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Thousands of people want James Gunn to come back for Guardians 3
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FILE - In this Nov. 11, 2017 file photo, filmmaker James Gunn arrives at the 9th annual Governors Awards in Los Angeles. Gunn has been fired as director of Guardians of the Galaxy 3 because of old tweets that recently emerged where he joked about subjects like pedophilia and rape. Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn said in a statement Friday, July 20, 2018, that the tweets are indefensible, and the studio has severed ties with Gunn. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File) - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Jul 26, 2018, 1:39 PM
Thousands of fans across the nation have signed petitions saying they dont want a new director for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

The petitions began this week after Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn was fired after social media users connected to a far-right fringe movement found old tweets and blog posts from Gunn that included shocking jokes.

Gunn had recently used his Twitter account to criticize President Donald Trump. Right-wing activist Mike Cernovich noticed the criticism and encouraged his followers to show Disney and Marvel screenshots of perverse jokes about molestation and other taboo subjects that Gunn had made over the years, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Disney fired Gunn immediately Friday.

The offensive attitudes and statements discovered on James Twitter feed are indefensible and inconsistent with our studios values, and we have severed our business relationship with him, Walt Disney Company Chairman Alan Horn said in a statement Friday afternoon, according to EW.

But fans dont want to see the director fired. One Change.org petition reached 150,000 signatures. Another 50,000-strong have signed an online petition for Walt Disney Company to rehire Guardians of the Galaxy Gunn.

Gunn has received support from outside petitions, too. Actress Selma Blair said on social media that Gunn should be rehired.

And Michael Rooker, who played outlaw Yondu Udonta in the first two Guardians movies, said he was leaving the movie because Gunn was fired.

Fellow star Zoe Saldana (Gamora), meanwhile, said shes going to reflect on what happened before deciding anything.

Chris Pratt tweeted out a Bible verse in support of Gunn.

Gunns brother, Sean Gunn, said the films helped make his brother a better person, according to Yahoo.

Working on these movies made my brother a better person, and they made me one too, Sean Gunn said. Im proud of that.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.