Pandora's Box

Check out this wicked box, dude.


Wicked, man. I love the concept of Pandora's Box. And using it as a metaphor for something in real-life, is really fun, too. "Man, you've opened Pandora's Box now" - especially if all that's happening is an argument about paying the rent, or something. Anyways, here's the mythology surrounding Pandora's Box:

After Prometheus took fire from the sun, Zeus sought reprisal by handing Pandora (the first woman on Earth) to Epimetheus, the brother of Prometheus. At the same time, Pandora was given a box that she was ordered not to open under any circumstances. Despite this warning, overcome by curiosity Pandora opened the box. Upon doing so, the evils contained within escaped into the world.

All the best stories begin with "After Prometheus took fire from the sun...".

That sucks though, I wish those evils had never escaped into the world.

Phoenix

Phoenix.... Mystical, powerful Phoenix.

These dudes are amazing. They're mythical "Fire Spirits" with a 1000 year lifespan and the ability to be reborn. When a Phoenix dies, it settles into a nest, ignites, and from the flames comes a brand new Phoenix (or an egg containing one), ready to invigorate the imagination of a new generation. In some stories, Phoenixes can also transform into people.

Badass. I hope to one day "be" one.

Matchbooks

Matchbooks are cool - not a preferred or even particularly handy device any more, but still - their use as a kind of "business card" or something is pretty badass.

Fucken "portable fire", man. It rules. Going to get some matchbooks, start handing 'em out - and drum me up some support. :)

The Fire Department

Everyday heroes. That's cool, man.

Once, when my buds and I were in Sydney, we saw what looked like it could've been a "PR Exercise" - on a Sunday afternoon, in a public park. The fire department had been called in to rescue a kitten from a tree. So on a Sunday, obviously the park was full of families, strollers, dogs, bicycles with training wheels, and generally a pretty wholesome crowd.

The fireman returned from the tree with the cat safely in its "rescue box" - to an explosive enthusiastic ovation from the crowd of what ended up being about 40 children, who had gathered to watch.

Quite literally one of the "nicest" things I've ever witnessed.

Pairs of "Things"

Ok, so this one is a little strange, but I'll do my best to describe what I'm talking about. So there are things, in the spectrum of history's "content" - written, visual, audible... there are alot of combinations of 2 things in there. Here's some great ones, to give you an idea:

Milk & Honey
Lennon & McCartney
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Mischief & Mayhem
Fire & Ice
Salt & Pepper
Rogers & Hammerstein
Iron & Wine
Venus & Mars
Heckle & Jeckle
Jekyll & Hyde
Bacon & Eggs
Shoes & Socks
Chalk & Cheese
Fire & Brimstone
Sonny & Cher
Martin & Lewis
Bert & Ernie
Peaches & Cream

Ok, so with the help of some very clever readers, we've come up with all of those. But have finally run out of ideas. Except for one. This is the greatest one ever, I'm pretty sure. Please, dear readers - feel free to offer me some more, I'll definitely add them to the list (as long as they're actual ones). Anyways: here we go - the best pairing of words in the history of the English language.

BLOOD & THUNDER!

Do with that what you will.

Total Badasses: Dhalsim

Dhalsim is a total badass. He first features in Capcom's Street Fighter II, where he utilizes a "yoga" style of fighting, making him deadly as a long-range striker character. He can also shoot fire from his mouth - "YOGA FLAME!" - in a variety of ways.

I love how Capcom decided that "stretching your arms and legs to 3x length" to attack your opponent was somehow an interpretation of the "art of yoga". Still, one can dream.

Anyways, Dhalsim rules.

For more Total Badasses, click here.

Music Video "Worlds"

Man, check out how lovely, positive and just plain great this song is. Plus, the video depicts some kind of poor-production-valued, pseudo futuristic boogie universe, where everyone is "grooving around", and generally just living in the world of this song!! Incredible.

Plus, the band name is "Earth, Wind & Fire"... oh my god. Does anybody think that white people have just always been WAY behind?