lazy sunday reading

I was sitting down catching up on things online while eating pork rinds when I got to the NYT Magazine and found this excellent article on migrant workers and the Philippines: A Good Provider Is One Who Leaves.

Read it. Even if you can't relate to the lives of these millions of people who leave their lives behind just to have better jobs and provide for their families, it's worth the time to open your eyes to a sad situation that many people have to live with.

I'm lucky that I didn't have the impoverished life that the people in the article had, but it still makes me sad because I know how those children feel but at the same time, I know how the parents feel. And I know that people should not have to live that way just to provide what so many Americans take for granted: their children's education, meals, clothing, a better home.

I guess this is why despite being aware of the positive effects of labor migration, despite being an example of the positive effects of labor migration, I am against it. It's time for the Philippine government to stop relying on their unfortunate people to bring home money to take care of their families. A government is FOR the people. It is the government's job to provide food, shelter, education, safety. Yet in the Philippines it's become the opposite. The Philippine government has become too comfortable sending off millions of its people to foreign and unwelcoming lands just to lazily receive their incomes. These corrupt, overpaid politicians need to realize that the people living in the cardboard houses in dirty slums are THEIR responsibility. They need to realize that as they go home to their mansions and their maids.

priceless

Working 2 weeks to compile research for an assignment: $0.

Writing a chart for a magazine: $0.

Having your first byline appear in a national magazine: $1.



I am no longer the unpaid intern. That's right, I'm worth something -- a dollar. Oh, one day, when I hope I am getting paid much much MUCH more than a dollar, I will remember this fondly.


Have a grrrreat weekend, muchachos y muchachas!

i see your true colors shining through

I'm sitting in my room, procrastinating as usual on the paper I have to write (another freakin paper and after this another freakin article, like my gosh, can't i just like, have a multiple choice test or make a collage from pretty magazine ads?) and I notice something: my stuff. I see a lot of pinks, purples, and other pastel colors. My hot pink, purple and blue folders, my pink mug, my bright post-its, my pink plaid planner (now that I've actually written that out, I HAVE SO MUCH PINK WTF). I guess I'm just naturally inclined to colorful things. What's odd is that my clothing scheme is pretty basic: blacks, grays, whites and neutrals. So I guess I rely on my accessories to add some life to that. I know I can't pull off loud clothing and I'm not a loud person, so that makes sense.

Really, I just need an excuse to not do work.

I feel that everyone's talking about Virginia Tech and that I should be doing that too, but I simply have nothing to add. Of course I wish well for everyone involved, but besides that, I think it's too tragic to politicize (that's a word, right?). If anything, I think this should teach people to be more friendly. Who knows, maybe if people tried to reach out to the shooter, if he had just one friend, he wouldn't have turned to violence. Little acts of kindness have great impacts. I know a smile from someone or another simple gesture makes me smile. Maybe someone should have given him chocolate, in a box with a nice pink bow.

nappy-headed hoes

I'm gonna chime in on the Don Imus situation. This man is losing his entire career because of one comment. Yes, it was an offensive comment on many levels. But does it really call for all this backlash? I doubt Imus said what he did with the intent to advertise his racism and sexism. It simply slipped out of his mouth. It was incredibly offensive, but it's the man's opinion, and he has a right to it.

Personally I don't think calling someone nappy-headed is racist. It's an observation. If I called someone frizz-headed (which would be hypocritical of me, and really Don Imus should not be talking about appearances either) I wouldn't be racist, I'd be judgmental. Calling someone a hoe, on the otherhand, is clearly sexist. And that is wrong. But again, it's a personal opinion, and he has a right to voice it. He's in the media, it was his own show, and it was for comic value. It's not like the man is a CNN anchor or a government official. It wasn't funny, but he was just trying to be (I believe Rosie O'Donell made offensive statements towards Chinese people a few months ago, but the loud fat cow still has a job, despite not even giving a genuine apology. Yeah, she's a loud fat cow. There.)

If Imus is punished for his comments, then so should half the "musicians" in the rap industry. Imus gets suspended for something rappers get paid for. Why do Lil Jon and the Ying Yang Twins, among other people in the music biz, get to call women bitches and hoes, have women gyrating in demeaning outfits, and so blatantly sexually objectify women, and get away with it!? Snoop can go to an awards show (or was it in his video) with "his hoes" on LEASHES, but this man can't say a sarcastic comment? Yes, it was highly disrespectful to these accomplished and talented women in Rutgers, but the music industry has been disrespectful to ALL women. Where is the outcry for that?? Nothing but bleeps and edits on broadcast.

Who actually listens to Imus? Compare his audience to the audience of BET and MTV. WHich is more detrimental to society? Get your priorities straight, America. There's a bigger picture beyond Imus' comment, and you're still not seeing it.

what great PR people can do

What were the editors of the New York Times thinking when they decided to put today's story about Barack Obama's fundraising on the front page? How is his grassroots fundraising important news? Is the fact that he's raised money from his local supporters more important than, say, the Iran-UK situation? Hell, the fact that Anna Nicole's baby's paternity is being released today is more newsworthy than that. It would've been front-page material if he announced he had more money than Hillary Clinton, but no, there was no announcement or news in that story. It's a great features story, sure, but it belongs nowhere near the front page. Not everything about Mr. Obama is newsworthy, and frankly, I'm sick of him being all over the place for doing nothing.

To whomever is doing his PR: bravo. And to NYT editors: wtf. It's not your job to kiss Obama's ass. He has enough of Hollywood and the younger, naive population doing that.