Sidetracks - September 1, 2023

[helloladies]

Sidetracks is a collaborative project featuring various essays, videos, reviews, or other Internet content that we want to share with each other. All past and current links for the Sidetracks project can be found in our Sidetracks tag. You can also support Sidetracks and our other work on Patreon.

KJ

1. Every year for Labor Day in the US, Gallup polls Americans about their attitudes towards unions and organized labor. Along with generally pro-union sentiments, this year they found that a significant number of people support the writers and actors over the studios.

2. But you know who doesn't support the strikes? This guy.

3. In all seriousness though, I count myself as being among those who strongly support the strike. You may have noticed that I'm not posting as many links here lately, and that's in part because I'm attempting to follow the SAG and WGA's request that other content creators avoid producing content that promotes work published by the members of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). I'll keep posting reviews and criticism, but I'm avoiding posting anything that feels purely celebratory or promotional. Note, this is not a position statement for the entirety of LB, just what I personally feel comfortable doing.

In general, I agree with Council of Geeks, who recently made a video about why they feel the studios have overplayed their hand and are going to lose this fight. I hope she's right, and that the AMPTP realizes their mistake sooner rather than later.

Renay

4. This summary of the current situation at F&SF is the best one I've read that's not a thread on Twitter/Bluesky (although it does link to some threads which will only be accessible if you have a Bluesky account). I must curate my feeds extremely well because the first I heard about this was people being rightfully mad that Thomas was being targeted instead of the publisher, who seems like one of those men who used the patriarchy to fail straight up.

5. Doctor Who is getting a new release in the era I started watching the show and I am extremely tempted. It also aligns with my goal to start buying the media I love because I don't trust these greedy streamers/studios any longer after all the shenanigans with pulling things completely even though they have no physical option.

6. The US Copyright Office wants to hear what people think about AI and copyright from the Verge outlines the ongoing fight about AI and art. I highly recommend that folks submit a comment outlining their concerns with how AI is being used, because as Courtney Milan said on Bluesky:

"The most important part is to try to think of reasons that are different (at least slightly) from the reasons you know people will get. Because they need to respond to reasons, not just numbers. So take the time to think through what this will mean. And try to frame it in the constitutional framework. According to the constitution, we have copyright 'to promote the progress of science and useful arts.'

7. Things I have discovered I love: sensory toys. They make my brain chill out and it's the best. But, expectedly, I am very picky. Things that smell weird/plasticy don't work. Metal doesn't work. Neither does wood. What seems to work for me right now? Slime. I have Rubber Ducky Bubble Bath which smells incredible and my two new favorites, Sour Patch Icee, and Pink Lemonade Glitter. I'm leaning pretty heavily toward icee slimes or jelly slimes stuffed with texture pieces, rather than straight jelly slimes. But honestly there are many more types I haven't tried so I expect I will go even further down the rabbit hole.

8. The music video is extremely outside my wheelhouse (I love how weird art gets to be but admit I sometimes Don't Get It) but I love Easy Lover by Ellie Goulding ft. Big Sean. They complement each other really well and as per usual her vocals are *squeezes hand into fist* perfect.

Watch on YouTube