So I was headed to the doctors earlier today and as I got off the N train on Atlantic-Pacific Avenue, I noticed all these Testing Makes Us Stronger ads. At first I figured, "okay, they're pushing people to get tested and being safe or what have you". Then I noticed something very peculiar -- all of these Testing ads were with homosexuals (or portrayals of them).
I am, in no way or manner, attempting to bash anyone. I happen to have an uncle who is homosexual and has a partner. MY problem here is this -- we live in a society where the LGBT community are striving for a genuine sense of equality and tolerance in American society yet when it comes to HIV/AIDS, they continue to let themselves be the poster children of this disease. I haven't personally seen anyone make an uproar about it, let alone even point out that not a single heterosexual portrayal or figure is shown in these ads. All of them seem geared towards the association of homosexuality and HIV/AIDS. By the way, it gets better. In all these ads, the ethnicity is (you guessed it) African-American. No Latinos, Caucasians, Asians -- all black. Mind you, all male.
Is there something wrong with this picture or am I the only one noticing this specific singling out of sexual orientation, gender and/or race within advertisement? I think it's only fair that should an advertisement promoting the testing for HIV/AIDS be put out in public that they all present something different, not just gay black men. I find it very strange that it is 2012 and you have caricatures of this sort in a post-modern society still existing.
Blogs by Ron Gunz
2.13.2012
2.04.2012
Underworld: Awakening review
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my deepest honor to once again bring you yet another movie review, which is something I haven't done in a good while.
I watched Underworld: Awakening in 3D last night. For those out of the loop, Underworld has always been about the war between vampires and werewolves in the post-modern and very dark real world. Selene (Kate Beckinsale) is the best fighter among the vampires and fell in love with a guy named Michael Corvinus (Scott Speedman) who is the only hybrid -- half vampire, half werewolf, none of their weaknesses but stronger than both. Werewolves have gone cucamonga because they were slaves to the vampire race and have been finding ways to break free...and Selene happened to have been the one to join the vampires after being told by her adopted dad Victor that her family was killed by werewolves (not vampires, which is the truth).
Fast forward to the current plot. Twelve years have passed. Vampires are on the run for survival while the werewolves are regrouping and trying to regroup and multiply in numbers through medical experimentation to eventually start cloning an army of invincible werewolves absent of any of their weaknesses. Selene just got freed by her kind, as well as her daughter. Where's Michael? Well, I refuse to spoil the ending.
Vampires are running scared like cowards and Selene is the one to try to get them to fight the werewolves. Apparently, the werewolves tricked the government into believing that they were practically done with and have the government focused on killing off the vampires.
I'm sure every Underworld fan has been disappointed somehow with the 2nd and 3rd entries but you won't with Awakening. By far, the best film since the 1st and more action than the first as well. If you're looking for Oscar-quality acting, you're out of luck because this movie is all about Beckinsale showing off her swag and beauty as a fighter. As for 3D? Avoid it! This film made near-nonexistent use of 3D. I felt like I was watching a movie in HD at best. I was able to watch half the film without the glasses.
If you need your action flick fix, this movie will do it. For those that have complained about all those poor excuses for vampire/werewolf flicks, this will be your worthwhile.
I watched Underworld: Awakening in 3D last night. For those out of the loop, Underworld has always been about the war between vampires and werewolves in the post-modern and very dark real world. Selene (Kate Beckinsale) is the best fighter among the vampires and fell in love with a guy named Michael Corvinus (Scott Speedman) who is the only hybrid -- half vampire, half werewolf, none of their weaknesses but stronger than both. Werewolves have gone cucamonga because they were slaves to the vampire race and have been finding ways to break free...and Selene happened to have been the one to join the vampires after being told by her adopted dad Victor that her family was killed by werewolves (not vampires, which is the truth).
Fast forward to the current plot. Twelve years have passed. Vampires are on the run for survival while the werewolves are regrouping and trying to regroup and multiply in numbers through medical experimentation to eventually start cloning an army of invincible werewolves absent of any of their weaknesses. Selene just got freed by her kind, as well as her daughter. Where's Michael? Well, I refuse to spoil the ending.
Vampires are running scared like cowards and Selene is the one to try to get them to fight the werewolves. Apparently, the werewolves tricked the government into believing that they were practically done with and have the government focused on killing off the vampires.
I'm sure every Underworld fan has been disappointed somehow with the 2nd and 3rd entries but you won't with Awakening. By far, the best film since the 1st and more action than the first as well. If you're looking for Oscar-quality acting, you're out of luck because this movie is all about Beckinsale showing off her swag and beauty as a fighter. As for 3D? Avoid it! This film made near-nonexistent use of 3D. I felt like I was watching a movie in HD at best. I was able to watch half the film without the glasses.
If you need your action flick fix, this movie will do it. For those that have complained about all those poor excuses for vampire/werewolf flicks, this will be your worthwhile.
2.03.2012
While in my isolation: To piece ourselves together
Yesterday was quite the day for me. It consisted of the usual work, busting my chops and consistently proving a level of dedication on my part at work. Then I headed out to Staten Island to check stuff out and clear my head. The Ferry has its way of helping me thinking and get to that place of contemplation and putting things into perspective. Then I ended up in NJ until 2am at the Loop Inn to really get away from all the funk. Afterwards, as sick and out of whack as I was, got home at almost 6am. A lot of things came to mind and mainly had to do with my sense of self, or the loss of it and the attitude I've had when it comes to love.
I'll never see things the way I once did. The concept of being someone's universe, while idealistic and romantic it may be, is scary and most of the time just unrealistic. We all know what happens when we do that. It leaves us vulnerable to manipulation, hurt, jealousy, madness and obsession. I've also recalled the whole concept of someone "completing you". Looking back at everything and how I am today, it's a sick joke played upon us all. My friend Starsha attended a conference and one thing they said there which I strongly agree with is this -- relationships will continue to crumble (and so will you) when the people involved are broken. I still believe in people complementing one another but completing? No more. Why? One should be assured of themselves and who they are, not use someone else as a crutch in order to be put together. We're not meant to be each other's band aids. I believe, in essence, to be one's help meet, to be one's ying to the other's yang so to speak. To be someone's bandaid, rebound, crutch or stepping stone? No thanks. To have people you care about on that level is to lessen them to being objects to feed one's sense of vanity, ego, pride, narcissism and self-esteem because you find yourself lacking in an area you ought to strengthen yourself in. Even worse when we choose to just have a lover, a partner or friend for the sake of not being alone. It shows an absence of self-security, let alone self-assurance.
Some people that are reading right now are probably like, "the heck do you know Ron"? Well, first of all, as a man who going to be 27, I can't act like I'm naive. It's not like I've only dated two or three women and don't have friends. I've seen friends, family and lovers all come and go and I can say I've experienced a good number of things that have rattled, challenged, shaken and provoked me to mature my view of the world as well as my view on the matters of the heart. How long will a human being put up with being someone's band aid, someone's crutch, someone's feel-good person, someone's rebound? Furthermore, do we really need to put up with these things? Whatever happened to being strong on your own? What happened to complementary instead of supplementary? Or have people forgotten how damaging being co-dependent, desperate for approval/attention and being needy actually are to the human soul?
Depressive, narcissistic, borderline, passive/aggressive, bipolar, unipolar, tripolar, multiple personality -- screw all of that for the moment and think on this -- when was the last time time and thought about yourself as a human soul? When was the last time, sat down and thought, "hey, how about I stop staying broken and pick myself up together?"
It's time that we gather ourselves -- as humans, as souls, as creations made only a little lower than heavenly beings and as warriors -- and be one. Kill the idols that seep and leech on your identity, be free and stand your ground. Pound that chest, face your devil in the eye and tear it down. If you still haven't found what you're looking for, look for it! Seek and OWN your destiny.
It's okay to sometimes have your heart on your sleeve but be sure to protect it while you let it all hang out -- because in it are the wellsprings of life. Your mind? If it crumbles, the heart will follow suit.
I'll never see things the way I once did. The concept of being someone's universe, while idealistic and romantic it may be, is scary and most of the time just unrealistic. We all know what happens when we do that. It leaves us vulnerable to manipulation, hurt, jealousy, madness and obsession. I've also recalled the whole concept of someone "completing you". Looking back at everything and how I am today, it's a sick joke played upon us all. My friend Starsha attended a conference and one thing they said there which I strongly agree with is this -- relationships will continue to crumble (and so will you) when the people involved are broken. I still believe in people complementing one another but completing? No more. Why? One should be assured of themselves and who they are, not use someone else as a crutch in order to be put together. We're not meant to be each other's band aids. I believe, in essence, to be one's help meet, to be one's ying to the other's yang so to speak. To be someone's bandaid, rebound, crutch or stepping stone? No thanks. To have people you care about on that level is to lessen them to being objects to feed one's sense of vanity, ego, pride, narcissism and self-esteem because you find yourself lacking in an area you ought to strengthen yourself in. Even worse when we choose to just have a lover, a partner or friend for the sake of not being alone. It shows an absence of self-security, let alone self-assurance.
Some people that are reading right now are probably like, "the heck do you know Ron"? Well, first of all, as a man who going to be 27, I can't act like I'm naive. It's not like I've only dated two or three women and don't have friends. I've seen friends, family and lovers all come and go and I can say I've experienced a good number of things that have rattled, challenged, shaken and provoked me to mature my view of the world as well as my view on the matters of the heart. How long will a human being put up with being someone's band aid, someone's crutch, someone's feel-good person, someone's rebound? Furthermore, do we really need to put up with these things? Whatever happened to being strong on your own? What happened to complementary instead of supplementary? Or have people forgotten how damaging being co-dependent, desperate for approval/attention and being needy actually are to the human soul?
Depressive, narcissistic, borderline, passive/aggressive, bipolar, unipolar, tripolar, multiple personality -- screw all of that for the moment and think on this -- when was the last time time and thought about yourself as a human soul? When was the last time, sat down and thought, "hey, how about I stop staying broken and pick myself up together?"
It's time that we gather ourselves -- as humans, as souls, as creations made only a little lower than heavenly beings and as warriors -- and be one. Kill the idols that seep and leech on your identity, be free and stand your ground. Pound that chest, face your devil in the eye and tear it down. If you still haven't found what you're looking for, look for it! Seek and OWN your destiny.
It's okay to sometimes have your heart on your sleeve but be sure to protect it while you let it all hang out -- because in it are the wellsprings of life. Your mind? If it crumbles, the heart will follow suit.
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