| Review: GarageBand '08
With the release of GarageBand '08, Apple shifts its focus back to musicians, as most of the program's major new features—Magic GarageBand, multi-take recording, arrangements, broader automation capabilities, and Visual EQ—nicely augment the music-making process. Modestly magical During his recent demonstration of GarageBand, Steve Jobs spent the bulk of his time showing off Magic GarageBand, a different, template-driven view of the program that places a five-piece virtual band at your disposal. To direct that band to play, you select one of nine styles—blues, rock, jazz, country, reggae, funk, Latin, roots rock, and slow blues—choose to listen to a musical snippet or the entire tune, and click the Play button. The sounds of a very polished band then emerge from your Mac. If you click on the Audition button, you can then select one of the instruments—bass, guitar, drums, keyboard, and lead instrument—and choose a different instrument to play that instrumental part (horns or violin for the lead instrument, for example).
Hamas troops work Gaza border gap
Hamas won Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006 and forcibly seized control of Gaza from the rival Fatah faction in June. But the Islamic militant group had no role in controlling Gaza's border crossings before the breach on Wednesday. Now, Hamas hopes to change that. The temporary cooperation appeared to be between low-level guards on the ground and not to be indicative of any change in policy by Hamas or the Egyptian government, which are still far apart on the question of control of the border. Egypt wants to restore an arrangement whereby the border was controlled jointly by the Palestinian Authority headed by Fatah, Israel and European monitors. Hamas rejects the old system and is pushing for a new one where it has a role. Hundreds of Egyptian forces have been deployed around the border for several days, and some guards have also crossed briefly into Gaza.
What's Happening | Bologna
Bologna is a microcosm of everything that's right about Italy: friendly residents, walkable sites, beautiful architecture and amazing food. And for all its beloved medieval charm -- the feudal towers that dot the skyline, a university that was founded in 1088, porticos that stretch for miles -- Bologna has more than a few unexpected and contemporary surprises up its sleeve.WHERE TO STAY• Bologna Art Hotels (www.bolognarthotels.it) has four hotels around the city. Hotel Commercianti, Via de Pignattari, is the most central one, just south of Piazza Maggiore, with comfortable, elegant rooms starting at $308, or $418 with balcony, breakfast included. (011-39-051) 745-7511.• Una Hotel, Viale Pietramellara, is stylish and boutique-y, awash in red leather and frosted glass. The hotel is a bit remote, near the train station at the northwest end of town, but rooms start at about $208 with breakfast.
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