Sunil Singhs car was following ours when he called me to find out where we were.

About to reach the ashram, I replied.

Are you in a black car?

Yes, I said.

Im in the car behind you.

Raul and I pulled over and he joined us in our car.

We exchanged pleasantries. He couldnt place me till he saw me. I had visited the ashram a couple of years earlier to do a story about how a certain segment of humanity is the cows biggest enemy. As we entered the ashram now, illuminated by warm sodium lights under the red sky of a dying day, our surroundings had an occult-like quality. I wondered, is this a temple to the cow? For sure, its a retreat or an old-age home for cows. In a state of general excitement, I began explaining to Sunil what science had to say, that cows and dogs, followed by perhaps the horse, were the earliest friends of mankind.

Sunil is a big guy with a stout, solid torso that supports an enormous round, balding head. He looks like he might have been a wrestler, though he has never wrestled. Sunil was barely five years old when he joined Ramesh Baba, the spiritual leader and founder of this ashram, in the late 1980s. Since then, he has been here, working day in and day out, and has risen through the ranks to become, for all practical purposes, the ashrams chief executive officer. He shares some of his management responsibilities with two other influential men deputed by Ramesh Baba.

Sunils face glows in the fading light of the day. His menacing figure belies an affable disposition. Hes a vegetarian and does not consume any mind-altering substances, not even tobacco. He has a certain reputation in the region. People know him, and those who know him revere him. Its the kind of reverence thats laced with more fear than love.

Particularly in the Hindi heartland, with its patriarchal, feudalistic traditions, it is muscle power and grit that keep a set-up like this running. Sunil is capable of defending the ashram; hes not dependent on the police like an ordinary citizen. The local cops treat him like a mafia man who can pull strings in the corridors of power. The chief minister of the day is eager to travel to the ashram to meet him and his guru, Ramesh Baba, who, Sunil informed us, was not well.

******

Sunil, it turned out, was not a diehard fan of Yogi Adityanath. Its not that Yogi Adityanaths cow vigilantism is not effective, he said. Gau-taskari or the smuggling of cows has come down. It is now 70 per cent of what it had been a year ago. But that means there are 30 per cent more cows on the streets in this region. Not that anyone notices it, for cows have always been around. You cant miss them as they eat garbage and plastic bags in the suburban landscape, or stand listlessly in the middle of the road as if their journey had ended just there. The piles of garbage, the snake charmers and the revered cows on the streets of India have, in fact, fascinated visitors since the times of Rudyard Kipling.

Sunil was not happy about the rise in the number of abandoned cows. Theres a limit to how many cows he can accommodate in this ashram. They are abandoned like the widows of Vrindavan, left to fend for themselves when they are past their prime, just when they need to be cared for the most. They are sacred, mother-like, not to be killed for meat, but they are abandoned to starvation and disease. The inherent sacredness of a cow and the treatment it receives is typical of India, a country of glorious contradictions.

Sunil said that farmers are not happy with so many abandoned cows strolling around. They are everywhere, like pests, and they enter farms, trample on the crops and destroy them.

Its a big problem here, he said. Some farmers, mostly Hindu, are then forced to bring in people who are part of the supply chain of the tanneries in the neighbouring areas. Mathuras neighbouring district of Agra is a leather industry hub.

******

Two years ago, Sunil had told me that one or two cows are stolen every day. He carried out a bit of an investigation to learn who the culprits were. They were poor people, mostly Hindus. One of them, caught red-handed, was a Hindu boy in his late teens. He would sell the stolen cows across the border in Rajasthan for their hides. Each dead cow would fetch the locals at least a couple of thousand rupees useful to run the household for a month or two.

This young boy was not handed over to the police. Instead, Sunil asked him, as reparation, to help in the construction of a local temple for a few months. Locals tend to carry out Sunils decree without protest.

Two years later, his version has changed a bit. Both Hindus and Muslims steal cows, he said, more democratic now about the religious identity of those who commit this crime. Though, both Muslims and Hindus commit the crime, they have different roles. Muslims kill the cows and Hindus facilitate the killing. The economic benefits come to Hindus as well because they are the traders, while Muslims do the dirty work. And of course, Hindus dont eat beef. They kill those who eat beef, Sunil laughed. This was not funny.

He made some innovative suggestions that Im sure he will communicate to Yogi Adityanath when he meets him next. One such idea is a subsidy on cow dung. Cow dung has been the main source of fuel for cooking in the Indian hinterland for centuries. Every part of a cow, alive or dead, is useful. Cow urine, for instance, has been found to be beneficial in a host of medical conditions such as diabetes, blood pressure, asthma, psoriasis and many more.

The father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, was categorical about cow protection. To him, Mother cow was in many ways better than the mother who gave us birth, and therefore, he said, Cow protection is the gift of Hinduism to the world and Hinduism will live so long as there are Hindus to protect the cow. Gandhi had a message which is now relevant for the lumpen cow vigilante groups, who dont protect cows and kill humans. Gandhi had said: I would not kill a human being for the protection of a cow, as I will not kill a cow to save a human life, be it ever so precious. In other words, the life of a cow is as valuable as that of a human being, but this should not lead to bloodshed.

No politician has done anything for the cow, Sunil said in Hindi. They only do lip service, but there is nothing on the ground. Akhilesh Yadav did nothing, neither has Yogi. And then, he added after a long pause, Ab tak (so far).

Because there is no sincerity in the way cows are treated, there is a general decline in all spheres of life, Sunil pointed out, particularly the environment. The Yamuna is polluted. The natural systems are contaminated. People are dying early; hepatitis B is on the rise. Something is wrong, he said, sounding impassioned, as if something sinister were about to unfold in the land of Krishna. Modi has not taken the time to do something for the river Yamuna, he said. The real gau-rakshak is not happy. Yogi tries to be the thekedar of Hindus, but has only done lip service. Gau-raksha is only a political gimmick. Sunil was unrelenting in his criticism. Nothing is happening on the ground.

Extracted from the chapter, Mathura: The Real Gau-rakshak, of the book (Westland).

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Cows, cows, everywhere: An extract from Love Jihadis: An Open-minded Journey into the Heart of Western Uttar Pradesh - The Hindu

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New Delhi: Do women play any role in the activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)? Does the RSS oppose feminism? Is the RSS in favour of women working outside their homes and entering public life?

These are frequently asked questions about the RSSs ideas about women. But contrary to the common belief that women hardly have a role in its activities, there has been an increased emphasis on their growing role in the organisation over the last two-and-a-half decades.

In fact, the RSS has set up a separate coordination group for women-related activities, called the Mahila Samanvay.

Geetatai Gunde, a former senior functionary of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), an RSS-backed student organisation, has been given the charge of the coordination group.

A whole team of women activists from various RSS-backed organisations, such as the ABVP, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), the Vishva Hindu Parishad and the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram work with Geetatai of Mahila Samanvay.

Sunil Ambekar, an RSS pracharak and former ABVP organising secretary, elaborates on the changed approach in his recently released book, The RSS Roadmaps for the 21st Century.

The impact of such intensive work (on women-related issues) is felt across the parivar (RSS and its affiliated organisations), he writes. The lawyers body Adhivakta Parishad organises conferences to spread awareness about legal rights of women at the state and national levels. The attendees are both men and women.

Krida Bharati has turned its lens on campaigns for building facilities for women athletes and players. Itihas Sankalan Samiti is working on presenting the history of Indian women and conferences of women historians, Ambekar adds. In 2017, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh organised a massive march in Delhi with two lakh people, one lakh of the activist force were women. Vigyan Bharati started Shakti, a conclave of women scientists. Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram and Samskar Bharati have many women full-timers.

In 2010, the RSS brass had attended a two-day brainstorming session to formulate the organisations stand on various women-related issues. Then, another important meeting was held in Delhi on 23-24 March 2019, under the aegis of Mahila Samanvay. It was titled Bharatiya Stree Vimarsha (discourse on Indian women).

According to Ambekar, It deliberated chiefly on how the issues and challenges of present times can be resolved on the basis of Hindu thought and the family system. This is an ongoing and constructive dialogue within the Sangh.

Also read:RSS sees larger design in Delhi communal riots, blames changing demographic profile

The RSS rejects the Western framework of feminism. It believes that the feminist movement of the West hasnt worked in India, and what the country requires is the Indian concept of women empowerment.

Ambekar elaborates on this in his book. The Sangh does not believe in the dictates of straitjackets and isms. It is a comprehensive mission of the society to empower women and remove restrictions of purdah, which came about as a result of a long history of invasions, and to raise educational levels and economic ability, he writes.

The Sangh has supported enabling laws and policies. However the moot point is change in social mindsets where each family takes a decision to bring about a qualitative change in the status of women.

According to a senior RSS functionary, this issue is being addressed through a series of activities under two categories Parivar Prabodhan (creating awareness in families) and Mahila Samanvay (coordination with women).

The Sangh is taking up issues such as womens education, empowerment, and their increased role in public life and rejecting evils like dowry, with the families directly, the functionary said.

Our stand is clear women need to be encouraged to go out and work and they should participate more and more in public life. The families should support them and encourage them for such activities, he added.

Also read:M.S. Golwalkar: The man who transformed RSS to a pan-India organisation

Women do have a parallel organisation in the Sangh Parivar the Rashtra Sevika Samiti set up in 1936 by Laxmibai Kelkar.

On the lines of the Sangh, the Samiti also has full-timers known as pracharikas. There are currently around 50 full-time women workers in the Samiti, one third of whom are posted in the Northeast.

The Samiti also runs shakhas (training camps) and other programmes of the Sangh. At present, it has around 4,900 shakhas spread across the country. It also has a footprint in over 20 countries.

The Samitis work has been expanding rapidly, and it has a presence in almost all the sub-divisions in the country. All its posts are held by women; they control its activities.

Both the Sangh and the Samiti work in close coordination to ensure an increased participation of women. In addition, a substantial number of women are working in all the RSS-backed organisations, with several them holding prominent posts and playing leadership roles, said another RSS functionary.

Also read:RSS to initiate debate onrelevance of Mahatma Gandhis legacy in 21st century

The writer is CEO of Indraprastha Vishwa Samvad Kendra, an RSS affiliate, and author of two books on the RSS.

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RSS pushes for greater role of women in public life, rejects feminism of the West - ThePrint

Welcome to March everybody. The temperature is slowly rising and we are coming back from our winter funk. Soon enough, everyone will be outside during the day and enjoying their best life. Here are some of the best events in Moscow this week.

Come down to the 1912 Center this Monday for a night of fun. This drag bingos theme is Broadway. There will be three early bird rounds followed by 10 rounds of bingo. A $5 minimum is asked to attend but you can pay more for additional packs from $10 to $15, which includes early bird rounds and an extra sheet of paper for an additional round and more. Card sales start at 6:30 p.m., early bird rounds start at 7 p.m. and then are followed by regular games. The proceeds will be benefiting Inland Oasis.

Is there a funny story, poem or joke that you are dying to share with people? Humble Burger has the perfect thing for you this Tuesday night. With an open stage and drinks up for purchase, this is the perfect way to unwind after work, school or whatever obligations you have. Engage with the crowd and come for a good laugh. Sign-ups are at 8:45 p.m. and the open mic will start at 9 p.m.

Bitterroot is having a Friday 13th Flash event. Designs start at $50 and the event is for limbs only. Anywhere else will be charged extra. This event only comes around so often and is usually very busy so be there or be square!

Find a new best friend this St. Catricks Day at the Humane Society of the Palouse. Adoptions fees will be half off this Saturday. Cats will be $45 and dogs will be $57.50. In addition to finding a new member to the family, adopting will support Humane Society of the Palouse and their operations.Dont forget to wear green!

End the week with live music at One World Cafe. Beautiful Flaw will be performing an all acoustic show with original music. With live and relaxing music, who wouldnt want to come down and chill at One World Cafe this weekend? Grab a drink and enjoy this live performance.

Emily Pearce can be reached at arg-life@uidaho.edu.

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L.I.F.E. Hacks: some of the best entertainment in Moscow - Argonaut

This week, our music critics have picked everything from Patti Smith to Acid Tongue to Tamino. Follow the links below for ticket links and music clips for all of their picks, and find even more shows on our complete music calendar.

Pup, Screaming Females, The Drew Thomson Foundation Pup will return to Seattle and bring their Toronto bodega lifer punk to the stage, with guest sets from New Jersey indie-rock trio Screaming Females and the Canadian indie-popper Drew Thomson Foundation.

The Strokes, Alvvays I recently learned about the 20-year rule used by clothing sellers to determine whether or not they can label an item as vintage. And I think the Strokesat least as they exist in popular imagination as young disaffected indie dudesare rapidly approaching vintage status, thus picking up a new layer of cool. I, for one, wouldnt mind a small resurgence of catchy-garage-meets-pop-meets-70s-swagger. Though the band has gotten distracted with their own side projects over the past few years, they've announced a new album, The New Abnormal. At a Bernie Sanders rally in New Hampshire, no less. I think its high time for zoomers to discover The Modern Age. JASMYNE KEIMIG

Young M.A. Young M.A. burst onto the scene in 2016 with her song OOOUUU. Full of boasts, bravado, and queer desire, the New York rapper seemingly bypassed raps assumed male audience to speak directly to queer/women listeners. And it worked. The song received hundreds of millions of streams, propelling her career forward as one of the few openly gay rappers in hip-hop at the moment. Her most recent record, Herstory in the Making, solidified her talents as a rapper with broad appeal in cuts like She Like Im Like and BIG. Young M.A. is even an accomplished entrepreneur, recently releasing a strap-on starter kityou cant say she doesnt care! JASMYNE KEIMIG

Neal Francis Chicago-based keys-playing musician Neal Francis churns out music thats deeply derivative of the 1970s, a combination of the Band at their rootsy-grooviest, the boogie-woogie side of Dr. John, and Billy Prestons upbeat soulfulness. Francis adds a dash of Chicago blues and R&B to the sonic stew, some wah-wah guitar and claved-out funkiness, and pits his mild, tuneful vocals against it all. It grooves, it rolls, it saunters, it strolls, and it is inherently likable and head-bobbable. His fantastic 2019 outing, Changes, was produced by analog maestro Sergio Rios (Orgone, Monophonics), and Francis lands in town in support. LEILANI POLK

Marc E. Bassy, Gianni & Kyle Yanking heavily from the Weeknd-style section of the R&B canon, Marc E. Bassy crafts airy, slinky club hits ripe for a late-night summer basement party. He honed his sound composing hits for Wiz Khalifa, 2 Chainz, Chris Brown, Allen Stone, and PIA MIA, and he's coming to Seattle on hisPMD Tour with pop-hop duo Gianni & Kyle in tow.

Byron Westbrook, N Chambers In the crowded field of drone-based ambient composers, Los Angeless Byron Westbrook stands as one of the most rigorous and interesting. One long-form piece he did,Threshold Variations, manifested, in his words, an immersive environment in which drones and field recordings wax and wane like aural mirages, inducing sublime dream states. For this gig, Westbrook will perform Surface Variants, an extended composition using analog and digital synths, field recordings, and tape manipulations to examine the concept of the sonic afterimage. The excerpt I heard contains abrupt transitions and episodes ranging from quiet animal sounds to corrugated noise bursts. Seattles N Chambers is returning to the live fray after months of cancer treatments. He remains, as I've been yelling at you for years, one of America's most engrossing synth composers. Hitpanabrite.bandcamp.comfor hours of sonic enlightenment. DAVE SEGAL

Lauren Sanderson Join up-and-coming LA-based hip-hop artistLauren Sanderson on herMidwest Kids Can Make It Big Tour.

Brent Amaker Death Squad, Razor Clam, Smoker Dad Even if Brent Amaker & the Rodeo couldn't hit a note, their shows would be a hit on pageantry alone. The backlit stage, the fog, the men in all black, and Bunny the burlesque dancer are a recipe as rich as a meal made entirely of desserts. The fact is, though, that the sound is amazing; guitarist Tiny Dancer builds perfect melodies, with Jacque's synth and vibes to complement the chugging rhythms built by bassist Cinderella, rhythm guitarist Ben Strehle, and drummer Bryan Crawford (who drums standing up, like Moe Tucker), and Brent's deep bass vocals ring out clear and strong. SEAN JEWELL

Patti Smith The grande dame of arty punk, the sorcerer of the cover song (see: Gloria, So You Want to Be [a Rock n Roll Star], Gimme Shelter, 5-4-3-2-1), a mythologizing poet of the libido and liberation, an eloquent advocate for leftist causes, one of the most highly evolved androgynes ever to subvert gender stereotypes, creator of one of the greatest debut albums in rock history (1975sHorses)Patti Smith is all of these and a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. But don't hold that against her. The first four Patti LPs are where the most inspirational action is, but she has gems scattered throughout the rest of her work and her voice has aged shockingly well. DAVE SEGAL

Third Eye Blind, Saves the Day Led by Stephan Jenkins, '90s pop-alt rockers Third Eye Blind (or 3EB if you're a real fan) achieved wide success during a bizarre time in the post-grunge music scene. They performed at the 2016 Bumbershoot, and will return to Seattle again for a night of classic singles with Jersey rock bandSaves the Day.

Gill Landry, Thunderstorm Artis Louisiana singer-songwriter Gill Landry, previously of Old Crow Medicine Show, will present a night of musical storytelling, weaving together tales of the South with new American mythology. He'll be joined byThunderstorm Artis, featured on The Voice.

EVAN GIIA, Raffaella EVAN GIIA happens to be a classically trained opera singer, but leans more toward R&B-influenced and electronica-laden dance-pop in her output these days. Join her for a night out on the Hill.

Hased x Depth: La Fleur Swedish house artist La Fleur will take over the Kremwerk basement with local support from FooFou and Black Velveteen.

Dorian Electra, Alice Longyu Gao Dorian Electras early career material included economist pop (like 2010 single I'm in Love with Friedrich Hayek, a celebration of the Austrian economist, and 2011s Roll with the Flow [My Date with Keynes]). And later, a series of catchy, cheeky, yet sexy education songs/videos for womens lifestyle website Refinery29 on the history of feminism, high-heeled shoes, drag, vibrators, and, my personal fave, the clitoris (sample verse: In 3-D / The clit was mapped architecturally / To the world's surprise / It was found to be 10 times its size). Lately, the pop and performance artist with neon hair, a painted-on pencil mustache, and gothic dom-meets-Ren-faire outerwearhas been drawing on their own experiences. They told Bullett Media in 2016 that Mind Body Problem was about femininity as a performancewhen being a woman feels like putting on a costume, and the costume doesnt seem to come off with the clothes. Electras 2019 self-released debut LP, Flamboyant, discussesmasculine archetypes and issues from a gender-fluid perspective, adding a healthy dash of campiness to tunes like glamour-hyped Guyliner and biblical spoof Adam & Steve, the latters YouTube video tagged with an 18-plus age restriction for no discernible reason. (There is no nudity, no inappropriate language, no gratuitous violence Dorian tweeted recently, maybe just offensive because its gay af?). LEILANI POLK

Starlight Collective with Mark Pickerel Local music cohort theStarlight Collective will welcome drummer Ben Smith (Heart), bassist Andy Stoller (Tracy Chapman), guitarist Jeff Fielder, and special guestMark Pickerel (the Screaming Trees).

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 Tchaikovskys intense Symphony No. 5 will be performed by the Symphony alongsideFlorence Prices fusion-heavy Second Violin Concerto andProkofievs whimsical First Symphony.

The Gothard Sisters Greta, Willow, and Solana Gothard are Edmonds natives who have brought Celtic music onto the local scene and have won Best New Irish Artist in the Sixth Annual Irish Music Awards. Join the folksy trio for some Eire classics.

Blackbird Blackbird Mikey Maramag emerged as Blackbird Blackbird in summer 2010, more or less at the height of chillwave, when seemingly every emerging producer was dealing in narcotized, hazy beatwork. Since then, the San Francisco-based artists music has evolved in fits and starts. Maramags more recent work sits on the more tasteful end of the EDM spectrum alongside the likes of Flume or Giraffagepitched-down vocal samples, rippling synth arpeggios, drums that more aggressively recall hiphop. It lacks the personality of his early work (hes excised much of the singing and guitar), but makes up for it in energy and production acumen. ANDREW GOSPE

Christeene, Bed Tundee, Sashay, Dyed While I do not usually condone FOMO, I highly suggest you not miss out on this train wreck of a shitshow. While it's always been hard to describe quite what exactly a CHRISTEENE is, I'll go with: Austin-based stank-terror-drag phenomenon in a sweat-matted fright wig and uncomfortably blue contacts. She makes hardcore electronic music/filthy dance pop (check her NSFAnywhere videos online); the raunchy live show sometimes involves a giant cloth vagina, but will most definitely feature her more-than-half-naked backup dancers, T Gravel and C Baby, busting all the choreography. Expect a healthy dose of butt cheeks and take tomorrow off. EMILY NOKES

Noise Complaint ft. Will Clarke Unique beard-haver and Ibiza-seasoned DJ Will Clarke will play an open-to-close set to celebrate his new record label, All We Have Is Now.

Emma Horton Band Enjoy the lush vocals and jazzy instrumentation of Emma Horton and her band.

Acid Tongue, Monsterwatch, Fronds With two EPs, a couple world tours, and 2017 debut full-length Babies under their belt, the fuzzed-out garagesters of Seattles Acid Tongue are set to drop nine more tabs of psych-pop anthems in their upcoming sophomore melterBullies. In order to substantially flamb their album-release party, Acid Tongue have dynamically rounded up the local punk horrors of Monsterwatch and the dream-pop tranquilizers of Frond to concoct a mind-blending cocktail of stage-warming. Extrapolating from the Follow the Witch and Walk Dont Run singlesand especially the LPs title trackBullies reveals the continued mastery of Guy Keltner and Ian Cunninghams blistering, tastefully-nostalgic-yet-now sound and idiosyncratic wanderings into some overarching commentary on society at large. ZACH FRIMMEL

Palehound, Adult Mom, Emma Lee Toyoda Led by vocalist and guitarist Ellen Kempner, Boston-based trio Palehound make soulful, jangly indie rock. Kempners lyrics are sincere and intimate. On the bedroom-vibing, guitar-driven Room, she croons: She come over / Growing like a clover / In my rooooom. Their most recent release, 2019s Black Friday, is sonically more fleshed out with the addition of synthesizers, drum machines, and reverby old West guitars on songs like Killer. Bedroom-pop project Adult Mom and local favorite Emma Lee Toyoda open. JASMYNE KEIMIG

19th Annual More Music at the Moore More Music features young musicians collaborating and playing in a variety of styles. The program provides them with mentorship by music industry folk, production and promotional support, and a chance to connect with local musicians. Past music directors for this group have included Sheila E., Robert Glasper, Meshell Ndegeocello, Daniel Bernard Roumain, and Michael Shrieve.

Dick Valentine of Electric Six, Guests Dick Valentine of Detroit disco punks Electric Six will come to Seattle for a solo set.

Glass Animals Glass Animals enjoyed their mainstream US alt-rock radio rise with sexy-caressing youth-love singleGooey off 2014s Zaba, which finds lead singer, songwriter, and producer Dave Bayley crooning in his distinctively silky, stealthy, and mysterious vocal about peanut-butter vibes and tipsy-topsy slurs against a beat that has decided tropical percussion and jungle textures. This is a sonic theme theyve returned to over the years, most recently in Your Love (Dj Vu), a catchy single with a skittering, dance-inducing beat and samples that sound like flittering animal cries. The electro-psychedelic pop quartet took a break in mid-2018, as drummer Joe Seaward recovered from an accident that left him with brain damage (he was hit by a truck while riding his bicycle and had to learn to walk, talk, and read again). But theyre back on the road behind that single (with a third LP to come later), and playing dates at some intimate venues. LEILANI POLK

Grace Potter Grace Potter, formerly ofGrace Potter and the Nocturnals, has shared the stage with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson, Robert Plant, the Allman Brothers, and Mavis Staples. Catch her in Seattle on this solo tour stop.

SassyBlack's 'Depression: Antidote' Film Screening & Talkback Catherine Harris-White (aka SassyBlack) will present her new film Depression: Antidote, made in collaboration with Cleo Barnett. Join Harris-White for a Q&A and live musical performance after the film.

Jamestown Revival Texas-bred duo Jamestown Revival will bring their brand ofSouthern country, Americana, and "Western rock" to town on their latest tour.

Mary Gauthier, Jaimee Harris Folk singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier will perform songs from her album co-written with and for wounded veterans. She'll take the stage after an opening set fromJaimee Harris, whom NPR described as "a slightly edgier Emmylou Harris for the younger generation."

Whitey Morgan The time has come to officially conscript the phrase I listen to anything except country to only Tinder pages that you should really, really be swiping left on. Sure, the brod-out pop-inflected variety of the genre has only become more common and more putrid, but that stuff is the Natty Light of music, and theres quality microbrews to be found if you look. Case in point, Flint, Michigans Whitey Morgan, whose punk background and honky-tonk sound give his music the kick of a good IPA. Songs like Aint Gonna Take It Anymore balance humor and self-destructive pathos with aplombthey go down smooth but bite at the end. JOSEPH SCHAFER

Lupe Fiasco Before I actually listened to the lyrics, I thought Kick, Push (the first single off Lupe Fiascos 2006 debut full-length,Food & Liquor) was about climbing and striving to get to the top, then relaxing and coasting as your hard work pays off. In reality, its about skateboarding, a love story between two misfits on wheelsand goddamn is it ever an earworm, built on the sweeping symphonics from Celeste Legaspis 1982 song Bolero Medley, with an added bumpin beat and Lupes raps gliding over the top. Daydreamin is that albums other single, a Grammy winner and an obvious jam that taps Daydream in Blue by I Monster and features Jill Scott belting the chorus. These tracks will be performed amid the entirety of Food & Liquor for the socially conscious rappers Seattle stop. According to press materials, his fans were asking for it and the time finally felt right for a full album presentation, although it feels a bit like creative procrastinationhis not-so-unconscious way of putting off finishing Skulls, the eighth album that hes claimed will herald his retirement. LEILANI POLK

An Evening with the Skerik Band Virtuosic saxophonist Skerik is so simultaneously prolific and left-field that his life's work has been dubbed something new altogether: saxophonics. He'll perform tonight with his band.

PUNK BLACK Seattle Fest Punk scenes are composed of far more diverse crowds than just angry white kids, but the latter demographic tends to get the most mainstream credit for the birth and evolution of the genre. Here to debunk that myth are POC acts Maya Marie, the Black Chevys, Chiiirp, Hostilities, and Dark Smith.

Califone, Windoe If you equate roots music with staid traditionalism, Califone will change your outlook. For the last 22 years, the Chicago collective has been fraying said roots into songs that spring out of folk, blues, and rock, yet they become otherized through guitarist/vocalist Tim Rutilis skewed sensibility. Not too different from that of his old band, Red Red Meat, Califones music is redolent of the urban junkyard, the Alan Lomax archives, the orch-rock ghetto, and morose troubadourism. Rutilis weathered drawl adds a crucial grit and pathos to these alluringly rickety compositions; low-key, hes one of rocks most soulful singers. Califones 12th album,Echo Mine, is another subtle tweak of the unconventional methods that brought them to this poignant point. DAVE SEGAL

Tamino I was drawn to Belgian model, singer, and musician Tamino because his voice reminded me of Thom Yorkehaunting, elegantly emotive, able to reach falsetto heights with seeming ease. The artist otherwise known as Tamino-Amir Moharam Fouad (grandson of renowned Egyptian singer and film star Muharram Fouad) can carry an entire track on the strength of his exquisite vocal, which has a more velvety quality than Yorkes and can hit rather low notes too. His singing is backed by restrained instrumentals with classical ambient-electro embellishments. The beats are often languid but can rise in urgency, and occasionally reflect the influence of his Arabic background. Amir, his full-length debut, is subtle, dark, and mesmerizing. Listen to Habibi and fall in love. LEILANI POLK

Leslie Odom, Jr. Grammy winner Leslie Odom Jr. is an acclaimed singer and dancer who has found mainstream recognition through his star turn as Aaron Burr in the hit Broadway musical Hamilton. He'll come to Seattle for a live performance.

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The 37 Best Music Shows in Seattle This Week: March 9-15, 2020 - TheStranger.com

Did you go over your budget at that music festival? That doesn't mean you can't have any fun this week. There are not one, but two beer-related events this Saturday, plus an art exhibit that explores Afrofuturism. As always, check out other events on Phoenix New Times' event calendar.

Now up at Modified Arts.

Jasilyn Anderson

If youve heard the term Afrofuturism and wondered what its all about, make your way to Modified Arts, 407 East Roosevelt Street. Thats where the artist and curator Merryn Alaka is exploring Afrocentrism through the eyes of several creatives who take vastly different approaches to examining blackness outside of the bounds of Western stereotypes. The Oracles of the Other exhibit features seven artists who repurpose the past to tell stories about ambivalent futures. They use diverse mediums to reflect on the past, present, and future of the black diaspora including textiles, paintings, photography, and mixed media. You can explore their work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, March 9. Lynn Trimble

A drink to the bride and groom.

Benjamin Leatherman

Picture this scene: a chaotic mass of men and women dressed in wedding gowns engaging in drunken antics, including singalongs, footraces, and playful banter. Is this a scene from the latest reality TV shitshow? Nope. Just a sample of the nuptial-themed bar crawl known as The Brides of March.

The annual event, organized by the Arizona Cacophony Society, sees males and females alike donning wedding regalia and touring the bars of midtown and downtown Phoenix. It pokes fun of bridal culture, and (like most Cacophony Society events) is an excuse to drink heavily.

Brides of March 2020 starts at noon on Saturday, March 14, when participants will gather at Charlies, 727 West Camelback Road, before boarding the light rail bound for other nearby bars. Its free to join in the fun, although youll have to pay for the drinks and dress. Benjamin Leatherman

Tap into Mesa brews this weekend.

Maybe its been a while since youve been the main drag in Mesa. The Downtown Mesa Brew Fest is a perfect excuse to swing back that way so you can see all the ways it has evolved. Head to 1 North MacDonald Road on Saturday, March 14, if you want to explore Mesas emerging brewery scene, sample the food truck offerings, enjoy relaxing game time, and hear some live local music.

The festival runs from 1 to 6 p.m. Its free, but tickets for 12-ounce pours are $5 each (cash only). Expect nonalcoholic drink options, too. The music lineup includes Jacob Morris, Some Dark Hollow, and Kyle Phelan, plus DJ My God Complex. While youre there, scope the local art offerings from sculptures to murals. Lynn Trimble

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The Best Free Things to Do in Metro Phoenix This Week - Phoenix New Times

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You know the drill by now -- wash your hands with hot water and soap for twenty seconds -- the amount of time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice. But if you find that timeless classic a little boring and you're looking for another song to sing while you scrub, I've got a good list.

The Canadian news site The National Post has listened to a lot of popular music with a stopwatch running, and they've discovered that the choruses of these songs each last the magical twenty seconds. So if you know the words, try the chorus to Toto's "Africa."

Or channel your inner Stevie Nicks while you're singing the chorus to "Landslide."

The full list of songs with twenty-second choruses:

Or, let's face it -- you could just count "One one thousand,two one thousand . . . . "

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Songs to sing while washing your hands | 94.1 The Sound Relaxing Favorites of Seattle - Talk Radio 1210 WPHT

The Romanian Capital is a vibrant and complex city, with an interesting history and a rich tourist offer. There are many things to see and do in Bucharest throughout the year and some destinations and activities should definitely be on any visitor's list. Among them, the giant Palace of the Parliament, the Old Town or the main central avenue, but also events that transform the city for a few days.

Visit the Palace of the Parliament

A giant building standing right in the center of the city, the Palace of the Parliament is probably the most famous tourist destination in Bucharest. This is not surprising, however, as the buildings history and size attract a large number of curious visitors every year.

The Parliament Palace is the most famous legacy of the communist rule in Bucharest, being built by the wish of former dictator Nicolae Ceauescu.

This ambitious project required a major human and financial effort: tens of thousands of people worked for years in harsh conditions and at a fast pace. Today, the imposing halls and rooms of the heaviest building in the world have many stories to tell.

Discover the Old Town

Another top destination in Bucharest is, of course, the historical center. With lots of old buildings housing restaurants, pubs, clubs or small souvenir shops, the Old Town is one of the busiest areas of the city, a meeting point for both Bucharesters and tourists. In fact, many of the Capitals visitors stop at least once in this area during their vacation in Bucharest.

Cobbled streets wind around the old buildings (most of them historical monuments), connecting the many terraces and restaurants, but also tourist attractions such as the Old Princely Court, the Stavropoleos and Sfntul Anton churches or Manuc's Inn.

Another interesting place is the Macca-Villacrosse Passage, which today houses several cafes and bars. The passage, covered with yellow glass, is a good place for a short break in a relaxing, intimate atmosphere.

The Crtureti Carusel bookstore, which is considered the most spectacular such location in Romania, is also worth a visit.

Find the museums secrets

Bucharest is home to dozens of museums and memorial houses, all ready to provide visitors with impressive and surprising information and collections. The most popular are the "Grigore Antipa" National Museum of Natural History (where even the kids have fun), the Romanian Peasant Museum and the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum (where visitors discover the traditions and life of the Romanian village), the National Museum of Art of Romania and the National Museum of Contemporary Art, the National History Museum of Romania, the Bucharest Municipality Museum and the Cotroceni National Museum.

But there are many other such places in the Capital that reward the visitors curiosity. Among them, the Storck Museum (where you can see complex works of sculpture or painting), the Museum of Recent Art, the "George Enescu" National Museum (which operates in one of the most impressive buildings of the Capital the Cantacuzino Palace), or Ferestroika (a small private museum that shows visitors how the Romanians were living during communism).

In addition, the Night of Museums cultural event will return with a new edition in May, giving the curious people the chance to visit their favorite museums even after dark. The exact date of this year's edition has not yet been announced, but usually the event is organized around May 18.

Stop at the Romanian Athenaeum

A symbol of the cultural life in Bucharest, the Romanian Athenaeum is one of the most important concert halls in Romania. It is an elegant building, more than 130 years old, with an architecture that combines the neoclassical style with the eclectic style. Built according to the plans of French architect Albert Galleron, the Romanian Athenaeum is today one of the main attractions of the Capital, home to the "George Enescu" Philharmonic.

Therefore, the Romanian Athenaeum should definitely be added to the list of places to visit in Bucharest, especially to that of classical music lovers. Part of the concerts of the George Enescu Festival (a world-renowned music event organized in honor of great Romanian composer George Enescu) are held in this impressive building. The festival is organized every two years and brings prestigious artists and orchestras to Romania. The next edition is scheduled for 2021.

Spend time in nature

For those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of a big city and enjoy nature for a few hours, the parks and gardens are the best alternatives. And Bucharest offers tourists a large number of green spaces for outdoor walks, the most popular being the large parks such as Cimigiu Garden (which is located right in the center of the city), Regele Mihai I (Herstru) Park, Tineretului Park, Carol I Park, Alexandru Ioan Cuza Park (also known as Titan Park or IOR), the National Park or Circului Park.

Green spaces with big lakes and alleys lined with colorful flowers and trees with rich crowns, these parks also offer visitors the opportunity to enjoy a tour around the lake in boats of different shapes and colors, picnics on the grass, games of tennis or volleyball, bike rides or relaxing lunches on the lakeshore.

Another place nature lovers should not miss is the Botanical Garden in the Cotroceni neighborhood. The garden is home to thousands of plant species, the entire space turning into an oasis of peacefulness and relaxation in the warm months.

In addition, another interesting place in the Capital is the Vcreti Nature Park the first natural urban park in Romania, which is home to many species of plants, animals and insects. The luckiest visitors can spot animals such as foxes or otters through the reeds or even on the parks trails, although the easiest to see and photograph are the birds, such as swans and ducks of different species.

Take a walk on Calea Victoriei

Bordered by buildings and old houses with a unique architecture, but also by luxury shops or hotels, Calea Victoriei is one of the oldest and most important arteries of the Capital. Even locals go on this boulevard in their spare time, on foot or by bike.

Calea Victoriei can be a good starting point for tourists who want to discover some of the city's secrets. The main attractions include the Filipescu-Cesianu House, the Cantacuzino Palace (which houses the "George Enescu" National Museum), the National Museum of Art of Romania and the Museum of Art Collections, Revoluiei Square and George Enescu Square (where the Romanian Athenaeum is also located), the Odeon Theater, the National Military Circle Palace, the CEC Palace and the National Museum of Romanian History.

Plus, in April, part of the boulevard comes to life with the help of artistic light and color installations, during one of the most impressive outdoor events in the city the International Light Festival (Spotlight). The theme of this year's edition, which is scheduled for April 23-26, is "Parallel worlds.

Visit churches that are hundreds of years old

Statistics say that the Romanians are the most religious in Europe and the large number of churches and monasteries in the country (and in Bucharest) comes to support these figures. The Capital is home to many churches, some of them centuries old and with a beautiful architecture, all waiting to be discovered by tourists.

Some of the most impressive places of worship in downtown Bucharest are the Stavropoleos Church and the Kretzulescu Church (both built in the Brncovenesc style), Sfntul Anton - Curtea Veche Church, Sfntul Elefterie Nou Church, Domnia Blaa Church and Colea Church.

Of course, the list also includes People's Salvation Cathedral, one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world. The cathedral was consecrated in 2018 the Centennial Year, but the project has not been completed yet. In 2019, Pope Francis visited the National Cathedral during his three-day visit to Romania.

Explore the bookstores

In the age of Internet and gadgets, the bookstores are still popular among book lovers (and not only), but the tourists can also go here to buy souvenirs for their loved ones or travel guides that are much needed when planning a vacation.

Dozens of bookstores, big or small, are spread throughout Bucharest. Probably the best known is Crtureti Carusel in the Old Town (mostly because of its interior design and the central location), but there are other such places not to be missed, such as Crtureti Verona (which is close to the Roman Square), the Humanitas, Librarium or Diverta bookstores, or the French bookstore Kyralina.

Dance in the clubs

Bucharest is a lively city, with many party people going out on weekend nights (and even on workday nights).

At the end of the week, the Old Town remains crowded even after the sun sets, as both the locals and the tourists go out in the many clubs, pubs or bars in this area. The music is for every taste from rock to electronic music or even music of oriental inspiration, with live bands or DJs being in charge of keeping the party alive. And those who feel like singing can try karaoke.

Other popular clubs in Bucharest are Control, Expirat, Fratelli or Kristal Glam Club.

Try the sightseeing buses

In the warm months, those who want to discover the city should try the Bucharest City Tour buses. Usually, the tourist line starts a new season in late May-early June, when the double-decker buses return to the Capitals streets, ready to take tourists to the largest squares of the city and to the most popular tourist attractions.

The travel cards are valid for 24 hours from the first validation, allowing travelers to hop on and off the bus anywhere on the route. Passengers also benefit from audio guides in Romanian, English or French.

The exact starting date for the 2020 season of the Bucharest City Tour line has not been announced yet, but more information will be made available on the official website Bucharestcitytour.stbsa.ro.

This material is part of a project under the program of promoting the touristic heritage "Destination: Bucharest", carried out by the Bucharest City Hall through the Public Monuments and Touristic Heritage Administration (AMPT).

Photos by Romania-Insider.com for AMPT.

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Destination: Bucharest 10 best things to do in Bucharest - Romania-Insider.com

Students who wish to de-stress from a difficult semester may be interested in attending one of the many wellness events that occur on campus.

Students filled the Harley multi-purpose room Feb. 25 from 6:30-8 p.m. for a night of tarot card readings, music, rock painting and more hosted by Shippensburg Universitys National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI).

Those who attended used the time to relieve anxiety they may have gained during the day. The executive board members wanted to provide a sense of relaxation for the students who attended.

I needed to create Instagram posts and stories for people to remember we were having it and to tell their friends, Dana Hoke, the public relations officer for NAMI said.

Hoke had high hopes for the event.

The people who attend will get to have a fun, relaxing night. Classes, work, internships, etc. can be so tiring and stressful and sometimes you need a night to just relax, Hoke said.

The executive board of NAMI said they planned this event with passion, care and hard work. The attending students smiled because of the calming air that filled the room.

Before I came to this event, I was having tons of anxiety and after the event, I was distracted and happy. I went to this event hoping to get relaxation out of this event and I got just that, student Abigail Heister said.

The event focused on having a calm, serene atmosphere so students could take a moment to take care of themselves after having a hard, anxiety-filled day.

Some of the attendees of NAMIs wellness event mentioned there is stigma on mental health and they felt it is good to surround themselves with people who truly understand what it is like to have a mental illness.

The wellness event helped spread awareness about mental health and allowed students to find those whom they can relate to.

I attended this event because I wanted to be a part of it [NAMI]. The stigma of mental illness really bothers me, so its nice to be in a room full of people who understand me, student Lizzie Ritter said.

Brianna Armour, president of NAMI, believes mental health is just as important as physical health.

I believe that we should all support each other in ending the stigma surrounding mental health issues, Armour said.

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Event spreads awareness about mental health - The Slate Online

No one does as good as Jennifer Lopez. The diva from the Bronx of 50 years does not cease to amaze us day in and day out, proves that is still one of the most beautiful women and most talented Hollywood.

As usual, it is in the rule, together with its 115 million followers on Instagram (the number increased exponentially after his brilliant performance in the Super Bowl 2020 strategy, in addition to the Colombian Shakira) material about their work, their training, their new songs and their alliances of fashionincluding the successful campaigns of the Coach, Guess, and Versace, to name just a few.

But in a recent posting, we saw a different side of JLo. Pad on the beach, listening to relaxing music; he made a video for his fans, where he from the bottom to the top, and ends up smiling in the camera while the sun towards them. Super natural and without make-up (just a little bit of golden shadow in the eyes, raised his gaze and soft lips), the singer wore Romper suit, white color, with a deep neckline and strips in the form of a network on the sides.

Her hair, directly a url of Chanel, and an impressive diamond ring also appeared in the video, which lasts only a few seconds, and proves that the glamour should not be lost, even if its a day at the beach. When you are finished, you can see a photo of her for the assessment of the outfit total, you have added a pair of sunglasses with glittering details at the sides and a wide hat color camel.

On the foot photo, Jennifer added: no one likes a cloudy day at the beach. As the video was already expected for 11 million views and thousands of comments like youre beautiful, you have a natural Shine, your smile is electric.

The future wife of the athlete Alex Rodriguez he was with the natural, and won in the networks. What is to repeat again the experience?

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Jennifer Lopez never showed: relaxing on the beach and face washed - Matzav Review

After having a computer study the speech patterns of an American President famed for his public speaking one naturally has it recite Palpatine?

Alan Watts would be more fun.

Disney is seeking an Admiral for their Galactic Starcruiser, Halcyon. That means theres an open position for general manager of the Star Wars theme hotel at Walt Disney World, Florida. From the Job Summary: Are you ready to command a Galactic Starcruiser, the Halcyon, where you will take passengers on an adventure to a galaxy []

Assembling LEGOs official Star Destroyer kit [Amazon] is no mean feat: it has nearly 4,800 pieces and retails for $700. But Matt Benner, aka TheBrickWiz, went 30,000 better, constructing a collossal Star Wars spaceship to put the fear of Vader into any rebel fool enough to fall into its gravity well. He even made the []

Marijuana legalization sweeps a galaxy far, far away? No! A new series set 200 years before the Jedi let shit fall apart.

For professional or personal purposes, your writing should make you look good. Easier said than done for manyyes, even those of us getting paid to write. Everyone needs an editor, as they say. Why not ensure you always have one, including in your pocket on your smartphone? Nail down your grammar, spelling, style, punctuation, and []

From outlines to lists to freeform scrawl that tumbles and twists its way across a page, everybodys got their own style for taking notes. That style often comes from years of scholastic and professional arenas, refining the process for retaining key information that works best for you. And, as you probably learned from borrowing your []

First off, we wanted to give you one last reminder that were holding on to an iPhone 11, a pair of AirPods and a Belkin wireless charging pad, all with your name on them. Theyre free and theyre just waiting for you to make a move. All youve gotta do is enter the iPhone []

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Computer generated JFK gives the 'Darth Plagueis the wise' speech - Boing Boing