WinningStyle

The first pictures of Rambo 4 are online…

There is a pretty funny article over here which has links to the pictures at this site.  As well as commenting on the images ("Seeing the 60 year-old Stallone in a mullet and a low-cut blouse, it’s just too much"), there is also some speculation to the name of the movie ("Rambo IV is currently referred to as John Rambo on imdb, a decision that was likely made after Rocky Balboa did well. At various points the film has been called Rambo IV: Pearl of the Cobra, Rambo IV: Holy War, Rambo IV: In The Serpent’s Eye, and Rambo IV: End of Peace. At press time, the "powers that be" were not giving serious consideration to my choice: Rambo IV: Electric Boogaloo.")

Where do i start!  Is ‘love’ too much of a strong word? maybe! - Okay, i ‘love’ the music of Brian Transeau. There, i said it. In all seriousness BT rocks. I remember rinsing out his first album Ima. It sounded so futuristic at the time.. I’ll never forget that one track stretching over 40 mins!!

Then came ESCM, and it just seemed to push the envelope. BT’s choons seem layered.. When they cresendo there is usually a lot going on, with all sorts of stutters, pullbacks, swirls, squeeks, and naturally wibble-wobbles.

Now heres something. After checking when ECSM came out i was shocked to find that it is a decade old!!!! 10 years old man, and i can remember as clear as day when i brought it.

So anyway, today i thought i would go to the fountain of all knowledge (no, not google! Wikipedia) to find out what BT has been upto lately. - Imagine my shock to find that BT has released two more albums with "Emotional Technology" and just last year "This Binary Universe".. How could i have not known!  Out of the two Binary Universe sounds enticing.

The reviews from the wikipedia article for "Binary Universe" sounds very BT’esque.

"But this is something else entirely. Labels such as “ambient” or “modern classical” fit for a few seconds, then the next passage in the song blows away the last, taking any attempt to classify along with it." - Stephen Fortner in Keyboard Magazine

This other review is a little longer but sounds.. well, just read…
   
"This Binary Universe taps into BT’s classical side, with expansive arrangements and intricate, albeit minimalist, thematic development. From the opening of "All That Makes Us Human Continues," BT reveals himself as a master of Eno-esque melancholy, as simple melodies evolve through an
electro-orchestral instrumental palette. Lounge jazz with solos in the key of abstract, plaintive arpeggiated guitars, electro marches, minimalist hymns, and pastoral dreamscapes drive an album that seeks out joy and redemption, but not without traveling through the dark. The last track, "Good Morning Kaia," is a paean to his newborn daughter, and the most purely anthemic track on the disc.

BT creates an immersive space that’s less sonic pinball and more audio sculpture, often revealing different aspects of his music than in the stereo mix.   
Each song on the DVD has a unique video that includes antique robots, surreal landscape drawings, live action fantasies, and abstract designs."
- John Diliberto in Amazon.com

Okay, not to harp on but what also sounds cool is that the Binary Universe album also comes on DVD with full on 5.1 DTS sound.  This in its own right  sounds the bomb!! I mean, we are all used to setting up our five living room speakers for movies, etc but you never hear the concept of using that surrond sound for a music album. Music albums are still just stery-ery-oo. The DVD reminds me of the most excellent Daft Punk DVD "Interstella 5555" which incidently ive actually been listening too recently.. Ive taken to working on my laptop at home with Interstella rocking those cool disco beats of the Daft boyz. Anyway i digress…

After some more prodding around the net i have found some cool links for you guys to check out.. Firstly here is the trailer for BT’s Binary Universe. It is also up on YouTube too.. Then there is also an hour long interview with Mr Transeau here to watch also. 

Anyway, to finish up, i guess this post has an empty message really.. I mean i havent said if the albums are good or not.. Thats cause i havent got them and so cant tell you if they are must-listen-to buys or if you should dodge them like the plague. Im sure they will great though and when i do get hold of them i will follow up in the comments with my verdict..

Some amazing images, I particularly like this one, I like the way that even though you know that these people were moving that they look like a group of statues because of the way the light catches the bodies, its really quite spooky.

Also love the way the Sun light is fragmented through the clouds. 

Checkout the BBC for more

Your all probably all aware but thought I would post this,  an amazing marketing ploy by sony 250k for an immense amount of column inches and also I imagine TV coverage.

I want a PS3 and free HDTV

Are you a good thinker? - Its something we all do every minute of every day, but do you ever think about how you…. think!!! Can you become a better thinker.. Well i fired up google and after a little bit of searching came across this gem of a page titled "Becoming a Critic Of Your Thinking", and i really do recommend the read..

http://www.criticalthinking.org/resources/articles/becoming-a-critic.shtml

Theres something for you to think about!

I was a HUUUUUGE fan of the original Flash tower defence game (found here: http://novelconcepts.co.uk/FlashElementTD/), Which was, basically, a Tower Defence game based around an element of Warcraft 3 (I believe).  The idea is to position your guard towers to ensure that they destroy any mobs/critters/baddies/monsters, before they leave the map.  It was rock hard, and great fun.  great fun, that is, until I googled it and found a technique you can follow to get the max score, and beat it.  Anyway, the guy behind it, Critters, has finally released the long awaited (well, about a month) sequel, called Circle Defence.  or Flash Circle. or something like that.  anyway, go play it!

http://www.candystand.com/play.do?id=17995

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala - A 330-foot-deep sinkhole killed at least two teenagers as it swallowed about a dozen homes early Friday and forced the evacuation of nearly 1,000 people in a crowded Guatemala City neighborhood. Officials blamed the sinkhole on recent rains and an underground sewage flow from a ruptured main.

The pit emitted foul odors, loud noises and tremors, shaking the surrounding ground. A rush of water could be heard from its depths, and authorities feared it could widen or others could open up.

Rescue operations were on hold until a firefighter, suspended from a cable, could take video and photos above the hole and officials could use the documentation to decide how to proceed.

The dead were identified as Irma and David Soyos, emergency spokesman Juan Carlos Bolanos said. Their bodies were found near the sinkhole, floating in a river of sewage.

Their father, Domingo, was still missing, according to disaster coordinator Hugo Hernandez.

More amazing pics here