#hollywood white-washing syndrome

[lemonluvgirl]

What do you think about the way character appearance being portrayed or narrated in THG novels?

What's your opinion about THG movies casting? Especially Katniss' and The Seam residents casting?

Is it important that Seam and Merchant residents of District 12 have different appearance in the screen? Yes/No? Why?

What do you think about division /dynamics between Seam and Merchants in District 12?

Thank you :)

@curiousnonny

Well, I think the narration of the main character being a POC is important because that's the way the book was written. The author specifically chose to tap into certain ethnic images, and mindsets in order to create a picture and build a world in which the story plays out. It helps the reader relate to the character or to learn to see a different perspective and appreciate or empathize with her on a deeper level.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, one of the biggest disappointments for me when I saw the Hunger Games movies was the white-washing of the cast. I mean no disrespect to J-Law because she delivered a wonderful performance as Katniss. But it really saddened me to see Hollywood fail to deliver a female POC protagonist at the time the movies were made (2013-2015).

It's one of the biggest bones I have to pick with the movies. Because Katniss wasn't supposed to be white, neither was Gale or most of the people in the Seam.

I know some people are of the mindset that the whitewashing wasn't intentional and that the studio/director/casting people simply picked the actors they thought would do the job best, but at the end of the day, it takes away from the conflict of the story and the struggle of the characters from the books.

The reason why The Hunger Games books are so fascinating is because of the way the author unravels the struggles of the characters and gets them to rethink their preconceived prejudices and mindsets.

There's a really awesome post out there that talks about how Katniss distrusts the Merchants (they don't look like the ppl of the Seam, dress like Seam, eat like Seam, etc.) at the beginning of the first book and then throughout the story after getting to know Peeta, during the Games she realizes that her distrust and her misconceptions about him and the Merchants are based on lies and Capitol manipulation to keep District 12 at odds with each other so they don't band together and rebel against the Capitol.

She goes through this process several times in all three books with different people but it starts clearly from a place of ethnic identity and grows from there until she reevaluates her ideas about everyone including people from the Capitol and realizes, as Haymitch aptly says, "Who the real enemy is", and it's not the blond-haired merchants of District 12 that are barely better fed and clothed than many of the Seam.

That's one of the things I admire about the writing of The Hunger Games because the ideas inside the wiring find a way to transcend race, without ignoring injustice and prejudice.

I know a lot of tik-tok users are of the impression that Collins dropped the ball with her depiction of Peeta (white-blue-eyed messiah-savior imagery is tossed around a lot) at the end of Mockingjay when she had Katniss end up with Peeta instead of Gale but I think that's an incredibly narrowminded view. Everything in Collins' writing suggests that the struggle toward freedom for the people of Panem was one that crossed all races and genders. Part of Katniss' internal struggle was to shed her own mindset that people who were not like her (Merchants, other Tributes from different Districts, the other Victors, the Capitolites, etc.) were the enemy. Which is the struggle at the heart of every form of racism.

So having Katniss engage in a relationship with someone of a different race, different class, have mixed race children with them, and build a life after the events of the books was really poetic and bold.

And we didn't get any of that satisfying conclusion in the movies because Hollywood took it away by making Katniss, Peeta, and Gale white.

I think the different ethnicities between the Seam and Merchants would have made for a more real and interesting story than the one presented in the movies. I think that it would have resonated with a lot of people because it would have been more honest with the source material and would have added to the growth of the characters.

But that's just my opinion.

[xalwaysxsunnyx]

gong yoo, pansexual, male + he/him ― hey look, it’s sung-soo “sunny” king! they’re 37 years old, they’ve lived in shrike heights for 27 years collectively, and they’re currently working at shrike radio. i heard they’re pretty overindulgent, but i think they’re so charming at the same time. can they make it out alive?

Phew boy ok. God bless this mess. I’m talking about Sun. Sun is the mess. But he’s trying! So there’s that.

Sung-Soo was adopted to two white Coloradans when he was just shy of 1 year.

He loves his parents, but as he grew he was pushed forcefully into white, christian culture and further away from the Korean culture he really wasn’t even offered a chance to explore. 

Despite his fame and popularity Sunny carries this imposter syndrome around him wherever he goes (most likely stemming from his feelings of displacement). He was never white enough and nor asian enough. It left him with a deep searing feeling of isolation he’d experienced since childhood.

Still, if Sun was good at anything it was entertaining an audience. He found navigating his adolescence easiest when he was making people laugh. Laughter was universal. And Sunny was good at being the star of the show.

His career path was nontraditional and extraordinary. He tries to convince himself he has to be at least somewhat talented to have gotten as far as he has in the industry but late at night the heavy feeling of conning people weighs heavy on his still. In reality it was a mixture of luck and genuine ability.

He was pursuing acting at Juilliard when he was approached by a casting director who had sat in on one of his improv performances. Per usual he was a show stopper -- attractive with an infectious laugh and such a charming personality the person in the very back of the theater felt like he was speaking right to them. There was no debate: Sunny King was going to be a star.

So he went to Hollywood.

He spent the next decade or so hosting ‘Late Night with Sunny King’ and winking at viewers through the television screen. He wasn’t HUGE but his persona had gotten him somewhere and he’d acquired something of a cult following.

But with Hollywood came gossip and tabloids and Sunny’s yes-man personality often got him into trouble (or into bed) with big names which led to big scandal. That, partying hard (and crashing harder), and his pesky little cocaine habit all but forced the hand of his manager.

He was put on an indefinite hiatus and his slot was given to someone else. But the press kept on his ass. 

It was around this time that Sun was diagnosed with BPD, only abetting his depression and disillusion with California  (something he’d preferred to keep out of the tabloids). It was exhausting. He needed to slow down. And what better place to do that than in the middle of nowhere Colorado where he was raised?

Sunny had been right, moving back home did help with his anxiety and ~aspects~ of his mental health. But despite settling into standup gigs and hosting at Shrike Radio he still can’t help but feel like a bit of a failure. Not that he lets ANYONE know this. No. He keeps his happy-go-lucky, sweet, lovable persona strong, damn it. He’s been accustomed to ‘keeping up appearances’ and pretending he was fine since he was a child. It was a hard habit to break. And it was even harder to see his parents more often again and keep his complicated relationship with his adoption to himself.

At this point, Sunny King has been letting himself slip into the fog of irrelevancy from the mainstream public (though he will still be recognized from time to time). He wonders if he is becoming nothing more than a washed up comedian; Another day, another hit to his self worth.

At least he can cope by making people laugh -- that’s been a constant. Laughter in itself was like a drug to Sun. Laughter and lots of steamy casual sex. It was the little things in life.

He realizes that maybe he should talk to someone about all this... He’ll get around to it.

tl;dr You’ll hardly ever catch Sunny King in a bad mood or without a smile on his face. All things considered he’s handling his long-lasting hiatus from showbiz fairly well. He may have lost most of his platform but it was good for him. Now it’s just getting him to work on his self-love issue but one step at a time bay-bee! Most of Shrike knows Sunny either from childhood, television, the radio, or sex. Call him.

[circe-poetica]

A Midheaven study, MC Leo conjunct Lilith and Regulus

The Black Moon is associated with all the dark faces of the Great Mother; Kali, Black Madonna, Black Tara and, with Mary Magdalene in her form as the Shakti of Christ, so she is a huge image of the Divine Feminine and it is no small thing to have her so powerfully placed. She has claimed you as one of Her own and wants you to be an agent for her power in the world. Any image of Lilith around our career life demands that we develop the sacred feminine warrior energies and give them expression. Black Moon/Lilith, especially in Leo, points towards doing it from a place of great personal power and individualism, as opposed to old beliefs that set us up for subservience. She can be found in people who work in areas like defending the rights of women, refugees, the under-privileged; in international law, in war zones, in women’s refuges. She is a gutsy advocate, activist, on the side of the deepest emotional truths and in any area of life where the feminine has continued to be dishonoured, rejected and abused.

She is as much found in deep therapeutic and spiritual process, as in those who work on the life and death edges, like hospice work, conscious dying or in casualty departments. (The word spirituality is too light weight for her energy here as she is a form of great Shakti, the transformative serpentine power of the sacred feminine!) Therapeutically, Lilith is comfortably operating in those who work with sexuality, masculine/feminine balances, sexual abuse and healing, relationship dynamics (especially in helping women regain their individuality and personal power) and in tantric processes. And in working with the deepest ends of the emotional spectrum; rage, grief, all forms of toxicity, past-life and trans-generational residues and influences, conception/in-utero/birth traumas. This where the “curse” label comes in, as anyone with strong Lilith positions is a carrier of the same, the accumulation of rage, toxicity, grief and betrayal that comes form lifetimes, ages and generations of rejection of the feminine in all her forms. So part of the journey of owning her power, and your own, is through processes that allow you to purify and release these carried residues. Whether through primal work, spiritual or shamanic midwifery, whatever takes you into these deepest places, it is absolutely necessary to be able to own this part of your birthright. The unfortunate truth is that distorted Lilith or any of the other “Dark Goddesses” are fully able to sabotage your life in their unhealed forms.

Regal Regulus at 29º Leo has the honor of being the closest star to the ecliptic and therefore closest to the red carpet path of the glorious Sun. Regulus is a triple 1.3 magnitude star that flashes white and ultramarine. It is found, naturally, in the brave heart of the constellation Leo the Lion. Regulus officially entered tropical Virgo on November 28th 2011.* Could Regulus crossing this symbolic sphinx cusp, Leo to Virgo, herald the age of Aquarius? Many astrologers speculate that Virgo will teach Leo to put aside ego, dispense personal glory, become more humanitarian and have respect for mother Earth itself. Other ‘star seed’ type commentators describe a switch from service-to-self (Leo) towards service-to-others. (Virgo=Service, Aquarius=Others).

Now all this assumes that Leo’s ego is somehow a bad thing! Conversely however, those with a weak sense of self are also those that suffer from narcissistic personality disorders (And other related Dark triad traits. See Ceres post.) Without a strong sovereignty, service-to-others can become co-dependancy and doormat syndrome! Regulus is the archangel Raphael, one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. On the fixed cross, Regulus is one of four cherubim, symbolised by the Bull, Lion, Eagle and Human. These are the signs Taurus (Aldebaran), Leo (Regulus), Scorpio (Antares) and Aquarius (Fomalhaut) respectively. You can see these Archangels on the corners of the Rider-Waite tarot deck on the Wheel of Fortune and The World.

“Early English astrologers made it (Regulus) a portent of glory, riches, and power to all born under its influence”and this fixed star is generally considered fortunate, courageous, successful and all those great qualities associated with the sun sign Leo.

Regulus has its negative side. “It gives violence, destructiveness, military honor of short duration, with ultimate failure, imprisonment, violent death” Bernadette Brady associates Regulus with downfall. Regulus is pure divine-masculine energy, which these days is often portrayed in Hollywood at its lowest, crudest vibration.

Otherwise, Hollywood seems to delight in ridiculing and belittling Regulus energy. For example Disney has removed the Prince’s true love kiss in ‘Frozen’ and denigrates heroic, chivalrous men in ‘Enchanted’. This could also be seen as Regulus’s ‘downfall’, but it is a manipulated one. It suggests that all the testosterone-fuelled, courageous energy of Regulus’s past is somehow ‘wrong’ and so the solution is we must rip the balls off every feisty Lion.

Can we shift from service-to-self to a service-to-others mentality? It’s hard to feel like you want to be “of service”if you are essentially already living as a slave. The working classes suffer most from cheaper, imported labour. These working classes, (often vilified as ‘Chavs’ or ‘Rednecks’) are craving Regulus empowerment and fame through ‘selfies’ and reality TV shows. Why? Because the despised ‘populist’ working class are subconsciously grasping for their lost sovereignty and culture with this apparently narcissistic, negative-Regulus behaviour.

For approximately the last 600 years Regulus has been in Leo decan 3, which is ruled by aggressive Mars in both systems and Leo decan 3 includes the influence of Regulus so; “They are always right, their rule is absolute, any challenge to their authority is seen as betrayal. Loyality, loyality and more loyality, this is the number one demand of their loved ones.”

Medieval astrologers said Regulus would bring glory, riches and fame to all those born under it, and that it was the ‘Royall Starre’. Robson says Regulus gives “success, high and lofty ideals and strength of spirit, and makes its natives magnanimous, grandly liberal, generous, ambitious, fond of power, desirous of command, high-spirited and independent.” It is important to bear in mind, even with Regulus in Virgo, the ‘Royall Starre’. will still carry its original meaning for natal charts.

Regulus Keywords

Brave, bloodthirsty, gutsy, ambitious, driven, unstoppable, proud, pompous, majestic, magical, vain, arrogant, egotistical, regal, owning one’s sovereignty, loyal, poised, famous, flamboyant, fabulous, dashing, flash, outrageous, chivalrous, courteous, conquering, entrepreneurial, outré, controversial, glorious, bold, hot, brutish, sexy, passionate, diva-esque, haughty, naughty, playful, flirty, childlike, extremist, romantic, generous, fanatical, bossy, unhinged, stalker, predatory, man-eater, mentorship, ability to prophecy, seer, benevolent leader, assuming responsibility, parental, protector of the people, in service for the greater good, connection to ones pride, a statesman/woman, alchemical transition to the Red King (Rubedo), the path to individuation.

Regulus Midheaven

“Honor, preferment, good fortune, high office under Government, military success. If with Sun, Moon or Jupiter, great honor and ample fortune.” [4]

Jackie Kennedy Onassis;(03′) Regulus’s near neighbour is the rather bloodthirsty star Phecda, this I believe is what gives the Regulus its raw martial side. The beastly nature of the Lion isn’t afraid to throw itself into battle and get blood on its hands. This is graphically demonstrated with Jackie, for after John Kennedy was shot, she refused to remove her bloodstain pink Chanel suit. Regretting having washed her bloodstained face and hands, she stated “ I want them to see what they have done to Jack” [2] Of course the woman was an icon, more poised and regal then most real life royals and exuded bravery and loyalty. The Vatican; Much bloodshed in the name of Jesus Christ… Barbara Windsor; Soap matriarch and ex landlady of the Queen Victoria, with a regal sounding surname. Patricia Routledge; Famous for her portrayal of snob Francis Bucket (“pronounced Bouquet…”) in British comedy ‘Keeping Up Appearances.’ Mark David Chapman; Famous for bringing down king of rock John Lennon. Jimmy Page; Rock singer with wild blond mane. Prince; Well he’s Prince… Bernadette Brady;Astrologer. Also Michael Douglas, Clint Eastwood, Mata Hari, Patrick McNee, Henri Toulous Lautrec, Jim Carrey, Shania Twain, Claudia Shiffer, Peter Stringfellow.

https://danielsowelu.com/a-prominent-lilith-on-the-midheaven/

https://darkstarastrology.com/regulus/

[themysterioust]

welcome to the great luscea bakeoff, sponsored by wine

Pairing: Ryade Wiscard/Minmo/Stelle Novellius Rating: G

Ryade occasionally has days off. On one of them, he takes a bottle of wine and settles in with his favorite baking show. However, after his favorite is voted off, a slightly wine-tipsy butler insists on enlisting his master and his favorite idiot to recreate her Showstopper.

merr chrimmus @ramtiger!! i bring you maverick syndrome ot3 being useless gays and me shamelessly using ryade to vent my rivalry with paul hollywood, ilu, i am so glad to have you as a player and as my pal!!

“--A RAW GHERKIN AND RED ONION SALAD, JUST FOR HIM DO YOU HEAR ME?!”

Ryade “loosening up” was generally unheard of, as his idea of wild and crazy was near-universally believed to be Scrabble and wine coolers. And to be fair, he did not often take time off TO loosen up. Minmo usually had to pout just to get Ryade to consider a break let alone a day off!

So to set the scene, this has been a long day coming: the day Ryade took a day off, and per the other servants testimony released his already tenuous grasp on sanity.

It had been the simplest of plans, almost elegant in design - Stelle had lost a bet and thus would be Minmo’s butler for the day. And well, Minmo was one person! He didn’t need TWO butlers, so Ryade could rest knowing Minmo was in good hands!

It had been a genius plan and best of all, it worked. While Stelle finished dinner, Ryade sat with a glass of wine and his favorite show: The Great Luscea Bake-Off.

Signature came and went with a glass of wine. Technical, and a second. Showstopper then brought the rest of the bottle and an irate butler raving in the kitchen, gesturing wildly and ranting about the fate of Haul Pollywood who, mark his words, would rue the day he sent “Lizbet” home.

Stelle had only looked at Minmo and jokingly whispered they should get Ryade drunk more often until Ryade without warning slammed his palm down on the kitchen island!

“To the truest of hells with Haul Pollywood! We’ll show THAT idiot of a judge what a REAL Caramel Apple Pie looks like-- and YOU!” He paused his ranting to gesture at Stelle. “You will be my proof positive! Mark my words you WILL be Star Baker, and I WILL use the rocks in your head to cook that man like a sausage roll--!”

“Please tell me you have some clue of what he’s talking about,” Stelle whispered to Minmo.

The man took a second to translate in his head and then hesitantly offered: “Ryade wants to kill a baking show judge and is settling for recreating the pie that his favorite made before getting kicked off...?”

“Exactly! Master Minmo, you needn’t assist with this, Stelle can--”

“No, no, I want to help! Let me just find some apples and we can get started Ryade.”

“And that is how we ended up making pie crust and pastry dough at ten at night.” Stelle softly grunted, channeling his feelings into the pastry as he brought it together. “It is a PIE! Why do we need rough puff, Ryade?!”

“Decorations,” he answered, swirling his fourth altogether glass of wine. He’d chosen a white to compliment the fruity flavors and richness of the pastry. “I expect six perfectly cut out leaves, Stelle!”

“Oh my goooood, fuck you, just-- laminating at THIS hour?!” Stelle groaned, but had already begun the task. “Just know that when I kill you - and I will - I’ll laminate your goddamn body into rough puff.”

“I invite you to try.”

“Min, get the rolling pin, I’m laminating your butler but first I’m concussing him.”

“How do these look, Ryade?” 

“Oh, just angelic, Master Minmo, you have a wonderfully light touch and a keen eye for detail. Will you egg wash or butter them?”

“Um...”

“Egg wash for shiny, butter for better browning,” Stelle called from the stove.

“Oh! Butter then.” Minmo’s beaming smile was infectious as he scurried to the fridge for it. “Salted or unsalted?”

“Unsalted, babe, we season our dough in this household so unsalted is the way to go. We’re not animals!” Stelle grunted again, glaring at his caramel. “This goddamn burnt sugar is mocking me, Min. I can hear it call me a bitch.”

“Didn’t you say that about the pastry too?” Minmo hummed to himself and ignored Stelle’s plight to be a good sous-chef and butter the puff pastry.

Stelle snorted. “Yeah, something along that - I also think I said “the god of madness and gluten is risen, abandon all hope ye who enter” and maybe “ia ia patisserie ftagn”?”

“The caramel should be the color of whiskey, by the way,” said Ryade with a particularly damning sip as a puff of smoke indicated Stelle had looked away for the second required to burn his caramel. Ryade gave him the decency of looking away to sip his wine while Stelle yelled FUCK and started over.

“Ground Control to Major Tom, bitchy baked good from hell is in the oven.” The door shut with a decisive clatter, Stelle kneeling down to brace his head against it. “I hate pastry so damn much. Min, we’re cancelling pastry forever. Write a callout post on Mintsta for it.”

He lightly bonked his head on the glass, glaring at the pie inside the oven as if it was sentient and knew he was glaring at it for being smug.

It was a pie. It was not smug. Minmo was polite enough not to say that, however, and instead settled down in front of the oven with a soft puff of breath. 

“Well, I personally think pastry did nothing wrong here,” he said with a wry smile. “But I think we can both agree no more pastry.”

“Mm, a sterling effort,” murmured Ryade as he too came to join the two men on the floor, nursing what he was determined to be his final glass of wine for the evenin. “Textbook even. We’ll show Holly - Polly... that bitch what a damn fine pie this is.”

Ryade paused to flick a loose blue lock of hair over his shoulder, then announced he was very drunk instead of simple tipsy and would switch to water.

“Okay,” Stelle drawled, head on Ryade’s shoulder, “so say I’m making a savory pasty or something. Lard for the fat, or shortening.”

“Lard, definitely,” Minmo muttered from the opposite shoulder, hand waving vaguely at the air. “More... flavor, I think?”

“Hot water crust,” Ryade said firmly, wine glass now full of tap water and legs semi-awkwardly braided with Minmo’s. “Not as much flavor, but holds structure better. Add a few herbs and it’s perfect really - the filling of a pasty should always be the star anyway.”

Ryade shifts his legs a bit, sipping his water more. “You can use rendered bacon fat if you’re feeling the urge to commit a crime.” 

He laid his head on Minmo’s, oddly comfortable with the configuration.

The entire kitchen now smells like pie and Ryade is finding himself just sober enough to feel nostalgic for another time and place long ago.

He remembers freshly baking bread with the head chef, her sons settled by the oven with him. They occasionally kick at each other’s feet - a mild form of roughhousing that would not attract sharp eyes and tongues - but they are content and waiting for fresh bread to snack on. The freshest bread in the world, some sheep’s-milk cheese, an apple, and they’d hurry the lot off to the garden that seemed so impossibly big that dragons could roost there.

The memory rolls in his stomach - the lush green grass under his feet, the soft calls of birds, the way the scattered trees looked like a deep dark forest he’d spend a lifetime exploring. A lifetime that would not turn out to be longer than a few months, not before--

“Ryade?”

Master Minmo’s dozing voice beckons and Ryade snaps away from the place in his memory long enough to smile. “Yes, Minmo?”

“You looked so far away for a second. Are you okay?” Minmo’s voice is so warm, like a blanket fresh from the dryer.

Ryade assumes that is the wine talking. “I’m fine, Master Minmo. Merely a little lost in thought.”

“Even so,” Minmo says slowly, “you know you can talk to us ab--”

“Fuck.” Thunk. “This.” Thunk. “Pie.” There was a firmer and more final thunk from Stelle’s head meeting the glass of the oven door. “Fuck it.”

Stelle paused and looked at Minmo and Ryade. “Before you say anything, Ryade, you’re the one who made the “no sad faces in my kitchen” rule.”

It’s such a ridiculous interruption that Ryade has to laugh and supposes that is Stelle’s true function in their friend group: morale booster.

The molten and twisted aberration before them cannot hardly be called a pie, edible, or anything less than an affront to man and god. It would scream for mercy, had it a mouth, though one of the blackened decorations looks like it may try earnestly.

It could be called a shame of god, if perhaps there had indeed been any god of any kind involved with its presentation or preparation.

Stelle summed up the situation succinctly. “What the fuck.” 

Minmo found himself giggling. “This might be the first time I’ve ever seen you bomb a bake, Stelle.”

“Hey, for getting instructions from a drunk angry butler, I don’t think I did too bad.” Stelle holds out a fork to Ryade. “Well, as our Haul Pollywood, would you do us the fine honor of getting food poisoning from judging our pie?”

Ryade does not want to get food poisoning. He does, however, still have enough wine in his system to be completely confident that he has faithfully replicated Lizbet’s recipe.

He takes a bite. The dreams that follow are sweet - of his childhood, of fresh bread, of Master Minmo and Stelle chasing him through a labyrinthine garden where even time could not catch him. 

The concussion that follows when he hits the floor is less so. Minmo makes him a card and makes him promise that he will at least stay sober the next time the Great Luscea Bake-Off airs.

[mattyslittleworld]

dead mans coffee

July / 2020

Just woke up in my front seat, at a rest stop in Tennessee. First thing I saw was my ALL WILL SUFFER tattoo on my leg. A constant reminder of a different person. Tomorrow I’m getting coffee with Skrillex’s right hand man in Nashville, and I’m nursing a cold coffee in the heat watching this crazy lightning shoot across the skyline. It looks like the end of the world. Or some fucked up Lucero song. I must’ve pulled over for a second and closed my eyes and just dropped dead for hours while parked, I’m on the way to my hotel. 

I am sitting in a diner on broadway in Nashville, TN. Nursing another shitty coffee booking meetings. As the texts come in I ignore them because they are covering the screen and distracting me from reading and studying how to properly sell my soul to the devil at the crossroads In Mississippi. 

Clarksdale, Mississippi

12:30 am

Where Robert Johnson, Bob Dylan, and now, Matty Carlock, sold their souls to the devil. 

December / 2020

Sitting in my home, in Hollywood, CA. I have the window open, and I hear the subtle sound of LA breathing, cars passing on the boulevard, sirens off in the distance, and a vinyl record of mine spinning at the lowest volume possible for me to still hear yet ignore it. I feel calm and at peace, although, it seems like a parallel feeling is war, confusion, imposter syndrome, abandonment, and skeptical. How could these two umbrellas of emotion coexist? Its very interesting. Ive been recording so much music that has nothing to do with my artist project. Its been liberating to put that aside for something greater. A new focus. Leaving artistry a vessel solely for extreme self expression and cathartic release. 

July / 2020

Winding the day down, 10:30pm. With an open tab that reads “Tigers Jaw holiday show” - on pause. I open my Mac book on my couch, ready to go through stems and ratchet strip club beats, and it catches my eye. I press play and it leads me down a rabbit hole. I find myself watching “Never Saw It Coming” right into “Chemicals” / live in Boston. Like lightning it struck through my entire body. Maybe it was the 2 hour long conversation with Andy? And the memories we were trading. The bond we have over hard times, innocence, violence, literal blood on the pavement, years of freezing in the winter....nowhere to go. The people that were around - we made forever memories to these two songs. I right away, made a playlist that consists of “The Sun, I Saw Water, Chemicals, Never Saw It Coming, and Planes”. On top of that I found the live acoustic set they recorded and put out. When I was young on DIY tours, sleeping on floors, dirty as shit, poor as shit, a human being at the very best.....the uncertainty of my near future was so bleak. I remember Title Fight came out with their record “Shed” - and the song “where am I?” would lay me down on long drives, or on the floor. I’d watch white lines pass one by one by one into the abyss of nothing. 

The line 

“Another floor

A different ceiling than the night before

Where am I?

While you’re back home”

Missing my girlfriend at that current time, leaving, and just laying on a strangers floor thinking where am I while you’re back home? What am I doing? Maybe there’s nothing only this moment?

On the tigers jaw live EP they covered this acoustic and it’s everything right now. I am fortunate to live a block away from the sunset strip - and I grabbed my skateboard and just bolted into the night. 

This SO SPECIFIC FEELING of these songs. That nobody in this environment will ever understand. It’s so beautiful. It’s so real. It’s so raw. It’s exactly what I need right now - as the past 3 weeks I’ve been living here have moved faster than the past 4 years. A loss of identity easily awaits you. It’s like you fight your whole life for that moment, to get to where you dream of, to get a shot. Scrape and crawl. And then reset. Since I’ve been living in Hollywood my day to day has been a huge mirror for me. The parts of myself I’ve been trying out run have caught me. Maybe all of this could coexist? 

March 2nd / 2021

Spring is here. Its 75 degrees in LA and theres this new thing I noticed while driving around…..the overbearing smell of flowers in the air. It sounds like a movie. Its fucked up cause It felt like a funeral in my car. I was like what the fuck is happening? It smells like a small funeral in here….are my dreams dying? Am I dying? Is punk dead? Okay its just a Ryan gosling movie out here I guess. Whatever lets go. Here’s some hatrebreed. But the windows are down. My mood is different. My spirit is lifted, which ive been desperate to say. I automatically get punched in the guts with the feeling of driving so fucking fast, and blasting title fight. Skateboarding. Looooooooooong drives with fucked up friends to out of state shows no one will be at. Im listening to Stab by Title Fight - off the Shed LP. What a specific time in my life this brings back. That I usually talk about on this little throw up blog often. Spring is such a pivotal time in my life every year. Since covid shows stopped - human decency stopped - community stopped - my natural habitat was taken from me, and all of my friends and family. I remember living in New York in 2011. At the New Yorker. I was studying at the Institute Of Audio Research to be a janitor in my home town. Because that’s what they teach you. Instead of studying compression, and listening to washed up hacks talk to me about music, I would walk out my building onto 8th ave. B Line it Penn Station. Get on the LIRR and ride that shit right into the best LI shows every night I could. Id meet all my friends from Jersey / NYC / Philly and even Baltimore because it was so common to make it a priority to no matter what, drive hours on end to support a hardcore shows and to not lose touch with the hundreds around the country that you call family. Drive to Richmond for a shows on a Monday night, go off, hit a diner after with your new found tribe, then drive home, be back at 6 am, and just stumble into your bullshit job with a black eye or scratches all over you. It was all worth it. Probably quit that job anyway to go on tour with your friends band and live as gypsies for the entire summer too. Spring embodies this spirit for me. Church parking lots in Doylestown, PA - full of kids from all over the country, who left their problems in their hometown, to just get on the road with their best friends and basically start a new life. It is just amazing how formative those years were for a lot of my friends. I have people I met at shows from all over the country messaging me always checking in, and supporting, and sometimes it feels like I know them better than my first cousins, aunts and uncles. We were at war together. We fought against the world together. We found ourselves together. We created shit from nothing. Determination and passion. Oh no….Planes by Tigers Jaw just came on. You know the vibe. This shit just hits so different now as a pop / hip hop producer. This PA scene, mixed with NJHC, just stood me up and gave me confidence to have my own voice, my own thoughts, and to fight back. Something about being in a shitty car and it smells like dirty vans and like…..axe to cover up the smell. BELTING Basement and car moshing and almost driving off a bridge. Listen. I know every single blog is about this. But fuck you fight me. ITS CALLED SELF EXPRESSION GRANDMA. SO STRAP INTO YOUR BOOT THINGS AND ENJOY THE RIDE TO NOWHERE. Its been crazy living in LA. I live directly on Hollywood BLVD, on the Walk Of Fame. Where I was almost killed two weeks ago over someones gang that my ass is not in. My guy looked at me and said YO YOU MATTY? And I was listening to Taylor swift in my headphones walking back from Starbucks and it was so funny how different my energy was. I was like bro can you kill me already dude because these Taylor tones are so good that they gunna just end up killing me anyway. So perfect timing. I think the guy was mad at my friend to say the least lol. But every night its loud 808’s, the sounds of the city, amazing energy, and neon lights shining in from lit up billboards off the BLVD. Its such a culture shock for me. I feel like im too aggressive just from being east coast. But its just what it is. It took me a little to adapt to being in sessions and meetings with seasoned people in this industry who have major cuts and recognition. But I just learned to double down on myself, and be as authentic as I possibly can be. Theres nothing like crushing writing sessions in the pop realm, then turning off my shit, unplugging, and run into the night with my skateboard and old punk records. It’s almost like my own secret that is becoming my blood. I haven’t been communicating with the ones who like my music, have interest in what im doing, come to my shows etc - since I touched down here….I just unplugged….started writing HEAVY and decided to dedicate months to getting better, learning, becoming smarter, discovering a vision that’s much broader than what were sold, finding myself, making sure my wisdom is parallel to my age - if not wise beyond my years. A lot of artists and bands SING, PLAY, PERFORM, PROMOTE. But I have decided to WATCH, ATTEND, and LISTEN. Everynight I sit down with tea, unplug, and spin records on my turntable…in the dark, in my living room, alone….all kinds of records. From The National, to Springsteen, to Title Fight, to Hendrix, to the rare Troublemaker LP and 7” I have…..Sharon Van Etten, Jesse Malin…..ugh. Its just bliss. Pure bliss. Right now im drinking coffee and bouncing from listening to Into It Over It and American Football. I spent all last night rapping my ass off, mixing, and singing ref vocals for other people. It was so fun. Im finding a lot of my new material is this spirit im talking about - but over hip hop production. I want to tell my life story and combat the stereotypes of modern rap and pop music with true intentions and unique tones of untold stories that press, radio, and this market usually doesn’t get fed. Ive also realized a lot of music I was promoting over the past year to come out (prior to the pandemic) hasn’t come out….and I know people are questioning that….what is happening? So before covid I had German solo dates booked - and then I was going to the UK right after. I have a bunch of single drops lined up with music videos. Some you can guess with who. And then the pandemic hit and I canceled everything and decided to pivot my focus into my passion for songwriting and production, instead of sitting around “waiting for shows to come back.” I pretended that shows were never going to come back and doubled down on my career as a producer, that at the time, still is, moving forward at a faster rate than my artist shit. So I packed my shit after offers, and opportunity presented themselves. Touched down on a Tuesday, with meetings that Friday. Off to the races. In sessions that following Monday. Fast forward here we are. Hungry, learning, learnt, turned 30. Looking at the next decade like Mcgregor at the weigh in. Fight ready. Ive learned so much since the fall that all of the music I had planned on releasing, I loaded it back up, tore it apart, and re built it. So its not stale, so its not expired, so its not “then”….so its NOW. Which im so glad I did, and im doing. I don’t think ive been in the booth more. My mind is so stimulated by this wave im on. And its got me in a good place. Now that the spirit of spring is here, my mental health is going to be taking a big leap as well and im going to do everything I can to just flood all of this content. I think Never Meant by American Football is the best song ever made. Me and Mike were talking about doing a song together a few months ago and that would be such a trip for me. 

I wanted to talk about my recent trip to Joshua Tree. I was invited by Christopher Thorn from Blind Melon to live at his studio for a few days to write together. I didn’t really know what to expect. I met him once or twice thru Clinch, and just around the Sea Hear Now circle back east, and I was familiar with No Rain (his hit). We got on the phone, picked a weekend where it’d work for both of us, got some covid tests, and boom. Packed my shit again (right off a flight back from New York, where I shot 3 music videos, and did 1 remote session in 2 fucking days), and drove out to the desert. There is no address so I had a map. It was epic. It was in the desert desert. Like THE DESERT FAM. Coyotes at night, snakes and shit. The air was so dry, your lips would get chapped to let you know death was right around the corner so you better man up baby boy. Beforehand - from all the traveling and flights, and burning myself out on videos and sessions, I found myself listening to a lot of acoustic Nebraska Springsteen type shit. John Moreland, or even like acoustic bayside, Lucero, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits…..just pure music with no samples, not gridded, not sold, no machine, no click, just real live country music inspired by the human condition….of the earth. It was just speaking to my soul…..so when we booked this to get in the room together….man was I ready. I don’t think ive had an experience so fruitful to the soul. And ive played shows in Slovenia, and sipped espresso on a bridge that looked like a painting, staring at subtle mountain tops off in the distance like I was a character in some book. We started working at night and ran it up till like 3 am. As the sun came down the lights off in the distance miles and miles away were so clear because we were just the only life form around….and it would just shine into the studio windows and reflect on the perimeter making it seem like we were surrounded by New York City. It did a lot for my soul to play drums, acoustic, sing, play piano, shred electric, even mix a little. I felt like I made a very fast lifelong friend. Its been a minute since I got on with someone like that. We talked a lot about growing up touring. And wed finish each others sentences regarding topics that ONLY people like us would know. Like Subway being a life line for DIY touring, or the weird strange feelings of comfort from rest stops in the middle of nowhere at 4 am, the rest stop coffee that you get to just make the next 2 hours of the drive into town bearable. But then you see your boy from your band in the other aisle so you throw shit at him. Then you all stumble back into the van/bus and just disappear into the night. This shit was so needed for me. When Id wake up, id make espresso, and just sit out front and listen to Joe Rogan, at this random chair that was behind his studio, facing the mountains. Just endless property waiting to leave you 6 feet in the ground. I sat there and sipped my espresso, and just reflected on the long journey of my career. How many random moments like this ive found myself in since I was 15. In the middle of the desert where Springsteen hangs out with my heroes, off the strength of my songwriting. Or in Romania drinking coffee, fucked off, on a bench far from the venue, by random train lines in the pouring rain by myself. The farthest from humanity I can be. Or the random VFW hall in my head that I don’t even know where it is, with my little punk crew, who all smell like complete shit and cigarettes and soda, fucked off god knows where, just to finger point and sing along to this band we found on myspace that were in OUR hometown the weekend prior singing to our band. Theres just an endless string of memories that can go on forever, with stories that just fulfill a lifetime, of conversations that just make the white lines on I95 move faster. Or just everyone is quiet - reading a book - texting - exhausted from the night prior - and you just ABRUPTLY turn on teenage dream by Katy Perry SOOOO LOUD - take your shirt off and start dropping it like its hot from the passenger front seat, and catch a mid afternoon front flip stage dive into the backseat. From those youthful days of this underground spirit, to existing in a realm of pure monsters of my craft, I truly believe this next decade could co exist and be one for the books. Damn I feel good. Also me and Sasso started a book club called BSU and you can’t be in it because you probably read books and the only rule for our book club besides not speaking about book club is, you can’t read books. Okay im going to go buy a bike right now so I can ride It to Mexico and get abducted by the cartel and sold for bitcoin. FAREWELL EARTHLINGZ. 

[cumbersomelift]

The Trumpification of Evangelicalism

About 85% of white evangelical voters cast their ballot for Trump in 2016. In 2019, 77% of white evangelicals approved of his job as president, and 81% said he fights for what they believe in. Whether we like it or not, Donald Trump has become an avatar of white evangelicalism and this has substantially damaged the reputation of the church. Rather than being known for it’s love, it’s known for it’s president. 

In an interview with the Atlantic, an unnamed pastor tried to describe what the infusion of Trumpism means for American Christianity. He put it like this: 

“There are many reasons why young people are turning away from the Church, but my observation is, Trump has vastly accelerated that trend. He’s put it into hyperdrive.”

“For decades Hollywood has portrayed conservative Christians as cruel, ignorant, greedy, and hypocritical. For 20 years I have worked, led, and sacrificed to put the lie to that stereotype, and have done so successfully here … Because of how we have served the least of the least, city officials, school officials, and many atheists have formed a respect for Jesus and his church. And I’m watching all that get washed away.”

“Yes, Hollywood and the media created a decidedly unattractive stereotype of Christians. And Donald Trump fits it perfectly. Made it all seem true. And sadly, I now realize that stereotype is more true than I ever knew. It breaks my heart... He’s everything I’ve been trying to say isn’t what the church is all about. But sadly, maybe it is."

Many who saw the church as institution of moral clarity in our youth are now left disoriented by its enthusiastic endorsement of Donald Trump. In the words of the pastor, we began to feel like we were wrong about what the church actually stood for. What if what the church stands for is Donald Trump? 

I suspect that many Christians wince at this suggestion. Maybe it sounds derisive or unfair to draw the conclusion. Maybe it's the empty generalization you'd expect from an embittered nonbeliever. In this post, I want to explain why linking Trump to the church isn’t a symptom of “Trump derangement syndrome” or a product of liberal ad hominem memes in my news feed. I believe this because it’s what the church tells us. When researchers asked white evangelicals about their political attitudes, their warm feelings toward Trump consistently set them apart from other Americans. Even apart from other believers. 

In the Pew results I mentioned earlier, 77% of white evangelicals said that they support Trump in 2019. For reference, in 2018, the percent of American Christians that said that they "believe in the God of the Bible" was 80%.

Based on these results, Christians are about as likely to believe in God as white evangelicals are to support Trump.

Reconnecting with evangelicals is harder to do when their political icon gets his kicks from pwning the “liberal snowflakes” like me. But more importantly, it’s harder because the church is being remade in his image. If you compare Pew results from early 2016 to now, it appears that the white church has moved from tolerating to accepting to celebrating Trump’s pugilistic style. 

From Tolerable to Upstanding

A 2011 poll from the Pew Religious Research Institute (or Pew) asked Americans this question: If a politician committed an immoral act in their personal life, are they unable to act ethically in their public life? Compared to other religious groups, white evangelicals drew the hardest line -- 60% agreed that if you're unethical in your personal life, you can’t be trusted to do the right thing in politics. Trump’s Hollywood Access tape leaked in 2016 in which he bragged about sexually assaulting women, saying that he liked to “grab ‘em by the pussy.” That year Pew asked this exact question again. This time, white evangelicals saw things differently.

In 2016, only 20% of them agreed.

This 40% swing is one of the wildest poll results from 2016 (which was a wild year for poll results). In the span of 5 years, white evangelicals went from being the most concerned about a politician's personal conduct to the least concerned. Shortly after, a bulwark of the moral majority allied itself with a thrice-married reality TV star who had previously featured on the cover of Playboy magazine. Over time, white evangelicals grew not just tolerant of his behavior but began to identify with it. 

Fast forward to 2020. In a poll this year, a majority of white evangelicals described Trump as “morally upstanding” (61%) and “honest” (69%). I don’t mean to overinterpret two polls, but this result is a remarkable extension of the 40-point swing we saw earlier. Together, it seems like the majority of evangelicals said in 2016 that, “Look, even if Trump’s unethical in his personal dealings, he can still be a good politician,” and now say in 2020, “Actually, he’s not unethical at all, he’s morally upstanding.��� That’s a remarkable shift in moral judgement across four years. 

When I think of Trump’s behavior between 2016 and 2020, here are three things I remember:

On August 7th, 2017, Trump complained that it was “ridiculous” of Megyn Kelly to question his past treatment of women on the debate stage. He proceeded to insult Kelly on live television, saying she “had blood coming out of her eyes. Or blood coming out of her wherever.” 

On October 16, 2018, Trump used his Twitter to call an adult film star with whom he had an affair “Horseface.”

On July 14, 2019, Trump told four congresswomen of color to “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.” 

From the outside looking in, it’s strange that in the same four years Trump moved from being not-quite-disqualified to being “morally upstanding” to a majority of white evangelicals. I've wondered whether this would change if we read Trump's tweets aloud at a Sunday worship service every week. Take a look at his latest and judge for yourself. For whatever reason, he’s grown on the church. 

Fifth Avenue Evangelicals 

A striking majority of white evangelicals viewed Trump favorably in 2019 (71%) but many believers took it a step further. About three in ten white evangelicals checked a box that said, "I approve [of Trump] and there is almost nothing Trump could do to lose my approval.” Famously, Trump joked that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue in broad daylight and not lose support. That's why asking if "there is almost nothing Trump could do to lose my approval" is worth the ink. It appears Trump's Fifth-Avenue supporters are largely in the halls of the white church. 

Maybe you're thinking, "Sure, but those people aren't real churchgoing Christians. Upright believers are straight-laced and polite and love thy neighbor.” Well, not exactly. It turns out that white evangelicals who are fondest of the president are usually the ones who attend church weekly. Those who attend church less frequently are less supportive. 

So, the idea that evangelicals are holding their nose to vote for Trump I have to reject. I mean, most Americans (74%) wish Trump would be more presidential in his personal conduct, but that view is only shared by about half of all white evangelicals (53%). The other half don’t see an issue.  In fact, over one in ten white evangelicals said that Trump’s personal behavior makes them more likely to support him. 

God-and-Country Believers

Trump has reputation for fear mongering about immigrants, but many believers share his view. In fact, these attitudes have become an empirically defining feature for a major swath of the American faithful. Pew’s new typology gives them their own category called "God-and-Country Believers." They’re defined as "Those who are socially and politically conservative, most likely to view immigrants as hurting American culture” and about a third of highly religious Americans fit this description. 

If the data is any indication, the majority of God-and-Country Believers are white evangelicals - they consistently report the strongest, most negative attitudes toward immigrants than any other faith group. 

More than frequently than any other group of believers, white evangelicals:

said they have a negative view of immigrants (17%)

said that immigrants are invading the country (75%) 

said immigrants increase crime (62%)

said that immigrants create a burden on communities by using social services (71%)

were least likely to support sanctuary cities (27%)

were most likely to support family separation policies for undocumented families (39%)

I personally believe that Trump is a major force shaping these attitudes, too, but I could be wrong. Others say that Trump is just the embodiment of beliefs white evangelicals have always held and is finally “telling it like it is.” Robert Jones, the director of Pew Religious Research Institute and a white evangelical himself, explained this in his book The End of White Christian America. Jones describes these attitudes as the result of the "symbiotic relationship between Christianity and white supremacy" that's existed for centuries. 

He explores this further in his newest book, White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity. Here, Jones argues that white evangelical support for Trump is best understood in the context of that racial history. MLK remarked that America’s most segregated hour is always 11am on Sunday morning, and Jones explains why this isn’t a coincidence. Many of these faith traditions were originally predicated on a desire for white protestant cultural dominance, and until now, that dominance has never been challenged. He writes: 

By activating the white supremacy sequence within white Christian DNA, which was primed for receptivity by the perceived external threat of racial and cultural change in the country, Trump was able to convert white evangelicals in the course of a single political campaign from so-called values voters to “nostalgia voters.”

Trump’s powerful appeal to white evangelicals was not that he spoke to the culture wars around abortion or same-sex marriage, or his populist appeals to economic anxieties, but rather that he evoked powerful fears about the loss of white Christian dominance amid a rapidly changing environment.

The book is meant to provide a historical explanation for the trends he’s discovered in his research. Many of these findings I’ve reporting throughout the post. Jones argues this history explains why the white evangelical church has historically lagged in support of racial justice efforts where it hasn’t directly opposed them. 

Why This Matters to Non-believers

I’ve spent a lot of time here writing about why the association between Trump and the white Christian church is warranted. I haven’t said a lot about why that’s a problem. I’m not sure I need to, but here are few reasons, anyway. 

It’s a problem because Trump bragged about sexual assault on tape. It’s a problem because he shared a video saying “the only good democrat is a dead democrat.” It’s a problem because Trump peddled conspiracies about Obama not being a real American. It’s a problem because he tweeted a white power video. It’s a problem because he ordered an alt-lite militia group to “stand by” in case he needed them to fight after the election. It’s problem because it’s now genuinely unclear to me whether the church finds these behaviors morally objectionable. 

I think it’s also unclear to Trump. 

Here’s why I say that.

Do you remember at, the height of civil unrest, when secret police fired without warning on international journalists and peaceful protestors in front of St. John’s church in DC? The clergy demonstrating for racial justice were forcibly removed so that Trump could be photographed in front of their church with a Bible that wasn’t his. That display of fraudulence and tyranny was ostensibly a performance for Trump’s base: the white evangelical church. 

Trump thinks he knows what that church wants and he’s largely correct.

It’s possible that white evangelicals find all of Trump’s bullying and lying are consistent with an upright life. It’s more likely that they were overlooking what I’ve described here entirely. Either way, I think it requires explanation. Why the church is willing to support or even overlook this behavior needs to be talked through. That the church was even capable of this was a shock to many.

This is, I think, one of the most urgent and difficult conversations between evangelicals and nones that’s required for our mutual understanding.

[bigyack-com]

What Companies Are Telling Employees About the Coronavirus

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The coronavirus corporate breakdown

President Trump said yesterday that Vice President Mike Pence would coordinate the government’s response to the coronavirus. Despite mounting criticism, the president has played down the danger of a widespread U.S. outbreak, the NYT reports. Stocks are down again today, with U.S. futures suggesting that a sixth consecutive daily decline awaits. Wall Street strategists say the situation could get worse before it gets better. Yet shares in companies that cater to people staying home are outperforming — think disinfectants (Clorox), canned food (Campbell Soup), exercise equipment (Peloton) and videoconferencing tools (Zoom) — as are others like drug makers developing vaccines (Gilead) and gold miners who dig up the stuff hoarded by people freaked out about the economy (Newmont Mining). Companies are restricting travel and sending workers home, and rapidly reducing their expectations for sales at any business that relies on China as a buyer or supplier. (Microsoft is one of the latest to sound the alarm.) Quarantines and travel bans are particularly bad for deal makers who rely on in-person schmoozing, with bankers prevented from meeting clients. The problem goes beyond Asia — although it’s especially acute there. We’ll get a better view of the economic impact soon, and analyst forecasts for data releases due in the coming days are all over the place. Chinese officials are under pressure to rev up factories and get workers moving again, while some European authorities are questioning the region’s open-border policies. In a WSJ opinion piece, Kevin Warsh, a former Fed governor who is considered a front-runner to lead the U.S. central bank if Mr. Trump is re-elected, floated the idea for a coordinated global series of rate cuts to “make the most of scarce policy ammunition.” For more on the coronavirus — much, much more — subscribe to the NYT’s new Coronavirus Briefing email, with the latest developments and expert advice on prevention and treatment.

What about Bob?

In an industry obsessed with blockbusters, Disney’s choice for its next C.E.O., Bob Chapek, lacks star power. Mr. Chapek, the company veteran who currently runs its theme parks and cruise ships, is largely unknown in much of Hollywood, the NYT’s Brooks Barnes reports. Getting to know Bob C., as he’s called within Disney: Although he isn’t a fixture in TV and movie circles — unlike his charismatic predecessor, Bob Iger — Mr. Chapek isn’t as surprising a choice to take over the House of Mouse as it may seem. Retail titans are big fans, stemming from Mr. Chapek’s stints as head of Disney’s DVD and consumer products businesses. This is a good sign for Disney as it pivots to selling content directly to consumers via its nascent streaming service instead of relying on cable networks. Updated Feb. 26, 2020 What is a coronavirus? It is a novel virus named for the crownlike spikes that protrude from its surface. The coronavirus can infect both animals and people and can cause a range of respiratory illnesses from the common cold to more dangerous conditions like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS. How do I keep myself and others safe? Washing your hands frequently is the most important thing you can do, along with staying at home when you’re sick. What if I’m traveling? The C.D.C. has warned older and at-risk travelers to avoid Japan, Italy and Iran. The agency also has advised against all nonessential travel to South Korea and China. Where has the virus spread? The virus, which originated in Wuhan, China, has sickened more than 80,000 people in at least 33 countries, including Italy, Iran and South Korea. How contagious is the virus? According to preliminary research, it seems moderately infectious, similar to SARS, and is probably transmitted through sneezes, coughs and contaminated surfaces. Scientists have estimated that each infected person could spread it to somewhere between 1.5 and 3.5 people without effective containment measures. Who is working to contain the virus? World Health Organization officials have been working with officials in China, where growth has slowed. But this week, as confirmed cases spiked on two continents, experts warned that the world was not ready for a major outbreak. • Doug McMillon, Walmart’s C.E.O., said, “Bob has always been someone we can trust to deliver on what he says.” • Brian Cornell, Target’s chief, said Mr. Chapek had a “deep understanding of what Disney fans really love about their brand.” Brooks wraps it up for us: The timing of the announcement feels suspicious to a lot of people. Something else has to be afoot, right? But everyone I talked to inside and outside of the company, including people who are not fans of Bob Iger (they exist), insisted that nothing prompted this beyond a need to get succession moving — Disney’s annual meeting is March 11 — and that the handoff is less abrupt than it seems at first blush. Mr. Iger is not going anywhere for another 22 months. Full stop. He will be overseeing all of Disney’s “creative endeavors,” which is basically everything that really matters, as executive chairman. Bob Chapek essentially has training wheels on for the next two years. Why not just elevate Mr. Chapek to chief operating officer or president, two jobs that currently don’t exist at Disney and would signal that he is the heir apparent? Because that has not worked out particularly well for Mr. Iger in the past. He chose that route for Thomas O. Staggs, who ended up leaving the company in 2016. It’s really hard to shine when you have no direct reports and a larger-than-life boss. People also forget that Mr. Iger’s run as president of Disney under then-C.E.O. Michael Eisner was torturous at times. Mr. Iger sometimes found himself undercut by division leaders, who would go straight to Mr. Eisner. By making Mr. Chapek chief executive right out of the gate, that kind of end run is harder.

The head of SoftBank’s Vision Fund is in the hot seat

Tensions among several of SoftBank’s senior executives are well known. But a striking new WSJ report on alleged efforts by the head of its Vision Fund, Rajeev Misra, to discredit internal rivals is on another level. The WSJ reports that an associate of Mr. Misra’s tried to spy on rivals, including by obtaining and then leaking private bank statements. One purported scheme involved trying to entrap an executive in a sex scandal. A representative for Mr. Misra told us: “These are old allegations which contain a series of falsehoods that have been consistently denied. Mr. Misra did not orchestrate a campaign against his former colleagues.” But a spokeswoman for SoftBank said the company would be “reviewing the inferences made by The Wall Street Journal.”

How Reddit traders are moving markets

Common wisdom is that individual investors have no hope of beating institutional money managers. But Luke Kawa of Bloomberg Businessweek reports on how traders on Reddit’s freewheeling WallStreetBets forum — who go by names like “yolo_tron” — are changing the game. What they’re doing: swamping the market with call options, hoping to force market makers to buy the underlying stock, and exponentially increasing the value of those options (which give them the right to buy stocks at a fixed price). The big idea: The do-it-yourself traders of r/WSB are waging a kind of guerrilla warfare in the markets, trying to exploit what they see as weaknesses in the system to move prices where they want them. For anyone who wondered about where the small day traders who made the 1990s so wild went, meet the 2020 version. After years of indifference, individual investors seem to be finding their way back to stocks, for better or worse. They’re flexing muscles in ways that can easily call to mind excesses from the dot-com era.

Mulvaney says immigrants get the job done

Many Trump administration policies are aimed at restricting immigration. But at a private event in Britain last week, the acting White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, said that immigrants were key to America’s future growth, according to the NYT’s Jeanna Smialek and Zolan Kanno-Youngs. “We are desperate, desperate for more people,” Mr. Mulvaney told a crowd, according to an audio recording given to The NYT. “We are running out of people to fuel the economic growth,” he added — though he said he wanted more immigrants only in a “legal” fashion. Although President Trump has described the country as “full,” slow population growth in the native-born U.S. work force means immigration will be needed to propel the economy. Immigrants accounted for about half of the labor force’s expansion over the past two decades.

Sandberg on Facebook: We’re not selling your data

In an interview with NBC’s new Byers Market podcast, Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook outlined the tech giant’s plan to defend itself against rising public skepticism and political inquiries. • “There is growing concern, which is based on a lack of understanding, that we are using people’s information in a bad way — we are selling it, we are giving it away, we are violating it. None of that’s true. We do not sell data.” • “Here’s what we do: We take your information and we show you personalized ads,” she said, in order to give users “a much better experience.” OK, but ... “I’m going to give a big speech next month,” Ms. Sandberg said. “And I’m working on an op-ed. We need to go out and explain the business model clearly.” We’ll see.

The speed read

Deals • L Brands took a $700 million write-down after selling a majority stake in Victoria’s Secret. (WSJ) • Blackstone agreed to buy a student housing company from Goldman Sachs for £4.7 billion, or $6 billion, in Britain’s biggest-ever private real estate deal. (FT) • The Carlyle Group doesn’t plan to raise a separate impact investing fund. Instead, it plans to make adopt the approach across its entire portfolio. (Bloomberg) Politics and policy • Senator Pat Toomey, Republican of Pennsylvania, changed his mind and says he will back Judy Shelton’s nomination to the Fed board. (NYT) • Facebook and Instagram are rethinking their brand sponsorship policies in the wake of enormous spending by Mike Bloomberg’s presidential campaign on undisclosed political ads. (NYT) • Britain and the E.U. are preparing for a fight over post-Brexit trade policy. (Bloomberg) Tech • A federal appeals court ruled that tech companies are allowed to censor content. (WSJ) • Clearview AI, the facial-recognition software start-up that has alarmed privacy watchdogs, said its entire client list had been stolen in a hack. (Daily Beast) • Venture capitalists’ latest annoyance: a Twitter account that mockingly retweets their boastful posts. (Protocol) Best of the rest • Banks are forgoing $2 billion in annual revenue by not ensuring that black Americans have the same access to financial products as white Americans. (McKinsey) • Norway’s huge sovereign wealth fund made a 19.9 percent return last year, generating $180 billion for the state. (Reuters) • The key events that led to the explosion in popularity of Japanese whiskey in the U.S. (Quartz) We’d love your feedback. Please email thoughts and suggestions to business@nytimes.com. Read the full article

[kassandravespertine]

In Defense of La La Land

So yeah, for some reason I really want to talk about this. English is not my first language so I must apologize for any mistake here.

The thing is, I recently brows La La Land tag and there are some 'criticism' that kinda bother me. I understand that people do not have to like the same thing but that does not justify some, ahem, 'attacks' this movie got here in this very website. I like La La Land, mainly because I find it inspiring and uplifting and, you know, very touching for an artist like me (well, I draw stuffs. I do think 'artist' is kinda too honorific for me though) and therefore I would like to address some issues I think floating around.

Also,

Spoiler Alert, of course.

White Savior Syndrome and Black Guy as a villain

This may be the main topic this film got criticized so much and it is very infuriating for me. For some tl;dr, some people criticize this film because the main character, Sebastian the passionate jazz lover, wanted to save the traditional jazz from extinction and he is played by Ryan Gosling, who is white. Sebastain has an old friend named Keith, whose vision of modernizing jazz served as the minor conflict in this film. He is played by John Legend, who is black. The thing is, the romance takes its downfall after Sebastian agreed to play on Keith's band. So there is some unfortunate implication that Keith has his take on plunging the romance into its doom and that kinda make him a(n unintentional) villain.

The first point I want to address here is that Sebastian is not a (white) savior. Keith has a point that trying to preserve a dying culture without accepting change will just slowly kill that culture. I'm Thai and we are facing the very same problem so I understand Keith's point. In Thailand, the traditionalist easily overpowers people that want the culture to adapt. They accuse any change to tradition as a contamination of culture but will not makes it accessible (and enjoyable to mass). Sebastian was trying to preserve the pure jazz but that will not make get any attention it deserves. He is not saving anything but he is indirectly destroying it with his stubbornness. Keith is very aware of the problem jazz is facing and I must say 'Start A Fire' does an awesome job reintroducing jazz to the younger crowd. He is trying to make jazz goes with the flow, not just standing still like Sebastian's philosophy. Yes, Sebastian would not really enjoy it, but that is another topic.

There is also a bit I want to point out. If I remember correctly, at the end, which is 5+ years after Keith and Sebastian's collab, there are some younger people there playing in Seb's. This does imply that Keith and Sebastian do help making jazz resurface among younger generation again. Sebastian said something like jazz is conflict and compromise, and that is ultimate solution of saving jazz in this film. Sebastain is not saving jazz. Sebastian and Keith are both saving jazz. They are both good guys and this film ultimate villain is the choice between your future and your love, which is (sadly) the truth.

Sypnosis:

Sebastian the white guy is not saving jazz. He is indirectly killing it. Keith the black guy is not a villain but is trying to work with difficult Sebastian to together save jazz. They are both good guy and this movie has no villain (a human one at least).

There are no, or too few, black people

I cannot really wrap my head around this argument though. Yes, there are too many white actor and too many film centered on white character and Hollywood does suffer some white-washing. I know better than anyone because Asian is probably one of the most under-represented people in cinema and I am Thai transgender fat girl which would rarely be used as a main cast, let alone a protagonist. But I don't really think that this movie using two white actors as main characters is something wrong? It is an original screenplay and it calls for two talented actors and Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are both talented and played their role very well. Black character might be kinda minor character here in this movie but Keith is ultimately a very nice and reasonable guy (and is song is awesome) and a couple at the pier is very lovely to watch. This movie also shows that jazz is still big among (old) black people in early acts. Yes, black people in this film might have a very minor role and yes, our leads are still white, but I do think this movie does not deserve all the attack for this reason.

Also, I think that casting white people as a jazz lover has a very good implication, you know? It shows that jazz is not exclusively black culture but instead something everyone has equal chance to enjoy. Mia grew from someone who was indifferent about jazz to someone who genuinely love jazz not just because Sebastian but because jazz is good and enjoyable and should be appreciated. I'm not really a big fan of jazz (I'm more interested in alternative and electronics, you know, something like Björk's) but I think that white people, and black people, and Asian, and, I don't know, Martian? could all enjoy jazz and quality music. Sebastian said something like, jazz is invented as a language, and that is what music really is I think. The melody could deliver message as well as the lyrics, and thus the music is the international media and medium and should not be 'exclusive' to just one group.

Sypnosis:

The lead roles did not specifically call for black people. All black people in this film are pleasant and likable. Keith's role, though smaller, still has major impact. Jazz is not exclusively a black culture and can, and should be, appreciated by every one. White people liking jazz is not weird in any way.

It does not deserve all the praise. It is just a story of two white people falling in love. Generic.

First of all, it's not just a 'two people falling in love' story. It's a freaking musical. A jazz musical nonetheless in the age of electronic pop. Also, it's really not about 'falling in love' and 'romance' but it shows the struggles of two people trying to make it through the obscurity, in the world where everything is temporal and illusory. It shows that dream and love does not always get along. It shows that we could be a big dreamer, but in the end we would still choose what is 'best' for is, not what feels 'right'. It shows that phase of your life, where you find an equally aspiring partner and together promised to go to the distance together. It shows how your dream can dies and resurrected. It shows that love can make you sacrifice your dream. It shows that love is not just romance, but the length you willing to go and support one another. This film has much more than romance and its ending will forever haunt me as the way reality work. I am currently a stupid girl having a re-crush on one of my high school classmate but it cannot be that way forever. I would have to grow up, work (and hopefully find a boyfriend but nah) but, like the last smiles of this film, I would look back fondly at my past and how it drives me to who I am this day.

The backlash could also comes from the fact that, among the other best picture nominees, this film might be the most mainstream one and just... out of place? We have philosophical film about language (Arrival, which I have watched and love), the historical film about black people (Fences), war film about a combat medic (Hacksaw Ridge), a thriller western film (Hell or High Water), a historical film about black woman in NASA (Hidden Figure, which I'm going to watch soon), a drama film about lost and reunion (Lion) and an emotional drama (Manchester By the Sea) then we have a romantic dramedy musical. However, La La Land is by no mean having an inferior message. Its plot might be on the lighter side but it still deliver a powerful message. It's also very beautiful in many ways and I think it does deserve a nomination. Another thing that makes this film shine is that it is just so honest like a child. It is a film that just want to have fun. It stood out because it is vibrant and is not another tear-jerking drama or psychological thriller that are usually got nominated for awards. you can see that the crew of this film just want to make the good film. They just want to make a fine tapestry about love and dream and they want everyone to enjoy this film and just generally have fun with it. Metaphorically, I could say that the other nominees are like adults with good advice or solemn story to tell, but this film is like a child telling their story through brightly colored picture and laugh and smile all the way. It might not win best picture (and I think it won't) but it is a good film in its own right for its audience.

Sypnosis:

This film has deeper meaning than just people falling in love. It is also a fine craft created by people who want to do something good and beautiful and bold and honest and fun and those are why this film is so good.

If you like La La Land, you should not like because is far superior

This is just baffling. The comparison does not make any sense. Why would you compare a film about alien trying to advance us to something like La La Land? Why would you compare a journey through hardship of drug abused black person to something like La La Land? Also, like I have stated, every film is good in its own right. You can dislike La La Land but bashing it with another film is just bad. Yes, the hype can be annoying, but you can just ignore it if you really don’t want to watch. It's fine if something fun and light is not your taste, but don't compare a fruit parfait to a tenderloin steak because it just make no sense.

Sypnosis:

Please don't compare two extremely different movie. It makes no sense.

It got too many nomination

Yes, it is, and it's equally baffling for me as well. Let's break it down shall we?

Best Picture:

I've already stated but I will repeat that this film is good because it is honest and fun, something which is different and refreshing.

Best Director:

Damien Chazelle is 30s. It's amazing for what he's done and should be celebrated

Best Actor:

Ryan Gosling is a good actor and he plays a jazz lover really well in this movie. He dances and sings and plays piano insanely good and his devastation at the end is just so sad. He does deserve a nomination (but I don't think he will win) for his amazing performance. He plays so well that I side with Keith when they talked.

Best Actress:

Emma Stone is not bad actress and her rendition of Audition is just... that. The arguamnt at the table and her shattered state after a failed play just touched me (I'm very passionate about drawing but sometime I do think that it deserve more attention and Emma's role just kill me in this regard) and I think she deserve a place here. She might not win, seeing all the amazing nominee, but she deserve to be there.

Best Original Screenplay:

Of course.

Best Original Score:

Apart from Epilogue, this movie's score is just fun and bright and capture the emotion so well.

Best Original Song:

"Audition (The Fools Who Dream)" and "City of Stars" are both good. I personally prefer "Another Day of Sun" of "City of Stars" however. Anyway, every song in this movie is just amazing and deserve every praise.

Best Sound Editing:

I... don't know? Apart from amazing music nothing really struck me as amazing sound editing. I do think it's too far-fetched.

Best Sound Mixing:

Same as above.

Best Production Design:

Of course. This film is gorgeous and look like a stage play even though it is shot in a real location.

Best Cinematography:

Same as above. I think it's impressive how they shot something real and made it looks fake.

Best Costume Design:

I don't think it should be here. The costume in the film is kinda... mundane? Apart from complimenting all the dancing I don't think it stand outs that much. The choice of color is good but that just it. I still want that yellow dress though

Best Film Editing:

Hm... it uses some funny old-timey transition but honestly I don't think it's that impressive

Sypnosis:

Yes, some of the nomination makes no sense. I also don't think it will sweep the awards and Zootopia should be nominated for best picture as well.

So.. that is it for my In Defense of La La Land. I have a classmate who hate thing just because he hate and I don't want us to be that way. Is La La Land perfect? No. But is it terrible? NO! Something does not deserve all the hate just because it is famous or because of some shallow misinterpretation. I'm going to draw something now. I don't think many people would read this but if you do and you disagree on some notion, you can tell me. I welcome all comment as long as it is reasonable, not just pure hatred or something. Finally, because I am not familiar with the culture of western world, I am sorry if I offend anyone with my language.

Peace

[consulting-celiac-in-the-tardis]

What It's Like to Live With a Disease Everyone Assumes is Fake

New blog post! Imagine that every time you walk into a restaurant, you’re putting your life in the chef’s hands. Imagine having to give the same medical spiel – “I have celiac disease. Even a crumb of gluten will make me extremely sick” – anytime you order food. And imagine telling the waiter you need a strictly gluten free meal…only for him to look and you and say, “Gluten free? Now, do you really need it?” If you can put yourself in those shoes, you know a little about what it’s like to be me – or any of the one in 133 Americans with celiac disease, an autoimmune condition in which ingesting gluten damages one's intestines. You might think that the hardest part about celiac disease is the diet – and you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. However, partially thanks to the gluten free fad taking over our favorite restaurants, Hollywood celebrities and soccer moms, being taken seriously with celiac disease – a condition people often assume is fake or just a fad – is an even bigger challenge. Doctors Say: “It’s All In Your Head.” The challenge to legitimize your very real disease begins at the doctor’s office. I recently chatted with Shelley Case, R.D., who is the renowned author of “Gluten Free: The Definitive Resource Guide” and serves on the medical advisory boards for the Celiac Disease Foundation, Gluten Intolerance Group and Canadian Celiac Association. “Unfortunately the majority of individuals with celiac disease remain undiagnosed,” she says. “Also, many are misdiagnosed with other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome to name a few.” I’ve even heard heartbreaking stories of patients whose doctors told them: “It’s all in your head!” As already mentioned, celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which one’s intestines cannot properly digest gluten. This means that if you eat gluten, you get some nasty side effects…and if you keep eating gluten, you can experience major (and possibly fatal) health complications, such as nutritional deficiencies, neurological issues and cancer. However, celiac disease is way more complicated than that. For one thing, no one knows what causes celiac disease. It can be genetic but the odds of developing celiac disease increase if the gene becomes active. For example, my father has the celiac gene but it has never become active while my own celiac gene activated when I was a senior in high school. Possible triggers of celiac disease include surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, infection or extreme emotional distress. If that doesn’t convince you, celiac disease is also what Shelley Case calls a “multi-system, multi-symptom disease,” which is why it is often so difficult to make an accurate diagnosis. Instead of being just a gastrointestinal disease, celiac’s symptoms are all over the map. Sure, you can get the “typical” symptoms of gas, bloating, constipation or vomiting. Or, you can be a special snowflake and instead exhibit weight loss, fatigue, delayed growth or behavioral problems. Symptoms can be even trickier in women – and at least  60 to 70% of currently diagnosed celiacs are women. In fact, while research is conflicting, some studies suggest that four to eight percent of women with unexplained infertility are undiagnosed celiacs. Besides affecting a woman’s chances to have children, undiagnosed celiac disease can also cause complications during pregnancy (including miscarriage and low birth weight) and increase a woman’s risk of low bone mass density. What does that mean for you? Basically, if you have celiac disease but a doctor thinks your symptoms are “all in your head,” you aren’t the only one being put in danger. Celiac’s “fake” reputation is possibly hurting your future children too. You Fit The “White, Skinny B*Tch” Stereotype At the time I was diagnosed, I lived in San Diego, California. On the positive side, this means there were lots of “hip” restaurants making some bang for their buck on the gluten free trend. On the negative side? As celiac kept stealing more and more pounds from my already-thin frame, I fit the Cali girl stereotype – White, skinny and a “gluten free” aficionado – to a T. Four months after my diagnosis, I had adopted a strict gluten free diet, but I was still sick. When I was finally hospitalized, I weighed 83 pounds as a 5’3″ freshman in college. The doctors had no idea why I wasn’t healing like a “normal” celiac – and my fellow classmates couldn’t relate to wanting to gain a pant size. I’ll never forget when, during my first week of college, I went to the caf with my hall mates. While they loaded up on pizza, I relied on my college’s meager “gluten free” section, which basically featured salad, veggies and lean proteins. As I looked enviously at the other girls’ plates, one gorgeous blonde stared back at mine, saying, “I wish I had celiac disease so I could be skinny like you.” At the time, I was so shocked I didn’t say anything. I probably just laughed awkwardly, stabbed at one of the olives in my salad and pretended it was the girl’s face instead. The longer I’ve been diagnosed, though, the more I’ve realized that the Pizza Incident (as I like to call it) isn’t unusual. Although only 1% of Americans have celiac disease, reportedly 1 in 5 Americans are eating gluten free. One of the most common motivations? Weight loss. So, it’s not unusual for the college janitor to watch me make my “special” food and ask, “You so skinny. Is it…diet? Or, gene?” Or for a family friend to offhandedly comment, “Well, at least you’re not obese” while I’m watching the rest of our dinner party devour the restaurant’s free bread basket. The saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” probably rose to popularity because people tend to do just that: judge by appearance. And, by appearance only, it’s easy for people to assume I’m eating gluten free for weight loss…and not just to survive. Sometimes You Have To “Fake It” As A Celiac. I’ll be honest, though. Sometimes, it’s not just others assuming that my disease is a fake fad. Sometimes, I have to misrepresent myself in restaurants just to make sure I can eat without being sick for days later. Shelley Case, who also has celiac disease, can relate to the struggles of eating out safely, saying, “People working in restaurants often do not understand the seriousness of this autoimmune disorder.” So, when I walk into Chipotle, I don’t hold up the line any longer than I have to by giving the entire spiel on what celiac is and what gluten will do to me. Instead, I simply say, “I have a gluten allergy” and watch as workers wash their hands, change gloves and fix me a safe burrito bowl. Is it sad that celiacs – or gluten intolerants – often have to misrepresent themselves as a safety mechanism? Completely. But that isn’t the only part of restaurants’ gluten free protocols that need to change. As Case explains: “When you ask for the gluten-free menu, servers may indicate they have ‘gluten aware,’ ‘gluten friendly,’ or ‘no added gluten’ options instead. This makes it difficult for people with celiac disease to know whether their meal will be safe based on these menu terms.” Not only that, but “gluten free” doesn’t mean “celiac safe.” I’ve read accounts by restaurant staff that have made my stomach curl…mostly because my server might be just as (dangerously) clueless. One waitress shares how, one day, a chef accidentally placed garlic bread on a plate with a gluten free order. She picked it up, removed the garlic bread, and gave it to the customer. “What happened to that poor person??” she later asked herself. “This never would have happened with shellfish or nuts in the case of an allergy.” Although celiac can also be fatal, I’ve always been grateful I don’t have an allergy. If I do eat a crumb of gluten, I’ll suffer for it – but it won’t kill me upon contact. In some ways, though, I’m jealous. With celiac, I have to constantly prove that I “really” need a gluten free diet. I don’t see people asking the same questions to those with peanut or egg allergies. Fad Dieters Don’t Know What A Gluten Free Life Looks Like I wouldn’t dare say that I hate the gluten free fad. As Shelley Case points out, the good news is that, nowadays, “there’s a greater awareness about celiac disease and the gluten-free diet among health professionals and the general public.” There are even more gluten free products available that, crazily enough, don’t taste like cardboard. In fact, now it seems like every retailer is trying to get a toe into the “gluten free” market, whether by labeling their naturally gluten free water or changing their formula, like Cheerios. While the gluten free fad has received a lot of media attention, Case is right when she says that one of the biggest concerns for those with celiac disease right now is not “being taken seriously because of those jumping on the gluten free band-wagon. There is a huge difference between those who must follow a gluten-free diet out of medical necessity verses those adopting the diet as a lifestyle choice!”” As a celiac, I don’t just eat gluten free – I live it. That means that I don’t just go to a cafe, order a salad and eat around the croutons. Living with celiac disease involves:

Getting used to bringing your own “safe” food to every party, outing or workday.

Learning how to politely tell dates that they must brush their teeth before kissing me goodnight. (My first boyfriend and I quickly learned that kissing after he ate gluten killed my intestines and the mood!)

Paying 242% more for gluten-free products than regular, wheat-filled products.

Getting “glutened” (or accidentally digesting wheat or wheat-contaminated food) despite all my precautions. Symptoms include extreme fatigue, stomach problems, rashes, extreme abdominal cramps, vomiting, headaches and everything in between. My symptoms usually last for a week.

Learning how to balance going to school, working and cooking all my own meals after my college cafeteria couldn’t provide celiac-safe meals.

I have hope that, one day, living with celiac disease will be easier. Clinical trials are testing a pill that would decrease intestinal damage caused by cross contamination. Researchers are also investigating alternative treatments ranging from enzyme therapies to preventing celiacs’ inflammatory response to gluten to a vaccine, says Shelley Case. The first step to improving celiacs’ lives, however, is a cultural one. Everyone needs to realize that eating gluten free isn’t just a diet; for celiacs, it’s a life-saving form of medicine. So the next time you see someone ordering a gluten free meal, don’t assume that they’re a fad dieter. Celiac disease is real – and so are its effects on a person’s health. And celiac disease needs to start receiving the recognition that every disease deserves. *Although I wrote this post, it first appeared at Entity Magazine. Check out my other Entity articles here!*

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