I'm following the situation in Iran in threads on Fark.com.
It is utterly disgusting how different the real-time updates from Twitter are from the very limited and ineffectual coverage coming from main stream media, not just in timing (CNN is lagging ~4 - 6 hours behind real time right now) but also in the subject matter that's more important than the situation in Iran... things like the dangers of swine flu and the new Jonas Brothers album.
Anyway, Twitter finally did something useful.
^wrong thread Merc
I am utterly disgusted that older men take advantage of innocent, unassuming, naive women...those men using their superior experience and intelligence to pursue and gain their confidences. I met such a man who visited a local sushi restaurant, fell in perverse lust with such a woman, from early on 2yrs ago when she started working at this establishment (I had the most unfortunate---why me God, I have proof God exists and God is one sick bastard--- sickly disturbing luck to get seated next to him, while he was seated next to the object of his wantoness as she had invited him to her belated B-day dinner celebration) and since that time had tried unsuccessfully to get her to allow him to take pictures of her with his Nikon D3...he's in the music business so I hear, not a pro photographer, but recently he told me she finally acquiested, allowed him...2yrs later...my what a persistent perv.
He eats at this local sushi restaurant nearly every month, if not more often. He knew that she worked only on Thur & Fri, and according to my friend who knows him sort of well, that's the *only* time he goes to the restaurant, on nights she's working.
Makes me sick these kinds of predators can prey on the vulnerability of women who don't have enough sense to be more careful, are prone to be manipulated by more intelligent, devious men. Utterly disgusting, I felt uncomfortable the whole evening after learning these facts from talking to the guy, and more stuff he told me. I lost my appetite, seeing how she's so naive, so unware? So in denial that this is 'normal'.?
What is worse, all the other waitresses (2), and the only chef/owner, do nothing to discourage his intense interest in her, by doing nothing, treating him like a gold-star customer, they actually condone his abnormal interest in her. Yeah, guess she's not too smart, but she's at a disadvantage with a smooth operator who's got lots of money. Apparently he does not work regular hours, idle wealthy, time to stalk women I guess- and I was half asleep when I left the restaurant @1AM, he told me he lives 45min by freeway from this restaurant, seemed fresh as a daisy. Also told me about how he got another "20yr old 'beautiful' woman" to allow him to take pictures of her too. Was disturbing for me to hear. Frustrating to know I am powerless to do anything that would amount to any good in this situation, to help enlighten this not so smart woman...go grow a pair, of brains!.
I could tell her of my alarm, concern; and she'll probably tell me I'm just imaging the worse, that he's really a great guy that she likes. And probably shoot the messenger, angrily telling me to mind my own business that I don't know her, and it's her own life, her business, not mine. Sure, sure; it's all just my paranoia, she'll do just fine.
Life sucks, and then you die.
I did argue with him about how shooting without fill flash was nearly impossible at the beach, he disagreed but said he did use some flash fill on some of the images, saying if you have the light away from them, the high contrast sunlight isn't a problem...I told him, depends on the viewers tastes in lighting, that Sport Illustrated photogs *always* use massive soft fill lighting, scrims, high power lighting, on the yearly swimsuit editions...bet he would love to get this naive young woman in a thong bikini shot...maybe next time? Uggh, just thinking about it makes me sick.
I also saw a rather simple form letter he had been working on for her---aske to see what he & she were looking at, as a terms and conditions for employment as an indepedent salaried actress on a fictitional movie. Man this guy doesn't miss a beat, no missed opportunity to 'help' her with her aspiring actress career. She's kind of in a tight situation, as she's technically not here in the USA legally, being a Japanese born individual, and of course this guy knows that too
.
At least her younger sister is here in town currently going to community college (so the sister is here legally until she finishes her education).
Though you can't help a person that's not smart enough to realize when someone has improper interest in you, when you're not smart enough to figure it out yourself. Still doesn't mean I can't help but be seriously bothered that I am powerless to make her see the "light".
Man, she must be dumb though, she resisted his initial offer to photograph her 2yrs ago (and who knows how many times after that) when she started working in the restaurant that he's been a regular customer for 15yrs, but somehow he gained her confidence, and she let him take her to a 'friends' photography studio, and then to the beach. Wtf, didn't she mention to the chef that he asked her to allow him to take photos of her when she started working there? Wtf is wrong with the chef? I know for a fact the chef doesn't really care about this customer, actually overcharged that guy a few times, made the customer mad such that he did not come in for a short time. Not like the chef needs his business...so wtf is the chef not doing what he should to protect her, making no effort at all to advise her, given she's really not thinking, not good at taking care of herself...been seduced by his smooth talking?
I just am disgusted to find out, and had to sit next to this guy, as he flirted with the woman the whole night...sick!
yeah, yeah, I know it happens all the time...still doesn't make it easy (for me) to stomach. Men are pigs.
