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young earth myth
Ray Comfort (better known as "The Banana Man") has a ministry called Way of the Master and started Living Water Publications. He, along with Kirk Cameron ("The Crocoduck") and others, like to go around preaching that you will spend an eternity in hell if you have not accepted Jesus as your savior and if you have ever been blasphemous. They are also Young Earth Creationists who believe the literal word of the book of Genesis. He does not believe in evolution. I could go on and on about how wrong he is and how the actions of groups like these hinder social and scientific progress, but you can read more about him yourself by going to WayOfTheMaster's channel on YouTube or by doing a google search.

His groups are scheduled to be on campuses across the United States tomorrow, November 19, and in various campuses in Canada on November 24. November 24 is the 150th anniversary of the first publication of Dawin's On the Origin of Species. I guess Comfort and Cameron see this anniversary as a threat to their religious beliefs, so they are handing out their version of how they think the book should be. And, based on their evangelical beliefs, I won't be surprised if they try to "save" some students. Rather than celebrate all the progress and advances that have been made because of this publication, they are threatened at how it contradicts their religion.

Now, I am aware that they have the right to do this. They have free speech. That doesn't mean I have to like what they say. And that doesn't mean that if you disagree, you should just stay silent and take it, if you want to stand up for things you believe. You can cause a scene, if you like. But if that's not your style, you can do this: http://www.dontdissdarwin.com/resources.php

I would love to go there and pass out the flyers. I don't attend JHU but I do live close. But I have work all day and school, so my schedule won't permit me go there. I am hoping, especially since JHU is filled with very intelligent persons, that the students will make me proud and take a stand on their own.

For a list of schools that are scheduled to be visited by Comfort's team, go here: http://www.dontdissdarwin.com/schools.php

Texas Rape Victims Billed

  • May. 10th, 2009 at 1:28 AM
teresa-nitb09
This is RIDICULOUS. It's hard to get many women to get help in the first place and this certainly isn't going to make it any easier.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/09/texas-charging-rape-victi_n_201190.html

Zyrtec packaging

  • Jun. 1st, 2008 at 12:52 PM
grrr
Zyrtec's package may be green in color, but it certainly isn't "green". Now, I'm not one of these over zealous types who yells at people for driving an SUV, eating a cow, or anything like that. None of us are perfect and we are all guilty of contributing to the decline of the environment. But I just feel that this is ridiculous and wasteful for no good reason (other than maybe to fool buyers into thinking they're buying more).


Yes, there were more than 2 pills when I first bought it - there were 24. However, this was still not even close to filling up the box. And the fact that they are even put into those oversized blister packages is bad enough already.

Even the generic Zyrtec has unnecessary packaging. Here is the CVS brand of Cetirizine that I bought:

The bottle is obviously much smaller than the package. And on top of that, the pills only fill up maybe half the bottle. And the bottle didn't even need to be in a box in the first place.

It's like when you open a huge present and inside is another package, and another, and another, and another. (Have you seen those gags on TV shows?) If you would have just gotten the smaller gift to begin with, you wouldn't have even cared.

You might be thinking "well, maybe they couldn't fit all the drug labeling info on a smaller amount of space." Good guess, but incorrect. I've seen smaller bottles and they have the re-peelable label on it to put all the necessary information on it.

Remember in the 90s when they cracked down on this sort of thing? Deodorant bottles all came in bigger boxes and now you just see the deodorant itself for sale (with shrink wrap over it). CDs still came in cases, but they were placed in cardboard boxes that were a lot taller than the CD case was. And then, the part of the cardboard box that was taller than the CD had foam inside it. It was ridiculous and so they stopped doing that.So, hopefully, this will eventually be a distant memory.

Am I the only person annoyed by this?

Sell your soul for oil

  • May. 2nd, 2008 at 9:15 PM
Cartoon Me
Margaret Cho's "Dream"
From "Model Minority":

Asian American status in affirmative action

Because of their high degree of success as a group, Asian Americans do not benefit from affirmative action policies the way other minority groups do. In fact, most schools routinely choose lower-scoring applicants from other racial groups, including European Americans, over Asian Americans, in an attempt to promote racial diversity and to maintain some proportion to the society's racial demographics. [11]
A 2005 Princeton study showed Asians (not whites) bear nearly 80% of the cost of affirmative action in college admissions. Nearly four out of every five spots given to any other race in an affirmative-action regime would go to Asians in a purely merit-based system. 1


From "Affirmative Action Bake Sale":

Asians not counted as minorities

Asians are generally not included in the minority-discount category in bake-sales because they do not benefit from affirmative action policies. For example, some schools have had restrictions on the proportion of Asian students admitted, in favor of lower scoring students of other racial groups.1 African-American Dr. Walter E. Williams, a libertarian professor of economics at George Mason University further elaborates that:
"A minority group is not (counted as) a minority if, as a group, it is successful. Asian median family income is $55,525, the highest of any racial group in America. More than 44 percent of Asians age 25 and over have bachelor's degrees; the rate for all other Americans was 26 percent. Other indicators of group success include low crime rate and high family stability." [1]

From "Affirmative Action in the United States":

Libertarian view

Some free market libertarians argue that employment discrimination is only made possible by pervasive market failures. Under a regime of highly competitive labor and goods markets, companies would not be able to afford to hire on any basis other than merit. According to Libertarians, this would render affirmative action unnecessary.
Regardless of the willingness to pay and profitability for private persons or groups to discriminate, other libertarian-oriented persons further argue that affirmative action and non-discrimination policies violate individual rights of freedom of association and the enforcement of such statues violate individual freedom of speech. They argue that such central authority to dictate moral and social improvement is a power that will be fought over on all sides and ultimately cause more harm than good. For example, private female-only gyms have been forced to hire male workers, American colleges have discriminated against Asian students (on the grounds that they are "overrepresented"), and in Washington DC, individuals have been forbidden to advertise that they wish to share an apartment with another Democrat, homosexual, or with someone of similar faith. They conclude that application of affirmative action and anti-discrimination laws to the conduct or property of an individual or a private group is a threat to civil liberties.[20]

Centrist view

Certain people have a different point of view about specifically first world affirmative action which, for lack of a better word, will be referred to as "centrist" here. They claim that affirmative action makes sense, but only to the point where it helps the disadvantaged members of minorities, as opposed to the middle and upper class. They believe that affirmative action, as it is now, is not fulfilling its original purpose (to bring minorities out of poverty) as the vast majority of minorities, in the first world at least, are already middle-class. There have been cases of middle-class minorities receiving better jobs or college acceptance rates than whites of equal or lower income or social standing. According to this point of view, affirmative action should be eliminated and joined with the normal welfare system that helps both whites and blacks that are lower-class. They believe that affirmative action should only be used to bring the lower class, not a specific racial group, out of poverty. This view is particularly associated with the liberal academic and author Walter Benn Michaels. [21]


CIA and FBI caught editing Wikipedia

  • Aug. 17th, 2007 at 12:16 PM
Wait 'til I post this in my journal!

CIA, FBI computers used for Wikipedia edits

By Randall Mikkelsen Thu Aug 16, 6:44 PM ET
People using CIA and FBI computers have edited entries in the online encyclopedia Wikipedia on topics including the Iraq war and the Guantanamo prison, according to a new tracing program.
The changes may violate Wikipedia's conflict-of-interest guidelines, a spokeswoman for the site said on Thursday.
The program, WikiScanner, was developed by Virgil Griffith of the Santa Fe Institute in New Mexico and posted this month on a Web site that was quickly overwhelmed with searches.
The program allows users to track the source of computers used to make changes to the popular Internet encyclopedia where anyone can submit and edit entries.
WikiScanner revealed that CIA computers were used to edit an entry on the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. A graphic on casualties was edited to add that many figures were estimated and were not broken down by class.
Another entry on former CIA chief William Colby was edited by CIA computers to expand his career history and discuss the merits of a Vietnam War rural pacification program that he headed.
Aerial and satellite images of the U.S. prison for terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, were removed using a computer traced to the FBI, WikiScanner showed.
CIA spokesman George Little said he could not confirm whether CIA computers were used in the changes, adding that "the agency always expects its computer systems to be used responsibly."
The FBI did not have an immediate response.
Computers at numerous other organizations and companies were found to have been involved in editing articles related to them.
Griffith said he developed WikiScanner "to create minor public relations disasters for companies and organizations I dislike (and) to see what 'interesting organizations' (which I am neutral towards) are up to."
It was not known whether changes were made by an official representative of an agency or company, Griffith said, but it was certain the change was made by someone with access to the organization's network.
It violates Wikipedia's neutrality guidelines for a person with close ties to an issue to contribute to an entry about it, said spokeswoman Sandy Ordonez of the Wikimedia Foundation, Wikipedia's parent organization.
However, she said, "Wikipedia is self-correcting," meaning misleading entries can be quickly revised by another editor. She said Wikimedia welcomed the WikiScanner.
WikiScanner can be found at wikiscanner.virgil.gr/
(Taken from: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070816/wr_nm/security_wikipedia_dc&printer=1;_ylt=AjkkixF4eLl6ri9.ENYQxE8h2.cA)

This doesn't surprise me. I've suspected this and I've also wondered if book reviews on sites such as Amazon have been posted by the FBI, CIA, FDA, FTC, etc.

To Catch An iJacker

  • Aug. 13th, 2007 at 10:28 PM
teresa-nitb09
About a week and a half ago, Dateline had an episode about iPod thieves. Later than night, my best friend had his stolen. But unlike the situations on the television program, he was attacked. He was walking and these assholes hit him from behind and knocked him to the ground. Luckily, he is okay. What makes it worse is that a few months ago, he was held up at gunpoint near the Ottobar and had his cell phone stolen. I would feel so violated.

I need to take self-defense classes.
horizontal blinds. vertical hair.
Last night on The CW network, they had an America's Next Top Model marathon. They were showing some episodes from Cycle 7. I saw part of two episodes and I had to turn it off. I was getting so disgusted! The show is flawed for various reasons. I won't get into that right now. The thing that got to me was several people on the show criticizing Anchal Joseph. They said she needed to lose weight. Not only did the other contestants say that but one of the guest stars did. I believe she was an agent from Elite Modeling Agency. (I forget which agency it was, but it was someone from a big modeling agency). 

I like Tyra Banks and all. But I just couldn't keep watching that crap. Even Tyra said on her talk show what is considered thin has gotten stricter than back when she started modeling. She said that if right now she was the same age as when she started modeling and tried to start doing it today, that she would be considered too curvy and therefore rejected. She said that she wouldn't have been asked to be a Victoria's Secret model normally but because she started in the 90s and already had built a huge name and fanbase for herself, they asked her. And I believe she's right. Look at all the younger models they have now.  


Here are some pictures of Anchal:
  
Seriously - this is considered fat?! I know modeling has different standards, but GOOD G-D! Why is she "fat"? Because she has breasts and hips?

Not only do I think her body is not fat, I think she has a gorgeous face. I wish I could find more photos of her. They showed her on an episode wearing this green eye shadow that looked beautiful against her skin tone. I would like to see more Indians and Indian-Americans represented in the media! But anyone who knows me realizes I wish there was more of a variety represented out there.

I'm sure people have talked about this when that season of ANTM came out in the fall of 2006. But I had to mention what happened to her because I really didn't like it.
teresa-nitb09
Find Out If Your Printer is Spying on You

Wed July 18, 2007 4:20 PM EDT

Did you know that many (in fact, most) color laser printers are spying on you whenever you print a document? Though you may not have heard the news, the discovery was announced in late 2005. Manufacturers embed a pattern of tiny yellow dots on printed pages. The dots are too small to be seen with the naked eye (especially since they're yellow, see the above photo to see what they actually look like), but under a microscope and blue light they're revealed. The dots are placed in a pattern unique to each printer, and since most color laser printers are purchased through well-documented service providers or direct from the manufacturer, it's simple to track any printed page back to the owner of the printer.

The original idea was obviously to help the government track down currency counterfeiters, since any phony money would be tagged with the yellow dots and would be easily trackable back to the source. But there are also signs of abuse, with the FBI reportedly using the technology to keep tabs on who's printing material for groups like the ACLU and Greenpeace. That's a little scary... and important to remember if you've considering printing a whistleblowing tip or any missive you'd prefer to leave anonymous on a color laser.

If the privacy ramifications of this news bother you, there's some good news. Not all printers have the tracking dots, and the EFF has compiled and updated its list of which ones do and which ones don't. Simply check out this page and look up your printer. (Remember, black and white lasers and inkjet printers don't include the dots.) As the document notes, remember that even if a printer doesn't include the dots, that doesn't mean it isn't using some other method to track your printed pages. If your printer isn't listed here, that means that no information is available about whether that printer includes the dots or not.


My thoughts: This really doesn't surprise me. Big brother is watching. I bet the government uses our cell phones to spy on us more than most people realize. A lot of people know that the government uses cells to track people's locations. If your phone is turned off, they can still track you. You would have to take the battery out. And even then, I wonder if they can find you. I bet the government can listen in on your conversations by using a cell's speakerphone function. This means that if your cell phone is near you while you are talking to people in person (even if you aren't talking to anyone on that phone), they can hear you through the cell. Also, if you have a camera phone, I bet that they can see what you are doing by looking through the lense. Even if you don't have the camera turned on, they can probably still use it to seee what you're doing if the phone is near you. Call me paranoid and crazy. But I'd rather be safe than sorry and not find out the hard way. Plus, I don't really have anything to hide - not that it makes it right to spy on people.

L.A.M.E. - Gwen Stefani sues.

  • Jul. 18th, 2007 at 4:13 PM
Wait 'til I post this in my journal!
Taken from: http://omg.yahoo.com/gwen-stefani-sues-forever-21-over-fashion-logo/news/1052

(CLICK HERE to view the lawsuit against Forever 21)

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (July 17, 2007) -- It appears Gwen Stefani doesn't "Heart" Forever 21.

Gwen's Harajuku Lovers fashion line is suing popular retail outlet Forever 21 for trademark infringement, claiming the clothing chain allegedly stole designs from the Harajuku Lovers line, Access Hollywood has learned.

In papers filed in Los Angeles Federal Court, reps for Gwen's Harajuku Lovers claim Forever 21 is marketing, promoting and selling products featuring a design "virtually indistinguishable" from Harajuku's signature heart/box logo.

The lawsuit claims Forever 21 "changed a couple of words in the Heart/Box Trademark, which are inconspicuous and likely to go unnoticed by a consumer."

Specifically, the lawsuit claims Forever 21 used the design but changed the word "Harajuku" to "Forever" and the word "Lovers" to "Love."

As a result of the chain using a similar image, Harajuku has allegedly "suffered and continues to suffer damage to its business reputation."

Gwen launched the accessory line in 2005 to coincide with her Harajuku Lovers Tour.

 



Here's what I think:
1). How about Asians and Asian-Americans sue Gwen for defamation of character? Those stereotypical, "Harajuku" girls are a disgrace, a minstrel show, and just plain horrible. She practically has them made up in Yellow Face. (Don't tell me "Well, they are getting paid well to do this". Prostitutes are also getting paid, but that doesn't make it right. Maybe if Asians had more fair opportunities in the entertainment industry, they wouldn't feel the need to do this). I could go on and on about this topic. But many others have done so far me already: 
Margaret Cho's Blog Entry 
Several entries about the this on Disgrasian (Disgrasian's Myspace profile lists her as the worst offender).
Salon.com article
The Gwen Stefani Rant! - Livejournal entry (Yes - Caucasians from Europe are upset about this, too!) 
Free The Gwenihana Four 
There are many other articles, blogs, and sites regarding this issue, but you get the point. 


2). Gwen is guilty of ripping off others, making this hypocritical. 
3). Almost every designer gets their ideas stolen.
Maybe if Gwen was ever an actual rude girl or punk in the first place, she would not only be more original, she would sell her clothing more affordably. Then again, she did grow up a rich, spoiled girl  from Orange County and only ever joined a band because her brother, Eric, started the band and wrote most of the lyrics before leaving the band.

 

I changed my ethnic background on Myspace

  • Jun. 25th, 2007 at 12:02 AM
teresa-nitb09
I decided to tweak my Myspace profile under the ethnicity category.  Although I am more Asian than anything else, I just didn't feel totally honest having that as my official race on my profile.  I feel like I am excluding other parts of my close family who are also a big part of who I am by just putting down one race. However, I do not want to put down "Other" as my ethnic background, either.  I put down EurAsian, Hapa, Caucinasian (I'm Irish/British, 1/8 American Indian, and 1/2 Korean, among other categories) and Amerasian (which is arguable since there are different definitions for the term "Amerasian").

Some people think it might be ridiculous to have these terms for mixed races. They might think it's going too far or getting too specific. But really, would those people feel comfortable denying one of their parents or grandparents?  Those people also probably don't realize or forget that Hispanic is an ethnicity that is a mix of other ethnicities (Amerindian, Spanish, sometimes African/Black descent).


Taken from http://www.projectrace.com/aboutprojectrace:

About Project RACE

Biracial and multiracial people do not have a box to check on forms. Being forced to choose only one race forces us to deny one of our parents. It also requires us to do something illegal, since we are defining ourselves as something we are not.

Multiracial people should have the option of recognizing all of their heritage. "Multiracial" is important so that children have an identity, a correct terminology for who they are. "Other" means different, a label that no person should bear. Also, without proper racial and ethnic classifications, multiracial people are "invisible" in the health care system.

Mission Statement

Project RACE advocates for multiracial children and adults through education, community awareness and legislation. Our main goal is for a multiracial classification on all school, employment, state, federal, local, census and medical forms requiring racial data.

10-year sentence for teen sex thrown out

  • Jun. 14th, 2007 at 9:53 PM
teresa-nitb09
Many of you have probably seen this article on Yahoo! News from a few days ago. I just think it's sad this kid's life is screwed up because some judge wanted to prove a point. He's lost some of his most crucial years to this crap. I do believe that sex crimes are horrible. But when a 15 and 17 year old have consensual sexual relations, I do not believe it's anywhere near the same thing as say... someone being sexually assaulted and forced to have sex.  And while a 17 year old maybe shouldn't be getting oral sex from a 15 year old (of course, that's debatable), it certainly shouldn't have landed him any jail time, especially not ten years. They better let him out of jail NOW.


Women in Rock, Groupies in Rock

  • May. 22nd, 2007 at 11:52 PM
I don't play games. I play music.
Wow, I was looking through my computer and going through old files.  I came across this long "editorial" or whatever you want to call it. I don't think I've ever posted this, so here it is. Keep in mind that while I still feel the same way, a lot has changed in my life since I wrote this circa 2005.  I'm not in a band right now, I don't eat ramen/Campbell's soup (because they usually have MSG), and I'm actually sick of being poor. I'm going back to school in the fall and trying to do the "real job" thing.  Anyway, here it is:

Women in Rock, Groupies in Rock
As a female musician, I've always had a majority of males being my closest friends. Sure, I have hundreds of girl friends, but they're mostly acquaintances. It's been like that since I was in high school and it confused the hell out of my parents (how many guys are you dating? you're not dating them? but why do you hang out so much? how can you guys be so close if you're not "together"?)

Truth is, I can't understand how most females look at life. I don't hate. I just can't RELATE.  I can't relate to their attitudes towards certain things. This didn't really come to light for me until I became a part of the Baltimore local music scene.

While I was focusing my entire life on music - turning down good jobs because it wouldn't fit with the band's schedule, living off ramen and campbell's soup, and still driving the same 93 volvo I've had since I was sixteen (but loving it because the means justified the ends),  other females who swear their entire life is about music, but who mean that in a totally different way and haven't put any sacrifice into it, makes me not understand them.

I've lived and breathed music my entire life. I've always used the saying that I'm better at expressing myself with music than with words since I learned to read music before I learned to read English. I was so young when I started out that I don't even remember the learning process. While everyone else in school was going to the mall all the time, going to dances, or getting stoned every day, my life was totally different. I was taking piano lessons, theory lessons, group lessons. I missed very few days of school due to illness;  the majority of the school I missed was because I had some competition or judging to attend. I've performed more often as a classical musician than I have in any rock  band I've been in, and I've played probably around 100 shows in rock bands. There were times where it bothered me that I was missing out on the social aspect of growing up. The overwhelming majority of my friends were all people who were in our circle of pianists. And while that was the reason I gave up being in music school, I don't regret having been in it because I knew I was focusing on something richer. Something that I loved. Something that had meaning.

So when I became a part of the Baltimore local music scene a few years ago, I slowly got more and more annoyed by things.  I got annoyed at girls who claimed that music was their life.  Music wasn't their life!  Hanging on to the hot band of the moment and trying to date a member of the band was their goal. I'm not talking about girls whose friends are mostly guys in bands and so by default, of course they're going to end up with guys in bands more often than not. It's those girls whose "passion" and "focus" in life is to chase down anyone in any band and to get "close" to them for superficial reasons. Those girls who, if a non-musician were to do something to her or have a certain lifestyle, immediately break up with and call a jerk. But if it's someone who's a local celebrity, it's not even an issue. It's those girls who are obsessed with darker music, so they dress "goth", but then when that's not what's big in the scene, they suddenly and overnight become an emo kid. I could never relate why a girl would focus their life on chasing down musicians when if they put even half that energy into starting their own band, they would probably fill whatever void they're trying to fill. And then they'd be fighting off their own guys who want them! I can't relate to these girls at allllll. I can't understand anyone whose only "passion" in life is who they are going to get with. They don't have any hobbies, talents, or real interests in anything of substance. It's fine to want to be with someone. But if that's all your life is about, there's something missing. Besides, what do you really have to offer someone if you don't have a good personality and traits of your own?

I know this is not all females in the music scene here, but the truth is it's definitely the overwhelming majority. I always hear girls talk about how badly they want to be in a band. But they have no dedication to it. If they actually end up to the point of being in a band, they don't want to put the work and complete sacrifice that goes into it. They don't want to be a musician, they want to be recognized. There's a difference.

It's like what Oprah Winfrey said once in one of her shows. When she was starting out and was a local news anchor, she told her agent she wanted to be an actress. And her agent said to her No, you don't want to be an actress. You want to be a celebrity. There's a difference. Do you really want to live in New York as a waitress making crappy money while constantly going to auditions and getting turned down? And Oprah said she realized her agent was right and that she stopped focusing on that. Because she realized that who she is now is what her dream was all along. That was what she loved focusing her life on at that time.  But back then, there wasn't much fame in it.

Earbuds don't fit!

  • May. 18th, 2007 at 2:15 PM
Wait 'til I post this in my journal!

Am I the only one that has this problem?

No earbuds I have ever tried on even come close to fitting.  Everyone I tell has never heard of this.  Are my ears really that small? It's just kind of annoying because nowadays, the electronics that come with headphones/earphones now come with earbuds, which are useless to me.

I'd just like to know if I am the only one because yahoo/google searches I've done on this have come up with virtually nothing on this. (Just the same person posting over and over on different websites how a certain brand didn't fit his ears, but other brands did. Remember, no brands I've tried so far fit).

teresa-nitb09
Speaking of rude and polite drivers, there's an Associated Press article that just came out today that rates the cities with the rudest drivers. It's based on a survey, so who really knows the accuracy of the results, but it's interesting to know.

Read more... )

VA Tech

  • Apr. 17th, 2007 at 12:39 PM
Googly Minotaur - crying
Original entry and comments: http://cherryteresa.greatestjournal.com/2007/04/17/

My hearts go out to the students, faculty, staff, and the friends of family of the victims of the Virgina Tech tragedy. I know there have been colleges/universities with school shootings in the past, but to me it is more surprising when it happens at a college rather than a high school, middle school, or even elementary school. The reason is that the students generally want to be in college but people in high school and under have no choice. So if they hate it, they're pretty much stuck unless they can somehow transfer. But of course, the shootings can happen anywhere as people with mental and emotional problems can occur anywhere and of any age, class, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, etc.

I don't want to sound paranoid and I don't want to make this tragedy into something else, but I just can't help but feel the way I do. I am worried that because the killer has been identified as a 23 year-old student originally from South Korea that there will be added racism to Koreans, Korean-Americans and even Asians and Asian-Americans who aren't Korean. I hope that I am wrong about this. But based on how Koreans are treated as it is and based on how people have reacted to tragedies in the past, this is a real possibility. Some people I know don't think there is much racism out there for anyone other than African-Americans or Jews. They have no idea. Just a couple weeks ago while I was driving home from work, another driver yelled out the window out to me "You g--k b--ch!" My mother works at the post office and it is not uncommon for customers to say racist things to her to her face. (Telling her to go back to her own country - even though she is a U.S. citizen, asking "can someone White help me?", are just examples of what people have actually said to her). I constantly hear "jokes" about Asians (and Hispanics) from people who never tell jokes about Black or Jewish people. The n word and k word are bleeped out on non-cable tv while the g word and the ch word usually aren't. I have had people call me a terrorist, even though I was born here and even if I wasn't, my family is South Korean. Kim Jong-Il is from North Korea. They are two separate countries for a reason! Even if I were from North Korea, chances are I wouldn't be a terrorist. Most of the citizens aren't terrorists and if I had actually went through all the trouble and the huge possibility of death to actually come to America, that would mean that I didn't like North Korea. (Although it is almost impossible to escape N. Korea to come to America).

There are many other misconceptions and stereotypes of Koreans, but that's another subject altogether. You take the racism that already exists and look at the way people have reated to tragedies such as Columbine and 9-11, and it makes it almost scary for me to be a Korean-American right now. I was in high school during Columbine. Many people who wore black clothing or kept to themselves were labeled as school shooters. Many schools around the country even suspended students for simply the way they dressed and some schools to this day have ridiculously strict dress codes or mandatory uniforms (these are public schools) because of Columbine. The fact remains that most people who dress "artistically" and listen to a certain type of music don't go around shooting people. I'd dare to say most are actually anti-gun or at the very least believe in gun control. More "average Joes" have been the killers in school/college shootings but no one points that out. And of course, after 9-11 and to this day, Muslims and basically anyone with dark skin who doesn't look Black, Hispanic, or Latino are harassed and labelled as terrorists. The overwhelming majority of Muslims do not agree with what happened that day and their actions were actually against the Muslim religion. Saying that the terrorists were Muslim and represent the Muslim religion is like saying David Korresh (or however you spell his name) accurately represented Christians. It just isn't true. This fact is pointed out constantly by many people. Even George w. Bush points this out. Yet people still have a hatred towards all Muslims, not just the ones who are terrorists. Do these people forget that those "Muslims" actually hate the Muslim-Americans. Do people not realize that Muslim-Americans also died in 9-11? It's something that's been brought up since 2001, but is still worth mentioning since many people still continue to be prejudice.

There are very few well-known Koreans in American culture. This is something that has always bothered me. Now that there is someone "famous", it is for something extremely negative. Unfortunately, many people rely too much on media. I'm afraid that Koreans will now be stereo-typed as loners who can snap at any time. I also hope this won't make people think that we "shouldn't allow foreigners" in here anymore. What would piss me off if that happens is those same people would use the tragedy to not allow others in, but not see it as a reason for gun control. I'm not going to say that American culture is necessarily the reason why the tragedy happened. But I do want it to be known it's not Korean culture either. The shooter lived in this country for 14 years, since he was 8 years old. Private ownership of guns is banned in South Korea and there are no known school shootings in the country. I'm worried these facts will be overlooked. Also, a South Korean student was injured. That will probably also be overlooked.

I really hope that I am wrong about this but history has a tendency to repeat itself. I really hope this horrible tragedy of lives lost and people injured does not turn into another tragedy of harassment and racism.

I know I am not the only one who's worried as I've read reports today that South Korean and Korean-Americans on the Virginia Tech campus have gathered in groups because they are scared about how dangerous it could be for them right now. Imagine how vulnerable and unsafe all the students must feel after a shooter. Now imagine adding to that the fear of what others may do because of your race or nationality.

Peeping Tom w/Miho Hatori

  • Apr. 12th, 2007 at 12:36 PM
Cartoon Me
Original entry: http://cherryteresa.greatestjournal.com/2007/04/12/

This past Friday I went to a great show at Ram's Head Live here in Baltimore. Peeping Tom, one of Mike Patton's bands (it seems like he's in 300 bands sometimes) was the headliner. Miho Hatori (formerly of Cibo Matto and one of the voices of Noodles from the Gorillaz) was one of the openers.

Ram's Head is a nice place that books great bands. It's hard to have a bad seat in the house. I'm only 5'5", so at a lot of shows that are crowded, it's harder for me to see. But the way Ram's Head is set up, it's a lot easier on the main floor because of how it's set up. Also, there's a second floor overlooking the whole thing, which is great. I don't like how they have bathroom attendants there. I have no problem tipping a waiter or food deliverer, but I'm not paying someone to hand me a paper towel. What also sucks is that it's near the Power Plant, so you pretty much have to spend the $13 to park in the garage. There is hardly any parking and even if you find a spot far away, it's on 24/7 meters that you have to fill up every hour or two. So you'd be missing the show to re-fill the meter. That's if you can even get that spot in the first place. At least the garage is right next to Ram's Head with the elevator taking you there. That's convenient, especially if you're going there on a cold night.

Miho Hatori's songs sounded similar to Cibo Matto but less funky. It was a mellower version. I do like Cibo Matto better, but I still enjoyed her set and was excited to catch her. It was the first of only four dates that she's playing with Peeping Tom on this tour and so I feel lucky. Back when Cibo Matto was around, the only one or two times they came to Baltimore after I moved here was either on a school night or an 18+ place and I was still in high school at the time, so I couldn't go. Back then, less clubs were all ages. Anyway, the crowd was surprisingly enthusiastic, maybe even too enthusiastic. It was funny. During her first song, she and her band had to start over because the sound in the monitors was all messed up. I can relate. That sucks when that happens. When she said she had to start the song over, the audience cheered! But that's better than someone audiences, who boo because they don't realize if you can't hear yourself or the other instruments, it's pretty difficult to perform well. Later in the set, she walked over toward her guitar to play some songs with guitar in it, and everyone cheered loudly just for that. I don't know if it was mocking or sincere because later people complained about her. After she played and before Peeping Tom, I walked around to socialize with people and said did pretty much what people did when I saw Mr. Bungle (one of Mike Patton's bands) back in 2000. Mr. Bungle was an opener and the majority of the crowd hated them. Not just disliked, but hated them. Then, after they were done and they heard "that's the singer from Faith No More", they suddenly changed their minds and said how great thet set was. People did that with Miho Hatori. "She does the 'get cool shoe shine song' in the Gorillaz? Oh my g-d, I like her now". Losers.

Then came Peeping Tom. My friends and I were wondering how Patton would pull this off live. The album has a lot of guest stars on it (some of whom, such as Nora Jones and Kool Keith, he has yet to meet face-to-face). The only one of those guest stars performing live with him was Dan the Automator. How was he going to perform without Rahzel? Well, he and his band did a great job! There was a total of eight members on the stage. Three of them were in a band the Dub Trio. There was an awesome female beatboxer, one of the best I've heard. The keyboardist had at least three keyboards if I remember correctly. Great energy and each of the member's performances were spot on. The songs sound like a hip-hoppish and somewhat poppish version of Mr. Bungle. Patton says that this is record is his pop album. Not necessarily pop that's on the radio, but his version of it. Mike Patton (along with Kathleen Hanna) is one of the few people that can really pull of being in bands of different genres. The music still "sounds like Matt Patton" but doesn't sound the same as each other. It's original and fresh and it's not like "Oh g-d, not another Patton project". I'm not one of these obsessive Matt Patton fans though like some of the weirdos who were at the show. But I like and respect the guy. Wish there were more signed artists like him in rock right now. Rock is in such a weird state right now, but that's a whole other topic.

Patton also wore a stocking cap on his head. He was able to pull that off with his personality. ;)

Friend of mine dies in war

  • Dec. 1st, 2004 at 4:45 PM
Googly Minotaur - crying
http://cherryteresa.greatestjournal.com/2004/12/01/

ANOTHER friend of mine is dead. A good friend of mine from when I was in middle school died fighting this stupid war. We used to chill like everyday at at his house back when I lived in Mt. Washington. And now he's gone.

I miss you David Branning and I'm sorry that you had to be a part of this unnecessary war. And that you lost your LIFE doing so. We love you.

http://www.pigstye.net/iraq/article.php/20041118081029177

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