Different Things Can Be Sad

Poland Protests and Fungie the Dolphin

How was your Halloween? Spooky? Socially distanced? Good! If your November is looking less so (read: a lot more stressful) channel your energy into learning about the current protests in Poland or aquatic mystery n Ireland. 
Reading
Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow (to skip this discussion, go to: 8:15) 
All Adults Here by Emma Straub
Watching 
Deaf U (Netflix)
Dream Home Makeover (Netflix)
Selling Sunset (Netflix) 
The Bachelorette (every Tuesday!) 
Listening 
Resistance (podcast)
Two Chatty Broads (podcast) 
Politics 
Wikipedia article (useful in that it translates Polish sources): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_2020_Polish_protests
Human Rights Watch:https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/04/14/poland-reject-new-curbs-abortion-sex-ed
NYTimes 2020 election: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/14/world/europe/poland-election-court-challenge.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article
NYTimes Poland in 2018: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/20/world/europe/poland-european-union.html
Politico on the Protests: https://www.politico.eu/article/poland-abortion-protests-shake-government-retreat/ 
Pop Culture 
About Fungie: https://www.ireland.com/en-us/articles/dingle-dolphin-fungie/
More about Fungie: https://dingle-peninsula.ie/attractions-on-the-dingle-peninsula-co-kerry/family-friendly-activities-on-the-dingle-peninsula/28-attractions-on-the-dingle-peninsula/family-friendly-activities-on-the-dingle-peninsula/122-fungi-the-dingle-dolphin.html
Reporting on his disappearance: https://www.baltimoresun.com/pets/sns-nyt-ireland-missing-dolphin-fungie-20201031-4h6s3i3mgradpd6n3bj7s4paoq-story.html
Migration theory: https://www.irishpost.com/news/could-fungie-have-simply-moved-new-research-suggests-missing-dingle-dolphin-has-migrated-not-died-196503
Fungie conspiracy: https://www.irishpost.com/news/worlds-longest-living-wild-dolphin-fraud-169542
Bryce Dallas Howard on The Graham Norton Show: https://www.dailyedge.ie/bryce-dallas-howard-ireland-4036269-May2018/

Free & Fair Elections and All For Fall

It's officially fall, y'all! If you're interested in learning more about the best season, you'll love this month's pop culture segment in which Yaz covers pumpkin spice lattes and Christian Girl Autumn. And if being knowledgable and informed about the election process is on your fall to-do list, Majka's got your back with a politics portion that dives deep into the definition and execution of fair and free elections.
Reading
The Hand On The Wall by Maureen Johnson 
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
Watching 
Parenthood 
Say I Do (Netflix) 
Sweet Magnolias (Netflix) 
Listening
Last Seen: https://www.wbur.org/lastseen
Chasing Cosby: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/los-angeles-times-la-times-studios/chasing-cosby
S-Town: https://stownpodcast.org/ 
Politics 
Help Floridians vote: https://wegotthevote.org/finesandfees/
Inter Parliamentary Union: https://www.ipu.org/our-impact/strong-parliaments/setting-standards/declaration-criteria-free-and-fair-elections 
Bishop and Hoeffler article: https://journals-sagepub-com.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/doi/full/10.1177/0022343316642508
Freedom House: https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-on-the-net/2019/the-crisis-of-social-media/digital-election-interference 
Elections during pandemics: https://theconversation.com/how-to-hold-elections-safely-and-uphold-democracy-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-145628
The Daily episode on Russian troll farms: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/20/podcasts/the-daily/russia-trolls-misinformation.html 
A Vox video about online voter suppression: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Veo_T4a5dM 
Pop Culture 
The science behind our obsession with fall: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/scientific-reason-we-love-fall_n_57f41713e4b04c71d6f0979f?guccounter=1
More of said science: https://www.bustle.com/wellness/why-are-people-so-obsessed-with-fall-experts-explain-your-love-for-autumn-18735529#:~:text=Peer%20pressure%20to%20enjoy%20autumn,and%20think%20turkey%20is%20tasteless.
The pumpkin spice industry: https://www.forbes.com/sites/maggiemcgrath/2018/10/31/inside-the-600-million-pumpkin-spice-industrial-complex/#661a54e11b95
Pumpkin spice latte facts: https://grow.acorns.com/coronavirus-spending-pumpkin-spice-lattes/
Even more pumpkin spice latte facts: https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/pumpkin-spice-industry_ca_5d654fb4e4b0d2fa2db1ef89
Cost of Thanksgiving: https://lendedu.com/blog/cost-of-thanksgiving/
Hot Girl Summer: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/7/12/20690515/hot-girl-summer-meme-define-explained
Christian Girl Autumn: https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/8/14/20804030/christian-girl-autumn-meme-hot-girl-summer-explained

Shirley Chisholm and The Strawberry Dress

As the wonderful and wise Taylor Swift once said: August slipped away like a bottle of wine. So here we are, already talkin’ all about the month of August 2020! Listen to hear us discus the legacy and influence of Shirley Chisholm, the viral power of that Strawberry Dress, and exciting new media bits like Nice White Parents, Boys State, and I May Destroy You.
Keep in touch with us until the next episode:
Instagram: @dtcbspodcast
Personal ‘Grams: @msclearwater, @yazminelomax
 
Reading
The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks on Race (essay collection by Jesmyn Ward)
Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer
 
Watching
American Made
Boys State on Apple TV
I May Destroy You on HBO (USA) – Trigger Warning: Sexual violence. Please feel free to skip from 15:00 to 19:15 if you would like to skip this discussion.
 
Listening
Nice White Parents by Serial and The New York Times
Imploding The Mirage by The Killers
Down In The Weeds, Where The World Once Was by Bright Eyes
 
Politics 
*Note: Lena Dunham was actually involved in Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign in a different, controversial way to the one we discussed in this segment (https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2017/01/25/politically-illiterate-democratic-celebrities-continue-to-embarrass-themselves/) It was actually Taylor Swift who felt her public image would be detrimental to the campaign (https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/8/8/20791816/taylor-swift-hillary-clinton-2016-endorsement-vogue-september-issue)
https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2020/08/12/kamala-harris-shirley-chisholm/
https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/shirley-chisholm
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/unbought-and-unbossed-when-black-woman-ran-for-the-white-house-180958699/
https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/C/CHISHOLM,-Shirley-Anita-(C000371)/ 
Pop Culture 
https://lirikamatoshi.com/pages/about
https://www.vogue.com/article/strawberry-dress-lirika-matoshi-popular
https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/lirika-matoshi-strawberry-dress
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/18/style/strawberry-dress-tiktok-instagram-who-designed-where-to-get.html
https://www.allure.com/story/tess-holliday-strawberry-dress-tiktok-trend-fatphobia
https://goodonyou.eco/how-ethical-is-zara/
https://thecurvyfashionista.com/size-inclusive-vs-plus-size/
https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/kim-kardashian-fashion-nova-mugler-knockoff-1203037428/
https://www.glamour.com/story/fat-tax-is-about-more-than-money

The Istanbul Convention and Pandemic Art

We hope this episode *finds you well in these unprecedented times* and, y’know, that you like it! If you do and you want more Different Things Can Be Sad in your life, make sure to follow our podcast Instagram @dtcbspodcast, as well as our personal accounts @yazminelomax and @msclearwater.
 
Reading
On Beauty by Zadie Smith
Black Sunday by Tola Rotimi Abraham 
So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
 
Watching 
The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019) 
Michael Clayton (2007) 
The Babysitters Club on Netflix 
 
Listening 
Women in Music Part III by Haim 
Folklore by Taylor Swift
 
Politics
(If you’d like to skip this section, jump to 41:35)
Gender and Covid research: https://www.genderandcovid-19.org/
Turkey:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1714741/middle-east
https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/turkey-convention-combating-violence-against-women-must-not-be-abandoned
http://bianet.org/english/male-violence/228290-istanbul-convention-what-is-it-what-is-it-not 
Poland:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-poland-politics/heightening-eu-frictions-poland-queries-pact-on-violence-against-women-idUSKCN24V1UU
https://www.dazeddigital.com/politics/article/49844/1/how-lgbtq-rights-are-under-threat-in-poland-and-how-to-help-fight-it
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53538205
https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/poland-should-not-withdraw-from-the-istanbul-convention-says-secretary-general
 
Pop Culture 
Rolling Stone article that explains why albums are being pushed back: https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/features/album-delays-caused-by-covid-19-973870/
Phoebe Bridgers’ New Yorker profile: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/05/25/phoebe-bridgers-frank-anxious-music
Cousin Greg’s pandemic song: https://variety.com/2020/music/news/succession-cousin-greg-nicholas-braun-song-antibodies-1234720585/
Grey’s Anatomy featuring coronavirus next season: https://ew.com/tv/greys-anatomy-season-17-coronavirus/
Newsletter recommendation! Maybe Baby by Haley Nahman: https://haleynahman.substack.com/
Not Without My Sister podcast: https://www.thewarren.ie/not-without-my-sister
Pants2Bags: https://www.instagram.com/pants2bags/?hl=en
Sundae Service: https://www.instagram.com/sundaeservice.nyc/?hl=en

Pre-Corona Political Updates and Celebrities in Quarantine

Welcome to the second half of 2020! Here's hoping act two has more happiness in store for us than the first did, hey? This month we're returning to our regular Politics and Pop Culture format, as well as providing you with a BLM focused Reading, Watching and Listening. Bon app the teeth!
Reading 
*Got some bookshop.org links for ya, not affiliate links! 
If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin: https://bookshop.org/books/if-beale-street-could-talk-9780307275936/9780307275936
Red at the Bone by Jaqueline Woodson: https://bookshop.org/books/red-at-the-bone/9780525535270
Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid: https://bookshop.org/books/such-a-fun-age/9780525541905
The Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds: https://bookshop.org/books/opposite-of-always/9780062748379
Watching 
Da 5 Bloods on Netflix 
Do the Right Thing 
Malcolm X 
13th on Netflix
Listening 
1619 from The New York Times
Code Switch from NPR
Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers
Politics 
Wet’suwet’en
https://globalnews.ca/news/6936521/wetsuweten-draft-agreement-details/
https://thepostmillennial.com/alberta-energy-minister-says
https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/04/20/gas-pipeline-wetsuweten-coronavirus-pandemic-indigenous-sovereignty-canada-oil/
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/wet-suwet-en-territory-rcmp-armed-officers-1.5633987?cmp=rss
Hong Kong 
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/27/world/canada/huawei-extradition-meng-wanzhou.html
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2020/05/27/hong-kong-is-no-longer-politically-autonomous-from-china-pompeo-says/#3a1adf3b30fb
https://hongkongfp.com/2020/05/28/video-hong-kong-police-conduct-mass-arrests-in-mong-kok-as-clashes-continue-into-night/
Pop Culture
Celebrities being unrelatable online: https://www.insider.com/celebrities-quarantine-social-media-distancing-have-been-completely-unrelatable-in-2020-4#ellen-degeneres-comparing-being-in-quarantine-to-being-in-jail-21
Imagine video:https://slate.com/culture/2020/03/celebrities-singing-imagine-video-explained.html
I Take Responsibility video: https://thenewdaily.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/2020/06/12/i-take-responsibility-video/
'Celebrity Culture Is Burning', New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/30/arts/virus-celebrities.html
'Celebrity Quarantine Posts Are Inflaming Tensions Between The Haves and Have Nots', Vox: https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2020/4/22/21228696/celebrity-quarantine-coronavirus-influencer-instagram-ellen-degeneres-arielle-charnas-class-wealth
Wear A Damn Mask challenge: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a33023419/celebrity-wear-a-damn-mask-challenge

Black Lives Matter

This month, we're asking you to use the time you'd normally spend listening to Different Things Can Be Sad consuming a different podcast (or podcasts!). Our recommendations are a mixture of podcasts that focus on anti-racism, and ones that are fun listens by amazing Black creators. We are excited to join you on this important listening journey! 
 
1619 from The New York Times
Code Switch from NPR
About Race with Reni Eddo-Lodge
Good Ancestor Podcast by Layla F. Saad

#Flashback to April 1920

Hold up: it’s (gonna be) May already? April 2020 passed in a bit of a blur so this month we’re talking all things April 1920 because...well, why the heck not? Get ready to hear Majka discuss some significant political events from 100 years ago, and Yaz dissect the juicy pop culture happenings of the time. 
 
Plus… IT’S OUR SECOND BIRTHDAY! Different Things Can Be Sad is officially a toddler now and we’re celebrating by holding a bookish giveaway. Head over to @dtcbspodcast on Instagram, fill out and share our Story template, and you’ll be in with a chance to win a book of your choice from Bookshop.org, a new site that benefits independent bookstores.
 
Reading 
The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
 
Watching 
Alex Strangelove on Netflix
Bridget Jones’s Diary
Little Fires Everywhere on Hulu
Listening 
I Feel Alive by TOPS
Songs From A Broken Chair, and Gemini by Noah Reid
The New Abnormal by The Strokes
The Loves Of Your Life by Hamilton Leithauser
Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple
 
Politics 
All the April 1920 news: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_1920
 
Pop Culture
Scott Fitzgerald’s wedding: http://airshipdaily.com/blog/04032014-fitzgerald-wedding
Gigi and Zayn’s baby news: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a32307065/gigi-hadid-zayn-malik-pregnant-expecting-child-together/
Edward VIII surfing: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/9187691/King-of-the-waves-Edward-VIII-pictured-surfing-in-1920.html
Harry, Meghan, and LA: https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1270884/prince-harry-Meghan-markle-la-renting-house-Duke-Duchess-Sussex-royal
Harry’s HeadFIT: https://people.com/royals/prince-harry-is-back-doing-what-he-loves-most-helping-the-military/
Harry and Thomas the Tank Engine: https://people.com/royals/prince-harry-helps-celebrate-75th-anniversary-of-one-of-his-childhood-heroes/
Ice hockey at the Olympics:
https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1920/ICH/mens-ice-hockey.html
Gronk becomes a Buccaneer: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29078406/patriots-trade-rob-gronkowski-buccaneers-4th-round-pick

Pandemic Support Group

YOU GUYS! March has been...well, rough. It's been scary. It's been emotional. It's been looooong. So that's why we're breaking from our usual formula to bring you Pandemic Support Group, a very special episode designed to get you through this spell at home. Think of it as both an audio hug and your go-to guide to beating boredom. And remember: if we all pray to Noah Centineo and Timothee Chalamet enough, hopefully April's episode will be dropping into a happier and safer world.  
Reading 
Normal People by Sally Rooney 
Women Talking by Miriam Toews
The Younger Man by Zoe Foster Blake 
 
Watching 
Emma 
Schitt’s Creek
New Girl
 
Listening 
Step by Haim
The Local by Pulp Fever
Caution by The Killers
Bad Feeling and Broken Tambourine by Muzz
Persona Non Grata by Bright Eyes
 
Isolation Reading 
Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffeneger
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Meet Me In The Bathroom by Lizzy Goodman
Looking For Alaska by John Green
Red, White and Royal Blue by Cassie McQuiston
Emma by Jane Austen
Stasiland by Anna Funder
 
Isolation Watching 
The Big Sick
La La Land 
Looper
Twilight
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
The Office
The West Wing 
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
 
Isolation Listening
Fine Line by Harry Styles
Yours To Keep by Albert Hammond Jr.
19 by Adele
Wide Awake! by Parquet Courts
Staying In with Emily & Kumail 
Life Uncut

Wet'suwet'en Protest and The One With The Reunion

It's us again, folks! This February we're discussing the Wet'suwet'en pipeline protests in Canada and the forthcoming Friends reunion. Plus, in news that will surprise exactly zero loyal listeners, we read books with feminist themes and listened to the new Strokes songs so you'll get to hear our take on those too!
 
Reading 
Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney
Mrs Everything by Jennifer Weir
Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino
 
Watching 
Uncut Gems
Next In Fashion on Netflix
'Reality Shows Don't Have To Be Cruel': https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2020/02/netflix-next-in-fashion-new-era-reality-tv/606859/
High Fidelity on Hulu
High Fidelity review: https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/02/tv-review-high-fidelity/
 
Listening 
Frankie Cosmos
'At The Door' and 'Bad Decisions' by The Strokes
 
Politics 
Governance in Canada: https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2020/02/25/Politicians-Columnists-Dont-Get-Wetsuweten-Crisis-Governance/
The protests: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/blockades-continue-hamilton-bc-1.5474916
The protesters: https://globalnews.ca/news/6399938/bc-pipeline-protesters-speak/
Trudeau's handling of the protests: https://www.hilltimes.com/2020/02/24/very-slippery-ice-wetsuweten-blockades-critical-for-trudeau-governments-credibility-say-former-indian-affairs-minister-pollsters/237024
UNDRIP: https://globalnews.ca/news/6101723/undrip-indigenous-relations-canada/
Unist’ot’en: http://unistoten.camp/
 
Pop Culture 
Friends: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friends
Millenials' views on Friends: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/friends-netflix-sexist-racist-transphobic-problematic-millenials-watch-a8154626.html
Friends on HBO Max: https://www.inc.com/jason-aten/the-friends-reunion-is-official-at-hbo-max-its-a-perfect-example-of-how-to-turn-fans-into-customers.html
The One Where Monica Goes On A Hike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AaW_oRI_mk
 

Royals and Braniston 2020

Happy 2020! It's a new year and a decade but the same old Majka and Yaz are back to break down the latest in politics and pop culture for you. This month, Majka teaches a masterclass on the concept of royals in light of #Megxit, while Yaz discusses the road to a potential Brad Pitt/Jennifer Aniston reunion. Oh, and there is definitely a Lorde singalong. You've been warned. 
Reading
Nothing Breaks Like A Heart by Katherine Webber
Tiny Love Stories in The New York Times
 
Watching 
The Bold Type on Hulu
Next In Fashion on Netflix
Killer Inside: The Mind Of Aaron Hernandez on Netflix
Sex Education season 2 on Netflix
Longshot
Little Women
 
Listening 
Hamilton Leithauser
Bright Eyes
Foolish Loving Spaces by Blossoms
Marriage Story soundtrack
Little Women soundtrack
 
Politics 
The purpose of the monarchy and the problem of inequality: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jan/06/the-purpose-of-the-monarchy-and-the-problem-of-inequality
Why monarchies are still relevant and useful in the 21st century:https://thediplomat.com/2014/06/why-monarchies-are-still-relevant-and-useful-in-the-21st-century/
Monarchies are more useful than you think:https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/04/opinion/monarchies-more-useful-than-you-think.html
European monarchies still have a purpose:https://www.thenewfederalist.eu/do-european-monarchies-still-have-any-purpose?lang=fr
Royal family costs and benefits: https://fullfact.org/economy/royal-family-what-are-costs-and-benefits/
 
Pop Culture
Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt relationship timeline: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a30378889/jennifer-aniston-brad-pitt-relationship-timeline/
Looking back on Jennifer Aniston's romance history: https://www.eonline.com/news/1013117/looking-back-on-jennifer-aniston-s-surprising-romance-history#photo-963205
Pittaissance: https://www.vogue.com/article/best-brad-pitt-moments-golden-globes-2020
Jennifer Aniston's Huffington Post op-ed: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/for-the-record_b_57855586e4b03fc3ee4e626f
Why Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt should never get back together: https://www.thedailybeast.com/jen-dont-do-it-why-jennifer-aniston-and-brad-pitt-should-never-get-back-together?ref=scroll