A primeira edição da Feira de Caça, Pesca e Desenvolvimento Rural organizada pela Câmara Municipal de Almeida decorre nos dias 8 e 9 de Novembro no Pavilhão Multiusos de Vilar Formoso. A montaria ao javali em Nave de Haver no sábado e a largada de perdizes em Vilar Formoso no domingo são as cabeça de cartaz do certame.
A abertura do salão de exposições está marcada para as 10 horas da manhã de sábado podendo ser admirados no recinto do pavilhão objectos de caça, pesca, jipes florestais, produtos agro-alimentares e tradicionais do mundo rural e fauna viva como cavalos, falcões, javalis, avestruzes, perdizes, coelhos, pombos e cães de raça.
O programa inclui demonstrações de meios da equipa cinotécnica da Guarda Nacional Republicana, o grupo de concertinas Clave de Sol, exibição de aves de presa (falcoaria) e de cães de parar com a presença de Vítor Maurício. O colóquio «Caça, pesca e Comunidade» conta com os oradores António Borges (Caça e Sociedade), Lurdes Martins (Contributo das concepções de pesca desportiva para o desenvolvimento local), Paulo Paixão (O corço no concelho) e Amílcar Teixeira (Caracterização das comunidades salmonídeas da Região Centro). A actuação do Grupo de Fados da Guarda finaliza o primeiro dia do evento.
No domingo terá lugar em Vilar Formoso uma largada de perdizes, nova demonstração de meios da equipa cinotécnica da GNR, a actuação do grupo de concertinas de Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, a libertação de uma ave recuperada nas Cervas, a exibição do Grupo de Lendas, Danças e Cantares de Ribacôa. A primeira edição encerrará com as danças do Rancho Folclórico da Miuzela.
O evento contará em permanência com tasquinhas com petiscos de caça e pesca, assadores de castanhas, exposições de cães e matilhas, tiro com arco e besta e passeios de charrette para todos os visitantes.
jcl

Axl Makes an Offensive Wanking Gesture

It looks as if Best Buy will need a diaper change in late November. From Variety.com:

"Best Buy plans to take full advantage of Thanksgiving-week shopping sprees, assigning a Sunday release date for Guns 'N' Roses' first album in 15 years.

"Chinese Democracy," which GNR leader Axl Rose started work on more than 10 years ago, is slated for an exclusive release Nov. 23 at the big-box retailer."

I'm going to be perfectly frank with you. I could care less about this new album, or the future of Guns 'N' Roses. The only reason I'm waiting for it, is for a free Dr. Pepper. And if my lips don't get to taste all 23 refreshing flavors, may the Gods have mercy on your hides.

by Spence D.

It may have taken Axl Rose more than a decade (actually 15 years) to deliver a new Guns N' Roses album, but the light at the end of the tunnel is slowly beginning to shine a little brighter.

While Rose has been coy with the media and harsh with anybody who has leaked tracks online, he's been a shrewd man in terms of how he is officially setting up the proposed November 25th release of the long-awaited Chinese Democracy.

First was the high profile placement of "Shackler's Revenge" on Rock Band 2. Now comes the equally high profile placement of the next official track from the album, "If The World."

Tacked on at the end of Ridley Scott's new international thriller Body Of Lies, starring box office icons Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe, the song is the first thing you hear once the end credits begin to roll.

In stark contrast to the abrasive electro shock and generic industrial glitz of "Shackler's", this track flips a complete 180 in the opposite direction.

Keeping in tune with the film's distinct Middle Eastern thematics, Axl and band have laid out a slinky, neo-soul number that is surprisingly good.

Drenched in electronic funk slither with Rose affecting a slightly effeminate vocal croon, the track would actually have made a stellar James Bond theme song.

At the core of the song is a syncopated drum and bass groove that is warm and supple. It's wrapped around a slow burn expanse of guitar and then topped off with Rose's sedated caterwaul cum croon.

As with the sinewy vibe of the music itself, the core lyrical refrain of " If the world would end today/then all the dreams we had would all just drift away, oh/You know there's nothing more to say/if the world would end and our love slipped away..." is a perfect fit to the film's thematics of global peril and dangerous love.

Having only gotten one listen (and the song is relatively short, to boot), it's hard to really nail the song and how it will fit in with the rest of Chinese Democracy, but first impressions were strong, with the strange floating funk ambiance working surprisingly well for Mr. Rose. If the rest of the album is along these lines GN'R may be back in force, albeit on a uniquely different tact.

The only bummer is that those looking to score a copy of the track will have to settle for going to the movies instead. As of now there are no plans to include it on the official soundtrack.

Source: IGN.COM

I don't care what you say, it's still not coming out.

And why is it an exclusive?  The thing cost $14 million to produce!  I'd want to sell it anywhere possible.  Put it in supermarkets!  Let alone a Best Buy exclusive.  They're like the fourth largest music retailer.  iTunes sells more music.

In fact, the only time I've managed to become remotely animated this week was when I chatted to a young bloke at work who ran the GNR at the weekend. He had a pretty good race by all accounts, despite the congestion, but asked me exactly the same question I asked myself the last time I tackled the GNR in 2006.

"Why the hell don't they tell you that it's mainly uphill?"

And you know, that's a very good question. Being all agog to run it a couple of years ago, I received my pre-race instructions with a lot of anticipation, and was nerdy enough to semi-memorise the elevation map that came with it, reasoning that however tough some of the hills got, I'd be able to motivate myself by knowing how far I had to go until I could enjoy a little blessed downhill running.

So I was expecting ups and downs, certainly, but not quite as many ups or as few downs as you would believe on a course that runs from a city centre down to the coast. You can see the entirely fictitious elevation map above, which in no way indicates the severity of the climb that lasts for the first 7 miles, before a brief respite and more upward inclines.

The only downhill of note occurs about 2k from the finish, where you flail down a stretch of road so horribly precipitous that you should really be equipped with ropes and crampons to get down it. Of course, it's a breeze from there, as you run 2k along the frankly very pleasant seafront at South Shields to the finish line.

So what about it Brendan? Why don't you just 'fess up to the actual steepness of the course? I still reckon you'd have 52,000 people lining up on the motorway, but maybe they'd all be a little better prepared mentally if they knew the truth?

by Rick Landers.

Slash poses with new Gibson and Epiphone Les Paul Goldtop signature models

Slash…the name alone conspires to attract and enthrall a cult following of guitarists and fans. Add the nonchalant tilt of a black top hat, a skull and bones talisman, a classic Les Paul, exotic good looks and voodoo charm with monster music talent and you’ve mixed the cauldron with a roll of the dice to conjure a rock god.

Oh, okay, so during our interview I suggested he joined the “soccer mom” league, not with disrespect, but to highlight the tectonic life altering shift he's experienced from that of a singularly focused rock star to husband and father. Life changes and Slash [Saul Hudson] is now the father of two boys, London Emilio and Cash Anthony, and married to the lovely Perla Ferrar. His paternal love shone bright in his recent autobiography Slash, and it seems he’s handling the father-rock god balance with finesse.

There’s plenty of ink written about Slash, so let’s run through a short list of some of his awards and honors, to highlight his legacy. In 2005, Esquire magazine honored him with its Esky Music Award for “Best Guitarist.” He joined other guitar legends with his own star planted on Hollywood’s Rock Walk of Fame (2007). That same year, at the 4th Annual Metal Hammer Golden Gods awards, he was awarded the title of “Riff Lord.” His guitar solo on the amazing “November Rain,” garnered him several honors including the song being listed at number 6 on the “The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos,” by Guitar World magazine. His work with Guns n’ Roses, Velvet Revolver and Snakepit have all been coveted by rock guitarists and highlighted by bullets running them up the charts.

And now a new book, Reckless Road: Guns n’ Roses and the Making of Appetite for Destruction, shows Slash’s life from the early days to today, written by his long-time friend, author and rock photographer, Marc Canter.

“Slash is in a great place in his life. He has accomplished so much with his music, guitar playing and tone, the spirit in his guitar solos and the coolest rock image on the planet. He’s been a monumental influence on guitar playing, leading to a huge wave of people picking up guitars and learning to play. And his love of Gibson’s Les Paul guitars has been a major factor in keeping it the guitar of choice for guitarists around the world. He brought the axe back in style with his heavy handed riffs that rock! He’s a great friend and wonderful father to his kids. Over two decades on the scene and Slash’s music is a gift that continues to inspire, making a deep impression. Slash has helped change Rock ‘n’ Roll forever.” Marc Canter

When Modern Guitars spoke with Slash last week, we talked about recent happenings in his life, along with his thoughts on guitar legend and innovator, Les Paul, Slash's musical career, his new recording project and the new Limited Edition Gibson and Epiphone Les Paul Goldtops that bear his name and embody his musical inclinations.

Slash. Photo credit: Jack Lue.

Rick Landers: Before we start talking about the new Gibson models, I've got a couple of other questions to preface those. How about telling us a little bit about your contribution to the new CD, Les Paul and Friends: A Tribute to a Legend, how that came about and why you chose "Vocalise," as your contributed song?

Slash: I actually was working with the guys who played the rhythm section for that particular song, Abe Laboriel Jr. and Abe Laboriel Sr. Are you familiar with those guys?

Rick: Yes, I am.

Slash: It's a take on a classical piece. I can't remember the composer. It's sort of an, almost improv, but based on that feel. It was picked out by Bob Cutarella who is basically the producer on the record. We got together and he showed me some different bits of what he had going on and chose that one. It sort of just took on a life of its own. So, one evening and we're jamming.

Rick: Okay, thanks. I've met Les a couple of times, he's a great guy. Beyond guitar playing, how has he influenced you as a person, not so much as a guitarist, but as a person?

Slash: Aside from the obvious guitar stuff, and also him as a technician and tinkerer and all that stuff, as a person, it's hard to separate the person from the stuff that he does. I've never really hung out with Les outside of a musical environment, you know? So, I always see him as a musician. But at the same time, as a person, he's great because he's full of energy. He's one of those people who doesn't take "No" for an answer. He's a bit of an adventurer, you know, a little bit of a maverick. He's well-mannered, very astute, very loving, good sense of humor, but definitely a caring guy. And at the same time he's a little tough guy, too, when it comes down to it. [Both Laughing]

I just love him to death. We met a long time ago and it was in Fat Tuesday's in New York. I got up to play with him for the first time ever and he basically wiped the stage up with me. I used that experience as a bar, so that any time I've ever played with him since then, I could always use that bar to see how much better I've gotten as a guitar player.

Rick: You must feel especially honored to have your name associated with Les and with the Gibson family. Wasn't there a 1988 Slash Les Paul model?

Slash: There was. It wasn't available commercially. No, wait, that wasn't 1988. There was one in 1990, roughly 1990. In '88 was the first guitar that Gibson ever sold me directly and it was just a typical 1988 Les Paul standard. I've been using it for so long that they finally came out with a guitar called an 'Inspired By', which is basically an identical replica of that guitar.

Rick: Okay. Much different, I guess, than your first...

Slash: Over 20 years difference in the finish...

Rick: Probably much different than the Les Paul copy that you started with.

Slash: Yeah, very different.

Rick: How did you collaborate, how did the collaboration begin with Gibson, and what level of involvement did you have in helping create both the Epiphone model and the Signature Goldtop Gibson model?

Slash: Do you want me to go back to the beginning and how our relationship developed or just over these guitars?

Rick: These guitars...

Slash. Photo credit: Marc Canter.

Slash: Obviously we've had this relationship for a long time and I'm constantly going to them at the beginning of the tour cycle or whatever and going, "I need a guitar for this. I need a guitar for that," and when Velvet Revolver first started, I'd wanted to take my 1988 Les Paul and retire it. So, I went to Gibson and they built me sort of a Slash model, let's say. It sounded amazing, so I had a couple of those and did the first Velvet Revolver record with that particular guitar.

I think they sold a couple commercially. But, it wasn't like a big launch like this kinda thing. It was a very limited edition. And then at the beginning of this next tour that we did for the Libertad record last year, I went to them, I said, 'I need another guitar.' I specified what I wanted and you know, because Les Pauls are pretty much perfect right out of the box, I don't have a lot of things to have to tweak on them.

I'd like to make sure that it's a particular size neck that I feel comfortable with and I put the Alnico pickups in them. I usually choose old-looking hardware, just because it looks cooler to me. I'm very particular about the finish, if I have a choice, right?

That's basically how it starts and when we did these Goldtops, we took it a little bit further. We redesigned the tone pots so that they wouldn't diminish volume or presence when you turn them all the way down. Because one of the great things about the Goldtop is, on the rhythm pickup, if you turn the tone down or are using a Marshall with a certain amount of gain, you get one of the sweetest, creamiest lead sounds, which is great for blues or any kind of long-sustaining notes that you wanna do.

Basically the Goldtop is a reissue of the 1991 Goldtop I got from them back then. And I used it for the whole two and a half year Guns N Roses "Use Your Illusions" tour. That was the guitar I did all those real epic solos for, or epic songs rather, like "Sweet Child of Mine" and "November Rain" and "Estranged" and "Heaven's Door." And all of these had these very melodic, sustaining solos. That guitar was just perfect for it. It got stolen in 1998 or '99 along with a bunch of other guitars. I got everything back, except for the one guitar.

Finally, I went to Gibson and said, "Could you check your logs and see if you can find the specs for a 1991 Goldtop?" And they did and so they built me one. They said, "Oh, this is a great guitar. Maybe we should put this out commercially." So, here we are.

Rick: I'd think there would be more demand than the numbers of models that are gonna be produced. I think there's gonna be 2,000 Epis and 1,000 Gibsons. Once those guitars are sold, will there be any follow-up production of those models, or are they limited?

Slash: They are limited. They're not gonna be like a regular season-long kind of production. As far as I know, it stops there.

Rick: And the information I have says that the Epi comes with a personally-signed certificate by you. Does that mean that you signed 2,000 certificates for the Epiphone?

Slash: I'm actually sitting on the same couch right now where I actually signed all 2,000. It's a bitch to sign 2000 certificates! Let me tell you, you do it in increments of 500!

Rick: Will the Gibson also have a signature?

Slash: The Gibson does as well, yeah.

Rick: So are your hands okay?

Slash: Yeah, yeah. They're fine.

Rick: [Laughs] Okay. I understand that you've also got a new book coming out by Marc Canter. Can you tell us a little bit about the book?

Reckless Road: Guns n’ Roses and the Making of Appetite for Destruction

Slash: Yeah, that's Marc's book. Mark is a really close friend of mine from way back in the 5th grade and when I first started playing guitar, he used to just bring his camera. He used to shoot a lot of rock concerts. He used to sneak cameras in and shoot from Judas Priest to Aerosmith and whoever else you can think of. So, he's pretty handy with a camera.

When I first started in my first band and what not, he used to always come and take pictures and physically record the shows. When Guns first started, I guess he saw something in Guns that we, maybe, didn't necessarily see at the time. But, he really thought it was gonna go somewhere.

He started shooting all the shows, recording all the shows and never missed one. Really, for the whole time that we were a club band up, until the point where we got signed. So, this book is really, really candid stuff from all these different dates, backstage and some other casual stuff.

But, it's the kind of pictorial history that most bands don't have because they either weren't fortunate enough to have somebody that saw more in them than the band itself saw or, you know, just having somebody around with a 35mm on a regular basis. But, it's really a cool, cool book. It's probably the coolest rock and roll table book I've seen in a long time.

Marc Canter poses with Guns N' Roses in 1987. Photo credit: Robert John.

Rick: You and Anthony Bozza came out with the autobiography, Slash by Slash about a year or so ago.

Slash: Marc's books is almost the pictorial...like the picture counterpart.

Rick: That last book was kind of fueled by the sex, drugs and rock and roll theme. But near the end, I got the impression that you were beginning to side a little bit more with soccer moms, and you were looking at yourself more as a real father and family man. Is that the case?

Slash: Yeah, I mean, all things considered, it goes through all the basic craziness and then, somehow, towards the end of it, I ended up married and now with two kids. So, having this sort of rock and roll craziness and domestic life sort of mixed, sort of getting rid of all the real hardcore stuff that I used to live on. You know, it all sort of works together. It is what it is. I guess you get the idea from reading it.

Rick: Yeah. Now, London and Cash are your sons. Are they following in your footsteps as far as music, or do they have other artistic endeavors?

Slash: Well, they're four and six. One of them, the six-year old seems to like sports more than anything, avoiding girls and that kind of thing. And then the younger one is probably the one that seems the most artistic, because he does a lot of drawing and he plays his piano, and is attempting to learn how to play the guitar. So, he seems to be going in that direction.

Rick: I've heard that you're working on a new solo album. Is that true?

Slash: Yeah.

Rick: And that you plan on having more than one lead singer?

Slash: The plan at this point is where I'm just using different singers for every song. So it'll probably be...if there are 12 songs, there will be 12 singers, put it that way.

Rick: I'll ask you a coded question: Will there be a rock 'n' roller who is really good at golf on that album?

Slash: Actually, to tell you the truth, I couldn't tell you. [Laughing]

Rick: Okay. I was thinking Alice Cooper.

Slash: Yeah, I know you were. He's the only rock 'n' roller that I know who's really good at golf. I just played on his record. Most of these people are people that I've worked with in the past.

Rick: Did you? What's it called?

Slash: His new record's called Along Came a Spider and I did a song on there called "Vengeance is Mine." We just did a video for it, so I don't know exactly when it's supposed to come out.

Rick: Okay, thank you. Over the years, have you found that you prefer to be working in an ongoing group, or is it more fun for you now to work with various artists on various projects?

Slash. Photo credit: Marc Canter.

Slash: My core is definitely group-oriented. I've always been in a band ever since I first picked up the guitar. Within the first six months of learning how to play guitar, I was in a band, and I'll always be a band guy. But, I also love the experience of going and doing sessions with people I've never worked with or people that I really admire that I grew up listening to or whatever, and learning how to adapt and sort of think on my feet. I do that a lot.

Working on a solo record, which is really my first solo record where I'm not using a fixed band, has just been a new experience for me because I don't have to answer to anybody.

And, you know, it's a little liberating in a way. But, at the same time, while I'm doing that, I'm still in Velvet Revolver and we're still looking for a singer, and we're still writing every day as a group. I like to be able to do it all, you know?

Rick: Yeah. Have you found any performer that you've worked with that wasn't part of your regular band that has particularly impressed you when you first met them, that you really weren't expecting them to be that good or that unique in their style or playing ability?

Slash: I know what you're saying. I don't know if I come into a situation in that kind of a judgmental...you sort of, you go in and I have been pleasantly surprised with 90% of the people that I've worked with. But, you know, like I did a tour with Ronnie Wood, and this was a few years back. I was really amazed at what an amazing musician Ronnie Wood is, because he doesn't always give the impression of being that good [Both Laugh].

Michael Jackson amazed me, even though I've always thought he was great, to work with him in person was a phenomenal experience. And it goes the other way. There can be guys like Bob Dylan, who was extremely difficult to work with. But, working with Iggy Pop was a great experience and I had no idea that working with Iggy could be so inspired and cover so much ground musically, you know, in just a couple of days.

And so, they're all different. Everybody's got their own really cool characteristics that identifies them as being unique.

Rick: One of our columnists, Billy Morrison, you know Billy?

Slash: Yeah.

Rick: He's got a group, I think he's still got it, called Camp Freddie. Have you played with Camp Freddie?

Slash: A dozen or so or more times.

Rick: How is that type of experience when you're going on stage. Are you playing almost impromptu or what?

Slash: It's very impromptu. The first time I ever played with Camp Freddie, I was like, "Oh, this is dynamite!" Because they have all these guest people come up and the first time I played with Camp Freddie, I got up there and was doing "Whole Lotta Love" with...oh, man, I always forget this guy's name...born in the same town as me in England. He's a real huge pop guy in England. But, he's never broke over here. Maybe it'll come to me. He was on stage and then also I was playing with Macie Gray. That was like two people I'd never played with before. So, the experience with playing with Camp Freddie is you can get up there and end up working with somebody on one or two songs that you might never have expected to work with.

Rick: I saw Billy play at the Gibson NAMM party with sort of the same kind of group. I don't think it was called Camp Freddie, but it was a Gibson group, and it was just pretty amazing how a number of different artists who weren't a band, could basically get on stage and just crank out some great rock 'n' roll.

Slash: Yeah, I think that's one of the great things, one of the things that's very important as a musician, to be able to pull together to work with people you've never worked with at the spur of the moment and be able to go up there and make music together. I think that's one of the things that makes music such a wonderful experience. When you, as a player, can get together with people. It really shows how music brings people together.

Rick: Yeah. I think that's true. I've got one last question and it's a question that I asked Les Paul last time I met with him. I want to see how your answer compares to his and, then I'll tell you what his answer was when we're finished. I asked, "How do you think you'll celebrate your 100th birthday?"

Slash: [Both Laughing] My 100th birthday. Oh, Christ.

Rick: You know, he's getting close.

Slash. Photo credit: Marc Canter.

Slash: That's a lot to ask. [Both Laughing] Let's leave it at that. If I have my druthers, though, it will probably be doing a jam somewhere like I did on my last birthday and that's probably the most fun I could have on a birthday is if I just have a gig. So, I'll probably be doing a gig with some other people that I've known all that time, you know? It'll still be festive and it'll probably be in Las Vegas or something.

Rick: Okay, well his answer was, "Well, I think I'd celebrate it very much like my mother who was glad to be here on earth." He said he was very grateful and you've got to be very grateful and to celebrate would be to say, 'Hey, you know, I'm gonna keep going until the time comes and when I'm not supposed to be here, and none of us know that answer.' It's a little convoluted. But then he says, "We only know that we all have the same ticket." [Both Laugh]

Slash: Yeah, that's probably true.

Correio da manhã (Fonte)

Best Buy is set to be the exclusive retailer for Guns N' Roses decade-plus-in-the-making new album "Chinese Democracy" before year's end, sources close to the situation tell Billboard. Some details of the deal are still being worked out, including the release date.

ANOTHER supposedly credible, supposedly somewhat official announcement? Well, we'll see how this goes. I gotta believe Axl would not allow "Shackler's Revenge" on Rock Band 2 or "If the World" in the movie Body of Lies unless there was SOME plan in place for an official release by the end of the year.

The rumored release date is November 25th, but we've heard this story before, even from Axl's own mouth. So, I won't believe it until I have the CD blasting in my car stereo.

:P

Exclusive seems to be the best way to go these days for veteran acts, but if this is happening, they need to make an official announcement and start hyping the bejeezus out of this album real quick.

I'm looking foward to it though, most people seem to take the time to proclaim their hate and disinterest in the current band, but the whole album has pretty much been leaked and I think it's great. Is it old school GNR? No, but it's still great music, people should take the blinders off. I can't wait to hear the final and cleaned up versions on CD.

A couple of photos taken during this past Friday's jam can be viewed below.

The event, which happens every Friday night at Munchaba Lounge, has already brought together many rock celebrities, including Lita Ford, Evan Seinfeld (of BIOHAZARD), and members of ANTHRAX and LIFE OF AGONY with some of the hottest up-and-coming bands from the area for the best party on two legs.

Thal recently inked a deal with DEEP/BCD Music Group. His latest CD, "Abnormal", which was released on July 1 via all digital outlets, will be made available in October. The DEEP/BCD Music Group version of the album will include an exclusive bonus track not available anywhere else.

"Abnormal", the follow-up to Thal's previous offering, "Normal", is a hard rock album flavored with a light-hearted mix of different styles and genres, with catchy hooks and blistering guitar work. It contains "17 powerful, well-delivered tracks" featuring Thal's "incredible lyrics and seriously intense skills on the guitar," according to a press release. Drawing influences from such diverse artists as the SEX PISTOLS, THE BEATLES and FRANK ZAPPA, the CD is "sure to appeal to fans of GUNS N' ROSES as well as musicians everywhere."

O Núcleo de Investigação Criminal da GNR actuou no concelho do Sabugal no âmbito de inquéritos criminais que seguiam os seus trâmites. A operação na localidade de Santo Estêvão foi levada a cabo no dia 22 de Setembro, culminando na apreensão das 10 plantas de cannabis sativa. Já na Abitureira a operação realizou-se no dia 24 de Setembro, desta feita no cumprimento de mandados de busca a uma residência suspeita, onde foram encontradas cinco armas de fogo ilegais e 762 cartuchos. Na mesma data foram ainda cumpridos quatro mandados de captura. Os militares do Posto Territorial do Sabugal colaboraram nas duas operações.
Numa outra operação realizada em Seia, a GNR deteve um indivíduo de 30 anos, natural de Paranhos da Beira, pelos crimes de tráfico de droga e detenção de armas proibidas. Foi-lhe apreendido diverso tipo de estupefacientes (cannabis, haxixe, LSD e MDMA), armas brancas, uma viatura, dinheiro em numerário e ainda diversos utensílios utilizados na preparação da droga. Presente a interrogatório judicial, foi-lhe aplicada como medida de coação o Termo de Identidade e Residência e apresentações periódicas no posto policial da área de residência.
Em toda a semana transacta, de 22 a 28 de Setembro, o Grupo Territorial da Guarda da GNR registou 82 ocorrências criminais, de onde se destacam 17 furtos: três de veículos, um de objectos retirados de veículo, dois em residências, três em estabelecimentos comerciais, um de cobre e ferro e sete de outra natureza.
No mesmo período foram efectuadas oito detenções em flagrante delito, sendo cinco por condução sob efeito do álcool, uma por condução ilegal, uma por permanência ilegal em Território Nacional e uma por posse de estupefacientes.
Foram participados 19 incêndios florestais e um em habitação, por suspeita de mão criminosa.
Na madrugada de 24 para 25 de Setembro, o Grupo Territorial da Guarda levou a efeito uma grande operação em todo o distrito, vocacionada para a prevenção e o combate à criminalidade. Na mesma foram empenhados 72 militares, tendo-se fiscalizados 167 veículos. Foram elaborados seis autos de contra-ordenação, efectuadas quatro detenções por condução sob efeito do álcool e uma de cidadão estrangeiro por permanência ilegal em Território Nacional. Foram ainda notificados outros dois cidadãos para abandonarem o País.
Durante a semana registaram-se 18 acidentes de viação, sendo 12 por colisão e seis por despistes. Dos desastres houve a lamentar um morto e sete feridos leves.
A GNR levou ainda a efeito diversas acções de sensibilização a alunos das escolas do distrito, cujos temas foram «segurança Rodoviária» e «Segurança na escola».
plb

The October issue of Brazil's Rock Brigade magazine features an interview with GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

Rock Brigade: How was to record "Shackler's Revenge" [the new GUNS N' ROSES song which is featured on the Rock Band 2 soundtrack]? You did the solo (with your fretless), some rhythm in the pre-chorus and the last shredding in the ending, right?

Thal: If I remember right (barely remember anything more than five minutes ago, haha) it was one of the first songs we worked on. I played all the solos — the fretless solo followed by the fretted solo, the end tapping stuff and the bends ove

r it — also the rhythms throughout the song with all the riffing in them.

Rock Brigade: What do you think about the song?

Thal: I like the energy and groove. The vocals really grab ya. I don't think it's what people expect, like tasting somethin' for the first time... it takes a second to take in the info and sort it, then ya gotta taste it again, and ya start getting to know what you're tasting, trying to define it, and figure out if ya like it or not. That's how you know it's something unique, not your standard... chicken dinner.

According to RollingStone.com, the GUNS N' ROSES "Chinese Democracy" album track "If The World" — a version of which leaked earlier this year — will appear in the upcoming Leonard Dicaprio/Russell Crowe movie "Body of Lies", in theaters October 10. The track features the guitar work of GN'R guitarist

Robin Finck, as well as Buckethead, who left the band in 2004. The song plays during the closing credits of the movie, but it won't appear on the soundtrack album.

According to Billboard.com, Best Buy will be the exclusive retailer for "Chinese Democracy", which is tentatively due on November 25.

Ponham os polícias a policiar!

Não podia (infelizmente!) ter corrido melhor ao CDS/PP o dia em que interpelou o ministro da Administração Interna acerca da criminalidade violenta. É que foi nesse dia que, numa esquadra da PSP, um homem baleou outro. Como anteriormente já houvera a invasão de uma esquadra por um grupo de desordeiros, nada melhor para argumentar que "isto" anda tão mal que nem no seio da Polícia se está seguro

O ministro respondeu como seria de esperar, dizendo que se trabalha no sentido de pôr PSP e GNR mais operacionais e menos administrativas. Porque, embora Portugal tenha um altíssimo rácio população/agentes da ordem, não poderá concluir-se daí que somos um país bem policiado. Seremos, não mais, um país com muitos polícias.

Mas, nessas duas corporações, 43% dos agentes estão a fazer coisa diferente de tentar manter a ordem nas ruas. Em vez de pistolas dão-lhes computadores, em vez de aulas de artes marciais iniciam-nos na arte de bem multar, em vez de os pôr a patrulhar as ruas põem-nos a entregar notificações judiciais. Chegámos ao extremo ridículo de câmaras obrigarem as suas polícias municipais (são polícias como os outros, ou estarei enganado?) a garantir 36 reboques ou sete bloqueamentos diários!

As organizações sindicais dizem que o referido rácio ainda não chega, que faltam 2200 agentes para as coisas melhorarem. Mas os governos, quando lhes falam em aumentar o número de funcionários, ficam com os cabelos em pé (défice oblige...).

Pelo que, mesmo que a interpelação do CDS/PP releve de algum oportunismo, há que exigir ao Governo que se apresse na tarefa de aproveitar melhor as potencialidades dos agentes. Tirando-os da caça à multa e pondo-os a fazer aquilo a que se refere o comunicado oficial da PSP de Portimão, segundo o qual a agente que controlou a situação usou "o treino para a qual havia sido preparada". Ou seja, combater o crime, em qualquer das suas fases - não passar duas multas diárias, número mínimo para "cumprir os critérios de avaliação de desempenho"...

I've had a chance to listen to several of the new songs because some guy I ran into at an out of town wedding had them on his iPod and was playing them all weekend. I am a longtime GNR fan so I have a pretty good frame of reference, for what it's worth...

Better

Better starts off with a kind of creepy little intro. It's a pretty classic catchy GNR tune with a good guitar riff line and various different Axl Rose voices. The guitar solo is noticeably different and a touch flashy, but it definitely pays respect to what Slash created.

I like it.

The Blues

I think this is my favorite so far. It starts out with a piano intro, but it isn't a 3 minute intro, rather about 45 secinds or so. This is another catchy song witha very memorable melody that I find myself humming now and again. The Blues has a great explosive solo that is slinky and purposely driven, yet not a copycat of Slash. This song kinda feels like a more efficient November Rain or Don't Cry type of song.

I like it. I like it a lot.

Chinese Democracy

Chinese Democracy has a cool intro that just sucks you right in (once it gets started! A la Tool, there is about a minute of background noises before it starts, but then it just wallops you over the head. It's a harder edge songs with minimal instrumentation during the verses. 

The solo and lead guitar lines sound like old Alice in Chains from the 90's.

I like it.

If The World

If The World is the first song I've heard from this album that takes me to a new place. It's got a swanky kind of beat to it and a flameno flavor guitar line. I am faintly reminded of Maroon 5 on this song. Axle is using a high pitch, yet not strained, voal styling. There isn't a whole lot of guitar going on in this song. I may not be hearing it correctly, but it's got a catchy chorus:

"If the world would end today /all the dreams we've had would all just slip away

no theres nothing more to say / if the world would end itd'll all just slip away"

The solo at the end is like a classic Carlos Santana jam! If not my favorite, this is easily my number 2 favorite.

I like it. I like it a lot.

IRS

IRS starts out with a whiny Axl that leads into almost a spoken word type of thing but not nearly as bad as a William Shatner dibacle. IRS is a little more harder edge with another different flavor of guitar solo, almost reminiscent of Nirvana, but a little less 'random' than some of those were. The solo at the end is back to an AIC style, though. A lot of repetitive lyrics in this one make it a 2nd tier type of song, whereas I consider everything else that has been presented so far as a 1st tier song.

It's ok, it' sone of those middle of the road tunes like a Yesterdays or 14 Years but without Slash making it something you may hold out for the guitar solo for.

Madagascar

This one starts to harken back to the Estranged era of epic songs having to mesh together to create some greater menaing. Definitely a 2nd tier song with high asperations. What I really don't like is there is about 2 minutes in th middle of the song that is audio of a movie or something. I don't get anything out of the addition of this. A great guitar solo here would be what this song needs to help it out. It is not unheard of for GNR to change song arrangements and lyrics up, so hopefully my feedback will help :-)

Not my favorite. Hopefully it will be tweaked, or it may be a flop if it's one of those highly marketed songs.

"New Song #1" - This I Love ?

Harder edge song with a screaming Axl belting out lyrics at a frantic pace. Good, short,  guitar driven song with a forgetable guitar solo thrown in for good measure. Based on the number of mentions, this could be called, "Sweet Salvation". Who knows. 

It's ok.

Rumor has it that a completed album has been delivered to the record company and that the release extravaganza details are being negotiated. After 14 years in the making, I think it's time to just release the thing! Some details have suggested that Chinese Democracy is a multi album compilation - I've heard 2 albums and I've heard 4 albums - and after the 2008 release of the first iteration, I've heard 2012 for another release - I don't know if that is the 4th, the 2nd, or something else alltogether. GNR has never been short in the suspense department.

I am very excited to hear whatever is put out, and that is SOLELY based on the 9 tracks I've heard thus far (I will review the last 2 songs next week). Prior to this "secret leak", I had written off Axl Rose's new lineup with the GNR name. 

I've started to find live shows that he has been playing over the past few years and most of the show remains true to the shows I was accustomed to seeing in the 90's. A few of the new songs have been played, so these are a calculated "leak", I suspect.

At any rate, I'm very excited and hope to see something in the stores soon!

Nota: em boa verdade, há que reconhecer que esta guerra mediática pode ter muito a ver com os resultados de recentes inquéritos de opinião. Um PR em queda nas sondagens e um membro deslocado de um Governo cada vez mais impopular digladiam-se. Só um vencerá - e a História não tende a favorecer os mais fracos.

2. O PS quer dificultar a participação em eleições legislativas dos emigrantes. Como? Impedindo que possam votar por correspondência, restando-lhes dirigirem-se ao consulado mais próximo (o que, virtualmente, torna o exercício do direito de voto impossível a muitos deles). Porquê? O PSD é o grande beneficiário dos votos dos emigrantes - nas últimas eleições, dos quatro eleitos pelos dois círculos internacionais (UE e fora da UE), conseguiu três. E a esmagadora maioria dos votos foi feito por... correspondência. Manuela Ferreira Leite fala, e bem, em instrumentalização das leis da República.

Esta será a segunda grande utilização do poder com fins partidários por este Governo, depois dos cortes de gastos com a RA Madeira na sequência de uma estratégia assumida publicamente pelo PM de conquistar o bastião social-democrata a todo o custo (neste caso, Alberto João Jardim demonstrou porque é que está a três décadas no Governo Regional: demitiu-se e convocou eleições antecipadas, que lhe deram uma vitória esmagadora e, mais do que isso, detonaram o "grande plano" de Sócrates, ao revolucionarem o calendário eleitoral).

Num momento em que o Partido Socialista se debate com a forte possibilidade de perder a maioria absoluta, quatro votos tornam-se mais importantes do que o seu valor absoluto. E tudo vale - até golpes de secretaria que distorçam a natureza democrática do regime.

3. Na sequência de uma notícia aqui referida, o PSD vai chamar o Ministro da Economia, Manuel Pinho, para explicar a desistência de uma empresa aeronáutica em instalar uma unidade de produção no Alentejo. Subjaz a este pedido a intenção de escrutinar o empenho pessoal e circunstancial do Ministro e das agências especializadas no sucesso daquele projecto.

Porém, como referi no post sobre a notícia, a questão não passa tanto por isso, mas antes pela burocracia e entraves colocados pelo sistema (normas, Administração Pública) à concretização atempada de investimentos privados. Esses problemas não podem ser imputados a um só Ministro, correndo o risco de se cair em demagogia.

Desde quase sempre que os investidores privados em Portugal se deparam com uma situação de bloqueio - uma verdadeira Muralha burocrática que entrava a economia e potencia fenómenos de corrupção e arbitrariedade (favorecimento de grupos afectos ao Partido no poder). E a edificação da Muralha (ou, pelo menos, a sua solidificação no regime democrático pós-1974) é tanto resultado das experiências de governação do PS como do PSD. E não de um Ministro, por pior que ele seja

4. O Tribunal distrital de Haia ilibou o Governo holandês das acusações de cumplicidade no massacre de Srebrenica. O órgão judicial aproveitou uma brecha - criada pelo facto de os militares estarem então sob a alçada das Nações Unidas - para afirmar que a Holanda não pode ser responsabilizada, ao mesmo tempo que a ONU também não, por gozar de imunidade. No entanto, é inacreditável que o Governo Holandês de então não tivesse qualquer poder sobre as suas próprias tropas.

Ou seja, uma vez mais, a culpa morre solteira. Responsáveis militares (e políticos?) de um país democrático e que afirma respeitar os direitos humanos literalmente entregaram para a morte centenas de homens muçulmanos no maior massacre dos últimos cinquenta anos na Europa. E não há responsáveis. Uma vez mais digo que é preciso repensar seriamente a Ordem Internacional. Isto não pode continuar.

5. A edição escrita do DN noticia também o caso de uma mulher de 50 anos, com hepatite em fase terminal e sob coma induzido, que foi acordada para se casar com o pai do seu filho, naquele que foi o seu último acto consciente. Uma história de ficar sem palavras: final feliz num mundo triste.

"Maybe with these new tools you can live forever, but the joy of it-the meaning of it [life]-will melt away like ice cream on an August afternoon."

Is McKibben right? If so, how might our immortal, transhuman counterparts define a "meaningful life?" If not, and the next step in human evolution is to turn ourselves into Borg-like bio-machines, on what grounds might it be ethically justifiable to put an end to such evolutionary progress (i.e. When, if ever, should we say 'Enough')? 

--Since we do not know what humanity will be like if and when this happens, we have no right to say that lives will not be meaningful.  Honestly, it is hard to imagine any kind of meaningful life as a Borg, but who are we to define what is meaningful for all time?  Those who inherit this planet will make that decision as to whether or not their lives are meaningful.  

The things that McKibben does that make his life meaningful certainly will not hold the same meaning in the future if this becomes a reality, but nothing that we think makes our lives meaningful will matter either.  I imagine that to avoid dissonance, the beings of the future will justify their lives by at least convincing themselves that they are meaningful, whether we, in 2008, find their reasons meaningful or not.

As autoridades detiveram hoje de madrugada dois indivíduos suspeitos de envolvimento em vários assaltos à mão armada a bombas de gasolina, "carjacking" e roubos de máquinas Multibanco.

A operação incluiu ainda a recuperação de três viaturas roubadas, uma delas por "carjacking", e saldou-se em ferimentos ligeiros em dois elementos da GNR.

Militares da corporação, em colaboração com a Polícia Judiciária, tinham começado a seguir hoje de madrugada, cerca das 2h00, na Margem Sul, duas viaturas suspeitas de estarem a ser utilizadas pelo chamado "gang do Multibanco", responsável por assaltos a bombas de gasolina e roubos de máquinas de Multibanco.

Ler noticia completa: http://sic.aeiou.pt/online/noticias/pais/GNR+deteve+dois+elementos+do+gang+do+Multibanco.htm

Ver vídeo: http://sic.aeiou.pt/online/scripts/2007/videopopup2008.aspx?videoId={08449AAB-0E98-4BB8-B988-332A43E55D3C}

SIC Online (SIC, SIC Noticias com Lusa)

Os quatro jovens, com idade compreendidas entre os 18 e 22 anos e todos residentes em Fafe, são presumíveis autores de mais de duas dezenas de assaltos à mão armada, ocorridos nos últimos 5 meses e levados a efeito em estabelecimentos de cafetaria, restaurantes e farmácias nas zonas de Felgueiras, Guimarães, Póvoa de Lanhoso, Celorico e Cabeceiras de Basto, entre outras.

As deslocações para os locais de assalto foram concretizadas em viaturas furtadas, sendo os roubos antecedidos de disparos com armas de fogo para intimidação dos presentes.

Actuando de forma organizada e com acentuada violência, apropriavam-se de dinheiro cujo montante ascende a 10.000 euros e telemóveis.

Foram apreendidas duas pistolas de calibre 6.35 mm, gorros, luvas e vestuário utilizado na prática das assaltos e produto estupefaciente.

Os quatro detidos foram presentes a interrogatório judicial e aplicação de adequadas medidas de coacção.

Pelas 16H30 no DIC de Braga poderão ser prestados alguns esclarecimentos complementares.

pr. Polícia Judiciária

преоткривам наново любимата си музика - винаги съм обожавала GNR, а сега - още повече. кеф ми е да слушам разни любими работи, докато се навъртам около малкия - заклевам се, това мое дете ще израсте в правата музика, а като поотрасне малко, ще ходи с баща си по концерти и ще тръскат дълги коси в мелнички и куфеене!

"The GNR technologies do not divide clearly into commercial and military uses; given their potential in the market, it's hard to imagine pursuing them only in national laboratories. With their widespread commercial pursuit, enforcing relinquishment will require a verification regime similar to that for biological weapons, but on an unprecedented scale. This, inevitably, will raise tensions between our individual privacy and desire for proprietary information, and the need for verification to protect us all. We will undoubtedly encounter strong resistance to this loss of privacy and freedom of action."

This statement provides a sober look at what might be necessary steps to ensure the safety of humanity. Do you think the exchange of privacy and freedom for the promise of security is wise? It was Benjamin Franklin who at the time of the American Revolution said, "He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither."

--What types of oversight should there be for this?  There would be no way to come to an agreement (between individual countries, especially.)  Is it really possible to face the issue and then come up with some kind of concensus about how to improve it?  Bill Joy says that half of our measures will be ineffective anyways.  We can either control the problem or we can't.  There is no middle ground.  We cannot put the genie back in the bottle if he gets out, but in the past, that has not always been a bad thing.

Tirem a venda da justiça

O infinito disparate do tribunal de Loures de tratar da mesma maneira o militar da GNR que tentava deter um grupo de assaltantes e os próprios assaltantes ilustra o maior problema de Portugal nesta fase da sua vida democrática.

Se juízes e procuradores em Loures não conseguem distinguir entre crime e ordem mantendo as suas decisões num limbo palavroso de incoerências politicamente correctas e medos de existir, nada nos defende da desordem. A disléxica significância actual do estatuto de "arguido" que permite na mesma penada dar rótulos idênticos a criminosos e agentes da ordem pública é um absurdo em qualquer norma civilizada.

Esta justiça, ou ausência dela, faz de Portugal um país perigoso para se viver em 2008. O militar da GNR chamado para restabelecer a ordem e o "pai" foragido da prisão que levou o filho num assalto não podem ser tratados da mesma maneira por um justiça que meramente cumpre rituais de burocracia. A cegueira da crise na justiça está a originar que a mensagem pública que surge destas decisões agudize a sensação de insegurança e fragilize a capacidade do Estado de manter a ordem pública.

Chegou a altura de retirar a venda da justiça em Portugal para ela ver para onde está a levar o país, aplicada como tem sido num sinistro cocktail de sabores do PREC, heranças do totalitarismo, inseguranças políticas, ambiguidades e ignorâncias cobertas por mantos diáfanos de academia-faz-de-conta.

Nesta rapsódia de dissonâncias que é a interpretação apriorística e receosa de normas mal definidas, mantém-se sem conclusão o julgamento da Casa Pia que nestes anos todos perdeu qualquer hipótese de juízo sério. Não se consegue entregar Esmeralda a quem lhe garanta a infância normal a que tem direito porque Esmeralda teve o azar de nascer num país onde o Direito não é normal. Caímos no ridículo internacional com a instrução desastrada e provinciana do caso McCann onde tudo falhou. Da letra da lei, à sua interpretação, à sua aplicação. E agora em Loures diz-se ao país que é a mesma coisa tentar manter a ordem em condições extremas e levar um filho num assalto depois de se ter fugido da prisão. É tudo arguido com a mesma medida de coação.

O que a Judicatura e a Procuradoria de Loures mostraram ao País não foi que a justiça é cega. Foi a cegueira da justiça em Portugal. Disseram que é a mesma coisa ser-se um cidadão militar agente da lei e um foragido apanhado em flagrante, armado com calibres letais e disfarçado com identidades falseadas.

A continuar assim teremos que bramir armas em público como os mais fundamentalistas intérpretes da Constituição americana dizem que podem. E temos que ir dormir a condomínios privados porque a cidade e as zonas rurais estão a saque dos grupos que nomadizam armados à espera de uma aberta, e nós teremos que nos defender.

Precisamos de procuradores capazes, juízes justos e de um ministro da Justiça que consiga administrar os meios do Estado. Obviamente não os temos no actual quadro do funcionalismo público. Por favor subcontratem. Estrangeiros mesmo, que os há muito bons, porque a coisa aqui está preta.