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)
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)
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.
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)
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)
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)
Not lonely or sad at all ... I think this is the guy's equivalent to the girl's fake engagement ring or the equivalent to the pretend phone call in public for avoidance purposes. I can think of a slew of situations where this piece of genius can be put to good use ...
1) You're out and about, trying to have a good 'ole time with the guys or whatever ... and a girl comes along that you are just not feeling ...
BUT being the gentleman that I know you are, you don't want to hurt her feelings soooo what do you do? ... You pull out your handy-dandy cell phone, text "Rebecca," and tell the poor girl you're talking to, that your girlfriend Rebecca would not appreciate you hanging all night with her. This saves you both a lot of time.
2) You are walking along and all of a sudden, in the distance, you see that jerk from high school - that one person who you swore you would never cross paths with again after graduation day ... But there's nowhere to go ... No time to do this and hide ...
So, get the phone out ... send that initial text message ... and then when you bump into that jerk and you need to have that awkward encounter, at least it's cut short by "Tina" who will call you and tell you that you immediately need to come meet her at the mall because she needs help picking out a dress for the wedding you guys are attending next weekend. Oh yeahhhhh. It's that serious. Time to go.
3) And, it can even be used for it's actual purpose ... but not because you're sad and lonely ... because you have annoying and meddling relatives who are always, "When are you going to settle down with a nice [fill in with appropriate meddling adjective here] girl? We'll die before we have grand kids [or nieces/nephews/god-children]."
Now you can just text and call your air hostess girlfriend "Megha" whenever you need to get your parents out of your hair ... When they want to meet her, she's in flight, DUH.
And there you go ... Just some of the reasons why this service was a stroke of genius on someones part ...
And, yes, I am sure there are some guys out there who are just lonely and are like, "I want a fake girlfriend to send me messages all day long and I'll call her and message her and ... blah blah blah" but then those end up being the guys who come out and make all girls want to wear fake engagement rings to every restaurant and party they attend ... Or the ones who end up being the inspiration for episodes of "Criminal Minds" or "Strange Addiction."
But besides those guys ... I give this idea a thumbs up because it can be used to get you out of many awkward encounters and strained conversations ... so use it to your advantage.
Ohhh, I wish you could meet my girlfriend, my girlfriend who lives in Canada. She couldn't be sweeter. I wish you could meet her - my girlfriend who lives in Canada. Her name is Alberta. She lives in Vancouver. She cooks like my mother, and sucks like a Hoover. I email her every single day just to make sure that every thing's okay. It's a pity she lives so far away - in Canada! (My Girlfriend Who Lives In Canada, Avenue Q Soundtrack)
