Share and Like or Die – Day 49

The other day I came across someone sharing this particular post on facebook:

14-Year-Old Shot 6 Times by Stepfather:

14 YEAR OLD BOY WAS SHOT 6 TIMES BY HIS STEPFATHER . THIS BOY WAS PROTECTING HIS LITTLE 6 YEAR OLD SISTER WHO WAS ABOUT TO BE RAPED BY THIS POOR … EXCUSE OF A MAN . THE LITTLE GIRL DID NOT GET HURT , THANKS TO HER BRAVE OLDER BROTHER . THEIR MOM WAS AT WORK WHEN THIS HAPPENED . NOW THIS BRAVE YOUNG LITTLE BOY IS FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE , BUT DOCTORS SAY HE WILL NOT SURVIVE UNLESS HE GETS AN OPERATION WHICH IS COSTLY AND HIS MOM CANNOT PAY . ALL FACE BOOK COMPANIES HAVE AGREED TO DONATE 45 CENTS FOR EVERY TIME SOMEONE POSTS THIS TO THEIR WALL . SO , PLEASE SHARE THIS ON YOUR WALL . SO , THAT TOGETHER WE CAN HELP SAVE THIS BOYS LIFE . I PASSED THIS MESSAGE DOWN. & “SHARE” FOR A LITTLE LIFE.

 

This is actually a hoax, but some people believed it was true and started sharing it.
Although their intend is good, I suggest to really read something and think about the implications for a while.

If this was actually true, then I would be very very concerned. Not only because of what happened, but also because of those “facebook companies”. Because apparantly they can donate 45 cent when you give enough shares and/or likes, but if you don’t then what? They stop giving a fuck? Suddenly they can’t donate 45 bloody cents anymore? About anyone can pay 45 cent, and certainly a company can.
So this was disturbing to me. To put terms on something so serious and basically say: “only when you share this enough, we will give a fuck about this little boys life, otherwise he can die”.

Thank goodness it is a hoax!

But please, always think before blindly accepting something. If a company would do such a thing, it has to be brought to light and not just accepted and shared.

 

More on the hoax:

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/facebook/ss/14-Year-Old-Boy-Beaten-Half-Dead.htm

Image stolen from Czech newspaper

As to the image above purporting to show the alleged victim of parental violence, it appears to have been stolen from a May 19, 2010 article in the Czech tabloid newspaper Bleskdescribing a criminal attack on a 13-year-old boy by multiple assailants in Teplice, Czech Republic.

 

 

What Do You Think About Fat Shaming? Day 48

For those who don’t know what ‘fat shaming’ is:

Explanation 1

A bullying tactic, singling out, or making fun of a fat person, under the guise of helping them realise they need to lose 50 pounds pronto or they’re going to become ill, die prematurely, or be a major burden on the health system, when in actual fact it’s an individual’s bias against people they consider to be unattractive in their immediate social or professional circle.

1.You’re a plus size female out dancing at a club with friends. You notice a small group of guys at the bar staring at you and laughing. Eventually one of them comes over and starts trying to dance behind you, rubbing against your ass, while his friends laugh uncontrollably. When you turn around and tell him to piss off, he laughs in your face and says, “Nah, girl, I’d totally fuck you if I thought I could find your pussy in all that blubber!”
2. You’re a fat person using the elliptical trainer at the gym. A man walks by and gives you an encouraging pat on the shoulder. “GOOD FOR YOU!” he says loudly, a little patronizingly. He has pointed out that seeing people who look like you exercising in public is a strange and unfamiliar occurrance, an idea rooted in the assumption that fat people are uniformly lazy and unhealthy, and you, as an exception, therefore deserve to be recognized and lauded. You feel singled out, othered, and very uncomfortable.
3. A fat guy in a cafeteria is loading his plate with vegetables. The chef gives him a smile, makes a fat shaming comment, “I spose all that green stuff means room for more pudding eh?” as he sniggers expecting him to enjoy the joke that is essentially on him.
The fat guy finishes his meal and goes to leave the cafeteria. Just then a work colleague passes and grabs his male breast. “Caw get a load of these moobs! You lactatin’ or what son?” jests the work colleague with a gaggle of sycophant friends with a collective IQ of 81.

Explanation 2

A term made by obese people to avoid the responsibility to actually take proper care of their body and instead victimize themself by pretending they’re discriminated like an ethnic group. When confronted with someone like that they will ignore all the facts about obesity being unhealthy and pretend it’s some sort of evil socially constructed conspiracy by teh patriarchy

Peter: “You’ve started gaining weight at a worrying level, maybe we could exercise together and take up a sport since you’re always at home”Bianca: “omg stop disciminating me you’re just fat shaming, all my fat is genetics and exercising is just a social construct made by our sexist society, i’m not being brainwashed into ur shauvinistic world”*Bianca then proceeds to eat burgers and refuses to better herself*  http://nl.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fat%20shaming

So as you can see, both of these comments have a different undertone to them, although they can both be considered funny. The first one comes more from the perspective of an overweight person, where fat shaming is seen as a crime against the persons well being. The second explanation is someone who would call out overweight folks for their obesity, and the implications it can have on their health.

Both of them can be right and both of them can be wrong.

First of all, we humans have different shapes and sizes. Someone who is thinner is not necessarily more healthy than someone who is heavier. However, their comes a point when you are too thin or too heavy to be healthy.

Obesity can cause serious health complaints. As your body mass index rises, so does your risk for coronary heat disease.  It can lead to high blood pressure, stroke, cancers, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, metabolic syndrome, sleep apnea, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, gallstones, reproductive problems etc… All of these things have a great impact on the person’s and his/her families well being, as well as on the health care system. But, it depends on how big a person is, and someone health status can easily be assessed by a professional.
Because some have taken this way too far, where even normal sized girls are considered to be “fat” or “plus size”, when they can in fact be perfectly healthy with their weight.

Look at the picture on the right for example. What do you think about this girl? Does she look like an overweight or plus size person? She looks pretty normal to me, yet she is a plus size model. Plus size has to be distinguised from obese, since the two are clearly not the same!
The standards being placed on the human body are sometimes insane. Mango has a new plus size line and it starts with the medium size, means if you aren’t stick thin you are a plus size now. and if plus size means obese then obesity starts now with a few pounds more.

So what is the reaction to all this? Obese Barbie. That’s right. It can be considered as a direct consequence of this weight battle.

Obese Barbie is clearly not just a plus size, she is obese with a double chin.

Obesity is not just linked to bad health for fun, it is something that is a proven fact.

 

Is this allright? Some people have given this doll massive amounts of “likes”, yet what she is supporting is not something that is actually good for the common good. Neither is anorexia Barbie who is unrealistically thin. So if they have anorexic barbie, why not obese barbie? They could have simply created normal Barbie, but dolls often have a tendency of being unrealistic. So within that we can see the responsibility of the parents, the media, family and educational system to teach children to be self-honest towards themselves, and to deal with the images being thrown at them. To become stable human beings not influenced by for example the media to look a certain way, and to not base their well being on the way they look. But that doesn’t make much profit does it? I don’t know, maybe it will!  But currently money is being made from insecurity, and that is something that has to be turned around.

Promoting anorexia is unhealthy, and so is promoting obesity. Obesity is a clear problem, A quarter of adults in England are classed as obese, and a further 41 per cent of men and 33 per cent of women are overweight. Britain is in the middle of an obesity crisis. And so are many other countries. Having supermarkets and streets stashed with junkfood isn’t the smartest option either if you want a healthy population without  thousands of temptations around them. Humans crave sugar and fat, and are often tempted when it is around them. We have a global responsibility within this, for what we allow our society to be and create.

Earlier this month I was taken aback by the women’s minister Jo Swinson saying she wanted to ban the words ‘muffin top’, ‘thunder thighs’ or ‘cankles’. She wants to eradicate so-called ‘fat talk’ by banning the teasing terms women can use against each other, and themselves.

But banning is not the answer. Apart from being wildly impractical – kids will only come up with a new range of terms for fat talking – it doesn’t get to the heart of the problem. Talking and educating, harder though that might be, does.

Fill kids with self esteem and inner confidence to know who they are and to accept that. Don’t fill their bedrooms with fat toys in the hope that message will come through. We’ve got to talk to our kids, rather than ignore the issue.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/10536920/Fat-Barbies-Its-not-OK-to-be-obese.-Why-cant-we-accept-this-Skirting-the-Issue.html

 

Fat shaming in itself, is also NEVER acceptable. To degrade a human being, call them names etc… tells more about who you allow yourself to be, than about the other person. It is never acceptable to do such things to another human being, no matter their size. You still have the responsibility towards yourself, and which person you allow yourself to be.  You also do not know what someone is going through, what happened in their life, what their inner struggle may be.

 

manda Sidwell Smith spent years of her life being insulted about her weight. The words were so harsh and so consistent that she internalized them and felt “less than human.” The pain was so great that she decided to change her body through cosmetic surgery, which created a domino effect with disastrous results. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/15/fat-shaming-nearly-killed-me_n_4603205.html

 

Instead of shaming and name calling, we should empower and support each other to do what is best for ourselves and the common good, together with taking responsibility for the system we allow to exist around us.

http://www.livingincome.me

Sources:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/risks.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/10536920/Fat-Barbies-Its-not-OK-to-be-obese.-Why-cant-we-accept-this-Skirting-the-Issue.htm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/15/fat-shaming-nearly-killed-me_n_4603205.html

 

Day 47 – Being an Introvert

Im numbering these blogs in order, but in the meanwhile have done many others that I didnt number at http://www.earthreview.eu

So currently I am planning to make a video called something like “Introverts vs Extraverts”. And I was reading up on what definitions there are about introverted and extraverted people, and found out that the introverted description suits me quite well.

I like to be on my own most of the time, I get tired from conversations/social gatherings , and after such an event I need time on my own to “recover”. Also this sums up pretty well what I experience as well:

 

Although it’s not all that black and white. You are not either introvert or extravert. You can be a mix of both. I can talk easily with people, or talk to someone I don’t know or say things about myself. And the reason why I like the internet is because you can type things whenever you want and there is no obligation to say something or respond immediatly. When someone comes over for example, there is this sort of obligation to stay with them and talk to them. Thats what I realized, that I often like it more when people come over for someone else (like my brother) so that I am not obliged to stay with them and talk all the time, than if they come specifically for me.
But in the past I did have some good friends and I had 1 best friend for years whome I often visited every single week, and it didnt feel like an obligation. But often times I feel like I have to push myself to do things, especially social things. So each time it feels like an obligation I have to do.

The most important thing for myself is to be more at ease within myself. And thus also be comfortable around others. Because so far there are only a select few people that I totally feel comfortable around, and one of them is my mom. And often I think: thats all I need. I dont need tons of friends and experiences. A stable environment is what I want. Since I also get tired so easily.

And this is something I have been working on, to breath, let negative thoughts go or expectations. And it has gone a lot better.
But still, my preferences remain. And I have to make sure that they don’t determin my life or the direction I want to take. Because sometimes that will require socializing. And the key is then to breath through it and deal with what comes up in those moments.

If anyone has any further input I would appreciate it!

 

 

Day 46 – Let’s Help All People Who Suffer From Hurricane Sandy

No doubt, hurricane Sandy is devastating for a lot of people, animals and plants in affected areas. It has flooded many streets, killed people and animals and destroyed nature and property. The force of nature is something we cannot fight, but only run from and be prepared.

As the storm was approaching New York and the East Coast, news articles and videos were starting to boom. There was suddenly an explosion of information about this storm, accompanied by many pictures and video’s. I didn’t even knew it had already hit Haiti until an article mentioned it. Few stories covered how more than 50 people in Haiti died already because of the storm, and it’s devastating affects on their lives.

Officials raised the storm-related death toll across the Caribbean to 65, with 51 of those coming in Haiti, which was pelted by three days of constant rains that ended only on Friday. As the rains stopped and rivers began to recede, authorities were getting a fuller idea of how much damage Sandy brought on Haiti. Bridges collapsed. Banana crops were ruined. Homes were underwater. Officials said the death toll might still rise. “This is a disaster of major proportions,” Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe told The Associated Press, adding with a touch of hyperbole, “The whole south is under water. (HuffPo http://huff.to/Q0l5bH)

The damage to the life-sustaining crops for an already starving population is something very very serious. So why hasn’t this been covered as much? My friend Anna Brix Thomson mentioned that this is probably because Haiti is poor and has been struck by such catastrophes before. Hence, news is about impulsing fear and excitement, not actually about sharing what is happening in the world. Because if it was, they would report more global issues, how they are created, how we could solve them etc… Even some people who usually do not post much about the happenings in this world, start posting pictures and news articles on Facebook about Hurricane Sandy.

For sure this storm is bad, but so is starvation of millions on a daily basis, something man made that actually does not have to occur. So is for example abusing animals to eat foie gras, so is sweatshop work that has people wanting to commit suicide … I can give many examples. But it is not as exciting as this storm. It is like oil spills happening every day in Nigeria, yet no one knows about it, but everyone knew about the gulf of Mexico oil spill by BP. As the article states: “it is no longer news”. It is only, as long as it is exciting.

And that is quite disturbing.

Help us reach out to the world, help us create a necessary change for the better of all mankind (including animals and our environment). Http://www.equalmoney.org

 

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself only to care when an event in this world is covered heavily by the media – where I will post about it and write about it, and care about it more than I do about the every day continuous suffering within this world. Where millions of people and animals live in situations of suffering and abuse, often totally preventable, if we would change our economic system.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to think that I am to small to change anything, and that I can’t change the economic system because I am just one person – within this I do not realize that I in fact am part of the groups “humans” who accept this system the way it is and who without this, the system would not even exist. So I am in fact contributing each day to this system, I am one of the many parts which makes it able to function the way it does. So if all parts, or at leas a majority, would activly stand for a change, then we could actually create a change. Starting with ourselves and realizing my own responsibility.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to care less about poor people who suffer from natural disasters, than when richer or middle class people suffer from it. Not realizing that I have become blind and deaf for the struggling because it makes me feel better about my own life, because it feels better to ignore it, because it feels better to think it can’t be another way, because I am controlled by the media, because I am programmed to think they are less important. Even when I say that I find them equally as important, my actions and my intrests show me  in fact that this is not true. Because if I would truly care as much, I would live my life in order to stop this world system that creates abuse over and over again, and I would care as much from people suffering in another part of the world, than about suffering of those in my neighborhood. And I would not let my feelings decide who to care about, but I decide as myself that all beings are equal in worth.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to seperate myself from other beings, and in that way not realizing that in their place I would want to be helped and cared about. If I was a sweatshop worker, starving, abused… I would not want the world to turn its back on me or to stigmatize me.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself a media that ignores people suffering from hurricane sandy in hait, yet spamming messages and videos in large amounts when it is about New York.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself a system where the poor and struggling are ignored and stereotyped, not helped, and often even further exploited

 

Day 45 – Never Skinny Enough, Never Curvy Enough

Here are some Vintage weight gain adds.

 

 

Although I found a contradicting one aswell!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now compare this to modern day advertisement

 

 

Today it is all about being thin and losing weight. In the old commercials, the stick thin figure would be considered “non sexy”, but today it is something many girls strive for. This shows how easily our beauty ideal is shaped by what is shown to us within our culture or through the media. How our entire body image is determined by the judgements of others.

The woman in the vintage adds are not fat either, I would consider them “normal”. However, it is still all about “curves”. But some woman, simply can’t gain weight in the places to make them look hourglass. Some woman only gain weight to their stomach area , some only their thighs and ass while their boobs remain tiny. So there is nothing you can do about that fat distribution, since it is genetic. The only option would be plastic surgery. Do you realize how many skinny models have boob jobs? Let me tell you: A LOT! Because it is almost impossible to have big breasts while being skinny. There are some exceptions, but for the majority this is simply not possible.

But seriously, for who or what would you do it? The approval of others? If those others only appreciate and care for you when you look like that, your better off without them.

The vintage adds are also way more blunt. I can’t imagine anyone writing on the cover of a magazine: “If you want to be popular, you can’t afford to be FAT! Fat girls are not glamourous girls! They have no sex appeal.” I think that wouldn’t go down all to well with the public. Although it is what many people think, it is just more hidden. That doesn’t make it any less nasty though. Because it is about who you are, your judgements and your thoughts. It shows you the kind of person you are and allow yourself to be.

They are also making shitloads of money from this. Weight loss pills, diets, supplements, magazines, low carb food, low fat food, fitness material in all kinds of shapes and colors … And clothing, to show of your new figure to boost your ego.

By now it is already clear how easily shaped we are by the media. I am sure that if they would start to show normal sized girls more, and praise it, especially men, then more and more woman would start to want to be like that. It would take time thought, in the current generation. Sadly, we would still be judging ourselves in the exact same way, based on what others tell us is “good” and “pretty” and “sexy” and what will make us popular and how we can get men to find us attractive. Your life, revolving around opinions of people who don’t actually really care about you as a living being… that’s sad.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to judge myself as good enough or not, based on being the “right” figure – “right” according to the standards of my culture and what I hear others praise

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to judge myself as pretty based on others opinions about my body

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to be determined by others opinions about myself

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to depend  my mood on wether others find me attractive or not – where I feel bad when I think I am ugly, and where I feel good when I get compliments or positive attention based no my appearance

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to be a slave to the beauty standards of our culture

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to buy shitloads of stuff to try and fit into the images that culture projects to me, as what I SHOULD look like

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to think that being pretty is important

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to value myself more when I am pretty

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to judge the body that gives me life

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to not realize how enslaved I am to the cultural standards we have created and allow

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself tojudge other people based on their size

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to try and eat a certain way to fit into a beauty ideal instead of doing it for the health of my body regardless of the effects on weight or curves

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to feel bad because when I gain weight, I only gain weight on my belly and not on my ass or breasts

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to feel bad because when I gain weight, I only gain weight on my hips which makes me look like a pear

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to desire to gain weight in the hourglass shape, so that I can show off my figure and get energy from others admiration

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to be like an emotional vampire, sucking energy from others praise

I commit myself to expose the insanity of this, to expose our culture that is driven by profit and shapes human beings to be slaves to consumer models, and be blind for what they are actually doing.
I commit myself to stop this system of exploitation which treats humans as objects to profit from, without valuing life
I commit myself to do what is healthy for my body and stop obsessing about my curves, or my weight.

 

Day 44 – Pay them millions for chasing balls!

Football, chasing a ball to try and kick it in a net. Some competition hear, some emotional outburst there… it’s all part of the game including hooliganism, soccer fan gear, and fans spending shitloads of money on it.

David Beckham took home 13.3 million British pounds from sponsorship deals last year. Tha fak! He earned more than £36,000 a day endorsing brands such as Adidas, Armani, Samsun and Diet coke during 2011.

Poor guy, you have to understand he only has a multi-million-dollar mansion, more than 10 cars, closets of clothing and beauty articles, a pool and some other of those little things. Why? Because he is good at defeating other people in a game where high competitive males go chase a ball and try to kick it in the opponents net. And people go and watch that happening, cheering on their “favorite” for whatever reason it is their favorite, sometimes getting in fights and drinking a lot of alcohol to make themselves even more dumbed down.

I am thinking of starting up a help fund for David. I mean what will happen if those millions run out? Who is going to feed his staring children! (tear rolling down cheek)

Seriously thought, what on Earth are we thinking, paying people millions to compete against each other. Sponsors jumping on it to try and grow their profit. And people so blind to just go with it. Every sane person should see this insanity for what it is.

We got actual starving children here in this world, for crying out loud. I mean this may not make you feel good or bad, or anything. Most likely your reading this feeling neutral, which is understandable because it is not close to us. But it does not give us the right to ignore it, and to accept this insanity. Our feelings are not the guiding stick for when we should or shouldn’t act. Your brain and reasoning skills functions regardless of what you feel. Starving children, people treated like slaves working up to 18 hours a day JUST to be able to feed themselves, forced prostitution… of course in this profit driven system the big corporation and sponsors don’t give a shit about that do they. They rather sponsor people like David Beckham so that they can make more money.

The inequality in this is so big that I can’t even find the appropriate terms for it. And the fact that some people still defend it because they have an interest in it, or it makes them feel good, is even more enraging.

How long can we keep up with this vanity and superficialness. Entertain the masses and everything is alright? Yeah, if that is what you allow. But do we really want to remain dumb and oblivious for the world and the kind of system we are actually allowing here? We could one day be in the place of those suffering, and I am sure you would object then. If your child would suddenly be transported to a starving country, I am sure you would move heaven and earth to get him or her back, wouldn’t you. Kind of time to stop our genetic egoism.

Help work on the solution, join us at www.equalmoney.org

 

At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day.

More than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening.

The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world income.

 

 

According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.”

Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didn’t happen.

etc…. see link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF7J_FA_smc” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen>

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2190519/David-Beckham-rakes-13-3-million-sponsorship-deals.html

http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats

 

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed a system where some human beings are payed much more money , while others are left to starve to death
I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed a system where the value you bring to actual physical reality, living together, society, does not equal your reward – because someone who competes in sports and is used by brands to sell there product, often earns MUCH more than a hard working man that works on the sewer or other jobs that our society really requires

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to spend a lot of money on fan gear of my favorite sportsman
I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to think that it is important to have fan gear from my favorite sportsman

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to feel better when I own fangear of my favorite sportsman, as if this makes me better in some way, because else I wouldn’t feel so good about it

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to connect myself to the ones I root for, and feel strongly about, and ignore the many human beings that are suffering in this world, and actually deserve my attention much more, because they are in dire need of help

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to pre*-occupy my life with entertainment such as sports

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to not really care about the abuse in this world, because I am entertained, and as long as I am entertained I feel good and live comfortable

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to not realize that the comfort and entertainment, is used by myself as a way to be inactive and non-caring  – where I dont realize how this is blinding me for reality, and how I am being moved instead of moving myself.
I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself tonot realize that I am a slave to my emotions, where I will even get emotional when “my team” loses, or misses a goal, and get exited when the other team loses and mine wins, as if one is better than the other and deserves to win more. In this I am supporting competition between human beings that play for ego and money.

I commit myself to stop this money system that blinds people through entertainment, to make profit, while ignoring and hiding the actual truth of reality, where many living beings suffer and are abused. In a capitalist system, poor are always needed because who else is there to capitalize on? That is what we have to realize. And stand for a new system that will actually value life and take all in consideration.

 

Day 43 – ‘You have to be happy to be beautiful’ Part 1

Quoted from wealthy A-list actress and model Julia Roberts. she’s appeared in more than 40 movies, is reported to have earned up to $20 million for some of them. She is also the face (and part creator) of a new perfume called La vie est Belle (Lancôme) and many people consider her to be a pretty woman. And for that, she has her happy spirit to thank, she claims. Her  own happy state of mind is one of her beauty tips.

‘I think optimism and having a sense of humour definitely help, but happiness is something you cultivate. Once you find it, that’s the key to looking beautiful. That, Lancôme eye cream and kissing!’

Ofcourse she had to name a product with it as well. The cash gotta come from somewhere right? So by that note, it means that people struggling in this world, will have a hard time being beautiful. I think it is the least thing on their mind anyway. If you can barely make enough money to feed your children, your not gonna worry about being the hottest girl in town. Because the truth in this world is grim, and that is: that only the rich and elite thus can achieve this kind of “happy beauty”. Because money buys you happiness. Without enough money, you have no food, no home, no clean water, no nice toilet, no proper clothing etc… Still think you can be happy starving, cold and/or sick? Then I challenge you to challenge your illusion and live like that for let’s say… a month or so. Or maybe just a week or couple of days will be enough. My point is that we should make sure that all the worlds people have the opportunity to live a good life, where they can be happy and have their basic needs met and have the ability to expand on their interests. I mean forget the whole happy beauty thing, why would we want to live worrying about being beautiful all the time? It is pretty vain and empty, and will sooner or later have you crying over your older self.

In the gardens of the Rothschilds’ Villa Ephrussi, we’re led down a path with the sea sparkling on one side and serried ranks of irises (the scent’s prominent note) on the other. From a pergola hangs a huge crystal chandelier that delivers great drops of the new perfume. So similar is the scene to a Julia Roberts romcom that should Rupert Everett pop out from behind the topiary it would come as no surprise. As it is, polite party protocol is immediately abandoned as 300 guests get their wrists into the path of the descending fragrance globules.

Sounds great, but isn’t considering the context. That an elite can have such luxurious shows and parties, and that a majority suffers ,struggles to survives and even starves to death at times, is insanity. It is a deliberate created polarity within our economic system, that is as I said: deliberately created. We can spend thousands or more on luxury items, on our appearance, on our own ego… but when we are faced with the true reality of our economic system, we start to make all kinds of excuses. “it’s just the way it is and always will be” “I am to small to do anything about it” “just enjoy your life, its to short anyway” “it’s their own fault” “it’s not our problem” …. As if our economy is disconnected from the world economy and thus other (struggling) parties. It is not. And it leaves a sour taste in my mouth. On the one side we have people designing more and more stuff for those who already have a lot, and on the other side we have those struggling to survive, who are actually forgotten. Ofcourse they give to charity, but that is to feel better about their lifestyle, telling themselves that at least they are helping. It removes cognitive dissonance. But the fact is that charity is a band aid solution. Why do you think thousands of charities exist and that many problems keep rising? Because it is not really a cure! If we care about a true solution for this world, we will have to stop the CORE of the abuse. This means we will have to replace the profit driven economy, that creates so much exploitation and will never do what is good for all. It means a re-design of society towards a world that shows value to the children, that actually places the common good first instead of the individuals profit. Where all have an equal starting place, and not where one is born in starvation and another in complete luxury. It is extremely unfair today, and the only way we can fix it, is to fix it together and work on a substitute system.

La vie, currently, est belle for those who got money. But for those without, life is far from pretty.

Source:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2182609/YOU-exclusive-interview-Julia-Roberts-You-happy-beautiful.html

 

Day 42 – Animal Testing is Necessary For My Beauty

Big Beauty Brands Throw Cruelty-Free Policy Out of the Window for Profit

Thu, 2 Aug 2012|Published in Animals & Nature, Beauty &Trends

In this economical profit system, you either go with the flow, or try to go against it. The former gives you more chances to earn more money, as well as becoming more shallow, lose your moral sense and ethics. The follow article shocked me, no not really, these things don’t shock me anymore because they have become quite normal and expectable considering our economic system.L’Occitane, Caudalie and Yves Rocher are among those that are ditching cruelty-free animal testing policies in order to sell their products to China. Why? Because the law in China states that all cosmetic products for humans, have to be tested on animals first.

Thus, those companies now have to remove their “against animal cruelty” logo. Bye bye leeping bunny! I know several people who bought products from Yves Rocher ONLY because it was against animal testing. Now, they wont buy from them anymore. I am not sure how much customers they will loose, but maybe they thought it was worth it, considering the profit they would earn from agreeing with the China policy. Animals now have to pay the price for their profit lust.

Animal testing is not necessary, at all. We have proven this for many years now. Many brands stopped testing on animals, and still dont. We already have enough products to wash our bloody hair, clean our teeth and make our body soft, dont you think?

‘I am disappointed that certain companies have fallen prey to the lure of the Chinese market and are letting animals pay the price. Consumer pressure can make a difference.  – Cruelty Free International chief executive Michelle Thew‘

Leeping Bunny

‘We certify over 400 companies around the world that refuse to allow animal testing into their products, so there is plenty of choice for everyone who wishes to eliminate this cruel, unnecessary and outdated practice.

‘The only way that you can avoid animal testing in your toiletries and beauty products is by looking for the Leaping Bunny logo, or checking www.GoCrueltyFree.org.‘

Britain banned animal testing in 1998 and several large cosmetics companies including Paul Mitchell, Sainbury’s, The Co-operative, Superdrug, Marks & Spencer all have Leaping Bunny certification meaning they are cruelty-free.

Hair-care giant John Paul Mitchell Systems pulled out of China after being informed that the company would have to pay for animal tests in order to continue selling its products there.

Paul Mitchell CEO and co-founder John Paul DeJoria put sales in China on hold last year and confirmed they will not sell products in that country in order to remain committed to the company’s cruelty-free policy.

Mr DeJoria said: ‘Since Paul Mitchell was founded in 1980, we have been cruelty-free.

‘We do not conduct or condone animal testing on our products, and we will not attempt to market our products in China until alternatives to animal testing methods have been accepted by the government.

‘Paul Mitchell always has been and always will be cruelty-free.’

Dr Dan Lyons, Campaigns Director of internal animal protection organisation Uncaged, said it is down to individual companies to make a stand.

He continued: ‘It’s a fundamental decision companies need to make.

‘It’s much better if they stick to their principles and avoid China, which will put pressure on the government to change their own policies.

‘It’s unnecessary for China to require repeat and totally unnecessary testing on these products.’

Urban Decay has also recently decided to cancel its plans to enter the Chinese market after being informed of the animal testing requirements.

Spokesman for the charity People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Foundation, Alistair Currie, said: ‘We are seeing welcome signs of progress in China but their current animal testing requirements are a major factor pushing up cosmetics tests on animals globally.

‘Companies who have turned their backs on their non-animal testing policies because of the lure of China have regressed a generation: their products are once again being dripped into rabbits’ eyes and smeared onto animals’ abraded skin.

‘While many progressive and principled companies are sticking to their non-animal testing policies, others need more motivation.’

But the revelation that some large name brands are giving up their cruelty-free status to sell to China will come as a surprise to many shoppers.

Even more surprisingly, there are many huge international brands including Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Revlon, which have never been able to use the Leaping Bunny logo because of their animal testing policies.

And while an EU-wide ban on the marketing of animal-tested cosmetics is due to come into force next year, campaigners warn that the European Commission is now contemplating compromises or even delays to the legislation.

Mr Currie continued: ‘It’s vital that the EU protect its own ban on the sale of animal-tested cosmetics due in 2013.

‘We’ve led the world on this issue – we mustn’t take any steps backward right here in our own back yard.’

A spokesman for L’Occitane said: ‘L’Occitane does not and never has tested its products on animals.

‘Similarly, we insist that our suppliers certify that none of the ingredients we use are tested on animals.

‘We do sell our products in China however and the Chinese government reserves the right to conduct tests, but we are hopeful that this situation will change soon.

‘We are actively working with the BUAV, with whom we have a long term and constructive relationship, to influence the Chinese authorities to allow the alternative tests that apply elsewhere in the world.’

Jean-Christophe Samyn, Director of Caudalie UK, said: ‘We are against animal testing. We do not test our ingredients and formulas on animals and never will.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2181468/Big-beauty-brands-dropping-cruelty-free-animal-testing-policies-sell-products-China.html#ixzz22Mc2i5ny

Help us create a new world system where profit is out of the way, and no practices will be allowed that abuse other life forms unnecessarily. It’s up to us to be the change.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to test on animals because I dont consider them having any value

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to not realize that animals are living beings, with as much value as myself, who breath, eat, feel etc… and who do not deserve to suffer

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to believe and say it is ok to test on animals because they cant speak and are not as smart as humans

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to not realize that by using the above logic, we can also test on mentally retarded people

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to not realize how smart animals are, andhow dumb humans often are

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to judge living beings worth by their perceived intelligence

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to act as if I am the god that can judge anothers worth
I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to not realize how I, as an animals, would not like to be tested on, because I do not enjoy physical suffering, being locked up, being ripped away from my family etc…

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to not realize how animals testing is not necessary at all, how there are many other options, and how many brands are already using comestics which involve no animals testing what so ever

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to place profit above life

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to be a complete asshole who hurts and punishes other living beings for the desire for money

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed a system that functions on profit, and for that, often abuses other life forms

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to buy animal tested products when I have the option to do otherwise, or do not require those products at all

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to not realize how the system through media and peer pressure creates more desires into people, such as the desire to look pretty and use a lot of beauty products, and by doing that often buying more animal tested products which are not necessary at all

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to consider animal testing as normal, because I have always known about it and it doesnt make me feel bad… In that I remain a slave of my emotions, where I can allow extreme abuse simply because of the selfish reason that it doesnt make ME feel something.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to place my feelings above the common good

I commit myself to stop this system of exploitation, that functions on profit, where living beings are abused in order to make more money or live up to the desires of human beings, often programmed desires so that the system can make more money

 

Day 41 – Everything is Going Wrong, I Feel Like Crying!

I recently experienced some complications getting to and comming back from Spain. Travelling in the past has always been very smooth for me. I do my research before hand, make sure I know where I am going, which connections to take etc..
But this year, boy o boy! Did shit go wrong.

The 22th of July I travelled towards Spain. During the 5-6 hour trip from Paris to Figueres, a message sounded through the speakers, in Spanish and French (languages I do not speak). I vaguely understood something about switching at Perpignan, because we couldn’t go further with the train. I went up to some of the personnel and asked what was going on. They said we had to get off at Perpignan, and take a bus there, which they would arrange for us. I texted my brother to let him know I’ll be later, because he was supposed to pick me up at the train station.

A while later, another message came through the speakers. I didn’t understand it so I asked the people next to me, which were an American woman and her daughter doing a world trip. It appeared the mother understood and spoke some French and Spanish. While she was explaining how we now had to get onto another train, some other American and Australian people gathered near us to listen what they had to do.

So basically, I followed those people around, because we ended up having to take 3 different local trains. All directed in French or Spanish. At the same time my brother texted me that we were probably having to switch because of the Spanish wildfires, others mentioned the same thing. And soon enough, we were stuck in an abandoned train station and town… We had to wait for the “ok” to go on with the train. We waited and waited and I got increasingly stressed. My brother was texting me how all the roads were blocked, and also before that , during a switch of trains called me yelling: make sure you get here, I can’t get through with my car… I told the Americans around me what he was saying, also to update them about the situation, and the woman and girl offered me to stay with them at their hotel. Also the other Americans (which were high school students on a trip) said I could come with them to Barcelona if Figueres would be closed due to the wildfires. When we looked out of our train, through the glasses of the station, we saw the fire. People were starting to make jokes about how it looks as if we are part of a disaster movie.

My mom and dad started to call me, worried. While I was calling, the train suddenly made this loud noise. It startled me, but it was just to get everyone back into the train because we got the “ok” to move on. My dad also called my brother to be careful, because people got closed in in a car during the fire and died.

Anyway, as we got the “ok” signal, everyone on the train started to clap and I closed my ears because it was like my eardrum was going to explode

I was worried about what I would have to do: will my brother make it? Will I have to go with the people to the hotel? What if he can’t get to me tomorrow either? We finally arrived at the station in Figueres and headed towards the taxi’s. We couldn’t find one, and the American lady called “Pam” called her hotel to come and pick us up. But no one came, and she thought they didn’t understand her. In the meanwhile, my brother already texted me he was coming, and the traffic was gone. I told him I was at another station, because they dropped us at Figueres Adif instead of Figueres Vilafant. He said he thought he knew where it was, and suddenly within 2 minutes he was there. I was very relieved. We also gave the American people a ride to their hotel. I am sure they were relieved as well.

So my tips are:

-stay as calm as possible, don’t let doom thoughts overshadow your mind. Keep it practical and do what you can. If stress increases, slowly take deep breaths in and out. -if you don’t speak the language, or are unsure about what to do, ask those around you or the personnel. Follow people who know what to do, go with those who also are going to your destination so that you do not end up alone and confused. -Make sure you have a fully recharged cellphone. I recommend a simple old fashion cellphone with long battery life. I have the Samsung e1120 , battery can last up to 10 days. Take your recharger with you, and note the most important numbers on a paper. You never know if something happens and you can’t use your phone. -Take cash with you (for emergencies such as having to take a cab)

The journey back

I thought the worst was over, and that from now one things would go smooth. Guess again… We departed more than an hour before I had to get on my train back home. But the station I had to go to was not on the GPS! We couldn’t find it. My brother started to drive and drive, and it was already 10 AM (I had to get the train at 10:20). Again I started to get really stressed. What if I had to travel back in the back of my brothers car. I was sitting on top of all his camping gear which is highly uncomfortable, especially considering the fact he had to drive 17 hours to get back home… Suddenly we saw taxi’s. I jumped out, asked them if they could bring me to the station in time, they said yes and there I went again. In the taxi I started to wonder if I got the right bag with me, my one bag is similar to my laptop bag, but it includes my money, cellphone, tickets etc… Thankfully I had the right bag with me. I got there in time, almost wanting to kiss the floor taxi was really expensive! For 8 minutes drive it was 16 euro.

Then… after 5-6 hours on the train I arrive in Paris Gare De Lyon, where I had to take the subway to go to Gare du Nord. No problem! I thought. I done it before + I had my whole route written out on a paper with all connections. I walked into the station, went to the lined RER D (green). And suddenly noticed there was no traffic on that line… I was like: not again! Jezus Christ. Everything had changed and there was some strange French signaling about it. I walked back up. Started to ask random people. One Indian looking guy who told me to go to the tracks I just came from… Then some really dark skinned family who only spoke French, said something about taking the metro there and then changing line. But when I looked at the metro time, it would only arrive at the time I would already have to be in my next train. I decided to go to the information desk. It was closed. GOD DAMNIT. I wanted to take a taxi, but then I thought about traffic in Paris… I only had 30 minutes left (since yes, my train also was 10 minutes late…). I started to look at the exit, and there were exit signs at every freaking side. Suddenly I saw another information desk, woohoo. I jumped through the gates and asked the man how I could get to Paris Gare du Nord. Suddenly the man got a seizure. Lol no, just kidding, that would be too insane . He told me to take the lined 14 to Chatellet les Halles, and then get out and take the line 4 to Gare Du Nord. I hoped my metro ticket was still valid, which it was, and did as he said, asking some people if I was on the right metro, just to be sure… And I was. Thankfully the metro goes super speed, and I was at my train in time.

This was  the first time in my entire life that literally everything went wrong… My journey onwards and my journey back home. It was an experience that showed me that you must always be prepared when you undertake long travels, make sure you have plenty of time between connections, and that I can get easily stressed sometimes. Although I kept calm, because what else can you do. If you start to panic it won’t get you anywhere.

When i was waiting in the trainstation, the abandoned one, for our train to get the “ok” signal to go on, I felt like bursting into tears because of the stress inside me. But I didn’t let it out. I thought it would make things worse and people around me would see it. I was thinking to myself: why? Why cry , it is not necessary.So I could hold back my tears. I felt like crying because of the uncertain situation, and being so far from home, from the people I know well, stuck in the middle of a freaking abandonned town and train station… I saw people around me were all with a group or at least two. I started to regret ever going to spain in the first place and thought: I wish I had just stayed home.
And when my brother called me, it also sounded as if it was my fault, while I was struggling to find out what exactly I had to do and where to go.
Also in the metro station, I got kind of sad within me from the stress, wondering wtf I could do.

It did all work out, but this is what I was actually experiencing within myself: a lot of stress and sadness.
My self forgiveness as follows, will not be only about my personal experience, but I will expand it to other reactions in situations of panic.

i forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to supress my tears because I am afraid to cry before other people
i forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to supress my tears because I think I dont need to cry and that it is nto necessary, while it was a release signal from my body dealing with the stress hormones I had generated
i forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to start to panic and loose track of my own self direction as in how to deal with the situation in the best way
i forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to not realize that I do not require to follow doom thoughts, and can direct myself to do what is best in that specific situation
i forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to keep thinking about how fucked up the situation is, causing myself more stress
i forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to panic and within that panic “loose” myself and do things that are not best for myself, nor for all, where I may even compromise another human being because of my panic mode
i forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to think about the worst case scenario, and by doijng that, making myself feel worried and stressed even more
i forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to be afraid to ask people for help
i forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to compromise my own safety by allowing my fear to speak to people control me and prevent me from getting the right information, or having others to follow who  know the way

When and as an unusual situation comes up, such as having difficulties during travelling, I breath through it and simply do what I can to continue my journey or deal with the situation as best as possible. When I notice stress, I breath it out, I stop doom thoughts and if I feel like crying to release it, I do not hold it back because of fear  of others.

 

Day 40 – I BELIEVE!!!

I started to investigate religion when I was about 15 years old, fater some man on a bike handed me a “He is comming” pamflet about Jezus and the end of days, when I was speaking to my friend about some paranormal experiences I had. I saw it as some kind of sign, something special.
So, I started to investigate christianity, and started to believe in “God”. I always kept an individual approach to it all, because whenever I read the bible, it pissed me off. I couldn’t understand how God could be so cruel and so stupid. Especially the old testament… my god. So I told people: “I know who God is, in my heart”. Like I just knew it.
Later on I called God a force, and later I diverted to gnosticism, budhism etc…

Ive made a very long story short, that’s for sure. But one thing, behind all my religious believes was: my own desires. It was what I desired to be true, it was something I wanted, and that is why I believed in it. Ofcourse I didn’t have proof, ofcourse I didnt have special knowledge about who or what God is.  I completely followed my emotions and my desires. It gave me comfort to think about a God who is there for me, who is looking after me. Although many times it led me to frustration because I saw so much unjust things in this world, and my own life, that I only saw Gods support… in my head. It wasn’t real, I made it up, to comfort myself. Just because I wanted it to be true so badly. But in that I was fooling myself, and others who I was telling who God was, and that they “will see” when they are dead. As if I knew it… I didn’t. Yet I believed I did, and believing can be a pretty delusional hobby.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to believe in a God and spread this believe to others, as if it is a truth – but in fact I was lying, to myself and others, and only saying those things because I desired it to be true

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to let my emotions controle me
I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to let my desires controle me

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to promote believing in something that isn’t here, and only can exist in imagination – placing trust in something that is unseen, and imagined, or believed in and not realizing the patterns behind my desire to do so. That I was in fact looking for comfort, support, and was living in fear and mental pain.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to project my desires unto an imaginary God, instead of directing myself to bring an end to the unjustice and abuse I see within this world, for which we require no god to fix it. All we require is our will to do so.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to accept something as the truth, because of a feeling I have within me

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to accept something as the truth, because I desire it to be the truth

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to accept something as the truth, because it has been taught to me to be the truth, and therefor I have gotten emotionally attached to it

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to believe because I feel bad about life and want an escape, to feel better

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to not realize that trust has to be found within and as myself, and that when I place trust on a believe in my mind, I am in fact training myself to trust in lies, in hidden things, in imagination

I commit myself to stop following believes simply because I desire things to be like that, to be how I imagine it to be or desire it to be. Believes create a world divided, and will differ from person to person, culture to culture, time to time etc…. and therefor we must all look at this point for ourselves, in self-honesty, and realize what is needed to bring this world togethe rand create heaven on earth, without waiting for some kind of god to fix it all or take you away.