Monthly Archives: February 2014

Primitive Post Human-The Valentines Day Experience 2014

By: pamela swarts

Read more here:
Primitive Post Human-The Valentines Day Experience 2014 - Video

[This is a review ofBeing Humanseason 4, episode 6. There will be SPOILERS.]

-

Though they want to do better, it sometimes feels like Aidan (Sam Witwer) and Josh (Sam Huntington) are bound to do worse. For the entire run of this show, vampirism has been treated like an addiction while the wolf gene has been treated like a communicable disease. Both un-kickable, both a pox on their shared house.

On last nightsBeing Human, the seemingly cursed dwelling of the vampire, the werewolf, and the ghost faced its latest threat a motivated seller in the form of Sallys brother Robbie (Jesse Rath, Meaghan Raths real life brother). But while that challenge to the status-quo (brought on by flaky Robbies latest financial ship running-a-ground) inspired forces from within the shadows to rear their head, the main characters life-plagues did the most damage.

As has been said before in these reviews, Nora has been guilty of reaching for something approaching a normal life this season, but here, Josh seems to call her bluff, pushing hard for a move away from the house and from Aidan and Sally toward their future when Robbie tells the group that they have 30 days to vacate the premises or buy the house from Sallys family for $300k.

The wind already knocked out of Nora, she tries to promise tomorrow while Josh nervously demands today, but what she doesnt know is that his evolving willingness to get normal comes from his latest failure to control his wolf. Though were spared the site of seeingBeing Humans poorly rendered werewolves canoodling, a tryst is implied between Joshs wolf and Wendys during the change. Who is Wendy? Remember Mark the alpha-wolf? She is his special lady and though the interlude happened during wolf-time, the two do wake up next to each other in the buff and Wendy seems far more comfortable with the situation than Josh is, though to be fair, Josh hasnt seemed comfortable once duringBeing Humans entire run.

Its interesting that, blinded by guilt and fear, Josh seeks out Aidan for romantic advice, though his decision to bring honesty into his relationship with Kat may have had something to do with that. Sitting in a bar next to the returned Suzanna (Aidans vampire killing first wife who is also a vampire) Aidan advises Josh to keep his secret from Nora, words emanating from a place of regret over that now shattered relationship with Kat no doubt, but words that also find their way to Suzanna, who flashes back to her own awful secret that she is keeping from Aidan.

It doesnt seem likely that Suzanna is pondering a change in her strategy, though, not when she has Aidan on the ropes, starved for blood and feeling heart-sick. Aidan once again speaks of wanting a normal life, something that he knew when he was with Suzanna before his change to vampire kind. He knows that with Kat gone and his new family about to splinter that feels far away and so he reaches out for the closest thing to normal that he can find in the form of Suzanna, promising to live a life faithful to her bloodless code if she walks a similar but very different line, abstaining from killing vampires. Naturally, he quickly fails (too quickly?) recreating one of the first glimpses into Aidans darker side that we saw in the shows pilot episode. That was a nice touch, but Aidans quick backslide feels too quick in light of his promise and his general good-guy nature, making it seem as though he never intended on keeping his word to Suzanna who will surely come back with ferocity over his broken promise.

Read the original:
Being Human: Cheater of the Pack

The Far Post is a co-production of Roads & Kingdoms and Sports Illustrated. Every other week until the World Cup, we'll publish a new feature on global soccer culture. For more Roads & Kingdoms coverage of food, war, and music, visit its online magazine.

By Jack Lang, The Far Post

I had been in Terespolis, Rio de Janeiro state, for two days and already I was running out of things to do. School children ambled between shops whose wares they must have known by heart. In the sleepy town square, old men gathered to play dominoes and chat, whiling away the hours under a winter sun rendered impotent by altitude.

There is a mountain trail that weaves through a jungle before coming up for air above the canopy, eventually scrambling up one of the mountains that flank the town. You can almost see Rio itself from the summit; almost feel its sands between your freezing toes. The youth of Terespolis migrate to the city during the school holidays to escape their parents and the cold. Eventually, even the tasty steaks, breads and fine local beers lose their charm. With little to do, I soon found myself wishing I could play soccer with someone.

There is a grass pitch just outside the house in which I was staying. It was well kept, even if its dimensions were distinctly unorthodox. I went to the pitch one day, ball in hand, hopeful of meeting someone -- anyone -- who might fancy a game. No one showed. Few of life's frustrations can compare to that of the lone footballer.

But I was told a group of men play on Sunday mornings so I tried my luck again. Sure enough, the town's husbands, uncles and probably the odd grandfather moseyed onto the field. I attracted a few bemused glances but was welcomed into the fold. The standard was good, despite the veritable encyclopedia of beer bellies worn by my new friends.

I started in goal (first rule of the pick-up game: pay your dues) but they dragged me out when they realized I'm prone to risky dribbles (second rule: an unreliable goalkeeper gets to play outfield). Someone muttered something about Rogrio Ceni, the adventurous 41-year-old So Paulo goalkeeper, who holds the world record for goals scored by players in his position.

Soon, though, they were calling me something else. It started with a jovial, graying midfielder on my side, whose words I couldn't quite make out in cut and thrust. Another teammate took the baton, and before long even players on the other side were giggling over my new alias.

When I finally understood what they were saying, I smiled. I will never have a better nickname. Apparently, with my blond hair I look Swiss or Belgian, so they gave me a name that sounded that way to them. They were calling me "Hagen-Dazs."

**********

See more here:
Far Post: The Beautiful Language - The poetry of Brazilian soccer