History always goes in circles

I've done some reading and a proverb by Aristotle made me wonder of the current political and economical situation in Greece.

It goes as this:

Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime

About the current situation an about the things to come and I'm not an optimist or pessimist.

And another more famous to be added to the context:

It is not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen

the last days of Last.fm

I was expecting that one a long time ago.

But it was today, as I was at the institute (interpretation vary), doing a little bit of this and a little bit of that, listening to "my music" from last.fm, I got a message, a ridiculous one, from that company asking for subscription fees to continue listening to "my radio station"!!!. And the irony was that this warning came up while a song from Radiohead's last album was playing. An album that was freely distributed from the Internet, for anyone who cared to download it.

The fee is 3 money metrical units, per month. Radio stations will never play the music I listen to, but are free, full of advertisements but there are some producers that still play great music. So I removed every last.fm program I had installed or script placed in this blog, since there is no meaning. I will think of removing my account from their site, since I can access any other information without an account from the Last.fm webpage.

The most annoying part is the press release about the transforming of the company to a pay-to-listen service, that states that three countries will continue to listen to their radio stations freely, what if all the other services are still free, I do not care. It was a good thing that I could listen to my personal music selection everywhere I could get a connection to the Internet.

If I find anything similar I will let you know.

indie music

Amazon.com, has posted a very interesting article (not an article though, more like a list) about the top 100 indie albums of all time. It is a good list and I think that it will remind us of albums we listen back then, most of them I still listen to, actualy. It is a good opportunity to check out albums and groups that never had the time or the opportunity to listen to, cause this list got me unprepared. I never heard for example the early works of Eliot Smith, even "better" I never heard any album of Neutral Milk Hotel or Unrest or Slint and many more, and it is with great surprise that I found them at the very first of this list, between the top 10. I hope that this list will be a starting point to learn about differentiality in music (if I have grasped the meaning of indie this could be a good point), to listen to new tunes (some of the groups are no longer active, others keep it on for more than 20 years) and to talk about the music (or the list).

so the link to the list is here

By the way I can not understand under what criteria belle and sebastian's "If You're Feeling Sinister" is at this list and not the "The Boy with the Arab Strap"...maybe the selection was based upon the album that make the band known to a wider audience. Who knows...

The Day We Stuffed Our Pockets With Stones

When? I can not remember.
How, I don't know, and I do not care, since everything is alright now. And this is what matters, present tense.
I’m sure it started when I was young, not even old enough to smoke or drink, but old enough to work for our survival.
A vague sensation stays in me, hunting me, till those days…of those days.

it was during the days of the Great Winds. When all living things stayed underground, not because of the polar cold, or the extreme heat, or the radioactive pollution, or of alien invasion and overflow of land by sea, but rather of windstorms, hurricanes, fiercely traveling through the empty space of soil, constantly moving a huge amount of dust, among other things, that could reap one’s flesh to the bone. Only grass could survive the winds, and the ecosystem developed to live under those conditions.
They did get one thing straight, those scientists of the old times, environmental changes were imminent, but in unpredictable ways. No one could ever get the small details that would define the true outcome of the changing. And one factor was still there, the sun, shining as ever, heating the equator in temperatures never before reached on the earth’s surface. But the poles, although hotter than before, were still cold enough to create a temperature difference from the equator, and that vast difference in temperature was enough to create hurricanes, speedy winds with devastating results. The ground above was a mess, with only the strongest of human’s creations standing.
A few people had clearance to surface to the ground above, for maintenance of the communication systems, the only machines operating at ground level, necessary for our communication with other remaining colonies. All those colonies spread around the world strived to create the kind of civilization existed before. Those were the ones still remembering the influence they had back then, the power.
The survival of the fitness was number one rule, nowadays. There was no meaning for ownership, since you never had something under your possession for too long. There was always someone, bigger, stronger, smarter to take your items, sooner or later.
That was one of the reasons we always carry stones in our pockets, for protection. Small enough not to restrain us in our flee, but big enough to inflict damage when it was necessary. We always moved in groups. The safety provided by numbers, by people you trusted was one of the factors that catalyzed the formation of groups.
Things were far from good, especially for older people who had known the sensation of the sky above their heads. They were under pressure, of an unknown kind to the ones born in the tunnels, they were alone, lost. The few ones still remaining.
Every day the population of the colony decreased, not by illness, but mostly from suicides and sudden bursts of violence, that ended up in a blood bath. The ones responsible for those actions were the old ones, the fossils of the ground above, the “grounders”.
I was just 15 years old by the time it started. My assignment was to monitor and service the communication center. I was one of the the few people, that had special training and special protected armor that could overcome the hardness of the winds above, an armor weight more than a ton, that could be operated with electric power for its movement. Only small children could operate those machines, since only undersized people could fit into that robotic armor. Once in a week or when malfunction was reported, I was away from the security of the underground. Into the void, that always brought me nausea. Because of the winds the visibility was reduced to no more than a few steps away. The exit point had been designed to be no more than that distance away from the machines.
Days passed by, routine faded the sensation of time. Our time in this superior position was almost at the end, we could no longer be of the ones wearing the budge of maintenance, with the armor engraved on it. Soon we were going to stop being untouchable, our marks would be passed down to younger ones…but we didn’t care. At least we would be away from the void that swarmed above. The horrible twilight of the morning or the deepest darkness of the night. Even in the deepest caves there were some light to lighten the path so that none would get lost

It was that time that I realized the unthinkable, i can remember that much, when my...when our expectation for the future altered.
As I was above, doing the week’s inspection, I spotted, far away, something that seemed to me as a ray of light breaking through the dust. Never again for decades had anyone seen the sun that should be somewhere there. I could never believe what I saw, and certainly I would had ignored it. Next week I had the night shift. And the week after nothing happened out of the ordinary to recall the previous incident. After two months I had forgotten all about that incident. As I was above, doing what I had to do, I looked over from small window in the direction where the sky should be. I was lucky cause I was not looking for it. Once again the manifestation of he improbable was up ahead. It was there a faint passage of pure light through the innumerable particles of dust , but it was there, I was astounded, it was mine, and I would never share it with no one. I counted the days, the nights when I could be above, when one of those rays would illuminate me. It took my a while to ask the question, to wonder what could produce this magnificent effect. I never was a bright one, so I didn't care. But, one day while I was above trying to finish the task before me, looking over for the light, it came to me the answer I was looking for. As I was looking at the stream of light, memories of old teachings filled my thoughts, about the harsh climate of the air above, of the speedy winds carrying tones of dust, and more. And then I knew, I knew what I was seeing. This manifestation, could mean only one thing. The winds were breaking up, wind's velocity was dropping enough, for the dust to settle on the ground after decades.

I had to test it. I had to know if winds were as dangerous as described by the tales of people of the old times.

When my turn came up I grubbed one of the rats swarming the place underground, strapped it to my armor and surfaced. I finished my routine and I descended back to the familiar moist, to see the results of my experiment. I was astounded, the rat had suffered great damage, but was still alive. Not for long anyway, cause a couple of hours latter was dead...

I didn’t know what to do with the information, as I was reviewing the results of the test, the observation of the past months, the tales, the facts, the science, something from deep inside me came to feel me up, and I started to smile, it was a discreet twitch of the lips, it was for the first time in my life the sensation of hope, the one feeling forgotten.

Every time i ascended a guinea pig would face the wind for me. Would let me know...
...would let me know of what? What I was thinking, what was the point of these actions...I could not thing straight. But, I knew that this battle inside me had a reason. I knew that it was time for me to ascend to the surface. And this thought, this belief was far from the teachings of our world. The surface, the air above was forbidden. But, all the tests were successful and a hard layer of protective clothes were enough to diminish the effects of the harsh winds. Animals strapped with thick clothes could survive for more than an hour, without even a scratch. A full helmet and goggles, and filters for my nose, mouth ears to protect them from the vicious dust, those were enough to protect me.
But by the time I felt ready for the task, I had lost my permission to use the armors,. So even if I wanted to get out, the only way would be without the safety of 10 cm metal. There was no other way. I wanted to fell the air.
I studied old maps of the area not that I would ever leave the spot, but to be able to imagine the area around me.

...the time had come. I strapped myself in old clothes, I could get my hands on, fixed a metal helmet, took gloves, boots, goggles, anything I could get my hands on. The docking station was empty as it always was. No one would ever come near the last frontier of the caves, if it was not necessary. Pressed the big red button and the hatch opened with a hiss. The wind was fierce, from the smallest cracks was pouring a significant amount of dust into the station. But I was OK. The hatch was almost half open but I closed it immediately. I felt as light as a feather, the wind almost got me of the ground. I need to be heavier. I grubbed my old coat and filed once more its pockets with stones. This time with large ones, heavy stones, even scrap metal. When I felt heavy enough I pushed the red button and waited for the hatch to reopen. This time was even better. I felt my feet firmly close to the ground. I didn't feel anypain, or dysphoria, as it was expected. I could even breath right, although without the mask I would have choked to death from the dust.
And for the first time I could breath fresh air, dry air. I looked up the twilight was there. I closed the hatch behind me. I could not afford for anyone to find me out here in the open, for as long as it lasted I wanted this only for me.

I was happy and I knew that the time of our resurface had come. We waited long enough in the darkness, suffered from the errors of the past.

When science projects...

...become interesting again.

The following article was posted on daylymail and got me smiling. Although, I have stopped to post news, this one got my attention and I thought that it will be nice to share it with you. A bunch of Spanish students could get pictures of the "outer space" (ok not so outer, just of the stratosphere) using a simple digital photographic camera attached to a helium balloon. Total cost of their science project about 60 euros, or the cost of the camera. Innovation and knowledge does not require lots and lots of money to get children learn a few things. And I'm sure that they got their minds off the boring stuff of everyday-life.

Μελλοντικη Μπουρδολογια του Παρελθόντος

Απόσπασμα από την υποθετική αλληλογραφία δύο υποθετικών προσώπων σε υποθετικό χωροχρόνο για τις επιδράσεις των ναρκωτικών όχι μόνο στον χρήστη αλλά και στον περίγυρο του.

Τι γίνεσαι ωρέ Κοκσάκης; καιρό έχουμε να ακούσουμε νέα σου, αλλά διαβάζουμε τις ιστορίες σου, πολύ καλές δε λέω αλλά τα ναρκωτικά πού σκατά τα βρίσκεις; μα καλά τέτοιο τριπάρισμα, φοβερό. Όμως από παρενέργειες πως είναι, όπως επίδραση 24 ώρες το 24ωρο ακόμα και μετά την διακοπή της χορηγίας.
Να υποθέσω ότι ετοιμάζεις βιβλίο; γιατί αν ναι θα σκάσει από το κακό του ο φανταράκος...
"και μαθηματικός και γράφει και λογοτεχνικά βιβλία...σκατά, που βαδίζει αυτός ο κόσμος"
και άλλα τέτοια θα σκέφτεται εν ώρα γερμανικού σκοπέτου.
Το χειρότερο βεβαίως είναι η άτυπη πνευμονία, το αμέσως χειρότερο η σκέτη πνευμονία, και το υπέρτατο ο Φόρις, του οποίου τα τα κατορθώματα αν δεν τα ξέρεις μπορώ άνετα να στα μεταφέρω, αν βέβαια με πιάσει η όρεξη για κουτσομπολιό την οποία αυτή τη στιγμή δε διαθέτω, ο οποίος Φόρις, επανέρχομαι θα σκέφτεται...αν σκέφτεται αυτή την περίοδο (μακάριοι οι εκτός του γνωστού κόσμου περιπλανώμενοι)...ότι
"πάει ο καλός μου ο φίλος το κολλητάρι μου, αυτός με τον οποίο σκαρώναμε την επανάσταση, στον οποίο στήριζα την επανάσταση, με πρόδωσε για χάρη των κολοναρκωτικών...αχχχχχ που να πνίξω τον πόνο μου"
και θα τον πνίξει σα το κουνέλι, μάλλον, ίσως πιο σωστά την κότα, και ίσως γίνει και γερός αλκοολικός...
οπότε επανερχόμαστε στον Sfiltro, ο οποίος για ακόμα μια φορά θα δεχτεί ισχυρό πλήγμα, θα απογοητευτεί από τις επιδόσεις του στο αλκοόλ και στις γκόμενες, πλήγμα που το δέχεται βεβαίως βεβαίως από τις επιδόσεις του Φόρι, για τις οποίες κανείς δε ξέρει τίποτα αλλά κάτι πρέπει να υπάρχει για να ασχολιόμαστε, η μπορεί και να μην υπάρχει τίποτα, αλλά και πάλι κάτι θα φτιαχνόταν ώστε να έχουμε να ασχολιόμαστε με κάτι ακόμα και αν είναι άτοπο.
Μάλλον δε θα αντέξει την ντροπή της μη αντοχής στο αλκοόλ ("τις γυναίκες ποιος τις γαμεί..".) και μέσα σε μια νύχτα μεγίστης κρίσης η μεταμόρφωση θα πραγματοποιηθεί και πλέον στα χέρια μας θα μείνει μόνο ο "Βασιλάκης".
Τελικά ο Λιάκουρας βλέποντας την κατάντια των φίλων του αλκοόλ, drugs και "Βασιλάκης" θα ξεκόψει εντελώς από την παρέα, θα παντρευτεί με όποια είναι εκείνη την περίοδο, γιατί "που να ψάχνουμε για γυναίκες τέτοια εποχή, και βρέχει έξω, το μαλλί δε προλαβαίνω να το φτιάξω, και για να μην ξεχνιόμαστε, άμα δεν έχει και λίγο κρέας το πράγμα δε το φχαριστιέσαι"
οπότε ο Λιάκουρας μπαμπάς, με κάτι πιτσουνάκια, με θέση στο δημόσιο, τιμητική θέση στο γυμναστήριο, με δώρο μια ώρα στο μασάζ, διαμονή μακριά από την Αθήνα τον τόπο διαμονής των πρώην φίλων του (πάντα, όμως, κοιτάζει που βρίσκονται)
Ο koxakies από την άλλη μόνιμος κάτοικος πλέον του εξωτερικού, εδώ και καιρό έχει ασπαστεί την Αμερικάνικη κουλτούρα και ιδεολογία και πιστεύει ότι ο
"Θάμνος ο νεότερος, δεν ήταν και τόσο χάλια ντε"
έχει γίνει ο κλασσικός μαλάκας, αλλά μεγάλο μυαλό,φοβερός μαθηματικός, τον οποίο τα Ελληνικά Πανεπιστήμια θέλουν για μεταγραφή για τον τελικό του διαγωνισμού "επίλυσης του τετραγωνισμού του κύκλου με απιθανολογικές προσεγγίσεις". Αυτός δεν υποκύπτει σε μαλάκες εξω-ΝΑΤΟικούς (η ΕΕ πλέον είναι ανεξάρτητο κράτος, 5 χρόνια μετά την καθολική επικράτηση των αριστερών στοιχείων στο πολιτικό παρασκήνιο, και προσκήνιο), αλλά γενικώς όλοι γνωρίζουμε ότι δε πρόκειται να έρθει εν στην ΕΕ γιατί οι μπασταρδεμένες ασιατικές φιγούρες σπανίζουν πλέων εντός των πυλών,ένα φετίχ που δε μπορεί να αποβάλει ακόμα.
Επαφή πλέον έχει μόνο με τον Φόρι, ο οποίος αποτελεί τον καταλυτικό μηχανισμό για τον απόσχιση της ΕΕ από το ΝΑΤΟ και της κήρυξης της ανεξαρτησίας της, φήμη βεβαίως που διαδίδεται από τους γνωστούς τύπους, και ο λόγος που το κάνει αυτό, ο koxakies, παρόλο που έρχεται σε αντίθεση με την παρούσα ιδεολογία του είναι η μεγάλη απήχηση που έχει με αυτό τον τρόπο στις νεαρές υπάρξεις και χωρίς να το παραδεχτεί η συνομιλία μαζί του κατά περίεργο και υπερφυσικό τρόπο οδηγεί σε διαρκώς και μεγαλύτερες επιστημονικές επιτεύξεις, καθιερώνοντας πέρα για πέρα το όνομά του στους πάπυρος της επιστήμης, για την συμβολή της θεωρίας των αριθμών και των πιθανοτήτων στην επικοινωνία με άλλους πολιτισμούς (αυτή η θεωρία πρέπει να αναπτύχθηκε κατά την διάρκεια της ενασχόλησής του με τα ναρκωτικά, ίσως την δημιουργικότερη περίοδο του, ακόμα μια προσωπική παρεμβολή, στα γεγονότα πάλι) επίτευγμα τόσο σημαντικό όπως και της αναγωγής μετά από τουλάχιστον 150 χρόνια από την ίδρυσης της. Ο Βασσιλάκης-Sfiltros, ξεπέρασε τα προβλήματά του με την εμφύτευση μονάδων στο σώμα του, τα οποία επιτυχώς και για καλή του τύχη οδήγησαν σε αύξηση των επιδόσεών του στο ποτό, στις γυναίκες και στους κριτικούς (όχι σε αυτούς που μένουν στην Κρήτη) σε αφάνταστα επίπεδα, με αποτέλεσμα να επιτύχει ότι πάντα ονειρευόταν. Την καταξίωσή του ως συγγραφέα (αν και η μυστήρια εξαφάνιση του Δύδιμου και η ταυτόχρονη απώλεια χειρόγραφων διηγημάτων του άγνωστου, γνωστού ως Δύδιμου -μόνο τα ποιήματά του κατάφερε να εκδώσει, για τα πεζά κανείς δεν ήξερε τίποτα-, μπορεί και να μην είναι τόσο τυχαία...) την κατανάλωση απερίγραφτων ποσοτήτων αλκοόλ και τις επιδόσεις του στις γυναίκες σε επίπεδα ΚΟΡΚΑ (: μυθικό πλάσμα που βασίλευε στην περίοδο 1985-2006, όπου και παντρεύτηκε, με το μοναδικό προσόν της πανταχού αναγνώρισης στο γυναικείο φύλο, εκφράσεις όπως "το κάνει σαν τον ΚΟΡΚΑ" και άλλα έχουν παγιωθεί, από την εγκυκλοπαίδεια).

Ο Λιάκουρας, 'οπως προαναφέρθηκε πάντα παρακολουθούσε τις κινήσεις των φίλων του με τρόπο ύπουλο που φανέρωνε ζήλεια αλλά και δέος, τελικώς κατάλαβε το λάθος του, που όμως δε μπόρεσε να επανορθώσει (ποιό λάθος είναι αυτό ακόμα το ψάχνουν και τι θα επανορθώσει και αυτ΄οδε το γνωρίζουμε), γιατί η παντόφλα δε τον αφήνει (ακόμα και σε αυτόν τον χωροχρόνο η παντόφλα δεσπόζει), οπότε μάλλον η ιστορία του είναι μικρή και αδιάφορη, όμως αν εξετάσουμε την κατάσταση καλύτερα στο πρόσωπό του διακρίνουμε ένα τελευταίο απομεινάρι του παραδοσιακού πατέρα (όποις είναι αυτός)
Τέλος, στην ιστορία υπάρχουν και άλλοι ακόμα, όπως και ένας που ζει στην κοσμάρα του, άξιο λόγο για τον οποίο δε μπορώ να έχω

ΤΕΛΟΣ
(2004)

Το παραπάνω είναι ασυνάρτητο, ανορθόγραφο, ασύντακτο, άχρονο, ατονικό και άγχρωμο.
οποιαδήποτε ομοιότητα με τον οποιαδήποτε μπορεί και να υπάρχει, μιας και ότι γράφουμε και λέμε πηγάζει από τα βιώματά μας. Αν δεν αρέσει ή προσβάλει θα μπορούσα να πω ότι χέστηκα αλλά φοβάμαι τισ μηνύσεις μιας και πλεόν τρως μήνυση απλά επειδή είπες καλημέρα, και άμα την πεις και σε καναν ματατζί μπορεί να βρεθείς και νεκρός.

Pearl Jam, Athens 2006

Driving on a rainy morning (the sun could be up, but heavy clouds obscure the rays to end their journey) from home to work, I plugged in the car stereo my mp3 player. As always in Athens a rainy day equals to hours inside the vehicle just to go to work. So my mp3 player is my only remedy. I resume listening to Orishas, a good group mixing hip-hop with traditional Cuban music/rhythms, and as "el kilo" was finishing, from the speakers came the sound of clapping from a live show.
"Go" was starting to play and I was transfered once more into the stadium...
The band was on time and as soon as the clock ticked the eighth hour of the evening Eddie with his friends stepped into, through screams of joy and excitement.
Two years and almost two months ago, I was present in one great evening, an evening with Pearl Jam. The first track of the evening felt as a trip through time, years ago, still at high school. "Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town" had me singing and it was just the beginning.
I still had a long way to work and I was happy about it. As soon as it finished we received a surprise call from our friend from Spain, and as soon I got to talk with him Pearl Jam was playing "Given To Fly". One of my favorites, one of Pearl Jam's best songs, and I was remembering how excited I was talking with him and listening to the song (the conversation lasted for a few seconds, but that was enough!).
As soon as I was trying to find a parking space, Eddie was presenting his "wish list". The first part of the concert was over, I closed the stere,o got out of the car and patiently was letting time slip away so that I could hit the road.
Play button and "Insignificance, Jeremy, Better Man", got me to the last traffic lights before show down of evening's traffic jam.
The first Encore started with "Footsteps" and we were still at the middle of the evening, sun was descending, leaving hopeless drivers looking for a small fracture in the continuity of endless metal to fill in. In between Pearl Jam's songs a small tribute to Pink Floyd, "Daughter (Another Brick In The Wall)" and Jimmy Hendrix, " Yellow Ledbetter(Little Wing)" which closed the evening and some greater with the Band to thank Ramones, by performing "I Believe In Miracles" and Neil Young by performing " Rockin' In The Free World".
And then the lights were on, lifting away the anonymity, the crowd was exposed to the Band, but even under the heavy light the crowd was happy, was singing was dancing. The band finishing with " Yellow Ledbetter(Little Wing)" waving to everyone of us...

Memory

It was an ordinary day in the lab, an unpleasant one, since I was In the Lab, and one of the hottest days of July the last days of July. I was sitting on a stool, mixturing some liquids in a small tube. In order to avoid any unforgivable mistake, I had blocked out every distraction, the chattering people, the music from the radio, the boss asking various information needed to be answered. Everything was but a blur, I was just counting every μl and memorizing each ingredient I've used, so that the steps would be imprinted in my memory, long enough to transcribe them to a piece of paper, at the end of the experiment, for future evaluation.
But memory works in mysterious ways. No one knows which memory, information, or whatever, is stored in the brain, patiently waiting for the moment that it will be retrieved. No one knows what is hidden deep into the labyrinth of myriads of synapses between an equal amount of neurons. How all that information is being organized, archived, does any kind of indexing exists, that will facilitate the immediate and specific extraction of long forgotten information? Or, rather, there is no organization, everything is in chaos, so that enormous amount of data could be stored in that gelatinous part of our bodies called brain.
I had blocked out everything, but just the smallest distraction could blow everything in the air. So, when a colleague of mine opened one of those advertising handkerchiefs used for cleaning up our hands after a meal, a soft ,but not so delicate, lemon aroma diffused into the lab. It was not the first time that I had smelled that aroma, as those handkerchiefs are common.
For some reason at that particular moment and within a relative small amount of time every function ceased, I blacked out and my brain filled with all the data that had been unlocked from that aroma. My mind was filled with images, smells, feelings, sounds, of a past time. Every sense was alive but inside my brain. It was as if for just a few seconds there was nothing else. As time was not and past and present was one.
In the center of this experience was the soft delicate lemon aroma derived from those big dark semi-transparent bottles filled with hand-made lemon aroma.
Sunday evening, probably during the winter, cause I was having finishing a hot bath. Wrapped in a big-towel following barefoot my mother, who is carrying into her arms my brother, to the sofa to dry us. My father watching the news. Since it is Sunday and the day after we have to go to school, we need to be shiny to wear fresh clothes, for the first day of the week. I am still attending the first classes of junior. While we are still covered with our towels (my brother covered with the towel he had inherited from me, the one with a small hood with some patching on it, making it look like an animal's head) steaming from the hot watter, she would probably trimming our nails, dry and brush our hair.
Then I know that she will stand up and headed for the kitchen and I will wait there patiently for that big bottle. She would open the cabinet door beneath the kitchen. There are always two big bottles, among other things in that cabinet, but I can never recall the aroma of the second bottle. It is as that second bottle was sealed, never meant to be opened. So, she returns to find us still waiting patiently. As soon as she removes the lid, she sealed the opening of the bottle with her palm and inverting it so that sufficient amount of cologne would soak her hand.
And as she removes her hand from the opening of the bottleneck, the lemon aroma is feeling my lungs and my senses...
and I exhale into the lab those memories from the past.

In The Mood For Love

Busy day...a hot day
an exhausting day, but still when the work was done I returned home waiting for the night, there is a promise for the end of the week, for something different. Not that it was a special night, but still, the promise of a night with friends, the promise of a well organized party changed dramatically my mood.
It was party time and that was all i needed.
I took a shower, wear my favorite t-shirt and a pair of short trousers and rushed for the late bus. In my ears the appropriate music from my mp3 player to warm my mood. Radiohead, The Dandy Wharhols, Mars Volta, and Blue Monk to cool down.

I only needed a few drinks to loosen up so I could work out my dancing moves. There is no greater joy than losen up, cloud a little bit your thoughts with the appropriate amount of alcohol, not to much not to little, just enough to let go of he moral constrictions that tighten up the feet and the tongue, and then ignoring those that stare at you making all kind of comments, good or bad, to dance, sing, talk with all you.
So, I entered the room, dim light enough space for the guests to feel comfortable, but not to spacey so that stranger will have the chance to get accustom with each other. Most of my friends were already on the second round, high on spirit, talking vigorously, mostly about soccer, about the new season, the new coach...
"I'm late as always" I though...but the bar is always close.

It is as if the shortest road to anything is the road to the bar. And when you reach it, usually the amount of time required to reach the bar is always proportional to your sobriety (you get there faster when you are a little bit drunk) you found it crowded, with people doing anything else BUT drinking. So you end up thinking of ways to remove the obstacles that separates you from your goal, a cold big glass of frozen Beer.

After the usual greetings and small talk I headed to the bar.
The music was surprisingly good. The one that will make you feel great, smooth to the ear and to the mind. It was a great evening. Not as great as I could possibly think. As I reached to the bar I grubbed a cold beer, for starters, and turned around to look upon the growing crowd. The music had an amazing effect on all the attendants, as the next song was started I was astound. it was Frank Sinatra's
"I've got you under my skin".

"that is an excellent choice" I though.
I turned around now facing the steady relaxing movement of people having fun. The crowd surrendered to the groove. Some of them were singing the song, others had already found a partner to dance with.

"some songs will always have that amazing effect" I pondered... I let the beer to cool me, and as I took a deep swallow of the liquor, a exhale of relief, relieved from the last traces of the morning tension.

As my mind and my sight was wandering, partially from the big gulp of 1/2 lt Weiss beer, in the far end, under low light, and in the left side of the room, I saw her.

...I may see only fools 'round she...

The air was heavier, my knees could not held my weight, and time stopped, for as long as it was necessary for me to fully grasp the moment. I stepped away from the lights that darkened my vision, far but not too far, so that I would not miss the softness of your movement, the freshness of your smile, just enough to be unnoticed. I was memorizing every gesture, trying to read your lips, not to understand what you were saying, but to just watch, observe, with a faint smile.
For that time of no time, I could only hear my heart

...pounding to the rhythm of the rain..,

just for a second, but it was enough.
Dark black straight long hair shining to the faint light of the room, a gentle calm face, a woman's body, not too thin, not fat, just as I dreaming of it, in a simple black dress that fitted with her pale skin and those black eyes, shining more that anything I could thing of, looking straight at me.....The darkness I was hiding was illuminated, your smile, to give breath to my breath , and to stub once more my heart, crushed my knees under the weight of its glory. My mind was numb, the place was erased, and all that was left was her.
...You know, you must take a look at me, Baby, baby, I know that's the way...
Time, once again, was on the move and the voice of Brian Ferry's interpretation of
"the way you look tonight"
brought fear to my heart, I turned around, seeking for a second drink. stronger one this time. To calm me down.
I stand still staring at the enormous variety of alcohol, try to think of possible knock-down combinations, I poured a big glass of beer, and insert a sot of tequila, a good drink, with a nice aftertaste and with guaranteed results.
"I will have one of that" heard a voice, and turned around in awe.
I was surprised to she her smiling at me
...all I ever wanted, all I ever needed...
I was even more disbelieved and turned to see if she was talking to someone else.
"None around" I though..."not good" I add, "not good at all", "OK, unexpected, but definitely good" I concluded.
"It would be my pleasure" I added with a smile, trying to look as fascinated as I could.
And as a naive knight from the old times I asked for her name:
"Could I have your name", and that time this few words implied that her name WAS important, as important as were the true names in the earthsea, from Ursula's K. Le Guin novels. A name that I will only know and pronounce cause she had gave it me.
I'm @@@@ she said,
@@@@@@@ I replied...
I present her the mixture of beer and tequila, she brought it to her lips and I wished that it were my lips she was drinking from.
She smiled at me, at least she liked it.
"So what are you doing in a place like this?" I asked
"A friend of mine is organizing it." she replied

...Stop me, oh, I said stop me, Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before...

"Who, @@@@? I know him since we were still at high school"
and it was easy for me to direct the conversation from that moment to where I was most comfortable with.

...I rather dance with you, than talk with you...
I can not remember the details of our conversation, what we were talking about, what was her favorite movie, her favorite song, what were her thoughts on religion, economics, the big bang theory, the existence of extraterrestrial beings, ... but all I wanted was to hear her talking

"Thank almighty sfiltros and koxakies the twin gods of alcohol that I'm not that drunk, I couldn't stop talking if I was" a thought crossed my mind...

It was as if I we were alone by the sea, or even better on a boat on the calmly surface of the sea, the sparkling sea under the bright light of a red full moon.

...You whisper secrets in my ear, Slowly dancing cheek to cheek...
All are a blur in my mind, I was only noticing her movements, her hand moved away a strand of hair getting in front of her face, her white skin soft and smooth as a marble statue. Her posture, as she was sitting to this long chair, her legs crossed. I was listening but not listening, I was talking and not talking. The world had disappeared, my friends fell into a black hole aimlessly wondering in the room. The room itself had vanished together with my friends.
And suddenly unexpectedly the black hole suck me through, the universe had collapsed under my feet.
"Actually, I'll be back at @@@@ in two days" I heard her saying.
I stopped talking, I stopped listening, everything stopped once more but this time even her was frozen, was out of the frame, out of my reach.

...Cos I don't wanna lose/What we had last time your leaving this life ain't fair/You don't get something for nothing, turn back/Mmmm gotta try a little harder/It could be sweet...
There was no point on continuing this, no point at all, suddenness filled me, darkness surrounded me, as in one night I had found and lost in a moment what I wished for.
I gave her my telephone number, but never asked for hers, cause I though that it will be meaningless to chase down what appeared to be a loosing case.

...this is the end...

Something that I always regret cause when I see on my cell phone screen, an identified/unknown telephone number, my mind always hopes at the other end to be her. But, it never is...

...and what can you tell to your friends that smile at you with truthful joy, knowing that something good was happening back there...

...κι είναι βάσανο ο φίλος, κι είναι βάσανο ο φίλος, που ζητάει εκδρομή...

has the beautifull game turned ugly

I saw that advertisement and just couldn't resist from posting it.


from footballyourway.co.uk

Nightmare - Terrifying Bed-Time-Stories

How many of you have seen a frightening nightmare? One that will wake you up in anguish, heavy breathing, rapid beating heart and so on? Do you recall that dream, even if you had experienced it years ago?
I once though that that kind of reaction existed only in movies. I had experienced terrifying dreams and still do, but never managed to wake me up, so much for heavy breathing, and the ones I could remember were practically a remake of past experiences, usually ones that exited me, in the negative way. I had my share of hideous monsters, with claws as big as my fingers, etc, running after me, to end my life by strangling me, but it was the sheets that tangled around my neck that was threatening my well being. Experiences of falling, after the first 50 I got used of them and realized that it is a reaction to the relaxation of the muscles, or falling from the bed, for various reasons!!! And other ones too common also.
But...
It was years ago that I got that weird dream, one that when I describe it to other people they find it quite weird but not at all frightening, that got me full awake, standing on my bed sweating heavy breathing, a dream that the reminding of it kept me awake. For no apparent reasons.
Since it has been more than a decade I cannot recollect if I was drinking that night, had an overwhelming dinner, a rough day or any other experience that could produce such a nightmare. When I was a little boy no nightmare could mess up with my sleep, even when watching those Friday night horror movies.
Also, from what I am reading it's stated that our dreams lack of colors, all we see is shades of gray.
But...
I recall red in my sleep, if that is possible. The only color that dominated the dream.
It started as a journey into a forest, a person (that one should be me) dressed in red holding a messengers-bag, accompanied by my huge-ugly-drooling BUT trusted friend the Bear, he looks more than a vigilant than a good person, but in the story he is a good person, or so I believe!!! We are hight-spirited, singing as we walk and so on. Times goes by, if time exists in dreams at all, when we stumble across the Wolf.
Now that one is familiar, it cries out for Little Red Riding Hood.
So the Wolf character steps in front of me blocking my way. He is one great gentlemen, all suited up, nice talking and so on, but his honey-dripping talk is threatening in some manner. I cannot make out what he is saying, but his chattering implies of danger.
The Bear enters in front of me blocking the wolf from coming closer and gets scary, his foolish attitude is gone and now by looking straight at the eyes of the Wolf he warns him to withdraw and let me be. The warning, although I cannot here it, is starting to develop an atmosphere of anxiety, the forthcoming event seems appalling. The Wolf with all his sweet talk he backs-off and disappears into the bushes.
In a few moments our spirit is restored and we continue to fool around, the Bear has transformed again to that hideous creature but a fool one, more innocent than a infant. But the Wolf never give up. He reappears in front of starting his sweet-talk (you know like those salesmen that get really kind and gentle, not because they truly are, rather cause that it is the only way to approach the customer and "force" him to consume). The Bear transforms once more, blocks his way and for a second time he warns him to stay away. He also warns him of not trying to approach me for a third time cause the Bear will be different and not so soft on the Wolf. And again by the implication of the warning the atmosphere changes.
So for a second time we continue our carefree walk as if nothing has happened.
But...
The Wolf appears for a third time trying once more his sweet-talk on me...
...
...the Wolf was informed but he ignored the warnings of the Bear, as if the Wolf was looking forward for the Bear to do what he was about to do. As if I was insignificant in that play and the only thing that matters was the Bear's reaction.
The Bear transforms once more, but this time in something different, there is no shape, it is peculiar but still not frightening. It seems that the Bear engulfs the Wolf...
...before the Bear with enormous fists start pounding hard the Wolf. The Wolf isn't even trying to defend himself, only stares in apathy those fists hitting him hard...
...there is nothing supernatural about it, is real, it feels as a street fight, but only one part of the contestants fights, it is RAW, bones against meat...
...and then...
...then once more color, red splatters everything... slowly starts to accumulate...I try to stop the Bear from harming the Wolf...the Bear ignores me...
...red...
...and I'm awake, bathing in my own sweat, heavy-speeding-breathing, heart pounding-like-a-sledge-hammer, the taste of the dream still in my mind.
I never could figure out what was about this dream that frightened me so much.
Since then I never had a similar dream. Real life is still more terrifying than any fictional monster...

Comments Layout

The ones that visit this blog probably noticed a new blog element (?) that I had introduced in the right panel, since today I've removed it cause I didn't like it that much, that presented in a feeds form comments made by users. The script, is placed in a new HTML/Javascript-untitled element and delivers in your main page the newest comments.
This code was not written by me it was taken directly from the Tips For New Bloggers site.
Some of you might find it interesting.

Asian Movies

This post will be updated from time to time, since I will try to record here all the movies I've seen and were directed in Asia (Australia not included, since Australian movies are considered to be Western Movies under revision of that statement under the term Asian Movies, I will include movies filmed, produced or written in Japan, China, Korea and Thailand).
The movies I will recommend will not be ranked and will not be sorted either alphabetical or by any manner.
Also those movies I present in this post are recommended but not for all, some are at least weird, and you are advised that some of them will test your senses and your ethics, your stomach, and more one at a movie or all together.

Memories of a Murder

...is a South Korean Drama film, directed by Bong Joon-ho, mostly known in the rest of the world so in Greece for "The Host", The film is based on a true story about one of the country's first serial killer. The film tries to explore the characters personalities as those change from the outcome of the murders.
Two detectives trying to solve the mystery behind the identity of the serial killer. Under different methods, a violent one, first shoot then ask questions, and a more methodical educated one, one that trust more the facts than his feelings.



rating from imdb




Premonition (Yogen)

Do not be mislead, this one has nothing to do with the 2007 film under the same title, staring Sandra Bullock

...is a Horror/Drama from Japan. A professor going with his family for an excursion, stops at a public phone booth, to send his work over to the university via modem (damned 56k), when a truck hits the car with their daughter inside. The car burst into flames and professor with his wife run to save their daughter. Only to find a piece of a newspaper...



rating from imdb

Battle Royal

...a Japanese movie, so different from every movie I've seen that I refuse to include it any kind of tag. Directed by Kinji Fukasaku, mostly known as the director of Tora!Tora!Tora!. Based upon the novel by Koushun Takami, tells the story of a parallel universe where grown-ups in order to restore order, send children in a remote area and force them to kill each other till only one is left alive.

"At the dawn of the millennium, the nation collapsed. At fifteen percent unemployment, ten million were out of work. 800,000 students boycotted school. The adults lost confidence, and fearing the youth, eventually passed the Millennium Educational Reform Act - AKA: The BR Act..."

rating from imdb

House of the Flying Daggers

...is a Hong-Kong wuxia film, from the director of the amazing film Hero, Zang Yimu, also known for the raise the red lantern, maybe his best movie. A drama, in beautiful colors, of martial arts choreography, and wonderful scenery, dreaming photography and so on.

The film is set in 859 AD. The once great Tang Dynasty is now in decline. Numerous rebel groups have formed, the largest of which is the House of Flying Daggers, based in Feng Tian county. The Flying Daggers steal from the rich and give to the poor, gaining the support of the locals.
The local deputies have managed to kill the leader of the Flying Daggers, but the rebel group only becomes stronger, due to a mysterious new leader. Jin and Leo, two police captains, are ordered to kill the new leader within ten days.

rating from imdb




Hana-Bi

This movie by Takeshi Kitano if I remember correctly is the one movie that started my journey (some people can't stand me for my love to asian movies, anime, manga) to the diversity of modern japanese films. Till this day Takeshi Kitano remains as one of my favorite director and this movie I still consider it as one of the best movies I ever seen. So beautiful, simple and melacholic, yet so brutal. The plot simple, but full of possibilities:

Kitano plays Nishi, a violent and unpredictable ex-police detective who quits the force after a terrible incident that results in his partner, Horibe (Ren Osugi), being confined to a wheelchair. After his retirement he spends much of his time looking after his wife Miyuki (Kayoko Kishimoto), who has leukemia.

...and one usufull information, hana means flower, bi means fire, all together fireworks, literally fireflower...
rating from imdb


A Cruel Attendance

...is a Korean comedy/ethics/horror(?)/action(?) movie. I've seen a worthless wuxia film by the same director the Shadowless Sword, so I was a little bit prepared for a big time shity film (φόλα, πατάτα κ.λ.π.). But, I really enjoyed that one!!!
The story as far as I recall is about two losers, who own money to yakuza(?), try to get some money by kidnapping rich people's children. But, they never get it right...

rating from imdb (I would give it a 6,5+)

Save the Green Planet

...is a Korean anti-war movie, that defies every known categorization to any known movie genre. If you would like to place it somewhere put it together with the Battle Royal, mentioned above. Director Joon(or Jun)-Hwan Jang in his 2003 debut knows how to surpass the expected and mixes perfectly the violent, sadistic, melacholic, psychedelic, drama, action, horror, thriller, and Sci-Fi genre presenting a truly fresh film.
...and the plot is even more twisted:

A young a man who believes that aliens are about to attack Earth and that he is the only one who can prevent them. With his childlike circus performer girlfriend, he kidnaps a powerful executive who he believes is a top ranking extraterrestrial who can contact the prince of these aliens when the upcoming eclipse occurs. After imprisoning him in his workshop/basement he proceeds to torture the executive, and slowly Byeong-gu's true intentions are revealed.

rating from imdb


This one I've seen it back in 2004, at Athens movie festival called "nights of premiere"(I don't even know if the translation is good) alone in a full cinema after midnight. I believe, judging from the expression of the attendants that most of the people enjoyed it!!!

Kung-Fu Hustle

...is...don't tell me that you haven't seen that one yet? The Chinese movie by Stephen Chow? It was appraised advertised and it worthed it. It's a hilarious parody of the kung-fu movies of the past, especially the ones where an innocent boy, suddenly becomes a kung-fu master. But to get there one has to go through a bunch of gangsters, a trio of furious assassins, but the most fearsome of all is the landlady...ok and later that frog-smelling-dude.



rating from imdb

I sincerely thank - m - for her corrections, Kung-fu hustle is Chinese.






Emperor And The Assassin

...is a historical Chinese film based upon a true story. In the 3rd Century one of the Seven Kings of China sets on a dream, to unite all China under the same sky (Hero, is also another movie based on the same events). King Ying Zheng sends his concubine to find an assassin from the Kingdom of Yan, to fake an assassination against himself, so that king Ying will have an excuse to evade the kingdome of Yan. But, the concubine felt in love with the assassin, something that wasn't in the plan. Do not expect flying scenes, and martial-arts-choreography, this film is more about the characters, a sword is rarely drawn. I would consider to be more than a Historical Drama, than action. Far from the Hero or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon style, 3hrs long but worth viewing.


rating from imdb

Bad news

...there are a few events that can be associated through almost visible lines that eventually will reveal the great picture, even though you can not make out the final strokes, even though this picture is just a faint sketch, because like a good mystery novel the important notes, clues, hints, the masterminds behind the curtains, are unreachable. There are a lot of people that try to assume what will happen, what the multinationals have planned long time ago, or whoever weaves the plot, in order to achieve world domination (like brain in pinky and brain!!! although brain always failed to achieve his ultimate goal), by controlling the economy, the governments, the masses and finally the individual, preferably in this order. Few people deciding over the fate of billions. Governments, unwilling, for any reason, to stand up and act in favor of the citizens, for reasons probably unknown. Tragic misdirection of funds (from the view of the many), and labor, keep making the rich people reacher and the poor poorer. Since we live in a world dominated by imperialism and capitalism it is an expected fate. We are blinded from our urge for consumption of products, as the one I'm currently using to deliver you those thoughts, keeping us in constant search for the best, the fastest the one with the best style, with the most functions, and so on, to keep our minds away from the problems that keep surrounding us, and we like it as it is, no worries, means a happy life. We using technological achievements to keep ourselves occupied, to get away from the boredom of the contemporary life, to get ourselves safe from everything evil. It reminds me of this expression:

see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evilWe tend to resemble those three little monkeys, trying to keep away from evil, although it exist, happy in our ignorance.

This is human nature, selfish, arrogant and self-destructive. Exceptions exist to verify the rule.

But for how much longer? How long our empathy, indifference will last?

What am I referring to with that cryptic prologue? Basically to the latest(s) world wide crisis, the plural under the brackets defines the variety. I do not know how it started or why (although I think that it all resides in the those aspects of human nature described from as the 7even deadly sins)!!!???. Anyway, in a few words, I am referring to what I consider as the greatest crisis till now, that seems to just getting build up. It's not about the oil, about the banks or the downfall of the stock markets, I am referring to a crisis of the most basic human needs.
The lack of food, the high food prices, around the world that is more noticeable in countries where the daily salary of a great percentage of the population is no more than a dollar.

One of those is Haiti, where people where killed during food riots.

from timesonline
from msnbc
from bbc

In Zimbabwe also in the middle of political crisis, during the elections (the link is in Greek, sorry), while millions are disappearing, in a country that a decade ago was one of the most prosperous in Africa.

from bbc

Also in India

from economic times
from down to earth

Asia Food Crisis, facing Rice shortage,

Cambodia
Vietnam
Thailand

Those are just the peak, according to the wiki on world food crisis. The World Bank has donated 10 million dollars and advices other countries to do so( I heard that one from the news on the TV), a total amount of 500 million dollars should be raised to avoid a crisis in much larger scale. Some articles and news reporting sites give the magnitude of this crisis.
USA and UN express their concern, but it appears that they are capable to do only that.
The World Food Program cannot afford the raise in food prices, UN strangle to keep the program going.
France one of the first countries (?) to give 60 million euros trying to avoid the worst. But my opinion is that giving just money, the amount is insignificant, will not solve anything, the problem will remain as long as the causes are unsolved. As a Chinese anecdote says, if you want to keep a poor man well fed, do not give him fish to eat, teach him to fish.
The main causes of this phenomenon are the extreme rise in oil prices and the usage of fertile land as source for biofuel, and of course the climate changes (one more site). Also other reasons exist, such as animal industry, millions of food is wasted to feed our beloved cats and dogs, and I do not want to know what else, keeping the products of the land away from the farmers, and the citizens.


To end this a few more links regarding the food crisis, comments, facts and analysis of the phenomenon.

2007–2008 world food price crisis
Global food crisis looms as climate change and fuel shortages bite
Food price hikes spark riots
US Food Riots Much Closer Than You Think
Already we have riots, hoarding, panic: the sign of things to come?
Riots and hunger feared as demand for grain sends food costs soaring

Food riots revisited - public protests in the seventeenth to the nineteenth century
this one is a rather big article and I haven't read it all...will try
and a site from wiki that try to document the enlisted riots of human history:
List of riots

Finally I've finished it!!!

Good News

After years of struggling with supervisors about the minimum amount 0f time a person (that person is me) should spend in work, or working, or do anything but work, talk about work, and even dream of work, an article from lifedev, an internet site about the numerous ways to increase your productivity, by be focused on the work, who many times have I heard that single word, clearly argues for the exact opposite. Taking short, or long, brakes, letting your mind wonder, working but few hours per day, was common schedule, some of them never had one, of great people of world history.

What that article doesn't comment, but I hope that it implies it, is the fact that during the time we consider as working hours should be dedicated for that purpose.

So in titles the 10 way's history's finest kept focused at work

1. Don’t work long hours (tell that to my supervisor)

2. Take breaks

3. Take even longer breaks (that one is my favorite)

4. Stop work and sit down for meals (I'm already into this one)

5. Don’t work in the afternoons (actually I'm trying not to work even in the morning)

6. Mix it up (done that)

7. Aim low (all I need is a roof above my head, a plate of food to eat, and a woman to love)

8. Take time to relax (isn't that one consistent with points 2,3,4,5?)

9. Get up early(?) (I couldn't argue more with question mark, but waking up early has some advantages, I can recall none of them right now, feel free to add some)

10. Exercise! (no comments)

Vodka

I found that one while I was reading the daily news. The one who wrote those facts is unknown. So apart from the link, I am posting directly the 21 uses of Vodka.

21 Uses for Vodka

1. To remove a bandage painlessly, saturate the bandage with vodka. The solvent dissolves the adhesive.
2. To clean the caulking around bathtubs and showers, fill a trigger-spray bottle with vodka, spray the caulking, let set five minutes and wash clean.The alcohol in the vodka kills mold and mildew.
3. To clean your eyeglasses, simply wipe the lenses with a soft, clean cloth dampened with vodka. The alcohol in the vodka cleans the glass and kills germs.
4. Prolong the life of razors by filling a cup with vodka and letting your safety razor blade soak in the alcohol after shaving. The vodka disinfects the blade and prevents rusting.
5. Spray vodka on vomit stains, scrub with a brush, then blot dry.
6. Using a cotton ball, apply vodka to your face as an astringent to cleanse the skin and tighten pores.
7. Add a jigger of vodka to a 12-ounce bottle of shampoo. The alcohol cleanses the scalp, removes toxins from hair, and stimulates the growth of healthy hair.
8. Fill a sixteen-ounce trigger-spray bottle and spray bees or wasps to kill them.
9. Pour one-half cup vodka and one-half cup water in a Ziplock freezer bag, and freeze for a slushy, refreezable ice pack for aches, pain, or black eyes.
10. Fill a clean, used mayonnaise jar with freshly packed lavender flowers, fill the jar with vodka, seal the lid tightly and set in the sun for three days. Strain liquid through a coffee filter, then apply the tincture to aches and pains.
11. Make your own mouthwash by mixing nine tablespoons powered cinnamon with one cup vodka. Seal in an airtight container for two weeks. Strain through a coffee filter. Mix with warm water and rinse your mouth. Don't swallow.
12. Using a q-tip, apply vodka to a cold sore to help it dry out.
13. If a blister opens, pour vodka over the raw skin as a local anesthetic that also disinfects the exposed dermis.
14. To treat dandruff, mix one cup vodka with two teaspoons crushed rosemary, let sit for two days, strain through a coffee filter and massage into your scalp and let dry.
15. To treat an earache put a few drops of vodka in your ear. Let set for a few minutes. Then drain. The vodka will kill the bacteria that is causing pain in your ear.
16. To relieve a fever, use a washcloth to rub vodka on your chest and back as a liniment.
17. To cure foot odor, wash your feet with vodka.
18. Vodka will disinfect and alleviate a jellyfish sting.
19. To remove cigarette smoke in your home or office mix one part vodka and three parts water and spray the clothing, then launder and let dry.
20. Pour vodka over an area affected with poison ivy to remove the urushiol oil from your skin.
21. Swish a shot of vodka over an aching tooth. Allow your gums to absorb some of the alcohol to numb the pain.

One last thing:
Do not drink Vodka, as it will harm your health. Excessive Abuse Will Kill You.

Top 10 Reasons To Have Sex Tonight (from cbnnews)

Top subject on every conversation, on every text, in our life, is without doubt sex. Even when everything goes wrong, the pressure rising up, we look for the comfort of the opposite gender, to have a person on our side, to have sex with, making love, for the romantic ones.
Once more, from cbn this time, we have all the good reasons to get out of our clothes, literally. Ten reasons to be more exact, in headlines those are:

1. Sex Relieves Stress
2. Sex Boosts Immunity
3. Sex Burns Calories
4. Sex Improves Cardiovascular Health
5. Sex Boosts Self-Esteem
6. Sex Improves Intimacy
7. Sex Reduces Pain
8. Sex Reduces Prostate Cancer Risk
9. Sex Strengthens Pelvic Floor Muscles
10. Sex Helps You Sleep better

This articles reminds me of those chain mails we receive almost everyday, usually from friends. The purpose of those mails is to raise our "stats", such as fortune, luck and charisma, by forwarding them to as many people as exist in their address book. All these for just to get laid. It reminds me of those RPG games and the items a character receives usually randomly. It is the only way for a character to achieve a heroic status, in order to be able to finally defeat the final enemy. These kind of mails magically, found their rightful place into my garbage bin. Anyway, as you can read there are ten sentences above, all starting with the sex word, implying that action. I could say that reasons 1, 5,10 maybe 6 and 7 are known to everyone that had sex. One can argue about the beneficial of having sex without being an expert, with a pHD in medical science, that kind of expert, for hours and he will probably be right.
Those kind of arguments do not solve any problem, it is not like visiting a doctor, who examines you and then prescribes a dozen of medicines. Not even a law that you are forced to obey, otherwise there will be consequences, have sex or I'll sue your ass, although I tend to believe that such a law should be interesting (this though reminds me a little bit of a comedy from Aristophanes the Ecclesiazusae. These kind of news reminds me of those advices you get from parents or friends to be more socialized and so on.
Back on the subject, in those arguments and scientific observations or experimental verifications, there is always one MAJOR factor that is absent. Two or more people should be active to have sex, one person alone leads to masturbation or to the "making love to the one you love most" situation. It will be a relief, if one could walk into a place, spot a person with whom would love to have sex, and vice versa, and accomplish it by mentioning those ten reasons. That would be beneficial cause part of the stress is caused by the fact that finding someone to be with is troublesome and usually at least one of the people involved hasn't the courage to move on.
Still "Top 10 Reasons To Have Sex Tonight " does not sound so much promising.

Police Officers and Protesters

I got that one from the digg and I just keep on wandering a great WHAT IF...
What If every Police Officer would treat every citizen in a same manner?

...enjoy your time protesting...

...I just don't want you running of the streets getting hit by a car...

I believe that one should be considered as the line of the month, so with every single word delivered from the officer.

Anonymous web posting may become illegal in Kentucky

So, the next one has to do once more with the freedom of speech in the internet era, under the safety of anonymity. This one from Kentucky, news taken from Betanews

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews March 11, 2008, 2:31 PM

Although it's not exactly clear how the law could be enforced, the lawmaker said outlawing anonymous posting could curb online bullying.

Kentucky Representative Tim Couch introduced the bill in the state's Legislature last week. Under the policy, anyone who contributes to a Web site will have to submit a name, e-mail address, and mailing address.
This essentially would ban anonymous posting, as the contributor's name would have to be listed with the post. If the site still decides to allow for anonymous posting, a $500 fine would apply for the first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.
Couch seems to be directing his ire at sites like the increasingly popular JuicyCampus.com, which encourages students to post anonymous, and most times slanderous, comments about others. He says that the bullying problem is significant in his own district in eastern Kentucky. However, at the same time he says the bill could be difficult to enforce if signed into law.
A local news station said it polled residents of Couch's district and found mixed results. While some saw it as a method to combat online harassment, others saw it in violation of the First Amendment.

I find it a little bit ridicule and more importantly frightening.

So let me get this straight. In USA and particularly in Kentucky, a new law was voted (?) to protect people from being bullied. A law to divide citizens:

some saw it as a method to combat online harassment, others saw it in violation of the First Amendment

In Greece there was a big fuzz a few weeks ago when it was discovered that a blog site (in Greek) maintained by "bloggers" (I despise that word), tried to blackmail a few high ranked persons (as the article mentions this story is more than a year old), from journalists to politicians, with the threat of exposing their illegal actions to the public. The revelations were mostly false accusations with intention to hurl the reputation of the "victims".

I hope that that case will not set an example to the rest of the world to blackmail by abusing the freedom of speech and the anonymity of the internet, because the outcome will be terrible. Certainly, governments and companies will have a milestone to use in their efforts to control the internet and silencing the unwanted voices.

VerveEarth

Today I got this message from the CEO of an new site, still in Beta, but it looks OK:

Trotos,

Your blog Navy, a playground for bigger kids caught our attention.
I'm the founder of a recently launched startup for bloggers. We are searching
the internet for the world's best blogs by geography, and we found yours for
Greece. I would like to invite you to our site which plots the content of the
internet on an interactive map of the world. VerveEarth is an entirely new way
to surf the net. It shows spatial and geographic connections that a blog search
engine could never reveal. The site is http://www.verveearth.com/. Once on board, you can easily claim your blog a place in the VerveEarth world. The site is free to use
and a way to drive new traffic to your blog. If our vision resonates with you,
please give us a mention or add our widget to your blog. Please see our FAQ for any
questions, and we welcome your feedback. The VerveEarth team will make a timely
reply.http://www.verveearth.com/
Kind Regards,
Clayton CEO VerveEarth.comEmail clayton@verveearth.com,

First of all my thanks to VerveEarth's CEO, but I do not believe that my blog is even close to be described as one of the "best blogs by geography". It seems to me that this mail is nothing more than a polite invitation, randomly generated by a script. It could be a clever way to invite one more blogger (I think I dislike this word, blogger) to register to theirs site and grow it bigger, fine by me. The invitation is welcomed but I do not thing that exaggerations such as best blogs is suitable.
So I registered, at the end a few more readers never harm anyone, right?

It seems that till now 32 other people from Greece received the same e-mail. Haven't checked their blogs yet, till now I'm preoccupied with other activities (NAVY, my thesis (actually on hold at the time), women (if I can find any)), so I only have time to read and sometimes comment my friends' blogs.

...less than a month now...