Faithless - To All New Arrivals

To All New Arrivals is the 5th studio album by Faithless. The album was created after the positive response to the Faithless Greatest Hits tour, originally described as their "final tour". The album was released on 27th November 2006, a week after the single Bombs. The title for the album was originally thought of due to at the time, Rollo having just had a baby, and Sister Bliss' baby being due in the next few days. Maxi loved the title, partly due to his Buddhist faith and partly due to his parents being new arrivals to the UK in the 1950s. The band believe it to be their best album to date. It is a rather darker a deeper release..however...best...hmmm...I wouldn't go that far.

Faithless - Bombs (video)

The video, which was banned on release by MTV in the US, shows scenes of everyday life contrasted and combined with footage of war. Children run across the deck of an aircraft carrier, a family skip hand-in-hand through the surf on a beach as a mushroom cloud rises on the horizon, a couple share a romantic meal while troops engage in combat and a man washes his car as troops rescue a wounded soldier.

Bond, James - revisited

The latest Bond in play and with a new Bond figure (Daniel Craig) that does the job perfectly. I must say, I had prejudices against this movie (almost all Bond series are just glamorous showing off (cars, villas, weapons and Bond girls, of course)) so I decided it would be a good one to watch and do my laundry at the same time. To some extent it worked but I got more than I was expecting from the movie, that's for sure. Especially at the beginning, there is a speed on foot pursuit scene, which shows some black dude with incredible skills of a "runner" and manage to hold off Bond for 15 minutes or so:)). Anyways, my point is that the series is catching up to the latest & hottest trends, which is good. On the other hand, as always, one has to work on the cheese lines and exaggerated "impossible mission" situations from which Bond seems to prevail every time. Finally, after suffering an "original" torture method (which affects the most delicate parts of the male anatomy ), well...miracles happen in weeks:)). Dehhh, what would be the charm in a James the 007 eunuch?:))

Remembering YES 2007 Japan

Looking back on those two weeks, I really enjoyed everything and wish I could do it again.:)..although it is clearly not possible. The only paragraph I had time to write while in Japan for this blog was this:
<< Overall, a good experience with this conference/course type of event here at Hosei University in Tokyo. Perhaps it's just good to came out of your un-natural boundaries and experience some more the things around. A pretty good crowd (26 countries) and nice participants. The food and sights are nothing to be compared with . Octopus, squid,etc and whatever cool weird type of Asian foods you can find are in here. But I liked so far all of them and I am a pretty peaky person. I guess I did better than just adjusting well...:)). With the chopsticks too, I am getting better and better as the days go by. It's 2am ..an I have to go to sleep now..just have in mind the 7:30 wake-up target for tomorrow and it bleaches out already. Nighty-night >> (31 Mar 2007)

An inconvenient truth

Finally, I saw it also, after a few close encounters:))Well, it is a good powerpoint session and the former vice-president makes a complete and compelling case about Global Warming. The effects remain yet to be seen in the American public's behavior. The golden Oscar statue is a proof that the message is getting altready through some circles.

Govinda - Worlds Within - Great Album!

Worlds Within is a deep dub groove based transglobal journey into the mysterious downtempo moods of Govinda. This exotic exploration weaves in and out of pure blissful electronica alongside worldbeat trip hop arrangements as sexy chilled beats create a backdrop for the inner musings of a true musical pioneer. Always pushing the envelope with his unique sound, Govinda shares his creative talents as violinist, poet and groove gypsy on this sound sculpted erotic caravan. Infused with elements of the gypsy violin and sounds of far eastern passions this stylish foray into western modern music invites us into the worlds within of Govinda. (excerpt)

Earth Day USA

Things are moving in the US as well..I think this is the first year that I actually see some serious concern both in newspapers, TV and people's actions. ABC had a one hour episode dedicated to global warming and its consequences. On the other hand, Delta just opened up a program of carbon offset efforts through tree plantation and giving its costumers the option of offsetting their own emission while flying Delta through donations to the Conservation Fund Program. For sure, you may find serious flaws in this type of actions, but still, the gesture counts and shows that things are moving. After all, awareness is the first step. However, the "too little, too late" hypothesis is overwhelming and when you also consider the needs and emissions of new growing nations (e.g. China or India) the picture gets gloomier.

Skipping Spring...again

Like in many previous years (but this time even more obvious) we have skipped the most beautiful season of all, Spring. In the interval of a week, the temperature has jumped from 33 F (0 C) to 82 F (26 C) and us from winter coats to t-shirts and short pants. I guess there will be no more snow in the next 6-7 months:))?? but who knows..

The Big White

Great black comedy / drama. Also an exquisite cast with: Robin Williams, Holly Hunter and Woody Harrelson. This is a wonderful movie that I came across incidentally and started to watch this morning around 1am. You will get a lot of laughs from this one, but the epic line goes a lot deeper than the usual shallow nature of comedies. A great movie that hasn't received the deserved attention.

Every nation deserves its leaders

As I previously have said in another post, I am truly disappointed in any politician. However, my native Romanian fellows give me always an extra reason for feeling this way. Exactly after the news of the most recent national political success (of finally joining the EU) the scandal between the President and Prime Minister began to unfold its story. In a typical balcanic manner, comparable only with two very choleric child’s game, these guys have managed to show that you can be all: stupid, stubborn and selfish and finally act like this is just another “business as usual” day. Other people probably would have felt ashamed or tamed by the ongoing both ways accusations and unrevealed “proofs”. Not in these cases. The president just impeached by the Parlament, suddenly decides that he doesn't want to quit his job anymore, but still wants some early elections to get rid of the majority in the parlament which used to be his allies but now have turned against him. On the other hand, the former friend (the Prime minister) currently his nemesis along with the former and current opposition desire to eliminate this informal president who lives and acts under the impression that Romania is a presidential democracy (while in fact is a Parlamentary one) fact that leads to such conflicts between the powers of the State. This just makes me sad…that some people are just using a country for their own niggardly playground; moreover, I would hope that the population doesn’t really care by now, since this whole political masquerade is futile (neither of the two is completely absolved by affiliation with some influence circles or corruption). I guess, we just deserve our leaders; and the future prospects present themselves even grimmer.

For the Knowledgeable Ear and Mind

Here is another UK band that I have started to listen a lot lately.
ZERO 7
If you like the French guys from AIR..you surely are going to enjoy Zero7 aka "The Bristish Air". Moreover, they also got pretty much recognition with their Grammy nomination and appearances on shows such as CSI, House, Roswell or Sex and the City as well as lounge and downtempo compilations or the soundtrack of "Garden State". I have listen to all four of their albums and they are pretty fly: Simple Things (2001); Another Late Night (2002); Simple Things Remixed (2003); When It Fall (2004) and The Garden (2006). Look for it..where available.

In Memoriam - Virginia Tech

April 16 -- A gunman at Virginia Tech University carried out the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history today, killing at least 32 students and faculty before turning the gun on himself. An additional 28 people were hospitalized with gunshot wounds and other injuries. Police declined to identify the victims at the university in Blacksburg, Virginia, the state's largest. A preliminary identification of the gunman has been made, though his name hasn't been released, police said. -- (Bloomberg.com)

After Columbine High today we have Virginia Tech. What has tomorrow in store for us?
http://www.photoblog.com/user/skrammer/2007/04/16/

Working the Jet Lag

Ever since I came back from Japan, the jet-lag is taking its toll. My usual 6/7 hour sleep turned more into 4, in my attempt to actually reverse the biological clock. So far, going back and forth to Europe seemed to be a piece of cake. The only thing was not to sleep at all in the plane and you'll be bashed enough not to have this jet-lag problem. It seems that it doesn't work on bigger time differences such as the one between Japan and the Eastern US (13 hrs).:(. But I am working on it...

No Spring in the NorthEastern USA

Woow.. I can't believe that we have freezing temperatures, snowstorms and high winds even now in mid-April. Makes you wonder if better days will eventually arrive here also. The contrast is even bigger since I just returned from a sunny and blossoming place like Japan and dived into this powerful storm which is hammering the Northeast this weekend and coming weeks.

Blue Star on Ebay

I just turned blue on Ebay. Not from anger, just passed the 50th successful transaction which entitles one to the blue star status (before you are a yellow star 10-50 and no star under 10). Feels good.:)))

Back in Troy

I just got back to Troy from my epic journey to Japan. I feel quite depressed: no blossoms around here, not even the slightest sign of Spring; people are different; food is beyond that. So yeah, I miss Japan already...and the jet lag is not so much physical but psychical also. Thus, I already started to browse and arrange the myriad of pictures I have taken on these two weeks spent there.

Mount Fuji - a shy big guy...

Funny as it is, we have spent two days here at the base of Mount Fuji and its numerous lakes but the sun hasn't showed up at all throughout this period. I took my reverse two weeks later, when coming from Kyoto by the fastest train "shinkasen" nozumi, I had the chance to take a peak at it. NIceeee!