Thursday, May 26, 2011

Here's An Interpretation of Black Swan's Nina.

Hey all,

Here's a slopshodder interpretation of the movie Black Swan.  There's so much going through my brain right now that I'm having trouble comprehending this movie.  Thus, below is an array of thoughts I need to lay out on the computer screen.  I'm assuming you've seen the movie and won't be hurt as I discuss pieces from the whole movie.  I'm not going to give a plot summary because it's not that important.  I'm literally going to just discuss the psychotic nature of Nina.

So, first a diagnosis to further this interpretation/psychoanalysis of Nina.

I've read on some interpretations that Nina is purely psychotic, and not schizophrenic.  I disagree.  Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder, so it makes sense that Nina could be schizophrenic.  She exhibits all of the common symptoms of the disorder, including social withdrawal, delusions, bizarre behavior, and loss of contact with reality.

Her mother is definitely a contributing factor towards Nina's condition - Nina's mother is almost undoubtedly sexually abusive towards her, and it's fairly apparent that this started a long time ago when Nina was still young.  Nina's room is decorated with stuffed animals, and has pink decor.  Furthermore, the mother constantly suggests Nina to take her clothes off...to check the scratching, of course (ahem).

There is also something eerie about the scene where Nina "feels" herself only to later find out her mother is sleeping on a chair beside her.  The scene is brief but creepy.  I can't help but think that the mother was not sleeping at all, merely pretending to sleep as to spy on her daughter.

Now that the precedence for the mother and Nina's condition is set, I will proceed to the more compelling portion of this interpretation - who's real?  Who's just imagination?

I'm going to assert that the mother is fake.  Why?  Because there are unsettling things about the character that can't be explained.  The most obvious is when Lily comes over; the mother quickly closes the door without asking who it is.  However, there are other subtle hints.  When Nina closes the door on her mother's hand, the fingers are almost invariably injured.  This is shown on Nina when she wakes up the next morning with mittens over her hands.  Also, Nina wakes up later than usual to find that her mother did not wake her up.  Why?  Well, Nina did take hallucinogens the night before, and perhaps that altered her delusions.  There is another subtle hint.  Nina's mother's room is extremely sketchy.  It's never clear if those drawings on the wall are of Nina or someone else.  Thus, I make the claim that those paintings are actually of Nina's mother drawn by Nina herself.  It creates a sense that maybe her mother is still with her.  They're also not positive images, possibly suggesting the fact that they had a rough relationship in the past.  Finally, we never find out why Nina's mother is crying - is it because of her failure as a ballerina or something more?

Lily is for sure real.  The fact that the other characters interact with her is a testament of that.  The scene where Lily and Nina have sexual relations is actually key in my opinion.  There was definitely a change in that part of the movie.  Lily is very clearly a character foil for Nina.  They are polar opposites.  Lily is what Nina wants to become.  In the scene where they have sex, it's unclear whether or not it actually happened, but it shows something nevertheless.  At one point in the scene, Lily's face transforms into that of Nina's.  This is a clear representation of what is going through Nina's mind.  Nina has tried to masturbate twice before, and perhaps the third time really is the charm.  The fact that Nina imagined her own face on Lily is a testament of how Nina strongly feels like she needs to accomplish Thomas' "homework."  From that point onward, it becomes unclear whether or not the Lily's in the scenes are real or fake.  The fact that this transformation takes place explains why Nina didn't really stab Lily in the changing room, but really just injured herself.

This interpretation isn't really that compelling, but it helps me get some stuff down in writing.  I hope you enjoyed it, anyway.

Thanks for reading,
cyoubx

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Facebook Finally Did Something Right!

Hey all,

I was sending a Facebook message to one of my friends when I noticed that the system had changed.

Facebook now allows users to create a Facebook email thus making sending messages a much more enjoyable experience.

Not only is the user interface cleaner, and more contemporary, the additional feature is pretty nifty as well.  You are now able to attach files to send in your messages, although the size limit of these files is unknown to me at the time of this post.  Either way, sending text files in and of itself will be better since the native Facebook message system was unable to convey "tabs" at the beginning of paragraphs.

Facebook is notorious for its miscellaneous changes which aren't really that helpful.  But I'm happy that they finally did something useful, not just something aesthetic.

Thanks for reading,
cyoubx

Sunday, May 15, 2011

It's the Cuber, Not the Cube

What more can I say?  Well, a lot.

Based on the frequent forum posts on speedsolving.com, I can attest to the fact that there is this huge hype about new cubes.

In the past months, or year, if you will, we as cubers have gotten a plethora of new cubes.  Now, this encompasses all types of cubes, including the 4x4, but I'm less concerned about the hype of those.  Why?  Because there are clear flaws in ALL 4x4s.  Lock-ups, pops, etc.  3x3s on the other hand are way too overrated.  Here's why:


  1. If you average anything over 20 seconds, you need to work on your own style, not on your budget for cubes.  New cubes will not make you faster.  Practicing will.
  2. Pick a preference and go with it.  I understand if you are a hobbyist who collects all puzzles.  I also understand if you make consumer reviews.  I don't understand overconsumption if you are just an average cuber, like me.  Why do you NEED to get EVERY SINGLE CUBE AVAILABLE?!  You don't.  Stick with what you have and practice.  Now, granted, some cubes fit some cubers better than others.  However, if you're buying 52 cubes a year, you should realized by now what your preference is.  If you like smooth, go with the GuHong, if you like clicky, go with Alpha.  You don't need both.
  3. New cubes does not equate to better cubes.  What makes a LunHui better than a GuHong?  Unpoppable?  My anus.  All cubes pop.  Plus, cubes can't have it all.  The LunHui suffers from less speed.  If you prefer speed to minor pops, go with the GuHong; it rarely pops anyway.
  4. Stop obsessing over corner cutting.  If you rely on 45 degree corner cuts, you need better turning.  Period.
  5. Stop obsessing over reverse corner cutting.  If you need anything more than what a tightly tensioned GuHong can do, you should feel ashamed of yourself.
  6. Stop obsessing over speed.  This is a persistent issue.  People say Eastsheens suck because they don't cut corners.  I disagree; I say they suck because they can't turn properly.  Why would anyone want a frictionless cube?  That's absolutely ridiculous.  If you can't turn a GuHong effortlessly, work on that.  If you think fast is good, think again.  If you average 30 seconds, it's not speed you need.
  7. Finally, stop obsessing over Lubix.  Lubix is a great product, but it's not the solution to every cube.  Sure, it works on 3x3's.  However, I highly doubt it's better than silicone spray for 5x5s and other big cubes.  Again, stick with what you have.   

Don't buy new cubes - just practice.

Thanks for reading,
cyoubx