text:
15 Fantastic and Awesome Songs from 2013

((Author’s Note: Please be advised that some content below, due to the artists’ individual styles, may be NSFW.))

MusicMusic rules my life. I can tie almost every memory I have with a specific song or certain set of songs. Sometimes numerous events can be tied to one song because they all have certain similarities between them. To look into my memories is to also listen to a running soundtrack that accompanies every one of them.

My first kiss is tied into “This Magic Moment” by Ben E. King and the Drifters. My first home run is tied into “The Touch” by Stan Bush. The first time I had my heart broken is tied into “Slip Slide Melting” by For Love Not Lisa. When I met my wife for the first time is tied into “The Reason” by Hoobastank. When my kids were born, their days are all linked to “Baby Mine” by Betty Noyes from Disney’s Dumbo. The deaths of my grandparents are linked to “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails, and later by Johnny Cash. Every time I won a fight in school I thought of the “Victory Fanfare” piece from the Final Fantasy series. My first long-distance road trip reminds me of “One Headlight” by The Wallflowers. The first time I kissed my wife reminds me of “Kiss Kara Hajimaru Miracle” from the anime series Steel Angel Kurumi. My first day working at Disney, oddly enough, always brings up “Part of Your World” by Jodi Benson from Disney’s The Little Mermaid

Everything worth remembering for me is tied to a song that perfectly captures how I am feeling at the time. So it is no surprise that music really moves me in ways other media cannot. As much as I love video game and movies, without the accompanying scores and soundtracks to those films, they would nearly be as memorable as they are. Can you imagine seeing Aerith die in Final Fantasy VII without Nobuo Uematsu’s “Aerith’s Theme” playing in the background? Or how about viewing Top Gun without either Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone” or Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away” playing through the film? Oh man, imagine Ghost without “Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers and its variations playing through it? What about games like Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog or Castlevania without their respective scores? And yes, some of my memories are tied to video game and movie scores as well.

Music makes things remembered all the more memorable. But not every song is worth remembering… at least in my mind. For every song that I love there are three or four that I could just as easily do without. For every “Hanging On” by Ellie Goulding you have “You Da One” by Rihanna, “Die Young” by Ke$ha and “Don’t Wake Me Up” by Chris Brown. You might disagree with me on that point, but that’s fine; that is your taste, and I have my own. And that statement brings me to the point of this article here. (I know; we kind of took a detour somewhere back there, didn’t we?) The point I am trying to make is that for whatever reasons, we each have our own favorite songs that we hear year after year… and 2013 was no different.

In 2013, I really opened my ears to new types of music. Mainly, I am a rock/metal type fan. And I am really talking about older bands like Metallica, Pantera, Slayer, Megadeth, Nine Inch Nails, Fear Factory, Napalm Death, Rollins Band… you know, stuff like that. Maybe even some newer bands like Full Devil Jacket, Korn, some Linkin Park, Hatebreed, Slipknot and the sorts… But this year in music really surprised me. Even last year, thinking about my favorite songs of 2012, I had a lot more rock songs on the list than any other kind of music genre. This year however, for varying reasons such as the rock scene kind of being a bit stale in 2013 to my daughter and sons now having a very vocal say as to what songs get repeated play in the household, I have only TWO rock songs that made the list while the pop genre, which I normally try to avoid, has FIVE songs on my list.

FIVE POP SONGS! ON MY LIST!!! How did that happen!? Don’t get me wrong, over the years I have liked the pop genre, I just try not to get sucked into it that much. But I don’t think I can recall a year when I liked more pop songs than rock songs on my list – at least not since I wrote my first list for this kind of stuff on the old GameTrailers user blogs back in 2004/2005. But this is what we have this year. And this is an honest list to. I sat there, thought of the 15 songs this year that really moved me, impressed me this year, and wrote them down. And this is what it amounted to. You may not agree with my list, but it is what it is; my subjective view on the music scene of 2013. So take it at face value and do try to enjoy.

15. “Avenge World”

-by Konomi Suzuki

Apart from the visuals to the opening of Freezing Vibration, the anime in which “Avenge World” appears in, I love the meaning of the words. And there is no better line in the song that can perfectly describe the emotion and meaning better than one that appears near the beginning of it: “To protect someone is to know hate for someone.” It is a powerful statement brought to life by the powerful and beautiful vocals of Konomi Suzuki. It is a wonderful piece of music that starts off one of the better anime series of the year… and more on that later.

14. “Open”

-by Rhye

The clean, crisp and soulful sound found in “Open” really reminds me of Sade and the sheer magic that her music brings to my mind. There is so much love and depth of emotion in this song that I couldn’t help falling in love with it the first time that I heard it. It just reminds me of pure passion and the kind of bliss it brings to the soul. It has just the right beat and tone to make it a true lover’s song and the vocals that the duo that make up Rhye really make this song stick to my soul life few other songs this year have.

13. “Love & Meth”

-by Korn

I have been a longtime fan of Korn, since the bands early days playing in California. But their latest album, Paradigm Shift, really hasn’t stuck with me the way their other albums have. But there is one song from the album that really has struck me as being reminiscent of their former glory days – “Love & Meth.” That song definitely sounds like the Korn of old – the unbridled vocal power of Jonathan Davis and the jumping beat by the band really jump from the lines to your brain like the older songs that band was known for used to.

12. “Brave”

-by Sara Bareilles

Speak up! “Brave” sends a powerful message that cannot be repeated enough. “Say what you wanna say and let the words fall out.” Sara Bareilles may have put the message into a very sappy and pop song, but the message is just as clear and loud as ever and it deserves to be recognized for that. And despite its sappiness, I have actually enjoyed listening to it along with my daughter and sons – who I hope NEVER have problems speaking up about anything in their lives. If not with their mother or myself, at least with someone.

11. “Hail to the King”

-by Avenged Sevenfold

I am honestly not that big a fan of Avenged Sevenfold. I find that their music seems to lack a certain authentic feel. Don’t ask me why I feel that way about the band’s music, I just do. I just don’t feel it. But this year the band released the song “Hail to the King” and I found a little bit more respect for them for it. It has a very classic, early-Metallica feel to it that really reminds me of the glory days of rock and I find myself head-banging every time the songs comes up on my playlist. I would actually like to see the WWE use this as a PPV theme one day. Maybe for the King of the Ring

10. “The Fox”

-by Ylvis

For as much as I really, REALLY want to hate this song, I just can’t. When I first heard this electronica song by the comedy duo Ylvis I was so against it that I would leave the room every time it would come on. But then my wife, Dezi, and my kids kept listening to it… and singing it… and dancing/performing it, and I found myself quickly liking the song – mainly for the catchy dance beats, but then eventually for the quirky and stupid lyrics. Now I can sing the song along with them, and even find myself doing a little dance to it when it comes on.

9. “Get Lucky”

-by Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams

Daft Punk. Pharrell Williams. I could just leave it at that when it comes to me explaining why I love “Get Lucky” so much, but there is more to it than that. The song has a nice and clear rhythm to it and a nice line for dancing that it really does catch you. It is an intoxicating and catchy song that has a bit more pop than it should have but makes it work for the song it ways that only Daft Punk can make it happen.

8. “Applause”

-by Lady Gaga

I have heard it said that vocally, Lady Gaga’s “Applause” is in between the range of Annie Lennox and David Bowie… two very powerful and distinguished voices in music. And I would agree that it is as well; but what I most like about the song is Lady Gaga’s honesty in stating that she is almost pining for her fans adoration. That she thrives on it and needs it to succeed. It is a sobering look into her thoughts, her honest thoughts that resonates with anyone looking for the approval of others to be a star in any industry.

7. “Wrecking Ball”

-by Miley Cyrus

Say what you want to say about Miley Cyrus, but the simple truth is that the girl can sing. She may not have the smooth vocals other female pop singers have, but her voice and songs have a passion and strength all their own. And none have been ever more evident than in her emotionally driven “Wrecking Ball” seemingly about the break up between her and ex-fiancé Liam Hemsworth. Forget the controversy surrounding the video, which I actually really happen to love for more than the obvious reasons – this song has a heart and soul that touches anyone who has ever been in her position.

6. “Roar”

-by Katy Perry

“Roar” is another strong pop song that carries with it a very powerful positive message – this one about stepping out and believing in yourself. Katy Perry delivers some of the best vocals of her career and begins to show a bit of maturity in the lyrics and style of her song – even if they may be a bit cliché. Still, the song has a wonderful rhythm to it that is easily accessible to almost any music fan listening to it. Add to everything about the song that my kids just love singing this song out loud, and it is hard for me not to have fallen for this song.

5. “Wicked Game”

-by Emika

No cover will ever beat Chris Isaak’s original version of “Wicked Game” as far as I am concerned, but this cover by Emika certainly comes in at a close second. It has a very haunting and melodic tone to it that almost gives the song a new sense of life. I first heard this song on an episode of The Blacklist and I immediately fell for it. Emika certainly has a style all her own, but when combined with the message that the song carries it elevates her vocals to a whole new level in my opinion.

4. “Vindicate”

-by Datsik and Excision

Of all the things that I remember most about the video game Saints Row IV, the second theme for the Dubstep Gun, “Vindicate,” is the one that keeps popping in the most. Produced by dubstep DJ Datsik while partnering with fellow DJ Excision, this funky and catchy electronic mix really had me from the first time the bass drops. It may not be much to someone who doesn’t get, like or understand dubstep and/or electronic music, but this song has all the right beats to get me up and moving or even gets me to just chill and bop my head a few times. Even better, it gets my kids all worked up and dancing because they really like the beat.

3. “Survival”

-by Eminem

Possibly one of my favorite artists of all time, Eminem has rarely let me down when it comes to strong and powerful lyrical compositions – and this track that was released to coincide and promote the video game Call of Duty: Ghost lives up to all of his previous successes. Unapologetic, gritty and explosive; “Survival” may not be his most original song, as it lyrically sounds like his earlier works, but the thrash guitar, heavy drum beats and amazing backup vocals by Liz Rodrigues make this song the edgy and honest kind of track I would expect from this seasoned rapper. Don’t like the song, I don’t care, it is one that I thing is reflective of his style. As the song says, “This is survival of the fittest. This is do or die. This is winner takes it all so take it all.” And in the music business, that is what goes.

2. “Let It Go”

-by Idina Menzel

I am not kidding when I say that Disney’s Frozen is my favorite Disney animated film since Disney’s The Little Mermaid: it is that bloody good. It had a great story, great characters and one of the best scores/soundtracks for any Disney or Pixar film in years. That being said, one song in particular really moved me like few other Disney songs have – “Let It Go” performed by Idina Menzel. The song itself has amazing lyrics and a great story all its own, but add in Menzel’s amazing, graceful and impressive vocals and you have yourself one hell of a striking song. I wasn’t too keen on Demi Lovato’s pop version of the song (she can’t hold a candle to Menzel’s powerful voice), but the movie version of the song is pure magic – the kind of magic that only Disney can bring to a song.

1. “Blurred Lines”

-by Robin Thicke ft. T.I. & Pharrell Williams

Personally, of all the songs to be released this year, none of them had the appeal and impact that Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” had on the music world. Whether it be from the catchy rhythm, somewhat controversial (really?) (Editor’s note: Yes, really. -T) lyrics, and controversial and shocking live performances (and for the record, I didn’t mind Miley “twerking” on him like that. I could actually see it again and again); this song was everywhere – and with good reason. The song just resonates with people. It has an incredible beat, it has catchy lyrics, it is great for the dance floor (and the bedroom), and the vocals by Thicke, T.I. and Williams just blend so perfectly with each other that it just makes the song all that more enjoyable to listen to. I’ve been a fan of Robin Thicke for a while; I’ve been a fan of Pharrell Williams even longer; T.I., not so much – but they certainly had a magical song here and that is why I think that it is my favorite single of the year.

So what is your take on my list? Did you like some of my selections? Did you think they should be in a different order? Do you disagree with the list all together? Let us know in the comments below. Music is definitely selective, and there really are no bad choices in the world, despite what we all may personally feel. I’d definitely be interested in reading what you all have to say about this year in music. Maybe you may even turn me on to something new that I may not have listened to before.

Richard Cardenas

Created in a lab in Tijuana, Mexico, or cloned in a test tube in Torrance, CA, depending on which story you think is a better origin story, Richard is, if such a thing exist, a second generation nerd. The son of a man who loved sci-fi, comic books and horror, and a woman who loved making costumes, reading sci-fi novels and watching cartoons, Richard was exposed to all this and more since a very young age.

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Avi Arad
Reviews // 1 Articles

X-Men: Evolution
31 Dec 1994 // 7:03 PM

The teen X-Men interact in that magical place, high school, and get to drive cars and look fashionably funky (mandatory skater cuts for the guys and thumb rings for the girls) and do all those other things a kid would do in a parent-free environment.

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Structural Unemployment As Social Mobility

by Rob Horning

20 April 2010

Christina Romer, head of the Council of Economic Advisers, gave a speech last week in which she declared the

rise in long-term unemployment is readily explained by the prolonged collapse of aggregate demand. When hiring rates are very depressed, workers who lose their jobs are unlikely to find work quickly, and thus face a substantial chance of becoming long-term unemployed. This effect is compounded by the fact that exit rates from unemployment, both in normal times and in recessions, are typically lower the longer a worker has been unemployed. This makes it even more likely that those who do not find work quickly will have long spells of unemployment. Thus, the rise in long-term unemployment is the almost-inevitable consequence of the severe recession. We do not need to appeal to any underlying structural changes to understand it, and there is every reason to expect that long-term unemployment will come back down when aggregate demand recovers.

Responding to this, Matt Yglesias in a recent post called “It’s Aggregate Demand, Stupid” argues the technocratic-liberal position on the state of the economy:

Every time there’s a downturn a certain swathe of the elite starts to label it unfixable and structural. And the worse the downturn, the louder come the calls. Look at the history of the Great Depression and you see an enormous chorus of voices from the right arguing that nothing could be done and people would just have to suffer through it. They were countered by a chorus of voices from the left arguing that nothing could be done and people would just have to stage a revolution. It wasn’t true then and it wasn’t true now.

Hmm. Maybe I am an elitist. Probably because I work in publishing, I am sympathetic to the argument that at least some substantial part of the U.S.‘s current lingering unemployment is structural rather than cyclical—a matter of misallocated and mismatched skills (the so-called Austrian view) rather than a lack of aggregate demand (as Keynesian theory suggests). Here’s economist Joseph Lawlor, an Austrian sympathizer, explaining the distinction in an American Spectator piece from last year.

Cyclical changes are responses to the business cycle: companies across all industries tighten their belts and start laying off employees when austerity threatens, but then rehire the workers they laid off when good times roll again.
A structural change in the labor market, on the other hand, occurs when hiring patterns change not as a function of economic fluctuations, but because of shifts in the economy’s production that reallocate workers among industries. In other words, a mismatch between what consumers demand and what producers are making necessitates a shake-up in the mix of industries. Perhaps the most familiar example of a structural change is the Industrial Revolution, when, starting in the 18th century, Great Britain’s labor force transitioned from manual labor to machine-aided manufacturing jobs in great numbers.

The Austrians thus think that government stimulus is detrimental, artificially sustaining moribund economic relations and forestalling necessary structural adjustments—what Arnold Kling, another Austrian leaning economist, calls the “Great Recalculation.” The argument makes a good deal of intuitive sense to me; it fits with my predilection for thinking through social changes in terms of technological developments. If immaterial labor is becoming a potent force in the economy, as I’ve argued should happen theoretically, then structural unemployment would eventually be the result. Jobs would be replaced by voluntary “workers” contributing uncompensated labor in forms they don’t recognize as work. A strata of jobs would be destroyed and new ones must be created in different fields—or if you want to go to the next level, the entire concept of employment would need to be reconceived. (That is the analogous position to those leftists calling for a revolution in Yglesias’s historical sketch. We need to increase unemployment to destroy the capitalist structure of employment as surplus value extraction, etc.)

Responding to Lawlor’s piece, Menzie Chinn at Econobrowser put up some charts that throw some cold water on the Austrian view: the gist is that unemployment doesn’t seem to be confined to the particular sectors Lawlor argued would be particularly hit.

The debate is not really about data in the end but ideology, and which story conforms to the way one wants to view the nation’s economic destiny. In The Consumer Society: A History of American Capitalism, Peter d’A. Jones, discussing labor movements in 19th century America, makes the point that unions were routinely crushed, with legal support being found in the idea that they constituted a conspiracy. But the second point he makes in the following passage can be applied to this debate about unemployment, or at least reveal some of the potential ideological underpinnings:

The general count of conspiracy to raise wages could scarcely be used to crush workers’ demands in the 20th century economy. Embedded in the indictment is a purely European view of society in which each profession and trade has a certain clearly defined social status, and the ‘just wage’ is that which maintains the social hierarchy in its fixed and unchanging form: a place for everyone and everyone in his place (which was, of course, his father’s before him).

Social mobility, to some degree, may come at the expense of job security and stability. The Austrian economists’ celebration of entrepreneurship reflects that idea. Fixing the employment picture and denying structural change through stimulus funding may ultimately preserve the “social hierarchy in its fixed and unchanging form” in the name of protecting jobs—even if those jobs come with a class stigma. More pertinent to the current debate, stimulus spending, from the Austrian point of view, can protect moribund jobs that doom a whole class of people to stagnation across several generations. (In other words, it’s a road to serfdom, as one of the most heralded of the Austrians, Hayek, might put it.)

Jones’s point (and I don’t know if I buy this) is that in the early decades of the American economy, there was an opportunity for some jobs that had become stigmatized as working class to be redefined purely in terms of their social necessity, as reflected by wages. But that proved impossible as inherited social capital—the hierarchy as embedded in those productive forces that manufacture not goods but society itself, its norms and codes and practices—came into play. These assumptions carried over into the relations of production in the economy—an example of the “superstructure” determining the “base” in a dialectic ricochet. The perceived value of work is not what entirely a matter of what it contributes to society and the wealth of the economy; instead it is refracted through the lens of social judgment so that certain forms of idleness can be protected as status. What follows from that is the notion that the entire working world is structured to preserve these class distinctions, not to reap the greatest amount of growth or the most social justice in distribution or whatever. Such rationalizations are ex post facto. Holding jobs within that structure preserves those distinctions. Along with bringing misery, deprivation and want, mass unemployment (or, from another point of view, general strikes) threatens that hierarchy. This is the perpetual problem revolutionaries encounter, that the only apparent way to undermine the hierarchy that provides a modicum of stability is to preach a course of action that will first bring about massive dislocation and suffering, often for those who are expected to carry that course of action out. Realizing that, it begins to make more sense to moderate one’s views, and seek ways to diminish inequality from within the existing society without undoing the hierarchy that structures it. The traditional society begins to seem expedient.

Anyway, a structural-unemployment view evokes a story of the economy in which workers are driven to acquire better skills, which, if they have the innate merit or perspicacity to do so, allows the best people to thrive regardless of what class in which they entered the economy. A cyclical view evokes a story in which circumstances beyond the control of workers conspire to make their lives miserable, but the government can act to mitigate this misery and make everyday life more livable, a more worthy goal than establishing an abstract meritocratic freedom of opportunity.

We all know how critical it is to keep independent voices alive and strong on the Internet. Please consider a donation to support our work as independent cultural critics and historians. Your donation will help PopMatters stay viable through these changing and challenging times where costs have risen and advertising has dropped precipitously. We need your help to keep PopMatters strong and growing. Thank you.

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Beautiful Objects

'The PEN/O.Henry Prize Stories 2011'

by Diane Leach

12 April 2011

Where the novel has room to sprawl, the best short stories are lessons in the art of exquisite miniature, the world writ small yet exceeding its confines by enthralling, entertaining, even horrifying the reader.
cover art

The PEN/O.Henry Prize Stories 2011

Laura Furman, Editor

(Anchor Books/Random House)
US: Apr 2011

Lovers of short stories often tout their length: optimal for commutes, waiting in line, reading before bed. These people are correct. The short form also demands a certain perfection the novel does not: its very limitations demand that each word work hard, contributing in perhaps a dozen pages or less a compressed yet complete world. Where the novel has room to sprawl, encompassing the occasional lesser word choice or writerly indulgences, the best short stories are lessons in the art of exquisite miniature, the world writ small yet exceeding its confines by enthralling, entertaining, even horrifying the reader.

The Pen/O. Henry Prize Stories 2011 offers some of the finest short fiction around today. There isn’t a weak story in the book, though inevitably readers will find some works more appealing than others. This is purely a matter of personal taste, and any lover of short fiction—any lover of good writing—is in for a treat, here.

The O.Henry Prize folks are staunchly old-fashioned in their selection methods: only print periodicals may submit work; these publications must submit entire issues, not individual stories. Only periodicals from the United States and Canada are eligible. Internet publications are not considered, which is a shame: however attached many of us may be to print publications, there is excellent literature published on the internet. Further, I write here in an online publication offering valuable commentary and insight into all aspects of culture.

This year’s jurors were A.M. Homes, Manuel Muñoz, and Christine Schutt. The jurors composed essays on their choices, fine reading for the aspiring or simply curious.  More fascinating to me were the writers themselves, speaking about what motivated them to write about everything from a dystopian future (“Diary of an Interesting Year”) to the vagaries of love and avalanches (“Your fate hurtles down at You”).

Of the 20 stories in the book, I found several especially striking. Helen Simpson’s “Diary of an Interesting Year” is set in the uncomfortably near future. Humankind has ruined the planet and lawful society has disintegrated into illness, filth, starvation, and mayhem. The narrator, a young woman, receives a birthday gift from her older husband, once her professor: a notebook and ballpoint pen. She uses this valuable gift to record their escape from London and desperate, failed attempt to reach a better life. Reminiscent of Margaret Atwood’s The Year of the Flood, the story is nightmare-inducing.

Judy Doenges, in “Melinda”, successfully gets inside the head of a teenaged methaphetamine addict. Like “Diary of an Interesting year”, “Melinda” is too real to dismiss, to frightening to forget.

In “How to Leave Hialeah”,  Jennine Capó Crucet delivers a devastatingly sarcastic indictment of university diversity programs and their effects on students far from home. The narrator, a young Cuban-American, works her way out of Miami’s lower classes into the rarified, freezing air of Northern university life, only to encounter racism, ignorance, and identity crisis. As her new intellectual life leaves her increasingly alienated from her family, the narrator offers an unsparing account of living between cultures. “How to Leave” also pulls off that most difficult of tricks: writing well in second person. This story should be required reading for all MFA students…and all university diversity coordinators.

Several stories have gay or lesbian protagonists, a welcome addition to the many voices of short fiction. Chris Adrian’s “The Black Square” is particularly affecting: a black square opens on Nantucket; to enter it is to vanish. Whether one dies or moves into another, better dimension becomes hotly contested on the internet, attracting many to try their luck.  Henry, a middle-aged man mourning the breakup of a relationship, travels to Nantucket with every intention of entering the square, only to find himself unable to act.

In Adam Foulds’s “The Rules are the Rules”, a homosexual priest loses his faith while being forced to hide his true self from his parishioners and the world at large. Lori Ostlund’s “Bed Death” is a small masterpiece of characterization. A couple travels to Malaysia to teach English. The local population thinks them spinsters, a notion they are careful to maintain. But the narrator is an angry, tightly-wound woman unable to adjust to Malaysian society. Increasingly irritated by her partner Julia’s easygoing acceptance of their surroundings, she becomes brutally critical. The couple drifts apart, the end of their relationship summarized in the title, a term lesbians use for couples who have stopped sleeping together.

In “Sunshine”, Lynn Freed creates a surreal revenge fantasy wherein a pedophile finally meets his match. Elizabeth Tallent’s “Never Come Back”, with its struggling millworkers and confused but well-meaning protagonist is reminiscent of both Andre Dubus and Raymond Carver’s work.

I came to The PEN/O.Henry Prize Stories after reading two badly written books. It’s no secret publishing is in dire straits these days, and the chase for the almighty dollar has led many publishing houses to release less than stellar content that may, nevertheless, sell, in an often futile quest to remain solvent. This made reading these stories a welcome shock, followed by despair. Today’s talented writers are forced to the margins: the shrinking “little magazine” market, struggling independent publishing houses, the occasional New Yorker coup.

As writing becomes a less viable profession, most young writers are forced to take “real jobs”, meaning many of today’s brightest talents never get the opportunity to fully hone their craft. They, like the rest of us, are too busy trying to survive.  The PEN/O.Henry Prize Stories series are a pleasure, but also an ominous reminder of just one more thing our collapsing support of the arts and humanities is putting in peril.

The PEN/O.Henry Prize Stories 2011

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Cat Power and The Memphis Rhythm Band

by Megan Milks

23 June 2006

Chan Marshall looks like she's been through Extreme Makeover: Chanteuse Edition.

PopMatters Associate Events Editor

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Cat Power and The Memphis Rhythm Band

11 Jun 2006: Theatre of Living Arts — Philadelphia

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Chan Marshall is missing. The Memphis Rhythm Band has been on stage, playing a tune for five or ten minutes while my friends and I joke (sort of) that Marshall, who records as Cat Power, may not even show. When her band bites into its second instrumental piece and Chan still hasn’t stepped on stage, I figure she’s throwing some tantrum, and I hit the bathroom. When I return, still no Chan. My friends and I roll our eyes, laugh. We know this drill.

When she finally steps out, Marshall looks like she’s been through Extreme Makeover: Chanteuse Edition, and we’re like, “What? It’s Fiona Apple’s twin!” She’s bopping around with her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, rocking a slinky black low-cut camisole with a gold medallion. The crowd collapses into surprised chatter. But the minute Marshall steps up to the mic and breathes the first words of “The Greatest,” we’re like [hush]. That voice, man, that voice. That voice could slice your soul in one note and mend it a verse later. That voice could calm a hurricane.

So yeah. She was totally playing us. She knew we’d be drop-jaw astonished at the new Chan, so why not delay the gratification? She was right. Astonished we were.

Those who’ve seen Marshall perform in the past several years understand just how dramatic the change is: she was flexing her arms during “The Greatest”, doing a chicken dance between verses, hugging and joking with her band members, and popping her limbs during even the smokiest ballads. You know that woman with the hair in her face, the one trapped in high-necked, long-sleeved blouses, the one who mumbles into the mic between songs she won’t finish, the one who hates to perform? The one who can’t stand her audience? That woman is gone. The new Chan dances freely like that uninhibited girl at the club who knows everyone’s watching and doesn’t care. The new Chan smiles.

To watch this new Chan Marshall is a beautiful, beautiful thing. It’s like the weight of a tanker has been lifted from her shoulders. It’s like years of fog have cleared. It’s like watching someone decide not to jump after staring down the edge of a cliff for a decade.

What happened?

“I’m sober now,” Marshall says with a shy smile. “It’s way better.”

Turns out all Chan Marshall needed was sobriety and a kickin’ beat. Easier said than done, but god, it seems so simple a thing after seeing this changeling looking so healthy and well. It is just incredible to see someone step out of an alcohol-soaked depression after so many years. I’ve been tearing up all week recalling how magnificently happy she seems now, and, conversely, how magnificently unhappy she must have been all this time.

The Memphis Rhythm Band is the heartbeat of the new Cat Power, giving Marshall energy and confidence few knew she had. Clearly she has learned to lean on them—perhaps too much. Shortly after her backing musicians walked off stage for Marshall’s mid-show solo set—a few of them offering reassuring hugs as they left—Marshall returned to her old habits. She fidgeted on the piano bench, became visibly uncomfortable, and in the middle of an elegant cover of the Everly Brothers’ “All I Have to Do Is Dream”, stopped mid-verse.

“I messed it up,” she muttered angrily amid moans of disappointment from the crowd. “I’m sorry.”

She switched to guitar for a Johnny Cash cover and a revised version of her own “Hate”, in which she changed the lyrics from “I hate myself and I want to die” to an emphatic “I do nothate myself and I do not want to die.” Well said, and a long time coming.

“Are you guys like, what’s up with her?” she asked us after “Hate.” “Chan’s actually back there.” She gestured backstage. “It was a hell of an audition, but I passed it. Chan’s back there in her little cocoon—drunk.” Begin an acoustic cover of “Hit the Road Jack”, with the lyrics revised to “Hey, you’re good-looking, and man, you can sing / you can play the guitar like I never seen…/ Hit the road, Chan, and don’t you come back no more.”

Much of the show read like La Chan est mort / Vive la Chan!, a farewell to Marshall’s clouded former self and a moving demonstration that she has come to terms with her role as a performer. Her encore performance, “I Don’t Blame You”, the only appearance from You Are Free, further reinforced this theme. A song written about performance anxiety and the bloodthirstiness of an audience who doesn’t necessarily get it, “I Don’t Blame You” found new form. Marshall sped up the words and spit them out as if to invert the message. It was as if she was forgiving herself, or at least seeing with new eyes.

When she left the stage for good with the ambiguous statement, “And remember: here today, gone today,” it was difficult to determine whether Marshall’s meaning was “Appreciate Life, Motherfuckers,” or “Leave Me the Hell Alone.” Whatever the case, that was one loaded statement to leave us with, and with it, Marshall made a calculated return to the more somber tone of her previous performances.

I’ve always seen Chan Marshall as another Kurt Cobain, a potential Elliott Smith with a talent so fierce that it’s sure to get distorted; it’s sure to stop short. Thankfully, it looks like she’s made a move away from the melancholy, and, though her bruised voice suits it so well, the woman herself is no longer stuck in the sludge. Congratulations, Chan, and all best to you. It seems—for now at least—three years after you released the soulwrenching album of the same name: finally, you are free.

Cat Power - Living Proof

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//Mixed media


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Valentine by Lucius Shepard

by Matt Dionne

22 January 2003

When a Card Just Won't Do

Lucius Shepard’s latest novel Valentine takes the form of a letter from Russell, a well-traveled journalist, to his sometime-lover Kay, a college professor. For 181 pages, he writes about their latest encounter, when by chance a hurricane generously forced them both into seclusion in the Florida Gulf town of Piersall. They spent several days together, making love and reconnecting after six years apart. Russell relates this with some melancholy as Kay has since returned to her husband.

Valentine never wanders far from Piersall, although we get some references to Russell and Kay’s relationship at different times. Valentine has less plot than many short stories, but more sex. There’s probably nothing in literature that can produce unintentional laughter and cringing as frequently as the sex scene. It’s just a high degree of difficulty dive. Shepard doesn’t embarrass himself with the steamy stuff here. Some of it even replaces plot to move the story along and reveal the characters’ feelings. Other times it’s just sex on the page and you’ll be perfectly able to laugh or cringe or get turned on or get turned off or whatever it is you do when you’re reading a sex scene.

cover art

Lucius Shepard

(Four Walls Eight Windows)

Those familiar with Shepard’s other fiction, such as the recommended novel Life During Wartime and the short story collection The Jaguar Hunter, will recognize Russell as a typical protagonist. He’s worldly, cynical yet romantic, capable but not successful and has a lot of sex without getting married. And, of course, Shepard remains a smooth writer with a strong voice. With Valentine, Shepard has ventured slightly out of his usual genres. Although Piersall has an eerie, unreal atmosphere and the ending has an X-Files-ish twist, Valentine can not be classified easily as science fiction or fantasy.

As a single letter, Valentine is also not a classic epistolary novel. Shepard must balance the workings of a letter and the necessities of a novel. Although constructed as an intimate communication, we are not Kay. As readers, we look for character detail, exposition and plot—things that aren’t always at home in a letter between intimates. Russell relates details and entire conversations that would not be necessary for Kay who, after all, was there. He relentlessly uses the first and second person voice with lots of “I did” and “you said.” Although Shepard uses care and style to work his way around some of these problems, the letter structure occasionally seems to falter early when the reader wonders, “Why tell her that? She was there.”

Or was she? I apologize for dragging out that figure from your Intro to Literature course, the dreaded Unreliable Narrator, but there is a good chance the romantic interlude in Piersall is entirely imagined by Russell. First of all, the town seems remarkably untouched by the hurricane that leaves everyone stranded. The electricity stays on, but the phones conveniently don’t work. It doesn’t even rain, but the roads are closed.

Tellingly, Shepard gives the couple an idiosyncratic hobby to imply our story is Russell’s fantasy. Kay enjoys reading exotic stories from Russell about the life they might have shared if she had left her husband. His letters dream up their life together in Bahia or Hawaii. Since from the start we know Valentine is a letter to Kay, it doesn’t seem to be too much of a grad student impulse to interpret it as Russell’s invention of their brief life in Piersall.

This heightens both the romance of the book and its melancholy. The X-Files-ish twist at the end explains Russell’s odd presentation of this romance to one of its participants and coats the book with an additional layer of sadness. Given the structure, we learn far more about Russell than we do about Kay. We never learn her reasons for having an affair beyond fairly simple ones. She is the muse of the book, but her motivations and her plans for the future are a mystery.

Parts of Valentine are not filled in. One might argue that it is an exceptional short story stretched out to short novel length with sex (or, to use the literary marketing term, erotic) scenes. Even remarkable and perfectly enjoyable scenes, such as a wishing well alligator or a date at an arcade, lack a certain connection with a larger story. In the end, the twists that transform Valentine from a recollection of hotel room lust to a haunting and desperate plea override such complaints. Although slim for a novel, Valentine works as a thought piece, an expression of love and a meditation on both love and loneliness.

We all know how critical it is to keep independent voices alive and strong on the Internet. Please consider a donation to support our work as independent cultural critics and historians. Your donation will help PopMatters stay viable through these changing and challenging times where costs have risen and advertising has dropped precipitously. We need your help to keep PopMatters strong and growing. Thank you.

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Quality products that enhance your hair instead of weighing it down will cut out the need for a blast of heat from your blow dryer. "You will need something ultra-moisturising" Fernandez says. Use an oil-based cleansing system that is especially formulated for super-dry hair, which tends to be the most unruly.

Follow up with a hair oil to inject more moisture and reduce frizz. And to enhance the waves you already have, Fernandez suggests finishing with a mousse. "Both products leave the hair shiny, moisturised, and with a good amount of hold without the stiffness," Fernandez says. See? You can have the hair you've always envied . . . without the strand-singeing end result.

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From Jennifer Lopez to Katy Perry, See Who Is Inspiring Us This Week

Feb 21 2014 - 9:30am

It may be a dull time in Winter — the holidays have way passed, Valentine's Day is over [1], and even New York Fashion Week is done [2] — but that doesn't mean you or your favorite celebrities need to be in a style rut. So we're rounding up the best looks of the week from Molly Sims's dramatic hair color change [3] to Cara Delevingne's edgy undercut to Jourdan Dunn's mesmerizing eye makeup. Just keep scrolling for some pin-worthy styles!

Sofia Vergara

Sofia showed off a glowing tan at a media call for Modern Family in Australia.

Katy Perry

Katy opted for a polka-dotted headband and smoked-out, black liner at the Moschino dinner during Milan Fashion Week.

Rita Ora

We couldn't get enough of Rita's waves and red lips at the Moschino dinner during Milan Fashion Week.

Heidi Klum

Heidi's blunt bangs framed her sexy, smoky eye perfectly at a photocall for America's Got Talent.

Jennifer Lopez

At a finalist party for American Idol, Jennifer twisted her hair into a high topknot, which she complemented with a champagne smoky eye.

Lupita Nyong'o

For her most recent visit to the Late Show With David Letterman [4], Lupita wore a dab of pink gloss and dark eye shadow.

Sophia Bush

Sophia wore a side braid for her Chicago P.D. photocall. She paired the casual hairstyle with a hot pink lipstick.

Lily Aldridge

The Sports Illustrated cover girl decided to keep her style sleek and straight while partying in Miami Beach.

Nina Agdal

This topknot with whispy flyaways made room for Nina's bold red lip to shine at the Sports Illustrated party in Miami.

Chrissy Teigen

It looks like Chrissy's hair grew a few inches overnight! She wore the long locks in subtle waves to celebrate Sports Illustrated Swimsuit's 50th anniversary.

Sarah Hyland

Sarah pulled her hair up into a messy topknot for the Vampire Academy premiere in Australia.

Lorde's signature vampy lipstick bordered on black at the Brit Awards. She kept her nails nude this time to balance out the edgy look.

Katy Perry

For her Brit Awards performance, Katy straightened out her bob in a Cleopatra way.

Beyoncé Knowles

In a surprise performance, Beyoncé showed off some of her best hairography at the Brit Awards. For her makeup, she picked smoky shadow to match her sparkling emerald gown.

Jessie J

We're not quite sure how to describe this chalky, lavender lipstick [5] from Jessie's Brit Awards appearance, but it's quite the contrast with her jet-black hair.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Rosie wore her signature waves to present at the Brit Awards.

Rita Ora

At the Brit Awards, Rita channeled Beyoncé-esque glamour with long blond curls and a green smoky eye.

Ellie Goulding

Ellie went with a simple side braid for the Brit Awards and a palette of pinks.

Rita Ora

Rita added some extra length to her hairstyle for the Elle Style Awards. And of course, she rocked her signature red lip.

Suki Waterhouse

Suki's beauty look for the Elle Style Awards seemed to channel Brigitte Bardot, thanks to voluminous waves, short bangs, and winged eyeliner.

Olga Kurylenko

This high-ponytail-turned-side-plait somehow became high fashion when Olga wore it at the Elle Style Awards.

Cara Delevingne

We've seen this undercut braid [6] on Cara before, and at the Elle Style Awards, it still looks as good as the first time.

Emma Watson

Emma paired her ruby-red lipstick with a loose updo for the Elle Style Awards.

Arizona Muse

Cara may be well known for her brows, but Arizona also gives us arch envy. Just take her brushed-up look from the Elle Style Awards as an example.

Katy Perry

It was the first red carpet appearance for Katy's new bob at the Elle Style Awards, and she styled it with retro '50s flair [7].

Petra Nemcova

The sleek, wet chignon suited Petra's embellished outfit at the Elle Style Awards.

Lily Aldridge

Red lips and loose waves were a perfect combination for the Sports Illustrated cover model.

Petra Nemcova

Petra pulled all her blond hair to one side for the Sports Illustrated party, which showed off her natural-looking tan.

Chanel Iman

Chanel brightened up her eyes with silver shadow in the inner corners at the Sports Illustrated swimsuit celebration.

Molly Sims

Molly debuted her new strawberry-red locks [8] at the Sports Illustrated 50 Years of Swim celebration.

Chrissy Teigen

Chrissy played up her eyes with a smoky shadow and lots of false lashes at the Sports Illustrated party.

Petra Nemcova

This over-the-shoulder style was ideal for Petra's profile pose at Sports Illustrated's 50th anniversary celebration. She topped it off with a high-shine red lip lacquer.

Kelly Osbourne

At the premiere of RuPaul's Drag Race, Kelly went for an androgynous slicked-back hairstyle, extra lashes, and a bubblegum-pink lip.

Amber Heard

Amber let her long locks loose for her appearance on the Late Show With David Letterman.

Cobie Smulders

Cobie's fuchsia lips popped at the Late Show With David Letterman.

Cara Delevingne

Cara poked fun at her Love cover with this tongue-baring photo. The blue eyeliner (and matching tongue) were on trend [9].

Georgia May Jagger

Georgia swiped on a glossy gray shadow paired with nude pink lips for the Love magazine launch.

Joan Smalls

The model looked smoldering, thanks to a smoky eye at the Love magazine party.

Kendall Jenner

After walking in the Marc Jacobs Fall 2014 runway [10] last week, Kendall went with nude makeup and straight strands for the Love magazine party.

Kate Middleton

Kate and her signature chestnut curls looked gorgeous at the Dramatic Arts Reception in London.

Bella Thorne

At Cartoon Network's Hall of Game Awards, Bella paired a twisted topknot with heavy, center-split bangs.

Adriana Lima

Adriana looked stunning during the Miami Boat Show with fresh-faced makeup and a sleek ponytail.

Kristen Bell

Pretty curls and pink lipstick made for a gorgeous look on Kristen at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences's Scientific & Technical Awards Ceremony.

Jourdan Dunn

Jourdan stunned with stick-straight hair and dark purple lipstick at the launch of Mulberry's Cara Delevingne collection.

Cara Delevingne

At the celebration of her collaboration with Mulberry, Cara oozed sex appeal with textured bed head and a serious smoky eye.

Gabrielle Union

Gabrielle opted for barely there makeup and loose curls.

Kim Kardashian

A subtle smoky eye and pink lips paired perfectly with Kim's dark brown hair at the Generation NXT Charity Benefit.

Rita Ora

Rita stuck to her signature style of red lips and curls for a night out in London.

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How to Get Sarah Jessica Parker's Hairstyles From the SATC 2 Movie 2010-05-20 12:00:00

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If You Favor Midcentury Decor . . .

Designed in 1968 by Italian architect and designer Roberto Menghi, the Globo di Luce Pendant ($1,395) is as captivating as it was 40 years ago. Unfortunately, its price tag is out of this world (for most). Luckily, we found an affordable option by Tom Dixon, which sells for half the price of the original at $425. Yes, this copper shade is still a splurge, but its timeless style justifies the price.

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Take a Guided Tour of Apple TV 2.0

Now that Apple TV has its fancy new software upgrades, what better way to welcome it into our lives then with a guided video tour? Yes, as you'll see, for $229 you can now directly rent movies for your computer, iPod, iPhone, or TV; listen to podcasts; watch YouTube videos; or display your personal photos from your Flickr account or .Mac galleries. Just as with every other Apple guided tour, I can't help but get mesmerized by the features — they make it look so seamless! Check it out below!

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hotstuff hotstuff 8 years
I agree with Macgirl most times you need to be in a certain mood to watch a certain movie. This product makes it nice that if your chilling at home one night and nothing is on tv you can have whatever movie or show you'd like to see instantly on your tv. The computer is nice but I don't like watching movies on a computer I'd rather be able to instantly see it on my tv like this product provides. Watching youtube videos on your tv sounds like fun also. Especially when you consider how many movies and tv shows are also on youtube. Also looking at your vaction pics set to your music sounds like a blast. I'll definitely be purchasing this sometime soon in the future. The price isn't bad either for $229.00 thats a great price considering I spent more for my video ipod!
Tech Tech 8 years
Thanks so much for your feedback macgirl! Let us know what you think about the upgrade!
macgirl macgirl 8 years
I love my Apple TV and am VERY excited about this software update! I did my first iTunes rental the other day and was very pleased. I currently subscribe to Blockbusters "netflix" service, I'm horrible with it. I will keep the same three movies for months. I'm one of those people that has to be in the right mood to watch something. I like the ability to get a rental and then not worry about having to get it back on time. I'm going to be canceling my blockbuster subscription today! Some of the things I like to do with my Apple TV is watching movie trailers, putting my photos on the big tv for slideshows, playing the music from my computer through my tv and streaming my ripped movies. Love it love it love it. This software update is only going to make it better!
dcroan dcroan 8 years
And I have a 2 year Verizon subscription that's only 10 months I can't get an iPhone yet, which blows because using this Word interface on my Motorola Q because I only use Macs at home and work. Should I buy a blackberry?
dcroan dcroan 8 years
I saw this at MacWorld, but it didn't seem logical to me to purchase because I use Netflix and I don't buy movies through iTunes. am I weird because it seems like there's a huge market there. Also all I use iTunes for is music. Any thoughts?
x_juicyfruit x_juicyfruit 8 years
Hmm. This is pretty cool.
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History of the Finnish stock market

The Helsinki Stock Exchange dates back over 90 years. Today the exchange is part of the NASDAQ OMX Exchanges.

The Helsinki Stock Exchange was founded in 1912. There had been stock exchange activity in Helsinki since the 1860s, but it lacked proper organization and regulation. On April 25, 1912 the governor of Uusimaa province ratified the rules of the stock exchange.

NASDAQ OMX was formed when OMX, which operated the stock exchanges in the Nordic and Baltic countries, merged with the American technology stock exchange NASDAQ in 2007.

The last three years have seen several stock exchange mergers. In December 1997, the cash and derivatives marketplace of the Helsinki Stock Exchange and SOM merged to become Helsinki Exchanges, and in 1998 Helsinki Exchanges and the Central Securities Depository (APK) merged to form the HEX Group.

During 2001 and 2002, HEX became the majority shareholder of the TSE Group, which consists of the Tallinn Exchange, the Estonian Securities Depository and the Riga Stock Exchange – the sole shareholder of the Latvian Securities Depository (LCD).

In 2003, OM – the parent company of the Stockholm Stock Exchange – bought HEX, and the stock exchange operators merged. In addition to that, the Copenhagen Stock Exchange and the Iceland Stock Exchange became part of OMX in 2006.

Today NASDAQ OMX owns and operates stock exchanges in the United States and Europe, including the Nordic and Baltic countries. In addition, NASDAQ OMX technology supports the operations of over 70 stock exchanges, clearing organizations and stock market centers in over 50 countries.

At the end of 2009, NASDAQ OMX Helsinki had 129 companies listed with a total market value of EUR 141 billion. More than 100 information vendors sell and distribute market information worldwide.


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Colored pencil tutorial - how to use Prismacolor and Derwent pencils to draw a portrait.

Colored Pencil Tutorial

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Colored Pencil on Colored paper Colored Pencil Portrait Colored pencil portrait

My favorite colored pencil technique involves using colored paper. The vast majority of my colored pencil portraits are drawn on Canson colored paper. (Click on these thumbnail images to see the full portrait.) Canson's Mi Teintes colored paper is a good choice, since it is considered lightfast (all except for the black color).

The portrait on the left was drawn on a tan-colored Canson paper. The center portrait was drawn on a pale greenish blue paper. The portrait on the right was drawn on a rich brown colored paper.

When I start a new portrait, I always think carefully about what color of paper best fits the mood of the portrait I want to create, and which color will best compliment the color scheme of the portrait. Choosing the appropriate color of paper for a colored pencil portrait is not something that should be done hastily!

Some portraits allow me to leave the color of the paper peeking through a great deal, even on parts of the face. Other portraits require that I cover most of the face with colored pencil, leaving only the background area untouched.

This is a detail of the portrait on the right. The Canson paper was tan colored, which complimented the color scheme of the portrait very well.

As shown in this illustration, I was able to use the tan color to my advantage when rendering the skin tones of the face and arm. Notice how I left the arm (shown at the bottom half of this illustration) rendered in a loose, sketchy way. I added a few "contour" lines of brown (near the edge of the man's chin) and a few light flesh-colored lines to show the roundness of the arm. These simple strokes were all I used to render the arm, because the tan color of the paper "doubled" as the arm's flesh color too.

I also was able to leave small areas of the face untouched as well—I didn't need to worry about covering every nook and cranny of the face with colored pencil. The nice tan colored paper also "doubled" as a flesh color for the face, just like it did for the arm.

Colored Pencil portrait on brown paperIn this portrait, the brown paper used was dark and a bit overpowering. But I felt it was an appropriate choice, since the portrait I had planned was a moody, low-key piece.

I left the background almost completely alone, allowing the brown paper to show through. I used few brown or dark pencils to render the face - I let the brown color of the paper serve as most of the "dark tones."

I only used a few dark blue and black pencils to get the detail of the eye and pupil, eyebrows, the dark line that separates the lips, and so on.

I enjoyed using a pale blue (almost a white-blue in parts) for some of the highlights of the face. Some "accents" of reddish-orange and pale blue gave the portrait some sharpness, and added contrast.

I didn't try to hide the pencil strokes of the portrait - I thought they were an asset to the overall look.

Some basic things to remember when drawing in colored pencil:

  • Keep your pencils sharp most of the time!
  • Start drawing lightly, and carefully. Don't start laying down dark, rich colors right away.
  • Keep the paper surface clean. Don't let any colored pencil "crumbs" stick to the drawing surface. Carefully brush them away, before they smear or streak on the drawing.
  • Use a kneaded rubber eraser to lighten up or erase areas. Don't use the same eraser that you use for graphite or charcoal, however. Have special kneaded rubber eraser set aside for your colored pencil work.

To read more about colored pencil materials, papers, and colored pencil brands, read the art material section. To see some more examples of my colored pencil portraits, check out my portfolio page.

Some colored pencil and portrait book recommendations:

Colored Pencil book
Colored Pencil for the Serious Beginner
by Bet Borgeson (Get this book at

Bet Borgeson is considered one of the best colored pencil artists around. I really love her sense of color, and her philosophy about art. A wonderful book!

Colored pencil books
Basic Colored Pencil Techniques
by Bet Borgeson (Get this book at

Another excellent colored pencil book by the wonderful Bet Borgeson!

Drawing a Likeness
Drawing a Likeness
by Douglas Graves (Get this book at

An excellent book on drawing portraits. Douglas Graves is a wonderful portrait artist, and he understands how to get a good likness!

Shameless plug!

I've got my own book now, self-published, called Drawing Portraits: Fundamentals. I've tried to put a lot of the information that you see on this site in the book (unfortunately, nothing about colored pencil, since it's a B&W book). Check it out!

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No permission is given to use the information, (graphics, text) on this site in any other way other than for individual use. You may not use, publish or copy the information to a floppy disk or any other type of storage system or device without permission from me, JR Dunster. You may only print out one copy of each page (for personal use only).

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PCA awards scholarships of $1,000-$2,000 (depending on location) to high school athletes, based on their essays explaining how they meet the standard defined in Elevating Your Game: Becoming a Triple-Impact Competitor by PCA Founder Jim Thompson

  • Personal Mastery: Making oneself better
  • Leadership: Making one's teammates better
  • Honoring the Game: Making the game better.

Eligibility extends to any high school junior residing anywhere in the U.S. and playing for a high school team or in club sports!

Questions? Contact PCA's Morgan Fuller.

Applications ARE NOW CLOSED

Finalists for the 2016 Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship will be announced in August, 2016

Program Rules

Eligibility Requirement

  • Current High School Junior (class of 2017)
  • Grade Point Average of 2.5 or above
  • Current resident of the United States of America
  • Participant in individual or team sport sponsored by school or local club

Application Period
The application period for 2016 awards runs from January 1, 2016 through May 31, 2016. Applications can only be submitted online. If you have any problems, please e-mail Program Administrator Morgan Fuller.

A Triple-Impact Competitor® makes positive contributions on three levels:

  1. Makes oneself better (Personal Mastery);
  2. Makes teammates better (Leadership); and
  3. Makes the sport better (Honoring the Game).

Completed Applications
A completed application comprises:

  • Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship Application
  • One testimonial from a school administrator (athletic director, teacher, counselor, etc.)
  • One testimonial from a coach
  • At least one testimonial (and up to three) by individuals who are familiar with the student-athlete and able to speak to his/her embodiment of the Triple-Impact Competitor principles (for example fellow teammates, competitors, referees etc.)

Selection and Notification
The Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship Program is a national program with regional recognition events. Local Selection Committees will select award recipients and the number of scholarships will vary by region. All scholarship finalists will be notified via email in August of 2016 and the full list will be posted on PCA’s website. Scholarship winners will be announced at the local awards events in the fall/winter of 2016.


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Post-Journal All Access Launches Today

March 13, 2014
By THE POST-JOURNAL ( , The Post-Journal

Today, The Post-Journal is launching All Access as a part of current print subscriptions and future subscribers either with a print subscription or a digital-only subscription.

I am looking for:
News, Blogs & Events Web


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It seems that Charleston has an enthusiastic predilection to award any and everybody a nickname of some sort.

I’ve got at least two, one being sort of a basic everyday nickname that I was given at birth and which I answer to on a daily basis (Teddy), and another that was bestowed upon me by the late M. Stuart Barnwell during childhood that I don’t necessarily promote, but do answer to among a closely knit group of people.

Not because I particularly like it, Stuart wasn’t concerned about that aspect of it, God love him, but kind of as a way to stay in touch with a bygone and legendary fellow. Depending on my mood, I may share it with you later in the column. Maybe.

I’m sure I have many other nicknames out there that run the gamut from insulting to embarrassing, or both. At any rate, I thought it would be entertaining to scribble down a host of nicknames given to various individuals over the years, some living, some not, some given to real “characters,” while others are just like you and me.

It’s my sincere hope that no one gets too upset.

Without further ado: “Diamond Dave” (David Ingle); “Publius” (Park Smith Sr.); “Peach” (Park Smith Jr.); “Brother” (Tom Waring); “Geezil” (Elliott Hutson); his brother, “Heno”; “Tigger” (Mrs. Henry) Smythe; “Jingle” (Nell) Ball; “Dor” (Dorothy Legge); “Haney” (Frances deSaussure); and “Bo” (William Morrison), to name a few.

There are lots of “Weezies” out there, and I understand that a local young lady from an earlier generation who happened to be a childhood asthmatic was referred to as “Wheezy.” How mean! Children can be that way.

My maternal grandfather and namesake was loath to call anyone by a proper name. He never called me by my first name per se, but as “Mr. Teddy” or “Major,” a reference to an eponymous Civil War ancestor.

He referred to my sister, Rebecca, as “that Motte woman,” my cousin, Pierre as, “Pero,” John Barnwell (Stuart’s younger brother) as “the Colonel” (referencing a direct ancestor by the same name who was a famous South Carolina colonist and Indian fighter), Dr. Charlton deSaussure as “Dr. Saucer,” and my father (who was rail thin) as “that fat old daddy of yours.” Any child deserving of it was called a “boobyhead.”

Now don’t get me wrong. He was a Southern gentleman and this was truly all in good fun. Interestingly, one of his brothers, Arthur, was known as “Ackie,” and one of his best friends, Waring Hazelhurst, was known as “Wee” (diminutive in size, but don’t mess with him).

There are so many other good nicknames: “Tunky” (Kathleen) Summerall; “Sticky and Peepsie” Stevens from generations back; “Toots” or “Tootsie” (James) Lucas; “Fish” (Albert) Simons; “Hobo” (Herbert R., the author) Sass; and “Mousy” Schliewenz (helped coach boxing with the great “Matty” Matthews).

Lastly, and she gave me permission to use this, Jane L. Thornhill was affectionately called “Dimpy” during childhood, but it’s my impression that she has outgrown it. Or at least that would be the safe, and probably healthy, assumption.

She reports that her late husband’s (Van Noy) childhood nickname was “Peewee.” I don’t think too many people called him that as he got older.

Well, in keeping with my end of the bargain, it’s time to reveal a second nickname conferred upon me by Stuart Barnwell back when I was probably about 10 or so (I’m 56 now, so do the math): “Fenwick.” Sort of a Lord Fauntleroyish and satirical depiction of a privileged child. But I ain’t answering to it unless you’ve known me for 46 years!

Punny points

Monthly punster Jim Augustin sends the following observations:

Mom’s the word and Mother’s Day is a momentous occasion.

My role in life is a synonym bun.

Airline pilot to passengers about a takeoff delay: “Our computer is down and we cannot get up.”

Shrek is an ogre-achiever.

We organized riding lawn mower races as a NASCAR event, but everyone kept cutting corners.

Anonymous steers: Unheard of cattle.

From the Internet:

If we don’t conserve water, we could end up going from one ex-stream to another.

Take your motoring trip this month before the weather is nothing but swell-touring heat.

Vanna White of Wheel of Fortune started a T-shirt company. The first name they tried was “White T-shirts,” but then it hit them. Now they call it “Vanna T’s.”

Edward M. Gilbreth is a Charleston physician. Reach him at edwardgilbreth@


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Perhaps you've heard that everything you eat is made of corn. While that's not precisely true, it's not far off the mark, either: CNN a few years ago quoted a University of California-Berkeley biologist who likened Americans to "walking corn chips." (The same scientist tested a strand of Sanjay Gupta's hair, and determined 69 percent of the correspondent's carbon came from corn.)

In the form of high-fructose syrup and other derivatives, corn shows up in frosting, hush puppies, wallpaper, shaving cream, fireworks, instant pudding, shoe polish, chalk and marshmallows - and those are just a few of the 4,200 uses listed by the Kentucky Corn Growers Association.

But there's a world of difference between industrially processed corn and the fresh ears just now starting to appear at the market. Here, seven things to know about corn that's not destined to become insecticide:

1. Until very recently, archaeologists had trouble explaining the origins of corn, or maize, since the plant doesn't grow wild anywhere on earth. Then in the 1930s, a Cornell University graduate student proposed teosinte, a hard-cased Mexican grass, as corn's likely ancestor. Later genetic research proved George W. Beadle right, showing maize was 9,000 years ago domesticated from teosinte by farmers living in a southern Mexican river valley.

2. Although corn got its start in central America, it's now grown on every continent but Antarctica. Forty percent of the global harvest comes from the U.S.

3. When eating corn, you have hundreds of chances to get a kernel stuck between your teeth: The average ear has about 800 kernels.

4. While corn is rarely classified as a health food, corn is a good source of fiber and manganese. It's also a gateway grain for children who otherwise shy away from whole grains: A 2009 study showed young people with Type 1 diabetes prefer whole grain cornbread over every other whole grain food.

5. Corn typically grows to a height of about 8 feet, supported by a root system that extends more than six feet underground. But to ensure corn "high as an elephant's eye" for the 1954 filming of "Oklahoma!," crews planted 2,100 stalks in southern Arizona one year before shooting. (Oklahoma had too many oil wells to pass as a turn-of-the-century version of itself.) The corn topped out at 16 feet, leading lyricist Oscar Hammerstein to say it was as high "as the eye of an elephant who is standing on another elephant."

6. Corn's synonymous with summer, but high heat can encourage microbal contamination. At a supermarket, opt for corn stored in a refrigerated area. And when shopping at an outdoor market, look for corn that's being kept out of direct sunlight.

7. It's best to eat corn right away, but if you plan to refrigerate it for a few days, leave the corn in its husk and seal it in a plastic bag. To freeze corn, blanch the husked ears in boiling water for about five minutes. Cool the corn in ice water; remove the kernels from the cob (or not, if you'd prefer to enjoy corn-on-the-cob this winter); seal in a plastic bag; freeze.


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SUMTER- Sumter resident Betty Brown is not your typical college student. She isn't an 18-year-old fresh out of high school with the world as her playground. She isn't inexperienced or unaware of the obstacles in life. In fact, she has encountered a few and overcome them.

She might not be a teenager, but at 73, Brown's dreams and goals are as big as those of a teenager waiting to start college to experience independence and success.

When Brown sits in her Central Carolina Technical College classes Monday through Wednesday, she is clearly different from her fellow classmates. But like any other student, Brown frequents the Student Learning Center on the school's main campus and has become familiar with the tutors.

Brown has lived in three states, raised six children and retired twice, but even after those accomplishments, it seems she is just getting started.

She was born in Horatio and raised in the Sumter area, where she attended Green School - a school designated for black children that closed with less than 100 students enrolled in 1968. Brown attended Lincoln High School but dropped out in 1957 and didn't complete her studies.

"I married at 17, and I moved to New York in 1983. Then I lived in New Jersey from 1984 to 2000," Brown said. "In 1982, one of my daughters graduated from high school, and then in 1983, I received my diploma from adult education. As a matter of fact, I wore the same gown as my daughter."

Brown said she was married for 13 years before she returned to South Carolina, with six children to care for. Before receiving her high school diploma, Brown briefly worked for Pioneer Dress in Sumter and then worked for Olympia Mills in Columbia.

Despite living in different states, working and taking care of her children, Brown said she continued to slowly work toward her goal of completing school and receiving a college degree. As she worked different jobs, she always signed up for classes at a nearby school, including taking classes while in New York and attending the Newark Skill Center where she learned basic computer skills. In 2005, Brown continued to feed her insatiable appetite for knowledge by completing a semester at USC Sumter and then taking classes from 2011 to 2012 at adult education on Main Street.

"I've always been in school off and on and working, even when I was in New York and New Jersey. When I went to USC Sumter for a semester, I really wanted to get the feel of being in a college classroom. When you've been away for so long, you see everything has changed. Even math seemed to change," Brown said, laughing.

While juggling a number of responsibilities and taking refresher courses, Brown said she retired from University of Medicine and Dentistry Hospital in Newark, New Jersey, in 2000 and then retired again from Walmart 10 years later.

In one of her classes, Brown recalled one of her classmates insisted on always sitting next to her.

"I can't remember his name, but he sat next to me and said, 'I'm sitting with you because you inspire me,"' she said. "That felt good, and it's just such a blessing."

With confidence and determination, Brown is taking two classes during the summer session, working toward an associate's degree in criminal justice.

Besides taking summer classes, Brown is an active member and usher at Clinton Chapel AME Zion Church in Sumter and a member of Sumter's Mary McLeod Bethune chapter of the National Council of Negro Women.

After she receives her associate's degree in criminal justice, Brown said she hopes to re-enroll at CCTC to get a degree in religion. She said her desire to finally fulfill some of her goals is still strong even now.

"I can now put everything aside to do some things I want to do. My children are grown and able to stand on their own," she said. "I have time now to have some me time."

Three of her daughters now live in New York, one daughter lives in Florida, and her sons reside in South Carolina.

Brown's 74th birthday was July 15, and she said she has been through a lot, but reaching her goals is still important to her."I've had my ups and downs, but through it all, I'm still able to try to make accomplishments," she said. "I am proud of that, and it's really a blessing."

Information from: The Sumter Item,


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Friday's High School Girls Basketball Roundup

CAMERON — A fast start enabled the Pocola Lady Indians to end up winning going away over the Cameron Lady Yellowjackets as they left town with a 52-28 victory Friday night at the Cameron Gym.The Lady Indians jumped out to a 16-4 lead after a period and never looked back.Arkoma 53, Porum 52: In Porum, Julia Anderson's shot at the buzzer lifted the Lady Mustangs to victory.Broken Bow 65, Talihina 46: In Broken Bow, the Lady Savages jumped out to a 21-9 lead after a period to take control of the game.Red Oak 64, Wister 23: In Red Oak, the Lady Eagles outscored the Lady Wildcats 21-11 in the opening period en route to a 35-13 halftime advantage.


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Learn more
Need Help? Call 1.800.993.4923

Birthstone Jewelry Collection

Our exclusive semiprecious stone collection lets you celebrate your child’s birth month in style. Each stone is carefully chosen for rich color and shine, and then set in sterling silver to create a personalized charm that can be added to one of our necklaces or bracelets.

  • Handcrafted sterling silver charms.
  • Can be used as a pendant on a necklace or as a charm on a bracelet.
  • Presented in an elegant box that’s ready to wrap and give.
  • January: Garnet
  • February: Amethyst
  • March: Aqua Chalcedony
  • April: White Quartz
  • May: Emerald Cubic Zirconia
  • June: Smoky Quartz
  • July: Ruby Cubic Zirconia
  • August: Peridot
  • September: Sapphire Cubic Zirconia
  • October: Pink Topaz
  • November: Citrine
  • December: Blue Topaz
Dimensions & Care

  • Charm: 5mm diameter, 3mm thick

  • Polish silver occasionally with a silver polishing cloth.
Shipping & Return Info

This is a general shipping item.

View Our Shipping Information

Return Policy
At Pottery Barn Kids, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction is our priority. We carefully inspect your order prior to shipment; upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage. We will arrange for a prompt replacement. If, within 7 days for Quick Ship upholstery and 30 days for all other products, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value.

If your return for Merchandise Credit Cards is greater than $10,000, we will issue $10,000 in Merchandise Credit Cards to you that day, and then mail additional Merchandise Credit Card(s) for the amount in excess of $10,000 to you.

We cannot accept returns on monogrammed, personalized, special-order items, or on items damaged through normal wear and tear. We also cannot accept returns of final-sale items, which are identified by a price that ends in $0.99.

For returns of items purchased from your Pottery Barn Kids registry, we will gladly provide a refund or exchange for the merchandise within 90 days of your event or within 90 days of purchase, whichever date is later.

For assistance, please contact Customer Service at 800.993.4923, 7 days a week, 5:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. PST.

International Returns
: Online returns are available only for items that were shipped to the United States. If you would like to return items that were shipped outside the US, please see International Returns and Exceptions.


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Utility Menu

Powder/Bulk Solids

The Source for Dry Processing and Bulk Handling Technology

Vecoplan Launches New Company

September 5, 2013

Vecoplan Integrated Solutions (VIS) LLC has been formed to provide turnkey systems for residential and commercial single-stream recycling facilities, as well as retrofit upgrades to existing systems that are underperforming.

The announcement comes from Ulrich Schulte, Vecoplan Management Board. Operating out of Archdale, NC, VIS is the latest addition to the Vecoplan group of companies delivering technologies that ensure an environmentally sustainable tomorrow, and will be backed by the worldwide resources available from all member companies.

“Vecoplan Integrated Solutions was formed to offer a new approach and better solutions for residential and commercial single-stream recycling markets,” said Schulte. “Vecoplan recognizes that commingled multi-material processing has become something different than what it was even five years ago. As a market leader in environmental and recycling technologies, we are committed to focusing on the betterment of mixed materials processing. Our mission will be to apply the correct equipment strategically to provide cleaner, more effective solutions.”

Services offered by VIS include situational analysis, consultation, design, engineering, project management, construction, and commissioning of new recycling systems, and retrofits to existing MRF and post-consumer recycling operations. Products offered by VIS include receiving stations, infeed metering machinery, conveyors, and a comprehensive range of screening, sorting, and separating technologies. Separation technologies available from VIS include optical separation, air classification, magnetic separation for ferrous metals, and eddy current separation for nonferrous metals.

This is the latest evolution in Vecoplan’s presence in the recycling and processing markets. “Nothing demonstrates our commitment to these markets more than launching this business in partnership with Jeffrey Van Galder and Christopher Simon, both of whom have a long history of success providing solutions to processor’s varied requirements,” said Schulte. “This move also completes the group’s portfolio that now enables the provision of truly turnkey plants, from managing incoming waste all the way through RDF processing for use with various biofuel and bioenergy conversion technologies.”

Van Galder and Simon bring more than 30 years of combined industry experience to the new venture. VIS relies on its own scope of equipment supply as well as strategically sourced vendor relationships to provide the specific technological solution required. With an increasing demand and market requirements for a greater reduction in commodity contaminants, new, more modern plants and retrofits to older existing plants will be required.

For related news, articles, and equipment reviews, visit our Size Reduction Equipment Zone

Click here for information on the upcoming Powder& Bulk Solids Texas conference and exhibition

Vecoplan LLC


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Current River Generating Station (0.5 MW) - Thunder Bay: Current River

On January 1, 2015, the Ontario Power Authority merged with the Independent Electricity System Operator to create a new organization that combines the OPA and IESO mandates.

Please note that the information on this page is not current and will not be updated. A new format for contract data will be published soon.

The Current River Hydro Partnership is a partnership between Whiteside Power & Light (80% ownership) and 1188750 Ontario Limited (20% ownership).

The Current River Generating Station is a single-unit hydroelectric station located on Current River in Thunder Bay. The station was commissioned in January 1987, and has an installed capacity of 0.5 MW at a head of 34 feet.

The generating site is a run of the river site. A concrete spillway of a few hundred feet is equipped with stop logs to control the water level in Boulevard Lake. The lake’s primary function is for recreational use with power generation being a secondary function. The dam is owned, operated and maintained by the City of Thunder Bay. The penstock coming from the concrete section of the dam is a fibreglass pipe 600 feet in length and 4 feet in diameter. Two manual knife gate valves at the dam are used to isolate the penstock. The penstock is completely buried and out of sight. A butterfly valve is located about 20 feet upstream of the turbine generator, and is hydraulically driven and controls the flow of water to the turbine. The station uses 3.9 CMS of water for operation.

The lease agreement with the City limits the operation of the plant to 10 months with the project not operating during the months of July and August each year to allow water to spill over the dam for aesthetic reasons.

This hydroelectric generating station generates approximately 1,750 MWh of renewable energy per year.

Location: Thunder Bay
River System: Current River
Nameplate Capacity: 0.5 MW
OPA Contracted Capacity: 0.5 MW
Operator: Current River Hydro Partnership
Technology: Hydroelectric
Turbines: One propeller turbine
Originally Built: 1987
Coordinate: 48°27'18.15"N, 89°11'12.78"W

Project Contacts:

Ontario Power Authority
Media and Public Relations
T. 416-969-6307 or


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Price:   $3.75
Quantity:   4 item(s) available
SKU:   GS22622
Condition:   Used
Weight:   0.50 lbs

This is a replacement LVDS Display Cable for the iPad 2. If you are having video issues, this may need to be replaced. Replacement LCD LED LVDS Flex Ribbon Cable fit Apple iPad 2 A1395 A1396 A1397
Compatible With:
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Used parts are in Grade A- to A condition unless otherwise specified.
1 Year PowerbookMedic Warranty
Repair Guides:
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Submit your device's serial number or model number to check for compatibility using our built-in system. These devices will be saved for future visits as well.

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Give us a call at 1-866-726-3342 or use our live support.

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Click Here to visit our send-in Mac Service center, or call us at 1-866-726-3342, and ask us to do it for you!

We can install any item on our site for less than anyone else, guaranteed! We'll even ship you a box to send your unit in.