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Order for Racism. Racism Anyone?

When I think of Starbucks, I think of fair trade and “ethnically sourced” secured coffee beans, wonderfully laid out desserts and treats that my waist line dislikes, and cool stripped down funky folky alternative music playing in the background while I drink a hot delicacy I can barely pronounce. I think of people conversing, while others around them are seeping the juices of the Internet to fuel their apple laptop latest reality game apps. I think of people completing school or professional work away from their homes and offices. Starbucks has the ability in a sense to serve as an escape. But as a person of color, especially a historically marginalized people, there is no quarter given. Two Black men in Philadelphia discussing possible business ventures in a Starbuck were reminded that within the 21st century two separate worlds for Blacks and everyone else continues to exist within our world. The denial of bathroom rights to potential paying customers, an automatic response to call the police, and consequential police engagement and arrest without legitimate legal cause are representations of 21st racism. A similar incident has recently surfaced on video caught in a Los Angles area store where onlookers observed white non-paying patrons getting access to the bathroom while Blacks were denied. These discussed incidences are the simple echoes of a system of oppression that has existed for Blacks since the first Dutch flagged slave ship arrived in Jamestown in 1619. Source:

Oculus Go is coming – the market is about to evolve

Oculus Go is an all-in-one virtual reality (VR) headset that will offer 1,000s of games, 360-degree experiences without wires or even a PC to attach to. It’s coming – according to Facebook in early 2018 - but Canadian availability remains somewhat of a mystery. But the marketing has begun. There is a lot of hype when it comes to virtual reality – but will this technology be the gamechanger that shifts the market towards virtual reality experiences without wires and away from screenless viewers (headsets that require users to insert their smartphone)? Or will it take longer for VR to become mainstream, altering how we all consume games, media and virtually every experience that requires or incorporates technology? Is Oculus set to be the next Apple or Amazon? What will the future look like – and who will benefit most from VR? Which VR experiences are of most interest to Canadian consumers? These are early days, what will VR look like in a decade? As the market evolves, it seems VR's market potential has been diminished by the emergence of mobile AR as a rival platform. Even with the market pushing towards standalone headsets, premium VR might not accelerate until second-generation, standalone VR headsets break out starting over the next few years. There are a lot of questions about virtual reality and that’s where the experts from IDC Canada can help. Emily Taylor is a senior research analyst in the areas of consumer service and technology markets. She also can provide unique and intelligent insight into new landscape of virtual reality and augmented reality technologies for both consumers and businesses in Canada. Watch her video for more information on the VR/AR market in Canada, then simply click on her icon to arrange an interview. Source:

Baldwin 2020? It could be happening

On Monday, Alec Baldwin took to the stage not in New York – but Des Moines, Iowa as the keynote speaker at the Iowa Democratic Party's fall fundraiser. Known for his visceral Donald Trump imitations that have been one-part in the resurgence of Saturday Night Live, the Golden Globe and Emmy award winning actor took a serious tone in front of an audience of 3,000 party loyalists. On Monday he was calling for unity and pledging that he’s ready to fight to help the Democrats win. It’s also a known fact that the Iowa Democratic Party fall fundraiser has also been the starting point for campaigns. Is Alec Baldwin considering a run for the Oval Office in 2020? Does he have what it takes to win the Democratic primary? Could he beat Trump? And, is a battle of big screen celebrities what America needs in a leader? These are all interesting questions – and that’s where the experts from Cedarville University can help. Dr. Mark Caleb Smith is Professor of Political Science and the Director of the Center for Political Studies at Cedarville University. He is an expert in the areas of American politics and particularly presidential politics. Dr. Smith is a media-regular and was interviewed often during the last presidential election. He is available to speak to this latest development in politics. To book an interview – simply click on Dr. Smith’s icon to arrange a time. Source:

Baylor Horror Film Expert Lists 10 Movies 'Everyone Should See'

October brings pumpkin spice, changing leaves, cooler temperatures and Halloween. And Halloween, of course, brings horror films. James Kendrick, Ph.D., associate professor of film and digital media in Baylor University’s College of Arts & Sciences, is a Hollywood film historian and an expert on cult and horror films. While horror is not everyone’s favorite genre, Kendrick says, horror films are known to have a universal appeal. “We all know what it means to be frightened, to feel dread, to want to look away,” Kendrick said. “On some level we all fear death and are aware of our human mortality, and the best horror films engage that fear in complex and challenging ways.” In honor of Halloween, Kendrick has developed a list of 10 horror classics he says “everyone should see.” 1. Nosferatu (F.W. Murnau, 1922) 2. The Bride of Frankenstein (James Whale, 1935) 3. Cat People (Jacques Tourneur, 1942) 4. Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960) 5. Night of the Living Dead (George A. Romero, 1968) 6. The Exorcist (William Friedkin, 1973) 7. Suspiria (Dario Argento, 1977) 9. The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980) 10. The Babadook (Jennifer Kent, 2014) James Kendrick, Ph.D., serves as associate professor of film and digital media in Baylor University’s College of Arts & Sciences. Kendrick’s primary research interests are post-Classical Hollywood film history, violence in the media, cult and horror films, media censorship and regulation and cinema and new technologies. He has authored three books: Darkness in the Bliss-Out: A Reconsideration of the Films of Steven Spielberg, Hollywood Bloodshed: Violence in the 1980s American Cinema and Film Violence: History, Ideology, Genre. In addition to this, he is also the film and video critic for the website Qnetwork.com. Kendrick is a member of the Society for Cinema and Media Studies, the University Film and Video Association and the Online Film Critics Society. Source: