Everybody's Russian.

RUSSIA.

I don't know what it is about Russia that I love so much. I love the literature, I love the language, I'm fascinated by the culture and the history.

As a 21st century media consumer, I've realized that it is possible to get the news from as close to the 'horse's mouth' as you may want, and as such I've been trying to get my Russian news from Russian news websites. This has brought me to two VERY different places on the internet.

RT, as run by non-profit, state-owned RIA Novosti (Russian International News Agency) and found at the simplist of web addresses rt.com
and, Pravda. (recommended in English for those who speak, ya know English: english.pravda.ru Pravda's history, according to wikipedia, includes being the mouthpiece of the Soviet Communist Party, and currently compared to a tabloid.

Checking out the two websites, you can see the clear difference between them. RT is more respectable, and, dare I say it, more pro-Westerners and pro-America. Not entirely of course..they criticize us far more than American news sources, and expose or phrase stories in a way that seems critical of American policy. All in all though, they are respectable, well written articles with (assumed) verification, etc.

However Pravda is another matter entirely. To describe it as tabloid-like is the least of their concerns. I am willing to bet that all of their articles are originally in another language, and their translator does not have a mastery of English. On top of that, the articles are not exactly objective. This is not to imply that speaking out against the Western world makes them 'wrong', but it is the certainty with which the writers state their opinions on so-called 'news stories'. For example; a recent article on feminism explained that American women only have rights because the American men want them to and allow it.

Well, that and an article about The Art of Sex Talk. Pravda offers the anti-thesis of whatever stance the mainstream American media is taking. This is not bad of course, but they could benefit from a bit more professionalism and standards.

Media Criticism Tip #1

Dear legitimate journalists and news reporters:

Please please stop using the word "wholesale" when describing something that is not bought in bulk.

Like when describing rape; http://fountainvalley.patch.com/articles/wholesale-rape-and-looting-in-egypt-sc-journalist-reports

Or describing destruction; http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704100604575146002445136066.html

It just sounds incredibly out of place. Try "all encompassing" "total" or similar phrases.

Love,
~Me

In defense of my most expensive purchase.

Having just graduated from a state school, in my state of residence, with over $60k worth of student loan debt, I would like to draw the youngin's attention to two important articles:

From the sophisticated but easy to process NPR website: College Student Debt Grows: Is it worth it?

And from the less sophisticated but just as thought provoking Cracked.com: The Question You're Not Asking: Should You Go to College?

Now don't get me wrong. I do not regret having a degree, even of the liberal arts variety that is in one of the lowest paying and hardest to hire fields, while we are being regularly trumped by our less ethical off-shoots proving of course that the GOOD GUY NEVER WINS
...but I digress. I am proud to have any sort of bachelors degree, and I feel that I busted my ass to get it (some days more than others).

On the other hand, I think many people are going to college with the wrong expectations and at the wrong time. If you don't know what you're doing, concretely and with fervent passion, don't go to college right away. Wait until you've figured out what you want to learn more about, or what career interests you. Otherwise you are spending a lot of money to get drunk and have sex with strangers, when you could just stay in your friend's dorm and mooch off their parents wealth.

Taking it back? I don't want it.

Over the last month or so, there has been a lot of talk about the "Slut Walk" which began in Toronto as a response to a Toronto Police Officer using the word in a conversation about how to stay safe and avoid rape. Women, and some men, were outraged at the implication that victims of sexual assault "brought it on themselves", and spoke out against the victim-blaming. There was a mass organization over social media (i.e. Facebook) to march in protest of misogyny, double standards in sexuality, and taking back the world 'slut.' From the SlutWalk Torno official website, "And whether dished out as a serious indictment of one’s character or merely as a flippant insult, the intent behind the word is always to wound, so we’re taking it back. “Slut” is being re-appropriated."

I like the intent...mostly. I do not think men, or anyone, should be given an excuse to sexually assault anyone. There is no reason that justifies rape or the abuse of another human being...it's not as though you can claim self defense. And it is certainly true that women receive a double standard for expressing their sexuality, more so than men do(Feel free to spend some time around any college dorm for examples).

That having been said...as a 24 year old heterosexual woman who has sex from time to time, I have to say I am not interested in this term 'slut'. I don't think it should apply only to females, but I also don't think it should be embraced and encouraged. There are many words that are said simply to wound people, and in general we should avoid hate speak. However, that doesn't mean we should dive in and behave in a way that the word implies.

Should we also take back the word "obese"? Or "lazy"? Don't even get me started on the word "asshole", because we should probably not be taking that back at all.

Being promiscuous and irresponsible with your sex-related behaviors is in the extreme dangerous (STD's) and at the very least shows that you lack self control and good decision making skills. Certainly men are just as capable of being sluts, and should also CUT IT OUT. If you're not comfortable with being called out on your negative behavior, stop doing it.

And with that, I'm going to go take back the word "alcoholic".

As a point of introduction.

I finished college. I received a degree in journalism. But what's a girl to do in this post-recession economy?

Finding a full time, decent paying job in 2011 in the world of reporting is difficult to say the least. Especially when you're straight out of college, no one knows your name, and even fewer people care what you think about anything. And yet I have so many opinions! Who will publish my ranting and news aggregation?

The internet, of course.

I started another blog about a year ago, with the express desire to avoid publishing my opinion; only stories people tell me, as a sort of blog of real life Tales of Interest. However, until people start giving me some worthwhile content to work through, I'm going to offer up some of my own.

I don't expect this to really go anywhere. I don't expect my posts to be quoted in the Columbia Journalism Review. But dammit, I want to use my degree for something.