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marmar
marmar's Journal
marmar's Journal
May 11, 2024
(Detroit Free Press) OCEOLA TWP. — More animals belonging to a troubled rescue operator have been seized, this time from an Oceola Township farm in Livingston County.
The Devoted Barn founder, Melissa Borden, 50, already faces felony animal cruelty and abandonment charges in Livingston and Genesee counties. In Livingston County, deputies seized farm animals from a property in Tyrone Township. In Genesee County, an investigation was launched into dog housing in Grand Blanc.
On Tuesday, April 30, deputies with LCSO executed a search warrant at a farm on Mack Road in Oceola Township, another site where the rescue keeps animals.
"We ended up seizing five animals on the direction of a veterinarian," Lt. Chad Sell told The Daily on Thursday. ................(more)
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/community/oceola-township/2024/05/09/deputies-seize-yet-more-animals-from-the-devoted-barn/73628482007/
Deputies seize yet more animals from The Devoted Barn
(Detroit Free Press) OCEOLA TWP. — More animals belonging to a troubled rescue operator have been seized, this time from an Oceola Township farm in Livingston County.
The Devoted Barn founder, Melissa Borden, 50, already faces felony animal cruelty and abandonment charges in Livingston and Genesee counties. In Livingston County, deputies seized farm animals from a property in Tyrone Township. In Genesee County, an investigation was launched into dog housing in Grand Blanc.
On Tuesday, April 30, deputies with LCSO executed a search warrant at a farm on Mack Road in Oceola Township, another site where the rescue keeps animals.
"We ended up seizing five animals on the direction of a veterinarian," Lt. Chad Sell told The Daily on Thursday. ................(more)
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/community/oceola-township/2024/05/09/deputies-seize-yet-more-animals-from-the-devoted-barn/73628482007/
May 11, 2024
Police in Milton, Florida arrested a man after he pulled a gun on an Uber driver earlier this week who was dropping his daughter off. Sean Hollonbeck forced the driver out of the car and onto the ground and has since been charged with false imprisonment and aggravated assault with a weapon, WEAR News reports. After pulling him out of the car, Hollonbeck reportedly forced the driver to lie down in the roadway, show his driver’s license so he could photograph it, and allow him to photograph his license plate, his Uber account and the address where he picked up Hollonbeck’s daughter.
As it turned out, the 13-year-old snuck out of the house Saturday night and took an Uber to Pensacola, about 30 minutes away. When he discovered she’d snuck out, he reportedly called both the Santa Rosa County and Escambia County sheriff’s offices, but didn’t get much help from either department. So when she got back home, he made the only logical decision and pulled a gun on the completely innocent Uber driver.
It’s not entirely clear what kind of gun Hollonbeck used. WEAR News said it was a .22 rifle, but Fox 35 Orlando reports it was actually an AR-15. Either one could be deadly at close range, and having any gun pointed in your face is going to make for a bad day.
If you assumed Hollonbeck would have seen the error of his ways after his arrest and being fired from his job, though, you couldn’t possibly be more wrong. He is doubling down, insisting that he did everything right. ................(more)
https://jalopnik.com/florida-man-whines-about-his-ruined-reputation-after-pu-1851469570
Florida Man Whines About His Ruined Reputation After Pulling Gun On Uber Driver
Police in Milton, Florida arrested a man after he pulled a gun on an Uber driver earlier this week who was dropping his daughter off. Sean Hollonbeck forced the driver out of the car and onto the ground and has since been charged with false imprisonment and aggravated assault with a weapon, WEAR News reports. After pulling him out of the car, Hollonbeck reportedly forced the driver to lie down in the roadway, show his driver’s license so he could photograph it, and allow him to photograph his license plate, his Uber account and the address where he picked up Hollonbeck’s daughter.
As it turned out, the 13-year-old snuck out of the house Saturday night and took an Uber to Pensacola, about 30 minutes away. When he discovered she’d snuck out, he reportedly called both the Santa Rosa County and Escambia County sheriff’s offices, but didn’t get much help from either department. So when she got back home, he made the only logical decision and pulled a gun on the completely innocent Uber driver.
It’s not entirely clear what kind of gun Hollonbeck used. WEAR News said it was a .22 rifle, but Fox 35 Orlando reports it was actually an AR-15. Either one could be deadly at close range, and having any gun pointed in your face is going to make for a bad day.
If you assumed Hollonbeck would have seen the error of his ways after his arrest and being fired from his job, though, you couldn’t possibly be more wrong. He is doubling down, insisting that he did everything right. ................(more)
https://jalopnik.com/florida-man-whines-about-his-ruined-reputation-after-pu-1851469570
May 11, 2024
Targeting the voting booth for Trump is a massive operation to return the authoritarian to the White House
By GREGG BARAK
Contributing Writer
PUBLISHED MAY 11, 2024 6:00AM (EDT)
(Salon) In his recent interview with Time magazine, Donald Trump shared a litany of false grievances and real promises should he return to the White House. His promises include, among other things, “authoritarian power grabs, administrative cronyism, mass deportations of the undocumented, harassment of women over abortion, trade wars and vengeance brought upon his rivals and enemies.”
....(snip)....
Project 2025 is a coalition of 100 organizations under the leadership of the far-right Heritage Foundation with the goal of institutionalizing Trumpism. Last fall the Washington Post wrote: “Trump and his allies have begun mapping out specific plans for using the federal government to punish critics and opponents should he win a second term; with the former president naming individuals he wants to investigate or prosecute and his associates drafting plans to potentially invoke the Insurrection Act on the first day in office to allow him to deploy the military against civil demonstrators.”
Authoritarian expert and author of Strongman: Mussolini to the Present Ruth Ben-Ghat describes Project 2025 as “a plan for an authoritarian takeover of America that goes by a deceptively neutral name. It brings together all of the ideological strands that supported Trump during his first presidency, and more who have joined the battle since then,” such as white Christian nationalists and far-right Catholics who favor the lessening or abolition of the separation of Church and State.
....(snip)....
Rolling Stone claims that “Trump and his allies have been working since his 2020 defeat to game the system in his favor ahead of a third run at the White House.” These include “auditioning lawyers” to challenge the 2024 election; “working to stop states from using data provided by Electronic Information Center (ERIC) to spot voting irregularities and identify unregistered voters''; and “trying to promote a MAGA version of ERIC” as some kind of alternative. ................(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/05/11/project-2025-targets-2024/
Project 2025 targets election 2024
Project 2025 targets election 2024Targeting the voting booth for Trump is a massive operation to return the authoritarian to the White House
By GREGG BARAK
Contributing Writer
PUBLISHED MAY 11, 2024 6:00AM (EDT)
(Salon) In his recent interview with Time magazine, Donald Trump shared a litany of false grievances and real promises should he return to the White House. His promises include, among other things, “authoritarian power grabs, administrative cronyism, mass deportations of the undocumented, harassment of women over abortion, trade wars and vengeance brought upon his rivals and enemies.”
....(snip)....
Project 2025 is a coalition of 100 organizations under the leadership of the far-right Heritage Foundation with the goal of institutionalizing Trumpism. Last fall the Washington Post wrote: “Trump and his allies have begun mapping out specific plans for using the federal government to punish critics and opponents should he win a second term; with the former president naming individuals he wants to investigate or prosecute and his associates drafting plans to potentially invoke the Insurrection Act on the first day in office to allow him to deploy the military against civil demonstrators.”
Authoritarian expert and author of Strongman: Mussolini to the Present Ruth Ben-Ghat describes Project 2025 as “a plan for an authoritarian takeover of America that goes by a deceptively neutral name. It brings together all of the ideological strands that supported Trump during his first presidency, and more who have joined the battle since then,” such as white Christian nationalists and far-right Catholics who favor the lessening or abolition of the separation of Church and State.
....(snip)....
Rolling Stone claims that “Trump and his allies have been working since his 2020 defeat to game the system in his favor ahead of a third run at the White House.” These include “auditioning lawyers” to challenge the 2024 election; “working to stop states from using data provided by Electronic Information Center (ERIC) to spot voting irregularities and identify unregistered voters''; and “trying to promote a MAGA version of ERIC” as some kind of alternative. ................(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/05/11/project-2025-targets-2024/
May 11, 2024
DETROIT (WWJ) -- Many Detroiters have visited the Ren Cen, Huntington Place, MGM Casino and The Whitney…but have you ever ventured up to their rooftops?
If you did, you’d undoubtedly find a great view of the city — but you’d also discover some rather unexpected residents who are working hard to help build a stronger environment for Detroit.
....(snip)....
Along with the aforementioned locations, hives can be found atop of places like the Albert Kahn-designed Belt Line Center, the Free Press Building, the Foundation Hotel, the Shinola Hotel, Detroit's Outdoor Adventure Center and the Detroit City Distillery, as well as Metro Detroit spots like Leon and Lulu, Birmingham Country Club, Grosse Pointe Yacht Club and more.
Locally, Bees in the D has introduced more than 12 million bees into our environment, and transformed otherwise unused spaces into buzzing sanctuaries that are helping to create a more sustainable community. ......................(more)
https://www.audacy.com/wwjnewsradio/news/local/the-detroit-rooftops-that-are-home-to-millions-of-honeybees
The rooftops of these famous Detroit buildings are home to millions of honeybees - and they're creating a stronger envir
DETROIT (WWJ) -- Many Detroiters have visited the Ren Cen, Huntington Place, MGM Casino and The Whitney…but have you ever ventured up to their rooftops?
If you did, you’d undoubtedly find a great view of the city — but you’d also discover some rather unexpected residents who are working hard to help build a stronger environment for Detroit.
....(snip)....
Along with the aforementioned locations, hives can be found atop of places like the Albert Kahn-designed Belt Line Center, the Free Press Building, the Foundation Hotel, the Shinola Hotel, Detroit's Outdoor Adventure Center and the Detroit City Distillery, as well as Metro Detroit spots like Leon and Lulu, Birmingham Country Club, Grosse Pointe Yacht Club and more.
Locally, Bees in the D has introduced more than 12 million bees into our environment, and transformed otherwise unused spaces into buzzing sanctuaries that are helping to create a more sustainable community. ......................(more)
https://www.audacy.com/wwjnewsradio/news/local/the-detroit-rooftops-that-are-home-to-millions-of-honeybees
May 10, 2024
(Salon) When all else fails, blame the interviewer.
Kristi Noem, the Republican governor of South Dakota, is lashing out at Margaret Brennan, host of CBS’s Face the Nation, after a ruinous interview over the weekend.
....(snip)....
But Noem, who refused to address the false anecdote or otherwise discuss her "many, many" interactions with foreign leaders, insists she is a victim.
“In the fake news media, there are two sets of rules, and conservative[s] are always treated differently,” she said. “That’s why Americans don’t trust the Fake News.” ...........(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/05/06/kristi-noem/
Kristi Noem claims liberal bias is why her interview on CBS went so poorly
(Salon) When all else fails, blame the interviewer.
Kristi Noem, the Republican governor of South Dakota, is lashing out at Margaret Brennan, host of CBS’s Face the Nation, after a ruinous interview over the weekend.
....(snip)....
But Noem, who refused to address the false anecdote or otherwise discuss her "many, many" interactions with foreign leaders, insists she is a victim.
“In the fake news media, there are two sets of rules, and conservative[s] are always treated differently,” she said. “That’s why Americans don’t trust the Fake News.” ...........(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/05/06/kristi-noem/
May 10, 2024
"Reaching her expiration date": How Marjorie Taylor Greene fell so fast from MAGA stardom
Once a fundraising powerhouse for the GOP, MTG now unites Republicans and Democrats who want her to go away
By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MAY 10, 2024 5:45AM (EDT)
(Salon) Making an Icarus allusion is tempting, except it would go right over MAGA heads. Plus the Greek myth of the ambitious young man who flies too close to the sun and falls to his death is a tragic story. But there was nothing sad about watching Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., faceplant on live TV late Wednesday. Earlier in the day, it seemed that Greene was backing off her ongoing threat to move to oust Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La. Republicans in Congress repeatedly made it clear to Greene that there was no chance of success if she tried this. Not only did most Republicans oppose her efforts, but even most Democrats were ready to block her motion. Even Donald Trump, the not-so-secret actual leader of House Republicans, issued condescending social media posts warning her this "will negatively affect everything!"
Faced with certain defeat, Greene made noises on Tuesday suggesting that she was finally backing down. New York Times reporting suggests, however, that her ego simply could not allow her to admit that she's not the head honcho of the House GOP. By calling for the vote and failing spectacularly — she only got 11 Republicans to join her — Greene only proved how little power she actually holds. Now she's running around accusing Democrats and Republicans of being a "uniparty." In reality, the two sides agree on very little, except a shared belief that Greene should shut up and go away.
....(snip)....
Greene's belief that she is a major power player who can force the GOP to bend to her will didn't come out of nowhere. It wasn't that long ago that her conspiracy theory-heavy brand of MAGA trolling made her a rising star in the GOP. Her unique ability to "trigger" liberals made her a sought-after guest on right-wing media outlets and a powerhouse fundraiser for the party. During the 2022 midterms, the Daily Beast reported, Republican politicians were practically begging her for endorsements, viewed as second only to getting Trump's public blessing.
....(snip)....
"She" is the explanation here. The Christian right-controlled GOP sees women as support staff, not leaders. Greene was beloved when she paid little mind to legislative work and spent all her time spewing invective to rally the MAGA troops. She was playing the part of a cheerleader, albeit one from a right-wing hell dimension. When she jumped in the huddle and started trying to call plays, however, that's where they drew the line. ...............(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/05/10/reaching-her-expiration-date-how-marjorie-taylor-greene-fell-so-fast-from-maga-stardom/
"Reaching her expiration date": How Marjorie Taylor Greene fell so fast from MAGA stardom
"Reaching her expiration date": How Marjorie Taylor Greene fell so fast from MAGA stardom
Once a fundraising powerhouse for the GOP, MTG now unites Republicans and Democrats who want her to go away
By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MAY 10, 2024 5:45AM (EDT)
(Salon) Making an Icarus allusion is tempting, except it would go right over MAGA heads. Plus the Greek myth of the ambitious young man who flies too close to the sun and falls to his death is a tragic story. But there was nothing sad about watching Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., faceplant on live TV late Wednesday. Earlier in the day, it seemed that Greene was backing off her ongoing threat to move to oust Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La. Republicans in Congress repeatedly made it clear to Greene that there was no chance of success if she tried this. Not only did most Republicans oppose her efforts, but even most Democrats were ready to block her motion. Even Donald Trump, the not-so-secret actual leader of House Republicans, issued condescending social media posts warning her this "will negatively affect everything!"
Faced with certain defeat, Greene made noises on Tuesday suggesting that she was finally backing down. New York Times reporting suggests, however, that her ego simply could not allow her to admit that she's not the head honcho of the House GOP. By calling for the vote and failing spectacularly — she only got 11 Republicans to join her — Greene only proved how little power she actually holds. Now she's running around accusing Democrats and Republicans of being a "uniparty." In reality, the two sides agree on very little, except a shared belief that Greene should shut up and go away.
....(snip)....
Greene's belief that she is a major power player who can force the GOP to bend to her will didn't come out of nowhere. It wasn't that long ago that her conspiracy theory-heavy brand of MAGA trolling made her a rising star in the GOP. Her unique ability to "trigger" liberals made her a sought-after guest on right-wing media outlets and a powerhouse fundraiser for the party. During the 2022 midterms, the Daily Beast reported, Republican politicians were practically begging her for endorsements, viewed as second only to getting Trump's public blessing.
....(snip)....
"She" is the explanation here. The Christian right-controlled GOP sees women as support staff, not leaders. Greene was beloved when she paid little mind to legislative work and spent all her time spewing invective to rally the MAGA troops. She was playing the part of a cheerleader, albeit one from a right-wing hell dimension. When she jumped in the huddle and started trying to call plays, however, that's where they drew the line. ...............(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/05/10/reaching-her-expiration-date-how-marjorie-taylor-greene-fell-so-fast-from-maga-stardom/
May 9, 2024
As volunteer collectives bring Mexico to the forefront of abortion access, they have also prioritized emotional wellness for those providing support.
BY CHANTAL FLORES
4 MIN READ
MAY 6, 2024
(YES! Magazine) Once a year, Vanessa Jiménez travels to the Lacandon jungle in southern Mexico. At her home in the northern city of Monterrey, more than 900 miles from the jungle, she divides her days between working as a graphic designer, running an advocacy organization for gender-based violence, and volunteering with the Necesito Abortar (I Need an Abortion) network to provide support for safe abortions.
Traveling to the jungle, though sometimes difficult, is an important part of her self-care strategy. The hot and humid weather, the rough terrain, and the level of attention it requires help her to decompress from the abortion activism she’s doing in the northern state of Nuevo León.
....(snip)....
Jiménez and her long-time partner, Sandra Cardona, are the founders of Necesito Abortar, a group of 20 “acompañantes” (companions) that provide support throughout the abortion process. Most of the companions receive no financial remuneration and carry out this work in addition to their paid jobs and daily commitments. While these volunteer collectives have brought Mexico to the forefront of abortion access, there is one struggle that goes largely unnoticed: the health and emotional well-being of these volunteers.
....(snip)....
Mexico’s Supreme Court decriminalized abortion on the federal level in 2023 and requires federal health facilities to offer and provide abortion care. However, medical workers can still refuse to carry out terminations, and 20 of Mexico’s 32 states still have criminal abortion laws. ................(more)
https://www.yesmagazine.org/health-happiness/2024/05/06/mexico-healthcare-abortion-volunteer
How Mexico's Abortion Activists Care for Each Other--and Themselves
How Mexico’s Abortion Activists Care for Each Other—and ThemselvesAs volunteer collectives bring Mexico to the forefront of abortion access, they have also prioritized emotional wellness for those providing support.
BY CHANTAL FLORES
4 MIN READ
MAY 6, 2024
(YES! Magazine) Once a year, Vanessa Jiménez travels to the Lacandon jungle in southern Mexico. At her home in the northern city of Monterrey, more than 900 miles from the jungle, she divides her days between working as a graphic designer, running an advocacy organization for gender-based violence, and volunteering with the Necesito Abortar (I Need an Abortion) network to provide support for safe abortions.
Traveling to the jungle, though sometimes difficult, is an important part of her self-care strategy. The hot and humid weather, the rough terrain, and the level of attention it requires help her to decompress from the abortion activism she’s doing in the northern state of Nuevo León.
....(snip)....
Jiménez and her long-time partner, Sandra Cardona, are the founders of Necesito Abortar, a group of 20 “acompañantes” (companions) that provide support throughout the abortion process. Most of the companions receive no financial remuneration and carry out this work in addition to their paid jobs and daily commitments. While these volunteer collectives have brought Mexico to the forefront of abortion access, there is one struggle that goes largely unnoticed: the health and emotional well-being of these volunteers.
....(snip)....
Mexico’s Supreme Court decriminalized abortion on the federal level in 2023 and requires federal health facilities to offer and provide abortion care. However, medical workers can still refuse to carry out terminations, and 20 of Mexico’s 32 states still have criminal abortion laws. ................(more)
https://www.yesmagazine.org/health-happiness/2024/05/06/mexico-healthcare-abortion-volunteer
May 9, 2024
Trump trial delays bring focus to crucial Supreme Court case
The Supreme Court is preparing to make Donald Trump a de facto dictator
By CHAUNCEY DEVEGA
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MAY 9, 2024 5:45AM (EDT)
(Salon) Donald Trump’s hush-money trial in New York is like an insatiable maw or some type of blackhole or a galactic vacuum cleaner that is sucking up everything around it.
....(snip)....
But the mainstream news media’s obsession with the hush-money trial is committing the error of mostly ignoring Donald Trump’s attempts to convince the United States Supreme Court that he is basically a king and above the law because of “presidential immunity.” The court’s right-wing justices – three of whom were appointed by Donald Trump – appear likely to grant, in part or in whole, Trump’s demand for nearly unlimited power and by doing so to fundamentally betray the Constitution and American democracy.
....(snip)....
Writing at the Nation, Elie Mystal shares his assessment of the American mainstream news media and its failures to properly cover the Supreme Court and Trump’s claims of unlimited power:
....(snip)....
The American news media, and especially the elite agenda-setting news media such as the New York Times and Washington Post, have a responsibility to adequately cover both the hush-money trial and Donald Trump’s plans and aspirations to be a dictator. Moreover, the elite agenda-setting news media possess the necessary resources to practice that type of essential pro-democracy journalism if they so choose. ...............(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/05/09/trial-delays-bring-focus-to-crucial-case/
Trump trial delays bring focus to crucial Supreme Court case
Trump trial delays bring focus to crucial Supreme Court case
The Supreme Court is preparing to make Donald Trump a de facto dictator
By CHAUNCEY DEVEGA
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MAY 9, 2024 5:45AM (EDT)
(Salon) Donald Trump’s hush-money trial in New York is like an insatiable maw or some type of blackhole or a galactic vacuum cleaner that is sucking up everything around it.
....(snip)....
But the mainstream news media’s obsession with the hush-money trial is committing the error of mostly ignoring Donald Trump’s attempts to convince the United States Supreme Court that he is basically a king and above the law because of “presidential immunity.” The court’s right-wing justices – three of whom were appointed by Donald Trump – appear likely to grant, in part or in whole, Trump’s demand for nearly unlimited power and by doing so to fundamentally betray the Constitution and American democracy.
....(snip)....
Writing at the Nation, Elie Mystal shares his assessment of the American mainstream news media and its failures to properly cover the Supreme Court and Trump’s claims of unlimited power:
In the few days since the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Trump v. United States—the case that will determine whether Donald Trump has lifetime immunity from crimes he committed while in office—the national media has failed. The reports about what happened during the hearing, and how the Republican justices are likely to rule, range from credulous simplicity to outright gaslighting. The court will almost certainly take the extreme, unprecedented, and previously unfathomable position that Trump cannot be held criminally accountable for all of his actions—and the reason it is likely to do so is that the court knows the media will carry its water and normalize its ruling to a public that lacks the time and acumen to fully appreciate what it’s doing.
I’m not talking about Fox News or Newsmax, whose coverage I have not read or watched but assume it’s ranged from cultish to clownish, as it always does. I’m talking about the mainstream press, the so-called “liberal” press, which is taking its cue from the Supreme Court and trying to normalize the proposition that presidents should be immune from at least some crimes.
The idea of presidential criminal immunity is wholly unprecedented in the American experience. Other than Donald Trump, only Richard Nixon has claimed it, and Nixon’s argument was roundly rejected, not just by the courts but also by the media-industrial complex. This time, however, Trump’s claim—and the court’s bankrupt willingness to back it—is finding purchase in the national media.
....(snip)....
The American news media, and especially the elite agenda-setting news media such as the New York Times and Washington Post, have a responsibility to adequately cover both the hush-money trial and Donald Trump’s plans and aspirations to be a dictator. Moreover, the elite agenda-setting news media possess the necessary resources to practice that type of essential pro-democracy journalism if they so choose. ...............(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/05/09/trial-delays-bring-focus-to-crucial-case/
May 9, 2024
(Salon) Actress Halle Berry, 57, took to Capitol Hill last week to lobby for bipartisan legislation aimed at increasing clinical research into — and de-stigmatizing — menopause. Sponsored by Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Ala.), the bill would allot a total of $275 million in federal funds for menopause-related initiatives.
$125 million would be set aside for clinical trials, and public health research into hormone therapy treatments used to manage symptoms like hot flashes. The other $150 million would be spent improving menopause detection and diagnosis among doctors, and educating the public on the long-stigmatized topic in women's health.
"I'm here doing this work because it has to be de-stigmatized. The shame has to be taken out of menopause. We have to talk about this very normal part of our life that happens. Our doctors can't even say the word to us, let alone walk us through the journey of what our menopausal years look like," Berry said. "I'm here as a citizen of the United States, as a woman who is demanding that our government give us what we need because we deserve it. We have been overlooked. We have been discarded for far too long." .............(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/05/08/im-in-menopause-halle-berry-shouts-to-end-stigma/?in_brief=true
"I'm in menopause!" Halle Berry shouts to end stigma
(Salon) Actress Halle Berry, 57, took to Capitol Hill last week to lobby for bipartisan legislation aimed at increasing clinical research into — and de-stigmatizing — menopause. Sponsored by Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Ala.), the bill would allot a total of $275 million in federal funds for menopause-related initiatives.
$125 million would be set aside for clinical trials, and public health research into hormone therapy treatments used to manage symptoms like hot flashes. The other $150 million would be spent improving menopause detection and diagnosis among doctors, and educating the public on the long-stigmatized topic in women's health.
"I'm here doing this work because it has to be de-stigmatized. The shame has to be taken out of menopause. We have to talk about this very normal part of our life that happens. Our doctors can't even say the word to us, let alone walk us through the journey of what our menopausal years look like," Berry said. "I'm here as a citizen of the United States, as a woman who is demanding that our government give us what we need because we deserve it. We have been overlooked. We have been discarded for far too long." .............(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/05/08/im-in-menopause-halle-berry-shouts-to-end-stigma/?in_brief=true
May 9, 2024
Stormy Daniels testimony reveals the triumph of #MeToo
The media's coverage of a key witness against Donald Trump has been surprisingly nuanced and thoughtful
By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MAY 9, 2024 6:00AM (EDT)
(Salon) Until her long-anticipated testimony at Donald Trump's Manhattan fraud trial Tuesday, the mainstream media had leaned on misleading terms like "affair" and "tryst" to describe the alleged 2006 sexual encounter between Stormy Daniels and the criminal defendant. So I was braced for callous reactions to her time on the witness stand, where the adult film actress described an encounter with Trump far more harrowing than titillating.
....(snip)....
But when I observed the media response, I was glad to see that, despite such anxiety-producing ambiguity, mainstream journalists openly grappled with the darker implications of what Daniels recounted. The headline at the Washington Post report by Perry Stein and Devlin Barrett spelled out that Daniels' testimony "at times sounded like a nonconsensual sexual encounter." On MSNBC, host Nicole Wallace expressed regret for previously reducing Daniels to her job, noting that she's also a mother and a human being. One of the New York Times live reporters noted that earlier versions of her story were less "ominous," but then immediately offered context: "Experts on traumatic sexual experiences say that a person's perception of such encounters can change over time, and that the most traumatic details may emerge only later." David Graham at the Atlantic wrote that Daniels described Trump as a man "dripping with sexual entitlement and presumption."
This all feels like a shift from how such matters were written about less than a decade ago. In the past, most journalists took a legalistic, black-and-white approach to the issue of sexual consent. If a description of an encounter didn't meet a criminal definition of sexual assault, it was assumed both parties were willing and eager. Sex was treated as either fully consensual or rape, ignoring the icky truth that there are a lot of nonconsensual-but-not-provably-illegal encounters.
....(snip)....
This is also why it matters now that the media is willing to deal with the complexities of the testimony Daniels offered Tuesday. This isn't just a salacious tabloid story. It cuts right to the heart of the bigger, more impactful issue of what it means to let men like Trump have power. This is the same man who, after all, made a promise to end abortion rights — and it was one of the few promises he kept. His misogyny and male entitlement matter not just to the unfortunate women who cross his path, but the millions who now have lost basic rights to bodily autonomy. ................(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/05/09/stormy-daniels-testimony-reveals-the-triumph-of-metoo/
Stormy Daniels testimony reveals the triumph of #MeToo
Stormy Daniels testimony reveals the triumph of #MeToo
The media's coverage of a key witness against Donald Trump has been surprisingly nuanced and thoughtful
By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MAY 9, 2024 6:00AM (EDT)
(Salon) Until her long-anticipated testimony at Donald Trump's Manhattan fraud trial Tuesday, the mainstream media had leaned on misleading terms like "affair" and "tryst" to describe the alleged 2006 sexual encounter between Stormy Daniels and the criminal defendant. So I was braced for callous reactions to her time on the witness stand, where the adult film actress described an encounter with Trump far more harrowing than titillating.
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But when I observed the media response, I was glad to see that, despite such anxiety-producing ambiguity, mainstream journalists openly grappled with the darker implications of what Daniels recounted. The headline at the Washington Post report by Perry Stein and Devlin Barrett spelled out that Daniels' testimony "at times sounded like a nonconsensual sexual encounter." On MSNBC, host Nicole Wallace expressed regret for previously reducing Daniels to her job, noting that she's also a mother and a human being. One of the New York Times live reporters noted that earlier versions of her story were less "ominous," but then immediately offered context: "Experts on traumatic sexual experiences say that a person's perception of such encounters can change over time, and that the most traumatic details may emerge only later." David Graham at the Atlantic wrote that Daniels described Trump as a man "dripping with sexual entitlement and presumption."
This all feels like a shift from how such matters were written about less than a decade ago. In the past, most journalists took a legalistic, black-and-white approach to the issue of sexual consent. If a description of an encounter didn't meet a criminal definition of sexual assault, it was assumed both parties were willing and eager. Sex was treated as either fully consensual or rape, ignoring the icky truth that there are a lot of nonconsensual-but-not-provably-illegal encounters.
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This is also why it matters now that the media is willing to deal with the complexities of the testimony Daniels offered Tuesday. This isn't just a salacious tabloid story. It cuts right to the heart of the bigger, more impactful issue of what it means to let men like Trump have power. This is the same man who, after all, made a promise to end abortion rights — and it was one of the few promises he kept. His misogyny and male entitlement matter not just to the unfortunate women who cross his path, but the millions who now have lost basic rights to bodily autonomy. ................(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/05/09/stormy-daniels-testimony-reveals-the-triumph-of-metoo/
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