Ejaz Asi - Information Designer from Karachi, Pakistan

Vangelis score to 1492 Conquest of Paradise is one of the most spellbindingly beautiful scores I’ve ever had the priviledge of hearing in a film, even though the film, IMHO, had many flaws.

Vangelis is one of the only composers to bring something truly original to film. Williams is largely a plagiarist who has been milking entire sections of Gustav Holst’s “Planets Suite” for well over 30 years of his career now. As if that weren’t appalling enough, Williams also recycles his derivative music from one score to the next (e.g. children’s theme from Hook = love theme in Ep. 2, Ewok chase music = Nazi chase music, Nazi tank squadron music = Battle Droid music in SW prequels, etc.).

Vangelis, on the other hand, has created scores from almost nothing… as if pulling notes out of the air. He refused classical training and his philosophy toward music tends to be that one cannot learn anything new, or develop original techniques if all they do is study the works of past composers. Thus, he’s one of the only composers who demonstrates a true freedom to experiment and has developed a style that many others have attempted to imitate but could never correctly capture.

Composers like Goldsmith and Horner also have copied Holst, as well as Prokofiev (namely “Alexander Nevsky”).

He’s also a prodigy… he began composing at the age of four, and in 1994-1995 recompiled most of the music for “Blade Runner” by re-recording the pieces from memory as no good multitrack master existed for most of the pieces.

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Javeria
What If Titanic sank Today?
Reaction from different countries:
U.S.A: “A ship coming to Freedom was attacked by terrorists.We will not sit quiet and we will teach them a lesson.Bin Laden you can run but you cannot hide we will findyou and destroy your Al-Qaeda network.”(President Bush……..whoelse?)

U.K: “I have spoken to the President of United States andwe have both agreed that the sinking of Titanic issignificant prove that Saddam Hussein is clearlybehind this attack, Iraq is imposing a threat to theworld and this has to be dealt with.”(Prime Minister Blair)
Iraq: “LOL!!!” (President Saddam Hussain)
Israel: “These Hamas and other terrorist network is enough evidence to say that sinking of Titanic is not anaccident but it was their suicide bombers who havecommited such a crime.We will now impose curfew on thePalestinians, detain them, exile them, kill them,starve them, destroy their homes and refugee camps.”(Ariel Sharon….)Canada: “Titanic who?” (Canadian Prime Minister)

India: “Is mein Pakistan ka haath hai. We have receivedpassports of Pakistani extremists from the Titanicdebris. Pakistanis will have to pay for suchhorrendous act of terrorism. We are now deploying moresoldiers to the border.”(Prime Minister Vajpayee)
Pakistan:
“Sind may Double Sawari per ghair muayyana muddat keliye pabandi”(President Musharraf)

UN: “Shit happens right??”(Sec.Gen. Kofi Annan)

Survivors: “Uhh. Helllooo. Is anyone listening…it was an iceberg..hellloooooo.”

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A very special post copied from a very special mom’s blog for super-duper moms’ day:
I met a mom today who touched my heart in many ways. She had courage and faith and endless love for her child. Her story brought tears to my eyes but strength to my soul. For as long as I live, this story will stay in my heart.

I have a student in my grade 5 class. His kidney’s failed when he was a baby. He needs a catheter to empty his bladder every 5 hours. He can’t play like little boys, he can’t swim or take part in aggressive sports. He’s weak and frail, and sometimes because of his little “accidents” he is the aim of all rude comments and jokes from the other kids.

But he is strong. He laughs and makes jokes. He is polite and well mannered. He is smart and very good at his work. He always comes to my desk in the morning and says hello. He tries his best to fit in, even when others try to push him away. He is doing everything he can to be a normal little boy.

Today I met his mom.

I told her that her son was one of my favorite students. I admired his strength and his struggle. I am proud of his work and his achievements. Then I said… it must be hard for you to have to see your son like this. The hospital visits, the medicines, the dialysis, the operations, the look in her son’s eyes. How does she find the strength for all this?

And she replied…

We don’t give life to our children. It is God who gives them life, so it is also God who can take it away. We need to have faith in his actions, because what happens to us and our loved ones is always in our best interest. Sometimes we can’t see the meaning of his actions, but in our hearts we can believe that he will never test us more than we can bear.

She said…

I am happy to have my son. I don’t know if he will wake up from his next operation or if he will graduate from high school or go to college or get married. I can’t predict his future, but I know one thing is true…

Every night I thank God for sending my little boy to me. No matter how long he is here for, I am glad I got a chance to get to know him.

Happy Mother’s Day to all mom’s and mom’s to be.

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