is a 12-year-old blind Earthbender. In the second season of the show, she leaves her wealthy family and home to join Aang on his quest, with a plan to teach him earthbending. Though blind, Toph “sees” with Earthbending; she feels the vibrations in the ground through her feet. Using this method, she eventually learns how to bend metal, a knowledge which may be unique to her. Due to overprotective parents, Toph has lived a largely sheltered life; this makes her somewhat selfish and sarcastic. She does not hesitate to speak her mind, and is bluntly truthful. With the presence of friends, Toph gradually becomes less abrasive, and learns what it means to be part of a team.
Sokka is a warrior of the Southern Water Tribe. With his sister Katara, he accompanies Aang on his quest to defeat the Fire Lord. The joker of the group, Sokka describes himself as “meat-loving” and “sarcastic”.[22] Unlike his companions, Sokka cannot bend an element, but the series frequently grants him opportunities to use his true gifts: ingenuity and use of weapons. He takes great pride in his mental and physical strength, though it is often overshadowed by others’ ability to bend. He is extremely clever, relying on science where the mystical and martial arts elude him. His immature manner often causes others to underestimate his intellect.
Katara is a 14-year-old Waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe. Due to Fire Nation raids, she is the only remaining Waterbender in the South Pole. In the opening of the show, Katara discovers and frees Aang from the iceberg he was trapped in one hundred years ago. With her older brother Sokka, she accompanies Aang on his quest to defeat the Fire Lord, and bring peace to the world. Katara is kind, responsible, and particularly motherly; she developed this personality after her mother was killed in a Fire Nation attack. Though an apt leader,[27] she can be overbearing and stubborn.[28] In spite of her kind nature, she also has a temper. When her idealism and impressive waterbending skills are combined with this temper, she can be quite destructive.
Aang is the fun-loving, 12-year-old protagonist of the series. He is the current incarnation of the Avatar, the spirit of the planet in human form. As the Avatar, Aang must bring peace to the world and bring balance to the four Nations. Being a reluctant hero, he admits his preference for adventure over saving the world, and making friends over fighting the Fire Nation. Aang’s energetic nature and childish naïvete render him oblivious to the world around him, as well as the feelings of others. Over the course of the series, though, Aang gradually matures into his role as the Avatar. The blue arrow on his head, hands and feet are to show he has mastered Airbending. Aang is the youngest Airbender to do so.
Nickelback’s first release was a 7 Track EP called Hesher in 1996. In the same year Nickelback recorded their first full-length album Curb. Fly was released on Hesher and Curb and was the first single ever produced by Nickelback. It didn’t get any chart attention and was only played on local radio stations. Curb sold 100,000 copies as independent record.
The following album The State was recorded in 1998 and was released as independent record in the same year. Nickelback signed a record deal with EMI and Roadrunner Records. The State was then re-released in 2000 by EMI and Roadrunner Records and featured two top 10 singles (one being Leader of Men). It was certificated Gold Canada and the United States.
Their third full-length album Silver Side Up includes the smash hit How You Remind Me which peaked in several countries on #1 and while it topped both the Mainstream and Modern Rock charts for 13 weeks. Too Bad, the second single, was in The Guinness Book of Records for peaking more than 20 weeks on #1. The following single Never Again also hit the top of the Billboard Hot Mainstream rock tracks. Silver Side Up was certificated 6x Platinum in the United States, 8x Platinum in Canada, 3x Platinum in the UK, 2x Platinum in Australia and Platinum in four other European countries. How You Remind Me became the Billboard Hot 100 Number one single of the year 2002.
The Long Road which was released in 2003 didn’t do as well as Silver Side Up. Although its second single Figured You Out topped the Mainstream Rock charts for 13 weeks. Someday was criticized to have too many similarities with How You Remind Me and didn’t get such a hit single, but appeard in several countries in the top 10. The Long Road was certificated 4x Platinum in Canada, 3x Platinum in the US and Australia and Platinum in Germany and New Zealand.
Nickelback’s fifth studio album, All the Right Reasons, has sold over 6.7 million albums in the United States and over 9.5 million albums worldwide. It is the 16th album so far in the 21st century that has reach that level. The album produced six U.S. Hot 100 top 30 singles, “Photograph“, “Savin’ Me“, “Far Away“, “If Everyone Cared“, “Rockstar“, and Into the Night three of them being U.S. Hot 100 top 10 singles. All the Right Reasons sold more than 6.7 million copies in the US and was found again inside the top 10 of the Billboard 200 in its 99th, 100th, 101st, and 102nd weeks on the chart. The album had never been below #30 on the Billboard 200 in 110 weeks, making Nickelback the first act to have an album in the top thirty of the Billboard 200 for its first 100 weeks since Shania Twain‘s album, Come on Over stayed in the top thirty for 123 consecutive weeks following its release. Billboard Magazine called the album “the biggest rock album of the century so far.” In the UK, the album opened it’s chart run at #13 before quickly leaving the top 75 with no top 20 singles, with “Savin’ Me” being their first to miss the top 75 altogether. While being their smallest-selling UK album since “Curb”, it experienced, in early 2008, a resurrection due to the single “Rockstar” becoming Nickelback’s highest charting single ever in the UK. The album has now outpeaked its previous peak of #13, reaching #2. All the Right Reasons has appeared in the top 40 of the United World Chart for 89 non-consecutive weeks making it the third album to stay in the chart for so long. It was certificated 7x Platinum in the US, 6x Platinum in Canada, 4x Platinum in Australia and New Zealand, 3x Platinum in Switzerland and Platinum in Germany and the UK.
Avatar: The Last Airbender takes place in a fantasy world, home to humans, fantastic animals, and supernatural spirits. Human civilization is divided into four nations—the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, the Air Nomads, and the Fire Nation. Within each nation exists an order called “Benders” who have the ability to manipulate their native element. These Bending arts combine a certain style of martial arts and elemental mysticism. The Bending types are Waterbending, Earthbending, Firebending, and Airbending.[12]
In each generation of the show’s internal universe, one person is capable of Bending all four elements; this being is referred to in the show as the Avatar, the spirit of the planet manifested in human form. When the current Avatar dies, they are reincarnated into a baby native in the next of the four nations in the Avatar Cycle, which parallels the seasons: winter for water, spring for earth, summer for fire, and autumn for air.[13] While legend holds that the Avatar must master the elements in order, starting with their native element, this can sometimes be compromised when the situation requires it. Learning to bend the element opposite one’s native element is extremely difficult because opposing Bending arts are based on opposing fighting styles and disciplines. Firebending and Waterbending are opposites, as are Earthbending and Airbending.[14]
The Avatar also possesses a unique power that resides within them, called the Avatar State. This is a defense mechanism that empowers the Avatar with the knowledge and abilities of all the past Avatars. When an Avatar enters the Avatar state, their eyes (and tattoos if they are an Airbender) begin to glow. If an Avatar is killed in the Avatar State, then the reincarnation cycle will be broken, and the Avatar cycle will end.[15]
Through the ages, countless incarnations of the Avatar have served to keep the four nations in harmony and maintain world order.[12] The Avatar also serves as the bridge between the physical world and the Spirit World[16]
A century prior to the series’ opening, Aang, a 12-year-old Airbender of the Air Nomads’ Southern Air Temple, learned from the elder monks that he was the Avatar. Usually, the Avatar is told of his or her true identity after turning sixteen; however, the monks feared that a war between the four nations was on the horizon and that soon the Avatar would be required to maintain balance and order in the world. Shortly thereafter, the monks decreed that Aang would be separated from his guardian, Monk Gyatso, and sent to the Eastern Air Temple to complete his training.
Confused, frightened, and overwhelmed by these recent events and his new responsibilities as the Avatar, Aang fled from his home on his flying bison, Appa. While traveling over frigid southern ocean waters, a sudden storm caused Appa to plunge deep into the sea. Threatened with drowning, Aang unconsciously entered the Avatar State, and used Airbending and Waterbending to encase himself and Appa in an ice bubble, forcing them into a state of suspended animation. The ocean currents propelled the bubble into the icy waters surrounding the South Pole, where it could not thaw, and instead formed into an iceberg. [13]
The series opens one hundred years later, with the Fire Nation on the brink of victory in its imperialist war. All Air Nomads are believed dead. The Water Tribes are in crisis — the Southern Water Tribe’s warriors have left to wage war, leaving their home defenseless, while the Northern Water Tribe, though largely intact, is continually on the defensive.[17] The vast Earth Kingdom is now the only true barrier to the Fire Nation’s world conquest, but as the Fire Nation continues to encroach on its borders and conquer its territories, hopes of victory grow bleaker with each passing year.
April 25, 2008
Categories: Avatar . . Author: feddahl . Comments: Comments Off
As a child he lived with his mother in impoverished neighborhoods, moving from state to state until they finally took root in Detroit, Michigan in 1985.
He didn’t last very long in High School – he dropped out in 9th grade, however, in the mid to late 1990′s he began to take up rapping. He became known as the associated with local rap groups Basement Productions, The New Jacks and D12.
In 1995 he released his first rap album, Infinite, but it did not do very well and it was crashed by many critics.
In 1996, he began to gain some fame and following when the “white rapper” won the Wake Up Show’s Freestyle Performer Of The Year award, and followed this up by a second place finish in the 1997 Rap Coalition’s Los Angeles’ Annual Rap Olympics. His critics began to become his admirers.
On a personal note, in 1996 he had a daughter with his girlfriend Kim.
In 1997, he released his second album on an independent label The Slim Shady EP. The album was very successful with his core audience.
People in the music industry began to take notice, and Dr. Dre, owner of Aftermath Records signed him to a record deal. The Slim Shady LP was released in 1999 and became an instant favorite to not only his core listeners, but also to a wider audience making it to #2 on the Billboard Album Chart. Some of the hype of this album was due to its controversial lyrics, which made news headlines around the country to give Eminem a lot of free negative publicity – and cause teens to purchase the album even faster. He was given even more publicity when his own mother filed a lawsuit stating that the lyrics cause her emotional distress. There was also a public feud between him and pop star Christina Aguilera, who claimed his lyrics falsely accused her of having oral sex with two celebrities (Fred Durst and Carson Daily). Then there was his weapons and assault convictions (he had to do community service) Yes, these caused more people to buy his albums. He was also able to give white rappers some acclaim within the industry. For his work on the ablum, he won two Grammy Awards: Best Solo Performance (“My Name Is) and Best Rap Album (The Slim Shady LP)
The Marshall Mathers LP was released in May of 2000 to great fanfare and debuted at number one on the U.S. album charts. Of course, there was more controversy, this time by gay-rights groups saying that his lyrics and videos were derogatory towards the day community.
When it came time for the Grammy Awards, he took home three, and to show the world that he was not homophobic, he performed live with Elton John (singer and know homosexual), and they even had a warm embrace on stage afterwards. The Grammy wer: Best Rap Solo Performance (The Real Slim Shady), Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group (w/Dr. Dre), and Best Rap Album (The Marshall Mathers LP)
2002 was another banner year for Eminem, with his next hit album, The Eminem Show.
He also took his talent to the big screen in 2002, with the release of the movie Eight Mile, where he plays a white rapper. The movie was a box office success. Even more surprising was his acting, and he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for this movie.
In 2004 he release two more albums, D12 World, with his former group from Detroit and the album Encore. Both have been successful, but what else is new? The controversy in 2004 arose from his videos from Encore. For the Mosh video, he goes into the political arena and sends a very anti-Bush message, while in another media, he makes fun of celebrities, such as Michael Jackson. When Jackson brought his complaints public, it only brought more attention to the albums, and more sales.
“I do say things that I think will shock people . . . but I don’t do things to shock people. I’m not trying to be the next Tupac, but I don’t know how long I’m going to be on this planet. So while I’m here, I might as well make the most of it.”
Linkin Park is a truly unique band. They are not just Rock, Rap, or
Electronica band. They comprimise of a veritable mixture of different styles
and stylists in music, This makes them a hybrid in the type of music they
play and their fan-base too.
Linkin Park’s origin began in 1996 when rapper guitarist Brad Delson and the
infamouis Mike Shinoda started a band called Xero. Other members of the
band were Mark Wakefield the vocalist, Joseph
Hahn the DJ, Rob Bourdon the drummer, and “Phoenix” Farrell the bassist.
Xero made a four track demo tape including: Fuse, Stick N’ Move, Rhinestone,
and Reading My Eyes.
When Mark Wakefield left the band, they changed their name to Hybrid
Theory. Later “Phoenix” chose to leave the band to tour with another band,
called”The Snax”. The rest of the gang continued to play together primarily
for fun. They later, signed with Zomba Music an occasion that came about
when they played at The Whiskey Club in Los Angeles. The final addition to
the band came in the form of Chester Bennington.
Magical Chester, in our humble opinion, was absolutely the missing catalyst.
His extra-ordinary voice lets him deliver the lyrics at a gentle yet
aggressive pace. He can hit pitch notes like no other. Chester humbly even
blames this on “years of singing” and “scar tissue”. We absolutely love him.
His arrival completed the Band. Thus in 1999 Carousel, And One, Technique,
Step up, High Voltage & Part of me were born as a six track EP, to
tremendous applause.
Some legal wrangling made it necessary to change the band’s name. True to
their “hybrid’ spirit Linkin Park was chosen. Members drove by Lincoln Park
regularly so why not use a similar sounding, unique name. Chester has been
recorded to say he wanted a name which was unique, “where the music could
define the name rather than the name define the music”. Phoneix pulled a
mythical rebirth and rejoined the band fulfilling his destiny. New demos
were made and the chase for a record label was on. Warner Records were lucky
to hear the music, like it and sign up Linkin Park. A massive page in their
history was written.
Linkin Park released their debut album, Hybrid Theory In October 2000,. Hits
like One Step Closer, Crawling, and In The End were born. Hybrid Theory
eventually received 8x platinum. Hybrid Theory does not follow a trend set
up by a lot of other bands in that it doesn’t contain any curses or swear
words. This was because the band wanted to write lyrics honestly and they
thought that unnecessary swear words take away attention from the music.
They wanted something that the public could listen to over and over again
and enjoy repeatedly. At it’s completion they felt they had achieved this
feat with Hybrid Theory.
After Hybrid Theory was released, Linkin Park’s fame permitted them to tour
all over the world. They toured with bands like POD, 3 Doors Down, and
System Of a Down.
July of 2002, saw LP release the Hybrid Theory Remix album, Reanimation.
These remixes included talent from rappers like Black Thought and 20 tracks
were cut.
In March of 2003, LP released their 2nd year album, Meteora. This album
includes hits like Somewhere I Belong, Numb,, and Faint. Included on Meteora
and Reanimation were ground breaking extras. They contained enhanced
portions. These parts of the discs included videos and other extra ‘goodies”
fans could view on their PC. The band wanted to use technology and let the
fans to see the process of making albums . This helped them share all the
“Blood, Sweat and Tears,” they put into making the albums .
Linkin Park has won numerous awards including an award at the VMAs. Their
popularity has grown world-wide. They are now truly international with a
multitude of fans. From their hybrid genres to their non offensive
swear-free lyrics, to their use of turntables and samples, Linkin Park cover
a truly versatile ground and provide an entertaining and unique performance
My name is Federico Dahlgren, I live in Villa Ruiz.
I like practicing Tae-Kwon-Do and playing rugby.
Regarding music, I like rap, and Punk Rock, my favourites bands are Eminem, Nickelback, and Linkin Park.