Pop Culture
Posted on April 29, 2012 by skeptik@l
Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie an impressive 97% with a “certified fresh” title branded to its name. Upon its release, The Avengers has received nothing short of perfection in terms of its entertainment value. Let’s not forget the impressive special effects to wow audiences and critics. Who could argue? When justice prevails and good triumphs over evil – it is the ultimate crowd favourite in terms of thematic plots. Personally, I didn’t enjoy the movie as much as I should. I didn’t agree with how the movie did nothing to justify the cause of feminism. The portrayal of women (the character called Black Widow in particular) was deeply drenched in subjugation, I actually feel sorry for her.
Firstly, the obvious male majority in the special group of heroes is unmistakable. In the whole group of heroes, we see only one female heroine. I’m not exactly whining for the plight of… Continue reading →
Posted in Art, Modern Living, Pop Culture, Society |
Tagged Black Widow, Feminism, The Avengers
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Posted on April 25, 2012 by Austin Osoroh
Almost every relationship now relies on at least one of the elements of online dating, for needs as varied as communication, background checks or even break ups. The growing dependency of every day life on the internet makes the universality of online dating a coming certainty, rather than an just an option. While virtual dating still clearly has its issues, its advantages as frantically augmented by technology, continues to grow impressively.
Consider a forty-five year old woman, a high school teacher who had practically giving up on getting married after thirteen years of divorce. Her realities until she joined an online dating site was according to her own words, “…fruitless and underwhelming experiences of local bars hangouts and colleagues’ dates with huge dead-end signs flashing before there is a spark of compatibility.” Until she at the ‘nudging’ of an excited aunt who attended a wedding, the result of online dating… Continue reading →
Posted in Modern Living, Pop Culture, Society, Uncategorized |
Tagged divorce, online dating, relationships
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Posted on April 5, 2012 by Austin Osoroh
As the digital evolution remolds the reality of these times, it is an interesting proposition its offers for any meditation on its redefinition of the concept of style and class. The desire to stand out, or be different is preset condition of the human state, which is inseparable from the necessity and importance of identity. So it is therefore inconceivable that mankind, no matter how convergent
universal advancement propels his uniformity, will ever individually attain the similarities of his material products. It can be taken for granted, for example, that no matter how customized a particular car is differentiated both in design and manufacture from the rest of its brand, it will never be fully commensurate for comparison with the distinctiveness of the individual. Thus the notion and expression of both class and style through material medium such as fashion is at its loftiest, a mere imitative endeavor. Of… Continue reading →
Posted in Art, Pop Culture, Society, Uncategorized |
Tagged brand, class, fashion, style
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Posted on February 26, 2012 by skeptik@l
Movies have a way of capturing a side of a story that is possibly invisible to the eyes of individuals. Some may say the production of movies are frivolous and a waste of resources. In all honesty, it definitely is for most parts. But then there’s the side to it that dominates the bad points, the favorable side that is greatly appreciated by many – the story it tells. Movies make us all appreciate history as it depicts a dramatic side to what actually took place. This keeps viewers perpetually entertained.
For instance, the youth of today would most likely not have heard of titanic if not for the epic movie created by James Cameron. Fascination is created regarding the tragedy of a ship, destined for greatness only to be perished on its maiden voyage. Sure enough, one would assume that by now, the fascination with the Titanic has died… Continue reading →
Posted in History, Media, Pop Culture, Society |
Tagged Titanic
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Posted on February 16, 2012 by skeptik@l
It all started when Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun. Howard Carter was an English archaeologist and Egyptologist who was employed by Lord Carnarvon, also known as George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon. Carnarvon wanted Carter to supervise his excavations from 1907. From then on, Carnarvon provided Carter with the funds to work in the Valley of the Kings. After a couple of unsuccessful years, Carter finally made headline news upon the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb.
The beginnings of the “Mummy’s curse” was surfaced after the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt. Brian Handwork of the National Geographic tells us that
“The “mummy’s curse” first enjoyed a worldwide vogue after the 1922 discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor, Egypt.
When Howard Carter opened a small hole to peer inside the tomb at treasures hidden for 3,000 years,… Continue reading →
Posted in History, Mythology, Pop Culture |
Tagged Tutankhamun
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Posted on February 1, 2012 by skeptik@l
When I wake up every morning, the first thing I do is check my mobile phone. At the end of the day, the last thing I usually do is check my phone. This dependence or over dependence on technology has made me question the relevance of the Luddites in today’s world.
The term we are familiar with was coined after a social revolution which took place during the 19th century after the Industrial Revolution took place. The revolt was orchestrated by English textile artisans who were unhappy with the changes triggered by the Industrial Revolution. Due to the revolution, the artisans were left jobless. Also, they were not satisfied with how their lives were changing due to the Industrial Revolution.
The name of the social movement was inspired by King Ludd, a mythical figure who was believed to have lived in Sherwood Forest, just like Robin Hood. According to legend,… Continue reading →
Posted in Activism, History, Modern Living, Mythology, Pop Culture, Society, Technology & Innovation |
Tagged Luddites, Technology
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Posted on January 28, 2012 by skeptik@l
In the year 1487, Leonardo Da Vinci created the Vitruvian Man. The art piece was drawn on paper in pen ink. The Vitruvian Man portrays a male figure within both a circle and a square. Today, the Vitruvian Man is used as a modern symbol used by medical professionals and medical establishments. It is common knowledge that most medical industries make use of the Vitruvian Man as a representation of their healthcare establishments. So commonly featured, the Vitruvian Man exists as one of the most reproduced and referenced artistic images in our world today.
The symbolic significance of the Vitruvian Man shouldn’t be understated however, Smithsonian accounts for this in saying that
‘This was more than a geometrical statement. Ancient thinkers had long invested the circle and the square with symbolic powers. The circle represented the cosmic and the divine; the square, the earthly and the secular. Anyone proposing… Continue reading →
Posted in Art, Cover-up, Fascinating Characters, History, Pop Culture |
Tagged Leonardo Da Vinci, Vitruvian Man
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Posted on January 20, 2012 by skeptik@l
The power of a single rumour, if harnessed by the appropriate elements, has the ability to spread like wildfire. Most of the time, when this happens the supposed rumour gets exaggerated; twisted and turned so the fabrication of the information gets crafted well enough to suit the needs of the public.
“Paul is dead” is a notable conspiracy theory which originated in 1966. The urban legend maintained that Paul Mc Cartney, famous member of the English pop-rock band, The Beatles died in 1966 and was replaced by a lookalike.
Legend has it that on the night of the 9th of November, 1996, McCartney had a misunderstanding with the rest of the band members regarding the sound of a particular recording the group was working on. Known for having perfectionist tendencies, McCartney got frustrated with his band members for not getting the music right. McCartney left the studio in an… Continue reading →
Posted in Conspiracy Theory, Cover-up, History, Modern Living, Pop Culture, Propaganda, Society |
Tagged Paul McCartney, The Beatles
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Posted on December 26, 2011 by skeptik@l
Is religion dead? Recent events in the world today seem to suggest so. Hedonism is so rampant in 21st Century today; we can’t help but perform daily activities which bring pleasure and satisfaction only to us. It feels as though the whole outlook of the 21st Century is defined by selfish ideals. Whatever happened to cultured morals, spirituality and selflessness? Why is society today so hell-bent on progress, progress and personal progress? The religious devotees out there have an answer: The decline of religion can only equate to the rising influence of the Devil. In 1968, Roman Polanski produced Rosemary’s Baby a chilling, critically acclaimed movie.
Rosemary’s Baby is a 1967 horror novel by Ira Levin. It attained best-seller status and was later made into a film. It was written and directed by Roman Rolanski. The movie tells an unsettling story about a young Rosemary Woodhouse who moves into a… Continue reading →
Posted in Conspiracy Theory, History, Philosophy, Pop Culture, Religion |
Tagged Rosemary's Baby
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Posted on December 21, 2011 by skeptik@l
Today, a number of ingenious inventions have been inspired by movies and books. This includes the Decoded Neurofeedback inspired by The Matrix, a material which induces invisibility inspired by Harry Potter and even a pill to erase traumatic or bad experiences in your life inspired by Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. My personal favourite, an item from a movie which I wish I could possess is the hoverboard from Back to the Future.
The hoverboard is a form of transportation. Similar to a skateboard, the hoverboard makes use of levitation instead of wheels. After the release of the Back to The Future trilogy, fans have been obsessed about the possibility of the hoverboard’s existence. There have been several attempts to replicate the movie’s version of the hoverboard, but so far, none have made it commercially. There have even been rumours about the existence of the hoverboard. Some think that… Continue reading →
Posted in Art, Pop Culture, Science, Science Fiction |
Tagged Hoverborad, Nils Guadagnin
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Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie an impressive 97% with a “certified fresh” title branded to its name. Upon its release, The Avengers has received nothing short of perfection in terms of its entertainment value. Let’s not forget the impressive special effects to wow audiences and critics. Who could argue? When justice prevails and good triumphs over evil – it is the ultimate crowd favourite in terms of thematic plots. Personally, I didn’t enjoy the movie as much as I should. I didn’t agree with how the movie did nothing to justify the cause of feminism. The portrayal of women (the character called Black Widow in particular) was deeply drenched in subjugation, I actually feel sorry for her.
