Act Like a Lady; Think Like a Man- NYT's Best Seller

The best advice to get about men is from a 50 year old( once known as a “player”) actor, comedian, radio show host, Steve Harvey. Steve Harvey’s new book, “ Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man” is New York Time’s Best Seller.


Harvey reminds us that women are in charge of the relationship, and we always have the ball in our court. But somehow, women keep managing to give the man the control because women want to be accepted.

Harvey states that every man has a plan, and he started to write this book because of a relationship problem his daughter had. Harvey replies to his daughter,


“A woman has a right to know what a man’s plan is for her,” Harvey said. “If the plan he has with you doesn’t match up with the plan you have for yourself, you need to make some changes. Trust me, every man who meets you has a plan. Even that brother in church who comes up to you saying, ‘Praise the Lord!’ has a plan for you. You need to ask him what that plan is.”



He compares catching the best mate to fishing. He says ladies do not want to be thrown back again in the sea after being caught; they want to be taken home and cooked. Great analogy. So ladies raise your standards.

LADIES FIRST: THE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL WOMAN

Every one is fascinated with the First Lady, Michelle Obama’s style and fashion. She is the ultimate fashionista and she carries herself so well. She makes bold decisions- about clothes, the kids or the White House, and she just wreaks of confidence!

She embodies what a multidimensional woman should be or could be. She is strong, beautiful, intelligent and whole. She has opinions on issues that matter to her, and she can voice them eloquently. She is also the backbone of the Obama clan, and she supports her husband, President Obama.


EVERY ONE IS A FEMINIST- YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE BUTCH

There are so many misconceptions when it comes to the word, “ feminist”. To many, when they envision the word, “ feminist”, a butch woman protester comes in mind. I’ve heard others say that to be a feminist, means you have to be a lesbian. UNTRUE.

Jane Fonda, the lauded actress and a well known feminist, (to the younger generations, she played Jennifer Lopez’s step mom in MONSTER- IN LAW) said that every woman has a dual journey: an inner journey and an outer journey. You have to feel good about yourself inside- spiritually, and feel good about yourself outside- physically. The first time I read about Jane Fonda, I thought she was writing bogus, but as I read further on, Fonda seemed to have it. Fonda said you have to appreciate your self wholly- body image included, to feel like a woman.

(Going to the gym and exercising do seem to rejuvenate a person and make them feel good about themselves- it’s the endorphins I’m told…and Madonna, a great feminist has the most amazing body, and she’s over 50 years old!)

Jane Fonda revolutionized fitness home videos. Her videos are the top grossing home videos of all time. To Jane Fonda, to be a feminist means to stay fit and feel good about yourself.


Elegant, intelligent, strong, beautiful and stylistic- are these the new definitions of the multidimensional woman? So next time, when some one asks me why I care about fashion , I will simply reply, “ It’s because I’m a feminist.”

Women as Breadwinners

As unemployment rises, women as breadwinners in the homes are increasing. Men are also losing jobs at a higher rate than women, since the industries that suffered most in this economy are the construction and manufacturing- men made industries.

Men and women are now switching roles, and most men are finding it difficult with the transition. “House dads” now run the homes, take care of the children and all the household chores while the mom works longer hours and more days throughout the week.

Men are finding it harder to be at home, and many say they did not know just the amount of work their wives had put into the home. Men admit they were taking things for granted.

The Republican Response to Obama's Speech 2-24-09

As I said in my previous post- the discussion of government's role in the economy and the work place is never ending and continues. While Obama and the Democrats are taking a Keynesian approach, Republicans are taking more of a Marxist approach.



Hurricane Katrina



I respected Bobby Jindal's response to Obama's speech, however I thought he was very off touch with government's role in the economy and especially in the case of Hurricane Katrina. There were statements that he made that I found baffling. ( I needn't tell you about how non-credible he seemed. I tried to be objective, but it is my blog so I find it necessary to continue on with my opinions...) Jindal didn't sound credible to me- and a lot had to do with his soft voice- I wish he sounded more frank. What threw me off...was when he spoke of Hurricane Katrina, and said that the lesson to be learned from Katrina was:

" The strength of America is not found in our government. It is found in the compassionate hearts and the enterprising spirit of our citizens. We're grateful for the support we've received from across the nation for our ongoing recovery efforts."

The aftermath of Katrina showed just how vital government representation is! U.S. government was criticized, disdained, belittled ( and every other adjective you can find) because it didn't take a stronger stance in representing the New Orleans community and the victims of Hurricane Katrina. People were angry and are still angry because government did not do enough!

So as much as I appreciate Jindal, a fellow immigrant for taking a role in American politics, I do not see his point. I am after all a Keynesian.

What do you think of Bobby Jindal's speech? Jindal is the governor of Louisiana, and I've heard of rumors that he may be running for presidency in 2012. Thoughts?

Obama's First Speech to Joint Congress

Obama emphasizes three important issues to rejuvenate the economy: education, health care and energy. He says the U.S. is lagging behind other countries like Japan and China. We should be leading- we invented Solar Energy yet the U.S. isn’t investing in the production of renewable energy like the other countries. Obama spoke about higher education and better health care. He’s hopeful and he will begin the commitment to confronting the three issues next week.



Keynes and Marx- Obama’s a Keynesian

There’s always been a question whether government should play a role in the economy. Keynes and Marx were the 2 leading economists of our time; Keynes supported government action and said it was essential, whereas Marx criticized the capitalist system and believed in laissez faire- to allow events to take its course.

Keynes said there will always be unemployment in a laissez faire market place. Government is essential to produce employment, to balance an unstable economy and end economic recessions or depressions. Obama is a Keynesian.

Obama said in his speech to Congress today, “ I reject the view that says our problems will simply take care of themselves; that government has no role in laying the foundation for our common prosperity.”

Slum Dog Millionaire stole the show at at the Oscars

Slum Dog Millionaire received many accolades for its portrayal of one’s search for love and dreams. I am so glad that the U.S. has been so accepting of this film. It just proves that chasing dreams and following one’s heart- is universally heard. We all share the same values; we’re all more common that we are different.





Portrayal of the Slums

India is one of the most economically polarized countries in the world. Many live in abject poverty yet India’s slums or the poor are never portrayed in Bollywood ( Bollywood is India's version of America’s Hollywood). Bollywood movies do not ordinarily depict the poor and they’re more about extravagant and rich lifestyles.

It’s been said that movie producers in Bollywood are known to be “ dream merchants”- where they create a dream for the ordinary Indian audience. Bollywood movies also tend to be much longer than American movies (more than 3 hours long) and they are filled with lots of dancing and music in a way to captivate the viewers and take them away from reality.






Well, in America, Slum Dog Millionaire was awarded many oscars for great job portrayal of Indian life for many in the slums.

A woman's best friend is a... chimpanzee.

We've all heard that a dog is a man's bestfriend, but for Sandra Herold, a 200 pound chimpanzee is her bestfriend (and maybe even more). Travis, the 14 year old chimpanzee has been in the news for " ripping the face off" of his owner, Herold's friend. Travis and Herold had a relationship unlike any other pet owner to pet; Travis was overprotective of Herold. They slept together, bathed together, and Herold explains that Travis had filled the void that the deaths of her husband and daughter left.


The victim, Nash suffers injuries to her face and body. Herold tried to save Nash by stabbing Travis and hitting him with a shovel. Herold said, " I stabbed something I raised as a son."


The real question though is... was it right of Herold to raise Travis as a human being? People say that he belongs in the wild like the rest of the chimpanzees. To keep him from the wild is not only abnormal, but it is also selfish. Travis would eat at the table with Herold, dress up as a little boy and sleep in the same bed. She was treating him like her own son, or perhaps even a husband.