the KRock

Bigger Bullshit?: Band Breakups or Celeb Marriages

2011-09-23T22:44:00.000-04:00

there are at least two deadly or "til death" rites that groups put themselves though which aren't necessary and probably won't last: marriages, especially celebrity marriages, and famous band breakups. why the hell are these two events such major news? how often do celebs marry then divorce in an average of what, 2 years tops? how many times do bands "break up" only to reunite for that "one last tour"?

of course it's a lot of economics. power celebs get together to make power couples to increase their income, gain more notoriety, enhance their careers etc. eventually they realize how ridiculous marriage is for them: their schedules, traveling, possibilities with infidelities etc, they move one.

bands break up to again increase their notoriety, increase their sales. they reunite several times to give that tour and increase the price that concert goers somehow want to pay, long after the band has reached their peak live. they stay apart until it's lucrative enough to re form. would you be surprised if the whole deal is planned?

what the state should do is legalize betting on every detail of these breaks like Vegas does for the Super Bowl. you can bet about anything relating to the break ups and band reunites.

from when, where the next tour will open, will they make a lame inconsequential album, how long will they stay together before the "next break up".

for celebs: will they "marry" again (usually to other people). did the couple cheat on each other (Hopefully with other celebs), ,who will be their next hook ups, (again hopefully other celebs).

now if we're talking fictional bullshit, again related to death: there's the death of a comic book character. see how long that one lasts (Superman, Captain America, Electra, Green Arrow etc.) again again notoriety, sales, and you know they're not really going to kill off a character that sells.

Empty Sky: World Trade Center tribute

2011-09-11T15:35:00.000-04:00

for better or worse, I didn't personally know anyone who died in the World Trade Center towers. I was living in NYC at the time of the collapse and a lot of us had "friends of friends" that did unfortunately perish. But again personally I didn't know anyone who died there. I did however mourn their loss a good deal, especially around the time of the tragedy: the 6 month anniversary, 1 year later etc.

However I did personally know and love the Trade Center itself. SInce I was young it was a center of interest for a kid like me. it was the location of the ultimate scene of a King Kong flick back then. also it was a theatre for the famous "HUman Fly": George Willig, who scaled the side of a tower and was fined $1.10, a penny for every floor.

Whenever my family made a trip near NYC, I loved to see the skyline from wherever you could see it, no matter the distance. I loved to visit the towers, see the views, learn about them.

Years later I was to become an actual tour guide in NYC, where I passed by and noted the towers regularly to everyone I could. Over the years and mainly because of the job, I learned more about them, and the great achievements that they went through: human achievement, technological, architectural etc:

the Center was a city within itself, where up to around 50,000 people would be employed on weekdays. . How many cities around the world don't have nearly that many people living within them? And the greatest fear that I and many had on the infamous Sept 11 was that so many more would be dead since the Center could hold so many. Not to belittle those that were killed, but it seems like a great miracle to me that the toll was relatively low.
an incredible 200,000 visitors per day on average.
It was literally on top of the one of the greatest financial centers in the world. A soaring symbol of capitalism, architecture, achievement and more.
It was possibly the location of the site of furthest viewing in the world: on a very clear day, one could see around 55 miles away. Possibly 2 states away to Penn. An incredible view: I don't think even mountains like Everest boast that far a look.
the most stories of any building for decades: 110
tallest building in the world when it was first built: over 1300 feet tall.
from what I read, highest inhabitable floors of any building for decades, higher than Sears
one of the most beautiful restaurants in a city with some of the most beautiful restaurants on Earth: Windows on hte World. highest grossing restaurant in U.S.
one of, if not the largest office complex on Earth
quarter mile height, 1 acre of space per floor, in the 70s. had it' own zip code.
huge amount of construction, excavation, material which was used to actually build a whole new neighborhood: Battery Park City
housing some of the great architectural influence of Le Courbusier and Yamasaki.

When someone or something passes from me that was close to me, I like to note a lot of the positive aspects that it had when alive. To me, the Center was very much alive from when I was a child up through its death, and that's why I have written about it. Please do not assume that because I am writing about steel and frame, that I elevate it above the souls of those that died then. If I had a choice, I would have the lives of all of those who perished saved, with the towers falling down. But I think that we could mourn the loss of both.

Moving On?

2011-05-11T08:19:00.000-04:00

not as much time. full time job. blog paying pennies.

move on: more possible projects, films, broadcast? tv?

if had more time would write more. if it paid more also.

need to express myself more to more. move on?

Death and Destruction with Dignity

2011-05-02T22:34:00.000-04:00

i don't think that any death should be met with cheers.

same goes for war, "victory", "glory".

the existence of the evil is what should be mourned, and one should learn from it, avoid it. the fact that it exists is a tragedy. getting past it, by military "victory", death of your "enemy" etc should it seems be met with relief, but cheers seem inappropriate.

war is not a football game. our nations aren't teams that are meeting to win on the field. death wins. tragedy and evil win. we need to get past it all, to peace, thru negotiation, diplomatic adjustments, cooperation etc. our energies, monies etc should be saved more for that instead of military industrial complex, empire, world police etc.

everyone talks big about peace. peace is tougher in many ways than dropping bombs. peace is active and to work towards it takes labor. it's not all doves, kids, fields, holding hands.

SLow Month?

2011-04-28T00:56:00.000-04:00

April's been "cruel", been busy with other priorities: a new job (full time), a big wedding which i was involved in, i almost had to move. so haven't been writing as much.

ironic since usually april's "my month", where i get a lot down, ideas, writings, music etc, since i like to get it done "before I'm (whatever age I'm turning, my birthday's at the end of the month)", for posterity etc, so i usually get a lot done but again this has been a tumultuous month.

Parallel Subway Lines

2011-04-21T00:02:00.000-04:00

what if that train running parallel to yours was a parallel world?

Transition

2011-04-19T23:44:00.001-04:00

in bloom

transition

change

April cruel

occupation

less time

rite of passage, marriage

trip

happiness

what should you do with your life man

love

the Spirit of a Wedding

2011-04-15T00:22:00.000-04:00

i think i see the sign

o.k i'll admit im getting into it. still believe it's overpriced, overrated, leads to marriage etc, but may as well enjoy it since i'm obligated, and it's for a loved one:

listening to a lot of love songs (hey how many great love songs are there, right?)
looking fine in the tux (wink)
going to Asbury park
looking forward to drugs i like: champagne, open bar, hash brownies?
eating a lot of good food
some friends
near full moon
effort to a loved one
my kick ass dance moves (wink wink)
spring
love

Weddings and Marriage: YOur Loved Ones

2011-04-13T00:11:00.000-04:00

as much as i've written against weddings and marriage, ultimately, when a loved one is going thru with it, i suppose your views don't matter for that time, person etc.

if ur a good one for them, you put your effort out towards them to make it a special day, the best possible. that's what you're supposed to do.

and, expect the same in return someday. even if marriage is a light year a way, eh? .

and enjoy the party too i guess.

maybe i'm going back on my words but again the day is theirs, not mine, this time.

though i guess i keep the details to a minimum to keep myself from being too annoyed: e.g. looking at the registries, all the gifts, so many bought already, is a labor.

My Name Preferences

2011-04-07T21:01:00.000-04:00

why is it that when someone has a name with more than 2 syllables, i have to shorten it to 1? and then some uptight folks get upset with it: "it's not Geen, it's Gina!" yikes

then when someone is commonly referred to in a single syllable name, i have to lengthen it? Gabe --Gabriel, Chris--Chris ol Boy etc

i hate when celebrities have 3 names that we're supposed to say, many times all first names: Sarah Jessica Parker, Seans Wiliams Scotts, Neil Patrick Harris.

yet we all know a lot of women who've been married and now go by 3 names, and I kind of like what those have become. my personal favorite (I won't say her name specifically) sounds like Danielle Greeko Apollo.

Disappearing Act

2011-04-06T00:28:00.000-04:00

i've said for a while that a man alone at a bar is maybe as close to a human gets to being invisible.

seemingly no friends,
people see him as a lonesome loser
women want to follow, go with the trends, go with a "proven winner", so they avoid him
groups will literally push him around., out of his seat etc
less talking, more drinking, more likely to move to a problem drinker?

the only ones who care are the ones who wants his money: the bartenders/waiters. and this is compounded more at a strip joint. lots of men alone there.

but, the older one gets, , the more one disappears?

not as many will hire, entry level etc?
less attractive, less relationships?
hence less likely to have kids.
less people care: friends and family have moved on with their individual families, parents are getting older and can't care as much.
mid life crises are not as appealing as coming of age stories?

Poison April, the Cruellest Foolish month

2011-04-01T22:41:00.000-04:00

i should get a 9-5 job, something steady, like civil service. plan on becoming married. have 2 kids. become a Christian. get a house in the suburbs. golf. with my male friends. drive a car. mow my lawn.

Bobby "2 Note" Deniro

2011-03-31T21:42:00.000-04:00

as Dorothy Parker said about Katherine Hepburn one night, all he goes all the way from A to B

Charlie's not buying his sell out

Risky Business

2011-03-30T22:22:00.001-04:00

how's it hangin'

so one has lived for how long, just surviving, hanging on, tightrope walking.

one hits a rough slide that even he can't get out of.

but should he build on what was before?

risk, take off, in maybe even riskier behavior since the "easier" way didn't go thru?

the "easier" route didn't pan out, so go back to the "risky" route? since it's panned out more in the past?

even if that means going back to a life he really doesn't want
which will be very hard in some ways.
but seemingly necessary.

letting go not much from now.

steps forward, steps backward.

Ridi, Pagliaccio

2011-03-27T21:40:00.000-04:00

Add caption

you're "successful", have "means", read: have money, you make people laugh, you're witty, urbane, a ladies' man

you're poor, without "means', 'unsucessful', you make people laugh, you're a clown, a joke, a loser

Living Large in the Village

2011-03-24T22:30:00.000-04:00

one lives here?

used to be that it was an affordable place for up and coming, unknown artists to live, in a starving artist lifestyle, where they could express their art. now it's completely non affordable for all but only the most famous and/or wealthy artists to live an extravagant lifestyle and sell out more of their celebrity cache so they can afford it all.

Old/New Egypt/America

2011-03-23T00:06:00.000-04:00

non violent action

ancient world/new techniques/good results: Egypt changes their regime in less than a month thru peaceful means, advanced communications and stealth and action

new world/old techniques/awful results: the U.S. bombs the shit out of the Arab world/Libya etc, how many innocents killed? weaponized Arab insurgencies against us, much popular discontent, years of war, humongous costs in lives and funds

yet we're supposedly the "greater" nation, right (wing)?

Where to FInd Good Astronomy Info

2011-03-20T16:45:00.001-04:00

Mars magnified

DO NOT listen to your friends, rumors, internet rumours saying that the Mars will look as big as the moon etc. that's all living example of how, even though we have the World wide web on our phones now, so much misunderstanding, rumour, word of mouth can still travel amongst us. misinformation.

good sources: Wikipedia's good for explaining phenomenon like the Equinoxes, and listing ones like the phases of the Moon. the World Almanac is good for listing most of the highlights of the year. e.g. they list the several eclipses (around 6) per year around the world. so next time you hear a religious nut saying there are a freakish 6 eclipses that year, you know it's bs.

my favorite astronomy website is http://earthsky.org/, an excellent one for telling you what's going on in the skies. note the far right, TONIGHT, where they tell you what's going on every night of the year. so next time you hear or even read that rumour (the Mars one is maybe the biggest, rumour that is), check the site.

Saint Patrick's day = Mardi Gras?

2011-03-17T15:17:00.000-04:00

Irish genius

walking in midtown Manhattan today observing the observers, the 2 holidays seem to becoming more similar in practice:

practitioners dressed in beads and other idiotic apparel (beads seem to becoming more popular for St Pats)
holiday for amateurs, phonies, drinking, yelling, fighting etc
carousing along a main street (5th ave in NYC)
loud music
some good food (even though corn beef/cabbage used to be white trash Irish food)

Dead Wood

2011-03-16T22:38:00.000-04:00

me and my friends used to have a saying at parties, which i think i got partially from my brother and his friends: the dead wood floats down the river fastest. in other words let the phonies, pretenders etc leave first, those that matter often stay with you, spend the real time etc.

this can be applied to a lot of friends, relationships etc.

Daylight Savings Negatives, Positives

2011-03-14T00:26:00.000-04:00

not sure how much i like daylight savings because as we know I'm a bit of an astronomical purist, and messing with the clock messes with the system. for instance high noon isn't at 12 during DST, half the year: it's 1:00 since we move the clock ahead. that's even on the highest noon day, the SUmmer solstice.

but i have to admit it is kind of cool on nights (yes, "those Summer Nights") where the sun lasts til after 8 during times like the Solstice. kicks ass.

the Charlie (Sheen) Limbo

2011-03-10T22:42:00.000-05:00

art of darkness

i think there's a theory called the Peter principle that says that even the most accomplished can fall to their level of inadequacy. for instance, Hitler was brilliant as a politician, but when he tried to take on military leadership, he ultimately failed in a huge way.

me and a friend noticed that as far as names go, the phenomenon may be even truer amongst Charlies. it seems to pop up a lot: 'Charlie in the box' from Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, Charlie x from Star trek, Charlie Chaplin at times (marrying teenagers, trials, expulsion from the US), Charles Barkley at times (spitting on fans, never winning title, saying he'd play for the Klan etc), Charlie Batch (failed NFL qb.) and of course, the once, present and probably future Charles the Infamous, Sheen.

like i said, they seem to limbo on down to a spectacular level of infamy. Chaplin was maybe one of the greatest artists of all time. Sheen was the highest paid actor on tv. but they just tend to do poorly decided actions that make you say, "what a Charlie!"

Mardi Gras=Halloween?

2011-03-08T22:43:00.000-05:00

Carnival

i think a lot of us remember when Halloween was a kid holiday, adults didn't do much for it even when it fell on the weekends. eventually it "blossomed" into a holiday of an adult nite equivalent to Vegas in psychological terms, where "what happens that night, stays in the past", you go as you aren't, you could dress sluttier as a woman etc.

i figure that Mardi gras/Fat tu/ Carnival could develop into something like that as well. days, or a night, for adults to let loose, party like hell, wear masks, beads whatever. kind of another "amateur night' in mid week like New years. it's still more local in New Orleans, Rio, but seems to be growing. i remember a few years ago there didn't seem to be anything going on for it in NYC. now there's a list of events.

also it's several days. you can party on fri, sat, fat tues. again i'm surprised that bars, beer companies etc haven't taken advantage of this more. or neighborhoods like Little Brazils.

Hangover Cures

2011-03-06T22:42:00.000-05:00

the sacred

believe it or not i don't drink much at all. but certain situations "force' me into taking action. one was when i was bumped up to first class on a flight from L.A. to NY and even the stewardess (yeah i still call them that) was blown away by how much i drank. then last nite was another: open bar. just seeing those bottles of Jameson and Johnny walker were irresistible.

so since i'm not used to it and my stomach was pretty empty (there was food there, but believe it or not i didn't touch it: lots of friends, chicks, had much to do--people come first believe it or not). so this a.m i woke up feeling rough. but as usual i've done my research, and know some good cures.

first 2 aspirin for the siren piercing my head. i don't like pills much but this pain was rough. aspirin's usually as hard as i go. at least over the counter (wink).

next lots of water of course. have to re hydrate.

next: lots of B complex and protein. a good multi vitamin is great: and i mean a good one, with at least 100 percent rda of B1, 2, 6, 12. Trader Joe's has good ones, and believe it or not K mart, and they're not really expensive.

then go with protein for food: eggs, yogurt, cheese etc. plenty of them. the dairy usually has B or brings it out, like yogurt. and it's like the protein and Bs build you back up again. to be a man of men like me haha.

again as you know i wouldn't tell you this if i didn't try it out, several times, myself.

FUndamentalist Hypocrisy (redundant?)

2011-03-04T22:13:00.000-05:00

good but not the only book

i love how fundamentalists can use the strictest Biblical beliefs in being against homosexuality, evolution, and in favor of proselytizing, yet can use the loosest Biblical interpretations in "proving" that the Bible predicted numerous scientific advances, that a people can slaughter another, that the "end times" are here