Mall of America: Worse than Lady Gaga

Everyday as I stand waiting for the bus, I see a bus pass by with a Mall of America ad plastered to its side. I would just like to take this moment to say that I hate Mall of America ads, because they shamelessly promote unadulterated consumerism worse than Lady Gaga.

The ad I saw today pictured a woman holding a gorgeous purse, and said, "Is that a new purse, or did you just get more interesting?" Horrible! However, that one is nothing compared to the one I saw yesterday, which stated something like, "You can always get better looking." Alluding, of course, to the idea that 1) you should get better looking (duh), and 2) MOA clothing and accessories will make you better looking.

I hate these stupid ads! Especially, since I look at them and think - "oh, sweet, I need that new purse it is so cute. The one I'm carrying sucks!" I am easily swept up into the material world. This is not a positive character trait that I want promoted by Mall of America.

Whew. Okay that's all. I just needed to rant. Because I'm still dreaming of that quilted, black, Coach purse that swept by via a Metro Transit bus this afternoon...

International Right to Know Day

I sometimes write for the local news source, Twin Cities Daily Planet. I just wrote another piece for them about International Right to Know Day. Check it out below:

International Right to Know Day

Thank you for your readership:).

We Got Money. A lot.

So I'm taking this class entitled World Development Problems on Wednesday nights, and on Monday afternoons I'm taking Human Rights Advocacy. Between the two courses, the incredible privilege I live in has really been brought to my attention. I know we've all heard it before, but just sit down and really think about it for a second. I don't care how broke you are right now --- if you're reading this post you are most likely in the top 1/5 richest people in the world. You are wealthy.

I was reading this chart today in my world development class. The chart was on the living styles of the world's three major classes: overclass, middle class, and underclass. Right away, my assumption was, "oh, I'm definitely middle class." Then, I read the descriptions. I've copied them below for your reading pleasure, they are circa 1992:

Global Class: Overclass
Category of consumption overconsumers (1.1 bil)
Income per capita over USD$7,500
Diet meats/packaged foods
Calories consumed too many
Transport private cars
Materials throwaways
Shelter spacious/climatized
Clothing image conscious

Middle:
Category of consumption: moderates (3.3b)
Income per capita: $700-7500
Diet: grain, clean water
Calories consumed: about right
Transport: bicycles/public tranport
Materials: durables
Shelter: modest/ext. family
Clothing: functional

Category of consumption Marginals (1.1)
Income per capita: less than $700
Diet: insufficient grain/ unsafe water
Calories consumed: too few
Transport: foot/donkeys
Materials: local biomass
Shelter: rudimentary
Clothing: secondhand/scraps

So according to this chart, I am swimming in it. You are too. It's just strange, because we are all surrounded by those who have just as much -- so we never think we're rich. We think other people are rich. People with Mercedes and huge homes. We complain about being broke and poor.

Broke and poor? Please. If I'm hungry with no money... well wait, that's never happened to me. It probably never will happen to me. I have my own car, my own room. That's apparently more than four billion + people have on this earth. That's crazy. We are privileged beyond belief. To say that we are broke is an affront to the people who actually are broke. Instead of not being able to buy those Seven jeans, they can't buy their dinner.

Sorry, I don't mean to get all preachy here. I'm just awed by this myself as it all starts to sink in. I'm not sure what to do about it, except for try to give where needed--- to the extent that I'm able. As Spiderman discovers time and time again...with great power comes great responsiblity. I'd like to say that I will be responsible with the privilege I have, by somehow making a dent in the seemingly undentable scales of global inequality. Perhaps I will begin...by curing AIDS. Jk. I'll let you know my mode of operation for using my responsibility as soon as I figure it out.

Keep on Trucking--A TV Series

Sometimes, I wish this blog was anonymous so I could actually talk about all the crazy-weird stuff that goes on in my life, without giving away anyone's secrets or offending anyone.

I just had to say that.

On a side note, my roommate and I recently came up with an idea for a new T.V. series. It will be based on the corporate world of trucking. Characters will include a young HR recruiter, a pregnant lady who smokes, a woman who often gets confused for a man and clips her nails at her desk, several grimy truckers who hit on the young HR recruiter, and maybe we'll throw an ex-con in there for good measure. Stay tuned. You may see it on a major network fairly soon. Especially since the series will be based on the tales of the young HR worker -- who recently got a job with a more reputable institution.

Next time I write in here, I promise to have something substantial to say. Until then -- this is all I got.

I'm Back!! But Journalism, Is Not

Now that school has started up again -- and my face is more often in front of a computer -- I think I may start blogging again as well.

So, I will begin my comeback blog with a rant. Journalism, is in serious trouble and we need to do something about it. Yeah, I get it, everyone knows this, but I'm still frustrated with it. It's just that journalists (pullitzer prize winning ones) are being laid off left and right, research budgets are being cut, and I'm finding typos in the New York Times for crying out loud. All of this wouldn't be so bad, except the implications go far beyond a light, sub-par Sunday newspaper.

The implications are about our freedom. I'm not even being dramatic.

Think about. The health of a democracy is DIRECTLY associated with the health of its free press. In the words of Helen Thomas, journalists are watchdogs of democracy. They dig up information, keep governments, corporations in check. I mean look what happened to Nixon people! If no one is charged with digging up covered secrets --- well then secrets will be kept --- and we all know that government secrecy breeds power. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. (Great phrase - I don't care if you think it's overused.)

We don't want to end up like the USSR people. Or even (although I say this with hesitancy) even Russia -- where 792 journalists have been killed since 1992. That is a lot of people for a developed country. Or any country.

Point is, we need to fix this problem. We need to start paying journalists, paying for a news. It does a whole lot more than make us smarter, and give us random facts to impress our friends with. It maintains our democracy. Not to mention, the disintegration of journalism will leave me without the job I actually want upon graduation. Boo. Now therein lies the real problem...jk.

Support journalism, seek a solution. In the long run - and even in the short run - our freedom depends on it.