Many movies have been made about dreams and the fine line that separates our idea of what reality is and what is simply a creation of our mind, but few succeed at bringing you into that philosophical discussion while using special effects to create an action filled 148 minutes that manages to keep you on the edge of your seat while throwing you into the possibilities of those concepts head on, water deep and with the full impact of one's most perplexing dreams.
Inception, nurtured by the genious of Christopher Nolan and with an the excellent cast headed by Leonardo DiCaprio, is probably the Matrix or Blade Runner of our decade, a rare breed of action movie that is both, full of suspense, but also mind boggling at times.
It discusses the nature of reality and the fact that what we believe to be true is nothing but our brain's interpretation of what it perceives our world to be and that our mind can perceive illusions as real and create physical reactions that respond to what it creates.
Inceptions delves lightly into topics of insanity, parallel realities and dimensions, but presents them to the audience while whole worlds are folding in half, mountains collapse, people fight in zero gravity space and, of course, among a lot of shooting and car chases.
The movie can appeal to those who love special effects, to quantum physicists and phychologists, as well as teenage boys, but its complexity will annoy those who aren't willing to take an incredibly bumpy ride with Nolan among dreams within dreams that are also within dreams. The depth and intricacy of the puzzle can make you believe at times that it is all a figment of your own very confused mind, creating a dream you'd like wake up from, but can't.
Inception is well worth the discomfort, if you are willing to read between the lines and consider all the doors it opens. Brilliantly done!
We live in a world that should be working on finding alternative forms of energy to free us from oil. Tar Sand oil is one of the dirtiest and most expensive oils. Ask president Obama to reject the permit for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, which will increase our addiction to this dirtiest of oils. Watch the video to learn more and sign the petition below:
This unbelievable song has once again been recorded to help relief pain in the world. From helping people in Africa in 1985 to it's newest recording, helping people in Haiti in 2010, it seems as fresh and relevant as always.
YouTube was created in 2005, but much like Google, it feels like it’s been around forever. We post our videos on YouTube, look for some silly entertainment during boring afternoons and send videos along to friends much like old ladies used to spread gossip around town not very long ago. But should you be limited to YouTube?
Let’s be honest, there is a whole world of streaming video online that most people have never seen because they have settled for YouTube.
Most sites have the same features, or features even better than YouTube has and some have a more specialized selection or much higher quality videos.
Joomla is one of the most popular Content Management Systems (CMS) in the world, used in over 30 million sites, with over 200,000 community users and endless amounts of extensions. There are extensions for almost every purpose: social networking, advanced comment services, checkout services, easy-to-setup photo albums, the list is endless. So how do you sort through all of them to find those that can really improve your visitors’ experience? Click below for some of the free Joomla extensions you shouldn’t be without: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-free-joomla-extensions-live/
I have found myself dreading the acknowledgement that it is again 9/11 for many reasons. Partly because it's a reminder of such a terrible tragedy, though I feel it is necessary to be reminded of those who died that day with a sense of respect and wishes for those left behind, who, because of the media attention, won't be able to pretend today is just another day like any other. The second reason is because it reminds me of how the Bush administration has used all that suffering for its own benefit and has, as a result, caused twice as many deaths of Americans and an incredible number of civilian deaths. The justification for this atrocity is so beyond my comprehension I decided to just let the numbers speak for themselves.
Number of deaths 9/11 2001 = 2,993 Number of deaths of American soldiers in Iraq as of today = 4,261 Number of Iraqi deaths (mostly civilians) as of today = 101,539
Then how is one to face yet another 9/11? I decided to just allow myself to be reminded of how we felt then, when compassion from others for the violence we had suffered and a deep sense that killing people unjustifiably was an unreasonable and vicious act was the focus. When we couldn't imagine causing those deaths ourselves. Who knew what was to come...
David Letterman's words that day. A rare and raw moment of humanity in american television:
Tay is one of those unique musicians that would never have been considered "cool enough" for most music companies. Well, the power of the internet has showed its face because he is becoming an overnight sensation. His unique style, unique voice, and, gee, unique everything else has given him a cult following.
It is during a time like this, when a huge celebrity dies, when people are gathering on the streets and crying over the loss that makes us all wonder why. Why do people care that much? Why is it that all the media outlets that constantly used him as a way of making money by pointing every single flaw, now treat him like a dear lost friend? The answer is simple:
There is one thing this culture enjoys more than making idols, and that is to destroy them, and it's particularly successful at that. Truth is, we will never know for sure what Michael Jackson did, what he didn't do. Is it possible that he's done a lot of harm? Of course it is, but we simply don't know. It is also very possible he paid people off for knowing he would have never had a chance in court. His weird behavior had been reported by the media for years and had become a joke of sorts. He exposed himself and his flaws in the most human of ways, and yet, people stopped looking at him as a human being, a child prodigy who was made even more flawed by living such a surreal life. People forget that behind the shiny gloves and the dance moves, was someone's child, someone's parent, someone's friend and that some basic human courtesy is due.
What cannot be denied is that he was the creator of the songs that permeated millions of lives. To me, he represents kids dancing on the streets while we tried to copy Thriller, dance parties and dressing up with a single shiny glove and having people think that was cool. Wondering what moves he'd come up with and understanding we could have never guessed.
He was absolutely unique. Not thinking and behaving like everyone else is what made him so brilliant, even if that is what made him lose his boundaries later in life.
"We are the World" was my first exposure to the fact that children were hungry in places other than Brazil and that solving it at home was not enough. "Beat it" showed homeless kids in the streets of Brazil that they could dance like "Makel"( how they called him) and make enough to have a few meals and have people actually clap and sing along instead of pretending they didn't exist. People all over the world have stories, moments in their lives and reasons to associate them with one of his songs and the wonder that it just seemed soooo perfect at the time.
That joy and that talent is what people are mourning. It is sad to know we will never see that talent in action again. RIP, Michael. It's about time...
First saw this filipino girl sing when she was 12 years old doing a crazy Korean talent show and she blew me away. Few people can sing with their whole soul no matter how old they are. Amazingly she is even better today, at 16!!!
Below, Charise today with lyrics to her new song: Note to God.
November 4th, 2008 will be known to history as the day Americans woke up from a dark, greedy, ignorant, aggressive, selfish, destructive, war loving and uneducated view of the world to a time of moderation, unity, intelligence, diversity and yes, major change.
As I walked down the street, shortly after the announcement that the African American Barack Hussein Obama (yes, even with a name like that) had been elected president of the United States, restaurants and bars exploded with cheer, people screamed Obama and honked their horns on the streets. Millions country wide felt a need to gather in public places and filled Times Square, national parks and surrounded the White House. One stranger looked at me after I screamed Obama and said, "I am walking to Times Square. Who's with me?" And about 200,000 were there that night, with him. People of all races, all faiths, all social economic status were there to prove that what had separated us for so long had begun to finally crumble, not just in theory, but in a presidential election. Complete strangers gave me high fives when they recognized that my smile mirrored their own relief. And oh, so many of us cried tears of joy at the knowledge that a new era had begun, and that it had been brought about by people who had finally united to say ENOUGH...
Sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom for a revolution to happen and we'd been on the bottom for a while now. So now that the air feels lighter, and the world seems to once again be celebrating something American, what has really changed?
The basics are obvious. Obama has built his campaign on reform of the economy, so it benefits people, not large corporations. On health care reform, so people won’t die from lack of treatment in a country as rich as this one. On immigration reform, so those who are working the hardest jobs in this country will have a chance to do so legally and contribute with taxes. On international reform, so the rest of the world stops fearing that the USA will continue to bully smaller countries to take their resources and attack without provocation, which should bring more stability and less aggressive behavior against America, as well as reducing the number of unnecessary deaths of young American people who have been sent abroad under false pretenses. And also on the constitutional values that we are all created equal and should have the same rights, no matter what your race, religion or sexual preference.
It is also all about small, but major steps. It started early in the day, with the excitement brewing just beneath the surface, when I heard a teenage African American girl talking to a friend and saying "I think I could be a good politician. I care about injustices and my teacher says I am a really good debater." That seems like a simple small comment, but embedded in it is the transition from the victimized, angry position which some African Americans have found themselves, to the knowledge that.. "Yes, you can.", and if you think the color of your skin is the reason not to try, look at your president. For once, the example African American youth will see are not drug dealers on tv shows and video games and rappers with women shaking their bodies to them and giant diamond jewelry with references to violence and crime, but a Harvard educated, gracious and centered minded man, who has at his side an equally educated, intelligent and independent woman. A man who cares about his family and who happens to have become the president of the United States, against all odds. Her comment also shows another change, the thought that politicians can be there to HELP people. Something we haven't seen in about 8 years.
Talking to another teenage friend, one who had traveled, called and knocked on doors during this campaign, I was moved by one of her comments. She said “In all of my life, this is the first time I have something good I can tell my children I've been part of. So far it has only been tragedies... Bush president, 9/11, wars, Tsunami, Katrina... This is the happiest thing I've ever been a part of." She is one of many teenagers I know who traveled from NYC to Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, not because their parents went, but because they wanted their voices heard, even if they couldn't vote. And their voices were loud, determined and demanding a better future. Young people made this election a success because they haven't learned to be cynical and hopeless yet. Now there is hope that they never will.
So here we are. In the same country that "elected" Bush for the second time only four years ago, with an African American president with a weird name. With young people participating in politics and people celebrating a new elected president with complete strangers.
As a poster seen on tv from the coverage in Chicago said: “Hold on people. Help is on the way. Obama is president...”
The numbers are below: By winning 52 percent of the popular vote, Barack Obama joined the ranks of FDR and LBJ in being the only Democratic presidents to get more than 51 percent of the popular vote in the past 100 years. 52.3% of the popular vote to McCain's 46.2% 349 of the electoral votes, to McCain's 159 18% of the voters were aged 18-29. 66% of them voted for Obama 1 in 10 voters were voting for the first time. 13% of the voters were African American. 96% of them voted for Obama. 77% of the Jewish vote %55 percent of young white voters supported Obama. No Democratic president in history has won more than 45% of young white. 67% of the Hispanic vote
Elections, mortgage payments, war and earthquakes, even celebrity gossip and the new fad diet.. they all keep us focused on the our lives and a very limited and small section of this great whole we belong to. But then, once in a while, human ingenuity comes up with a tool that reminds us of just how small we are in relation to the big picture and how even smaller our little bickerings seem from a different perspective.
This time, the tool came from big, old Microsoft, and it came to make a statement. I am a long time Google fan, and was excited to try Google Sky when they launched it, but the usages of the tool are limited and clunky. In a beautiful competitive move, Microsoft came up with World Wide Telescope ( yes, terrible title. They still need a lot of help with marketing), which happens to be one of the most user friendly and interactive tools around, sure to please kids curious about the universe and scientists alike. The software, which can be downloaded for free from: http://www.worldwidetelescope.org/ not only allows for the exploration of the universe from different satellite collections and perspectives, but also has a library of guided tours where professors, cosmologists and even curious amateurs can post their "tours" so you can learn about the universe from different minds all over the world.
Microsoft research, this humble geek with a penchant for quantum physics and cosmology thanks you... Let's see if Google can up the ante.
It has been a difficult month for millions across the world. Besides all of the issues already happening, there have been 2 major natural disasters. First, Cyclone Nargis hits Myanmar and death tolls can reach as many as 100 000 and as many as 2 million people could be homeless. Not much later China suffers it's largest earthquake in 30 years and as many as 10000 people were killed in a province of just over 160000. it is believed that at least 900 of them were students buried when their schools collapsed.Our thoughts, prayers and wishes for some peace are with the victims and their families. .. Help Children in Myanmar (Burma)
For those who don't know, "2 Chinese Boys" have a series of internet stupid videos that have become a sensation in China. They even do live performances now. Below is one of their videos.
