TANGS Top Ten: Angels of Pop, Twittering and Pen Envy

TANGS eclectic Top Ten List of trends, things and pop culture musings.

Pop Culture icons Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson both carried an enchanting presence when it came to entertaining fans. Farrah was one of the original angels of Charlie; and Michael swooned millions with his angelic voice. Both launched careers in the '60s, and gathered a rapturous amount of attention since then with idolship, immodest fan base and the compulsory scandal. Fate has since claimed them both, in passing on the same day, and in memory as two of this millennium's more unforgettable pop culture angels.


2. REALITY BITES

In an age where your right for privacy has been stolen by network giants and MTV, there are still few who would subject themselves to major media scrutiny just to be part of this multi-million dollar industry. So, with the birth of reality television such as The Hills, Big Brother, Survivor, and the most recent I’m a Celebrity, Get Me out of Here!, we get to play God and put those who play the fool under the microscope. Yes, that includes the daunting task of scrutinising their every move: eat, sleep, rant, and do scandalous things


3. TWITTER

Tell everyone what you’re doing now in 140 characters. Twitter has officially made us all paparazzi by following what people are doing 24/7 (that’s exactly 140 characters for you)


4. BEDROOM DJS

Because CDJs and computer-generated music-making softwares are so readily available these days, it’s little surprise to see everyone you know start their DJing career and sending out mix tapes from the privacy of their bedrooms. And while DJs from a previous generation would debate the act as amateurish (“if it ain’t good enough to be released on vinyl, it’s not good enough at all”), we guess if Steve Aoki and Sam Ron can receive attainable fame through it, we are still hopeful!


5. OLYMPUS PEN E-P1

First introduced in Japan in 1959, the Pen series is still heavily noted as one of the best compact half-frame cameras available in the market today. And while Olympus has managed to consistently gather rave reviews for its innovative-edge, it recently proved a force to be reckoned with when it announced the release of the fully digital interface PEN E-P1. Aside from staying true to its sleek and iconic vintage look, this baby also allows for interchangeable lenses on a compact body. Go shutter happy!


6. MUSIC + FASHION = PURE GENIUS

While music and fashion used to sit on different ends, it wasn’t until the early ‘90s that our prevailing pop culture (courtesy of MTV) decided that these two entities should come together as one. Inspired by this movement, millinery-wizards have gone all out in full force by churning out a series of threads which were either inspired by music (Lad Musician and agnès b.), or done in collaboration with their musical heroes (Louis Vuitton x Kanye West). So, who says we can’t have the best of both worlds?


7. IPHONE 3G S

A multimedia smartphone, web-browser, jukebox, camera and gaming-hub all in one; the iPhone is undoubtedly the most sought after device of the 21 st century. Together with the recent release of its updated 3.0 software, its added function for forwarding and copy-and-pasting text messages, voice memos and MMS services have created a collective approval from all tech-geeks alike. And although it’s apparent that we’ve all grown accustomed to major technological upheavals, it’s still appalling to know how much commotion a newly introduced c‘n’p technique can stir.


8. COCO AVANT CHANEL

Opening sometime this month, this epic movie stars Audrey Tautou who brilliantly shines as Coco Chanel. Set in France, the film follows the life of Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, how she built up and established her iconic fashion empire. Experience a little piece of French in this beautiful depiction of Chanel’s fashion revolution.


9. FIXIE BIKES

Termed ‘fixies’, these no-fuss, single-geared bikes are the hottest in the biking industry. They have no freewheel mechanism, meaning that the pedals need to be constantly in motion whenever the bike is moving, and riders cannot coast on flat or downhill sections. fixies have become the bike of choice for young trendy urbanites in major cities like New York, San Francisco, Japan, and the trend is spreading fast in Singapore. Next time when you see a rider on a sleek bike pedalling downhill, that might just be a fixie rider.


10. THE NEW EXTREME SKATE PARK AT EAST COAST

It’s officially open! We love the new Xtreme SkatePark – Singapore’s first international-standard extreme sports facility. Extreme skateboarders, inline-skaters and BMX bikers now have a home to hone their skills complete with top-class facilities such as a 3.6m deep vertical bowl. Check out the first competition on 29 Aug where regional athletes will compete in the first Singapore Xtreme Championship. We say, YOG 2010, here we come!