Cai Guo-Qiang is no stranger to spectacle.

The Chinese artist, who is known for his explosive fireworks displays and daring experiments with gunpowder, served as the director of visual and special effects for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. His work acrossdrawing, installation, video, and performancehas been variously honored with the Golden Lion at the 1999 Venice Biennale, to the U.S. National Medal of Arts.

For his latest act, Cai has opened a major exhibition to inaugurate the Museum of Art Pudong (M.A.P.) in Shanghai. Titled Odyssey and Homecoming, the exhibition spans three floors of the Jean Nouvel-designedmuseum, and includes 119 of his signature gunpowder paintings, as well as an overview of his long-running dialogue with Western art history.

The artist,who has been based in New York since 1995, is also marking his homecoming to Shanghai, where he studied stage design in the 1980s, by debuting his first-ever VR work and a new kinetic light installation about extraterrestrial life.

We caught up with Cai about his homecoming and his interest in cosmology.

Cai Gui-Qiang, Color Gunpowder Drawing for City of Flowers in the Sky. Exhibition view at the Museum of Art Pudong, 2021. Photo by Mengjia Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio.

Your exhibition Odyssey and Homecoming opened this month at the Museum of Art Pudong in Shanghai. Can you tell me about your relationship with the city?

Shanghai was my first port of departure. I savored the paints of the Shanghai art supplies factory in the early 70s. I left my hometown for the first time in 1978 and stole a ride on the coal train to Shanghai to see aFrench 19th-century rural Landscape paintingexhibition, which was also the first time I saw originals by foreign painters in person. I have a strong memory of this exhibition. It opened the door to drastically different artistic styles for me, which was deeply affecting.

In the early 80s, I left Quanzhou to study at the Shanghai Theatre Academy. At one point, I felt pity that I was studying stage design rather than studying fine arts the Academy of Fine Arts. I was actually very lucky because at that time, the Academy of Fine Arts was quite conservative. It focused on traditional sketching and plastic-art training, and maintained that artistic training should serve bigger political purposes. On the contrary, the Theatre Academy was more experimental.

Can you tell us about any mentors you had there who influenced the way you think?

Zhou Benyi, my teacher in the department of stage design, had a great impact on me. He was the only one in Shanghai who had studied oil painting at the Ilya Repin Leningrad Institute. Aside from his solid painting skills, he emphasized the importance of concepts and forms after a trip to the U.S., where he had been invited by the U.S. Information Agency shortly after Chinese economic reform. In a sense, we were his lab rats for educational reform, as he was exploring the path while teaching us. Under his guidance, we turned to contemplating how and why we create. It enlightened me. Using Shakespeares plays as metaphor, the scripted story is always there, but the key is how you interpret it, what you want to say about it, and how to enact it.

My training at the Theatre Academy also led me to focus on the fluidity of time, multimedia materials, and spatial construction, as well as the spirit of collaborative work. As a result, this experience unintentionally laid a solid foundation for my career as a contemporary artist. Mr. Zhou was always strict with me, and never gave me an easy pass on my proposals. Sometimes he had me redo them five or six times. Later he told me it was because he wanted to see what other surprises and ideas I could offer and what other tricks I could do.

This pursuit of novelty and innovation motivated me to secretly experiment with gunpowder as an artistic medium while I was still a college student. Shanghai was practically the embodiment of Western culture for methe Bund, the sycamore trees, the Bai Du Bridge, and especially those iconic churches, which are also the subjects of some of my early paintings.

Cai Guo-Qiang, Transience II (Peony). Exhibition view at the Museum of Art Pudong, 2021. Photo by Gu Kenryou, courtesy Cai Studio.

The exhibition includes 119 of your gunpowder paintings. How has the way you think about these works changed since you first began making them decades ago?

Gunpowder has a life of its own. The question has always been: how can I fully present its vitality and the charisma of its spirit? The uncontrollability does not just lie in the material itselfgunpowder brings out the uncontrollable side in me! If I dont lose control, neither will gunpowder.

As I gain experience manipulating gunpowder, the need for losing control grows stronger. With more experience and better understanding of the material, the fireworks themselves becomes more controllable. Ultimately the gunpowder is there to explode and unleash me, not only to explode the painting surface.

Exhibition view of A Material Odyssey, a Getty Conservation Institute research exhibition at the Museum of Art Pudong, 2021. Photo by Gu Kenryou, courtesy Cai Studio.

As part of the exhibition, you have recreated your Individuals Journey Through Western Art History for a Chinese audience. What is different about this audience, and how did you adapt the work?

I first had the idea of embarking on a journey through Western art history when I was young. Throughout the journey, I let the spirit and creativity of the master artists cultivate my own qi, and in doing so, I tried to confront the difficulties in contemporary painting. I think dialoguing with different chapters of Western art is to pay respect to, and at the same time decentralize the West. When this exhibition tours to China, I believe it in a sense challenges the Sino-centric view, and pursues a kind of liberty and equality, because it advocates for the idea of inheriting all civilizations in mankinds history as our united heritage.

This exhibition was first held at the Palace Museum last December at the four major galleries of the Meridian Gate. These are works I created along my odyssey, for exhibitions at several museums in the West. Some of these museums used to be palaces or were closely associated with the court culture. When the works made in the context of Western palaces are installed at the Palace Museum, a sense of tension created by the dialogue and contrast between different cultures became apparent.

The Museum of Art Pudong, a venue created for Modern and contemporary art, is quite a different context for the exhibition. Compared to the Palace Museum, M.A.P. is more suitable for displaying artworks. It has extensive white floors and walls as well as Malevichs Suprematist ceiling. When looking at the art, one tends to think about the artists aesthetic consideration, the methodology behind it, and the choice of materials. Of course, in this white cube, my exhibition, as well as the Tate and the Mir exhibitions are perhaps quite pristine and elitist. Conversely, the new work Encounter with the Unknown created for the X Hall is quite experimental and adventurous.

Exhibition view of Encounter with the Unknown at the Museum of Art Pudong, 2021. Photo by Gu Kenryou, courtesy Cai Studio.

Lets talk about that newly commissioned installation, Encounter with the Unknown,whichdraws on images from different stories and myths of humans embracing the cosmos, from Mayan cosmology to Americas obsession with the little green men.What prompted your fascination with the extra-terrestrial?

As a child, I frequently gazed up at the stars and imagined what lies beyond the starry sky. Moving to Japan in 1986, I soon moved beyond the East-West dichotomy, and observed humankind from the perspective of the cosmos. In 1989, I initiated the series of explosion events Projects for Extraterrestrials. Back then I already believed that there existed extraterrestrials and superpower, and that there is the unseen world behind our world. So I very much hoped these elements could be incorporated in my art, and that my artistic methodology and philosophy would have a spiritual dimension.

My installation Encounter with the Unknowncontinues the cosmic theme, through which I wish to convey a boys curiosity and sentiments toward the unknown world.

The work weaves together humanitys desire to defy gravity and embrace the cosmos shared across civilizations. For example, at the very beginning, mankind did not believe that the earth is round. Seeing the sails on the sailboat sink afar, they thought they could blow the sailboat that is large enough off to the sky. Throughout history, some wanted to fly into the sky on birds, and then there was Wanhu, who tied rockets under his chair in an attempt to send himself off into the universe.

Still for VR work Sleepwalking in the Forbidden City Courtesy Cai Studio.

You are also using the occasion of the exhibition to debut your first-ever VR work: Sleepwalking in the Forbidden City,in which people can watch one of your daytimefirework shows over the historic landmark.How did you find working with the medium was able to open up your artistic practice?

I have just begun to experiment with VR. The new technology and its worldview make it possible to create new ways to represent our world and its long history. For example, VRs characteristics of manifesting the surreal and unseen should be amplified in my art, since my art is about using the visible to represent the unseen.

What also concerns me is how to imbue this high-tech medium with warmth as well as an animalistic energy. Thats why I insisted on making the VR film in the style of myPeasant da Vincis, instead of invoking the kind of virtual, CG aesthetics seen in Hollywood movies.

I grafted different languages and mediums together, not minding it being raw and contradictory. The conceptual quality born from the collaging and conflicting of different languages, is more important to me as an artist.

Exhibition view of A Material Odyssey, a Getty Conservation Institute research exhibition at the Museum of Art Pudong, 2021. Photo by Gu Kenryou, courtesy Cai Studio.

Another new technology has been making waves in the art world this past year: NFTs. You have delved into the field with your Transient Eternity101 Ignitions of Gunpowder Paintings which recently sold for $2.5 million. What do you think about NFTs, and do you see yourself experimenting with them further?

These 101 ignition moments from the pieces I created during my Individuals Journey Through Western Art History always exist as an integral part of the gunpowder paintings. NFT technology makes it possible to own and collect these moments, which are transformed as transient eternity.

The project asks what defines an artists work and what is an art project. It reflects on the questions surrounding the transience and eternity of the digital age embodied by NFTs, and the core concept of how value is stored. In the age of pandemic and post-pandemic, through this project, I also reflect on the weight of transient existence in the eternal river of time.

I already have a number of ideas for NFTs. I think my next NFT projects ought to be more adventurous than what have been achieved so far. Is it possible to create an art project with a more forward-looking vision, and with more compelling forms and concepts, by leveraging the core values unique to NFT technology?

Cai Guo-Qiang: Odyssey and Homecoming is on view through March 7, 2022, at the Museum of Art Pudong, Shanghai.

Originally posted here:
There Is an Unseen World Behind Our World: Artist Cai Guo-Qiang on What the Cosmos Can Reveal About Humanity - artnet News

The news is spreading quickly through the AV/UC industry. Two industry heavyweights, Shure andCrestron,have achieved something that many supposed industry insiders recently thought was very unlikely.So what has happened and is it really a revolution in AV systems integration?

Microsoft has certified the first MS Teams Room System in which the audio DSP is not connected to the soft codec as external hardware via USB, but instead runs directly on the UC PC as software.

This innovation is rightly celebrated extensively by both partners. See hereandhere. The combination is indeed special, as it is the first AV system from two independent manufacturers without any internal cabling.

Toms Blog, which I value, provides the most important information in a blog post, without going into the background. A joint video from Shure and Crestron also provides marketing information but doesnt quite capture the full impact for the industry as a whole.

Is there really much more to it?Why am I talking about a revolution for AV systems integration? In my opinion, what impact can, and in fact, will this announcement have on meeting room AV technology? In the following article, I would like to give you an overview of the reasons why this single solution from two important companies has what it takes to fundamentally change our business.

AV installations are a PC-free zoneWhile practically all other areas of the professional audio/video industry have long relied on PC technology instead of proprietary hardware, AV installation was and is apparently a Gallic village. This is strange insofar as the requirements in the vast majority of audio installations have long been met by normal PC technology.

In therecording studio, its been almost 10 years sinceAvid Pro Tools & Co almost invariably runs natively on PC and Mac. This means no special hardware in the form of DSP farms is required the CPUs from Intel and AMD carry out all the calculations themselves. Ideally, a GPU also helps as a powerful arithmetic servant. The providers can see how the PC world offers more powerful hardware from year to year.

Even inlive operations, the days of heavy side racks with countless effects devices are long gone. Either the effects are built into the mixer (see for example Allen & Heath) or a small notebook with suitable Waves softwaredelivers every imaginable audio effect.

The same trend can be seen in video editingandpost-processingthanks to solutions such as Blackmagic DesignsDaVinci Resolve.

Even live productionsare increasinglybeing realised with native PC software solutions such asVMIX.

And in the meeting room? There has been a strict separation to this day. On the one side proprietary audio DSPs and on the other the UC engines, i.e. PCs or Macs that run a soft codec for conferencing. The connection in between is a USB cable, which despite being chosen is an interface that isnt really popular on one side or the other.

PCs are well hidden in a 19 rackBut are there really no PCs in fixed audio installations? Of course there are; but they are very well hidden! Of course, AV manufacturers cannot ignore the economic viability of PC technology but you could almost believe that they want to keep it a secret. Instead of proclaiming a revolution for AV system integration with the new possibilities, innovations only trickle into products gradually.

Example 1:One of the most successful suppliers of audio DSPs is undoubtedly QSC. Its Q-SYS productsare flawless mini-PCs with Linux and node.js as central software components.In the case of the largeQ-SYS 5200 Core, it is even publicly made clear that it is a completely normalDELL R740server.

An essential point, however, is that the customer cannot install the respective DSP software on his own server. This is exactly what QSC had already taken to market in 2017 (see here https://www.qsc.com/news/news/detail/qsc-provides-glimpse-into-the-future-of-audio-video-and-control-processing -at-ise-amsterdam) and unfortunately did not quite succeed with. Opinions differ as to why this was but it may be that the time wasnt right then.

Example 2:With the IntelliMix P300 Audio Conferencing Processor, Shure offers a small but powerful audio DSP. This is particularly popular in the UC environment: docked to UC engines with Zoom or MS Teams via USB interface, with smart table and ceiling microphones integrated via Dante on the audio side and all operated via PoE+.

However, the P300 is basically a mini PC. It was in 2020 that Shure took the decisive step and separated the software from the hardware.

Voil, welcome to Shure IntelliMix Roomfor Windows.

Intellimix Room runs on any 64-bit Windows system with very modest minimum requirements:

As you can hear from the industry, the success of this software product to date is still manageable. AV integrators are still too caught up in a box shifting mentality but Shure didnt give in that easily and has now found a real killer application.

The revolution for AV system integration: the audio DSP migrates to the UC engineAs is well known, room clients from Zoom and MS Teams run on conventional PC technology. The term soft codec makes it clear that it is a software solution compared to video conference devices with proprietary hardware and software combinations.

And this is exactly where the circle closes. If both software packages are already running on a single PC, why not run both on the same PC together? Of course, it has to be powerful enough, but that is really no longer a problem these days.

You really have to congratulate the partners, Shure and Crestron, for convincing Microsoft of the good sense of such a solution. It was certainly not that easy, as there are still no (public) test criteria for such a combination. Logically, all interfacing problems in terms of AEC are off the table in one fell swoop. Bravo!

Whats next? The outlook for really deeply integrated systemsIs that enough to start a revolution in AV systems integration? Will other providers follow suit and also offer soft DSPs? Quite possibly and it is certainly desirable in terms of a wider range. But I would go one step further (or are there several steps?). Imagine the following scenarios:

1. UC clients on their own audio hardwareWhy not turn the tables and use the Teams/Zoom/etc install client on an audio product? Why not run Zoom Rooms natively on a QSC Q-SYS Core? The blinkers of the platform providers probably do not yet allow such a way of thinking, but it would certainly be an absolutely sensible solution. Instead of converting a mini PC to an audio installation, current AV devices already meet all requirements in terms of design, sales channel, support structures and the like.

2. Massive expansion of the functionality of audio DSPsThis has already been mentioned several times on my own blog. The gap between the performance of traditional audio DSPs in our industry and the cloud-driven algorithms of software providers (seehere) is constantly widening. When the two worlds meet on the same hardware, there are suddenly enormous synergies and an unprecedented price/performance ratio for the customer.

3. The same applies to videoIf, thanks to theDANTE Virtual Sound Card, audio suddenly goes in and out of a UC engine via the LAN, the same is possible for video. NDI is a perfect solution for this. And such networking is a condition for the following point.

4. Conference hostingInstead of having your own small PC with the appropriate software in each meeting room, this will be centralised in the future. What Crestron does in the world of media control withCrestron Virtual Control VC-4, for example, can also work in conferencing. Microphones, cameras and even loudspeakers that are remote but on the network allow conferencing hardware to be moved to a (local) datacentre. Just think of the effects this has on customer groups such as universities when the rollout of collaboration technology in every lecture hall suddenly becomes very easy!

SummaryWhat Crestron and Shure have just announced in terms of MS Teams Rooms is definitely a milestone in the AV world:

But instead because it opens up the hitherto rather isolated market of AV installation for new providers:

All of these developments require a solid foundation of advice and planning and I am available for inquiries and comments.

Harald Steindl is a consultant based in Austria. This article first appeared on the HST Raising the Bar blog as A revolution in AV systems integration here.

More here:
'The MS Teams Rooms system that will start a revolution' - AV Magazine

During anniversary celebrations with his wife Donna in August 2020, Mr Johnson suffered a fall down the stairs which resulted in him being unable to feel his body.

Aged 57 at the time, Mr Johnson was rushed to hospital and kept in intensive care for two weeks, where it was discovered that he had broken his spinal cord at his C3 vertebrae.

Doctors worked for two hours to clear his chest as he was also suffering from a collapsed lung and pneumonia.

Mr Johnsons wife Donna, was told by doctors to avoid sharing the extent of his injuries with her husband

She said: "They told me and my daughter he would never walk again.

"They didn't want to tell Keith because they thought hed have just given up and wouldn't have kept on fighting."

The dad of four is now suffering from injuries that affect his mobility, meaning he is unable to pick up a cup despite having a fit and healthy lifestyle while working as a cleaner at Teesport prior to his accident.

As a result of the incident, Mr Johnson has revealed that he has suffered from suicidal thoughts, and is embarrassed about the helpless situation he has found himself in.

He has relied on his family to see him through, with the thought of seeing his grandchild, nine-week-old Beau, being among the things which help keep Keiths spirits raised.

The couple are fighting for more physiotherapy for Keith, and are appealing for an extension to be made to their home in Farndale Walk to accommodate Keith's condition since being told by consultants that he will never walk again.

The use of their two-bedroomed house was adapted after Keiths accident. With only a kitchen and living room downstairs, the living room has been repurposed as Keiths room.

READ MOREPfizer vaccine linked to Bells palsy - man suffers facial paralysis

The request has had its setbacks though, as Mrs Johnson claims the process wasn't started until March this year and the pair are frustrated by the delay.

At present the only alterations that have been made to accommodate Keith are the installation of a ceiling hoist and a ramp at the rear, but Donna says they desperately need an extension.

When commenting on the delay Keith said: A year down the line there has been times when it feels like I have only just had the accidentwe are no further forward. Nothing has happened.

"It can't go on like this, it causes stress for the family.

There is hope for the family though, with a spokesperson for Redcar and Cleveland Council commenting: "All our sympathies are very much with this family and our officers are committed to working with them to move this situation forward as quickly as possible.

"Unfortunately, the long term solutions being considered can take a significant amount of time to resolve, such as designing the preferred solution, seeking planning permission and then undertaking the building works.

"We understand the urgency of this situation and will continue to work with this family and everyone else concerned to ensure a satisfactory outcome as soon as possible".

Samaritans (116 123) or email jo@samaritans.org operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year for those struggling.

Read this article:
Heartbreak as dad will never walk again after going to toilet during anniversary party - Express

Councillors will meet on Wednesday to rubber stamp which local projects will be put forward for $4.5m in bushfire recovery funding.

"We've come up with seven projects, totalling $4,234,000," Mayor Peter Petty said ahead of the meeting.

The rural areas of the shire were set to receive a lot of attention, with Drake the major beneficiary where $2.9m was allocated.

Councillors met for a workshop last week to discuss which projects to put forward for funds. That workshop happened after a debate at the July council meeting started to introduce new project ideas, which had not been discussed previously.

It prompted the general manager Daryl Buckingham to say he was concerned the council was making decisions on the run. While improvements to access at Bruxner Park had been included in discussions at last month's council meeting, last week's workshop decided to pursue tourism funding instead of using the bushfire grant.

And a plan to leave more than $2m unallocated so the Angry Bulls Trails development could apply for it was also scrapped, with the council coming up with a list to spend almost all the $4.5m.

The works proposed for Drake include alternative access road and associated drainage, pathways and open space along Bruxner Highway to Timbarra Street and parking and road crossings.

It will include bus stop parking and a highway crossing.

$344,000 has been proposed for dead tree removal across the shire and $220,000 for rural addressing.

The installation of industrial ceiling fans and emergency lighting at Memorial Hall, along with a switchboard upgrade was allocated $220,000. Mingoola Hall upgrades, including a stand-alone accessibility friendly disabled toilet, have been suggested for $120,000.

Other funding applications include $190,000 for Northern Border Walk Signage and $240,000 for Tenterfield Swimming Pool equipment.

Cr Petty said the selection of projects had tried to spread the funding right across the shire. "This is what council has always tried to do," Cr Petty said.

He said the northern border signage was a project that showed great initiate and others addressed infrastructure that needed attention.

"Drake has badly needed this work, with drainage and pathways, and a bit of work on the Bruxner.

"I'm really happy, the council has done a really good job with what they've worked through," he said.

The National Bushfire Recovery Fund was created by the federal government to support communities impacted by the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires.

Here is the original post:
Council to apply for $4.2m in bushfire recovery funding on local projects - Tenterfield Star

Home improvement is exciting until you open the instruction manual to assemble your new ceiling fan, grill or flat pack table.

Nate Henderson remembers the moment he realized there had to be a better way. One of Hendersons friends tried putting together a piece of furniture with his wife, but it devolved into an argument and ended with the couple throwing away the project.

We started talking about that, and looking around to see if theres something to help the DIY consumer do better, thats not paper and not just video. And thats really how it began, said Henderson, whose Grapevine company just landed a $9 million investment to help it grow.

In 2015, Henderson and his childhood friend Ahmed Qureshi created an app appropriately named BILT and packed it with thousands of interactive tutorials for products that usually require paper instruction manuals.

Today, BILT has millions of users in over 200 countries. It offers 12 different languages and is available in both the Apple app and Google Play stores.

BILT spent a year and a half considering different investment partners before closing a deal with Austin-based Silverton Partners, which Henderson said has a gold standard reputation in Texas. He said the new capital will let BILT grow at kind of a hyper pace.

Tutorials are created by BILT instruction designers a mix of employees with either engineering or graphic design experience. Brands usually reach out to BILT to create partnerships with the app.

The app is free to consumers, ad-free and contains hundreds of brands.

When you see it in BILT, its the exact, right, perfect experience you need to be successful, Henderson said.

Users can click and drag to rotate, zoom and move 3D images of the parts and tools required for each step. Audio or written instructions, or both, are available. The beginning of each tutorial includes the approximate time the assembly will take, how many people it will require and additional tools that may be needed.

Even the Air Force and Navy have partnered with BILT, creating tutorials for things like aircraft maintenance.

They have said, You know what, lets make our servicemen and -women really successful at what they do. It gives them greater job satisfaction, they know theyre doing a quality job, it saves money for the taxpayer. And everybody wins across the board, Henderson said.

Henderson thinks BILT is a market maker, suggesting it fills a void not covered by instruction manuals or YouTube videos.

When you think of competition, I would suggest you think of it more as substitutes, Henderson said. Most people today, when they say the paper [manual is] not working for me, the default is to go to YouTube. The challenge with YouTube is its a bit like the wild, wild West.

Henderson said YouTube videos are often outdated or inaccurate. Paper instructions offer their own challenges, and come with environmental costs. Henderson estimates that in one year, the BILT app will be able to prevent about a billion trees from being cut down.

Imagine the billions and billions of pages of paper, that werent a good experience anyway, that now dont have to be printed, Henderson said about paper manuals. It will be one of the great sustainability stories, I think, of the next decade.

Silverton Managing Partner Morgan Flager agrees that BILT has come up with a better way.

I cant imagine in five years, well still be dealing with paper instructions, he said.

BILT will become increasingly necessary as customers continue to order products online, Henderson said.

The more we buy online, the more pressure it puts on brands to say, youve got to figure out a way of packaging things smaller, and yet at the same time deliver an even better customer experience, Henderson said. The brand has spent years creating a great product that may actually work well. If you cant assemble it right, or youre frustrated, your loyalty toward that brand starts to get pretty shaky, and then you tell others about it.

Smaller packages, combined with the need for great customer service, is where BILT comes in. Smaller packages mean more assembly, and more assembly means more instruction manuals. Instead of traditional paper models, companies can include a barcode for customers to scan, prompting them to download the BILT app to view an interactive tutorial.

Henderson wouldnt provide specific revenue figures for BILT, but he said its experiencing 100% growth year over year, coming in under the $20 million mark in revenue.

BILT is heavily involved now with home improvement brands. But it plans to move into the automotive, small appliances, machinery and semi-professional spaces.

Ask yourself the question, what are the industries that require some type of assembly or installation or setup? Henderson said. It never ends.

View post:
Grapevine app maker readies for hyper-growth by taking frustration out of do-it-yourself projects - The Dallas Morning News

The What: Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) recently unveiled the MKD1200 Series, the newest additions to the MKD Series of full range loudspeakers created for installation applications. The MKD1294 and MKD1264 are three-way designs engineered to produce high output levels and outstanding fidelity while maintaining broadband pattern control for use in applications ranging from stadiums to small music venues.

The What Else: Both models incorporate dual 12-inch low-frequency transducers with 3-inch vented voice coils, and coaxial 3.5-inch voice coil midrange and 1.75-inch voice coil high-frequency compression drivers. Nominal beamwidth of the MKD1294 is 90-degrees horizontal by 45-degrees vertical, while that of the MKD1264 is 60-degrees horizontal by 45-degrees vertical. The large-format horn utilized in the MKD1294 and MKD1264 may be rotated for increased versatility in pattern control, providing sound system integrators with a wide variety of installation options.

The Bottom Line: All MKD Series loudspeakers feature enclosures constructed from Baltic birch, and are available in standard black or white finishes with options for custom colors as well as weather protection. Installation is facilitated by built-in M10 mounting points and optional wall-mount or ceiling-mount hardware.The curved front panel of MKD cabinets permits discreet installation in situations where visual unobtrusiveness is required.

The MKD1294 and MKD1264are shippingnow.

More:
EAW Expands MKD Series of Installation Loudspeakers - AV Network

Press release from Cousins Subs:

Nov. 19, 2020

Cousins Subs company- and franchised-owned restaurants in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin are collectively hiring more than 250 employees at various levels, including crew members, crew leaders, hourly managers, salaried assistant managers and general managers this holiday season.

"We know a record number of people across the Midwest are looking for part- and full-time employment" says Alan Lundeen, Cousins Subs Senior Director of Talent Management. "We encourage those looking for an opportunity for growth and a workplace where teammates become family to apply and discover what's possible."

Cousins Subs restaurants offer flexible scheduling, competitive wages, scholarship opportunities and a career growth plan among other benefits. Several franchise owners and corporate employees began their fulfilling careers working in a Cousins Subs restaurant and used the experience to shape the best career path for them.

Hiring more than 250 employees systemwide will ensure Cousins Subs continues to exceed guest expectations by meeting the growing demand for deli fresh and grilled to order subs and made to order sides for delivery, curbside pickup, carry out and in-store dining. To ensure the health and safety of employees and guests, Cousins Subs has enhanced its restaurant procedures to comply with local and state mandates and provide the safest in-store experience. The enhancements include the installation of plexiglass barriers at ordering stations, placing social distancing stickers on the restaurant floor, purchasing the necessary PPE equipment, including gloves and masks, for all restaurant employees, placing hand sanitizing stations in restaurant lobbies and cleaning restaurants with high-grade cleaning products at increased frequency.

To learn more about a better career at Cousins Subs and to apply for an open position, visit http://www.work4cousins.com.

This press release was produced by Cousins Subs. The views expressed here are the author's own.

View post:
Cousins Subs Hiring More Than 250 Employees This Holiday Season - Patch.com

The Century Project for the Space NeedleSeattleProject of the Year Finalist and Best Project

Owner: Space Needle Corp.Lead Design Firm: Olson KundigGeneral Contractor: Hoffman Construction Co.Structural/MEP Engineer: ArupAcoustic Engineer: BRC AcousticsSubcontractors: Seneca Group; Battle Management Consulting; Magnusson Klemencic Associates; Holaday-Parks Inc.; Holmes; Front Inc.; Niteo; RDH; Tihany Design; McVey Oakley; Five Lund Engineering; OBrien & Co.

For a structure that was intended to reflect space age innovation, the first major renovation of Seattles landmark Space Needle appropriately applied multiple creative solutions to tackle potentially daunting challenges. Rather than use a conventional scaffolding system, the project team worked with specialty consultants to develop a movable engineered platform connected to the Needles upper structure. The platform provided a safe and productive enclosed workspace and facilitated efficient transport of materials.

In addition, a mini phasing plan allowed the Space Needle to remain open to visitors during construction. Crews worked their way around the observation deck installing new custom-crafted seamless floor-to-ceiling glass walls, structural glass barriers and integral glass benches in small sections while maintaining enough space for visitors to enjoy the Space Needles full visual experience. The most disruptive work was performed at night, with visitors able to return by the morning.

Visitors may well have been equally fascinated by watching the installation of the observation decks 2,300-lb glass panels. A ground-controlled system of motorized fans attached to the panels kept each one carefully aligned as they were raised to the Needles top level. There, a 5,600-lb, track-mounted glass-placement robot named Ndulu carefully maneuvered the panels into place.

Interior work included a new cantilevered steel-and-glass oculus stair to connect all three top of the house levels, culminating with the Loupe, a revolving 37-ton glass floor at its base. A specially fritted pattern on the floors underside allows visitors to see out, but the floor appears opaque from the ground below. The team worked through several strategies to develop this element and test frit mock-ups, ultimately creating a glass diving board that cantilevered into the elevator shaft. A motor-powered system of ceramic rollers and built-in channels allows the floor to slide laterally, accommodating building movement. Automatic adjustments keep the floor centered and mitigate the buildings imperfect geometry.

Back to ENR Northwest's 2020 Regional Best Projects

Go here to see the original:
Northwest 2020 Renovation/Restoration Best Project: The Century Project for the Space Needle - Engineering News-Record

Mike and Brenda Eickhoff are excited to be reopening The Sweet Stop and Sandwich Shoppe.Photo by Hannah Wingert

Everyone knows that renovations of any kind can be stressful. So what better time to do them than during 2020, a year marked by intense stress for just about everyone? When Mike and Brenda Eickhoff temporarily closed the The Sweet Stop and Sandwich Shoppe in Preston on July 26, they saw an opportunity to finally get some renovations done that had been on their list for a while. At first, the plan was just to install a walk-in freezer and redo the back wall of the shop, but once they started, they decided to keep going and renovate the whole back of their sandwich shop. Since they were already closed anyway, the opportunity couldnt be passed up. Its been a positive thing to have the time to do it, Brenda commented.

Just a few days after closing their doors, renovations began. The back entrance of the shop was changed from a simple awning over the back door to being an enclosed walkway with a walk-in freezer and the entry next to it. The sloped ceiling in the back workspace was leveled and the walls redone with a material that will be easier to clean and care for. The shelving was changed to be more efficient as well. The installation of the walk-in freezer allowed Mike and Brenda to eliminate three stand-alone freezers from their work area, which opened up 12-feet of wall space, a considerable gain in an often tight, cramped area. New flooring was also installed in the back. The renovations even spilled out into the area behind the deli counter with new walls. Mike also moved the outlets from the walls to the floor in that area, which allowed the workspace to be moved farther back and added three inches in width. If you gain an inch here or there, it makes a big difference, he explained.

Mike, a long-time former employee of Eichkoff Construction did most of the work himself, but did get help from his previous employer with the back wall and roof renovations. Brenda spent much of her time catching up on projects at the couples home that they usually didnt have time to tackle due to their hectic schedules as business owners. She did pop into the sandwich shop now and then to help move things around and do other odd jobs.

The renovations were supposed to be completed in October, but there were manufacturing delays with the walk-in freezer door due to COVID-19 that pushed the project back. The Eichkoffs are done for now, but still have plans to install new flooring behind the deli counter and renovate the seating area at some point. Right now, they have a potential date picked out between Christmas and New Years when they can close for a week.

The renovations made The Sweet Stop look amazing, but more importantly, they will help things to run even smoother and more efficiently. Its definitely going to make life easier, Brenda said. Prep work can now be done in the back instead of having to bring the food up front to prepare it.

As the reopening date of November 9 drew closer, Mike and Brenda worked hard to make sure everything was ready to go. The Thursday beforehand was spent restocking groceries and supplies. The soft serve ice cream machine was prepped, and Brenda arrived early Monday morning to bake fresh bread for their famous sandwiches. During the three plus months that they were closed, Mike and Brenda received countless messages and questions from people asking when they planned to come back. Lots of people are excited to see us reopen, Brenda said.

When the doors were finally opened again on November 9, the people showed up. We kept hearing its great to have us open again, Brenda said. Everyone is super excited.

The Sweet Shop and Sandwich Shoppe is now open for their regular winter hours of 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Monday to Friday. Visit http://www.thesweetstop.net for more information on hours, menu, and online ordering.

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The Sweet Stop and Sandwich Shoppe reopens with improvements - Fillmore County Journal

Summer is right around the corner and while we couldnt experience a European getaway this year, The Winery is bringing the Tuscan countryside to us!

From now until February, The Winery in Surry Hills will be transformed into an Italian country dining experience complete with a Tuscan grazing menu and picturesque gazebo seating.

We know you cant escape to Italy just yet but thanks to our good friends, Tempus Two, this summer youll feel like youve been whisked away to Tuscanys famous wine country no passport required! the wine bar shared on its website.

Diners are invited to sit and relax at the special Tempus Two Terrace, where you can enjoy daily Aperitivo hour from 5-6pm. To make things even sweeter,the deal includes complimentary Mapo Newtown prosecco gelato with Tempus Two prosecco!

After Aperitivo hour, you can treat yourself to an antipasti board and carafe of prosecco or ros for $55.

Um yes please!

If youre after something heartier however (I am), the Tuscan Grazing Experience offers up the following menu for $59pp:

Arrival Glass of Tempus Two Prosecco

Warm marinated alto olives

Tuna crudo, pickled melon, pasta fritta

Spiced pickled cucumber with dill and stracciatella

Hot smoked salmon & caviar sandwich

Porchetta, on sourdough with Tempus Two rose apple sauce

Rocket, pear and walnut salad

Palate cleanser Tempus Two Prosecco Gelato by Mapo

Baked Cheesecake, Mango mousse, Tempus Two Prosecco Jelly

YUM!

The Tuscan gazebos are available for groups of 4 - 6, over a series of daily sessions, while larger groups can book the Tempus Two Terrace with gorgeous floral ceiling installation.

Find out more here!

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The Winery In Surry Hills Has Unveiled Its Tuscan Summer Makeover! - Hit 107