V1@grA and @fghan1stan

Am I the only one who is more than a little angry at the U.S. government/CIA handing out Viagra to warlords in Afghanistan for their cooperation against the Taliban?

In theory, I suppose I could come up with some arguments justifying this "strategy". Let's start with the fact that Viagra was invented to treat a legitimate medical problem. Even if it wasn't just for the ED issues, what's the harm in a man having a little fun with one of his wives? They all look so damn sweet in the commercials in that "show your wedding ring pre-coital" pose in the bathtub (can we talk about that double bathtub on the cliff thing? WTF?").

So let's get down to what is seriously pissing me off about this issue.

1. In Afghanistan it is estimated by human rights agencies that approximately 25% of women have been subject to sexual violence.

2. Rape, especially the rape of children, in the post-Taliban Afghanistan is becoming an epidemic.

3. Hundreds of women are serving terms in Afghani prisons for the crime of having sex outside of marriage. Whether that means she ran away from her husband she was married to at 7 years old or whether she was raped by soldiers. The interpretation of Sharia that they are using calls for a woman to be imprisoned for sex outside of marriage.

4. Now for their cooperation, let's give these men some boner-makers. Which I'm certain makes some very happy men and some rather terrified women.

For objectivity's sake, I can imagine a nice 60 year old warlord who is having trouble getting it up with his four consensually married wives and they are, all five of them, thrilled for the opportunity to have intimate marital relations once again with the old man.

I can also imagine the other extreme. And I'm having a really hard time believing that women are not being raped on a more regular basis thanks to our CIA.

A plea to Israel

In this round of:

"I kill you!"
"You kill me? I kill you!" ad nauseum.

The Palestinians and Israelis are back at it. As an American Jew who only lived in Israel a short time, I know I have no entitlement to tell Israel how to run it's country (unlike a host of other Americans who think because they are Jewish, they have a say in this thing). I do, however, have an opinion and I'm going to share it.

Stop it already. I realize that the Palestinians have been lobbing rockets into S'derot and other border cities. I realize Israeli citizens have been killed and I understand that a government needs to protect it's citizens. But seriously. Stop it. There has to be another way. Bombing Palestinian cities has never worked before. What makes you think it is going to work this time? All it does is make children vow revenge for murdered parents and siblings raising yet another generation of warmongers.

Please stop it. I know Hamas does not want to sit down at a table with the Israeli government and I don't have a wise answer for this problem but I beg you and all of the philosophers and military strategists you have at your disposal to find another way.

On a personal note. I can barely watch these news reports. They actually hurt me. All of these people on both sides with so much potential, either dead or maimed or using all of their human potential to find a better/faster/more ingenious way to kill or injure people on the other side of the line. We are, all of us, better than this.

Urban Outfitters/Anthropologie SUCK redux

I tried and tried. I love these two stores and yet ever since CEO Richard Hayne donated to Rick (gays = bestiality and pedophilia) Santorum, I can't shop there. Won't.

But honestly, I haven't convinced many people to follow. Despite them ripping off designs from indie designers.

Now, can I have your attention.

Urban Outfitters, home of Jesus is My Homeboy and Reefer Madness t-shirts has stopped selling the I Support Same Sex Marriage t-shirt. Hmmm. So, I guess to them, pot is cool but support for two guys or girls getting married is an unacceptable message.

So I ask you, once again, no matter how cute something is, could you please, please stop shopping at these stores?


Thanks!

In the land where money is no object

Conspicuous consumerism in 5...4...3...

Despite having an interior home design that is greatly inspired by the Craftsman artists, I have a great love of mid-century modern (MCM) design. The sleek and atomic inspired design makes me ever so slightly giddy. When I designed Mick and Jim's condo in Palm Springs (to be completed December 21st - photos to follow and it's available for rental!!!). I picked through every thrift store in Riverside to find the perfect credenza, nightstands, coffee table, chairs and art.

The art is the best part. MCM art is often fabulously wild and offbeat. It ranges from chunky sculpture to tiki kitsch. The most famous of the art inspired by, but not original to mid-century, is by SHAG, who I have a big ol' art crush on. He has produced a new set of pieces in collaboration with Disney commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Haunted Mansion. They are frankly, awesome. In the land where money is no object, I am at the opening cocktail party for the exhibit on August 8th, 2009 and I get myself one of these signed by the SHAG himself.



I have been dreaming about the land where money is no object a lot lately. In this land, I am tattooed from my collar bone to my ankles to my wrists. I also have a 1966 Ford Galaxie 500 Convertible (my first car, which my brother wrapped around a light pole) in turquoise with a natural gas or biofuel converted engine. Of course, I would donate a ton of money to all kinds of great causes, but this is what I'd do for myself.

What is in your "land where money is no object"?