Pop culture: August 2010 Archives

Over at Jezebel, a jeremiad against the commodification of spirit & community in Bali in the wake of spiritual tourists inspired by Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love:

According to the locals who met her, Gilbert was a rather quiet woman, not abnormal or larger than life. It's something to consider when almost every conversation in Ubud will somehow return to The Book, which is prominently displayed around town, framed and in multiple languages. Expats (many of whom are ponytailed men who once lived in Northern California) mostly hate it. One restaurant has a t-shirt for sale, the design of which urges people to Eat, Pay, Leave.

According to a post in the Bali Expat Forum, the restaurant where you can find these t-shirts for sale is Naughty Nuri's Warung.

Many moons ago, before geek chic had become a world religion, Star Trek's true believers had to hide their faith from their mainstream persecutors through coded communications. Above: the iconic symbol etched on many a fan's cubicle is now a ThinkGeek car ornament: the Trek Fish.

And here's another Hollywood blast from the past: How the Jesus Fish Helped Create the Matrix.