When Did the World Become So Stupid???

Is it something that has been coming on gradually? Or did it happen suddenly, and that's why it's taking me by surprise?

Suddenly I see evidence of the human population's stupidity everywhere. I can't NOT see it.

A few days ago, I noticed that some of the headlines on cnn.com have t-shirt icons next to them. If you click on the t-shirt icon, you see the headline available on various t-shirts.

Two questions came to mind - why would anyone want a headline on a t-shirt, and is there really a demand for this?

In other news, feminism, the quest for women to have rights equal to men's, is bad for the environment, according to Jack Cashill (I have no idea who the hell he is). The title of his column says it all: "Feminism is bad for the environment". According to Cashill, women demanding equal pay for equal work are also to blame for increased people driving to and from work every day, which increases pollution. Well-off moms are especially to blame since they have sitters or nannies drive the kids to school, putting three cars on the road (dad's, mom's and nanny's), whereas if mothers home schooled their kids, they would eliminate the pollution and traffice of school buses, carpools, and moms and/or nannies driving kids to school. Yeah, blame women for wanting education, or God forbid, a career that will allow them to provide for themselves and help to provide for their families! Blame women for the fact that the cost of living is so freaking high in many parts of this country that supporting a family that includes kids on a single income is becoming more and more difficult to do.

Also, the whole environmental awareness thing is really just a conspiracy to make abortion sound like a good idea. Yup, the Family Research Council send out an email on Earth Day (April 22, 2008) saying:

"Today isn't just another reminder to use recycled paper or drive energy-efficient cars. It's a calculated attack on the sanctity of human life. Population control is inextricably linked to the environmental and abortion movements. [...] The crisis du jour is global warming, but even that is just another excuse to fund "Planet" Parenthood and similar groups."

Yup, they figured it out - the whole thing is a plot by feminists to make abortion sound like a good idea. All those "facts" about pollution, landfills, contaminated drinking water, shortage of natural resources and overpopulation - it's all lies. Nevermind that the price of gas is soaring - it's all lies.

Yes, the DC Madam Trial IS Sexist

By now, probably everyone has heard about the DC madam trial currently underway in DC. When I first heard about it, it was on the morning news as my SO and I were getting ready for work and listening to traffic and weather reports. I didn't hear the segment about it, as I was blow drying my hair, but my boyfriend said he thought it was ridiculous that some people were calling the trial sexist for putting women on the stand who had worked as prostitutes. And originally I agreed. They broke the law and are now in court. That's what happens when you break the law, you usually suffer some consequences.

However, in further articles that I've seen about it, I learned that only the women who had worked as prostitutes were being made to testify, and grilled with unecessary and humiliating questions and having their names made publicwhile the male politicians who paid the women for sex were getting a free pass - only one has been subpoenaed to appear in court, their names are not being revealed (Vitter admitted he was a client of Palfrey's), and they aren't being charged with anything so far. THAT is the sexist part. In order to be fair, the rules and laws have to be applied and enforced equally for everyone - nobody gets a free pass, no matter what. The defense subpoenaed Louisiana Senator David Vitter to testify, and Vitter, through his lawyer, has said that he will not testify and that his testimony would be "totally inappropriate". Kind of like asking a woman how she did sex work while she had her period?

According to the Post article:

Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana and other powerful men appear likely to get a pass. Less lucky: the 15 terrified women being hauled by prosecutors into court to recount in graphic detail their past work as prostitutes -- and more than 100 other former prostitutes whose names prosecutors are trying to make public.

Wednesday, prosecutors forced a 63-year-old retired PhD - her name, like those of other witnesses, now a matter of public record - to testify about inducing orgasms in her client; the government's lawyers had similar questions for a mother of three who worked briefly for the escort service nearly 15 years ago.

Prosecutor Catherine Connelly asked the following questions of the retired 63 year old PhD:

"Did you specifically discuss what happened when you went in the shower?" the prosecutor wanted to know.

The witness explained, "I was having sex."

"What would happen if you were menstruating?" Connelly asked.

Yes, clearly that's crucial to a trial about whether Palfrey ran a legal escort service or a prostitution ring. And there isn't even the excuse that the prosecution is concerned that this was a major money laundering operation - estimates put the businesses' earnings at $2 million over 13 years. That's nothing compared to the call girl ring that former New York governor David Spitzer patronized. It certainly doesn't explain why the male politicians who also broke the law are being protected, while the women are being publicly shamed and humiliated. Ironically, Vitter is a sponsor of the Marriage Protection Act of 2007. I'd like to ask him how paying women for sex protects his marriage?

Am I the Only One Who Finds These Insulting?

Something that surprises many people, including those who know me in real life, becuase they can't guess my racial heritage by looking at me, is that I'm Hispanic. My parents are from Bogota, Colombia. I was born and raised in the US, and grew up speaking both English and Spanish until I started kindergarten. From that point on I stopped using Spanish and just spoke English. My mom wanted me to speak English really well, so she didn't use Spanish with me at home. At this point yes, I do wish I was totally fluent. I'm conversational, but there are certain verbs and tenses I have trouble with. I can read and write Spanish fairly well, but I couldn't read, say, an entire book in Spanish without constantly looking up words.

Yesterday a friend sent me a YouTube link to a Spanish campaign commercial for Hillary Clinton. At first I thought it was a joke, since it was set to a song called "Hillary, Hillary Clinton", which is in the style of old merengue music. The vidoe on YouTube featured photos of Hillary with lots of Hispanic people, including actress America Fererra, at rallies with lots of Hispanic people holding up Clinton campaign signs, a photo of Hillary with a Hispanic little boy in traditional Mexican mariachi dress, etc. There is also the "Oye Hillary - Latinas for Hillary" video and song, which is, well...see for yourself. And then you can catch an example of Hillary's Spanish speaking...yeah...she didn't pick the pronunciation up any better than that despite having spent so much time with her Hispanic supporters?

Then there are Obama's Spanish campaign videos. Take a wild guess at the demographic he's appealing to with this one. Yeah, I know, that's a real brainteaser. Take your time.

But then he also wanted to appeal to the urban Hispanic youth, so he made another Spanish commercial in the style of reggaeton. Damn, his marketing team is brilliant.

I sent these to my mom and cousins. My mom laughed, but then said, "How ridiculous. They act fake and go shake hands and make a little video with Spanish music, and now we're supposed to vote for them? Why didn't they just film him eating tacos?" Actually, I'm surprised his marketing wizards didn't think of this.

My Favorite New Site

Thanks to Feministe, who posted about the hilarious site Postcards from Yo Momma, which features actual emails and IMs that people have gotten from their mothers. I never thought it would be so funny! I've been reading it and cracking up all morning. Here are some of my favorites:

Mom and the kayak

"mom: I hated kayaking so much this weekend I used the F word on Dad
mom: He kayaked away for awhile and I was lost
mom: stupid me
mom: don't use the F word unless you can find home
mom: but he felt sorry for me cause I was paddling backwards at one point
mom: actually, I found backwards more relaxing
mom: but he thinks I was just incompetant"



About the Sign that Fell on Your Head

"I CAN’T BELIEVE I’M THINKING LIKE DAD NOW-BUT JUST IN CASE YOU HAVE TO SUE BED,BATH,ETC. FOR DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE SIGN FALLING ON YOUR HEAD, IT’S JUST ANOTHER GOOD REASON WHY YOU NEED TO GO TO THE DOC. FOR THEM TO CHECK IT OUT."



On 'The Change'

"FINALLY….IT IS OFFICIAL…..I AM IN THE TRANSITION STAGE TO MENOPAUSE. ISN’T THAT EXCITING?? Now I have an excuse to be a beaatch.

Due to all my symtoms as of late, the blood test does show elevated FSH which means I am moving on to my next stage of life. Not sure I am going to like it much.

Love Me"



Nordies

"Sweets –

C and T are spending Easter with us. I’m so excited. We haven’t seen them in ages. Yesterday was T’s birthday and they will be celebrating with her folks on Saturday and spend Sunday with us.

I bought a pair of size 6 Ralph Loren jeans at Nordies yesterday. I was there to check out your bra, but it’s just not good for my figure. So I’m gonna stick with Bali, the brand I’ve been wearing for 40 years. The ladies at Bible Buddies this morning said I looked “hot” in the jeans. Now I’ll have to wait to see what Daddy says.

Love and Hugs,

Your - m"



Enjoy!