Friday, July 22, 2011

Hyatt Hotel Punishes Striking Workers By Shining Heat Lamps on Picket Line

I guess the management at Hyatt thought the ongoing heat wave wasn't hot enough for their 'on-strike' workers who were walking the picket line outside the Chicago hotel.

Hyatt punished their workers by turning on the outdoor heat lamps that are normally used in cold weather. For shame:

Combined with the outdoor air temperature, Linda Long says it was hotter than the Hyatt kitchen she’s worked in for eleven years. “They put the heat lamps on us, like we were nothing,” Long said. “If the heat didn’t kill us, the heat lamps would.” The heat lamps were turned off when the press showed up. [via Michael Moore]

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Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Rep. West: Debbie Wasserman Schultz Is Vile, Despicable & Not A Lady

Florida GOP Congressman Allen West is having a temper tantrum because Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz critiqued his slash and burn policy positions. In retaliation Congressman West got livid and wrote a letter to colleagues calling the Congresswoman names.

The not so grown-up Congressman called Debbie Wasserman Schultz "vile," "despicable" and "not a lady." The livid Congressman also ranted that the Congresswoman should just "shut up." We're pretty sure that what the Congressman means is that ladies keep their mouths shut. Rep. West should consider Prozac, or perhaps retire from office if he's not up to a little critique, since there's absolutely no chance that Debbie Wasserman Schultz or any other pol is going to consider his delicate feelings and shut up.

Insane Florida Congressman Allen West Wildly Overreacts to Criticism


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Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann

Quote of the Day

"The system that's the problem here, the system that's the barrier is, broadly, patriarchy... (Clinton) wore pants suits with pearls. ... She was properly masculine and properly feminine. (Clinton) did this performance and it didn't quite work. And then Palin is doing this performance where she is taking the line between masculine and feminine and she takes a wide stance. She's hyper-masculine . . . and then she's also hyper-feminine. ... She was still beaten up. (Palin) provided kind of a different brand or approach than Hillary Clinton and it didn't matter."


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Rupert Murdoch's Wife Tackles Shaving Cream Pie Assailant


via

His wife Wendi played bodyguard, catapulting herself toward the attacker with arms and nails flailing. His son James just stood there.

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Monday, July 18, 2011

Elizabeth Warren Considers Run for Senate

Elizabeth Warren is thinking about mounting a campaign to reclaim Ted Kennedy's senate seat. It's true that Scott Brown's popularity is polling surprisingly high. It's also true that few, if any, liberals incite more unbridled enthusiasm than Elizabeth Warren. That's because this country has a desperate need for the kind of outspoken charismatic liberal leader that Elizabeth Warren is.

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Sunday, July 17, 2011

Obama Throws Elizabeth Warren Under the Bus

Wall Street wins. We the people lose. Thanks Obama:

"There was no way Elizabeth Warren was ever going to be the permanent director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The banks didn’t want her."

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Friday, July 15, 2011

Stop President Obama’s Plans to Cut Social Safety Net Benefits

Stop President Obama’s Plans to Cut Social Safety Net Benefits

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Is Everyone on The California Milk Board Sexist? Apparently.

If you thought for a minute that some forms of blatant sexism were left behind way back in the 1950s, then you haven't met the California Milk Board.

Gee, if milk cures crazy menstruating women, I wonder if milk is the solution to our moody and always disagreeable 83% male Congress. Maybe if Congressmen were required to drink milk, they might stop their incessant squabbling long enough to get something done.

And when can we get a product to cure rapists, batterers and the many many other forms of rampant male violence?:

The $1.2 million campaign, which includes print ads featuring distressed, guilty-looking men with taglines such as “I’m sorry I listened to what you said, not what you meant,” social media and a website, www.everythingidoiswrong.com plays it up to the poor men who are burdened each month by nagging, irrational and, god-forbid, bloated premenstrual women. Not surprisingly, women (including this one) are far from pleased.

Jezebel: Telling Men They’re Victims Of PMS Sure Is An Interesting Way To Sell Milk:

The same people that brought you "Got milk?" are now trying to sell milk to men by telling them that it's linked, loosely, to alleviating PMS. According to The New York Times, "To make it seem as if the campaign is offering a public service to the men affected by PMS, the Web site's address ends with "dot-org" rather than "dot-com." Some examples of what can be found on this website: Bitches are crazy, man.

Image via

Thanks Zee!

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Thursday, July 14, 2011

Politico: All the Women Are Polarizing

Funny, if you asked me, I'd say that it is the joke that calls itself Congress that is "polarizing." Politico didn't ask me:

Tempers flared at a congressional hearing Thursday before the polarizing star witness, Elizabeth Warren, said a word.

I think this means that Elizabeth Warren is definitely qualified to run for president. Has a woman ever run for president who was not labelled "polarizing" by our delusional, hopelessly male-centric press?

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Women's Soccer Players Pose Naked: "Is this how we should show up before you come to our games?"

via Feminist Law Professors:

If you’re following the Women’s World Cup, you may know that three members (L-R Elodie Thomas, Gaetane Thiney, and Corine Franco) of the French team posed for the German tabloid Bild under the heading, “Is this how we should show up before you come to our games?”

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DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz: GOP Behave Like Spoiled Children (Video)


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Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Woman Accused of Cutting Off Husband's Penis Said he 'Deserved' It

Ouch:

Becker, 48, told police she had drugged her husband’s dinner to make him sleepy, then tied him to the bed. As he awoke, she cut off his penis with a knife, tossed it in the garbage disposal and turned the disposal on. Police untied the victim, who was taken UCI Medical Center, where he underwent emergency surgery. Police said Becker and her husband, 51, were going through a divorce and that she told officers he “deserved it.”

The severe nature of the crime led detectives to classify it as “aggravated mayhem,” an offense punishable by up to life in prison, Nightengale said. “The intention by this person was to permanently deprive this victim of his genitalia,” Nightengale added.

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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

R.I.P. Feminist First Lady Betty Ford

She was a Republican who was matter-of-factly outspoken about her support for feminism, including the ERA and abortion rights. It's like she was from another world. Will we ever again see a First Lady of any party who dares to speak her mind or out her feminist self?

Betty Ford: Feminist, Social Liberal, Republican

Betty Ford: Feminist, Social Liberal, NOW, ERA, Roe v Wade Supporter ... and Republican

Passing of a Visionary First Lady - Betty Ford's Advocacy for Breast Cancer, Addictions and ERA Remembered

Betty Ford, First Lady and Feminist, Dies at 93

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Tina Brown’s Newsweek Covers Women; In 6 of 14 Weeks, Women on the Cover

Women on the cover of Newsweek in 6 out of 14 issues? In male-dominated USA, this is news. In the previous 14 issues, one cover featured a woman.

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Monday, July 11, 2011

Sexist Lawmakers in Austria Defend the Patriarchy from Feminist Lawmakers

Male lawmakers in Austria remind us that deplorable sexist pigs are everywhere. The male lawmakers recently prevented feminist lawmakers from raising the issue of changing one little line in the Austrian anthem from “Home you are to great sons" to “Home of great daughters, sons."

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Cornel West: Obama Has Become A Mascot of Wall Street Oligarchs


Quote of the Day

“I thought Barack Obama could have provided some way out. But he lacks backbone. [He has become] a black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats... I don’t think in good conscience I could tell anybody to vote for Obama.”

Truthdig:

Obama and West’s last personal contact took place a year ago at a gathering of the Urban League when, he says, Obama “cussed me out.”

“He makes a bee line to me right after the talk, in front of everybody,” West says. “He just lets me have it. He says, ‘You ought to be ashamed of yourself, saying I’m not a progressive. Is that the best you can do? Who do you think you are?’ I smiled. I shook his hand. . It was so disrespectful,” he went on, “that’s what I didn’t like. I’d already been called, along with all [other] leftists, a “F’ing retard” by Rahm Emanuel because we had critiques of the president.”

Sun-Times: The Disappearing Black Middle Class

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Sunday, July 10, 2011

Nashville Councilman Hollin Goes Viral Blasting Homophobic State Rep. Gotto (Video)

Councilman Jamie Hollin had more than a few choice and righteous words for homophobic State Rep. Jim Gotto who doubles the homophobia as a Nashville Councilman. Goto killed Hollin's effort to honor local high school students for their brave fight against the shameful "Don't Say Gay" bill. (Read about it at Councilman Hollin's blog.)



"Hollin later told the Tennessean that Claiborne and Gotto were examples of antigay bias. “They collectively represent the worst in us,” he said. He also said he was particularly upset because he had assisted Gotto, who is also a state representative, with some legislation." via The Advocate

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Saturday, July 09, 2011

How to Get A Liberal in the White House

Quote of the Day

"Don’t know why there’s any question as to who should be the 2012 Republican presidential candidate. Obama should run for the GOP and the Democrats should find a REAL Democrat to oppose him!"
reader4life July 8th, 2011 at 10:47 pm, comment #216
Firedoglake: Worst President Ever, Revisited

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Ann Coulter Calls Bill Maher A "Misogynist" On 'Real Time' (Video)

Kudos to Ann Coulter for pointing out -- on the air -- that Bill Maher is a misogynist. Many, on the left and the right, have called Maher out for his blatant misogyny, but few have done so to his face, on his show. In all the many years I've been watching Real Time, Coulter is the first woman to do so. She is in good company, Ralph Nader and Tavis Smiley have also pointed out Maher's woman problem on the air.


via

Misogynist Bill Maher Attacks Sarah Palin, Again

Bill Maher is a Misogynistic Anti-Breastfeeding Pig (Video)
No Surprise Here: Bill Maher is a Misogynist : Lawyers, Guns & Money
NOW & Women's Media Center Respond to Bill Maher's Latest Sexist Swipe at Sarah Palin
Most Sexist Late Night Doods Employ 1 Token Woman Writer; Bill Maher Has Zero
The Malign Acceptance Of Sexism - Bill Maher Version
Ralph Nader Calls Out Bill Maher for the Sexism (Video)
Tavis Smiley Tries to Discuss the Patriarchy With Sexist Bill Maher (Video)

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Friday, July 08, 2011

Michele Bachmann Pledges to Ban Pornography

Ban porn? There goes any chance Michele Bachmann had of securing the GOP nomination:

Tonight, Michele Bachmann became the first presidential candidate to sign a pledge created by THE FAMiLY LEADER, an influential social-conservative group in Iowa. By signing the pledge Bachmann “vows” to “uphold the institution of marriage as only between one man and one woman” by committing herself to 14 specifics steps. The ninth step calls for the banning of “all forms” of pornography.

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Sarah Palin Movie - "The Undefeated" - Opens in Select Cities (Trailer)


New York Post: I've Been Banned from Sarah Palin Documentary

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Krugman: Trust President Obama?

Quote of the Day

[L]et’s be frank. It’s getting harder and harder to trust Mr. Obama’s motives in the budget fight, given the way his economic rhetoric has veered to the right. In fact, if all you did was listen to his speeches, you might conclude that he basically shares the G.O.P.’s diagnosis of what ails our economy and what should be done to fix it. And maybe that’s not a false impression; maybe it’s the simple truth. . .

[I]t’s hard to see why a president who has gone out of his way to echo Republican rhetoric and endorse false conservative views deserves .. trust.


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President Obama: If You Cut Social Security, Medicaid, or Medicare, Don't Ask for My Help in 2012

Sign the petition:

President Obama: If you cut Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits for me, my family, or families like mine, don't ask for a penny of my money or an hour of my time in 2012. I'm going to focus on electing bold progressive candidates who will fight to protect our Democratic legacy.

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Thursday, July 07, 2011

President Obama Proposes Social Security Cuts

Catfood anyone? Now would be a really good moment for Obama's primary challenger to step up:

In debt talks, Obama offers Social Security cuts


"[T]he great progressive hope (well, I did warn people) is falling all over himself to endorse right-wing economic fallacies."

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Wednesday, July 06, 2011

New York Post Sued for Calling Rape Victim A "Prostitute"

The woman who accused Dominique Strauss-Kahn of rape (the woman in the U.S. who accused Dominique Strauss-Kahn of rape, not the woman in France who accused Dominique Strauss-Kahn of rape!) is suing Murdoch's New York Post for libel after the tabloid smeared her as a "prostitute" and "hooker."

Calling a rape victim a "prostitute" or a "hooker." is just another way of saying 'the bitch was asking for it.' Some things never change in patriarchy:

"We filed the suit because rape victims should not be called prostitutes."

New York Post Calls DSK Accuser a Whore

Today in Rape Culture: New York Post Calls DSK Accuser a "Hooker"

UPDATE: DSK Maid Fights Back: As prosecutors meet with Dominique Strauss-Kahn's lawyers today, those on his accuser's side are circling the wagons.

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Friday, July 01, 2011

Anonymous Sources: Maid Said to Have No Credibility in IMF Rape Case

Suddenly things are looking up for the billionaire. Not so much for the maid. Just as billionaire Dominique Strauss-Kahn's lawyers predicted, evidence has emerged that damages the woman's credibility all to hell - according to 2 anonymous law enforcement officials. And it seems like only yesterday when police were claiming that the maid's credibility was unblemished.

There remains the "unambiguous evidence of a sexual encounter" between the billionaire and the maid. Perhaps that too will vanish.

Update: 5 Ways to Think About The Times' Strauss-Kahn Story

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Jeering Republicans Shut Down Minnesota State Government

In the name of protecting millionaires from taxes, Republicans brought down the state of Minnesota last night. The right-wing fanatics also wanted "photo ID requirements at the polls and abortion restrictions."

While the Governor was speaking of his sorrow about the government shutdown last night, Republicans could actually be heard jeering and hissing:

Talks imploded Thursday between DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders in the final hours before a midnight deadline, and Minnesota began a historic government shutdown. "This is a night of deep sorrow for me," Dayton said in an address at 10 p.m. that was punctuated by jeers and hisses from Republicans, including some lawmakers.

The governor said his last offer would have raised income taxes only on those earning more than $1 million a year -- an estimated 7,700 Minnesotans, or 0.3 percent of all taxpayers, according to the Revenue Department. Republicans rejected the proposal.

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