Love Is All Around At Christmastime

     It's Christmas Eve and I just finished an Italian dinner full of fishy types of food ... If you're Italian, you know what I mean ... and while cooking that delicious dinner I was flipping through the channels to try and find something Christmas-y to watch and it got me thinking ... There are some amazing scenes full of love and happiness and joy in the movies that have been playing this past month.
     And here's a countdown of my favorite ones!

Top Five Christmas Scenes of All Time

5) Sleepless in Seattle (1993) - Empire State Building Ending Scene

"Destiny is something we've invented because we can't stand the fact that everything that happens is accidental." - Annie Reed 

This isn't necessarily a Christmas scene but I just had had had to pick it ... even if other great moments in this movie happen during Christmastime. For any girl or woman who spent any time liking any boy or man in the nineties ... whether she was ten and in love with Backstreet Boy or twenty-five and falling in love with a colleague, boyfriend, lover, or whatever ... She spent time wanting to be Meg Ryan and this is just one of the reasons why. Want another one? ... This one is definitely Christmas related.

4) The Polar Express (2004) - Believer's Bell Ending Scene

"Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see." - The Conductor

I love this movie. It breaks a little piece of my heart every time I hear a child say that they don't believe in Santa Claus. I think there's something innocent about believing in the unseen and the unknown, and in today's world I think kids need to hold onto their innocence as long as possible. Who cares if a kid is twelve years old and believes in Santa. Heck, who cares if someone is fifty and believes in Santa?! You know what? They are probably in a better place then most of us. 

3) Love Actually (2003) - Perfect Scene

"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there ... If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around." - Prime Minister

If anyone had any doubt that this scene would show up on this list, then you do not know Christmas. You do not know movies. And you do not know women. This scene gives the quintessential example of what any woman wants from a man - honesty, creativity, sincerity, and a little bit of humor. While Kiera Knightly is a whole hot mess in this scene ... you know, with the whole being-on-her-way-to-looking-like-Skelator-thing and kissing a man who isn't her husband ... Andrew Lincoln is all kinds of wonderful. He's sincere and loving and, well, kind of pathetic, which makes him so much more believable. 

2) Serendipity (2003) - Skating Scene

"Jonathan Trager, prominent television producer for ESPN, died last night from complications of losing his soul mate and his fiancee. He was 35 years old. Soft-spoken and obsessive, Trager never looked the part of a hopeless romantic. But, in the final days of his life, he revealed an unknown side of his psyche. This hidden quasi-Jungian persona surfaced during the Agatha Christie-like pursuit of his long reputed soul mate, a woman whom he only spent a few precious hours with." - Dean Kansky

This entire movie is amazing ... and I could have picked a slew of scenes from it to be one of the best Christmas scenes, as most of them take place during the holiday season ... but I just love this scene at the skating rink. It's kind of magical and romantic how you can see Jonathan falling in love with Sarah almost instantly. And, coming from someone who is occasionally a cynic, that's saying a lot. I just love love in this movie. <3

1) It's A Wonderful Life (1946) - Homecoming Ending Scene

"What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey, that's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the moon, Mary." - George Bailey

Christmas is a time of coming together, appreciating the life you have, and helping your friends and family and this scene combines all those tenets into one. I don't think a Christmas has passed where I missed this movie, and I doubt one ever will. It truly speaks to the spirit of Christmas and the holiday season. If we all just gave a little more the rest of the year ... and maybe acted with the holiday spirit 365 days a year ... maybe the world would be a better place, at least in little ways.

So, there you have it. The top five holiday scenes according to me. Now go ahead and watch each movie ... because they are amazing!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Believe in what your heart is saying. Hear the melody that's playing. There's no time to waste. There's so much to celebrate. Believe in what you feel inside and give your dreams the wings to fly. You have everything you need, if you just believe. [Believe - Josh Groban (ft. Beyonce)]

When Wonder Woman Tells You To Touch Your Boobies ... You Touch Your Boobies (Like Your Life Depended On It).

     You don't need superhuman powers like X-Ray vision or gamma-radiation-inundated strength to give yourself a monthly self-breast exam ...

     At least that is what a new advertising campaign out of South Africa is trying to tell you! The new campaign by Associação da Luta Contra o Cancer features four ads - each with a different girl super hero, drawn from their chin down to their mid-torso, feeling up her boobies for lumps! 

     The lucky ladies which are featured in these ads (suggested by their artfully rendered uniforms, of course) are ... Catwoman, She-Hulk, Wonder Woman, and Storm (of X-Men fame for you non-nerdy people, out there).

     The ads also all feature a comic-book looking caption that reads: Nobody's Immune To Breast Cancer.

     It goes on to say: When we talk about breast cancer, there’s no women or superwomen. Everybody has to do the self-examination monthly. Fight with us against this enemy and, when in doubt, talk with your doctor.

I would suggest clipping your nails before a monthly self-exam.

She-Hulk is Hella-Endowed. Just saying.

Leather and all that super hero clothing is cool ...
But I would suggest any type of metal be removed before a monthly exam.

Storm could totally donate her hair to women with cancer.

     I love this ad campaign. It not only has a positive message outwardly ... But it also has another message in the imagery ...
     These super hero women are all women who prevent crises from occurring on an everyday basis based on the actions they choose to do --- I mean let's face it, no one's forcing them to save the world. By choosing to perform breast self-exams, you are choosing to take a preventative step against cancer. You are choosing to check yourself for lumps and bumps and funniness and to report it to a doctor when you find it.
      Basically, you are being your own super hero. To yourself. To your friends. To your family. To all your loved ones.
     So, please do me a favor, ladies ... And gentlemen ... Go ahead - be my hero and go touch your boobies ...
     Just not at Happy Hour like this song suggests ... It won't end well. Trust me.


There's boobies of all different kinds but do you know the warning signs!? I touch my boobies for any strange lumps. I touch my boobies for any weird bumps. Touching is key to being lumpy free. So, please touch your boobies, touch your boobies, for me! [Touch Your Boobies (I Touch Mine!) - Taryn Southern]

Side Note: If you have discovered a lump or have any other signs of breast cancer, visit your doctor right away. You can access information about the disease here. If you would like to donate to breast cancer research, you can do so here. Or, if you have some long tresses you are willing to donate in order to have wigs made for those who have been affected by cancer, check out Pantene Pro-V's Beautiful Lengths Program (I'll post my before and after pictures next month!). 

Losing Faith In Humanity ... One Jackass At A Time.

      A 20-year-old man from Belmar, NJ and a 17-year-old boy from Lake Como, NJ have been charged with beating a homeless man after they posted a video of the attack on YouTube.
     I can't locate the video ... But when you hear about things like this, doesn't it make you lose a bit more faith in humanity ... if you're one of the people who have any left. What makes it worse is that at the end of the video ... when the homeless man is left bloody ... one of the attackers shouts back to him, "Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Whatever the fuck you are."

The kid went in for a hug ... then kneed the man in the groin. Nice. Real nice.

     Isn't this the time of year when we are supposed to be a little more loving? A little more accepting? Aren't we supposed to let people merge in on the highway? And throw an extra dime in an expired meter when we see the meter-maid walking up the street??? I mean, aren't we supposed to be helping each other out just a little bit ... even if it's just at this time of the year?! I'd like it to be all year long, 24/7 ... But God knows that's never going to happen ... So let's just make it happen around the holidays, people!
     Maybe I'm just naive or my faith in humanity is just too strong ... But I think we can all be better to each other. So just do it! --- Be a better person for goodness sake.
     Basically what I am saying is ... Don't be a jackass.

I never wanted to say this. You never wanted to stay. I put my faith in you, so much faith, and then you just threw it away. You threw it away. I'm not so naive. My sorry eyes can see the way you fight shy of almost everything. Well, if you give up, you'll get what you deserve ... Why don't you stand up? Be a man about it, fight with your bare hands about it now. (For A Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic - Paramore)

What's Wrong With The World Today - Any Newfangled Trend Kids Come Up With

     Let me paint you a little picture here ... assuming you're in your mid-twenties, early-thirties and we grew up in the same kind of suburban Desperate Housewives neighborhoods ...

     You're back in middle school and sniffing markers is the coolest new trend (if you weren't snorting pixie stix in the bathroom) ... You remember, right? You feel like a total badass whenever you took a whiff.
     It's every kid's gateway drug into huffing paint and glue. 

     Ahhhh, those were the days ... Not that I was a huffer or anything ... I mean, I did enjoy the occasional whiff of a Mr. Sketch every once in a while but I mean, honestly, who didn't!?

     Once middle school ended and we moved onto high school, if we didn't take the actual drug route, most of us were too busy trying to find ourselves and too busy with shitty high school drama to make up new, crazy trends. But, it seems like today, every time you turn on the TV, kids are doing something insane and weird that any normal individual would think absurd ... 

     Part of me thinks it's because they have too much time of their hands because everything is computerized and technological for them but that's another story for another day. So, in their free time ... they do things like this ...

Trend One: The Choking Game

     This "game" involves basically cutting off the oxygen to one's brain in order to either faint or get a short feeling of euphoria. Most cases involve kids choking each other, but there have been cases where kids choke themselves. Kids have been hospitalized, suffered brain damage, and died as a result of this game. Crazy shit.

Trend Two: Vodka Tampons and Butt Beer

     This one simply blew me away ... and was actually the inspiration for this blog post ... so thank you to the genius behind this little act of idiocy.

     Teen girls have been soaking tampons in vodka and then doing the obvious ... I mean, DUHHHH, what else would you do with a vodka-filled tampon? ... They are inserting them into their vagina so that the alcohol is absorbed directly into their blood streams. Teenage boys are inserting the tampons into their rectums. Apparently, a lot of teens seem to think that because they are not drinking the alcohol, they will beat a breathalyzer test.

     On top of this - to go one stupid, gross step further ... teens (and I am generalizing this to teens because I hope that no one older is stupid enough to be doing this shit ... or younger is being exposed to it) are funneling beer straight into their anus using a beer bong. WTFFFFFF!!!!!

     Couldn't they just sniff some markers? ... This is enough for me to want to lock up my potential, hypothetical future children in a closet for all of their teenage years and let them out when they are eighteen ... even if it means they will have to be a little socially awkward for a while - middle school years are awkward anyway.

     If I scared even one parent into talking to their kid about not putting a rope around their neck or putting beer in their butt, my job here is done.

Bring your friends. It's fun to lose and to pretend. She's overboard and self-assured. Oh no, I know. A dirty word ... With the lights out, it's less dangerous. Here we are now, entertain us. I feel stupid and contagious. Here we are now. Entertain us. (Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana)

Side Note: If you or anyone you know is involved in Choking Game activities and need information or help, visit G.A.S.P., Games Adolescents Shouldn't Play, or the Dangerous Behaviors Foundation. Similarly, if you need information or help about alcohol abuse, visit SAMHSA at 1-800-662-HELP (24/7) to receive free resources and to get referrals for treatment centers in your area.

December 7, 1941 - A Date Which Will Live In Infamy ... Or Will It?

     70 years ago today, the United States was attacked by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor ... If it wasn't for reading it here ... Or seeing a random newscast about it ... Or a random facebook status update ... Would you have even remembered? Will your kids remember?
     The attacks at Pearl Harbor pushed us into World War II. It is a major event in our history and is not a date which can be forgotten. There were 2,402 military casualties at Pearl Harbor and another 1,247 wounded. Civilian casualties were far, far less in number ... but were also evident as a result of the attacks.
     We are a country that prides itself in remembering the service that our men and women put forth and honoring the sacrifices that they make ... So many lives were lost that fateful day, and subsequently, in World War II --- so take a moment today and remember what Pearl Harbor represents and to read and listen to the stories of the survivors. They are truly remarkable.

Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan ... I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire. (Infamy Speech, President Franklin D. Roosevelt)



MMM MMM Good ... And Dead?

     .... It's like something out of a horror movie ...  

     A woman in Pakistan was arrested on suspicion of killing her husband then ... WAIT FOR IT ... cutting him into pieces and attempting to cook him to cover up the crime!!!!

     OH YEAHHHH, she went all out!!! Pakistani officials stated that Zainab Bibi, 32, had no intention of eating (BLAUGH!) her now-dead husband but needed to get rid of the evidence in the best possible way. If you ask me, this woman has been watching one too many episodes of Criminal Minds. I'm pretty sure it gets dubbed over there.
  

     Reporters in Pakistan said that Bibi had no remorse for killing her husband as she had a daughter from a previous marriage, who her second husband wanted to leave her for, and marry. Bibi apparently stated in an interview that her husband "got what her deserved ... before he dared touch [her] daughter."

     Well, seems like she's a total psycho and he's a total creep. One big happy family, no doubt, under that roof. Throw in the fact that Bibi's 22-year-old nephew helped with the kill and you just have one hell of a story to tell at Christmas dinner to the relatives.

     I hope those were the black sheep in that family. 

     ... Honestly though, I feel for the daughter in this whole debacle ... She clearly has some Daddy issues she's going to have to get through and now she's got a Momma in jail.

     Craziness up in there.

She's a Killer Queen. Gunpowder. Gelatin. Dynamite with a laser beam. Guaranteed to blow your mind, anytime. Recommended at the price. Insatiable an appetite. Wanna try? (Killer Queen, Queen)

Happy Thanksgiving To All

Today I Am Thankful For ...

 * My Family 

(who I drive insane but love me anyway.)

* My Friends 

(who occasionally drive ME insane but I love anyway!)

* My Health 

(which is back and better than ever ... minus this cold!)

* My Faith 

(which whether it wanes, always comes back stronger.)

* My Incredible Co-Workers 

(at ALL my jobs that I am lucky to have.)

* My Cohorts 

(who get me through each and every semester and keep me sane ...)

* My Professors 

(who push me to use my brain that has healed so very nicely.)

* My Sisters

(who help me remember to live by our AXO standards.)

And, last but not least ...

* Shoes

(which give me something pretty to look forward to buying!)

I hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving filled with food, fun, and family! Enjoy it!

Somedays we forget to look around us. Somedays we can't see the joy that surrounds us. So caught up inside ourselves - we take when we should give. So for tonight, we pray for what we know can be. And on this day, we hope for what we still can't see. It's up to us to be the change. And even though we all can still do more, there's so much to be thankful for. (Thankful, Josh Groban)

NoBODY Is Perfect ... Unless The Media Says So.

     This week I have just been slapped in the face with media representation issues ... and since it's kind of my thing ... I guess I should probably say a little something (or more than a little something) about one of the giant problems that lie within the media.

     I recently attended the National Communication Association Conference in New Orleans and attended a seminar about magazines. One of the speakers mentioned that the current stats say that 68 million women read magazines each month without fail. 

     This statistic scares me considering what I have observed about the messages that magazines (and media in general) send to its female consumers - and males too in certain cases, just to be fair! Just in scanning through a few of the more popular women's magazines, you notice what the media considers the "perfect" and "ideal" woman - both in the pages of its content and in its advertisements. For example, in the most current issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, there are 62 ads which feature front-facing females. Only one of those women are depicted as having a position of power (I think it was an Orajel ad) and from what I can remember counting - only 20-somewhat ads featured women of color. None featured plus-size women. 

     What is Cosmopolitan telling women about themselves simply through the ads they choose to accept and run, let alone through their actual content? (By the way, all that counting was done for preliminary research for possible thesis topics! ... OH YEAH. I can never get away from grad school which is why I have been so MIA on the blog posts lately).

  

     Considering the state of the media today and the ways in which it is treating its women, we are the only ones who can change it. We need to stand up to the media (and the fashion industry - we can't forget them!) and say that we aren't scared of not seeing size 0 models on our runways and in our magazines. We need to see more women of color and of differing body types on our TV stations. We also need to be the ones working in the media. Today I was appalled to hear someone make a bulimia joke in a media setting and I didn't even know what to say as I was so shocked - especially when you consider the facts like the ones presented here:

     All those facts should stir a little something in you to want to make a change, and even if that change is just a personal one to accept yourself and give yourself a little slack when you look in the mirror and to love yourself for who you are ... then that's enough. But if it stirs a little more in you to make more changes like contacting fashion designers and magazine publishers/editors, then more power to you! Hopefully we can help change the world before a new generation of girls are hurt by the media messages they are fed every day.

I want to be beautiful. Make you stand in awe. Look inside my heart and be amazed. I want to hear you say who I am is quite enough. Just want to be worthy of love and beautiful. Sometimes I wish I was someone other than me, fighting to make the mirror happy - trying to find whatever is missing. Won't you help me back to glory. (Beautiful, Bethany Dillon)

Oops, They Did It Again.

     Seems like baby news is just blowing up the entertainment sphere these past few weeks ... First, Jessica Simpson confirmed her chub was a baby bump ... then Biebs denied he was a baby daddy ... and today, every baby sitter's nightmare came true, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar announced they are expecting ... again. Baby number 20 is on the way for the happy couple.
     And, quite frankly, bitch be straight crazy.

     Now, don't get me wrong - I am always the first one to congratulate an expecting couple or make goo-goo sounds and silly faces at itsy-bitsy babies but there is a point when as a couple, as a woman, you need to say that you're done. And I think after 19 kids ... and after 45 years old ... that might be it for you - and your lady bits.
     I totally understand that Jim Bob and Michelle want to keep everything in God's hands and are willing to take on the responsibility of having as many children as God wills, and I respect that, but I am also a firm believer that God helps those that help themselves ... and I think we need to look at the facts - besides the fact that Jim Bob's sperm must have GPS because they always get where they are going!
     She is a 45 year old woman, who already has had 19 kids.
     According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, there are risks of complications for older women because pregnancy puts new demands on a woman's body (well, maybe not new in her case ...). There is also an increased chance of high blood pressure which poses risks to both the mother and the baby. There could be problems with the placenta and with the growth of the baby. The mother is also more likely to develop diabetes, if she doesn't already have it (in which case, it will worsen). On top of all this, there is a heightened risk of Down's syndrome and other chromosomal diseases for the baby ... or pregnancy loss overall.
     Is it really worth all that? I mean like I said ... God helps those. He gave us a brain for a reason, why take all those risks when you don't know what could happen with the baby or yourself? Is it really worth it - Especially for the Duggars who already have 19 kids (and a grandchild).
     I don't know - I just hope that all goes well in her pregnancy and that when the time comes and she goes into labor (and that baby just slides right out of her because God knows you don't come back from 19 kids), that the baby is just fine and dandy because there were some complications with her last pregnancy, and Josie Duggar spent several months in and out of the hospital.

c/o www.duggarfamily.com

     And you know what, even if the Duggars don't really need to worry about this ... In today's world where people are losing their jobs and money is hard to come by, people need to take care in choosing to have kids because they are basically a really expensive asset. You put all this money into them, and hopefully one day, they can be used to your advantage. They will pay for you to live in some nice retirement community or they will let you live with them ... Either way, the Duggars are apparently good with banging out kids and have the means to do it, but if you don't have the means for them ... it's not fair to bring a child (or twenty) into the world and not be able to afford them. People need to keep that in mind and not just go with the flow Duggar-style.
     They, however, don't need to worry about this ... They probably get a new diaper deal with every kid that's born.

Havin' my baby. What a lovely way of sayin' how much you love me. Havin' my baby. What a lovely way of sayin' what you're thinkin' of me. I can see it, face is glowin'. I can see it in your eyes. I'm happy you know it - that you're havin' my baby. [(You're) Having My Baby, Paul Anka]

It's Not His Baby, Baby, Baby. Ohhhh.

     Y'all knew it was coming ... My rant on this Biebs story. Y'all just didn't know when! Sorry, but grad school has been OWNING my life. But, here it is. The "IT AIN'T HIS" rant!
     Now I'm sure at this point, you all have heard about this trifling bitch Mariah Yeater who is claiming that Justin Bieber fathered her 3-month-old son, after some 30-second bathroom tryst. This comes after she claimed the child was fathered by her ex-boyfriend (who, in case you are wondering, she beat and then ended up being arrested for battery when he denied being the father).
     Oh yeahhhhh, Justin Bieber was her SECOND CHOICE BABY DADDY!

     Now, here's my thing. If you are going to make up some crazy-ass story to get yourself some 15 minutes of fame and some dolla dolla bills in your pocket then at least pick a better celebrity ... Because I mean, come on, we all know the Biebs is all about being virgin unless you are definitely ready and you are absolutely with someone you loveeeeee (ermmmm ... Selena Gomez, anyone!?). AND, on top of that, this woman's 3-month-old child would have been conceived when the Biebs was 16 years old, and she was 19!!!! WHAT?! She's willing to be convicted of statutory rape for this!?
     GIRLLLLL, you all kinds of crazy.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Dept./AP

     I am interested to see where this story ends up going because I know right now Justin Bieber is simply denying that he knows her and that the baby is his ... (OBVI, because it's TRUE). But this woman seems like a total loony basket, so I am just wondering if the Biebs will ever succumb and take the paternity test. Or if this crazy will end up trailing him on the road because, I mean, its not too hard to track down a celeb. What do you really need to do? Google them? 

     Actually, that's pretty scary. I don't want to give any more crazines any ideas. 

Don't need that TMZ all in our privacy. Use them lips for kissin' girl if you wanna ride with me, and if you wanna tell somebody then we can call the whole thing off, no problem. You can go your way and I'll go mine but I'd rather spend a little time with you, yeah ... I don't wanna see you tweet about J.B 'cause the only people that know is you and me ... So, tell me are you gonna kiss, kiss and tell? (Kiss and Tell, Justin Bieber)

American Muslims On TV ... No, Not The 10:00 News.

     Traditional weddings and gypsy weddings, strange addictions and hoarding, little couples and couples with 19 kids  ... Just some of the reasons why I, personally, cannot get enough of TLC ... And now I can add another reason to that list - the All-American Muslim, a new reality show premiering on November 13 at 10/9c.
     The show features five Muslim American (or American Muslim) families - whichever you prefer - living in Dearborn, Michigan simply living their lives as ... you guessed it ... All-American Muslims (Woahhhh, I know I blew your mind with that one!).
     The families on the show will consist of a police officer, a football coach, club owners, housewives, along with other business-people.
     On top of taking us into their work lives, the show will also delve into the the challenges these families face when it comes issues of marriage, infertility, hijab (headscarf), inter-cultural/religious families, conversion, and the everyday lives of American Muslims after 9/11.
     Despite these families thinking Dearborn is a bit more of a pleasant place for Muslims to reside, with the racial make-up of Dearborn being 86.86% white, with 33.4% of Arab ancestry, one person stated, "After 9/11, the environment was a bit more hostile."

     This show will hopefully bring to light the intricacies of Muslim families, and the different types of Muslim families that reside in our country (despite them all living in such close proximity to each other). I hope that people will pick up even the slightest sense that every Muslim family is different, with their own blend of religiosity and traditionalism, with their own ups and downs, their own joys and sorrows, and with their own skeletons in their closet ... Just like every other American family.

You are the hope for our globe. Don't give up nor despair. There's nothing you can't repair. You can change this world to a better world. (I Am Your Hope, Sami Yusuf)

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears ... OH SHIT!

     A man in Ohio decided to free all his exotic pets and then kill himself yesterday ... and now there are some two-dozen animals roaming the streets of Zanesville ... and another some two-dozen are dead.
     The man, who was charged with weapons charges, was asked to remove the animals and apparently took it a little too literally ... He removed them from his property and dispersed them to everyone else's ... But beforehand, like any good pet owner (which he was not, he had been charged with pet abuse in the past), he fed his cheetahs, and giraffes, and wolves before he opened their cages and his fence and walked away ... Afterwards, they did what any warm-blooded animal would do, they strolled along their merry way.
     Occasionally a lion would eat a monkey ... Or a camel would stroll along a highway ... You know the norm. When the Zanesville police got wind of this, they originally attempted to tranquilize the animals but when tigers and lions and other animals reacted violently, they decided they needed to shoot to kill (which, bee tee dubz, is super sad!).

     My question is how did this man accumulate all these exotic animals in the first place? When he got his first lion, all right ... Ohio apparently has lax laws on having crazyyyy pets. But then when he got a monkey and a camel and a tiger and a grizzly bear and started calling it a preserve ... but then was charged with pet abuse ... Didn't that raise any red flags???? I mean what does it take for someone in Ohio to send their "pets" to a zoo ...

     Oh, yeah, apparently a real life version of Jumanji.

It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight, rising up to the challenge of our rival. And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night and he's watching us all in the eye of the tiger. (Eye of the Tiger, Survivor)

Jesus Would Be My Homeboy ... If He Gave Out Candy On Halloween

     So, I have gotten used to getting some random things while trick-or-treating on Halloween ... You know the stuff ... Loose change that people probably dug up from under car seats and sofa cushions, loose fruit, soda cans ... One woman in my neighborhood used to save up all her kid's Happy Meal toys for the year and then gave them out!

So I've seen my share of strange and weird and lazy ... But what I haven't seen is unwanted. There was never anything that anyone could have given me as a child that I would have tossed aside and been like "No, I'm good, thanks!" but thanks to the fine folks at JesusWeen, I am pretty sure this year, kids everywhere are going to be a little disappointed when they open their treat bags and see several bibles inside.
     Now, this has nothing to do with the fact that they are bibles. Same thing would go with ANY book in a trick-or-treating bag. Kids will definitely consider this a trick. What they want are twizzlers, and twix, and starbust galore ... Not a book, even if it comes with the promise of "fill[ing them] with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD," Jesus Christ. They just want to be filled with the glory of sugar and artificial flavorings.
     According to their website, as the world "celebrate[s] ungodly images and evil characters," Christians all over the world use JesusWeen as an opportunity to spread the gospel, as it is already acceptable to knock on doors or toss random treats into willing participant's bags.
     I can see where they are coming from ... I mean just look at these evil characters ...

    

... Eeeeee-villllllll ....

Cruella deVil, Oscar the Grouch, and a Bumble Bee ... 

Nope, couldn't get any more evil than that.

     In all seriousness though, to each his own ... if some people want to go out and prance around like ungodly (read as "ho-esque") fairies, kitty cats, policewomen, nurses, and sexy Cinderellas or evil pirates, video game characters, football stars, pimps, and gangsters ... then so be it. And if others want to knock on doors and spread the gospel and drop a Bible or two into some unsuspecting kid's candy bag, then more power to them. I say charge on, my friends. 

     And a Happy JesusWeen to you.

Boys and girls of every age, wouldn't you like to see something strange? Come with us and you will see. This, our town of Halloween. This is Halloween, this is Halloween. Pumpkins scream in the dead of night. This is Halloween, everybody make a scene. Treat-or-treat 'til the neighbors gonna die of fright. It's our town, everybody scream! (This Is Halloween, The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack)

Side note: If you, your church, or your youth group would like to get involved with JesusWeen, "all you need to do is pray first, then form a group and inform [them via their] email address info@jesusween.com and [they] will provide you with further information and guidance." I believe you can also sign up, here.

What's Wrong With The World Today - An Emphasis On The Social Media Aspects Prompting Revolutions

     I went to a lecture this week by Peter Maass called "Seeing Revolution: The Altered Image of War in New and Old Media." I found it an extremely talk considering the fact that last year for one of my classes, I wrote a paper touching on many of the same topics on which Maass spoke. My paper was called Revolution in the Middle East and the Impact of History vs. Social Media.
     Maass spoke about the technical aspects of how images of war have changed in the past years - for example the types of cameras and mics that were used by journalists when reporting on the Bosnian War vs. the wars of today. What I was most interested in, however, was the idea of the rise of the civilian journalist.
     Even back in the 90's, the people of Bosnia could not tweet or facebook about the horrors of what they were facing ... But today, we see in places like Egypt and Iran, hundreds of people taking to the streets for what are called "Facebook Revolutions" and "Twitter Revolutions." People all over the world are seeing the images and words that are being posted by these everyday journalists and are also getting on board.
     Our mainstream media are quick to dub the revolutions that happen around the world with catchy names like the "Wikileaks Revolution" in Tunisia and the "Facebook Revolution" in Egypt, and stream youtube videos posted by civilian journalist and use that as news, however, they often neglect the deeper issues at hand when it comes to war and revolution. And, they are the ones that need to be focusing and bringing to light the deeper issues at hand, because mainstream media are where most people go for their news.
     The truth of the matter is that every country that has a revolution has a long and, probably, convoluted history involving deception, take-over, lies, and killings. When writing my paper, I just focused on the most recent revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, and Iran, and just the histories of those countries - simply going back to the late 19th century and forward - had long-stretches dark histories. These histories cannot be ignored. Mainstream journalists cannot just choose one of these:

And assume they have enough information to go on when describing a revolution. It's a revolution for goodness sake. People are clamoring to make change. They are clearing angry about something, and that pent up anger is not over one spilled cup of tea - it's over years and years of water boiling out of a pot over the people.

Don't look back. Keep your head held high. Don't ask them why because life is short and before you know you're feeling old and your heart is breaking. Don't hold onto the past. Well, that's too much to ask. (This Used To Be My Playground, Madonna)

Step 1: Get Accused of Murder, Step 2: Write A Trashy Memoir

     I have read some really horrible books in my day ... and seen some even worse (auto)biographies/memoirs ... Sometimes I walk through bookstores and see books like this ...

Or this ... 

Or worse, this ...

OK, so I own the Miley one but that's besides the point ... But you get my drift ...

     There are a crazy amount of horrible books out there and our bookstores and bookshelves are definitely not in need of more ... But if I needed to pick one person right now who did need to write a memoir or who did deserve a book deal, it would be this girl right here ...

     Yep, Miss Amanda Knox. Not because she spent 4 years in jail or because she allegedly killed her roommate but because she is definitely going to need the money now that she's home ... Because let's consider the facts ...

1) She's unemployable ... I mean despite the fact that it's illegal to not hire her ... Who would?

2) I highly doubt any college is going to accept her considering her shady past so she isn't going to get a higher education ... well, maybe an online degree ... But not one on any college campus.

and ...

3) Don't nobody want to ever share an apartment with this bitch ever again so she's paying rent on her own for the rest of time ... I mean what would her ad say?

Twenty-Something Female Seeks Roommate

Enjoys traveling and creative writing

Has spent some time studying abroad in Italy

Studied the Criminal Justice System, as well as the Judicial System

Please call my cell if interested,

Depending on the date it's either a cell phone

Or a jail cell.

TBD

     See what I mean? She's going to need a book deal to help pay her way through life ... So I just think someone should throw this girl a bone and give her one ... And, honestly, I don't even think her memoir would be that bad. I think it would be kind of interesting. (Do they have double jeopardy laws in Italy? What if she just decides to go all out and be like, "YEP. I did it. I killed her" in the book. That would be nuts.) Publishers take note, you read it here first. Give her a book deal. It'll be worth it.

If you really like it, you can have the rights. It could make a million for you overnight. If you must return it, you can send it here but I need a break and I want to be a paperback writer. (Paperback Writer, The Beatles)

Let's Get Behind and Cheer The Yankees!

     The New York Yankees are on the road to 28 World Championships ... But they could face elimination as early as tonight ... as they try to avoid getting knocked out of the playoffs.

     As of right now, in the bottom of the forth, the score is 2-1 Yanks ... Let's just hope they can keep it up ... Because, as Lady Gaga would say, this is their last shot before they kiss the other side.

It's time to feel the rush, to push the dangerous. I'm gonna run back to, to the edge with you ... I'm on the edge of glory and I'm hanging on a moment with you. I'm on a edge with you. Another shot, before we kiss the other side, tonight, yeah babe. Tonight, yeah baby. I'm on the edge of something final we call tonight. (Edge of Glory, Lady Gaga)