sweetmeat blog

Gay Apology

2009-03-23T18:35:00.002-04:00

this is kind of funny:

One More Thing About Rihanna/Chris Brown...

2009-03-21T18:45:00.003-04:00

DoSomething.org created an ad to raise awareness about teen dating violence through a video reenactment of Chris Brown's assault of Rihanna. Broadsheet's take on it is a brief but good one...

This is one part inflammatory, one part bizarre:

Boston <3s Chris Brown

2009-03-19T21:39:00.003-04:00

In a recent survey of 200 teenagers by the Boston Public Health Commission, 46 percent said Rihanna was responsible for what happened; 52 percent said both bore responsibility, despite knowing that Rihanna’s injuries required hospital treatment. On a Facebook discussion, one girl wrote, “she probly ran into a door and was too embarrassed so blamed it on chris.”

Good News

2009-03-15T20:31:00.006-04:00

It looks like Ms. Magazine kinda got it right...

Feminism=Laundry

2009-03-09T00:17:00.007-04:00

Cleanliness is close to Godliness--which is also close to the liberation of women according to a recent article in the official Vatican newspaper titled, "The washing machine and the emancipation of women: put in the powder, close the lid and relax."

Scent of Women's History

2009-03-07T10:50:00.008-05:00

I know it's Hallmarkishly arbitrary, but since March is Women's History Month, I'd like to take this moment to honor our grandmothers, mothers, sisters, friends, underpaid babysitters, nurses, Hillary Clinton, temps, feminist bosses, bitches/sluts/whores, Ugly Betty, teachers, abortion, queers, MBTA workers, pretty journalist ladies, Michelle Obama, people who give up their seats for old ladies on the bus, the middle school girls I work with, Tina Fey, not Sarah Palin, not Rush Limbaugh, not Chris Brown, the movie Real Women Have Curves, Sacagawea, hearts, braids and unicorns, by offering our readers this online women's history quiz! It's the best I can do.

Bye Bye Bush

2009-03-06T23:32:00.001-05:00

Cha-Ching...

This Just In

2009-02-19T21:03:00.003-05:00

Making Victoria's Secret Look Smart

2009-02-18T19:27:00.001-05:00

Feminist bra-burnings may be just a myth, but this bra ad campaign has me searching for a book of matches and some lighter fluid.

The premise: Vassarette (an intimates brand I'd never heard of— had you?) held a nationwide contest, procuring a spokes-girl-band made up of four real-girl-rockers who play real-rock-concerts wearing nothing on top but the bras they're named for. They inevitably call themselves "The Vassarettes."

March's Marie Claire houses a two-page spread devoted to the bras, the band, and a laughable attempt at girl power that even the Spice Girls would disapprove of. A portion of the ad poses as an interview with the band, in which copywriters deliver such gems as "I'm living proof that no matter what you look like or what size you are, you can rock!" This line is purportedly delivered by drummer Alexa, whose "looks" and "size" do nothing to differentiate her from the rest of her skinny white bandmates.

For a campaign that makes so much out of being "real" (visit the site and be assailed by lyrics belting "Are you ready for the real thing?"), the Vassarettes' forced delivery of female empowerment is deplorably transparent and embarrassingly bland.

M.I.A. At The Grammys

2009-02-09T15:04:00.009-05:00

If you missed M.I.A.'s labor inducing performance at the Grammy's last night, you should definitely check it out:

While I'm disappointed that she had to share the spotlight (especially with a certain shoe-pushing egomaniac), this is decidedly the best thing that I have ever seen on the usually tame/lame Grammys. Even cooler because yesterday was actually her due date.

"Get DOWN, Prices!"

2009-02-09T13:33:00.000-05:00

The Metro: Boston's Leading Conservative Daily

2009-02-04T14:10:00.009-05:00

During the election, the Boston Metro surprised many liberal locals with its unabashed conservative bias. Starting off as a harmless Hillary supporter, the daily paper was quick to turn a spiteful shoulder on Obama and sing the praises of that disgruntled senior citizen who called his wife a cunt. While many of us were annoyed at best by the Metro's blatant (and misguided) favoritism, we quickly forgot the Obama prejudice once we saw our candidate's face adorn the front page with the words "Mr. President" underneath.

Today, Metro writer Brian McCrone, brought me back to the good ol' days when the daily continually tied Obama to things that had nothing to do with him (remember the Obama weed?). In "Out of Gitmo, Spewing Hate", McCrone not so subtly ties the actions of Said Ali al-Shihri, a released Guantanamo detainee turned al-Qaida leader, to Obama's plan to close the prison. The problem? Al-Shihri was released in 2007 by Bush. He writes that al-Shihri and other former Gitmo detainees have been threatening attacks now that "President Barack Obama signed the order to close the world's most notorious jail" as if this whole mess is somehow Obama's fault. Aside from McCrone's clear bias, his logic is bogus and makes me think of Bill O'Reilly saying that Obama (for whatever reason) is involved in the Blagojevich shitshow.

I'm not saying that opinion has no place in the Metro - it does - on the Opinion page. Resident moron Michele McPhee spouts her backwards thinking there all the time. I suggest that the next time this McCrone decides to quote Right Wing News Blogger, Melissa Clouthier, he find his way over to the Opinion page and keep the News section somewhere closer to the realm of fact-based journalism.

Barack Obama: A Cool, Casual Guy

2009-02-04T09:36:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was Obama's two week anniversary in office. So far, he's signed the Lilly Ledbetter Act, ended the Global Gag Rule, and issued a directive to close Guantanamo Bay. But know what else is making headlines? President Obama likes to keep it casual when doing business in the White House. A recent AP article broke the story, announcing: Barack Obama has gone coatless in the Oval Office. And during Sunday's pregame interview with Matt Lauer, the President was notably laid back in his no jacket, no tie attire.

Back when Bush was in office, well-intentioned college students were accused of discourtesy for dressing casually during a White House visit. A young woman at the time defended her decision to wear flip-flops, explaining that she meant no disrespect, "I tried to think of something that would go well with my outfit and at the same time not be that uncomfortable. But at the same time not disrespect the White House." From the looks of it, an Obama Administration would have been more understanding of her comfy-yet-appropriate mentality.

Gen Y workers have exasperated older employees over the past few years with their relaxed attitudes about dress. Will Millennials finally be allowed some breathing room now that the President is down with workplace casual? It may be too soon to tell. After all, it's still a little cold for flip-flops.

Seasoned

2009-02-02T18:20:00.005-05:00

Dress for Success!

2009-02-01T10:19:00.004-05:00

Here's some fashion advice from the Bank of England to their female employees:

"Look professional, not fashionable; be careful with perfume; always wear a heel of some sort — maximum 2 inches; always wear some sort of makeup — even if it’s just lipstick.” Shoes and skirt must be the same color. No-no’s include ankle chains — “professional, but not the one you want to be associated with;” white high heels; overstuffed handbags; an overload of rings, and double-pierced ears.

...and by fashion advice I do mean misogynistic drivel.

Thanks for the Femories: Lisa Simpson Edition

2009-01-29T18:43:00.008-05:00

I would like to take a moment to thank the first person to show me what feminism is and how amazing it can really be. No, I’m not talking about my mother, who signed me up for New Moon Girls Magazine and brought me to self-esteem workshops for girls. I’m not even referring to my older sister, who alerted me to the fact that 90s lesbians, like Ani Difranco and the rest of Lillith Fair, were kind of cool (come on...at the time.) No no, I am talking about none other than Lisa Simpson! As merely a second grader, Lisa is probably the youngest and most fearless feminist TV icon of our time. “Animated and liberated,” Lisa is a little girl-power gem tucked inside a satirical cartoon world devoid of real values that is tucked inside our actual culture of decaying ideals. (It’s the Turducken of social commentary, if you will.) Can you imagine a girl character like that even being invented today? Sure, Meg Griffin has some Lisa-esque qualities, but she mainly serves as a placeholder for the butt of jokes about how pathetic teen girls can be. Lisa, on the other hand, reminded me I was a feminist before I even knew what the word meant.

Remember when she launched that crusade against the Malibu Stacy doll (i.e. Barbie) because it said something like, “Don’t ask me, I’m just a girl ha ha”? Remember when she dressed up as a boy so she could take math classes when Principal Skinner split up the school by gender? Remember when she realized she was a hippie and made friends that were liberal like her on the beach? (God, I love that episode.) Remember how she played saxophone, loved Simone de Beauvoir, was staunchly vegetarian, and aspired to be a Supreme Court Justice? So thank you, Matt Groening, for giving us a tiny, yellow, subversive, and intelligent feminist child to look up to over the past 20 years.

Potty Mouth

2009-01-28T22:39:00.006-05:00

Recession: 1, Superbowl: 0

2009-01-28T17:50:00.010-05:00

I am technically not interested in the Superbowl. True, I'm attending a party for it this Sunday, but I am more enticed by the prospect of eating pigs-in-a-blanket than I am excited to watch the big game.

Thus, I was unsettled by the argument linked to from my last post, that the Superbowl is "recession proof" (at least in Steeler Nation). Of all the cultural institutions to find shelter from the current economic storm, I couldn't help but think of the Superbowl's alleged fortune as a misplaced blessing.

Thankfully, my mild dismay over this topic can put to rest, as it turns out the Superbowl is just as recession-susceptible as the the rest of us:

Super Bowl takes a hit: Recession zaps big game

In years past, the Super Bowl was so much more than a game. It was an outright orgy of football, glitz and gluttony, a celebration of excess where too much was never enough... But in these tough economic times, it's easy to see: The Super Bowl is taking a hit, too.

General Motors and FedEx pulled their TV ads, even though NBC lowered the price. Playboy canceled its annual party. Almost 200 fewer media credentials were issued.

"When I think of the NFL, I think of recession-proof," Cardinals lineman Elliot Vallejo said this week. "But that's not true anymore."

I know, Elliot... I know.

Poor Little Rich Girls

2009-01-28T16:49:00.007-05:00

Yesterday the NY Times managed to capture everything that is wrong with everything in a group of spoiled trophy wife wannabes who call themselves the DABA (Dating A Banker Anonymous) Girls. "It's the Economy, Girlfriend" finds the DABA Girls recessioned-out, with their FBFs (Financial-Guy Boyfriends) cutting back their Bergdorf allowances and postponing vacations to the Hamptons. They use their blog ("free from the scrutiny of feminists"), to whine. I can see that much of their tone is tongue-in-cheek, but am nonetheless repulsed by their pathetic plight and the fact that the NY Times devoted an entire (neutral!!) article to it.

Can you think of ONE thing less important than the "really serious and heartfelt" woes of the DABA Girls? (If you think you've come up with something, be sure to read the post "God, You're So 24" on dabagirls.com and see if it still seems less important.)

Unfortunate Update: Thanks to the NY Times, the DABA Girls have become an overnight success, landing themselves a book deal.

Which do You Like Better

2009-01-26T23:20:00.011-05:00

Chie Fueki:

or the Superbowl?

Guested

2009-01-23T19:33:00.004-05:00

I have a guest post up at Ypulse right now. If you are interested in hearing more of my reactions to the Obama/Pepsi branding fusion you should def check it out.

From a YouTube channel devoted to user-generated video requests for the Pres, to an overwhelming presence at the Inauguration, Pepsi transparently piggybacked on all the enthusiasm and optimism Obama has inspired. But can young people's hope for the nation's future be sublimated into passion for Pepsi? I have my doubts, and here's why.

Read the entire post here.

Keeping it Correct

2009-01-22T20:19:00.003-05:00

Today at work I was assigned the task of updating our marketing manual. While attempting to write about Constant Contact, I typed the phrase "colored background" and suddenly felt strangely perverse. Is it wrong to want to write "background of color" when referring to the aesthetics of e-communications?

What Just Happened?

2009-01-21T14:39:00.008-05:00

Now that Citizen Bush has been safely returned to the rodeo, we can finally begin to refocus our energy and tackle the questions that really matter: Who is the smoke monster? Where/when did the island move to? Is Claire dead? Etc.

This morning, BoingBoing contemplated how to keep track of such pressing questions and suggested a relational database. Well, luckily for us (and apparently unbeknownst to Stephen Johnson), there is Lostpedia.

Best Wedding Reception Inaugural Ball Ever

2009-01-20T23:18:00.003-05:00

Olden Times in a New Era

2009-01-20T18:40:00.008-05:00

Tonight as I was leaving work in Downtown Crossing, there was a man on the corner whose cries evoked the soundscape of an old city sidewalk. He shouted "Extra! Extra!" (and may or may not have added, "Read all about it!") as he peddled the Boston Globe's special Inaugural Edition to passersby. He was even wearing a small vest with a sign.

While I'm sure nearly every paper in the nation has an inauguration special out this evening (heck, even Hennessey is selling commemorative bottles), I'm posting a link to the Globe for their "extra" efforts: The Boston Globe: The Inauguration

The Speech

2009-01-20T13:22:00.006-05:00

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

A Little Comic Relief...

2009-01-20T00:43:00.000-05:00

End Of An Error

2009-01-20T00:18:00.007-05:00

Update: Pepsi Desperately Wants To Be Obama

2009-01-19T22:49:00.014-05:00

First, an anonymous commenter showed us this. Now, this:
"Pepsi Goes to Washington: Brings Its Optimism Message to Capital for Inauguration Events"

(Via Ypulse via Advertising Age)

Still Probama

2009-01-19T21:34:00.008-05:00

The Phoenix looks at the rise and fall of right-wing Obama-bashing in this week's cover story "Toxic Talk: Hating Obama", but fails to acknowledge a new trend in the anti-Obama movement that is being introduced by liberals who are acting like he has already let us down.

While I am obviously no fan of Rick Warren and am disappointed at the apparent censorship of Gene Robinson (the Bizzaro Warren), I am not at all ready to make a grand declaration that OBAMA HAS FAILED US. Let's be real and know that he's not going to perfect, but he's also not going to outlaw abortion, give tax breaks to the super rich or act like a blubbering cowboy puppet. And, shocking news flash: the Prop 8 fiasco was not his fault.

So many of us are used to being in a constant state of 'against' that it's hard to remember how not to be pissed off. But, to those that are protesting the inauguration or have already given up Obama (before he even steps foot in the Oval Office), there are other ways to disagree. And, before you utter the words, "he's just the same as the rest," take a second to remember that, actually, he's not. No matter what, Obama will always be the first-black president, and while that might not mean anything to you, it does to quite a few.

UPDATE: Bishop Robinson wasn't totally snubbed after all.

The Ugging of America

2009-01-19T17:56:00.004-05:00

As I sit here and contemplate investing in a pair of Uggs, I can't help but feel a cloud of shame and disappointment settling over me. For years I've been pretty staunchly Anti-Ugg, holding steadfast to my "individuality" despite rumors of almost supernatural comfy-ness and obvious utility. I just keep coming back to an article that I read my first year of college by John Fiske called, “The Jeaning of America,” inevitably likening it to the widespread enormity of the Uggs trend (hence, The Ugging of America). Jeans wearers, of course, span far more lines of race, class, gender, etc., but among young women, Uggs are as common as oxygen, and may or may not take precedence. But you probably know that. Point is, according to Fiske,

The lack of social differentiation in jeans gives one the “freedom to be oneself” (and, I suppose, in abnormal cases, to hide oneself), which of course, points to a telling paradox that the desire to be oneself leads one to wear the same garment as everyone else

This observation certainly pertains to our Aussie imports—except I would argue that it is not in abnormal cases, but in most cases, that wearing the universal garb enables one to hide oneself. Of course, there are variations in the ways that people wear their Uggs (pants tucked in, pants not tucked in, shabby, new, black, tan, etc.), but the nearly grotesque level of sameness involved in this predominantly feminine fashion rings of a modern day Stepford situation that nobody seems to notice.

So, despite this clearly over-thought and slightly juvenile criticism, I am considering buying a pair. I mean, if I wear jeans without question—and skinny jeans at that—I can don these sheepskin wonders without any neurosis and call it normal, right? Sometimes a shoe is just a shoe.

Frenemies

2009-01-18T20:56:00.008-05:00

A Google search for "sweetmeatblog" identified our first potential adversary, but the only objections raised by NoSweetMeat.blogspot.com are towards concoctions like this.

Happy Sanctity of Human Life Day

2009-01-18T09:03:00.000-05:00

Not.

Real World Ambivalence

2009-01-17T16:09:00.011-05:00

Top Five Reasons to Love Real World: Brooklyn

1. Everyone is queer. We’ve got an m2f tranny, a hipster hasbian, a Joseph Smith-loving closet case, a Latino queer who trains dolphins and whales (what’s gayer than SeaWorld?), and some other less memorable, less gay characters.

2. The roommates don't have a “job” this season. This is great news, because jobless people have so much more time to get drunk, do embarrassing things, and hook up with each other. These are the reasons we watch this show.

3. There is a Mormon on the roster, who so far, does not appear to be a bigot. I bet he secretly voted for Obama.

4. No “blonde bimbos.” The women, though the kind of people who would audition for the Real World, are seemingly…real. One of them even has tattoos and does art therapy with survivors of sexual assault.

5. New York. It's where reality TV started. It's better than Denver.

Top Five Reasons to Hate Real World: Brooklyn

1. One of the less gay roommates happens to be a veteran, and when asked why he enlisted, he said 9/11. Two roommates, who I guess haven’t been paying attention over the past 7 years or so, thought that was really cool.

2. There are only two people of color. Not a huge surprise, but still problematic.

3. By the second episode, we awkwardly witness the son of immigrant parents drunkenly bashing immigrants and people who don’t speak English.

4. The veteran, Ryan, accidentally kisses a drag queen on the mouth at a gay bar. He freaks out, washes his mouth and later pukes. The roommates give him accolades for trying to “learn about” gay culture, which leads me to my next point...

5. The gays become teachers. I’ve seen MTV get didactic, but not like this. Not only are these queer Real Worlders educating their less savvy friends about the dynamics of LGBTQ identity and lifestyle, but they are doing the same for the show’s audience. Sure, a little exposure can go a long way, I just worry that the show will merely skim the surface of the complexities of queer identity and culture, and backfire in ways that might reinforce certain stereotypes and animus toward queer communities. Not to mention the issue of MTV cashing in on a socio-political and intensely personal struggle for the sake of entertainment. It’s sometimes unclear though if MTV is going for $$$ or a GLAAD media award. We'll see.

Contest

2009-01-16T10:19:00.006-05:00

Can you think of a caption for this photo?

Lost in Tweet-lation

2009-01-15T09:43:00.001-05:00

Sweetmeat recently remarked on distasteful portrayals of text obsessed teen girls in advertising, but it's high time that TXT H8ERS everywhere start eating their words. As textese (slash communication technology in general) becomes evermore prevalent, it is increasingly dangerous to make fun of or risk cutting off communication from entire sectors of society.

The shift from silly to serious consideration of textspeak is made palpable by the Israeli Consulate's twitter account, as featured in a recent New York Times article:

Some, including the MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow, mocked the idea of a government spokesman addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in tweets barely a sentence long. "The Israeli government is trying to explain a conflict that people write books about, a conflict that newspaper writers struggle to explain in 2,000 words, in 140 characters at a time," she marveled.

While Maddow makes a point-- how can the complexities of deep conflict be dealt under conditions that virtually erase explication?-- David Saranga, head of media relations for the Israeli consulate in New York, makes a better one:

Mr. Saranga... made no apologies for using common text-messaging abbreviations... "I speak to every demographic in a language he understands," he said. "If someone only speaks Spanish, I speak in Spanish; if someone is using a platform like Twitter, I want to tweet."

Decision makers and leaders who poo-poo the possibility that "serious" issues can be discussed and shared through new tech platforms and languages should prepare for lonely futures.

Parents who withhold unlimited texting whilst laughing along with family plan providers at your daughter's proclivity for SMS, be warned.

The Morning-After Salon

2009-01-14T16:50:00.008-05:00

While walking through Harvard Sq today, I spotted what looked like some sort of upscale Planned Parenthood. Upon further inspection, I realized that what I was looking at was, in fact, a hair salon named PLAN B. Really?! Plan B? Do they have a sister salon named Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo? Or is Rick Fogarty, the "creative force" guilty of naming his hair salon after emergency contraception, living in an alternate universe where he has never heard of the morning-after pill? (Perhaps this is same place that produced Michelle Duggar?) Whatever the case may be, Fogarty should seriously consider a new name before Evangelicals start lurking outside, yelling "Murderer!" at innocent dye-jobs.

Virgin For Sale

2009-01-13T14:54:00.015-05:00

At the risk of sounding virgin obsessed, I have to make mention of the newest vestal superstar, Natalie Dylan, and her $3.7 million (and gaining!) innocence. Natalie, a 22 yr old student, is auctioning off her virginity through the Bunny Ranch and (who else?) Howard Stern to pay for a Master's Degree in (what else?) Family and Marriage Therapy.

While bloggers everywhere have been chiming in on Natalie's supposed empowering entrepreneurship, none are asking the more important question: Who are these ragingly disgusting men who are willing to spend more than 3 million dollars on 1 night of deflowering (while the national unemployment rate creeps closer to 10%)?

Lovefool

2009-01-12T09:11:00.009-05:00

Why my significant other's attempts to defend Love Actually against my criticisms may actually be cause for concern: Romantic Comedies Kill Relationships.

Rom-coms have been blamed by relationship experts at Heriot Watt University for promoting unrealistic expectations when it comes to love. They found fans of films such as Runaway Bride and Notting Hill often fail to communicate with their partner.

Many held the view if someone is meant to be with you, then they should know what you want without you telling them...

Instead of regretting last night's home-screening of French Kiss, get back to reality with this list of Top 10 Ways to Be Smart About Love, written by some crazy smart teen girls at Teen Voices Online.

Calling Girls: Everything You Say is Stupid

2009-01-10T16:40:00.011-05:00

I doubt I’m alone on this one, but I count cell phone and wireless plan commercials to be among the most irritating on TV. Not only are they creepily in line with what some might call “dad humor,” but they make the secret teenage girl in me want to sneak out at midnight and sleep with an iPod commercial to get even. From my calculations, Cingular and T-mobile are two of the biggest offenders in the cell phone commercial industry. While it’s rare that I find myself actually enjoying any commercial, many made by these companies are literally offensive. Sure, the Verizon Wireless network ones are kind of annoying, but hear me out:

Here the dad is revealed as both a lascivious old man who guiltlessly eyes women at soccer games and an overprotective father who forbids his teenage daughter to speak to boys. The problem with this commercial and others like it, is that because they are clearly marketed to white dad’s out there everywhere, they vindicate the father while reducing the teen girl to a vapid, shrill, unintelligible, and ungrateful talking-machine. In this context, all members of the family except the daughter are free to phone anyone they choose; even that brother gets to call Skinny Pete! This archetypal scenario, in which a father attempts to exert control over his daughter’s desires and sexual relationships, is well-worn and frankly not funny.

Let’s take a moment to remember another T-mobile commercial from a few years ago in which a mother confronts her daughter, who apparently is unable to carry on a conversation in English and can only converse in text message inspired acronyms, about how her texting is jacking up the price of the phone bill. The daughter is once again portrayed as an incomprehensible (especially without subtitles!) and unappreciative little bitch. I wonder if feeling unheard, stupid, or devalued are things that teen girls worry about. I’m not sure.

Perhaps T-mobile feels it is ok to deride girls because typically they aren’t the ones buying cell phone plans—especially family plans—themselves. But you have to wonder where all that half-joking hostility is really coming from. I mean, according to cell phone ads, these girls have more to talk and text about than any other kind of human, so shouldn’t we see tons of commercials courting teen girls? The real issue here though isn’t who these ads target, but who they depict and how. I’ve posted below a small sampling of some of my other favorite commercials that probably should never have been made.

I hate to say it, but I almost miss the simple, gender-neutral days of, “Can you hear me now?"

The New Teen (Mom) Idol

2009-01-09T13:22:00.026-05:00

With the 90s image of the reckless teen mom becoming replaced by promise ring wearing youth groupers, it seems appropriate that the abstinence-only doctrine is being introduced to mainstream media right alongside the pop trend of teen motherhood.

The v-card holding Jonas Brothers and abstinence-only fairy tale Twilight are paving the path for the purity army, while the Bristols and Zoey 101s let the girls know that if your promise ring didn’t save you from sin, you can still be part of the club – if you make the right decision.

In her article "Red Sex, Blue Sex" (New Yorker, 11.03.08), Margaret Talbot writes, "In early September, when Sarah Palin, the Republican candidate for Vice-President, announced that her unwed seventeen-year-old daughter, Bristol, was pregnant, many liberals were shocked, not by the revelation but by the reaction to it." The article goes on to quote a Louisiana delegate’s praise for Bristol, "'Like so many American families who are in the same situation, I think it’s great that she instilled in her daughter the values to have the child and not sneak off someplace and have an abortion.'" Bristol Palin, ironically, became a poster child for responsible decision-making.

It’s hard to understand why the same right-wingers who once bashed urban teen moms for their missteps praise their own for their strength and morality. Conservatives have always been good at defending their weak spots, so I’d like to believe that this response is just that – shaping a story to fit with the theme – but I think the message goes beyond covering for a faulty convention. Getting married and having kids before 20 is a sure-fire way to miss out on college and a career, and I can’t help but think that this media attention is yet another reinforcement of an outdated housewife ideal.

Pepsi: Together We Can

2009-01-08T17:32:00.021-05:00

Ever since the Obama brand began its unprecedented, politico-commercial ascent to victory, crafty advertisers have been devising ways to work the message of "change" into their own campaigns. Timid Obama wannabees are gently reinventing themselves through experiments in Gotham font. But the most unabashed expression of Obamabrand envy I've seen popped up Monday night during the premier of True Beauty, in the form of a new Pepsi ad. I haven't been able to track down video, but this diptych should illustrate my point:

Does appropriating Obama's image effectively infuse Pepsi with all the optimism and hope of the president elect's campaign? I can't say for sure, but if 2012 comes down to Pepsi or Palin, I know who's getting my vote.

Updates:
Apparently, the Obama/Pepsi look-a-like debate goes back even before Pepsi's rebrand, begging the question: Is Obama the true copycat?

Alternatively, this logic could explain the similarities.