• Ponies Take 9th Place on Time's Top Everything of 2011

    If I had a million dollars for every single magazine/website/entertainment group that used the wrong ponies as a header image, I would totally have like... 10 million dollars right now.  Yep.

    Anyway, Time did a small article on Bronies as part of their Top 10 Everything of 2011 piece.  Apparently we are just that awesome!

    Those hippoponies though, come on guys... 

    Check it out here.

    97 comments:

    1. time top everything and were on 9th place? were doing big stuff here

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    2. That picture is... um..
      interesting.

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    3. ARGH! That is appaling.

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    4. Saw it yesterday since I follow Time a lot.

      Also, I'm not calling first since I figured it was insignificant 6 years ago.

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    5. Hey, TIME still thinks everyone has enough disposable income to pay a ton of money for their magazine that's always out of date before it hits your mailbox, thanks to the digital age. Their website is just as bad.

      If they actually had the right ponies, I'd bother reading.

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    6. Why doesn't anyone use the good ponies, oh well win some and lose some right?

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    7. You'd think that they could just use the show logo or something.

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    8. Soon, we shall be the best. Then. . .

      WORLD DOMINATION!

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    9. They have not been brought into The Light. Give them time. Curiosity got my old Republican grandpa to watch this, the world ain't that far behind.

      And what is this obsession with "first"? Who bucking cares?

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    10. XD!

      We just got over Chuck Testa! I actually think Chuck should have been higher. Come on guys, he's awesome even if he's just Chuck Testa.

      Also, we are 9 on Top 10 Memes, not top 10 everything. Also, being below Charlie Sheen is winning is an honour.

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    11. So this over on My Little Brony. First thought was "What are those things?!"

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    12. @Seth.
      I know right? How hard is it, if you work for TIMES MAGAZINE to go to Toys R' Us and get a five dollar pony? How hard?

      Still, hooray for us. We make a difference. Now lets go make Love and Tolerance in the world.

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    13. What show is that picture even FROM?

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    14. They really need to get the right generation next time they do something like this

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    15. I sometimes wonder if they purposely use the wrong ponies just to skew the way people look at us for the worse.

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    16. Urg, this fucking picture...
      When do people get that 90% of us do not give a dam about pre G4?

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    17. Soon they WILL NOT put the wrond picture, because there will be bronies everywhere, even in News to correct em everytime! BUAHAHAHA

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    18. what, only 9th! The other stuff was soo lame >=(

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    19. Woohoo, but why'd they have to use that image!?

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    20. It's nice that we've show up on a top 10 list, and in an article that highlights how much of a shine we've taken to them without being negative (in my opinion at least.) But it appears there's still some work to be done. For one thing, we gotta make it clear to whoever handles the stock footage to quit showing the friggin hippos and get at least a picture of Twilight Sparkle.

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    21. Ninth? well I spose at least we're on there. That image though? gah why do they never use something current, always the odd ones.

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    22. *notes*

      Brony Goals:

      -Be on a top 10 of something good. *Check!*

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    23. im thinking those are g1....gah...ponys sure were UGLY back then...they look all sad and well mentally broken..and heartbroken..and..and....they are all emo without the makup..perhaps they were simply modeled after eeyore

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    24. What the hell gen IS that picture? Gen -1? I'd sooner buy that Nightmare Fuel Pinkie Pie doll than one of those....THINGS.

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    25. Silly media...Y U NO GET THE RIGHT PONIES?!?

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    26. I bet you though number 10 was ponies. Nope, Chuck Testa!

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    27. I'm a little more concerned about the small info given. Didn't we pass the whole movies PMV's MONTHS ago? And we didn't have anything to do with getting the 2nd Season green lit either.

      Seriously, why do all the big name journals get everything wrong or way out of date?

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    28. Only number 9? I mean obviously OWS is bigger... but Tim Tebow, as a meme? No way in hell.

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    29. I left my two cents on the comments section for that article. Lol.

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    30. Is it a slow day or is everyone else still in school or asleep? 8 comments?!?!? jeesh.

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    31. oops take that back

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    32. sorry for being unrelated. that is awesome, although I am detecting a small bit of bias with the whole hipponies... :(

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    33. @PortableSounds I was probably asleep. This thing jarred me awake when I saw it pop up on my Twitter feed. LOL

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    34. Them Fat ponies ugh. I really like... Her mane??

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    35. Showed that image to a friend on Skype, she nearly died. Just terrible.

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    36. Tim Tebow? Ted Williams? Paula Deen? In what UNIVERSE were any of these more popular than ponies?

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    37. those hipponies >_>

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    38. We're becoming more and more popular. Soon the whole world will know us. Yay!

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    39. the show was renewed before the bronies! they cant get anythin right ...-.-

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    40. @CityFlyer502 curse my computer! I have tried every internet browser I can find. NONE of them let me use twitter. all i get is a blank screen with just the twitter background.

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    41. Seriously? We got beaten by Paula Deen? I can live with the 99% and the Charlie Sheen stuff, but come on. We have art, music, fics, and a huge community. What's she got? The word "Butter".

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    42. Come on now, it can't be THAT hard to at least do a little research? If they actually did that they'd know that we watch G4 and not any of the other... stuff of nightmares.

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    43. If there's one thing following this fandom has taught me, it's that major publications like Time are not to be trusted anymore. Props to them for actually keeping it objective this time, but sheez guys, way to show how ironically BEHIND THE TIMES Time Magazine is. Even the littlest shred of research would've told them that the new following isn't a blanket infatuation with all things My Little Pony, it's strictly limited to just the new TV series. Proclaiming our love for the magical adventures? Excuse me, that's not how you spell 'epic.'

      I mean, come on Time, even the WALL FREAKIN' STREET JOURNAL used the right generation image, and emphasized the new fanbase was about the TV show. That publication is run by a bunch of financially-focused banking/market types whose whole life circulates around bull/bear markets and the bottom line! How could THEY get it right, and Time Magazine get it WRONG!?

      Yes, I know, overreacting. Totally overreacting. Not going to call for torches and pitchforks against Time, I'm just hoping somebody backhands the dumb bloke who Google Image searched "My Little Pony" and chose THAT image. Gah, at least I should count my blessings, at least they didn't follow the course of less reputable sensationalist idiots (*cough* ScrewAttack *cough*) and use Rule 34 pics as being directly indicative of the Brony phenomenon...

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    44. "A show whose typical audience is four-year-old girls..."

      So, where's the rest of the target demographic, you know... the PARENTS of those kids?

      Other than that and the wrong picture, more coverage is always nice.

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    45. "anthropomorphic horses" ?!
      The whole point of this generation is that the ponies AREN'T anthro! They're equine. Very flexible equines with magic and wings, but equines nonetheless. Research people, seriously!

      Still, this is kinda neat.

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    46. Only ninth? We obviously haven't been trying hard enough. Come on bronies, let's step it up.

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    47. @CTVulpin
      Anthropomorphic literally means "human-like". It was correct.

      Aside from that, very little research was truly done. Wrong photo, mentioned season 2 renewal even though it's already airing (and we have an idea of it being renewed for season 3), and mention of it all starting "last October" (which would mean a couple months ago, wouldn't it?)

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    48. I bet you thought we were #10.

      NOPE Chuck Testa!

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    49. The hell? Where do news articles keep pulling their images FROM?

      Any actual research into the fandom would quickly reveal the completely different artstyle and theme. What the heck are those things, anyway? They certainly aren't ponies, not even pre-G4 ones. Way to make us look bad.

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    50. The picture sucks, but that's awesome that a company as big as Time featured us. Next stop: the world. :P

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    51. On one hand... hoof... end of appendage thingie, Seth must be stoked to have his 'covertly named' web site be linked to by something as prestigious as Time Magazine. And I seriously mean that. Despite what some of the younger members of the fan base may say, Time is right up there with the WSJ for high profile, wide spread readership. To get mentioned here really is something to be celebrated.

      On the other thingie however, you'd think that if they had the link available for them, and had actually used it to confirm that said link took them to where they wanted it to go (and not, for example, to some website that keeps track of horse based Olympic events around the world), they would have seen what the ponies they should have used look like. Not only did they use the wrong ones, but that picture angle makes them look even worse! Ack!

      Still, congrats to the fandom as a whole!

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    52. Dem past gen ponies. Maybe because I was a fan of G1 when I was growing up I'm not as offended by it though. lol

      Short article. I didn't mind it. It wasn't negative at least.

      And I laughed hard when I saw what number ten was. I bet you thought it was something worth looking into. Nope. Just Chuck Testa. Haha.

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    53. This year, 9th place on Time's Top Everything of 2011.

      Next year, world domination!

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    54. My god would it hurt them to use Google images to find a decent picture.

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    55. And honestly, I'm usually not that phased when publications use images from previous generations. Sure it shows some poor journalism, but the fact is that those who know about the show already know what the characters are supposed to look like, and for those who don't know, I can't imagine that their reaction to seeing G4 ponies would be any different from them seeing G1 hippos.

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    56. *GAAAASSSSPPPPPP* yay~

      World domination is definitely next on our list with Pinkie to lead us there 8D
      PARTY CANNONS AT THE READY!

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    57. I'd be excited if it wasn't for those grotesque pony toys. Seriously, you'd think a major national newsgroup would do the minimal research and make sure they're using relevant images.

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    58. I'd put the show above bronies, honestly... The show is more of a mention than our cult following.

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    59. @David I wouldn't call it an overreaction. This is just simply your take on this article. I came across the WSJ article on MLP during my pre-brony time (a dark time now that I look at it) and agree that it was a well-done article compared to what Time wrote. Definitely wouldn't kill them to use something from this gen.

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    60. I am surprised my comment on that article is the only one that was given the thought necessary to be effective.

      FYI I'm Daniel Knight, and I'm referring to the one that includes the words "Dear Nick Carbone,"

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    61. I bet the reason they get the images wrong is because when they see Gen 4 ponies they don't recognize them as MLP since most people working at mags or in the media only know Gen 1 ponies. Gen 4 is that different from the rest as to be separate.

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    62. Hum... sorry to say it and I hope you guys do not hate me for this, but the first ponies are very similar to the real ponies (except for the colors, of course)... research photos of real ponies and you can check it.

      Of course Lauren's ponies are cutest, but hey, it were the 80's!

      I'm a girl and I used to collect this toys, and I still love them, to be honest (I never liked the 80's and 90' pony cartoons, but I actually think the toys of this time used to be better developed than the G4 toys.)

      As I said, hope you don't hate me for my oppinion ^^" I agree that the media should make a better research and don't put a pic like that just because it should explain HOW guys like ponies, and that's because Lauren's ponies are crazy and funny, not just cute.

      But in another hand, a lot of pegasisters (like me) used to like this old ponies and don't think they're ugly at all =/ I don't know, I think it's totally fair to criticize the old bad shows, but just call the toys by ugly names is offensive to part of the fandom -- it's quite similar (to me) to the haters who mock bronies...

      Sorry again, just my oppinion. Love and tolerate, dear bronies! =)

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    63. I say we make some sort of movement to show the world that we aren't into the hippoponies, because I'm sure most people are turned away from our fandom thinking that's what we're into. We need to show them the magic that is the Gen 4 series!

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    64. I say we make some sort of movement to show the world that we aren't into the hippoponies, because I'm sure most people are turned away from our fandom thinking that's what we're into. We need to show them the magic that is the Gen 4 series!

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    65. Pros: Top ten on a list of everything? WOO!

      Cons: WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THIS IS HOLY -ARE- THOSE ATROCIOUS THINGS!?!? D:

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    66. Pinkie Pie: Hey Twilight, what do you wanna do tonight?
      Twilight: The same thing we do every night Pinkie. Try to take over the world!


      And seriously.... I'm starting to wonder if those terrible and incorrect images they use are their way of insulting us? I'm also wondering why Celestia hasn't banished those horrible things to the moon yet?

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    67. @Petra Leão This post was supposed to be about the new My Little Pony fandom. Non-G4 versions of the show and ponies as animals have nothing to do with it.

      Most bronies and most of the world are just disgusted by these hippo-like things. The G4 models would be the only things tolerable by us and the rest of the world to have as the representing picture there. It could've been the first sight of MLP: FiM to so many people and it likely would've got them interested of the show since they would've had no idea that the models are this much different these days and like so many of us, they could've gotten curious of the show and discover awesomeness that is My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

      I respect your opinion but this is what most of us think and for a good reason too. Stupid Times...

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    68. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    69. @Petra Leão G4 and G1 are better than the rest as far as I'm concerned.

      As a kid I liked the G1 toys, guess I can think my two female cousins for me liking horses at a young age. I can only faintly remember watching the show itself.

      The G4 ponies are a fresh look to the series, are cute, and have the writing and voice actors backing them up to make them and the show awesome.

      Everything in between these two generations just frightens me

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    70. top ten memes. not top ten everything. still really cool.

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    71. @Mike
      I mean, there's a sub-category of the list just for memes.

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    72. @ponies

      No problem, dear.

      Just to make myself clear... when I mentioned the real ponies, that's because in my point of view, there's no sense in calling the G1 ponies "hippo-things", because they LOOK like real ponies in their proportion. That's what I meant... so, I think it's unfair call them "hippo-things" just like if they're bad shaped or something. They're just not of bronies taste, but very similar to the real ponies.

      Sorry if I couldn't explain it right ^^"

      But don't think I disagree with you. I do think the media should research and put pics of Lauren Faust's ponies, to make people understand why the bronies exist.

      I like the old pony toys (and JUST the toys, not the cartoons!), but I completely understand they don't have anything to do with brony fandom and Lauren Faust style. Unfortunately, the media always put this pics because ponies are and apparently will ever be assotiated to the first toy line (and I see it like way to mock bronies for being fans of "girly things" too...) You totally have my sympathy on this point, this IS WRONG. =/

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    73. @SgtGarand

      I totally agree with you. I actually never liked the old 80's cartoon, but I always loved the toys (and I used to play with them and create my own adventures -- just like Lauren Faust said that she used to, in EqD interview.) I don't think that ugly and bad toys would inspire her like this =)

      Anyway, for my taste, I never watched any pony cartoons until G4 (even as a girl, I always rather Thundercats, Ghostbusters, He-Man and etc), but I like this old toys even now. =)

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    74. Wow. Those were the pony toys *I* used to have as a kid! How far we've come.

      *clings to Applejack and Feather May toys*

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    75. @Petra Leão

      Don't worry, none of us are going to hate you for your opinion. We're bronies, remember?

      I see a lot of pressure and distaste for the older generation stuff, which is unfortunate for the bronies we have that liked the older gen stuff, however let's not forget that in reference to actual show quality and material, the older generation stuff really doesn't have appeal to the majority of adults.

      Personally, I'm not too fond of reminders from older gen fans who say things like, "Stop hating on the older generation," "Bronies existed before FiM," etc. I understand that the older gens still have fans, and I do think it's important that bronies as a whole know their roots, however I don't think it's fair to lump bronies as a whole to represent approval of all generations.

      Friendship is Magic is a legitimately good show, with a lot of creativity and effort put into the characters, animation, episode storylines, etc. It shouldn't be a surprise adults watch it at all, and to be quite honest, the reason why bronies are considered such an interesting group, has more to do with the fact we watch a show with the words, "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic," and less to do with the show itself.

      If MLP:FiM was a different cartoon with the same dedication to quality, nobody would think twice of it. It basically just boils down to stereotyping.

      Hope this didn't come off harsh in any way. I meant it to be good intentions.

      *PS, I (along with many others) don't like the term pegasister, because it puts back into place those sex-based stereotypes, the difference between men and women, etc. Bronies should be a non-gender specific term, and encompasses all fans of the show.

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    76. Here we go with the G1 hate, despite Lauren loved them and if it wasn't for them we wouldn't have Friendship is Magic.

      Why can't we love and tolerate it? *cough* I liked the G1 movie as a little kid and I was happy for the G1 references in FiM.

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    77. Also, alot (but not all) of collectors and old school fans of MLP actually collect and watch FiM so it's kind of wrong to say that alot people don't care for the old generations.

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    78. @Quackers

      Thank you for the support, Quackers! ^_^

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    79. @Navy Brony

      Thank you, dear =) Loved your comment.

      I totally think it's wrong to put pics from G1 when the issue is MLP: FiM, G4 and Lauren Faust characters, indeed. I completely understand that this kind of article should use G4 images to explain how the bronies fell in love with the show -- and the reasons are very different from what made little girls love this old ponies. I'm a pegasister / brony (as you wish, I don't mind ^_^) and I support this point of view, because I love the toys but I see how G4 is in gargantuous higher level than the older pony cartoons.

      Just wanted to say that even then, I think there's no need to call the old toys "hippoponies" or this kind of thing, because they were part of a lot of people's childhood, and I think they were pretty good for the 80's... and we have a lot of people who are bronies now and were fans of these ponies in the past too. Just it =) Sorry if I sound too boring, I really don't want to be a pain.

      About the term pegasister / brony, it's an interesting point of view, indeed! Here in Brazil all the female bronies are called pegasisters, because bronies come from "bros + ponies", and well, girls are not bros. But to be honest, as a tomboy, I really don't care too much about it. I have more male friends than female, so... call me brony if you want to ^^ You're right, I think it's always better go against stereotypes! Bronies from Brazil call themselves BR-onies, by the way ^^

      (Ooopsie... and sorry for the long post!)

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    80. @Heimdal I saw that "last October" gaff too. And the shallow characterization of bronies as people that make video remixes and post them to Youtube. That is so 2002.

      I think the G1 and G3 ponies are cute. Not enough to buy a G1 or G3 pony (unless customized as a Rain and Spirit of the Cimarron pair), but cute enough to look at.

      Time is being lazy and probably cheap -- I suspect that is a stock image they have on file that they won't have to pay rights for. I guess we have the Wall Street Journal to thank that they noticed us at all. The Nyan poptart cat and "Clean all the things" meme should have knocked a few of the others off the top ten. I'm almost surprised Time even knows what a meme is.

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    81. Still can't decide if it's intentional insult or just gross incompetence at research. I know you should never attribute to malice what can be explained by stupidity, but with the amount of G4 images filling the internet and the fact that they have a link to EQD makes the required level of incompetence mind bogglingly high. Then again, they got all their other facts wrong as well.

      At first I get all excited that major news outlets notice us, then when I see their appalling research I'm reminded why old journalism is essentially undead. It's an echo chamber that's always out of date and out of touch.

      Just once, I'd like to see a major news outlet use half the research and integrity of an average school newspaper.

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    82. ┴hǝsǝ poniǝs arǝ significanʇly more show-accuraʇǝ ʇhan ʇhe onǝs ouʇ ʇhǝrǝ now. Wǝ wanʇ a sǝʇ of ʇhǝsǝ!

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    83. Bah. I like the old ponies. Why it's so easy to insult the generations that made this generation possible is slightly beyond me. You may not like it, but there's still people that do.

      But okay. They're hippoponies. Let's just throw a party and trample all over the people who considered themselves a part of this community, too. They're the minority, so it's okay, right?

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    84. I wish those toys were fatter. I would actually pay a few dollars for a real hippopony just for the humor value alone.

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    85. There isn't anything wrong with G1 ponies. If they didn't exsist, Lauren Faust would have never made FiM. I don't get how you hate them all so.

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    86. I like the old ponies, as they were the first ponies I encountered. But... would it KILL people to post the correct ponies?!

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    88. I think we did pretty well getting 9th place. And the article is pretty positive, so it gets a thumbs up in my book.

      I think the reason why so many news publications get a pic of the wrong generation of MLP to associate with Bronies is because unless you specifically add "Friendship is Magic" to your "My Little Pony" Google image search 99% of the results are pictures from the older generations.

      @scraleos Agreed

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    89. They probably had that in their image archives already.

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