.

Resources:

HRStrategyblog.com

Society of Human Resource Managers

International Association of Business Communicators

And on a completely unrelated topic, Corey’s brother hosts a podcast here on TPN-

The Digital Photography Show

Drop me an email, join our frappr map, generally join the fun. Also, don’t forget about the listener survey.

Sini-Gang 96 - Would You Rather...

Download Episode 96 here

 

The Show Notes the sini-gang...

 Making Of the Book: "In Our Uncles' Words"

 

Book Launch for "In Our Uncles' Words"

 

Filipino Word of the Day:  Sayaw - Dance

 

Links

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The Music of Johannes Brahms

>> family choice - reggae beat goes on>> leon ware - why i came to california>> inner life - i'm caught up (in a one night love affair)>> harold melvin & the blue notes - bad luck>> black ivory - mainline>> bohanon - let's start the dance>> the emotions - i don't want to lose your love>> gayle adams - stretchin out>> vincent montana jr. feat. goody goody - it looks like love (dim's reprise edit)>> queen yahna - aint it time>> ron hall & the muthafunkaz feat. mark evans - the way you love me (dims t.s.o.p version)>> blaze - so special (so so mix)>> ron trent - love>> j. dahlback & j.l. huhta - midnight express>> osunlade - aquarian moon>> titonton duvante - getting warm>> jason hogan - the irony of false freedom>> 4 hero - hold it down>> chaka domu & buju volcov - souljah (dancehall version)>> steve bug - loverboy (primitive dub)>> blaze - lovelee day (20:20 vision main mix)>> robert hood - wandering endlessly>> chateau flight - baccula>> joe coleman - test drive>> gary davis - the professor

The Music of Johannes Brahms

A special welcome to BSR members!!! Enjoy the podcast!
German composer month concludes with a look at the composer who felt the weight of the great composers who came before him. Brahms composed in a Romantic style, but under classical conventions at a time when other composers were more forward-thinking in their work. Join us as we examine Brahms' interaction with other composers of his day, and listen to sound clips from his first symphony, and Hungarian dances.

Click on the title of this post to listen through your web browser, or see the subscription information on the right. You may also subscribe to this podcast by e-mail, using the link on the right.

Time: 14:13
Size: 13.1mb

The Groove #140

Here are some of my favourite tracks from the last 99 episodes.

Playlist:

0:00 Boredoms - Sunsidal Cendencies (from Vision Creation Newsun)
8:19 Black Dice - Untitled (from Black Dice)
11:25 EinstÃrzende Neubauten - Vox Populi (from GrundstÃck)
17:35 Jazkamer - Abomination (from Metal Music Machine)
20:10 Maja Ratkje - Voice (from Voice)
26:07 Gang Gang Dance - Egowar (from God's Money)
34:49 Wolf Eyes - A Million Years (from Human Animal)
39:37 White Mice - Blassstphlegmeice (from Blassstphlegmeice)
42:55 Glifted - Is There Any Always (from Under and In)
47:26 Liars - Broken Witch (from They Were Wrong, So We Drowned)
53:30 Tim Hecker - The Violent Light Through Falling Shards (from History That Has No Effect)
1:02:21 Caspar BrÃtzmann Massaker - Tempelhof (from Home)
1:11:01 Body Lovers - Track 3 (from Number One of Three)
1:20:32 Pita - Like Watching Shit On A Shelf (from Get Off)
1:28:26 Glen Campbell - Wichita Lineman (from Wichita Lineman)
1:31:25 Broadcast - Goodbye Girls (from Tender Buttons)

Total time: 1:34:34 (86.6 Mb)

postCount('pod100');

The Groove #140

Murphy's Law- Cheri (Thanks to Dave from PoolsideJazz.blogspot.com for this song!)The Best Things In Life Are Free- Luther Vandross & Janet JacksonLove Hangover- Diana RossNighttime Lover- The SystemAfter the Love Is Gone- Mint ConditionFriend of Mine (Remix)- Kelly PriceTuesday Heartbreak- Michael McDonaldOne Woman- JadeFlirt- CameoBetcha Don't Know- NajeeDance With Me- OrleansFreak-A-Ristic- Atlantic Starr

Bumbershoot 2007 partial lineup

Bumbershoot 2007 partial lineup

As spring begins to bloom some of you may already be gearing up to make summer plans. We have something that just might help, a glimpse at the 2007 Bumbershoot lineup! Gold, Platinum, and 3-day passes are on sale now.

Drum roll please

This year's music acts include: The Shins, Wu-Tang Clan, Panic! At The Disco, Crowded House, Lupe Fiasco, Steve Earle, DeVotchKa, Devendra Banhart, Gogol Bordello, Kill Hannah, Norma Jean, Plain White T's, The Gourds, Lyrics Born, Roky Erickson & The Explosives, The Holmes Brothers, The Avett Brothers, Yungchen Lhamo, Allison Moorer, Magnolia Electric Company, The Aggrolites and many, many more to be announced!

As always, Bumbershoot is more than just killer live music, so be sure to check out the new list of hilarious Comedians, thrilling Dance Performances, extraordinary Literary Arts program, innovative Installation, Spectacle, and Visual Arts, amazing Theater and the return of the 1 Reel Film Festival.

Tickets

3-day, Gold and Platinum Passes are on sale now. Full lineup and schedule will be announced later this summer, and single day specific tickets will go on sale following the announcement.

BumberFans! $60 3-day passes have already SOLD OUT, so stay tuned for more discount opportunities to come! - www.bumbershoot.org -

Strength

show 48: Strength perfectly exemplifies the high-energy, urban, dance-rock sound that is dominating DJ play lists around the world. Their 2006 debut album establishes them with an undeniably great dance record. With sensibilities for disco cuts and late 70's early 80's remixes, this Portland trio has thoughtfully packaged every track. You can buy Going Strong on iTunes : who: Portland garage disco vets Strength return to Humboldt after headlining last year's Bummerfest : when: Apr 13, 2007, 10:00 PM : where: Jambalaya, 915 H St, Arcata : upcoming shows: April 13 Arcata at Jambalaya w/ Strix Vega : April 14 Monterey at Monterey Live w/ Sugar & Gold : April 18 Los Angeles at Silverlake Lounge w/ Casxio : bands can submit music to humcitypodcast@gmail.com : visit us at humcity.libsyn.com :

Cam’s World for 20 April, 2007

It struck me last night while reading Brian Greene’s tremendous “The Elegant Universe” that if religious types were at all genuine, they would be digging through books on physics and chemistry like they were the new word of God. I’ve read the explanation of the double-slit experiment time after time over the last 20 years and it *still* blows me away. It brings out an awe and wonderment in me that I can only connect with a religious experience. The fact that most so-called religious types don’t study what we’re learning about the way our universe operates is a testament to how serious they really are at understanding “the mind of God” (as Stephen Hawking put it). ****** Apparently this week marks 40 years of talkback radio in Australia. As anyone who has been watching Media Watch (and you *should*) knows, the state of talkback radio in this country hit an all-time low last week when Alan Jones and his station 2GB were found as having breached the code of practice by ACMA (for inciting violence) and then they spent the week thumbing their nose at the ruling. For those of you who haven’t bothered reading Chris Masters’ excellent book on Jones, “Jonestown“, here is a quick review of his career highlights according to Wikipedia: In December 1988, Jones was arrested in a public lavatory block in London’s West End. He was initially charged with two counts of outraging public decency by behaving in an indecent manner under the Westminster by-laws. For a time until 1990, Jones had been writing for The Sun-Herald but it announced that Jones column would no longer appear following a petition by staff calling for his removal as a contributor. This followed Jones’ publication of a column predicting an oil crisis, in which a large amount of material had been taken from Frederick Forsyth’s novel ‘The Negotiator’ without attribution or indication that their source was a work of fiction. Between 2002 and early 2004, the “Cash for comment” investigation was conducted. Jones had been accused of contracting to have personal commercial support in exchange for favourable “unscripted” comments, principally for Telstra and QANTAS, during his radio show. The independent Australian Broadcasting Corporation TV show, Media Watch, was heavily involved in exposing these practices. The Australian Broadcasting Authority finally decided that disclosure had to be made, hence the “Commercial Agreement Register” at the Jones portion of his station’s web site. (Jones was investigated along with John Laws from 2UE.) Also in April 2004, a stream of flattering letters to Jones from Professor David Flint, Chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Authority, came to light. This called into question the impartiality of Flint, and the then Federal Minister for Communications, Daryl Williams, was embroiled in media speculation as to the future of Flint. With an inquiry imminent, Flint resigned. In an appearance on the ABC’s Enough Rope, John Laws accused Jones of placing pressure on Prime Minister John Howard to keep Flint as head of the ABA, made comments that many viewers took to imply a sexual relationship between Jones and Flint and broadly hinted that Jones was homosexual like Flint, who is openly gay. In December 2005, in the lead-up to the Cronulla riots, Jones used his breakfast radio programme to read out and discuss a widely-circulated text message calling on people to “Come to Cronulla this weekend to take revenge… get down to North Cronulla to support the Leb and wog bashing day”. Media commentator David Marr accused Jones of inciting racial tensions and implicitly encouraging violence and vigilantism by the manner of his responses to callers even while he was verbally disapproving of them taking the law into their own hands. (and, the most recent… ) Today Jones was fined $1000 and put on a nine-month good-behaviour bond for naming a juvenile witness in a murder trial. (link) And yet Joan Warner, head of Commercial Radio Australia, says the radio industry in this country should “pat itself on the back”. Please. Hang your heads in shame, more likely. But who is really responsible for people like that being on radio? The owners of the station? Or the people who continue to listen to him and therefore enable him to continue earning millions by behaving in this manner? Do we get the media we deserve? Or should the owners of media companies try harder to provide us with people worth listening to? ****** Meg Tsiamis from dLook obviously has way too much time on her hands. She has compiled a list of the Top 100 Aussie Blogs by Australian Audience. Unfortunately TPN didn’t make it into the top ten (we were at #12) and so didn’t make it into yesterday’s AGE. I can’t work out why Darren’s eternally-popular Problogger site was named #1 in The Age article while Meg had In The Mix as #1 but I’m sure there is a good reason. ITM is a real surprise. Who knew dance music had a following? :-) Congrats to the folks at ITM, they are obviously doing a terrific job. I need me some dance music podcasts. I also can’t work out how Meg determined popularity by AUSTRALIAN audience. Can you filter Alexa or Technorati by the geography of the audience? ****** It’s almost enough to make me believe in God. A new Napoleon film comes out. And it stars Monica Belluci. What more could I ever ask for??? (Okay, apart from actually getting to meet Monica…). Elba island, 1814. Martino is a young teacher, idealist and strongly anti-Napoleonic, in love with the beautiful and noble Baroness Emily. The young man finds himself serving as librarian to the Great Emperor in exile whom he deeply hates yet soon begins recording Napoleon’s memoirs, getting to know and learning to value the man behind the myth. Among seductions and affairs, expectations and fears, he will craft a precise portrait that never less will not manage to hide a final, inevitable, disappointment. Here’s a link to the trailer (in Italian). ****** Speaking of trailers… the new trailer for “Live Free or Die Hard” is surprisingly cool. Good to see Timothy Olyphant doing something big now that Deadwood has been canceled. It’s a big jump up for director Len Wiseman as well. His Underworld films were pretty cool concepts but never really seemed to pull it off… not that you need much of an excuse to watch Kate Beckinsale for a couple of hours. ****** I’ve decided that running a startup is a little like running a marathon. Not that I know anything about running a real marathon (and I have no intention of ever finding out), but stick with me on the analogy. A startup, be it a business or a podcast, takes time to build. I was reminded of this when I sat at E&Y the other day. One of their guys gave a presentation talking about how it takes 5 years for a business to get through the startup phase. It takes another 10 - 15 years to become a mature business. Phillip Goodman from Rivers talked about his business lost money for something like the first 8 years. Hanging around with the web 2.0 crowd, it’s easy to forget that. There’s this idea in web circles that if you ain’t a billion business in 18 months then you’re doing something wrong. Of course, most of the people who try to pull that off, usually end up flaming out. 0.0001% pull it off. I see the same thing with podcasters all the time. They start off with these huge promises, oh they are just going to take over the WORLD! They are SO TALENTED! The world has just been waiting for them to hit the scene. They are going to smoke it. Then, when a few months in they only have a few hundred listeners, they disappear from few. Pussies. I really respect the folks who come in and take a long term view. Not that you shouldn’t push yourself to grow each month, to stretch yourself - you should. You should have goal and a plan to achieve the goal. I’m always trying to get better at doing that stuff. But you have to have a long term view. It takes time to build. TPN is now at an interesting stage. When I look back over the last two years, I can see that on average we have grown our audience and our downloads at a rate of 15% month-on-month. Today we’ve got about 500,000 regular listeners. So it’s taken us two years (and change) to get to 500,000. However… if we keep up this growth curve (and who knows if we can?), then by September we should have a million monthly listeners. Five months later (Feb 07) we should hit 2 million. That’s the power of compound growth. Martin Wells from Tangler (who, btw, recently released their baby to the world, check it out if you haven’t already), shared some of his wisdom with me a while back. He talked about how when you build a startup you spend the first couple of years just getting through one month at a time until one day, you look back and realizing that your monthly revenue increase is more than you made in your first year. It takes time to build. Anyway… 2 million listeners starts to look like a real platform to build a business from. And Feb 07 will be our third anniversary as a network. If our revenue keeps growing the way it is, we should be having a lot of fun by then. But back to the marathon… I’m continually surprised by how few people can actually think in terms of 5 years. I don’t know - maybe playing chess for 30 years has helped me think long term. You can’t play chess at a high level unless you can think 20 moves ahead. I think business is a bit the same. Not that I consider myself an expert on either chess or business, I’m just a learner in both. I’m trying to get better at the business side of things. One day I hope to be able to spend more time getting better at chess.