Inked Up Fans

For some time now I have been debating on getting the Red Hot Chili Peppers' iconic Astrix tattooed on me. Many dedicated fans have it, mostly on the inside of their wrists. Whether it be song lyrics by a certain band or a band's logo or symbol, die hard fans love to get ink to prove their loyalty tho their favorite artists. Do you have any tattoos inspired by a musical artist? If so, where? I'm still trying to decide if I want to carry the Red Hot Chili Peppers' logo on my body until I die.

Aerosmith fan tattoo

Tattoo inspired by Incubus band member (Brandon Boyd) art work

Tattoo of Aaliyah

Greenday fan tattoo

RHCP fan tattoo

Tattoo of Tupac Shakur

It Gives You Wings

Remember when Red Bull was the "it" drink? It was at parties, in bars, and in 7-eleven's all over the world. Most importantly...it gave you wings! It was like getting high off liquid, and it was legal. Since Red Bull, many drinks providing a liquid high have emerged, coining the term energy drink. But how safe are these drinks? Is the high really worth the unknown substance being consumed? With these liquid highs being legal and readily available, who's to say other energy boosters won't be legal and for public consumption in the future? Coffee is just fine for me. Do you prefer an energy drink to keep you going? If so, which one?

Click Here to See 5 Hour Energy Ingredients

Click Here to Seen Monster Ingredients

Click Here to See Red Bull Ingredients

Better Safe Than Sorry

How many people do you know that have had an STD? No matter how many safe sex campaigns or classroom video are heard, the STD rate in the U.S. continues to increase. Are we a promiscuous generation? Uninformed? Stupid? It seems ad though many young people either accept the fact that they will encounter an STD, or keep it a secret. The website Avert http://www.avert.org/std-statistics-america.htm shows the increase of STD's like Chlamydia, Syphilis and Gonorrhea over the past ten years. These are now the most common STD's and are being mostly contracted by  people under the age of 30. What can be done to prevent younger generations from increasing the rate and not becoming a statistic? I think sexual education should be more openly and honestly discussed to younger audiences. The earlier kids know about risks, the less chance they have of contracting an STD. As for our generation, there should be more college and high school panels and discussions about STDs to encourage young adults that it's better to be safe than sorry.

Crossing Over

What is crossing over? It usually describes an artists transition from a less popular sound or type of music to a more mainstream sound. Often times fans who were there when the band first formed resent when an artists crosses over and views it as succumbing to the demands of record labels and fame. Is it better to crossover and have more influence, appeal, and fortune? Or is it better to remain true to an original style. Also, some artists simply mature and want to explore other sounds and types of music. Sometimes fans forget that artists enjoy many varieties of music. Here are some artists that crossed over successfully....

Incubus circa 1998

Incubus circa 2010

Kanye West circa 2004

Kanye West circa 2011

Madonna 1980's

Madonna 2011

Mary J Blige 1994

Mary J Blige circa 2011

RHCP circa 1984

RHCP circa 2010

With the holidays quickly approaching, I started wondering about worldwide holidays. I know that the U.S. has its own original holidays and also shared holidays with other countries and cultures. Different countries have different takes on certain holidays, and some change the holiday completely.Which holidays are celebrated most all around the world? What is your favorite holiday?

Independence Day in Nigeria

Christmas in Australia

Labour Day in China

Valentine's Day in Mexico

New Year's Eve in France

Let's Stay Connected

The other night I was alone in my room ignoring my homework and surfing the web. A facebook notification popped up on my phone that I had a friend request from....my grandma! Why? Confusion overwhelmed me and I immediately opened my laptop to investigate. After confirming the grim truth of my grandma's facebook, I decided that social networking has officially reached everyone. I'm not sure it's a bad thing but I certainly think that depending on how it's used, social networking can be quite harmful. It's bringing us together, but dividing us at the same time. What social media sites are you involved in and how much time do you spend on them? 

Is it Really Real?

Since the explosion of reality television, it seems as if it's inescapable. MTV started the phenomenon with its first season of The Real World in 1992, in the following years, a plethora of reality shows have emerged, making their mark in popular culture. Not only have reality shows increased ratings for many channels, they have often made celebrities of everyday people. An increasing amount of people with little or no talent are suddenly becoming rich seemingly overnight. I am not talking about the competition shows like survivor, I am speaking of the shows that have no prize at the end. These shows are spawning off mini celebrities for doing what...partying? So now I ask the question...if people know that they have a chance at being famous based off a reality show, are their characters hyper versions of themselves? And if so, then is this really reality TV? While more scripted shows are being pushed off the air, are we tuning in to see a bunch of phony b.s.? I do indulge in reality TV...here are some of my favorites....what are yours?

Techno World

Since the 1980's technology has been quickly advancing, with new gadgets and inventions every few months. Whether it's government technology or simply a more convenient way to do an everyday task, technology is seen everywhere. As the rate of advancement increases, I wonder if we will become overpowered by technology. Is it safe to say in another five or ten years we will be completely dependent on technology? Is too much technology helpful or harmful?

Power of Music

It's no secret that music has the ability to influence millions. No matter the genre, music can inspire love, hate and change. Whether it's the death of an artist, or the moving lyrics to a song, fans have traditionally been influenced by musicians and artists. What sparks the connection between fan and artist? It is the factor of relatibility. Fans who feel a connection with the lifestyle or lyrics of an artist often feel persuaded by the musician. What lyrics or artists have influenced you or changed an opinion? Who do you think are the most influential artists past and present? Here are few of my choices...

Tupac and Biggie

Justin Bieber

Michael Jackson

The Beatles

Elvis Presley

Nirvana

The Supremes

 

Piercing Society

Piercings were always the norm for the weird kids in class who never got out much. However, piercings are becoming more main stream and socially acceptable in U.S. culture. I'm not talking about the standard ear piercing. Lip, nose, eyebrow, back, and cheek piercings are sprouting up on even the most classy of piercers. The Center for Young Women's Health has a portion of their site dedicated to informing young girls about piercings.http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/body-piercing.html Is this a trend or a cultural shift to a more daring society? What factors decide where you get pierced and how many piercings do you have? Feel free to share stories.

nose bridge piercing

side torso piercing

lip piercing

ankle piercing

belly piercing