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Friday, July 8, 2016

Will ASO get funky when Piedmont Park fills in for Symphony Hall?

Man Found Hanging From Tree In Piedmont Park

On Thursday, well find out if the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra can get down.

The august ensemble will appear Thursday on Oak Hill at Piedmont Park for one of its popular, free outdoor concerts. In addition to familiar orchestral fare, such as Rossinis overture to The Barber of Seville and Beethovens Symphony No. 5, the ASO plans to get on the good foot with I Feel Good, from James Brown.

That was supposed to be a surprise, smiled a slightly crestfallen Joseph Young, the ASOs assistant conductor, who will be wielding the baton Thursday. It got leaked.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will return to Piedmont Park on Thursday, June 23, for a free outdoor concert on the Oak Hill lawn, in the southwest corner of the park. The sun will set, the lightning bugs will come out, and the orchestra will get funky? CONTRIBUTED BY JEFF ROFFMAN

The symphony may have been denied the chance to surprise its audience with a soulful encore, but the advance notice could be a good thing. Expectations are raised and the pressure is on. Speaking last week, Young said the symphony still had some time left to learn how to get up for the downstroke.

We have two more rehearsals to get a little funky.

Certainly the outdoor shows at Piedmont Park allow the ASO a chance to loosen that black tie. Or do without it completely.

Rather than the tuxedo or long black dress, the attire onstage will be more informal: white shirt, black slacks, or black skirt. No jackets required.

This is wise, since temperatures on Thursday are expected to boil up into the mid-90s. Young is, however, not so easy on himself, insisting on wearing a white dinner jacket for the performance.

Hes done it before, without passing out. I felt a few times I was on the verge, but I made it through.

Young grew up in Goose Creek, S.C., north of Charleston, where he played the trumpet until a conducting class at the Governors School for the Arts set him on a path to the podium.

Young has served previously with the Phoenix Symphony, the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Baltimore Symphony. He conducts about 50 concerts a season with the ASO, and is also the music director for the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra.

He enjoys the less structured outdoor performances as an opportunity to bring a broader audience to the ASO. When the orchestra plays Piedmont Park (sponsored by Bank of America), he can look out over the audience and see folks relaxing on blankets, sipping cold beverages from coolers, while little kids dance and lightning bugs and stars add an ambient glow.

Also on Thursdays program is an innovative Concerto for Bass Trombone, by Chris Brubeck, son of the late jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck. The piece features ASO trombonist Brian Hecht negotiating odd-time passages and improvising a considerable cadenza. Its clear that Chris Brubeck is a jazz musician as well as a classical composer, said Young, adding that the composition draws from both worlds.

Young said the trombone isnt heard often in a concerto setting, and said this versatile piece has much to recommend it, including the talented Hecht and a last movement called James Brown in the Twilight Zone.

(Is there a pattern here?)

The symphony must adapt when performing outdoors. Inside Symphony Hall, the ensemble performs acoustically. In the park, the orchestras sound is reinforced with the help of microphones and amplifiers.

Musicians also use music clips to keep the breeze from taking their staff paper across 10th Street, and canopies, fans and water bottles will keep the players cool (ish) and hydrated.

What about those million-dollar Guarneri violins? Many symphony string musicians have secondary instruments that they use at outdoor concerts so that the heat (and the sweat) dont damage their primary ax, in which many have made hefty investments. (Brass and woodwind players generally arent subject to the same jeopardy.)

So, the musicians know how to keep cool, even when the music is hot. In fact, said Young, the person whos going to sweat the most is me.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, performing on Oak Hill at Piedmont Park, 7:30 p.m. June 23. Free. The closest entry is at Charles Allen Drive and 10th Street. Information: www.atlantasymphony.org.

Source: http://www.ajc.com/news/entertainment/music/will-aso-get-funky-when-piedmont-park-fills-in-for/nrkTL/

Roger Federer vs. Milos Raonic, Wimbledon 2016: Time, TV schedule and live stream for men"s semifinal

Federer vs Raonic: Where the battle will be won and lost

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Federer has beaten Raonic nine times in 11 meetings and will try to make it double digits in the Wimbledon semifinals on Friday.

Roger Federer, at age 34, could become the oldest player to ever win at Wimbledon, if he still has two top-tier victories left in the tank. Federer, the third seed, enters Friday"s semifinals with 17 Grand Slam titles, the most of any male player.

He also has seven titles at Wimbledon, and another victory would make him the winningest player in the tournament"s history, breaking a tie with Pete Sampras. Federer is without a doubt one of the greatest tennis players ever, but while he has been able to keep his ranking up lately, he has been unable to notch another Grand Slam win for some time.

The last time he took a Grand Slam win came at Wimbledon in 2012, which was impressive in its own right given he first reached a career No. 1 ranking back in 2004 and turned pro in 1998. He"s had a long career, but there are no easy matches for him from here on out, and it"s only going to get tougher.

On Friday, the challenge comes in the form of Canadian Milos Raonic. He"s on the other end of the spectrum, at 25 years old and still searching for his first Grand Slam singles title. If he gets it, he"d be the first Canadian man to accomplish such a feat, and it would be a load off his shoulders after making two other semifinals in the past.

Most recently, Raonic fell in the semifinals at the Australian Open in 2016. But he"s young, strong and will certainly play many years after Federer eventually retires.

Raonic has the unfortunate honor of having faced Federer 11 times already, and he"s only come out of those meetings with two wins. The most recent matchup was on the hard courts of Brisbane earlier this year, with Raonic coming out on top. They have played at Wimbledon once before, also in the semifinals, a match that Federer won. Their other grass court match, in 2012, was also won by Federer.

Federer was pushed to five sets against Marin Cilic, the first time he"d been pushed that far in nearly two years, in the quarterfinals. But Federer came out on top, and while he should be plenty tired at this stage of the tournament, he professed his excitement at the fact that he came out the other end of such a grueling match.

"What I like about being in a fifth set is you actually get really rested to see where is your fitness, where is your mind at," Federer said after his match against Cilic. "Can your shoulder, your back, your legs -- can they sustain 3 hours, 17 [minutes] of just hitting big serves, running, being explosive?"

Federer"s body certainly handled it, and nine times before he"s handled the challenge brought upon by Raonic.

Federer and Raonic will have the first semifinal match of the day from Centre Court, beginning at 8 a.m. ET. The match will be broadcast at ESPN at that time and a live stream will be available via WatchESPN. The other semifinal match, featuring Andy Murray and Tomas Berdych, will be on the same court immediately afterward.

Coverage for Friday"s matches at Wimbledon

Events: Men"s semifinalsLocation: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon, London, UKTime: 8:00 a.m. ETTV: ESPNStreaming: WatchESPN

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Source: http://www.sbnation.com/tennis/2016/7/8/12124124/2016-wimbledon-championships-roger-federer-milos-raonic-time-tv-schedule-watch-live-online

Dallas Shooter Micah Xavier Johnson Was Army Veteran

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The man identified by a senior law enforcement official as the sniper who shot a dozen Dallas police officers, killing five, served in the Army Reserves for six years and did a stint in Afghanistan, officials confirmed Friday.

Micah Xavier Johnson, 25, left the reserves in 2015. He was working as an aide for mentally challenged children and adults before Thursday"s mass shooting during a police brutality protest, according to an employment application obtained by NBC News.

An aunt told NBC News that she believes Johnson who told a hostage negotiator he wanted to "kill white people," according to authorities was driven to violence by recent incidents in which black men were killed by cops.

"I think a person can only take so much," she said, adding, "It should not have happened. Nobody wants to see that kind of tragedy."

Johnson"s Facebook page had few public posts but did contain a photo of him raising his fist in what could be a black-power salute and a graphic image of the fist logo.

Micah Xavier Johnson, suspect who was killed after a standoff in the ambush of 12 Dallas police officers on Friday. via Facebook

He grew up in Mesquite, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, and graduated from John Horn High School in 2009. He joined the Army Reserve out of school and trained to be a carpentry and masonry specialist after basic training.

In a January employment application, he said he was looking for construction work.

"I can assist or lead the building of homes or building for the safety of individuals, families or corporations," he wrote. "I was specifically trained in laying the foundation, framing, interior finishing, exterior finishing, electrical wiring, and plumbing to complete desired building."

While serving the reserves, Johnson worked for Fly Guys Distribution Company as a "foreman," managing a team that distributed advertising flyers in the McKinney area, his application says.

In November 2010, he started as shift manager at Jimmy John"s Gourmet Sandwich Shop in North Dallas. Two years later, he took a job as a "quality assurance specialist" at the International Truck Plant in Garland, Texas, according to the application. At the plant, he said, he also worked on Army vehicles, including bomb-resistant trucks known as MRAPs.

None of the companies where Johnson said he worked responded to requests for comment.

There is no evidence that Johnson had a security clearance. He was on active duty from September 2013 to April 2015. The military said he deployed to Afghanistan from November 2013 to July 2014.

Micah Xavier Johnson, suspect who was killed after a standoff in the ambush of 12 Dallas police officers on Friday. via Facebook

During his deployment, he did construction work on military bases, he told prospective employers. He also served general guard duty, but there is no evidence that he participated in any combat.

Johnson left the Army Reserve in April 2015. Military sources said he was transferred to the Individual Ready Reserve, meaning he was no longer connected to a unit or required to continue drilling.

Since returning from Afghanistan, Johnson had been working for a Mesquite company, Touch of Kindness. He said his job was to "assist [sic] mentally challenged children and adults with transportation to and from various appointments and retail stores."

A woman who answered the phone at the company told NBC News that Johnson had not come into work on Friday because it was his normal day off. She did not know he was connected to the Dallas shootings and said she found it impossible to believe.

"He"s not that kind of person," he said. "He"s not violent. That can"t be him."

The aunt declined to go into detail about Johnson"s background, including whether he had a history of violence or emotional problems.

"Of course, someone did go out of their mind briefly," she said.

"Everybody is shocked, everybody is so shocked. But everybody sees what this is about. Did Xavier go too far? Yeah."

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/dallas-police-ambush/dallas-shooter-micah-xavier-johnson-was-army-veteran-n606101

#PrayForDallas: Social media users share anger, pride and support after Dallas shootings

Pray for Dallas, Texas Cops
WASHINGTON (Sinclair Broadcast Group)

At a press conference, Friday morning, Dallas Police Chief David Brown urged the public to show support for law enforcement following the killings of five officers in a shooting Thursday night.

"We don"t feel much support most days. Let"s not make today most days," Brown said.

Social media users in Dallas and across the country are heeding his call, offering prayers and thanks for police. They are also expressing their grief, pain, and anger over the tragic events.

#PrayForDallas was trending on Twitter overnight as details of the sniper attack emerged. Many were also using the hashtag #DallasStrong Friday.

Source: http://wjla.com/news/nation-world/social-media-users-respond-to-dallas-police-shootings-prayfordallas-dallasstrong

How Gretchen Carlson Took On the Chief of Fox News

Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace 7/3/16 | Rep. Becerra talks Clinton email probe, Benghazi report
Photo Gretchen Carlson was let go from Fox News after 11 years. The company cited disappointingly low ratings. Credit Timothy Greenfield-Sanders/Stockland Martel

On June 21, Gretchen Carlson devoted the closing minutes of her afternoon Fox News show, The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson, to discussion of a milestone: She turned 50 that day.

I know, normally folks on TV wouldnt readily admit their age, but since theres nothing you can do about it, you might as well own it and be happy, she said with a laugh. And, boy, do I have so much to be grateful for.

Two days later, she was summoned to a postshow meeting with a Fox News executive and told that, after 11 years at the network, her contract was not being renewed. The meeting took less than a minute, according to her lawyer, Nancy Erika Smith.

On Wednesday, Ms. Carlson sent shock waves through the media world when she filed a lawsuit against the powerful Fox News chairman Roger Ailes, accusing him, among other things, of sexual harassment and sexism. The news channels parent company, 21st Century Fox, said that it was conducting an internal review of the matter.

Mr. Ailes denied the charges, and said that the disappointingly low ratings for Ms. Carlsons show was the reason she was let go.

When Fox News did not commence any negotiations to renew her contract, Ms. Carlson became aware that her career with the network was likely over and conveniently began to pursue a lawsuit, he said in a statement.

Though a prominent personality at Fox for many years, Ms. Carlson does not have the star power at the network of Megyn Kelly or Bill OReilly. But within minutes of the lawsuit going public, Ms. Carlson became a person of enormous interest in the world of television news.

Document

Ms. Carlson, the Fox anchor, says that Roger Ailes, the chairman of Fox News, fired her from the network after she refused his sexual advances.

Ms. Carlson grew up in Anoka, Minn., where the future Congresswoman Michele Bachmann was one of her childhood nannies. She attended Stanford University, studying organizational behavior, though she did spend a year abroad at Oxford University focusing on the work of Virginia Woolf, Ms. Smith said. Before her senior year, she became a contestant in the Miss America beauty pageant, which she won in 1988.

A trained violinist, Ms. Carlson was proud of her achievement, saying her victory proved the pageant was as interested in a contestants intelligence as her looks.

It shows that Im not a bimbo, that I do have intelligence and that I do represent what every woman wants to be in this society, which is a career woman, and be respected for her intelligence, she said in January 1989.

After graduating from Stanford, she worked for several local TV stations before becoming the host of the Saturday edition of CBSs third-place morning show, The Early Show, in 2002.

She was very, very serious and competent and ambitious about doing journalism the way CBS News was known for, Victor Neufeld, an executive producer of The Early Show, said on Wednesday.

She joined Fox News morning show Fox and Friends, in 2006, co-hosting it for eight years.

In 2009, Jon Stewart devoted a segment of The Daily Show to Ms. Carlson, showing clips of her saying she had to Google words like czar and ignoramus to learn their definitions. Mr. Stewart then detailed her stellar educational background, accused her of playing dumb for Foxs audience and said, You dont have to stash your I.Q. in an offshore account.

Ms. Carlson is married to Casey Close, a sports agent known for his tough negotiating style, and a roster of clients that includes Derek Jeter. The couple have two children.

She has been upfront in discussing matters of sexism in the workplace.

In September 2013, shortly after she was removed from Fox and Friends, she appeared on the Fox News Radio show of her former co-host Brian Kilmeade and noted that she was dressed casually. The morning show, she said, had a strict rule: She could not wear pants on air.

The year before, Ms. Carlson walked off the set of Fox and Friends in apparent protest when Mr. Kilmeade made a disparaging comment about women. (She later said she was joking.)

And last year Ms. Carlson wrote about sexual harassment for The Huffington Post.

Most professional women I know have experienced sexual harassment, she wrote. So have I a few times and I never talked about it until now. If that seems surprising, it shouldnt be. Ive always considered myself a strong woman, not afraid to stand up for myself, but in the face of sexual harassment I was silent.

As the issue takes a prominent place in the headlines today, I sometimes feel guilty about my trepidation, Ms. Carlson continued. Perhaps I could have moved the conversation forward if I had come forth.

Continue reading the main story

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/07/business/media/gretchen-carlson-files-s*x-harassment-suit-against-roger-ailes-of-fox-news.html

U.S. job market bounces back in a big way

Placing Dallas Sniper Attacks In A Historical Context | Morning Joe | MSNBC

This morning that question was answered in a rather emphatic way. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this morning that the U.S. economy added 287,000 jobs in June, making it the strongest month for job creation so far this year and the best overall since October 2015. The unemployment rate ticked higher to 4.9%, but thats not necessarily bad news: more people entered the job market last month, which affects the broader rate.

For the first time in over eight years, weve been at or below 5% unemployment for nine consecutive months. Whats more, the dramatic rebound from May to June represents the largest one-month shift in employment since before the recession began.

As for the revisions: Aprils job totals were revised up, from 123,000 to 144,000, while Mays were revised down, from 38,000 to an even more woeful 11,000. Combined, thats a modest loss of 6,000.

Over the last 12 months, the overall economy has created 2.45 million new jobs, which is a pretty healthy number, and if the current pace keeps up, were on track to create more than 2 million jobs in 2016, despite Mays dreadful totals. Whats more, June was the 69th consecutive month of positive job growth, which is the longest on record.

Above youll find the chart I run every month, showing monthly job losses since the start of the Great Recession. The image makes a distinction red columns point to monthly job totals under the Bush administration, while blue columns point to job totals under the Obama administration.

Update: Heres another chart, this oneshowing monthly job losses/gains injust the private sectorsince the start of the Great Recession.

Source: http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/us-job-market-bounces-back-big-way

Tomi Lahren Doubles Down On BET Remarks: "I Don"t Care What You Call Me"

Tomi Lahren Attacks Jesse Williams & Responds To Black Twitter

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After her take down of the BET awards for what she described as anenshrinement of black victimhood and racism, Tomi Lahren caught significant flak. But shes not backing down.

Here it goes again, I call out a race bait and Im black Twitter public enemy No. 1. Oh,bring it on, Lahren began. Half-white Jesse Williams stands up at the BET awards and bashes white people for being white and Im the racist? OK, sure. If hes half white is he half racist?

Im not pressed or angry black people gettin woke, Im all for it, Lahren said, quoting some of her dissenters. But youre telling me it takes a stupid BET award speech or a Super Bowl performance by entertainers to empower you? And what exactly are you getting woke to do? Thats what I dont get.

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Lahren went on to claim she understands some racism does exist, but believes it will not resolve itself so long as our leaders continue to exploit the divide for their advantage.

Listen, I know racism exists and its not going to stop when our leaders keep exploiting the divide, she said. Some in the black entertainment community, like Jesse Williams, believe the only way to empower is to pit black Americans against white Americans in some kind of a dominance battle, a melanin showdown. I dont want any part of that.

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I talk about race and race baiting because, quite frankly, most white people are afraid to. They dont want to say something wrong and offend anyone, or heaven forbid be labeled a racist. I dont play that game.

Lahren saidshe believes black Americans are just as proud and capable as everyone else, but added that gold stars or special treatment for the color of your skin is ultimately insulting.

I dont think black Americans are weak, I dont think youre victims. I think youre strong proud and free Americans, just like the rest of the people in this country, she said. I dont think you need special treatment or gold stars for your existence. Thats insulting to you as individuals.

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Source: http://www.westernjournalism.com/tomi-lahren-doubles-down-on-bet-remarks-i-dont-care-what-you-call-me/