Capitalism at it's Finest

This is disgusting.

First of all, the house is ugly. The person who bought this should really try and get his money back. I mean, really. Look at it. Ugly.

But aesthetics aren't the only part of the house that's ugly. The price sticker? $1 billion dollars. It's the most expensive house in the world, bought by the fourth richest man in the world. This mansion was built in Mumbai. I can't understand why anyone would spend that much money on a house. Donate it. There are people practically next door who are starving, and you have the audacity to waste $1 billion dollars on a house for five people? How dare you! This is greed at it's finest.

Also, the mansion has 27 stories. It has a health club with a full gym, a movie theater, a dance studio, at least one regular studio, a ballroom, guest rooms, a wide range of lounges, etc. They employ 600 servants. Again, I find this revolting. You can use the excuse "we're giving people jobs" all you want, but 600 servants? For five people? That's 120 servants per person? What, does the guy want to be a country in and of himself? He isn't the Vatican, for Christ's sake. And do you really need a health club and dance studio in your own house? Really? 600 servants? That is obscene!

One sentence in the article really bothered me.

From the top floors of the 173m high property are spectacular views of Mumbai, the Arabian Sea and the slums!

I mean sure, a view of the sea from the middle of a city is quite nice. I'm sure Mumbai is a beautiful city (at least some parts of it, anyway), but a view of the slums? You built a $1 billion home with a spectacular view of the slums. How ironic, that your disgusting show of greed and gluttony is so close to those people who live in constant worry of starving to death. How can you, in good conscience, live so close to starvation. I hope you feel sick every day, waking up and looking your top floor window and seeing people below you living in such extreme poverty while you revel in your excessive capitalist greed.

This is what is wrong with capitalism. This is why Karl Marx came up with communism, this is why socialism is so important. Anyone who can afford this kind of house and can, in good conscience, buy it and still fall asleep at night, deserve to lose all his money. Either that or be taxed until his pockets are empty to help the people in those slums he has such a great view of.

Other Stuff

I'm just not going to review the movies I've seen recently. There are too many of them. And soon, probably, I will be posting book reviews. But for now, a few other things.

First of all, rest in peace Tyler Clementi, a college freshman who jumped to his death off of George Washington Bridge after being outed as gay on the internet via a secret sex tape of his sexual encounters in his dorm room.

Apparently, his roommate installed a camera and filmed Tyler whenever he asked to have the dorm for the night for a, well, hook up. Later, his roommate released these tapes on the internet. In shame of being outed on the internet, he jumped off a bridge. Not only is this crime considered cyberbullying, it is also being considered a hate crime by some gay rights advocate groups. Unfortunately, the boys responsible are only being charged with violation of privacy. It is a crime that holds up to five years in jail. For a few stories on the subject, go here, here, and here.

Personally, I think they deserve more than five years in jail.

In other, more cheerful news, GLEE IS BACK! Actually, it's been back for three weeks now. And I can only watch the episodes a day later, but that's totally okay. As long as I get to watch them. This episode, tune in to see Finn sing a cover of REM's Losing My Religion, along with the cast of Glee doing other faith-related songs in the episode "Grilled Cheezus."

Coming Up and DADT

Right now, I am practically dead. I have not a second to spare and no time to right good posts. Coming up is a movie review on Devil.

In other news, quickly, the U.S. Senate is supposed to be voting on a military bill that includes a provision to end the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy that prohibits soldiers from exposing their sexual orientation with the condition that no one will ask it. So far, Republicans have managed to stall debate, let alone voting. It has already been approved in the House. According to the New York Times article, the bill will likely be easier to pass once the Pentagon study on the effects of the bill is due on Dec. 1.

Personally, I think that when this policy was enacted, it was a good idea, the times have changed. At this point, if you, as a soldier, find yourself incapable of fighting alongside a woman who likes women or a man who likes men, in the 21st century, then you don't deserve to be a soldier. These men and women who are only fighting for their country are forced to keep who they are a total secret in fear of being discharged dishonorably if anyone finds out. And sometimes, their personal belongings and emails and phone histories and families are searched and interrogated until their sexual orientation is found out.

If you have an interest (and you should), you should check out this article about also about the speech Lady Gaga made (wearing normal clothing!) at the rally in support of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. If you have an interest in this, make it known! Not only are people being discriminated against, but people who want to do their duty to our country and join the military are being discriminated against for something that is beyond their control. WHEN WILL THE PREJUDICE STOP, AMERICA?

Guinness Record

Breaking a world record in order to make a political point. What an idea. My sister and her girlfriend brought this to my attention today, and I immediately had to go look up the interview and their website to check it out.

Bobby and Matty, two college students from New Jersey, both of them GLBTQ rights activists, are planning on breaking the Guinness World Record for longest kiss. Together, in an effort of youth and student activism (something important these days) and "in support of equal rights for every individual regardless of sexual orientation or gender," according to their website. They claim that, when it comes to prejudice and discrimination, "it's time to put down our words and demonstrate otherwise."

I have to say, I support this all the way. I just wish I could be there, watching them, for at least part of it. I hope to got they succeed. I think it's such a great idea to use something like breaking a world record to make a political point. It's a great way to demonstrate activism. And just in time for Prop 8 to be finished.

If you want to check out their website, follow this link. There is also an interview with them about everything from the application and approval process of the Guinness World Record people to how Bobby's boyfriend feels about him kissing someone else for 33 hours. The link is here.

Gaming Rights

The United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear the Schwarzenegger vs. EMA case this year. This case deals with video games and how they relate to the rights ensured in the First Amendment.

If they agree with what the lower courts have decreed, video games would continue to be considered protected under the first amendment rights of free speech and protected speech, just like books, movies and music. If they disagreed, they would be considered special. This would open the door to laws and bills curtailing access to certain video games in certain states. [source]

Apparently, the case is based on an argument deciding whether a particular law passed in California violates the First Amendment. The law decreed that certain video games depicted particularly brutal, cruel, or heinous violence would be restricted to those over the age of eighteen. The California Supreme Court deemed it unconstitutional. [source]

I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this. I mean, admittedly, it is restricting distribution of these video games to my friends, who are the people who play them most. Young people. But on the other hand, if your under seventeen, you can't watch that sort of violence in a movie theater without parental consent, it is restricted to you. Sex in the media is restricted until you are eighteen. Why should the same standards not be held for video games? My sister was exposed to extreme video game violence in Grand Theft Auto at the age of ten. Is this sort of thing healthy for kids? Then again, I despise most forms of censorship.

Give me your thoughts.

Prop 8...

...has been called unconstitutional by the California federal courts on the basis of the Fourteenth Amendment, the due process and equal protection clauses. The plaintiffs claimed that Prop 8 "unconstitutionally burdens the exercise of the fundamental right to marry and creates an irrational classification on the basis of sexual orientation," according the judge. In the end, the judge decided that Prop 8 "fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license," and was therefore unconstitutional.

Apparently, both Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa agreed with the judge and praised him for having the courage to stand up for the Constitution.

Of course, they are going to be appealing this decision. Hopefully, it goes to the United States Supreme Court and they are forced to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act (which is, as I have said before, unconstitutional.) This is a huge success for gay couples in California and rest of the country and it is long overdue.

By the way, I got all my information from this article.

Pot

Seriously? Apparently (http://music-mix.ew.com/2010/07/23/bret-michaels-drugs/ Bret Michaels from Poison was found with pot on BOTH of his tourbuses. How terrible?

I know plenty of people who smoke pot. Some of them, admittedly, do suffer from amotivational syndrome, but for the most part, pot is harmless. And I have no idea why people make such a big deal when a rock star and infamous partier is caught with it. Have you seen his shows on VH1?

Besides, there are other things that should be paid more attention to. Even in the music industry. Instead of whining about drugs, why don't we instead talk about how separated all of them are from reality. Or how so few of them use their social standing to actually do something meaningful. Or how love has been rendered obsolete in today's music. We have such bigger issues.

Christmas Albums

I could talk about how furious I am with my dog and my family and how I don't think the two fit together all that well, but I think I'm going to talk about something a little more cheerful today. Christmas.

It was just released that Susan Boyle may be working on a Christmas album, and I was thinking. Here is the link to the article: http://music-mix.ew.com/2010/07/22/susan-boyle-christmas-album/ She's probably one of the few people I would actually consider buying a Christmas album from, because her's would be traditionally sung. I can't stand those Christmas songs that rocked up or popped up or something equally horrible. Susan Boyle would sing traditional Christmas songs the way they should be sung. Traditionally.

To me, it compares to the national anthem. So many people sing it or play it much flashier than it is written, and it's not right. I'm all for redoing songs and making remakes, but some things are simply sacred.