The personal lives of public figures.

The biggest news stories of this week have included Tiger Woods' 'transgressions' [for which he has now publicly apologized to his family]. And the coming out of 'Family Ties' actress Meredith Baxter. Both items made headlines on the front pages of national newspapers. Both have nearly overshadowed Obama's announcement that more troops will be sent to Afghanistan. Both are none of our goddamn business.

And I simply cannot figure out why we care. Husbands cheat on their wives not infrequently. Women over 60 come out of the closet...well, maybe not as often. Don't the members of the American population have their own problems and occasions to deal with? If not, I'd like to suggest needlepoint, or perhaps Mah Jong, as a more productive hobby than celebrity gossip.

[Image Credits: Tiger - Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press; Meredith - Drew/AP]

Wisdom from the great Madeleine Albright + other memories from the Women's Conference.

Earlier this week I had the great pleasure of attending the Women's Conference. Now these things can go a few ways. You get 25,000 women together and you can have a large trade show floor full of knitting circles and estrogen pills and female finance tools (because, of course, we need our own finance tools--we are simply so inept, are we not?). Or you can get 2 days of intelligent conversations between thoughtful, smart people [who happen to be women].

The 2009 Women's Conference was a little bit of both. But I will skip talk about the expo hall--where I passed more booths selling scarves and handbags than I care to wax on about and sampled more energy bars than one should consume in a 24 hour period--and jump straight to the heart of the Conference, founded and hosted by Cali's First Lady, Maria Shriver: Madeleine Albright at the Luncheon Panel.

Madame Secretary--as the panel moderator, David Gregory, kept calling her--or Madeleine, as she insisted on being called--is perhaps the sharpest tool in the proverbial shed of females living today. And I was honored to hear the 72 year-old firecracker speak.

A couple of memorable quips from her lunchtime banter with co-panelists Valerie B. Jarrett (Senior Advisor to President Obama), Amy Holmes and Claire Shipman...

'I think every woman's middle name is guilt.'


'I think there's a special place in hell for women who don't help each other.'


'Women don't have to hate men to get ahead.'

And it is the last quote that stood out as especially poignant at a conference like this one. It is so unfortunately commonplace for women, when they get together to 'empower' themselves, to form coups against the so-called 'majority' of men. Well, ladies, the 'majority' is not such a majority--they're half the population. We're half the population. What our fate becomes, and the burden we may carry from prior years of oppression, is no longer the sole fault of the opposite [and less gentle] sex. Our fate is ours to define and it is not healthy nor helpful to define it in juxtaposition to those with differing genetalia.

I hope that soon we won't find it necessary to hold conferences dedicated to women's issues. Issues are issues and they're shared amongst all of us--those who happen to be pretty and thoughtful and sensitive and those who happen to be, well, men. [Insert smiley face here. I promise kid.]

Happy Martin Luther King Day. From my cubicle to your day off.

If you haven't been paying attention to your national media lately, this week is fairly historic. Barack Obama will accept his post at the White House tomorrow morning--the first black President to reign over the United States and the first President to take on such a devestatingly awful economy in many, many moons. Of course, the succession of the inauguration just a day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day has not been missed by American news reports either. Though I'd usually be quick to accuse the media of creating an angle just to cause a sensation, I'm equally impressed by the significance of this calendar coincidence. That Martin Luther King Jr. never lived to see the fruits of his labor is a great shame. But one that we should not overlook. Great thanks to this American hero for paving the way for our next American hero, Barack Obama.

I leave you with this profound holiday message, courtesy of someecards...

Breaking News Alert: Kanye West's ego may explode his head.

In Britain's Oberver, Kanye West is quoted as saying 'I WOULD definitely like to be cool with the president. I would just like to hoop with him.' [NY Post - Page Six]

Seriously Kanye? I know you're famous and all. But the president's got bigger fish to fry. And much, much, much more intelligent people to chat with. I know you went to UniverseCity and all [haha, real good one Kanye]. But I think your ego's officially reached an inbalanced ratio to your actual amount of talent.

For the latest example of Kanye's [un]talent: last night's SNL performance. [Gawker]

If only Kanye could have kept to developing his talent (which yes, I absolutely believe he's got) instead of fostering his God complex. People don't want to hate you Kanye...it's just so hard not to!

Photo Credit: Kanye West's MySpace

As the race draws to a close...

The current map on the homepage of NYTimes.com, as we approach the 7 o'clock hour is frighteningly red. Barack Obama is winning the race, but not by the sweeping lead you would have thought he had guaranteed to him if you live in California, or New York or a state where people are led by their hearts and not by bibles.

Last night, I volunteered at the shelter near my home and the young children, all under 10 years old, of all races--they all told me that they would be 'voting' for Obama today. When I asked one why, he let me know that Obama would 'be the first president.' Well, not really. But not so far from the truth. It is a shame that these children are not voting today--we would all benefit from their innocence and their hopefulness.

It's terrifying what lives between America's coasts.

With the campaign drawing near a close, each side's attacks gain momentum, fear and anticipation resounds in both parties and, apparently, the idiots of America are speaking out.



In this startling Al Jazeera footage of an Ohio rally for Sarah Palin, Palin supporters voice their concern about Barack Obama--their main issues, his blackness, his 'Muslim' standing and 9-11. Seriously? Has the American education system failed to reach those between New York and Los Angeles? Does mainstream media not broadcast in Ohio? Or, as I suspect, are these people just terrifyingly resistant to reality? I am horrified that these people live in the same country as me. No, actually, I'm pretty terrified that they live at all.

7-Eleven percolates the vote.

7-Eleven has long been my stop for diet coke, late night snacks (though, god-forbid, never the hot dogs) and even, on occasion, overpriced meds. And though the brand earned some buzz last year for the well-executed and well-publicized Simpson Movie's Kwik-E-Mart stunt at stores across the nation, that is as much as I thought about 7-Eleven, the convenience stop for teens, truckers and munchie-seeking stoners.

So, yesterday, when I drove off Freeway 73 to grab a much needed coffee on route to Orange County, I didn't expect to pour my latte into a politically charged coffee cup. But sure enough, 7-Eleven is getting in on the campaign action along with the rest of the country.

I got to choose my presidential nominee before choosing my brew.








There were sleeves available to show anyone who might glance over that I don't just drink coffee, I am also politicallly active--a socially responsible caffeine consumer.






I chose Obama. And the iced pumpkin latte.











Deliciously democratic. Thank heaven for 7-Eleven.

Jessie for President.

The other night on CNN's Larry King, Chris Rock appeared to make jabs at Bill Clinton, compare Palin to Kim Kardashian and support Barack Obama. Oh, and seemingly make Larry and his entire audience uncomfortable.



Chris suggested voting for Barack because he has one house versus John McCain's multiple houses. That if the economy goes down and McCain loses 1/2 his houses, he'd still be ok while the guy with one house gets worried.

I'd like to suggest voting for me, the girl with one studio apartment. That she rents. In Koreatown. Complete with ants in the bathroom and roaches in the kitchen. Jessie for president. Write 'er in.

xo * The poorest candidate for president

Time for change.

Barack Obama just accepted the Democratic nomination. I'm not sure why anyone's surprised. It would seem a shame if, after a year of campaigning, Barack decided that the position wasn't for him. If, after a year of accepting donations, he decided that presidency seemed overwhelming--that wouldn't culinary school or an MFA in creative writing be just as fulfilling--and no, he wouldn't be accepting the bid to be the US' first black president. Well, anyway, the so-called 'breaking' news has people just thrilled. Even Hillary Clinton--who, by all logical reasoning, should be miffed--seems to think Obama's the candidate this nation needs. While there are things I don't love about the O Dog--he talks a little too deliberately for my tastes--I too hope that he makes it all the way. The White House could use a little black in it. After all, it's Labor Day. And everyone knows that white in the fall's just tacky.