First Asian Victoria's Secret Runway Model

After 32 Years, an Asian Model Finally Walks the VS Runway

By Brianna Savoca

Victoria's Secret puts something new out on the runway, and it is not a new push-up bra or rhinestone panty. For the first time since Victoria's Secret's inception in 1977, an Asian supermodel will walk the runway for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in December.

Liu Wen is one of five new models selected for the highly popular, nationally televised fashion show, and perhaps one of the new VS Angels.

The Angels promotional campaign was started 10 years ago, and shortly after Tyra Banks was the first African American to grace the cover of the Victoria's Secret Catalogue.

Apparently, Victoria's Secret decides to spice things up every 10 years, adding diverse models to the mix.

This year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show airs December 1 on CBS.

Leading Cause of Death in Women

WHO Conducts First Study of Women's Health

By Brianna Savoca

Heart disease used to be the number one killer of women, and despite the new "advice" to wait until age 50 for a mammogram, breast cancer is not sitting in the number one spot- AIDS is.

The World Health Organization conducted the first study of women's health around the globe and found AIDS is the leading killer among women between the ages of 15 and 44.

How high is the death count? One in five deaths among women in the age group above is linked to unsafe sex.

What the 91-page WHO report alluded to was the unequal health treatment women face throughout the course of their lives, especially in developing countries. In many parts of the world, women suffer serious disadvantages because of poverty, low access to health care, and cultural norms that benefit men's well-being over women, says WHO Chief Dr. Margaret Chan.

"We will not see a significant improvement in the health of women until they are no longer recognized as second-class citizens," says Dr. Chan.

While Dr. Chan makes a very valid point, it is truly surprising that the first study of global women's health just wrapped up in 2009, especially when the findings suggest many women's deaths could have been prevented if their partners had wrapped it up.

Pretty pathetic how patriarchy and politics seem to have prevented a study of women's health until 2009, while many lives were probably lost from AIDS in the process due to a lack of information or simply the money for condoms.

Racist Trending Topics on Twitter

By Brianna Savoca

On Wednesday morning, "#thingsdarkiessay" was the second highest treding topic on Twitter.

Thousands of tweets piled up by the minute, and by 10:30 AM, #thingsdarkiessay became the number one trending topic. By 11:00 AM, Twitter removed the hashtag #thingsdarkiessay from the trending topic list.

Reviewing the tweets on #thingsdarkiessay, many users claimed Things Darkies Say was a South African inside joke.

Things Darkies Say is not a joke to me. It is pure racism.

Humor used tastefully is enjoyable, funny, and enhances people's moods. Things Darkies Say is completely distasteful, unenjoyable, not funny in the least, and puts me in a angry, bitter, agitated mood.

Things Darkies Say is racism wearing a mask of humor.

Things Darkies Say perpetuates the negative stereotypes of the black race, especially with a duragatory word like "Darkies" in the title. Perpetuating stereotypical words and phrases like "massa," and "the darker the berry the sweeter the juice" shows a complete lack of respect for the black race.

Where is progress in South Africa? Many South Africans risked their lives to fight Apartheid, a legal system of racial segregation. Now some South Africans find it a funny joke to degrade the black race?

While South Africans claim Things Darkies Say is an inside joke, inside jokes do not work very well in a global, public forum like Twitter for all the world to read and judge.

My judgement rules against Things Darkies Say.

Jon Gosselin: A Sexist, Immature Man, and Lackluster Father

By Brianna Savoca

After watching the Today Show's preview of the TLC "Kate: Her Story" special, I am blown away by Jon Gosselin's open sexism and stereotypical ideals.

The Today Show showed clips of a press conference held by Jon and celebrity Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. Rabbi Boteach, just as sexist as Jon, blames Jon's behavior on being cooped up inside of the home with Kate and the kids.

It's not the man's place to be in the house changing diapers for two years, where the wife is expected to be, says Jon.

Jon must be such a big, strong man he cannot even handle changing diapers? Sorry Jon, you did not get to get out of the house and work an nine-to-five job. You got PAID to stay home and spend precious moments with your children on camera. Man or woman, most parents would love a gig like that.

Jon prefers partying out on the town in Ed Hardy t-shirts like he's a college student these days.

Put simply, Kate cared, Jon didn't. Kate picks up the pieces, emotionally breaking down in interviews. Yet many critics blame Kate as the bossy "bitch" who ruined the marriage. Kate had to boss Jon around because the man doesn't have a backbone.

Grow up Jon. Be a man. Quit blaming women for your immaturity and lack of respect for a hard-working, dedicated woman and mother. Just because the woman is the head of the family doesn't mean the family needs to end.

Pretty Business

Strong Emphasis on Looks Pervades the Business World

By Brianna Savoca

Just this week, CNN revamped its webpage. Launched over the weekend, CNN updated the site to make it more user-friendly.

While many people critiqued the new design’s positives and negatives for the world’s leading news website, website users left mostly positive comments about the new design on the CNN blog, complimenting the new look.

While CNN claims user-friendliness is the reason behind the redesign, user-friendliness translates into something bigger. CNN wanted the website to look better. CNN wanted its site to have a makeover. CNN wanted its site to be pretty.

With all the user comments, CNN received compliments and reinforcement that society appreciates good looks. CNN, and any smart business, knows society participates in the politics of pretty.

If products look better, more people will buy them. If a product gets a makeover, more people will pay attention and take notice.The politics of pretty play out in the business world in similar forms to this all the time. With the recession, many brands redesigned logos, boxes, wrappers, and advertisements to make their products more appealing.

Hence, the politics of pretty are present every time you decide to go into a store, make a purchase, or put food in your grocery cart. Put simply, who picks a bruised, spotted, disfigured apple over a shiny, red, unbruised, perfectly symmetrical apple?

And the politics of pretty in business just translates into the politics of pretty in society. Many people pick friends, associates, and significant others based on looks. Thus, businesses are extremely smart using pretty as a tactic towards consumers. People gauge what is desirable and make purchases based on their cognitive analysis of what looks best.

If it looks better to you, you will probably want it and perhaps buy it. In the least, you will pay attention to it. It’s pretty business, a somewhat petty business, but it works. The politics of pretty of everywhere, even on CNN.com or in your grocery cart.