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The wait is over! Who Do You Think You Are?, the popular celebrity roots show, is finally back on Sunday, March 8th at 10/9c on TLC. Kicking off the season is Julie Chen who ventures to China (a first for the series) and rediscovers the grandfather she thought she knew. The experience inspires Ms. Chen to incorporate more of her Chinese heritage into her life and her son's, and might just inspire you to ask more questions about your own grandparents.

Other celebrities featured this season include:

March 15: Josh Groban

March 22: Angie Harmon

March 29: Sean Hayes

April 5: Tony Goldwyn

April 12: America Ferrera

April 19: Bill Paxton

April 26: Melissa Etheridge

Rarely does a day go by when we're not reminded of the grave economic and political challenges facing our world. In the midst of these challenges, many community and world leaders are now recognizing what we at the Mona Foundation have known for over 15 years: Strategically investing in women and girls transforms communities and can heal the world.

Today is a day to honor the women and girls who have been at the forefront of social change. For more than 100 years, people around the globe have been acknowledging this day -- March 8 -- as International Women's Day. We join with others to celebrate and recognize the contributions of women, from Aung San Suu Kyi to Susan B. Anthony to the women in trade unions who, a century ago, led the way to better working conditions for all Americans.

And while we recognize the advancements toward women's rights and gender equality, we also acknowledge that progress has been slow, and that women and girls still face excruciating poverty, sexual violence and lack of access to education.

The Mona Foundation invests in girls' education and in strengthening gender equality to alleviate poverty and empower communities. Our approach is confirmed by the United Nations, which reports that "investment in girls' education may be the highest return investment in the developing world."

This investment ignites a powerful chain reaction -- when a woman is educated, healthy and economically secure, her family, neighborhood and community also prosper. Just take a look at these statistics from the UN and the World Bank:

When girls are educated, they earn more and they spend it on their families: In developing countries, an extra year of primary school boosts girls' eventual wages by 10 to 20 percent; an extra year of secondary school equals a raise of 15 to 25 percent. And, when girls and women earn income, they reinvest 90 percent of it in their families, as compared to 30 to 50 percent for a man.

When women are educated, their children don't die: If all women completed primary education in low and lower-middle income countries, the child mortality rate would fall by 15 percent. If all women completed secondary education, it would fall by 49 percent -- nearly 2.8 million lives saved a year.

When women are educated, they don't die in childbirth: If all women completed primary education, there would be 66 percent fewer maternal deaths, saving 189,000 lives per year.

When girls are educated, they don't marry while they are still children: When a girl in the developing world receives seven or more years of education, she marries four years later and has 2.2. fewer children.

Thirty years ago a 16-year-old Iranian girl, Mona Mahmudnizad, was executed because of her beliefs as a Baha'i and for teaching school. Her youth and courage, and her dedication to education, justice and service to others inspired us to name our foundation after her. Two years ago, Malala Yousafzai was shot by the Taliban to prevent her from going to school.

In their honor, let us recommit ourselves to work harder for the rights of women and girls, to achieve a more just, and prosperous world.

--

Rainn Wilson is a three time Emmy nominated actor (The Office, Backstrom) who is also a board member of the Mona Foundation (www.monafoundation.org). Along with his wife he founded LIDE, an educational initiative in Haiti. He also created SoulPancake, a media company that tries to uplift and challenge viewers.

Note: Do not read on if you have not seen Season 6, Episode 13 of CBS's The Good Wife, titled "Dark Money."

I thought we'd never get back together, Good Wife. And you show up pretending like you weren't gone for all of awards' season. Welcome. But you've changed. You're a little yawn-worthy out of the gate.

The case this week at least had Colin Sweeney back in the hot seat, because some Law and Order type show had portrayed him to closely. And he's always good for some weird humor. But the most uncomfortable moments came from Alicia's campaign fundraising.

She and Prady are continuing their "back channel" meetings to get each others' PACs stop releasing homophobic and sexist ads and robo-calls. Through a little sleuthing, Alicia meets with a very, very rich old man. He's gross and hates Prady because he's supposedly gay. Alicia plays along and gets his money. When Prady meets with him, the old man makes gross comments about Alicia. (We play that kind of language on broadcast TV? I never noticed.) It was a little heavy handed in its messaging.

Then, we are supposed to believe that Bishop is just a big softie. Kalinda is tasked with picking his kid up from school, the kid's getting bullied, and Bishop resorts to...calling the bully's mom, just like any suburban parent would do. He calls Kalinda in to commiserate with him, but that's not how it works, Lemond.

Boring, boring, boring. I want something big to happen. The one-liners were good, and I'm a sucker for real-world tie-ins like the pandering that goes on during elections and the "ripped form the headlines" type references.

But can we get some action? I hate to admit this, but do you think it's possible that, despite the good writing and everything else, that this show's real purpose was in watching Will and Alicia maneuver around each other? I hate to be so shallow. But the woman needs a love interest. Or a dangerous political scandal.

Have I just been watching too much House of Cards? Let me know @karenfratti.

The Good Wife airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

They should kick ass, but have other talents; they shouldn't necessarily kick ass because that's been done to death; they should have agency; they should move the plot forward; they should be assertive but not obnoxious; they should hold positions of power; they shouldn't be raped or die to give the hero incentive for his quest.

There's been a lot of talk lately in the science fiction and fantasy community about "strong" female characters, with various authors weighing in about how to write them, what they are, and why the term is flawed in the first place. There are discussions of deadly tropes and how to avoid them. This is all fine, and I agree with the points made for the most part; the last thing we need is a rehash of eye-rollingly blatant male fantasies. But with all the focus on writing techniques on the one hand, and political imperatives on the other, I wonder if we're not losing sight of the big picture.

Just as I don't imagine most women want to be thought of as "female writers," the idea of "female characters" as a category for discussion seems problematic. That this category continues to thrive, and to spawn essays and blog posts -- including this one! -- points directly to the underlying problem: We are issuing prescriptive dos and don'ts about the depiction of women as if they are a separate, exotic species.

There is of course good reason for this -- frequently in fiction, and in genre fiction in particular, women are depicted as alien beings, even when it's with the best of intentions. The "kick ass" female character who is in fact a sexual fantasy was brilliantly satirized by Mallory Ortberg of the Toast, and we all recognize this character -- whether she's kicking ass with her perfect legs on Alias or the Matrix. (Or even sitting her perfect tiny body down to write some code as in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Yes, I went there.)

There is an uncomfortable feeling in online discussions about how to write "female characters" that some are squinting hard in their attempt to see women as people, while others are approaching the subject with the dutiful submission we bring to a meal of thrice-washed organic kale. One subset wants writing tips on how to take on the otherworldly she-goddess; another wants to make sure we are doing feminism properly. The first reminds me of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, where through innumerable books and sexual experiences, the male characters never cease to lament their inability to understand women. As to the second, well, I think feminism is complex, and what constitutes a feminist character should be part of an ongoing dialogue, not a set of precepts sealed in blood. It is also individual: Lisbeth Salander annoyed the hell out of me, but for others she was empowering... And I'm not out to argue someone out of their empowerment. At twenty-one I found Joss Whedon's Buffy empowering, and I know that is not for everyone.

What I think is missing from some of these discussions is: Writing a fully realized character of any gender requires one trait above all others, and that is empathy. When a female character goes off the rails, it is often because the author experienced a failure of imagination; while he could imagine all the emotions a man might feel in a similar situation -- and in the case of literary fiction written by men, this is often recounted in great detail -- he has neglected to understand his female characters in the same way. Instead there is a hyperawareness of her beauty and sexiness even from her own perspective, such as in Jeffrey Eugenides' The Marriage Plot, an inability to grasp how the character might experience life from the inside. I think when male authors make this mistake it's because they forget we don't see ourselves the way they see us. I don't want to go so far as to call this a lack of empathy, but it is certainly a failure of imagination.

How about this: If writing a female character is difficult for you, try forgetting the character is a woman unless the fact is somehow relevant to the story. Heck, even if it is relevant, forget they're a woman -- or perhaps it's more accurate to say, forget what you think you know about women. What has gone into the shaping of this person -- what is their past, what are their skills, do they have a sense of humor? Do they chafe at societal restrictions or embrace them? If it's the former, that can lead to dramatic inner conflicts if your book's setting is restrictive to women -- conflicts that can make for wonderful fiction, like River of Stars by Guy Gavriel Kay. There the female protagonist, Lin Shan, is a poet and intellectual in a culture that suppresses women's freedoms. She doesn't have the power to act as often as the male protagonist, but in my view her character is all the more compelling for that reason. Oppression can beget inner conflicts and these are a writer's playground, offering endless character development opportunities. But not if the writer defines the character as a "female character" with a set of supposedly innate and fixed feminine qualities.

In a similar vein, I enjoy writing men because I get to ask questions -- different questions for each character, of course, as there is no one trait or circumstance that is true for all men. How does it shape your perspective on the world when you are always the tallest and strongest person in the room? (I have a few friends like this, and can only imagine.) What is it like to have the quiet confidence of knowing -- without any doubt -- that your work is valued? In a culture that elevates men as natural leaders, what is it like to have to conform to the expectations which accompany that role? We see George R. R. Martin deal with this last question with the character of Jaime Lannister, who begins at the top in every way in his society, but later is bereft of the martial prowess which gave him value. Meanwhile we love Tyrion because he faces challenges similar to those of a female character -- he is physically smaller and weaker than most men, despised and treated as a pawn by his father -- and responds to these challenges with wit and pathos.

I guess what I want to say is... Go crazy! Have fun with it. Get into your character's head. Forget about her body unless another character is looking at it. Forget any assumptions about what women are like. Let her surprise you. That ends up being a double win -- for the reader and for you.

Ilana Teitelbaum's first novel, the epic fantasy Last Song Before Night, is forthcoming from Tor/Macmillan in September 2015 under the pen name Ilana C. Myer.

This essay has been reprinted with permission from Tor.com.

In June of 2009, John Jennings and Damian Duffy hosted an art exhibition called Out of Sequence: Underrepresented Voices in American Comics at the
Krannert Art Museum. The show focused on work by women and minority artists, experimental and small press comic creators, webcomics creators and the contributions of comic book writers, inkers, colorists and letterers. The show featured numerous superheroes of color created by artists of color that do not always get the recognition of comics that get published by the big two comic book publishers -- DC and Marvel. Out of Sequence explored alternate histories of American comics and explicated the limitless possibilities for the medium in the 21st century. Some of the artists involved with the show included Ann Telnaes, Tak Toyoshima, Drew Weing, Masheka Wood, Larry Yang and Lev Yilmaz. This is to only name a few. Following this exhibition John Jennings, Damian Duffy and Keith Knight published the book, Black Comix: Independent Comics, Art and Culture (2010). The book features an unprecedented collection of largely unheard of, and undeniably masterful collections of comic art by people of color. In fact, John Jennings is the creator of a few different graphic novels, featuring characters of color, such as The Hole: Consumer Culture (2007).

In 2014, Ronald Jackson and I published the book, Black Comics: Politics of Race and Representation in order to provide a baseline of knowledge around the history of black cartoonist' contributions to the field of comics, as well as a collection that would introduce comic fans to people of color in comics who are oftentimes marginalized or ignored in conversations about the history of comics. One chapter in the book, written by Derek Lackoff, titled Black Comics and Social Media Economics, outlines the struggles black cartoonists have faced in breaking into the mainstream world of comics and the ways in which black artists have used social media as a tool to self-publish and create characters of color.

This chapter, introduces readers to ECBAAC (East Coast Age of Comics), which is an annual comics convention held in Philadelphia that provides support for cartoonists of color and features comic book artists from all over the country that are creating new and fresh characters of color. Many of which may be characters and story lines published by small independent publishers or self-published web-comics. The microcosm provided here is to shed light on some of the ways in which minorities are doing big things in the comics industry, despite the fact that it is still a white-washed industry. We should not be fooled by the recent surge in diversity in the comics industry by DC and Marvel, in which already established superheroes are being diversified. Totally ignoring the history and realities of the comics industry and Hollywood for that matter is what makes Michelle Rodriguez's initial comments on the lack of new superherose of color problematic. Her apology, which ignored the cultural gatekeeping of the comics industry and Hollywood, was lame -- more than lame.

If you are only consuming comics that are published by DC and Marvel, than you are not even scratching the surface of comic book culture and the various characters that are being created. These facts are particularly relevant as we put into context the recent comments made by actress, Michelle Rodriguez in which she accused comic artists of color of "stealing ... white people's superheroes." A reference to the recent trends in popular superheroes, such as Captain America and Spider Man, being taken over by characters of color. For example, in the new Ultimate Spider Man, Miles Morales, a half black and hispanic kid is now Spider Man in an alternate universe.

DC and Marvel have finally caught on that women and minorities actually consume comics and its white-male fan-base will actually buy comics that are diverse. However, those employed by DC and Marvel still remain predominantly male and white. In 2014, DC employed less than three percent of black creators and less than six percent female creators. These numbers are similiar for Marvel. The realities, not Michelle Rodriguez's misguided and blinded opinion, are the forces at play when talking about the lack of new superheroes of color being created. They are being created, they are just not being created by the big two, so most people do not know about them. The fact of the matter is, "lazy" is never a word to describe people of color or women who have worked so hard just to get the comics industry to even represent diversity in the way it is today.

It is not even practical here to list the numerous black superheros that were created by Milestone Media in the 1990s but the point is Michelle Rodriguez comments are completely unfounded. We are living in a time when sony execs are caught sending racist emails about mega stars, such as Denzel Washington, and Michelle Rodriquez as a woman and racial minority should remain cognizant of the cultural gatekeeping, not only in Hollywood, but the comics industry as well. People of color have been and are creating their own characters of color, it is the predominately white-male mainstream comic publishers that see a profit to be made off of diversity, in which they feel the need to "steal" white-male superheroes and make them racial minorities or female. There are countless numbers of talented people of color and women that would love the backing and funding to have their new and diverse characters go mainstream. The fact of the matter is that these artists and writers have to be invited to the party first.

For two years in a row, Mexico's native sons have taken home the Best Director Academy Award, Alfonso Curón in 2014 and Alejandro González Iñárritu in 2015. Both directed innovative films that pushed the boundaries of storytelling and neither focused on Latinos.

Latino directors should not have to tell stories about people from their own community or country of origin exclusively, but given the scarcity of films that feature prominent Latino characters, the opportunity to do so feels like a missed one.

The Media, Diversity and Social Change Initiative (MDSCI) at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism released a report last fall indicating that Latinos are "almost invisible" in movies, accounting for a mere 4.9 percent of characters in top-grossing films for 2013.

Zoe Saldaña in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Michelle Rodriguez in Furious 7 due to hit theaters in April are featured as a part of ensemble casts, but only three recent films have focused on Latino lead characters: A Most Violent Year (2014), Spare Parts (2015) and Disney's McFarland, U.S.A. (2015).

While A Most Violent Year and Spare Parts have failed to resonate with audiences, Disney's McFarland, U.S.A. earned 23 million, three times more than the other two films combined.

McFarland stars Kevin Costner as Mr. White, a novice cross country track coach in the San Joaquin Valley, and includes a large cast of Latino actors as Mexican students and farm laborers. White's guidance and belief in the ability of his Latino students helps lead them to an unlikely victory.

The arc of the film bears a striking resemblance to Spare Parts, about a group of high school students who enter an underwater robotics competition and end up beating the likes of MIT.

When placed side by side, the generic formula of McFarland and Spare Parts is made readily apparent.

Both films are about teachers who contemplate abandoning their Latino students when something more lucrative comes along. Though neither does, the teachers' lives are transformed as a result of their contact with the hard luck cases turned heroes.

The films also include the same heart-tugging scene of the students frolicking on the beach. Their unabashed euphoria stands in stark contrast with their lives of hardship and economic disadvantage.

An overbearing, drunken abusive Mexican father, who is eventually won over by his son's success, serves as a foil to the compassionate teachers-father figures.

With both films following the same against-all-odds blueprint, why has one been so much more successful than the other?

One stars "America's Mexican" George Lopez, the other Kevin Costner.

Audiences can feel good about emotionally investing in these young men because Costner as Mr. White gives mainstream audiences permission to care about Mexicans in the same way he did about Indians after Dances with Wolves, a love affair that did not last.

With the Disney machine working at full power, audiences become emotionally invested and entangled in the lives of these would-be cross country champs, whose brutal lives as field laborers have given them superhuman endurance that is then harnessed for victory.

The film also mobilizes familiar Latino stereotypes, including low-riding vatos, as a means of educating Mr. White about the community in which he lives and to help audiences distinguish good Mexicans from bad.

Costner has said repeatedly that this is an American movie. Perhaps that would explain the U.S.A. in the title, so as not to be confused with McFarland, Mexico, though there is no such place.

Unlike Spare Parts, where the students are undocumented, McFarland's champions are American boys, whose families came from Mexico. As proof of their American citizenship status, they all know the words to the national anthem, and the camera is careful to linger on their mouths as they sing the words before the big race.

Based on a true story, the film is set in the 80s, providing a comfortable distance between the racial politics of then and now that allows audiences us to believe what separates the well meaning Mr. Whites of the world and Mexicans is not so great or so complicated that it can't be fixed with a backyard quinceañera.

The young men in Spare Parts live in constant fear of deportation. The state of their lives as undocumented American teenagers speaks directly to current immigration debates, which some may find too political, too Latino.

Maybe Disney is exactly what Latinos need right now need to market our stories to the mainstream, to show that we are not a threat to the fabric of American life, but very much a part of it.

Get your Elsa dresses ready, because there's a new Frozen short film! But wait. There's a catch.

If you want to treat your Frozen-obsessed daughter to Frozen Fever, a seven-minute film featuring Anna, Elsa, Olaf and the gang, you'll have to take her to see Cinderella 2015, which will be released on March 13.

I wouldn't have minded that clever marketing tie-in if Disney had updated the Cinderella plot. But they haven't. At least, not that I can tell from the trailer in which the cackling, jealous stepsisters and stepmother try to diminish an attractive young woman for sport.

It seems like Cinderella 2015 is a live version of Cinderella 1950 with no meaningful changes that might make it relevant for girls who actually live in 2015. I would love to be wrong here, but if I'm not, I must ask: Disney, how could you? How could you get it so wrong after getting it so right with Frozen? And after Maleficent, which took the evil female character from Sleeping Beauty, originally conceived through unreconstructed eyes, and gave her depth and complexity? Maleficent also recast the concept of love's true kiss as Frozen did, taking a man out of the equation. Those of us with young daughters are thrilled to be able to take them to a Disney flick without cringe-inducing plot and characters. So how did this happen?

Oh, well. Disney is valued at $143b. They can afford some mistakes. They can even afford to make another Cinderella one day. So here are some ideas on how to make Cinderella relevant.

Cinderella 2015: Once upon a time, three mean, unattractive women victimized a young, pretty one.

Relevant Cinderella: Once upon a time, an employer expected a young woman to work harder than her male counterparts and paid her less for doing the same job.

***

Cinderella 2015: Once upon a time, a young woman's beauty solved absolutely all her problems.

Relevant Cinderella: Once upon a time, in spite of all the advertisements and messages that tried to convince a woman that she had to be perfect and look perfect and have a perfect life, she realized that it was all really daft, because nothing is perfect and that she was going to accept imperfection in herself and in the people around her and make it work.

***

Cinderella 2015: Once upon a time, a handsome prince fell in love with a beautiful woman, but then he couldn't recognize her without her fancy clothes and had to ascertain her identity using her shoe size, which is how they identified people in the days before fingerprinting and iris recognition. Apparently, they were pretty dimwitted back in the old days.

Relevant Cinderella: Once upon a time, a handsome prince fell in love with a beautiful woman and they slept together and dated for a while and then they broke up and dated some other people and then eventually they married one of those other people and it all worked out because they all had good marital therapists.

***

Cinderella 2015: Once upon a time, a woman was taunted by other women who cackled.

Relevant Cinderella: Once upon a time, a woman was taunted by men who catcalled.

***

Cinderella 2015: Once upon a time, a woman was in distress. Once she got The Ring, however, she never had to worry about anything ever again. The moral of the story is that it's all about The Ring.

Relevant Cinderella: Once upon a time, a woman was in distress. She turned on the radio and listened to that fine, fine music. Her life was saved by Rock n' Roll.* The moral of the story is that it's all about the bass.

*Relevant Fairytale by Lou Reed

If the words "India's Daughter" haven't caught your attention yet, chances are you may never catch a glimpse of the documentary that sparked the controversy. Recently, the BBC launched a severe, global ban on the documentary about the 2012 Delhi gang rape in response to the Indian government's request to remove all copies of the footage viewable worldwide. The documentary, directed by Leslee Udwin, who according to some reports is a rape survivor herself , has been criticized for being irresponsible and insensitive.

Having managed to watch it before it was pulled, I can concede that it was neither irresponsible nor insensitive. It was, however, vivid and powerful. The images and words linger and echo long after the documentary is complete.

The interview scenes with convicted rapist Mukesh Singh are the most shocking. As he awaits his death sentence, his expressions remain hauntingly stoic. There is no regret, not an ounce of remorse, in his words. "A girl is far more responsible for rape than a boy," Singh says in the interview. "A decent girl won't roam around at 9 o'clock at night... Housework and housekeeping is for girls, not roaming in discos and bars at night doing wrong things, wearing wrong clothes."

His words are shocking, yes; but is this the first example of victim-blaming we have heard? Absolutely not. It was present when state officials like Mulayam Singh Yadav explain rape as "boys will be boys," and when politicians place blame on cellphones and women going out at night. This disturbingly misogynistic victim-blaming mentality transcends the borders of India. The same thinking was present in the Pennsylvania state prison case last year.

If the rapists' views are no different than any other rapist, why, then, is this particular film the cause of national outcry and global controversy? Why the need for a worldwide ban? For the safety of women, the Indian government claims. But, it seems that the international image of the country is more concerning for officials.

The implicit message in the documentary is clear: This is no pathogenic case of victim-blaming. This mentality has been bred in Indian culture as a result of generations of gender inequality. These rapists were not "rotten apples in the barrel"; rather, their way of thinking is not far from the cultural norm in India.

As Javed Akhtar points out in his response to the documentary, the notion that women should not be out at night or dress in a particular way is commonplace in Indian culture. And, that is precisely why it is important for Indians to watch this documentary, he says. They are words that need to be heard, shamed and condemned. So, the Indian men can see that this mentality is not normal; rather it is the mentality of a rapist.

The documentary does shed negative light on India. It paints a picture of a country that is so far regressive that it is incomprehensible to those who have never walked its streets. In the initial reenactment of the rape, the scenes are terrifying and may as well have been out of a horror film. It paints a picture of a broken system -- one where law enforcers are not protecting their citizens' rights, one where bribery can buy its way into a rapist's mind and a hypocritical culture that revers goddesses and violates its own women.

But, it also paints another picture. The documentary is laden with scenes of protesters risking their lives. They have chosen to break the cycle, reject generations of gender inequality, and use the unfortunate events as fuel for change. They are women, men and children on the streets standing up, screaming words of passion and anger demanding justice from their lawmakers and enforcers.

It paints a picture of a nation's citizens who will not back down, and whose powerful emotions will not be watered down by censorship. It depicts a resilient younger generation determined to bring about change. The world needs to see this image of India.

This post was originally published on Masalamommas.com

Follow Anjali Joshi on Twitter at @theresanjali

Read more of Anjali's stories :
The Stigma Attached to Adoption in the South Asian Culture
Cultural Norms Around Breastfeeding: Unexpected Challenges

"There are still a lot of adventures to be had."
Fabien Cousteau

World-renowned Oceanographer, Aquanaut, Film Maker and Nonprofit Founder, Fabien Cousteau is featured in this episode of "One World with Deepak Chopra." Fabien Cousteau can be found at TEDGlobal talks, on Skype talks with students and faculty at top universities as he researches from the ocean floor, or in environmentally focused conferences around the world. In this video we are able to experience a rare moment where he sits one-on-one in conversation with Deepak Chopra sharing insights on his passion for ocean conservancy and exploration.

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In this episode of "One World with Deepak Chopra," a NEWSWIRE.FM production, Deepak Chopra and Cousteau muse on a love of the ocean from the intimate setting at ABC Home's mezzanine studio, the power it has to lull one into a meditative state, and the reality that the world's oceans are a part of our reality as humans and are to be explored. Cousteau believes that "the ocean is a universal connector." And his life's work reflects a love for ocean adventure.

As an Explorer-At-Large with National Geographic, Fabian worked to change the public stereotype surrounding one of his favorite animals, the shark. He produced two films while working with sharks, Attack of the Mystery Shark and Mind of a Demon. He also produced the PBS series Ocean Adventures that highlights his family's explorations into the world's oceans and cultures. Cousteau continues to share his passion for the ocean and adventure through his nonprofit, PlantAFish where volunteers (including himself) work to plant, observe, and participate in restoring the ocean and coastal ecosystems.

Most recently Fabien achieved rockstar status for his work on Mission 31. It was his grandfather, the one and only Jacques Cousteau, who once spent 30 days on the ocean floor exploring sea life. Fabien recently beat his grandfather's record and shares the insights of this famed exploration, approximately 3 years of research and data collection in a mere 31 days, in this "One World with Deepak Chopra" episode.

Cousteau's passion for the ocean has been constant throughout his life. He is unique, although his linage is known to most, in the way that he continues to explore the oceans, continues to ask the questions about the human effects on marine worlds and life, and attracts the best minds in oceanographic science as well as everyday people with his passion and love of adventure.

This is a blog series produced in partnership with One World, a video series with Deepak Chopra and NEWSWIRE.FM.

The Ricky Martin Effect is a phenomenon that occurs in portrait photography when one is obliged to stand next to another person who is preternaturally beautiful, handsome, and/or photogenic. The effect is a certainty if the exceedingly beautiful, handsome, and/or photogenic individual is also a big star or a boldfaced name. Symptoms of RME may include: appearing ten to 20 years older than you are in real life; the illusion of shrinking or being a much smaller person; blotchy, mottled, and wrinkled skin; a look of discomfort, agitation, or intense fear; a resigned air of melancholia; baldness (for both men and women); and/or feelings of hopelessness that may manifest themselves in an expression that seems to say, "What the hell is the point?"

RME was so coined by Stargayzing to pay tribute to entertainer Ricky Martin, a man so handsome, well-built, and charismatic that according to Hollywood legend, no one has ever stood next to him in a photograph without experiencing at least some of the Effect's symptoms.

Of course, many of us average Joes and Jills have complicated feelings about being photographed. In this digital era of instant results, there are few among us who upon being photographed don't at once attempt to exercise the curatorial impulse of photo approval. "Let me see, let me see," we bark as we grab for the camera and scrutinize the image, wielding Anna Wintour-like control over angles and chin counts as if the photo was going to be on the cover of a magazine. With no film or development costs, we know we can just keep snapping until we get the one shot where we achieve a version of ourselves that is less truthful and more aspirational. Ours is a Blanche Dubois culture eschewing realism for magic.

In recent years, I have rationalized my increasing dislike of how I appear in photos with the explanation that I am more appealing in motion than in repose -- the underlying theory being that it's harder to focus on a moving target. Exceptions to this rule would include being carefully lit by an experienced lens man or being photographed from a great distance, say 20 feet or more. Candid shots have become a bit risky.

As I mature and am confronted with my image in photos, I often think of the great Marlene Dietrich -- an actress who knew as much about lighting as her cinematographers, and who utilized every possible Hollywood tool to create her mystique and shape the screen-goddess image which has outlived her. As she got older, this required more and more effort and increasingly dramatic measures, culminating in her final film, 1978's Just A Gigolo, wherein, unsatisfied with the results of conventional Hollywood trickery, the actress decided to wear a veil through most of her scenes.

Apparently still not pleased, she never made another film and, rather than permitting the sobering realities of age to further intrude on a lifetime of carefully managed image-building, the actress opted out, preferring to live the rest of her days sequestered in her apartment and communicating only by phone or mail. If my experience with Ricky Martin is any indication, it may be time to go veil-shopping.

In fairness to Mr. Martin, it would be wrong to put all of the responsibility of this depressing picture on his large, capable shoulders. There were a few other factors. For one thing, it was unfortunate for me -- a person with extremely fair, pink skin -- that the room was painted a color that Benjamin Moore calls mental institution beige, thus creating difficulty discerning where my face ends and the wall begins. What I do take personal responsibility for is my outfit, which might kindly be described as "curious," though I think that is, perhaps, too gentle. (Here I am flummoxed: my outfit was a shape-shifter; you know, one of those ensembles that seem to rock when you primp at home in front of your full-length, but by the time you get to your destination has mysteriously morphed into the uniform of a much older gentleman who lives in a small condo on the 37th hole at a Boca Raton golf course -- you know the type.) My hat, so natty and hip as I insouciantly cocked the brim down as I left my apartment with a swagger in my step, now looked like something Jerry Stiller would wear to go to a big box store. Was this also the Ricky Martin Effect or simply bad planning on my part?

This shocking photograph got me thinking that in forgetting my own rules I had paid a dear price. If you know you are going to be photographed with someone who won the genetic lottery, there are, indeed, certain precautions one can take to ensure that the photograph that memorializes the meet-and-greet does not look like the picture above.

To minimize the Ricky Martin Effect consider using one of these simple rules:

1. Whenever possible put someone else next to Ricky Martin (or the "Ricky Martin person" in your photo).
The other person will think you are being magnanimous when you are, in actual fact, protecting yourself. This fake gesture of kindness will dilute the Effect, as the RME loses potency the farther away you stand from its source. In extreme cases such as posing with someone whose looks are as over-the-top as the phenomenon's namesake, make an attempt to put two people between you. I can't stress the importance of distance. By the time the viewer's eyes get to you the effect will be much less pronounced.

2. Wear sunglasses or tinted lenses.
This serves the dual purpose of deflecting some of the RME in different directions, including, paradoxically, back toward the source, as well as giving you an aura of hipness that can circumvent some of the more obvious symptoms, such as the look of terror in your eyes.

3. Ricky Martin (or the source of the RME in your photo) will inevitably have a tan or at least very healthy skin tone.
Try to modulate your own skin color with at least a hint of a tan. If you are like me and tanning is not a physiological possibility, Stargayzing recommends a self-tanner or tinted moisturizer--anything not to appear like an extra from a zombie movie.

4. Don't just stand there trying to look attractive, do something!
For example, in this photo I should have done my open-mouthed look of happy shock, that says, "Can you believe I'm standing next to Ricky Martin?" A friendly hand gesture pointing toward Ricky would have been a perfect accompaniment to the mouth trick. "Look at this!" it will say, and you will be spared. If you feel disinclined to point, a palms-up, bent-arm gesture works nicely too; it says, "Hey, look, ma, presenting Ricky Martin," and diverts the viewers' attention away from you and toward Ricky. People will be less likely to notice that you look like you just gave blood.

5. In extreme cases, do not look at the camera at all.
Instead look at the subject with an expression of awe or supplication. Though it may seem defeatist, trust me, this can work nicely as it communicates a tacit awareness of the Ricky Martin Effect and says, "There's no point in fighting it!" This strategy is the photographic equivalent of letting a wave go over you. In doing so, you will end up doing in the photo what people looking at the photo will do anyway: saying out loud, "My God, Ricky Martin is handsome!" but without the inclination to make the attendant comparison because you will have already made it for them.

A different version of this piece appeared in stargayzing.com.

From Cinderella stories to buzzer beaters, the NCAA basketball tournament ensures March is a month where history is made. But this year, history and the Big Dance mix to form an even more intoxicating brew: "The Big Tap" Historic Bars Tournament.

Starting in June 2014, the PreservationNation blog poured through dive bars, sports bars, tiki bars, taverns, cocktail lounges and a slew of other establishments to crack open the stories of some of the nation's most historic watering holes. But stirring as it was, our virtual bar crawl was merely the regular season. Now it's time to shake things up with a little post-season drinking game.

The Historic Bars Tournament has tapped 32 joints from our menu of historic drinkeries to compete against one another in a NCAA Tournament-style, single elimination format. Each week we'll serve another round of pairings where readers will vote for their favorite inns and alehouses. When the matchups run dry on April 3, only one bar will claim the top shelf.

Here's how to vote (view the bracket here):

To learn more about the contestants, click on any matchup in the bracket for links to our original blog post about each bar.

To make your selections during each round, scroll down to the text portion of the blog and click on a bar's name to highlight it.

To submit your vote, enter your email address and zip code, then click "submit."

You can vote for as many or as few bars as you like during each visit, and as many times as you like during each round -- just don't over-serve yourself.

Voting for each round will last one week and close every Friday morning at 8:00 a.m. ET. Once each round is complete, the bracket will be updated with vote counts and winners. We'll also publish a new blog post recapping that week's action, followed by the next round of matchups.

Now that you know the house rules, it's finally time for tip-off. (Or is that tap-off?) Cast your vote at blog.PreservationNation.org!

In late August of 2014, we flew from Austin, Texas, to Brooklyn, New York, for AFROPUNK Fest, an annual festival of all things Black and punk. A light drizzle accompanied us onto a stage that has hosted legends and icons. There was something other than mere precipitation in the air, however; a palpable heaviness hovered that everyone felt. It was as though, despite the apparent tranquility, something could rupture at any second. It was only 15 days prior that Mike Brown's body was left for three and a half hours in the street as onlookers gaped and the media exploded, and here we were performing songs about police brutality. As people raised their hands and sang along, it struck us that our band, BLXPLTN, was now very much tied to a rising movement.

We can't speak for the whole of Black musicians, but we can speak from our experience within the context of a very unique space as a black and brown queer punk band. We know the power of song is undeniable, and within that space we can convey ideas and feelings that are just too hard to speak or even write about. Our wounds run so deep they can render us speechless, but never voiceless. We can't say how we're feeling at the moment, but we can scream it.

#BlackLivesMatter was started by a group of black queer women following the Trayvon Martin verdict. Black queer voices across the gender spectrum are the fastest to be silenced, drowned out and stomped down. Our own Khattie, who plays guitar in BLXPLTN, has fought her whole career to be heard in the male-dominated music industry. This makes the momentum gained by this movement all the more uniquely remarkable.

We feel that all oppressed peoples can and should stand behind the banner of #BlackLivesMatter. When black people are free, we are all free. It is a continuation of work that has been done in this country for hundreds of years. This is just what it looks like for us. Every generation has had its defining political protests, social movements, heroes, martyrs and musicians. Someone must always beat the drum.

The funny thing is, BLXPLTN didn't come together to write protest songs. We are all very different people who needed a cathartic respite from the day to day; we needed to talk and write about what weighed upon our minds, blow off some steam and vent in a safe space. For us, that safe space was a very loud living room.

What kind of world do we live in when simply existing is an act of protest? When speaking your truth is an act of rebellion? When sharing your experiences is an act of insurgency?

When we recorded, "Stop and Frisk," a song about the infamous racist policing policy in New York City, we caught the ear of the national underground. We gave interviews about the racist practices of police in Austin. Things began to galvanize around us in a way we hadn't anticipated, and people began to write us sharing their own stories of struggle.

There is a tangible shift when one realizes he or she is not alone. For us, stories of police brutality, institutional injustice and inherent racism aren't just something to glance over in the news feed; this is every day of our lives. The boot that pushes down on your back is the same boot that pushes down on ours. The only hope we have is in standing together against an unjust, inequitable system. Perhaps that's why the music of rebellion touches us in a different way. The dismantling and reimagining of these systems takes bodies. Bodies organizing, bodies marching, bodies put in harm's way. This frenzy of protest parallels the organized chaos of a punk show. The black body is a beautiful thing, yet it is feared rather than revered. To that end, can we say the same for black music?

Black music has always been raw. It is powerful, vibrant and innovative. Historically speaking, it has also been protest music. Rebel music. And time after time, White performers have slid in, co-opted the style, and sucked all of the culture and dignity and power from the original style. That's not to say there aren't incredible White performers; we're just speaking historically.

Black youth have been demonized to no end. Popular music, sports, and Hollywood have all been weaponized against us. Black kids have this refuse served to them on a steaming hot platter daily. "You are trash, filth, a criminal by birthright. The best you can hope for is to be a sports star or a rapper, if you can live long enough."

As Biggie said, "Either you're slinging crack rock, or you got a wicked jump shot."

If mass media and the justice system are the weapon, then BLXPLTN sees ourselves and other rebel artists as the counterstrike. We need no permission. The battle cries of our brothers and sisters running alongside us in the charge are our validation.

Music gives you the freedom to pose questions you couldn't otherwise. How many Nigerian lives are worth one French life, in terms of media coverage? How many Muslim lives? We live in a global community while our western "media" is consistently pitting people against one another. Poor whites are taught to focus their frustrations on poor blacks, when it is a system built by rich White men that keeps them in captivity. We are taught to focus on the person in the next cell, not the one who has the keys.

We shouldn't even have to say "Black Lives Matter." We should be laughing with our loved ones, enjoying growing older and planning the future (which we definitely still find time to do). For the present, we'll keep on screaming and fighting and raising awareness and hell just as long as we have breath in our lungs.

Gabriel London is the director of the new documentary "The Mind of Mark DeFriest." It is the story of a man initially sent to prison for four years. He was later re-sentenced for a series of prison escapes remarkable in their frequency, audacity, and ingenuity. DeFriest now holds the record among those currently incarcerated for the most escapes, from spiking the prison staff's coffee with drugs to building keys out of paper.

DeFriest has now been incarcerated for 34 years, with 27 years in isolation.

I have known London since he was a teenager and admire his work enormously, so it was a special treat to get to talk to him about this film.

I was always interested in kids that were in kind of vulnerable situations. I found Mark's story in an article called Locked Alone in X Wing, about this draconian wing of the prison where prisoners were held 23 hours a day in solitary confinement above the electric chair, with double-doored, non-windowed cells and forbidden to have any books or magazines or TVs or radios. They mentioned Mark Defriest and I was intrigued by him because he was the only nonviolent offender on X wing and he was a notorious escape artist. The next day I was talking to this woman who had founded the organization Stop Prisoner Rape, and she kind of offhandedly said, "I have about 15 years of letters from a prison punk named Mark Defriest. If you are interested I'll send them to you." On one hand they have this prisoner who is a notorious escape artist at X wing and then on the other hand this guy has been writing these vulnerable letters about his identity and how he is losing himself after years of being a victim of prison rape in Florida prison.

It is a complicated story with many different elements. First is the question of whether DeFriest should have been sentenced to four years in prison in the first place. He was accused of stealing some tools belonging to his late father that he believed had been left to him, because his stepmother filed charges. In addition, the man who certified him as mentally competent to be prosecuted for criminal activity has now said he was wrong, and the documentary shows his efforts to undo the damage of his initial report. Third is the question of whether DeFriest's many escape efforts were criminal or just a response to the nightmarish conditions and continually extending terms of his incarceration.

London spoke about the challenge of presenting all of these factors and finding the right tone for a story that is profoundly tragic and wildly funny.

The great task on this film was essentially re-assembling a jigsaw puzzle that had never really been made complete. We had the mental illness side and the questions about whether Mark ever should have been put in prison in the first place. He has a great sense of humor and he had a completely tragic story. So how do we have a film that is both true to his sense of humor and makes you laugh at the same time you can really have a sense of the depths of sadness and sort of depravity that existed in the prison world that he came to know?

London captured the tragicomic elements of the story with stark, graphic novel-style animation to recreate some of DeFriest's most outrageous escapes and with narration by actor Scoot McNairy ("Argo," "!2 Years a Slave"), based on DeFriest's letters and other statements.

As a result of the film, Florida's Commission on Offender Review voted to begin the process that may give DeFriest some hope for release. London is deeply appreciative.

It's pretty awesome. It's the power of story. When you use story to galvanize people, that is one of the greatest joys and privileges of making films. And at the same time it is not over yet and it is a delicate dance right now. Mark is not a free man. Progress is being made but I don't think I can really celebrate until I have the sense that he's safe. The prison world that he is in right now is anything but safe. And so the effort to tell his story and to bring more audiences into it is really just beginning.

It is also exciting to take a story like Mark's and leverage it to do good for people way beyond Mark. The goal is, "story equals power to change." That is something that I have had success with on other films, where a single story can become a driver for policy change. And what you are seeing now all over the country is people are rising up and saying that this prison system that we have built is broken and detrimental to the really healthy functioning of our democracy. So Mark's story is now being talked about, for example, in the Florida legislature, where there is an effort to reform the prison because of some major, major problems they are having with conditions of confinements but also inmate deaths.

I hope this where redemption is sort of possible for some of these folks, where you don't have to just lock people up and throw them away forever but have the ability to bring them back to society. Can you imagine what Mark's mechanical genius could have accomplished for society instead of figuring out how to make keys out of paper?

The audience for the film, London says, is "the jury Mark never had."

Oscar Nuñez, perhaps best known for his role as accountant Oscar Martinez on the U.S. version of the hit television comedy series The Office, has teamed up with Cruelty Free International to call on the United States to match the European Union in ending cosmetics testing on animals.

Fans of the show will recall that the character Oscar Martinez was known for being one of the few level-headed, rational characters on the show, which made for hilarious interactions with the quirky co-workers and downright inappropriate boss. In fact, in one episode Oscar refers to himself as part of the "Coalition for Reason" along with other "sane" officemates Jim, Pam and Toby. And what fan of the show could forget Oscar's "Finer Things Club"? I laugh every time I think of that episode ("Branch Wars").

I was lucky enough to meet Nuñez, as well as his adorable senior rescue dog, Gus, for the Cruelty Free International photo shoot. As you might expect, he is very funny, but he knows that animal testing for cosmetics is a serious matter. He said, "I am proud to join Cruelty Free International in urging the United States to end cosmetics testing on animals."

Photo by Leslie Hassler

It is high time that the U.S. take positive action on this issue or risk falling even further behind the global trend. In fact, this week marks the second anniversary of the historic ban on the marketing of new animal-tested cosmetics in the European Union, which went into full effect on March 11, 2013.

Furthermore, India now has a testing and sales ban in place, while Brazil, New Zealand and South Korea recently made significant strides toward ending animal testing via legislation or policy decisions. Vietnam has agreed to end animal eye- and skin-irritation tests, and there have been promising changes in China's acceptance of non-animal tests for regular cosmetic products manufactured in the country.

Alternative methods are tests that use simple organisms like bacteria, or tissues and cells from humans (in vitro tests), and sophisticated computer models or chemical methods (in silico and in chemico tests). Such tests are usually cheaper, faster and more predictive for humans than the now-antiquated animal tests that were first developed over 70 years ago, when product testing was in its infancy.

Despite all the innovative science and global progress on this issue, I am constantly surprised that many Americans are completely unaware that the U.S. still allows cruel tests for cosmetics. I find that, once informed, they overwhelmingly oppose the practice. Multiple opinion polls have found the same. For example, a random telephone survey of U.S. adults conducted by ORC International in 2011 found that 72 percent of respondents agreed that testing cosmetics on animals is unethical, and that 61 percent believed that it should be disallowed.

Bringing this issue to the forefront of the public's mind is a key step toward finally bringing about an end to the practice in the United States. How lucky we are to have celebrities like Oscar Nuñez to help bring this information to the public attention. Thanks, Oscar!

Photo by Leslie Hassler

"Every tune on this album has its own groove, but it's all rock n' roll. We were really just going for whatever felt right. Some songs are hard and loud while others are totally danceable" - Kevin Preston, lead vocals and guitar

With a "... laser focus. Firing on all cylinders" the prettiest men in rock n roll, Glam rockers Prima Donna have done it again with the release of their latest album Nine Lives and Forty Fives. Fast, edgy, in-your-face with an attitude, this album lets us know without doubt they don't give a shit about who they insult or what the world thinks of them, because it's just the nature of rock n roll and the musician's life on the road amid one-night-stands, groupies and the next gig. It's bold, brash and beautiful, and I'm loving every minute of it.

Riding on the coattails of Prima Donna's latest gig at the Sundance Film Festival in January, followed by a record release party at Amoeba Music in Hollywood, Nine Lives and Forty Fives opens with a hard edge, sex-driven drum beat titled "Pretty Little Head," the first single release from the album. It tells the story of a girl who "wanted some" because she "came from none," and got more than she bargained for, quickly finding herself in over her head. The guitar riff sets the tone for the entire album and lets the audience know she's in for even more misery, because they'll never give up or give in.

Track Two is a throwback rock song called "Deathless" confessing he burned the bridge that would have made her "someone" and warns her to "leave real soon" before it destroys her, because he never had faith in her anyway, making his actions essentially a preemptive strike.

"Born Yesterday" is the first real dance song with a great sing-along in the chorus. But it is the lyrics that reinforce the mockery in the tone throughout the album, treating with contempt someone who was naive and gullible and easily fooled, "you keep on living out a bad, bad dream," while confessing their first sign of even a smidgen of remorse in the "sad, sad scene" of its aftermath. Though they admit they get tired of the victim asking "why, why, WHY?" and indifferently "walk away."

A dance tune with a surfer rock vibe and a great beat, "Living In Sin" mocks Prima Donna's upbringing in the suburbs of the San Fernando Valley amidst the hypocrisy that paid lip service to religious values and self-righteous, do-gooder hyperbole. Another single released from this album, it's the best dance song in the mix.

Track Five is a fast, fun straight-up punk song, titled "Rubbish," in the vein of the Sex Pistols and The Kinks. Who cares about the lyrics on this one? It's all about percussion and the hollowed-out, otherworldly anger in Kevin Preston's voice, with just the right touch of brat when he defiantly yells "I won't!" The guitar riff at the end ain't bad either. "Rock and Roll Is Dead" and they just don't care, pretty much sums up Track Six. A classic hard rock song that gives nod to rock n roll's beginnings all the way through to its eventual demise.

The heartbreaker bad boy attitude is back in Track Seven, titled "Like Hell." It's as if they channeled Fifty Shades of Grey in this song, with lines like "My heart is black," "I want your soul" and "I won't do anything unless I've got control and I want it now," letting her know in no uncertain terms he's the one who will decide when she can and can't stop playing the game. I have to admit, the song is both sexy and really disturbing.

"I'm on Fire" is exactly about what the title implies and expresses his desire for a woman who has no lover, and "Tattooed Love Girls" is an upbeat dance song about being hopelessly into hardcore edgy girls with tattoos all over bodies he's begging to be let into.

The mean, mocking indifference is back with Track Ten "Rip Her To Shreds." Another straight-up punk song, they rip to shreds an annoying groupie who has no clue how other people see her. The lyrics "I wish she'd take a flight to Palestine" and just go away made me laugh out loud. Funny in its honesty and cynical in its execution, this is my favorite song on the album.

The album closes with a pure lust sex scene. Titled "Eat Your Heart Out," it's easy to imagine he's in the middle of a full-on sex fantasy he's hoping to make reality, begging her to give him a try, which is a fitting metaphor for the theme and a satisfying ending to a strong album.

For tour dates and other info about the band, check them out at http://primadonnarocks.com/

Oh, the winds of fate blowing into Bates Motel are about get even more twisted. Season 3 of the hit AMC drama premieres tonight, and any doubts about whether this prequel to the famous Hitchcock Psycho juggernaut (now set in the modern day) has any strength to keep the creative stabs coming should be eliminated. By the looks of it, Season 3 goes psychologically deeper and even more unsettling as it continues to chronicle the emotionally troubling relationship between Norma Louise Bates (Vera Farmiga) and her intense son Norman (Freddie Highmore).

Here, Farmiga opens up about the iconic role and the road ahead in Season 3.

Greg Archer: You brilliantly bring to life such a complex character. What's the best thing about stepping into Norma's psychological shoes?

Vera Farmiga: One of the best things about the Vera-to-Norma morph is donning Mrs. Bates' wardrobe -- so ridiculously chic and enchanting. My oh-so-esteemed costume designer, Monique Prudhomme, takes Vogue patterns and custom-tweaks them into wonderful contemporary variations on a '40s and '50s theme that fancifully support the female figure flawlessly. On the outside? Cherubic golden curls and pristine garb. On the inside Norma Louise has a brittle spirit crushed by her sordid history. Her heart is in pieces, her gut wrenched, having to confront her son's present darkness. I revel in this contradiction. It's a real hoot to fight demons in glass slippers.

Greg Archer: What's most challenging about portraying this particular character?

Vera Farmiga: The monumental challenge for me has always been to appeal Norma's case before the grand jury of a contemporary audience, that she is a sincerely devoted, typical mother. The original Pyscho left an indelible, wicked impression of Mother Norma: We learn of her through ... Norman's fractured psyche and assume she was a nasty-assty, rejecting mommy. Continually, Norma throws down a gauntlet to the [Bates Motel] audience, challenging them to forgive her, admire her, and root for her even in the face of her foibles and transgression, her shortcomings and deceit. What's been really exciting to explore this season is simultaneously the height of righteousness this character possesses and the depths of depravity and manipulation she is capable of. The pendulum swing is challenging and fun like a chancy trapeze act.

Greg Archer: How has it stretched you as an actress?

Vera Farmiga: It has stretched me like Gumby to the Moon and back. The role demands super-stamina and emotional tenacity. Emotionally, Norma blasts off from 0 to 60 in two seconds flat, ricochets like a bullet, tacks with the tempestuous wind. Her life is a continuous, desperate series of emotional rebounds. I feel like a whirling dervish of emotion, spent from the previous day's spinning. And each morn' I gotta get up and do it again. It's relentless, the emotional temperature of this role, effing feverish. More than any other role I have ever played, Norma requires Herculean athleticism and mental gymnastics.

Greg Archer: Norma has been through quite a bit since we met her. What's her biggest challenge this season?

Vera Farmiga: Norma is scared, plain tired and worn out, and sick of being taken advantage of. She is ready to do whatever it takes to succeed and achieve her vision of a successful, happy life. Normalcy, peace, and beauty is all this woman has ever wanted to achieve. It's dawning on her that it's her beloved Norman that may be standing in the way of her achieving that goal. The biggest challenge is that she is growing emotionally afraid of Norman.

Greg Archer: You and Freddie have terrific chemistry. Can you describe more about working off him? Best things? Interesting things? Things that surprised you, perhaps?

Vera Farmiga: Freddie is one of my best friends in all the world, a goofball of the highest order, my heart's delight. Our alchemy is in large part the writers' magical composition, one part our philosophies and work ethic, one part astrology, one part mysticism, and a whole lotta parts camaraderie. The best thing about working with him, from a technical standpoint, is his prudence in learning my lines. I can always rely on him. He has a near-photographic brain.

Greg Archer: No doubt there must be a big shocker this season; it's Bates Motel! Without giving it away, on a scale of 1 to 10 on the surprise meter, how surprised will viewers be?

Vera Farmiga: Viewers can expect matters to hit the fan in White Pine Bay, like when excrement makes physical contact with an oscillating air-distribution device. When those chunky surprises hit them, expect astonishment and stupefaction. Most def 10 on the meter. Season 3 is a bolt from the blue.

Season 3 of Bates Motel hits AMC Monday, March 9, at 9 p.m. EDT/PDT.

With sultry singer Rihanna's new video tease out for her latest single, "American Oxygen" looking a lot like a not so subtle tribute to Bruce Springsteen's iconic "Born in the USA" album pose, could the Barbados born beauty secretly be a big Bruce Springsteen fan?

If you're still not convinced, one of the tracks on her forthcoming album is entitled "Dancing in the Dark." And while it's not a cover, nor does it share any similarity to Springsteen's 1984 release, have you ever heard of another "Dancing in the Dark" song?

Speaking of the much covered single, if you haven't seen the enchanting Morgan James and her soulful version, please allow yourself five minutes to indulge.

Reigning teen queen Taylor Swift occasionally covers "Dancing" in concert, and once, temporarily inked her arm with lyrics from another one of Springsteen's '84 rockers, "No Surrender."

Another spirited female musician with more than a passing fancy for The Boss is 2015 Grammy nominated saxist, Mindi Abair. The Florida native told Jazz Times "If given the chance to bring Charlie Parker back from the dead and play with him or to play with Bruce Springsteen, I'm probably the 1 percent of sax players who would say Bruce. But that's what makes the world go 'round."

Actress and star of Syfy's Continuum, Rachel Nichols, has been seen, on more than one occasion, by this writer, swooning to Bruce in concert. She's also tweeted out photos of herself donning Springsteen gear.

Count legendary singer Ronnie Spector as another one who looks fondly at Springsteen, telling MOJO magazine earlier this year that Bruce (along with Steven Van Zandt and Southside Johnny) "saved me." Struggling to put her life back together after her bitter divorce to Phil Spector in the 70's, Bruce (and the guys) gave her an opportunity to perform and record together. Bruce introduced Ronnie on stage as the girl he always wanted to marry. In 1976 Ronnie sang her signature song, "Be My Baby," live in concert, alongside Bruce and the E Street Band.

Jennifer Lopez appeared quite happy to be Jenny by the Boss in a recent photo.

Rocker Melissa Etheridge, who's admitted Bruce taught her "how to dream," paid tribute by intentionally writing a Bruce inspired song for her latest album, "M.E." Springsteen's influence is felt immediately on "I Won't Be Alone Tonight."

Australian's award-winning singer/songwriter Kasey Chambers says her 2015 APRA nominated song of the year, "Bittersweet" came about because she had a dream one night where Bruce was her boyfriend. Keep dreaming Kasey, The Boss is still happily married to American songstress, Patti Scialfa.

Many people unfairly associate Springsteen only with the working man or a man's only musician -- that couldn't be further from the truth. Sure we know all too much about The Boss bromances of Jimmy Fallon, Brian Williams, Matt Lauer, Eddie Veder, Bono, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks; but clearly, women admire The Boss too -- and it's not just because he looks great in a pair of blue jeans.

2015-03-06-1425683026-4102609-modelookingatBITUSAalbum.jpg

Photo courtesy Barcelona's Enzo David Pla Iriarte

Bruce came out with "Crush on You" in 1980 on his double album, "The River"...seems as if some famous ladies of today are the ones with the crush on him.

It's a question that has been nagging at Gravity Falls viewers ever since this Emmy Award-winning series first debuted on the Disney Channel back in June 2012: What is the deal with Grunkle Stan?

I mean, sure. There's a lot that fans of this animated series already know about Stan Pines -- for example, that he loves fleecing the rubes -- I mean, "customers" -- who come by the Mystery Shack, that tumbledown roadside attraction that he runs. And while he may not be the greatest role model for his grand-nephew and grand-niece, twins Dipper and Mabel, Stan does seem to genuinely care about them.

Nevertheless, from the very first episode of Gravity Falls, "Tourist Trapped," there were signs that Grunkle Stan really shouldn't be trusted. From that -- SPOILER ALERT! -- secret passageway hidden behind a vending machine in the Mystery Shack's gift shop to that enormous whatever-it-is deep down in Stan's underground lab that he uses information from Dipper's journal to fire up in the last episode of the first season, "Gideon Rises," there are aspects of Stan Pines that are genuinely disturbing.

And as the second season of this Disney XD series unspooled, there were Gravity Falls fans who were desperate to learn more about what Grunkle Stan was up to, which is why they decoded each and every secret message that had been stashed in the show's credits, not to mention repeatedly watching every episode of Gravity Falls and freeze-framing particular moments, all in hopes that something that was hidden in the background might then hold the key to uncovering the central mystery that seems to be driving this show's overall storyline.

And you know who's thrilled about all these viewers who hop on Twitter and Facebook immediately after each episode of Gravity Falls airs so that they can share their thoughts about the latest plot twists? Series creator Alex Hirsch.

"When a new episode airs, the 24 hours that follow are -- for me, anyway -- some sort of weird combination of Christmas morning and getting your report card," Hirsch explained. "Immediately there are innumerable crazy and fun tributes online, great pieces of fan art, things that show how engaged people are with what we've been doing with Gravity Falls. Mind you, I'm a 'The customer is always right' kind of guy. If some guy says, 'That episode wasn't so hot,' I don't say, 'Get out of my life.' I say, 'Yeah, no, you're probably right. There's a lesson to be learned here.' I've very much engaged in seeing what the fan response to the show is, trying to discover what provokes passion among our audience and what provokes 'Meh.'"

And given how well the first season of Gravity Falls was received, well, Hirsch was ready to really step up his storytelling with the second season of this Disney Television Animation production.

"And it wasn't just me," Hirsch continued. "The artists who work on Gravity Falls -- now that they knew that people were really enjoying the sort of season-long storytelling we were trying to do here, they wanted to step up their game as well. That's why, just before we officially started working on Season 2, me and all the artists who work on this show took a road trip together. It was like 11 art nerds in a van driving the California coast up to the tip of Oregon and back down. We stopped at every single roadside tourist trap that we could find and then took a million pictures."

And that was all because they wanted to get the world that Stan Pines lives and works in -- a world that's sure to change when "Not What He Seems" airs on Disney XD tonight at 8:30 p.m. EDT (7:30 p.m. CDT) -- right.

"We know that we're taking a big chance when we do something like this," Hirsch stated. "We know that we could possibly turn off viewers. Gravity Falls fans might say, 'This isn't what I signed up for.' But as I and the great team of artists I work with were blocking out Season 2, we kept asking ourselves, 'What would we want to watch?' and, 'What would be fun to write?' I mean, if you have a character who -- every time they appear onscreen -- you can sort of suspect what they're going to do next, well, that character then becomes one-note, repetitious. And we're not interested in repeating ourselves on Gravity Falls."

And not repeating themselves has clearly been paying off: Just last month Hirsch and the Gravity Falls production team were honored with a 2015 Annie Award for Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for a Children's Audience.

But that was last month. Tonight some very big questions will be answered. In fact, as -- SPOILER ALERT! -- government agents take Stan into custody, Dipper and Mabel begin to question how much they really know about their Grunkle Stan.

"When I first pitched this show to the Disney Channel, I shared my Gravity Falls mission statement -- the road map, if you will, for where this show is headed -- because what we're really trying to do here is, honestly, experimental for a kids' animated television show," Hirsch said. "Combining half-hour stories with season-long arcs like this, it's kind of uncharted territory. The people writing on this show have certainly never done it before, so we're all kind of learning as we go.

"But Gravity Falls -- as I imagine it, anyway -- definitely does have a beginning, a middle and an end," he said. "I mean, it's all about this one insane summer that these 12- or 13-year-old twins have just before they become teenagers. And so far, we feel very fortunate that what we hoped people would feel while they're watching this show is mostly tracking. What people feel while they're watching -- you can never fully predict an audience's response. But so far with Gravity Falls, I could not ask for a better audience response."

Gravity Falls fans finally learn what the deal really is with Grunkle Stan when "Not What He Seems" airs on Disney XD tonight.

How often do Tom Hanks, George Clooney, David Letterman, Meryl Streep, Renee Fleming, Aloe Blacc and Carole King show up for an event at which no one is getting an award? Perhaps it might occur for a current head of state, or maybe a performer who is getting a Lifetime Achievement honor.

But for someone who has been dead for seven years?

Last week at Lincoln Center, I attended one of the most perfect fundraising evenings imaginable. Called SeriousFun, the money went to the camps for children with life-threatening illnesses that were founded by Paul Newman. The actor would have been 90 this year, so remembering him was the theme of the night, which also featured many of the kids who have been helped -- even saved -- by his vision and generosity.

Newman's idea was simple: all kids should be allowed to have fun, and fun should be taken seriously. He was known as a lifelong practical joker with a boyish sense of humor. With money raised via his salad dressings and sauces, (Newman's Own) the first Hole in the Wall Gang Camp was opened in Connecticut in1988. Now there are 30, and they are located around the world, each free to families, supported by private donations.

This was one of those nights when you were laughing at Letterman, ogling Clooney, (who knows of being a dazzling leading man and yet giving back) standing spontaneously for the children --many who discovered hidden talents at the camps -- singing with Carole King, and weeping at the projections of Newman and those happy campers. My daughter was so moved that she texted me later, "I am planning to send all the money I don't have."

Above all, it made one respect the time and money this man gave, when he certainly didn't have to. Full disclosure: My father and Newman were political pals. They raised money for Eugene McCarthy in 1968, co-founded The Center for Defense Information in Washington, (which was an important anti-Pentagon voice) served as special United Nations delegates together in the name of disarmament, and brought Nation Magazine back to life when it was in a serious crisis. When my father was honored in Los Angeles, while running the state's Nuclear Freeze Campaign, Newman was the emcee. Later, he complimented me on my own introductory speech. He took my hand, looked me in the eyes, and said, "You were funny, you were tender...." He had me at "you."

Speaking of those eyes, he once drove my father -- 90 miles an hour, in his VW with a Porsche engine -- to Santa Barbara. They stopped on the way for breakfast. Newman was wearing large sunglasses, which he took off the very moment the oblivious waitress was about to pour piping hot coffee. She took one look at those baby blues and the coffee went right down my father's pants, giving him some minor and memorable burns.

And I'll never forget one day when we were all eating lunch at a tennis club. Just as I was about to pour on the club's salad dressing, Newman put out his arm and said, "Don't touch that." Then he asked for a little oil, vinegar and a few other goodies and made me his own. Best asparagus appetizer ever.

Paul Newman gave so much money away and did not want people to even know. It was never about getting a wing or an award or a title. He had a career every actor would dream about: from the stage, to the films, to directing. He had a long marriage in a business where that is far from the norm. He got better as an actor as he aged: he said he was embarrassed to watch his early films because he could see the work. It's true that every time his first one, The Silver Chalice, is aired, he takes out ads urging people not to watch. "I told myself I'd never do another movie in a cocktail dress," he told me once. Later, in films like Absence of Malice, Road to Perdition, The Verdict and Nobody's Fool, his acting was natural and unaffected.

We all miss Paul Newman for so many reasons: those gorgeous looks, that talent, that whimsical sense of fun that he believed was so important, especially for children who got a raw deal. As for him, he was the real deal.

AOL is learning the unique ways in which consumers want to watch its original video line-up via mobile devices.

In this video interview, Marta Martinez, Global Head Video Sales at AOL Platforms, tells Beet.TV that the company's videos are available on 166 devices...

"(Consumers) normally watch three shows - in 65% of the cases, they watch them at the same time as prime(-time) TV. That tells you a lot about the substitutional value of that medium."

"When ... they watch it on their mobile device, they normally watch one show, twice a day - in the morning and at night."

AOL is making increasingly short-form video to meet mobile dynamics. We've gone from shows that are 10-15mins... we are launching a new show in two minutes ... we are going to shorter-form, mobile-first vid experiences.

Martinez was interviewed at Beet.TV's annual executive retreat by Nielsen Digital MD Andrew Feigenson.

The Beet Retreat '15 was sponsored by AOL and Videology. Please find additional videos from the event here.

You can find this post on Beet.TV.

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(VIDEO) AOL Goes Short At Prime-Time To Reach Viewers: Martinez