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I hate to say it, but it's true: Twitter is the new political arena. Get on it. Do it. You're missing out if you aren't.
All over the twitterverse yesterday was a rally cry from the UK: #welovetheNHS. I follow a few people from Scotland and England, and all day they responded to the attacks by American conservatives on the National Health Service in the UK. Thousands of people added a "I (heart) the NHS" banner to their profile pictures. By the end of the day, their message was one of the top trending topics on twitter worldwide. The impact from the twitter campaign was so large that Rachel Maddow mentioned it on her (fantastic) show on MSNBC, and I heard a lenghty diatribe about it on NPR this morning.
See? Twitter. Grassroots politick-ing at its finest.
The point that all these tweeting-brits/scots are making is this: Never do any of them worry about getting life saving care if they need it. They never have to make health care decisions based on cost--ever. Thousands of anecdotes and facts were posted yesterday in this huge wave of support, and i can't even begin to list them all -- see for youself here. But it comes down to this: No one can say that the NHS is a perfect system. Like any healthcare program, it has challenges and flaws, mainly having to do with waiting periods for (non-life-saving) procedures. And, no one is saying that we should make an exact copy of the NHS here in the US. But, consider this: the US spends TWICE what the UK does on healthcare (that is, twice percentage of GDP)- yet we still have 50 million people without healthcare. In the UK, there is not ONE PERSON without healthcare. Not one.
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A rant like that deserves a good meal. In my salute to the UK, I present my favorite fish & chips.
The Red Lion- A real, authentic ENGLISH bar. In a city with a million Irish pubs, this place has character and a real English feel. It also is one of the very first places I ever ate in Chicago. Located right across from the old Biograph Theater (where John Dilinger was shot), it claims to have its very own ghost. I've never seen the ghoul, but the fish & chips are incredible. Flaky, light, non-greasy, with perfect thick chips. Top with vingear and you are good to go.
Cullens- yes, i just bashed Irish pubs-- but this one is the real deal, with an off-the-boat staff to boot. A little bit more pricey than your average Irish dive, this bar prides itself on autheticity. Its fish & chips have a fantastic crunch and come with the perfect amount of coleslaw. Plus, it's right down the street from my house. Winner.
Duke of Perth- And to bring it full circle, a SCOTTISH pub. This place has the biggest scotch (whisky to you scots) collection I have seen in the city, and they aren't afraid to pour heavy. Their fish and chips are among my favorite not just because they are good, but because on Wednesdays and Fridays they are all you can eat for $9.50. Let that sink in. ALL YOU CAN EAT fish & chips. Under $10. I think we both know what you're doing tomorrow night!
Chicago-ans-- agree with my picks? NC-- where are your best places? And what do you think of the NHS? Leave a comment below...
Eunice. There should be more people named Eunice.
Today a great, classy lady died. Most people know Eunice Kennedy Shriver as the sister of JFK, a female bastion of that political dynasty Massachusetts family. Some know her as the mother-in-law of Arnold Swarchenegger, others as the sister of Ted. But to thousands of people, Eunice was known as something even bigger: the founder of the Special Olympics. In a time when intellectual disabilities were taboo, she encouraged her brother Jack to speak openly about their sister Rosemary, who suffered from mild mental retardation. And, in 1968, just a few weeks after her brother Bobby was shot, she kicked off the first Special Olympics here in Chicago. She wanted it to be neither "just for fun" nor "a spectacle," and since that time thousands of disabled persons from all over the globe have participated in the event.
"If she had been a man, she certainly would have been a candidate for president," one biographer wrote of Eunice. Ironically, thanks to women like Eunice, who notoriously convinced her brother the president to leave a Cuban Missle Crisis meeting to recieve a report on intellectually disabled children, we no longer have such boundaries.
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In honor of the great Eunice, I present a celebration of classic Massachusettes chowder-- and where to find it here.
- Shaws Crab House- Well, duh. In a city far, far away from fresh seafood (and dont give me any crap about Lake Michigan), Shaws is the obvious choice for great chowder. Not overly fishy, creamy, lots of black pepper. Mmmm. I prefer to eat mine in the Blue Oyster Bar-- more laid back, and often with live music.
- Whole Foods- Lame, right? A grocery store?? But if you haven't been to their chowder bar, you haven't had chowder in Chicago. (Yes, the new Whole Foods in Lincoln Park has an entire bar dedicated to only chowders. The store is also hilariously right across the street from a gentleman's club. I suppose strippers like chowder too.) They have an amazing crab-and-butternut-squash chowder, and an even better crab-and-corn chowder. It makes my mouth water even thinking about it.
- RL Restaurant- FINE, they dont have chowder. But they do have the best lobster bisque you've ever tasted. In your life. Of all time. Seriously. It's a tad expensive at $8.50 a bowl, but worth every delicious slurp.
What is your favorite seafood soup in the city? Does your local whole foods have a chowder bar? Or, have a tribute to Eunice? That, my friend, is what comments are for. Chow!
Like any true politico, I freaking LOVE talking about healthcare reform. I think most of my love comes from the amazingly terrifying phrases that lobbyists have come up with to drum up support for their side. "Death Committee"- can't you just see a panel of stern-looking men in horn rimmed glasses shuffling through a pile of papers, as one angry looking woman in judges robes bangs her gavel and barks "DEATH!!!" Socialized Medicine" drums up pictures of men in tan uniforms and Hitler mustaches holding syringes and laughing manically as they approach trembling patients. And of course, conservatives are terrified of "losing your family doctor"-- cue a friendly man in a white jacket waving sadly as you drive away from his farmhouse office and toward the Huge And Dark Government Hospital.
Is it clear yet how i feel?
As one who pays for her own (very, very expensive) private healthcare, I have my fingers crossed for a public healthcare option. In the end, I dont enjoy my healthcare decisions being between me, my doctor, my insurance company, their investors, and the panel of doctors they hire to decide which treatment is appropriate for which symptom that I have-- all for the end goal of making money. But an even more important part of the bill is often overlooked-- the part that would forbid companies from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions. Because, y'know, if you're born with it, it may have always existed.
Most importantly, this bill encourages people to have preventative heathcare, instead of reactionary. Example: you can't afford regular healthcare, so you dont go to regular doctors appointments. You ignore that nagging cough/ache/scratch, until you are forced to go the emergency room and rack up expensive bills for an illness that could have easily been detected with regular check-ups.
In the spirit of this reform, and to put preventative health care in your hands (or mouth), I give you the Best Salads in Chicago. Chew on these, and then chew on this-- a Consumer Reports article on heathcare reform.
HP's Preventative Healthcare Special (or, Best Salads in the City)
- Warm Goat Cheese Salad from Julius Meinl. Green beans, arugula, hazelnuts, and warm bacon vinegrette. Because bacon makes everything better.
- Chopped Chicken Salad from Pompei. Hands down, my absolute favorite salad in the city. Chicken, tiny bits of crunchy procuitto, kalmata olives, red onions, gorgonzola cheese, all served over romaine with a sweet italian dressing. For you veggies out there, there is a no-meat version too (Marie's Special). Oh, and they deliver.
- Cobb Salad from Plymouth Bar and Grill. For you Loop-ers, this is a staple after-work beer and cheeseburger joint, with a fantastic rooftop and too many lawyers to count. But their Cobb Salad is the reason I eat here nearly once a week. Filled with goodies like avocado, hard boiled egg, bacon, and artichoke, the real kicker is the toasted pita that comes on the side to scoop everything up. Come to think of it, it's not that healthy. But, it is delicious.
Know an awesome salad? Have a thought on healthcare? Leave me a comment, and I'll post the best ones next time. Stay hungry!
It's 3:26 on a Wednesday, and I am hungry. I can't blame this on an early lunch, or lack of a slim jim, or even the thought of the stale oreos in my cabinet. No, only one thing is to blame for this stomach grumbling:
Bill Clinton.
Yes, Bill. Bill is making me starving. For the first time in years, he is the front story on every single major news outlet. Bill: You are so back. Who needs chubby sexy interns when you can save young, hot reporters from the perils of Kim Jong Il... and your wife can't even get mad? Wait. Who are we kidding. She probably got mad anyway.
Hillary: Dammit, Bill. What is this, a new Asian fetish?
Bill: Honey, I was just--
Hillary: Stop talking. I get to rescue Americans abroad. SECRETARY OF STATE. THAT'S ME.
Bill: Secretary, huh? Hey, let's roll with this. You wanna be my little secretary?
Hillary: You're an asshole.
At any rate, I can't escape Bill and his Daring Rescue Of Darling Reporters. And more importantly, I cant get the tantalizing thought of Korean BBQ out of my head. Unfortunately, Chicago's KoreaTown is miles away from the office. Fortunately for me, there is a delictible little place just a stone's throw from the loop. Oh-so-wittily called Korean Seoulfood Cafe, this joint is perfect for a lunch of BBQ and kimchi (Korean side-dish, usually picked vegetables such as cabbage). Like most of Bill's women, it's cheap and a tad spicy. And, uilike Bill, you don't have to eat it in the back of an Arkansas state trooper squad car.
How do you say Bon Appetit in Korean?!
