Satire News Stories Sell on Social Network Sites...but is it Right?

This is a hoax. Huzlers is like the Onion. This satirical "journalism" is getting out of hand.  Satire connotates some differentiation between real and fake.  Usually, a "fake news" piece is so over the top, readers can easily distinguish the joke that is being made.  What happens when no one can find the punchline?  Mass hysteria and uploads to social networking is what happens. Most of these magazines and websites try to pride themselves on how close to reality they can get, which some believe is just another way of showing how the media controls what we actually learn about and perceive as truths. Unprofessional and irresponsible are what some would call "satirical journalism.    
The following article has spread like wildfire in the last two hours.  Granted, the text does imply that this never happened .  However, with the title and opening sentences, you can see how a reader may be confused.

Thoughts?

Jeremy Meeks killed by Wife, as "reported" by Huzlers.com              

RU-486 Available in Czech Republic

RU-486 (also known by the brand name, Mifeprex) is now available in the Czech Republic.  For those of you who don't know, the drug has caused much controversy globally.  RU-486 is a pill that blocks hormones that is needed to maintain a pregnancy.  In countries like the United States, this drug is referred to as the "abortion pill"

How Does it Work?

RU-486 contains a synthetic steroid, Mifepristone, which blocks progesterone.  Progesterone is needed during a pregnancy to prepare the uterus for fertilization.  Without it, the uterine lining will soften and menstruation will begin.   This can be taken up to 49 days after a woman's last menstrual period (which estimates conception at 5 weeks beforehand).

Women who are overweight, anemic, diabetic, have kidney or liver problems, or Rh-negative are highly discouraged from taking RU-486.  It should also be noted that taking ibuprofen compromises the effectiveness of the drug.  Side effects from taking this pill are vomiting, diarrhea, menstruation lasting up to 10 days, nausea, and cramping.

What Does This Mean for Czech Republic?

In the United States RU-486 is available, but with controversy.  In Europe, however RU486 has been marketed under the brand name  Mifepristone and available in countries like France since 2008.  In Czech Republic, Mifepristone will be available by prescription only and administered under hospital staff.

Pro-life activists protest the pill.  Others see this as a safer alternative to surgical abortions.  It should be noted that RU-486 can be used for other reasons besides pregancy termination.  This is not a cheap alternative--in the U.S. one dosage can cost $400- USD.  Antiprogestins are also used in the treatment of brain tumors and meningeal neoplasms.

Brave Iranian Women Let Their Hijabs Down For Photos

Your typical Facebook page is filled with women taking selfies--every public and private place has turned into a makeshift studio for the technologically advanced generations.  Smiling faces and the latest hairstyles are displayed by women globally.  However, some women's selfies show perfect makeup and beautiful headscarves instead of curls and hair dye.  Unable to have their hair flowing free in the wind, my Moslema sisters express themselves in other creative ways.  

An inspirational Facebook page, My Stealthy Freedom, has become a place where women in Iran have posted pictures of themselve.s  Iran is a country in which most women cover their hair with a hijab, a scarf, out of religious and cultural duty.  It has been the norm for centuries in almost all countries that practice Islam. In some countries it is considered illegal to be seen publicly (or by others outside of your family) without.

When My Stealthy Freedom debuted in May, 2014, it took the world by surprise.  Originated by one woman who was brave enough to post her own photo on her own Facebook page, MSF became the venue for other Iranian women to express themselves.  Many don't show their faces.  Some include quotes.  

Some believe that 2009's Green Revolution was the catalyst of such behaviors. Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook have all helped young Iranians spread their messages and show the story of what is actually happening in their nation.  Many say that they don't put their pictures on the page for political reasons.  For some, it is about choice.  Regardless of each woman's motivation for her post, it seems that these women are being supported by strangers worldwide.

"We are from Syria and we heard the voice of Iranian women. women have the right to decide for themselves and make their own choices."

The page has over a half a million likes from all over the world.  Some include messages from Iranian men as well.

"I owe you all an apology. I apologize to all of you who dance and laugh stealthily and whose freedom has to be stealth. I owe you all an apology for ruining even your stealth moments of freedom by my looks or wordsP.S: I know this page is not the proper place to say that I am sorry; but believe me, I could think of no other way"

This man shows support for the women.  Doing so can have serious consequences.

"Dear admin,I appreciate your creativity and your beautiful idea. As a man, I would like to kindly ask you to do me a favor. Now that you have found such a great number of audience, make use of the opportunity and send a message to my nation’s men as well. A message of kindness toward Iranian women. Remind them of the fact that the women they see on streets are not only flesh and blood and the fragile sex; Remind them that they are human-beings as well. Remind them that we, the men, should be their supporters and protectors and not the reason of their stress and fear. Remind them that all those women on the streets have got enough to fear ( the morality police officers); it is not fair to treat them in a way that makes them be scared of the ordinary men too. Remind them that women need men’s support and men need women’s in order to make this nation a better place"

Some fear that these photos can be tracked down by "the moral police".  In Iran, a woman can be be given 70 lashes or 60 days in prison for being without hijab in public.  These fearless and brave ladies risk their freedom and their lives for something that other women take for granted.  We complain about our bad hair days and how the weather will affect it.  We worry about the wind and the sun and the rain touching our hair. In a not so distant nation, women look forward to the time that this can happen for them, albeit in secret.

Guy proposes to girl in 28 countries... (wait, wait, it gets better!)

So,

I came across this video (while I was supposed to be working).  Given the theme,  I deemed it blogworthy to this site (theexpatgirl).

So, this guy Jack likes a girl (who I guess remains nameless).  On their FIRST DATE he decides that he wants to marry her.  So he devises a plan which takes 4 years in the making--the ultimate proposal video, spanning 28 countries and I'm sure thousands of dollars in airline tickets.

'It's so sweet and thoughtful,' you say. ' What a nice guy,' you think.  Maybe this video invokes the jaded cat lady in me but I have a few problems with Jacks's strategies:

1. Firstly, he decides ON THE FIRST DATE he's going to marry this girl!  What if she's just not that into him.  What if she just wanted the free coffee or company for a walk.  Just reading this sentence makes me want more space (from everyone).
2. It sounds quite thoughtful, but he has the oddest timing.  Think about it.  Jack is on vacation with his homies, sitting on a balcony while all of his friends are probably in the background drinking beers.  He on the other hand has his Nikon out, lip syncing a pseudo-obscure 90's tune.  Maybe it's just me, but I say +100 for everyone else in the room.  -5, Jack.
3. Above actions happen 27 other times for four years.  I am not sure I want to plan any trips with Jack.
4. So, apparently these crazy kids stood the test of time.  Their relationship lasts the duration of their University experience.  They've made it to graduation day, which is probably one of the busiest, stressful, insane days of their lives.  Wait...Jack has decided not only will he compound Nameless Girl's anxiety levels by showing a slideshow of their relationship to people who were probably were quite content watching the other two PowerPoint presentations on their successes with academia, but he's also included the WORST pop quiz EVER as its conclusion.  Of course, there is only one way to answer this correctly.  Otherwise, epic failure and public humiliation will be endured by both parties.

Granted, I sound like such a pessimist.  This is not the case at all.  I love love.  Romantic gestures are greatly appreciate (in limited, feasible quantities of course).  However, I'm a staunch advocate for evaluating and assessing the timing and location of your activities.  I think, in theory (like in film or a Stephanie Meyer novel) this could have been a well executed and greatly appreciated plan.  In real life, I am having doubts.

If there are any guys travelling throughout Europe (or New Zealand, or Southeast Asia) and want to make a video for ME (because I am ever so inspirational), I prefer a nicely choreographed number to the songs of Mr. Timberlake.

Thanks in advance!

--TheExpatGirl 

Check This Out: The Midnight Sun Film Festival

The Midnight Sun Film Festival will be taking place 11 June-15 June in Sodankylä.  Founded by  Aki and Mika Kaurismaki and Peter von Bagh, it is considered one of the world’s most unusual yet delightful film festivals to attend.  The founders decided to take advantage of Finland’s never setting sun by creating the festival, which is now in its 28^th season.  The Midnight Sun Film Festival attracts international directors, actors, and attendees who not only want to screen some of the world’s best films, but also want to capture the essence of the Midnight Sun.  The sun does not set for seventy four days in Finland during the summer.  This can cause confusion to some moviegoers when exiting screenings.  However, their confusion usually changes to delight once they find some festival activities to attend.

 

There are no red carpets, no trophies, and no expensive gowns at this festival.  It is known for its informalities—instead of champagne and limousines, attendees can be seen drinking bottles of beer and dancing to traditional songs with friends.  Despite its quaint atmosphere, top industry names are always found at Midnight Sun Festival.  Milos Forman and Francis Ford Coppola are only a few of the festival’s past attendees.

Arthouse, Hollywood films, and silent era classics are some genres that can be screened during the festival.  There are also audience sing alongs with movies that have musical undertones.

Ticket and scheduling information for Midnight Film Festival can be found at http://www.msfilmfestival.fi/index.php/en/schedule.

So...you wanna be a freelancer?

You've finally decided that trying to swim upstream with the fishes just wasn't for you.  You are bright, talented, motivated, and have some sort of skill that sets you apart from everyone else.  Let's face it, you've been doing your job for so long that you could do it with your eyes closed.  In your sleep you think about how to improve X, Y, and Z.  You decide one day while driving to your office (or walking, or taking the tram) that you don't need the overhead or micromanagement.  Quite frankly, wearing pants while you work is overrated anyways.  So, you do what any self respecting person your age would do.  Leave your firm.  Henceforth, you shall be known as Freelancer.

Lies! Lies! Lies!

So, you knew a guy who's brother's girlfriend's aunt does the SAME EXACT thing that you do.  She never has to worry about a paycheck.  She takes three week vacations yearly and her clients are happy.  She has never had a question about her taxes and she still has time to have dinner ready when her partner comes home.  No way! Sorry, but someone is a bold faced liar.  Freelancing, especially the first year, is difficult.  That my friend, is what we call in English, an understatement.

Crickets...

If you don't already have your client-base in tact, then you have to work to find one.  My personal rule of thumb is for every hour that I should be working, I need to be looking for work.  So, if I work for 8 hours in a day, I will be spending 8 hours doing something productive that will lead to my generating leads or promoting myself (and not spending a dime while doing so).

There will be days when you are under-worked.  Take advantage of the downtime but also don't forget about the "do you" time.

Friends With Benefits

Having a special friend is great.  Having a special, talented friend is even better.  Being that special, talented friend is the best thing in the world.  Every smidgen of talent and bubbliness that you have dies the second a friend asks for your opinion or advice regarding the field that you are in.  Never work with friends.  If you do decide to ignore this warning, think about all of the consequences before you sign on any dotted lines.  What if your friend doesn't like the quality of work that you produce.  Everyone knows that friends are supposed to stroke your ego, not stomp you into the ground.  Are you prepared for the criticism?  Will you do the 2nd, 3rd, and 15th draft without cursing his name and banishing his unborn children to hell?  What if your friend had an emergency and can't pay you for services rendered?  Raincheck?  Great!  But wait, how did she get money for those new heels???

Remember that you started freelancing for a reason.  The demarcation between constructive criticism and presumptuous opinions and advice are very fine once you add a personal relationship into the equation.

Which leads us to the next topic...

Hi, Haters!

When I tell people that I am freelance Writer and Language Consultant, the conversation usually shifts into one of the following scenarios:

• "Don't you wan't a real job?  How are you going to survive?"
• "I would do that too, except for (fill in the blank)
• Wait, so like, people really pay you for that?  No, really...what do you do?

This goes back to the age old theory of people hating things that they do not understand.  Yes, I sit at my computer for eight hours a day.  No, I'm not playing Angry-Birds or looking at sites that are typically blocked in a normal working environment.  Unfortunately, the general public tends to negate all of your hard work and ambition because of the fact that you don't have to get up and go to a brick and mortar building every day.

If you are just starting out and you  your bank account is looking slightly anorexic, whether you are "truly working" or not may be questioned when you pass up events due to time or money constraints.

Everyone will have an opinion about this and offer their suggestions.  Stay strong and focused.  Or, better yet, have the naysayers shadow you for a day.

Oh, My Ego...

Then there are the mornings that you wake up after an almost all nighter, check your emails and see the message from a client who says that your work was  not what they expected, not up to standard, not what they envisioned at all.  If you  are a perfectionist and pride yourself on your work, you are in for a ride.  If your self worth is dependent on your successes and your professional life, then just stop now.  Everyone gets these messages and letters at least once in their career.  You are not immune to it.  Your brain realises this, but you also start having thoughts of becoming a ditch digger or paper boy.

There will also be the days when you think that you are the ultimate Rock Star.  You keep getting new clients, you finish your projects on time, there is tangible evidence that you are successful (money!).  Don't let it go to your head.  Be careful and cautious.  Remember that there is a balance to everything.  These days, no matter how awesome they may be, cannot last forever.

At the end of the day, it's all you.

Don't get me wrong, freelancing is a wonderful opportunity.  Not only is it a test of your drive and ambition, but at the end of the day, everything that you do is for you and by you.  So, have fun with it.  Enjoy your independence, and don't forget to get out of your pyjamas every once in while for those video conferences.

What Role Will You Take As A Citizen of the World?

As a citizen of the planet, you are held responsible for yourself, your home nation, and to everyone around you.  Not everyone sees themselves as such.   Many people pledge allegiance to their nation only and refuse to acknowledge or educate themselves.  Typically these people fail to ever venture outside of their own backyards.  If they do, they are usually hit hard with a wave of culture shock or alienation upon their arrival to anywhere new.   If you can identify the roles that you must fulfill as a citizen of the Earth, you will not have the same problems or issues as someone who only has a nationalistic viewpoint of life.

Diplomat of Cultures and Ethnicities

We, the people, owe it to ourselves to be conscious diplomats of cultures and ethnicities.  Holding yourself in a respectful and tactful manner should be innate.  Any disrespectful or uncouth behavior will be remembered as a reflection on your nation, not yourself.  Sometimes, stereotypes are perpetuated by the acts of one person who is known as “the American” or “the Italian” or whichever nation that they are representative of.  

Whether you want to or not, you have lost your individual identity and are known henceforth as “America” or “Italy” in the eyes of anyone who is not your brethren.  Choose your words wisely and pick your battles, as what you say or do in haste can influence the decision of others about one of your countrymen in the future.

Not only are we national agents, we are also ethnic ones.  You may find yourself in situations where you are the ethnic minority.  Don’t be alarmed by the curious stares and inquisitive nature of those around you.  Yes, they may ask to touch your skin or hair.  Yes, they might ask intrusive questions that you may deem offensive and downright rude.  You must remember however, that not everyone has had the life experiences or exposure that you have had.  For many, the only knowledge of people outside of their neighborhoods, cities, and country may be through a television set or a webpage. 

Guardian of the Environment

Global resources are depleting.  Because of this, many countries are currently in an economic crisis and seeking help from stable allies.  When thinking about the environment, you have to remember that you can waste and destroy your own backyard then move to your neighbor’s territory.  After so many moves you will have no more clean land or resources.  Because of this, looking at environmental issues as a collective one will extend the life of these valuables.

Humanitarian

Humanitarian issues such as human trafficking, and sex slavery are not thought of as problems by some citizens of some first world countries.  Or, they are overlooked ones.  Countries you may not be able to pronounce or locate on a map are usually what is thought of when thinking about these topics.  There is a secret and prevalent issue of human trafficking and sex slavery in the United States and Europe.   Funding and education for prevention in lands that are “far away” is available.  Having the resources for prevention and detection in places like the United States and Europe are not as customary as raising awareness of these things happening in other areas of the world.  Accepting the fact that these situations bleed into each other and become a global issue may help to detect and stop these types of criminals at borders that are not typically suspected.

Transformer

Poverty is viewed differently depending on where you live in the world.  In some parts of the world, high poverty rates have become the social norm.  The average day consists of hunting and scavenging and attempting to make do with what they can find in order for sustainability. 

Other parts of the world address poverty by setting up national welfare systems that are not stigmatized or frowned upon.  For example, in many countries of Europe, new mothers are given money for each child until that child becomes an adult and they also receive free parenting classes, and supplies for the child’s first year of life.

Then, there are the countries that feel shameful for having visible homeless people and try to blanket the problem.  Having reintegration programs for these people that are substandard or come with cyclic contingencies for admittance does nothing but waste funding and increase the ratio of people who need help.

One way to remedy the issue of poverty is to take a look at systems from various parts of the world and merge aspects of each of these to build one universal system that can be adapted, based on the needs of each country, to increase its feasibility and efficiency.

As a citizen of the planet, we must look at all of these pieces through the eyes of an outsider.  Until we do so, we will continue to face the problem of not being able to relate to one another, thus causing conflicts to or lack of empathy for other nations.  These roles are not easy to play.  Then again, who said that life would be.

Is That Chicken In Your Nugget?

If the American population hasn't already discovered that the tasty treat of chicken nuggets are quite questionable, the topic has been thrust into the forefront of our minds with the latest national food recall.  Today, (April 6, 2014) Tyson Food Inc. has recalled over 75,000 pounds of chicken nuggets that were sold at wholesale food distributors Sam's Club.  The recall is due to the nuggets being contaminated with small chunks of plastic.  This recall not only involves chicken nuggets but 20 lb. bags of white-meat chicken breast patties as well.

Chicken nuggets became glorified by fast food chains like McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King.  The age old joke goes like this:  "What part of the chicken is the nugget?"  When asked, many responses will be said.  This may include beaks, toes, lips, and other parts of the chicken anatomy that should never be thought of as consumable to humans.

This leads us to what is being dubbed "The Green Revolution".  Many Americans are opting to go meatless and take up green juicing for health reasons.  If you ask someone to name a food that is synonymous with America, two will come up, hamburgers and fried chicken.  However, there has been a rise in vegetarian and vegan options in many grocery stores for what used to be household staples, including chicken and beef.  The surge in health education and awareness of our mortality as a nation has made programs like "The Doctors" and "Dr. Oz" very popular.  Both of these shows promote natural alternatives and upping your fruit and vegetable intake.

The rather suspect practices within the meat industry leave citizens with a bad taste in their mouths. Tyson's recall will affect thousands of households nationwide.  Will it be a catalyst to make people put down the dipping sauce and pick up the carrot sticks?  Ethical reasons are typically the reason for people to "convert" to vegetarianism. Having foreign bodies in mass produced food could also fall under this category.

We are what we ingest.  Whether its leafy greens and lentils or chicken chunks and PET, we have to be aware of how our bodies are affected by every morsel that touches our lips.  Holding corporations accountable for sanitary and low quality conditions that result in accidents like these will ensure that later generations will have higher standards of quality control.  After all, Tyson is feeding us... like family!

My top ten favorite Nirvana songs

I have seen a million posts and articles today about Kurt.  I still cannot believe that he's really gone.  

Here are my favorite songs by Nirvana, in no particular order.

Old Age

You Know You're Right

Do Re Mi

Sliver

Lounge Act

Love Buzz

Endless, Nameless

Blew

Curmudgeon

Sappy

Facebook + WhatsApp Marriage = Free Calls For You. But, Is that Enough?

Calling home has just been made easier!

Facebook has updated their systems to reflect that they have acquired WhatsApp.  Since the merger last month, many people were nervous about how these two companies would be affected by each other.  The  ramifications of the union are not yet fully known.  What we DO know is that as of today, Facebook Messenger has incorporated free calling to all members.  This feature is similar to WhatsApp's original features.  Look for Facebook to make more changes and upgrades in the near future to further the competition between rivals Viber, WeChat and even Skype.

Of course, the acquisition is profitable to Facebook.  However, not everyone sees this as a positive one. One concern among thousands of users deals with personal privacy.  Many WhatsApp users pride on the fact that former owners, Brian Acton and Jan Koum, stand by the protection of user's privacy and not wanting or needing to know much, if anything, about users.  Facebook on the other hand is based on personal information and data and correlates their advertising on user likes and shares.  Tech experts worry that hackers will have access to Facebook chat history with the new messenger system.

On March 3, 2014, WhatsApp's services were disrupted or lagged globally.  64 billion messages were transferred yesterday.  This outage, another red flag, may be considered a warning that Facebook is not ready or capable for the overabundance of calls being made.  However, people are now flocking to the new messenger system as an alternate means of communication.  It is free.  All that is needed is Wifi access or data coverage.

Facebook and WhatsApp's honeymoon phase has been a bit bumpy.  If yesterday's activities foreshadow the future, then this is only the beginning.  People are questioning this, but their questions are not making them apprehensive about using the app.  I guess the solution for now is to discuss it on a call with a friend.