Arts & Entertainment
Christmas Past Meets Christmas Present
By: Reeva Lalani
For generations of Americans, the arrival of the Sears Wish Book was nearly as magical as Christmas itself. Decades before major online retailers like Amazon existed, kids and adults alike thumbed through hundreds of pages filled with toys, clothing, home decor, gadgets, and other trends of the time, circling everything they hoped to see wrapped underneath the tree on Christmas morning. The child-like anticipation of receiving a desired toy under the tree was a regular part of the Christmas excitement. From 1933 to 2011 Read More...
Drawing by Gipsy Medini
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Living among the natural beauty of New Zealand inspires an individual to desire to keep those visual wonders for a lifetime, so photography becomes a necessity for those who are awestruck by what these island wonderlands offer their eyes.
New Zealand’s scenic wonders deserve better treatment than... Read More
Russian Literature: Resurrecting a Culture
Russia’s literature, rich in scope and history, is one of the clearest outlets into its cultural spirit.
While many factors embody national traditions and beliefs, like religion and folk music, only literature captures the Russian soul through the written word. From folktales to timeless classics such as Anna Karenina, Russian authors represent their... Read More
Drawing by Gipsy Medini
Self Defense = Self Awareness
The first rule of self–defense, which is taught in martial arts, such as Taekwondo, is to avoid the need for self–defense. By learning common awareness and diffusion tactics, practitioners will find avoiding confrontation all the easier.
Self–defense should be treated like using tools in a woodshop; you would not use a saw to cut a piece of paper, and self–defense is not used until lives are on the line. If caught in a situation where someone seems hostile, attempt to diffuse the situation before taking physical action... Read More
The Fall of the Berlin Wall: Underground Techno Scene's Effect on the People
The collapses of communism, and subsequently, the Berlin Wall are icons of the political upheavals that mark the 20th century, but in reality, the roots of that upheaval were planted in a techno pop cultural desire for individual freedom.
Techno pop is a type of electronic stylized music that was rapidly growing in popularity around the world in the 70s and 80s and was already considered a subculture in Berlin. As the Berlin Wall was demolished, young people took their newfound freedom to unite through electronic techno music and carefree lifestyle... Read More
Just as the British Invasion molded the rock music culture through radio during the 1960s, social media is having the same impact on the world by allowing a focus on heretofore overlooked cultural phenomena. One such genre is K-pop.
K-pop, or Korean Pop, has been the beneficiary of the resurrection of the Korean economy after the Asian Swoon of the late 1990s. As the Pacific Rim countries...Read More
The speed, grace, power, and athleticism that can be observed at every hockey game qualifies this sport as a true gem that too often escapes the consciousness of too many sports fans. Within the game, there are many things that draw you in and keep you watching for years to come.
Hockey is unique but shares similarities with other sports such as baseball. For instance, a pitch in a major league baseball game can reach 100 miles per hour, or just under...Read More
Russian Folk Music: Resurrecting A Culture
The roots of Eastern Europeans, especially Russians, are set in their heritage and culture that goes back even before the United States existed. This desire to exult who they have been for centuries has been displayed to the world through social media, such as YouTube, in folk music presentations that amplify the spirit of who the Russian people have been and hope to remain. Too often, Westerners have a strictly political context of Russia instead of a cultural one. This viewpoint robs Westerners of truly understanding what the Russian people...Read More