Archives For peru

Years… well, maybe a year ago – I ranted Peruvian animation not being compelling enough. I have also ranted about how tired I feel of 3d animation (most of the times), but there are times when I have to talk about things because they are important to note.

Machu Picchu Post is an animated short from Clement Crocq, Margaux Durand-Rival and Nicolas Novali. They are French, and did their whole Machu Picchu Post style reference from research. Research!!! Research is so important, and this is why I ultimately decided to blog them.

I have always found Alpamayo (and most recently, the team in charge of the Dolphin story blah blah) to be lacking research, not storywise (though I beg to differ sometimes) but on execution. Of course, you don’t only research styles, textures, colors, etc… you also research movement, and light quality. It’s not enough to just HAVE the best computer equipment… you also go on field trips, you do experiments.

Anyway, this is my brief rant. French animation students (and now animators) are creating more compelling animations regarding Peruvian culture. Here’s the video:

So… first of all, this was going to be just a Jean Paul Strauss post, but then… you know. I needed a bit of space to clear things up. I know I don’t particularly talk much about Peru in here (especially with my current obsession with Japanese and Asian) – Anyway, I heard this a couple of months ago… just half a tiny clip on television, so I couldn’t do much back then. Luckily, I decided to try my luck again, and surprise!

Vibra Peru is the album by Peruvian Jean Paul Strauss fusing Peruvian rhythms,folk music and the whole shebang, the result I thought was pretty fun (one of those reasons I also enjoyed some of Gianmarco’s productions). But let me just show you instead of writing about it~~~

[iframe width=”480″ height=”390″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/DrgytdP7xOE?rel=0″]

Now, I’m pretty sure that’s track12 – Huaynos: (Matarina y Mambo de Machaguay). Why? Well, because I’ve heard Mambo de Machaguay before… I knew it when I was a kid because of a sing-along Libro Coquito book that had the music in one of the tracks (La Grua, if you were interested in it… I must have the goddamn tape somewhere). Then, I went all music discoverer, I recognized the tune on the Indian Carnival song by Yma Sumac (track 7) – I couldn’t really remember what the ‘tune’ is called… if Carnaval Arequipeno, or Cajamarquino… but it was a folk tune.

So I ended up on Wikipedia Spanish, and found that it’s called “Mambo de Machaguay” – what it’s missing? Well, it mentions the version by Los Jaivas from ’76, but fails to mention the 1954 use by Yma Sumac, so I just wanted that out of the way since I’m not a Wikipedia editor/user/contributor…

Here’s the version by Inca Son.

I was unsure on what to talk about before going to bed (I’m trying to post once a day, have you noticed? hahaha) – And I was between discussing this topic, and the news of Peru deciding to use the Japanese system of Digital TV [Eng Google Translate] (does that mean I could… somehow get WOWOW??), instead of the European one~~~

Anyway!!! I decided to rant~

[Original Spanish Article] Sorry, any English media DON’T CARE so you’ll have to do with a Google Translate.

I think it’s amazing that an illiterate person who is over 25 years old and Peruvian is legible to work in congress. Baffles me! And I’m sure it baffles many others…

I am in no way calling the congresswoman illiterate, because she reads and writes. Not AT the level that someone who supposedly legislates and works on writing and reviewing law should be, but writes nonetheless.

As congresswoman Martha Hildebrant (a linguist, who could probably insult me and I wouldn’t understand) – Actually, I think I would feel honored to be insulted by her… kinda like Lainey dreaming of Gwyneth being a bitch towards her hahaha – Anyway, as Hildebrant points out~~ people (regular, other congressmen and the media) have completely distorted the article written by the newspaper. They did not mock Supa’s quechua ancestry (that’d be more like mocking us Chinese descendants saying things like “lico alo” when we speak perfectly well. thankyouverymuch. Assholes!) But they did point out that Supa’s Spanish is of the level of someone in primary school, hence the reference to the Coquito books (popular ABC books for children).

And as Hildrebrant also points out in the pseudo-video (because it’s just an audio) is that all congressmen, as public figures, are exposed to being criticized in the labor they do.

As one user states in a comment,

I am a Peruvian from Puno, Quechua-speaker and southern, and I don’t feel remotely humiliated [referencing how the congresswoman feels], au contraire I feel pity for our representative being almost illiterate.

I say this because she’s a congresswoman representing the state, and should be in the position of being criticized or interviewed, but when you’re illiterate – you can’t even do that. She’s fragile and helpless, she doesn’t waste time to play victim and that’s the nature of ignorance. There isn’t the capacity to reflect, they think that everyone is against them or discriminating against them.

All talk on corruption, being honest, pure and holy – that’s simply poppycock.

Why don’t we put virgins in congress already! Geez~~~

Now, if you really wanna support literacy through all economic-social barriers, check out some about The Big Read project… maybe someday Peruvian’s will have a non-illiterate-congress.

Despite whatever views I may have on Obama’s policy, decisions… or the lack of a firm position (and how much his ideas reminded me of the traditional Latin American candidates during their campaigns) – I do agree with many designers who point out how good his campaign is. The most throughly article I ever read (mind you, I read this a long time ago~~~ perhaps almost a year ago) was Expertinent: Why the Obama “Brand” Is Working – not only the thoughts and critic people involved in graphic design did, but also the comments on the article. Yes, there are a few bad-mouthing the article pointing out how they are not voting for Obama for his marketing, but there are a few others that are quite insightful too. Doing a quick search, you end up with articles such as The Hardest Working Presidential Candidate Logo, which show the pretty awesome use of the Obama-branding… crazy I tell you. As well as NOTCOT’s Obama design post, Ten marketing lessons from the Barack Obama Presidential campaign, and How Better Marketing Elected Barack Obama.

So we all agree. Now, moving on…

So I’ve been Mood: Political for the past week, and I’ve been watching a lot of political shows (which I’m tired off, because I always end up grumpy and cursing interviewers to hell and back), but I’m S&M like that sometimes~

Anyway!!! I got curious, went online and looked up websites of the main political parties here in Peru. APRA, Unidad Nacional, Partido Nacionalista Peruano and… is Peru Possible still relevant? Anyway, I did search for them. I’ll just let you look at my captures instead…

Very 90’s… compared to Obama’s right? Lack of sophistication, graphical quality… but let’s even forget about apperances and focus on the content and its organization. These political Peruvian websites lack ANY information architecture, perhaps interface design needs… a lot of work?, and a total lack of interactive design. But my main problem with all of them is the amount of information, which obviously hasn’t been edited. So in short~~~ They lack structure, and they lack strong content. And don’t even mention the Unidad Nacional website which is just a placeholder saying it’s the website, it has a few links linking to .htm pages with NOTHING on them!

SHAMEFUL.

So now that we are in the Obama Era… the times of globalization, will the political parties take notice of this, and begin minding their design and content? Will good marketing finally matter here?

I may have to agree with something I remember Simon Cowell said~~ that politics in America were great because they were very engaging. Something to that extent… I remember, but can’t find the quote. LOL’  But I remember! That was the reason I watch a lot of CNN, and the voting results with their graphics. There was so much design to be seen there! And I had wished that Peruvian politics took their job that serious and stepped it up with their marketing. *sighs* If only!

If MJ Came to Peru,

April 13, 2009 — Leave a comment

Will You Be There?

Sorry, couldn’t resist that one~~

Despite all the crazy, I would go. I would pay to see Michael Jackson – just like there’s people saying they’d pay to see Britney Spears in Lima. Really? After the shennanigans in Vancouver? ~~~ but oh those possibilities of rock with your cock out. LOL’

ANYWAY, I don’t know how much I’d be willing to pay to see MJ on stage… perhaps it will have a broad price range like many of the more ‘popular’ concerts. I’d be wiling to pay $50 for some okay ticket… I’m not crazy enough as some MJ fans. Plus, it’ll be tough to compete with them~~

By the by, have you heard? Jonas Brothers sold like 20K tickets in 4hrs in Peru. Prices raging from 1300-ish Soles ($430ish USD) to 50-ish soles ($15ish USD). I’m so glad I’m not a parent, and so glad my younger cousin doesn’t find boys an interesting subject… yet. LOL

Also Disney flat out denied that they are building a park in Peru. LOL’ Just thought I’d put this out there just in case…

I just posted YAM 003 over at my portfolio~~

There’s a lot of international flavor in it… all by chance actually. It really wasn’t planned, it all just came together like that. There’s a couple of rant articles on movies and music, loads of reviews including complete non-fanatical reviews of Ao Akua, Utada Hikaru, DBSK, Hathaways, U2, Madeleine Peyroux, and Michel Gondry/Bong Joon-ho’s Yu Aoi’s Tokyo!

ALSO! A special on the Peruvian film winning the Berlinale’s Golden Bear top prize~~ The Milk of Sorrow, and some of the discussion regarding the original name “La Teta Asustada”.

YAM - Issue 3

Head over there now!

… well more like making you remember. LOL I think I might have perhaps talked about this on previous Why the 90’s Ruled or Not editions. But here it goes,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qirBaUq0aPU

You LUV it, right? The video, LOL –  you’re free to go after the break to keep on reading… travel through time!!! xD

Continue Reading…

Okay, if you haven’t read the Quickie one, do so here

I needed some time to find the setlist, which I couldn’t really find so you’ll have to rely on my memory and how it connects the online videos of the concert. Lucky for you, Wikipedia did a fairly good job… I think.

Here’s the songs that were played:

  1. Larger than Life/Everyone/Any Other Way
  2. You Can Let Go/Unmistakable/I Want it that Way
  3. She’s like the Sun – Howie’s Solo
  4. Show me the Meaning of Being Lonely
  5. More than That
  6. Spanish Eyes
  7. Trouble Is
  8. Incomplete
  9. Drive by Love – AJ’s Solo
  10. Panic
  11. Blow your Mind/I Got You – Nick’s Solo
  12. Quit Playin’ Games (With my Heart)/As Long as You Love Me/All I Have to Give
  13. Nunca te Hare Llorar/I’ll Never Break your Heart
  14. Inconsolable
  15. Welcome Come – Brian’s Solo
  16. The One/Treat me Right/The Call
  17. Everybody
  18. Shape of my Heart (Encore)

Continue Reading…

It’s 4.20am, so quit it. I worked hard to get those photos out as soon as I could… over 700 photos, that were reduced to a little over 600, because 100 shots were awful. I managed to get at least 20% useable photos, some pretty good too~

But you’ll see…

All photos are not public yet, only half… but I’m already tired. They will be made public this afternoon. They are about 145 photos. Low resolution… big enough to post online and share via e-mail. If you do, a link back to amy-wong.com ~~ you’d better do.

For bigger resolution, I mean… RAW files~ or big JPGs, email me~ all contact info needed in the following link with the photos…

Head over here… watch and read.

BackStreet Boys

That one up there is a big stitch… 4 photos into one.

Oh yeah~

BackStreet Boys are finally in Lima. Actually, I just found out – because I was checking in case tomorrow’s concert was canceled… but no, it’s not. I’m excited. xD

But to tell you the truth, apparently not AS excited as some of the fans that went to the airport.

Crazy violent video, eh? Well, the guys are also twittering~~ and here are some of their funny twittering, typos and all~~ from their arrival to Lima.

OMG- Lima, Peru is crazy yo!! Hundreds upon hundreds of you at the airport. Wonder how the rest of the tour is going to stack up! Viva Peru!

Mmmmm…..Pisco Sours! Said in Homer Simpson style- HD + BL

Ceviche Time!! HD, Brock and Nic

Can you believe I’m eating again?? Howie

we are eating Loma Saltado! – (yes, they did type “loma” instead of  “lomo”) xD

See… everyone loves eating. Actually, I just had my fair bit of eating~~~ I did Chinese food though… REALLY good nonetheless~~

Anyway, am super excited for the concert. And should be going to bed to BSB music tonight to get in the mood.