When I learned that Nelson Mandela had passed away, I was sad.  Mandela lived a martyred life for so long and then finally came to power in South Africa after years of imprisonment.  He lived to be 95 years old. Not to date myself, but I recall protesting in college against Apartheid and almost landing in jail.  I wanted to further show my support by traveling to Berkeley with other U.C.L.A. students like me who were “anti-Apartheid.” My parents wouldn’t hear of it, not because […]

I admit I love my iPhone, my iPad, my computer, etc. I guess you could say I am a gadget girl. I covet the latest anything when it comes to electronics, as long as it looks good, too. I must accessorize my circuit-boarded components with the coolest covers, plugs, or whatever makes them match. After all, this fashionista must be coordinated in all ways.

It’s no news, bloggers have taken over New York Fashion Week, and blogs seem to be gaining ground over traditional magazines. Everyone has a blog, from pets to grandmothers, and everyone seems to read at least one blog. By the end of 2011, according to Nielsen, there were over 181 million blogs around the world, up from 36 million in 2006.

Dateline 2013—the Supreme Court upholds civil rights, overturning DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act). This was a landmark year for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender) after many strides and setbacks, marking the last decade for human rights for Gay Pride Day throughout America, which took on new and jubilant significance.

The implicit conclusion from the Zimmerman verdict is that racial profiling is still okay in this country. And this decision does not stand alone; racial profiling doesn’t simply apply to African Americans, but to all minorities, lest we forget recent legislation passed in the state of Arizona and elsewhere.

International Pillow Fight Day celebrates its 6th year in 2013. Happening on the first Saturday in April, it has now taken over the world, with pillow fights in over 30 cities around the world.

Oleander’s fifth album SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL has just the right number of ballads, including two heart-wrenching power ballads; several high-energy, driving tracks; and really “vibey” mid-tempo songs to just sit back and zone out to. Something about this album really resonates.

Putting together issue 49 was a lot of fun. After all, we have the best talent online. Oddly, it didn’t even register that the next issue would be a milestone. It never even occurred to me what that meant until a few weeks ago. And that’s when I sat up and took notice. Hey, this is our fiftieth issue! So what does that mean exactly?

Some say the world is getting better; others say it’s the worst it has ever been in the history of civilization. Hard to believe it’s the worst. The Black Death killed two thirds of the world’s population. Because there was no way to spread news like today, people got away with murder, rape, you name it. Before fingerprinting was invented, convictions were based on hearsay and circumstantial evidence.

If you’re Christian it’s a person at conception. If you’re just moral it’s a person once it forms fingers, toes and a face. If you’re a democrat it’s a welfare check. If you’re republican, it’s a means to control a woman’s place. Women still make only 56% of a man’s salary doing the exact same job. Oh yeah . . . we’re all equal. Just sayin’!