The Sickening State...

I have pledged that Paris Hilton would never find her way onto my page, but one must wonder at the direction of this girl's life... especially in light of my friend's death at the age of 35, the uselessness of Paris's existence strikes a particular, sad, ominous chord. "To whom much is given, much is expected". These words tickered through my head as I witnessed her and Britney Spears end a night of drunken revelry. Is this IT for you, Paris? Is this to be your legacy? Parties, trashy clothing, an endless chain of boyfriends? Is this your purpose? If you were to die tomorrow, don't you realize that you'd have left absolutely nothing of value to the world? To anyone?

Look, I'm no prude. I like partying and carousing as much as anyone. But it is also my wish to make something of myself, and to leave the world a better place for it... rich or poor, that takes work. But given the choice, I would rather expend the energy.

Dare to be different, Paris Hilton. It's not too late.

Anne Curry for Nightly News??

It was a thought that certainly seemed feasible, given Ms. Curry's sterling performance on Thanksgiving evening as she subbed for regular pitcher Brian Williams. She struck just the right note: supremely confident yet engaging, warm yet magisterial, a formula that has eluded Katie Couric at the helm of the CBS Evening News.(Has anyone but me been tracking the fact that contrary to expectation, Couric still hasn't managed to take CBS out of third?) The only thing I found strange about the whole performance was the costume, a somewhat dykey black suit: but who am I to complain??
Although she seemed absolutely right in the post, my wish for Annie is some sort of political news show- perhaps Sunday morning, or even Saturday night (radical departure). Her intelligence and news savvy demand some sort of worthy outlet, quite apart from the meagre role she is currently afforded on the Today Show.

The Meaning of Life..

I spent Friday, my 40th birthday, in a complete funk.
I don't feel 40. At all. All sorts of thoughts kept running through my head: do I now have to dress "older"? Is there now a mad race against time to actually achieve something with my life? What about companionship- will I ever find the right person? Am I now disallowed from certain bars & clubs? How do I remain sane?
All that came to a crashing halt today.

A 35 year old friend of mine died. Of a heart attack.

The thing that has most impacted me is that now, he is nothing.
There are no more chances for him- what he managed to leave behind is his legacy, for he went in a hurry. So in a way, yes, there is a race: to try to be the best person one can be. But there must also be time taken to realize that it's all not that serious. We each have no idea when we'll disappear into the ether. So we (I) need to take time to not stress and recognize the happy moments, the fulfilling moments, whilst in those moments.

Rest in Peace, Jiggy.

And the Winner is?!?

This was the breathless title on style.com heralding CFDA Fashion Fund winner Doo-Ri Chung. Forgive me, but doesn't it seem like the same 5 designers are in contention each year? Thakoon Panichgul, Costello Tagliapietra, Phillip Lim- all in the VOGUE-managed version of "The Usual Suspects". And gee, how is it they can never find even ONE talented coloured person??

And Dr. Lisa Airan needs to bloody devote at least one night a week to her job, for crying out loud.. that girl never met an invitation she didn't like. And she looks hideous in Rodarte.

http://www.style.com/slideshows/parties/111706CFDA/47m.jpg

AnD wHat's Up witH:

Meredith Viera not working past 9?
What makes her so special that she can't do the deadzone hour like everyone else?
Much as I wasn't partial to Katie, I truly don't think that the Meredith era has been an improvement.
I find her buffoonish and badly dressed.
I wonder how her colleagues are handling it?

Annie in Darfur

My Annie is in Darfur covering the situation there. The ethnic violence has now stretched to Chad, where refugees have been fleeing for succor. Anne Curry's poignant report on a rape survivor on Monday night underscores the pre-meditated nature of the genocide- rape victims are being bitten and otherwise scarred as a physical reminder to all that they have been violated. In the decidely "unmodern" culture that exists in the area, this is devastating. Women are shunned, not pitied, for their plight.
During rape, they are also told by the Janjaweed (who have been in Sudanese uniforn, an obvious indication of collusion by the government of Sudan) that their race will be exterminated. I am astounded at the powerlessness of the UN in this situation. Their impotence is there for all to see. No one in the world seems to regard this body with any respect anymore. In all these months, all they have been able to accomplish is much talk, no action.

I am also struck by the hopelessness of these women. Our problems as working people in a tough city like New York appear trivial compared to women who have nowhere to run, no prospect of tenderness, and no view of a bright economic future on the horizon.

Anne has been in Darfur and Chad chronicling their suffering, which I feel, on the ears of whom it counts, have fallen as nothing.

I once heard a black CBS producer, sent to produce a Carnival report in Trinidad, complaining about a shot of a mass of my people dancing: that it "wasn't pretty". I guess that's the crux of the matter: dark, scarred, woolly-haired, dirty, unpretty people don't inspire the ones in power, light-haired, light-eyed, suited, to act.

I'm also ashamed of myself: of getting so bogged down in my life that I have ignored my own brothers and sisters. That will change.
Starting now.

Anne Curry's report follows.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15718844/