The 25 Most Un-American Reactions to the 9/11 Anniversary

Please. Gag me with 3,000 spoons: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-25-most-un-american-reactions-to-the-911-anni

My main problem? The ignorance of society, and by that I mean stupid Americans. We aren't a Christian country; we are a country with a large Christian population. There's a difference.

The fact that people can take a day like September 11th and transform it into a moment of political bashing is just disgusting. Yesterday was a day of rememberance, and every American was grieving, all religions aside.

Please. Get your heads out of your asses, people.

E

Pat Robertson: A Culture of Death

Yup, You're right, Pat Robertson. I am a member of a culture of death and want to kill babies.



-E

Seriously, people?: "The Muslims Next Door"

Are you kidding me? Seriously?! I am one of the most accepting people out there, and this is just disgusting to read. Victoria Jackson - a former SNL actress - has written an article that just about covers all forms of hate and fear possible.


People like her MAKE me want to be a Democrat.

Check it out, if you can stomach a healthy dose of intolerance, racism, and homophobia: The Muslims next door

"Fear, after all, is our real enemy. Fear is taking over our world. Fear is being used as a tool of manipulation in our society. Itʼs how politicians peddle policy and how Madison Avenue sells us things that we donʼt need. Think about it. Fear that weʼre going to be attacked, fear that there are communists lurking around every corner, fear that some little Caribbean country that doesnʼt believe in our way of life poses a threat to us. Fear that black culture may take over the world. Fear of Elvis Presleyʼs hips. Well, maybe that one is a real fear. Fear that our bad breath might ruin our friendships… Fear of growing old and being alone."
- Christopher Isherwood, A Single Man

-E

Home for the Holidays

Can you have culture shock in your own home town? I've been back in Virginia for 3 days and I am already baffled, startled, and confused by some of the things that I have seen and heard. Does my disagreement make me a "city slicker" or a snob? I don't think so, but I can't help but wonder if other people do.

I don't care what your politics are; I do care when you are racist and intolerant.

-E

Read My Rights, TSA

As a frequent flyer who has now been frequently violated by TSA, I feel like I should buy these to at least give them a little run for their money. Hey, who knows, maybe I'll get a chuckle or two in the process.

-E

Amazon's EBook Publishing Scandal

This has just been a week of discovering publishing mishaps...

Amazon, I support your policy on publishing everyone. As a writer, I really, truly do. I am also all for free speech, really, I am. But a book promoting pedophilia? That is the crime of all crimes and is something that can never be defended. Ever. End of story.

The independently published ebook in question is titled, "The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure: a Child-lover's Code of Conduct" by Phillip R. Greaves.

Here's a BBC's article... it has more info on the whole deal, all of the drama, the controversy, what have you.

-E

"Wait, you mean there isn't copy-write online?"

As a writer, I find this absolutely ridiculous:

"In 2005 a writer called Monica Gaudio wrote a great article called A Tale Of Two Tarts, which discussed (among other things) apple pie’s Americanism (or not) and its evolution from a sugarless mixture of fruit and spices, cooked in a coffin (no, not THAT sort of coffin: read the article!) to its current sweet pastried form.

Roll on five years. Ms Gaudio had pretty much forgotten about her article until a friend of hers congratulated her on her piece about apple pies which she had just read in Cooks Source Magazine (I’m itching to put an apostrophe in there: anyone else?).  Cooks’ Source (sorry, I couldn’t hold out any longer) isn’t just a website: it is also a money-making print magazine, which has a whole stable of advertisers which contribute to its finances."

Check out the full article here.

-E

OH ... and a link to the "apology" on the homepage ... www.cookssource.com

But here is a snippet incase you don't feel like reading the whole shebang:

"Last month an article, “American as Apple Pie -- Isn’t,” was placed in error in Cooks Source, without the approval of the writer, Monica Gaudio. We sincerely wish to apologize to her for this error, it was an oversight of a small, overworked staff. We have made a donation at her request, to her chosen institution, the Columbia School of Journalism. In addition, a donation to the Western New England Food Bank, is being made in her name. It should be noted that Monica was given a clear credit for using her article within the publication, and has been paid in the way that she has requested to be paid."

SATC2 "Gay" Count.

So, I noticed this way back when, and the fact that Jezebel is covering it now only resparks my anger with the second Sex and the City movie: they say "gay" a bajillion times. And when they aren't saying "gay" they're saying "bitch" or some other equivalent. Don't even get me started on the wedding.

Screenwriting at it's worst.

The lovely ladies over at Jezebel have put together a clip of the total "Gay Count" - I believe it hits just below 20 times. Check it out: Count How Many Times They Say 'Gay' In SATC2

An Insult To ... Everything: a Sex and the City 2 review.

-E

The Rocky Horror GLEE Show

Can someone please, for the love of Pete, tell me what is going on with Glee?This week's episode was just ... just ... I am at a loss for words. A literal loss for words. And that's saying something. I'm freaking opinionated!

Jezebel says it perfectly, in my opinion.

And if you don't want to read, this picture says it all:

There were only two highlights of the entire episode (and this is coming from a Rocky Horror fan):

1. Mr. Shue being shirtless - simply because I like to objectify men (as the Cheerios do to the guys in this episode) and stare at pretty things.

2. Uncle Jesse singing - this could have only been improved by a cameo of Brian Wilson ... and the Olsen Twins.

Thoughts on Tuesday night's episode?

-E

Billy O'Reilly Is Crazy; The View: Case In Point

There are just so many things wrong with what Bill O'Reilly is saying in this clip, beginning with how he nose-dives into a discussion about 9/11. Word to the wise, Mr. O'Reilly, don't mess with the ladies of The View. So let's start with a brief, quoted, annotation:

"Listen to me, because you'll learn."
Just stop now. You are not a professor or some holier-than-thou figure, so get over yourself and your ego.

"Americans wanted to know what his (President Obama's) opinions are on the issue."
Screw what his opinion is. The President's job is to act as an unbiased party and make sure that the law is upheld. I don't care if he does or doesn't want the mosque near Ground Zero. The fact of the matter is, they have a right to build it there, and the President is protecting that right.

"70% of Americans don't want that mosque down there."
Show me the numbers. Show me that poll. I don't know if that is true, so even if it is - why is that? Someone explain to me, PLEASE, how building a mosque in Manhattan is "inappropriate."

"Muslims killed us on 9/11!"
I don't even know where to start on this one, because it is just straight out wrong. No. Muslims did not attack us that day. No. Just no. They were terrorist extremists that happened to be Muslim. Good God, man! Learn to have a little religious tolerance.

The ignorance of people really baffles me. Truly, it does. Was walking off set the most appropriate thing to do? No. But at least they had they stood up (literally) for what they believed in.

Immediately following this clip, Barbara Walters apologized for their actions, and the proceeded to give Mr. O'Reilly a good talking to about how HE was inappropriate. A peaceful discussion is all well and good, but when how long do you endure listening to hate?

-E

Words From A Sudo-Pretentious Writer ...

I go to art school, I've gone to Tisch, and therefor I have a defacto air of pretension surrounding me. As much as I hate it, it is something that I am aware of and embrace wholeheartedly, but I do attempt to do everything in my power to supress my "know it all" urges.

This is not one of those times.

Being a writer is hard. It is work. End of story. It is something that you have to study and work at every day. It takes talent and skill and discipline, so it angers me when people think that they can do it, too. What has prompted my frustration, you might ask? Well, it's been a general mash-up of things, honestly. It's the pre-med student that thinks putting sentences together is easy, the architect that insists Waiting for Godot is a spiritual metaphor, or the uncle/aunt/insert-elder-here that says, "Oh, I've lived a crazy life, if I could I'd take 6 months off and write a novel." Yes. Because writing is that easy. I want to tell that person, "You do that. In fact, why don't we switch places, and while you're taking that six months off I'll go run your investment firm on Wall Street."

People forget that writing is actually a field of work, an art form. There is a reason I am earning a Bachelors of Fine Arts IN Writing. It is because I have worked and studied the craft for four years, just as a doctor has studied medicine and a business executive has studied business. So yes, I find it insulting when someone else says that they can do it too, "if only they had the time." We would all do anything if we had the time. I would be a surgeon - if I had the time - but you don't see me cutting into people just because I've watched the Health Channel one too many times.

Get into a conversation about a story or a novel or a movie with a writer and chances are you will get a debate. It's not a conscious thing; that's the way our brains work. We analyze and judge and criticize anything that makes an attempt at telling a story. If someone out there has found a way to turn that part of their brain off, then please, let me know! I do not say that a TV show/movie/book sucks because my life goal is to rain on your parade or because I think that I am smarter or more intelligent. I say that a TV show/movie/book sucks because it is conventional or stock or unintelligent. I say that a plot is cliche because it is, and nine times out of ten, I've seen Faulkner, Joyce, Saunders, O'Connor, Murakami, Marquez, Pamuk, MacDonagh, Wilder, or Beckett do it better.

-E

Glee: Stop Ruining Good Music!

The more I watch Glee, the more is aggravates me, and tonight's episode only helped fuel my disappointment. This week's after school special was focused on the ever tricky subject that is religion. Now, I give them props for even trying to cover the topic, it's a risky one that can backlash in an instant if not done well. So, how did it fare? In my opinion, not so well.

I have become continuously more irritated with the "here's our theme for the week so let's shove it down your throat" concept since the Back-9 episodes premiered last spring, and it seems to be getting perpetually worse. I appreciate a little consistency, and mathematically it would be assumed that I would love this episode (they did sing 2 of my favorite songs), however ...........

let's rehash:
Only The Good Die Young -- Puck, I love you and I think you're gorgeous, HOWEVER, you just butchered Billy. I mean butchered. The beat and the pacing was all wrong, his voice was no where close to competeing with Billy's rough beautiful, and the over all introduction of the song was pathetic, lame, and contrived.
Papa Can You Hear Me -- Rachel. You are not Babs. You will never be Babs. Get over yourself and stop ruining her music, especially songs from Yentil.
I Want To Hold Your Hand -- I don't tend to support Beatles covers, but I thought that Kurt did a wonderful job. The flashback images of an identicle baby Kurt playing with Papa Hummel didn't hurt.
I Look To You -- Mercedes, that was actually a beautiful cover. Clap on the back.
Bridge Over Troubled Water -- NO NO NO NO NO. That song is slow and painstackingly poignant for a reason. It is two men and a piano for a reason. That is one of the only songs in the world that it will never be OK to cover. NEVER.
What If God Was One Of Us -- Actually, this one wasn't too bad. It was catchy, I'd listen to it on my iPod. And Mike Chang had more screen time, so I was happy.

The only moments that saved the episode involved one Sue Sylvester, primarily because I am putty in her hands when she has moments of pure emotion. The plot with her sister is wonderful, and the times when She shows true compassion are gorgeous.

A friend of mine wrote a really killer link for Death and Taxes, and lately, I can't help but agree with her. Has Glee already seen it's hay day?

Oh, and my top 5 songs, if I had to choose?
1. Thousands Are Sailing - The Pogues
2. Only The Good Die Young - Billy Joel
3. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel
4. Losing My Religion - REM
5. For Emily, Where Ever I May Find Her - Simon and Garfunkel

-E

Oh, and PS: My friend at work just sent me this link, and I think it's amazing...

"Are you being sinister or is this some form of practical joke?"

It is not OK to judge someone else's life. And it is not OK to beat up a person because they are different.

Today, people sicken me. Today, I'm saying "screw you" to every single person who thinks they are better than someone else, to every person too afraid to open their mind, and to every person who doesn't understand love.

-E

America

By: Allen Ginsberg

America I've given you all and now I'm nothing.
America two dollars and twenty-seven cents January 17, 1956.
I can't stand my own mind.
America when will we end the human war?
Go fuck yourself with your atom bomb
I don't feel good don't bother me.
I won't write my poem till I'm in my right mind.
America when will you be angelic?
When will you take off your clothes?
When will you look at yourself through the grave?
When will you be worthy of your million Trotskyites?
America why are your libraries full of tears?
America when will you send your eggs to India?
I'm sick of your insane demands.
When can I go into the supermarket and buy what I need with my good looks?
America after all it is you and I who are perfect not the next world.
Your machinery is too much for me.
You made me want to be a saint.
There must be some other way to settle this argument.
Burroughs is in Tangiers I don't think he'll come back it's sinister.
Are you being sinister or is this some form of practical joke?
I'm trying to come to the point.
I refuse to give up my obsession.
America stop pushing I know what I'm doing.
America the plum blossoms are falling.
I haven't read the newspapers for months, everyday somebody goes on trial for
murder.
America I feel sentimental about the Wobblies.
America I used to be a communist when I was a kid and I'm not sorry.
I smoke marijuana every chance I get.
I sit in my house for days on end and stare at the roses in the closet.
When I go to Chinatown I get drunk and never get laid.
My mind is made up there's going to be trouble.
You should have seen me reading Marx.
My psychoanalyst thinks I'm perfectly right.
I won't say the Lord's Prayer.
I have mystical visions and cosmic vibrations.
America I still haven't told you what you did to Uncle Max after he came over
from Russia.

I'm addressing you.
Are you going to let our emotional life be run by Time Magazine?
I'm obsessed by Time Magazine.
I read it every week.
Its cover stares at me every time I slink past the corner candystore.
I read it in the basement of the Berkeley Public Library.
It's always telling me about responsibility. Businessmen are serious. Movie
producers are serious. Everybody's serious but me.
It occurs to me that I am America.
I am talking to myself again.

Asia is rising against me.
I haven't got a chinaman's chance.
I'd better consider my national resources.
My national resources consist of two joints of marijuana millions of genitals
an unpublishable private literature that goes 1400 miles and hour and
twentyfivethousand mental institutions.
I say nothing about my prisons nor the millions of underpriviliged who live in
my flowerpots under the light of five hundred suns.
I have abolished the whorehouses of France, Tangiers is the next to go.
My ambition is to be President despite the fact that I'm a Catholic.

America how can I write a holy litany in your silly mood?
I will continue like Henry Ford my strophes are as individual as his
automobiles more so they're all different sexes
America I will sell you strophes $2500 apiece $500 down on your old strophe
America free Tom Mooney
America save the Spanish Loyalists
America Sacco & Vanzetti must not die
America I am the Scottsboro boys.
America when I was seven momma took me to Communist Cell meetings they
sold us garbanzos a handful per ticket a ticket costs a nickel and the
speeches were free everybody was angelic and sentimental about the
workers it was all so sincere you have no idea what a good thing the party
was in 1835 Scott Nearing was a grand old man a real mensch Mother
Bloor made me cry I once saw Israel Amter plain. Everybody must have
been a spy.
America you don're really want to go to war.
America it's them bad Russians.
Them Russians them Russians and them Chinamen. And them Russians.
The Russia wants to eat us alive. The Russia's power mad. She wants to take
our cars from out our garages.
Her wants to grab Chicago. Her needs a Red Reader's Digest. her wants our
auto plants in Siberia. Him big bureaucracy running our fillingstations.
That no good. Ugh. Him makes Indians learn read. Him need big black niggers.
Hah. Her make us all work sixteen hours a day. Help.
America this is quite serious.
America this is the impression I get from looking in the television set.
America is this correct?
I'd better get right down to the job.
It's true I don't want to join the Army or turn lathes in precision parts
factories, I'm nearsighted and psychopathic anyway.
America I'm putting my queer shoulder to the wheel.

Apple, you have failed me.

At least momentarily.

So I marched myself to the Apple Store up on 14th Street the other day to have my phone checked out. Basically, it was running slow. Slower than slow. And it kept shutting off, freezing, etc. Needless to say, by the end of my hour there, I left a slightly less-satisfied Apple customer than when I had entered.

My problem wasn't with the Genius Bar - it was with Apple. I have used Apple products my entire life, and I was incredibly disappointed when I was told there was nothing they could do for a problem that they caused. I've had the iPhone 3G for 3 years now, and then now, after one minor software update, my phone reverts from being this wonderful smart phone to just a phone - no - a slow phone. I was frustrated when I was told that my phone was just "too overwhelmed" and was using all of it's energy to function just a phone. That would be nice if I weren't paying for the luxury (and work-related necessity) of a smart phone. If I just wanted a regular phone, I would have stayed with Verizon all of those years ago and kept my basic flip. The solution I was confronted with was for my phone to be rebooted back to it's basic 3G software - the original kind from when I first bought it. So now, after one minor upgrade, I have lost all of the in-between and have been told that I can never update my phone again.

Apparently this is, "a testament to the quality of Apple products, that my hardware as outlived it's software." I think it's crap.

Does anyone else see a flaw in that?

-E

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