Laura Browder's When Janey Comes Marching Home

On Monday September 27th, East Carolina University hosted guest speaker Laura Browder. Browder, the author of a new book titled When Janey Comes Marching Home: Portraits of Women Combat Veterans, came to discuss her book with students and faculty of ECU at the Wright Auditorium on central campus. Browder's book focuses on a diverse group of women in the war against Iraq and Afghanistan. The book shares the stories of these women through their own biographies. As Browder states in an interview with the University of North Carolina Press, "war photography has traditionally focused on men as heroes and aggressors, and on women and children as victims." Browder's book sets out to show its readers the way women in the army should be portrayed as opposed to the way they are portrayed today.

I personally am excited about Browder's book and her stance on women in the military. I think it is extremely important for people to remember that their are women out their risking their lives everyday just like the men. The media, of course, does a wonderful job of keeping these stories of female struggle, encouragement and perserverance out of our reach. I believe this book is a wonderful way to bring these stories to the lime light and remind people that soldier is a term that does not represent a person's gender.

Digital Life In 6 words

 Don't deny it, you stalk too.

Tweet, post, blog, just can't stop

I signed on and didn't study

Met him, googled him, dumped him

Wake up, sign in, update status

It saves me from being bored

Gagging over Gaga

Once a year MTV host one of the most exciting nights in music entertainment. The Video Music Awards have been an annual event since 1994. Sunday night some of the biggest names in rock, pop, rap and country graced the LA Live complex ready to amaze and be amazed. With Chelsea Handler hosting and Eminem's opening performance it seemed this was going to be a VMA show to remember.
One thing that normally gets alot of chatter during the VMAs (or any other awards show) is the fashion. This year did not disappoint. It would be impossible to find anyone talking about fashion at this year's VMAs without hearing the name Lady Gaga or the phrase "meat dress." 
Lady Gaga certainly had the night of her career after walking away with five moonman trophies. For her last acceptance speech and final dress change Lady Gaga took the stage wearing a dress made completely out of raw meat. She was also adorned with a hat, a purse and wedges to match. Tnhis outfit needless to say got alot of attention at the awards and even more buzz the following day. Monday morning Gaga was a guest on the Ellen Degeneres show. When Ellen, a vegan, asked Gaga about her meaty wardrobe Gaga's response was outrageous. Gaga defeneded her dress refering to it as a political statement. I'm sorry but what kind of political statement are we trying to make here? We live in a world full of people suffering from hunger and you are wearing perfectly good raw meat as accessories?! I don't understand how this is a political statement, other than maybe saying "Hey, I have tons of money so I will do whatever I want with this perfectly good  meat." Probably Kobe beef too!  Maybe it was a way to get attention but I didn't understand how her wearing food was making a political statement about supporting homosexuality as she claimed. Either way Gaga stuck a fork in the VMAs and definitely had the last laugh. Whether you agreed or disagreed with her wardrobe choice, she walked away a winner. Cheers Gaga, maybe PETA will be able to better understand your heartwarming statement.