March 23, 2013
Hypomania [hahy-puh-mey-nee-uh] (literally, ‘below mania’) is a milder former of mania (elevated mood) and is a state characterized by persistent and pervasive elevated (euphoric) or irritable temperament . It is most often associated with the bipolar spectrum. Many who are in a hypomanic state are extremely energetic, talkative, confident, and assertive. They may have a flight of ideas and feel creative.Many people also experience signature hypersexuality.
While hypomania often generates productivity and creativity, it can become troublesome if the subject engages in risky behaviors. Individuals in a hypomanic state have a decreased need for sleep, are extremely outgoing and competitive, and have a great deal of energy. However, unlike with full mania, those with hypomanic symptoms are often fully functioning.
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March 23, 2013
Numerous studies have demonstrated correlations between creative occupations and mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The association between bipolar disorder and creativity first appeared in literature in the 1970s, but the idea of a link between ‘madness’ and ‘genius’ is much older, dating back at least to the time of Aristotle. The Ancient Greeks believed that creativity came from the gods, and in particular the Muses, the goddesses of arts and sciences, and the nine daughters of Zeus, the king of the gods.
The idea of a complete work of art emerging without conscious thought or effort was reinforced by the views of the Romantic era. It has been proposed that there is a particular link between creativity and bipolar disorder, whereas major depressive disorder appears to be significantly more common among playwrights, novelists, biographers, and artists. Psychotic individuals are said to display a capacity to see the world in a novel and original way, literally, to see things that others cannot.
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March 23, 2013
The Bell Jar is American writer and poet Sylvia Plath’s only novel, which was originally published under the pseudonym ‘Victoria Lucas’ in 1963. The novel is semi-autobiographical with the names of places and people changed.
The book is often regarded as a roman à clef (real events disguised as fiction), with the protagonist’s descent into mental illness paralleling Plath’s own experiences with what may have been clinical depression. Plath committed suicide a month after its first UK publication. The novel was published under her name for the first time in 1967 and was not published in the United States until 1971, pursuant to the wishes of Plath’s mother and her husband Ted Hughes. Continue reading →
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March 23, 2013
Confessional poetry is a style of poetry that emerged in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s that has been describe as poetry ‘of the personal.’ The content of confessional poems is autobiographical and marked by its exploration of subject matter that was considered taboo at the time. This subject matter included topics like mental illness, sexuality, and suicide.
The school of poetry that became known as ‘Confessional Poetry’ was associated with several poets who redefined American poetry in the generation following World War II, including Robert Lowell, Sylvia Plath, John Berryman, Anne Sexton, Allen Ginsberg, and W. D. Snodgrass. Continue reading →
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March 22, 2013
‘Xavier: Renegade Angel‘ is a 2007 American CGI fantasy-comedy television series created by John Lee, Vernon Chatman, Jim Tozzi and Alyson Levy. Lee and Chatman are also the creators of ‘Wonder Showzen.’ The show was produced by PFFR, with animation by Cinematico. It premiered on Adult Swim on the Cartoon Network. ‘Xavier’ features a style characterized by a nonlinear, incoherent plot following the humorous musings of an itinerant humanoid pseudo-shaman and spiritual seeker named Xavier.
The show is known for its ubiquitous use of ideologically-critical black comedy, surrealist and absurdist humor presented through a psychedelic, New Age lens. The program is also normally rated TV-MA for intense, graphic, often bloody violence (V), as well as strong sexual content, use of racially/ethnically offensive language, grotesque depictions and content that is considered ‘too morbid and too incomprehensible for young viewers.’
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March 22, 2013
The Kugelpanzer (‘spherical tank’) was a prototype reconnaissance tank built by Nazi Germany during World War II. It was one of the most unusual armored fighting vehicles ever built.
Only one example of this Rollzeug (rolling vehicle) exists in Russia as part of the Kubinka Tank Museum’s collection of German armored vehicles. The Kugelpanzer is simply listed as Item #37 and is painted gloss gray. From fragmentary information, the drive has been removed from the vehicle and no metal samples are allowed to be taken from it. Continue reading →
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March 22, 2013
Vegemite [vej-uh-mahyt] is a dark brown Australian food paste made from yeast extract. It is a spread for sandwiches and a filling for pastries. A common method of eating Vegemite is on toasted bread with one layer of butter before spreading a thin layer of Vegemite. It is similar to British, New Zealand and South African Marmite, Australian Promite, Swiss Cenovis and German Hefeextrakt. More recently, other spreads – which are Australian-owned – have come on the market to provide an alternative to the now US-owned product, such as the yeast-based AussieMite.
Vegemite is made from brewers’ yeast extract, a by-product of beer manufacturing, various vegetables, wheat and spice additives. It is salty, slightly bitter and malty, and rich in umami (savory flavor) – similar to beef bouillon. The texture is smooth and the product is a paste. It is not as intensely flavored as British Marmite and it is less sweet than the New Zealand version of Marmite. Continue reading →
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March 22, 2013
Robert Venturi (b. 1925) is an American architect, founding principal of the firm Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, and one of the major architectural figures in the twentieth century. Together with his wife and partner, Denise Scott Brown, he helped to shape the way that architects, planners and students experience and think about architecture and the American built environment.
Their buildings, planning, theoretical writings and teaching have contributed to the expansion of discourse about architecture. He is also known for coining the maxim ‘Less is a bore’ a postmodern antidote to Mies van der Rohe’s famous modernist dictum ‘Less is more.’
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March 22, 2013
The Big Duck is a ferrocement (cement, sand, and steel mesh) building in the shape of a duck located in Flanders, New York, on Long Island. It was originally built in 1931 by duck farmer Martin Maurer in nearby Riverhead, and used as a shop to sell ducks and duck eggs.
The Big Duck is a prime example of literalism in advertising. The building measures 18 feet (5.5 m) wide, 30 feet (9.1 m) long and 20 feet (6.1 m) tall to the top of the head. The duck’s eyes are made from Ford Model T tail lights and the interior floor space is confined to 11 feet (3.4 m) by 15 feet (4.6 m). Continue reading →
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March 22, 2013
South of the Border is a roadside attraction on Interstate 95 south of the border between North and South Carolina, which serves as a rest stop for vacationers and tourists traveling to and from Florida. The rest area features not only restaurants, gas stations and a motel, but also a small amusement park, shopping (including, formerly, adult entertainment at the ‘Dirty Old Man Shop’), and, famously, fireworks. Its mascot is Pedro, an extravagantly stereotypical Mexican bandido.
It is known for being advertised by hundreds of billboards along surrounding highways, starting over 150 miles away. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, originally from nearby Dillon, South Carolina, worked for a summer as a poncho-wearing waiter at South of the Border to help pay his way through Harvard. South of the Border also hosted the bar/night club ‘Pedro’s’ from 1985-1998. This was a popular spot for revellers including many Lumbee Indians who visited the club from neighboring (and dry) Robeson County.
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March 21, 2013
Tourist trap is an establishment, or group of establishments, that has been created or re-purposed with the aim of attracting tourists and their money. Tourist traps will typically provide services, entertainment, souvenirs and other products for tourists to purchase.
While the term may have negative connotations for some, such establishments may be viewed by tourists as fun and interesting diversions. In some areas like Ishpeming, Michigan, Flush toilets may be a sufficient draw to entice tourists to stop as they are not readily available at many tourist facilities in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Wall Drug, in South Dakota, began its tourist trade simply by offering ice water.
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March 21, 2013
Poutine [poo-teen] (French: ‘a mess’) is a typical Canadian dish (originally from Quebec), made with french fries, topped with brown gravy (meat stock based) and cheese curds (solid parts of soured milk).
Poutine is sold by fast food chains, in small ‘greasy spoon’ type diners (commonly known as ‘cantines’ or ‘casse-croûtes’ in Quebec) and pubs, as well as by roadside chip wagons (commonly known as ‘cabanes à patates,’ literally meaning ‘potato shacks’). International chains like McDonald’s and KFC sell mass-produced poutine in Canada. Continue reading →
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