Article in the Times about Chelsea Clinton by Jodi Kantor

What I found fascinating about this article was the non gender specific language the journalist used in describing Chelsea Clinton.  She did refer to her as Ms. Clinton which makes sense.  I refer to myself as Ms. Rose (duh).

But Kantor referred to Chelsea’s boyfriend as her partner and companion.  I’m struck by how grown-up this comes across as.  Not only does it not specify what kind of relationship Ms. Clinton (notice my transition there) is having by gender but also evades the whole romantic aspect too.  Personally, I liked this approach a lot.  It’s a refreshing departure form the gender coded language found in other articles.

and I can’t figure out if its true or a half true or what…

Owner of Curves a big contributor to anti-abortion groups?

From here:

In 2003, Heavin and his wife gave away $10 million — 10 percent of their company’s gross revenues — to charities. At least half of that money went to three Texas organizations to fund “pregnancy crisis centers” supported by Operation Save America — the same organization that blamed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on God’s retribution for abortions and whose purpose, as described on its Web site, is to “unashamedly take up the cause of pre-born children in the name of Jesus Christ.”

But then there are some corrections to the article that state:

The column specified that the money went to “three Texas organizations to fund ‘pregnancy crisis centers.’ ‘’ Only one of the recipients, Care Net, operates pregnancy crisis centers that are designed to dissuade pregnant women from having abortions while offering other support services to encourage adoption. Heavin has pledged to give Care Net $1 million over the next five years, according to a Curves spokeswoman.

So what gives?

I found this while perusing some feminist blogs. Its a few years old but I had NO idea that this even came up in the media. Guess I had my head buried in the sand for that one.

Paula Zahn to leave CNN

“We worked so hard to maintain a high quality of objective reporting on the air,” she said of her show, which recently featured a series of special reports about intolerance, including racial bias. “Yet what has become clear when you look at the landscape, particularly in the 8 o’clock hour, it seems pretty obvious the audience is drawn to opinion-driven shows. That is not what I do.”

I disagree with her.  I think when you do shows intended to cultivate fear in Americans, it doesn’t work. Keith Olbermann works because well hes smart and I think people just tune into Bill O’Reilly to count how many times he says shut up and it provides a parallel to the Jerry Springer show…the tv show not radio show.

imagination prompt generator

10 things I learned at school *not* on the curriculum

For this I will decide to focus on my undergrad which was just declared as one of the most annoying liberal arts schools by gawker! So proud!

(1) Girls and guys can be friends.

(2) There is no such thing as a stable relationship.

(3) BLANK!

(4) The 9 AM Philosophy class is best with coffee.

(5) Kissing up will get you farther than you think.

(6) But not that far.

(7) Reading heavy western philosophy at midnight isn’t good for your health. (I’m noticing a theme here)

(8) Wearing pajamas to class is endearing when you’re a sophomore NOT when you’re a senior.

(9) You will get politicized in some way.

(10) Something else….

I want to see this movie RIGHT NOW!

And every other John Ford western ASAP!

1955: Disneyland opened in Anaheim, CA.

ME: I’m going to a lecture on gender in Brokeback Mountain.

HUSBAND: Global Economics?

ME: No Brokeback Mountain.

HUSBAND: Oh ok.

if you google “26 years old” (no hyphens)

The fifth unique link that comes up is Paris Hilton’s wikipedia page

Huh!?

Or landline?

Once again I found an article that speaks to an ongoing dilemma I have: modern communication options.  Back in the day, there was the landline and snail mail.  As I got to middle school, a lot of my friends got their own personal land lines in their room.  I was one of those.  It rocked.

Then the cell phone happened!  My parents got me one for my 18th birthday for when I traveled and was away at school.  For the first few years, it basically sat in my drawer only to be taken out to check messages usually from my mom who would then call me on my school landline.  For some reason, I started using it all the time when I became 20.  I think its because a lot of my friends got cell phones too.

Soon people only began calling my cell phone and at first it annoyed me but I learned to deal with it.  I moved back home after college to my personal landline and started using that more and more.  I’ve always had a cell phone and land line at the same time except for a few months in 2004.  I definitely prefer the landline.

I only really like to have phone conversations with family members and a few close friends.  But mostly email and IM are my preferred means of conversation when it comes to acquaintances.  I like it because it gives me a way to think about my response.  I’m decent at speaking effectively but it wears me out plus I can multitask while emailing not when I’m on the phone. I have a blackberry for this purpose and it works out well except when it starts to interfere with my personal life.

From the article:

Does he or she hate e-mail, letting it build up in the inbox, but quick to answer the cellphone on the first ring? Does the person refuse to carry a cellphone, but grab the office line through the Bluetooth that is literally attached to one ear? Is it solicitous or stalkerish to send an e-mail message, then leave an office message, then try the cellphone just to be sure?

While most of us can state our preferences, are we sure they are the most effective ways of communication for their designated purposes?  I miss emails, phone calls and texts all deemed important.  I tell everyone to call me on my landline at night or anytime if they really need to get a hold of me and I’m not answering my cell (which I tend to ignore at night as it collects dust in my purse.)  But people don’t do tis or forget.  Its understandable…there are way too many options and preferences.  I still haven’t memorized my husband’s new cell phone number (bad, bad wife.)

I love the information age, but am sometimes completely perplexed by all the way I can retrieve information.  I think the cell phone vs. land line, email vs. text etc. fits into this new dilemma.  How do we organize all this new information and ways of communicating it?

Then there is the whole issue what happens if one leaves their cell phone at home!  That’s a whole other subject.

I hope I have his dedication!

Queen star finishes PhD thesis after 30 years