Well, Crap

Ahmadinejad was on Larry King Live the other night. I can't explain how hilarious it was. I had just tuned-in in time to hear King ask the Iranian President about his views on the Holocaust. King, who is a Jewish man married to a Mormon woman, had family members die in the mass genocide against Jews, gypsies, the disabled, homosexuals, and other "undesirables." During Ahmadinejad's rant about the Holocaust, King had to take three commercial breaks and tried to move onto another topic several times. I felt really bad for him, but it was humorous to watch Ahmadinejad make a fool of himself. Basically, he tried to say that Jewish people made up the Holocaust in order to get the land of Palestine back until Jewish control. One of the more interesting points that he argued was that he couldn't understand how the Israeli people, who "supposedly" (his words not mine) went through a genocide and terrorist acts being carried out upon them could turn around and treat the people of Palestine in such a similar way. Now, I'm definitely not a Holocaust denier - far from it - but this point has been brewing in my mind for a few days now. I'm not entirely sure how to explain it. It's odd to find myself being able to understand Ahmadinejad's point, maybe even creepy?

Speaking of our favorite friend, Ahmadinejad, he admitted a few days ago that Iran has a second nuclear facility. Even more than that, they tested some missiles in the past few days. Could this lead to another world war? We'll have to see I suppose. Russia's Sergei Karaganov thinks Iran's situation is one of several roadblocks on the path to world peace right now.

In slightly related news, Israel went ahead and shut down for Yom Kippur. They are very worried about what Iran has been doing over the weekend, so I can see where it would be hard to do so. Part of what happens during these shut downs is that all soldiers are relieved of their posts to be able to spend time in Temple and with their families. It's such a nice thing for these people, except that the Palestinians who have to pass through checkpoints in order to get to school, work, home, hospitals, and other places, cannot do so without men at the gates. I'm glad for the Israelis that they get to enjoy their day, but when people are dying because they cannot get past a barrier in order to get medical attention, one has to ask the question whether or not Palestinians are viewed as people at all.

As a reminder, it is a Federal crime to threaten the president. Maybe someone should've posted that on Facebook.

Apparently they're making a movie about Candy Land? Entertainment Weekly wants to know which games are next. If you're looking for ridiculous movies, Justin Timberlake is going to star as one of the developers of facebook. Interesting. (h/t that one guy I'm constantly spending time with)

Oh, and speaking of my boyfriend, we went to this awesome Civil War reenactment Sunday. Look for more details tomorrow when I'm done writing two papers and working.

WTF?

Last night, here in Waukesha, Carroll University hosted Take Back the Night. For those of you who haven't heard about it, the organization, which began in the late 1970's, holds get-togethers where survivors of abuse can speak out in a safe place - some for the first time. It is generally geared towards women, but there were some men who spoke up about their abuse. It was so difficult to listen to people speak out about their abuse, especially my roommate. I hadn't really cried until she made it up there to share her story. I had thought about getting up to share my story and seeing my roommate's courage let me know it was alright to do so. I was so scared but it was so freeing to share with my classmates and other people in the community something that I've kept to myself until the last two years.

I've never gotten therapy for the things that happened to me as a child. No one in my family has. The only reason I bring up this point is because of shows like Showbiz Tonight and others who are trying to say that Mackenzie Phillips is either lying or should not have broadcast her story to the world, that she should be in therapy instead of bringing attention to what's happened to her. I feel ashamed of the fact that our society still cannot talk about this. What happened to Mackenzie wasn't any more her fault that it was mine. Most people who have been abused do not talk about what happened to them because they fear the kind of retribution that this brave woman is facing. Michelle Phillips, Mackenzie's stepmother, is making this process 110% harder for her stepdaughter than it should be.

I can't believe that, as a society, we can condemn sexual abuse and in the same breath call victims liars when we cannot verify the claims. This is a sad world we're living in and it's no surprise to me that so many of the victims of sexual abuse end up trying to commit suicide or keeping their stories to themselves forever.

Breaking News!

Obama calls Kanye West a jackass! I can't imagine how much that one stings.

Also in the news, although it's a little old, Kanye West loves fish sticks!

Iran Update

So it looks like Ahmadinejad is going to invite some high profile people to his place for some coffee and to talk about this nuclear thang.

Is it just me or does it seem like a bad idea to send people to go talk to him? My kidnapping senses are tingling.

GAH

I feel so overwhelmed right now with school. Not only am I organizing this Palestinian Freedom Walk and working three jobs as of next week, but I am working on my capstone paper.

The topic? Israel and Palestine.

Honestly, what else did you expect me to write about?

So much homework. Gah.

You Know You're Back to School When...

You're reading a novel on the history of the Balkans in the process of doing research for your senior capstone while drinking a wine cooler... and then while trying to find your best playlist, you spill said wine cooler all over your laptop and can only watch in amazement until flipping your laptop upside down to drain the alcohol off your favorite and most needed electronic device... all while listening to Jason Mraz, Dave Matthews Band, and Jack Johnson.

Mmm sticky keys.

New News

Wow, there is a lot going on in the world right now.

The Iranians have accepted Ahmadinejad's nomination for health minister, Ms. Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi. Yes, the man nominated Iran's first female minister. Two others were nominated, but turned down. Could it have something to do with trying to please the feminists that came to the forefront of the movement this past summer? Probably.

A young Muslim teen ran away from her home in Ohio to a pastor in Florida after converting to Christianity. The seventeen year old girl feared for her life after her father vowed to kill her because of her conversion. The man denies really being that upset over her change in faith, though he would rather that she practice Islam.

In Britain, two boys (ten and eleven) lured two other boys (nine and ten) to a ravine and began to beat them to the extent that they would've been charged with attempted murder. The charges were dropped, but should they have been?:

The older boy had a sink dropped on his head, one had a noose put around his head and one was burned with a cigarette on his eyelids and ear.

The younger boy had a sharp stick rammed into his arm and cigarettes pushed into the wound.

He also tried to ram a stick down his own throat after he was told to "go away and kill himself" by one of his attackers.

The pair, who were both seriously injured, had bricks thrown at them and were repeatedly stamped on.

The nine-year-old managed to stagger to a nearby house to raise the alarm, covered in blood from wounds to his head and arm.

The 11-year-old boy was later discovered unconscious in the nearby wood.

The brothers have each pleaded guilty to robbing one of the boys of a mobile phone and the other of cash.

They also admitted two counts of intentionally causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

The brothers were later charged with attempted grievous bodily harm with intent and making a threat to kill in connection with a separate attack on another 11-year-old boy in Doncaster a week earlier.

Also, where are the parents in all of this?

Ninety-two year old Rochus Misch is the last living person from the Hitler bunker. He was present not too far from the room in which Hitler and Eva Braun committed suicide. It's an interesting story for sure.

You ever thought your soda tasted funky? I bet you never had anything like this.

Also, if you haven't seen the people of Walmart website, it's been in the news a lot lately in addition to being hilarious.