Hasta La Gadget!

Middlebrow is a recap of the week in entertainment, celebrity and television news that provides a comprehensive look at the state of pop culture. From the rock bottom to highfalutin, Middlebrow is your accessible guidebook to the world of entertainment. Sign up to receive it in your inbox here.

Trevor Noah is already in trouble. Less than 24 hours after it was announced he would take over “The Daily Show,” Twitter sleuths unearthed multiple tweets that have been called anti-Semitic, sexist and fat-shame-y (there are also calls for his ouster from the new gig). The tweets were decidedly unfunny, but this reaction says a lot more about us than Noah or any real desire to protect the subjects of his attempts at humor.

Let’s put the “comedians are supposed to be offensive” argument aside for a second to look at context. On Monday night, the Justin Bieber roast included a number of “offensive” jokes in the way of Noah’s tweets. That, of course, is a comedy event; Noah’s tweets, whether or not you were offended, were just not funny. Still, the complete lack of uproar in one context and onslaught of it in the other feels like a clear impact of the Outrage Machine at work: rallying cries of advocacy are rewarded in one realm and seen as self-righteous (and usually liberal) whining in the other.

The real question is why the court of public opinion condemns some celebs’ personal choices and not others. Yes, Noah is a rising star who was relatively unknown before he was given Jon Stewart’s seat on Monday. Except, what would the reaction be if it was discovered Stewart himself had said some offensive / unfunny thing about Jewish people or fat ladies when away from the “Daily Show” desk?

We can easily move the conversation away from comedians. This calls up the basic dilemma of art versus artist: How do you distinguish between an awful personal history and great cultural contribution (aka The Woody Allen Dilemma or, for those of us still rolling around in the year 1993, the R. Kelly Conundrum). Maybe it’s an effort to quash problematic figures on the rise, like a game of Whac-A-Mole based on perceived insensitivity. Though, it seems a bit uneven considering what we tolerate from the celebrities we’ve worshipped for a while.

One explanation is that maybe it’s harder to deal with the reality to which we hold alleged monsters when their infractions reach mainstream awareness long after they have secured our love and acceptance. Look how hard it was for people to get over their affection for Bill Cosby. Following the numerous sexual assault allegations against him, Cosby’s name has become a verb for inappropriate behavior (h/t Chelsea Handler). And he still has fans. By way of a totally different example, why are we not outraged at really any celeb who has ever pledged allegiance to the abusive / cultish nonsense that is Scientology? What makes it okay to have watched “Going Clear” and still think Elisabeth Moss is really chill?

What’s happening with Noah is not some unified force for goodness in defense of feminism, body positivity or religious acceptance. The good, possibly plus-size and female, non-denominational Lord our God knows we need way more of that. It’s nothing more than the Outrage Machine churning its daily bait to a pulp. This kind of thing likely starts with cries from the conservatives not getting enough attention for calling Lena Dunham an anti-Semite (and apparently BuzzFeed editors?) and then just builds from there. Soon, Noah is trending not for his newfound success but for his old tweets. His name in that left column is like a signal to the masses that now is the time to pounce, to drag him through the mud in return for some favorites or maybe a few new followers. The point is not to defend any of Noah’s crappy tweets. Really, they were as mindless and counterproductive as participating in the mob mentality trying to take him down.

Follow Lauren Duca on Twitter: @laurenduca

ISTANBUL (AP) — Istanbul police chief: 2 gunmen killed, prosecutor seriously wounded as hostage situation ends.

“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” has seen its fair share of ridiculously talented kid dancers, and hip-hop duo Lucky Aces is no exception.

Andree Bonifacio (who goes by AC) and Lucky recently stopped by “Ellen,” where the 12 year-olds from Vancouver showed off their very impressive moves dancing to DJ Snake and Lil Jon’s “Turn Down For What.”

Once they caught their breath, the dancers told Ellen their biggest dream is to one day backup dance for Ariana Grande. The talk show host then surprised them with VIP passes to meet the singer in Vancouver. Needless to say, they were pretty excited.

Follow HuffPost Teen on Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr | Pheed |

With the advent of social media, accessing terrorist propaganda has become as easy as shopping for bath towels on Amazon.com. A vast array of Internet publications and communication networks exist through which users can glean information about and resources for the purposes of committing violent extremist acts. One need not look any further than the efforts of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, whose recruiting techniques span the most salient social media outlets, namely Twitter and Instagram. Al Qaeda also publishes its own online magazine, Inspire, in an effort to enlist British, American and other citizens of industrialized nations. Inspire is equipped with everything a nascent radical needs, including propaganda legitimizing terrorist attacks against the West and instructions for building a home-made bomb (if the name sounds familiar, it is because this was the very publication that Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev referred to in constructing the pressure cooker bombs used at the Boston Marathon).

The acumen and focus with which extremist organizations manipulate the Internet for the purpose of amplifying their message of intifada (or uprising against perceived oppression) are arguably more sophisticated than any other terrorist operation in modern history, and evidence suggests that the message is resonating. The New York Times reports that as of today, around 24 Americans are believed to be either fighting with the Islamic State or were already killed in combat. Some figures are even higher. CNN recently referred to National Intelligence Director James Clapper’s estimate of 180 Americans who have attempted to fight in Syria (though it is unclear how many were attempting to join ISIS specifically). The statistics for other industrialized nations are quite staggering. Consider Canada’s intelligence agency estimate of more than 130 citizens who are thought to have joined ISIS, or 600 each from both the United Kingdom and Germany. Given this data, Western governments must craft realistic solutions to combating online extremism, which begs consideration of the following questions: can law enforcement or intelligence agencies monitor internet content for terrorist propaganda, and more importantly, can they predict exactly who will be influenced by such content?

Accurately foreseeing terrorist acts can be difficult, and moreover, the effort to eradicate web sites and social media outlets dedicated to jihad has proven cumbersome. Attempting to shut ISIS out from the likes of Twitter and Instagram is nearly impossible, as it would require intensive scrutiny of internet content, and would most likely raise constitutional issues related to freedom of speech (whether one feels the group’s message should even fall under the umbrella of free speech is an entirely different argument). Therefore, a more proactive strategy is warranted; a strategy that both identifies and intervenes upon the underlying causes of extremism.

There are social, political and economic factors at work, which motivate men and women to join the ranks of terrorist groups. Consider the impact of socio-economic influences. Many of the Westerners who are drawn to ISIS or Al Qaeda are economically disenfranchised and, in the same way that gangs appeal to urban youth, these groups provide individuals with a means of upward financial mobility and support. ISIS reportedly offers jobs and steady salaries to its recruits and provides much more than a young man or woman can hope for by remaining in their communities (which are still suffering from the recent global economic meltdown), where they are sure to face unemployment and moribund opportunities for growth. And yet the prospect of earning income by slaughtering infidels and establishing an Islamic caliphate would not be appealing to recruits were it not for the combination of their deeply rooted extremist beliefs and their perception of social and religious oppression against Muslims. Those who already harbor extreme religious views become increasingly incensed by America’s war on terror and daily news reports of drone strikes in Syria, Pakistan and other areas with large Muslim populations. The economic and socio-political factors thus conjoin to form a vicious cycle that not only perpetuates perennial terrorist acts, but creates a vacuum in the lives of angry, marginalized youth that is filled by extremist groups offering a panacea to their woes. Any hope of combating online radicalization, and perhaps even terrorism in totality, rests in developing bold strategies on a large-scale level.

Creating economic policies that provide education, job training and placement for youth in Westernized nations (especially countries with large Muslim populations like the U.S. and France) could potentially deter individuals from eloping to terrorist groups on the basis of financial need. Community outreach to youth in Muslim neighborhoods can also proactively address the mental health component of terrorism by offering counseling and support services to those on the precipice of radicalization. In addition, developing a counter-narrative to ISIS’s online call for jihad may help dilute the potency of the group’s message. For example, the US State Department’s Center for Strategic Counter-Terrorism Communication developed anti-terrorism Twitter accounts in 2011 to engage with online users potentially drawn to Al Qaeda. An online campaign titled “Think Again, Turn Away” was launched and literature providing alternatives to radicalization was routinely posted. While this effort was unsuccessful, psychologists, sociologists, intelligence agencies and media experts would be wise to reassess the campaign and determine how it could be strengthened and harnessed in the current internet arena.

Lastly, and most arduously, Western nations must seriously reconsider the ramifications of Middle Eastern interventionist foreign policies that do nothing more than perpetuate cycles of resentment towards the West and sew the seeds of future terrorist acts on the global platform. Such careful self-examination and prescient planning on part of our governments may very well yield tangible results in combating and providing a host of options against terrorism.

Thursday January 15, 2015

We woke up to record-breaking cold temperatures today all over northern India. Breakfast was served in the colorful tent in front of the hotel and I wore the warm pashmina shawl my son gave me, but was sorry I hadn’t also put on my wool jacket. A fog had settled in and it was overcast; something very out of the ordinary for this time of year. We heard reports that there were thunderstorms and rain at the Taj Mahal – coming soon on our itinerary.

We were ready for the six hour drive to Jaipur and excited to experience the delights of shopping in the largest city and capitol of Rajasthan. We had heard about all the great jewelry stores there too! My friend Barbara (who has traveled extensively in India) told us about a pashmina store that she loves, so tomorrow is the day!

I was pleased to find out that most of our journey today was on a fairly modern (by India standards) four lane “divided” highway. We were hopeful this would ensure a quick and easy passage. Of course, what I hadn’t stopped to realize is that every time you go through a small village, the whole thing breaks down – and of course you can’t predict where they’ll be working on the roads, or that the entire road is one big pot hole.

Being the truck fan that I am, I have taken a huge interest in the highly decorated trucks that are “goods carriers”. They are one of the most colorful and plentiful things you see driving on the highways. I have been fascinated by the symbols and iconography painted on them and asked our guide, Adil, about the eye often painted on the driver’s door or the cab.

He explained that the eye symbol, menacing devil faces, as well as the black tassles that often hang off the bottom of the trucks in front and back, are to ward off the “evil eye”. He went into a lengthy discussion about the Indian belief that people’s envy and jealousy are real, and told how people will purchase lemon and chili pepper talismans and hang them in their doorways as a form of protection. Many people buy fresh ones every Tuesday and Saturday at the market to ensure no ill will comes their way.

He continued by giving an example so we would understand. Say you are envious of someone else (perhaps your competitor’s business is flourishing and yours is not). You can go to a practitioner of black magic and they will give you something to drink and actually put a curse on that person! Really?!! This is incredible! He said often a mother of a beautiful baby will take a bit of her own eyeliner and put a black speck on her baby’s cheek so her face doesn’t look too perfect. Baby’s are often made up with eye liner as well for the same reason. These customs are so complex and foreign to us, that it’s hard to believe, but we’ve seen lots of evidence that all he’s saying is true.

Most of the drive today was flat land that was arid and fairly featureless, except for the patches where there is irrigation (stored up from the monsoons). Their primary crop is canola, with it’s yellow flowers shining brightly in the sun, and stretching way out into the distance.

We saw quite a few animals today: male and female antelopes, herds of sheep and goats, and one large group of camels! That was a treat! Adil told us that the shepherds are slowly moving their herds towards Jaipur where they will be sheared and the wool sold to merchants for carpets.

We passed by several large pens of cows and bulls and saw cars pulled up feeding them. He explained that holy people occasionally make big holding areas for the wandering creatures where they will be safe and fed: it is good karma to feed the animals, so many people stop with food for them.

I’ve been amused as we’ve traveled the highways, to see the painted symbols for ladies and men’s restrooms.

This stretch of roadway had a few other humorous moments too. We took a pit stop at this small establishment with a giant coke bottle out front. How fun I was wearing my Route 66 shirt, a perfect blend of west meets east! And the place we stopped for lunch had a sign that really took the cake! I posted this picture on Facebook and discovered from several friends that “Kitty” parties are not for kids, but a gaggle of girls!

One of the things I’ve also noticed is the “post-apocalyptic” landscape: what appear to be burned out buildings or just buildings that have been partially built then abandoned, (Adil explained they ran out of money); piles of brick rubble and garbage everywhere; and the bad air pollution and dust in the air give everything that sort of “Mad Max” quality. This doesn’t make for great pictures, but is quite haunting.

We were delighted to check into our hotel, the Shahpura House, and get to our room. What a beautifully appointed seating area and bedroom. I can’t say enough about the delicious Indian cotton sheets and pillowcases! They’ve done a great job of integrating the old and the new here: the ultra modern bathroom and flat screen t.v. amidst the draped Moorish arched entrance to our bedroom area.

We had to get in a bit of shopping, so we ventured out to a nearby jewelry store and had fun oogling over their gorgeous wares. After dinner at our hotel, we retired at a reasonable hour and loved watching a Bollywood movie on the “tele”. Another full day on this marvel of a trip through Rajasthan. Tomorrow we will explore the pink city and visit the famed Amber Fort and the Maharaja’s City Palace. Come along for the adventure!

Mary Anne Erickson is an artist who has been documenting the demise of the American roadside culture for over 30 years in paintings and photography. Her work can be seen at vanishingroadside.com. She also blogs about great food and entertaining ideas at bluemountainbistro.com/blog.