Minaj's Grammy Performance: True "Vision" or Publicity Stunt?

     This past weekend at the 54th Grammy Awards, one performance in particular has caused a lot of controversy. Nicki Minaj arrived to the award show in a red-hooded cape along with a man dressed up as the "pope" to accompany her. But that was only the beginning. Later, Minaj’s performance began on stage with a mock confessional skit followed by a clip of a mock exorcism. The stage had stained glass in the background and she appeared on stage with choice boys and monks dancing. At one point during the performance, barely clothed female dancers were stretched backwards while altar boys knelt between their legs in prayer. To end the performance, "Come All Ye Faithful" was sung while a man dressed as a bishop walked on stage.
    Upsetting a lot of people, Nicki Minaj tried to defend her performance by saying she was playing one of her alter egos, a man named Roman, and that she had been writing the story of this particular alter ego for two years. The religious figure is there because he was called on by Roman's mom to rehabilitate him. She wanted him to be exorcised, but people around him telling him he's not good enough, that hes not normal and fitting in. Minaj says she wanted to show Roman is "amazing and confident, but he's never going to be exorcised and when they throw the holy water on him, he rises above it."
    The Catholic Church has condemned the performance and expressed its disappointment at the the irresponsibility of The Recording Academy who allowed the performance to air. I understand Nicki Minaj's concept of a misunderstood character and the people around him trying to "cure" him. What I don't understand is why the Catholic church needed to be not only represented but mocked during the performance. It is frustrating as a Catholic because had the performance mocked and insulted Judaism or Islam, it wouldn't have aired. What I find most upsetting is Minaj's dismissive response and lack of apologize to those who were offended by her performance.
    As much as Minaj may claim the performance was her true vision, I think she knew it would cause a huge controversy and what better time to cause a scandal than when her new single was released today and her new album is coming out later this year.

Demand for New Technology: Who's Really Paying for It

   After reading the New York Times article about the working conditions in Apple factories, I thought about all the Apple products I use everyday and where they are really coming from. The workers are expected to produce products like machines. Exploited, over worked, and underpaid, the factory workers are treated inhumanely. The idea of sweatshops and human slavery to me feels like a foreign idea. Even though majority of these factories are overseas, the products being made are products almost everyone in our country uses.
    About a month after the new iPhone 4GS came out, my phone contract was up and I was able to upgrade my phone. I went to three stores looking for the new iPhone and every store was sold out. At the time, I was upset and wondered why they didn't make more. It is the high demand and instant gratification society in developed countries that leads to the slavery in factories in undeveloped countries. We want it and we want it now. The factories cannot keep up with the demand. To make as much profit as possible, the factories exploit their workers to poor conditions, low wages, 12 hours shifts, and extreme 98 hours of overtime a month.
    According to theguardian.com, Apple's chief executive, Tim Cook, said last month he had never turned a blind eye to working conditions. Apple produced annual audits of its factories but last month appointed an independent group, the Fair Labour Association, to take over inspections.
    Foxconn produced its first iPad at Chengdu last November and expects to produce 100m a year by 2013. Last year Apple sold more than 15m iPads worldwide and has already sold close to five million this year. The new iPad 3 is expected to release in March and the iPhone 5 model is expected to release later this year. Ultimately, I believe it is up to Apple to step up and stop the injustice going on in their factories by setting up stricter regulations and threatening to immediately shut down a factory if any regulation is broken.
    As consumers, we need to let Apple know that ethically created products are in demand. We want to buy Apple products and know that it is not at the cost of human suffering. I signed the two petitions for Apple to make an ethical iPhone 5 and treat their workers fairly.