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oneweekoneband · 5 years

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On alternative(s)

Long Wong’s, Tempe bar and early-days Gin Blossoms haunt

The Gin Blossoms got together in Tempe, Arizona in 1987. In 1987, ‘alternative rock’ hadn’t yet coalesced into the loose association of countercultural(ish) scenes that it would become in the ‘90s—let alone the stock format it would become by the 2010s, the radio equivalent of a chain restaurant where no matter which city you’re in, you can consume the same exact thing. Things were a little more tenuous, more provisional. Affinities were more easily drawn locally, within scenes, than nationally or globally. ‘Alternative rock’ was probably more accurately ‘college rock.’ You had to look left of the dial for the college radio stations that were playing the exciting stuff.

Tempe, Arizona is home to Arizona State University. In the late ‘80s, Mill Avenue in downtown Tempe was the heart of college nightlife. For a certain set, ASU nightlife revolved around going to clubs and seeing bands (!). This is the scene that the Gin Blossoms came up in. Appropriately for this setting, their earlier shows were drunken, loud, and filled with cover songs. There was a real spirit of play to the whole thing: their ‘classic lineup’ named themselves “The Del Montes,” taking on, Ramones or Traveling Wilburys-style, the same adopted last name. Singer Robin Wilson was Biff Del Monte; singer-guitarist Jesse Valenzuela was Pablo Del Monte; guitarist and unofficial bandleader Doug Hopkins was Otis Del Monte; bassist Bill Leen was Soup Bone Del Monte; drummer Phil Rhodes was Guido Del Monte. They declared themselves brothers in rock. It was a bond, I’d imagine, forged in the crucible of the frat mixer, the date party, the post-exams-blowing-off-steam-bash, or whatever other events they found themselves playing. Alternative forms of fraternity.

* * *

In college, I was in a band that played these kinds of events. We were on the ‘frat circuit,’ if there was such a thing in New Orleans. The pretexts for these parties ranged from philanthropic to nonexistent. We played a St. Patrick’s Day-themed house party called “St. Fratty’s Day” that took place, for some reason, in October. During Mardi Gras, some members of Tulane University’s Greek community would cram into the backs of U-Haul vans and have pledges chauffeur them to our shows. On one memorable occasion, we opened for Afroman at an on-campus frat charity event. When Afroman took the stage, he plugged an aux cord into his iPod Classic and we all listened to the click wheel noise as he selected the first song that he’d sing along to in an unabashed act of self-karaoke. The entirety of Macalister Auditorium, which apparently is the largest freestanding concrete dome in North America (citation needed), quickly filled with pot smoke. There were cops there, I think, but they must have just given up.

We described the music we played, sort of jokingly but sort of not, as “garage country”—not quite in the same wheelhouse as the Gin Blossoms. But the thing that sounds familiar to me about the early Gin Blossoms shows, at least the ones I have bootlegs of, is how much fun they are clearly having playing music together. Yes, it sucks to have people yell “Freebird!” at you. Yes, it sucks that frat brothers keep trying to shove lit cigarettes in your keyboardist’s mouth. Yes, Tulane has a serious alcohol problem. And yes, we know that bands so often end up being toxic hothouses for four or five people’s delusions and insecurities (though for what it’s worth I’ve never been in a band that has gone full-on toxic hothouse). The history of the Gin Blossoms is in many ways a toxic one.

But being onstage, adapting to the whole circus as it unfolds, requires a certain being-agile-together. As things go to hell around you, you find yourself forging alternative forms of fraternity—or sorority, or better yet just plain being-together-with-others—with your bandmates. Alternative as in alternative to toxicity, alternative to domination, alternative to coercion. You expand and contract songs without talking about it; you make things louder if people want to dance; you shoot back a few non sequiturs to the crowd. You let your friends know how much it means to you that they came out to see you. Maybe you even play Freebird.

In other words: if we understand ‘the political’ as the practice of trying to direct our shared enterprises toward a common good, it’s not that playing music together is a way for us to escape the political, a spectacle that distracts others from the political, or a triumphant act of heavy-handed moralizing that sanitizes the political of all its messiness. It can certainly be all these things in moments of self-indulgence, but in its best moments, playing music together is an alternative form of the political. It opens up a space where you can imagine things otherwise—and bring this ‘otherwise’ into existence. You can write it out in sound, sweat, and motion.

* * *

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Gin Blossoms - “If I Only Had a Brain / Sugar Sugar,” live at Chuy’s Night Club, 1990

You can hear this spirit in this (very grainy) bootleg of “If I Only Had a Brain / Sugar Sugar.” They are not only having fun, cracking each other up. They are being-agile-together onstage, forging new forms of relationality. They’re also just playing some wicked cover versions of some kitschy-ass songs. But for all the talk of the ‘90s being a decade all about irony, irony seems like the wrong word for Doug Hopkins’s gleeful “Pour your fuckin’ sweetness over me!” in “Sugar Sugar.” It’s something more like enthusiasm, and it’s infectious—both to his bandmates and to anyone who listens.

As a bonus, here’s their cover (a decidedly more polished sounding one) of Big Star’s “Back of a Car”:

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Gin Blossoms - Back of a Car [Big Star Cover]

#gin blossoms #cover songs #live shows #music #live music #alternative #alternative rock #college rock

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wonderful-you · 6 years

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6 Key Benefits of Meditation for the Mind

From the Latin word for “to think or ponder,” meditation has been a practice developed by a multitude of people and cultures. This state of mindfulness does not belong to one particular religion or civilization; rather it is and has been exercised, in some form or another by almost everyone.

From Buddhist monks, to Hindus, to Islamists, and even Western Christian’s have adopted a form of contemplation reminiscent of this practice.

The best part about meditation is it takes up a small part of your day but yields enormous mental, physical, and spiritual benefits. In recent years, science has looked at this ancient practice, and the findings show

1. Anxiety

We’ve all had the feeling of nervousness, whether it’s before a test or during a date, but sometimes a few deep breathes and a glass of water just isn’t enough. Luckily, you don’t have to break out into a meditating pose every time you feel anxious about something. Meditating throughout the day, whether in the morning, afternoon, or before bed, can have a lasting impact on the rest of the day.

As sited by the Harvard Health Publications a John Hopkins University study, looking at previous research, found that “mindful meditation can help ease psychological stresses like anxiety and depression.” Therefore, any sort of worry or nervousness throughout the day can be easily tackled with a few moments of meditation during the day.

2. Stress

Stress is largely due to our hormonal imbalances and can be brought on by a number of things. For instance, some studies have shown that people living in cities actually experience more stress than those who live on the countryside. Stress can lead to cardiovascular issues and weight gain so it’s important to avoid being too stressed.

The hormone cortisol is responsible for how stressful your day can be and research by Tonya Jacobs looked into the levels of cortisol in the body and how the time people spend meditating. In a study, participants saw a decrease in their resting cortisol levels after they had been taught to properly and mindfully meditate for three months. There was a direct correlation between the high level of mindfulness and low level of cortisol and stress.

3. Testing

School can be thigh for everyone especially for college students and while studying is your best bet in making sure you get good grades, research has pointed to the possibility that meditation, and mindfulness plays a key role in how students approach tests and studying. One study that was published in the journal of Psychological Science found that active meditation performed better on standardized tests like the GRE.

After being assigned mindfulness training, participants in the study experienced a surge in cognitive ability.

On average students scored 16 percentile points higher when compared to students that had not undergone meditation. This doesn’t mean you should close your books and shut down the computer, but maybe instead of Facebooking you could be meditating because with the added benefit of lower stress and anxiety levels you are likely to do well on your next exam.

4. The Brain… Literally

There is a reason that professional athletes meditate, even those whose livelihood depends on aggression, like boxing and wrestling. Any sport is only partly physical based, at least that’s what Mike Tyson’s trainer would say, “75% mind.” With active meditation and mindfulness, you can physically alter the mechanisms within your brain that will help with your cognitive performance.

Researchers from the University of Oregon looked at statistics from 2010 and found that undergraduate university students who had gone through only two short weeks of meditation showed an increase in the axonal density of the brain or the number of signaling connections.

As the study continued, with a full month of observation more increase in axonal density was noted as well as the protective tissue, myelin. No wonder students perform better in school, the brain is literally getting stronger! Furthermore, meditation can also strengthen the brains ability to cope with emotional pain like stress, depression, and pain.

5. Improved Neuroplasticity

Forbes magazine describes research that points to new neuroscientific findings, showing meditation to be able to literally rewire brain circuits and therefore improve the health of the mind. Furthermore, scientists believe that experience can deeply transform the brain, a phenomenon known as “neuroplasticity.”

6. DNA Stability

A Harvard study, (Relaxation Response Induces Temporal Transcriptome Changes in Energy Metabolism, Insulin Secretion and Inflammatory Pathways) found that during times of relaxation, when the body’s relaxation response is triggered can have a positive effect on genes, and very quickly.

Meditation, which arguably is the ultimate state of relaxation, was found to dampen the genes that play a key role in inflammation, and to also promote genes linked to DNA stability. All of this equates to longevity and improved brain health.

How to Meditate

Despite what 90’s cartoons have taught us, meditation is not about sitting with your legs crossed and fingers curled up against your feet humming “oommm,” there’s a little more to it than that.

It’s important to be conscious of what is actually happening. Meditation is not a passive part of the day but an active process by which you hope to achieve a state of mindfulness. You don’t necessarily have to be in a weird yoga pose with your eyes shut, painting, writing, or other hobby like art forms can also put you in a state of meditation.

Whatever your style or reasons for meditating, the benefits are well worth it. With just a few minutes of active mindfulness, you can significantly alter your brain structure and cognitive capacities allowing you to better handle stressful situations that may cause anxiety, whether in the context of schoolwork or before an interview. Take a deep breath and relax.

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droneseco · 5 years

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Learn to Program Our Future Overlords with The MotionBlock Robotics Kit

Our verdict of the MotionBlock Robotics Kit: The build quality, software, and potential of this STEAM-focused robotics kit is worth every single dollar. If your kids are excited by STEM or STEAM, the MotionBlock kit is an unmissable purchase.1010

Looking for a programmable robot to help your kids get to grips with STEM or STEAM education? Makeblock’s MotionBlock kit might just be exactly what you’re looking for—but is it just a bit too complicated for most school-age children?

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What Is STEM/STEAM?

Aimed at 14 years and above, MotionBlock is a collection of robotics components that can be programmed using Scratch and Python. A 2019 Red Dot award winner (for Programmable Robot Kit), Makeblock has specifically marketed the kit as being suitable for school-age children with an interest in robotics.

Or more specifically, Science, Technology, Engineering, (optional Art), and Math. Often, to test kits like this, we recruit someone of suitable age to help assess its suitability.

However, in this case, it has not been possible, ironically due to school exams. So, I’ve channeled my 14-year-old self to review the MotionBlock kit. This might not be as ridiculous as it first seems…

Unboxing the MotionBlock

An immense collection of 144 components can be found inside the MotionBlock box. So many, in fact, that the (pretty heavy) box is subdivided into two smaller boxes, each loaded with robotics kit.

Described as “sophisticated mechanical and electronic components” these modules can be combined using simple dovetail joints and cables. Five intelligent servo blocks are included, offering 360 degrees continuous rotation and high precision. They can be programmed using a synchronizer, motion recording, or in Scratch.

Along with the servos, cables, and dovetail joints, you’ll find wheels, a ball gun, and the central computer. This is accompanied by a simple 12×16 LED dot display (mounted on the “main brain”, known as the Master Control) which can help to add some character to your robot builds. The computer is powered by a compact rechargeable battery, which comes with its own USB charger. It’s worth plugging this in for a few hours before you get started.

There’s also a box complete with a Torx screwdriver and various screws. These are required to construct the modules. For example, the swing and clamping module segments of the robot arm and grabber need to be built.

This, really, is the basis for the age grouping. While I suspect younger children could program the robot with Scratch, building the modules is certainly for older kids with superior motor skills.

What Can You Do With the MotionBlock Robotics Kit?

[amaon id=”B07QVQC3NY”]

The MotionBlock kit comes with various designs for you to try:

Fighter

Sampling Rover

Footballer

Gorilla

Off-Road Auto

Snake

Larva

Dog

Robotic Arm

Pitching Auto

These unusual builds highlight the versatility of the MotionBlock components and utilize key modules. Among these are the acceleration module, ejection module, and rotating module, as well as the swing and mechanical claw clamping modules mentioned earlier.

Underlying each build are a collection of five high-performance intelligent servos. They’re designed to imitate the behaviors of many animals, with high stability of control and strong capacity of bearing.

Pen module, suction cups, and more can be also be employed for unique, individual builds. The main module, meanwhile, features Bluetooth, enabling you to control your MotionBlock creation remotely via a mobile app or a dedicated controller. There’s also a micro USB port for connecting the module directly to your computer to upload programs.

Meanwhile, thanks to a pair of LEGO adaptors, you can also integrate your MotionBlock build with your latest LEGO project.

Building Your First Robot

Many robotics kits come with a bunch of components and modules that just snap together. A few minutes later, you’ve got a robot moving around, a program freshly uploaded via USB.

Not so with MotionBlock.

Aiming for simplicity in the review, I opted for the Robotic Arm. Instructions for this build are included in the printed manual (others are in the mobile app for Android and iOS), so it made sense to start here.

90 minutes later I was done, having constructed every servo module. Unfortunately, I still had to build the Synchronizer, a remote unit that controls the robot arm. While this was a bit faster, the entire build time was around two hours.

It’s worth highlighting here that although the Synchronizer is a useful remote, it is limited by the 25mm cable connection to the Master Control. It’s also limited by some restrictive brackets (“Stoblocks”) that prevent full motion. They appear to be provided to prevent the cables from being stretched but have the opposite effect. Better motion can be achieved without these parts.

Also, the robot arm requires calibration when used with the remote, but this isn’t the case with app-based remote control.

Getting the Build Right

Unfortunately, I ran into a problem. It seems that early in the build, I connected a component incorrectly. While I immediately fixed the issue, the damage was done.

Four 16mm screws had penetrated the case of one of the servos, resulting in the arm being non-functional. This was the servo installed in the rotating block, a key component of the arm.

This happened thanks to a simple misreading of the instructions. No unreasonable force was used. In fact, it was tougher to screw the 16mm screws correctly.

On the plus side, if I had used the instructions in the mobile app, it would have been far clearer. Here, each step is guided, with an animated illustration and an interactive 3D graphic of the components. In short, if you’re planning to buy this kit, use the manual in the mobile app.

Seized Up Servo

Reading the instructions carefully won’t prevent manufacturing failures, however. While experimenting with the Synchronizer arm, it turned out that one of the servos—ironically the one fitted in the rotating module to repair the one I damaged—had seized up.

With all builds of the MotionBlock kit requiring four or more servos, that pretty much brought things to an end.

Fortunately, Makeblock were kind enough to forward a pair of replacement servos. A few weeks later, the robot was finally up and running.

Further investigation showed that the screws were not sorted as per the labels in the box. This resulted in me using 20mm screws instead of 16mm. That 4mm difference would probably have saved the circuit board in the servo!

Once again, the moral or the story is clear: pay close attention to every step of the instructions.

Hook Up the Mobile App to Control Your Robot via Bluetooth

With your robot built, it’s a good time to sync it to your mobile device over Bluetooth. Get started by installing the Makeblock app, available for Android and iOS. While phone versions of the apps are available, we found the tablet user interface was more usable.

Syncing over Bluetooth is handled by the app (with the usual system confirmation) and is surprisingly painless. A few moments later, you’ll be ready to control your robot project. Each supported robot build has its own control interface, enabling you to steer, guide, or otherwise manipulate the construction based on the component parts.

Additional Mobile App Features

Various extras are hidden in the mobile app that can change the way you use your robot build. For example, there’s a neat little pixel art screen that lets you alter the default LED displayed on the Master Control’s display.

There’s also the option to change some default settings. For example, with the robot arm build, you can alter the strength of the arm and grabber. Note that a different surface may be required to ensure the suction cups are properly secured. We used a varnished farmhouse-style table for this review, which has various imperfections that can weaken suction.

And if you’re looking for something new to do with your robot arm, how about mounting a pen on it? The app features a drawing tool that you can use to easily program a few words, doodles or even artwork. Watching a robot write or draw is quite a sight!

The app will also display the battery status, so you can tell when your robot will need recharging.

Programming Is Simple With Scratch and Python

When you’re done with manual control of the robot, you can begin to program it with Scratch and Python.

This is easiest via the mobile app, where you can use the Scratch software to program your robot. In the case of the arm, this could be something as simple as instructing it to pick up an object and place it elsewhere. With vehicular builds, the program might be to move around. While no standard sensors are included, this should be possible regardless if you know the distances involved.

A desktop interface is also available, called mBlock 5. This features a Scratch interface that supports the conversion of the program into Python code. A version of mBlock is also available for Android and iOS. Programming in this manner can be done live, although the best results seem to be enjoyed by uploading programs directly, as you might an Arduino.

Another, less high-tech way to program the MotionBlock robot is included. This relies on programming the Master Control module directly by recording manual servo movements. For example, you might program the arm to move around, open, and close, using your hands. This action is then saved and played back, with the robot following the steps you manually programmed by manipulating it.

Reimagine Your Robot with MotionBlock Kit

By the time you’ve reach the end of your first build with the MotionBlock kit, the truth is clear. This is a truly amazing collection of projects and activities, solidly manufactured and expertly packaged and presented.

There’s literally nothing wrong with this kit, short of the ability of a 40-something reviewer to accidentally break it. Maybe the battery could last longer, or perhaps it could feature a camera module for the vehicular builds. These are minor gripes, however.

If you have STEM or STEAM-interested kids who are in the right age group, you should seriously consider the MotionBlock kit.

Enter the Competition!

MotionBlock Robotics STEM Learning Kit Giveaway

Read the full article: Learn to Program Our Future Overlords with The MotionBlock Robotics Kit

Learn to Program Our Future Overlords with The MotionBlock Robotics Kit published first on http://droneseco.tumblr.com/

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grassroutes · 5 years

Text

Learn to Program Our Future Overlords with The MotionBlock Robotics Kit

youtube

What Is STEM/STEAM?

Or more specifically, Science, Technology, Engineering, (optional Art), and Math. Often, to test kits like this, we recruit someone of suitable age to help assess its suitability.

Unboxing the MotionBlock

An immense collection of 144 components can be found inside the MotionBlock box. So many, in fact, that the (pretty heavy) box is subdivided into two smaller boxes, each loaded with robotics kit.

This, really, is the basis for the age grouping. While I suspect younger children could program the robot with Scratch, building the modules is certainly for older kids with superior motor skills.

What Can You Do With the MotionBlock Robotics Kit?

[amaon id=”B07QVQC3NY”]

The MotionBlock kit comes with various designs for you to try:

Fighter

Sampling Rover

Footballer

Gorilla

Off-Road Auto

Snake

Larva

Dog

Robotic Arm

Pitching Auto

Meanwhile, thanks to a pair of LEGO adaptors, you can also integrate your MotionBlock build with your latest LEGO project.

Building Your First Robot

Many robotics kits come with a bunch of components and modules that just snap together. A few minutes later, you’ve got a robot moving around, a program freshly uploaded via USB.

Not so with MotionBlock.

Also, the robot arm requires calibration when used with the remote, but this isn’t the case with app-based remote control.

Getting the Build Right

Unfortunately, I ran into a problem. It seems that early in the build, I connected a component incorrectly. While I immediately fixed the issue, the damage was done.

Four 16mm screws had penetrated the case of one of the servos, resulting in the arm being non-functional. This was the servo installed in the rotating block, a key component of the arm.

This happened thanks to a simple misreading of the instructions. No unreasonable force was used. In fact, it was tougher to screw the 16mm screws correctly.

Seized Up Servo

With all builds of the MotionBlock kit requiring four or more servos, that pretty much brought things to an end.

Fortunately, Makeblock were kind enough to forward a pair of replacement servos. A few weeks later, the robot was finally up and running.

Once again, the moral or the story is clear: pay close attention to every step of the instructions.

Hook Up the Mobile App to Control Your Robot via Bluetooth

Additional Mobile App Features

The app will also display the battery status, so you can tell when your robot will need recharging.

Programming Is Simple With Scratch and Python

When you’re done with manual control of the robot, you can begin to program it with Scratch and Python.

Reimagine Your Robot with MotionBlock Kit

If you have STEM or STEAM-interested kids who are in the right age group, you should seriously consider the MotionBlock kit.

Enter the Competition!

MotionBlock Robotics STEM Learning Kit Giveaway

Read the full article: Learn to Program Our Future Overlords with The MotionBlock Robotics Kit

Learn to Program Our Future Overlords with The MotionBlock Robotics Kit posted first on grassroutespage.blogspot.com

0 notes