KONY 2012: Make Him Famous

Invisible Children

The words alone are haunting. The fact that it is a reality is devastating.

For the duration of this viral 30 minute short documentary film, my heart broke and tears swelled my eyes, daring to fall at any given second.

Joseph Kony needs to be stopped. He has kidnapped over 30,000 children and turned them into guerilla soldiers and sex slaves. He has them murder their families and mutilate people’s faces. He’s been doing this for 20 years and it’s about time he’s stopped.

No child should live in fear of being abducted or killed. No child should rather die than live under his control. Now it’s up to us, as citizens of this world, to step up and make a difference because we’re the only ones who can.

The people of Uganda don’t have the amenities, resources, and capabilities to stop Kony on their own- especially when this is the only life they are accustomed to. If the world continues to sit back, this will be the equivalent of Hitler or Pol Pot’s mass murders. Now in a digital era, it would be a disgrace to know this is happening and not do anything about it.

As much as I love the entertainment industry, it’s sickening that more people know about Snooki than Kony. Everyone is talking about whether or not she’s pregnant or engaged when the world should be focused on the injustice in Uganda.

George Clooney put it best by saying, “I’d like war criminals to have the same celebrity as me.” People like him can make a difference by spreading the word to their countless fans who can then tell their friends. If people of his caliber spent a fraction of their time discussing the real issues in the world, ala Angelina Jolie, and not talk about what designer their wearing or who they’re currently dating, we can change the conversation of our culture.

KONY 2012 is a movement aimed to:

Spread the word.

Stop the L.R.A.

Stop Joseph Kony.

Stop the injustice

 

For more information and ways to get involved, please visit Kony2012.com or InvisibleChildren.com

A Letter of Appreciation to Lana Del Rey

Dear Lana Del Rey,

It’s not like anyone actually reads this blog, but I feel compelled to let you know that you are appreciated. All the haters, mainly self-proclaimed hipsters that live off their parents trust funds and wouldn’t know what a hard day’s work was if it slapped them in the face, don’t know what they’re talking about when it comes to you.

Everyone seems to be in a tizzy; like their panties are in a bunch or their skinny jeans are just too damn tight. They seem to believe they’re entitled to say your album isn’t good or talk trash about you because they’re jealous. They’re jealous because not even mommy and daddy’s money can make their pseudo band that performs in a bed bug infested apartment become successful. Okay, maybe I’m being a bit harsh on them, but who are they to complain about you?!

Your music is like a breath of fresh air, the first snowflakes on a winter’s day, the taste of perfectly brewed coffee in the morning. I’ve been listening to your music on YouTube since last year, and now with the full album being out for a week, I may or may not have drained my iPod battery on multiple occasions. I keep trying to decide what my favorite song is but it’s really an eight way tie between “Off to the Races”, “Blue Jeans”,  “Video Games”,  “Diet Mountain Dew”, “Radio”, “Summertime Sadness”, “Without You”, or “Lolita”. Deciding just makes my head hurt.

I’m also trying really hard to remember you. We went to Fordham at the same time and may have even had a class or two together but I just can’t remember you, Elizabeth Grant. I’m sure I wasn’t memorable either; it was hard enough trying to keep track of all the homework we had.

Either way, I think you’re great. Anyone who got turned off from you after your Saturday Night Live performance should get a hobby because really, SNL isn’t as important in pop culture as it used to be now that Tina Fey is gone. But you represent the future of pop culture- a singer who can make her name known on the Internet with a sultry voice and intriguing music videos. You managed to sell out the Bowery Ballroom 1 minute after tickets went on sale back in the Fall. Trust me; I’m still bitter about not being able to see you live.

Next time you come back to New York, I better be in the audience with real fans. If any haters are around, I’ll be the girl getting into a fight on stage left.

With Love,

Nora

Best of 2011

Best Song:

Lady Gaga – Born This Way

This song is on the right track to be the anthem of the year.

Best Album:

Adele – 21

If she doesn’t sweep the Grammy Awards in February, I will lose my faith in the music industry completely.

Best Music Video:

Katy Perry – Last Friday Night

Can’t help but love the homage to 80′s movies and the random celebrity appearances.

Best TV Show:

Glee

Okay, so I may get frustrated with storylines and the writers’ general lack of knowledge about their own show, but it’s still the best show on TV with a ridiculously talented cast. It doesn’t hurt that basically everyone is so attractive it hurts.

Best Movie:

Bridesmaids

Thank you Kristin Wiig for showing the world just how funny women can be funny. And Melissa McCarthy, you are a scene stealer. Please go to the bathroom in sinks more often

Best Book:

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Dear Tina: Do you know how much I love you? Let me count the ways… oh wait, there aren’t enough numbers to express that

Best Actor/Actress:

Ryan Gosling

Even though I still haven’t seen Crazy Stupid Love, Ides of March, or Drive (I know, I suck), I can tell that Ryan Gosling is clearly the biggest actor of the year. His face (/”Photoshopped” body) and name seem to be everywhere. There’s even a Tumblr page of a collection of Gosling Tumblr pages. That’s when you know you’ve made it.

Biggest Break-up

Kim Kardashian & Kris Humphries

I’m still crying over Kim and Kris’ breakup. I’ve lost all faith in love now! NOT! Their breakup was big because it was disgusting. Who divorces after 72 days? Oh right, spoiled rotten brats like Kim Kardashian who abuse the right to marry while pocketing millions of dollars and ratings in the progress. It’s really sad that people are afraid that gay marriage will ruin the sanctity of marriage, yet being allowed to do this is okay. What a world we live in.

Biggest Loser:

Ashton Kutcher

Sure, he got a record-breaking contract on a highly publicized show, but he’s a loser. Who cheats on Demi Moore?! Also, what’s happened to his adorable face? All that scruff just makes him look even more like, well, the Biggest Loser of 2011

Person of the Year:

Steve Jobs

There’s really not much left to say about the late genius. He has changed the way we listen to music, talk to our friends, and how we interact on a daily basis. His contributions to technology will be remembered forever and we thank him for sharing his creativity with the world. May he Rest In Peace

Who to Watch in 2012

Lana Del Rey

She became an internet sensation recently and sold out shows without even having released an album, trust me, I was one of those who wasn’t able to get tickets but don’t take my word for it, have a listen to her brilliance.

Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain

Over the course of the last week, some questionable occurrences in a certain celebrity’s personal life have consumed my mind and made me question what is really transpiring. While I will not publicly comment on this person’s interests because enough of that is already going on, I find it impossible not to comment on the illusions of Hollywood and the people who want to keep money in their bank account.

For all the grandeur and glory that Hollywood represents, it’s quite easy to be blinded by the blazing lights and beautiful bodies and ignore the ugly troll like appearance just under the surface. Anyone who takes everything that they see at face value is delusion. Yet many say that those who believe otherwise are delusional as well.

According to Websters, ‘delusion’ is defined as: a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary.

So which one is it? Are those who believe everything the talent, tabloids, and Hollywood execs say, the delusional ones? Or are those who take it all with a grain of salt actually deluded? I personally believe that’s akin to asking “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” Both seem plausible so it comes down to a matter of what you personally believe.

In the case of Hollywood, I believe in taking a grain of salt and questioning calculated coincidences. If that makes me deluded, then call me deluded. It is just far too easy for someone to conjure up an idea of how they want to be portrayed in the media and then try to work the system to guarantee they are represented that way. This is what managers, publicists, and gossip columnists get paid to do. The representatives can easily issue a statement, leak a tip, and make sure that their client is published as being XYZ. It is then up to the talent to follow through with this and put on a good face.

This is where the conspiracy theories can easily be formed, and while I will not comment on the party I have in mind; they certainly have been utilizing these tools over the last six months, yet they have also given birth to the mother-load of theories by their own doing.

Some people will fight to the death over being right. Usually, this is for more important matters like healthcare or human rights; but even for something as miniscule as the happenings in Hollywood, everyone has an opinion formulated by what they have seen and what they believe. The only thing we should be able to agree on is that we will never know the real truth.

Evil Takes Shape in Ticketmaster & StubHub

When I was eleven, concert tickets were usually purchased at a verified Ticketmaster location. I remember waiting hours on a tangible line outside The Wiz to get Nsync tickets. Twelve years later, tickets can only be purchased through the monopolizing Ticketmaster via online.

Here’s how the process usually goes:

You go online to make a purchase as soon as tickets become available. You become frustrated when your wait time for tickets says 5 minutes. You become even more frustrated when you’re given tickets that are at the top of the arena. You begin to scratch your head wondering why you have such bad luck. You purchase the tickets anyway just to be inside because the show actually means something to you. Out of curiosity, you check StubHub and see that within the 15 minutes that tickets for the PRE-SALE have gone on sale, there are already 237 tickets for sale. Enter expletives.

While there is no fair system to selling tickets unless they are actually only sold at the venue, how I feel about Ticketmaster will never change now. How I feel about scalpers who instantly buy up all the good seats and then go put them on StubHub is only growing each time a concert is ruined months before it even happens. These people out to make a quick buck fill me with so much rage that if they were a unified force, I’d pulverize them!

In a smaller and less damaging way, ticket hounds are like terrorists. They intentionally inflict pain on others via the lack of tickets, raised prices, and even the stress of having to accept defeat. They show no mercy, no sympathy, and most importantly, are ruthless to make a buck. They are faceless but powerful.

We live in an age of monopolies, corruption, greed, and selfishness in every single way and it’s sickening. I’m tired of not being able to enjoy entertainment because everyone else wants to ruin it. I’m tired of going to movie premieres and being attacked, yes attacked!, because the people behind me are uneducated rats who sell celebrity autographs on Ebay. I’m tired of actually having a brain, decency, and passion only to have some stranger try to rain on it all the time.

With that being said, I am going to make the best of the concert I am attending because even if I’m up in section 322, I’m in the presence of greatness. I will ignore the fact that there are currently 815 tickets on sale on Stubhub only 4 hours after the Pre-Sale began. I will ignore that Ticketmaster and ticket hounds exist because frankly, they don’t deserve to.

If Books Die, So Do We

In 1998, business mogul Joe Fox, played by Tom Hanks, was seen as the evil corporate sellout when he opened his Fox Books chain store in You’ve Got Mail. Kathleen Kelly, played by Meg Ryan, was distraught that her small local bookstore would succumb to the juggernaut.

Twelve years later, big corporations like Barnes and Noble and Borders are the leaders in book sales. Local bookstores are a rarity and neighborhood treasure when they are found still open. Yet twelve years ago, no one would have fathomed the idea of the juggernaut stores being threatened by any other power. Sadly that has become a reality and it poses the question of, what now?

Due to the success of e-books, the horrendous economy, and people’s lack of desire to read, stores like Barnes and Noble are being hit hard. Just yesterday I discovered that my favorite Barnes and Noble, located in the heart of Lincoln Center here in New York, would be closing. The mother load has been attacked.

As a writer, news like this is terrifying. Are we that addicted to technology that we need to read on a screen? Is paper not sacred anymore? And even worse, are we becoming a dumber nation?

Reading is a fundamental part of one’s education, enlightenment, and enjoyment. If that starts to be taken away from us, we might as well revert to becoming cavemen and cavewomen. Except now we’ll be saying “Me got new toy,” when holding our Kindle and not absorbing a word that’s on it.

The irony is that You’ve Got Mail dealt with business rivalry and love acquired over the Internet. Now the Internet is the problem.

Proposition Hate Overruled!

To celebrate yesterday’s overruling of the hateful and unconstitutional Prop 8 in California, let’s celebrate Hollywood’s favorite gays who deserve equal rights.

And lets not forget America’s favorite coach

Equal rights for all!

Protesting is as Christian as Mel Gibson Hitting Women

The Westboro Baptist Church, led by extremist Fred Phelps, seem to enjoy protesting in order to spread their beliefs. They also believe that spreading hatred, violence, and making use of judgmental values makes them good Christians.

As usual, the religious extremists are not realizing their hypocrisy and how they are not good Christians by acting out in such ways. Wouldn’t God want us to love one another? After all, he’s the one that said we are all created in his image and likeness. But let’s not get technical; these people only have one agenda. And that’s not stopping the consumption of shellfish, which is also in the Bible.

When the West Baptist “Church” protested Lady Gaga’s concert in St. Louis last weekend, they came armed with signs of “God Hates Gaga” “God Hates Fags”. To that I say, “God Hates Haters!”

At Comic-Con last week they came with their right winged signs of “God Hates America,” “You Hate God,” and “AntiChrist = Obama.”

Luckily, the Comic-Coners were prepared and had a counter attack, mocking the organization with their “God Hates Jedi” signs as well as “Fags are Sexy Beasts” and “The Dark Knight is By My Side.”

I firmly believe that an organization of this kind should not receive any media attention because to them, that’s their mission- to be seen and convince others that homosexuals, liberals, Obama, and even Lady Gaga and comic fans are evil and corrupt. Yet even though they don’t deserve the time of day, shouldn’t we be made away of the seeds of evil that are existing in our own country?

What do you think: are they worth talking about or  should we pretend they don’t exist?

Battle of the Sexes- A Grain of Salt

Could I beat up two guys that tried to attack me on the street? Probably not, but I could kick them where it hurts and run for my life. Could Angelina Jolie or Milla Jovovich beat up two guys in the street on and off screen? I’m thinking YES!

Yet with Jolie’s Salt hitting theatres this Friday, a lot of people are claiming that it’s too unrealistic and that a woman can’t be a convincing lead action star. Right, because Tom Cruise in this role would have been a whole lot more convincing. From couch jumping to jumping out of helicopters. That’s believable.

An unnamed chauvinistic male stated this in a Salt IMDB forum: “Another example of a person who seems to think men and women are equals in every possible way which is, of course, utter BS. Did you go to school and learn about the human body? If you did than you must be forgetting something big that separates men and women and makes them way different.

No, it’s not always a man. I think there should be more women in strong roles but it should at least be realistic. Realism is the key factor here. The average woman cannot take down the average man without a weapon. Fact.

I don’t deny that a woman can do just as good as a man on math tests or be a genius and change the world by finding new sources of energy that is clean…those are all mental things. I don’t, however, see the average woman strangling and or getting into a fist fight with a man, that’s the problem.”

So women are now belittled to only excelling in something that is mental? We are apparently incapable of ever being strong enough to kick (excuse my language) male ass. Well winning a fight is half mental so females already have an advantage, plus women are thinner and can move faster than lumps of misused male muscle. Some women can out battle men and action movies with female leads take on that notion, especially when they are led by strong women like Jolie or Jovovich.

The reason men don’t like female action movies is because they are desperately trying to hold on to the belief that men are better than women in everything. God forbid a woman is stronger than them! To them, it takes away their manhood and that’s why for so many years women were denied rights and freedom because men wanted the control and power of being stronger in every way.

While there is no denying that most average women can’t beat men up, some can. And we should all be able to! How long will men continue this macho belief that they are superior than women and are therefore entitled to abuse their strength? Men think they’re stronger that’s why they try to sexually assault women and rape them in the streets or steal their purses. That shows real great use of their powers.

If all women were given the strength that is fictionally enhanced, but could be possible, in Salt, Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, Charlie’s Angels, etc.. the world would be a much different and better place. I will always love female led action movies because they pose a challenge that is much more engaging to watch.

When Your Favorite Celebs Do Bad Things

… how do you respond?

This thought came to mind after a friend of mine inquired on my thoughts of Lady Gaga’s antics at recent baseball games in New York. During her Citi Field outing I was happy to see her at a Met game period, regardless of the finger flipping to the press. But then she went to the Bronx… in a Yankees jersey… during the Subway Series.

As an avid Gaga and Mets fan, I felt completely torn, even over something as simple as this. I believe that people I’m fans of should share the same views or values that I do. Isn’t that why we’re fans of certain people after all?

Let’s take this to a bigger stage than a baseball game: did fans of Chris Brown turn away after the Rihanna incident? Does Amy Winehouse have any fans left? Do fans stick by their favorite celebrities regardless of what they do?

In the end, we are all human. We all make mistakes and have lapses in judgment at times. Yet if those people were in our immediate circle of friends, wouldn’t we distance ourselves from them after such negative acts?

For the record, I’m not abandoning Lady Gaga just because she wore a Yankees jersey, even though I dislike 92% of Yankee fans. But I do know that if we ever became friends that would be the first thing I talked to her about.