Aleluya hermanos y hermanas! Regocijémonos con este espiritual capítulo y dos protagonistas principales que se acercan a la música gospel. Leo Welch es un músico de Mississippi que acaba de editar su álbum de debut con solo 81 años. Se titula Sabougla Voices. La segunda parte del programa es de la banda de Vizcaya Travellin Brothers. Jon (voz), Aitor (guitarra) e Isi (tabla de lavar) forman parte de esta gran banda de swing, jazz, góspel y RnB que nos presenta su nuevo trabajo desde nuestro rincón de los directos. Playlist, Leo Welch (You cant hurry God, Somebody touch me, Mother loves her children), Scott H Biram (John the revelator), Link Wray (Fire and brimstone), The Lost Crusaders (Have you Heard about the world), Travellin Brothers (Magnolia route, Ballroom 24, This little light of mine, Love joy happiness y los temas en directo Theres a man going round taking names y Creole queen.
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David A. Trampier, the Illustrator Who Defined the Look of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Has Passed Away, 1954-2014
The Southern Illinoisian, the regional paper for Carbondale, Illinois, has listed an obituary for David A. Trampier, the artist responsible for defining the look of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, from the first edition and onwards.
Trampier was doggedly reserved throughout his life, to such an extent that most D&D fans know his work more than they know his name. He disappeared in 1988, leaving his ongoing comic D&D Wormy abruptly unfinished, and retired from illustration to drive a Yellow Taxi in Carbdondale, Illinois. (The above photo from 2003 is one of the only pictures ever snapped of Trampier.)
[On his disappearance and possible reappearance]
According to the Castle Perilous Games & Books store blog, Trampier suffered a stroke late last year but was considering convention appearances and some illustration work in the future. You can read further details in their recollection and see more about his work here.
Thank you, David Trampier for bringing character and life to a gaming series that means so much to so many.
Take a look at Trampier's iconic illustrations below:
Así comen las pornstars
Hace unos meses publicamos un simpático vídeo en el que la curvilínea Sara Jay nos lanzaba su teoría sobre cómo comen las pornstars. Ahora podemos ver un testimonio más realista: el fotógrafo Nate Smith, responsable de nuestro amado blog Driven by Boredom, se ha pasado cuatro años fotografiando a toda persona con quien saliese a cenar, y como trabaja mucho con actrices porno, ha decidido recopilar para Vice todas las imágenes con alguna felactriz echándose a la boca algo más nutritivo y digestivo que la polla dura de algún compañero de escena.
Fanhunter
Fanhunter es una saga de cómics, creada por Cels Piñol, ambientada en un presente/futuro alternativo en el cual los fans son perseguidos. La palabra significa «cazador de fans». Los personajes del cómic son conocidos como narizones, ya que prácticamente no tienen cara, sólo nariz. Además, carecen de piernas.
Las primeras ediciones se publicaron en forma de fanzine, producidos por el mismo autor y distribuidos en Barcelona. Sus últimos cómics en blanco y negro (Final Conflict) utilizan también tramas y efectos, y gozan de la colaboración de autores como Víctor Santos (Los Reyes Elfos) o JMV (El Señor de los Panchitos). Han colaborado otros autores como Roke González, Chema Pamundi (ambos co-creadores del universo), Adri Ortiz, David Ramírez,Nacho Fernández, Carlos J. Olivares, David Baldeón o Sergio Abad. (Seguir leyendo aquí)
Idioma: Español.
Editorial: Forum-Panini
Guion: Cels Piñol, Nacho fernandez, Ivan LLamas, Roke Gonzalez, David Ramirez
Dibujo: Cels Piñol, Jose Angel Lopetegui, Nacho Fernandez, Ramon F. Bachs, David Ramirez, David Baldeon, Carlos Javier Olivares
Tradumaquetador: Femeref, Alienkav, Sinkim, Etsaibat, Carlos_1981 (CRG)
Archivos: 52
Formato: CBR.
Tamaño: 786.2 Mb
FANHUNTER - CLASSICS
1. THE KONSTANTIN
2. JAM SESSION
3. OUT OF BARNACITY
4. GREEN HOOD & GREEN DIXK
FANHUNTER - MANGA WARS
Un cargamento de material manga y anime corre peligro. Pero ya sabéis que cuando alguien pone a huevo un cargamento tan suculento como ése, sólo puede significar una cosa: trampa a la vista.
FANHUNTER - DRACULA RETURNS
El mismo villano que fue reducido a escombros en el Fanhunter Classics: Jam Session, como buen vampiro que es, vuelve a la carga esta vez acompañado de un ejército de mariachis vampiros recién llegados de la base lunar de Neo Chihuahua.
FANHUNTER - SERIE REGULAR
En un futuro próximo, un tirano demente que cree estar poseído por el espíritu del escritor y visionario Philip. K. Dick ha conquistado Europa y ha prohibido todas las expresiones de ocio, cultura y subcultura. Con media humanidad sumida en el tedio, la monotonía y la sumisión total, con los estamentos religioso, militar y político en su poder, y con los medios de comunicación controlados, el villano carismático Alejo Fenicius sólo debe preocuparse de un grupo de luchadores por la libertad conocidos como La Resistencia , un grupo de insurgentes compuesto mayoritariamente por “fans” que utilizan sus conocimientos literarios, comiqueros, cinéfilos, etc, para combatir la tiranía.
FANHUNTER - USA
Don Depresor desembarca en New York. Esta es la premisa del más internacional de los Fanhunters creados hasta la fecha. Homenajeando a referentes tan conocidos como 1997: Rescate en Nueva York, Tropas del Espacio y El Juego de Ender, Iván Llamas y el nuevo talento David Baldeón llevan la Línea Fanhunter allí donde ningún narizón ha llegado nunca.
FANHUNTER - REBURNS
¿Qué es blanco, ladra en francés y pesa 40.000 toneladas? Lo descubriremos en este one-shot escrito y dibujado por el gran David Ramírez, autor fan favourite que se ha labrado una merecida reputación gracias a su ego desmesurado y a obras absolutamente desternillantes como DRFiles, eSeDé, Niñotaku, etc. Ramírez ha recreado una Barnacity amenazada por una fuerza de la naturaleza tan descomunal como destructiva. Humor, desastres, trifulcas en las alcantarillas, batallas en todos los barrios de Barnacity... Ramírez en estado puro.
FANHUNTER - CELSQUEST
Origen del grupo Los Desesperados, formado por Belit, Don Depresor, Ridli Scott y X-Tremo. Rescate de Denbrough en Apokopolis. Asalto al Edificio Amparo (es que acababa de ver la Jungla de Cristal). Lucha final entre Denbrough y Lokie.
FANHUNTER - ALMANAQUE 2000
Las Ardenas, 1944, Segunda Guerra Mundial. Ridli Scott y konstantin viajan al pasado en busca de La Gusa. Allí les espera una sorpresa que te cagas, ya que un villano también llegado desde el futuro intenta cambiar el curso de la historia. Also starring: Jack Kirby. Mientras, en Barnacity, Belit está a punto de dar a luz y La Resistencia se reúne.
FANHUNTER - SAGA
John Konstantin, como es habitual en él, se pierde y queda asilado en Australia, feudo de Killer Dog, donde encontrará a un grupo de Macutes muy especiales. Por fin, una historia Fanhunter de rollo Mad Max.
FANHUNTER - AFTERMATH
Después de Fanhunter Saga, ¿cuál es el destino de la resistencia? ¿Y Alejo? ¿Le queda esperanza al mundo? Descubre las consecuencias terribles del último número de Fanhunter Saga en este Fanhunter: Aftermath!
FANHUNTER - LA BATALLA DE MONTJUIC
David Llort y Adrik Ortiz que, en conjunción con Cels, logran dar una visión actualizada, divertida y detallada de uno de los conflictos más importantes y decisivos de todo el Universo Fanhunter.
FANHUNTER - CONFLICTO FINAL
En un mundo futuro donde los cómics, el rol, la literatura de evasión, el cine, la música y los videojuegos han sido prohibidos por un tirano déspota, demente y barbas, un grupo de ´fans´ utiliza sus conocimientos subculturales para luchar contra la dictadura.
Pero el Mal En Estado Puro ha llegado al Multiverso: mundos vivirán... mundo morirán. Por fin, las piezas del rompecabezas creado hace 16 años empiezan a unirse en esta saga de despedida.
FANHUNTER - BARNACITY BY GASLIGHT
Barcelona, 1860. Los antepasados de la Resistencia deben enfrentarse a la amenaza del General Cuervo, un insurrecto con pretensiones a la Corona de España.
Vampiros, zombies, macutes, John Carter Scott, Felipe O'Roke, Buffy Fan Helsing, El Topo y demás rarezas de finales del siglo XIX en este especial autoconclusivo de impecable factura.
FANHUNTER - STAR HOUNDS
Una Federación de Planetas Federados que necesitaba carne de cañón para sus misiones suicidas recluta a un grupo de veteranos en las guerrillas de uno de sus nuevos planetas miembro. Un mundo cutre y pequeñajo llamado la Tierra.
Entre los reclutados hay dos figuras singulares que inmediatamente se ganan la confianza y la devoción de sus instructores: Ridli Scott, el Desesperado exuda-ácido y Morsa, su valiente y algo obseso compañero. Junto a ellos, toda una serie de bisoños cadetes entre los que destacan la encantadora Ellen Replay y la explosiva Leona Vasquez, se han sometido a un duro entrenamiento para librar a la Galaxia de la amenaza de las más viciosas criaturas: los Tintiránidos.
FANHUNTER - AVENTURAS
Fanhunter Adventures se centra en el grupo Los Desesperados (Don Depresor, X-Tremo, Belit y Ridli Scott) y consta de tres números repletos de acción, humor y diseños de Fanhunter como nunca antes se habían visto.
FANHUNTER - GOLDENPUSSY
Ruben Hood, agente del MI-6 debe viajar hasta Montecarlo, acompañado de tres wonderfulosas féminas.
Su misión: investigar un casino donde el Papa Alejo Ipermite el uso y abuso de toda clase de subcultura: videojuegos, rol, wargames, internet, cómics, etc.
FANHUNTER - ANIMATED SERIES
Los mejores personajes viven las más increíbles aventuras en el Reino de Dick, donde todas la expresiones de ocio están prohibidas.
Acción rápida, trepidante y llena de humor, resumiendo: las características de Fanhunter.
OUTFAN - PLAN B
Jhon Patrick (el hijo de Jhon Konstantin) aparece en una galaxia muy Star Wars+Star Trek con amnesia y el poder de hacer saltos dimensionales y de aparecer en lugares donde le necesitan.
Un grupo de diferentes razas de la galaxia lo consigue invocar para atarlo a su dimension y ayudarse de sus poderes de saltador dimensional para luchar contra "el ojo del tedio", los malos, así que John Patrick (Jack en esta dimensión) se ve envuelto en una aventura para salvar el universo.
FANHUNTER - FAN LETAL
Fanhunter: Fan letal recopila las nuevas páginas de humor que el autor publica desde hace 20 años y que, desde su propio punto de vista y mediante una extraordinaria mezcla de cotidianidad y ciencia-ficción, ofrecen una visión épico-decadente de las vivencias del protagonista en sus facetas como artista, padre o superviviente de una epidemia zombie.
¡Todo cabe en este libro inclasificable!
FANHUNTER - FANDOM
Fanhunter - Fandom se funde en historias cotidianas, ciencia ficción, humor… y muchos más zombies. Además, el tirano demente Alejo se consolida en el poder y se desvela el terrible secreto oculto tras su resurrección.
Todo ello tiene cabida en esta amalgama de gags desternillantes englobados en un mismo contexto épico-decadente que tantos éxitos ha conseguido durante más de veinte años.
Descarga:
La cafetería de la Alameda abrirá para las fiestas de la Ascensión
La ocupación de una casa en Conxo genera malestar entre los vecinos
Italy's Newest Tabloid Is Devoted Entirely to the Pope
Ever since Pope Francis became the leader of the Catholic Church last year, the mainstream press has gone nuts. Since his ascension to the top of the Vatican, Jorge Mario Bergoglio (his pre-pope name) has been called a “revolutionary,” a “rock star,” and a “superhero.” He was also proclaimed to be a living saint for performing a miracle only a few hours after his investiture in March 2013—when he managed to make Rome’s public transportation work properly (for a couple of hours, at least).
That was just the beginning. After suffering through the reign of notoriously non-media-friendly Pope Benedict (although Benedict's red Prada shoes regularly made headlines), Italian journalists couldn’t believe their luck when they realized there was finally a pope who regularly rode the bus and carried his own bag and who wasn’t immune to the flu.
So Pope Francis had already been on plenty of magazine and tabloid covers before March 5, when the first issue of Il Mio Papa ["My Pope"], a weekly magazine devoted to His Holiness, hit newstands. Il Mio Papa's editor is Aldo Vitali, who is also behind Italy’s best-selling TV listings and celebrity news magazine, TV Sorrisi e Canzoni ["TV Smiles and Songs"], and the official press release announced that Il Mio Papa would have “a positive and popular point of view, with colorful layouts and highly emotional pictures.” The publisher, Mondadori (which is owned by the family of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi) has high hopes for the publication, as it has an announced circulation of 3 million and a PR campaign that includes banners in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.
(It may or may not have been inspired by a Photoshopped parody of Tiger Beat featuring Pope Francis that was on the website of left-wing magazine Mother Jones over a year ago.)
It's sort of odd to launch a new weekly magazine at a time when the print media is supposedly dying, but Vitali seems to believe that the pope's appeal can overcome publishing trends. In a letter to his readers, the editor wrote: “The Pope never stops—every day he surprises us with his firm decisions and his unpredictable gestures... If you are reading these lines it means that we have something in common: an admiration and deep appreciation for Pope Francis.” Il Mio Papa, he continued, will aim not so much to “celebrate” the world's top Catholic but to “help him spread his message.”
I leafed through the first issue (it's 68 pages long and costs 50 cents) to get a sense of what that looks lik, and found that the tone of the articles was, generally speaking, “The pope always hugs the children passed to him by their parents," and “Often mothers ask for a kiss for their child and the pope is always surrounded by children who are happy to be next to him,” or “Pope Francis is constantly showing his enthusiasm for his devotees, and St. Peter's Square is everyone’s home.”
The best part is the photos that resemble the candid celebrity shots commonly found in tabloids, except, instead of D-listers groping C-listers in taxis, you get Pope Francis “walking among the happy crowd” in St. Peter’s square. You also have pope-related news items, like the one below (at left) about how there's going to be a TV show inspired by the pope's life in Argentina between 1976 and 1981, “when he opposed Jorge Rafael Videla’s regime, helping the underprivileged.”
After the “political” section (bo-ring!), ll Mio Papa advises readers on how to enjoy the Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square (“You can see the pope better from the first quarter of the square, on the right”) and offers glimpses into the pope's personal life: He “declined to live in the Papal apartments” and “prefers to live in a hotel room.” That one comes with a map of the papal apartments that looks like a children's-book illustration:
Readers can also treat themselves to a pull-out centerfold of the pontiff that could decorate “your room or your place of work” so that “the pope's smile and prayers will always be with you.”
Toward the end you'll find a photo story about the pope’s first year in the Vatican, in which you can spot the selfie he took with some kids in August 2013, captioned “A technological pope.” A few pages later you can find a guide to signing up for Twitter in order to “receive Francis’s messages on your phone (it’s easy and free)”.
Page 55 is by far my favorite. Headlined “Francesco Helps Us,” it maps out the components of the Pope’s “five-finger prayer” (for an English explanation of the five-finger prayer, click here).
Image via Tumblr
The magazine's ads make it clear that Il Mio Papa's target demo is older people who are having trouble pooping. “'Kilocal Woman' helps you fight weight gain” reads one. “Wake up your bowels and fight constipation” is another tagline, and not far away is “Recharge your bowels with good bacteria.” There are also ads for hearing aids, beauty creams, and products that make “your legs look like they did when you were 20.”
What does the actual pope think about Il Mio Papa? Well, judging from this interview with newspaper Corriere della Sera, he's not very happy—he told the interviewer that he doesn’t want to be portrayed as a superhero or a rock star, because he's still a man that “laughs, cries, sleeps calmly, and has friends like everyone else. A normal person.”
Good luck with that, dude.
Follow Leonardo Bianchi on Twitter.
How Much of George R. R. Martin’s The Winds of Winter is Out So Far?
Every so often, be it from a reading at a convention, as a bonus for downloading an app, or just because, author George R. R. Martin gives us a preview of a chapter from the next Song of Ice and Fire novel The Winds of Winter.
In the years between publication, these preview chapters tend to pile up, and we thought it was high time to take stock of everything we’ve seen thus far from The Winds of Winter. Spoilers ahead, naturally.
[Released chapters from The Winds of Winter]
In order to provide some semblance of order to the mixture of viewpoints, we’ve grouped the chapters under the struggle that they will be chronicling.
(Note: This post was last updated on March 17, 2015.)
The Battle of Meereen
By the end of A Dance With Dragons, many disparate characters and forces are converging on Meereen with designs on killing and/or wooing Daenerys. (Who, unbeknownst to many, isn’t even there, having since taken Drogon and flown back into the Dothraki Sea.) Dany’s forces, led by Ser Barristan Selmy, find themselves facing off against the attacking Yunkai’i and sellsword company the Second Sons, all of whom are puzzled at the presence of the newly arrived Iron Islands fleet led by Victarion Greyjoy.
- Barristan Selmy I, included in the 2013 mass market paperback edition of A Dance With Dragons
This Winds of Winter chapter is included at the end of the A Dance With Dragons paperback edition that came out in fall 2013. It essentially depicts Barristan Selmy rallying Dany’s forces to fend off the attacking Yunkai’i. We get confirmation that the Yunkai lay between Meereen’s walls and the waters of Slaver’s Bay, which will prove key. By the end of the chapter, Selmy sounds the charge. You can read a transcription of it here.
- Tyrion Lannister I, read at Miscon 2012
The first of two chapters detailing Tyrion and Jorah Mormont’s position within the Second Sons as the assault against Meereen begins. Tyrion is attempting to turn Brown Ben Plumm, the leader of the sellsword company the Second Sons, towards fighting for Daenerys, but it remains to be seen if Tyrion’s argument sways the captain. Mormont interrupts to announce that the arriving fleet are Greyjoys and not the Volantis fleet they were expecting.
- Victarion Greyjoy, read at Miscon 2012
This chapter details Victarion readying the Greyjoy fleet for battle in Meereen. It also makes sure to remind the reader that Victarion has brought Dragonbinder with him, a horn that the Old Valyrians used to control dragons. You can listen to Martin reading the chapter here.
- Barristan Selmy II, read at Boskone 50 in February 2013
Dany’s eclectic forces of Meereenese pit fighters and Unsullied plunge into the Yunkai’i forces and start taking down trebuchet after trebuchet. Selmy spots the Greyjoy fleet coming forth...
You can read a basic summary of the chapter here and a more detailed summary here.
- Tyrion Lannister II, released with the March 2014 update of the World of Ice and Fire app
The Second Sons are slow to mobilize for the Yunkai’i as Selmy continues to sweep them from the field, and Tyrion armors himself for battle. Dragons wheel about in the sky, uncontrolled, and the Second Sons make a fateful decision as to where their loyalty lay.
The Battle of Winterfell
At the end of A Dance With Dragons, Stannis Baratheon’s forces had doggedly plunged through constant blizzards to surprise attack Winterfell from the north. At Winterfell itself, Roose Bolton’s bastard son Ramsay has wed a fake Arya to proclaim himself Winterfell’s heir. Theon Greyjoy, now known as Ramsay’s tortured plaything Reek, is caught in the middle.
- Theon Greyjoy, posted on George R. R. Martin’s site on December 2011
This chapter, notably titled “Theon” and not “Reek” finds the battle for Winterfell looming. He desires justice for the Starks, especially from Theon, who everyone knows “killed and burned” Bran and Rickon. What is perhaps more surprising is who goes out of her way to point out exactly who Reek is... You can read the entire chapter here. [Note: The original description for this chapter incorrectly stated that it had taken place after the Battle of Winterfell. Thanks to Jonathan Ellis and decgem below for the correction!]
Aegon the Conquerer?
A Dance With Dragons revealed a new player in the game, Aegon Targaryen, believed to have been killed as a baby and now going by the name “Young Griff.” He has landed in Westeros with 5000 men of the Golden Company and taken Griffin’s Roost, which is slightly south of Storm’s End, the Baratheon seat. Their forces aim towards Storm’s End next and then, presumably, King’s Landing.
- Arianne Martell I, posted on George R. R. Martin’s site on January 2013
Arianne Martell and her company head north to meet with Lord Connington and Young Griff, the boy who is claiming to be the Targaryen birthed long ago by Elia Martell. They wonder on the status of Daenerys and whether Quentyn has met with her yet, unaware of his fate in A Dance With Dragons. The chapter on Martin’s site during 2013 but has recently been replaced.
- Arianne Martell II, read at Worldcon 2011
Arianne and company make it to Griffin’s Roost and meet with the Golden Company but are informed that Aegon has already moved on and taken Storm’s End. In response, the Tyrell army is marching south from King’s Landing and Arianne decides she must meet Aegon herself. You can read a summary of both Arianne chapters here.
Not Widely Read, But Spoken Of
During the finalization of A Dance With Dragons and afterwards the author has mentioned several viewpoint chapters that have been shuffled around from book to book, many of which were originally slated for Dance before it became too big of a doorstopper.
According to the Song of Ice and Fire Wiki, those are:
- Arya Stark
An additional Arya chapter was removed from Dance and placed into Winds. It has recently become available to read on Martin’s site and details a young girl by the name of “Mercy,” who is assisting a mummer’s troupe when she happens upon an envoy from Westeros, including a man who is featured on a very prominent list...
- Aeron Greyjoy
Removed from Dance, this chapter was meant to portend an ominous coup of Euron.
- Sansa Stark
Sansa had one chapter removed from Dance and moved to Winds (and it’s rumored that this chapter was bumped from A Feast For Crows, as well. Poor Sansa!) and Martin has gone on record to say that it’s going to cause quite a stir once it sees the light of day and Sophie Turner, the actress playing Sansa, has teased that her storyline in Game of Thrones season 5 will include (and perhaps deviate from) “...one scene that I did do that was super, super traumatic, and I love doing those scenes. It was just really kind of horrible for everyone to be on set.”
What's the Status of The Winds of Winter?
We don't know and it's in GRRM's interests that this is the case. Our latest clarification comes from George R. R. Martin in a post on his blog from December 9, 2014.
Look, I've said before, and I will say again, I don't play games with news about the books. I know how many people are waiting, how long they have been waiting, how anxious they are. I am still working on WINDS. When it's done, I will announce it here [on GRRM's site]. There won't be any clues to decipher, any codes or hidden meanings, the announcement will be straightforward and to the point. I won't time it to coincide with Xmas or Valentine's Day or Lincoln's Birthday, the book will not rise from the dead with Jesus on Easter Sunday. When it is done, I will say that's it is done, on whatever day I happen to finish.
I don't know how I can make it any clearer.
In a post that appeared on his blog on March 16th, 2015, GRRM mentions that he would love to be able to turn the book in before the 2015 World Fantasy Convention in early November, while cautioning that this is not at all a set deadline.
Want to know more about what’s been said and speculated about The Winds of Winter? This James Walker article from The Artifice has a great summary of important conflicts to come. And, of course, reading The Winds of Winter forum on Westeros.org is like being set loose in a candy store. The Complete Winds of Winter resource also collects news items regarding the status of the book, including rumors about chapters that have not been displayed in public.
Our next hint regarding The Winds of Winter comes on July 28, when the 2016 Song of Ice and Fire calendar hits stores, featuring a scene from the book as illustrated by Magali Villeneuve.
Keep in mind that anything you see from the book is probably not the final version, even if it has been released by the author or his publisher. Some chapters may get cut, or condensed, and some events depicted above may be altered before the book hits the shelves. That said, it's still fascinating to get a glimpse of what's to come in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire. Happy reading!
You've probably never heard of it
Identifying Hipster Bands And Bro Sounds: A Scientific Study
Once again, the whole thing comes down to perception and whether or not an artist exceeds or falls short of preconceived expectations.The Guardian even made a quiz: How Hipster Are You?
Is this the end for last.fm?
In order to head off subscriber discontent, last.fm is now offering its subscribers a cool 30% off its forthcoming line of exclusive last.fm merchandise.
Steven Seagal: Vladmir Putin ‘a brother’; White House ‘idiotic’
More ’90s action star backlash has been directed at Barack Obama.
As if Chuck Norris’s outspoken right-wing politics or Dennis Rodman’s vaguely treasonous acts weren’t enough fecal matter flung at the White House, Steven Seagal has joined the fray by pledging his support for Russian president Vladmir Putin.
On Wednesday, the Putin-backed newspaper Rossiskaya Gazeta ran a 2,000-word interview with the “Marked for Death” star, who expressed his support for Putin’s encroachment on Crimea as a “very reasonable” move on the Russian president’s part. The United States’s agenda, however, he called ”idiotic.” (Earlier this month, the 61-year-old martial arts actor told RT that “nobody should be criticizing Obama for not taking military action.”)
Seagal went on to praise Putin as “one of the great living world leaders” and that he “would like to consider him as a brother.”
The Rossiskaya Gazeta praised Seagal as one of the leading action stars in America–leaving Russian readers with the impression that a pro-Putin sentiment may be more popular in the U.S. than the media has led westerners to believe–but, as the St. Petersburg Times indicated, IMDb’s STARmeter ranks Seagal at a mere 1,454th among Hollywood actors. (To scale, Arnold Schwarzenegger lands at the 124 spot.)
Seagal also mentioned the possibilities of running for governor of Arizona and that “sometime” he may apply for Russian citizenship.
VICE News: The Devil Tried to Divide Us - Full Length
The Central African Republic's capital of Bangui has seen its Muslim population drop from 130,000 to under 1,000 during the past few months. Over the past year, thousands across CAR have been killed, and nearly a million have been displaced. The United Nations recently stated that the entire Western half of the country has now been cleansed of Muslims.
CAR has never fully recovered from France's colonial rule, and it has only known ten years of a civilian government—from 1993 to 2003—since achieving independence in 1960. Coup after coup, often with French military involvement, has led many to refer to the country as a phantom state. The current conflict has now completely erased the rule of law, leaving the UN and international community looking confused and impotent.
In March 2013, the Séléka, a mostly Muslim rebel alliance, rose up and overthrew the corrupt government of François Bozizé, while bringing terror and chaos across the country—pillaging, killing, and raping with impunity. In response, mostly Christian self-defense forces, called the Anti-Balaka, formed to defend CAR against Séléka attacks.
Clashes grew more frequent throughout 2013 as the Séléka grew more ruthless. In December 2013, French and African troops went in to disarm the Séléka and staunch the bloodshed. The Anti-Balaka, seizing on a weakened Séléka, then went on the offensive.
CAR had no real history of religious violence, and the current conflict is not based on any religious ideology. The fighting, however, turned increasingly sectarian in the fall of 2013, with revenge killings becoming the norm. And as the Séléka's power waned, the Anti-Balaka fed their need for revenge by brutalizing Muslim civilians.
"Too few peacekeepers were deployed too late; the challenge of disarming the Séléka, containing the Anti-Balaka, and protecting the Muslim minority was underestimated," Human Rights Watch said in a recent statement.
The bloodshed has not stopped. The UN is still debating whether or not to send peacekeepers. Even if a peacekeeping operation is approved, it will take six months for troops to be assembled.
Why the 'Cock in a Sock' Thing Is Vain Bullshit
#cockinasock for @checkemlads testicular cancer awareness !screen shot of donation will follow as it's on my phone pic.twitter.com/zwX0yRMOfn
— Calum Best Official (@CalumBest) March 24, 2014
Above: Calum Best and Gary Lineker's brother, looking like things that come out of the woods at night to terrorize villagers
Last week, 2.6 million women sacrificed their makeup, raised their tired arms in the air, pouted, and took a #nomakeupselfie to raise awareness for breast cancer. This week, boys have found their own inane counterpart: the #cockinasock.
The cock-in-a-sock concept, though probably as old as socks themselves, was most memorably championed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and since then it has gone from strength to strength, appearing in American Pie and bringing the homoerotic LOLs far and wide, from boarding school dorms to stinking holiday flats in Tenerife. That is, until now, when it's become the latest weapon in the fight against ball cancer.
If you’re wondering what putting a sock on your dick and posting a picture of it on the internet has to do with raising money for charity, the mechanism is the same as the #nomakeupselfie. Take your picture, text the word "BEAT" to 70099 to donate three bucks to fighting cancer, and then encourage the giggling co-workers on your Facebook page to do the same. It’s the kind of viral campaign that gacky brand marketers strive a lifetime to come up with.
Even though a bunch of the people who did a #nomakeupselfie texted the wrong number (which may or may not have anything to do with their interest in the fundraising aspect), it raised more than $13 million in a week for Cancer Research UK. According to the charity’s website, this money will tangibly pay for ten clinical trials, which is obviously fucking great.
Nonetheless, the web has been awash for the last week with rants about how such campaigns vindicate “clicktivism,” which is basically the idea that internet activism is lazy and things like online petitions and charity-marketing campaigns are taking the soul out of activism. Obviously there's some truth to this idea, but I think these lefty evangelists are going to feel pretty fucking stupid if that sweet 13 mill cures a form of cancer.
What I will make a call on is that #cockinasock seems to have significantly less to do with its charitable cause than the #nomakeupselfie. How do I know this? Because most of the people who've posted a picture of their cock to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram haven’t bothered to include the charity text number, let alone any reference to cancer prevention (have a look for yourself). The only thing these cocks in socks seems to be raising are the eyebrows of bored middle-aged women on their lunch breaks and the erections of gay bloggers reveling in the explosion of this phenomenon. Also, almost without exception, everyone who's doing it is a douchebag.
I like to think that #cockinasock is a parody—cynical boys mocking the #nomakeupselfie’s ironic disjunction between vulnerability and vanity, or its implication that 3 inches of makeup should be the norm for girls and anything less a novelty. But while #titsinmits, the latest hashtag to emerge, is obviously commenting on how absurd it is to stick a body part in a bit of material and post it for everyone from your teacher to your children to see (I’m waiting for #twatsinhats), #cockinasock seems to be little more than poker-faced vanity. Calum Best did one, for fuck’s sake.
A hashtag is, in its essence, a call for attention—the whole point is searchability, visibility. Hashtagging a picture of yourself, let alone your cock, basically means that you want as many people to see it as possible. I do like to imagine the clinical process of taking this unashamedly vain photo, an experience that must feel a bit like filming a Big Brother application video (and describing yourself as “really outgoing”). When you consider that these boys could always donate the three bucks sans naked selfie, you realize that the cock in a sock really is the domain of the douchebag. And not even in the traditional sense of the sock.
The #cockinasock trend is to pumped up bros what Movember is to hipsters. As the #nomakeupselfie is favored by fake tan girls with tattooed eyebrows, so the #cockinasock phenomenon is the refuge of “ripped” boys with “sick" tribal tattoos, the kind of pseudo-macho losers Clive Martin wrote about in his recent dissection of British lad culture. I suppose that if you’re going to take creatine to pump your body up like a lilo, it’s just the laws of geometry that your cock is going to look comparatively smaller, and that’s without steroids. A legitimized opportunity to photograph your ripped body and cover your tiny cock in a deceptively large appendage must be like Christmas come early. Of course #cockinasock was going to catch on.
I’m glad that most of the boys who've posted a #cockinasock photo seem to have benefited physically from their overwhelming arrogance, 'cause if naked selfies are going to clog my Twitter feed I’d admittedly rather look at six packs than beer bellies. But what really annoys me is the arrogant assumption that anyone actually cares. I don’t have a cock, but I can imagine it’s a lot more gratifying for people to see it when they’ve actually asked.
knobs to small for a sock so had to go with 'cock in my baby sisters ugg boot' #cockinasock pic.twitter.com/KfdcExfQtC
— curtistandy (@curtistandy) March 21, 2014
Sarah Palin endorses Senate candidate whose primary qualification is castrating hogs
It is possible that Iowa Senate candidate Joni Ernst has a qualification for public office other than her ability to castrate hogs, but castrating hogs is the hill she has chosen to die on. Why? We do not know. It’s pretty gross. Particularly the part about how she’s going to “make them squeal,” because who can hear that line without thinking about “Deliverance?”
While most of America watched her bizarre campaign ad with raised eyebrows and clutched testicles, Sarah Palin said to herself “This lady is onto something!” and now her “SarahPAC”–which doesn’t do much of anything usually–is officially endorsing the candidate. Ernst responded to the endorsement with the following statement.
“I’m proud to stand with the Mama Grizzly against big spenders in Washington like Bruce Braley and Nancy Pelosi. Sarah Palin is an inspiration to those of us who want to protect life, defend the Second Amendment, and get Washington out of our wallets. As our campaign builds energy toward a primary win in June, Sarah Palin’s roaring support will help me to victory, and as a result, make ‘em squeal in Washington.”
Oh my god, Joni Ernst. STOP. Do you know what you are referencing? They were talking about anal rape! That’s not cute. That is terrifying. And there is no one in this country who can hear anything about making people “squeal” without thinking about anal rape. Why would anyone want to vote for someone who is like “Hi, my name is Joni Ernst. I like castrating hogs and anal rape.”? It’s creepy. It’s like, Ed Gein levels of creepy. Where can you even go from there?
“Hi, my name is Joni Ernst. I like making lampshades out of human flesh. Vote for me!”
“Hi, my name is Joni Ernst. I will make politicians rub the lotion into their skin, or they will get the hose again. Vote for me!”
“Hi, my name is Joni Ernst. I’m not a maniac or a raving thing. I just goes a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven’t you? Vote for me!”
“Hi, my name is Joni Ernst. You’re gonna need a bigger boat. Vote for me!”
“Hi, my name is Joni Ernst. It’s all for you, Damien! It’s all for you! Vote for me!”
“Hi, my name is Joni Ernst. I see dead people. Vote for me!”
Seven Hells, George R.R. Martin Has Released a New THE WINDS OF WINTER Chapter
Perhaps this bodes well for when we can expect to get the next book, eh? George R.R. Martin, the bloody hand that crafts those epic fantasy novels in A Song of Ice and Fire — also known as the source material for HBO’s series Game of Thrones — has released another new chapter from the forthcoming installment, The Winds of Winter. And, naturally, fans are freaking out because, well, it’s pretty delightful. We’ve excerpted some of it for you, below. (And, duh: this contains some pretty big spoilers.)
Announced on his personal LiveJournal (aww, GRRM still has a LiveJournal!), called, of course, Not A Blog, the author prefaced the installment by saying, “the new chapter is actually an old chapter. But no, it’s not one I’ve published or posted before, and I don’t even think I’ve read it at a con (could be wrong there, I’ve done readings at so many cons, it all tends to blur together).” The excerpt comes less than a month after Martin released a Tyrion-fronted chapter on his A World of Ice and Fire app.
Titled “Mercy,” the chapter was allegedly supposed to be in A Dance with Dragons. A theory that’s supported by Martin’s claims that “it’s old in that it was written a long time ago, predating any of the samples that you have seen.” Here’s a sneak peek:
She woke with a gasp, not knowing who she was, or where.
The smell of blood was heavy in her nostrils… or was that her nightmare, lingering? She had dreamed of wolves again, of running through some dark pine forest with a great pack at her hells, hard on the scent of prey.
Half-light filled the room, grey and gloomy. Shivering, she sat up in bed and ran a hand across her scalp. Stubble bristled against her palm. I need to shave before Izembaro sees. Mercy, I’m Mercy, and tonight I’ll be raped and murdered. Her true name was Mercedene, but Mercy was all anyone ever called her…
You can read the entire thing over on Martin’s site. And trust us: you definitely want to read the whole thing. The ending is particularly exciting stuff.
What did you think of “Mercy”? Let’s talk about it in the comments!
The North Korean Haircut Mandate Is Totally on Brand
Photo via Flickr User petersnoopy
According to some tenuous reports, Kim Jong-un issued a mandate two weeks ago that all university students in North Korea must get his haircut, reinforcing that uniquely North Korean brand of oh-fuck-that's-creepy.
Savvy marketers know that the best brands tell complete, consistent stories in which every consumer touchpoint connects to the bigger brand story arc. In the case of North Korea, we're talking about a nation-brand, so this is a brand that has two different demographics: those within the country and those outside of it. Inside North Korea, the consumer is engaged with content reminding him that the nation is powerful and loving. Outside of North Korea, the reputation is of a country full of brainwashed, malnourished, abused people controlled by a petulant, spiteful, ineffective, and frequently embarrassing leadership. Forcing all adult men to share the same haircut as their dictator is an effective way to reinforce that image to both demographics.
Among brand strategists, the Kim family are regarded as visionaries. They know how to control a narrative. North Korea is a special place. As the last example of a cult-of-personality utopia, such as the Soviet Union brand under Stalin or China under Mao, the Kim family leaders are worshiped not just as heroes but as gods. Those in the marketing industry would refer to this as a "controlled brand environment."
Statue of Kim Il-sung. Photo via Flickr User Roman Harek
This environment began with Kim Il-sung, who, after being installed by Soviet leadership at the close of the Korean War, consolidated his power with his core demographic by producing consistent content that stayed on-brand with the message, Your leader is supreme and heavenly, and he is a master of all trades, and he loves you. Some even came to believe that Kim Il-sung controlled the sun and the weather, which is a great example of an especially engaged active user base. At the same time, Kim Il-sung purged any brand detractors from within by force and then—and this part is brilliant marketing—blamed it on his competitors, the Americans. That's just masterful storytelling.
As a result of these efforts, this is a demo that is very engaged with the North Korea brand and the Kim family. The worshipful engagement remains extensive. In 2012, a 14-year-old girl drowned during her attempts to save a portrait of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il from a flood at her school. The North Korean people's brand of fervent worship extended to Kim Il-sung's son, Kim Jong-Il, when he assumed power and then again now, after his passing, to his heir, Kim Jong-un. What we know about Kim Jong-un is only what we infer from his actions. We know that, like his father, he's obsessed with basketball. We know that he loves missiles with nuclear capabilities just as much as his father did. And now with the apparent haircut mandate, we know he has a knack for branding like his grandfather.
Photo via Flickr User Roman Harek
North Korean fashion-policing is nothing new. Under Kim Jong-il, in 2005 the state media ran a five-part television special called Let’s Trim Our Hair in Accordance with the Socialist Lifestyle (excellent title) that directed viewers to choose from one of a handful of conservative hairstyle options. The special was part of an overall campaign against Western fashion influence, particularly men with long hair, labeling them unhygienic anti-socialist fools and “blind followers of bourgeois lifestyle.”
Men are required to keep their hair no longer than two inches, although older men get a small exemption to allow for comb-overs.
Since science is something the Kim family can and will shape however they see fit, the special claimed that long hair harms “human intelligence development” because long hair takes oxygen away from nerves in the head. It didn’t explain why women were allowed to grow long hair, leaving the viewer to conclude on their own that women are simply less developed, obviously.
A separate but similarly themed special had a hidden-camera segment that caught violators of the rule, like a To Catch a Predator for haircut violations. The show even identified violators by name and address, exposing them to ridicule from peers, as a warning of what might happen if you didn’t fall in line.
Not everyone is on board with Kim Jong-un’s directive, however, making some North Korea brand loyalists into brand questioners. They say it looks dorky. They say the haircut looks like that of Chinese smugglers. Those consumers better think about getting their content to shut the fuck up if they like their personal brand being "not living in a prison labor camp."
Women, however, are still free to choose from any one of the 14 state-sanctioned haircuts.
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Comedian Matt Ingebretson Puts Record Collectors in Their Place
Here's a new video written by and starring comedian Matt Ingebretson as a snobby vinyl expert. It's jam-packed with funny lines.
El pleno de Ferrol pide por unanimidad las Letras Galegas para Carvalho Calero
RAÚL SALGADO | @raulsalgado | Ferrol | Jueves 27 marzo 2014 | 19:43
El pleno del Concello de Ferrol ha aprobado por unanimidad en su sesión de este jueves la solicitud por la que el Ayuntamiento sugiere a la Real Academia Galega que el Día das Letras Galegas esté dedicado en 2015 al ferrolano Ricardo Carvalho Calero. La portavoz del gobierno, Martina Aneiros, valoró el apoyo de los diferentes grupos municipales a una iniciativa que busca recordar a un «fillo predilecto» de la ciudad.
Desde la oposición, Iván Rivas (BNG) abogó por «rematar coa marxinación» que, a su entender, ha sufrido el profesor, fallecido el 25 de marzo de 1990. Suso Basterrechea, de EU-IU, deseó que esta petición sea la «derradeira». Abundando en este aspecto, Juan Fernández, edil de IF, habló de una «desconsideración» reiterada hacia Carvalho Calero, mientras que la socialista Natividad González Laso aplaudió el texto.
Pleno
En la junta, celebrada desde las 19:00 horas en la casa consistorial, también se abordaron asuntos vinculados con la economía. Así, el equipo de gobierno llevó a debate la liquidación presupuestaria del 2013, resaltando el edil de Hacienda, Alejandro Langtry, que su ejecución alcanzó el 78 % y que se cuenta ahora con 10 millones de euros para inversiones gracias a un «resultado positivo».
Desde filas del BNG, el portavoz, Iván Rivas, criticó la «política de austeridade» de la administración local, afirmando que se está «moi lonxe de que a xestión sexa óptima». Mientras, Javier Galán, de EU-IU, reiteró que el Ayuntamiento evita las «necesidades perentorias» de la ciudad. Ramón Veloso, del PSdeG-PSOE, alertó del incremento del endeudamiento y de unos remanentes «ociosos» que, a su juicio, son «demasiados».
El Concello de Ferrol celebró su pleno ordinario este jueves (foto: Raúl Salgado)
San Martiño, apóstolo do suevos, na imaxe que preside a entrada...
San Martiño, apóstolo do suevos, na imaxe que preside a entrada de San Martiño Pinario, o convento que queda enfronte da catedral, o seminario maior actual e onde acabou o levantamento de Solís no ano 1846.
Maria Pardo: "Non somos gilipollas"
Un paseo literario muy compostelano
SnobE veña gasto, que CRACKS. :D
A Pokémon sitúa a Prado no centro dun marasmo de enchufes e mentiras en Santiago
A investigación da presunta trama corrupta atribúelle á voceira do PPdeG o impulso de recomendacións para postos en concesionarias municipais e o recoñecemento de que medidas como o publicitado plan de aforro do consistorio non existían.
