Vote for Comment of the Week

Here are this week's contenders:

Comment #1 a new comment on your post "Pushing pixels to promote plays":

I think that video games and stage theatre have some deep connections that are not fully understood at this time because video games are such a new medium. At the same time I don't like what the people across the pond are doing. To me it sounds like these guys are trying to act hip by making an app so that they can sell more tickets to young people. This is nothing more then a marketing ploy. And it might be a very effective one. But the game that the describe sounds like a cheap clone of a million other games out their for the iphone, and not like and meaningful cooperation between to powerful story telling mediums. When I was in high school we had to read Romeo and Juliet in English class. We could make any sort of project that explored the story of the play. I made a video game adaption of Romeo and Juliet. It sounds like are planing on doing the same thing I did. Take a classic story and let a player discover the story as well as some other perspectives that we don't get to see in the script. That's ok, but it's hardly something I would call art or inspirational. Video games and theatre need to start working together, but not in this simple way. 

Comment #2 a new comment on your post "Etiquette Redefined in the Digital Age":

I actually agree with the author of this article. Does he take a brisk, and somewhat rude stance? Yes. But, this doesn't mean what he has to say isn't relevant. While I'm a big fan of face to face communication, and one of my big links to home is having phone conversations, not text or e-mail conversations, instant communication is crucial. In this day and age, we rely on this technology. If a light board breaks down during a show and erases the information, we'd want an instant text from the designer. The biggest personal reference I can think of is when I was in high school and my mother would call me. She would usually call me while I was managing a rehearsal and taking blocking notes. I would see (or feel) my phone ring, and not answer it. She'd call me between five and ten times, usually leaving an angry voicemail every other time. As soon as rehearsal got out, I wouldn't listen to any of the voicemails, but I would then call her and ask what she wanted. Absolutely unnecessary communication. If she had originally sent me a short text message such as "Will you be staying past 8pm tonight?" Then I could easily respond as a scene was resetting in about 15 seconds, and then immediately go back to working. This was about three years ago that this problem reached it peak. I finally sat down with her and explained text messaging. It ended her frustrations with me not answering phone calls, and it made me less frustrated than a phone that was constantly buzzing and wasting battery life. Is there still a time and place for phone calls, thank you e-mails (such as after a job interview), and asking directions? Absolutely. But, each situation is individual, and linked to the person with whom the communication is taking place with. 

Comment #3 a new comment on your post "Sleep Deprivation":

Here at CMU in the drama department, most of us have lived a little bit sleep deprived, if only for a little. Usually, one can make it through the day, and then catch up on sleep the next night or later in the day. But, its interesting to think that it's not just a "feeling" of being tired, but actually a physical deformation on the cellular level with the folding of proteins. Though, the podcast doesn't go deeply into science of folded proteins I've got the general gist that these proteins need to fold so that the human body works properly. And when we don't sleep, those proteins don't fold, therefore, the body doesn't work right. This makes so much sense with how I've seen my body and others react to a lack of sleep. It also mentioned that when people don't sleep, they get angrier and have a shorter temper. This has also proven true in my experience. I can this also being related to the protein thing? Maybe it prevents circuits in the brain from being "wired" correctly. In any case, sleep deprivation literally deforms the inside of your body, and it seems odd to think that something so casually done in school and in life (like when someone has a newborn) has such a huge impact on the insides (and how one acts on the inside). 

Comment #4 a new comment on your post "Etiquette Redefined in the Digital Age":

I find it extremely depressing that people can't simply be *bothered* to be kind or polite to their peers because it takes too long. What I find even more depressing, is that I actually agree with the author. Sometimes texts that say "Thank you" or "ok" are just unnecessary and fairly aggravating when I'm in the middle of my homework or working on a project. However, When people say thank you, it's nice to be reminded that not everyone is inconsiderate out there. I agree that phone conversations and voicemails aren't exactly relevant all the time anymore, but I actually find it nice that someone cares enough to call so they can actually talk to me about something. Even if the question is just, "I'm going to the store, do you need anything?" it shows that someone actually cared enough to put in the effort to talk to me about it. The way I see it, making phone calls can be such a *hassle*. When someone actually calls me its nice to know their putting in the effort. 

Comment #5 a new comment on your post "The Arts' College of Cardinals Equivalent":

It would be great if people in the arts community had input on the NEA chair, but like Barry suggests, it's never gonna happen. Choosing an NEA chair is an exercise in non-confrontation. The idea is to pick someone so innocuous, so totally uncontroversial that no one in the opposition can use the appointment effectively as a political weapon. Paula Vogel will never be the NEA chair. The chairmanship is not so much about the arts as it is about not offending anyone. As much as I'd like to see arts professionals have input on the appointment, I don't see how that tactic could possibly be politically expedient, which is the point. And when it comes down to it, how could it possibly matter to anyone? Even us? The thing about being Catholic is you HAVE to care about the pope. No one has to care about the NEA chairperson. And in reality, why should we? The NEA budget last year was 146 million out of a total federal budget of $3.7 trillion. Yes, nerds, that's .0003% of the federal budget over which this lucky individual holds sway. That's the real problem, if you ask me. So until there's real power in the position, like a direct phone line to God, for instance, I don't see anyone pitching a tent on the White House lawn waiting for the theatrical fog signal to announce the selection of a new chair.