#westchester open mic | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

theliberaltony · 4 years ago

Link

via Politics – FiveThirtyEight

Between a suddenly competitive Senate race in Kentucky and the possible ouster of four entrenched incumbents in New York, Tuesday’s primary elections feature the largest-scale confrontation yet between the Democratic establishment and the party’s progressive wing. In New York especially, the primaries will test the political muscle of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has thrown her weight behind several progressives running for Congress and state legislature.

In addition, four other states (Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia) will hold their primaries or primary runoffs, but there are no special races of note that we’ll be watching closely. Regardless, don’t wait up late tonight for results; because the coronavirus has forced most states to conduct elections predominantly by absentee ballot, it could take more than a week to learn who won the day’s biggest races. New York won’t start counting its absentee ballots until June 30, and at least a third of Kentucky counties, including the two biggest, will not release any results until that date either.

Kentucky

The highest contested office on the ballot today is the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in the Bluegrass State. For months, Amy McGrath, a former Marine who gained national attention for her strong but unsuccessful House run in 2018, seemed like a shoo-in for the Democratic nomination to take on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Helped by her own national following, an intense Democratic desire to defeat McConnell and the backing of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, McGrath raised massive sums of money for the race — $41.1 million as of June 3, even more than McConnell. But locally, there were some signs of resistance to McGrath. A few Democrats in Kentucky’s state legislature have backed state Rep. Charles Booker, while some progressive activists support farmer and former Marine Mike Broihier.

Recently, however, Booker — who would be Kentucky’s first Black senator — has gained attention for speaking out about racial inequality at local protests against police violence, which have carried special meaning in Louisville as the hometown of Breonna Taylor, a young Black woman whom police shot and killed at her home in March. Booker’s leadership impressed the state’s two biggest newspapers, which endorsed him, and even galvanized progressives nationally: Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren endorsed Booker in the final weeks of the race. Now, polls show a tight race between McGrath and Booker, and it’s not clear which candidate will come out ahead. Either way, though, McConnell will remain a heavy favorite in November; he leads both McGrath and Booker by double digits in hypothetical matchups.

New York

The Empire State has 10 House races we’re watching, including eight matchups between establishment and insurgent candidates and five incumbents who could theoretically lose their safe seats.

The most direct clash between the two wings of the party is in the 16th District, where 16-term Rep. Eliot Engel is being challenged by former middle school principal Jamaal Bowman. Unlike some other Democrats who have faced progressive primary challenges this year, Engel is pretty liberal (according to DW-Nominate, he’s more liberal than 64 percent of the current House Democratic Caucus), and he has the support of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. However, Engel has been criticized for neglecting his district; he rode out the first two months of the pandemic in Washington, D.C., even as his Bronx- and Westchester County-based district became a coronavirus hotspot, and a hot mic caught him pleading to speak at a press conference about the anti-police-violence protests by saying, “if I didn’t have a primary, I wouldn’t care.”

That gaffe, plus another progressive challenger dropping out and endorsing Bowman, gave Bowman momentum; the Justice Democrats and the Working Families Party had been backing Bowman for months, but he also now has the support of Ocasio-Cortez, Sanders and The New York Times editorial board. Bowman’s campaign says it also raised more than $600,000 from June 1-12, although Engel had spent more and had more cash on hand as of June 3. And a Data for Progress poll conducted for Bowman gave the challenger a surprisingly wide 10-point lead, although Engel’s campaign claims that its internal polls show Engel ahead.

A few of New York City’s other incumbents also face notable challenges, though a lack of polling means it’s hard to gauge how serious they are.

In the Brooklyn-based 9th District, community organizer Adem Bunkeddeko is back for a rematch with seven-term Rep. Yvette Clarke after losing to her just 53 percent to 47 percent in the 2018 Democratic primary. Ideologically, both Clarke and Bunkeddeko are staunch progressives, so this contest is more about approach — for instance, Clarke is willing to take PAC money; Bunkeddeko is not. The addition of two new candidates this year — one progressive, one conservative aiming to appeal to the district’s Orthodox Jewish community — adds even more unpredictability.

In the tri-borough (Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens) 12th District, 14-term Rep. Carolyn Maloney also confronts a familiar face: attorney Suraj Patel, who lost to Maloney 60 percent to 40 percent in 2018. However, democratic socialists Lauren Ashcraft and Peter Harrison are also running this year, threatening to split the anti-incumbent vote. As of June 3, Maloney, an ideologically median Democrat and chair of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, had outspent her three challengers combined, $2.0 million to $754,186.

In the 10th District, which zigzags across Manhattan and Brooklyn, Rep. Jerrold Nadler faces two challengers: former New York Deputy Secretary of Economic Development Lindsey Boylan and former Andrew Yang staffer Jonathan Herzog. Although Nadler, who played a starring role in President Trump’s impeachment proceedings as chair of the House Judiciary Committee, has a pretty progressive voting record, Boylan and Herzog have argued he is all bark and no bite. As of June 3, Boylan had spent $749,902, almost as much as Nadler’s $1.1 million. That said, in Nadler’s nearly 30 years as a congressman, he has never come close to losing renomination, so it might be an uphill battle for Boylan or Herzog to dethrone him.

Finally, there’s one place anti-establishment forces are playing defense: Ocasio-Cortez’s 14th District in Queens and the Bronx. Former CNBC anchor Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, a fiscal conservative, says “AOC is MIA” in the district and blames her for scuttling Amazon’s plan to build a second headquarters in New York City. With the help of deep-pocketed business executives and more than a few Republicans, Caruso-Cabrera has raised an impressive $2.0 million in an effort to unseat the first-term incumbent. Of course, Ocasio-Cortez has raised a whopping $10.5 million, so it seems as if the 14th is still safely Ocasio-Cortez’s.

In two other dark-blue open seats, many liberals are fighting to prevent the nomination from going to someone who might actually vote with Republicans. In the South Bronx 15th District, New York City Council Member Rubén Díaz, Sr., is a conservative Democrat who opposes abortion, has claimed that city government is “controlled by the homosexual community” and is openly considering a vote for Trump this fall. But as the patriarch of a Bronx political dynasty — he represented the area in the state Senate for 15 years, and his son is now borough president — Díaz has enough of a base to be a front-runner in the fractured, 12-candidate field.

Liberals are split on their preferred alternative: Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders endorsed affordable-housing activist Samelys López, while the Black political establishment has rallied around Assemblyman Michael Blake. And symbolic of Democrats’ indecision, the political arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus is backing New York City Council Member Ritchie Torres, but the caucus’s chair, Rep. Joaquin Castro, has endorsed former City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. Torres, the Bronx’s first openly LGBT elected official, may be the candidate best positioned to beat Díaz. As of June 3, he had spent the most money in the race, at $856,531 (although Blake was not far behind at $705,648). And a Data for Progress poll in May found Díaz with 22 percent, Torres with 20 percent and no other candidate above 6 percent. However, 34 percent of likely voters were still undecided.

Up the Hudson River, in the suburban 17th District, state Sen. David Carlucci is likewise a top contender for the Democratic nod — despite his seven years as a member of the Independent Democratic Conference, a breakaway group of Democrats who handed control of the state Senate to Republicans. But after multiple polls showed Carlucci in strong position, progressives (including Ocasio-Cortez) united behind attorney Mondaire Jones, and Jones took 25 percent to Carlucci’s 11 percent in a more recent Public Policy Polling survey. However, at 14 percent each in the poll, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Evelyn Farkas and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Schleifer are still in the hunt as well. Schleifer in particular has one big advantage: millions of dollars in pharmaceutical stock. He has invested almost $4 million of his own money in his campaign, allowing him to spend four times more than any other candidate.

All the seats above will almost certainly remain in Democratic hands this fall no matter who wins the primary. But upstate, in the Syracuse-based 24th District, Democrats’ choice of nominee could affect their chances against vulnerable GOP Rep. John Katko. The two main Democratic candidates, professor Dana Balter and Navy veteran Francis Conole, disagree on only a few things: health care (Balter supports Medicare for All, Conole a public option) and who is more electable. (As the Democrats’ previous nominee, Balter lost to Katko by 5 points in 2018, even though the district had voted for Clinton by nearly 4 points two years earlier. However, that was a stronger performance than Katko’s 2016 opponent, even after adjusting for the national environment.) As of June 3, the two had spent similar sums of money (around $700,000), but Balter’s name recognition may carry the day: According to a GBAO Strategies poll for her campaign, she led 60 percent to 31 percent as of early June.

The parties will also decide their nominees in four other New York swing seats: the 1st, 2nd, 11th and 22nd. Of these, only the Democratic primary in the 1st District, which covers eastern Long Island, is in any real doubt. The initial front-runner seemed to be businessman Perry Gershon, who lost to GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin here by 4 points in 2018. But self-funding chemistry professor Nancy Goroff outspent him $1.6 million to $979,063, and as of late May Goroff’s internal polling showed the two roughly tied. Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming then responded with her own internal poll giving herself and Goroff 29 percent each, with Gershon at 22 percent. Fleming spent just $598,608 but earned a notable endorsement from progressive actor Cynthia Nixon.

If you’ve read this far, you might also be interested in one non-primary election happening Tuesday. Nine months after ex-Rep. Chris Collins resigned and pleaded guilty to insider trading, New York’s 27th District is finally holding a special election to replace him. The GOP tapped state Sen. Chris Jacobs as its nominee in January, while Democrats are fielding former Grand Island Town Supervisor Nate McMurray, who came within 1,088 votes of unseating Collins in 2018. However, Jacobs is a far less damaged candidate than Collins was, and Trump carried this Western New York seat by 24 points. Therefore, Jacobs is a heavy favorite to win, but the exact margin will be worth watching as a barometer of the national mood. So far this cycle, despite wide Democratic leads in presidential and congressional generic ballot polls, special-election results have not indicated a consistent Democratic overperformance.

#IFTTT #Politics – FiveThirtyEight #politics #538 #Nathaniel Rakich

1 note · View note

orlandoferrand · 5 years ago

Photo

Poetry in the Air meets “poetry on the screen” with our celebrity actor @frankieramosactor and master artist @marshall_ruth during the final touches on the preparation for our poetry and balloon party. Our lineup of featured poets Alice Myerson, Maria Meli, and Felix Guzman will rock your world! Our poetry corner will also be blessed with an open mic. The art installation celebration is on Monday, October 28th from 3 - 5 pm at the NYPL Parkchester branch located on 1985 Westchester Ave. The Bronx, NY 10462. Edited on @carbonblackandwhite _ #carbonblackandwhite #art #artist #artistic #artists #arte #dibujo #myart #artwork #illustration #graphicdesign #graphic #color #colour #colorful #painting #drawing #drawings #markers #paintings #watercolor #watercolour #ink #creative #climatemarch #orlandoferrand #installationart #poetry #art #calligraphymasters #rurhmarshall https://www.instagram.com/p/B4FsfmPh7wC/?igshid=1r4rphe6v658p

2 notes · View notes

nextlevelsummercamps · 3 years ago

Text

Best summer camps

At the top of each summer, I can’t stop talking about camp. The stories are endless, and it’s impossible to not share them. The anecdotes are often specific enough to qualify for ‘you had to be there’ moments. From grand events just like the break of school Days to tales of campers realizing their goals to the crackle of a mid-summer campfire. There’s something special happening every hour of each day.

Stringing the anecdotes together paints a much bigger picture of Laurel: a camp becoming a community. Campers who fortnight prior were strangers begin to function sort of like a family. Campers who are together summer after summer (after summer!) start appreciating their amazing time at sports camp in Faifield.

The impact of day camps in Westchester is exclusive for each camper and counselor. Everyone at camp is engaged and active within the moment. Campers specialise in having fun or trying something new, rarely realizing the character-building and social skill development that’s naturally happening. Campers are constantly working together and inspiring each other. It makes them more empathetic, responsible and type.

“We Inspire Our Campers To Connect with their Creative Self”

Our ARTS program is for the camper that LOVES everything about the ARTS. Their day can be filled with paint, pencils and sketch books or a dark room, open mic & music.

Campers in our drawing & painting program are able to create through composition, design, charcoal, oil pastel, tempera, chalk, pen and ink. They also develop visual perception skills while exploring natural forms, abstract concepts and still life.

And while it is often amazing to ascertain just what percentage of students are having an excellent time with their day camp in Faifield, it is the benefits and therefore the outcomes; the stories of positive impact that basically stand out.

We often remind our counselors “Little moments have an enormous impact.” And that’s true. Like how a camper created a song and it became a year-after-year tradition. Or how a staffer turned brushing teeth into a game that campers would anticipate every morning and night.

E-mail: [email protected]

Ph.No- (914) 341-1488

Address:

For Girls Camp:-

Notre Dame HS, 220 Jefferson S,Faifield, CT

The Ursuline School, 1354 North Avenue, New Rochelle, NY

For Boys Camp:

173 Stratton Rd, New Rochelle, NY 10804

Website: https://nextlevelgirlscamp.com/

https://nextlevelboyscamp.com/

#Sleepaway camps in Faifield best summer camp new rochelle Overnight summer camps in New Rochelle Best summer camps New Rochelle best summer

0 notes

amigospc · 4 years ago

Video

youtube

Today, join Scott and Mark with this episode's guest, Brandon Black, as they talk about comedy, how he got started, and his whole thing going forward as a comedian. When it comes to writing his material, Brandon opens up about how he prefers to just go for whatever subject possible, even if that could include anything that hits close to home. Anything for the laughs.

Because of the pandemic, many industries were hit and were forced to adjust – including live comedy shows. For Brandon, restricting live events and resorting to online shows has been a real challenge. Far different from the experience people get from live comedy stand-ups, for him, any online show could lack the energy and connection comedians feed off from their live audience.

As you get deeper into the randomness, listen as Brandon and your hosts talk more about the whole Funny AF experience, the etiquette needed in live shows, cryptocurrency and mining, Apple products, and so much more crazy theories and stuff!

About Brandon Black:

Brandon Black is the unofficial-official #HoodHumor king reigning straight out of Los Angeles, who continues to sell out The Hollywood Improv, and he is next to shine on the REVOLT Studios stage. Quickly making a name for himself, Black has garnered online and onstage attention as one of the city's best performers.

Brandon Black is an L.A. native-born and raised near Florence and Normandie in the city's South Central section. He first realized he was funny while roasting classmates during lunch at Westchester High School.

Even though he was a natural comedian, he was focused on music. He didn't pursue stand-up comedy until many years later after running into a friend outside a club who encouraged him to do an open mic. Some of his influences are the late Richard Pryor, Bernie Mac, and Patrice O'Neal. Other influences include Dave Chapelle and Mike Epps.

Outline of the episode:

•[05:55] The pandemic made me do online shows. •[07:54] On upcoming shows and projects. •[11:10]The story of being a Big Black Sign. •[12:38]Experiencing Funny AF. •[17:20]Is personal life a sensitive subject source for comedy material? •[20:12]On meeting Warren G. •[25:13]Thoughts on how to enjoy live events; Live show etiquette. •[29:38]What Apple doesn't allow you to do. •[35:21] The better pick/brand for mining. •[45:28]Theories theories theories; Should we shelve this episode? •[50:37]What could be going around in prisons. •[57:55]Trash Talk Segment; Brandon's last google search.

Resources:

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/iambrandonblack/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/iambrandonblack/

Follow The Brandon Black Show on: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brandon-black-show/id1545629334

Check out Offical AmigosPC Merch at: https://teespring.com/stores/amigospc

Catch AmigosPC on:

Website:https://www.amigospc.net/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TwoandahalfAmigos/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/amigospc/ Twitter:https://twitter.com/AmigosPC

Listen to the AmigosPC podcast on the following platforms: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-3-amigos-podcast/id1440367116 https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-two-and-a-half-amigos_1 https://www.iheart.com/podcast/256-two-and-a-half-amigos-31154017/

0 notes

blackwestchester · 8 years ago

Text

BW Spotlight: Greenburgh Author Kamilah Glover Launches Open Mic Series In Downtown White Plains

Kamilah Glover at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), in NYC, Feb 2017 [picture courtesy of Kamilah Glover]

Local Indie author, Kamilah Glover launched her very first series of Open Mic Nights in the busy downtown White Plains, NY scene. Her open mic series titled “Spring Sessions: Life Q&A’s,” was held at Hastings Tea and Coffee Lounge located 235 Main Street in White Plains.

The night was…

View On WordPress

#author #Downtown White Plains #Greenburgh #Hastings Tea and Coffee Lounge #Kamilah Glover #Open Mic Night #Sober Days #Somber Nights #spoken word #Spring Sessions #Westchester County

0 notes

savetopnow · 7 years ago

Text

2018-04-03 12 APPLE now

APPLE

9 to 5 Mac

Apple store in The Westchester Mall set to close May 6th for renovations

The best Apple Pencil accessories, including charging docks, sleeves & more

What’s new in iOS 11.4 beta 1? Hands-on with new features and changes [Video]

Apple schedules Q2 2018 earnings release for May 1

9to5Mac Daily 055: April 2, 2018

Apple Insider

Apple to report fiscal Q2 2018 earnings on May 1

DirecTV Now extends free Apple TV 4K offer with 3 months of prepaid service

Video: Everything new in iOS 11.4 including AirPlay 2, Messages in iCloud, and more

Apple planning to ditch Intel chips in Macs for its own custom silicon in 2020

Instagram nixes native Apple Watch app, citing death of watchOS 1 SDK

Cult of Mac

iPhone shoppers prefer bargains to newest models

Is iPhone X really too expensive? We’ll find out May 1

Why Apple Watch apps are dying off in droves

Sorry, Samsung: Latest iPhones beat Galaxy S9 on battery life

Snatch an Apple leather iPhone X case for a great discount [Deals & Steals]

Daring Fireball

The 50th Anniversary of ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’

Apple Now Selling the iMac Pro’s Space Gray Keyboard, Mouse, and Trackpad at $20 Premiums

[Sponsor] JetPens

★ Users and Customers

Apple Increases Number of Job Openings With ‘Siri’ in the Title

Life in LoFi

iOS 11 Update Day: iOS 11 will break some apps

Scan and straighten photos with Dropbox

Latest Snapseed Update Adds New Curves Tool

The iPhone Turns 10 Today

How to move your photos from Google Photos to Apple Photos

Mac Rumors

Apple to Announce Q2 2018 Earnings on May 1

Hands-On With the New Sixth-Generation iPad

Quick Takes: WebKit Team Teases 'Cool New Apple Products' as Rumors Persist About Red iPhones

DirecTV Now Extends Apple TV 4K Deal with 3-Months Prepaid Service Through April

Instagram Eliminates Apple Watch App

MacPrices

How to use your Apple Education discount to save up to $200 on the price of a new MacBook

Monday roundup of Certified Refurbished iPads, iPad minis, and iPad Pros available at Apple. Prices start at $239

Apple Watch Series I for $100 off on Walmart’s online store, only $149

Save up to $420 on a 2017 15″ MacBook Pro with these certified refurbished models at Apple

Get a new 2017 15″ Apple MacBook Pro for up to $300 off today!

OSX Daily

How to Turn Off Safari Suggestions on Mac

iOS 11.4 Beta 1 Released for Testing

April Fools: The Broken Screen Wallpaper Prank for iPhone, iPad, Android

How to Change the Key Photo of Live Photos on iPhone and iPad

iPhone X Ringer Volume Very Low? Here’s the Fix

Power Page

Intel’s shares fall as much as nine percent on rumors that Apple may switch to its own in-house processors for next-gen Macs

Sixth-gen iPad now available for retail purchase, pick up at Apple Store locations in the United States

Apple beefs up hiring for Siri-related development jobs

Apple releases macOS 10.13.4 High Sierra update

Apple releases iOS 11.3 update

Reddit Apple

In February Apple held their annual Close Your Rings Challenge and this was the reward:

Bluetooth 5.0 question

New type of display output discovered in iOS 11.3 code: “Tatl”. Possible allusion to the fairy in Zelda, code name for future Apple product?

In 2018, Linux Is Still Receiving Fixes For The Apple PowerBook 100 Series

Apple Plans to Use Its Own Chips in Macs From 2020, Replacing Intel

Reddit Mac

HELP: Safari Private Browsing Tabs Recovery?

DRIVING ME FUCKING CRAZY: Why is this happening on my Apple TV? No,I am not playing music on another device.

VirtualBox vs VMware Fusion vs Parallels

Save dialog has extra favorites

Help With Bootcamp

Reddit iPhone

iPhone Battery Capacity

IOS 11.3 Volume/Audio & Mic Issues

Debating doing a Factory Reset of my iPhone 6s

2 AirPod household?

Fortnite for iOS Now Available for Everyone, No Beta Invite Needed

Six Colors

Bloomberg: Apple to use its own chips in Macs from 2020 ↦

(Podcast) Upgrade #187: Whiz-Bang Wonderfulness

Watch MLB TV in Picture in Picture on a Mac

It’s time for Apple to show iBooks some love (Macworld)

Spy Party to debut after years of development ↦

Unlock Boot

5 Best Recipe Apps for iPhone and Android

Activate iPhone Without SIM Card Using Simple Method

Top 20 iPhone Apps Gone Free Today – April 2 2018

Install GBA Emulator iPhone With iOS 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 Without Jailbreak

How To Unlock Samsung Galaxy S9 & S9 Plus Permanently

iPhone Hacks

iOS 11.4 Beta: All the New and Hidden Features

Apple Patent Application Aims to Put VR Systems in Autonomous Cars

Instagram Has Eliminated Its Apple Watch App

Apple Will Reportedly Switch to Its Own Chips For Macs in 2020

Apple Seeds tvOS 11.4 Beta 1 to Developers

iPhone Life

How to Cancel a Payment in Apple Pay on Your iPhone

How to Organize, Manage & Delete Photos Like You’re Swiping on Tinder

The Best Efficiency, Productivity, & Work-Life Balance Apps for iPhone in 2018

How to Know If Someone Blocked Your Number on iPhone

iPhone Virus Warnings: How to Get Rid of Fake Security Alerts on Your iPhone

iPhone Photography Blog

9 iPhone Camera Effects: How To Use Them For More Creative Photos

SANDMARC Lenses For iPhone X: Wide, Fisheye, Macro & 3x Telephoto

iPhone Art Academy: Create Stunning Works Of Art With Just Your iPhone

Olloclip Lenses For iPhone 8 & 8 Plus: Pick The Best Lenses For You

Camera+ App Tutorial: How To Create Stunning iPhone Photos

#apple

0 notes

jacewilliams1 · 6 years ago

Text

Flying into Y2K

It’s difficult to remember now, but as 1999 was drawing to a close the country was in a panic. The fear was that all, or at least most, computer systems would crash as the year ended because of a fundamental software error.

To save precious memory, computer systems then didn’t include the digits “19” in the year. The year was simply recorded as 97, for 1997, or ominously, as 99 for 1999. When the clock struck midnight on December 31 of 1999 computers would roll over to 00 for the year.

Would that set the computer network back to the year 1900? Or would the electronic brains instantly believe it was the very first year of AD—0000? Nobody knew. But experts of all stripes were certain computer networks would crash. The pending disaster was named “Y2K” for year 2000.

People worried about the national power grid failing after the computer networks that control it failed. Maybe crazed computers would open the floodgates of dams across the country. Most certainly the banking system would fail and your credit cards and ATM card would be worthless.

ATC technology was hardly leading edge – would it stop working on 1/1/2000?

The list of possible calamities was endless, but near the top of worries was the FAA’s antiquated air traffic control computer system. The news media claimed the FAA’s computers were so old they still used vacuum tubes. Not true. But the ATC computer system software was notorious for the number of times it had been “patched.” And for the number of big-name tech companies that had tried to modernize it, and failed.

As New Year’s Eve 1999 approached the country pretty much went on what we now call “lock down.” Almost all plans were cancelled as people hunkered down, many with enough survival supplies stocked to last for months. The airlines cancelled essentially all flights. Maybe airline officials weren’t really frightened of Y2K, but since passengers were, and wouldn’t buy tickets, it didn’t matter what the airlines thought would happen.

As I was thinking about the Y2K panic it dawned on me that the FAA and its computers all operate on a single time—Zulu. It’s what we called Greenwich Mean Time for many years. It’s the global reference all systems need to account for time zone changes. There are no calendars in FAA traffic facilities, only clocks showing Zulu time. The ATC system runs on a 24-hour cycle that rolls over at 0000 Zulu.

That meant Y2K would arrive at 7 pm eastern time on the Zulu clock. If the ATC system were going to blowup it would happen then. So I decided that was the perfect time to be in the air and flying in the system.

I filed an IFR flight plan from my home base at Westchester County Airport (HPN) just north of New York City to Atlantic City with departure at 7:30, or 2330 Z.

I was the only one moving on the airport when Stancie and I taxied out in our Baron. There were no delays in getting the IFR clearance, or takeoff clearance, as there would usually be. We were the only ones on the frequency.

We flew along in pretty good weather for the end of December in the northeast with only the most perfunctory communications with the controllers. The routing was the standard across JFK and down the Jersey shore to Atlantic City.

We were in Atlantic City approach airspace when the clock rolled over the 7 local time, 0000 Z. Nothing happened. All the nav signals continued. I called the controllers and asked “are you guys still there?” They were surprised by the question. So I told them to look at their clocks.

Then it dawned on them. Y2K had arrived for ATC. The clocks showed 0000 and were counting up. Everything worked. I could hear cheering and laughing when they keyed the mic. The dreaded deadline came and went without a whimper.

They asked if we wanted to land, and I said no, we want to go back home to HPN. And then the real miracle of Y2K happened. I was cleared direct. That never happens in New York. As we were handed to each controller they were full of questions about what we saw, what we heard, and was everything working.

Then New York approach control gave us a vector to fly. “That will take you right over Times Square. 2,000 feet is the lowest we can give you,” was the clearance. That never, every happens. The controllers wanted to know if we could see the crystal ball that would drop in just under 5 hours. We couldn’t be sure, but we did see one heck of a lot of lights.

We made it home in plenty of time to go to our neighbor’s New Year’s Eve party where we watched Y2K arrive in local time. It was the second New Year for us, and it, too, went off without a hitch.

The post Flying into Y2K appeared first on Air Facts Journal.

from Engineering Blog https://airfactsjournal.com/2018/12/flying-into-y2k/

0 notes

ethelbertpaul444-blog · 6 years ago

Text

The Strange David and Goliath Saga of Radio Frequencies

The email blast from the head of my son and daughter’s theater group relayed a frantic plea: “We need to raise $16,000 before the upcoming spring performances,” Anya Wallach, the executive director of Random Farms Kids’ Theater, in Westchester, New York, wrote in late May. If the money didn’t materialize in time, she warned, there could be a serious problem with the shows: nobody would hear the actors.

Random Farms, and tens of thousands of other theater companies, schools, churches, broadcasters, and myriad other interests across the country, need to buy new wireless microphones. The majority of professional wireless audio gear in America is about to become obsolete, and illegal to operate. The story of how we got to this strange point involves politics, business, science, and, of course, money.

Four years ago, in an effort to bolster the country’s tech infrastructure, the FCC decreed that the portion of the radio spectrum used by most wireless mics would be better utilized for faster and more robust mobile broadband service. Now, as the telecom companies that won the rights to that spectrum begin to use it, the prior tenants are scrambling for new radio-frequency homes.

The dispossessed are a diverse and varied lot. Wireless mics are near ubiquitous in modern life, in our schools—think lecture halls and pep rallies—our offices, our hotels and meeting halls, our entertainment venues, musical and theatrical tours, our houses of worship, and our radio and television broadcasts.

Replacing them will not be cheap. Even small community or school theaters can use 30 or more microphones, which, including ancillary gear, can cost $1,000 or more apiece. “I’ll need to replace at least 24 mics, which will cost at least 24 grand,” says Brian Johnson, artistic director of the theater program at La Habra High School, in California. The Shakespeare Theatre Company, in Washington, DC, will spend $50,000 on new mics, says Tom Haygood, their director of production.

Behind the scenes, the stagehands responsible for moving sets, rigs, curtains, and the like also use wireless communications devices. Nearly every director I spoke with said that regardless of their theater’s financial condition, they’re immediately replacing this gear out of safety concerns. Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Haygood says he’s already spent another $45,000 on headsets for backstage personnel. The combined expense will hamper many companies’ ability to pay for musicians, costumes, and sets. “Basically, we will be robbing Peter to pay Paul,” one director told me. By the time the switchover is supposed to be complete, in July 2020, the total tab could top $100 million.

For commercial broadcasters, and other corporate users, replacing wireless gear won’t be a financial strain. But it’s a pending crisis for nonprofit theaters, which generally rely on ticket sales and donations to survive. Many school theater programs will have to appeal to their community, as their districts don’t often fund such a capital expense. “The idea of going to a school board and asking for money to replace audio equipment is a non-starter,” says Jim Palmarini, of the Educational Theatre Association, a national organization of school theater programs. He says half of the group’s members rely solely on box-office revenue. Most community theaters don’t have any hope of municipal help, and as nonprofits few of them have the resources to easily cover such a large outlay. That’s why, Wallach told me, she sent her panicked email asking for funds.

Wireless audio, like all wireless communication, operates by sending and receiving signals on specific frequencies in the radio spectrum. Each part of the RF spectrum has different characteristics, better suited for particular uses. The low-end waves, such as AM radio, are very weak, but can travel many miles. On the high end, home to x-rays, waves are intensely powerful but don’t travel far. It’s the juicy part in the middle that’s so desirable for communications devices, making claims for every frequency in that range competitive.

The problem is there’s only so much of this desirable spectrum to go around, with numerous uses—phones, tablets, digital TV signals, GPS, baby monitors, Bluetooth devices—staking claims. To control the virtual landscape, the government dictates which devices, types of use, or even individual companies, can operate at which frequencies. So it’s no surprise that the allocation of frequencies is political, and can favor interests with the most money or influence.

It's a case of electronic eminent domain, yet without government recompense.

The upheaval around wireless mics can be traced to the National Broadband Plan of 2010, where, on the direction of Congress, the FCC declared broadband “a foundation for economic growth, job creation, global competitiveness and a better way of life.” Two years later, in a bill best known for cutting payroll taxes, Congress authorized the FCC to auction off additional spectrum for broadband communications. In 2014, the FCC determined it would use the 600 MHz band— where most wireless microphones operate—to accomplish that goal.

The auction began in 2016 and continued into 2017. T-Mobile, the largest purchaser of the reallocated spectrum, spent close to $8 billion, and is using it to increase its LTE coverage and to lay the foundation for its 5G network. Wireless mic users have until July 2020, at the latest, to vacate the 600 MHz band. But T-Mobile began taking over its acquired spectrum in certain regions in August 2017. In a sort of electronic eminent domain, yet without government recompense, prior users of those frequencies must vacate their airwave real estate once T-Mobile or other auction winners move in, rendering all or most of their current gear useless. T-Mobile did not respond to a request for comment.

T-Mobile has been updating its rollout plans online, but there’s still broad uncertainty about the details, and many would rather be safe than sorry. At Random Farms, Wallach’s audio engineer, Randy Taber, advised her that T-Mobile was slated to flip the switch in her region toward the end of this year, and had begun testing in the area. So she and others are opting to purchase new mics now, than risk being too late and having a blast of static radiate from the theater’s speakers just as Dorothy opens her mouth to sing “Over the Rainbow.”

Other spectrum purchasers at the 600 MHz auction, including Dish and Comcast, are not yet using their frequencies. Government rules allow spectrum holders a decade or more to “build out” their services. A Dish spokesperson says the spectrum is intended for “our 5G future,” but it’s not yet using the spectrum because TV broadcasters haven’t yet vacated those frequencies. Comcast did not respond to a request for comment.

The shift is especially difficult because this is the second time in less than 10 years that wireless mics are being evicted from their frequency home. A decade ago, many wireless mics were designed to operate in the 700 MHz band. But in 2010 the FCC auctioned off much of that range for wireless broadband and public-safety uses, forcing out many wireless mics. Many theaters then spent tens of thousands of dollars on new gear, only now to be told that they have to purchase new gear again.

The problem of continually being kicked off one’s electronic land is not only financial, but logistical.

That will further strain relations with school boards and benefactors. At Hightstown High School in New Jersey, the district paid $39,500 for new gear that operated outside of the 700 MHz band, which became off limits for wireless mics after June 2010. “I do not believe going back to the school at this time would be productive,” says Tallen Olsen, the school’s director of choral music and theater. “They believe they ‘fixed’ the problem the first time.” Nevertheless, Olsen will appeal again, if for no other reason than to make officials aware of the problem. Olsen said he’ll likely buy mics individually over a number of years, taking money directly out of the show budget, and hope for the best.

A number of theaters choose to rent gear, at great annual expense, out of fear that the government will once again change the rules. Sean Warner, operations manager at the Arts High School, in Newark, New Jersey, told me, “we purposely rent every year, in part due to this issue.” But renting can be fiscally unsound for many theaters. Years ago, until he finally got funds to purchase equipment, Olsen used to spend $5,000 per show renting audio gear, which left his program barely able to break even.

The problem of continually being kicked off one’s electronic land is not only financial, but logistical. As the available space for wireless mics shrinks, it also becomes more crowded. Years ago, most wireless mics operated on the wide-open prairie of 470 to 806 MHz. After the two auctions, it’s now just 470 to 608. (There is a small number of frequencies elsewhere on the spectrum where wireless mics technically can work, but most come with performance tradeoffs or other restrictions making them essentially unavailable for many users.) With fewer available frequencies, interference becomes an increasing problem. It’s as if homesteaders were swept off their rural lands and confined to a single city neighborhood.

In response, the FCC began granting special licenses to certain users, giving them control over designated frequencies at set times in a set location. But the license rule has a quirk: Only users who have 50 or more devices are eligible. In the theater world, only the biggest productions, primarily Broadway, reach that number. It excludes many community and school theaters, as well as some theatrical and musical tours, entertainment venues, schools, and churches.

By contrast, the broadcast of an NFL game can use 150 to 200 channels for announcers, production staff, stadium personnel, the halftime show, and the referees’ mics, says Henry Cohen, senior RF systems design engineer for CP Communications, which provides communication services for broadcasts. “We get temporary authority from the FCC all the time” to use spectrum, Cohen explained, because “what’s available now isn’t even enough for these large events.”

Still, Cohen says the auction has created “a nightmare.” Beyond buying new equipment, which the networks and the leagues can afford, are the logistics, keeping track of which equipment can go to which part of the country, during the transition.

Laurie Baskin, of the Theatre Communications Group, which represents not-for-profit theaters around the country, has petitioned the FCC to drop the 50-device requirement, to allow others besides just the big business interests to protect frequencies as well. That could help the nation’s several thousand not-for-profit theaters.

Ironically, many Broadway productions don’t even bother to use licenses. Engineers at one of the top firms that handle audio for Broadway shows told me that the audio techs from the shows informally coordinate to make sure they don’t interfere with each other, rather than complicating matters by involving the FCC.

In the end, there isn’t an easy answer to RF allocation. The government certainly should be doing a better job of protecting smaller users of spectrum, including wireless audio. Forcing upwards of 30,000 community and school theaters to repeatedly spend tens of thousands of dollars, for many a crippling amount of money out of their limited budgets, is a dramatic, but quiet, assault on the arts.

“Imagine if athletics had a problem, like if helmets needed to be replaced,” a high school theater director in California told me. “The school would likely step in to help buy new equipment. But for a $30,000 mic problem, schools will simply say, ‘Figure it out.’”

David Zweig writes about technology and culture for a number of publications, including the New York Times, the New Yorker, and the Atlantic. He is also the author of the book Invisibles: Celebrating the Unsung Heroes of the Workplace.