When the Underground Comix Revolution happened in the 1960s, women still weren't welcome in comics circles, but it didn't stop them from making their art and telling their unique stories. In the second half of a two-part podcast, Cristen and Caroline trace the rise of women like Lynda Barry and Alison Bechdel in indie comics to the current clamor for more women in today's mainstream comic book industry.

The first trademark for a sound in the United States was issued in 1978 to NBC for their chimes. MGM has a sound trademark for their roaring lion, as does 20th Century Fox for their trumpet fanfare. Harley Davidson tried to trademark the sound of their motorcycles, but after years of litigation, they finally withdrew their application.

Right now there are fewer than two hundred active trademarks for sounds. A surprisingly small number, considering sound has the power make—or break—a brand.

Consider, for instance, the fajita. Specifically, the”sizzling fajitas”of the restaurant chain Chili’s.

[A Chili’s Fajita in 1984. Courtesy of Brinker International Restaurants]

It’s a common occurrence at your local Chili’s franchise: a customer orders a fajita; the server brings out a sizzling skillet of fajita meat and onions; and the dish arrives at the table with a dramatic, crackling, fizzling sound.

Everyone who hears the fajita instinctively towards the sound. That first order often sets off a chain reaction of several more orders.

Cooks at Chili’s called it “the fajita effect.”

[Producer Sam Greenspan’s fajita at a Bay Area Chili’s. Credit: Avery Trufelman]

(Chili’s, by the way, did not invent the Fajita. That distinction goes to a Texan named Sonny Falcone, who, in the 1970s, thought he could sell a sub-par cut of meat called the “faja” by cooking it out in the open with lots of spices. Chili’s founder Larry Levine had seen fajitas in restaurants around the Rio Grande Valley, and decided to make them a staple of his restaurant venture.)

The fajita sizzle was heard in the very first Chili’s commercial. Now Chili’s serves enough fajitas to fill two nuclear submarines a year.

[The first Chili’s location in Dallas. Photo courtesy of Brinker International Restaurants]

Levine understood the importance of sound, as did another man in a completely different field: Jim Reekes, the designer one of the few trademarked sounds.

Reekes is a composer and musician who was working at Apple when they were developing the Macintosh II. He hated the start-up sound that Apple had been using.

[The sound Jim Reekes despised is the second one at 0:10]

Reekes designed a more zen-like, meditative sound meant to imitate a gong, or an “om” chant. Reekes could’t get permission to replace the old sound with his new one, so he snuck it into the prototype.

The sound wound up on the Macintosh II computers that shipped. It’s now the sound that is most connected to the Apple brand.

[The current Apple start-up sound, designed by Jim Reekes]

Car companies also consider sound in the design of their product. A Ford Mustang, for instance, will intentionally not sound the same as a Ford Taurus, even if their engines are similar.

In 2008, Ford decided to put out a remake of a Mustang that appeared in the 1968 film, Bullitt. The car sounded like this:

[Fun fact: the first residential street shown in this clip is four blocks from KALW 91.7 FM]

Ford wanted to make the 2008 Bullitt sound akin to the 1968 Bullitt. They were trying, essentially, to make a new car sound old.

[Courtesy of Motortrend.com]

This proved especially challenging, because cars made in 1968 were built completely differently; the 1968 Bullitt had a carburetor, for instance, and the new model had a fuel injection system. Plus, the Mustang in the movie was enhanced with sounds recorded from a race car—and it’s actually illegal in most places to drive around in a car as loud as the car from the movie would be if it were real.

With all those factors in mind, Ford identified the key characteristics of the Mustang sounds in the movie. They then figured out how to reverse-engineer those notes as best as they could by tweaking the shapes of the tubes in the car’s exhaust system.

[The 2008 Bullit]

Brands that don’t pay attention to sound may get punished by consumers. Case in point: in 2010, Frito-Lay unveiled a new, biodegradable SunChips bag. The only problem was that they never considered what that packaging sounded like.

And it was loud. Very, very loud.

That guy in the above YouTube video was not the only person to notice how noisy the bag was. A Facebook page called SORRY I CAN’T HEAR YOU OVER THIS SUNCHIPS BAG got over 45,000 likes. The bag became a national news story, and Frito-Lay had to pull the new bag and go back to the old bag.

Sound is the first sense that we respond to. Let’s use it responsibly.

Producer Katie Mingle spoke with Joel Beckerman and Tyler Gray, the authors of The Sonic Boom: How Sound Transforms the Way We Think, Feel, and Buy; Jim Reekes, creator of the Apple startup sound; and Shawn Carney, sound quality engineer for Ford Motors.

Squarespace site of the week: The Dieline- The favorite website of the product design enthusiast.

Please check out these new Radiotopia shows: The Heart, Criminal, The Allusionist

Music: (coming soon. check back)

Featured image by Tess Watson.

• the state of ramen: Dave Chang
• the state of ramen: Peter Meehan
• a guide to the regional ramen of japan
• Harold McGee on the science of alkalinity (on alkalinity article)
• a timeline of ramen development
• Momofuku Ando and the invention of instant ramen
• an interview with the ramen rater, Hans Lienesch
• how to make tonkotsu-style broth (recipe)
• how to make instant ramen cacio e pepe (recipe)
• how to make instant ramen gnocchi parisienne (recipe)
• how to make instant ramen fideos (recipe)
• how to make instant ramen encrusted skate (recipe)
• more recipes: momofuku ramen 2.0, ramen broth 2.0, fresh alkaline noodles, momofuku pork belly

Shit Got Crazy: When the Cramps and the Mutants Invaded a Mental Hospital

The perfect meatball sandwich first needs perfect meatballs and great sauce. Once you have those two in place, the rest is a matter of construction and detail. Here's how we like to build ours. Get Recipe!

It’s no secret we at Bon Appétit love the powdered green tea known as matcha. Heck, we even put it in our holiday cookies. But we’re not the only ones smitten by matcha. With one finger on the mug of our green tea latte and the other on the pulse of all things up-and-coming in the food world, we can’t help but notice that the chatter about matcha is getting louder. Food-forward Instagrammers are increasingly as likely to snap a picture of a matcha latte (using the hashtag #matcha, of course) as they are a cappuccino, and they can now do so at specialty matcha cafés cropping up across the country, from New York to California to Hanoi.

Matcha drinkers are purchasing whisks and glass bowls to prepare the beverage at home. They’re sipping for a sustained energy boost, loads of antioxidants, a “calm-alertness” thanks to an amino acid called L-Theanine, increased metabolism, and a caffeine hit without the jittery after-effect. All this means that there’s a matcha movement happening, and it’s about to reach a fever pitch.

What makes this green machine so special? Vibrant in hue, matcha is a finely ground powder made from green tea leaves. Traditional matcha growers gradually shade the plants before hand-picking the leaves and stone-grinding them into a verdant dust. This process preserves both the color and nutritional qualities of the tea. It’s ritualistically prepared in single batches by adding hot but not boiling water and whisking vigorously in an “M” shape to dissolve the powder and froth the top. The finished matcha is then drunk in a few sips directly from the glass bowl in which it was prepared. The powder gradually settles to the bottom of the bowl or cup, so it should be drunk quickly.

A little matcha packs a lot of flavor. Photo: James Ransom courtesy of Panatea

This means that matcha drinkers must prepare the tea immediately before consuming. Giant-sized cup of coffee to be slurped throughout the day, this is not. And that, according to its devotees, is exactly what makes it so attractive.

A Homemade Ritual: DIY Matcha
Because matcha isn’t yet as pervasive in our culinary landscape as, say, the flat white, many enthusiasts who want to drink it must make it at home. And that’s just fine with them: It’s the process of whisking up a cup that initially draws people in. To Jessica Lloyd, co-owner of matcha distributor Panatea, drinking the tea is about more than sipping a toasty beverage with a caffeine jolt. “I actually look forward to the ritual of making it every morning,” she explains. “The act of whisking it forces you to be present and collect yourself—if only for a few sips.”

A well-made “shot” of matcha has a creamy mouthfeel that is reminiscent of an espresso with a nice amount of crema. The term “shot” is marginally misleading—although it’s only about 2-3 ounces of liquid, a matcha shot is sipped, not tossed back. To achieve this level of matcha-nirvana, you’ll need the right equipment and good-quality tea. Although there are many different grades available, most drinkers agree that the daily matcha gets made with decent-but-not-obscenely-expensive tea. (High-end matcha can retail for as much as $165/20 grams, as sold by Samovar tea). Not sure what price point is right for you? Christine Muhlke, BA‘s executive editor says: “I recommend to those starting out to buy in the $14-$18 range. The $8 stuff is for baking. The $30-$60 stuff comes later.” And if you’re still balking at the price, consider the fact that one of those tiny tins lasts Muhlke six months or more. She orders in 20-gram tins from Panatea and Ippodo, and stores them in the fridge to keep them fresh.

Matcha is made with hot but not boiling water. Photo: James Ransom courtesy of Panatea

A freshly-whisked cup of matcha is attractive in its simplicity. But that doesn’t mean this green tea can’t play nice with other flavors. In fact, many home-whiskers (it’s not brewing, per se) have a unique take on the drink. Muhlke says that her favorite way to take a cup of matcha to the next level is to swap hot water for homemade almond milk. She explains: “Almond milk has its own natural sweetness, with a gently rounded flavor that complements matcha’s angular grassiness. Milk is too fatty in its mouthfeel and overpowering/cloying for some reason—it cancels out the matcha. Soy is fine, but almond also manages to create a nice crema—perfect for lattes.”

The technique is pretty simple: Just add liquid and whisk until frothy. But in case you’re looking for a little guided instruction, the matcha community is eager to share its knowledge. Panatea’s website features a how-to video, and we even published a pictorial step-by-step on bonappetit.com last year. The San-Francisco-based Breakaway Matcha aims to educate converts through its online “Matcha Masterclass.” MatchaBar, a café devoted to all things green and tea-like in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, offers matcha-making classes every Sunday at 7 P.M. (“You get a discount if you come as a date,” says co-owner Graham Fortgang.) For $85—$80 for couples or friends—you get hands-on instruction, as well as a matcha starter kit. “We don’t actually make all that much money on the classes,” says Fortgang. “But that’s not the point. It’s all about spreading the knowledge.”

Matcha Out and About: The Rise of Matcha Cafés
Although many coffee and tea houses serve some iteration of matcha, there are a growing number across the country that specialize in traditionally-prepared matcha. There are matcha cafés in Portland, OR, Hong Kong, Hanoi, Pasig, and San Diego.

In addition to traditional coffee drinks, the menu at Chalait, a café that opened on January 5th in Manhattan’s West Village, features matcha front-and-center on the menu. The green tea options at Chalait are modeled after an espresso menu, with drinks like the americano, cortado, and mocha. Although the café offers both tea and coffee, the bar is separated into two distinct stations: One for matcha and another for coffee. “I wanted to really give our staff the space to prepare it properly,” explains co-owner Michelle Gardner, who is so passionate about matcha that she quit her job in finance and enrolled in the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) before honing her chops as a barista.

Whisk it good! Photo: James Ransom courtesy of Panatea

A trip to Japan inspired Gardner, and her partner Ramon Puyani to open their own café in the states. During their time in Kyoto, Puyani tried his first cup of matcha; Gardner had been a longtime devotee. They were both enchanted by the ritual method of preparing it—as well as its grassy, fresh flavor. Although they are careful to preserve traditional preparation methods at Chalait, they also aim to present the beverage in a manner that appeals to the Western palate and first-time matcha consumers.

“We make each cup of matcha to order,” explains Puyani, “but we serve it in an espresso mug [as opposed to the glass bowl]. It familiarizes the experience.” Chalait aims to make a morning mug of matcha as much of a daily ritual for New Yorkers as a cup of joe. “We hope matcha will become to tea what espresso is to coffee,” says Puyani—essentially, a way to deepen into the experience. And that’s in large part why Chalait is offering a full coffee bar of matcha options. Puyani’s initial question to first-time matcha drinkers is: “How do you take your coffee?” If a customer tends to like it sweet and light, he’ll use matcha in a milky latte. If they’re fans of black espresso, they’ll get the full monty: A matcha shot made with the traditional whisk and hot water.

#Matcha: It’s a Lifestyle
MatchaBar, the half-year-old matcha café that’s every bit as cool as the Brooklyn neighborhood where it’s located (Williamsburg, of course), keeps the focus on matcha. Not only do co-owners and brothers Graham and Max Fortgang serve the tea in many forms (lattes, shots, etc.), they worship dutifully at the altar of powdered green tea leaves themselves.

Talk to Graham Fortgang about his café for any extended period of time, and you’ll hear the term “Matcha Fam” (short for family) at least once. As in, “We love our customers—they’re our matcha fam,” or “Nothing makes me happier than seeing the matcha fam come in all pumped about their day.” The Fortgang brothers are hardcore matcha enthusiasts, in part because it changed their own lives.

A traditionally-prepared matcha “shot.” Photo: Rochelle Bilow

“Before matcha, I was working in real estate and had my own event production company. And I was also trying to graduate college. And…” says Fortgang, who grew up in Manhattan and, despite speaking at a very lively clip whenever the tea is mentioned, feels calmer and more centered since embracing matcha. In addition to general feelings of anxiety and stress, Fortgang suffered from acid reflux and a minor heart palpitation which were both aggravated by his coffee and Red Bull consumption. He decided to switch to matcha, and was immediately hooked. “In the modern world, people don’t want to just be successful; they want to be healthy in a sustained way,” he says. It’s this quality, this pursuit of an all-around better-for-you lifestyle, that separates the matcha sippers from the espresso shooters.

Matcha isn’t for everyone, but those who do embrace it really embrace it. “What’s special about the matcha drinker prototype is an openness to inviting a new ritual into their life,” explains Fortgang. “We’ve had a lot of converts who have totally switched from coffee to matcha. To do that, you really have to believe you can. Our biggest challenge is getting people to believe in an alternative. It might not be matcha. But believing in an alternative puts you in the right mindset.”

Big Tea: Have We Reached Maximum Matcha Saturation?
Because matcha has inspired so many wellness-conscious drinkers to explore the tea, matcha-inspired and matcha-adjacent beverages are increasingly available at cafés, which makes Panatea’s Lloyd both optimistic and a little frustrated. “The matcha you get at a chain coffee shop is really just pure sugar. You can tell from the light color of the drink.” Pure matcha is a grassy, deep green color when prepared in the old-world way.

Your new favorite coffee alternative: The Matcha Latte. Photo: Christina Holmes

Is it inevitable that matcha will go the way of chai tea? Seasoned chai enthusiasts will remember when the tea was an artisan novelty; now syrupy chai-flavored lattes are poured from cardboard cartons at every corner coffee shop. Lloyd appreciates large-batch matcha makers for spreading the word and piquing an initial interest. Once a potential matcha drinker tries a sweet matcha latte, she says, they’re more likely to branch out and try a straight cup, prepared traditionally.

Despite the cult-like qualities of the matcha community, it’s a surprisingly open and collaborative community. Fortgang even cites MatchaBar’s competition as having a “passionate, kind, open-arms kind of attitude.” And whether you’ve been drinking it for years or you’re about to sip your first cup, rest assured: There’s a place for you in the Matcha Fam. Says Fortgang, “My hope is that my customer drinks their matcha and then goes out into the world. And that day, whether they yell at their intern less, whether they fit in a run at the end of their day, or whether they have a salad instead of a crappy burger for lunch, I don’t care. But one healthy habit leads to another. Matcha is inspiring in that way.”

The post Matcha Culture: Everything You Need to Know About the Next Big Thing in Tea appeared first on Bon Appétit.

Tras analizar detenidamente el lenguaje usado por papá en las últimas semanas, un equipo de analistas ha concluido que está empleando el término “hipster” para denominar a todas las personas de apariencia joven o, simplemente, de menor edad que él. “Cómo sois los hipsters de ahora,...... Leer más

Otra vez. Lo ha vuelto a hacer. Junji Ito consigue remover algo en nuestro interior con cada nueva referencia que aparece en nuestro país. Cuando la editorial ECC anunciaba que ampliaba su propuesta comiquera haciéndose con algunas licencias manga de lo más jugosas, muchos empezamos a frotarnos las manos al ver que los desagradables tebeos firmados por Ito volverían a estar disponibles.

Para todo aquel que conozca el trabajo del mangaka gracias a otras obras como ‘Uzumaki‘, ‘Tomie‘ o, la más reciente, ‘Black Paradox‘, sabrá lo que le aguarda tras esta ‘Gyo‘. Un ligero vistazo a las portadas de los dos volúmenes que la componen y ya encontramos muestras más que evidentes que la repulsión y la sordidez serán el motor principal que mueva la inquietante narración que nos brinda el autor nacido en Gifu.

Muchos son los autores japoneses que han encabezado todo un movimiento terrorífico que ha inundado el manga desde hace algunos años. Alejándose, un poco, de otros colegas de profesión considerados como la parte más hard core de este nuevo género (Hideshi Hino, Suehiro Maruo y Shintaro Kago), Ito tira por la vertiente más “comercial”, siendo esta comercialidad algo a lo que aquí, en occidente, no estamos muy acostumbrados.

‘Gyo‘ evoluciona de manera impactante a lo largo de sus casi 400 páginas. Lo que más puede llegar a llamar la atención es que una primera idea aporta una impresión que, con el avance del guión, empieza a alejarse de lo que en un principio creíamos que iba a ser. Explicación. Una pareja se encuentra de vacaciones en una zona costera cuando de repente entre en escena una extraña criatura: un pescado con unas extrañas patas que permiten su movilidad fuera del agua. A esto añadimos el desagradable olor que despide el bicho en cuestión y que no para de atormentar a la protagonista.

¿Ya está? ¿Eso es todo lo que nos va a ofrecer ‘Gyo‘? Para nada. No vamos a seguir contando nada de la descabellada trama ya que el final de la historia nos deja con la mandíbula a escasos centímetros del suelo. En varias entrevistas, Ito, ha declarado que este relato está inspirado claramente en ‘Tiburón‘, la obra maestra filmada por Steven Spielberg. ¿Qué puede dar más miedo que un ataque de un tiburón en el agua? Muy sencillo. Un ataque de un tiburón en tierra. ¿Es o no es para sentirse orgulloso de Ito?

Pero no acaban aquí las influencias de la obra ya que, a poco que se hojeen ambos volúmenes, otro nombre aparece de manera irremediable en nuestra mente: H. P. Lovecraft. Las ilustraciones de Ito no dejan lugar a dudas, esos pescados, esas patas, esos cuerpos retorcidos… Todo tiene una evidente influencia del maestro del terror sobrenatural, algo que el japonés no hace ni el intento de esconder.

‘Gyo‘ es un viaje bastante alocado que sorprende al lector con cada nueva idea que aparece al pasar la página. Que nadie se espere una historia trascendental ni compleja, Ito no es de esos, ya que prefiere hacernos sentir molestos cada vez que aparece alguna escena extrema de esas que tan bien maneja, algo a lo que ayuda bastante su trazo detallado y, en ocasiones, sucio. Prepárense para un viaje hacia el corazón de lo enfermizo y la repugnancia no apto para estómagos débiles.
[Grade — 9.00]

Me hace gracia la cantidad de preguntas que me llegan a través de ask.fm, mi blog e incluso en los comentarios de esta misma web preguntándome...

RIP Jay Reatard

The post Jay Reatard, Coolest Indie Rocker of the ’00s appeared first on Songza Daily - Share-worthy music moments.

In 2013, noted filmmakers and screenwriters Ethan Coen and Joel Coen released the motion picture Inside Llewyn Davis, a comedy-drama set against the backdrop of the Greenwich Village folk scene of the early ’60s (and inspired in part by the memoirs of folk icon Dave Van Ronk). T-Bone Burnett, who had previously worked with the Coen Brothers on the films O Brother, Where Art Thou? and The Big Lebowski, was named executive music producer on the project, and he brought aboard a handful of talented musicians to help create the music for Inside Llewyn Davis. A concert was held at New York City’s Town Hall, coordinated by Burnett and the Coen Brothers, to celebrate the release of the film and the music that played a major role in its story, with a number of leading folk and…

320 kbps | 311 MB  UL | HF | MC ** FLAC

…acoustic musicians on hand to play songs used in the film as well as tunes that were important in the ’60s folk community.

Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating the Music of “Inside Llewyn Davis” is the soundtrack of a documentary that preserved the historic concert, featuring performances by Jack White, Joan Baez, Elvis Costello, the Avett Brothers, Conor Oberst, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, and Marcus Mumford, as well as Inside Llewyn Davis stars Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, and Adam Driver.

1. Punch Brothers – Tumbling Tumbleweeds [03:07]
2. Punch Brothers – Rye Whiskey [03:48]
3. Punch Brothers / Gillian Welch / Dave Rawlings – Will the Circle Be Unbroken? [03:32]
4. Gillian Welch / Dave Rawlings – The Way It Goes [04:31]
5. Gillian Welch / Dave Rawlings / Willie Watson – The Midnight Special [04:15]
6. Gillian Welch / Dave Rawlings / Willie Watson – I Hear Them All / This Land Is Your Land [05:46]
7. The Milk Carton Kids – New York [03:25]
8. Secret Sisters / Punch Brothers – Tomorrow Will Be Kinder [03:37]
9. Lake Street Dive – You Go Down Smooth [03:48]
10. Elvis Costello / Oscar Isaac / Adam Driver – Please Mr. Kennedy [02:30]
11. Conor Oberst / Gillian Welch / Dave Rawlings – Four Strong Winds [04:24]
12. Conor Oberst / Gillian Welch / Dave Rawlings – Man Named Truth [04:06]
13. Colin Meloy – Blues Run the Game [03:03]
14. Colin Meloy / Gillian Welch / Joan Baez – Joe Hill [04:05]
15. The Avett Brothers – All My Mistakes [04:25]
16. The Avett Brothers – That’s How I Got to Memphis [02:49]
17. The Avett Brothers – Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise [05:28]
18. Jack White – Mama’s Angel Child [03:30]
19. Jack White – Did You Hear John Hurt? [03:24]
20. Jack White – We’re Going to Be Friends [03:18]
21. Rhiannon Giddens – Waterboy [03:50]
22. Rhiannon Giddens – ‘S iomadh rud tha dhìth orm / Ciamar a nì mi ‘n dannsa dìreach [04:23]
23. Oscar Isaac / Punch Brothers / Secret Sisters – Hang Me, Oh Hang Me [04:26]
24. Oscar Isaac – Green, Green Rocky Road [03:51]
25. Keb Mo – Tomorrow Is a Long Time [02:40]
26. Bob Neuwirth – Rock Salt and Nails [04:45]
27. Punch Brothers / Marcus Mumford – The Auld Triangle [03:11]
28. Carey Mulligan / Gillian Welch / Rhiannon Giddens – Didn’t Leave Nobody But the Baby [02:06]
29. Elvis Costello / Joan Baez / Dirk Powell / Chris Thile – Which Side Are You On? [04:03]
30. Joan Baez / Dirk Powell – House of the Rising Sun [04:25]
31. Joan Baez / Dirk Powell / Marcus Mumford – Give Me Cornbread When I’m Hungry [02:43]
32. Marcus Mumford – I Was Young When I Left Home [05:06]
33. Marcus Mumford / Oscar Isaac / Punch Brothers – Fare Thee Well (Dink’s Song) [03:35]
34. Marcus Mumford / Punch Brothers – Farewell [04:45]

No-frills anthology of 13 of his better late-'50s Prestige sides, all of which feature his vocals. It has most of his most famous songs, particularly to listeners from a rock background, including his versions of "The Seventh Son," "Eyesight to the Blind" (covered by the Who on Tommy, though Sonny Boy Williamson did it before Allison), "Parchman Farm" (done by John Mayall), and "Young Man's Blues" (also covered by the Who). Were it not for the significant omission of "I'm Not Talking" (retooled by the Yardbirds), this would qualify as the basic collection for most listeners, although more thorough retrospectives are available (particularly Rhino's Anthology). Greatest Hits does include liner notes by Pete Townshend, originally penned for a 1972 collection. (Ritchie “Wet Blanket” Unterberger, Allmusic)

Subtitled "a fab collection of rare and hard to find US Beat Chicks and Harmony Honeys of the '60s," Girls Go Zonk: US Beat Chicks and Harmony Honeys gathers 22 rare, or certainly rarely anthologized, 1963-1968 sides in the girl group (or girl group-related) style. Like many such compilations, it's a mix of standout obscurities and pleasant and well-produced obscurities, and there's enough here to make this worthwhile for dedicated fans of the genre. As for the best items, Roberta Day's yearning ballad "Someday" would find a place of honor on the very best Phil Spector-soundalike productions of the mid-'60s; it's that good. Also highly worthy, and highly Spector-esque (as are, in fact, the majority of songs on the disc), are the Girls' ominous, Shangri-Las-like "Chico's Girl" (written by frequent Spector tunesmiths Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil), and the Satisfactions' "Daddy You Just Gotta Let Him In." Not that Spector-esque, but very good in a brassy, uptown pop-soul way, is the Dynells' "Just a Face in the Crowd." That about does it for cuts that would find their way onto a best-of '60s girl group non-hits compilation, but there are some other nifty tunes here, starting with Sharon Marie's "Run-Around Lover," which in addition to being another Spector homage was co-written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love of the Beach Boys. Patti Seymour's "The Silencers" has a very cool girl group-meets-'60s spy movie sound; the Kane Triplets score novelty points for doing a vocal version of "Theme from Mission Impossible"; the Murmaids, the one-shot group of "Popsicles and Icicles" fame, do a credible 1968 cover of Traffic's psychedelic classic "Paper Sun." And Verdelle Smith's "Tar and Cement," which sounds like a country-folk-tinged Dusty Springfield, was not only (unlike the rest of this stuff) an actual Top 40 hit (in 1966); it was also done in a French-language version by Françoise Hardy (as "La Maison Ou J'ai Grandi"). (Ritchie Unterberger, Allmusic)trax:

Non vai falar este artigo de programas de televisión; só de cores de pelo. En galego temos un vocabulario propio para definir o abano cromático que acotío se encontra na cabeleira humana e animal pero desde hai uns anos, por mor da influencia do castelán, xurdiron dúbidas ou incluso malos usos que condenan ao esquecemento as formas propias.

Rubio: O meu pai é o Rubio de Cequeliños. Tamén lle chaman o Paxariño pero ese é un alcume que herdou do meu avó Antonio, que seica pasaba o día a asubiar. Meu pai hoxe está careco e os pelos que lle quedan están brancos coma a neve. Mais en tempos tiña o pelo dourado. O meu pai non era rubio, en definitiva. Porque o adxectivo rubio en galego define as persoas co pelo avermellado ou ben cunha cor que oscila entre o dourado e o acastañado. Esta é a cor ideal para traducir o castelanismo pelirrojo. No caso dos animais, o pelo rubio é ese ton acastañado vivo, tirando ao vermello, que leva a vaca rubia galega ou algúns cans das razas británicas: settler, cocker, algún golden retriever.

Roxo: Aínda que pode ser sinónimo de rubio, e polo tanto tamén podemos usalo para substituír pelirrojo, a cor roxa tamén pode definir en galego unha tonalidade de vermello máis vivo, tirando á cor laranxa e incluso o cabelo da cor do ouro.

Louro e loiro: Meu pai non chegou a roxo porque o amarelo da súa cabeleira era un dourado máis claro. Para ese ton usamos en galego louro. Esta é a forma máis axeitada para substituír o que en castelán chaman rubio. “La ciudad con más mujeres de pelo rubio de España es Sevilla”. “A cidade con máis mulleres de pelo louro de España é Sevilla”. Segundo o Dicionario da Real Academia Galega, o adxectivo louro tamén define a cor da castaña moi madura, é dicir un matiz do granate. O Estraviz diferencia louro, que en efecto define esa cor escura e brillante de loiro, que viría definir ese dourado ou castaño claro.

Castaño: Eu non herdei o loiro do meu pai; son castaño, en extinción. A cor castaña vén da cor dese froito seco tan común en Galicia, polo que nalgúns contextos podería chamarse tamén louro. Entendo a confusión, nin eu mesmo sei de que cor teño o pelo que aínda non me encaneceu.

Moreno: Neste caso, o adxectivo é igual en galego ca en castelán. No caso do pelo define a cor negra ou castaña moi escura. En canto á pel, é unha forma ampla de referirse a tons escuros.

En resumo, en galego temos catro grandes grupos de cor de pelo: loiros ou louros; roxos ou rubios; castaños e morenos. Os dous primeiros adxectivos equivalen aos castelanismos rubio, pelirrojo/pelirroxo. Este campo semántico considero que é un dos máis danados da nosa lingua. Recuperalo non é doado. Hai tempo que veño propoñendo sen ningún altofalante que a TVG debería producir unha serie infantil cuxos personaxes levasen nomes das cores de noso para impedir que se perdan.

Tras el espectacular “BOOM” vivido durante los años 80 el género de terror pegó un fuerte bajonazo en su siguiente década. Para muchos, el cine de terror de los 90 empieza y acaba con “Scream” y sus primas hermanas (“Se lo que hicisteis el último verano” y secuela, “Leyenda urbana” y secuela y todas las imitadoras del modelo de slasher ochentero). Y aunque bien es cierto que la década fue floja y a diferencia de la anterior en la que se hacían pelis como churros y cada año había al menos media docena de buenos títulos de horror, los 90 tuvieron sus “buenos momentos”. Mas allá de la famosísima “Scream” y sucedáneos, la década noventera conoció algunos proyectos que con el tiempo han ido haciéndose un hueco en los corazoncitos de los fans del terror. Películas que apostaron por tramas y personajes alejados de los expuestos en “Scream” y que quisieron ofrecerle al público una alternativa a los slashers con adolescentes siendo troceados por el psicópata de turno. A continuación hago un repaso de mis 13 películas de terror favoritas de los 90 que NO SE PARECEN en nada a “Scream”. Y no, no es que odie la saga de Wes Craven y Kevin Williamson, a mí tambien me gustan mucho esas películas. Pero creo que debe hacerse justicia y cuando uno hable de cine de terror de los 90 SABER que hay un puñado de buenas películas que aun no han recibido el reconocimiento y el fanatismo que se merecen.

-AGARRAME ESOS FANTASMAS (1996) (The Frighteners)

Peter Jackson antes de volverse un megalómano aburrido con “El señor de los anillos” y sus interminables secuelas de 20 horas cada una, dirigía buenas películas destinadas a un público selecto del fantástico, el gore y la serie B. “Agarrame esos fantasmas” llegó a mediados de la década como un soplo de aire fresco. Humor negro, apariciones espectrales, fenómenos poltergeist, asesinos vengadores que vuelven de la tumba, Michael J. Fox (guiño a los 80), Jeffrey Combs y Dee Wallace (guiño a los amantes del terror clásico) y un batiburillo que mezcla terror sobrenatural con suspense y comedia. IMPRESCINDIBLE.

-THE RELIC (1997)

Dirigida por Peter Hyams y adaptando una popular novela de Lincoln&Child esta “monster movie” ofrece un entretenido cóctel: tensión, sustos, un monstruo horripilante comiéndose a mucha gente, una guapa científica como heroína, toques gores y sobredosis de diversión. Pasó algo desapercibida y aun ni hoy es “de culto” pero los fans de las pelis tipo “Alien” y derivados disfrutarán con ella sin lugar a dudas.

-MIMIC (1997)

Otra “monster movie”, esta vez dirigida por Guillermo del Toro. Que las cucarachas son un bicho repugnante que provoca terrores a mucha gente es algo común que todos saben. Pues imaginaros a unas cucarachas de metro noventa mutadas científicamente y fingiendo ser personas para pasar desapercibidas y arrastrar a sus pobres víctimas a las alcantarillas del metro de Nueva York. Pues todo eso y más en esta grata película sobre bichos llena de asquerosidades, suspense, acción y una Mira Sorvino cuando todavía era famosa haciendo de sufrida heroína.

 

-SPECIES, ESPECIE MORTAL (1995)

Una B movie que evoca lo mejor de la ciencia ficción ochentera (serie de “V” inclusive) combinándolo con terror pseudo gore y thriller erótico. La guapísima y escultural actriz Natasha Henstridge interpreta a una ardiente lagarta espacial disfrazada de top model sexy que quiere cepillarse a cuantos varones humanos sea posible para perpetuar su especie alienígena. Divertida, entretenida a más no poder, un placer culpable digno de cualquier buen fan del fantástico.

-SPECIES 2 (1998)

Secuela directa de la anteriormente mencionada y que ofrece más de lo mismo. Aquí la Henstridge es secundaria pero su presencia sigue siendo fundamental en la trama. El prota es un astronauta macizorro y picha brava que tras una misión espacial fallida queda infectado por un virus alien y debe embarazar a cuantas humanas pueda con su falo extraterrestre. Más gore, acción, escenas picantes y mucha diversión sin prejuicios para esta secuela de culto.

-DENTRO DE MIS SUEÑOS (1999) (In dreams)

Una señora con el poder de la clarividencia sueña con el asesinato de su hijita a manos de un maníaco que está matando a las niñas de la zona. Después de que su profética pesadilla se cumpla la pobre mujer sentirá una conexión telepática con el psicópata que juega con ella y la acosa pretendiendo hacerla parecer por loca. Estéticamente una maravilla, con grandes detalles oníricos, mucho suspense, mal rollo, tensión y Annette Bening protagonizando el espectáculo.

-THE CRAFT (JÓVENES Y BRUJAS) (1995)

Antes de triunfar con “Scream”, la pavisosa de Neve Campbell (la Kristen Stewart de los 90) protagonizó junto a Fairuza Balk (¿Que fue de…?) y Robin Tunney esta entretenida película sobre brujería, hechizos, perras de instituto y sustos juveniles. Un título injustamente olvidado que todo fan de terror de los 90 disfrutará con nostalgia. No es una obra maestra pero aquellos que disfruten con un buen aquelarre adolescente se lo pasarán pipa.

-EL DIABLO METIÓ LA MANO (1999) (Idle Hands)

A finales de la década y huendo de la moda impostada por “Scream” y compañía surgió esta propuesta original que llegó como un soplo de aire fresco ante tanto asesino enmascarado. La ex estrella juvenil y sex symbol noventero Devon Sawa (protagonista de los sueños húmedos de muchas niñatas y gays de hace 15 años) y una primeriza Jessica Alba encabezan un juvenil reparto en esta comedia de terror. Con su humor políticamente incorrecto, diálogos ácidos, violencia y toques gores, elementos satánicos y un gran espíritu ochentero “El diablo metió la mano” fue un hito en su época.

-HALLOWEEN H20 (1998)

Séptima parte de una caótica saga que tiene pelis muy buenas, malas y regulares. Hasta un spin off como fue la tercera entrega. Aquí decidieron pasarse por el forro todo lo ocurrido en las 4, 5 y 6 (bastante dignas por cierto) y apostaron por una continuación directa de la 2 con Jamie Lee Curtis volviendo a su inolvidable personaje de Laurie Strode. “Scream” usó la peli original para dar el petardazo y ahora ellos se aprovecharon de su éxito para resurgir este proyecto que contó con unos jóvenes y desconocidos Josh Harnett y Michelle Williams como víctimas del maníaco Michael Myers. Un slasher bastante potente con escenas de suspense bien hechas, notalgia a borbotones y cargadito de tensión y sobresaltos varios.

 

 

-DEEP BLUE SEA (1998)

Perfecta combinación de terror, acción y suspense. Dirigida por Renny Harlin (el de “Pesadilla en Elm street 4″) e inspirada ligeramente en el “Tiburón” de Spielberg llegó este espectáculo de adrenalina y tensión protagonizado por el chulazo morboso de Thomas Jane. “Deep blue sea” es una montaña rusa que se atreve a mostrar gore en una producción de serie A y es tan políticamente incorrecta que la protagonista femenina es muy antipática y todos queremos que se la coman por siesa. Angustiosa, llena de momentazos que nos harán comernos las uñas, muertes abundantes de casi todo el reparto y con bastantes sustos “Deep blue sea” es diversión garantizada.

-DEEP RISING: EL MISTERIO DE LAS PROFUNDIDADES (1998)

Antes de triunfar con la popular saga de “La momia”, Stephen Sommers escribió y dirigió este divertimento que mezclaba el cine de catástrofes (Es un remake gore de “La aventura del poseidón”) con el de bichos mutantes homenajeando incluso a la saga “Alien” y a las monster movies clásicas. En el papel femenino principal una casi debutante Famke Janssen haciendo de sexy ladrona de joyas reconvertida en heroína de la función junto a un deslenguado mercenario. Humor negro, grandes cantidades de sangre y violencia, personajes atípicos y ambiguos, mucha acción, efectos especiales, monstruos marinos, sustos, acción… De lo mejor hecho en los últimos 20 años.

-VIRUS (1999)

La hermana pobre de “Deep rising”, película con la que comparte un argumento similar e incluso tiene un actor común. Protagonizada por la scream quee ochentera Jamie Lee Curtis, “Virus” es un thriller de ciencia ficción ambientado en alta mar con ecos de Terminator, Alien, Leviathan y mucha diversión. Fue un fracaso de público y crítica pero el tiempo es sabio y en 10 años hablaremos de título de culto. Una perfecta mezcla de géneros, que comienza como un thriller de acción y acaba siendo una de terror pura y dura. Solo por ver a Jamie Lee ejerciendo dignamente de final girl con 40 años y al maromazo sexy de William Baldwin paseándose por allí ya merece la pena. Desprejuiciada y directa para paladares que saboreen con gusto la serie B y los subproductos de acción/terror.

-EL FIN DE LOS DIAS (1999) (End of Days)

Estrenada a finales de la década, en plena paranoia por el cambio de siglo y ambientada durante la última Nochevieja del siglo XX. Con Peter Hyams (“The relic”) tras las cámaras y Arnold Schwarzenegger frente a ella, “El fin de los días” es una super producción hecha a la medida de forzudo actor austríaco que mezcla con muchísimo descaro el thriller de acción con homenajes a grandes clásicos del terror: “La profecia”, “La semilla del diablo”, etc… La guapa Robin Tunney (del casting de “Jovenes y brujas”) es la encargada contra su voluntad de engendrar al hijo de Satán para que el infierno abra sus puertas de par y en par y la pobre chica sufrirá un montón de situaciones terroríficas acompañada del super héroe Schwarzenegger. Imposible no divertirse con ella, una alocada propuesta que no todos supieron entender y que ofrece un variadito bastante disfrutable para cualquier amante del terror.

Por Mr. Popcorn

 

 

The post 13 películas de terror de los noventa alejadas del rollo Scream… appeared first on Teenage Thunder.

La novela romántica Bajo la misma Estrella fue la más vendida en España durante 2014, según los datos del Bookscan de la consultora Nielsen. El estreno de la adaptación cinematográfica de esta novela juvenil del autor estadounidense John Green ha impulsado las ventas de esta historia juvenil protagonizada por dos adolescentes enamorados unidos por el cáncer.

Tras ella, el segundo ejemplar más demandado ha sido el libro El umbral de la Eternidad, con el que el escritor Ken Follet ha cerrado su trilogía El Siglo, mientras que le sigue en tercer puesto el tomo Yo fui a EGB que recopila los recuerdos de la generación que vivió los años 80 y que se coloca, además, como el libro español más vendido del año pasado.

Nielsen ha destaca que "la melancolía del Telesketch o de los Juegos Reunidos Geyper aunada por Javier Ikaz y Jorge Díaz, y editada en 2013, sigue cautivando a los españoles y cierra el top 3 de ventas".

Por otra parte, la ficción española "sigue cosechando éxitos, aupada por autores como Julia Navarro, cuya última novela, Dispara, yo ya estoy muerto se ha situado como el cuarto libro más vendido en España, superando incluso a Cincuenta sombras de Grey", según la consultora.

Sobre el éxito de la primera parte de Cincuenta Sombras de Grey, que se sitúa en quinto puesto, Nielsen señala que la historia erótica que narra E.L. James se mantiene como una de las más vendidas en España debido a su aparición en edición de bolsillo. Además, subraya que su estreno en la gran pantalla será un buen aliado para impulsar "aún más su compra, al igual que ha sucedido con Bajo la misma Estrella".

También ha cautivado al público Las tres bodas de Manolita, de Almudena Grandes, que se sitúa en sexto puesto. Asimismo, el suspense es un género atractivo, como refleja la obra El juego de Ripper, de Isabel Allende, y La verdad sobre el caso Harry Quebert de Joël Dicker, que siguen a la obra de Almudena Grandes.

Otra publicación que aprovecha su edición de bolsillo para situarse entre los más vendidos es el ejemplar La ladrona de libros, mientras que el Top 10 cierra con la publicación juvenil El libro Troll del autor El Rubius, un cómic interactivo que propone hacer de la vida todo un experimento.

Growing up when puberty hit meant I suddenly went from playing “Jenny Jones” in the shower with my best friend interviewing each other with shampoo bottles – to refusing to get naked around anyone.

I’ll never forget when I walked out of the shower and my mom pointed and laughed saying “You’re getting hair down there!” As if it was somehow funny. I had been oblivious to the fact but upon immediate discovery I ran into my room and cried.

No one prepares you for puberty. Or blood draining from your vagina. Or tampons. Or a dick in your box.

As I started to grow boobs, and pubic hair; I also started to develop “a real vagina”. Suddenly I spouted Labia and I thought I was going to hell because I masturbated so much I must have stretched my vagina skin. It didn’t help that I looked different than some of my friends. Their vaginas were so nice and neat. (This may or may not have attributed to remaining a virgin my whole high school years…)

I hated my vagina. I never wanted anyone to see it – and if you look like me, you may have tried a variety of techniques like the ‘spread and tuck’ to morph the appearance. I found my peers had no experience in vagina viewing so it only added to my stress when certain vagina architecture was made fun of or “gross”.

I envied my friends perfect, neat vagina. It was the holy grail of setups in my mind. While all I could compare mine to was a miniature ball sac of labia. Don’t look or it will stick its tongue out at you.

My curiosity was insatiable. The internet was only providing me two options – a vagina with a dick in it, or before and afters of labia surgery. (some things you can’t unsee.) Not to mention, I couldn’t really go to my girl friends or mom and say “Show me your vagina, please?” without my sanity or sexuality being questioned.

So I used the resources available. The first was every technician who waxed me. We had in-depth conversations at what it was like to look at several vaginas a day. There’s a difference in the relationship to someone who doesn’t fuck your vagina, but up-keeps it for you – it’s quite vulnerable to be on a bed, legs spread, lights blaring and she’s tugging and pulling and adjusting that. If anyone was going to have the breakdown on vagina’s, it was her. But somewhere in all the stories, the verbal descriptions were not translating.

The second was my OBGYN. One time I had a male doctor and I asked him, “Am I normal down there?” And he got uncomfortable, and said, “Maybe you should ask your boyfriend that.”

Well doc, I didn’t have a boyfriend at that time – maybe because of my perceived abnormal vagina!? Looking back, what could he really say? “Yes your vagina is great,” with two fingers pressing on my cervix?…

My options were getting low but I found what I like to call a “vagina viewing party.” Also known as an all-nude strip club. It was great to shamelessly view vaginas live, but one girl’s ass hole was so bleached I couldn’t find it. So much for that.

Having forged the journey I’ve since embraced my awesome vag. Where I once thought I was unique, I discovered I was not. There are thousands of us with beautiful, bold, neat, pierced, intricate vaginas. Just take a look at “The Great Wall of Vagina.” While I still envy my friends set-up I learned to let mine, hang loose.

These 20-year flashback posts are always a lot of fun, but this one has been especially enjoyable to prepare. 1995 was the year I got my start in the record-reviewing racket. And while my brief "retirement" circa 2008-2011 precludes me from truly saying I've been in the zine/blog game for 20 years, I feel a special nostalgia now that we're exactly two decades removed from 1995.

I came upon the punk world a little differently than the typical person. I grew up on classic rock and metal and did not, as a teen, have much awareness of any music outside of the mainstream. That very much changed in the wake of Nirvana mania, and the latter half of my college years were largely spent in vast explorations of this new and exciting world of indie/alternative/underground music. I read every alt-rock rag I could get my hands on and bought all kinds of new music without any regard for specific sub-genres. Some of it I liked, and a lot of it I didn't. And after a couple years of trial and error, it became obvious to me that the punk stuff was what really spoke to me. So much of what was passing for "alternative" music struck me as a little too high-brow or just simply not my taste. But punk rock was pure simplicity and excitement, and I just loved the way it mixed a primal aggression with catchy songs you could sing along with. I knew this was my music. And while I didn't particularly care for the offerings from the bigger punk labels like Epitaph and Fat Wreck, the underground pop-punk scene and nascent '77 punk revival were so exciting to me that I was inspired to start spreading the gospel via the printed word. These were exciting times to be a fan of punk music. You'd see an ad or a review in Maximumrocknroll, stuff some cash in an envelope, and wait by the mailbox for 2-3 weeks anticipating the arrival of your prize. There was never any guarantee that you were going to love every record you bought, but there was always that thrill in taking chances on bands and labels that were entirely unknown. As I look at my list below of the best punk rock records of 1995, I realize that I had not heard of most of these bands prior to that year. And it should also be noted that many of these bands became longtime favorites of mine. That's what I mean when I say that 1995 was my 1977. 

On to the list!

Top 12 Albums of 1995

12. The Loudmouths - self titled
Straight from the band bio: "In the hell for leather tradition of three-chord sleaze n' roll, The Loudmouths spit out angst-ridden, feline-charged power trash and booze-soaked thrash that taps into the energy of early '80s hardcore and leaves behind a trail of blown ears and broken beer bottles." Yeah, that pretty much sums it up! Two decades later, Dulcinea is still going strong with Midnite Snaxxx!

11. Green Day- Insomniac 
I always liked Green Day and never particularly cared whether they were "punk" or not. My first "big move" in the zine world was to make it clear that I did not side with the punk purists and anti major label zealots who made a sport out of bashing Green Day in the mid-'90s. My favorite Green Day albums are still the first three, but I'd put Insomniac in a dead heat with Nimrod for fourth. 

10. Trash Brats- The Joke's On You
The glam-punk thing was still a few years away from really catching on, but in 1995 the Trash Brats were already longtime fixtures in Detroit's rock n' roll underground. With its perfect marriage of Cheap Trick and the New York Dolls, The Joke's On You was perhaps five years ahead of its time (or maybe 18 years behind it!). Either way, this album is a true classic of its form. If "Downtown Nowhere" doesn't make you happy to be alive, there's probably no hope for you.

9. Riverdales- self titled
Say what you want about old Ben Weasel, but this album is a fine example of what Ramones-core is supposed to be.

8. Electric Frankenstein - The Time Is Now!
Electric Frankenstein was one of the bands most responsible for reviving "old school" punk in the mid-'90s. Released on the heels of several outstanding singles, this monster collection combined the aggressive guitars of Detroit rock and Aussie punk with the snarl and sleaze of bands like the Dead Boys. Over the years a lot of bands would come on the scene with their own blends of hard rock and punk, but nobody did it better than E.F.!

7. The Queers- Move Back Home
If it seems like The Queers put out a great album every year between 1993 and 1996, that's because they did! Absolutely the greatest pop-punk band of the '90s.

6. Boris The Sprinkler - Saucer To Saturn
Still the Boris album I'm most likely to listen to. Fave tracks: "I Wanna Get To Third Base With You" and "Superball Eyes".

5. Motards - Rock Kids
A true classic of down-and-dirty drunken garage punk awesomeness. Then, as now, Austin had it going on.

4. U.S. Bombs- Put Strength In The Final Blow
When I think about '90s punk rock and why it ruled, the Bombs are always one of the first bands to come to mind. They put their own So Cal spin on the classic '77 sound and consistently made great albums. I don't think they fully hit their stride until War Birth, but I do love the pure rawness of this debut LP.

3. The Muffs- Blonder And Blonder
In my personal experience, the debate as to whether the second Muffs album is better than the first Muffs album has led to many shouting matches and late night brawls. I still think the self-titled album is just a little bit better overall than Blonder And Blonder. That said, I will say that side one of Blonder And Blonder is as good as any album side I've ever heard. It still boggles my mind that this album was on a major label at the absolute peak of the alternative rock craze and still couldn't get a lick of radio support. What kind of clueless fucktard actually thought that Jars Of Clay or Dishwalla were more worthy of airplay than The Muffs? No wonder the "music revolution" failed!

2. Oblivians - Soul Food
Without question one of the most important and enduring artifacts of '90s garage punk, Soul Food managed to throw The Stooges, Sonics, and Killed By Death comps into a blender with the traditional sounds of Memphis to create a musical concoction unlike anything the world had ever heard. A masterpiece of wild and trashy rock n' roll.

1. Swingin' Utters - Streets Of San Francisco
The Utters in the mid-'90s were pegged as modern disciples of The Clash and Stiff Little Fingers, and to a certain extent that was true. But they were so much more than that. Their songwriting (largely by guitarist Darius Koski) took some influence from traditional American genres like folk and bluegrass. And lyrically, the band was surprisingly poetic for a group so often pigeonholed as "street" punk. In more recent years, the Utters have more overtly embraced the sounds of Americana. But circa Streets Of San Francisco, they were still incorporating the spirit of those influences into a straight-ahead punk rock sound. Streets Of San Francisco is fiery, passionate, and hands down one of the best punk LPs of the 1990s. 

Honorable mentions:
Beatnik Termites - Taste The Sand 
Gaunt - Yeah, Me Too
Zoinks! - Bad Move Space Cadet
Sicko - Chef Boyrudum

As good as the LPs were in '95, the EPs and singles are what I recall the most fondly. A top ten would be insufficient - so here's 20!

Top 20 Singles/EPs of 1995

20. Moral Crux/Boris The Sprinkler split 7"
19. Hormones- Cartographer Of Love
18. Parasites- Burnt Toast
17. Dead End Cruisers- The Suave The Distant The Gay The Scummy 
16. Connie Dungs- Missy And Johnny
15. The Invalids - Punker Than Me
14. The Queers- Surf Goddess
13. Vindictives- Alarm Clocks
12. Registrators- Monkey
11. Jake and the Stiffs - Spike  
10. Boris The Sprinkler- Drugs and Masturbation
9. Automatics - All The Kids Just Wanna Dance
8. Problematics - Blown Out
7. The Crumbs- I Fell In Love With An Alien Girl 
6. The Rip Offs - Go Away
5. Johnny Bravo- She's Walking Out Again
4. The Beltones - Lock And Load
3. Teengenerate - Out Of Sight
2. Nobodys - Politically Incorrect 
1. The Stitches - 8 x 12

Honorable Mentions:
Teen Idols/Mulligan Stu split 7"
The Rehabs- Here Come The Rehabs
Grieving Eucalyptus- Johnny Made Me Do It

Of course the above lists don't even begin to summarize the wide variety of punk music that came out in 1995. But they do give you an idea of what I was listening to in '95 and why I might have been inspired to start writing about music. I didn't really start getting into garage punk until a couple years later. But when it comes to the '77 and pop-punk stuff on these lists, I pretty much bought all of it when it was new. And if it seems my tastes haven't changed a whole lot in 20 years, I'd say that's very true!

-L.R.

Los siete ejemplares que se acaban de adquirir ocupan las mismas instalaciones de los animales muertos, que han sido reformadas cinco veces

• Hasta el 7 de febrero solo abre sábados y domingos, y el bar cierra por obras

Personal genetics testing works like this: you spit in a tube, mail it away to a company like 23andMe, and for less than $100, get back a read out on your biological relatives, ancestry (lineage and geographic origins), and — before an FDA crackdown in 2013 — your genetic predispositions for various diseases and traits.

But many people who use genetic testing don't think about the fact that they're also giving up their most granular personal information — DNA — to for-profit companies that can then share that data with others.

And that's exactly what's happening at 23andMe. Yesterday, the personal genetics company announced a new agreement to give anonymized user data to the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, according to the Verge.

In a press release, 23andMe said, "Researchers can now fully benefit from the largest dataset of its kind, running queries in minutes across more than 1,000 different diseases, conditions and traits. With this information researchers can identify new associations between genes and diseases and traits more quickly than ever before."

This comes a week after 23andMe struck a $60 million deal with the biotech company Genentech. The company will give over aggregate user data to Genentech for Parkinson's research. According to Forbes, 23andMe is working on other similar deals, so its trove of customer data will start to be spread among other biotech and pharma companies for various ends.


23andMe says it ensures privacy, that customers must op-in to these research initiatives, that all research will be vetted by ethics review boards, and that, ultimately, these deals will advance science. As Wired reported, "Sharing resources, the companies say, will help them figure out new ways to treat disease and to design clinical trials."

They may well do. But it's also important for users to be aware of what they're agreeing to when they spit in a tube.

At Vox, for example, we ran a feature on how some 23andMe users ended up unexpectedly finding close family members they didn't know they had. In one case, a professor's parents divorced after the site revealed that his father had a secret child. These stories, and the latest news on 23andMe's third-party deals, should give us pause: As more people log in, services like 23andMe may well become the Google of our personal genetics. Except instead of acting as the gatekeeper for a search query on how to cook a steak, they will be the guardians of our collective DNA.

Further reading:

23andMe reverses its decision to move to more lax privacy settings
Genetic testing brings families together and sometimes tears them apart
With genetic testing, I gave my parents the gift of divorce
Everything you need to know about genetic testing and personalized medicine.

A dreadful start.

Caitlin Stasey’s new project, herself.com, gives women a platform to embrace themselves completely. Note: This post contains nudity.

Australian actress Caitlin Stasey has just launched herself.com, a feminist website designed to empower women of all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, sexualities, and gender identities.

The website features nude photo shoots of various women combined with in-depth interviews, and will be updated with a new profile every week.

"Herself is a gesture to women for women by women, a chance to witness the female form in all its honesty without the burden of the male gaze, without the burden of appealing to anyone," Stasey said. "These women are simply and courageously existing, immortalised within these photos."

Jennifer Toole / Via herself.com

The Please Like Me star revealed she was inspired to create the site after recognising the need for a space for all women – whether they be cisgender, trans, genderqueer, or intersex – to talk about their experiences.

"I wanted to feature women from all walks of life in the hope that women who rarely see themselves reflected in the media could find solidarity, could find people LIKE them rather than people they are constantly being told to be like."

Jennifer Toole / Via herself.com

When she started the project, Stasey said, she was struck by how many of the women posing for the photos apologised for their bodies.

"Women's bodies are taken from them, dissected, scrutinised, and then sold back to them – we are expected to foot the bill of societally influenced perfection," she said. "These women were apologising for not living up to arbitrary standards stipulated by the patriarchy, cosmetic industry and ongoing, systemic oppression.

"Working as an actor has always made me acutely aware of how I look, how others look, how others are told they should look and how we all pay fortunes (financially and emotionally) to abide by these arbitrary stipulations. I was always self-conscious as a teen, but working in entertainment has heightened my awareness of injustice when it comes to the female form and the constant criticism of it."

Jennifer Toole / Via http://herself.com

Stasey credited photographer Jennifer Toole, who shot all the women currently featured on the site, with helping to put everyone at ease.

"Jennifer has such an incredible bedside manner that I think all self-consciousness melts away while shooting with her. I know I felt a tad embarrassed at first when I was taking my portraits, but I eventually came to find that there's no reason to apologise for this vessel I was blessed with. All the women who took part couldn't speak highly enough of the experience and I hope have come to find new pockets of confidence within themselves."

Jennifer Toole / Via http://herself.com

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Being a tall guy is pretty awesome. From my own six-foot-four point of view, the world looks A-OK. I’m tall enough to grab anything you might need off of the top shelf in the closet, but not so tall where my height gets in the way of a regular day-to-day life. And everybody’s read those studies that show how tall people tend to make more money than regular sized people, right? So on the surface anyway, there’s really not much to complain about.

Which is why the negative aspects of being a tall guy are a subtle form of suffering. So whenever I mention anything less than positive about my height, everyone I know is quick to shut me down. “Please, I don’t want to hear it, you’re so tall, I’d kill to be your height.” And so I’ve been conditioned my whole life to remain silent, forced to endure the minor hardships occasionally associated with being tall all by myself. I’m sure it’s the same for tall guys everywhere. Here are 6 things only tall guys will understand.

1. Good luck finding a pair of pants that fit right

All of my pants are just a little too short. For whatever reason, most brands refuse to sell anything bigger than a thirty-four in length. Once every four years or so, I’ll magically stumble across some thirty-sixes, maybe, but even then, they’re likely to only be paired with a size 36 waist at the minimum. So I’ve got a choice: do I want to wear pants that are falling off my hips or do I want them to rest an inch above my ankles? I’ll almost always choose the latter, and it means that wearing low cut, white socks is forever out of the question.

Nobody likes hearing me complain about clothes, and so the response I usually get is something like, “Well, why don’t you go shopping at a big and tall store?” And I just want to be like, why don’t you shop at a big and tall store? The clothes at big and tall stores are the worst. And everything for sale is meant for guys size XL and up. If there were maybe just a tall store, without necessarily catering simultaneously to the big, perhaps I’d give it another shot.

2. I’ve probably done a lot of damage hitting my head

I go grocery shopping at a store right by my house. The produce section is just by the entranceway. When I enter, the store’s layout encourages me to automatically grab a bag and start walking toward the row of vegetables against the wall. And every single time, I run straight into that hook dispensing little plastic baggies, smacking my head loud and hard enough for everyone around me to let out a collective, “Ooooh.” As I sit there and curse my inability to instinctively dodge objects that most people pay no attention to, I wonder how many more times I’m going to hit my head before I start suffering actual damage.

And it’s not just grocery store hooks. It’s everything. I can’t stand up straight in my basement. It’s the subway. I actually have to duck when boarding a train. Sometimes I’ll be walking on the sidewalk and a low-hanging branch will whack me right in the eye. Come on! Ceiling fans are especially bothersome, because once I get caught up, the blades keep hitting me over and over again. “Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!” I worry that my body is being trained to compulsively hunch over, just a little bit, just to avoid getting hit, and that as I get older, I’m going to grow crooked, and nobody’s going to want to talk or hang out with me.

3. Everyone assumes I must be good at basketball

Sure, it’s a seemingly benign tall person stereotype. But just because a person has a natural vertical advantage doesn’t really say anything to his skills in regard to, say, ball handling, or hand-eye coordination, or the ability to execute a solid box-and-one zone defense. I’m not saying that I’m bad at basketball, I’m just saying that, if I weren’t so tall, I’d absolutely be terrible at basketball. I can’t shoot, dribble, or pass. But I can stand under the net with my hands straight up in the air in an effort at preventing the opposing team from getting in any easy layups. Meaning, anytime anybody asks me to play basketball, there’s no way I’m not going to wind up disappointing everybody involved.

Do you know what that was like for me growing up? “You must love playing on the basketball team!” random people would ask me when I was in high school. I’d try to respond that, no, I actually didn’t wind up making the team. But because I grew so fast when I was only fourteen, I hadn’t yet developed the necessary motor skills to explain myself, or do much of anything really, without tripping over my feet and falling over. That usually ended pretty much any conversation.

4. Airplanes are the worst

Gone are the days when tall people could show up at the departing gate a few minutes early, speak to a ticketing representative, and be awarded one of those coveted emergency exit seats, along with all of the comfort those extra few inches of legroom provided. Airlines got wise to the fact that those emergency aisles represented precious dollars to be wrung out of their already cash-strapped passengers. And such are the laws of capitalist economics that, once you divert attention from customer satisfaction to strict numbers, you wind up falling into a tiered system where those with the most money get the best treatment.

And so now when I go to fly, I invariably wind up getting sat not in, but right behind the emergency row. I have to lower my head as I schlep down the aisle. While I stow my carryon in the overhead compartment, I can’t help but noticing how not-tall the guy in front of me is, how when he stretches his legs all the way out, he can’t even reach the seat in front of him. And of course, as soon as the plane reaches its cruising altitude, the undeserved imp lets out an audible “Ahhh …” as he lowers his seat into the recline position. There’s that distinct “thump” as the back slams right into my already scrunched up knees.

5. My whole life, I’ve been given really cheesy tall nicknames

Old people see me on the street and say stuff like, “Hey Stretch, how’s the weather up there?” and what am I supposed to do, get pissed off? No, I just have to smile and act polite and maybe even throw in a fake laugh or two. But it’s not funny. Stop calling me Stretch. If anything, wouldn’t it be a little cleverer if you called me something ironic, like Shorty, or Shrimp? “Hey Shrimpy,” OK, I just said that in my head, and it wasn’t funnier. If anything, I’m even more annoyed now.

It was the worst when I was in high school. My early growth spurt meant that my body wouldn’t have a chance for another four years or so to add any additional weight onto my already lean frame. And so I’d have my parents’ friends attempt to make jokes at my expense, saying stuff like, “Whoa, what are you feeding him?” and then everyone would laugh and laugh. And apparently this name-calling is strictly a one-way street, because one time one of my dad’s friends said something to me like, “Hey Stilts,” and I responded, “What’s up Fatso?” and everyone got really pissed off at me.

6. What happens if I ever lose my legs?

Maybe I’m overthinking things a little bit, but I always run through this scenario in my head where the country goes to war. It’s a really bad one, and the government drafts me along with all of the able-bodied citizenry into mandatory military conscription. I answer the call and march to the frontlines, and everything goes OK for the most part. But a few days before my tour is over, I accidentally step on a landmine and lose both of my legs above the knee.

But not to worry, the army fits me for two of the newest, most hi-tech prosthetic legs available. “In many ways, they’ll be far superior to your biological limbs,” the doctors will assure me. And while my new legs take some getting used to, eventually I’m able to reintegrate back into society as if I’d never been wounded at all. Except there’s one problem: my new legs aren’t tall person legs, they’re just regular sized legs, and so now I’m about four inches shorter. What should be a pretty easy rehabilitation back into civilian life turns into a complete inability to cope with the world from my new, shortened vantage point. I wind up spending days on line at the VA, arguing unsuccessfully with the doctors about the incorrect height, all while they scratch their heads and try to tell me that, “You’re not that short. You’ll get used to it. Come on, six feet is pretty tall.”

I doubt that’ll ever happen, but still, how often do I take my height for granted? What happens if I have a bunch of kids and they all wind up being taller than I am? How am I going to live not being the tallest one in my family? While it can occasionally be a pain, I wouldn’t trade my height for anything. Well, maybe for billions and billions of dollars. Then I could just pay a group of much shorter people to hang out with me all day and make me feel better about myself. But who would ever offer me that kind of a trade? And how would they go about scaling me down to a more regular size?

Be sure to check us out on Vine! Follow us here.

Send these to anyone you know who’s approaching the big 3-0. I’m sure they’ll thank you for it.

Robin Edds / BuzzFeed

Robin Edds / BuzzFeed

Robin Edds / BuzzFeed

Robin Edds / BuzzFeed

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There are very few subjects that will get people’s blood boiling on internet forums faster than tipping. The system is so weird that there are plenty of winners and losers, and the only way to avoid dealing with it is to never eat out. And the rest of the world just scratches their heads, wondering why we put up with a system that doesn’t pay servers at least the federal minimum wage. In this Adam Ruins Everything video from College Humor, we find out how our current tipping system got started and how it just plain sucks for most of the people involved. Contains NSFW language.   

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CineFix presents this video of facts about Joel and Ethan Coen's 1998 cult film The Big Lebowski. It features a few amusing stories that are as much fun as the movie itself. For instance, a certain trade publication got in touch with the Coen brothers for an interview after the movie's release. See what oddball publication it was, find out what their answer was to the interview request and more. -Via Gizmodo (NSFW article due to a Wikipedia graphic on the use of the F-bomb in film.)

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There is one character archetype in the world of pop culture that is so specific, so exact in attitude and circumstance, that it needs a combination adjective to describe it properly- sadorable.

Sadorable characters are basically a combination of Jungian archetypes The Innocent and The Orphan-they are adorable in looks and attitude yet powerless to control their sad little lives, with the power to thaw frozen hearts and inspire otherwise rotten people to do good.

Here’s an exploration of nine characters from movies and TV shows that epitomize the idea of “sadorable”:

1. Leopold "Butters" Scotch from South Park-

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Leopold Scotch, aka Butters, is an innocent victim-he’s constantly getting punished by his parents for crimes he didn't commit, the other kids in South Park pick on him incessantly, and his only solace is the time he spends as his villainous alter ego Professor Chaos.

Yet somehow the sadorable little Butters continues to confess to crimes he didn't commit and let kids bag on him just to make everyone else happy, making young Butters tops in the world of animated TV show sadorability.

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2. Bobby Boucher from The Waterboy-

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Bobby Boucher, aka The Waterboy, is a grown man who lives with his mother in a swampside estate fit for a frog, his wardrobe looks like something you'd find in a thrift store dumpster, and he’s got a stutter that makes him sound like Elmer Fudd’s Creole cousin.

Despite all these setbacks he's still caring and happy to help others, which ups his sadorability factor by at least two touchdowns and a field goal.

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3. Hans Moleman from The Simpsons-

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It’s a wonder Hans Moleman lived long enough to reach his senior years, because he’s constantly being targeted for pranks, aimed at by angry drivers, struck by flying objects and generally serving as the butt of many jokes around Springfield.

And yet somehow, despite all of the bad life throws his way, Hans remains begrudgingly optimistic, continuing to make his way through a cartoon world hell bent on burying him before he can officially retire!

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4. Steve Janowski from Eastbound and Down-

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Stevie Janowski's life is so empty that he worships at the cult of personality just so he doesn't have to feel alone. Unfortunately, the target of his praises is a washed up ball player named Kenny Powers, who treats Stevie like muck he can't seem to scrape off his shoe.

Stevie's powers of sadorability make it possible for him to change Kenny's attitude for the better, and his naive innocence almost makes you feel bad for the guy, even when he acts a bit too much like his hero Kenny.

(I couldn't find a video of Stevie "clean" enough to post here on Neatorama, so if you want to see what's up with this sadorable character search Stevie Janowski on YouTube and prepare to bust a gut!)

5. Gurgi from The Black Cauldron-

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Poor, sadorable little Gurgi- he just wants some munchings and crunchings, won’t anybody heed his pitiful critter cries?

Gurgi is a little beastman who isn't accepted by either men or beasts, and he's willing to give up his sadorable life just to prove what a good friend he can be, a sacrifice which earns him a spot in the sadorable hall of fame.

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6. Derek Noakes from Derek-

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Derek is a really special guy with a huge heart, and one character who is totally sadorable by design.

Derek's story involves themes of abandonment and isolation, he works at an old folks home where his senior citizen friends are constantly passing away, and yet he remains optimistic and happy to help those who take him for granted.

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7. Thurman Sherman from Bad Santa-

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The kid from Bad Santa, who we come to find out is named Thurman Merman more than halfway through the movie, is the poster child for the sadorable archetype. He's constantly picked on by skater kids, his dad seemingly abandoned him and yet still finds hope in the existence of Santa Claus. Thurman so sadorable he makes a Bad Santa want to go straight! (Video clip contains NSFW language)

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8. Whitey Duvall from Eight Crazy Nights-

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Whitey is a little animated character who truly epitomizes the term sadorable- he’s a misshapen senior citizen who has lived with his equally strange looking sister his whole life, who is used as a source of free labor by the entire town and treated like crap by those he treats like royalty.

Despite all these reasons to be sad Whitey keeps his trolly little chin up and manages to see the good in people the rest of the world gave up on long ago, and he's so naively happy-go-lucky that he'll even play a little b-ball with the big boys just to prove a point.

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9. Rickety Cricket from It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia-

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Rickety Cricket from It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia might not be the saddest, or most adorable, character in the bunch, but he has something the other's don't- an unshakeable faith in humanity. Cricket keeps letting Dennis, Dee and the rest of the Paddy's Pub gang put him through hell because he firmly believes they might someday change their evil ways.

As the Sunny show rambles on Cricket goes from a naive yet clean and clothed priest to a homeless, drug addicted wreck, and yet somehow his sadorability level goes up as his lifestyle declines.

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So there ya have it- nine characters who define the sadorable archetype, characters so pitifully cute you they bring a smile to your face and a tear to your eye! Have another example of a sadorable character? Share it in the comment section below!

When you stub a toe, miss a train by mere seconds or send an accidental "reply-all," there's a good chance you'll reflexively blurt out an expletive or two — and there's no reason to feel bad about it. While spewing profanities may offend disciples of Emily Post, it turns out that cursing is a pretty healthy habit. Research suggests that using four-letter words to express pain may inadvertently help alleviate it, whether we're reeling from physical anguish or emotional upset. How fucking convenient.

If it hurts, go on and curse. Dropping f-bombs helps us withstand physical pain, according to a 2009 study in which U.K. researchers from Keele University conducted a different kind of ice bucket challenge. Participants had to dunk their hands in ice water until the discomfort grew unbearable. Half of the participants could repeat their obscenity of choice during the experiment, while the other half had to endure the pain without letting curses fly. Read More