presence

In the Jabber open-source instant messaging system, a type of message sent to express the current state of a user or resource (such as online, offline, away, free for chat, etc.). Represented in the Jabber protocol by the <presence/> XML tag. This tag may contain an expression of the client's current state, a textual status message, an integer priority, and zero or more extension tags.

When a Jabber client sends its presence to the server, the server automatically forwards it to every user on the client user's roster. Clients can also send presence on a peer-to-peer basis if desired.

In Vampire: the Masquerade, presence is a vampiric discipline that supernaturally influences emotions. Its affect on its intended victim depends as much on the wielder as the level of power being used; while a Toreador may dazzle others with her beauty, a Ventrue may attempt to impress others with an air of royalty and a Brujah may try to project an aura of pugnacious toughness.

The powers of Presence are not especially varied. However, the subtlety of most of its applications (excepting Dread Gaze) make it often a more useful tool than Dominate, which is only crude, mental control. Lower levels of the power cause slight wonder or fear, (awe and dread gaze), higher levels can cause a victim to become unusually helpful and polite to the weilder or even force them to become obsequieous and sycophantic.

Produced by Jimmy Page and released in spring of 1976, Led Zeppelin's Presence was their seventh album. Though it charted to number one on the UK and US charts, the album gets little airplay compared to other Zep albums.

The cover art was created by Hipgnosis, who did many of Pink Floyd's covers, and featured a black object being prayed upon, taught about, generally revered. Many people equated this object to Led Zeppelin's supposed deal with the devil.

Track Listing

• Achilles' Last Stand
  
• For Your Life
  
• Royal Orleans
  
• Nobody's Fault But Mine
  
• Candy Store Rock
  
• Hots on for Nowhere
  
• Tea for One

Looking through the newspaper today, I was amazed at the size of one advertisement for TD Bank and Canada Trust. These two Canadian banks are in the late stages of the process of merging. The advertisement is four full size pages, with many 'articles' about RSPs and other investment bullshit. There are ordinary looking ads inside this 'advertisement supplement', which feature a leather chair in various places. One is on at the foot of an escalator, with the caption 'Going up'. Another is outside in an empty cafe underneath an umbrella. And, this one scares me the most: a gasoline hose and nozzle seems to be attached to the chair. They are advertising 'performance' and 'comfort'.

There was also an ad for Royal Bank in the same front section of the paper. This ad has a photo of three human hands held open, with very out of place and surreal yellow cubes superimposed on the photo as if the children are holding them. Above this is the caption 'Secure your dreams'. The official colours of the bank are blue and yellow of course.

In my eyes, these ads have a VERY striking resemblance to the cover art on Led Zeppelin's 'Presence'. We have put all of our money (trust) in inanimate objects. You might say it's just a marketing gimmick, but do you really want to put your future into one of these financial organizations? We need to start protesting banks worldwide, not only the huge global monstrocities such as the International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organization. Each of us that invests in stocks or other such 'securities' is responsible for the state of the world. So few people control all the money in this world because we are handing it to them. It's as much their fault as it is ours.

A psychoacoustic effect that conveys proximity to the listener. The perceived volume of a sound and its frequency content create presence. Boosting the frequencies between 4khz and 6khz will increase the presence effect. Conversely, reducing the frequencies around 5khz will cause the sound object to appear psychoacoustically more distant (or, cause them to lose presence and gain absence.)

The human voice's sibilants are localized in this 5khz frequency, and in natural listening situations the greater the distance between the source voice and the listener, the less audible sibilants are. In vocal sounds specifically, presence and the resulting vocal intimacy can also be attained with compression and close microphones. The compression and physical distance from mouth to microphone will raise the volume of even the quietest of mouth sounds and cause the listener to feel as if the voice were right next to their ear.

Pres"ence (?), n. [F. pr'esence, L. praesentia. See Present.]

1.

The state of being present, or of being within sight or call, or at hand; -- opposed to absence.

2.

The place in which one is present; the part of space within one's ken, call, influence, etc.; neighborhood without the intervention of anything that forbids intercourse.

Wrath shell be no more Thenceforth, but in thy presence joy entire. Milton.

3.

Specifically, neighborhood to the person of one of superior of exalted rank; also, presence chamber.

In such a presence here to plead my thoughts. Shak.

An't please your grace, the two great cardinals. Wait in the presence. Shak.

4.

The whole of the personal qualities of an individual; person; personality; especially, the person of a superior, as a sovereign.

The Sovran Presence thus replied. Milton.

5.

An assembly, especially of person of rank or nobility; noble company.

Odmar, of all this presence does contain, Give her your wreath whom you esteem most fair. Dryden.

6.

Port, mien; air; personal appearence.

"Rather dignity of presence than beauty of aspect."

Bacon.

A graceful presence bespeaks acceptance. Collier.

Presence chamber, ∨ Presence room, the room in which a great personage receives company. Addison." Chambers of presence." Bacon. -- Presence of mind, that state of the mind in which all its faculties are alert, prompt, and acting harmoniously in obedience to the will, enabling one to reach, as it were spontaneously or by intuition, just conclusions in sudden emergencies.

 

© Webster 1913.