In the late '90s and early 2000s, calling something "affordable" was straightforward. Most people understood intuitively that "affordable" meant "affordable to me," not necessarily everyone else. Today, however, something subtle but important has shifted in the way people react to these universal-sounding adjectives.
Film
As I watched yet another episode of Severance, I found myself unsettled—not just by its eerie world but by how familiar it felt. Lumon Industries is no ordinary company; it is a cathedral cloaked in fluorescent lights. Its founder, Kier Eagan, looms like a prophet whose words are scripture,
Tech
A recent article from Bloomberg—AI Will Upend a Basic Assumption About How Companies Are Organized by Azeem Azhar—is like many in a long string of articles that have pumped up the disruption and transformation being brought on by artificial intelligence. Azhar also wrote the 2021 Financial Times Best
History
Our ancestors weren't slouches. They cracked mathematical mysteries and built mind-bending devices that sometimes vanished from human memory, only to be reinvented millennia later.
History
The United States entered the 1990s with strong economic momentum, only to witness a gradual erosion of public trust in institutions, the rise of anti-government extremism, and the mainstreaming of conspiratorial thinking. I look at the interconnected events, policies, and cultural shifts that transformed the nation's trajectory over
Film
Some movies entertain, some inspire, and some leave an imprint that lasts for decades. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) does all three, capturing the essence of youthful rebellion while delivering a life philosophy that resonates across generations. Written and directed by John Hughes, the film isn't just
Film
"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..." These iconic words are more than just an opening line—they're an invitation to a universe of boundless imagination. With a twist on the familiar "once upon a time," this phrase instantly transports audiences
Culture
Long before Christianity, winter celebrations across Europe revolved around the solstice, marking renewal, fertility, and cosmic balance. These pre-Christian traditions provided the foundation for many customs now synonymous with Christmas, blending mythology, agricultural rituals, and ancient beliefs. Pre-Christian Winter Solstice Celebrations The winter solstice, the year's shortest day
Life
The discovery of a novel class of viroid-like RNA elements, termed Obelisks, has unveiled a fascinating new dimension of life that challenges our understanding of biological systems. Found within human microbiomes and across diverse ecological niches globally, these RNA elements exhibit unique characteristics that distinguish them from previously known biological
In a quiet valley within the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge) of Saxony, Germany, lies the small town of Glashütte, a place revered among watch enthusiasts worldwide. Though the region was once primarily known for mining, it has become an undisputed epicenter of German watchmaking. The town’s transformation from a struggling
Clive Barker has always possessed a singular ability to unnerve readers by transforming ordinary settings into foreboding landscapes where ghastly creatures and psychological nightmares lurk. Books of Blood, available on Hulu, channels that signature style with a curious blend of unnerving atmosphere, surreal storytelling, and just enough realism to make
Have you ever noticed the recurring appearances of rabbits in movies? There’s a hidden code in Hollywood that only a select few know about. While I can’t reveal all its secrets here, I can tell you it begins with uncovering every movie featuring rabbits. I have a list
Check out this article from Popular Mechanics, Your Very Own Consciousness Can Interact With the Whole Universe, Scientists Believe by Susan Lahey. The article is about a journey into the labyrinth of consciousness. The question of whether consciousness is a mere product of neural fireworks or a standalone entity has
In the quiet corners of the digital age, a profound shift has taken place—a recalibration of intimacy, now distilled into the commodity of pixels and screens.
I remember the first time I watched The Omen. I must’ve been about 7 or 8, sitting cross-legged on the shaggy carpet in our living room, eyes glued to the TV screen, heart pounding in my chest. The darkness in that film – it wasn’t just the literal shadows
“It is the territory whose shreds are slowly rotting across the map.” With this opening, Jean Baudrillard sets the tone for his seminal work, Simulacra and Simulation (source). This philosophical inquiry explores the relationship between reality, symbols, and society, profoundly influencing contemporary culture, notably impacting the film The Matrix. Baudrillard
Driver watches, originally designed for drivers in the early 20th century, blend practicality with unique aesthetics. Their distinctive feature is the tilted dial, allowing drivers to read the time without turning their wrist. This design innovation was crucial for early automobile racers, who needed to keep their hands on the
In the realm of luxury watches, few names resonate as distinctly as Cartier. Renowned for its rich history of crafting timepieces that combine elegance with innovation, Cartier has remained a beacon of sophistication in the horological world.
Easter is a moveable feast, meaning that its date varies each year. It is celebrated on the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or after the vernal equinox (the first day of spring) in the Northern Hemisphere. This means that the date of Easter can fall between
The Oxford Clarendon Hume Edition Series, edited meticulously by David and Mary Norton, offers a critical exploration of one of David Hume's seminal works, A Treatise of Human Nature: Volume 1. This profound philosophical work is not only a cornerstone in understanding human psychology but also a crucial
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) was one of the greatest writers of the German Romantic period. Matthew Bell is professor of German and comparative literature at King's College London. His books include Goethe’s Naturalistic Anthropology and Melancholia: The Western Malady.
