The new slogan for the Dannish Government:
"If you are interested in terrorism, if you want to support the murders of your organization, you are more than welcome to open a TV channel in Denmark.
Denmark welcomes all the terrorists and their supporters in the world."
Sad bad true.
The TV channel that has been proven to support terrorism and the resulting murders in Turkey still continues its broadcasts from Denmark, with the Dannish Government fully supporting it - in the name of free speech.
Another sad thing is this TV collects its money through two means: threatening the people in Europe using the terrorist organization and drug money again using the terrorist organization. When will those "Educated morons" learn that unless you take a step further in stopping this kind of organizations, the world will continue to bath in the blood of innocents!!!
We need to ask ourselves:
Q: Since when the Europeans have cared what happens to others as long as it does not hurt them?
A: Almost never and the Dannish Government sits there as a perfect example.
June 16, 2006
Pusillanimous Dannish Government
Laugh of the Dai!
The Greeks living in the southern part of Cyprus are trying to force their way into the Organization of Islamic Conference.
I guess as a country, who wouldn't hesitate to wish their best for all the Muslims in the world to suffer a tragic ending, there wouldn't be a better fit for them.
June 13, 2006
Rapidshare trick - It might come in handy for many
Here is a nice trick if you want to download at least two large files within the time-limit.
You need to have a large bandwidth to be able to use that. The trick exploits the character verification system (CAPTCHA) Rapidshare implements. As many should have noticed, the final waiting time for free users to reach the word verification part depends on the size of the to-be-downloaded file.
So, how do you get two files (or more depending on the delay and size of the files)?
Once the counter starts for the file you want to download, you reserve the right to download the file within some time-limit (I don't know the exact amount, since I haven't tried much, but I know that it is greater than 1 minute).
Therefore, if you start the counter to the second file (preferably the larger of the two) just before the counter of the first file reaches zero, you reserve the right to download that file.
If the size of the file is close to 100mb, the counter starts around 70, so, if you can download the first file within the timeout period of the second download, which is greater than (130 seconds including the initial waiting time), you can successfully download the second file (you cannot download at the same time, so click the download link just after the first file finishes).
This way, you can be able to download at the daily limit of members. Hopefully, someone can come up with a program to take advantage of this flaw.
You might feel a serious need for this if you accidentally come across a blog like http://chrisgoesrock.blogspot.com.
Update: I don't know why it differs, but when you use opera using the above method, you cannot download immediately, instead you are asked to wait 13 minutes.
June 10, 2006
The Weird Sisters - Magic Works
Who would have considered that 'Magic Works' would have entered to the list of my favorite movie songs that are able to create considerable emotional attachment to the movie. Not me, especially after listening the other songs from the band. But, anyways, it broke away the wall to reach the heights of Mad World from Donnie Darko.
I guess what captured me the most is the singer's style - a softer version of David Bowie - which is a combination of David Bowie's voice and Lou Reed's style in Perfect Day. Also, I cannot deny the impact of the Radiohead members in the song.
Since I couldn't find the lyrics to the song, here is my version:
I guess what captured me the most is the singer's style - a softer version of David Bowie - which is a combination of David Bowie's voice and Lou Reed's style in Perfect Day. Also, I cannot deny the impact of the Radiohead members in the song.
Since I couldn't find the lyrics to the song, here is my version:
MAGIC WORKS
And dance, your final dance
This is your final chance
To hold the one you love
You know you've waited long enough
Still believe
That magic works
Don't be afraid
I've been hurt
Don't let this magic die
The answer's there
Just look in her eyes
And make your final move
Don't be scared
She want you too
Yeah it's hard
You must be brave
Don't let this moment slip away
Don't believe that magic works
Don't be afraid
Afraid of being hurt
Don't let this magic die
The answer's there
Just look in her eyes
And don't believe that magic can die
No no no this magic can't die
So dance your final dance
Cause this is your final chance
I might later try to create a video for the song. It is sad that we don't have the scenes for the next two movies.
2006 AFI Lifetime Achievement Award - Sean Connery
Sources: Comingsoon.net and AFI
Sir Sean Connery was selected by the American Film Institute's Board of Trustees to receive the 34th AFI Life Achievement Award, the highest honor for a career in film.
"Sir Sean Connery is an international film icon. Though best remembered for creating one of the great film heroes of all time, his talents transcend typecasting, and his body of work not only stands the test of time, but illuminates a career more extraordinary than James Bond himself. Sir Sean is an artist of the highest order, and AFI is honored to present him with its 34th Life Achievement Award."
- Sir Howard Stringer, chair, AFI Board of Trustees
A quick look at Sean Connery's earlier achievements and awards:
In addition to receiving both the Best Supporting Actor Oscar and the Golden Globe Award in 1987 for his performance in The Untouchables, Connery has received numerous other accolades. They include, among others, the Legion d'Honneur and Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres (the highest honors given in France), and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Best Actor award for The Name of the Rose in 1987, as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award -- special BAFTA silver mask presented by H.R.H. Princess Anne to a British actor or actress who has made an outstanding contribution to world cinema -- presented in 1990. In 1995 he was presented with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for "outstanding contribution to the entertainment field" given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at its annual Golden Globe Awards. In 1997, Connery was honored with a Gala Tribute by the Film Society of Lincoln Center for his lifetime career and, in April 1998, BAFTA honored him with their highest award, The British Academy Fellowship. In 1999, Connery was a Kennedy Center Honors recipient and in 2000 he was appointed a Knight Bachelor in the Queen's New Year's Honours List. Connery's proudest moment, and in his mind, his greatest honor to date, came when he received the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh in 1991.
Sir Sean Connery was selected by the American Film Institute's Board of Trustees to receive the 34th AFI Life Achievement Award, the highest honor for a career in film."Sir Sean Connery is an international film icon. Though best remembered for creating one of the great film heroes of all time, his talents transcend typecasting, and his body of work not only stands the test of time, but illuminates a career more extraordinary than James Bond himself. Sir Sean is an artist of the highest order, and AFI is honored to present him with its 34th Life Achievement Award."
- Sir Howard Stringer, chair, AFI Board of Trustees
A quick look at Sean Connery's earlier achievements and awards:
In addition to receiving both the Best Supporting Actor Oscar and the Golden Globe Award in 1987 for his performance in The Untouchables, Connery has received numerous other accolades. They include, among others, the Legion d'Honneur and Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres (the highest honors given in France), and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Best Actor award for The Name of the Rose in 1987, as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award -- special BAFTA silver mask presented by H.R.H. Princess Anne to a British actor or actress who has made an outstanding contribution to world cinema -- presented in 1990. In 1995 he was presented with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for "outstanding contribution to the entertainment field" given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at its annual Golden Globe Awards. In 1997, Connery was honored with a Gala Tribute by the Film Society of Lincoln Center for his lifetime career and, in April 1998, BAFTA honored him with their highest award, The British Academy Fellowship. In 1999, Connery was a Kennedy Center Honors recipient and in 2000 he was appointed a Knight Bachelor in the Queen's New Year's Honours List. Connery's proudest moment, and in his mind, his greatest honor to date, came when he received the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh in 1991.
June 5, 2006
Continuing With the Harry Potter Theories
The recent acquisitions:
- Snape's Memory: Snape should have carry quite a lot of memories regarding Harry's father and his friends (Marauder). Then, why did he specifically select that one to not show Harry? What do we have in that memory that may not be in his other memories? The curses used in that memory seemed to be popular at that time according to Lupin. To me, the part related to Harry's mother seem to be the link that connects Snape to Harry. The only thing that we learned in that memory regarding Lily, is that Snape didn't want her help and said the worst possible word he can say to her. There is one other possibility. The remaining portion of that memory might show something of significant importance.
- Snape's Last Meeting With Dumbeldore: There is one thing that came to my mind recently, which has seemed to increase the possibility of its occurence since the last time I thought about it. The short interval of pause between Snape's arrival to the Astronomy tower and Dumbeldore's short request. Note that, Snape had his wand ready at that time. It is highly possible that seeing the situation there Snape might have used Legilimency against Dumbeldore to hear his request regarding the situation. If Snape is really on Dumbeldore's side, this is something he should have done before proceeding further. And, it is after that, Snape's one moment of hesitance regarding the situation might have triggered Dumbeldore's request to proceed, "Severus...Please...".
to be continued...
An Interesting Perspective on the Growth of Dallas Mavericks
A nice read to follow the success of Dallas Mavericks.
Source: The Dallas Morning News
By: DAVID MOORE
Don Nelson settles his big, bear of a frame into the couch. He sips a latte and wears a relaxed smile, the kind never seen on a coach's face at this time of year.
Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of Nelson's decision to walk away from the Mavericks bench. He retains a passionate interest in the team, having attended or watched every game, but is no longer burdened by the decisions and responsibilities that go with coaching.
The transition has been seamless. Owner Mark Cuban has a vibrant franchise and a coach he enjoys being around, a relationship he hasn't experienced since first purchasing the club. Avery Johnson is blessed with a talented group that has given him more victories in 82 games than any other coach in NBA history. There is less tension in the front office and no sniping behind the scenes now that the top figures in the organization get along.
Nelson has been to Maui, New Zealand and the Oscars, scoring tickets over beers and shuffleboard with actor Owen Wilson. He has a role in a series likely to be picked up by HBO and will open a bar on the edge of downtown Dallas in the next few days.
Is there any need to ask how he's doing?
"I don't know how it can be any better," Nelson said.
Life is certainly better than it was in his final two years as coach when Cuban openly questioned Nelson's commitment and practices. The two men locked horns on a series of issues that left their relationship in shambles and opened the door for Johnson.
It's easy to forget that Cuban and Nelson started off on good terms.
Donnie Nelson, the club's president of basketball operations, was an assistant coach when Cuban purchased the franchise in January 2000. Donnie Nelson said Cuban helped energize his father and the whole organization after spending what he called two years in the desert.
Cuban respects Don Nelson's offensive creativity. But both men, in the view of Donnie Nelson, possess "a drive that is abnormal," and that led to conflict.
Cuban believes that commitment, focus and passion are essential to success. The irony is the more success the Mavericks achieved, the more his reservations grew about those qualities in Nelson.
The Mavericks hit a bit of a lull shortly after opening the 2002-03 season with 14 consecutive wins. Cuban expressed his concerns to Nelson, who took it as an attack of his philosophy and practice habits. The coach assembled his staff and a few key players in a room and told them their boss had something to say.
"Guys, we need a sense of urgency," Cuban remembers saying. "We have got something to prove. If he [Nelson] doesn't want to say it, I will.
"That was it. I didn't like being put on the spot like that, but that was the extent of it, and it was never brought up again."
Nelson doesn't know if he handled the issue correctly. But he does know he offended Cuban and said their relationship was never the same afterward. The rift widened later that season during the Western Conference Finals.
Forward Dirk Nowitzki sprained his left knee in Game 3 of the team's series against San Antonio. He missed the next two games as the Mavericks went down, 3-2.
Doctors cleared Nowitzki for the crucial Game 6. Nowitzki said he wanted to play. But Nelson suffered a similar injury during his playing career and believed his young star was unrealistic. His refusal to play Nowitzki led to a heated exchange with Cuban in which Nelson told his owner the only way the forward would take the court was if he was fired on the spot.
"He actually thought about it," Nelson said. "I could tell."
Cuban said he didn't consider firing Nelson. But he asked why the club employed doctors if they weren't going to trust their opinion. He couldn't understand why Nelson refused to dress Nowitzki and let him try.
"It was there I realized what I had suspected before, that Nellie really preferred to be the underdog," Cuban said. "Even with the possibility of a championship at stake."
The accusation that he used Nowitzki's injury as an excuse to fail infuriated Nelson, who maintains what was said in that meeting "helped destroy our relationship."
The Mavericks lost the game, and the Spurs advanced to win the championship. What is Nowitzki's take on that whole episode today?
"It was the right decision," he said. "I remember going down to shoot before the game. I was going on adrenaline because I wanted to play.
"But I remember when I was standing in a timeout, my leg was real tired. So I don't think I could have played."
There were other incidents. Those close to Cuban and Nelson say the harsh feelings and mistrust escalated during Nelson's contract negotiations in the summer of 2003. Cuban grew skeptical of Nelson's personnel judgment, wondering why he assumed big contracts for players his coach failed to play.
At the half of a road game in Memphis during the 2003-04 season, Cuban offered advice during the coaches meeting. Nelson tried to throw the owner out, but Cuban said, "If we work together, we work together. So I'm staying."
Nelson turned and left.
There was something else at work here, something Donnie Nelson labels a generational divide. Nelson is 65, making him 18 years older than Cuban. One of the few things the two agreed on at the end was that Johnson should be the team's next coach.
"The difference was, I was so much his senior," Nelson said. "I was almost like his father. As he grew in stature, there was a conflict there.
"I'm set in my ways. I want to do it a certain way. When I say something, I always expected it to be done. It was the final word. When it wasn't the final word anymore, he was the final word, there was a conflict.
"With Avery, they're closer to the same age. It's more like brothers now. That's working real well, at least it seems."
Cuban and Nelson rarely talked at the end. That's why assistant coach Del Harris served as the intermediary who brokered the deal that led to Nelson leaving with 18 games left in the regular season.
Cuban and Johnson talk all the time. If the owner misses a game, Johnson will e-mail or phone. Cuban calls the relationship a beautiful thing.
"For me, one of the healthiest things about the organization is our relationship," Johnson said. "That's one of the great things about where we are now. We communicate.
"Nellie would always complain about Mark being around the huddles. Mark being around the huddles gave him a chance to see what I do strategically, see how I communicate, hear how I handle adversity, hear how I discipline, see what plays I draw up in the last seconds of a game.
"Had he not been around, I don't know if his comfort level would have been as high to hire me as coach."
That's another difference. Johnson is at the stage of his coaching career where he needs to earn Cuban's trust and confidence. He doesn't view it as an intrusion.
Nelson viewed it as usurping his authority.
Not that Johnson is a yes man. He listens to Cuban's ideas but isn't afraid to tell the owner when he thinks he's off base. Both men treat each other with the respect that was missing at the end of the relationship between Cuban and Nelson.
"Even though we may be on the same street, we have different addresses," Johnson said. "That's OK. The way he [Cuban] shows his passion may not be the way I show my passion.
"Instead of always being dissatisfied with each others differences, celebrate them."
Johnson is clearly uncomfortable talking about what went wrong with Cuban and Nelson. He's adamant that he shouldn't be portrayed as a superhero while Nelson comes across as a bad guy. Johnson wonders why people don't talk about all the good Nelson did for the franchise and allow him to ride off into the sunset.
One never knows where the sun will set on Nelson these days. It could be Los Angeles, where the former coach is scheduled to be two days a week for 14 weeks if HBO picks up that series.
Nelson said he has never had a better year in his life but refuses to rule out a return. His close ties with Sacramento owners Joe and Gavin Maloof – who set up his role on the proposed series and invited Nelson and his wife, Joy, to a party after the Academy Awards – has led to speculation he will wind up with the Kings.
For now, Nelson simply enjoys life and feels a tremendous sense of pride for what Johnson has accomplished. He and Cuban have communicated only once in the past year, by e-mail. Nelson said it's too soon for the two to renew their friendship but believes one day they will. Cuban said no business relationship is perfect but still "thinks the world of Nellie."
All three know the decisions made one year ago were best for them and the franchise.
"Absolutely," Nelson said. "It couldn't be better. All sides are happy. It's the only time I've ever seen it in this business.
"There are no negatives at all."
Source: The Dallas Morning News
By: DAVID MOORE
Don Nelson settles his big, bear of a frame into the couch. He sips a latte and wears a relaxed smile, the kind never seen on a coach's face at this time of year.
Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of Nelson's decision to walk away from the Mavericks bench. He retains a passionate interest in the team, having attended or watched every game, but is no longer burdened by the decisions and responsibilities that go with coaching.
The transition has been seamless. Owner Mark Cuban has a vibrant franchise and a coach he enjoys being around, a relationship he hasn't experienced since first purchasing the club. Avery Johnson is blessed with a talented group that has given him more victories in 82 games than any other coach in NBA history. There is less tension in the front office and no sniping behind the scenes now that the top figures in the organization get along.
Nelson has been to Maui, New Zealand and the Oscars, scoring tickets over beers and shuffleboard with actor Owen Wilson. He has a role in a series likely to be picked up by HBO and will open a bar on the edge of downtown Dallas in the next few days.
Is there any need to ask how he's doing?
"I don't know how it can be any better," Nelson said.
Life is certainly better than it was in his final two years as coach when Cuban openly questioned Nelson's commitment and practices. The two men locked horns on a series of issues that left their relationship in shambles and opened the door for Johnson.
It's easy to forget that Cuban and Nelson started off on good terms.
Donnie Nelson, the club's president of basketball operations, was an assistant coach when Cuban purchased the franchise in January 2000. Donnie Nelson said Cuban helped energize his father and the whole organization after spending what he called two years in the desert.
Cuban respects Don Nelson's offensive creativity. But both men, in the view of Donnie Nelson, possess "a drive that is abnormal," and that led to conflict.
Cuban believes that commitment, focus and passion are essential to success. The irony is the more success the Mavericks achieved, the more his reservations grew about those qualities in Nelson.
The Mavericks hit a bit of a lull shortly after opening the 2002-03 season with 14 consecutive wins. Cuban expressed his concerns to Nelson, who took it as an attack of his philosophy and practice habits. The coach assembled his staff and a few key players in a room and told them their boss had something to say.
"Guys, we need a sense of urgency," Cuban remembers saying. "We have got something to prove. If he [Nelson] doesn't want to say it, I will.
"That was it. I didn't like being put on the spot like that, but that was the extent of it, and it was never brought up again."
Nelson doesn't know if he handled the issue correctly. But he does know he offended Cuban and said their relationship was never the same afterward. The rift widened later that season during the Western Conference Finals.
Forward Dirk Nowitzki sprained his left knee in Game 3 of the team's series against San Antonio. He missed the next two games as the Mavericks went down, 3-2.
Doctors cleared Nowitzki for the crucial Game 6. Nowitzki said he wanted to play. But Nelson suffered a similar injury during his playing career and believed his young star was unrealistic. His refusal to play Nowitzki led to a heated exchange with Cuban in which Nelson told his owner the only way the forward would take the court was if he was fired on the spot.
"He actually thought about it," Nelson said. "I could tell."
Cuban said he didn't consider firing Nelson. But he asked why the club employed doctors if they weren't going to trust their opinion. He couldn't understand why Nelson refused to dress Nowitzki and let him try.
"It was there I realized what I had suspected before, that Nellie really preferred to be the underdog," Cuban said. "Even with the possibility of a championship at stake."
The accusation that he used Nowitzki's injury as an excuse to fail infuriated Nelson, who maintains what was said in that meeting "helped destroy our relationship."
The Mavericks lost the game, and the Spurs advanced to win the championship. What is Nowitzki's take on that whole episode today?
"It was the right decision," he said. "I remember going down to shoot before the game. I was going on adrenaline because I wanted to play.
"But I remember when I was standing in a timeout, my leg was real tired. So I don't think I could have played."
There were other incidents. Those close to Cuban and Nelson say the harsh feelings and mistrust escalated during Nelson's contract negotiations in the summer of 2003. Cuban grew skeptical of Nelson's personnel judgment, wondering why he assumed big contracts for players his coach failed to play.
At the half of a road game in Memphis during the 2003-04 season, Cuban offered advice during the coaches meeting. Nelson tried to throw the owner out, but Cuban said, "If we work together, we work together. So I'm staying."
Nelson turned and left.
There was something else at work here, something Donnie Nelson labels a generational divide. Nelson is 65, making him 18 years older than Cuban. One of the few things the two agreed on at the end was that Johnson should be the team's next coach.
"The difference was, I was so much his senior," Nelson said. "I was almost like his father. As he grew in stature, there was a conflict there.
"I'm set in my ways. I want to do it a certain way. When I say something, I always expected it to be done. It was the final word. When it wasn't the final word anymore, he was the final word, there was a conflict.
"With Avery, they're closer to the same age. It's more like brothers now. That's working real well, at least it seems."
Cuban and Nelson rarely talked at the end. That's why assistant coach Del Harris served as the intermediary who brokered the deal that led to Nelson leaving with 18 games left in the regular season.
Cuban and Johnson talk all the time. If the owner misses a game, Johnson will e-mail or phone. Cuban calls the relationship a beautiful thing.
"For me, one of the healthiest things about the organization is our relationship," Johnson said. "That's one of the great things about where we are now. We communicate.
"Nellie would always complain about Mark being around the huddles. Mark being around the huddles gave him a chance to see what I do strategically, see how I communicate, hear how I handle adversity, hear how I discipline, see what plays I draw up in the last seconds of a game.
"Had he not been around, I don't know if his comfort level would have been as high to hire me as coach."
That's another difference. Johnson is at the stage of his coaching career where he needs to earn Cuban's trust and confidence. He doesn't view it as an intrusion.
Nelson viewed it as usurping his authority.
Not that Johnson is a yes man. He listens to Cuban's ideas but isn't afraid to tell the owner when he thinks he's off base. Both men treat each other with the respect that was missing at the end of the relationship between Cuban and Nelson.
"Even though we may be on the same street, we have different addresses," Johnson said. "That's OK. The way he [Cuban] shows his passion may not be the way I show my passion.
"Instead of always being dissatisfied with each others differences, celebrate them."
Johnson is clearly uncomfortable talking about what went wrong with Cuban and Nelson. He's adamant that he shouldn't be portrayed as a superhero while Nelson comes across as a bad guy. Johnson wonders why people don't talk about all the good Nelson did for the franchise and allow him to ride off into the sunset.
One never knows where the sun will set on Nelson these days. It could be Los Angeles, where the former coach is scheduled to be two days a week for 14 weeks if HBO picks up that series.
Nelson said he has never had a better year in his life but refuses to rule out a return. His close ties with Sacramento owners Joe and Gavin Maloof – who set up his role on the proposed series and invited Nelson and his wife, Joy, to a party after the Academy Awards – has led to speculation he will wind up with the Kings.
For now, Nelson simply enjoys life and feels a tremendous sense of pride for what Johnson has accomplished. He and Cuban have communicated only once in the past year, by e-mail. Nelson said it's too soon for the two to renew their friendship but believes one day they will. Cuban said no business relationship is perfect but still "thinks the world of Nellie."
All three know the decisions made one year ago were best for them and the franchise.
"Absolutely," Nelson said. "It couldn't be better. All sides are happy. It's the only time I've ever seen it in this business.
"There are no negatives at all."
June 2, 2006
May 28, 2006
Formula 1 Racing - Monaco GrandPrix - Update on Michael Schumaher incident
Michael Schumacher apologised on Sunday, while still protesting his innocence, to anyone who suspected he had tried to manipulate Monaco Grand Prix qualifying in his favour. Speaking after salvaging a fifth position after starting last, the Ferrari driver said he had a clear conscience.
"Anyone who thinks that I deliberately wanted to wreck Alonso's lap is wrong," he told Germany's RTL television. "And to those who think that, I can only say 'I'm sorry that it happened'. "But that was certainly not the intention because I was not even aware of where Alonso was. We didn't have radio contact and I did not have any knowledge of who was driving out."
Race stewards ruled on Saturday that the seven times world champion deliberately stopped at the slow penultimate corner of the track in the dying seconds of qualifying to prevent rivals from beating his time. He was stripped of pole position and Alonso, who qualified second, promoted in his place.
"I'm used to living with criticism and in certain situations you just have to live with it," continued Schumacher. "I think that there is a lot of prejudice involved, because no one was really sitting in that car and knew how and why everything happened as it did. Without knowing the situation we had and what I felt, no one else is really in a position to accurately judge what happened from the outside," added the 37-year-old. "I have to admit that certain things must have looked a bit curious from the outside but there were reasons for that and I don't really want to elaborate on it. It's not really anyone else's business either."
Schumacher, five times a winner in Monaco and the most successful driver in the history of Formula One with 86 wins, recognised that his career was a chequered one with lows to match the highs.
"Everyone's got some spots on their clean vests," he declared. "I believe that I've had for the most part a clean vest in the 15 or 16 years that I've been in Formula One and there are perhaps a few darker points in there where some may dispute or criticise things. But I can live quite well with that."
Schumacher's manager Willi Weber had spoken earlier about envious enemies and the driver agreed that there were plenty of rivals in the paddock eager to see him punished. He did not expect a reconciliation any time soon.
"Those who opened their mouths and made their snappy comments are now certainly too chicken to come to me and talk to me one on one," he said. "The others who are more reasonable have come up to talk to me about it. It's like anything else in life. You can't only have friends. You've got those who envy you and are foes. You've got to come to terms with that. Why should it be any different than in real life?"
Source: Eurosport
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was a completely unfair decision and I completely agree with Schumacher.
The stewards, having the authority to go either side, decided that it was more important to satisfy the needs of the large envious and foe camp rather than go with what they believe to have happened.
I didn't expect anything less from the people who are completely blinded by rage (check the quotes on Saturday - there are some, who made comments as if they were going to take the pole position, went there and opened their mouths with the aim of just critizing Michael Schumacher). Unfortunately, almost none of those will be able to win any championship until the end of their life as opposed to someone who has already won the championship 7 times.
"Anyone who thinks that I deliberately wanted to wreck Alonso's lap is wrong," he told Germany's RTL television. "And to those who think that, I can only say 'I'm sorry that it happened'. "But that was certainly not the intention because I was not even aware of where Alonso was. We didn't have radio contact and I did not have any knowledge of who was driving out."
Race stewards ruled on Saturday that the seven times world champion deliberately stopped at the slow penultimate corner of the track in the dying seconds of qualifying to prevent rivals from beating his time. He was stripped of pole position and Alonso, who qualified second, promoted in his place.
"I'm used to living with criticism and in certain situations you just have to live with it," continued Schumacher. "I think that there is a lot of prejudice involved, because no one was really sitting in that car and knew how and why everything happened as it did. Without knowing the situation we had and what I felt, no one else is really in a position to accurately judge what happened from the outside," added the 37-year-old. "I have to admit that certain things must have looked a bit curious from the outside but there were reasons for that and I don't really want to elaborate on it. It's not really anyone else's business either."
Schumacher, five times a winner in Monaco and the most successful driver in the history of Formula One with 86 wins, recognised that his career was a chequered one with lows to match the highs.
"Everyone's got some spots on their clean vests," he declared. "I believe that I've had for the most part a clean vest in the 15 or 16 years that I've been in Formula One and there are perhaps a few darker points in there where some may dispute or criticise things. But I can live quite well with that."
Schumacher's manager Willi Weber had spoken earlier about envious enemies and the driver agreed that there were plenty of rivals in the paddock eager to see him punished. He did not expect a reconciliation any time soon.
"Those who opened their mouths and made their snappy comments are now certainly too chicken to come to me and talk to me one on one," he said. "The others who are more reasonable have come up to talk to me about it. It's like anything else in life. You can't only have friends. You've got those who envy you and are foes. You've got to come to terms with that. Why should it be any different than in real life?"
Source: Eurosport
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was a completely unfair decision and I completely agree with Schumacher.
The stewards, having the authority to go either side, decided that it was more important to satisfy the needs of the large envious and foe camp rather than go with what they believe to have happened.
I didn't expect anything less from the people who are completely blinded by rage (check the quotes on Saturday - there are some, who made comments as if they were going to take the pole position, went there and opened their mouths with the aim of just critizing Michael Schumacher). Unfortunately, almost none of those will be able to win any championship until the end of their life as opposed to someone who has already won the championship 7 times.
May 26, 2006
10 Great Rock Albums of the Dai
Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys (1966)
The best Beach Boys album, and one of the best of the 1960s. The group here reached a whole new level in terms of both composition and production, layering tracks upon tracks of vocals and instruments to create a richly symphonic sound. Conventional keyboards and guitars were combined with exotic touches of orchestrated strings, bicycle bells, buzzing organs, harpsichords, flutes, theremin, Hawaiian-sounding string instruments, Coca-Cola cans, barking dogs, and more. It wouldn't have been a classic without great songs, and this has some of the group's most stunning melodies, as well as lyrical themes which evoke both the intensity of newly born love affairs and the disappointment of failed romance (add in some general statements about loss of innocence and modern-day confusion as well). The spiritual quality of the material is enhanced by some of the most gorgeous upper-register male vocals (especially by Brian and Carl Wilson) ever heard on a rock record. "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "God Only Knows," "Caroline No," and "Sloop John B" (the last of which wasn't originally intended to go on the album) are the well-known hits, but equally worthy are such cuts as "You Still Believe in Me," "Don't Talk," "I Know There's an Answer," and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times." It's often said that this is more of a Brian Wilson album than a Beach Boys recording (session musicians played most of the parts), but it should be noted that the harmonies are pure Beach Boys (and some of their best). Massively influential upon its release (although it was a relatively low seller compared to their previous LPs), it immediately vaunted the band into the top level of rock innovators among the intelligentsia, especially in Britain, where it was a much bigger hit. [AMG]
Billion Dollar Babies - Alice Cooper (1973)
With 1973's Billion Dollar Babies, Alice Cooper refined the raw grit of their earlier work in favor of a slightly more polished sound (courtesy of super-producer Bob Ezrin), resulting in a mega-hit album that reached the top of the U.S. album charts. Song for song, Billion Dollar Babies is probably the original Alice Cooper group's finest and strongest. Such tracks as "Hello Hooray," the lethal stomp of the title track, the defiant "Elected" (a re-write of an earlier song, "Reflected"), and the poison-laced pop candy of "No More Mr. Nice Guy" remain among Cooper's greatest achievements. Also included are a pair of perennial concert standards — the disturbing necrophilia ditty "I Love the Dead" and the chilling macabre of "Sick Things" — as well as such strong, lesser-known selections as "Raped and Freezin'," "Unfinished Sweet," and perhaps Cooper's most overlooked gem, "Generation Landslide." Nothing seemed like it could stop this great hard-rock band from overtaking the universe, but tensions between the members behind the scenes would force the stellar original A.C. band to split up after just one more album. Not only is Billion Dollar Babies one of Alice Cooper's very best; it remains one of rock's all-time, quintessential classics. [AMG]
Forever Changes - Love (1967)
It wasn't a hit, but Forever Changes continues to regularly appear on critics' lists of the top ten rock albums of all time, and it had an enormously far-reaching and durable influence that went way beyond chart listings. The best fusion of folk-rock and psychedelia, it features Lee's trembling vocals, beautiful melodies, haunting orchestral arrangements, and inscrutable but poetic lyrics, all of which sound nearly as fresh and intriguing upon repeated plays. One of rock's most organic, flowing masterpieces, every song has a lingering, shimmering beauty, including the two penned by the band's other talented songwriter/guitarist/singer, Bryan MacLean. [A 2001 expanded CD reissue on Rhino/Elektra adds lengthy historical liner notes and seven bonus tracks: the 1968 single "Your Mind and We Belong Together"/"Laughing Stock," the genuine Forever Changes outtake "Wonder People (I Do Wonder)," the demo "Hummingbirds" (essentially an instrumental version of "The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This"), and alternate mixes of "Alone Again Or" and "You Set the Scene."] [AMG]
Shine on Brightly - Procol Harum (1968)
After the multi-million selling "A Whiter Shade Of Pale," Procol Harum coalesced around a new line-up and cut a debut album in two days, the sales of which (because the hit song wasn't on it originally) were only fair, and a couple of new singles also failed to sell. Then they did Shine On Brightly, which initially drew on recordings going back to late 1967 — in the course of preparing their first proper LP, the band junked an entire side of blues-based numbers in favor of the 18-minute suite "In Held 'Twas I," which rivaled anything yet heard from such established progressive rock outfits as the Nice or the Moody Blues in length and surpassed them in audacity, with an extensive spoken part surrounded by virtuoso classical and psychedelic passages (and even a featured spot for Dave Knights' bass). It all proved that they were more than a one-hit wonder and, released in late 1968, the album extended the definition of progressive rock, even as it kept much of the music rooted in established rock genres. "Skip Softly," for all of its grand piano pyrotechnics, was also a showcase for Robin Trower's bluesy, high-energy guitar attack, and "Wish Me Well" was an even better vehicle for his instrument, while "Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone)" was an interesting exercise in nostalgia highlighted by Matthew Fisher's organ. [AMG]
Hot Rats - Frank Zappa (1969)
Aside from the experimental side project Lumpy Gravy, Hot Rats was the first album Frank Zappa recorded as a solo artist sans the Mothers, though he continued to employ previous musical collaborators, most notably multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood. Other than another side project — the doo wop tribute Cruising With Ruben and the Jets — Hot Rats was also the first time Zappa focused his efforts in one general area, namely jazz-rock. The result is a classic of the genre. Hot Rats' genius lies in the way it fuses the compositional sophistication of jazz with rock's down-and-dirty attitude — there's a real looseness and grit to the three lengthy jams, and a surprising, wry elegance to the three shorter, tightly arranged numbers (particularly the sumptuous "Peaches en Regalia"). Perhaps the biggest revelation isn't the straightforward presentation, or the intricately shifting instrumental voices in Zappa's arrangements — it's his own virtuosity on the electric guitar, recorded during extended improvisational workouts for the first time here. His wonderfully scuzzy, distorted tone is an especially good fit on "Willie the Pimp," with its greasy blues riffs and guest vocalist Captain Beefheart's Howlin' Wolf theatrics. Elsewhere, his skill as a melodist was in full flower, whether dominating an entire piece or providing a memorable theme as a jumping-off point. In addition to Underwood, the backing band featured contributions from Jean-Luc Ponty, Lowell George, and Don "Sugarcane" Harris, among others; still, Zappa is unquestionably the star of the show. Hot Rats still sizzles; few albums originating on the rock side of jazz-rock fusion flowed so freely between both sides of the equation, or achieved such unwavering excitement and energy. [AMG]
Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs - Derek and The Dominos (1970)
Wishing to escape the superstar expectations that sank Blind Faith before it was launched, Eric Clapton retreated with several sidemen from Delaney & Bonnie to record the material that would form Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. From these meager beginnings grew his greatest album. Duane Allman joined the band shortly after recording began, and his spectacular slide guitar pushed Clapton to new heights. Then again, Clapton may have gotten there without him, considering the emotional turmoil he was in during the recording. He was in hopeless, unrequited love with Patti Boyd, the wife of his best friend, George Harrison, and that pain surges throughout Layla, especially on its epic title track. But what really makes Layla such a powerful record is that Clapton, ignoring the traditions that occasionally painted him into a corner, simply tears through these songs with burning, intense emotion. He makes standards like "Have You Ever Loved a Woman" and "Nobody Knows You (When You're Down and Out)" into his own, while his collaborations with Bobby Whitlock — including "Any Day" and "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?" — teem with passion. And, considering what a personal album Layla is, it's somewhat ironic that the lovely coda "Thorn Tree in the Garden" is a solo performance by Whitlock, and that the song sums up the entire album as well as "Layla" itself. [AMG]
Tommy - The Who (1969)
The full-blown rock opera about a deaf, dumb, and blind boy that launched the band to international superstardom, written almost entirely by Pete Townshend. Hailed as a breakthrough upon its release, its critical standing has diminished somewhat in the ensuing decades because of the occasional pretensions of the concept and because of the insubstantial nature of some of the songs that functioned as little more than devices to advance the rather sketchy plot. Nonetheless, the double album has many excellent songs, including "I'm Free," "Pinball Wizard," "Sensation," "Christmas," "We're Not Gonna Take It," and the dramatic ten-minute instrumental "Underture." Though the album was slightly flawed, Townshend's ability to construct a lengthy conceptual narrative brought new possibilities to rock music. Despite the complexity of the project, he and the Who never lost sight of solid pop melodies, harmonies, and forceful instrumentation, imbuing the material with a suitably powerful grace. [AMG]
Remain in Light - Talking Heads (1980)
The musical transition that seemed to have just begun with Fear of Music came to fruition on Talking Heads' fourth album, Remain in Light. "I Zimbra" and "Life During Wartime" from the earlier album served as the blueprints for a disc on which the group explored African polyrhythms on a series of driving groove tracks, over which David Byrne chanted and sang his typically disconnected lyrics. Remain in Light had more words than any previous Heads record, but they counted for less than ever in the sweep of the music. The album's single, "Once in a Lifetime," flopped upon release, but over the years it became an audience favorite due to a striking video, its inclusion in the band's 1984 concert film Stop Making Sense, and its second single release (in the live version) because of its use in the 1986 movie Down and Out in Beverly Hills, when it became a minor chart entry. Byrne sounded typically uncomfortable in the verses ("And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife/And you may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?"), which were undercut by the reassuring chorus ("Letting the days go by"). Even without a single, Remain in Light was a hit, indicating that Talking Heads were connecting with an audience ready to follow their musical evolution, and the album was so inventive and influential, it was no wonder. As it turned out, however, it marked the end of one aspect of the group's development and was their last new music for three years. [AMG]
Avalon - Roxy Music (1982)
Flesh + Blood suggested that Roxy Music were at the end of the line, but they regrouped and recorded the lovely Avalon, one of their finest albums. Certainly, the lush, elegant soundscapes of Avalon are far removed from the edgy avant-pop of their early records, yet it represents another landmark in their career. With its stylish, romantic washes of synthesizers and Bryan Ferry's elegant, seductive croon, Avalon simultaneously functioned as sophisticated make-out music for yuppies and as the maturation of synth pop. Ferry was never this romantic or seductive, either with Roxy or as a solo artist, and Avalon shimmers with elegance in both its music and its lyrics. "More Than This," "Take a Chance With Me," "While My Heart Is Still Beating," and the title track are immaculately crafted and subtle songs, where the shifting synthesizers and murmured vocals gradually reveal the melodies. It's a rich, textured album and a graceful way to end the band's career. [AMG]
The best Beach Boys album, and one of the best of the 1960s. The group here reached a whole new level in terms of both composition and production, layering tracks upon tracks of vocals and instruments to create a richly symphonic sound. Conventional keyboards and guitars were combined with exotic touches of orchestrated strings, bicycle bells, buzzing organs, harpsichords, flutes, theremin, Hawaiian-sounding string instruments, Coca-Cola cans, barking dogs, and more. It wouldn't have been a classic without great songs, and this has some of the group's most stunning melodies, as well as lyrical themes which evoke both the intensity of newly born love affairs and the disappointment of failed romance (add in some general statements about loss of innocence and modern-day confusion as well). The spiritual quality of the material is enhanced by some of the most gorgeous upper-register male vocals (especially by Brian and Carl Wilson) ever heard on a rock record. "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "God Only Knows," "Caroline No," and "Sloop John B" (the last of which wasn't originally intended to go on the album) are the well-known hits, but equally worthy are such cuts as "You Still Believe in Me," "Don't Talk," "I Know There's an Answer," and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times." It's often said that this is more of a Brian Wilson album than a Beach Boys recording (session musicians played most of the parts), but it should be noted that the harmonies are pure Beach Boys (and some of their best). Massively influential upon its release (although it was a relatively low seller compared to their previous LPs), it immediately vaunted the band into the top level of rock innovators among the intelligentsia, especially in Britain, where it was a much bigger hit. [AMG]Billion Dollar Babies - Alice Cooper (1973)
With 1973's Billion Dollar Babies, Alice Cooper refined the raw grit of their earlier work in favor of a slightly more polished sound (courtesy of super-producer Bob Ezrin), resulting in a mega-hit album that reached the top of the U.S. album charts. Song for song, Billion Dollar Babies is probably the original Alice Cooper group's finest and strongest. Such tracks as "Hello Hooray," the lethal stomp of the title track, the defiant "Elected" (a re-write of an earlier song, "Reflected"), and the poison-laced pop candy of "No More Mr. Nice Guy" remain among Cooper's greatest achievements. Also included are a pair of perennial concert standards — the disturbing necrophilia ditty "I Love the Dead" and the chilling macabre of "Sick Things" — as well as such strong, lesser-known selections as "Raped and Freezin'," "Unfinished Sweet," and perhaps Cooper's most overlooked gem, "Generation Landslide." Nothing seemed like it could stop this great hard-rock band from overtaking the universe, but tensions between the members behind the scenes would force the stellar original A.C. band to split up after just one more album. Not only is Billion Dollar Babies one of Alice Cooper's very best; it remains one of rock's all-time, quintessential classics. [AMG]Forever Changes - Love (1967)
It wasn't a hit, but Forever Changes continues to regularly appear on critics' lists of the top ten rock albums of all time, and it had an enormously far-reaching and durable influence that went way beyond chart listings. The best fusion of folk-rock and psychedelia, it features Lee's trembling vocals, beautiful melodies, haunting orchestral arrangements, and inscrutable but poetic lyrics, all of which sound nearly as fresh and intriguing upon repeated plays. One of rock's most organic, flowing masterpieces, every song has a lingering, shimmering beauty, including the two penned by the band's other talented songwriter/guitarist/singer, Bryan MacLean. [A 2001 expanded CD reissue on Rhino/Elektra adds lengthy historical liner notes and seven bonus tracks: the 1968 single "Your Mind and We Belong Together"/"Laughing Stock," the genuine Forever Changes outtake "Wonder People (I Do Wonder)," the demo "Hummingbirds" (essentially an instrumental version of "The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This"), and alternate mixes of "Alone Again Or" and "You Set the Scene."] [AMG]Shine on Brightly - Procol Harum (1968)
After the multi-million selling "A Whiter Shade Of Pale," Procol Harum coalesced around a new line-up and cut a debut album in two days, the sales of which (because the hit song wasn't on it originally) were only fair, and a couple of new singles also failed to sell. Then they did Shine On Brightly, which initially drew on recordings going back to late 1967 — in the course of preparing their first proper LP, the band junked an entire side of blues-based numbers in favor of the 18-minute suite "In Held 'Twas I," which rivaled anything yet heard from such established progressive rock outfits as the Nice or the Moody Blues in length and surpassed them in audacity, with an extensive spoken part surrounded by virtuoso classical and psychedelic passages (and even a featured spot for Dave Knights' bass). It all proved that they were more than a one-hit wonder and, released in late 1968, the album extended the definition of progressive rock, even as it kept much of the music rooted in established rock genres. "Skip Softly," for all of its grand piano pyrotechnics, was also a showcase for Robin Trower's bluesy, high-energy guitar attack, and "Wish Me Well" was an even better vehicle for his instrument, while "Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone)" was an interesting exercise in nostalgia highlighted by Matthew Fisher's organ. [AMG] Hot Rats - Frank Zappa (1969)
Aside from the experimental side project Lumpy Gravy, Hot Rats was the first album Frank Zappa recorded as a solo artist sans the Mothers, though he continued to employ previous musical collaborators, most notably multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood. Other than another side project — the doo wop tribute Cruising With Ruben and the Jets — Hot Rats was also the first time Zappa focused his efforts in one general area, namely jazz-rock. The result is a classic of the genre. Hot Rats' genius lies in the way it fuses the compositional sophistication of jazz with rock's down-and-dirty attitude — there's a real looseness and grit to the three lengthy jams, and a surprising, wry elegance to the three shorter, tightly arranged numbers (particularly the sumptuous "Peaches en Regalia"). Perhaps the biggest revelation isn't the straightforward presentation, or the intricately shifting instrumental voices in Zappa's arrangements — it's his own virtuosity on the electric guitar, recorded during extended improvisational workouts for the first time here. His wonderfully scuzzy, distorted tone is an especially good fit on "Willie the Pimp," with its greasy blues riffs and guest vocalist Captain Beefheart's Howlin' Wolf theatrics. Elsewhere, his skill as a melodist was in full flower, whether dominating an entire piece or providing a memorable theme as a jumping-off point. In addition to Underwood, the backing band featured contributions from Jean-Luc Ponty, Lowell George, and Don "Sugarcane" Harris, among others; still, Zappa is unquestionably the star of the show. Hot Rats still sizzles; few albums originating on the rock side of jazz-rock fusion flowed so freely between both sides of the equation, or achieved such unwavering excitement and energy. [AMG] Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs - Derek and The Dominos (1970)
Wishing to escape the superstar expectations that sank Blind Faith before it was launched, Eric Clapton retreated with several sidemen from Delaney & Bonnie to record the material that would form Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. From these meager beginnings grew his greatest album. Duane Allman joined the band shortly after recording began, and his spectacular slide guitar pushed Clapton to new heights. Then again, Clapton may have gotten there without him, considering the emotional turmoil he was in during the recording. He was in hopeless, unrequited love with Patti Boyd, the wife of his best friend, George Harrison, and that pain surges throughout Layla, especially on its epic title track. But what really makes Layla such a powerful record is that Clapton, ignoring the traditions that occasionally painted him into a corner, simply tears through these songs with burning, intense emotion. He makes standards like "Have You Ever Loved a Woman" and "Nobody Knows You (When You're Down and Out)" into his own, while his collaborations with Bobby Whitlock — including "Any Day" and "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?" — teem with passion. And, considering what a personal album Layla is, it's somewhat ironic that the lovely coda "Thorn Tree in the Garden" is a solo performance by Whitlock, and that the song sums up the entire album as well as "Layla" itself. [AMG]Tommy - The Who (1969)
The full-blown rock opera about a deaf, dumb, and blind boy that launched the band to international superstardom, written almost entirely by Pete Townshend. Hailed as a breakthrough upon its release, its critical standing has diminished somewhat in the ensuing decades because of the occasional pretensions of the concept and because of the insubstantial nature of some of the songs that functioned as little more than devices to advance the rather sketchy plot. Nonetheless, the double album has many excellent songs, including "I'm Free," "Pinball Wizard," "Sensation," "Christmas," "We're Not Gonna Take It," and the dramatic ten-minute instrumental "Underture." Though the album was slightly flawed, Townshend's ability to construct a lengthy conceptual narrative brought new possibilities to rock music. Despite the complexity of the project, he and the Who never lost sight of solid pop melodies, harmonies, and forceful instrumentation, imbuing the material with a suitably powerful grace. [AMG]Remain in Light - Talking Heads (1980)
The musical transition that seemed to have just begun with Fear of Music came to fruition on Talking Heads' fourth album, Remain in Light. "I Zimbra" and "Life During Wartime" from the earlier album served as the blueprints for a disc on which the group explored African polyrhythms on a series of driving groove tracks, over which David Byrne chanted and sang his typically disconnected lyrics. Remain in Light had more words than any previous Heads record, but they counted for less than ever in the sweep of the music. The album's single, "Once in a Lifetime," flopped upon release, but over the years it became an audience favorite due to a striking video, its inclusion in the band's 1984 concert film Stop Making Sense, and its second single release (in the live version) because of its use in the 1986 movie Down and Out in Beverly Hills, when it became a minor chart entry. Byrne sounded typically uncomfortable in the verses ("And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife/And you may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?"), which were undercut by the reassuring chorus ("Letting the days go by"). Even without a single, Remain in Light was a hit, indicating that Talking Heads were connecting with an audience ready to follow their musical evolution, and the album was so inventive and influential, it was no wonder. As it turned out, however, it marked the end of one aspect of the group's development and was their last new music for three years. [AMG] Avalon - Roxy Music (1982)
Flesh + Blood suggested that Roxy Music were at the end of the line, but they regrouped and recorded the lovely Avalon, one of their finest albums. Certainly, the lush, elegant soundscapes of Avalon are far removed from the edgy avant-pop of their early records, yet it represents another landmark in their career. With its stylish, romantic washes of synthesizers and Bryan Ferry's elegant, seductive croon, Avalon simultaneously functioned as sophisticated make-out music for yuppies and as the maturation of synth pop. Ferry was never this romantic or seductive, either with Roxy or as a solo artist, and Avalon shimmers with elegance in both its music and its lyrics. "More Than This," "Take a Chance With Me," "While My Heart Is Still Beating," and the title track are immaculately crafted and subtle songs, where the shifting synthesizers and murmured vocals gradually reveal the melodies. It's a rich, textured album and a graceful way to end the band's career. [AMG]
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