Milton Babbitt died aged 94
Milton Babbitt, who has died aged 94, was one of the most eminent, and controversial, American composers of the 20th century. Deeply influenced by the 12-tone music of Arnold Schoenberg, whom he met in New York in the 1930s, Babbitt extended Schoenberg's serial organisation of pitch structure to other parameters, including rhythm, dynamics and instrumentation, an approach that came to be known as "integral serialism".
With his Three Compositions for Piano of 1947, Babbitt slightly preceded his European contemporaries Olivier Messaien, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Pierre Boulez in producing the first work in this new and stricter manner. Guardian
2011/01/30
Protests in Egypt
• 13 people have died as running battles continue
• Arrests of and attacks on journalists
• Egyptian PM apologises for violence
Guardian
BP's manipulation
BP is being investigated by US regulators over alleged manipulation of the gas market, dealing a blow to its attempts to rehabilitate its tarnished reputation following the Gulf of Mexico disaster. Guardian
To destroy artic's ecosystem
LONDON — British oil company BP announced Friday night that Russia's state-owned oil firm Rosneft will take 5 percent of BP's ordinary voting shares in a major stock swap.
In exchange, Rosneft will give BP about 9.5 percent of its shares, BP officials said. Rosneft chairman and Russian deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin said the deal was worth about $8 billion. newsok
Translation: british petroleum is going to destroy artic' s ecosystem.
The country of the very, very, funtastic
Italy faces the possibility of a dynastic succession as calls grow for the millionaire daughter of Silvio Berlusconi to enter politics with a view to becoming the country's next prime minister. Telegraph
• 13 people have died as running battles continue
• Arrests of and attacks on journalists
• Egyptian PM apologises for violence
Guardian
BP's manipulation
BP is being investigated by US regulators over alleged manipulation of the gas market, dealing a blow to its attempts to rehabilitate its tarnished reputation following the Gulf of Mexico disaster. Guardian
To destroy artic's ecosystem
LONDON — British oil company BP announced Friday night that Russia's state-owned oil firm Rosneft will take 5 percent of BP's ordinary voting shares in a major stock swap.
In exchange, Rosneft will give BP about 9.5 percent of its shares, BP officials said. Rosneft chairman and Russian deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin said the deal was worth about $8 billion. newsok
Translation: british petroleum is going to destroy artic' s ecosystem.
The country of the very, very, funtastic
Italy faces the possibility of a dynastic succession as calls grow for the millionaire daughter of Silvio Berlusconi to enter politics with a view to becoming the country's next prime minister. Telegraph
2011/01/16
SOUTHERN SUDAN - DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Someone may wonder by asking questions as to why this piece of article is written at this time and what is the creditability of the author to do that? And you may come up with some conclusions like: He is not the president or one of the members of South Sudan legislature, this man must be on the wrong frame of mind and all the criticisms that go with it. Well, to make it clear, I am a proud citizen of Southern Sudan, who has a right to appeal and encourage all South Sudanese citizen to vote for separation. Because I believe with the sprit, South Sudan will have a clear constitution if separated; that will favor its entire citizens and its government unlike the current Slavery-style-system. Now, let me push you back to the topic “Southern Sudan, The Declaration of Independence” since it will make my separation pledge as a prime topic a bit clearer.
There must be equal privilege for the people of South Sudan to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws must be abided, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that the law should declare the causes which impel us to the separation from Sudan’s National Islamic Front (NIF), an Al-Bashir’s brotherhood fundamentalists.
As Thomas Jefferson once said “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”, Therefore in South Sudan, whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People of Southern Sudan to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their security and cheerfulness. Forethought, indeed, we shall not dictate that Governments long established and we should not be changed for light and temporary causes; and accordingly all experience that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when there is a long existence abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute dictatorship, it is right, and duty for Southerners, to throw off such a dictatorship Government, and to provide new leadership for their future security. We shall not and will not dictate ourselves, of course we’ve already been tortured by NIF, do we need history to repeat itself under different band? Absolutely not.
Sudan’s National Islamic Front (NIF) or Al-Bashir’s brotherhood fundamentalists, has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive since 1956 by seizing away their rights. NIF is taking toll to destruct us, with opportunity to fuel infighting among us (be your own witness and recall the past and current tribal wars to dispute my assertion). There never been any development in South Sudan, regardless of the enormous amount of wealth that we have. We are a nation with full pride, perseverant and dignity that if we hold the power as they, we could not have an eager to destruct them. That is what make us difference from those whom we fight.
NIF has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring it on the inhabitants of Darfur, Nubian etc, whom they misled before by enslaving them to fight us. The NIF rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions, and whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, and therefore are unfit to be the rulers of the free people.
If South Sudan will be declared as a country (I strongly believe it will be) on upcoming January 09, 2011, it will have a Right it ought to have to be Free and Independent as a State, and that all political connections between us and the North will be totally abolished; and as we will be free and independent, South Sudan will have full power like any other countries to impose War, to any other country who shall not respect or who happen to obstruct our right including Northern Sudan (if a situation allow that to occur). We will have a peace contract with our neighbors whom respect our rights as a country. We will establish trade; diplomatic relationships and links with other Nations whom we welcome and whom value our rights as sovereign nation.
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm confidence on the protection of our destiny, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our prosperity, and our sacred respect. Let me conclude with some few quotes and remarks from His Highness; Haile Selassie II, a 20th century Ethiopian Emperor who once said: “That which man dreams of and to which he aspires, unless fulfilled in his own lifetime, can produce no actual satisfaction to him. It will be self-deceiving and a waste of time to advocate dialogue with those who are not ready to listen, because it is obvious that the freedom of millions is not a commodity subject to bargaining. It is better to die free than to live as slave. The ultimate resource of a nation is its people. Unless this resource is employed for the benefit of the nation, unless the latent good, which it represents, is exploited to the maximum for the common good the nation will languish, poor in spirit, lacking in achievement. Every laborer is a father; his labor is his child. Choose your project carefully and achieve is worthily. The true leader is a different sort; he seeks effective activity, which has a truly beneficent purpose. He inspires others to follow in his wake, and holding aloft the torch of wisdom, leads the way for society to realize its genuinely great aspirations”.
With this thoughtful quotes and remarks in mind; and strong urgency for free Southern Sudan, I believe you will carry unequivocal message to your voting station and make your choice a wise one. Do not be deceived by emotional speeches like the one recently made by Al-Bashir himself in Juba or Machiavellian pledges already placed by the NIF regime. Commit to separate, declare your independence.
May God Bless You all and May God Bless This Land.
Bayak Dak Guandong*
*Bayak Dak Guandong lives in Canada and released an article last year entitled “SOUTH SUDAN IS IN JEOPARDY, BUT WHO IS GOING TO BE BLAME”. You can view this article and more on his blog at http://bguandong.blogspot.com/ (in www.southsudan.net)
Note: the capital of the Southern Sudan is likely to be Juba.
Arab despots should heed events in Tunisia
The fall from power of Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine ben Ali is one of those widely unpredicted turns of events that hindsight quickly labels inevitable.
Corrupt authoritarian regimes are generally brittle and Mr Ben Ali's was no exception. But few anticipated how quickly a spate of angry demonstrations could become a regime-changing rebellion. Other governments across the region, with populations hardly less repressed than Tunisia's, will look on in fear. Guardian
Note: France, the former colonial power in Tunisia, supported Mr Ben Ali until the very last moment. One minster offered to send riot police to help shore up the regime.
Someone may wonder by asking questions as to why this piece of article is written at this time and what is the creditability of the author to do that? And you may come up with some conclusions like: He is not the president or one of the members of South Sudan legislature, this man must be on the wrong frame of mind and all the criticisms that go with it. Well, to make it clear, I am a proud citizen of Southern Sudan, who has a right to appeal and encourage all South Sudanese citizen to vote for separation. Because I believe with the sprit, South Sudan will have a clear constitution if separated; that will favor its entire citizens and its government unlike the current Slavery-style-system. Now, let me push you back to the topic “Southern Sudan, The Declaration of Independence” since it will make my separation pledge as a prime topic a bit clearer.
There must be equal privilege for the people of South Sudan to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws must be abided, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that the law should declare the causes which impel us to the separation from Sudan’s National Islamic Front (NIF), an Al-Bashir’s brotherhood fundamentalists.
As Thomas Jefferson once said “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”, Therefore in South Sudan, whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People of Southern Sudan to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their security and cheerfulness. Forethought, indeed, we shall not dictate that Governments long established and we should not be changed for light and temporary causes; and accordingly all experience that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when there is a long existence abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute dictatorship, it is right, and duty for Southerners, to throw off such a dictatorship Government, and to provide new leadership for their future security. We shall not and will not dictate ourselves, of course we’ve already been tortured by NIF, do we need history to repeat itself under different band? Absolutely not.
Sudan’s National Islamic Front (NIF) or Al-Bashir’s brotherhood fundamentalists, has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive since 1956 by seizing away their rights. NIF is taking toll to destruct us, with opportunity to fuel infighting among us (be your own witness and recall the past and current tribal wars to dispute my assertion). There never been any development in South Sudan, regardless of the enormous amount of wealth that we have. We are a nation with full pride, perseverant and dignity that if we hold the power as they, we could not have an eager to destruct them. That is what make us difference from those whom we fight.
NIF has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring it on the inhabitants of Darfur, Nubian etc, whom they misled before by enslaving them to fight us. The NIF rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions, and whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, and therefore are unfit to be the rulers of the free people.
If South Sudan will be declared as a country (I strongly believe it will be) on upcoming January 09, 2011, it will have a Right it ought to have to be Free and Independent as a State, and that all political connections between us and the North will be totally abolished; and as we will be free and independent, South Sudan will have full power like any other countries to impose War, to any other country who shall not respect or who happen to obstruct our right including Northern Sudan (if a situation allow that to occur). We will have a peace contract with our neighbors whom respect our rights as a country. We will establish trade; diplomatic relationships and links with other Nations whom we welcome and whom value our rights as sovereign nation.
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm confidence on the protection of our destiny, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our prosperity, and our sacred respect. Let me conclude with some few quotes and remarks from His Highness; Haile Selassie II, a 20th century Ethiopian Emperor who once said: “That which man dreams of and to which he aspires, unless fulfilled in his own lifetime, can produce no actual satisfaction to him. It will be self-deceiving and a waste of time to advocate dialogue with those who are not ready to listen, because it is obvious that the freedom of millions is not a commodity subject to bargaining. It is better to die free than to live as slave. The ultimate resource of a nation is its people. Unless this resource is employed for the benefit of the nation, unless the latent good, which it represents, is exploited to the maximum for the common good the nation will languish, poor in spirit, lacking in achievement. Every laborer is a father; his labor is his child. Choose your project carefully and achieve is worthily. The true leader is a different sort; he seeks effective activity, which has a truly beneficent purpose. He inspires others to follow in his wake, and holding aloft the torch of wisdom, leads the way for society to realize its genuinely great aspirations”.
With this thoughtful quotes and remarks in mind; and strong urgency for free Southern Sudan, I believe you will carry unequivocal message to your voting station and make your choice a wise one. Do not be deceived by emotional speeches like the one recently made by Al-Bashir himself in Juba or Machiavellian pledges already placed by the NIF regime. Commit to separate, declare your independence.
May God Bless You all and May God Bless This Land.
Bayak Dak Guandong*
*Bayak Dak Guandong lives in Canada and released an article last year entitled “SOUTH SUDAN IS IN JEOPARDY, BUT WHO IS GOING TO BE BLAME”. You can view this article and more on his blog at http://bguandong.blogspot.com/ (in www.southsudan.net)
Note: the capital of the Southern Sudan is likely to be Juba.
Arab despots should heed events in Tunisia
The fall from power of Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine ben Ali is one of those widely unpredicted turns of events that hindsight quickly labels inevitable.
Corrupt authoritarian regimes are generally brittle and Mr Ben Ali's was no exception. But few anticipated how quickly a spate of angry demonstrations could become a regime-changing rebellion. Other governments across the region, with populations hardly less repressed than Tunisia's, will look on in fear. Guardian
Note: France, the former colonial power in Tunisia, supported Mr Ben Ali until the very last moment. One minster offered to send riot police to help shore up the regime.
2011/01/04
Bomb hits Egypt church at New Year's Mass
ALEXANDRIA, Egypt—A powerful bomb exploded in front of a crowded Coptic Christian church a half hour into the New Year early Saturday, hitting worshippers emerging from a holiday Mass in the Egyptian city of Alexandria and killing at least 21 people in an attack that raised suspicions of an al-Qaida role.
The attack came in the wake of repeated threats by al-Qaida militants in Iraq to attack Egypt's Christians. A direct al-Qaida hand in the bombing would be a dramatic development, as Egypt's government has long denied that the terror network has a significant presence in the country. Al-Qaida in Iraq has already been waging a campaign of violence against Christians in that country. denverpost
Naga Hammady Massacre
Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7. On the eve of their celebrations in Egypt, Copts go to churches and celebrate the holy event. But this year an unexpected incident happened in Naga Hammady, in Upper Egypt, where an unknown criminal opened his fire randomly on people there after they finished their prayers and were on their way back to their homes. globalvoicesonline
Note: January 7, 2010.
ALEXANDRIA, Egypt—A powerful bomb exploded in front of a crowded Coptic Christian church a half hour into the New Year early Saturday, hitting worshippers emerging from a holiday Mass in the Egyptian city of Alexandria and killing at least 21 people in an attack that raised suspicions of an al-Qaida role.
The attack came in the wake of repeated threats by al-Qaida militants in Iraq to attack Egypt's Christians. A direct al-Qaida hand in the bombing would be a dramatic development, as Egypt's government has long denied that the terror network has a significant presence in the country. Al-Qaida in Iraq has already been waging a campaign of violence against Christians in that country. denverpost
Naga Hammady Massacre
Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7. On the eve of their celebrations in Egypt, Copts go to churches and celebrate the holy event. But this year an unexpected incident happened in Naga Hammady, in Upper Egypt, where an unknown criminal opened his fire randomly on people there after they finished their prayers and were on their way back to their homes. globalvoicesonline
Note: January 7, 2010.
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