I lied

I didn't write one letter since school started, I really saw this one coming. I've been down and depressed, thinking too much.
I'll TRY to start over next year.

Why men need us according to a female magazine

Once again, I almost threw up in my beverage when reading an amount of bullcrap. One of my facebook friends focussed my attention on this 'article', published on a Belgian website. Since it's in Dutch, I'll try to provide a translation without turning red and angry too much.

For those of you who speak Dutch, here's the link.

A little background information perhaps: the article was taken from the website flair.be. Flair is a Belgian magazine for women. It's pretty popular I guess, I bought it a couple of times some years back but it never really interested me. Hot topics this magazine covers weekly are fashion, make up advice, gossip, relationships, diets and sex. Nothing wrong with that of course, but sadly enough, this magazine never reached high levels when it comes to intelligence. Just like every womens magazine out there, the articles contain nothing more than a distorted idea of beauty and relationships. This weekly appearing piece of garbage is doing nothing more than confirming the differences between men and women. Since all womens magazines I've ever laid eyes on are doing this, I'll skip the magazine dissing and go straight to the article.

Here's my translation of this 'wisdom' provided to us by, of course, other women. Besides, putting it in the 'LOL' category on your website does not make it less serious, Flair, okay?


'Why men need us'

Evident: because they will be super happy. But that's not just it!

*Because 80% of them can't cook rice.

*If we wouldn't be there, they could not loudly laugh with their sexist jokes.

*Without us, they would only eat red meat and fries. And they would all die at age 40, after a heartattack.

*Without us, they would have no knowledge of the colours 'lightcoral' and 'royal blue'.

*Without us, they would go to work in white socks.

*Without us, they would become big, blood-thirsty beasts without hearts again.

*Without us, they would give their mother a cactus for Christmas.

*Without us, they would not know how much fun it is to play soccer with a mini-Peter in the yard.

*Without us, they would only have 3 topics of conversation: soccer, cars and the stock market. Now, at least they can also talk about the quality of cashmere, milk and essential spices and oils.

*Without us, they would have nothing to make eye at.

*Thanks to us they can show us their female side: 'Honey, can I borrow your hydrating cream for a second?'

*Who would love them? Who would tell them they are beautiful and strong?

*And most of all: they would become extinct.


Wow. It's been a while since I've seen that much amount of crap on one single webpage. This text is so pityful and so full of nonsense, I really wonder who the genius was that wrote it. I'll never know who it was, but I know one thing: it was a woman. And that makes it so much harder for me to swallow this. If a man had written this, I would've been upset, too. But coming from a woman, this tells me a lot of them out there really believe this crap. Who came up with this? Who taught it would be okay to post this? And even more important: how many women will read this and believe this to be true?

If a man makes a sexist remark and I hear it, I react. I won't start calling him names, but I will at least try to explain to him that what he says is not right. If he's too dumb to understand, which happens most of the time, I'll simply ignore him and put him on my mental blacklist. I'm really shocked that someone with the same body parts as me, the same struggles as me, is this dumb and ignorant.

It is exactly this kind of 'knowledge' that makes the differences between both sexes even wider. I don't give Jack shht about 'royal blue' or 'cashmere'. I know more about soccer than most of my guy friends combined. I don't want children. My boyfriend doesn't need to give his mother anything, he has to respect her. Men are still bloodthirsty beasts. I would slap my boyfriend in the face if he started talking about essential oils. Not because he is a man, but because I don't care about those subjects. Is that all we, women, have to contribute? Talking about shit you can buy with MONEY? Cooking rice? Laughing shyly when someone insults us?

Men and women still have a looooong road to go to get to the point where we can conversate and behave amongst each other. Sexism, just like racism, will never go away. But we could start with not writing 'articles' like this.


Sabetha
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

Some updates on my personal life

Since I own this blog, I can write about whatever I want, including myself. I'm not that much into sharing everything that happens to me personally, but it will probably happen from time to time. Like now.

First and foremost, I'm proud to anounce I found a new studio! The contract is signed, plans are being made, overall I'm pretty happy with the place I'm gonna be living in for the next 2 years. It's smaller than my previous studio (which already is small), but much more cozy and with much more storing space. I really hope my son-of-a-bitch landlord will let me go without any real consequences. After all, I didn't do anything wrong, I just chose the wrong studio to live in.
I'm really satisfied with the choice I've made. Too bad you can't smoke in there, so I'll probably have to cut that habbit, or live with the fact I have to go outside everytime. It will probably be option 2.

Secondly, my school is starting again tomorrow. I'm starting my second year of nursing school, two more years to go and I can go back to work. I'll have classes for one week and after that, my internship will start again for 11 weeks. I really look forward to actually be in a hospital and do nursing stuff again. On the other hand, I've been sitting still and not doing anything besides read and write for about 3 months. So yeah, the first weeks will be a pain in the butt. But I'll finally have something to do again.
This means less posts. I do understand nobody really follows my blog, but you never know. I will still try to post at least twice a week.

Thirdly, I'm having a weird period in my life right now. I'm pretty sure studying nursing and moving to Antwerp were good choices I've made. Recently, I've begun to question other things I've done, now and it the past. I guess it's that moment in time when you have that little 'middle 20's' midlife-crisis and start questioning every solid ground you have in life. Or it could be me being a loony.

Anyway, a lot is going on right now, not only in my life but first and foremost, in the world we live in. We live in an interesting time. Since I've opened my eyes some months back, I've tried really hard to find a succesful way to cope with information. Starting this blog and writing some sentences really helps me a lot. I don't really care if nobody reads this. Don't get me wrong, I like it when people read my blog, and I would also like it if one of you left me a comment or sent me a quick mail. I like feedback, but at the end of the day, I write this blog for myself. Without it, I probably would have lost my mind.


Sabetha
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

Sick teachers make children sit in detention for 8 straight hours. Learn here why! (And a personal story, too!)

I would like to start this post with telling a little story about when I was in kindergarten.
In Belgium and the Netherlands, we have a tradition called 'Sinterklaas', this old and wise man loves children, lives in Spain and brings present to all the kids who were good that year. Of course it's actually mom and dad, but over here, we all remember how it was like to wake up on the 6th of December, knowing there would be gifts and sweets downstairs, at the stoves. Sinterklaas carries his presents with him in a big bag, and it's this bag which played a crucial role in my strong and longlasting hatred for a certain kindergarten teacher.

A week before Sinterklaas would pay us all a visit, the teacher gave us a big piece of cardboard with a bag drawn on it. Our task was to collect pictures of the toys you would like to have, tear them out and glue them into the bag.
I always got 3 things: one from my parents, one from my mom's parents and one from my dad's parents. While all the other children started collecting and pasting all the stuff they wanted, it took me longer to find what I was searching for. I was really concerned about the fact I could only pick 3 things, since I knew I wouldn't get more, so I felt like it was my job to study each toy and think about it deeply.

I was 4 years old. My teacher, a heartless bitch my father once described as 'a witch who can only smile if she sees her salary', wasn't really happy with me taking my time. After an hour, my work wasn't done because I was still wondering if I wanted a Play-Doh set or Duplo blocks. Without any warning, the teacher lashed out at me, dragged me out of the classroom, and let me stand in the hallway for half an hour because I wasn't doing what I was supposed to do. When she returned, I tried to explain to her why I couldn't just choose anything, but she yelled at me again, shook me and made me look like a stupid dumb toddler in front of my classmates.

I know this isn't such a heartbreaking, cruel act like the one I'm going to tell you in a few seconds. But still, young children are vulnerable, especially when confronted with injustice and abuse of power by an adult. This wasn't the only incident with this teacher. Some months before the Sinterklaas incident, she hit one of my best friends because she accidentally peed her pants.

I remember I came home sick and crying, my little tummy was hurting and I just didn't understand why I deserved to be treated like this. Sinterklaas that year wasn't the same, the doctor kept me home for two whole weeks and my mother had a serious talk with the teacher.
I know this sounds like a rather innocent affair, and looking back at it, it wasn't that much of a big deal. At least I wasn't beaten up or abused. But still, until this day, I swear that if I ever see that woman again, I will remember her face. And I will confront her. I would love to just punch her in the face, but I don't want her to know how much it got to me as a toddler. So if our paths ever cross again, I'll go with some verbal insults. Maybe some threats. Anything that keeps her up at night.
What happened that day really got to me, and I didn't like going back to that classroom. She never lashed at me again, I really think she got the message when my mom was done with her. But still, she yelled at us every goddamn day.


Now on to this pile of horsepoo: children attending school in the UK were made to sit in detention for 8 hours straight because they weren't wearing the right pair of jeans. Check it out!
Seriously? Those poor children were made to sit in a room without even having school tasks to do or without permission to play, simply because they weren't dressed in the 'right' kind of fabric? Seriously? The 'best' part about it is how the school seems to find this form of punishment normal. Since when is it okay to torture kids at school for not being dressed in the way teachers want them to be?

Given my own little example about a teacher being a monster, I really don't want to imagine how these kids must have felt after two days of forced detention without even doing anything wrong. Something tells me tho this isn't just about stupid pants. They probably thought they were doing the children a favour by learning them to be obedient. Or they just wanted to show them who's boss, because of course, kids are such a danger for your self-esteem and nerves, someone had to teach these little brats a lession. If you can't understand that it's wrong and immoral to make children sit down for 8 hours, please, find another job.

If this would have happened to my child, I don't really know what would have happened. I'm not a violent person at all, but I can see myself breaking someone's nose over this. Without delay, my child would be sent to another school, and I would do anything to make this news hit every news station. I would make sure the names of those teachers would be known, and demonized. No mercy on this one. This could scar those 100 kids for life. Not the big, red, aching scars sexual abuse or neglection leave behind, but still, it's something they won't lightely forget. I've always suspected that the events in kindergarten and another one in my first year of elementary made me hate autority and abuse of power. Hate is not a healthy feeling, especially not for a youngster.

Not only is the level of quality on schools going downhill, teachers don't even seem to need any real brains or morals to get the job anymore. Also, school staff workers tend to behave more and more psychotic.
I really understand why a lot of people prefer homeschooling these days.


Sabetha
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

The CDC is evil: MMR vaccine can cause autism

As you might have noticed, I'm a nurse in training, so obviously I'm interested in news about diseases and cures. Most people think the government and organisations such as the CDC try to make the world a better place, with less illnesses and more healthy people. The amount of shht that is turning up from time to time, determined that was a lie.

I still plan on doing a bigger post on vaccines, but because the vaccination scheme and practices over here are much different than in the US, it's still on hold. To give you an example: here, we only have one obligatory injection, against Polio, given to a child before the age of 2. Every other vaccination available is voluntarily. I did have 3 shots this year to help protect me against Hepatitis, because it's obligatory if you want to work in a hospital. Anyway, I'll get back to the oblivious amount of shots an American child has to recieve in another post.

For today, I really suggest you read this link. In short, it's about how the CDC covered up test results in their favour. Some years back, a study was conducted and the results weren't that positive. An MMR vaccine was found to be harmful for young children. Not just harmful, study showed that children who recieved the vaccine, had a much bigger chance of developing autism, especially in black boys. I'm not talking a 10 or even 50% higher change of autism. I'm talking 'a 340% increase in autism in African-American males who were given the MMR vaccine compared to those vaccinated later.'

Of course, the big scientists over at the CDC want to cover up this pile of dirt. They made professors and scientists lie about the discoveries, so they can keep on doing what they do. Why would they cause autism in young children? So that they can control you, of course. As stated in the article, the USA is 'the only country in the world where someone who is damaged by vaccines has no legal rights to sue the vaccine manufacturer.' Need I say more?

The ridiculous, sickening vaccination scheme which is followed in the US has no real use at all. Other developed countries don't have that much obligatory shots. The costs for the parents are probably skyrocketing, also. Parents with a clear eye and some common sense will quickly see all this shots aren't necessary for a young child at all. On top of that, parents with actual brains in their heads are demonized if they dare to speak out and refuse to get their children vaccinated.

There is not a single reason why this MMR vaccine should stil be given. It damages young children. That's not the effect a real vaccine should have. All they want is MONEY. And since you can't sue them, all the costs for bringing up a child with special needs are for the parents. This is pure and simple harm. To all parents with young children or children on the way: DO NOT HAVE YOUR CHILD VACCINATED. As I said before, there is absolutely no need to blast 10 or 15 vaccines into a child's body before the age of 2. Our immune systems simply aren't built for that. I would suggest you have the Polio shot and nothing else, but since I don't know how f*ed up those vaccines really are in the US, I would be careful.

DO NOT trust the CDC. They love to make up diseases so they can come up with a vaccine or cure, just to make you pay MONEY because hey, who doesn't want to be healthy?
Just think about the Ebola-epidemic for a second (yes, this is one of my pet pieves). Slowly and steadily, the world is starting to realize this virus spreads through the air and not solely through contact with bodily fluids. (check it out) Why would they try to cover up the fact that Ebola could be airborne or that the MMR vaccine can cause autism? Because they don't care about you. They don't. And they even care less about black people, but that sadly isn't a surprise.

A sick population is much easier to control. A sick person isn't going to protest or speak out. Children and grown ups with special needs such as autism, are much easier to control, because when it comes to legal measures, they don't have as much to say as regular people do.
It all makes so much sense when you think about it, at least if you make an effort to follow a psychopatic train of thought. Just think about it this way: a society without any diseases is not profitably for the big pharmaceutical companies. So what do they do? Make more people sick. Catch them while there young. Use the parents and make them feel guilty and dumb if they don't do what the CDC says they should do. Cover up unsatisfying test results. And keep on collecting the MONEY.

Another great link on the matter can be found here, a series of videos is included also. I suggest you take a look at the first video, it makes everything much more clear.
Since mainstream media won't bat an eye and will only try harder to make this knowledge go away again, the truth will never be easily found. Luckily, more and more people are opening their eyes and speaking out against the evils of the CDC.
Inform yourself!



Sabetha
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

Fifty shades is fishy

I have to admit, I own all three of the 'fifty shades' books. Why? Because they were second hand, cheap, and I was curious. I bought them in English and started reading the first novel, but I quit around page 100. It was really bad, I've never been so angry with myself for buying a book. I really don't get why such a greasy novel collection makes so many women horny. I found it garbage.
Anyway, after finding this link, I'm planning on skimming through the first book again, because I really had no idea this trilogy could influence girls and women this much. The article states that, compaired to people who didn't read the book, readers have higher rates of dangerous behaviour. Included is binge drinking, having more sexual partners, and eating disorders. Also, readers are more likely to be in an abusive relationship.

I wonder if a trashy book can change it's readers so much. But given the enormous popularity of the books and the status it's been given, something could be up. I've read stuff which changed the way I see things, so why would this one be any different? Too bad we don't question what we read anymore, and I can imagine a lot of women adapting unhealthy behaviour because of mr. Grey.

A lot of girls I know who aren't regular readers, all claim to have read at least the first book in the trilogy. Given the fact they aren't used to read novels, I guess it's a bit easier to forget it's a work of fiction. Sadly enough, we can't really include a reading guide in each book. What we could do, is teaching children to question what they read and hear. Learning to read only focusses on the skill, not on what you should do with it. If you never read a book, and suddenly you manage to read a trashy sex trilogy, it will have a much bigger impact on your life. You will remember it better, because no other books interfere with it.
I'm not saying that all people who read like trains are immune to this crap, but I do think the risk for unhealthy behaviour goes down a bit. Not to forget that the 'fifty shades' idea started out on a Twilight fanfiction site. Need I say more?

I wonder how the movie adaptation is going to be received and viewed. A movie is so much more visible than a book, although the fantasy element we all experience when reading should not be downrated. This movie will also reach a public that hasn't read the books, I wonder if the movie will have the same effects. I don't really think the movie will influence people more, since you invest much more time in reading a trilogy instead of watching one. Then again, more young people and children will get affected by it, since watching a movie is much more accessible.

Of course, we can't know in which way this reaction goes. Did the books mold the behaviour, or did the behaviour make those women choose those books to read? A study should be conducted before people read the books also, to have more refined data. I do think a book has the power to change you, so I would go with option A. But, a smaller portion of readers will chose the books because of their interests and behaviour, which are the same as the main character's motives. Reading about it could reinforce those women to keep on doing it, maybe even to the point where it escalates.

I like how the professor doesn't want the books to be banned. I admit, they are crap, but I'm not a fan of banning any book at all. Again, there is nothing wrong with reading this book, as long as you are smart enough to understand the things described are not real. They are in fact a woman's sexual fantasy, and there's nothing wrong with having fantasies like that. It is, however, dangerous to read those without realizing it's just someone's fantasy, and not the key to a good relationship.
Read all you want, but don't let a book distort your idea of what love and life should be like. If you can't make the distinction between the book and the real world, don't read it at all.


Sabetha
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

Cop vs. black guy

I'm not black. To be honest, I'm as white as a honky. To tell you even more, I know black people are equal to white people. I don't 'believe' this to be true, my ideas about the subject are much more stronger than simple belief. I haven't found one meaningful argument why white people are better. We can't even dance. (Sorry, I couldn't resist)

I've been following the events in Ferguson just like we all do I guess. I haven't written anything about it because I couldn't really do more than all the people before me did: express my utter and full disgust about what white, redneck cops can do to human beings.

I always thought race was less of an issue here in Belgium, but I'm aware now that this idea is just a wrong white-girl assumption. (To be honest, I don't even know if saying 'black people' is considered a 'good' or a 'racist' term in the US...) Since I'm white, I never get personally confronted with racist remarks against myself. So yes, I have no idea what it's like. Doesn't mean I can't show solidarity and write about it. Even more, I believe more white people should speak out against racism. I mean, we are the ones doing it.

Before I start a rant about how much I HATE cops and about how STUPID racism is, I'll just proceed to what I wanted to show you. This little video probably expresses the feelings of most African Americans these days. Check it out!

I think it's funny. On the other hand, it's only funny because it's true... I know racism won't go away, not ever. But I do believe we should all stand up against this racist pigs, shooting at unarmed men, just because they have little dicks or no self-esteem. It won't take away the racism, but by not giving these John Waynes military equipment and by not letting them get away with second or first degree murder, maybe this shht won't happen this much.

If we don't start speaking out against police violence and racism, it'll soon be too late. And with 'we', I mean 'every person on the planet capable of doing so'. I guess it will take a white victim for most non-coloured people to realize this is just the beginning. Those cops really need to CALM THE FUCK DOWN.


Sabetha
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

MyReads: August

I just started with listing the books I read, as I promised myself I would do a long time ago. I can't garantuee I've read all these in August. Some of them might have been in July.

Anyway, here's my booklist for August, I had vacation the whole month so that means I read a lot of nice, thick books. I'll give you a little synopsis and my opinion about them.


Justin Cronin - 'The passage' (read in Dutch; title: 'De oversteek')

Funny thing is, I brought this book home with me from the library and discovered at home I already had it in English. I was lazy and went with the Dutch version.
This book is set in a post-apocalyptic setting, in which the continent of America is under attack by vampire-like creatures. The people who survived live in a self-made camp, built to protect them from the creatures. One day, they meet a girl, who has the key in her body to form new life and end the mess the world is in. As a reader, you will meet the girl before the survivors, because the book starts with a sort-of explanation how the mess started in the first place.
A pretty heavy book, almost 1000 pages, but the story was quite alright in my opinion. It didn't fulfill all my expectations, but overal it's a nice book with some good qualities. A lot of viewpoints, a big time elapse, strong characters and a lot of excitement. If you like horror-like stories set in a dystopian future, I would highly recommend it.
Also, some days back I learnt there is a second book which will follow he events after the big show-down at the end of The Passage. It's on my library pile, you guys can expect a review next month or on month later. My library pile is always huge.

My score: 8.5/10


Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan - 'The strain' (read in Dutch; title: 'De meester')

This book bored me in the beginning but after some pages I really got into it. The second book in the trilogy is on my library pile, so you can say I really became interested after some pages.
The reason it bored me in the first place might have been because I've been reading a lot of apocalyptic horror books recently, and this one is no exception.
Set in America, things get way out of hand when a Boeing 777 arrives at JFK airport. Every soul in the plain seems to be dead, and scientists have no idea what happened. The CDC decides they need a specialist to help with this mystery, and Ephraim Goodweather comes in to play. Together with a colleague and an old man, they try to stop the victims from waking up again and starting a rampant. Sadly enough, they are playing with forces much stronger than they expected.
I would rather consider this a vampire novel, since the infected people all turn out to be blooddrinking psychos. But it's a good vampire novel, and I really look forward to read the other 2 books in the series.

My score: 7/10


RJ Ellory - 'Bad signs' (read in Dutch; title: 'Bekraste zielen')

Every book he writes is better than the one before, and his first book was pretty good... This last one is without any doubt the best one I've read from the hands of Ellory.
The story follows two half-brothers in the fifthies of America. Both born for bad luck, the boys live in a correctional facility after everything went downhill when their mother was brutally murdered. Bad luck isn't done with it's cruel show, because one day the boys get kidnapped by an escaped man who was awaiting the dead penalty. The choices both the boys make will change their lives forever.
The book is beautifully written and really brings you in the atmosphere of that time. I love books that take place in 'old America'. Also, the characters aren't what you would call 'multi-dimensional', but their motives and ideas are described in a good way. Near the end of the book, it got so thrilling I was skipping paragraphes to know what would happen. On every page of the book, you feel a chill, as if something awfull is going to happen. A brilliant thriller, never boring and always exciting.

My score: 9/10


Stephen King - 'Lisey's Story' (read in Dutch; title:'Lisey's verhaal')

This is not your average Stephen King novel. The horror portrayed is much more psychological than in his other books. Also, romance has an important influence on the story.
The book follows Lisey, who used to be married to writer Scott Landon. Two years after her husband passed away, Lisey decides to clean out his writing room. The stuff she finds there forces her to remember things she pushed away a long time ago. Scott was a brilliant writer, but he had a lot of inner demons. It's those demons Lisey will need to understand her late husband.
Overall, it was a good novel with strong characters and the typical King-writing style I love. But it's not his best. I like the idea of Scotts hidden world, but overall I didn't believe this story as much as I believe his others. I still enjoyed it, because, well it's Stephen King and he never dissapoints. Some of the sentences and scenes in this book really touched me, but in the end I still felt a little hunger, like if this was all we were going to get. Not his best, but still worth your time.

My score: 6.5/10



Scott Lynch - 'Red sees under red skies' (read in Dutch; title: 'Rode zee onder een rode hemel')

The second book in 'the gentleman bastard sequence' by Scott Lynch. The books follow two masterthiefs and their adventures and misfortunes. In the first book, we follow our heroes on stealing quests in their hometown. The second book takes it to a whole new level, and our heroes become pirates.
I enjoyed the first book already, but the second one is even better. A lot of new, interesting characters come to play and the descriptions in both books are amazing. It does have a lot of fantasy elements, but it's not your average fairytale. The towns, people and habits are much more violent and weird than in most regular fantasy books. The text is never boring and before you know it, something happens and the whole scene changes. I love how the author created crazy ideas such as 'contrarequilla's' in the first book and spooky places in the second. If you're into fantasy, I really recommend this series. A third book already is published, and 5 more are on the way. I can't wait to read the third one!

My score: 9/10


Stan Nicholls - 'First blood: Legion of thunder' (read in Dutch, title: 'Keizerin van het duister')

This is the second book in the first trilogy about orcs from the British author Stan Nicholls. Set in Maras-Dantia, the 'old world', we follow the adventures of an orc fighting group. After a mission went wrong, the orcs decided to hide and run from their evil queen Jennesta. On the mission, their task was to steal some sort of star with magical powers, so Jennesta can become even more cruel. The mission goes horrible wrong and after that, the orcs consider themselves free. They get on a mission to collect the other stars, and hopefully clean Maras-Dantia from all the evil and from humans, because most humans steal away the magic and mistreat the land.
These books aren't the best book out there. I read them because they are fun, not that thick and I do like the story. A lot of fighting happens, the book is never boring. It's not high literature at all, but it's entertaining and I'm reading the third book in this trilogy right now. I'm quite curious how the novels will end, so the books aren't that bad at all.

My score: 6.5/10


Stephen King - Duma Key (read in Dutch; title: 'Duma')

A man was once hapilly married. This man got into a car accident at work, but survived. Since then, he has to live with only one arm and he has some brain damage, which makes him very agressive at times. His wife decides to leave, and he, Edgar Freemantle, decides to leave, too. He starts a new life on Duma Key, Florida. But the island holds a secret, and Edgar is the pathway through which the secrets speaks. Once settled, Edgar gives his old hobby, painting, a new chance. Soon he realises his drawings try to tell him something, and together with some other inhabitants, they try to stop the evil before it's too late.
Although the ideas in the book aren't that original, I think he really pulled it off. The story is creepy, interesting and also very funny at times. The book isn't that scary but I liked the characters a lot and the storyline is never boring. The book could have been shorter, but we all know how much King loves to describe his scenes and personages. Would I read it again? No, I probably wouldn't, but I recommend a first time for all King fans out there.

My score: 7/10


John Ajvide Lindqvist -  'Little star' (read in Dutch; title: 'Wolfskinderen')

To all of you horror/thriller-fans: check out John A. Since he's Swedish, I don't know if all his works are being translated. I did read 3 of his other novels, the first 2 being not that great, but the 3th one already  shows a lot of potential, and he definetely used that potential to write this mini-masterpiece.
An old man finds a baby in the woods and takes her home with him. He and his wife want to keep the baby, and they let her live in the basement of their home. Teres, a child who doesn't speak and acts really weird, has an amazing, pure voice. After a tragical accident which tells us that Teres is completely insane, she goes to live with her lowlife-brother. Teres meets Teresa at an online poetry forum. Teresa is overweight and depressed, and the two girls become friends after Teres sings on 'idols" in Sweden. Together with a 'pack' of other neglected teenage girls, Teres and Teresa come up with a terrifying plan that will shock the nation.
If you're into a good thriller, pick up this book. The end is rather abrupt, but this wasn't a problem for me since I like open endings. It's a shocker tho. After reading this masterpiece, I found myself thinking about it over and over again. If I had the time, I would read it again. The novel got worldwide critical acclaim, so I'm not alone on this view. I would say: see for yourself, and enjoy.

My score: 9/10


That's all for now, folks. Check back in October for my September books!


Sabetha
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

I really hate the place I live

I don't hate my studio all the time, I just hate it at certain times. I get by pretty easily and most of the time I can joke about the crap I live in. But sometimes it just is too much. I know I must be happy I have a roof over my head, and most the time, I am. But some of the stuff happening here is just bullcrap.

I pay way too much for this shit. People above me are always noisy. The basement isn't safe since people steal bikes and gas from motorcycles all the time. Apparently, the cops came by once because people were dealing drugs in that basement. The elevator breaks down at times so people get stuck, or have to walk 6 or even 8 floors. The front door is broken again so all the scum from the streets can walk in and sleep in the hall, which they do. Blood is on the floor downstairs just a little too much for my taste. And last month, one appartment got robbed.
I could really go on for another paragraph.

But what pisses me off this time, is the fact that my water boiler jut broke down some hours ago. The ma-fucka started leaking water and the shit was overheating. The man in the appartement under me was having problems with my water leaking in his bathroom. Luckily my neighbours are decent people, and together with some others we tried fixing it. It didn't work, we actually had to call the freaking fire department to have it stop.

This building is so old and shitty, the only reason I still live here is because I am lazy. And as I said, I get by, I never was spoiled. So I'm a bit lazy when it comes to fixing things.
Anyway. I hope I don't have to pay the firemen since I don't have any money for that, but it's not gonna be my ass. Someone checked my appartement real quick and absolutely nothing here is safe. The owner of this block has no ground to stand on. A lot of tenants here are sick and tired of this horsecrap.

We were busy fixing this shit for 3 whole hours. It's almost 1:30 AM right now and I'm still not calm. I was scared, I admit it, I was scared the whole boiler would explode. Firemen said that it wasn't for sure that would have happened, but it could have been. I live on the 6th floor I mean I would be dead if that happens.
I hope they give me a new boiler and I am not paying for anything. This place is ridiculous.

So why am I still staying here? I mean the people here living, well at least some of them are normal but others are complete psychos. My neighbour was threatened with a baseball bat after she told the attacker to be quiet so she could sleep. The woman working for this block is extremely creepy, she sneaks in with you when you come home, with some lame excuse. She just wants to check out how you live, because she has nothing better to do I guess. One of the other tenants told us he saw her steal in the supermarket. Could be I don't know, wouldn't surprise me.

Okay, I'm finally starting to calm down. I'm usually pretty chill when stuff happens, but I know nothing about water boilers and pipes and electricity and all that. Besides, I really hate it when strangers come in. The people who live here and helped are cool, but 3 firemen came in and that made me feel really unease because, well, I have vacation, I chill a lot and clean less.
I know I should just get a new place, period.


Sabetha
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

Protesting Israel goes by unnoticed

I try to be up-to-date with the news, and since I don't own a television, I check some online Belgium newspapers everyday. Luckily I also read some less corporate-influenced news, too. On top of that, I have some online friends who I love to share information with.
Take a look at the article a good American friend sent me: http://rt.com/news/183932-protest-airport-blood-belgium/

This protest, of which I'm so proud it was done by Belgian females, was not mentioned in any of the other sources I use. I'm not surprised that 'alternative news' websites didn't report it. We are a small country, and since no real press statement was made, I wouldn't expect this news to go global. But apparently, it did, else Reuters would not have made an article about it. Which I missed.

I always wanted to believe that freedom of speech and a solid, trustworthy covering of the news were some of the characteristics my country still had. I'm aware that this is not true. Sometimes it just startles me about how wrong I was in thinking this.

Since the conflict started again, a lot of citizens and politicians from Belgium spoke out against Israel-the-killer-nation. But we couldn't really say what we wanted from the beginning. Some events happened last year that helped us make a respons to the conflict in which we are almost afraid of telling the truth.

Sadly enough, some 'terrorist' decided to enter the Jewish museum in Brussels at May, 24. He shot and killed 4 people. From the beginning of this incident until now, I didn't feel good about it. Not only because of the people dying, but also because something felt fishy.
The alledged killer was arrested on May, 30 in Marseille, France. There, he was supposed to be a member of a group with 'radical ideas'. Up until now, no witness has placed him at the crime scene, and the video tape of the event isn't really clear. In short, I'm not that sure this man did it. Even the newspapers don't call him 'the killer', they call him 'the suspected killer'. Too many stuff just doesn't add up in this case.

Besides it being evil and psychotic to stage a shooting in order to discredit muslims and to put jews in a 'better' light, it's also a very smart move. First, people will remember the violence being used against jews as being very real, since it happened next to our front door. Second, by trying to make us feel sympathetic, they also slipped in this idea that commenting on Israel makes you a nazeh.

And so  happened. The conflict rose up again, and so did the protest, luckily. But we can't say all we want. Numberous people have had to make apologies for telling the truth. For speaking out against this Zionist pigs, killing women and children in broad daylight without even having to think about the consequences.

Note: the people protesting are all mostly white Belgians. Sadly enough, it's not 'cool' for muslims to speak out, too. Because muslisms are dangerous!
It's unbelievable how this fear is being cultivated and used in order to create division and fear in our society. During a protest against Israel, an ISIS flag was seen amongst the attendees. This happened first in the Netherlands but some days later, also over here. This is just plain ridiculous. In Antwerp, we have a pretty big population of muslims from Morrocco and Turkey, mostly. I'm planning on writing about that too, but for now I'll just say we do have differences and we do think in stereotypes. But this goes for the both of us. I am 100% sure that 98% of Belgium muslims wants nothing to do with ISIS.

Anyway, giving these two reasons why it's not cool to speak out against Israel here, I really don't see any reason anymore to not believe we were prepped. Kids leaving from Belgium for Syriah, a lunatic killing jews, ISIS protestants amongst our children and women... We should reallllly start supporting those Zionists, because the real enemy is right besides you! Ermagherd!

Cool thing is, altho most people here will believe the hoaxes, we still don't like this criminal state of Israel. Up yours, it'll take a lot more propaganda and martial law before you can stop us from thinking like you want us to.


Sabetha (I love changing my name from time to time)
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

Pageant tapeworm

The child pageant world is something unique for the US, I think. In Belgium, we do have beauty contests like most states, but it would be unthinkable to host one for toddlers and children over here. Or even in any other European country. The public would simply not allow it.

I've seen quite some episodes of 'Toddlers and tiara's' and 'Little miss perfect'. Why? Because it FASCINATES me. I know it's brain-killing crap, but whenever I see one, I simply can't look away. The glitter! The fakeness! The over-the-top materialism, child worshipping and shallowness! But never was I prepared for some of the people and some of those dancing routines... In general, I feel a bit uneasy whenever an episode is over. I feel we should all question if shows like these should be broadcasted in the first place. But then again... Flippers! Fake tans! Pixie sticks! ...Wait, what?
Some of the stuff filmed during those events are so brainkilling that we simply don't question it anymore. When the first pageant I saw on that show was over, I felt so indifferent about it I didn't really care. I think we all have this reflex from time to time. It did shock me at first, and I was surprised how fast this reaction faded into some sort of sad acceptance. I was more upset when I found out that in the United States, this sugar-coated crap is broadcasted on 'The learning channel'. The irony.

Now, I know not all pageants are 'full glitz', but I've never seen a show with toddlers competing while looking like themselves. I think another type of parents visits those. But since I don't know that, I won't be discussing these.

I found 2 articles recently about highly disturbing behaviour from some of those pageant moms. First, I really believe you are being a bad parent if you allow (or better, make) your kid enter such contests. I'm all for being expressive and having hobbies and being a social child an whatnot. This is not what those pageants are about. They evolve around some psycho, arrogant, shallow, materialistic 'mothers' who would do anything to put their little bundle of joy in the spotlights. Nothing ever is too much for those lovely little princesses. The child happily responds to all those 'gifts' and 'opportunities' by morphing into a spoiled, dumb, vain and irritating child who has no idea what the real world is about. Gee, thanks mom!


Let's start off with something so disturbing, only a real glitz pageant mom could come up with. One of these perfect examples of female empowerment managed to let her child eat tapeworm eggs so she would lose weight (article).

What the flying f*? The article talks about the victim being a teenager and not a toddler, but for me this doesn't make any difference. I wouldn't be surprised if this piece of crap waited for her daughter to be older so she would less likely die from it. Either way, she was forced. People used to die from these parasites, but luckily they don't appear much anymore because of better hygiene and such. So this woman drove to Mexico to buy the eggs. This child must be really lucky, having a mother going such lengths for her to win the pageant.

My uncle used to be a cook, and he loved the taste of raw meat, so he often just sliced off a piece of steak and ate it. Guess what, he got a tapeworm. Parasites like that aren't really hard to get rid off, so he got some antibiotics, the thing died and left through the normal exit. Why am I telling you this? Because after the tapeworm left the building, he kept it conserved in formaldehyde. (Most people find it creepy or disgusting but I would have done exactly the same.) I really don't want to know how that happened but I've seen the little demon. And with 'little' I mean about 4 metres/13 feet. This was considered a normal one. And by normal I don't just mean the lenght. My uncle got it in a normal way, by some eggs in raw meat. This girl probably got dozens of eggs force fed by her mommy. She had multiple tapeworms. I really don't want to imagine that.

I can, on some level, understand why pageant moms pump up their children with sugar. I don't agree with this behaviour at all, but since we are all so desensitized for crap like that, I'm not even getting started about it. This shht, however, has nothing to do with being an obsessive mother. It's psychotic behaviour. I hope something is done, I really hope they put this woman in jail. I think no one has the right to separate parents from children, but this creature is not a parent. Just like more and more people out there are not parents.
Not only did this girl suffer physically, just imagine the emotional pain she must have been through. Feeding your kid a goddamn parasite isn't something you just do overnight. I'm sure a lot of terror and fights preceded this. Going such lenghts to make your daughter win means she did other drastic things in the past, too.

One thing I noticed while I saw some Toddlers and Tiaras episodes, is that weight loss is never really discussed. But it must be an issue, since (almost?) none of the contestants above the age of 8-9 are chubby. You would expect at least some kids with a few extra pounds, especially since children that age normally don't follow diets. But it's never mentioned. It must be an issue, tho. The pageant world combined with crazy, deluded moms makes a perfect combination for eating disorders. I guess mommy just looked at the worms as a solution when diet pills and other methods didn't satisfy her. You evil, manipulating, sick excuse for a mother.


On to the next article describing the loads of garbage this pageant world inhabits.This one covers that, surprise surprise, a lot of pageant 'moms' could be suffering from a mental condition. They call it 'princess by proxy', considered to be a unique form of Münchhausen by proxy (article). People with Münchhausens, mostly mothers, pretend their child is sick in order to get attention. They will fake diseases and lab results, lie about symptoms or even harm the child. It's also one of the main causes for sudden infant death syndrome.

I don't know whether this is really the issue or not, maybe it needs more research. But it does make sense to me. The tapeworm tale sure fits the pattern.
Also, I can't picture why else you would make your child dress up like a whore and make her dance suggestively. The fact that a big portion of these 'moms' could be sick, should ease the pain but it doesn't. The effects for so many children are still the same. So why is this still being broadcasted?


These 'beauty contests' embody everything that's wrong with the world these days. A completely distorted image of beauty. Over the top materialism. Child worshipping. Ignorance and the dumbing down of society. A total lack of moral and values.
But it grows on ya. Television is numbing our feelings and lowering our standards. Instead of questioning the things we see, we keep on watching them until we forget the question, so we don't need an answer anymore. And god, are they sneaky? Because we all want to see who wins and even more, who loses. In cases such as this, the hypnotizing effect of meaningless and shallow television programs is fully visible. And it's scary. It's as scary as my uncles tapeworm.


Mary Jane
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

Antwerp central station rocks

According to the website Mashable, the Antwerp central station is the most beautiful one in the world. tee-hee. Citizens of Antwerp already knew this, of course... ;) Source: http://mashable.com/2014/08/23/beautiful-railway-stations/

It's funny how we don't notice the beauty that's right in front of us. I used to work in the station for 2 years, and I've known that station from when I was six years old. So I'm kind of used to it's awesomeness.
It took a lot of renovations to make it bigger and more accesable, so more trains could come and go. Before that, it already was beautiful. Construction works took over a decade, and I believe some parts still aren't finished. To be honest, I wasn't fond of the changes in the first place, but I must admit the modern area in the back adds to the architecture in general. I see Liége is on the list, too This is probably my favourite one in Belgium. I'm not a big fan of modern building styles, but this one really rocks.

I would love to see the ones in Stockholm, Dubai, London... Actually, I'd love to see them all. I wonder if those other countries suffer from delayed trains and defect carriages too... Because that does take away some of the beauty at times.


Mary Jane
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

Why I don't like Eminem anymore

When I was 11 years old, puberty hit me and it hit me hard. I was a depressed, unhappy teen for reasons that don't matter right now. During this period, that lasted for sadly enough, a decade, I found comfort in a lot of things. Amongst those things, music probably was one of the most important ones. Music is always there, it doesn't judge, it's an instant comfort for many millions of people, and I was no different.

The year I became sad was the same year Eminem released 'The Marshall Mathers LP'. I did not have much money for records, but I got this one and I still know most lyrics by heart. Although it has messages which I really can't appreciate anymore, I want to stress the fact that this album was exactly what I needed. For me it felt like all my anger and fear was melted into 18 tracks, and by listening to it, I could get rid of some of it.

When I was 16, we got internet at my place. I downloaded all of his other music: 'The Eminem Show' and 'Encore', but also his older work. I liked 'Infite', his first record, the most. I wasn't too fond of 'Encore' and after that album, I kinda stopped following him.

Almost a year ago, Eminem performed at the Pukkelpop festival in Belgium. Of course, I did not miss this change to see my childhood hero perform life. The ticket sales were going very quick, it was like every citizen of Belgium wanted to see this man live. Important to know is this: Eminem was supposed to perform at this same festival twice, but it never happened. One time, he was arrested in the US and couldn't leave the country. The second time, a huge storm hit the festival in which 5 people died. The organisation decided to stop the festival after the storm. So you could say three times a charm, there were no storms or legal disputes, all of us fans were there, and we did expect a show.

I was disapointed.

First of all, Marshall let us wait for about 30 minutes. Oh he was there, he just didn't feel like going on stage. After the concert I heard some rumours about why he kept us waiting. I've heard he wanted the security personnel replaced, because the ones backstage reminded him too much of his daddy and his ex. I don't know if this is true. I did see some security guards walking onto the backstage about 5 minutes before the concert started. Anyway, I can forgive my hero for being late. But if this gossip is true, please get over it and get a life. Constantly bashing people because of what happened to you when you weren't a millionair is, well, childish.

Secondly, and I could have forseen this one, the songs he performed weren't my cup of tea. I looked up the setlist for you guys:
1. Survival
2. Won't back down
3. 3am
4. Square Dance
5. Business
6. Kill you
7. White America
8. Mosh
9. No love
10. Just don't give a fuck
11. Criminal
12. Cleanin out my closet
13. The way I am
14. Fast Lane
15. Lighters
16. Airplanes part 2
17. Stan
18. Sing for the moment
19. Like toy soldiers
20. Forever
21. Till I collapse
22. Cinderella Man
23. Love the way you lie
24. My name is
25. The real slim shady
26. Without me
27. Not afraid
28 Lose yourself
At the end of the day, he did perform some of his old songs, but I would have liked to hear some more. I understand this is pure personal preference so I won't take it out on him.

Thirdly, Marshall had a lot of fireworks, TV screens and other special effects to make his show more, I don't know, spicy? It was kind of sad to see how much he likes himself. Personally, I don't trust someone who tells me he's awesome every 2 minutes. But this was exactly what he was doing. The screens pictured him as a child, a performer, a normal man... At some moment, I was really expecting to see some pictures of Em taking a shit. We get it Marshall, you really like yourself. Nice for you.

Four: there was NO interaction with the public whatsoever. I was pretty close to the stage, lets say I was 10 meters behind it. I didn't hear him say anything personal towards the crowd. In general, he looked bored and didn't really care about the fact he was destroying his image for thousands of die-hard fans.

But lastly, the thing that really psst me of, was the fact that he playbacked the whole fucking show. I know this has been a hot topic ever since.... Did he or did he not? Believe me, I recognize a fraud when I see one. He DID. I noticed during the first song and started focussing on it, and yes, he did. So sad. Even more sad was the fact I couldn't even run from this idiot, the place was so packed you could hardly breathe.
Why would you playback a show like that? I can't and I won't forgive you for this, Marshall, never. Since that dreadful day in August, I haven't listened to one of your songs. I skip the station when your voice is on. That's what happens when you don't make any effort for your fans. I lost all respect I had for you, and I really wanted to smack that grin of your face.

I was lucky that year, because just a month back, I saw Wu Tang Clan perform at Dour festival. I can tell you this: it was by far the best concert I ever saw. Just 9 men on a stage, kicking it old school, I loved it. No stupid screens telling us how great they are, no fireworks, not even a banner. They started on time, had visible fun at the stage, interacted a LOT with the fans... It was brilliant, a great example that rap can truly be music that unites people. I couldn't stop comparing Marshall to the Wu, and guess who won? My respect for the Wu Tang Clan has become even higher after that gig. I want to thank all of you guys for a lovely evening.

After his concert tour, Marshall released 'The Marshall Mathers LP 2'. I was still angry, but I checked out some of the songs, just for old time's sake. And you know what? They SUCK. I expect more from someone calling himself a rap god. You are not a god. Right now, you are not even a rapper anymore. What rapper tours with Rihanna? The same one that playbacks his whole show. The same one that used do diss artists such as Rihanna. You are not a genuine artist, Marshall, stop trying to make people believe you are.

Luckily for you, Marshall, you will always have fans. I saw people crying during your concert. I saw people cheering for you and I heard others declaring you truly are a rap god. Frankly, it doesn't take much to be one. I don't know what could have been done to prove these fans wrong, since a bad show and playbacking didn't do the trick. But it's not my problem anymore. I still like to rant about you from time to time, but the influence you had on me during my youth is fastly fading. It just leaves me with one question: were you always a fraud? Was I always this stupid to put my trust in you? Or do you really have some talent left, but are you just too lazy and too god-like to show us? Stop being an illuminati puppet. Stop making crap music. You are rich enough as it is.

I wish you a happy life, Marshall, I really do. Unlike you, I know the past is the past. I like to move on and spend time listening to artists who are worth listening to. You clearly are not. I can't have my wasted years back, but I can chose not to listen to your garbage any more. And you know what? I'm loving it. You will never fool me twice.


Mary Jane
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

The VMA's: a foreshadowing

Over here, the VMA's aren't as big as they are in the US. We all saw that raunchy Miley Virus performance a year back, but overal, we don't really care that much. Since the show is broadcasted at 3am in the morning, not many people watch it live. Of course, some of us will tape it and some of us will stay up, but in general, it's not a big thing over here.

I'm going to take one for the team and tape the whole mess, so I can review it. But before that, I want to give you my motives for doing so.

First, the VMA's are broadcasted in a lot of countries. Everything that happens during that night, especially the controversial stuff, will go viral within minutes. I believe that performances, music and artists have a big impact on our youth, on the way we look at things and on values. No, I did start twerking after I saw Miley climb out of that giant teddybear. But that doesn't mean it didn't have an impact on young children or teenagers.

The most important reason I have for doing this, is that I recently opened my eyes to the lies and filth of Hollywood and the entertainment industry. The reason why it took me so long to realise something is totally wrong with artists and music these days, is because I really don't care about popular artists. I never really looked into the matter because I ignored most 'artists' that are considered big now. I was always told to simply not listen to stuff I don't like instead of bitchin about it. But then, I discovered www.vigilantcitizen.com, and I finally opened my eyes to the evils and loads of crap that the entertainment business inhabits. I suggest you visit that website and read some articles on it. Do research yourself, look into the matter provided by sites such as the Vigilant Citizen and many others. Inform yourself about the illuminati. And try to have an open mind. It won't harm you, I promise. (but it will pss you off)

I believe a secret society runs the world and tries to bring it's symbolism in every day live. To give you an overview, here's a list of the most important Illuminati symbols.

(I 'stole' this list from http://www.illuminatirex.com/illuminati-symbols/, but I added some more pictures myself. I want to thank the author for the excellent overview.)

.
1. The all-seeing eye
Probably the most known and portrayed one. The eye symbolizes the eye of Satan, looking over the minions.

Of course, it could all be just a coincidence. But if you do a quick google search, you'll see that almost every artist these days poses with one eye covered. Two explanations: artists these days have no original idea of their own, or they are all flashing illuminati signs. Also, check this out for a better overview of celebrities flashing the all-seeing eye: http://media-conspiracy-manipulation.blogspot.be/2011/11/all-seeing-eye-hand-covering-face.html


2. The pyramid
The pyramid represents the top-down command structure of the Illuminati. A giant base, being us, the masses, and a small top, the elite that 'runs the world'.

Daft Punk at the 2014 Grammy Awards

'Oh, isn't Beyoncé just flashing the sign for her hubby's brand Rockafella?' NO. This is one of the oldest illuminati symbols, Rockafella really isn't that old. Besides, 'Rockafella'? Rockefeller? One of the most important illuminati bloodlines? Think, people.


3. Devil horns

I know this symbol is common amongst metalheads. Also, I know a lot of people who love to listen to metal, and they all dislike popular artists. So why would they make this hand gesture? Are they secretly trying to infiltrate the metal world? I don't think Obama has any intentions of doing that. This symbol is older than metal. Also, most metal bands have less pictures showing them doing this sign then your average sell-out.


4. The owl
Represents Minerva, the goddess of wisdom. Stands for the knowledge the enlightened ones have which we don't.

Owls are cute, I get it. I'm not saying the owl is an evil animal, the symbolism of the owl, however, is.
In Greek mythology, Minerva/Athena's owl represents knowledge.


5. The pentagram

The pentagram, whether inverted or not, is a very old and strong mystic symbol. It is used in old religions, wicca and modern occultism.
The practise of inverting symbols, like the cross or the pentagram, means the meaning is inverted too.
I really wonder why so many artists who claim to have come from a christian household, are seen with a pentagram. But this five-pointed star is of high importance for those in power. Just think of the Pentagon for example, the epicenter of US power.

Taylor Momsen

Kesha

Ariana Grande

Some fashion brand

6. 666

First of all: the handsign shown is not the symbol for 'OK'. It's actually three 6'es. Each finger held up represents one six, and the round you make with your thumb and index finger is the base for each six.

Second, I don't think this symbolism needs explanation. It's da devil.

2013 VMA's

Also, notice how in some of these pics, they simultaniously flash us a one-eye. You sneaky!

7. Fire

Fire, bringing light to the people, thus 'illuminating' them. He who holds the fire, holds the knowledge. Also, Satan is known as 'the torch bearer'

The Olympic torch

Katy Perry at the 2014 Grammy Awards

8. The skull

We've all heard about the 'secret' skull and bones society, which gave us Geore W Bush and some other great people. The skull is also a sinister symbol. After all, it symbolises death. I never understood why these artists of today have to have such an obsession with dying and the occult. Now I know.

Lady Gaga

9. The obelisk

An obelisk can be found on most sites which represent power. Again, the top is the highest, with all the power.

London

The Vatican

Washington

10. Nazi salute

This salute is banned in most European countries, and a public display is disencouraged. But I found this...

Besides, Hitler stole more than just one concept. His swastika is actually an old Sanskrit symbol.

Okay, if you weren't aware of the information I just told you, just bear with me for some more sentences. THIS IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. All of the artists out there, who are selling and who are considered big, are doing the same symbolism over and over and over again. Just do some research for yourself. The results are stunning.

The music industry is bigbigbig bussiness. Do you really believe those in power have nothing to do with that? No better way to shape a mind than through music and television. I really can't believe not a single artist has an original song or music video concept these days. It's always the same shii. (I mean popular artists, not underground or less known ones)

You don't have to believe everything I say. But you really can't deny that this symbolism is dominating the music bussiness.

Okay, so far for the foreshadowing. I secretly can't wait for the VMAs, I'm really curious about what symbolism will be used. I'm 'looking forward' to see Beyonce perform the most. Her last albums have flopped and she and JayZ are rumored to have marital problems. I'm pretty sure she'll show everything she has to stay relevant. What do you have to do to stay relevant? Greet those who own you.

I'm also planning on doing another post on symbolism. There's a lot more illuminati symbolism out there, it's just too much to put in one post (and I'm done with it for now, hehe). Also, I will cover some ideas and examples on mind control symbolism. (Yes. you read that right. Just google 'MK ULTRA or 'project Monarch' for more on the matter.)

(side note: a lot of people have wrote about this matter in a much better way than me. I just want to contribute and spread the word as much as possible. I bet you can find 156848 other posts, articles and even books that are lots better than what I just wrote. So if you want to know more, please do a search and educate yourself. There is a LOT out there, but luckily enough, the truth can be found, if you want to at least.)

Mary Jane

pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

Ebola in Belgium? Also, it does spread through the air. Proof and such!

http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/989/Binnenland/article/detail/1995839/2014/08/18/Ebola-in-Oostende-Guineeer-in-quarantaine-geplaatst.dhtml, link in Dutch

According to Belgian newspaper De Morgen, a 13 year old boy was quarantined in an Ostend hospital. The boy came in with severe fever. He flew in last week from Guinea.

The facts aren't confirmed yet, and the hospital said the boy contracted malaria. But, the doctors do not exclude a simultanious infection with the Ebola virus.

People who came in contact with the boy are also quarantined, but not in the hospital, at their homes. Within 48 hours, we should get a confirmation whether or not the boy is infected.

UPDATE AUGUST 19: The boy doesn't have Ebola. Good news!

Also on the Ebola virus: I promised you guys some posts back that I was following the evolution with a keen eye. I was referring to the possibility that Ebola might spread through the air, too. Look what I found some couple of days ago: http://pontiactribune.com/cdc-criteria-for-ebola-transmission-being-within-3-feet-or-in-same-room-can-lead-to-infection/

If the CDC says that you can get infected by being within 3 feet or in the same room with a patient, it means they are lying LESS. Read what it says, people. Just come clean and be honest. But of course, lying to the people and exposing us all fits the plan.

I'm not a pessimist, I'm a realist. The CDC and the WHO are doing Jack shii to stop this disease from spreading. First, they fly in infected people to all corners of the world. Second, they lie about the transmission methods this virus uses. If being in the same room without contact with the patient or his bodily fluids means you can get it, it means IT SPREADS THROUGH THE AIR. They tried to cover up a 2012 study which found the exact same thing in pigs, by saying the virus the pigs contracted, was a different type of string than this one. Could be. But virusses are very smart and cunning, known to have the capability to evolve very fast. Having more ways of spreading is a very good quality for a virus.

'Why would the CDC or even our own government try to kill us with a gruesome disease?' 
I don't know. I do have some ideas. One, those in power want to depopulate us as much as possible, so we will be smaller in numbers and easier to control. Personally, I believe option 2 more: by posing a threath, they can make way for a police state in which people are taking in quarantine 'for their own good'.
Am I being dellusional? Check a recent disaster or disease movie. What always happens when the people go crazy and get scared? Indeed. Our good friends the militarized police come to play, with erruptions of violence and a loss of human rights. I am not making this up. This is what Hollyweird has been feeding us, and this is what will happen. If of course the virus spreads in a rapid and deadly way. I'm not sure yet this will happen. But my doubts are getting lower every day.
Possibly, some other reason is at stake here, but I haven't found another one yet I can really believe in. If you have another insight on why we are in this mess, feel free to let me know.

Again, I'm being realistic. The chance you or me will inherit this disease... I think chances are getting higher everyday, but there is no need to panic. Just remember to buy some mouth masks, if the epidemic spreads further.

(I should really learn to keep to my subject instead of starting a rant on something else, hehe)


Mary Jane
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

Positive fashion news, it exists

Dissing the fashion industry is one of my favourite guilty pleasures. But to be honest, I'd rather post uplifting and hopeful stories. I came across a series of pictures made by Indian photographer Rahul Saharan. Instead of picturing models who all basically look the same, he chose to follow a different path. He picked out 3 women for his shoot, all 3 of them acid attack survivors.

Check it out on his facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rahulsaharanphotography/media_set?set=a.672517859496906.1073741865.100002160949522&type=1

This is just amazing. The women pictured are clearly damaged for live, but they show a confidence and above all inner beauty that I rarely see in fashion shoots. This makes me wonder, are they really that damaged after all? Or does our society think that?
Overcoming an acid attack must be very hard. But having to live with the results of it everyday, is something we undamaged people simply can't imagine. I believe that the distorted idea we have about what beauty should be, makes it hard for these models to live their lives.
The women are shown from a different angle, by picturing them not only as survivors, but as normal girls who like to dress in pretty clothes as well. Because that is exactly what they are, women like you and me. They might not look like the fashion industry wants us to look. This does not mean they don't deserve a place in the spotlights, too.

I believe we can all learn from this brave young women. Wether you are scarred, big or skinny, black or white, old or young, we should be proud of who we are. There is so much more than meets the eye, which these pictures clearly show.
Also, this series shows that some photographers out there do care about all kinds of people. Shoots and ideas like this should be encouraged. After all, we don't get to choose how we look (well, that is if you don't count plastic surgery of course). We can however choose how we view the world. Stepping away from the normal beauty standard and honestly showing all kinds of people, would be the greatest thing that could happen to the fashion industry.
Because honestly, how many people look like a regular model?


Mary Jane
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

An anti-obesity commercial: the idea is good, the message is one-sided

Obesity is a 'big' problem in all  the first world countries. I was always told the problem is way more intense in the United States, and while walking down the streets of Antwerp, I rarely see people who are morbidly obese. On the other hand, a recent study showed that almost 50 percent of all Belgians is overweight. (http://www.knack.be/nieuws/gezondheid/bijna-helft-van-belgische-bevolking-kampt-met-overgewicht/article-normal-139779.html, link in Dutch)
Being overweight means your BMI lies between 25 and 30. Higher than 30 makes you obese. Excessive bodyweight is, as we all know, very unhealthy. It is associated with a lot of diseases, such as type II diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, sleep apnea, certain types of cancer and asthma. Besides physical problems, a lot of overweight people have symptoms of depression. Our society has a distorted idea about what beauty is, making overweight people feel bad about how they look.

A promotional add has been released in the United States, I'd like to share with you guys. In this infomercial, a man in his thirties is rushed to the hospital after he had a heart attack. Through flashbacks we learn that his bad eating habits and sedentary lifestyle started at a very young age.

watch it on youtbe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NucgI_ReCQ

It's sad that such a good intention can lead to such an amount of bullcrap. Let me point out what bothers me about this clip.

First, the mother is seen as the root of all evil. But he clearly has a dad, too. Isn't he also responsible? The period in history where it was solely women cooking is over, people. Dads should take their responsibilities too.
But I do agree a lot of trouble can come from parents not stimulating their children to make the right nutrition choices. As an example, I have a little cousin, 4 years old, who goes to kindergarten. He is very skinny and weak, and a bad eater. Maybe, just maaaybe, some trouble could be spared if his mom stopped giving him chocolate milk for breakfast and if she stopped forgetting to give him a good lunch instead of some candy bars. When you are 4 years old, you can't make the right choices yet. But you should stimulate children to learn to appreciate all foods.
The hypothesis that mommy is responsible for all of this is just ridiculous, but I do agree that it can have a giant impact on the childs health.

Second, no solutions are presented in this story. They tell us to 'start here', but what does that mean? The man shown isn't capapble of going back in time to undo his unhealthy habits. Instead of giving answers, they focused only on what you shouldn't do. But people with weight problems often don't have enough knowlegde about food. They don't know how to cook healthy, and they should be properly informed about calories, vegetables, cooking... Obese people don't need another clip showing them how bad their habits are. They need knowledge.

But what bothers me the most is the fact that all other factors that can lead to obesity are ignored. The man pictured is stated to be 32 years old. Can you really still blame mommy for your weight when you are 32 years old? I would love to see a commercial blaming all possible causes. Blaming mommy is way too easy. What about killer companies such as Monsanto, trying to make us eat crap instead of real food. GMO's are largely forbidden here in Europe, and I believe that to be one of the main causes why we don't have more morbidly obese people.
The food in schools often is below quality. Not only that, no real subject on the matter is presented in the classroom. This should be obligatory, since we are eating ourselves into an early grave.
Fastfood restaurants and instant meals become more and more popular. As an example, the company 'Just Eat' just reached an enormous profit. The company provides an app in which you can easily order food online. (http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/30540/DM-Apps/article/detail/1989857/2014/08/14/Omzet-Just-Eat-door-het-dak-het-succesrecept-van-de-fastfoodapp.dhtml, link in Dutch)
Yes, I sometimes order food online, too. But the trend that food should be easy and fast is getting us into trouble. There is nothing wrong with eating a nice pizza or burger once in a while. But I wonder how many people order food on a daily basis.

I would love to see warnings on fastfood, just like we have warnings on packs of cigarettes. Do they help? No, sadly enough I haven't been able to kick that habit yet. So maybe we should rise the prices for fastfood, like they did for smokes. Don't forget that coronary diseases and not lung cancer or other smoking-related health problems, are the real killers. Conditions related to a large amount of body fat kill much more people every year than smoking and 'second hand' smoking combined. Think about that. Healthy food really isn't that expensive.
But of course, companies such as Mc Donalds and Pizza Hut are world wide bussinessess, with a lot to say and a lot of MONEY. Most of us have seen 'Supersize Me', and although I am aware that this is not a scientific study, the results of eating fast food every day are pretty clear. So why haven't there been real changes made to the menus? Yes, you can order salads now. But be honest, nobody does that. And even if you do, most of those salads contain as much calories as a portion of fries, because the salad is drenched in oil and vinegar.

Teaching your children to eat healthy and exercise regularly is probably one of the most important things you can do to prevent people from becoming obese. But it is not the only reason for weight problems. We have all become way too lazy and we all eat way too much meat. I've seen images of American and Belgium barbeques and feasts with amounts of meat piled up, combined with greasy fries and questionable salads. Eating healthy is considered boring, and that's the real problem here. (I'll get back on that later)

I think obesity is a problem that goes way further than just bad eating habits. A lot of people are addicted to food, just like I am addicted to cigarettes. So I know what I'm talking about when I tell you that bad habits don't usually change overnight. Also, campaigns like this one will have less to no effect.
Our governments should try something else, if they really want this problem solved. Promote healthy food instead of showing us the results of obesity. We all know that by now. Stimulate farmers to keep producing natural products instead of  GMO crap. Stop eating ridiculous amounts of meat.

Tabbaco commercials are banned in most countries, which is a good thing. It's pretty ironical that Mc Donalds, of all companies, was one of the main sponsors during the last World Cup in Brazil. If children are bombed with spots for happy meals and other crap, no one bats an eye. As long as they don't smoke, right? Kind of reminds me of this South Park episode, 'Butt out':

Mary Jane
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com