Have you heard about the 73-yr. old Colorado state worker who forwarded a racist email that showed President Obama shining Sarah Palin's shoes? This is the 21st century folks! But,a 73-yr. old is probably pretty set in their ways.Even so,the Colorado Department of Transportation worker who sent this email to her co-workers needs to make a New Year's resolution to catch up with the times. In 2010,let the racism come to an end!
I know that's just wishful thinking,though.Some people really need to denigrate others in order to elevate themselves.And obviously this old fool is no exception to that fact!!!
Here's more on this from The Huffington Post:
"A Colorado state employee could be disciplined for sending an e-mail showing President Barack Obama shining the shoes of former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
The 73-year-old Colorado Department of Transportation worker forwarded the e-mail to at least four co-workers and others on Dec. 22 using her state e-mail account. One of the recipients outside the agency complained.
The original sender of the e-mail, who isn't a state employee, wrote "It appears he (Obama has found his niche."(END OF EXCERPT) Read the rest here.
Rep.Peter King of NY says that a Nigerian man,who is claiming to have extremist terrorist ties,is the culprit behind the possible terror attack this Christmas on board an Northwest jet.I thought that airline security was much tighter than this.
Here's more from MSNBC:
"A Nigerian man claiming ties to al-Qaida tried to light a powder aboard a commercial jetliner before it landed Friday in Detroit in what senior U.S. officials called an attempted act of terrorism.
“He appears to have had some kind of incendiary device he tried to ignite,” a senior U.S. official told NBC News. Other officials said the explosive device was a mixture of powder and liquid, which failed when the passenger tried to detonate it during the plane’s descent into Detroit International Airport.
Two people noticed the attempted attack, and a third person jumped on the man and subdued him, an airline official told NBC News. The man was being treated at the burn unit of the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, officials said.
Federal officials identified the man as Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, of Nigeria, who was traveling one way, without a return ticket.
Rep. Peter King of New York, the senior Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, who was briefed on the incident, said Abdulmutallab was known in federal counterterrorism files and may have been on the government’s list of suspicious passengers banned from flying in the United States.
King said the incident raised troubling questions about airline security. “It must be looked into” how Mudallad was able to sneak a “somewhat sophisticated device” on board, he said.
Abdulmutallab told investigators that he wanted to set off a bomb over the United States and claimed to be connected to al-Qaida, the terrorism network responsible for the attacks that killed more than 3,000 people in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, counterterrorism officials said."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Now,PopEater.com & Access Hollywood's poll on the cause of Brittany Murphy's death is definitely a ROTTEN commentary on the state of our "society." What kind of person asks you to vote on the cause of someone's death? It is beyond poor taste.That individual ought to consider getting their head examined.And so should anyone who casts a vote in this terrible,asinine survey.
Here's the tasteless question that the poll asked:
"Access Hollywood & PE ask: As we wait for toxicology results, what do you think was the biggest factor in Brittany Murphy's death? Eating disorder complications Overuse of prescrip. drugs Illegal drug use Pre-existing heart condition All of the above." (END OF EXCERPT)Taken from PopEater.com
When a cop pulled a gun during a snowball fight in D.C.,it was definitely a what the f...k moment for yours truly!I know men love their vehicles and all,but damn!Drawing your weapon because both you & your car got pelted with snow is way over the top.Especially if you are a police officer who is sworn to protect the public.
Now,I handled a similar situation quite differently than that cop did.One time,I had just gotten my hair done.I was driving down the street with my sunroof & windows down when I heard some guys hollering at me.They wanted me to stop my car and talk to them.Once they realized that I was not going to give them the time of day,they threw water filled balloons at my car.One of those balloons hit me right on the side of my face & exploded.
My clothes & hair got wet & it felt like I had been slapped across the face.My immediate reaction was to stop my car.Since I was in one of the worst sections of West Oakland,I thought that might not be so wise.So,I drove back home and changed my clothes.After that,I went on with the rest of my day.
That's what that cop should have done.He clearly has some anger management issues,though.So,now he has to suffer public humiliation & possible disciplinary action might be taken against him at work.They've already put his behind on desk duty while Internal Affairs investigates.
Here's more from The NY Daily News:
"An off-duty Washington D.C. police detective went berserk and began waving his gun around when his Hummer was pelted with snowballs during this weekend's storm.
"Yes I did (pull my gun), because I got hit with snowballs!" the cop said in a video of the confrontation posted to YouTube by a witness.
He identified himself as Det. Baylor or Det. Bailey - the video's sound is unclear.
D.C. Police, who say they are investigating the Saturday incident, did not identify the officer but said he is a veteran detective.
The Washington City Paper published a photo of the cop with his gun drawn but pointed at the ground.
Witnesses said the detective's big red Hummer was hit about 3 p.m. at the major intersection of 14th and U Streets, where a mass snowball fight organized over Twitter and Facebook was raging.
He left the vehicle and was hit with more snowballs as he approached the crowd of about 200, who had a banner proclaiming "No War But Snowball War."
Video posted online by a TV station shows the plainclothed detective advancing on the crowd as they chant, "You don't bring a gun to a snowball fight! You don't bring a gun to a snowball fight!"
The cop looks angry, pointing at various people and saying, "You're going to jail and you're going to jail and you're going to jail."
At one point, he pulls aside his coat and pats his holster, taunting, "Throw another snowball!"
The video shows a second uniformed city cop arriving with his gun drawn. He recognizes the detective and tries to calm the crowd.
Some of the snowball throwers were furious and vowed, "We're going to get his a-- fired!"
Witnesses said the detective never showed a badge or identified himself as a cop.
"This police officer threatened a bunch of people on the street in broad daylight with a firearm because his Hummer was hit by snowballs," blogged witness Sarah Massey, who says she is filing a complaint.
"This is not the kind of person I want serving me and my community. He threatened and scared people and acted in a dangerous manner."
I cannot believe that Brittany Murphy has passed away!The actress & Ashton Kutcher's former girlfriend was just 32 years old.TMZ is reporting that the cause of death is cardiac arrest.
When I first saw Ms. Murphy,she was in the movie "Clueless".Her figure was much fuller back then.As the years progressed,Brittany became skinnier & skinnier.I hope that whatever caused that to happen was not the cause of her death.
All too often,celebrities are pressured to be as thin as possible.And I'm sure that Brittany Murphy was no exception to that unwritten Hollywood rule.
Here's more from TMZ:
"Brittany Murphy died early this morning after she went into full cardiac arrest and could not be revived, multiple sources tell TMZ.
She was 32.
A 911 call was made at 8:00 AM from a home in Los Angeles that is listed as belonging to her husband, Simon Monjack, the Los Angeles City Fire Department tells TMZ.
We're told Murphy was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where she was pronounced dead on arrival. Her time of death was listed as 10:04 AM.
Murphy starred in such films as "Clueless," "8 Mile," and "Don't Say a Word." Murphy was reportedly fired from last film, "The Caller," after reports she was problematic on set.
I know you have heard by now about the Long Island woman who tortured 42 animals & then buried them in her yard.Branded the "pet cemetery" defendant,Sharon McDonough will probably come to mind whenever someone even mentions animal cruelty.
You know,with all of the anger & outrage that was displayed in the media towards Michael Vick,it's surprising to me that I could only find two videos on this sadistic,evil murderer.It was from The Associated Press & My Fox NY.This woman is suspected of not only killing 42 animals,but she allegedly abused her kids as well!
Her own son even said that it was "a concentration camp for the animals." Why haven't we heard more about this sick puppy in the media? I guess since Michael Vick was a celebrity it was much more scintillating to talk about his case.
Here's more from ABC News:
"A judge ordered a New York woman held on $100,000 bail Friday after prosecutors cited evidence that some of the 42 dead animals buried in her yard had been tortured, with duct tape around their mouths or signs that they had drowned.
Sharon McDonough, 43, had been free without bail after her November arrest on misdemeanor charges, but she was taken away in handcuffs after her appearance Friday in Suffolk County Court in Central Islip.
McDonough faces "the likelihood of a felony indictment," said John Cortes, assistant district attorney. Authorities initially found 20 dogs buried behind her Selden home in early November; a subsequent search Dec. 8 uncovered another 22 dead animals.
Necropsies found evidence the animals had been abused, Cortes said.
"There are indications this defendant did kill these animals," District Judge Paul Hensley said in setting bail. "I believe the impulse to flee will become irresistible."
Defense attorney James D'Angelo said his client is not guilty and was shocked by the judge's ruling, and indicated she is unlikely to be able to post bail.
"I don't feel there was a significant change in circumstances," D'Angelo said. "She's made each and every court appearance. She's presumed to be innocent. I am very disappointed with the judge's decision today." (END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Chris Henry is the handsome but troubled NFL player who died in a domestic dispute.The sudden death of the Bengals receiver has shocked so many.And so far the circumstances of his demise are a bit murky.
Did he get thrown from the truck he was fighting in with his fiancee? Or did Chris Henry purposely jump from the vehicle as some witnesses have stated? Whatever the case may be,the fact that Chris Henry's life was snuffed out so early is very,very tragic.
Here's more from WLWT.COM:
"Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry died Thursday after a domestic dispute in Charlotte, N.C.
Henry jumped into the bed of the pickup and the couple continued arguing as Tonga drove, police said.
A 911 call that came in just after 11:50 a.m. Wednesday came from a woman who said she was following a yellow truck with a man in the bed.
"Got a black man on it with no shirt on, got his arm in a cast, he’s beating on the back of this truck window," the woman told dispatchers. "I don’t know if he’s trying to break in or something, just looks crazy."
The woman followed the pickup for a short distance, but did not follow when it turned onto another road.
Three minutes later, a man called 911 to say that there was a man lying in the road not moving.
"He looks dead. There's no movement," he said. "He's laying in the road. I have no idea what happened; we just pulled up here."
When the man was asked if the injured man was awake, he said "He's definitely unconscious. He's not awake."
Tree trimmer Lee Hardy told reporters Thursday that he was working in a tree in a yard near the road when he saw the pickup approaching "pretty fast."
Hardy said the pickup came to a quick stop at an intersection.
"And that's when I heard him yelling at her that he wanted to talk," Hardy said. "'We need to talk, we need to talk.'" Hardy said the woman inside was saying "No, I don't want to talk, get off the truck, get out of the truck."
As the truck pulled away, Hardy said he heard Henry say "If you take off, I'm going to jump out and kill myself."
Hardy said the truck disappeared from view and he went back to work on the tree. He said in the distance he heard the truck stop quickly, but thought nothing of it until police cars began arriving from both directions.
Police said Henry fell out of the pickup and landed in the roadway.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police announced that Henry died at 6:36 a.m. Thursday.
Police spokeswoman Rosalyn Harrington said homicide detectives have been assigned to the case but had no further information. Harrington would not say if Tonga was present at the scene when police arrived."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
I was looking at CNN's coverage of "The Princess & The Frog" cartoon the other night.They were at the Atlanta premiere talking to black mothers & daughters that just saw the film.And some of the folks they interviewed went way overboard in their enthusiasm for this cartoon,in my opinion.I mean,one lady dressed up as a princess for the grand occasion.
They acted as if this movie validated them in some way.How is it that people are looking to Disney to present an image that African-American children can be proud of? Is this not the same company that perpetuated awful black stereotypes for decades? I just find all the hoopla to be a bit ridiculous.Their "black princess" is not based on any sort of reality.She's truly a black American princess.
If African-American parents really want their kids to see a black princess,they should look to Africa.There are plenty of examples of what real black royalty looks like on that continent.I didn't need Disney to give me an image of a black princess.
My father had books on ancient Africa that contained depictions of all types of African princesses.He schooled me on the historical significance of African people.I have always known that we were once kings & queens.Look to Ethiopia & Nubia for some of the oldest representations of royalty.Period.
Because I know my history,I'm not doing cartwheels over Disney's first black princess.
Here's more from The NY Times:
"“Finally, here is something that all little girls, especially young black girls, can embrace,” Cori Murray, an entertainment director at Essence magazine, recently told CNN.
To the dismay of Disney executives — along with the African-American bloggers and others who side with the company — the film is also attracting chatter of an uglier nature. Is “The Princess and the Frog,” set in New Orleans in the 1920s, about to vaporize stereotypes or promote them?
The film, directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, two of the men behind “The Little Mermaid,” unfolds against a raucous backdrop of voodoo and jazz. Tiana, a waitress and budding chef who dreams of owning a restaurant, is persuaded to kiss a frog who is really a prince.
The spell backfires and — poof! — she is also an amphibian. Accompanied by a Cajun firefly and a folksy alligator, the couple search for a cure.
After viewing some photographs of merchandise tied to the movie, which is still unfinished, Black Voices, a Web site on AOL dedicated to African-American culture, faulted the prince’s relatively light skin color. Prince Naveen hails from the fictional land of Maldonia and is voiced by a Brazilian actor; Disney says that he is not white.
“Disney obviously doesn’t think a black man is worthy of the title of prince,” Angela Bronner Helm wrote March 19 on the site. “His hair and features are decidedly non-black. This has left many in the community shaking their head in befuddlement and even rage.”
Others see insensitivity in the locale.
“Disney should be ashamed,” William Blackburn, a former columnist at The Charlotte Observer, told London’s Daily Telegraph. “This princess story is set in New Orleans, the setting of one of the most devastating tragedies to beset a black community.”
ALSO under scrutiny is Ray the firefly, performed by Jim Cummings (the voice of Winnie the Pooh and Yosemite Sam). Some people think Ray sounds too much like the stereotype of an uneducated Southerner in an early trailer.
Of course, armchair critics have also been complaining about the princess. Disney originally called her Maddy (short for Madeleine). Too much like Mammy and thus racist. A rumor surfaced on the Internet that an early script called for her to be a chambermaid to a white woman, a historically correct profession. Too much like slavery.
And wait: We finally get a black princess and she spends the majority of her time on screen as a frog?
“Because of Disney’s history of stereotyping,” said Michael D. Baran, a cognitive psychologist and anthropologist who teaches at Harvard and specializes in how children learn about race, “people are really excited to see how Disney will handle her language, her culture, her physical attributes.”
Mr. Baran is reserving judgment and encourages others to do the same. But he added that the issue warrants scrutiny because of Disney’s outsize impact on children.
“People think that kids don’t catch subtle messages about race and gender in movies, but it’s quite the opposite,” he said.
Donna Farmer, a Los Angeles Web designer who is African-American and has two children, applauded Disney’s efforts to add diversity.
“I don’t know how important having a black princess is to little girls — my daughter loves Ariel and I see nothing wrong with that — but I think it’s important to moms,” she said.
“Who knows if Disney will get it right,” she added. “They haven’t always in the past, but the idea that Disney is not bending over backward to be sensitive is laughable. It wants to sell a whole lot of Tiana dolls and some Tiana paper plates and make people line up to see Tiana at Disney World.”
Few people outside the company have seen footage of the movie. Among them are consultants like Oprah Winfrey, whom Disney asked for input on the racial aspects of the film and was cast as Tiana’s mother. (Movie theater owners and members of the N.A.A.C.P. have also been shown scenes, and the reactions, according to a Disney spokeswoman, were “extremely positive.”)(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Houston,Texas has not let all of the anti-gay bias sway their votes.Annise Parker is set to become the city's first out & proud mayor.Being openly gay did not hurt Annise Parker one bit.She beat former city attorney,Gene Locke.
Kudos to her for making people accept who she is instead of trying to conform to what folks expected her to be.
Here's more from The Huffington Post:
"Houston, Texas has become the largest city in the United States to elect an openly gay mayor after City Controller Annise Parker was declared the winner of a runoff election tonight. Social conservatives fought her election, funding a campaign aimed at turning out likeminded voters to support her opponent, former city attorney Gene Locke. But Parker's endorsements from labor, police, women's, gay rights and other groups were echoed by the Houston Chronicle, the area's major daily newspaper, and her campaign ran a superior get-out-the-vote effort.
Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which endorsed Parker, said her victory holds tremendous significance for the gay community. "This is a watershed moment in American politics. Annise was elected by fair-minded people from across the city because of her experience and competence, and we're glad Houston soundly rejected the politics of division. This victory sends a clear signal that gays and lesbians are an integral part of American civic life, that we're willing to lead, and that voters will respond to candidates who are open and honest about their lives," Wolfe said.
Parker praised the support of the Victory Fund and its donors, who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help fund her campaign. "I am so grateful to the Victory Fund and its supporters for believing in this campaign from the beginning. This race was about the future of Houston, and whether we will face that future proud to be an open, welcoming, and fair-minded city. Tonight Houstonians said yes to a future like that, and I am glad the Victory Fund helped make that happen," Parker said.
Parker's election was the Victory Fund's top political priority in 2009, a year that saw 54 of its 79 endorsed openly gay, lesbian bisexual and transgender (LGBT) candidates elected to public office." (END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
I just learned that Nelly's mansion got robbed by an unknown intruder.The robbery was caught on camera & the suspect left after someone in the home confronted him.The dapper rapper was not at home,thankfully.The crook is still at large.
I hope that whomever he tries to sell the stolen goods to winds up stealing it all from him.That would be this thief's just reward.
Here's more from The Associated Press:
"Police say a man broke into rapper Nelly's house in suburban St. Louis and stole electronics and video games.
Authorities say the Grammy-winning artist was not home when during the robbery early Friday morning.
St. Louis County police spokesman Rick Eckhard says a man used a window to get in and out of Nelly's home. He said three people were inside the house at the time and one confronted the intruder."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Did Elin Woods issue an ultimatum to Tiger Woods to either quit golf or lose her? That's what British tabloids are reporting.
And now comes the announcement that Tiger Woods is leaving golf indefinitely.He doesn't want to answer all of these reporter's questions,I think.So,he's probably taking time away from golf until the story dies down.
Wow,I can't believe how fast this scandal has escalated.I mean,do we live in the 1950's or something? We've got celebrities who show their naked body parts & call it a "wardrobe malfunction."
Why aren't they being held to a higher moral standard? I just think this whole ordeal is really ridiculous because this is a family affair.Not a public one!
I have lived in Oakland,CA for most of my life.So,you can believe me when I tell you that I have seen girls get beat down at nightclubs & sideshows.Too many guys have no qualms about just socking a female.There's no sense of chivalry these days.
So,when Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi got punched by Brad Ferro while taping an episode of "Jersey Shore",I was astounded & mortified.But,not shocked.I have seen cowardly "men" take out their aggression on women before.
Whatever she said could not have justified what Brad Ferro did.This big,muscular high school gym teacher knew that this young woman was no match for him.I hope he goes to jail & gets his ass pounded hard for what he did.
Here's more from The Daily Mail UK:
"This is the shocking punch that critics say shows reality TV has gone too far.
Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi, a 21-year-old featured in MTV's Jersey Shore, was seen getting in a row with a stranger who she accused of stealing drinks.
Cameras caught the man's face turn to rage - and then punching her hard in the face, forcing her head reeling back.
The man, since identified as Brad Ferro, a gym teacher from Queens, was arrested in August on charges of assault and disorderly conduct.
The 24-year-old has been suspended from his job, according to the New York Post.
Ferro is reportedly no longer teaching classes at North Hills Community High School and has been reassigned to a ‘rubber room’ – a temporary centre where employees await disciplinary hearings.
The network will run a domestic violence public service announcement after the episode, which airs next week.
An MTV spokesman said: ‘This particular scene is obviously extremely disturbing, what happened to Snooki was a crime."(END OF EXCERPT)Read more here.
Jenny Sanford is no shrinking violet,that's for sure.Even though she has 4 children with South Carolina governor Mark Sanford,she is not staying with him just for the kids.That would be the simplest thing to do.
No,Mrs. Sanford is not going to stand by her man,like so many politician's wives do.She has announced her plans to divorce that cheating cad,Mark Sanford.I'm glad that she's dumping him.Now he doesn't have to lie to his constituents the next time he wants to visit his lover in Argentina.
Here's more from ABC News:
"Jenny Sanford announced today that she will file for divorce from embattled South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, who admitted in June to an affair with a longtime lover in Argentina.
"I am now filing for divorce," she said in a statement. "This came after many unsuccessful efforts at reconciliation, yet I am still dedicated to keeping the process that lies ahead peaceful for our family."
Sanford moved out of the South Carolina governor's mansion with the couple's four children in August.
"I remain thankful to so many across this state and nation for their words of encouragement and prayers during this difficult time," she added. "Please know the boys and I are doing well and are blessed with the incredible support of friends and family and bolstered by our faith and the unfailing love of our God above."
In her first television interview, Sanford told ABC News' Barbara Walters about her husband's affair and openly discussed the heartbreak behind the headlines of their breakup.
"It's been a crazy year. ... Certainly his actions hurt me, and they caused consequences for me, but they don't in any way take away my own self-esteem. They reflect poorly on him," she said, in an exclusive interview as part of Walters' "10 Most Fascinating People of 2009." (END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
After what seemed to be much consideration,Barry Bonds has decided to give the ball up.He has retired from baseball.Now,for those baseball fans who thought that he was undeserving of his status because of his alleged steroid use,this is the day that they have been longing for.Others feel that a baseball great is leaving the field.
With his age & the scandal surrounding him playing a major factor in his continued unemployment,this seems to be the only move that Bonds could make.Here's more from Yahoo Sports:
"After 22 seasons in the major leagues, Barry Lamar Bonds' playing career has died.
It ended not with a home run — or even a strikeout — as it should be in baseball. Instead, it ends in semi-exile, without even a phone call to lift Bonds from the unemployment line.
His agent, Jeff Borris, told the San Francisco Chronicle as much Thursday, saying it's all-but impossible for the 45-year-old Bonds to find work heading into 2010.
From the Chronicle:
"It's two years since he played his last game, and if there was any chance he'd be back in a major-league uniform, it would have happened by now," Borris said. "When 2008 came around, I couldn't get him a job. When 2009 came around, I couldn't get him a job. Now, 2010 ... I'd say it's nearly impossible. It's an unfortunate ending to a storied career."
Storied? Oh, thought Borris said "steroid" there for a moment.
Sadly, steroids are what Bonds is remembered for. Not his 762 homers, or 14 All-Star Games or seven NL MVP awards. Well, fans remember all of that, too — just with a healthy injection of asterisks. And the cloud of an indictment that accuses Bonds of lying to a federal grand jury about knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Maybe the blue lights over Norway was a sign from God that he believes President Obama is worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize.Okay,maybe that is a bit much because those lights are reported to have come from a Russian missile.But,then again.....
Seriously,I wonder why some folks say he has done nothing to deserve this prize.President Obama has done more to inspire the world's population than any president has in recent history.
He brings inspiration not only to Americans,but to people all over the globe.And Obama is a role model for so many African-Americans who lack one.Young black children now feel like they are truly a part of this great democratic society that we call the United States of America.
President Obama has left an indelible imprint on the minds of future generations.He is more than a great orator.If these impatient folks will just give him time,President Obama will prove to be a great leader.I believe that he has done a great job with all of the horrific baggage that the last administration left him with.No matter what his critics say.
But,even the critics had to agree.President Obama was in top form today when he gave his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech.It was as "eloquent" as the man himself.
Here's more from The Christian Science Monitor:
"Liberal and conservative pundits both approve of Obama's Nobel Peace Prize speech. They like his humility and his realism.
f nothing else, the American punditocracy largely agreed on one aspect of President Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize speech: that it was eloquent.
In offering a tutorial on just war theory, laid out in clear prose and compellingly delivered, Mr. Obama and his speechwriters showed once again that they know how to knock one out of the park.
But more noteworthy is the largely positive, or at least hopeful, tone of reaction across the political spectrum. From conservative former House speaker Newt Gingrich to writers at the liberal Nation magazine, the insta-analyses found hope in Obama’s words, either in his justification for the war in Afghanistan or in his ultimate aspiration: to replace war with peace.
“I thought the speech was actually very good,” Mr. Gingrich said on the WNYC radio’s The Takeaway. “And he clearly understood that he had been given the prize prematurely, but he used it as an occasion to remind people, first of all, as he said, that there is evil in the world.”
f nothing else, the American punditocracy largely agreed on one aspect of President Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize speech: that it was eloquent.
In offering a tutorial on just war theory, laid out in clear prose and compellingly delivered, Mr. Obama and his speechwriters showed once again that they know how to knock one out of the park.
But more noteworthy is the largely positive, or at least hopeful, tone of reaction across the political spectrum. From conservative former House speaker Newt Gingrich to writers at the liberal Nation magazine, the insta-analyses found hope in Obama’s words, either in his justification for the war in Afghanistan or in his ultimate aspiration: to replace war with peace.
“I thought the speech was actually very good,” Mr. Gingrich said on the WNYC radio’s The Takeaway. “And he clearly understood that he had been given the prize prematurely, but he used it as an occasion to remind people, first of all, as he said, that there is evil in the world.”(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Devar Hurd is the Indiana man who has been accused of sending lewd & disgusting texts to Ashanti's mom.In them,he says,among other things,that he basically wants to bang Ashanti,her mother & little sister.Then,he sent some nasty,explicit photos because I guess he felt the need to illustrate his desire.
What a filthy bastard!
Here's more on this stalker from The NY Daily News:
"Singing star Ashanti has a creepy stalker - an Indiana salesman who has bombarded her mother with lewd text messages and gross, X-rated pictures, prosecutors said.
Devar Hurd, 31, is accused of stalking and harassing Tina Douglas with 32 messages between May 29 and July 18 and numerous phone calls in February.
He was arrested July 22 in Griffith, Ind., where he lives, and has been locked up at Rikers Island since.
He pleaded not guilty and faces possible trial in Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday.
The messages he sent were bizarrely personal and often explicit and included sex acts he wanted to perform on the mother and her daughters, court papers say.
"Hey Tina baby, how u doing sexy," read a May 29 message. "Tell Shani I'm coming straight home from work to put in sum overtime. U know how I do, LOL."
He also sent revealing pictures of himself, photos of Douglas' home and a picture of Ashanti's car, the documents said.
"Here's a pic I had laying around for the ladies in sum of my birthday suit lol," read a text sent May 30, court documents charge.
After a particularly crude message, Hurd wrote, "Oh ashanti ashanti ashanti, yes baby woooo."
Ashanti's publicist, Judy Katz, said she had no comment. "The authorities are handling the matter as we speak," she said.
Rachel Maddow has been doing extensive coverage on where Uganda's proposed law that would give gay folks the death penalty just for being who they naturally are came from!!!What she has uncovered is both shocking and disheartening.
Because U.S anti-gay leaders may have initiated this debate over whether gays in Uganda should receive the death penalty or not.Here's more on that from the Southern Poverty Law Center:
"A bizarre trio of American anti-gay leaders arrived in the Ugandan capital of Kampala Thursday to stage a three-day seminar, “Exposing the Truth Behind Homosexuality and the Homosexual Agenda,” in a country where homosexuality is a crime punishable by death. They are:
• Scott Lively, co-founder of the hate group Watchmen on the Walls and author of The Pink Swastika, a pseudo-history book claiming that “militant male homosexuals” helped mastermind the holocaust.
• Caleb Lee Brundidge, a “sexual reorientation coach” for the International Healing Foundation, whose signature technique, as demonstrated on CNN, involves patients “beating on chairs with tennis rackets and screaming, “Mom, Mom, why did you do this to me?” Brundidge also counsels men struggling with their sexuality to visit mortuaries with a fringe Charismatic ministry team to “practice raising the dead.”
• Don Schmierer, a board member for Exodus International, an international umbrella group covering hundreds of “ex-gay” ministries. Schmierer warns parents in his guide to preventing homosexuality to watch out for boys who show “extreme macho behavior” are “frail, deformed, deaf” or “avoid fights/physical altercations.”
According to Steven Langa, executive director of the Family Life Network, the New York-based Christian right advocacy group that organized the seminar, Lively, Brundidge and Schmierer were called to Uganda because gay activists in that county are recruiting children to homosexuality.
That justification seems farcical, considering that death threats and the fear of state-sanctioned execution have forced gay rights activists in the African country underground. Since 1990, homosexuality in Uganda has been a capital crime."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
But,Uganda is not the only country that is virulent in their quest to deprive people of their God-given right to have sex with whomever they choose.
Here's more on that from ABC News:
"Uganda is not the only country considering anti-gay laws. Nigeria, where homosexuality is already punishable by imprisonment or death, is considering strengthening penalties for activities deemed to promote it. Burundi just banned same-sex relationships and Rwanda is considering it.
Homophobia is rife even in more tolerant African countries.
In Kenya, homosexuality is illegal but the government has acknowledged its existence by launching sexual orientation survey to improve health care. Nevertheless, the recent marriage of two Kenyan men in London caused outrage. The men's families in Kenya were harassed by reporters and villagers.
In South Africa, the only African nation to recognize gay marriage, gangs carry out so-called "corrective" rapes on lesbians. A 19-year-old lesbian athlete was gang-raped, tortured and murdered in 2008.
Debate over the Ugandan bill follows a conference in Kampala earlier this year attended by American activists who consider same-gender relationships sinful, and believe gays and lesbians can become heterosexual through prayer and counseling. Author Don Schmierer and "sexual reorientation coach" Caleb Lee Brundidge took part; they did not respond to interview requests.
A third American who took part in the conference in Uganda, Scott Lively, said the bill has gone too far.
"I agree with the general goal but this law is far too harsh," said Lively, a California-based preacher and author of "The Pink Swastika" and other books that advise parents how to "recruit-proof" their children from gays.
"Society should actively discourage all sex outside of marriage and that includes homosexuality ... The family is under threat," he said. Gay people "should not be parading around the streets," he added.
Frank Mugisha, a gay Ugandan human rights activist, said the bill was so poorly worded that someone could be imprisoned for giving a hug.
"This bill is promoting hatred," he said. "We're turning Uganda into a police state. It will drive people to suicide."
Buturo played down the influence of foreign evangelicals, saying the proposed legislation was an expression of popular outrage against "repugnant" practices. But activists like Cato argue anti-gay attitudes are a foreign import.
"In the beginning, when the missionaries brought religion, they said they were bringing love," he said. "Instead they brought hate, through homophobia."
Susan Timberlake, a senior adviser on human rights and law from UNAIDS, said such laws could hinder the fight against HIV/AIDS by driving people further underground. And activists also worry that the legislation could be used to blackmail or silence government critics.
Cato said he thinks the Ugandan bill will pass, perhaps in an altered form.
"It's such a setback. But I hope we can overcome it," he said. "I cannot believe this is happening in the 21st century."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
I can't believe that in this day & age people could have such antiquated views towards homosexuality,either. Come into the 21st century,people!
A transgendered woman named Zikerria Bellamy was denied employment at McDonalds because the manager claimed the company does not hire "faggots." Then,he went on to berate Ms. Bellamy because he said that she "lied" when she checked female on her application.If you've heard the voice-mail that he left for her,you could hear the outrage in that dude's voice.
You know,thou doth protest too much,in my humble opinion.Why is this guy so homophobic? Zikerria just wanted a job.He reacted to her like one would if they had been tricked into dating a man that they thought was a woman.That's not what happened here.
So,why leave such a vitriolic message for Zikerria? The manager at that McDonalds must be suppressing some homosexual feelings of his own.
Here's more from Transgender Legal.org:
"On July 10, 2009, 17-year-old Zikerria Bellamy applied online for a position as a Shift Manager or Crew Leader at a McDonald’s restaurant in Orlando, Florida. On July 28, after managers at McDonald’s learned that Zikerria is transgender...
Zikerria never received the job interview she sought. McDonald's refused to hire her.
Zikerria’s story is all too common. Transgender people face tremendous discrimination in the workplace. According to a recent survey by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality, 47% of transgender people report being fired, or denied a job or promotion, just because of who they are.
Few protections exist for transgender people who experience employment discrimination. In 38 states, there is no law protecting transgender people from being fired because of who they are. Federal law similarly offers no job protection for transgender people.
In Florida, while no law explicitly addresses discrimination based on gender identity, administrative agencies in Florida have ruled that transgender people are protected by the Florida Human Rights Act’s prohibitions on sex and disability discrimination. The Competitive Workforce Bill, which would add gender identity and sexual orientation to the Florida Civil Rights Act, was introduced in the Florida legislature on November 20."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
The Italian guys in MTV's "Jersey Shore" take great pride in being a "guido." The way they embrace this negative portrayal of Italian-Americans is very similar to how some African-Americans are proud to be a "nigga." It's another way to exhibit your machismo for these folks,I guess.But,when you promote stereotypes,you can be certain to offend someone.Some Italian-Americans are not amused by the "guidos" who appear on "Jersey Shore."
Here's more from Entertainment Weekly:
"So, last night was the premiere of MTV’s delicious, guido-loving, fist-pumping docu-reality series Jersey Shore, a show that’s been ruffling more than a few feathers because it supposedly builds on negative stereotypes and bad behaviors of a subset of Italian-Americans that call themselves “guidos.” But… did those haters actually watch the show? Well, I did, and I’m here to tell you it’s pretty much the bomb. (Sorry if that offends you!) Sure, it’s also pretty much complete trash—and it certainly does build on stereotypes of “guidos”—but c’mon! It’s really just harmless fun. (And if you aren’t one of these “guidos” but still can’t separate yourself from then, then… well, you’ve got bigger problems.)
Jersey Shore is like The Real World, but filled with super-skanky folks of Italian descent who want nothing more than to tan, drink, and hook up. What’s wrong with that? And, in this instance, just like The Real World, the people depicted on screen are there—tanned skinned, “juiced” muscles, gelled hair and all—on their own accord. These seemingly silly “guidos and guidettes” (their words, not mine) aren’t being forced to do anything—MTV just brought its cameras and let them do their thing."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Elin Woods has reportedly moved out after the salacious details of Tiger Wood's numerous affairs keep publicly unfolding.I guess she got tired of constantly having to keep her eye on the Tiger!
Here's more from the Chicago-Sun Tribune:
"Tiger Woods’ wife, Elin Woods, has reportedly moved out of the couple’s Florida home and is living with friends nearby, according to Radar Online.
But good Woods source explained it to me today, ‘‘Elin has been taking a bit of a break, but Tiger and his team are still hopeful she won’t leave permanently.”(END OF EXCERPT)Read more here.
Have you heard about the 73-yr. old Colorado state worker who forwarded a racist email that showed President Obama shining Sarah Palin's shoes? This is the 21st century folks! But,a 73-yr. old is probably pretty set in their ways.Even so,the Colorado Department of Transportation worker who sent this email to her co-workers needs to make a New Year's resolution to catch up with the times. In 2010,let the racism come to an end!
