To commemorate Apple and AT&T’s release of the iPhone, we here at CW are giving you the opportunity to decide the financial future of one our staff members:me. That’s right. You help decide whether or not my wallet takes the plunge and get an iPhone. For real. No, I’m not kidding.

If America (and our non-American readers; konichi-wa! or whatever) votes that I get one, you, dear reader, will get up-to-date coverage as to how this new piece of marvelous technology works. Or as in the case of most first generation Apple tech, doesn’t work. But who cares? It’s not your hard-earned money.

Interested? Do your democratic duty and vote.

Thoughts of your impending mortality and the inevitable hereafter don’t usually include any type of plan for your pet’s future happiness – at least not if you’re normal.

If you’re not lucky enough to have a family member/close friend/colleague/benevolent neighbor willing to take care of dear old Spot after you’re dearly departed as a posthumous favor, you might want to check out Consumer Reports’ article on pet trust funds. Yes, pet trust funds. Again, that’s a trust fund. For your pet.

They’ve got everything laid out: how to pick the best trust for you and your pet’s special needs, funding your trust and whatnot. The best part is that you can make your pet and your pet’s trustee do whatever you want them to from beyond the grave, like this lady:

The singer Dusty Springfield reportedly left her cat, Nicholas, to a friend with the instructions that the kitty’s bed be lined with her nightgown, that her recordings be played each night at his bedtime, and that he be fed his favorite imported baby food.

Hey, why not?

Let’s be thankful that Consumer Reports is nonprofit – nobody should be making money off of reporting worthless, inane, frivolous crap. As if pet acupuncture and designer doggie collars weren’t enough for this world, here’s another way to throw away your money and become the model consumer.

Source: Leaving a legacy to your pet [Consumer Reports]

Featured Song: “Queen Bitch” by David Bowie

So, Captain America is dead. Who knows for how long, but he’s certainly not alive in the Marvel Universe. I’m not thrilled about it. I mean, here we are, it’s been 66 years, and Marvel hasn’t exactly killed off their Superman, but Cap, well, he was a different breed. He swallowed some weird shit and became really strong so he could smash Nazis. I mean at times he was ridiculous; I have a comic I got for free from the dentist featuring Cap fighting plague monsters or something. But most of the time he was just pure, unadulterated Americana. Killing him off seems too political, or at least awkward. Anyway, the last thing he says is “Sharon…So Pretty…You take my breath.” Very romantic.

So it seems that P Hilt crony Kim Kardashian is ridin’ the sex tape wave [AREN’T WE ALL!? …no.], allegedly denying that her and her ex BF RayJ Norwood ever made such a thing whilst sources say that it’s being sold for $1 million.

Yeah, ok, whatevs. Sex Tape-Schmex Tape, am I right? Except that do you even know who Ray J is?!?????

UPN fans, he is MOESHA’S LITTLE BROTHER. That’s right, BRANDY NORWOOD RELATIVE, ONE AND THE SAME. AND THERE’S A SEX TAPE OF HIM PEEING ON PARIS HILTON’S FRIEND. WTF!? I’ll say That Boy is [NOT] Mine.[from Daily Dish via Gawker]

Since I’m nearing the end of my undergraduate career, I’m starting to consider what I want to do with my Life. I mean, I’m pretty lucky. I have some semblance of an idea that involves an even mixture of social sciences, human rights activism, refugee studies, academia, and a country that is Not in the “Global North.” I have enough contacts just because of who my parents are that I shall never be in want of a home-cooked meal wherever I should be in the world, but it’s the financially-independent-and-not-just-on-your-two-service-industry-jobs thing that is pretty daunting [either that or incur more student debt with grad school, which I haven’t quite ruled out, either].

Thus, at 2 am, instead of writing papers I tend to job search. A long time ago, probably in my angsty high school rebellion, I ruled out working for “The Man”, on my parents’ recommendation, so this means that there is little to no chance I will be applying for jobs with the State Department, USAID, any intelligence agency, any multilateral financial organ, or the UN [which is okay; I think I am too much of a firebrand to hire in any case]. Yeah, I resigned myself to a lower income bracket a while back too.

What’s frustrating about the job search in the refugee biz is that there’s a LOT of jobs available. A lot of jobs in places like the Sudan. And me, I’m a young, single almost-college-grad who doesn’t really like authority but who loves people. I don’t need a lot of money, hell, all I need is food [I have no dietary restrictions!] and maybe some coffee and some beer, occasionally [I mean, if I’m working in the Sudan I DEFINITELY want beer]. I’m in the correct course of study for what these jobs are. In fact, I am enthusiastically volunteering to go to one of the most infrastructure-less, volatile areas of the world, and all I need is food, board, and beer! So it totally sucks that all these positions, of which there are TONS, require advanced degrees and 2-3 years experience In The Field. I mean, I understand it [n00bz get in the way and aren’t practical and/or efficient], but there’s a need, I’m willing to fill it, and I can’t because I’ve just spent four years acquiring thousands of dollars in debt and a degree that is virtually meaningless without experience In The Field.
Oh well. I guess I am going to go drink beer.
[and if you haven’t noticed, this WTF is two-fold and trying not to be didactic. If you have the time/energy/emotional fortitude, you should check out some of the different groups working in Darfur this holiday season, and every season, for that matter. Change from the ground up, and all that. APATHY IS A PRODUCT OF THE MAN!]