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.