1000

Year 1000 (M) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. It was also the last year of the 10th century as well as the last year of the 1st millennium of the Dionysian era ending on December 31st, but the first year of the 1000s decade.

The year falls well into the period of Old World history known as the Middle Ages; in Europe, it is sometimes and by convention considered the boundary date between the Early Middle Ages and the High Middle Ages. The Muslim world was in its "Golden Age". China was in its Song dynasty, Japan was in its "classical" Heian period. India was divided into a number of lesser empires, such as the Rashtrakuta Dynasty, Pala Empire (Kamboja Pala dynasty; Mahipala), Chola dynasty (Raja Raja Chola I), Yadava dynasty, etc. Sub-Saharan Africa was still in the prehistoric period, although Arab slave trade was beginning to be an important factor in the formation of the Sahelian kingdoms. The pre-Columbian New World was in a time of general transition in many regions. Wari and Tiwanaku cultures receded in power and influence while Chachapoya and Chimú cultures rose toward florescence in South America. In Mesoamerica, the Maya Terminal Classic period saw the decline of many grand polities of the Petén like Palenque and Tikal yet a renewed vigor and greater construction phases of sites in the Yucatán region like Chichén Itzá and Uxmal. Mitla, with Mixtec influence, became the more important site of the Zapotec, overshadowing the waning Monte Albán. Cholula flourished in central Mexico, as did Tula, the center of Toltec culture.

Universal Everything

Universal Everything is a digital art practice and design studio based in Sheffield, England. The studio was founded in 2004 by Matt Pyke who is the creative director, he studied botanical and technical illustration then graphic design before spending eight years at the Designers Republic (1996–2004).

Universal Everything have worked with several well known brands and corporations including Chanel, AOL Intel, Nike Inc., Hyundai and Deutsche Bank and created the moving image identity for the London Olympic Games 2012

In April 2011, the studio created Super-Computer-Romantics, their first major solo exhibition, for the launch of the new digital art museum La Gaîté Lyrique in Paris.

In February 2014, Universal Everything released Polyfauna, an interactive music app developed in collaboration with Radiohead and the artist Stanley Donwood.

Style

The studio utilises modern technologies such as 3D printing, touch screens, motion capture, large format video displays and complex sound design to create large scale experiential works. Its work often incorporates and references architecture, modernism, synesthesia, landscapes, anthropomorphism, human movement, figurative forms.

Alban Skënderaj

Alban Skënderaj (born April 20, 1982) is an Albanian singer.

Early life

Alban Skënderaj moved to Pistoia, Italy at age fourteen, where his parents and three brothers still live. Alban's father was an army official and also the author of various books, poetry and prose. His mother worked in the laboratory of the town's aqueduct. After finishing secondary school, Alban left Albania for Italy. He continued school, studying Hotel Management but dedicated most of his time to his real passion, music. Discovering he could not devote enough time to both, he chose music. He took a guitar course for a year and continued teaching himself to play becoming friends with various musicians.

At age 17 he began writing songs and appearing on stage, taking part in competitions organised by the town where he lived. He also continued singing at various venues with different bands. He preferred writing songs in English and Italian. In festival called Top Fest Albania (Second edition), he won first place with "Vetem Ty" (Only You). A year later he again won first place in the same festival, this time performing in a duet with Kosovar band "Kthjellu"; the winning song was titled "Diçka" (Something). He won "Best Overall Singer" in the Videofest festival for the first time in 2007 with "Ky Ritëm" (This Rhythm). In June 2012 he won for second time in the Videofest festival with his clip "Mirësevjen në shpirtin tim" (Welcome to my soul). He is also part of the jury in the X Factor. In June 2006 he played the role of Romeo in the Albanian version of Gerard Presgurvic's musical Roméo et Juliette, de la Haine à l'Amour. He sought to represent Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Germany in a duet with Albanian singer and his fiancee Miriam Cani.