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Things We Saw Today

Things We Saw Today: What Girls Want

by Jamie Frevele | 4:58 pm, October 17th, 2011


We dispute zero parts of this. (via Blastr)

You might be asking yourself, Why do penguins need sweaters? Because it’s cold? Because they’re snazzy? Because they are not fond of coats? Aside from the obvious snazziness, penguins needs sweaters because after the Tauranga oil spill in New Zealand, penguins have been getting sick preening their oil-covered feathers. Penguin sweaters prevent them from doing this. You can learn how to make (and donate) them at Skeinz Yarn Store. (via Mental_Floss)

  • Just when you thought you were safe from the Akira remake: Screen Rant reports that Warner Bros. is about to make a decision on whether or not to move forward with an Americanized, live-action remake of the classic anime film.

    • Jezebel is that really cool friend who lent you her hair brush today and told you how funny you are, because they have two really awesome stories we had to tell you about:

  • First, we all knew about Anne Frank and her legendary diary about her time hiding from the Nazis. But have you ever heard of Helga Weiss? Weiss outsmarted Nazis and saved herself and her mother from the concentration camps by convincing them that she (Helga) was older and her mother was younger. Weiss’ diary will be published next year.
  • Second, a sorority at Washburn University inducted a 90-year-old woman as an honorary member. Back in 1941, Bertie McConnell had to put off pledging to Zeta Tau Alpha when World War II broke out and she went to work at an ammunition factory. We’re assuming they won’t make her go through hazing.

    • Dark Horse has announced that Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan will take on Conan, adapting Robert E. Howard‘s Queen of the Black Coast. (via Digital Spy)

  • Ever wonder why so many automated voices, like Apple‘s Siri, are female? And do they make dudes feel like Don Draper? (via The Atlantic)

    • The Muppets take on the Beatles‘ Revolver, among a few other famous album covers. (via Popped Culture)

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    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=681460421 Lauron Haney

      Wow, Mary Sue, how you’ve let me down.

      In the commentary of a story that is a nice, heart-warming tale of personal sacrifice for the greater good on what is obviously a slow news day, you’ve chosen to take a stab at sororities. In particular, your commentary suggests that the Zeta Tau Alpha chapter at Washburn participates in hazing.

      I am by no means pretending that hazing has been eradicated in the sorority/fraternity communities, but your side comment on this story really could be considered libel to some when all is said and done. It also shows a great amount of disrespect to the subjects of the story you posted, including 90-year old Bertie McConnell, simply because of their Greek affiliations.
      Personally, I am now in my fourth year as a member of Alpha Delta Pi, Phi Chapter. While I cannot speak for everyone and every occurrence, I personally have never witnessed, been involved in, or even heard of hazing within my chapter. I know that my personal story may even be within the minority, but it is a testament to the fact that, at least for some within the Greek system, hazing is not even a pertinent personal issue. All that being said, welcome to the Greek community at long last, Ms. McConnell.

      Oh, also, this happened at Washburn University. You just wasted the opportunity to make a fantastic Firefly reference.

    • Anonymous

      tiny.cc/qcfnd

    • Francesca M

      But they need to change that last little bit at the end.. I don’t want it to be 10! I want 11. No more Allons-y! It must be: GERONIMO!

    • Naomi Wick

      ……..
      He’s still the Doctor.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_AOFTU2AM7WRZZFDC6SPN4XF6KQ Null

      I knew plenty of frats and sororities that don’t haze (there was a nice coed frat at a tech school I knew some people in), but I think it was sort of a generic frat/sorority joke rather than a specific allegation of hazing at that particular sorority.

      Of course, you might well argue that the assumption that all Greek organizations must haze is the problem…and I’d say the stereotype of arrogant alcoholic jocks/conformist Republican daddy’s girls would likely be more relevant. As you correctly point out, not all Greek organizations are the same…heck, I knew some geek frats (and sororities).

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_AOFTU2AM7WRZZFDC6SPN4XF6KQ Null

      Oh, maybe the American Akira will be like this:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jafd97yJFOI

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_AOFTU2AM7WRZZFDC6SPN4XF6KQ Null

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrlZCm2GnXI

      And this is a putative American reboot of another foreign classic…

    • Colleen Bennett

      I really have to agree with Lauron here. As a Zeta Tau Alpha alum and rabid fan of this site I was overjoyed to see that this was worth mentioning…. until that last comment. It was unnecessary. My chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha never hazed and none of the other sororities on my campus did either. As a matter of fact ZTA is nationally recognized for the steps they take to prevent hazing.

      I am proud to welcome Bertie McConnell as a sister. A sister who, along with hundreds of younger women this year, will not be hazed.

    • http://taste-is-sweet.livejournal.com/ Taste_is_Sweet

      There actually *was* an American reboot of Doctor Who: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116118/ It was ostensibly a co-production, but considering it was filmed and set in the US, it was far more American than UK. And you can imagine who well it did…

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7G4SWUX2MCWWXLMYNN347JMIZY Frodo Baggins

      Give me a break. It’s a completely innocuous, generic Greek Life joke, not to mention it says they DIDN’T haze her. Libel?  How oversensitive can you be?

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7G4SWUX2MCWWXLMYNN347JMIZY Frodo Baggins

      Matt Smith is the Spinal Tap amp of Doctors.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1705628571 Nichole Filbert

      “How oversensitive can you be?”

      Agree to disagree, but I don’t think gaslighting is the answer here.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=681460421 Lauron Haney

      “We’re assuming they won’t make her go through hazing.”

      When you replace the personal pronouns, it would read as “The people at Mary Sue are assuming that Zeta Tau Alpha won’t make Bertie McConnell go through hazing.”

      I believe that a person could easily get from that statement the contrast, that Zeta Tau Alpha then makes other new members then go through hazing. I’m not bringing this up in order to throw hate around or make accusations about how sensitive people should or should not be, but I think that in our lawsuit-happy society, the people at Mary Sue should be more cautious. I really like this website (except when the rare things like this happen) and I would like to see it continue and the generally thoughtful and funny contributors to it not get attacked in a more legal venue than the comments section of a post.

      All that being said, negative, unfounded comments like the one above do not belong anywhere, but especially here. I view The Mary Sue as a website focused on the culture and community of self-proclaimed “girl geeks” (oh, hey, sort of like it states in the tagline). When negative comments are made by the writers, it alienates readership and tears down the community. This comment really had nothing to do with the story at hand, except for it being this individual writer’s (and perhaps whoever edits posts before they go up) point of view. It is hurtful, does not give any extra information, and doesn’t have a place here.

      If you disagree, please do so in a constructive manner. I understand that this is the internet which makes thoughtful disagreement more difficult for us all, but there is no need to start a flame war.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000513348128 Kate Karlson

      I AM 100% IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT FIRST ONE. ALLONS-Y!

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