Jason Stuart: The Birth Of An Actor

An exclusive insight into Jason Stuart's unlikely journey to play a slave owner in 2016's most anticipated film, The Birth of a Nation





If Woody Allen gets credit for coining the aphorism which says that 90 percent of success is just showing up, then lets agree that an ethos of similar import and clarity belongs to out actor, Jason Stuart, who appears as archetypal Southern slave owner, Joseph Randall in Nate Parker's expectations-laden reprise of The Birth of a Nation (Oct. 7 release date).



Be serious about your place in your profession and make sure the industry knows you're serious - then become indispensable.



I'm paraphrasing because I've heard Stuart use variously similar words to explain the foundational motto by which he also appears to navigate his personal life. However, that observation may be presumptuous given the fact that a journalist can only tepidly attest to the personal life of an actor whom he knows from a handful of interviews and from having been lucky enough to moderate a few live-discussion panels in which Stuart was, as it turned out each time, an indispensable participant.



That's the thing about Stuart, once he gets into your head or your heart, you keep going back for more. Yet he still maintains a humble persona. Actually, that's not fair, it's not a celebrity-fabricated persona; it's the genuine-article personality of a guy raised in the sinewy, palm-lined shadows of the Hollywood sign by strong and loving parents, one of whom was a Holocaust survivor.



Fairfax High School sits smack-dab in the heart of the left coast fashion-and-paparazzi quarter known as the Melrose District. But as a student at Fairfax High, Jason Stuart saw his high school the same way innumerable other LGBT youth do in places more ordinary and presumably far more conservative. He saw it as an often scary place.



"Someone wrote the word 'fag' on my locker on the first day of school," Stuart tells San Diego LGBT Weekly. "I had to see that word every day for next three years. Everything is always hard for me on the first day since then, including first dates and first days on the set."



Continued at LGBT Weekly.com

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Remember Your Long Term Goals When Creating Your Daily To-Do List

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Most of us treat our to-do lists as a collection of mundane, but pressing, responsibilities we face during the next day or week. But University of Texas professor Art Markham warns that filling to-do lists with only the boring, tedious tasks can distract us from more significant and long term goals, ultimately cause us to come up short on such goals.

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To often, we “don't move toward our most significant goals automatically; we fall short of them because we're too consumed with immediate task execution,” says Markham, author of several books including, most recently, Brain Briefs.

“Research on happiness suggests that people who see their jobs as a calling enjoy their work more than those who just see their jobs as a collection of things to do,” according to Markham. “A sense of purpose matters and a well-written to-do list can help impart it.”

Individuals who view their jobs as a calling recognize that the significant contributions you make day in, day out, all add up to something significant over a career. So your to-do list should ideally make that easier to see, not harder.

Include big-picture tasks on your agenda, not just urgent ones.

Advice from Markham | The next time you write a to-do list, make a conscious effort to figure out when, over the next workweek, you'll be able to add (big-picture) tasks to your schedule.

VIA | FastCompnay

HT/LifeHacker.com

Regulations Issued for U.S. Pre-paid Credit Cards and Related Apps | 2016

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Yesterday (September 5, 2016), the U.S. Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) put into motion the process of issuing final rules and regulations related to pre-paid credit cards and new forms of digital payments, including transactional apps like Paypal's Venmo and Google Wallet. The new rules will generally apply to prepaid accounts starting Oct. 1, 2017, though the requirement for submitting agreements to the (CFPB) takes effect in October 2018.

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The use of prepaid cards has exploded over the last decade

Amount consumers put on pre-paid money cards annually

$1 billion | 2003

$65 billion | 2012

$121 billion | 2018 (projection)

In the U.S., the cards and their smartphone app equivalents are facilitating the long-envisioned cashless society. Pre-paid cards are used today for:

• Person-to-person payment platforms (i.e., Venmo)


• Payroll cards


• Student financial aid disbursement cards


• Tax refund cards


• Government benefit cards (i.e., unemployment insurance and child support)

Because the role of prepaid credit cards and transaction smartphone apps is rapidly becoming as ubiquitous as other forms of money cards (credit, debit, etc.), the CFPB's new rules stem from the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. “Our new rule closes loopholes and protects prepaid consumers when they swipe their card, shop online, or scan their smartphone. And it backs up those protections with important new disclosures to let consumers know before they owe.” CFPB director Richard Cordray said.

Industry support

According to Pymnts.com, most of the industry players in pre-paid card products are  supportive of clear rules as a legitimizing force in their industry. According to the CFPB's report, these protections are derived from Truth in Lending Act and the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act (CARD Act) and will in some sense treat prepaid cards much like credit cards.

Industry opposition

Also according to Pymnts.com, the new rules - despite both Google and PayPal's objections - cover “digital wallets capable of person-to-person transfers and storing funds.” Analysts also suspect that Square Inc.'s Square Cash and Dwolla's payment tool will also fall under the new rules. (Wallets like Apple Pay - which simply store payment credentials issued by banks - will not fall under the new rule.)

What the new regulations cover

The new rule gives prepaid account consumers  protections under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, which are similar to those for checking account consumers. They include:

• Free and easy access to account information: Financial institutions must make certain account information available for free by telephone, online, and in writing upon request, unless they provide periodic statements. Unlike checking account customers, prepaid consumers typically do not receive periodic statements by mail. The rule ensures that consumers have access to their account balances, their transaction history, and the fees they've been charged.


• Error resolution rights: Financial institutions must cooperate with consumers who find unauthorized or fraudulent charges, or other errors, on their accounts to investigate and resolve these incidents in a timely way, and where appropriate, restore missing funds. If the financial institution cannot do so within a certain period of time, it will generally be required to provisionally credit the disputed amount to the consumer while it finishes its investigation.


• Protections for lost cards and unauthorized transactions: The new rule protects consumers against withdrawals, purchases, or other unauthorized transactions if their prepaid cards are lost or stolen. The rule limits consumers' liability for unauthorized charges and creates a timely way for them to get their money back. As long as the consumer promptly notifies their financial institution, the consumer's responsibility for unauthorized charges will be limited to $50.

VIA | Pymnts.com | ConsumerFinance.gov (Final Rule PDF)

 

Google Unveils its Answer to the Amazon Echo

Google yesterday (September 4, 2016) unveiled a new line of products that include its voice-command software, “Google Assistant.” Among the new products is an electronic device called Google Home that is quite similar to Amazon's Echo and its artificial intelligence, chatbot voice-command software, Alexa.

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While called the Google Home, there are many things about the device that it might also be called the Google Small Business Office. Many of its features can be helpful in a small office setting.

Priced at $129 ($50 cheaper than the Echo), Google Home answers questions, controls smart home devices, and plays music. It responds to the same type of “OK Google” or “Alexa” or “Siri” conversation. It's like the Echo in that it's an appliance designed to stay at one place (however, there is a three-pack version that you can scatter around the office).

A get-ready-for-work feature is called “My Day” that will summarize your day as long as it has permission from you to access things like your calendar. In addition to calendar events, it will also read the time, current weather conditions, traffic information, and daily reminders.

It sounds similar to Amazon Echo's daily briefing feature that also lets you incorporate news updates from sources like The Wall Street Journal. (You can also get such a feature via Audible.com if you subscribe to one of their monthly “point” plans.)

Google Home offers some smart home (or office) functionality, and it works out of the box with Alphabet's Nest, Samsung's SmartThings, and Phillips Hue light bulbs.

It's available for preorder now and will ship November 4.

VIA | ArsTechnica

Gallup | U.S. Consumer Spending in September Highest Since 2008

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According to Gallup's daily poll of consumer spending released yesterday (Monday, October 3, 2016), American consumers this year avoided a September slump in spending typically seen in the years since the financial collapse of 2008. Avoiding the September slump has helped keep average spending for the first nine months of 2016 the highest for any year since 2008. Spending patterns of the past decade for the months of October, November and December suggest that spending will increase even further, according to Gallup.

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$80 | Americans' daily spending estimates have consistently averaged  $80 or higher in all but one month since 2012.

$58-$77 | From 2008 – 2011, monthly spending averages were as low as $58 and never above $77.

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Spending Avoids Usual September Slump

Spending in the U.S. had been lower in September than in August in each of the past six years. This year it held steady. In all but one of those years it subsequently rose in October.

Monthly Consumer Spending Averages, 2008-2016

	August	September	October
	$	$	$
2008	97	99	91
2009	65	66	66
2010	63	59	63
2011	68	65	70
2012	77	74	72
2013	95	84	88
2014	94	87	89
2015	89	88	92
2016	91	91
Source: Gallup Daily Tracking

On the other hand

Gallup adds a note of caution: “While the relatively high level of September spending could indicate that Americans stayed in a buying mood even after the end of summer vacations and back-to-school shopping, it could also mean that the customary September-to-October rise in spending has already taken place.”

 

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Although presidential elections generally do not affect consumer spending, Americans' negative views about the two major-party candidates could affect consumer confidence and spending in ways not seen in 2008 or 2012.

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Thinkstock

Facebook Creates a Marketplace Feature After 450 Million Users Start Buying and Selling

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Last month (September 13, 2016), we shared the news about a new, well-funded competitor to Craigslist and eBay called OfferUp. Today, the competition got a little more intense. Facebook announced it is creating a feature called Marketplace. Or, perhaps the word “creating” is wrong, as millions of Facebook users–including lots of small business owners–have already created something they call “buy and sell groups.”

“More than 450 million people visit buy and sell groups each month - from families in a local neighborhood to collectors around the world,” according to Mary Ku, product manager for Marketplace. 

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How to buy things on Facebook Marketplace

• When it rolls out in the coming days (initially, in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand), Marketplace will be a feature on the Facebook app (iOS and Android). Open the app and you'll see photos of items that people near you have listed for sale.


• To find something specific, search at the top and filter your results by location, category or price.


• You can also browse what's available in a variety of categories such as Household Electronics and Apparel.


• Use the built-in location tool to adjust the region you're looking in, or switch to a different city altogether.


• If you are interested in a product, you can send the seller a direct message from Marketplace make an offer.


• From that point on, you and the seller can work out the details in any way you choose. Facebook does not facilitate the payment or delivery of items in Marketplace.

How to post and sell items using Marketplace

• Take a photo of your item, or add it from your camera roll


• Enter a product name, description and price


• Confirm your location and select a category


• Now anyone looking in your area can find your item and message you if they want to buy it. You can also choose to post to Marketplace and a specific buy and sell group at the same time.


• To keep track of all of your current and past transactions in Marketplace, visit the Your Items section. There, you can view your saved items, products you've posted for sale, and all your messages with people.

Availability

Over the next few days, Marketplace will be rolling out to Facebook users over 18 years old in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand on the Facebook app for iPhone and Android.

“We will continue expanding to additional countries and make Marketplace available on the desktop version of Facebook in the coming months,” according to Ku.

10 Things People With High-Functioning Depression Want You To Know

Take a moment to consider the acquaintances you talk to every day: It could be a coworker, neighbor or even a favorite barista. They smile, chat about their weekend plans and ask after your kids. 

Now imagine that on the inside, they're experiencing debilitating headaches, loneliness and persistent negative thoughts. Their energy is so low it was almost impossible for them to pull themselves out of bed this morning. But you'd never know it.

This is the reality for people who live with dysthymia, or chronic depression ― a high-functioning iteration of the disease. Like major depression, high-functioning depression can cause changes in appetite, poor sleep and emotional difficulties. But it's a lot harder to spot. 

Depression affects nearly 350 million people worldwide, which means chances are you know someone who has some form of the disorder.

Arguably one of the most challenging aspects of high-functioning depression is the lack of understanding that comes with blending in so well. We asked members of our HuffPost Lifestyle Facebook community who face the condition to tell us what they wished everyone else understood:

1. People can't comprehend the difficulty of their symptoms.

Depression is a difficult, debilitating condition. End of story. 

“Because I can work full time and do well, own my own home and take care of everything myself, people underestimate just how deeply I struggle and how hard it is to function some days. It takes time to process things. Negative experiences stay with me for awhile when others can move on quickly. They just label me as negative, dramatic or too sensitive but it's my process.” ―Christine Dolan

2. Everyday activities, like going to work, still feel impossible.

Just because you see a person with this type of condition powering through their to-do list doesn't mean it comes naturally for them.

“It's hard enough holding it together but it's even harder when you know people are misjudging you and not giving you credit just for getting out of bed.” ―Christine Dolan

3. Their illness doesn't have to be seen in order to be real.

Not all health conditions are visible to the naked eye. But just because you don't notice an illness, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

“Just because I seem successful and look like I have it all together doesn't mean I can't be 5 minutes or one bad experience away from a total breakdown. And that fact scares the hell out of me.” ―Michelle Martin Haywood

4. They appreciate you checking in on them.

Support from others reminds a person with depression that they're not alone.

“You should text and check on me, even if I don't or can't text right back.
The thoughts are very, very exhausting so just getting through the day needs to be enough sometimes.” ―Julie Kenney Myett

5. The condition goes deeper than just life's circumstances.

Depression has a way of taking every negative thought you have about yourself and putting it up on a big screen inside your mind. Just because it seems like someone “has it all,” doesn't mean they're not affected by the mental health condition.

“I work full-time and I'm married. I try very hard to be 'normal.' People ask me 'Why are you sad? You have everything. You're so beautiful. You have a lovely husband, a good job, money etc.' If only they knew the turmoil in my head ... it never goes away and it is very exhausting.” ―Jayne SC

6. The appearance on the outside doesn't always match the inside.

What you see isn't always what you get when it comes to high-functioning depression. A person my look like they have everything figured out or may be functioning normally, but their inner world could be vastly different.

“From the outside I look like I have it all together, but the truth is I find everything exhausting. Getting up, eating breakfast, taking my kids to school ― all of it saps my energy. I walk around in a state of perpetual exhaustion.” ―Jennifer Hazen

8. A little gesture goes a long way.

It may seem like no big deal to you, but offering to do something as simple for your loved one may make a huge difference.

“I wish people would make more of an effort to come to me rather than expecting me to travel (a lot of my friends and family live a couple of hours away), it would take so much pressure off.” ―Caitriona Foley

9. Feeling better isn't a matter of just adjusting their attitude.

You can't just “get over” depression or “stop feeling sad.” Depression at its core is a physiological disorder and affects areas of the brain. It also comes with physical symptoms as well.

“People think you are lazy when it takes the your entire will to get out of bed in the morning.” ―Meredith Elmore

10. Treatment works.

What works for one person may not work for another. There's a host of options for managing and recovering from depression, from lifestyle habits to specific medical care like therapy or medication, and usually an effective plan requires employing more than one. Treatment does work and people can have a full life despite of the condition.

“It is a very difficult issue to live with especially if you have people depending on you all the time. I'm still aware every second of everyday about my feelings, my surroundings and how I'm going to get through the next five minutes, but I'm glad for myself that I have figured out how to live my life.” ―Goldie Fantastic

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