The United States of McDonald’s

sent:

reasoning:

driving down a seemingly barren highway suddenly interrupted by big box stores, Stephen Von Worley felt inspired to ‘gauge the creep of cookie-cutter commercialism‘. mapping out McDonalds locations across the United States with the nifty data tool, Aggdata.com, he came up with this. notice how the McDonalds hug the coasts and borders of the US to form essentially what is a map of the US. the United States of America? or the United States of McDonalds? Hmm…  The farthest isolated spot in the 48 states from a McD’s is between the tiny Dakotan hamlets of Meadow and Glad Valley: 107 miles away, 145 miles by car. I wonder what mapping the McDonalds across the globe would turn out.

Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller Jimmy Bedford passes away

sent:

NY Times: Jimmy Bedford, Guardian of Jack Daniel’s, Dies at 69

reasoning:

 despite my aspirations to become a full-fledged bartender, i still have trouble ordering drinks. i never know what to get – what drinks are  common knowledge (a manhattan), and which are specialty (a negroni). when i first started drinking, it didn’t take long for me to get over vodka. after a couple of shots of it in some college dorm room, i was done. i understand the appeal in making a drink alcoholic without tasting the alcohol: after some rough whiskey or goldschlager stints, i distinctly remember ordering cosmos for a week straight, plus sometimes you just need to drink out of a martini/cocktail (so you feel like you’re drinking alcohol, so you feel like you’re an adult -> probably a combination of both).

after i decided i was ‘too cool’ for vodka, i turned towards other spirits. i like alcohol that you can actually taste. perhaps Lil said it best in coyote ugly when a bar patron asked, “So, basically you have…?”, she responded with “, Jack, Johnny Red, Johnny Black, and Jose; all my favorite men. You can have it any way you like it, as long as it’s in a shot glass.” <- a woman after my own heart. but a bar that only serves alcohol in shot glasses and no water is another story, not to mention completely unrealistic – somehow hollywood had to exaggerate and glamorize the world of bars, drinking and beautiful women drinking & dancing on bars.  i’m becoming a bourbon conoisseur. in my mixed drinks wardrobe, jack and cokes have been a dependable, and comforting favorite.   jack daniel’s may evoke frat parties and witty logo t-shirts, but i attribute the bourbon as one of the first to get me interested in the world of spirits. i have a deep admiration for spirit distillers. a toast to Jimmy Bedford: Thank you, sir, for making Jack look and taste the way it does.

Betty Brown asks Asian Americans to simplify names

recipient:

National Organization for Women/ PO Box 1848/ Merrifield, VA 22116-9899

sent:

Houston Chronicle: Lawmaker defends comment on Asians

reasoning:

when Ramey Ko from the Organization of Chinese Americans addressed the Texas State House about voter identification legislation and name ID discrepancy issues (often between legal transliterate names and within the Asian American community, Representative Betty Brown asked “Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese — I understand it’s a rather difficult language — do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?”. check out the video here.

WHOA. so many things:  that she asks Mr. Ko and OCA to behoove “its” citizens, like they have any sort of power or control over the entire Asian American population to urge them to change their names. while i understand Mr. Ko represents the Organization of Chinese Americans, Representative Brown continually asking questions about the Chinese, Chinese names, and elections back in China is another case of ignorant non-Asians assuming all Asians are Chinese. that Rep. Brown just wants people to change their names for the ease of others and the American English system downplays the significance of names and an aspect of one’s identity to the outside world, and maybe even more etymologically and culturally interesting/silly is that Rep. Brown’s name is “Betty Brown”. it’s true that many Asian Americans have casually adopted names like “Stan”, “Robert” or “Sally” so communication with American counterparts is easier, but that is their own choice. i have wondered how my life would be different if i went by my Chinese name “Yiming” instead of Iris. but choice of identification and representation is key here because it’s personal and individual. i watched Affair of the Necklace last night (wouldn’t recommend it except to look at French period clothing and Adrian Brody or Simon Baker with long curly hair), but the story is about one girl trying to restore her family’s name, and thus reputation. while speaking in front of the court, Jeanne de la Motte-Valois pleads ‘Monsieur, you out of all people know the importance of a [god-given] name and a home where it can flourish…’

Statements from Representative Brown’s office initially said the quote was taken out of context, and the “race card” was being used to divert attention from the real issue of voter identification. However, in recent days since Thursday, she has released an apology through her office and through a personal phone call to Ramey Ko. I have to agree with Mr. Ko’s reaction, because an apology about simply the phrasing Rep. Brown used disregards the heavy implication behind her words, even in the broadest terms of cultural and ethnic identity, the ‘minority’ concept, and who is an american. Rep. Brown may not think she’s being racist, elitist, or coming from a position of privilege (race, class, government representative, etc), and that too big of a deal was made out of nothing, but her comments, whether or not implied, point to deeper points of discrimination we all still need to deal with: yes, most people agree that everyone is (for the most part) equal, but past that one thin, superficial line – there is more complex thinking and processing about implications and equality to what extent that still needs to be done.

2009 Triangle Fire Commemoration

recipient:

Old Lyme Gourmet company/ PO Box 375/ Old Lyme, CT 06371

sent:

UNITE HERE!’s 2009 Triangle Fire Commemoration

reasoning:

Friday, March 27, 2009 at 12PM

Corner of Washington Place & Greene Street, NYC

- East of Washington Square Park

For more information about the commemoration, please contact Ed
Vargas at evargas@unitehere.org or 212-265-7000

not entirely sure how this commemoration is going to go, i think it’ll be more of a rally/remembrance of the workers who died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in 1911 and all the other American workers who have lost their lives due to dangerous and unsafe workplaces since. in UNITE HERE!’s email, they include a link to this youtube video of Cintas worker Eleazar Torres-Gomez who was killed on the job because his non-union workplace lacked proper safety precautions.  certainly accidents happen, but some accidents can also be avoided. its tragic these incidents still occur in the US, even with all the regulations, OSHA, and work of the labor movement. certainly if you are in the military, or part of a security force like the police or firefighters – your life and the possibility of dying is part of the job description. do i really need to preface any of my writings as being idealistic, anymore? i just think we’ve gotten along far enough that you shouldn’t be concerned for your life when you go to work.

just stay out of our pants!

recipient:

Hilton Garden Inn – Downtown Atlanta/ 275 Baker St. NW/ Atlanta, GA 30313

sent:

BBC article: US bikini wax plans ditched

reasoning:

yeow, something i haven’t fully gotten behind yet, but also something that shouldn’t be banned, just better regulated so people aren’t getting hurt – especially in that area. it seems that new jersey has more of a history to ban things quicker, than going through the more arduous process of setting up and enforcing better regulations (ex: only full-service gas stations). this quote is great: Spa owner Linda Orsuto told the Associated Press news agency: “In New Jersey especially, where the government has been picking our pockets for so long, it was like: ‘Just stay out of our pants, will you?’”

freedom of choice = abortion donuts?

recipient:

Radar Magazine/ Subscription Dept/ PO Box 21942/ Palm Coast, FL 32142-7557

sent:

Miami The New Times blog: Pro-Life Group up in Arms over Krispy Kreme abortion doughnuts

reasoning:

should have posted this awhile ago, sometime around inauguration day may be more fitting. but it’s still an interesting story now. working at the Abortion Care Network, and doing more research on the reproductive justice movement, it almost seems like it’s a divisive and moot battle. yeah, that’s a pessimisticviewpoint from one who’s fighting for reproductive rights -> many critics and pro-lifers are even incredulous of the concept. without both sides on the same page, and with the religious morality ties muddying up the discourse, i find it difficult to see where a consensus on the issue can be made. with that said, and knowing that i stand strongly on the progressive side, lately the pro-life side seems to be grasping at straws. freedom of choice = abortion donuts? The American Life League’s press release that choice is synonymous with abortion is a huge stretch. perhaps not the best choice of words, maybe Krispy Kreme could have said celebrating ‘democracy’ or ‘freedom’ or ‘america’. they gave out free donuts to those who wore “i voted” stickers on election day, so continuing the giveaway makes sense. i can’t find anything about the political leaning of the Krispy Kreme board or president, maybe it’s not that they’re so much pro-Obama, as just an American/pro-America company?  though i guess i couldn’t see Match.com doing any similar online promotion election or inauguration day. nonetheless, it’s always fascinating to me the ties between contemporary culture and social movement discourse.

president repeals global gag rule

recipient:

Banc of America Insurance Services, Inc/ Plan Administrator/ 6301 Owensmouth Ave Suite 700/ Woodland Hills, CA 9136-9663

sent: 

White House Blog: “Statement released after the President rescinds “Mexico City Policy“

reasoning:

the Mexico City Policy has been the political football that has dictated the direction of various presidential administrations in regard to international family planning and women’s health issues. it was one of the first things President Bush reinstated once in office, and it’s one of the first things President Obama has repealed. themain component of the policy was US funding for organizations that promote or provide abortions overseas.

Reinstating the Global Gag Rule was a prime example of Christian Right morality dictating much of US policy during the Bush administration – the thinking against the Mexico City Policy was that supporting family planning and abortions would mean women, young girls would be having sex all over the place. the ABC rule of abstinence, being faithful, and condoms sounds good in theory, but it’s completely unrealistic – people are going to have sex for the sake of having sex, not always for baby-making -> it’s human nature. and to take away access to family planning and birth control is more harmful to the poor than it is helpful.

beer to stock in the white house

recipient:

National Review/ PO Box 667/ Mount Morris, IL 61054-7529

sent:

Draft Mag’s Out with the Buckler, in with the Brew: real beer returns to the White House by Will Coughlan 

reasoning:

Will Coughlan, co-host of Political Lunch, has written this great piece about the beer President Obama should stock in the White House. it’s hard to believe Bush didn’t have anything ‘harder’ than non-alcoholic Buckler. i always imagined there were bottles of scotch in secret compartments all over the Oval Office (which apparently isn’t actually in the White House, it’s an addition attached to it). i don’t think Barack Obama did too well in a poll that asked whether you’d like to share a beer with him, but if there’s a good selection of IPAs and regional brews in the White House fridge, maybe his numbers will go up in 2012. woo for the Yuengling (Pottstown, PA) shoutout!

immigration in the new administration

recipient:

IdentitySecure/ PO Box 5561/ Binghamton, NY 13902-9920

sent:

Orange County Register article by Dena Bunis, Washington Bureau Chief – Under Obama, immigration reform may have to wait

reasoning:

i’m going to try and be more diligent about this ’series’ i’ve decided to do. i guess my deadline is january 20th, when obama takes office and the news will be actually what he is doing, and not just predictions of what he will be doing. while the issue of immigration is often seen as being overshadowed by the financial crisis, and the talks about healthcare reform, there is not a dearth of articles talking about immigration not being discussed in the news. working at The Migration Policy Institute also helps.

“I’m not particularly impressed with raids on plants that grab a handful of undocumented workers and send them home, leaving the company in the position where it can just hire the next batch.” Obama said in a 2007 interview with the Des Moines Register.

a Census Taker’s encounter

recipient:

U.S. Department of Education/ PO Box 530260/ Atlanta, GA 30353-0260

sent:

Saturday Night Live: Census Taker with Christopher Walken

more about “Hulu – Saturday Night Live: Census Taker“, posted with vodpod

reasoning:

-> reason why becoming a Census taker is a last last resort for me. as much as i love ‘population’, the census bureau, and what counting all the numbers can mean for so many other parts of America: the economy, race, wedding trends, immigrant status, etc. after the summer of 07 experience, i can’t conceivably go back to door-knocking unless something or someone close to me was in immediate danger. i’d also like to stay in DC for a bit, though my travellust is getting so insatiable, i almost wouldn’t mind doing field work if that meant i got to go around america, meet people, take in all the americana tourist sites and culture (think: chicken-fried steak, and  grand ole opry). but living out of a suitcase and encountering the bad/frustrating of america would also get me down rather quickly, if i can develop/redevelop the chops to take the bad with the good and optimistically have the good outweigh the bad, maybe i will pack up my stuff and head out of DC onto the road. it’s a position my director at MPI highly recommended, if anything just for the potential good blog posts.