Helena Rocks

I've been hearing the song "Helena" being played a lot on the radio and quite surprised to know that they are a 5 piece band from New Jersey, U.S.A. called My Chemical Romance. It's no surprise to me, however, that bands like "The Cure and "Thursday" are just some of their major influences since most rockstars love these bands anyway. When I first saw their video of the song Helena on MTV I thought they're some British band because they don't look like a typical American band to me. I love the video, the gothic feel especially the part when the dead girl arises from her coffin and did this whole ballet sequence it was rather creepy, I think it's really cool too. The concept is quite surreal, the person who thought of this video must be really creative. I have never seen anything as unique as this one in any music video before. I thought the MV is just beautiful, I'm addicted to it I'll watch over and over again.


You can watch the MV here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqi1UTGjqso

Rockstar INXS Mig

I missed last week's episodes of Rockstar INXS. I read about controversies involving JD and all the other performers. Sad to know that Neil's journey to rock stardom has come to an end but that's okay he's got his own band anyway. Mig, who's a half Pinoy is my personal favorite apart from Jordis and JD because to me he is one of the best. I love the way he owns the stage during his performance. I find him really sexy it comes out naturally. He's not very good looking but he's got a nice bod, firm chest hehe. Most of all, I love him for his talent so way to go Mig Ayesa. Rock on.

Gook Book 1 Utterly Outrageous Recipe of the Month: GIANT SNAILS

Water Snails

Giant Snails If you are in the mood of something really different, try the most exotic meat on earth: the AMAZON WATER SNAILS. 

At the center of the world: Ecuador, the Amazon water snails have been an important part of the local Indians diet since it is rich in digestible proteins, low in fat, high in amino acids and minerals and it is easily digestible. Also, this exotic meat has aphrodisiac propriety; its taste and texture are very similar to that of an octopus. I personally recommend two species: * Giant Amazon water snail (Ampularia spp): the snail is the size of a human hand, with a weight of up to 250 grams when alive. The shell has a color that varies from white to brown, which is very appealing to the eye. Normal Amazon water snail (Pomacea spp.): the snail reaches a size of up to 3 inches, with a weight of up to 120 grams when alive. The shell has a color that varies from yellow to brown. In both species, the whole body except its viscera is eaten. The meat has a light yellow color to a brown color, except when it reaches the reproductory stage when the meat turns dark brown.

Just Got Lucky

I just got promoted. I don't know, must be a stroke of luck or something.


Every time I'm planning to leave this job I always get a promotion. It's kind of strange but I guess I'm stuck in here. Well, things happen for a reason. Whatever it is, it might be good for me... is it? I've always been a workaholic but not to get promoted because I don't care about those things. I'm not looking forward to something in return, just doing my thing.

I put my best foot forward in whatever I do but not to impress. I don't want to be a hypocrite, I'm happy of course I'll be lying if I'll say that I'm not. For crying out loud, I think my job is perhaps the easiest job in the world. It's kinda stressful but not as tough as other jobs out there. Oh well, it gets pretty challenging and rewarding sometimes and what's good about it is that I don't have to deal with difficult people most of all I love the graveyard shift. I can't imagine myself having a day job anymore. Battling every day with morning traffic is a pain. I'd probably turn to dust under the morning sun.


But seriously, I don't know what will happens next. I've always known that every job promotion comes bigger responsibilities and more challenges of course. It won't be easy, I guess I have to deal with it for now.

The Rock Poster - An Overview

The Birth of the Rock Poster

The earliest rock posters were no different than the big band and country music posters that came before them. They were "boxing" style posters, incorporating simple block lettering with unadorned photographs of the performers. Although a few early R and B posters added brightly colored backgrounds and some occasional background art, the rock poster would remain largely unchanged from its inception until late 1965.

San Francisco Rock Posters

Rock art poster is way cool

Between 1966 and 1971, over 450 posters were printed to advertise rock concerts promoted in San Francisco by Bill Graham and by The Family Dog alone. (In The Family Dog series there were 160 numbered posters (including 16 concerts produced in Denver, Colorado) and in the Bill Graham Series there were 289 numbered posters.) These dance-concerts initially were local events showcasing local talent but as their popularity increased, they featured performances by many of the most famous rock acts of the time.


These events were more than conventional concerts. They were social gatherings which took place in a total environment of music, dance and light. They were the precursors of the "happenings" of the 1960's art scene and they were the epitome of hippie culture.


As for the posters themselves, they were of extreme artistic importance. They were daring and highly experimental in their use of color and in their use of lettering which was considered illegible to all but the initiated. They were the first commercial art form to totally subjugate the advertising content of the poster to the overall focus of the artist's statement. This had an irrepressible effect on the future of advertising in general and the poster in particular. Their role was to change forever the concept of what a poster could and couldn't be.


As these posters began to flourish in the San Francisco Area, the new art form which they had created quickly spread to the major metropolitan areas of the United States and England. The art form thrived and influenced artists the world over.


Punk and New Wave Fliers

After the closing of the Fillmore West in 1971, Bill Graham and others continued to sporadically issue posters but they had become an afterthought created mostly as commemorative pieces to satisfy the appetite of marketing managers and the burgeoning rock merchandising machine. As Disco and Stadium Rock took over the mainstream, a new counterculture began to emerge. Rejecting the smooth, finished look and style of their contemporaries, Punk artists embraced the grittiness and immediacy of the Xerox machine and pumped out 8 1/2 by 11 inch black and white fliers. New Wave posters added color and a different graphics look and feel but largely stayed with the flier-sized format.

By now rock posters had become an accepted collectible with thousands of serious collectors and part-time aficionados pursuing these objects of their affection. With a false sense of complacency, they believed that completion of their collections was within arm's reach. The late '80s would prove to be a dangerous assumption.


The Silkscreen Movement

Fueled by a curious mix of psychedelia, pop culture and punk-rock ethos, the roots of the silkscreen movement were laid down in Texas. A thriving local flier and poster scene had borrowed from all that had come before it and was beginning to create something new and vibrant. Throw into the mix fortuitous access to a local screen printer and a new era for the rock poster was officially born. The realization that a screen, a squeegee and a few cans of ink allowed an enterprising artist to create top quality posters in small runs, instantly leveled the playing field and created an entire generation of artist/entrepreneurs.


The New Fillmore and BGP Series

About this same time in San Francisco, Bill Graham realized that changes in the rock music industry had brought things full circle and that the time was ripe for a return to small intimate venues. With this return to his roots, Graham decided to re-establish his time-honored tradition of advertising rock concerts with posters. That this tradition still continues almost 600 posters later and despite Graham's untimely passing, is a lasting tribute to his impact on the world of rock poster collecting.


Where Do We Go From Here?

Today, we stand at yet another crossroads. The digital revolution has added a new set of tools to the poster makers arsenal. Never before has it been so easy for so many to create posters...yet few have become masters of the new tools. Fewer still have been able to find a true creative outlet through them. Those who have, inspire us and, as in any era, grace us with the beauty of their creations, illuminating the way to a brave new world of poster collecting.



Source: www.rockpostercollector.com
More rock art poster links: http://search.ratethenet.com/rock_posters

No Music, No Life

I woke up at 5AM yesterday and like to watch TV but my twin sister's still fast asleep I turn the radio on instead and tuned in to NU107, unfortunately, they're off-air it's too early I forgot that it was a Monday they will be signing on at 6AM as well other FM stations. I accidentally tuned in to RJ FM and they were playing Beatles' songs. I thought it's pretty cool to start my Monday morning. I miss listening to The Beatles' music. 

When I was young my brother and my mom played a lot their songs over and over again that I started to memorize the lyrics. They're big fans of The Beatles they got me and my twin sister listening to their music too. I guess I got my earliest influence in music from my mom, she loves music too. When I was five or six years old she would play a lot of old songs from the likes of Frank Sinatra, Neil Sedaka, Connie Francis, Sue Thompson, Elvis Prestley, The Cascades, The Carpenters, Everly Brothers, and the list goes on.


My mom loves to sing and play the guitar. When she was a kid she plays the "bandurria," (a plucked chordophone from Spain, similar to the mandolin, primarily used in Spanish folk music, but also found in countries that were once colonies of Spain) and was a part of a huge music club that play stringed instruments during her grade school days. My brother, myself and my twin got our penchant for stringed instruments mostly from mom though my dad plays the guitar too. My brother's been playing the guitar as early as 9 years old whilst the two of us started when we were already 14. I must admit that I'm still not good at it because playing the guitar to me is really hard to master. Anybody can play the guitar but not everyone can play it really well, I think,


I used to sing back in grade school and high school but didn't really enjoy being put on the spot especially during school programs, sucks big time you know I'd rather be in class. I don't really care to be popular, not my thing. I remember training for the Center for Pop Music Philippines in Grade 4 but I didn't like it since I don't have plans of becoming a pop star anyway, not for me.


I realized that I'm not into pop music in high school. Thank God pop music isn't the only music I can listen to. There are other music genres. I'm happy with my chosen genre which is rock even if it's not the kind most people listen to or appreciate they say it's just noise or maybe they just don't care to listen. I don't listen to pop music a lot but at least I care to listen. There are really good pop musicians out there, I respect the genre so to speak. I don't have to like it, I'm not supposed to.


Music is freedom.

Wedding from Hell

A goth wedding for a change, why not? 

Till Death Do Us Part on MTV

Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro's wedding invites

I saw Carmen Electra's wedding on MTV's reality tv series "Till Death Do Us Part" just a while back. I kinda like the whole goth motif for some reason where everybody's got to wear black. I love the black bouquet too it's my first time to see one like that. Carmen, the bride is the only exception, of course, she has to be in a white gown. At first, I thought why not a black gown for a change but that would be too much I think since a wedding is supposedly still a sacred ceremony so it wouldn't be appropriate for the bride to wear black.


Dave Navarro's (Jane's Addiction's guitarist) is looking hot in a black suit. His goth get-up wouldn't be complete without his black nail polish, kinda like a corporate goth look to me. It's like heaven and hell concept, Carmen is the angel and Dave is the devil.


I've seen a goth wedding on TV before I think that was in Las Vegas where odd weddings usually take place. There was this room surrounded by black candles and rose petals scattered on the floor. The couple is dressed in black it's almost like their attending a funeral instead of a wedding but it was really cool. I like that wedding better to be honest because of its simplicity and solemnity.


A goth wedding is pretty unconventional but it's okay for me because that day must be special and memorable for a couple.



Rock n' roll.

Scrambled Bains, Anyone?

I just wanted to share this weird recipe I'm not sure if I can even eat this it's kinda gross, I think. These are not my words from the writer on the link below. Here you go.

Scrambled Brains

When I was growing up I spent a lot of time at my grandparents' house. I remember that very often on Sunday mornings and occasionally for dinner, my grandmother would fix an appetizing dish consisting of scrambled eggs and calves brains. Now, this I was told is a delicacy, who made this so I can't imagine. I can remember that the brains were mixed into the eggs and were rather hard to distinguish, except for the paler color. While I suppose it wasn't horrible, for a child it was a rather traumatic experience being expected to eat this stuff. On the other hand, another regular dish at grandma's was something called blood sausage, which is indeed made of pigs blood, barley, and spices and when cooked is a black looking sausage. To this day it is one of my favorite things, but for some reason, it's very hard to find. Hmm.


What's cooking? My outrageous recipe of the month is Scrambled Brains taken from Gook Book 0. for more outrageous recipes visit www.lavamind.com/food.html

Blackout

I got totally pissed last night. After the rain poured heavily, a blackout occurred thrice while I was in the middle of something on my computer and later while I was watching TV. Each blackout lasted for approximately 3 minutes only but imagine how annoying it is not being able to finish what you're doing due to continuous interruptions. Blackouts in this town usually last for many hours especially when it's raining really bad. What's worst is that the water supply here gets cut off too since it's dependent on electricity.

After these blackouts, I thought everything will be okay until our cable signal just went off the air too possibly due to heavy rains as well. I waited patiently for the signal to come back but it took a while the dead air's killing me already I thought maybe something's wrong with either the TV or the cable wire I tried a little troubleshooting  out of curiosity I inserted the tip of a ballpen through the small hole beside the volume button of the TV. After 20 minutes, the cable signal came on. I'm not sure if I was able to fix something or it was just coincidence that made it work. A couple of hours had passed I think around 2AM the cable went off again while I was in the middle of watching a movie. I'm wanting to stab the TV out of frustration good thing it fixed itself and it was just rather quick.


What have I done to deserve this?

Be Safe Than Sorry

I thought about this e-mail that was forwarded to me. It made me extra cautious about food handling because I noticed these days that food poisoning is getting rampant. I'd like to share this not to scare but to inform and warn people about the reality that this incident can happen to anyone. Life is precious, it shouldn't be put to waste.

A stock clerk was sent to clean up a storeroom in Maui, Hawaii. When he got back, he was complaining that the storeroom was really filthy and that he had noticed dried mouse or rat droppings in some areas. A couple of days later, he started to feel like he was coming down with stomach flu, complained of sore joints and headaches and began to vomit. He went to bed and never really got up again. Within two days he was severely ill and weak. His blood sugar count was down to 66 and his face and eyeballs were yellow. He was rushed to the emergency at Pali-Momi, where he was diagnosed to be suffering from massive organ failure. He died shortly before midnight. No one would have made the connection between his job and his death, had it not been for a doctor who specifically asked if he had been in a warehouse or exposed to dried rat or mouse droppings at any time. They said there is a virus (much like the Hanta virus) that lives in dried rat and mouse droppings. Once dried, these droppings are like dust and can easily be breathed in or ingested if a person does not wear protective gear or fails to wash face and hands thoroughly.


An autopsy was performed on the clerk to verify the doctor's suspicions. This is why it is extremely important to ALWAYS carefully rinse off the tops of canned sodas or foods and to wipe off pasta packaging, cereal boxes and so on. Almost everything you buy in a supermarket was stored in a warehouse at one time or another and stores themselves often have rodents. Most of us remember to wash vegetables and fruits but never think of boxes and cans. The ugly truth is, even the most modern, upper class, superstore have rats and mice. And their warehouse most assuredly does! Whenever you buy any canned soft drink, please make sure that you wash the top with running water and soap or, if that is not available, drink with a straw. The investigation of soda cans by the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta discovered that the tops of soda cans can be encrusted with dried rat's urine, which is so toxic it can be lethal. Canned drinks and other foodstuff are stored in warehouses and containers that are usually infested with rodents, and then they get transported to retail outlets without being properly cleaned.

Mummified : Egyptian Mummification

The truth on the mysterious death of one of ancient Egypt's great rulers King Tutankhamen was unraveled on National Geographic's feature presentation on "Pharaoh's Week" last Sunday. They presented overwhelming facts that led to the true cause of Tutankhamen's death. He died of infection due to an open fractured wound on his knee however, scientists also gave convincing evidence on speculations that he was either murdered or he fell off his chariot on his way to a battle that caused his untimely death.


It was also clarified the myth regarding the curse that whoever dares touch his corpse will die. Truth is that there is really a curse, a biological curse. Logical thinking no matter how Egyptians think that mummification is a sanitary way of embalming their dead, there are still risks involved. Exposure to biological hazards surrounding those tombs can cause serious health problems.


I've always been fascinated with Egyptian's art and culture particularly their practice of mummification. Back in school, I did a baby thesis about mummification for one of my English minor subjects.


The process of embalming the dead is a painstaking task. It's not just removing the vital organs, drying the body, wrapping it then putting it in a casket afterward. Egyptians mummify their dead because they believe that there were six important aspects that made up a human being: the physical body, shadow, name, ka (spirit), ba (personality), and the akh (immortality). Each one of these elements played an important role in the well being of an individual. Each was necessary to achieve rebirth into the afterlife.


Mummification involves careful preparation of the body because an intact body was an integral part of a person's afterlife. Without a physical body, there was no shadow, no name, no ka, ba, or akh. By mummification, the Egyptians believed they were assuring themselves a successful rebirth into the afterlife. That study gave me so much respect for the Egyptians philosophy towards death and their remarkable way of preserving the human body.


http://www.geocities.com/isis_artemis_0/ancientegyptmummy.htm
(Pictures of Mummies, Funerary Carvings, and Reliefs)

http://members.aol.com/egyptart/mummy.html
An Egyptian Mummification