Towards the middle of the event, after the Remus Lupins had played their first few songs and had taken a break, the hosts of Mugglecast stepped back on to the outdoor stage and announced that they were taking questions. Excited as my younger self already was from the atmosphere of the event, I stepped up to the microphone, accepted my birthday hat, and asked my question, not having been aware at the time of how ridiculous my question sounded. Despite this, as I listen to the moment again, it strikes me how well I was treated. My question was answered with politeness and courtesy and, perhaps most importantly, I was treated with respect.

Then something changed.

As the years following the release progressed and fan sites and podcasts were continuously updated, small things began to occur more frequently which were fundamentally different from the experience I had in Pittsburgh. For example, when fan e-mails were read on the podcasts of several of the most popular fan sites, contempt from the host reading them became more and more prominent. It appeared that, while at first the prospect of a lengthy response from a fan had seemed flattering, the majority of people on the podcasts now found said fans to be nuisances rather than devoted people to be admired. More often than before, “I’m going to get e-mails about this” was quipped typically accompanying a long sigh and a more-than-likely rolling of eyes rather than the probably more appropriate response of delight that fans would take the time to write in to the show at all.

Taking this into consideration, a longtime member of the fandom has to wonder. What happened after the release of Deathly Hallows that caused the “A-List” of the Harry Potter fandom to develop such disdain for those who elevated them to their high status? Was it that the fans changed and became obsessive to the point of inappropriateness? Was it that the Harry Potter elite had begun to lose interest in the franchise following the release of the final book? Or, possibly the most likely reason, was their very status the reason for the fundamental change in attitude? Had they reached the point where the viewpoint of a fan is lost, traded for a sense of fame, the likes of which effectively remove the ability to interact on a personal level with the common fan?

Feel free to let me know your thoughts in comments. My hope is that the Harry Potter community will be able to regain just that, our lost sense of community, Harry Potter elite and all.

-Tyler

At the top: THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY ABOUT SOCIAL NETWORKING. IT WAS REVISED SHORTLY AFTER A MOMENTOUS ANNOUNCEMENT

Body:

Shortly after 10:30 PM EST on Sunday May 1, 2011, Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, was confirmed to be killed by American forces. Just moment following this unquestionably historic moment, massive crowds began to form outside the White House, thereby creating a symbol of national unity and patriotism unseen, quite possibly, since 9/11 itself. Through the actions taken by the citizenry of the United States, indeed the world has learned that the death of bin Laden extends far beyond its seemingly finite implications. The death of bin Laden, instead, represents the fundamentally unshakable unity of humankind, a unity that, despite perceptions of its ability to falter, can and will not fail.

Only time will be able to tell the far-reaching implications of the death of one of the most despised human-beings in history. Now, however, nearly ten years after three thousand people will murdered in a whirlwind of anti-American sentiment, the citizens of the United States and the world are finally able to stand together with hope, hope for the future, for mankind, and for the enduring spirit of human unity. For, in the end, that is all we can really hope for.

I know that a lot of you will still be too busy eating lots of barbeque and watching amazing fireworks to be able to read this right after I post it, but I like to stick to my word, and I promised that I would write a post on Independence Day today, so I’m going to do it.

Unfortunately, on a day very close to my heart, I believe that the true meaning of Independence Day is largely forgotten in all of the celebrations. Don’t get me wrong: I love the Fourth of July for the celebrations largely, but there is a deeper meaning to this most magical of holidays, which I plan to discuss this evening. So, here we go!

As most of you probably know, the Fourth of July commemorates the issuing of the Declaration of Independence which was issued on July 4, 1776. By the release of this long-planned document, all ties between Great Britain and what would later be known as the United States of America were severed.

But I believe the holiday does, and should, signify more than that. When the Declaration was released on that balmy summer day in Philadelphia, it represented something much more than the somewhat shallow literal independence that the colonies had then ascertained; it represented freedom from tyranny, a pure showing of democracy at its finest where actual representatives, as opposed to an out-of-touch monarchial form of government.

So, where does that put us today, you may ask. In the year 2010, we live in a nation where even the suggestion of American loyalty would warrant jeers of treason and un-American activity. We live in a nation where the branch of government that most resembles a monarchy, the executive branch, is kept, in most cases, from over-exerting their power by the other branches, the legislative and judicial, through a system known as checks and balances. We have taxation WITH, though this is argued against by several key, albeit delusional, members of the media *cough* Glenn Beck *cough*, representation, disregarding the fact that the majority of our views can be expressed in state and federal legislatures through our elected representatives.

Because of all these reasons, I am proud to say that Independence Day is my second-favorite holiday-it is only beaten out by Presidents Day for obvious reasons-. And, beyond that, I am proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. (I’m sorry, terrorists, I had to throw that in there )

So, in conclusion, enjoy your Independence Day celebration. But also realize the actual meaning and history of the holiday as well. Whatever your opinions are on Thomas Jefferson (mine are somewhat negative, and I’m willing to engage anyone who wishes to have one to a debate about it) remember that he is a vital founding father, and was a major component to the founding of the nation. For without him and the rest of the Continental Congress for that matter, we may not even now enjoy the freedoms we have today that we often take advantage of so much.

As Independence Day 2010 draws to a close, feel free to leave me a comment below telling me what you think about Independence Day’s deeper meaning, or even how you celebrated it today!

For now, good night and good luck!

So yesterday, in searching for something special to do for my friend, Christina’s, birthday, I decided to write a poem to the tune of The Night Before Christmas . I thought that you might enjoy reading it so I thought I would post it here. Enjoy!

The Night Before Christina’s Birthday

By: Tyler Smith

‘Twas the night before Christina’s Birthday, when all through the house

Everyone was settled down, even Jess in her revealing blouse;

The presents were wrapped on the table with care,

Surely some Firefly and Castle would be found there;

Jess and Holly were all snug in their bed,

While visions of Rach danced in their heads;

And Samm in her dress, and AJ in his suit,

Had just settled down for a rant against Twilight, to boot,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

Christina sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Over to the window. she rode like the wind,

Dropped the Haus of Gaga while running and knew she had sinned.

Gaga’s lack of clothing was seen on the cover of Rolling Stone

And Christina sighed as Jess walked in appearing totally stoned

When, what to her wondering eyes should appear,

But a motorcade, and eight secret service agents with lots of apparent cheer,

With the president emerging, a man who is quite the compiler

She knew in a moment it must be, who else, but Tyler!

More rapid than eagles his guards they came,

And he smiled, and waved, and called them by name;

“Now, Simon! now, Donovan! now, Jones and Nixon! Come, Steven! Come John! Come, Tim and Dixen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now come up! Come up! Come up all!”

So up to the porch, the agents they flew,

With the bag full of presents, and the President too.

As Christina drew in her head, and was turning around,

Up the stairs, President Tyler came with a bound.

He was dressed all fancy, from his head to his toes

And his face was war-torn from Republican blows

A satchel of presents he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his sack.

He had a fat face and hair like Justin Bieber

That shook, when he laughed, at least, it seemed ‘ter.

He was skinny and happy, like the kids off Jersey Shore,

Except unlike Snooki (and Jess for that matter) he wasn’t a total whore

With a wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

He gave her comfort in knowing she had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

Pulled a gift out of his bag, with a little jerk.

He laid his finger along his ear

And giving a nod, the agents took him to which Christina said “Oh dear!”

And away they all flew as the President smiled

But she heard him exclaim, as his hair was still incredibly styled

“Happy Birthday Christina, you‘re quite the pimp!”

When he left, she opened the package with glee.

As she saw what he gave her she said “Oh, just for me?!”

Memories of their experiences were in the package, quite scattered

As Christina saw he gave what he thought really mattered.

THE END!

Feel free to leave a comment below telling me what you thought of the poem. Was it good? Original? Unoriginal? Whatever your opinion of the content was, I think I accomplished my goal of thanking one of the most important people in my life who gives me the gift of compassion and understanding each and every day. Have a great birthday Christina! As the poem says: “You’re quite the pimp!”

For now, good night and good luck!

February 8, 2010: Birthday. Great fun. Got a mug from Christina based on my future presidency.

March 23, 2010: President signs comprehensive Health Care Reform into law. End of 15 month journey filled with arguments and lots of coffee.

April 20, 2010: Oil rig explodes in the Gulf. Still is gushing (by the way, follow @spill_updates on Twitter to get updates ) Half-assed effort by BP for cleanup. Pissed.

May 25, 2010: Honor Society dinner. Overdressed. Surprisingly good food though.

June 3, 2010: Last day of junior high. Hallelujah.

June 18, 2010: First would-be anniversary of BNN. Don’t be too sad though as things are coming from me, AJ Barnett, and Claire McKenna. You should follow them on Twitter too, by the way. They’re cool people.

June 29, 2010: Bought first Xbox 360. Very cool indeed. Gamertag= Tyyy68. Add me if you would.

So I think that covers pretty much the entire course of my life for the past six months. Now to get on to something that I really want to talk about.

Lady Gaga is the single most revolutionary and ingenious artists of the 21st century. And I will fight anyone else who says otherwise, but I think we should go into a brief bio which might explain why I believe this.

Stefani Germanotta was born in New York City on March 28, 1986. As a child, she always showed a great interest in music, performing arts, religion, philosophy, and politics, and by the age of 4, she had learned how to play the piano proficiently. Stefani (or as she would later come to be known, Lady Gaga, which was inspired by the Queen song “Radio Ga Ga”) then began performing in New York night clubs as a young teenager, where she found great success and ultimately began her career.

As Gaga became more and more visible, she gained a large legion of fans (now known as “Little Monsters”) especially after her debut album “The Fame” was released in 2008 and she became the first artist to ever have four number-one singles on a debut album. As always, Gaga has remained humble and in interviews and interactions with the press, always credits her fans for her immense success.

With the release of “Telephone” and “Alejandro”, fans have seen Gaga develop from a popular New York socialite, to a self-proclaimed freak with a biting wit and a definite insight into society and all of the positive and negative aspects along with it. And while in recent months she has had to defend herself against intolerant accusations towards her behavior and general demeanor, she has always remained strong and assured the Little Monsters that she will not be changing anytime soon.

And that is why I personally love her. In all of her songs, videos, and performances, Gaga is not afraid to go beyond what is considered socially acceptable and provides every single one of her fans with the courage, inspiration, and drive to do the same. Because of this, I consider Gaga to not only be the century’s greatest musician, but also an icon and philosophical hero who goes beyond her lyrics to give us all a sense of purpose and community. And I hope that she will be around forever to give us all love, fame, and the occasional pair of sunglasses.

So that’s it. That’s why I, who I believe most people would not expect to be, am a little monster. Let me know what you think in the comments section below. Do you love her as much as I do? Do you think she’s a total joke? You better not.

And for the first of what I hope to be many times in the rest of 2010,

For now, good night and good luck!

Dear You,

You are the single most irritating, idiotic, air-headed person that I have ever met. Ever since that day when you dissed me right after doing something nice for you, I knew the friendship was on a downward spiral. You constantly ask me for favors, and when I provide them to you, you offer no form of sincere thanks or even the smallest form of appreciation. When we talk, I know that you constantly blow me off, and never listen to what I have to say, even when it’s incredibly important. And you know the way that I know you are not listening? Every once in a while you will give some vague, generic response that is rarely, if ever, sufficient to further the conversation. And do you know what the absolute worst thing about you is? You play yourself off as some profound intellectual, always wondering about the state of the world, actively engaging yourself in literature and social issues. All the while, you don’t even realize you don’t even KNOW the magnitude of the issues that you pretend to know so much about. Saying that you don’t know why you feel a negative way about a certain issue is not only unacceptable to me, but it creates an unfavorable view of you for society as a whole. So do yourself and every one around you a favor, get some friends, read a comprehensive book occasionally, and leave me alone because I am DONE talking to you.

Love,

Tyler Joseph Smith
Co-Founder of the Blind News Network

First and foremost, I feel as if I need to apologize for not force-feeding you my thoughts over the past couple of months. There are a variety of “bullshit” reasons I could give you for my absence since October, but to tell you the truth, the most major was a lack of motivation, which I hope to change in the new year. However, for my first post of this new decade, (I know this will technically be released on December 31, 2009, but if you’re that picky, go read something that will conform to your sense of years) I would like to discuss with you the various aspects of my personality.

As you have probably gathered from my previous posts, I am a very very strange person. I am narcissistic and self-deprecating, simultaneously, and anti-social (not in the medical definition of the condition, but in the culturally-understood definition.) I am cynical, skeptical, often offensive, and I usually feel, for lack of a better word, happiest when I’m thinking negative thoughts, especially with regards to politics, philosophy, and literature. Through my Twitter posts especially, I make direct attempts to appear deeply philosophical, which I aspire to actually be in the future. And last but not least, I completely flaunt the teachings of the English language by frequently being grammatically incorrect and not writing concluding sentences (I beat the system, yay!)

And, not surprisingly, by using self-criticism while writing that last paragraph, I received my usual feeling of gratification. Weird, right? I feel a strange sense of accomplishment whenever I, or someone else, criticizes me in a way in which I can improve myself (and no,  that last sentence had absolutely no sexual implications whatsoever .) Expectedly from the given information above, I react somewhat poorly to praise because I personally believe it implies a sense of near-perfection which I absolutely despise from anyone. Ultimately, I believe that this attitude would greatly benefit those who possess it, as senses of entitlement and self-satisfaction are becoming more and more widespread as time progresses.

That was cheerful! Now onto my second topic of discussion. With regards to my various projects, I believe that 2010 will be one of the most important years of the next decade with the list below being notable events/predictions:

• BNN Developments

This is probably one of the most obvious events will occur in 2010. Additionally, it is the one I’m the most excited for. From the varying ideas and projections I’ve seen recently for the year 2010, you can be sure that you have not seen the last of BNN, for we will be back, bigger and stronger than ever. Keep posted to this and AJ’s blog for further development announcements.

• APTV Show

As most of you probably know because you work at Accio-Potter, we have recently started a 24/7 Livestream channel, filled currently with old episodes of the Potter Puppet Pals. That will all change soon with regular programming beginning on January 4, 2010. With that, I can happily announce here that I will be doing two daily shows (1 hour each). The first show, which will run from 7:30-8:30, will be primarily centered around fan interactions in the Harry Potter fandom. On that show, I will feature various fan creations including: fan fiction, fan art, etc. The second show, which will run from 8:30-9:30, will largely be centered around Harry Potter games such as trivia, 20Q, etc. I’m really excited for the new opportunity, which you will be able to view here starting January 4th.

• Blogging/Writing in General

I believe this event is particularly straight-forward. In 2010, expect to see much more writing from me, whether it’s in the form of blogging, writing essays on political topics, or the like. Midnight Horizon will be my home for much of 2010, however you should not be surprised if I should move to a different blog at some point next year.

This probably isn’t nearly as long as it feels like it is. I hope you enjoy it, readers, this literally took me almost an hour to write due to Lady Gaga distractions from my new iPod Touch. Nevertheless, I would like to wish you a very happy, if you enjoy that type of feeling, New Year, and all the prosperity possible in the new year/decade. And now, for the final time this year, I wish you and 2009 alike: good night and good luck!

I’m back again. I hate to admit it, but I’m still really not sure how often I’m going to be able to continue blogging. I can almost guarantee that it won’t be daily, but I do want to blog more often than I have been as of late. Only one major thing has happened since I last blogged: I went on vacation. A few members of my family and myself went to Savannah, Georgia for the Buddy Walk, a charity event to benefit kids with down syndrome. I’m happy to say that everything went well and I really had a great time. Best of all, my opinion of the South has changed rather drastically: The South is not made up of brain-dead redneck conservatives for the most part. Now, onto the topic of discussion!

As most of you probably know, Michael Moore’s new movie “Capitalism: A Love Story” has come out recently. I do intend to see it as I was quite impressed with the quality of the trailer and the overall theme of the film. However, unlike Michael Moore, I am fiercely pro-capitalism. Of course, I do not support the form of Capitalism that was presented in recent years, but I do believe in the idea in theory. Why shouldn’t those who can perform better be more successful in the long run?

On the other hand, as a liberal, I believe that the government has a responsibility to provide its citizens with the materials it needs to maintain a decent standard of living. For instance, I highly believe that there should be a government-run public option for health care that would provide the populous with decent, affordable health insurance allowing the public to reallocate the money that would have been spent on hospital bills to other sections of the private sector that would ultimately stimulate the economy with little to no government spending. With this strategy, the poor would become the middle class and the rich would become even richer by allowing the population to invest in various programs that would enrich the country as a whole.

So, as a system, I believe Capitalism will, in the end, prevail over systems in which the rich regulate the poor. In America, anyone truly can make their way and become successful. I plan to. At this point, I would like to announce my candidacy as a Democratic Senator from Massachusetts in the 2052 Presidential Election. I hope I can count on your vote.

For now, good night and good luck!

So, I have a very exciting announcement that I was going to announce in a video, but didn’t, because of audio problems. Today, I am very happy to announce the founding of Operation: Youth Liberation. As you all know, I am the co-founder of BlindPolitics.com, and, when it was founded, AJ (blog here) and myself, had decided that youth rights would be an issue that we would be strong advocates for, therefore, it would be backed by the business. Anyway, it is my hope that Operation: Youth Liberation will help continue the battle for youth rights in issues such as: censorship, unwarranted restrictions on human rights, and the ability to have liberating experiences at a young age.

So, you may be asking yourself: How exactly will Operation: Youth Liberation operate? The organization will be a (hopefully) tight-knit community that will operate on the merit of email-writing, letter-sending, phone call-well, you get what I mean. While this organization is still in the works, I am happy to official open membership to anyone who is willing t o be both active in the organization, and passionate for youth rights. Once again, you may be asking yourself: How do you gain membership to the organization? I’m afraid it’s not as easy as entering a username and password into a page and hitting register, but don’t worry, it’s almost as easy as that.

To join the organization, a potential member would have to write at least one e-mail or letter (Or a phone call, but I would prefer one of the two other options) to a local representative in regards to youth rights or issues pertaining to persons under the age of eighteen, and then send an e-mail to myself at operationyouthliberation@gmail.com with proof of your contact. I’m very excited to announce that, along with admitting you to the organization, I will also be able to offer some other incentives to contact local officials.

So, if you send e-mails, letters, or phone calls to a local representative, here is what you’ll receive.

(Note: If you do not wish to give me your address, any letters that would have been sent to your house can/will be substituted with an e-mail.)

If you write:

1- You will receive a typed letter from myself, thanking you for your contribution and admitting you to the organization as a junior member.

3- You will receive a hand-written letter from myself, thanking you for your contribution and admitting you to the organization as a junior member.

5- You will receive a hand-written letter from myself, thanking you for your contribution and admitting you to the organization as an average member.

10- You will receive a hand-written letter from myself, thanking you for your contribution and admitting you to the organization as an average member, and a drawing of the organization logo (a design will be put up shortly.)

15- You will receive a hand-written letter from myself, thanking you for your contribution and admitting you to the organization as a senior member, and a drawing of the organization logo.

20+- You will receive a hand-written letter from myself, thanking you for your contribution and admitting you to the organization as a senior member, a drawing of the organization logo, and an excerpt from my book, which is about the issues of America and how they are viewed by and affect America’s Youth (the size of the excerpt will be determined based on the quality of the letters/e-mails sent to the representative.)

So, I hope you guys will take the time to write letters to your representatives (they can be found here) and will enjoy the prizes you receive for doing so because it really does make a difference. If you have any questions, you can send an e-mail to operationyouthliberation@gmail.com .

For now, good night and good luck!

Well, sort of. I’ve come to realize as I’ve taken my break that it would be nearly impossible to blog on a daily basis. So, what I’m going to try and do is: I will be attempting to blog every other day, and, if not that, I will be blogging at least once a week. So, what’s been happening lately? I’m happy to report that my transition back in to school was very smooth; I am doing quite well and the year looks like it’s going to be positive. Anyway, let’s get on to the topic of discussion for this evening!

As you probably know if you’re a frequent reader of the blog, I am a card-carrying, no-nonsense, hardcore liberal. I support gun control, health care reform, civil rights, diplomacy, etc. Recently, there has been quite a lot of heat coming from right-wing radicals such as Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh toward the current Democratic Congress and, more directly, the Obama Administration, in an obvious attempt to put a stopper in, what I believe to be, the direction that will make America a better place for future generations. So, in this post, I will attempt to dispel some of the rumors started by these “pundits”. In this analysis, I will rate each of these statements as: Correct, Mostly True, Barely True, Barely Untrue, Mostly Untrue, and Liar Liar.

1. “The crooks in Congress are trying to pull the plug on Grandma to save an extra buck.”

Verdict: Mostly Untrue

If these so-called experts would actually look at a paragraph of one of the bills that is proposed, they would see that the bill actually states that the government-provided health care plan will provide optional consultation on certain end-of-life matters to elderly people.

2. “The War in Iraq is just and it is good that we got Saddam.”

Verdict: Barely Untrue

While it is true that Saddam was not a very fun guy to hang around with, most people who would actually look at the facts of what has happened over the past six years of our occupation of the war-torn nation would see that Iraq was not only not connected with the horrific tragedy of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center, but they would also see that they were not an immediate threat to America either because, as far as we know, there was insufficient evidence to suggest that Iraq ever had nuclear capabilities. Truly, we have more to worry about in 2009 from Kim Jong-il than we did in 2001 from Saddam Hussein.

3. “The Republican Party is the party of the people.”

Verdict: Liar, Liar

While this may have been true during the Election of 1860 between Northern Republican, Abraham Lincoln, and Northern Democrat, Stephen Douglas, most will agree that in the 150 years that have passed since then, the Republican Party has severely lost it’s way. Back in that time, the Republican Party was the party of small government, in the sense that it didn’t want the government infringing on the rights of the people. In modern times, it has done an exact flip-flop. It is the party that doesn’t support homosexual rights, supports tax cuts for the rich, and, while it doesn’t promote this policy, is usually the party that discriminates against others for their religious views. Lincoln, a Republican, was a major component of a civil rights revolution, and the Republican Party needs to return to its roots before it loses the majority of its membership, as was evidenced in the Election of 2008.

I’m sure that I will be doing more of these in the future and be sure to post any comments that you would like for me to discuss below.

For now, good night and good luck!