Sweet Arsenic

Reclamation

2009-05-11T00:04:00.000-07:00

I discovered Thomas Doyle by chance between the pages of Hi-Fructose, Volume XI. Originally, I intended to read an interview concerning Mark Ryden, but as soon as I saw the glass bell jars and disturbing situations I fell in love. Through the article, and a perusal of a his website I also discovered that his work is broken down into three categories: Distillation, Reclamation, and Bearings. In chronological order these classifications focus on domestic settings, romantic drama (my personal favorite of the three), and isolation (the main character often being a man in red).

Les Bals des Victimes

2009-01-23T13:22:00.000-08:00

Les Bals des Victimes, or The Victim's Balls were macabre balls hosted and attended exclusively by those who had a close relative or spouse who had been executed during the Revolution, and papers proving their right to enter needed to be given at the door. These balls took place after 9 Thermidor and were first mentioned in writing in 1797. The purpose of these soirees was to express the harsh emotions felt at the death of the loved one and at the Revolution in general. Attendees showed this by wearing red ribbons round their necks, cutting their hair short a la victime (meant to imitate the way prisoners hair was cut before their execution), and by jerking there heads down in place of a graceful bow to imitate the moment of death. Some say guests would wear mourning clothes, others Greco-Roman attire with naught but ribbons tied around the feet of the women, while others still suggested that they were scantily clad as a result of being impoverished. Unfortunately, scholars suggest the the balls themselves might have been total fiction based on rumors, but even if the their actual occurance is suspicious they still make for a nice story!

More here and here

Hearts and Other Horrors

2008-09-10T22:18:00.000-07:00

I found this through a link that Kirsten Miller provided on how to make "canned monstrosities", and since then it's become my favourite video on youtube. Before you freak out, the "heart" is actually made out of gelatin with corn syrup and grenadine serving as "blood". Here's a direct link.

I also recently discovered what is called a Mini Munny at the Urban Outfitters in San Fransisco. Apparently they've been around for awhile. Basically they are little monkey shaped figurines which you can sculpt, write, or draw on. The website even has a how-to/tip page for them. Even a few artists such as Tara McPherson have designed some which you can see here.

Germany's Upside Down House

2008-09-10T21:58:00.001-07:00

This house was just built in Trassenheide, Germany as part of a project called The World Upside Down. The makers say it was "inspired by a range of similar buildings in Spain and America, in which the exterior of the house is upside-down, but not the interior". Visitors report that they feel dizzy and sick after just a few minutes, although the house is perfectly safe. You can read and see more here and here. If you ask me it reminds me of when that house squashed The Witch.

Kudos to Monica for the heads up!

Til' Death Do Us Part

2008-08-11T17:51:00.001-07:00

Best known for her designs of sad-eyed girls from the Depression Era, Angelique Houtkamp has recently published an art book titled Tattoo Darling. In her own words her "imagery mixed with mythological dreams, antropomorphed critters, nautical iconography and haunting Hollywood romance". Even if you're not interested in getting a tatoo her site is worth a visit.

The Gold Bug

2008-08-05T17:48:00.000-07:00

Named after the famous short story by Edgar Allen Poe, and located in Old Town Pasadena it rather reminds me of The Evolution Store in New York, albeit there is much more of a focus on art. Every time I pass by the displays are always different. It is a true mecca of the macabre. From heart shaped rings with a red velvet center and protruding golden arrows to ostrich feathers and bird bones, just about anything can be found here. You can find their address at their website and more information can be found here.

Bastille Day

2008-07-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

Vive la Revolution!

Today is a French national Holiday commemorating the Fete de la Federation and the storming of the Bastille. Its one of my favorite holidays, not only because of the rich history, but also because of the wonderful fireworks performance that is held behind the Eiffel Tower.

Coincidentally, I happen to be reading a book that concerns the time period. It is called The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner. I must say I loved the American cover just as much as the original for its wit.

Death To The Normals!

2008-07-08T19:54:00.000-07:00

Saw this near Hollywood and Vine.

Gotta Love It!

July 8th

2008-07-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

Since today is my birthday I decided to post a list of historic events that have taken place on this date, as well as famous people who were born and died on this date.

1099 - First Crusade: 15,000 starving Christian soldiers march in religious procession around Jerusalem as its Muslim defenders look on.
1497 - Vasco da Gama sets sail on first direct European voyage to India.
1663 - Following restoration of the English monarchy, a new charter was issued to the American colony of Rhode Island. It guaranteed religious freedom regardless of 'differences in opinion in matters of religion.'
1709 - Great Northern War: Battle of Poltava: Peter I of Russia defeats Charles XII of Sweden at Poltava thus effectively ending Sweden's role as a major power in Europe.
1776 - The Declaration of Independence was read aloud in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1835 - Liberty Bell cracks (again)
1889 - The first issue of the Wall Street Journal is published.
1892 - St. John's, Newfoundland was devastated in the Great Fire of 1892.
1898 - The shooting death of crime boss Soapy Smith releases Skagway, Alaska from his iron grip.
1932 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average reaches its lowest level of the Great Depression, bottoming out at 41.22.
1947 - Reports are broadcast that a UFO has crash landed in Roswell, New Mexico.
1948 - The Moscow Conference convened to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the independence of the Russian Orthodox Church from control of the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople.
1999 - Allen Lee Davis is executed- the last use of the electric chair for capital punishment in Florida.

Born:
1528 - Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy (d. 1580)
1545 - Don Carlos of Spain (d. 1568)
1593 - Artemisia Gentileschi, Italian painter (d. 1653)
1621 - Jean de la Fontaine, French writer (d. 1695)
1792 - Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, queen of Bavaria (d. 1854)
1830 - Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna of Altenburg (d. 1911)
1836 - Joseph Chamberlain, British politician (d. 1914)
1838 - Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin, German inventor (d. 1917)
1839 - John D. Rockefeller, American businessman (d. 1937)
1908 - Louis Jordan, American saxophonist (d. 1975)
1914 - Billy Eckstine, American jazz singer (d. 1993)
1924 - Johnnie Johnson, American blues musician (d. 2005)
1935 - Steve Lawrence, American entertainer and singer
1944 - Jeffrey Tambor, American actor
1949 - Wolfgang Puck, Austrian-born celebrity chef
1951 - Anjelica Huston, American actress
1958 - Kevin Bacon, American actor
1959 - Robert Knepper, American actor
1961 - Toby Keith, American singer
1961 - Andrew Fletcher, English musician (Depeche Mode)
1968 - Billy Crudup, American actor
1970 - Beck, American singer
1977 - Milo Ventimiglia, American actor
1982 - Joshua Alba, American actor
1982 - Sophia Bush, American actress
1985 - Jamie Cook, British musician (Arctic Monkeys)

Died:
810 - Pepin, King of Italy, son of Charlemagne (b. 773)
975 - King Edgar of England
1695 - Christiaan Huygens, Dutch scientist, son of Constantijn Huygens (b. 1629)
1721 - Elihu Yale, American benefactor and namesake of Yale University (b. 1649)
1822 - Percy Bysshe Shelley, English poet (b. 1792)
1850 - Prince Adolphus, 1st Duke of Cambridge (b. 1774)
1859 - King Oscar I of Sweden and Norway (b. 1799)
1898 - Soapy Smith, American con artist (b. 1860)
1905 - Walter Kittredge, American musician (b. 1834)
1913 - Louis Hémon, French-born writer (b. 1880)
1917 - Tom Thomson, Canadian painter (b. 1877)
1933 - Anthony Hope, British author (b. 1863)
1943 - Jean Moulin, French Resistance leader (b. 1899))
1967 - Vivien Leigh, English actress (b. 1913)
1971 - Charlie Shavers, American jazz trumpet player (b. 1920)
1981 - Wild Bill Hallahan, American baseball player (b. 1902)
1990 - Howard Duff, American actor, uncle of Hillary Duff (b. 1913)
1994 - Christian-Jaque, French film director and screenwriter (b. 1904)
1999 - Pete Conrad, American astronaut, third man to walk on the moon (b. 1930)
2002 - Ward Kimball, American animator -created the Mad Hatter and Cheshire Cat for Disney among others (b. 1914)
2006 - June Allyson, American actress (b. 1917)

It is the Saints Day of Elizabeth , queen consort of Portugal. Coincidentally she had a daughter named Constance, a mother named Constantia, and a great-great grandmother also named Constance who appeared in Dante's Paradiso.

Mark Ryden

2008-06-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

I'm sure many of you know about this artist by now as he recently held an exhibit at the Pasadena Museum of California Art (and the flyers were hung just about everywhere in L.A), however, i couldn't resist. His exhibit was called Wondertoonel and you can find many of his paintings there. The rest can be found at his website www.markryden.com.

Many of his paintings are reminiscent of Heironymous Bosch and Sir John Tenniel. As one critic put it "His works recall a parallel universe of 1950s Golden Books and the whimsy of Lewis Carroll".

I also found it interesting that as a wedding gift he even presented Jessicka and Christian Hejnal of Scarling with a miniature portrait of the couple that was a faithful adaptation of Jan Van Eyck's "Arnolfini Portrait" which was later reproduced on the invitations, and that his work appears in the Christina Ricci film Penelope.

Can you say TRANSFORMERS??

2008-06-16T00:02:00.001-07:00

How about HOLY SHIT

Story here.

Just a thought... We all know cars age -some better than others- but do they wrinkle now as well???

Pig Candy

2008-06-15T14:42:00.000-07:00

The grass rubs our feet as we run, sticky and sweet. The heady scent of St. Augustine fills us, makes us giggle. Some of us wear shoes, some don't. I suppose we appear a motely group; there's Cindy with her sweet pink, knee length dress, carefully brushed hair and perfect heels looking every inch the prep; Robert in his mean streak leathers and boots and everyone else in between, laughing and shouting. Though, I suppose it doesn't much differ from what you'd expect to see in a gaggle of teens. All different, all the same. Anna runs beside me. Like me her hair is loose and wild, well fitting dress, though faded, haphazardly slung on, no make up. We are coming to the fences now, where the cars are parked and the movies play. We all climb up the rattling metal, some more easily than others. As always Ben has to reach up and help Peg jump down. Once over the crowd disperses, and I swerve right going up a few cars to the turquoise chevy silently waiting for me. I wriggle in through the window and my dress hikes up against the soft leather as I slide in. There you are, he says. I was wondering if you'd ever get here. Sure... I think. I'm always here 7:30 on the dot. He begins to kiss me in his usual fashion, first the ear then down to the jaw. I try to concentrate on the film playing in front of us before he gets to my lips. My concentration has definitely improved with time. His kissing is only a minor distraction now, and despite missing a few scenes every now and then I can pretty much follow the story line. I vaguely feel embarrassed. What must I look like to the other couples with my all too perfect boyfriend all over me, and me very visibly ignoring it all? The other girls used to say I took him for granted. And I used to listen and feel all rotten inside. I even had the gall to talk to Mr. Assenworth about it once, it bothered me so. Now I dont pay any attention to them. In fact they may even stil be saying those thing. Hmph. The scene changes to something lighter and Johnnie-O eases up on my face a little. I watch Cary Grant kiss that female actress, whose name I'll never remember. Tell her how much he loves her. Johnnie says that sometimes. I wonder if I should dump him, but i quickly reject the idea. Too quickly. He's sweet, and kind and perfect. The sort it would be easy to spend eternity with...Right?

Morning brings ice and crystal dew on green fingers, rustling slightly. We find ourselves in the park -Lover's Lane, or so they old stories said- strewn about on jackets and blankets like a pretty girl's rejected clothing. Murmurs and whispers fly around before we lazily rouse ourselves fully and begin the process of departure. There are shouts and peals of laughter here and there, but the gentle hush of morning has silenced us some and we mostly speak in whispers. We leave in our usual group, back tracking the way we came, through the field, across the old lot, over the ditch and fence to the silent houses. They're washed out now. No longer the inviting sentries of last evening. Now they have more in common with graves rather than homes. One of us, Robert I think, starts singing one of the old songs and soon the whole lot of us are screeching out the words.

Pretty Polynesian baby, I remember the night, when we walked on the sands of Waikiki, and I held you oh so tight...

Johnnie swings my arm in his and for a moment it's ecstasy. There's only this cotton candy sky, crystal breeze, and the sweet tune of memories better forgotten.

---

Running away from the cookie cutter houses with their warm lights glowing softly against the night. Its a certain safety we hardly take comfort it. The way you might keep a stuffed animal by your bedside every night though you seldom touch it anymore.

Devout Dolls

2008-04-22T18:40:00.000-07:00

These morbidly interesting little creations are the work of Seattle based Sara Lanzillotta. She specializes in two headed headed dolls and animals, but is willing to do custom work. Many of her dolls have been featured in exhibits along the west coast and you can find some in select stores. My personal favorite is her Snow White. Her website is www.devoutdolls.com and you can find her Myspace here.

Mood Swings Anyone?

2008-01-01T19:12:00.000-08:00

I dont really agree with any of the issues this paper runs but i admit that this is rather cool.

The Blue People of Troublesome Creek

2008-01-01T18:46:00.000-08:00

On the news last week they ran a story about a man whose skin turned blue. Due to the overwhelming noise going on in the kitchen at the time I could not here the story properly nor could I find the article (I think the station was either MSNBC or CNN). Either way I did find this interesting story about a family that is known for inheriting the color due to intermarriage. The disorder is called methemoglobinemia which you can read more about here. There is also a brief article concerning the family here.

The World's Wonders

2007-12-16T10:45:00.000-08:00

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Pyramid of Giza, Statue of Zues at Olympia, Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, Mausoleum of Maussollos at Hallicarnassus, The Colossus of Rhodes, and The Lighthouse of Alexandria are the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that we all know. Lately, however, there's ben a lot of talk to come up with a new list which you can find here. Last month this article was put on the Wall Street Journal website. It goes over some "missing wonders of the world" and if you click the first picture in the article it talks in depth about each one.

Banksy

2007-12-09T19:45:00.000-08:00

For the past year or so I've been noticing more street art than usual around L.A. I was curious but tried to put it in the back of my mind. However I've finally figured out some of it's the work of Banksy, an English street artist who hit LA sometime in early 2006. The messages of his stencils are usually anti-war, anti-capitalist, anti-establishment or pro- freedom; while many of his usual subjects include rats, policemen, children, and soldiers. On wikipedia I found out that "In May 2005 Banksy's version of a primitive cave painting depicting a human figure hunting wildlife whilst pushing a shopping trolley was found hanging in the British Museum, London. Upon discovery, the museum added it to their permanent collection" ,which i pretty awesome if you ask me. Needless to say thanks to the books by Kirsten Miller I have a new found appreciation for street art.

some videos with more information:

Street Art

2007-12-07T19:44:00.000-08:00

Who said chalk was just for kids?

The creator is Julian Beever, an English freelance performance artist who creates murals for companies. The technique he uses to create this amazing side walk art is called trompe-l'oeil" meaning to "trick the eye" in french. You can see more of his incredible artwork here. There's also a video showing just how he does it here

Black Widows

2007-12-06T18:58:00.000-08:00

Black Widows. Most of us think of the nasty little black spider when we hear this. However, the women named after them can be quite a bit deadlier. I found this interesting article on Wikipedia concerning Giulia Toffana and her perfectly poisonous business.

Arsenic

2007-12-05T18:44:00.000-08:00

The notoriously poisonous metalloid Arsenic or element # 33 on the Table of Elements was known as The Poison of Kings or "Inheritance Powder" during the Middle Ages and Renaissance because of its popularity as a murder weapon by the nobility. This was largely due to the fact that at the time it left no traceable elements in the body, and because it is a white, tasteless, and oderless powder that can easily be slipped into food. The first to prepare arsenic trioxide (the most common form used in murders) was an Arab Alchemist named Jabir in the 700s. Famous victims include Francesco I de Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and his wife; George III of Great Britain; Charles Francis Hall; Huo Yaun Jia; Clare Boothe Luce (although hers was unintentional and she only became extremely sick); and Napolean Bonaparte(there is no proof that he was intentionally poisoned). Also chronic arsenic poisoning could be behind Monet's blindness, Cezanne's development of severe diabetes, and Van Gogh's neurological disorders as the element was used in the making of a pigment frequently used by Impressionist painters called Emerald Green. Other inadverdent poisonings include arsenic being used in medication(quack and real); as a cosmetic for Victorian women who used it to help them become paler, when mixed with vinegar and chalk; and used in the frosting on pastries during the Victorian Era to make them look better.
Common symptoms include violent stomach pains, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions and cramps, clammy sweats, red eyes, lividity of the extremities, delirium, and finally death.

Eglantine and Betony

2007-11-25T12:02:00.000-08:00

Ever wanted to dress up Death from Sandman or look at what poisonous fey keep in their closet? Well now you can here. Eglantine and Betony is my personal favourite.

Vrykolakas

2007-11-21T19:05:00.000-08:00

Many people usually think that vamps and werewolves are two completely different things, however its actually believed that the vampire myth grew out of the werewolf one. One thing's for sure, there definately has been a mixture of the two myths. In fact in Greece when American films are played in theaters the same word for werewolves is used for vampire. This word is Vrykolakas which is of Slavic origin. Many eastern countries and cultures have a variant of the word. The Greeks believed that a person could become a vrykolakas after death due to a sacrilegious way of life, excommunication, a burial in unconsecrated ground, or eating the meat of a sheep which had been wounded by a wolf or a werewolf. Some believed that a werewolf itself could become a powerful vampire after being killed, and would retain the wolf-like fangs, hairy palms, and the glowing eyes it formerly possessed.To the Balkans they were synonymous with vampires. They were always portrayed as harmful and in some cases brought about epidemics. One myth states that it "knocks on the doors of houses and call out the name of the residents. If it gets no reply the first time, it will pass without causing any harm. If someone does answer the door, he or she will die a few days later and become one. For this reason, there is a superstition present in certain Greek villages that one should not answer a door until the second knock." Another legend claims they sit on and suffocate a person as with a incubi. It could also only be destroyed on a Saturday(the only day the creatures would return to their coffins) and it could be done by exorcising it, impaling it, beheading it, cutting it into pieces, and especially cremating the suspected corpse. The last two statements also apply to a Bulgarian vampire.

Vampires

2007-11-20T21:55:00.000-08:00

Found this here. Surprised me a bit as its all real myth on a tv show website.

Stories about vampires have existed since ancient times, all across the globe, from Babylon to India, Egypt to China and Greece to Romania. Original tales woven about these children of the night stirred up images of demonic beasts who fed on newborns and women to survive — nothing like today's sexy vampires who seduce their prey and come across more as humans than vicious bloodsuckers.

Being Bitten Wasn't the Only Way In
According to superstitions before the 19th century, it wasn't all about getting chomped in the neck. Vampires supposedly rose from the bodies of dead people whose lives went awry in the following ways:

Genetics.
Your fate could have been doomed while still in the womb. If a pregnant woman crossed paths with a black cat or didn't eat salt, she would be risking the fate of her child to the underworld.(I've also heard the one about the seventh son of the seventh son)

Character traits.
If you were born premature, out of wedlock or with an extra nipple or extra hair (or even red hair), the villagers probably would peg you as something unnatural. After you died, they'd take care to watch your grave for signs of vampirism.

Diet.
Vegetarians, back in the day, you'd be safer. Those who dined on the meat of sheep that had been killed by wolves, on the other hand, were fated for fangs.

Bad luck.
If someone cursed you or suspected you of sorcery and black magic, you were likely to pop up out of the crypt. And speaking of crypts — if you didn't receive a proper burial, chances were you'd end up in a bloodthirsty state.

Before Angel and Lestat There Was…
Although vampires have long been popular fictional characters, there are historical figures who were noteworthy for possessing just as much bloodlust as the mythical creatures that kept villagers behind locked doors at night. Here are the top two:

The original Dracula.
The Romanian prince Vlad Dracula terrorized the Balkans in an effort to keep the area from the Turks in the 1400s. He was also known as Vlad the Impaler for the slow and agonizing way in which he killed between 40,000 and 100,000 victims: He impaled any man, woman or child who broke his strict moral code against lying, stealing or adultery. Though he was unusually cruel, Dracula was not known to drink the blood of his victims.

The Hungarian "Blood Countess."
Elizabeth Bathory actually did eat the flesh and drink and bathe in the blood of more than 650 young girls, thinking they were her own personal fountain of youth. But this lady "vampire," who lived from 1560 to 1614, didn't get caught until she stopped preying on peasant girls and started targeting young ladies of lesser nobility.

Forget the Garlic Around Your Neck
Want to keep a vampire busy so it can't chase you? Here are a few lesser known tips from the olden days:

Throw down some poppy seeds.
Who knew these bloodsuckers were obsessive-compulsive? By the rules of folklore, a vampire feels obliged to count every single poppy seed (or millet) before it can go on its dastardly way.

Spread tar around your window or door in the shape of a cross.
Some suspect that the reasoning behind this tradition was that the evildoer would get stuck while trying to sneak in. Unable to escape the sun in the morning, it would perish.

Go green.
Vampires avoid plants with healing or mystical properties, like aloe vera. Rumor had it that they had a distaste for wild rose and hawthorn too.

Think outside the box.
Bells ringing, holy symbols (besides crosses), rain, falling snow and fire have all been on the list of things that supposedly spook off vampires. (And if you're really desperate, eating dirt from their grave may do the trick too.)

Les Morts de la France

2007-11-19T17:09:00.000-08:00

Who'd have thought the French would be so strict about their dead? After all in the 1600s they were uprooting many of the undead and placing them in mass graves in the extensive catacombs under the city. Contrary to all that graves must be kept clean and tidy and cutting through one to smoke and have fun is a horrible faux pas. In fact people under the age of 14 are not allowed inside one unless accompanied by an adult. Singing or playing music is prohibited, animals arent allowed, and you cant even take pictures unless given permission. You can read more about it here. In the same spirit is this article which goes over some of the many monsters and myths of France, such as Melusine and the White Ladies, not the mention the Loup Garoux. Also for those of you who read the first article and want more information on the famous Pere Lachaise Cemetery you can find it here.

The Evolution Store

2007-11-18T20:46:00.000-08:00

On our trip to New York over the summer my dad accidentally found a wonderfully macabre little shop called The Evolution Store. I'm afraid if your thinking old musty Darwin tomes you'd be mostly though not totally mistaken. The store specializes in dead things. Skulls, fossils, and taxidermied animals for the most part. Human skulls, gorilla hands(and I really thought we all learned our lesson from The Monkey's Paw not to play around with these things...), and vampire bats in bell jars to be precise. This was something I found on the website that I missed in the shop however. It provides for an odd and amusing bit of information.

More Tales From the Crypt...

2007-11-18T16:28:00.000-08:00

To understand the point of this post you must click to see the full resolution of this photo. My friend Iliana first posted this on her Livejournal and I thought I might as well post it here. The photo was taken around two years ago after said friend's grandmother's burial. Look over the shoulder of the man in the blue shirt and cowboy hat. See it? No one in her family knows who that is. She freely admits it could be a cousin or other forgotten relative and the fact that it was taken by a camera phone doesn't help either, but it makes no sense as to why the person should be so hidden from view. You'll just have to come to your own conclusions.

A Rag, a Bone, a Hank of Hair...

2007-11-18T14:51:00.000-08:00

Reminiscent of Monique Motil's Sartorial Creatures are Tessa Farmer's "hell's angels" and "faeries". Her artwork is made out of real bits of organic debris such as tree roots, insect remains, cobwebs and animal skeletons. Her little nasties can be seen tormenting small birds and wasps and when looked at carefully it appears as if they are eating them. One piece even depicts a "faery" bursting from the inside of a bee which it has consumed. More information here

Some of her work:

ICEHOTEL

2007-11-17T21:57:00.000-08:00

Since everyone seems to be in that good old commercial christmas spirit(I mean come on a month and a half away and already christmas carols on the radio??) so I thought I'd post this. It's been around since 1990 and is still kickin'. There are a couple out there but this one is located in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden near the river Torne. Every year the hotel has to be built again from the ground up, and every year artists come to design rooms for the hotel which boasts an ice church and Absolut Icebar.You can find more info here.

Some gorgeous rooms they've had in the past:

Katarina Fritsch

2007-11-17T15:08:00.000-08:00

I must have been around four years old the first time I saw work by Katarina Fritsch completely by accident. It was in the old San Fransisco Museum of Modern Art I belive and her art work was pretty much everywhere. We didnt know who she was but my mom didnt want to go into any of the rooms with her sculptures though becuase they largly consisted of (you guessed it) rats. We saw the Rat King I beleive and Man and Mouse(which forever turned me on to incubi and succubi and that sleeping syndrome where you beleive ones on top of you, but more on that later...). However my all time favourite was her Ghost in the Pool of Blood. I absolutly MUST see that again before I die. Unfortunatly there's not much on the web about her. Here's what I COULD find however: and they are 1. Kind mit Pudein (Baby With Poodles), 2.Rattenkonig(Rat King) and 3.Mann und Maus(Man and Mouse)

Gloomy Sunday

2007-11-14T21:02:00.000-08:00

Can you name a song that supposedly been related to over 100 suicides? No? Well here's one. Gloomy Sunday was first written in 1933 but rose to fame in America when sung by Billie Holiday in 1941. Many urban myths have surrounded the "hungarian suicide song" since it first aired on radio around the world, one such myth states that lovers who hear this song will jump to their death immediatly after. While that may not be true it's fair to say that the success of the song contributed to the composer's unhappiness as he knew he'd never be able to produce a second hit. In an ironic twist the composer(Rezso Seress) killed himself 35 years later. There is talk of the song actually being banned from radio stations for the sheer darkness of the lyrics. Though that extreme measure might not have occured there is enough evidence to support that the song got enough negative response that the lyrics had to be shuffled around a little to soften the meaning. This is shown in the last stanza. It was added when Bilie Holiday recorded to make it sound as if the first two stanzas were merely in the narrators head. Personnally I prefer the versions without it. One of the better ones was sung by Paul Whiteman in '36. You can find Billie's recording and 25 other "exquisitly sad songs" here