Animal Rights VS. Women

I feel like we see this all the time. Animal rights' activists going for shock value by exploiting women. Aside, from this starting with a strip scene, and of course who doesn't connect stripping with fishing, it ends in a brutally violent scene. Violence against women is not the same as animal abuse. They are both wrong, but really not the same...not even close. Animals Awake is the Dutch group responsible for the ad.

WalMart Supports Workers' Right to Health Insurance Now

Walmart now supports workers' right to health insurance. This is a pretty drastic change for a corporation which used to hand our federal assistance forms to new employees.

Specifically, Walmart has come out in support of requiring companies to provide health insurance/coverage to their employees. The mandate requiring health coverage and benefits is largely contested by just about every business association in DC, including, but not limited to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Business.

Walmart wrote a joint letter with SEIU and the Center for American Progress...yeah, you read that right. This could mean a variety of things, and trust me I'm running through all the devious scenarios that Walmart could be up to. The article implies, Walmart could be attempting to mend fences with the liberals and make friends in Washington. Walmart has expanded benefits for workers in the recent past, but it has also been successfully fighting and winning lawsuits on the state evel which would have required companies to provide insurance.

The typical arguments apply on each side for and against the mandate: it is essential for health care reform and it is an unnecessary burden for small businesses. The letter composed by Walmart, SEIU, and the Center for American Progress calls for varying degrees of contributions by different size companies.

I'm still scratching my head over this one...

Book Review: Life Before Man by Margaret Atwood

Life Before Man by Margaret Atwood

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
I'm not a fan of this Margaret Atwood novel. Overall, I love her work, but I was disappointed. At the end the book redeemed itself, but still it wasn't very good.

Life Before Man examines the difficulties people face in their relationships: cheating, divorce, beginning a relationship when one person has kids. In respect to these situations, the novel does well to show how people fall in and out of love. However, the novel also demonstrates how selfish these characters are; they have little concern for the children involved. Of course, I'm not implying that people should stay together for the sake of children, but there was a disconnect.

The novel ended in a particularly interesting way when three women have the opportunity to tell their interpretation of their individual relationship with the same man. One is his ex-wife who feels abandoned, but too proud and guilty herself of infidelity to say anything. His mistress turned live in lover who is jealous of his ex and children, and feels like his moving in is a mistake and now she is stuck. Also, his former mistress, who feels a great deal of pity for the man and women bound to him.

The novel is written in chapters jumping form character to character's point of view. This is interesting, but at times becomes boring particularly when the point of view is a character who the read is not interested in.


View all my reviews.

News for my one reader...

I know Cari and I have been lacking in the blog lately, but let me assure you this will not continue.

Allow me to begin by explaining the reasons the blog has taken a back seat:
1. work has been hellish
2. I've been looking for a job and prepping for grad school
3. over all super busy

Why the blog is going to be better?
1. grad school! Cari and I are both going back to school where we will be learning all kinds of things we'll want to discuss
2. Cari's wedding...we'll have a disaster segment
3. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, I am officially suspending all of my reading and focusing on the Harry Potter series again. For those of you who know me this is not shocking. I've already read them once this year, but because the film is coming out I feel compelled to read them again.

I had an interesting experience last week. I went to the Choice USA Celebration. This was awesome, but nothing I can really write extensively about. I had the opportunity to meet a variety of people, which was exciting.

This week I have the opportunity to go to a focus group on domestic violence at George Washington University. I'll be sure to post that night.

Movie Review: Indie Sex Series

I watched three out of the four in this film series. The topics cover all the basics: Censored, Teens, Extremes, and Taboos. I didn't watch the one on taboos because you can't just stream it, and I didn't want to wait.

I watched Censored first. This was particularly interesting to me because the documentarian showed the origins of sex and the film industry including "stag films." "Stag films" are the predecessors of pornography. Those interviewed in the film explained that much of what we see in pornography today. The film then addresses the changes in the film industry, governmental regulations, and censorship. Governmental regulations resulted in films being censored where the writers and directors had to be more creative to get sexual scene across to their audience; a few such creative ways the directors did this was with a slap or cigarette. Then they discuss the self-regulation of the industry by themselves; this was a response the particularly experimental and crude films. The best example of this is the commercial success of films like American Pie giving way to the wildly popular Princess Diaries where sex is non-existent.

The film on Teens discusses the changes in how teen sexuality is portrayed on film. We travel from beach films to the film KIDS, which is a faux-documentary on young people. I've heard really god things about the film KIDS, but it was interesting to hear the reviews of fellow film makers who thought the film dances the line of child pornography. The Teens episode focus a lot on how teens are portrayed by media and there was a long discussion about child pornography, which of course I'm always a fan of hating on porn.

Extremes took on the public's fixation S&M and other fetishes. Also, films interest in these topics. Bondage and fetishes have become more mainstream in recent history, but only enough to make the terminology commonplace. People now know the definition of auto erotic asphyxiation, but people are reluctant to express interest other than a morbid fixation. But this film also took on the pushing of limits in the film industry. One great example is "unsimulated sex," which is actual sex between the actors during filming. The directors and actors specify how and why this isn't pornography. There was a long discussion about pornography and if/why "unsimulated sex" is interesting to the public.

I give these films 3/5. They were good, but became long after a while. Also, you can't watch them all in one sitting.

MTV's Safe Sex

I don't like any of these advertisements for safe sex. I am one-hundred percent behind safe sex, but really texts from last night said it best, "he said he didn't have a condom and I told him it was ok I am ready to be a mom, and he found a condom."

The idea that sex, even unprotected sex, between two consenting adults is like having sex with a gun is ridiculous. To begin with, the idea that the responsibility of safe sex lies with the woman involved just sucks. And of course any parallels between sex and violence is disgusting.

Theater Review: Cut to Pieces

Despite what the Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism video suggests, living in Cleveland can sometimes be pretty awesome.

Last night I saw a play called "Cut to Pieces" at the Cleveland Public Theatre and was absolutely amazed. This play was co-written by Cleveland authors, Raymond Bobgan and Chris Seibert(Chris plays every part in the play as well). Probably my favorite thing about this play was that it mixed different genres and media in order to reach the final product. It opens with C.C. Birdie, the playwrite who addresses the audience and notes that we will have to participate. I immediately groaned and shifted in my seat, worried that she was going to call volunteers, but our participation required us to imagine things and that is something I'm more than okay with. She plays 11 different roles in the play, each with his/her own inflection, stance, etc. To be able to do this is amazing in itself, and I've only seen it done well two other times, but that is not where this play's innovation ends.

The entire play takes place in front of a screen. Imgaes are sometimes projected on to the screen, sometimes the images are happening in real time, and sometimes (most of the time actually) they are pre-recorded. The choreography that must have gone in to this play simply blows my mind.

In this picture from the Cleveland Public Theatre's website, you can see C. C. Birdie (stage) interacting with the Private Investigator (screen) but both parts are played by Seibert.


At one point, what's happening in the play becomes too real for C.C. and she has to stop and apologize to the audience, breaking character(s). She hides in a large cabinet at the side of the stage and her image is projected on the screen where she is crying and inconsolable.

So, all of this is enough to go see the play alone, but the story is great as well. It's a "who dun it" tale where 7 "strangers" meet at an old man's house, oh, and he just happens to be Hades. Thus, the myths of Hades and Persephone are intertwined with the story as well.

Raymond Bobgan has been noted (I believe because of this play) as one of the top 25 people in America who will change the face of theater and after seeing this, I must say, I whole heartedly agree.

5/5

Edit: I forgot to mention, this will be running for two more days (tonight and tomorrow) so if you're in Cleveland, you should definitely make the trip. Tickets can be bought CPT's Website.

Book Review: The Waves

The Waves by Virginia Woolf is the story of 6 people, told during completely using dialogue. Each character speaks in monologue, they do not speak to each other, they strictly speak what they are thinking. At first, it was a little bit difficult to follow, but then I remembered it was Woolf so I tried to be patient and I absolutely loved it.

The characters' stories range from day to night, from childhood to death, and it is not only the story of these 6 men and women, but rather thes story of all men and women. They deal with love, friendship, homosexuality (wouldn't be Woolf without it!), etc and each chapter is a different time in their lives.

The chapters are separated by one page descriptions of a beach and the waves reaching the shore and there are constant reminders of waves throughout the book. When the characters are speaking, it almost sounds as if their words are rising and falling like waves crashing on the shore.

5/5

Yes, we are living in the future.

This is absolutely amazing. I read on Gizmodo this morning that some scientists are currently working on contact lenses with stem cells in them that are showing results in correcting poor eyesight. According to the article:

Of the three patients, two were legally blind but can now read the big letters on an eye chart, while the third, who could previously read the top few rows of the chart, is now able to pass the vision test for a driver's license.

This completely blows my mind. I've got TERRIBLE vision and have always been nervous about lazer eye corrective surgery, but I could really get behind some super contacts!

Book Review: Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book, and I'm looking forward to reading more by Schlosser. Also, I think it is important to note how much better the book is than the poor excuse for the film.

Schlosser does a good job of depicting the series of horrors associated with the fast food industry, and I'm not only taking about the disgusting ways the animals are slaughtered or the sci-fi ingredients added to the food produced. The aspects of the book the most compelling for me were about the workers and the corporations responsible for this potential new world order. The corporations treat their workers as expendable, and thus the companies they purchase ingredients can also abuse their workers. All of these abuses amount to an impressive amount of union busting.

I really enjoyed Schlosser's explanation for how fast food and transportation have shaped the United States. It is equally as interesting as the the way these corporations are influencing the rest of the world.

Schlosser address his critics in the epilogue, and the most interesting counter argument/criticism was his depiction of the Republican party. Schlosser defends his position and takes his critics to task. After all, they are rarely criticizing the content of the book, but just why he is saying them.

View all my reviews.

This Made Me Giggle: Bible Definition of Marriage

Well, at Least PETA is Consistent by Keeping the Disappointment Coming

Oh, PETA...really this is weak even for you. I hate the "I'd rather go naked" campaign because I'm not willing to objectify and exploit women for the sake of animal rights. But now, PETA is branching out and exploiting the murder of DR. Tiller and equating Pro-Choice views with being vegetarian. I'm a vegetarian, and I can tell the difference between eating chicken nuggets and aborting fetuses.

I think this is wildly inappropriate and disrespectful to the memory of Dr. Tiller.

I read about this on Choice USA.

An Open Letter to Pixar: Hold the Princess Please

This is an interesting open letter to Pixar; the author, Linda Holmes, asks that Pixar to create a film with a strong female lead, not just a princess.

I am 100% behind this...because my favorite movies as a kid: Newies, Dark Crystal, The Legend of Billie Jean, and Peter Pan. I am sick of the Princess craze brought back to us by Disney; not because I hate the idea of princesses, but because these princesses are traditionally helpless. Jasmine from Aladdin might be the exception, but even she has to be saved in the end...

I guess I'm concerned about what we are telling out children, and no I don't just mean out daughters. What are we telling girls about being passive and desperate for affection, attention, and aid? More so, what are we telling our sons about women, femininity, and masculinity?

I'm looking desperately for the film/cartoon staring a woman/girl who does things and has consequences. I want a strong female lead with scrapped knees and dirty finger nails...

Trafficked Babies Brides

In China, the one child rule and the subsequent value placed on male children resulted in a huge gender imbalance. The truly horrifying thing isn't that there are by far more males in China than women, but actually the consequences of this.

There is the possibility of these males waging war because they have nothing better to do, revolution, in addition to a nation of the sexually frustrated. The trafficking of very young women and female children into China. Gangs are kidnapping baby girls and selling them to farm families hoping to provide their sons with brides.

As usual this is awful. The article didn't provide much information on how the girls were taken or specifics of their fate, but still. The numbers range form 2,000 to 20,000 missing girls.

Cheney Supports Gay Marriage?

Anyone else scratching their heads over this one? Essentially, Cheney thinks gay people have to right to marry as long as it comes from the states and not the federal government. My favorite part is when he starts talking about historically because this hasn't gone badly in the past interracial marriage, cough, cough. This isn't the first time Cheney has come out in a vague support of gay marriage.



Well, he can't always be wrong. I believe this is a federal issue because the state governments are denying civil rights to a specific part of the population.