Into My Mind

.....Transformation........

2009-11-27T11:48:00.019-05:00

My Girl is one of my favorite coming of age/chick flick movies. The protagonist is Vada she is an eleven-year-old tomboy who enters adolescence in summer of '72. Everything comes at her once, she has her period, her first kiss, her father starts dating then gets engaged and her first kiss/best friend dies. She evolves physically and emotionally. By the end of the film, she's stronger and wiser. When I first saw the film I liked it but I was young. As I got older I grew to love it and I have a deeper understanding of it. I relate to the character of Vada more so now because I'm going through my own transformation. The only difference is she only had control over her reaction to the events that she was faced with while I have total command of my situation.

One year ago this week, I started my weight loss journey. I've lost close to 12 inches off my waist. It's unbelievable because my last attempt at losing weight was awful. I'm proud to see how far I've come. In two to three months I know I'll reach my goal weight of 120 lbs (I'm 5'4) because I feel unstoppable.

Honestly, it wasn't concern for my health or a traumatic event that triggered this change; it was pure vanity. Last year, the week before Thanksgiving, I had been given a new pair of pants and they were tight...really tight. I had been that size for over two years. The moment I had put on those pants and felt how constricting they were, I was horrified. The feeling of those pants flipped a switch within me. I thought to myself, "I need to change. I need to get my ass into gear and lose this weight." Those damn pants squeezed some sense into me.

I started off slow by walking twice a day but then I had a setback. I got a serious case of bronchitis in the last half of January and first half of February. It took two rounds of antibiotics to clear up the infection. I didn't exercise for that entire time the doctor told me not to because I couldn't breathe right. I did stay on my diet. It was hell because I felt helpless and all I could do was wait it out. I didn't give up, that wasn't an option for me.

After that passed I went back to walking. When I felt that my body was ready for it I moved onto running a half hour in morning and evening. Then it turned into an one hour. Now, it's an hour and fifteen minutes twice a day, six days a week. I also walk my dogs for a half hour before running. Sometimes I'll jump rope or dance for extra cardio. Weight lifting is minimal because I want to look tone yet still feminine like First Lady Michelle Obama (she has nice guns and gams). I'm not always thrilled to run or lift weights but I think about the long term effects if I don't do it and that usually pushes me.

As far as dieting, I don't eat after six. I'm eating the appropriate portions. There is no way in hell I can give up carbs. I'm Asian, I'll never give up white rice or noodles. Now I eat less of them but I make sure to include whole grains. Chicken, turkey and some lean beef make up my proteins. My snacks are fruits, baby carrots, 100 calorie snack packs, and yogurt. On occasion, I'll cook some stir fry vegetables but it's only for myself so I don't use a lot of vegetable oil. Or I'll use extra virgin olive oil, it's heart healthy. Other than that exception, I steer clear of fried foods. I allow myself one cheat day and even then, I don't binge. Thanksgiving was my cheat day and I had one slice of cheesecake (we don't like pumpkin pie). There are definitely times when temptation pulls at me, I'm human it happens. I either don't give in or I choose a healthy snack.

I know why I was overweight. It wasn't genetics or me eating my emotions. The fact is I enjoy eating, it's a wonderful experience that stimulates all the senses. I don't understand the people who say that they get so busy they forget to eat that sounds unnatural to me. That being written, I let my fondness for food get out of control. And forget about exercise. I grew up hating it because my very first PE teacher was a horrible (and masculine looking) woman (so she claimed) that made any type of physical activity torturous. However, it is ultimately my fault for not eating right and being sedentary.

Seeing how my body has transformed is strange because I'm used to staring at a chubby reflection (I was never rotund) in the mirror and now that image has dramatically changed. I'll admit I'm a little sad that my boobs are getting smaller but I shouldn't complain. I was a 46DD and currently, I'm a 42D. As a woman I want to hold onto my curves...On the other hand, I want to stand without the fear of tipping over lol I'm accepting the decreasing size of my beloved boobs while secretly hoping I won't get smaller than a C cup. The health benefits feel fabulous. I have more energy, I'm sleeping better, I'm stronger, I feel incredible and I've added years onto my life.

Look, it's not easy but nothing in life worth fighting for is. In order for me to take the first step on this journey I had to put my fears and doubts aside because that was the road block I had put up for myself. Only I could tear it down and I am so proud that I did. Growing up and even now, I don't have a woman in my life who is happy with who she is. No helped or taugh how to build myself up emotionally, I had to do it for myself. I had to become my own inspiration and motivator; it was always in me it was just untapped. Never in my entire life have I ever felt this empowered. It is absolutely amazing to see what you're truly capable of once you put in the energy, time and effort. I would have never found out if I hadn't taken that first step. Now that I have and then some, I know I can conquer anything.

.....Incredible....

2009-02-13T20:39:00.004-05:00

It's been quite awhile since my last entry. I am proud and thrilled to say that President Obama is now leading our country. Our beautiful First Lady is currently immersing herself in her new role as a fashion icon by being the second first to grace the cover of Vogue and Mom-in-Chief. A hat trick would have been nice but most of the GOP seems intent on not reaching across the aisle on the stimulus package. They're just not that into our President but the American people are over them and their tired ideas.

I remain hopeful and confident that President Obama's policies will help our country pull through this crisis. So far, he has been living up to his promises. Our troops will be back home with their families in nineteen months. He is going forward with health care and making our country green. Science is back! The jury is no longer "out" when it comes to facts.

There no words to describe how grateful I am to be living in such a historic time. This is probably how baby boomers felt when JFK was elected. There is a young, attractive, loving and intelligent family in the White House and they didn't come from a legacy. Incredible.

........Fear lost....

2008-11-10T19:23:00.005-05:00

Hope won and made history. I chose to write this nearly a week after because I needed time to let that monumental day sink in and to also gather my thoughts and feelings. A part of me believes this a dream that I'm about awake from because these past eight years have felt like an endless nightmare. It's not, we are living in a wonderful reality where hope beat fear, Americans stood up for change and Barack Obama is going to be our 44th President.

When Keith Olbermann made the announcement a flood of shock, happiness and relief overcame me. His voice was filled emotion so much that it did shake and it reflected how most Barack supporters felt. The absolute joy that was going around the country was palpable even as I watched the results from my television. I have never seen so many Americans celebrate and cry tears of elation. We were all connected at that exact moment because we all worked for it alongside Barack. The most beautiful image from that night is seeing a mosaic of all different types of people, young, old, black, white, Asian, gay, straight, democrat, republican, independent, they were united as one as Americans.

Around the world, Americans and non-Americans were celebrating with us. The international community loves Americans (with the exception of the hateful and crazy ones) but they have hated our leadership for the past eight years. Now, they are welcoming us back because of Barack. As a world, we face many challenges that require us to come together and a leader that unites is needed to do that, Barack is it. Excuse my lack of eloquence in this statement, but they also don't us to have a leader who would willingly bomb the shit of their country without a second thought. Americans showed the global community that we truly a democracy and that we can take our country and government back when it needs to be saved.

On that night, America lived up to its message, if you worked hard, play by the rules, your dreams no matter how grand they are, can come true.

.....Hollywood Blue v. Hollywood Red...

2008-08-20T12:20:00.002-04:00

Rich people are almost expected to be selfish and greedy, especially when it comes to money. However, Hollywood liberals seem to be the exception. It's not a secret that most people in the movie/entertainment industry are liberal. They usually support democrats knowing that their taxes are going to be raised if their candidate is elected..yet, they don't seem to have a problem with it. There are many reasons why most of those who work hollywood are like this.

Actors, directors, writers, singers, and producers are simply artists when the gloss of glamor and celebrity are stripped from them. Artists are open, sensitive and compassionate. They usually have to pay their dues by working any job they can get like being a waitress, bartender or wearing a chicken suit like Brad--they struggle before succeeding. The ones who do not forget where they came from and how hard it was to earn their fortune are willing to help those less fortunate without a second thought.

When Hurricane Katrina happened it was hollywood liberals who gave their time and money to help those in NOLA while right wing talking heads sat back in their cushy studios attacking the survivors. Hollywood liberals seem to be prefer using their tax dollars, improving, helping and saving lives through health care, education, global warming, and other domestic issues that affect the working class people of America. While Hollywood republicans only want their money to be used by the government to fight wars and protect the country by an abstract threat known as terrorism. They want efforts to help the poor and disadvantage in this country be handled privately well, these past 8 years have proven that no one has really benefited from that way of thinking because the middle class has been falling into poverty.

I don't doubt that celebrities are political and charitable for reasons involving their ego and hearts but at least someone benefits from it. A life is made better instead of being worsened or taken away because of war, a terminal disease/severe injury, a natural disaster or poverty.

...HiStory.......

2008-06-03T23:53:00.003-04:00

The powerful message of hope and change has transcended the burdens and prejudices of this country's past and instead, has made history tonight. And the man who is at the forefront of this message and movement has rightfully earned the Democratic nomination. I am incredibly proud of him, his campaign and everyone in this country who has voted for him. My generation and those before it saw Barack for who he is, an excellent public servant and an inspiring man who will transform this country for the better by working with the American people.

His life story, his dreams for this country and his message of hope, change and unity resonated with Americans of all political orientations, economic backgrounds, genders, races, ages and creeds. Parents can tell their children that nothing, not their race, religion, age, gender and class can stop them from accomplishing their dreams and they have Barack as a living example. If and when I have a family, I will able to tell them what it was like to see this glorious and momentous event happen before my eyes. I know that I will be crying tears of pure joy and pride as tell this to them because I was doing so while watching his beautiful speech.

I cannot write this blog without mentioning what Black Americans must be feeling. I have an idea but I can never truly know what it is like to see a black man make history in a country that once enslaved his ancestors and legally viewed them to only be three-fifths of a human being. Although we still have a long way to go, we are making remarkable strides forward in repairing and improving race relations.

Tonight was a one major step forward not only for Black Americans but for All Americans. Thank you Barack Obama, for inspiring us, for reminding us of better angels, for getting us involved in our government and for showing us the way to a better and greater future for our country.

Detached, Delusional, Disappointing and Divorced

2008-05-19T21:40:00.004-04:00

The title of this entry applies to everyone who still chooses to be ignorant. I'm not naive, I know that there will always be uneducated people in this world but the amount still astounds me, especially when some of these people seem to become successful and powerful like Bush.

With the exception of disappointing, every word in this entry's title perfectly describes him. He's detached from the war because he's never been to one nor does he have any loved ones there. It's literally out of his mind, so much that he's still able to sleep at night. Of course, it's easy for him to fall into a deep slumber because he goes to bed every night knowing that his, body, mind and heart will be safely intact when he awakes..unlike the troops who are lucky enough to come back home. Speaking of home, Bush knows that he has one waiting for him. With divorce and suicide rates amongst our troops and veterans climbing at an alarming pace..the idea of coming back to a home with their family and friends waiting for them..it's an uncertainty.

Then there is the lack education benefits that McCain, Bush and other republicans want to deny the troops of. The new GI Bill would be the first bill concerning veterans benefits that be vetoed by a President. Now, the optimist and Barack supporter in me wants believe that Bush will do what is morally right and sign it. But, I am also aware of bullheaded this reckless man can be without even knowing it. He is so hell bent on following his party and making history that he'll do it at any cost. I and many others like me, do not want to be resigned to that fact that he will continue do nothing during the remaining months of his term and that the next president will clean up his mess, but it does seem inevitable.

This goes beyond the war because he has brought the US economy into the tank and it looks like McCain wants to continue his work. There are millions of hardworking families who trying to keep their homes. How can McCain possibly understand them when he has 8 homes? If he loses one, he has backup while most families don't. Then again, these everyday people aren't married to an heiress. Unemployment rates are climbing each month and people are putting their pets in shelters because they can't afford to care for them while McCain has mini-zoo tended by servants or "the help".

Despite all of this, he still doing fairly in the polls? Why are people voting against their own economic interest? Perhaps some don't want to "surrender" in Iraq even though a path victory has been clearly defined. Others believe that the economy is fine of course they're not rich, they're delusional...Then there are those who just don't even consider voting for a black man.

We live in an amazing time where accurate information is readily available through many different types of media. Yet there is still an alarming rate of people who choose ignorance to believe the lies. These folks are divorced from reality, by choice. Barack has dealt with the brunt of these individuals.

The lies and half truths about him have been disproved but these those who believe he is a secret Muslim. His name was given to him by his father whose father/Barack grandfather had that name. By using that twisted logic, anyone who is named Charles, Jeffrey, Ted/Edward must a serial killer since Manson, Dahmer, Bundy were.

Anyway, Barack father was raised Muslim but became atheist by the time he came to the US. He never to Muslim school in Indonesia, he went to Catholic school and public one. The latter was the alleged Muslim school because Barack was listed as being because he stepfather was and therefore, he (Barack) wrote that down. I would have written Buddhism as my religion since it is my father's without not knowing what it is. Somehow while being an alleged secret Muslim thanks to Rev. Wright, he is also a radical anti-American Christian too!

God, the people who believe this bullshit are fucking idiots. This primary season has gone on for 17 months and instead of doing real research, they turn to Faux News to find this bullshit because they want to believe it and they're lazy. Dare I say, bigots as well since they believe that is it perfectly fine to be suspicious of, fear or even hate someone who has a different name, skin color or religion.

To be fair, some people just hate Barack because he's a democrat but there are others who cannot stand Muslims or people with dark skin so they find any reason, even if it's a lie, to excuse their hatred. Maybe Hillary tried reaching to these folks for votes, but the majority Americans do not need them. We are better than that type of behavior.

When Barack wins (God willing), I hope these folks either accept him or leave because whether they like it or not, this country to move with or without them.

....Hope....

2008-04-03T22:29:00.007-04:00

Last year on this same day, I wrote about how blessed I was to be celebrating my birthday with my loved ones while thousands of my peers are in Iraq. Sadly, not much has changed because those courageous men and women are still there and I'm here. We are all forced to wait until November for this horrible situation to change. This is something that everyone who is against this war begrudgingly accepts. We also know that the tide is turning thanks to one amazing man.

Unlike the 2004 election, this country knows that in November history will be made and real change will and must happen. My generation and those that have come before for us are hungry for something new. We want-we need to move on from the past. No matter how glorious it may have been for some individuals; there are millions who are suffering because of the mistakes that were made during that time. Those who want to remain in past have the right to feel this way. However, it does not mean they are entitled to relive the past in the present because the rest of country wants and needs to move onto a better future.

In order to lift to this country up, to improve our way life not just here but around world, we must come together. We must accept the fact that past is behind us and that we must embrace the promising future that lies before us instead of being stubborn, cynical and fearful of it. Fear is dangerous, it paralyzes and isolates us. Our judgment becomes clouded and unreasonable. Fear is what holds us back, hope is what moves us forward. Hope is freedom. Hope is the future.

........It Too Late to Apologize....

2008-03-20T10:27:00.005-04:00

The day Paris Hilton becomes a nun (a real one, not a slutty one for Halloween) is the day I vote for John MCcain. I will never vote for him. Never.

First and foremost, our politics don't match. I'm pro-choice, for universal health care, I'm against the teaching of intelligent design in public schools, I am for civil rights for all and civil liberties, and I'm generally anti-war. McCain is the total opposite of me and honestly, the only issue where we might agree is global warming. Although, I don't know if he actually believes in it or if he's just trying to attract independent voters.

There's also the fact that he has poor judgment as a politician and as a man. Up until 2001, he publicly and unapologetically used the racist slur "Gook" when referring to his Vietnamese torturers. Out of all of the insulting terms he could have used like assholes, fuckers, bastards..he chose to use a derogatory term that offensively described their race. If the war had been in Africa and his torturers were black, would he dare call them "The N******"? He wouldn't.

I have been called a gook and it obviously wasn't a pleasant experience. The kid who called me it was some junkie gangsta wannabe whose parents never taught him any better. I don't condone it, but I understand how an ignorant asshole like him can spew vile language. But McCain publicly and unapologetically used this racist epithet for years. Despite his ignorant excuse for it, the rest of world knows that it is used to describe and denigrate ALL Asians. And unlike that loser who used it against me, John McCain wasn't/isn't some stupid-constantly-high-kid, he's a grown man. He was actually brought up to and is old enough to "know better" and yet, he doesn't.

I respect his service and the sacrifice he made for this country but I will never respect him as a man. I can't forgive him for using racist language and even if I could, I would never be able to forget.

Other than having poor judgment as a man, there's also his absence of conviction he has as a senator. He plans on continuing this disastrous and unnecessary war until we "win" even though he hasn't defined what victory is. He's kissed the ring of the religious right, the same folks who he once referred to it as "Agents of intolerance" are now the people he's bending over for. Obama is getting criticized for not disowning his former pastor who he knows is ignorant and angry but also a decent man who has honorably served this country and his community. McCain? He's courting the Hagees, Robertsons, and Falwells of this country knowing that they are horrible men and that they all live for is spreading their heinous messages of hate and intolerance. I respect a man who stands by flawed yet good men because of genuine loyalty, respect, admiration and love instead of one that pursues terrible and repugnant men for his own political gain.

As a former prisoner of war, McCain actually voted against a bill that would ban torture even though he is against its use. As of right now, he still hasn't signed onto the new GI Bill. On top of all that, he supported well known racist George Wallace Jr. He's for abstinence only education and admitted to not knowing if condoms reduce the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. So, he's against torture but he supports torturers and he's not racist but he uses racist language and supports racists. What a "maverick"..no wait, he's not. He's just another pandering prick that makes deals with extremists and then does the same with moderates when it's convenient for him. That's not being "reasonable" or "moderate", it's two-faced and I don't want that kind of man representing me and my country to the world.

As a minority, as a woman and as an American, I could never vote against myself and my country. And a vote for him, would be just that.

...Iran So Far Away....

2007-10-03T13:31:00.000-04:00

This is one classic and Andy Samberg is so talented at writing this satirical songs. Here are the lyrics and the video "Iran So Far"

They say true love comes only once in a lifetime
and even though we’re from opposite ends of the earth,
my heart tells me you’re the one for me.
Mahmoud

I remember when it started, saw you in the news
You were hating gays and I was eating food
I was feelin' you, and even though I disagreed with almost everything you said
You ain't wrong to me, so strong to me, you belong to me
Like a very hairy Jake Gyllenhaal to me
Mahmoud make my heart beating out of my chest
My mind says no but my body says yes
You ain't no threat to me, the only threat I see,
Is the threat of you not coming home to me.
Our love for each other’s like when atoms collide
Can’t express how I feel
And yo Adam let’s ride

And Iran, Iran so far away
Is your home, but in my heart you’ll stay

He ran, for the president of Iran
We ran together to a tropical island
My man, Mahmoud is known for wiling
Smiling, if he can still do it then I can
They call you weasel, they say your methods are medieval
You can play the Jews I can be your Jim Caviezel

S&M, listenin’, nestlin' when we’re wrestlin’
You can be the port that I put my vessel in
So I try to (?) but you can still see me
With your sleepy brown eyes, butter pecan thighs
And your hairy butt…
Yeah.

And Iran, Iran so far away
Come home, and in my arms you’ll stay
I used to look at the stars and dream
Around the world the same stars we’re seeing
And a twinkle in your eyes Mahmoud.

Talk smooth to me, in the night sky
With your high-waisted pants damn so fly.
We can take a trip to the animal zoo
and laugh at all the funny things that animals do
Like Eugene, you got me strait trippin’ boo
Hope you look at my eyes and say I’m trippin’ too
You say Iran don't have the bomb but they already do
You should know by now, it’s you.

You're crazy for this world Mahmoud
You can deny the holocaust all you want
But you can’t deny that there’s something between us
I know you say there’s no gays in Iran
But you’re in New York now baby
So time to stop hating
And start living

...Notes From My Travels...

2007-09-21T22:39:00.001-04:00

This is going to be a long review, so you've been warned.

Notes From My Travels is Angelina Jolie's written accounts of her work with the UN and the countries that it has brought her to like Sierra Leone, Pakistan, Cambodia etc.. It's written by her because the format is like a journal, the tenses are off and there are a few fragments that I noticed. As a fan, I'm familiar with the way she speaks and it's exactly the same way she writes. I also read blogs so I'm used to reading that type of informal writing style, others may not.

Her trip to Cambodia was great yet difficult to read because my parents and my aunts and uncles are refugees who lived through the Khmer Rouge's horrific reign. Even though it's been thirty years, the country still hasn't fully recovered. Like most people who have never been to a third world country, Angelina was shocked to see the extreme poverty that most of the people are living in. The way she describes the country, its people, the refugees and the camps is accurate because it matches up with what my parents have told me.

One of the very few faults with this book is the many times she writes about how grateful she is. It gets redundant but there's one moment in Cambodia where it's appropriately stated. For those who don't know, Cambodia is basically a hot and humid jungle with bugs that ravage your flesh. It was her first night there and she couldn't stop itching her feet, it was the only time she complained. The very next day she went to a refugee camp and met a man without a leg. It was a humbling moment and she did feel embarrassed and ashamed.

She also visited Tuul Sleng, the Genocide Museum. The museum itself used to be a school before Pol Pot turned it into a prison. *THIS NEXT PART IS GRAPHIC. SO IF YOU"RE SQUEAMISH SKIP THIS* In each cell there are pictures of men, women, and children being tortured. Some people slowly had their skulls drilled into even while holding their children. Others were chained to their beds until they were tortured, beaten, or starved to death. They threw babies in the air caught and killed them by the blade of their bayonets which is a tactic that is used in Darfur.

After seeing these horrific images, Angelina had nightmares and since she travels to Darfur from time to time, she probably still does. In the media, she sometimes depicted as being heartless, opportunistic and that her work with the UN is only for PR. I understand the doubt but I personally think it's ridiculous and offensive. "Heartless" people don't travel to these countries to be surrounded by those who are devastated by disease, war, and extreme poverty. Even the biggest PR whores like Paris Hilton don't dare to travel places like Darfur even though it would attract what she loves the most, cameras. There are plenty of humanitarians who do great work in these countries but unlike Angelina, they don't have a constant spotlight on them. We know the media needs something shiny in their face to lure to real issues and Angelina is very bright. She's trying to shine this spotlight on something that is actually relevant.

This book was written during her marriage with Billy Bob. Before she started to work for the UN her life was work and him. He's mentioned sporadically throughout the book. With each trip, it became obvious that she had discovered a world beyond hollywood, Billy Bob and herself. She was growing and she was a finding a purpose in life instead of wildly drifting through it. As cliche as it sounds, they grew apart because she grew up. Her goals didn't coincide with Billy Bob's. Even he's admitted that they shouldn't have rushed into marriage because neither of them were ready for it.

So, if you're having one of those, "WHY ME?!" days, I highly recommend Notes From My Travels. The people that she meets and helps have been through hell have lost everything except hope for their future. It's also amazing to see Angelina evolve from a wild child actress to a compassionate woman and humanitarian. And we see it through her eyes, not the tabloids, her critics or the media's. There are young rich and famous women who are self destructing and wasting what they've been given but here's one who isn't. By finding a real purpose in life, she saved herself and hopefully, others like her will follow her lead.

........Worms of the World......

2007-07-21T22:38:00.000-04:00

Forgive me, I'm pretty sure that I written about my puppy Jammy everyone else on the internets except here lol He's a lovely 7-month-old hybrid breed, his father is like the Taco Bell Chihuahua and his mother is a Yorkie/toy poodle mix. I got him when he was six weeks which I know is bad butt he was wanted and he unlike most hybrid he was cheap. Although he is actually larger than his parents weighing in at 9 pounds and 19 inches in length.

His personality is similar to mine because he's shy, sweet and protective. But, he's also mischievous with his tendency to sneak into closets and other places he's not allowed entrance to in my home. Sadly, this past week he was treated for tapeworms and he'll be fine but it got me thinking...

Why can't we get a liquid shot to get rid worms like Bush, Cheney...Fox News? They've only done harm to us and like most worms/parasites, they are slimy, creepy and they're feeding off us until we become dried and useless. Although I think I just answered my own question...People in their right minds would get rid of life-sucking parasites and we all know 30%ers have lost their minds a long time ago. In fact, they're still in denial that Bush and Co, are worms. In their skewed view, they're white blood cells protecting us from danger. Well, they're right about one thing, Bush and Co. are just as white as those blood cells.

....I Heart Max Blumenthal.........

2007-07-19T20:48:00.000-04:00

I think-scratch that, I KNOW that I've found the skinny and younger version of Michael Moore and his name Max Blumenthal. He's intelligent, courageous and his humor is brilliant, last but not least he writes The Nation which means that he's a progressive liberal like myself. His most recent video is fabulous, funny, sad and a little scary.

....The children are left behind, again!..

2007-07-15T07:30:00.000-04:00

For a so-called "Compassionate conservative" Bush sure seems to love screwing over everyone from the troops to America's children. Here's hoping that Sicko help changes that.

Bush Is Prepared to Veto Bill to Expand Child Insurance
By ROBERT PEAR

WASHINGTON, July 14 — The White House said on Saturday that President Bush would veto a bipartisan plan to expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program, drafted over the last six months by senior members of the Senate Finance Committee.

The vow puts Mr. Bush at odds with the Democratic majority in Congress, with a substantial number of Republican lawmakers and with many governors of both parties, who want to expand the popular program to cover some of the nation’s eight million uninsured children.

Tony Fratto, a White House spokesman, said: “The president’s senior advisers will certainly recommend a veto of this proposal. And there is no question that the president would veto it.”

The program, which insured 7.4 million people at some time in the last year, is set to expire Sept. 30.

The Finance Committee is expected to approve the Senate plan next week, sending it to the full Senate for action later this month.

Senator Max Baucus, the Montana Democrat who is chairman of the committee, said he would move ahead despite the veto threat.

“The Senate will not be deterred from helping more kids in need,” Mr. Baucus said. “The president should stop playing politics and start working with Congress to help kids, through renewal of this program.”

The proposal would increase current levels of spending by $35 billion over the next five years, bringing the total to $60 billion. The Congressional Budget Office says the plan would reduce the number of uninsured children by 4.1 million.

The new spending would be financed by an increase in the federal excise tax on tobacco products. The tax on cigarettes would rise to $1 a pack, from the current 39 cents.

Mr. Fratto, the White House spokesman, said, “Tax increases are neither necessary nor advisable to fund the program appropriately.”

Democrats in the House would go much further than the bipartisan Senate plan. They would add $50 billion to the program over five years, bringing the total to $75 billion. By contrast, in his latest budget request, Mr. Bush proposed an increase of $5 billion over five years, which would bring the total to $30 billion.

White House officials said the president had several other reasons to veto the bipartisan Senate plan.

“The proposal would dramatically expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program, adding nonpoor children to the program, and more than doubling the level of spending,” Mr. Fratto said. “This will have the effect of encouraging many to drop private coverage, to go on the government-subsidized program.”

In addition, Mr. Fratto said, the Senate plan does not include any of Mr. Bush’s proposals to change the tax treatment of health insurance, in an effort to make it more affordable for millions of Americans.

Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the senior Republican on the Finance Committee, said he would like to consider such tax proposals. But, he said, “it’s not realistic — given the lack of bipartisan support for the president’s plan — to think that can be accomplished before the current children’s health care program runs out in September.”

How the hell can we dare to wave our stupid "We're #1" foam finger when our government doesn't even want to care for our children???? The money that could be going into health care-money that could save lives- is instead used to take lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.

As I write this I'm drowning out the Michelle Malkins of the world (sadly, there's more than one she just has a different) because they will defend this idiot faux cowboy until Armageddon arrives ...which thanks to him doesn't seem to far away. How can ANYONE claim to be a Christian yet support a health care system where innocent people including children, die? Or they're left out in skid row? I know why because most of them are insured, they don't have to worry about choosing which finger to keep or how to spend their last days. And, they could a fuck about the poor because lord knows JESUS had the same attitude. He would be so proud seeing these people support this needless war, his followers turn away from the sick and poor.

FYI, even as an agnostic, I know what "Love thy neighbor" means and it's not telling them to go fuck themselves but apparently Bush's followers think otherwise. Jan. 20, 2009 can't come soon enough.

....Her Choice...

2007-06-25T22:18:00.000-04:00

I found this on

msn.com

and I knew had to post this before it was taken down.

Real Life: Why I Chose Abortion
By Gretchen Voss

Fireworks lit up the sky; great, big booming explosions of color. It was New Year's Eve 2002, and I'd just found out I was pregnant with my first child. Surrounded by a dozen friends on Cape Cod, I thought those fireworks were meant just for me.

We wanted to keep it a secret, my husband, Dave, and I, so I stealthily poured nonalcoholic O'Doul's into my frosty mug, trying to act like I was the same old person I was yesterday. That lasted about an hour. I've never been good with secrets, especially life-changing ones.

Four blissful months later, the lights dimmed and the screen brightened. My rounded belly was covered in slick, warm gel. As I lay back on the cushy examining table at my doctor's office in Lexington, MA, fuzzy gray images of our baby pulsed on the monitor. It was curled up like a question mark in my womb -- our baby -- and Dave and I oohed and aahed over its perfect little features. "Is it a boy or a girl?" I asked, giddy -- thinking, really, that the sole purpose of this routine full-fetal ultrasound was to determine what color to paint the nursery. The technician was quiet. Evasive. Her furrowed-brow focus finally brought an end to my bubbly chitchat, and I began to feel uncomfortable. Then she left the room, and I started to panic. Trying to distract myself as the seconds stretched into minutes, I stared up at the silly pictures of fuzzy kittens and kissing dolphins taped to the ceiling. When she returned, she said that our doctor wanted to see us upstairs. Dave murmured reassurances, but it did no good. I started crying. I could barely get my maternity clothes back on.

The waiting room upstairs, usually bustling with radiantly serene pregnant women devouring parenting magazines, was empty. My doctor -- young and trim, and usually quick with a smile -- was tight-lipped as she led us back to her office, the half-eaten contents of her lunch and photos of her own children scattered about the desk. The ultrasound, she said, indicated that the fetus had an "open neural tube defect," a spinal-cord condition with a range of severity from life-threatening to hardly noticeable. We had to go to Boston, she said, immediately, today, where a new, high-tech machine could tell us more. She directed someone to make an appointment and give us directions. Then she abruptly left us to cry.

There were no fuzzy kittens or dolphins in that stark white hospital room at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in downtown Boston. Just ominous-looking machines and monitors that beeped and whirred. Dave grasped my hand tightly as the technician squirted gel over my belly and rolled a cold wand across my roundness, gently punching it down here and there unexpectedly, trying to get the baby to move and provide a better view on the screen. I couldn't bear to see my baby in sharp, black-and-white relief -- What does a life-threatening spinal condition look like? -- so I stared at the technician, like a panicked airline passenger caught in a thunderstorm, taking her cues from the expression on a flight attendant's face. But the technician revealed nothing. She did not utter one syllable in 45 minutes.

And then she spoke words no pregnant woman wants to hear. Instead of "healthy" and "strong," our baby was discussed in clinical terms like "hydrocephalus" and "spina bifida." Like a defective zipper, the spine hadn't closed all the way, and a gaping hole was located near the brain -- the worst possible spot. What the doctors knew -- that the baby would be paralyzed and incontinent, its brain smushed against the base of the skull and the cranium filled with fluid -- was awful. What they didn't know -- whether it would live, and if so, the degree of mental and developmental defects -- was devastating. If the baby did live, countless surgeries would be required, and none of them would repair the damage that was already done.

I was numb with shock. It sounds naive now, but I'd never considered pregnancy a gamble. Nobody warned me that what was rooting around inside my body was a hope, not a promise.

Sitting in the genetic counselor's windowless office, I tried to read between the lines of complicated medical jargon, searching for answers that weren't there. But I already knew what I had to do. Even if our baby had a remote chance of surviving, it was not a life that we would choose for our child.

In Washington, DC, on the same day I decided to terminate my pregnancy, lawmakers gathered to discuss a new bill -- one that would effectively outlaw so-called partial-birth abortions, the term preferred by pro-lifers to put a decidedly graphic spin on abortions that occur after the first trimester. It wasn't an issue I'd given much thought to, since I'd long been ready to have children of my own. Although I'd always considered myself pro-choice, I just assumed that meant choosing whether or not to keep a baby after an accidental pregnancy, not whether or not to terminate a pregnancy after you'd already fallen in love with your child.

Looking back, I'm not sure which was worse: the three days leading up to the procedure (like most women who have gone through it, I've never called it an abortion) or the rip current of emotions following it.

Walking around with a belly full of broken dreams, I felt like I was drowning. I couldn't shower, because I didn't want to touch my stomach and accept that there was life in there; yet I couldn't bring myself to have a glass of wine to calm my nerves, because, of course, I knew there was.

My decision tortured me. This wasn't some mysterious clump of cells that would simply be sucked away in a vacuum. This was a 19-week-old baby, one that I desperately wanted, that would be pulled out of me bit by bit -- that's the way it works through the "dilation and evacuation" procedure.

I asked over and over, Are we doing the right thing? Our family -- even my Catholic father and Republican father-in-law, neither of whom were ever pro-choice -- assured us that we were. Politics suddenly became personal -- their daughter's heartbreak, their son's pain, their grandchild's suffering -- and that changed everything.

My regular obstetrician, who only handled healthy pregnancies, referred us to someone else. I was glad. Whereas she'd seemed cold and dismissive upon learning of my decision to terminate the pregnancy, I felt nothing but compassion from my new doctor, who reminded me in looks and manner of Dr. Larch in The Cider House Rules.

His eyes, the kindest, saddest I'd ever seen, teared up as Dave and I cried in front of him.

In his cramped and unfashionable private office in Brookline, he started the two-day termination process by inserting four laminaria sticks (made of dried seaweed) into my cervix. The pain was excruciating, like needles piercing my abdomen, and he apologized over and over as I cried out. Afterward, ghostly white and shaking, I could barely walk to the recovery room. The pain increased through the long night as the sticks collected fluids from my body and expanded, dilating my cervix as though I were in the beginning stages of labor.

The next morning in the operating room, I was petrified and fought the anesthesia, clinging to my last moments of pregnancy. As I finally started to drift off, my doctor held one of my hands and an older, female nurse held the other, whispering in my ear, "You're going to be okay, I've been here before, lean on your husband." It's my last memory of the experience. When I woke up, it was all over. I was empty.

For the next week, my mother tried to bring me back to life with grilled-cheese sandwiches and chicken noodle soup. But I felt like a freak in a world of capable women having babies -- Why did my body betray me? -- and for months I quarantined myself from the world. I just couldn't bear well-meaning friends saying, "I'm so sorry."

I took that nurse's advice and leaned on my husband. He seemed so resolved in our decision, in a way that I just couldn't be. Perhaps it was guilt -- it was my body that had failed us all: my husband, myself, our baby. Dave was strong where I was weak. But then I found him one night, all alone, kneeling on the floor of our bathroom with the light off and the door half-closed, doubled over, bawling. It nearly killed me, and I realized then that I did not own this pain alone.

In an effort to pull myself together, I wrote my doctor a long note on my good wedding stationery. I thanked him for his compassion and said that it must be hard, what he does, but that I hoped he found consolation in the fact that he was helping women at their most vulnerable. When I went in for my six-week checkup, he told me that he kept my note, along with other letters of appreciation, in a large bundle, to remind him of why he does this difficult work. And he keeps that bundle right next to his stack of hate mail, which is about the same size.

Seven months later, in November 2003, 14 weeks into my second pregnancy, I gently rubbed my rounded belly, tears rolling down my cheeks as I watched George W. Bush sign the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act on CNN. It would be at least two more weeks before I could learn via ultrasound if this baby squirming around inside my womb was healthy or not. Taking in the scene, I understood that if this baby were plagued with the same genetic defects as my last, any choices I had were being taken away from me.

Once the president signed the act -- the first federal ban on any abortion procedure in the 30 years since Roe v. Wade, and the first ban on a surgical technique in the history of this country -- the 400-strong crowd at the ceremony exploded in whoops and hollers. "For years a terrible form of violence has been directed against children who are inches away from birth, while the law looked the other way," Bush said. It was time to "defend the life of the innocent."

I stared at the screen. The president was, in essence, calling me a baby killer. Even members of the Democratic Party -- 17 in all -- voted for the ban. One of my own senators, John Kerry, perhaps looking to dodge the liberal label in anticipation of his bid for the White House, conveniently missed one of the key votes (as did his future running mate, John Edwards).

According to the Bush administration, the new law would put an end to the "gruesome and inhumane" procedure used to kill healthy babies after the first trimester. But the language of the law was less clear. Essentially, legislators invented a previously nonexistent medical term -- "partial-birth abortion" -- and then banned it. By giving it a purposely vague definition, the term could feasibly apply to all abortions after the first trimester, including my own.

Legislators also made no mention of fetal viability (the point at which a fetus can live independently of its mother for an extended period of time) or gestational age. There were no exceptions for a fetus with severe birth defects incompatible with life (many of which cannot be detected until well into the second trimester). Nor for a mother who would be forced to have, for example, a kidney transplant or hysterectomy if she continued with the pregnancy.

"When we look to the unborn child," Bush said into the television cameras, "the real issue is not when life begins, but when love begins."

Over the next 36 months, three federal courts -- as well as three appellate courts -- struck down the ban as unconstitutional. But on November 8, 2006, the eight men and one woman of the Supreme Court heard two new arguments on the ban -- both of which, experts predict, could result in expanding its reach. The Supreme Court upheld the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act in a ruling on April 18, 2007.

Maureen Britell used to stand outside a Planned Parenthood in Maryland shouting Hail Marys. A devout Irish Catholic, Britell was raised to believe "abortions were for bad girls who couldn't keep their legs closed," she says. Her husband, a major in the Air Force, flew F-15s for a living. Then, when she was five months pregnant with her second child, Britell found out their baby girl had anencephaly -- no brain or any chance of life.

"Could we have continued the pregnancy? I guess, but we'd have been on a death watch," Britell says today. Because they were Catholics, the Britells decided to have a labor induction instead of a surgical abortion so that they could baptize and bury their daughter whole. But, after 13 hours of labor, the baby came out breech, stuck in the birth canal with a too-short umbilical cord. Halfway delivered, the doctors had no choice but to cut the cord, an "overt act" that killed the baby while partially delivered. In other words: a partial-birth abortion.

As if the heartbreak weren't enough, CHAMPUS, the government-funded health insurance for military families, refused to pay Britell's $8,000 hospital bill, as it does not cover abortion unless the woman's life is in jeopardy. In the middle of the financial battle, the Britells went to church on Mother's Day, which was also the occasion of their 6-year-old daughter's First Communion. After the service, Britell was confronted by dozens of chanting protesters from the National Right to Life. Her pastor -- who knew about her baby girl -- had sold her out.

It's holiday season 2006, and I'm deep inside the concrete bowels of the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington. Down hidden elevators and along desolate corridors littered with abandoned filing cabinets, I see the sign I've been searching for: "H.O.P.E. Memorial Service," written on blue construction paper. It stands for Helping Other Parents Endure, a support group for families who've terminated a pregnancy due to fetal abnormalities. Tonight is its annual memorial service.

It has been three years since I ended my pregnancy. Gathering with strangers feels awkward. The room is too large for such an intimate gathering. The event organizer hands me a 14-page program, filled with beautiful poems and letters submitted by other parents. I didn't submit anything. She asks me to sign the guest book with my baby's name and take an ornament: pink angels for little girls, blue ones for little boys. I tell her I didn't know whether my baby was a boy or a girl, and we never gave it a name. She feels bad that she didn't consider that circumstance. I feel bad that maybe I didn't mourn properly.

After a few words by the chaplain, the social worker leads us through a door onto a dark concrete patio. In a tight circle, we light candles off one another with shaking hands. "I light this candle in honor of..." each person says, then recites the child's name. Abigail and Travis and Grady. I say, simply, "Baby Voss." "Now we'll blow out the candles," the social worker says. "But the light your child brought into your life will never be extinguished." I lower my head to blow out my candle, but the flame is already gone. The freezing wind blew right through my protective hand and took the light away from me.

It's an awkward process. Just a month before, I find myself sitting in the dining room of the Concord Country Club at a baby shower for a pregnant friend. Over plates of salmon, the foursome at my table shares hilarious tales of raising children. Then the woman next to me turns and says brightly, "I want a third child, don't you?"

I don't know what to say.

These women are aware only of the two healthy boys I've had in the past two years, not my first child, whom I will never know. As I sit in the members' dining room, I feel like an outsider. Pregnancy, for me, is an experience I associate with sheer terror. How do I explain to this woman that carrying my two sons to term left me exhausted from worrying? That as I consulted genetic counselors and gobbled down massive doses of folic acid, I floated in an emotional no-man's-land, completely unable to attach to the new life in my belly?

While I scramble to find some suitable answer to her question, I can feel the ears of a friend at the next table prick up. Last year, in her 18th week, she, too, terminated a pregnancy that had gone horribly wrong. She knew my story -- her parents and my in-laws are friends -- and she called me. I remember her asking through tears, "What am I going to tell everyone? What if people judge me?"

"Just tell them you lost the baby," I said. "It's nobody's business, anyway."

We talked for a long time that night. But we haven't talked about it since.

Turning to my cheerful tablemate, I briefly consider telling her the truth. Then, instead, I mumble something lame, like, "Kids are a handful -- I think we're all set with two." As the words leave my mouth, I feel like my silence is letting all of us down.

On one level, it's nobody's business, I realize. But on another, isn't it everybody's?

Words like compassion and conscience are thrown around when it comes to this issue but it's stories like Gretchen's that truly matter because we are actually brought into the mind of the woman. As you read this wasn't an easy or ideal situation for her, despite what some pro-lifers think. No matter the circumstance it is never an easy decision for any woman to make.

As the country debates whether a fetus is life, we can't forget that the woman carrying it, is.

....Reunited: Jon and Angie......

2007-06-15T07:03:00.000-04:00

Last night Angie made her third appearance on The Daily Show with my lovely Jewy Jon Stewart (Jewy is his word not mine). As usual both of them were charming, cute and Jon was funny showing his fondness for her. It was clearly obvious that they both have a genuine respect and affinity for each other. She greeted him with a warm hug and not the usual professional handshake. I thought two things when I saw that:

"Awww, I knew it I wasn't too off when it came to their friendship."

The second thought...the Kathy Griffin in me said, "You're never going to get that, Seacrest! Suck on that!"

And that is why I keep the KG in me silent.

She watches the show all the time too :) I can't think of better way of ending my night with Brad, Jon and Stephen...oh wait, I know, throw in Keith. Yes, I'm a newsmen ho, get over it.

Even though I loved the entire interview there were some highlights like Jon saying that they've been friends for a long time before asking her if a burka can contain her hotness. It was then followed by him saying that she's our greatest weapon against extremism. Although he forgot to mention that her and Brad are our country's most valuable export because they don't have to travel to Albania to get some international love.

The play date line, Brad and Tracey must have loved that one lol Unless Jon wasn't just referring to him and Angie...hmmm...hawt. And they quickly touched/held hands.

Angie and Brad are up to the challenge of having a large family and Jon supports them by saying that they're the adults and calling the kids little bastards, oh Jon lol

When they talked about whole banning the press and/or fox ordeal it didn't surprise me. Her people are much guarded than her. Once when she promoting TR2, she was doing a live feed interview with Good Day LA and when Dorothy asked her about being open with dating men or women, Angie smiled, chuckled a little and said, "Ok" then her live feed was cut off! lol She didn't seem bothered by it but her people (who had warned Dorothy not to ask personal questions) were none too pleased.

*RANT WARNING*
One more thing about how Fox News called her a hypocrite regarding freedom of speech, that applies to the GOVERNMENTAL suppression of free speech not individuals. The FCC didn't fire Don Imus his bosses did, they punished him for his "free speech". And the Laugh Factory has banned the N word from their stage and they have right to just like how Arianna removed death threats against Cheney from huffingtonpost because it's her blog, her rules. And that crazy bitch Coulter has never been arrested for all the bile she's spewed, she's just been dropped from a few conservative publications. *END OF RANT*

The interview ended with them holding hands which was lovely because anyone just tuning in could see the platonic bond between them. All in all I was a very happy fan girl seeing two of my favorite people just enjoying each other. Let's hope it doesn't take another four years for it to happen again.

Here are some other videos involving mostly Stephen and Jon talking about Angie and Brad.

Stephen takes a swipe at a certain someone..and the thought of Angie being a Supreme Court Justice surprises no one in the audience lol

This is the time Stephen offered his...services to Angie. lol

Stephen talks about the Jolie-Pitt baby bump aka Shiloh with Iraq war vet Paul Rieckoff This was before she was born.

Stephen asks about the baby bump again it's at the end.

Stephen doesn't say her name...

Even when talking to Anderson Cooper Jon shows his love for Angie.

What's in the box?!

A river and Stephen

Stephen v. Clooney

Watch it

Stephen suspects Brad...

...I heart Nora....

2007-05-29T16:05:00.001-04:00

Nora Ephron wrote a lovely poem/blog entry supporting Rosie. Most of the people replied in the same poem format. It was a nice and witty way to counter Rachel Sklar's scathing entry that sided w/ Elisabeth and ripped rosie. Here is Nora's poem

Ro Ro Ro, Say It Ain't So

One of the things I love about Rosie
Is how she writes these blogs
And they're poetry

When I do this
It's not poetry.
When she does it,
It is.

even if i do it in lower-case letters
like Rosie
it's not poetry

Not that I know anything about poetry:

Last year I wrote a poem.
I tried to put it in my book.
My editor said, this isn't poetry.
That was the end of my poem.
Oh well.

Also Rosie writes haiku.

I am bad at haiku
I don't understand the form
Explain it to me:

Five seven five, right?
Five words or five syllables?
I just don't get it

Is this a haiku:
I feel sad about The View
Say it ain't so Ro

Or is it just a bunch of words?

I loved The View
I couldn't stop watching.
Must-See TV, thy name is The View.
You can see why my editor was adamant I cut the poem.

I even made my husband watch.
And he did. On the treadmill.
I said, trust me, it's riveting
It's a hockey game
There might be blood on the ice
You'll see.

He had to admit it was amazing
He wasn't just being nice
He meant it
Then he went back to watching the World Series of Poker.

Would Rosie go too far?
Would Barbara have a heart attack?
And how funny is Joy Behar?
Elizabeth was the only person I knew who was in favor of the war
Not that I knew her
But I watched her every day
and fought with her
Through Rosie.
It was exciting.

Last week on Wednesday there was a big fight.
On Thursday's episode,
Before we knew that Rosie was never coming back,
Kathy Griffin said this thing that I would like to quote, although not exactly:

She said, but it's the only show where women argue about politics
Or something like that.
And it's true.
It is.
It was.
I loved it.

So I feel sad
And full of woe
I am going to miss
My Ro.

I posted my response to her with my own poem.

Nora and Ro..

Thank you Nora, for being so true
Elisabeth & Rachel can only wish to be like you
They're young and pretty
Unable to defend their stupidity

Unlike them and the pundits on TV
You actually know the real Rosie
Funny, passionate, and loud
Never one to follow the crowd

Her time with those three ladies
Was exciting, with all the controversies
But Wednesday was one of the last straws
Having been scarred by those Republican claws

So now she must go her own way
Painting, blogging, and sailing away
Loving her kids and her wife Kelli
Instead of fighting a loyal and blond "Bushie"

O'Reilly, Tucker and Scarborough
Where will they go?
Without having to rip our dear Ro?

.....KO, foes and Ro.......

2007-05-25T21:37:00.000-04:00

As expected, the democrats (with a few exceptions) gave into Bush. They're going to continue to fund this war until September. The optimist in me believed that they would at least hold out until late summer because then the lack of funding would actually effect the troops but they didn't. In this case they're waiting for General Petraues report which will probably ask for more troops because he is a company man.

This strikes me as being odd because the donkey is the symbol of the democrats but it's Bush who is being the total jackass. His stupidity and stubbornness is frustrating, annoying and disgusting. This wasn't "bipartisanship" as he claimed, he held his breath like a little spoiled brat until he got his way. And during a press conference this week he tried to use the fear card against reporters (like David Gregory) who questioned him. He kept on saying that terrorists are going to go after their children. Apparently, he doesn't realize that with the exception of Fox Noise most Americans don't believe his bullshit anymore. It's because of this "macho"/"protector" attitude, we as a country have gained more foes than allies. But again, he is so into his bubble of a world to see the damage he has done at home and abroad.

Anyway, KO delivered a superb Special Comment this past week and he didn't hold anything back. He said he would give the democrats six months before going after them and he stayed true to his words.

While bridges began burning between the democrats and anti-war folks, the same can be said about Rosie, Elisabeth and the View. Last Wednesday's show was the most intense eternity that I've ever witnessed on television. From my perspective this fight between Rosie and Elisabeth was about more about friendship than politics.

The week before Rosie had posed a question about who the terrorists were to Elisabeth since the US invaded Iraq and the result is the deaths of thousands of Iraqi civilians. Some pundits took it as her either calling the troops terrorists or her implying that concept. On Monday's show, instead of defending Rosie, Elisabeth explained how they can "draw a link" with her words. Unlike these pundits, Elisabeth knows Rosie, she's been to her home and their children played together. Yet, she yelled at her during the fight to "defend to her insinuations" as if Rosie intentionally insinuated that the troops were terrorists. And as her friend, I would think that she would already know the answer. Rosie hates the owner (Bush) but she loves the team (troops) and Elisabeth knows that, she just couldn't say it when it mattered.

This fight was a deterioration of a friendship and of a business relationship. Now that's Rosie's gone from The View, so will I and many others. She was the one that resurrected the show and now, it looks as if she was the only one that could.

....A Heavy Heart and a Firm Leg.........

2007-05-10T09:59:00.000-04:00

There are so many reason to not like Jon Voight but this past week I was reminded of them when I saw him talking about the war with BOR and then he regurgitated the same 30%er crap on Scarborough Country. He believes that people who speak out against the administration and the war are "Defacing" this country. He also hates professors because they put "propaganda" into the minds of their students.

Propaganda isn't needed because my generation has personally witnessed the incompetency, arrogance, and ignorance of this administration with their own eyes. And education is supposed to produce students who are free thinkers and not zombies that blindly follow their government.

As if that wasn't bad enough, he went on to say that the criticism that Bush and Co. receive gives him a "heavy heart". He has no idea what a "heavy heart" is. The Cindy Sheehans of this country have heavy hearts because theirs are broken. Families who have loved ones serving in Iraq they know what true sacrifice and pain is because they feel it every second and in every fiber of their being. The American people (like myself) feel downtrodden and helpless because no matter how hard we try this president and administration refuse to end this war. So he will never understand what it's truly like to have a heavy heart because he doesn't have a heart to begin with.

He also said that this country was being divided by extremists aka liberals, Democrats in congress and the anti-war crowd. His senile mind doesn't realize that this horrific war is separating this country not Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid as he claimed. He is just bitter because the majority of Americans are longer buying into the lies and fear tactics that this administration uses on a constant basis.

After seeing him spew this nonsense, I had more of an understanding to why Angie has cut him off. He is an ignorant Catholic hypocrite that loves to wrap himself in the flag while he throws stones at dissenters. As far as I'm concerned, he's just like that kitty hanging onto the tree branch, he can only hold on for so long before falling into reality.

On a brighter note, Jane Fonda made her triumphant return to The Colbert Report This time, Stephen was rendered helpless...And lord, it was hot!

...Rudy gets KO'd....

2007-04-27T09:34:00.000-04:00

He deserves it. This past week he pulled a Bush and Cheney move by saying that a terrorist would happen in the Dems take the White House. This fear tactic didn't work for the midterms because the American people saw through it and so for him to try it now is to say the least, idiotic.

Although it tooks years to plan 9/11 happened under the Republicans watch so why would anyone think of them as being great protectors. When I saw Republicans I'm including Rudy. He did nothing to prepare the city for a terrorist attack and he had eight years. The command center was in the WTC! Yes, the same WTC that was attacked in '93 and despite being told to move the location of the command center somewhere else he didn't. Now, the first-responders are dying of cancer and respiratory infections because of his incompetence.

I could not care less that he's socially liberal like I am. He's proven that he's no better or different than Bush and Co.

.....Jon v. John.........

2007-04-25T10:46:00.000-04:00

Last night John McCain aka Pandering Prick went on the Daily Show to have his ass kindly handed to him by my dearest Jon. It's moment like this that I wish the Stewart/Colbert ticket was prophetic instead of comedic. As the Twit on The view said, McCain is wiling to lose the election in order to win this war...then he might as well flush those millions of dollars he's raised down the toilet.

....Ghost of a Maverick..........

2007-04-05T09:33:00.000-04:00

I wrote another poem but this one is about a certain presidential candidate. And yes, I know I was rough on him but he deserves it. Looking back, I don't know what I saw in him...

Ghost of a Maverick
It’s sad what seven years can do
You used to be fair and true
Never hiding what you truly believed
But your goal wasn’t achieved
Now, you’re spewing talking points
Hoping to be the one that they’ll appoint
Although you try to deny
You know you’re living a lie
Back then, you were a maverick
But now, you’re just another pandering prick

...How Can They?...

2007-04-04T18:54:00.000-04:00

This is a poem I just wrote about the 30%ers (those who still support Bush).

How can they close their eyes?
Then dare to defend
All his blatant lies
And support a war with no end
How can they stand by this man?
This "cowboy", so reckless and wild
He can’t relate or understand
How it's like to bury his child
And he says, “We must win”
That our only option is “victory”
As he ignores a soldier’s coffin
How can they not see?
What he’s done to this great land
Turning us into the world’s enemy
With blood on our hands
And not showing our humanity
How can they ignore
Him taking our rights away
Do they even care anymore?

.....Pink and the President....

2007-04-04T00:25:00.000-04:00

Pink has a song titled "Dear Mr. President" which directly address President Bush in a courageous and eloquent manner. She has an amazing voice and the lyrics are painfully beautiful.

"Dear Mr. President"
(feat. Indigo Girls)

Dear Mr. President
Come take a walk with me
Let's pretend we're just two people and
You're not better than me
I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly

What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep
What do you feel when you look in the mirror
Are you proud

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye
How do you walk with your head held high
Can you even look me in the eye
And tell me why

Dear Mr. President
Were you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
How can you say
No child is left behind
We're not dumb and we're not blind
They're all sitting in your cells
While you pay the road to hell

What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye
How do you walk with your head held high
Can you even look me in the eye

Let me tell you bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
You don't know nothing bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
Oh

How do you sleep at night
How do you walk with your head held high
Dear Mr. President
You'd never take a walk with me
Would you

.....Another Candle on the Cake..........

2007-04-03T13:28:00.000-04:00

In the words of Chi chi Rodriguez, today I was birthed :)I know that this is supposed to be my day but when I think about the number of candles on my cake, my mind drifts to our troops. Most of them are my age and they have probably celebrated one, two even three of their birthdays in a war zone instead of with their families and friends. Some of them won't have opportunity to do so because they'll either come home in a flag covered coffin or their tour will be extended.

And for what? A President that can't admit to his own mistakes. Instead of trying to put to an end to this war he's going to push it off onto the next president. His own party continues to throw around words "defeat", "embolden our enemies", and "victory" when in their hearts they know that this war has been lost. The only one who has said it, albeit in a Freudian slip, is John McCain - yet they press on with the same rhetoric.

Even though it pains me to admit this, the Dems can't break the president on this and so, we'll have to wait until 2008 to bring our troops home. At least then this war will belong to the President's and his party.

So before I blow the candles on my cake surrounded by my loved ones, I'll think of those who aren't as fortunate.

....Thanks to the 'Liberal Media'....

2007-04-01T00:13:00.000-04:00

Unlike Vietnam, this country has been shielded from this war. We don't see video footage of fallen troops coming home in flag covered coffins and amputees. Up until now, we had no idea what Iraq is really like for our troops. While they're fighting for their lives our president tells us to live ours and shop. Well thanks to 'Liberal' MSNBC and Richard Engels, we now know the reality that our troops and journalists deal with in Iraq.

It's utter chaos wrapped in pure horror. There are constant bombings, body parts and corpses are scattered in the streets. Bodies are tied to vehicles and are dragged while Iraqis cheer and run alongside this morbid act. Iraqi families don't want to leave their homes because they fear of not coming back. Their orphanages are filled with children who are either orphans or their parents gave them up hoping to save their lives. And unfortunately, the Iraqi government doesn't allow international adoption. These children have not benefited from this war.

Richard Engels and MSNBC's cameras gave us a peek into what they (and to a lesser extent, the troops) experienced in Iraq. They switched hotels two times because they had been bombed. And every time Richard or his fellow journalist set foot into the streets they ran the risk of being killed, kidnapped or both. One of their own reporters were kidnapped but thankfully he was released unharmed. However, their trust with one of their Iraqi employees was broken because this young man had faked his own kidnapping in hopes of extorting money from Richard and MSNBC. His life was so dire that he didn't think twice of betraying a group of people that cared and provided for him but they were Americans - the enemy - so it wasn't difficult for him to do.

The interesting part of the documentary is Richard's personal confessions that he had taped himself. He saw horrific images like dead bodies in the streets being eaten by dogs. Bullets came through his hotel room windows. His marriage fell apart because he was living in a war zone while his wife was back home picking out curtains. He was almost kidnapped.

Richard is only a reporter, I can't fathom what the troops go through. We're putting them in danger and for what? Democracy? That's not going to happen because the fighting between the Sunnis and Shia has existed for hundreds of years and the only guy that knew how to keep both of them in their respective corners..he's dead. The longer we occupy the country; the number of dead Iraqis will eventually trump Saddam's body count. Our Troops weren't sent there to police a civil war yet that's what they're doing. If the Iraqis really wanted democracy they would have done so by now and they haven't because like Siamese fighting fish they're not going to stop until one of them are annihilated.

As I was watching this powerful documentary I just knew that I would NEVER see this on "Fair and Balanced" Fox News. Because despite what they and their followers say, they are so far from being a news organization especially since Rupert Murdoch admitted their bias. The Walter Reed story didn't come from them, the New York Post, or the Washington Times, it was the "Liberal" Washington Post. Fuck Fair and Balanced and give me so-called 'Liberal Bias' because at least then, I'd get the truth.

...We're Forgiven?.......

2007-03-18T17:43:00.000-04:00

The past couple of years have really opened up my eyes. Also, I've realized how great we had it when was Bubba in the White House and the Republicans running the house and senate, there was an actual balance. It unfortunately took me two years to realize this because I made the mistake of giving W a chance. Even though I can't turn back the clock and tell myself to stop being indifferent to the news and politics...a part of me still wishes I could.

So, the first time I had heard the song "We're Forgiven" I didn't connect it to the world around me because at time we were living in the "Watch what you say" post 9/11 era where I was blissfully ignorant of our president and his policies. At first, I wrote story called A Second Thought based on the song. Six years later, I appreciate it on a whole different and deeper level. I made a video set to "We're Forgiven" and it reflects how I feel about this country and the world.

Hello, Hello Pax!

2007-03-15T14:41:00.000-04:00

1. No, I'm not talking about family friendly channel that plays reruns of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and Touched by An Angel. The Jolie-Pitts have added another child to their beautiful brood, Pax Thien Jolie (soon to be Jolie-Pitt) Mama Jolie and Maddox picked him up from his homeland of Vietnam. Here are pictures of the cute little tot..thanks to justjared.com

I'd like to congratulate Brad, Angie, Maddox, Zahara and Shiloh on their newly expanded family. BAMPZS much like BAMZS lol will live their lives above the fray while haters will continue with their whining because Brad and Angie adopting another child is far worse than the War in in Iraq, Darfur, the Walter Reed scandal, Hurricane Katrina, poverty etc.. They really have their priorities in check.

Anyway, with another child to care for I imagine bootknockin' in the Jolie-Pitt boudoir will temporarily decrease. The sacrifices that these two make, sigh :)

...Stephen and Angie: The First time...

2007-03-13T16:54:00.000-04:00

He mentioned her on the show. I remember it well, because it shocked the hell out of me. I mean, how dare someone pick on Jennifer Aniston?! Blasphemy! At 3:20 they start talking about Angie.

ETA: Damn there's no clock on this lol Well, it's towards the end of the interview where they start talking about Harriet Miers.

This is the time Stephen offered his...services to Angie. lol

Stephen talks about the Jolie-Pitt baby bump aka Shiloh. This was before she was born.

Stephen asks about the baby bump again it's at the end.

Stephen doesn't say her name...

Even when talking to Anderson Cooper Jon shows his love for Angie.

What's in the box?!

A river and Stephen

Stephen v. Clooney

Watch it

Stephen suspects Brad...

.....Four More Years and this time it's for the good of the country!..

2007-02-16T09:27:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, NBC made it official, my dear KO and Countdown have signed one for 4 more years for a $4 million dollar per year contract! Like Angelina, Brad, Tom Hanks, Stephen and Jon, he is worth every damn penny. This new deal also includes occasional essays for NBC Nightly News and two Countdown specials that will air on the mother network each year.

Now I'm not going to pretend that I was with KO from the beginning. MSNBC was definitely NOT on my "watchlist" back in 2003 but neither were the news and politics. But I've seen how Countdown and Keith's popularity has grown during this year and it's been phenomenal. To say the least, I'm proud of him. The ratings stick that his critics used to beat him with is now whittled down to a twig since Countdown is winning key demographics that Faux News and CNN aren't, especially when it comes to events like The State of the Union Address. The people in this country who aren't octogenarians and senile are tuning in because they actually want real news mixed with fluff opposed this administration's propaganda. As Samuel L. Jackson would say, it's about motherfucking time!

I can't help but feel a renewed sense of hope because of this wonderful news. Keith is the only real voice of reason and courage in this chaotic world. Even though he knows that he's risking everything to speak the truth it doesn't stop him. Whatever happens during the next four years I am honored to know that he will voice what Americans (like myself) are feeling. Spot on MSNBC, spot on.

.....Sorry H-Money.......

2007-02-11T00:43:00.000-05:00

Sorry H-Money, but Obama's speech in Springfield, IL has blown your campaign (so far), out of the water. I don't know what H-Money is going to do now...

Barack has the eloquence that W lacks and charm that H-Money needs. And sorry Edwards, but he has made sure that there are no "controversial" bloggers on his staff too. Granted, he doesn't have H-Money's experience but hell, look at Forest W. Gump's track record pre-White house. He wasn't exactly seasoned either.

Unlike W, when Barack says that he will work WITH both parties he actually means it. He won't turn his back against the world, congress and the American people and do whatever he damn pleases. That kind of attitude is not admirable (take note Rudy Giuliani and John McCain.. pandering bastards) and yet, it perfectly represents why this country is hanging by a thread. Therefore, it will either take a former First Lady, a gangly senator with a funny name, a handsome humanitarian, a former senator and maybe.. just maybe...a former VP that WON the presidential election to fix this broken land. '08 can't come soon enough........

....Clash of the Titans:Part Deux....

2007-01-30T23:56:00.000-05:00

There have been great feuds throughout history. First there was, David v. Goliath, and Greeks v. Trojans then came along Fox News v. Real News Networks, Rosie v. Dump Truck, Britney v. Christina Lindsay v. Hilary, Scarlett, Paris, The Simpson sisters, her father, Fes from That 70's Show...we have a come a long way. Of course one timeless battle is woman v. woman and today is no exception.

For a brief time (about a day) there were murmurings of Dick Cheney possibly resigning from his VP position which I doubted. Then I saw the anti-war march in DC where actors like Tim Robbins and Jane Fonda spoke about impeaching Mr. Bush. So, Tim's suggestion got me thinking...If by some miracle Cheney and Bush are out of office well before January 2009 that means Nancy Pelosi would be president....The First WOMAN President in US history (and yes, I did have a feminist hard on just by thinking about this) But then another powerful woman came to mind, Hillary...

Now Hillary (or as I like to sometimes call her, H-Money) is in this race to win. I don't understand why she felt the need to say that other than to assert herself in this male dominated race. No one enters a presidential race to lose...except for Ralph Nader. Anyway, she's going for the triple crown: the presidency, the historic significance of being the first woman president and the First Lady to become president (Bill will of course be the First Gentleman not "First Man" as my dear KO said) I see the drive and ambition in her baby blues but she's not (at least not publicly) acknowledging a potential obstacle; Nancy Pelosi.

Mama Pelosi is logistically closer to the presidency than H-Money is. She only has two men in her way while H-Money has over a dozen. And I just know that H-Money would secretly resent Mama Pelosi if she were to become president because she got there FIRST. It is like Britney Spears v. Christina Aguilera all over again!

Let's face it, Christina has always resented Britney for being first...at EVERYTHING! She got signed to a label first and released her album before her. Even though she has the stronger voice, Britney got more attention and credit for being "the first woman of pop" during the resurgence of genre in the late 90's. Britney was the face of Pepsi, so Christina went to Coca Cola. Britney had her own video game while Christina was a character in The Sims. Although Christina was the face and feet of Skechers in 2003 Britney already was years earlier. They've even shared men! Britney was with Justin but after the breakup, he toured with Christina. Then there's Fred Durst....Christina did a duet with him at the VMAs and three years later, Britney spent some um...."studio time" with him. Although to be fair, Durst is like that loser in high school who brags about scoring with every girl when in reality, he doesn't even get to first base. And last but not least, how can anyone can forget the press that Britney's Madonna kiss got over Christina's? Ms. X-tina was so pissed off that she accused Britney of lip synching and she called the performance "vanilla" during an interview with Allure magazine. These two are younger and apolitical version of Mama Pelosi and H-Money....

Whatever team you're cheering for, I think we can all agree on one thing..no one wants to see any of them resort to making with Barbara Boxer on the senate floor.

.........Two years later.....

2006-12-21T00:23:00.000-05:00

This has been great time for BAMZS and their fans. After nearly two years Angie speaks and confirms what we already know. She loves Brad, she didn't breakup his marriage and she is blessed for everything that she has. And they made their first public appearance in New York for the premiere of The Good Shepard where minds everywhere exploded. The hilarious Brad Blanks was there on the red carpet no less and he briefly talked to De Niro, Brad and Angie. Here is the video, I encourage everyone to watch it and share it.

In honor of this lovely pair I have made another video. The song is timeless.

This holiday season, let's follow the Jolie-Pitts lead and try to do some good in this world. Be happy, be kind, be generous and most importantly, let's spread some love in 2007.

Much love everyone!

.......Not Fighting to Get in that Line.......

2006-11-29T10:02:00.000-05:00

The biggest criticism against my media menz like Jon, Stephen, Bill and Keith is that they don't have many conservatives on their shows. Well, these "genius" critics don't realize that Republicans are throwing themselves at their shows because they, despite all their talk are afraid. And the only time they'd agree to go on is if the host and producers signed this big contract where they can be asked softball questions like when Santorum was on TDS. Jon was pretty easy on him when we all know that bigoted motherfucker needed to get nailed. Although I doubt that he'll ever go on again after having his ass handed to him in the elections.

Concerning Real Time w/ Bill Maher...please lol The audience eats conservative guests alive. It's not his fault. He's tried to get conservatives in his audience and on the show but they're not very willing to appear. The few conservative guests that return are his friends and frankly, he has more "blue" friends than he does "red". Also, Bill, for the most part, he doesn't pull any punches. It's HBO, not Fox News. Although I do pity the anchors on that "News Network" their knees must be bruised with all the servicing they do for this administration.

In Keith Olbermann's case, I like how he doesn't have a liberal and conservative on his show fighting each other. It's inevitable, a Democratic strategist and Republican one are like Siamese fighting fish and that't snot what Countdown is about. His is the only show on MSNBC and cable is one of the few that don't resort to those tactics. Countdown is NOT about fighting or "debating", it's a mix of real news and fluff with his take on it.

Yes, there's analysis but there isn't a need for a conservative's take because he or she will side w/ the administration then try to reprimand Keith by saying that he wants the US to lose the war on terrorism or any of their usual talking points. The guests that he usually has on are from Newsweek which is a respectable publication, he doesn't have a "Coulter" or "Malkin" because he wants people who are actually educated on the topic. Whenever something happens w/ our government he always has someone there to discuss the politics or if it involves the war, the military impact.

Keith is not into softball questions which like Bill, is the reason why Republicans aren't fighting to get in line to appear on the show. No one wants to go into an environment where the control is not in their hands. It's not Faux News, thank God.

....A New Threat to KO and our Nation.....

2006-11-28T00:40:00.000-05:00

A sense of dread and worry overcame my mind when I discovered that Keith Olbermann will be doing the show in Los Angeles this week. He is in town to attend GQ's "Men of the Year" party and might I add, the lighting in that studio makes him look even more dashing. I digress, I am concerned for his safety and no, I’m not just talking about psychotic freepers…because there is a new threat to our nation’s security…the LATVS …the Los Angeles Trash Vagina Squad. Encounters/attacks involving these individuals have been happening quite frequently in the past couple of weeks and so, I’m concerned for his well being. With his looks, his must be at the top of their hit list.

Now Paris is the biggest threat. Britney's had c-sections twice so her vagina is not cavernous. And Lindsay, well, she has to spend every waking hour trying to catch up to the notches on Paris's bed post. Anyway, in California, most people drive. But if Ms. Hilton is around then drivers might assume they've driven into tunnel when really.....well, they've inadvertently checked into Paris Hilton. The end result would be utter chaos. Everyone's cars would have to be melted, then they'd have to take contamination showers followed by antibiotics, it's truly a horrifying image to have.

Now I know that Mr. Bush wants a half billion dollars for his library legacy but I really think that all money (that’s if he raises it) should really go into stopping the LATVS, these women (Lindsay, Paris, Britney etc..) and possibly post-op trannies, need to be stopped but more importantly, they need panties. Obviously, I’m not referring to the crotchless or “clear” ones that they claim to wear. A task force is needed…preferably a group of gay men. Perhaps Al-Gayda could form a splinter group.....

Please everyone, don’t misunderstand, I have nothing against vaginas. I have one and it’s treated me well. But there is an appropriate time and place for it to be seen like a gynecologist's office, your lover's bedroom, a beauty salon's waxing room, in front of the camera crew of Girls Gone Wild series, a dirty bathroom stall in a truck stop, the list goes on.

We (the public) should be able to walk the streets without fear of encountering the LATVS. Most of us are not gynecologists, bikini-waxers, nor are we members of the NFL, therefore we do not need to be seeing these vaginas. Together, we can put an end to LATVS crusade. We can be the generation that eliminates this dire problem.

..........Grateful..........

2006-11-23T18:31:00.000-05:00

I know that "thankful" is more fitting but I figure a lot of bloggers would have already used it at their title. Here are a couple of things I am grateful some are silly while others are serious. Yes, obviously I'm thankful for my friends and family, so there. lol

My Creative Zen Vision: M media player because even though it's chunkier than the video Ipod, I still love it. Besides, I do not mind my electronics having curves...there's nothing with a little badonkadonk . Plus, it's a beautiful shade of blue.

The Jolie-Pitts because they are what we should all aspire to be and no, I'm talking about their move star status. They are unbelievably blessed with great looks, fame, fortune, beautiful kids and each other. Most folks in their position wouldn't give issues like poverty, war, AIDS, the environment and gay marriage a second thought, but these two do. They do more than care, they are proactive in their work.

We should all try to make an effort to help this world. It doesn't matter what religion you practice because after all is said and done, what matters is...how did you help make the world a better place than when you originally came into it.

The sane American people deserve a nod. Y'all saw the light and instead of watching turn into fire, you actually got up and fought against it this past election. Thank you.....if I were a rich woman, I'd send you all free bags of swag but since I'm not...well, you'll just have to accept this blog entry instead. Sorry lovelies. Maybe Oprah can hook you all up?

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, I know that you two will never read this blog but screw it, I love you both! You make the news and this country less depressing. And more importantly, you are not deceiving the public by pretending to be a "real" newsmen unlike some folks on cable..... Whether you two handsome bastards believe it or not, you're both powerful and influential figures in the media, politics and the country. Thank you both for being our country's satirists and saviors.

Keith Olbermann, now how can I NOT love a man who has the balls to tear into folks like Coulter, Savage, Limbaugh, O'Reilly and all those other batshit neo-cons? Oh Keith, you are the perfect balance that our media and our country needs. Now, as much as I love Jon and Stephen, REAL news anchors/journalists are in great demand these days and you sir, are one of the very few out there.

Even though you're uncomfortable with this comparison, you are my generation's Edward R. Murrow. Your uneasiness whenever Murrow's name is used in your presence is quite endearing because despite what the haters say, you are a humble man...who happens to have a healthy ego. But I know that many Americans believe that you are truly deserving of this comparison.

You are a phenomenal writer, an excellent journalist and a true patriot. Thank you, Keith for being the voice of every frustrated American in this country.

............Never Before....

2006-11-22T23:43:00.000-05:00

This is long overdue...but screw it. Blue has never looked so beautiful on a map before. Obviously, I'm referring to the midterm elections. Snaps to Howard Dean, Chuck Schumer and John Murtha for making this happen! And I now have restored faith in our country and democracy. IRAQ is the issue that determined this election because all the democrats that won were against it and much like most of the country, they wanted a change for the better.

Now don't get me wrong, I know that W is still in charge and that impeachment...for now, is not an option. I don't want DICK to be in office, all right? But I think the mere threat of impeachment could really help dear W actually listen and compromise w/ Madame Speaker Pelosi (sweeter words have never been typed). I also don't expect an instant magic wand effect but I am hopeful. Maybe...just maybe the 31% that still supports W will also learn a hard lesson as well.

As far coverage goes, I watched Keith Olbermann and Christ Matthews on MSNBC. I love KO and I tolerate Chris lol Although compared to the other guys on there like Carlson and Scarborough he is well.... fair and for the most part, intelligent, it's just his voice. And the fact that he playfully roughed up my dear Colbert a bit has stayed with me. I actually fell asleep with Keith being the last person that I saw on my screen. So, I can proudly say that I went to bed with KO but since I love him, I am denying that I fell into my deep slumber before he finished. :)

All right Dems, y'all better get it right and get it done!

...Shameless is just the beginning.....

2006-10-27T12:06:00.000-04:00

Michael J. Fox is an actor that I've grown up with. He's always seemed like a great guy who happens to be talented. So, it's difficult to see him living with a debilitating disease like Parkinson's yet he's putting himself out there trying to get his message out and I understand by doing that, he's opening himself for the critics to just nail him. However, I am completely disgusted that he's being picked on by Rush.....he, like Donald Trump, IS THE LAST person that should be throwing stones and people are actually defending him. How the hell can anyone pick on Michael like that?! They're defending their side...no, they're just being cruel. The worst part, they're using their ignorance of stem cell research and of Parkinson as their ammo.

Then again, his ad in Missouri is an honest look at his illness and what he has to endure every single day of his life and that is why people like Rush are reacting so heartlessly. They hate being faced with reality. Much like with the footage of coffins of slain US soldiers coming from Iraq, Hurricane Katrina victims, and the sniper video shown on CNN, they prefer to keep the curtain closed. But with Michael's ad, they're forced to see what's been hidden.

Michael is not only an actor, he IS life. The public has known him for over twenty years. We can look into his eyes, we can hear his voice, he can emote. He has a beating heart, and an existing soul. Unlike a cluster of cells in a fertility clinic, we can connect with him on an intellectual and emotional level. And that is why he scares those who are against stem cell research because he is a independent living human being. I hesitate to say Republicans because I know that not all of them are against him - of course, it took Ronald Reagan's death to sway them.

These individuals have pathetically produced their own ad and much like Rush and his followers, it's filled with ignorance and lies.....although it is uncertain if Viagra is a part of the mix. They chose "celebrities" to speak out against stem cell research yet none of them are suffering like Michael is. It's a failed attempt at a "counter" ad because those who produced it are fully aware that they cannot ask a test tube or petri dish of cells to say, "Please don't experiment on me!" for the cameras.

Here is the proposed bill concerning MJF and Missouri.

2006 Ballot Measure
Constitutional Amendment 2

Stem Cell Initiative

Submitted October 11, 2005

NOTICE: You are advised that the proposed constitutional amendment may change, repeal, or modify by implication or may be construed by some persons to change, repeal or modify by implication, the following provisions of the Constitution of Missouri – Sections 2, 10, 14, and 32 of Article I; Section 1 of Article II; Sections 1, 21, 22, 23, 28, 36, 39, 40, 41, and 42 of Article III; Sections 1, 14, 36(a), 37, 37(a), 39, and 52 of Article IV; Sections 5, 14, 17, 18, and 23, and subsection 17 of Section 27 of Article V; Sections 18(b), 18(c), 18(d), 18(k), 18(m), 19(a), 20, 31, 32(a), and 32(b) of Article VI; Section 9(a) of Article IX; Sections 1, 6, 11(a), 11(d), and 11(f) of Article X; and Section 3 or Article XI.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT

Be it resolved by the people of the state of Missouri that the Constitution be amended:

One new section is adopted by adding one new section to be known as section 38(d) of Article III to read as follows:

Section 38(d). 1. This section shall be known as the “ Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative.”

2. To ensure that Missouri patients have access to stem cell therapies and cures, that Missouri researchers can conduct stem cell research in the state, and that all such research is conducted safely and ethically, any stem cell research permitted under federal law may be conducted in Missouri, and any stem cell therapies and cures permitted under federal law may be provided to patients in Missouri, subject to the requirements of federal law and only the following additional limitations and requirements:

(1) No person may clone or attempt to clone a human being.

(2) No human blastocyst may be produced by fertilization solely for the purpose of stem cell research.

(3) No stem cells may be taken from a human blastocyst more than fourteen days after cell division begins; provided, however, that time during which a blastocyst is frozen does not count against the fourteen-day limit.

(4) No person may, for valuable consideration, purchase or sell human blastocysts or eggs for stem cell research or stem cell therapies and cures.

(5) Human blastocysts and eggs obtained for stem cell research or stem cell therapies and cures must have been donated with voluntary and informed consent, documented in writing.

(6) Human embryonic stem cell research may be conducted only by persons that, within 180 days of the effective date of this section or otherwise prior to commencement of such research, whichever is later, have

(a) provided oversight responsibility and approval authority for such research to an embryonic stem cell research oversight committee whose membership includes representatives of the public and medical and scientific experts;

(b) adopted ethical standards for such research that comply with the requirements of this section; and

(c) obtained a determination from an Institutional Review Board that the research complies with all applicable federal statutes and regulations that the Institutional Review Board is responsible for administering.

(7) All stem cell research and all stem cell therapies and cures must be conducted and provided in accordance with state and local laws of general applicability, including but not limited to laws concerning scientific and medical practices and patient safety and privacy, to the extent that any such laws do not (i) prevent, restrict, obstruct, or discourage any stem cell research or stem cell therapies and cures that are permitted by the provisions of this section other than this subdivision (7) to be conducted or provided, or (ii) create disincentives for any person to engage in or otherwise associate with such research or therapies and cures.

3. Any person who knowingly and willfully violates in this state subdivision (1) of subsection 2 of this section commits a crime and shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of up to fifteen years or by the imposition of a fine of up to two hundred fifty thousand dollars, or by both. Any person who knowingly and willfully violates in this state subdivisions (2) or (3) of subsection 2 of this section commits a crime and shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of up to ten years or by the imposition of a fine of up to one hundred thousand dollars, or by both. A civil action may be brought against any person who knowingly and willfully violates in this state any of subdivisions (1) through (6) of subsection 2 of this section, and the state in such action shall be entitled to a judgment recovering a civil penalty of up to fifty thousand dollars per violation, requiring disgorgement of any financial profit derived from such violation, and/or enjoining any further such violation. The attorney general shall have the exclusive right to bring a civil action for such violation. Venue for such action shall be the county in which the alleged violation occurred.

4. Each institution, hospital, other entity, or other person conducting human embryonic stem cell research in the state shall (i) prepare an annual report stating the nature of the human embryonic stem cells used in, and the purpose of, the research conducted during the prior calendar year, and certifying compliance with subdivision (6) of subsection 2 of this section; and (ii) no later than June 30 of the subsequent year, make such report available to the public and inform the Secretary of State how the public may obtain copies of or otherwise gain access to the report. The report shall not contain private or confidential medical, scientific, or other information. Individuals conducting research at an institution, hospital, or other entity that prepares and makes available a report pursuant to this subsection 4 concerning such research are not required to prepare and make available a separate report concerning that same research. A civil action may be brought against any institution, hospital, other entity, or other person that fails to prepare or make available the report or inform the Secretary of State how the public may obtain copies of or otherwise gain access to the report, and the state in such action shall be entitled as its sole remedy to an affirmative injunction requiring such institution, hospital, other entity, or other person to prepare and make available the report or inform the Secretary of State how the public may obtain or otherwise gain access to the report. The attorney general shall have the exclusive right to bring a civil action for such violation.

5. To ensure that no governmental body or official arbitrarily restricts funds designated for purposes other than stem cell research or stem cell therapies and cures as a means of inhibiting lawful stem cell research or stem cell therapies and cures, no state or local governmental body or official shall eliminate, reduce, deny, or withhold any public funds provided or eligible to be provided to a person that (i) lawfully conducts stem cell research or provides stem cell therapies and cures, allows for such research or therapies and cures to be conducted or provided on its premises, or is otherwise associated with such research or therapies and cures, but (ii) receives or is eligible to receive such public funds for purposes other than such stem cell-related activities, on account of, or otherwise for the purpose of creating disincentives for any person to engage in or otherwise associate with, or preventing, restricting, obstructing, or discouraging, such stem cell-related activities.

6. As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) “Blastocyst” means a small mass of cells that results from cell division, caused either by fertilization or somatic cell nuclear transfer, that has not been implanted in a uterus.

(2) “Clone or attempt to clone a human being” means to implant in a uterus or attempt to implant in a uterus anything other than the product of fertilization of an egg of a human female by a sperm of a human male for the purpose of initiating a pregnancy that could result in the creation of a human fetus, or the birth of a human being.

(3) “Donated” means donated for use in connection either with scientific or medical research or with medical treatment.

(4) “Fertilization” means the process whereby an egg of a human female and the sperm of a human male form a zygote (i.e., fertilized egg).

(5) “Human embryonic stem cell research,” also referred to as “early stem cell research,” means any scientific or medical research involving human stem cells derived from in vitro fertilization blastocysts or from somatic cell nuclear transfer. For purposes of this section, human embryonic stem cell research does not include stem cell clinical trials.

(6) “In vitro fertilization” means fertilization of an egg with a sperm outside the body.

(7) “Institutional Review Board” means a specially constituted review board established and operating in accordance with federal law as set forth in 42 U.S.C. 289, 45 C.F.R. Part 46, and any other applicable federal statutes and regulations, as amended from time to time.

(8) “Permitted under federal law” means, as it relates to stem cell research and stem cell therapies and cures, any such research, therapies, and cures that are not prohibited under federal law from being conducted or provided, regardless of whether federal funds are made available for such activities.

(9) “Person” means any natural person, corporation, association, partnership, public or private institution, or other legal entity.

(10) “Private or confidential medical, scientific, or other information” means any private or confidential patient, medical, or personnel records or matters, intellectual property or work product, whether patentable or not and including but not limited to any scientific or technological innovations in which an entity or person involved in the research has a proprietary interest, prepublication scientific working papers, research, or data, and any other matter excepted from disclosure under Chapter 610, RSMo, as amended from time to time.

(11) “Solely for the purpose of stem cell research” means producing human blastocysts using in vitro fertilization exclusively for stem cell research, but does not include producing any number of human blastocysts for the purpose of treating human infertility.

(12) “Sperm” means mature spermatozoa or precursor cells such as spermatids and spermatocytes.

(13) “Stem cell” means a cell that can divide multiple times and give rise to specialized cells in the body, and includes but is not limited to the stem cells generally referred to as (i) adult stem cells that are found in some body tissues (including but not limited to adult stem cells derived from adult body tissues and from discarded umbilical cords and placentas), and (ii) embryonic stem cells (including but not limited to stem cells derived from in vitro fertilization blastocysts and from cell reprogramming techniques such as somatic cell nuclear transfer).

(14) “Stem cell clinical trials” means federally regulated clinical trials involving stem cells and human subjects designed to develop, or assess or test the efficacy or safety of, medical treatments.

(15) “Stem cell research” means any scientific or medical research involving stem cells. For purposes of this section, stem cell research does not include stem cell clinical trials.

(16) “Stem cell therapies and cures” means any medical treatment that involves or otherwise derives from the use of stem cells, and that is used to treat or cure any disease or injury. For purposes of this section, stem cell therapies and cures does include stem cell clinical trials.

(17) “Valuable consideration” means financial gain or advantage, but does not include reimbursement for reasonable costs incurred in connection with the removal, processing, disposal, preservation, quality control, storage, transfer, or donation of human eggs, sperm, or blastocysts, including lost wages of the donor. Valuable consideration also does not include the consideration paid to a donor of human eggs or sperm by a fertilization clinic or sperm bank, as well as any other consideration expressly allowed by federal law.

7. The provisions of this section and of all state and local laws, regulations, rules, charters, ordinances, and other governmental actions shall be construed in favor of the conduct of stem cell research and the provision of stem cell therapies and cures. No state or local law, regulation, rule, charter, ordinance, or other governmental action shall (i) prevent, restrict, obstruct, or discourage any stem cell research or stem cell therapies and cures that are permitted by this section to be conducted or provided, or (ii) create disincentives for any person to engage in or otherwise associate with such research or therapies and cures.

8. The provisions of this section are self-executing. All of the provisions of this section are severable. If any provision of this section is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or unconstitutionally enacted, the remaining provisions of this section shall be and remain valid.

....Oh beep them....

2006-07-16T22:25:00.000-04:00

Before I get into this entry I must make a little correction about my last one. When I was talking about Ms. Paltrow breasts, I was referring to them when they're not lactating. Because when she's lactating then our breasts are more evenly matched. I am sorry for any confusion that I might have caused.

When I say "beep them" I am referring to those who are critical of Americans who adopt overseas. Angelina has of course been the biggest target because of her children. It's hard to have patience with these people because well, they're incredibly ignorant. If they actually watched the news and did research they would know how devastated, poor and deprived these countries are, especially Africa.

An orphanage in America is like the Four Seasons compared to an orphanage in Africa. The death rate in third world countries like Cambodia, Ethiopia, Darfur etc. is WAY more higher than it is in the States. Every three seconds a child dies from AIDs and extreme poverty and a lot of them are orphans. These children live in countries where the basic necessities like food, clean water, shelter and proper medical care are scarce. They didn't choose to be born under these conditions but unfortuantely they are. The children in these orphanages are either living with diseases like AIDS, malaria or they run a high risk of contracting one unlike American orphans.

To say that AIDS/HIV is a problem in Africa...that would be an understatment. Around the world, over 38 million people are infected, 25 million of them are in Africa and 1.9 million are children. Every day over 1,000 newborns are infected during labor or by their mothers breast milk. The situation in that country is DIRE.

Yet, jackasses like Janice Dickinson can't see that instead she criticizes Angelina for not adopting from America. Then again, she's unable to have a coherent thought since she fried her brains with all the drugs she did during her modeling days. Let's not forget about all the botox in her head too.

This is why I can never feel bad for the celebrities who complain about being hounded by the paparazzi. They have LUXURY problems not fatal ones. Sorry Britney and the Jennifers of hollywood, I can't give you my pity because I'd rather concentrate my time on people who are actually suffering. While these celebrities are whinning about how they can't go grocergy shopping without being followed, I'm thinking about those who can't even find clean water to drink. These divabitches cover their faces when they're eating at a restaurant while millions of children go to bed starving. Or they hold up their designer purses over their faces as they run to their ridicuously expensive car. Yet there are children who must walk miles on gravel covered roads or jungles, completely barefoot. If they're female they run the risk of being kidnapped, beaten, murdered, raped or all of the above.

So, instead of joining in on Britney's pity party crew who most likely buy her childrens clothes line or whatever product she's pushing at the moment, I turn against her and focus on those who are in need of my compassion and generosity. But somehow....I'm the evil jealous bitch?

......What the??.............

2006-07-16T00:27:00.000-04:00

I know that I've been writing celebrity fluff entries lately and well, this past week proved why. Celebrity gossip is an escape for me. Don't get me wrong I still check in with my news blogs but I try not to do it often. This world is so fucked up and chaotic....I fear that there is no end in sight.

My God, Israel and Lebanon are basically at war like the way Kurt and Goldie are "married". The children that live there....I just can't imagine living in that kind of environment. Granted, everything here is in the states isn't all sunshine and puppies but Americans aren't forced into their basements or bomb shelters. We don't have to worry about our friends and family not coming home every time they go out. Nor do we have to dela with bombs going off at a nonstop rate. Some people are dealt bad hands in life and I know that it's a truth that we must all accept but....it's just hard.

Children shouldn't have to live in constant fear. They should be able to play outside or walk the streets with their families without any worry...but they can't.

This Dixie Chicks song "Easy Silence" perfectly describes how I'm feeling. Their album Taking the Long Way is excellent but "Easy Silence" is definitely the stand out track.

When the calls and conversations
Accidents and accusations
Messages and misperceptions
Paralyze my mind

Busses, cars, and airplanes leaving
Burning fumes of gasoline
And everyone is running
And I come to find a refuge in the

Easy silence that you make for me
It's okay when there's nothing more to say to me
And the peaceful quiet you create for me
And the way you keep the world at bay for me
The way you keep the world at bay

Monkeys on the barricades
Are warning us to back away
They form commissions trying to find
The next one they can crucify

And anger plays on every station
Answers only make more questions
I need something to believe in
Breathe in sanctuary in the

Easy silence that you make for me
It's okay when there's nothing more to say to me
And the peaceful quiet you create for me
And the way you keep the world at bay for me
The way you keep the world at bay

Children lose their youth too soon
Watching war made us immune
And I've got all the world to lose
But I just want to hold on to the

Easy silence that you make for me
It's okay when there's nothing more to say to me
And the peaceful quiet you create for me
And the way you keep the world at bay for me

The easy silence that you make for me
It's okay when there's nothing more to say to me
And the peaceful quiet you create for me
And the way you keep the world at bay for me
The way you keep the world at bay for me
The way you keep the world at bay

I will end this entry on a high note. Enjoy the "Threatdown" by my beloved Stephen Colbert. Live, love, laugh and peace, my lovelies.

.........More bland than dry toast......

2006-06-26T22:36:00.000-04:00

This morning, I happened to catch Kathy Griffin's Allegedly stand up special on Bravo. Yes I know, I tend to like polarizing people, Angelina, Margaret Cho, Wanda Sykes, Bill Maher, Michael Moore and Sarah Silverman--oh my!

Anyway, she was talking about her "Gwyneth" encounter on the red carpet a few years ago and I was not surprised to find out that she (Gwyneth) was as Christian Finnegan would say, "A pretentious jackass". There are many examples of this, either watch her interviews where she is always condescending to the host or find the video of her presenting a Golden Globe to Sir Anthony Hopkins in a faux and horrible English accent. I am aware that she was in the English drama Emma but seriously, she couldn't even pronounce Anthony correctly...she constantly referred to him as "Ant-tinnee" WTF?! I'm not a hardcore fan of his but I at least know how to say his name!

When she was on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, she bragged about how she threw her friend a bachelorette party. They had tea, did yoga and went to a sex shop. And no, I am not kidding, she seemed pretty damn proud of herself as she told Conan of her "wacky" adventure. Maybe her friend is exactly like her, incredibly dull and snooty. But my God, with the exception of the trip to the sex shop, that had to the lamest bachelorette party EVER! Tea??? Forget about that.....YOGA? Granted, yoga isn't exactly like spinning or Tae Bo, but the last thing I want to do on my very last night of "single life" is fucking exercise! Because believe or not, I am a lady. Therefore, I'd prefer to do all my heavy sweating and awkward positioning for the wedding night or if you're Britney Spears, the bathroom floor of the nearest Starbucks.

Then there was Shallow Hal....I can't believe I'm about to type this, that movie was so below Jack Black. As a chubby guy, I don't think he honestly believes that there is a fit and incredibly attractive man within him just waiting to get out! She had the balls to advocate the film's message "Looks shouldn't matter" yes, because she definitely adopted that as her personal motto when she dated fuglies like Brad Pitt, Ben Affleck(I know, I know but there are uglier men out there), that rich guy...wasn't he an heir to something....and English rocker Chris Martin.

Look, I'm not going to deny her best talents, singing and acting. However, I'll admit that I have learned one thing from Ms. Paltrow...I know now how to not be a pretentious boob. Hell, it would take 12 of her elitist ones just to fill one of my humble bra cups.

......The body of a woman, with the emotions of a child...

2006-06-17T10:12:00.000-04:00

The title of this entry is a quote that Elizabeth Taylor actually said about herself but these days, it best explains Ms. Britney Spears current state of mind.

Her interview with Matt Lauer, did nothing to sway me. She's still on my "On Notice" list (thanks Stephen Colbert). Like everything else in her career, this interview was intentional, she WANTS America and the world to feel sorry for her, according to certain polls she has somewhat succeeded.

The biggest pop star of my generation and one of television's most respected journalist were talking to each other in this beautiful California mansion....but just look at the little details.

First off, she wants to be taken seriously, and she also wants to be seen and treated as an adult/woman. But look at her disheveled appearance, her hair was fried, she had fake eye lashes, she did her own makeup and her top was unflattering and it barely held in her lactating breasts. Then there was the cup she drink from during the interview, it wasn't even a glass and no one bothered to take it out of the shot. It was one of disposable plastic cups that's red on the outside and white inside, you buy them in bulk from a wholesale warehouse/store, it was on the carpeted floor on her left side. Right there, she wanted to show the world she was "normal" and "unglamourous" but it backfired. How can she expect us, the general public to respect her when she can't even bother to clean herself up and spit out her gum?! This wasn't a quick stop at Starbucks or a corner store to get Cheetos, this was a nationally televised interview! Do I expect her to look like a model? No, but she could at least look presentable. If Larry Rudolph were still her manager he would die before letting her appear on television looking so haggard.

Then there was the interview itself, which....lordy. Her responses were very juvenile, she'd pout her bottom lip out at least twice or when Matt asked a tough question about Kevin she'd give him puppy dog eyes or look away. There were times, especially when it came to the questions about Kevin, where you can just tell that she wasn't being completely honest. If things were really "awesome" between them then why weren't they seen or photographed publicly together for almost three months? Non-famous couples don't even go that long without going out together or hell, even running errands like grocery shopping. She's not working and him...come on! He's "recording" an album but he's not even signed to a label yet.

Later on, she totally contradicted herself when she said that she was "country" thus explaining why she held Sean in her lap while driving but then she got offended when Matt said that some people called her a "redneck". The "We're country" excuse was laughable, I doubt she was four months old when her dad let her drive and it was probably on a deserted dirt back road not on a busy California street. And what was with her and the multiple misuse of finger quotes?

It is unfair that her role as a mother is under a microscope but with that being said....she just doesn't think. I don't believe it's done purposely but she held a drink (which I hope was non-alcoholic) while tripping on her always long and never tailored jeans and she almost dropped Sean. Obviously, it doesn't look good that she kept her grip on the drink the entire time. She just needs to be aware of her surroundings.

Concerning her relationship with Kevin, yeah, I don't like him and I'm not the only one that feels this way. Just from the interview, I could see that she was just trying to save face by being "defiant" about it. Honestly, just the fact that he left his pregnant girlfriend/baby mama to go on tour with Britney rather than staying in California and financially supporting his kids....that's a HUGE red flag. At the time of their "courtship", Britney pursued him (just watch their show Chaotic) and I don't think it mattered to her what his intentions were/are, she just wanted to not be alone anymore. She settled for less, and like other women in similar situations she will feel trapped in this relationship until she finally accepts the truth and ends it.

Her wish is for the paparazzi to leave her alone, that's incredibly unrealistic. The only way that will happen is if she moves to Idaho like Demi Moore did or Switzerland like her idol Shania Twain. Although quite frankly, she needs them because the day that they're not following her, she's going to freak out. Those who want to see her candid pictures are her fans that buy her music but if they lose interest in her then she loses the business that they give her.

Ever since she was on MMC, she wanted to be famous. She wanted the attention, this went past puberty, even with Kevin she produced a tv show revealing her home movies and she posed with Sean and him in People magazine. And now she wants to bite the hand that feeds her? It doesn't work like that. Fame and fortune comes at a very high price and if she doesn't want to pay it, then she has to get her ass out of California or she just accept it.

The way that the interview ended, it didn't help her at all! Matt asked her about her new business venture which is designing baby clothes and he said that she liked business. Her response, "I like money."

During the interview they showed clips of her pre-Federline and I (along with many others) we got a little bit sad and nostalgic for the old Britney that we originally fell for. The one that would at least comb her hair and wear shoes when going out in public. That night, we had to accept that we'd never get her back if she continues to go on this downward spiral.

Trent from pink is the new blog and I agree that Britney was never given a substantial amount of time to truly grow up, mature and to "sow her wild oats". Like she said that she "likes money" yet she doesn't want to deal with the problems that go along with that. That's very childlike, she wants it both ways knowing that she can't. If she did, she would know how to handle herself appropriately. In that way, I feel sorry for her but that's it.

........The Balance..........

2006-05-30T15:47:00.000-04:00

Everyday, hate, ignorance, and intolerance is taught and passed down from generation to generation. For example, look at terrorism. Any person can learn how to shoot a gun or build/wear a bomb, they just need the right motivation to do so. I know this happens everyday all around the world but...it's different when you're a witness to it and there is not a damn thing you can do about it.

I'll never understand those who knowingly teach their child/children how to be inhumane and intolerant of those are who different from them...especially those who claim to do it in the name of God. Therefore, I will never support a relationship/union that is built on a foundation of utter ignorance and was formed from a common bond of hateful morals and values.

So, as you can imagine I was little bit down because of this...then, I thought about Shiloh and her parents. As cheesy as this may sound, I realized that there is a balance in the world because of her. She will be raised to accept individuals of different faiths, races, ethnicities, economic backgrounds and sexual orientations....and there it is. Her birth, along with many others counter all the evil that is in this chaotic world.

Despite all the darkness in the world there will always be light to lead us through.

......Congratulations Jolie-Pitts!....

2006-05-28T00:32:00.000-04:00

Last night, baby (girl) Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt was born! Like her older siblings she was born in an exotic locale, Namibia, Africa where America's most beautiful family has been shacked up in highly guarded resort since April. Congratulations to my beloved Jolie-Pitts!

Now, I know that I haven't posted any BAMZ updates but that's because well, I've lost my source for pictures lol Anyway, fate seemed to be work since I should have been in bed an hour ago but I guess that wasn't in the cards! After checking my e-mail I saw that MSN posted the story. Again, best wishes to Brad and Angie for finding each other and the family that's they've always wanted. Also, to Nicole Kidman for dropping out of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. True love is beautiful!

One more thing: Let the haters hate, Brad, Angelina, Maddox, Zahara and TEAM Jolie-Pitt, go on and celebrate!

Credit to people.com, gettyimages and ramey for the pics!

....Oh What Balls (The Dixie Chicks edition)........

2006-05-23T02:07:00.000-04:00

Update on Colbert: It's been over three weeks since his infamous speech at the WHCA dinner and it like Daniel Powter's song, it just won't go away. This past Saturday, the audio version of his speech was the number 1 download on iTunes and since he is on a two week break he is now taking the time to read his reviews but also speaking at Knox College's graduation ceremony! Go on my dear Stephen, enjoy this glorious afterglow!

Look, I'm not going to pretend that I was always a Dixie chicks fan...in fact the only country music I can take is pop country like Faith Hill with a few drops of Shania and LeAnn. But everything changed on the eve of the Iraq war. Natalie made her a controversial comment saying that she was ashamed that W came from Texas. It was the quote heard around the world. We all know what happened next with their "fans" and country radio turning their backs on them. But it wasn't until she won VH1's "Big Quote" of the year (2003) award that I took notice of this Texan woman with the biggest balls in America. When she appeared on stage to accept the award (from the fabulous Bill Maher) she was greeted by a fair amount of boos and she did the "Bring it On" gesture. Her acceptance speech was funny, gracious and eloquent. Here is Bill Maher's introduction and her speech.

"Now as many of you here tonight know, last March Natalie Maines of the Dixie
Chicks said something mean about George Bush and almost lost us the war in
Iraq. In fact, if she had said one more mean thing about the President, the
Iraqi’s would have taken Boston. And that could have affected Ben and J. Lo.
Now, since the Dixie Chicks have made several trips to the Pakistani border,
where they have been meeting with Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, Uncle Saddam
to them, North Korea’s leader, Lil’ Kim and Janeane Garafalo, who two of them
are dating. Now, all kidding aside, there is a technical word for people who
get hysterical over nothing, they are called 'morons.' Whipping up fake
hystery is a tactic that bullies use and free speech depends on people standing up
to bullies and the Dixie Chicks did that gracefully this year. All of this,
all of us who have been "Dixie-chicked," at one time or another, salute these
ladies. And it is with great pleasure that I present Natalie Maines with VH1’s
Big Quote of ‘03 Award."

"Thank you. I can take it!! Thank you. You know, there's an old Texas expression that says if you don't have anything nice to say about someone, then go to London and say it in front of 2,000 people. This has been a life-changing experience for me and I'm so grateful that it happened. I learned a lot about myself, my partners, my fans and the country. And actually, I think I found one thing that I do have in common with the President: neither one of us know how those words got into our speeches.

And you know, some people have said that I should shut up and sing. And I thought about this. Everything's worth a thought. I thought about this and I actually tried it. To shut up AND sing. But nothing came out and that didn't work. So, instead I decided to NOT shut up AND to sing. It's one thing that's great about being an American. And a mother of one of the soldiers wrote us a letter that said freedom is something you live, not just something you write on a wall. And that is why we as Americans must vote, and we must be involved, and we must question. Why? Because we can. So I ask you, please don't let anyone scare you and start living your freedoms.

I'd like to thank a few people whose support was very important to me during the last 8 months. First of all, Martie and Emily, who both showed the kind of undying support I can only hope I would've shown them. My dad, my mom and my sister who wrote countless letters defending me and standing up for the person I am. They probably knew to prepare for something like this because they've had a relationship with my mouth and my opinions for 29 years. I'm thankful that I was raised my parents who taught me to love and not to hate. I thank Simon Renshaw for putting integrity above money. You could have asked us several times to just say or do one thing that would've changed it all. And you never did that.

All three of our husbands and our friends and families endured negative...a lot of negative, but remained strong and supportive. I'd like to thank Bill Maher, Michael Moore and Al Franken for dedicating their time to sifting through the lies to find the truth. And laughing while learning is a beautiful thing! Most of all I want to thank our fans for standing by us. You're the best and you make me proud. And lastly I want to thank all the haters, because you make me strong, empowered, involved and proud!! And to the haters, I thought you might like to know we have a CD and a DVD coming out next week, which is great for y'all because you can burn one and stomp on the other. And now, in saying all this, I hope we can move on to the music. And I'm actually going backstage right now. I was hoping you [indicating Bill Maher] would help me with this. I'm starting to write our next big hit single. It's called 'Goodbye Cheney.' Thank you!"

After that, I was totally on board with her and the chicks. These women were/are not unpatriotic for their stance against the President and this war, country radio is for shutting them. Freedom of speech is a right that is entitled to EVERYONE not just to those who we deem worthy and yes, that includes celebrities as well. Even though a lot of their fans and country radio turned on them they gained a new audience and respect frorm liberals like myself.

Freedom, Truth, Understanding and Knowledge or Fuck You Toby Keith lol

The treatment that they received from their former fans was unfair and and uncalled for. Mel Gibson and I are on opposite sides of the fence but I still enjoy his work and he's a great actor. He isn't a horrible person and he doesn't have a "mental disorder", we just disagree. It's unfortunate that the Chicks fans couldn't be the same way. Although honestly, if they're going boycott every liberal who was against this administration and the war..well, I hope they enjoy watching the 700 club, PAX, Dennis Miller and the blue collar comedy tour. Oh and Chuck Norris movies. The death threats that they sent to these chicks were just disgusting and those people are no better than the dictators that they claim to hate. They threaten these women to "shut up and sing or I'll kill you!" How American is that?

Since the "Incident" the lovely ladies spent their time holding concerts where the profits went to educating individuals about Bush hoping to boot him out of the white house...alas, it didn't work. So, they lived their lives, recharged themselves and have now put out a new album. "Not Ready to Make Nice" is basically a wonderful "fuck you" to their fans and if you've seen the video, possibly Cheney too. Their true fans (liberal and conservatives) have praised their most recent album and those who never bought a country record in their life are doing the same. It's a very anti-conservative thing to do actually. I mean, when was the last time you ever heard liberals boycotting something? Or Bill Maher urging his audience to do so unlike O'Reilly. Currently, I'm awaiting for "Taking the Long Way" to be delivered to my doorstep. And by the way, it was the top selling album on Monday on amazon.com.

With this album, they have nothing to lose and everything to gain including a more mainstream and open-minded following. Hell, Natalie said in a recent interview that she's happy that "Not Ready" isn't being played on country radio because quite frankly, well, its current state sucks, yes, I'm talking about you Gretchen Wilson.

The Dixie Chicks and others like them, are living proof that freedom has to be fought for in ordered to be kept and maintained. So kudos to you Dixie Chicks for refusing to "make nice" and to "kiss that ass." Bless your patriotic and courageous hearts!

I hope you enjoy their interview in Time down below.

Sunday, May 21, 2006
In the Line of Fire
THEY'VE TAKEN THEIR HITS, AND NOW THE DIXIE CHICKS HIT BACK WITH WHAT MAY BE THE BEST ADULT POP CD OF THE YEAR. ER, WILL ANYONE BUY IT?
By JOSH TYRANGIEL

Natalie Maines is one of those people born middle finger first.

As a high school senior in Lubbock, Texas, she'd skip a class a day in an attempt to prove that because she never got caught and some Mexican students did, the system was racist. After Maines joined the Dixie Chicks, and the Dixie Chicks became the biggest-selling female group in music history--with suspiciously little cash to show for it--she and her bandmates told their record label, Sony, they were declaring themselves free agents. (In the high school that is Nashville, this is way worse than skipping class.) Now that she's truly notorious, having told a London audience in 2003, on the eve of the Iraq war, "Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas," Maines has one regret: the apology she offered George W. Bush at the onset of her infamy. "I apologized for disrespecting the office of the President," says Maines. "But I don't feel that way anymore. I don't feel he is owed any respect whatsoever."

A sizable chunk of their once adoring audience feels the same way about the Dixie Chicks. After Maines' pronouncement, which was vigorously seconded by bandmates Martie Maguire and Emily Robison, the group received death threats and was banned by thousands of country radio stations, many of which still have informal bans in place. The Dixie Chicks have mass appeal--you can't sell 10 million copies of two of your three albums without engaging lots of different people--but country radio is an indispensable part of how they reach people. Programmers say that even now a heartfelt apology could help set things right with listeners, but it's not happening. "If people are going to ask me to apologize based on who I am," says Maines, "I don't know what to do about that. I can't change who I am."

As proof, the first single from the Dixie Chicks' new album, Taking the Long Way (out May 23), is called Not Ready to Make Nice. It is, as one country radio programmer says, "a four-minute f___-you to the format and our listeners. I like the Chicks, and I won't play it." Few other stations are playing Not Ready to Make Nice, and while it has done well on iTunes, it's quite possible that in singing about their anger at people who were already livid with them and were once their target audience, the Chicks have written their own ticket to the pop-culture glue factory. "I guess if we really cared, we wouldn't have released that single first," says Maguire. "That was just making people mad. But I don't think it was a mistake."

Whether the Dixie Chicks recover their sales luster or not, the choice of single has turned their album release into a referendum. Taking the Long Way's existence is designed to thumb its nose at country's intolerance for ideological hell raising, and buying it or cursing it reveals something about you and your politics--or at least your ability to put a grudge above your listening pleasure. And however you vote, it's tough to deny that by gambling their careers, three Texas women have the biggest balls in American music.

Over lunch in decidedly uncountry Santa Monica, Calif., where they have lived part time while recording Long Way, the Dixie Chicks--in fancy jeans, tank tops and designer sunglasses--seem less like provocateurs than busy moms (they have seven kids in all, ages 1 to 5) amped up by a little free time. In conversation they are loud and unembarrassable, celebrating their lack of boundaries in that escalating, I-can-be-more-blunt-than-you way unique to sisters (which Maguire and Robison are) and women who have shared a tour-bus bathroom. They eagerly discuss the soullessness of Tom Cruise, the creepiness of Charlie Sheen and the price-fixing practices of hair colorists. But sex is the perennial champ, and they are in a constant state of speculation about which of their kids' nannies is most likely to "get some" on tour this summer. "We're all married," says Maguire, "so it's not like we're going to."

One product of their decade together is that the Chicks are loose with pronouns (they use I and we interchangeably) and agree on almost everything, although the ways they agree can be revealing. When the conversation turns to childhood pets and I mention a beloved one-eyed dog, they all make empathetic faces, but Maguire, 36, gets teary, Robison, 33, laughs at her sister's sensitivity, and Maines, 31, says she would have poked around the empty socket "just to check it out." On Iraq, Maguire begins, "The night we sent missiles over ..." while Maines prefers, "When we bombed the s___ out of ..."

In the days preceding the March 2003 U.S. invasion, the Dixie Chicks were touring Europe. They don't subscribe to Foreign Affairs, but they are daily newspaper readers who back up their positions with a solid understanding of current events. It struck them as natural that in front of a largely antiwar crowd in London, Maines would preface Travelin' Soldier, an apolitical ballad about a heartsick Vietnam G.I., with a reference to the world outside the theater. As Maines spoke, though, Robison admits, "I got hot from my head to my toes--just kind of this rush of 'Ohhh, s___.' It wasn't that I didn't agree with her 100%; it was just, 'Oh, this is going to stir something up.'"

The celebrity playbook for navigating a scandal is one word long: repent. But apologies are for lapses of character, not revelations of it, and sensing that they were being asked to apologize for their beliefs as much as their timing, the Chicks decided not to back down. "Natalie knows we could have totally convinced her to apologize," says Maguire. "But the fact is, any one of us could have said what she said." Their demure response to the bans and threats--one of which arrived with the date, time and method of Maines' planned assassination--was to appear nude on the cover of ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY with slurs (SADDAM'S ANGELS) scrawled on their naked bodies. That did not placate the offended. More fans and friends were lost. Gradually, though, the need for round-the-clock security faded.

Now when they talk about "the Incident," as they unfailingly call it, the Dixie Chicks try to write it off as an absurdity. Maines has powerful gusts of indignation and real disdain for a few right-wing websites and talk-show hosts, but what seems to linger most is disappointment in her pre-controversy self. "I think I'd gotten too comfortable living my life," she says. "I didn't know people thought about us a certain way--that we were Republican and pro-war."

With George Bush the official piÃ±ata of the music industry (see chart, above) the Dixie Chicks' ordeal should have cooled by now. "We struggle with that all the time," says Maguire. "Are we picking the scab of something that's already healed? Because we don't know what people are thinking." Radio programmers make it their business to know. "They're still through the floor," says Dale Carter, program director at KFKF in Kansas City, Mo. "There's a technology called the Dial where listeners react to songs, and every time we test the Dixie Chicks ..." Carter makes a noise like a boulder falling from a high cliff. "It's not the music, because we're playing them the hits they used to love. It's something visceral. I've never seen anything like it."

The unwillingness of audiences to forgive the band is inseparable from politics. Market research indicates the average country listener is white, suburban and leans to the right, and they need not lean too far to file away an insult against a wartime President. Still, as the President's support has eroded and growing numbers of Americans (presumably some country-music fans among them) have come to disapprove of both his performance and the decision to go to war, shouldn't there be a proportional feeling of forgiveness toward the Dixie Chicks?

Country Music Television (CMT) has conducted numerous focus groups on the band. "And they're all a great study in the American psyche," says Brian Philips, the channel's executive vice president. "What comes up over and over again is, 'It would have been one thing if they'd said it on American soil, but it's the fact that they said it in Europe that really sets me off!'" There's an accusation of cowardice in there--although Maines insists, "I said it there 'cause that's where I was"--but if the way Philips draws out the syllables in Europe is to be believed, there's also a more personal grievance, an uneasy cocktail of resentment and abandonment. As Tim McGraw, one of the few vocal Democrats in country, and the only major artist who would speak on the record about the Dixie Chicks, says, "You've got to remember this is a family skirmish, and it's possible there's more than one thing going on."

Country music has never been particularly classy, which is one of its principal charms. Less charming is its defensiveness about its station. Unlike rock fans, most of whom are attracted to the music's integration of styles, some country fans--particularly those who call up radio stations in a lather--take it upon themselves to patrol a wall of genre purity. Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash got passes because they were sui generis. Not so Buck Owens, who in 1965, after a few experimental dalliances, took out an advertisement with a career-saving loyalty oath, "Pledge to Country Music," in the Music City News, promising, "I Shall Sing No Song That Is Not a Country Song." Even now, acts that other listeners reflexively think of as country, from McGraw to Willie Nelson to Shania Twain, are often disparaged for keeping an eye on the Hot 100, playing noncountry songs or showing a little navel. The message from hard-core listeners is, Stay behind the wall.

Early in their careers, the Dixie Chicks did, and they were beloved for it. Maguire and Robison started the group in their teens (Maguire was then at Southern Methodist University; Robison never finished an application to the Air Force Academy) with two singers in their 30s before eventually replacing them in 1995 with Maines, a Berklee College of Music dropout who, at the time, was attending her third college in three years. After a lot of dues paying, the band took over the country charts. Maines has an immensely powerful voice, but she's also capable of barometric emotional adjustments; she almost never oversings and thus sounds great coming out of stereo speakers. Meanwhile, in a medium that values tradition, Maguire and Robison played the most traditional country instruments, fiddle and banjo, and played them well. It didn't hurt either that all three were lookers.

The Chicks have affection for their early work, and songs like There's Your Trouble and Goodbye Earl will endure, but Maines describes most of it as "amateurish." They didn't write their hits, and the songs they did write were mostly filler. "I never wrote anything from my point of view," Maines says. "Even if it was something that happened to me, I would write it like it was a character and I was telling someone else's story ... That's not very brave."

This is what talented musicians are supposed to do: aspire to get better, braver. But at each step of their evolution, from their feud with Sony (ungrateful!) to the bluegrass album, Home (not country enough!), and then, of course, the Incident, the genre's wrath hovered like a jealous boyfriend. "Their old audience feels a little betrayed, a little left behind maybe," says CMT's Philips. That may explain why, as the Chicks and country began their breakup, country fans ran into the arms of brilliant redneck instigator Toby Keith, who displayed a doctored photo of Maines and Saddam Hussein at his concerts.

It also explains why the Dixie Chicks have made such a point of saying good riddance. "I'd rather have a smaller following of really cool people who get it," says Maguire, "who will grow with us as we grow and are fans for life, than people that have us in their five-disc changer with Reba McEntire and Toby Keith. We don't want those kinds of fans. They limit what you can do."

When the group gathered in early 2004 to talk about a new album, none of the three sounded nearly that confident. "You could tell this thing had strengthened them personally but shaken them artistically," says producer Rick Rubin, famous for his work with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Beastie Boys and on Johnny Cash's haunting American series. "What turned me on, though, was that even though people were divided over what they said, people cared what they said, and that's a very strong position for an artist to be in. For the first time the girls, these cute little girls, had a platform."

Rubin took on the project with the hope--he's way too Zen to make demands--that for the first time in their careers the Dixie Chicks would write all their songs, by themselves and about themselves. As writers they admit they're prone to laziness, like people at a gym who need a personal trainer to force them to concentrate. Gary Louris of the Jayhawks, blues artist Keb' Mo' and Dan Wilson of Semisonic were brought in to co-write and supply discipline, and the band hunkered down in Los Angeles, where Rubin lives, to begin the long and unglamorous work of crafting songs.

Most of the material that emerged over nearly two years of writing was about marriage and kids and modern life as the Dixie Chicks and lots of other people live it. Oblique references to the controversy made their way into a few songs, so Wilson suggested they write one that addressed the issue head on. "Natalie said, 'Does that mean we'd have to forgive the people that were so evil to us?' And I said, 'Maybe it does,'" Wilson recalls. "And with a little wave of her hand, she said, 'Nooooope.' Then the next morning that phrase 'I'm not ready to make nice' appeared."

The song builds to a massive crescendo under lyrics ("It's too late to make it right/ I probably wouldn't if I could/ 'Cause I'm mad as hell/ Can't bring myself to do what it is you think I should") that are explicitly clear. Those who loathe the Dixie Chicks will never get to the end, while those who love them will listen once, say Yeah! and probably not need to go back. It works better as a referendum than as a pop song, but as Robison says, "We wrote it for ourselves, for therapy. Whether or not other people think it was important enough to say, we think it was." Says CMT's Philips: "I hope the audience lets them get this out of their system, because it would be the musical crime of the century if people don't hear this album all the way through."

That's a bit much, but you probably won't hear a better adult pop album this year. Musically, Taking the Long Way is full of swaggering country-tinged rock hooks--like a peak Eagles record, except without the misogyny and drug references and the advice to Take It Easy. Instead the songs aspire to do what the best pop always does, function as a smart expression of its creators' lives while remaining accessible to its listeners'. There are allusions to the recent past--on the jubilant opener The Long Way Around ("It's been two long years now/ Since the top of the world came crashing down") and the breakup song Everybody Knows ("I swore they'd never see me cry/ You'd never see me cry")--but they're only obvious if you look for them. Bitter End is a sing-along about fair-weather friends (the group fell out with a few lefty rockers who, amazingly, felt cheated of the nation's opprobrium) and even Lullaby is the rare song about kids well crafted enough that the childless could mistake it for a love song. And as things begin to sag a bit in Long Way's final third, the album delivers a knockout, So Hard, the first pop song in memory about infertility (Maguire and Robison conceived by in vitro fertilization) and also the catchiest, most complicated love song on the record.

Will anybody buy it? The Dixie Chicks talk about Long Way as the end of their commercial salad days, but they're shrewd enough to know that only suckers choose between art and commerce. "I'm not ready to fly coach," jokes Maguire, and indeed Taking the Long Way could easily sub as the title for their marketing plan. They'll tour starting in July and flog the record on a few select talk shows. "Natalie's new motto is, 'What would Bruce Springsteen do?'" says Robison, laughing. "Not that we're of that caliber, but 'Would Bruce Springsteen do The View?'" They're not doing The View.

Maines says she's not looking for more battles, but she won't shy away from any either. "Everything was so nice and fine and happy for us for the longest time," she says of their pre-Incident days. "It was awesome to feel those feelings again that I felt in high school: to be angry, to be sure that you're right and that the things you do matter. You don't realize that you're not feeling those feelings until you do. And then you realize how much more interesting life is."

With reporting by Andrea Sachs

...Oh What Balls......

2006-05-04T00:25:00.000-04:00

Wow, Stephen Colbert has to be one the ballsiest people on this planet. For those of who don't know, he was the entertainment at the annual "White House Correspondents' Association Dinner" which occurred on April 29th. As Jon Stewart said, "It's where the press and white house concummate their loveless marriage." Personally, I was really shocked that he was chosen since unlike the comedians of the past, he is not a supporter of this administration nor is he politically neutral like last year's comedian Cedric the Entertainer. In fact, he's a Southern Democrat, (which is a turn on of mine) he only plays a conservative on his show The Colbert Report. Well, the person that booked him.... didn't get that lol

It started out very light, everyone laughed even the President. Then, as Stephen's speech wore the laughs became inaudible, to say the least. For the first time, the President and the press were forced to sit down and listen to EVERY mistake that they have made. At first, W wasn't getting it until he looked at the unsmiling faces of his wife and cronies. Then after Stephen finished the Bushes left...oh and Laura unlike her husband didn't even shake Stephen's hand. Lord, it was so glorious.

Quite frankly, the "liberal media" has given this administration a free pass up until recently. so, what did they do...they ignored Stephen's patriotic performance for over three days and instead focuse don how the President hired a clone and made fun of how stupid he is. Like we didn't know that already. Anyway, when the press finally started to acknowledge Stephen's performance they said that it "wasn't funny" well duh, the butt of the joke isn't supposed to enjoy being ridiculed. Even C-span pulled video footage of the event from you tube and all the other sites that were hosting it. As expected the right wing pundits ripped him which meant that he was succesful because his intention was not to be "laugh track" funny, it was pure satire at its greatest.

Since then, my dearest Stephen has remained mostly mum on the subject. He's admitted to not reading any of the press coverage on it but his assitant has been collecting the articles and when his two week break from the Report comes up, he'll read them. I also hope that he checks out Thank You Stephen Colbert

I didn't think it was possible to love this man anymore than I already did, but once again, I'm proven wrong. He is a true comedian but most of all, a patriot. And if he weren't married to the lovely Ms. Evelyn, I'd so be trying to tap that....mmmmm. Sorry, that's the whore in me writing. Oh how would I love to kiss those paper thin lips of his...hell, I'd settle for a conversation with the man and women who have tasted his sweet heavenly mouth. But I digress. My beloved Stephen is now an icon and words cannot describe the pride, love and admiration that I will forever feel for him.

Here is the transcript of his entire speech:

"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Before I begin, I've been asked to make an announcement. Whoever parked 14 black bulletproof SUVs out front, could you please move them? They are blocking in 14 other black bulletproof SUVs, and they need to get out.

Wow! Wow, what an honor! The White House Correspondents' dinner. To actually -- to sit here at the same table with my hero, George W. Bush, to be this close to the man. I feel like I'm dreaming. Somebody pinch me. You know what? I'm a pretty sound sleeper; that may not be enough. Somebody shoot me in the face. Is he really not here tonight? Damn it! The one guy who could have helped.

By the way, before I get started, if anybody needs anything else at their tables, just speak slowly and clearly into your table numbers. Someone from the NSA will be right over with a cocktail.

Mark Smith, ladies and gentlemen of the press corps, Madame First Lady, Mr. President, my name is Stephen Colbert, and tonight it is my privilege to celebrate this president, ‘cause we're not so different, he and I. We both get it. Guys like us, we're not some brainiacs on the nerd patrol. We're not members of the factinista. We go straight from the gut. Right, sir?

That's where the truth lies, right down here in the gut. Do you know you have more nerve endings in your gut than you have in your head? You can look it up. Now, I know some of you are going to say, "I did look it up, and that's not true." That's 'cause you looked it up in a book. Next time, look it up in your gut. I did. My gut tells me that's how our nervous system works.

Every night on my show, The Colbert Report, I speak straight from the gut, okay? I give people the truth, unfiltered by rational argument. I call it the "No Fact Zone." FOX News, I hold a copyright on that term.

I'm a simple man with a simple mind. I hold a simple set of beliefs that I live by. Number one, I believe in America. I believe it exists. My gut tells me I live there. I feel that it extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and I strongly believe it has 50 states, and I cannot wait to see how the Washington Post spins that one tomorrow.

I believe in democracy. I believe democracy is our greatest export. At least until China figures out a way to stamp it out of plastic for three cents a unit. As a matter of fact, Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong, welcome. Your great country makes our Happy Meals possible. I said it's a celebration.

I believe the government that governs best is the government that governs least. And by these standards, we have set up a fabulous government in Iraq.

I believe in pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps. I believe it is possible. I saw this guy do it once in Cirque du Soleil. It was magical!

And though I am a committed Christian, I believe that everyone has the right to their own religion, be you Hindu, Jewish or Muslim. I believe there are infinite paths to accepting Jesus Christ as your personal savior.

Ladies and gentlemen, I believe it's yogurt. But I refuse to believe it's not butter.

Most of all, I believe in this president. Now, I know there are some polls out there saying that this man has a 32% approval rating. But guys like us, we don't pay attention to the polls. We know that polls are just a collection of statistics that reflect what people are thinking in "reality." And reality has a well-known liberal bias. So, Mr. President, please, please, pay no attention to the people that say the glass is half full. 32% means the glass -- important to set up your jokes properly, sir. Sir, pay no attention to the people who say the glass is half empty, because 32% means it's 2/3 empty. There's still some liquid in that glass is my point, but I wouldn't drink it. The last third is usually backwash. Okay.

Look, folks, my point is that I don't believe this is a low point in this presidency. I believe it is just a lull before a comeback. I mean, it's like the movie Rocky. Alright? The President, in this case, is Rocky Balboa, and Apollo Creed is everything else in the world. It's the tenth round. He's bloodied. His corner man, Mick, who in this case, I guess, would be the Vice President, he's yelling, "Cut me, Dick, cut me!" And every time he falls, everyone says, "Stay down, Rocky! Stay down!" But does he stay down? No. Like Rocky, he gets back up, and in the end he -- actually loses in the first movie. Okay, doesn't matter. Doesn’t matter.

The point is it is the heart-warming story of a man who was repeatedly punched in the face, so don't pay attention to the approval ratings that say that 68% of Americans disapprove of the job this man is doing. I ask you this, does that not also logically mean that 68% approve of the job he's not doing? Think about it. I haven't.

I stand by this man. I stand by this man, because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things, things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message, that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound with the most powerfully staged photo-ops in the world.

Now, there may be an energy crisis. Well, this president has a very forward-thinking energy policy. Why do you think he's down on the ranch cutting that brush all the time? He's trying to create an alternative energy source. By 2008, we will have a mesquite-powered car.

And I just like the guy. He's a good Joe, obviously loves his wife, calls her his better half. And polls show America agrees. She's a true lady and a wonderful woman. But I just have one beef, ma'am. I'm sorry, but this reading initiative. I'm sorry, I've never been a fan of books. I don't trust them. They're all fact, no heart. I mean, they're elitist, telling us what is or isn't true or what did or didn't happen. Who's Britannica to tell me the Panama Canal was built in 1914? If I want to say it was built in 1941, that's my right as an American! I'm with the President. Let history decide what did or did not happen.

The greatest thing about this man is he's steady. You know where he stands. He believes the same thing Wednesday that he believed on Monday, no matter what happened Tuesday. Events can change; this man's beliefs never will.

And as excited as I am to be here with the President, I am appalled to be surrounded by the liberal media that is destroying America, with the exception of FOX News. FOX News gives you both sides of every story: the President's side, and the Vice President's side.

But the rest of you, what are you thinking? Reporting on NSA wiretapping or secret prisons in Eastern Europe? Those things are secret for a very important reason: they're super-depressing. And if that's your goal, well, misery accomplished.

Over the last five years you people were so good, over tax cuts, WMD intelligence, the effect of global warming. We Americans didn't want to know, and you had the courtesy not to try to find out. Those were good times, as far as we knew.

But, listen, let's review the rules. Here's how it works. The President makes decisions. He's the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Just put 'em through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration? You know, fiction!

Because, really, what incentive do these people have to answer your questions, after all? I mean, nothing satisfies you. Everybody asks for personnel changes. So, the White House has personnel changes. And then you write, "Oh, they're just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic." First of all, that is a terrible metaphor. This administration is not sinking. This administration is soaring! If anything, they are rearranging the deck chairs on the Hindenburg!

Now, it's not all bad guys out there. There are some of the heroes out there tonight: Christopher Buckley, Jeff Sacks, Ken Burns, Bob Schieffer. I’ve interviewed all of them. By the way, Mr. President, thank you for agreeing to be on my show. I appreciate it. I was just as shocked as everyone here is, I promise you. How's Tuesday for you? I've got Frank Rich, but we can just bump him. And I mean bump him. I know a guy. Say the word.

See who we've got here tonight. We’ve got General Moseley, Air Force Chief of Staff. We’ve got General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. They still support Rumsfeld. Right, you guys aren't retired yet, right? Right, they still support Rumsfeld. Look, by the way, I've got a theory about how to handle these retired generals causing all this trouble: Don't let them retire! Come on, we've got a stop-loss program; let's use it on these guys. I've seen Zinni in that crowd on Wolf Blitzer. If you're strong enough to go on one of those pundit shows, you’re strong enough to stand on a bank of computers and order men into battle. Come on!

Jesse Jackson is here, the Reverend. Haven't heard from the Reverend in just a little while. I had him on the show. It was a very interesting interview, very challenging interview. You can ask him anything, but he's going to say what he wants at the pace that he wants. It's like boxing a glacier. Enjoy that metaphor, by the way, because your grandchildren will have no idea what a glacier is.

Justice Scalia is here. Justice Scalia, may I be the first to say, “Welcome, sir!” You look fantastic! How are you? Just talking some Sicilian with my paisan.

John McCain is here. John McCain, what a maverick! Somebody find out what fork he used on his salad, because I guarantee you it wasn't a salad fork. This guy could have used a spoon! There's no predicting him. By the way, Senator McCain, it's so wonderful to see you coming back into the Republican fold. I’ve actually got a summer house in South Carolina. Look me up when you go to speak at Bob Jones University. So glad you've seen the light, sir.

Mayor Nagin! Mayor Nagin is here from New Orleans, the chocolate city! Yeah, give it up. Mayor Nagin, I'd like to welcome you to Washington, D.C., the chocolate city with a marshmallow center and a graham cracker crust of corruption. It's a Mallomar, I guess, is what I'm describing, is a Mallomar. It’s a seasonal cookie.

Joe Wilson is here. Joe Wilson, right down here in front, the most famous husband since Desi Arnaz. And, of course, he brought along his lovely wife Valerie Plame. Oh, my god! Oh, what have I said? Ay, gee monetti! I am sorry, Mr. President, I meant to say he brought along his lovely wife “Joe Wilson's wife.” Patrick Fitzgerald is not here tonight, right? Okay, dodged a bullet.

And, of course, we can't forget the man of the hour, new press secretary, Tony Snow. Secret Service name: "Snow Job." Toughest job. What a hero! Took the second toughest job in government, next to, of course, the ambassador to Iraq. Got some big shoes to fill, Tony. Big shoes to fill. Scott McClellan could say nothing like nobody else. McClellan, of course, eager to retire, really felt like he needed to spend more time with Andrew Card's children.

Now, Mr. President, I wish you hadn't made the decision so quickly, sir. I was vying for the job myself. I think I would have made a fabulous press secretary. I have nothing but contempt for these people.

In fact, sir, I brought along an audition tape and with your indulgence, I'd like to at least give it a shot. So, ladies and gentlemen, my press conference."

.......Pathetic....

2006-03-28T08:22:00.000-05:00

I was reminded recently of my first real heartbreak on one of the message boards that I frequently visit. The girl, (who is fabulous) she asked us if she should tell her guyfriend that she had more than platonic feelings for him. She did via online but he made her wait before telling her that he shared the same feelings. Then, he told her that he didn't want to change their relationship which was of course a huge disappoint, at least for the members anyway, she seemed to take it better than us LOL. At least in her situation he was up front with what he wanted, no matter how wrong it is, haha.

My situation was...well, it didn't go as smoothly. It was three years ago. He led me on to believe that he could have possibly wanted more when he really didn't, and he did this more than once. Whenever I made my feelings known (twice) he would ignore me, like I was nothing. Never once did he straight out tell me how he felt because he was too cowardly to do so. So one day, he just decided that I didn't exist to him, literally. I was with a group of friends and he spoke to one of them without even LOOKING at me.

I was devastated because I had never been so close to ANYONE. There were things that he knew about me that no one else did. I should have given up because when he found out about my feelings it wasn't from me, it was revealed to him by a so-called friend but he didn't make a move, he couldn't. The worst part, he had a girlfriend that he was crazy about. I became privy to this information over a month later...while my the rest of my friends knew. Even after they broke up, I denied what my friend had told him...I should have stuck with it but I didn't and I don't regret it.

Looking back, I knew I shouldn't have pushed but then again, he should have been straight with me instead of hiding. What really hurt me the most was the loss of his friendship because that's what I valued most. I never had that type of bond with anyone before and to have it severed, so callously...it was damaging.

Usually, anger is the first stage and pain is the last. For me, not so much. It was reversed because I had been so tired of crying and feeling so much anguish because I didn't know where he stood. After some time I saw him for what he really was, a nice guy that was a closet masochist who dated utter and complete bitches. And I wasn't one, I'm still not.

The result is the poem that I'm about to post. When someone has absolute power, he/she doesn't need to raise their voice, make idle threaten or menacing gestures. Every single word that is said will be taken seriously without any question and I think this poem really captures that. Because it's not long and it doesn't rhyme, it just right to the point. It's short but it isn't sweet. Here it is.

Pathetic
It must be hard to stand up
Without having a damn spine
You must enjoy getting fucked over
I can tell from the bitches that you date
I see how you play that game
Playing the victim, to get sympathy
And to think, I used to fall for it
Now, I just think you're pathetic
And you call yourself a man
Ha, you sad excuse for a boy
I can't believe I wasted my time
On a fucking loser like you

.......He'll never know........

2006-03-02T01:21:00.000-05:00

For the first time, I was reluctant to post an entry. Believe it or not, I am considerate of others feelings. Then after venting to Jamison, I decided to post it. This blog is supposed to bring you into my mind. Names have been withheld and access has been limited but my feelings have not been censored.

The other day, an acquaintance of mine announced that he was getting married and for the most part, I was/am happy for him. Love is a beautiful thing and it's always great when two people want to announce their undying feelings to the world. Then, as I went to bed, I started thinking.

That's when it hit me, he can say "I'm getting married!" and have its every meaning be absolute, since he's white, Christian and straight. Never will he think or say "Well...civil union" or "Not legally" after saying that sentence. He will never realize just how lucky he is to be able say that he's getting married and have it be true, literally and figuratively or how fortunate he is to have that right. And if this were the 1950's it wouldn't be any different since him and his fiance are white. However, I wouldn't be able to marry out of my race.

He has so much freedom and rights; the sad part is, he doesn't even know it. Nor will ever appreciate just how blessed he is to have them. Him and his fiance can walk the streets showing PDA without fear of being heckled or physically attack, or even murdered. They can adopt kids without worrying if their state allows them to. Speaking of kids, they'd be able to divorce or if one of them died, the other would automatically get custody instead of fighting the state to keep their family together. If some tragic accident happened to one of them, they would get to see each other and be able to make important life altering decisions without getting the third degree or bringing it to court. And when they go on vacation, they will never have to explain to the front desk and other vacationers that they're not related.

Their love for one another will never be called sinful because society views them as acceptable, normal. They can walk into 95% of the Christian churches in our country without fear of being turned away for who they are. Neither of them can fathom being persecuted for expressing their love or having to fight for the right to marry because they're in the majority. God, he is..he has it made and he doesn't even know it.

As I thought about this, I cried. I know, it's not the most productive thing to do but I couldn't help it. I'm not gay or bisexual but I am in the minority because of something that I can't change about myself. I know what it's like to be called derrogatory names and to have things thrown at me while I'm walking down the street....because it's happened to me. My tears were not only shed for myself but for everyone who is in the same situation as I am. Because we're the only ones that will understand why this fight needs to be fought, its importance and how everyone that hates us will never realize that we won't ever give up.

.....Choice..NO MORE!......

2006-02-27T17:56:00.000-05:00

The other day the South Dakota Senate passed bill that will only allow a woman to get an abortion if her health is at risk, cases of rape and incest were not included. . On top of that, 16 states are in the process of passing laws restricting gay adoption for 2006 elections. In the country that we live in today, I shouldn't be shocked but I am. After all that has happened ever since Bush has taken office I'm still an optimist...or maybe I'm just a closeted masochist?

We live in such beautiful but painfully dark world and laughter is what gets us through but some days, it just enough, especially in the time that we're living in. It's hard for me to imagine judging and telling a woman close to me that she will remain pregnant whether she likes it or not, because pregnancy shouldn't be used a form punishment to sexually active women, but to some, like those in SD, it is. Therefore, I can never fathom those who feel entitled to control the reproductive rights of women that they do not know nor care for. They are not pro-women and should stop claiming to be, since they obviously value the "life" and the non-existent rights of a fetus over the woman that is carrying it. And let's not forget that these individuals are the ones that are against the use of birth control and emergency contraception, therefore they refuse to dispense contraception to these women. Under Bush's reign, it looks as if you can have it both ways, especially if you're a Christian conservative.

America

alone, there are a half million children living in foster homes or adoptions agencies. The saddest statistic is 16% of these children are under the age of 1, so not all infants are adopted. Stability and security are vital to a child's development but these politicians don't want that for these kids. They'd rather have them go from foster home to foster home instead of being with parent(s) that are qualified and willing to take them in, simply because they're gay. If these so-called "pro-family" people really cared about a child's well being then they wouldn't try to prevent gays and single people from adopting. Every child deserves to have loving parent(s) and a stable home.

Whether it is maternal, paternal, platonic or romantic, love is love and it is beautiful in its purest forms. It's is life's greatest blessing and every person deserves it. Instead of being criticized, discriminated, and banned, it should be accepted and shared. Those who are trying restrict it because of their own ignorance; fear and hate do not have that right. They are denying children, men and women love because they themselves are incapable of opening up their own minds and hearts in order to grow and progress as a human race.

Being compassionate means tolerance, acceptance and love. These so-called "compassionate Christians" have no right to preach their message since they are not living it. Compassion is respecting a woman's right to choose instead of condemning her. It is not holding up signs saying that homosexuals will burn in hell. Nor is it planting bombs in abortion clinics or tying a young gay man to fence and beating him to death because of who he is. And it is not creating laws discriminating against minorities and stifling civil liberties. As a country, we need to move forward instead of constantly taking steps backwards and the only way we can do this is if we come together and start practicing what we preach.

....My Bad, I didn't mean to bust a cap in your 78-year-old face...

2006-02-14T01:17:00.000-05:00

If God exists, he gave all the comedians in America and The Daily Show a gold mine by having Cheney accidentally shooting one of his supporters in the face while quail hunting. The quails were raised in captivity and were/are wingless. It's basically shooting fishes in a barrel just add a 78-year-old man into the mix. Poor Harry Whittington, all he was doing was packing up the quail that he just dispatched and he was greeted the nation's second most powerful man ...with a shot to the face. But from what I hear, he's doing well. We may not agree on politics but I wouldn't wish such a horrific injury on anyone...unless they tried to inflict it on me or if it was Fred Phelps, Pat Robertson, that bitch Jasmine from 6th grade etc..

There have been reports that Whittington was at one point, in very critical condition but he's fine now. Although I didn't really like how the White House sort of blamed it on him. The man expected everyone there to ..I don't know... pick out the man amongst the flock of quails in front of them. It's not exactly "Where Waldo?" (which I always kicked ass, btw) for gawd sake. That's not too much to expect. This happened Saturday and unlike their usual preemptive behavior, the White House waited a day to even talk about the story. Of course, a reporter outed them..word travels fast here in the states, just look at our tabloids. Or Angelina's bump watch.

Dick has to be under a lot of stress to make such a mistake. Perhaps he has not had his annual eye exam? Did he mentally shut down and imagine that Whittington was Jack Abramoff or a New York Times reporter? Maybe Whittington and him had an argument over who would ride shotgun? They could have fought over who was going to use their special quail recipe afterwards. We don't know....and I don't think we ever will.

...........BAMZ is BACK.............

2006-01-30T00:23:00.000-05:00

I must apologize for my tardiness. At the time of "BAMZ is pregnant" announcement I was not in the greatest mood when it came to my beloved BAMZ, it wasn't becuase of them specifically. See, my former BAMZ sanctuary turned into a high school drama that of course, did not need to happen. So, to say the least, I was a bit tainted when I thought of BAMZ because I would reminded of how unhappy I was at my former sanctuary. Anyway, like Mariah would say, I just needed to "shake it off" which I have done. Now, let's get on w/ it! Thanks to yukko, stargazing, chrysallys, and everyone esle for the photos!

PDA ALERT..........FINALLY! LOL
Leaving the Claridge hotel hand-in-hand! Love the sunglasses!

Couples really do dress alike. She's wearing charcoal while he's sporting gray...b/c there's major difference lol
Awwwww! I know it's only hand holding and we all know that they've done more, but this is big deal for a fan like myself!

On the 28th, the globe hopping couple attended, I believe, the third day of the World Economic forum in Davos, Swizterland. There they go, saving the world again!

Brad: Tonight, I'm going to ravish you all night long.
Angelina:Sounds good, but let's try to solve the world's economic problems first.

More hand holding and smiles!

Her bump, her bump, her lovely lady bump. Check it out! Allegedly, she's due in May.

That's it for now my lovelies!

.........They Belong Together.....

2006-01-09T14:31:00.000-05:00

SPOILER ALERT FOR FANS OF THE AMERICAN VERSION OF THE OFFICE! THE EPISODE IS "BOOZE CRUISE"

This past Thursday night I watched Will & Grace and of course, The Office. Will & Grace was funny because it was a spoof on The Sound of Music but I have to say, The Office stole the entire night.

Overall, the episode was hilarious and of course, filled with awkward silences. Meredith lost her top (again), she should really stay away from alcohol….I think she may like the happy sauce a little too much. I mean, she did cheer when Michael announced that they were going on a “Booze Cruise” (also the title of the episode). My feelings towards Dwight haven’t really changed at all; he was still the lovable but annoying kiss-ass. He better wise up and stop treating Angela the way he has because I gather that not many women pursue him on a regular basis. Rob Riggle was awesome in his guest starring role as the captain; I hope to see more of him in the future. Michael’s dancing was priceless and I still have no idea how I did not bruise a rib from all the laughing I did. Despite the wonderful performances, Pam and Jim shined during this episode.

Here are Jenna and John behind the scenes! Thanks to Jenna for the pic!

Up until this episode, we had mostly seen the playful/comical side of their relationship with a little bit of flirtation in between. Great comedic chemistry can also lead to excellent romantic and dramatic chemistry as well. In “Booze Cruise” that’s what I saw and felt. When Pam and Jim were alone on the deck of the ship, it started out light hearted with her making fun of the fact that his girlfriend Katie was a former cheerleader then it slowly shifted into an awkward but tense silence between them. This was the first defining moment of their relationship because for the first time we really felt how much Jim loves Pam and wants to be with her, yet he’s so morally correct and afraid of her reaction, he doesn’t verbally express himself. Instead, he stared at her with this quiet but intense yearning in his eyes as if his mind and heart were wrestling with one another. Pam looked at him with anticipation wanting him to open and honest but then as the moment wore on she grew hesitant and probably thought of her fiancé Roy. So, she excused herself to go inside. With both hands, he gripped the railing and hung his head low. That scene alone proved to the undecided that he does not have a crush on her; the man is so in love it kills him and now, us too.

Both Jenna and John also known as Pam and Jim or “Jam” both blew me away with their performances. Although Pam did great, I have to side with John because his facial expression during that scene broke my heart. At the same time, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "My God, he is either going to kiss her or say those three little words!" He kept me guessing yet made me empathize with him but it was very difficult to watch because of its realism. Only truly talented actors can convey such emotion without uttering a single word and with that simple expression John proved himself to be a great dramatic actor. Bravo John!

Jim had such a great arc in this episode. Moments after that “Look of yearning” incident, he was at the bar with the captain, Michael, and Pam’s jackass of a fiancé Roy. He was asked by Michael, who he would save if the office building were on fire. Then the camera followed his stare which of course went to Pam. At that moment, he realized that he needed to tell her and lied to Michael by saying, “the customer” before heading towards Pam. As expected, he was cutoff by a drunken Roy setting a wedding date for the wedding. His pained expression killed me because he was so damn close and just like that, it was ripped away from him. This was one damn torturous episode for him and all the Pam and Jim shippers out there.

As wrong and cold as this may sound, I was thrilled when he broke up with his girlfriend Katie. He didn’t sugarcoat his answer when she asked him if they were going to be engaged like Roy and Pam and he flatly replied with a no. It was quick, deadpan, blunt and classic. Honestly, if the writers had Jim pretend to be heartbroken while breaking up with her, I would have lost respect for them and the character of Jim because it’s not in his nature to be phony. Although I did feel a little sorry for Katie because she was oblivious to how invested he was in their relationship. She was clearly upset and hurt, which is understandable because she didn’t see it coming and like I mentioned before, he was very blunt with his words.

By this point, I was depressed and definitely feeling Jim’s pain because well, I’ve been in his position. BUT the ending made up for it. Despite all his flaws and shortcomings, Michael does have a heart. And I love the rare moments when we actually get to see that side of him. When he told Jim to “Never give up” it brought him and me, hope when it was really needed.

As much as I love my friends from across the pond and my dear Mikey, I don’t care what they say this show is one of best comedies on television. Yes, it’s loses half a point on originality since it’s a British import but Ricky Gervais did give it his stamp of approval. The writing is excellent and episodes like this one show that. I guess the reason why I was so open to the show is because I kept it separate from its British counterpart. Since the show is a comical take on REALISM in an AMERICAN office it should be treated as its own show.

I’ve been a shipper of numerous couples since Joe and Helen on Wings. Since then, I’ve added Ross and Rachel, Buffy and Angel, Sydney and Vaughn, Kimber and Christian, JD and Elliot and now, Pam and Jim. After watching all these couples, seeing all the clichés, I’m not a cynic and I’m still so invested in these relationships, especially in the beginning or the “will they or won’t get together”. Moments like the one with Pam and Jim are only effective if the writing, acting and direction are well executed. In the case of Pam and Jim, it was because their performance moved me along with their fans.

I believe this will be one of many moments where I’ll say “They belong together” but I’ll sing it to the tune of “We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey, yes I know, I’m cheesy! And I’m not ashamed to admit it! Anyway, the door is now open for Jim because for the first time, she expressed feelings of doubt in her relationship with Roy to our beloved Jim. I cannot wait to see how this will play out in episodes to come…..”We Belong Together..” Ok I’ll stop!

.....Words....

2005-12-26T00:19:00.001-05:00

In 9th Grade I was called a racist slur. It was, oddly enough-- in my favorite class which was and still is, English.

It was fall, the air was warm and the sun was shining through the windows. Sometimes, even in New England, summers don't fade easily. I felt the comforting heat of the sun on left side of my body as I sat down next to my partner Steve to work on poem. As we working, I got up to get a pen or a book from across the room and when I came back I thought I had heard word...."Gook." I honestly thought I had heard it in my mind for whatever reason and so, I sat down.

I knew the term, I've heard on television shows, and movies. But I had never heard said in person. And as naive as this may sound, I hoped to never hear it and directed at me. At that point and time, it was hard for me to fathom the thought of being called such an ignorant and derogatory term.

Minutes later, I heard it again and I knew that it was coming from behind me. It was Jeff and Kenny. Both dressed, spoke and acted as if they had grown up "in the ghetto" as they like to say.. when really, they were raised in the suburbs of New Hampshire. They even called each other the N word quite often. I knew Jeff from 8th grade. Although we weren't friends he had always been nice to me because that's how I had treated him. But...he laughed as Kenny continued to disrespect me...I guess I was being too kind for expecting so much from someone who chose to continually destroy his intelligence by smoking, snorting and drinking it away every weekend.

I didn't have any kind of a relationship with Kenny. He was on Erika's shit list and probably still is. He was her bully in the 6th Grade and made her life a living hell for that year. And so, she hated him with an absolute passion. I believe she once said, "I hope a bus runs him over." I trusted Erika's judgment so he too was my list. However, I never made it a point to instigate a fight with him, I minded my business and treated him as if he were invisible whenever he was near. Before this incident, I really thought that I couldn't hate him anymore. Oh how wrong I was.

He was relentless. The fucker made sure that I heard him And he laughed as he varied its use.

"I hate Gooks."
"I hate fucking Gooks."
"Gooks fucking suck."

Every time his words left his disgusting acne covered face..they didn't lose their power and pain because I felt it each time. It felt like flaming daggers dipped in acid were being thrown at my heart and soul and not once did I become numb to it. I felt the blood from those wounds wanting to escape my almond eyes but I wouldn't let them....I refused to give them that pleasure. Those tears were held back until I got home and cried into my pillow.

After I had cried I went online and told all my friends...even my be unrequited love at the time. He offered to "talk" to them but I told him not to. I was afraid of what would happen to be since Kenny and Jeff belonged to large pack of wannabe clones. They were trash but they wouldn't hesitate to hurt me. High school was/still is a jungle and my neutral self wouldn't serve me well in this situation. I struggled with what to do. My sister had read my e-mails without me knowing and chastised me for not fighting back, for being weak...I was in too much shock and pain to do so. Of course, she didn't consider this, she was just too pissed off at me. Go figure. At least my friends were supportive and they took care of me, I loved them for that..still do.

The end result of all of this was not thrilling or climatic. Either my sister, Steve or my friends contacted my English teacher, Ms. Younker. The next time we had to get into groups...I had somehow chosen Jeff's and Kenny's names out of the hat. Ms. Younker assigned me to another group and when I asked why, she gave me a look and I knew. I was kept separate from those two and eventually, they both dropped out of school.

Being Asian is who I am, and it's something that I can't change, not that I would want to. Yet, Kenny viewed it as some kind of deformity that begged to be ridiculed. If I dislike or even hate anyone it's based on their actions, not their race, sexual orientation, gender, age or creed. Because of this experience I have never called anyone a derogatory name and I never will.

............Nerve........

2005-12-22T21:33:00.000-05:00

Nerve

Did I get under your skin?

Good, because that was my intention

Give up, you’re not going to win

Did you cry, out of frustration

It is just so damn amusing

How the tables have turned

And how you can’t handle losing

You’re the one that got burned

I pushed your buttons exactly right

This revenge is just so satisfying

I’m not done with this fight

Don’t worry, I won’t stop defying

I’ll keep on flipping your switch

And enjoy how much I anger you

You two-faced, lying, uptight bitch

After what you put us through

You’re lucky that you’re still here

Going off on your power trip

Believe me, I’m your worst fear

There’s enough of you left to rip

They will soon see your evil ways

Soon they’ll all uncover

That you’re just a dirty stray

And that you’re a pathetic muthafucker

Yes, that's right folks, suga has some spice and can write like a sailor if she so pleases. This lovely poem was written about three years ago. I had been betrayed by a friend that had turned all Napleon and holier than thou the minute she was given just little bit too much power. Suddenly, the things that she used to take part in with myself and a few friends were deemed "inappropriate" and lower than she was. It did hurt to be stabbed in the back and lied to, especially since we used to be so friendly toward one another. Our bond wasn't exactly sisterly but we were close. As Nicole Ritchie would say, she was not a "Diamond", she sparkled like one but underneath it all, she was just fragile glass...not even strong enough to support herself.

I guess the reason why I took this little diddy out is because I was reminded of her recently while watching one of those lifetime movies. Her betrayal reminded me that power really is the world's most intoxicating drug. And that no matter how hard we try we will always run into people who are total junkies yet utter cowards.

......The Week In BAMZ.........

2005-12-14T16:16:00.000-05:00

Disclaimer:This is all about BAMZ, so if you're a hater I must ask, why are you here? Insulting me will not change my mind, yes it's fun I know but it's wasted webspace and compared to my Bennifer 2 entries I've been pretty kind to Aniston and have not dedicated an entry hating on her. Put the tiki torches away because I moderate the comments so your efforts will be fruitless. But if you're a fan, welcome! I hope you enjoy my humble abode here on blogger and that you visit me again. This does not mean that I will abandon my 10 Items entries, I just decided that my beloved BAMZ needed their own weekly update.

Hello my fellow BAMZ babies! Technically, this should be the "The Weeks in BAMZ" entry but I was in a pensive mood for the past few weeks so I had to get that taken care, just scroll down to see what I mean. So, let's get this shizzy started and as always, I have to credit Just Jared, and the lovely folks at Brad and Angelina.net for the pictures!

1. Just a day after the adoption announcement, Papa Pitt and Maddox aka Braddox, dined in NYC at what else, a space themed restaurant. Madd is really into outerspace, he does have awesome moonboots! Papa Pitt just looks so damn proud!

2. Since Mama Jolie was/is filming the Good Shepard in NYC, her and Madd went shopping in Whole Foods and it does look like she may have went into the vitamin section..prenatal? If I had skillz with Adobe I'd be able to tell you but I don't bitches. Some very cute pictures though.

Take that you bottom feeders! You're lucky that I'm too young to know what finger to stick up!

3. Mama Jolie, Zahara and I believe Holly are running some errands and went into a courthouse in California. No marriage license had been revealed yet so don't freak out. Although you can clearly see that Zahara wants to stick out her tongue but she is a lady, so she is instead embracing her mama's boobies.

4. It looks as if Mama Jolie is not a procrastinator when it comes to holiday shopping! Snaps for her! Here she is wearing her trademark color and a top that has some wondering if she is hiding something or perhaps, she just got her monthly bill and is bloated. Love the LV bag, my sister has a knockoff version!

5. Merry Xmas and happy holidays to all, especially BAMZ! Papa Pitt, Mama Jolie and Zahara picked out a Christmas tree last Sunday. Ah, the domestic life is fabulous.

Is it just me? Or am I the only hearing the stifled screams of Vanity Fair's Leslie Bennett and E! News vertical lemon-headed host Giuliana DePandi coming from the bed of the truck? Nah, I'm just hearing things.

6. Ms. Jolie met with her agents this week but it is unknown what she discussed with them...possible projects or did she reveal a bit of personal news that also begins with a p?

Love the boots, Brad knows them too well since they've probably left marks on his back. Mama Jolie by day, Mistress Jolie by night.

7. The following days were pretty uneventful. Brad had a dinner with a lady friend which was fodder for Rabid Jennifer fans and Angelina had dinner as well sans Brad. I'm not posting pics b/c well, they're boring and they're not with the kids.

8. While sporting a black poncho, Mama Jolie picked Maddox up from his last day of school on the 16th. The spiderman lunchbox rules and so do his silver moonboots.

9. And this past weekend Ms. Jolie finished moving into Casa de Brad soon to be Casa de Jolie-Pitt!

That's it for now my lovelies! Look out for the 10 Items or less update this Christmas! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

.........Officially Missing You............

2005-12-14T00:46:00.000-05:00

During these past five years, the world has suffered greatly. Right now, Americans are losing faith in their President and their government. The economy has been more than depressing, and the next generation's financial future is in limbo. Our troops are still fighting this war that seems to be turning into Vietnam. The religious right/Reich in this country are starting a pointless "War on Christmas", trying to overturn Roe vs. Wade, trying to cancel shows like Nip/Tuck instead of putting their time into fighting against real issues like poverty. America is going through one of its "growing pains" stages and it seem as if there is no end in sight.

In my young life, I cannot remember a time where there has been so much suffering during a presidency. I was too young to remember George Sr. but I haven't heard good things...although I'm not surprised. Clinton was by no means perfect, he had his follies. At least my parents were doing well financially and found good paying easily. We as a country were not in debt, abortion rates were down, and we weren't in a war. Most importantly, Americans and a whole as were not suffering as they are now. The survivors of Kartina and Rita did not deserve to lose everything that they've ever known, despite what that asshole Bill O'Reilly says. Being poor was not entirely their fault it was also the our government's.

As I reflect on these past five years, I kept help but think of those who have perished. I have not been personally affected, but I know those who have and my heart goes out to them. It all started with 9/11 which had the potential to be prevented but was not. I'm sorry to all the surviving family members and friends, you all have been through so much and I wish I could find the perfect words to console you. Your healthcare shouldn't have been cut, and your devastating loss should not be used by our president as his greatest triumph, it is not, as Al Franken would say, "His little black dress." Well now, it seems like that little number is wearing itself out and ripping at the seams. Osama is still out there and the American people have grown tired of it being mentioned by their leader. Please ignore neo-cons like Ann Coulter, none of us believe that you are cowardly, we admire your strength and adversity. We're just sorry that justice has not been served for your loved ones, hopefully we can change that in the new year.

Bali, Madrid, Iraq and England and any of the countries that have been directly attacked by terrorists, Americans truly did feel sympathy for all of you. Yes, there were some like Mann Coulter who didn't care but they were in the minority. Our President has not made the world a safer place and we apologize for letting him do so by electing him. There are other ways to remove dictators from power but sadly, our President only favors force. The world shouldn't have paid the price for America's mistake and for that we are greatly sorry.

Mother Nature lit a fire under our asses this year and we paid dearly for it. She made it perfectly clear that we need to deal with global warming immediately instead of ten years from now. Katrina, the tsunami, the earthquake in Pakistan and to a lesser extent, Rita, took many innocent lives or shattered some along the way. It's disappointing how America is one of the world's richest countries yet over a million Americans were/still are displaced while thousands died and others committed such heinous crimes in order to survive. Somehow CNN and Oprah got down there faster then our own government, and that is horribly embarrassing. Lives were lost and it could have been prevented. To those who have suffered, I'm apologetic but also optimistic because our government learned their lesson the hard way.

The War in Iraq has claimed thousands of lives but ruined many in the process. Never again will Cindy Sheehan and mothers like her hold their son or daughter. Fathers will not be able to see their daughters get married and have grandchildren or say, "You'll always be my little girl" ever again. Spouses, boyfriends and girlfriends can never kiss, make love, spoon, massage or comfort their beloveds. The parentless children out there will always wonder what their lives would have been like if their mother or father were alive to watch them grow up. Siblings will never be able to pointlessly argue, playfully wrestle, "borrow" each other's things or annoy the hell out of one another because their brother or sister are resting in peace. Newlyweds will never know how married life would have been like. The troops that had just became parents will never feel their sleeping child's heart beat against their chest ever again. And why? Greed seems to be the main reason that I've been hearing and I tend to agree with it. I also believe that W wanted to make his mark with his term and outdo his father. The cost of American lives that were going to be lost was not a factor for him. Why? Because no one close to him was going to actually set one foot on the battlefield.

Those who have perished because of this war, I do not condemn them. They died doing their job and following orders without being able to question the reasoning behind them. I don't know what to say without sounding cliche and insincere. I just know that your loved ones miss you and that the majority of Americans do empathize with them. There are loved and taken cared of, but they are also thinking of you and so are we.

If there is a heaven, I hope it looks like the picture that I have posted above. High above Earth, luminous and full of light. Oh and that Morgan Freeman is its ruler. Yes, I know that he is alive but I believe he is moonlighting and is caring after the deceased pretty damn well when he isn't making superb films, of course this assuming that God exists but that's for another time.

The light shinning through the dark clouds gives me hope. 2005 was the year of pain, loss and growth. 2006 will be a year of reflection, hope, rebuilding and healing.

....Amelia's Story.....

2005-12-09T00:30:00.000-05:00

In 6th grade I met Amelia. She was full of so much energy, love and joy, it was almost nauseating. I always wondered how someone so petite could have such a strong presence. Her skin was like porcelain; her eyes were sky blue while her hair was milk chocolate brown and straight as a board. By no means was she an Angelina, she was more like Reese Witherspoon: cute, bubbly but clearly intelligent. Unlike Ms. Witherspoon, she was a Jehovah's Witness.

Since we were children, most of us were curious about her religion. And without hesitation and beaming with pride, she informed us. Whenever she was required to stay home from school during "holiday" parties, she did so without ever complaining. Her peers would ask her whether or not she felt left out or "weird" when we celebrated someone's birthday and would cheerily reply with, "No, I'm used to it". Then, something changed within her throughout the years.

By high school, her once radiating light was now dimly lit. She wasn't exactly Debbie Downer; she was still polite but was hesitant when questioned about her religion and her personality seemed indifferent. I don't doubt that puberty and maturity had something to do with her changed self. I choose to believe that as she got older she realized how restrictive and isolating her religion was and secretly resented it, including her parents. If I were close to her, then I'd give you an explanation but unfortunately we weren't friends; this hasn't changed since. Somehow, she became part of the popular preppie crowd while I was neutral. Nonetheless, we were always cordial and kind towards one another. It's hard to dislike the brunette and Jehovah's Witness version of Reese Witherspoon.

During senior year, we were in yearbook together. Or as I affectionately called it, “The block where that asshole Huard wasted his time chastising me for doing not doing anything when I actually was". Although we stuck with out respective groups, we did interact with one another from time to time. See, these "Plastics" were not mean, they smelled nice, were intelligent, pretty and always nice to us Neutrals while wearing Abercrombie and carrying their Coach purses.

Towards the middle of November, two things happened: the Plastics put a paper "Holiday" tree in the middle of the room and the Neutrals (Erika, Allyson, Teagan, Debbie and I) decided to do a "Secret Santa". The last week of school before winter vacation-- each day --we would leave a gift in the classroom for our secret Santa. Since Debbie was the perpetual pothead, she basically ruined our plans by not showing up the first day. Despite her rude absence, we revealed our gifts to one another. The Plastics got wind of our idea and decided to pay a little homage by deciding to exchange gifts on the last day before the break instead of the entire week, with the exception of Amelia.

When the last day came, gifts, cards, hugs and inappropriately shaped cookies were exchanged and one person was neglected. My heart sank when I saw the somber and envious expression on Amelia's face. I didn't have to ask her to know how she felt. Guilt must have been the predominant feeling since she wasn't supposed to be at the holiday party in the first place. I assumed that she lied to her parents to attend...she may be a Christian, but she's also a teenage girl that wanted be around her friends. There was also a sense of loneliness in her baby blues although she was surrounded by friends; she was the only outsider looking in. In her head, she remembered the time when her parents explained to her why they didn't celebrate holidays, "It's not what God wants, he dislikes it because it is non-Christian." But as she witnessed this celebration, she wondered how something that is “non-Christian” can be so horrible since it obviously brought so much love and joy to her friends. As she looked at their ecstatic faces, she questioned if the path that her parents had chosen for her was the one that she was destined to take.

Other than me, one of her friends noticed her distant expression and asked if she was fine. Like the girl that she was, she forced a closed mouth smile and answered yes. The friend touched her shoulder, asked if she was sure. Amelia nodded and told her to continue unwrapping her gift. The moment her friend turned away, her smile faded and she looked away not wanting to alarm any of her other friends. From ten feet away, I silently joined in on her sadness. There were times where I chose to be the outsider looking in, but in her case it wasn't; it was decided for her before she was conceived.

I wish I could tell you what happened to her and if she's still practicing. Chances are, she probably is since most parents support their children through college. The optimistic side of me believes that she chose a liberal arts school far away from her parents reach and only pays lip service to their religion when she returns home. If she is doing this, I hope she has a handle on things and that she doesn't get caught. Because being who you are in front of your parents and the world is the greatest risk you will ever have to take.

........From B to A......

2005-12-04T00:03:00.000-05:00

To those of you who love this blog or love to hate it, you're probably wondering why there is a lack of Bennifer 2 hate, especially since their offspring came into the world this past week. Well, since BAMZ has formed, my attention has been mostly focused on them which is quite obvious actually. Does this mean that I'll completely abandon my Bennifer 2 hate entries...yes and no.

BAMZ is everything that Bennifer 2 isn't and I absolutely love it! They're beautiful inside and out, talented, successful, selfless, humanitarians, intelligent, classy, and not a curse on humanity and Hollywood. Unlike Bennifer 2, pictures or articles about this foursome do not incite anger or annoyance, just love and double awwws. In a nutshell, they bring out the positive side of me. And honestly, wasting all that angry energy is bad for my health and my complexion. So, I will no longer dedicate entire entries to Bennifer 2.

Now, just because I won't write entries doesn't mean that I will never mention them. Most likely, they'll get a blurb in my 10 Items or less entries. Will there be exceptions? Of course! If Ben happens to lets' say...partakes in an orgy in Vegas w/ dawrf transexual strippers while snorting crack off of them, my well-toned ass will sooo be on that story. That's like getting mad at a dog for eating a steak that you placed directly in fron it or being shocked when another of Paris Hilton's engagements gets called off. Hell, if Ben or even Jennifer fuckup, I'll be a guest star by dropping in doing my part and then head on out. Other than that, I'll be MIA.

So, I would like to take this time to thank those who have supported my Bennifer 2 hate along the way.

Katyray, you are every bennifer 2 haters dream! Girl, you are smart, witty, informative and refreshingly honest. You're not afraid to state the truth and to be hated because of it. You're an inspiration to us all! And I'll miss informing you about my anti-bennifer 2 entries. Although a small part of me wishes that something horribly grand (not fatal) would happen to our much loathed pair just so I can send you a lovely PM. Knowing them, that day seems inevitable.

Kendra, the passion that you have is unbelievable and to anyone who is weak, it could be overwhelming. Thankfully, I am not in the latter. If you, katy and myself came together, the pro-bennifer 2 folks wouldn't recover after dealing with us. I admire the fact that you still stuck w/ the show after I and many others like me, jumped ship after the premiere. You try to find the good and the beauty where people like myself cannot and for that, I tip my hat to you. I'm sorry that Bennifer 2 and ABC has done this to you. If I ever get the chance, I'll give them their comeuppance and it will be motherfucking grand. Please still love me for choosing BAMZ because I know how you were hating on Brad.

Emilie and Electric, although both of you were one time players, I appreciated your comments. You're both so fantabulous for showing great intelligence by choosing MV over BA, damn sexy I tell ya! lol I can never hate a girl for having great taste in men and in hating. Much love to you both, boos.

Much love,
Amaya

......We are family..soon to be officially!............

2005-12-03T01:29:00.000-05:00

Yesterday it was announced by Brad's publicist that he filed the adoption papers for Maddox and Zahara! WOOT, WOOT! It's time for the all skeptics and those living in denial to finally accept that Brad and Angelina are not just friends or fuck buddies as some have crudely suggested, they are legit! And no, they're not married but in California, unmarried couples can adopt, including gays. Gotta love America's bluest state!

Since he obviously has Angelina's consent, and well, is not Kevin Federline or Steve Irwin, the process should go off without a hitch. After the hearing, he can take a picture w/ Zahara, Maddox and the judge. That would be such a beautiful picture and I don't mind if it's kept private, some things are sacred. I just wish this is brief, and that soon after..we'll see an affectionate picture..I'm yearning for it. Hell, we all are!

This, at least to me, seems more soldifying than marriage because adoption is forever! So no matter what happens between Angelina and him (heaven forbid), he will always be their Papa Pitt. The Jolie-Pitts, America's hottest and most modern family!

...All we need is........

2005-12-01T14:58:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Trent, I was reminded that today is world AIDS day. We must remember those who have lost their lives either battling the disease and those who tried to find a cure for it. Staying-alive is a great site with a lot of information and ways help in the fight against HIV/AIDS. And, Bristol-Myers Squibb is donating up to $100,000 to AIDS causes for every candle lit at lighttounite.com, and it's very easy to do, just find your continent and click. Everyone from liberals to conservatives and those in between...please realize that AIDS affects everyone. The virus does not single out any race, sexual orientation, religion or economic status. It is not who you are, but what you do that determines whether you can become infected with HIV/AIDS.

Looking back this year...it seems like the lows outweigh the highs. Many lives have been lost because of the natural disasters, terrorist bombings overseas, and of course, the War in Iraq. Then there's the state of the US government, Bush's approval ratings are so down i'm surprised they haven't made it into the negatives, the Democrats in congress grew balls, Republicans are being indicted or fired because of their shady dealings or leaks. Although a lot of Americans are divided, we're not going to have another Civil War. Sorry Michael Savage, James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and Bill O'Reilly, the gays, lesbians, bisexuals, drag queens, trannies and the transgendered are here to stay. Besides, a Drag Queen could destroy Ann Coulter w/out even breaking a sweat or nail.

For 2006, let's make a deal. I will no longer dedicated entire entries to my Bennifer 2 hate, if all you haters of liberals, non-christians, and GLBT learn to be a bit more accepting and actually TRY to see things from their perspectives. If there's something that we all need this upcoming year and holiday season, it's love, tolerance and hopefully acceptance..yes, I'm including myself too. At the end of the day, we're all connected and if we don't start treating each other like human beings instead of mutants, we're going to be doomed. Oh we need to treat Mother Nature better, she has been kicking our asses this past year for good reason.

Much love,
Amaya

.....The Choice is HERS.......

2005-11-01T01:06:00.000-05:00

The freedom of choice is one of the many blessings of living in America. Of course, there are restrictions like one cannot choose to commit murder and then choose his or her punishment, that's a given. Other than that, Americans are endowed with the freedom of choice while other countries are not so fortunate.

I support any decision that a person chooses to make, as long as it is legal of course. As you already might have assumed, I am pro-choice. Let me clarify that pro-choice doesn't necessarily mean pro-abortion, it's about letting the woman choose what she wants to do with her body and life. Those choices are motherhood, adoption and abortion. It's NOT my (and the government's) place to make the decision for her. I certainly will not force a woman to stay pregnant if she was raped or if the fetus was the product of incestual relationship. Honestly, I don't understand how anyone can?! In the of case rape where the fetus was forcibly conceived through violence, how can we expect the woman to be mentally prepared to carry and give birth to child that she didn't want??? Yes, there are women who have done that but it's rare. If the woman's life is in danger and she's not willing to take that risk then I also support her decision to abort the pregnancy. This is as far as George W. and I agree on.

A woman has the right to choose whether or not she wants to be pregnant, why? Because it's her body! SHE will endure the emotional and physical changes that pregnancy entails. The man doesn't have a uterus, therefore he will NEVER know what it's like to be pregnant. Although he helped create the fetus, he's not the one that will carry it for 9 months and experience the hell that is labor. It's difficult for me to take males who are unapologetically pro-life. Sometimes, I just want to blurt out, "HEY! NO UTERUS, NO OPINION!" I know that's inappropraite to say but is it untrue? And to the pro-life ladies, you will never know what pregnancy or motherhood is like until you have experienced it yourself.

Contraception has improved since it's inception and it's more effective but it's not 100%, only 99! A woman isn't at fault if she properly used her contraceptive but still managed to get pregnant. Yes, she chose to have sex but since she's using contraception she didn't have children in mind. Focing a woman to be pregnant as a punishment for being sexual is unfair, and sexist. Is it hard for you to hear from all the way from the 1600's you damn Puritan!!! If we're going to punish a women for being sexual then we have to do the same for the men! That's right, all they have to do is pay a weekly check for 18 years... a check that some believe is optional to uphold. Oh wait..too late! House Republicans cut the child support enforcement program on the 27th, so deadbeat fathers can run around freely knowing that they won't be as hunted as they were before! Spot on conservatives, spot on.

Abortions/unplanned pregnancies (especially here in the US) would occur less often if the morning after pill was available in all 50 states instead of the 7 that prescribe it over the counter. Studies in the United Kingdom have shown that its existence doesn’t alter a woman’s sex life. On top of that, some pharmacists are still refusing to fill birth control prescriptions. And, abstinence only programs in schools are being pushed by this administration. They are also responsible for the lack of availability of the morning after pill because Dr. David W. Hager (he's head of the FDA and was appointed by Bush) has stalled when it comes to this issue.

Adoption is wonderful, it's a great way for infertile parents or single women or men or gay couples to fulfill their dream of having a child. I'm in no way against it. However, I understand why some women do not choose it. During those nine months, the woman MAY get emotionally attached to the fetus. While some women who have been pregnant before KNOW that they cannot give up a baby after carrying it in their womb for so long. It's admirable when a woman opts for adoption, she's strong and selfless but not every woman is like that. Again, I believe it's wrong and inhumane to force a woman to be pregnant if she doesn't want to be. This is considering that half a million American children are either living in foster care or in adoption agencies. As my fellow liberal pigeon Jamison has mentioned there are over 40,000 that are eligible for adoption each year and don't get adopted. 16% of those children are under the age of one...so newborns aren't being adopted. Those numbers wouldn't be as high if all countries allowed single and gay individuals to adopt.

When it comes to adoption, the chances of a baby going to a good home with great parents are slim and frankly, those chances lessen if the baby is not white or bi-racial. Russia is one of the top countries that Americans adopt from because those children are white and can pass for a "typical" American easier than an African baby (yes, I know that's obvious but I had to say it). While parents who want baby girls adopt from China and other countries in Asia since females aren't as respected, desired, and wanted like men are.

Look, if pro-life supporters can come up with a well thought out and plausible plan that would ensure that EVERY child that is born will be sufficiently loved and cared for (financially), than maybe adovocates for pro-choice like myself would understand your position. And maybe, just maybe we'd push for adoption. The reality is, in life there are very few guarantees and the way that a child's life will turn out is one of them. Look at Michael Jackson, most of us didn't know that he didn't have a childhood until he started living it as a man. We all saw how well that worked out.

Post-abortion depression is myth. There have been no studies proving that women have a great chance of experiencing this unlike postpartum depression which can happen after giving birth and a lot of women suffer through it. Look at Marie Osmond, she left her family and separated from her husband! But when she got help she returned to them. No woman is proud to have an abortion. Obviously, abortion is not a delightful process since it's a medical procedure (very few are enjoyable to begin with). Like most medical procedures risks are involved. And yes, a woman will not be the same after having one, but this also applies to motherhood and adoption which drastically changes and affects the woman's life.

This is not to mention the kind of life the fetus might have being born when it was unwanted or unplanned. The mother, the father or both may be resentful towards the child. Some are so apathetic and selfish that they try to abandon it in a dumpster or a public bathroom. Yes, that does happen in America and oddly enough, those stories haven't gotten as much attention since Bush has been in office. Sadly, a lot of these instances result in death.

Pro-choice is not pro-death. I value the life of the woman because she's not physically dependent on another human and when she's in distress she can emote (much like a crying infant). And if she decides to stay pregnant, then she obviously views and values the fetus as a life and in that case, so do I. I will support her whether she chooses motherhood, adoption or abortion. But I will not force her to choose what I think is best for her. It's her life and body.

I am pro-choice because I know women who have had abortions or chose motherhood. I've seen how their decisions affected them. And not one of them regrets it. What I learned is, they don't deserve our judgment or criticism, they need compassion and support. These women are our sisters, mothers, daughters, aunts, cousins, grandmothers, girlfriends, best friends, neighbors etc.. They are not faceless monsters, they are humans in a very difficult situation.

If we get rid of pro-choice then freedom of choice has to go too. I’ve read and heard that some pro-lifers have chosen their stance because they knew someone that had one and regretted it. We all have regrets and for the most part, we learn from them. And if our government eliminated or outlawed freedom of choice simply based on the possibility of regret, then we wouldn’t be a “free” country.

This entry is in light of Bush choosing Samuel Alito Jr. as a replacement for Sandra Day O'Connor. It's hard for anyone not born before 1973 to imagine a time where abortion was illegal and women were getting sick or dying because of back alley abortions. That's like me wondering what it was like to live under Hitler's reign, I don't have to travel back in time to know that it was horrible. And I truly hope that Roe v. Wade is not overturned because as a society and a country, we would be taking a huge step backward in time and for womens' rights.

............Kiss, Show, and Tell..............

2005-10-27T22:15:00.000-04:00

Seeing two people in love is a beautifu thingl and sometimes, a nauseating sight. When it comes to public displays of affection, there is a line. A sweet little kiss on the mouth, even a brief passionate one, a pat on the butt, hugging, a gentle caress of the face, hand holding, and looking into each other's eyes are, to me, appropriate forms of public affection.

What nauseates me? Well, I'm not a complete prude but I'm not too liberal. There is a time and place for the following: fondling, dry humping, makeout sessions that look as if they're eating one another's face, undressing, nudity, dirty talk, and ALL forms of sex. Please, have some class and save that behavoir for: the bedroom, your apartment/house, bathroom stall/ floor of your favorite restaurant and if you're Britney Spears, your local gas station's or Starbucks, a sex club, the dance floor, a horribly lit alley, behind the bleechers, a swingers party, a private booth in a bar, a dressing room (That's right, I'm talking about you Kirsten Dunst and Jake Gyllenhaal!), at the foot of the bed, your car (not while driving please! be considerate of other motorists), a pool table and last in the janitor's closet during your high school reunion.

Before you go a tangent, let me ask you this: Would you want to see your parents or hell, even grandparents performing one of the acts listed in the paragraph above..while you out with them? Yes, you may be excused to vomit in the restroom, I'll be waiting.....................welcome back! That's what I thought mah baby. So, please, the next time you're considering dry humping in the halls before the bell rings or performing a certain "job" while standing in line to buy groceries just imagine your elders doing the same. But please, don't expect me to pay your dry cleaning bill after having that image burned into your brain.

Much love,
Amaya

.........One hat is enough for me.......

2005-10-23T00:57:00.000-04:00

The American way of life is multi-tasking, so much that our stress levels are ridiculously high and a lot of us die because of it. If death isn't a result then we spend a considerable amount of time recovering from a mental breakdown or exhaustion. Yet, we never learn. And no, I'm not just talking about the working class or blue collar workers.

Has anyone else noticed most (if not all) of the actors and actresses on Disney are singers?! Quite frankly, only Raven Simone has true talent on the small screen and in the studio while the rest of her peers either depend heavily on studio magic (Hillary Duff, Lindsay Lohan) or are just..Mediocre. Then again, I completely understand why these young guns feel the need to become moguls instead of just being an actress....money, plain and simple. Can we blame them? We do live in a capitalist country. As long as their fans continue to make their parents spend their money, they will profit greatly.

Julia, Hugh Jackman, Christina Applegate and everyone else who has been on Broadway..we get it you're talented and fabulous! We love you on the big screen and honestly, we'd prefer it if you stayed there. What do you have to prove? You're one extraordinary performer. Now please, stop straining yourself, it's painful to watch. And Keanu, you and Shakespeare, do not mix! Hell, you two will and should never collaborate again!

It's not just not the actresses that are getting into this game. Look at the singers that add /actor to their resume. First, if your name isn't LL Cool J, Ice cube, Ludacris, Will Smith, Queen Latifah or Andre 3000 and you're a rapper/ hip-hop artist stay behind the MIC! And stop playing yourselves or a character loosely based on you! That's not showing range, versatility, or talent, it just means that you're too lazy and scared to take on a character that isn't YOU! Yes Eminem and 50 Cent, I'm talk about you! Oh and 50, no one wants to see you get shot 9 times unless it's really happening and it would be sweet if it were Fat Joe or Ja Rule. I kid, I kid, but honestly, that asshole needs a serious ass kicking.

Maybe this is "unamerican" of me to say, but one hat is good enough for me. And if I were a famous "IT" girl, I'd rather be a respected and excellent actress opposed to a "good" actress/mediocre singer/adequate clothing designer. My writing is what I'm dedicated to but I know if I try to put that kind of focus, dedication, and time into other activities that I simply "liked", I would falter as a writer. There is no fucking way I'm going to let happen.

Let's face, NO ONE can do it all and wear each hat equally well. One of the "hats" will take it's toll on the person. Look at J.Lo, she's an empire but her personal life sucks. Her acting and singing skills are..average. JJ Abrams is having the time of his life because of Lost, he's directing MI3 but Alias has suffered greatly because of it. There's also the fact that any television show that he creates starts out great but around the 3rd or 4th season it loses its steam, focus and well, turns to crap. Felicity got cancelled during season 5 and it looks as it Alias will end during it's 5th season too. The fact is, we all have to accept that there are certain things that we are not capable of doing well. And, if we continue to push ourselves to the edge by spending every waking moment constantly splitting out focus...we will suffer.

.......War is the new black................

2005-10-01T20:37:00.000-04:00

There are many wars in this world, most of which involved countries that were in political turmoil. Look at the, French & Indian, Revolutionary, Civil wars, along with WWI&II, Korean War, Vietnam, the Middle East Iraq and as of late, the War on Terror. Then there's the war on drugs and war of words that many Americans get themselves into because President Bush has to be one of the most polarizing figures in history. Now, America can add another one to their list..the War on Pornography??!!

Recruits Sought for Porn Squad
By Barton Gellman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 20, 2005; A21

The FBI is joining the Bush administration's War on Porn. And it's looking for a few good agents.

Early last month, the bureau's Washington Field Office began recruiting for a new anti-obscenity squad. Attached to the job posting was a July 29 Electronic Communication from FBI headquarters to all 56 field offices, describing the initiative as "one of the top priorities" of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and, by extension, of "the Director." That would be FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III.

Mischievous commentary began propagating around the water coolers at 601 Fourth St. NW and its satellites, where the FBI's second-largest field office concentrates on national security, high-technology crimes and public corruption.

The new squad will divert eight agents, a supervisor and assorted support staff to gather evidence against "manufacturers and purveyors" of pornography -- not the kind exploiting children, but the kind that depicts, and is marketed to, consenting adults.

"I guess this means we've won the war on terror," said one exasperated FBI agent, speaking on the condition of anonymity because poking fun at headquarters is not regarded as career-enhancing. "We must not need any more resources for espionage."

Among friends and trusted colleagues, an experienced national security analyst said, "it's a running joke for us."

A few of the printable samples:

"Things I Don't Want On My Resume, Volume Four."

"I already gave at home."

"Honestly, most of the guys would have to recuse themselves."

Federal obscenity prosecutions, which have been out of style since Attorney General Edwin Meese III in the Reagan administration made pornography a signature issue in the 1980s, do "encounter many legal issues, including First Amendment claims," the FBI headquarters memo noted.

Applicants for the porn squad should therefore have a stomach for the kind of material that tends to be most offensive to local juries. Community standards -- along with a prurient purpose and absence of artistic merit -- define criminal obscenity under current Supreme Court doctrine.

"Based on a review of past successful cases in a variety of jurisdictions," the memo said, the best odds of conviction come with pornography that "includes bestiality, urination, defecation, as well as sadistic and masochistic behavior." No word on the universe of other kinks that helps make porn a multibillion-dollar industry.

Popular acceptance of hard-core pornography has come a long way, with some of its stars becoming mainstream celebrities and their products -- once confined to seedy shops and theaters -- being "purveyed" by upscale hotels and most home cable and satellite television systems. Explicit sexual entertainment is a profit center for companies including General Motors Corp. and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. (the two major owners of DirecTV), Time Warner Inc. and the Sheraton, Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt hotel chains.

But Gonzales endorses the rationale of predecessor Meese: that adult pornography is a threat to families and children. Christian conservatives, long skeptical of Gonzales, greeted the pornography initiative with what the Family Research Council called "a growing sense of confidence in our new attorney general."

Congress began funding the obscenity initiative in fiscal 2005 and specified that the FBI must devote 10 agents to adult pornography. The bureau decided to create a dedicated squad only in the Washington Field Office. "All other field offices may investigate obscenity cases pursuant to this initiative if resources are available," the directive from headquarters said. "Field offices should not, however, divert resources from higher priority matters, such as public corruption."

Public corruption, officially, is fourth on the FBI's priority list, after protecting the United States from terrorist attack, foreign espionage and cyber-based attacks. Just below those priorities are civil rights, organized crime, white-collar crime and "significant violent crime." The guidance from headquarters does not mention where pornography fits in.

"The Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's top priority remains fighting the war on terrorism," said Justice Department press secretary Brian Roehrkasse. "However, it is not our sole priority. In fact, Congress has directed the department to focus on other priorities, such as obscenity."

At the FBI's field office, spokeswoman Debra Weierman expressed disappointment that some of her colleagues find grist for humor in the new campaign. "The adult obscenity squad . . . stems from an attorney general mandate, funded by Congress," she said. "The personnel assigned to this initiative take the responsibility of this assignment very seriously and are dedicated to the success of this program."

Why does this administration and president have a severe case of ADD and have conveniently left out the fact that they accepted money from hardcore porn producer Mark Kulkis and they allowed him to bring very hardcore porn star Mary Carey to a fundraiser this past June? It doesn't count as a war if one side is gladly accepting money from their opponents! Don't believe me, then checkout the "The President and the People of the Porn"

It's great that this adiminstration is now entering this war since we totally won the war on drugs and are so close to declaring victory on the one we have against terrorism; just ask London, Madrid, and Bali they'll tell you so! Yes, this is such a productive way to use America's money, time, and energy. It's not as if we're grossly in debt from the War in Iraq and we sufficiently handled the millions who were displaced because of that bitch Katrina. Declaring this war is another luxury that we can afford to take on.

If you for one second thought that I meant ANY of that, then you make Britney Spears and Jennifer Garner look like Stephen Hawking. And you obviously haven't read any of my past entries regarding my politics. First off, the porn that they're "declaring war on" is with adults who have given their consent and unlike CHILD porn it is PERFECTLY LEGAL. The morality of it depends on your perspective but you can't ignore the fact that it is ABSOLUTELY LEGIT! So, why are Bush and company trying to "defeat" porn? Because like gay marriage they're trying to impose their Christian values on Americans. Their efforts are fruitless because porn is a BILLION DOLLAR industry. And EVERYONE knows how "W" and crew love the green! Like almost anything they do, this war is just a facade for their religious right following proving that they haven't abandoned their "morals and values". At the end of the day, the only thing "W" and his handlers care about are $$$.

Sexual frustation is not good, and it can lead to great and VERY dangerous anger. Think about all the religious zealots (not just Christians) who condemn EVERYTHING that is sexual. Those crazy fuckers are FURIOUS and sometimes they're very violent. All that pent up sexual energy needs to be released and pornography is one of ways that many people turn to. Can you just imagine how porn's target audience (most of which are men) would react if ALL porn, movies, websites, magazines and sex operators were gone? I'm getting the wiggins just thinking about it!

Honestly, as long it is consensual and between adults, I see nothing wrong with it. I'm not a fan, but I won't condemn it. It is an artistic expression of human sexuality unlike child porn where the actors/children are being exploiting and abused. I'd rather have my boyfriend and/or husband watch it, and satisfy his needs opposed to sleeping with another woman or bothering me for some booty when I'm trying to sleep, too busy or not in the mood. And I know that I'm not alone on this, am I right ladies and gay/bisexual men?

Alcoholism, drug addiction (street and prescription pills), domestic violence, neglectful parents/guardians, poverty, pedophilia, and child pornography are REAL threats to families and children--not Jenna Jameson having lesbian sex on film! Why isn't our government declaring war on all of the issues above??? And the "porn addiction" argument is weak because if we were to legally ban porn based on that then we'd have to bring back prohibition, outlaw cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, close our borders to stop drugs from coming in internationally, get rid of the ENTIRE sex industry, say farewell to food and remove the pharmacy industry and well all know that NONE of those things are going to happen anytime soon.

The threats that I listed above are REAL. Majority of the women in the sex industry are victims sexual and/or physical abuse, drug addiction, alcoholism or have come from broken homes. Their traumatic pasts is one of the main reason why they are in the sex industry. Jenna Jameson was neglected by her father, and physically abused by her step-mother during most of her childhood. In her teen years, she was raped by her boyfriend's father, gang raped by her high school's football team and became a stripper when she was sixteen while living in Vegas. Traci Lords was molested by her mother's boyfriend when she was a child and she was raped by a 16 year-old boy when she was only ten! When she was fourteen her mother's boyfriend got her into drugs and alcohol. He then got her into the sex industry by booking her first photoshoot for a pornographic magazine which led to her becoming an adult film actress and she was only 14! If our local and federal government concentrated their efforts against the issues I have named, the sex industry would not be as successful as it today because many of these young women would not be it.

Since there are a few people who believe this a just cause, they also must get all the hoteliers, cable, satellite, and internet companies to ensure health benefits to all the production companies that produce these films. As shocking as this may sound not all production companies require their actors/actresses to be regularly tested for STDS, HIV and AIDS and VERY few make their actors wear condoms. They need to take some responsibilty because they're profiting HUGE from these actors and the films that they're in. Jenna Jameson, and Mary Carey are not animals or robots, they're human just like the rest of us. In the the industry that they choose to work in, they deserve the to be respected and cared like any other employee. These actors should not have to put their lives at risk because of group of greedy and selfish bastards.

A war doesn't need to be fought, instead a change needs to happen. Much like the lack of contraception education in our school system, lives are at risk. The only way that they can be saved, is if our government stops wasting precious time, money, and energy and start accepting reality. Everyone is human and entitled to the same rights. They deserve to be respected and cared for, instead of neglected and condemned.

............Blood Brother...................

2005-09-29T11:23:00.000-04:00

I just read Blood Brother: 33 Reasons My Brother Scott Peterson by Anne Bird. It confirmed what I (and most of the country) believed; that motherfucker is guilty as sin.

I skimmed through the first few pages because it was a biography on Anne and so, I started reading when she explains how she reconnected with her birth mom Jackie Peterson (she put Anne up for adoption) and the Peterson family in 1997. They accepted her with open arms and she did the same. She grew a tight bond with Scott, Laci and Jackie.

Anne went into great detail the time that she had spent with them over the past 5 years. It really showed how close she was, how Scott had changed, and that "jumping ship" was not easy for her because she loved him and the Petersons. Her marriage suffered greatly because her husband felt that Scott was guilty early on. She didn't "jump ship" until the bodies were found. Yes people, it took her THAT long to realize that the majority of Americans were right.

It's understable why it took her so long to come out of denial. I mean, imagine someone that you loved committing such a heinous act. Could you stand by them til' the end even if the evidence and their behavoir was undeniable?

Any SANE man whose wife and unborn son are missing doesn't act as if everything is ok and that's what Scott did. He flirted with Anne's babysitter, her parents neighbor, and went to a gay club. He got upset that no one made a pass at him! A murderer is in no way a TURN ON! During her disappearance, he continued to speak to Amber Frey and watched the constant news coverage on him! Here's the kicker, he would actually get annoyed when Anne would try to help find Laci! She unfolded a map and asked him where Laci would go and he was irritated that she did that!

He's a monster, pure and simple. Instead of ruining his golden boy image by leaving his pregnant wife, he murdered her. That is unforgivable. He took away a vibrant life and a promising one that was never given a chance. Becuse of his selfish and cruel actions, the people of have suffered and he doesn't even give a fuck. The bastard is evil and the death sentence is too kind of a punishment.

The man was going to flee much like OJ, he had a truck full of supplies and thousands of dollars when he was arrested. What innocent man would do that???? He knew that what he did would be found out and tried to take he coward's way out.

Yes, OJ and possibly Michael Jackson got away with their crimes. But their public image is forever scarred. OJ will always be a murder and Michael will always be associated with his molestation trials. Neither of them will ever recover and that is their punishment.

Thankfully, justice was served because until his family stops appealing his sentence, he is going to rot in prison. I wouldn't be surprised if he were shanked before then. Prisoners don't look too kindly on those who murder children, especially if they were unborn. What's done in the dark will come into the light.

......Sex, Lies, STI and that Angry ass Nun................

2005-09-27T14:02:00.000-04:00

From Jessica Simpson’s virginity vow to the charming yet very cheesy Trojan condom commercials; sex is everywhere in today’s mainstream society. So, it is nearly impossible for anyone let alone teenagers to avoid this issue since it is in every form of media that they are expose to. A pornographic image of the famous adult film star Jenna Jameson is only a mouse-click away opposed to the last century where men would hide magazines like Playboy and Penthouse under their mattresses. Let’s face it, sex is and will always be a vital issue amongst teens and it is their right to be educated about the subject.

First and foremost, it is the parents’ responsibility to educate and discuss sex. Whether they choose to believe it or not, they are the most influential people in their son/daughter’s life. Age fourteen is the appropriate age to bring up this issue since most teens are going through puberty and statistics show that some adolescents are already experimenting at that age. When discussing the topic they must go beyond “The Birds and the Bees” and must touch upon the physical and emotional aspect that sex entails. Along with the benefits and possible consequences that sex can have. And parents must stress that more often than not, having sex at a young age is not a wise idea because their rampant hormones and his/her maturity level. Last but definitely not least, parents must trust their child and let him/her decide how he/she will conduct their sex life. Ultimately, it is their son/daughter’s decision.

Schools also have a great responsibility to educate America’s youth about sex. However, since President Bush has been in office, today’s teens are putting themselves in jeopardy. It’s no secret that President Bush has Christian values one of them being sexual abstinence until marriage. He is entitled to his own beliefs but it is not his place to enforce them onto others. This didn’t stop him and his administration from only funding schools that choose to advocate abstinence-only training where teens sign pledges swearing that they will save themselves for marriage. There are many flaws surrounding abstinence-only training the main one being the educators are condemning condoms stating that they are ineffectual. They also warn students that premarital sex is the equivalent to signing their death certificate. One of the educators clearly says “Then be prepared to die!” to a student asking what would happen to him if he had premarital sex. The claims listed above are utterly ridiculous and false. By condemning condoms and contraception use they are endangering these teens because instead of having vaginal intercourse, they are having UNPROTECTED oral and anal sex. It’s common knowledge that both sex acts can result in a sexually transmitted infection/disease being contracted. This is not mentioning teen pregnancy as another consequence of abstinence-only training.

In a perfect world, every one of these teens who sign these pledges would uphold them. Realistically, many will but MOST will not. Over two-thirds of teenagers will lose their virginity by the time they graduate high school. Numbers have shown that junior high students are already experimenting with oral sex. And according to Candies Event to Prevent 4 out 10 women will have experienced at least one pregnancy by age twenty. Whether the President, his administration, parents and America’s education system like it or not, teenagers are sexually active. The worse thing that we as a society can do is let today’s youth remain ignorant of contraception use, the effectiveness of them, sexually transmitted infections/ diseases and HIV/AIDS. Today’s teenagers should be armed with the proper information instead of making life-altering and dangerous decisions about an issue that they nothing about.

This is the new millennium and that angry nun from the 1950’s waving her finger at teenagers saying “Don’t have sex before marriage OR ELSE!” needs to be retired because she’s not as intimidating as she used to be. Things have changed; couples are living together BEFORE walking down the aisle and some do not choose marriage. The message that needs to be conveyed is either don’t have sex or use contraception. It’s that simple and yet, it’s very difficult to get that across when there are so many who refuse to accept it as reality. The consequences are dire because America’s future is at risk.

......Calling out the conservative Christians.......

2005-09-26T23:59:00.000-04:00

I've had my share of celebrity fluff and it was fun! But now, it's back to the bitchin'! Oh and before I start I'm going to rant about the bad Christians, yes the ones that hate homosexuals and will do anything to stop them from getting the rights that they are entitled to.

Shay Clark, a 14 year-old girl was expelled from her Christian school when it was discovered that her parents are lesbians. And no, this didn't happen in the "Bible Belt" in the US, this took place in Canada! The school's policy is at least one parent cannot be taking part in immoral activities and that includes a homosexual relationship or "living in sin". Yet, there have not been any reports about them booting out students with unwed parents.

This is just another case where Christians are condemning gays and frankly, they enjoy it. They try to find ANY way to punish or discriminate against them! Her parents aren't attending the school, SHE is. Obviously, they were hiding who they were to protect her because their relationship was discovered when Shay was punished for talking to the crowd during a football game.......yeah when did speaking during a sporting event become a punishable action????? My theory is Shay had a few bible thumpers on her case and they used her talking at the game as a way to get her kicked out and expose her parents. Understandably, her parents are not going to fight the school's ruling but I would.

These Christians only believe moral individuals are exactly like them. And, it's nothing is a sin if they're doing it and it's being covered up. The rest of the s0-called morals they have is bullshit because the most inhumane and immoral people on this Earth. Don't even get me started on the priests that robbed the innocense of many young boys! Yet, the Pope did nothing to punish them...how fucked up is that?! They are not better than us because they live a "holy" life, they're just arrogant and enjoy condemning those who are sane and honest with themselves.

The only thing they value is money. I know some people who have left the church because they were given looks of contempt for not putting enough money in the collection plate. Yeah, like God cares if you put a dollar in! It's not going into his pocket! They also cause more suffering in the world by not letting donations go to Africans with AIDS/HIV too! Why? Because the money comes from "liberal" churches that accept gays. They'll accept money from non-christians that are anti-gay but secret sinners. Boy, aren't their values great?!

Wow, these Christians always find ways to surprise me. They pride themselves on projecting a caring, tolerant and compassionate image but it's a fucking facade. Oh and leave Harry Potter the fuck alone!

Peace Out,
Amaya

........Ten Items or less: The Celebrity Couplings edition......

2005-09-18T14:44:00.000-04:00

Hello mah babies, this entry will be fun and frivolous because my past rantings have been serious. Sometimes, I need a little break from this fucked up world we live in today! Let the pointless celebrity ramblings begin!

1. Brad and Angelina are still trying to save world and god bless them for their efforts! My beloved but very discreet pairing attended the Clintion Global Summit this past week. Although from what I gather this was not the event where they chose to come out as an official pair and so they attended on separate days. I don't doubt that both days ended with them meeting at a hotel to talk about the summit, read to the kids, tuck them in and then had some post-world saving sex. Ah, life is GRANDE. Sadly, there has been a lack of Papa Pitt and Mama Jolie pics. I guess Mad and Zahara were letting the 'rents have their saving the world/"alone" time together. They are such thoughtful kids!

In a recent Good Morning America interview Ms. Jolie was talking about little Zahara's weight gain and how "we" call Zahara by her new nick name "Chubby". Now, she didn't specifiy who "we" was but I think it's safe to assume "we" is Brad and Mad. Yes, it is only a matter of time before she says Brad...2 weeks to be exact! Here are some pics of the world's hottest Milf and Dilf at the Summit.

I am lovin' the dark hair! His eyes are so captivating! Keep the look B, me and many others love it!
Great profile shot of Ms. Jolie and confirmation that she doesn't need to pull off the "concerned" look unlike Ms. Hilton.

2. So Britney finally gave birth to her son, Preston Michael this past Wednesday. Of course Kevin wanted to name him "free ride" but he decided against it since he was the only one in the room laughing when he made the suggestion. We all know what this means! Armageddon is-ah comin'! Seriously, I wish Britney the best and I hope in 2006 her, Preston and Justin are happy together....heheheh that's right, you read that line correctly!

3. Renee and Kenny are kaput! Man, only after MONTHS of being wedlock they throw in the towel. I guess Renee didn't have him at hello! Was anyone really surprised that these two didn't last??? So, Mr. President and the religious right, how are homosexuals endangering the sanctity of marriage again?? Oh yes, by outlasting "Blessed" heterosexual unions such as the one mentioned above and raising otherwise abandoned, orphaned, or abused children. Mmm..I see now.

4. Bennifer 2 are still together (who would have imagined?! Well besides their fans), Jennifer is still implanted with his seed, Vartan is still long gone, and Ben is seeing a psychologist! Sounds like everything is going well in the world of Bennifer 2. Although with Ben seeing a shrink, I wouldn't be surprised if he went AWOL before, during or after the birth of their baby girl. Yes, I'm still holding out hope that baby will look exactly like Michael Vartan!

5. Eat your heart out Paris because Nicole has moved on! She has befriended another grotesquely skinny Hollywood "It" girl. And who is this young starlet you ask, well it is no other than Mischa Barton! Wow, replace one skinny bitch with another skinny but YOUNGER bitch. You go Nicole! Yeesh, eat a sandwich girl because you look like you're 12!

6. Freddie Prinze and Sarah Michelle Gellar had a wonderful 3rd anniversary I hear. He brought her to Woo Lae Oak which is a popular Korean restaurant in Beverly Hills and he cooked for her! Awwwwww! I hope these two get to baby making real soon lol Please, checkout his show Freddie when it airs! And no, I'm not his PR rep I just believe that he is well-suited for sitom life.

*Smooches* for SMG!

How Good it is to be loved by you!

You better not be eating anything sugary because you're going to have a sweetness overload!

That's it for now my babies! Keep cool, and keep your eyes and ears open for anymore happening in LaLa Land.

Much love,
Amaya

......Crashed.............

2005-09-14T22:15:00.000-04:00

"It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In LA, nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something."-Graham aka the wonderful Don Cheadle from Crash

The film opens with Don Cheadle saying this beautiful quote after being involved in a very minor car accident. From that point on, I knew that this film was going to live up to its expectations. There was a lot of positive buzz about this movie and honestly, I was a little afraid to watch it because I thought I would be disappointed. Now, I've realized how wrong I was.

Crash is best movie that I've seen in a GREAT while. Don't get me wrong, I love popcorn movies but I'd rather watch a flick that I can really sink my teeth into than a big budget blockbuster. And I must say, Crash was a delectable piece of celluloid! The major reason why the film is so amazing is because of Paul Haggis. I can't believe the creator of the charmingly cheesy "Walker, Texas Ranger" wrote and directed this film! Although I have to hand it to him, he has true courage as an artist. He wrote and directed a brilliant, daring, honest and eye opening film. For that, he deserves snaps and a gold star!

Racism and prejudice is the main theme of the film. It didn't take place in a stereotypical small town in the South or Midwest. Instead, these interweaving stories were told in Los Angeles which is one of the most diverse cities in the US and the world. Haggis used Los Angeles to show that racism and prejudice is EVERYWHERE and that the difference is it's more blatant in some areas than it is in others. Even though this is his first directing effort, he used Los Angeles as if it were a character. There were a lot of aerial shots and close ups of traffic, car lights, city streets etc. A lot of his transition shots worked well like when one character would open a door we'd be introduced to another one opening another door. Since he wrote a gritty, and well developed script he didn't need to choose style over substance when it came to him behind the lens. The direction was very simple yet appropriate and set the proper tone for the film.

To say the script was well written would be an understatement. Since it's not fluff and doesn't have a muscular hero ready to blow stuff up, it was given a very small budget to work with. Of course, that didn't matter in this case because the film flourished on its own. The plot is a bit complicated because there are so many characters with their own stories but after the first couple of minutes the viewer well get so wrapped up into the movie that there won't be a reason for him or her to be confused. Each character is so developed, flawed and intriguing in their own way. None of them are flat and most have their own arc by the ending credits. Also, most races were well represented and each of them were guilty of being racist or prejudiced. It was just the stereotypical white or black person being intolerant.

Most of the dialogue was very real and I don't doubt that there individuals who have said those hurtful and ignorant words. There's a line in the film that rang very true to me and it's said by Terrence Howard when he is talking to Ludacris (a carjacker). He calls him an embarrassment to their race and to himself. After hearing him say that I nodded because there have been times when I've wanted to say those exact words to a fellow Asian who cried over getting an A- instead of a A+ or to the drama queen (who was black) that cried racism when the bus driver asked her to pay full fare, and the times when the some black people are being loud and obnoxious while in a movie theatre. In high school I wanted to tell all those rich white boys to stop acting as if they grew up in the ghetto and to stop calling each other the N word. But I didn't because I was afraid of being perceived as racist and now, I regret it. There are times when people need to be called out.

All of the performances were just superb. Most of these actors had to say some pretty difficult and racist lines and it showed how fearless why saying it with such conviction and dedication to their characters. I couldn't do that because I know what it is like to be called a racist name and I would never want anyone to experience that kind of pain even if it was just for a film and I'm only acting. Ludacris is the only other rapper besides Ice Cube that has genuine acting chops. He really did impress me and I hope he chooses more meaty roles to display his talent. Sandra Bullock was excellent as the angry racist white woman. She is more than America's funny Texan sweetheart and this role conveyed that perfectly. The woman has true moxy, range and an edge that I would love to see more often. Brendan Fraser is not his usual quirky, kooky and funny self neither. He is a bit selfish, arrogant and serious as a district attorney. Like Sandra, he portrayed his role with passion and with such great conviction that you forget that he is George of the Jungle LOL. Ryan Phillippe wisely chose an interesting part to play and he nailed it. The man is so much more than a great body and pouty lips. I predict that Terrence Howard and Don Cheadle will one of the few black actors that will eventually receive an Oscar. Their presence and talent alone are mesmerizing. Matt Dillion performance was amazing and his climatic scene with Thandie Newton's character is so enthralling that you cannot take your eyes off the screen. I tip my hat to the rest of the cast for giving it their all and for making the film a great success.

The message that I walked away with is tolerance, education and acceptance. Instead of listening to the media, people around us, we cannot choose ignorance and accept hate into our lives. We have to make our own INFORMED opinions about a person instead of following someone else's perconceived notions. Because whether we like to admit it or not, we're ALL HUMAN no matter our race, religion, gender and sexual orientation. And as humans we need to accept, and to take care of one another because we're all connected.

See this film, don't brush it aside because of what critics, politlcal pundits, or your friends and family have said about it. Naviete is what we're born with and ignorance is what you are choosing if you do not see this film!!

......It takes a gay village............

2005-09-09T22:30:00.000-04:00

So once again, a politician buckled under pressure from the religious right. Arnold or "Ah-nuld" as I call him, is going to veto a bill that would make gay marriage legal (once again!) in the beautifully BLUE state of California. I would understand this move if he were the governor of let's say...Texas because those bible thumpers are insane and would do anything to harm anyone who isn't like them. But he has to be in one of the bluest states in the entire country! It's ok Ah-nuld, you're safe there! There is still hope left because he has until October 9th to veto it.

Although not surprisingly, Brad (not Mr. Pitt) tried to urge those who are opposed to tell "Ah-nuld" how he should veto it. Look, you Will Truman motherfucker, you're gay! We get it, you have to hide because you're also Catholic boo-fucking-hoo! It doesn't matter how hard you pray or how many petitions you sign trying to stop your people, you will always be a gay man! Ok, it's like a brown-eyed man wearing blue eye contacts for everyday of his life!! It doesn't matter how many times he wears them his eyes will never turn BLUE! Just like how you will never be less gay despite how hard you try not to be!

Anyway, Ah-nuld's refusal to sign the bill reminded me of Star Jones Reynolds saying how she believed that marriage is a religious institution/union. Now, I will cut her some slack because she didn't say that she was against gay marriage but she did hint that she might be. Ok, does she KNOW how many gay men it takes to make her look decent??? Does she? I know that she has a few in her life because I've seen her interact with them. The same goes for Ah-nuld and his lady too because let's face it they live in Hollywood AND like Star, it takes a lot of gay men to make them look good.

When will people like them realize that just because gays work for you, doesn't mean that they're below you or any less human.

.......Apathy Works for Them.....

2005-09-09T20:19:00.000-04:00

I find it sad and disgusting that I have yet to meet a pro-Bush person that actually feels compassion for the victims of Katrina. From our many conversations not once have they sent their condolences or uttered a kind word about them. Instead, they solely blame the victims themselves and that is down right callous and heartless.

Yet, I think it’s odd because a lot of pro-Bush people are a part of the religious right (more like reich). These individuals are supposed to be moral and in touch with America’s true values (meaning Christian). That’s laughable because the ones that I have encountered are without compassion, tolerance, sympathy and selflessness (that’s right W’s mama I’m talking about you!). Unlike 9/11, their beloved leader was not depicted as strong and fearless. He was exposed for what he really is; an incompetent idiot with a lot of money, power and nepotism by his side.

Call me paranoid, a conspirator or just a liberal bitch. But am I the only one that believes Bush and his administration purposely allow catastrophes to occur so he can swoop in and be this country’s white knight? It worked for 9/11, before that his approval ratings were as low as they are now (pretty depressing). So, I assume that Bush and his regime believed the same tactic would work with Katrina…oh how wrong they were. Because unlike 9/11, the local and federal government have known New Orleans vulnerability to a hurricane for years! Yet, nothing was done during the time prior to Katrina’s arrival. Nope, the big wigs just sat on their asses and assumed that Americans would praise them for cleaning up the wreckage. Yes, because tardiness and laziness are such a sought after virtues. Just like Courtney Love is a well-adjusted woman.

So now, it’s up to the American people to cleanup the mess that government didn’t take care of before hand. While the Bush supporters that I have met continue to defend their leader, REAL Americans will care for their own instead turning their backs to them.

........Kanye has cajones!................

2005-09-05T20:29:00.000-04:00

So, for those of you who didn't catch NBC's telethon for the refugees of the Katrina Hurricane or has chosen to not watch any television for the past couple of days, Mr. West made some pretty bold statements concerning, Bush and the media's portrayl of black Americans. Honestly, I don't think it was a great time to rant but I will hand it to him he has cajones for doing it!

Although I don't agree his closing statement where he said that "George Bush doesn't care about black people" Correction, he only cares about people that can help move forward in his political career. Did anyone else notice that Katrina hit the red states the ones that helped Bush win the election??? I'm assuming that a lot of the people that voted for him though that he would take care of this country and its people whether it be through a terrorist attack or a natural disaster and sadly, the latter has proven to be wrong. Because unlike 9/11 it took DAYS for this administration to handle this situation and everyone knew that this bitch Katrina was a coming! Maybe, this administration (much like its supporters) don't believe in any scientific information whatsoever.

Many innocent lives have been lost and the death toll will raise and why? Because this country's leader was on vacation and like before did not prepare for this foreshadowed event ahead of time. Great going George!

Kanye and I agree on another point as well. The media portrayl of miniorities is biased and racist. I doubt that only "black people" are the only ones that are looting and misbehaving. Although I won't go into this, since I already covered this in an previous entry titled "Only the Beautiful Matter". Yes, it is pretty fucked up that blacks are portrayed in such a negative light during this horrible tragedy.

Mr. West was obvisouly ignoring the teleprompter because he was not as eloquent as he usually is. But I bet you a billion dollars that he is not the only one that thinks and feels that way. So, for that I commend him.

Now, I just hope that the cities and towns affected will be able to rebuild, reunite and move on. My heart goes out to them because like many times before our leader has broken another promise and many, many innocent lives have been lost because of it.

..........Let's Wait Awhile......

2005-09-01T00:10:00.000-04:00

I would like to thank Ms. Janet Jackson for the title of the entry. Yes, that's right mah babies, I footnote lol

From my last entry, it's obvious that I'm a Brad and Angelina fan. And I refuse to refer to them as "Brangelina" because I actually like this pairing and couples with combined names are not a favorite of mine. There are rumors that these two are going to get married in October when Brad's divorce from Jennifer is legally official. A lot of their fans are happy and some even have a countdown going on. I will be relieved for both parties that this burden is off their shoulders. Although I must confess, I haven't jumped onto the marriage bandwagon just yet.

Now I know that there is a great chance that a Brangelina fan is reading this....So, let me explain my fellow shipper. I think that these two need to take it slow, especially since they're both of equal status in Lala land aka Hollywood. If they do wed, this will be Angelina's third marriage and his second. So, I believe that they should be cautious before walking down that aisle. I say this because I want them to be the younger, hotter, and modern version of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. Unlike Tom and Rita they would be on the same level as well.

Honestly, no one wants to be like Larry King or Liz Taylor with multiple marriages under their belts. Well..maybe Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez but that's for another entry lol Yes, I completely understand why they would want to tie the knot because of their relationship, and that little Maddox and Zahara would want Papa Pitt to be their official Papa. He'd have the family that he's always wanted and Angelina would be with a man that appreciates her. Then they'd be the most beautiful couple ever! HANDS DOWN!

On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with living with each other first and that includes not working. I don't want these two to be another example of why marriage is losing it sanctity, there are already enough famous folks on that long list. My dear Brad and Angelina do not deserve to be in the same company as Britney Spears and the semi-famous Hilton sister. They are so above all of those losers.

The reason why I feel so strongly about this is because I like both of them and I view marriage as a very serious and sacred bond. I personally want to do it once and well, do it right! When children are involved, the situations become complicated because their hearts are also at risk too. I'm cautiousy optimistic for these two and for myself when it comes to to this union.

I wish them the best, and hope that they think before into jumping into anything. If a wedding happens, I better get an invitation...or at least leave the kitchen door open for me so I can sneak in..

.............Driven Apart..................

2005-08-31T10:19:00.000-04:00

First, I have to make this perfectly clear I am an Angelina Jolie fan. So yes, this entry will be a bit biased. Secondly, I loved Friends and have nothing against Jennifer Aniston. I like her and I think that her personality makes her appealing but when it comes to looks she is a little above average much like Gwenyth Paltrow. Lastly, I can "woman up" as Gabe Kapler would say and accept the truth. Hey, I used to love Jennifer Garner and Britney Spears, so I know when to drop someone when he/she turns into a jackass.

Was I surprised that Jennifer and Brad brokeup? A little, but not as much as the rest of the world. These two had very different views on marriage and commitment to begin with. She viewed it as a solid commitment that needed work while he believed it could work if both parties were willing. He did say that monogamy seemed a bit unrealistic. Let's not forget that Jennifer question if he was the love of her life. Those are tell-tale signs RIGHT THERE!

Then there was their priorities in life. Brad has been a successful actor for over a decade now. He's in his forties (and looking damn fine!) and has publicly said that he wants kids. While Jennifer has been primarily known as a television star and is just now getting her movie career on track. Although she said that she wanted to have a family she did stress that she wanted to focus on her career first. These two were married but were clearly on two diverging paths. On Oprah she said that she'd focus on baby making with Brad after Friends wrapped but she signed up to do four movies back-to-back. So obviously, she had her career on her mind over having a family and for whatever reason she didn't want to juggle both. There's nothing wrong with that. She shouldn't have to compromise her career but Brad shouldn't have to do the same with his dream of being a father. Hehad to do that for four years and he isn't getting any younger.

So, why stay in a marriage where both parties are in different stages in their lives and neither are willing to compromise? Honestly, answer that question if you can. These issues were present in their relationship WAYYY before Angelina entered the picture. So, put your tiki torch away because their marriage unraveling was their fault, not hers.

There is one fact about her that no one can deny, she never hid behind a publicist; she always spoke for herself. Whatever was on her mind, no matter how weird, outrageous, or candid, she said it with her OWN mouth! She was an open book which the press is supposed to love and embrace, but everything is never enough for them. In the end, they burned her by making her out to be a homewrecker simply because of how she looks and the doctored pics of her and Brad "cheating".

Do I believe that she is an honorable woman? Yes and I believe her and Brad when they say that nothing happened on set during Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Besides, some of those photos were clearly fixed because in one shot her hand is going through him! Either that or she is one hot ghost! Anyway, Angelina has always been a free spirit but never a liar. Since her and her father are estranged, I know that she would do everything in her power to be the antithesis of him. He did jeopardize her future with Maddox by going on various entertainment shows saying that she wasn't mentally stable. Most importantly, he cheated on her mother and witnessed how it affected her mother. "The Other Woman" is not a role Ms. Jolie would gladly accept, actually any caring woman would reject that role in a heartbeat!

It makes me sad to see her putting a legal restriction on the press/media when it comes to her personal life. But I understand why she did it because no matter what she said, it just wasn't good enough, so why bother?? The same goes for Brad too. Angelina has clearly grown into a very talented actress, doting mother and caring humanitarian. No matter what she does, the press/media and the general public will always demonize her. It's undeserved, unfair and just plain wrong.

Now that her and Brad are together, I wish them the best. He has found what he's always wanted; a family. To top it off, he's with a beautiful, unique, loving, sexy and selfless woman who is willing to share her life and family with him. In return, Angelina's kids have a father and she is finally with a man who is conventional, stable but accepts her for who she is. I truly hope that these two are the exception to "hollywood couples" rule and prove that both parties can be A-list, equals on and off screen and are able to make their relationship work and last.

Here are some adorable pics..

Papa Pitt and Zahara

Papa Pitt, Maddox, and Zahara..looks like they're letting mommy work lol

Mama Jolie and Papa Pitt..man they must have the hottest sex ever LOL

......Gay Like Him........

2005-08-30T23:50:00.000-04:00

Shame is an interesting feeling to experience or witness. Other times, it's just painful because it could turn into hate and intolerance. In the case of Brad* (not Mr. Pitt!), his shame is present in the form of homophobia, fear and denial of who he really is; a Catholic but closeted gay man.

Brad is an 18 year-old guy that attends church every Sunday, is strongly against gay rights and marriage yet, embraces their culture by watching Ellen Degeneres talk show, Will and Grace, loves celebrity gossip and has a crush on Brad Pitt and listens to teeny bopper music. He is afraid of gays because he is (as he would unashamedly say is "one of them"). Unlike him, they are proud of who they are and have locked the closet that they have stepped out of while he is still hiding in his.

Although he has yet to even "turn the doorknob" the door is made out of glass so those who are close to him see him for who he really is or ignore it. Of course, we must not forget the fact that the God that he praises allegedly condemns him. And the religion he so devoutly practices has openly discriminated against gays and their lifestyles. Clearly, they are not promoting Christian values such as acceptance, tolerance, love, and compassion. Unfortunately, neither has Brad.

Instead of supporting his fellow homosexuals, he judges, and belittles them by embracing their culture but refusing to see them more than "entertainment puppets" for so-called heterosexuals like himself. Sure, his blatant homophobia is a facade but his true self is clearly present. His closet's glass door is slowly cracking and franticly, he is trying to stop it from shattering into a thousand pieces. His efforts are fruitless because slowly but surly his secret is coming out. Eventually, he will accept the truth when he choose to do so. He is a gay Catholic. If his God is everything that the bible makes him out to be, then he will love and accept Brad for who he is. Hopefully, the people in Brad's life will do the same.

There is another guy that is similar to Brad, except he's straight and his name is Brian. Like Brad, he is Christian, against gays and views them as "entertainment puppets" His fear of homosexuals has caused him to be very angry and well delusional. Since he is a Christian conservative, he believes that gays have an "agenda" and are rapidly growing. Ok, they're not growing, they're just coming out at an earlier age. Everyone knows that they only makeup a very small fraction of the population and depsite certain Christian propaganda, homosexuality cannot be taught. Yet, he believes so and wants them our government to forbid them from marrying and adopting children because it will "ruin" society.

Obviously, I'm not gay but I know a homophobia when I meet one. Brad and Brian might as well be the poster boys for all homophobes around the world. Brian views homosexuality as a weakness, being less of a man and heaven forbid he is seen as "Weak" especially being a liberal and all. There's also the fact that he has "daddy issues" too, that doesn't excuse his hatred and ignorance. But I do understand that it is hard to reverse the effects of something that has been so deeply embedded in one's mind, heart and soul. IT IS POSSIBLE! Unfortunately, Brian believes that he is right and doesn't view his intolerance as a fault.

Although there is one characteristic of his that intrigues me. He is a spineless coward, despite being a staunch conservative. Every time we have gotten into verbal spats I am the victor and yes, I always have the last word. The minute my back is turned, his claws come out and he takes a swipe at me and very petty ones to say the least. When I turn around, he is nowhere to be seen. Sounds like someone fights like a diva-bitch! Awww snap, no I didn't!

Much like his idols Ann Coulter and Bill O'Reilly, he makes uninformed opinions about issues that he knows absolutely NOTHING about! The term "acceptance" or "tolerance" are not in his vocabulary because he is so closed minded that his head has a specialized vise around it. Oh and like most Christian conservatives, he hopes that the south will raise again....they lost the war get over it already!

This is the first and last time that I will ever speak of Brian. Do I expect him to stop fighting like a diva-bitch? Of course not! But now, he knows where I stand and hopefully, he'll get the message that I don't deal with diva-bitches. I only fight with real men and it's quite obvious that he isn't.

Much love y'all,
Amaya

..Some Women are "Missing a Sensitivity chip" too....

2005-08-29T23:40:00.000-04:00

Women are no better than men. Yes, I just spoke the truth so there is no need to adjust your monitor or refreshing the page. Despite Oprah, the Lifetime channel, Oxygen network, and the plethora of women magazines cluttering the periodical sections in libraries, and shelves on news stands, and grocery stores, women are capable of being just as "insensitive", "heartless","cruel" and "selfish" as men. The difference is, women are wise enough to cover their tracks and can easily manipulate outsiders into thinking that there are the victim, the broken hearted one that needs their sympathy and that their callousness is somehow justifiable.

It's funny how Brad Pitt is being crucified for moving on and getting the life that he wanted with another woman so soon after divorcing his wife. Yet, Jennifer Lopez who shamelessly paraded around town with Affleck while still being married to Cris Judd didn't receive the same kind of criticism. Yes, by non-famous individuals she was called a "whore" by the tabloids didn't tear her to shreds like they are with Brad.

Let's not forget about the other Jennifer who didn't wait too long to ran into the arms of her beloved co-star after divorcing from her less famous husband. Without giving her relationship with Michael a second (and not waiting at least two months) she jumps into the very hairy arms of another co-star. It's not desperation, love didn't conquer all, and loneliness is total cop-out and is a very, VERY weak defense. Let's call it what it is, these women aren't missing a sensitivity chip; they choose to corruptit in order to satisfy their own needs.

We are not godly creatures that are incapable of craving lust, giving into temptation or being completely and utterly insatiable. Like men, we have our weaknesses and our faults. Infidelity is not a sin that is solely committed by men and it's about time that the term men and words like "infidelity", "affair" and "cheating" are no longer used synonymously. It is unfair and unjust that society condemns men for recovering quickly from a breakup but then thoughtlessly supports women when they do the same. Women (like men) have souls, hearts and brains too and like their male counterparts, they know perfectly well what they are doing. Their careless and unbelievably selfish actions are IN NO WAY EXCUSABLE.

So ladies, if you want to change the game around so that both sexes are on an even playing field stop with the hypocrisy, be a real woman and take some responsibility for your actions. Because God knows that we are the LAST people that should be throwing stones at men.

...........Only the Beautiful Matter.....

2005-08-28T14:27:00.000-04:00

As if beautiful people aren't blessed enough with gorgeous God given looks, they also receive a lot of attention and most of the time it's not needed. Every time you go to the grocery store what magazines are right by the checkout counter? Tabloids! Yes, Us Weekly and even People count as tabloids folks. People is only a tier above the other gossip rags because they actually do features on non-famous folks too. Let's not ignore the paparazzi pictures inside their glossy pages and the fact that one of their photographers was recently arrested be cause he trespassed on Brad Pitt's property trying to get a "money shot" of him and Angelina. Would a "respectable" publication encourage one of their photographers to (more like paparazzi) behave in such a matter? I think not!

Now I know what's going through your mind: "Amaya, look at your past entries, you're just as obsessed as the tabloids." Hey, I've never claimed innocence and I've knowledge my insanity MANY times. Besides, I no way consider Ben to be "beautiful" but for some reason a lot of mindless women find the cigarette scented, unshaven, alcoholic, annoying, ugly, long faced fucker attractive. So, I guess by mainstream standards he is beautiful...excuse me while I vomit on all the bennifer 2 supporters on allalias.com and around the world. The tabloids successfully make us non-famous folk feel as if we're close to these beautiful people by prying into their lives. Almost as if we should care whether or not Sienna gets back with Jude more than the Valerie Plame Scandal. It's working because Karl Rove is one ugly motherfucker who is protected by an even uglier team of powerful men and women.

However, I can't blame the tabloids, or even its devoted readers (myself and my sister being one of them). The mainstream media/press is responsible for America's skewed priorities. Even they, would rather focus their time, energy, and cameras on beautiful people as well and I'm not talking about celebrities.

Now children, it's time to put on your thinking caps because it time for a pop quiz! Get it? Got it? Good! Let's begin!

1. When was the last time you can recall a national news network (like CNN, MSNBC, the heavily tilted Fox News,NBC, ABC, and CBS)having around the clock coverage on a missing person that was a man?

2. Can you remember any of the networks that I have listed above doing a feature on a missing woman that wasn't white/Caucasian? And your local news doesn't count.

Now, if you answered no for both questions then you rank with many others including me. So, you get a gold star! Here's a bonus question:

What do JonBenet Ramsey, Elizabeth Smart, Chandra Levy, Lacey Peterson, and, Scout Taylor Compton, Natalee Halloway have in common?

They are all beautiful, white and are the picturesque image of the all-American girl. Oh and their stories captivated America and our news networks for weeks and in some cases even months. So wait, only beautiful white women have horrible things happen to them? According to the mainstream media/press, yes they do. No, I'm insinuating that the media is racist, it's known fact that they are. Everyday, women, men and children of all races are kidnapped, murdered, raped, or become missing yet the media chooses to only focus on the desirable ones. In this case, desirable is female, white and beautiful. That desirable image is a false representation of this country's citizens and blatant display its racism.

Don't believe me? Watch a national news network like CNN or MSNBC. If you don't have cable watch NBC's NATIONAL news broadcast. Now, view these programs for a week. Honestly, try to find a story that focuses on a missing or brutalized minority man or woman. Were you successful? Because I've done this for years and I haven't even come close to succeeding.

This last question is for the mainstream media/press:

How can you sleep at night knowing that the blood of innocent people are on your hands?? How can you live with yourself knowing that your biased, your ignorance, you're selfishness destroys lives? The people in charge of this country are inhumane, greedy and without a conscience; what's your excuse?

.....The Curse of Bennifer 2!!!!!!!.................

2005-08-19T01:29:00.000-04:00

Hello mah babies, I've been gone awhile due to babysitting my little niece. However, I decided to update my beloved blog because hell has officially frozen, the pigs at my local farm have began to grow wings, Pam did NOT marry Tommy Lee for a third time and Jennifer Lopez is still married to Marc Anthony. The Curse of the Affleck has given birth to The Curse of Bennifer 2! Unlike the Curse of the Affleck, this HEX is widespread because its victims are the cast, crew and fans of Alias, and Michael Vartan.

My beautiful Michael is "leaving" Alias. honestly, I don't blame him, actually we all know who I'm going to blame lol Yes, there is a 5% chance that this false but my heart (and certain sources) have told me that Michael will be gone early in the season. With what I've been hearing about this season (spoilers) myself and MANY, MANY others like me will follow in Michael's lead. Of course, the fact that the last two season have been (at least to me)lackluster and dare I say subpar to the show's first two seasons was a factor in my decision as well.

Now before all you JG fans get your panties in a bunch, chill out and keep reading, well unless you hate seeing the truth or "negative words" written about your queen, I suggest that you leave. Let's be real, it doesn't seem like JG is putting up a fight to keep the series going and to keep Vartan on the show along with ABC. Come on people, they moved the show to Thursday that's like ABC buying its plot and tombstone. Now with Vartan gone, a HUGE part of the show's appeal and audience will follow suit.

Yes, she's pregnant, well big motherfucking deal! Gillian Anderson got pregnant during season one of x-files and that series went on for 9 years so don't give me any crap about how it isn't possible because it is you delusional fools! Like I've said before JG's so-called film career isn't sturdy or established enough for her to fall back on. She is a selfish bitch because her decision not only affects her life but also the lives of the people who work on the show as well. Heaven forbid the focus of the show (at least for the first half of the season) isn't on her! Then again, she is married (excuse me while I vomit on every Ben Affleck movie ever created) to an ego maniac so I'm not THAT surprsied. She doesn't give a fuck about the cast, crew and the fans of the show because if she did she would be willing to compromise and she would be grateful to each and everyone one of them but she isn't. I guess being implanted with Affleck's seed really does fuck a woman up.

Like her husband *GAGS* and his ex she has now begun playing the blame game(in Style magazine) by pointing fingers at the press for her problems. Yes, that's right it's not her fault that her so-called "friends" aka "sources close to her" or PR people couldn't keep her pregnancy a secret. Yes, the media is to blame because she was too ashamed to tell her mother, family and friends that her first child was unplanned and that her and Ben had no intention of getting married before then. That's right, the tabloids forced her into hooking up with their poster boy therefore creating a relationship that gave them and her PR whore Nicole King endless wet dreams. Then, they made her get impregnanted by the son of a bitch to sell more magazines! Mmm..just like how McDonald's forced people into buying and eating their burgers 5 to 6 times a week and then made them to have multiple heart attacks. Yes, the media are crafty motherfuckers and Ms. Garner is an innocent little victim. BITCH SHUT THE FUCK UP, BE A REAL WOMAN AND TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR IDIOTIC AND SELFISH ACTIONS!!

We cannot forget about Michael, dear sweet Michael. Throughout all of this he is still very supportive of her and unlike her baby daddy, has shown concern for her health along w/ her daughter's. He has said what a good father, friend, co-worker and relative would tell any pregnant woman; Slow the fuck down, you're PREGNANT! Think about the little being inside of you for once and stop trying to be superwoman by juggling all of these balls in the air. Jesus, she's already fucked up her life by being w/ Ben, the least she could do is give her unborn daughter a better one by considering her health in her every decision.. too late she let HIM smoke around her during her entire pregnancy. Poor baby girl, at least Michael is looking out for her unlike her jackass parents.

I will miss Vartan/Vaughn dearly and I wish him the best in his career. In fact, I have faith in him because of how well Monster in Law did. His departure is the final nail in the coffin for the show and I refuse to watch it descend into the Earth. So, I and many others like me will follow Vartan and leave the wreckage that is Alias.

It's sad because my love for this show was like a marriage and it hurts to see it unravel because of ABC's greed and Jennifer Garner's selfishness. I always had faith in the show, network, crew, cast and especially in Jennifer since she always spoke about how she would stay on for her full contract. However, the minute she hooked up with Affleck I knew that my relationship was in trouble. Seriously, the man has the anti-midas touch, everything he touches turns to crap! Hello, J.Lo's career got back on track because she starred in Monster in Law with who?? VARTAN! It killed at the box office and audiences LOVED the movie! Now, the little fucker has a partner in crime and their curse is a million times worse!!! BEWARE OF THE CURSE OF BENNIFER 2 !!!!! AND JUST SAY NO TO A DAREDEVIL SEQUEL !