Oppenheimer: a movie

sahabatpare

The director, Christopher Nolan, is considered one of the leading filmmakers of the 21st century. Known for his blockbuster hits like Man of Steel, Justice League, The Dark Knight, and Interstellar, to name a few, many fans and film enthusiasts have been anticipating his work with “Oppenheimer”, the story of American theoretical physicist and father of the atomic bomb J. Robert Oppenheimer. It has this dizzying way of slicing and dicing psychodrama, political betrayal, and scientific inquiry, packed into a three-hour long cinematic masterpiece that restates the history written and directed by the ingenious Nolan himself. The plot of this movie heavily revolves around his involvement in the Manhattan Project… Read More

Continue Reading

sou diu, what??

sahabatpare

A recent viral video in China shows a man skillfully frying rocks in a mix of garlic, oil, and chili pepper. He introduced it as suodiu (嗦丢), literally meaning “suck and discard,” referring to how the dish was eaten (sorry to disappoint; you’re not actually supposed to eat the rocks). The suodiu in question was sold for 16 RMB per serving (around $2). The steep price tag shocked viewers, who felt that there was hardly anything edible on the plate. The admittedly peculiar dish actually has a long history in China. Originating in Hubei, a province often referred to as the “Land of Fish and Rice,” suodiu was first invented… Read More

Continue Reading

bird language

sahabatpare

In most ways, Kuşköy resembles countless other villages nestled in the Pontic Mountains along Turkey’s Black Sea coast. Its 500 or so residents cultivate tea and hazelnuts; there is one street with a baker, a butcher, and a few cafes. It is the sounds, not the sights, that make Kuşköy different. For generations, villagers have conversed using a unique form of whistled communication they call “kuş dili,” or “bird language” in Turkish. In fact, the melodies of local birds are often similar to kuş dili; a morning song of the blackbird is the same as a famous verse in the Quran. Like other forms of whistled communication, kuş dili arose… Read More

Continue Reading

Quiet: the power of introvert

sahabatpare12 Comments

“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”—Mahatma Gandhi This quote is an excellent reflection of the author’s focus in the book “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking,” by Susan Cain. The author discusses her view that introverts are highly undervalued, particularly in leadership positions. She holds the belief that extroverts are rated as “smarter, better-looking, more interesting, and more desirable,” and that introversion is considered a “second-class personality trait”. Quiet is the book for introverts, focused on their more subtle, but important, powers in a world that favors extroverted traits. This post features a review, quotes, and resources to provide insight and… Read More

Continue Reading

Why we sleep

sahabatpareNo Comments

Do you ever wonder how important sleep is for our mental health? Sleep is one of the first things we sacrifice when assignments pile up or deadlines approach. Being reasonable people, however, we bargain with ourselves; once this (and that) is done, we will finally rest and catch up on missed sleep. Unfortunately, our time asleep is not a resource that can be managed in this way. We should be especially concerned with the damage caused by a lack of sleep. The damage is both mental and physical, short and long term. Matthew Walker’s book “Why We Sleep” has changed my attitude towards sleep. Its message is simple: seven to… Read More

Continue Reading