You've heard of that book, "Freakonomics," where the authors list two completely separate things (like car seats and DVD players) and then explain how they are alike (car DVD players make kids sit still and watch, so you don't necessarily have to put a little one in a carseat if s/he is older than 2 yrs and sitting still). I've been making a few strange connections lately, and I think everyone ought to see things as I do...
1. How is ballroom dance like Guitar Hero?
In guitar hero, one must press the correct buttons on the game controller at a precise time in order to make the correct sound and earn points in the game. The buttons that the player must push are displayed on the game screen before they need to be pushed. If the player jumps the gun and hits the buttons too early, the game will make an unpleasant sound and points will not be earned. Hitting the buttons too late will result in "dropping notes" and the game will be equally short lived.
In my ballroom partnership, I am the follow. My partner is the lead. Once he makes his movement, I have a precise amount of time (according to the dance we are doing and the music we are using) to mirror his movement. If I move too quickly, I am encroaching on his lead and thus messing up the dance. If I take too long, I am dropping steps and putting the dance in equal danger of failure.
One way to practice the ever-important rhythm that makes ballroom dancing successful and beautiful: play more Guitar Hero.
2. How is Lady Gaga like Spring Awakening?
(You know I do research on culture and popular music, so bear with me here.)
Lady Gaga's music video for Alejandro (the extended 8 minute version) is...wow. Intense. Weird. For some reason, I really like the song (It's a samba and it's stuck in my head), but similarly to most current pop hits, I really don't like the meaning of a lot of the lyrics (drug and kinky sex references).
The lyric "Don't call my name, don't call my name, Alejandro," could have a few interpretations. It could be literal (dude, quit saying my name, leave me alone). It could also be more figurative (Stop being so appealing, you're arousing me when I don't want to be aroused). The imagery in the music video (which can be a little disturbing) features Gaga in a nun outfit singing the "don't call my name" lines, then showing what appear to be flashbacks of a mostly nude Gaga and male dancer making movements suggestive of highly active sex of various types.
Once the shock has worn off a little, I can see the beginnings of a universal archetype of the struggle between human desire and morality taking form.
Spring Awakening is a musical (once on Broadway starring Lea Michelle) that seems very clean cut and pleasant...until the themes of love, sex, and morality come out and all Hell breaks loose. Honestly-- the girls are wearing these cute little (modest) white ruffled dresses, and then one of them basically rips hers off (she's got on a nude leotard, briefs, and tights) and starts grinding on a male actor wearing the same modesty garments.
Maybe it's a stretch, but I found both of these presentations to have the exact same themes, though they were presented in the exact opposite order (Gaga: shock value first, theme second; Spring Awakening: theme first, shock value second). Which was more shocking? Seems too close to call.
3. How is Diet Coke like the HIV virus?
Most diet sodas have zero calories, according to the nutrition facts. Most also have an icon on the packaging that reads "zero calories per serving." This wording means that if one is to drink one serving of the beverage, one will be consuming effectively no calories. This DOES NOT mean that if one drinks more than the amount specified as one serving the individual will be consuming zero calories. The fractional calorie in one serving is multiplied by the number of servings consumed, and if enough is consumed, calculable calories have been ingested.
Sound a little nit-picky? Try this next one on for size.
I saw a news story about an infant girl who was born with HIV. She was immediately treated, and by the time she was a toddler, she was considered cured. Her blood tests showed that she was no longer afflicted with the virus. Her aggressive treatment was scaled back. By age 4, blood tests showed evidence of the infection again. It became clear that her body was never completely free of the HIV virus. With repeated aggressive treatments, the virus became so "dilute" in her system that it was undetectable in her blood test, leading scientists to declare that her HIV was no longer existent. Just like some claim that Diet Coke has zero calories, only with much bigger consequences.
...And there you have it. Hopefully more will come, as I experience them.
1. How is ballroom dance like Guitar Hero?
In guitar hero, one must press the correct buttons on the game controller at a precise time in order to make the correct sound and earn points in the game. The buttons that the player must push are displayed on the game screen before they need to be pushed. If the player jumps the gun and hits the buttons too early, the game will make an unpleasant sound and points will not be earned. Hitting the buttons too late will result in "dropping notes" and the game will be equally short lived.
In my ballroom partnership, I am the follow. My partner is the lead. Once he makes his movement, I have a precise amount of time (according to the dance we are doing and the music we are using) to mirror his movement. If I move too quickly, I am encroaching on his lead and thus messing up the dance. If I take too long, I am dropping steps and putting the dance in equal danger of failure.
One way to practice the ever-important rhythm that makes ballroom dancing successful and beautiful: play more Guitar Hero.
2. How is Lady Gaga like Spring Awakening?
(You know I do research on culture and popular music, so bear with me here.)
Lady Gaga's music video for Alejandro (the extended 8 minute version) is...wow. Intense. Weird. For some reason, I really like the song (It's a samba and it's stuck in my head), but similarly to most current pop hits, I really don't like the meaning of a lot of the lyrics (drug and kinky sex references).
The lyric "Don't call my name, don't call my name, Alejandro," could have a few interpretations. It could be literal (dude, quit saying my name, leave me alone). It could also be more figurative (Stop being so appealing, you're arousing me when I don't want to be aroused). The imagery in the music video (which can be a little disturbing) features Gaga in a nun outfit singing the "don't call my name" lines, then showing what appear to be flashbacks of a mostly nude Gaga and male dancer making movements suggestive of highly active sex of various types.
Once the shock has worn off a little, I can see the beginnings of a universal archetype of the struggle between human desire and morality taking form.
Spring Awakening is a musical (once on Broadway starring Lea Michelle) that seems very clean cut and pleasant...until the themes of love, sex, and morality come out and all Hell breaks loose. Honestly-- the girls are wearing these cute little (modest) white ruffled dresses, and then one of them basically rips hers off (she's got on a nude leotard, briefs, and tights) and starts grinding on a male actor wearing the same modesty garments.
Maybe it's a stretch, but I found both of these presentations to have the exact same themes, though they were presented in the exact opposite order (Gaga: shock value first, theme second; Spring Awakening: theme first, shock value second). Which was more shocking? Seems too close to call.
3. How is Diet Coke like the HIV virus?
Most diet sodas have zero calories, according to the nutrition facts. Most also have an icon on the packaging that reads "zero calories per serving." This wording means that if one is to drink one serving of the beverage, one will be consuming effectively no calories. This DOES NOT mean that if one drinks more than the amount specified as one serving the individual will be consuming zero calories. The fractional calorie in one serving is multiplied by the number of servings consumed, and if enough is consumed, calculable calories have been ingested.
Sound a little nit-picky? Try this next one on for size.
I saw a news story about an infant girl who was born with HIV. She was immediately treated, and by the time she was a toddler, she was considered cured. Her blood tests showed that she was no longer afflicted with the virus. Her aggressive treatment was scaled back. By age 4, blood tests showed evidence of the infection again. It became clear that her body was never completely free of the HIV virus. With repeated aggressive treatments, the virus became so "dilute" in her system that it was undetectable in her blood test, leading scientists to declare that her HIV was no longer existent. Just like some claim that Diet Coke has zero calories, only with much bigger consequences.
...And there you have it. Hopefully more will come, as I experience them.
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