Michael Jackson Opus is the definitive book on Michael. This book is over 400 pages and measures 13 by 18 inches, and weighs an amazing 26 lbs! That’s not it, the pages will feature a new technology called Opus Reality. The book will hit shelves and the web on December 7, 2009.

www.michaeljacksonopus.com

“OPUS” verwendet mit einer Zahl, um ein Werk eines Komponisten zu bezeichnen. (Bsp: jemandes neuestes Opus)

“The Official Michael Jackson OPUS biography book features never-before-seen photos that come to life with music and video. Using augmented reality the photos come to life by holding the book to the computer screen on michaeljacksonopus.com. The 400-page book retails for $249 on the website.”

El artista Nate Giorgio recuerda la última vez que vio a Michael Jackson, apenas días antes de su muerte.

El icono del pop quería que Giorgio creara deslumbrantes murales de sus hijos así como material gráfico para sus conciertos This Is It, y Giorgio sacó la pluma durante las reuniones.

“Hice pequeños dibujos ahí mismo para él y le encantaron”, dijo Giorgio de sus bosquejos blanco y negro. “El era maravilloso, estaba realmente emocionado”.

Esos bosquejos nunca antes vistos, así como otras raras ilustraciones y fotografías de Jackson, ahora forman parte del lujoso libro forrado en cuero The Official Michael Jackson OPUS, a la venta el 7 de diciembre.

El libro, la única publicación oficialmente autorizada por el patrimonio de Jackson, no sólo contiene imágenes inéditas quizás del rostro más famoso del mundo; también contiene ensayos sobre el superastro escritos por amigos y personas que trabajaron con él a través de los años, desde el fundador de Motown Berry Gordy hasta Paula Abdul, John Landis y David Blaine.

Aunque han sido muchos los libros publicados sobre el Rey del Pop desde su muerte el 25 de junio a los 50 años, Jeff Wald, presidente de la editorial OPUS Media Group, dice que este es diferente.

Wald y su equipo decidieron “ahondar mucho más en el ser humano que fue”, en lugar de repetir que fue “un gran cantante, un gran bailarín”.

Para ello, el vicepresidente ejecutivo de OPUS Jordan Sommers recolectó ensayos que más que tributos fueron reflexiones personales. Algunos hablan de Jackson el bromista, otros recuerdan su genialidad artística y otros reflexionan sobre su amistad.

“El libro incluye mucha información directamente de fuentes que aclararan muchas ideas equivocadas”, indicó. “Personalidades como Smokey Robinson cuentan historias que nunca antes compartieron”.

Las fotos, algunas proporcionadas por amigos como Gordy, abarcan desde la infancia de Jackson hasta sus muchas transformaciones como adulto.

“Nuestro mandato … era que la mayoría de las fotos no se hayan visto antes o que no se hayan visto antes en el formato en que las mostramos”, dijo Wald.

También hay dibujos de Jackson hechos por Giorgio y otros artistas. Giorgio dice que Jackson era un voraz coleccionista de arte y que fue muy específico sobre el tipo de imagen que quería de sí, escribiendo instrucciones, algunas de las cuales incluidas en el libro.

Aunque Wald expresó que el libro de 400 páginas _con costo de 249 dólares_ beneficiaría a los hijos de Jackson y a su madre, la familia Jackson no desempeñó ningún papel en su creación.

“Simplemente decidimos que será algo aparte de la familia”, dijo Wald. “Era sobre Michael… Realmente nos limitamos a eso”.

dar nu uitati ca

So yeah, this is just a quick update post on my current activities. Sorry I haven’t posted lately, but i’ve been busy, and somewhat feeling down, but now i think i can post, .

Universal Sound: Spector’D

As you all know, I am working on an ”Album” with Avante-Garde/Piano/Instrumental music, and lately I’ve become interested in Synthesizers, and orchestrational sounds. So I have concluded that i’m going to Re-Do the songs I have done so far(or just over dub them) with orchestrations with my Synthesizer.  I am calling it Spector’D as  a joke at the Let It Be that was ruined by Phil Spector when he added his “Wall Of Sound” orchestration and over dubbing. So, the Carnival Of Light you heard earlier is going to be the “Universal Sound..Naked” version, and I’m going to now be working on a more complex Orchestrative version of it.

According to Minute Entries in the Orange County Court Case in which Masih Madani is a defendant,

“The primary thrust of both cases is the “missing” $3.5 million.  The related case (but not the instant case) also deals with so-called Stored-Value Card Liabilities (Motion, Exhibit A, Third Amended Complaint in the related case, paragraphs 63 – 79 and 94 – 99).  FVA alleges that Innovative Bank, Star, Madani and the Madani entities conspired to transfer Stored-Value Card Programs, including the liabilities on those Programs, to FVA without FVA’s knowledge or authorization. This is not so difficult to understand that it would confuse an average jury.”

Madani is now offering stored value cards sponsord by First Regional Bank.

The primary thrust of both cases is the “missing” $3.5 million.  The related case (but not the instant case) also deals with so-called Stored-Value Card Liabilities (Motion, Exhibit A, Third Amended Complaint in the related case, paragraphs 63 – 79 and 94 – 99).  FVA alleges that Innovative Bank, Star, Madani and the Madani entities conspired to transfer Stored-Value Card Programs, including the liabilities on those Programs, to FVA without FVA’s knowledge or authorization. This is not so difficult to understand that it would confuse an average jury.

Il y a des albums dont on sait d’avance qu’ils vont créer le débat. Ou plutôt, qu’ils vont susciter l’enthousiasme aveugle des fans, et le cynisme assassin des détracteurs. Et avec un plan promo basé sur sa vie personnelle, Diam’s a choisi le choc frontal, en espérant que le voile qui le recouvre atténue la violence de l’impact. J’ai écouté “SOS” sans a priori, mon côté fleur bleu en éveil, presque dans l’attente de la bonne surprise, prêt à reconnaître que la rappeuse avait pris une autre dimension et qu’elle méritait mieux qu’une descente en règle de son album. Sauf que malheureusement, tout ce qui m’est venu à l’esprit, ce sont 5 raisons de ne pas aimer cet album.

5. Diam’s radote comme une petite vieille. Les morceaux qui composent l’album peuvent être classés en cinq thèmes: la religion, sa mère, les politiciens, les ruptures amoureuses, je ne suis plus la même. Libre à vous ensuite de les mettre dans l’ordre que vous souhaitez, et de les décliner à volonté dans chacun des couplets, même lorsqu’il n’y a aucun lien entre eux. Et d’agrémenter le tout avec 53 rimes qui utilisent “mail”, “marianne” ou marine”.

Alors écouter “SOS” d’un trait sans être soulé ou en sachant quel titre parle de quoi relève de l’exploit, tant les morceaux se ressemblent tous, comme sur une bonne vieille compil de Zouk Love. Dommage, car une seule chanson efficace suffisait pour exploiter chaque thème (“Poussière” et sa jolie image pas trop mal exploitée par exemple).

Je pensais que l’intérêt de faire un interminable morceau de 10min (“Si c’était le dernier”) était de tout raconter pour se laisser le temps d’exploiter d’autres sujets sur le reste de l’opus. Pas de refaire un autre titre de 9min07 pour expliquer que Tu Es Quelqu’un, et raconter encore une fois la même chose.

4. Diam’s manque cruellement d’originalité. Je ne parlerai pas de la couleur musicale qui reste inchangée par rapport au précédent “Dans ma bulle”, du piano-voix larmoyant et des mélodies simplissimes. Je ne parlerai pas non plus du débat houleux sur le magnifique sample de Sia “Soon we’ll be found“, honteusement pompé et saccagé par Street Fab sur le titre “Dans le noir”. Après tout, les reprises ont toujours existé, et chacun est libre de réinterpréter un morceau qu’il apprécie, ou d’écouter uniquement les originaux. Soit.

Par contre, le personnage hybride que tente de se construire Diam’s me gêne. Absorbant la marque de fabrique de ses artistes-référence, Diam’s se transforme en Cell (pour les fans de Dragon Ball) et reprend à son compte l’identité de Médine (défense ouverte de l’Islam et de la foi), Keny Arkana (séjour en hôpital psychiatrique, textes écrits à la lueur de la Lune, revendications alter-mondialiste et tiers-mondiste), Booba (couplets matérialistes aux métaphores extérieures de richesse multiples, intonations similaires) et Kery James (long morceau hargneux sans refrain, voix à la limite de la rupture et interprétation excessive).

Et si vous trouvez que mes références sont tirées par les cheveux, relisez les réponses de Diam’s du temps où elle donnait encore des interviews, ou faites attention à sa liste de MCs favoris dans “L’honneur d’un peuple”. Si vous avez un peu de temps, écoutez donc à la suite “Eh connard” et “La solitaire” (Keny Arkana) et “Le combat continue 3” (Kery James), puis enchaînez avec “Si c’était le dernier” (Diam’s). Et jetez également une oreille à l’excellent opus “Arabian Panther” de Médine, vous comprendrez d’où vient le côté religieux décomplexé de la Jeune Demoiselle.

A la différence près qu’après avoir écouté les morceaux originaux, on peut ressentir l’envie de faire la révolution, de devenir un imam ou de vendre des kilos de coke. Après avoir écouté Diam’s, on a juste envie de passer à autre chose.

3. Diam’s est un peu schizophrène. Elle l’avoue elle-même. Et même si elle essayait de le cacher, la vérité éclaterait au grand jour malgré tout. Parce qu’elle a cette faculté à rimer une chose et son contraire: elle ne veut pas grandir dans “Peter Pan” mais se grouille d’être un modèle pour les petites soeurs dans “L’honneur d’un peuple”. Elle repousse la gloire et ses paillettes maléfiques mais veut qu’on garde d’elle l’image “d’une fille qui rêvait d’être Reine auprès du Roi”. Elle revendique des idées et une conscience politique mais avoue ne “rien comprendre pour l’instant”, toujours dans “Peter Pan”. Et qu’on ne me fasse pas croire qu’elle parle à la place d’un enfant de 6 ans, vu qu’elle évoque aussi ses impôts, ses PV, son pactole.

Elle veut être traitée comme un symbole, un modèle pour les femmes qui s’assument et qui luttent pour leur survie, mais parle encore de Petit Coeur qui se fait larguer par une Bombe (“Coeur de Bombe”) alors qu’elle approche des 30 ans. Diam’s n’a pas grandi en même temps que son public féminin, et conserve son discours destiné aux midinettes qui découvrent avec émoi qu’un garçon ne rêve pas que de jouer à Street Fighter IV le mercredi après midi.

Est ce qu’elle a mal choisi son personnage à marketer pour séduire le public le plus large possible, est ce qu’elle se ment à elle même en essayant de se persuader qu’elle ne vieillit pas, est ce qu’elle n’assume pas qui elle aimerait devenir? Elle seule peut répondre, mais pas à travers un album visiblement.

2. Diam’s vit dans un monde de Bisounours. A l’abri dans son refuge manichéen, la MC écrit ses textes à minuit dans le jardin du Bien et du Mal, éclairée par la Lune. Sans jamais trouver de juste milieu. L’Europe, c’est mal. L’Afrique, c’est bien. Le Gouvernement, c’est mal. La banlieue, c’est bien. L’homme, c’est mal. La femme, c’est bien. Il n’y a pas de place pour la nuance, pour la réflexion, pour le réél.

Toutes les mères sont des héroïnes, tous les enfants sont innocents, tous les métis souffrent, ce sont les hommes qui trompent et quittent, la drogue est partout, la variété française c’est nul. D’ailleurs, lorsque Diam’s demande ce que va faire la variet’ quand elle l’aura plagié, j’ai juste envie de répondre qu’elle peut faire un procès pour violation des droits d’auteur et récupérer une bonne partie de tes royalites et de ta fortune personnelle dont tu parles tant. Mais dans l’univers simpliste de la Boulette, qui se veut peut être être le reflet de sa vie, ce n’est pas possible d’être poursuivi à cause de son Art. Parce que le rap, c’est bien.

1. Diams n’est pas si authentique. Je m’explique. L’effort d’interprétation sur la plupart des titres de l’album aurait pu être intéressant et apporter un vrai plus artistique, mais verse trop rapidement dans l’agressivité mal contrôlée qui sonne faux. Le manque flagrant de sincérité me gêne, d’autant plus que j’aurai voulu la défendre, expliquer que la mise en lumière tardive de sa reconversion est déplacée, saluer la mise à nu d’une artiste qui a plus à perdre qu’à gagner, en bref, avouer à demi-mot que “SOS” de Diam’s n’est pas un mauvais album.

En choisissant d’exposer sa vie au grand jour, d’assumer ses convictions religieuses devant les caméras et de revendiquer cette force nouvelle trouvée dans la spiritualité, Diam’s donne juste l’explication indispensable à la compréhension de ses paroles. Parce que dans le fond, Diam’s souffre simplement du syndrome de la femme européenne blanche reconvertie à l’Islam. Elle veut en faire plus que les autres, elle estime qu’elle a encore plus de choses à prouver que les soeurs nées dans le Din, elle complexe de ne pas obtenir la reconnaissance automatique de sa foi et redouble d’efforts pour se faire accepter de sa comunauté d’accueil.

Quitte à livrer une liste de chansons remplies d’apparences, dans lesquelles Diam’s se noie et se perd à chaque mesure, trop obsédée par le regard des autres. Alors pour le coup, je dois reconnaître que le titre de son album est vraiment bien choisi.

Her for en fjorten dages tid siden modtog jeg via mail den glædelige nyhed om, at Jensens Bøfhus følger mig på Twitter. Ikke Noma, ikke Madeleines Madteater, ikke Kongs Hans eller Kiin Kiin – men Jensens Bøfhus. Med sloganet Store bøffer til små priser.

Hvordan mon man gør sig fortjent til sådan en follower? Har de luret, at jeg er glad for bøffer? At jeg er født og opvokset med dansk mad? At min kæreste engang er blevet kaldt “friturepigen” (ikke pga. størrelsen)? Eller har de opdaget, at jeg nu arbejder for OPUS, der har som erklæret formål at undersøge om nordiske fødevarer kan sikre en “Optimal trivsel, udvikling og sundhed for danske børn”?

Det er nok ingen af delene. Det er nok mest af alt endnu et markedsføringsstunt fra endnu en virksomhed på Twitter. Men altså – det virker ikke rigtigt.

Hvor glad jeg end er for mad, så skal der mere til, end nyheder om en “byg-selv”-burger til 69 kr til at abonnere på bøf-nyheder.

Det som så egentlig også undrer mig er, at de faktisk har 130 followers. Men så tjekkede jeg dem. Det er sexolog, VisitNordjylland og Dataministeret, der følger bøfhuset. Ja, og så så Trine Maria fra Social Square, der enten er helt tosset med billige bøffer eller interesseret i markedsføring via Twitter.

Men altså udover Trine Maria er det primært andre virksomheder og organisationer etc., som åbenbart ukritisk går efter det største antal followers. Det er altså lidt mærkeligt. Og Twitter er et lidt mærkeligt fænomen og medie. På mange måder har det ikke helt fundet sine ben at stå på.

På trods af Tweetdeck og alle mulige andre hjælpemidler, så risikerer man at blive overvældet af mængden af information via Twitter – og derved bliver kommunikationen temmelig mudret. Jeg er ikke ukritisk tilhænger. Og slet ikke ukritisk follower.

Så om igen, Jensen.

Alors que plus personne ne l’espérait, “7th Seal” de Rakim sort enfin demain. Initialement prévu sur le label Aftermath de Dr.Dre, puis repoussé indéfiniment jusqu’à présent et distribué par un label du gouffre, l’album serait une grosse déception pour les plus illégaux d’entre nous l’ayant déjà écouté en MP3. En même temps, pouvait-il en être autrement après des années d’attente?

Et histoire de remotiver les gens et de faire de cette sortie un pseudo évènement, Zoo York propose une planche à l’effigie de Rakim en série limitée, designée par Dean Nicastro. Elle sera enfermée dans un coffret contenant également l’opus, et sera disponible en ligne et en shops à partir de mi-décembre. Absolument pas indispensable si vous voulez mon avis, et bien loin de l’image de Rakim.

You may not know this, but I am working on an ”album” of songs I have made, actually one track is a Beatles Remix/Reedit, and have made 4 so far, out of maybe 10 or so, I dunno, it depends on how much musical enlightenment I get. So far here is the track listing, and I will talk about each piece later in the post:

Universal Sound

1. “In Pro How”

2.”Lost Love”

3.”The Dream”

4.”The Carnival Of Light”

In Pro How

This song was based on Revolution 9 by The Beatles on the White Album, and is  not as creepy, or as experimental, but is weird, and is just an Avant-Garde song with me reading my poem at the end(horribly, it was my first take, the 2nd take[the best] is played backwards in the beginning of the song), with some crowd noises, then with a talk between the “band” after it is finished being recorded (this was a poke at the songs that you can hear the band members talking to each other at the end or beginning of a song). The main part of the song is from old unfinished pieces I made a few months ago, and additions of older  sound files I had. The title of the song is random, has no real story to it, and was made up when I looked at my Biology I book and read down the page and saw “In…Pro…How” I do not recall what the In and How were, but the Pro was the first three letters of Protein, and when I saw it, it stuck with me. It was also me doing a John Lennon and making a random, unrelated, title to a song.

Lost Love

This song started by me having a tune stuck in my head that I kept hearing at school, and i really didn’t know whether to add it to “In Pro How” or to make it a separate song, mostly because i did not know the tone, or main feeling that is being provoked by the tune, until i thought of my friend, who had just had his heart broken by his best friend going out with the girl he loved, and i thought of “lost Love” as a title to it. I then recorded it with me playing the main part on Piano, and the bass on a guitar, along with some vocal chords sung by me, and percussion additions. There are no words to this song, just instrumental, mostly in part because i cannot sing. The tune i was hearing was a part of  a James Brown song, but i mixed it up into my own rendition of it.

The Dream

this is just me playing the piano, and placing it backwards to play backwards on the track to sound like  a psychedelic dream, with me saying random things backwards. This is really just a short rendition of backwards piano playing. :p

The Carnival Of Light

This song, which i just finished editing before i wrote this post, is probably the masterpiece of the whole “album” so far. I based it on the mythical, unreleased, “Carnival of Light” that The Beatles made during the “Magical Mystery Tour” time. I began by playing the same melody i thought up over and over again till it was 5:00mins long. I then added the base part of it by adding C Minor chords all throughout the 5:00mins, which are different every time instead of repetitive like the melody. I then added some vocal stuff, guitar, and then finally, the sounds and recordings that play throughout the song. I then edited the melody and chords to make them sound awesome[in lack of better words].Also, i shortened it to 3:00mins so it wouldnt be so long, XD. The master part of it is how well the sounds, chords, and melody fit together, and how well it ends, with Thunder booming across the speakers. If i were to ever make this into a real album, this would be the albums single .

The Carnival of Light

Original Video – More videos at TinyPic

-OPUS!

Autor: J. Nicolosi – L. Nicolosi
Colección: edu.com
Publico: Público en general
ISBN: 978-84-9840-210-0
1ª edición
15,86 € (sin IVA)
16,50 € (con IVA)
Páginas: 208
Tamaño: 15 x 21,5

Unos amigos me dijeron que paseando por el centro de Granada vieron que en una librería estaba este libro. Así que Luis y yo decidimos pasarnos a ver. Efectivamente, vimos el libro y lo compramos. La librería, por supuesto, era del Opus, así que no nos extrañó que el libro en cuestión estuviera expuesto en la estantería.
Como cabe esperar, no había ningún libro titulado “cómo prevenir la violencia de género” o “cómo prevenir el racismo” o “cómo prevenir otras tantas cosas”.
¡Contenido del libro? Os lo podéis imaginar: desde estupideces, hasta barbaridades, sandeces y gilipolleces.
Parece mentira que en pleno 2009 se sigan publicando textos así.

10. For Better of For Worse (1979-2008)
Lynn Johnston

We start off our top ten comic strip list with a comic which was perhaps not the funniest or most innovative, but had heart and wholesomeness and a touch of bravery. For better or for worse followed the lives of the Patterson, and throughout the strip’s run we have been able to grow along with the characters as the children grow up as kids into teenagers, then through to college, until they are grown and have kids of their own. Not many other mediums can allow for this sort of longevity through the lives of such characters, and Johnston took full advantage of that.
For Better or For Worse also had some defining moments which put it into the higher echelon of comic strips through dealing with some very serious and hot button topics for a comic. One of these moments was the death of their dog Farley, touching on a chord most other comics would never think of approaching. The comic also made headlines by having the son’s best friend come out as gay, a bold step for a family comic in 1993.

9. Dick Tracy (1931-present)
Chester Gould

Flash Gordon may have paved the way for comic strip serials, but Dick Tracy was the comic which truely turned that concept into something special. As one of the most famous fictional crime busters, Dick Tracy introduced many to a world of detective procedural and mystery-solving forensics, as well as creating a distinct noir world with all sorts of crime villains. Gould’s strip would also introduce violence into the funny pages as well as send out a strong message concerning justice, despite how conservative it may be for some.

8. The Boondocks (1999-2006)
Aaron McGruder

The best comic strips are usually political. Likewise, the best comic strips keep in perspective of the characters. The Boondocks in both. The Boondocks deals with the racial isolation of black Americans with comments on politics and black culture. McGruder managed to keep things fresh with many controversial strips due to his far-reaching liberal views. The Boondocks managed to catch a moment in culture with bravery and boldness, laying it out on the pages for all to see.

7. Pogo (1948-1975)
Walt Kelly

One of the most influential comic strips, Pogo delved heavily into satire and was one of the best at its trade. Satirizing both politics as well as basic human nature, Pogo was always interesting and often controversial. And oh yeah, it was also funny. Along with the clever humour that left its indelible mark on the funny pages, Pogo was also a masterpiece of slapstick and offered a massive variety of characters. It influenced a wide range of strips since its run and its impact will remain for a long time.

6. Krazy Kat (1913-1944)
George Herriman

Perhaps no comic strip has had quite the creative impact on its medium as Krazy Kat did. Krazy Kat was an allegorical fantasy filled with slapstick humour, poetry and surrealism. Critics have been praising this comic since it first appeared and have even considered it a true work of art. It has a huge fan following even today and many comic enthusiast hold it as their favourite.

5. Doonesbury (1970-present)
Gary Trudeau

When one thinks of political cartons, one thinks of Doonesbury. A daily strip since 1970 (with a break or two in between), Doonesbury has been tasking the political temperature of America and the world in general for many years now. Trudeau is notorious for giving a liberal viewpoint through his strip, yet tend to criticize anyone who happens to be in power at the time. The comic is not afraid to delve into the current events of the time, covering everything from Watergate to Iran-Contra to the recent war in Iraq. Doonesbury is hot-button and controversial and always has something to say.

4. Peanuts (1950-2000)
Charles Schulz

There is probably no comic strip more well-known throughout the world than Peanuts. The trials and tribulations of Charlie Brown and his friends are perhaps the most popular to ever appear on the funny pages. Peanuts’ charm comes not in hard-biting satire or edgy humour, but rather it exists in simple, good-natured characters and simple yet effective comedy. Peanuts built a foundation on traditions such as the kite and football gags, and created some wonderful characters whose personalities actually run deeper than one may think, especially with the never-win Charlie Brown and the insatiable Lucy. Above all, Peanuts has heart and it has made its stamp on comics unlike any other.

3. Bloom County (1980-1989)
Berkeley Breathed

Showcasing a slice of American life and culture in the 80’s, Bloom County has become one of the most beloved comics of its time. Opus the penguin is one of the most memorable characters in comic strips. Once again, this is a political cartoon, delving into the fabric of America at that time and satirizing almost everything, from Apple computers to its fellow comic strip Garfield. Bloom County survives today in the minds of all who read this wonderfully funny and provocative strip and will continue to for many years.

2. The Far Side (1980-1995)
Gary Larson

Chances are if you ever see anything drawn by Gary Larson you will know instantly that it was drawn by Gary Larson. The world of Far Side is distinct in its style, to be sure. But why is it really number 2 on this list? Because it is downright hilarious. Larson’s one-panel jokes don’t involve long-running characters or a serial storyline. They are simply one-shot jokes which work extremely well. The Far Side is side-splitting humour at its best. Some punchlines are really easy to grasp the moment you see it, while others take some time to sink in. It is this layered humour which makes Far Side accessible to all. The Far Side is perhaps simply the funniest creation to ever hit the newspaper pages.

1. Calvin and Hobbes (1985-1995)
Bill Watterson

Picking the number one spot for this was actually pretty easy. Calvin and Hobbes; the greatest comic strip ever. Calvin and Hobbes makes us laugh, makes us think, and makes us cry and it does so better than any other strip out there. At times it is a cute, funny cartoon and at others it is a strong statement about the world. I wouldn’t call C&H a political cartoon so much as I would call it a philosophical cartoon. Watterson’s themes deal with culture and society and usually have very strong underlying messages. Watterson’s strongest theme, however, is the creativity of children and just how wonderful their imagination can be (especially if you are into building snowmen). His message throughout the strip is to never underestimate kids; they are smarter than we give them credit for. And their creative urges should be nurtured rather than marginalized. Calvin and Hobbes is a pleasure to read every time and has earned its place at the top.

Well, its been a LONG time since the widget contest started! Actually, its been well over a MONTH!

I said that I was only going to use 1st place’s widget, but I like all the widgets, so Im going to use 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place’s widgets! If you would like to add a widget to your sidebar … Click (HERE!)

Well, Im going to announce the winners now. There were 5 entries, and only 1st, second, and third place get prizes.

We will start with 3rd place, which was …

…

Drkshadow17 !

You win — Blogroll, and a Virtual Trophy!
I will give you your prizes over Twitter.

Now, Guess who’s second place? Its …

…

Jordan!

And you win all of this — Be on the blogroll, and a post about them, and a virtual trophy.
I will send your prizes to you over AIM .

And now, the FIRST PLACE widget and all the prizes goes to…

…

…

…

Sssaam!

Congrats Sam, you have won the widget contest! Here are your prizes!

Be on the blogroll, post about them, your widget will be used, and you will be put on the buddies page, and a virtual trophy.

I will give you your prizes over AIM.

And Congrats to Opus and Dunya for trying, your widgets also rocked!

Okay, thats it!

Late, Chad.

http://www.dom.eb.mil.br/arquivos_opus/visao/video_opus.htm

La primera vez que oí hablar de “Yuusha 30″ (nombre del juego en Japón) fue gracias a Jarkendia y sus posts en Frostias y VidaExtra… y  a qué negarlo, fue amor a primera vista. En aquel entonces, dudábamos de que el singular juego de Opus llegara a este lado del globo, pero para nuestra alegría, hace una semana que se encuentra disponible  en la Store americana (con gran éxito de crítica) y según ha informado la web gabacha jeuxvideo llegará a las PSP’s del viejo mundo a principios de 2010.

No sé si a los veteranos os ocurrirá, pero me sucede que en cuanto veo un juego con este descarado y pixelado estilo retro, recuerdo tiempos mejores, de esos que no volverán (debe ser lo que llaman nostalgia). Pero su estilo gráfico no es lo único que le hace especial.

“Half-minute hero” es un juego de rol muy tradicional y a la vez todo lo contrario. Me explico. La parte tradicional la encontramos en las acciones que llevaremos a cabo y que  no diferirán en nada de lo que haríamos en cualquier juego de rol del corte más clásico (por ejemplo equipar a nuestro héroe o visitar villorrios). La original es que para hacerlo, tendremos un total de treinta segundos, (un poco al estilo Warioware) con lo cual será vital pensar rápido, muy rápido, la estrategia que nos permita salir indemnes de cada capítulo. Tenemos por tanto un JRPG comprimido hasta el extremo y  sostenido por una historia  en la que baste decir, tendremos a la Diosa del Tiempo como salvadora y aliada.

Si a lo ya mencionado sumamos un fino, y por qué no decirlo, satírico sentido del humor, estamos ante un juego que bien merece treinta segundos o alguno más. Os dejo con un ilustrativo vídeo con los primeros minutos de juego.

Vía jeuxvideo

Just finished the first volume of the complete library of Bloom County.  What a treat it was to revisit a strip that meant so much to me as a child and really inspired me in the possibilities of the comic strip more than just about anything else that was out there at the time.

It’s always interesting to look at a strip in its infancy and it should come as no surprise that at the start Bloom County was a much different strip.  It took a while for the strip to find its focus and rhythm (Breathed says it happened once Opus became a regular, and that seems true) and some of the characters that were early focuses of the strip slowly fade out, like Milo’s grandfather and Limekiller and the rest of the people that inhabit the boarding house (another idea which seems to have slipped out quietly.)

What does come through loud and clear is Breathed’s political views, particularly his passion for animal rights (which led to the much maligned ending of the Opus strip.)  I’m sure as a kid I didn’t fully grasp how barbed the strip was, but today it seems like a perfect reflection of the conservative ’80s: lots of nuke jokes and a particularly funny one about trying to find liberals, an endangered species.  I also had forgotten about some of the running gags, like Milo talking back  to himself in the mirror and the cockroaches.  I had also forgotten completely the character of Senator Bedfellow (or maybe I just wasn’t that interested in politics at the time) and found those strip to be very clever and still relevant.

I was not particularly fond of the seemingly overwhelming number of strips dealing with Charles and Di.  I’m sure they read well back at the time they were written, but they seem really dated today (the only example perhaps of where the strip has not weathered well.)

There were a lot of strips here that I was unfamiliar with, which made me wonder if the earlier books only excerpted some (I never was really fond of the first couple collections, so my memory may be faulty.)

Unfortunately, we have to wait until next spring for the next volume.  This I imagine is where Bloom County really hits its stride.  I’m eagerly awaiting it.