Meanwhile, Pigeons are off on their Pleasure tour, which kicked off last night in Morgantown, WV. The group just recently announced a 4/20 celebration at the Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville, VA, playing along with People’s Blues of Richmond and Disco Risque. The show should be quite the party!You can check out the band’s full tour schedule below, and get tickets for the 4/20 performance here. Funk darlings Pigeons Playing Ping Pong continue to keep things busy in the early half of 2016. The group has a new album, Pleasure, due out on April 1st, and has already shared two funky new cuts from their upcoming release. The last one, “Burning Up My Time,” debuted on L4LM, and with one listen, we knew we needed more funk!Thankfully, Pigeons have delivered the goods with a new track. The third single from their album is a great jam, titled “Kiwi.” The tune rips with the same funky enthusiasm that fans have come to know and love.Listen to “Kiwi” below:
wxbqyliz
John Mayer Will Share One Of His Favorite Grateful Dead Tracks Daily To Lead Up To Dead & Co Tour
For his first selection, John Mayer shared “Sugaree” from the Grateful Dead’s performance on May 19th, 1977, at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. The show is coming up on its 40th anniversary on Friday, as it was part of the fateful ’77 spring tour that also saw infamous shows like the Barton Hall show at Cornell University on May 8th, 1977. In keeping with the idea that these songs are supposed to help John Mayer fans unfamiliar with the Dead get acquainted with the legendary jam band, Mayer also explained what made the performance so special, noting that the song has a simple chord progression but “incredible FEEL” as well as “great solo phrasing and slow climb” to its peak. [H/T Relix] If John Mayer had any thoughts about Chris Robinson’s criticisms about him on the Howard Stern show yesterday, the Dead & Company guitarist is keeping them to himself. Instead, the guitarist is looking to the future and his summer tour with Dead & Company, which kicks off over Memorial Day Weekend at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 27th. Mayer has recently been deep in a solo tour in promotion of his latest album The Search For Everything, and to switch gears, the guitarist announced via Twitter that he’d be sharing one his favorite Grateful Dead tracks each day until the start of the tour as way to “walk in” new fans.Chris Robinson Had Some Harsh Words For Both John Mayer And His Brother On Howard Stern
The 5/19/77 Atlanta show was also released on Dick’s Picks Vol. 29 along with the Grateful Dead’s 5/21/77 show at Lakeland Civic Center Arena in Lakeland, Florida. You can listen to the single track of this performance of “Sugaree” on Spotify or the entire 5/19/77 show, courtesy of uploader Jonathan Aizen, below. 
Santana Releases New Single, “Candombe Cumbele”, Off Of Forthcoming Album [Listen]
Legendary jazz and rock guitarist Carlos Santana is gearing up to release a new LP, Africa Speaks, due out on June 7th via Concord Records. The Rick Rubin-produced Africa Speaks marks Santana’s first full-length release since 2017’s The Power Of Peace, a collaborative effort with The Isley Brothers, as well as Santana’s wife and touring partner Cindy Blackman Santana.Following the release of singles “Los Invisibles” and “Yo Me Lo Merezco” featuring Spanish vocalist Buika, Santana has shared a new single also featuring Buika, “Candombe Cumbele”. Listen to Santana’s new tune “Candombe Cumbele” below:Santana ft. Buika – “Candombe Cumbele”[Audio: Santana]Fans can head here to pre-order Santana’s forthcoming Africa Speaks LP.This summer, Santana will hit the road in celebration of the 20th anniversary of his Grammy-winning album, Supernatural, and the 50th anniversary of his monumental performance at Woodstock. The Supernatural Now tour will span 29 dates over three months, and will feature support by The Doobie Brothers. Additionally, Santana will play 16 shows through November at Las Vegas, NV’s House of Blues at Mandalay Bay.Check out a list of Santana’s extensive 2019 tour dates below, and head to his website for ticketing and more information.Carlos Santana 2019 Tour Dates:Sep 18 – House of Blues at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NVSep 20 – House of Blues at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NVSep 21 – House of Blues at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NVSep 22 – House of Blues at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NVSep 25 – House of Blues at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NVSep 27 – House of Blues at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NVSep 28 – House of Blues at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NVSep 29 – House of Blues at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NVOct 30 – House of Blues at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NVNov 1 – House of Blues at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NVNov 2 – House of Blues at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NVNov 3 – House of Blues at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NVNov 6 – House of Blues at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NVNov 8 – House of Blues at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NVNov 9 – House of Blues at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NVNov 10 – House of Blues at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, NVView Tour DatesSantana / The Doobie Brothers 2019 Tour Dates:June 22 – Phoenix, AZ @ Ak-Chin PavilionJune 23 – San Diego, CA @ North Island Credit Union AmphitheatreJune 24 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood BowlJune 26 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline AmphitheatreJune 27 – Wheatland, CA @ Toyota AmphitheatreJune 29 – Seattle, WA @ White River AmphitheatreJune 30 – Portland, OR @ Sunlight Supply AmphitheaterJuly 2 – Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA AmphitheatreJuly 3 – Denver, CO @ Pepsi CenterJuly 6 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis PavilionJuly 9 – Austin, TX @ Austin360 AmphitheaterJuly 11 – Kansas City, MO – Sprint CenterJuly 12 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino AmphitheatreAugust 3 – St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy CenterAugust 4 – Chicago, IL @ Hollywood Casino AmphitheatreAugust 6 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser StageAugust 7 – Cleveland, OH @ Blossom Music CenterAugust 9 – Indianapolis, IN @ Ruoff Home Mortgage Music CenterAugust 10 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music CenterAugust 11 – Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music TheatreAugust 13 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music PavilionAugust 14 – Washington, DC @ Jiffy Lube LiveAugust 16 – Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake AmphitheaterAugust 18 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts CenterAugust 20 – Boston, MA @ Xfinity CenterAugust 21 – Hartford, CT @ XFINITY TheatreAugust 23 – Saratoga, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts CenterAugust 24 – Camden, NJ @ BB&T PavilionAugust 25 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach TheaterView Tour Dates
Congress requests information about University endowment
The Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees have requested information on the endowments of the 56 universities with the highest endowments in the country, Bloomberg Business reported last week.With an endowment of $10.5 billion, Notre Dame remains among the wealthiest universities: Bloomberg lists the University’s endowment as the sixth-largest in the country.Vice President and Chief Investment Officer Scott Malpass said the inquiry was not unusual.“Congress from time to time in exercising its duties seeks information from various parties, both public and private, in order to better inform themselves on policy issues,” Malpass said in an email. “Notre Dame, like many other organizations around the country, often contributes to a better understanding of particular issues that are of interest to Congress.”The letter received by Harvard University president Drew Gilpin Faust obtained by the Chronicle of Higher Education included 13 questions related to endowment management, endowment spending and use, donations and conflicts of interest.Malpass said the University will supply the information sought in the letter by the two committees.“In this case, Congress is requesting information that relates to the development of tax policy, and we will assist fully in that discussion,” he said. “These are private inquiries by Congress so the content of any such responses are not made public.”Tags: Congress, Notre Dame endowment
International Cooperation Key to Drug Seizures in Colombia
By Yolima Dussán/Diálogo October 30, 2020 The Caribbean Naval Force increased cocaine hydrochloride seizures in Caribbean waters by 52 percent from January to August 2020, according to a Colombian Navy August 22 report.As of August 2020, authorities have seized 84,662 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride, while the amount seized in the same period in 2019 was 44,000 kg, the report says. With these results, Colombian authorities estimate that they have prevented more than 211 million doses from reaching international markets.“These indications are the result of interoperational […] and combined work with different countries, such as the United States, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, and the United Kingdom, mainly,” Colombian Navy Vice Admiral Andrés Vásquez Villegas, commander of the Caribbean Naval Force, told Diálogo.In addition, authorities captured 242 people and seized vehicles, aircraft, vessels, and a semisubmersible, all drug-related, the report adds.“We have the best relationships with SOUTHCOM [U.S. Southern Command] and with JIATF South [Joint Interagency Task Force South], with whom we communicate and coordinate daily. We have a Colombian Navy liaison officer at JIATF South […],” added Vice Adm. Vásquez, who mentioned the importance of the U.S. maritime shield deployed in the Caribbean: “It has enabled navy ships from other countries, such as Colombia, the Netherlands, France, [and] the United Kingdom, to cover other mobility corridors, in a combined effort to smother narcotrafficking routes.”According to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the territorial sea, which covers up to 12 miles out, is the sovereign responsibility of each State, which must have the minimum capabilities to safeguard life at sea and prevent its illegal use. But different navies are free to navigate in the exclusive economic zone, which covers 200 miles, and is in international waters.“It’s here that we require countries with blue-water capabilities, with vessels that can go from mile 12 [territorial sea] to mile 200 and beyond, to have a presence, safeguarding marine life, protecting lines of maritime communications, and preventing criminals from using the sea,” Vice Adm. Vásquez concluded.
Waxing Poetic: Northport Artist’s Paintings Are Like Looking Through Stained Glass Windows
Sign up for our COVID-19 newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest coronavirus news throughout New York Batik, the ancient art of creating patterned cloth using wax that allows artisans to selectively dye certain areas of the material, is practiced in countries around the world, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Nigeria.A year ago, longtime Northport resident Emily Eisen began to experiment with the age-old technique to create impressionistic paintings, often reminiscent of stained glass. Eisen, who lives near Crab Meadow Beach by Long Island Sound, is particularly enamored with water. She said that what she calls “batikage” lends itself particularly well to representing currents and waves as well as the ice that coats Northport Harbor each winter.She begins by loosely using textile paints as she would watercolors on silk or cotton.“I like to track the movement of the flowing colors, especially on the receptive, absorbent silk fabric,” said Eisen.She starts with a light color palette, lets the fabric dry, and then strategically paints melted wax over the entire surface in different directions and textural patterns. Next, she waits until the wax-coated fabric solidifies, refrigerating it for a short time when the weather is warm.Then Eisen taps or breaks the wax by placing her hand in different positions under the fabric to create the variety of “crackles” that imbue each piece with its unique character.Darker textile colors are painted over the crackles so that they can seep into the fabric. Eisen then covers the cloth with newspaper, ironing over it to soak up the wax until the material is soft again.What is so exciting for her is that every stage of the artistic process involves elements of surprise and experimentation. Eisen is as much the artist as she is the audience, she says.Emily Eisen was inspired to use her technique of ‘batikage’ to create “Majestic Caribbean’ after a trip to the Virgin Islands (Photo by Alan Pearlman).“I discover what it will look like when I iron the wax out,” Eisen said.As she watches the paint travel and the crackles in the wax emerge, she is entranced. It is all part of her visual journey, hence the name “batikage,” a mélange of batik and voyage.She finishes by embellishing her paintings with watercolor pastels, which imbue the surface with facets, highlights and deeper defining color, thus enhancing the dimensionality of the images. Finally the fabric is permanently attached to a canvas.“Silent Night” is an enchanting view of Northport Harbor and its dock cloaked in the solitary stillness wrought by winter. It showcases the pageantry of a glorious sunset whose jewel-like colors—fiery oranges and yellows, sapphire blues, and wisps of hot pink—are, in turn, reflected in the water. The eye is also drawn to the intriguing latticework of cracked ice, which adorns the harbor during the coldest months of the year.Viewers often comment that Eisen’s “batikage” paintings look like stained glass because the high-contrast crackle networks take on the appearance of the lead solder that frames the colored windowpanes.Eisen’s florals gravitate to the metaphoric and expressionistic. In her painting, “Hydrangea Burst,” one sees the suggestion of the delicate clusters of pastel petals that are the flower’s hallmark. Similarly, “The Butterflight Effect” and “Meadow Flowers,” are not realistic depictions, but rather playful and exuberantly flamboyant feasts of form and hue that elevate the spirit and cause one to marvel at the wonder of nature’s color wheel.“Majestic Caribbean” was the artistic culmination of a week-long trip to the tropical paradise of St. John in the Virgin Islands. As she basked in the sea, Eisen observed the ebb and flow of the mercurial turquoise water throughout the day. Networks of intersecting lines and bands of vibrant color, which hint at the sea and the sky, make this creation one of her most abstract pieces.Eisen’s work has attracted an international audience. Although her originals are currently not available for sale, limited edition giclée prints can be seen and purchased at The Firefly Artists’ gallery, 180 Main St., Northport.
Racing to serve the unbanked could have huge payoffs
Credit unions and small community banks are facing competition in one of the most unexpected banking spaces – the unbanked.Forbes.com just released a report about startup companies racing to deliver basic financial services to the 1.7 billion people on the planet who don’t have a bank account at all. Companies like Tala are loaning as little as $20 a month to people in countries like Mexico and the Philippines, where the unbanked exceed 60% of the population. Borrowers pay 15% interest and use that money to start their own businesses. As they become more profitable, Tala increases the amount they may borrow.How long do you think it will take for this race to hit American soil?Companies like Green Dot have already tapped into the U.S. unbanked market with cash cards for consumers who have bad credit or can’t afford bank fees. Cash cards are similar to debit cards except they are not tied to a checking account. ShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr continue reading »
Importance of travel video marketing for the tourism industry post COVID19 | Focus
COVID has brought a lot of changes into people’s lives, and things such as travel and tourism, which were considered a necessary indulgence, have taken a strong hit. People are no longer motivated enough to travel to far-flung places because of the fear of the Coronavirus. Such a situation demands that the tourism industry adopt promotional practices that would keep the interest alive and bring tourism back on track to pre-COVD levels.Travel video marketing is one such option that offers a lot of scopes to travel operators to entice an audience. This write up seeks to look at how travel-video-marketing can play a vital role in accentuating the appeal towards travel and encourage people to become tourists even in the ‘new normal’ with all the necessary precautions. Let’s look at how video marketing is getting incorporated into the tourism industry one-by-one: – Advertisement – OlderBTN interview: Shahab Shayan, senior manager, international operations, Dubai Tourism – Advertisement – Participation in Online Communities:Tour operators are beginning to understand the importance of online communities and are notably becoming members with active participation. Such gestures allow a company to find a relevant audience online more quickly, and video messages disseminated among such audiences find more traction compared to simply posting a video on social media platforms. Targeting an audience in online communities with videos considerably improves the chances of finding relevant customers. Increased Use of Video:It is a known fact that video has overtaken all other forms of content formats in recent times. This has made tourism-related companies to adopt a strategy that prioritizes video above all else. Presently, it is being increasingly seen that putting out video-based content has more chances of getting consumed by the audience. This paved the way for enhanced utilization of video marketing as video allows companies to communicate effectively through storytelling and paves the way towards visually-driven decision making. Present Situation: The current situation brought about by the pandemic has compelled a lot of people to stay indoors, and some have even opted for remote work instead of attending office. People are stepping out only if the situation demands. This has increased the screen time among the general populace. Tourist companies have sensed the rising demand for video content and likewise have increased their video output to cater to the demand of the viewing audience. Until the situation subsides, tourist companies will continue with their video-based approach to remain relevant in the minds of the relevant audience and potential prospects.- Advertisement –
Ability to sell an Emotional Experience: Video marketing allows companies to engage an audience through visuals and sound. This makes the viewing experience more engaging, and at times, it is even able to elicit emotional responses from the audience. Such reactions are considered extremely good in terms of the possibility of turning the audience into motivated customers, who are likely to travel to places that they see on the video. In the present situation, when travel is extremely restricted, video as a medium is bound to play a crucial role in raising the level of awareness about prime tourist destinations and exotic locales. Improved Traffic to Website:Business owners of tourist companies are always on the look-out for tactics to attract more traffic to their website. One of the ways of achieving this is by having videos on the website. Video content on websites can attract and retain an audience for a longer period of time on the website, also known as ‘dwell time.’ Increased dwell time is considered a factor by Google in deciding ranking on search. Better ranking can directly translate to better online visibility and consistent traffic to the website. Overall Impact of Video:Research suggests that a 1-minute video is equivalent to 1.8 million written words. This can give you a fair idea of the kind of impact video can have on the viewing audience. A video can conclusively inform the audience about the brand and associated benefits in a crisp and concise manner that is seen as lacking in other content formats. Given the impact video has on the viewing audience, it is natural for video marketing to be adopted by tourism-related companies in a big way. Moreover, the pandemic situation has only accentuated the relevance of video in digital marketing initiatives. ConclusionThe current pandemic situation is unprecedented, and no one had anticipated such a drastic change in lifestyle in such a short period of time. But, it has made tourism-related companies adapt to the emerging situation and develop resilience. Even with the considerable drop in travel, companies are keeping the interest alive through video marketing. With time and with an effective solution in place for the Coronavirus, tourism will again thrive and prosper. Till then, companies must utilize online video editing websites like InVideo to come with content that engages, informs, and entertains the audience to turn them into avid travelers. Relevant Messaging: More and more tour operators are disseminating messages that are more relevant to the present time, such as “dream now, visit later” or “we are in this together” This kind of messaging helps prime tourist destinations to remain on top of the mind of the viewer. The messages are also including glimpses into how local businesses and communities are coping with the difficult times. This makes the viewer empathize with the local people and improve the chances of content getting shared online. Use of 360-degree Videos:Companies are trying to incorporate the latest in video technology to get the attention of potential customers. There is evidence to support the fact that tourist companies are using technology such as 360-degree videos, giving the audience a comprehensive look at exotic destinations to generate increased interest. The videos are not only providing video shots but are also including the history and facts associated with a specific site or location, which gives the video an added punch in getting the message across. Click here to know more. The advent of Virtual Reality: Technology today is making it possible for viewers to embark on virtual tours of exotic locations through the use of virtual reality-based devices. It is a subset of video marketing, wherein the audience can indulge in an immersive experience of being in the actual location without being there. Such experiences only add to the curiosities and interests of the viewers. The use of such technology will help companies to enhance audience interest towards certain locations and tourist sites. – Advertisement –
Nexans Boosts Cable Laying Fleet with High Capacity Newbuild
Nexans has announced the start of construction of a new cable-laying vessel for submarine high voltage (HV) cable systems installation.Being built by Uljanik Group, a Croatia-based shipyard, the high capacity Nexans vessel is designed for worldwide installation of large volumes of HVDC and HVAC cable systems, even in the most severe weather conditions, the company said.The vessel covers the complete Nexans submarine product range, and has a 10 000-tonne capacity turntable.“The construction of this new cable-laying vessel is a fundamental milestone in our commitment to cleaner energy,“ said Arnaud Poupart-Lafarge, Nexans CEO.“In this next exciting chapter of our capacity to meet customer expectations, the cutting-edge technology of the new ship will enable Nexans to support countries in their development of the unlimited potential of renewable power generation”.The new ship, designed by consulting agency Skipsteknisk AS, comes with Dynamic Positioning (IMO class 3) capabilities. The laying equipment allows the vessel to perform complex installation operations of flexible products in shallow to deep water.“Together with our legendary vessel CLV Nexans Skagerrak, the new ship will reinforce Nexans’ position as a leading player in the growing submarine HV cabling market,” said Dirk Steinbrink, Senior Executive Vice President High Voltage and Underwater Cable Business Group at Nexans.“With the advanced technology, impressive capacity and the many cable-laying capabilities, this vessel will be one of Nexans’ key strategic assets”.The new cable-laying vessel is expected to be delivered and start operations by the third quarter of 2020.
Part of Interior Ministry compound torched in Cairo
Share Soldiers help extinguish a fire at a building adjacent to the interior ministry set by former police officers in downtown Cairo 15 Views no discussions From Ivan Watson and Amir Ahmed, CNN Share Sharing is caring! The incident comes as Egyptians continue to work to create the new leadership structure of the country after the revolution.State-run media reported Wednesday that there have been about 1,300 official complaints against former Egyptian ministers and government officials.Interior Minister Mahmoud Wagdi said he ordered that all the complaints, many of them about government waste and corruption, be investigated, state-run EgyNews website reported.The investigation into the complaints comes after authorities in Egypt froze the assets of former President Hosni Mubarak and his family, state-run media has reported.Attorney General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud requested the action, according to EgyNews website.Along with Mubarak’s assets, those belonging to his wife, Suzanne, were also frozen, along with the assets of the former president’s eldest son, Alaa, and younger son, Gamal, and both of the sons’ wives, according to the report.After 30 years, Mubarak stepped down as Egypt’s president February 11 following 18 days of unrest.Witnesses said the fire was started by protesters upset about labor issues and the blaze could have been ignited by Molotov cocktails.Part of a building, and surrounding buildings such as the criminal records building, had been torched as well as several cars.Soldiers and police rushed to scene and a couple of men could be seen being detained.The compound is three blocks away from Tahrir Square and violent clashes occurred in the area during the Egyptian revolution. Tweet Share The incident comes as Egyptians continue to work to create the new leadership structure of the country after the revolution.State-run media reported Wednesday that there have been about 1,300 official complaints against former Egyptian ministers and government officials.Interior Minister Mahmoud Wagdi said he ordered that all the complaints, many of them about government waste and corruption, be investigated, state-run EgyNews website reported.The investigation into the complaints comes after authorities in Egypt froze the assets of former President Hosni Mubarak and his family, state-run media has reported.Attorney General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud requested the action, according to EgyNews website.Along with Mubarak’s assets, those belonging to his wife, Suzanne, were also frozen, along with the assets of the former president’s eldest son, Alaa, and younger son, Gamal, and both of the sons’ wives, according to the report.After 30 years, Mubarak stepped down as Egypt’s president February 11 following 18 days of unrest.CNN’s Amir Ahmed contributed to this report. News Part of Interior Ministry compound torched in Cairo by: – February 23, 2011