KRASSEEN
لأول مره حاجه واقعيه تحسسنى إن فى أمل فعلا فى مصر ، الحاجه دى عمرى ما كنت اتخيل إنى اتعرف عليها ايام قليله قبل مغادرتى لمصر ، الحاجه دى اسمها جهاز حماية المستهلك المصرى ، و سبب تعرفى إليها القصه اللى لسه من ساعات خالصانه تفاصيلها و عاوز احكيها الوقتى أنا كنت اشتريت و لأول مره فى حياتى لابتوب نادر و غالى جدا نوع اتش بى من مصر من شركه كبرى موثوق بيها فى القاهرة بتستورد الاجهزه و ليها موقع محترم فى الانترنت و ليها فروع فى محافظات جمهورية مصر العربية ، و كنت فرحان بيه اوى زى عيل جاله لعبه جديده ، المهم الابتوب اللى أنا اشتريته طلع فيه عيب فى الشاشه ، بقع بيضه مع كل يوم بتكبر ، و انا طبعا ليه ضمان لمده سنه ، روحت بالابتوب الشركه اللى ما فيهاش غير شباب صغير محشش قالوا لى إن الصيانة مش حاتقدر تصلح لى العيب ده و لازم يكون فى اكتر من سته بقع علشان يتصلح ، قولت لهم دى مش ديد بيكسل ، دى بطش بيضه ما اقتنعوش و ما رضيوش يودوه الصيانة ، قولت طب عاوز اكلم المدير قالولى الشباب ما فيش مدير ، إحنا المدير ، المهم عرفت فين مركز الصيانه الرسمى اللى الشركه بتتعامل معاه و روحت وديت الجهاز بنفسى و طلع إنه مركز صيانه اتش بى الرسمى فى مصر ،الناس اللى هناك خدوا الجهاز و قالوا لازم الشاشه تتغير و هى بتيجى من بره و تعالى بعد عشر تيام ، جيت بعد عشر تيام و ادولى اللابتوب و فتحت الشاشه لقيتها مش نفس جوده الشاشه القديمه و الالوان بهتانه و وشوش الناس فى الافلام مولعه و ضياع ، احتجيت قالولى تعالى بعد عشر تيام ، جيت قالولى تعالى بعد اسبوع ، جيت لقيت الشاشه القديمه ابو بطش بيضه متركبه ، احتجيت ، قالولى اصل الشاشه التانيه اللى جبناها برضو الوانها بهتانه و الخ الخ الخ ، قولت عاوز اقابل المدير ، قولت للمدير انى مهاجر بعد عشر تيام و عاوز الموضوع ده يخلص ، وعدنى و ادالى الكارت بتاعه ، جيت بعد عشر تيام قالولى تعالى بعد بكره ، جيت قالولى بعد بعد بكره ، كلمت المدير اتهرب منى ، قصص بوليسية من ميكى ماما و بابا ،روحتله المكتب اتهرب منى ، انا المشوار مالبيت لشركه الصيانه ضربته فى عز الحر يجى تلاتين مره ، و على فكره كل الكلام ده اختصارات فى اختصارات علشان الموضوع ما يطولش و أنا اساسا بقيت بازهق بسرعه، بس بالمختصر زحلقونى خومسوميت صابونه وش لغايه ما قولت كده كفايه، كفايه ، باااس، ستوب لحد هنا، و كلمت الرقم الساخن بتاع جهاز ماعرفش بيشتغل ازاى بيقولوا عليه جهاز حمايه المستهلك ، استقبلونى بمنتهى الجديه و الاحترام و خدوا منى الشكوى و قالولى ابعت الفاتوره و شهاده الضمان بالفاكس و قالوا حايردوا عليه بعد تلات تيام ، بعد تلات تيام واحد كلمنى و سمع منى الشكوى تانى بالتفصيل و قال حايحقق فيها ، كان فاضل تلات تيام على ميعاد سفرى ، فاروحت جهاز حمايه المستهلك اللى فى شارع احمد عرابى بنفسى و قولت لهم المشكله دى لازم تتحل فورا و فعلا على آخر النهار لقيت مدير شركه صيانه اتش بى بيكلمنى و بيقول لى الشاشه الجديده وصلت و اجى اخد الابتوب ، طبعا طول وقت رحلة العذاب دى اللى يجى شهرين و الابتوب عندهم ، يعنى اشتريته و الا شوفته و الا لمسته لمده شهرين، روحت و الحمد لله و لقيت الشاشه فعلا زى الاصليه و ما فيهاش بطش ، و طبعا الحلو ما بيكملش، باقفل اللابتوب لقيت الكافار بتاع الابتوب مأطوش ، احتجيت ، المهندس قال مش عارف منين دى ، وقتها كنت حافجر المكان باللى فيه، احتجيت ، دخلت المدير ، المدير اتأسف و قال لى دى فعلا من عندنا علشان لما بنستلم أى جهاز بنكتب على ورقه لو فيها خدوش أو أى حاجه ، و لابتوبك كان تمام ، إحنا أسفين ، قولت له نعم ؟ ، لازم تجيبلى غلاف خارجى جديد ، قالى لى ده حاياخد وقت الخ الخ الخ ، قولت له بص أنا الوقتى ما عنديش حل غير إنى اخليهم يقفلوا الشركه دى باللى فيها ،وقتها الراجل بتاع جهاز حمايه المستهلك كان معايه على الخط و قال لى معقول حاتأجل سفرك و تضيعه على حته خدشه ، خليك كبير ، قولت له بقى معقول الجهه الوحيده اللى أنا الجأ لها تقول لى الكلمتين دولت و زعقتله ، وقولتله و ياريت يكون بيقرا الكلام ده إن أنا طفشان اساسا من مصر بسبب الفساد و الضياع اللى احنا فيه ده و بسبب الناس اللى بتقول كلام زى اللى انا باسمعه و مش مصدقه دالوقتى، دماغ ماك بورجر ما بتفرقش العبط من البطيخ، المهم هددت المدير إنى حابلغ الشركه اتش بى الأم و هى تتصرف ، قال لى انى اكتبله عنوانى فى الخارج و وعدنى إنه حايبعتلى كافار جديد ، عملت كده و سافرت و طبعا و الا سأل و ألا الهوا ، شغل المصريين بقى، فى نفس الوقت لاحظت حاجه غريبه فى مصر ، فجأه جهاز حماية المستهلك كله بقى مهتم بقضيتى لدرجه إن اكتر من واحد كلموا عيلتى و اهلى عشرات المرات علشان يشوفوا الموضوع وصل لإيه ، و اهلى تعاونوا مع جهاز حماية المستهلك و لسه من شويه لقيت اهلى بتكلمنى و بتقول لى إن شركة الصيانه بعتت كافار جديد للابتوب و إنهم كانوا لازم يمضوا على ورقه إن المشكله اتحلت و إن الورقه دى كانت من جهاز حماية المستهلك و موجهه إلى شركة الصيانة و بتقول لو المشكلة ما اتحلتش فى خلال الفتره الفلانيه بالبلدى كده مش حايحصل خير ، الكلام طلع كبير اوى ، و الموضوع قلب جد جدا ، استقلالية الجهاز و رمزية معارضته للسياسه العامة ظهرت بوضوح ، و انا فى النهاية بس بعد عذاب اخدت و لأول مره و بفخر حقى فى بلد بلا حقوق ، بلد الاونطه ، بلد الغش و الخداع ، بلد المضروب و المضروب عليه ، بلد اضرب راسك فى الحيط و كبر الجومجوم ، بلد ام فرز عاشر و تحدى ، فساد بالتلاته، و ابقى اشترى حاجه من مصر ، و قول لى
I waited for years to watch a glimpse of another masterpiece by the director of “Titanic”, “Terminator” and “Aliens”, James Cameron after more than ten years returns with “AVATAR”, a film that will change the history of cinema, the way we see movies and the technology of movie making.
James has spent years preparing the technology to make his imagination a reality, using a virtual camera specially designed to capture CGI and live action at the same moment, which is not the old school way in capturing live action with a green background screen and adding the CGI effects later during the post-production process, which definitely will add to the now well known 3D a new dimension.
Yesterday I had the chance to watch a HD trailer for the upcoming movie and what an experience. Some people around the world had the opportunity to get free tickets on AVATAR Day which was the 21 of August 2009, and watch 16 minutes of the movie in 3D, which by the way was a unique method for a movie advertisement, and all agree the trailer does not give justice to the fantastic experience they had.
It is something hard to explain, something you have to experience by yourself, this is not the typical 3D movie you expect to see, this time you will wear polarized glasses that will not only create the 3D effect, but will make the entire screen have depth, as if you are sitting in front of a theatre, or looking through a window, watching the entire magnificent world of Pandora, creating a mesmerizing atmosphere, with foreground and background, with all its textures and details, with vivid colors from a totally new perspective.
Cameron has mentioned in interviews that this movie is not an effects bombardment, it has a story, characters and a deep universal message at the end.
The movie is about Jake, a former Marine who has to move with a wheelchair following a war on Earth. He then was selected to take part in AVATAR, his mind transported to a Na’vi body to be sent to Pandora, a planet inhabited by beautiful creatures, which humans decided to make it savagely their own. Jake falls in love with a Na’vi and has to decide where his allegiances lie in a battle which will decide the fate of those two planets.
The good news is that the movie will be shown worldwide on the 18th of December this year, the bad news is that Egypt till now did not prepare itself for a film like that, having only 4 months – if they have the plan - to build a qualified cinema capable of screening this special 3D movie.
Do you remember the time of silent black and white movies, the movies with sound, the movies with colors, and the movies of today that are filled with special effects, the 2D animation and the 3D invasion, well AVATAR will be a revolution, a new step in cinema, and a reason for Cameron to climb the peak of the Himalaya mountain and shout for a second time “I am the King of the World”.
The question should be: “Is U2 today still the best band in the world?”
I am eager to know what critics will say after listening to their new album “No Line On The Horizon”.
I think that the song “No Line On The Horizon” was just meant to be an intro song for U2’s twelfth album…light and easy going…a kind of song that prepares you for the whole mood of that new release…marked by the strange way of stretching the word “hora- ye- zen”…at times it felt an intro that went too long…and at the end it felt that it was abruptly cut from its neck…why...due to the fact that the melody took us to a direction we thought it will lead...tata...surprise!
Confident drums…edgy guitar in the background…clapping with a catchy melody…this is U2 we know…”Magnificant”…one of the best songs in this album…reminds me of “New Year’s Day”…especially when Bono sings the line “Justify,till we die, you and I , will magnify “…and when the weeping cello-like sound comes around minute 4:00 which gives the song a good eerie feel.
The band went back to the safe side with “Moment of Surrender”…adding strange stereo clipping…and Bono’s voice getting dirtier…pushing it to the limit…asking “if love believes in me”…with chorus singing along…and beautiful chilly Santana-like electric guitar playing…this is indeed the “One” for “No Line On The Horizon”.
“Unkown Caller” is definitely a winner track for upcoming concerts…I can imagine the crowd shouting with U2 ”GO, SHOUT IT OUT, RISE UP ….OH OH OH OH”…”RESTART , AND REBOOT YOURSELF, YOU’R FREE TO GO , PASSWORD, YOU , ENTER HERE, RIGHT NOW , YOU KNOW YOUR NAME , SO PUNCH IT IN , SHUSH NOW “…a masterfully written and produced track that shows how unique U2 are…still fresh and young.
U2ish song…so can the song ”I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Crazy Tonight” be called…very 'American'…ballad rock…romantic…nice to hear…but normal…nothing new from U2.
And then comes one of the worst songs of the Album…”Get On Your Boots”… a wrong track that went to become a disaster after being released as their first single…boring rhythm deep words are not enough to make a track a hit…a track that underlines the fact that men have done enough catastrophe all around the world…wars…hunger…etc etc…so now is the time to give the power to women…the only moment the track gets interesting is when Bono repeats “Let me in the sound , sound “…yeah man…rock me…sorry Bono…this is a mistake…a flop…a track that is like a knife of distraction from the main theme of the album.
And the boredom continues with “Stand Up Comedy”…this is a filling song folk…I don’t have anything to say here than asking where Eno was at the time they recorded this rubbish.
“FEZ-Being Born” started mysterious with Bono again humming “Let me in the sound”…atmospheric pads…trance synths…strange composition…I felt they wanted to be more experimental like they did at the time of “Pop”…remember “MOFO”…but unfortunately failed to deliver something with this song…maybe because the melody was kind of weird…the third misstep in a row.
Thank god there was the beautiful sweet “White As Snow”…a classic…slow guitar playing…wonderful lyrics…excellent singing…horn-like sound…reminds me of the 70’s…where is my girlfriend to dance with her…two thumbs up U2.
“Breathe” was the track that should have been picked for the single…strong electric guitar alongside hyperactive piano…The Edge shining with his playing of perfection…not my favorite…but the best definition of U2 post 80’s and 90’s…to be honest...now I was desperately searching for a track like “Beautiful Day” or “Electrical Storm”.
The final track “Cedars Of Lebanon “ is an example how good Bono can really sing…with his warm mesmerizing voice…experimenting again here and there with mastering effects…Brian Eno’s touch can also be felt in the second half of the song…it is an ok song…yeah…ok.
I was a faithful fan of U2 since “The Unforgettable Fire”…and still am…”No Line On The Horizon” is good…but not great…I think I have put too much anticipation…too much hope that this could be their best album ever…knowing that they did not produce anything since 2004…well...the problem does not exist in U2 as a band…the problem exists because they did not change the producer…Brian Eno was so busy lately being responsible for famous bands like U2 and Coldplay…and to take your band to the next level you need a new environment…a new air...and a new brain…for creation and innovation.
For the first time since "The Joshua Tree"...one can notice they had so much fun in doing this solid record...and this is enough.
Am I so disappointed…not really…I saw that coming after seeing them perform in The Grammy…at least I have 4 good new tracks from my favorite old fella of U2 to enjoy.
You look different!
Listening to “In McDonalds” in Mc Donald’s…at 2:24 AM…while looking through the sound-proof window at the empty streets of foggy Cairo…is an experience everyone reading this should have. People…this haunting voice can’t be forgotten.
Never was this connection between place, time and music as obvious as with Burial…an ex-anonymous musician who brilliantly created a new genre that can be called dubstep-soul…which digs deep into your soul…bringing out all the melancholy and sadness from inside…and transforming you into a creature out of existence.
I have been listening to Burial for almost two years now and every time I hear "Dog Shelter" and minute 3:33 of the track “Shell of Light” my eyes become congested with tears.
I did not know who this artist was or where he lives…if he is a man…a woman…black or white…young or old…a condition that has created indeed this mysterious atmosphere for his music.
Anonymity has limits...well...he lately revealed his identity and picture to the worldwide fans on his myspace page…after gaining so much respect from critics all over the world…I think he couldn’t handle it anymore…being famous but not being able to celebrate.
Sometimes I feel that way…as a musician…and as a blogger.
I don’t want to describe Burial’s music…I want you to take this music with you wherever and whenever you go…in the subway…along the Nile shore…over the 6th October bridge at midnight…or over the Moqatam Mountain at sunrise…and tell me what you feel.
Here are some songs I highly recommend.
“In McDonalds”
“U hurt me”
“Archangel”
“Untrue”
“Dog Shelter”
“Distant Lights”
“Night Bus”
“Prayer”
“Endorphin”
“Shell of Light”
“Near Dark”
“UK”
You feel inside?