DramatistDreamer

Oh, I know all too well about how property assessments go. Where I grew up, there was a sharp line between the depressed "urban" areas and the wealthy suburbs. The urban areas could hardly get necessary resources on a consistent basis and were consistently undervalued (while still facing a high property tax burden), while in the suburban areas, where residents could hire their own assessor, their the value of their properties would be suitably assessed. I only found out about this when my mother's neighborhood was put under eminent domain and the city's assessor was trying to undervalue her property and she ended up contesting the initial assessment.

The coverage was so minimal, especially once it became clear that there would be no prospect of another Daley becoming mayor. It's as if when Chicago is not specifically about corruption or violence or racism, the media cannot be bothered to find an angle in which to tell a story. Despite this being what looked to be a pretty significant race (in terms of historical precedent) in one of the biggest cities in the U.S., there were really only a handful of news articles about it.

The last few years of Emily were weepy, whiny and maudlin. It was almost unbearable.

I'm not sure what Emily was supposed to be by that time. You should really dig further back to when Melanie Smith portrayed the character. Yes, she slept with James and Paul Stenbeck but she was no Brooke Logan type.

My apologies too. The ATWT thread is free though, LOL. Today's the 63rd anniversary (would've been) and nary a peep about it.

Nothing to see here, everything's perfectly fine.

Well, I also read that CBS itself offered to buy As The World Turns but P&G refused. I could never understand P&G's attitude. It wasn't like they feared competition for other shows, they were the veritable 'dogs in the manger'. Well, they're struggling internally so maybe they should've taken that network money for their shows. (*shrugs*)

An especially poignant statement to make on today, of all days. I wonder whether Netflix's restrictive contracts will impact their status of being near the top of the list for creatives. I'm sure the money has a lot of appeal but for those who regard themselves as unwavering artists...well, artists value freedom. I know that this has changed the way that I see Netflix a vehicle for creative works.

As much as I enjoy Unsung, some of their contributors exaggerate! Saying that Adina Howard paved the way for Lil Kim and Foxy Brown?? Does Millie Jackson not exist? I love the voice of Shirley Murdoch but one contributor claimed that she was on par with Aretha Franklin...Aretha Franklin?? I give props to Crystal Waters, who didn't have the best voice but made it work well for her and carved out a career with longevity! Is she the "Queen of House"? I think Jocelyn Brown would have something to say about that. If Loleatta Hathaway were still around, she could very easily contend for that title too. But that 100% Pure Love was by far her best song. Had no idea the actor Michael K. Williams did choreography, he's a great dancer. I wonder if he still dances? As for Kim Wayans mocking her, In Living Color could be brutal but even Waters admitted that she sold about another 100,000 copies in the wake of that episode. FWIW, Wayans also mocked Tracy Chapman's Fast Car by singing "I Write A Fast Song". Glenn Jones should be interesting.

Meanwhile in North Carolina.

Thank you. Also, I kept wondering, what in the world goes on at the Chicago PD that he was able to get off scott-free without even having to make financial restitution? Was I the only one wondering about this? Nobody seems to be asking that question in the media. In terms of Puerto Ricans residing in Florida, I don't know if this was truly the case but around mid-terms last year, I read accounts of people saying that they were too busy trying to get settled in their lives after so much post-hurricane upheaval to vote. I'd really like to know if that was the case. Does anyone know what the voting tallies were for Puerto Ricans who migrated to Florida specifically after the hurricane Maria? I know there had been a slow trickle migration of teachers and doctors and other professionals from the island in previous years because of the worsening economic situation but I'd love to see the data on just how many Puerto Ricans residing in FL voted and have it deconstructed into the various groups who migrated during different periods, those who migrated due to economic reasons vs. those who migrated post hurricane Maria, etc.

What Smollett did was unconscionable. POC have already been catching hell, being beaten, shot and it has been escalating year over year. I don't believe a B- celebrity changes anything in the real lives of black people, or people of color (I cannot speak from the LGBTQ perspective) who continually face peril every day of our lives with very little regard from media.

This is probably most upsetting to fans of Smollett and Empire. I hadn't watched the show since the beginning of Season 3 so I really wasn't up to date on anything about either until this. All I know is that, in the wake of Donald Trump's presidency, hate crimes have surged year over year and there only seems to have been a glancing interest in the most egregious cases (usually violent deaths) and people are suddenly pretending that somehow this fraud moves the needle on anything. The right wing sought to tear down Obama and some people accused Obama of being too much of a "high bar" in his actions and demeanor, so the simple act of being Black and a public figure sets the right-wing aflame. Today, those folks invoke Obama for real and imagined acts that they feel offended them. When I got followed in a store, it wasn't because somewhere someone was thinking of Tichina Arnold once being hauled in for shoplifting, it is because the owners/managers/store employees already have a pre-conceived notion that somehow blacks are inherently criminal or trying to get away with...something. The same way right-wing nutjobs always believed that Obama, a "crafty black" was up to...something and trying to get away with "it". Speaking of Chicago and LGBTQ, how many people are actually paying attention to this?

The twitter accounts dedicated to the show have good intentions but I wish that there were an "official As The World Turns account", there are a number of ATWT alumni on social media. Wouldn't it be nice if they got a tweet from an ATWT social media account, thanking them for their service to the show? Even a group tag would be thoughtful. I miss the show too, by the way, and wished there were an actual commemoration, even an online one. Could you imagine a livestream where fans could gather and watch around their computers or streaming boxes and either watch the same classic episode at the time that the show aired in their area or watch the episode later on? The We Love Soaps blog used to put out classic episodes sometimes. I miss the days when the soap blogs had an active interest in the classic soaps, other than putting out the same clips and trivia.

The idea of any one person being representative of an entire group of people is so ridiculous on its face.

This is basically my complaint about people who railed on and on about Jussie Smollet. Do people actually believe that Smollett represents the average black and/or LGBTQ person?

Was Lucinda Walsh the only character who would tell someone "Good morning" before she slapped them? NGL but I watched this slap about 3, 4 times. I've remember the times I've seen both Sierra and Lily slap people but had no memories of when Lucinda did it, but I should have because clearly, this was memorable.

I hope that Mr. Hastings is enjoying good health and a very happy birthday!

Nia Long and her sons at the Kids Choice Awards last week.

This has GOT to be an April Fool's joke.

The whistleblower has been named and for her honesty, she has faced very petty and vindictive retaliation. Sometimes I have to take stock of what kind of country this is and it just floors me that this is the reality.