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1. What on Earth is Wrong With the Republican Party - a commentary by a Republican, military officer, who is upset with how his party is reacting to Muslims.
2.Author Jon Ronson on the consequences of public shaming and why we need more empathy
In direct relation to the above, recently, a soap opera actress on the soap opera General Hospital, who has a twitter following of 161,000 - made a complete idiot of herself on twitter, by tweeting a derogatory remark about Viola Davis' Emmy Acceptance Speech. The soap opera actress in question took exception to the fact that Davis was singling out only black women as being discriminated against.
The actress tweeted that Davis had gotten roles, she'd kill for, and after 40 years - the soap actress has barely cracked the surface - and dealt with similar discrimination, if not far worse.
Of course, she's doing what most of us have a tendency to do - comparing our careers to the wrong people. In the soap world, black actors barely get any roles. Actually they rarely get them on prime time, it's only within the last few years that this has changed. If she were to look closely at the two soap operas that she has been featured in, she'd realize this - since there are hardly any black actors on either. (Santa Barbara and General Hospital. In fact the only soap that has cast black actors in prime roles is Young and the Restless.) And to be fair, the majority of the television landscape is very very white.
Social media exploded. Within minutes she was shamed on everything from the Huffington Post to individual blogs. And many called ABC to fire her ass. After she'd apologized profusely, attempting to explain that she misspoke and has since acknowledged her error.
I've made a fool of myself online, so I can sort of relate. Who amongst us hasn't? It's so easy to be misinterpreted, to fire off something in the heat of passion, that you live to regret. Unfortunately on the internet, it's not forgotten. Unless you are on lj and can delete.
Freedom of Speech is difficult in this day and age, and always dicey. The problem is - we want our cake and eat it too. We want the right to say and write whatever we please, but we don't want to have to read or hear speech that offends us, or we hate. We can't have it both ways.
3. The Muppets - it was charming and rather enjoyable. I happen to own the old Muppet Show on DVD and have watched it recently. This version does actually hold up to the original. It's mildly amusing, charming, and a light satirical take on our culture and media. In the 1970s, variety shows were the rage - so the Muppets made fun of Variety Shows and various issues of the day. Now, in the 21st Century, late night talk shows continue to be the rage, along with mockumentaries -- so the Muppets are making fun of both, again in a light parody and satirical manner.
If you like the Muppets, you'll find this charming. I laughed during it. If you don't, best to pass.
Puppetry isn't for everyone.
Will state that there may have been too much emphasis on the relationship humor - but that is in keeping with the light parody of our celebrity culture, and mockumentary comedy series - which also focus too heavily on romantic relationships and breakups.
4) I'm looking for good fanfiction regarding the X-men, specifically Cyclops, not the movies (hated the representation of the character in the movies). IF you know of any, let me know.
2.Author Jon Ronson on the consequences of public shaming and why we need more empathy
"On social media, everybody's either a magnificent hero or a sickening villain. The pendulum is swinging wildly back and forward."
If you spend any time online, you've seen it happen: the public shaming. Someone — sometimes a famous person, sometimes an unknown — says, does, or tweets something offensive or just dumb. And then the pile-on begins. Sometimes it seems righteous. Sometimes it seems foolish. Sometimes it might even be completely and totally justified. But there's always a hangover.
In direct relation to the above, recently, a soap opera actress on the soap opera General Hospital, who has a twitter following of 161,000 - made a complete idiot of herself on twitter, by tweeting a derogatory remark about Viola Davis' Emmy Acceptance Speech. The soap opera actress in question took exception to the fact that Davis was singling out only black women as being discriminated against.
The actress tweeted that Davis had gotten roles, she'd kill for, and after 40 years - the soap actress has barely cracked the surface - and dealt with similar discrimination, if not far worse.
Of course, she's doing what most of us have a tendency to do - comparing our careers to the wrong people. In the soap world, black actors barely get any roles. Actually they rarely get them on prime time, it's only within the last few years that this has changed. If she were to look closely at the two soap operas that she has been featured in, she'd realize this - since there are hardly any black actors on either. (Santa Barbara and General Hospital. In fact the only soap that has cast black actors in prime roles is Young and the Restless.) And to be fair, the majority of the television landscape is very very white.
Social media exploded. Within minutes she was shamed on everything from the Huffington Post to individual blogs. And many called ABC to fire her ass. After she'd apologized profusely, attempting to explain that she misspoke and has since acknowledged her error.
I've made a fool of myself online, so I can sort of relate. Who amongst us hasn't? It's so easy to be misinterpreted, to fire off something in the heat of passion, that you live to regret. Unfortunately on the internet, it's not forgotten. Unless you are on lj and can delete.
Freedom of Speech is difficult in this day and age, and always dicey. The problem is - we want our cake and eat it too. We want the right to say and write whatever we please, but we don't want to have to read or hear speech that offends us, or we hate. We can't have it both ways.
3. The Muppets - it was charming and rather enjoyable. I happen to own the old Muppet Show on DVD and have watched it recently. This version does actually hold up to the original. It's mildly amusing, charming, and a light satirical take on our culture and media. In the 1970s, variety shows were the rage - so the Muppets made fun of Variety Shows and various issues of the day. Now, in the 21st Century, late night talk shows continue to be the rage, along with mockumentaries -- so the Muppets are making fun of both, again in a light parody and satirical manner.
If you like the Muppets, you'll find this charming. I laughed during it. If you don't, best to pass.
Puppetry isn't for everyone.
Will state that there may have been too much emphasis on the relationship humor - but that is in keeping with the light parody of our celebrity culture, and mockumentary comedy series - which also focus too heavily on romantic relationships and breakups.
4) I'm looking for good fanfiction regarding the X-men, specifically Cyclops, not the movies (hated the representation of the character in the movies). IF you know of any, let me know.