Objectors US

I’ve never listed cops along with teachers, firefighters, and other people I consider heroes because I don’t consider them heroes. Sure, there are a few out there who are working for good, protecting people and maybe even saving lives; but nearly every encounter I’ve had with a police officer has had a negative context. The two times I’ve called the police myself to help women who were obviously being beaten were utterly disappointing; officers arrived more than an hour later on both accounts after the men had already fled the scene, the woman, of course, mumbling, “I’m fine.” Read more

Iran's Government has accused the U.S. and Israel of killing an Iranian Scientist.Iran has just vowed revenge on the U.S. and Israel for the killing of a scientist.

That word! My first inkling was to write about how this reinforces the way that Iran looks at the world- that everyone is out to get them and that the way to respond to any slight, be it to their nuclear program or to someone educated from their country, by vowing violence… but then I thought about how many different countries do the same thing. The U.S. does stuff like this all the time and we just call it defending ourselves- doing what we have to do. Read more

With the kiddos at home today, you might be wondering what to do with them so soon after holiday break. Sure, you could let them sit in their PJs and watch cartoons or play video games, but what’s the fun in that? Instead of another boring day off school, why not make it a fun day by celebrating the reason they’re off—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sometimes it’s hard to celebrate people—it’s not exactly the same as celebrating a cartoon character or commercial holiday where plenty of activities and decorations are readily available. How can you make Dr. King and his message accessible to your kids? Here are a few ideas to get you started. Read more

Haiti EarthquakeI haven’t watched much of the footage from Haiti, not because I don’t care, but because I don’t have cable tv. This hasn’t stopped me from reading about it, thinking about it, and wondering what responsibility we in the West have for preventing these kinds of disasters or what we can do now to help.

The two most straightforward ways remain the same for every type of disaster. They need donations of either your time or your money. I chose money, but only a little bit and then felt bad about my donation and its usefulness or lack thereof after reading an article on Gawker criticizing the “netiquette” of using social media to promote your cause.
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Destruction from the earthquake in haitiHaiti is not in good shape- we know this. Tens of thousands dead and more injured, government and residential buildings are being described as rubble, and aid facilities and hospitals in the communities hardest hit by the disaster are likewise- hard hit and in pieces on the ground. A big question right now is who is in charge of anything and when there will be someone to direct aid workers and those within the country about what to do?

Many of the citizens are getting fed up with what they see as the government’s slow response to the disaster, or lack of response altogether.

"Look at us. Who is helping us? Right now, nobody," said Jean Malesta, the 19-year-old student who was the sole survivor of her destroyed apartment building. Read more

All I can say is finally.

Yes, human trafficking and slavery has been getting a bit more attention lately due to different movements and films (from documentaries to fictional movies like Taken). I appreciate that. But it seems like the general public is still in denial that modern day slavery and human trafficking—human kidnapping and sale—is still very much alive and afoot. In fact, it’s the third largest industry in the world,  generating $32 billion every year with 14,500 to 17,500 foreign nationals trafficked into the U.S. annually alone. Read more

Bikini Baristas are not typically known for their modesty, but the customers of the bikini baristas in Everett had a little extra incentive to tip largely at the stands.

After two months of what must have been intrepid police work, the detectives "uncovered" enough evidence to determine that some of the women at one stand were not only exposing a little more than advertised, they were allegedly "performing whip cream shows between two women", which was described in the Seattle Times as one barista "licking whipped cream off a co-worker's groin and breast". The police started their investigation after citizen complaints about lewd behavior and put in some "hard" time. In order to catch their prey, they had to pay $20 and witness the act firsthand. Read more

The word “traffick” conjures images of bumper-to-bumper taxi cabs, women applying lipstick in smudgy lines, and men screaming obscenities at whatever unfortunate creatures that happen to be deadlocked in front of them. After the award-winning fillm Traffick hit theaters, the public may have become more aware of what the word can really mean. But human trafficking, the most heinous form of the word, is the third largest industry on earth, just behind the arms and drug trades. (Hopefully Liam Neeson's latest hit movie Taken will alert the public as Traffic previously did.) Read more

TSAWhen I fly, I take my shoes and belt off. I have had my face cream confiscated in the name of safety. I should count my blessings that I have never (yet) been interrogated for nothing more than following the law of the land. Read more

Whatever you do, don't get pulled over by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Even if you have witnesses. Even if you're a paramedic, transporting a patient to the hospital, you don't want to piss off these OHP good ol' boys.

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