PSA: Don't Leave Children in the Car

This PSA has a unique way of getting an important message across. Please, make sure not to leave children (or pets) in a hot car.

~DJ Opal~

Himalayan Mountains and Mad Driving

More Nepal mountains, this time featuring crazy people doing crazy things for the entertainment of the more cautious types, like me!

~DJ Opal~

The Sunday Picture: The Mountains of Khumbu, Nepal

I would love to visit there someday, but with my myriad of physical issues and my lack of money, it's rather doubtful that I will. It's nice that someone made this little film so I can do so virtually!

~DJ Opal~

Netherworld Cinema: Asterix In the Land of the Gods

The one year of French I took in junior high didn't do much to help me understand what they're saying in this film, but it has enough of a slapstick element that I enjoyed watching it anyway.

The film is based on the comic book Asterix: The Mansions of the Gods.

In the story, Caesar is attempting to convert a Gaulish village to Roman ways as he has his mansion constructed next door.

~DJ Opal~

ATV Meet and Greet

Includes a couple of lessons on things not to do with your ATV, like drive it into thick, squishy mud or deep water.
It's doubtful that I'll ever ride one of these again. I last rode one when I was twenty. I wasn't particularly daring. My handicaps would probably keep me from doing so at this point.

~DJ Opal~

Beach House: Other People

Got a suggestion that I should give Beach House a listen. So far I'm loving what I'm hearing!

~DJ Opal~

Yogscast: The Head of the Problem

I enjoy Yogscast playthroughs. Why don't I know anyone who's this much fun to play Minecraft with?

~DJ Opal~

Aww Monday: Dear Malcolm

So, on Awwww Mondays, people usually post pictures of cute kittens and puppies and such. 

Cute guy with pretty smile is not a kitten or puppy. He does have nice hair. We might want to pet it, but he wasn't anybody's pet. He was an independent thinker, highly intelligent and very creative. So, why are we posting his picture?

He makes us say "awww," but he also makes us cry.

Not because of anything he did. It isn't his fault. He was a nice guy. He didn't like hurting people.

Sure, like anyone else, sometimes he hurt people. But he tried not to.

He makes us cry because he's dying from a really terrible disease. This disease has robbed him of everything. It doesn't even allow him the favor of knowing that people love him. It doesn't even let him remember all the things he created during his very remarkable life.

It would make us sad if he was dying from cancer, but this disease adds insult to injury.

We're posting this picture because we want people to remember him. Not just because he was nice to look at, but because his heart and soul were so very good.

We think you're beautiful in all the ways that really matter, Malcolm. And we're so sorry. We already miss you very much, Baby.

Love and many tears,

DJ Opal

King of High School

Greatly enjoying this fun Korean You Tube original romantic comedy. Here is the synopsis.

A romantic comedy between a high school student who enters a major company who then becomes part of a management team and a woman who is a temporary employee at that same company.
Lee Min Suk is a high school student who plays ice hockey for his school. One day, he suddenly begins works as a company director through his resemblance to his older brother. At work, he meets Jung Soo Young who is a temporary employee there.

- Seo In Guk as Lee Min Suk
- Lee Ha Na as Jung Soo Young
- Lee Yul Eum as Jung Yooh Ah
- Lee Soo Hyuk as Yoo Jin Woo

~DJ Opal~

Three Days Grace: Overrated

KHEL-TV Soap Time: Bo and Hope of Days of Our Lives

This person has numerous video clips featuring the Bo and Hope characters from Days Of Our Lives. If you love the dynamic between these characters, this is for you!

~DJ Opal~

Semi Trailer vs. Chock

Here's something for you motorheads. They're testing to see how much force it takes for this semi trailer to run over a chock.

In my neck of the woods, we have some steep mountain roads which require runaway truck ramps. Here, a driver tests a runaway truck ramp in North Bay, Ontario. One can imagine that if a driver was forced to pull over to do repairs or wait for a tow on one of these steep roads, having a good chock would be essential.

Since I mentioned Motörhead, I'd better play some. Wouldn't want you fiends going riot on me!
Several bands have covered this iconic slab of metal glory. I like Satyricon's cover.

I also enjoy Sepultura's cover. What's not to like?

Hope you liked this little ramble from heavy metal on 18 wheels to heavy metal on guitar, bass, and drums with accompanying gravely vocals!

Addendum:
I left this comment on the Satyricon video. I know I'm wasting my proverbial breath, pissing into the wind, leading a dead horse to water, and trying to talk sense to fools, but it needed to be said.

I should never be surprised at the level of stupidity of You Tube comments. They truly reach a new low. Someone doesn't agree with you? Call them a homo or fag, because being a homosexual is teeotally grody, like ew for shure! Or the comment that you don't like the original version by Motorhead because Lemmy "grosses you out." In other words, you only want to listen to bands that look good to you, which isn't shallow at all.
Being a little older, I remember listening to the original version. Such amazing, hard music could not be ignored, and the lyrics are actually intelligent and thought-provoking. I like a good party song, but I really appreciate something that makes me think. Lemmy may not be the best looking guy in the world, but I don't listen only to music by guys whom I find "hot." I listen to music I find good, period. It could be played by Jabba the Hut and a band of Juiblex, and I would still listen.
This is a great cover. The Sepultura cover is also great. Both Satyricon and Sepultura are true to the spirit of the original song but put their own unique twist on it. That's what makes a great cover.
The original will always rise to the top for me, but that doesn't negate the worth of the newer renditions.
I know this final thought will be ignored and/or ridiculed, because, You Tube, but couldn't we all just listen to and appreciate the music and stop looking for reasons to bandy about schoolyard insults?

~DJ Opal~

Netherworld Cinema: The Otherworldly Adventures of Samson Steede

Good fun--enjoy and share!

~DJ Opal~

M is for Metal

Metal, glorious metal! How do I love thee? Let me count the ways, and thy many genres.

Metal was born in the late 1960s in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in the blues, folk rock, and psychedelic rock.

From these mighty beginnings, many innovative offshoots of the genre were formed.

Black Sabbath are one of the greatest forces behind the formation of the metal genre. Deep Purple's hard-driving guitar riffs also played a part, as did Led Zeppelin's mystical lyrics. The term "heavy metal" may have been influenced by Led Zeppelin's lyrics "talk about heavy metal underneath the hood." The heavy sounds of Slade were surely an influence as well. 

Jimi Hendrix' inimitable heavy blues played a part in the development of the metal genre. Steppenwolf was also an influence, with songs such as Born To Be Wild. The heavy, distorted, epic psychedelic sound of Iron Butterfly was also a factor in the early metal periodic table.

Some people feel that metal is an untalented and uninteresting genre. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is as varied as the Universe itself in its expression, and new forms are brought to light in the modern age, as well as new artists adapting the classic styles and making them their own. Metal is here to stay.

~DJ Opal~

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★PLAYLIST★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

I. Motorhead - Ace Of Spades 0:00 

II. Slayer - Hell Awaits 2:49 

III. AcDc - Who Made Who 9:02 

IV. Metallica - Battery 12:30

V. Pantera - 5 Minutes Alone 17:44

VI. Metallica - One 23:32

VII. Anthrax - Panic 30:59

VIII. Skid Row - I Remember You 35:01

IX. Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast 40:15

X. Megadeth - Looking Down The Cross 45:04

XI. Black Lable Society - Stillborn 50:07

XII. Black Sabbath - Heaven And Hell 53:23

XIII. Accept - No Shelter 01:07:48

XIV. Amon Amarth - Fate Of Norns 01:13:52

XV. Dio - Gypsy 01:19:56

XVI. Mötley Crüe - Wild Side 01:23:35

XVII. Ozzy Osbourne . Dreamer 01:28:18

B is for Background Music

One might not think much about background music, but it can mean the difference between a bland video and one that catches the viewer's attention. Take a look at this video of snapshots from Debrecen, Hungary. Without the music, it would be just a bunch of pictures, and the viewer would likely become distracted quickly. 

Background music is an important element of movies. Think about a favorite horror movie. It's likely that creepy background music added an element of fear. Personally, I find the music from The Omen to be some of the spookiest I've ever heard. 

As a Catholic (faithful then, fallen now, but once a Catholic, always a Catholic. Some of you will know just what I mean) I found the concepts of The Omen and The Exorcist to be frightening anyway, but the music really added to the eerie atmosphere. However, on its own, I find Tubular Bells to be pretty and soothing. The music from The Omen? I'm not about to sit in the dark listening to that!

Do you have any favorite background music? Sometimes the soundtrack is better than the film itself!

~DJ Opal~

Gil Scott-Heron: Pieces of a Man

Track list:
01. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
02. Save The Children
03. Lady Day And John Coltrane
04. Home Is Where The Hatred Is
05. When You Are Who You Are
06. I Think I'll Call It Morning
07. Pieces Of A Man
08. A Sign Of The Ages
09. Or Down You Fall
10. The Needle's Eye
11. The Prisoner

Most younger people probably don't know who Gil Scott-Heron is. He strongly inspired political rap groups such as Public Enemy. If you have never heard the diverse talent of this poet, musician, and activist, take the time to do so now.

~DJ Opal~

Insomnium: Only One Who Waits