Gradin.com » News

Matisyahu – Light

Olaf — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:16:27 +0000

My friend, Carlos, brought to my attention Matisyahu a little while back. As of the 25th, he’s released a new album titled “Light” and I’ve just pulled it down off of the Zune Marketplace. It features the previously released single, “One Day,” which my son began singing after just a minute of exposure to the song. Matisyahu is a credible artist with the added interest in his back story that he’s a reggae musician and Hasidic Jew from New York. An unlikely combination to be sure, and one that has probably earned him his initial fame. However, his music tells the story of his devotion to Judaism, peace, love, and happiness. A Further contrast to much of his music in which the group puts together some hard-hitting beats and near hip hop aesthetics.

Light is a new album for me, but I’ve already picked some favorites on it. Aside from the easily liked, exceptional “One Day,” the first track is one of those unexpected hard-hitting pieces; “Smash Lies” is a killer piece of work. It’s also available for free from Matisyahu’s website in conjunction with the release of the new album. In addition to these two, you’ll want to hear “Motivate” and “Thunder.”

Red light bulb

It’s Official, Bonnaroo is a Go

Olaf — Wed, 13 May 2009 04:10:49 +0000

I hadn’t talked much about this to anyone yet because I wanted to get verification that I was actually going. I didn’t really believe it myself – still don’t in a way, but only because I don’t have tickets in my hands. My first trip ever to Bonnaroo will be to work with Stan Secrest in his efforts to run an event-long drum building workshop for the masses. Hundreds of people will be building drums with Stan and thousands will be passing by us daily. I will be on task to assist with finishing the drums (string tightening, for instance) and drum circle facilitation. We may or may not take the stage and conduct an official drum circle at the ‘roo, but I’ll definitely be putting together some jams at Stan’s tent nightly. From what I understand from Stan and some of the people that have worked for him in the year’s past, it’s going to be an insane amount of work. I fully expect to ruin my hands for any sort of intricate handling of things to come.

A co-worker put together a great list of must-sees while I’m there. I doubt I’ll be able to do the list justice, but it’s really great to have a guide of what may be some of the finer acts to see at a live venue like this. If nothing else, I look forward to hearing the sets throughout the day while I work. There will be some bands I can see into the night, though based on the bit about hard work (and heat), I may just be crashing.

It’s going to be very difficult on my wife while I’m out. She’ll have to manage the two kids, and I know that’s no easy task! She is, however, supportive of me going and really thinks that it’s an opportunity I can’t pass up. It should do a lot to help me in my task of building a more substantial drum circle group in my own community, and push my skills as a facilitator. Who knows, I may run across people from my area that can help me out back home!

My Company Just Reinvented Itself

Olaf — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:05:14 +0000

For those of you who don’t know, and that’s probably most of you, my employer just made it a lot eassier for me to explain where I work.

My company reinvented itself, and has established a new brand-awareness campaign to get that ball rolling.

Welcome to the New Fiserv

New market approach. New brand identity.
Fiserv is leading the transformation of financial services technology so we can help our clients change the way financial services are delivered. We’re delivering more innovation and more integration – all to help our clients grow their business and increase profitability. To learn more about the Fiserv innovations powering our clients’ success, visit www.newfiserv.com.

*UPDATE* A funny note came in from Twitter (@mhumphrey) on this. Fiserv used the term “electronifying” in the promo (“Source Capture Solutions”). It’s the verb form of electron, apparently, and refers more specifically to the act of making something an online process (i.e. electronic as in email). It turns out the term was used as early as 2004 by Bank of America to describe the process of making payments online. It was also used by a number of other companies (like Visa) to describe very similar processes. So while “electronification” may not be a real word, the banking industry has adopted it as their own – better get used to it!

Combining Cultures

The Singularity is Nigh

Olaf — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:57:02 +0000

Singularity University » Overview

Singularity University aims to assemble, educate and inspire a cadre of leaders who strive to understand and facilitate the development of exponentially advancing technologies and apply, focus and guide these tools to address humanity’s grand challenges.

Singularity University is the latest buzz in technology news this week. I liken what I’ve seen to something akin to a T.E.D. conference. In fact, I envision some interaction between those two organizations in the very near future. I’d like to go to either; so if you’re out there raising money for my well-being and, indeed, the planet’s, keep me in mind. I promise to do what I can to help us all!

As far as my take on this whole concept, it’s a mixed bag. On one hand, the Singularity is a real concept that deserves the attention of academics just as the Theory of Relativity and Quantum Physics do. Generally speaking, a Singularity is an event in time that is derived from a series of exponential changes, resulting in an epoch that is incalculable by either philosophical or mathematical means. In the case of the Singularity University, it is further specified as the Technology Singularity. If one applies the concept of a Singularity to technology, then it is that point in time in which our technological breakthrough surpasses Moore’s Law and becomes infinitely more profound than our current intellectual capacity can account for. It’s the stuff Sci-Fi is made of, really. Artificial Intelligence, robotic sentience, light speed travel, human teleportation, etc. Good stuff, though a bit heady and potentially naive.

On the other hand, I don’t how important it is to speculate on how to handle a potential future. In a way, it’s a little paranoia mixed with doomsday recipe. Perhaps the futurists aren’t focusing on the downsides and rather looking at what possibilities exist in the future for innovation. I believe that to be limitless. I guess there’s no harm in dreaming, but Singularity University is bound to cost some mega-bucks. That equates to a tangible reality in the now regardless of what Utopian future you can speculate on.

Lost and Found: 1 Grecian ‘Stache

Olaf — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:07:19 +0000

All of you will surely recognize the man on the left. His biblical image comes at you in all of its hair and puffy-shirtness like a thunder clap. Yanni stands as the hairiest, women-loving man I know [of]…though Hugh Jackman must be at the top of this game too! And on his right is the much subdued version of the eighties visage, also Yanni. When did this happen? No ‘stache to whisper its childhood stories to concert viewers. No curly locks of Grecian do to reveal the arcane secrets of musical composition. It’s a transitive state of Yanni’s image much in the same way we all saw Metallica shed their fettered styles of 80′s heavy metal.

So Yanni will be coming to Duluth in April at the Gwinnett thingy (Arena, perhaps?). I know most of my known world will simply abuse me verbally for going to a Yanni concert (which will actually be my third or fourth), but I couldn’t give a crap. If you’ve never seen one of these concerts, you really don’t know what you’re missing. It’s a phenomenal appreciation of the musical arts, internationally complete. I suppose many of you only like your music for its pop artist front [wo]man, but I really enjoy the instrumental musicality of it all. I would compare what Yanni conducts on his stages to that of the Cirque du Soleil band (on a small scale) and Dream Theater / Liquid Tension Experiment. You could draw comparisons with Phish and Wide Spread Panic. All of these bands have two things in common: they’re killer jam bands and composed of some very talented musicians.

Zune 30 Pandemic

Olaf — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:03:19 +0000

Oh, good grief! I awoke this morning to find my Zune in a less than pleasing way. I was concerned that the number of times I’ve dropped the device had finally caught up with me and I was paying the ultimate price. However, I decided to check out what was being said online about this problem – perhaps it’s something Microsoft can service. What do I find? A pandemic of global proportions effecting only Zune 30 users. It sounds like it’s related to a date bug in the device, but it has yet to be answered by Microsoft. Some have hope that normal operation will resume tomorrow, when the date resolves firmly to day 1 of 365. I’m not holding my breath. The timing couldn’t be worse as we’re heading off for a short vacation tomorrow. If neither mine nor my wife’s Zune won’t work, I’ll be sorely disappointed.

I had thought this might be a good excuse to buy an upgrade to the newer generation Zune 80 or 120, but I’d have to find my place all over again in the current audiobook I’m listening to (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”). Arrrrgh!

Search around on the net and you’ll find no shortage of complaints and Microsoft bashing surrounding this recent development. It’s a sad day, and ironic one too. I had just poked fun at a friend recently who bought an iPod without thinking of the alternative. To be fair, however, had she bought a current model Zune, she’d be unaffected by the problem.

*UPDATE* Microsoft has released a statement regarding the Zune 30 bug that hit all of us this morning. They’re essentially telling everyone to wait until tomorrow morning to turn on the Zune. As of 7:00am for Eastern timezone folks, your Zune will magically begin working again; almost ass mysteriously as it stopped.

Though it’s not in their official release, the problem is most likely due to a bug in its ability to handle a leap year, which 2008 qualified. The idea being that a leap year has around 366 days instead of the usualy 365. As of January 1st, Greenwich Meantime, the device will be back on 1 of 365 – and working. It’s a logical solution, but a very unfortunate goof for the Zune hardware team. Maybe we’ll get a coupon toward the purchase of a new generation Zune in the mail for our trouble (ahem…are you listening, Zune team)!

Beating the Goat at Midnight

Olaf — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 07:20:20 +0000

The big deal for me at Christmas this year was the receipt of my first stereo, personal field recorder. I got a Zoom H2, which has its list of unhappy customers, but is also one of the more popular devices to own for the money. This is the big time for yours truly because it means I’ll be able to record my drum circles and the occasional Gypsy band jam session (in which I am a contributing percussionist). I am so looking forward to this!

I have also recently attended a drum building workshop (mental note: blog about the workshop), and built my very first drum. I should say, finished my very first drum shell – that is where the workshop begins. It has been several weeks since the workshop, but I have only just been able to dedicate proper time and attention this evening to the tuning of said drum. Since I was trying somewhat to be good to my neighbors, I kept the energy attenuated.

To kick off my eager anticipation of the H2 and Thunderhead, I’ve recorded my first moments using both. It’s completely raw and unedited. There are also some distinctions in the three recordings that are really only meaningful to me. Suffice it to say, I’m still working with the tuning of my drum and the use of a new electronic gadget.

Soft Saidi:[See post to access streaming content!]
Saidi, Short:[See post to access streaming content!]
Masmoudi:[See post to access streaming content!]

A Comment on the Weather

Olaf — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 05:00:02 +0000

I got a Christmas card from the nice folks at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) – the Climate Witness division. You may recall the article I wrote for them concerning the pitiful state of Lake Lanier (speaking of which, the scientific review of my story is now available). The card reminded me of the potential relevance of our recent confusing weather. Only one week before winter and the northeastern region of Georgia was coming in at highs of 70°F. Today marks the first official day of winter, but it actually arrived in a forced gust of cold wind yesterday. We went from muggy days in the high 60′s to the sudden shock of sub-freezing temperatures Sundays afternoon. By Monday morning, we were in the low 20′s and all remaining signs of water in the streets had frozen solid. There was as much as a 50° shift from last week to this in one day. Is this an aspect of climate change, or just a strange time in the history of our weather? We’re not supposed to realize climate change marked in the passage of a few days or even years, but I can’t help but notice things with a new perspective.

Anyway, I’m still not sitting around the house watching the weather channel, though it may sound like it at the moment. Regardless of the ridiculous weather, we have taken opportunities to enjoy the arrival of winter, officially. We spent most of the day at Stone Mountain yesterday in the Christmas Village. Despite the cold wind, a bundled family – and several hundred others – managed to persevere and blow a wad of money enjoying the spirit of the holiday. We took in the lights, sounds, and smells of sweets, a parade, and cheesy stage shows.

The Horrors of the Obama Administration

Olaf — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:55:18 +0000

This week’s “The Pain” comic tells the story – probably from my area of the world – of Obama’s election. When I first perused it, I had assumed Mr. Kreider was not a fan of Obama. For this one, you need to read the Artist’s statement which raises the comic wit.

…watching Obama’s luminous acceptance speech, hearing him say to all those who had bitterly fought his election what I could never have imagined Bush saying to me and my friends—“I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too”…Yes, I thought, magnanimous in victory: donuts for all. Seeing our first black president, that science-fiction trope for The Future, become a reality, I felt the way people must have felt the night men first walked on the moon.

“The Pain–When Will It End?” is a satirist web-column generally focused on political fodder and social follies. The artist, Tim Kreider, is well-known in his industry and a seasoned veteran of political cartoons. Seasoned with paprika and cumin, presumably; based upon his caustic wit. I’m a fan of the spices. I don’t always get the joke, but then I don’t put a lot of time into politics either.

Sorscha Valkyrie

Olaf — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 03:43:48 +0000

The latest member of our family made her gooey entrance around noon today. She cleans up well, however. Balthazar is so happy to be a big brother, and Sorscha’s mother and I are, of course, completely in love with the new girl. She’s such a beautiful, healthy girl; I couldn’t ask for anything more. Mommy is doing very well after her surgery too. She’ll be getting up tomorrow to begin her walking recovery and we should be heading home in a few days.

Sorscha Valkyrie Gradin weighed in at 6lbs. 11oz. and measured 20.5″ in length. She’s capable of thawing icebergs with a look, but has used her powers for good to warm the heart of every soul she meets.