Hello! I'm now here to talk about a place that has haunted my dreams since I was a little kid: Stonehenge. I've never been there, but if someone tells me I could go to one place in the world I'd surely go there and see it by myself. I remember myself as a kid reading a book about Druids, the legendary Merlin and other stories related to Stonehenge... On this post, I'll include the first part of a 4-part documentary on Stonehenge. The links for the following parts will be after my opinion on this great monument.
What I think about this whole story can be synthesized in 5 words: Humanity underestimates its own ancestors. With the information we have right now, it's hard to believe that primitive beings would be able to build gigantic monuments such as Stonehenge or the pyramids. I think that the answer to "how" they did it is that they were not as primitive as we think they were.
Even with modern technology and engineering, it would be a great achievement to build monuments like those. In the case of Stonehenge not so much, but it would still take some work to go to a place to obtain the bluestones, be able to give them the exact shape we need for them to fit exactly. Also, it's been a while since man has made buildings and structures that will be able to last thousands of years. Ancient engineering was truly fabulous.
Going back to Stonehenge, for years we had no clue of what it meant. Until an archaeologist from Madagascar went to the place. In Madagascar, Stone means Death, and Wood means Life. This seemed to be irrelevant until they found a place some miles away from Stonehenge that seemed to have had similar structures made of wood. This is a common pattern in the ancient cultures: that civilizations who were half a world apart with no trace of connection between them have similar ideas and structures. Another example of this are the similarities between Mesopotamian Ziggurats and Mayan Pyramids.
Ziggurat
Mayan Pyramid
Also, the alignment with summer and winter solstices of Stonehenge and what may be called Woodhenge speaks a lot about its use. We think that Stonehenge was part of a ritual concerning death, life and the solstices. Still, there's a lot that we don't know, and maybe it will remain as a doubt until we create a machine with which we can see into the past. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxMLJegGQEI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbJlil-8yZQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qC-cDJ6e4CM
Hey, there! This post will be kind of an introduction to Art History. I think the best way to do it, is by analyzing pieces of art that we already know so we can get used to see art in a criticizing way, appreciating both good and bad aspects:What is it?,What is it about?What is its meaning?,What is it for?When, where, why and by who was it made? I will begin by analyzing five different songs with different styles. I hope you enjoy!
I've Got the World on a String - Frank Sinatra
I think we all know about Frank Sinatra's style. Fast rhythm and soft music, easy listening music. He used to sing jazz, swing, and pop. In this song, "I´ve got the world on a string", the main instrument is the sax and Frank's voice takes most of the credit. The lyrics are happy and as usually on Sinatra's style, talk about the feeling of being in love. "Lucky me, can't you see I'm in love?" He says he has the world on a string...It´s like he feels he can do anything by the power of the love that is now in possession of him. Music doesn't sound too hard to play, but I have never played sax, so don't trust me very much on that point. I think this song was meant to be quiet listened and for slow dancing. "I've Got the World on a String" was composed in 1932 by Harold Arlen, and the lyrics were written by Ted Koehler. It's been recorded multiple times by many different singers, and Frank Sinatra is one of them. His version came out in 1953. Other artists that have recorded the song are Céline Dion, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Bublé, and Jennifer López. Frank's version reached #14 on Billboard's most played list of the year it came out!
Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
Joy Divison is a Post-Punk British band formed in 1976. At first, the band had punk-rock influences, but later, they evolved to a post-punk style. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" is kind of a fast song with a bit loud music. The main instruments are the piano, the bass and the guitar (which is played by the vocalist). The voice is deep and follows the same rhythm as the music. The music sounds kind of hard to play, and you can trust me: the guitar isn't easy at all! I think this song was made for concerts, I really can't imagine someone dancing to its rhythm in a party. The intention of the song was to mock the trending phrase "Love will keep us together," and the lyrics reflect the problems in the marriage of the vocalist Ian Curtis with Deborah Curtis. After Ian died, she even wrote the phrase "Love will tear us apart" on his memorial stone! The song was written in August 1979, months before Ian Curtis committed suicide in May 1980. The song was first released in June 1980, then again in 1983. It was a hit until 1988, when it made its last apparition on New Zealand's Top 40 with the 39th position.
Wave - Gal Costa
This song is an example of bossa nova. Bossa nova is a brazilian musical style developed in the 50´s and 60´s in Brasil, and it´s a fusion of samba and jazz. The typical instruments of bossa nova are guitar, piano, organ, bass and drums. I'll be honest. I HATE bossa nova's rhythm. I have done it since my dad bought a whole disc of Michael Jackson's songs in Bossa Nova. I really like those songs, but the slow rhythm of Bossa Nova made my ears hurt. I felt as if they were ruining the songs. Still, this Gal Costa's song is not so bad. Maybe it is because there's no original version I like, but in this case, the slow rhythm and soft voice were able to calm me a little bit. I don't know portuguese, so I can't tell you a lot about the lyrics. The main instruments I can get are the piano, guitar and other various string instruments, as well as some percussion instruments. I think the song is meant for dancing and quiet listening. It is said that Gal's mom used to listen to classical music while pregnant, which developed a taste for music in Gal. Later on, she was able to meet some composers and singers, and she debuted as a singer in 1964. This song was released until 1999 with the album "Gal Costa Canta Tom Jobim ao Vivo".
Foggy Mountain Breakdown - Men With Banjos Who Know How To Use Them
"Men With Banjos Who Know How To Use Them"... This says a lot about the song itself. Foggy Mountain Breakdown is an american bluegrass or country song, with fast rhythm and no voice. It was sritten by Earl Scruggs in 1949. I can't really tell if it's loud or soft, I feel as if it keeps changing throughout the song. The instruments here are (obviously) banjos and a piano. I'm not sure I have to say it, but playing this song is hard as hell... these guys really know how to use the banjos. Some musicians consider this song is one of the fastest and most rhytmically challenging song to play. When I hear this song, I always imagine some cowboys dancing around while laughing.This song was used in the famous american movie "Bonnie and Clide"(1967) and some other films.This was one of the first of Foggy Mountain Boys' singles, released in 1949. When it was first released it was number 9 on the US Country peak chart position! The Foggy Mountain Boys were some of the first American bluegrass/country groups ever! In 2002, Earl Scruggs won a Grammy for recording Foggy Mountain Breakdown.
Piano and String Quartet - Morton Feldman
The perfect description for this song is: "Intriguing". Just listen to it and its tones... It's a song made specially for a horror or suspense movie. It's pretty slow and soft, so much that it sounds loud in my mind. The combination of high and low tones at the same time almost makes my head explode. No voice, only five instruments (a piano and a string quartet, obviously)... it doesn't sound so hard to play, but I'm sure that the silence laps aren't easy to get. It is the combination of silence and music what makes this song special. I'd say it's meant for quiet listening, but I'm not sure someone would sit tight listening to this song in the middle of the night while hearing strange noises... Morton Feldman is himself a scary guy who likes to compose long songs with isolated sounds and weird combinations of instruments. You can not predict what might happen next. The patterns he uses in his songs are never what we expect them to be. His music is almost always intimate, quiet, slow...This song is one of his lasts works and was released in 1993, when contemporary classical was a popular genre. The song includes three violins, a cello and a piano, played by David Harrington, John Sherba, Hank Dutt, Joan Jeanrenaud, and Aki Takahashi (respectively).
Hello there! It has been a while since I last entered this blog. Now, I'm back! And I'm making a little change in the themes I'll blog about. Instead of World History, I will focus more on Art History. I hope you enjoy my future posts!
Hello again! This is a clip about the Lusitania, an american Ship that was sunk by German U-Boats (Untersee Boats). It was one of the most decisive reasons for the United States to enter World War 1 against the Germans. It is a two part video and I'll add a brief summery after it. I hope you enjoy them!
In may of 1915, the RMS Lusitania sailed into warring waters. After being hit by a torpedo, the Lusitania sank in 18 minutes taking down 1200 souls with her. In the video, we can see how the Watchman of the ship sees a torpedo incoming, and alerts the whole crew. Both passengers and crew rush to the edge of the boat to see the torpedo which was going towards them. Countdown for the hit had already begun. The torpedo made impact with the Lusitania in its hull, and the impact made all the people aware of the terrible position of the ship.
While scream and shouting in the Lusitania began, the German U-boat was also shouting, but from joy instead of terror: They had hit her. Soon after the impact, the internal machinery of the Lusitania began to fail, and explosions began everywhere. Water began to crawl inside and the crew was trying to comfort the upset passengers, who kept screaming, shouting and running. The ship stopped to respond to the commands of the captain, and was badly damaged. They began to make evacuation plans and see if they could make repairs in the engine room, but water kept creeping in as the boat began to sink. The whole crew was panicking while families tried to kept tight together. The lights went off as the electricity system was damaged by water, and people on the elevator became stuck. The captain commanded to send an SOS signal, so that they could be rescued. Everybody wanted to get into the lifeboats, but obviously there wasn't room for anyone. People would have to stay and die with the Lusitania. She was sinking fast. People rushed into the boats even if it still wasn't safe to do so, and people were fighting over lifesavers. Some people fell into the water, and the ones in the elevator were already drowning. As the boat reached 20 degrees, the captain told the crew to abandon the boat. "Women and Children first!" The crew shout as the people rushed into the lifeboats. As the lifeboats were going away, more people who had fallen to the sea was swimming towards them, and as they crawled inside they put them face down, taking all the people with them. After 18 minutes of terror, the Lusitania finally sunk, taking lots of lives with her.
Hello again! Here is a video about the American Railroads and the Steam Locomotive during the 1930's, made in 1938. As always, I will add a brief summary of the video after it. I hope you enjoy it!
Back then, and even nowadays, the trains, or "iron horses", were the biggest things that moved on land, and represented a great importance in economy and life that could never be underestimated. The different railroads tied the country together and server as transport, communication, and multiple other uses. The trains represented mass action because they were big enough to transport lots of persons and goods. It helped industries function correctly and in harmony, it brought the daily food of every american family and took them on trips for business and pleasure. The locomotives built the America we know today.
Probably the most famous Locomotive in the world was the "Giant Hudson" type, developed by the New York Central in 1927. No other locomotive had been as efficient and loved by the people as the "Giant Hudson."
By the time, the steam locomotive was one of the most compact power-plants in the world. They cost nearly 200 000 dollars. Since James Watt discovered the power of Steam, it has been serving mankind, and it is the prime mover of the Locomotive. The largest part of the engine is the boiler, which looks like a big tank. It is where water is turned into steam by a hot fire. Water is absorbed by the tubes and turns into steam in enormous quantities. The mechanic energy is made by connecting different cylinders, tubes, pistons and wheels. It's the result of 100 years of research and experimentation.
When steam enters the cylinders, the pistons pull, and when it leaves, the pistons push, and then the pistons are connected to rods. The pulling and pushing of the pistons also moves the rods, which make the wheels turn. Although this mechanism makes the machine work, there are other accessories that make it more safe and efficient, like the whistle and the bell that are used for communication. There is also an specific generator for the headlight. Also, the brakes are iron parts behind the wheels. The tender is behind the engine, carrying what the train needs to function properly.
Engines are normally clean before they enter the engine house. Also, when they arrive, water is tested to check if the proportion isn't too high and if it is able to make good steam. if not, the water has to be changed with new, fresh water. The main part of servicing takes part in the Engine House. While the engine is still warm, the men enter to do the checking, which has to be done carefully. Machinery inspectors check the mechanical parts with touch, hearing and sight. During most of its stay in the engine house, the locomotive is being inspected and taken care after. No delays must be tolerated unless under special circumstances. Still, it is sometimes necessary to make various repairs. The process is finished with lubrication, which includes several kinds of oils and greases.
After they go out, they are filled with about 30 tons of coal and treated water, they cost millions of dollars a year. There must not be lack of any of these because that would generate lack of steam, which slows the scheduled pace of the train. Trains must always be on time for America to continue its activities.
Hello! In this blog we will go some thousand years back in time for analyzing an awesome movie by Ridley Scott which is named "Gladiator." I hope you enjoy it!
Directed by
Ridley Scott
Produced by
Douglas Wick
David Franzoni
Branko Lustig
Screenplay by
David Franzoni
John Logan
William Nicholson
Story by
David Franzoni
Starring
Russell Crowe
Joaquin Phoenix
Connie Nielsen
Oliver Reed
Derek Jacobi
Djimon Hounsou
Ralf Möller
Richard Harris
The movie begins at the end of the war in Germania, in
the last battle. The Emperor Marcus Aurelius was dying, and commander Maximus
Decimus Meridius was leading the final attack. When the Germans refused to
negotiate, the attack began. First, siege machines and archers began to maim
the enemy’s forces, and infantry began to close in. When both forces collided
roman cavalry attacked the enemy’s back, showing the great strategy of roman
commanders. Germans were taken by surprise and easily defeated. After the
fight, the emperor spoke in private with Maximus, inviting him to take the
throne after his death so that he could later give back the Republic to Rome
and end the corruption the Empire had become in. Maximus refused, and when
Marcus told his son the choice he was killed. Comodus offered Maximus to be
loyal to him and he refused again, so the newly made emperor ordered his guards
to kill him. Maximus escaped and went home as fast as he could, but when he
arrived it was already late: his wife and son had been murdered by the
emperor’s minions. He slept there and was found by some slavers that sold him
to a man who owned gladiators. He began to fight under the name of the Spaniard
and won every fight. The games had been abolished by the late emperor Marcus Augustus,
but Comodus began again with that tradition. Maximus went to the coliseum to
participate. His unit was assigned the massacre of Carthage, expected to lose,
but Maximus used his commander experience and took his unit to victory… the mob
already loved him. The emperor, Comodus, asked to see him without knowing who
he was. He told Maximus to take his helmet off and say his name, and when
Maximus did, he was suddenly afraid. He was going to tell his guards to kill
him there and now, but the mob shouted that he must live. The games continued
while Comodus looked for a way to kill Maximus; meanwhile, Gracus (a member of
the senate) conspired against him with the emperor’s own sister. Comodus failed
his multiple attempts to kill him and Maximus met with Gracus, promising him to
bring back the republic if he helped him escape. Unfortunately, the conspiracy
was discovered and Maximus and his supporters were captured. Comodus told
Maximus that he was going to fight him and kill him in the arena, which surprised
Maximus a lot, since Comodus was a coward. But he was the emperor and could do
as he pleased, so he stabbed Maximus as he was held tight by ropes before the
fight began. Still, Maximus managed to defeat him and kill him. The mob fell
silent while slowly, Maximus’ strength began to fail him because of the wound
Comodus had caused before the fight: an emperor has just been killed in front
of 50 000 people and the hero who had done it was also dying. With his last
strength, Maximus ordered his friends to be set free and the republic to be
reinstituted, with Gracus as the head senator. After that, Maximus finally went
to his family in the afterlife.
I personally think that this is one of the best movies
I have seen, if not the best one ever. I have always liked ancient history, and
if you combine it with a perfect story like Maximus’, it makes a perfect movie.
It shows how corruption began, how the senate lost its power, the expansionist
policy of ancient Rome, the power of the mobs over the government and other
things about life back then. Still, roman entertainment was nasty: how could
they just watch in awe while men kill each other? Or when animals kill men? I
can’t understand how that could be. But those were ancient times and nowadays
society has changed, and we just need to look back and see the past so that we
can handle the present and plan the future… that’s what history is about.
Hi, guys! Here is a two part video about the Spanish Civil war. I have added a summary of it at the end of each part. I hope you enjoy them!
The International Brigade was a group of soldiers that went to Spain to fight on the side of the Republicans in 1936. Many members from different countries fought and died for their ideals. Intellectuals from every country fought side by side, even against their own countrymen. There was a premonition of civil war, and coordinated rising began all over Spain on the 18th of July. Within four days, the insurgent military were under the command of Francisco Franco, and controlled about 1/3 of the country. The government refused to accept the seriousness of the situation, which proved really wrong.
Germany and Italy reacted swiftly to Franco's rebellion and decided to help him, but Britain didn't. Spain was in a state of Anarchy. The British position was that it wasn't unexpected that an armed rebellion would happen, but their concern was that there was a great possibility of the spread of soviet influence in a country in which they had serious interest. Italy sent 12 bombers to Spain, while Germany sent several u-boats, battleships and 600 fighter planes. The British stopped providing oil to the government and permitted the insurgents to use the different communication lines with other countries. Eventually, they sided with Franco and sent 20 000 troops in support. Hitler had seen the chance for his pilots to get experience in wartime conditions, so he sent them.
Franco was named the head of government on September 29th. By October 1st, he was calling himself Head of State. During his government, hundreds of political suspects were taken and massacred. On October 7th, Madrid experienced the first airstrikes on the city. The nationalists' army was approaching from the northwest and the southwest, and by the middle of the month, all towns near Madrid were on their hands. The 'Milicianos' lost thousands of men, while the Nationalists gained ground steadily. Refugees rushed into the city, and their hopes remained on the International Brigade.
Franco continued to fight for Madrid while 'La Pasionaria' gave moral to the soldiers, and her words kept them fighting. "Resist! It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees!" she had said. On November 17th missiles fell on the center of the city, turning beautiful squares into burning ashes. Still, the 'Madrigueños' continued fighting. Madrid remained the focus of battle for the next four months. Germany and Italy recognized the Franco Regime on November 18th, breaking the pretends of non-intervention, which began in London. What they meant was to keep the fight in Spain from 'infecting' the rest of Europe.
Since Madrid remained resistant, the attack was taken towards Bilbao. German bombers began to attack the city. It was an experiment, and it was a huge success. On June 19th, 1937, Bilbao fell to the Nationalists. They did their best to extinguish the pride of the Basque Nation. The Republicans tried to regain initiative and break the siege of Madrid. 50000 republicans soldiers were able to storm Brunete, a town which was only 15 miles away from Madrid. After 13 days of fighting, the Nationalists were able to push back the Republican army into Madrid.
The different International Brigades were terribly damaged, and some even refused to go back to the fight. Their losses at Brunete had been terrible. The flow of new recruits began to dry off and the volunteers began to return home. The nationalists now controlled 2/3 of Spain. There were about 600000 men in the Nationalist army against about 450000 Republicans, and the presence of German and Italian bombers also gave the Nationalists a lot of advantage in the fight for Spain. Franco was winning the war.
The Republicans needed a victory for gaining back moral, and they chose to attack the town of Teruel. They failed to keep the initiative again. Ten days later, the Republicans entered the town and Franco planned their counter attack. They fell on the Republicans and massacred them once more. On January 17th, 1938, the Republican line broke. The fighting continued for over a month, and when it finally ended, there were about 10000 Republican corpses. By March, the Nationalist armies were swarming into Aragon. Town after town fell under the Nationalist army, and the Republicans were slowly driven back. The brigades went home, and 'La passionaria' spoke to them, telling them to go home proudly.
After the battle, practically the whole Republican army had been destroyed. By January 1939, Barcelona belonged to Franco, and on February 27th, the Republican President resigned after other nations recognized the Nationalist Government. On April 1st, 1939, the Civil War was over. The victor was General Franco.
