Image via: http://parlourmagazine.com
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Tidbits - Linking-Up
What's up? It's Florida Again - And Georgia
Yes indeed. Fox News is fairly unbalanced: Free GOP Advertising
A fabulous look at the same story: Out-Foxed
I'm surprised it wasn't wearing large sunglasses. Idaho Hipster
Uh, he's not Elvis or The Beatles or even close. I Don't Get It At All
The church that keeps on giving. And Giving
If you like to dig around.... Under Wraps For Centuries
The grey cells are dying with each drink: Ouch!
The new space era is landing today: Happy Re-entry Trails
That's it for today.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
He Did What???
I've been holding back for days on commenting on one of the strangest, most barbaric, stories of recent memory: The crazed guy who ATE THE FACE OFF of a presumed homeless man over the weekend. I mean, OMG OMG OMG! Ewww! Arrrggggh! Gag!
An entire FACE is gone! Chewed and ripped and - OMG OMG OMG!
And, of course, it happened in Florida. In Miami. Again I ask what's in the water down there? Better yet, who's messing with the street drugs? WTF is going on a place that was once a mini paradise when I was a child and spent winters there with my parents. I remember coconuts literally falling off trees that I would carry around as a prize for days; the smell of the salty, aromatic ocean and soft sand and little sand pebbles mingling together with each ebb and flow of the tide.
I remember the white pristine beaches and my father and his friends playing beach volleyball and how all of the men would stop their game whenever a sharp looking woman sauntered by in a somewhat revealing (for then) swimsuit and how all of the wives would laugh and tell their husbands to "dream on". I remember the awful sunburns I would get as a fair-skinned toe-headed child who hated to wear bonnets (but loved hats) and how happy we were as a family when my grandparents and other relatives would pop down to spend a few days with us as we did the classic frolicking on the beach mingled with a sprinkle of tourism shopping.
What happened? Now Florida is one of the last places I want to visit despite knowing how pleasant South Beach is, and how much I love Key West and other areas in the state where I have spent time.
Now it's cruel injustice of one sort or another in that state almost everywhere one looks...as far as the national news is concerned. Or the hub of pornography viewing. Or where voters are being blocked from registering to vote - something the mainstream media has barely whispered to the land. Voter fraud, too. And where beach erosion is frighteningly apparent.
But a crazed-on-some-kind-of-drug guy spirals into a primal state of mind and with his teeth tears the flesh from the face of an innocent man already down on his luck? I mean, OMG OMG OMG! The poor victim! The poor passer-by who discovered the assault and called the cops. The poor cops who had to witness the brutality. And, perhaps even the poor crazed maniac who obviously was not in his "right" mind. It's probably best that he was killed, as when he would have finally come out of whatever stupor he was in may have wanted to die, so that part of the story has a somewhat happy ending.
Not so for the man without a face. Will he survive the ordeal of surgeries and transplants and the horror of being maimed for the remainder of his life? And who will pay his medical bills?
And last, based on the quasi-cannibalism of the situation, I have to ask one simple question of the now-deceased face-eater: where were the Fava beans?
Image via: http://goldenblogs.blogsome.
An entire FACE is gone! Chewed and ripped and - OMG OMG OMG!
And, of course, it happened in Florida. In Miami. Again I ask what's in the water down there? Better yet, who's messing with the street drugs? WTF is going on a place that was once a mini paradise when I was a child and spent winters there with my parents. I remember coconuts literally falling off trees that I would carry around as a prize for days; the smell of the salty, aromatic ocean and soft sand and little sand pebbles mingling together with each ebb and flow of the tide.
I remember the white pristine beaches and my father and his friends playing beach volleyball and how all of the men would stop their game whenever a sharp looking woman sauntered by in a somewhat revealing (for then) swimsuit and how all of the wives would laugh and tell their husbands to "dream on". I remember the awful sunburns I would get as a fair-skinned toe-headed child who hated to wear bonnets (but loved hats) and how happy we were as a family when my grandparents and other relatives would pop down to spend a few days with us as we did the classic frolicking on the beach mingled with a sprinkle of tourism shopping.
What happened? Now Florida is one of the last places I want to visit despite knowing how pleasant South Beach is, and how much I love Key West and other areas in the state where I have spent time.
Now it's cruel injustice of one sort or another in that state almost everywhere one looks...as far as the national news is concerned. Or the hub of pornography viewing. Or where voters are being blocked from registering to vote - something the mainstream media has barely whispered to the land. Voter fraud, too. And where beach erosion is frighteningly apparent.
But a crazed-on-some-kind-of-drug guy spirals into a primal state of mind and with his teeth tears the flesh from the face of an innocent man already down on his luck? I mean, OMG OMG OMG! The poor victim! The poor passer-by who discovered the assault and called the cops. The poor cops who had to witness the brutality. And, perhaps even the poor crazed maniac who obviously was not in his "right" mind. It's probably best that he was killed, as when he would have finally come out of whatever stupor he was in may have wanted to die, so that part of the story has a somewhat happy ending.
Not so for the man without a face. Will he survive the ordeal of surgeries and transplants and the horror of being maimed for the remainder of his life? And who will pay his medical bills?
And last, based on the quasi-cannibalism of the situation, I have to ask one simple question of the now-deceased face-eater: where were the Fava beans?
Image via: http://goldenblogs.blogsome.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Who Deserves A Flog Today?
Monday, May 28, 2012
Where It Began - When Will It End?
I'll share a story that is simple, yet poignant, regarding the Civil War. When young-ish, my parents and one Grandmother took a day trip to Gettysburg, PA to see the infamous battlefield and small monuments of the worst massacre of the Civil War. I remember the sprawling grounds and the many blood-stained rocks on the field which remained despite rain and snow after years and years. I'm not surprised the ground still cries tears of blood as 51,112 soldiers - Union and Confederate - lost their lives there.
As a child, I looked upon the vast grounds with its well-preserved cannons and wondered why anyone would visit what felt like a ghost town. And why brothers were forced to kill brothers in bloody battles. But my parents told me the battle was necessary to save the States, and blood had to be shed to do so.
And remember, those were the days when battles were fought face-to-face, gun-to-gun, knife-to-knife. Now, those were brave soldiers of the highest order. Standing in rows, each side faced one another and off they went - straight into the line of fire. Just as their ancestors from other shores had been doing for centuries. Sure, hiding behind trees, large rocks and deep valleys to protect ones' self as well as to "surprise" the enemy made for temporary shelter. But the primary battles of those days were direct and extremely bloody. The large cannons didn't help, either. As with today's wars, soldiers lost legs, arms....
Gettysburg wasn't the worst of the worst battles of the Civil War - Antietam is considered to be such, but the assessment was based on the one-day battle that claimed the most lives. However, The Battle Of Gettysburg (which lasted for 3 days) took the most lives of all the battles and therefore remains in history as the ultimate example of the war, which is why Abraham Lincoln chose Gettysburg to make his "Gettysburg Address".
Although we now have WW1, WW11, the Korean War, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan - and others - from which many soldiers did not return alive, the sad part of the Civil War is that it is still in the blood of many in the South. Old habits and grudges die hard, and what is now happening - once again - in several of the Southern States is a mindset, atmosphere, that fueled the Civil War.
The Top 5 reasons for the American Civil War:
1. Economic and social differences between the North and the South.
2. States versus federal rights.
3. The fight between Slave and Non-Slave State Proponents.
4. Growth of the Abolition Movement.
5. The election of Abraham Lincoln.
In #5 you can insert "Barack Obama" considering the current GOP/Tea Party hysterics of the present, as the South doesn't appear to like the fact that an African-American is living in The White House. After all, it must have been named as such for a reason - depending on your POV.
As you can see, the U.S. still has a way to go before straightening-out issues such as #2.
It's too bad that the U.S. has pockets of hatred stemming back well over a hundred years from the war, when Japan has forgiven us for dropping a huge bomb in their land. When Germany can turn the other cheek and move on. While the Vietnamese who remain from that war either welcome, or at least, pose no bodily threat to Americans who visit.
Every war is different, of course. But this post deals with the Civil War and the reminder of why we have a Memorial Day at all. Let's hope the South grows up - at last - and joins 2012. Holding-on to prejudice to justify the demoralization of Blacks and now Homosexuals makes the U.S. look petty, shallow and ignorant. It's almost as bad at the inability for Israel and the Palestinians to get along with too much history of war and endless resentments and grudges toward each other for the deaths of their loved ones - beyond the territorial elements. No one will ever heal that wound until someone wakes up one day and realizes that it isn't worth it to continue the string of more bitterness. No one wins. Everybody loses.
That's how I view it, slightly naive at best, but the truth nonetheless - in a simplistic overview.
Image via: http://yourradiance.blogspot.com
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Dancing On A Grave? Or Prancing A Knave?
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This time we are honoring our Fallen Soldiers beginning with the Civil War up to this very moment in Afghanistan. Arlington Cemetery is a-flight with American flags. At this time of year, we also see the news pull out the stock photos of grave crosses/markers and patriotic homage. Hey, there's nothing wrong with that. It's part of a national ritual, and, for some, is a continued element of their personal grieving process.
What we don't see in the overall impression of another excuse to BBQ and drink ourselves into oblivion, are those who have memories of children, partners, spouses, fathers and mothers who have perished while fighting a war in the name of U.S. Freedom or some such explanation, which was based on nothing whatsoever to do with defending American soil.
And I'm referring to Vietnam and the Iraq wars as the battles in which we lost too many for no reason other than misguided, often cynical, greed-mongering, political and economic machinations.
Oh c'mon! Is stating the truth going to ruin your escape from reality this weekend? Yes, for some. When you work at least a 40 hour week or are your "boss" and nail yourself into more clients than you can handle, a few days off from anything requiring the use of those fabulous grey cells embedded in your brain wouldn't be a subject of choice.
Hey, I'm not planning to ruin your party. I have my own plans which involve fresh hot-dog-sized buns and Dijon mustard and that sort of thing. I am calling attention to the wars that need not have been and to remind all of us that we are still at war, and more deaths are on the horizon.
Too bad we had to invade Iraq because we wanted their oil; disliked-distrusted Hussein, and a certain group of Bitter Liars wanted to settle a score. Which cost - See This
But, to take away the jaundiced attitude for a moment, no soldier dies without knowing they may die when they sign-up for duty - these days. The difference in the overview between Iraq and Vietnam is/was the draft. You were sent a letter and, unless you fled to Canada or had flat-feet and other undesirable physical or mental impediments which were collected by government-paid officials, you HAD TO GO TO WAR.
Or be enlisted in one of the services for whatever they might need. But most of the Vietnam draftees ended-up on the front line. Who wouldn't protest to be ordered to your probable early grave? Aside from the quizzical "Why are we here in the first place" questioning of The Shafted, the "Peace" era was upon us and so, a war with questionable roots, terrain, and overall purpose, didn't go down well with those who were immune to the draft. Thus, the protests. The alarming clashes between police and students or just pissed-off people.
To the families of those who met an ill-fate due to Iraq-Gate: Know that everything is for some strange, perverted, positive, odd reason in this life, and if you still refuse to acknowledge that Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, with the blessing of their window-dressing of an inarticulate ne'er-do-well with lots of contacts and contracts, Mr. Bushie, created the platform on which your loved ones fell, than I doubt we'll ever be able to have a rational chat.
Beware any leader who would expose their people into harm's way based on a grudge.
And that includes what the U.S. has been doing for ages. This time? We know that war takes place in robot space. Does it differ?
Perhaps.
I see a need to an updating of the Constitution where it undeniably states the U.S. to refrain from becoming involved in other country's problems. Kinda a contradiction in these times. We are globally connected. It's time to make changes for that very fact, or get off the world stage altogether.
(Yeah, sure, she smiles with foregone conclusions.)
Image via: http://pamsmidwestkitchenkorner.blogspot.com
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
OMG! What Happened?
Now, here we are, in a darker land of greys rather than beige and gold. What can I say? The desire to make a visual shift and to add and/or remove various elements has been gnawing at me for months. So, for now, at least, I'm going to work with this new look, refining a few unresolved design issues.
I hope you like the change. If not, at least the content will be the same and before you know it, the other version will be but a hazy beige in your memory. Or, you'll just stomp away in a huff and tell me it's "too dark" for you - something like that.
It's okay. Not everyone likes change.
Yes, it's supposed to be a rule with websites and blogs that consistency is key. Keep the same look, same colours, etc. It's one's Brand, after all, and people like to visit places where they are comfortable - whether they like the design or not. But, aside from the name of the blog and the font, that's all the Branding I've done thus far. And it may be all the Branding I need.
I go to many websites and blogs each day that I find visually horrendous on every level. Yet, they are popular, prosperous, and influential. Ultimately that means it's the content that matters more than the appearance, although it doesn't hurt to have a clean-looking site.
Beyond this update, that's it in writing for the day. Thanks for stopping by.
Image via: http://angelalewis.wordpress.com
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Tidbits #378
As more zig-zags come to light, this case is headed for a worse mess than expected: Tales Of Huh?
Psssst. Weren't they supposed to wait for him in his room? Bubba Looks Happy Enough
Canada is full of teen spirit and spit: It's Time To Rage - 4 Real
How long will the smiles last? Who's Exploiting Who?
Did you know there is a "war on Christians" by travel agencies? What A Bunch Of Whiners
This gives the phrase "piss on you" new meaning: They Will Need More Than Paper
If I had the money.... Special Spaces
Things that go hmmmmm: UFO's & Things
You can't take things too seriously sometimes: Unless You're A Kennedy
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Pastor-ized Filth
Okay. Now that you've cleared your eyes from the grit of hate that hit your eyeballs while reading and seeing true hate-mongers and pea-brains in action, I can proceed with my argument.
First, why do I need to argue against obvious hate speech? These guys are crazy. They remind me of the rigidity and ignorance held by the Puritans when they were burning so-called "witches" who usually were just women who weren't afraid to stand up to men, or express their intuition, or have the misfortune to exude a sexual energy about them that was magnetic. How simple, how frightened, the little minds of the accusers were in those days.
But "those days" are here again - this time against homosexuals - although the feelings and opinions have remained the same throughout the years, albeit in a fairly subdued way. It is human nature, apparently, to squeeze the truth out of life by polarization. Bible Belters vs Homosexuals could not be more polarizing.
Now that gays can marry in a few states, and the majority of the American population has become educated, accepting, non-judgmental and even compassionate toward their gay friends and family, those who cringe at the very idea of same-sex unioning are whipping-up scary, violent, ideas that will grow, fester, incubate, in the heads of their congregations.
How nice to go to church and learn how to hate.
How much Jesus would have approved of the stone-throwing at a gay man or woman in a town square. Yes! He would stone them! A few people might say with grand defiance and religious righteousness in their scary eyes!
Thinking of the above, I wondered what Christ said about homosexuality, if anything. So I did a bit of research. I stumbled upon an article written in 2005 on a blog that seems to be floating in cyberspace untouched for years, to uncover a perfect recourse to the arguments we hear so often - pro and con - on this issue. READ THIS
So, to those who still feel the need to threaten the lives of a group of people because the Bible said so, I will continue to label you as supreme hypocrites.
If the hate speech continues by ministers/pastors on the level of what you read in the first link in this post, then I say it is time for gay people and people of every persuasion who refuse to allow any minority group to be publicly denounced in such violent terms, to press legal complaints against that particular church and/or minister. In fact, harsh legal ramifications should exist for standing in front of a group of people and suggesting that another group be placed in a electrified pen so they would eventually die off.
Hate speech is just that - full of hate - which breeds more hate and eventually produces violence justified by religion and other prejudices.
I'd just hate it if these crazy pastors kept at it without atoning for their sins, wouldn't you?
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
It's Geek Day!
So, I'm going to give-in to the tempation to do a bit of web-based geeking today and hold off on writing another basic post until there is something I find particularly funny or disturbingly awful to flog...such as what religious leaders are saying about homosexuality and how to kill/main/tame/change the sinners.
Yeah. That one has me more than a bit irritated. Well, expect the Whip to be gearing-up for a few rounds with the hateful hypocrites when I've scratched the Geek Itch.
Yeah. That one has me more than a bit irritated. Well, expect the Whip to be gearing-up for a few rounds with the hateful hypocrites when I've scratched the Geek Itch.
See ya' later!
Image via: http://www.123rf.com
Image via: http://www.123rf.com
Monday, May 21, 2012
Monday Rounds
Roaming around the web today to locate any news whatsoever that would stimulate my desire to write - anything - has been a peculiar thud. Oh yes indeed, it's Big News (in a way) that Facebook's IPO is grunting along in the far-less-than-anticipated share, which, by the way, reflects the frustration and an almost "eff you Facebook" many users of the social media morass of connections and applications and strange people and lovely pictures and such have been feeling over the past 9 or so months.
Suddenly it became a wee bit complicated with the numerous new features that were supposed to help us cut down on wasting time reading posts we don't want.... Then the Timeline came into being. One minute your personal profile page shows your recent postings on the right, and, next time to the left, and then you return at another time to discover your entire page has been rearranged - compliments of the Facebook staff.
Mixed feelings abound over Timeline for reasons beyond the above. Let's just say that going to FB lately is like coming home to your own home where someone has moved the furniture around and you're momentarily disoriented. It's kinda like that. So, with the leaks about Facebook privacy concerns, the Timeline, the sudden continuous upgrades and changes too close together to properly assimilate for some, I'm not surprised investor's are holding back.
Could be that lots of them weren't friended by exes, too. Facebook Rejection is akin to being left out of the "cool" group at school for way too many people these days. Maybe a few who would have put some money down decided to "Unfriend" Mr. Zuckerman in perverse retaliation.
But, beyond that burning piece of nattering over Facebook's FaceFlop, not even the annual flashy, once-lively Cannes Film Festival, now entering its second week, has caused its usual star fluttering diversion. What's happening? Is everyone either in Rehab or too out of it to even show up at Cannes this year because they didn't go to rehab?
We continue to have our celebrity deaths, though. Disco was dealt a heavy blow with Donna Summer and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gee's passing away in less than 7 days. Odd that John Travolta, at the acting center of the Disco Days, has been quite prominent in the news as well.
The message? Disco Is Officially Over! But, I thought it was/had been/done/kaput - other than a recent 80's retro craze in London to disco the night into oblivion.
Anyhow, just thought I'd write whatever came to mind... (You have your chance to fill in the joke now as I set it up for you - beautifully.)
Have a wonderful remainder or beginning of your day!
Image via: http://hamptonscreative.com
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Sweaty Night Fever
I have no proof that the unwanted groping allegations of what is now climbing to 5 men against Travolta is true. Nor do you, unless you have a personal experience with him you'd like to share. However, it isn't a secret in Hollywood, NYC and most hotels around the world that our Ace John, the guy with the twinkling eyes, easy smile, pleasant demeanor, grieving father, loyal husband, isn't living a full-on heterosexual life.
Allegations against him as a sexual predator, however, are surprising. Should it be true that Johnny has been a bad boy, I will only surmise that part of the mess has its roots in the classic "wanting to be found out" game we play when we secretly want to be honest about something we're hiding that continues to haunt our thoughts. Unless its a sexual fantasy to grab a stranger's body parts, I don't know why else Mr. Travolta would become so sloppy in his actions. Or so sleazily predatory.
If one wants a special massage and if one is well-known, perhaps it might be best to have the right kind of connections or associates in close proximity to keep things private and consensual. Non-consensual sex between anyone is harassment, and, if the details of the encounters with John Travolta are accurate, the "Mating Dance" put on by Travolta is rather pathetic in combination with everything else.
It's been whirling around the Interwebs for several years that after Travolta's son Jett died, the Church of Scientology was no longer a place John wanted to be. As well as being closeted. Rumours circulated that the only reason he has remained with the church and with his "wife" Kelly Preston, is how it would hurt Kelly's reputation, the Church if Travolta were to leave, and veiled threats from whoever is his true puppet master, that his career would be over.
Part of the fears are viable. He would be seen as a liar, his wife another liar if she said she didn't know (when almost everyone understands it was a Scientology Match'Em Dot Con Job).
What a mess! Travolta's lawyer can debunk all he wants. Gloria Allred, repping at least two of the accusers as of this writing, can call as many press conferences as she wants and do a lot of interviews. *cough*
It won't matter either way. The public airing of Mr. Travolta's hairy sweaty laundry has already tarnished a once clean-cut image. I now have visions of him on a massage table I'd like to erase from my visual virtual memory and can't.
How this ends... Who knows? Deals? Payoffs? Travolta holding a Kobe Bryant-like press conference with Kelly Preston stoically sitting at his side as he apologizes and clutches Kelly's hand and promises to go into Gay Groping Rehabilitation (aka the Hidden Towers at Scientology HQ).
He's such a likeable fellow in general, isn't he? I know he could pull it off.
However, there are more than a few men out there who have seen him pull it off in a much different way and it didn't create a positive reaction - or so "they" say.
Image via: http://energyfortoday.com
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Dance for the Diva
Unbeknown to most of us, the singer had been suffering from lung cancer and, kudos to her, chose to keep her struggle private. Sometimes it's better to curb the drama during illness if peace is what you want. Everyone is different in their illness process. Others need attention to buoy their spirits and immunity.
And boy, did she lift many a spirit in the days of dancing gays and straights who were happy to shake their baits!
No flogging today other than the unfortunate task of writing yet another post concerning the death of another music icon.
Keep dancing, boys and girls!
Image via: http://wallpaperdreams.com
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The Defense Rests - No Direct Jests
How dare the John Edwards' defense rest their case without providing the tawdry unwholesome soap-opera-ish drama of witnessing The Seductress, Reille Hunter, make an entrance; by not bringing the once-in-tears-in-court daughter Cate Edwards to the stand? Or Mr. Cad himself.
Now I must go back to watching fictional TV dramas again as Mr. Edwards' defense did right by everyone concerned. Had any of the three sat/squirmed/churned in the witness chair, the entire legal and personal affair would have sent Edwards' case into an even steeper PR spiral.
Isn't the case about using campaign money to hide a mistress, or has the case crossed over into what a cad the Cad really is? Last week's testimonies from a flurry of ex-Edwards' cronies and personal bankers as it were, indicated nothing more than a lot of money went to Edwards from several sources and much of it ended-up paying for lovely homes, hotels, and keeping Hunter on the move from the scent of the media? Didn't one donor specifically spend their offering knowing where it was going? As in, directly paying for Hunter's neato $20,000 per month Santa Barbara digs?
Was it illegal? Or is it simply that so many loathe Edwards for being a prick while his wife was dying that many are ready to skip and prance all over his career grave? In fact, wasn't he some kind of jerk before cheating on his wife? Is it all Reille's fault because she thought John Edwards was "hot"? No. No. It's his other lover that did him in and began the entire fiasco. His mirror.
We shall see what the jury's perception is. Did Edwards think he was breaking the law by using certain monies from specific peoples solely for personal concerns that could effect his campaign, and thus, be a legit campaign expense? Did he honestly think all was cool? And, technically, is/was it?
At the bottom of all of this mess is that Edwards showed himself to be a first-class liar, as witness all of his TV interviews when he first denied having an affair all the way up to denying paternity of Reille Hunter's baby.
And that's why I'm disappointed that despite the smart legal move to keep the stars off the stand, no drama will happen in the courtroom. No Perry Mason moments.
I mean, the personal side of the story is wrapping-up like a tiny wimpy whimper.
Just like Edwards' must feel every time he looks in the mirror.
Image via: http://www.thinkglink.com
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Exhausted Much? In-Between Guests
You know how it feels when one guest leaves and soon another one arrives?
Image via: http://www.artnews.com
Monday, May 14, 2012
Monday Tea, Coffee, and the DMV
Not only that, but we have important errands to run in an hour. The DMV, some shopping, and to finish it off we'll be heaving an early dinner at one of my fav dives in Hollywood. Dives have such great food! Particularly when it's a turkey burger!
Until tomorrow, have a good Monday!
Image via: http://www.clipartmojo.com
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Mother's Day Special
It's Mother's Day! Celebrations for Mother/Mum/Mommie are often full of sweet and sappy sentiments, and although I'm having a wonderful weekend with mine, it's fitting for a little drama and a smirky wink at one of the most Greatest Mommies Of All Time to play a few film clips with and for our gal Joan Crawford:
Let's begin with Mother Earnest:
And finish it out with - what else?
To all mother's of humans and animals: Happy Mother's Day!
Let's begin with Mother Earnest:
And finish it out with - what else?
To all mother's of humans and animals: Happy Mother's Day!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Friday, May 11, 2012
Get It Straight From the Source
If you aren't a regular reader of The Daily Beast, you might miss a wonderful article and video, along with a slideshow and videos of many of the most ludicrous things people have said and believe about gays. Funny and frightening at the same time, I'd rather share this with all of you than write about it. No one else can figuratively hang oneself via words better than the people involved.
Enjoy the link: Right Here
Image via:http://timita.org/wordpress
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Little Tidbits
Hello there. Here is the non-structured weekly round of Interwebs lurking:
One word: Idiots! Where Will Our Money Go
Thank God Ted Kennedy can still speak - albeit from the grave: Private Whispers
The long hand-job of Scientology and $$$$$: I Still Like Him
Geezie Whiz! I didn't know Clooney was a quasi-neighbour. Locals Beware! The SS/FBI Is In The Air
Yeah, sure. Blah blah blah: Someone Finally Woke Up
Okay, then. (Rolls what remains of eyes.) Bullsheet PR
For all Universe geeks! A Continuing Wonder
I wish I could go on, but my Joan Crawford-like mother will be visiting soon - and there is dust somewhere to be found between now and then. I'm def on the hunt.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
The Unbearable Unkindness of Beings
Let's be realistic. Did anyone honestly expect North Carolina to approve of anything beyond pornography (see yesterday's post)? The state is in The Bible Belt. Approximately 80% of the population are Christians. Statistically, almost the same percentage are Republican. Put those two together and what else would be the result of such a divisive issue?
But, before heterosexuals jump too high for joy with this so-called "victory" it's imperative to note that Domestic Partnerships of any sort have also been compromised in the amendment, which means, if the law is to be followed for everyone who is not married, that simply living together without a piece of legal paper called "marriage license" could be trouble.
What happens if a woman or a man is the victim of what we know as "domestic abuse'? If the law doesn't recognize a non-legal union between a man and woman, what will be the abused's recourse? File a Restraining Order? Sue the abuser? That is a question others are asking. As of this moment, no one appears to have a concise answer.
The fight for equal rights for gays to marry continues to face numerous obstacles and, unfortunately, has many miles to go before the activists can sleep. Yes, it's unfair. Yes, the opposition is rigid and righteous as they cite the Bible as their guide to deny same-sex couples to openly love and share basic human rights such as filing a joint tax return or becoming a U.S. citizen should they fall in love with someone in the States when they hail from another country and their Visa has finally expired.
What to do when that happens? Either marry someone in the U.S. to be legally admitted to the country (via this illegal route), break-up, or, in the case of a friend in this situation, sell her home and move away from her American Roots to live with her love in another country where she is allowed to remain.
That is a very big sacrifice to make. It wasn't easy. She is adjusting to her new country; but for love, she gave it all away in the States, is learning a new language, and does the best she can to maintain her successful business via remote means.
Why does it have to be so hard? Because, in the U.S., it took years and years before all Black Men were allowed to vote; more years before interracial marriages became legal, and, until 1920, women were not able to vote. Why so long for everyone? Prejudice and other justifications. Change takes time. Gays will have to stand in line and fight for their rights just as other "minorities" have done. That's just a fact. A sad one, but true.
And by the way, even now, in 2012 in the United States, we have people claiming that women should never have been allowed to vote: Read This Mess
I'm signing off now on that ridiculous note and going to my medicine cabinet to take a few anti-anxiety pills so that I don't toss my laptop over the balcony.
Image via: http://outwordlyfabulous.com
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Horny-Ography
It is also clear why Orlando is the home of The Happiest Place On Earth as it ranks #1 on a new list revealed on the HuffyPost today: Read This. Another interesting part of the list is how many Southern States, particularly North Carolina, are also in the Topless Ten. Does this observation suggest sexual repression in the primarily Republican-oriented states, or that testosterone runs higher the further South one goes?
Of course, viewing pornography doesn't indicate that everyone who participates is sexually repressed. Some men (and women) simply enjoy it because they like sex. Nothing wrong with that. It's the cluster of where the Hot Spots are located that I find eye-brow-raising.
However, it isn't odd to me to read that Anchorage, Alaska, is on the list. I mean, c'mon! What else can they do up there other than shoot Moose from helicopters? Those long days and nights can become very boring after a while. I'll give them a pass while I literally bite my tongue from making a Palin snarky remark because, well, you know, she's kinda irrelevant these days.... Yawn.
What bothers me about the knowledge of which cities/states have the predilection for the sometimes via-proxy-erection is how the information was gathered: the worst of which is from Google searches. Isn't anything sacred on the Interwebs anymore? I have to laugh. Of course nothing is private in the online format. I agree that the government should not intervene with cyber freedom through the Internet Security Bill; at the same time I wish Google would keep their data's All Seeing Spy Eye shut.
But, let's get back to what is called "smut." Adult pornography is legal in the U.S. At least according to what I've researched, although counties/communities may outlaw its distribution if they choose to do so. Therefore, in the overview, no one is "breaking the law" by their actions, purchases, online viewing.
Men's Health compiled the list which can be found in full on their site via the HuffyPost's link at the beginning of this post. Perceptions of certain cities will be shattered - one way or another. For example, in California, the conservative yet increasingly pleasant to visit and live San Diego, ranked #17, whereas "lurid" Los Angeles came in at #69. (No jokes, please. Hahahaha!)
Image via: www.guardian.co.uk
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Hatty Days Are Here Again
The first picture is my favourite hat of the day. Elegant. Sublime. A larger image of it can be seen elsewhere on the Interwebs, but for spacing reasons here, we'll let it be as it is.
Unlike the British, who truly know how to "rock the hat" for good and ill, Americans usually fall short of the whimsy, and, when attempting to do so, end up looking like this:
Now, in comparison, yesterday was also Cinco de Mayo. One similarity one can make between the two events is alcohol intake. At Churchill Downs, home of the Derby, one sips a Mint Julep or champagne; for the celebration of the fifth day of May, it's usually tequila and beer. Either way, everyone has their own versions of fun and blow-outs. The American elite-effete and the Down Mexico Way crowd could not be more dissimilar...except with the need for large hats.
Event Hats must be BIG and bold. It also helps to keep strangers from getting too close to one's face and personal space, thus intimate conversations must take place several feet away. Here is an example of a Cinco de Mayo hat statement:
First two images via: Getty
3rd via: http://fitnessista.com
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
A Ridge Too Far
We should care about the events of May 4, 1970, for the simple reason that on an American college campus, 4 students were killed, at least 13 were wounded, and the beginning of the end of the Nixon Administration had begun.
We should care because a campus had been invaded by 1,000 armed National Guardsmen who were so afraid of being hit by rocks and the rebelliousness of angry anti-war students that the only solution to stop the protests was violence in the form of shooting bullets into a crowd of unarmed people...beginning from the top of a small ridge on the grounds.
Yeah, it's something that has gone on in other countries. It happens. So, am I being another American Whiner because such an atrocity happened on my soil? Not at all. It is utterly inhumane for any group of armed soldiers/guardsman or citizens anywhere to use deadly force against those who have nothing with which to equally protect themselves.
Just as with the Trayvon Martin case. One armed individual against another unarmed individual is just as appalling.
Kent State remains the symbol of a senseless slaughter of protesters, but few recall the Jackson State Missouri killings days later, on May 14-15, also by the National Guard, and also claiming four lives. But that's because it was a racial protest and involved slain African-Americans.
I'm focusing on Kent State for two reasons: I have a very close friend who was almost hit by one of the bullets at Kent that day. He also watched one of his closest friends, Allison Krause, be shot and killed in front of his eyes while he and his girlfriend ducked for cover as they were leaving Prentice Hall to go to the parking lot - where Allison was shot. She had not been involved in the protests.
And does it matter whether or not those who were killed or injured were protesting? No.
Today we have far more peaceful protests despite the tear-gassing of Occupy Anything. Regardless of the heavy-handedness of the police in many of the Occupy locations, one thing our government learned from the bloody past is not to shoot into a crowd.
Another reason why our college campus' and other areas of protest seem calm in comparison to the violence of the "old days" is that most of the kids don't really give a damn about the wars we have been fighting, or the financial inequality of our country - as well as the very genuine War On Women. Most would rather text about new shoes or where to meet for a fun night out.
Perhaps such apathy can be seen as "positive" so that violence will not prevail - again. Contrarily, if more young adults don't look up from their iPhones, Androids, and other gadgets, one day they might find the sound of boots stomping their way to confiscate not only their forms of communication, but, for women in particular, their purses' contents thrown to the ground and their birth control pills nowhere to be found.
For a fair examination of what happened and why at Kent State, Click Here
Details regarding Jackson State: Click Here
Image via: Associated Press Archives
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