June 2008
Mommie Dearest
I am very lucky to have the mother I do. Like everyone, we have butted heads, had our fights and had moments where we have not seen eye to eye. All of that aside, she is my mother; she gives good advice, laughs hardest at my jokes and accepts me unconditionally. I can tell her anything without worrying about being judged. It has taken us years to get to this spot; but now that we are here, I appreciate her daily.
I realize that not everyone is so lucky. Out of that realization, I am happy to bring you 5 women; mothers who could benefit from a good ole' fashion butt whipping themselves. So without hesitation --meet 5 of the world’s worst mothers...
5. Kate Moss
She gave birth to daughter Lila in 2002; but in 2005, the former supermodel became a tabloid cover girl for the photos of her allegedly snorting cocaine during a recording session of her beau, Pete Doherty. Sucking down a reported five lines in 40 minutes, Mama Moss lost a number of lucrative modeling contracts; thanks to the incriminating photos. Fortunately for Lila, Moss checked herself into rehab in 2006, which has seemed to do the trick.
4. Courtney Love
Crazy and Love go together like peanut butter and jelly. As the hard-rocking, hard-drinking, even-harder-druggin' front woman for the punk band Hole, the Widow Cobain has led a kaleidoscope life of parties, music and mayhem. She's no one's idea of an angel, but even jaded rock scenesters were shocked when a Vanity Fair article alleged that she used heroin while pregnant with daughter Frances Bean. In late 2003, after she was caught with drugs and charged with violating her parole, Love lost custody of Frances. Mother and daughter were reunited post-rehab in January 2005.
3. Whitney Houston
If Whitney really does believe that children are the future, then get ready for some hardcore, "Mad Max"-style dystopia. Because, if you believe news reports, Whitney has been far more busy taking illegal drugs and playing with sex toys than reading Dr. Spock. And it seems teenage daughter, Bobbi Christina, has learned by watching dear 'ole Mom at work. According to the National Enquirer, the teen terror recently stabbed Whitney with a razor before trying to slit her own wrists during an argument over whether she would live with Mom or her Dad, Bobby Brown. Hell to the uh-oh!
2. Britney Spears
Britney is a perpetual motion machine of increasingly out-of-control drama. This manic mama began by driving with her infant son, Sean, in her lap, rather than secured in his car seat, and then filling his and his brother's bottles with soda. But soon the loony Louisianan ramped up the crazy with reports of strutting naked around her young boys, and barely talking with them in the increasingly rare cases when they were under her supervision. It all culminated when Britney, "under the influence of an unknown substance," according to police, locked herself in a bathroom with son Jayden, refusing to turn him over to ex-husband Kevin Federline during scheduled custody transfer. It took a veritable army of sheriffs and EMTs to cart out a ranting and raving Britney, who was literally strapped to a gurney. But Brit-Brit might be turning things around at last; on May 6, 2008, she was granted longer visitation rights to her sons; though K-Fed still retains custody of the two.
1. Joan Crawford
"No more wire hangers!" Crawford was nominated for three Academy Awards, was one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1940s and served on the board of directors for Pepsi. But for all of the actress' achievements, she will be most remembered for that nasty ultimatum bellowed to her adopted daughter, Christina. Subjecting her children to boozy tirades, strapping them into their beds at night and even physically assaulting them, Joan Crawford is the Golden Age Empress against which all other Hollywood moms will be judged.
There it is, 5 women made infamous because of their mothering technique or lack thereof.
Peace be the Journey
One Rainbow, One Community
After reading last week's issue of West Virginia Queer News, it was apparent that feelings were hurt. These hurt feelings seemed to have created somewhat of a division within our own community. It seems the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back was a pageantthat was not scored correctly, (technology strikes again) this led to three performers sharing one title and a lot of mud slinging and just as much he said, she said. All this taking place during gay pride week. It seems in some ways we have forgotten the significance of gay pride. This is the one time of the year where we come together as a community. We travel from all parts of the state and converge in one area poised to show the rest of the world that we are not invisible, we are not perverts or deviants nor are we less than the rest of society. We march in unison and celebrate as one community cheering under the same rainbow. My favorite memory of my first gay pride in Denver, Colorado, was realizing how many others there were out there just like me. To be able to look out at a sea of people and realize this is my community was an incredible feeling.
The first gay pride was in 1969 known as the March on Stonewall, started as a protest against discrimination and violence against gays in New York City. I am sure that during the first march there were no floats, no parades, no bar events, no vendors, but the one thing there was plenty of was a feeling of togetherness where lesbians, gays and transgender came together marching and demanding better treatment from the rest of the world. Past sacrifices allowed us to have our events and parades and to be able to come together as a community and celebrate as one. Those sacrifices should always be our guiding light anytime we stand together whether it be to celebrate an event or mourn a passing.
In Moscow On May 27, several dozen Russian lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, accompanied by Russian and foreign supporters, sought to hold two successive protest rallies, one to lay flowers on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin Wall, and the second a vigil at City Hall in support of freedoms of assembly and expression. Organizers of Moscow’s lesbian and gay pride festival decided to hold these events after a court upheld Mayor Yuri Luzkhov’s ban on a pride march planned for that day.
At the sites of both events, hundreds of anti-gay protesters, including skinheads, nationalists, and Orthodox followers, attacked the participants, beating and kicking many, while throwing projectiles and chanting, “Russia free of faggots! Death to sodomites!”
Skinheads punched Volker Beck, a gay member of the German parliament, and struck him with a rock, injuring his eye. Police briefly detained Beck. Others detained included parade organizers Nikolai Alexeyev and Yevgenia Debrianskaia.
“At both sites police at first seemed to allow the skinheads and others free rein to assault lesbians and gays,” said Long. “When police finally intervened, they forced the two groups closer together, aggravating the violence. They failed totally to protect people peacefully trying to exercise their rights.”
Inspite of being harassed and attacked the gays and lesbians did not run and hide, rather they stood strong and demanded equal treatment. and when it was all said and done there was not ankle bitting or dissension within the community. A oneness in the community is what gay pride should always be about.
Peace be the Journey
The best week ever
I have stated previously, I am a self-professed news junkie. I usually start my morning, and end my day with scouring various web sites looking for news. If I happen to miss my set aside time, I feel left in the dark. More often than not the headlines I run across are the same old things: gas prices, food prices, floods, earthquakes and so on. But among all of these regurgitated stories are what I call "jewels". These are stories that after reading them I walk away with the feeling of, "Thank god I am not that person."
What follows are actual headlines of people who may be having the best week ever, NOT!!! What the hell were they thinking???
A 74-year-old woman faces charges of smuggling heroin after $180,000 worth of the drug was found in her luggage Friday when she arrived at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, authorities said.
Maria Resfa Garzon De Arenas made an initial appearance in federal court later Friday, federal prosecutors said. She was charged with importing heroin into the United States and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. If convicted, she could face up to life in prison... I guess if you had to find the positive in this at 80 years old life in prison really can't be that long.
Anna Godinas, who gave a general delivery address on her arrest report, was arrested and charged with three counts of child neglect. In her defense Anna was quoted as saying she no longer wanted the kids.... This only proves alcohol kills brain cells.
And our other moron is Mario Mastellone. He said he was injured so badly on 9/11 that he could never work again - but a secret video showed he still had plenty of hustle left in him. The East Windsor, NJ, union painter was sentenced to 2 ½ years in prison today. Mastellon - who pleaded guilty to bilking $1 million in victim's cash with bogus injury claims - was captured on tape dancing the limbo, the hustle and several other party favorites at a wedding just weeks after the attacks, newly released evidence shows. Mario will have plenty of time to work on his dance moves while serving time, and who knows maybe after release he will be ready for Dancing with the Stars.
Peace be the journey
coloradochris313131@yahoo.com You're fired! There is no two ways about it, the economy sucks! Rising gas and grocery costs, foreclosures are at an all time high, the cost of energy is on the rise and companies are downsizing. Finding yourself unemployed can be a bit scary. If any of this applies to you, take a moment to take a deep breath and relax . Find the positive, this is the perfect time to find that dream job. Be selective, make a list of things you hope to find in your next employer. Weigh all your options and consider every avenue carefully. Realize that your next job is going to be your livelihood for the next 10,15, or even 20 years, so you had better like it. Here are some tips when you go to interview: Interviews are nothing if not opportunities to drive yourself crazy. Just remind yourself to look good, appear confident, say all the right things and don't say any of the wrong ones. It shouldn't be so hard to follow these guidelines, except you'll be on the receiving end of an endless line of questions. Factor in your nerves and you'll be lucky to remember your own name. Don't fret. If you walk into the interview prepared, you can make sure you know what right things to say, and you can stop yourself from saying the following wrong things. 1. "I hated my last boss." Your last boss was a miserable person whose main concern was making your life miserable. Of course you don't have a lot of nice things to say; however, don't mistake honesty, which is admirable, for trash-talking, which is despicable. "If you truly did hate your last boss, I would be prepared to articulate why your last organization and relationship was not right for you. Then be prepared to explain what type of organization is right for you and what type of management style you best respond to. 2. "I don't know anything about the company." Chances are the interviewer will ask what you know about the company. If you say you don't know anything about it, the interviewer will wonder why you're applying for the job and will probably conclude you're after money, not a career. "With today's technology, there is no excuse for having no knowledge of a company except laziness and/or poor planning -- neither of which are attributes [of potential employees] sought by many organizations." 3. "No, I don't have any questions for you." Much like telling the interviewer that you don't know anything about the company, saying you don't have any questions to ask also signals a lack of interest. Perhaps the interviewer answered every question or concern you had about the position, but if you're interested in a future with this employer, you can probably think of a few things to ask. "Research the company before you show up," "Understand the business strategy, goals and people. Having this type of knowledge will give you some questions to keep in your pocket if the conversation is not flowing naturally." 4. "I'm going to need to take these days off." "We all have lives and commitments and any employer that you would even consider working for understands this. If you progress to an offer stage, this is the time for a discussion regarding personal obligations," "Just don't bring it up prior to the salary negotiation/offer stage." Why? By mentioning the days you need off too early in the interview, you risk coming off presumptuous as if you know you'll get the job. 5. "How long until I get a promotion?" While you want to show that you're goal-oriented, be certain you don't come off as entitled or ready to leave behind a job you don't even have yet. "There are many tactful ways to ask this question that will show an employer that you are ambitious and looking at the big picture," "For example, asking the interviewer to explain the typical career path for the position is fine." Another option is to ask the interviewer why the position is open . You might find out it's due to a promotion and can use that information to learn more about career opportunities. 6. "Are you an active member in your church?" As you attempt to make small talk with an interviewer, don't cross the line into inappropriate chitchat. Avoid topics that are controversial or that veer too much from work. "This sounds obvious, but many times I have been interviewing candidates and been asked about my personal hobbies, family obligations, et cetera," Moran says. "Attempting to develop a rapport is essential, but taking it too far can bring you into some uncomfortable territory." 7. "As Lady Macbeth so eloquently put it..." Scripted answers, although accurate, don't impress interviewers. Not only do they make you sound rehearsed and stiff, they also prevent you from engaging in a dialogue. "This is a conversation between a couple humans that are trying to get a good understanding of one another. Act accordingly" . 8. "And another thing I hate..." Save your rants for your blog. When you're angry, you don't sway any body's opinion about a topic, but you do make them like you less. For one thing, they might disagree with you. They also won't take kindly to your bad attitude. "If you are bitter, keep it inside and show optimism. Start complaining and you will be rejected immediately. Do you like working with a complainer? Neither will the interviewer." Finally, dress for success and be confident. If you look good, you will feel good and if you feel good, you will do good. If you find yourself pounding the pavement good luck and as always peace be your Journey
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