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saleintothe90s · 5 months

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490. The 1980 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, November 27, 1980

(the whole parade is here, if you just want the commercials and highlights, it's here)

Randy Hamilton from the soap opera Texas sings "Deep in the Heart of Texas" with a small child? Who is this small child. I want it to be a random child that they chose three minutes before turning the cameras on. Randy doesn't have a Wikipedia page! Sadness.

Ahhh!! Is that a baby Mark Linn Baker in the GE commercial?!

I love the crowd whooping it up for the cast of One 'Mo Time. I was wondering what was behind them --- I think it was the broadcast booth for host Ed McMahon! Just ... there with the saddest looking Woolworth decorations ever.

What a weird closing card (what do you call that?) for this Child World / Children's Palace commercial that aired constantly. Ok, the bear didn't fall on his butt? That was the best shot we could get?

For some reason Marilyn Michaels takes off her gloves while singing "Watching the Parade go Byyy". That couldn't of waited, Marilyn?

Todd Bridges sang a song about the Summer. I felt bad for Todd, he had no back up dancers, just dancing in the street. Was this a time filler? Loved the song!

A baby Glenn Close was there with the cast of Barnum. I feel like Ed is auditioning for the Star Search hosting gig with this parade. I love his energy.

I love the juxtaposition of Bryant Gumbel thanking the Museum of Natural history for letting people warm up in their building with Doodlebug.

Ed sang a song! When was the last time a host SANG.

I thought Cootie ran over a clown, but the clown deliberately laid down in front of him??

Just for us Hampton Roads girlies, Busch Gardens of Williamsburg had a Loch Ness Monster float! It's still at Busch Gardens! The cast of Brigadoon was on the float.

Ed was trying to find a date for Happy Dragon. He said "I guess now that he's 21, he's free to go out in the evening and date whomever he chooses. So if you have an eligible dragon hanging around your house moping, we might be able to set them up and in the years to come, who knows how many dragons we might have in the parade!"

There was a float for everyone's favorite box office flop, Popeye! I think that's supposed to be Olive Oyl?!

1980 was electric football's year. It felt like it was the only toy advertised!

"Tonka's Bear in a Box! Everyone's favorite!"

Finally, a game that looks like one of my dad's vintage fire scanners.

Cowboys were HOT this year, due to the movie Urban Cowboy, and the TV show Dallas. Modern equivalent to this would be this past Summer's Western Barbie! We even had Dean Butler from Little House on the Prairie sing "Don't Fence Me In" while riding a tortoise. The Lone Ranger even showed up. Oh, and even the McDonalds commercial with Ronald was western themed.

While Snoopy couldn't fly this year due to a leg injury, we had Underdog.

Can we discuss how a station wagon is pulling a float. Later on, I saw an Oldsmobile sedan towing the float with the Spinners on it.

This beautiful phone store.

I feel like by the time we were growing up in the late 80s/early 90s, Kermit had more bad days at the parade than good, but 1980 was a good year for him. Just look at him.

Casper is over here looking like the baby from Ally McBeal.

Bob from Sesame Street sang a song while Bert & Ernie danced. Even Oscar liked the song.

Unfortunately, the entire parade isn't on YouTube. Looks like the recorder only set their VCR for two hours. One of the final things you see is Linda Ronstadt and the cast of The Pirates of Penzance. "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General" slaps.

Related: previous thanksgiving entries.

#thanksgiving #Macys thanksgiving day parade #1980 #ed mcmahon

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toytulini · 9 months

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I saw Barbie last night, I dont think i have a long film review of it for yall but idk I'll put some thoughts under a readmore I guess?

-Right off the bat, I enjoyed it, it was fun. It was a fun pink poppy romp. Thats about what I expected of it, and thats pretty much what I got

-Its not particularly radical in its gender/feminism takes, its very basic, which, I saw a number of ppl mention that before I saw it so I wasnt expecting anything radical. It couldve done better. it was. fine. im shrug about it i guess.

-My mom enjoyed it and was apparently not expecting any sort of emotional depth or story at all so it caught her off guard. I heard her crying. she cries easy at movies. I'm glad my mom liked it. Maybe she'll absorb some of the very basic feminism it drops idk.

-I knew the Kens adopted patriarchy and introduced it to Barbieland but it felt lile that happened very fast, idk.

-The ending....I. is her going to a gynecologist supposed to be like. shes gotten a vagina by deciding to be human?? or is she trying to schedule a surgery or something? that felt pretty weird to me if im honest, i thought it was gonna be a job interview or smth... Especially with how everyone was like "Barbie is ace (heheeh i agree) cos she has no genitals! (sorry what. excuse me. wanna run that by me again?)" like okay that makes that headcanon reasoning even more dewply uncomfortable that it already was?

-I enjoyed weird Barbie. i wish theyd cast someone else cos iirc ka/te mckin/non was a transmisogynist? unless she apologized or said she changed her mind on the topic since like 2017?? but i havent seen anything? idk. just. annoying to keep platforming these ppl. i guess theres probably other actors involved that have shit views of trans ppl. whatever i guess.

-I did dress up a little. i feel like my outfit had Weird Barbie Vibes. maybe ill post a pic.

-I did enjoy it and it had a number of shots and or transitions i liked, i think the one with the disco ball to the moon or whatever was enjoyable.

-god we really are so weird about barbie

-it just feels factually incorrect that all dolls pre barbie were baby dolls? idk. im sure it was the most common kind. but idk. not to be weird about The History Of Dolls but like. the porcelain dolls from the Victorian era. idk if those count as baby dolls. iirc those were to help young girls practice prepping dead bodies of loved ones for funerals or smth??? but i guess porcelain dolls have a sort of babyish look about them. and are fragile so you cant play rough with them.

-Like i Know its a 2hr long toy commercial for mattel but also god that cant be right. even if they werent filling the same niche as barbie as idk basically a fashion doll? there had to be other dolls right?

-I know the flat foot thing is Supposed to be over the top and silly for them all to get upset about but also tbh. as a bitch with falling arches the way some of yall make jokes about flat feet still is uh. well. rude. but also lmao man. the day my arches started hurting for no reason while i was barefoot did sorta feel emotionally like her feet falling to the ground lol.

-i want to introduce barbie to margot robbie's harley quinn owo. i think that would be Fun :3

-i want Ken's job. how do i do Beach as an occupation.

-I actually liked how they handled Ken and Barbie's rship til the end. i feel weird about that ending overall and also it feels weak wrt her dynamic as Ken. they make him grapple w her not reciprocating his feelings the same way but then she just leaves barbieland anyway?? and ig they dont get to explore a friendship or qpr dynamic. ok. its fine i guess.

-her saying she has no genitalia felt so transgender in a way im not sure it was intended to. ken saying he has all of the genitalia felt even more transgender. headcanoning them both as extremely transgender in fun weird new ways and no one can stop me.

-Allan is my favorite character i think. bro me too

-bibbleless movie. add bibble.

#toy txt post #barbie spoilers #barbie movie #everyone kept trying to get my dad to come see it and like.i get it.but genuinely he would hate it even if not for his conservative bullshit #he hates goofy fun movies. OR. he wouldve actually enjoyed it a little bit and been REALLY ANNOYING ABOUT IT bc he would never admit it #and insist he hated it #and hed enjoy the ken patriarchy thing too much #basically im very glad we didnt drag my dad along cos i have to live with him and i think he would be insufferable about it #he has no appreciation for any kind of whimsy or fun! he would hate this silly movie #also this was the first time id been in a movie theater since pre2020.#i enjoyed dressing up in a silly little outfit. but i think i wouldve been happier to wait for it to be out of theaters tbh. theaters teste #tested my patience even before covid like oh im gonna sit uncomfortably in this chair and crane my neck up at this screen and i cant pause #it and theres no captions and people are Eating all around me and now i go and its all the same but im the only one wearing a mask so i dont #get to have a lil snack either and i still have to hear ppl eating around me and part way thru the movie someone across the aisle was making #some kind of horrible very wet and loud gulping noise with their drink or Something?? and i did feel violent about it #i would never be violent about it but my god do i feel like biting. you know. anyway. not sure if ill bother seeing any more movies #in theater now. i just would like them at home. idk #i will give props to barbie. it was like kovie theater loud but at least it wasnt giant major booms and inaudible ass dialogue

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lovemesomesurveys · 5 years

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How many times have you ever ridden an elephant? Zero. Do you like cobblers? No. I don’t like fruit pies or things like that. What do you think about lord of the Rings? Not my thing. What kind of cup did you last drink out of? It’s a Disney glass. We have a few of them and each one has different Disney facts and pictures on them. Do you currently have any cuts or scrapes? Yes, on my right middle finger knuckle. I keep picking the scab. :X

Did you like Barney as a child? I was obSESSED with Barney. Probably annoyingly so to my parents with the songs haha. I remember this Barney in concert special that aired that my mom videotaped for me (I’m old, there was no DVR) that I watched over and over. What color vacuum do you use? Our vacuum is black. Do you have a lot of clothes hangers in your house? Yeah. Have you ever been in a Latin class? No. Have you ever had bubble gum stuck in your hair? Yes. I fell asleep once with gum as a kid and it fell out of my mouth and into my hair. Is there any pet hair stuck to your clothing? Yeah. What do you smell? Nothing at the moment. Have you ever watched The Gremlins? Nah. Looks kinda ridiculous in my opinion lol. What is your favorite type of seashell? I don’t have a favorite type in particular. Do you love 3-D movies? Nah. It’s annoying as someone who wears glasses to try and wear the 3D glasses cause I have to put those over my own and yeah. I’d just rather not deal with it. Plus, except for in some cases, it doesn’t really add much anyway. Have you ever used Proactiv? Yeah. Is your cell on charge? No. Do you like dirt or sand better? I’ll say sand only cause I associate that with the beach, which I love. When’s the last time you had a hamburger? A few weeks ago. Do you own an iHome? Not anymore, but I used to. Do you own a BEST FRIEND charm or figurine? What’s a best friend figurine? lol that sounds weird. Anyway, no, I don’t have either of those. What do you think about rainbows? I think they’re very pretty. Are you wearing anything on your head right now? Nope. Are you watching cartoons? No. I’m watching Catfish. Do you own a pet spider? EW NOOOO. Do you like mouthwash? It’s too strong and irritating for my mouth. Have you ever used a Ped-Egg? No. Ew, I’ve seen the commercial for that and it makes me gag cause it shows all the dead skin the person scraped from their foot. Blech. Do you like Olay products? I don’t use any. Have you ever gone on a cruise? No. They sound fun in theory, but actually going on one would be terrifying. The idea of just being out in the middle of the freaking ocean...sljfdkfjsldfk Do you use green pens? I have before, but no not regularly. I like black ink pens. Do you own anything that has a striped pattern on it? Yeah. Do you watch Wheel of Fortune? Not regularly, but I’ve seen it a few times throughout my life. Are there any fake tattoos on you? No. No real ones either. Can you roll your belly? No. When’s the last time you saw your grandpa? I saw my Papa back in September of last year. I last saw my grandpa in December of 2010 before he passed away. We were by his side when he did. :( Is there a rocking chair in your house? No. Do you call your animals “baby names”? Yeah. She has a ton of nicknames. Why does George Lopez say “I GOT THIS!!” in that voice? *shrug* That’s just his thing. Do you have homework? No. I’m not in school anymore. Have you ever gone to a Monster Truck show? No. Well, have you ever seen the Nutcracker? Not on broadway or anything. I’ve seen a movie or animated version before when I was a kid, though. Where did you get your bed sheets? Probably Kohl’s. Do you always use manners? I think so. Have you ever been stood up? Yes. Are your lips chapped? Yes. I’m always licking and biting/picking them. Have you ever been kicked in the throat? Ahh, no. I’ve accidentally hit myself in the throat, though. OW. Do you own a fishtank? No. When is the last time you were sick? I felt extra sicky this past Saturday. As far as like something like a cold, I got hit hard with the flu and bronchitis back in mid January. That really messed me up. I was down and out for like 2 months. Do you like the song “Barbie Girl”? Sure. It’s a nostalgic thing. What do you usually order from Taco Bell? Bean burrito with no onions and extra sauce and sour cream and guac on the side. Sometimes I’ll add a couple Doritos Locos Tacos, too. If you have a cell, is it touch screen? Yeah. Crazy how that wasn’t the norm at one time, but now it’s weird if your cell phone isn’t a touch screen. Do you own a feather boa? No. Are you allergic to peanuts? No. Do you wear ribbons in your hair? No. Did you get into the Livestrong bracelet kick? I did. I had others as well, like one for ASPCA. How many pictures are on the wall of the room you are in? 7. Do you use cheat codes on video games? I used to do that back in the day. Have you ever gone mudding on a fourwheeler? No. Is there a rolly chair in your bed room? My wheelchair, ha. What is your favorite flavor Jolly Rancher? I liked the watermelon, green apple, and blue raspberry flavors. I really liked the Jolly Rancher suckers they came out with, too. Who is your favorite super hero? Iron Man, Spiderman, Ant-Man, Thor, and Star Lord. && who is your favorite Villan? Michael Myers, Pennywise, Darth Vader, The Joker, and Loki. Have you ever been to a church camp? No. Is there a trampoline in your back yard? No. Have you ever played Dance Dance Revolution? Nope. Have you ever swam in a creek? No. Do you enjoy running? Not at all. How long has it been since you last slept? Uhhh I woke up around 9AM yesterday and it’s 2:42AM now. What are your thoughts on Myspace? It’s dead. Crazy how that was the big thing at one point. I was obsessed with Myspace. I used to obsess over my layout and what I’d add to my page, like cute icons and stuff, my profile name, putting quotes and lyrics as my status, choosing my top 8, posting bulletins with surveys, and joining those train things lmao. What is the last thing you dropped? A straw. How many nickels are in your possession? *shrug* A lot. Is the sound on your laptop or computer turned off? It’s turned down pretty low. How many items do you have in your “favorites”? I have a few things on my Bookmarks bar. Would you ever slide down a razor blade slide into a pool full of alcohol? A RAZOR slide? Uh, that’s a hard pass. What is the last infomercial you saw? I don’t remember. How many magnets are on your refrigerator? Several. How many keychains do you own? A lot. I have a good little collection going. I love getting keychains. Do you own anything with a peace sign on it? Yeah. Have you ever been to Johnny Rocket’s? Yes. How many stuffed animals are in your room? I have a lot. I should count them all sometime. Look up, then to the right. What do you see? The top of the curtains I have hanging up in place of the sliding doors I had for my closet. Have you ever done the “Cupid Shuffle”. I know the song and I’m familiar with the dance, but no I haven’t done it. Do you know how to do the Solja Boy dance? Again, I’m familiar with the song and dance, but I haven’t done it. When is the last time you wore shorts? Years ago. Do you like elevators or escalators? I have to use the elevator. Have you ever layed on a tampur pedic? No. I’d love to have that kind of bed, though. It would be better for me. Have you ever been in Karate? No. What color is the nearest lampshade? White. Is there anyone in the room with you? No. How long has it been since you’ve eaten a Reese’s? Like a couple years. When is the last time you went to Walmart? A few weeks ago. Do you own any body glitter? Nope. What brand of hair straightner do you own, if you own one? I think it’s a Conair. What is your favorite brand of chips? Doritos. Back when I could eat spicy things I would have said Cheetos cause of Hot Cheetos. What time was it 20 minutes ago? 2:34AM. When is the last time you pet an animal? Last night. Do you own anything from Aeropostale? Not anymore. I used to have some shirts and a couple hoodies.

#personal #text #survey #surveys

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wbwest · 7 years

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New Post has been published on WilliamBruceWest.com

New Post has been published on http://www.williambrucewest.com/2017/07/28/west-week-ever-pop-culture-review-72817/

West Week Ever: Pop Culture In Review - 7/28/17

One of the best discoveries I’ve made has been the digital subchannel Heroes & Icons. If you’re a cord cutter, then get yourself an antenna and check this thing out. My favorite aspect of it, however, is the fact that it runs a 5-hour Star Trek block six nights a week. Star Trek at 8, Star Trek: The Next Generation at 9, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine at 10, Star Trek: Voyager at 11, and Enterprise at 12. Sunday through Friday. And on Sundays they actually kick things off with Star Trek: The Animated Series at 7. I’ve pretty much watched nothing but Star Trek for the past 2 weeks. I’ve been reacquainted with favorite episodes, like TNG‘s “Chain of Command” and DS9‘s “Far Beyond the Stars”. I’ve discovered some hidden gems, like TOS‘s ” The Cloud Minders”. I’ve even discovered that I don’t hate Voyager or Enterprise as much as I thought I did.

I don’t talk about this too much, but the first 12 years or so of my life were comprised of pretty much NOTHING but Star Trek. From 1987-94, my favorite show on television was The Next Generation. When DS9 debuted, I expected it to continue my love affair, but it felt too preachy with its Space Holocaust allegory. It was in the later seasons, once the Dominion War began, that it actually ensconced itself as my favorite iteration of the franchise. By the time Voyager debuted, I had discovered comics, and they became my new mistress. While I watched about 4 hours of TNG a day in high school (Channel 20 REALLY loved playing TNG), my heart didn’t have room in it for a new Trek, so I “No time for love, Dr. Jones”‘ed Captain Janeway and her crew. Enterprise debuted when I was in college, and I was simply too busy worried about other shit to watch Captain Quantum Leap and his crew. Plus, due to some kind of contractual fallout, Ithaca didn’t get UPN. So, since the finale of DS9, my Trekkerdom lay dormant.

But when I say “I’ve forgotten more than you’ll ever know”, that’s primarily about Star Trek. I had several editions of the Star Trek Encyclopedia, I had the Technical Manual, the Technical Journal, the Star Trek Chronology. All of it. I’ve got the figures, and the role play toys. I even created my own uniform for Halloween back in the 90s. I was all Trek, 24/7, and you couldn’t tell me shit. Over time, though, that trivia got overwritten by X-Men 1st appearance notations and the names of TNBC actresses. What I’m saying, though, is that Heroes & Icons brought it all rushing back. It’s like I’m 15 again, blowing the evening watching Star Trek episodes I’ve already seen hundreds of times already. It’s also given me new perspectives on things that completely went over my head when I was younger. For example, Sisko is the Bajorans’ Space Jesus, and that’s pretty heavy. Even he doesn’t believe it, but in the end, yup it turns out he’s Space Jesus. I’ve also got thoughts on the current state of the franchise, too.

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At SDCC, we got the above trailer for Star Trek: Discovery, which will air in North America on CBS All Access (yes, Dean, I know you’ll say All Anal Access because it sucks that we have to subscribe to another service just to watch this thing). I had no interest in this show because everything I heard about it didn’t sound like Star Trek. Now, though, the more they try to sell it as a bunch of new ideas, the more it just sounds like DS9. It’s gonna be Trek with interpersonal conflict. Great. I can get down with that. Its aesthetic seems more like late-era Stargate than Trek, though – especially those Klingon designs. There are certain things, though, that still feel like they miss the mark.

Take for example the fact that the show will feature the first same-sex couple on a Star Trek series, played by Rent‘s Anthony Rapp and My So Called Life‘s Wilson Cruz. Yeah, I get that representation is important, but it bothers me that this is being done in a prequel series, set before the events of the original Star Trek. With the exception of Enterprise, this is the series that takes place the closest to our timeline, so it’s really not much of a leap to think that same-sex couples exist. Ya know what would’ve meant more to me (as a straight, cis male who really doesn’t have a dog in the race but is still opinionated)? If the show had actually been a post-Dominion War, sequel series to TNG/DS9/Voyager, and it featured a same-sex couple. Science fiction tends to go 2 ways: it’s either dystopian or it’s about HOPE. As it stands, from what we’ve seen, same-sex couples are pretty much nonexistent in the 24th century. Yeah, I’m sure they exist, but we never saw them. It seems like it would be a testament to how enduring they are to see them that far in the future as opposed to just a couple of hundred years from now, when Discovery is set.

I could also be politicizing this for my own agenda, as I really want to know what happened after the war ended. Sure, there are books and stuff, but those things aren’t canon. I feel there are so many stories to tell from that era, and I’d love to see the franchise move forward instead of dance between the raindrops of continuity in the past. It feels like they’re stalling, which is how it felt with Enterprise and even the Kelvin movies. Someone, somewhere out there has got to have a great idea as to how to move the franchise forward and I hope CBS/Paramount finds them sooner rather than later.

SDCC Bullet Points

The bulk of San Diego Comic Con took place over the weekend, and here’s some stuff that debuted:

Michelle Pfeiffer is Hank Pym’s lost wife, Janet Van Dyne, in Ant-Man and The Wasp

The Captain Marvel film will be set in the 90s, and introduce the Skrulls to the MCU. Oh, and Nick Fury will have 2 eyes

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We got this trailer for Ready Player One, which was hella polarizing. It seems a lot of folks hated the book on which it’s based. If you ask me, it just looks like a cinematic version of this commercial:

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Comic creator Frank Miller, of 300 and Sin City fame, is writing a Superman: Year One story with art from John Romita Jr. Nothing about that sentence makes me want to open my wallet.

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We got a new trailer for X-Men spinoff, The Gifted. I’m actually surprised they used established mutants like Polaris and Thunderbird. And is that actually Fenris?! I want to like this, but it just looks so…Fox.

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We got a new trailer for The Defenders on Netflix. I get that this is the culmination of all the Marvel Netflix shows, but it didn’t do much for me since I’ve only seen 2 out of 5 seasons so far. There’s no way I’ll get caught up by this premiere date, but I’m sure it’ll mean more to me once I’m up to date. Kinda tired of the hallway fight trope, though.

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Legends of Tomorrow is such a fun show. It started kinda dry, but got so much better last year. It reminds me of a syndicated Saturday afternoon show, but in a good way.

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This Justice League trailer did very little for me. It’s like, sure, Wonder Woman’s cool, but we JUST saw her. Aquaman seems cool, but he’s not really “Aquaman”. I’ll see it, but I ain’t looking forward to it. No, for me, November belongs to:

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Things You Might Have Missed This Week

We’ll have to wait a bit longer for our annual dose of Abbi and Ilana, as Comedy Central has moved the Broad City season 4 premiere from August 23rd to September 13th

A few months ago, it was reported that Amy Schumer would be starring in a Barbie movie. Well, I made fun of that, she blocked me on Twitter, and then eventually dropped out of the role. Now they’re reporting that Anne Hathaway is up for the role, which is somehow more bewildering than the Schumer choice…

Justin Bieber cancelled the rest of his Purpose world tour because he was “committing his life to Christ”. This pissed off his crew, as they were left without jobs. He, then, proceeded to run over a paparazzo with his truck while leaving church. I swear, you can’t make this shit up!

Amazon’s Jeff Bezos has replaced Bill Gates as the richest man in the world.

Beginning September 29th, Hulu will begin streaming the Warner Bros shows that comprised ABC’s TGIF lineup, including Perfect Strangers, Family Matters, Full House, Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper, and Step By Step. Meanwhile, Netflix is feverishly developing Perfecter Strangers, Family Still Matters, Chillin’ With Mr. Cooper, and Step By Step By Step.

I haven’t seen a non-country music video in years, but apparently they still make them, as Katy Perry will host the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards

Speaking of the VMAs, following the lead of the MTV Movie Awards, they’re doing away with the gendered categories Best Male/Best Female Artist, to be replaced by Artist of the Year. Also, in a bit of pandering, they’ve created the Best Fight Against the System, for those artists who have called for folks to #RESIST and all that.

Though I felt its farcical nature wore a bit thin during its first season, TBS’s Angie Tribeca has been renewed for season 4.

Smallville‘s Tom Welling is joining Fox’s Lucifer and *yawn* that’s really all there is to say about that.

Netflix has ordered 20 episodes of the animated series Disenchantment from The Simpsons creator Matt Groening. It will features the voices of Nat Faxon, Eric Andre, and Abbi Jacobson. Apparently it’s about elves and trolls and shit. Not really my bag, baby.

Person of Interest‘s Michael Emerson has been cast in a mysterious role for Arrow‘s 6th season. So, he’s probably Deathstroke’s accountant or something.

Because SyFy just doesn’t care anymore, and because they need something to air between Sharknados, Wynonna Earp has been renewed for a 3rd season.

The Wonder Woman sequel has a release date of December 13th, 2019

Apple discontinued the iPod Nano and Shuffle models, as they are the last remaining models that cannot run iOS apps.

Current Superman Henry Cavill grew a mustache for his role in Mission Impossible 37: Mission Harder, which will have to be digitally removed for Justice League reshoots. Ya know, the movie where he’s supposed to be dead, but is actually the worst kept secret in Hollywood.

Lionel Richie and Charlie Puth are in talks to join ABC’s American Idol reboot as judges. Yeah, that’s funny. Unless they’re coaching the contestants on how to get caught cheating while dancing on the ceiling, I’m not sure what Richie’s old ass brings to the table. And Puth is simply too new to be judging anybody.

New James Bond film in 2019. Nobody knows who’s playing him or directing the thing, but it’s coming. Yesiree, Bob!

Since they’re handing out cinematic universes like chicken samples at a food court, the John Wick universe will be expanded by the female-focused film, Ballerina.

Michael Phelps raced a CGI shark and people felt betrayed. He’s the friggin’ son of Poseidon! He can’t race ACTUAL sharks! There would be civil unrest beneath the surface!

With DC being the political capital of the country, it’s hard for a news person to stand out because the place is crawling with them. That wasn’t true, however, for Jim Vance. Everyone knew him and the man was an institution. Coming to NBC4 in 1969, he was one of the first Black anchors in a major news market. He anchored for over 4 decades, ingraining himself into the families of those who watched him.

When I was a toddler, I was really into the local news (I’ve always said I’m regressing as I get older), and I could name every anchor on every local newscast. And this was a golden age of DC news. You had the great Glenn Brenner, you had Maury Povich before he became a talk show host, and you had Vance. There was something about him that made him seem like your aunt’s cool boyfriend. He was an old man with a hoop earring. We used to laugh about it, but secretly I was hating because I knew I’d never be able to pull that off at his age. He rode motorcycles and laughed inappropriately at news stories he found funny. He was a guy who made you glad to watch the news, especially as the cries of Fake News! grew louder.

Back in May, Vance announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer, and it advanced rather quickly. He passed away last Saturday morning, and the announcement touched all corners of the DC area (no, I’m not calling it the DMV!). It was touching to see all of the tributes to him on the local stations, from those who were colleagues and competitors. Last Saturday night, News4 spent the entire 11 PM news talking about Vance and what he meant to DC. This might sound crazy, but it was so refreshing to watch the news without a single drop of actual news being reported. No Trump b.s., no local murders, not even a weather report. Just 30 minutes about a man who we basically grew up with in our homes. I always kinda took him for granted because you just expected he would be there every evening, but I’ve certainly missed him since he’s gone. I know he won’t mean much to those of you outside the DC viewing area, but believe me when I say that everybody here knew who Jim Vance was, and we’re all going to miss him in one way or another. For that reason, Jim Vance had the West Life Ever.

#Books #Comics #Marvel #Movies #Music #Politics #Pop #Race #Relationships #Religion #Social Media #Star Trek #Syndication #Television #TNBC #West Life Ever #West Week Ever #X-Men

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eggcaw · 5 years

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Asks I Saw While Scrolling On Tumblr

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans? teacups

2. chocolate bars or lollipops? neither. is that an option??

3. bubblegum or cotton candy? bubblegum

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you? very energetic but concerningly quiet

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups? can (please don’t tell an Australian I drink from the can like a damn demon

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear? goth & pastel

7. earbuds or headphones? earbuds because headphones will put a dent in my frohawk

8. movies or tv shows? movies

9. favorite smell in the summer? morning dew when it’s still chilly outside or the smell of the farm at 4am

10. game you were best at in p.e.? The Pacer Test. Just the running one though. I was always the last girl running.

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day? leftovers or hot chocolate with strawberries

12. name of your favorite playlist? don’t have one

13. lanyard or key ring? key ring

14. favorite non-chocolate candy? Strawberry Creme Savers

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment? The Night Trilogy

16. most comfortable position to sit in? left leg folded under my body with my right leg out and free

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes? my athletic Walmart shoes

18. ideal weather? 65-70 degrees F with a very light breeze

19. sleeping position? I have no idea. Usually on my left side.

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a notebook, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)? notebook or worn paper

21. obsession from childhood? NARUTO.

22. role model? Christine W

23. strange habits? I have no idea

24. favorite crystal? Don’t have one

25. first song you remember hearing? Oof man I’m not sure I listen to way too many songs to pinpoint this

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather? Horseback riding. Specifically, cross country.

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather? Sleep. Really anything

28. five songs to describe you? *insert shrug emoji*

29. best way to bond with you? Spend time or let me listen to you rant about your favorite thing. I value quality time the most. Even just being around someone and doing two completely separate things works out.

30. places that you find sacred? Nothing. I am not religious at all.

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names? My blackout outfit

32. top five favorite vines? *slap* what about NASCAR?___the michael jackson one with the pot__gummy money__I’m the best dressed from the east to the west with my hair lookin’ real good and my hairy chest UH__eh? eh?

33. most used phrase in your phone? NINA! (that’s my roommate)

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head? mayhem guy or that one ramen commercial with the chick (like the bird)

35. average time you fall asleep? 11-2:30am

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing? it was most likely a naruto meme

37. suitcase or duffel bag? duffel bag man I’m shoving a dead body in there

38. lemonade or tea? tea

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie? lemon cake

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school? A guy no our floor stole the entire recyling bin and put it in his dorm room. This thing is like 4 feet long

41. last person you texted? My friend Ceara

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets? both

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket? leather

44. favorite scent for soap? lavender or a vanilla soap my rich friend had in her third-floor bathroom. It was amazing

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero? superhero

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in? my neked body

47. favorite type of cheese? Bour’s Head smoked gouda

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be? papaya

49. what saying or quote do you live by? Breathe.

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have? I’m not sure but it was most likely an in the moment laugh.

51. current stresses? I’m constantly afraid that the horse I used to lease will die while I’m at school. The man was born in 1996. His time is coming up and I hate it. At the moment though it’s getting a job for the summer.

52. favorite font? Lobster

53. what is the current state of your hands? Soft with lotion on but very red. I’m too hot right now

54. what did you learn from your first job? How to be patient with children and how to deal with problems in the moment. I was a lesson instructor and camp counselor at a horse farm I rode at. It was awesome and I’m going back to work under the manager/owner as an assistant.

55. favorite fairy tale? Faire Tale Theatre’s The Three Little Pigs

56. favorite tradition? Don’t have one

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome? That’s too personal.

58. four talents you’re proud of having? My animal sounds and I can eat three large bowls of ramen in one meal.

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be? I’ll throw you across the room! I’ll do it!!

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be? Something like Silver Spoon

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.? I’m not answering this because there’s too many

62. seven characters you relate to? I don’t really relate to any characters.

63. five songs that would play in your club? *insert shrug emoji*

64. favorite website from your childhood? There was this gaming website with a ton of games on it with the word fetch in it but I can’t remember it

65. any permanent scars? A lot. One on my knee, a stab wound on my chest from a stick, several on my legs, one on my right foot from my brother’s laundry basket, one on my left foot from stepping on a bee (the stinger is still in there), and a scar on the inside of my right elbow from doctors trying to get in IV in my arm as a newborn.

66. favorite flower(s)? Haven’t thought about it. I’ll go through my flower log and come back to this at some point

67. good luck charms? I don’t have one.

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried? anything cherry flavored

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned? Ummm not sure

70. left or right handed? Right

71. least favorite pattern? Figure-Ground Reversal and Moire it hurts my eyes

72. worst subject? Science and yet that is my major

73. favorite weird flavor combo? I used to like putting cheese in my ramen until one day I messed up the ratio and have never had it again

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen? I’m excluding period pain. Usually 5 or 6

75. when did you lose your first tooth? I don’t know.

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)? ALL POTATOES I LOVE THEM (baked potatoes)

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill? Lavender

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store? Sushi

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo? Maybe my school ID???

80. earth tones or jewel tones? Earth tones

81. fireflies or lightning bugs? Lightning bugs

82. pc or console? Console

83. writing or drawing? Writing

84. podcasts or talk radio? Talk radio

84. barbie or polly pocket? Neither. I had scooby doo and bratz

85. fairy tales or mythology? Mythology

86. cookies or cupcakes? Cupcakes

87. your greatest fear? Accidentally becoming abusive like my parents without realizing it

88. your greatest wish? I want a Doberman or a German Shepard

89. who would you put before everyone else? Close friend or partner. @sergeantamerica1234

90. luckiest mistake? That day I did cross country with my old horse back riding trainer and the horse I rode took great mercy on me. We were both exhausted that day and I almost passed out on the walk back to the pasture. Should not have done cross country that day.

91. boxes or bags? boxes

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights? fairy lights

93. nicknames? All of these are for a horse: Handsome Man, Sweetness, Sweet Heart, Sweet Stuff, Lovely, Bro, My Old Man. My boyfriend: Songbird

94. favorite season? Fall

95. favorite app on your phone? WTForecast

96. desktop background? A horseback ride I went on with my friend Margo to an ice cream shop and I got to ride her wonderful pony Paco for the first time. I almost fell off that day.

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized? 5

98. favorite historical era? WWII I find it very interesting

#asks #ca-caw #eggcaw

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real-words-from-rahema · 6 years

Text

Thailand and Kenya: Elephants and Politics

My mother at Uhuru Park in Nairobi, Kenya.

Thailand, a mystical land, filled with vibrant shrines of jade and gold, sweet dishes of rice, noodles, chicken, and fish, festive night markets and diverse peoples. Though most people prefer the less hectic scene of Chiang Mai or the beautiful beach views in Krabi, Bangkok was my favorite part. I love big cities just as much as I love Caribbean islands so a metropolitan city with an island vibe is certain type of heaven for me.

Adventure and familiarity both filled my senses. Vendors crowded the streets with fried banana, cassava, passion fruit juice and grilled meat. People moved slowly and often opened their shops long after their posted hours. Natives were happy to help me even if they didn’t speak English. This all brought back memories of the Caribbean to my mind.

Even with the familiar feel, adventure stirred up around me. Getting around alone in a country where you don't know the language is an adventure in itself, and then there is adventure in the traditional sense like hiking through the jungle, rafting and riding elephants. That last one may sound like the simplest event but it was actually the scariest.

My elephant friend Tony was not fond of the path chosen for us to trek and kept going into the sugar cane fields to eat. There was no rope so my guide worked to get his attention by calling his name, then tried patting his side and eventually bribing him with more sugar cane. Elephants as you all know are huge and again there was no rope or saddle or anything so the whole time I was calculating just how hurt I would be if I fell off. I tried to focus on the elephant itself and think about how it’s such a beautiful animal in order to subside my fear and finish the path. I know I look happy in those photos you saw but I was scared as heck.

I also experienced some culture shock in Thailand but not in the way you would expect. I was taken aback by how prominent beauty advertisements were, specifically beauty ads that focused on skin lightening. At least 90% of the soaps, lotions, and deodorants I saw in the stores had skin lightening agents and I’m not exaggerating when I say 90%. I was forced to use vaseline for a moisturizer because I couldn’t find any that didn’t say “White” or “White and Bright” or “White Overnight” on them. They also have facilities in the malls in which a person can get “Barbie Eyes” in just a few hours. Thailand is a very brown place and seeing these products in stores and on billboards made me wonder about the self esteem of people there. The commercials and shows I saw made me even more curious. In Bangkok the only time I saw a brown person in an advertisement was when they were playing cavemen. I did though see a trailer for a local movie that actually had Thai looking people in it - brown people with broad noses. It is a comedy, but it’s a start.

Positive culture shock I experienced related to how safe I felt in Thailand. I witnessed absolutely no street harassment, I was able to leave my bike on the side of the road unlocked and come back to it. I could walk back from the train station at 11pm and feel no sense of danger whatsoever. I was curious to know what aspect of the culture made things this way. Was it the religion there? Politics? Fear of strict laws? I’m interested in digging deeper to see if this is something that can be replicated elsewhere.

While the beauty standards put a bit of a damper on my time there, I enjoyed everything else about Thailand and hope to gather some folks together to go again soon!

My students and I in the Kibera neighborhood of Nairobi.

Kenya; amazing landscapes, politically inclined people, hectic traffic, swirling red dust. It’s a complicated place and I had a complicated experience there.

Firstly Nairobi was cold. It was cold ya’ll, how is Africa cold?? I mean I knew South Africa got cold, but like Kenya? I didn't realize that Nairobi was situated in the highlands thus has a cooler temperature than other parts of the country. I had lots of feelings especially since I had just sent my jacket back home while in Thailand. Now it wasn’t freezing cold, but you must understand my definition of cold has changed a bit since traveling. It was about 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16 degrees Celsius) when I landed and I’ll just say that’s not what I expected. Luckily I did experience some heat later in my trip when I went to visit the coast (If you are ever in Kenya you HAVE to go to Mombasa).

And there were so many things I didn’t expect. The prevalence of interracial dating for instance. I stayed in a house with 3 African women my first month there and they were all dating white men. As I met more Kenyans I learned that this was a very common occurence. I don’t think there is anything wrong with it necessarily but I was definitely surprised by it.

I was also surprised by the concept of tribalism. Tribalism is very similar to racism except that the discrimination is between tribes (ethnicities) rather than races. In Kenya there are two tribes that have held governmental power since the country’s independence, this has caused anguish for the other 41 tribes in the country. In my conversations with people I’ve learned how tribalism impacts people’s ability to get employment because people want to hire people from their own tribe, and how it impacts the way people live which is seen when you look at which tribes populate the slums (extremely impoverished neighborhoods).

My foreign eyes watched through glass as Kenya struggled through an election between Uhuru Kenyatta (part of the ruling Kikuyu tribe) and Raila Odinga (member of nonruling Luo tribe). Though Kenyatta was voted in August 8th, Odinga brought a case to the supreme court accusing the election committee of inconsistencies and irregularities in their delineation of the voting process. Odinga won this case and a new election date was set for October 26th. There was much excitement about this at first, but when no changes were made to the election committee, opposition supporters (Odinga supporters) realized that there would be no change in the election process and instead moved to protest the election altogether. Despite this protest Kenyatta was voted in again and another case was brought to the supreme court in regards to the election process, but this time the case was dismissed.

During this time I saw totally different realities in Nairobi. The more affluent parts of the city were just as quiet and peaceful as they were before the election, but I saw protests, fires, looting, police brutality and inhaled tear gas in the slum I was volunteering in. I wondered what the children thought. I wondered what people thought of me as I have the physical appearance of a Kikuyu. I wondered when things would be different for the 41 tribes.

This experience further solidified my idea that even when race is not an issue for some reason people always find a way to differentiate themselves from others. People use class, religion, culture, language, geographic areas, sexuality, perceived intelligence, among other things to differentiate. Clearly it's not these concepts that are the issue, but rather power and fear are the true issues here - the desire for power and the fear of losing it. Thus it is up to the people currently in power to relinquish that, making things more fair for all - it’s actually in their best interest to. I had so many other experiences in Kenya; beach life on the coast, precious moments with children, complicated relationships, but the political scene stands out in my mind and shifted my view of what freedom and peace are and how to go about creating it in the world. More on that next time.

Peace and Positive Vibes,

Alicia-Rahema Mooltrey

www.killyourfears.org

#blog #blacktravel #travel #politics #thailand #kenya #selfcare #kill fear #Adventure #life journey #solotravel #travelista

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