A lot has changed over the past 20 years. Most notably advances in technology have changed our society for better or worse. The 90’s, many Generation Y people will argue, was way better than todays world in terms of popular culture and technology. Now, one cannot denounce the evolutionary technological advances we’ve had over the past 2 decades, but the world certainly has changed. Whether it’s nostalgia bringing us back to the 90’s and we’re seeing all the stuff that used to be popular in a way better light then it actually was, you can never really know. Something that no one can argue with, however, is that the world has vastly changed in the past 20 years.

Technology

Long gone are the days when if you had a set of Walkie Talkies you were the coolest kid. You and your friend could each get one and tune it to the right frequency and off you were on a mission to infiltrate the kitchen for a bag of Gushers. This has been overruled by the invention of mobile phones, notably iPhones. More and more younger kids these days have iPhones, $600-700 pieces of technology. You can argue that this is a good thing which has integrated thousands of features into one device that would normally take dozens of devices to do the same thing, and this is true. However, the change from kids using Walkie Talkies or CD players to the iPhone, I think has affected kids more negatively than positively. Studies have shown that the development of social skills has declined over the years which is blamed on the advance of technology.

GameBoy Colors are now a thing of the past and have been replaced with the Nintendo 3DS. It used to be that playing your 8 bit games in a small variety of colors was cutting edge. Now the new Nintendo 3DS has 2 cameras, the capability of playing games in 3D, multiplayer wireless gaming, video playback, and the internet, just to name a few features. This astounding advancement in mobile gaming technology is huge and has been followed up with the PSVita and truly, the device that has taken over in terms of mobile gaming, the smartphone with the invention of the App Store. Pokemon Yellow Version has been surpassed by Angry Birds.

Music & Television

Television is still just as popular as ever and is a ritual for some people. Watching TV until the fall asleep every night. However, the content has changed significantly. Kids aren’t waking up every saturday morning to watch 4 hours of Loony Toons and Captain Planet. Now kids wake up and watch Yo Gabba Gabba or Go Diego Go. Toonami, perhaps the greatest television segment in the history of awesome television segments was taken off air in the early 2000’s. Many classic kids channels like Nick, Cartoonnetwork, and Disney channel have taken the turn for the worst.

Music and personality stars have changed. N’sync and the Backstreet Boys have been replaced with The Jonas Brothers, Justin Bieber, and most recently, One Direction. Whether that is an upgrade or a downgrade is for you to decide, however. Britney Spears has persisted through the decades to become a much older and forced Britney Spears version 2. Artists are becoming increasingly auto tuned and modified through artificial means. Pirating music is just as easy as ever after the downfall of Napster. Limewire and Frostwire have taken their place as well as many file sharing websites and torrents.

Games & Toys

Famous toys such as the Furbie and Easy Bake Ovens are long gone now and technology is starting to take over the entertainment of young kids. LEGOs however are still going strong, there is usually still an aisle or so dedicated to selling LEGOs at your local Walmart or Target superstore.

Miscellaneous Products

The ever popular soda that still garners a cult fan following today SURGE has been replaced by other drinks such as Red Bull. YooHoo, although still sold, is getting harder and harder to find in stores. Pokemon trading cards are still around today and enjoy limited success among the young audience. Long gone are the days of 151 Pokemon. 649 Pokemon now populate the epic world of limitless adventures and possibilities. Blockbuster has seen its decline and is in the final stretch of it’s life. The world of quick internet streaming and rentals has taken over with Netflix and Redbox.

The world has seen thousands of changes over the past 2 decades and whether they are for good or bad are for you to decide.

Thomas Chavez

Professional Staff Content Writer and Nostalgic 90’s Kid for RageHats.com

This is probably not a big surprise to any of you, but Friday the 13th is one of my favorite days. It’s practically like a holiday. Since I was twelve, I have had a scary movie party at my house every Friday the 13th. My friends automatically knew to plan on coming over that night and we’d have yummy food and settle in for a night of thrillers.

Once, my brother and I  threw a party at my grandparents house. I can’t tell you how perfect the setting was. Their home was an old mansion on a farm outside of town. We had a friend, dressed as a police officer, come over and let everyone know that there was an escaped convict on the loose and to be careful. Then, we “killed” our friends off, one at a time. While the group moved from one part of the room to the next (there were clues to let us know what the murderer was after), we would pull someone back, put a line of fake blood across their neck, and put the next clue on their body while they played dead. It was so much fun and everyone loved it.

When I told my husband about these kinds of things I instigated my whole life, he gave me a very peculiar look. It came as a surprise to me that not everyone loves Halloween and Friday the 13th. I realize I’m the odd bird out of almost anyone I know, but it never hit me until I met my husband how different I can be. (Don’t worry, he’s gotten used to me – and still loves me anyway!)

So I was just curious. Does anyone else have a fun tradition they like to do? When you wake up and realize that it’s Friday the 13th, do you get excited, think something bad will happen, or do you just roll your eyes? What movies do you like to watch on this day? Anyone have book they’re going to read tonight?

As for books, I recommend reading The Season of Passage, by Christopher Pike. It’s an oldie, but a goodie. And we can’t forget any number of Stephen King books.

I grew up watching Hitchcock movies, so I always love to put in a classic. I also love a good Tim Burton movie (We’re going to watch Sleepy Hollow tonight – love that one!) I don’t keep to just those ones, but I seem to revert back to them now and again.

Because I’m me, I have to clarify here (I know this blog is getting long, sorry): A scary movie, does not require gore. I’ve watched the classic horrors as well, like Friday the 13th (duh!), and Nightmare on Elm Street. But movies have evolved and I hate to admit, that I I haven’t gone with them. I don’t intend to watch Saw, nor did I care for House of Wax. No. What I really enjoy are movies that are more of psychological thrillers. Think Identity (If you haven’t seen it, I highly suggest renting it tonight.) You know, where the setting is creepy, the plot is intense, and you really don’t know what’s going on until the end. Of course, that’s just my opinion. If you like the blood and gore, enjoy yourself tonight.

However you want to celebrate tonight, I hope you enjoy it and that good luck will follow you today!

Can’t wait for February so all of you can read my book and tell me if it has these five elements.

Every author dreams of making to the best-seller list, perhaps multiple times. You want people to read, enjoy, and appreciate the book you’ve put so much time and careful effort into. A successful book will make you feel validated; it will make you relevant; it can even make you rich.

With millions of other books and authors to compete against, it’s no small goal to write something that sells well. It’s often impossible to anticipate which books will succeed and which will fail. But one thing’s for sure: while no two successful books are alike, they all have the same five qualities. If you want your book to make it to the top, too, it must have all of them.

They’re Captivating

The secret of a successful book is that the topic doesn’t really mean much. Just about any subject can be turned into a successful book, because it’s the writing of it that matters. A book can be written about a widely popular and in-demand topic, but it will fail if it doesn’t capture a reader’s attention. Successful books excite readers and draw them in. Their words paint pictures and make the book come alive.

They’re Focused

Successful books have a clearly defined focus. Books that lack focus will lose a reader’s attention quickly or become confusing. They certainly won’t be captivating. It’s important to identify a specific focus before you even begin writing. And then, writing an outline first will help you stay focused and on track as you write. Everything you include in the book should add something to a reader’s experience or help prove your point. If your focus strays, your audience’s attention will, too.

They Have a Defined Audience

Before you write, you must also know exactly who you’re speaking to. No book can be written for everyone. One topic will be addressed very differently in a book for children versus a book for adults, or a book for men versus a book for women. If you write a book with a clearly defined audience in mind, you’ll make it that much more convincing and appealing to the intended reader.

They’re Original

Successful books offer something that no other book before has offered or in quite the same way. They present new ideas; they have a fresh, new tone; they contain new combinations of facts and information; they address a topic with a new audience in mind. Original books stand out and get noticed, and they succeed because people are interested in what’s new and different.

They Have Integrity

You could make any nonfiction book more interesting if you made up a few amazing statistics, for example, but that would be incredibly deceitful. Successful books have been written that later turned out to be falsities or misrepresentations, and they quickly crashed and burned. You have to have integrity when writing a book, and not just with nonfiction. Fiction books must not go beyond inspiration and outright steal their ideas from other books. To be successful as an author, your audience must be able to trust and believe you.

Alayne Valentine is a freelance blogger and literature student who considers herself an accomplished reader. She loves to write and covers anything from literary devices to using grammar checkers.

Photo Credit: EssHaych

So back when I was a personal trainer (it feels like ages ago!) I also taught a kickboxing class at the gym. Boy, so  miss having a punching bag handy! Sigh… Oh well, someday I’ll have one in my garage. I just have to get a garage first. 😉 Anyway, enjoy this little guest post about how martial arts makes you more fit. And trust me, it really does wonders for muscle tone.

Martial arts are a popular contact sport that is growing in popularity. People of all ages participate in martial arts lessons for a variety of reasons. The more popular reasons that people enjoy getting involved in martial arts include; weight loss, learning self-defense, and competition with others. There are many advantages that martial arts can have on improving fitness, including helping with weight loss and improving muscle tone.

Although martial arts can greatly benefit fitness, experts all agree that diet is also key to any weight loss regimen. For any fitness plan that involves losing weight, the best approach is to both exercise and eat right. Finding an activity, such as martial arts, that increases metabolism, will drastically benefit any weight loss program.

Like any type of exercise, martial arts offers many kinds of disciplines to choose from. When considering a discipline that will best impact your fitness regimen, choose one that you feel the most comfortable with, and one that will have the most positive effect on your fitness goal. A few that you may want to consider for a great cardiovascular workout include: kickboxing, karate, taekwondo, and American kenpo.

To begin your workout at a martial arts school, you will start the class with a warm-up exercise designed to get the body’s muscles warmed up. Next, you will stretch your muscles which will prepare your body for the martial arts techniques you will be doing throughout the lesson. Following your warm-up, many classes will jump into a light work-out session. This will usually consist of something like pushups or sit-ups. These warm-up exercises are a great way to begin your class, as these type of exercises are an excellent way to tone your muscles and burn extra calories, thus adding to your fitness goal.

Martial arts classes are designed specifically for people of the same age and skill level, so you can rest assured that you will be placed in a class with people who not only have similar fitness goals, but also with like-minded people who are of approximately the same age and skill level. Additionally, most martial arts schools have classes 4 to 5 times a week, making getting to a class that meets your schedule very convenient. Weekly classes are for both beginners and the more advanced and include classes for sparring, karate katas, and practicing self-defense moves. Many martial arts schools will allow someone to come and try a class for free to evaluate whether or not they may want to join. It’s worth it to check out a class for free; you may just find that getting fit is a lot more fun than you thought it could be!

For martial arts lessons in Chandler and Gilbert, Arizona, visit Sandoval Freestyle Karate, where students of all ages and skill levels are taught self-defense and fighting techniques.

So I’m not sure how many of you know this about me, but I’m a total sucker for mythology. When I first became obsessed with reading – it was vampires. But I didn’t just read stories about them. When I was in seventh grade, my new passion were books that involved mythology. I mostly read about Greek mythology, Roman mythology was second. However, I love to learn about any culture’s mythology.

So long intro there, but the point is that when I saw this guest post up for grabs, I totally snatched it for my site, just for nostalgic reasons. Enjoy this brief overview about horses from mythology!

 

The world of myth and legend is full of tales featuring incredible creatures, and the horse is a common occurrence. This isn’t surprising, of course, as the main mode of transport, aside from elephants and camels, was the humble horse. Horses have appeared throughout the lexicon of ancient stories, from all walks of life.

Here are four of the most famous horses from ancient legend.

Pegasus

The winged horse Pegasus is perhaps the most famous of all the mythological horses, or indeed mythical creatures as a whole. Pure white in colour, Pegasus, features heavily in two of Greek legend’s most enduring tales. The horse enables Bellerophon to ride to take on the monster Chimera. Legend has it that Pegasus was born from Medusa’s blood after she was decapitated by Perseus. So Clash of the Titans was way off the mark!

Kanthaka

Prince Siddartha’s favourite horse was Kanthaka, and was the most skilled of the royal horses. The Prince later became Gautuma Buddha, the enlightened teacher of the Indian subcontinent and father of Buddhism. When Prince Siddartha decided to renounce the life of the royal palace, it was Kanthanka that took him away to become an ascetic, rejecting wealth and physical comfort. It was Channa, a royal servant, who made Kanthaka leave Siddartha’s side, by riding him far away, ensuring the young prince had no comforts around him. It’s believed that after being parted from his master, Kanthaka died of a broken heart.

Al Borak

Meaning ‘The Lightning’ in Arabic, Al-Borak was the horse that was believed to carry the prophet Mohammed to the Seventh Heaven, which, like Pegasus, was a white winged horse. This mare was different in its description, with the legend saying that the horse had a human head, but with strong, horse’s cheeks. Al-Borak was delivered to Mohammed by an angel, and the horse was initially nervous of Mohammed, but the angel told Al-Borak of the prophet’s standing, and allowed him to mount.

Sleipnir

The best of all of Odin’s steeds is Sleipnir, literally translated from Nordic means ‘slipper’ to reflect speed. The animal was very strong and fast, which is undoubtedly due to the fact he has eight legs. Sleipnir’s parentage is somewhat questionable, however, as he was born of a mare and the Trickster God, Loki in horse form. Sleipnir could ride on air and sea as well as land, and could enter and return from the land of the dead.

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