…it's Delurk Thursday! We haven't had one of these in ages—so here's a long overdue opportunity for all you Shaker lurkers (Shlurkers?) who rarely or never pipe up to say hi. Don't be shy!
Cheeky devils!
It's Delightful, It's Delicious, It's De-Lovely…
Cheeky devils!
LIRR Train Crew "All In" Against Rape
by Shaker DerelictDaughter11
[Trigger warning.]
Hey, Shakers! I was really moved by yesterday's discussion in the "Bullied to Death by Misogynists" thread. I believe that saying, "I'm all in" is an important step toward making that "all in" commitment. Actually living that commitment requires, for starters, a lot of dedication, constant self-awareness and unpacking of privilege, compassion for others, and a willingness to see what is happening all around you. And when someone really goes "all in," it's no small thing.
This morning on my way to work on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), I was reading Train Talk—the typically-useless little leaflet that the LIRR leaves strewn across seats once a month to remind people not to talk too loudly in their cell phones, to "please keep your feet off the seats," and to report on their "On Time Performance"—though I do enjoy their little poems about train courtesy. Maybe I'll send one into ShakesQuill…but I digress.
A tiny blurb about something caught my eye, and, when I got to work, I looked for more about the story and found this press release from July 2, 2008 on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) website:MTA Long Island Rail Road and MTA Police officials today commended the bravery of a LIRR train crew that came to the aid of a 28-year-old woman as she was apparently being sexually assaulted on the track bed just off the eastern end the Freeport train station.
And what's even better than just being inspired and given hope by the fact that a train crew stopped a rape in progress? The fact that the press release actually uses the words "rape," "sexual assault," and "victim," that's what. My reading of it finds no victim blaming or rape-apology either (please—call me out if I’m wrong). It's a good day.
Authorities said the crew's response led to an immediate arrest by MTA Police of an Island Park man who was later charged with the assault on Tuesday afternoon.
"The quick thinking actions of the LIRR crew members and the MTA Police resulted in the apprehension of a suspect and helped save the victim from further attack," said LIRR President Helena Williams. "We are very proud and grateful that the crew members came to the assistance of the victim without hesitation and the MTA police were able to make an arrest."
[snip]
The westbound Babylon train pulled into the Freeport Station at 4:11 p.m. when several customers on the platform alerted crew members that they heard what sounded like a child's screams coming from the east end of the platform.
Assistant Conductor Eugene Chino, who was in the eighth car, immediately ran in that direction while Collector Lorraine Martinez alerted engineer Brian Zaderecki to hold the train at the station.
"I could hear yelling and screaming, but I couldn’t see anyone," said Chino, 42, who has worked for the Railroad for six years. He said he realized the call for help was coming from the track bed and climbed down to investigate. "She was screaming for help."
[snip]
The suspect, identified as David Thornton, 48, of Island Park, surrendered immediately. He was charged with first-degree rape.
The blurb in Train Talk was different from the press release. In it, Assistant Conductor Eugene Chino is quoted as saying, "She needed help…and that's what she was going to get from me." That's important, and not just because the Babylon branch is my train line, and not just because this happened at 4pm on a Tuesday in the next town over, and not just because "it could have been me." It is also because his statement seems to say, "I had to help." He didn't consider whether to intervene. He and the other crewmembers just did.
Of course, the MTA is touting this as an excellent example of their "See Something, Say Something" campaign (aimed at thwarting would-be terrorists) in action, and as an opportunity to applaud itself for finally providing train crews with this awesome communication technology called "cell phones." But that's not what really matters. What really matters is that a group of people took action and stopped a sexual assault victim's attacker from causing her any more pain. They went all in.
Senate Repeals HIV Travel Ban
Hello, Progress—nice to see you again:
The US Senate has approved repeal of a law barring HIV-positive visitors and immigrants from entering the country. The measure was included in legislation reauthorizing PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.Aside from its intrinsic and immediate value if the repeal is signed into law, it's also a good first step toward undoing the immigration policy that prevents HIV+ foreign nationals from obtaining legal permanent residency in the US—which itself is necessarily tied to any reform of the fiancée/marriage visa laws to include same-sex couples.
The ban repeal measure was tacked onto the bill by Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) despite an effort by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) to block it.
PEPFAR passed the Senate with the Kerry-Smith provision by a vote of 80 to 16 and now moves to conference committee before being sent to the President.
…Gay and HIV/AIDS rights advocates have been fighting for repeal of the ban for more than a decade. The battle now focuses on keeping the language intact while PEPFAR moves through conference.
"We call on the leaders of the House and Senate to retain the Kerry-Smith provision in conference and ensure it is included in the final legislation sent to the President’s desk," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.
[H/T to Oddjob. Faith has info on the company we're keeping as long as this idiotic ban remains in place.]
Clinton and Murray: "Hell No."
That's a paraphrase, but not much of one, of the press release issued by Senators Hillary Clinton and Patty Murray (D-WA) yesterday in response to the Bush administration proposal re: "conscience clauses" and redefining contraception as abortion.
"It is outrageous that the Bush administration is once again putting ideology over women's health. Instead of undercutting access to contraception and family planning services, the Bush Administration should put prevention first," said Senator Clinton.The two Senators also sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services outlining their objections in no uncertain terms.
"On the first day of his administration, the President reinstated the Mexico City global gag clause, a harsh, anti-family planning policy that hurt the world's poorest women and children. Now, on his way out the door it appears that he is trying to limit women's health care options here at home," Murray said. "This misguided attempt to restrict health care services and limit access to contraceptives defeats our common goal of reducing the number of abortions in this country."
Secretary Michael O. LeavittThat's the way you fucking do it.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Dear Mr. Secretary:
It has come to our attention that the Department of Health and Human Services may be preparing draft regulations that would create new obstacles for women seeking contraceptive services.
One of the most troubling aspects of the proposed rules is the overly-broad definition of "abortion." This definition would allow health-care corporations or individuals to classify many common forms of contraception – including the birth control pill, emergency contraception and IUDs – "abortions" and therefore to refuse to provide contraception to women who need it.
As a consequence, these draft regulations could disrupt state laws securing women's access to birth control. They could jeopardize federal programs like Medicaid and Title X that provide family-planning services to millions of women. They could even undermine state laws that ensure survivors of sexual assault and rape receive emergency contraception in hospital emergency rooms.
We strongly urge you to reconsider these regulations before they are released. We are extremely concerned by this proposal's potential to affect millions of women's reproductive health.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely yours,
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
Senator Patty Murray
I haven't been able to find any statement from presumed Democratic nominee Senator Barack Obama. The only press release listed on his site yesterday, also the most recent press release, is about his new television ad.
This makes me unhappy.
My profound thanks, however, has been sent to Sens. Clinton and Murray for taking the lead on this obnoxious, retrofuck jackholery from the Bush administration. Perhaps you'd like to thank them, too:
Email Senator Clinton.
Email Senator Murray.
In case you want to do a quick cut-and-paste, here's the note I sent (just make sure to update the names based on to whom it's going):
Senator Clinton/Murray:Let 'em hear ya. Teaspoons.
Thank you so much for your leadership, alongside Senator Patty Murray/Hillary Clinton, on the issue of reproductive choice. I profoundly appreciate the steps you're taking on behalf of women, especially as regards the Bush administration's latest attempts to redefine contraception as abortion.
Thank you for everything you do.
Best,
Melissa McEwan
Smalltown, IN
Onward HMO Soldiers, Marching as to War
First of all, if you haven't yet read Bill's post from yesterday, "How long will we allow The Market to decide to let teens die?", please do. Because that serves as a pretty stark backdrop to this bit of news: Insurance industry forming activist army.
Ahead of the approaching health care reform storm, the insurance industry is building an ark: a nationwide education campaign aimed at raising an activist army at least 100,000 strong.For no good reason, given that the Democrats are too spineless to propose universal healthcare that isn't run through the goddamned insurance companies, anyway. And what is the cost of this campaign to convince Americans that their healthcare should remain a hostage in the hands of the insurance companies?
The unprecedented effort by America’s Health Insurance Plans, called the Campaign for an American Solution, includes a nationwide listening tour, advertising and an intense recruitment effort aimed at signing up Americans who are satisfied with their private insurance coverage.
…By giving voice to the customers who benefit from their products, the campaign completes an employer-insurer-consumer lobbying trifecta that has been taking shape inside the Beltway.
…The massive outreach is AHIP's attempt to drive debate in a political climate that has had the industry on the defensive since Democrats took control of Congress last year.
The group would not disclose the costs of its efforts, but Tuffin said it's the most expensive campaign the industry has launched in the past decade, with "unprecedented" spending on grass roots and outreach.So even as the insurance companies are already turning down life-saving care to their current customers as a "cost saving measure," they're going to be spending "unprecedented" amounts of money on a campaign to prove what totally awesome care providers they are.
"We're going to spend the resources necessary to make sure that we hear the American people and the American people hear us," Tuffin said.
Leaving aside from the breathtaking irony, anyone else see a problem with that?
Countdown until denied procedures skyrocket because the "unprecedented" campaign is cutting into profits in 5…4…3…2…
Grammar Patrol
I got a memo that reads in part:
To support Jim*, we have on-boarded Joe Smith*, also from the Miami office. [...] As Jim has been onboarded, Bob Jones* will be rolling off the project on Thursday.You cannot make an object like on board (with or without a hyphen) into a verb by simply adding -ed or -ing, like efforting ("We are efforting to complete the job"). This is part of the trend in business to use complex terms where simple ones will do in some kind of misguided attempt to sound professional.
It seems to be an inverse ratio in the business world: the smarter and more business-like people try to appear, the sillier they sound. They should just remember KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid.
*Names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Question of the Day
Suggested by Shaker JMonkey: What lullabies did your parents or guardians sing to you, and, if there are children in your life, what do you sing to them?
Mama Shakes used to sing to me all the time, but the song that stands out in my mind is "You Are My Sunshine."
Conflict!
It seems like at any given time, I only watch, at maximum, two television shows with regularity. Partly this is a reflection of my general disdain for most television programming, but mostly it's attributable to a combination of my short attention span, inability to remember when shows are on, and lack of any recording doohickeys. Anyone following my last attempt at liveblogging The Amazing Race every week, during which I totally forgot at least three weeks, including the damn finale (despite the fact that I really like the show), will attest to what a dreadful TV watcher I am.
So I normally quite blissfully go from season to season of alternating Bravo shows (Top Chef, Kathy Griffin, Project Runway) which generally don't run simultaneously, the occasional HBO series (which are always short as fuck), my one network favie Lost, and my summertime fling, So You Think You Can Dance, without any conflicts. I just don't watch enough television to have any.
Until tonight.
SYTYCD is still in two-hour episodes, for some damn reason, and a new season of Project Runway premieres tonight at a new time, one hour earlier than usual, opposite the second hour of SYTYCD. And instead of repeating the episode immediately afterwards like they've always done before, now it's a new episode of that pile of shite Shear Genius to follow. Gah!
Because Bravo re-runs things a million times, I guess I'll stay tuned in to SYTYCD and try to catch the PR premiere this weekend or something. But I'm not happy about it!
And all of this is really my way of saying that, yes, there will be, as always, a Project Runway open thread tonight—but I may not be there.
Unless the pull proves too strong, and I resolve to watch the last hour of SYTYCD on YouTube tomorrow, heh.
Today's Tom Sawyer, Mean Mean Pride
For all fellow Rush-heads out there (the band, not the asshat), Rush will be performing on Colbert's show tonight:
The Canadian band Rush, which hasn't performed on U.S. television in more than three decades, will play their classic "Tom Sawyer" on the Comedy Central show Wednesday (11:30 p.m. EST). The Geddy Lee-led trio, which is currently on tour, hasn't played on U.S. television since 1975.
Leap of Feith
ThinkProgress posted a video clip today of Doug Feith trying to convince everyone that removing a prisoner's clothing doesn't really mean they're naked.
NADLER: : Let me ask you. How could you force someone to be naked –Is Feith implying that only sneakers and socks were removed to aid in the humiliation? Stupidest fucking guy on the planet, indeed.
FEITH: It doesn’t say naked. It doesn’t say naked.
NADLER: Removal of clothing. Removal of clothing doesn’t mean naked?
FEITH: Removal of clothing is different from naked.
Caption This Photo
When Joe ordered an "ottoman covered in organic wool," this wasn't what he expected.
Full story is here.
By the way, Melissa sent me this picture to post as a caption-this-photo, and then proceeded to come up with a caption for it when I couldn't. At that point, we both decided she should've just gone ahead and posted this herself.
HELL NO! I'm the Cute Overlord in these parts!
A Note to My Fellow Americans
I've got a new piece up at The Guardian's Comment is Free America, "John McCain is a moron."
Presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain believes that Czechoslovakia is still an existent country, despite the fact that it has not been for 15 years. This makes him the type of person that one might charitably describe as a dum-dum.Read the whole thing here.
Now, I know what some of you are thinking. Some of you are thinking: "Hell, I didn't know Czechoslovakia isn't a country anymore, either - and, darn it, I'm no dum-dum!" Well, maybe you are and maybe you aren't, but it's rather beside the point since you're not running to be the president of the United States, which is one of the most globally important jobs on the planet.
Unfortunately (for a whole lotta reasons), McCain is - and that means he probably ought to have a passing familiarity with the goings-on in Europe over the last couple of decades, as it's an important continent and stuff. It's totally in the Top 10, at least.
(And, btw, he's done it yet again.)
FAIL x 538
Congress' approval rating has sunk to an all-time low of 14%. If it gets below 10, I say we fire them all and declare a do-over.
Today in Unmitigated Temerity
Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) proposes renaming an appropriations bill funding AIDS prevention after recently deceased homobigot Jesse Helms.
In other news, I propose renaming Elizabeth Dole "Duchess Liddy Heinousceros of Helmsflufferton."
WTF?
The Bush administration wants to require all recipients of aid under federal health programs to certify that they will not refuse to hire nurses and other providers who object to abortion and even certain types of birth control.Discuss.
Under the draft of a proposed rule, hospitals, clinics, researchers and medical schools would have to sign "written certifications" as a prerequisite to getting money under any program run by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Such certification would also be required of state and local governments, forbidden to discriminate, in areas like grant-making, against hospitals and other institutions that have policies against providing abortion.
…In the proposal, obtained by The New York Times, the administration says it could cut off federal aid to individuals or entities that discriminate against people who object to abortion on the basis of "religious beliefs or moral convictions."
The proposal defines abortion as follows: "any of the various procedures — including the prescription, dispensing and administration of any drug or the performance of any procedure or any other action — that results in the termination of the life of a human being in utero between conception and natural birth, whether before or after implantation."
Mary Jane Gallagher, president of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, which represents providers, said, "The proposed definition of abortion is so broad that it would cover many types of birth control, including oral contraceptives and emergency contraception."
[H/T to everyone in the universe.]
Shaker Gourmet: Zuzu's Blueberry Salsa
Zuzu kindly emailed me her recipe for blueberry salsa, given the many requests for it stemming from this post.
Zuzu also mentioned that she has a good recipe for Melba Salsa w/raspberries and peaches that you can find here.Blueberry Salsa
1 pint blueberries (half of them smashed)
1 to 2 jalapenos, diced fine (seeds and ribs can be removed to make it less hot)
1/2 Vidalia or large white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, smashed
juice of 2 or more limes
a handful of cilantro, to taste
--Mix together, let sit for an hour to let flavors blend, and enjoy.
If you'd like to participate in Shaker Gourmet, email me (include a blog link, if you have one!) at: shakergourmet (at) gmail.com
