Feb 21, 2014 | Arts and Entertainment, General Advice, mic, Millennials
Published: mic (February 21, 2014) Jean-Luc Godard once said that the best way to criticize a movie is to make another one. But our generation has put a strange twist on his aphorism: Even when we make new movies, we only seem to do so as a way of seeing old ones again. Don't believe me? Just look at the top box office hits of the past 14 years. With the exception of Avatar, every film was an...
Feb 2, 2014 | Arts and Entertainment, History, mic, Science and Technology
Published: mic (February 2, 2014) Millennials are suckers for nostalgia, which is why RadioShack's Super Bowl commercial was an advertising masterpiece. The spot opens with a RadioShack employee completing a phone call and informing his co-worker, "The '80s called. They want their store back." Cue a string of cameos to make even the most oversaturated nostalgia junkie experience an overdose....
Jan 27, 2014 | Arts and Entertainment, Elections, Elections - Presidential (2012), mic
Published: mic (January 27, 2014) "I think I'm a flawed candidate." You pretty much hit the nail on the head there, Mitt Romney. The central narrative arc in Mitt, the new Netflix documentary chronicling Romney's two presidential campaigns, is that of a candidate who aims for the highest office in the country only to return, heartbroken, to ordinary life. The film, while failing to reveal...
Jan 23, 2014 | Arts and Entertainment, History, mic, Science and Technology
Published: mic (January 23, 2014) n case you missed it, Wednesday was the anniversary of a revolution. Imagine if 30 years ago (only a few years after Al Gore invented the Internet), someone had envisioned a future in which there would be a personal computer in every home. Well, the geniuses at Apple saw it coming, and their iconic "1984" ad was a milestone event in a revolution that would...
Dec 31, 2013 | Arts and Entertainment, Democrats, Liberalism, mic, Political Ideologies, Political Parties, President Obama, Satirical Essays
Published: mic (December 31, 2013) In the final press conference before 2014, President Obama refused to acknowledge that 2013 was the worst year of his presidency. While it wouldn't be realistic to expect a president to admit that he's dropped the proverbial ball, one can only hope that Obama isn't buying his own spin. If he truly wants 2014 to be the "breakthrough year" that he promised, he...
Dec 19, 2013 | Arts and Entertainment, Elections, Elections - Presidential (2012), mic, Political Parties, Republicans
Published: mic (December 19, 2013) The official trailer for Mitt, a new documentary chronicling former Governor Mitt Romney's six-year campaign for the American presidency, is utterly tantalizing. It is a rare, up-close look at the erstwhile candidate in his natural habitat of campaign rallies, debate stages, and awkward photo ops. In it, the Mitt displays an astounding amount of surprise upon...
Dec 19, 2013 | Arts and Entertainment, Gay Rights and Other LGBTQIA Issues, mic
Published: mic (December 19, 2013) By coming out as gay shortly after being appointed to the U.S. delegation to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, male figure skating champion Brian Boitano is not only standing up to the oppressive homophobic policies enforced today by host country Russia. He is also putting Trey Parker and Matt Stone to shame. Think about it: If you're like me, South Park:...
Dec 16, 2013 | Arts and Entertainment, Holiday Season, Jewish Experiences, mic
Published: mic (December 16, 2013) In the name of full disclosure: I am Jewish, and I love Christmas. It's pretty hard not to. How can you not feel all warm and fuzzy inside during a holiday that encourages people to spend time with their loved ones, embrace a whole canon of fascinating holiday folk lore, and create beautiful works of art? That's why I always find it so strange to hear that...
Nov 25, 2013 | Arts and Entertainment, Gender and Sexism, mic
Published: mic (November 25, 2013) For those of you who didn't catch last night's episode of Family Guy, stop reading now. Major spoilers follow. For those of you who did watch, you were probably as surprised as I was to see the show kill off one of its main characters, Brian — the Griffin family's pretentious but tormented intellectual talking dog. The internet is abuzz with reactions to his...
Nov 3, 2013 | Arts and Entertainment, Civil Liberties, Gay Rights and Other LGBTQIA Issues, General Advice, mic
Published: mic (November 3, 2013) It is perhaps fortuitous that Ender's Game is being released as the Senate is preparing to vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). Not only does this offer me this fantastic opportunity at punny wordplay, but it draws attention to how America's present social debate is severely inhibited by stigmas — both against homosexuals and against those who...