Prince: Fighting For Artist Rights, and Suffering Abuses

The internet (and now mainstream media) are jumping on the bandwagon of a recent story- the breaking of copyright law by a woman on YouTube, inappropriately using a Prince song in a video of her dancing babies. Seems harmless enough, you say? No harm done? And by Prince's companies sending DMCA takedowns, he's being a bully?

Wrong, you are.

Become educated on the matter here:

• Prince: Fighting For Artist Rights, and Suffering Abuses

A Shave and a Haircut... Worthy of Revenge?

Every so often, live television provides a moment that transcends the rest of its best moments. More often than not, it's when someone creative does something unexpected.

In this case... well, there's a casualty. One cool haircut, for the cost of television comedy gold.

• A Shave and a Haircut... Worthy of Revenge?

Effect 37's Ultimate Entertainment List

Never before have you been witness to such a painstakingly-arrived at effort in providing you, the reader, with Effect 37's Ultimate Entertainment List!

(Seriously, I've never before given effort to it, so you've never witnessed it. But you should check it out- it might get you thinking!)

• Effect 37's Ultimate Entertainment List

Feeding Your Creative Beast

Wordcraft today dares to enter into the lair of the writer's finicky companion animal- your creativity beast! Should you simply give up once you experience writer's block? Of course not!

Take a look to find out how you can feed the beast and keep your creative juices flowing.

• Feeding Your Creative Beast

Clone Wars- Hated by Many, Loved by Me!

Today's Reflections is my opinion on the new Star Wars animation "The Clone Wars"- although I really discuss the movie less than I do the continuing jadedness that is prevalent in the younger generations in today's world!

• Clone Wars- Hated by Many, Loved by Me!

Australians Making Fun of New Zealand Accents

What do we have in Mindflow today? Why, a video mocking the quaint dialect of the native New Zealander, as shared on the Flight of the Conchords MySpace blog recently.

• Australians Making Fun of New Zealand Accents

The Difference Between Nerds, Geeks and Dorks

People are constantly calling themselves or others nerds, geeks and/or dorks. But the problem is- they're using the terms incorrectly or interchangeably! Here's a primer on how to use these terms (if you must) correctly as their updated definitions stand...

• The Difference Between Nerds, Geeks and Dorks

Where's the U.S. Spirit of Creativity Gone?

I don't know about you, but I'm not pleased with some of my fellow citizens currently. We're a highly divided nation, and it seems to be getting worse. But it makes me wonder- what happened to the spirit the United States had no so long ago?

• Where's the U.S. Spirit of Creativity Gone?

Gaming- The Maligned Hobby

Gamers sure get a ton of grief from the non-gamers out there. What's up with the judgment that goes on currently? People are out there that actually think gaming is something to "grow out of"... Where are they going wrong with this mindset? Let's find out...

• Gaming- The Maligned Hobby

China Pulls Out of the Olympics!?

In Mindflow is some truly amazing news today! It seems China is withdrawing from the Olympics!

Or are they? What are those amazingly creative people at the Onion up to now?

• China Pulls Out of the Olympics?

This Post Sucks!

I have a pet peeve: The phrase "that sucks"- or any variant thereof. First, it's overused. Second, it's used when it's so not true. And third... I see it as a growing problem.

What problem do I speak of? Put on your reading glasses and consider the following...

• This Post Sucks!

Paris Hilton Embarasses the Warpublican Candidate!

Today's Mindflow video is all over the news, because of the tiny little unimportant presidential election I heard about a few months back that's coming up here in the United States.

Check out the hysterical put-in-your-place that the little hottie-yet-not-so-popular managed to score with!

• Paris Hilton Embarasses the Warpublican Candidate

Get These Five Women Leading Roles, Already!

While there are many actresses seeking their first big break, there are some out there that simply should automatically have a leading role in either their own television show or the movies... Here's Effect 37's top five list of leading-ladies-in-need.

Take a look, and suggest your own!

• Get These Five Women Leading Roles, Already!
  

Death of the English Language

In Wordcraft today I nip at a pet peeve of mine- How the younger generations' mindset is killing the English language. Check it out, you're going to like it!

• Death of the English Language

An Accurate New Name for "MMORPGs".

Today in Reflections I discuss a pet peeve of mine regarding everyone's favorite genre of games, the "Massively Multiplayer" variety. I have a solution to a problem of which gamers don't even seem to be aware!

• An Accurate New Name for "MMORPGs".

The Effect 37 "Stubborn" IQ Quiz!

Hopefully if you've arrived at this post, you have been sent here from quiz questions elsewhere on the web to get some answers and see how you've done! I'll repeat the questions here in case you've stumbled onto this directly. If you haven't seen the quiz yet, try not to look at the answers before coming up with your own answer first!

This "IQ" quiz (and I use that term loosely) is to test what you think you know against what is actual truth- and how stubborn you are in being willing to change your thinking in the future!

This is all on the honor system- no automatic grading here... Be honest with yourself- how else can you become a better person? =D


1.) In biblical concepts, what is "the number of the beast"?


"Stubborn" Answer to #1.) 666, dude! It's the devil's digits!

Factual Answer to #1.) 616. Researchers recently discovered that 666 was a mistranslation based on recent documents found. In fact, 666 was a reference to Nero, not the number of the beast. The actual number of the beast has been determined to be 616.

Don't believe me? Here's proof.


2.) In what year did the most recent new millennium start?

"Stubborn" Answer to #2.) 2000, dude! We partied like it was 1999, and rang in the new millennium when we flipped to 2000- no more "1" in front- that means it's a new millennium obviously!

Factual Answer to #2.) 2001. This greatly confuses people, but consider this... Count to ten. Wait- what was that first number you just said? *1*. You did not start counting to ten with *0*.

Don't believe me? Here's proof.


3.) How many sides does a stop sign have?

"Stubborn" Answer to #3.) 8, duh! It's an octagon!

Factual Answer to #3.) 10. What? You disagree? I dare you deny it: 8 sides for the 8 edges, and the front side and the back side. You see- a stop sign is a 3 dimensional object. Therefore, the front and the back are in fact a side! The only way "8" is the correct answer to this question is if you ask how many sides a stop sign *shape* has- drawn on paper, it would of course only have 8.


4.) What did the legendary musician Prince change his name to in the 90's?

"Stubborn" Answer to #4.) He changed it to this weird symbol and he was going by "The Artist" or "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince".

Factual Answer to #4.) Prince changed his name to his logo, which was an *unpronounceable* symbol (combining the male and female symbols with a horn flourish). The symbol has no name, period. Prince never called himself "The Artist" or "The Artist Formerly Known As Prince". The media, not able to deal with a person with no pronounceable name, landed upon the lengthy moniker- to which Prince latched on as a humorous result of the social experiment aspect of his name change.

The reason for Prince's name change was purely a brilliant business move. Warner Brothers was trying to stifle Prince through their contract, and he found the loophole- the contract said "Prince" couldn't do certain things. Therefore, just as a band changes their name, Prince changed his- able to do whatever he desired under his new silent moniker free of Warner Brother's meddling.

To be accurate, when referring to his albums over the years, you should not mix the use of "Prince" with the use of the symbol. For instance, the classic "The Gold Experience" albums was performed by O(+>, not Prince!


5.) What's wrong with the following sentence? ... "Your stupid!", the teenager said to another kid he was not fond of.

"Stubborn" Answer to #5.) Everyone knows (that paid attention in school) that you shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition! So, that sentence should read... "Your stupid!", the teenager said to another kid of which he was not fond.

Factual Answer to #5.) Bravo on getting one part right- of course you shouldn't end sentences with a preposition, so your fix is indeed a solution. But you probably missed the other mistake that is far, far worse! (I'm hoping you didn't!)

For the last time, people: "Your" is possessive. "You're" is short for "You are". It is NEVER correct to use "Your" in substitute for "You're". Saying "Your stupid" is not a complete sentence! You are trying to say "You are stupid!". If you use "your", you're trying to say something about the "stupid" someone has or owns- which makes NO sense whatsoever!

Learn your Your/You're skills! (And don't forget to brush up on their/they're/there while you're at it!)



So how'd you do? Did you discover you've had a stubborn mindset all along? Well, look- if you're unaware of the answers in the first place, that's not quite being stubborn, is it?

The question is- now that you know... will you continue to use the wrong answers? If so, then in fact you've failed the "stubborn" quiz! Shame on you!




If you enjoyed such mind-puzzles (educational as they are!) And had fun wandering around in the land of creative mind games, make sure to visit Effect 37 here on Blogger often- anything and everything creative is and will be discussed to keep that brain flowing with creative juices of the best kind!

Thanks for visiting- bookmark or subscribe, and come back often!

What is Happiness in an Afterlife?

With the recent passing of my grandmother, I thought I'd post this blog I wrote a short while back. It's a creative consideration of existing ideas concerning the existence of an afterlife, and what would be necessary for true happiness for a person living in such a state.

• What is Happiness in an Afterlife?

Dr. Horrible's Genius Web Film

Mindflow today sends you on through the vastness of the Internet to the Girl's Entertainment Network to check out Becky "Aktrez" Young's post on Joss Whedon's truly amazing "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog".

Two birds with one stone: Highly creative web site and community, check! Amazingly creative and genius web film, check!

• Dr. Horrible's Genius Web Film

The Humans Are Dead

Today's Mindflow video should make you laugh your ass off... if not, please seek immediate treatment for your funny bone!

• The Humans Are Dead

Original Short Story: "To Serve"

Please enjoy the following original short story submission in Wordcraft! After the story, I discuss a few salient points about the work.

• To Serve