The Ceators Of The "Bratz" Dolls Sould Be KILLED Ashamed

You know....I... *Sigh*. I don't think I can approach this in an unbiased fashion but I will do my best to convey my STRONG feelings and distaste for the, "Bratz" Dolls.

If you have never heard of the "Bratz" Dolls chances are you don't have childen, live beneath a rock within a hole in the ground covered with sand and poop, OR if you have children then maybe you've done a good parenting job and haven't let these toy manufacturing monsters molest your child with their merchandise. "Bratz" dolls are for young girls specifically between the ages of 4 - 8 though they wear the clothes you'd see on a woman between the ages of 20 - 3025. The tag line for "Bratz" is, "The only girls with a passion for fashion". Not only are their attire unacceptable but thier social habits are reprehensible! "How so?" Do you ask? Well, one example would be the "Bratz Babyz Movie" in which the girls Babyz search for the stollen dog of a friend and in order to get money to get him back from the big bad pedophile bully they have to perform in an American Idol-esque competition where their dance routine includs a clip of them Drying themselves off with a towel! in front of a crowd of hooping and hollering boys. The girls clothes and behaviour throughout the entire film are sexually suggestive spouting such motto's as, "Flaunt what you Got" and "Closed legs don't get fed". Okay so I'm kidding about the second one but they might as well have said it since thier actions suggested it anyway.

The people of Mattel should be ashamed! They have gone too far this time! Not only do they provide these dolls with clothes I wouldn't put a stripper in but they also give them the face that only a plastic surgeon could mold love. I am not alone in my distaste for this product. In February, 2007 the APA (American Psychological Association) established their, "Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls" In the report that was published in accompaniment to the Task Force's founding they cited concern over sexuality the Bratz dolls allegedly portray

Bratz dolls come dressed in sexualized clothing such as miniskirts, fishnet stockings, and feather boas. Although these dolls may present no more sexualization of girls or women than is seen in MTV videos, it is worrisome when dolls designed specifically for 4- to 8-year-olds are associated with an objectified adult sexuality

– APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls, Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls

"Oh these dolls are no worse than Barbie." This is the argument I've heard the most regarding these unholy whore dolls. I don't think Barbie ever spawned an entire unit of the APA designed solely to increase the monitoring of sexualized girls in media, cinema, and entertainment.Oh well, why don't we take a moment to actually LOOK at the dolls?



- This is Chloe. Chloe likes, Fashion, lipstick, eyeliner, boys, and the latest trends in music. Chloe also apparently likes flaunting her midsection and underdeveloped child body. Why would an infant need to wear a mid drift baby tank top and hot pants? Lets just pretend it's hot outside and not confront the fact that she's perhaps dressed in a provocative manner to objectify her body and promote the idea that young girls should be proud of thier bodies and the eating disorders it took to get them!



- Meet the twins! Tori and whats her face! Though they look the same you can tell these are two VERY different girls! Tori enjoys lip gloss, clothes, and boys while whats her face enjoys eyeliner, lipstick, leather, and water sports! Both girls have that come hither stare and the look but don't touch bodies that drive men WILD. Their clothes say, "I'm old enough to know better but too young to care" while those bottle and chain necklaces speak to the inner bad girl in us all.



- Helooooo Katia! This Russian gymnast princess understands the way the world works. To get a little you have to give a little! So she keeps herself pretty in hope that one day her prince will come, if not all over her face than maybe to take her to America where she can worry about important things like buying their perfect SUV and making babies!

Ah...toys are fun AND educational! Oh and the buck doesn't stop there! Coming this summer is the Bratz live action movie staring girls you've never heard of but being produced, choreographed, and dressed by none other than Paula Abdul!

Who is of course an awesome role model



I don't know what else I could say about this topic. I have approached it emotionally, rationally, and even went as far as to provide actual facts for my disdain. I could go on this topic forever, or at least until my boss finds more work for me to do but I leave you with a letter to the directors of production for Mattel and the Bratz distribution department that I plan to submit to them.

Dear Mattel,

My name is Carlos. I am a 34 year old teacher at Highland Elementary school and Wheaton Maryland. I have recently come across the Bratz Babyz dolls that your company produces. A young girl named Samantha in my class presented this for show and tell. I must admit that I was confused at first. I did not believe that a reputable company such as yours would produce something such as that. After taking off her clothes (The dolls, not my students) I confronted by the Mattel logo and a feeling I didn't know how to describe. This dolls body was proportioned in a way that would suggest she was just a child but the clothing that she wore were both provocative and suggestive in a sexual manner. I struggled with myself for quite sometime, not knowing whether to send this letter to you or if I should simply keep my feelings quiet but I found that through silence nothing is accomplished. So, please let me be the first of what I assume will be many to say...THANK YOU! I never thought in a million years that a toy company like Mattel would create such a HOT DOLL. I have struggled all my life with my feelings towards children but now that I know Mattel not only condones but encourages my beliefs of child love than maybe there IS nothing wrong with me! At first I thought that maybe I was looking at this with hungry eyes and only seeing what I wanted to see but after reading article after article about the sexualization of these dolls bodies and watching the cartoons (which I hope you will make a live action movie out of) I firmly believe that you understand and accept your contribution to the world of toys for what it is, a gateway between the world of a pedophile (I don't really enjoy that term) and that of a child! I even went as far as to discuss your products with my support group. Many men were resigned to believe that their affection for children was wrong; but not anymore! After sharing my findings with my fellow child lovers they have come around to seeing things my way. So like I said, please expect to receive more letters, e-mails, and phone calls from men and women who share the same feelings as I do.

Now that I understand that we DO in fact live in a world that accepts the idea that young men and women should, "Flaunt it if you got it", (a direct quote from the Bratz Babyz film) and shouldn't be fearful of being viewed as sexual creatures because it's perfectly okay! You have also made me more comfortable with myself and my once shameful affliction. I can already see that Samantha has been exposed to the Gospel of the Bratz Babyz dolls, just the other day she wore a tank top and mini skirt to school, which up until now I viewed as bad parenting. Now I know she's just flirting. So please accept my deepest gratitude and thanks for producing such a product and know that though I wouldn't let my kids play with those toys (I have two boys :( ) You definitely have a customer for life!

Warmest Regards,
Carlos

P.s. I have recently found that a Bratz movie is in production! But, don't you think those girls are a little too old?

How not to have a conversation with your Ex Boyfriend

The first lesson in the basics of 'Thermodynamics' is that energy can never be created or destroyed simply TRANSFERRED.

By the time someone reads this Blog it will perhaps have been butchered beyond it's original rendition. I can never simply type something and let it alone; leaving well enough alone is not in my nature. I wish it were paper, that I could simply circle the flaws with big red felt tip pen or cross out the places I'd rather not include and show you what I mean, but I can't. Instead, I will try to type this with as much continuity and frankess as possibly. Hopefully whatever criticism I always feel that I have to convey my message feelings to my audience people friends with as much accuracy veracity to the jumble going on in my head as possible.

As much as I think I have tried to push a person away I realize that doesn't remove any affection I have for them. Out of sight, out of mind...that only works to a certain degree. With such a mutable uncertain and inconsistant thing as love you can never be too sure. You can toss a stone down a well full of maxims pertaining to love and almost every one you hit could conflict with the one before it. Because 'Out of sight, out of mind' can't get him out of your my heart.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Too often I've tried to betray my feelings by adhering to logic; thinking that my screwy emotional problems are masking the right decisions for me causing me to make irrational decisions. Maybe I was wrong, maybe my pride is making me emotionally stunted or inept in some way. Okay, I have to back track because unless I explain why I am writing this blog no one will understand.

06/07/2006 Andys 25th Birthday.

I think I maintain healthy relationships with my ex's if by healthy you mean spending random weekends at their homes for sexual excursions, wanting to ignore responsibility and one anothers life obligations to just be unnecessary time with one another that leads to getting physical. I'm always riding that blurred line between friend and friend with benefits when it comes to the recycling ex's bin. So I called Andy this morning to wish him a Happy Birthday...below you will find the basics of the Conversation. (This is not verbatim)

**Ring, Ring**

Not Andy: Hello?
Not Andy:...Um..Hello?
Justin: Hello? Um, Is Andy there?
N.A.: Yeah, one second.
Andy: *Groggy* Yeah?
J: Hey, Happy Birthday, Thump. Who was that?
A:Who...Oh, hey J.
J: Hey, how was your night? Who was that?
A: *Awkward Silence* Um..that was a friend..I had a crazy long Crazy night with a few people oh uh, Thanks for calling.
J: Yeah...Thanks for the awkward silence..hehe *(FACED!)*
A: Hehe
J: Well, I was wondering if Maybe you weren't doing anything you could stop by so I can give you your present?
*Guys Muttering in the background*

J: This seems like a bad time I'll talk to you later.
A: No, its okay. Just give me one second.
*Phone rings at work and I suddenly don't feel like answering it*

A: Hey, look. You have that voice...That Justin voice.
J: I have no other voice, it's my only one.
A: The Justin Passive Aggressive voice; It's not what you think.
J: I Don't.
A: Don't what?
J: Don't think, I just am. (I kinda do this philosophical thing when backed into an emotional corner)
A: *Does that thing where I can tell he's smiling on the other end of the phone...I kinda lose it*
J: You know I'm stupid right? That I make horrible decisions. It's kinda my Modus Operandi..
A: Justin...
J: So, did you guys...are you...You keep your phone charger beside your bed and plug it in before you go to bed. Did you move your phone charger last night?
A: *Understanding the question I'm actually asking and the possible consiquences ramifications of answering the question* No..
J:No?
A: No, I Left it plugged up beside my bed.

I can't white out my feelings or scratch out the time he and I shared. It's not that easy. I can write them down and pinpoint the places where we may have taken a wrong turn and correct the error but I don't know if I would of what difference it would make if any. If our relationship were on paper it would be torn and shredded only to be taped together again. It would be laden with red felt tip pen marks and circled events that meant MEAN something. All of this or a good 90% would have been made by me. Maybe if I weren't so obsessed with finding flaws in my life I'd be able to keep them things from being broken.

Right now as I type this there are two things that run through my mind...well two events.

1) My senior year at Gaithersburg Highschool I did a monologue from Macbeth for my Drama class. The teacher said I did exceptionally well that I really FELT the character; looking back I think it was the one part I felt the most

"Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing."

2) Joni Mitchell - I Could Drink A Case Of You. / Kinda a tear jerker.

"I remember that time you told me,
You said, Love is touching Souls
Surely you've touched mine.."




Me So Emo!!

Show Boxing, aka, "I have a defense mechanism?"

Some people don't, but I strongly believe that in life each of us is tested. There are trials placed before every person to test their will, perseverance, beliefs, courage, etc. etc. I feel most times that all of these things apply to me simply because I make up a percentage of the populous (also because it's MY belief). Given my strong convictions and moral standards you would think that I'm sailing down the Good ship lollipop with nothing but courage and constant optimism on my side; in most cases I would say "Sure", but when it comes to the possibility that my character or person is in jeopardy of being judged or rejected...my confidence goes down faster then the office whore at a holiday party.

My therapist would say, "Justin, you're insecurity stems from your lack of foundation as a kid. You were always searching for reassurance of yourself and confirmation of self worth. But you have to find confidence in yourself before other people can believe in you" and then I'd pretend to be extremely offended and say something like "YOU DON'T KNOW ME!!" and laugh so she knows that I was making a joke. She'd snicker a bit and we'd completely overlook my humorous defense mechanism.

For someone that has such an extreme fear of failure I find that there's one area in particular that I just don't seem to succeed at; that would be the Successful relationship. Because I'm jaded and cynical I would say that a successful relationship is an oxymoron (hehe...oxymoron) but I've seen them. They are scarce and about as rare as the gentle wood thrush cockatoo from the island of Newguenee; a creature which I invented...just now...in my head. So being the over analytical person that I am I came up with a small list of areas in which my relationships failed, not because it's productive but because I'm an emotional masochist and nothing says "Ouch that hurts...soooo good" like staring into the onyx abyss of personal doubt and insecurities that led to the systematic disintegration of each relationship. Rather than boring you with the details lets just say that it all ultimately led to the discovery of trust issues and not just trusting my boyfriends but trusting myself. Trusting my judgment about when to be strong and stand my ground or when to fold and say "You're right" or "I'm sorry". Trusting my feelings regarding work, finance, family, or even buying clothes is Cake; but trusting them when it comes to my heart is another story entirely. Not to name, names (Because that's tasteless) but it's hard to know that you have feelings for a guy and feel stunted because you're afraid they'll reject you. So I've decided not to do that anymore.

In closing, I have a statement that I would like to read on behalf of the guilty party in question.

"Hello, I am Justin's 'Crippling fear of Rejection' I am formally resigning and leaving my post; I will not be giving two weeks notice, my resignation is affective immediately. All matters of the heart (or otherwise) will be left in the competent hands of Justin's 'Hubertus Overweening Pride (CEO)' and his associate Justin's 'Guilt Free Feeling of Self worth' who will be in charge of production and distribution of 'Dopamine' to the cardiovascular system. For all parties who feel that while under my leadership the institute has been led astray I am sorry, but please know that, in the words of John Lennon (I'm Guessing) "The Revolution is Here"

No Martha, It's not a, "Good Thing"

Lucifer Martha Stewart makes money, lots and lots of money. The most amazing part about this situation is that she makes almost all of it doing absolutely nothing. Example you ask? Well, upon channel surfing I came upon 'Martha Stewart Living' and this was at the very end. If you didn't know Martha Stewart ends each segmant with a 'Good Thing'. Since the days show was about preparing food and making pasta dishes she decides to dish out her own brand of Zen wisdom... She teaches the audience how to boil pasta.

Now...Im no mental athelete by any means but, I know how to boil pasta; could it be that many house wives and people sitting at home right now don't know how to properly boil pasta? WHY?! Why is everything dumbed down for dumb people? I am MOST astonished by Martha getting away with that shit, AND to top it all off the bitch was talking like she was on qualudes! I thought she was going to pass out or something. Could it be that Martha picked up a nasty heroin addiction while in prison? I always pictured her as a Jail Bait version of Maria from 'The Sound of Music' challenging those young minds to sing and plant flowers instead of stabbing people and funneling drugs into the correctional facility. But no.

In closing, with all my heart and soul I sincerely hope that someone cancels that show, she shouldn't be able to make more money off of criminal acts, and making money for doing nothing is DEFINATELY criminal. So come on, FIRE MARTHA, its a good thing.

"Yes Virginia, that is a 20 minute long rape scene." and other dangers of letting a child watch, "I Spit On Your Grave"

I struggled with the Idea for my first official blog, whether it should be a, "Getting to Know You" blog, or an informative blog displaying my strong moral compass and assertive convictions; in the end I decided to let my friend (V) pick it for me...ironically.

Let me begin by saying like most kids of the 90's I group up in a three parent household. I had a Mother, a Father, and possibly the most influential role model, a Television. We did so much together; my Mother and I used to spend hours with Television (hehe Uncle TV for short) watching thought provoking cinema like, "Zapped Again", "Def By Temptation", and "The Highlander". While my father and I played games of our own, one imperticular where I tried to hug him and he would pretended to reject my affection, El Oh El Father...El Oh El. I found that from these experiences I developed not only the fundamental building blocks for becoming a social scholar it also nurtured a love for horror movies. From Upscale, "Silence of the Lambs" to low budget semi-porn "Mirror Mirror" even B-movie classics like, "Prom Night 2: Hello MaryLou" I was wet for it all, but my mother being the paragon of maternal maturity never forced me to watch the vilest of the vile, the insidious of insidious, "I spit on your Grave". For those of you who are unaware of this monumental monstrosity let allow me to give you a brief description with photos...yay.



Meet Jennifer Hill a young aspiring writer who goes to the country for a scenic retreat.



Meet the local welcoming comittee! They sure are excited to rape welcome her.



Apparently welcoming a fine young woman to a mighty small town includes violating her every orrifice for about 20 minutes and then forcing a mentally handicapped man to do the same; It's all fun and games until there's too much fun and games.



Jennifer recovers from her rape by remembering who invented the telephone.

Needless to say (actually it's probably needed to explain the rest of the film) Jennifer decides to get a little bit of revenge on the men. I wont go into details; I refuse to degrade my delicate sensibilities. I will however show you a graphic photo of one of the bodies.



"Ouch...stairs"

It doesn't take a rocket scientist or even a horrible excuse for a neglectful parent (aka Britney Spears) to see that this isn't something you would want to expose your child to at a tender age. They have time ahead of them to form their own skewed and jaded view of the perverse world they will inevitably be forced to join. You certainly can't protect them forever but when you child goes to a therapist in 19 or so years and can't explain why he has violent rape fantasies and the idea of violating another human being pops his cherry, perhaps you should tag along and enlighten him on your own speculations/responsibility/BAD MOMMY regarding his deviant behaviour, don't forget to bring your very own platinum edition of, "I Spit On Your Grave" he will probably need it later that evening to Beat the Bishop to.

Dear thoughtless and possibly abusive, Mommy Dearest. That's...Unacceptable.