As a blogger, I've been holding out on you. If you're on facebook, please join the Theory of Everything Comics Group because I'm not going to add you as a friend. (Really, I'm trying to reserve facebook for people I've met and relatives I haven't-- although a few fans have gotten in before I made this rule.) Anyway:
DEAR SWEET GANESHA!!!!
This will NEVER catch on!
Elmo, do you know what necrophilia is?
This is what happens when you abandon a liturgical tradtion.
Please stop. Just stop. You don't seem to get it. Really, I'm not saying that because I'm part of a heretical sect. Making things like this is exactly why Jesus hasn't come back.
"Smile" is a Jdrama about a half-Filipino, half-Japanese man who is caught up in the racism of the Japanese legal system. I first heard about this show because my favorite musician sang the theme.... now there's Filipino in it?!! I'll have to catch up on this later.
The fact that a black woman is singing a Korean song really well is a sign of our modern times. And she's pretty hot.... as well as the original performers of this song.
With the unexpected death of Michael Jackson, I wanted to post a drawing I did of him that was published in a short-lived magazine that debuted (and canceled) in 2005. Unfortunately, I can't find this image on the web. I have a copy of the magazine somewhere, but it would require me to look in boxes and I'm too lazy to do this.
Instead, here is the article about the illustration that caused a bit of controversy.
Michael Jackson Image Deemed "Pornographic" By U.S. Postal Service Author: BERNARD FOX Associated Press Writer ---Los Angeles, CA The U.S. Postal Service notified the Los Angeles-based publisher of a national humor magazine today that the image of Michael Jackson on the magazine's back cover is "pornographic", and that as a result, the USPS refuses to mail the magazine to thousands of subscribers. The image in question is a one-panel color cartoon on the outside cover of the recent issue of RAVEN Magazine, a national humor magazine for men. It depicts the pop singer in his signature crotch-grabbing dance pose. At the same time, Jackson seems to be putting his other hand in the pants of a young boy who wears a shocked expression on his face. The image is captioned, "Michael Jackson, 1993-2003, Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" and seems to refer to the two cases of very similar molestation charges leveled against the singer, one in 1993 and another ten years later. Post Office Supervisor Heather Ortega in the bulk mail center in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida said the one-panel cartoon of Michael Jackson was "sexual" and so the mailing of it is prohibited by the USPS Domestic Mail Manual. She said, "It's right in front of me while we speak. Personally, I think it's hilarious. But just like the Eminem video. That's considered offensive too". Ortega is refering to the recent video by rapper Eminem depicting Jackson chasing after young boys and trying to get them onto his bed. RAVEN Magazine publisher Zane Valenti responded, "I doubt there's anyone who would feel anything sexual looking at this totally satirical cartoon which is clearly meant to be funny. Who needs to be protected from seeing this cartoon? Nobody. This is totally silly and is a sign of just how far out of hand things have gotten in this country." Valenti said that the forbidden magazines will still be mailed to subscribers after being placed inside opaque envelopes and readdressed, causing delay and additional cost.
Although Michael Jackson was a freak of nature, he was also a talented superstar. The sort of world-wide phenomenon that you'll probably never see again. Its very hard to feel any sort of mourning to a man who may or may not be a pedophile, was or wasn't proud of his heritage, and may or may not have been an animatronic automoton.
But I'll admit, when I was a kid I would try to do the moonwalk, emulate his "woo" and listen to my brother's Michael Jackson records with glee.
And when I hear "Smooth Criminal" my head tends to bob.
When the Dalai Lama paid a visit to Emory University, he offered an introductory lecture to Tibetan Buddhism. The lecture is not exactly what you’d normally get in the university classroom. The talk is not entirely linear. And he spends some time speaking in English, then speaks in his native tongue (with the help of an interpreter). But, he can talk about Buddhism with the authority that few authors can, and there’s a reason audiences come to see him in droves.
Okay, shirtless old man with a missing tooth, scratching himself with a toilet brush... this makes perfect sense to me. In fact, I can accept that this could very well be my future.
But when it gets to 00:42 (it had to be 42, huh).... it gets brilliantly strange.
When I was at WonderCon, I was enlightened to Kamen Rider Decade. Its like Crisis on Infinite Sentai. Crazy ass apokalyptic battles with guys in plastic armor, affordable CG and non-color corrected compositing.
My brother wrote and performed this song. If you support the Big O and praying that he'll be a good president as he's hyped up to be, and like a bit of groove, please pass this along.
Twelve drummers drumming, Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a milking, Seven swans a swimming, Six geese a laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtledoves, and a partridge in a pear tree!
Yes, I know that this holiday was created by Puritans. In England they were bastards because they tried to overthrow the government. In the US schools, we were taught that they were looking for religious freedom.
But I haven't attempted to kill no king and I'm not begging from Native Americans.
I didn't go to work today. And I slept all day with cartoon Network on while they had their Chowder marathon.
God bless the guy who snuck his camcorder into that club.
This video basically solidified my Shiina Ringo fandom.
Oh yes, and puppets:
This song has the word "robot" in the title.
But, it was a song originally written for a model/actress and her budding music career.
Also a Shiina Ringo song performed by the same model/actress. I love the song, but when I first heard it, a glowing stripper pole was something I never visualized. I imagined the girl in a sweater in a park or something.
And the same actress/model BUTCHERING Shiina Ringo songs-- this is when you need the stripper pole.
Although Dark Knight was a brilliant film, well, really, what are the kids gonna play with? It was such a dark film. Although Batman CAN be dark, there was a time when he was light, fun, adventurous, sometimes he was hit with a ray that turned him into "Zebra Batman" and he was meant for ten year olds. So, that's why there's Batman: Brave and the Bold
It's trying to be retro and campy. And I'm not against A retro and campy Batman (it balances out the grim and gritty movie), but as I've entitled this blog entry: "Sound is Everything"
If Batman: Brave and the Bold sounds or feels like this, then it'll be the sort of cartoon that makes me wish that I knocked up a girl 3 or 4 years ago so I have a mini-me to watch this with.
According to Cartoon Brew and TAG , Cartoon Network has finally done something right in a long time-- acquire a show that is a cartoon instead of trying to emulate the disney channel.
Check out Adventure Time
I wished I knocked up a girl four years ago so I could enjoy this cartoon with my illegitamite child.
This one is a bit abrasive with the translations. Although, I did see one of these toilets in the Philippines when I was..."in trouble" and thought "WTF?"
There must be a problem training children to use the restroom if you gotta make toys about it.
I really want to see the costumed version of this character show me how to use the bathroom.
When Yumi Nakashima, the lead vocal for Go!Go!7188, went solo, she released Ten no Mikaku, which, I think translates to "Ten Tastes" or "Point of Taste" or something like that. It tastes a little bit like Karuki Zaamen Kuri no Hana but I'm not complaining.
I think this video was made in 2003 or 2004. Rarely do you see an actual live performance when a music video is recorded. This just shows Emi Hinouchi's natural talent, not that sound mixing shit where they make someone who could kind sing actually sing. I haven't kept up on Japanese R&B, mainly because there are very few Japanese singers who can pull it off. I'll have to do a search on Emi Hinouchi.
After that last post, we need something to get that bad taste out of our mouths.
Rainie Yang should've sang at the Olympics this year instead to that whole lipsinc fiasco. Oh. wait a second. She's Taiwanese.-- Well then, they should've had the Olympics in Taiwan this year.
She's the sort of girl that makes you want to take an age-reversal serum so you could be her first kiss. But after you've done this, you find out she's well above the drinking age, has already had a boyfriend or two, and your age-reversal serum has made you 18 months old.
As some may have already figured out, I have a thing for Japanese girls with electric guitars.
I was fortunate to have seen Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re on their first US Tour. They came on stage as these nervous little girls with soft voices, struggling with their English in a FOBish way-- then they rocked the house. I try to check them out every time they come to LA and have seen them develop from these shy girls who can rock to these awesome performers. It's always nice that they recognize me as that guy with the sketchbook.
The Basilio B. Garrote Memorial Library was founded by my Mother, Loreta Garrote Trinidad, in 2007. It's in the town of Cortez, on the island province of Bohol, in the South East Asian country of the Philippines. This is my Mom's way of giving back to her family and her hometown.
It's the sort of thing that I wish that all Filipino Americans who proclaim "Pinoy Pride" would put their energy or money in, rather than: just getting a tattoo in ancient Tagalog, fixing up their Hondas, writing cliche spoken word pieces about being filipino, joining a filipino gang, chisme, being in a beauty pageant, or producing a bad PCN. (Pilipino Cultural Night-- usually its a sort of play produced by the Filipino Club at a college or University which incorporates traditional Filipino dance, hip hop dance-- for some reason, and someone singing. It's the sort of thing that that you go to because a family member is in it.)
Basilio B. Garrote, the man that the library commemorates, was my grandfather who was a councilman in Cortez. He passed away when my mother was very young. I've obviously never met him, although I hear that my older brother resembles him in mannerisms and body type. My brother also carried this tradition in local politics and community service by starting the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council.
Although third world countries need food, health care, money, etc., there are several charitable organizations that help in these fields. We tend to forget that these things will continue to stay as charities, as handouts, and not as self sufficiency until these societies are properly educated. Individuals' imaginations need to be tickled and the laughter that comes from such tickling can end up to be solutions to everyday problems. And the more little problems are solved, the easier bigger problems are taken care of.
I've donated several old art books and comic books to inspire any young komikeros (filipino comic artist) and to help exercise their imaginations. (Y'know, if Star Trek has inspired scientists to create cloaking technology, what do you think a few good books will do to kids whose families can't afford decent shoes?) I've also heard that the library has gotten some illiterate adults motivated to learn how to read.
I wish there was a website for the library, but I'm just a slightly competent web designer and even if I was a fully capable web designer, my mother asking me to do a website (or almost anything computer/art related) for her is as much of a bother when she used to ask me to take out the garbage, wash the dishes or water the lawn.
I don't think my mom is asking for any monetary donations right now. But I don't think she'll deny any, since shipping books to the Philippines isn't free, the library was just expanded in May and Mom employed her cousin to run it, all this from her own pocket.
She is always going to used book sales and swap meets. She also collects old books from friends. I'm not one to simply give away my mom's e-mail on my blog, but you can reach her on her (and my dad's-- I think) youtube account, or e-mail me: elanrodgertrinidad@gmail.com if you have any good books to donate (especially if you're in Los Angeles).
Or contact us if you want to know more about my mom's library. Maybe there are people out there who want to do something similar, I'm sure my mom has some tips. Maybe there are people who ARE doing something similar and trading tips with my mom would be a good thing.
All I know is that she started a great thing and I'm very fortunate that this sort of woman raised me. I'd like to see this great thing expand, both as a bigger and better library and I'd love to see it copied, not just in the Philippines, but in places that really need it.
I forgot what this song is called, and I cannot read or understand Japanese. But it is called this:秘密 and its by Tokyo Jihen. I don't know about the rap part though.
I bet that whatever country the animation was done in, they weren't Christian. (This isn't meant to be a mean statement. I worked on a cartoon about the Buddha.)
There are ten commandments and seven deadly sins, but this one breaks the laws of all twelve principles of animation! I liked the old days when a deity was praised with a statue or painting. But a badly animated production in shoddy "Anime Style", a visual style few Americans really understand, just lacks any sort of class. At least the first cartoon had production value.
I really like his character design of Jesus but I'm expecting a song and dance number.
I kinda like the animation. Reminds me of Alex Toth designs. I hope someone will some day edit this with episode of Super Friends. I like the sound effect when Jesus is "re-created".
These two look like they were done by the same animation studio. This cartoon manages to discredit itself with its limited animation more than it does Mormonism.
Covers with food seems to be their specialty. Y'know, to this day, after living in America for about forty years, my mother still calls it "picha pie".
BASTOS!
This is how I was introduced to the band, when I went to the Philippines when I was-- I think 20. They kept showing this on MTV Asia because they won an MTV award for it. I've tried to sing this on kareoke sing-a-long. Despite my non-existent Tagalog, I was able to hang in there.
Now I ought to work on God(tm) (c) 2XX8 *** ***** ****** ******* Incorporated. All rights reserved. God and all related characters, titles, names and documents are trademarks of *** ***** ****** ******* Incorporated. No similarity between any of the names, characters, persons and/or institutions in this deity with those of any living or dead person or institutions is intended and any such similarity which may exist is purely coincidental.because someone in London, England is eagerly awaiting to read it. (Not you Timmy.) And I need 1000 true fans (and a paypal account) if I ever hope to draw and write comics for a living.
From Wikipwedia: "Anime is occasionally referred to as Japanimation, but this term has fallen into disuse. Japanimation saw the most usage during the 1970s and 1980s, but was supplanted by anime in the mid-1990s as the material became more widely known in English-speaking countries."
There's a distinct difference between and Anime and Japanimation.
Super Dimesnional Fortress Macross is Anime. Robotech: The Macross Saga is Japanimation.
Gatchaman is Anime.
Battle of the Planets is Japanimation.
MazingerZ is Anime.
TranzorZ is Japanimation.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is Anime
Warriors of the Wind is Japanimation.
Japanimation isn't simply translated Anime. Japnimation is rehashed, retitled, and reedited Anime.
On a side note, I didn't mention Astro Boy/Tetsuwan Atom (Mighty Atom). This is because they're starting to call him Astro Boy in Japan.
Also, on Wikipedia: "it is now used primarily in Japan, to refer to domestic animation; since anime does not identify the country of origin in Japanese usage, Japanimation is used to distinguish Japanese work from that of the rest of the world."
So, basically my attempt at reviving a nostalgic term is just me talking out of me arse.
Anime is "animation" in Japanese. Japanimation is "domestic animation" in Japanese. "Nippon" is "Japan" in Japanese... or Nippon.
Which Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra does a great a cover of.
Pizzicato 5 did a nice interpretation.
Though this guy did animated a pretty good version of Metal Gear Solid to Lupin 3rd.
If I ever do cosplay, I'd dress as Lupin 3rd and have a tiny speaker playing different versions of the Lupin theme. Or I'd have a live band play that theme and follow me around, like in "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka".
This is something I worked on a while ago. I did the effects. It's still one of my favorites. RayRay doesn't have as much time to come outside and play these days.
The muppets have been doing some fun little skits on youtube. There'll never be the same glory of the Muppet Show or when Henson was alive, but hopefully they'll make some really cool and fun stuff.
...I kinda wanna buy some sort of Beaker doll right now.
Clifford Stoll could talk about the atmosphere of Jupiter. Or hunting KGB hackers. Or Klein bottles, computers in classrooms, the future. But he's not going to. Which is fine, because it would be criminal to confine a man with interests as multifarious as Stoll's to give a talk on any one topic. Instead, he simply captivates his audience with a wildly energetic sprinkling of anecdotes, observations, asides -- and even a science experiment. After all, by his own definition, he's a scientist: "Once I do something, I want to do something else."
