Hah! Finally salvation! Though I am an incredibly modest fellow, that proves that lefties are better (well... at least at certain things).
"A recent study published in the journal Neuropsychology suggests that left-handed people are faster at processing multiple stimuli than righties."
Well, I guess it just goes to prove that lefties are good at patting our heads and rubbing our bellies.
JJ had one, so too does one of Korea's hottest singers. It's so amusing that a little nipple slip sets the world afire. Merry Christmas.
I'm quite the Kpop enthusiast and have been so for over a decade since my first forays of clubbing in Koreatown. Boa is one of those bubble gum pop artists that you can't help but enjoy listening to. Mix a little Boa with Jpop artists, M-Flo, and you have a hit on your hands. The no-rae bang aspect of this video is fun too so sing along if you dare. [File conversion via Zamzar]
While watching another sappy Korean movie, A Millionaire's First Love, I noticed that Eastern and Western cultures tend to carry their imbibed and infirmed in different ways. While the Koreans tend to prefer every 2 year-old's favorite method transportation, the piggyback, Westerners prefer the "over your shoulder" method. Personally I'm for the piggyback as the ungainly sight of a human backpack is far better than hernia. I can't say that the piggyback works for Santa's 350 pounds of holiday cheer but for small Korean women, it works just fine.
After way too much Friendster surfing (yes, I'm a bit of a Friendster junkie), I've noticed that most people tend to lean to their right when taking photos.
I've been fascinated with how other countries celebrate their Christmas since my introduction to the Shitting Uncle (caganer) and Shitting Log (cagatió) in Barcelona. In the Swedish city of Gavle, they have a giant straw Christmas goat. Yes, a goat. And a celebration for over 40 years at that. The problem is that it's made of straw and what do else do bored Swedish youths do besides drink Vodka and put their civic monuments to flame. This year however, the leaders have come up with a plan to soak the goat in a fire-retardant and therefore protect the sanctity of the goat. On a side note, the Barcelonians really take the manger scene to a whole new level with ornate city-wide displays of baby J. See some of the photos from last year's trip. Ho Ho Ho.
Several years back-a friend who by most accounts would be counted as a "player" in the classic definition but whom I merely call one of my best friends-defined for me what beauty is to him. By his accounts, beauty in the purely aesthetic form is a balance of symmetry and distinction. Lazy left eye? No thanks by his definition. Too large of a nose? Again...sorry, you're not the One. While growing up in fix-it and fitness-crazed Southern California has forever altered my impression of beauty, I still realize that I contribute to the problem. Oh well.
Yes, I realize that this definition is very sexist; indeed it's very harsh and indeed it's unsophisticated for it does not take into account all of the other characteristics that define real beauty. Rather, contrast the beauty one finds in a person's physical form with that of architectural beauty. What makes the Disney Hall (Frank Gehry), Louvre (I.M. Pei) or the Freedom Tower transit station (Calatrava) beautiful? They surely are not "symmetrical" objects by any means. Distinct, yes. Flying buttresses, Gothic gargoyles and designs of Gaudi were probably not duly recognized as things of beauty in their age, but today they hold a beauty to their own. Perhaps I too will understand this in time.
I've been a part of Hikari Taiko on and off (at this point, "off" because of school apps and such) for over 6 years now and found an old video of me playing. This is a very good ab workout.
For some reason Fortune has been my literary muse as of late (as opposed to NPR). The very famous and very expensive painting by Austrian artist, Gustav Klimt sold this year for $135 million. As the most expensive painting ever sold, one has to wonder what makes it so special. In addition to it being a beautiful painting, I was intrigued with the side story of how Adele came to be the object of desire while her husband-the one paying for the portrait-came to be forgotten. Gustav Klimt at the time was notorious for his rather "sexually outre takes on classical themes." While Adele Bloch-Bauer was preserved in portrait between 1903 and 1907, her relationship with Klimt had begun long before that she sat for many of his paintings. I suppose in some rather long "painting" sessions, an affair ensued. Funny how this example of man's (and woman's) dalliance is so high prized. Oh yeah... and I don't even think that Adele is that ravishing yet the detail and expression in her face is well captured along with the intricate golden details of her flowing dress that is well worth the trip to the Neue Galerie.
Why does the UCLA student body pull a jeckyll and hyde? When they're not out rioting because of a game, they're out running around in their skivvies. Of course, I prefer the skivvies operandi and how come I never heard about this when I was in school? This would've been an annual expedition had I known about it. Here's another Flickr album (and another)but I can only tolerate so much exposure to the Bruin kingdom before I am incapacitated by seizures.
