Seems like Prince Harry is off to the frontlines again.
That sounds wonderful and all, but why must this be reported?
I believe that it's all just a publicity act. I mean, would the Royal family really put one of their heirs in danger?
I think that if he were really to fight in the front lines, he would do it in secrecy. There would be no paparazzi, no news source tailing him around. He would just be there and we would know nothing about it, and maybe those folk in England would think that he was simply missing.
We all like to praise celebrities and whatnot for the seemingly selfless acts they do, like donating a million to x charity, or adopting a child from a developing nation. Do we really think that they're doing it out of the goodness of their hearts, or are we once again just placing these people on a pedestal, wanting to believe that they are in fact this good.
2011/05/27
2011/05/25
There is no doubt that this vibrant display of colours in the sky reflected onto the lake is a wonderful sight to see.
But it had me thinking about something completely different.
The projection of the sky on the lake looks so realistic that if you were to flip it upside down, it would look to same. One could perhaps say that it could pass off as reality.
So who's to say that the world we're living in now is or is not real? Maybe all the senses we perceive, like my fingers punching against the keys of this keyboard, or my eyes scanning the textbox of the page as I type this entry... is this really reality?
Humans like to blow things out of proportions, overthinking things, and all for what? For this material world in which the reality isn't really confirmed? We shouldn't make such a big deal out of things because in the end, they really don't matter. We'll all die, our existence will cease, and we'll just be another lost life in this "reality".
2011/05/23
Nature's Complementary Gift
The vivid colours of this photograph really serve to draw the viewer in.
An the amazing thing is that the colours are not artificial, they're not painted on or thrown together through a rigorous colour matching process which some of us humans painstakingly do everyday.
No, it comes naturally. Nature is not shallow or judgemental, it does not criticize you for terrible fashion coordination skills. Everything in nature just seems to flow together in a very innocent way, just as every living being should be.
2011/05/20
Too Old for Botox?
An aesthetician from San Francisco has apparently injected her 8-year old daughter with Botox.
Hoax or not, the story somewhat bears the same premise as the TLC show Toddlers and Tiaras
I believe that in the past few decades, children have been growing up with unrealistic expectations to fulfill.
They are no longer considered as children, but mere dolls that parents can dress up and decorate to their liking. That, and they seem to be growing up too fast, already concerned over their fine lines and wrinkles.
Just let children be children.
Hoax or not, the story somewhat bears the same premise as the TLC show Toddlers and Tiaras
I believe that in the past few decades, children have been growing up with unrealistic expectations to fulfill.
They are no longer considered as children, but mere dolls that parents can dress up and decorate to their liking. That, and they seem to be growing up too fast, already concerned over their fine lines and wrinkles.
Just let children be children.
2011/05/11
Extreme Couponing
I stumbled across this video today.
According to TLC, Extreme Couponing is a show which:
... profiles four shopaholics who use coupons to save thousands of dollars and amass huge stockpiles of goods. These shoppers go to the extremes, dumpster diving for coupons and spending hours a day searching the internet for great deals.
The lady in the video, Joyce, is seen purchasing over $200 worth of groceries. Hundreds of coupons later, the amount is reduced to under $80. Coupled alongside her store rewards card, she only has to pay around $7.
I wasn't sure whether to be infuriated or awestruck while watching the video.
For one, we've got this lady paying next to nothing for for over $200 worth of groceries while everyone else has to be full price. On the other, I realized that she is setting quite a good (if not slightly outrageous) example.
Joyce shows viewers what it means to be a smart shopper. With the economy doing so poorly and with more people losing their jobs, it would really help to save all the money you possibly can. The majority of people probably throw away any coupons they receive in the mail or use them improperly. If we followed Joyce's example, people could save hundreds per month off the cost required to feed their families.
It just takes a lot of hard work, rationalizing, and patience to save a lot of money.
According to TLC, Extreme Couponing is a show which:
... profiles four shopaholics who use coupons to save thousands of dollars and amass huge stockpiles of goods. These shoppers go to the extremes, dumpster diving for coupons and spending hours a day searching the internet for great deals.
The lady in the video, Joyce, is seen purchasing over $200 worth of groceries. Hundreds of coupons later, the amount is reduced to under $80. Coupled alongside her store rewards card, she only has to pay around $7.
I wasn't sure whether to be infuriated or awestruck while watching the video.
For one, we've got this lady paying next to nothing for for over $200 worth of groceries while everyone else has to be full price. On the other, I realized that she is setting quite a good (if not slightly outrageous) example.
Joyce shows viewers what it means to be a smart shopper. With the economy doing so poorly and with more people losing their jobs, it would really help to save all the money you possibly can. The majority of people probably throw away any coupons they receive in the mail or use them improperly. If we followed Joyce's example, people could save hundreds per month off the cost required to feed their families.
It just takes a lot of hard work, rationalizing, and patience to save a lot of money.
2011/05/09
Kate Middleton Goes Grocery Shopping
Kate Middle-- I mean the Duchess of Cambridge was seen grocery shopping at a supermarket.
Eyewitness reports say that she seemed to choose her groceries wisely, making healthy food options.
But why is this relevant?
Deep down, she's just a normal person at heart. She needs to buy food, but what she doesn't need is paparazzi following her around and people scrutinizing her every calorie-wise move.
Is it so strange that people "above" us need to buy food for themselves? Do they not eat normal food?
We need to stop viewing society at a hierarchial level and realize that these individuals are just like us. Perhaps economically wise we may be of a lower status than Kate and the rest of the royal family, but we really are equal.
I believe that us here in the masses have masochistic tendencies to place themselves on an inferior level compared to others, so that we can marvel at what a good life the superior people are living.
Maybe we're addicted to the sense of amazement we receive from seeing people live their lives in splendor, and it's better to dream than actually live out that sort of life if the opportunity strikes us.
Eyewitness reports say that she seemed to choose her groceries wisely, making healthy food options.
But why is this relevant?
Deep down, she's just a normal person at heart. She needs to buy food, but what she doesn't need is paparazzi following her around and people scrutinizing her every calorie-wise move.
Is it so strange that people "above" us need to buy food for themselves? Do they not eat normal food?
We need to stop viewing society at a hierarchial level and realize that these individuals are just like us. Perhaps economically wise we may be of a lower status than Kate and the rest of the royal family, but we really are equal.
I believe that us here in the masses have masochistic tendencies to place themselves on an inferior level compared to others, so that we can marvel at what a good life the superior people are living.
Maybe we're addicted to the sense of amazement we receive from seeing people live their lives in splendor, and it's better to dream than actually live out that sort of life if the opportunity strikes us.
Food
"You are what you eat" is a common phrase used to link an individual from the types of food they like to consume.
Fast food? Lazy and unskilled.
Gourmet cuisine? Rich and well-educated.
But such elegant designs on otherwise simple cupcakes is a feat that can be achieved by almost everyone. Decorating the interior of the cupcake can say a lot about your personality.
Is it the icing slathered on carelessly? Then you're the type that needs to calm done. Is the icing well spread on the top of the cupcake with little sprinkles and gems meticulously placed around the cupcake? Then you are a careful person with fine attention to detail.
I believe that if we all took the latter approach to preparing the food we eat, with such love for the craft of cooking and the appearance of the dish, then we could combat obesity.
Call it a far-fetched idea, but careful planning of what you put into the food during the process of preparing a meal can make you more health concious and more aware of what you eat.
2011/05/06
World's "Weirdest" Foods
Sympatico columnist Theresa Albert has compiled a list of various "weird" foods from around the world.
But what exactly constitutes as weird? What right do we have to call cultural food weird when we're eating steroid filled chicken, with it's bits and bones mashed up into pink goop, bleached with ammonia and artificially dyed and flavoured? This, ladies and gentleman, are your chicken nuggets from that fast food joint you love so much.
Perhaps we're too Eurocentric in our views regarding other cultures. There seems to be some sort of superiority complex taking effect when we look at the feats of other cultures, and we somehow end up thinking that ours is ultimately better than there's.
No, this food isn't weird (save for the human breast milk cheese which was only made to create a point), it's just unique to us. Us in this very globalised society.
Maybe it'd be better if the title were Food from Around the World instead.
But what exactly constitutes as weird? What right do we have to call cultural food weird when we're eating steroid filled chicken, with it's bits and bones mashed up into pink goop, bleached with ammonia and artificially dyed and flavoured? This, ladies and gentleman, are your chicken nuggets from that fast food joint you love so much.
Perhaps we're too Eurocentric in our views regarding other cultures. There seems to be some sort of superiority complex taking effect when we look at the feats of other cultures, and we somehow end up thinking that ours is ultimately better than there's.
No, this food isn't weird (save for the human breast milk cheese which was only made to create a point), it's just unique to us. Us in this very globalised society.
Maybe it'd be better if the title were Food from Around the World instead.
2011/05/05
Grenade
Bruno Mars' song Grenade was release some months ago, and is about a man wronged by his lover. Although he is well aware that she doesn't care for him, he is still willing to:
Catch a grenade for [her]
Throw [his] hand on a blade for [her]
[He'd] jump in front of a train for [her]
[He'd] do anything for [her]
[He] would go through all this pain,
Take a bullet straight through [his] brain
Yes, he would die for [her]
When mainstream radio isn't babbling on about sex, drugs, or booze, they're singing about killing themselves off because as a wise man named Kingsley once said, "that's just so romantic."
Really?
People thrive off this stuff, and I admit that as long as the song melody sounds nice, I am willing to drown out the lyrics and listen. But this song was just too crazy pass up. Songs like this will landmark my generation's taste in music for years to come.
I believe that somewhere, someplace, this song set up false expecations for some girl. She'll expect a man to blow himself up for her, but not being slicing off his hand and mutilating himself through a train crash.
Catch a grenade for [her]
Throw [his] hand on a blade for [her]
[He'd] jump in front of a train for [her]
[He'd] do anything for [her]
[He] would go through all this pain,
Take a bullet straight through [his] brain
Yes, he would die for [her]
When mainstream radio isn't babbling on about sex, drugs, or booze, they're singing about killing themselves off because as a wise man named Kingsley once said, "that's just so romantic."
Really?
People thrive off this stuff, and I admit that as long as the song melody sounds nice, I am willing to drown out the lyrics and listen. But this song was just too crazy pass up. Songs like this will landmark my generation's taste in music for years to come.
I believe that somewhere, someplace, this song set up false expecations for some girl. She'll expect a man to blow himself up for her, but not being slicing off his hand and mutilating himself through a train crash.
2011/05/03
People.
This video was incredible to say the least.
The narrator felt very alone. His journey each day on the NYC subway didn't ease his depression at all because he only witnessed countless strangers pass each other by without even a glance.
He decided to take up the task of asking complete strangers on the subway certain questions, regarding their existence, political perspectives, whether hate or love motivates them, and most imporantly, the meaning of life.
Many of these people had the same views, but each differed in their own aspect.
The video demonstrates how little we really know about the people around us, and the personal point I drew from it was that we shouldn't really judge people before we get to know them.
If we got to know total strangers, then we'd be exposed to a plethora of ideas and perspectives. These views are what makes everyone so unique. Also, as I have noticed in class sometimes, there may be students that look, dare I say, like deliquents. But when you really get them riled up and passionate about a topic, they can say some of the most enlightening and fascinating things. You may even agree with some of their points.
We've all got our own views, and although it may break social etiquette, from time to time, we should just share it with the person sitting next to us. Maybe you'll learn something, because we are all individuals living in this world and can use the knowledge and relations to improve ourselves and life around us.
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