End 2009 With the Most Epic Song Ever!

Ah, 2009. You brought us crazy Lady Gaga, Kanye interrupting poor Taylor Swift, and, of course, more exploits outside of the music industry: the gate-crashing Salahis, the Balloon Boy scandal, and the motherflippin' inauguration of President Obama, complete with Aretha Franklin's amazing hat. And what's the best way to end the year? A party! With a song that combines the top 25 songs of the year, according to Billboard.com. Called, "Blame it on the Pop," this song is a mash-up of 25 equally awesome songs, including Lady Gaga's "Just Dance," The Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow," and Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me."

>> listen at hype machine

>> download at the ratcatchers

watch the mashed-up music video under the cut

Good News, Bad News

The good news is that The New Yorker has put together an amazing series of portraits featuring many of the most powerful figures in international politics. The Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon was featured alongside President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Brown, and others. At least from my perspective these portraits were enlightening; several of the pictures reveal sides of the politicians you wouldn't necessarily have seen before. I won't give anything away, however. The bad news: you need a subscription to see the portraits on The New Yorker's page. A handful of photos can be seen on blogs like PoliticalStyle but for the full effect I'd suggest picking up a copy. Happy New Year!

Shoes are for the Weak

Many of us remember the infamous shoe-throwing incident one year ago (that is when an Iraqi journalist proceeded to lob a shoe at President Bush during a speech in Baghdad) an Italian named Massimo Tartaglia attacked Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. This time, instead of a shoe a marble sculpture was used as the projectile in question. Tartaglia allegedly threw the statue of the Milan Duomo at the Prime Minister Sunday in Milan.

Also suspected of carrying "pepper spray and a crucifix," Tartaglia has already amassed 63,000 fans on his Facebook page, which Italian officials have officially requested be removed, according to the NYTimes. All commenting set aside this attack does appear brutal and unnecessarily violent. Seriously just watch the video of Berlusconi.

Timed one year after the Iraqi incident this attack begs the question: are we a more violent people today or are we simply engaging in acts which extend mankind's inevitable resistance to perceived government restraints?

Karlie Kloss Most Used Model by International Vogues in 2009

After careful calculating, shubrub at the fashion community FASHIN announced that model Karlie Kloss had snagged the most editorials overall throughout global Vogue magazines. The international Vogue fashionsphere includes Vogue Australia, Vogue Brazil, Vogue China, Vogue Espana, Vogue Germany, Vogue Italia, Vogue Mexico, Vogue Nippon, Vogue Paris, Vogue Russia, Vogue UK, and Vogue US. She topped Vogue Italia, Vogue Mexico, Vogue UK, and Vogue US. The most-used photographer was Patrick Demarchelier. [Fashin]

French Legislator to Battle Idealized Beauty in Ads

People have complained for years about too-thin models on the runways and the unrealistically high standards presented by celebrities in advertisement, but French legislator Valérie Boyer is actually doing something about it: proposing a law that would require all advertisements featuring digitally retouched people to say so on the advertisement.

In such a commercial world, people, especially the youth, are constantly being bombarded with advertisements. Boyer argues that seeing the idealized beauty of advertisements has a negative impact on self-esteem, especially of young women, and may incite eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. Boyer told The New York Times, "If someone wants to make life a success, wants to feel good in their skin, wants to be part of society, one has to be thin or skinny, and then it’s not enough — one will have his body transformed with software that alters the image, so we enter a standardized and brainwashed world, and those who aren’t part of it are excluded from society.”

This debate is not new: arguments against the idealistic women in the fashion industry have been happening for a while, from model Fillipa Hamilton's extremely retouched Raplh Lauren advertisement in which her waist was shrunk to the width of her head and Self magazine's publishing of a thinned-down Kelly Clarkson. Boyer hopes, from a mother's perspective, that labeling these retouched images will start to open up the eyes of young girls who idolize the stick-thin models.

Many French women disagree with this idea. A former model, Inès de La Fressange, says that the bill is "demagogic and stupid," claiming the causes of anorexia are more complex than pretty pictures. Dominique Issermann, a French fashion photographers, goes even farther to say,  "There is this illusion that photography is ‘true,’” but "as soon as you frame something you exclude something else." She argues photo-retouching is not always used to slim girls down. Issermann uses her photograph of actress Keira Knightly in an advertisement for Coco Chanel perfume as an arguing point, saying that it was retouched to add to her thigh, because the actress was too thin there.

This debate will probably not be solved by the passing of this law, if it even passes. Anne-Florence Schmitt, editor of fashion magazine Madame Figaro argues, “Michelangelo painted idealized bodies, so the idea of idealized beauty was already there. It’s a fake debate.”

Amanda Knox Found Guilty of Murder in Italy

After being held in Italian custody for more than two years, the crime that shocked Italy has finally come to an end: Knox was convicted unanimously guilty of the murder and sexual assault of her British roommate Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy, in November 2007 on December 5. 





The case has been much debated: the prosecution weaved a tale of sexual jealousy and violent passion, claiming that Knox slit Kercher's throat after sher refused to participate in a sex game with Knox and her boyfriend Rafaelle Sollecito. The two main pieces of evidence were Knox's DNA on a knife and her DNA on Kercher's bra clasp. However, the defense refuted these by saying that, not only was the clasp found some six weeks after the murder and the knife did not match the wounds in Kercher, but that Knox's innocence was clear: she was branded the American "Amelie," after the whimsical French film.





Either way, the jury unanimously found Knox guilty of the murder and sexual assault of Kercher, and she was sentenced to 26 years in prison, avoiding Italy's most severe punishment of life.





Knox's father said, "Hell yes," when asked if he will be appealing the verdict.

Our Precipice

A new surge, a new push. The additional 30,000 troops President Obama has pledged for the War on Terror in Afghanistan will bring the total number of US troops fighting there to over 100,000. I am not a national security expert or a world leader but in the spirit of free discussion I'm adding my opinion.

Since September 2001, the American people have entrenched themselves as victims. In all honesty we were victims of a terrible attack on innocent civilians. While I do not aim even in the slightest to undermine the tragedy of that day, I feel that the United States as a nation must move past 9/11. The world has been intrinsically altered in the "post-9/11 world" and not for the better. The United States has launched into a two-front war, the global economy has entered a recession, and fundamentalism is on the rise. We are quick to think of ourselves as victims in not only the sense that we experienced crushing tragedy but also in the idea that the events of the past 8 years are also not our fault. I argue that they probably were.

Indeed many turning points in international politics would not have occurred without 9/11 and the following US response. In many ways the world would have been helped if we hadn't mobilized in the way that we did. Our unilateral lust for blood only confirmed the rancorous accusations that the United States was a "great Satan" attacking the Islamic homeland. The interests of peace and American stability would have been much better served by an American transformation in the months following 9/11 rather than an international transformation. As we face another tragedy, a global economic crisis seemingly to far-reaching to be resolved within the next few years, we must utilize this period in American history as another reconstruction.

Evidence that bombing Afghanistan and occupations didn't work for the Brits either. Source- NYTimes 1919

As Thomas Freidman argued in his column in the New York Times Wednesday, the United States stands for much more than a War on Terror. The history of America as a nation devoted to a deeper and more significant aspect of freedom, democracy, and equality is fleeting. We have become the aggressor; a people singularly identified with war. We are simply another imperialist cause taken to "nation building" in two tions simultaneously. If history has shown us anything of the course of the last 2000 years, it is that Afghanistan, in particular, cannot be occupied successfully by a foreign power (Britain, USSR, etc.) Therefore, in order to save our image abroad, the respect of our allies, and our own stability, we must scale down our occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan and focus on a massive reconstructive effort at home. Think of what we could do with the money we continually spend in Iraq and Afghanistan. 101 million Americans could have had one year of college tuition funded by the government with the money already spent in Iraq alone. (That's 1/3 of the country!)

I argue for a massive overhaul of infrastructure projects and regulation. We must use reinvent the United States as a nation committed to progressive action- in terms of morality legislation, climate change efforts, and social programs. We must abandon our traditionalist views and step proudly into the 21st-century in terms of what is and is not accepted by the American legal system. We must accept gay marriage, abortion, and stem-cell research. We have to create legislation now to curb the effects of global warming as well as invest heavily in alternative energy. (If we don't hurt big business now what makes anyone think we could face them when they rebound) Social security must be reorganized to provide for the growing number of Americans reaching retirement and college tuition must be made more affordable for our teens. Universal healthcare must become a reality and the world must see that we are far from a single-issue constituency.

For to long the United States has been set apart with a negative stigma. It is time we reverse our international appearance. We need to be seen as a nation that does the most for its citizens, the world, and peace. We need our new leader to lead decisively. The United States is standing on a precipice. Our actions now will determine the scope of this global recession as well as the future role of the United States in an increasingly multi-polar world. We need to act.

The Fate of the White House Party Crashers

The now-infamous Virginia socialites Michaele and Tareq Salahi may just be redefining the definition of "party-crashing." The Salahis, who were not invited to a White House dinner honoring the Indian ambassador on Nov. 24, came anyway, somehow passes through the layers of security for the party. However, this morning on the TODAY show, the Salahis said they were invited to the party. Micaele Salahi said, "We were invited, not crashers. There isn't anyone that would have the audacity or the poor behavior to do that."



The socialites have been called attention seeking for their posting of pictures from the event immediately on Michaele's Facebook page, and many have criticized them for their apparent desire of a reality tv show. However, the Salahis face greater problems than the criticism of bloggers: the White House may press charages. Jonathon Turley, professor of law at George Washington University, told TIME, "There's no question the Secret Service is likely to push very hard for a criminal charge. They are famous for lacking a sense of humor." The chances are even greater considering the break in the Secret Service's facade: the Salahis passed through a metal detector, and although they did not, it is possible that they could have had anthrax or another undetectable weapon that could have possibly harmed the president. Although the couple said the were invited, it is uncertain where the case will go.



But Turley says the Facebook pictures are not helping. These people took something that would have been a memorable keepsake and turned it into criminal evidence," saying "this act of vanity could cost them dearly." The Salahis are yet another victim of American vanity.

Celebrate the Holidays like an Indie Darling

Now that Thanksgiving has wrapped up nicely, it is time for that special time of the year: the holiday season. And while this means ugly sweaters and gingerbread cookies, it also means something else: Christmas music! Now, put down the Trans-Siberian Orchestra CD and start playing some of these indie holiday tunes. And of course, I picked twelve songs.

1. Bird and the Bee- Carol of the Bells


2. Priscilla Ahn- Silent Night


3. The Raveonettes- The Christmas Song


4. The Waitresses- Christmas Wrapping


5. Relient k- 12 Days of Christmas


6. Sufjan Stevens- Did I Make You Cry on Christmas Day?


7. The Weepies- All That I Want


8. Rilo Kiley- Christmas Cake


9. Yo La Tengo- It's Christmas Time


10. The Killers- Don't Shoot Me Santa Claus


11. Milton DeLugg & The Little Eskimos- Hooray for Santy Claus


12. Eels- Christmas is Going To the Dogs

photo by boopsie.daisy on flickr

Interview with Palin Supporters Goes Viral

In the media frenzy surrounding the release of Palin's new memoir, "Going Rogue" two leftist bloggers set out to interview Palin supporters before a book signing in Columbus, Ohio only to find that most people were relatively clueless as to Palin's policies and opinions. Moreover, when asked whether or not their decision to support her weighed heavily on their understanding of her policies they responded with a resounding 'no'. These two bloggers from "New Left Media" should be praised for exposing these Palin supporters for their true lack of research and true understanding of American politics. It is ashame that Americans would ever utter some of the phrases seen in the video. Below as some particularly absurd quotes that, while comical, are deathly frightening when you consider that there are actually individuals who believe them, along with the original video:

"We're Americans. We're first, other people are last."

"We need to get polar bears off the endangered list so we can drill there [in reference to ANWR]"

"Alaska is right across the street from Russia."

"Compromise is for people who are wrong"

"..return to a focus on an administration of czars....I'm an America. We don't have czars in America."

"What do you watch on television?

- I watch FOX News a lot"

I am for freedom of speech in all contexts and will not attack the ability of these individuals to express their views. I just wish that the American people were more informed and did not believe some of the right-wing propaganda spewing forth from this interview.

New Left Media is looking for donations to help them continue to film. Check out their blog here.

Palin's new memoir

courtesy of google images

Belle du Jour and the New Feminism

Billie Piper in the dramatization of Belle du Jour's story, Secret Diary of a Call Girl. Image courtesy Showtime.

Never has the story of a whore with a heart of gold rang more true. The infamous prostitute, Belle du Jour, recently came out with her true identity after her ex-boyfriend threatened to reveal it. Like any smart girl, Belle got there first. She interviewed with her former critic, Sunday Times journalist India Knight, who published the interview on November 15th. The article revealed her true identity to be that of Brooke Magnanti, a research scientist at the Bristol Institute for Research of Child Health. That's right, the former escort is now researching the effects of pesticides on children.

Herein lies lies the irony- the girl formerly abhorred for glamorizing the world's oldest profession has in fact the perfect career for a modern day role model. Raina Kelley at Newsweek's The Human Condition blogs, " I’m kinda jealous of her, I have to admit. Magnanti is like a year of feminist studies rolled into one. I would have loved to be the first credible candidate for one of feminism’s holy grails: the empowered sex worker—able to expose herself to patriarchal fantasies of male domination without becoming damaged goods." And she has a point. A majority of feminists would be ashamed to be called a prostitute, a job so entwined in the degradation of purchasing women. But I believe that Magnanti should be considered a role model. Here's what she had to say on why she became Belle du Jour, prostitute and secret blogger:

“I couldn’t find a professional job in my chosen field because I didn’t have my Ph.D. yet. I didn’t have a lot of spare time on my hands because I was still making corrections and preparing for the viva; and I got through my savings a lot faster than I thought I would. … What can I do that I can start doing straightaway, that doesn’t require a great deal of training or investment to get started, that’s cash in hand and that leaves me spare time to do my work in?”

Magnanti differs from the popular image of a prostitute: she's neither a damaged woman nor is she an addict of any kind. She analytically decided that getting a (completely legal in the UK, by the way) escort job would be the fastest way to get her the money she needed to get to where she needed to be. She is simply a women who is extremely on tune with her sexuality. And in a world where porn is one search away on Google and Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue is perfectly acceptable read, the new feminism has to embrace the proverbial objectification of women and take it in stride- the modern feminist must cast away the old image and fully embrace her sexuality.

It's Mozart, duh!

image from the NYTimes

In a stark departure from the stereotypical German approach to Mozart, Director Christoph Hagel has adapted "Così fan Tutte" for a modern audience. Now labeled "Sex, Lies, and TV," this play (as shown above) may be seen as too radical a take on Mozart's classics. I, for one, would absolutely see it, if I were in Berlin of course. Featured in the NYTimes' "Globespotters" Blog, this play is attracting attention for its focus on our "media-and-youth-obsessed age."

A Brief Synopsis from the Times:

The two couples at the center of the opera are now contestants on a love-themed game show. Don Alfonso, the old philosopher who instigates the wager, is a shrewd TV executive who offers the two male leads suitcases full of money to test their fiancées’ loyalty. True to the original libretto, the two men pretend to be called off to war (here represented by news footage of German troops in Afghanistan), only to return in disguise and proceed to seduce each other’s sweethearts.

So, if you're heading to Berlin anytime soon be sure to check out Hagel's website for tickets. (Beware, it's actually in German.)

Book Review: "Acceptance"

image courtesy of google images.

As a high school senior anxiously awaiting college decisions, I can relate to the emotions of the seven students featured in narrative journalist David Marcus's new novel, Acceptance. Subtitled "A Legendary Guidance Counselor Helps Seven Kids Find the Right Colleges- and Find Themselves," this novel delves into the nuisances of the college admissions "game" while remaining objective, light, and humorous. Throughout the novel these seven students come to adopt persona's all their own. From the valedictorian, Layla, to the varsity athlete whose home is full of struggling relatives, Jeff, these students are a bright reminder to other high schoolers out there that the true beauty of senior year is simply coming to terms with yourself.

Marcus's novel covers the lives, trials, and tribulations of all these individuals but also focuses on a specific man and his contribution to hundreds of frightened seniors, guidance counselor extraordinaire Gwyeth Smith. A fixture at Oyster Bay High School on Long Island, Smith (also affectionately known as Smitty) espouses the character of a wise, elderly figure- channeling Yoda with one-line maxims to help demystify the college application experience. An advocate of the ACT over SAT, of crisp essays written in active voice and without flowery language, and "less is more", Smitty helps the seven seniors profiled in Acceptance earn admission into their dream schools and over the course of a year to find themselves through their writing. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, especially high school seniors or their parents, who are struggling through the college admissions game with seemingly no end in sight. As one of those individuals I can say with absolute honesty that reading this novel puts it all in perspective.

Other reviews of Acceptance-

The NYTimes "The Choice" Blog praises Smitty's less is more approach

A Newsday post feels that the experiences of Jeff, Allyson, Chelsea, Lee, Riana, Nathaniel, and Layla deserves its own high school musical.

Weekend Pop Culture Links: Coveted Hair, Homosexual Cartoons, and More

• Is The Simpson's Milhouse gay? Yes, according to creator Matt Groening.


• The Observer teaches us how to conquer the tricky path of Thursday night television. Hope you're up for staying up late.


• Fashion label Luella ceased trading due to financial backers dropping out.


• The New York Times reviews Sarah Palin's autobiography, Going Rogue, which I may read for fun.


• Confirmed: the world is in love with Blake Lively's hair. It's basically the new Jesus.


• Rihanna's new album, Rated-R, leaked in its entirety. Impressed?


• New York put together the top 40 songs that describe the hipster culturally relevant Brooklyn music scene.

Sarah Palin Only Felt Bad For Katie Couric

Attention world! Everyone's favorite ex-governor Sarah Palin will be appearing on Oprah. And as if that wasn't good enough, Fishbowl DC has released clips of the upcoming interview, including one with a startling revelation:  Palin knew the Katie Couric interview was bad for the campaign.

Oprah: Do you think that was a seminal defining moment for you, that interview?



Palin: I did not. And neither did the campaign. In fact, that is why Segment 2 and 3 and 4 and maybe 5 were scheduled. The campaign said, right on. Good. You're showing your independence. This is what America needs to see and it was a good interview. And of course I'm thinking, if you thought that was a good interview, I don't know what a bad interview is because I knew it was a bad interview.

Additionally, Sarah Palin writes in her new book about that notorious interview, saying that she felt Couric was unfortable in her new high-power journalist career and wanted to throw the poor lady a bone:

She writes that she sat down with Katie Couric in part because she felt sorry for her, after Nicolle Wallace, a McCain aide, said Ms. Couric suffered from low self-esteem.

Well, how kind of you. Too bad it was a total disaster.

Lady Gaga: Polar Bears, Russian Mafia, Fire, Oh My!

Basically, Lady Gaga's video for her new single "Bad Romance" (which, I admit, is growing on me) is the most nonsensical music video ever.

That is, unless razor blade sunglasses and futuristic white coffins make sense to you. I'm almost sure they don't. The video features Gaga in a variety of fantastical and somewhat creepy outfits, including the return of that orbit suit she wore during her SNL performance. She also debuts some stellar outfits from the Alexander McQueen show. But mostly, she's just crazy. See it for yourself:

But WAIT! There's a plot to this. Lady Gaga herself said:

"There's this one shot in the video where I get kidnapped by supermodels. I'm washing away my sins and they shove vodka down my throat to drug me up before they sell me off to the Russian mafia."

Hmm.. the Russian Mafia always adds a twist. But I still say the best scene is the amazing hovering-diamonds scene. Regardless, Lady Gaga might actually have a valid reason for being crazy occasionally: her head is full of deep plots to thriller novels.

Wednesday's Links

Quick Post:

• The NYTimes has reported that Pakistani rockers are actually rallying against the West and not the Taliban. What message should this send to our own policy shops?
• The fact that Lou Dobbs is leaving CNN may hint at a new high-profile job in the future
• 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall! Check out the domino's
• 41 Democrats send Speaker of the House Pelosi a letter opposing the Stupak-Pitts amendment to the Healthcare Reform Bill, hoping to allow abortion to be covered by federally subsidized healthcare plans.

Model Gemma Ward to Retire

In other tragic fashion news, beloved Australian model Gemma Ward is done with modeling.



Right now you are either shaking your head, wondering who she is, or crying with your head in your desk.



Extremely popular mode Gemma Ward, from Perth, Australia, has been largely absent from the runways and magazines since the death of her boyfriend Heath Ledger in 2008. Since then Gemma has come under fire for gaining weight, a side effect of not eat solely lettuce and Diet Coke. Fashion blogger Bryanboy posted the most recent pictures of her, calling her "plus-size." She, in reality, looks fabulous, and we wish her the best of luck in whatever she pursues.



What's next for Gemma? Most likely acting: she starred in the Australian Black Balloon and the scariest movie in years, The Strangers.

News Commentary: The Iraq Question

image from NYTimes coverage of the recent terrorist attacks

Once thought to be making vast strides towards a more secure society, Iraq is now forced to grapple with remnants of its war torn past. As the parliamentary elections of January 16^th grow closer, violence continues to elevate. Take, for instance, the coordinated suicide attacks of August where 120 people were killed in and around the Foreign and Finance Ministries of the Iraqi government. As recently as October 25, another set of simultaneous blasts rocked the city of Baghdad, this time killing over 130 people and wounding another 500. Aimed at destabilizing Iraq’s fragile government and eroding support for democracy before the new year’s elections, these attacks are reminders for many Iraqi’s of what had became a distant past. In fact, the Justice and Provincial Council buildings attacked on the 25^th had only just removed their 12-foot high blast walls in the weeks leading up to the attack, evidently feeling secure despite their location in a heavily populated district of the capital.

As of now, President Obama’s administration is holding to its policy of a full withdrawal of forces by 2011 with the end of America’s combat mission by August 2010. Hence, within 10 months of these attacks, the military command hopes to rely solely on Iraqi security forces for patrols and security checkpoints with American soldiers remaining only around American facilities and helping to train new recruits. The question remains, however, whether or not General Odierno and his commanders will allow such a timetable if violence continues.

Questions over whether or not the United States should be withdrawing troops from the Middle East at a time of such violence will obviously ensue. After all, the very notion of President Obama altering his policy on AFPAK (Afghanistan-Pakistan) has led to endless news cycles of coverage with amateur video of attacks in Waziristan aired immediately following stills of the President entering close-door policy meetings. What we should be asking ourselves is whether or not we can afford to continue occupying Iraq until August.

Facing a massive global recession with only recent signs of improvement, (eg. The Dow rising above 10,000 for the first time in over a year) the United States is not in a position to continue Keynesian spending if only for the express purpose of defending a country that has proven relatively established on its own. For instance, in 2007 the Sunni Awakening against al-Qaeda united Shia and Sunni Muslims in a crusade against insurgents. While plagued with the tremors of any newly democratic state, Iraq’s government is functional. Led by President Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, Iraq has increasingly asked for more freedom from American “occupation.” Consider, even, that once American troops began to withdraw from cities last summer al-Maliki declared the day a national holiday. It is clear that the Iraqi people desire self-governance. While the U.S. can foster democracy to an extent, the presence of 150,000 troops cannot possibly assure an independent state.

What I feel must be argued here is the idea that the United States must remain in Iraq indefinitely. While it may be hard for some to admit, we are the problem in this situation. Invading the Middle East in the first place is what drew the United States into an inevitable conflict of interests and values. Facing rising fundamentalism and an overwhelming mentality that the United States was not a land “paved with gold” but rather a heathen nation inherently set in opposition of Islam, we only enraged regional tempers by storming headstrong into a preemptive attack on weak intelligence. Ever since occupying Iraq and deposing Hussein, the United States has taken responsibility for the governance of Iraq of a nation, inexplicably bonding itself to the shaky Iraqi government. Now, more than combating the notion of democracy, terrorists are targeting the notion that these Iraqi ministries are symbols of American “oppression.”

Indeed, when in history has an occupied people enjoyed the aspect of being dictated to? Occupations always fail and are doomed to leave a lasting impression on a people and furthermore on the geopolitical state of the region. If America fails to completely withdraw from Iraq in the very near future, it will lose the capability of leaving a so-called “good impression” on the Iraqi people. I argue that American troops should be brought home one month after the parliamentary elections. We should take these elections as a queue that the Iraqi’s are willing and able to govern themselves. Through this demonstration of good faith we stand to gain much more in terms of political allegiances with a new Iraqi state than by delaying our withdraw and laboring under the delusion that timetables and benchmarks will ever be observed. In my opinion it will be difficult to ever leave Iraq simply given the idea that Americans will have to admit defeat. What we as a people must realize in this situation is that defeat now is much more advantageous for our image abroad and for our political interests than in 2 or even 5 years from now when we are even more entrenched in a worldwide unilateral assault on terrorism that we simply cannot win. Withdrawal will allow the Iraqi people autonomy and the ability to reestablish the sovereignty of their parliamentary government as free from perceived American manipulation. The longer we stay in Iraq the more we tie ourselves to a failing battle and a negative stigma. The faster we extricate ourselves the sooner we can move to address more pressing concerns such as the quickly deteriorating War in Afghanistan.

Glee: With the Tags Still On

I'm not sure how many of you read nymag.com's Daily Intel like I do, but they do these great Gossip Girl posts, in which they add points for realistic and awesome things and subtract them for unrealistic or boring things. I've decided to do a version for Glee.

In this episode, Sue Sylvester and Will go head-to-head in a battle for the glee club's soul.

POSITIVES

- Puck would definitely play the guitar. After all, any douchey high school boy can learn to play the guitar to impress girls. Plus 1.

-  The jocks always do bad in Spanish. There are exceptions, yes, but generally, Spanish is an appropriate class to fail. Plus 3.

- Mercedes: "Can we do something a little more black?

  Rachel: "It's Glee Club."

  Mercedes: "Don't make me take you to the carpet." Plus 2.

- Sue sows salt into the ground of the house she is selling because the new owners want her to pay the closing costs. Plus 2.

- The principal would go to a leadership seminar, and he would use the skills he learned at inappropriate times. Plus 1.

- Finn says "Awesome" when the ultrasound lady tells him that, at Quinn's age, nothing will go wrong. He doesn't understand. Plus 1.

- Okay, can we talk about this whole minority thing? Sue is kind of brilliant for thinking of such a thing, because minorities are always a touchy topic. No one wants to be a racist/homophobe/wheelchair-hater. Plus 3. And the fact that she sets up Mercedes as the new Queen B is great. Both for Mercedes, the girl in Rachel's spotlight, and for us, to get to her Mercedes ripping up a new song, a la "Bust Your Windows." Plus 2.

- Carol's sister thinks it was vaccinations that made her kid stupid. Plus 1.

- Mercedes wears a 'bling' necklance to the minority Glee Club meeting. It says her name. Win. Plus 1.

- Sue, like a typical white person, rolls out the fact she is 1/16 Native American, even using that more neutral term than "Indian," which you know she thinks. Plus 2. And then she thinks you can become a minority by moving to California. Plus 1.

- Sue: "I hate men with curly hair. I imagine birds laying sulfurous eggs in there and it is disgusting." Plus 1.

- How awesome is the music that appears whenever Sue or Will has a particularly deadly strike against the other? Plus 1.

- Sue calls Spanish a dying language, and says that the most useful skill for future lawyers and politicians to have it the ability to to a roundoff. Plus 3.

- The principal puts his video on YouTube, and it only gets two hits. It's so hard to be a YouTube celebrity. Plus 1.

- Quinn: "Give me my test back!"

   Britt: "I just don't understand anything." Plus 1.

- Sue got her Ph.D. online. Plus 1.

- Rachel has already worn the outfit she wears when she is about to sing "No Air" on stage with Finn. Yay for reality! Plus 2.





total positives: 30





NEGATIVES

- Will would have totally noticed Rachel, Finn, and Quinn talking during the Spanish test. Teachers aren't THAT obtuse.  Minus 3.

- That nerd kid with the Jew fro has a Gossip Girl style blog for the school. Now, that might be okay in a private, Upper East Side school, but it doesn't fly in public school. Some kids in my school tried that a few years ago and it got shut down, and they got in trouble. Minus 4.

- Rachel goes through the trouble of giving Jew Fro kid panties and then forgets to take the tags off of them? Doubtful. Minus 3.

- Only teachers in movies and tv shows grade with letters. Everyone else uses number. Minus 2.

- That slow motion thing when Sue and Will argue is lame. Minus 1.

- Okay, really, Will? Have you never seen any ultrasounds happen in movies or TV? The girl is never blocked, because nothing inappropriate is shown. Minus 2. And the ultrasound of Terri's news does not look like a baby. Minus 1.





total negatives: 13





end result: +17





So this week's episode was pretty good, with the exception of Will's idiocy about Terri's pregnancy and the gossip blog.

Annie-mal Attraction

It's Friday. No one wants to hear about the ridiculous story of the boy was hiding in the attic while a nation frantically watched the runaway hot air balloon he was supposed to be in. How did he even get in there? Aren't they usually supervised, and if not that, childproof? BUT I promised not to talk about it. Instead, let's get to know today's featured music artist: Annie.



She is Norwegian. Yes. Big deal? Maybe. After all, everyone knows that Sweden has some of (if not, THE) best pop music in the entire world. And Norway is right next door. Anyway, the moral of the story is that Annie (real name: Anne Lilia Berge Strand) makes some of the best electropop out there. She's been described as "the Kylie it's cool to like," referring to, of course, Kylie Minogue. But don't take the blogosphere's word for it. Listen for yourself:







Annie's new album, don't stop, will be released in the US on November 17th. I know I'll be waiting. How about you? Have your music tastes gone up in the class system yet?



Listen to Annie- Don't Stop @ hypem.com



image courtesy last.fm

Link of the Day: John Stewart

image from the NYTimes

Famous for his irreverent political humor, Daily Show host John Stewart did not pass up the opportunity to attack Fox News for its ignorance of the National Equality March on the National Mall last Sunday. The march, which included about 75,000 protesters, was the first such demonstration in many years. Attempting to turn public opinion against laws such as California's Proposition 8 and other discriminatory legislation, the weekend of civic action also included at black tie event at the Human Rights Organization. President Barack Obama appeared at the event and announced "unwavering" support of gay, lesbian and transgender rights while also promising to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.



Personally, my favorite quote is "gay people aren't vampires, they do show up on camera."

I'm incredibly affronted at the notion of inequality which continues to pervade America. It follows rational thinking that in a democracy all citizens are treated equally. The religious institution of marriage is not what is being contested here, rather the secular (and legal) partnership. Society created the very word "marriage" and the connotations associated with it. As we move into the 21st-century it should be humiliating to America, which claims to represent a land of prosperity and freedom, that a significant portion of the population is incapable of entering into a legal relationship with their significant others.



I felt the ending to the New York Times article on the subject was fitting:



"Dave Valk, 22, the student outreach coordinator for the march, said he believed that many people his age were embracing gay rights as the civil rights struggle of their time. 'There are a lot of people getting involved not just because it’s a gay rights movement but because it’s a generational movement,' he said. 'People feel like they’re part of a shift, that this is important.”





View the video:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Queer and Loathing in D.C.
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Ron Paul Interview

"Iranians Demand Loan of Treasure"

I must admit, the very fact that the BBC could publish this headline makes me chuckle a bit. Upon scanning my RSS feed and seeing this one-line description, I immediately conjured images of Iranians en masse chanting for a magic lantern and a genie to solve their difficulties creating a viable long-range warhead. After reading the article it's clear that this is not the case, however.

It seems that, following centuries of alleged imperialism, the Iranian government is demanding the return of a Persian artifact, "The Cyrus Cylinder", a clay cylinder dating from Babylonia which discusses religious tolerance and other civic rights. Commissioned by King Cyrus, the cylinder is about 2600 years old and is believed to have been created in the 6th-century BCE.

While the British Museum, which currently owns the piece, claims that it is willing to return the artifact, it's progress in actually sending the cylinder has been delayed. The Head of Press for the British Museum, Hannah Boulton, is quoted as saying, "When lending any material you have to check that it is an appropriate moment," which encouraged a quick retort from the Iranians claiming that a "post-election situation" is to blame for the British Museum's hesitancy.

While it is entirely possible that the British Museum does intend to loan the piece to the Iranian government and is simply working to secure its safety as an ancient artifact, the fact remains that the recent sentencing of three Iranian protesters to death for their roles in this summers pro-democracy protests could potentially "delay" their action.

While a small disagreement altogether, I personally feel this is yet another example of the unwillingness of the West and Islamic world's to intersect. As long as squabbles like this continue to define the public relationship between the United States, its allies and the Islamic Republic of Iran, no tentative accords will be reached.

Learn in English from Barack Obama!

It turns out President Obama's speech skills extend past the American youth.

Publishers in Japan has starting creating "learn English" audio tools in order to help people learn English. Over a dozen different versions have cropped up, including "Yes, I Can With Obama: 40 Magical English Phrases From Presidential E-mails," and have done very successful in the Japanese market.



Tokyo beauty salon owner Utako Sakai says that she often puts it in over music and that "all our customers love it."



Since Obama has prefect enunciation and speaks slowly, he is the perfect English teacher. And the speeches themselves have struck a chord in the Japanese. Even those who do not have the basic understanding of English necessary to understand the speeches are still moved by the words, even when all they understand is "Yes, we can."



The Obama speech phenomenon in Japan peaked last spring, and is the sign of a Japanese public that wants a dynamic leader a la Obama, one who communicates as effectively and passionately as Obama. 



image by Miki Tanikawa for the New York Times

Gaga Rocks SNL, Drops S-bomb, and Cancels Tour (but not in that order)

I bet your enjoying your Sunday. So you probably don't want to hear all about the possibly hermaphrodite singer, Lady Gaga. Well, that's too bad. Because she did something awesome. She cursed on national television.

Now, everyone knows that in America, we just do not do those things. Those things are bad. But that did not stop Lady Gaga from singing her song "Paparazzi," curse words and all, to the public audience at 12:50 in the morning on SNL. And I say, good. People curse, it's real life. And it's not like any kids should be watching SNL anyway. It's on at the same time as those promiscuous movies for a reason.

You can watch the incriminating evidence here (it's around the 3:00 mark):

Additionally (and tragically), Lady Gaga has canceled her Fame Kills tour with Kanye West over "creative differences." Perhaps her told that, hey, he was going to let her finish singing "LoveGame," but that Lil Wayne's Lollipop had that best phallic allusion? We may never know.

NY Fashion Week Redux: The American Dream

The recession just get get the designers down this year. A la the 1930s, when the Great Depression was at it's worst and fashion at one of its bests, many designers took one of two paths: pure escapism or the destroyed American dream.



TREND ONE: PRETTY PARTY NATION

“Why all the party dresses?” told the International Herald Tribune's Suzy Minkes told Style.com blogger Dirk Standen. “Is that really what people want to do when their friends are losing their jobs? Go out and party? Maybe it is,” she added. And she has a point. What's the point of moping? This is America after all, and partying is one thing we know how to do. From left, Milly showed a 60's inspired party dress show, complete with groovy glasses and psychedelic prints. Rodarte-inspired party frocks showed up at 3.1 Philip Lim, whereas Diane von Furstenburg (my favorite show of the week) continued her party-nomad aesthetic, showing influences of ancient Egyptian culture and safari tendencies. Additionally, Marc by Marc Jacobs' new collection could fit great into one of fall's trends: the 80's, with bright, bubblegum colors and bright bows in the models' hair.



TREND TWO: EAST OF EDEN

No other designer exemplified the literal interpretation of the Great Depression (and our depression) quite like Ralph Lauren. And not all designers could; it took the gall and status of a rigidly royal American brand to take such a chance on such a literal thing. Lauren's collection was risky, but effective, as the models walked down the runway in torn overalls, poor-farmer hats, and other Dust Bowl-inspired garments. His collection was very effective in what it sought to do: make the old new again, while reminding us that America did bounce back from the last depression.



--

Last season, the American designers tried simple, and business dropped. Hopefully, the fashion industry will snap back with these escapist and literalist interpretations of the world we are living in now.

Pop Culture News of the Day: Vampires go Beautiful.

Among the rather dull news about the national health care plan or that totally legitimate election in Afghanistan, you may have missed the news about things that aren't so serious: pop culture news, that is. The best of today's news, condensed for you:

• Are you a fan of Harry Potter? (What a silly question. Isn't everyone?) Well, this may your dream come true: Universal Studios' Islands of Adventure is opening a Harry Potter theme park, including hippogriff rides, butterbeer bars, and a trip to that fabulous wizarding school, Hogwarts. [BuzzSugar]


• Even if it's not, say, quality literature, as my snobby friends (and secretly myself) might say, Dan Brown's new novel, The Lost Symbol, has hit platinum status. That's right: Dan Brown is even more rich than he was two days ago. [ArtsBeat Blog/NYT]


• After the biggest scandal of 2009 (read: sarcasm), Kanye West's concert tour with Lady Gaga may be in trouble. Tour dates mysteriously disappeared from the listings. Does this have anything to do with the great West-Swift battle? Of course. Maybe. [The Vulture]


• The 25 Greatest Cult TV Shows Ever [EW]


• What's on tonight: Glee, of course, but also premiering is one of the CW's newest series, The Beautiful Life, about a group of models in the corrupt fashion world. Is it any good? I'll be watching and blogging  tomorrow.


• Last, but certainly not least, the release date sophomore CD for the indie darlings Vampire Weekend has been revealed (image shown)! After their burnout debut, the band's second effort, named Contra, will drop January 12, 2010. So you still have plenty of time to pretend to know who they are. [Melophobe]

Flashback: Two More Teens' Opinions on Obama's Speech Last Week

Just a couple thoughts from teens across the country on Obama's speech last week....

Allison B. (MD)

I think that President Obama made a very noble attempt to connect with the students of today. The class that I was in when my school broadcasted the speech was a standard piano class, and the kids didnt really pay much attention to what the president was saying. They all said at the end that Obama was saying the same things that every adult tells them everyday and it won't make a difference to anyone. But when my teacher asked them what would get their attention and make them care about getting an education, none of them had any answers.

Obama's speech was captivating from the standpoint of a speech from one man to a group of people. But the message is just as important as the delivery, as is the reception of it. And it's very unfortunate that so many students blew off the speech and didnt take the time to take Obama's words to heart.

Jacob F. (NC)

I found it interesting that Obama chose now as a time to try to make us teenagers seem like part of the whole. Now, as he talks to seniors about their healthcare and the middle-aged about their jobs. Also, he really seemed to be trying very hard to seem "hip." By bringing out terms like xbox, michael jordan, and ipod, he really wanted to seem like he was on our level.

On the Bookshelf: Doggy See, Doggy Do?

When someone mentions suspension of disbelief, they usually aren't referring to science. And they are hardly ever referring to dogs. But, as Alexandra Horowitz, dogphile and author of this month's Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know, says:

"Go look at a dog. Go on, look - maybe at one lying near you right now, curled around his folded legs on a dog bed, or sprawled on his side on the tile floor, paws flitting through the pasture of a dream. Take a good look - and now forget everything you know about this or any dog."

Clearly, we humans have been left in the dark with man's best friend.



The truth is that dogs just aren't the laboratory subjects that, say, mice, are. We treat them as pets, or more, like family, and so science has shied away from them, causing us to know next to nothing about their psyches. But Horowitz, a psychologist with a Ph.D. in cognitive science, has set out to change that on her adventurous journey to see what a dog sees. And what they see is vastly different from our world. One of Horowitz's examples is a rose. To us, a rose is beautiful, colorful, and full of symbolism in its familiarity. But to a dog, a rose is virtually worthless unless adorned with the scent of urine. Her conclusion, is that dogs don't see things the way we see them- a knife would be meaningless unless it smelled of urine or was wielded by a love one: there needs to be a connection from the dog's mind for it to see things.



Horowitz also discusses the hugely effective nasal system of dogs, their eyes, hearing, and their evolutionary descent from wolves. In one interesting deviation during evolution, dogs will and can look into humans' eyes, much unlike wolves, Horowitz says, explaining: "Though they have inherited some aversion to staring too long at eyes, dogs seem to be predisposed to inspect our faces for information, for reassurance, for guidance."





Horowitz's book will be released on September 15.

painting by alice james

Kanye West Embarrasses Himself, World Comforts Taylor Swift

In the happenstance that you were living under a rock last night, since even the people who were watching the True Blood finale instead of the VMAs knows what occurred last night: Kanye West embarrassed himself, again. I thought it was maybe a mimicry of the Sacha Baron Cohen-Eminem thing at the MTV Movie Awards a few months ago. But it's clear, both by the attitude in which he did it and his apology later that night, that it was no joke.



It was all going great. Taylor Swift, adorable country singer extraordinaire, won the Moonman Award for Best Female Video. (She looked great last night, as a side note). She goes up on stage, even touching Lady Gaga's shoulder for assurance. Because, I guess, someone has to have the courage to look like she (Gaga) does. Anyway, Taylor starts thanking people, talking about country, yadda yadda looking adorable, when from no where (and I mean NO WHERE. He just appeared.) Kayne West appeared and snatched the mike from her hands. She looks shocked, and then Kanye tells the audience (and the whole world) that Beyonce's video was the best of the year and it should have won. Taylor looked ridiculously heartbroken when he handed the microphone back to her, and didn't say anything. Beyonce looked hugely embarrassed, much to her credit. The audience (and the world) booed Kayne West, deservingly. Beyonce later brought Taylor Swift onto the stage when she accepted the award for Video of the Year so that she could complete her speech.



Here's the video, via nymag.com:







Later that night, Kanye apologized on his blog (and yes, it really is in all caps):

I'M SOOOOO SORRY TO TAYLOR SWIFT AND HER FANS AND HER MOM. I SPOKE TO HER MOTHER RIGHT AFTER AND SHE SAID THE SAME THING MY MOTHER WOULD'VE SAID. SHE IS VERY TALENTED! I LIKE THE LYRICS ABOUT BEING A CHEERLEADER AND SHE'S IN THE BLEACHERS! ........................ I'M IN THE WRONG FOR GOING ON STAGE AND TAKING AWAY FROM HER MOMENT!................. BEYONCE'S VIDEO WAS THE BEST OF THIS DECADE!!!! I'M SORRY TO MY FANS IF I LET YOU GUYS DOWN!!!! I'M SORRY TO MY FRIENDS AT MTV. I WILL APOLOGIZE TO TAYLOR 2MRW. WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD!!!! EVERYBODY WANNA BOOOOO ME BUT I'M A FAN OF REAL POP CULTURE!!! NO DISRESPECT BUT WE WATCHIN' THE SHOW AT THE CRIB RIGHT NOW CAUSE ... WELL YOU KNOW!!!! I'M STILL HAPPY FOR TAYLOR!!!! BOOOYAAAWWWW!!!! YOU ARE VERY VERY TALENTED!!! I GAVE MY AWARDS TO OUTKAST WHEN THEY DESERVED IT OVER ME... THAT'S WHAT IT IS!!!!!!! I'M NOT CRAZY YALL, I'M JUST REAL. SORRY FOR THAT!!! I REALLY FEEL BAD FOR TAYLOR AND I'M SINCERELY SORRY!!! MUCH RESPECT!!!!!

So, is it sincere or pure public relations?