cereal

11 Things: Cereal

Thursday, July 31, 2008

In his mixed-media installation "The Land of a Million Cereals," Ryan Alexiev demonstrates how cereal is capitalism is consumerism is choice is illusion. The sheer variety is equal parts ridiculous and beautiful. It's art. With this in mind, we asked him to pour us 11 bowls of cereal. Sit down, grab a spoon and enjoy:

1. "The world's biggest cereal eaters are Ireland, England and America. The average American consumes 160 bowls per year."

2. "Each year, Americans buy 2.7 billion packages of cereal. If laid end to end, the empty boxes would stretch to the moon and back."

3. "It's the third most popular product sold at supermarkets behind carbonated beverages and milk."

4. "Edward Bernays asserted in 1954 that the crunch in the most successful cereals gave consumers an outlet for their hostile and aggressive feelings. Bernays is considered the inventor of public relations."

5. "Granula was the first ready-to-eat cold breakfast cereal, invented in 1863. The twice-cooked cereal was so hard it had to soak overnight in milk."

6. "Kellogg was obsessed with constipation and wrote a book, 'Constipation: How to Fight It.' He enjoyed a daily enema."

7. "Kellogg was a Seventh-Day Adventist and follower of the religious-health crusader Sylvester Graham (the Graham of Graham cracker fame). Kellogg believed eating meat led to masturbation."

8. "Charles Post was admitted for a nervous breakdown into Kellogg's Battle Creek Sanitarium. Rumor has it that he stole the recipe for the peculiar flakes being cooked up."

9. "Post earned the nickname 'the grandfather of American advertising.' He produced the first national advertising campaigns during a time when most everything was local."

10. "For a solid staple, I've grown to admire Grape-Nuts. For a sugary crack fix, you can't beat Cap'n Crunch."

11. "The Land of a Million Cereals" ends Saturday at Mission 17. Gallery hours are 1-6 p.m. Wed.-Sat. and by appointment. 2111 Mission St., Suite 401, San Francisco. (415) 861-3144. www.mission17.org. or www.ryanalexiev.com.


- Tim Sullivan, tsullivan@sfchronicle.com

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/31/NS3L120NTR.DTL

This article appeared on page G - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle

r.i.p.

creig flessel

the avengers

11 Things: The Avengers

Thursday, July 24, 2008

We asked Penelope Houston to tell us 11 Things about her band. She sent us 11 short stories about 11 great songs:

1. "Car Crash": "In May of 1977, when Danny Furious, Greg Ingraham and I formed the Avengers, we decided after playing one warehouse party that cover songs weren't going to cut it. We wrote six songs in the week before our first Mabuhay show. 'Car Crash' was a keeper."

2. "I Believe in Me": "Also written in that first week but only with lyrics for the chorus. A few months later, when we recorded a single for Dangerhouse Records, I was still ranting over the verses. The time came to do the real vocal overdubs, but I was too nervous, so you'll hear my scratch vocals on the vinyl. (You will also hear Black Randy and John Doe yelling on the chorus.)"

3. "Teenage Rebel": "You never think about future performing of songs when you write them. But I'm still happy to sing this one, even though I'm in my third or fourth teen age!"

4. "Crazy Homicide": "Inspired by the Golden Dragon Restaurant Massacre of Sept. 1977 where 13 bystanders were shot up by the Joe-Boys in a gang-related assassination attempt."

5. "White N-": "People are always asking! This is about wage slavery, inspired by our original bassist, Jimmy Wilsey, who was working in a restaurant in '77. He went on to guitar greatness."

6. "Second to None": "Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols brought in this song when he produced us in 1978. I rewrote some of the lyrics. He recorded his version years later with the Professionals as '1, 2, 3 Baby.' "

7. "F- You": "The earliest Avengers love song."

8. "Corpus Christi": The only recorded song we wrote with our 1979 guitarist, Brad Kent. It's got some crazy 5/4 or 7/8 rhythm that confounds drummers. Billy Joe Armstrong did a version with me in 1999 that reminded me how good it feels to scream."

9. "End of the World": "A nice apocalyptic vision that we never properly recorded back in the day. I eventually went into the studio with Greg and bassist, Joel Reader, to do a new version for 'The Avengers Died for Your Sins' LP on Lookout. That's how we found our new bass player."

10. "The American in Me": "It's indefensible that after 30 years, with all the technological advancements and opportunities for communication, our country is still fighting pointless wars. Singing this song is one of my main reasons for continuing to perform Avengers shows."

11. "We Are the One": "The first song we'll play on Saturday ..."

The Avengers go on before Flipper and after the Mutants and Negative Trend. Target videos from 1977-1981 will be shown. 8 p.m. Sat. $25 (all ages). The Fillmore, 1805 Geary Blvd., San Francisco. (415) 346-6000. www.penelope.net. www.thefillmore.com.

- Tim Sullivan, tsullivan@sfchronicle.com

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/24/NS5811SK1A.DTL

This article appeared on page G - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle

happy birthday hasselhoff!

11 Things: Happy Birthday, Hasselhoff

Thursday, July 17, 2008

1. Hasselhoff to an epic start: David Michael Hasselhoff's first major role was Dr. William "Snapper" Foster Jr. on "The Young and the Restless" (1975-82).

Hasselhoffhand remark: The exact same TV show Travis Bickle was watching when he kicked his TV over in "Taxi Driver" (1976).

2. On again, Hasselhoff again: Hasselhoff played Michael Knight in "Knight Rider," "a young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless, in a world of criminals who operate above the law."

Hasselhoffhand remark: KITT called to wish him a happy birthday earlier this morning.

3. Not easily Hasselhoffended: In 2004, Hasselhoff landed the complex role of David Michael Hasselhoff in John Waters' "A Dirty Shame."

Hasselhoffhand remark: He nailed it.

4. On the Hasselhoffensive: In 2006, Hasselhoff fans started www.gethasselhofftonumber1.com in an attempt to send his 1989 hit "Looking for Freedom" to the top of the British music charts.

Hasselhoffhand remark: He made it to No. 3.

5. Hasselhoffbrau: When Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki was asked what he does to concentrate when shooting foul shots, he replied that he sings "Looking for Freedom" to himself.

Hasselhoffhand remark: Hasselhoff is "as much a fan of Nowitzki as Nowitzki is of him."

6. Hasselhoff Broadway: Hasselhoff portrayed Roger DeBris in the Las Vegas production of "The Producers."

Hasselhoffhand remark: Roger DeBris directed "Springtime for Hitler."

7. Hasselhoffspring: In 2007, a video surfaced of Hasselhoff in a drunken stupor, lying on the floor and eating a Wendy's hamburger in a Vegas hotel room. His daughter shot the video.

Hasselhoffhand remark: Her narration went something like this: "Tell me you are going to stop, tell me you are going to stop."

8. Hasselhoffkey: In November, Hasselhoff was reportedly working on an Oasis covers album to be released in Germany.

Hasselhoffhand remark: "Tell me you are going to stop, tell me you are going to stop."

9. Hasselhofficially: At 6 feet 4 inches, Hasselhoff is one of the best known tall actors.

Hasselhoffhand remark: On good hair days, he approaches 6 feet 9 inches.

10. Hasselhoff the charts: Hasselhoff's cover of "Hooked on a Feeling" reached No. 41 on the Swiss charts.

Hasselhoffhand remark: I've been hooked on a remarkably similar feeling since my vacation ended.

11. Hasselhoffering birthday wishes: Don't forget to drop Hoff a birthday note today at: www.hasselhoff.com, www.davidhasselhoff.com or www.myspace.com/davidhasselhoff.

Hasselhoffhand remark: Avoid www.esquilax.com/baywatch and YouTube.

- Tim Sullivan, tsullivan@sfchronicle.com

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/17/NSNT11OTKO.DTL

This article appeared on page G - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle