Are we in danger?

There's a lot of interest recently in the potential dangers of social media. With the growing popularity of MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Digg and other, the question that the world specialists in social studies, neuroscience and psychology has been asking themselves is: are we in a danger of loosing our connection to the "real world" and immerse entirely in the virtual reality, where everyone seems more attractive, more interesting, more social.

In his article for the Business Week, Vivek Wadhma, compares this flood of new technology with the popularisation of books at the turn of 18th century. Irrelevant? Or is it perhaps that every change in the society, in the way we live and interact with the outside world automatically makes us suspicious and distrustful? True, with the advent of social networking we spend considerably more time e-mailing, twitting, texting, fb-ing rather than talking to each other face-to-face. But isn't it like that with every new toy that after a period of initial excitement our interest declines rather rapidly? How many of you after trying 30 new applications on Facebook retreated in the end to using only a few really basic tools like Wall and Events section? And isn't it also true that the more we scrutinize and demonize the more interest it creates, hence that period of fascination and the number of people trying the "forbidden fruit" grows exponentially?

I'll leave it at that.

I hope you are enjoying the sun and don't forget - there's a whole wide world out there...

Miss B.

Why More is Less?

A question which might baffle some of you: why if we have more we have less in the same time? Doesn't it defy the logic of things? And more and less of what exactly?

Above question is a rising issue in the field of social and behavioural studies, looking at the psychology of a current society and how does it respond to the changes and opportunities it is given. I believe that it is especially interesting to observe such a phenomenon in the countries which experienced a drastic socio-political change, where the dawn of capitalism has been observed and celebrated not so far ago.

Below animation gives an interesting insight into the mechanics of changes that capitalism brought to these societies and what its driving force is. The latter being applicable to most if not all of the. so called, "modern" countries.

I hope you'll enjoy it.

A.

PS. Thank you Sole :)

Rocky Horror Picture Show Sing-a-Long

Yesterday evening, Hexagon in Reading, Berkshire. The crowd in the foyer looks slightly unsual for such an establishment. No black-ties / evening dresses tonight. Wherever you look you are immediately surrounded by fancy corsets, fishnets, wigs, sparkly hats and a lot of naked human (or so you'd hope) flesh. The reason - Rocky Horror Picture Show Sing-a-Long has come to town!

Apparently it all started with Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, one of my favourite all time classic musicals. It seems whenever I'm not paying attention I start humming Going courting as I sort the books in Oxfam, or plot correlations in Excel. Back then sheet music was distributed to the participa

nt so they could chip in and s

ing along with the film. After the initial success in Inverness the idea was taken further and in 1999 the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival featured the same musical to celebrate the opening of the new cinema in London - Prince Charles in Leicester Square, which is the home for the sing-a-long production to this day. Initially there were just a number of screenings, but soon the demand was so huge that the number of shows had to be increased and new musicals converted into a Sing-a-Long versions. This is how Sound of Music was first introduced. The fame of the shows grew not only in UK but in mainland Europe as well. In the past decade the Sing-a-Long shows included such renowned musicals as: Fiddler on the Roof, Grease, Moulin Rouge, Wizard of Oz, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream and of course Rocky Horror Picture Show.

For me it was the second time I've seen it, the first time going all the way down to the Prince Charles cinema in London. And it was an extraordinary experience. So when RHPS came to Reading, there was no second-guessing - I had to go! Together with my friends from the Saturday shift in OXFAM Bookshop we've dressed and went up the stage for the Fancy Dress Competition and we were amazing! This is what I call - making an impact, or a statement....or just having a great time shouting "S***!" or "AR******!" and popping prematurely.

I highly recommend it to all you Rocky Horror Virgins wherever you are :D

Me

O dziubasku

Tylko kilka słów bo ten skecz nie wymaga żadnych wstępów. Kolejna perełka karabetu Hrabi moim skromnym zdaniem najlepszego obecnego kabaretu w Polsce. Aśka rządzi!!!!

Ze specjalną dedykacją dla mojej Frąsi-Mądralinki.

Skrzat