Masks Or No Masks During The Pandemic: Famous People Add Fuel Not Water To A Fiery Situation, Part 1

During this pandemic, the majority of us have relied upon each other, and in-door entertainment: movies and TV shows on streaming sites such as Netflix, or Hulu, to name a few; loved ones entertaining each other, and repeated Spring and Summer cleaning. 

Meanwhile, the rate of contagion exploded across the U.S. from March until now. Presently, they are a little over five million confirmed Corona-virus cases in the U.S. and a little over 160,000 deaths due to the deadly virus. 

Globally, they are nearly 20 million reported cases and almost a million deaths. 

What these numbers indicate is that the infection is not stopping, and it is up to us: every individual all across the world must do their part to combat COVID-19. 

Perhaps it does not need to be said, but it should be to prevent further spread of this deadly virus: social distance, keep six feet apart or more; wash your hands with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer; if you feel sick, stay home; cough in your elbow; and imperatively use a mask or face covering. 

While it appears that most people are following these rules, in comparison, some celebrities and famous people are not adhering to staying home, or even wearing a mask or face covering. For them, it is business as usual.

Several celebrities are making it challenging for those who are doing everything to prevent the virus from growing. Some people infected by the virus are asymptomatic, similarly these famous people are seemingly unaware of how reckless and irresponsible they appear to be. 

For a few celebrities – one is too many – some are continuing to party, perform and have shows; and use social media to promote their events and projects. While they should be persuading us how we all should be safe, instead they are not. Let us take a look at these examples. 

Timeline Of Some Celebrities Adding Fuel To The Corona-virus Spread When All Of Us Should Be Wearing Masks  

This situation is no joke, but what do YouTubers and social media influencers, a Country singer, and a Drag Queen all have in common? They are not saving the world. They are almost presenting themselves as anti-maskers. 

Some singers, actors, and various entertainers have large platforms, some YouTubers and social media influencers have an even bigger following, so much so that their audience and reach are vast, especially in times of crisis like this one. 

Near the end of July, these YouTubers and social media influencers – these stars live in Los Angeles, California – were sharing pictures of themselves partying, hugging, and having fun without masks or face coverings, nor social distancing. The State of California is also a hot zone for the virus.

The Influencers were all attending a birthday party at the Hype House in Los Angeles for Hype House member Larray Merritt. They were a ton of influencers there, from beauty guru James Charles, Tana Mongeau, Nikita Dragun, and many more. No masks, face coverings, or hand sanitizers were present. 

Some of the influencers did apologize, and it was received well, namely James Charles. But the response from Mongeau’s regret was apoplectic. 

Another example of celebrities acting irresponsibly during the pandemic is Country Singer Chase Rice. Rice back in late June, headlined a concert in Tennessee. Nearly 1,000 people were in attendance, and Rice, along with the audience, sans masks, and no social distancing practiced. 

Rice posted a video after receiving backlash, and he did not apologize. 

Rice read on the video in part: “For those of you who don’t know, I had a show in East Tennessee. Took a video of the concert, everybody had a blast…once I posted the video, a lot of people seeing that online had a big problem…how the show looked…how the show went down…I understand that there’s a lot of varying opinions…lot of different opinions on COVID 19…how it works with live music, crowds…what all that looks like. My biggest thing is y’all. Y’all are why I get to write songs. Y’all is why to get to tour the country…”  

The State of Tennessee has almost 30,000 confirmed Corona-virus cases and over 250 deaths. 

YouTubers, influencers, Country singers, and Drag Queens are entertainers. And as mentioned before, they have large and influential platforms. Back in late June, RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Gia Gunn mislead people about the virus. It was a sequence of events.

Gunn first stated on her social media that they believed the virus was a hoax: “the mask thing is ridiculous…this whole COVID-19 thing is a hoax…taking precautions is cute and…the thing to do…I also think that a lot of people are brainwashed.” 

Gunn also went on to imply that the Corona-virus was a conspiracy created by the government: “I’m here to tell you guys that…things are more okay than what the government is allowing us to think.” This point of view that they shared with many was in late June. 

By July, coupled with the large number of negative responses that Gunn received all over social media, they became quickly self-educated and changed their position. Gunn posted a five-minute video on YouTube apologizing for stating the deadly virus was a hoax. 

Gunn stated, “I realized that this was completely wrong of me and very insensitive…to the families and people who have experienced tremendous…loss and/or struggle due to this terrible virus…I want to ask everybody to please put your masks on when you go out in public…let’s continue to practice social distancing because this virus has not gone anywhere. It’s up to us to look out for one another and stop the spread of this terrible…virus.”

Every adult individual living in the U.S. is aware that this is a country of laws, so we cannot do whatever we want. And Constitutionally, once we live in the U.S. we have freedom of expression and freedom of speech, among other things. Stars and famous people living here are privy to these same rights.

However, COVID-19 has everything in a mess right now, so everyone should play their part to combat the virus. And using masks or face coverings, along with other measures such as social distancing, and washing our hands with soap and water, or using hand sanitizer is proven to mitigate the spread of the deadly virus. 

“We are not defenseless against COVID-19,” said CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield. “Cloth face coverings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus – particularly when used universally within a community setting. All Americans have a responsibility to protect themselves, their families, and their communities.” 

A handful of people – the mentioned celebrities – are doing damage and not curtailing the spread. Using masks or not wearing masks appear to be controversial for some, but also the act itself is one that some are arguing is Unconstitutional, or a Constitutional right. 

But wearing masks or some type-of face-covering preserves lives. 

They are other instances of celebrities not following the rules during this pandemic. Stay tuned! 

Masks Or No Masks During The Pandemic: Famous People Add Fuel Not Water To A Fiery Situation, Part 2

During this pandemic – from March to present – we spent the majority of our time in lock-down or shelter-in-place, in other words, in-doors. 

We sought entertainment from streaming sites such as Netflix, watching old movies and TV shows, entertaining each other; and cleaning repeatedly.

As of writing this article, the U.S. has over five million confirmed COVID-19 cases and over 160,000 deaths due to the pandemic. Around the world it’s 20 million cases and counting, with nearly a million deceased. 

The Corona-virus spread is growing, and it is up to all in the U.S. and globally to stop the spread in these ways – suggested and in most cases mandated by governments and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) – that we continue to do: social distance, keep six feet apart or more; wash your hands with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer; if you feel sick, stay home; cough in your elbow; and imperatively use a mask or face covering. 

Most of us are following these rules, in comparison, some celebrities and famous people are not adhering to staying home, or even wearing a mask or face covering. For some of them, it is business as usual.

Several celebrities are compounding the situation, and therefore making it challenging for those who are doing everything to prevent the virus from growing. A few famous people, one too many, are continuing to party, perform and have shows, and use social media to promote themselves and their projects. 

Here are some further examples. 

Are Celebrities/Famous People Anti-Maskers? If They Are Not, Their Actions Otherwise Indicate A Reckless Attitude To The Crisis  

Not joking at all, what does a Latinx entrepreneur, and a Marvel superhero actress have in common? They are not saving the world. Instead, they are almost presenting themselves as anti-maskers. 

In Florida, a Latinx entrepreneur and social media influencer Juan Patron – based in Miami – did the unthinkable: Patron had a party in his home with his “quaranteam.” Although the party took place in April, Florida now is the hot zone of the Corona-virus pandemic. 

At the party in April, Patron, along with his friends, appeared in a video to be not wearing masks or social distancing. According to reports, Patron invited his friends and others to his apartment for a watch party. They all congregated on Patron’s balcony and viewed DJ David Guetta, who played at the pool of Patron’s apartment building. 

Then, the next day he served McDonald’s meals to people in need without wearing a mask or gloves. The backlash was swift. Patron later apologized to his Instagram page and also stated that he would self-quarantine. 

From one social media influencer to Evangeline Lilly, who was the star of Lost and star of the blockbuster films The Hobbit trilogy and Marvel movies Antman, Antman and the Wasp, and Avengers: Endgame. In March, when the pandemic started raging in the U.S. Lilly was quick to point out that it was “business as usual.” 

Lilly posted on her Instagram: “just dropped…kids off at gymnastics camp…washed their hands before going in.” 

Lilly went on to write in the comments section of the Instagram post: “here we are right now feels a lot too close to Marshall Law…all in the name of a respiratory flu…Let’s be vigilant right now…Watchful…keeping a close eye on our leaders…they don’t abuse this moment to steal…freedoms and grab more power.”

A lot of people seemed to support the superhero actress, Lilly received over 25,000 likes at the time. Even Oscar nominee Michelle Pfeiffer showed support to Lilly’s sentiment by liking it as well. 

However, Lilly’s former Lost co-star Maggie Grace had opposing views and wished that Lilly reconsidered. 

Grace responded via social media: “Hey there, I read your pre-edit post and find it concerning…no need to panic, but…this is about all of us…vulnerable, the immunocompromised, older folks…it’s a free country…how about choosing to exercise some of that wonderful freedom…have some compassion, trust the extensive science here…not overwhelm…health system. No doctor should have to choose which patients get life-saving care and which patients get sent home to die…sort of triage that is tragically happening in Italy right now.”

Grace finished off her post: “I say this with all humility, please rethink this…kids will be just fine without going to gymnastics, I promise. P.S.: Daniel said he is doing much better btw. I don’t know, maybe you guys wanna chat?”

The Daniel that Grace was referring to was Daniel Dae Kim, Lilly and Grace’s former co-star from Lost. Kim recovered from contracting the Corona-virus in Hawaii, he reportedly caught the virus in New York City.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar summed up celebrity’s reckless behavior during the pandemic in his article for The Hollywood Reporter by writing: “Like it or not, stars with their millions of followers do have the power to affect the course of this pandemic by what they say. Which is why it’s crucial that while they’re self-isolating, they also need to be self-editing. Saying ‘”we’re all in this together”‘ is easy; proving it is the challenge.”

It is actions, and also words that help and hurt all of us during this deadly outbreak. Most celebrities can live with the loss of fans/followers, but for most of us, it will be difficult for us to deal with the loss of life. 

We all need to be responsible, the every-man, and the one up top as well.

Loneliness Is The Outcome Of The Covid_19 Global Pandemic

The Corona-virus that has swept the world and is ravaging humanity’s mortality, is also causing overarching psycho-social effects, especially loneliness. 

Besides “Doing the Five”: washing your hands often; practicing social distancing; cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing; staying home; and if you feel sick call before you go to the hospital or see your doctor- we have to manage our mental health. Feelings of loneliness is now a growing concern for individuals of all ages during this pandemic.

And feelings of loneliness, accompanied with anxiety, and depression could lead to further psychological problems sooner than later. 

But what is loneliness? We have to understand the issue before we try to resolve it. Loneliness is both a state of mind and a social as well as a physical choice i.e. feeling lonely, living alone, and being alone. As human beings, since the beginning of time, we have all been social creatures. We need people.

So as most of us are in lockdown, on pause, hunkered down, or in shelter-in-place, it is hard to avoid those around us. Hopefully, we all are also aware by now how difficult it is to be apart from our loved ones, spouses, family, and relatives, as well as friends during this pandemic; and how grateful we all should be with having them in our lives. 

We all cannot be like Superman and fly to the fortress of solitude that exists within ourselves, we need to distinguish between this mental and psychological lonesomeness vs choosing to live or be alone. With this in mind, we can find a happy solution.

Before we go any further on this topic of loneliness and being alone, a disclaimer is necessary. This article is not intended to replace any professional – psychiatrists, doctors, health care workers, etc.- advice in any way shape, or form. This piece is meant to view, discuss, and share collectively about the topic of solitude. If you, your loved ones, spouse, friends, relatives, or neighbors have these feelings for a prolonged period, please consult a medical professional. 

This article is an opinion, based on facts and evidence as it relates to loneliness, in the hopes that we could better understand these feelings, address it, and hopefully, find a resolution. 

Alone, according to Merriam Webster online dictionary, is “separated from others: isolated.” Being alone is sometimes a choice to be quiet away from the noise in life. The noise in question could be the hustle and bustle of the city streets; arguing parents, a crying baby, and/or a toxic relationship. Also, sometimes people chose to live alone, as they prefer it that way. 

Now, loneliness has many different meanings, but the one we will focus on for this article and in comparison can be described as “sad from being alone: lonesome.” 

There is nothing wrong with choosing to live or be alone, that could work for most individuals. But having repeated feelings of emptiness, while still involved with someone, or having young children, is not ideal. Especially during this pandemic, we need to connect to others who might be feeling the same way.

To sort of separate the confusing wording, and sometimes ambiguous definition between the two, let us use a moniker to differentiate: for choosing to be alone let’s describe it as a puffy ball; and loneliness could be described as a skeleton key. Alone equals puffy ball, and loneliness is the skeleton key. 

The puffy ball can be admired, as described in the poem by Caroline Bird “Megan Married Herself,” where Megan, the protagonist, is getting ready for the marriage of her life, literally with herself. Megan sent out not “His and Her’s” emblazoned on the invitations, but simply her name written twice with the “&” in the middle. While this might not be the epitome of choosing a life alone, but for some people, it is a happy marriage with themselves and the enjoyment of a single life. 

But sometimes the puffy ball can transform itself into a skeleton key through a series of events. This skeleton key/loneliness could be so detrimental it can affect a person’s work life. According to a 2018 article about the dangers of employee loneliness and how it hurts their employers, they define the skeleton key perfectly as “a complex set of feelings that occurs when intimate and social needs are not adequately met…loneliness is different from depression, being alone, or feelings of solitude. It has more to do with a person’s quality of social relationships rather than their quantity.” 

While the aforementioned article is about employees in the workplace trying to break away from the “cycle of loneliness,” so that they could be more productive at work. We can learn a lot from this idea that could help with our skeleton key. In it, they discuss, how employees who are feeling lonely would be more withdrawn at work, less productive, and less willing to work with teams or anyone. This would, in turn, affect other employees and departmental relationships.

The best remedies that the writers, researchers, and analysts of the article suggest are, fostering compassionate relationships; observe and check-in with one another if you are feeling lonely; and, do not foster or indulge in a toxic relationship such as one filled with anger, irritation, and frustration.  

There is hopefully a solution. According to a Psychology Today article of April 2020, this pandemic has forced us to view and answer deep questions within ourselves. The answers to our skeleton key could be that of humans needing social connections for “human survival.” And on the other hand, that chronic loneliness could lead to an early death. 

Obviously, having this skeleton key might be new to most people, but these feelings may have existed before and therefore been triggered by old emotions. For example, told to “stay indoors” could activate emotions of grief that are similar to how you would feel after you lost a loved one. 

Here are the hope and resolution that could help us overcome the skeleton key, thanks to Psychology Today. 

• Schedule regular communication with others, by phone, or video chat.
• Keep in contact with supportive friends, and loved ones. Remember the ones who care about you and reach out to them.
• Permit yourself to experience your emotions, from feelings of sadness to joy.
• Eat and sleep. Get enough rest and sleep; and also eat healthily, and regularly during meal times.
• Spend a short time outside in nature.
• Try to enjoy cooking, reading, and walking.
• Listen to music, and try taking remote exercise.
• Consider writing poetry, or journaling about the day’s events as a way to express yourself.
• Write letters or a poem to loved ones who have impacted your life. 

I hope this helps in accessing our skeleton key and transforming it into something positive that is filled with gratitude. 

Portfolio of Chaka Phillips

Clips to NY Daily News, and Latin Post

My name is Chaka Phillips, and I have a passion for Journalism and writing, along with outstanding competencies and skills in print and digital media.

Have almost five years of experience in reporting, writing, researching, and blogging. Wrote and published over several hundreds of articles at the Latin Post, and the New York Daily News.

A proven track record and excellent skills in editing, copy editing and proofreading for more than five years. Knowledgeable in SEO style, and highly effective in working remotely, especially when it comes to breaking stories first.

I also actively Blog using WordPress, and through social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Please see below screenshots of my articles with the links embedded; and each screenshot is captioned.

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Comedian, Writer, Producer, And Filmmaker Judd Apatow Says To Comedy Venues: Cancel Bill Cosby.

In China, People In Village Fear Child Living With HIV.

Climate Change Might Be Linked To Poverty

HIV Testing, Etc., And Is Truvada The Best Bet Against HIV?

A Black Captain America, A Female Thor, And A Gay Character In Archie Comics = More Diversity In Comics Than Ever Before

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So Much News & Entertainment, And So Little Time To Report: Week Of October 20, Part 1

In the week of Oct. 20, we are trying to decipher the difference between a black hole and a wormhole. Also, the evening news at CBS is now becoming news. 

When does a Black Hole become a wormhole? And are the two different, or are they the same? It is the latter, I think. 

Okay, a “Black Hole” is defined by the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations (NASA) as “a place in space where gravity pulls so much that even light cannot get out. The gravity is so strong to the point that matter becomes squeezed into a tiny space. A black hole could occur when a star is dying.” 

In April of this year, humanity was able to finally see a real image of a black hole, thanks to scientists. It was some 55 million light-years away from Earth. 

Now a wormhole is not a black hole, but it has a similar structure on the outside of a black hole. The wormhole does not center on a single point or singularity; it forms a tunnel to either another part of space or another universe. In a black hole, when matter enters, it is obliterated; but when material enters a wormhole, it could travel through the tunnel to the other side. The idea of a wormhole – posited by Albert Einstein and Nathan Rosen – is now known as an Einstein-Rosen bridge.  

A group of astrophysicists believes that the newly discovered black hole could be a wormhole or exhibit signs like the Einstein-Rosen bridge. We are a long way off from calling it that, yet. But this theory is sparking debate among other astrophysicists who are open to the idea. And about where this supposed wormhole might lead. 

Remember, this just a theory at this point. Now turning to other news, it is the news. Breaking News!!!! No one can stave off the low ratings affecting the CBS Nightly News edition. 

A once thriving evening news juggernaut thanks to Walter Cronkite since 1941. Now, with multiple changing hosts from Katie Couric, Scott Pelley, then Jeff Glor, and now Nora O’Donnell as the current host, this news show is perhaps to be put to bed. O’Donnell, who is part of the CBS family, she came from CBS This Morning, which was made up of Gayle King, and ousted Charlie Rose. O’Donnell replaced Glor to be the new host in July of this year. But the ratings have been diving in recent months: viewership declined to 17 percent, with over five million viewers in the critical age demo area 25-45, dropping to 25 percent. Furthermore, within the past month, the ratings have further dropped between 20 and 29 percent. 

What do these figures mean? The CBS Evening News is the third trailing behind ABC and NBC nightly news programs. The numbers for Glor – who is still part of the CBS news team, now co-hosting CBS Saturday, were a little higher for him than it is now for O’Donnell. In the face of it, it does not appear that the show’s decline has anything to do with gender or what stories they are delivering. Viewers are living in a 24 hours news cycle, so it is perhaps hard to keep their focus before the evening news on CBS airs.

However, CBS News President Susan Zirinsky is backing O’Donnell stating “[we are] extremely pleased with how quickly the ‘CBS Evening News’ with Norah O’Donnell has established itself…ratings are not the sole measure at this time.”

Stay tuned for more.   

So Much Entertainment News & So Little Time, Week Of October 14, Part 2

Sulli

“Our nation must come together to unite,” said the 43rd President George W. Bush. Perhaps he was thinking that when he was seated next to talk-show queen Ellen DeGeneres. The internet did not like it.

Do you like K-pop? What is that you ask: only the largest growing music industry comprised of music artists coming out of South Korea. Unfortunately, the K-pop lost someone.

What is old is new again, well not really. A vintage photo from over a century-and-a-half ago, is reborn. The first airborne photo of America is memorialized.

Another entertainment icon raises eyebrows, with the U.S. president and America no less. Does George W. Bush, the 43rd president of the U.S., needs the friendship of Ellen DeGeneres, talk-show queen, and LGBT icon? Some would argue who cares, but others feel it does matter. 

For some context, Ellen was spotted sitting next to President Bush at a football event: Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers. The country was outraged, and not about what they paid for their tickets. Just kidding. It was their perceived friendship, and people, especially celebrities, were split: they either defended DeGeneres or did not. While DeGeneres supported the pair’s friendship on her show, stating, “I’m friends with George Bush. In fact, I’m friends with a lot of people who don’t share the same beliefs that I have. We’re all different and I think that we’ve forgotten that that’s OK,” adding “When I say ‘be kind to one another,’ I don’t mean only the people that think the same way that you do. I mean be kind to everyone. Doesn’t matter.”

People on social media, as well as active celebrities on their social media strongly disagreed, or sided with DeGeneres. People like Mark Ruffalo star of “The Avengers” films, “The Normal Heart,” etc. said via Twitter: “Sorry, until George W. Bush is brought to justice for the crimes of the Iraq War, (including American-lead torture, Iraqi deaths & displacement, and the deep scars—emotional & otherwise—inflicted on our military that served his folly), we can’t even begin to talk about kindness.”

Oscar winner and activist, and star of “Thelma and Louise” and “Feud: Bette and Joan,” Susan Sarandon, simply re-Tweeted what one Out.com writer wrote: “But missing the point entirely, DeGeneres framed the issue as simply a matter of her hanging out with someone with different opinions, not a man repeatedly accused of being a war criminal.”

However, people such as Kristen Bell, Dax Shepherd, Blake Shelton, and others defended the comedian by stating they agreed with every word, or “PREACH!!!”

From the dancing talk-show queen maven to dancing K-pop stars, and the one we lost, too soon. Sulli, a child actress and K-pop star of the group f(x), passed away in Seoul, South Korea; she was 25. Sulli was discovered deceased at her home in the capital.

Sulli was well-liked and loved by the K-pop fandom far and wide. As stated, Sulli was part of the group f(x), back in 2014- an all-girl group- in which she became known for, but she had originally started out as a young child actress, in 2005. Later she was discovered by an entertainment organization SM Entertainment. It seemed like a year after joining f(x), 2014-2015, Sulli’s time was not meant to be, as she left in 2015, citing she was leaving due to cyber-bullying.

Sulli later pursued a solo singing and acting career. 

SM Entertainment still manages f(x), along with other popular K-pop groups such as SuperM, and NCT Dream, just to name a few.

SM Entertainment statement about Sulli reads in part: “This is SM Entertainment. We are sorry to tell everyone the sorrowful and sad news. Sulli has left us… we are simply in a state of grief. Please refrain from spreading speculative articles or rumors in respect of the bereaved’s family who are saddened by the sudden tragedy…our deepest condolences to the deceased, who went on their final path.”

Sulli is gone, but never forgotten by her fans. What is now re-remembered is an old photo. How old is too old? An antique photo puts that question to the test and to rest. In 1860 on October 13, James Wallace Black took a picture of Boston from a hot air balloon 1,200 feet in the air. The photo of Boston titled “Boston, as the Eagle and the Wild Goose See It,” and one can argue they did.

This is perhaps one of the first aerial photographs in America. The photo can be palely described in words, you can get a glimpse of it below. You can see it online at The MET, it is unfortunately not on view. 

So Much Entertainment News & So Little Time, All Happening The Week Of October 14, Part 1

Al Roker, NBC Today Show (Facebook)

Technology is a blessing and a curse. Just ask long-standing Roku users.

One famous meteorologist is going to sing for their supper during the holiday season.

Roku is saying “Goodbye” to Netflix.

Al Roker, Meteorologist, and NBC Today Show host declared that the weather will be cloudy with a chance of show tunes?

This is for all of you early-adopters and procrastinators of the digital world.  Roku and Netflix will be pulling the plug on their past devices, as well as the connection. 

What this means is that your Roku devices from 2011 or earlier will no longer be compatible with Netflix as of December 1, this year. Netflix announced this recently, but Roku let their users know since 2015 that they will no longer be updating these retro devices.

The Roku boxes are the following: Roku HD, HD-XR, SD, XD and XDS, and brands associated with NetGear: XD and XDS. 

Please hurry up you vintage Roku users and don’t get trapped in a time loop. You have been warned. 

From digital dilemmas to head-scratching singing meteorologists, here comes Al Roker, from the NBC Today show, is returning to Broadway. Roker made the big news on the morning portion this week that he will be serving pies and belting out tunes on Waitress, the Musical that has been running since 2016.

Roker was on the titular Broadway production last year in October. Roker will be performing from November 1 to 24. Again Roker will not be giving up his regular job, but doing this singing gig for a limited time.  

Roker will be playing the same role as he did, Joe the diner owner. And he will be acting opposite Jordin Sparks, American Idol alum, and singer. Break a leg Al!

Be sure to stay tuned for Part 2.

The Doom & Death Of Superman, One More Time

Krypton is the birthplace and Kryptonite is the element that can kill the near invulnerable Superman.

But how many times can the life of the “Last Son of Krypton” be extinguished? Or how many different ways can you do the same thing and still make it meaningful? The answer is twice.

Superman’s demise in the animated “Worlds of DC” will be compared in these two animated films: “Superman Doomsday” and “The Death of Superman,” and how both of these movies handle his passing and resurrection.

While the story is similar in both: an intergalactic species arriving from outer space to Earth with one purpose, to destroy every living threat that it comes into contact with it. Doomsday, also invulnerable like Superman, threatens all life, so it is up to the man in red and blue to stop him. Both movies have catastrophic results: murdered humans, structural damages to buildings and bridges, and of course Superman’s downfall.

But the significant differences in these film iterations, however slight, makes one stand out more than the other. In “Superman Doomsday” (SD) – made in 2007, the ‘man of steel’ fights the tenacious creature sans Justice League, no Batman, and no Wonder Woman, just to name a few. In “The Death Of Superman” (TDOS), released 2018, the all American superhero has a lot of back-ups, with the caped crusader, the daughter of Themyscira, and also the Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg, etc.

SD starts off with an existential mood that sets a somber and reflective tone for almost halfway through the movie. Lois Lane, voiced by Anne Heche, is conflicted, vulnerable, and yearns for a normal life with both Superman and his alter ego Clarke Kent, voiced by Adam Baldwin. This movie is not a love story, but TDOS partly is, and also has a lot more action. The TDOS Lois and Superman are voiced by, married couple, A-List Actors Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O’Connell respectively. But this Lois does not know that Superman is Clarke Kent, to which Kent/Kal-El is conflicted about telling the intrepid reporter.

Baldwin and O’Connell capture the gravitas, intensity, and humility of the ‘man of steel.’ Meanwhile, Lois Lane is not depicted well by Heche in SD; Heche’s Lois sounds like she has cotton balls in her cheeks while chewing a baguette at the same time. Suffice it to say, Heche’s Lois is hard on the ears. But Romijn is perfect, with the right tone and pitch. Also returning to do excellent voice acting in TDOS is Rosario Dawson as Wonder Woman, Shemar Moore as Cyborg, and Jason O’Mara as Batman, just to name a few.

Kudos to Dana Delany for perfecting the cadence and tenacity of Lois, in the animated series and some animated films, because without Delany the viewers would not be able to appreciate and root for her now.

SD does not get Superman’s girl right, and TDOS does not achieve success with Lex Luthor. James Marsters of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” TV series and “Torchwood” fame, as Luthor in SD, is poised, intelligent, and diabolical. A perfect eternal enemy for Superman.

Rainn Wilson, like Marsters, who is also part of the pop culture zeitgeist with “Charmed,” “The Office,” and “Star Trek: Discovery,” as Luthor in TDOS, is smarmy, egotistical, and hilarious. The animated Luthor was never funny, but Wilson makes it so. Wilson’s Luthor makes it hard not to laugh, even when he is not trying to be. As a result, his Luthor is on the edge of becoming a Warner Bros cartoon, but he is still maniacal enough to be believed that he is indeed Superman’s nemesis.

Both animated iterations do reward fans with great action sequences and powerful resurrection tales. In SD, audiences finally get to see, in animated form, the man of steel in his long-awaited Black and White super suit. After Superman’s unpleasant termination thanks to Doomsday, and then rebirth, thanks to Superman’s robots, he fights against his clone created by Luthor. The suit is powered by energy from Earth’s yellow sun. The anti-hero of the super Kryptonian is defeated by Superman black and white.

In TDOS, Superman does die, but he is reborn a few months later at the end of the film. And the end credit scenes are peppered with that of the upcoming Steel, Superboy, Superman the Cyborg, and another kind of super Kryptonian known as the Eradicator. This will lead to a sequel/second part titled “Reign of the Supermen” coming out in 2019.

“Superman Doomsday” beginning is sad and is for the thinking person, but delights in its second part. If Lois’ voice, among other things in the movie, were perfected then the film could have been more bearable. “The Death Of Superman” has everything: action, good dialogue, excellent voice acting, but Luthor was just on the cliff between cartoony and maniacal.

Netflix’s ‘Extinction’ Movie Is An Alien Invasion In Disguise

Visions of an impending alien invasion are what dances in the head of Carlos Pena’s Peter in this science-fiction thriller movie “Extinction.”

But there is something more sinister at work. Now available on the streaming giant Netflix, they have a backbreaker of a time marketing this movie without revealing spoilers. There will be no spoilers here either. Is it about beings from another planet? There is something foreign. Are these intergalactic species the real enemy? Maybe.

Pena’s Peter and Lizzy Caplan’s Alice project a seemingly perfect life: two beautiful children; perfect jobs, Peter is some kind of engineer and Alice is an architect working in government; and they, along with their friends, all live in an ultra-modern city. However, Peter’s vision/nightmares are impacting his time with his kids and wife, and all Alice wants him to do is get help. As the upcoming “alien” invasion draws closer, Peter refuses to accept that his vision is psychological but that it is real.

All of the trailers and the description of “Extinction” seem to suggest that this IS an alien invasion. When the plot twist occurs however, it is astounding but the explanation seems to bookend the film making it lose its luster.

There have been many movies about something other than human invading Earth or attacking “Earthlings” such as the “Alien” trilogy, “The Last Days on Mars,” “Cloverfield,” and “Infini,” just to name a few. The problem with “Extinction” is that it has all of the elements of an intergalactic usurpation: mysterious and hidden foes; huge fight scenes; premeditated killings; time-travel, maybe not; and everyone has to be saved.  However, it is also something else entirely.

It is curious to know why the major plot twist has not been revealed here. What should be stated is that this movie’s strategy will leave some loving or hating it. Yes, it is a polarizing dilemma. But performances by Pena, Caplan, and Mike Colter of “Luke Cage,” and “The Defenders” fame, keep the audience interested long enough to invest in this story.

Think of “Extinction” as a film disguised as an alien invasion movie, but when the creature tears its mask off you will be either surprised or disappointed.

“Extinction” is available for streaming on Netflix.

10 Items That Job Seekers Hate, Part 2

LinkedIn, Indeed.com, Monster.com., Glassdoor, and CareerBuilder.com are just a few of the many job search websites in existence. They are effective and efficient ways in landing your next job or achieving your career. Job seekers use these methods as much as they look through job application print ads. But they are as many pitfalls that affect these seekers as they pursue the next best job.

What are these hurdles affecting potential job candidates you may ask? This is the second part of the continuing topic “10 Items That Job Seekers Hate,” or at the very least strongly dislike. Here is a list of the remaining six out of 10 items that job applicants dislike.

6. Contact information on the website does not work. After the seeker prepares to send the cover letter and resume, the contact info does not work, so the applicant has to do item No. 5, that is search feverishly to find a working email or link to the job application.

7. Grammar issues, typos, or huge white spacing. Career experts advise job seekers not to have the aforementioned issues, and the result will be no response. But some applications and organizations are guilty of having similar problems.

8. Paywalls or Application Fees. The “No. 1 Rule” for job seekers is that you should never have to pay in order to get a job. Some websites that facilitate job candidates ask the aforementioned clients that they should pay a premium price to get more access to a job. This does not 100 percent guarantee that the seeker will get the job. The fee simply gives he or she more access.

9. If you have a certain illness or sickness please check the box. At some organizations, with online applications, the seeker fills out all of the info digitally, uploads the cover letter and resume, and then there is the final part. The company displays a list of illnesses and mental disorders, including cancer or HIV/AIDS. As seekers we all want to be transparent, however, what does one’s mental state or health have to do with a job? And why is this -private and confidential info the company is asking for – necessary to be shared and put on record at any organization that may or may not hire you? Is this legal, discriminatory, ethical or unethical?

10. No Response from Job Applications. This could arguably make some applicants anxious, especially when there is no indication from the organization the application was received, or not. Seekers always do follow up, but in a digital age most organizations issue a notice of receipt promptly.