It takes more: to fascinate me

It was reported--I watch too much t.v. and I would love to credit the source, but I honestly have no clue who reported it--that Barbara Walters' "2011 Most Fascinating List" viewership was down 30% than the previous year. The backlash seems to be due to the Kardashian family making the list. I, however, would not place the blame solely on the Kardashians. It is obvious that the rich and famous have always fascinated society. I highly recommend Robert Wuhl's, "Assume the Position," on HBO. He pokes fun at how, throughout history, there has been an obsession with pop culture. His language is very strong and some of his humor contains strong sexual content but I would not find it any more offensive than what is on t.v.
http://www.veoh.com/watch/v16706342cB97DkDJ?h1=Robert+Wuhl+-+Assume+the+Position+101+%2B+201


I think that the viewers want to see extraordinary people who they can learn from because the economy is bad; some are uninsured, starving and coping with problems that the Kardashians and other wealthy people don't ever have to take into consideration. I would have loved to see those who are helping others in their community, helping others domestically or internationally. Those strong people who overcame suffering or struggling and who have a cause that they work towards daily. There are so many exceptional people in this world; whereas the Kardashians are always on t.v.

The people of Japan dealt with the aftermath of the tsunami and that, to me, is fascinating. The international protests--I eschew Middle Eastern politics. It is too complex and I do not have the cultural or religious background to understand what occurs in those countries. Doctors without borders have always fascinated me. There are some doctors who operate off of greed, but these doctors are dispatched to some of the most dangerous areas on the world to help those who are suffering--for free. I was fascinated that Tim Hetherington survived being embedded in Afghanistan but died in Libya. Bradley Manning--fascinating--as is Julian Assange. The last two are controversial, I am not agreeing with anything that they did, but they are, in my opinion fascinating. Anyone who wants to watch the Kardashians can easily read any blog or 'tune into E!'

Resolutions

My heroes have mostly been women. It started out with being overly religious--I practiced any and every religion and I watched "The Sound of Music" way too many times, so I went through the nun phase--Mother Theresa was an idol (I know that idolatry is against all religions but there is no other way to explain my unhealthy obsession with her) Princess Diana, Oprah, G.I. Jane, Hester Prynne (very contradictory, I know) and so on. I always thought that these women were persistent. They did not stop when their goal was accomplished, they continued to set bigger goals. That is what is needed in the world. We cannot stop simply at progress. We must not even stop at perfection because perfection is different to each and everyone of us.

I caught a recent snippet of an interview with President Obama in which he was mentioning that his presidency was responsible for ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and killing bin Laden. However, he did not have to stop there. What is your action plan to solve the contemporary international and domestic issues?

Some may find Obama's record impressive; however, I want more from the President. I take issue with stopping at "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," I want the President to follow-up with those who have been directly affected by the termination of the policy and ask them which areas still require progress. I want a President who goes directly to the people and acts as a true representative of his constituents.

Afghanistan, the longest war in the entire history of the United States of America--that is a horrible legacy; therefore, how are we going to improve the war-torn country and end all combat? In all aspects of my life, if I am directly responsible for something, I don't apologize. I take the proactive approach in rectifying the situation. I hope all world leaders take this approach into consideration as we approach the New Year and set new goals and resolutions. I have hope because we still have time--unless the Mayan Calendar--I'm half-way joking on that one.

For A Racist Week in Sports. . .

The most popular word in Sports this season is apparently the N-word. The coaches and other participants' names should be disgraced. I'm sure that is great for a team. Mike Mathey, a coach at Chaminade in Honolulu, HI, mistakenly text the N-word to one of his players, instead of his friend. The N-word is filled with hate. I am sure he did not intend to use it in any other context. Chaminade should be ashamed that it would associate with a racist. Racists use racist language, period. Chaminade is supposedly religious but this is where that line is drawn. Religion has never had a problem with racists! The majority of the historical figures were supposedly religious and also extremely racist. Mike Mathey, I'm sure would not use the n-word publicly. I'm sure that if it were known that he was fond of using the n-word that other places would not be eager to hire him, but then again, a lot of places have no problem with such racism--especially, when those of African ancestry are on the receiving end. I believe in Iceland, it is illegal to make such statements. I would love to visit there because it would make people a lot of more cautious of what they say in private and in public. Mike Mathey and Chaminade should be ashamed of themselves. They are from that same school of thought that allows disparate treatment of homosexuals--as though they are not from the same spawn as their so-called God. It's disgusting and for Mike Mathey to simply leave is unacceptable. Chaminade and Mike Mathey should have to make ammends with the students at their school and anyone else that takes offense to the word, as should the students and anyone else who participated in chanting the n-word before their games. Ignorance versus progress.

Ignorance is dangerous

I saw on the corporate news, of course, where a former Occupy Wall Street protester decided to join them, versus beating them. She capitalized off of those who were demanding better opportunities by handing out her resume and she will soon join the 1%: a day trader--who knows but this, in my opinion, is the problem with the movement. The protesters want to eat from the large corporations--biting the hand that feeds them. She, I believe, is the scape goat being used to make it appear as though the movement lacks organization and has unclear an cause/causes.

I was also disheartened to learn that both children,who were shot in Texas, have died after their mom shot them and commit suicide after being denied food stamps. Sadly, I wish the social worker or anyone else would have referred her to the food bank or another organization that would help her to receive the necessities to feed her family.

There is a show on TLC called extreme couponing. Some of the couponers will have stashes but some will donate their food to churches, shelters and so forth. I wish these couponers could donate to those not fortunate enough to receive food stamps and who are in dire need of food. The government could even create positions for these extreme couponers in order to save money that is used on food stamps and other subsidy programs.

Upon receiving employment, I plan to donate to these places: the public libraries, the medical clinics that help the uninsured and receive charity cases and the food banks. I grew up in the military and I could not conceive of a homeless or hungry person. I often heard that a military lifestyle is comparable to those who are rich and I always figured this was the officers and other high-ranking officials but to have the luxury to have food and shelter is wealth. Health care is now a luxury for me. I recently lost my insurance, but I am optimistic because I can care for myself by eating well and exercising but there are some who need medical care and I plan to at least be able to offer them advice and referrals so that no one has to suffer.

If the wealthy feel better by not paying higher taxes and sacrificing the Middle Class and poor, they may do so at their own discretion, and with the support of the government but I feel obligated to give back because I would rather go broke than watch another suffer.

Endangerment

Only in America can a child make $3,000.00 an episode by being on a reality television show. Supposedly, Mason Disick--son of Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick--makes that amount of money an episode for being on the popular E! television show, "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and their popular spin-off shows and specials: the televised weddings(?). This information is unsubstantiated because I have read it on several blogs but it's not like I'm filing little Mason's W-2s, so I do not know if it is true, but it seems plausible in a culture that is obsessed with fame and celebrity.

This, and additional reasons, is why American children rank fame as their number one priority. Sadly, and apparently, intelligence is greatly lacking. To be smart, would be defiant in the contemporary. It is the antithesis of the prior generations' emphasis on education. This widens the gap between the rich and poor, but most importantly, it is advantageous to the countries who continue to study: Africa, China, India and other societies that were once continuously in the media for being the recipients of jobs being outsourced.

The Bread and Circus--as true today as at the time of the height of the Roman Empire. What is not occurring, however, is the modernization of society. The economy is stagnant. The gap between the rich and poor is worsening and everyone in the world thinks they will become famous. That is a dangerous situation.

Allowing children to be on reality shows, in my opinion, should be considered child endangerment. Children are the most honest beings in the universe. They cannot control their public image. It is unfair that the parents can exploit their children for financial gain. The reality stars can disclose at their own discretion, but children act of impulse and emotion. Movie stars used to shun negative publicity. They would often shield their face when in public and their personal lives were maintained in order to not distract from their work and to maintain their personal privacy--despite being public figures. It is sad that some children will grow up with cameras, mics and lights surrounding them. These children are not contributing to the craft of acting; these children are having their childhoods stolen by the commoditization and capitalization of their privacy. These children should emancipate themselves from their parents as soon as they are cognizant enough to discover how litigious this society is and in order to reclaim every cent that their parents forced them into making.

A Racist Church. . .why not?

From my personal schemata, churches have always had the disgusting privilege of being homophobic, so why is anyone surprised that a church is blatantly racist? A church refused to allow a Black man and a White woman to be members. This whole story is so messed up that I honestly don't know where to start. Keep in mind that this is 2011 and this occurs in America. The land of the free, right? In theory. It is disheartening that churches, with their holier than thou attitudes, can be influential to its members. This is a circumstance where other members should have been in defiance of what was happening. Love conquers all--even religion. Eww and I wish they would stop playing that couple from TLC's "The Virgin Diaries" kissing.

Churches were traditionally segregated and some remain so today. It is not uncommon to find predominantly Black or White churches. I used to attend churches that were mixed. I have been to every kind of church and grew up touring every cathedral in Europe. I used to want to be a nun because I grew up in a mostly Roman Catholic country and watched "The Sound of Music" way too many times. Mother Theresa was one of my earliest idols and that was another thing that I couldn't stand: the churches vs idolatry. After all, isn't Jesus theirs?

Anyways, churches were racist. The pilgrims or whoever were really into hating Native Americans and Blacks. It should not shock anyone that racism still exists, but I would have been shocked and loved if their members defied the congregation and thought independently. Churches become dangerous when their ideology allows them to condemn homosexuals, interracial dating or marriages and anyone else. The purpose of religion is love. Religion should not be used to judge or sublimate others.

The Tanning Guide

I am a shade of brown/a person of color/a visible minority. I remember always feeling uncomfortable when I would listen to my friends describe skin color. I used to spend all day and night in the sun. Growing up in Europe, my only concern was having fun. The British were huge fans of tanning--maybe that is why Coach has a shade of leather labeled, "British Tan".

My diverse group of friends each felt very differently about tanning. My Japanese friend believed that pale skin looked healthy. I remember her pointing to a very pale woman's legs in a magazine and saying how beautiful it was to see her veins. Being from cultures that valued tanning, it was the first time that I had ever met someone with that opinion. Caucasian features are internationally praised for their beauty; Caucasians will be in the media: magazines, television shows and so forth, of countries that are predominately populated by people of color.

My other friend--a Caucasian/third culture kid--would cover her face while she tanned in order to only tan her body. I always found it strange and I would verbalize that she looked crazy and that it looks better to be without a tan than to have a half-assed tan.

The most uncomfortable experience was when my other friend: a third culture Caucasian, who had lived in Asia, described how the Asian country where she lived looked down upon tan skin. The tanned were often the laborers and their menial jobs resulted in dark skin. This reminded me of slavery and I think the truth is what scared me the most.

Tan skin being fashionable was an accident. Coco Chanel was leisurely sailing on a yacht and she burned her skin. Being that she was so influential in the fashion industry, tan then became trendy. Tanning for those who are naturally pale, often occurs while at the beach or engaging in a leisurely activity.

On the other hand, tan people of color are often laborers. Their tans are sometimes frowned upon. I will often see Asians with umbrellas to shield the sun from their skin or covered entirely in fabric despite the sweltering heat. This is not to say that people of color cannot enjoy tanning, or engage in the same leisurely activities and even seek out a darker skin tone, but traditional colorism discourages darkness.

Tanning is dangerous but can often be an enjoyable experience. Some of my favorite memories are being at the beach and enjoying other outdoor activities.


Supposedly, the Tanning of America is

PBS

The Public Broadcasting System is one of the most informative and most unbiased networks that we all should be watching. I came across a program called "Black in Latin America," and it provided information about the African diaspora that every person should know.

I learned that more African slaves passed through Peru and Mexico than the United States; the second President of Mexico was of African descent. Mexicans will often say there is a Black person in their family, but they love him anyway. I highly recommend that everyone watch because it demonstrates a very important aspect in history: that history is written by the victors. Despite the so-called Tanning of America--the most recent exploitation and commoditization of African-Americans--in my opinion, history remains focused on the few figures that were Italian, Portuguese and other European ethnicities.

I take a huge issue the Tanning of America being touted as a boon for Blacks. It is a book that proposes that corporations have begun using hip-hop elements and being more inclusive to Blacks because of the mastermind--who also wrote the book and sadly, his name eludes me, but corporations always have ulterior motives. They will usually have a token African-American. It is nothing new. It is sad that some are hypnotized by the media and advertising.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/black-in-latin-america/category/video/

Infatuated

Being one of the biggest losers--socially, and not physically; I have taken to texting a man that I met via the internet. I would mention the site but it is rather embarrassing, so please use your imagination. It's crazy that texting is even a word. I remember when a phone was only used for one thing: speaking and now a phone is a computer, a camera, and a personal storage device. That is another story entirely. Back to my subject. My cyber friend: it is nothing like that cyber sexual stuff that some people are accustomed to, but guys-- usually thinking it is a good idea to throw in sexual innuendos--which I immediately ignore, will sometimes be hormonal as teenagers. He thinks I like him--for whatever reason--maybe because I talk to him, but I am in a monogamous, committed relationship and I always remind him of that. Anyways the entire reason I met this guy is because it is because I have an infatuation with eccentricities. These conversations are based solely on being strange. I am strange. I pretend normal too much and it gets so boring. That is why I enjoy working with children and in creative fields because the international homogenization of normalcy is absurd--first, and foremost--but incredibly predictable/trite. I cannot stand that we have the potential to be creative and yet we regress to the standards set forth by society. It is sad that we have the cute culture where Kim Kardashian and other girls are idolized for being. . .pretty? When will pretty become boring. That is where I escape because it is ridiculous that society praises beauty so much that women and men are afraid of aging. Some would rather become the cat-looking new species that results from plastic surgery. Now that is weird but my cyber friend is also an eccentric--as am I.

We will be seeing red

Red is always in fashion in China and North Korea, as well. I remember during the New York Philharmonic in North Korea, there were lots of red scarves. The historical importance of it all: red = Communists. The Red Scare is a thing of the past and will remain so, because China is the new superpower with most economical impact and influence in the world.

We can pretend that China has inflated their currency and that the interest rates will encourage Chinese to buy American products but that is false. First of all, the Chinese have always taken great pride in their culture; and second, the only thing that is made in America is pepper spray and when any other country uses pepper spray against innocent, peaceful protesters it is labeled a human rights violation--with the exception of the U.S. police departments versus the occupy movements.

China is good at math. Despite is being obsolete in Western countries, China has used the abacus and maybe we should also conform. This defiance has resulted in China having the oldest writing system in history. The Chinese have always taken great pride in their goods. The kowtow was used for the purpose of humiliating the inferior gifts brought before the Chinese. We may need a modern form of kowtowing because China continues to grow and the U.S. seems to be stagnant--despite recent gains on Wall Street.

China has not been branded. Branding is popular in the Westernized counties but because so many American factories are based in China, the Chinese can buy the identical item of clothing at a greatly reduced price: factory direct versus suggested manufacturer's retail price.

Chinese art, literature and history has always fascinated me. The Boxer Rebellion and the unfair treaties resulted in diplomatic immunity and because the Chinese have always been a merit based society, it will be interesting to see how their government accounts for remaining Communists while incorporating capitalistic practices.

Could I please get reduced lending rates that Greece and Italy have received? Herman Cain. I do not care if there was a consensual extramarital affair between him and that woman. I do, however, disapprove of how she claimed to come forth to add credibility to the other women who have made accusations against Cain. The other women were alleged victims of sexual harassment; whereas this woman carried on an affair with him--a question of morality, rather than illegality. Publicizing an affair is opportunistic. These media whores thrive on negative publicity. She knew he was married, so why did she have an affair? What does proving that he is unfaithful prove? I am angered by attention focused on such trivial matters as affairs. It is why Spitzer was not allowed to reform the unfair credit and lending practices in the U.S. Government. Affairs happen. A lot. We need to get over affairs. Sexual harassment is an issue that should be pursued to the highest extent of the law.

Let Food Be Your Medicine

Except for apple and grape juices because they have lead and arsenic. It is nightmarish to think of the chemicals that are poisoning our food and drinking supplies. When that was reported on the news, I immediately thought of the children, the elderly and anyone with a compromised immune system. Someone has to do better because the FDA and anyone else who is liable apparently is not. There is really nothing exciting to report. I'm still unemployed. That alone is a conversation stopper. This blog will end soon, but the unemployment will be a lot harder to escape. This was an attempt to do something, but it is going nowhere. I'm usually not at a loss for words but my motivation has been dwindling lately. Cause number 1: unresolved health issues. No wonder they put the statement, "in sickness," in the marriage acceptance speech--whatever it is called. Sickness can change people. It is the chronic pain that is debilitating. It causes me to snap and not want to do anything but be alone. Cause number 2: unemployment. Money is a necessity. I am not one to want riches, I would only like to repay my mother, care for those that I love and help others. Helping others is the most rewarding. I get to start over tomorrow though and it should be better. I will attend a job fair and my fingers are crossed very tightly.

Where it goes wrong

"I understand their frustration" that is the indifference that the protesters are being met with and for good reason. It is not that I am against their cause or the many causes that they do have, it is just that it lacks organization, and will continue to be ineffective unless they use the same tools that are used by those who they are challenging. I cannot find an eloquent way of saying what I mean, but I do know this: the corporate media will not provide fair coverage of anyone who is against them. Why should they? This aids the consensus that the "occupiers" have no cause. We are not victims. We should not allow them to take that power away from us. Our message has to be in writing--first and foremost. Twitter and other social media sites are now being utilized to get the message across; however, the petition that was started against Bank of America is the form of protest that others successfully engaged in. It is the study of structure. This is where history--one of my favorite topics--is valuable. Writing is legally binding. Corporations love to have privacy policies and contracts. A petition and other forms of grass roots movements are what will protect innocent citizens and should be taken into account by a Democratic government. Injustice is all too familiar throughout the history of the world. The United States issued a formal apology for slavery. What does that mean? That means they admit to wrongdoing, but where are those poor communities of African-Americans asking for reparations to the ghettos and other community based forms of aid for the injustice that was slavery and the ugly legacy that accounts for some of the social conditions that were the results. Homosexuals finally gained the recognition that hate crimes have been committed against them. This demonstrates that they were treated as second class citizens. This can strengthen the argument for equality in an egalitarian society. I am frustrated. I am and I am apathetic, too because I write to my government officials, but I do not feel as though the people who are out there wasting their time protesting do. I refuse to protest. It is dangerous and I do not need a criminal record for a cause that will only seemingly send me to jail. The largest worldwide protests were against the war in Iraq and troops remain in that country. I am a one woman Army. Just playing. I just write like I am because I am pretty chicken. I am too cautious to do much of anything other than write it out, but I hope someone does something soon because the protests aren't working.

Economically Insecure

Add that to my many insecurities. It is a term that I heard on the news today and decided to adopt to describe my life since graduating with a bachelor's degree--the degree that was supposedly going to give me so many opportunities. I am not bitter, though.

It is unfortunate that the economy is so bad that people do not have to boycott--unemployment makes them unwillingly do so. Unemployment is dangerous. I do not believe that artifacts show affection, but I have always enjoyed gift giving.

I think that some gifts are considerate and sentimental. Each gift that I have received has been treasured simply because it was given to me. Someone thought about me while making the purchase. That always makes me feel special. I, however, have to give my loving thoughts to those who are special to me. I know I sound like the biggest cheapskate but blame it on the economy. I really think I am funny at times, but I know it's corny.

Something I did not find funny was this: my house guest predicted that I am going to hell and so is everybody that I know who has not been saved by Jesus. All that I am saying is that Jesus knows where to find me.

There is a song by Genesis that says, "Jesus he knows me, and he knows I'm right. Been talkin' to Jesus all my life. . . he's been telling me that everything is going to be all right." That's my religion. I know where I'm going.

I resent those whose religious rhetoric serves to demonize me. The guest had the audacity to tell me that homosexuality was wrong! I digress: no person shall judge; hatred is wrong and making predictions are wrong, too. I do not need to hear that I am going to hell when I am sick. That is disgusting. The basest suggestion that I have ever heard and completely inaccurate. In order to make and maintain friendships, eschew the following topics: religion and politics.

Thankful

In the contemporary, Thanksgivings is regarded as the precursor to Black Friday. It is when Americans do what they do best: shop. The land of hoarders and endless storage units and yet, we continue to shop. I love being an American and we must laugh at ourselves.

I am thankful for Facebook. It demonstrates that the bullies and the popular kids in high school can grow up to be not so cute and that karma and irony truly exist. I had a medical problem that resulted in hair loss. A kid in my class used to tease me and call me baldy and Mr. Clean. I found him on Facebook and he has a hairline that has receded greatly! The kids that won the superlatives in the yearbook are no longer the "most captivating" as the title they once held. The campaign that says, "it does get better" is true. I'm sorry to say that in some circumstances, it is fun to laugh at those that once hurt/emotionally scarred you. It's very immature, but I will openly and honestly tell children that they may pick on you today, but ten or fifteen years from now, they may be in the position where you can laugh at them.


I am most thankful for love. Love can give one the strength to rival any adversities. I have an immediate family that has been with me for all of my years and gives me unconditional love and support. Love is healing and that is my goal in life: to give and receive love. Not like a hippie--for those who think that way.

I am thankful for so many things. Each breath, each day that I have with my loved ones still here with me; the loved ones that are always in my heart but that have passed on. Those who have been brave enough to make changes for civil rights, gay rights and any other cause that betters the lives of others. I am so very thankful that there is still time left for us to make the changes that we need in the world for humanity.

Homeless

The state in which I live has a humongous homeless problem. I have even heard that there are agreements with this state to have homeless people from other states sent here on a one-way plane ticket. Why? As crazy and unbelievable as it may sound, the answer is *drumroll*: the weather. This climate is somehow conducive to living a lifestyle that somehow doesn't require shelter. I guess a few palm trees for shade, the wind for breeze and the ocean as a shower. I do not know, but what I do know is this: the strong survive.

I grew up in a very sheltered environment. On a military base everyone is accounted for with an identification card or a guest pass. There is no such thing as homelessness. There may be the occasional runaway, but they would not get too far before security found them and returned them home or wherever they belonged. It seems amazing that I was not fazed by the sight of barb-wire or guns but I had never heard of a homeless person and the concept was hard to grasp.

In fourth grade, my teacher mentioned homeless people and I wanted to take action to solve the issue. I couldn't imagine not having shelter. It was one of the most basic needs and to know that men, women and children lived on the streets made me disgusted. It still bothers me to this day but strangely enough, there are pretend homeless.

I have heard that there are people with lots and lots of money who beg for money instead of working. For some reason, such men approach me. A lot of eccentric people approach me but when someone has a large starbucks cup and asks me for a few dollars, that is a problem. When someone has a cardboard sign and his iphone, I find it hard to believe he is in dire need of money. What I always fail to understand is why they believe I can spare any change?! Do I look like Human Resources?

Get With The System

Despite the corporate media's feigned ignorance as to what exactly the occupy movement is about, the protestors do have several legitimate causes, however, the poor organization and the media's use of framing has rendered the movement pointless. It is not pointless, but it is ineffective.

A brief lesson in history: money makes the world go around. That is the basic rule of capitalism. The second rule is that it is greatly to our advantage that we can now commoditize and capitalize off of ourselves--insert a picture of Kim Kardashian and Rebecca Black. The system is now bigger than ever. We are living in the computer system and it connects people further and faster than anytime in history. We must think differently. The governmnet and corporations are indifferent to the movement. It is getting people arrested and hurt. I want the best for my country, too, but I think the occupiers need to try new tactics.

Money is the only reason that the once ostracized have been included into mainstream society. They may remain social pariahs but their money is green and that is the only color that matters to them. The more green backs that are in your pocket, the more accessible the private societies and private memberships.

I cannot stress enough that the only reason that desegregation occurred was the loss of money during the public transportation boycotts by African-Americans. African-Americans walked miles to demonstrate that they would no longer be subjected to Jim Crow and other oppressive laws and measures. The Americans with Disabilites Act directly was passed to fatten wallets. Making places accessible to the disabled allowed them to get out and spend money. That is the reason for some proponents of gay marriage--they would have lavish weddings, and women in the workplace--they would have a disposable income separate from their spouse or parents.

The exploitation of privacy is very popular today; whether it is reality tv, or a blog full of thoughts we are sharing more than ever and commoditizing off of ourselves. The Kardashians are a brand. Rebecca Black is more popular that some artists that are signed to well-known labels and most of us have the tools to make it happen: the internet, a computer, a phone or a digital camera.

Those who are 'frustrated'--the label that is usually reserved for the prostestors must get with the system. Twitter, Facebook and other social media tools are at times more effecient and effective than protesting, which has only served to get those people participating hurt of arrested.

Words One Cannot Say

I was wasting brain cells yesterday: watching the VH1 show, "Basketball Wives" when I noticed that Gloria Govan had used the n-word when referring to Matt Barnes. Gloria and Matt both appear to be part African-American but it was still shocking for me to hear her use that word because I find the word ugly.

The debate that Blacks have the right to use that word is logical, but I would caution against doing so. Blacks have had a history of using reverse meaning: Micheal Jackson's "bad", in fact, meant good. The profane slang, "I'm the s**t" is another example. This is something that is studied in the field of social linguistics. The N-word was used to degrade African-Americans and Tupac created an acronym--spelled differently and ending with an "a" Never Ignorant Getting Goal Accomplished. Tupac wanted to take the word and use it as a term of endearment: "that's my n***a".

This still cannot justify why one of the most popular people on youtube is named "niga high," he appears to be of Asian descent or why Kanye West--who seems to be unable to escape from any form of controversy--would ask a predominately White audience to use the N-word at one of his concerts. I think it is an ugly word and not everyone appreciates hearing it-- from a Black person's use of it, to any and every other race using it.

Some foreigners may hear the use of the word and believe it is not offensive and applicable to all Blacks. The word's racist origin and the hatred associated with the word is too powerful for some. Surprisingly, rappers and other artists do not have the poetic licensure to use the word White.

White has a legacy of being good, pure, and beautiful. The Japanese word for white means both clean and pretty. However, in a song by Kanye West, entitled, "All Falls Down," MTV and youtube will not allow Kanye to say, "a White man get[s] paid off of all of that" or Rage Against the Machine to say, "by wearing the badge they're the chosen Whites'" in "Killing in the Name," which I believe was written about the LA police department but is a recurring theme in history.

The movie, "J. Edgar Hoover" and the counter-intelligence program (cointelpro) should demonstrate the abuse of power and how government officials--who could only be White at that time-- were active participants in the KKK and openly racist. This, of course, is not true of all people and ideologies at the time, but in the aforementioned songs, that is what I believe the artists were communicating to their audience.

If a word has ever been offensive, there are chances that it remains offensive and I choose to be safe rather than sorry (abuse of idioms as usual).

A New Breed

I read a lot of books on evolutionary biology and evolutionary psychology. I think some things come very naturally to humans but there seems to be a new trend in Hollywood and in contemporary, mostly Westernized societies: the opportunistic male. Maybe he is a result of the recession, or the NBA lockout, I don't know where he came from, but I find him strange and unappealing.

I have nothing,so, thanfully, this man does not mooch off of me; but for any woman who does, he can be extremely dangerous. This, however, is not an excuse for a woman to receive the princess treatement. Women should take advantage of the opportunities available to advance in careers--especially fields like obstetrics and gynocolgy but also in male dominated fields that may overlook a female's perspective on important and life-altering issues.

The opportunistic male is in an untraditional role. These males may try to impregnate a woman to receive spousal support, fail to sign a prenuptial agreement in order to collect his wife's
assests if the marriage fails and some of these men are live-in boyfriends! These are male gold diggers! It is not that anyone would not take advantage of such a great opportunity but these men are capable of being successful but they choose to be pampered and it is very strange to me.

A Lucrative and Extremely Unregulated Profession

"Sex sells." That has been the slogan since the beginning of history. It is also referred to as "the oldest profession". However, here is what I have yet to understand about the sex industry: one can never be prescient enough to know the consequences of participating in the sex industry; drugs and alcohol are, seemingly, permitted on the job; no credit check or background investigation is conducted and it seems overwhelmingly in favor of men.

I have discussed prior to this entry that I am in favor of the sex industry if the participants have not been subjected to sexual abuse, an absent parent or parents, drug or alcohol abuse and any other social condition that would put them at a high-risk for entering the industry. I think people who are comfortable with their sexuality, not under the influence of any form of drug and fully aware of the labels that society usually reserves for people in such professions.

The consequences are sometimes cruel. Some feel as though sex industry workers lack morals and deserve to be called horrible names of what the job entails: promiscuity. It is their job to engage in sexual acts and intercourse for which they receive pay. Even though it is not their bodies and they should not be concerned, some feel that they are morally superior to those who are sex workers. The hypocrites--some of whom, I am sure, are more promiscuous and perverted than the industry, feign to be pious and prude as a Pilgrim.

There are some teens who dream big and go to Hollywood only to be seduced by the sex industry. California is the capital of pornography, but as Lisa Ling, on the Oprah Winfrey Network's "Our America" showcased, amateur filmmakers are now filming in their own homes. That show is very insightful and can be considered edutainment.

I do not know if there is drug and alcohol abuse but I have never seen the contract that one would sign to work in the industry. I am pretty sure that they hire without a drug test, or a credit check and experience level is not taken into consideration--and especially mental health is completely overlooked.

Males in porn never seem to have the same labels are the females. The double standard still applies that Ron Jeremy is a god and Sasha Grey is a whore. That seems very old-fashion but I believe it remains the status quo.

The backlash that Sasha Grey received for volunteering to read at an elementary school with "Read Across America is disheartening." I believe it was an honest, selfless gesture to do something great for kids. I was disgusted by those who were angered that she would do such a thing: that the actress would read.

Children love being read to. I still remember the books that my elementary teachers read to me: The Secret Garden, The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe and James and the Giant Peach. Children are non-judgemental. We can learn a lot from them and I am sure that they enjoyed having a celebrity guest take her time out to be with them.

The actress--who happened to be in adult film industry but should never be reduced to a sexual object--as the perverted parents and other adults have made her out to be. Did not seem to be participating in the program for publicity. I believe that if she wanted the publicity, she would have stated that she was going to read, received the backlash and then stepped down so that she would not be obligated to be in that classroom.

I would allow Sasha Grey to read to my future children because she is a volunteer who entered the classroom to read. Every parent should have parental control on their computers and televisions. I would not have to make her out to be anything other than a reader involved in a program that reads to children.

I am sure that Sasha Grey did a lot more than the lazy stay-at-home parents have done. It is sad that a young woman in her 20s is demonized by being passionate about education.

Thank You All

Happy Veteran's Day to all those who have served the U.S. Military! It is a milestone that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has finally been repealed. Sadly, it is not that long ago that desegregation of the military occurred. It is important to continue to progress and remember the lessons that history teaches us all.

The military lifestyle--surprisingly--is exclusive. I was shocked that a casting call for a military wives' reality show was being held in California. The timing was bad because it coincided with the popular show, "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'" spouse's suicide, but most importantly, at a time when suicide rates in the military were at an all-time high.

The military has protective security measures but some of their big-mouthed wives are unaware of this and will gladly offer too much information. I hope the show does not come to fruition. The entire reason there is a gate at each and every base is for privacy and protection.

The latest group in America to violate their own privacy are in Dearborn, Michigan and they will have a show on TLC. First, it was Sister Wives, then, it was My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and now it is the American Muslims. I fail to see anything that merits their differences other then their way of dress. There are American Buddhists, are they going to do a show on them too?

Americans are diverse. Relgion should never be exploited. The Muslims that I know are very open to educate me about their religion and that is the best way to learn and not through the edutainment of reality tv.

Travel Folder

While going through my papers--my feckless attempt at organizing them completely defies me--I came across all of the countries that I was supposed to travel to and Libya was one of them. It had been right after the embargo had been lifted; the U.S. and Libya were repairing their diplomatic ties and I wanted to see the Roman ruins, sand dunes and markets of this country that had been forbidden to me for twenty years.

Now, I feel like the song by the Bee Gees: "I'm going nowhere. Somebody help me." I have my passport ready, but travel is too expensive and now the entire Middle East seems in political situations which I would rather avoid. Therefore, I read. This social isolation and non-stop library obsession has made me into an even bigger dork than I have ever been.

It's embarrassing to always give information to people. I feel like a curator sometimes because I'm always researching or reading something. Whenever I do propose an idea, it is rejected.

Privacy

Some people will ask that one respects their privacy, and I must emphasize people, because the most audacious thing that I have heard of is that corporations are now trying to seek the legal protection of the fourth amendment in order for the public to respect their so-called privacy.

What do they have to hide? Their name changes to aid deception? The large amounts of money received from corporate welfare? How much they did not pay in taxes? Their political and other powerful ties? Corporations are now able to donate to presidential campaigns--this is very dangerous and because corporate news stations will not report this, the public had not demanded that any action be taken against it.

I was watching the non-corporate news: Democracy Now and it stated that it is a state law in Ohio that the public vote can override the legislature. Isn't that democracy in it's closest definition of the word? The grass roots movement to transfer banks needs to happen on a larger scale: violate the privacy of the corporations.

I am for corporations that treat their workers and customers well but, for the most part, I believe the corporations who are so worried about privacy violations lack integrity and are worried that their wrongdoings will be exposed.

Dedicated to the dreamers

My "healthcare" makes me feel completely worthless. I am not someone who likes hospitals and I had to go in the ER last night and hear of John Doe flatlining! I am a well wisher. I once read of spiritual insurance and that is what I do for each ambulance and each hospital patient. It makes me feel as though the power of good intention will supersede the disease.

On another note, I keep everything--hoarder! Just playing but I have almost every letter and note that was ever addressed to me. It started with an English teacher who told us to keep everything we write and I think that I literally have kept everything that I have written since then. I was going through my college papers and reviewing my transcripts and grades from elementary school. All of those deadlines and good grades have come to mean nothing. The Dean's list, honor society and everything else is not applicable to reality. Do well--by all means--but do it for yourself. I am a perfectionist and I had tried to satisfy perfection and mastery of materials. However, it was mostly done through rote memorization.

I also dug up some magazine articles that I had ripped out. I had fashion, health, travel, home and so on. Seeing what I had taken from these magazines reminded me of my purpose in life. I have always wanted to travel and I have always wanted to make the best out of anything. It may seem very superficial but there is something profound about what our conscious mind chooses that tells wonderful stories.

I was working at a real estate office, filing papers, and I came across a file of someone who was deceased. I thought that his legacy was literally in my hands. When we are gone, we are the paper trail--to strangers. I encourage writing and other forms of art.

"Christians"

Guests too easily wear out their welcome. It was a wise woman: my mother, who told me this but then completely confused me by inviting people to live at the house while she is gone and I am too sick to leave. Now it's another organ that is the problem and my doctors--with complete disregard of the Hippocratic Oath--continue to ignore my calls and have me waiting for care while my labs clearly demonstrate the deterioration of my condition. Sickness and digust with my doctors aside, I have the honor of offering anecdotal evidence of ignorance.

My house guest, a family member, mentioned a person in our family who is a homosexual. This guest then continued to say that the homosexual's mother cannot accept him because "it is wrong". I am supposed to be in a stress-free environment but this had me livid. The guest then went on to say that she was watching her preacher's sermon over the internet and that he was saying how "it was wrong" and that "it doesn't matter if Oprah is fine with it". It really saddened me. I felt sicker after hearing that such hate is being preached and the guest is too feeble-minded to think beyond what a dumb preacher says and the "word" of God.

I was so tempted to grin and say, "I'm gay" and wait for the awkward pause, and continue with, "in the other sense of the word." I hate that reductionism--especially from religion--has construed homosexuality to be solely about the physical relationship and not about the struggles that homosexuals have had to be regarded as members of society. I do not focus on the sex lives of heterosexuals, so I don't understand why these perverted "christians" are concerned with the intimate aspects of homosexuals' lives.

I believe homosexuality occurs in nature. What does God think about that--or we should wait and allow the preacher to speak on behalf of God and give us his interpretation that we blindly follow. I have known too many "christians" and believers of other faiths that are wrong too. 1.Hatred is a sin 2. Premarital sex is a sin 3.Cohabitation is a sin 4. Greed is a sin 5. Indulgence in food is a sin and therefore anyone with a weight problem in church is wrong, too. 6. Medicine is a sin because it has the potential to cause bodily harm and so forth.

Sometimes, being wrong is a good thing. My favorite part in this sad but true story is this: the house guest is a Dancing with the Stars fan and this person would vote for Chaz Bono! The guest then told me, "imagine if my preacher saw that I liked Chaz Bono on Facebook! What would he think?" I loved that hypocritical aspect of this person. What Would Jesus Do? There is a song by Miranda Lambert that says, "I heard Jesus he drank wine. . . and I bet he'd understand a heart like mine." That Jesus is my homeboy.

R.I.P, Rooney

I become nostalgic far too easily. Today, one of my favorite essayists passed on. Like most military children, I have always and continue to watch the news too much. It is not abnormal to walk into any area on any base and find the television turned to Fox News. The military tends to be overtly political and mostly conservative. I have always been the antithesis of conservative. I am, however, conservative in dress but that is about it.

Andy Rooney was a great thinker. I used to look forward to the end of each 60 Minutes' broadcast to hear his rants and thoughts on random subjects. He fascinated me--for whatever reason--probably because I found the show so boring as a child and maybe because I am a dork, but it will be different to not have the Rooney perspective in my life anymore.

Kim Kardashian will not go away! I do not understand how anyone can be captivated by anything other than her beauty and style because she, in my opinion, lacks morals that were at one time preserved for marriage. Homosexuals have endured the struggle to receive the right for lifelong partnerships and inheritance rights and yet Kim Kardashian had the "Fairytale Wedding," that continues to air, despite filing divorrce documents 72 days into the partnership.

Kim's Fairtytale Wedding should have been appropriately named Kim's 18 million dollar wedding business deal. It is sad that a society with such a high divorce rate still gushes over the sight of a beautiful heterosexual couple marrying. It is boring. It has been done and fairytales are morbid and rarely have happy endings.

The real issues, such as heterosexuals being granted the right to marry, can be resolved; if we were only to petition as the one woman who crushed the greedy corporations' dream of charging their customers monthly withdrawl fees.

End corporate greed and legalize marriage for those partnerships that are not made-for-tv and that have lasted longer than 72 days but happen to have homosexuals in place of the heterosexuals that can marry multiple times in any of the 50 states.

Make it: write

November 1st is the start of National Novel Writing Month, aka nanowrimo. It is a commitment that some make to write for an hour and a half a day for an entire month. The novel must be fiction. The famous "Water for Elephants" was born from the challenge. This will be my first attempt. Even art is racist, sexist and homophobic. I hope to put every aspect of life into the nonfiction novel that I compose. I hope that many take the challenge with me. Those who are protesting and risking arrest by participating in the Occupy Wall Street movement could be drafting petitions or creating art that demonstrates their struggle. Some members of this generation are so self-absorbed that it would benefit them to get over themselves for a month; log off of facebook, turn off the tv for an hour and a half and focus on thinking and creating something wonderful. I plan on finishing the challenge.

A billionaire agrees

I was watching the news today and Barbara Walters was giving a glimpse into a 20/20 that will air tonight showcasing self-made billionaires. She mentioned that one of the billionaires recommended against going to college and I must concur. Student loan debt is now worse than credit card debt in the United States.

What helped them to become billionaires was thinking outside of the box. That is a rare quality and one that certain schools foster with liberal arts and other programs that aid independent thinking and downplay standardized testing. A lot of students are bored in primary, secondary and higher learning institutions and they detest homework. Learning can take place anywhere but the anti-education attitude in the free schooling years is unfortunate.

I then thought back to the show, The View, and how Elizabeth and Sherri mentioned the amount of homework that their children are given at school. I have an issue with this because I have noticed that most parents will complain how long it takes their children to complete homework but they are indifferent to the amount of time their child spends playing.

In my opinion, with the most brain cells available from infancy to around age 12, the most learning should take place in that time period. I guess I am too pragmatic at times but when I can afford a child or children, I will guarantee that they have the least restrictive learning environment--a very important aspect in special education programs.

This is possibly why China has started to regulate television programs so that their is not an entertainment overload. Too many people do not have a problem with their technology and entertainment addictions. We are constantly wired. I grew up in a time when I would have to wait for the radio to play my favorite song. Now, I can go to Youtube and play any song that I would like to, at any time of the day. I used to have to get to know someone but now they volunteer information on Facebook and other social networking websites. I am old-fashioned and nostalgic at times.

The Occupation Has Begun

I have heard that the word occupation merits attention, but that the protests taking place in The United states does not. supposedly, that word is being referenced in order to halt the organization of the Occupy Wall street protests; however, the comedy--in the literary sense of the word--of the entire situation is that protests--without media attention, such as those in Libya, Iran and other countries that have tenuous diplomatic relationships with the United states, are ineffective.

Boycotts work. Being that the system is Capitalistic, the only interest held by corporations is in capital--the circulation of money in the system--and not the people. Money overrides democracy. Historical references include slavery, and too many others to name. Civil Rights were granted to African-Americans only after the public transportation boycott. The racist system is conducive to the exhalation of one or more groups against another. White privilege has and remains in working condition throughout the world--regardless of if the president and Oprah are both Black.

Those Whites in favor of segregation would have happily remained segregated--if their businesses did not make money off of Blacks. Money is green, not Black or White. Money is immune from morality and other stipulations that people are held to, but corporations and other money-making machines are not.

The only reason the Americans with disabilities act was passed was the fact that it was an untapped resource with the potential for economic gains--how is that for a shameless "truth hurts" idiomatic expression?

This generation lacks the historical knowledge to recognize the patterns and dissemble the problem at the root. The corporate media exploits footage by the use of framing. Why else do they mention oil in Libya after the coverage that the dictator--who was dictator for an entire four decades--has been killed.

The generation that does not understand that Facebook violates their own privacy. The generation too attached to technology; wired 24 hours a day, seven days a week to care, caring only about the superficial aspects and appearances while the classics are discarded in place of what is trendy. The generation that no longer has to recite a phone number because they trust their technology to do it for them and use technology to do everything.

I raise my hand--with an open palms--a classic form of truth-telling and also how one testifies because I am ashamed--at times to use words such as "Epic", which was the most used word on Facebook, by the way and to text "LOL". To be unemployed but have an ipad on which I sometimes write this blog from. Truly, The Lost Generation is in 2011, where one protests corporate greed--biting the hand that feeds them--but are angered when the corporation refuses to allow them to buy food from the exact business that they are supposedly passionately protesting against.

If it is believed that we use only a mere 10 percent of our brain, we have found the generation that uses far less. To expect the corporate media to aid a cause that would hinder their power and money? The corporations are laughing. Even president Obama had a snide remark. He is a smart man. He appeared to sympathize of Jay Leno's show, but he, too, is only concerned with money. As a leader, I would have appreciated if he would have offered a solution to the problem instead of understanding frustration. He basically lent empathy for good public relations.

An erudite would boycott. I have been apathetic. I no longer write letters to any elected official. The only thing that I am proud of is that don't ask, don't tell is in the past. I do give credit to the president for that. I cannot mention very many other things that have improved in this country but I must remain optimistic--it's very American to do so. I honestly love that American value and we must remain peaceful and solution-orientated to better America and the world.

some letters on my keyboard don't work. I do understand some grammatical rules but this keyboard doesn't. I don't mean any disrespect for the president or any other places or names that did not receive proper capitalization.

This blog is dedicated to presidential hopeful Rick Perry. I don't understand how the use of the n-word in the name of his ranch and the new Texas license plates with the confederate flag--a racist symbol to most erudites who have ever had American history courses--make Perry exempt from being labeled a racist. He can articulate otherwise, but his actions prove that he lacks integrity and is unapologetically racist and very proud of being so.

I am upset that President Obama was name-dropping by mentioning "Keeping up with the Kardashians" in the news recently. His statement was not newsworthy. I would rather he comment on foreign affairs or domestic issues rather than drawing attention from his job and resorting to the bread and circus of the entertainment industry to divert thoughts about what is happening on Wall Street, unemployment rates, wars, and every other salient issue that the apathetic members of the democracy happily ignore.

I do take pride in living in a country where homosexuals can openly serve in the military. Homosexuals have always served in the military and every other profession, but they had methods to protect their sexual identity. It is good that the upstanding members of the military, who have had to sacrifice themselves for their job, no longer have to give up who they love. I am glad that military members no longer have to hide who they love. Two consenting adults deserve love.

"Eat the rich"

Since my absense, I have learned that rich people invest in order to be taxed at lower rates, more people die from abusing prescription drugs than illegal drug overdoses and that realtors are corrupt and Michael Moore has re-emerged in defense of democracy.

Investments are taxed at lower rates than income. I read that in the Sunday paper a few weeks ago and was surprised that Warren Buffet was proposing that the rich pay their fair share in taxes? The question mark is intentional because there has to be more behind this story...

The most dangerous drug dealers can now be found at your local pharmacy. The new drugs are legal and people are becoming addicted to pain meds and other prescribed medications are increasing rates. It is so common that Dr. Conrad Murray is currently being tried for his part in the Michael Jackson fatal drug overdose that occurred two years ago. Drugs are marketed directly to consumers and that was once illegal.

Real Estate agents continue to legally discriminate against apartment hunters. My friend had been looking for places and the rental application fees were extremely high but he was also refused everywhere that he applied. He has been in the military for 16 years, he has "impeccable credit"-- as one realtor described it and he has a job, but the places he has applied to continue to deny him and I would only conclude it is race-based discrimination. He even had one realtor claim her unit--owned by her and her husband--was granted to another applicant but ten days later, her unit was relisted.

Michael Moore has been in the news again lately because of the state of the economy and unfair debt burdens on the Middle Class and poor.

Feel Good

It is so odd. I am watching "The Dr. Oz Show" and these women with large bellies are crying because they are fat. The fat is not the problem; that they are crying over fat is the problem. I used to be a lot heavier and I understand that weight loss is very hard, especially for women because our bodies change with child birth, menopause and other circumstances; however, we should not be crying over weight! We are made to feel bad emotionally because of superficial things--that we do not look like the advertised women in magazines, that we do not have the money or success of our peers, but these things can be changed and they should not merit as much emotion and attention as we give them. Health is and should always be the goal in life. There are some women without belly fat that are anorexic and their disease has led to cardiovascular and other irreversible health problems. I have always heard that people in areas where food is scare admire those who are fat because girth demonstrates disposable wealth and an abundance of foods to eat. Perhaps, until they discover a magazine or another form of Western influence. I still believe that health takes precedence over shape or weight. Another example: a bodybuilder who uses steroids.


The fastest solution is to accept the circumstances and either work on removing them or learn to be happy despite them. I was being hard on myself today: I was getting extremely anxious because of my unemployment, credit score and every other trivial thing that pollutes my mind and then I decided to talk to myself as a friend--I know that sounds crazy and maybe I am, but it's a coping mechanism and I concluded that I can either worry constructively about (problem solve without internalizing it) or accept it. I chose to accept it. These things matter when it comes to employment and housing, so they are realistic to worry about but worrying has not gotten me anywhere. My problem-solving skills have stalled. I am hoping that Obama's job plan is successful because I know that so many of us could use a change but we should work harder at making ourselves feel good than making ourselves feel bad. There are advertisers, credit companies and so many others that will be hard on us and try to get us down, but with the positive attitude, we can make anything less painful. Bad health and death can even be met with optimism because our minds have the power to do anything--even if it employs imagination.

A Texas Story: Dream House for $16.00

This video demonstrates how legal loopholes can allow one to work smarter and not harder. The litigious U.S. has laws for everything and this man was smart enough to do his research and his neighbors are complaining that life is unfair. Yes, indeed, life is unfair and real estate especially has allowed discrimination and other forms of keeping neighborhoods divided in order to avoid White Flight--where is a minority--especially a Black person moves in, they move out. If this man--seemingly, an average male-- found and exploited this loophole, imagine what the corporations and their high-powered attorneys can do!

I am jaded when it comes to justice and equality. There is too much hypocrisy for me to say that what this man is doing is wrong. After all, who wouldn't want high quality at a low price? If one cannot afford luxury and suddenly there is a law that affords them such luxury for nearly nothing, wouldn't he be foolish to pay full price? Sucess= health, water, food, and shelter. A house is the largest debt that most will acquire. This man has a dream house at the cost of 16 American dollars. That is an enormous profit. There was no higher education required. This man did his research-- independently-- and is in the legal process of remaining in the house for 3 years until he receives full ownership of the property. Some strange laws combined with the right thinking can become a capitalist's dream.

Solace

The news has left me paranoid and depressed. There is too much redundancy with the ten year anniversary and the stories are only of grief. I have lost people close to me and I will grieve forever but I find solace in our good memories. One of my greatest friend's parents chose to have a memorial for her instead of a funeral. The memorial was held on her birthday and her friends and family could celebrate her life and move on with her still in their hearts, versus focusing on our loss and feeling the void that she left. I think that fear is dangerous. I am naturally timorous but sometimes the news exacerbates my stress to levels of delusions. No, I will not seek medication, the way that the media frames circumstances makes the fear logical and inevitable. I hope that everyone is safe and remains that way.

It should come as no surprise that Jackie Onassis made remarks about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that were derogatory. I have always thought of her as having class but it appears that was only on the surface. These are the history lessons that should be taught in learning institutions because it reveals why racism was allowed to survive--legally--until 1965. Every African-American in the United States was a second class citizen until 1965 and that is me being brutally honest. That Obama became President only 40 plus years after African-Americans becoming citizens is amazing. For that reason alone, I believe it is a historical presidency--not because he is "Black", which he is as much White as he is Black, but because of the huge amount of progress that the U.S. has made since using the National Guard and unfair laws against Blacks to the Presidency. We are still not extending our equality to homosexuals. I will not believe that I live in a fair country until homosexuals are granted the rights to distribute their property as they please and to marry whoever they love.

As a teacher, I would find it very difficult to ever sugar coat the harsh realities of our history. We need new history books to be written that are the antithesis of traditional history. Howard Zinn's book, "A People's History of the United States" is one of the few books that tell history from a different perspective. 

It's only a game

Football--the one played with hands and not feet--is considered an all-American sport. The Green Bay Packers are playing The New Orleans' Saints to begin the season. I have never been able to associate myself with any sport as others do. I was good at being smart and not a jock. Using my objective reasoning, I have been known to cheer for both sides when a play merits praise. I will also switch my team to the winning one--pathetic, but true, so that I am always a winner. 

Games seem harmless but there are times when the outcome of a game incites violence. Some fanatics are not allowed to attend soccer games because they are known to be violent or have some criminal record associated with attending a prior event. These fans travel to different countries and cities to see their team play. I do not understand that--at all, but I recently saw a game that I did not find funny.

I saw a clip of a game and the goal was to kill Tea Party Members who were zombies? I question that because the game used the actual peoples' likeness? and even if it is a parody, it is not funny. The Tea Party Members are human beings and they should not be marked targets in a game or any other parody. Violence is not funny. 

Chelsea Handler makes rape "jokes" sexual assault is not funny. It begins with humor in order to extenuate these circumstances into the mainstream. Violence is no longer heavily debated as it was when I was younger. Supposedly, the rating V leaves it to the viewer's discretion. The rape jokes are new to me. Racist jokes have always been around and will always be, but one must recognize that even pretend violence against someone is dangerous.  

Science is racist, too.

A few weeks ago, it came as no surprise that Black Scientists receive 10% less funding than their White counterparts. Science is as racist, too. This is the system churning at its best: beneficial to Whites and harmful to Blacks. How would those funding these research projects know that the Scientists are Black? On the race bubbles that are sometimes mandatory I fill in other and state, "human race". The military is an institution that requires one to fill out such race bubbles and the last time that I encountered one, it did not have the option to fill in other or be two or more races.

Science is not a new racist. Linneaus was very racist in his categorization of races. Eugenics and other movements were racist also and Watson--of DNA double helix fame--believes that Blacks are genetically inferior--a very dangerously ignorant statement coming from an "educated" man. Racism will remain and in order to not become a victim, we must be cognizant of such occurrences. Once it is recognized, we must find ways to become autonomous in a sense that we remove ourselves from institutions that aid and abet systematic racism and other systems: isms.

We are being hypnotized by these systems that give us beliefs without any credible evidence or antithetical viewpoints to make a fair decision. It is even more dangerous when there is no exposure to certain groups. I remember a girl in college who said, "We don't have homeless people in Orange County". From my experience, homeless people are everywhere but in a private community I could understand why she made the statement. I believe that if someone such as Michelle Bachman exposed herself to homosexuals by going into homosexual communities or volunteering in organizations that deal with hate crimes and other issues, a paradigm would occur.

I believe the only way to truly overcome these systems is to step away from the system and induce paradigms. I am watching the candidates closely to see if any of them would be up for such a challenge. I would love to see the privileged try to survive in the social conditions they so often ignore or debate vicariously. 

Roma

I have heard that the term "Gypsy" is derogatory. For too long--ignorantly--that was the only name that I knew for the Roma. I had first encountered The Roma in Europe, but they are spread throughout the world. I lived in a very friendly country in Europe but the Roma were stigmatized. I was immediately told that they were thieves and I began to hate them because I heard stories of how they would sell roses with cocaine inside, so that when the buyer or recipient sniffs the rose, they become high and will be hooked on drugs for the rest of their lives--please remember that I was ignorant and I have always hated drugs.

I had seen a few Roma boys break into my babysitter's car and steal our roller skates. They dropped them after they were caught; therefore, I did not hold a grudge but it seemed as though even the most polite person would have a negative stereotype or experience with the Roma. The Roma culture is very exclusive. They do not mingle with outsiders.

The Roma would sell clothing and other goods at the market. Being that they are a people who travel and often cannot find work due to discrimination, I would often wonder if these items were also stolen. I noticed, however, that that was the time that everyone would interact with the Roma. The people who held such hatred for them did not have any qulams about purchasing their goods and I was partially disgusted by it but I followed the majority blindly. I loved to go to the market and I liked that I had the opportunity to speak to them. I have always been curious about everyone but they were all business.

The exclusivity of the Roma is possibly part of why they are misunderstood. The Roma do not allow outsiders into their social circles. Their social cohesion is rare because literally, if you fight one of them, you will fight their entire family. Tony Gatlif's film, "Latcho Drom" portrays the journey of the Roma. In the film, it traces the trade route and shows the diversity of the people. The scenes in Spain are very powerful because a woman tells of being "Gitana" and compares it to a black bird.

In the U.S., "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" airs on The Learning Channel and I have watched a few episodes to witness their culture. Co-cultures have always fascinated me but the discrimination is obvious and what I fail to understand is that they look like the majority. Often, in societies, the outcasts are visible minorities but I cannot distinguish these people as "travelers" as they are called in Ireland and other countries. One thing remains constant: if it involves money, most are willing to forgive one's background. The weddings are big business and the outsiders will often host the Roma--in the similar way that everyone would interact with the Roma at the market.      

The industry that is impervious to the downturn in the economy is *drum roll*

The Sex Industry. Instead of the joke about college students stripping to pay their tuition, it is probably more accurate-- in the contemporary-- that degree holders are doing the stripping.

My goals in life are to help others and implement change in the world. I have two major problems with the sex industry: 1., The social conditions that drive some to enter the sex industry such as molestation, parental neglect and various other traumatic experiences in their lives. 2., There does not appear to be any drug testing/mental health evaluation/background check. The sex industry appears to hire on the spot and workers begin employment immediately. I find that problematic because one desperate for money may make a brash decision that would have otherwise been left unconsidered. 3., The workers may not understand the impact it will have on their future, as well as their family members, friends and others who are associated with them.

The social conditions that lead some into the sex industry are often disregarded for so long that it appears that the future sex worker was simply promiscuous or someone who is overly sexual but one must examine whether they were sexually abused. I do not believe that the sex industry takes the background of its workers into consideration. The sex industry may have workers that have low self-esteem, eating disorders, and other conditions that make them more likely to work in that industry than to consider other forms of employment. The industry may exploit these workers unknowingly but there does not seem to be any way to check the background of their workers.

Desperation will lead some into circumstances that they would otherwise not consider. Employers in all other fields are very interested in background checks and credit reports but the sex industry does not seem to have a need for employment verification or any of the traditional job selection tools. I think that if there were a waiting period, it would weed out those who are confident and comfortable in the industry from those who felt helpless.

Employment in the sex industry may come back to haunt the worker. Kim Kardashian was initially famous for a sex tape that had been purchased by Vivid Entertainment, an adult video company but she has since become a business woman. However, some will always associate her with that tape and the sex industry. I do cannot speak for Kim, but I do believe that if she truly regretted such decision, she would not have ever received money for her part in that tape and that she would start a foundation or speak to others who are at high-risk for entering the sex industry. If Kim were comfortable with her decision, she should not pretend that she is against the industry. For instance, Playboy is considered the high-end spectrum of the sex industry and Kim seemed to have no qualms about posing for Playboy and then changed her mind and blamed her mom for influencing her while making the decision to pose in the pornographic magazine.

The sex industry resorts to the oldest profession in history: sex for money. It does not have to be engaging in sexual acts, but fantasy and the illusion of sex. If one is comfortable in such industry, I wish them luck but my biggest concern is that in Guam and Rhode Island, the legal age for stripping is 16 and that is clearly child pornography and shouldn't be legal under any circumstances. An abusive parent could force their child to work in a strip club or a child could legally work in the club without their parent knowing.   

You will never be the same

My friend is a Marine. I met him around three years ago and he would always mention how he wanted children and to settle down. I always found that strange because he was young, but after considering that he had experienced the death of a sibling, it seemed reasonable to me. He had deployed to The Middle East and ever since he has been back in the U.S. his relationships have ended because the women that he was involved with was used to the old John Doe who wanted kids. I began to speculate that it was something about the war that changed his decision about children. 

The classic structure of myth involves a hero who goes on a journey where he learns something that changes him. Once he has been changed, he takes his knowledge back to where he originated. I miss the pre-deployment John Doe. It is unfortunate the effects that war has on people. I cannot imagine what anyone's psyche would be like if subjected to such violence. It is not only the loud sounds, but the smell of blood and flesh and the fear and the uncertainty. I don't understand war. I have been fortunate enough to understand peace and I wish that for everyone. Killing hasn't gotten us anywhere. The violence continues in the countries where there is fighting and until there is a diplomatic solution casualties will continue to rise. 

Everyone is a hero and everyone has gone on a journey. I think of mine as being college. Since I went to college, it would be hard for me to tell children that they should go, too. I would find myself being brutally honest and telling them that it is a lie that they can be whatever they want to be. Maybe I would not be that harsh but I would do a lot of tongue biting. I'm not a dream killer. I would just tell them that there are ways to be successful that do not involve higher education. I remember a guidance counselor at my school used to say that life would not be fair and it depended on the choices that one makes. I thought that was a very dismal saying, but I should have listened more carefully and taken his experience into account. I'm not even sure if I used that saying right. I need to learn American Idioms--idioms, period. 

Eid

I cannot imagine Eid being celebrated with the turmoil that has been plaguing The Middle East. The Muslims that I knew were very generous during Eid. They would give money to anyone in need and bring huge amounts of food--especially rice and chicken dishes over to our house. It was the custom of the country and if one was begging and I could offer a donation, I would, too. It has always been important for me to respect the culture where I am a guest. I find it rude when people do not know the customs and do not attempt to speak the language. I also have never understood why some people claim that Muslims want others to convert to Islam. In fact, I have heard from a Muslim friend that proselytization  is against Islam. In the U.S., I constantly have proselytizers all over me and I am bombarded with religion. Do I look like a sinner? I don't understand it. I have even had some weird cult people approach me. I know that part of it is that I am a loner. I will venture anywhere by myself but they are so persistent that they will come to you--right to the front door! I enjoy celebrating and appreciating all religions but I think it is a good idea to let someone find their own spiritual path than to lead them to what has worked for you. I'm not making sense. It is those meds and I really wish the doctor hadn't ordered me to take them. I honestly went up until 11:30 p.m. yesterday (Friday) believing that it was Saturday! It was horrible. The medication made me sleep so much and I was wondering why everyone was at work on a Saturday! I have a good sense of humor, so I can laugh at myself but I will tell very few people that story. I'm still on meds and still terrified of the "care" I will receive from the money hungry doctor that I have to follow-up with. I would skip it, but--once again, doctors orders and I have heard that one can lose their insurance if they defy written or oral instructions from a doctor. 

Red Alert?

Flying used to be  simple. I don't know what color corresponds to the threat alert but the State Department has issued a warning and I hope  that everyone is safe and that there is peace and prosperity for us all.

I have a story that would fit well into Michael Moore's "Sicko". I had been very sick but i was fighting it because i was unsure whether there would be a gap in my insurance and I was currently uninsured. I have been uninsured a lot since my parent retired from the military and as a military dependent, i would not have hesitated to receive medical care--it is not that it is "free" but it is a benefit to military members and their families.

I scheduled an appointment with my regular doctor and since no one could take me, I walked in excruciating pain and 89 degrees. I waited and had my temperature taken. I had a fever: 101 degrees. The pain in my back and side was increasing but I waited patiently. The doctor entered and she began looking over my chart. I explained that I suffered for three days because I was unsure if I had insurance with the same insurer listed. As soon as the doctor heard this, she left the room and asked the front desk to run my insurance. She was not interested in my condition, she was only interested in receiving payment for my visit. First, she told me she could not see me if I was uninsured and then, she said I would have to pay cash. I was disgusted by her indifference to my condition, so I left and the pain increased due to the stress, long walk and the extreme temperature. I called my mom crying in physical and emotional pain.

I had to end up calling an ambulance. A vital organ of mine is infected and my temperature was close to 103. i almost permanently damaged my health because a doctor would not care for me. The ER and everyone who treated me took excellent care of me. they took their Hippocratic Oath seriously.

What a Privilege

It's easy to be like everyone else. I have always been drawn to those who think outside of the box; the underdogs and the social pariahs. I do not understand how people--who know nothing of being anything other than "normal"-- feel the right to condescend to those who deviate from the norm. For example, if a heterosexual says that homosexuals should not marry or adopt. What gives them the right to speak on behalf of homosexuals? Do they even realize that it is the stigmatization of homosexuals that has granted them such a privilege to make that statement and be met with laws and other forms of agreement that is strongly in favor of heterosexuals? 

Here are the major systems: capitalism, racism and homophobism. In order to be successful--regardless of race or sexual orientation, one must become successful at capitalism. From what I have experienced, once someone has so much money, race is no longer an issue. If a woman marries a man outside of her race, she may receive backlash from her friends, family, society and so on; but, if that man is a doctor, professional athlete or in another profession that pays well, the stigma will be lessened. 

If someone is a homosexual but works in an industry that allows her to make a lot of money, then she, also, will be seen as green. I use the expression because my brother once stated that "when you have so much money they no longer see you as White or Black, they see you as Green." Capitalists love green. They cater to money and if you have money, you are regarded as worthy of the best treatment.

Quantas Airways recently posted a picture of two men in Blackface on twitter and thought it was funny. This is a great example of how racism benefits one group and not the other. One race can laugh at racist jokes, use racial slurs and discriminate against another because racism has worked that well and continues to work in their favor. 

Systems will continue to strengthen if we do not come to the realization that we are in them. I do not feel that one always has to side with the underdog but I think that both arguments merit attention. Pity is also a form of stigmatization and I try to find myself not pitying anyone; instead, I try to help. 

The Redundancy Factor in History

Here it is: Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it. I have, once again , relied on a quote in order describe the status quo. My immediate memory is of George HW Bush's statement, "Read my lips" and what followed was about taxes and was the broken promises that policians are well-known for making--namely, during their campaign. Since I am one of the few people who pay attention to what the candidates say, I notice an overwhelming number of them preaching "job creation" and this, in my opinion is a lie. If these candidates were truly concerned about America they would propose these ideas immediately in order to serve their patriotic duties and proudly show allegiance to thier country. That one would allow masses to suffer in order to partake in finger pointing is beyond me. I am reading "The four hour body " by Tim Ferriss. Ferriss is dedicated to working smarter and not harder. He has done quite well for himself and does not drill the belife that education is linked to success--even though, I believe, he received an Ivy League education. I will revisit his other book, too. He is very interesting and fills the voids with solutions that are fast and effective. I think Tim Ferriss should run for President

Breach of Contract

"Who will survive in America?"-- Gil Scott-Heron.

Kanye West included this speech at the end of his song, "Lost in The World" and that is the question that Americans should be asking due to the state of the economy. There is a rumor that the U.S. Military is even being downsized and that they are forcing those serving to take an early out or ending jobs--ironically, a lot of these jobs have gone to private contractors, which has always baffled me: construction that used to belong to Seabees.

From what I understand, those who are approaching their 20 year contract ending--which equals full retirement--have been the main target. Isn't this breach of contract? The military has been the one sector that emphasized job security and benefits. Now, they--and I am not even sure who they are--but I'm guessing they are not military are changing the agreement.

I can guess "they" are those that a lot of the conservative military types support: tea party and others who benefit from privatization of anything and everything. Due to the networks that military members form (high-ranking officials specifically) they are able to receive better paying jobs upon their exit or retirement. Isn't this a conflict of interest? Insider trading? I am too logical.

Teachers have always been paid horribly and lacked benefits but the military was--for the most part--well compensated for their work. If the traditional retirement were to end, it would be and should be treated as a breach of contract. 

Bachman vs IRS

I honestly do not understand what is going on in Libya and I am not going to pretend to. Political issues in the Middle East are very complex. One thing I do not understand is why there is always mention of oil prices raising or falling when reporting on the crises. These oil price fluctuations correlating to violence seem exclusive to that region of the world. Also, if Gaddafi was a dictator for 42 years, isn't this deposition overdue? Wasn't Gaddafi--aka the dictator, everyone's friend once? I am far too logical. It is beyond me and I hope for peace because diplomacy is the best strategy. 

Bachman used some horrible analogy to say that she worked at the IRS to utilize the loopholes. She infiltrated the system (big bad government) in order to legally beat it (pay the least amount in taxes). Wouldn't it have been simpler to hire a tax attorney. I do not understand that woman at all. I think that her and Palin split a very low IQ between them and I wonder who out there really believes in what she is saying. In fact, if you are a Bachman fan, I would appreciate a comment from you. Maybe something like, "Bachman 2012".

Too many thoughts today. The movie, "The Help" a great example of racism and of course it did well at the box office. I take issue with this because it is sublimates the struggles of African-Americans and gives credit to the one progressive Caucasian woman. This is a recurring theme that is self-serving to those in the book and movie industry. It is the same as when people credited Lady Gaga with repealing the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy. It was not solely Lady Gaga, it was every person who is homosexual and those in favor of homosexuals' rights that repealed that policy. It cannot be narrowed to one hero. There are many heroes in these stories and they are all deserving of praise and credit for their achievements.'

Final thoughts: only Kim Kardashian can get married and make--emphasis on the word make--an estimated 17 million dollars. Who is paying her? It must be advertisers...This, in my opinion, is unfair. I am immune to advertisements but tweens are usually the target for such things and they should have the right to know if she is wearing it because she likes something or if she is getting paid to wear it or wearing it for free. Thanks to anyone who reads this. It is pretty much stream of consciousness but I have a project to finish and I will reveal it when I am finished--around October 20 something. 

Starving

I was watching a news magazine show on The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) and it reminded me of the saying: "out of sight, out of mind," because I had completely forgotten about those in dire need of food in America. I don't mean to sound as though I am on a pedestal. I am very thankful that I have food to eat but in a country where there are stores overflowing with food, countless food and restaurant chains and an obesity epidemic, I--thankfully--have enough food to eat and I always notice that people are eating.

There is no worse place to be poor than in Ameica. I grew up all over the world and I was completely ignorant of homelessness and people without enough to eat. Juxtapose myself to my father who grew up with only rice and bread to eat. My father would have been similar to the child on the television show that did not know that it was "common" to have three meals a day and that when asked the names of the three meals, instead named the foods that he ate. My father grew up in a neighborhood similar to where the story took place: Camden, New Jersey. These poor areas of the U.S. are so dangerous that one cannot walk down the street without having one's guard up and anticipating a crime to occur.

I guess my father didn't tell me a lot about being poor because it was painful and he wanted to protect me. However, ignorance hurt because I am someone who loves problem-solving. I do not understand why the foods that are unopened and about to expire shortly cannot be donated to the food banks or other charities. I do not know if this is happening but I would like to propose that idea to every business that sells foods and those members in Congress so that everyone will be fortunate enough to eat.

Life, for me, has always been about experiences over material things. In Europe, it is part of the culture to sit down and enjoy meals by savoring the flavors of the foods and wine, having good conversations, and having a festive atmosphere.

I will propose the idea about the expired food thing to the White House--they are probably sick of me having opinions about everything and other government officials as well as stores. I hope that some good will come out of it and the corporations may even be able to receive a tax break for their philanthropy.       

Blogging has gone to the dogs

After I post my blog, I often view the blogs after mine. They are randomly selected but the two main topics seem to be dogs and God. God versus gods because they are predominantly Christian blogs. I do not have a problem with either but I felt completely insulted after reading, "Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me" and the final chapter was "written" by her dog.

Chelsea does this as a deliberate insult to her audience. She often makes self-effacing comments about the popularity of her show and her books being on the New York Times' Bestsellers list. I believe the anthropomorphizing of dogs is commonplace in contemporary society and this--as well as--the befriending of our technology is eerie.

I cannot feign that I dislike technology but smartphones, Ipads and too many other gadgets hold our attention in the same manner as a completely dependent newborn requires. I heard on the news that adolescents are going to the doctor with something labeled "text neck" from looking down at their phones!

Dog blogs, God blogs, and phones that are entertaining make me wish for simplicity.     

Paul M. Kramer's "Maggie Goes on a Diet"

Elections aside, this is a classic example of finger pointing: I was not surprised when author Paul M. Kramer's picture was displayed and it appeared as though he should go on the diet instead of Maggie. It would also be more age appropriate for him to diet than marketing the dieting industry to young girls.

On the book cover, I was disgusted by the image of what appeared as reverse anorexia: the cover shows Maggie as an overweight girl standing before a mirror with her skinny clothes placed in front of her body--what women usually do in the mirror of department stores to get an idea of how the clothing will look when worn-- and  the reflection (in the mirror) shows the slender version of Maggie. This goes without mentioning the uncanny resemblance of Maggie to Pipi Longstocking

The book is disturbing. If the author's weak argument is to target the obesity epidemic in America, include males too. It is the focus on the superficial exterior that is most bothersome. The visual message is that skinny is ideal, skinny is a goal and that skinny is healthy. What if Maggie fails at her goal, as so many on diets do? Weight loss has been described with metaphors such as "battle" and "struggle"; therefore, this is not what we need girls focusing on. Skinny is not always healthy. Those with eating disorders who appear at normal weights may be going to extremes to be skinny and ruining their health and some sacrifice their lives in the hopes of seeing what the reflection of Maggie in the mirror is seeing.

From what I have heard, after Maggie is skinny, she is the most popular girl and a star on the soccer team. That is even more disheartening because this is the mind set of too many starving artists in the entertainment and beauty industry. Jennifer Hudson's recent comment of being more proud of her weight loss than her Oscar demonstrates how difficult weight loss can be. Kramer's intentions may have been good but this controversy is valid and he should propose a better idea and cease from using an image that similar to Pipi Longstocking.    

You are a star as you are, Maggie, and the exterior may have changed but the interior is where the star quality is and will always remain. Now I sound like a true psycho speaking to a fictional character but I was a fat kid and I know from experience how superficial the world can be. As soon as I lost weight, people would compliment my looks and I was miserable. I lost weight due to very stressful circumstances and people constantly remarked how great I was looking. I went to talk to a shrink (psychologist) and even she didn't understand why I looked great to society but had such a terrible body image. That shows the power of advertising. Advertisers want society to believe that being skinny and attractive will grant you happiness and that is a lie. Hollywood train-wrecks are the best examples of that.

I had dieted since the age of 6. It was the stereotype of dance instructors and ballet teachers labeling kids as fat but I was a chubby kid, fat adolescent, and became an athletic adult. Even to this day, I would rather feel good than look good. We must focus less on looks because some people are willing to die to be skinny.