Girl Power Sunday

This is Raven. She is one of the super teens in the cartoon Teen Titans which shows up every so often on Cartoon Network. I was a tremendous fan of the show a few years ago. I even went to a Puffy Ami Yumi concert in Boston when they were here in the US (they sing the theme song for Teen Titans). What interests me in Raven is that she is the epitome of teen angst. She struggles with her inner demons and works with her team diligently to better society. All the while knowing that she her destiny is to harm mankind in the end. She is trying to do good in the world as much as possible before her day of reckoning comes. In Raven we can see a bit of ourselves as teens; full of self-doubt and internal conflict. I admire that the writers keep her as a positive strong character and don't over sexualize her. She is the goth chick.

I was watching Bill Moyer on PBS this morning and will comment on the show in a future blog. Today, however, I visited the following places:

Hudson Reporter - talks about a 14 year-old young woman who has created a monologue on Barbie's (the doll, of course) perceived perfection.

The Miami Herald - talks about a program for at risk teen girls in Miami-Dade county.

Well that is it. I will be relishing in every moment of this last weekend before my children go back to school. The weather here is great! Have a wonderful Labor Day all!

Peace.

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Where is the outrage?

I was told about this incident the other day and have to ask the people who were witnesses to this horrific crime in front of Medgar Evers College where is their outrage?

A video of the occurrence and a transcript of what happened to a woman who was attacked and shot by her husband in broad daylight can be found here. If this woman had been attacked by a man in uniform, then we would see equal rights groups pounding the pavement screaming for justice. But this is a domestic violence dispute, so there lies the quagmire. Did she ask for this? She is married to the perp so did she deserve this? Why is it that whenever this happens to a woman who is in a relationship with the perp that it is just swept under the rug or ignored completely by society. When this woman's husband was threatening her, those within her reach turned a blind eye...didn't want to get involved or help her. It wasn't until she was bleeding on the pavement with bullets in her back did someone call 911 and stay by her side.

Why can't there be outrage? Especially outrage from the men in their community.


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Girl Power Sunday

This is Toph, she is a blind tom-boy character from the Avatar cartoon series. Toph is an earthbender and is the master of her ability. She isn't concerned with her appearance, she is blind so why should she. Her ability on the cartoon allows her to see with her feet and her hands through vibrations in the earth. She is smart and witty, but the anti-feminine. She is the opposite of the girly (yet equally powerful and intelligent) Katara. I like how this show provides a vehicle for girls to see positive characters who are not limited in their potential just because they are or are not "stereotypically" attractive.

Toph brings me to an article on German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Chancellor Merkel is a physicist by trade and is in many opinions the anti-feminine. This article is from the UK and the title describes her as a "Frau Frump". Well I would rather have a competent leader who wears low-grade pantsuits and isn't on the page of Vogue, than one that just appears on magazine covers for the sake of vanity and has no real leadership ability. Oh, did I just say that? I don't always agree with this article's author (especially when they describe my favorite US political figure, Hillary Clinton) but it is interesting to see how popular she is and what decisions she is making for the benefit of her country.

Toodles!

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Listing the Fears

I found an interesting blog regarding the healthcare bill that I think you may find interesting as well. The blog can be found at Smart Girl Nation. Here the author, Jenny Erikson, describes her fears in a list and does give some food for thought in regard to this bill.

Oh, and while you are there check out the "Culture" section and see the interview with Amy Siskind of The New Agenda regarding the creation of TNA.

It is raining here, hopefully you are keeping dry wherever you are!

See Ya!

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Be watchful of your hate on the internet

I have been away from the internet for a bit. I strongly suggest that you take some time from it as well, it calm the soul. We are surrounded by information as well as bully-style behavior here on the web and it is about time that we all raise the bar on our behavior. In case you don't think that it is necessary, think again. I was watching GMA this morning and came across this little bit of historic legal precedent involving a blogger who "thought" they could defame someone without any retaliation because they had anonymity behind the internet curtain. You can find the GMA story here. End of the story is that the supermodel who was being defamed by a secret blogger gained access to the identity of the blogger by suing Google, and WON! It turned out that she knew the person who was blogging horrible, untrue, things about her on the internet. She plans to pursue suing the individual.

There will be other legal precedents in the near future where those who feel they are above the law because they have a secret username to hide behind. There will now be cracks in their foundation and their internet hosts, service providers, etc. will not be able to keep you secret for very long. Defamation is clear when you post derrogatory language about someone or reveal private information without their consent. Be very, very careful that you watch your manners or watch your back.

Later!

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Still in "dumbfounded" mode...

I am still angry about what I blogged about yesterday, so I visited one of my favorite places to get some perspective.

Puma PAC - Murphy does a great job at revealing why I might feel as mad about the other day's events.

Gotta get ready for a very long day!

In a while crocodile!

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What the heck?

Can I just tell you how much I hate how our media are a bunch of gossip mongers and not journalists! It just drives me crazy that when someone is trying to move women's rights in a positive direction (you know, like making rape a punishable crime in the Congo) that all our media can do is report on that person getting "snippy" or "bitchy" about a mistranslated question. Sometimes I just want to reach into my car radio or TV and smack the media gossip monger across the face. Wake up losers, focus on what is really important! What a crock of coconuts our media has become. To think that some of them actually went to college and paid money for a journalism degree that they will never use. GAH!!

The real story and true journalism can be found here:
Associated Press - Clinton sees evil in sex crimes in eastern Congo.

I need to go and walk off this frustration. I will smell the flowers and return to some assemblance of normalcy here at the Optix ranch. I need pie.

Later Gators!

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