Prayers for Taylor Anderson

Taylor Anderson is a Virginia native. She attended St. Catherine's School in Richmond, Virginia. She graduated from our college, Randolph-Macon College, in 2008. She was a member of Macon's Alpha Gamma Delta chapter and was an Asian Studies minor. I cannot remember her major. She joined the Jet program the summer she graduated and this summer will be the end of her third year. She lives in Ishinomaki which is one of several cities that had 10,000 people disappear after the earthquake and the 30-foot tsunami. She is petite in height. She was last seen leaving the elementary school [likely on her bicycle], prior to the tsunami hitting but after the earthquake had occurred.

Prayers would be so helpful right now, as this disaster now has a face for me. To clarify, I am not saying I didn't care before, but now I am feeling more intense emotions over this situation. I really am trying to be positive while still being a realist. I hope you all feel the same way. Prayers and donations to the Red Cross are likely the most effective, so please join me in caring and giving.

YouTube, CBS coverage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCiqrtuamOo

Kennedy's Miniseries Pull

What a bummer!

The Kennedy's Miniseries on the History Channel has been pulled from their schedule. I know it caused some controversy on some things, but still, what hasn't in terms of perspective, interpretation and freedom of expression? Especially in film. Isn't that why it isn't just interviews and photos/old video clips... that kind of documentary?

What a stupid thing to blow up in terms of media coverage, magazine covers, etc. and then abruptly pull for "historical fiction." Um, half of the people portrayed are dead, so I am not sure how they check their sources on things like JFK's sex life outside of his marriage anyway! Besides, they have to figure out what happened the day JFK was shot in terms of Jackie's perspective in some way, so why not go for a well-cast dramatization mini-series? If the cast didn't approve of lines or find them unethical, they can request changes, and sometimes those requests are actually considered.



Shame. It seems well done. Maybe it will be like The Reagans and be picked up by Showtime, or possibly even HBO. It is dumb that the History Channel will show crap about ghosts and aliens, and not this show.

Is there no Aristocracy in America?

I am deeply intrigued by a statement made in the October 2010 issue of Vanity Fair. Within the text of a story about the bitter rivalry of Rupert Murdoch and Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. – titled “Two Men and a Newsstand”- author Sarah Ellison writes, “In America, there is no aristocracy or upper class in the British sense of those terms.” To be honest, I do not really agree with her at all.

America is a young country, so you may not necessarily have an established family tradition “in the British sense” (as Ellison puts it) unless your family came to America with wealth. That is just a simple fact. America is a success story in so many ways, if you think about it. We were supposed to be a colonial empire to pad the pockets and provide supplementary income to those ‘across the pond’, however, as a nation we decided to rebel. Obviously, that did not turn out the way the English had intended. We did not put up with it for as long as so many other places have in modern history and that is why we are such an incredible patriotic country. We are a great nation. Clearly, like any other country in the world, there are the haves and the have nots. We occasionally have had to fight to keep our place (wherever we are) due to certain events in history, and there are many people who have become wealthy since America became the United States of America less than 250 years ago. So you do not have to have come to America with wealth. Not obligatory at all.

But to claim that we have no upper class or aristocracy is completely false. I recently had a professor (who was born in West Germany mind you) tell my class that “there are no upper class students attending this school because why would they go here when there are all those Ivies up north”. Those who read my blog and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/worthystyle) know I sat there in class bristling for the remaining hour of the course because I was sincerely pissed off. Most of you agreed with me that he was making an assumption only an individual not born in the U.S. would make. If you arrive in the U.S. when you are 16, you certainly miss out on developing many opinions and perceptions that could be considered more accurate. I wonder if Ms. Ellison has a similar background as this professor. Only someone with that level of education must have a high social naïveté to not get it, as in get why I attend where I am at. Clearly.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines ‘upper class’ as: “The highest socioeconomic class in a society.” This same text defines ‘aristocracy’ as: “1. A hereditary ruling class. 2. Government by the nobility or by a privileged upper class.” Can you really tell me that we have neither of these features in America? We most certainly have an upper class and I think socially and politically there is definitely a level of aristocracy which exists. I find Ms. Ellison’s clearly uninformed opinion “the British sense” to be hysterical. Does she know anyone who is British and is in the upper class? Many long-standing family friends who live in England still have sold off their family manors and priceless antiques due to taxes and expense of land upkeep. A number of others have sold off portions of land to the government as conservation easements and started organic farms on their lands to “make do”. Many other British aristocracy peers have told me stories about allowances being cut short. Are you really going to tell me that we do not have something similar going on in the U.S.? We have plenty of wealthy people in the U.S. who are members of our government or control major corporations that are essential to this nation’s well-being– Kennedy, Bush, Chase, Steves, Bradford, Winthrop, Jones, and at the turn of the 20th century we still had others including the Adams, Paley, Roosevelt, Rockefeller and Vanderbilt families as well. There are those who are FFV and those whose ancestors were sent to Texas to settle those wild lands of America. We most certainly have large manors, incredible antique collections and elite representatives in our government. We have old families with large fortunes controlling the interests in their regions with skill, a high level of education and fantastic networking connections. They may be controlling things, but most all give back in one way or another – regardless of party affiliation.

There are many people in the U.S. with great fortunes and incredible family stories who do not stick out in the public forum. Many have Twitter accounts and blogs you read every day, with the average person assuming they are simply well-travelled and possibly exaggerate a good bit. No readers, while there are many who do falsify information, there are a small number of bloggers who are from old families who have chosen to remain “upper class”… or merely first class in the way they portray themselves in this global forum of blogging. They do not over share, they wish to broaden the perspectives of their readers (educate them a bit, if you will), and they choose to remain relatively anonymous. They have money, but it is not about money, it is about quality. Quality of writing, quality of entries, quality of life. Ironically, Lisa Birnbach touches on the way in which to stay classy in her latest book, True Prep, she writes, “We prefer modest discretion to the outward manifestations of wealth that are the signs of the new hordes. [….] your money has just always been there… if it is a fact of your family’s life… if you take regular vacations but stay in rooms, not in suites [….] We do not engage in stretch limousines. We spend our money in more covert ways” (page 43). She may be writing about “preps” but she could easily be writing of anyone with responsible yet affluent means.

If you subscribe to Town and Country, you know that in the social affairs sections and occasional featured stories you hear several of the same names mentioned. You may see the same family name pop up or see the same two or three faces appear in the photographs next to the dedication of a garden, a new museum wing or a fine arts performance center. I know in a recent issue, I saw a lovely photograph of a specific dowager of an old Texas family, surrounded by her family at an event held in her honor. This “Yellow Rose of Texas” has been incredibly generous and philanthropic throughout her lifetime and fully deserved the red carpet treatment. She is a Texas woman, but she is not a woman out to have a big show or big top trumpeting her achievements. She remains understated and kind to all who cross her path. There are many people like that in America, who may have the upper class means of living, but do not forget who they can help. Her family is of the “highest socioeconomic class is a society” and they certainly rule the opinions of many in Texas.

Ellison states in her contributor’s paragraph at the front of Vanity Fair (page 100) that Murdoch’s mission with the WSJ is, “the culmination of a lifelong grudge against the elites, and he wants to win” – I wonder if she shares the same opinion?

Letter to President Obama

Dear Mr. President,

Please stop blaming the media so much. I want you to LIVE down there until this problem is solved. I want you to throw crude oil all over the Executive Management Board of BP and the Board of Directors homes in BP - in Europe - so they can understand what the smell, the heat, and the ugliness that this spill is doing to the mental, emotional, and physical livelihoods of millions of people on the Gulf Coast from West Cote Blanche Bay, Louisiana to Tavernier, Florida. I want you to YELL and be unprofessional because this IS the WORST ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER that this country has even been through, and it may be the WORST the WORLD has ever been through, because it hasn't ENDED YET! I am pretty sure that by August, which is SO optimistic of BP by the way, who wants to sit on their asses and look professional and clean and neat as a pin in their coordinated outfits - not covered in slop and muck and waste like those they employ and DO NOT PAY, this spill will be much worse than any other man-made disaster that I can wrap my head around, excluding maybe Agent Orange ecocide in Vietnam, Chernobyl, Bhopal, or Minimata Bay.

I am an environmentalist. I am a economic conservative. This is not a time to be conservative financially. I want a Gulf Coast again. This is not the La Brea Tar Pits - but they WILL BE if we do not do EVERYTHING we can to fix this problem. Right now, we are not doing everything.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Mr. President, I am disappointed in you. I am disappointed that you are not being emotional over the devastation, you are being emotional over the 24 hour news cycle that is this world today. We are a country, a world, of technology, so you need to get over that. You are supposed to represent our people, but you continue to appear unattached and distant. "I feel for you" isn't going to cut it in meetings anymore. You need to make things happen, and you need to GET RID OF YOUR SLACKS AND OXFORD SHIRTS. Put on some jeans, some coveralls from the Tractor Supply, and get your hands dirty. Connect with the Gulf Coast. Please.


How to help:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/04/bp-oil-spill-aftermath-help/

Numerous organizations are mobilizing to lend a hand in the devastating aftermath of BP's Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

For simple, safe ways to donate or volunteer to help affected areas contact one of the following well-established charities and beware of online scammers.

• Greater New Orleans Foundation: In response to the recent disaster, the foundation is opening the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund to make emergency grants to nonprofit organizations helping the victims of the oil spill and help address the long-term economic, environmental, cultural effects of the disaster, and strengthen coastal communities against future environmental catastrophes by investing in solutions.

• Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana is joining with partners at the local, state and federal level to begin registering volunteers to assist with spill recovery efforts and collect donations toward those efforts.

• National Park Foundation’s Disaster Recovery Fund: Give to the “National Parks Disaster Recovery Fund” online or by texting “PARKS” to 90999 on your mobile phone by July 1st. Your money will go directly to the parks impacted by the Gulf oil spill.

• Gulf of Mexico SeaGrant Programs is supplying the most current information about the disaster and for volunteer opportunities in the region.

• Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana is a group of organizations with a history of on-the-ground work in Louisiana, and combining efforts and experience to implement an effective volunteer response and make a real difference in the BP Oil Spill recovery efforts.

• The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans is working with Matter of Trust to collect donations of nylons, hair and fur, which can be used in making booms for containing oil.

• Catholic Charities is providing food, rent and utilities aid and is currently in need of volunteers to help outreach to families who work in fishing-related industries affected by the oil spill.

• Second Harvest Food Bank: is working in concert with Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, the Louisiana Department of Social Services and others to ensure that men, women, children and seniors are afforded the meals they need during these trying times.

• The BP Volunteer Hotline has set up numbers if you need to report injured wildlife or damage related to the spill. You can also request volunteer information at 866-448-5816.

• Oxfam America is working to help affected communities with financial assistance, as well as protect local wetlands and marshes. Oxfam also has an online form to "Ask your Senator to make BP clean up their mess"

• Louisiana Serve Commission is helping mobilize and train volunteers in response to the Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

• Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service: All oil and oil-contaminated materials will only be handled by trained, paid workers and not by volunteers. To apply for these jobs, go to the MS Department of Employment Security website and click on Oil Spill Jobs. Registered volunteers will also be contacted as needed.

• Volunteer Florida encourages everyone to get connected with a local organization. Volunteers can support these organizations throughout the oil spill and beyond through appropriate activities such as Coast Watch, pre-oil landfall beach cleanups, fundraising, and meeting other needs of responding organizations.

• Alabama Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives provides information on volunteer and donation opportunities.

HELP FIND MORGAN

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Police are searching for a Virginia Tech student who hasn't been seen since she was separated from her friends at a Metallica concert Saturday.

Morgan Dana Harrington, 20, was last seen near the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va.

Her parents said they talk to her every day and her disappearance is very out of character.

"Morgan is a pretty transparent kid, who's had a really close relationship with us," her father, Dan Harrington, said in a phone interview Tuesday with the Associated Press. "I don't think there are lots of secrets, so this kind of behavior of (her) missing is not something I think we would expect."

Amy Melvin, her roommate in Blacksburg, Va. told The Roanoke Times Harrington went outside the stadium before Metallica went on stage, but she wasn't sure why.

"Everyone assumed she'd be coming back, " Amanda Melvin, Amy Melvin's older sister told the newspaper. "Sitting here while Morgan is out there missing isn't a very good feeling,"

Harrington drove to the concert and her car was still in parking lot after, the newspaper reported.

Her cell phone and purse were found outside the arena.

Harrington's father, who lives in Roanoke, said his daughter had asked him to help her study for a math test and go through the class schedule for next semester on Sunday. He called her friends around 12:30 p.m. when he realized he had not heard from her.

Dan Harrington told Fox News this not typical behavior for his daughter.

"Morgan is pretty close to us as a family," he said, adidng his daughter didn't have a boyfriend and didn't know if anyone who would want to hurt her. "We don't think she is out there with someone she choose to be with."

Police said Morgan Harrington, a junior majoring in education, was wearing a black T-shirt with "Pantera" across the front in tan letters, a black mini skirt, black tights and black knee-high boots.

She has long blonde hair and blue eyes, is 5-foot-6 and weighs about 120 pounds. She was not carrying an identification card or cell phone.

Investigators are treating the disappearance as a missing person case, said Virginia State Police Lt. Joe Rader.

"We have no evidence that a crime has been committed," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


Text taken from Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,568644,00.html





Police continued to seek help Monday in finding a Virginia Tech student from Roanoke County who went missing during a Metallica concert in Charlottesville on Saturday night.

Morgan Dana Harrington, 20, was last seen near John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, according to University of Virginia police.

She had gone to the concert with Amy Melvin, her roommate in Blacksburg, and another friend from James Madison University. Harrington drove.

Melvin said Harrington went outside before Metallica took the stage. She said she wasn't sure why.

"Everyone assumed she'd be coming back," said Amanda Melvin, Amy Melvin's older sister and a friend of Harrington's. Friends and family still haven't heard from Harrington, she said.

Amanda Melvin said Harrington's purse and cellphone were found outside the stadium and her car was still in the parking lot. She said Harrington wouldn't abandon her friends there.

Amy Melvin said she and Harrington have been friends since they were in sixth grade at Northside Middle School.

Harrington is a junior education student at Tech. She's a 2007 graduate of Lord Botetourt High School, according to the school's yearbook. She transferred from Northside High School after the academic year ending 2006, said Chuck Lionberger, spokesman for Roanoke County Public Schools.

She and Melvin, who attends New River Community College, live off campus.

The Rev. Diane Scribner Clevenger, pastor to Harrington's parents, Dan and Gil Harrington, spoke for the family Monday.

"Morgan stays in contact with Dan and Gil every day," she said. She said it was unlike Harrington not to be in touch with her parents.

Clevenger said Harrington's parents are in shock. She said they left early Monday morning for Charlottesville.

Dr. Dan Harrington is the associate dean for clinic and regional integration at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, scheduled to open next fall. He has been with Carilion Clinic since 1990.

Friends created a Facebook group -- called "Help find Morgan Dana Harrington" -- to help spread the word that Harrington was missing.

Amanda Melvin said friends want to help in the search but aren't sure what to do. She said she thought about forming a search group to help look for her. For now, they are forwarding her information and photo to everyone they can.

"Sitting here while Morgan is out there missing isn't a very good feeling," she said.

Harrington was last seen wearing a black T-shirt with "Pantera" across the front in tan letters, a black miniskirt, black tights and black knee-high boots, police said. She has long blond hair and blue eyes, is 5 feet 6 inches and weighs about 120 pounds.

Virginia Tech police have been contacted by UVa police and are assisting with the investigation into Harrington's disappearance, Tech police Chief Wendell Flinchum said.

Anyone who has seen Harrington or has knowledge about her whereabouts is asked to call UVa police at (434) 924-7166.

Roanoke Times coverage: http://roanoke.com/news/nrv/wb/223121
CNN coverage: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/21/virginia.missing.student/
CBS Early Show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J58dZwGrcL0
ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/US/virginia-tech-student-morgan-dana-harrington-disappears-concert/story?id=8872201
Metallica coverage: http://www.metallica.com/index.asp?item=602638


Police urge anyone with information to contact the Virginia State Police at (434) 352-3435 or by e-mail at bci-appomattox@vsp.virginia.gov. The number for UVA police is (434) 924-7166.

The Scotch Diary - really intense

Ladies, this can relate to assault, too. Believe me, I know.


The Scotch Diary writes: "Why Some Women Don't Report Rape":

She is afraid. He threatened her.

She is ashamed. She feels like she did something wrong. She feels like it's her fault. She feels like maybe she did something to deserve it. Maybe she shouldn't have worn that top or that skirt. Maybe she was leading him on. Maybe she shouldn't have gone to that party /out for a drink on her own. Maybe she shouldn't have gone back to his place. Maybe she's just a slut.

She's unsure as to whether or not it was really rape. Maybe she didn't say "no" loud or often enough. Maybe her tears weren't quite the message she thought they'd be. Maybe she had too much to drink. Maybe she had taken street drugs. Maybe he was her significant other. I mean, how can your boyfriend/husband/fiance/lover rape you?

She wants to pretend like it never happened. She feels damaged and dirty. She is embarrassed. It's a horrible feeling that she just wants to go away.

She is afraid no one will believe her. She is afraid to press charges. What if the guy doesn't end up going to jail? What if he gets off scot free? Then everyone will really think she's a liar. What if he comes back? Maybe she already told someone, a friend or someone else close to her, to ask for advice and comfort, and they told her she was lying. Maybe she doesn't want to be known as the girl who cried rape. And imagine the further trauma that would be inflicted by knowing that the justice system couldn't help her.

She thinks it'll all just go away if she just ignores it, that calling the police, pressing charges, etc. will just cause more drama. The last thing she wants right now is more drama.

Ladies, women, and girls, while I can never exactly understand what you're going through, I have been in similar positions. I have had similar experiences. Everyone makes bad choices. Everyone puts themselves in bad positions. It's very important to acknowledge the mistakes made on your part, however, there is never an excuse for rape. Maybe you made a bad decision, but you didn't deserve to be raped. Ultimately it is up to you whether or not you want to pursue legal action against your rapist. I'm not going to tell you what to do. Please keep in mind though that many rapists have multiple victims. You may not have been the first, and you may not be the last. Other women may be hurt by him the way you were. Even if you decide not to press charges, please don't keep this to yourself. There are support groups, hotlines, and therapists that specialize in this area. It hurts a lot to talk about it, but it helps the wound heal more quickly and more completely. And, above all things, please remember you're not alone.

Gentlemen, men, and boys, I know you're not all evil rapists who lurk in the shadows waiting for scantily clad women to drunkenly stumble by. I have your best interests in mind too. If you ever engage in sexual conduct with a women who isn't in her right mind (i.e. she's drunk, high, overly emotional) keep in mind that what you're doing may be considered rape. I don't care if you're drunk/high too; it can still be considered rape. So think about it. Is a drunken tryst worth possible jail time and a record? Also, if she expresses any reservations about sex at all, back off immediately. Please. Bad things sometimes happen to good guys because they accidentally do something bad. I had a friend in the beginning of college who had drunken sex with a girl he met at a party. They were both so drunk that neither of them could have given consent legally, but they fucked. The next day the girl pressed charges. Luckily, he didn't have to do jail time, but he is on probation for a very long time and he has a record that will follow him around forever. There have been cases were women have pressed charges because they were coerced into sex (i.e. they said no but the guy kept pushing for it so they broke down and said yes). Also, check ID's please. Seriously. Get some proof of age. If I had a dollar for every time I guy I knew who was a legal adult accidentally slept with a girl who was under the legal age of consent because "she said she was 18" I'd have, to my knowledge anyways, close to $15. The truth is sometimes girls lie. Sometimes they lie about their age to seem cooler. Sometimes they lie about their age because they know if you knew they were under 18 you'd have no interest in them. Sad, but true. Guys, it's just as important for you to watch out for yourself as it for the gals to watch out for themselves.

Women who cry rape, stop it. Just stop it. It's not funny. It's not cute. It's a really shitty way to get the attention you're craving. When women report fake rapes it makes real rapes seem less valid, and it takes attention away from cases that really happened.

Rapists, fuck you. Seriously. That's all I'm going to say.

Also, I'm not trying to make everyone paranoid of the opposite sex. Just be aware.

Phillip's friend that I posted about earlier is in the hospital right now. I don't know the whole story, but what I do know is that her boyfriend posted bail (or something to that effect), broke the restraining order she put on him earlier today, and raped and beat the shit out of this poor girl while she was trying to clean up her house after he destroyed it this morning. She is definitely pressing charges, and this guy is going away for a long time.

The really scary thing is that I'd met her boyfriend before, and he seemed like a nice guy. He was always friendly and polite. He treated her so lovingly in front of us. I liked him.

Don't Smoke...

Gawker posted something about this ad today - I personally think it is fantastic, as I completely abhor smoking and do not understand why parents can be such hypocrites and smoke with children in the household... just my two cents. I think people watching the ad will definitely have an emotional trigger that will really make this hit home (for some, natch, not all)...

The Scotch Diary writes something Relateable

Ladies, this can relate to assault, too. Believe me, I know.


The Scotch Diary writes: "Why Some Women Don't Report Rape":

She is afraid. He threatened her.

She is ashamed. She feels like she did something wrong. She feels like it's her fault. She feels like maybe she did something to deserve it. Maybe she shouldn't have worn that top or that skirt. Maybe she was leading him on. Maybe she shouldn't have gone to that party /out for a drink on her own. Maybe she shouldn't have gone back to his place. Maybe she's just a slut.

She's unsure as to whether or not it was really rape. Maybe she didn't say "no" loud or often enough. Maybe her tears weren't quite the message she thought they'd be. Maybe she had too much to drink. Maybe she had taken street drugs. Maybe he was her significant other. I mean, how can your boyfriend/husband/fiance/lover rape you?

She wants to pretend like it never happened. She feels damaged and dirty. She is embarrassed. It's a horrible feeling that she just wants to go away.

She is afraid no one will believe her. She is afraid to press charges. What if the guy doesn't end up going to jail? What if he gets off scot free? Then everyone will really think she's a liar. What if he comes back? Maybe she already told someone, a friend or someone else close to her, to ask for advice and comfort, and they told her she was lying. Maybe she doesn't want to be known as the girl who cried rape. And imagine the further trauma that would be inflicted by knowing that the justice system couldn't help her.

She thinks it'll all just go away if she just ignores it, that calling the police, pressing charges, etc. will just cause more drama. The last thing she wants right now is more drama.

Ladies, women, and girls, while I can never exactly understand what you're going through, I have been in similar positions. I have had similar experiences. Everyone makes bad choices. Everyone puts themselves in bad positions. It's very important to acknowledge the mistakes made on your part, however, there is never an excuse for rape. Maybe you made a bad decision, but you didn't deserve to be raped. Ultimately it is up to you whether or not you want to pursue legal action against your rapist. I'm not going to tell you what to do. Please keep in mind though that many rapists have multiple victims. You may not have been the first, and you may not be the last. Other women may be hurt by him the way you were. Even if you decide not to press charges, please don't keep this to yourself. There are support groups, hotlines, and therapists that specialize in this area. It hurts a lot to talk about it, but it helps the wound heal more quickly and more completely. And, above all things, please remember you're not alone.

Gentlemen, men, and boys, I know you're not all evil rapists who lurk in the shadows waiting for scantily clad women to drunkenly stumble by. I have your best interests in mind too. If you ever engage in sexual conduct with a women who isn't in her right mind (i.e. she's drunk, high, overly emotional) keep in mind that what you're doing may be considered rape. I don't care if you're drunk/high too; it can still be considered rape. So think about it. Is a drunken tryst worth possible jail time and a record? Also, if she expresses any reservations about sex at all, back off immediately. Please. Bad things sometimes happen to good guys because they accidentally do something bad. I had a friend in the beginning of college who had drunken sex with a girl he met at a party. They were both so drunk that neither of them could have given consent legally, but they fucked. The next day the girl pressed charges. Luckily, he didn't have to do jail time, but he is on probation for a very long time and he has a record that will follow him around forever. There have been cases were women have pressed charges because they were coerced into sex (i.e. they said no but the guy kept pushing for it so they broke down and said yes). Also, check ID's please. Seriously. Get some proof of age. If I had a dollar for every time I guy I knew who was a legal adult accidentally slept with a girl who was under the legal age of consent because "she said she was 18" I'd have, to my knowledge anyways, close to $15. The truth is sometimes girls lie. Sometimes they lie about their age to seem cooler. Sometimes they lie about their age because they know if you knew they were under 18 you'd have no interest in them. Sad, but true. Guys, it's just as important for you to watch out for yourself as it for the gals to watch out for themselves.

Women who cry rape, stop it. Just stop it. It's not funny. It's not cute. It's a really shitty way to get the attention you're craving. When women report fake rapes it makes real rapes seem less valid, and it takes attention away from cases that really happened.

Rapists, fuck you. Seriously. That's all I'm going to say.

Also, I'm not trying to make everyone paranoid of the opposite sex. Just be aware.

Phillip's friend that I posted about earlier is in the hospital right now. I don't know the whole story, but what I do know is that her boyfriend posted bail (or something to that effect), broke the restraining order she put on him earlier today, and raped and beat the shit out of this poor girl while she was trying to clean up her house after he destroyed it this morning. She is definitely pressing charges, and this guy is going away for a long time.

The really scary thing is that I'd met her boyfriend before, and he seemed like a nice guy. He was always friendly and polite. He treated her so lovingly in front of us. I liked him.

2 Women Die from Domestic Violence Every Week (in Britain)

intense... moving... incredibly accurate

Don't Run Out on Your Faith

This recession keeps hitting more and more people I care about - whether I know them personally or not... here is a shoutout to some of my favorites who are aggravated and tired of the economy shutting them out... try to remember His Door is Always Open... even when you feel tired and betrayed by God's plan.

<3

Live:


Official Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUtFEKhtB30

Stupid AIG

I used to love these ads... BOOOOOO




(Thank you Gawker: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gawker/full/~3/iziYUXWYFmA/drink-your-bitters-aigs-ads-from-the-good-old-days)

Google Reader

Wow, so... my blog roll is really stacking up here. This reason is why I hate no having the internet!! I am about 400 entries behind total! GRACIOUS (including Jossip, Gawker, Pink Is the New Blog... and my "normal" people blog entries). But still... JEEZ!

Thankfully, HughesNet should be done by this time tomorrow... fingers crossed!

Closing

Our house closing is in less than 12 hours!! OMG!! SO EXCITING~!

Happy happy happy!

Moving

I find this clip to be incredibly moving...




Just so sad...

Boarding School

Photo owned by: Lisa Richmond

In this rough financial climate, everyone is certainly on their toes. However, this AM when I opened up my New York Times, I didn't necessarily plan on reading this article, which really tugged at my heart-strings and to be honest, made me quite upset!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/business/07conserve.html

The Conserve School basically just opened in 2002, and already has an endowment of 181 million dollars.

It was a non-profit started when the CEO of a Chicago steel company died, whole established a trust for 70% students to recieve financial aid, run the school, donated 1,200 acres for the school to be on (and I thought the almost 400 acres my boarding school had was a lot), and to maintain the school with a majority stake (59%) in this said Chicago steel company.

Unfortunately, the school earlier this semester, called the student body together to let students know at the end of this semester, the school will be no longer a boarding school 4-year program and will instead become a semester-long study program.

What? Excuse me?

I know.

Apparently, and I can only understand the financial gibberish in this article because I am on the Annual Fund for a couple of different non-profits (including my own alma mater), they didn't sell off 5% of their assets every year, and if not selling it, diversifying them. Basically, their portfolio wasn't adjusted to work with the climate of the market.

Ironically enough, the people who run the school? Trustees. Kind-of like the situation of The Greenbrier with CSX Railroad being it's owners. The Trustees of the school are board members at this Chicago Steel Company. So it's a situation of greed and nonchalance. And that upsets me.

I immediately emailed my boarding school Annual Fund coordinator to let her know how this article made me feel, and that I would love to do anything extra that I could to help my boarding school in this financial climate... if they needed my help outside of my regular donations. I have yet to hear from her, but I feel like it wouldn't hurt. At least I could then figure out how to do more letters to my classmates before June 30...

Colonel William John "Bill" Stockwell

Colonel William John Stockwell, 56, of Lexington, VA, died unexpectedly Wednesday, February 4, 2009.

Colonel Stockwell is survived by his wife, Jill, daughter, Jaclyn, and sons, Robert and Bredt. He is also survived by his mother Margaret and sister, Martha of Asheville, NC, and his brothers Richard of Manalapan, NJ, and Robert of Atlanta, GA.

He was predeceased by his father, Eugene Stockwell.

Colonel Stockwell began work at Virginia Military Institute January 1, 1975, as an instructor in the Physical Education Department and rose to full professor of physical education, remaining with the department until his promotion to Associate Dean in 1994. He served as Acting Dean of the Faculty for the 2000 - 2001 academic year, and he has served as the Deputy Superintendent for Academics and Dean of the Faculty for the current academic year.

A 1970 graduate of Ridgewood High School, NJ, and a 1974 graduate of Springfield College, Colonel Stockwell earned his doctorate in health education from the University of Virginia in 1984. In 1986 he received VMI's Thomas Jefferson Distinguished Teaching Award.

Colonel Stockwell was active in the community and served as coach for various sports for all of his children. He was an avid sports fan and particularly supported the New York Giants, VMI and University of Virginia athletics. He was a season ticket holder for UVA football.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2009, at Jackson Memorial Hall on the VMI campus at 11 a.m. Reverend Tom Crittenden will be officiating.

The family deeply appreciates the generous outpouring of support from the VMI and Lexington communities.

Gifts in Colonel Stockwell's memory may be sent to the VMI Foundation, P. O. Box 932 Lexington, VA 24450.

Arrangements are being handled by the Harrison Funeral Home & Crematory, Lexington, VA.



VMI News Release
Published: February 5, 2009

A funeral service for Colonel William J. Stockwell has been set for 11 a.m. Saturday (Feb. 7) at Jackson Memorial Hall at Virginia Military Institute.
Colonel Stockwell, Acting Deputy Superintendent and Dean of the Faculty, died Wednesday.
Immediately following the service, a reception will be held at the new Center for Leadership and Ethics behind the Marshall Museum.
Attendees should be aware that parking will be challenging, with a number of events occurring at VMI on Saturday. Signage and attendants will direct visitors to available parking. Parking should be available behind the Marshall Museum and around the Parade Ground. The area in front of the Barracks near Jackson Memorial Hall is set aside for handicapped parking.
Uniformed members of the faculty and staff should wear Class A uniforms; cadets should wear gray blouse.
Gifts in honor of Colonel Stockwell’s memory may be sent to the VMI Foundation, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, Va., 24450.
Persons wishing to send condolences to the Stockwell family can do so my sending an e-mail to condolences@vmi.edu.

Very Sad

It makes me very sad to know that other nations do not respect our position in the world anymore. We used to be a popular, well-liked country, and then something like this happens and our elected President (who is leaving in a month so why can't the haters just let it go?) has no respect whatsoever:



I just find that messed up. Regardless of political beliefs, this man is still the President of the United States, and to just be like that is not the nicest thing to do. What happened to etiquette and social graces?

NOT COOL

This is a great bike event in NYC. I am all about bike events in general. The cop is such a jerk!!! And I normally LOVE law enforcement people. No lame excuse could work here. Walking pedestrians have to YIELD to bikers! Come on, NYPD doesn't need bad press!!

Here is the NY Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/nyregion/29critical.html?ref=nyregion