Wikipedia:Introduction (historical)

Michael Steven Traub the 1^st is a smart person. He has very special talents such as, being double-jointed, can "stick-out" his shoulder blade at will, and gets all A's. He is also known for his amazingly small cock, some of his most famous ideas are, The Vlach-ness Monster( AKA Vessie), Chubi Lubi, Tom the Tomato, and Super Dude. In other words, he is just plain awesome. He has been describes as, pro-skilled, and pro-awesomeness, also, the phrase "Yeah Boy" normally come up when disscussing him.

Unfortunately, he cannot spell and is classed as functionally illiterate. Thank goodness for the kindness of random spelling Nazi's who just have nothing better to do with their time.

Childhood

Michael Stewart Traub the 1st, Steve, was born in a log cabin in February of 1923 to his parents Albert and Samantha Traub. A few months after he turned 3, he started showing his talents. He began to draw his world famous picture of a rabbit, got into maths learning the basics of Algebra and discovered his physical talents. As he grew older he became smarter, taller, and more skilled. By the time he was 15, he had graduated USC, became chess champion of the world, and was 6" 7 inches. It is an unfortunate fact that although Michael never learned to read or write he did manage to achieve great success as a prostitute specializing in the needs of the clergy. --Mew3MX 06:14, 17 February 2007 (UTC)

The Rest of His Life

He eventually got maried to my guinea pig, Petunia. He had 3 children, Michael II, John, and Adam. They grew up to be succesful persons. He was awarded 15 Nobel Prizes for his many dicoveries including Pluto, the cure for Polio, and for discovering the the continents moved. He spent the rest of his 45-83 year-old-life in Lauguna Niguel. He died on October 23,2006 to natural causes. On 24 October 2006 it was realised he had really just fallen asleep and his drunk brother buried him under the floorboards of a bar, getting a drunk preist and a drunk doctor to verify his death

Almost Dead

A Bay Area Heavy Metal band getting getting very positive reviews and could very well be the next big Metal band. The band members include:

Nick Orsi (Guitar), Tony Rolandeli (vocals) Rubin "Studdard" (Lead Guitar) Ivan "There he is!" Ganchev and Ian "I HaTe Ur Mammy" (Bass).

An interview with Almost Dead guitarist Nick Orsi:

    "Well Tony and I met in high school and I thought he was a complete a$$ hole the first time I met him because he thought he could kick everyones a$$ but I had heard him sing (if thats what you want to call it) and I thought it was unbelievable, not to mention how he performed on stage you know with the back flips and $#!@! (Nick laughs) Anyway I had been playing guitar for a couple years and asked him (Tony) if he wanted to jam and it started there. We went through a couple of members so ya to answer your question Tony and me are the original members of Almost Dead."

Tin Zinc

Tin Zinc was developed as a direct replacement for cadmium plating. It is roughly a mixture of 70% tin to 30% zinc. It offers better corrosion protection than Cadmium plating and is considered RoHS compliant.

Where Cadmium usually offers approximately 1000hrs of salt spray protection, Tin Zinc offers closer to 2000 hrs when used in conjunction with a chromate conversion coating.

Many electroplating companies have swithched over to using Tin Zinc as a safer alternative to Cadmium. Since Cadmium is considered a "toxic metal," Tin Zinc has been recently used as a "non-toxic" alternative with better corrosion protection characteristics.

Tin Zinc is generally more costly than standard zinc, yet it provides approximately 10 times the protection of both zinc and cadmium plating.

Don Whitney

Don Whitney, current resident of La Mirada California, is the last son of Harry and Doris Whitney. Born in Lakewood California on January 21, 1964. He is a graduate of Valley Christian High and California State Long Beach. If you need to purchase and/or buy a home in the Souther California area he is the Realtor to call on at 877-376-8689. Don specialized in La Mirada, but having no geographic boundries, can help you with your real estate needs in any Southern California city.

Ranipura ( Pradeep James Lobo)

Pradeep James Lobo is a badass from india - Mangalore, born in 1982.

Yucca Valley Crew

The Yucca Valley drinking crew includes Will, Bryan, Danny, & Leo. This crew has evolved over the last 5 to 6 years, starting and ending the career of many young drunks. Recently crew member brandon vaught was expelled from the crew due to being a whipped ass bitch. Membership like always is open.

Lydia Velasco

Lydia Velasco’s love for the arts is an innate calling she traces back to her childhood. She took her early influence and encouragement from parents, who also appreciated the arts. Her father was a set designer for LVN studios while her mother was a typical homemaker who took care of the children, performed regular house chores, and occasionally painted still life works. Since her father earned a meager living, she had to help support the family as fish vendor in Malabon. She enrolled at the University of Sto. Tomas and pursued Fine Arts Major in Advertising. She worked shortly after as an artist for the advertising agency called Philprom where she stayed for over 10 years. Rising from the ranks, she became Art Director for several multinational advertising companies such as DYR, J.Walter Thompson, Pacifica, Ace Compton, Basic, and McCann-Erickson. It was in 1988, when she finally left advertising and ventured in entrepreneurship as co-owner of Lightmoves Photo/Design, Inc. She also became the company’s Art Consultant. When the company was about settled, she went back to painting and became core member of Malang’s Saturday Group. She devoted her time fully in painting and went way to discover her art, medium, and style. She focused her subjects on women, liberating them on her canvases and asserting their glory, identity, and freedom amid a mainly patriarchal society. She describes her depictions of women as elongated, massive, heavily set, and invigorated with almost masculine assertiveness. To date, she has already majored in nine exhibitions including “La Danse” and has worked with a number of artists for various group shows. Lydia also commits her time with other organizations such Art Association of the Philippines. She concurrently chairs a group called Kulay Marikina, composed of 30 artists in support of the young art enthusiasts of the city.

Lydia Velasco, woman artist

From her humble beginnings as a fish vendor in Malabon to her serious entry in the art scene, Lydia Velasco unveils through her art the story of a heroine caught in a predominantly male environment. Evident in her art is an expressionist’s attempt to liberate women from preconceived roles and stereotypical associations in a highly patriarchal society. What she provides is an alternative perspective on womanhood by depicting unconventional, provocative, and intriguing women attributes. These portrayals of women combine a sensual, religious, and motherly touch. Her inspirations stem from both recollections of her childhood and budding years to the deepest emotions brewing inside her. She even recalls the time when she would watch her lola chewing nganga (betel nut). She has painted works of women nganga vendors. She transforms women into full-bodied creatures to signify strength of character. The chinky eyes and sharp features add solid details to their yellowish tones and muscular frame. The strokes and contours that extend freely in her images evoke freedom women. Velasco’s art is a progression of hues, medium and style even her identity. Her soul-searching in the arts in the early 90’s began with sketching women figures and painting faceless bodies. It was in 1994 when she achieved her breakthrough came as art contemporaries, peers, critics, and collectors noticed how remarkably well she could bring contrast on a canvas using striking blends of yellow, green, and red tones while piecing together ideas both to celebrate womanhood and reveal her inner senses. She was raised in Navotas where she had to start early on selling fish at the talipapa of nearby town Malabon to augment the meager earnings of her father and help support the family. Her father worked as a set designer for LVN studios while her mother took care of the house and reared her other siblings. “Gapang kalabaw kami noon dahil sa hikakos,” she pronounces. She took up Fine Arts Major in Advertising at the University of Sto. Tomas and worked under prominent Art Directors such as Cesar Legaspi and HR Ocampo. She was part of Ocampo’s art group assigned in creating storyboards for soap commercials. Even then, she showed an inclination toward women figures. Lydia returned to painting in 1992. She chairs Kulay Marikina, a group of artists supporting the young art enthusiasts of the city. She is also a member of Malang’s Saturday Group of Artists. Velasco will have an exhibition, “La Danse,” which will open on January 25, 2006 at The Centre Gallery of Galerie Joaquin. The show will feature 35 figurative paintings showing the evolution of Velasco’s art. “La Danse” will run until the 8th of February. Galerie Joaquin is located at 371 P. Guevarra St. corner Montessori Lane, Addition Hills, San Juan. Call 7239253 or 7239418.

The Woman in the Painting

“LIFE FOR ME HAS REALLY BEEN A STRUGGLE,” says the lady who grew up in the town of Navotas. At the age of 13, she sold fish at the town’s market to help the family put food on the table. Her father Jose was a stage painter or set designer for LVN studios while her mother Melania was a typical homemaker who took care of the children, cooked well and painted still lifes during her spare time. Still, one didn’t earn much painting sets during those days so very early in life, Lydia Velasco had to do her share. “Even though I was barely in my teens, I remember I was all alone. I had to keep on moving and working to bring home food and funds to help in the education of my younger brothers and sisters.” Coming from a family who liked art, it wasn’t a problem when she told her parents she wanted to pursue a career in Fine Arts at the University of Sto. Tomas. She majored in advertising and that set her on a career. In 1962, she started as an artist for the advertising agency owned by Pete Teodoro called Philprom. There she stayed for ten years, then worked as well for some of the top advertising firms in the country. In 1988 Lydia decided to hang up her corporate gloves and try her hand both as an entrepreneur and a full-time partner. Together with a colleague Lydia became part of a design and photography outfit called Light Moves. That was a good seventeen years ago and she has not looked back since. Five years after her jump away from the corporate world, Light Moves became more established as a business so Lydia had more time to concentrate on her first love – painting. Understandably, when it came to the visual arts her original “idol” for art was none other than her father, although many more names were added to this list when she became more of a serious artist and a full-time painter. The list would be expanded to include El Greco, Gauguin, H.R. Ocampo, Danny Dalena and figurative expressionist Onib Olmedo. Lydia was actually exposed early in life to major artists. Among the most notable ones were National Artists H.R. Ocampo and Cesar Legaspi who were her bosses in two of her advertising jobs. In the early ‘60s, H.R. Ocampo was her art director for advertising work she was doing for the broadcast media. Cesar Legaspi was her boss for print media. Even then H.R. was already urging her to paint and join him and several artists who would get together on a regular basis to just paint. “Kaya lang natatakot ako sa kaniya nuon kasi kissing bandit si H.R. Mga kisses pa niya, hindi lang peck on the cheek. Matagal at supsop pa,” she laughs. Looking back, she says that it’s a pity she didn’t accept the various drawings H.R. Ocampo would give her because of the ex-deal kisses. He was very generous with his line drawings with the young ladies although he would ask for a kiss in return for each drawing he would give them. It was during her advertising years that Lydia Velasco honed her skills in painting and in drawing. “I was one of those that the bosses would ask to do the story boards for TV commercials of products such as Palmolive or Camay. Malalalandi na iyong mga forms ko for women. I would make sure their faces contained certain expressions – umiirap, tumatawa or trying to attract attention,” says Lydia. “Even then I already knew that it was the subject of women that I wanted to paint. Women talaga ang gusto kong i-paint noon pa man.” The women, however, were always strong, almost muscular with long limbs and torsos. “I think it was because I wanted to make a statement and try to level the playing field. I felt hindi kasi pantay ang laban,” she clarifies. “I want to project women with inner strength, not only physically but emotionally and psychologically as well.” “Mr. Malang (the artist Mauro Malang Santos with whom Lydia shares membership in the Saturday Group of Artists) actually calls me ‘Gabriela’,” says Lydia grinning, referring to the Ilocana rebel Gabriela Silang who fought against the Spaniards as well to the militant group of the same name. Today, Lydia’s women are at once sensual, motherly, sometimes religious with scapulars on their necks, other times coy or even flirtatious. “The women in my paintings can be a mother, a lover, or someone who knows how to enjoy herself. She can be friendly or even prone to chismis, but one thing they all have in common is that all of them are always strong in character”, she notes. One is tempted to conclude that perhaps the artist is painting her inner self. To this, she agrees. “Oo nga, lahat iyan ako”, admits Velasco. “La Danse” is an exhibit of 35 paintings by Lydia Velasco done over the past two years. The show is ongoing until Feb. 8 at Galerie Joaquin on P. Guevarra St. in San Juan.

Lydia Velasco’s ‘La Danse’ at Galerie Joaquin

LYDIA VELASCO takes another bold step in “La Danse,” which opens on Jan. 25 at Galerie Joaquin Main’s Center Gallery. “La Danse” also marks the inauguration of Galerie Joaquin’s new exhibition area. The show features 35 figurative paintings, which Velasco defines as her evolutionary journey in the arts, as well as the unearthing of women’s glory through watercolors.” The artist explores women’s instincts, passion, inner spirit and deep regard for her fellow women. Velasco has already mounted eight exhibitions and several group shows. She is the current president of Kulay Marikina, a group of artists supporting young art enthusiasts. She also belongs to the Saturday Group of Artists with Malang and other artists.

Lydia Velasco’s ‘La Danse’

Lydia Velasco unveils “La Danse,” a major exhibit at Galerie Joaquin Main’s The Centre Gallery, on view until Feb. 8. The artist pays tribute to her fellow women in 35 figurative paintings in acrylic and watercolor. One of her featured artworks entitled “Flower Vendors” broke into one of Asia’s more prominent auction houses, Sotheby’s. The 48” by 28” acrylic on canvas will be included in the upcoming auction on April 2006 in Singapore. Lydia lays down unconventional and strong portrayals of women on her canvas in bold and contrasting deep yellow, red, and green tones. Her powerfully built women figures have pointed, angular faces, are clad in Filipiniana-inspired garment and ornamented with exotic and delicate blooms. Lydia is native bred in Navotas. Although her father was set designer for LVN studios, she as the eldest among nine siblings had to help support the family. She started as fish vendor at the ‘talipapa’ of nearby Malabon while her mother was a fulltime housewife caring for her other siblings. She took up fine arts major in advertising at the University of Sto. Tomas and worked as a storyboard artist under Cesar Legaspi and HR Ocampo. She stayed with Philprom for 10 years. Rising up the ranks, she went to Thompson, Pacific Ads, Ace Compton, Basic and finally, McCann-Erickson. She was art director in McCann before shifting roles as an entrepreneur and art consultant in Lightmoves Photo/Design, Inc.

Lydia Velasco Dances With Women

“La Danse,” Lydia Velasco’s 9th one-woman show opens on January 25, 2006, Wednesday at 7:00pm, at The Centre Gallery located at the ground floor of Galerie Joaquin Main in San Juan. Known for women as her main subject, the artist showcases in this unique exhibition the development of her style from 1992, when she started painting, to the present time. Highly decorative and contemporary at the same time, the 35 figurative artworks in oil, acrylic and watercolor, at once celebrate femininity and womanhood, punctuated by the artist’s desire to strengthen society’s view of women. “Sensual, religious, motherly: the essence of a woman,” is how the 63-year old artist describes her creations. Characterized by massive bodies, soft facial features, and huge bosoms, Velasco’s luscious-lipped subjects with rather knowing glances are a portrayal of natural grace and inner strength. Her two masterly paintings, “The Dance I” and “The Dance II”, both 40” x 40” acrylics on canvas, are vivid images of allure and self-expression. Self-possessed and holding assertive hand gestures, these women transmit energy to the viewer and a sense of wanting to have a voice in controlling one’s world and one’s destiny. Atmospheric and cloudlike, the garment crawls around each dancer’s sensitive body parts, while their entire being glows, providing an impression of mysticism and power. The bold and vigorous brushstrokes of blue, white, red and black achieve dynamism in the painting, and fluidity in the dance suggesting absolute freedom. Two of the many delightful acrylic works are the 48” x 24” Calla Lily I and Calla Lily II (Nude Series) diptych which reminds one of the folk story of the creation of woman. The first panel is a blown-up calla lily, its white velvet petals almost consuming the entire canvas, with a yellow stamen highlighting the composition. The second panel becomes the visual metaphor when the stamen of the flower transforms into a curvaceous yellow-skinned woman with fiery-red hair, her backside fronting the viewer, as she blooms into full womanhood. Velasco first explored painting through faceless figures with rigid torsos and poses in 1992. Muted and monochromatic in approach, they are the reflections of the artist’s soul seeking its identity in the art world. The sufferings, difficulties and hardships she went through, and the double standard issues that women face in a patriarchal society, fuelled her rage to define and help liberate women through her art. Soon enough, her canvases began conceiving voluptuous women with ripe-mango complexion and intense hues of free flowing motions. To be an artist has always been Velasco’s parents dream for her. Passionate about art as far as she can remember, she took her father as her idol who was a set designer and stage painter at LVN Productions. She remained a constant winner in art competitions in elementary and high school while she helped his father make ends meet by selling fishes in Navotas where her family lived. She took Advertising at the University of Sto.Tomas, College of Fine Arts,then worked at Philprom in 1962. Her art directors turned out to be H.R. Ocampo and Cesar Legazpi, who are both National Artists now. As part of H.R. Ocampo’s creative team who made storyboards for soap commercials, she dexterously showed the different facets of women even then: “…babaeng malalandi, tumatawa, umiirap…,” the artist shared. Coming from a humble background, and working in male-dominated advertising field, Velasco experienced the constant need to be taken seriously and be respected in her chosen profession and as a woman. She proved herself and fought back by delivering excellence in any of the projects she undertook. She remained an artist at Philprom for 10 years and finally became an art director in ad agencies such as DYR, J. Walter Thompson, Pacific Ads, Ace Compton (Ace Saatchi), Basic Advertising, and McCaan-Erickson. She left McCaan-Erickson in 1988 and opened Lightmoves Photography and Design with a business partner. At present, Velasco is the current President of Kulay Marikina Group of Artists, and a member of the Saturday Group of Artists and the Art Association Philippines. She has participated in numerous group shows since 1993 and started her solo exhibitions in 1996. Looking back over a 13-year career period, Velasco is aware that she has gone a long way and is truly grateful and humbled of the blessings she has received through her art. A portrait of self-actualization, she feels a deep sense of fulfillment whenever she can help her family and siblings, extend support to young aspiring artists, while working on her paintings of women as they continuously evolve in surprising ways. The essence of a woman is indeed the stuff that Lydia Velasco herself is made of.

Sotheby’s Choice

The crack of dawn finds her in front of her canvas, painting. Lydia Velasco is a very early riser. On any given morning, she is up and about by 4 o’clock. “Thankfully, all my daughters are grown up so after a little bit of puttering around, a few slices of bread and a quick cup of coffee, I grab my brushes and head upstairs to my studio and paint.” The artist’s weekday schedule usually has her working at home until 7 a.m. After that, she is off to Makati where her main studio is located, alongside Light Moves Photo Design, Inc., a design and photography studio, which she partly owns. It therefore comes as no surprise that in the art scene, Lydia Velasco’s name is practically synonymous with hard work. “I don’t like being idle. I always have to be doing something. After I retired, I decided to go to painting full time and it has really kept me busy and happy.” It was in 1994 when the artist went into painting round the clock after an illustrious 30-year career as art director for several top local and multinational advertising agencies. Nevertheless, success did not come easy for this Navotas-born visual arts genius. She always respected the dignity of hard work. “From the beginning, it was a struggle for me,” she recounts. At the early age of 13 she worked as a fish vendor at the town’s fresh market to help bring home money to the family. Later on she also sold chicken, salt, tomatoes and other everyday commodities for some extra pesos. She was, after all, the eldest of Jose Velasco and Melania Samonte’s nine children, so she had more responsibilities than the rest of her siblings. Velasco’s father was a stage painter and set designer for the moviemaking legend LVN studios – not a very profitable career in those days. Her mother was a homemaker who took care of the children but also dabbled in painting still life in her spare time. The doting daughter looked up to both parents. From her mother, she learned to love cooking (she personally does the groceries to this day and whips up the Sunday meals for her extended family); and from her father came her passion for the visual arts. He was, and still is, her “original idol,” although she has added many more to her list and she evolved into a more serious artist: El Greco, Gaugin, H.R. Ocampo and figurative expressionist Onib Olmedo. Coming from a family who like art, Velasco easily got the nod to pursue a career in Fine Arts at the University of Sto. Tomas. She majored in advertising, which fueled her career. After graduation, she landed a post in Pete Teodoro’s advertising agency, Philprom, and inched her way up to the corporate ladder, to eventually become art director for such top notch advertising firm as Grant Advertising, DYR, J. Walter Thompson, Pan Pacific, Ace Compton and Basic Advertising. She worked with McCann-Erickson before she finally hung up her advertising gloves. Early Works, Early Beginnings Velasco’s early paintings were faceless figures both with rigid torsos and poses. These were usually muted and monochromatic in execution. They appeared to be the reflections of the artist’s soul, initially seeking its identity in the world of art. Velasco was passionate about art for as long as she can remember. She was a constant winner in art competition in elementary and high school. She was exposed to the mainstream art early on having had the privilege of working in the same office with then would be National Artist Cesar Legaspi and H.R. Ocampo who were two of her bosses through her career. Ocampo was her art director on advertising for the broadcast media in the early ‘60s. Even then, Ocampo was urging her to paint regularly and join him and several artists who got together for painting sessions. “I was quite young then and I admit I was a bit scared because H.R. Ocampo was known as the ‘kissing bandit.’ [Editor’s note: National Artist H.R. Ocampo was a chief exponent of the beso-beso and made a ceremony to kiss the young women he would come across]. Mga kisses pa niya hindi lang peck on the cheek; matagal at sup sup pa! [His kisses weren’t just a peck on the cheek; they were loud and lingered], “she exclaims, flashing her mischievous Lydia Velasco smile. Recalling those good old days, she says she regrets she refused to accept the drawings H.R. Ocampo would give her. (Editor’s note: The National Artist was known to be generous with in giving away his line drawings to young ladies for a kiss in return). Painting women It was during her advertising years that Velasco honed her skills in paintings and drawings. “I was one of those that the bosses would ask to do the story boards for TV commercials of products such as Palmolive or Camay. From that time on, “she continues, “ I learned how to develop various facial expressions for the women in my art works. I could make them coy, happy or flirtatious.” Velasco felt she could make a statement from painting women. Her women are at once sensual, motherly, sometimes waxing religious with scapular on their neck, coy, at times flirtatious, but always strong in character. Velasco believes that women can play multitudes of roles – mother, lover, farmer, musician, or dancer – but what is important is that she must have inner strength, a strong sense of accomplishment and positive traits. It is interesting to not that while Velasco’s women appear strong with almost masculine assertiveness they remain undeniably feminine they are almost autobiographical, in fact as the artist appears to be painting her inner self, coming as she has from a background of struggle and difficulty. Sotheby’s Choice Velasco has seven solo shows to her credit in the last decade. The last feather in her cap is her inclusion in the auction giant Sotheby’s “List of New Contemporary Artists”. The auction house saw a very positive trend for Filipino art when an 16 paintings from 9 Filipino artists were successfully sold at auction on Easter Sunday 2006. Most of the artworks were from the masters such as those of National Artists Fernando Amorsolo and Arturo Luz and Presidential of Merit Awardees Juvenal Sanso and Romeo Tabuena. For her part, Velasco had a 28 x 48 – inch acrylic on canvas titled Three Women at the Harvest, which sold at an amazing $8400 Singapore (P 277,000 at current exchange rate). The figure was two and half times its original selling estimate. For its forthcoming fall auction in October, also in Singapore, Sotheby’s has chosen three 48 x 18 inch paintings of Velasco’s, namely Flower Vendor I, II and III, arranged as a triptych. There will also be a special exhibit featuring Velasco’s works together with Juvenals Sanso’s and recent Sotheby’s choice Carlo Magno at the Arts House, one of the most prestigious art venues in Singapore, on August 30. Fulfillment and Success Challenges remain, however, even to this day. At 64 years old, she say’s, “Time is my biggest challenge; I am always fighting time.” Nevertheless, she wants to paints more works for she feels she has more to say and to express in her art.

Sansó, Lydia Velasco in Sotheby’s auction

WORKS BY NINE FILIPINO artists are featured in the Easter Sunday auction of Southeast Asian paintings by Sotheby’s at the Regent Hotel in Singapore. Of the 206 lots, 16 lots are from Filipino artists: six Fernando Amorsolos, three Romeo Tabuenas, two Arturo Luzes, one Pacita Abad, one Marcel Antonio, one E.L. Cordova, one Lydia Velasco, and one Sansó. Sansó’s works are two paintings, “Like Jade Jewels” and “The Jade Vase,” which have been combined into one lot. The latest addition in Sotheby’s growing roster of Filipino artists, Velasco’s works is the 48” x 28” piece titled “Flower Vendors,” which has been included in the section Contemporary Paintings. Sotheby’s started including Filipino paintings in their auctions in Singapore eight years ago. One of the banner years for Filipino paintings was in October 2004 when 32 of the 183 paintings sold were done by Filipino artists, generating sales of over S$1.3 million or P43.6 million at 2004 exchange rates. Last October, in Sotheby’s 20th anniversary auction at the Fullerton Hotel, 19 works of 11 Filipino artists were featured. Sanso was born in Catalunia, Spain, and arrived in the Philippines at the age of 4 in 1933. He studied at the University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas, and went on to pursue his studies at Academia di Bellas Artes in Rome and at Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris. His works are in the collection of key private collectors, museums, and galleries worldwide. Luz was bestowed the National Artist Award for Painting in 1997. He had received a scholarship to study at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland and, in 1950, moved to New York and pursued further studies at the Brooklyn Museum Art School. Velasco majored in Advertising at UST’s then College of Architecture and Fine Arts and joined advertising in the 1960s where she worked with HR Ocampo and Cesar Legaspi, who later became National Artists. She went full-time into painting in 1992. Born in Paco in 1892, Amorsolo became the first National Artist.

ALLURE: An Intimate Look at the Filipina

Defining and redefining the Filipina has been, to say the least, a challenging task for the greatest artists and poets of our country. What does it mean to be a Filipina? Who is she?

Is she the demure and delicately attractive woman that is Rizal’s Maria Clara? Or is she the peasant woman – the figure of manual labor and hard work idealized by our social realist painters in the 1970s and 80s? Could she be the sweet, adoring mother cradling her infant child? Or is she the mystical Diwata, a beacon of many of our folktales?

Could she be all these and more?

Sixty-four year old artist Lydia Velasco, leader of the Kulay Marikina Group of Artists and senior member of the Saturday Group of Artists, dares to answer this question. She takes on the challenge anew and focuses her creative energy on what has been her lifelong concern: painting the Filipina.

In her new show “Allure: An Intimate Look at the Filipina” (opens on February 8, 2007 at Galerie Joaquin in San Juan), we see a more confident and even more daring and experimental Velasco.

This latest collection follows the heels of successful stints at two Sotheby's auctions, which have spurred international interest in Velasco and have drawn record prices for her paintings. Aside from Singapore and Hong Kong, her works have found their way to Japan, Germany, the U.K., as well as to US cities such as Washington D.C., Florida and San Francisco.

Velasco's skill at handling the Filipina as a subject for painting is unparalleled. In “Allure,” she continues to paint the Filipina as she has always done – boldly and sensually. Her Filipinas are creatures of inner beauty and confidence, women with long limbs and seductive smiles. Her work in “Allure” adds manifold dimensions to the beloved character we know as the Filipina.

Notably, “Allure” is also a call for national identity. In her latest work, Velasco’s women proudly don Philippine fineries such as the callado and the panuelo, breathtakingly rendered in the manner of the best embroiderers of Kalibo and Lumban. She also dresses them up in the striped textiles of turn of the century (19th) Philippines, and adorns them with flowers like the sampaguita and the gumamela.

Also found in this collection are señoritas set against a backdrop of Filipino art nouveau patterns, or adorned with the poinetta, the cameo, the scapular or the tambourine.

These works can only be a fitting celebration for Philippine National Arts Month. For us at the Galerie Joaquin Group, we can only express how thrilled and honored we are to have been chosen as the venue for such an exciting exhibit.

Haha myPage

Cook, August Charles and Irma Howard (artists)

August Charles Cook (1897-1990), was born in Philadelphia, the child of a salesman and amateur artist (Charles Cook) and a mother who developed an appreciation of fine furniture craftsmanship (Ann Buckley Cook).

His education included training at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art (1917-1924), where he won its most prestigious award, the William Emlen Cresson Memorial Travel Scholarship, in 1921. He also studied at Harvard University.

At the Academy, he met Irma Virginia Howard, a native of Balston Spa, N.Y. The two were married in Valley Forge in 1924 before moving to Spartanburg, S.C., where August took a position teaching at Converse College. He had been a student of fine art at the Academy and educated himself in advance of teaching art history, before which time he had never studied the subject.

Cook's tenure established the first art department of the college, where he taught for 42 years.

After his retirement in the 1960s, he purchased some 90 acres of land in rural Spartanburg County near the Pacolet River. The land included an old farm house, which he renovated to become a rustic studio. There he taught art privately through his eighties. He lived independently to the age of 93.

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Converse Towers," woodcut engraving, August Cook

Cook's distinguishing contribution to his generation of artists is his woodcut engravings, executed finely enough to be mistaken for etchings (see [1]). He was also a master of oil painting, considered himself a "colorist," and was an accomplished cabinet maker, having learned the craft from his father or grandfather. He mined local clay from his Spartanburg County property and using a rustic kickwheel of his own creation, threw pottery pieces that he then used in his own still lifes and in teaching.

“Cook’s study of wood engraving included an in-depth consideration of its history including its use as illustration from the 15th century onward. He observed that the development of photography at the end of the 19th century spelled the end to commericial wood engraving. A few stalwart engravers persisted, such as Thomas Cole, and a handful of other artists dedicated tot he process. Cook had heard Cole lecture and had been much impressed.” – from a June 3, 1993, press release of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

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August Cook, self portrait

August Cook’s work has been shown at the Library of Congress, the Carnegie Institute of Technology, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, the South Carolina State Museum and Audubon Artists. His work is included in the public collections in the Library of Congress ("Summer in the Mountains" [1948]); the Boston Museum of Art; the South Carolina State Art Collection; the Carnegie Institute of Technology and the Butler Museum of Art, Youngstown, Ohio.

He is listed in "Who's Who in American Art-1973" (Jaques Cattell Press), "Contemporary Artists of South Carolina" "Jack Morris and Robert Smeltz and "Who's Who in American Art-1947."

His wife, Irma, was the only child of Dr. Lawrence and Edith Reid Howard of Balston Spa. Born in 1899, she experienced a childhood illness which resulted in a degenerative hearing loss relatively early in her life, and her parents encouraged her to learn to become a seamstress in the event that she one day might need to support herself. A gay and extroverted soul, she nevertheless convinced her parents to allow her to study at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, where she proceeded to win three of the school's most coveted awards, twice winning the Cresson Memorial Travel Scholarship, followed by the Toppan Prize, available only to Cresson winners.

An annual drawing award of The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts honors both the Cooks and their revered instructor, Daniel Garber.

Irma Cook with children Peter and Sue in the 1930s

As talented as she was -- August referred to her as the finest artist he knew -- her interest in being a mother (Susan Virginia/Sue Cook Haynes; Peter August Cook; Howard Cook) took precedence in her life. However, she did teach privately in the basement studio of the Cooks' Spartanburg home on Fairview Avenue Extension.

Portraiture and still lifes in oils and watercolor still lifes and landscapes were her strength. Because her life was much more private than her husband's, less is known about her life and work and the whereabouts of her existing art, although a significant number of her pieces remain in the possession of family members.

Irma was a founding member of The Artists’ Guild of Spartanburg, created in 1957 by 16 local artists to support one another in their artistic endeavors. She is listed in “Who Was Who in American Art, 1564-1975” (1999, Peter Hastings Falk, Editor) and “Annual Exhibition Record, 1914-68, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts,” (1989, Peter Hastings Falk, Editor) and “The Artists Bluebook,” (Lonnie Pierson Dunbier, Editor).

Works of both the Cooks are included in the collections of The Morris Museum, Augusta, Ga., and The Palmetto Bank Endowed Permanent Collection of The Spartanburg Museum of Art. The latter collection also includes "The Girl with the Red Hair," an oil on canvas by Robert Henri, as well as works by George Aid, Lowell Birge Harrison, G. Thompson Prichard, and William Trost Richards as Upstate South Carolina artists Margaret Law and Josephine Sibley Couper.

Several of the Cooks' students still live in the Spartanburg area, and include Katie Hodge, whose "Painting with Wool" exhibit was featured in 2003 in The Spartanburg Museum of Art.

Frank Coleman (1921-1994), along with Irma, was a founder of both the Artists' Guild of Spartanburg and the Spartanburg Historical Association. His use of color was extolled by his former teacher and mentor, Irma Cook. He was also a student of archeology, architecture, photography.

For examples of the Cooks' work, see [2] and [3] Scookp 10:30, 17 February 2007 (UTC)

Artists with numbers in their names

Starting as a rather flipant comment made to my mate Steve, I challenged him to name at leat 10 artists with numbers in their name. He did so with ease, with his giant musical knowledge and so the collection of such artists began having thrown this out in several social situations. Also acts as a great ice-breaker in awkward conversations:

10cc, +44, Blink 182, Jackson 5, 5ive, Thirteen Senses, Apollo 440, Bell X1, Hurricane #1, Matchbox 20, Haircut 100, 22-20s, Younger-Younger 28s, U2, Zero 7, 2 Banks of 4, Alabama 3, The Nostalgia 77 Octet, 3 Colours Red, UB40, 2Pac, Bran Van 3000,

I'm sure there are plenty more so please feel free to add, but nothing too tenuous.86.13.227.47 10:41, 17 February 2007 (UTC)

Increase In Women Correctional Institutions

What is the largest age group(s)of women in correctional institutions (ci)?

Is there any interest about these numbers, if the numbers continue to clime? --Lovehim5 12:54, 17 February 2007 (UTC)

Abletoshine

Abletoshine is a British rock, drum and bass, hardcore band formed in London , Camden Town in 2001 by guitarists DJ-Shift and Faren Gambrill.

Abletoshine are known for their distinctive musical traits, involving fast tremolo picking, double bass drumming, and screaming vocals, electro-drumandbass inserts and heart-pumping build-ups. The band's lyrics and album art, which cover topics such as self-indulgent moshing behaviour, positive-happy life styles for psycho-troubled neurotics and water-proof bazookas experiments for top skyscrappers jacuzzies, attracted a fan-base through squat-parties networks and high-profile recording studios willing to escape mass-production boredom and creative apathy.

Since their debut record in 2002, the band has released two albums (Capsules, Able and Eidola) , one video, and a dozen of rogue-tracks in studios and live events. After going through several difficult events, including health problems, line-up changes, housing unstability and assaults, the band gained support from Jay (bass) in early 2006. Mike (vocals) and Conrad (drums) followed in mid 2006 and brought a disctinctive set of influences from the Polish hardcore scene. James Norris joined the team as underground VJ, James Monza as manager and Clement Daste for graphic design, visual identity and computer imaging. The band's hangs-on usually include world-record transcontinental bloomers, uninspired penny-less multi grammy awarded pranksters and cat-eaters strabistic saturnians, all followed by a legion of post-modernist journalists eager for a lost hair, a dirty sock or other vestige of unsuccessful pubic relation campaigns.

In 2007, the band recorded a new demo which should be available by summer 2007. [www.myspace.com/abletoshine]

2006 - Eidola Track List: - Echo Therapy - Blue Pill Theory - Bedroom murder - Mechatasm - Fellowship of reprisal - Spectrology for Maroon Cartoon - Zorglub says "Hi"

2006 - Able to Shine DJ Set

- Yellow Side Effects - 8 Million Candelas - Omenase - Enclosed Leaflet - Black & Mhor Model - Happy Broadcast - Gron Polar Quest - Trichlophenol - Paperclip

2005 - Able Track List: - Maora - Zealot - Ematom of Dream - Community Shot (Hold da Stage) - Kanoushy - Mad Murdock - Shovel for Fury - Moxie Armadrome - Oran - Wolf in Da Mix

2001-2002 - Capsule Track List: - Abilities - Ink Rust - Kontrasena Universe - Wrath and Temperance - Amok - Slash - Could - Acronyms - Capsule --curtcobain 13:11, 17 February 2007 (UTC)

SHUT MAGAZINE

SHUT WAS SPAT OUT FROM THE MOUTH OF WRONG EYED JESUS MAGAZINE, THE ONLINE SENSATION THOUGHT UP FROM THE DISTURBED AND TROUBLED MINDS OF FRUSTRATED CREATIVES. THEY CAME TOGETHER LIKE VOLTRON AND FORMED AN UNSTOPPABLE GLORY STORM OF DRUNKEN POWER ] SHUT IS HERE

SHUT IS ABOUT NEW ARTISTS | NEW PHOTOGRAPHERS | NEW ILLUSTRATORS | PARTIES | US | THEM | EVERYONE[Image:http://www.allmyheroesaredead.com/images/shut.jpg]

Warrington Wasps Basketball

Warrington Wasps are the representative team for the twelve secondary schools in Warrington, founded in October 2006 by M. Cushing & A. Wray. The Wasps will represent Warrington Schools in the English Schools Basketball Association district competition in March 2007. For more information check our website www.warringtonwasps.piczo.com.

http://www.warringtonwasps.piczo.com

Link Test

Rafial Force Varation

Anglo Eastern Shipping Group

The Anglo-Eastern Group was established in 1974 with a primary focus on the provision of Ship Management, Crew Management and New building Consultancy services to third parties worldwide. Anglo-Eastern has a pool of over 7,500 professional crewmembers and over 500 full-time qualified shore-based staff positioned globally to assist owners with their needs.

Each office is guided by the same management principles and the portfolio of services offered does not differ for ship type or crew combination.

With a headoffice in Hongkong, Anglo Eastern is one ofthe largest ship managers in teh world.

Company Profile

Peter Nash established Anglo-Eastern in 1974, initially as a Chartering and Management outfit specifically targeting the Asian region.

In 1998, Anglo-Eastern was purchased through a successful management buy-out by Peter Cremers, Marcel Liedts and Richard Wong. The three owners remain at the helm and are actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the business.

Demonstrated by their award-winning abilities, the Anglo-Eastern Group has quietly grown over the years, establishing an operation that is praised by clients for its service standards and long-standing employee records.

A subsequent merger with the established UK Shipmanager, Denholm, AESM has the firm footing in Europe and now operate LNG, heavy lift and Offshore vessels from the UK Office.

Currently the Anglo-Eastern Group looks after a varied fleet and crew base trading and operating worldwide.

Anglo Eastern received the Ship Manager of the year award in India in 2006

Further details can be found on their website http://www.aesm.com.hk/default.aspx

Clock Ltd Award-winning Web design and online marketing and one of the top-100 digital media agencies in the UK.

Clock is owned by Syd Nadim, and is a great example of what support from The Princes Trust can help to achieve.

In October 1997, after facing redundancy for the second time, he turned to The Princes Trust for help and advice to start up what is now one of the UK’s Top 100 Digital Media agencies. (Marketing magazine’s Top 100, November 2004)

Clients include

• Channel4 Radio
• Saracens
• Eddie Izzard
• Neil Gaiman
• Currencies Direct
• The League Of Gentlemen

Clock Ltd

Clock Ltd Award-winning Web design and online marketing and one of the top-100 digital media agencies in the UK.

Clock is owned by Syd Nadim, and is a great example of what support from The Princes Trust can help to achieve.

In October 1997, after facing redundancy for the second time, he turned to The Princes Trust for help and advice to start up what is now one of the UK’s Top 100 Digital Media agencies. (Marketing magazine’s Top 100, November 2004)

Clients include

• Channel4 Radio
• Saracens
• Eddie Izzard
• Neil Gaiman
• Currencies Direct
• The League Of Gentlemen