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0 Views
19:23:50 01/23/12
Zenzile - "Simple Lesson": SXSW 2012 Showcasing Artist
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 19:23:50 01/23/12
Zenzile - "Simple Lesson": SXSW 2012 Showcasing Artist
After a thirteen years old career, including: seven albums, five Maxi LP's and hundreds of live concerts throughout the world, you would think you knew all about ZENZILE. However, those who have followed this band since their beginnings in Angers, France, know well that: No one knows what will resemble a new album of Zenzile before it gets out. Instead of cloning their music precisely year after year, the quintet has always chosen to focus on their trade mark sound which is rich and various, thanks to a dazzling bass and whooping guitars. From the start, Zenzile is having fun mixing the same influences (post punk, Dub, folk, soft rock, soul jazz) with a savvy sense of measuring them all out, in order to produce a unique album every time. For Pawn Shop, the Angevins (from Angers) have deliberately let their POP spirit opened up, in a humble and formal way of course. Only two tracks are exclusively instrumental and are welcome signs of a previous life. All eight other tracks are carried by the voices of old partners: Jamika Ajalon et David K. Alderman (Warehouse), demonstrating some new and unexpected sides of their talent.This eighth studio album is less angular and more confident than the previous Living in Monochrome in which the band had let the guitar lead out. Today Zenzile seems to have found the right balance between staying simple while being demanding. Strings and organs are more present than ever to form melodies never dared before. Evidently freed from any past ... From: sxsw Views: 2 0 ratings Time: 03:46 More in Music
0 Views
19:23:50 01/23/12
Zenzile - "Simple Lesson": SXSW 2012 Showcasing Artist
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 19:23:50 01/23/12
Zenzile - "Simple Lesson": SXSW 2012 Showcasing Artist
After a thirteen years old career, including: seven albums, five Maxi LP's and hundreds of live concerts throughout the world, you would think you knew all about ZENZILE. However, those who have followed this band since their beginnings in Angers, France, know well that: No one knows what will resemble a new album of Zenzile before it gets out. Instead of cloning their music precisely year after year, the quintet has always chosen to focus on their trade mark sound which is rich and various, thanks to a dazzling bass and whooping guitars. From the start, Zenzile is having fun mixing the same influences (post punk, Dub, folk, soft rock, soul jazz) with a savvy sense of measuring them all out, in order to produce a unique album every time. For Pawn Shop, the Angevins (from Angers) have deliberately let their POP spirit opened up, in a humble and formal way of course. Only two tracks are exclusively instrumental and are welcome signs of a previous life. All eight other tracks are carried by the voices of old partners: Jamika Ajalon et David K. Alderman (Warehouse), demonstrating some new and unexpected sides of their talent.This eighth studio album is less angular and more confident than the previous Living in Monochrome in which the band had let the guitar lead out. Today Zenzile seems to have found the right balance between staying simple while being demanding. Strings and organs are more present than ever to form melodies never dared before. Evidently freed from any past ... From: sxsw Views: 2 0 ratings Time: 03:46 More in Music
15 Views
22:30:00 09/20/11
Studio Guest: Jan Hagen, Expert on Financial Markets
[LESS INFO] 15 VIEWS | ADDED 22:30:00 09/20/11
Our first studio guest today is Jan Hagen, an expert on financial markets from the European School of Management and Technology.DW-TV: For some answers, we've got Jan Hagen with us... a professor of banking. Are the lenders running around with their hands in the air right now, screaming? Jan Hagen: It seems so, and they have some justification. The news we got from Greece, isn't really encouraging, and I think investors are right to be nervous. There's no clear strategy visible from the EU members. DW-TV: But, wouldn't you say that Greece's bailout deals are in effect a bailout for the banks? Jan Hagen: Definitely. There are two crises - the sovereign debt crisis and also a banking crisis. I think politicians shied away from this for some time, because it's very unpopular dealing with the baking issue for a second time. But really that's what is required. DW-TV: What do you think is the right thing to do? Let Athens default on its debts? Jan Hagen: The question is: what's the alternative? I think the levels of debt that we see with the Greek economy are unsustainable. Greece needs to get rid of some of its debt, and it may also have to leave the euro, because under the current terms the Greek economy will not gain competitiveness. DW-TV: Is Europe able to withstand a move like that? Jan Hagen: Again: what are the alternatives? They have to face realities and take some hard measures. That could mean a default by Greece, and it could mean a bailout of banks. DW-TV: Standard & Poor's has downgraded Italy's credit rating. What are the consequences there? Jan Hagen: It has been anticipated on the market that the Italian economy is weak - and what Standard & Poor's is trying to say is that the budget cuts efforts are not enough. They soften the initial measures and the political situation is Italy is not very stable - and they made it clear to investors that they're concerned about the situation. DW-TV: What has to made clear to the politicians. They seem to be totally missing the point. Jan Hagen: I think they have to face the reality that the first concept of the euro is unsustainable. We have diverging economies, we have national politics with regard to sovereign debt. For the euro we need a unified economic policy, and that is not on the horizon yet. And that's why we're seeing this huge tension with the euro - and that could mean we will see some members departing the euro. DW-TV: And is this going to see a shift in global economics, with other nations at the moment on the rise? Jan Hagen: Let's put it one way. The nations that we see rising right now have to a degree been in similar trouble in the past, and they took some tough measures - and they also asked their creditors for a write-down on the debt level. And that in the end helped their economies to get on their feet again. If you take these levels and apply them ot the euro, I think there could be some lessons learned. DW-TV: Jan Hagen, thanks for your time.
10 Views
22:30:00 02/22/11
Studio Guest
[LESS INFO] 10 VIEWS | ADDED 22:30:00 02/22/11
Our guest in the studio: Thomas Straubhaar, Hamburg Institute of International EconomicsDW-TV: Well, it doesn't sound like things are going to change any time soon. Let's see if our guest can give us reason for hope. Thomas Straubhaar, director of the Hamburg Institute of International Economics. How big a role do speculators actually play? Thomas Straubhaar: Actually they play a very important role because of course their demand or their behaviour on the stock markets and the raw material markets will have influence on the price development, but on the other hand their role is also positive because they give signals to everybody playing on the market, meaning that they also await waste or they give a signal to increase the production, so they have two roles to play. DW-TV: What can producers do? Thomas Straubhaar: It's difficult to do something in the short-run because it is an agricultural product and it takes time to produce it so for the short-term there is not much to do. In the long-run they could probably increase efficiency, they could take other seeds or they could increase artifical behaviour to help plants of seeds to grow, so in the long-run there is something to do, in the short-run we have to live with these price variations. DW-TV: Is it fair though to hedge bets on life's neccesities? Thomas Straubhaar: I wouldn't say so, I would say that it's the economy basically that should determine the price, and you could not influence too much with political regulations or with other law regulations the influence on prices. DW-TV: Some experts have called for greater investment in agriculture from the public and private sectors. Could that help? Thomas Straubhaar: Absolutely, in the long-run I think we have a growing population, we have more needs for food worldwide in the next decades, so I think there is no way to avoid or to go against higher production so all investments in agricultural business is a good investment to reduce this price volatility. DW-TV: Regarding our report on Germany as Europe's Economic Engine. Do you think other European countries can use this recipe for their own success? Thomas Straubhaar: Not in the short term, because I think most of these ingredients have a past dependency. They have been developed over years, over decades, over generations -- like the economic structure of Germany -- meaning that there are a lot of small and medium-sized enterprises. There are a lot of family-owned businesses. There is this technology-driven mentality in the German behaviour. So I think all these ingredients are not transferrable in an easy and short-term way. DW-TV: Okay, well let's have at some of the figures, the German growth figures in comparison to France and the eurozone as a whole. You can see that there was a peak in 2008, first of all, and then the effects of the financial crisis, of course. Germany's economy was actually hit harder than France's and others in the eurozone. But strict austerity measures have certainly got things back on track for Germany. Now are the big gains we're seeing now simply a result of that big fall we saw in the graph? Thomas Straubhaar: Yes, of course. The decline and the recession in Germany were so fast and so deep that now the catch-up and the recovery are also fast and, of course, stronger than in France or in other European countries. DW-TV: So how long can the economy continue to motor along? Thomas Straubhaar: I think this growth path will be sustainable for quite a while -- for another decade or so-- because the long-term trends behind this growth are still going on. Meaning that we are still living for a decade or more in a growing population worldwide, with people who have more need for basic goods, for infrastructure, goods for investments of all kinds....So these factors will have a positive impact for quite a long time on the German economy. DW-TV: So not just another climax, or another peak, that we're seeing? Thomas Straubhaar: Definitely not. I'm very optimistic that all these factors will last for quite a while. The German economy has done a good job in the last decade and it will do a good job in the next decade. Interview: Ben Fajzullin
10 Views
22:30:00 02/22/11
Studio Guest
[LESS INFO] 10 VIEWS | ADDED 22:30:00 02/22/11
Our guest in the studio: Thomas Straubhaar, Hamburg Institute of International EconomicsDW-TV: Well, it doesn't sound like things are going to change any time soon. Let's see if our guest can give us reason for hope. Thomas Straubhaar, director of the Hamburg Institute of International Economics. How big a role do speculators actually play? Thomas Straubhaar: Actually they play a very important role because of course their demand or their behaviour on the stock markets and the raw material markets will have influence on the price development, but on the other hand their role is also positive because they give signals to everybody playing on the market, meaning that they also await waste or they give a signal to increase the production, so they have two roles to play. DW-TV: What can producers do? Thomas Straubhaar: It's difficult to do something in the short-run because it is an agricultural product and it takes time to produce it so for the short-term there is not much to do. In the long-run they could probably increase efficiency, they could take other seeds or they could increase artifical behaviour to help plants of seeds to grow, so in the long-run there is something to do, in the short-run we have to live with these price variations. DW-TV: Is it fair though to hedge bets on life's neccesities? Thomas Straubhaar: I wouldn't say so, I would say that it's the economy basically that should determine the price, and you could not influence too much with political regulations or with other law regulations the influence on prices. DW-TV: Some experts have called for greater investment in agriculture from the public and private sectors. Could that help? Thomas Straubhaar: Absolutely, in the long-run I think we have a growing population, we have more needs for food worldwide in the next decades, so I think there is no way to avoid or to go against higher production so all investments in agricultural business is a good investment to reduce this price volatility. DW-TV: Regarding our report on Germany as Europe's Economic Engine. Do you think other European countries can use this recipe for their own success? Thomas Straubhaar: Not in the short term, because I think most of these ingredients have a past dependency. They have been developed over years, over decades, over generations -- like the economic structure of Germany -- meaning that there are a lot of small and medium-sized enterprises. There are a lot of family-owned businesses. There is this technology-driven mentality in the German behaviour. So I think all these ingredients are not transferrable in an easy and short-term way. DW-TV: Okay, well let's have at some of the figures, the German growth figures in comparison to France and the eurozone as a whole. You can see that there was a peak in 2008, first of all, and then the effects of the financial crisis, of course. Germany's economy was actually hit harder than France's and others in the eurozone. But strict austerity measures have certainly got things back on track for Germany. Now are the big gains we're seeing now simply a result of that big fall we saw in the graph? Thomas Straubhaar: Yes, of course. The decline and the recession in Germany were so fast and so deep that now the catch-up and the recovery are also fast and, of course, stronger than in France or in other European countries. DW-TV: So how long can the economy continue to motor along? Thomas Straubhaar: I think this growth path will be sustainable for quite a while -- for another decade or so-- because the long-term trends behind this growth are still going on. Meaning that we are still living for a decade or more in a growing population worldwide, with people who have more need for basic goods, for infrastructure, goods for investments of all kinds....So these factors will have a positive impact for quite a long time on the German economy. DW-TV: So not just another climax, or another peak, that we're seeing? Thomas Straubhaar: Definitely not. I'm very optimistic that all these factors will last for quite a while. The German economy has done a good job in the last decade and it will do a good job in the next decade. Interview: Ben Fajzullin
12 Views
00:35:23 01/11/11
NEeMA Live in Studio B - Part 1 - Elsas Lullaby
[LESS INFO] 12 VIEWS | ADDED 00:35:23 01/11/11
Part 1 of NEeMA performing Live in Studio B of Mevio in San Francisco, CA For the entire performance CLICK HERE WEBSITE TWITTER FACEBOOK MYSPACE
Born of Egyptian and Lebanese decent, NEeMA’s presence on and off stage is as powerful and charismatic, as her voice is honest and unique. She has traveled extensively, having shared time with the Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa, having worked with street children in Egypt, as well as having had the privilege of working with the Tribal Elders of Wekweti, an isolated First Nation community in northern Canada. No doubt these experiences helped her develop the ability to communicate her stories through poetry and song, focusing on those themes that are dear to the human heart.
NEeMA has recently completed her second album, Watching You Think , a collection of twelve musical stories that seamlessly meld elements of world music, folk and jazz with a good measure of pop. Produced in association with Leonard Cohen and Pierre Marchand (Sarah McLachlan, Ron Sexsmith), Watching You Think contains songs of love, life and simple observations that read like parables and sound instantly familiar. Listeners will find themselves singing along effortlessly by the second chorus.
NEeMA’s uninhibited and authentic style is complemented perfectly by some of Montreal's best musicians, who add nuance to every mood and emotion of Watching You Think . Musicians include Howard Bilerman, Tim Kingsbury (Arcade Fire), Tom Mennier (Martha and Rufus Wainwright), Joe Grass and Miles Perkin (Lhasa de Sela), and Gurpreet Chana (Nelly Furtado). Also involved in the album’s production are Haig V and Fred Bouchard.
About the songs on Watching You Think
For NEeMA a song always begins with a seed - a lyric or a melody. On several occasions she has found herself singing a chorus of a yet to be written song. “The more I write songs, the more I realize it’s about uncovering the story that wants to be told, not writing the one I have in mind.”
Speaking to the musicianship on the album, NEeMA finished writing “Unspoken” while doing a solo tour of Ireland - driving though the luscious greenery between concerts. She began singing it at shows without musical accompaniment, but when it came time to record the track in studio it became clear after a few rehearsals that the talent of the assembled musicians would only add to the final track. In NEeMA’s own words, “I love the new life this song took in the studio.”
NEeMA did not envision collaborating with producers on the album; it just evolved that way. Discussions were born out of friendships with both Pierre and Leonard and seeking their input and expertise was a natural process. “I learned from both of them the importance of starting over if something isn’t working,” NEeMA explains, “or holding on to something when the magic is already there.”
Leonard Cohen has said of NEeMA, “in the midst of all the static, a voice of true feeling arises - a rare event!” Cohen also drew the portrait of NEeMA that serves as the album’s cover art. The album was mixed and partially recorded at Pierre Marchand’s studio in Montreal. He has described NEeMA as “an inspiring presence,” adding, “her evocative lyrics and warm voice paint beautiful, timeless stories and portraits.”
The track “Running” was initially recorded as a demo in NEeMA’s living room. She tried to recapture the feeling of this first recording at three different studios with various musicians but ended up using the version she had done at home. NEeMA explains, “I love the intimacy it captured.”
“Escape” was written while NEeMA was living in Los Angeles. She was staying in the house of a guitar maker and was sitting in his studio surrounded by dozens of guitars. “I found the environment inspiring,” explains NEeMA, “I picked up an electric guitar for the first time ever - and this song poured out if it!”
“Elsa's Lullaby” began as a poem. While touring Canada a few years ago NEeMA brought her beloved canine companion Elsa along. She met a young girl who fell in love with Elsa and told her ‘you must have so many songs written about her!’ She had none at the time. “Thus began a poem that went on for pages and pages and basically wrote itself- all I had to do was watch her.”
A little musical history
Since the successful independent release of NEeMA’s debut album Masì Cho in 2006, she has toured Canada, Ireland, Australia, England and the US. In the summer of 2007 she performed over 33 concerts including Nova Scotia’s Privateer Days Festival and the South Country Fair Festival in Alberta. Other highlights include her 2008 concert at the Electric Picnic Festival in Ireland, the 2008 Winterfolk Festival in Toronto and Canadian Music Week, and two sold-out shows at the Montreal International Jazz Festival in 2009. Masi Cho was nominated for a MIMI (Montreal International Music Initiative) in the World & Roots category and her song The Risk advanced to the second round of judging in the 2006 International Songwriting Competition held in Nashville.
10 Views
00:20:59 01/11/11
NEeMA Live in Studio B - Part 2 - Unspoken
[LESS INFO] 10 VIEWS | ADDED 00:20:59 01/11/11
Part 2 of NEeMA performing Live in Studio B of Mevio in San Francisco, CA For the entire performance CLICK HERE WEBSITE TWITTER FACEBOOK MYSPACE
Born of Egyptian and Lebanese decent, NEeMA’s presence on and off stage is as powerful and charismatic, as her voice is honest and unique. She has traveled extensively, having shared time with the Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa, having worked with street children in Egypt, as well as having had the privilege of working with the Tribal Elders of Wekweti, an isolated First Nation community in northern Canada. No doubt these experiences helped her develop the ability to communicate her stories through poetry and song, focusing on those themes that are dear to the human heart.
NEeMA has recently completed her second album, Watching You Think , a collection of twelve musical stories that seamlessly meld elements of world music, folk and jazz with a good measure of pop. Produced in association with Leonard Cohen and Pierre Marchand (Sarah McLachlan, Ron Sexsmith), Watching You Think contains songs of love, life and simple observations that read like parables and sound instantly familiar. Listeners will find themselves singing along effortlessly by the second chorus.
NEeMA’s uninhibited and authentic style is complemented perfectly by some of Montreal's best musicians, who add nuance to every mood and emotion of Watching You Think . Musicians include Howard Bilerman, Tim Kingsbury (Arcade Fire), Tom Mennier (Martha and Rufus Wainwright), Joe Grass and Miles Perkin (Lhasa de Sela), and Gurpreet Chana (Nelly Furtado). Also involved in the album’s production are Haig V and Fred Bouchard.
About the songs on Watching You Think
For NEeMA a song always begins with a seed - a lyric or a melody. On several occasions she has found herself singing a chorus of a yet to be written song. “The more I write songs, the more I realize it’s about uncovering the story that wants to be told, not writing the one I have in mind.”
Speaking to the musicianship on the album, NEeMA finished writing “Unspoken” while doing a solo tour of Ireland - driving though the luscious greenery between concerts. She began singing it at shows without musical accompaniment, but when it came time to record the track in studio it became clear after a few rehearsals that the talent of the assembled musicians would only add to the final track. In NEeMA’s own words, “I love the new life this song took in the studio.”
NEeMA did not envision collaborating with producers on the album; it just evolved that way. Discussions were born out of friendships with both Pierre and Leonard and seeking their input and expertise was a natural process. “I learned from both of them the importance of starting over if something isn’t working,” NEeMA explains, “or holding on to something when the magic is already there.”
Leonard Cohen has said of NEeMA, “in the midst of all the static, a voice of true feeling arises - a rare event!” Cohen also drew the portrait of NEeMA that serves as the album’s cover art. The album was mixed and partially recorded at Pierre Marchand’s studio in Montreal. He has described NEeMA as “an inspiring presence,” adding, “her evocative lyrics and warm voice paint beautiful, timeless stories and portraits.”
The track “Running” was initially recorded as a demo in NEeMA’s living room. She tried to recapture the feeling of this first recording at three different studios with various musicians but ended up using the version she had done at home. NEeMA explains, “I love the intimacy it captured.”
“Escape” was written while NEeMA was living in Los Angeles. She was staying in the house of a guitar maker and was sitting in his studio surrounded by dozens of guitars. “I found the environment inspiring,” explains NEeMA, “I picked up an electric guitar for the first time ever - and this song poured out if it!”
“Elsa's Lullaby” began as a poem. While touring Canada a few years ago NEeMA brought her beloved canine companion Elsa along. She met a young girl who fell in love with Elsa and told her ‘you must have so many songs written about her!’ She had none at the time. “Thus began a poem that went on for pages and pages and basically wrote itself- all I had to do was watch her.”
A little musical history
Since the successful independent release of NEeMA’s debut album Masì Cho in 2006, she has toured Canada, Ireland, Australia, England and the US. In the summer of 2007 she performed over 33 concerts including Nova Scotia’s Privateer Days Festival and the South Country Fair Festival in Alberta. Other highlights include her 2008 concert at the Electric Picnic Festival in Ireland, the 2008 Winterfolk Festival in Toronto and Canadian Music Week, and two sold-out shows at the Montreal International Jazz Festival in 2009. Masi Cho was nominated for a MIMI (Montreal International Music Initiative) in the World & Roots category and her song The Risk advanced to the second round of judging in the 2006 International Songwriting Competition held in Nashville.
12 Views
00:15:49 01/11/11
NEeMA Live in Studio B - Part 3 - Escape
[LESS INFO] 12 VIEWS | ADDED 00:15:49 01/11/11
NEeMA performing Live in Studio B of Mevio in San Francisco, CA For the entire performance CLICK HERE WEBSITE TWITTER FACEBOOK MYSPACE
Born of Egyptian and Lebanese decent, NEeMA’s presence on and off stage is as powerful and charismatic, as her voice is honest and unique. She has traveled extensively, having shared time with the Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa, having worked with street children in Egypt, as well as having had the privilege of working with the Tribal Elders of Wekweti, an isolated First Nation community in northern Canada. No doubt these experiences helped her develop the ability to communicate her stories through poetry and song, focusing on those themes that are dear to the human heart.
NEeMA has recently completed her second album, Watching You Think , a collection of twelve musical stories that seamlessly meld elements of world music, folk and jazz with a good measure of pop. Produced in association with Leonard Cohen and Pierre Marchand (Sarah McLachlan, Ron Sexsmith), Watching You Think contains songs of love, life and simple observations that read like parables and sound instantly familiar. Listeners will find themselves singing along effortlessly by the second chorus.
NEeMA’s uninhibited and authentic style is complemented perfectly by some of Montreal's best musicians, who add nuance to every mood and emotion of Watching You Think . Musicians include Howard Bilerman, Tim Kingsbury (Arcade Fire), Tom Mennier (Martha and Rufus Wainwright), Joe Grass and Miles Perkin (Lhasa de Sela), and Gurpreet Chana (Nelly Furtado). Also involved in the album’s production are Haig V and Fred Bouchard.
About the songs on Watching You Think
For NEeMA a song always begins with a seed - a lyric or a melody. On several occasions she has found herself singing a chorus of a yet to be written song. “The more I write songs, the more I realize it’s about uncovering the story that wants to be told, not writing the one I have in mind.”
Speaking to the musicianship on the album, NEeMA finished writing “Unspoken” while doing a solo tour of Ireland - driving though the luscious greenery between concerts. She began singing it at shows without musical accompaniment, but when it came time to record the track in studio it became clear after a few rehearsals that the talent of the assembled musicians would only add to the final track. In NEeMA’s own words, “I love the new life this song took in the studio.”
NEeMA did not envision collaborating with producers on the album; it just evolved that way. Discussions were born out of friendships with both Pierre and Leonard and seeking their input and expertise was a natural process. “I learned from both of them the importance of starting over if something isn’t working,” NEeMA explains, “or holding on to something when the magic is already there.”
Leonard Cohen has said of NEeMA, “in the midst of all the static, a voice of true feeling arises - a rare event!” Cohen also drew the portrait of NEeMA that serves as the album’s cover art. The album was mixed and partially recorded at Pierre Marchand’s studio in Montreal. He has described NEeMA as “an inspiring presence,” adding, “her evocative lyrics and warm voice paint beautiful, timeless stories and portraits.”
The track “Running” was initially recorded as a demo in NEeMA’s living room. She tried to recapture the feeling of this first recording at three different studios with various musicians but ended up using the version she had done at home. NEeMA explains, “I love the intimacy it captured.”
“Escape” was written while NEeMA was living in Los Angeles. She was staying in the house of a guitar maker and was sitting in his studio surrounded by dozens of guitars. “I found the environment inspiring,” explains NEeMA, “I picked up an electric guitar for the first time ever - and this song poured out if it!”
“Elsa's Lullaby” began as a poem. While touring Canada a few years ago NEeMA brought her beloved canine companion Elsa along. She met a young girl who fell in love with Elsa and told her ‘you must have so many songs written about her!’ She had none at the time. “Thus began a poem that went on for pages and pages and basically wrote itself- all I had to do was watch her.”
A little musical history
Since the successful independent release of NEeMA’s debut album Masì Cho in 2006, she has toured Canada, Ireland, Australia, England and the US. In the summer of 2007 she performed over 33 concerts including Nova Scotia’s Privateer Days Festival and the South Country Fair Festival in Alberta. Other highlights include her 2008 concert at the Electric Picnic Festival in Ireland, the 2008 Winterfolk Festival in Toronto and Canadian Music Week, and two sold-out shows at the Montreal International Jazz Festival in 2009. Masi Cho was nominated for a MIMI (Montreal International Music Initiative) in the World & Roots category and her song The Risk advanced to the second round of judging in the 2006 International Songwriting Competition held in Nashville.
11 Views
23:58:13 01/10/11
NEeMA Live in Studio B
[LESS INFO] 11 VIEWS | ADDED 23:58:13 01/10/11
NEeMA performs Live in Studio B of Mevio in San Francisco, CA WEBSITE TWITTER FACEBOOK MYSPACE
Born of Egyptian and Lebanese decent, NEeMA’s presence on and off stage is as powerful and charismatic, as her voice is honest and unique. She has traveled extensively, having shared time with the Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa, having worked with street children in Egypt, as well as having had the privilege of working with the Tribal Elders of Wekweti, an isolated First Nation community in northern Canada. No doubt these experiences helped her develop the ability to communicate her stories through poetry and song, focusing on those themes that are dear to the human heart.
NEeMA has recently completed her second album, Watching You Think , a collection of twelve musical stories that seamlessly meld elements of world music, folk and jazz with a good measure of pop. Produced in association with Leonard Cohen and Pierre Marchand (Sarah McLachlan, Ron Sexsmith), Watching You Think contains songs of love, life and simple observations that read like parables and sound instantly familiar. Listeners will find themselves singing along effortlessly by the second chorus.
NEeMA’s uninhibited and authentic style is complemented perfectly by some of Montreal's best musicians, who add nuance to every mood and emotion of Watching You Think . Musicians include Howard Bilerman, Tim Kingsbury (Arcade Fire), Tom Mennier (Martha and Rufus Wainwright), Joe Grass and Miles Perkin (Lhasa de Sela), and Gurpreet Chana (Nelly Furtado). Also involved in the album’s production are Haig V and Fred Bouchard.
About the songs on Watching You Think
For NEeMA a song always begins with a seed - a lyric or a melody. On several occasions she has found herself singing a chorus of a yet to be written song. “The more I write songs, the more I realize it’s about uncovering the story that wants to be told, not writing the one I have in mind.”
Speaking to the musicianship on the album, NEeMA finished writing “Unspoken” while doing a solo tour of Ireland - driving though the luscious greenery between concerts. She began singing it at shows without musical accompaniment, but when it came time to record the track in studio it became clear after a few rehearsals that the talent of the assembled musicians would only add to the final track. In NEeMA’s own words, “I love the new life this song took in the studio.”
NEeMA did not envision collaborating with producers on the album; it just evolved that way. Discussions were born out of friendships with both Pierre and Leonard and seeking their input and expertise was a natural process. “I learned from both of them the importance of starting over if something isn’t working,” NEeMA explains, “or holding on to something when the magic is already there.”
Leonard Cohen has said of NEeMA, “in the midst of all the static, a voice of true feeling arises - a rare event!” Cohen also drew the portrait of NEeMA that serves as the album’s cover art. The album was mixed and partially recorded at Pierre Marchand’s studio in Montreal. He has described NEeMA as “an inspiring presence,” adding, “her evocative lyrics and warm voice paint beautiful, timeless stories and portraits.”
The track “Running” was initially recorded as a demo in NEeMA’s living room. She tried to recapture the feeling of this first recording at three different studios with various musicians but ended up using the version she had done at home. NEeMA explains, “I love the intimacy it captured.”
“Escape” was written while NEeMA was living in Los Angeles. She was staying in the house of a guitar maker and was sitting in his studio surrounded by dozens of guitars. “I found the environment inspiring,” explains NEeMA, “I picked up an electric guitar for the first time ever - and this song poured out if it!”
“Elsa's Lullaby” began as a poem. While touring Canada a few years ago NEeMA brought her beloved canine companion Elsa along. She met a young girl who fell in love with Elsa and told her ‘you must have so many songs written about her!’ She had none at the time. “Thus began a poem that went on for pages and pages and basically wrote itself- all I had to do was watch her.”
A little musical history
Since the successful independent release of NEeMA’s debut album Masì Cho in 2006, she has toured Canada, Ireland, Australia, England and the US. In the summer of 2007 she performed over 33 concerts including Nova Scotia’s Privateer Days Festival and the South Country Fair Festival in Alberta. Other highlights include her 2008 concert at the Electric Picnic Festival in Ireland, the 2008 Winterfolk Festival in Toronto and Canadian Music Week, and two sold-out shows at the Montreal International Jazz Festival in 2009. Masi Cho was nominated for a MIMI (Montreal International Music Initiative) in the World & Roots category and her song The Risk advanced to the second round of judging in the 2006 International Songwriting Competition held in Nashville.
17 Views
01:38:35 11/19/10
Wintergrasp - Rated BGs - BestBuy DevChat
[LESS INFO] 17 VIEWS | ADDED 01:38:35 11/19/10
Wintergrasp queuing changed in 4.0.3
In patch 4.0.3, Wintergrasp queuing was changed so that each battle attempts to match the factions at a 1-to-1 ratio. This is the exact system being used for Tol Barad in Cataclysm. While we understand that this inflates queue times for factions which are vastly overpopulated on select realms, we prefer this system over using Tenacity. In addition, the new system at least encourages playing on a faction that's better balanced against the opposing faction. With the old Wintergrasp functionality, players were almost encouraged to be on an overpopulated faction, further contributing to realm balance issues.
That said, we'll review realms with significant faction imbalances on a case-by-case basis in the event we need to take further action.
Rated Battlegrounds FAQ
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is just around the corner -- and that means Rated Battlegrounds will soon be available. While Rated Battlegrounds will only be open to level-85 characters, we know many of you may still have some questions about this new system, so we’ve put together an FAQ to help address some of the more common inquiries we've seen.
Q. What are Rated Battlegrounds?
A. Like the Arena system, Rated Battlegrounds are an alternative way for players to battle against opponents of similar skill levels and accrue rating to purchase powerful PvP gear. Instead of competing in a 2v2, 3v3, or 5v5 bracket, though, you'll be testing your mettle in familiar environments like Arathi Basin and Eye of the Storm, as well as all-new Battlegrounds set to release in Cataclysm.
Q. How are Rated Battlegrounds structured?
A. Rated Battlegrounds are broken down into two brackets: 10v10 and 15v15. These brackets rotate weekly and can be viewed in-game via the calendar by activating the Battleground holiday filter.
Q. What Battlegrounds are eligible for Rated Battleground matches?
A. Warsong Gulch, Arathi Basin, Eye of the Storm, Strand of the Ancients, Battle for Gilneas, and Twin Peaks.
Q. What happened to the 25v25 bracket?
A. We decided to remove this bracket. We don't feel it's feasible to ask players to coordinate a group of 25 players for Rated Battlegrounds. If any player happens to drop group just before a match begins, the raid group would not be able to enter the battle. We anticipate most players or guilds will stick with fairly dedicated 10-player groups, and making the jump to 15-player groups shouldn't be too difficult.
Q. How can I queue for a Rated Battleground?
A. Before entering the queue, you must first create a raid with the full number of players required for the weekly bracket (10 or 15). Any level-85 player on your realm and of your faction may participate in the battle regardless of guild association.
Once you have a raid of the appropriate size, simply open up the PvP window, click on the Conquest tab, highlight "Rated Battleground," and then click "Join Battle."
Q. Can I queue up solo and just be matched with a Rated Battleground team?
A. No. You will need to first join a raid of the appropriate size and level before you can queue up for a Rated Battleground. Individual queuing will not be available for Rated Battlegrounds.
Q. Do all players in the raid group have to be from the same guild in order to queue for a Rated Battleground?
A. No. So long as the raid group size matches the weekly bracket and is comprised of level-85 players, you can queue up for a Rated Battleground no matter what guild you are in. Guild membership has no effect on the formation of Battleground teams.
Winning a Rated Battleground with a team composed of at least 80% guild members, however, will result in the additional benefit of guild experience gain for that guild.
Q. How can I tell if my Rated Battleground team meets the minimum guild requirement?
A. If you join a Rated Battleground with the minimum number of required guild members, a special guild banner will appear in the upper-left corner of the in-game mini-map. This will let you know if you are eligible for the bonus guild experience.
Q. What are the normal benefits of winning a Rated Battleground?
A. When you win a Rated Battleground, you will be rewarded Conquest points, up to your weekly cap. Weekly caps are individual for each player and are based on your highest single PvP rating from the previous week (the cap resets on Tuesdays). This rating can be derived from your 2v2, 3v3, or 5v5 Arena rating or your Rated Battleground rating.
Q. What Rated Battleground rating do players start out with?
A. Players start at zero Rated Battleground rating and progress upward from there. If you lose a battle, your Rated Battleground rating will only be reduced if that rating is currently higher than your Match Making Value (MMV). For the most part, a rating only goes up.
Q. What’s MMV?
A. Match Making Value (or MMV for short) is our best measure of an individual player's skill. MMV is the skill rating per format (2v2, 3v3, 5v5, Battleground) and per character that is used for matchmaking. It exists to help the matchmaking system create great matches as quickly as possible for all players. It's generally not a rating we show, with the exception of an average MMV for Arena teams.
Q. Will my MMV go down in the event of a Rated Battleground loss?
A. Yes; however, unlike Arenas, all players in a Rated Battleground team will win or lose the same amount of Rated Battleground rating per match depending on its outcome.
Q. Does MMV for Rated Battlegrounds function the same as it does in Arenas (i.e. does it go up more when you beat a higher-rated team, and go down more when you lose to a lower-rated team)?
A. Yes. Your MMV will go up faster if you defeat a Rated Battleground team with a higher average MMV.
Q. What’s the plan to prevent your Rated Battleground rating from skyrocketing at high win ratios? If your rating only goes down when it is above your MMV, it seems that ratings will just be high on average (compared to Arena).
A. If your Rated Battleground rating gets inflated much beyond your MMV, you’ll only receive a minimal amount of points when you win. Similarly, you’ll lose many more points after a defeat, until your Rated Battleground rating gets back in line with your MMV. This will prevent inflation.
Q. Can consumables and engineering items be used in Rated Battlegrounds?
A.Yes, but they will follow the same rules and restrictions as Arenas.
Q. Will Rated Battleground teams only be matched against other teams in their Battlegroup?
A. No. Rated Battlegrounds will be region-wide, meaning that when you queue for a Rated Battleground, you will have the opportunity to be matched against a team from any of our North American World of Warcraft realms.
Q. Are there any plans to reward players with the highest Rated Battleground rating, similar to Arenas?
A. Epic ground mounts will be rewarded at the end of each season to the top 0.5% of players according to Rated Battleground rating. Titles are also available as you gain rating in the system. The titles are rewarded directly from achievements earned from gaining the required rating.
Developer Chat Hosted by Best Buy (transcript)
Will the heirloom items scale to 85?
The current plan is to have heirloom items stop at level 80 at the moment.
I was wondering what new and exciting mounts there will be and what your favorite so far is?
Not surprisingly there are all kinds of new mounts, we have spectral wolf/horse mounts, a dark phoenix, a camel, the new alchemy mount that turns you into a drake can ride, among others. Also a scorpion for the horde and a lion for the alliance. My favorite has to be the camel though... i mean really, who doesn't want to be a camel jockey?!
Has Blizzard considered adding a "Tabards Tab" to the UI, so that tabard collectors can switch out tabards more effectively without having to take up bank and bag space? --Thanks! Deathunholy of Galakrond
We have talked about adding a tabard tab. We've talked about doing a closet tab to handle it. It isn't something we are adding for Cataclysm though.
Will it be as long of a wait to fight Deathwing as it was for Lich King?
Hopefully not, we definitely have a goal to get our content patches out more quickly than we have in the past, without sacrificing quality of course, we plan for deathwing to be the most amazing encounter we've ever made! =]
Are there any plans to potentially add queueing to the rated battlegrounds instead of it having to be a pre-made raid team? I was really excited when I first heard about this feature, but after reading the FAQ i was a bit disappointed with that design.
We're currently looking into the possibility of having players in the honor battleground queue be able to be called to action by groups that aren't quite full, but we're going to see how the current queue'ing works out first so, that isn't something that would be available just yet
Will you allow players to fill their quest log with say, 25 dailies, and then turn them in right after Midnight on December 7th to get a quick boost towards 85? This is how it worked in the beta, but some players are confused on whether it will work on Live. Thanks!
Regarding 25 daily quests to turn in when the expansion goes live, this is something players have been able to do for the last 2 expansions and we aren't talking about changing it now.
I understand the decision from an economic perspective but I was wondering if the deveopers were disappointed in the decision to allow race changes immediately following the release of the expansion.
Regarding allowing race/faction change on day one. Actually this wasn't an economic decision at all. This was a decision that the leadership team made. Our priority as a dev team is to allow players to play the game with their friends, the way they want too. We also talked about the fact that this is a week one problem. So we made the decision not to restrict anything.
Will Darnasus be re built to be a real tree or will it always look like a dead stump with trees at the top?
...but now that Deathwing is doing his thing it makes much more sense than it used to! ;]
Deathwing hates trees.
A lot of players I know are trying to plan out what characters to roll for the new expansion, and the big question is: Will there be ANY new realms tagging along with the release of Cataclysm? Some point to low pop realms as a reason against, but surely with the redux'd 1-60 experience and the droves of returning players desiring clean slates, there has never been a better time for a fresh realm or two?
We haven't decided exactly what the new realm decisions are yet, but we open new realms when there is player demand for them. One thing we can't do is plan all realms for day one. The goal is for realms to have good concurrency so everyone has a great game/matchmaking experience.
Could you comment on the plan for raids in Cataclysm? If i remember it was said that there would be smaller raids in cata but more of them. Would that mean like two small raids per patch or more patches in total?
The idea is that we'll have more raid environments, but fewer bosses in each environment, but a similar total number of raid bosses overall... if that makes sense. =] so, for cataclysm launch we have the skywall environment, the twilight bastion environment, and blackwing descent, versus having almost all the bosses in one environment like we did with naxrammas.
With the changes to the game environment itself, what new computer requirements will be optimal to run the game smoothly?
One of the things that is really important to us is a great gaming experience regardless of your hardware. While the system requirements do go up over time, we do want the experience on slower machines to be great. We do this by trying to add a lot of graphical options to allow players to control the experience from "runs fast" all the way to "looks great".
Will there be more than one Legendary weapon in Cata? Will there be a Caster DPS legendary? Any info or plans would be awesome =) Thanks!
It's likely there will be more than one legendary weapon, although it's too early to say for sure. We do, however, have a plan to do a caster dps staff soon.
Where did Uldum come from?
Egypt ;]
The idea with Uldum is that it has always been there, cloaked from the eyes of the players. The emergence of Deathwing has damaged some of the technology that kept it hidden. There is a story in the zone that explains this and what has been happening in the player absence.
With resource systems now broadened to include focus, rage, energy, and runic power as well as mana, and there being conditionals like enrages, holy power, combo points and runes, will classes that just use mana be getting similar treatment or remaining as they are?
Really that decision is made on a class-by-class, talent tree-by-tree basis. If we feel like the talent spec in question needs a broader resource management then we do it, but we don't like to unnecessarily complicate a spec's resource management if it isn't absolutely necessary.
Why is it that we are not able to use Archaeology before the expansion? I thought it was really cool how you guys released Inscription last time and would love to have the opportunity to level it before the expansion drops.
Using archeology before the expansion was something we talked about, but ended up adding everything about the profession to the "post sundered" world. Thus, you won't be able to use archeology before the sundering happens.
The first tier of Cataclysm raiding has 3 separate instances to tackle. Are you guys planning on keeping with the Burning Crusade model (SSC/TK, BT/Hyjal) and having multiple instances per raid tier? Will Deathwing have to share the spotlight with some other instance?
We'll evaluate that on a tier by tier basis. When we have awesome ideas that we can successfully make happen we'll do multiple environments, but it won't necessarily always be the case. We do have a super cool idea for the deathwing tier though... ...or at least so we hope. =]
What happened with the Worgen district in Stormwind?
We decided it didn't really fit very well, it was looking kind of awkwardly forced into the city. Plus deathwing would have destroyed it anyways.
As the world of Azeroth is changing I was wondering if the Death Knight zone will stay the same or will it also be affected by the cataclysm?
The death knight zone doesn't have any changes for Cataclysm.
I have been confused from the different posts for tier gear. Will there be three levels within each tier still or just heroic and normal and in either case will u just be getting them with points or will u still have to get certain things off drops off certain bosses to get the higher more heroic version of the tier gear?
There is still just normal and heroic difficulty for the raid and dungeon content, and the heroic gear has a higher item level than the corresponding normal gear
Do you feel faction imbalance is a problem at the moment? My queue is around 10-15 min at prime time as a member of the Horde and I know this is the case on at least two of the battlegroups. If so, do you think Worgen will fix the problem? And if they do not, will free faction changes ever be a possibility in the future on battlegroups or servers with a major problem?
We are working on some technology to further combine the PVP queues at server sites. This has been going on behind the scenes for a few weeks now in preparation for Cataclysm. Queue time is one of those things that gets a lot of attention and time, but will change significantly post Cata. Really good question.
What would you say was the hardest and/or easiest parts of developing this expansion? After all, many are saying this is the best expansion to date... So, what was the biggest challenge/easiest feat in creating it?
There have been huge challanges with this expansion, unlike any we've seen in the other two expansions. The scale of Cataclyms is huge for us, and something we didn't really expect when we started development. But we certainly feel like the effort has been worth it, and feel it's our best expansion so far.
Why does it seem the scorpion guild mount doesn't have a guild flag where the lion does? I was hoping to see Hordes of scorpions from our guild walking around with our tabard hanging from the tail like a flag behind them.
When riding a scorpion mount, your character displays holding a large standard with your guild symbol on it.
Why did you decide to make 310% mount speed purchasable in 4.0? It's a huge price for such a tiny speed upgrade, and used to work well as a just-above-vanity perk for people who completed the toughest achievements.
The primary reason was to equalize the awesome vanity mounts players had, and change the mechanic to one where you used the mount you were most excited about using. We wanted players to be able to see the mount players want, without considering the speed differential as a factor.
Will you allow players to change their login screen? I'd love to be able to use the Classic login screen, the unreleased one that was shown at Blizzcon, or perhaps a login screen of a previous expansion.
Players are not able to change their login screen.
How would a person get a Guild Mount? Would it be guild rep? If so how would that be calculated or obtained?
Once your guild gets to a high enough level and unlocks the guild mount, any player in the guild with a high enough guild reputation is able to buy the mount.
Will heirloom items work for goblins and worgens leveling from 1-80 at release?
Heirloom items will work perfectly for Worgen and Goblin characters! Enjoy!
Has there been any discussion of changing the heirloom items to true "Bind on Account" instead of the bind on server limitation that it has currently?
That is something we would like to do. Currently the servers mail carriers refuse to work together, and haven't worked out the economic terms from transferring mail from one server to another. One day we hope to resolve the union issues.
Will the option ever be available to change ones class, contingent upon what's currently available to the race restrictions at the time?
Never say never, but we don't currently have plans to do that.
There's any through about making account wise achievement, like Starcraft ones? It a reason for many players to not reroll/change mains since its look like a lot of work wasted when you switch your main char. Even changing to another char to help with one fight look a bit wrong now, if you are after achievements.
We do have plans to solve this problem, as it is limiting people from re-rolling for sure. This is something we want to solve, but don't have a good solution on how to do it at the moment.
Was there anything you guys regret not being able to include at launch? Possibly something that didn't have enough polish to it that me way see in the future? (You don't need to mention the Dance Studio at this point, really, it's okay)
Well... there is the dance studio. ;] There are of course always things we'd hoped to get into any patch/expansion that get pushed out until later. One example would be the idea to have a built-in atlas that details every encounter in each dungeon/raid. We're not super happy about the fact that the first time anyone encounters a new boss, the only way to learn about it (other than looking up strategies on the web) is to charge in and die a lot.
We'd love to give players some idea of what they're about to fight before they engage the boss. =]
Do honor points and Badges roll over into CATA, or do they reset to zero?
Yes, honor points and justice points carry over into cataclysm. Stock up now!
Is there any talks of maybe some faction cooperative campaigns? Since the cataclysm is threatening to destroy all life of azeroth, to me a logical response from the heroes of azeroth would be to set aside their differences and be able to work together in a raid. An Idea to maybe lessen the frequency of such groups is make the raid difficulty increase by choosing to work with the other faction, a sort of Heroic mode. Possibly even dual faction specific raids. Has there been any talks of such poss...
This is a common request, but not something we are looking to do. While there is a singular main bad guy in this expansion, the Horde and Alliance have their own unique challenges and agendas, and typically don't look to team up. After all it's the World of Warcraft, not the World of Peacecraft.
When designing expansions and content patches, do you have a list of new features to choose from that are planned out in advance or is there more of a brain storm session?
The feature set for each patch is determined by a combination of doing things (or finishing things) that we've been wanting to do for a while, along with completely new ideas that emerge as a result of the immediate needs of the game
The primary things you won't be able to do if you don't have Cataclysm are create a new Goblin/Worgen, level to 85, and fly in the orld world.
We like to stay as flexible as possible, so it's important to us to make sure that we aren't "over planned" into the future even though the real needs players have are changing
With the previous two expansions, the new content was actually on other continents, so if you didn't have the expansion, you just couldn't visit the continent. Since Cata is largely reworking of old-world content, however, how do you differentiate between someone with or without the xpac? What kinds of things will and won't be available to players don't have the upgrade?
See my answer above!
Will the 80 to 85 experience be closer to the 18hr mark or the 5 day mark that was 70-80?
That totally depends on the player to be honest, you'd be amazed by the differences in play patterns. That being said, somebody usually finds a way to level up very quickly.
What new feature(s) in WoW: Cataclysm are you guys most proud of?
I would have to say the 1-60 revamp, it's a ton of fun to play through the zones and an incredible amount of new content.
I'm most happy with the new Worgen and Goblin starting experiences. I think they are the best starting experience we've ever done, and that includes the death knight.
I have is why not have this latest expansion as a new territory like a Southrend similar to Northrend or a Moon body like Outlands instead of destroying Azeroth and Kalimdor? Were there limitations to expanding outwards or was this just to facelift the original game?
We make decisions like this on a case by case basis.. again depending on the needs of the game. In the case of Cataclysm, the world was due in for an overhaul, and we wanted to make everything fly-able, so it was important to flesh out any areas that were originally unfinished.
Can you clarify and confirm what will be available to players when 4.0.3a hits and what will be unavailable until 7th Dec?
4.0.3a will be the patch that actually causes the world to shatter and change forever. At that point you will be able to experience the new 1-60 leveling experience, as well as the new race/class combinations.
Is there an alternative mount for worgens that other races can ride
Worgen can ride the other mounts in the game, if that's what you're asking. They're not limited to their feral run.
With the level 1-80 Heirloom items, when Cataclysm is released will the xp gain work while leveling until you hit level 81? Or will XP gain be disabled for those on release?
They will not. Heirlooms stop granting their XP bonus at level 80. Not level 80.999999.
Will achievement points ever be able to be used to purchase any perks?
We have no plans to allow this. Achievements are a badge of honor only.
Druid
Is the Moonkin form for troll and worgen on the beta and ptr the final form or is it just a placeholder?
Final!
Mage
Right now, up to 50% of Ignite damage disappears due to the technical limitations of spells critting within certain timeframes. This has implications for Mage dps and the value of Mastery as a stat. Is overall damage being balanced to compensate and can we expect a solution in the near future?
We're resolving that by rolling up any "lost" ignite damage into the next ignite that overwrote it
Warlock
Are there any plans for a new Lock mount? I would love to see a possible flying mount for Locks..
One of the things we look at with mounts is broad appeal. While we do specific class mounts from time to time, most of the time we look to have mounts that all classes can use.
Warrior
Is Hit rating intended to tramp all other stats but Str for Fury till the 27% hardcap? Seems excessive
Generally speaking, we do balance hit rating to be the "best" stat until you're at the hit rating cap
22 Views
22:30:00 05/25/10
Studio Guest: Ansgar Belke
[LESS INFO] 22 VIEWS | ADDED 22:30:00 05/25/10
Our studio guest this week is Ansgar Belke from the DIW economic institute.DW-TV: Every coin has two sides, and so does the Euro. For more, we're joined by Ansgar Belke from the DIW, that's the German Institute for Economic Research in Berlin. So please tell us, what does the weaker euro mean for the German economy as a whole? Is it primarily good or bad? Ansgar Belke: In the first place, it's a stimulus program for the economy because exports become cheaper and imports become more expensive. This is a negative side of the coin. But on the other hand, it's also a huge stimulus program for the weaker European countries which are supported now by the big rescue package and this is the good news. DW-TV: So it's a big help for us as well. Now, I remember a time when the exchange rate against the dollar was one euro at 88.89 US cents. That was in about 2001, 2002 and since then, of-course, the euro has been rising and falling again until it peaked in about 2008, when it was at 1.60. In early 2010, the euro then took a nose dive and since then it's been hovering at around 1.22, 1.24, 1.25, so actually not that low compared to where it once started off. So why are we actually talking about a eurozone crisis? Ansgar Belke: Yes, it's kind of psychological framing, I would like to argue, because, please remember at the time the euro reached its all time high everyone spoke about the threshold of the euro. This happened three or four times, when the chief of Airbus argued that the euro is skyrocketing and the ECB should intervene for this purpose, and nowadays it's nearly the same. We find ourselves at the equilibrium level of the exchange rate, which is estimated by scientists at about 1.20 or so. The only problem is if the euro slides down even further, there would be a huge degree of exchange rate volatility which by itself hampers trade. This is well known. DW-TV: And this is what everybody's trying to prevent. There are these belt-tightening measures, these huge bail-out packages, but will all that be enough to get the eurozone back on track? Ansgar Belke: I think the reaction of the financial markets is intriguing on this aspect. The euro has been tumbling down due to that fact and also financial markets have not been calmed completely. They are still in doubt about the effectiveness of the program. They do not trust into the credibility and sustainability of the program because it does not tackle structural divergences which are permanent within the euro area, I guess. DW-TV: And what happens if all these measures actually won't stop other EU members asking for help as well: Spain, Portugal - are we looking at a bottomless pit? Ansgar Belke: Yes, that's true. In fact, because what the ECB does at the moment - the European Central Bank - it buys bonds and this is transferring wealth from richer countries, Germany, to poorer countries like Greece or Portugal and gives no incentive for these countries to save more because the main reason for the crisis isn't that they saved too less. DW-TV: Now, just briefly then, given all of this, would you recommend other countries to join the eurozone now? Ansgar Belke: I think the option is valuable for them to wait because in these times of crisis the surroundings are so variable that they should stick to their own exchange rate and their own monetary policy to cope with these kind of shocks. And moreover, they should think about whether they are really ripe for entering the currency union because you have to be flexible to stay successfully inside each kind of euro area. This at least is the example which is conveyed by Greece or Portugal. They have proven not to be flexible and competitive enough, so it would be better in some regions to stay out of the euro area for these countries. DW-TV: We've seen the results. Anske Belke, thank you very much for joining us. Interview: Monika Jones
14 Views
22:30:00 05/25/10
Studio Guest: Ansgar Belke
[LESS INFO] 14 VIEWS | ADDED 22:30:00 05/25/10
Our studio guest this week is Ansgar Belke from the DIW economic institute.DW-TV: Every coin has two sides, and so does the Euro. For more, we're joined by Ansgar Belke from the DIW, that's the German Institute for Economic Research in Berlin. So please tell us, what does the weaker euro mean for the German economy as a whole? Is it primarily good or bad? Ansgar Belke: In the first place, it's a stimulus program for the economy because exports become cheaper and imports become more expensive. This is a negative side of the coin. But on the other hand, it's also a huge stimulus program for the weaker European countries which are supported now by the big rescue package and this is the good news. DW-TV: So it's a big help for us as well. Now, I remember a time when the exchange rate against the dollar was one euro at 88.89 US cents. That was in about 2001, 2002 and since then, of-course, the euro has been rising and falling again until it peaked in about 2008, when it was at 1.60. In early 2010, the euro then took a nose dive and since then it's been hovering at around 1.22, 1.24, 1.25, so actually not that low compared to where it once started off. So why are we actually talking about a eurozone crisis? Ansgar Belke: Yes, it's kind of psychological framing, I would like to argue, because, please remember at the time the euro reached its all time high everyone spoke about the threshold of the euro. This happened three or four times, when the chief of Airbus argued that the euro is skyrocketing and the ECB should intervene for this purpose, and nowadays it's nearly the same. We find ourselves at the equilibrium level of the exchange rate, which is estimated by scientists at about 1.20 or so. The only problem is if the euro slides down even further, there would be a huge degree of exchange rate volatility which by itself hampers trade. This is well known. DW-TV: And this is what everybody's trying to prevent. There are these belt-tightening measures, these huge bail-out packages, but will all that be enough to get the eurozone back on track? Ansgar Belke: I think the reaction of the financial markets is intriguing on this aspect. The euro has been tumbling down due to that fact and also financial markets have not been calmed completely. They are still in doubt about the effectiveness of the program. They do not trust into the credibility and sustainability of the program because it does not tackle structural divergences which are permanent within the euro area, I guess. DW-TV: And what happens if all these measures actually won't stop other EU members asking for help as well: Spain, Portugal - are we looking at a bottomless pit? Ansgar Belke: Yes, that's true. In fact, because what the ECB does at the moment - the European Central Bank - it buys bonds and this is transferring wealth from richer countries, Germany, to poorer countries like Greece or Portugal and gives no incentive for these countries to save more because the main reason for the crisis isn't that they saved too less. DW-TV: Now, just briefly then, given all of this, would you recommend other countries to join the eurozone now? Ansgar Belke: I think the option is valuable for them to wait because in these times of crisis the surroundings are so variable that they should stick to their own exchange rate and their own monetary policy to cope with these kind of shocks. And moreover, they should think about whether they are really ripe for entering the currency union because you have to be flexible to stay successfully inside each kind of euro area. This at least is the example which is conveyed by Greece or Portugal. They have proven not to be flexible and competitive enough, so it would be better in some regions to stay out of the euro area for these countries. DW-TV: We've seen the results. Anske Belke, thank you very much for joining us. Interview: Monika Jones
