U2's New Album - A Review

A review of the U2's New Album

15 January, 2009. A review by Neil McCormick of the Telegraph, UK. For my readers who are fans of U2.

I got to hear the new U2 album in its complete and final form. I can't say too much about it now, for fear that the skylight of my attic office would explode in a shower of glass and a black pvc clad figure descend from wires to seize my computer, leaving behind only a pair of blue tinted wraparound sunglasses.

Prone to exaggeration: Bono of U2 PHOTO EPA

Actually, I'd be more likely to find a drum stick rammed up my hard drive. Bono is the least of my worries. If it was up to him, the U2 singer would take this album around to every house in the country and sell it door to door with a money back guarantee. He says 'No Line In The Horizon' is the album U2 always wanted to make. He always was an excitable fellow, but he might actually be right.

So what can I tell you without infringing copyright? It took two listens to find my way into it, which has to be good a thing. It is dense, twisty, shiny, modern pop music, a big mash up of Eno ambience, Edge electricity, rhythm and soul. There are verses and choruses, though not necessarily in that order (and quite often its hard to tell which is which). It doesn't feel the need to hit you over the head, but has the Ninja confidence to sneak up and take you unawares. It makes love like its making war. It hasn't frontloaded all its big guns. There is a surge in the middle perfectly timed to quell any uprising, and a killer twist at the end. It could be the glittering sonic mind meld of pop rock and soul that Zooropa wanted to be. Or maybe, like Bono, I'm am just prone to exaggeration.

Bono says I listen to their new albums like a bodyguard. He is probably right. I approach with trepidation, protective of the band's place in my heart and ready to defend them should they drop their guard or their standards. Fortunately, they haven't had to call on my fighting skills yet (though we have had a couple of skirmishes).

A disclaimer: look, I am well aware there are a lot of people out there who find The Man Who Saved The World (as he is known to close friends such as the Pope) (only kidding) a pompous, egotistic, over-bearing, messianic megalomaniac (I think that about covers it), and furthermore consider U2 to be overblown, over-rated stadium rockists with nary a hint of nuance or subtlety. Some of you read this blog and leave derogatory messages every time I mention Bono's name. Well, get over it. Yes, I like U2. Yes, I went to school with them and was a fan from before they were even U2, but only because they were great then, and they are great now.

Here's the thing: I am not alone in holding them in high esteem. They have been together for over 30 years and sold 130 million albums around the world. Many key rock bands of the moment (Coldplay, The Killers, Arcade Fire, Kings Of Leon, Keane) openly incorporate their influence, and covet their slot at the top of the pile. Brandon Flowers of the Killers recently told me, "They're unbelievable, but they're getting old ... It feels like it's time." On this evidence, anyone who wants to shift U2 off their pedestal is going to have to take it by force.

(http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/neil_mccormick/blog/2009/01/15/u2s_no_line_in_the_horizon_the_new_album)

Tips for keeping your email inbox SAFE

5 tips to keep your inbox safe

Emails asking people to send money abroad so that they can collect lottery money are passe now. Latest is a new online scam with an all new modus operandi that has left even security experts clueless.

Recently a college student received an email from his friend asking for 1,200 pounds as he had lost his wallet. It came from the account of someone she knew and even bore his digital signature. However, later she found out that his friend never wrote the email.

Few months back, a businessman approached the cyber crime cell after some of his friends received a mail from his Hotmail account requesting them to send him Rs 1.27 lakh. And mind you, such incidents are on a rise, security experts have warned that cyber criminals are hacking mail accounts and sending mails to addresses in the contact list to extract money.

So, how can you make sure you don't become a victim of one? Here are five golden rules to follow to make sure you don't become a victim. The best way to avoid such a situation is to have two email IDs with separate and long passwords -- one official, the other for personal use. Not only it will leave you better organised, but is the easiest way to keep cyber criminals at bay.

Also, be sure of the password you use. Remember, while easy passwords leave little room for forgetting, they leave a lot of scope for tinkering by cyber hackers. With Internet becoming an important repository of our personal information both financial and otherwise, the stakes can be high if the same is tampered with.

So try using some mixed combos that can secure your mail. Length is a huge advantage to memorise your password. And always remember your name, spouse name, children names or birthdays are a strict no no. In case you receive emails saying 'You have won $50,000' or 'You won a trip to US', beware. There is surely a hidden trap in it. Don't get tempted by such mails as these may lead you to malicious sites. You may end up downloading a virus or in a worst case surrender your computer to a hacker. Also, do not click on random links, especially on invitation from ‘hot sirens.’ Watch out for email-related scams such as phishing lotteries, windfalls, jobs, gifts, inheritance, etc.

If you receive an email asking you to give your personal information by clicking a website link in the email, do not do so. Instead, go directly to the sender’s website by typing in the sender’s website address. Install security software to scan and remove viruses and spywares. Regularly check for security updates for your computer. Most security updates are aimed at reducing risks to your computer, these may be data-related or otherwise.

In a 24X7 online environment, it is important to have anti-virus and anti-spyware programmes installed for secure online experience. Also, these programmes need to be frequently updated to avoid any attack on your computer. You can do a recee of the Internet for popular anti-virus and anti-spyware solutions. There are also several paid options like McAfee, Norton Anti-virus and Trend Micro. (http://infotech.indiatimes.com/quickiearticleshow/3956536.cms)