Twenty Something in the City: Sagacious Commentary

Religion Gone Wrong: Blinded by the Light

2007-02-22T11:15:00.000-08:00

"He really believes Jesus is taken up in his heart and soul"

-stated by the well known spiritual author, Stephen Mansfield, in reference to George W. Bush's deep faith.

This ticker counts the civilian deaths that have occurred in Iraq, not the deaths of terrorists, but the deaths of the innocent, including many young children. Need I say more?

Cagliari, Italy Named Healthiest Place in the World

2007-01-29T15:55:00.000-08:00

If Hillary Clinton wants to learn something about health for her universal health care campaign, perhaps she should visit Cagliari, Italy. Residents in the area say that they live stress free lives and that health efforts go beyond physical endeavors. This small Italian community is just another example, that simplicity has numerous advantages. Costa Rica, the Japanese island of Okinawa and Loma Linda, CA are other areas of the world that are home to the healthiest people.

We Yabba-Dabba Do Miss You, Joe

2006-12-19T21:54:00.000-08:00

When I was a little kid I carried a sketch book with me everywhere I went. I loved drawing cartoons and I was fascinated with animation. Last night, I was laying on my couch, having just finished off my toes with a coat of red polish, so that they would sparkle for my office Holiday party, when my ears perked up to the news that Joe Barbera had passed away. Sadly, the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer reported that Mr. Barbera had died at age 95 in Studio City, California.

As pioneers of animation, Mr. Barbera and his colleague, Bill Hanna, created countless American cartoon favorites. The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo, Tom and Jerry, The Jetsons, and Yogi Bear were all part of their magic. As an adult, it is still upsetting to me to think that these cartoons are only penciled drawings because as a child they were always so alive to me. Indeed this is what was so significant about Mr. Barbera’s contribution to the human spirit. He not only had a fantastic imagination but he also provided children and adults with ethical characters that were familiar and fun. Not only are these characters part of the Warner Brothers Family but they also are part of countless American families. They were the characters on our bed sheets that made us feel safe and the Saturday afternoon cartoons that made us laugh. I can only wish that Mr. Barbera is now in a place that is as warm and bright as the good times that he has brought to so many cartoon lovers like me.

I am still curious however, why was there only one girl Smurf?

Iraq Study Group Releases A Long Overdue Dose of Reality on Cowboy Bush

2006-12-06T10:18:00.000-08:00

The Iraq Study Group has released a report, which calls for an end to the US combat role in Iraq by 2008. CNN has stated that the report asks for an end to Bush’s “Stay-the- Course” strategy, or else our Iraqi foreign policy will be doomed to fail. The report also calls for the Administration to begin direct talks with Iran and Syria. Lee Hamilton who is Co-chair of the Iraq study group, stated, “You can’t look at this part of the world and pick and choose which countries you’re going to deal with.”
In my opinion, the only area where the report fell short was its title; “The Iraq Study Group Report.”

“Bush, You Are A Dumbass,” seems much more comprehensive and appropriate to me.

Bush, himself had the following to say about the report’s conclusions, “The country is tired of pure political bickering.” No, Mr. Bush, the country is simply just tired of you.

Romney To Show Off His True Red Colors Through Negative Ads

2006-11-22T14:00:00.000-08:00

A typical Republican move, Mitt Romney has appointed a highly negative media strategist to help run his “possible” 2008 presidential campaign. One would think that he had learned something from the mistakes of his friend, Ms. Kerry Healey, whose negative campaign tactics recently failed her in her efforts to become governor of Massachusetts. Nonetheless, Mitt has selected Mr. Alex Castellanos to manage his campaign ads. Most Republicans agree that when you’re looking to create negative ads, Castellanos is your man. The Boston Globe has also reported that, Castellanos himself stated in a 1998 PBS broadcast that negative messages are the most effective.

In 1990 Castellanos aired a television ad for former senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina that criticized his challenger, Harvey Gantt. Gantt was a black man that supported racial quotas. The disingenuous ad depicted a pair of white hands ripping up a rejection letter from a job. The position had gone to a black man instead. At a time when a black man’s salary was on average roughly 49% lower than that of a white man’s salary, this ad was an insult to the black community. Castellanos should be ashamed of having used racist moves to manipulate the American public. The ad clearly misrepresented the historical significance of affirmative action.

Hasn’t America had enough negativity and scare tactics, Mitt? Your campaign isn’t even a reality yet, but as a Massachusetts resident I am already put off by it.

Let’s Make Some Peace, December 22nd

2006-11-21T10:05:00.000-08:00

Soldiers lay down your guns for some upcoming peace, love, harmony and orgasms. Two peace activists from San Francisco, Donna Sheehan and Paul Reffell, are calling for a world wide anti-war demonstration on December 22. The couple is asking for people to stay inside on the first day of winter and make love! They want as many people as possible to have an orgasm on December 22, in an effort to focus on the beautiful feeling of peace.

“The orgasm gives out an incredible feeling of peace during and after it. Your mind is blank. It’s like a meditative state. And mass meditations have been shown to make a change” - Reffell

Ms. Sheehan, who is of no relation to the infamous anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, has been a part of similar peace demonstrations before. In 2002 she organized a movement called “Baring Witness,” which brought together nearly 50 women who spelled out the word, Peace with their naked bodies. What a way to arouse people to the abuses of war. The couple has studied evolutionary psychology and they believe that war results from the male ego, in which men try to prove themselves superior to other potential mates. Their aim is to channel this sexual energy into a synchronized global organism, promoting world peace. A great amount of support for the movement is visible on the couples’ website, http://www.globalorgasm.org/

How wonderful would it be if a surplus of Babies were born from this movement? They would always remain a symbol of what peace can accomplish.

I can already imagine the extreme right wingers complaining about this …

“Those damn liberals! They think they can just have sex with whomever they want and solve world problems, how immoral! When will they learn that bombs are what Jesus really wanted.”

On a final note, a shout out to Bill O’Reilly- Bill, This does not make it okay for you to have sex with Iraqi children.

- Peace out

Breaking News: Bye Bye Hastert, Hello Pelosi!

2006-11-16T08:59:00.000-08:00

Nancy Pelosi became the first woman Speaker of the House today! Democrats unanimously voted her in as she promised to wipe the House floors clean of corruption. The job is second in line of succession to the presidency. Minutes after her victory she endorsed Representative John Murtha of Pennsylvania to take the house majority spot.

“We made history and now we will make progress for the American people"

- Nancy Pelosi, minutes after becoming the first woman Speaker

An Apple Product A Day Keeps Sensibility Away!

2006-11-09T13:55:00.000-08:00

Here’s a great Holiday gift, an Ipod holder for your underwear! If you are frustrated by not being able to bring your Ipod with you absolutely everywhere, than this is the product for you. If you feel that having cool ipod accessories such as speakers, plug in USB ports and neon sock holders is simply not enough to keep up with the Joneses, don’t despair Apple has more options for you. iGroove panties, pictured above are the newest hot item. What will they think of next?! A fellow colleague, Joe D. had this to say about the new product,

“I can’t decide if this is sexy or disturbing.”

Don’t worry, Joe they have Ipod holders for you too! Check out the picture below.

I can't decide what is cooler this new look or man-pri's!

WELCOME TO THE CORNER OFFICE, DEVAL PATRICK

2006-11-08T14:45:00.000-08:00

I was just a little girl when Mr. Dukakis left the corner office behind. Since then, my hometown blue state of Massachusetts has been dominated by the GOP for sixteen years. However, during yesterday’s election you could almost hear the thud the party made as the democrats swept the election. Deval Patrick became the first black governor elected in Massachusetts history and the second black governor in the nation since Reconstruction. He led a rich grass roots campaign that refused to accept Republican mudslinging. On the issue of race, some Mass. residents are hopefully that this election will bring positive change to race relations in the state but others are fearful that the new governor will face too many challenges because of his race. Gay residents, on the other hand, are thankful that Deval is heading to the corner office because of his support of marriage equality. This is especially important since the House and Senate are set to vote on whether a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage should be on the ballot in 2008.

Deval was my man from the start because of his confidence and where he stood on the issues. If he follows through on his promises which include expanding health care, improving public schools, creating new job opportunities and confronting the Big Dig he will be a success in this state. However, it is easy to run a campaign of hope in an effort to rally up the people, but it is much more difficult to bring direction to altruistic ideas in a state filled with leaders who are so resistant to change that they don’t know how to work their own email accounts. Deval will announce his team sometime next week. I hope that he chooses some fresh, young faces to help him lead the state in the right direction. The same old Beacon Hill cronies who only care about getting their name in the paper have got to wake up. Deval has improved the state’s mind-set by showing us what is possible so let’s trust that he will stick to his politics of hope and not fall short on his promises.

The Results Are In:Women Can Have it All

2006-10-26T09:17:00.000-07:00

The results are in ladies, smartness is cool. Dr. Christine Whelan’s new book, titled Why Smart Men Marry Smart Women, discusses the changes that have occurred in the attitudes of men and in society in general in respect to successful, smart women and their prospects of a satisfying marriage. Previous studies reported that men would prefer to marry a woman that they consider to be subordinate and/or a woman who has a lower IQ score than themselves. These studies claimed that strong women with successful careers were too intimidating to many men. They left thousands of women around the country afraid of pursuing higher education or promotions in their professional lives because of a growing concern that successful work lives could not go hand in hand with their dreams of a happily ever after life.

Having recently finished her own PhD, Mrs. Whelan is alerting American women that the data collected from these old studies has changed drastically over the past few decades and that the old myths are dead. No longer are men standing all by their lonesome in boardrooms across the country. Whelan refers to these new women who have appeared in all types of successful professional roles, as SWANS- Strong Women Achievers No Spouse. She believes that these “SWANS” have an excellent chance of getting married, having children and living happily ever after, not despite their smartness but because of their smartness. She explains that men are intrigued by smart women who they can relate to on an intellectual basis. Moreover, women who marry later in life after they have pursued thriving careers have a better chance of making the right choice of who to marry and live more well rounded lives.

“In 2006, high achieving women are just as likely – if not more likely – to get married and have happy, healthy relationships as they pursue their career dreams.” – Whelan

In pursuing law school, Ashley and I have both heard the backlash of the old myths, too often. We have been hit with everything from, “Are women aggressive enough to be attorneys?” to -“Don’t you want to have children?” There is no doubt that choosing to become an attorney is a time consuming and challenging life adventure, but we both agree that we are glad that “The Three Choice Days” are over. The Three Choice Days were the years in which women were entering the workforce in droves but they only had three real career choices. They were going to become either a teacher, nurse or secretary. Anyone who has a mom that grew up in the 1950s has probably heard about these days over many late night tea sessions.

Today not only have women's options broadened, but even Barbie has changed.

I recommend this new book, which hit bookstores nation wide October 17th, to all young women starting out in the workforce and I encourage them to appreciate the advances that women before us accomplished and I trust that they will continue to pave the way for the next generation of young ladies.

Trapper Keepers and the Shortage of Customer Service Today

2006-10-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

It was a brisk fall day much similar to today, when my father took me shopping for school supplies so that I would be ready for my first week of third grade. That day remains one of my most memorable moments of my father not only because it was an extraordinary day in that staying in any store longer than 10 minutes shopping for a young girl was usually my mother’s chore but also because it was on that day that I experienced some of my father’s greatest charm.

I enjoyed picking out pretty pencils and a hot pink lunch box, but the item that caught my eye the most was a shiny Trapper Keeper. I don’t know if they still make them but most kids who grew up in America in the late 80s to early 90’s had one. They were plastic binders that held various folders, pencils, erasers and other gear such as lunch money. On that day, I had picked out a stellar light blue binder that showcased two fluffy brown kittens and was convinced that I was styling. As I rode home with my Pops, I felt ready to kick off a new year at school and glad to have spent the day with my Dad. He was in a happy mood too, as he turned up the music and belted out the words to some silly song. His attitude changed once we were back at home, however, as a he attempted to open the packaging wrapped around the Trapper Keeper. He slowly peeled off all of the plastic and then began to remove the ugly price sticker in the back. Removing this sticker proved not to be any easy task. It was soaked in glue and was sticky as a popsicle on a 100 degree day. No matter how many times I tried to tell him to just leave it alone, he continued to grow more and more flustered as he attempted to wipe off the sticker and the glue smeared across the whole binder. Before long, the kittens on the binder were covered in black goop and my father was on the phone loudly asserting his concerns at a confused customer service agent. It was in those moments that I wondered if my Dad had completely lost it but I never stopped admiring his perseverance.

As and adult, having grown into a woman with the same perfectionist, obsessive compulsive character traits as my father I too have had my own run-ins with so called corporate customer service. There is nothing more frustrating than the annoying repetitive message, “please hold for the next available representative” especially when the product is no longer a Trapper Keeper holding fun colored pencils, but rather a Palm Pilot with essential notes and addresses.

This is why last Friday night’s 20/20 episode about the death of customer service caught my eye immediately. The program featured a new website, titled The Consumerist Shoppers Bite Back. My friend and I couldn’t hold back the laughter as we pulled up the sight. It is filled with video clips of customers who have bought products that were faulty in one way or another and customer service left them hanging. The videos include sleeping Comcast repair men, Ipod customers being told to purchase new ones simply because their batteries died, FTC ambiguous guidelines and AOL accounts that just don’t want to go away. The site is not only hilarious but also informative. It is about time that customers have a real place to go to voice their customer service dilemmas. If you have ever found yourself in a sticky customer service situation like mine, (pardon the pun) than check out the site for a good laugh.

2006-08-14T18:03:00.000-07:00

Hospitals not profit full
Yet market bulls got pockets full
To advertise some hip disguise
View the World from American eyes
The poor adore keep fiendin for more
The thin line between entertainment and war
They fix the need, develop the taste
Buy their products or get laid to waste
Coca-Cola is back in the veins of Saigon
And Rambo too, he got a dope pair of Nike's on
And Godzilla pure motherfuckin' filler
To keep ya eyes off the real killer – Rage Against the Machine

Living On Your Own

2006-08-11T14:00:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a shopping trip to TJMaxx to pick up a new magazine holder for my apartment. I think I did a pretty good job of finding a great buy with a leather holder that definitely falls into the more for less category that so many of these cheap home goods stores boast about. As I lugged the large object back through Fanueil Hall to my office, I thought to myself…“This real world stuff is tough.” Shopping for my apartment is always fun but finding a way to get to and from the store is difficult because like most city residents, I have no car. One by one however, I have slowly been able to replace the plastic objects left over from college with more adult objects. I don’t want to spend too much money because I’d rather save the money for a home that I will one day own but I also don’t want to live in a place that looks cheap. Jeans, shoes and pocketbooks seem to take up the most amount of room in my tiny apartment. There are days when I go to pull a pair of jeans out of my closet and they all fall down like an avalanche. It still amazes me that I have so many clothes but absolutely nothing to wear! I have been trying hard to cut back on my consumption of clothes in an effort to save but being out of fashion is in my eyes similar to giving up on my own soul. I just don’t feel alive without a great outfit on a Friday night. Perhaps that sounds shallow but let’s face it- it’s the American condition. Roommates are another all too familiar challenge. I have lived with good friends, acquaintances, complete strangers and by myself. Each situation has had its perks and also its downsides but overall they were good learning experiences. As an adult I am glad that I have a roommate who knows how to cook and decorate. She is also my best friend from high school. Together we have let go of our girlish habits and embraced adulthood.

I reside in the historic North End of Boston known for its Italian history and charm. The food is spectacular, the view of the Boston harbor is even better and the streets are filled with laughter and cheer as people immerse themselves in an atmosphere that is similar to Europe. I absolutely love it, even on the days when I feel like I have eaten too many Italian pastries. There are times when I do miss the luxuries of living with my parents where the house was always fresh, dinner was cooked for me and they’re wasn’t any chipped paint on the walls, but I would live in a potato sack on the streets of Boston before I considered moving back to my small home town where the only job opportunities include the words farm and milk. Sometimes my Mom comes to visit and I wonder if she likes the way the place looks. I notice that she tends to bite her lip as she says, “Sure that vase looks good in that window sill” in the most insincere tone I have ever heard. It’s ok though, I know she is proud of me because at the end of the day this is the life that I have built for myself on my own. I love knowing that this is mine and no one can take it away from me.

Dear Israel, What Constitutes Defense?

2006-08-09T14:31:00.000-07:00

As the fighting surges on in Lebanon, innocent people continue to reap the burdens of a world gone mad over power, domination and control. The American news portrays Israel as the good guy, with President Bush failing to put forth an adequate cease fire. It was wrong of Hezbollah to attack Israel in the first place and Israel does have a right to defend itself but what constitutes defense? How long does the fighting have to continue for the Israelis to prove that they will not be pushed around? Everyone is already aware of the power that Israel holds, especially because it is an ally of the United States. What Hezbollah did was wrong but they are reacting to years of oppression from the Israelis. What is scary about all of this is that many people living in Lebanon were originally angered by Hezbollah’s ignorance but as Israel continues to attack the country they are now latching onto Hezbollah in an effort to defend themselves. While it is never good for a country to harbor terrorists it isn’t easy to punish a country for the actions of a group that are not directly linked to its government. As I watch this battle rage on, in an effort to make sense of it all, many questions come to my mind:

Is the US considered a supporter of Terrorism because we sell weapons to Israel?

What constitutes defending a country against attacks that can not be directly linked to the country’s government?

What will this mean for the stability of the Middle East if Hezbollah’s influence continues to grow?

What will the world be like as Israel continues to rise in the Middle East as a super power with the US by its side? How many more sovereign countries will be occupied?

Governments all over the globe are now calling for a cease fire. Check out the following pictures of protest: http://www.mmorning.com/articleC.asp?Article=3834&CatergoryID=2.

In an effort to remember all of the needless suffering that is occurring in our world. I would like to dedicate this post to a young woman whose efforts to blog from Beirut have been truly noteworthy.

The Power of the Blogosphere

2006-08-05T16:41:00.000-07:00

Terror in Beirut, MTV’s Birthday, Castro’s power wanes and Mel Gibson shocks us yet again. What do all of these things have in common? They have all rocked our nation’s news since I have stopped blogging. I don’t really know why I stopped writing on the blog for over a month. Part of the reason is probably because I tend to jump from one hobbie to the next in my life as if I am living in a music video – jumping onto the next newest thrill. But lately, as I read the news and see the emerging presence that blogs are having on our world I realize how important it is for people to make the most of the blogosphere. For years the American media has been rather insular, by that I mean that most news broadcast on the television does not discuss world issues unless they only directly affect America. Another thing that all out blows about the American media is that it is run by corporate elitists who continually pervert the news to bolster their own interests, which makes the unrestricted openness of the internet a beautiful thing.

Blogs are becoming a powerful way for people all over the world to communicate and express ideas that have been previously left unnoticed and even hidden by mainstream media. The Vietnam War brought the first images of war to our television sets, shocking the country with the realities of the gruesomeness of war. Today victims of the bombings in Lebanon are using cell phones to take pictures of the wounded and posting them online along with stories about their horrible circumstances. As this article explains everyone who has access to the internet has become a reporter in Beirut.

Blogs don’t have to be just about politics however to make a difference. In fact according to a recent study done by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, most American blogs are written about people’s personal experiences, with only 11% of American bloggers writing specifically about politics. As globalization and technology make the world smaller an understanding of others depictions of world issues, expressions, ideas, hopes and dreams is only a click of our mouse away. Blogs and other online devices now stand as a force for social change as they give a voice to people who need it the most. They hold the power of being one of the strongest representations of freedom of speech- but if we don’t seize this opportunity and nourish it - its relevance might just pass us by.

Where has all the Protest Music Gone?

2006-07-02T12:18:00.000-07:00

A documentary about Bob Dylan aired on PBS this holiday weekend. It not only discussed Dylan’s life but also the culture of the times in which he became a hit. As we all know those times were filled with progresses, activism and optimism. Enraged by a brutal war in Vietnam and preoccupied with fighting for minority rights the hippies of the 60’s fought for justice with vigor so endlessly strong that it truly rocked their generation. Their passion was poetically expressed by rock and roll and Motown. Music was an artistic expression of pure rebellion. As Dylan said himself, “The times they are a changing.”

Today our generation continues to enjoy the musical talent of artists like Bob Dylan yet many hardly understand its true significance. People seem endlessly fixated on un-intellectual music like the type of stuff that millions tune into on American Idol. I asked my mom, who grew up in the 1960s where all the protest singers have gone? She replied, “I don’t know, maybe our generation didn’t do enough. We really believed we could change the system. Maybe we were wrong and we just simply couldn’t. Your generation seems to have lost hope and they have become apathetic.” Perhaps she was right but I found it hard to believe that this fire for peace had just burned out.

Neil Young recently released a new anti-Bush album titled, Living with War. He told the Los Angles Times that he was tired of waiting for some younger artist to release an album about these issues and felt that perhaps only someone from his generation could do such work. Could it be true that as making music has become more and more about making money no one is willing to take the risk of losing profits through creating controversial music?

Tom Morello a well known radical artist recently stated in MTV news, "It's like Public Enemy and N.W.A were warring for the heart of the hip-hop nation, and a gentrified, blingy version of N.W.A won out. You listen to [Public Enemy's] 'Fight the Power' and It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, and you can hear America changing. Now it's just the relentless booty shake of hollow bling. There's not yet a soundtrack like in the '60s, when the music of the time was the music of revolution."

I find it difficult to believe with today’s headlines that our artists are choosing not to be artistic. Perhaps this is just what the music industry wants us to think. After doing some research on the topic I found that protest music does still exist but it’s certainly not being cranked out of the airwaves of music giants like MTV. Music, like everything else has been trampled on by corporate interests. According to this article, Why Neil Young is Wrong activist music still exists- you just have to look for it. One great place to start is the internet. If you are interested in this issue check out the article for more information and music to jam to.

Are 401Ks a Sham?!

2006-06-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

In a previous post we discussed the challenges that young professional face in their endless attempts to save money. After coming accross this US News and World Report article on our generation's reliance on 401Ks, I found it to be a perfect addition to our site. It takes a unique perspective on the possibility that our plans for retirement aren't all that fool proof. Although, I don't recommend reading it on a Monday morning while your contemplating why you put yourself through the grind week after week-it is still a good read. http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/030120/20dissent.htm

American Allegiance Up in Flames

2006-06-28T14:10:00.000-07:00

Just in time for the Fourth of July, we will still be able to burn our American Flag. This Tuesday the Senate rejected a proposed constitutional amendment to ban desecrating the American flag by a single vote. It was an intense debate on the Senate floor resulting in a 66-34 loss for the amendment. Remember, a two-thirds majority is needed to pass a constitutional amendment. CNN reported that a constitutional ban on flag burning is more popular than a constitutional ban on gay marriage. Ten republicans and one democrat (Dianne Feinstein of CA) of the Senate Judiciary Committee supported the amendment. Typical of the republicans to not favor freedom of speech. Heaven forbid someone uses their freedoms to expose the pit falls of corporate America and they lose a penny or two.

Some believe that the burning of the flag has no real social value but even unpopular speech needs to be protected if we wish to continue to live in a free society. Although our flag has extreme meaning and is a representation of who we are as a country, not allowing Americans to burn their own flags constitutes forcing them to be patriotic. It’s almost as silly as everyone buying plastic ribbons to put on the back of their cars even though they have no idea what is going on in Iraq but they want to be part of the latest trend.

Two great liberal books to recently hit bookstores:

2006-06-23T16:15:00.000-07:00

Glenn Greenwald’s, How Would a Patriot Act?: This book which sold 50,000 copies on its first day released, attacks right-wing propaganda and conservative media tactics. http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/

David Sirota’s, Hostile Takeover: How Big Money & Corruption Conquered Our Government- And How We Take It Back: Sirota discusses how big money interests are running Congress by making deals with legislators to pass certain bills that hurt the middle class yet strengthen big business. He emphasizes how the barriers between government and business have been completely destroyed over the past thirty years and how we can rebuild them. http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/

Both extraordinary books by well known political pundits – Check them out!

Actress and Advocate: Angelina Means “little angel” in Italian

2006-06-21T16:41:00.000-07:00

The media has often relayed some of Angelina Jolie’s weirder traits. For instance, no one can forget the stories of her wearing a vial of her ex-husband, Billy Bob Thorten’s blood around her neck and tattooing his name on her right arm. But I still have to give praise to the eye-catching actress. I have developed a profound respect and an intriguing desire to learn more about Jolie in recent years. Working for the U.N. she taken a strong role in combating world suffering. On top of her incredible strength of character and intelligence she is considered one of the hottest women in the world, she is one hell of an actress and Brad Pitt is madly in love with her. Yes with grace similar to Mahatma Ghandi, femininity like Rosie the Riveter and sex appeal that challenges Marilyn Monroe…she has got it going on.

In an interview with CNN last night Jolie discussed her new bundle of joy, Shiloh. The name means “messiah” or “peaceful one.” She also discussed international issues, stating that the U.S. government has strange priorities and could end up hurting itself if it continues to neglect areas of the world that are suffering. Well said Ms. Jolie. America needs to place more of a focus on prevention if it wants to end terrorism. Jolie went on to explain that the tattoo on her upper back which states, “Know Your Rights” is a phrase taken from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I couldn’t help but think to myself…could this woman be any cooler?

If you are interested in Jolie’s international work I urge you to read her book, Notes from my Travels. It discusses the realities of poverty in our world today and what that means for the well being of all us as a people living on this earth together. Many will say that Jolie is just another pop culture star but I have to strongly disagree.

Wiffiti- The New Graffiti

2006-06-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

One of my friends works for an innovative company called LocaModa. Recently they have been promoting a fairly new product called “Wiffiti.” The product is a digital screen that can be hung at just about any location. Individuals are then able to use their cell phones to text message to the screen. The result is a beautiful array of ideas and expressions that lights up the room. Cafés, bars and other popular hangouts have been using them as an interactive way to enhance their brand image. They are becoming a big thing around the Boston area and other cities throughout the US.

If I am meeting my friend at Someday café in Davis Square (a popular Bean Town hangout) I can text message the screen, sending my friend a message that I will be late. The message then appears on the screen for the whole café to see. I could also say, “Tom Cruise is a nut job and a half,” or I could say “Go USA, World Cup 2006.” You get my drift.

The Wiffiti screens are just one more way that our world is becoming more and more interactive, convenient and digitally active.

Check out the Wiffiti blog to learn more about these new screens at: http://www.wiffiti.com/blog/

Iraq on Trial

2006-06-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

It was like a thrilling episode of the hit show 24 as President Bush snuck out of a two day Iraqi summit at Camp David earlier this week for a surprise trip to Baghdad. The Drudge Report stated that as Bush stepped onto Air Force one he proudly proclaimed to reporters, The POTUS is on Board! The crew flew into Iraq with extra security at the highest altitudes possible. Only six members of Bush’s staff new about the secret trip and even various members of the Iraqi government were expecting nothing more than a teleconference with Bush. Selected reporters, however, were of course informed. Mrs. Bush was aware of the secret trip but they gave her a pack of cigarettes to keep her mouth shut.

The main purpose of the trip was for Bush and the new Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to meet in person, get to know each other and discuss the glorious new Iraqi government. Bush reminded Mr. Maliki that he will keep his word to the country. No one really knows what that word is or what Bush’s actual plan is, but let us not forget that George W. Bush is a true cowboy and cowboys always come up with something. Moreover, the two leaders met with each other for five full hours. We can rest assured that some real work got done during that time. Building a new government can be done in a matter of hours when you’ve got Uncle Sam on your side. Also, this is the second time that Bush has gone to Iraq since 2003. Yes folks, two whole times our Commander in Chief has gone to the terrorist ridden country to ensure that the world is a better place for us all. Then there was that time when he announced, “Mission Accomplished” from a military boat somewhere not nearly near Iraq at all. Perhaps if he has actually stepped inside the country he would have had a different sense of accomplishment.

There are few people who say that the killing of terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi will lead to a quick exit to the war for our troops. There are more than 130,000 troops on the ground in Iraq and Bush’s recent photo-op with Mr. Maliki has not ended the surging violence. According to the New York Times there are now 100,000 fighters in the insurgency in Iraq. Twenty five hundred Americans have died and 18,490 have been wounded. “Even as Bush huddled with the new Iraqi leaders at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, at least 36 people were killed across Iraq yesterday.” –Bloomberg.com

Bring the boys home Bush – it’s time to end your “Mission.”

Ann Coulter: The Wicked Witch of the Right

2006-06-17T17:14:00.000-07:00

One of my best friends recently moved in with me. She brought with her a 54 inch television. It is now one of my most beloved items in my Beantown apartment. The TV has lots of great features, you know like its really big and ….well it’s just really big. As much as I love this new electronic device when people like Ann Coulter pop up on its screen I find myself seriously contemplating throwing it out the window. As I throw my clicker at the TV, I wonder why do we even waste our time continually discussing the ridiculous comments that Ann Coulter has made. We are one of the few nations that have been blessed with a Democracy yet we waste those blessings listening to dumb people like Ann make ridiculous comments. Everyone is in agreement that the recent comments she made in her book about the widows of 9/11 using the death of their husbands for TV popularity are nothing but utterly rude, disrespectful and un-called for. What I don’t understand is why it took America this long to realize how much of a rude and disrespectful person Ann Coulter is. My feelings of disgust were solidified right after she came out with the book, How to Talk to a Liberal, (If You Must).

Ann Coulter is an educated experienced woman. She graduated from Law School and established herself as a well known columnist, television pundit and what some would even call a “best selling author.” Yet she has done nothing but waste the voice that she has. Woman like Ann Coulter have an opportunity to speak about real issues but she chooses to spend her time throwing crude comments at liberals. How ridiculously self centered this is considering the fact that our soldiers are dying over seas while she bitches.

The truth is that as the failures of the way the country handled itself in the years after 9/11 have come to light, fanatical right wingers like Ann Coulter have nothing left to do but to admit they were wrong but that’s not possible for them. So instead they lash out with spiteful comments. The irony is that Ann claims that the widowers want to gain TV popularity but the reality is she is the only one with this motive. Come on now Ann…we all know you did it because you wanted to sell a book. I can only hope that her next book has a title that reads, “How to Talk to an Asshole Like Me (If you must).”

A Generation Engineered and Designed by Standardized Tests

2006-06-16T14:12:00.000-07:00

If A then B, but not C. D only if F except if S is there. A always has to be next to C. So the first letter in this combination must always be?

Answer: lowercase p

What the ?!>!?

Ahh… the joy of studying for the LSAT. If you are one of the few, the proud and the many who have decided to enter the world of true scumb bags and attend law school you have probably found yourself admist one of these practice problems before. My colleagues and I usually spend our lunch breaks discussing how we can sneak into LSAT prep courses so that we can have a chance of doing well on the test without having to dish out $1,400 in bills. The situation has become so bad that recently my boss pulled one of my co-workers into an intense meeting in our boardroom and stated, “I get the feeling that you care more about the LSAT than you do about this job.”

All kidding aside I have to admit that although extremely difficult the LSAT is the first standardized test that I have enjoyed studying for. I like the way that it molds your mind into a new way of thinking. However, spending late nights trying to crack this test has reminded me of the difficulties of taking standardized tests and I find myself sleeping peacefully with the knowledge that the SAT is behind me and that I am not part of a generation that is required to take the MCAST. From the nerves to the confusion created standardized test are never fun and they hardly measure true academic success.

Ok, so of course like most of my blogs you know where this one is going – into a political discussion. George Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act comes to mind immediately whenever someone explains their frustrations with standardized tests. I can not imagine having to have to take some dumb test thought up by a man who scored in the 400 range for his admission to Harvard Business School. Under this proposal- that Mr. Bush came up with only so that he could appeal to some soccer moms that he is a guy who cares about education- students are required to take a test every year in English and Math. So what happens when these kids are not up to par? Do we help get them up to par? Do we provide more funding for the school? Do we think to ourselves maybe we should stop dropping bombs on children in Iraq and spend our money to revitalize our failing education system? Nope! We just put a tag on the school that has the lowest test scores with the following label: failing. Then students can choose to transfer schools if they would like. Wow to go to another school that is failing?! Amazing plan Bushie. Oh and then on top of that the law lays serious funding burdens on the schools that are failing.

If A then not B but possibly C. Oh I’m sorry you will have to excuse me I just remembered the reason why I want to go to law school. When I am a lawyer I will have the authority to not simply write a blog but to write a full law review of why this law is so damn crappy.

I agree that our nation’s schools need to be held up to some kind of standard but standardized tests have become such an important part of a student’s future that teachers are now teaching to the test and students are spending quality studying time just drilling themselves on rather needless information. America’s youth are turning into conformist idiots who know how to take tests but not how to think analytically and philosophically on their own. As we are held up to stringent standards we become unable to question these very standards that we are supposed to be living up to as a society -seems a little Orwellian to me. I want to live in a country of great thinkers who think outside of the box and who work hard. Standardized tests simply don’t test this. Moreover, standardized tests will bring us no where if we do not use the results of the tests to address weaknesses and then implement policies that will bring about positive changes. Teachers and schools should not be penalized for factors outside of their control such as Bush creating this law and then not funding it. Once we recognize inconsistencies in education programs we must create sound public policy that addresses those issues or else the whole point of administering the test in the first place is lost.

The issue of standardized testing is an important one for woman especially. Various psychological studies have found that women as a whole generally do worse on standardized testing than men. They say that women lack the self confidence to approach the test thinking that they are going to do awesome on it. Researchers believe that this may be because of the various ways in which society constantly tells men that they will be the bread winner of their families but woman are sort of just expected to find a good man to marry. But of course this is all changing greatly and rapidly. We are the first generation of woman to really have true choices so don’t ever forget that and don’t let a silly test stand in your way.

We are Back!!

2006-06-16T14:10:00.000-07:00

We would like to extend our apologies for not putting enough time into this blog lately. In a quest to establish ourselves we have been held down by intense studying for the Law School Admission Test. Needless to say there is too much going on in the world to leave 20somethinginthecity’s web page blank for this long. After becoming so consumed with studying for the LSAT to the point that I didn’t even have enough time for cable TV, I thought the experience was worth reflecting on and yes of course, blogging about. Thus, the next post was created.