• • Muay Thai Boxing
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  • Konsole Kingz at E3 2010 w/ Russell Simmons, Redman, Method Man & Larry Johnson (Def Jam Rapstar)
  • TRADITIONAL BELGIAN ARBORETUM
  • Drum Track Processing Tips – Part 5 – Equalization
  • Justin Timberlake – What Goes Around…Comes Around
  • Collaboration Replaces Competition For Business Success In The New Millennium
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Because Thai boxers are allowed kick with their feet and use their elbows, Muay Thai requires a lot more skill than western boxing and can seem to be a much more brutal show. Yet, there is often a level of respect between the fighters that makes it a more honorable sport than the pugilism you may be used to back home. And, rather than the rap or heavy metal music that plays at many American matches, you will often hear traditional wood winds and chimes at a boxing match in Thailand! What you may not know is that Muay Thai is part of Thailand’s ancient heritage.

Thai Boxing In History

Traditional Thai boxing goes back hundreds of years and has been an important part of the country’s history. Many people are surprised that Thais, a notoriously peaceful people, excel at this beautifully brutal sport. The reason they do so is that for hundreds of years the survival of their nation depended on it. Because the terrain on the Thailand borders is often rough and uneven, it was not in the Thai’s advantage to develop long range weapons to ward off invaders.

Instead they decided to create a close hand to hand style of fighting that would lead to battles that favored the defenders over the invading armies – who would never understand the local terrain as well as the patriots they were fighting. As long ago as the mid 1500s, the celebrated warrior king Naresuan The Great – a boxing legend – made Muay Thai a mandatory part of his army’s military training.

Perhaps the most famous instance of Thai boxing in the countries history came 200 years later when the warrior Nai Khanom Tom was kidnapped by Burma during a raid on Siam’s capitol. After he was captured he made a challenge to his Burmese captors. If he could take on 10 of their best fighters at once and win, Burma would free him and his people. Thinking that they would easily prevail, the Burmese agreed. Nai Khanom then used his Muay Thai skills to defeat all 10 adversaries and return to Thailand as one of the nation’s greatest heroes!

Modern Muay Thai

For much of its history Muay Thai was a brutal dangerous sport. It was raw hand to hand combat – with ropes and cords wrapped around the hands instead of gloves. As Thailand has entered the modern age, the rules have changed slightly to protect the fighters, who now wear padded gloves and protection for their groins. While boxers can still use their elbows and feet during the match most of the other rules have been modified to comply with international boxing regulations. This has allowed the popularity of Muay Thai to spread throughout the world and today you can find Thai Boxing training centers in most of the western world including the United States and Russia.

In Thailand itself Muay Thai is even more popular than soccer and is broadcast on television five to seven nights a week. Many of the fighters begin training when they are only seven or eight years old and some have made the move to western style boxing – and become international stars in their own right! The best modern Muay Thai combatants fight in the Lumpini or Ratchadamnoen stadiums to a universally packed audience. If you want to see a fight and not have to face very long lines, your best bet is to go to one of the stadiums around 6:30 p.m. on a Sunday – when attendance is at its lowest point for the week. There are usually several lower ranked fights before the main event – which you can expect to kick off around 9 p.m.

The Rules

Of course, Muay Thai has its own unique set of rules which may be confusing at first to a western spectator. Before the fight can begin, each fighter must perform a wai khru dance as a way to show respect for his teachers and trainers.

There are only five rounds.

Boxers must wear gloves.

The gloves must weigh at least six ounces.

Gloves can not be squeezed in any way that would alter their original shape.

Each round is three minutes long and there is a two minute break in between rounds.

The winner is decided by knockout or by points. Whoever wins the most rounds wins the fight.

Contestants can only wear red or blue trunks.

Shirts and shoes are not allowed.

Both fighters must wear groin protection.

Before the fight a sacred cloth called the Mongkol may be worn as a headband. It must be removed before the fighting begins. The cloth is worn to pay homage to the fighter’s trainers and heritage. It is also thought to give the fighter good luck. All equipment must be provided by the stadium. This includes a stopwatch, a signal gong, a warning bell, boxing gloves, water, jock straps and surgical tape.

Learning Muay Thai

Some men, after watching these beautiful guys pummel each other in the ring are tempted to learn the sport themselves. While that used to be impossible – as local trainers for centuries would only train local Thai men starting from a young age, all that changed in 1997. That’s when the World Muay Thai Council established the first recognized training academy for the sport. The Muay Thai Institute in Rangsit, just north of Bangkok was created as a way to make this cherished sport accessible to everyone and preserve its fabled heritage.

All of the teachers at the institute are former champions and they are required to speak English. They will teach anyone and everyone – including women and foreigners. The course covers most of the historical and cultural background of Muay Thai as well as the physical skills and fitness training. You can take classes to learn how to be a referee or on how to start your own stadium or training program. Dormitories are available but you might be considerably more comfortable taking a nearby hotel for your 15 day stay.

The first three levels of training cost roughly $160 per course, while the fourth, expert level course is much more rigorous and costs about $1,200. School management can help you with any student visa issues that may pop up.

Come And Enjoy The Show

Whether you want to just sit back and watch the guys fight, or if you want to lace up your gloves and join in yourself, Thai boxing is something no one should miss on any trip to Thailand.

Download the newest Armada albums and singles in December and January for extra low prices. Go to www.itunes.com and get the best dance music the world has to offer. Track list: 01 DJ Yvan – Adagio for Strings 2009 (Phil Green Rework) 02 Dakota – Koolhaus (Original Mix) 03 Sunlounger – Sunny Tales 04 Roger Shah presents Savannah – Body Lotion (Inspirations Mix) 05 Rex Mundi feat. Susana – Nothing At All (Elevation Remix) 06 Andrew Bennet – Evolution (DER Remix) 07 Armin van Buuren feat. Jaren – Unforgivable (First State Smooth Mix) 08 Arnej – People Come, People Go (ChillOut Mix)

They say their music is influenced by a special combo of religious upbringing and whiskey! They are the Kings of Leon, this Tennessee family Rockers are talking about the loads of appreciation they got all over the world but in America until their fifth record, the drugs-sex-Rock spirit and want they think of it and the stressful “before the awarding time” at the Brits.

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Man’s interpretation and focus on various locations that capture the spirit of Nature, as with music, have their own individual ‘accent’ in each country of the world, depending upon the climate and the amount of expertise, flair and imagination that has gone into their creation. Some of these natural wonders are simple affairs, whilst others are great symphonies of design, color and passion. Experience this traditional Belgian arboretum and feel the inner power created by the sensitive combination of nature and music. A truly relaxing feast of both vision and sound!

Now that you have read the previous installments of our series, it is time we explore the concept of equalization. Bear with me because, frankly, this is hard to write about. It’s sort of like talking about bath water. Generally speaking, subtractive EQ is better than boosting, but really, anything goes. I tend to favor hardware over software, but often times a plug-in allows more surgical moves so I’ll utilize them when necessary. Here are some concepts that I tend to think about when I approach a mix.

First let us consider the kick drum as related to the bass guitar. Here you must decide where each element will live. Will the bass carry the low end information while the kick drum provides the punch or will the deep impact of the kick dominate the lows while the bass sits right on top? There are no rules, but I tend to let the tempo and busy-ness of the bass line dictate who lives where. If you have a down tempo number with a fairly slow bass line, it may be nice to have the bass carry the bottom octaves while the kick drum smacks you in the chest. Conversely, if you have a busy 16th note bass line on a fusion track, the kick may want to live in the basement while the bass surfs the stairs. This is usually my first critical decision when I start a mix and it will set up the way I address the rest of the tracks.

Another important consideration is how the snare drum track relates to the lead vocal track. How do you get a snare drum to “crack” with punch and clarity without stepping all over the lead vocal? You either have the snare sit above or below the frequency of the vocal. In a lot of modern R&B tracks, you’ll find that it sits above the lead vocal, with a lot of the bottom end pulled out. The snare takes on more of a “snap” than a “whack” type quality. This leaves a lot of room for the dozens and dozens of vocal tracks that are the norm for this style of music while still providing a solid backbeat.

A lot of Rock and Pop settings will have the snare EQ’d slightly below the vocal so that the voice is the brightest thing you hear besides cymbals. This allows the snare to really “smack” like it would if you were sitting next to it. In this type of situation, I tend to boost anywhere from 100Hz to 250Hz in subtle amounts to give the snare some “weight” and “slam”. Remember, a properly tuned snare will be quite throaty sounding in a good room. It should have some low end. Again, there are no rules, just things to think about as you’re searching for sonic bliss. Often times, a good ol’ fashioned notch around 300Hz – 400Hz will remove the honk and boxiness of a snare (or any drum, for that matter) so experiment there. Also, boosting in the 3.5kHz – 4.5kHz range can do wonders for finding the right amount of “crack” and presence. Go ahead and experiment with these concepts, and be sure to read my other articles on this site. Part six will further address equalization and will focus on overheads, toms, hi-hats, and room.

Music video by Justin Timberlake performing What Goes Around…Comes Around. (C) 2007 Zomba Recording, LLC

The basic assumptions upon which traditional marketing approaches are built could use some updating. For example, what if I asked you whether businesses actually have to compete for customers?

Does that seem silly? The answer would be, “Of course, they do! What planet are you from? It’s a dog eat dog world–and it’s always been that way.” But there may be an additional perspective, a way that can create a dramatic shift not just in the way business is done but in how we treat our customers and each other.

This is the perspective of collaboration, which implies that each of us is unique, that no two people are exactly the same. If no two people are exactly the same, then it stands to reason that no two businesses are exactly the same. It is simply not possible for two businesses to serve the same client’s needs equally. One will be a better fit than another; the best fit produces a perfect client or customer working with the perfect provider.

Each of us, and the businesses we’ve joined or created, exist for a specific purpose or mission. Your business has developed as a result of your own experiences and needs, and are simply tools for fulfilling that mission. Each business has its own mission to serve a particular group of customers in a particular way. That is why businesses have no need to compete with each other in the way we’ve traditionally thought of it. Instead, business owners and managers could collaborate in ways that truly serve their customers’ and their own interests.

If this sounds heretical, then it shows how deeply the concept of competition — “survival of the fittest” — colors our views of the way we do business.

Today, when consumers have an abundance of choice in products and distribution outlets, businesses can shine even brighter–and be of greatest service to themselves, their organization, their clients, and their communities–when they are knowledgeable about the products and services offered by other businesses in their own and related industries. Consumers value services that save them time, money and headaches.

By becoming this type of resource through collaborating with others in your industry, you are increasing the overall abundance of products and services and will ultimately bring the greatest success to everyone.

Take a moment to contemplate the following questions, and write down your answers. These questions are designed for you to consider what might be possible for you and your business if you had at least one collaborator in your same industry.

Who in your same industry do you consider to be your main “competition?”

* If you were not serving your customers, who would be serving them?

* What services do these businesses offer that are the same as yours? Different from yours?

* Have you ever referred one of your less-than-perfect customers to one of your “competitors?”

* What would stop you from referring a less-than-perfect customer to one of your “competitors?”

* Under what conditions would you refer a less-than-perfect customer to one of your “competitors?”

* Do you belong to an association or organization dedicated solely to your industry?

* If so, what benefits have you received as a result of your membership in that organization?

Who else do you know in your industry who belongs to this organization?

If you want to make a dramatically impressive difference in your business, we invite you to meet or speak with a new potential collaborator every day for the next 21 days. You will create quite a stir within your industry, you will have a greater breadth of knowledge about your industry than other businesses providing similar services, and your reputation for being open and collaborative will spread very quickly resulting in increased positive awareness and referrals.

So, who will you be calling first?

Thai cuisine comes from the country of Thailand on the continent of Asia. Thai ingredients have strong aromas and are characterized by being rather spicy. Thai chefs place emphasis on variety, detail, and balance when performing the art of Thai cooking.

The balance between the five taste senses is one of the foundations of this type of cuisine. Hot/spicy, sweet, sour, salty, and bitter are the five areas that must be balanced within a dish or entire meal. This type of food has been influenced by countries that border Thailand. Many of the most popular Thai dishes, such as stewed pork with rice and fried rice-noodles, actually came from China.

Cooking this type of food involves use of a wok to stir-fry and deep-fry some of the dishes. The meals are often one dish or rice with several accompanying dishes that are eaten family style, meaning that they are shared by everyone at the table. Chopsticks are used to eat noodle soups, but the rest of the food is usually eaten with a fork and spoon. The left hand is used to hold the fork and push the food onto a spoon.

The items used in these meals are cut into bite-sized pieces prior to being cooked. Common ingredients include galangal, curry paste, Thai sweet basil, coconut milk, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and mangos. Staples such as Thai rice noodles and sweet rice are included in many dishes. In addition to the wok, utensils such as a strainer, rice basket, mortar and pestle, skewer, curry pot, and steamer are frequently used to cook the food.

Thai cooking involves incorporating several key ingredients in order to create a meal that is a balance of the five tastes. The food is often spicy and is usually accompanied by rice and eaten family style at the table. This is an interesting form of cuisine that has roots not only in its namesake country, but also in those that border it.

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