Velocifero

Velocifero is the fourth studio album by English electronic band Ladytron and their first to be released by Nettwerk. The album was made available on the iTunes Store as of 19 May 2008, followed by a physical release on 2 June in the United Kingdom and on 3 June elsewhere. Velocifero peaked at number seventy-five on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the band's second highest-charting album to date in the UK (after Gravity the Seducer reached number seventy-two in 2011). It was also their first album to chart on the US Billboard 200, reaching number 131.

According to band member Reuben Wu, "velocifero" literally means "bringer of speed", and is also the name of a classic retro-styled scooter. "Black Cat" and "Kletva" are both sung entirely in Bulgarian. "Kletva" (which means "oath") is a cover of a song from a solo album by Kiril Marichkov of Bulgarian rock band Shturtzite. Daniel Hunt provided additional vocals on "Versus".

Velocifero produced three singles: "Ghosts", "Runaway" and "Tomorrow".

Ghosts (Monolake album)

Ghosts is the seventh album from German techno music producer, Monolake (also known as Robert Henke). It is the second part of what is claimed to be a trilogy of three albums, that began with Monolake's sixth album, Silence. Although the album follows a primarily techno aesthetic, it also incorporates elements of drum n' bass, dubstep, and ambient music.

Production and critical reception

Some of the sounds of this album are notable in that they were created by sampling recordings that included frequencies outside of the range of human hearing (above 20 khz), and then transposed down into the audible range. In order to make this possible, the entire album was produced at a 96 khz sampling rate (contrasted with the typical 44.1khz rate). Despite wide-based praise for the sound design of the album, other reviewers commented that this came at this expense of the album's emotional impact.

Track listing

Ghosts (Banville novel)

Ghosts is a novel by Irish writer John Banville. Published in 1993, it was his first novel since The Book of Evidence (1989), which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. The second in what Banville described as a "triptych", to make "an investigation of the way in which the imagination works." This novel features many of the same characters and relates to events of the previous novel.

Plot summary

The novel is somewhat unconventional and non-linear in its construction. It begins with a group of travelers disembarking on a small island in the Irish Sea after their ship runs aground. There they stumble upon a house inhabited by Professor Kreutznaer, his assistant Licht, and an unnamed character who figures centrally in the novel and who is referred to only as "Little God." It is later revealed that Little God can be identified with Freddie Montgomery, the narrator of The Book of Evidence. Much of the latter half of the book focuses on Montgomery's account of his experiences after having been released from prison, his reflections on the crime (the murder of a young woman) he committed, and his continuing struggle with the ghosts of his past and the nature of his perceptions.

Quan (state)

The State of Quán (simplified Chinese: 权国; traditional Chinese: 權國) was a small Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BC) vassal state of Central China. A Marquisate, then Dukedom (侯), its rulers were descendants of Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC) ruler Wu Ding with the surname Zi (子). Quan was founded by Wen Ding’s son Quan Wending (权文丁) in the area of modern day Maliang Town (马良镇), Shayang County, Jingmen City, Hubei Province, next to what would later emerge as the State of Chu.

History

During the Xia (c. 2070–1600 BC) and Shang Dynasties, China was divided into the Nine Provinces at which time Jingmen City was classified as part of Jingzhou.
In the 11th century BC the Duke of Zhou received orders from King Cheng of Zhou to announce an edict concerning descendants of the royal Ji (姬) family. They were given land in the Shihui Bridge (拾回桥) area of Shayang County where they established the State of Ran (冉国), also known as the State of Na (那国) and the State of Quan. The initial ruler of Quan was given the title “First Duke of Quan” (权甲公 pinyin: Quán Jiǎ Gōng). The history of both Ran and Quan during the Western Zhou Dynasty (1066–771 BC) is not recorded.
At the beginning of the Spring and Autumn Period (771 BC) Chu’s power was in the ascendant and the state gradually expanded southwards. Chu rulers Xiong E (熊鄂) and Ruo’Ao (若敖) (799–764 BC) were anxious to expand southwards but this would require the overthrow of the State of Ran and bring the Zhou court onto the doorstep of Chu.

Sacred

Sacred means revered due to sanctity, is in general the state of being holy (perceived by religious individuals as associated with divinity) or sacred (considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspiring awe or reverence among believers).

From an anthropological or atheistic perspective, the religious view of the sacred is an emic perspective on a culture's collection of thoughts and practices that function as a basis for the community's social structure.

Objects are often considered holy or sacred if used for spiritual purposes, such as the worship or service of gods. The property is often ascribed to people ("a holy man", a "holy prophet" who is venerated by his followers), objects (a "sacred artifact" that is venerated and blessed), times ("holy days"), or places ("holy places", "sacred ground").

Etymology

The word "sacred" descends from the Latin sacrum, which referred to the gods or anything in their power, and to sacerdos and sanctum, set apart. It was generally conceived spatially, as referring to the area around a temple.

Holy (U.D.O. album)

Holy is U.D.O.'s seventh album. It was recorded and mixed by Stefan Kaufmann at ROXX Studio in Pulheim and is the band's first album with the guitarist Igor Gianola, who had played with Ronni Le Tekrø in Wild Willy's Gang. The band recruited the drummer Lorenzo Milani after the release of the album; in the liner notes "guess who" replaces the name of the drummer.

Track listing

All songs written by Udo Dirkschneider and Stefan Kaufmann.

Credits

References

Holy (Bottom)

"Holy" is the fifth episode of the second series of British television sitcom, Bottom. It was first broadcast on 29 October 1992.

Synopsis

It is Christmas time in Hammersmith once again, and Richie and Eddie experience a Christmas miracle.

Plot

Note: There are now two different common versions of this episode - the original broadcast version and the extended version that appears on the series 2 DVD in some regions. Sections that appear only in the extended edition are noted in italics.

Eddie is awoken at 3:30am by Deck the Halls blaring from a tape recorder. It is Christmas morning in Hammersmith, and Richie has disguised himself as Santa Claus just to give himself lots of presents. Apparently, Richie performs this ritual every year, as Eddie has prepared a complex trap that leaves 'Santa' suspended by a noose. He only agrees to cut Richie loose after Richie pays him £10.

A bruised and battered 'Santa' makes his exit, with Richie appearing, in striped pajamas, mere seconds later. Ignoring Eddie's protests that he return to bed, Richie proceeds to open his presents, remarking that he has a huge pair of tights full of gifts while Eddie has an empty child's sock. Richie's gifts, however, are revealed to be individually wrapped ingredients for Christmas dinner, for which Richie insists on keeping track of for Santa's 'thank you' letter.