Listen Up All Pop Music Fans!

I am absolutely worn out and sick of all the bickering between all the current female pop star 'super fans.' All the Britney fans are sick of Gaga fans for labeling her Madonna's protege and stating that Britney is quite simply...over. Gaga fans are pissed because everyone "keeps copying Gaga." This artist is better than another artist. This artist stole that artist's idea.

Current example: Christina Aguilera's latest video for "Not Myself Tonight." Everyone jumps on the Christina stole Gaga's thunder blah blah blah bullshit -- yes, I'm pointing my finger at you Perez Hilton. I'll admit that "Not Myself Tonight" is truly a take-notice video. It makes me feel like I have to bathe in bleach after watching it.

But what her new video brings to mind is NOT Gaga, but the TRUE Queen of Pop herself...MADONNA.

For real. Think about it. If Britney (whom we all know I absolutely adore), Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera are copying ANYONE, it's clearly Madonna. "Not Myself Tonight" has visions of early Madonna videos, NOT Gaga.

And I'm not the only one seeing it. EW.com put it best by stating: "Truly, though, there’s another pop-diva influence clearly going on in this video, and her name starts with M. Could it be…Madonna? Yes, of course. Aguilera’s dominatrix outfit seems to be a clear nod to Madge in “Human Nature.” And those times where we see Aguilera amid mist at the top of those stairs, dressed as a German schoolmaster are reminiscent of Madonna’s “Express Yourself,” no?"

They continue to make an ever BETTER point, stating: "The retort to this whole line of criticism, however, includes two arguments: 1) When it comes to Madonna, nearly every pop star has taken pieces of her performances/styling/etc. So there’s that. And then 2) With the Gaga argument, can we really fault Christina for taking from Gaga, when Gaga herself has so ripped from a variety of other artists?" Um...Gaga ripping off artists like Roisin Murphy, anyone??

EW also makes a FANTASTIC point that Christina was always the one artist zigging when every other artist was zagging. And that's true. Christina was the artist who was constantly re-inventing herself. Her biggest issue is that she takes SO long to put out new album. She used to be able to give the pop world the jolt it most needed to work it in a different direction...but maybe this time she's too late.

But none of that is neither here nor there...or the point that I'm trying to make.

Which to boil it down and drag it truly home...what people need to get is that...

NO ONE IS TRULY ORIGINAL IN POP MUSIC ANYMORE.

That's why it's POP music.

The brilliant thing about music is that someone brings something new to the table that reinvigorates an oversaturated genre...others take from THAT and mold it in their own ways to make it interesting. It's become a neverending cycle of evolution.

Let's face it. Without Madonna, there would be no Britney. Without Britney stealing the music thunder from female singer/songwriters in the late 90's, pop music wouldn't have gotten its wake up call and gotten its Christina or...SHOCK...Lady Gaga (who has admitted COUNTLESS times that Britney is a HUGE influence...she did, after all, stand outside TRL whenever Britney was a guest. If that's not dedication or admiration, then what the hell is?).

These artists all have one another to thank, not one another to blame. It keeps the music scene interesting and relevent and exciting. It makes them all strive to be better and way more relevant.

So get off your high horses and get the hell over it. It's not going to change and bickering only makes you look like assholes. I'm not saying you have to love everyone as an artist, but the least you can do is respect them.

Post #100

In honor of this being my blog's 100th post...I've decided to spotlight some of my favorite blog posts thus far.

"Apparently I have a Talented Cervix"

A post dedicated to the wonders of my spamming cervix. Still the best e-mail that I have EVER received.

"Obsessing on Star Culture"

This was an assignment for my magazine writing class...and to this day, still rings 100% true.

"Flirt (...Or How To Have a Very Dirty Vagina)"

As if the title isn't fantastic enough, there's a Photoshopped picture of Nicole Scherzingergergergergerwhatever and a pile of dirt.

"Dirty Pretty Boys"

Still love the dirty, pretty boys.

"Why Doesn't Anyone Wear Pants in Music Videos Anymore?"

This one also rings very, very true.

And my two Year in Reviews.

To 100 more...maybe.

Somewhat Slightly (Make That Very) Irritated

Normally I absolutely love Entertainment Weekly, but I've got to express some irritation at the fact that the magazine named Beyonce one of their 15 Entertainers of the Decade (and Justin Timberlake too), but make no room for Britney Spears on their list.

Spears has been THE spotlight "It Girl" for the past ten years. And in the past year, she's been the top concert grosser.

EDIT

Chopped a huge hunk of this rant out. I don't want to seem petty or sour...so instead, I just sent EW this e-mail, which I think sums things up nicely.

Entertainment Weekly:
As spot on as some of your "Entertainers of the Decade" selections were, I couldn't help but notice a huge gaping hole where Britney Spears should have been. Not only has Spears been ranked as the eighth best-selling female recording artist in the United States, she's also the fifth best-selling artist of the decade, as well as the top-selling female artist. Sure she's been tabloid fodder for the last ten years, but she's also been a trendsetter and an amazing entertainer that love her or hate her, still has people talking. The only thing that made your list bittersweet for me was the fact that EW's readers seem to realize her pop cultural relevance these past ten years by demanding you give her a place on your Readers' Choice Entertainers of the Decade list. It's nice to know that my fellow readers know what constitutes a real "Entertainer of the Decade."

Off to steam some more.

Um...

Sorry Popeater. You're about 9 months too late.

Current Playlist as of November 8, 2009

Non-Stop Play Action, Mind You
-Rihanna - "Russian Roulette" (Love, love, love, love, love this song. Usually the slower songs don't catch my attention...but I love this)
-Taking Back Sunday - "Liar (It Takes One to Know One)" / "MakeDamnSure" / "Cute Without the E (Cut from the Team)" / "Sink Into Me" ~ Live from Bamboozle 2009
-Glee - "Sweet Caroline" / Mash-Ups
-Kris Allen - "Live Like We're Dying"
-Little Boots - "Remedy (Kaskade Radio Edit)"
-30 Seconds to Mars - "This is War"
-La Roux - "Bulletproof" ~ Damn you, Neff.
-Halifax - "Straight Up (cover)"

For some reason, I'm really into what I'm calling Euro-Trash...AKA Euro Pop music. Going to be time to have a rave reaaaaaaaaal soon.

And the songs I'm hanging my head in shame over:
-Kanye West - "Love Lockdown"
-Beyonce - "Ring the Alarm"

Also...really not getting why artists are releasing "Extended" versions of their albums. Rihanna did it a few years ago with "Good Girl Gone Bad" and granted, it did give "Take a Bow" (which I didn't fall in love with till "Glee" but now can't get enough of) and "Disturbia" the chance to see the light of day. And granted, those two songs were fantastic. But now there's a whole slew of artists doing it. Taylor Swift. Lady Gaga. And to me...in order to do that, the songs you're releasing with them better be absolutely kickass (the way "Disturbia" was). And I'm really just not digging the new tracks. Not enough to see why they don't just quit releasing these tracks and go into the studio to record NEW full-length records. I mean, Brit, I love you...but did your team have to release "The Singles Collection" so soon after "My Prerogative"? We've only had two albums since then. Don't get me wrong, I'll buy the SC because I'm such a fan...but as for the other above releases...get over the album you're trying to promote so hardcore. I'm sick of it. Sick of radio airplay. Sick of what the radio thinks I should like. I don't want to hear the same Kings of Leon song over and over. I'm sick of crappy R&B tracks that all sound the very same. I don't want to hear someone attempting to sound all European. I'd rather have the real thing.

Going to sink into my hard-to-find Eurotrash obscurities and dream of having a rave in my head.

Oh God. I'm becoming a music bitch again. Fantastic.

An Open Letter to the Asshole(s) That Stole My iPod

Dear Asshole(s) That Stole My iPod,

First and foremost, fuck you for breaking into my car and taking my new baby away from me. I don't care so much about the twelve dollars in change, but I do care about the one thing that keeps me saner than sane in this world. I had that new iPod ONE month before you fuckers took it away. And it wasn't yours to take.

I really don't understand people who steal...especially around here. I lived for FOUR YEARS in Pittsburgh without incident, but I can't even keep an iPod in a LOCKED CAR without someone breaking in to steal it. This town is full of meth heads and assholes who would rather take someone else's property than work a hard day in their lives.

Secondly, thank you for taking away my security. I feel like my privacy has been super invaded now.

And thank you so much for making me look like a convict at work with two cops following me to the parking lot today.

Finally, I know I said it once before, but fuck, you deserve it. FUCK YOU. GET A REAL JOB MOTHERFUCKERS. AND STAY THE FUCK OUT OF MY CAR.

-Julie

To my lost iPod: I hope I find you again...but I'm fearing that I won't. I love you and miss you and hope the meth heads aren't scaring you too much. Shit.

Oh screw you, Kanye

You know...for being a terrible singer and a mediocre rapper (everyone thinks he's "genius" and I just fail to see it...it's sad when the winner of "American Idol" does a cover of your song on national TV that I hate the original of, but love the cover...yeah...great music...), Kanye West has gone and pissed me off again. His hypocrisy is just ridiculous.

According to Reuters, West (whose late mother was an English professor) "does not read books or respect them" and feels that books are "wordy" and make the author seem "self-absorbed." He then went on to state that he would never want a book's autograph.

Yet, West has written a "book" of sayings.

Let's count the ways of hypocrisy here.

-Kanye doesn't read, but he wrote a book. 'Nough said.
-Books are wordy...what is his music made of? It's not all beats. It's words. Maybe not the "written word," but spoken "word" is just as important...if not worse at times. If I get irritated with a book, I can close it. You can't turn an annoying person off.
-Books make the author seem "self-absorbed."
Quotes from Kanye himself:
1. "I realize that my place and position in history is that I will go down as the voice of this generation, of this decade, I will be the loudest voice."
2. "Put this in the magazine: There’s nothing more to be said about music. I’m the fucking end-all, be-all of music. I know what I’m doing. I did 808s in three weeks. I got it."
3. “I am God’s vessel. But my greatest pain in life is that I will never be able to see myself perform live.”
4. "Come on now! How could you be me and want to be someone else?"

I think that his quotes say it all.

I just can't get over the hypocrisy going on here. I can't get over the way that he acts. And I love that he goes so far to talk about how he dropped out of college because books were boring. If that's the reason one drops out of college...good God.

As for getting a 'book's autograph' Mr. West...well I'm sorry. The last time I checked, books were inanimate objects. They can't autograph themselves, dumbass.

I just...I can't even put my annoyance into words.

Kanye West is a huge hypocrite. And I've already devoted entirely too much time to him.

I'm off to listen to Kris Allen perform his music thirty thousand times better than he does and read a few books...you know. Those arrogant, mouthy, self-absorbed pages. What must I be thinking?

This is the last time that I will rant about this...I promise.

Some of you may know -- or may not know -- that I like to write fiction. That is...I like to write fiction when my muse isn't being a huge bitch and deciding that she'd rather be uninspired than help me out.

Which is why...when I had an actual good idea for a short novella of sorts back at the end of August, I was stoked. I wrote the piece and finished it in November. I posted it on the site where I have posted for the last EIGHT years. And that was that. It was all published. People liked it. Hell, it even got nominated for a fiction award.

And then yesterday, I get an e-mail from someone telling me that they were reading on a Fan Fiction site for Tokyo Hotel and came across this story...and low and behold...IT WAS MINE. Someone ripped OFF my story and then tried to pass it off as fan fiction...only bothering to change the names. They even kept the same summary that I'd posted on my original story's site.

The first feeling I had was disappointment that someone would stoop so low. Then I got angry.

Here was this "author" who said they wrote the story after a "dream" (which is not at all where my inspiration came from...how lame). People could comment on the story...and I got mad when I read comments telling the "author" how great the story was...then got even ANGRIER when I saw that the "author" had responded thanking them for their kind words and they were just "hard at work on the next chapter" (yeah...copy and paste is just SOOOO difficult). There were lies within lies in these comments and the more I read, the more pissed off I was.

I sent the mods at the board a long e-mail letting them know that this had occurred...here was the link for my story...notice these publication dates. Would they please take it down? Etc. Etc.

The second step of the process was to alert my readers that this had happened. I posted a rather long and lengthy author's note expressing my concern over the issue and stating that if the matter wasn't dealt with in 24-48 hours, I would be removing the story and pulling out of the Fiction Awards.

40 minutes after that message to the mods of the fan fiction site...the story was no longer on the site and the user's account was taken down. I don't know if it was the mods or the actual poster who did this...but I guess that at this moment...that's not really important. The work has been taken down.

Which leads me to my rant within a rant.

Many of my reader's responded to the author's note with words of encouragement and I am so incredibly grateful for their support.

In fact, my best writer friend (and one of my closest friends even though we don't talk nearly as much as we should because we're both busy) Heather called me to check on me and see how I was holding up. If you stumble across this post...thank you Heather...for being so supportive of my writing and for taking the time to call me and talk to me about this. You calmed me down immensely. I super appreciate it.

But then I got a few messages from others that just infuriated me even more about the whole issue. Some of them stated that I should be "flattered" that someone would take my work. That must mean it's good. That this other person just couldn't come up with a better idea than mine. How could stealing my work possibly be insulting. The other author and I both know who wrote it...and shouldn't that be enough?

HELL NO, that's not enough. I know that this is something I faced when I published online. I guess I just figured people had good morals. That they know that stealing intellectual property and passing it off as their own isn't just morally shitty...it's ILLEGAL. And the fact that someone doesn't get how this could be insulting is just an insult in itself.

I pride myself on my work. Do I think I'm amazing or fucking incredible? No. Do I think I'm going to be the next big literary "It" girl? No. Do I write merely for reviews and fans? No.

I write because I like to. It's an expression and extension of myself. And for someone who's fictional work has been so blocked lately...this was just a huge slap in the face.

There's a difference between linking to a story you enjoy and actually claiming its yours. It's just sad to see how some think that line is blurred and don't realize how bold it really and truly is.

And that's all I'm saying for the last time on this subject.

--J

PS: Okay...one more thing. Tokyo Hotel? For real? FOR SERIOUS? God. I like some terrible music...but Tokyo Hotel? Good God. That in itself is another insult entirely. Jeez.

PPS: THAT'S all I'm saying now. Thanks. :)

My inner 13-year-old is peeing herself with excitement...

Um...can we discuss the fact that blink-182 are supposedly "together" again...and that they're working on recording new stuff and possibly touring? When weeks ago they were saying that was far off...if never happening again? Travis just had that horrible plane wreck (and impending lawsuit). Mark broke up +44 and was supposedly "working" on a solo record. Tom (to me) has made the most of the split, forming Angels & Airwaves and building up a huge fan base.

The inner-13-year-old in me is peeing herself with excitement over the idea that one of my favorite bands could possibly be reuiniting...but the 22-year-old in me is wary. Blink was the band that got me into a lot of the different music I'm into today. They were my gateway band so to speak...so they'll always be near and dear to me (no matter what other people say). But at the same time...did everyone just suddenly forget the terrible break up they had?

I'd pretty much given up any hope for a reunion. Due to the fact that I've only honestly recently gotten into the whole concert thing (damn you social anxiety disorder...and damn you Warren from being so far away from all the good venues)...I figured I'd never see Mark, Tom and Travis perform together.

So instead, I went about it in an odd way to make sure I saw them all live. I got the chance to see +44 open for Fall Out Boy on the Honda Civic Tour...but was sad because they seriously felt like a blink-182 cover band...

I always kind of took Tom's side in the whole ordeal (he was my favorite member after all...even my inner thirteen year old is still in love with him...). Mark and Travis were quick to attack him, saying that the way he handled things was so "incredibly immature." Tom stayed silent through the whole ordeal, taking the higher road and starting Angels & Airwaves. Only recently (this past summer) did he talk about it on an AVA DVD, stating his side of the break up was due to the fact that he wanted to spend more time with his family...and the other guys didn't respect that.

Tom rant aside...this past summer, it was like my dream was coming full circle when I got to see Angels & Airwaves perform on the Warped Tour. I can honestly say that I love AVA. I love their sound. I love what they stand for. It was an amazing show and definitely is in my Top 5 Concert Experiences.

So as stoked as I am for a blink reunion...I'm also nervous. What's going to happen? Are they just doing this for cash or do they seriously want to do it for the music and the fans again? Furthermore, what does this mean for the future of AVA (who were really just getting started)? I can't help but think about how nervous Tom looked at the Grammy's last nite when they made the announcement.

What it boils down to is this. I'm all for a blink reunion if it's what they all want. But if, in the end, all the guys want to do is repair their friendships (because that seriously was one of the things that made this band so fantastic...the camaraderie between the three of them until shit got bad) and forego the music...I would be completely fine with that too.

All I know is that I'm not completely getting my hopes up. Not yet anyway.

An Open Letter to Yogurt

Dear Yogurt-

I've been on this kick lately to eat healthier. Part of this involves actually going to the grocery store with my mom and picking out healthier snacks for work and lunch.

And I always find myself standing in front of the case where you reside in dairy.

As a child, I used to tug my mother to your aisle and force her to stand there while I picked out what type of yogurt I was going to buy.

I would be so excited to see those cartons all lined up. Strawberry? Blueberry? Raspberry? What kind would I take home and immediately rip into?

And once I got home and I had you in my hands with a spoon, I would peel your top off (God, this sounds dirty), mix your fruit up from the bottom...and take that first bite.

Which is where my yogurt confession comes in.

I absolutely, one hundred and fifty thousand percent detest yogurt.

I hate the taste of it. It doesn't matter if it's the kind you mix the fruit off the bottom, smooth and creamy, whipped...hell, not even that Creamsavers kind of yogurt can turn me. There's just something about that bizarre taste and consistency that lingers with yogurt.

But for some reason, I continually go back to the yogurt case. For some reason, I'm convinced that maybe, just maybe, my opinion of you would have changed. But alas, I still hate yogurt. I mean, sure, I can eat it in a smoothie when its blended with fresh fruit...but alone? Out of the container?

So today, I decided to go back to the yogurt freezer...and decided upon some Yoplait Whipped Light and Flurry Orange Creme yogurt. I mean, it's whipped. It couldn't possibly have that flavor that all other Yoplait has, rite?

Wrong.

And now, I sit here, staring at the empty carton (I have no problem throwing away a five dollar sandwich I hate...but an 80 cent yogurt going to waste makes me feel guilty)...wondering how the hell I'm going to get through the rest of the yogurt I felt it was necessary to purchase today.

Why do you keep pulling me back into your clutches, yogurt? Why?

--J

Congratulations Rolling Stone

I was out buying "Pineapple Express" last nite, when Rolling Stone's latest issue caught my attention.


In a Radar-esque way, Rolling Stone managed to write a piece of satire about our outgoing president that was witty, funny, and at times scathingly honest. I'm not someone who goes around ranting about my political beliefs (though it has been known to happen) and I've been known to rant about popular print voicing their political affiliations to the public (another long, boring rant thanks to too many Journalism classes). But this was honestly unlike anything else I've read in Rolling Stone. Then, the open letter to Obama and the Student-Teacher story? This was a slam dunk issue. Usually Rolling Stone is one of those magazines I read an article or two in and then close entirely. Not this one. Maybe some of the press was paying attention to Radar's formula.

Speaking of the greatest magazine I have ever read/received/subscribed to...I got a card in the mail this week telling me that "due to marketplace conditions, Radar Magazine has stopped publishing." Now I've read enough online about it's demise and no one else really cares, so I won't bore you with the details. In short, it's a bunch of bullshit.

But what made this so damn funny...was the fact that for the remaining amount of my subscription, I can pick from one of the subscriptions below:

• Men's Health
• Shape
• Star

If I didn't reply by a certain date, I would, by default, receive Star magazine. Which apparently now I am. Till 2011. Aren't you all jealous? The fact that such a shit tabloid replaces one of my favorite pieces of written word is an insult to the awesome magazine that once was.

Oh Radar. I only wish we'd had more time together.

Love.

--J

An Open Letter to Whatever Germ Infected Me

Dear Germs,

For the past few years, you've snuck up on me and infected me when I least expected or wanted you to. For some reason, you feel the need to crawl into my system and attack my immune system until the only thing that I can do to fight back is sleep. Excessively. I hate it. I hate you.

The point of this is, you've killed my blogging creativity. Fuck you.

--Julie

PS: Instead of blogging, I'll be watching Penn State play USC in the Rose Bowl. I really don't like USC. But I fucking hate Penn State (sorry Honkus...). So I'm hoping USC creams them. The end.

I could just vomit all over that douche bag Pete Wentz.

My daily lunch routine when I come home every day starts out the same. I sit at my computer and visit these three Web sites in this order:

-WWTDD.com - Best gossip blog ever.
-BreatheHeavy.com - Best Britney fan site ever.
-People.com - Most reliable celeb magazine ever.

Same order. Every day. I may throw in an e-mail or Facebook check every so often...but every day. Those three sites. That very order.

So today started out much the same. I read about Jamie Lynn Spears on WWTDD. I read about Britney's leaked "Circus" vid on BreatheHeavy (which is FANTASTIC by the way. The same guy who did "I'm a Slave 4 U" [My absolute FAVORITE Britney vid EVER] directed this one. It's definitely one of my top Brit vids.). Then I went to people.com.

And rite there...beneath the Kevin Federline (yech) tell-all was this headline: Pete Wentz: Baby Bronx Was 'A Happy Accident.'

Um. First of all...if your child was a "happy accident," then what do you consider his name to be? Bronx Mowgli. Are you for real? For real? That poor child has to grow up with that name. It's not like they could even give it a weird first name and a semi-normal middle name. No. That kid has no options. Bronx? Mowgli? I have always joked around that I'm going to name my firstborn the very first thought that pops into my head after giving birth (which means, my first child will probably be 'Holy Fuck My Vagina Hurts')...and after this clusterfuck of a name, it's official. I'm going to do just that. Because seriously. Holy Fuck My Vagina Hurts is 80,000 times better than Bronx Mowgli.

And then I went on to actually READ the article. Which only managed to piss me off even further.

After a soft lead in, followed by a quote from Pete stating the child was what he needed to put his "wild child in a cage," Wentz goes on to state that the child made him quit "experimenting" with prescription pills.

Ahem. Way back when, I was an avid Fall Out Boy fan. While I don't begrudge the other 3 members of the band whatsoever...it was Pete Wentz who turned me off of his band. I can listen to 'Take This To Your Grave' and 'From Under the Cork Tree' from time to time still, but I have to distance myself. There's new FOB and old FOB. It's the old FOB that I like to carry in my pocket for a rainy day (how emo is that?).

That long rant aside, I can now tell you, that in the 'old days,' Pete was hardcore straight edge. And now, all of a sudden, Pete is spouting off about how he "experiments" with anti-anxiety drugs...and Patrick Stump in the latest issue of Rolling Stone (with my girl Brit on the cover) admits that Pete's pretty much a hardcore drinker too.

What in the hell happened to this guy?

But the article gets so much more eye roll enducing.

"But the drug-overdose death of Heath Ledger in January was an eye-opener for the Fallout Boy bassist.
'Dude, after Heath Ledger,' he says, 'I was just like, Man, this is not going to end up good.'"

Are. You. Fucking. Serious.

Firstly, why the hell does one try to 'get high' or 'overdose' on Ativan? Unfortunately, Ativan is something that I have way too much former personal experience with. It's not something you take to have a 'good' time. It's a definate downer. One that makes you practically catatonic and knocks you out. You don't take it to 'have a good time.' You take it because emotionally, you just want to take the pain away. When you're high on Ativan, all you want to do is lay in bed. A good friend and I used to take a few too many and play Mario...which was ridiculous. You can't play Mario and be on a few too many Ativan. Eventually your concept of time gets too fucked up and you either jump in place repeatedly or run off cliffs.

If Ashlee has made his life 'so great' and everything for him is just so 'awesome' then why the Ativan? For real.

Anyway...

Secondly.

Heath Ledger. Did he really just try to get the sympathy vote by bringing up Heath Ledger?

Heath is beyond Pete so far in caliber that it's ridiculous.

The rest of the article goes on to talk about how everyone wants him and Ashlee to do a "Newlyweds 2" but how they won't do it and blah blah blah. Which honestly surprises me. Ashlee did a reality show to get people to buy her first CD (she should have done it after her terrible SNL stint to try to win over her fans with her crap pop music [which I unfortunately have on my iTunes and find myself listening to from time to time]). Pete likes whoring off media attention. I'm surprised the two of them haven't jumped at it. Or that Joe Simpson hasn't forced the two of them into it. I mean...why did they get married? Um...because she was pregnant? And God forbid people scorn them because she was 'unwed.'

I know that this is condescending. And I know that a lot of people don't see where my dislike comes from.

Which is this.

Pete Wentz...way back in the day...was a totally fucking awesome guy. He would have done anything for his fans. He was all about his music. He could write lyrics in ways that I hadn't ever heard before.

But in the past two years...he's jumped ship and landed himself aboard the Douche Bag Express.

He sold out everything he used to stand for. Straight edge? Gone. Down to earth guy? Gone. Only does things for the music? Gone. Non-rockstar "I'm a loser" pretty dirty boy persona? Totally gone.

Instead, he's an asshole. He tries to paint himself as anything but on his band's site...but let's get real.

The real Pete Wentz checked his awesome personality at the door years ago and traded in for a more marketable, more profitable Kanye West-esque model (of course, he just ADORES Kanye and his huge fucking ego).

I have to laugh at the guy he's become because it's just so ridiculous...I try to look and see some glimmer of who he used to be.

But then I run across bullshit like this and it only seems to cement my new opinion of Pete.

He's an asshole who doesn't really honestly care about the music or his fans anymore. Instead, he's happier to play Hollywood hotshot in the vainest of cities in the United States...instead of his beloved hometown of Chicago. If this ever was about the music, he lost it a long time ago.

And that is why I have no more respect for Mr. Peter Wentz.

Yet Another Good Magazine Bites the Dust

Can someone please tell me why it is that all the 'good things' in my life just disappear? Now, I know that this may sound incredibly emo and depressing...but I'm not talking about relationships...or jobs...or whatever.

I'm talking about 'Radar' magazine.

The summer before my last year at college, I happened to get a subscription to the magazine...not knowing really what it was about or what type of content they featured.

When that first Photoshopped cover showed up in my mailbox, however, I knew I was in love.

The article and the photos were incredibly well done. The content was witty, but intelligent. For the first time ever, I could read an entire magazine cover to cover and come out of it feeling entertained, but educated.

And when a new issue didn't arrive this month, I figured, "Hey...Maybe it was a double issue."

And then when I went to change my subscription address...I get an error message. After a quick search on Google, what do I find? The magazine "shuttered" meaning that its financial backing was pulled.

All I can wonder is why?

Radar was witty and entertaining. It was thoughtful. It was funny. It covered the 'case' of Prince Harry. They questioned what would happen if Google took over the world. They wrote thoughtful columns on toy ponies and relationships.

In a whole, it was awesome.

There is no other magazine like it on newsstands...and I can't help but feel cheated.

How is it that financial backing can get pulled on a successful magazine like 'Radar' who's first issue during their relaunch sold out and has been going strong since that relaunch? Why shut down a magazine that was heavily debated for its covers on 'The View' and 'CNN'? Why take away my 'fresh intelligence'?

I don't understand how copies of crap magazines like 'Glamour' and 'Interview' can hold financial backing. Trust me, I've subscribed to both and not only skipped half the articles...but felt like I learned absolutely nothing when I was done reading.

When did publications become so vain and brainless?

'Radar' came to me during a time when I was wondering what the hell I was doing majoring in Media...when I thought that working for a witty publication was still possible. Now what? Now who can I aspire to work for? Certainly not 'Cosmopolitan.'

I know that financial backers look for general trends with the people who buy their products, but I'm sick of being one of the few who doesn't fit into a mass mold of readers. I know plenty of people who read 'Radar' for the mere fact that it was different. As a reader, they took something away from the magazine other than a new make up tip or where to buy the new 'IT' shoe.

'Radar' magazine gave me hope that an intelligent but interesting magazine could exist...and now that it's gone, there's this huge gap.

And sadly, I don't think that any magazine will ever take its place.

An Open Letter to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Pittsburgh Drivers

To the Aforementioned:

This morning -- January 22, 2008 -- I left my apartment at approximately 10:20 AM to make it to a class an hour later. What normally takes me a mere 8 minute drive to school took me well triple that. It is because of the below reasons. I wish you would read them and hopefully take note of this.

Approximately 10:35, my shuttle pulled out. It was snowing today, but nothing heavy or whiteout, I assure you. If anything, it was a light flurry. I should know the snow, because I grew up in Northwestern Pennsylvania. Ever heard of Lake Effect Snow? Well let me tell you. Lake Effect Snow's idea of a 'flurry' IS a whiteout. Judging from the looks of things on 5th Avenue (which took us 20 minutes to get through, by the way), you would have thought that we had thirteen thousand feet of snow and had become the fucking Arctic. Drivers were going about three miles an hour...and then we encountered another shuttle on the exit that seemed to go about one mile an hour.

My point to Pittsburgh drivers is this:

LEARN HOW TO DRIVE.

You would think that the Ice Age was upon us or that modern day cars moved at the pace of a snail. THEY DON'T. For all the 'defensive' driving you assholes do, you think you'd be speeding along in a flurry. You have four wheel drive. If you think it's that bad out, USE IT. If the snow terrifies you that much, then here's an idea...STAY OFF THE ROADS. Don't drive your car and waste your expensive gasoline. Take public transportation. Granted, that would require a bit of walking and a possible wait, but for God's sake, it'd spare the rest of us a little sanity.

As for you good old PENNDOT. I know that you seem to think that the good old Department of Transportation needs to fix the Boulevard of the Allies...but did you have to start construction in the middle of fucking JANUARY?! You know that people in Pittsburgh can't drive for shit in snow, so what do you do? Shut down one of the most used roads as if to spite those of us who grew up in places where people can drive. It's like you know it pisses us off and you're sadists that get off on this aggravation.

By the time that I finally did arrive at school, it was 11:10 and my class was about to start. By that point, however, the last thing I felt like learning about was American Literature. If anything, I wanted to go to the nearest bar and work on Getting Trashed 101...at 11:10 AM.

Use your heads. Pittsburgh Drivers + The LIGHTEST spattering of snow + Construction = A FUCKING NIGHTMARE.

This construction possibly COULDN'T wait till the spring when the greatest precipitation is rain and Pittsburgh drivers speed through it like it's just a fine mist on their windshields?

Learn how to drive and learn how people in this city drive.

Maybe then you'll see a difference.

--"Pissed off in Pittsburgh"