MA Hyatt boycott

sent:

Boston Globe’s Governor Threatens a Hyatt Boycott

reasoning:

for people who think the labor movement is dead, or unions are no longer necessary – blatant workplace violations like this are still happening.  3 Hyatt hotels in the Boston area laid off their entire housekeeping staff, citing challenging economic conditions, and replaced them with workers from an out-of-state firm they would pay much less and provide no benefits for. Originally, the staff trained the new workers under the pretense the new staff were only there to fill in on vacations and holidays. But after the morning shift on August 31, the workers were told not to come back to work the next day. it seems government officials rarely get involved in labor disputes, unless the industry affected directly relates to the operation of the country (ex: Reagan laid off the air-traffic controllers), the fight usually remains between the workers, the union and the company. But Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has stepped in, strongly denouncing the layoffs and threatening a boycott of the Hyatt Hotels by Massachusetts employees.

the Back & Forth

“I understand first-hand how difficult it is to manage through the current economic challenges without compounding the disruptions the times have caused,’’ Patrick wrote. “But surely there is some way to retain the jobs for your housekeeping staffs, as other hotels have done, and to work with them to help the company meet its current challenges, rather than tossing them out unceremoniously to fend for themselves while the people they trained take their jobs at barely livable wages.’’ – Governor Deval Patrick

The action “directly threatens the 600 associates who work in Hyatt properties and who live and work in Massachusetts at a time when businesses and individuals are cutting back on travel during the worst economic period we have seen in decades. We do not understand why the governor is putting more Massachusetts jobs at risk instead of working with us to find jobs for employees affected by the realities of these unprecedented economic challenges.’’ – Phil Stamm, general manager of Hyatt Regency Boston

The fight is still going-  last update I could find, lists the boycott growing with support from taxicab drivers, politicians, businesses leaders, and organizations, like the National Employment Lawyers Associations originally set to hold a conference at a Hyatt, canceling reservations.

why women’s colleges are still relevant

sent:

Forbes Why Women’s Colleges are Still Relevant

reasoning:

i feel like i may spend the rest of my life explaining why i went to a women’s college, Smith College, or whether i’m a crazy radical lesbian [some of those may apply depending on the day]. the relevance of women’s colleges has been something i’ve definitely grappled with, but ultimately i always come to the conclusion that they are still needed and important today. certainly my college experience would have been different if it were co-ed, but now that i’m out in the ‘co-ed’ world, i can’t say i feel like i missed out on a lot. there were periods when i wish i went somewhere else, but that had more to do with the intensity and ‘bubble’ of Smith, less with its single-gender demographic. being in an all-women environment doesn’t freak me out but i’m rather comfortable in it. i learned to really speak up for myself at Smith, and so much of my personality and interests have started and evolved from my time there, so i can’t say that I regret having gone there. now if only the alumnae network could kick in to get me a job, i’d be singing the ultimate praises of the school from every high place in DC. but in all seriousness, i’m glad i went.

women take over job market

sent:

USAToday: Women gain as Men Lose Jobs

reasoning:

Recent numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that for the first time more women are currently employed than men. women entered the workforce in expansive numbers during the wars of I and II b/c men were off fighting, and while we’re in a war situation now, this increase is attributed more to the recession. The industries hit hardest by the current crisis are those in construction and manufacturing, still heavily male-dominated sectors. While the few industries that seem to still be growing are healthcare, education and government, two of which are heavily female-dominated. so while there’s been a tipping of labor scales by gender, the industries affected are still one gender dominated and very much the same. “The change reflects the growing importance of women as wage earners, but it doesn’t show full equality”, says Heidi Hartmann of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, wage-wise-> women are still earning less than men. and men still hold most of the high-level executive jobs. this news isn’t to mark a turning point or new ear in the American payrolls, but simply to note that more women are working now than men, by sheer numbers, not by more jobs or increased wages across the job board.

Questions for Ellen John Sirleaf

sent:

NYTimes Magazine: Madame President

What does that say about the inherent character of men? [referring to the young Liberian boys who raped an 8-year old Liberian refugee in Phoenix, AZ]: I just think that unless you have that cohesiveness in the family unit, the male character tends to become very dominant, repressive and insensitive. So much of this comes also from a lack of education. As more men become more educated and women get educated, teh value system has to be more enhanced and the respect for human dignity and human life is made better.

If women ran the world, would wars still exist? No. I think it would be a better, safer and more productive world. A woman would bring extra dimension to that task – and that’s a sensitivity to humankind. It comes from being a mother.

But if women had the power, they would be more likely to acquire the negative traits that breed power, like selfishness and territorialism.  It would take a very long term of women absolutely in power to get to the place where they became men.

reasoning:

the stripped down, basic feminist slant is too obvious here: the physical differences mean an inherent psychological, mental difference, the venus vs. mars argument. its a bit troublesome that the NYTimes, already well-accused and known for its liberal, ‘radical’ bias, ends this article with “INTERVIEW HAS BEEN CONDENSED AND EDITED”, but its still telling that the leader of Liberia believes in the inherent differences between men and women, and that they affect government and societal operation.

much of Sirleaf’s words about the nature of female leadership reminds me of Justice Sotomayor’s infamous “Wise Latina” comment. it’s not just being a parent that brings out a certain humanity and “sensitivity to humankind’,-> it’s being a mother. she continues by saying the differences are so stark, even if women ruled the world, it’d take us a ‘very long term’ [which i'm thinking means thousands of years], to get to the level of deep problems and ’inherently’ dangerous cycles of injustice, and conflict we have today in a world that has been ruled and dominated by men. Sirleaf’s comments are indeed inflammatory and easily offensive that she treats the inherent different nature of men and women so superficially. But she does bring in the importance of the family unit, and literacy. she is railing against men as the source for why the world and  society/culture are the way they are today. but moreover, i think she’s calling for a better and stronger education across the board.

Girls Rock! DC, 9:30 Club

sent:reasoning:

what an empowering and ultimately inspiring show. more about Girls Rock! DC and to donate money/time/equipment here

more pictures of the show here, Meaghan Gay publicity stills here

at one point, a counselor shouted “didn’t you wish we had something like this when we were young?” YES, how i wish i did.

Senate Approves Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, 68 to 31

sent:

Washington Post: Senate Votes 68 to 31 to Confirm Sonia Sotomayor to Supreme Court

reasoning:

really cool graphic sent over the Emily’s List listserv. its a striking visual that goes beyond the superficial arguments of Affirmative Action in terms of gender, or race and the uproar of Sotomayor’s “Wise Latina” comment. Just looking at what the implications of this image mean, and how this may be the start of a change in the make-up of the Supreme Court, once some Justices start dying or resigning, is incredibly exciting.

blogs falling in an empty forest

sent:

NYTimes: When The Thrill of Blogging is Gone…

reasoning:

 oh how i can relate to this article. when i first started this blog, i did do it out of a small wish for fame and notoriety, not so much that people would be logging on to read about the party i went to last night, or the amazing cardamon bread pudding i made over the weekend, but i had hoped the idea behind this blog would catch on. people would start using the “no postage necessary” envelopes to send in poetry, love letters, or intellectual articles to the credit card application collection centers. soon, i’d have to created another blog to just post the responses and reasonings, something more along the lines of PostSecret with substance and commentary on social disconnect and loneliness, rather than just community picture submissions like upsidedowndogs  or look at this fucking hipster (as entertaining as it is to scan through that site every now and then). i want commenters, i want more people saying “hey, cool post”, or sending me emails about paper goods they’ve sent in to the collection centers and why.

but also, i know of the ease to start something and not complete it: diets, workout routines, fictional novellas, etc. blogging really could just be the internet fad of the 21st century, and the thought of all the abandoned blogs out there pains me to think of all the WWW space they’re uselessly and inefficiently taking up. [certainly not to say, nopostagerequired is contributing to the greater good and worth however much GB it’s using). plus, i’m reminded that i’ve got to go and delete that embarassing, old LiveJournal I wrote back in high school. another reason i started this blog was the hope that it’d encourage me to write more. if i was writing, however informally, on a consistent basis> that can only help me practice and perhaps make all the papers in graduate school much easier to complete. but alas, i’ve fallen too often into the “sorry, i haven’t posted here in awhile” trap, and sometimes this blog becomes a nagging chore that’s always in the back of my mind to work on, much in the same way of starting art projects, that Census Bureau application, or that morning workout. i will write here that I am attempting to write here at least 4 times a week until it becomes routine. it’s taken me more than a year, but i’ve at least gotten to 100+ posts, it’s somewhat reassuring that nopostagerequired won’t be listed on One Post Wonder, i’ve jsut to be more diligent in keeping it up. onward >

need help assembling break-up mix

sent:

Kubler-Ross “Five Stages of Grief”

reasoning:

i’ve been going through some heartbreak, and as per the recommendation of CG, a mix according to the ’stages of grief’ just might help me get through this. the only model i was able to find with some academic theory to back it up was Kubler-Ross’ Five Stages of Grief . but even the brief synopsis of the Wikipedia writes about how the theory has been discredited by many experts in the field as incomplete. a google search will bring up ‘the seven stages’, or the ’six stages’, but no credit to whom came up with the theory is ever given. if you can find a better model, please please let me know. Kubler-Ross is more focused on a loss in terms of physical death, i’d like one that’s more just about loss in the general: loss of a friend, loss of a love, etc.

in the meantime, i bring up this break-up mix to ask for your help – i’ve credited in parenthesis the recommendations of friends as for what particular songs would fit or relate to one of the stages listed. if you have any, please tell me about it in the comment section. i am hoping to keep this on hand for when friends go through rough times and breakups.

Kubler-Ross “Five Stages of Grief”
1) Denial:

Denial is usually only a temporary defense for the individual. This feeling is generally replaced with heightened awareness of situations and individuals that will be left behind after death. ^[1]

Example - “I feel fine.”; “This can’t be happening, not to me.

• You know what it is – T.I. (DDW)

2) Anger:
Once in the second stage, the individual recognizes that denial cannot continue. Because of anger, the person is very difficult to care for due to misplaced feelings of rage and envy. Any individual that symbolizes life or energy is subject to projected resentment and jealousy. ^[1]

Example - “Why me? It’s not fair!”; “How can this happen to me?”; “Who is to blame?”

• Since You’ve Been Gone – Kelly Clarkson (SL)
• These Boots Were Made For Walking – Nancy Sinatra (JM)
• If I know You – Presets (DDW)

3) Bargaining:
The third stage involves the hope that the individual can somehow postpone or delay death. Usually, the negotiation for an extended life is made with a higher power in exchange for a reformed lifestyle. Psychologically, the person is saying, “I understand I will die, but if I could just have more time…” ^[1]

Example - “Just let me live to see my children graduate.”; “I’ll do anything for a few more years.”; “I will give my life savings if…”

• Paris – Friendly Fires (DDW)
• You And I – Zoot Woman (DDW)

4) Depression:

During the fourth stage, the dying person begins to understand the certainty of death. Because of this, the individual may become silent, refuse visitors and spend much of the time crying and grieving. This process allows the dying person to disconnect themself from things of love and affection. It is not recommended to attempt to cheer an individual up that is in this stage. It is an important time for grieving that must be processed. ^[1]

Example - “I’m so sad, why bother with anything?”; “I’m going to die . . . What’s the point?”; “I miss my loved one, why go on?”

• Depressing – Beyonce (FA)
• Keep Breathing – Ingrid Michaelson (FA)
• In the Dark – Death Cab for Cutie (FA)
• “If You Could Read My Mind” – Gordon Lightfoot (PC)   ->Depression/acceptance, with a wee bit of bargaining
• All my little words – Magnetic Fields (DDW)

5) Acceptance:

This final stage comes with peace and understanding of the death that is approaching. Generally, the person in the fifth stage will want to be left alone. Additionally, feelings and physical pain may be non-existent. This stage has also been described as the end of the dying struggle. ^[1]

Example - “It’s going to be okay.”; “I can’t fight it, I may as well prepare for it.”

• Go Now – Moody Blues (PK)
• Golden Cage – Whitest Boy Alive (DDW)
• Damaged – Dannity Kane (IH)

the water war myth

recipient:

The Chronicle of Philanthropy/ PO Box 48/ Boulder, CO 80329-9954

sent:

BBC article: Water cut off in Mexican capital 

reasoning:

more and more stories about water shortages,  and water cutoffs are popping up, along with scholarly articles that the next resource wars will be over water. i’ve bought into this ‘water crisis -> water war’ concept for quite awhile. but then Slate comes out with this article Dispelling the Water-War Myth.  it summarizes Wendy Barnaby’s essay in Nature that water wars have not happened because countries have worked through their water issues with trade and international agreements.  so why all the hysteria? water is certainly a scarce resource, and it is something everyone needs to survive. but the problem of water now and in the coming years/decades/centuries (?) is a combination of geography and then within those geographic areas –  who has access to as much water as they need. but how much people need and want is another example of the dichotomy between rich/poor, north/south and white/black. we’re having fights over oil in  complex, methodical and ridiculous ways now, so it would make sense for the ‘water wars’ to go the same way as the battle for oil. but maybe what Barnaby’s case studies show is that provisions are being made and set in place (trade and int’l agreements) so we won’t need to resort to arrows and steel armor {i always pictured ‘water wars’ to be set in trojan times}, but to consider access and distribution of water in a civilized manner, instead. 

Photo credit to daveynin

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.