It’s April’s fools and all companies are giving some Easter eggs away. Our god Google can not be an exception and, from the many pranks developed by the company, this has been my favorite.
I don’t consider myself a true gamer (I prefer to go out than stay in front of a computer or a console) but I really enjoyed my 8-bit life with the Nintendo. I even had Atari, Family and Super (among other consoles), but this kind of practical joke really surprised me.
For the lovers of Machine Learning, like me, you can easily notice how they developed such 8-bit Nintendo-like platform so quick and fun. Yes, you know how.
But stop chatting and go to Google Maps and you’ll see the normal interface, except for a small area in the top right corner of the map. Click on “Quest” (“Mission” in the German version) and your map will turn 8-bit. Done, you are ready to play with Goggle Maps as in the Nintendo. If you don’t believe me try it yourself and I’ll put here the video and a picture of my town and surroundings in Google Maps Nintendo.
Long time since I don’t speak about KISS, my favorite band of all times. You all know how I love KISS and how I started to write the KISStory in Spanish. Yes, it is around there but I stopped right before the release of Dynasty.
Anyways, this time the song of the day deserves to be Cold Gin, a simple but melodic classic 70’s rock song. It doesn’t need a big orchestra or a complete instrumental arrangement to create a banging mood, and I mean “banging” in all possible meanings.
The song was written by Ace Frehley for the first album of KISS but sung by Gene Simmons because Ace was still shy about his voice
By the way, have you listened to the cover from Pantera? Everyone knows that Dimebag Darrell was HUGE fan of KISS, most of all a big fan of Ace Frehley and he really takes the song in his hands to create another rock smashing song. Why Cold Gin? Because it was his favorite song of all times…
I think this kind of animation has been spread in Internet since a long time ago, but never is to late to share the wisdom. This animation in particular is made by Hyun and appears to be the parody of Jackie Chan’s “Drunken Master”.
These cartoons are really simple but they remind me the times where toons and video games didn’t need to have a realistic image to give us lots of entertainment, when the leading roles were simple pixels on a screen and we had great times giving them life through our imagination.
I might be old, but I gladly can say that I really enjoyed those first animations.
Also please check the animation “League of Legends: Stick Figure Spotlight”. It’s pretty cool:
Most of us already knew what are He-man’s tendencies when we saw it a second time with his pink vest and his blonde well dressed hair. But finally we have more proof with the following video that fits perfectly to his persona. The 4 Non blondes must be proud of this cover on “What’s up”. The new Anthem of Sendlinger Tor and surroundings!
It is true that some times the animal instinct comes to the surface in the most intense moments of our lives, but some times it is just enough and we don’t really know when are we crossing the limit. But that happens normally when we are 3 or 4 years old, not when we are supposed to be mature and aware of our reality.
Mexican people are well known because of their friendship and their warm treatment with others. And in most of the cases is true, it is a real characteristic of Mexicans. So, that’s why I can say for sure that the following video does not represent what is going in Mexico. Yes, it is unfortunate what is going on in this shit called “War on Drugs” but it is something that Mexicans are strongly dealing with, and it’s done without losing hope.
But what I’m presenting now is a video with chicano cholos. Say whaaaat? Well, I’ve never seen this show and never had any interest. It seems to be another talk show, where punches and cat fights are the usual shit. Apparently the name of the show is “Jose Luis sin censura”, and uses the same topics and context as “Laura en América”. This video shows only how the men are fighting each other.
Morbid fascination, indeed, watching this kind of crap, but actually this is how most of the Mexican people can take some interest in something. I just wanna make clear that these guys are NOT Mexican, they are mostly chicanos and, in a majority, cholos.
For a better definition of these two labels (cholos and chicanos) you may choose some other literature. I will also explain that culture in future posts, but by now I can say that they are individuals born and raised in the United States with a Mexican heritage. Yes yes, this kind of cholos are also in Mexico but they are truly a minority in the country.
I decided to name this post “The cholo cavemen” because… well… they are. I can not affirm that all cholos behave like here but it is very probable that they do. I also can not say that all chicanos are like here because I know they aren’t.
Fuck! This kind of shit is unfortunately what the majority prefers to have as an entertainment in the Latin-american culture. Then if you have some pleasure watching how fake cases and stupid programs turn into an amok of slaps, kicks and punches among troglodytes, you may enjoy the following shit.
And as the internet wisdom says: “Gossip and talk shows are like eating junk food. We know it is a total shit but we can not just stop consuming it”.
Well, this video sadly and in a fun way reminded me of the Mexican moms. Yes, most of them are like that, they don’t accept mistakes and blame some one for something. No regrets.
The original video is “¿Y el putazo que me diste?” (without the exclamation signs) and I couldn’t find a proper word for “putazo”. Putazo is used as a synonym for a hit, a punch, a slam… a collision in general. But it is a vulgar word used merely in the angriest or rude moments. We will see such examples like that in a future section I’m about to create.
As I mentioned, this is a classical example of an average Mexican mom and her, in some cases, indifferent treatment to her family, but in this case, the mother here does it in a fun way blaming the kid after she slammed his head and the guy filming notices it. Also the mom tries to laugh when her “puteado” (slammed) son makes her realize that she was caring about shit, but returns to her initial proudly anger. But stop describing what’s going on, just watch the video. If you can speak Spanish you’ll find it even funnier; or else, I put the transcription in English after the video, so you can know precisely what they are saying:
– Mom: Put it over the place, where the Saints are.
– Son: Unintelligible but I think is something like “again!“
– Mom: They are going to fall down.
The doors slam against the kid’s head and the Christmas ornaments fall and break.
– Son: Ouch, assho…!!
– Mom: Oh! What did I tell you? You already broke them.
The guy in the camera starts to laugh.
– Mom: I’m telling you “they’re gonna fall” and it is because they fall!
– Son: And the slam you gave me?
– Mom: So that’s why!
– Son: Aha!
– Mom: I’m telling you!
– Cameraman: Good thing that I…
I’ve just seen this video while exploring through videos and meaningless shit and I found it hilarious, not only because of the obvious difference between the fighters, but also because of the total crap that the narrators are saying. The ending is the most “dramatic” and funny unbelievable outcome.
Well, new surprises are coming. I finally got rid of the University duties by now and have some time to invest in some new projects. Of course I will start to share all of them here. You know this creepy mind runs at different speed and in many ways.
By the moment I’m just gonna let you know that video is highly involved in these new activities. Finally I can give some more visual material as I was planning from the beginning. I hope you all like it and please give some feedback. In the beginning will be slow as I gain some experience but please don’t be desperate. I’ll be updating constantly and giving again some tips and other sections will be back. Oh yeah, baby, the old school is back!
Now I have the support of many persons and I’m getting some cool ideas to apply. The visual material will be mainly in youtube and vimeo, but I’ll tell you the details later when the stuff is done. Well, wait and see, banda.
It is undeniable that the partnership made of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil has brought a lot of successful songs that, even if we are not aware of it, show the enormous inspiration in the couple. This time I wanna share a really good piece of music that I discovered thanks to Solomon Burke, the Gospel King, who got me since the first sounds of this impressive song.
The song is “None of us are free” and it was first recorded by Ray Charles in his 1993 Album “My World” along with Eric Clapton. That version has the characteristic sound of Ray with a formidable instrumentation and a groovy sound that makes you enjoy the powerful voice of the Master and kick the floor with the sound of Slow-hand.
By 1997 Lynyrd Skynyrd, the southern rock band, that I love because of its interesting sounds made also their version. I don’t know, it is good, but I will always have in my mind the sound of the 70’s LS. I like it, I repeat it, but for me it is not the best version.
But hey! Which is my favorite? The Burke’s version. My god! Solomon Burke made an impressive inspirational performance with it. I think it is the first time that this song is sung with the proper feeling. Just listen, boy. Place your chair, get your shoes off, open a window and let the air hit your face, because Pastor Burke is going to praise the word of Music!
Listen to that organ, the picking guitar, the strong deep voice and the smashing feeling. Listen, just listen and shout it to be free, to freed your chest and jump, or cry or laugh. I don’t know but give this song the proper homage and enjoy it.
The song is a masterpiece of one of the best Mexican composers: María Grever. She was born in León, Guanajuato by the end of the XIX Century. When she was young she was really into music and she was even studying with Claude Debussy. As a trend of the time, she was composing many pieces for films.
Actually her passion were “Boleros”, so she was very prolific at them but unfortunately was not so famous until her classic song hits the radios: “Júrame”. It is well known that the most skilled tenors in the world love this song because of its versatile movements and strong sounds, but most of all because of the passion in it. Lately Plácido Domingo was singing it in almost all of his concerts.
It is the story of a man asking to her beloved to swear him that she will never forget him. That’s why the name of the song: “Júrame” (“Swear to me” in Spanish). The guy just asks for a final second of love with a kiss and a promise, the promise of being someone important in the memory of the girl he loves. Well… actually, because it is in first person, it doesn’t specify if it’s a guy or a girl. It is just a gigantic love between two persons, a love that leads to madness and desperation.
Nowadays the “Plácido Domingo of our times”, Rolando Villazón gives an interpretation that entirely shocks me. It is really stunning to hear this song in his voice, so, here it is:
Mayitzin 