Filed under: Bizarre, Design, Technology | Tags: capsule hotel, naps, sleep
Have you ever found yourself wandering around between appointments or classes without enough time to go back home and nap but enough time to stop into a café to get some coffee? If you’re stuck in such a situation, then you might be interested in a capsule hotel. Originally designed and opened in Japan, these tiny individual bunk-sized rooms-for-rent are now found in cities worldwide. Typical rooms are 2m x 1m x 1.2m- just enough room to lie down, though they are usually tall enough to sit up in.
Capsule residents
Most capsule hotel rooms have a television and internet availability, with different lighting and musical options. Although capsule hotels can be rented for extended periods of time, perhaps a more convenient option for those looking to nap would be a “nap pod”-
Nap pod in action
a variation on the overnight classic of the capsule hotel. MetroNaps is a company in New York that provides 20-minute naps for $14 to those who are zombies by their lunchbreak. Anyone who knows their nap schedule by heart can sign up for a membership as well. The MetroNaps company also sells the pods in which the naps take place- not quite a capsule, but a well-designed chair with a womblike encasement that wraps protectively over the sleepy customer.
The pull of the capsule hotel is that there is no commitment involved; you can walk in, spend the night in this strange community, and leave the next day without worry of cleaning up or packing (you can’t exactly bring much in your capsule). While the capsule is a great resource for those looking to crash somewhere cheap for the night, nap pods are an amazing and convenient way for weary citygoers to catch up on sleep. With locations in cities like New York, London and Amsterdam, they’re beginning to become more widespread with new locations opening fairly often.
Personally, I think I’d feel a bit claustrophobic. The capsules are very small, almost coffin-like, and although you can access the internet and watch t.v. I think more than anything I’d be kept awake by the novelty of the fact that I was sleeping in such a place. The nap pods, though, are sheer genius. I know I’ve found myself with little pockets of free time, wondering what to do with myself, and to think that all along I could’ve been power napping.
Robin
Many people may not consider graffiti “art” in the classic sense of the word; spraypainting one’s “handle,” or nickname, isn’t always the most elegant thing in the world. There are a lot of people out there who think of graffiti as simply haphazardly tagging walls or bridges, but for some graffiti artists the act and its intention go far deeper than vandalism. England, for those who don’t know, is home to the famous graffiti artist Banksy.
He’s had the rare mix of underground fame with his street art and public notoriety; some of his works (paintings, drawings, collages, etc.) are now owned by celebrities and those in high society. Banksy effectively bridged the gap between lowbrow spraypainting and classy art. I’ve had the fortune of seeing many of his works in person on the streets of London, and his photorealistic black, white and gray renderings usually have a deep underlying message- many reflect on the topic of Britain’s closed-circuit cameras, which seem to be on every corner, as well as myriad other social issues.
Banksy may be a veritable celebrity of the graffiti world, but recently word has emerged that a 10-year-old girl named Solveig may be threatening to steal his crown. Working out of the beach town of Brighton, England, Solveig has even graffitied on the Berlin Wall as well as tattooed someone with one of her characters. And she has formed what she calls the “AGC”- All Girl Crew- with a couple of friends who also like to graffiti.
Solveig with her tattoo
She’s only been at it for a few years, and is so very young, but Solveig has already gotten loads of attention for her work because of its graphic, child-like but very clearly well-made artworks. I call them artworks because they are not thoughtless pieces. She has a story behind most of her drawings, an explanation to why the piece looks the way it does and what the details are behind what’s going on. She paints scenes, seasonal or just for fun, and leaves her mark in places most significant to her. Brighton, a place I’ve been to and one of the loveliest beach towns I’ve ever seen, is already wildly colorful and dotted with houses that look like pastel-colored slices of cake. The addition of Solveig’s art could only add to the lighthearted beauty of the place.
Solveig's zombies
I’m not sure why people would refuse to consider pieces like the one above “art.” Britain must be somewhat used to the Banksy works peppering its streets, not to mention the throngs of imposters and well-intentioned followers who spraypaint in a bid to gain their own notoriety. Despite these works adding cultural character to areas of England, over 100 members of Parliament (including Tony Blair) signed off on a charter stating, “Graffiti is not art, it’s crime. On behalf of my constituents, I will do all I can to rid our community of this problem.” Have they forgotten the skyrocketing value of buildings that have been graced by Banksy’s work? How does public art possibly take away from something or someone- especially from the public? If this art is done in a terroristic way, as many who oppose graffiti feel, is that grounds to arrest graffiti artists for domestic terrorism? It’s safe to say that Banksy will probably never be arrested; he’s a celebrity in his own right and has sold works to the likes of Angelina Jolie and Christina Aguilera. He’s completely mainstream now, as Solveig may soon become, and started off as a “vandal” before becoming the “artist” he is now. I just hope that in time people can begin to appreciate these works of art instead of condemning them.
Robin
11:52-YES! Victory over Benjamin Button! And victory for the people of Mumbai. I would’ve liked The Reader to win, but I think everyone knew Slumdog was going to get it. Overall a satisfying end to the night. It was a good show, aesthetically-speaking, and I’m glad Kate Winslet and everyone won what they deserved.
11:49- Was Revolutionary Road not nominated for anything?!? That’s just insane!!
11:46- So they just do best picture now and then it’s over, right?
11:42- SEAN PENN! Thank god. I hope we see some tears during his speech. There haven’t been enough tonight.
11:35- Here comes best actor. I’m scared. But I love all the actors up there (with the exception of Michael Douglas) so it’s ok… for now. Unless Brad Pitt wins. Then it’s definitely not ok.
11:33- I’m so happy for her. The movie was so sad and she played the part perfectly. I’m just really proud! She deserves it!
11:31- YES! Go Kate Winslet! Sorry, Anne Hathaway. Maybe next year…
11:29- OH MY GOD. Sofia Loren looks like beef jerky.
11:27- I just love Kate Winslet, but The Reader was SO depressing. I felt so awful after seeing it, although she was wonderful in it. She was cold and heartless, something I feel it’s very hard for her to play. She’s truly very gifted. Did Marion Cotillard just cry?
11:26- These women are all so SPARKLY. It looks like junior prom.
11:22- I hope Angelina isn’t getting her hopes up. It’s not that I didn’t like Changeling, it’s just that I don’t like her; sort of like how I like all of Tom Cruise’s movies, but am afraid of him in real life.
11:20- I’m pretty much a professional psychic.
11:18- Best Director’s up. My prediction is Danny Boyle. For the rest of the night, my guesses are as follows: Best Actor- Sean Penn, Best Actress- Anne Hathaway, Best Picture- Slumdog Millionaire.
11:14- Tribute to people who died this year is still going on. I wasn’t looking at the screen and must have missed the Heath Ledger part. But I caught the end of Paul Newman. Queen Latifah sounded terrifyingly robotic.
11:11- Queen Latifah is singing “I’ll Be Seeing You.” There’s something weird-sounding about her voice, like it’s on auto-tune or something. Same with Beyoncé. I wish they just let them sing naturally!
11:01- I was hoping M.I.A. would win an Oscar. Oh well.
10:55- Also, I didn’t know that the stars of Slumdog Millionaire were actually dating. OOH something’s happening that reminds me of the Olympics. I think it’s a song from Slumdog. But it really just looks like a mini-opening ceremonies in Beijing.
10:53- WHY is Zac Efron even there?! Whatever. GO SLUMDOG.
10:49- The music award. I believe this is the first year they’re doing a montage of all the songs instead of having them perform individually.
10:42- Fact: Eddie Murphy has an illegitimate child with one of the Spice Girls.
10:34- ANOTHER Slumdog! I don’t even know what this one was for. Does it really matter?
10:31- Another for Slumdog!! I’m so proud. It’s my anti-Benjamin Button.
10:26- UGH! It makes me so mad to think that Benjamin Button is even nominated for anything. It was just awful and I’ll throw my t.v. out the window if it gets best picture. Because it just got best special effects and I’m already almost changing the channel.
10:23- This is the part of the show where I usually take a shower or do something else until the bigger awards. I’m gonna stick with it, though. This is my year.
10:16- Guy from Man on Wire just did a magic trick. I got way too excited.
10:13- Bill Maher makes me feel awkward, even though I agree with his ideas. Does that make sense?
10:07- Heath Ledger won for The Dark Knight. His family is accepting for him. He definitely deserved this and it must be an extremely emotional moment for all those who knew him. It’s just a shame he isn’t around to accept the award he earned.
9:55- This montage is making me wonder, did Moulin Rouge win an oscar? That seems a little crazy. Also, what is Beyoncé thinking singing At Last again? Etta James already says she was gonna beat her up. Also also, Zack Efron and Vanessa whatever? Really?
9:53- Beyoncé just made this at least 15% more worth watching.
9:52- This reminds me of the Tony Awards, which I’ve never actually watched.
9:50- There are SO MANY commercials.
9:42- Judd Apatow “short film”. So good. I forgot how many comedies came out this year! Tropic Thunder and Step Brothers deserve their own category.
9:39- I’m already bored.
9:38- Jessica Biel is not only irrelevant and not funny, but her dress is pretty terrible.
9:34- Slumdog wins another!
9:31- Natalie Portman and Ben Stiller, who is dressed as Joaquin Phoenix. I’d be afraid if I were him. He’s dead on though! “You look like you work at a Hassidic meth lab.” -Natalie Portman
9:25- Robert Pattinson… so attractive, but he seems so awkward. I don’t think I’d like him in real life, he seems very down on himself all the time, like he’s about to cry but doesn’t trust you enough. Or maybe he just needs to smile more.
9:23- I lost track of what was going on because Sarah Jessica Parker is so boring. I got excited when they briefly showed a picture of Heath Ledger, but they were just announcing the nominees for best makeup. I might as well be napping.
9:17- Even though I just said I don’t care about this category, I’m kinda mad that Benjamin Button won anything because now they just have the satisfaction of saying they won an Oscar.
9:15- Didn’t Sarah Jessica Parker’s husband cheat on her, or did I just imagine that? She seems pretty happy, and he’s there with her… I guess things are fine. Is it bad that I’m more excited about her home life than I am about whatever category she’s announcing? Oh. It’s art direction, which I guess is cool, but I’m not gonna cry at their speeches or anything.
9:06- IT DID! Wait, did Jack Black just cheer for Wall-E? Wasn’t his movie up against it?
9:04- I hope Wall-E wins best animated picture!
9:02- JENNIFER ANISTON vs. ANGELINA JOLIE! My money’s on Jen. Angelina seems like she’s too busy adopting babies to work on her weight-training. They just cut to Angelina in the audience. My roommates and I all screamed.
9:01- Slumdog Millionaire’s first award!
8:58- Best adapted screenplay- I hope Benjamin Button doesn’t win. Not just this category, but anything. Meryl Streep’s character in Doubt is so realistic that she frightens me. Conversely, I hope Slumdog Millionaire wins as much as it can, although The Reader was heartbreaking as well.
8:56- Milk won best screenplay. I was hoping Wall-E would get it, but then again, I didn’t see Milk so I guess I can’t really judge.
8:53- Tina Fey and Steve Martin both look beautiful, and I wish Tina was nominated for something. I know she’s a television actress/writer, but she deserves recognition!
8:47- Penelope Cruz won best supporting actress and said something in Spanish that I didn’t understand, but it sounded adorable.
8:40- “Steve, open it,” we heard someone yell when they were trying to show a montage but the curtain was still in front of it. Priceless.
8:38- “I’m wolverine.” My favorite thing of the night so far.
8:34- He picked up Anne Hathaway to sing a Frost/Nixon song together. They’re dancing and I think she’s wearing a different dress than she was on the red carpet.
8:32- He’s singing and just walked up to Kate Winslet to serenade her, she must be less than 5 feet from the stage. I must have forgotten Hugh Jackman is a showman. This is so very Broadway, and I don’t know how I feel about it.
8:31- Hugh Jackman walks out. The stage is lit up blue and there’s a curtain of crystals hanging in he air. His jokes seem to be going over well.
Filed under: Animals, Bizarre, News | Tags: attack, chimp, horrible, mauling
Never own a primate. That’s what I’ve learned over the past week following the aftermath of the Stamford, CT (one town over from my home) chimpanzee attack. Today I saw this video containing footage from a helicopter of the scene of the attack, with the 911 call from the chimp’s owner, Sandy Herold, playing in the background.
Pretty terrifying, if you ask me, especially the part where Herold says, “he’s eating her.” It sounds like a “Silence of the Lambs” sequel, except even more disturbing, if that’s possible.
Time magazine has a very interesting article on why the attack “wasn’t a question of if, but when.” First off, Herold admittedly fed the chimp, whose name was Travis, Xanax, a prescription anti-anxiety pill that the monkey was not supposed to be taking. Xanax, usually prescribed for panic disorders, has similar side effects of other SSRI’s, which include dizziness, fatigue, problems with memory, or loss of coordination. It’s possible the medication affected Travis in a unique way because of his genetic makeup and the fact that he was not supposed to be taking the drug. Like all prescription medicines, Xanax can affect people differently- it seems as though with the chimp, it made him more violent.Travis also had Lyme disease, which can apparently be linked to such aggressive behavior.
Natural born killer?
Travis was 14 years old and weighed 200lbs, and reports say that when Herold’s friend Carla Nash arrived at the house in Stamford, Travis lunged at her and ripped her face off. Ok, just for a second, try to imagine getting your face ripped off by a chimp. Not only does this sound like the most horrific, unimaginable surprise for Nash to receive upon getting out of her car to see her friend, but Herold actually witnessed the whole thing. On the 911 recording you can hear her hyperventilating and saying she thought she was going to faint. As I mentioned a couple of days ago that I fainted taking the giblets out of a chicken, I can’t even begin to imagine myself in this situation.
According to Time, chimpanzees are five to seven times stronger than humans of equal size. Herold tried in vain to stab Travis to death, but in the end, police had to shoot him several times before he died. Although Nash is alive, she’s in very serious critical condition and according to most reports has no semblance of a face left whatsoever.
This isn’t the first time in recent history a chimp attack like this has occurred in the United States. A recent Esquire feature tells the story of St. James and LaDonna Davis’s pet chimpanzee, Moe, who they raised for 30 years instead of a child. After being taken away and relocated to an animal wilderness shelter, Moe had no history of violence or strange behavior. And he wasn’t their attacker. In 2005, on Moe’s birthday, the Davis’s went to visit him with a cake and some treats. Once LaDonna had given Moe a slice of the cake, however, she turned around to find a male chimp that had escaped from its enclosure standing very close to her. The chimp ran at her and bit off her thumb before St. James pushed her away and under the nearby picnic table. The chimpanzee quickly forgot about LaDonna and proceeded to brutally attack St. James. At the same time, a second chimp appeared from the other side, seemingly also having escaped from its enclosure, and joined in the savagery. Esquire describes the scene:
One of the animals grabbed him in a bear hug before chomping into the bone above his right eyebrow. He then stuck his finger in St. James’s right eye, gouging it out. The same animal clamped his teeth onto St. James’s nose, biting it off, as the other chimp chewed away at St. James’s fingers. In
LaDonna and St. James. Seriously.
the melee, one of the chimps dug in his claws and ripped the skin off the right side of St. James’s face, causing it to flop over and cover his left eye, temporarily blinding him. One of the primates sunk his teeth into St. James’s skull. He then closed his jaws on St. James’s mouth, ripping off his lips and most of his teeth. St. James tried to put one of his hands down the animal’s throat, but the chimp just kept chewing on it and chewing on it, and he couldn’t get it out. St. James fell to the ground, no longer able to defend himself, and for at least five minutes, the mauling continued as he lay helpless. One of the chimps gnawed on his buttocks and bit off his genitals. They ravaged his left foot, leaving it shredded. Blood poured from his body, and LaDonna was screaming. It looked as if they were eating him alive.
Amazingly, St. James survived, though badly disfigured. The chimpanzees were shot and killed, and LaDonna now takes care of her husband full-time.
All I can say is, don’t think you can go out and own a creature that matches you toe-to-tip in weight and dexterity, is 5-to-7 times stronger than, and has WAY less logic than you do. It just doesn’t make sense, not to mention the fact that it’s quite wrong in the first place to try to own such a wild animal. I’m not in any way saying that any of these people deserved what happened to them; in fact, I’m saying the opposite. Yeah, The Davises owned a chimp- but it wasn’t theirs who attacked them. And poor Nash was just visiting a friend. These stories are far more gruesome than many I’ve heard about alligator, snake, shark or bear attacks. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that the chimps can see something of themselves in us instead of just seeing us as food. They don’t just want to feed their young or protect themselves, they want to fight- and it doesn’t seem to matter who that fight is with. So I wouldn’t plan on buying a chimp- and I especially wouldn’t plan on feeding it Xanax.
Robin
Filed under: Bizarre, Politics | Tags: barack obama, stuff, unicorns, weird
Also number 5 on the list of "how to have less friends."
I respect ferret owners and Obama voters, but always considered the two to be somewhat mutually exclusive, but I guess I just never thought to group them together. Thank god this pin takes care of that, making sure everyone you pass on the street knows who you’re voting for and who comforts you with a snuggle after a long day of alienating people.
4) Obama Keds
Note: crosses into extreme irony after November 4th.
Ok, you could probably have gotten away with these with all the excitement leading up to the election. Afterwards, though, they immediately become an ironic fashion statement I’d expect to see NYU students wearing around Williamsburg- in otherwise, so uncool they’re funny. Except instead of funny, I meant to say a masterpiece of patriotism.
It's either me, or a semester of college.
Today’s your lucky day, because this lovely, not quite accurate Obama portrait can be yours! For only $10,000, you can own something I wouldn’t even bother to display in a guest bathroom. That’s right, $10,000. It comes with the frame, though, so I guess in the end you’re saving money. But I guess if you buy this lead portrait, in the end, you’re probably regretting a lot of life choices you made instead of thinking about how glad you are you didn’t have to make the trip to Linens ‘N Things for a cute frame.
Don't get your hopes up.
I know a lot of us try to play it cool at act like we don’t secretly hope that unicorns will someday be able to come out of their fairy forts and show their majestic, powerful faces to the world. Arguably the noblest creature, who doesn’t get the connection they have to Obama? Both Barack and the unicorn, proud, loyal creatures, occupied our thoughts throughout this election season. And now every day I light a candle in memory of the thousands of unicorns mercilessly shot from a plane by Sarah Palin.
1) This.
Dare to dream
It’s a painting by Portland artist Lukas Ketner. I don’t really know what to say about it, other than wonder how much a tattoo of this might cost… and then wonder whether that’s a unicorn or a regular horse in the background. Because Sarah Palin already wiped out the uni population, I’m gonna say it’s a horse… unless the painting is a memorial. Either way, it’s definitely the most tasteful thing I’ve seen all day.
Yes we did!
Robin
It’s 7:04 p.m. on Valentine’s day and I’m cooking a chicken for the first time ever. I can pretty much only make soup and cake, and thought that cooking a chicken would be “romantic” somehow- in the sense that I’m being adventuresome.
Well, let me say something. My mom told me that the giblets (the guts) would be in a bag and I’d just have to reach in and pull it out by the plastic. I guess that’s only true for some brands because I had to actually stick my hand in and pull each internal organ out, one by one. I kept telling my boyfriend to stay in the other room as I wanted the meal to be a surprise but he came in when he heard me exclaiming to myself and right before I fainted.
It’s not that I am easily grossed out; in fact, I think of myself as having a high tolerance for the disgusting and grotesque. But there was just something about the cold and wet and very human-like skin of the chicken, plus the fact that I could feel its ribcage from the inside, coupled with my hatred of animal cruelty and usual vegan-ness that made me pass out. I’ve been a PETA member since 6th grade (although I’ve never attacked anyone on the street or crashed a fashion show) and live with my family and what could be considered a small farm. I love animals more than most people and would never hurt one.
That said, I can’t really tell why I thought I’d be able to handle cooking chicken. When I fainted, it was only for a second, and my boyfriend caught me and helped me out with the rest of the meal. I’d say I feel pathetic were it not for the fact that I pass out a lot and am kind of used to it. Oh well.
The chicken will be out of the oven in about 15 minutes. I don’t think I’ll be joining him in eating it, although the asparagus I made is looking pretty delicious at this point.
Happy Valentine’s Day,
Robin
Today I thought I’d talk about something I’m very familiar with: a cappella groups. Specifically, the one I’m in.
Before joining, I have to admit I found them kind of laughable- I could never see myself dancing and singing on stage with a bunch of other animated singers, trying to fit in to the theatre-kid stereotype surrounding that kind of group. I have to say, I wouldn’t really want to be a member of most a cappella groups, but I was drawn to one at UConn. The Chordials (their website hasn’t been updated in a while), the “premier all-girl singing group on campus,” gave off an air of class and true talent, and didn’t come off as cheesily over-enthusiastic. In 2007 I tried out and got a callback.
It turned out I didn’t make it, which ended up being okay with me as I went abroad last Spring anyway. I was gone from UConn for so long that I forgot about the clubs I was in and those that I was interested in, until a few days before auditions this past Fall. I was reluctant to audition again but did it anyway, just for fun. And then I got a callback, and they told me they’d call around midnight if I was in. Keep in mind that this is a small group- 10 or so girls- and they only let a few people in out of hundreds every year.
Midnight came and went and I was a little disappointed but not heartbroken; I had expected not to get in. If I hadn’t made it last year, I couldn’t imagine I’d gotten better at singing since then. Around 1a.m. that night I got a call from a mystery number, the girl on the other line asking me if I could come outside to the front door of my apartment. I was in pajamas and ready to sleep at that point but completely woke up at the call. When I got to the front door, all of the Chordials sang in harmony, “you made it!” I didn’t know what to say to the flock of beaming girls in front of me, so I just laughed and hugged them and thanked them and we set up our first meeting.
We'll sing if you pay us!
That was in September, and since then I’ve gotten my own solo (“Wonder” by Natalie Merchant) and become really close with the girls. They accepted 4 new members in the Fall, apparently a rare thing for them. A few months ago we went to Firehouse 12 Records to finish the last few songs for the CD that’s
Wasting precious recording time
coming out soon. Our producer, Greg, e-mailed us some updated mixes of the songs today; since the girls had already been recording for a while, we new girls only got to sing on 3 songs, which are Samson by Regina Spektor, At Last by Etta James, and Crazy by Gnarls Barkley.
If there’s one thing I can say about a cappella, it’s that it’s very, very easy to get it wrong. If even one of us is a little bit off, the whole song sounds wrong. We rehearse for at least 6 hours a week and usually sing one or two shows a week. There are times I still laugh at myself for trying to be so animate on stage, and can’t keep my composure. Last semester I started laughing during
Probably trying not to laugh
a performace- luckily I was just singing in the background- and had to just stay silent the rest of the song so I wouldn’t mess everyone else up. This past week I was singing my solo at a concert I didn’t know would be outside, and a kid ran up in front of us and threw a snowball at my feet. I was laughing so hard I had to skip half of the chorus to pull myself together.
I don’t plan on making a career as a singer, but it’s definitely more of a fun break from my week than a chore to me. I love being with the group and rehearsals are entertaining and a time I get to be around my friends. I’m still getting to know most of the other groups on campus, but I’m liking it every step of the way. Stay tuned for updates from our rehearsal, which starts at 6:30.
Robin
Filed under: Bizarre, Celebrities, News, People | Tags: angelina jolie, babies, crazy women
As most of the country is aware by now, January 26th brought the news of healthy octuplets born for the second time ever. The mother, Nadya Suleman, decided to talk to the press, and she sure has gotten a lot of attention, but not the kind she wanted. Although at first the public was amazed and even inspired by the story, reports of Suleman’s strange lifestyle began to trickle in.
Desperately seeking children
She’s a single mother, she already has 6 children, and all of her kids are children of one sperm donor. Suleman has gone from an aspiring mother’s idol to an object of hatred for her irresponsibility. All this is revealed in Ann Curry’s interview with Suleman on the Today Show; the interview discusses Suleman’s insistence on getting more fertilized eggs implanted in her than normally suggested. Once she found out all the eggs were successfully growing, she chose to have all of the embryos fully develop even though she already had six children. “They deserve siblings,” she said, citing her past as a lonely only child as the reason for her longing for a large family.
Suleman says she was fully aware of all the risks that come with such a large pregnancy, that she was aware of the struggle she was already going through with six children and how much that struggle would grow once she added to her family. This past week, the New York Post ran an article about Suleman’s mental health, claiming that doctors have previously diagnosed her with depression, paranoia, mood swings and post-traumatic stress; in other words, someone in no position to be a single mom with so many children, especially one who can’t afford upkeep of their basic care. Suleman is unemployed and plans on going back to college so she can get a good job, but even the richest among us can hardly afford to support a brood of 3 or 4, let alone 14.
But the craziness doesn’t stop there. In addition to being single, unemployed, potentially mentally unstable, irresponsible and still living with her mother, the Huffington Post is hypothesizing that Suleman’s quest for a huge family is connected to a possible obsession with Angelina Jolie.
Angie's evil twin?
Although she’s denied it, reports claim that Suleman has had a nose job and lip implants to look more like the star, is the same age as Jolie, and wants a lot of children so she can be more like her idol. Additionally, Suleman chose Ann Curry to be her first interviewer, and apparently Curry is Jolie’s preferred reporter as well. Of course, Suleman has denied such an obsession, saying, “I have never thought of Angelina Jolie, except the last time I saw a movie.”
Even Suleman’s own grandmother, who claims she practically “raised [Suleman’s] children,” talks about how irresponsible she thinks it is for her granddaughter to have so many babies.
No more babys!
She calls their house “crowded,” and is quick to acknowldge that the situation was already hard enough with six children but will only continue to get more difficult. Her grandmother says that Suleman is unable to take care of all of her children, and at least one man has been protesting outside of the house.
Suleman says she doesn’t plan on having anymore children, but how can anyone believe her? If six weren’t enough, and she kept going back to her in-vitro fertilization doctor to get more and more fertilized egg implants until there were finally eight, why would she be satisfied? And what happens when the children get older- will she stop loving them once they aren’t her “babies” anymore? Does she plan on sending them to public school or to college or buying them cars or clothing? Right now Suleman’s website is pretty much completely dedicated to receiving donations, something many are calling selfish and a foolish way to pay for your children’s upbringing. She can’t rely on the sympathy of the public forever, and claims the church and her friends will help her out, but it seems to me like Suleman has painted herself into a corner.
Robin
Last night I saw the movie Coraline in 3D. Having seen The Nightmare Before Christmas in 3D a few years ago, I basically expected a similar experience. To my surprise, the movie and the 3D experience were far better than I had imagined they would be.
The trailer for Coraline helps to summarize the basic plot; a young girl (Coraline) moves into an old house and is ignored by her workaholic parents. She discovers a tiny door in a room in her house that leads to a long tunnel, on the other side of which is a mirror of her house and life- if everything were better. Her room is lushly decorated and her toys come to life, the garden outside is in full bloom, and her parents love and pay utmost attention to her.
Looking into the other world
The only difference she can discern at first is the buttons for eyes all the inhabitants of the other world seem to have. Her “other mother,” voiced by Teri Hatcher, is saccharine-sweet at first, but soon she, as well as the rest of the “other world,” turns on Coraline and she has to find a way to escape.
Like The Nightmare Before Christmas, the movie was done in claymation and directed by Henry Selick. The difference this time was that Tim Burton wasn’t involved, and while I do like his movies I didn’t mind his absence from the film. Coraline was beautifully orchestrated, with vibrant art that would have popped off the screen even without 3D glasses. The story was original and never got boring, even wandering into horror movie territory at times.
I’m always amazed at the visual effect claymation can produce- it can look so realistic and really create its own little world. Below is one of the sets used on the movie, the size of which surprised me. I had always pictured the sets and characters in these movies as tiny dollhouses and dolls, but as you can see from the picture they’re actually pretty big.
Coraline's house
Selick took author Neil Gaiman’s book and turned it into a beautiful visual journey. His use of lighting in the film was so masterful and really brought out the light vs. dark theme. I definitely recommend the movie to anyone looking for something to do who has an extra $10 lying around.
Robin
Today when I logged into gmail a link popped up on the side offering to teach me how to make cake in a mug. Naturally, I wanted to learn…. and although it looks like it works, it also looks really disgusting.
It made me wonder about the physics of cooking an egg in the microwave. For some reason, I always assumed you couldn’t actually thoroughly cook an egg in the microwave, until a friend gave my roommate something called the “perfect omelet.” It’s basically a crescent-shaped piece of plastic that you pour egg into and microwave…. something my roommates and I have never built up the nerve to try.
Do you trust me?
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I don’t trust eggs cooked in the microwave. There’s just something about it that doesn’t feel natural.
Robin
internet interest 