TM
YOUR VOICE. OUR VOICE. ONE VOICE. WEEK OF April 9, 2009 New York EDITION VOL 1 No 10
Printed with Explicit permission From Each Content Provider
Yvonne Ng | tpburl.com/ygst9x New York
go ahead, make her day By Neal Boulton | 3/31/09 | Bastard Life tpburl.com/4hgt9q You may want to rethink the way you treat your lady. I recently watched a woman get beaten up in New York City. She was driving, he was in the passenger seat. Then I read about Rihanna, then, a couple of days ago I saw her brand spankin’ new gun tattoo. Nice. Guns and women are back. An estimated 11 million to 17 million women in America own guns now—a number that is definitely on the rise, as more women than ever are taking up target shooting and hunting and feel the need to bear arms for better protection against domestic violence and abuse. The National Rifle Association’s target-shooting classes for women “have been skyrocketing” in popularity too, according to Stephanie Henson, manager of the NRA’s women’s programs department. The number of women attending clinics from 2005 to 2008 soared 788 percent, to 4,403 from 496, while the number of clinics offered jumped 1,008 percent to 144 in 2008 from 13 in 2005. In January the NRA began publishing a magazine for women, Women’s Outlook, which has been growing in circulation 15 to 22 percent each month. The magazine has more than 50,000 current subscribers. As you might expect, emotions still run high on the gun issue. Bill Jenkins, 46, of Northfield, Illinois, is an author and frequent speaker on gun issues. His 16-year-old son was fatally shot during a fast-food robbery in 1997. His wife, Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins, had a pregnant sister and brother-in-law who were fatally shot in 1990. The couple met at a conference for families of murder victims. Jenkins says that the rising interest in guns among women is the result of manipulation by the gun industry, which has seen sales lag among men. “The gun industry has tried to increase market share among women, because they are desperately underrepresented in that population,” he says. “It has tried to increase fear among women, and has been making products that appeal to women, making firearms lighter and more manageable, making designer guns that are literally cute.” “It’s propaganda,” agrees Rose Woods, 47, executive director of Victims of Violence, a support service for families and friends of homicide victims. Woods’ 16-year-old son, Nick Jaramillo, was killed in a restaurant robbery in 1996. “They’re using the old-boy mentality that women can’t think on their own, but ... we understand too much,” says Woods, an organizer of the first Million Mom March in Washington, D.C. “A gun is not a security blanket. I wouldn’t want it in my home, even locked up. Kids can find it, kids can play with it. We’re not living in Lone Ranger times.” Strong opinions, but not reflective of the national sentiment, as the National Sporting Goods Association says more women are participating in target shooting and hunting than ever before. Gun manufacturers since the mid-1980s have been designing lighter firearms for women, while gun-toting purses and fanny packs are also on the market. With the advent of the Internet, women’s pro-gun groups—with names like the Second Amendment Sisters, Armed Females of America, Liberty Belles and Women Against Gun Control—have gained steam. Websites like womenandguns.com are on the rise as well, and offer history, viewpoints, and information about both the realities and the folklore of females and firearms. In her new book Blown Away: American Women and Guns (Pocket Books), journalist Caitlin Kelly—herself a crime victim—points out the stark reality that violence against women remains a pervasive problem, affecting about 1 in 3 American women in their lifetimes. “Women living alone may say [having a gun] is my best choice; that’s the decision they’ve made to protect their families,” says Kelly, 46, who does not own a gun. “Power, to me, is not just, `I can be a lawyer or a doctor or get into MBA school.’ In the most profound sense, I want to feel safe in the morning. To me, that’s really a feminist issue.” Carol Oyster, psychology professor at the University of Wisconsin, co-wrote a book in 2000 called Gun Women: Feminism and Firearms in Contemporary America (New York University Press). Oyster is a hunter, NRA member and feminist. “Feminism is about choice. To me, there’s no difference in making an informed decision about firearms or reproductive rights,” says Oyster, who, along with her 17-year-old daughter, Katherine, teaches hunting safety. “My daughter talks to her peers about it as a feminist thing to do. In our hunter-education classes, we are seeing more and more girls all the time, 12 years old even, girls and moms together.” But Linda Ward sums it up. The 57 year old, gun-owning retiree said, “I don’t think a woman should have to depend on a man to protect her. He can’t be there 24/7. There are a lot of single women now. If the bad guy comes at you, you can’t just tell him,`Play nice.’” Word. Bottom line? Women, and we hope Rihanna, may just be ready to stop taking it lying down.
looking for a job? get a boob job first! By hotoffthepress2 | 3/30/09 | Bob Marty Writes tpburl.com/kt19py In a post last week, I shared news about a decrease in the number of plastic surgery procedures performed in the United States last year as a result of the economic downturn. Today comes news about one New York plastic surgeon who’s seen “an influx of patients” for procedures such as face lifts, eye lifts, breast enhancement, liposuction and cosmetic injectables. Dr. Stephen T. Greenberg, self-described as “a leading Park Avenue plastic surgeon” and author of “A Little Nip, A Little Tuck,” is offering the ultimate “Job Fighter Package” to help middle-age men and women gain the edge on their competition — peers 10 to 15 years their junior who are competing with younger, more attractive candidates — and get back on the payroll with new, cosmetically-enhanced looks. In a news release today, he makes several suggestions about how job hunters can land new opportunities: Are you trying to land a job in the finance industry? The eyes speak volumes about you — get an eye lift. Forget it, Bernie Madoff! No amount of plastic surgery can land you another job on Wall Street. Looking for a job as an Executive Administrative Assistant? Consider a boob job and a butt lift to ensure you won’t be forgotten after the interview. Eager to get back into the real estate game? Go for a face lift to get that fresh faced, polished look.
If, after opting for plastic surgery, you remain jobless and without prospects, you can feel good knowing you helped the Obama Administration redistribute your wealth.
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Views expressed in Content do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or the printed blog inc.
tax revolt & tea parties: the minute man tax revolt
Politics
afghanistan is now obama’s war By Alan Stewart Carl | 3/27/09 | Donklephant tpburl.com/m6vfzp The phrase “war on terror” may no longer be in vogue, but the fight against terrorism remains a top priority, as confirmed by President Obama’s announcement today:
By Idjit | 3/18/09 | Stupidica tpburl.com/d68s5x Momentum is swelling for tax revolt. After years and years of “we’re gonna reform the tax system” promises from politicians - none of which has really occured - the momentum is swelling for tax revolt. Take this piece as reported on the Fox News network (right ‘fair and balanced’) : Police in Cincinnati say at least 4,000 people showed up Sunday for a grassroots protest of wasteful government spending in general, and President Obama’s stimulus package and budget in particular.
Obama warned that al-Qaida is actively planning attacks on the United States from secret havens in Pakistan. He said he was setting new benchmarks and sending in 4,000 more troops, hundreds of civilians and increased aid for a war that has lasted more than seven years and still has no end in sight.
It was one of many tea party protests around the country — inspired by the Revolutionary War era Boston Tea Party protesting British taxation. Protesters had signs reading “Give us liberty, not debt” and “Where’s my bailout?”
“I want the American people to understand that we have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in the future,” Obama said. “That’s the goal that must be achieved. That is a cause that could not be more just.”
One report states there are more than 150 tea parties scheduled across the nation in the upcoming months. The events so far have been largely ignored by the mainstream media, but several blogs are tracking them.
The president, who declared last weekend an “exit strategy” was needed for Afghanistan, never used those words in announcing his plans on Friday. His strategy is built on an ambitious goal of boosting the Afghan army from 80,000 to 134,000 troops by 2011 — and greatly increasing training by U.S. troops accompanying them — so the Afghan military can defeat Taliban insurgents and take control of the war.
Noel Sheppard, associate editor for the conservative NewsBusters.org writes on the coverage so far: “Compare that to how these networks practically fell all over themselves to report war protests after the public’s opinion changed concerning Iraq in late 2003.”
I’ve always believed there has to be a military aspect to combating terrorism and am willing to trust the president that greater military force is needed in Afghanistan to secure our safety. Given that Obama’s plan has us substantially invested in Afghanistan until at least 2011, this is now his war. Politically, it’ll be interesting to watch how having a liberal conduct a militaristic war against terrorism compares to having George Bush conduct that war. Some of the familiar narratives of both the left and the right will likely change. After all, like it or not, support for a president and support for current wars tend to strongly interrelate. Of course, what really matters is that our strategy is sound and our success is substantial. I think most of us can agree on that.
obama seeks to out-do clinton in greening the white house By Stephanie Rogers | 3/31/09 | EarthFirst.com tpburl.com/vj728r President Obama wants to green the White House, and though it’s been done before, he’s going to one-up former Presidents Carter, Clinton and Bush in every way he can. Carter installed solar panels, Clinton embarked on an ambitious effort that successfully improved the efficiency of lighting, heating, A/C, insulation and water use and even anti-environment Bush installed a few solar energy systems. But Obama is focused on reducing the White House’s behemoth carbon footprint, and that will take a lot more work. From The Huffington Post: Obama isn’t ready to give details of his broader go-green plans for the White House, but administration officials report that small steps are under way: The housekeeping staff is making the switch to greener cleaning supplies, and complex managers have asked engineers and groundskeepers to use greener products whenever possible. Efforts are afoot to improve and promote recycling. As for what more can be done, outside experts on green buildings report that the administration is seeking out information about what’s feasible. Given the priority Obama placed on renewable energy in his economic stimulus package and budget, environmentalists are chattering about what further steps he will take at the White House.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,509445,00.html
Now it stands to reason that reasonable people are becoming increasingly unreasonable. If you continue to insult the intelligence of intelligent people, at some point we stand up and say enough. It’s time for tax revolt! If enough people would get enough of a backbone and stop paying taxes, they’d get the attention of government. And who said “the people” have to fund government with taxes? If government was smart (which it isn’t) they’d figure a way to start selling America - our food, our resources, and make some money. Then they’d have the dough to fund whatever it is they want to fund. Isn’t that what the oil barons are doing? Think about it - who ’s to say it all has to be funded “by the people”? Who made that up? Why can’t government find a new way to fund itself? Let’s say government created its own US Government Sales Office and started selling our grain, our renewable resources, and then brokered out products and technologies. I dare say we wouldn’t need to tax anyone for anything - we’d have some shit to sell, and government would make some money. This concept that “the people” are gonna have to incur insane debt based upon some out-moded tax code which doesn’t work - it only damages and causes problems in a fragile economy. I say stop being sheep and start fighting back. Start standing up. Let’s call it The MinuteMan Tax Revolt! Think about the concept of The Minuteman. They had to be ready on a minute’s notice, to go and fight. That came with a social commitment! You had to get up out of your fucking chair, pick up your fucking rifle and head off to the battlefield and you knew it was all on the line. Forget about your tea parties and protests that are laughed at by politicians. Symbolism won’t work. You’re wasting your time. Oh cool you showed up for a protest. Do something that will really get their attention - stop paying! PHOTOS
Prior to taking office, Obama promised to lead by example and show Americans that it’s really not that hard to go green. The small steps they’re currently taking may not seem all that impressive on the surface, but so far, each thing they’ve done – from the kitchen garden to the eco-friendly playground – can be easily imitated by most Americans. And, there’s undoubtedly much more to come. PHOTOS
David Meskhi | tpburl.com/fdr6pb
and they’ll replace guns with dildos...aahh!!!! fear!! aaaaaaaaaah! By G-A-Y | 3/31/09 | Good As You tpburl.com/24ysqc In the following snippet, the Traditional Values Coalition’s dean and doyenne of discrimination, Louis Sheldon and Andrea Lafferty, stop short of directly comparing gay soldiers to live grenades. But just barely: Imagine the impact that the rampant spread of STDs, including HIV would have on the military? How will the military handle the spread of these diseases in the barracks? How will the military handle sodomy in battlefield situations? Imagine the impact that sexual favoritism would have in subverting military cohesion? A homosexual Sergeant who was in love with a member of his company, could protect his lover from battle – or send a straight soldier into harm’s way just to punish him for having the wrong attitudes about homosexuality. Straight soldiers could be denied promotion by militant gay officers. The military chain of command would be undermined. ... In addition to the coming persecution of straight soldiers, what about the unrestrained drug and sex antics committed by young male homosexuals? Homosexual sex is consistently related to drug use, including crystal meth and other sexually-stimulating drugs. What sort of chaos will be caused in the military by bare-backing parties and other forms of homosexual orgies? There is also an effort by the White House and Congress to legitimate drag queens/transgenders in the military, too. The normalization of these behaviors are in many bills being pushed through Congress. This will impact the military as well. Democrat Bill Will Overturn Military Policy On Homosexuals [TVC]
Matt Padgett | tpburl.com/hk62b4
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Yes, because if gay soldiers (who are already serving, btw) are allowed to serve openly, then all rules will be dropped. Morning reveille will be replaced with Lady Gaga. Sex will not only be allowed, but encouraged -- preferably in an orgiastic form. And on base drug use, once an obvious cause for punishment/discharge, will become just another pastime, towards which the in-drag Sergeants will turn a blind (if not welcoming) eye. Rules, schmules: When the gays get their equality, lawlessness is the only logical order of the day. The army is hanging by a tenuous rope, and non-discrimination is the scissor that will snip away the remaining fibers. You kids are RIGHT. ON. THE. MONEY. on this one, lil’ Andrea and big Lou! Your goals have been fully met. **Wait, Andrea and Lou: Your goals were to further destroy the “pro-family” movement’s credibility, right?
The Printed Blog
still a skin virgin... for now
LIFESTYLE
top 20 ways to share a great blog post By Ben Parr | 3/29/09 | Mashable tpburl.com/7qgm28 One of the best things about the web and social media is how much great information is written and produced every single day. If you’re a regular reader of blogs, you probably come across great articles that you just want everyone to know about. But what’s the best way to share these posts? Luckily, there’s no shortage of ways to spread the word. Blogs, social networks, instant messenger, and mobile phones are some of the many ways to let others know about the best content on the web. Here are our 20 favorite ways to share a great blog post: Sharing Via Social Media:
1. Using Twitter to Tweet and Share: Perhaps the fastest and most effective way to share a great blog post is through Twitter. Sharing or retweeting a link in Twitter can spread like wildfire. Use a URL shortener such as tinyurl or bit.ly to shorten links to fit within 140 characters. 2. Posting to Facebook: Sharing a blog post on the world’s largest social network is as simple as going to the Facebook homepage and posting a link. 3. Digg it: Not only will you help bring that blog post one step closer to reaching the front page of the news site Digg (which will spread it even further), but all of your Digg friends will see it as well. 4. Post on MySpace Profile: Don’t forget about the world’s second largest social network when sharing your favorite articles. Post the link to your MySpace profile so your friends can enjoy it too. 5. Posting to LinkedIn: Some blog posts are worthy of being shared by your business network on LinkedIn. Post a link to the Network Updates area in the homepage. 6. Stumbling on StumbleUpon: Stumble the post! StumbleUpon is a favorite network for discovering fun websites and useful information, so make sure that you give the post a thumbs up. The StumbleUpon Toolbar is the easiest way to Stumble. 7. Bookmarking to Delicious: Delicious is great for not only sharing posts, but for helping categorize blog posts for others to find. In addition, you can import your delicious bookmarks to Facebook, FriendFeed, and other social media websites.
By pithycomments | 3/10/09 | DC Is My Manhattan tpburl.com/by4h81 For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated with tattoos. As a kid, I would draw on my hand with a marker and pretend I had a tattoo. Once MommaPithy found out (and literally whooped my ass) I stopped. I could never draw worth a shit anyway. Once I moved out, I began plotting/gathering up the courage to get inked. On my 26th birthday, I got my nose pierced, with a tattoo planned later that summer. This was when the Unnamed One had a name and we had planned on getting our tattoos together. Right after my birthday, The Unnamed One became ill and I spent the rest of my summer being her nurse and her mom’s chauffeur. No tattoo for me. I spent the money helping UO pay her bills. Once UO got better, her stupidity (let’s call it Rihanna-itis) kicked in and I pretty much spent a year as a hermit, avoiding people and places to avoid drama. I really didn’t feel like getting inked anymore. After a year with my new non-crazy friends, the tattoo plans were reborn. Again, money was saved and a date planned. And again something happened and plans had to be scrapped. Never one to be v. good w/ the pesos, I spent it on clothes. My TV on DVD addiction was limited to Gilmore Girls at that time. And now MORE time has passed and my 30th birthday is less than 3 months away. I’m still a skin virgin as the Sex Therapist calls it. Once again I have (or will have once the taxman shows me some love) the pesos to pop my skin cherry. And once again I’m planning with my peeps to get inked. (I may have to adjust that since group planning for this has been my downfall). With trips planned for Spain and Colombia (!!!) this summer, I’m going to be around lots of family. There’s no way I can get the ink done before No Sangria Left Behind, b/c chances of MommaPithy seeing the ink would be v. high. I do not want to spend my vacation hearing how I’ve finally become a child of Satan. There’s not enough sangria in the world to make that remotely tolerable. I have enough time before the Colombia trip to get the ink done and healed. MommaPithy isn’t going, but TioPithy is. However, chances of him seeing the ink are minuscule. (mind out of gutter, I’m not getting my naughty bits done). My cousin *might* see it, but she’s waaaay more open-minded and less likely to call an emergency exorcism. I’ve already have the body placement (lower ab/hip-ish area), design, artist and shop picked out. I’ve researched my design and so far have not found any links to fertility, satanic, christian or republican symbols. A combination of the two images below is what I’m plotting for this June. Nothing too flowery, but something slightly feminine with exotic henna-y goodness . I get the feeling that once I pop my skin cherry, I’m going back for more. I’m a whore like that sometimes…
PHOTOS
8. Sharing on FriendFeed: The social media aggregator FriendFeed has a vibrant community who love to share videos, links, and pictures. Use the FriendFeed bookmarklet to quickly share a good blog post to FriendFeed. 9. Adding to Reddit: Reddit is another great social media site for sharing and voting on articles. It’s quick and easy to submit a link Sharing Via Blogs: 10. Reblogging Great Posts: Blogging about a great article is one of the best ways to engage with the topics being discussed. Post a link, write some commentary, and share it with all of your readers. And don’t forget to share your own blog post as well! 11. Sharing via Google Reader: Google Reader has a great feature for sharing blog posts. If you use Google Reader as your news reader of choice, all you have to do is click the “share” button at the bottom of blog posts to share it with all of your Google friends. You can also add notes and comment as well. 12. Posting on Tumblr or Posterous: If you want to share something via a blog, but don’t want to write a full blog post about it, there are great options for that as well, primarily Tumblr and Posterous. They are the quick and easy versions of full-fledged blogs, ideal for posting about pictures and blog posts. Useful Tools for Sharing: 13. TwitThat: TwitThat is one of the quickest and easiest tools for sharing blog posts. It will post to your Twitter quickly and easily. Just add the bookmarklet to your browser toolbar and click it whenever you come across a great post. 14. Shareaholic Firefox Extension: There are a lot of great social networks where you can share a great post, but who wants to visit Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and LinkedIn to share a post? If you are a Firefox user, then install Shareaholic, an extension that goes on your toolbar. It provides quick links for sharing to all of the major social networks. 15. Ping.fm: If you’re a busy person, you might not have time to share on all of these social media websites. Isn’t there an easy way to share a blog post everywhere, all at once? Ping.fm links to all of your social networks and sends your updates to LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, to any other website you wish to link to it. You can even update from your instant messenger. It’s the perfect solution for those who like to share content all over the web. Other Ways to Share: 16. Emailing: Email has always been a good way to share articles, especially with close friends and family. Although it may not reach as many people as Twitter, it will definitely reach anyone who isn’t as deep into social media as you are. 17. Texting: Did you know you that many blogs, including Mashable, support sharing an article via text message? Look out for the ShareThis button (three green dots connected by lines) under blog posts and select the “text” option. iPhones and mobile browsers have made it easy to read links sent by texts. 18. Changing IM Statuses: You probably have dozens, if not hundreds of IM contacts. Share great posts with all of them by changing your IM status to a great post you just read or wrote. 19. IMing a friend: If changing an IM status seems too impersonal, then just IM your friends the link. You can then have a fun chat about the blog post. 20. Talking to Friends: If you don’t have a computer handy, then don’t forget about the analog approach - call a friend or tell him or her over coffee about a great blog post you read. You can always send the link later if necessary.
How Do You Share Blog Posts? This post only scratches the surface of sharing in social media. There are hundreds of tools and resources at your disposal. If you have another great way to share blog posts, please add it in the comments.
Eric Hason | tpburl.com/gc9ywt
kudos to salon and kate harding By Harriet | 3/30/09 | Feed Me! tpburl.com/yct842 For this piece on the new study just out from England that may finally shut down the “Anorexia is the mother’s fault!” argument. (You have to register on the site to see it, but you can get a free day pass.) The study looks at brain development in utero, and reinforces the notion that genetics and neurobiology are the biggest culprits when it comes to why some kids develop eating disorders. As Harding writes: Ian Frampton, a pediatric psychology consultant and co-author of a study to be presented at a conference at the Institute of Education in London this week, says, “Our research shows that certain kids’ brains develop in such a way that makes them more vulnerable to the more commonly known risk factors for eating disorders, such as the size-zero debate, media representations of very skinny women and bad parents.” The Guardian reports that based on “in-depth neuropsychological testing” on over 200 anorexia patients in the UK, US, and Norway, Frampton and his colleagues found “about 70% of the patients had suffered damage to their neurotransmitters, which help brain cells communicate with each other, had undergone subtle changes in the structure of their brains, or both.” In the past, researchers often assumed that anorexia causes changes to sufferers’ brains, but these findings suggest that it works the other way around.
One caveat: If you value your sanity, don’t read the comments. Unless a huge surge of adrenaline would be a positive development in your evening.
Views expressed in Content do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or the printed blog inc.
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green porno is back, now with more sex!
Sex
sex and the unemployed woman By Raven Moore | 3/26/09 | The Writerbabe Series tpburl.com/7km4zv While looking up research on dating and the unemployed, I ran across this article. Might not be safe for work - take heed. I began to wonder how sex and romance are affected for an unemployed woman when she’s in a relationship. And… when she’s not. I’ve been unemployed and in love (sometimes, even at the same time). Usually, however, it seems that my love life is tanking at the exact same moment when my career is heading somewhere. Then, the polar opposite crops up as my professional life is heading towards a quasi-black hole - I find Mr. Right (For Now). In other instances, people have used their personal relationships as reasons behind bad job performance…most likely because they are looking for an external reason to hate a crappy job in the first place. In truth, my love life has (in)directly caused a crappy job performance. I know all that stuff advocating the separation of work and personal dramas, but that’s a real dream. It’s like trying to separate yourself from your own skin. Theoretically, you can ignore it and pretend it’s not there, not take care of it and tell everyone the pimples they see are actually stress bumps. But eventually, you’ll have to do something about it if you aren’t interested in looking like a pimple-infested, pus oozing weirdo. It’s the maintenance that keeps the breakouts from coming. Relationships (and sex) are the same. You can pretend it’s not there because they are relatively easy to not start yet, it’s the maintenance (or lack thereof) that can be the true killer. OK - back to sex and the (sometimes single) unemployed woman. This has been on my mind because there is lots of talk about dating on a budget, dating in a recession, dating when you are unemployed - blah blah blah. But, in a meandering way - these articles aren’t getting to the nitty gritty of what I want to know. Are women just as likely to sleep with a man when he is unemployed versus when he isn’t? Would men date a woman who is unemployed? Are unemployed women equally stressed in their sex lives like men? Women are connected to work differently than men - they are connected to sex differently than men. So, when they are canned and there’s no sweetie to warm the covers with - how likely (and how fast) are they going to become disconnected from sex before they become disconnected from their career motivations? And stop - I don’t want to hear any crap about how people should “only look at the personality” or shouldn’t judge others on such “superficial” things. Wanting to date someone who has a job (and legal means of income) is not superficial. Men are just as likely as women to judge your dating “merit” on your ability to get a job or hold one. So, when there is no job - is there still just as much sex for a woman? Penelope Trunk touched upon this when she blogged that more sex will be a coming trend in the recession. And, as condom sales go up - that must mean men (and women) are smacking more tail than they could when 8 hours of their day was devoted to working it for the man - no pun intended. Or, maybe people are anticipating more sex because now they can spend part of their unemployment check (and job searching hours) at the bars? Or, opting to stay at home (assuming they are not at home alone)? Besides the unavoidable see-sawing - one’s sex life is also in a constant roller coaster as well. Even when we’re in steady, great relationships - it doesn’t change the fact that your better half is not working. Things have inevitably steered into a different course, particularly, if your partner is demanding more sex (or not demanding any). What is the quality of a woman’s sex life when she is unemployed? Do women associate the same kinds of stress from being out of work like men (and have it manifest in their sex life)? Maybe it’s really about priorities. Women don’t prioritize (or categorize) sex the same way men do. So, if the quality of their professional lives takes a hit - a woman’s sex life remains unaffected because women tend not to singularly indentify their personal worth with their jobs like men do. For someone like me - who will be gainfully unemployed for a year in a few weeks - there hasn’t been much change in my love life pre-unemployment. There have been moments when I began to wonder if something was wrong because I hadn’t found anything yet. However, momentary crushing moments of self-doubt haven’t affected me to the point where I’ve morphed into something else entirely - like Paul Nawrocki. I don’t know. Maybe I should get a job as a sexpert instead. PHOTOS
Charlotte Dunkley Trotman | tpburl.com/0r8z7c
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By Stephanie Rogers | 3/30/09 | EarthFirst.com
tpburl.com/bhqns6
Isabella Rossellini will be doing some very dirty things on your television screen again starting this week, but it’ll only turn you on if you’ve got some weird fetishes. Last year, the beautiful Italian actress teamed up with the Sundance Channel to produce a series of short films entitled ‘Green Porno’, and the second season debuts Wednesday, April 1st. It involves Rossellini wearing bizarre costumes (including weird nude bodysuits complete with fake nipples and pubic hair), moaning and rubbing her body up against fellow costumed creatures. This season, there will be even more sex, and it’s not just limited to insects- fish and crustaceans are getting in on the action, too. It’s bizarre, no doubt about it – but it’s also educational, and Rossellini is passionate (ahem) about animals, as we can all see. She’s not just the star, but also conceived, scripted and directed the films. Her goal is to make people laugh and get them more interested in animals – and hey, sex sells. PHOTOS
Charlotte Dunkley Trotman | tpburl.com/0r8z7c
all day long i dream about sex By Sassy Sexpert | 3/26/09 | Pillow Talk with a Sassy Sexpert tpburl.com/mjd746 Ok, not quite. But I think about sex a lot. Apparently, infinitely more than the “average” woman. One study done at the University of Chicago which is respected by the highly notable Kinsey Institute found that only 19% of women think about sex one or more times a day. Really, ladies? Only 1 in 5 of us are thinking about sex multiple times a day? Even more shocking to me though is how this study found that 14% of women think about sex less than once a month! I know this is a respected study so I am going to take this as a legitimate statistic (even though, studies of human behavior and thought can vary greatly) but it is surprising and even saddening to me. Quickly, I began to wonder why 14 out of 100 women would think about sex less than once a month. A lot of things can affect one’s sex drive like financial worries which typically women have considerably more than men, you know, with the 78 cents to the dollar women make to men. Except, of course, this recession is throwing a wrench into this as women are more likely to maintain their jobs than men as female-dominated professions have been less affected (please note, this linked article is offensive in its labeling of female dominated careers as “lipstick” and by referring to “girl power” like professional women are the Spice Girls or something). However, unfortunately, this shift in gender roles and expectations will not very likely create a very warm or sexy home environment for many coupled men or women. This is discussed in the article titled, “No sex please, we’re having a recession.” Unemployment can greatly challenge a man’s sense of worth since his value is so often tied to his income and his career (for women, it is their attractiveness in which they are supposed to find their value). Additionally, in relation to traditional gender roles, women still do more housework than men even if they both have jobs outside the home. And, it’s proven that when women feel they have too much of the burden at home, they typically lack the desire for their partners due to resentment or just plain exhaustion. Or maybe even, they are one of the 40 million Americans in a sexless marriage and thoughts of sex are too emotionally laden. And there is a flipside to this that shows men are also not thinking about sex as often as typically thought. This same study found that 54% of men think about sex one or more times a day. That’s 46% of men (almost half!) who apparently are not thinking about sex a few times a day. This definitely challenges the common mythology that men think about sex every seven seconds or some ridiculous number like that which I’m sure you’ve heard. Even Snopes will tell you this number is just plain outrageous. I mean, really, how would anything ever get done in a single day if this were a scientific fact?! Apparently, I think about sex just as often as just over half of men, the gender often labeled as too sex focused. And not only do I think about sex daily but I would greatly enjoy having sex daily. In my opinion, it’s just a part of preventative self-care like brushing my teeth or exercising! But, I will admit that not every one of my sexual thoughts is lusty. After all, sex is an academic interest of mine so plenty of my thoughts are theoretical in nature. Finally, I will close with a quote from Mignon McLauglin that I recently came across from a tweet by @ mypredilection - “A nymphomaniac is a women as obsessed with sex as the average man.” Korn. “A.D.I.D.A.S.”
The Printed Blog
Using Social Media to Listen to Consumers
Business
economic recovery lies in the hands of entrepreneurs By Deborah Chaddock Brown | 3/31/09 | Open Forum by American Express tpburl.com/7btjdx Have you given up listening to the news yet? We used to change the channel because of death and destruction; now the news is filled with foreclosures, layoffs and executives making stupid decisions. Everyone asks “when will it end?” Perhaps the more important question is “What can I do to turn things around?” Large corporations, cities and banks are lining up for their share of the stimulus package – but as we’ve seen with some companies – receiving money isn’t changing behavior and soon the money runs out and hands are outstretched once again. Thank goodness for the entrepreneur! As small business owners we have the ability to make rapid changes. Unlike large corporations with stock holders and board members to appease, we can assess the situation and make the necessary adjustments to stay current and valid for our customer. Surviving the next 18 months will require an honest review of how we do business, with whom we do business and even what our business looks like. I would suggest that we all take a good long look in the mirror and ask: • What am I known for in the industry? • Does that still have value in light of the current economic climate? • Has my ideal customer changed? • Has what my customer requires changed? • Does my customer seek information in different venues than they did 12 months ago? • Does my pricing structure meet the needs of my customer or do I need to offer ala cart options and alternative payment plans? • How have I marketed my business? • Is that still an effective vehicle? • Have I embraced social media? • How can social media help my business? • Are there products and services that I offer that no longer make sense? • Is there a different line of products or services that will more effectively meet my customer’s needs? • What training do I need? • Who can I partner with to provide more value to my customers? • Is bartering an alternative solution that makes sense for my business? • In what circumstance? • If my goal is to not only be in business 12 months from now, but to be a thriving, growing business; what one thing do I need to change today to make that happen? Perhaps the biggest area on which entrepreneurs should focus their attention is that of the customer experience. Consumers no longer have the time, patience or money to mess around with businesses that just don’t care – or treat them as if they don’t care. Forget second chances. We have to be welcoming, listening, empathetic to their needs and willing to build a relationship with every person that that enters our business, picks up the phone or sends us an email. Do your employees understand the critical importance of the customer interaction? Are they in it for the paycheck or to make a difference in the life of each customer? As small business owners, we have the opportunity to make a difference, but only if we are willing to truly look at who we are, who we help and how we help them to ensure we are offering valuable solutions to our customer’s needs. As we grow stronger, so will the country. Resources to check out: Kevin Purdy at Lifehacker talks about using Craigslist to Barter. Wayne Hurlbert talks about Preparing for Change in his post about reassessing your business. Guy Kawasaki talks about 10 ways to use LinkedIn for your business. The Huffington Post has published a new book entitled The Complete Guide to Blogging. If you aren’t blogging or using social media in some form or fashion – it is time to start.
By Abbey Klaassen | 3/30/09 | www.adage.com tpburl.com/386w4x NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- If the social-media sphere attacks your brand, do “real people” hear the screams? Not likely, according to surveys that indicate marketers shouldn’t rush to quiet every micro-outrage that sweeps across the web. Last fall, Johnson & Johnson’s Motrin broke creative of a mom complaining that wearing your baby “in fashion,” via a sling, can cause back and neck pain. It offended some in the social-media sphere, and an army of Twittering moms got the brand to yank the ad and issue a mea culpa on its site. But, according to a Lightspeed Research survey, almost 90% of women had never seen the ad. Once they saw it, about 45% liked the video, 41% had no feelings about it, and 15% didn’t like it. Even fewer, 8%, said it negatively affected their feelings of the brand, compared with the 32% who said it made them like the brand more. Was Motrin’s decision to yank the ad and apologize the right one -- even if it made the problem go away? Skittles recently redesigned its website and adopted a sort of “anti-site.” Instead of building a destination, it built an overlay that sat atop several social-media communities: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Wikipedia. It launched debate -- and mischief -- in the Twitterverse as users started posting sometimes-naughty comments about the candy to the social-media sites. But when private online community Communispace asked more than 300 people if they’d heard of the endeavor, only 6% of a fairly web-savvy audience had. The Internet has made it easier than ever for consumers to get their opinions heard -- and for marketers to listen. But it also creates real challenges: Do marketers know who they’re listening to? And at what point does the echo chamber of social media drown out the real opinions of the people who buy your brand? “The data is a really compelling reminder that a lot of our target consumers are not the people who are sitting on Twitter freaking out over a packaging design that they don’t like,” said Diane Hessan, CEO of Communispace. She added, “These are people online, having conversations, and yet they are totally out of the loop on stuff us marketing junkies love to obsess over.” Out of the loop For example, in the past month, the Twitter community has been titillated by South by Southwest, AT&T, “Lost” and the redesign of Skittles.com. Missing from the list are things the Communispace and Lightspeed surveys, both separately commissioned on Ad Age’s behalf, found that the general population is fired up about, such as the AIG bonuses and the bankbailout plans. There’s also the straight numbers game: While 64% of Communispace respondents had heard of Twitter, only 6% used it. The Lightspeed responses indicated even fewer users had heard of it (3%), and most of the 58% who had knew of it from someone they know or -- get this -- TV. At the time of the Motrin move, Ad Age, per Alexa, reported that only about 0.15% of the world’s Internet users were on the site, meaning, by the most generous estimate, about 1.1 million Americans. Communispace found that the more emotional responses were about the firestorm and how Johnson & Johnson had responded, not about the actual ad. Of course, it’s never a good idea to tick off even a small group of vocal consumers. But the recent data just reinforce that marketers are “downright jittery,” Ms. Hessan said. “To some extent they have lost confidence in the thoughtful decisions they’ve made because an anonymous person can get on some new social-media tool and raise questions about quality of decisions.” It’s not that marketers shouldn’t listen and respond to what people are saying about them on the web. Many a company has been improved by responding to vocal online pundits. Look who’s talking But the surveys do suggest that companies should make sure they know who they’re listening to. “Marketers need to know how active their customers are on social technologies,” said Josh Bernoff, VP-principal analyst at Forrester Research. Ed Keller, CEO of Keller Fay Group, said his research suggests as much as half of online word-of-mouth impressions are generated by teenagers; that means an online uproar might mean more for Facebook than it does for Motrin. While online criticism may not be cause to act, it can provide companies insight into passionate bases they didn’t know they had. “Listening doesn’t mean getting one small piece of data and taking action,” Ms. Hessan said. “Sometimes it means getting a piece of data and probing further.”
The Printed Blog is the first print newspaper comprised entirely of blogs and online, user-generated content. With ongoing changes in how information is digested and delivered, The Printed Blog’s timely and disruptive model for print interaction has earned it the title of “the newspaper for the next 100 years.”
Founded 2009 www.theprintedblog.com blog.theprintedblog.com Facebook: tpburl.com/rq3bp1 MySpace: tpburl.com/dxm91h Twitter: tpburl.com/nxdkfv
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Amber Chavez | tpburl.com/rxfcvj Views expressed in Content do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or the printed blog inc.
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Tech
PHOTOS
daily poll: have you ever google map stalked someone? By Carolyn Stanley | 3/31/09 | Flavorwire tpburl.com/pvz7n8 When we read this funny post on Gawker about a woman who discovered her husband was cheating on her via Google Maps (which if you’ll remember, is still relatively new in the UK), we weren’t surprised. Per the original item in The Sun, because it sounds better in British: “The hubby had claimed he was away on business, but his missus recognised his motor immediately because of its blinged-up hubcaps.” We might know some people (cough, cough) who have used the tool for similarly juicy espionage in the past. OK, it was us. And no we didn’t catch anyone having a fling. We just sat around with some coworkers and stared at our boss’s driveway. But still! So what we’re wondering is: Have you ever tried to use Google Maps to spy on someone? Note: We didn’t ask if you’ve ever Google stalked someone because it’s entirely IMPOSSIBLE that you haven’t.
yes! skype introduces programs for blackberries & iphone By Steely D | 3/31/09 | Parlour Magazine tpburl.com/nx7rbs YAY!!! This may be the best thing I’ve heard allllllll week! Looks like Skype - which I used to talk to Ms. Skeptical in Buenos Aires FOR FREE on Monday - is expanding their program beyond laptops. iPhone’s service starts today! Google it! Blackberry service starts sometime in May.
“The No. 1 request we get from customers is to make Skype available on iPhone. There’s a pent-up demand,” Durchslag said in an interview before the CTIA annual mobile showcase in Las Vegas, where Skype plans to launch the service on Tuesday. In May it will launch Skype for Research In Motion’s BlackBerry devices, which popularized mobile email. It has already announced Skype for Nokia phones and for phones based on Android, Google Inc’s mobile system, and Windows Mobile, from Microsoft Corp.”
PHOTOS
Adam Tillman-Young | tpburl.com/r7fgxd Entertainment
twitter break ups By Dr. Rus | 3/24/09 | Frame by Frame tpburl.com/5zmbjp Did Twitter Come Between Jen & John? Did this cute little bird really cause a Hollywood break up? The ever growing social network microblog Twitter is really taking off. In the early days, not many people took notice of Twitter. Many thought it was nothing more than a waste of time. Some of us early adopters jumped on board and discovered not only fun, but a great networking tool too. Now, Twitter is so mainstream it was recently featured on Good Morning America. What was considered either a passing fad, or just something for the kids, has come a long way on the road to Internet mainstream. Not only is Twitter mainstream, but recently another social networking tool, Facebook, reworked their entire look in hopes of looking and feeling more like Twitter. But, with more bells and whistles. A couple weeks ago I wrote about Stars On Twitter. In that post I mentioned some of the stars who are tweeting. I also listed some of my fav stars to follow. But just how much time do these stars spend on Twitter? Apparently, Twitter actually led to a Hollywood break up! Too Much Twitter Time There apparently wasn’t “someone else” who came between Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer – There was Twitter. According to what are known as insiders, Jen dumped John because he couldn’t control his Twittering habit. The breaking point reportedly came when Jennifer was in London promoting Marley and Me and John was too busy to return her phone calls. When she dug a little deeper to find out what was going on, Jen discovered the singer was too busy updating his Twitter stream! One friend said “Jen was fuming. There he was telling her he didn’t have time for her, but his Twitter page was filled with updates. Every few hours, sometimes minutes, he would update with some stupid line.” The friend of Jennifer’s went on to say Jen said, “He has time for all this Twittering, but he can’t send me a text, an email, or make a call?” The couple broke up shortly after she returned to Los Angeles. Rumor has it Jennifer Aniston broke up with John Mayer via an @reply to his Twitter stream. By the way, if you’re not already doing so, and if you’re on Twitter, you can follow me there too! Yours in entertainment fun! Dr. Rus
earplug to the underground: ben klock
Bowen Ross | tpburl.com/hctp56
By Andy Phillips | 3/31/09 | Flavorwire tpburl.com/5v0rgb Fringe music is an elusive beast, indeed. Whereas the points of slick tales of love and loss are usually pretty obvious, the undercurrents of the avant-garde are infinitely harder to navigate. Enter your intrepid guide: Earplug. In this bi-monthly series, Flavorwire’s sister publication — home to several experimental, indie, and techno experts — will separate the hidden gems from the record bin rejects, helping the adventurous among us pluck new albums from the outer edges. After the jump, a review of the bleepy, heart-in-mouth pulse of Ben Klock’s One by minimal master Philip Sherburne. Ben Klock - One Yes, Ostgut Ton, the in-house label of Berlin’s sister clubs Berghain and Panorama Bar, is steadfast in its techno agenda. Since the label’s launch in 2006, much of Ostgut’s output—across singles, mixes and artist albums from the likes of Marcel Dettmann, Len Faki and Shed—has hewed to a homegrown sound fusing hard techno with touches of early house at its most skeletal, all bathed in the steely reverb appropriate for a massive ex-factory like Berghain. Ben Klock has been responsible for much of the label’s most minimal fare, both solo and alongside Dettmann. But with his debut album, One, he shows just how malleable the Ostgut sound can be. The 13-track album is built around a driving core—bleepy, minimalist tracks with a heartin-mouth pulse and the patina of brushed sheet metal—but Klock stretches out to encompass ambient interludes (”Init One”), haunting vocal house (”OK,” featuring Elif Bicer), and even an unexpected fusion of Basic Channel atmospherics and dubstep cadences (”Gold Rush”). These tracks may have been concocted in the shadows of a sweat-slicked industrial monolith, but they can be surprisingly warm, even tender. “Goodly Sin” (again featuring Bicer) recalls the bluesy, feel-good melancholia of Matthew Herbert’s Around the House; “OK” puts a wraithlike spin on Moodymann’s slow, grinding machine soul. “Check for Pulse” and “Grip” work like rock tumblers, setting odd polyrhythms in motion and smoothing edges with every rotation. Even at his heaviest, as on the acidic “Check for Pulse,” Klock’s tracks seem to have been sanded to a dull shine. For all the music’s warmth, there’s also a numbness here—a twinge of something nameless and unsettling. Klock’s ground-down remnants of ’90s techno, with their indistinct details and shadowy depths, suggest a profound sense of loss. Ironically, that’s what keeps pulling you back to the music, as though out of a certainty that you’ll find it lurking there, whatever “it” is. - Philip Sherburne
Staff at The Printed Blog
Todd Alexander / Graphic Design Editor
Todd Alexander went to the University of Tennessee for Graphic Design and is our newest intern working on graphic design and social networking projects. He moved to Chicago a year ago to submerge himself into the art and design community. Since then, he has learned that the culture is rich, Chicagoans love to celebrate any holiday, and your nose hair will freeze below a certain temperature.
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The Printed Blog
Personal
being the single girl at a wedding By Jessica | 3/25/09 | The Everyday Adventures of Me in the City tpburl.com/0bjh2q Despite being a social person, I hate going to events alone. I have a tendency to be the awkward girl lingering by the door, frantically texting or scanning the crowd for a familiar face. Which is why I’m a little nervous about going single to a wedding this weekend. I’ve been single at weddings before, but I always brought a guest with me. But this time, I decided to go on my own after talking/begging two guy friends to go with me, only to have one turn me down and the other to conveniently be out of town. Asshats. However, after talking to two co-workers who will also be there single, I decided to be bold and go on my own. Oh it’s Ladies Night for us. But despite being single, independent women at this lovely wedding, I can’t help but feel a little nervous, considering I only know a handful of people that will be there. Here’s what I’m not looking forward to about being single at a wedding: • The stares. The oh-you’re-so-brave-and-independent-so-we-won’t-talk-about-it stares with silent judging and nods of encouragement • Pressure. The inevitable, lingering pressure to hook up or keep yourself open to finding “the one” at the open bar or buffet table • Slow songs. It’s like being back at a high school dance, but without a date. Which means during slow songs I’ll be saddled up to the bar, swearing like a trucker and dreaming of a cigarette • Bouquet toss. I don’t know if the couple is actually doing it, but I’ve never caught one, yet don’t want to look too desperate in reaching for it to see what sucker catches the garter To overcompensate for these things, I’ve spent a painful amount of time picking out an outfit, to dress up the fact that I will be drinking heavily to feel more comfortable. Maybe if I look good with the “girls” and my other single ladies, this won’t be too bad. It’s an evening wedding so I’m even planning to trying to hit up the gym earlier in the day so the “gun show” is locked and loaded for the evening. Oh and since there will be a candy bar, I need to stuff Ziploc bags in my purse for treats to take home. Yes, you heard me right. I will be munching on candied apple slices and M&Ms on the bus ride home. So how have you survived weddings that you’ve gone solo to, or what things bother you the most about weddings? From cash bar to bad food to awful music?
starbucks, accepted everywhere you are (as long as you’re in america). By Todd Alexander | 3/29/09 | Blog: Let’s not take each other seriously. tpburl.com/hvrks7 I’m surprised that when I try to board a plane, my Starbucks isn’t allowed through security. Sure, I know you can’t have liquids because Mello Yello explodes or something, but honestly I’m never denied my Starbucks. Never. Not at the movies. Not while shopping. Not at a restaurant. No, no one would ever look at me funny if I brought that cute little cup anywhere. You just try to bring that Coke Zero into the movies. You just try to browse Barney’s with a 7 Eleven Slurpee, and tell me you don’t get stares. Go ahead into that restaurant with an Arizona iced tea. Who the hell do you think you are? Not that I need any push in the coffee addiction direction, but I can’t help but feel like it is my duty as an American to go to Starbucks every single day of my life, and proudly strut that cup around wherever the hell I want, as long as it’s not an airport, but WAIT, there’s a Starbucks inside? Score! Now who’s going to frown at me as I board the plane with my venti? No one, that’s who. You’re the one standing there with your red bull. Cute. Now I can’t help but wonder why Starbucks is so universally accepted. Is it crazy to believe that America has become so caffeine obsessed that it’s second nature to have a cup of coffee in tow? I start to think that carrying around Starbucks is on the same level as wearing a watch. It’s so normal that no one even thinks twice about it. Who cares if the movie theatre offers coffee; it’s not Starbucks. It doesn’t have the VIP access that Starbucks has. I can’t wear it as an accessory the way I can with my Starbucks latte. I don’t think we realize the level of infiltration that Starbucks has managed to make into our lives. It even causes me to get a puzzled look on my face when someone tells me they don’t drink coffee. What? How dare you insult my best friend like that. C’mon iced americano, let’s go have lunch alone. I don’t mind the daily coffee drinking that I do. It’s fun. I like the way a coffee cup sits in my hand. I love how precious yet disposable it is. I love that no matter when I’m in the mood for it, no one thinks I’m weird, and guess what? There’s a Starbucks there; wherever I might be. And I can take that Starbucks anywhere. Now we just have to work on getting it through security at the airport. *Insert Starbucks VIA* Shit yes. PHOTOS
puppies, hairstyles, and the “grass is greener” syndrome By nicoleantoinette | 3/25/09 | More is Better tpburl.com/bwx678 So the other day I was thinking that my life is pretty perfect, and that the only thing that could make it better would be getting a puppy. I had borderline orgasmic visions of playing with said puppy, walking said puppy, cuddling said puppy, and generally allowing said puppy to be cute all over my life. Needless to say, I was uncontrollably excited. Excited enough to frantically Google “NEEDPUPPY,” and Google was all “Did you mean: NEED PUPPY FORMULA?” And I was like, “what the fuck is puppy formula?” and Google was all “Here’s how to make your own puppy formula,” with corresponding instructions about mayonnaise, sterilized water, and bringing it all to body temperature, and I was all “My body temperature? Or the dog’s body temperature? Do I need a thermometer? WHERE DO THEY SELL STERILIZED WATER?” And Google was like “If urine is sterile, why do they tell you to drink water to clean out your system?” And I was like “FINE, you WIN. I clearly have no business getting a puppy.” Which lead me back to the original topic of how satisfied I really am with where I am (literally and figuratively). As usual, this sporadic thought train ended with my coming to the conclusion that crazy people like me might never be satisfied, and that there’s always, always the tendency to land squarely on one’s ass in the middle of “the grass is greener” syndrome, questioning, well, everything: What if I dropped what I’m doing and moved to another country? What if I took massage classes? What if I learned another language? What if I tried to sell my greeting cards? What if I started dating chicks? What if I didn’t spend my evenings Googling useless shit about puppies? What if I changed my hair? What if, what if, what if. By that point, my brain had all but exploded so there was nothing left to do but pour myself a giant mug of whiskey, sit in the dark, and panic over the fact that “I CAN’T CHANGE MY HAIR. I mean, it’s my HAIR, you know??” Advertising
Emilio Garcia Hernandez | tpburl.com/gkbwc4 Advertising
Chirp Off
@theprintedblog asked: what tv or movie character did you look up to when you were younger? @theoddduck I wanted to grow up to be Mr. Feeny. This is where my dream to become a teacher was born. @MissMusing Blossom. I wanted that denim flower hat like you would not believe @mskut
I wanted to be Storm from the X-Men. Clearly I was pretty young, but I’d stand at the ocean & swear I was making the waves.
@pamelaheywood Robin Hood. Probably that robbing the rich thing. No, I mean social justice. @ashley54 Topanga on Boy Meets World. I am pretty sure it was because I wanted her hair. @brandyismagic D.J Tanner & Lloyd Dobler. Those two taught me everything I needed to know about life @laceybean Clarissa from Clarissa Explains it All. I wanted to be her so bad! Still kinda do haha. @KimMoldofsky I worshiped Wonder Woman as a girl (circa 1970s TV show). Watched it on DVD a few years ago...Oh, the horror! Awful! @korymatthew
My very first crush was on Rainbow Brite, does that count?
@ChicagoDana
The entire cast of ‘Saved by the Bell’. I wanted their lives! Views expressed in Content do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or the printed blog inc.
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staying healthy and fighting cancer
Health
SILS: Fitness By Vagina Drum | 3/29/09 | Vagina Drum tpburl.com/wvq231 The only reason I work out is because it makes me a better lover. Before I swore of Doritos forever, sex meant that I would just lie there and yell “Fuck me”, but now I am able to recreate Cirque du Soleil with my hips…except, you know, less gay. Thera bands: In college, I took this really hippy class called Dance Conditioning. I’m not a dancer, but I signed up anyway, thinking it would be a good excuse to work out for credit. I was right–but there were consequences. For instance, the work out soundtrack consisted strictly of New Age sounds of Fair Trade coffee beans being ground, endangered North American birds, and lots of sitar. Sandra, the instructor, would also wear these really flimsy shorts, so I had the pleasure of staring at her poorly maintained bikini line every time she demonstrated a stretch or routine. The one thing I took from that class, aside from a nagging compulsion to groom my muff, was Thera-Bands. Thera-Bands are available in a variety of resistances, and are a cheap, effective way to strength train at home. I have different bands for different parts of my body. For example, I use red (medium) for my arms and torso, and blue (extra heavy) for my legs. Giant pubes still haunt me in my dreams, but what I gain from using Thera-Bands makes it worth it…I think. Goody StayPut Headbands: I have an…abnormally large head. I also have bangs, so it’s imperative for me to keep the hair out of my face while making sure that the gourd on top of my shoulders doesn’t interfere. Goody StayPut headbands are the only thing I’ve found that achieves both. They come in lots of different colors so if you’re into…matching your hair accessories with your shoelaces, I’m sure that can be accommodated. I, however, am overwhelmed when it comes to thinking of anything that doesn’t involve matching black with black, so I stick with the basics. Wii Fit: I bought myself a Wii Fit for Christmas. I don’t know if it is uncommon to buy yourself gifts for birthdays and holidays, but regularly wearing a t-shirt displaying Michael Jackson’s cover of the Thriller album makes it hard to find friends who are willing to buy you things. Anyway, I fucking love the Wii Fit. I mostly do Yoga with my fione ass trainer when I am too busy (lazy) to go to the gym:
Giggity.
PHOTOS
By thestarryeye | 3/31/09 | Madame Lichtenstein’s Cosmic World tpburl.com/2pv5ms We read today that genetics plays a big role in what diseases we could get but scientists are beginning to see that environment is a much bigger predictor than genetics. According to the AARP Magazine, scientist David Servan-Schreiber estimates that genetic factors contribute to only 15% of our overall cancer risk. The other 85% is our food, exercise (or lack of it), stress levels and overall lifestyle choices. While it will be hard for me to give up my cookies and cakes, I am happy that my wine and chocolate consumption has a medicinal benefit. Some of what David said surprised me. Here are David’s list of cancer fighter behaviors that help us live a much healthier life: 1. Here is something that makes my heart palpatate - Sugar fuels cancer growth and triggers inflammation. David says avoid refined sugar wherever it lurks - even in less top-of-mind foods such as sodas and ketchup. Also avoid white flour which turns into sugar in the body. 2. Eat foods that fight cancer - Herbs and Spices like thyme, rosemary, mint, basil, sage, tumeric and ginger. Foods Rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, walnuts, green vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables - broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage. Garlic, onions, leeks. Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries. Dark chocolate. Beverages such as green tea, pomegranate juice and even red wine in moderation. 3. Exercise can help stave off cancer. Regular walking such as 30 minutes six times a week can help in the recuperation of breast cancer for example. 4. Stress weakens your immune system so find ways to reduce or manage your stress. Try meditation or yoga to help you process stress more beneficially. 5. Remove common household toxins. This really gave me pause - Substances that can impair your body’s cancer fighting abilities include certain preservatives in cosmetics (parabens and phthalates). Teflon released from scrtached pans (toss ‘em!). Percholorethylene from dry cleaning. Gases given off from by new polyvinyl chloride products such as some home repair items like pipes. Bisphenol A from water heated in hard plastics.
It is never too late to revise your diet, exercise and general health regimes. Try some of these best selling books to help you make the best changes for you: Nature’s Cancer Fighting Foods The Cancer Lifeline Cookbook: Recipes, Ideas, and Advice to Optimize the Lives of People Living with Cancer Healing Foods that Boost Your Immune System Personal
coattails
Gabriele Lopez | tpburl.com/zf9h40
By Cancer Bitch | 3/17/09 | Cancer Bitch tpburl.com/9wvgnr I have been trying to figure out for the last week and half why we want to get our pictures taken with the famous. We’re projecting a false image to the world; this is a person we got to stand next to us for a millisecond and he already forgot who were were before the flash went off. My friend M says it has to do with power. He has an ex-alderman friend whose office was littered with pictures of him next to Democratic luminaries. My little cousin M has a picture of himself and Obama from an early fundraiser. We went to a dinner honoring longtime activist Quentin Young on his 85th birthday. L’s labor union bought a table and it was right next to the luminary table: Quentin, Gov. Pat Quinn, Congressmen Danny Davis and John Conyers. At one point I said to my photographer friend M: Take a picture of me with the governor. Why did I want that? My immediate reason was to send a picture to my mother to impress her: I’m in the same place at the same time as someone you’ve seen on TV. Therefore.... It’s the therefore that keeps tripping me up. Am I therefore important? Noteworthy? Immortal? In the know? As it turned out, Quinn left right before dessert, so M couldn’t take his picture. A few days later we had dinner with the Youngs at Greek Islands and ran into the governor again. We shook hands. That’s what politicans do; they shake hands and kiss babies. The are ingratiating. They reach out. They press the flesh. It’s as if they have to touch their constituents to assure one another that they’re real. I am somebody because I got my picture taken with somebody. I am a traveler because I got my picture taken in front of the Eiffel Tower/Notre Dame/Leaning Tower of Pisa/Mt. Rushmore. In that case we may be creating proof: I was there. And we’re creating a memento. But deep down, are we also hoping that some of the celebrity of the Grand Canyon or Hollywood Hills will rub off on us? Syllogism: Mount Vernon is important. I was at Mount Vernon, therefore I am important. If I had a picture of myself with Obama, I would be saying: I agree with him. I endorse him. We approve of one another. We’re a mutual admiration society. Or: he approves of me. The leader of the free world is on my wavelength. We were in the same space at the same time. We connected. There seems to be something so pathetic about this. We did not really connect. We do not know one another. We don’t toss around political notions. He took a picture with a voter, that’s what politicians do. All a photo with Obama would prove is that we wanted to have a photo taken with him. The picture is of an Illinois Congressional candidate named John Laesch, who sought and obtained Quinn’s endorsement when Quinn was merely lieutenant governor. Noam Chomsky also endorsed him, though they weren’t shot side by side. But Laesch and Quinn are on the same plane, the same page, in the same room at the same time. A visual is quickest in conveying a message. Pat approves of John. The associative principle: If you like Pat, you’ll like John. More people recognize Pat, therefore it’s good for him to appear with lesser-knowns because that raises their cache. He can do that for them. The familiar next to the unfamiliar. Can I taste your fame? Can I take it? You’re not using it all right now. L said the other night, Pat Quinn is such a decent guy. They’re going to crush him. Advertising
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The Printed Blog
good and evil cupcake tattoos
Food
obama sushi
By Rachel | 3/30/09 | Cupcakes Take The Cake tpburl.com/fyc4v9 by Flickr user Mez Love. Which is your favorite? I have to vote Team Evil on this one.
By Steve Levenstein | 3/16/09 | inventorspot.com
tpburl.com/f7vs2j
Mez Love | tpburl.com/rtvbn1 PHOTOS
The “Obama Sushi” made by an exceptionally creative sushi chef pays tribute to America’s 44th president in a most unusual - and dare I say, tasteful manner. There’s still room for more Obama mania... if the room is the kitchen and you happen to be Kawasumi-sensei, a sushi chef who teaches at Tokyo University. Kawasumi has whipped up a feast for both the eyes and stomach that looks so good, it had to be framed. Kawasumi-sensei’s masterpiece features, in addition to a startlingly realistic pair of Obama futomaki rolls, a variety of nigiri-zushi and futomaki that together must cost any purchaser a hefty chunk of change - we can believe that! But while the cars and happy faces are undeniably cute, it’s the Obama sushi that are the highlights. Creating the perfect Obama futomaki roll took considerable trial and error according to Kawasumisensei. Careful selection of ingredients was just the start: brown rice for the skin, black sesame seeds for the hair, tiny shrimps for the lips and a gleaming fish-paste smile. It appears that rich red Maguro tuna and white Ika (squid) were used to mold the stripes of the American flag, with cooked egg spelling out “USA” and, of course, a big “V” for Victory.
tweeting vs. blogging By Adam Roberts | 3/31/09 | The Amateur Gourmet tpburl.com/39ymv6 On February 5th, 2004, I wrote my first Tweet. This was before Twitter, so it wasn’t an actual Tweet, but it may as well have been: I’d just gotten the news that CNN was coming over to my apartment to do a segment about my Janet Jackson Breast Cupcakes. I wrote a post called BREAKING NEWS!!! that said: “CNN IS COMING OVER TOMORROW TO DO A STORY ON MY JANET JACKSON BREAST CUPCAKES! THIS IS NOT A JOKE! I REPEAT, CNN IS COMING OVER TOMORROW! THE STORY WILL AIR MONDAY NIGHT!” Granted, this was 32 characters too long to be an actual Tweet, but the spirit of it was certainly Twitteresque. In fact, the spirit of my blog, in general, before Twitter was so Twitterlike that now that Twitter’s here, it’s hard to know what’s blogworthy and what best belongs on Twitter. For those not in the know (but how, at this point, could you not be?) Twitter is a phenomenon that’s taking the country--world, rather--by storm. You make an account at twitter. com and then you start Tweeting: little posts of no more than 140 characters. Believe me when I say, it’s addictive. It’s so addictive that I spend more time Tweeting now than I do blogging. Is this bad? Is this good? What does this mean? Well, for starters, it means that if you want me to entertain you throughout the day, simply click www.twitter.com/amateurgourmet and select “subscribe” and you will know more about me and my habits than even my closest relatives. It also means that you’ll get content that isn’t filtered in any way. So, for example, the posts you see below this on my blog: the Gourmet Tuna Casserole, the brunch at Irving Mill, the Marmite video--- I spent time selecting those as blog-worthy. Whereas, my Tweet about dessert at Rocco’s on Bleecker Street with Lisa? It was just an in-the-moment kind of thing, and so was this Twitpic: And this Twitpic of my favorite take-out dish in Park Slope--the Wok-Seared Udon Noodles at Longtan: Neither of these Tweets were going to make it on the blog: Rocco’s, while good, has never really inspired me to write a post; and the Wok-Seared Udon Noodles? Well maybe one day I’ll try to make them myself at home and maybe THAT will be a post, but just the ones I get from take out? Probably not. So Twitter has become a repository for all things instant and off-the-cuff, while my blog is more like an official publication of Adam’s Dietary Habits. In many ways, this is a good thing: it means that my blog is more polished and respectable. It has, however, lost a little spontaneity. But if you want spontaneity, then you can just follow me on Twitter. The other delightful thing about Twitter is that I find myself Tweeting to an audience of food world luminaries. The fact that Ruth Reichl (who Tweets as @ruthreichl) responded to our scavenger hunt results and asked, “No guys participated? I’m fairly stunned. What does that mean, I wonder. Any ideas?” is pretty mind-blowing. And then there are all the luminaries that are just a @-sign away: Grant Achatz, Rick Bayless, Dorie Greenspan, Paula Wolfert, Martha Stewart, Amanda Hesser, John T. Edge, Michael Ruhlman, Kim Severson, the list goes on and on. Plus, there’s food bloggers galore: The Wednesday Chef, Orangette, 101 Cookbooks, Midtown Lunch, Serious Eats, Adam Kuban, The Girl Who Ate Everything, The Food Section, Ed Levine, Simply Recipes, David Lebovitz, Chocoate & Zucchini, Ben Leventhal, Vanilla Garlic, Chez Pim, Smitten Kitchen, MattBites and so on and so on and so on... phew... if I left anyone out, please forgive me! So, in conclusion, there’s a place for Twitter and there’s a place for blogging. One’s like a chatroom, the other’s like a magazine. Can you read a magazine in a chatroom? Of course. Can you chat while reading a magazine? Absolutely. Thus, in the battle of Twitter vs. Blogging there are no losers: well, perhaps my sanity. Does Twitter make you crazy? Now that’s something to Tweet about. Views expressed in Content do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or the printed blog inc.
Giacomo Fortunato | tpburl.com/7znq2y
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New York
PHOTOS
your yankee superfandom is not welcome By A.J. Daulerio | 3/28/09 | Deadspin tpburl.com/8rfd9w Interesting story about the paranoid corporate buffoonery of the Yankees who decided that novelist Jane Heller’s “Confessions of a She-Fan” was “too controversial” to be a part of the Yankees’ Opening Day commemorative program. Heller wrote an extensive blog post about the spat, wondering why a full-page ad for her book, which from my understanding is sort of a love letter to the team, was not approved: While my book does have enough salty language to make a sailor blush, it’s hardly “controversial,” unless you count the night I begged my husband to follow A-Rod into a restaurant men’s room so I’d have a funny anecdote to write about. When I told a friend what had happened, she said sarcastically, “So the Yankees blackballed their #1 fan. Good PR on their part.” This incident has become popular thanks to today’s Page Six mention and Heller has received plenty of support, even an offer from another publishing house to run her ad in a Yankee Stadium commemorative edition. The person at this company shared their own tales of the difficulty of dealing with the Yankees, including this incident that happened with a furniture company that wanted to advertise in the Yankees program:
Michael Roberts | tpburl.com/fw5k89
This company designed an ad for the Yankees program showing a row of seats at the Stadium, one of which had a type of office chair super-imposed on it. George Steinbrenner wouldn’t approve the ad because he thought the office chair was too wide and would insinuate that Yankee fans were fat.
It’s stories like these that almost make the Seinfeld caricature of Steinbrenner seem remarkably accurate.
no pizza march (dedicated to mara) By Brooke Van Poppelen | 3/26/09 | New York Is Retarded tpburl.com/1zwcyq My boyfriend and I declared the month of March as “No Pizza March”. Today is the 26th. I have gone 26 days without pizza in NYC and have 5 more to go. Since moving to NYC which is a haven for Yes-aholics, I have never had to put myself into so many little self-imposed “just say no” programs. Last year was “No Alcohol March” which did nothing other than make me a more impassioned booze hound. I went on about a 6 month stretch of “No Internet Dates for Brooke” which succeeded in keeping me single and lonely but at least I did not sleep with total strangers off the internet for half a year and instead met them in bars. This past summer was “Ease up on your margarita consumption June” followed by “Seriously, when you are in Chicago visiting, it’s not a license to eat Mexican food all 8 days for every meal just because NYC Mexican food sucks so much ass July”. I used to have even smaller goals when I moved here that were more focused on making it through a single day as opposed to a month. Today is “No crying Monday” hopefully followed by “No crying Tuesday” and so on and so forth. Well before hatching so many of these little hare-brained schemes of denial like not eating pizza for 30 days, I have embarked on other journeys of restriction. I did the Master Cleanse 2 summers ago and lasted 6 days to prove nothing other than the fact that I have hardcore emotional attachments to everything I eat. I fiercely clutched a copy of “Power of Now” for those 6 days and journaled like a mad person every time I felt myself going to a crazy place over food. I honestly did not feel hungry, (yeah I needed to lose some weight but this is about the most unrealistic way ever to do it) and I even had some crazy bursts of energy and clarity, but this was about me trying to finally gain some control over the emotional crutch that food had become since moving to NYC. It was all out psychological warfare as I had never stopped to observe how many stressors pop up every day in NYC which then immediately cause knee jerk reactions not limited to: stress eating, drinking yourself blind, punching a stranger, injecting street drugs into your vein, screaming, screaming, screaming, and more screaming. I never have done street drugs but I see plenty of other people do them. I HAVE however succumbed to all of the other mentioned reactions due to stress overload and no access to Yoga anywhere near my apartment. Doing the Master Cleanse stripped me of all my go-to numbing devices and forced me to really deal with my stress like a human. I found myself able to ease myself off of the cleanse as I was enroute to upstate Maine where I could unwind and stay out of trouble for the next several days. Instead of drinking myself into a state of imagined euphoria and tranquility, I sat next to a lake, ran my fingers through cool, verdant grass, inhaled deep, piney breaths of air and just let myself be. It was wonderful and I knew it wouldn’t last, but I felt certain that I understood my triggers a little bit more and could better deal with them upon returning to NYC. So fast forward almost 2 years later and while I still have not gone to one fucking yoga class in 3 years, I have calmed down and removed alot of the stress from my life. Doing hard cardio has been the trick for NYC. It’s like fighting fire with fire for me. I have to engage in an activity that satisfies my stress instead of trying to dismiss it through meditation and deep bending. Nope. Not gonna work. I find that exhausting myself through 40 minutes of kicking and punching at the air satisfies my need for violence while also stimulating seratonin and burning calories. It’s a win-win situation for everyone. But man, oh man. This particular winter has turned into a real doozy, especially this month and especially in times of national crisis. So this brings me back to “No Pizza March” which has also inadvertently turned into “No leaving the apartment March” as well as “Little to no income March” and I have realized that I am not a stronger person mentally. I am just poor and depressed. Not eating 4 dollar slices of pizza for 26 days is not really that much of a challenge when it is not really an option. I cannot afford my favorite means of self-destruction, nor do I have the energy or interest to leave the apartment in search of numbing devices because that would require getting dressed. Am I winning at this round of self-composure or losing an even bigger battle? Is it my steely resolve to abstain or just the economy once again stealing my thunder? Eh. Whatever works. I am trying to ready myself for “Don’t think too hard about it unless you want to go bat-shit crazy April.”
NEW YORK Yeti of Hieizan Categories: Japanese, Asian Fusion Location: 43-16 Queens Blvd, Sunnyside, NY 11104 tpburl.com/ygpv0n Natasha B. says, “A Japanese-Nepalese Bigfoot restaurant that serves tequila and Korean food? I want to see this joint's business plan. (So went my initial jokes about this place's menu. I mean, c'mon --it's called THE YETI. You can hardly blame me.) Once the food arrived, though, the private wooden booths (lined with Himalayan cushions) proved both a pleasant place for acquainting myself with my date...and Nepalese condiments. In fact, considering everything it's attempting, the Yeti's food is A-OK. While we played it safe with momos, fried noodles and sashimi, I'm hoping some of their more traditional Nepalese soups might wow come winter. If only I wasn't moving back to Williamsburg!”
See all New York reviews at www.yelp.com/nyc
NEW YORK EVENTS
PHOTOS
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So Now What Do We Do? - The Hatchery See website for address. tpburl.com/bhp01x Jennifer Hudson w/ Robin Thicke WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden tpburl.com/b57w8j Cruisin’ Canines Club Wantagh Train Station tpburl.com/w1fg03
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Bobby Long The Lakeside Lounge tpburl.com/p1y7vn
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Colin Hay Mexicali Live tpburl.com/gts4bq
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Dave Matthews Band Madison Square Garden tpburl.com/mcn350
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The Printed Blog