Old Idaho Penitentiary

The courtyard. Pretty isn't it? I loved the stone buildings.

In all seriousness, I simply love watching all those cheesy "ghost/paranormal" related series on TV. I just can't help it! Some are just too ridiculous to believe and nothing ever seems to happen - other than the occasional, "OMG, what was that?" coming from these so called "paranormal experts". 

Some are mildly entertaining, and I keep on watching them - from "Ghost Adventures" (these guys seriously need to CALM DOWN), "Ghost Hunters" (My favorites. At least the acting's not bad and the characters likable), to "Paranormal State" (This guy is waaaay too serious, and he needs more daylight in his life).

So, when I went to Boise for our usual summer excursion, I just HAD to visit- The Old Idaho State Penitentiary, which was highlighted in one of the "Ghost Adventures" episodes (Season 1 Episode 8).

It was hard, but I managed to annoy my friends consistently enough that they went with me (I can really be annoying, oh and why wouldn't you want to go with me anywhere?).

It was a beautiful place - yes I KNOW this was a prison, but it has pretty rose gardens all along the pathways and buildings, making it hard to be taken seriously. I loved the stone buildings and the museum with a armory exhibit to boot.

According to the "Ghost Adventures," The prison's most famous or rather, notorious inmate was Raymond Allen Snowden (Idaho's Jack the Ripper). He was the last person hanged in the State of Idaho (1957). His 'spirit was said to haunt solitary confinement (or "Siberia" as it was called).

Sadly, I failed to see, hear, touch or smell any ghosts or spirits who are said to wander there. Trust me, I looked into every crack, closet and crevice - nada!

But, the experience was educational and as a history junkie, I loved the history and (real) stories. I would definitely recommend adding it to your tour of Boise.

The penitentiary, which opened its doors in 1872 (built in 1870) is said to have held some of the most severe criminals of the West. 

It closed it doors officially in just 1973. (http://history.idaho.gov/old-idaho-penitentiary)

Ummm...can you say ouch?

Yes, it is a picture of a loo inside a cell

The main hallway with regular security cells.

Some fascinating "graffiti" by the inmates. Beep! Beep!

Known as "Idaho's Jack Ripper," Snowden was the last person to be hanged in Idaho

P.S. Don't forget to find me on Facebook! Samslens

Hope for a Better Tomorrow

Before I begin, I would just like to remind you that all opinion and thoughts are my own are not meant to offend anyone. Your own thoughts and opinions are welcomed and encouraged. Just keep them PG rated and please be respectful of others.

Memac Ogilvy, a Riyadh-based agency, is the first, of hopefully many more, ad agencies to spearhead its first anti-abuse ad campaign in Saudi Arabia. The full-page ad is visually captivating and eerie. The whole ad is an image of a women wearing a burqa. At first you don't see anything wrong with the picture, that is until you notice her blackened eye...and then the eye draws your focus until eventually it is all you see. The words "Some things can't be covered" & "fighting women's abuse together" are listed below with the phone numbers to local domestic abuse shelters. That's all the ad is, but that is all that is needed.

I love the ad and more than that I love the imitative finally taken by this company. The ad has an effect on us all, but more so in a nation where the cultural norm is to turn a blind eye to violence and abuse facing women.
The ad does have a shock-appeal. I'm sure there are some that were probably shocked by the audacity and boldness of this ad. Scandalous, they may find it...ahhhh, but there in lies its brilliance. I believe in a nation like Saudi Arabia, their neglect of addressing serious women's rights violations and/or abuse, this is just what they need to WAKE THEM UP!

This is not about Islam or Muslims, this is about a nation's sovereignty addressing issues of domestic violence faced by many women today. It does not call into question religion, in my opinion, but how women are treated and respected.

I do not believe every man is abusing their wives, sisters, daughters...etc., nor that all women in Saudi are deprived of their rights, but the legal system does favor males and subject women to silence, submission and neglect.

Saudi women are bound by law to ask for permission from their male guardians (usually the father, brother or husband) to leave their homes and travel freely, driving is STILL viewed as a controversial issue in the eyes of society and there are no laws that protect victims from domestic abuse. "There are no laws that protect women specifically. If, for example, a woman claims rape, and a man says it was consensual, she can face a counter charge of adultery," said Adam Coogle, a Middle East researcher at Human Rights Watch. (Click the link for a 2012 world report on women's rights in Saudi Arabia).

It is not until the 2015 election will women be able to vote (LEGALLY) for the first time in Saudi history, something I am definitely looking forward to and a clear indication that there are better things to come. Saudi is improving, in women's rights, and we are starting to see hope and light at the end of the tunnel.

I thought this ad campaign was something that was very important, not just for women in Saudi, but for women all over the world and for humanity in general - we need to step up for what we believe in, stand up for what is JUST and what is RIGHT, regardless of current social normsand the ideas and views of others. 

In the words of Vera Nazarian, "Don’t let a loud few determine the nature of the sound." 

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

CNN article

"I have no faith in human perfectibility. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active - not more happy - nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago."
- Edgar Allan Poe .

Thought for the Day

Ever feel like you're lost, hopeless, the whole world's against you?
They say you dream too big, you're dreams are unrealistic...you will never go far just by dreaming...imagination is dangerous..you laugh too much, too often - this is real life, not a fairy tale we live in.

Well...I say, screw 'em! LIVE with all your heart, DREAM with all your heart, IMAGINE great things and they shall come to pass, LOVE and you will be loved, LAUGH often - it will cured all your troubles, and above all HOPE, for without hope there is nothing!

“I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.”
― Robert Fulghum

~ LIVE, LEARN & LOVE ~

Mommies =)

Most of us spent the weekend treating our mommies (just like we should). Some of us missed our loving mommies and their hugs, either because we are separated by the oceans or by heaven and earth.

They drive us nuts, just like we drive them nuts...sometimes more than other times. I know my mummy (yes that's what I still call her) loves me and I her, but we do love to argue just about anything and everything. It's how we express our love. When she calls me (almost every other day), she tends to drive me nuts, but I do miss her when she doesn't (don't tell her this!). She makes me laugh (especially when it comes to her tech savvy-ness), she makes me cry (well...when I was a naughty wee-one and she was a still scary), she makes me want to pull my hair out...and she also makes me feel loved and at home (which is the best feeling ever).

I didn't get to see my momsicle (I have many nicknames for each member of my family, as they do for me) this Mother's Day. It was our fourth one apart. I did get to see her face thanks to Skype! Living so many miles away from my family is one of the hardest thing for me, though they do drive me nuts, I miss them every second of every day.

So, though its a day late...Happy Mommies Day! I hope all you mommies, first-timers and seasoned veterans, all had a wonderful day. For all of those wishing our mommies we next to us or still with us, they are always right here next to us, in our hearts and in our minds...and I bet you are always in theirs too!

we don't need a special day to show them we love them, though they do like to hear it every now and then, I know mine does =)

"A mother's love is instinctual, unconditional, and forever." - Unknown

Love for your mom - Stewie style!

Cacomorphobia & Fitch

Good morning, afternoon, evening and night my loves...where ever in the world you might live. 

A friend of mine shared a link on his facebook page last night. It was a news article in the Elite Daily that really "turned me off," to put it mildly. The headline reads "Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Explains Why He Hates Fat Chicks." 

According to Sean Levinson, the main reason why A&F stopped carrying XL & XXL sizes in the last year is all due to Mike Jeffries' (the CEO) attitude. To add injury to insult the retailer claimed, "fat chicks will just never be a part of the “in” crowd." Yes, you did read that right. 

Author of "the New Rules of Retail," Robin Lewis has been quoted saying (of A&F CEO), “He doesn’t want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people,” Lewis said. “He doesn’t want his core customers to see people who aren’t as hot as them wearing his clothing. People who wear his clothing should feel like they’re one of the ‘cool kids.’"

The part that really irks me is how he only talks about fat "WOMEN"! Yes, they still carry men's wear in those sizes. Why, you may ask? Oh, they have to cater to larger men athletes. I guess WOMEN athletes do not exist or maybe he expects all female athletes to be ballerinas (no offense to ballerinas, I did ballet myself).

Some people are naturally skinny and cannot help how they can never gain much weight, while others its the complete opposite, they really need to watch what they eat. IS this their fault? No, its genetics for the most part you MORON!....(was that a swear word?...nahhhh).

People like him are at the root cause of eating disorder problems facing women in today's society. Maybe Mr. Jeffries was one of those weirdos stalking Swedish eating disorder clinic for new models. Now that's disgusting!

It gets better, in a 2006 interview the CEO stated “In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids,” 

“Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don’t belong [in our clothes], and they can’t belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely. Those companies that are in trouble are trying to target everybody: young, old, fat, skinny. But then you become totally vanilla. You don’t alienate anybody, but you don’t excite anybody, either."

Has a way with words doesn't he? Want to punch him where the "sun don't shine"?

So you might be thinking why he only wants to be surrounded by what he calls "good-looking people"? Have you ever seen a picture of Mr. Jeffries? No? Let me enlighten you to HIS good-looks:

TA DAAAAAA!!!!

Sorry wikipedia, I only borrowed it!


Ahhh just look at that all-American sandy-haired boy. Such a looker!

Hmmm...wake up Mr. Jeffries, you might need to kick yourself out of your own company!

In all seriousness, I believe Mr. Jeffries has some serious issues with himself and his own self-esteem. Maybe he never was the best looking person, maybe he had issues with weight loss. All this hate might be a result of his own demons. Who are we to judge? yes, it does hurt, it does make me made too, but he's just one man. Just a nobody suing his brand's fame to spread hate - hate that probably spread from within.

The only part that really affects me in this whole story is how teenagers, the brands target audience, are influenced by this mean little man's opinions. Being a teen is already the most confusing time in our lives. They do not need adults like him putting them down, just because of how they look. He's not a very good role model nor is the brand image he has created for Abercrombie & Fitch.

 
I just want to leave you with some wise words from a voluptuous and extremely sexy lady,
“Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.”
― Marilyn Monroe.

You are all beautiful to me!

End note: Cacomorphobia is the fear of overweight people. (Yes, sadly such a thing really does exist)