I've been in a craptacular mood lately so I've decided to blog my first ever public rant session. So here goes:
Where did all the public support for Haiti go? The country has not been fixed. People are still homeless, jobless and destitute. Why did all the celebrities stop endorsing fundraising for Haiti? Where are the media reports? Charity in this country is such crap. It is some stupid fad for dumb, white Americans. They could donate their $5 and feel like they made a difference and then go to the mall and buy the new iPhone.
Speaking of charitable events, I HATE them! Like sororities and whatnot holding car washes for homeless shelters? Have they ever been in a homeless shelter? Do they volunteer for a homeless shelter? Are they even going to drop the money off at the homeless shelter themselves? Are they going to think about homeless people after the car wash? Do they even think about homeless people during the car wash? My guess is, no they do not. I'm sure they feel like they are doing something good by donating their time for 3 hours. Really, they are only stroking their egos without having to do any actual charitable work.
Or how about people who only donate food in December? People need to eat other times of the year too.
I also despise people who don't vote. The only people who could vote when this country was founded were white men who owned property. That was not very many people. Today, everyone can vote due to some hardworking people in our past who were imprisoned and murdered so we could have this right. It is not difficult or time consuming. People who don't vote and then complain about the president all the time should just cancel their existence on this planet.
Want to know who really sucks? Anti-choicers who are fighting rather successfully to make abortion illegal. Ask them what they want to happen to women who have abortions when it's illegal and they say one of two things: No women will have abortions when it's illegal or women should not go to prison, but they should be prayed for and go to counseling. So really, they have no idea what they want other than for everyone to be crazed Jesus fanatics like them.
Bill Clinton is awesome and Hillary is one lucky lady.
I guarantee that in a few more months people won't even be talking about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and by the end of the year, most people will be filling up their tanks at BP gas stations all over the country.
Ever wonder why people all over the world are disgusted with Americans?
I hate many more things but all rants must come to an end.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Credit Scores
I guess since there is a high number of unemployment and the housing market sucks, there have been many articles written about credit scores. For the past several months, I have been reading the articles, mainly to learn more about how credit scores work. Here is a summary of what I have learned:
1. If you pay your bills on time, you will have good credit. If you pay your bills on time, you could have bad credit because you are not building a credit history.
2. If you have more than one credit card, you will have bad credit. If you only have one credit card and don't' take advantage of all the credit that is available to you, you will have bad credit and loans will be harder to come by.
3. If you open a credit card, your credit score will be affected negatively. If you close a credit card, your credit score will be affected negatively.
4. If you pay your credit card bill in full, you will have good credit. If you pay your credit card bill in full, this will effect your credit score negatively because you are not building a credit history.
5. If you take out a mortgage and don't buy a house for the full amount you were approved for, it could result in bad credit history because you are not taking full advantage of the credit available to you. If you take out a mortgage and take out the full amount you were approved for, you will have bad credit because you took out the maximum amount of credit you were approved for.
6. If you take out a car loan instead of paying in cash, your credit score will be affected negatively. If you pay for a car with cash instead of taking out a loan, you are not building a credit history and this could reflect negatively on you when you go to purchase a house.
7. If you try to make sense out of how credit scores work, you will go insane.
1. If you pay your bills on time, you will have good credit. If you pay your bills on time, you could have bad credit because you are not building a credit history.
2. If you have more than one credit card, you will have bad credit. If you only have one credit card and don't' take advantage of all the credit that is available to you, you will have bad credit and loans will be harder to come by.
3. If you open a credit card, your credit score will be affected negatively. If you close a credit card, your credit score will be affected negatively.
4. If you pay your credit card bill in full, you will have good credit. If you pay your credit card bill in full, this will effect your credit score negatively because you are not building a credit history.
5. If you take out a mortgage and don't buy a house for the full amount you were approved for, it could result in bad credit history because you are not taking full advantage of the credit available to you. If you take out a mortgage and take out the full amount you were approved for, you will have bad credit because you took out the maximum amount of credit you were approved for.
6. If you take out a car loan instead of paying in cash, your credit score will be affected negatively. If you pay for a car with cash instead of taking out a loan, you are not building a credit history and this could reflect negatively on you when you go to purchase a house.
7. If you try to make sense out of how credit scores work, you will go insane.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Why Feminism is Needed
My answers to the infamous question:
Feminism is needed because the other day I was driving through a construction zone and saw a sign that said "Men Working" and saw 2 women working.
Feminism is needed because 85% of domestic violence victims in the U.S. are women and 1.3 million women are physically assaulted each year by an intimate partner. (NCADV)
Feminism is needed because women seeking health care at Planned Parenthood's around the country are harassed and assaulted every day by anti-woman organizations and activists.
Feminism is needed because a woman earn 78 cents for every dollar a man makes. (NOW)
Feminism is needed because little girls are entering beauty contests, wearing make-up before they enter puberty and suffering from eating disorders. (TLC)
Feminism is needed because women are constantly pushed out of the music industry (Tribune)
Feminism is needed because the person bagging my grocery always asks me if I need assistance to my car.
Feminism is needed because people like Sarah Palin exist.
Feminism is needed because girls in Africa are having their clitorises removed to prevent them from enjoying sex. (UNICEF)
Feminism is needed because 1 in 6 women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime. (RAINN)
Feminism is needed because female politicians are criticized for their clothes and hair instead of their policies. (Clinton)
Feminism is needed because the word "guys" is used to address a group of men and women.
Feminism is needed because "he" is the default gender when describing animals.
Feminism is needed because my cardiologist assumed my primary care physician is a man and my primary care physician assumed by cardiologist is a man. (They are both women.)
Feminism is needed because gay marriage is not legal in all 50 states and in most countries around the world.
Feminism is needed because the website stopmilitaryrape.org is a necessity and female soldiers are being punished for reporting rapes.
Feminism is needed because women's sports lag behind men's in popularity, profit and facilities, but certainly not in athletic interest or talent.
Feminism is needed because magazines like Playboy and Hustler exist.
Feminism is needed because high school students don't know who Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Abigail Adams are.
Feminism is needed because birth control pills are not covered by health insurance companies and Viagra is.
Feminism is needed because football players are called "girls" and "ladies" as insults.
Feminism is needed because girls ask for breast implants as graduation gifts.
Feminism is needed because women's access to reproductive rights is currently being debated in Congress.
Feminism is needed because girls and women seeking an education in Afghanistan are being bombed and getting acid thrown into their faces. (CNN)
There are many more reasons why feminism is needed. The facts written above are the reasons why I'm involved. Too many people think women have achieved equal rights. I don't see it, and until I do I will continue to work as a feminist activist.
Feminism is needed because the other day I was driving through a construction zone and saw a sign that said "Men Working" and saw 2 women working.
Feminism is needed because 85% of domestic violence victims in the U.S. are women and 1.3 million women are physically assaulted each year by an intimate partner. (NCADV)
Feminism is needed because women seeking health care at Planned Parenthood's around the country are harassed and assaulted every day by anti-woman organizations and activists.
Feminism is needed because a woman earn 78 cents for every dollar a man makes. (NOW)
Feminism is needed because little girls are entering beauty contests, wearing make-up before they enter puberty and suffering from eating disorders. (TLC)
Feminism is needed because women are constantly pushed out of the music industry (Tribune)
Feminism is needed because the person bagging my grocery always asks me if I need assistance to my car.
Feminism is needed because people like Sarah Palin exist.
Feminism is needed because girls in Africa are having their clitorises removed to prevent them from enjoying sex. (UNICEF)
Feminism is needed because 1 in 6 women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime. (RAINN)
Feminism is needed because female politicians are criticized for their clothes and hair instead of their policies. (Clinton)
Feminism is needed because the word "guys" is used to address a group of men and women.
Feminism is needed because "he" is the default gender when describing animals.
Feminism is needed because my cardiologist assumed my primary care physician is a man and my primary care physician assumed by cardiologist is a man. (They are both women.)
Feminism is needed because gay marriage is not legal in all 50 states and in most countries around the world.
Feminism is needed because the website stopmilitaryrape.org is a necessity and female soldiers are being punished for reporting rapes.
Feminism is needed because women's sports lag behind men's in popularity, profit and facilities, but certainly not in athletic interest or talent.
Feminism is needed because magazines like Playboy and Hustler exist.
Feminism is needed because high school students don't know who Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Abigail Adams are.
Feminism is needed because birth control pills are not covered by health insurance companies and Viagra is.
Feminism is needed because football players are called "girls" and "ladies" as insults.
Feminism is needed because girls ask for breast implants as graduation gifts.
Feminism is needed because women's access to reproductive rights is currently being debated in Congress.
Feminism is needed because girls and women seeking an education in Afghanistan are being bombed and getting acid thrown into their faces. (CNN)
There are many more reasons why feminism is needed. The facts written above are the reasons why I'm involved. Too many people think women have achieved equal rights. I don't see it, and until I do I will continue to work as a feminist activist.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Sweet Valley High with Vampires
The Twilight series is the most sickening trend in my lifetime. The books are not literature, are not well written and are not encouraging young women to read; they are encouraging young women to consume.
Sadly, I have read the book Twilight. My best friends mother lent it to me thinking I would enjoy it. This was before Twilight mania began. The book is written for young women, probably between the ages of 12-17.
The focus of the book is a high school girl who becomes stalked and harassed by a 100-year old high school "boy". (Why a 100-year-old would want to attend high school is beyond my comprehension. Unless he has a wish to meet Chris Hansen.) This "boy" sneaks into her bedroom and watches her sleep and does not allow any other males to come near her. The main character sees this as romantic. Emotional abuse is not romantic, Ms. Stephanie Meyer.
The only reason why people think Twilight books are good is because, unlike the DaVinci Code, they actually understand the plot. It is written in the same reading comprehension level as the Babysitters Club, R.L. Stine's Fear Street Series and Sweet Valley High. The average American stops reading novels after high school, thus never developing their critical thinking skills beyond the Lord of the Flies. This one reason why Twilight is popular amongst adults.
As a feminist, I must also point out society's obsession with dumbing down girls. The main character of this book rarely thinks for herself. All decisions are made for her by her 100-year-old boyfriend. She doesn't question why this person watches her sleep or knows where she's at 24 hours a day. She just quietly accepts the fact that that's how romantic boys act and violence towards her is just a part of being in a relationship.
Young women are eating this up and discussing which 100-year-old male vampire they love most. They are buying posters, sound tracks and t-shirts with the actors and actresses on them at Hot Topic and wait in long lines to see the new movie. Buy, buy, buy! Don't' spend your money on more books (since Twilight makes you want to read so much.) Buy a load of crap and secretly wish you could be bitten and abused by a 100-year-old man!
If I could, I would pluck every Twilight book out of every young woman's hands and replace it with The Secret Life of Bees.
Sadly, I have read the book Twilight. My best friends mother lent it to me thinking I would enjoy it. This was before Twilight mania began. The book is written for young women, probably between the ages of 12-17.
The focus of the book is a high school girl who becomes stalked and harassed by a 100-year old high school "boy". (Why a 100-year-old would want to attend high school is beyond my comprehension. Unless he has a wish to meet Chris Hansen.) This "boy" sneaks into her bedroom and watches her sleep and does not allow any other males to come near her. The main character sees this as romantic. Emotional abuse is not romantic, Ms. Stephanie Meyer.
The only reason why people think Twilight books are good is because, unlike the DaVinci Code, they actually understand the plot. It is written in the same reading comprehension level as the Babysitters Club, R.L. Stine's Fear Street Series and Sweet Valley High. The average American stops reading novels after high school, thus never developing their critical thinking skills beyond the Lord of the Flies. This one reason why Twilight is popular amongst adults.
As a feminist, I must also point out society's obsession with dumbing down girls. The main character of this book rarely thinks for herself. All decisions are made for her by her 100-year-old boyfriend. She doesn't question why this person watches her sleep or knows where she's at 24 hours a day. She just quietly accepts the fact that that's how romantic boys act and violence towards her is just a part of being in a relationship.
Young women are eating this up and discussing which 100-year-old male vampire they love most. They are buying posters, sound tracks and t-shirts with the actors and actresses on them at Hot Topic and wait in long lines to see the new movie. Buy, buy, buy! Don't' spend your money on more books (since Twilight makes you want to read so much.) Buy a load of crap and secretly wish you could be bitten and abused by a 100-year-old man!
If I could, I would pluck every Twilight book out of every young woman's hands and replace it with The Secret Life of Bees.
Monday, July 5, 2010
To the Wedding Planners
Dear Wedding Industry:
I have had enough of your foolish shannigans. I am getting married, but this does not make me an out of control consumer-driven Bridezilla who must stress out about center pieces and "hot color combos."
I no longer want to be told that my fiancee did not buy my engagement ring properly. In fact, I don't want to hear anymore about diamonds being the only true rock for engagement rings. (Mine is a pretty sapphire that did not exploite children or fund a war in Africa.)
I no longer want to be instructed on how to find the "perfect dress". I don't want to be subjected to your rules on what shade of white my dress should be based on the circumstances of my marriage. I have had enough of looking at $1,000 dresses. I want to see dresses made for real people!
On another note, I am going to blow chunks if I have to hear another word on how to throw a great reception for my guests. I'm sure my guests feel privileged that I am inviting them to this special occasion in my life and could care less about wedding favors and whether or not I have a band or DJ. (In fact, I will have neither.) I don't think my reception will make or break their opinion of my marriage.
I am also disgusted that you managed to work your evil ways on the likes of Macys, Kohls and the unsuspecting Target with your demonic wedding registries. I am not getting married to profit off of my friends and family and get a butt load of kitchen gadgets that I will never use. I don't want my friends buying me sheets and toasters, or fine china that's going to sit in a cabinet and never get used.
What's even more upsetting is that you have completely brainwashed my loved ones. One of my beloved's asked me why I don't want to register for new towels. I just got new towels 9 months ago when I moved into my apartment! What the F do I need new towels for? Because we're getting married instead of just moving in together? Super lame and wasteful. If someone buys me a blender with no intention of it being a joke, I'm going to be super pissed.
Wedding Industry, I want to let you know how horrendous it is to be told by you that my wedding will be complete trash without the most expensive photographer, the most elegant looking flowers and a cake that is a foot and a half taller than me. I do not care if my wedding is perfect down to the smallest detail.
I am not getting married to put on a show and to impress my family and friends with limos, a four course meal and 700 toasts and speeches. I am getting married because I want to share my life with someone and I am having a wedding so my friends and family can witness the beginning of that. I have yet to hear any advice from you as to how to celebrate love.
Sincerely:
Jenny
I have had enough of your foolish shannigans. I am getting married, but this does not make me an out of control consumer-driven Bridezilla who must stress out about center pieces and "hot color combos."
I no longer want to be told that my fiancee did not buy my engagement ring properly. In fact, I don't want to hear anymore about diamonds being the only true rock for engagement rings. (Mine is a pretty sapphire that did not exploite children or fund a war in Africa.)
I no longer want to be instructed on how to find the "perfect dress". I don't want to be subjected to your rules on what shade of white my dress should be based on the circumstances of my marriage. I have had enough of looking at $1,000 dresses. I want to see dresses made for real people!
On another note, I am going to blow chunks if I have to hear another word on how to throw a great reception for my guests. I'm sure my guests feel privileged that I am inviting them to this special occasion in my life and could care less about wedding favors and whether or not I have a band or DJ. (In fact, I will have neither.) I don't think my reception will make or break their opinion of my marriage.
I am also disgusted that you managed to work your evil ways on the likes of Macys, Kohls and the unsuspecting Target with your demonic wedding registries. I am not getting married to profit off of my friends and family and get a butt load of kitchen gadgets that I will never use. I don't want my friends buying me sheets and toasters, or fine china that's going to sit in a cabinet and never get used.
What's even more upsetting is that you have completely brainwashed my loved ones. One of my beloved's asked me why I don't want to register for new towels. I just got new towels 9 months ago when I moved into my apartment! What the F do I need new towels for? Because we're getting married instead of just moving in together? Super lame and wasteful. If someone buys me a blender with no intention of it being a joke, I'm going to be super pissed.
Wedding Industry, I want to let you know how horrendous it is to be told by you that my wedding will be complete trash without the most expensive photographer, the most elegant looking flowers and a cake that is a foot and a half taller than me. I do not care if my wedding is perfect down to the smallest detail.
I am not getting married to put on a show and to impress my family and friends with limos, a four course meal and 700 toasts and speeches. I am getting married because I want to share my life with someone and I am having a wedding so my friends and family can witness the beginning of that. I have yet to hear any advice from you as to how to celebrate love.
Sincerely:
Jenny
Break
Since I have developed a nasty case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, I will be taking an unspecified length of time off from extracurricular typing. I will continue to astound you with my wit and intelligence after surgery and/or physical therapy. I apologize for the inconvenince.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Animal Friendly Cosmetics and Household Products
If you're like me and don't think we should be testing lipstick on monkeys, check out Leaping Bunny, a company associated with the Human Society of the United States. According to Leaping Bunny, "every year, tens of thousands of animals are harmed and killed in product testing labs."
Leaping Bunny has list of all the companies that have pledged to not test their products on animals. A few of my favorite companies are Mary Kay, Urban Decay and The Body Shop. Remember, when a product says "This finished product is not tested on animals" it usually means a portion of the production of the product was tested on animals. The statement is just a PR and advertising move.
You can also sign a pledge on their website to no longer buy from companies that test their products on animals.
Leaping Bunny has list of all the companies that have pledged to not test their products on animals. A few of my favorite companies are Mary Kay, Urban Decay and The Body Shop. Remember, when a product says "This finished product is not tested on animals" it usually means a portion of the production of the product was tested on animals. The statement is just a PR and advertising move.
You can also sign a pledge on their website to no longer buy from companies that test their products on animals.
Friday, June 18, 2010
One Groovy Chick
Another person I have come to admire is Janis Joplin. I've never been the biggest fan of her music, but after watching a few interviews with her on YouTube, I've discovered that she was a fascinating woman.
She was surprisingly down to earth, even in 1970 a few months before she died. Her interview with Dick Cavett on the Dick Cavett show is riveting. I really like the part when she tells him she's going to her 10-year high school reunion. She said they laughed her out of school, out of town and out of the state, so she's "going home."
I'm drawn to people who are successful even though they are hated worldwide. I'm currently reading a biography on Janis. Not too many people liked her as a person. Jim Morrison couldn't stand her and, according to the book I'm reading, a lot of people in the Haight-Ashbury district avoided her. People close to her said she was brash, outspoken and rude (not too different from Ms. Courtney Love huh?). Perhaps that's the personality a woman in the 1960's needed to be a successful rock star. The formula still applies today (i.e. Hole, L7, Bikini Kill).
Another reason why people didn't really like Janis was because she was "ugly". No joke! Her hair wasn't styled the way a woman's should be and she had acne. Female singers are supposed to be beautiful and Janis wasn't (in the conventional way). What a dumb reason to not appreciate someone.
Janis lived an extraordinary enough life to warrant a good biography. Reading about her experiences growing up in small town Texas with few friends to having an abortion (before it was legal!) are intriguing. It's sad to read about her trouble with addiction and how she really wanted to stay clean for awhile before she joined Big Brother. It made me wonder what would have happened to her if she had stayed away from San Francisco.
Whether her music is for you or not, you've got to admire her ballsy attitude and her influence on women's role in rock music. She went onstage, ugly and all, and out-performed her male bandmates to the point where the name Janis Joplin is more well-known than either Big Brother and the Holding Company or Full Tilt Boogie. It's also nice to see that she is still admired, even 40 years later.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Body Image
Last December, I wore a size 4. In March,my Buddha Gut popped the button off a size 6 pair of pants. Today, I'm an 8 and even that's starting to feel a little snug. While I don't mind having an excuse to shop for new clothes, my new body weight is weird and I'm having a hard time adjusting.
I already know my feelings about being a size 8 are total crap. A size 8 is not even fat. But being told I look "heavier in my face" than I did a few months ago isn't exactly doing much for my self-esteem. (Thanks family holiday get togethers!) My outside appearance should have zero influence on my self-esteem. But it does.
What makes me angry is that stick thin figures are so ingrained in women's minds as the only acceptable way to look that even I, a self-proclaimed radical feminist, am not immune. This summer, I opted for the tankini instead of the bikini, which made me look 6 months preggers. (My gut is only inseminated with doughnuts and burritos.) In actuality, I probably should have gone with the string bikini and flaunted my new tummy rolls.
I've never had problems with gaining weight before so this whole "body image" garbage is pretty new to me. I often wonder why it is that I feel so funny about gaining weight. I did gain a lot really fast, but I'm pretty sure it's due to a change in my eating and lifestyle habits. But I also think the real problem is stupid American society telling all women they're fat and unattractive unless they're a size 4 (or a 2 if you live in L.A.)
Now instead of trying to improve my inner self with reading and volunteerism, I'm focusing on making myself feel better about being a size 8. What a waste.
I already know my feelings about being a size 8 are total crap. A size 8 is not even fat. But being told I look "heavier in my face" than I did a few months ago isn't exactly doing much for my self-esteem. (Thanks family holiday get togethers!) My outside appearance should have zero influence on my self-esteem. But it does.
What makes me angry is that stick thin figures are so ingrained in women's minds as the only acceptable way to look that even I, a self-proclaimed radical feminist, am not immune. This summer, I opted for the tankini instead of the bikini, which made me look 6 months preggers. (My gut is only inseminated with doughnuts and burritos.) In actuality, I probably should have gone with the string bikini and flaunted my new tummy rolls.
I've never had problems with gaining weight before so this whole "body image" garbage is pretty new to me. I often wonder why it is that I feel so funny about gaining weight. I did gain a lot really fast, but I'm pretty sure it's due to a change in my eating and lifestyle habits. But I also think the real problem is stupid American society telling all women they're fat and unattractive unless they're a size 4 (or a 2 if you live in L.A.)
Now instead of trying to improve my inner self with reading and volunteerism, I'm focusing on making myself feel better about being a size 8. What a waste.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Pointless Music
I greatly dislike musicians that create music with no point. It doesn't matter what the point is. It could be party music, dance music, smoking crack music...whatever. But please don't pick up an instrument and make music if you have nothing to say either lyrically or instrumentally.
Last night, I had the misfortune of witnessing a "musical group" that desperately needed a Music Theory 101 course. During one song, it sounded like the keyboardist sat on the keyboard and played with his butt. It was similar to a two-year-old pounding on a piano. The keyboardist was clearly trying to be eccentric, but that only works with people who know what they're doing. This guy sounded like he had never played any instrument before in his life. In my opinion, if you want to make eccentric and offbeat music, you should do it in a way that is not going to ostracize your audience.
Some music I have been exposed to has lyrics, but they are literally about nothing. (This has been explained to me as "stream of conscious writing". You write whatever you are thinking about at the moment. ) Lyrics about nothing don't necessarily equal a bad song. (Does anyone know what Gavin Rossdale is singing about in all those Bush songs?) But combine it with guitars that are way too fuzzy and muffled with no clear melody and you have yourself a load of pointless music. It's hard for me to connect with a song that if full of distorted harmonies with a singer who is singing about how many doors are in his house or something. If lyrics are not important to your musical creativity, then leave them out.
I'm mostly upset about this because music is very powerful and has the potential to make a difference or to connect with people emotionally. It's like a fart in Mozart's face to sell a record that you created just to have fun and make some noise. Most people listen to music to relax, rock out or to help them through difficult times. Why would you make music that no one knows what they hell they're supposed to do with?
If you have the talent/will to record music, why would you create something that doesn't connect with a broad audience? If you want to make eccentric music, that's cool but do it responsibly. Learn some scales and key signatures and take some piano lessons. I would also suggest you take a poetry course and learn to write meaningful lyrics (or lyrics about anything!).
I think music has a significant impact on everyone in this world. To have the talent to participate in that is not something to be taken lightly. You have a role in this world (similar to a Jedi Knight) to connect with people. Don't squander your talent or, better yet, don't pretend you have the talent and then poo-poo all over an instrument.
Last night, I had the misfortune of witnessing a "musical group" that desperately needed a Music Theory 101 course. During one song, it sounded like the keyboardist sat on the keyboard and played with his butt. It was similar to a two-year-old pounding on a piano. The keyboardist was clearly trying to be eccentric, but that only works with people who know what they're doing. This guy sounded like he had never played any instrument before in his life. In my opinion, if you want to make eccentric and offbeat music, you should do it in a way that is not going to ostracize your audience.
Some music I have been exposed to has lyrics, but they are literally about nothing. (This has been explained to me as "stream of conscious writing". You write whatever you are thinking about at the moment. ) Lyrics about nothing don't necessarily equal a bad song. (Does anyone know what Gavin Rossdale is singing about in all those Bush songs?) But combine it with guitars that are way too fuzzy and muffled with no clear melody and you have yourself a load of pointless music. It's hard for me to connect with a song that if full of distorted harmonies with a singer who is singing about how many doors are in his house or something. If lyrics are not important to your musical creativity, then leave them out.
I'm mostly upset about this because music is very powerful and has the potential to make a difference or to connect with people emotionally. It's like a fart in Mozart's face to sell a record that you created just to have fun and make some noise. Most people listen to music to relax, rock out or to help them through difficult times. Why would you make music that no one knows what they hell they're supposed to do with?
If you have the talent/will to record music, why would you create something that doesn't connect with a broad audience? If you want to make eccentric music, that's cool but do it responsibly. Learn some scales and key signatures and take some piano lessons. I would also suggest you take a poetry course and learn to write meaningful lyrics (or lyrics about anything!).
I think music has a significant impact on everyone in this world. To have the talent to participate in that is not something to be taken lightly. You have a role in this world (similar to a Jedi Knight) to connect with people. Don't squander your talent or, better yet, don't pretend you have the talent and then poo-poo all over an instrument.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Children's Rights
I read an article in the Tribune today on how kids don't' have the right to protest in schools. In a school in West Chicago, students were upset because their school play got cancelled and they petitioned to be able to have the production. I think this is fantastic, but most adults don't. In fact, because of certain adults, children do not have any rights in this country.
I really like this generation of teenagers. They are amazing multi-taskers and are much more socially aware than my generation was. As a collective whole, the majority are accepting of peers from other nationalities, religions, races and sexual orientations. It's too bad that adults today don't' give a flying crap about this and are too concerned with taking away their freedoms.
High schools today are like minimum security prisons. There are dress codes, behavior regulations and their right to have art and music as part of the curriculum is pretty much history. Teenagers have to ask permission to take a dump and can't take Pepto Bismol without a doctor's note. These rules may all be for the safety of the students (or adults for that matter) but it looks like these students have had enough. And it's about time!!!!
I've heard people say that these rules have been in place for years and teenagers should just shut up and deal with it like all the other teenagers before them. Just because a rule has been in place for 20 years doesn't make it a right. I'm so glad teenagers today are realizing this and doing something about it.
Some rules and regulations are outdated and ineffective. Dress codes are lame and kids are going to be in gangs whether they have a school uniform or not. And all the kids know who is in which gang. The colors or numbers on their T-shirts are irrelevant.
Adults on the school board are taking away extracurricular activities and then wondering why kids loiter around doing nothing. Stop taking away programs like jazz band and watch as this problem instantly dissolves!
Teenagers also are losing their right to have a drivers license. Some states are raising the age limit. (Of course they are going to get into more accidents. They've only been driving a short time!) Children can't do anything until they are 18. They can't make their own medical decisions. They can't vote. They can't have their own checking account. Many teenagers are responsible enough for these privileges, therefore, the option should be open to them.
Teenagers understand that taking away their rights at school is detrimental to their lives. Why don't 40-year-olds? And when teenagers stand up for themselves and demand to have the drama department back, they are rewarded with detention.
5 to 10 years from now, I see these kids rejecting corporate jobs and creating their own non-profit organizations. Their networking skills are spectacular, thanks to Facebook and MySpace. They already have the life experience to do some great PR for their businesses, not to mention they are ALL great at sending out memos!
Teenagers and younger children today are not learning exceptional values from today's adults. In my opinion, all they are learning is that they are second class citizens who should be seen and not heard. I'm not sure what adults are trying to teach kids when they take away their activities, criticize the amount of time they spend networking and getting acquainted with technology and then call them all illiterate and lazy.
However, I'm glad today's teenagers aren't buying into this crap are are fighting to have their rights back. It's time we stop punishing them for acting like responsible citizens.
I really like this generation of teenagers. They are amazing multi-taskers and are much more socially aware than my generation was. As a collective whole, the majority are accepting of peers from other nationalities, religions, races and sexual orientations. It's too bad that adults today don't' give a flying crap about this and are too concerned with taking away their freedoms.
High schools today are like minimum security prisons. There are dress codes, behavior regulations and their right to have art and music as part of the curriculum is pretty much history. Teenagers have to ask permission to take a dump and can't take Pepto Bismol without a doctor's note. These rules may all be for the safety of the students (or adults for that matter) but it looks like these students have had enough. And it's about time!!!!
I've heard people say that these rules have been in place for years and teenagers should just shut up and deal with it like all the other teenagers before them. Just because a rule has been in place for 20 years doesn't make it a right. I'm so glad teenagers today are realizing this and doing something about it.
Some rules and regulations are outdated and ineffective. Dress codes are lame and kids are going to be in gangs whether they have a school uniform or not. And all the kids know who is in which gang. The colors or numbers on their T-shirts are irrelevant.
Adults on the school board are taking away extracurricular activities and then wondering why kids loiter around doing nothing. Stop taking away programs like jazz band and watch as this problem instantly dissolves!
Teenagers also are losing their right to have a drivers license. Some states are raising the age limit. (Of course they are going to get into more accidents. They've only been driving a short time!) Children can't do anything until they are 18. They can't make their own medical decisions. They can't vote. They can't have their own checking account. Many teenagers are responsible enough for these privileges, therefore, the option should be open to them.
Teenagers understand that taking away their rights at school is detrimental to their lives. Why don't 40-year-olds? And when teenagers stand up for themselves and demand to have the drama department back, they are rewarded with detention.
5 to 10 years from now, I see these kids rejecting corporate jobs and creating their own non-profit organizations. Their networking skills are spectacular, thanks to Facebook and MySpace. They already have the life experience to do some great PR for their businesses, not to mention they are ALL great at sending out memos!
Teenagers and younger children today are not learning exceptional values from today's adults. In my opinion, all they are learning is that they are second class citizens who should be seen and not heard. I'm not sure what adults are trying to teach kids when they take away their activities, criticize the amount of time they spend networking and getting acquainted with technology and then call them all illiterate and lazy.
However, I'm glad today's teenagers aren't buying into this crap are are fighting to have their rights back. It's time we stop punishing them for acting like responsible citizens.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Advertisements
Advertising companies suck! Why would you even think to use rape to sell designer clothing? Why do all beer ads exploit women's bodies? If you see an advertisement that pisses you off, write to the company and stop giving them your money!
Looking to Get Rid of an Old Cell Phone?
If you have any old cell phones laying around that you don't use and need to dispose of, please let me know. I will donate them to the Domestic Violence shelter I volunteer for.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Friday, May 14, 2010
What is a Feminist?
BBC News published an awesome article today on women in the technology industry. One woman named Judith Lewis was interviewed on the movement and feminism was brought up.
"To her the word feminist means something different. In a sense [Geek Girl Dinners] is a feminist movement as it aspires to a lot of the same ideals but I don't want it to be seen as something that is feminist as this can be seen as something marginal or negative.
"We're not trying to be radical or disruptive, but to show that women have a place in technology." (Emphasis added)
Ms. Lewis, you are a feminist. You don't' need to be "radical and disruptive" to be a feminist. Your act of speaking at a girls and technology camp telling women that "they have a place in technology" makes you a feminist.
It's too bad people buy into what the media and patriarchal influences tell them about feminism instead looking into it themselves. Feminism is not negative. It's one of the most positive movements out there.
(From dictionary.com)
fem·i·nism /ˈfÉ›məˌnɪzÉ™m/ Show Spelled[fem-uh-niz-uhm] Show IPA
–noun
1. the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.
2. ( sometimes initial capital letter ) an organized movement for the attainment of such rights for women.
3. feminine character.
"To her the word feminist means something different. In a sense [Geek Girl Dinners] is a feminist movement as it aspires to a lot of the same ideals but I don't want it to be seen as something that is feminist as this can be seen as something marginal or negative.
"We're not trying to be radical or disruptive, but to show that women have a place in technology." (Emphasis added)
Ms. Lewis, you are a feminist. You don't' need to be "radical and disruptive" to be a feminist. Your act of speaking at a girls and technology camp telling women that "they have a place in technology" makes you a feminist.
It's too bad people buy into what the media and patriarchal influences tell them about feminism instead looking into it themselves. Feminism is not negative. It's one of the most positive movements out there.
(From dictionary.com)
fem·i·nism /ˈfÉ›məˌnɪzÉ™m/ Show Spelled[fem-uh-niz-uhm] Show IPA
–noun
1. the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.
2. ( sometimes initial capital letter ) an organized movement for the attainment of such rights for women.
3. feminine character.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Sarah Palin look-alike Stripper Contest
The tribune reported today that there is such as thing as a Sarah Palin look-alike stripper contest.
Why, why WHY are all women politicians belittled and rejected as human beings? This contest is not honoring Sarah Palin. It's demeaning her. Society cannot accept that women can be intellectuals and responsible citizens. When they see a woman who is smart, they can't help themselves. They must degrade her and value her as nothing more than a sex object.
Sarah Palin is not the only victim of this sexist crap. All female politicians are judged on how they look and what they wear.
Remember when Hillary Clinton was running for president? How many articles did you read about her that mentioned her clothes and hair? I bet you didn't' read any about Barack Obama's new haircut. FYI, Hillary's headband obsession has nothing to do with her ability to run this country. It's too bad she isn't our president, but she sure is kicking butt as our Secretary of State!
I wish I lived in a world that valued women the same as men. This stupid "contest" is proof that I don't.
(For the record, I dislike Sarah Palin tremendously, but no one deserves to be humiliated to this extent.)
Why, why WHY are all women politicians belittled and rejected as human beings? This contest is not honoring Sarah Palin. It's demeaning her. Society cannot accept that women can be intellectuals and responsible citizens. When they see a woman who is smart, they can't help themselves. They must degrade her and value her as nothing more than a sex object.
Sarah Palin is not the only victim of this sexist crap. All female politicians are judged on how they look and what they wear.
Remember when Hillary Clinton was running for president? How many articles did you read about her that mentioned her clothes and hair? I bet you didn't' read any about Barack Obama's new haircut. FYI, Hillary's headband obsession has nothing to do with her ability to run this country. It's too bad she isn't our president, but she sure is kicking butt as our Secretary of State!
I wish I lived in a world that valued women the same as men. This stupid "contest" is proof that I don't.
(For the record, I dislike Sarah Palin tremendously, but no one deserves to be humiliated to this extent.)
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Interpersonal Violence
Please see this linkThis past week has been a harsh reality check for me. Interpersonal violence toward women is everywhere! I was reminded that even I'm not immune to it.
Saturday was my first day at my volunteer job. I'm working at a resale shop run by the local women's shelter. It's definitely rewarding, but it's hard being confronted with battered women.
Domestic violence comes in all types of forms. Emotional abuse is the one that bothers me the most. I think this is the one that none of us are immune to, and some women don't even realize it's happening. I witnessed and experienced this most as a teenager. Teenage boys will say and do such lovely things to keep you under their control. They'll say they will kill themselves if you break up with them. You break up with them anyways and they'll call you incessantly and harass you. (This is not only teenage boys. I've recently discovered that 40-year-old men will leave you 47 messages in under two hours.)
Teenage boys also have a tendency to tell their girlfriends that they can't hang out with their friends, coerce them into having sex and stalk them. It's not entirely the boy's faults. Society tells them these are romantic things to do.
In the movie, Valley Girl, Nick Cage's character gets dumped by his girlfriend. In an attempt to get back together with her, he randomly shows up at all her hangout spots and camps on her parent's front lawn. In real life, this would get him nothing but a restraining order, but he ends up getting her to go out with him again.
There is nothing romantic about emotionally abusing your girlfriend or ex-girlfriend. Stalking her and threatening her are not going to make her want to go back out with you. Showing up randomly at her job or at her hangout spots are not romantic and sweet! It's scary and intimidating.
I watched a Lifetime movie last night called "She's Too Young." It's the one where the whole school gets syphilis. In the movie, the main character gets asked out by "the most popular boy in school". He wants to have sex with her, but she tells him no. He then decides he no longer wants to hang out with her and wants to take her home. Instead of saying, "OK, going home and not hanging around with your loser ass sounds great", she decides to give him oral sex and gets syphilis in her mouth. This is a perfect example of emotional abuse and this situation happens all the time (minus the syphilis part).
I'm not really sure how comfortable I am talking about my experiences, but I know I'm not alone. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, women experience about 4.8 million intimate partner-related physical assaults and rapes every year. My first experience with dating violence happened when I was 14-years-old. I consider myself lucky because I've learned from my experiences and use them to help empower other women to do the same. It's not my problem that these boys were totally screwed up, but I think it is a problem if I internalize it and don't help other women to do the same.
Interpersonal violence prevention should be taught in junior high and reiterated in high school health courses. Some young people don't know how to be in a healthy relationship and need to be taught. Parents could help, but I'm sure they this is where these kids learned this lousy behavior.
Until domestic and interpersonal violence is a thing of the past, you can find me at my volunteer job on Saturday afternoons.
For more information on Interpersonal Violence, please visit these websites:
http://www.now.org/
http://www.ncadv.org/
http://www.familyshelterservice.org/
http://feminist.org/
PS: Thanks to my women's studies degree and feminism, I learned about what happened to me and what I can do to prevent it. If you need someone to talk to, let me know.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Equal Pay
I recently met another person who had a good time challenging my subversive views on women's roles. This time, it was on equal pay for women.
Here are the arguments for why women should not be paid as much as men. Some are common ones I hear all the time and others were found on the Internet among a slew of anti-feminist websites.
1. Women get pregnant and go on maternity leave.
2. Women call off work to stay home and care for sick children and relatives.
3. Women don't stay late or work weekends
4. Women don't ask for raises or negotiate salaries
5. Women are not as competitive as men
6. Women don't care about job status as much as men
7. Women don't want the upper-level management jobs, so they should not be paid as much in the lower ranked positions
Here is why those arguments are total bullshit.
Women get pregnant and go on maternity leave.
Obviously not all women get pregnant, so let's focus on why women who choose to be mothers and take time off to bond with their infant should be paid the same as their male peers. Close your eyes and imagine this. A male employee has a heart attack and needs heart surgery. He takes a month or so off to recover. Should this employee be paid less now because he took an extended amount of time off work? "Well,"you say, " he didn't choose to have a heart attack. Women choose to have babies." OK, how about this. All overweight men should be paid less because they will have a heart attack and need to take an extended amount of time off. Should companies take preventative measures against any person who looks like they may need to use their short term disability and not pay them fairly? Sound ridiculous? So does this argument against equal pay.
Women call off work to stay home and care for sick children and relatives.
How about men who call off to care for sick kids and relatives? It happens often enough at my office. Should people with families not make as much as people who don't have families? I think this argument is deeply rooted in sexist logic. Why do schools call the mother when the kid is sick? Fathers are capable of caring for their offspring as well. To be fair, fathers should also be discriminated against. Or, to make things right, no one should be discriminated against.
Women don't stay late or work weekends.
This one really pisses me off. Overtime is mandatory at my company. And you know who works all the voluntary overtime? The women. This includes Saturdays. The hardest working employees at my company who work 8 hour shifts on Saturdays voluntarily are all women. The men are the ones pissing and moaning all the time about having to work Saturday mornings and less men choose to work the voluntary overtime. This does not only happen at my place of employment. And you know why all these women are volunteering to work the overtime? Because they get paid less and need the extra money!
Women don't ask for raises or negotiate salaries.
Unfortunately, statistics show that this is true. However, women who ask for raises are more likely than men to not get as much as they ask for. Interestingly, women have discovered pay discrepancies when they asked for a raise. Just ask Lilly Ledbetter.
Women are not as competitive as men.
What a load of crap. Women will do just as much to get a position working on a special project as their male counterparts. Women's efforts are often ignored because of sexism in the corporate world. From my observations and research, men don't want women in upper level management positions because it threatens the patriarchal structure of how businesses are run. Even though the movie wasn't that great, Anchorman did a great job of illustrating sexism in the workplace. Even though the plot took place a few decades back, things have not changed for women seeking to advance.
Women don't care about their job status as much as men.
I'm not sure why people think this. Everyone, both female and male, wants to be the supervisor. No, not everyone women wants to be Dwight Shrute with an army of subordinates, but women do care about the positions and rank they hold at work. If anyone can share with the world why they think women don't care about their job status, I would be very interested in hearing what you have to say. And then I will tell you why you are a dumb ass.
Women don't want the upper-level management jobs.
Yes, this could be true. Not all women want to be the CEO. But some do!!!! Not all men want upper-level management positions and we don't pay them less! Check out this woman CEO. Or this one. Fortune 500 lists 10 more women CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. I guarantee all of these women want their jobs.
My point is that there are no logical argument for not paying women equal wages. Companies are hiding behind their misogynist values and are pulling excuses out of their rectums for justifying pay discrimination.
Here is why companies won't pay women equal wages.
1. They are cheap bastards
2. They think female employees are expendable
3. They can use excuses like maternity leave to not pay women equally because it's not socially acceptable for mothers to work outside the home.
4. They think women are stupid
5. They think no one will notice
6. No one is forcing them to
7. They are depending on women to not care
Sunday, May 2, 2010
The Girl Guitar Revolution
I love Daisy Rock Guitars! They are guitars for girls (but lots of boys play them too). My man doesn't like them because he's insecure with his masculinity, but they sound cool. I own the pixie acoustic. Nice huh!
A lot of the guitars come in a short scale version for children. The necks are thinner for smaller hands and the guitars are made from a lightweight wood to lessen fatigue. They have also have electric guitars and basses.
I love that there are guitars marketed towards young girls. More girls need to be encouraged to play guitar. The world has too many male rock stars. We need more Courtney Loves (Hole's new album is awesome by the way!), Juliana Hatfields and Louise Posts.
They come in a style for everyone. The ones pictured here are my favorites. Check out their website for more information.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Better Cafeteria Food
A lot of attention has been given to school lunch programs. I think reform is long overdue. I learned my eating habits from my parents and from school. I hope that improving school lunches will allow kids to make better choices than I did.
My family criticized my eating habits my entire childhood. But you know what? I'm not the one who did the grocery shopping. If you don't buy or provide garbage to children then they can't eat it! Same goes for schools. In elementary school, we were provided with rectangular pizza on Styrofoam. In junior high, we had nachos with powder cheese mixed with milk, chocolate chip cookies and deep fried chicken sandwiches. In high school, we had the greasiest pizza you can imagine, a snack line and fries served to us everyday. Kids can't make healthy choices when there are no choices. Why not throw a handful of salad or carrots on the tray instead of fries? Kids will eat it if its given to them and all the junk food is gone.
Some schools are allowing kids to grow their own gardens at school as part of the curriculum. This is neat because it teaches kids about gardening, feeding themselves and it saves the school money. What I think is super cool is that some CPS students are demanding better lunches and making suggestions at to what they want to be served. Even though high school students have been doing this for decades, these kids finally got someone to listen to them.
Better school lunches will help with the childhood obesity epidemic and encourage kids to make smarter life decisions. Schools need to educate students on all aspects of life, including nutrition.
My family criticized my eating habits my entire childhood. But you know what? I'm not the one who did the grocery shopping. If you don't buy or provide garbage to children then they can't eat it! Same goes for schools. In elementary school, we were provided with rectangular pizza on Styrofoam. In junior high, we had nachos with powder cheese mixed with milk, chocolate chip cookies and deep fried chicken sandwiches. In high school, we had the greasiest pizza you can imagine, a snack line and fries served to us everyday. Kids can't make healthy choices when there are no choices. Why not throw a handful of salad or carrots on the tray instead of fries? Kids will eat it if its given to them and all the junk food is gone.
Some schools are allowing kids to grow their own gardens at school as part of the curriculum. This is neat because it teaches kids about gardening, feeding themselves and it saves the school money. What I think is super cool is that some CPS students are demanding better lunches and making suggestions at to what they want to be served. Even though high school students have been doing this for decades, these kids finally got someone to listen to them.
Better school lunches will help with the childhood obesity epidemic and encourage kids to make smarter life decisions. Schools need to educate students on all aspects of life, including nutrition.
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