Cruel Japanese Pranks

This is a bit long, but it’s worth sitting through, whether you think it’s funny or you think the Japanese have gone overboard with their pranks.  The Japanese have always had an odd sense of humor.  This kind of prank would never work in the U.S. or in the Philippines.  Personally, I think it’s pretty mean, verging on cruel, especially since it involves a kid.  But this was actually televised on Japanese national television.  Anyway, have a see and make up your own mind.  LOL or cruel?

Here’s another one from the same show.  I forgot the title of the show, but it’s something like, “king of scary face”, or something that sounds like that.  After watching this, you’ll understand why.

Remember, the Japanese also came up with the sexually groundbreaking cinematic moment, “In The Realm Of The Senses”, where sex and death were inherently intertwined.  Their point of view is decidedly unique, and what passes off as offensive to other cultures, is accepted as a genuine inquiry into the human state.  Value judgments are withheld, and the myriad conclusions eagerly awaited.  I’m endlessly fascinated with the way the Japanese collective mind works.  They often blur the distinctions between right and wrong, and redefines what is acceptable and what isn’t.  I don’t always agree with it, in fact I often vacillate between being impressed and getting offended, but I’m mesmerized at the skewed way their logic sometimes progresses.  So their approach to humor is no different to the oftentimes odd manner by which they tackle the other aspects of life like sex and death; you may not always get it, but you’re drawn to it, much like how some people could not turn their eyes away from an impending train wreck.

The Best And The Rest 197

Rejection is something we deal with everyday.  Even the people whom we probably think have never been rejected have their own stories to tell.  It’s almost annoying when you hear really good-looking celebrities saying how ugly they feel.  You almost want to say, “kung kayo pangit, paano na kami?”  Hehe…but there’s nothing like rejection to make you feel ugly and unappealing.

February 19, 2009 → The Top Ten Signs That He’s/She’s Just Not That Into You – Loi Pogi

1. Greg – When he says things like, “Nung bang bata ka palang, pangit ka na?”
2. Forg – If he won’t text unless you send him load.
3. Smiles-a-lot – You send him a sweet text and he replies: “Pasaload naman diyan, o!”
4. Gooey Kablooey – If whatever you give her, she gives away to her friends.
5. Hunter Lizie – If he says non-committal invites like, “Let’s have coffee one of these days”, but never gives an exact date.
6. Mr. Perk – If while on a date, he only talks about himself and never asks anything about you.
7. Dr. G – If every time you send a text like: “Kumusta na?”, ang sagot niya: “Mabuti naman PO sir, kumusta naman PO ang ASAWA niyo?”
8. Tyrone – If he says stuff like: “After my wife and two kids…ikaw na, pare.”
9. SPY Shadow/Juggernaut – If he only wants to see you every 15th and 3oth of every month.
10. Loi Pogi – You send him a flirty text like: “Maaga ako makakalabas ng office…” Then he replies: “Good, eh di maaga kang makakauwi.”
11. Gorgeous Bitch/I.M.D. – If for the nth time you texted him to invite him out, ang reply pa din niya: “Who u?”
12. Joel – IF he always says: “I love you” before sex, but never after.
13. Geyp – “If you tell her, “I love you”, and she replies, “Thank you, friend!”
14. Loi Pogi – If he accepts your friend request on Facebook, only to unfriend you after a few days.
15. Gorgeous Bitch – If he says, “Grabe, kamukhang-kamukha mo yung crush ko.”
16. Eylek – If every time you text or YM her sweet messages like, “I miss you” or “I love you”, ang sagot niya lagi ay: “:-)”
17. Boknoi – If you text her: “Gising ka pa?” at ang sagot niya ay: “zzzzzzz…”
18. RJ – If you text her: “It’s a great night to go out…” and she answers: “Have fun!”
19. Beautifulweirdo – If he says, “I’ll call you!” but never asked for your number.
20. Jam – If you ask her out and she replies: “Sinu-sino TAYO?”
21. Ash – You text her: “Ikaw ang pinakamahalagang tao sa buhay ko ngayon”. And she replies: “Ganun?”
22. Hopeless Jec – If she let’s you take her home, but she never replies to any of your texts.
23. Pancakes – If you ask her: “So…where do you live?” And she answers: “At the corner of ‘fat chance’ and ‘no way’.”
24. Astroboy -If every time you text him a romantic quote, he sends you a friendship quote in return.
25. Stanford – If you text her: “How are you today, sexy!” And she replies: “Mabuti naman po, kuya!”

Best Version EVER.

This plays out like one of my nightmares.  But this clip really brought me back to my childhood.  I was reared on Sesame Street, Electric Company and the Sesame once-a-week spin-off, The Muppet Show.  I remember watching those shows religiously!  From school, I’d go straight home, change clothes and prepared my TV-watching snack: 5 calamansi, sliced in the center, with rock salt.  I’d sprinkle the salt on the sliced calamansi, then squeeze the salty-sour juice in my awaiting mouth.  then after I drained every last drop, I’d eat the emptied pulp pouches with some more salt.  You should try it, it’s good!  Then after the TV shows, I’d swim in our pool, pretending I was Mark Harris, the Man From Atlantis.  Sigh, it really brings me back to the days when my biggest problem, the most difficult obstacle to hurdle, was my unfinished wicker basket in Work Ed.  Life was simpler, easier, not necessarily happier, but simpler, easier.  I really loved Beaker here, and the Swedish Chef, the 2 characters who didn’t really speak.  And the monster who ate the rats.  Sigh.  Nostalgia is like rectal itch, it creeps up on you when you least expect it. *cricket, cricket…*

Sabang, Palawan (The Pictures)

Sabang may not have been the most strikingly beautiful place we’ve been to, but definitely it gave me a lot of images to work with.  For sure, it’s one of my all-time favorite places, as far as photo output is concerned.  Of course, being in a beach resort, I was able to get images from the beach and thereabouts:

And of course our stint over at the Underground River and the Mangrove Tour bore many photos, and here are some of my favorites:

Throughout the trip, one theme emerged prominently as the one I gravitated towards the most: reflections.  I didn’t even realize I was capturing different types of reflections until I got home and reviewed the photos.  Some trips it’s people portraits, sometimes it’s landscapes, this time it’s all about reflections.

The mangrove gave up great images because the waters were so still that the reflected images are almost exact upside-down copies of the originals. If you stare long enough, you get disoriented with what’s up and what’s down:

Here’s another mangrove shot, but this time, with the sun shining high in the sky, it gave a washed out background to complement the lush green foliage:

Here’s a shot of the resort as reflected on the blue water of the infinity pool:

This one captured the most colorful of the 3 sunsets we witnessed as reflected on the wet sand:

Take a look at this picture:

I took this photo of the leaf from underwater looking up.  Because the water was so clear, it ended up sort of looking like I captured it as it fell from the sky.  I swear, we could’ve spent an entire day just soaking in the water there.

Now we get to the 2 pictures I was most excited about.  The first, is my latest attempt at panoramic photography.  This time it took around 15 images of the shoreline, from end to end.  Of course, CS3 did all the hard work, as it stitched all the photos into one seamless image.  It’s actually very easy, you should try it, in case you’re curious about it.

Of course it ended up having a fish-eye effect, because I took the pictures from one standpoint.  It’s so much fun, and it’s so easy, thanks to CS3!

The other picture is the elusive star trails.  I’ve posted a couple of attempts through the months, but none really turned out the way I wanted them too.  In my humble opinion, of the trick shots that I’ve learned since I started with the hobby, star trails would hands down be the most difficult.  Too many factors needed to be ideal to make the shot possible: you should be away from the city, the area shouldn’t be well lit, there shouldn’t be a big moon, it should be a cloudless sky, you should shoot pointing north, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.  But I was so happy that I finally got a north shot for the first time, and got the concentric circles that I’ve been trying to capture all these months.  Happy!

So that’s it for Sabang, Palawan, the first leg of our long vacation for this year.  Next up, our pictures for the 2nd leg, when we stayed in Mandala Spa in Boracay, Aklan.  But for sure, we’ll be back in Sabang as soon as our roving feet lead us back there again.

The Best And The Rest 196

I love any Top Ten topic that involves movie titles.  It’s my guilty pleasure.  Sometimes a good title can spell the difference between a hit and a flop.  Did you know that Julia Robert’s “Pretty Woman” was originally given the title: “3000″, because this was the amount in dollars you had to pay if you wanted her for the night.  Test audiences thought, based on that title, that the movie was about hookers from the moon, so they scrapped it.

February 10, 2009 → The Top Ten Worst Titles For A Romantic Movie – Oscar Dela Hopia

1. No name – “Bahay-Bata Ko, Galawin Mo”
2. Esacada/Eric – “Ang Huling Landi Ni Lola”
3. Vanie – “Ihi Na Nga Lang Ang Pahinga, Binobosohan Pa”
4. Hopeless Jec – “Saan Ka Man Naroroon…Diyan Ka Na Lang”
5. Gerver – “Inday, Magkano Pakwan Sa ‘Yo?”
6. Loi Pogi – “Nung Magalit Ang Ibon, Sumikip Ang Pantalon”
7. Daboy Wonder – “Tatlong Putok Sa Pulang Kumot”
8. Jerome – “Walang Baklang Pangit Sa Lalaking Gipit”
9. Tarlakenyo – “Nangawit Ang Panga”
10. Kid Bukid – “Pusod, Puson, Pusit!”
11. The Wanderer – “Agahan (Iyo Ang Hotdog, Aking Ang Itlog)”
12. SC – “Ang Bading Na Ayaw Sa Saging”
13. RC and Cess – “Haplos Ng Kamay Na Pasmado”
14. SPY Shadow – “Akala Ko’y Utot Lamang”
15. Jose de vengenge – “Tayo’y Maglasing, Kumpare Kong Guwaping”
16. Escada – “Halika, Wag Kang Lalapit”
17. Greg/Anto – “Mahalin Mo Ko, Babaeng Cheapipay”
18. Geyp – Ang Kuwento Ni Dodong Masahista (Lawayan Mo, Baka Mausog)”
19. YñaKì – “Mga Halinghing At Buntong-Hininga Sa Likod Ng Palikuran Ng Mababang Paaralan Ng Sitio Masinsin”
20. Alias Pusa – “Tea, Tikoy, Para Sa ‘Yo”

Videos I Like 8

With New Moon fever in full effect, and with all the New Moon spoofs going around on YouTube, this is my hands-down favorite.

Gaga is truly the perfect word to describe Lady Gaga.  The video for her latest song, from her repackaged first album, The Fame Monster, the bizarre Bad Romance.  I swear, this video reminds me of some of my more whacked out dreams.  She’s crazy, and I wouldn’t have her any other way.  What a trip.

And since I’m in a Gaga mood, here’s Lady Gaga again, this time featured in the Beyonce song Video Phone.  It’s still from her I Am…Sasha Fierce album, but Like Fame Monster, Beyonce’s album will be repackaged into a Platinum Edition, and it’s there where the version with Lady Gaga will be found.  It’s nice seeing them together in one video.  Never thought I’d see the day.  It’s like an explosion of gay icon-ness!  It’s like a drag queen duet.

Sabang, Palawan (The Experience)

What we enjoyed most of the time we were in Sabang, was the sun, the sand, the surf.  I don’t think we’ve ever soaked in the Philippines shores as much as we did here.  The conditions were ideal: no rocks beneath our feet, just fine powdery sand, warm water temperatures, and rollicking waves that reduced us to little kids, squealing in delight as the waves pounded us silly.

But outside of frying under the sun like rows of daing, our trip had 2 highlights: The Puerto Prinsesa Subterranean River National Park (Underground River) and the Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour.  We did the Underground River first.  From the resort, we did a scenic 5-minute walk along the beach to the port, then we took a short, maybe 5-10 minute boat ride to the River.  On the boat, I met a lovely little puppy that I cuddled with all throughout the trip.

When we got there, from the shore, you do a super short hike to the mouth of the cave, and what greets you is a beautiful scene, especially for us, because we were the very first visitors for the day:

No amount of pictures could do justice to how spectacular it looks inside.  No wonder it’s our only finalist to make it to the New 7 Wonders of Nature.  Speaking of, in case you might want to vote, click here.  Trying to take a picture of one rock or stalagmite or stalactite inside the cave would be taking taking a photo of half a toenail of a person: it just do the whole any justice.  But anyway, here are a couple that I took anyway:

The “Cathedral”

Part of the “vegetable section” (I think this is the pechay?)

One of the many bats inside the cave. They hang upside down on the rocky cliffs.

The other highlight of the trip was the Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour, with the inimitable and unforgettable Lady Mangrove.

Not to be confused with Lady Gaga, Lady Mangrove is one of many valiant volunteers who patrol the ecological treasure trove that is the mangrove.  Mangroves are essential to the ecology because it’s like the nursery of many animals and fish.  Without it, the ecology will be crippled irreparably.  Lady Mangrove with a couple of other volunteers subsist on the 100 pesos per visitor fee they collect.  We left a bigger amount to help them out because they do valuable work that we should all be thankful for.  They do the dirty job that few of us would undertake as our lot in life.  I really hope the government helps out these little not-so-well known nature sites.  Scientists from the U.S., Africa, and Europe have all been amazed at what they call one of the oldest mangroves in the world.  And they say the mangroves here, called bakawan locally, are unique in all the world.  They are candle-shaped, as opposed to the more common branchier types found everywhere else.  Plus, they grow tall as the trees in a primary forest, not short like the other mangroves I’ve seen.  Plus, they reflect beautifully on the calm water surface:

We also saw different animals like birds, snakes and monitor lizards or bayawak, like this one we found resting on a branch:

Another plentiful denizen of the mangroves are the mudskippers.  They litter the banks of the river in droves!  And they don’t seem to be scared of humans.  They don’t skip away until you’re really close.  Lady Mangrove said they also eat the mudskippers as part of their regular diet.

And at the end of the tour, Lady Mangrove even sings a song she wrote to cap off the tour. I have a video of it, and I was supposed to post it, but I can’t seem to rotate the video.  I recorded it vertically, but my camera recorded it sideways.  Anyone who can help me rotate it so you guys don’t have to watch it sideways?  I can seem to rotate it either on iPhoto or even YouTube.  Anyway, another nice perk after taking the tour, is that every visitor gets to plant a baby bakawan on the shores of the mangrove during low tide, and as the years pass, it will take root and be part of the whole mangrove network.  Nice touch.

And then we get to the wood worm.  Known as tamilok locally, it’s a delicacy that’s insanely popular in the area.  Visitors are offered to try and eat a bite or two of the supposed aphrodisiac.  It’s called a wood worm, but Lady Mangrove said it’s actually closer to shellfish, like oysters.  They just wash the tamilok, put it in some vinegar, maybe sprinkle some salt, and off you go!

You’ll find the wood worms burrowed in rotting wood, specifically bakawan that have since fallen and died.  Once the wood is chopped open, the tamilok instantly dies.  You can then pull out the alien-looking worm easily from the groove it has gored into the wood.  We got a live demo on how to find tamilok in the wild.  lady mangrove found a branch in a dead stump, chopped it open, and true enough there was one big fat one inside, which died once the air hit it.

It’s got a hard helmet-like head that has what looks to me like a beak-like mouth, and a scissor-like tail that’s pretty sharp.  It looks really gross (and in this particular picture, slightly obscene), therefore I refused to taste it.  I have worm phobia so it took everything in me to even just touch it, much less eat it.  Delle, on the other hand, decided to try it.

She was just posing here, she didn’t eat the whole thing.  They just cut a portion of it, she swished it around some vinegar, put some rock salt, and here’s her actual moment of truth:

Blech.  No thank you.  They said it tasted like gelatinous oysters.  *faints*

(Next: The Pictures)

Sabang, Palawan (The Resort)

The name of the resort is Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort, mainly because it’s flanked by a beach one one side and mountains on the other.  When we got there, it wasn’t as readily impressive as the other Palawan island resorts we’ve been to like Club Noah, Club Paradise, El Nido and Dos Palmas.  With the big ones, you’d find yourself open-mouthed at how expansive and expensive the whole place looks like.  Daluyon looked more homey, more rustic, more small scale, but our 4-day stay proved that first impressions aren’t always accurate.

The cottages were quite nice, and like I said earlier, not as luxurious as the major resorts, but very much comfortable.  But as the days wore on, we felt more and more at home.  This resort crept up on us like we never expected, but more on that next post, when I describe our experiences there.  For now I’ll stick to talking just about the resort.

The bedroom had a nice big bed (king or queen size, I think?) and good quality sheets and pillows.  There was air-conditioning and a ceiling fan, a ref, and all the amenities you expect in a resort.

And since we got a suite, adjacent to the bedroom is a living room area, which opens straight into the veranda.  And since we were on the second floor, it looks out to a nice view of the resort grounds , the beachside bar, and the ocean.  Here’s how the view looks from our veranda:

The resort also has a very tropical path from the front desk that leads out into the expansive beach front:

And speaking of the beach, I used the word expansive because I couldn’t think of a better word to describe how wide the patch of sand is before you hit the water.  The beach in Boracay suddenly looks so sparse compared to the beach in Sabang.  The sand doesn’t look impressive from afar, mainly because of it’s color.  It’s definitely not white, because it has a distinctly brownish hue.  But what really shocked us was how incredibly fine the sand was.  The moment our feet touched the sand, we realized how powdery fine the texture was.  Even if your feet get coated with the grains, you hardly feel it because of how minuscule the sand was.  And because the sand is so fine, it gets easily packed and cakey when wet. It’s the perfect surface to walk on, run in, do sports, because it’s even, not wavey like less compact sand.

And what makes this particular beach so memorable for us was the waves.  There were so many and they get pretty high.  Not high enough to surf in, but definitely good enough to boogie board in.  And unlike in Calicoan in Samar, the bottom is pure sand, the same fine sand, all throughout, for as far as you can walk.  In Samar, the bottom was all rock, so urchins abounded.  We never got completely comfortable because one wrong fall and you can end up impaled on the urchins’ spikes.  Not here though, it’s all flat sand, so we were frolicking like kids in the high waves.  But like I said, more on that later.  How high were the waves?  Here’s a picture of me swallowed whole by one big one.  It took me from behind, and yes, that’s me inside the wave:

And if the salty brine of the unruly shores is not your cup of tea, they also have a nice infinity pool, that overlooks the mountains at the back of the resort.  It’s the type of pool we love, because it’s not covered in tiles, instead it’s some sort of rough granite finish that feels warm to the touch and not slippery like the cold tiles of usual pools.  They also painted the bottom blue, so it has this intense unreal rich blue that reflects well with the blue skies.  It’s such a relaxing place to chill if you find the pounding surf too stressful for your activity levels.

The other ace up this resort’s sleeve is the staff.  They have a wonderful staff who were more than eager to do what they can to make your stay a pleasant one.  There’s Chris and Gibs the chirpy waiters; Leslie, the chatty bartender; Eugene, the funny tour guide, the guy who specially prepared fresh buko for me (sorry I forgot his name) and many others.  Most of them were friendly, ready to help, and readily offered a smile when they saw you.  With each day we spent at Daluyon, we found ourselves loving the resort more and more.  It was like an artichoke, you discover its pleasures layer by layer.  It wasn’t love at first sight, but it was more a case of “I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow.”  In fact, we loved it so much that we’re already planning a return trip as soon as we can.

(Up next: The Experience)

The Best And The Rest 195

I was never into dating.  Formal dating?  I probably went on less than 5 in my entire life.  So I’m clueless on many of the minutiae of the art of dating.  So I’ll let you guys loose on this one.  Plus, it was timely because we did it Valentine month this year.

February 9, 2009 → The Top Ten Date Quotes – Oscar Dela Hopia/Specialist

1. Tyron – “What’s better than 12 roses on a piano? Tulips on an organ.”
2. Bernadette – I once told my date what the nuns in our school told us: “BBBBBBB – Books before boys because boys bring babies.”
3. Astroboy – “Kung papipiliin ka ng kakainin mamaya, puwede ako nalang?”
4. Taurean Tiger – My now-husband asked me on our first date: “How many kids do you want us to have?”
5. Frederique – “Alam mo ang ayaw ko sa iyo? Pag wala ka.”
6. No name – “The only thing I want to change about you…is your last name.”
7. ian024 – “My doctor gave me only 2 options regarding my heart condition: I.C.U. or you see me.”
8. Kian – “After our exam, puwede ako naman ang sagutin mo?”
9. Lovely Nuisance – “An officemate has been bugging me for a date for the longest time. Finally I agreed. At the resto, after looking at the menu, he told me: “Puwede KKB?”
10. Nobag – Laro tayo, kahit ano, wag lang taguan. Kasi a girl like you is hard to find.”
11. Jeka – “Kung aywa mo kong murahin…mahalin mo nalang ako.”
12. Frederique – “Sana dalawa ang puso ko. Para pag dinurog mo yung isa, may isa pa akong iaalay sa iyo.”
13. Pancakes – After the date. Girl: “Are you going to kiss me, or will I lie in my diary?”
14. Pancakes – Boy: “Can I borrow your cellphone? I promised my mom I’d call her once I meet my dream girl.”
15. Alias Pusa – At the movies, the guy saw that the theater was packed. He asked the girl: “Okay ka lang sa nakatayo?” The girl misunderstood the question and answered: “Kahit patuwad, puwede ako!”
16. Reggie – I told my then girlfriend (now wife) how sexy she was, but she thought I was being bolero because she was chubby then. I told her: “You’re about as perfect as I need you to be.”
17. Joao – “Don’t be late for a date or you’ll debate with your date.”
18. Boknoi – I once dated a homeless woman. She used to say: “It’s easy to convince me to stay the night…”
19. RC and Cess – “Don’t date a guy who reads the menu like the Chinese, from right to left. Because he’s checking the price first.”
20. Ang pagbAbAlik ng dating nasira at nangak0ng bAbA – “You’re like the moon; I’d like to see you tonight.”
21. Astroboy – “I’m a little bit like coffee: a litlle sweet, a little bitter, but best when hot.”
22. Carmela – “My life without you is like an unsharpened pencil: it’s pointless.”
23. Bluegrey – Babala sa mga babaeng naghahanap ng date: “Sa mga panahong ito, ruler nalang ang straight.”
24. Mr. Perk – “The best first date is a guy who touches nothing but your heart.”
25. Cecil of BPI – “Never invite last-minute invites for a date. You could simply be a last-minute replacement because the first choice turned him down.”
26. Chellix – Someone actually told me this: “Nakakahilo pala, sa iyo kasi umiikot ang mundo ke eh.”
27. Pretty Kitty/Zutil – “Sana assignment ka, para puwede kitang i-take home.”
28. Pipit – “Love isn’t blind, kasi nahanap kita.”
29. RC and Cess – “Para kang utot, tahimik pero malakas ang dating.”
30. Raxiboy – “Kung ibibigay ko sa yo ang manibela ng puso ko, ibubunggo mo ba sa pader ng kabiguan?”
31. Sponge Lola – “My favorite word for us is “united”, because it starts with U-N-I.
32. Pulanglangit – I once asked a date: “Do you have a pet peeve?” She answered: “Wala. Aso, meron.”
33. Boknoi – Took my date to McDo. When she couldn’t decide on what to order, the counter person suggested: “Fillet-o-fish?” My date answered: “Fillet o fish? Uhm…sige fillet nalang.”

Manny Pacquiao

The man is unstoppable. And the man is Filipino.  We really NEED someone like Manny Pacquiao to help remind us of our potential as a nation.  We’ve become so cynical and self-deprecating about being Pinoy that it’s refreshing for a change to have that immense feeling of national pride washing over our collective jadedness, and all because of a boxer, one, many now call the greatest EVER.  Obviously it has mostly to do with the superhuman physical feats he achieved as an athlete.  But other than that, Manny unites us as a nation, even if just for a few minutes, to root for and cheer on a countryman punching away at his opponent.

I don’t know a lot about boxing, but I am nonetheless awed by the magnitude of this man’s personality whose herculean achievements boggle the mind.  Even if he weren’t a Filipino, you’d be agog at how he did what he did; him being Filipino makes it twice as sweet.  Even if down the road, should he falter on the pedestal we’ve put him on as our untarnished hero, no one can ever take away what he already gave us.  Maybe he’ll enter politics, maybe some scandal will smear his unsoiled record, maybe he’ll go down the sad road many former famous boxers went, in case the story ends anything less than happily ever after, that will have to be weighed and judged separate from what he’s done up until now.

We love to poke fun at him, but it’s never to disrespect him; it’s always in a fond way, the way we’d needle a member of the barkada, for instance.  So in this vein, because I’ve emptied my bag of superlatives talking about this greatest boxer and greatest Filipino athlete ever (there goes my last two), I just need to end this orgy of praise on a lighter note.  One of the best “Pacquiao Art” I’ve seen in a long time marries two cultural juggernauts.  Nuff said: