Tag: relationships

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Bridget Kelly News Politics

Bridget Kelly Responds to “Sexist Remarks” in Christie’s Bridge Gate Report

The lady at the center of the BridgeGate scandal is no longer staying quite. In a statement issued by her lawyers, Bridget Kelly slammed the assertions made by Christie’s lawyers that she closed the lanes on the George Washington Bridge last September because of a failed relationship she had with Bill Stepien.

The response.

Having reviewed the report of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP, as well as listened to the comments of Randy Mastro, Esq., we note that by Mr. Mastro’s own admission, he did not have access to all information. Of course, without reviewing all pertinent evidence, any conclusions that are to be drawn are by definition incomplete. The report’s venomous, gratuitous, and inappropriate sexist remarks concerning Ms. Kelly have no place in what is alleged to be a professional and independent report.

There appear to be two distinct versions of the George Washington Bridge lane closings. On the one hand, Mr. Wildstein, through his counsel, has taken one clear position. On the other hand, Mr. Mastro has staked a different view. Thus, Ms. Kelly’s evidence could be critical to verifying either of the two competing versions of events. A preemptive strike to isolate Ms. Kelly and impugn her credibility is not surprising. Despite Mr. Mastro’s editorialized comments to the contrary, Ms. Kelly is not a liar. She is a single mother of four children who was deeply devoted and committed to her job at the Office of the Governor. She worked tirelessly to pursue the goals of the Office during her tenure.

The only credible investigation into the lane closings is being conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. If Ms. Kelly were provided with the appropriate procedural safeguards, she will be fully cooperative and provide truthful and complete answers to any questions asked of her by the appropriate law enforcement authorities.

Categories
Express Yourself

A Letter To My Next Girlfriend

Dear Someone,
I use someone because I probably don’t know your name at this point in my life.

Take no offense; Don’t be angry and come at me with a knife!

So…yeah you and me huh? That’s pretty sweet right?

Dam I’m four lines in and I already came down with writers block

That’s nuts because I usually can always seem to talk

Since I always talk a big game

Say I have no shame
Don’t care if you use “I dare you” with my name

But when I talk to someone I like

I clam up air tight

That’s how you know I ain’t feeling right (in a good way)

Have no fear though that shyness will easily thaw

It’ll give way to thing’s that’ll make you laugh or go “awww”

 

So what’s this letter about you ask, as do I in all honesty

Well keep reading and then you’ll see

It’s about me as the next paragraph will show

It’s also about you, I just wanted you to know

 

I don’t know what you’ll know about me at this stage

Probably some good things, hopefully nothing that’ll put you in a rage

I’m very open about myself though, I have nothing to hide

There’s no “I’ll tell you another time” or any story I’ll push aside

I wonder if you’ll know my favorite color is orange but I love to wear black

Or that I love my Lakers, basketball, and miss hearing “T-Mac to the rack!”

Maybe you’ll know I actually have a decent fashion sense (#HighFashion)

Or that I never shy away from giving my $.02

 

What about you? There are so many questions I can sit here and ask

Writing them all down though………dam that’d be quite a task

Have we been friends? Best friends? Or total strangers who just met

If we were total strangers let me say..”Finally a fish in the net!”

(Referring to that “plenty fish in the sea saying. Okay, not funny? Okay..)

Ah so many questions I could ask but it’s 1am and I’d love to sleep tonight

Instead of having my brain work in overdrive, blasting through all the red lights

 

Well whoever you were to me and whenever you do read this, let me just say

I’m happy you’re with me and not some other guy

I obviously like you, enjoying hanging out, and talking as well

I can’t say where this will go or how it’ll work

All I can say is to just kick back and let life run it’s course

 

Good night,

Justin

Categories
Relationships

The War On Men Through the Degradation of Women

“When woman is lost, so is man. The truth is, woman is the window to a man’s heart and a man’s heart is the gateway to his soul.”

~ JADA PINKETT SMITH


How is man to recognize his full self, his full power through the eye’s of an incomplete woman? The woman who has been stripped of Goddess recognition and diminished to a big ass and full breast for physical comfort only. The woman who has been silenced so she may forget her spiritual

essence because her words stir too much thought outside of the pleasure space. The woman who has been diminished to covering all that rots inside of her with weaves and red bottom shoes.

I am sure the men, who restructured our societies from cultures that honored woman, had no idea of the outcome. They had no idea that eventually, even men would render themselves empty and longing for meaning, depth and connection.

There is a deep sadness when I witness a man that can’t recognize the emptiness he feels when he objectifies himself as a bank and truly believes he can buy love with things and status. It is painful to witness the betrayal when a woman takes him up on that offer.

He doesn’t recognize that the [creation] of a half woman has contributed to his repressed anger and frustration of feeling he is not enough. He then may love no woman or keep many half women as his prize.

He doesn’t recognize that it’s his submersion in the imbalanced warrior culture, where violence is the means of getting respect and power, as the reason he can break the face of the woman who bore him  four children.

When woman is lost, so is man. The truth is, woman is the window to a man’s heart and a man’s heart is the gateway to his soul.

Power and control will NEVER outweigh love.

May we all find our way.

~ Jada Pinkett-Smith, Sinuous Magazine

AMEN.

Categories
Relationships women

Femininity And Submission In Relationships

Branden Lee is a blogger, screenwriter, producer, and actor, currently residing in Boston, MA. Follow Branden on Twitter and Tumblr.

Volleyball star Gabby Reece recently received a lot of backlash while promoting her new book My Foot Is Too Big For The Glass Slipper. According to the Today Show, Reece is quoted as saying “to truly be feminine means being soft, receptive, and – look out, here it comes – submissive.” Reece has stated she finds female submission to be a sign of power instead of weakness. Gabby has been married to pro surfer Laird Hamilton for 17 years.

Gabby Reece and Laird Hamilton

Feminists were of course up in arms for hearing a woman say that the key to a successful marriage involves “submission” to ones husband, but Reece claims she didn’t mean it that way. Reece claims she meant it more as a willingness to compromise.

In a relationship, there definitely needs to be compromise. The problem with Reece’s statement is that it sounds antiquated and misogynistic. Submission has the connotation of weakness and that of course is insulting to women, and anyone that would find themselves in the feminine role in a relationship, gay, straight, lesbian, etc…

Two equals in a relationship does constantly leave to conflict which leads to a failed relationship. If both parties constantly refuse to concede and fight until they get their way, that only leads to animosity. Bitterness and resentment are not the ingredients for a healthy lasting loving relationship.

It’s important to make sure that one person is not completely dominating the other party, and gives up their wishes and desires only to please another at their own expense because that leads to bitterness and resentment as well. When one half concedes on one occasion, the other half of the relationship must alternately concede on the next occasion to make sure that a relationship is in fact equal. No one wants to be with someone who doesn’t care about what they want. If your partner isn’t willing to give you what makes you happy, although it may not be what they want, then they are not the partner for you.

Personally I am very feminine and I do prefer very masculine guys. Although I am super feminine, I am definitely far from submissive. I am a spoiled only child who gets extremely angry if I don’t get my way. I prefer guys that are super laid-back and not picky over certain things, so I guess I do best with guys that concede at my whimsy, but I’m not looking for a complete pushover.

More: Pastor Explains Women Were Born To Be Submissive And Subject To Men

Ideally I do need a guy that does challenge me, but doesn’t try to dominate me. I do encounter many men that assume that I will submit to their will, like a repressed obedient housewife pre-feminist movement, though the second they say something that bothers me, I will fight back. Feminine gay men have to show their patriarchal chauvinist male partners that there will be a no nonsense taking strong independent woman as well.

 Just because one may be submissive in the bedroom, doesn’t mean that translates to submissive overall in a relationship. Many may find that correlation, but the battle between linking femininity is so much more. It may be possible to be simultaneously seemingly submissive yet still maintain the power in the relationship. Boys are dumb and easily manipulated. Though not everyone has the expert manipulation skills to feign submissiveness into actual dominance.

In a perfect world there would be no dominance in relationships. There would always be equality, compromise, and never any abuse. Though we don’t live in a perfect world, and finding a relationship with all of those components seems impossible, though one should never remain in a relationship with abuse, especially physical. But a partner that do not compromise is a form of abuse, whether psychological, monetary, or emotional.

Moral of the story? Just because you’re feminine doesn’t mean you’re submissive, and don’t let any dominant masculine party force you into bitterness and resentment with their failure to compromise. The same works vice versa. Feminine parties can be dominant and beat their masculine partners into submission.

Categories
Food And Recipes Recipe

How to Create the (Almost) Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Most of us love to indulge in a little of the anti-oxidant rich chocolate (yes, I shamelessly cling to every study promoting the benefits of my favorite food) a few times during the week.

Working on a new bake book, my obsession with creating the almost-perfect recipe for chocolate chip cookies probably goes a bit deeper than most people. Some people even consider it a bit odd.  Nonetheless, my efforts benefit my roommates, family and friends with tried-and-true recipes and a plateful of cookies. I have been recipe testing the “ultimate home chef’s chocolate chip cookie” recipe for the past few weeks. I think I’m close to calling this one my favorite recipe.

Being a home chef is not only about creating something delicious from raw ingredients. The home cook knows there is more that happens in the kitchen. Something happens to me.  Something happens to the other people who share the space and the food.  The art and science of food preparation builds not only good food, but wonderful memories and relationships.

Magic happens when people come together in the kitchen and mix laughter with chopping nuts and chocolate, talking about the day with measuring flour and vanilla.  How does one create the almost perfect chocolate chip cookie?  Just follow this recipe:  people + good recipe + working in the kitchen = the almost-perfect cookie and a near-perfect experience.

Whether you are cooking something savory or baking something sweet, I hope you take the chance to pull someone into the kitchen with you and enjoy the beauty of delicious food and nurturing relationships this weekend.

Melissa’s Ultimate Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
¾ cup white sugar
¾ cup dark brown sugar
1 cup (2 cubes) butter, softened
2 eggs at room temperature (pull out eggs about 40 minutes before putting together the batter)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 ½ cups of flour
1 bag (12 oz.) of chocolate chips – pick your personal favorite: semi sweet; dark chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Mix the sugars and the butter together until they are creamed together. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until blended. (You can use a beater too. It does make everything a bit faster!)
Add in the salt, baking powder and baking soda and stir. Add in the flour one cup at a time and mix until the flour is completely dissolved into the batter. Fold in ¾ of the bag of chocolate chips.

You can use a variety of things to scoop the dough onto the cookie sheets. I like my cookies to look very pretty and round so I roll the dough in my hands – about the shape of walnuts. You can use a teaspoon for a similar size.

Take some of the leftover chocolate chips and smoosh them gently into the top of the cookies. This is a completely “let’s make these cookies prettier” step. If you don’t want to do this, simply add all the chips to the batter. I like to have chips sticking up out of my cookies.

Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes. If you like your chocolate chip cookies on the chewy side, take them out at 9 minutes. If a crispier cookie is your preference, leave them in for 11 minutes. Be careful if you like them crispier. It is easy to go from crispy to burnt in less than a minute!

Let the cookies sit on the cookie sheet for one minute before moving them to the cooling rack. Removing the cookies off the cookie sheet too soon will cause them to fall apart. If the cookie rack has gone MIA or is being used as a landing pad for the Lego tower, foil or paper towels work well.

Enjoy the cookies warm or keep them in an airtight container to eat over the weekend. Chocolate chip cookies freeze beautifully. The literature tells me frozen cookies retain their freshness for up to 6 weeks. I will have to take the experts at their word because cookies never last that long in my freezer.

Melissa is a freelance writer, blogger and enthusiastic home chef. You can follow her on Twitter @melissauclair or find her at http://www.launchyourcreativelife.com where she writes about working towards the location independent lifestyle.

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