Do Americans really know what the hell is going on in Iraq? Because I don't. Or I didn't.
I obviously still don't have much of a clue, but I read an article today that made me really worried, particularly about how or why information is discussed about the war in our world here.
I read news pieces on Iraq, and then I'll read very passionate or very intellectual op-eds or blog entries, but I never feel like I get them because they either assume I already know everything, which I don't, or they just write as if no one did, really.
Regardless, I read a piece in the new GQ with the horrible Justin Timberlake cover today, and it all finally clicked. And I really highly recommend it. It's by JEffrey Getleman, a writer from the New York Times Baghdad Bureau. I would link it but it's not online.
Wow, how ridiculous am I? "all i needed to know about iraq i read in gq"
no, but really.
...my grandma just spoke coherently after a month of not making a sound...
...i'm off for the wekend to go see jos at his genius camp!
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Inspired by true events on movie screens
So, New York, like the rest of the universe, just had a massive heat wave. That also means life suddenly got super uber gnarly crazy and made people do crazy things, like pick my name out of a hat and give me my first real journalism assignment, or listen to the only three guster tracks on guster dot com on repeat for an entire work day (they're in the Bonus section on the top right). People loved talking about it.
When it ended, my mom and I were carrying the last remains of our life on 19th street out of the street elevator, it started pouring all of a sudden. After three days of 100+ weather. Naturally. It was heavy, movie set rain, and it felt fitting.
Then Lea Geyser and I shopped at Marc Jacobs. Um, what? as she said on her blog, I mean...livejournal, "THE IRONY OF THIS KILLS ME, BUT I WON'T MAKE JOKES"
Then I joined my first and only facebook global group, ever. That's because I'm pretty sure it can't be beat. Buca really does love us.
Then I got an assignment for a story in the New York Post. That's a real newspaper! in new york! and i get a byline! and 75 cents a word! !?!$(#). Today my editor e-mailed me something and this was at the end of the message:
Hmmmm what other craziness happened? Oh, I found the perfect shampoo for my weak, out of control, terribly damaged hair. A beauty product that actually works and actually makes your hair un-damaged is pretty much a miracle. You think I'm kidding...
Global Warming = Al Gore madness = Marc Jacobs T Shirt = Lea and I on Bleeker
Global Warming = Movie set rain = closure on final move out day
Global Warming = delirium = joining a facebook global group
Global Warming = alternate forces of the universe collide to make fern happy = nypost story
Thanks global warming?
...Anyway this in no way means I'm not scared out of my mind about doing this article.
When it ended, my mom and I were carrying the last remains of our life on 19th street out of the street elevator, it started pouring all of a sudden. After three days of 100+ weather. Naturally. It was heavy, movie set rain, and it felt fitting.
Then Lea Geyser and I shopped at Marc Jacobs. Um, what? as she said on her blog, I mean...livejournal, "THE IRONY OF THIS KILLS ME, BUT I WON'T MAKE JOKES"
Then I joined my first and only facebook global group, ever. That's because I'm pretty sure it can't be beat. Buca really does love us.
Then I got an assignment for a story in the New York Post. That's a real newspaper! in new york! and i get a byline! and 75 cents a word! !?!$(#). Today my editor e-mailed me something and this was at the end of the message:
This message and its attachments may contain legally privilegedGnarly much?
and/or confidential information. If you are not the intended
recipient (or responsible for delivery of the message to the
intended recipient), you are hereby notified that you have received
this transmission in error; any review, dissemination, distribution
or copying of this transmission is strictly prohibited. If you have
received this communication in error, please notify us immediately
by reply or by telephone (call us at 212-930-8000) and immediately delete this message and all its attachments. Any content of this message and its attachments that does not relate to the official business of NYP Holdings, Inc. must be taken not to have been sentor endorsed by any of them.
Hmmmm what other craziness happened? Oh, I found the perfect shampoo for my weak, out of control, terribly damaged hair. A beauty product that actually works and actually makes your hair un-damaged is pretty much a miracle. You think I'm kidding...
Global Warming = Al Gore madness = Marc Jacobs T Shirt = Lea and I on Bleeker
Global Warming = Movie set rain = closure on final move out day
Global Warming = delirium = joining a facebook global group
Global Warming = alternate forces of the universe collide to make fern happy = nypost story
Thanks global warming?
...Anyway this in no way means I'm not scared out of my mind about doing this article.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Monday, July 17, 2006
what a sad day for keith-lovers worldwide
So remember how I said the strangely beautiful Keith from project runway was my favorite? And then kyle and justin called him an ass? and then justin said he looked like robby cannady from our tenth grade english class, one robby cannady whom i happened to harbor a huge crush for until he turned melissa and i down to be in our hegel project together? well, he is probably an ass, who probably almost certainly copied designs from lacoste and marni for his application. i probably also sound like an ass. but seriously, wtf.
as my awesome co-intern anthony just said to me, "he took our hearts and ran away with them."
Thursday, July 13, 2006
no phantom planet this time
SO, here I am again. Packing. Listening to guster. Wearing my lime green yearbook shirt. Getting ready to move...something, somewhere new, for the third time in a year. Trying to make it meaningful, because it always is.
...being summoned by mom to load the car again and not finishing this entry.
Ah, moving.
=)
...being summoned by mom to load the car again and not finishing this entry.
Ah, moving.
=)
...Du Jour
7//13//06Obsession: new project runway season, duh. Angela wears these amazing short puffy skirts and Keith is a beautiful man who makes beautiful clothes and they're both my faaaavorites.
Mexico-Us Border Wall Idea that Wants to Treat Immigrants Like Cattle: watch this rep's convincing how-to video on the wall he wants to build, it's educational and shocking! haha get it?
Blog by a Magazine Editor About a Book : The other day I posted a link to a book review from The New Yorker about "The Long Tail" which I doubt anyone read, eventhough I swore it was interesting. Well, the author of the book who is also the editor of Wired is now keeping a blog to document the phenomenon he writes about in his book: the end of the blockbusters and the best-sellers and the age of niches complements of itunes, amazon, netflix, etc. It's all Malcom-Gladwell-Freakonomics-Tipping-Point-ish, and eventhough I've read neither of them nor this recent addition to that category, I really want to.
Feud that Makes Perfect Sense: wall street journal news vs. wall street journal op-ed. story here, analysis here.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
My condolences, and digital bubble wrap
To all of you whose computer has crashed because of this "blog": I am sorry. I don't know what the problem is, but I'm sure the people at blogspot support won't email me back, so there's a high chance I still won't know in a while.
Anyone good at code want to see if there's something wrong in an entry that's messing everyone up? This is too much fun and as much as I hate referring to this as my blog, ugh, see, it's gross...I like writing in it. So, hopefully sometime soon it will stop crashing your guys' computers.
Someone let me know if it starts working again ever?
Also, my consolation gift to all of you for having messed with your firefox: BLISSSSSSSSSS
Anyone good at code want to see if there's something wrong in an entry that's messing everyone up? This is too much fun and as much as I hate referring to this as my blog, ugh, see, it's gross...I like writing in it. So, hopefully sometime soon it will stop crashing your guys' computers.
Someone let me know if it starts working again ever?
Also, my consolation gift to all of you for having messed with your firefox: BLISSSSSSSSSS
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
...Du Jour
7//11//06
My Hero: this guy, who started with a red paper clip and traded it for stuff all the way until someone gave him a house. no joke.
Boring Facts About Americans:
Worst excuse: Italian guy who got headbutted by Zidane: "I did insult him, it's true," Materazzi said in Tuesday's Gazzetta dello Sport. "But I categorically did not call him a terrorist. I'm not cultured and I don't even know what an Islamic terrorist is."
Awesome Fact About Americans: 90 percent of Americans believe most americans are too fat.
Best
Or Worst
Analysis of Soccer
(and the world)
Ever
(you decide):
America is based on a just and efficient meritocracy that thrives on measured competition. That's why soccer has never really quite caught on here...A culture gets the sport it deserves. While America runs and runs, the rest of the world takes its time and people's lives often change with one critical stroke of luck. In America, we believe in second chances. There's almost always hope that you can catch up in basketball and football. In soccer, you fall behind by two goals and you're pretty much done. Read the rest of the brilliant (sarcasm or truth? you decide) “Why Soccer Sucks” here.
Boring Facts About Americans:
42% say they're conservative and really are conservative"Duh" Breakthrough: The answer to recent trendy question, "Why is it that girls are doing way better in college than they did 30 years ago while boys are treading water?" It's just another reason why girls rule and boys drool: video games.
5% say they're liberal but are actually conservative
13% are genuinely centrist (or perhaps just confused)
13% say they're conservative but are actually liberal
27% say they're liberal and really are liberal from Washington Monthly
Worst excuse: Italian guy who got headbutted by Zidane: "I did insult him, it's true," Materazzi said in Tuesday's Gazzetta dello Sport. "But I categorically did not call him a terrorist. I'm not cultured and I don't even know what an Islamic terrorist is."
Awesome Fact About Americans: 90 percent of Americans believe most americans are too fat.
Best
Or Worst
Analysis of Soccer
(and the world)
Ever
(you decide):
America is based on a just and efficient meritocracy that thrives on measured competition. That's why soccer has never really quite caught on here...A culture gets the sport it deserves. While America runs and runs, the rest of the world takes its time and people's lives often change with one critical stroke of luck. In America, we believe in second chances. There's almost always hope that you can catch up in basketball and football. In soccer, you fall behind by two goals and you're pretty much done. Read the rest of the brilliant (sarcasm or truth? you decide) “Why Soccer Sucks” here.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Wouldn't it be funny if the town shared a name with a latin american capital city?
Ha. Ha.
Next move: boycotting the town itself.
The mayor of a small Bergen County town is calling for a McDonald's boycott if the fast-food chain does not take down a Spanish-language billboard advertising iced coffee.
Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan said the advertisement is "offensive" and "divisive" because it sends a message that Hispanic im migrants do not need to learn English.
"The true things that bind us together as neighbors and community is our belief in the American flag and our common language," Lonegan said. "And when McDonald's sends a different message, that we're going to be different now, that causes resentment."
Next move: boycotting the town itself.
Friday, July 07, 2006
Bring back compassion and eradicate self interest?
Apparently one of the most brilliant people on earth, Stephen Hawking, thinks we're all royally screwed.
In a June 13 speech in Hong Kong, Hawking said the survival of the human race depends on its ability to find new homes elsewhere in the universe because there's an increasing risk that a disaster will destroy Earth.He said that if humans can avoid killing themselves in the next 100 years, they should have space settlements that can continue without support from Earth.
This week, he posted this question to humanity on Yahoo Answers:
- ''In a world that is in chaos politically, socially and environmentally, how can the human race sustain another 100 years?''
I'm still working on grasping sustainable development--now we're already going to have to take on sustainable survival? hopefully we can. at least someone is using apocalyptic terms that don't rely on the tired rhetoric of one specific religion or political or environmental group to draw attention, but that apply to any and all of us because as he says, they are all in chaos, and we all need to stop making excuses for whatever we think is fine, when nothing really is. any takers?
New York Times. HAHA get it?
I have become a strange creature. This morning, before I brushed my teeth, or looked in the mirror, or turned on the lights, I was already on the new york times website. The world is obviously more important than me having to pee or get dressed or be on time to work, right? I've never actually felt this uneasiness that I'm about to describe, but I guess that not being able to wait to read the paper whose print edition is already outside my door by the time I wake up could be attributed to...what? I don't know. Anyway this story (which is really just an anecdote, which is really a recounting of an inconclusive error of memory) needs to go on.
So, I get up today and check the times blah blah and the main story is about the one year anniversary of the London bombings. It took less than a second for me to realize that this meant that today was also the one year anniversary of me moving to New York. Colt took me to the airport really early on the morning of the london bombings and...wow, it's been a whole year since I've lived here, then.
The date never stuck with me, I guess, but I liked the idea that I'd made the indirect realization about the exact twelve months I'd spent here already. As I stared at my computer, I indulged in a bit of flashbacks, and remembered that morning, getting into colt's truck and being a bit emotional about the news and thinking he wouldn't have heard about it yet, since it was so early, but of course he had, his parents think an appropriate time to wake up is like 5 am. I remembered the goodbye in the round entranceway to the san diego airport, and then I got up from the floor (is my laptop ever on a lifted surface?) and got dressed and went to work and didn't have time to read the times because my train ride is super super short so aha.
Fast forward through a half-day at work (i discovered the perfect way to beat rush hour people-traffic--leave work three hours early!) and some paul auster reading and a blog entry whose format i ripped off from best week ever. I want to write about how it's my one year anniversary of moving back to new york. Ok, fern, but first you should check your livejournal to see what you wrote a year ago today.
I started with a year ago yesterday, which held a record of my last day with colt and encinitas.
Next day:
So, I get up today and check the times blah blah and the main story is about the one year anniversary of the London bombings. It took less than a second for me to realize that this meant that today was also the one year anniversary of me moving to New York. Colt took me to the airport really early on the morning of the london bombings and...wow, it's been a whole year since I've lived here, then.
The date never stuck with me, I guess, but I liked the idea that I'd made the indirect realization about the exact twelve months I'd spent here already. As I stared at my computer, I indulged in a bit of flashbacks, and remembered that morning, getting into colt's truck and being a bit emotional about the news and thinking he wouldn't have heard about it yet, since it was so early, but of course he had, his parents think an appropriate time to wake up is like 5 am. I remembered the goodbye in the round entranceway to the san diego airport, and then I got up from the floor (is my laptop ever on a lifted surface?) and got dressed and went to work and didn't have time to read the times because my train ride is super super short so aha.
Fast forward through a half-day at work (i discovered the perfect way to beat rush hour people-traffic--leave work three hours early!) and some paul auster reading and a blog entry whose format i ripped off from best week ever. I want to write about how it's my one year anniversary of moving back to new york. Ok, fern, but first you should check your livejournal to see what you wrote a year ago today.
I started with a year ago yesterday, which held a record of my last day with colt and encinitas.
Dear Fernanda of the Future,Ah, yes, that perfect day. And here I am, reading an entry I actually adressed to my future self, reading it as a full-year future self, meant to serve as a super detailed memory outliner of when you were most in love...ok, sorry. i'm aware this is neat only to me.
I'm writing this letter to you to make sure you don't forget how delightful this day was. You loved a lot today. Or, perhaps you just realized how fully you did.
...You put on a salmon-pink ruffled chiffon skirt that wasn't really a skirt, but more of a scarf, over your jeans, and put your wet hair up, waiting until you got picked up. He would later tell you you looked very nice today, that...well...i mean, you always do, but today especially. Then you were whisked off by this ruggedly handsome man at your door, wearing what some would consider an offensive tshirt condemning the sanctity of marriage. You held hands while he drove, something you do a lot yet manages to always surprise and comfort you........
...Be Good,
Fernanda of the sixth of July.
Next day: