LOVECRAFT- “The world is indeed comic, but the joke is on mankind.”

By Néstor Fabricio Paz

NECRONOMICON LOVECRAFT

“The world is indeed comic, but the joke is on mankind.”

Horror novels and everything surrounding the world of the macabre would not be the same without the creator of Cthulhu, Howard Phillips Lovecraft. Born at 9 a.m. on August 20, 1890, at his family home on Angell Street in Providence, Rhode Island. His mother was Sarah Susan Phillips Lovecraft and his father was Winfield Scott Lovecraft.

 As a boy Lovecraft was in a way lonely and suffered from frequent illnesses, many of them apparently psychological. His attendance to the Slater Avenue School was short, but Lovecraft dedicated his time to independent reading.

     After his father deceased the little five year old Lovecraft was left upon his mother, his two aunts, and his grandfather who saw the very early birth of his talent reciting poetry at the age of two, reading at three, and writing at six or seven.

He showed an early enthusiasm for the Arabian Nights, that he read by the age of five; next thing on his list, he adopted the pseudonym of “Abdul Alhazred,” to become the author of the mythical Necronomicon. Nonetheless he was later influenced by the Greek Mythology and produced “The Poem of Ulysses” in 1897, which is in essence a childish version of The Odyssey.

 Lovecraft discovered weird fiction sort of at the same time, and his first story, “The Noble Eavesdropper,” may date to 1896. His interest in the weird was encouraged by his grandfather, who used to amuse the little boy with weird tales in the Gothic mode, and was the first approach of his weird fiction literary approach.

In 1904 Lovecraft’s grandfathers passing, and the following disarrangement of his property and affairs, put Lovecraft’s family into financial difficulties. Lovecraft and his mother were forced to move out of their lavish Victorian home to Angell Street. During the years of 1908 to 1913 Lovecraft turned into a hermit, doing little save pursuing his astronomical interests and his poetry writing.  

       It was after that he reentered the writing of fiction, which he had abandoned in 1908. Lovecraft wrote “The Tomb” and “Dagon” one shortly after the other in the summer of 1917.

      Lovecraft returned to Providence on April 17, 1926, settling at 10 Barnes Street north of Brown University, to spend the last ten years of his life and gift humanity with greatest moment, both as a writer and as a human being. He wrote some of the world’s best known fiction works, “The Call of Cthulhu” (1926) At the Mountains of Madness (1931) “The Shadow out of Time” (1934–35);  He was part of the careers of many young writers now known for their success on the field (August Derleth, Donald Wandrei, Robert Bloch, Fritz Leiber).

One of his most famous books The Case Of Charles Dexter Ward, shows in a very brief narration what a mastermind of weird fiction he was, developing personality in the characters, increasing momentum and not allowing the reader to take his eyes of the paper, he provides in those pages with a case of supernatural events following the witchcraft incidents of Salem 3 centuries earlier.

      His later stories did not see the light of great success and by the intestine cancer that caused his death had advanced and was finally commanded to enter Jane Brown Memorial Hospital on March 10, 1937, where he past away five days later. He was buried on March 18 at the Phillips family plot at Swan Point Cemetery. Lovecraft never had a true book published in his lifetime, it was not until times after his passing that his works became widely available and translated into a dozen of different languages.

            “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown”. 

            The quote cited before is one of the best ways to describe Lovecraft’s approach of literature.

            One of his most famous books The Case Of Dexter Ward, shows in a very brief narration what a mastermind of weird fiction he was, developing personality in the characters, increasing momentum and not allowing the reader to take his eyes of the paper, he provides in those pages with a case of supernatural events following the witchcraft incidents of Salem 3 centuries earlier.

References:

·         Howard Phillips Lovecraft, Autobiography

·         The Lovecraft File

·         The Call of Cthulhu

·         The Case of Charles Dexter Ward

Coco-Chanel

By María Teresa Larín

Chanel, a name, a brand, a legacy.

“Everyone marries the Duke of Westminster. There are a lot of duchesses, but only one Coco Chanel.”

Coco Chanel is a well-known woman who experienced a tormented early life through several social changes and a life full of controversy, but now she is an icon in the fashion industry and her legacy will be everlasting.

Coco Chanel was born in August 19, 1883, in a charity hospital run by the Sisters of Providence in Saumur, France. Her birth certificate revealed that she was the illegitimate daughter of Albert Chanel and Jeanne Devolle. A nun named her Gabrielle, which means power and strength in Hebrew.

Gabrielle was the second of five siblings; her father was an itinerant street vendor who was described as irresponsible and Casanova. Albert and Jeanne got married several years after Gabrielle was born. He mistreated his wife and even though, he knew she was sick with asthma, Jeanne was compelled to work. In February 16, she was found death. Jeanne was 33 years old.

Albert sent Gabrielle and his two daughters (Julia, Antoinette) to the Convent of Aubazine where Gabrielle learned how to sew, to embroider, to iron immaculately. At 18, she was transferred to Notre Dame, where she lived in a boarding house until 21 years of age, but Alphonse and Lucien, Chanel’s brothers, ran worse luck to be handed to a cruel peasant family. Albert Chanel was a closed chapter in Gabrielle’s life.

Gabrielle started to work as seamstress and learned how to make hats. There are various stories about how she acquired the name Coco. She was invited to a Café-concert, and she was impressed and decided to start a career as singer, she got hired in Moulins pavilion, "La Rotonde", although she was not a good singer her repertoire was limited to two songs and she had great acceptance interpreting the singsong “Qui qu'a vu Coco” which means who has seen Coco? From that came the nickname Coco, that she took forever because it sounds good before her last name.

Coco Chanel met Etienne Balsan, a young, weathy playboy, who awoke her first romantic illusions, she was invited to Royallieu, a XIII century castle, where she discovered luxury, servants, fine dining, salons, jokes and parties. Etienne taught her how to ride a horse, how to behave as a lady and so on.

Chanel designed and ordered pants to the village sailor. She was not afraid to be original and innovated. Dresses and overelaborated hats of the Belle époque were not her style. By that time, Etienne abandoned her concubine and decided to show Coco to the public. She visited frequently Royallieu and met Arthur Capel an English socialite, friend of Etienne, famous Polo player, he handled successfully The Coal mines of Newcastle and he got together with the highest financial groups of London and Paris.

One night, Chanel expressed her ideas about opening a little atelier in Paris, Etienne though that it was a bad idea but Capel encouraged her by saying “you have talent “why don’t you explode it?” Etienne pretended to help her and he even lent his bachelor apartment in Paris as soon as possible Chanel moved in and started her hat business. It went so well that in 1910, financed by Capel, she established her first Mansion Chanel and she started a relationship with Capel.

In 1913, Coco opened a fashion house in an exclusive resort of Deauville, the center of aristocracy at that time, and this time she dared to include female clothes and these were completely innovated and functional. She eradicated the suffocating corset of the belle époque, her style was a triumph and her profits tripled.

World War I started, Coco and Capel’s business went fine. In June, 1915, Coco opened in “Biarritz” a Fashion House where the whole Spanish world went. In 1916, she was the first one to introduce fabrics like the jersey into women’s fashion.

In Paris, she became friend of Marie Sophie Olga Godebska Natanson Edwards, best known as Misia, daughter of the sculptor Ciprien Godebski. Misia was surrounded by dancers, painters, sculptors, poets and writers. Misia introduced her into a world full of geniuses that Coco met. In an intimate conversation Coco confessed her only desire to Misia “My greatest desire is to get married” , but after eight years of relationship and a miscarriage, Capel was distant and unexpectedly he announced his break up with Coco.

Chanel’s world was collapsed. The break-up occurred in the peak moment of her creativity, she was designing white satin pants for her clients that became popular, the war ended and the first outbreak of women’s liberation emerged. The Simple and elegant style of Chanel was accepted from New York to Buenos Aires and in an enraged moment as an act of revenge she trimmed her beautiful, long, black hair into a manly style. Immediately women imitated her hair cut.

Her business was successful and she decided to move into a bigger shop unit, she bought a dark blue Rolls-Royce and ordered to be upholstered in black and launched a fashion trend with many followers.

In 1919, Capel died in a car accident, Coco was included in his will.

Coco started an innovating stage using rabbit’s fur in her designs and it was an overwhelming success. Several romances occurred during Chanel´s life but all of them were unsuccessful probably because the variety of problems that she faced during her childhood.

The Chanel´s Emporium was established and every single woman in the world was surrendered to Chanel´s jewelry, designs, and fragrances. The Chanel trademark provides confidence and freedom to women around the world and through history.

The jewelry collection of Chanel named Bijoux de Diamants was executed exclusively in diamonds and platinum and consolidated her as a brilliant jewelry designer. Every creation was unique but Chanel was the only one who inspired in the opulence of her collection the costly jewels of the aristocracy, she was able to combine imitations with real jewels and she used to say: "It's disgusting to walk around with millions around the neck because one happens to be rich. I only like fake jewelry … because it's provocative."

Coco introduced the Chanel suit and pulled skirts from ankle to above the knee. The moralists were petrified and in 1921, one of the most important events of her life occurred: The launched of her perfume Chanel N°5. A fragrance elaborated by Coco Chanel and the perfumist Ernest Beaux, the acceptance was immediate and the perfume became a classic.

Coco was 80 years old and her perfume was still number one in sales, although she was a millionaire, she worked until the day of her death. As an announcement of a sad day, morning came gray, in January, 1^st, 1971 Coco Chanel´s maid heard a cry and went to help her and found her covered in tears. –“They are killing me”- Coco complained. –“Who mademoiselle?”- Asked the maid and there was not answer to the question, because the last words of Coco Chanel were:-“see? This is how you die” and she left this world and a glorious legacy in fashion.

Through the metaphorical journey we called “life” Gabrielle “coco” Bonheur Chanel created an unbreakable fashion emporium and an everlasting legend about her controversial life; and still some mysteries and stories remain unknown.

Vincent van Gogh

By Lilian Hernández 

CHILDISH PAINTING

Vincent van Gogh only sold one painting during his lifetime and it was called The Red Vineyard. Vincent Van Gogh was a painter born on March 30^th 1853, in Groot – Zundert, The Netherlands, he was the first son of a middle class family and he had a younger brother named Theo.

Van Gogh belonged to a Christian family and the Van Gogh`s mother educated her son in some Christian aspects; he studied at different schools but he started working when he was only 15 due to financial problems in the family.

Vincent spoke 4 languages including his native one, this is a proof of how smart he actually was, but he used to suffer from other events like when a girlfriend rejected a marriage proposal and he became lonely.

The painter decided then, to study in different branches yet, he preferred the “Art of Painting” he was a sensitive human being who appreciated nature and all around him.

Van Gogh suffered of so much depression, that he cut off his own ear; some studies indicate that he had different problems, especially; mental such as anxiety, mania, and epilepsy among others that he tried to control nonetheless it was impossible. It is supposed that it was because he was born with a brain lesion. He wrote more than 800 letters; moreover this problem was called Hypergraphia.

Vincent was a natural painter when he was alone and depressed, yet he did not have any serious relationships apart from his brother Theo the helped and supported him. He went to the hospital on different occasions but he had been painting continuously as he decided to use different colors and forms to his pieces and approached variety of cultures; the Japanese culture was important because he found in it art and form of the light among others.

When he was still alive people did not appreciate anything that was related to him the current society thought that he was dangerous and on one occasion they applied the law and it was necessary for him to move into a different location. Vincent lived in different places such as Paris, France.

At the time his works were sold in exchange for a reduced amount. He finally died in Ausers – South – Oise, France on July 29^th, 1890 close to the only person who really appreciated and loved him, his brother Theo.

Nowadays, most people around the world know Van Gogh`s work and appreciate all the paintings and are valued in large quantities of money. He has receives the title of the “Father of Impressionism” because of his techniques.

“Ask for me, I am rather often uneasy in my mind, because I think that my life has not been calmed enough; all those bitter disappointments, adversities, changes keep me from developing fully and naturally in my artistic career” (vincent-van-gogh) 

wikipedia.van_Gogh

Peter Higgs and his “weak force elementary particle”.

By Josuè Mendez

God’s creation secret reveled as a “weak force elementary particle” by a professor.

Peter Higgs was born on May 29 in 1929, Newcastle. For a long time he worked in the question that many scientific was and are figuring out about the structures of laps of the universe and how can galaxies and its components can be held together.  His early life pass upon Tyne in the United Kingdom, graduated with honors in his class, got the first place in Physics, and thanks to his agility in it, Higgs will be reaching in the upcoming years, the point of existence of the vacuous particle.

 In July 16, 1964, he checked some new research papers and foretold the occurrence of the scalar particle that is essential for our understanding of three out of the four forces of nature. 

The first one being gravitation, the one that pulls you down into your seat, towa­rd the Earth's center. Second, electromagnetism interacts in you­r computer monitor or telephone, which is responsible for generating the light that allows you to read the screen. The third force is nuclear, that holds the nucleus of atoms together. Fourth force is weak, responsible for radioactive decay, between protons and neutrons, making a fundamental contribution to physics with major consequences for our understanding of the origins of the universe. 

When Peter Higgs, was finally able to show the world his idea of a new particle, he was rejected at his first try. It wasn’t until the second time that his idea was accepted after further examination, as it was also in question to be rejected. This then caused a division of ideas giving him chance that catapulted Higgs to be the front man of the disparate band. By August 1965, Higgs took a sabbatical, getting a close relationship with his family. While Jody was heavily pregnant, allowing him to get a job at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with the same idea in his mind, he kept working on those days, coincidentally, about a critical moment in the birth of the Universe. As famous as he was, the fame put a new stress on his family life. The following years, he faced plenty of problems such as getting divorced, being psychologically unstable, having a car accident, and facing financial problems. The divorce cost him the financial stability that had underpinned his discoveries because of the alimony he had to pay. His accident led him to become depressed allowing him to relieve from the contents of his wallet. Higgs had decided to give up chasing glory and devoted himself to teaching.

Finally, on the 4^th of July, 2012 in Switzerland, it was announced in a specialized laboratory the discovery of the Higgs boson, a subatomic particle, and the explanation of a an idea not about a hoary God creating the universe in six days, or talking about a magical "big bang" that splattered matter across the cosmos, but in fact about the idea of that the matter made up of little tiny bits that are made up of even tinier bits, none of which actually have any mass. 

In other words, the whole universe is made up of nothing or is made up from the “God particle”, the particle that a man who has gone throughout a tough life, with the idea of this subatomic particle that somehow interacts with other subatomic particles in a way that changes their energy into mass. On the other hand, “God particle” is also a confirmation of the non-existence of God, but a careful examination of the situation that reveals the opposite as being true. Someone answers the physics question about creation, and is, in his unassuming way to paint and imagined a vast fact where Higgs needed nothing more than himself and a sharpened pencil to its appropriate end of the particle formula. Now his elusive name has the power to change the world.

Nelson Mandela- a hero of peace

 By Xiomara  Pineda                      

Nelson Mandela... a tough and humble man

Was born on July 18, 1918 in the small village of Mvezo, on the Mbashe River district of Umata in Transkei, South Africa. His birth name is Rolihlahla. He got the nickname Nelson from a teacher in school.                                                                          Nelson Mandela´s father was Henrry Mphakanyishwa and his mother was Nosekeni Fanny Mandela. Mandela's father had four wives. Mandela was born to his third wife.

Nelson was a member of Thimbu royalty and his father was chief of the city of Mvezo. In 1943 Mandela began law studies at the University of                               Witwatersrand and he finished his carrer in 1949.

At Witwatersrand, Mandela got his law degree and would meet some of his fellow activists against apartheid. In 1952 Mandela opened the first Black Law firm in South Africa. Transvaal Law society tried to have it closed down, although this was blocked by the South African Supreme Court.

       He was a civil rights leader in South Africa. At first he pushed hard for the congress and the protesters to follow Mohandas Gandhi's non-violence approach. However, he was classified as a terrorist by the South African government.

In 1963 the South African Government sent him to prison. His prison sentence brought international visibility to the anti-apartheid movement as he stayed 27 years in prison. He served a good portion of his life in prison for his protests. He was finally released through International pressure in 1993.

Once released from prison, Nelson continued his campaign to end apartheid. On July 16, 1991 Mandela was appointed president of South Africa. He was the first black president in the history of South Africa. There were several times during the process where violence threatened to break out. Nelson was a strong force in keeping the calm and preventing a major civil war. 

In 1993 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime (political discrimination), and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa.

 

On December 16, 1997 he announces his retirement from CAN and politics. Nelson Mandela was the most significant black leader in South Africa. He decided to fight against discriminations and injustices of his race.


biography.com/people/nelson-mandela

Michael Phelps-The “sea-earth” man

By Josuè Mendez

The “sea-earth” man given birth by world nature.

A boy named Michael Fred Phelps was born in the month when the roses first bloom, on June 30th, 1985 in Baltimore, Maryland. Having been “luckily” diagnosed in his youth, with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is seen as a lucky fact. He grew up in the neighborhood of Rodgers Forge, a warm and caring community with his father, Fred who was a complete athlete and a state trooper and his mother Debbie, a dedicated middle-school principal. It did not take long for his parents to divorce in 1994. Michael and his siblings moved in with their mother, with whom Michael had a very close relationship. 

 With the opportunity to start swimming, his sisters, Whitney and Hilary, with only seven and five years of difference in age, joined a local swimming team when Phelps was only seven years old. Reasons to join included the influence of his sisters and the need to provide himself with an outlet for his restless energy. Being afraid to get inside the water, his instructors allowed him to float around on his back and surprisingly in a rush he mastered the first stroke, “the backstroke”.

 It was just a push after he saw the swimmers Tom Malchow and Tom Dolan in the competition at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, when he began to dream of becoming a champion. He launched his swimming career at the Loyola High School pool, and began training at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club at the Meadowbrook Aquatic and Fitness Center. The coach immediately recognized his talents and fierce sense of competition and began an intense training hand to hand; by 1999 Phelps had made the U.S. National B Team. 

Phelps became the youngest American male swimmer at an Olympic Game in 68 years. Even though he didn't win a medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, he would soon become a major force in competitive swimming by being 6 foot 4 inches tall and weighting around 185 pounds (84 kg), 14 inch feet and 6ft 7in arm reach, which is 3 inches longer than his height. He has relatively short legs for his height, which gives him an additional advantage in the pool. His knees are double-jointed and his feet can rotate 15 degrees more than average, allowing them to be straightened fully so that his mighty feet can act like flippers. In addition, his heart pumps 30 liters of blood each minute to his muscles, which is double the amount of the average adult male. He also produces only one third of the lactic acid that the average swimmer does, meaning that he does not suffer from muscle burn during intensive exercise like his competitors do. These genetic advantages help him to kick off from the wall and propel himself like a dolphin.

 His advantage allowed him to win 33 World Championship Medals, 26 of those being Gold. Over his swimming career, he established 39 world records. Phelps has been claimed to be the greatest Olympic athlete of all time, because of this, he received the name, “the human dolphin“. 

By 2012, he had reach four gold medals and two silvers at the London Olympics, which he said will be his final swimming. Phelps retires with myriad Olympic records, including twice as many gold as anyone else (18) and 22 medals overall, four more than anyone else in any sport.

bostonsports