January 20, 2015

Texas parent wants to replace high school book about poverty with Ayn Rand, Ben Carson, Karen Hesse

A parent in the wealthy Texas town of Highland Park has challenged a book about people living near the poverty line, and suggested books by Ayn Rand, Ben Carson and Karen Hesse as replacements, the Dallas Morning News reports.

The challenged book, David K. Shipler's "The Working Poor: Invisible in America," was one of seven suspended by the Highland Park school district in September. Those suspensions were eventually reversed, but the district announced in November that students would need permission slips from parents to read "The Working Poor" and five other books. Shipler's book, which is being taught in an advanced placement class for high school juniors, will be reviewed by a committee including school staff, students and parents, and will remain in use until then.

http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-ayn-rand-poverty-books-20150119-story.html

The parent who objected to the book wrote in her complaint: "'The Working Poor' is not a great work of literature or an example of rich writing we want our students to emulate. One must ask, is this the best piece of literature our students can read to learn to write?" The Dallas Morning News notes the parent criticized the book for its "depiction of abortion, and sexual abuse and ... its portrayal of women 'as weak, pathetic, ignorant, sexual objects and incapable beings.'"

The parent offered three suggestions for a replacement book: Ayn Rand's "We the Living," Karen Hesse's "Out of the Dust," and Ben Carson's "America the Beautiful." Carson's book was the subject of controversy earlier this month after BuzzFeed reported that sections were plagiarized from several sources, including a website called SocialismSucks.net.

January 19, 2015

Obese dog had to be carted to rescue facility.

Kale Chips is about three times heavier than a typical, healthy beagle.

Meet the obese beagle who tips the scales at a whopping 85 pounds — three times heavier than a typical dog.

Ironically, the massive mutt is called Kale Chips — and by the looks of his belly he's never eaten one of them in his life.






The 7-year-old from Chicago was so heavy he had to be wheeled into the One Tail At A Time Dog Rescue on a wagon.

Kale Chips — positively named to kick-start his weight loss — will now undergo an intensive diet and regime to help him shed the pounds.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/chicago-beagle-tips-scales-85-pounds-article-1.2083759
“Our jaws dropped when we saw that number. He’s the most overweight dog we’ve ever seen," Heather Owen, co-founder of One Tail, told The Huffington Post. “He literally had to be wheeled out in a wagon, he was so heavy."

Though healthy weights tends to vary by animal size, an adult male beagle should be around 22 - 25 pounds, putting Kale Chips on the extreme end of the spectrum, Owen said. While the dog, estimated to be 7 or 8 years old, will be tested to see if medical issues like hypothyroidism are contributing to the weight, Owen said lifestyle is the most likely cause.

"It’s our assumption that the owner wasn’t able to walk him or care for him," Owen told HuffPost. "[Kale Chips'] nails were really long and the owner certainly overfed him."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/08/kale-chips-beagle_n_6437668.html

January 19, 2015

Billy Crystal says graphic gay sex on TV has gone 'too far', industry mustn't 'shove it in our face'

Billy Crystal says graphic gay sex on TV has gone 'too far' and that the industry mustn't 'shove it in our face'

Actor Billy Crystal has said graphic scenes of gay sex on TV have gone too far, and the industry must take care not to 'shove it in our face'.
Crystal, who became one of network television's first gay characters on comedy show Soap in the 1970s, said contemporary programs are 'pushing it a little too far'.
He declined to cite any examples, but implied that intolerant attitudes he struggled with while playing Jodie Dallas from 1977 to 1981 have now
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2917243/Billy-Crystal-says-graphic-gay-sex-TV-gone-far-industry-mustn-t-shove-face.html#ixzz3PJ6cQ6hU

January 19, 2015

Older Job Seekers Find Ways to Avoid Age Bias

Source: ny times

When he was let go as the director of corporate communications at Time Warner during a round of layoffs, Mr. Kunen confronted the core questions: What is it he could do? Where did his skills translate to a job, one that made him feel some sense of purpose? And who would hire him, given his age?

Many older job seekers know age discrimination, although tough to prove, is a fact of life. But increasingly they are finding jobs at smaller organizations, including nonprofits, start-ups, small trade associations and niche educational programs. Typically, these are employers that operate with a spare staff and depend on the experience and expertise that comes with age.

Before he was laid off, Mr. Kunen volunteered to teach immigrant teenagers to speak better English, but concluded that if he was going to do it right, and get paid for it, he needed some kind of certification. So he enrolled in a 160-hour course to earn a certificate to teach English as a Second Language for Adults.

“When I initially sent out résumés to commercial language schools, the only school that responded was one run by a person as old as I was,” said Mr. Kunen, the author of “Diary of a Company Man: Losing a Job, Finding a Life.” “And I was interviewed by 30-year-olds who totally didn’t ‘get’ me,” he said. “You can sense it immediately; it’s like being on a bad blind date.”


Read more: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/01/17/your-money/older-job-seekers-finds-ways-to-avoid-age-bias.html?referrer=

January 18, 2015

Anonymous Promises #OpSallieMae

One branch of the infamous hacker collective, Anonymous, has announced an upcoming operation: #OpSallieMae. Student loan debtors across social media platforms found themselves imagining their loan debt wiped away, and the hashtag is getting a lot of attention as those suffering under student loans beg the hackers to go forward with this operation.

Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1758894/anonymous-promises-opsalliemae-student-loan-debtors-cross-fingers-for-debt-deletion/#07SD8p7633hh2XXQ.99

January 18, 2015

Lindsey Graham 'testing the waters' on presidential bid

http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2015/01/18/lindsey-graham-president-testing-waters/

January 18, 2015

napping dog and boy now have a sis

And the baby makes three! Napping toddler and puppy who charmed the world are now joined by little sister
Beau and puppy Theo were first pictured sleeping together a year ago
Shyba family's newest arrival Evangeline has also grown close to the pair
Mother Jessica Shyba has continued her photo-taking ritual as they sleep
The family are set to release a book of the cute images later this year


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2915776/And-baby-makes-three-Napping-toddler-puppy-charmed-joined-adorable-baby-sister.html#ixzz3PCytEOi0

January 18, 2015

guy walks away from this

Pictured in mangled wreckage that saved his life: Man who SURVIVED being crushed between two big rigs in icy freeway crash and walked away without a scratch
Kaleb Whitby, 27, was pictured in mangled wreckage of Chevy pickup truck
Tried to avoid jackknifed big rig on Oregon's I-84, but was left facing traffic
A second semi truck bore down on him and also got caught in the pileup
But Whitby improbably survived - and posed for an incredible photograph
Around 50 vehicles were involved in Saturday morning crash

!--

Whitby, a farmer from Pasco, Washington, managed to cut himself free of his seatbelt, and move the steering column from his leg.
He then shouted for help - and was rescued by Sergi Karplyuk, who drove the second truck in the crash. Whitby, now safe, posed for the incredible picture before getting out.
After looking himself over, Whitby realized he was hardly injured at all. He told The Oregonian: 'I've got two Band-Aids on my right ring finger. And a little bit of ice on my left eye

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2915575/Pictured-Man-SURVIVED-crushed-two-big-rigs-84.html#ixzz3PCu3K456

January 18, 2015

justice dept end asset forfeiture programs. cops will have to find new ways to exploit

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/229803-justice-ends-asset-forfeiture-program

January 18, 2015

is it bad sportsmanship to win by 161 to 2? basketball coach suspended

High school girls basketball coach suspended after team wins 161-2
Sports Illustrated

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California high school basketball coach has been suspended and faces accusations of mercilessly running up the score after his team won a game 161-2, one of the most lopsided scores in state history.

Arroyo Valley High girls' coach Michael Anderson was suspended for two games after the victory last week against Bloomington High.

Anderson said that he wasn't trying to run up the score or embarrass the opposition. His team had won four previous games by at least 70 points, and Bloomington had already lost a game by 91.

"The game just got away from me," Anderson told the San Bernardino Sun (http://bit.ly/1znnLWJ) Friday. "I didn't play any starters in the second half. I didn't expect them to be that bad. I'm not trying to embarrass anybody."





http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/California-girls-basketball-coach-suspended-6021357.php