Archives For October 2007

First, before anyone complains about my opinion, I’m writing this reviews not only as a person who listens to Celtic Woman, but also as someone who’s bought tons of DVDs, and even has made some in her short career.

I’ve got my complete Celtic Woman DVD collection, of sorts…
– Celtic Woman
– Celtic Woman: Live at Slane Castle
– Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration

First, some facts on Amy relating to Celtic Woman:
– Saw them on a PBS (Public Broadcasting SOMETHING SOMETHING hahaha) in Canada
– Were in Vancouver, but missed them coz I had classes.
– Fiddling is cool, Amy thinks.
– Saw clips of the Slane Castle show, and bought the DVD.
– The 2nd DVD was the first in my collection.

Reviews Continue Reading…

E! Entertainment Television Latin America is re-broadcasting or did a re-run of their 101 Reasons the 90’s Ruled like at 3 a.m. – that was a longggggg time ago, back when Dave Navarro was still married to Carmen Electra and sharing the same on-air space… or when Nicole Ritchie was not pregnant, even way before she went all eating-disordered on us.

I think those are the bits that I can recall at the moment. Also, one of my cousin’s favorite America’s Next Top Model contestants (if not THE favorite) – Kim… Holtz – was that her last name? You all know who I’m talking about. Was she on cycle 5?

Oh, the 90’s. Those were 10 years of my life. From the beginning of 1990 when I was turning 4 years old… until the end of 1999 when I was about to turn 14. Now, the 90’s in Peru was a whole different thing. For starters, since there wasn’t much technology, or cable TV… and the world was basically not really global – everywhere in the world was different.

Liveman - RaibumanBefore there were Power Rangers… my cousins and I (and all Peruvian kids at the time, for that matter) got Liveman. Known by the Japanese (according to imdb, anyway) as Choju Sentai Raibuman – get it? Raibu ~ Live? According to imdb, this show is listed in the year 1988… BUT, it is a Peruvian 90’s treat. At first, we had our three Liveman ~ Red Falcon, Yellow Lion and Blue Dolphin. We had the bad guys, the monsters, our giant robot. My cousin would be more than happy to elaborate on that… and then two more Liveman were added to the bunch, making the magic number FIVE!

After Liveman, we got Flashman! Though according to imdb, this is a 1986 show, we got it after Liveman. Choshinsei Furasshuman was about 5 young people (three guys, two girls) who were kidnapped when they were babies and raised and trained in different planets. I think that when they were young adults, the planets were attacked or something and they all went back to Earth – this is the bit where the bad guys and monsters arrive, and you know the drill. There was the Red Flash, the Blue Flash, the Green Flash, the Yellow Flash and the Pink Flash. =D

Another memory of childhood was Jiban, or Kidou Keiji Jiban (according to Wikipedia) – or the sucky English title, Mobile Sheriff Jiban. I mainly remember it as plain Jiban. To make things simple, Jiban was like Robocop, but the inspector or detective could switch robot-mode on and off as he wanted… and well, there were robo-monsters. The show is listed as a 1989 release… another example of the 90’s in Peru.

If we continued to take a look at shows, we notice a LOT of Japanese shows. On TNP, every afternoon we got Noppo & Gonta, also popularly known as Puedo Hacerlo Yo (I Can Do It) or by its Japanese (this is a NHK show) name Dekiru-kana which gave its ‘classical’ tune haha… Dekiru-kana, dekiru-kana – Zate Zate ho ho! – oh those were the times. I even found some other links about this show, take a look at them:

Everyone loved Noppo and Gonta. Noppo’s codename (meaning, his real name… Takami Yoshiaki) – Take look at it here… Noppo-san is a famous Japanese! and even Gonta-kun made it to the list of famous Japanese!

Maybe other favorite Japanese shows in the early 90’s in Peru were also 1, 2, 3 Matematicas (1, 2, 3 Maths) with the alien called Tap (I’m pretty sure) who came to our planet… specifically Japan, to learn more about us. He meets with some dude… I think his name was Nico. And together they went around town, counting fruits or how many fish there were in your fish tank, and learning things like that.

There was also a marionette show, you could say they were like The Muppets, only more artsy. haha – This other NHK show was called Me Lo Contaron en Japon (They Told Me That in Japan), which told different Japanese folk stories… some with demons, other with magical animals in the forest, and so on. It was a pretty nifty show, kinda reminds me of this other animated show called Shakespeare The Animated Tales – but that’s another show for the end of my 90’s.

There were other nifty shows, TNP used to broadcast… some probably not so popular. I mean, TV Peru is really lame now, nothing really cool and unique to watch… without nothing really interesting showing in it, kids juts turn to Cable TV now. I remember watching Las Fabulas del Capitan Oso Azul, or Käptn Blaubär Club from Germany (1993) – German clip hereimdb link here – Also, The Family-Ness from the UK (1984) and Penny Crayon another UK cartoon (1990) -and Los Hermanos Tucan… that’s all I could find out from that show.

Other shows from the 90’s that I remember are Count Duckula (1988) from the UK that was part of the animation programming during the broadcast of Nubeluz, which was also a big 90’s program. Count Duckula was a vegetarian vampire duck, that lived in Transylvania with servants Nanny and Igor. Another one from Nubeluz was ReBoot (1994), a Canadian show that now looks like crap. LOL’ – I didn’t watch the show, but I know it by graphics. My Canadian roommate had a lot to say about this show, haha. He didn’t like it much.

America Television, aka Canal 4 (Channel 4), had anime. Who can forget Saint Seiya (1986) known to us as Caballeros del Zodiaco – American and Canadian audiences… or at least Canadian ones could watch episodes of Knights of the Zodiac on YTV. Though, English dubbing sucks! And my cousin and I were all about watching Captain Tsubasa (1983)… like the old school version, not the new one. I mean, we loved playing Supercampeones in the garden hahaha. I still have some of my collectible D’onofrio plastic cups. There was also Candy, Japanese name in katakana Candy Candy from 1976! It’s so big here in the 90’s that many people will respond “uhh / ooh” when you mention Candy. hahaha.

Frecuencia Latina, aka Canal 2 (Channel 2), had The Storyteller… which all my life, I thought was a show! But it’s actually a mini-series, thing I learnt when I got the DVD. The Storyteller is a 9-episode-mini-series that has a storyteller that tells, most of the times, east-European folk stories with the help of the talking dog, and the amazing Jim Henson’s puppets. This mini-series is followed by a 4-episode-series The Storyteller: Greek Myths – both excellent watch.

End of Part I

Links to other Parts:
Part II
Part III

 

Part of the Time Machine: Back to the 90′s Blogathon

Ok, so it was like yesterday or something that I made a post about Bjork’s news update on the gigography. Now, Lima seems to be getting their own Bjork fix this week with a TV special on Plus TV’s musical show “Nadie Nos Escucha” (which translates to “Nobody Listens to Us”) – Now, Somos (El Comercio’s own magazine suplement) shows a shot of Bjork’s face from a Corbis photo. xD

The cover reads;

Bjork
The beauty freakie fairy from the north comes to Peru.

Now, I will probably be documenting all that I catch from Bjork in the media in here… since it was not very often I heard or read about her in everyday’s life. So I will be exercising my translating skills with this…

Bjork
Polar Star
‘Miracles. Bjork, one of the most original and still working in the music scene of today, comes to Lima’

+ The most important Icenlandic performer in history comes to our country to perform in a one and only concert, this November 13th in El Vertice del Museo de la Nacion, on her world tour to promote her latest album, VOLTA. While they announce that tickets are almost gone, the Limeño fans count the days for such an unexpected visit.

>Tour 2007. Edited on May this year, Volta made it to the #9 spot on the Billboard 200, her best spot to date. Her current tour mixes instruments, dances, and African outfits with electronic music of edge.

The Icelandic singer has always played the seer of what pop music will sound tomorrow. Unlike many avant-garde musicians, Bjork’s not motivated by misanthropic airs nor elitist: she’s sold without shame over 15 million albums; she’s got a similar number of fans around the world and has achieved, throughout her decade and a half of solo career, a prestige colleagues her age would love to reach, even for a while. With her, the word timeless finds meaning: Bjork doesn’t seem to belong to any period. Sometimes, which is the weirdest, she doesn’t even seem from this world.

And we’re not talking about her recurrent fantasies, put together splendidly on videos of the French Michel Gondry, where she experiments various transformations from girl to bear, insect or robot. We’re not even talking about her eccentric personality, which lead her to use the swan dress in the Oscar 2001 Gala. There’s that something very earthy in her albums coming, most likely, from her indescribable voice, capable to go from a soft lullaby to a powerful holler in a split of a second. Bjork’s tone is unique and distinctive; her range can also be impressive, but it’s her original phrasing which gets us. It doesn’t seem from here nor there, and no one really knows. Yet, there lies the mystery.

Soy Tu Fan

I'm Your FanHer full name is Bjork Gudmundsdottir but with the precise sense of shortening things, they’d rather call her “China” (Chinese Gal). “I love my China,” says 24-year-old Barbara Garcia Ramos, moderator at the Bjork Peru forums, that gathers local fans of the singer. They confess everything in there: from their unrequited love to the dreams they assure to have, sometimes, with her. They’re young. Most of them between 6 and 10 years of age when the muse began her solo career. The so-called “Bjorkholic” for the chronic musical addiction. Also for the kind of beverages that enlightens their meetings.

“Her voice is something that you listen to, and you get goosebumps”, Rolando Anton admits, the webmaster of the Bjork Peru site.

There’s 150 members subscribed in their forum, and few more in the site of Bjork en Lima, opened for the upcoming performance of the singer in our country.

“There’s people from Ecuador and Bolivia that have written to say they’re coming over here to see her”. Like all of them in the group, Rolando bought his ticket on the first day. Others, like Eduardo Palomino, have to make wonders to be able to pay for a ticket, pricier than the average. “I do anything to see her.”

According to Lalo Ponce from Phantom Music Group, one of the people responsible for the event, this visit was possible only for Bjork’s desire to visit the country. “Our offer was way below from what she usually gets per gig”, says without revealing the actual sum. Bjork will perform in Lima, in el Vertice del Museo de la Nacion, as part of her Volta world tour. She’s supposed to take a few days for pleasure touring. The show includes new versions of old classics with new arrangements, female choir, and the famous Reactable, a new electronic instrument created by a Spanish university that can be listen to in the album and is central to the show. All in all, just to not repeat herself.

zomg! Dumbledore is gay

October 20, 2007 — 3 Comments

I just had to share that bit of headlines today.

straight from the headquarters of E! Entertainment!

First reaction? Burst out laughing, and fell of my chair. Mind you, I haven’t slept in the last 24hrs… so THAT might be a reaction – hahaha.

This post by Scout made my day, and most likely many people’s!

So that’s why ol’ Dumbledore was always looking at Harry with madly twinkling eyes!!!!

The perv!!!

But I don’t understand why Hermione didn’t figure it out?

eowyn83 said;

This is why she wrote Harry naked in the King’s Cross chappie in DH–Dumbledore still perving in his next great adventure

It all was foreshadowed by this bits of HBP (Half-Blood Prince) from an article in India about double sense sentences…

There was no need to stick the wand in that hard,’ he (Dumbledore) said gruffly, clambering to his feet. ‘It hurt.’ (p 64)

…a hole opened in the middle of all the tentaclelike branches; Hermione plunged her arm bravely into this hole, which closed like a trap around her elbow; Harry and Ron tugged and wrenched at the vines, forcing the hole to open again… (p 281)

Lupin burst out laughing. ‘Sometimes you remind me a lot of James. He called it my ‘furry little problem’… (p 335)

‘I dunno,’ said Harry. ‘Maybe it’s better when you do it yourself, I didn’t enjoy it much when Dumbledore took me along for the ride.’ (p 355)

‘You see?’ Dumbledore said quietly, holding his wand a little higher. Harry saw a fissure in the cliff into which dark water was swirling. ‘You will not object to getting a little wet?’ ‘No,’ said Harry. ‘Then take off your Invisibility Cloak… and let us take the plunge.’ (p 556)

Hope you all laugh

High on Tea!

October 20, 2007 — 2 Comments

xD

One more hour and it will be 24hr without sleep. I spent all night updating my portfolio, so you better give it a look!!!

Still not done, but will be in a day or two. Sleepiness is kicking in….

Están cansados de que nunca venga nadie que les interese musical o de manera artística? Ahora con Eventful pueden tener la falsa idea de que los están escuchando! lol’

Por favor, click en estos links y demanden al artista en su ciudad.

The Ropes en Lima, Peru

The Sounds en Lima, Peru

Lily Allen en Lima, Peru

Darren Hayes en Lima, Peru

Regina Spektor en Lima, Peru

Ahda just sent this in. (link here) – It’s a trailer for the Street Fighter World upcoming game by Capcom.

I’m sure the game doesn’t look LIKE THAT. But for sure the trailer looks 1000% AWESOME. A huge part of me just wishes this would be a trailer for a real film, I would totally watch a new Street Fighter film that looks like THIS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7JEigprkDo

Anyone else think this? Leave a comment? Maybe there’s enough people that they will make one. hahaha~~

Welcome to Sweden!

October 15, 2007 — 2 Comments

A progress guide of Swedish!

There is no better way to learn a language than beginning from the start! That means… go back time and be a kid again! We all should thank Julyssa for this, so if any of you find this info useful, leave a message in this post for her for the book she sent me.

Välkommen till Sverige! Bildbok del 1!! Continue Reading…

Blog Action Day!

October 15, 2007 — 1 Comment

Don’t worry! It’s still Blog Action Day! – This year I join to talk about  something related to the environment!

The main problem in Lima (besides from dangerous streets) is pollution. I remember arriving from Vancouver, and leaving Jorge Chavez International Airport and suddenly feeling light-headed and dizzy on the way home. I think it is quite amazing to breathe the amount of carbon dioxide that Limeños breathe each and every day.

Which brings me to my topic! Now, if for some odd reason I end up being president for a day (which Julyssa would refuse, because she’s the first female Peruvian president for like ever) – what would I do for the environment (in Lima anyway)?

Drastic measures are needed. Garbage burning is part of what gives that particular stench while walking around town, so first – we could implement recycling laws that give economical rewards for those who do, this would make garbage picking more efficient. Take biodegradable rests and use it as compost, glass should be reused as well as carton and paper. Plastic could be used to create and better roads, like in India (The Hindu).

Studies by the Indian Roads Congress and other bodies has found that when plastic waste is melted and mixed with bitumen in a particular ratio. Roads laid with plastic waste mix were found to be three-times stronger than conventional roads. Rainwater does not seep through because of the plastic in the asphalt. And as each km of road with an average width requires over two tonnes of polyblend, using plastic will help reduce non-biodegradable waste.

Vehicle regulation would be 150% more strict than it is now, and over 50% of cars circulating in Lima, including the majority of public transportation, emit black smoke that would normally not pass any other country’s testing. This will decrease the number of cars circulating the city, therefore diminishing the gas emitted in the atmosphere… we would not only have less cars, but less people committing transit infractions and participating in strikes because they don’t want to pay their tickets.

As president, I would encourage people to buy green vehicles (e.g. Hybrid cars) by decreasing taxes and insurances, and increasing the ones of oil-motored cars and those who don’t pass the environmental testing.

Man, I just wanna get rid of cars in Lima.

I would also better not only roads, but also streets and sidewalks. Encourage people to walk more, though I would also need to tackle safety in the streets. So be sure to know that I would be harsh on people who break the law by mugging others… not to mention other crimes.

Anyway~~

How about using cow feces, a.k.a. cow poop, for energy? Haaretz News‘ got something about it.

Biomass. Last week a Granite Harcarmel group firm said it has invested NIS 40 million in a facility that can burn 600 tons of cow feces a day, mainly to rid the world of unwanted byproducts and secondarily, to produce power by creating steam.

We coud also begin plans on creating Green Homes, though they are %25 more expensive than regular homes – we could just dump this price difference to other home owners who are screwing more and more with the environment. Lol’ now I’ve passed from being serious about this, to joking about it… be for sure, it’d be nice to start implementing the Green Life solutions despite the price.

So think about it, leave a message if you feel like it. That’s all I can type for today.

Deezer embedding test

October 14, 2007 — 1 Comment

I’ve seen a few clicks wondering about embedding Deezer. Personally, I haven’t got any trouble embedding it, but I haven’t tried actually posting IN a post. I have noticed that Flash embedding sometimes broke my layout, and I have no idea why. In this post I will be testing a few ways of posting the Single Song Player, and the Playlist.

Single Song XHTMLclick here – this is the code pasted in a 1.0 Transitional XHTML.

<div style="top:0px; left:0px; width:180px; height:45px;">
    <object data="https://www.deezer.com/embedded/blogplayer_3.swf?
    path=69370&color1=000000&color2=000000&color3=000000"
    type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="180" height="29">
    <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" />
    <param name="movie"
    value="https://www.deezer.com/embedded/blogplayer_3.swf?
    path=69370&color1=000000&color2=000000&color3=000000" />
    </object>
    <a href="https://www.deezer.com"
    style="border:none;margin:0;padding:0;">
    <img src="https://www.deezer.com/embedded/footer.jpg"
    alt="free music" title="free music" border="0"
    style="border:none;margin:0;padding:0;" />
    </a>
</div>

The single song player is in fact faulty. Trying now the URL linking – here