This summer, skydiver Felix Baumgartner hopes to hurtle toward Earth at supersonic speed from a record 23 miles (37 kilometres) up, breaking the sound barrier with only his body. He made it more than halfway there during a critical dress rehearsal, ascending from the New Mexico desert in a helium balloon and jumping from more than 13 miles (21 kilometres) up. [video]
A lot of people are already in the full swing of backlash after this video made marathon rounds all over your internet yesterday. Steve Agee’s post alone has already garnered 15,000+ likes and reblogs. Now, most people were just asking for the video to be reblogged and at least watched because so rarely do we watch anything longer than :30 seconds unless it’s Kate Upton doing whatever the fuck Kate Upton wants to do. Are most of us adults? Yes. Is it a well directed/edited/purposefuly-emotionally-affective video? Yes. Is Invisible Children all gumdrops and barrell-daisies? No. Should anytime you are persuaded to become active in a cause like this cause you to do some research? Yes. And it looks like a lot of people have (and anyone rallying hard against this can shove the Better Business Bureau barb right up their asshole, because BBB ratings can be BOUGHT). So, sure, don’t throw your money at IC or the KONY2012 campaign.
But a widespread backlash that puts such a sour taste in everyone’s mouth that might make them write off the whole thing entirely is a bit childish and irresponsible, don’t you think? It’s not like it’s completely pointless like changing a twitter avatar or inserting a hashtag. Like Chris Cantoni so perfectly put it here, everyone is talking about this now. The video in just two days has caused thousands, THOUSANDS, of us to have a discussion about Uganda, genocide, child slavery, and corruption that most of us otherwise would not be caring and or talking about. And that’s a very good thing! Because the last time a video pulled so many views and caused so much uproar/discussion probably had to do something with Lana Del Rey’s lips or Rebecca Black or a puppy teaching a penguin how to get cupcakes from a fucking ATM.
Don’t “blindly follow a cause”, sure, but don’t condemn one right off because of skepticism and being jaded about caring for anything. If only two thirds of the people who reblogged the video from Steve yesterday (and we know there are countless other strains, here on tumblr, on FB, Twitter, Google+ (jk dog!), etc) had never heard of Joseph Kony or the crisis in Uganda before seeing that video then Steve’s post ALONE made over TEN THOUSAND aware of a problem, an organization that is creating awareness of said problem, and got those ten thousand people to talk about something substantial.
That’s dope.
Just use critical thinking. Look at every angle. I wouldn’t buy a KONY 2012 OBEY KIT or whatever. But I sure as fuck am not gonna look down my nose at you for calling your senator or posting a KONY 2012 image on your blog or livejournal or locker.
Keep talkin’, my leaf-bros.
But a widespread backlash that puts such a sour taste in everyone’s mouth that might make them write off the whole thing entirely is a bit childish and irresponsible, don’t you think? It’s not like it’s completely pointless like changing a twitter avatar or inserting a hashtag. Like Chris Cantoni so perfectly put it here, everyone is talking about this now. The video in just two days has caused thousands, THOUSANDS, of us to have a discussion about Uganda, genocide, child slavery, and corruption that most of us otherwise would not be caring and or talking about. And that’s a very good thing! Because the last time a video pulled so many views and caused so much uproar/discussion probably had to do something with Lana Del Rey’s lips or Rebecca Black or a puppy teaching a penguin how to get cupcakes from a fucking ATM.
Don’t “blindly follow a cause”, sure, but don’t condemn one right off because of skepticism and being jaded about caring for anything. If only two thirds of the people who reblogged the video from Steve yesterday (and we know there are countless other strains, here on tumblr, on FB, Twitter, Google+ (jk dog!), etc) had never heard of Joseph Kony or the crisis in Uganda before seeing that video then Steve’s post ALONE made over TEN THOUSAND aware of a problem, an organization that is creating awareness of said problem, and got those ten thousand people to talk about something substantial.
That’s dope.
Just use critical thinking. Look at every angle. I wouldn’t buy a KONY 2012 OBEY KIT or whatever. But I sure as fuck am not gonna look down my nose at you for calling your senator or posting a KONY 2012 image on your blog or livejournal or locker.
Keep talkin’, my leaf-bros.
“
| — |
Alan Hanson, king leaf Yes. |
Today in Bangkok: Thousands of Buddhist monks chanted during a lantern lighting to celebrate Makha Bucha day, which commemorates Buddha’s first sermon on the essence of Buddhism.
I can’t explain what I mean. And even if I could, I’m not sure I’d feel like it.
“
| — | J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye (via solongslownight) |
![scotchandscones:
nellienellie:
thatwhitebitch:
I took a flight back to New York from Chicago at 6pm tonight out of O’Hare. I had a middle seat between a guy in his early 20s and a 30-ish Indian woman. Things were status quo as we boarded and began to take off until about two minutes into ascending when there was a series of several loud THUDS. Everyone immediately looked at each other. I put my book down instantly. We began to coast, we were no longer ascending.
I started to breathe deeper and deeper. I was getting hot, my heart was racing. No one could tell if the noises we heard were normal but from the look on everyone’s face on the plane, no one had ever heard those noises before. The woman next to me grew more and more uncomfortable. We were bobbing in the air. We’d ascend a few feet and then drop back down several more feet. Back and forth. The pressure in the cabin was coming in and out.
It felt like hours before the pilot came over the loud speaker and very stoically said, “We seem to have experienced right engine failure. Prepare for landing. We should be on the ground in five minutes.” The look on every single person’s face: O_O
The woman next to me said, “What’s your name?” as I grew visibly terrified. I told her and she told me her name. (I later found out she was a elementary school teacher. Homegirl was calm as a muth in a crisis.) The guy next to me let out a simple “Shit.” We continued to bob in the air as people began to cry. Everyone just looked out the window.
Bros, five minutes is a long-ass time to think about dying. [I’m not trying to blow this thing out of the water, but like, a) my friend who’s worked at Luftansa and United and has scale models of airplanes in his apartment (he’s a little obsessed) replied “pretty fucking major” when I asked him how serious “right engine failure” is and b) check that pic.] I went back and forth from “This isn’t that big of a deal” to “HOLY FUCKING SHIT I MIGHT DIE” for five minutes. I thought about the following things:
“NOOOOOOOOO! NOT LIKE THIS!!!!!”
“My vagina’s not shaved!”
“FUUUUUCK THIS, I WAS SUPPOSED TO FALL IN LOVE AGAIN!!!!”
“This is very bogus.”
“I wonder what it’s going to be like when we’re all trying to escape from our fiery deaths.”
“How many people will be at my funeral?”
“Shouldn’t have worn these God damn Jeffrey Campbells, I probably have to run soon.”
“THIS IS BULLSHIT, I’M SUPPOSED TO MEET MY HUSBAND SOON!!!!!”
“I’LL MISS LIVING!!!!!!!!”
“This is a little heavy-handed, 2012. Have some taste.”
We landed (obviously, I’m typing this) and there were fire trucks and cop cars lined up down the entire runway. Everyone on board immediately became friends with one another. They told us they had another plane for us. (Great, another flight! Totally ready to board one immediately again!) We all schlepped our stuff down to the next gate and got on the phone with our loved ones. I talked to a family who was seated across from the flight attendant. (They’re the ones who took this picture.) They watched this front part of the engine hang by a thread, occassionally whipping back and slapping the fan inside the engine. The mom of the family said when we heard the series of THUDS, the flight attendant tighted up her seat belt and closed her eyes. Their teenage daughter said the attendant mouthed “We’re going down” after the pilot made the announcement.
Anyway, that’s how my 2012 started. If it’s any indication of the rest of the year, I’mma be playing da lotto because I’m lucky as fuck right now!
HANDS DOWN MY #1 NIGHTMARE
UGH UGH UGH WORST NIGHTMARE.
if this could be removed from my memory before my flight to LA next week that’d be lovely. oy vey. prayer beads, anyone?](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx5qs5nyCl1qzbvz5o1_1280.jpg)
I took a flight back to New York from Chicago at 6pm tonight out of O’Hare. I had a middle seat between a guy in his early 20s and a 30-ish Indian woman. Things were status quo as we boarded and began to take off until about two minutes into ascending when there was a series of several loud THUDS. Everyone immediately looked at each other. I put my book down instantly. We began to coast, we were no longer ascending.
I started to breathe deeper and deeper. I was getting hot, my heart was racing. No one could tell if the noises we heard were normal but from the look on everyone’s face on the plane, no one had ever heard those noises before. The woman next to me grew more and more uncomfortable. We were bobbing in the air. We’d ascend a few feet and then drop back down several more feet. Back and forth. The pressure in the cabin was coming in and out.
It felt like hours before the pilot came over the loud speaker and very stoically said, “We seem to have experienced right engine failure. Prepare for landing. We should be on the ground in five minutes.” The look on every single person’s face: O_O
The woman next to me said, “What’s your name?” as I grew visibly terrified. I told her and she told me her name. (I later found out she was a elementary school teacher. Homegirl was calm as a muth in a crisis.) The guy next to me let out a simple “Shit.” We continued to bob in the air as people began to cry. Everyone just looked out the window.
Bros, five minutes is a long-ass time to think about dying. [I’m not trying to blow this thing out of the water, but like, a) my friend who’s worked at Luftansa and United and has scale models of airplanes in his apartment (he’s a little obsessed) replied “pretty fucking major” when I asked him how serious “right engine failure” is and b) check that pic.] I went back and forth from “This isn’t that big of a deal” to “HOLY FUCKING SHIT I MIGHT DIE” for five minutes. I thought about the following things:
- “NOOOOOOOOO! NOT LIKE THIS!!!!!”
- “My vagina’s not shaved!”
- “FUUUUUCK THIS, I WAS SUPPOSED TO FALL IN LOVE AGAIN!!!!”
- “This is very bogus.”
- “I wonder what it’s going to be like when we’re all trying to escape from our fiery deaths.”
- “How many people will be at my funeral?”
- “Shouldn’t have worn these God damn Jeffrey Campbells, I probably have to run soon.”
- “THIS IS BULLSHIT, I’M SUPPOSED TO MEET MY HUSBAND SOON!!!!!”
- “I’LL MISS LIVING!!!!!!!!”
- “This is a little heavy-handed, 2012. Have some taste.”
We landed (obviously, I’m typing this) and there were fire trucks and cop cars lined up down the entire runway. Everyone on board immediately became friends with one another. They told us they had another plane for us. (Great, another flight! Totally ready to board one immediately again!) We all schlepped our stuff down to the next gate and got on the phone with our loved ones. I talked to a family who was seated across from the flight attendant. (They’re the ones who took this picture.) They watched this front part of the engine hang by a thread, occassionally whipping back and slapping the fan inside the engine. The mom of the family said when we heard the series of THUDS, the flight attendant tighted up her seat belt and closed her eyes. Their teenage daughter said the attendant mouthed “We’re going down” after the pilot made the announcement.
Anyway, that’s how my 2012 started. If it’s any indication of the rest of the year, I’mma be playing da lotto because I’m lucky as fuck right now!
HANDS DOWN MY #1 NIGHTMARE
UGH UGH UGH WORST NIGHTMARE.
if this could be removed from my memory before my flight to LA next week that’d be lovely. oy vey. prayer beads, anyone?
