Miranda Lambert has thanked fans, friends and music bosses for lifting her up with five CMA Awards nominations after a tough week saving pets in her native Texas.

The country star pulled her commitments last week (ends01Sep17) and worked tirelessly to rehouse and relocate dogs left stranded by Hurricane Harvey, which devastated parts of Houston, through the MuttNation Foundation charity she co-founded with her mother eight years ago.

Still exhausted by the effort, the Mama's Broken Heart singer was relaxing with her own pets at her Tennessee farm on Monday (04Sep17) when she learned she and Keith Urban would be leading all nominees for the upcoming CMA Awards.

Posting a snap of two of her dogs, Miranda wrote: "Good mornin! At the farm celebrating the @cma nominations over coffee with 7 of my best friends. I'm so thankful. Especially after an emotional week in my home state.

"Country Music and animals is are my absolute life and my heart. Thank you fans, friends, family and Nashville for always supporting me. Now off to put some Bailey's (Irish cream liquor) in this Folgers cup (of coffee)! Why not? Cheers y'all!"

Lambert is up for Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year at the CMA Awards, which take place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on 8 November (17).

Her run of winning six straight Female Vocalist of the Year titles was snapped by Carrie Underwood last year (16), but Carrie and Miranda will be battling for the prize again in 2017, alongside young stars Kelsea Ballerini and Maren Morris, and country veteran Reba McEntire.

Lambert has 13 lifetime CMA Awards.

See the rest here:

Miranda Lambert celebrates five CMA Awards nods after tough week of storm relief - Music News

photo: liezelzpineda (CC0)

For decades, recordings of nature sounds have been packaged and sold at a handsome profit. And its the same rotating list: crashing waves, birds chirping in a forest, rain outside your window. That marketplace has been worth millions, especially in the heyday of CDs, with companies like Somerset Entertainment smartly expanding the market.

Arguably, its just as much part of the music industry as piano music designed to help you sleep. Its designed to play in the background, and make you not listen (at least actively). But both types of music have producers, content owners, and other familiar players.

The artist for Somerset was actually a team of people (including the founder) who went out on rugged adventures and recorded this stuff. And if youve ever hiked in a jungle with someone recording the ambient noises, you know this isnt an easy endeavor. Indeed, those artists are just like the producers putting together relaxing piano music for insomniacs and grad students.

Heres what happens when you look for nature recordings on Amazon.

A recurring artist on Amazon Music is Skate Creek Sounds, which produces everything from Rain for Relaxing to Campfire Sounds. Its good stuff, and its been done before lots and lots of times before. Which means its the musical equivalent of a commodity, and the entire reason why Amazon created Skate Creek Sounds in the first place.

That right: Skate Creek Sounds is an Amazon-created brand, designed to control every aspect of the production and dissemination of nature sound recordings. And capture a lot more revenue in the process.

A quick Google search reveals that Skate Creek is only available on Amazon. Just like its difficult to find any of Spotifys alleged fake artists outside of Spotify.

If that question sounds ludicrous, then consider this: just last month, people were screaming bloody murder at Spotify for allegedly creating fake artists who played relaxing piano music. And just like nature sounds, this piano (or other relaxing music) is difficult to differentiate. But great if you need to tune out.

And, a way for Amazon to recapture billions by becoming the generic brand for a range of products. Quartz did a great review of this, and listed dozens of Amazon-owned brands that are faking people out. Theres Franklin & Freeman for mens shoes, NuPro for tech accessories, and Single Cow Burger for frozen foods. And every single one of these brands is based on mountains of purchasing data.

This definitely isnt an experiment. The list of Amazons covert brands is impressively long, and enough to cause real brands to freak out. Just like real artists and labels in the music industry.

All of which raises the question of whether Spotify will push to control more of its own content. If only to create a business model that actually works.

See the original post:

Looks Like Amazon Music Has Its Own 'Fake Artists' - Digital Music News

Vacations can be expensive theres the cost of travel itself, as well as lodging expenses and all the money you drop once you get where youre going. When its all said and done, you could potentially spend thousands of dollars on a getaway.

But aside from emptying our wallets, vacations can help us decompress and cut back on stress. But theres a way to enjoy the same result without having to overspend on a vacation. Heres how you can save money by achieving epic relaxation without ever leaving your hometown.

Read more:This one song can reduce stress by up to 65%

Modern technology keeps us continuously plugged in, something many people tie to causing highstress levels. Think about it: Your boss can nowemailyou when yourehome, and social media can constantly bombard us with information.

It can be beneficial to step away from digital communications once in a while.To help you relax, considerturning off the TV, smartphones and computer at least a few evenings a week, if you can.At the very least, you can try to remove tech from your bedroom so that you can wind down before going to sleep, as research has shown that the light from screens throws off our sleep cycles and melatonin production.

Theres a reason we go on vacations to relax. Perhaps we find it easier to unwind in a place we dont associate with work or home responsibilities. But you can establish a place at home thats used just for relaxing and in time your mind can start to associate that place with a calm, tranquil mindset.

The exact nature of your relaxation space depends on your resources and preferences. You may have a backyard or room to devote to relaxing, or you may only have extra floor space. But whether its a garden patio, relaxation room or beanbag chair next to your bookshelf, you can designate a certain space at home for relaxation.

To help boost the relaxation vibe in that space, consider repaintingcalming colors on the walls, listening to tranquil sounds (relaxing music) or addingaccessories such as plants or Zen sand gardens. You can also try to remove anything from that space that stresses you out like phones, mail and other stressors.

Read more:Time for a change? Here are the 30 least stressful jobs

Massages, spa days and yoga classes are just a few examples of services that can help you relax. Sure, a trip to the spa may be a seen as an unnecessary extravagance, but it is likely lessexpensive than a vacation and could be worth the investment. After all, relaxation professionals can help you recharge and refresh. If this is outside of your budget, there are less expensive alternatives you could consider, too, like finding free yoga instruction videos online or soaking in your tub at home instead of at the spa.

Relaxation doesnt all have to take place within your home. In fact, you can reacquaint yourself with your own neighborhood. Whether youre in the city, country or somewhere in between, your region should have some great attractions you may not have checked out before (or perhaps its just been a while). Try approaching your area from the perspective of a tourist: What would you recommend they try if they were visiting your area?

Whether its hiking, museums or fine dining, you can get avacation-level experience by discovering (or rediscovering) the best your town has to offer. You could develop a new appreciation for your region and find new places to explore and enjoy to boot.

No matter how you decide to relax, whether through yoga, a zen garden or something else, its a good idea you dont overspend after all, you dont want to find a good relaxation tool just to find out its landed you incredit card debt.

Read more:6 ways to maximize a staycation

This article originally appeared onCredit.com.

More here:

4 easy ways to achieve vacation-level relaxation without traveling - WSB Radio

Hear the radio version of this story.

To fully appreciate this eclipse story, WPLN recommends the audio version (above).

An experimental musician brought his weather-controlled synthesizer to the roof of Jack Whites Third Man Records in Nashville for the total solar eclipse. The so-called Weather Warlock made a soundtrack based on the atmospheric conditions of wind, temperature and sunlight.

Before the eclipse, those factors created a peaceful droning hum, which echoed out from the record store while also being live broadcast online.

Its a beautiful, clear day. Perfect for an eclipse, came the first dispatch from the machines inventor, New Orleans-based musician Quintron.

He could turn a few dials to alter the sound, but the most obvious sign of what was really in control was visible and audible when the breeze would rise or fall. The whirring wind anemometers would slow, and the pulsing sounds with them.

Quintron said he has slowly improved the Weather Warlock, which operates as an F major chordal drone, over several years. He said he worked on it most diligently after a serious illness, during which time he studied the healing abilities of musical tones.

I got it to work right away, but it was just wretched awful noise. And working out those kinks in the circuitry, that was the biggest challenge, actually, he said. It became apparent early on that this needed to be relaxing music and randomized music from the skies that you could leave on in the background for hours and hours and hours.

With a raft of options for eclipse viewing, hundreds chose Third Man Records, congregating in good spirits in the street while Quintrons tones emanated from the rooftop above.

Synth fanatics like Matt Marcus, of Rockville, Md., quickly recognized the analog methods at play.

As soon as I heard this, Im like, Im going to be hearing filter sweeps all day, its gonna be lovely' you can hear it right now, you can hear the resonance!

And as darkness fell, the soundtrack became deep, halting pulses. Quintron had said he was unsure how the UV sky sensor would react.

As the moon fully blocked the sun, the synth thumped to a halt.

We have reached totality, Quintron declared as cheers rose.

Pigeons circled. A streetlight flickered on. And a moment later, the space-tinged tone resumed.

It was one of those rare moments where this was not about taking a picture. It was about being there. That was definitely worth a 12-hour drive, said Matthew Moseley, 31, of Dallas. The fact that it was obscured at the end was beautiful. I wouldnt have that any other way.

Go here to read the rest:

A Man, A Synth, An Eclipse Hear How The Atmosphere Made Music During Totality - WPLN

WOODSTOCK The Woodstock Jazz Festival, celebrating its 10th year, offered a plethora of opportunities for community members to enjoy the music, including an outdoor concert Saturday morning.

Every time we do the free portion during the morning with the farmers market, its just a sea of people sitting, jazzing up with their neighbors and listening to some great music, Jazz on the Square President Bryan Kyrouac said before the event.

Jazz on the Square hosts the festival along with regular jazz jams in Woodstock. The weekend-long festival sought to celebrate music that captures the spirit of humanity, along with the people who first brought it to town a decade ago. Events took place Friday and Saturday in and around the Woodstock Square.

The jazzing up was not only limited to Woodstock residents, either. People from across McHenry County took advantage of the free concert on a sunny Saturday morning. Jazz listeners young and old relaxed around the Square and shopped the weekly farmers market, which had everything from pet treats to handmade jewelry.

Woodstock resident Ally Tessler comes to the farmers market weekly to buy fresh produce, but she said she was enjoying the live music, too.

The fest attracted loyal attendees and first-time visitors. Sarah Schroeder of Harvard said she had never been to the event before Saturday, and she heard about it online.

It sounded like something fun to do on a Saturday, Schroeder said. We brought some lunch, and were looking forward to relaxing.

McHenry residents Sherry and Melanie Henning, on the other hand, have come to the fest four or five times. They said there always is a wide variety of artists and music, but they enjoy the people and atmosphere the festival brings the most.

Music and nature does the soul great, Melanie Henning said. It keeps you grounded.

Sherry Henning said she liked that the gathering was not too far from her McHenry home.

Its so nice you can have it locally and not have to travel into the city, she said.

Janet Viverito was selling blueberries with Roedger Bros. Blueberries just off the Square, and she said jazz festival weekend is one of her favorite weekends of the outdoor farmers market season. She said it brings new and different customers and breaks up her workday.

Its been busy, Viverito said. I look forward to this every year. Its nice to work and hear the music.

Kyrouac said Jazz on the Square wanted to make this years festival bigger and grander to honor the events founders. Through the years, the festival, jams and other events hosted by Jazz on the Square not only have provided a venue for entertainment, but an outlet for young musicians as well.

Through suggested donations at the door of Stage Left Caf jams, the group has been able to give scholarships to aspiring young jazz musicians to attend summer jazz education camps at leading Illinois universities.

We really encourage middle and high school students to get the experience of jamming in front of a live audience, Jazz on the Square board member Bruce Lane said. Its been really rewarding to watch them grow and move forward.

A group of those young musicians even opened for the festivals headliner Jamey Aebersold, a world-renown jazz educator and saxophonist Saturday night.

Go here to see the original:

10th annual Woodstock Jazz Festival offers soundtrack to weekly farmers market - Northwest Herald

by: Brian Acton | Credit.comUpdated: Aug 23, 2017 - 1:58 PM

Vacations can be expensive theres the cost of travel itself, as well as lodging expenses and all the money you drop once you get where youre going. When its all said and done, you could potentially spend thousands of dollars on a getaway.

But aside from emptying our wallets, vacations can help us decompress and cut back on stress. But theres a way to enjoy the same result without having to overspend on a vacation. Heres how you can save money by achieving epic relaxation without ever leaving your hometown.

Read more:This one song can reduce stress by up to 65%

Modern technology keeps us continuously plugged in, something many people tie to causing highstress levels. Think about it: Your boss can nowemailyou when yourehome, and social media can constantly bombard us with information.

It can be beneficial to step away from digital communications once in a while.To help you relax, considerturning off the TV, smartphones and computer at least a few evenings a week, if you can.At the very least, you can try to remove tech from your bedroom so that you can wind down before going to sleep, as research has shown that the light from screens throws off our sleep cycles and melatonin production.

Theres a reason we go on vacations to relax. Perhaps we find it easier to unwind in a place we dont associate with work or home responsibilities. But you can establish a place at home thats used just for relaxing and in time your mind can start to associate that place with a calm, tranquil mindset.

The exact nature of your relaxation space depends on your resources and preferences. You may have a backyard or room to devote to relaxing, or you may only have extra floor space. But whether its a garden patio, relaxation room or beanbag chair next to your bookshelf, you can designate a certain space at home for relaxation.

To help boost the relaxation vibe in that space, consider repaintingcalming colors on the walls, listening to tranquil sounds (relaxing music) or addingaccessories such as plants or Zen sand gardens. You can also try to remove anything from that space that stresses you out like phones, mail and other stressors.

Read more:Time for a change? Here are the 30 least stressful jobs

Massages, spa days and yoga classes are just a few examples of services that can help you relax. Sure, a trip to the spa may be a seen as an unnecessary extravagance, but it is likely lessexpensive than a vacation and could be worth the investment. After all, relaxation professionals can help you recharge and refresh. If this is outside of your budget, there are less expensive alternatives you could consider, too, like finding free yoga instruction videos online or soaking in your tub at home instead of at the spa.

Relaxation doesnt all have to take place within your home. In fact, you can reacquaint yourself with your own neighborhood. Whether youre in the city, country or somewhere in between, your region should have some great attractions you may not have checked out before (or perhaps its just been a while). Try approaching your area from the perspective of a tourist: What would you recommend they try if they were visiting your area?

Whether its hiking, museums or fine dining, you can get avacation-level experience by discovering (or rediscovering) the best your town has to offer. You could develop a new appreciation for your region and find new places to explore and enjoy to boot.

No matter how you decide to relax, whether through yoga, a zen garden or something else, its a good idea you dont overspend after all, you dont want to find a good relaxation tool just to find out its landed you incredit card debt.

Read more:6 ways to maximize a staycation

This article originally appeared onCredit.com.

Clark.com

Read more from the original source:

4 easy ways to achieve vacation-level relaxation without traveling ... - ActionNewsJax.com

Sex has always been an awkward and uneasy subject to broach in normal American conversation. And yet music, on both a physical and emotional level, has served as an effective art form in expressing sexuality and eroticism. Since the dawn of the rock & roll era, popular music and sex have been and continue to be inextricably linked, accompanied by varying degrees of sensationalism and shock.

But according to Good Booty, a new book by NPR music critic Ann Powers, America's erotic musical history actually dates more than 200 years ago, to the slave era. From there, the book traverses the different historical periods in American history, explaining the evolution of sexually-tinged music from the 1950s male rockers' relationships with their female fans, to the groupie culture during the 1970s and punk rock's conflicting attitudes toward sex.

"I've always been interested in how gender relates to music," Powers, who had the idea for the book a decade ago, tells Rolling Stone. "I've written a lot about women in music. But I've also always been interested in sexuality and eroticism and how that expresses itself through music and how our various debates about that express themselves through music."

While there's no denying the titillation factor in the music and its stars, Good Booty raises larger and important issues, including race, gender, sexism and cultural appropriation. "Historically, music has become this vessel for hidden realities and for expressions of pride and dignity for the most wrongly oppressed in our culture and society," says Powers. "That's how, tragically, we treat eroticism as well. We marginalize it, we try to repress it, we pretend it doesn't exist and we treat it like an evil force. Music has been the place where people who had been treated in that same way can speak."

From the origins of sex in American music to Beyonc's charismatic and confident performances, here are 10 things we learned from Good Booty.

1. The relationship between eroticism and music began in New Orleans in the 1800s.Powers traces the sensual nature of American music and dance back to the lively culture of Nineteenth-century New Orleans, especially in Congo Square. It was an open field where slaves were allowed to dance, a sight that attracted the attention of white spectators. "The heart, soul and libido of American music is New Orleans," says Powers, who describes the city as historically a place of great pleasure and a capital of nightlife. "There was this mix of enslaved people and free people of color. We always have to think about that through the lens of oppression of inequality and slavery, but the joy of it is the mix and the expressions that came through in spite of hardships."

2. Jazz Age-era singer Florence Mills symbolized the new modern womanSlender with a distinct and boyish-looking appearance the African-American singer and actress Florence Mills, who died in 1927 at the age of 31, was a different kind of star. According to Powers, she represented the transformative possibilities of the Twenties, a period when sexuality in American culture was blossoming. The author writes that Mills, who was famous for her role in the Broadway musical Shuffle Along, had a quality of irresistible naturalness that expressed "overt sexual longing," which made her relatable to audiences. "She represents the new era," explains Powers. "She was not vocally the same as previous stars. She had a kind of different physicality, she's youthful and modern. She was a huge star and she's almost completely forgotten."

3. Gospel music conveyed erotic as well as spiritual joyIn their voices and performances, gospel artists during the first half of the Twentieth century reconciled spiritual and personal longing, or the sacred and the profane. Power cites various examples of this "spiritualized eroticism": from composer Thomas Dorsey's gospel standard "Take My Hand, Precious Lord"; the powerful singing of Dorothy Love Coates; the charismatic, even sexy, performances of male gospel vocal groups. "Gospel music was a secret line of communication not only for erotic expression but crucially for expressions of freedom," Powers says, "which in the African-American community stemmed from spirituals and carried on the sounds and customs of the African diaspora. It wasn't shocking to learn that many fundamental expressions of what we'd call sexy like the way Elvis moved or the way rock bands interacted with their female audiences could be found in gospel music in that golden age."

4. Despite their sexual charisma, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison faced resistance within the 1960s counterculture"The erotic breakthroughs of these cultural appointed savior-fools were doubled from the beginning by humiliation, censure, and defeat," Powers writes of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and the Doors' Jim Morrison, three major rock stars of the late 1960s known for their incendiary live performances. Powers looks at how Hendrix struggled to transcend the racial and sexual stereotypes as he played to mostly white audiences; how Joplin's excessive personality and lifestyle was too much for people to handle; and how Morrison bought into his own myth as a sex symbol but also deflated it. ("Wielding his penis as a weapon...he always realized how flabby that sword inevitably became," the author writes of the Doors singer.)

"I think it's important to challenge the mythologies that have arisen around these key figures of the 1960s," says Powers, "because there's a romantic view of the counterculture that it was truly liberating, that if only the Seventies never happened, the hippie flowering would have continued. It's very important to acknowledge that there was a lot of racism and sexism within the counterculture and there was a lot of machismo. So it was interesting when I looked at these figures at how those realities played out in their own lives or has manifested in their own music."

5. Robert Plant's performances mirrored the orgasmic sounds of '70s porn filmsIt is quite apparent that Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant's performances on a number of the band's songs "Whole Lotta Love," "Dazed and Confused," "The Lemon Song" had an erotic, even orgasmic, quality. "Plant engaged pleasure in ways that resembled porn performance," Powers writes. "Like a porn star, Plant was playing a role, but also genuinely feeling its effects; there was a sense he couldn't stop once he was swept up in a song." His musical "money shots" coincided with the emergence of porn chic when hardcore films like Deep Throat and Behind the Green Door entered the mainstream. "Already in the Sixties you had explicit [art] films," says Powers, "but the rise of the porn feature, in particular the sounds of pornography, really affected how average people viewed and heard sexuality in all things."

6. Soft rock served as a musical "how-to" sex manualThe mellow sounds of such soft rock artists as Elton John and James Taylor were the audio equivalent of sexual self-help books like the best-selling The Joy of Sex by employing a gentle and assuring hand in addressing relationships. "It was music made for that moment at the end of the day when you're relaxing with your lady or old man and you're getting into some intimate stuff," says Powers. "So here's music that is very relaxing and that has a soft tone to it but it also pretty much talking directly about having good sex. It's funny to me, since I grew up in the Seventies, that I was listening to all of these songs, like [Starland Vocal Band's] "Afternoon Delight," or [Bread's] "Make It With You," and, oh my goodness, the Captain and Tennille. Come on. That's very dirty stuff."

7. Against the specter of AIDS in the 1980s, pop stars created erotic fantasies through their music and videosThe AIDS epidemic, along with Reagan-era conservatism of the 1980s, "would greatly undermine the openness and sense of liberation that characterized the sexual revolution and its aftermath," Powers writes in Good Booty. Thus, the groundbreaking music and stylized videos by Madonna, Prince and Michael Jackson provided a space for erotic imagination. "They constructed fantasy worlds in their music that were very free while still acknowledging that it was not reality," explains Powers. "Madonna is a true embodiment of this. She is a gift of that imaginative freedom, at a time when it was hard to feel that freedom for a lot of people. The way [Prince] dealt with sexuality in every aspect of his music and performance not just his lyrics but the sound of his music, the way he dressed presented a vision that we all desperately needed."

8. Britney Spears was "the first American sweetheart of the Internet"Britney Spears arrived in the late 1990s as a super-human, machine-like version of a pop star a cyborg of sorts as the country prepared for the turn of the Millennium. With producer Max Martin pumping out catchy pop hits for her, Spears projected a public persona that was somewhere between a "teeny bopper queen and hardcore vixen," as she is described in Good Booty. "Britney's emergence and the emergence of the Internet as the central experience of young people's lives were simultaneous," Powers says. "On the one hand, you have this more mechanistic approach in creating pop music. On the other hand, you have young people interacting with pop culture in a way so that they could master this mechanistic realm and participate in it and they could become cyborgs themselves."

9. Auto-Tune helped T-Pain blur the lines between romantic reality and fantasyAuto-Tune, the controversial pitch correction software tool, played a role in T-Pain's 2005 hit, "I'm 'n Luv (Wit a Stripper)." According to Powers, by electronically manipulating his voice, T-Pain created "a giddy confusion between the flesh and mechanics, calculation and emotion," Powers writes. The song somewhat foreshadowed how we are able to distort our identities daily through technology, particularly on social media. Power says: ""I'm 'n Luv (Wit a Stripper)" [is] a pretty deep song: 'I'm never going to get this girl.' That's what [T-Pain's] voice became...the expression of the tragedy of our inability to transcend our physical and social realities, even when it we feels like we can, because we have so much control over our image."

10. Beyoncrepresents a perfect balance between her sexy public persona and stable private lifeUnlike stars such as Britney Spears and Rihanna, both of whom experienced personal scandal, Beyonc is a rare star who conveys sexuality in her performances, yet also maintains a tight rein on how much of her personal life is up for public consumption and, says Powers, a sense of dignity in the social media age. "Her performances are about setting limits and saying no to being violated," says Powers. "She can get up on the stage and do the same dance that hasn't been done in 200 years in the U.S., derived from the dances that enslaved people were doing in Congo Square. Those dances were originally about dignity and staying free in the face of your oppressors. And she's doing the same thing now. That's why she's the greatest artist of our era."

See the original post here:

'Good Booty': 10 Things We Learned About Sex and Music - RollingStone.com

With this neat little trick you can watch all the filth and depravity you want, even in public!

A while back before taking the Shinkansen from Osaka to Tokyo, I thought it would be a good chance to catch up on some movies Id been meaning to watch. So, with my classic lack of foresight, I loaded a GG Allen documentary onto the old iPad and off I went onto a train tightly loaded with people.

The person who was sitting next to me on that fateful day probably would have really appreciated this little trick that has recently resurfaced in Japan. Using ityou can alter your display to show only white light unless you are wearing a special set of glasses.

Here, Twitter user Yuki has pulled off the effect quite well.

I did it. With this you can surf the net without worrying about prying eyes!!

This bit of magical privacy is achieved through the way typical LCD (liquid crystal display) screens are constructed. Most light from the sun, light bulbs, or that twinkle in your eyes is actually a big messy wad of electromagnetic waves pointing this way and that. This is also the case with the source light for LCDs.

However, these screens also use polarizing filters that work like a Play-Doh fun factory and squeeze out a thin horizontal strip of light. Then, depending on whether the crystals are turned on or not, they will bend the light into a vertical strip that can pass through the second polarizing filter oriented in a vertical direction.

Heres a handy video that illustrates this process to some relaxing music. Actual filters arent really horizontal and vertical but more like 45 degrees and 135 degrees. This is just for simplicitys sake.

What Yuki did was peel off the second polarizing filter from the display of a laptop that was destined for the trash heap.Thats it!

Without its second polarizing filter, only the original tangled mess of white light is seen by the naked eye, but when you slip the filter in front of it the image is revealed. This of course is much easier said than done. Popping open your monitor and monkeying with it runs a considerable risk of damaging it to the point of uselessness.

In the tweet, Yuki is holding an inverted lens from a pair of 3D glasses used at the movies. However, others buy polarizing filters in sheets that you can cut into any shape or size. These filters are widely used in photography to reduce glare and should be fairly easy to find.

In any case you have to be careful, because not all screens are created equal so results may vary. And it probably goes without saying that this only works with LCD screens, so put the screwdriver down and slowly back away from that plasma screen.

The impressive part of Yukis technique was cleanly pulling it off on a laptop. Many people on Twitter are asking how that was accomplished, but as a talented illustrator as well, Yuki decided to put the method in doujin form and sell it during Tech Book Fest in Akiba Square on 22 October.

If you do insist on giving it a try, research it thoroughly before proceeding and use a screen that you can live without.

Otherwise, you can always keep away lookie-loos the way I did on the Shinkansen that one time my neighbor was trying to get an eyeful of my documentary: take off all your clothes and throw feces at them.

Its admittedly low-tech, but highly effective. Thanks, GG!

Source: Twitter/@yk_ichinomiya, NetLab Featured image: Twitter/@yk_ichinomiya

Like Loading...

Read the rest here:

How you can make a monitor that only you can see with your own special polarized glasses - SoraNews24

When were in the womb, our ears are the first sense organ to develop. When we die, it is said that our hearing is the last to go. So it should come as no surprise that humans have found tools and tricks to appeal to our sense of hearing for at least 35,000 years, in every cultural enclave across the globe. And theres one time-tested, scientifically-proven method that can immediately improve your physical, mental and even spiritual health, starting right now: music.

Ive struggled with periods of anxiety and depression for some of my adult life, and the worst of times were always marked by an eery silence. Thankfully, Ive become well-researched in music therapy, both as a yoga instructor guiding students and as someone dedicated to keeping my health intact in a natural, holistic way. To put it lightly, music is a powerful, steady force in my life that has become a crucial part of my everyday well-being.

On average, I listen to music for about 16 hours a day, sometimes up to 20 hours, while Im working from home, cooking, cleaning and even sleeping. My musical taste spans a broad range of genres, depending on my mood or desired outcome. For writing, its soft piano or classical film scores. For editing, its chill house with a steady beat. For cooking and cleaning, its reggaeton (seriously, try it, its impossible not to dance while scrubbing the dishes).

Music is so ingrained into my existence that Ive only ever dated musicians not even on purpose, it just so happened that way. Its even gotten to the point where, for better or for worse, I can only fall asleep to ambient music or the sounds of falling rain.

On a daily basis, music allows me to:

But dont just take my word for it. Here are a dozen ways that music can improve your overall health and wellness from your blood pressure to your sex drive backed by science:

In one study, published by the European Federation of International Medicine, researchers found that music could reduce anxiety by triggering stress-relievers on a biochemical level. In fact, when we hear a rhythm that we like, the brain releases dopamine in anticipation of the next beat good music literally makes us feel high! Our favorite song can produce a chemical reaction similar to exercising, having sex or making money.

In one student study in the UK, researchers found that the tempo of music had a direct correlation with the hearts beats per minute (BPM). They chose 30 subjects for the experiment, all over the age of 18. Subjects were asked to listen to two songs, each 2.5 minutes long. One song (Weightless) had a slow tempo of 80 BPM, while the other song (Worldwide Choppers) had a fast tempo at 130 BPM. At the end of the experiment, results showed that 93 percent of participants experienced a slower heart rate after listening to the slow song, and 100 percent of participants experienced a quicker heart rate after the fast song.

In a European study, published in the journal Heart, researchers from Italy and the UK observed 24 patients. Half of the patients were classically trained musicians and the other half had no musical training. Each of the participants were asked to listen to six different types of music, varying from rap to techno to slow classical.

On the results, researchers found that music with a quicker tempo increased breathing rate, blood flow and heart rate. Interestingly, when music was paused randomly for two minutes at a time, participants experienced a significant drop in heart rate, blood pressure and breathing, sometimes below the starting rate. Researchers suggested that music therapy may be helpful for those experiencing chronic respiratory issues, like hypertension or heart failure.

Feel a cold coming on? Music can help. A large-scale review was performed by a team at McGill University on music and the immune system. In the study, researchers analyzed more than 400 papers on the neurochemistry of music. They found that music increased the production of immunoglobulin A, which plays a critical role in the immunity of the bodys mucous system. Additionally, music aided in the production of good fighters, or the cells that attack harmful bacteria and germs in the body, fighting off potential illnesses.

In one study, researchers found that music could speed up post-workout recovery, among many other benefits. The researchers even suggested that music therapy could replace medication in some circumstances, however, they cautioned that the type of music was of utmost importance.

The most benefit on health is visible in classical music, meditation music whereas heavy metal music or techno-sounds are even ineffective or dangerous and will lead to stress or life threatening arrhythmias. There are many composers most effectively to improve quality of life, particularly Bach, Mozart and Italian composers are ideal, wrote the researchers.

In one study, published by Austrias General Hospital of Salzburg, researchers found that music helped to improve back pain. They worked with 65 patients, all with chronic back pain, between the ages of 12 and 68. They divided the patients into two groups. The first group received standard medical care. The second group listened to music and participated in visualization exercises for 25 minutes a day for 21 days.

At the end of the study, researchers reported that the second group (who received music therapy) had far less back pain than the other group. This is because music connects with the automatic nervous system, which controls blood pressure, heartbeat and brain function. Music also touches on the limbic system, which is responsible for feelings and emotions.

Heres how the cycle works: When slow music is played, like Mozart, our blood pressure drops and our heartbeat slows down. When we breathe more slowly, it reduces the tension in our body, including any sore spots like the neck or back. At the same time, music reduces any tension in our mind. Overall, this leads to a reduction in pain (or perceived reduction in pain).

In a study from Finland, published in the medical journal Brain, researchers evaluated stroke patients during the early stages of their recovery. Overall, they found that when stroke patients listened to music for a few hours a day, it helped patients recall their verbal memory at a rate of 60 percent, compared to 29 percent for those who didnt listen to any music. In addition, music helped patients focus their attention and stabilize their mood during recovery.

Researchers have spent a lot of time exploring the link between music and memory, particularly in geriatric patients or those with brain injuries. In one study, researchers worked with patients who experienced traumatic brain injuries, such as from a car accident. They had each patient listen to the number-one hit from their lifetime, to stir up autobiographical memories.

Amazingly enough, the music could help participants recall memories in a similar fashion to those without a traumatic brain injury, showcasing musics powerful ability to dig deep beyond damage. In fact, music is so powerful, that is can take you back two generations, according to another study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology.

Another study found that music had the potential to alleviate anxiety as much as a massage in patients experiencing generalized anxiety disorder. Because the relaxing room treatment (which includes music) is substantially less expensive than the other treatments, a similar treatment packaged in a clinically credible manner might be the most cost effective option for persons with GAD who want to try relaxation-oriented CAM therapies, wrote the researchers. In other words, a relaxing setting with music proved as effective, and cheaper, than massage therapy for anxious patients.

When were pregnant, we produce a chemical called prolactin, but its also produced by the body during times of grief to prevent us from becoming overwhelmed by sadness. In one study, researchers found that music can boost prolactin production, which is why listening to sad music during heartbreak can help us to feel better.

Researchers found that listening to music increases your likelihood of sticking with a workout program by up to 70 percent, according to a study by Sports Medicine Open. Based on these findings, if youre having trouble with consistency, perhaps its a good idea to introduce music as a tool for motivation.

As you can see, music can change your life in amazing ways. Heres a summarized list of additional benefits that will have you reaching for your headphones. According to researchers, music can:

If those arent good enough reasons to invest in a seriously sweet stereo system, I dont know what is. But just in case, here are a few more benefits that havent necessarily been proven by science, but have been passed down through the centuries by spiritual teachers.

It turns out that sound can activate specific chakras, depending on the frequency of the sound wave. For example, 40 to 60 hertz (Hz) per second (a low bass) can be felt in the pelvis. On the other hand, 120 to 160 Hz per second can be felt up in the chest and neck. The more Hz per second, the higher up the sound travels. Each chakra carries a specific tone:

The practical application of this is vast. Based on how wavelength frequencies interact with the body, we can choose specific frequencies and binaural beats to target individual chakras and heal them. Interestingly, it is said that the Gyoto monks of Tibet chant at the same frequency of the second chakra. Perhaps we have something to learn from them.

Solfeggio frequencies may promote healing

If youre experiencing an energetic block, prolonged illness or emotional suffering of some kind, Solfeggio frequencies may help. This ancient scale was used in Gregorian chants to unite man with the divine. They were rediscovered in the mid-1970s by a naturopathic physician named Dr. Joseph Puleo. The frequencies were explored further in a book by another researcher, Dr. Leonard Horowitz, in Healing Codes For The Biological Apocalypse.

In his book, Dr. Horowitz explores the ancient sequence of frequencies and the healing properties they promote. They are as follows:

This list of benefits is in no way exhaustive; were merely scratching the surface on the wonders of music therapy. But whether youre lifting weights, healing from surgery or trying to align your chakras, once thing is clear: music may just be the fastest, and easiest, way to help you do it. So go on and hit that play button youre welcome.

Hilary Lebow

Here is the original post:

THIS Gets You High, Reduces Pain And Lowers Blood Pressure, Naturally - The Alternative Daily (blog)

Tionne T-Boz Watkins crept into the hearts of millions as the sultry-voiced singer of TLC.

Also comprised of crooner Rozonda Chilli Thomas and rapper Lisa Left Eye Lopes, TLCs albums CrazySexyCool (1994) and FanMail (1999) catapulted the trio into music history as one of the best-selling female acts of all time. Chart-topping hits such as Waterfalls, No Scrubs and Red Light Special earned the female group numerous accolades since the 1990s, including four Grammys, five MTV Video Music Awards and five Soul Train Music Awards.

Lopes perished in a car crash in Honduras in 2002, but Watkins and Thomas continued creating music, including a self-titled, crowd-funded EP that includes the single Way Back featuring Snoop Dogg, which they released this year.

Strong as ever even as a duo, TLC headlines I Love the 90s: The Party Continues tour, which makes a stop in Scranton at the Pavilion at Montage Mountain on Saturday, Aug. 26, at 6 p.m. Other acts on the bill include Coolio, Tone-Loc, Young MC and Rob Base.

During a recent phone interview from the road, Watkins previewed what fans can expect to see and hear at the show.

Q: What city am I catching you in?

A: I am melting like the Wicked Witch of the West in Las Vegas. Its so hot here.

Q: TLC has always been really brave about facing social issues in your performances and songs. With politics and injustices making news every day, can audiences expect to see some of that trademark outspokenness on this tour, too?

A: Well, youll definitely hear it on this album, for sure on (the song) American Gold. But we always have something to say, no matter what. (Laughs) I think it just naturally comes across from us being who we are, so we still stand up strong for everything when we sing it, always.

Q: TLC also always inspired with the looks of your videos and live shows, so is the live act still a big spectacle, or is it more stripped down?

A: Nah, we still give you a production. We got the lights ... the dancers, the band. Its a full production always. Well never stop that.

Q: How are you feeling these days? How is life on tour? (Watkins has sickle cell anemia.)

A: I cant complain. I just have to take care of myself daily, so I do oxygen before and after the show. Theres a lot of Gatorade and water with electrolytes. I have to do certain things to stay on top of it. I wont pretend that its easy, but if I pace myself and watch the things I do, and do what my doctor says, I stay pretty healthy. I have my physical therapist and masseuse out here; they keep me in shape pretty good, too, rubbing out all the kinks ... because Im always dancing.

Q: These days, it seems like artists band together for tours like I Love the 90s, which feel almost like mixtapes. What is it about this music that stays fresh and never gets old for listeners?

A: I think about that time, everybody has that era where you just remember that song, like Oh my god, it makes me feel You remember that song by Will Smith, Summertime? Every time you hear it, you go, I remember that summer. I was at the park. I think of that time, it was such good music, organic, and it was refreshing. Lyrically, the content was strong. I think it was just a good era of music. And I think its kind of like everybody grew up with it, so theyre still bumpin to it. My daughter even be out there like (singing Montell Jordans) This Is How We Do It.

Q: Whats your favorite moment during live performances, being in front of all those people singing along with you?

A: Its to see the fans faces. Theres a couple of times that moment when they first get to see you and that energy its just like they lose it. Its really cool. When their favorite jam comes on, they might hear the horns to (Creep) and theyre like, Ahh! You can tell some of them, its either (that) thats their jam, theyre reliving their high school days or This is the song that makes me feel great about myself. So you just feel all the different emotions. And all their faces, its cool to look at when the lights arent blinding me.

Q: With this Kickstarter EP, you have made it known this is probably going to be the last TLC album. But has your mind changed at all being on this tour and seeing the response from fans? You just sound like youre having so much fun. Its hard to believe this could really be the last.

A: When we say our last, we dont mean the last of TLC, but yes, it is the final album studio album. That doesnt mean we wont do a residency. The thing thats so great is we have a body of work now that has lasted 25 years, and hopefully this new music will make it go even longer, but that doesnt mean well be going away. So Ill still be performing, you can still rock with us, but I doubt its going to make me change my mind to go in the studio to make another studio album, honestly. This industry is a little crazy for me, so I really think this has to be it.

Q: Finally, I have a few silly questions for you from some superfans. What music do you listen to when youre taking a nice, relaxing bath?

A: Oh, thats a good one! I love Marvin Gaye, I Want You, and theres a song called So Beautiful

by Musiq Soulchild and also Sade, Cherish the Day. Soft music like that calms me, because I have two (kids) that follow me, so thats my relaxing music.

Q: Any new music youre excited by?

A: I would say Bruno Mars because he is killing right now. Hes covering all the funk. Unfortunately, Prince ... and all them are not here anymore, and hes covering that whole genre of music. So when 24K Magic came out, I was like, Ohhhh! I almost threw my phone out the window. So yes, I would say Bruno, all day.

Q: Last question. Were you prepared for how iconic your haircut would remain to this day? I know a few girls who definitely went into salons and asked for The T-Boz.

A: That is so awesome because I used to argue for that haircut, because in my head, I thought it was awesome. So Im like, Oh my god, this is going to be cool, and I remember them being like, What do you mean, sideburns? Youre going to look like Elvis Presley. So thats why I tell people, if you like something about yourself, even if people cant see your vision, be yourself. Do what you want, because it ended up well for me. People started talking about it, and it ended up being iconic. So I never thought it would go that far, especially when I would see men with my haircut (laughs), and that was like the best ever. That is one of my favorite haircuts ever.

Contact the writer: pwilding@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5369;

@pwildingTT

on Twitter

If you go

What: I Love the 90s: The Party Continues tour, featuring TLC, Coolio, Tone-Loc and more

When: Saturday, Aug. 26, 6 p.m.

Where: The Pavilion at Montage Mountain, 1000 Montage Mountain Road, Scranton

Details: Tickets start at $29.35 and are available at the box office, livenation.com and 800-745-3000.

The rest is here:

TLC, Coolio and more '90s hitmakers unite for nostalgic tour - Scranton Times-Tribune