Why Women Suck - written by a woman

Well, apart from that face that we make when we are angry and yelling at you for being a mother-fucken'-jerk!!!! fuck you!!! I am so angry!!! I hate you and your ugly, liquidy guts!!!

Okay, anyway.
We (women) suck based on several traits:

1) Women de-stress by bitching when men de-stress via silence and alone time, barely asking for help from their 'buddies'. We beg for help. When women are stressed, they preoccupy themselves with other women and talk about their stresses. It just turns into a bunch of whining about random stuff: their boss, their overflowing trash can and the cutlery that has gone missing after that party with the in-laws. A lot of the time it ends up being about the first, easiest target: the husband/boyfriend/one night stand, even if they were not the immediate cause of stress. So it goes something like this: a bunch of girls sipping on cocktails in nice heels literally just bitching out their problems. You hear a bunch of "awww," "honey, i've been there" and "you are too beautiful to go through something like that." Now, that sucks, because women don't realize that they absorb all those problems and probably go home even more stressed. At least I do...that is why I will not tell you about my problems and certainly don't want to hear about yours.

2) Women get VERY competitive with their own kind. What happened to our perfect plan of girl power!!?? It failed badly, that is what happened. Cause my boyfriend gave me a nicer ring than you boyfriend gave you, and because my Mom bought a bigger house than your Mom, and because my sister kicked your sister's ass in soccer. So when women get together it turns into a bunch of I am better than you talk. It can be very subtle but it is there.

Girl A: "So what is new?"
Girl B: "Well, my boyfriend is like super amazing and like oh my god the other day he said that I am the love of his life!"
Girl A: "Oh my god, that is so amazing! I am so happy for you! Like, we are gonna get married at the same time! I think that my boyfriend actually bought me a ring already."
Girl B: "I am so happy for you too! Same, mine even pointed out this ring with a really BIG diamond."
Girl A: "Oh yeah, well mine has been saving up for months so can you imagine how nice this ring is going to be?!"
Girl B: "Oh honey, you deserve it! I can't wait, especially since my bf has amazing taste...."

*Vomit* Stop competing you dumb girls. You waste so much time trying to prove stuff to one another that you loose touch with yourself.

3) Women are on a continuous hunt for perfection. Dating is like a check list nowadays, and it all starts with the way our society is focused on individualism and all of that crazy consumerism. Women are sooo independent nowadays because they hold office jobs and have all sorts of beauty products available to be even more beautiful than before. Actually, they don't even need a man to make them happy! There are sex toys for that. And yet...they are secretly on a hunt for Mr. Perfect. I don't know if it is all the romantic comedies we watched that made us believe that we deserve all the perfection. And maybe we do, but who the hell said that what happens in movies IS even a tad bit perfect? And then we face the bitter disappointment when we find out that we actually missed out on all the great men while looking for the one with the Ferrari, the rooftop pool in his condo and the cute dog because that MUST mean that he wants children. Oh lord, shoot me now.

Let's not even get started on the divorce rates because the guy with the Ferrari turned out to be a mega-jerk. Same goes to you men: stop looking for perfection and stop talking crap about 'settling down.' We all know that you secretly long to buy a house with 3 garages and have you version 2.0.

cheers!
Moon Girl.

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Which color do you want?

It's no secret that Apple has been continuously rumored to be working on releasing a cheaper, low-cost iPhone in the fall alongside a flagship iPhone 5S. What's interesting is not the fact that Apple is finally heading into the budget smartphone territory, as it's arguably inevitable to keep pace with Samsung in market share, it's that we will truly see a different move from Apple this time around.

According to numerous sources the low-cost iPhone will be going for $99 or $149 from retailers. Wanna hear the most intriguing part? It's said that the phone will be available in pink, green, blue, navy, gold-orange, yellow-orange, white, and possibly more variety of colors. How's that for a change from black and white?

The handset is purportedly going into testing in June, where production is aimed somewhere near September.

What do you think of an incoming tsunami of cheaper iPhones alongside the new 5S? Would it be fair to say Apple's 'premium' image will cease to exist?

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Starbucks in Japan

So if you haven't noticed by now, yours truly has quiet the obsession with coffee, in particular with Starbucks. There aren't many reasons for that, in fact I'd have a hard time explaining as to why, but in simple terms it's the sugary drinks and the atmosphere that make me follow it like a zombie.

I find it truly interesting how different and diverse Starbucks is around the world. From my personal travels, I'd go ahead and say, without any hesitation, that the worst selection and amount of options exist in United States. Strange, considering it's American. One of my traveler friends has recently been to Tokyo and these photos come courtesy of him. I'll point out these drinks because I just think it's so awesome that these are offered in Starbucks menus somewhere in the world!

Dark Mocha Chip Frappuccino

Passion Fruit Juice Hibiscus Tea Frappuccino 

Coffee Tiramisu Frappuccino 

Chocolate Brownie Green Tea Frappuccino 

I won't go into posting the whole gallery / menu but just by seeing these four frapps, I'm willing to say the local Starbucks is looking pretty boring here. Let's get more creative!

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Traveler's Note: Connecting in Europe?

Welcome to Traveler's Note, a quick impression & feedback editorial on different places around the world in a nutshell. Note: All the writing material in Traveler's Note is that of my personal experience and opinion, thus it does not necessarily reflect nor portray how this location may appear to you on your own travel time.

Millions of people connect through Europe on daily basis, whether because it's more budget friendly or to take in some fresh Euro air, or be it any other reason you may not tell us. If you're not a frequent flyer, chances are you may end up in the wrong place that can either ruin your experience, or make you search for a different connection next time around. Well, you don't have to do that. Connecting through Europe is one of the easiest, most efficient methods to achieving convenience in your long distance flights. 

My top recommendation is always AMS (Amsterdam Airport Schiphol). From the numerous flights I've connected on, whether domestic Europe or international bound, having a layover in AMS has always been a pleasant experience. Time is money, and that's one of the primary reasons I recommend AMS. While it is large in size, connecting to different terminals is relatively quick, and customs (passport control) move the lines along relatively fast, even when things pile up a bit. 

In terms of bars and lounges, AMS offers some very fancy options. Food and drinks selection is also offered with a good variety in mind. Yes, Starbucks is there, and more than one. 

AMS is a beautiful airport, with a modern design concept of all glass windows and clean, new environment inside terminals. If you're a shopping junkie, this isn't the best of places, however, there is reasonable stuff to be found. If shopping is one of your primary goals during layovers, highly consider LHR (London Heathrow Airport), but that's another story for another day, wink wink. 

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Anna Karenina Movie on What-is-Love?

My Mom said that some people go through life without knowing what love is. She said that if I want to know about love, I should watch Anna Karenina. And I looked sideways at her thinking...but I know what love is! I am in love! Of course, that wasn't what she was talking about or implying. I just decided to take it personally.
But it is a serious question that people ask every day. What IS love? That top-of the world feeling that they talk about. My mom says that everyone needs to experience love in it's most raw, real form, whether it lasts or dies, whether you suffer in consequence or bathe in happiness, whether it changes your life for the better or worse; you just need to experience it. And, of course, everyone experiences 'top-of-the-world' differently because each relationship takes on different dynamics. Thank God for that because I was thinking I was screwed for life after the bad ones ;)

And so I sat on my super comfy new couch and watched Anna Karenina -- completely enchanted. A true, classic, Russian Romeo and Juliet. In fact, the movie was my homework sort of -- me, a Russian-Canadian, watching a Russian classic to test just how Russian I am at heart. And let me assure you - or should I say, assure myself? - that I am as sensitive to Russian ways of thinking as ever. I understand why many say that Russian literature is amazing in its cold, depressive way, where suffering and love linger in every corner.Well, I added the 'amazing' part in there -- you really have to be Russian to understand the greatness behind a painful, cold love story...you can argue with me on that if you would like. I am always down for a good debate. I just hope that other nationalities are warmer at heart than us Russians :-)

Anyway, the Anna Karenina strory showcases all kinds of love: love for a husband, for a lover, for a child, for a parent...But the one type of love that lives throughout this story is the die-for-you unconditional love. This is the love Anna Karenina experiences from her husband Karenin. Karenin's love for Anna is eternal, yet grounded.

A lot of criticism focuses on Anna's steamy love affair with Vronsky, the terribly attractive younger guy. But I don't believe that this is the focus of the movie. I think that the focus of the movie is on the true love that comes from Anna's husband, Karenin. I think that you have to be in love to see that (eh Mom?! ;))

The Anna Karenina movie actually made me think about a different question: what boundaries does love have? Can you love someone so much that you are willing to accept and tolerate the most obvious form of infedelity? Can you love someone so much that you stick by them even though they have admitted to be in love with someone else? Would you say that this love is one-sided? I wouldn't. I think that Anna loves her husband, but she loves him differently - as her friend, as her old man. Is this kind of love fair? Probably not.

Anyway, those are my (scattered) thoughts on the movie. Feel free to comment.

With love,
moon girl

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Bite an aluminum fruit or paint a robot green?

Ready, set, go! iOS or Android? Apple or Google? Snickers or Mars? Okay, that last one wasn't supposed to be in there.

No, at Things De Jour we have appreciation for simplicity, therefore answering any of those questions in a definitive way is the last thing we'll ask from you. Instead we want to share something that will hopefully help you decide which door it is you'd like to open.

You may not care about smartphones. You especially may not care about what software they are running. To you, you may prefer a mobile phone that works fast and is smooth in everything it does. So in our current day and age, if we take a look at things on a global scale, there are two companies people tend to prefer when it comes to smartphones; Google and Apple. It used to be RIM and Nokia as well, but we will go into those on a different post. So in essence, it's a battle of iPhone vs Android.

How do you know whether to go iPhone or Android? It comes down to what it is you plan on doing with your most used device on daily basis. Let's lay it out in a very common, comprehensible way.

Design options: How important is the look of a smartphone to you? Google's Android is open source, meaning world's largest manufacturers produce phones that run Android like LG, Samsung, HTC, and even Google itself. All of these phones are different in design, so you have plenty to choose from. Apple releases one iPhone per year on a strict basis therefore narrowing down your option to only one model. However, in credit to taking its time, iPhone is guaranteed to offer one of the most premium looking phones on the market.

User Interface: Apple's iOS 6 (latest software) offers a highly organized and simplistic approach. Navigating throughout the interface and getting where you need to get is as easy as it gets. Android's 4.1 (latest software also known as Jelly Bean) focus is on a more custom and a flexible approach in that you have more freedom to change things around, if you so choose, or maintain a minimalist approach.

Speed: With the latest version of each software, iOS 6 from Apple, and Android 4.1 from Google, both offer incredibly sharp and snappy performance. You won't have any trouble scrolling through apps, swiping through user interface, or just in general use of software.

Apps: Whether Android or iOS, you're guaranteed to have a huge selection of apps in each ecosystem's respective application store patched in with software. In Android's case, the app store is called 'Google Play' and its advantage is that Android offers more free apps than that of iOS. On iOS the generic term app store applies to its online application hub, known as 'App Store'. While Android offers a larger amount of free applications, iOS offers more apps in its App Store than does Android in its Google Play as a whole, in fact by quiet a margin (albeit that lead is quickly shrinking).

Your social integration: Both iOS 6 and Android 4.1 offer a quick, and a convenient way to update your social media, micro-blogging etc. on the go. iOS does have a slight advantage here as iOS 6 is tightly integrated with Twitter and Facebook, which allows you to post updates right from your home screen, without having to go into an app.

Artificial Intelligence: Alright, we're not exactly there yet, but we're sure on our way there with virtual assistants on both Android and iOS. Android 4.1 offers a feature called 'Google Now' which is a smart software assistant that helps you out in many different ways. For instance, tell Google Now to show you pictures of Sydney, Australia, and it will do so instantly. Ask Google Now who the current prime minister of Japan is, and it will reply instantly. Moreover, Google Now improves the already superior Google search on your Android smartphone by using your search and navigation history to tell you "what you need to know and when you want to know it." As a quick example Google Now will suggest alternate routes of your commute or even tell you when your next train is coming. iOS 6 from Apple delivers on the same virtual assistant front with a software known as 'Siri'. Siri is arguably more human and charming in its sound than Google's iteration of Google Now, and it also offers a lot of compelling features. Siri can answer most of your question on some of the most random topics, bring you sports scores, reserve restaurants, post directly into Twitter or Facebook, launch apps, and show movie reviews. In essence, both Google Now and Siri are tremendously helpful, and highly efficient.

Hardware & Specs: It's hardly a secret that most consumers buy a smartphone by how well its advertised on the hardware or specs front. In this department, if you want all bells and whistles, such as a quad-core CPU phone, with a 13MP camera, you go Android. Android phones have been traditionally known to pack superior specs and hardware than iOS-based iPhones. However, this is hardly a decisive victory for Android. While packing less punch under the hood, iPhones have always performed in a way you could have sworn they also packed the same monster specs as their rival Androids. This just goes to show that it's not about how strong a smartphone's specs are, it's about how well and efficient a phone integrates its hardware with its software for a satisfying user experience. When it comes down to delivering raw power however, Android takes the cake.

Pricing: This is a difficult category to talk about, as it really depends on where your location is. Generally speaking, if you're plunking down for a contract with a carrier, it will be the same fixed price whether iPhone or Android. However, and a big however here, Android offers a huge selection of mid-range budget-friendly phones where you get a good smartphone experience at a price that won't hurt your wallet. On the other hand, the advantage you have with an iPhone (particularly if it's a newer model) is that it has a fantastic resale value.

Punch line: While I won't declare a winner, as there isn't one (different strokes for different folks), I will bring some K.Os....or attempts, since phones don't have gloves. Or fists. Sadly. Actually happily.
iPhone: Beautiful, intuitive, solidly engineered and assembled. A true definition of a high-quality consumer electronics manufacturing. Simple to operate on the software front, and offers top-notch security so you don't have to worry about malware. Perhaps one of its biggest advantages: it's brand. It's the cool phone to have.
Android: Big (new Android handsets pack serious size), powerful, thin, versatile. A true definition of letting you, the user, have all the control you want of your smartphone. Yes, restrictions are gone here, baby. With the most free apps, top-notch hardware (up to 13MP cameras on upcoming phones), and freedom to customize, hack, and tinker while having the best from Google, it's a love affair.

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This season on Big Brother 14...

I don't normally watch TV, but when I do, I watch Big Brother.

Yes, I watched all most of the seasons, but you won't hear me whine about how sucky the current season is comparing to all the rest. I don't get attached to players, except maybe Ian because he is my soul-mate (Those glasses and that brain make my heart skip a beat every time).

One thing I've always wondered though -- how is it that most of these people claim to be die-hard fans and then come on the show and COMPLETELY SUCK??? I personally learned a lot watching 10 seasons, but I am sure it's not as easy as it looks. Nevertheless, if I was a house-guest, I'd impress everyone with my useless knowledge on health supplements and red wine -- as in, I wouldn't impress anyone at all. And that could be my super-duper-special-game-play! HA! Fly under da radar!

Right...?

*crickets*

So, here is what I think about this season's players. Yes, they are always fun to make fun of...and it doesn't mean that I don't love this season.

Joe: Clearly has no clue how to play the game...and cooking for people won't do it. After all, a good meal is a way to a man's heart and there are also ladies in the house. Also, it's about time Joe practices that whispering technique, because he YELLS A FRICKEN' LOT!!! Maybe the dairy room camera brings out Joe's anxiety?

Frank & Boogie: Annoying and arrogant. Chill-town needs to retire and Frank needs to show us what is hiding under all those orange curls...and get a new t-shirt without Julie Chen's name on it. If anything, she is Dan's homegirl.

Janelle: I have a personal pet peeve with parents calling their children "kid" or "baby," as if they are a THING. Doesn't your "kid/baby" have a name? Don't you love them? Also, flashdance is so 1983.

Dan: One of my favorite players but exactly what kind of strategy did he have by taking the two dumbest and hottest girls on his team? Seriously...no, seriously. I would kind of see it if he wasn't married and completely in love, but Dan needs to stop playing that I-am-a-weak-competitor game, because the rest of the house watched him in a previous season and caught on to it before he even quit the coach team.

Brittney: Okay, best diary room sessions, hands down. Also, worst diet ever.

Ashley: Hahahahahahaha. Whatever Ashley is on...she needs to share it with the rest of America-land, because that would prevent all wars, resolve poverty and put the tobacco and liquor industry out of business.

Danielle: Nurse vs. kindergarten teacher? Seriously? If you were my nurse, I wouldn't trust you to put a band-aid on me with the amount of brain cells (and game-play) you have.

Shane: "The fifteen year old girl called -- she wants her hot-pink tank top back" -- zing bot

Wil: One of the most confusing game-plays of the season, but I am thoroughly jealous of your hair. Like Joe said, if you were sitting at the bar with your back towards me, I would think that you are one hot chick.

Ian: Please tell me about the forces of gravity. AND TAKE THAT DAMN VACATION NEXT TIME.

Willie: I'm glad that you were kicked out and arrested afterwards. You belong in jailz and are not safe to the community.

The rest of the houseguests this season: Who? What? Where?

On a final note,



Laters, hamsters.

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