Lighthouse

A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and used as a navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.

Lighthouses mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals, reefs, safe entries to harbors, and can also assist in aerial navigation. Once widely used, the number of operational lighthouses has declined due to the expense of maintenance and use of electronic navigational systems.

History

Ancient lighthouses

Before the development of clearly defined ports, mariners were guided by fires built on hilltops. Since raising the fire would improve the visibility, placing the fire on a platform became a practice that led to the development of the lighthouse. In antiquity, the lighthouse functioned more as an entrance marker to ports than as a warning signal for reefs and promontories, unlike many modern lighthouses. The most famous lighthouse structure from antiquity was the Pharos of Alexandria, although it collapsed during an earthquake centuries later.

Lighthouse (Lucy Spraggan song)

"Lighthouse" is a single by English musician Lucy Spraggan. The song was released in the United Kingdom as a digital download on 28 June 2013 as the lead single from her debut studio album. The song was written by Lucy Spraggan, James Flannigan and The Ordinary Boys frontman Preston. The song has peaked to number 26 on the UK Singles Chart.

Background

The song was inspired by a journey Lucy made across America at the age of 18 with just her guitar and a three-month Visa, Lucy said, "Lighthouses are my good omen. When I was in the US and stuff went wrong, when I'd miss the last bus or I'd run out of money, I'd always see a lighthouse on a piece of paper, beer bottle or in real life then things would start getting better."

Live performances

On 15 July 2013, Spraggan performed the song live on BBC Breakfast.

Music video

A music video to accompany the release of "Lighthouse" was first released onto YouTube on 22 May 2013 at a total length of three minutes and twenty-two seconds. The video shows Lucy performing the track in a rehearsal space, while other scenes see her wandering around the city at dusk.

Magnetized (album)

Magnetized is the third album by Johnny Hates Jazz released on May 24, 2013. This album was the band's first album in 22 years, after Tall Stories and the departure of fellow bandmates Calvin Hayes and Phil Thornalley. The album, was followed by the release of the same-titled lead single, along with a corresponding music video.

Critical reception

Upon release Magnetized received highly favorable reviews from critics. Radio Creme Brulee stated that the album might be 2013's "pop album of the year". Nick Pett of Backseat Mafia gave the album a more mixed review, but later said that the album "isn't all bad.."

Track listing

All songs written by Datchler and produced by Nocito.

References

Grouper social club

Grouper is an online, invite-only social club that uses data gathered from Facebook profiles to organize group outings (called Groupers). Matches for the outings are gathered and analyzed first by a computer and then by a human to ensure strong matches. The excursions are planned in venues throughout 25 cities for six people. Groupers consist of two groups of three friends and can consist of three males and three females, six males, six females, or any other possible combination.

Michael Waxman founded the New York-based startup in 2011. The company is run by a staff of 25 people.

In 2013, Time Inc. listed Grouper in its 10 NYC Startups to Watch for 2013.

How a Grouper works

Grouper is an invite-only service that matches two individuals according to data found – with the permission of the user – on the user’s Facebook profile, including age, career, education, etc. The company determines a match between two individuals using both algorithms and its member experience team. A time is then set for the "Grouper". The two parties are asked to each bring two friends.No names, photos, or information are disclosed before the actual meet. Upon arrival at the determined location, the group receives a complimentary first round of drinks, including tax and tip, at a reserved table (the cost is included in Grouper’s service fee).

Grouper (musician)

Grouper is the solo project of musician and artist Liz Harris. After releasing material independently beginning in 2005, Harris released the critically acclaimed Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill (2008), followed by four more records, including a two-part concept album, A I A. Her tenth studio album, Ruins, was released on October 31, 2014.

Harris' music, described as "ethereal" and "hazy," often consists of guitar layered with vocals and tape loops. She has collaborated with a number of other artists, including Xiu Xiu, Tiny Vipers, Lawrence English, and Jefre Cantu-Ledesma. She resides on the Oregon coast.

History

Harris was born in Northern California and grew up around the San Francisco Bay area and in Oregon. Harris’ first album was 2005’s Grouper, a self-released full-length CD-R, followed later that year by Way Their Crept on Free Porcupine (re-released in 2007 on Type Records). In 2006 she released a single (He Knows), one album, called Wide, and a collaboration with Xiu Xiu entitled Creepshow. Harris made available new material steadily through the years, and continued to collaborate with various artists such as Roy Montgomery and Xela.