Archive for 03月, 2010

vkac Sri Lanka on edge after vote_130

Posted by admin on 03月 11th, 2010 | 0 comments

Election officials said Rajapakse, who is being challenged by his estranged former army chief Sarath Fonseka, had won 60 percent of the vote with about a fifth of the ballots counted.

The campaign’s vitriolic nature, the personal animosity between the two main candidates and tit-for-tat accusations of coup plots had all fuelled concerns that any result would be contested and foment new unrest.

Sri Lanka on edge after vote
AMAL JAYASINGHE January 27, 2010

Incumbent Mahinda Rajapakse took a strong lead in counting Wednesday from Sri Lanka’s bitterly fought presidential election, officials said, as armed troops surrounded the hotel of his main rival.

“We know General Fonseka is inside, but our interest is in the deserters who could be armed,” he said.

Rajapakse as commander-in-chief and Fonseka, his army chief, defeated the Tamil Tigers in May last year, ending a separatist conflict that left 80,000-100,000 dead, according to UN figures.

Partial official results showed Rajapakse with 1.31 million votes against 862,644 for Fonseka. An estimated 9.85 million people voted in all.

“Personally, the outcome is better than what I expected,” Yapa said.

“We have sent a message asking them to surrender,” Nanayakkara said, insisting that Fonseka himself was not the target.

An opposition spokesman complained that the military presence was intended to “intimidate us or arrest our leaders”.

“What the election commissioner has expressed is merely an opinion, but the courts have the ultimate authority to interpret the law,” Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told reporters late Tuesday.

Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said Rajapakse, who like Fonseka is a member of Sri Lanka’s dominant Sinhalese community, was “heading for a historic victory”.

Tuesday’s election was the first since Rajapakse, 64, and Fonseka, 59, engineered the final defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who had been fighting for a Tamil homeland in the island’s northeast since the 1970s.

There were a number of violent incidents during voting, including bomb attacks in the northern Tamil stronghold of Jaffna, which monitors said had deterred some people from voting.

Tensions were acute in the capital Colombo, where up to 80 soldiers with machine guns ringed the de-luxe hotel where Fonseka was staying with several other opposition leaders.

The winner of the island’s first election since last year’s defeat of a three-decade insurgency by ethnic Tamil rebels was set to be announced around midday (0630 GMT).

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said the troops had been deployed following information that army deserters were among some 400 people inside.


Rajapakse has ruled Sri Lanka since 2005. His three brothers and other family members are in key government positions including the ministries of defence and ports.

The military campaign made both men national heroes in the eyes of the Sinhalese-majority electorate but has since been mired in allegations of war crimes. Some 300,000 Tamils were herded into internment camps.

Four people were killed and more than 1,000 election-related incidents were reported to police in the run-up to Tuesday’s contest.

In a further twist, the government said it would challenge the legitimacy of Fonseka’s candidacy in court after it emerged that he was unable to cast a ballot on Tuesday because his name did not figure on the electoral roll.



The government argued that Fonseka was therefore ineligible for the presidency, despite a strong statement to the contrary from the independent election commissioner.

The government had earlier accused Fonseka of employing a private militia consisting of army deserters, a charge denied by the opposition.

Mcpw Spore to hit Nintendo this fall_382

Posted by admin on 03月 11th, 2010 | 2 comments

In Spore Hero, players can transform into heroic alien creatures on a mission to save their home worlds from certain destruction. By battling evil forces, solving puzzles, and collecting clues, heroes evolve over time. And using the Spore Creature Creator, gamers can build their heroes with assorted alien body parts.

The popular Spore game was originally available only on the PC and Mac. Last September, EA unveiled Spore and another variation, Spore Creatures, for the Nintendo DS. In May, EA announced a fall release for the Nintendo versions of Spore Hero and Spore Hero Arena but hadn’t revealed a specific date.

“Players’ heroes take center stage as both games, distinctly tailor-made for its Nintendo platform, infuse creativity, combat and adventure to create a unique gameplay experience on the Wii and Nintendo DS,” said Lucy Bradshaw, vice president of Maxis, a subsidiary of EA

Spore Hero for the Nintendo Wii

Spore to hit Nintendo this fall

Nintendo gamers anxious to grow Spores will find relief in October.

Electronic Arts announced Monday that its Spore Hero for the Wii game console and Spore Hero Arena for the Nintendo DS handheld will reach store shelves in the U.S. on October 6 and international outlets on October 9.

(Credit:Electronic Arts)

(Credit:Electronic Arts)

Lance Whitney wears a few different technology hats–journalist, Web developer, and software trainer. He’s a contributing editor for Microsoft TechNet Magazine and writes for other computer publications and Web sites. You can follow Lance on Twitter at @lancewhit. Lance is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and he is not an employee of CNET.


Spore Hero Arena for the Nintendo DS



In Spore Hero Arena, gamers can trek throughout space in a battle to defend planets from the galactic bad guys. Players can create their own heroes, combat aliens, and unlock special abilities to give themselves a fighting chance to save entire worlds. The game also lets people play with up to three friends in person or over a Wi-Fi network.

6emo SOUND OFF! ROOMS Rocks, RAINBOW is Resplenden

Posted by admin on 03月 11th, 2010 | 1 comment

 


SOUND OFF! ROOMS Rocks, RAINBOW is Resplendent

This week we are taking a listen to the new Off-Broadway rock musical ROOMS: A Rock Romance and the revival cast recording of FINIAN’S RAINBOW. From Scotland to Ireland, and back to Broadway, we, quite joyfully, jaunt…

Sitting In My Room, Nothing Is Missing

SCORE: 8/10

Things Are Great In Glocca Mora

While the Broadway revival of FINIAN’S RAINBOW may not have had the luck of a four-leaf clover, the masterfully produced and performed cast album is the true gold pot at the end of the titular rainbow. Forget Gene Kelly, Petula Clark, or any of their Broadway counterparts – this is the recording of FINIAN’S for the ages. It is rare that a show that produced quite so many standards as this one – I can count four off-hand – and it is to the credit of Burton Lane and E.Y. Harburg that this score shines so brightly more than fifty years following its Broadway premiere. While it may not be the most complex or innovative score of that decade, or even that year, one would be hard pressed to find a more lovely way to spend an hour in Ireland without leaving the comforts of home. Even the album art and production photos, beautifully showcased in the elegant album design, makes my heart flutter a bit. This is classic Broadway at its best.

Paul Scott Goodman, along with bookwriter Miriam Gordon, has created another rock score worthy of respect and reverence with his work for the semi-autobiographical ROOMS: A Rock Romance, this coming more than ten years after his last effort, the arresting and alarmingly inventive BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY which was based on the classic 80s second-person stream-of-conciousness novel by Jay McInerney. While ROOMS lacks the dramatic weight and engaging, esoteric storytelling style of BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, it makes up for it in the enthusiasm and energy exhibited by the excellent leads, Leslie Kritzer and Doug Kreeger. The Scottish brogue explicitly evocative of the composer/lyricist himself (and his then girlfriend, upon whom the Kritzer role is based) is brought off with adept aplomb by the leads. Kreeger and Kritzer are both positively wonderful. Track-by-track, and hit-by-hit, the score traverses musical styles as varied and various as one would come to expect from Goodman, who always keeps one foot firmly planted in world of rock. Where the other foot may fall is anyone’s guess.

The album begins with two themes that are reprised repeatedly, each time with more layers of lust, love and lyricism, both on the part of the characters and the actual composer himself. “Rooms” and “Steps” are arresting recurring themes that bring to mind the elusive elegance and eeriness of “Coma Baby” from BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, starting off the memory play in a memorable manner. As the reprises pile on, one is immediately struck by the subtle strength of Goodman in making the seemingly innocuous, such as a simple set of stairs, so interesting and involving. “Bring the Future Faster” rocks hard and Kritzer navigates the high-belting with assuredness and the result is really quite riveting. “Friday Night Dress”, with its Biblical allusions, showcases the strength of the simultaneous storytelling in an entertaining and inventive fashion. By its title alone, “Scottish Jewish Princess” purports to be funnier than it turns out to actually be, but the beginning Bossa Nova beat, which creeps into a few numbers, compounded by the intricate vocal line and patter song sibilance ultimately proves successful. The rhyme of “Uncle Georgy” and “orgy” is certainly an unexpected and funny rhyme and, in the end, the song serves a similar function to “I Hate The French” in BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY. “I Love You For All Time” at first brings to mind Sting & The Police and given the 80s time-setting of the piece, it is totally appropriate to the period. As the song builds, we become increasingly floored by the fierce and furious electricity ignited by Kritzer and Kreeger’s performances. It is at this point that I came to the conclusion that even if the material were weaker, the leads would raise it up a few levels through sheer will. “Let’s Go To London” contains some high-belting on the order of “A New Argentina” from EVITA and Kritzer’s favorable comparisons to Patti LuPone, having played LuPone herself in a tribute show off-Broadway a few seasons ago, are justly justified. “All I Want Is Everything” is Goodman’s expert musical evocation of everything 80s, and it is, in the words of Wayne & Garth from WAYNE’S WORLD, excellent, totally. “Let’s Leave London” left me a little bit cold and, given that it is the turning point of the story, one wishes for a bit more from the lyrics than “two punks in love”, but every song can’t be a knock-out, I suppose. “NYC Forever!” contains the weakest lyrics of all and it is at this point that the ground upon which this score stands starts getting shaky, but it soon gets back on track with the next half of the show. That being said, the theme for “Pour more booze” in “NYC Forever!” hasn’t left my head since I first heard the album, so, if nothing else, this track is catchy, though some re-writes are in definitely in order.

The “Entr’Acte”, much like the “Overture” before it, beginning with that spine-tingling and classic “Old Devil Moon” cue, makes excellent use of the full-bodied orchestra, the mere presence of the thirty plus musicians an anomaly due to the crippling economics on Broadway today which, more often than not, renders the classic scores of yore anemic and antiseptic sounding in the cripplingly reduced orchestrations that plague far too many productions these days. It is rare to hear so much care and attention paid to every single second of a cast recording and the work by Tommy Krasker and company at PS Classics cannot be applauded enough. “When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich” starts Act Two off endearingly, and the delicate orchestrations of the dance sections are carried off with utmost care and precision, making it a truly multi-layered and mellifluous moment for both the superb cast and sumptuous orchestra. “Dance of the Golden Crock” is notable if only for the enticing harmonica playing and audible hoofing comically included on the track. On a less comprehensive and considered recording, dance tracks like this would undoubtedly be left by the wayside. “The Begat”, the second act answer to “Necessity”, is a fun, if innocuous, blues number, though the second act does seem to contain a bit of filler – but, in comparison to the irreproachable first act song stack, that was bound to be the case. The reprises of both “Old Devil Moon” and “Look To The Rainbow” are appropriate and accentuated with slight nuances by Jackson and Baldwin not evident in the full versions of the songs that came previously. Again, they are positively perfect in these roles, both separately and together, and more of their performances are always a welcome addition on this recording. “When I’m Not Near the Girl I Love” is the last of the big, famous standards in this score and it is performed well by Broadway regular Christopher Fitzgerald. The “Finale Ultimo” is the perfect ending to a perfect recording of a nearly perfect score, and leaves the listener wanting to go right back to the base of the rainbow and replay the album again and again. The attention to detail – of each shade and hue of every single, solitary color, both dramatic and musical – is what makes this RAINBOW an absolute winner. A true pot o’ gold.

SCORE: 7.5/10



“The Diabolical” represents the point at which the central relationship begins to show signs of dissolution and the depravedness and decadence of the rock stars starts to show its effects on their romance. “Little Bit of Love” is conversational, but pulsating and painfully punishing, and ultimately a pretty perfect performance of a dramatic moment that is, pardon the pun, pregnant with the dramatic and emotional themes that have amassed by this point in the drama. The counterpoint and hushed conversation that the song ends with is ravishing. “Fear of Flying”, which is reminiscent of “Odeon” in BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, is a propulsive patter song with particularly effective sound effects, though subtlety is certainly nowhere present here, whether in Kreeger‘s performance or the album’s production. Nor should it be. “Happiness” is heartbreaking and brings to mind the material meant for the mother character in BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, as well as that show’s “Kindness” so memorably recorded by Sherie Rene Scott on the Sh-K-Boom concept album. “When I’m not with him I’m drowning,” perfectly illustrates the female side of this relationship and exhibits Goodman’s deftness with a common phrase meaning so much more in the context of the drama, particularly since the lyrics are so often focused on alcoholism and liquid allusions – and for good reason. “Clean” is my favorite track on the album and the jaunty riff upon which the melody is based is winning – “The rhythm of the alcohol, keeps kickin’,” indeed. Few composers have musicalized the demons of addiction more expertly or evocatively than Goodman both here and in BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, which is largely concerned with cocaine addiction. The reprises of “Rooms” and “Steps” are very sad and somber, totally appropriate given the subject matter. “My Choice” could have been insufferably maudlin and sentimental, but due both to the performers and the production it is not, and, in the end, actually brings to mind the best of Sondheim in its style and tender yet tenacious turn-of-phrase. “My choice. Done./ We have a son.” is about as simply elegant as you can get in musical theatre. “Each minor chord, a major test” is another excellent lyric in this equally tear-filled and tender, and tough, song. “A New Song For Scotland” is as patriotic as we are led to expect given the title, and given what has just occurred in the drama leading up to it, is a breath of fresh, clean air. And so is this score, evident, of course, in the “Finale” – and everywhere else.

Character accents are one of the most treacherous treks actors must traverse, as previously alluded to above in the discussion of ROOMS, and it is to the credit of the cast of FINIAN’S RAINBOW that they pull off the Irish brogue so well, rarely over-doing it as is so commonplace in community theatre productions of the show. “Introduction To Necessity” is another fine example of the expert mixing and mastering of the choral work on this album, and though there is a slight echo here and elsewhere it seems as if that is entirely intentional and meant to bring to mind the classic Godard Lieberson-produced albums of the Golden Age. “Necessity” seems slightly old-fashioned and quaint when compared to blues songs and scatting in the scores of today, but given the time-frame in which the show was written it shows how boundary-pushing Lane was trying to be with this score. Lane, by way of this wonderful revival cast, ends the act on a rollicking and raucous note with “That Great ‘Come-and-Get-It’ Day”. But these marvelous moments are merely half the hues of this remarkable RAINBOW.

Starting with a sparkling “Overture,” and the hanky-panky of the harmonica beginning the first vocal track, this cast recording does just about everything just right. The syncopation and sibilance of every single syllable surround us as “This Time of the Year” gets going, and it is rare to hear a chorus this well-mixed and marvelous, whether on a cast album or in the theatre itself. Kate Baldwin is an instant-win with her establishing number, one of the most famous and well-worn songs in all of musical theatre, “How Are Things In Glocca Morra?” Following up that gem is the nearly equally famous and well-known “Look To The Rainbow” and the results are winsome and winning. We are treated to a complete recording of the dance break, as well, and the overall comprehensiveness of this recording is one of many myriad reasons why this album is so momentous and instantly memorable. Cheyenne Jackson, currently on NBC’S 30 ROCK but having established himself as one of the foremost male performers of the 21st century musical theatre, is immediately likeable with the most famous song in a score full of fabulous, famous standards, “Old Devil Moon”. The subtle phrasing and slight homage to a 1940s Broadway delivery were certainly not lost on this attentive listener. The chemistry between Jackson and Baldwin is tangible, even on record, and one hopes to see them pair-up again in the near future, hopefully on a duets album like Jackson’s current collaboration with standards master Michael Feinstein, THE POWER OF TWO. “Something Sort of Grandish” is one of the best examples of Harburg’s wicked and wonderful way with words, and the reprise is equally winning and even more riotously hilarious. In “If This Isn’t Love” Jackson pays homage to the vocal inflections of John Raitt and the results are resplendent, with the chorus members providing expert assistance, both comically and vocally. Even the kiss sound effect is perfect.

Time-Life also provide us with a fun, if frivolous, bonus track called “Click”, and it is quite clear why it was cut, but it is, indeed, just a little bit more of a very good thing. The recording is also so successful in large part due to the sterling work done by producer Rob Sher, whose contributions cannot be overestimated. Speaking of good, Goodman had the misfortune of premiering (and, at that point, performing in) BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY around the same time as Jonathan Larson’s RENT and was subsequently overshadowed by that work and its author. Similarly, ROOMS ended up off-Broadway in the same season as NEXT TO NORMAL. With the immeasurable loss of Larson, Goodman proves with BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY and, now, ROOMS, that he is the current master of the rock musical. Then again, I am one of those who feel BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY is just as good as RENT, and now if forced to compare would prefer ROOMS to NEXT TO NORMAL – BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY is certainly more inventive and more innovative in its style, structure and the substance of the characters than RENT, while comparisons between ROOMS and NEXT TO NORMAL are less useful. ROOMS rocks and Goodman is the rock n roll king of musical theatre – on Broadway or off as he proves with this score that certainly had me, to use a discarded phrase from NEXT TO NORMAL, feeling electric.

Mlzq SOUND OFF! ROOMS Rocks, RAINBOW is Resplenden

Posted by admin on 03月 11th, 2010 | 1 comment

Starting with a sparkling “Overture,” and the hanky-panky of the harmonica beginning the first vocal track, this cast recording does just about everything just right. The syncopation and sibilance of every single syllable surround us as “This Time of the Year” gets going, and it is rare to hear a chorus this well-mixed and marvelous, whether on a cast album or in the theatre itself. Kate Baldwin is an instant-win with her establishing number, one of the most famous and well-worn songs in all of musical theatre, “How Are Things In Glocca Morra?” Following up that gem is the nearly equally famous and well-known “Look To The Rainbow” and the results are winsome and winning. We are treated to a complete recording of the dance break, as well, and the overall comprehensiveness of this recording is one of many myriad reasons why this album is so momentous and instantly memorable. Cheyenne Jackson, currently on NBC’S 30 ROCK but having established himself as one of the foremost male performers of the 21st century musical theatre, is immediately likeable with the most famous song in a score full of fabulous, famous standards, “Old Devil Moon”. The subtle phrasing and slight homage to a 1940s Broadway delivery were certainly not lost on this attentive listener. The chemistry between Jackson and Baldwin is tangible, even on record, and one hopes to see them pair-up again in the near future, hopefully on a duets album like Jackson’s current collaboration with standards master Michael Feinstein, THE POWER OF TWO. “Something Sort of Grandish” is one of the best examples of Harburg’s wicked and wonderful way with words, and the reprise is equally winning and even more riotously hilarious. In “If This Isn’t Love” Jackson pays homage to the vocal inflections of John Raitt and the results are resplendent, with the chorus members providing expert assistance, both comically and vocally. Even the kiss sound effect is perfect.

SOUND OFF! ROOMS Rocks, RAINBOW is Resplendent

This week we are taking a listen to the new Off-Broadway rock musical ROOMS: A Rock Romance and the revival cast recording of FINIAN’S RAINBOW. From Scotland to Ireland, and back to Broadway, we, quite joyfully, jaunt…

Sitting In My Room, Nothing Is Missing



“The Diabolical” represents the point at which the central relationship begins to show signs of dissolution and the depravedness and decadence of the rock stars starts to show its effects on their romance. “Little Bit of Love” is conversational, but pulsating and painfully punishing, and ultimately a pretty perfect performance of a dramatic moment that is, pardon the pun, pregnant with the dramatic and emotional themes that have amassed by this point in the drama. The counterpoint and hushed conversation that the song ends with is ravishing. “Fear of Flying”, which is reminiscent of “Odeon” in BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, is a propulsive patter song with particularly effective sound effects, though subtlety is certainly nowhere present here, whether in Kreeger‘s performance or the album’s production. Nor should it be. “Happiness” is heartbreaking and brings to mind the material meant for the mother character in BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, as well as that show’s “Kindness” so memorably recorded by Sherie Rene Scott on the Sh-K-Boom concept album. “When I’m not with him I’m drowning,” perfectly illustrates the female side of this relationship and exhibits Goodman’s deftness with a common phrase meaning so much more in the context of the drama, particularly since the lyrics are so often focused on alcoholism and liquid allusions – and for good reason. “Clean” is my favorite track on the album and the jaunty riff upon which the melody is based is winning – “The rhythm of the alcohol, keeps kickin’,” indeed. Few composers have musicalized the demons of addiction more expertly or evocatively than Goodman both here and in BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, which is largely concerned with cocaine addiction. The reprises of “Rooms” and “Steps” are very sad and somber, totally appropriate given the subject matter. “My Choice” could have been insufferably maudlin and sentimental, but due both to the performers and the production it is not, and, in the end, actually brings to mind the best of Sondheim in its style and tender yet tenacious turn-of-phrase. “My choice. Done./ We have a son.” is about as simply elegant as you can get in musical theatre. “Each minor chord, a major test” is another excellent lyric in this equally tear-filled and tender, and tough, song. “A New Song For Scotland” is as patriotic as we are led to expect given the title, and given what has just occurred in the drama leading up to it, is a breath of fresh, clean air. And so is this score, evident, of course, in the “Finale” – and everywhere else.

Paul Scott Goodman, along with bookwriter Miriam Gordon, has created another rock score worthy of respect and reverence with his work for the semi-autobiographical ROOMS: A Rock Romance, this coming more than ten years after his last effort, the arresting and alarmingly inventive BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY which was based on the classic 80s second-person stream-of-conciousness novel by Jay McInerney. While ROOMS lacks the dramatic weight and engaging, esoteric storytelling style of BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, it makes up for it in the enthusiasm and energy exhibited by the excellent leads, Leslie Kritzer and Doug Kreeger. The Scottish brogue explicitly evocative of the composer/lyricist himself (and his then girlfriend, upon whom the Kritzer role is based) is brought off with adept aplomb by the leads. Kreeger and Kritzer are both positively wonderful. Track-by-track, and hit-by-hit, the score traverses musical styles as varied and various as one would come to expect from Goodman, who always keeps one foot firmly planted in world of rock. Where the other foot may fall is anyone’s guess.

The album begins with two themes that are reprised repeatedly, each time with more layers of lust, love and lyricism, both on the part of the characters and the actual composer himself. “Rooms” and “Steps” are arresting recurring themes that bring to mind the elusive elegance and eeriness of “Coma Baby” from BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, starting off the memory play in a memorable manner. As the reprises pile on, one is immediately struck by the subtle strength of Goodman in making the seemingly innocuous, such as a simple set of stairs, so interesting and involving. “Bring the Future Faster” rocks hard and Kritzer navigates the high-belting with assuredness and the result is really quite riveting. “Friday Night Dress”, with its Biblical allusions, showcases the strength of the simultaneous storytelling in an entertaining and inventive fashion. By its title alone, “Scottish Jewish Princess” purports to be funnier than it turns out to actually be, but the beginning Bossa Nova beat, which creeps into a few numbers, compounded by the intricate vocal line and patter song sibilance ultimately proves successful. The rhyme of “Uncle Georgy” and “orgy” is certainly an unexpected and funny rhyme and, in the end, the song serves a similar function to “I Hate The French” in BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY. “I Love You For All Time” at first brings to mind Sting & The Police and given the 80s time-setting of the piece, it is totally appropriate to the period. As the song builds, we become increasingly floored by the fierce and furious electricity ignited by Kritzer and Kreeger’s performances. It is at this point that I came to the conclusion that even if the material were weaker, the leads would raise it up a few levels through sheer will. “Let’s Go To London” contains some high-belting on the order of “A New Argentina” from EVITA and Kritzer’s favorable comparisons to Patti LuPone, having played LuPone herself in a tribute show off-Broadway a few seasons ago, are justly justified. “All I Want Is Everything” is Goodman’s expert musical evocation of everything 80s, and it is, in the words of Wayne & Garth from WAYNE’S WORLD, excellent, totally. “Let’s Leave London” left me a little bit cold and, given that it is the turning point of the story, one wishes for a bit more from the lyrics than “two punks in love”, but every song can’t be a knock-out, I suppose. “NYC Forever!” contains the weakest lyrics of all and it is at this point that the ground upon which this score stands starts getting shaky, but it soon gets back on track with the next half of the show. That being said, the theme for “Pour more booze” in “NYC Forever!” hasn’t left my head since I first heard the album, so, if nothing else, this track is catchy, though some re-writes are in definitely in order.


Time-Life also provide us with a fun, if frivolous, bonus track called “Click”, and it is quite clear why it was cut, but it is, indeed, just a little bit more of a very good thing. The recording is also so successful in large part due to the sterling work done by producer Rob Sher, whose contributions cannot be overestimated. Speaking of good, Goodman had the misfortune of premiering (and, at that point, performing in) BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY around the same time as Jonathan Larson’s RENT and was subsequently overshadowed by that work and its author. Similarly, ROOMS ended up off-Broadway in the same season as NEXT TO NORMAL. With the immeasurable loss of Larson, Goodman proves with BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY and, now, ROOMS, that he is the current master of the rock musical. Then again, I am one of those who feel BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY is just as good as RENT, and now if forced to compare would prefer ROOMS to NEXT TO NORMAL – BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY is certainly more inventive and more innovative in its style, structure and the substance of the characters than RENT, while comparisons between ROOMS and NEXT TO NORMAL are less useful. ROOMS rocks and Goodman is the rock n roll king of musical theatre – on Broadway or off as he proves with this score that certainly had me, to use a discarded phrase from NEXT TO NORMAL, feeling electric.

Character accents are one of the most treacherous treks actors must traverse, as previously alluded to above in the discussion of ROOMS, and it is to the credit of the cast of FINIAN’S RAINBOW that they pull off the Irish brogue so well, rarely over-doing it as is so commonplace in community theatre productions of the show. “Introduction To Necessity” is another fine example of the expert mixing and mastering of the choral work on this album, and though there is a slight echo here and elsewhere it seems as if that is entirely intentional and meant to bring to mind the classic Godard Lieberson-produced albums of the Golden Age. “Necessity” seems slightly old-fashioned and quaint when compared to blues songs and scatting in the scores of today, but given the time-frame in which the show was written it shows how boundary-pushing Lane was trying to be with this score. Lane, by way of this wonderful revival cast, ends the act on a rollicking and raucous note with “That Great ‘Come-and-Get-It’ Day”. But these marvelous moments are merely half the hues of this remarkable RAINBOW.

The “Entr’Acte”, much like the “Overture” before it, beginning with that spine-tingling and classic “Old Devil Moon” cue, makes excellent use of the full-bodied orchestra, the mere presence of the thirty plus musicians an anomaly due to the crippling economics on Broadway today which, more often than not, renders the classic scores of yore anemic and antiseptic sounding in the cripplingly reduced orchestrations that plague far too many productions these days. It is rare to hear so much care and attention paid to every single second of a cast recording and the work by Tommy Krasker and company at PS Classics cannot be applauded enough. “When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich” starts Act Two off endearingly, and the delicate orchestrations of the dance sections are carried off with utmost care and precision, making it a truly multi-layered and mellifluous moment for both the superb cast and sumptuous orchestra. “Dance of the Golden Crock” is notable if only for the enticing harmonica playing and audible hoofing comically included on the track. On a less comprehensive and considered recording, dance tracks like this would undoubtedly be left by the wayside. “The Begat”, the second act answer to “Necessity”, is a fun, if innocuous, blues number, though the second act does seem to contain a bit of filler – but, in comparison to the irreproachable first act song stack, that was bound to be the case. The reprises of both “Old Devil Moon” and “Look To The Rainbow” are appropriate and accentuated with slight nuances by Jackson and Baldwin not evident in the full versions of the songs that came previously. Again, they are positively perfect in these roles, both separately and together, and more of their performances are always a welcome addition on this recording. “When I’m Not Near the Girl I Love” is the last of the big, famous standards in this score and it is performed well by Broadway regular Christopher Fitzgerald. The “Finale Ultimo” is the perfect ending to a perfect recording of a nearly perfect score, and leaves the listener wanting to go right back to the base of the rainbow and replay the album again and again. The attention to detail – of each shade and hue of every single, solitary color, both dramatic and musical – is what makes this RAINBOW an absolute winner. A true pot o’ gold.

SCORE: 7.5/10

SCORE: 8/10

Things Are Great In Glocca Mora

While the Broadway revival of FINIAN’S RAINBOW may not have had the luck of a four-leaf clover, the masterfully produced and performed cast album is the true gold pot at the end of the titular rainbow. Forget Gene Kelly, Petula Clark, or any of their Broadway counterparts – this is the recording of FINIAN’S for the ages. It is rare that a show that produced quite so many standards as this one – I can count four off-hand – and it is to the credit of Burton Lane and E.Y. Harburg that this score shines so brightly more than fifty years following its Broadway premiere. While it may not be the most complex or innovative score of that decade, or even that year, one would be hard pressed to find a more lovely way to spend an hour in Ireland without leaving the comforts of home. Even the album art and production photos, beautifully showcased in the elegant album design, makes my heart flutter a bit. This is classic Broadway at its best.

9yzv Sony unveils new high-end Reader Daily Editio

Posted by admin on 03月 11th, 2010 | 0 comments

The Reader Daily Edition joins the already announced Touch Edition PRS-600 ($299) and Pocket Edition PRS-300 ($199), both of which should be available within the next couple of weeks. With the exception of the wireless connection and larger screen, the specs of the Reader Daily Edition are otherwise in line with that of the Touch Edition: it offers an E Ink Vizplex electronic paper screen with 16 shades of gray.

The following products mentioned are available.

On Sale Now: $268.00 – $299.99

View the latest prices for Sony Reader Touch Edition PRS-600BC (black)

Sony also highlighted its new “open” Epub format, which the company is moving to from its former proprietary BBeB format. While the Epub books at Sony’s store will still be encoded with DRM, it will allow the Sony Reader to also work with files purchased from BooksOnBoard, NetGalley, Powells.com, and any other retailer that adopts the Adobe-backed standard. (Notably, that does not include Amazon (which has its own proprietary Kindle standard) nor Barnes & Noble (which is working on its own Epub flavor for its forthcoming Plastic Logic reader).

The built-in wireless access of the Daily Edition, meanwhile, brings Sony onto a features parity with the Kindle. But even with the touch screen (which the Kindle doesn’t have), the extra $100 versus the Kindle’s current $299 pricetag might be a hard sell to recession-addled shoppers.

Sony on Tuesday announced its first e-book reader with built-in wireless capability. The new Reader Daily Edition offers an integrated 3G wireless connection, allowing it to access Sony’s online bookstore as well as yet-to-be-announced newspaper and magazine subscriptions. The unit–which boasts a 7-inch touch screen (displayable in portrait or landscape mode)–will sell for $399 when it debuts in December. Wireless service is provided by AT&T with no direct charge to the customer.

On Sale Now: $174.67 – $199.99

View the latest prices for Sony Reader Pocket Edition PRS-300 (silver)

Sony unveils new high-end Reader Daily Edition, expanded library partnership

The Sony Reader Daily Edition is coming in December.



Also of note is the launch of version 3.0 of Sony’s eBook Library software, which now offers support for Macs (as well as Windows). The software is used to move purchased files (as well as other supported content, such as a PDF and Epub files) from the computer to the Reader. (While supported, the PC step won’t be required for the Reader Daily Edition, which can access online content directly.)

We’ll have full hands-on reviews of the Pocket Edition and Touch Edition Readers as soon as they arrive at the office (should be in the next week or two). In the meantime: what do you think? Do these new products and features add up to a Kindle killer? Is $199 still too expensive for an e-book reader? Or are you still waiting for better screens and cheaper titles? Share your thoughts below.

John P. Falcone covers home theater and network entertainment products. He’s been writing for CNET since 2002.


The trio of Sony Reader products reinforces the fact that Sony is not ceding the market to Amazon. Indeed, the company is offering some nice alternatives: a wallet-friendly $200 price point on the entry-level unit and wider file compatibility. Even more enticing to many will be the wealth of free content not available on the Kindle: the Sony Readers can access the hundreds of thousands of public domain Google Books, plus the free library loaners. The library loans are compelling, to be sure, but Epub collections are not comprehensive. On the New York Public Library site, we found notable titles such as Twilight and Freakonomics, but not a lot of other top 10 selections.

(Credit:Sony)

On Sale Now: $399.99

View the latest prices for Sony Reader Daily Edition PRS-900BC

Sony used the launch event at the New York Public Library to highlight some notable new features of its e-book platform. Most notable is the expansion of support for library loans to the Sony Readers. If your local library supports electronic lending, members will be able to download the borrowed books and transfer them to the Reader for 21 days (after which the files expire). Sony is partnering with Overdrive.com to make it easier to search for available books at participating libraries.

0lxg SOUND OFF! ROOMS Rocks, RAINBOW is Resplenden

Posted by admin on 03月 11th, 2010 | 0 comments

SCORE: 8/10

Things Are Great In Glocca Mora

While the Broadway revival of FINIAN’S RAINBOW may not have had the luck of a four-leaf clover, the masterfully produced and performed cast album is the true gold pot at the end of the titular rainbow. Forget Gene Kelly, Petula Clark, or any of their Broadway counterparts – this is the recording of FINIAN’S for the ages. It is rare that a show that produced quite so many standards as this one – I can count four off-hand – and it is to the credit of Burton Lane and E.Y. Harburg that this score shines so brightly more than fifty years following its Broadway premiere. While it may not be the most complex or innovative score of that decade, or even that year, one would be hard pressed to find a more lovely way to spend an hour in Ireland without leaving the comforts of home. Even the album art and production photos, beautifully showcased in the elegant album design, makes my heart flutter a bit. This is classic Broadway at its best.

Time-Life also provide us with a fun, if frivolous, bonus track called “Click”, and it is quite clear why it was cut, but it is, indeed, just a little bit more of a very good thing. The recording is also so successful in large part due to the sterling work done by producer Rob Sher, whose contributions cannot be overestimated. Speaking of good, Goodman had the misfortune of premiering (and, at that point, performing in) BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY around the same time as Jonathan Larson’s RENT and was subsequently overshadowed by that work and its author. Similarly, ROOMS ended up off-Broadway in the same season as NEXT TO NORMAL. With the immeasurable loss of Larson, Goodman proves with BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY and, now, ROOMS, that he is the current master of the rock musical. Then again, I am one of those who feel BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY is just as good as RENT, and now if forced to compare would prefer ROOMS to NEXT TO NORMAL – BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY is certainly more inventive and more innovative in its style, structure and the substance of the characters than RENT, while comparisons between ROOMS and NEXT TO NORMAL are less useful. ROOMS rocks and Goodman is the rock n roll king of musical theatre – on Broadway or off as he proves with this score that certainly had me, to use a discarded phrase from NEXT TO NORMAL, feeling electric.


Paul Scott Goodman, along with bookwriter Miriam Gordon, has created another rock score worthy of respect and reverence with his work for the semi-autobiographical ROOMS: A Rock Romance, this coming more than ten years after his last effort, the arresting and alarmingly inventive BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY which was based on the classic 80s second-person stream-of-conciousness novel by Jay McInerney. While ROOMS lacks the dramatic weight and engaging, esoteric storytelling style of BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, it makes up for it in the enthusiasm and energy exhibited by the excellent leads, Leslie Kritzer and Doug Kreeger. The Scottish brogue explicitly evocative of the composer/lyricist himself (and his then girlfriend, upon whom the Kritzer role is based) is brought off with adept aplomb by the leads. Kreeger and Kritzer are both positively wonderful. Track-by-track, and hit-by-hit, the score traverses musical styles as varied and various as one would come to expect from Goodman, who always keeps one foot firmly planted in world of rock. Where the other foot may fall is anyone’s guess.

The album begins with two themes that are reprised repeatedly, each time with more layers of lust, love and lyricism, both on the part of the characters and the actual composer himself. “Rooms” and “Steps” are arresting recurring themes that bring to mind the elusive elegance and eeriness of “Coma Baby” from BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, starting off the memory play in a memorable manner. As the reprises pile on, one is immediately struck by the subtle strength of Goodman in making the seemingly innocuous, such as a simple set of stairs, so interesting and involving. “Bring the Future Faster” rocks hard and Kritzer navigates the high-belting with assuredness and the result is really quite riveting. “Friday Night Dress”, with its Biblical allusions, showcases the strength of the simultaneous storytelling in an entertaining and inventive fashion. By its title alone, “Scottish Jewish Princess” purports to be funnier than it turns out to actually be, but the beginning Bossa Nova beat, which creeps into a few numbers, compounded by the intricate vocal line and patter song sibilance ultimately proves successful. The rhyme of “Uncle Georgy” and “orgy” is certainly an unexpected and funny rhyme and, in the end, the song serves a similar function to “I Hate The French” in BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY. “I Love You For All Time” at first brings to mind Sting & The Police and given the 80s time-setting of the piece, it is totally appropriate to the period. As the song builds, we become increasingly floored by the fierce and furious electricity ignited by Kritzer and Kreeger’s performances. It is at this point that I came to the conclusion that even if the material were weaker, the leads would raise it up a few levels through sheer will. “Let’s Go To London” contains some high-belting on the order of “A New Argentina” from EVITA and Kritzer’s favorable comparisons to Patti LuPone, having played LuPone herself in a tribute show off-Broadway a few seasons ago, are justly justified. “All I Want Is Everything” is Goodman’s expert musical evocation of everything 80s, and it is, in the words of Wayne & Garth from WAYNE’S WORLD, excellent, totally. “Let’s Leave London” left me a little bit cold and, given that it is the turning point of the story, one wishes for a bit more from the lyrics than “two punks in love”, but every song can’t be a knock-out, I suppose. “NYC Forever!” contains the weakest lyrics of all and it is at this point that the ground upon which this score stands starts getting shaky, but it soon gets back on track with the next half of the show. That being said, the theme for “Pour more booze” in “NYC Forever!” hasn’t left my head since I first heard the album, so, if nothing else, this track is catchy, though some re-writes are in definitely in order.

SOUND OFF! ROOMS Rocks, RAINBOW is Resplendent

This week we are taking a listen to the new Off-Broadway rock musical ROOMS: A Rock Romance and the revival cast recording of FINIAN’S RAINBOW. From Scotland to Ireland, and back to Broadway, we, quite joyfully, jaunt…

Sitting In My Room, Nothing Is Missing

The “Entr’Acte”, much like the “Overture” before it, beginning with that spine-tingling and classic “Old Devil Moon” cue, makes excellent use of the full-bodied orchestra, the mere presence of the thirty plus musicians an anomaly due to the crippling economics on Broadway today which, more often than not, renders the classic scores of yore anemic and antiseptic sounding in the cripplingly reduced orchestrations that plague far too many productions these days. It is rare to hear so much care and attention paid to every single second of a cast recording and the work by Tommy Krasker and company at PS Classics cannot be applauded enough. “When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich” starts Act Two off endearingly, and the delicate orchestrations of the dance sections are carried off with utmost care and precision, making it a truly multi-layered and mellifluous moment for both the superb cast and sumptuous orchestra. “Dance of the Golden Crock” is notable if only for the enticing harmonica playing and audible hoofing comically included on the track. On a less comprehensive and considered recording, dance tracks like this would undoubtedly be left by the wayside. “The Begat”, the second act answer to “Necessity”, is a fun, if innocuous, blues number, though the second act does seem to contain a bit of filler – but, in comparison to the irreproachable first act song stack, that was bound to be the case. The reprises of both “Old Devil Moon” and “Look To The Rainbow” are appropriate and accentuated with slight nuances by Jackson and Baldwin not evident in the full versions of the songs that came previously. Again, they are positively perfect in these roles, both separately and together, and more of their performances are always a welcome addition on this recording. “When I’m Not Near the Girl I Love” is the last of the big, famous standards in this score and it is performed well by Broadway regular Christopher Fitzgerald. The “Finale Ultimo” is the perfect ending to a perfect recording of a nearly perfect score, and leaves the listener wanting to go right back to the base of the rainbow and replay the album again and again. The attention to detail – of each shade and hue of every single, solitary color, both dramatic and musical – is what makes this RAINBOW an absolute winner. A true pot o’ gold.

SCORE: 7.5/10

“The Diabolical” represents the point at which the central relationship begins to show signs of dissolution and the depravedness and decadence of the rock stars starts to show its effects on their romance. “Little Bit of Love” is conversational, but pulsating and painfully punishing, and ultimately a pretty perfect performance of a dramatic moment that is, pardon the pun, pregnant with the dramatic and emotional themes that have amassed by this point in the drama. The counterpoint and hushed conversation that the song ends with is ravishing. “Fear of Flying”, which is reminiscent of “Odeon” in BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, is a propulsive patter song with particularly effective sound effects, though subtlety is certainly nowhere present here, whether in Kreeger‘s performance or the album’s production. Nor should it be. “Happiness” is heartbreaking and brings to mind the material meant for the mother character in BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, as well as that show’s “Kindness” so memorably recorded by Sherie Rene Scott on the Sh-K-Boom concept album. “When I’m not with him I’m drowning,” perfectly illustrates the female side of this relationship and exhibits Goodman’s deftness with a common phrase meaning so much more in the context of the drama, particularly since the lyrics are so often focused on alcoholism and liquid allusions – and for good reason. “Clean” is my favorite track on the album and the jaunty riff upon which the melody is based is winning – “The rhythm of the alcohol, keeps kickin’,” indeed. Few composers have musicalized the demons of addiction more expertly or evocatively than Goodman both here and in BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, which is largely concerned with cocaine addiction. The reprises of “Rooms” and “Steps” are very sad and somber, totally appropriate given the subject matter. “My Choice” could have been insufferably maudlin and sentimental, but due both to the performers and the production it is not, and, in the end, actually brings to mind the best of Sondheim in its style and tender yet tenacious turn-of-phrase. “My choice. Done./ We have a son.” is about as simply elegant as you can get in musical theatre. “Each minor chord, a major test” is another excellent lyric in this equally tear-filled and tender, and tough, song. “A New Song For Scotland” is as patriotic as we are led to expect given the title, and given what has just occurred in the drama leading up to it, is a breath of fresh, clean air. And so is this score, evident, of course, in the “Finale” – and everywhere else.



Starting with a sparkling “Overture,” and the hanky-panky of the harmonica beginning the first vocal track, this cast recording does just about everything just right. The syncopation and sibilance of every single syllable surround us as “This Time of the Year” gets going, and it is rare to hear a chorus this well-mixed and marvelous, whether on a cast album or in the theatre itself. Kate Baldwin is an instant-win with her establishing number, one of the most famous and well-worn songs in all of musical theatre, “How Are Things In Glocca Morra?” Following up that gem is the nearly equally famous and well-known “Look To The Rainbow” and the results are winsome and winning. We are treated to a complete recording of the dance break, as well, and the overall comprehensiveness of this recording is one of many myriad reasons why this album is so momentous and instantly memorable. Cheyenne Jackson, currently on NBC’S 30 ROCK but having established himself as one of the foremost male performers of the 21st century musical theatre, is immediately likeable with the most famous song in a score full of fabulous, famous standards, “Old Devil Moon”. The subtle phrasing and slight homage to a 1940s Broadway delivery were certainly not lost on this attentive listener. The chemistry between Jackson and Baldwin is tangible, even on record, and one hopes to see them pair-up again in the near future, hopefully on a duets album like Jackson’s current collaboration with standards master Michael Feinstein, THE POWER OF TWO. “Something Sort of Grandish” is one of the best examples of Harburg’s wicked and wonderful way with words, and the reprise is equally winning and even more riotously hilarious. In “If This Isn’t Love” Jackson pays homage to the vocal inflections of John Raitt and the results are resplendent, with the chorus members providing expert assistance, both comically and vocally. Even the kiss sound effect is perfect.

Character accents are one of the most treacherous treks actors must traverse, as previously alluded to above in the discussion of ROOMS, and it is to the credit of the cast of FINIAN’S RAINBOW that they pull off the Irish brogue so well, rarely over-doing it as is so commonplace in community theatre productions of the show. “Introduction To Necessity” is another fine example of the expert mixing and mastering of the choral work on this album, and though there is a slight echo here and elsewhere it seems as if that is entirely intentional and meant to bring to mind the classic Godard Lieberson-produced albums of the Golden Age. “Necessity” seems slightly old-fashioned and quaint when compared to blues songs and scatting in the scores of today, but given the time-frame in which the show was written it shows how boundary-pushing Lane was trying to be with this score. Lane, by way of this wonderful revival cast, ends the act on a rollicking and raucous note with “That Great ‘Come-and-Get-It’ Day”. But these marvelous moments are merely half the hues of this remarkable RAINBOW.

Drpj One song still a mystery for Beatles- Rock Ba

Posted by admin on 03月 8th, 2010 | 0 comments

The Beatles: Rock Band lets players sing, strum the guitar or bass, or hit the drums to play with John, Paul, George,Paul Smith Shoes, and Ringo as they tour the world. Players can join in with the Beatles, starting from their early days in tiny Liverpool clubs to their final performance on the rooftop at their Apple recording studio.

Beatles: Rock Band is set to hit stores on September 9 for Microsoft’sXbox 360, Sony’sPlayStation 3,mbt sale, and theNintendo Wii. The software alone sells for $59.99. The Premium bundle sells for $249.99 and comes with all the Rock Band equipment, including Beatles-branded drums, microphone, and mic stand.

Lance Whitney wears a few different technology hats–journalist, Web developer, and software trainer. He’s a contributing editor for Microsoft TechNet Magazine and writes for other computer publications and Web sites. You can follow Lance on Twitter at @lancewhit. Lance is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and he is not an employee of CNET.


The 44 songs in the game so far are:

A Hard Day’s Night

And Your Bird Can Sing

Back In The U.S.S.R.

Birthday

Boys

Can’t Buy Me Love

Come Together

Day Tripper

Dear Prudence

Dig A Pony

Do You Want To Know A Secret

Don’t Let Me Down

Drive My Car

Eight Days A Week

Get Back

Getting Better

Good Morning Good Morning

Hello Goodbye

Helter Skelter

Here Comes The Sun

Hey Bulldog

I Am The Walrus

I Feel Fine

I Me Mine

I Saw Her Standing There

I Wanna Be Your Man

I Want to Hold Your Hand

I Want You (She’s So Heavy)

I’m Looking Through You

I’ve Got A Feeling

If I Needed Someone

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

Octopus’s Garden

Paperback Writer

Revolution

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

Something

Taxman

Ticket To Ride

Twist And Shout

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

With a Little Help from My Friends

Within You Without You / Tomorrow Never Knows

Yellow Submarine

CNET News Poll



Though part of the Rock Band franchise, the Beatles game was designed from the ground up with new graphics, menus, and interfaces.

Rock Band makers MTV Games and Harmonix revealed 19 more songs Tuesday, bringing the total of known tracks to 44 and leaving the final tune a mystery.

The game’s origins stem from a conversation between Dhani Harrison, son of the late George Harrison,ugs boots, and MTV President Van Toffler. Harrison eventually took the idea to the Beatles’ Apple Corps and also sold the concept to Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and Yoko Ono.

One song still a mystery for Beatles: Rock Band
(Credit:Beatles: Rock Band)

Beatles lovers will soon be able to feel what it’s like to sing and play with the Fab Four in the interactive game The Beatles: Rock Band. But what famous Beatles tunes will be featured on the disc?

vrlq Oil spill in Texas waterway contained_330

Posted by admin on 03月 8th, 2010 | 1 comment

The two vessels were still blocking the waterway on Saturday night, with a couple of Coast Guard ships floating near them. The smell of oil was at times strong in the air and throughout the waterway one could see the orange plastic floating barriers that had been put in place by the Coast Guard to contain the spill.

The damaged tanker, the Eagle Atome, is owned by AET Tankers,ugg classic, a Malaysian company with offices in Houston. AET said in a statement on Sunday it was working with authorities to determine how much crude had spilled.

Plunkett said the cleanup effort was expected to last at least through Sunday.

The US Coast Guard says a crude oil spill in a southeast Texas port has been contained to a three-kilometre area and is not believed to have hurt any local wildlife.

Greg Fountain, the Jefferson County emergency management coordinator, said on Sunday morning the vessels had been separated during the night, but he did not provide details.



“That would make the cleanup shorter, not longer,” Plunkett said. “The unknown of it is mother nature and what she’s going to do with spreading around the oil.”

Fewer than 100 people in a 28-block area of downtown were evacuated from the area following the collision because hydrogen sulfide – a hazardous gas with a rotten egg smell – was emanating from the oil, said Port Arthur Police Officer Wendy Billiot. But they were allowed to go home by Saturday evening after the gas was no longer being detected.

According to Petty Officer Richard Brahm, the ship’s crew members said they pumped 69,000 barrels from the damaged tank that carried 80,000 barrels, so they have 11,000 barrels – about 1.7 million litres – that they could not account for.

Several local officials said only 1,000 barrels, or about 191,100 litres,ugg shoes, of oil had been spilled into the water.

No one was injured, but the Port of Port Arthur was closed and some nearby residents were evacuated for about seven hours. The cause of the collision is still under investigation.

Coast Guard captain JJ Plunkett said initial reports indicated none of the oil in the Texas spill had affected area marshes or hurt any local wildlife. He said officials believed the oil spill was “pretty much contained” in a three-kilometre stretch of the Sabine Neches Waterway, where the spill took place and that runs along the city of Port Arthur, about 145km east of Houston.


One of the worst shipping accidents in the area was the June 1990 spill from the Norwegian tanker Mega Borg. It leaked 16.3 million litres of crude oil about 100km off Galveston.

Oil spill in Texas waterway contained
JUAN A. LOZANO January 25, 2010

AP

Even if 1.7 million litres were released, the spill would still be much smaller than the 41.7 million litres spilled in Prince William Sound when the Exxon Valdez tanker ran aground in 1989.

It is unclear exactly how much oil spilled into the water when a 240-metre tanker collided with a towing vessel pushing two barges near Port Arthur on Saturday,uggs sale, but the Coast Guard says it could be as much as 1.7 million litres. The Coast Guard says the crash left a 4.5-by-2.44 metre hole in the tanker and damaged one of its oil tanks, resulting in the spill.

Brahm acknowledged it didn’t look like hundreds of thousands of litres of crude was in the water. He said some might still be in the damaged tank.

daqc Obama allies cautiously vow to pursue health

Posted by admin on 03月 8th, 2010 | 0 comments

The vote crippled Democratic plans to meld rival Senate and House versions of the historic overhaul, which aims to give health coverage to tens of millions of Americans who currently lack it, and pass a compromise bill.

Democrats could try to modify that bill later using a parliamentary procedure that requires a simple majority.


“But we will move forward,” she said.

“First of all, we are not going to rush into anything,” Senate Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid after Massachusetts voters elected a Republican to the chamber,uggs sale, ending the Democrats’ 60-vote supermajority.

“The people of Massachusetts had an opportunity to speak yesterday and they spoke rather loudly that they’d like to see the Congress go in a different direction,” said Senate Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

“What we need to do right now is just take a deep breath, not rush to judgment,womens timberland boots, take a deep breath, consider the options that are before us,” he told reporters.

Senate Democrats emerged from their weekly policy luncheons saying they needed to take stock of their shrinking legislative options now that Republicans have the votes to block Obama’s proposal.

Asked whether the Democratic health legislation was dead,mbt sale, McConnell replied: “I sure hope so.”

“Let’s take a breath and seriously consider a number of options. I think it does make some sense to take a few days to arrive at a decision. Now, we’re not taking about weeks. We’ve got days,” agreed Democratic Senator Bob Casey.

Democratic Senator Paul Kirk, Kennedy’s temporary replacement, said the Massachusetts election reflected voter anger at the lack of progress towards creating jobs, but denied it was a referendum on health care.

Democrats were considering a range of options to achieve what their closed-door talks now could not: Get a health care overhaul bill to Obama’s desk before the November mid-term elections

Reid said the Senate would not act until senator-elect Scott Brown, who rode to victory on a wave of voter anger in painful economic times, was sworn in, giving Republicans 41 Senate seats and the ability to stall legislation.

“Heeding the particular concerns of the voters of Massachusetts last night, we heard the people and hopefully we will move forward with their considerations in mind,” said Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“To me, the option that is a non-starter from the get-go is the option of doing nothing about the status quo,” said Democratic Senator Tom Carper.

“I certainly didn’t take away from it, and I don’t think anybody in the caucus took away from it, that this is a reason to not go forward on health care,” he said.

One option may be for the House of Representatives to swallow its massive objections and endorse the Senate version of the bill — but it is far from clear Democrats have the votes for that option.



Obama allies cautiously vow to pursue health overhaul
January 21, 2010

President Barack Obama’s top Democratic allies in the US Congress reeled Wednesday from a shock election defeat but vowed to pursue efforts to remake US health care, his top domestic priority.

But “in the coming year, we will ensure all Americans can access affordable health care, deny insurance companies the ability to deny health care to the sick, and slash our deficit in the process,” said the top Senate Democrat.

Republicans said Massachusetts voters, by giving a Republican the seat once held by the late Democratic lion Ted Kennedy, had sent the unmistakeable message that the overhaul should die.

2xiz Obama- worst of economic storm passed_86

Posted by admin on 03月 8th, 2010 | 0 comments




“The House has already passed financial reform with many of these changes. And the lobbyists are already trying to kill it,” he told lawmakers in his State of the Union address.

Obama said his administration’s early actions last year had staved off a repeat of the 1930s Great Depression.

“Well, we cannot let them win this fight. And if the bill that ends up on my desk does not meet the test of real reform,mbt footwear, I will send it back.”

Obama added he would veto any finance bill that does not contain “real reform.”

Obama: worst of economic storm passed
January 28, 2010

US President Barack Obama declared in his State of the Union address that the worst of the economic storm had passed,ugg uk, but that a trail of devastation was left behind.

“And one year later,timberland womens boots, the worst of the storm has passed, but the devastation remains,” Obama said.