Friday, March 30, 2012

It had to happen

Parody of The Hunger Games, a cultural phenomenon I don't quite understand
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10 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 30, 2012 at 11:28 AM

    I did my Ph.D. in the UK in the mid-80s, so my routine and hours probably look rather laid-back compared with what you guys in the States have to do.
    It was something like: In at 8, work till about 5, then off to the pub to sink 8 pints of lager, followed by a vindaloo (or, when I became more adventurous, a "phal", which renders the mouth completely numb after one mouthfull), then off to a nightclub for some more alcohol, followed by a kebab, then back to a colleagues flat to listen to the Bonzo dog doo-dah band until early morning. This was repeated two or three times a week. Astonishingly I managed to get a Ph.D., but was advised that a post doc was probably not for me (!!)
    Do I miss late nights in the lab? Well, I didn't do them on a regular basis, but I pulled the odd 36 hr stretch and, no I don't miss them at all. Snack of choice in the early hours? Probably a kebab. Let's face it, at that time in the morning you'll eat just about anything. If I tried that now it'd probably kill me.

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  2. AnonymousMarch 30, 2012 at 11:54 AM

    Oh B*llocks! I posted under the wrong thread. All that alcohol must have addled my brain!

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  3. AnonymousMarch 30, 2012 at 6:43 PM

    Which company is the movie set? Pfizer?

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  4. AnonymousMarch 30, 2012 at 8:51 PM

    I don't understand it either. I think that explains a) why you called it a "phenomenon" or b) how uncultured I am. Possibly a little of column a and b.

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  5. AnonymousMarch 30, 2012 at 8:54 PM

    I don't understand this at all, but that doesn't bother me. From what I can gather, this movie is basically the Running Man with teenagers instead of Arnold Schwarzenegger (translation: BOOOOOOORING!!!!!!!!)

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    Replies
    1. AnonymousMarch 30, 2012 at 11:25 PM

      The book is not that bad really, I mean it is quite possible to finish it. And if anything it is the Battle Royale, not the Running Man. The Running Man itself is just one of the countless adaptations of the Prize of Peril.

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    2. AnneApril 2, 2012 at 2:07 AM

      The movie (and book) is actually an interesting critique of the cult of "reality tv", with a whole extra layer about oppressive societies and the importance of rebellion that becomes the dominant theme in the next two books/movies. It might not be your cup of tea, but it's certainly got substance.

      *gets off soapbox*

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    3. AnonymousApril 8, 2012 at 2:21 PM

      Thanks for the reply Anne. My comment was tongue-in-cheek, but I'm not the only person who drew this parallel.

      http://movies.yahoo.com/photos/after-the-hunger-games-what-similar-movies-beg-a-second-look-slideshow/hunger-games-like-movies-photo-1333491075.html

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  6. AnneApril 2, 2012 at 2:04 AM

    So basically what you're saying is that every grad school offers up a number of tributes, and then they all have to shove knives into each others guts, snap each others' necks, blow each other up, and otherwise maim and kill one another just to have a small hope at a decent life (a hope that is, in fact, futile, because then all you are then is a pawn of the NIH/NSF/etc). Tributes from some grad schools have advantages because they were able to train with better resources and their schools have scary reputations, so the odds are tilted in their favor. But the fact remains: there can only be one victor.

    I kind of hope that this scenario ends like the trilogy: scorched earth, and a new beginning.

    I am 1) young and 2) female, I just also happen to be a scientist, so of course I got this immediately. Planning to see the movie again this week...

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  7. LabDestroyerApril 2, 2012 at 1:05 PM

    Surely the odds were in his favor: http://www.boston.com/Boston/metrodesk/2012/04/somerville-chemist-first-local-winners-claim-mega-millions-prize/uI6BJKEPqHglHtsQWIbU0M/index.html

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looks like Blogger doesn't work with anonymous comments from Chrome browsers at the moment - works in Microsoft Edge, or from Chrome with a Blogger account - sorry! CJ 3/21/20

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