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At first I found myself singing along, then I realized just how messed up the lyrics were.

As a self proclaimed film and TV buff, I'm always excited for awards season. But when the nominations for the 2015 Oscar awards were revealed, I couldn't help but notice one glaringly obvious trend. At first I thought I might be seeing things, but then I heard a Taylor Swift parody that summed up exactly how I felt about the 2015 Oscars.

So what exactly did I notice? Well, let's take a look at the 2015 acting nominees.

Best actor in a leading role

From left to right, Steve Carell, Michael Keaton, Eddie Redmayne, Bradley Cooper, and Benedict Cumberbatch

Best actress in a leading role

From left to right, Marion Cotillard, Rosamund Pike, Felicity Jones, Julianne Moore, and Reese Witherspoon

Best actor in a supporting role



From left to right, Robert Duvall, Mark Ruffalo, Ethan Hawke, J.K. Simmons, and Edward Norton


Best actress in a supporting role


From left to right, Patricia Arquette, Emma Stone, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, and Keira Knightley

As you can see, some of Hollywood's best and brightest stars have been nominated for the year's top acting honor. And while I can't deny my love for Meryl Streep, Robert Duvall, and Marion Cotillard, the lack of diversity in the 2015 nominees is incredibly disappointing. Not ONE actor or actress of color? And then there's the Best Director nominees, which are completely male-dominated. Now don't get me wrong, we shouldn't be handing out award nominations based on gender or the color of one's skin. I'm also not suggesting that any of these stars are underqualified. There's a lot of talent in this bunch!

But the Academy Awards' lack of diversity says a lot about the state of Hollywood. And although it's "just entertainment," how marginalized people (which includes women and people of color) are portrayed in Hollywood and other forms of media has an effect on how they're perceived in the world. Studies have also shown that diverse representations in media not only promote tolerance but also can improve self esteem. Sadly, it's not just the 2015 nominees that lack diversity. Take a look at this infographic that breaks down the Academy Awards' makeup over the past 87 years. It's not pretty.

Strangely enough, I've been known to capture my feelings (both good and bad) through song, so when I stumbled upon this Taylor Swift parody on the sad state of the 2015 Oscars, I couldn't help but think, "I wish this wasn't so truthful, but damn it, it's so, so good." Take a look at the video below, which hits on a number of Hollywood's problems, including diversity and sexism on the red carpet.

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Considering it's a parody of Taylor Swift's hit "Blank Space," it's obvious why "Blank Slate" is an automatic head-bopper. But it's the lyrics that really drive home why this parody is so spot on.

"Read about it in a magazine
Ain't it funny just how white
The year's lineup always ends up being
So hey, let's pretend
That racism is at an end
Grab your remote and my hand
We can be colorblind just for the weekend." — "Blank Space Oscars 2015 Commentary"





When you look at the numbers, along with firsthand accounts from women and actors of color in the entertainment industry, it's hard to deny that Hollywood still has a lot of work to do. Thankfully, creative people like Melissa Silverstein (the genius behind this Taylor Swift parody) are committed to calling out Hollywood and encouraging them to do better.

Community

Facebook group brings people together IRL to make meaningful friendships

True

Making new friends as an adult is challenging. While people crave meaningful IRL connections, it can be hard to know where to find them. But thanks to one Facebook Group, meeting your new best friends is easier than ever.

Founded in 2018, NYC Brunch Squad brings together hundreds of people who come as strangers and leave as friends through its in-person events.

“Witnessing the transformative impact our community has on the lives of our members is truly remarkable. We provide the essential support and connections needed to thrive amid the city's chaos,” shares Liza Rubin, the group’s founder.

Despite its name, the group doesn’t just do brunch. They also have book clubs, seasonal parties, and picnics, among other activities.

NYC Brunch Squad curates up to 10 monthly events tailored to the specific interests of its members. Liza handles all the details, taking into account different budgets and event sizes – all people have to do is show up.

“We have members who met at our events and became friends and went on to embark on international journeys to celebrate birthdays together. We have had members get married with bridesmaids by their sides who were women they first connected with at our events. We’ve had members decide to live together and become roommates,” Liza says.

Members also bond over their passion for giving back to their community. The group has hosted many impact-driven events, including a “Picnic with Purpose” to create self-care packages for homeless shelters and recently participated in the #SquadSpreadsJoy challenge. Each day, the 100 members participating receive random acts of kindness to complete. They can also share their stories on the group page to earn extra points. The member with the most points at the end wins a free seat at the group's Friendsgiving event.

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friendship
Democracy

This Map Reveals The True Value Of $100 In Each State

Your purchasing power can swing by 30% from state to state.

Image by Tax Foundation.

Map represents the value of 100 dollars.

As the cost of living in large cities continues to rise, more and more people are realizing that the value of a dollar in the United States is a very relative concept. For decades, cost of living indices have sought to address and benchmark the inconsistencies in what money will buy, but they are often so specific as to prevent a holistic picture or the ability to "browse" the data based on geographic location.

The Tax Foundation addressed many of these shortcomings using the most recent (2015) Bureau of Economic Analysis data to provide a familiar map of the United States overlaid with the relative value of what $100 is "worth" in each state. Granted, going state-by-state still introduces a fair amount of "smoothing" into the process — $100 will go farther in Los Angeles than in Fresno, for instance — but it does provide insight into where the value lies.

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money
Identity

One man turned nursing home design on its head when he created this stunning facility

"What if we design an environment that looks like outside?" he said. "What if I can have a sunrise and sunset inside the building?



92-year-old Norma had a strange and heartbreaking routine.

Every night around 5:30 p.m., she stood up and told the staff at her Ohio nursing home that she needed to leave. When they asked why, she said she needed to go home to take care of her mother. Her mom, of course, had long since passed away.

Behavior like Norma's is quite common for older folks suffering from Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. Walter, another man in the same assisted living facility, demanded breakfast from the staff every night around 7:30.

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Pop Culture

People are sharing the adult problems that 'nobody prepared you for' and they're so true

Here are 21 of the most relatable.

via PixaBay

Being an adult is tough.

Nothing can ever fully prepare you for being an adult. Once you leave childhood behind, the responsibilities, let-downs and setbacks come at you fast. It’s tiring and expensive, and there's no easy-to-follow roadmap for happiness and success.

A Reddit user named u/Frequent-Pilot5243 asked the online forum, “What’s an adult problem nobody prepared you for?” and there were a lot of profound answers that get to the heart of the disappointing side of being an adult.

One theme that ran through many responses is the feeling of being set adrift. When you’re a kid, the world is laid out as a series of accomplishments. You learn to walk, you figure out how to use the bathroom, you start school, you finish school, maybe you go to college, and so on.

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adulthood
Joy

7 things Black people want their well-meaning white friends to know

"You, white friend, need to speak up and say something when I can't."

Silver Sprocket/YouTube

Growing up black in a white neighborhood.

I grew up black in a very white neighborhood in a very white city in a very white state.

As such, I am a lot of people's only black friend.

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Education

Warren Buffet's partner, Charlie Munger shared his most valuable advice on becoming a success

The billionaire passed away on November 28 at the age of 99.

via Nick / Wikimedia Commons

Charlie Munger of Berkshire Hathaway.

Charles Munger, Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and Warren Buffet’s closest business partner, passed away on Tuesday, November 28, at 99. Buffett and Munger's partnership lasted over 50 years, producing Berkshire Hathaway, one of the largest and most successful conglomerates in history.

When Munger passed, his estimated worth was $2.6 billion. Buffet, 93, is believed to be worth $119 billion.

But Munger was far more than just a wealthy man. Apple CEO Tim Cook called Munger a “keen observer of the world around him,” and he was known for his pithy bits of common-sense wisdom known as “Mungerisms.”

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wisdom
Health

If you're grieving a loved one this holiday season, here's a gift you can give yourself

After losing her almost-4-year-old daughter to epilepsy, Kelly Cervantes created a "grief companion" that meets people wherever they are in their grief journey.

Images courtesy of Kelly Cervantes

Kelly Cervantes wrote her way through grieving the loss of her daughter, Adelaide.

Kelly Cervantes begins the Introduction to her book with five words: "Grief sucks. It's also weird." It's a concise truth that anyone who has lost a loved one knows all too well.

Grief is a universal experience—none of us get through life without loss—but it's also unique to each person. Most of us are familiar with the popular "stages of grief" theory, but denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance (along with guilt and a host of things) are less like sequential rungs on a ladder and more like pools you fall into at various times as you stumble your way through the grief process. Grief is not linear and it's not neat and tidy and it's not predictable.

Take it from someone who's been there. Kelly Cervantes lost her daughter, Adelaide, to epilepsy just shy of her 4th birthday. Using writing as a therapeutic tool to help her process Adelaide's medically complex life, death and everything that came after, Kelly created the book she wished she'd had as she was trying to navigate her own grieving process.

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grief
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