Robot Conducts an Orchestra!

I will say no more than that Honda is awesome and ASIMO rocks!!
This shit is sick lol!

Enjoy…

Review: [Dubai's 1st Metal Band] Nervecell – Preaching Venom

And finally Heavy Metal music is finding its place in the middle east. Until 2 months ago, the Egyptian “Odious” was the only Arab band to ever get a record deal and worldwide distribution, under Sleazy Rider Records and EMI distribution worldwide. They were a huge success and they’re planning a tour nowadays, as well as writing new material for their upcoming album. But now, more bands are following, with Idlemind & Badapple competing in the Battle of the Bands for the Warped tour this year.

Enough about the scene in Egypt, and lets head to the land of one of the largest Heavy Metal festivals in the world, you guessed it right, the UAE, home of the Dubai Desert Rock Festival.

A death metal band from the UAE called “Nervecell” has just released their first full album with the title “Preaching Venom”, under Nerve Damage Records, and distribution at Virgin Megastores worldwide, and Music Master.

I know I’m a little bit late, but thats when I had the chance to pick it up the album and listen to it, with the aim to review it, but frankly I couldn’t! I was so hooked up into the music, that I forgot to concentrate and point out the flaws and the good things. Its just plain amazing. For a death metal band, this would be called a perfect album. With 10 tracks, ranging from calm stuff to heaviest riffs on earth, Nervecell has created an amazing mixture with a felt middle-eastern influence, that doesn’t ruin the core death metal they have.

The one thing I noticed is that they have improved a lot since their debut EP “Human Chaos”, especially the vocalist. The trio has cut a long way into getting international, and they finally did it. They had a world tour last year to promote the EP, as well as performing twice in the Desert Rock Festival.

They were also supporting Vader in their 25th anniversary concert in Cairo in April, that was canceled shortly before the due date because of some management issues, and after listening to “Preaching Venom”, I am pretty sure that they would have delivered a better performance than Vader themselves. Their music is just more lively.

They have performed quite a year back in Cairo, in Metal Fest, and we have to be be working on getting them again to Metal Accord, to perform Preaching Venom to all metalheads in Egypt.

Their songs also lack one thing that happens a lot in the death metal genre, the songs don’t have many transitions, and ups and downs, and I personally like it. Songs have a clear unified structure that makes listening more of a pleasure.

I have to say that Nervecell makes us proud! This is their latest video, for the song Demolition from the “Human Chaos EP” , and the footage is taken from their Dubai Desert Rock Festival 2008.

For more information visit www.nervecell.net or myspace.com/nervecell

You can pick up “Preaching Venom” at all Virgin Megastore & Music Master stores in the middle east and north Africa. Its is also available online from the following stores:
Amazon.com
CM Distro
CD Baby
iTunes Store

But hurry up, its almost sold out on all online stores!
By the way they didn’t ask for the review or the mentioning, but I just had to do that!
You guys are awesome, keep rocking!!

\m/

Trust No One…

…and don’t be stupid!

A couple of hours ago, a friend of mine was nearly throwing himself out of a window. I’ll refer to him as S from now.

Why?

You know when you love someone, and then you realize something that destroys everything?
Do you know how it feels? I do, of course, this happened to me A LOT of times, I can’t really say that I’m lucky when it comes to this.

Anyway, S was talking to his friend, whom he trusts (yes this will stick with us all along)… and he knows about him and his girlfriend (referred to as G from now on) Anyways, G didn’t want this guy to know that they’re together, so she told him that they’re good friends and thats it.

Now, that guy starts telling S that she’s not in love with him, she’s just pretending, and she doesn’t give a shit, and lots of other crap talk. He wasn’t lying, he simply doesn’t know. He was told so, and he tried being a good friend an all… yeah right!

Now we come to the point of trust, or extra trust as I would like to call it. S trusted this guy SO MUCH that he actually believed all the bullshit he said about her. So until here, we learn never to put o much trust in someone.
I know exactly what you’re thinking right now as you read this, so just hang on…

Now we come to the second part… the STUPIDITY involved.

OK, S trusted him so much that he thought that he was living a lie, and that she is lying to him. He didn’t understand anything anymore. He went into chaos! Thats where the stupidity kicks in. He doesn’t take a moment to think… Nooooooo! He freaks out and starts going crazy and being all dramatic. Yes, if this was true, all this could have been justified. But he even didn’t bother thinking or asking.

Not until more than 2 hours later, when he decided to call her, hurt her so much because she never though he would ever believe this bullshit, and nearly made her cry (or did she actually? I don’t remember).

Why am I writing about this, because this seems so stupid, corny and useless. Simply because I want to. It has a point, the story is just way to stupid, I know, but it happened that way.

In the end, as my Rulan always says, Trust None (and I add: Don’t be stupid either!) People, think! Brains! Are! Made! To! Be! Used! (yeah, thats me shouting…)

MISSION:METALLICA – Are You In?

I have learned to never expect a lot, or even a little for that matter. But when it comes to Metallica, I have to expect a lot. With Rick Rubin back as their producer, the new album, due September 2008, is supposed to be the missing link between “Master of Puppets” and “…And Justice For All”. And so far, what I’m seeing is really good!

Not talking about the “New Song” and the “Other New Song”, because they said those won’t even make it to the album, but the things I heard on MISSION:METALLICA is just amazing! Now about the website, its a promotional website they made for die hard fans (just like me and over 90 million others) who wanna experience every bit of the new album before it is released. They have footage from the studio while recording, and its really cool!

They are using techniques they haven’t used since “Ride The Lighting”, and the guitar solos are back. And even the base, it hasn’t sounded this good since Cliff Burton last played with them (may he rest in peace). Seriously, Bob Rock and Jason Newsted just screwed Metallica up so bad, but THE OLD METALLICA IS BACK BABY!!!

So, if you’re a Metallica fan, I don’t need to tell you what to to, you probably know about the website already, or you have clicked the link and joined the website already!

They also have a platinum subscription, where you will get additional footage, more music, more pictures, and you will be able to download the album at midnight the day its out, and you will wake up in the morning to find the CD at your doorstep on the same day. But I’m not willing to pay money for that (yet), especially that my credit card is probably screwed by now.

Here are the three videos on the website right now. Taken off the website and reposted on Youtube. I was gonna do that but I found a lot of people who did the job for me already! Enjoy!

The website is www.missionmetallica.com

Are You In?

Whats up with the weather?

And I ask again… Whats up with the weather this year?? It has been crazy for a long time, it even snowed in some parts of Canada, Russia and the UK… in April!!

And here, in my amazing location of Kharkov, Ukraine (yes, that was sarcasm)… for example, this week, the temp (in Celsius) was freezing 2 days ago, and today its going to be 27, then 27, 28, 27, then suddenly 21 then 19 with rain, 18, then 28 again by next week!!!
Yes, I count a lot, because I’m going nuts!

And about the photo, a couple of days ago there was a huge black cloud just over us, and yes it was raining ONLY right over us exactly. Just like cartoons!

Is God trying to tell us something? I can’t take it anymore, one day I go out in shorts, and the next day my waterproof jacket is out again! Come on, settle for something!!! This is seriously driving me crazy, I need to get some sleep.

+Source: Weather.com & My Room Window.

EgyptAir Redesigns, Finally!

Get this, EgyptAir has finally changed their logo, maybe answering to my calls at http://infliktora.blogspot.com/2008/03/egyptair-rebranding-by-me-unofficial.html or maybe that they suddently grew brains in their heads, but whatever, they kept the stupid typeface they’re using (i.e. font) but they changed the eagle of Horus to a cooler shape, and ever better, they will change the theme on all airplanes!!

They are also renewing 12 of the planes on the fleet, added a new slogan “Enjoy the Sky”, and they will start using the new colors this month! All efforts to meet the requirements of the Star Alliance. Their joining ceremony is planned sometime between June & July 2008.

Here are the photos! They did an even better job than mine! ENJOY as much as I am!!
(Click to Enlarge)

Good move EgyptAir! At least now I can be proud while getting on those planes!

FINALLY: New Car License Plates in Egypt…

Update: Photos are here!

Remember the new law that bans cars older than 20 years to be on the road? Well, here’s a new thing, and finally! The old shitty numbered license plates are gone!! The new design is not published yet, but I will post it as soon as its out. That should be at the latest by July, because a mentioned later, the new ones will be put into use by August 1st in 4 major cities.

And until then, all new car licensing has been stopped, so if you’re planning to get a new car in Egypt right now, you better wait until August!

The Ministry of Interior is putting an end to the existing incongruent car plates of varying colors and sizes and instead will regulate them throughout the country starting in August.

Speaking to Al-Ahram Weekly, Major General Sherif Gomaa, assistant interior minister for traffic, said in order to meet the escalating demand for car plates needed to license new cars, it was decided that the new plates would mix numbers and letters for the first time, with a maximum of four numbers and three letters which refer to certain data recognized by traffic departments to distinguish cars from each other. The combination of numbers and letters will facilitate the production of 26 million car plates which will be sufficient to replace existing plates, as well as for future requirements.

Gomaa added that the recent plate system which uses only numbers can allow more than one car to have the same number as long as they are licensed in different governorates, creating confusion to both the public and traffic policemen. To avoid repetition, it was decided to write the word “Egypt” both in English and Arabic on the plate instead of writing the name of the governorate.

Various colours have been assigned to differentiate between cars. Orange car plates are for taxis, sky blue for private cars, dark blue for police cars, brown for rentals, red for trucks and pickups and green for diplomats.

The size of the new aluminum anti-rust plates is 35×17cm. To make it easier for radar and surveillance cameras to detect the numbers, the plates’ background will be painted in white with numbers and letters printed in black. To combat car theft and plate exchanges, lasers will be used to engrave the eagle, the Egyptian Republic’s motto, in order to make forgery impossible. Every plate will have a bar code of its own. As a further safety precaution to prevent using the plate by more than one car, traffic departments will fix the new plates with specially designed screws which will break if the plate is incorrectly dismantled.

Initially, the new plates will be available at traffic departments in Cairo, Giza, Qalioubiya and Alexandria starting from 1 August for five months and then nationalised in all governorates during the following five months. People buying new cars will receive the new plates directly while for cars which already have plates, car owners will have either the option of waiting until the renewal date of their car licence or applying for the new plates if they wish starting from August.

Gomaa said the Ministry of Interior is modernising its database in parallel with the production of the new car plates. The computerized database will include all the information about the car including production date, engine number, trade name and whether it is imported or manufactured in Egypt, in addition to detailed information about its owner. Gomaa said the system will help stop plates from being stolen.

The Mintage Stamping Authority affiliated to the Ministry of Finance will manufacture the new plates. Traffic departments across the country currently stamp the plates at the Alexandria factory for metal plates, but Gomaa said the factory had failed to make high quality plates. It could not meet the increasing demand for plates needed for new cars, which created a shortage throughout the governorates.

Between 80,000 to 90,000 new cars are licensed in Cairo every year.

Sleeping problems… what?!!

Thats what happened exactly with me last night. I’m seriously thinking of meeting a psychiatrist, because this is getting too much. I mean I know I can be weird sometimes, but its always the good kind of weird, never the screwed up one (except for lat night). The weirdness is taking over me!

I woke up at 5.30 am and got the urge to cut my toe nails. I know, too much detail, but that’s whats happened! I failed to do that due to the fact that I was half-asleep and managed to nearly cut myself. Wait, it gets better. I woke up again and got the urge to write this! Of course now I’m posting this the next morning, but you get my point. Becauase I usually write my posts in notepad and then post them online later.

Now this is all in real-time, from here.

Another thing, a sleeping problem too, earlier that night. I got the urge to cry although I was happy, had a really nice day and had just came home from spending some awesome time with my friends. Watched 2 episodes of Studio 60 on DVD, and even though I usually never act emotionally to something I watch in a TV show, that is also out of the question because nothing sad actually happened on the show!

And all of that while almost chatting (yes almost, more of facebook chatting) with a friend that I’m always happy to see, a churpy “no-problem” kind of person. Not to mention that she’s a really good friend of mine. So to get right to it, there was nothing at all other than complete happiness and a good time. So why the urge to cry (and keep in mind that I don’t remember the last time I cried, and I didn’t end up crying that night either) but it was just a feeling i got out of the blue.

I don’t know how to end this, and frankly, I don’t think I should know. I’d be way too twisted. Anyways, just that.

Summer Plans?

I have so much on my mind, its not cool anymore. I’ve been planning for big stuff to do when I get back to Cairo. First off, resuming my stickers business and expanding it to shirts and shoes (yes! Shoes! We will be printing on Converse All Star shoes soon!). Second in line is my band. We need to seriously focus and practice and get a proper line-up, and I am already dealing with problems from the current members, like I can be bothered anyways right now!

Thirdly, a movie I’m planning! Too many surprizes? Yep! More on that soon. And of course a lot of stuff like the house, the University, and shit loads of crap… Plus I’m gonna spend Ramadan in KSA this year again, and thats a good thing! I wanna make the most of this summer, and planning isn’t easy! I hate my over-thinking!!! My mind isn’t at ease at all nowadays.

Thats all aside from the daily crap I have to put up with in Ukraine. And trying to have fun while we’re all almost broke (and its still halfway through with the month!)
Yes, we’re great money planners!

Although one thing I’m gonna hate about it ending is that I might never see the best bunch of friends I ever made in my life, again. But as I say, who knows, we all might meet somewhere someday. We can even make our tiny reunion of 10 people! Who knows. Just in case any of them were reading now, I love you guys! (Corny? I know. Do I care? Nope.)
=D

Just feel like typing with nothing to say.

I honestly have nothing to say. I just feel like typing. Something about the sound of my laptop keyboard makes me wanna write. I know I’m weird, but thats just me. In case you didn’t notice from reading my blog (or knowing me, for that matter) I am a pretty weird person.

I really don’t know what to write! As I’ve been saying for the past couple of months, theres nothing, absolutely nothing, going on with me or my life, or even around me that could be written about! Total emptiness! And whatever’s up with me can’t even be written, or else I’d be giving millitary secrets away (and I will say nothing amore about that either, that’s already too much, and if I suddenly dissapear just know its because I said this on the blog).

Anyways, back to the state of nothing-ness that I’m in. I really need to learn where all the dashes and the apostrophes and stuff are on the keyboard, they’re the only thing I miss when I’m typing, and I have to look down at the keybaord to find them. Weird huh… told ya!

I don’t know, I feel like tossing my cell phone around for some reason. I just saw it bouncing off my bed and I wanted to continue throwing it, if it only would bounce back to me (and not get broken in the process!)…

I’m also very determined to start working on the movie I’m preparing for this summer! Yes, its a band and a movie. Good for me! I’m working hard on the script (and so far I have nothing but smack!) and I’m talking to people to join in for the project. Its going to be cool! I think I might even make a website for it!

Speaking of websites, I have a lot of work to do this summer! I think I’m taking a break now and working in the summer! Weird year for me so far, and I think its gonna continue being this way. I have 2 websites to make, and an advertising campaign of some sort, and a little bit of secret information, I’m currently proposing a poster and a logo for a new gig that Etisalat Egypt is planning. More on this soon, when everything is confirmed (fingers crossed). Its not even what I’m studying! Just a hobby and extra pocket cash lol!

Ok, so I ended up writing a lot. I still want to write more, but if I do, this blog will become unreadable (taking into account the extra long boring post right before this one).

Oh, one more thing. I’m supposed to have self esteem issues and stuff because of my weird situation, but on the contrary, my ego is way up in the sky! I’ve never felt better about myself! I guess its just me being weird again. And I STILL wanna type!! Let me go find something useful to add into the movie script. Maybe some wicked inspiration will just come to me! (I wish!)

Anyways, I’ll let Craig David do the talking for me from here. Just the song that fits my unusual status right now.

Noticed the total randomness?! Exactly.