I find it amazing that a court can compel a state to print a certain license plate.
Don't like "Live free or die", you can put tape over it... but MAKING the state print your license plate of choice seems... odd.
I think often states have programs where organizations can apply to create special license plates, and sometimes some proceeds go back to the organization.
In this case, it was the Sons of Confederate Veterans Organization.
I don't like that these assholes get to do this, but I think if the state is going to allow organizations to use license plates as fundraisers, they don't get to pick and choose based on what speech they like and don't like.
There's a lot of states with "Choose Life" license plates but only a few with pro-choice license plates. This is a great ruling for people who want states to be forced to give time to opposing viewpoints.
It's always been my understanding that pro abortion rights license plates aren't really around because the large abortion orgs frankly have better/more important things to spend their time and money on. Working on license plates would be a distraction from working on access and the priority is obviously access. Since those who are anti abortion rights aren't actually providing medical care they have all the time in the world to work on nonsense like license plates.
Gordon college also recently had their contract to operate old town hall in Salem (mass) cancelled because they are in violation of a city non discrimination policy.
I know some alumni and it's somewhat local to my area so it's been on all over my FB feed (mostly alumni speaking out in horror).
Yep. I was delighted Salem gave them the axe. I've also seen a bunch of PO'd alumni in my feed.
I just got home Saturday and have a whopping 8 pictures online from my trip to Rwanda and Tanzania, but this adorable Gorilla is from Volcano National park in Rwanda where Gorillas in the Mist was filmed.
How was Rwanda? We did Tanzania last year and loved it and we are headed back to Rwanda to do the gorilla treks next month. I am sooo excited.
I am head over heels in love with Rwanda. There are a lot of cool things the country is doing as a whole as part of rebounding from the genocide in 94 that are admirable and the gorillas are just amazing. They were easily my favorite part of the whole trip.
The treks are a workout. We had the Ntambara group, which was a shorter medium hike. It seems they were formerly just a research group hiked to on occasion, so there's not as much info on them online. The hike itself wasn't that long, but it was straight up the mountain. They stop often, but it was steep. The treks can also get long. We also did the golden monkeys and one of the women had been in a medium gorilla group the day before that had turned into an 8+ hour hike. Get a porter, they are worth their weight in gold and will hold your hand to help you balance. Also, bring extra food/snacks/water to share with your porter. No one mentioned it to us before hand, but they don't bring anything for themselves because they're carrying you and your bags. We all shared half of the bag our lodge had provided. My brother, who forgot his bag at the lodge, didn't care about not having food for himself, but he felt pretty terrible that he didn't have anything beyond a bottle of water to share.
Once we were up with the gorillas we were never more than 2-3 meters away despite the listed 7 meter distance (they let you get closer if they're nestled in bushes where they can feel protected). They walk right past you and so long as they're not touching you (or a baby is coming at you) they tell you to just keep taking pictures. They will ask you to not take/to delete pictures if you get one of a gorilla touching someone. They don't want it to become a competition.
My other random recommendation is if you have a big fancy camera or lens flash it around. I had a canon 100-400 L lens and that big white beast stood out even among the other DSLRs and the guides ALWAYS placed me at the front of the group so I could get the best pictures.
It was so much fun and there is nothing more mind blowing than walking around a corner and seeing a Gorilla in the wild for the first time. I had the biggest shit eating grin on my face the entire rest of the day. If you have any other questions feel free to PM me.
Post by PinkSquirrel on Jul 14, 2014 15:04:04 GMT -5
I just got home Saturday and have a whopping 8 pictures online from my trip to Rwanda and Tanzania, but this adorable Gorilla is from Volcano National park in Rwanda where Gorillas in the Mist was filmed.
Post by PinkSquirrel on Jul 12, 2014 19:19:36 GMT -5
I haven't flown Lufstansa in a few years, but I really enjoyed them. I'm 100% biased because I just got home from Tanzania and a 12hr30min flight on KLM and the seats were not comfortable. About 2-3 hrs in my back was on fire and I was shoving pillows and blankets behind my back to try to make it bearable. The seats on my Delta flights between Amesterdam and home were perfectly comfortable, so I know it's not just that I was cranky about being on and off planes for 36 hrs.
Post by PinkSquirrel on Jul 12, 2014 19:10:38 GMT -5
1. I used my boots every day, but we did a lot of hiking. If you're not planning on hiking too much, then my main recommendation is to get something waterproof because wet shoes aren't fun. Nordstrom rack usually has hiking boots/shoes for good prices. I got a pair of Keens there and I know they've had Merrell's recently. 2. We didn't go horseback riding, so I have no idea in iceland, but I've definitely warn thin pants horseback riding because I never thought about it and I was perfectly fine. 3. I brought my hunters for when I knew I'd be walking through water higher than my hiking boots aka the pool hidden in the mountains. They were useful for that, but if that's not in the plan, I wouldn't bother. Hiking boots would serve you far better. 4. I was there in late sept/early october and found that base layers and full rain gear were really great to have. Where you're going in August you can probably bring some fleece tights and long sleeve shirts and be fine, but I would recommend rain pants because wet pants, like wet shoes, are not fun. 5. One of my favorite things about Iceland was that I never had to get dressed up. It's kind of anything goes
Post by PinkSquirrel on Jun 27, 2014 21:56:03 GMT -5
I got my first shot 7 years ago before my honeymoon and then never went back for the second. I just finally went and go the combo Hep A & B vaccine a few weeks ago because I'm leaving for Rwanda and Tanzania tomorrow and it was a nice and easy vaccine for me. I had zero side effects.
The only local story I'm seeing so far is from Boston dot com so take it for what that's worth. It just says that the protests were only happening at the Boston site, and only on Saturdays. And they (govt) can't curb speech on the public sidewalks. It states the buffet zone was enacted partially due to the 1994 killing of PP employees.
If I see anything else local I'll report.
Women's Health Services in Brookline also gets protesters as do the clinics on the north shore, though the clinics on the north shore far and away get the least protesters. WHS had issues with protesters messing up business for their neighbors when they moved a few years ago. I'm pretty sure the Globe reported on it
It seems like all of the lawmakers are on board with figuring out a way to protect it per the Herald of all places. I feel damn lucky to live in a state where lawmakers view it as a priority to figure something out rather than adding another barrier to access
Yes I have. The one in St. Paul is next to a Dairy Queen and protesters there harass people actually on their way to DQ.
It doesn't matter anyway. That part isn't important to the holding.
It does matter though. What the SCOTUS says matters. Even if it wasn't important to the holding when the SCOTUS starts referring to blatant harassment as caring consensual conversation I have a problem with that.
I'm more pissed off at the nonsense spewed in the opinion than I am that it was struck down. It was expected that it would be struck down and we'd have to figure something out. They have thrown an additional wrench into things but taking issue with buffer zones in general, but I'm confident people will work to get a solution that works to keep patients and workers safe in MA.
Oh fuck you Supreme Court, you have clearly never walked into an abortion clinic with protesters. Caring consensual conversations my ass. Patients are afraid of the fucking protesters even with the buffer zone. They actually said this shit ...
"While the Act may allow petitioners to “protest” outside the buffer zones, petition ers are not protestors; they seek not merely to express their opposi tion to abortion, but to engage in personal, caring, consensual conver sations with women about various alternatives."
Let's be clear here. He's not talking about protesters in general (and says as much). He's talking about the specific people challenging the law. I'm not sure if their specific mode of protest is disputed.
Have you been outside an abortion clinic? The implication that people just want to have caring consensual conversations with people is frankly bullshit.
Post by PinkSquirrel on Jun 26, 2014 10:50:54 GMT -5
Oh fuck you Supreme Court, you have clearly never walked into an abortion clinic with protesters. Caring consensual conversations my ass. Patients are afraid of the fucking protesters even with the buffer zone. They actually said this shit ...
"While the Act may allow petitioners to “protest” outside the buffer zones, petition ers are not protestors; they seek not merely to express their opposi tion to abortion, but to engage in personal, caring, consensual conver sations with women about various alternatives."
Post by PinkSquirrel on Jun 26, 2014 10:31:48 GMT -5
Most of us doing abortion work in MA knew it would be struck down. I'm confused that it seems they're saying buffer zones are an issue in general. My understanding had been the plan was to tweak the law and get it passed again (not expected to be a huge issue in MA), but if they're saying buffer zones are out all together .... FUCK.
This decision was expected, but I think the real question is whether this ruling is going to wind up sinking the cloud, which stores all sorts of copyrighted material.
Can you explain? From what I've heard it sounded like they were trying to keep the ruling pretty narrow as to not screw up other things.
Some schools make you pay them back the difference, because they thought too many people were using study abroad as a way to save on tuition while getting the same degree. So you take a leave of absence, set up your study abroad, pay the other country 1/4 of what you pay in the US, then when you return to your US school, pay them the other 3/4 for not even showing up that semester.
This is what my school did to people who studied abroad
Sephora shipping box fail. It had so much paper in it.
Sephora and Nordstrom are both terrible about box sizes and it drives me nuts.
Please tell me the push up liner is terrible. I want it badly and this whole not buying anything until I leave for vacation thing is KILLING me inside.
Post by PinkSquirrel on Jun 22, 2014 11:04:30 GMT -5
No, we had an early afternoon wedding followed by an after party that went until 2am. We didn't even make it home as planned. We passed out on my MILs couch in her basement.
Post by PinkSquirrel on Jun 20, 2014 9:37:18 GMT -5
I really don't understand why we don't spend more money looking for fraud. Haven't they shown for every dollar they spend they get more back? It seems like such a no brainer
The quotes from the pro athletes are horrible. I think it is important to have dad around the early days. It was essential with my first. The two of us together could barely get our daughter to latch. I never would have been able to do it on my own. I am also not a fan of scheduling a c-section for convenience.
I don't think we will ever have a year long maternity leave like other countries. However even 6-8 weeks at partial pay would be helpful.
The article is also misleading on FMLA. You may have a year to us it, but you only get 12 weeks.
and regarding FMLA- DH and I work for the same company, that means we get a TOTAL of 12 weeks. Can be split however, but between the two of us, only 12.
Section 29 USC 2612(f) specifically limits the total aggregate number of workweeks of leave to which an “eligible” husband and wife are both entitled to if they work for the same employer. This “spousal limitation” provides that a combined total of 12 workweeks of FMLA leave may be taken between the two for the birth or adoption or foster care placement of a child or to care for a sick parent. The “spousal limitation” does not apply to husbands and their wives, however, if the reason for leave is for a serious health condition of the employee or the employee’s spouse or child. According to the legislative history of the Act, the limitation on leave taken by spouses who work for the same employer is intended to eliminate any employer incentive to refuse to hire married couples.
Post by PinkSquirrel on Jun 19, 2014 12:05:28 GMT -5
I think it's important to document even the hardest of things and can see the value in it, but if you're going to be the person documenting those things you have to understand the gravity of what you're doing and how important it is to do it with respect. This guy is a fucking asshole who had no business taking a picture like this and selling it.
So... the picture itself looks like 2 girls who were at a family-themed Japanese festival and went to a booth where they do kabuki makeup. Like, "and here is how women in Japan would do this makeup, here is the history behind it, etc." If I saw 2 caucasian children walking around in the makeup like that at an educational festival, I wouldn't think much of it, and I assume it's a photo from a previous festival or similar event showing children enjoying what was being offered.
But their response is SO OUT THERE. OMG, clueless much?
This is where I was at. I wouldn't have sent the initial letter to the museum, but his response is .... not good.
I was going to ask which museum but do I see that it's the Peabody essex??
Hrmm. Interesting. I used to work in museums. They are trying to be "world class" but I feel like they aren't there yet.
It is strange that they picked not one but two of those images for the free passes. They have some good stuff there and I don't know why those two images were selected.
Yep, it's the PEM.
They do generally seem to try very hard to be small but still operate on a "world class" level and I've always really enjoyed them (hence them having my name and address), but not so much in this moment
Post by PinkSquirrel on Jun 17, 2014 22:22:53 GMT -5
It appears someone in my building sent the local museum a letter commenting on the little caucasian girls they had dressed up in Geisha makeup and clothing on the free passes they use for marketing purposes. The chief marketing officer was kind enough to address his reply to me as well and it ended up in my mailbox. He's probably going to regret that little error.
I can't fully follow their explanation, but this is what I've gathered -It's not Geisha because they didn't say Geisha -They talk about kabuki theater makeup and say a kabuki theater run was happening at the time, but they also included a printout from a random ass website that refers to kabuki makeup as "white face" -The theme and intent was to focus on Japanese feminine beauty especially among the higher classes, so not kabuki? - It's ok because it happened during a Japanese cultural festival developed by two museum employees of Japanese descent
In summary, it's ok to put images of caucasian kids dressed in traditional Japanese clothing and makeup in their marketing materials because ... that's what Japanese people used to wear, it's not geisha and two Japanese women were part of the festival??? ^o)
I get what you're saying. My neighborhood, for example, has a great hardware store, and it would suck if a big box store like Home Depot moved in. But with the bolded example, we also talk a lot here about food deserts. I don't even really shop at WF, but I just don't see it as that simple - sometimes the "upper middle class white people" businesses are pushing out established businesses, but what if it's filling a gap?
I think it depends on the business, would it have moved there if there weren't wealthy white people there? WF is an easier example because they're not called Whole Paycheck for nothing. They're expensive, they only go where upper/upper-middle class people live.