In case you’ve been living under a rock California is in a serious long term drought. Also, did you see any water under that rock you call a home?
Even with the mandatory water restrictions these California cities and municipalities actually managed to use more water this year than they did in 2013. Continue reading
1.7 million viewers watched the premiere broadcast of HBO’s Scientology documentary, Going Clear. It was the most-watched documentary premiere in nearly a decade. And that’s a great thing for the opponents to the “religion” who would like nothing more than an end to the Church of Scientology.
What happens now? Continue reading
Hillary Rodham Clinton surprised the political world by announcing today that she is running for president in 2016. Her announcement was quietly low key, probably because her decision to run was such a surprising spur-of-the-moment thing, leaving her no time to plan the traditional flag-bedecked rally. Continue reading
The number of official 2016 presidential candidates doubled Tuesday when Kentucky senator Rand Paul announced he will challenge Canadian Ted Cruz for the GOP nomination. At CornCon in Des Moines, Iowa, Paul drove his ethanol-powered sportscar, Goldbug, onto the floor of cavernous Hall D of the Polk County Civic Center, emerging to thunderous applause to the crowd of Star Trek cosplayers and hangers-on who were actually expecting George Takei and whatshisname from Star Trek: Voyager. Continue reading
I am a Hoosier. I was born in Indianapolis, I did my undergrad at Indiana University, and I’ve lived in the state of Indiana for most of my 31 years on this planet. When the news first started trickling out about SB101, Indiana’s version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, I was dismayed that such blatantly discriminatory legislation would be considered, much less had a chance in passing. Then it was passed, and I felt genuinely ashamed of the state from whence I came. Then I watched Indiana Governor Mike Pence struggle through a softball interview with George Stephanopoulos, and I realized I could stay silent no longer. Continue reading
Eccentric Canadian citizen Rafael “Ted” Cruz announced he will run for the Presidency of the United States. Cruz, who was born in a foreign country and is as ineligible to hold the office of president as say, Fidel Castro or Mitt Romney’s dad, is much-beloved by as much as 4% of the GOP electorate, and is expected to be a serious contender for the GOP nomination until actual primaries begin and real votes are cast. Cruz, a Canadian, represents Texas, the place he lives now, not Canada, the foreign land of his birth, in the US senate. Continue reading
When Starbucks announced their new race initiative, #RaceTogether, that would see baristas attempting to hold conversations with customers surrounding race issues, the Twitter backlash was swift and conclusive. Downgrading the importance of race relations — or patronizing the efforts of those who work tirelessly to discuss race in more fitting environments by suggesting it can be easily dissected while waiting in a Starbucks line — proved laughable to most and just short of offensive to others.
Were it not for our collective eye-roll when it comes to the gimmicky nature of the corporate sanitization of various issues affecting our society, the outcry in response could have been relegated to just Black Twitter. However, given the diversity of social media, a community of citizens that is an actual microcosm of the world over, many, regardless of race, were unified in their expression of distaste. And that should tell Starbucks something. Continue reading
Another day, and we have yet another racist incident involving a fraternity and a viral video. When racist incidents happen on college campuses, we hear repeatedly how universities and colleges are supposed to be spaces of learning and enlightenment. In the case of the University of Oklahoma chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and the recent video of a racist chant, the university president David Boren released a statement about how “real Sooners” are not racist. Booting SAE off of the university’s campus “sends a signal” that the university community cannot and will not tolerate racist acts. Continue reading
Today’s Alternative Views recommendation comes way of Sundance and a few other festivals. Apparently, it failed to get wide distribution. The reasons for that oversight will remain mysteries to me. This film is hella powerful.
The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete (2013), Skylan Brooks, Ethan Dizon, Jennifer Hudson
Director: George Tillman
Writer: Michael Starrbury
One review of this film opined that it bordered on “poverty porn”. I can’t agree. Director George Tillman pointed his camera matter-of-factly at life in a Brooklyn housing project. It’s not prurient. It’s not judgmental. It just is the life lived by 13-year-old Mister (Skylan Brooks), his addicted mother, Gloria (Jennifer Hudson) and their semi-permanent house guest, 9-year-old Pete (Ethan Dizon), himself the child of an addict even worse off than Gloria. Continue reading
