Oh No They Didn't: Kid Caught Peeking On The Big Screen
After taking some candy from this cheerleader during a basketball game, this youngster also took the opportunity to check out some other things. This kid, I get him.
Animal Farm
Animal Farm was first published in 1945, four years before writer George Orwell’s second masterpiece, 1984. This short novel – usually printed with between 50 and 100 pages – is the allegorical tale of a revolution on a farm. The animals are tired of being exploited by their non-producing human masters and kick them out. What follows is the corruption of a utopia, brought about by the thirst for power of the new leaders of the farm, the pigs.
Orwell’s target was the USSR. The old boar’s speech in the beginning of the story, which prompts the animals into action, bears many similarities to The Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engles. The two pigs who alternately rule Animal Farm were caricatures of Stalin and Trotsky.
But this story could apply to any government, much like how the extremism of Big Brother in 1984 has many parallels to much more moderate modern governments, including our own. It also clearly illustrates the common phrase, adapted from Lord Acton, that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Not only one of the most masterful satires ever made, Animal Farm is also a better lesson in history, politics and human nature than most textbooks. We see the essential elements of a totalitarian government: the cult of personality, propaganda and fear and the concept Orwell later called doublethink, which is also known as cognitive dissonance. When you are told outright lies, how do you react?
Revolutions come and go, and while there may be good reasons for them, Orwell teaches us that what comes next can be much worse.
Things You Should Probably Know: What Alcohol Does To Your Brain
ASAPScience always make me happy with their "Your Brain On Drugs" series. Whether it's because they trigger dopamine, or because I simply enjoy learning, I am never sure. In this installment, get a little peek behind the curtain of what alcohol does to your brain.
Pulling At My Heartstrings: Sloopy The Dancing Chihuahua
Monday mornings, am I right? Little Sloopy here just wants the Thanksgiving turkey, and his owner gave him quite the theme music while he attempts to reach it. Almost there, Sloopy!
Fashion tips for holiday parties
The holidays are upon us. This means shopping, budgeting, watching that we don’t go overboard on all the delicious food and holiday parties. The parties are fun. It gives us a chance to mingle with those we love, those we don’t always see and even those we only semi-like. However, for many people these parties are something to dread because they never know what to wear.
Do women always have to wear a dress? Do they have to wear heels? Do they have to give up their favorite pair of jeans? It depends on the type of party.
If it's an office party, the first rule is not to show too much skin. This means you can wear a dress or a nice skirt. However, skip the minis. If the invitation states that you should dress your best, you can add a little flash and flare with a little bit of metallic or a pair of red pumps. Yes, heels are ideal for this type of party (if you can stand them). A red purse is ideal, as well.
Invitations that read “Creative Black Tie” is a formal invitation. This means you can wear that full length dress. You can also dress it up with some jewelry and a really nice purse.
Festive attire is another name for a casual party. This would be an event that you could wear your favorite pair of jeans, if they are nice. You can dress them up with a satin blouse or simple white top paired with a green blazer. You can also dress up your look with jewelry or bold shoes.
Yes, red is the main color for holiday parties. Yet, if you don’t like red or don’t look good in it,Remember green, black and silver also look great. Plus, wearing these colors shows that you have some imagination.
If you plan on going shopping before any of the upcoming parties you wish to attend, try to purchase items that will work for the party and other engagements you will have throughout the year. This way you will be getting your money’s worth.
Gifts you can buy your cats
Whether it is Christmas, her birthday or just a dull Monday, there are many delightful things you can buy for your favorite feline friend that will start her purring. No, purchasing gifts for your cat is not silly, even if you are purchasing them for a holiday occasion.
After all, in most homes, the cat or cats are not just animals or pets, they are part of the family. As a member of the family, they deserve a little gift now and then. They also deserve a gift during the holidays.
What can you buy for your feline friend that she would consider a gift? You can start with the obvious. You can buy toys. Most cats will enjoy some type of toy. This can be something as inexpensive as those cute little jingle balls or catnip filled mice. Some cats even enjoy playing with small stuffed animals.
They will toss them up in the air, chase them and act like they are prey. If you go this route, be weary of stuffed animals with buttons or beads that can come loose with rough play. If you want to make a toy for your cat consider making something that will roll. Of course, catnip filled toys are fun for most cats.
Most cats will also enjoy treats. You can buy a variety of these from the crunchy to the soft kind.
Cat beds may be a hit with some cats. Yet, don’t be offended if they don’t rush to the bed at once. Cats have to find their own sleeping quarters and it may take them time to become interested in that new bed. Just place it somewhere where that kitty can see it daily and with time she may decide to try it out, all on her own.
You may be tempted to buy cute collars and clothes for your feline friend. Yes, they are darling. However, most cats will agree they should be left at the pet store and should never be put on them. Of course, if you have to walk your cat on a leash, then you have a reason for the shiny collar.
Then kitty just has to deal with the annoyance. If you don’t need to walk kitty on a collar, this writer advises leaving these cute accessories at the store and consider purchasing toys as presents. After all, the present is supposed to be for kitty and to make kitty happy.
Ankor Wat Half Marathon
On December 2nd, more than 6,000 motivated runners will set off around one of Cambodia’s main tourist attractions, Ankor Wat. Though the heat is outrageous, and the trip to Cambodia isn’t always pleasant, the annual race boasts thousands of runners and beautiful scenery for the 13.1 mile run. Entry fees are around $35, and shuttles take runners from Siem Reap to the main entrance. Registration is still open until the night before the race.
In its 17th running, the Ankor Wat Half is boasting its largest numbers yet. With 10 days and counting until the gun sounds, nearly 6,500 people have already registered to run the race. Along with a ½ marathon, runners can also enter in a 10K or 3K family fun run. There is also a 10K specifically for those with artificial limps, starting off only a few minutes after the ½ marathon gun blares.
Before the race, registered runners can enjoy the ½ Marathon Eve Party in the Prince D’Angkor Hotel and Spa. In true running fashion, the party starts early, around 6 p.m., and ends around 8 p.m. so runners can get a good night’s sleep before the race.
The course itself starts and ends at the Ankor Wat temple. The route follows the small loop that many travelers take while visiting the temple. Along the way, runners will not only get a glimpse of magnificent Ankor Wat temple, but also 14 other temples, multiple temple gates with large stone faces, as well as the Elephant Terrace. The race is one long loop with a few out and back type areas.
Although the entry for the race doesn’t include a ticket to the temples afterwards, the race does support a few local charities. Some of the biggest recipients of the day are children and the people with disabilities. The Ankor Wat Half is partnering with the Cambodian Red Cross, as well as an educational NGO called Hearts of Gold, The Cambodian Trust, who works with disabled and creating prosthetic limbs and Handicap International of Belgium. Money raised from individual sponsorship pages of runners, as well as entry fees, is split between the chosen charities.
If running and traveling are two of your favorite activities, look no further than the Ankor Wat Half Marathon. Though the heat may be brutal, the chance to see the magnificent temples of Ankor Wat is something everyone should do in their lifetime. Enjoy the run, and don’t fear adding a few seconds to your time to take in a few of the sights.
I don't think this normally happens
The route from Siem Reap to Bangkok isn’t exactly off the beaten path. In fact, with Southeast Asia being such a popular place for young backpackers, heading from the temples of Ankor Wat, to the cultural smorgasbord known as Bangkok is a pretty standard route. While in Siem Reap, each corner advertises buses, vans and taxis, and for as little as $10, you can get from one country to the other in a matter of hours. With all this being said, one would assume the journey would be clockwork by this point. One, in fact, would be wrong then.
I should have known things weren’t going to go in my favor when there were four of us slated to leave from my hostel, and a single moto driver showed up to take us to the bus stop. From here, the moto driver went to borrow a tuk tuk, and delivered us in two turns to a bus stop with literally 150 balangs. We all wanted to go to Bangkok, but the single bus they sold us tickets for wasn’t enough to squeeze us all in. One bus turned into three, and with people sitting on the floor, and after two unnecessary commission stops, we found ourselves at the border.
The queue to leave Cambodia took about 45 minutes, and with Thailand not asking for visas to enter, I assumed that would be the longest wait for the journey. It had already taken us nearly five hours to get here, and though I assumed the trip would be longer than the slated eight hours to make it to Bangkok, I was hoping it wouldn’t take too long. I walked in the heat to the Thai side of the border, and hopped in a long line I assumed would fly by. This, though, was an absolute fallacy.
The line moved quickly at first, but as quickly as it had moved, it quickly turned into a brick wall. The western foreigners were all shuffled into three lines, and minutes turned into hours. The westerner line was to the left wall of the complex, and Thais and other Asians ran past on the right, quickly being hauled through.
Tempers were beginning to flare, and as I sat on my backpack listening to music, I found myself questioning why I had decided to even return to Thailand. After three hours, the line began to move, and within the 4th hour, our entire three busloads made it through the border.
From here we waited to get mini-buses for all 150, and luckily, I was in the first load departing. It took another four hours from the border to get to Bangkok, clocking our entire trip at around 14 hours. It was 10 p.m. before I saw the lights of the city begin to flicker, and 11 p.m. before I found a guesthouse with an open room.
Tips on not hating Thai people
I’ve written about it before, but Thailand is a really weird place for me. There have been few places I’ve traveled to that I disliked, and it’s not that I actually dislike Thailand, but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. For some reason, I just don’t have the immediate fondness for it that many of its visitors do. But, with only nine days left on my journey, and having worn out my welcome (or visa) in Cambodia, Thailand was the closest option that didn’t cost money to enter. Here are some tips to avoid the Thai people and tourists who can sour the beautiful country.
Don’t go to extremely touristy areas: Thailand is a very touristy place now. Sure, there are a few off the beaten path areas in the extreme east and west in the north, but for the most part, Thailand has been well discovered, documented and dominated by tourists. With this being said, there are still certain places that are way more inundated with farangs than others, i.e. Full Moon Parties and Khao San Road. If you want to meet the worst of the worst in both tourist and locals, look no further than these areas. If you don’t want to dislike all the people in Thai tourism, feel free to skip them.
Just say no to Tuk Tuks: Cab drivers aren’t always the most pleasant of people, but when in Bangkok, just say no to Tuk Tuks. They have no meter, and most the drivers have no remorse in waiting all day to get a lot of Baht for a short distance traveled. Most taxi drivers will give you a metered ride, so avoid the hassle and avoid Tuk Tuks altogether.
Don’t be an asshole: Part of why there is a bad feel in some of Thailand is because of tourists coming in general. It took me awhile to decide if Thai people always hated tourists, or they were spurned by them, but the truth is, many tourists who come here act like scum. Just because Thailand is easy to travel in, and there are a lot of opportunities to be ridiculous, doesn’t mean you need to represent the west horribly. Don’t be a dick. Learn some language and respect the local culture.
Thailand is a beautiful country with a vibrant culture and a lot to offer. Make sure you do some research prior to the trip, and don’t fall into the idea that even if you can do something in Thailand, that it is a good thing.
The Rolling Stones give a rousing first concert in London
When tickets for the big new Rolling Stones tour were first announced, I was over the moon! Then I realized that I don't live in London, Newark or Brooklyn, so I knew I'd be eagerly reading as many post-show reviews as possible and watching videos from the shows until my eyeballs melted.
I'm happy to say my eyeballs are still intact, though they did bug out just a bit at the incredible set list from the Stones' first show at London's O2 Arena on Sunday night. For fans that could afford to be there (tickets were crazy high), they were treated to several hours of amazing, classic Rolling Stones songs.
Yes, I'm insanely jealous of anyone who was there. I am a huge fan, so missing out on a mini-tour of this magnitude is kind of killing me. Let's just say that the set list ranged from the band's most iconic hits ("Sympathy for the Devil," "Honky Tonk Woman," "It's Only Rock 'N' Roll" and "Brown Sugar," among them), but it also included some earlier Stones' tunes. The band opened up the show, for instance, with 1963's "I Wanna Be Your Man."
Thank you, Rolling Stones fans, for posting the videos so the rest of us all over the world can see clearly that Mick Jagger and the boys are still in rare form, all these years later.
I know that at the moment there are only five total shows in the Rolling Stones' "50 and Counting Tour," but I am hoping they add additional dates soon. This show was long, comprehensive and apparently really entertaining. I might have to work crazy long hours to afford the ticket...but I'm going if I can!