Tuesday Open Thread


creeper - Posted on 11 August 2009

Musings, funnies, profound revelations, off-the-wall thoughts, personal triumphs (or failures)...whatever doesn't fit anywhere else goes here.

Yesterday I heard a story on NPR about a proposed law in Seattle to add a 20-cent surcharge for every plastic bag a customer's purchases require.  Interestingly, though Washingtonians are known for their environmental sensitivities, polls show a majority are opposed to the bill.  What about you?  If your state wanted to do this, would you support it?

I'm off to take my son to catch a flight for a job interview.  Barge lines are still hiring!

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twandx's picture
 
It was only a mistake in the translation - again.  Are translation mistakes going to continue to plague SoS Clinton?  It seems the questioner wanted to know what Obama thought of the deal, but it still is a continuing example of how women's opinions and intelligence are devalued.  Of course much will be made of her reaction - women are just supposed to smile politely and defer to husband, boss or her controlling male.  So the headlines say, "she lost her cool".
 
I don't think former SoS, Condi had this problem because W strongly always had her back.  And it sure helped her that she was not married.
 
ABC News' Kirit Radia reports: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lost her cool Monday after a Congolese student, speaking through a translator, asked her what "Mr. Clinton" thought about a Chinese trade deal with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

"You want me to tell you what my husband thinks?" Clinton replied, clearly irked by the thought of being her husband Bill's spokeswoman.

blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/08/lost-in-translation-clinton-says-she-not-bill-is-the-secretary-of-state.html

The many women who have had this happen to them know just how Hillary felt and understand the tone and content of her response - one can take just so much of this treatment.  Yes, and women do it to each other too.

NewHampster's picture

I think her frustration is beginning to show.   I'd like to see a little more temper sometimes.  But this did not look good for Secretary Clinton, did not look stateswoman like at all.  In typical fashion, the media are choosing to ignore the translation error and apologies and just focus on her being upstaged by Bill.

Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform

Oh, come on already!  She was supposed to check all her emotions at the door and become a robot when she took the oath?  I think not.  When men show a flash of anger, they're strong leaders!  When women show anger, they get called all kinds of names...unladylike, "b" word", etc.  Enough of the double standard.  You know, maybe she was just tired from the travel.  Who knows? 

In any event, saying it "did not look good" sounds like some kind of MSNBC or other MSM crap.  Funny, my instant reaction was, "you go, woman!"  I loved it.  I guess it's a gender thing.

 

 

"Right wing sledge hammers never, ever help us."  Pacific John

twandx's picture

then I'm proud to be of that gender and prouder still of Hillary standing up for herself because so few women have enough spunk to do that.  She also stands up for other women.

Also, I am finding that many men also applaud her actions.  It's the media and the bots that are doing what they always do as they endevor to make everyone hate her.

Enough of the sexist and misogynist pressure on women to be "ladylike", smile at everything and everybody and prove they are brainless and gutless - mere globs of clay with breasts, to be molded and controlled by men. 

Standing up for any woman when she is acting like a human being instead of a barbie doll is a good thing for all of us to do.

 

NewHampster's picture

should I lie?  Should I say what the women here want me to say or what I saw?

Maybe I'm your laboratory rat for male chauvanist thinking, but that is me so use it for good, not to throw feminist talking points my way.

:-?

Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform

If Hillary had been a male the press wouldn't have batted an eye.  When men do something like this they're "strong and forceful leaders".  When women do exactly the same thing, they're b*tches. 

While I recognize that it would be good to keep it under control in view of the above, this was a simple statement of fact.  Hillary, not Bill, is SoS.  Anyone looking for more in it is reaching.

Creeper, I totally agree with you.

If only they could walk in our shoes for even 24 hours to see what it's like.

"Right wing sledge hammers never, ever help us."  Pacific John

twandx's picture

www.reclusiveleftist.com/2009/08/06/hate-crime-disappears-into-the-memory-hole/#comments

57 comments on this article by Violet Socks and not a womanists/feminist talking point among them.  Here is a part of number 18 -
 

“I remember reading a comment elsewhere saying that to this guy [the aerobics class murderer], as to others (though not all), women existed as a “form of consumption”. They aren’t real people with their own dreams, interests, strengths and flaws, hobbies and jobs, families and friends… they exist to “be consumed by men”.
– Esther”

 

I wonder if anybody ever stands-up and asks Bill what Hillary thinks of issues when he is speaking in other countries?  I kinda doubt it.

Exactly.

"Right wing sledge hammers never, ever help us."  Pacific John

Give that girl a gold star. 

Excuse me?  EXCUSE ME??  No, on second thought, I don't need to be excused.  How about my response came out of my own individual brain and heart.  I don't have to repeat any group's "talking points" to express my opinion and reflect my own personal life's experiences.

No, no one said you have to "lie", but don't get your knickers in a ridiculous twist if we don't happen to agree with you.  Do you want this blog to be the Hampster's echo chamber?  Sheesh.

Like I said before, it's clearly a gender thing.  You see mouthy Hillary, I see a strong, take-no-prisoners Secretary of State.

"Right wing sledge hammers never, ever help us."  Pacific John

NewHampster's picture

n/t

Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform

NewHampster's picture

The Portsmouth "Town Hall" protesters were showing up at 9 this morning.  I think they'll be in their cars for a few minutes riding out this massive thunder storm.

Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform

twandx's picture

"W" left the keys to the higher power in the football for Obie to use. 

That thing looks wicked - don't send it our way.

NewHampster's picture

I know you're thrilled, but here is the local live feed of the Portsmouth, NH event.  Inside only.  If I find a feed of the protesters I'll post it.

http://www.wmur.com/video/20356171/

They must not be allowing any cameras outside.  Normally our local cable news, NECN would be out there interviewing peopl.

Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform

I am watching this townhall on T.V.  Boy, is that gym packed to the gills.  Obama is trying to make jokes, as usual, and he is spouting a load of crap, as usual.  I would like to know just how he thinks he is going to change what insurance companies do and how they conduct business?  These are private companies, not government owned.  They will continue to deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions, charge ridiculous amounts for premiums, drop people who have to make a lot of claims and in general do business as usual.  Everything Obama is just a bunch of baloney that all these people in this gym in Portsmouth seem to be swallowing pretty easily. 

NewHampster's picture

GOMA, Congo -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called Tuesday for the release of Burma pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, saying she "should not have been convicted" on a charge of violating house arrest. 

Suu Kyi, the 64-year-old Nobel Peace laureate, has been in detention in Myanmar, also known as Burma, for 14 of the last 20 years, mostly under house arrest. She has now been ordered to serve an 18-month sentence for allowing an uninvited American to stay at her home. 

"She should not have been tried. She should not have been convicted," Clinton told a news conference here. "We continue to call for her release." 

Clinton said the United States is also concerned about the seven-year sentence imposed on the American, John Yettaw, who suffers from medical problems. 

"We also call for the release of more than 2,000 political prisoners including the American, John Yettaw," she said. "We are concerned about the harsh sentence imposed on him especially in light of his medical condition." 

Monday's ruling by the head of the military-run country drew criticism from world leaders. Suu Kyi's trial has sparked international outrage and calls for her release and that of Myanmar's more than 2,000 other political prisoners. 

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/11/clinton-condemns-conviction-burmas-suu-kyi/

Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform

NewHampster's picture

I'm going on vacation.  To my other websites for some virtual R&R.

relax relax relax

Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform

What other websites?  

You have to stay and see how it ends.  If you go on vacation you have to pack us Partizanes up along with your wheel and take us with you. 

But we sure do understand the temptation to chuck it all sometimes.  Wanna go for a boat ride?  I'll show ya' stuff like this:

See the part of the tree where the bark is missing?  Beavers are working on this tree.  The slough where it grows is rapidly filling in.  The beavers are probably figuring on this tree as the foundation for a new dam. 

Here's what the chips they take off the tree look like:

Each of those long runs of wood is made by the beaver's front incisors.  They go along a tree or branch like humans eating corn on the cob.  When the chips reach two or three inches in width they fall off the tree.  Then the beaver goes a little deeper on the next run.

They don't always drop the tree where they want it.  The islands are full of trees that were miscalculated and fell halfway, only to be stopped by a neighboring tree.  Then it's back to the drawing board for the beavers.

Boat leaves in an hour.  All aboard.

 

twandx's picture

Good Diplomacy Dismissed as "Clinton's a Bitch"

 

| posted by Melissa McEwan | Tuesday, August 11, 2009
 

The question, as asked, was a deeply misogynist one. It disrespected Clinton as the United States Secretary of State, and it disrespected her as a person, specifically because she's a woman. What does your husband think? You are merely the wife of an important man.

This is not an attitude that should be encouraged or even tolerated with a clenched-tooth smile. It is a dangerous, pernicious attitude that keeps women oppressed all over the world—including in Congo, where deeply sexist attitudes underlie an appalling rape epidemic, prompting Clinton to pledge to prioritize the prevention of sexual violence in the US peacekeeping efforts in Congo, noting the institutional corruption anti-rape advocates are up against in the country: "We have to speak out against the impunity of those in positions of authority who either commit these crimes or condone them. There are even some cases of these terrible crimes committed by members of the Congolese military."

shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2009/08/good-diplomacy-dismissed-as-clintons.html

This says it all:  "This is not an attitude that should be encouraged or even tolerated with a clenched-tooth smile. It is a dangerous, pernicious attitude that keeps women oppressed all over the world...."

Thanks, twandx, for the link.  I'm so proud of Secretary Clinton for standing up for all women, everywhere.

"Right wing sledge hammers never, ever help us."  Pacific John

twandx's picture

I'm proud of you for using the phrase, "you go, woman" in one of your great comments.  You show respect for Hillary and all women including yourself. 

I know there are those who say "girl" is OK and that it's silly to make a fuss about words but historically and presently, words do count.  Words influence, demean and continue to condition women to be all that a "girl" [pre-pubic female] can be.  And that grown up women are not a good thing to be.

There are some great articles supporting women and I was happily surprised to hear Mary Matialin praising Sec. Clinton for all her hard work during an interview at CNN.  The boyz had brought her in to condemn Hillary's reaction to the question but Mary stuck it right back into their faces.

 

...do count, twandx.  Btw, did you see BTD's piece on "Patriarchy?"  http://www.talkleft.com/story/2009/8/11/81636/8325

P.S.  Go Matalin!  Misogyny is not a Democratic vs. Republican issue, it's a woman's issue...period.  Ask Sarah Palin.

"Right wing sledge hammers never, ever help us."  Pacific John

Whatever it was, this handful of words is getting a heluva lot more attention than it deserves.  Isn't that the way it always goes when a woman steps out of line?

Phooey on 'em.  They're gonna drive me back to the river.  Forgot to unhook the boat last night, so it's ready to go.  Seems a shame to waste it...