Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Throw Me Somethin' Mister!!
I live in the heart of Mardi Gras and was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to ride on one of the floats this past weekend. We threw beads and stuffed animals into a fun wanting crowd and it made me think...there's a certain element of "power" in the brief moment you are giving a small something to a few people in a crowd that went to great lengths to be in the best place they could be to receive these small trinkets.
I can relate this feeling on a small level to the many senators and why they have such a hard time cutting anything out of the budget since they have constituents in their home states or districts, waiting for their small trinkets.
Of course we told friends what float we would be on, what side of the float, and they in turn told us exactly where they would be standing on the route so we would be prepared with armfuls of the best beads just for them... but there was also plenty to evenly throw to the rest of the crowd...
In these times of struggle that we all find ourselves in, there is a collective request for people to make sacrifices, spend less, save more, so that we can all get through this tough economic environment... but somehow there are politicians who hold on to their armfuls of loot just for their buddies while neglecting the rest of the crowd...
When you have senators and government officials telling their friends where exactly to stand on their parade route so they can throw them armfuls of no-bid contracts, and pet projects, it becomes exceedingly frustrating for the rest of the crowd who get next to nothing and who would simply be happy with the basics; better schools for our kids, and the right to collective bargaining to maintain a living wage.
So even though at the end of the day we are all well aware that you are going to throw your friends a few more special items than the strangers in the crowd, let the beads fly to everyone else too so we can feel as if you are actually in office to make your whole state and country a better place where people can feel they get something from the effort they are putting forth.
I can relate this feeling on a small level to the many senators and why they have such a hard time cutting anything out of the budget since they have constituents in their home states or districts, waiting for their small trinkets.
Of course we told friends what float we would be on, what side of the float, and they in turn told us exactly where they would be standing on the route so we would be prepared with armfuls of the best beads just for them... but there was also plenty to evenly throw to the rest of the crowd...
In these times of struggle that we all find ourselves in, there is a collective request for people to make sacrifices, spend less, save more, so that we can all get through this tough economic environment... but somehow there are politicians who hold on to their armfuls of loot just for their buddies while neglecting the rest of the crowd...
When you have senators and government officials telling their friends where exactly to stand on their parade route so they can throw them armfuls of no-bid contracts, and pet projects, it becomes exceedingly frustrating for the rest of the crowd who get next to nothing and who would simply be happy with the basics; better schools for our kids, and the right to collective bargaining to maintain a living wage.
So even though at the end of the day we are all well aware that you are going to throw your friends a few more special items than the strangers in the crowd, let the beads fly to everyone else too so we can feel as if you are actually in office to make your whole state and country a better place where people can feel they get something from the effort they are putting forth.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Mob-Mentality and the Blame Game
I am troubled by the news lately... while I'm all for smaller government and limited spending, I always find it interesting that the first cuts initialized are the programs for health and education. While I agree there are issues with both (there are issues with any large programs) these are basic needs that need to be met in this country for us to succeed. We need healthy, educated people to create a strong nation. I also find it interesting that people are screaming for a smaller government except when it comes to abortion rights. These are the same people who believe that patients should be able to deal directly with their doctors and be treated accordingly without insurance and government butting in... except for abortions. Ms Bachmann speaks about abortions as if they are convenient drive through procedures that take place on a whim. She is insane.
Don't fool yourselves, we pay no matter what. When it comes to abortions by choice, we need to look further than the procedure itself. What is lacking on the path to this procedure? Education? self-esteem? Better adoption services? Who are the people we can reach before they get to this very dramatic and devastating result? We need to reach out our hands to these people and stop pointing fingers. We won't reach them all but we should be ashamed of ourselves if we don't try something other than making it illegal and throwing people in jail. That helps no one.
This is a billboard currently in New York... I understand it is trying to make a bold statement to start a "conversation", but I am afraid that all it will start is mob-mentality induced blame game. We are better than this and can do better by our countrymen. If you are passionate about making abortion illegal, what have you done to make it unnecessary?
Don't fool yourselves, we pay no matter what. When it comes to abortions by choice, we need to look further than the procedure itself. What is lacking on the path to this procedure? Education? self-esteem? Better adoption services? Who are the people we can reach before they get to this very dramatic and devastating result? We need to reach out our hands to these people and stop pointing fingers. We won't reach them all but we should be ashamed of ourselves if we don't try something other than making it illegal and throwing people in jail. That helps no one.
This is a billboard currently in New York... I understand it is trying to make a bold statement to start a "conversation", but I am afraid that all it will start is mob-mentality induced blame game. We are better than this and can do better by our countrymen. If you are passionate about making abortion illegal, what have you done to make it unnecessary?
Thursday, September 2, 2010
World AIDS Day 2010
World AIDS Day 2010 is of course December 1st of every year... it is a time to reflect on the progress we have made and the long road ahead of us. Until there is a cure, prevention is paramount. We are all responsible for our own actions, our own sexual health... if you choose to have sex, and you aren't 100% sure of your status or your partner's, you owe it to yourself to use a condom and lessen the chance of contracting HIV or STD's... Love yourself enough.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Win a Just In Case Condom Compact!!
Thank you Swa-Rai Fashion and Lifestyle Blog for such a great review and post!!! Enter her contest to win a compact!
Love Well. Love Wisely.
Love Well. Love Wisely.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Robots Need To Carry Condoms Too!
Sometimes I just love the internet... thank you to my friend Lisa who introduced me to this great site where you can create your own movies... so of course I had to make one about Just In Case Compacts!!!
Have a gander...
Robots Need To Carry Condoms Too!
Have a gander...
Robots Need To Carry Condoms Too!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
The Big Bad Media and the Power of Trend
Having 2 younger children I am constantly aware of the images they are subjected to on TV, in magazines, online etc. That awareness never leaves me even when I am not in “protection mode”.
The irony is never lost on me however, that we can advertise seduction at nauseating rates, yet condom ads aren’t allowed… Viagra is advertised during prime time and Guardasil is advertised as cervical cancer prevention rather than HPV prevention- a sexually transmitted disease that can cause cancer…even now I am tempted to get out my soap box… but I won’t.
Rather I will turn to the audience… the media feeds its audience what it wants. If the advertising didn’t work, and people stopped buying their products because they were all so offended by the images, media would change. But America has a voracious appetite for garbage; we are obese, broke, and dumber than we prefer to think.
We buy into the hype that a bra will make you look and feel like the models wearing the “Nakeds”, eating the giant hamburger with ketchup dripping down your chest will result in your looking like Paris Hilton (I’m sure the 50 grams of fat don’t really exist in those burgers) and that using Just For Men hair gel on your beard will get you laid by someone 15 years your junior instantaneously.
So how do we sneak in the “vegetables” with the Mac N Cheese Media?
Hide it in trend.
I bought this great cookbook for my finicky kids who weren’t eating enough vegetables… you sneak the veggies into their food by pureeing them and cooking it into the stuff they love. They never see that cauliflower coming.
So instead of the serious talks about STDs and HIV, how devastating they can be to your life, and how easily they are spread, we will wrap prevention in a cute little compact, make it cool to carry and the thing you MUST have.
So put on your “Nakeds”, grab your Just In Case compact (I bet you can fit a little blue pill in there too) find that guy at the sports bar with his “Just For Men” beard that will instantly turn you on, and head out for a triple hamburger dripping in ketchup and special sauce. I’m sure it will be the greatest night of your life…
Getting people to carry condoms is half the battle, getting people to use them correctly is the other half… We will do our part by making it chic to carry a condom in a trendy compact; the rest is up to you, my voracious audience. I hope you don’t taste the veggies… but enjoy the whole meal.
The irony is never lost on me however, that we can advertise seduction at nauseating rates, yet condom ads aren’t allowed… Viagra is advertised during prime time and Guardasil is advertised as cervical cancer prevention rather than HPV prevention- a sexually transmitted disease that can cause cancer…even now I am tempted to get out my soap box… but I won’t.
Rather I will turn to the audience… the media feeds its audience what it wants. If the advertising didn’t work, and people stopped buying their products because they were all so offended by the images, media would change. But America has a voracious appetite for garbage; we are obese, broke, and dumber than we prefer to think.
We buy into the hype that a bra will make you look and feel like the models wearing the “Nakeds”, eating the giant hamburger with ketchup dripping down your chest will result in your looking like Paris Hilton (I’m sure the 50 grams of fat don’t really exist in those burgers) and that using Just For Men hair gel on your beard will get you laid by someone 15 years your junior instantaneously.
So how do we sneak in the “vegetables” with the Mac N Cheese Media?
Hide it in trend.
I bought this great cookbook for my finicky kids who weren’t eating enough vegetables… you sneak the veggies into their food by pureeing them and cooking it into the stuff they love. They never see that cauliflower coming.
So instead of the serious talks about STDs and HIV, how devastating they can be to your life, and how easily they are spread, we will wrap prevention in a cute little compact, make it cool to carry and the thing you MUST have.
So put on your “Nakeds”, grab your Just In Case compact (I bet you can fit a little blue pill in there too) find that guy at the sports bar with his “Just For Men” beard that will instantly turn you on, and head out for a triple hamburger dripping in ketchup and special sauce. I’m sure it will be the greatest night of your life…
Getting people to carry condoms is half the battle, getting people to use them correctly is the other half… We will do our part by making it chic to carry a condom in a trendy compact; the rest is up to you, my voracious audience. I hope you don’t taste the veggies… but enjoy the whole meal.
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