Do Celebrities Shun Safe Sex?

Ok, maybe the headline is off, but seriously, it’s amazing how many of Hollywood’s top players are pregnant or recently gave birth shortly after beginning a new relationship. Some are pregnant and the other half is already in another relationship. Some of the men are fighting paternity suits with former lovers… It just leaves me wondering if they pay attention to little details such as safe sex.

At last count there is quite a long list of well-known soon-to-be-moms and moms in Hollywood, none of whom are married. Now, I’m not saying that being married is an indication of faithfulness, but the way some celebrities play musical chairs with their love life…don’t they wonder about HIV? Two of the ways promoted to decrease the incidence of HIV are to use a condom and having one faithful partner. I have noticed that for many celebs, they are in a relationship for a year or less and wham, they are expecting. The pregnancies certainly indicate that condoms are not a part of the package.

As Spiderman often states, with ‘great power comes great responsibility’, or something similar; our celebrities do have great power. They influence the lives of many persons, especially teenagers. I’m sure some these couples did not set out to get pregnant, but by not practicing safe sex it happens.

Being a mom and having experienced the joys of motherhood myself, I’m happy for them. I am also happy for the fathers and fathers-to-be as well.

Paris Hilton Disses Jimi Hendrix

As a fan of the great Jimi Hendrix I was affronted to read this morning on Contactmusic.com that Paris Hilton has named her new pet pooch after Jimi. I have never been inclined to name a dog, no matter how much I love him after a person living or dead, friend or foe. I found the very though distasteful, but then no one has ever accused the attention-loving Paris of having any class.

I find the very thought of such an act distasteful; when I think of Jimi Hendrix I want to think great music, not an over-indulged pet. Don’t get me wrong I love dogs, but I wonder how Miss Hilton would react if someone in the limelight decided to name their dog, Paris Hilton.

I hope someone in Paris’s cam will ask her to find a more appropriate name for her dog. I know that under copyright law names cannot be copyrighted, unfortunately. I do know however that the Hendrix family through Experience Hendrix, LLC has the rights to the music, name, recordings and images of the Jimi Hendrix. Whether this applies in this case is outside my knowledge-base.

Long live the music of Jimi, I’m sure he’ll still be remembered and respected long after Paris Hilton ceased to be.

Sir Elton Wants Bloggers Shot…

I had a nice laugh this morning. I was doing my usual reading of news bytes when I came across this on Contactmusic.com, “I think people should be shot if they blog.”

Well, being me I had to get to the bottom of this…yes, there is more. Apparently Sir Elton feels that technology, including the Internet is killing creativity. He would love to see the Internet shut down for five years…as an experiment to see what ‘what type of art (creativity) would evolve’.

Sorry Sir Elton, not going to happen…the Internet may evolve but its here to stay.

On a serious note, while I will not blame it on the Internet or technology, a number of things that I love are dying because of the fabulous technology. I loved receiving letters from friends and loved one. No, email does not equate…there’s just something about receiving and reading a letter.

Spelling is another obvious victim of the technology. I have seen some pretty horrendous spelling online and off. I guess it’s partly a result of too much dependence on spell-checkers and the use of instant messaging shorthand.

The Internet and technology…can’t live without…but if only…

Emancipation Day

Today is Emancipation Day in Jamaica and it has me thinking, wishing really. Thinking of the sacrifices made by our forefathers, especially now as we approach another general election. No, I’m not about to discuss elections in Jamaica except to wish that my fellow Jamaicans will ‘emancipate themselves from political tribalism and violence’.

A couple of other things I wish we could emancipate ourselves from include, the endless pursuit of materialism, our growing selfishness. It is these two that is responsible for some of the problems we face today. Yet, there is so much for each of us. Yes, some will always have more than others…I am aware of that, but that does not mean that we have to be selfish.

As we enjoy Emancipation Day in our own ways, let us all pause for a moment in thanksgiving for the sacrifices made by the slaves whose blood soaked our soil. To reflect on where we are as a people and individually and finally to be resolved to play our part to make our own lives and the lives of our ‘brothers and sisters’ a little bit happier.

Happy Emancipation Day, Jamaica.