We're baaaaaaack! And ectoplasm-free!
And because it's Tuesday, what better way to celebrate our return to the blogosphere than with a post on the songs that we just can't get enough of?
Check them out under the cut!
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Saturday, 25 May 2013
Something Everyone Should Read
Remember this post, where we said we should take more time to celebrate the amazing things humanity is capable of?
In that instance, we were talking about a person being able to live, breathe, and play songs while floating around a giant space station orbiting Earth. But sometimes we don't have to even talk our feet off the ground to see some pretty spectacular stuff.
This story about a reddit user's attempt to make fun of a Sikh woman (and the subsequently reaction from both parties) has gone viral this week, and you really owe it to yourself to read it.
The woman in the photo, Balpreet Kaur, not only takes the time to respond to the inflammatory post, but does so with an eloquence, serenity, and self-assurance that we found incredibly moving. One rarely sees such thoughtful words and the insight behind them on a day-to-day basis, let alone on the internet (and let alone on reddit, to be honest.)
Take a minute to read the exchange, and then take a moment to reflect. There's a lot to be learned here about issues of faith, body-image, tolerance, respect, the Golden Rule, etc. Whatever we do as people-- whatever we say, however we act-- there's a good chance it can be improved upon. Let's use this story as an example to show that people are capable of doing the right thing!
In that instance, we were talking about a person being able to live, breathe, and play songs while floating around a giant space station orbiting Earth. But sometimes we don't have to even talk our feet off the ground to see some pretty spectacular stuff.
This story about a reddit user's attempt to make fun of a Sikh woman (and the subsequently reaction from both parties) has gone viral this week, and you really owe it to yourself to read it.
The woman in the photo, Balpreet Kaur, not only takes the time to respond to the inflammatory post, but does so with an eloquence, serenity, and self-assurance that we found incredibly moving. One rarely sees such thoughtful words and the insight behind them on a day-to-day basis, let alone on the internet (and let alone on reddit, to be honest.)
Take a minute to read the exchange, and then take a moment to reflect. There's a lot to be learned here about issues of faith, body-image, tolerance, respect, the Golden Rule, etc. Whatever we do as people-- whatever we say, however we act-- there's a good chance it can be improved upon. Let's use this story as an example to show that people are capable of doing the right thing!
Monday, 20 May 2013
OKC
Thoughts and prayers are with those in Oklahoma City. You'll get through this.
Text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate.
Text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate.
Things That Make Us Feel Old
We checked out "The Great Gatsby" on Friday with some friends, and one line haunted us with its razor sharp precision into the human condition. No, we're not talking about any lines regarding that g-d green light.
THIS is the quote which shook us to our core:
I was thirty. Before me stretched the portentous menacing road of a new decade… Thirty—the promise of a decade of loneliness, a thinning list of single men to know, a thinning brief-case of enthusiasm, thinning hair.
We consoled ourselves with the fact that we still have a few years left before that menacing decade. And with the fact that in the 1920s, the average life expectancy was probably, what, 50? But all our shallow attempts to reassure ourselves that we're really not THAT old were for naught.
Why, you ask?
Because of this urgent and horrifying news story.
IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS? WHERE DID THOSE YEARS GO? We can remember that finale like it was yesterday...we miss you, Scoobies!
THIS is the quote which shook us to our core:
I was thirty. Before me stretched the portentous menacing road of a new decade… Thirty—the promise of a decade of loneliness, a thinning list of single men to know, a thinning brief-case of enthusiasm, thinning hair.
We consoled ourselves with the fact that we still have a few years left before that menacing decade. And with the fact that in the 1920s, the average life expectancy was probably, what, 50? But all our shallow attempts to reassure ourselves that we're really not THAT old were for naught.
Why, you ask?
Because of this urgent and horrifying news story.
IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS? WHERE DID THOSE YEARS GO? We can remember that finale like it was yesterday...we miss you, Scoobies!
Goodbye, David
David Beckham played his last game ever as a professional footballer yesterday for Paris St-Germain.
The club even made him captain for the night, an event which was full of man-tears, customized boots, and uncharacteristically mussed hair.
If you need her, Mocha will be crying in the corner holding her 2002 World Cup England jersey (number 7, naturally) and softly humming this:
The club even made him captain for the night, an event which was full of man-tears, customized boots, and uncharacteristically mussed hair.
If you need her, Mocha will be crying in the corner holding her 2002 World Cup England jersey (number 7, naturally) and softly humming this:
Friday, 17 May 2013
Tonight we're gonna party like it's 2006...
...because we finally joined TWITTER!
Follow us, tweet us, and do other Twittery/Twitterish things: @halfandhalfblog!
Seriously. (We have 0 followers).
Follow us, tweet us, and do other Twittery/Twitterish things: @halfandhalfblog!
Seriously. (We have 0 followers).
Tuesday, 14 May 2013
And The Stars Look Very Different Today
Welcome home, Commander.
We live in an incredible world, full of incredible people. Let's take more time to celebrate the amazing things that humanity is capable of.
We live in an incredible world, full of incredible people. Let's take more time to celebrate the amazing things that humanity is capable of.
Saturday, 11 May 2013
Joss Whedon's Magical Comedy Tour
Just like the weather here in E-town, summer movie season is heating up. Cannes is almost underway; Iron Man 3 and The Great Gatsby have both been released; and STID will soon be unleashed upon the world (Star Trek Into Darkness, not a venereal disease).
But while we love summer's big tent-pole movies, we here at Half and Half are really excited for the opening of Joss Whedon's labor of love, "Much Ado About Nothing". The movie was filmed at Joss Whedon's house over 11 days with a close-knit cast including Whedon favorites Nathan Fillion, Alexis Denisof (WESLEY WYNDHAM-PRYCE, thank you very much) and Amy Acker.
This talented cast also features some huge comedic chops in the form of Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher, the man-boy geniuses behind Youtube comedy sensation, BriTANick.
While they may be best known for their video "Academy Award Winning Trailer", our favorite is "The Dinner Party", which best showcases their characteristic mix of profanity, absurdity, and profundity. Check out ALL their videos if you have a chance--it's well worth your time (if for the Whedon and Fillion cameos alone). These two are making it big and we can't wait to see what they do next.
Back to MAAN (sounds like some historical Middle Eastern epic, no?): while it may not have the media campaign dollars of Gatsby or Iron Man, the cast has been having a blast over the few months with stops at various comic and movie conventions, including a Shakespearean road trip to the SXSW festival. What we wouldn't do to be on that bus!
Here's the trailer for your viewing pleasure:
Tuesday, 7 May 2013
Tuesday Tunes: May 7, 2013. When Boy Meets Girl (In the Studio) Edition
We here at Half and Half, like the rest of North America, are digging the P!nk/Nate Ruess collaboration, "Just Give Me a Reason".
Their (sometimes indistinguishable) voices and full commitment to the sometimes saccharine lyrics have won us over. And got us thinking of other collaborations/duos featuring vocalists of both genders.
Check out our Fave Five under the cut!
Their (sometimes indistinguishable) voices and full commitment to the sometimes saccharine lyrics have won us over. And got us thinking of other collaborations/duos featuring vocalists of both genders.
Check out our Fave Five under the cut!
Sunday, 5 May 2013
A Brief History of the Flapper
Are you sick of The Great Gatsby stuff yet?
Are you sure?
If you're not, we've got a hell of a resource for you when it comes to all those Roaring Twenties parties everyone will be throwing in a few months.
Get a head start on all your friends and wow them with your knowledge of the history of flappers, courtesy of Threaded, the Smithsonian museum fashion blog.
It's a four-part, fashion-minded series that covers a ton of information about the era- personal and sartorial freedom; the importance of makeup; that classic silhouette; and, of course, the bob.
Now go! Learn!Daisy Buchanan Carey Mulligan compels you!
Are you sure?
If you're not, we've got a hell of a resource for you when it comes to all those Roaring Twenties parties everyone will be throwing in a few months.
Get a head start on all your friends and wow them with your knowledge of the history of flappers, courtesy of Threaded, the Smithsonian museum fashion blog.
It's a four-part, fashion-minded series that covers a ton of information about the era- personal and sartorial freedom; the importance of makeup; that classic silhouette; and, of course, the bob.
Now go! Learn!
Confession Time!
We're ready to tell the internet a deep, dark secret about us.
*deep breath*
We judge books by their covers.
We know! We know! We're sorry! (And we both have English degrees, which we think makes it even more grievous.)
One small comfort, though, is knowing that everyone else does it too.
And you guys are all like, "Sure, 'everyone' does it, you're just trying to make yourselves feel better about being terrible people" but this time we have hard evidence to back it up.
Literary blogger Robert Bruce recently pulled some classic books off his shelf, showed the covers to his two year old son and asked, "What do you think this book is about?"
The result? Absolute gold.
A few of our favourites are below, but make sure you check out the full post above for every shred of brilliance.
The Great Gatsby:
“It’s about babies, and they are swinging into the water. They don’t got any shirts on. They are going to go right in the hole and that is their house and they are going to play with toys. And there is a lion in the house.”
*deep breath*
We judge books by their covers.
We know! We know! We're sorry! (And we both have English degrees, which we think makes it even more grievous.)
One small comfort, though, is knowing that everyone else does it too.
And you guys are all like, "Sure, 'everyone' does it, you're just trying to make yourselves feel better about being terrible people" but this time we have hard evidence to back it up.
Literary blogger Robert Bruce recently pulled some classic books off his shelf, showed the covers to his two year old son and asked, "What do you think this book is about?"
The result? Absolute gold.
A few of our favourites are below, but make sure you check out the full post above for every shred of brilliance.
The Great Gatsby:
“This book is about singing. It’s about singing ‘Barbara Ann.’ Those are the lights, and there are lions in those lights.”
We say: Gatsby. So hot right now. Gatsby. Also, insert "rrrrrroaring Twenties" pun here!
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret?:
“This book is about feet. They are lion feet and they stomp things.”
We say: Well, "Margaret" and "Mufasa" both start with M. Seems legit.
Atonement:
We say: This is oddly accurate.
ALL THE ROBOTS
Okay you guys, remember this post? Mocha though she would never be able to use the "robots" tag again. But, thanks to it Being the Future For Real, she can!
The United Nations Human Rights Commission recently posted a report online about the "legal and philosophical issues involved in giving robots lethal powers over humans". Because there are robots that exist right now that are only a step or two away from being able to make autonomus decisions about WHO TO KILL.
This is crazy! And it opens up some fascinating questions and compelling arguments both for and against this new technology. (It's already got us thinking about some pretty heavy stuff which we won't get into here, because this is a happy blog! HAPPY!)
Suffice it to say, we'd rather the future look like this:
Instead of this:
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