(Also posted at DailyKos.com)
New York State’s Hudson River valley is a lush region, rich in history. It is the setting for FDR’s family estate, West Point and Washington Irving’s Sleepy Hollow. The Hudson River scenery gave rise to the 19th century group of landscape painters that were subsequently deemed the Hudson River School. Now it is the location of a PETA effort to change a town’s name.
http://wcbs880.com/topstories/local_story_195171005.html
The town, Fishkill, New York, in Dutchess County, is located about 80 miles north of New York City. The name goes back to Dutch settlers of the area more than 2 centuries ago.
The Poughkeepsie Journal reports that PETA wants the town to be known as FishingHurts.com, which just happens to be the Internet address for a PETA Web site dedicated to the group’s, quote — “fish empathy project.”
Apparently, the town wasn’t taking the bait:
Fishkill officials weren’t biting Wednesday. The name Fishkill is actually derived from two Dutch words: Vis, for fish, and Kill, for stream or creek. PETA acknowledges the true meaning of the name, but said most who see Fishkill on a map wouldn’t know that.
And what exactly was the inducement offered?
PETA also offered to donate 15-thousand dollars worth of a soy-based, faux-fish product for school students in the town if the name is changed.
Perhaps tuna-flavored iced cream would have been more tempting.
Can anyone spare a fish?
Yeah it’s stupid and silly but you know what? It puts PETA’s name into the press just like their naked protesters do. And I guess if you’re a PETA fan, that’s a good thing.
I used to operate near NIH in DC area and remember them well. I don’t eat meat or wear animal products, so I guess I support them but then again I don’t know much about them.
Pax
Yeah, they have done a lot of good work in the past. And the present.
I’m not willing to bash them yet–despite the publicity campaigns.
I think we need to petition for “Washington DC”‘s name to be changed to “Booman Tribune DC”.
The meaning of DC would have to change, but it seems a small sacrifice. Especially since the Booman Tribune grassroots can then complain about the Booman Tribune insiders!
</snark>
I voted they should change their name to BoomanTribune.com, because “fishkill” sounds like something that happens after a leak at the chemical plant. That can’t be good for real estate values.
Sort of like [this is true] an exit on interstate 75 as you come into Knoxville from the north: Stinking Creek Road.
We should have Booman look into changing the name of the Schuylkill river (and expressway) in Philly to BoomanTribune River (and parkway – there’s no “express” traveling on I-76 in Philly), since “School-kill” reminds folks of the Chechen school massacre, Columbine, and “I Don’t Like Mondays.”
On Staten Island you will find:
“Freshkills”, which, due to an eponomous land-fill, is more aptly described by its homophone that its actual Dutch meaning.
You’ll also find the cute little community of Tottenville, which- if my 17th Century Dutch serves me right- means Deathtown.
They did the same thing, wiith the same town, a number of years ago. Fishkill wasn’t going for it then, either.
Last year and about five miles up the road from me, they did the same thing with the town of Rodeo, California. Their proposed new name: Unity, after the Union oil refinery.
I don’t have any problem with the first part: I think rodeos are horrendous. But they took a lot of well-earned crap over suggesting the town name itself after the oil refinery that gave a double-0digit percentage of the town cancer. Stupid move on PETA’s part.