Year: 2013

Categories
Celebrities Charlie Sheen Politics

Charlie Sheen’s Poem to Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson

Last week, Phil Robertson made some statements that offended many. He compared the gay lifestyle to beastiality among other things, and claimed that black people in the South did not suffer any oppression before the civil movement began. It was happy times for all apparently.

Some came to Robinsons defense like Sarah Palin and others in the Republican Party, but many more were outraged by the things Robinsons had to say.

Below is a poem from actor Charlie Sheen, who felt the need to voice his opinion on behalf of his friends who “were hurt” by Robertson’s comments.

Mallard brained
Phil Robertso!
you have offended and hurt so many dear friends of mine,
who DO NOT have the voice or the outreach that I do.
well news flash
shower-dodger,
I will speak loudly and clearly for ALL of them.

You have my attention.

your statements were and are
abhorrently and
mendaciously unforgivable.

How can something be “mendaciously unforgivable?” Shhhhh.

the only thing you should ever be in charge of building is a hole in the ground the exact size of your head.
perhaps your beard would fit as well if you plucked out the
army of scabies and
bull weevils sequestered deep in it’s sarcophagus of dander and weasel pelts.

“Sarcophagus of dander” is pretty good, but stanza seven is still my fave:

on the eight day
when I was whittling my cosmic banjo,
I’m pretty sure YOU were the scattered dross I then used to light a fire and
locate the nearest
Andy Gump.

If While I Was Whittling My Cosmic Banjo is the title of Sheen’s memoir, everybody take a half day.

Now bring us home, Sheen:

repulsed by you;
c sheen

hash tag;
Duck; that was me.

As you were, Phil Robertso. As you were.

Categories
Domestic Policies Education News Politics

Imagining the Schools We Need

Wondering why American students are not performing at their best? Or why we struggle to solve the problems of children getting adequate resources so they can compete in the global race for knowledge, opportunity and equity?

No need. The answer’s right here and it doesn’t take much to figure it out. We’ve made education a commodity to be traded, cut, neglected and manipulated for the better part of the economic downturn, and even before, and the policy is catching up to us. School districts all over the country had to cut back on teachers, other staff, educational resources and worse, a commitment to enable all children to take part in what should be the world’s premier public school system.

It shouldn’t have worked out that way.

The corporate know-nothings who have wheedled their way into the public policy debate and, worse, have been elected to offices where they’ve had direct experience slashing budgets, blaming public employees and pulling money out of the system because they think it spends too much. Now we’ve reached the crisis point where schools are packing in too many students into classrooms without proper staffing and educational materials. The results are disappointing at best.

But they point to something that’s been underreported, and that is that America’s public school teachers are doing a fabulous job keeping the system afloat and educating our students to the best of their abilities. The shame is imagining just how much better the country would be if we committed to funding and supporting the people who do one of the most important paid jobs in the economy.

Imagine what we could do with class sizes that allow for debate, discussion and hands-on learning in every class. Imagine having enough staff to enable struggling students and those with classifiable learning problems to get the support they both need and are entitled to by law. Imagine having enough money to take students on more than one outside academic trip per year so that they could apply their knowledge to real-world situations.

Imagine a teaching staff that is respected, emboldened and confident that the culture supported its efforts. Imagine governors making full pension payments so the system doesn’t become a political battleground and an excuse to blame teachers and other public employees from being blamed for shortfalls. Remember that the only people making reliable pension contributions are the teachers; every paycheck. Imagine a system where teachers have input into curricular implementation, and where tests are not the end result of every learning task. Imagine a collaborative, supportive environment where veteran educators are respected for their knowledge, not blamed for being too expensive.

If you can imagine such a system, then we have our work cut out for us because if we keep going as we have for the past 10 years, then we will sink further behind countries that don’t need to imagine those school systems–they already have them.

For more please go to:
www.facebook.com/WhereDemocracyLives and Twitter @rigrundfest  

Categories
Politics

Sheriff is “Retaliating” Against A&E Because of Phil Robertson’s Suspension

A&E, the television network that airs the embattled “Duck Dynasty” reality show, “has produced more than a half dozen programs with the assistance of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office,” according to the Georgia county’s Sheriff Phil Miller. In retaliation against the network’s decision to suspend Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson for making a series of deeply offensive remarks, A&E will no longer receive such assistance from Miller.

“A&E has suspended Phil Robertson for talking about his conservative Christian beliefs,” Miller claimed on his Facebook page, adding that he believes this “punishment” to be “unreasonable.” Though A&E has historically been able to rely on Miller’s office for assistance, “[t]hey will not do any more with my assistance while I am sheriff. It is time for someone other than Hollywood and the news media to stand up for what is right!”

It is not entirely clear exactly what kind of “assistance” Miller has provided the television network in the past, or what services he is now pledging to deny them in the future. To the extent that Miller is refusing to provide government services to A&E because he disagrees with the network’s broadly tolerant views, however, denying government services to the network would violate the First Amendment. Unlike A&E, which is a private company lawfully entitled to suspend or fire someone because they find the person’s views repulsive, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is a government agency bound by the First Amendment’s ban on viewpoint discrimination.

Categories
News

Dad Tossed Toddler From High Rise Then Jumped, Killing Both

A distraught dad tossed his toddler off the roof of a 52-story apartment building on the Upper West Side on Sunday, then jumped himself — killing them both, law enforcement sources said.

Dmitriy Kanarikov, 35, of Brooklyn was supposed to hand over his 4-year old son to his estranged wife at a Manhattan precinct amid a bitter custody dispute between the couple, sources said.

Instead, the systems developer went to the top of the South Park Tower, across from St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital on West 60th Street, with his son, Kirill, and pitched the boy to his death before making his own fatal leap.

A source said Kanarikov, an immigrant from the Ukraine, may have had a friend who lived in the building.

The dad’s body was found on a fourth-floor landing of a John Jay College building next door to the apartment high-rise, while the boy’s was recovered from a sixth-floor landing of the same structure.

Authorities believe that the dad tossed the boy and then jumped because of the distance between their bodies and the fact that the father’s was found closer to the building, indicating he had more direct drop, sources said..

Police said Kanarikov was pronounced dead at the scene. The child was taken to St. Luke’s and pronounced dead there.

Categories
Celebrities Entertainment Sports

Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union Now Engaged

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union are engaged.

The Miami Heat star proposed to his longtime girlfriend Saturday and the actress accepted. They announced the news through social media, around the same time as the two-time defending NBA champions were gathering for a team Christmas party.

“She said YES!!!” Wade posted to his Twitter and Instagram accounts, with a photo of Union wearing a large diamond solitaire on the ring finger of her left hand.

It will be the second marriage for both Union, 41, and Wade, who turns 32 next month. No date has been announced, and the couple did not release any formal statements about the engagement Saturday night.

Categories
Politics Texas

Republican Larry Kilgore Wants to Execute The Gays, Right After Secession

Larry Kilgore has made God, gays and guns an important part of his campaign for governor, but his No. 1 issue is secession. Kilgore is so committed to the idea of having Texas leave the union that he legally changed his name – Larry SECEDE Kilgore. That’s the way he’ll appear on the ballot next March in the Texas Republican primary, where he is challenging front runner Greg Abbott for the GOP nomination.

Kilgore believes the Bible offers a good guide for government. As such, he suggests that in accordance with the biblical injunction against homosexuality, gay people should be put to death. But Kilgore says he’s willing to temporarily set aside his opposition to homosexuals in the interest of winning. The Arlington telecommunications contractor says to build a coalition, he’s inviting gay people to support his campaign.

In an interview with Lone Star Q, a statewide on-line LGBT news site, Kilgore talked about his version of the big tent.

“I am a Christian, and I have lots of Christian beliefs. However, I am trying to build a coalition of all different types of people. I look at the lesbians and the homosexual folks and I say, ‘Hey, D.C. is stealing my money just like they’re stealing your money.’ After we get our freedom, then we can decide all that stuff — hopefully at a county level. Right now, lesbians and homosexuals and Christians may have differences with each other, but we’ve got a bigger enemy.”

To that end, Kilgore said he’s removed an anti-transvestite plank from his campaign web site. Asked what the punishment for homosexuality should be, Kilgore said, “According to the Bible, it should be execution, if anyone participates in that activity.” But he said the same for adulterers and women who have abortions.

“In my gubernatorial run, it’s secession only, and I want to build a bridge with all different kinds of folks,” Kilgore said. “If there was a homosexual running that was a secessionist, I would support him.” Under Kilgore’s idea of secession, Texas would be divided into several states. One state could be for gay people. In another, they could be executed. In 2006, Kilgore finished second behind Gov. Rick Perry for the GOP nomination for governor. He ran for the Senate in 2008, challenging incumbent John Cornyn, and in the primary and got nearly 20 percent of the Texas Republican vote.

Categories
Politics

Justine Sacco Sacked from Job after making Racist Tweet

Just hours after Justine Sacco made a racist comment on Twitter about not getting AIDS in Africa because she’s white, her job at IAC is no more. In a statement released today, her now former employer said,

“The offensive comment does not reflect the views and values of IAC. We take this issue very seriously, and we have parted ways with the employee in question. There is no excuse for the hateful statements that have been made and we condemn them unequivocally. We hope, however, that time and action, and the forgiving human spirit, will not result in the wholesale condemnation of an individual who we have otherwise known to be a decent person at core.”

Waiting for Sarah Palin and the rest of the Republican establishment to come to Justine’s rescue… you know, free speech and all.

ps.

On a lighter note, seems like Justine already found her next job.

Categories
Food And Recipes Recipe

Banana Sweet Potato Pancakes With Honey Nut Yogurt

 

INGREDIENTS

Pancakes:

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup mashed baked sweet potato
1 egg
1 1/4 cups skim milk or soy milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 banana, diced

Yogurt sauce:
1 6-ounce container of plain nonfat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons skim milk
1 tablespoon peanut butter (or almond butter)
2 teaspoons honey

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar. Then add the sweet potato, egg, and milk, and mix until smooth. Add the cinnamon. Stir in the diced banana.
  2. Place a skillet over medium heat, and spray lightly with cooking spray.
  3. While the pan is heating up, make the yogurt sauce. Mix together the yogurt, milk, peanut butter, and honey in a small bowl. Set aside.
  4. Drop large spoonfuls of batter onto the pan, making pancakes that are about three-and-a-half inches in diameter. Cook until bubbly, about two minutes. Flip and continue cooking until golden brown. Makes about 12 pancakes.
  5. Place three pancakes on a plate, and pour one quarter of the yogurt sauce on top. Add some slices of banana or other fresh fruit, sprinkle on some chopped nuts, and enjoy!

Categories
News

4 Arrested on Murder Charges in Deadly NJ Mall Carjacking

Nearly a week after a shopper was gunned down in a deadly carjacking at a New Jersey shopping mall garage, police arrested four men on charges of murder.

Dustin Friedland, 30, an attorney from Hoboken, was shot in the head on Dec. 15 in front of his wife after the couple loaded their car with holiday gifts at The Mall at Short Hills, about 12 miles west of Newark.

Three of the men arrested are from Newark and were identified as Karif Ford, 31, Besim Henry, 32, Kevin Roberts, 33. The fourth suspect, Hanif Thompson, 29, is from Irvington, N.J.

Friedland’s widow, Jamie Schare Friedland, released a statement after the arrest: “We are very grateful to the Essex County Police and all of the local authorities for pursuing this so vigorously.”

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Dustin Friedland, pictured with his wife Jamie Schare Friedland, was shot dead by carjackers at a New Jersey mall.

All four men are being held at the Essex County Correctional Facility on $2 million bail each. The men face charges of murder, felony murder, carjacking, conspiracy, possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose.

“It was old fashion police work combined with technology,” acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray said about the arrest.

Police said in a news conference on Saturday morning that Friedland’s Range Rover seemed to be the motivation for the carjacking though the investigation is still active.

The stolen vehicle was found last week in an alley in Newark, about 10 miles from the mall.

Read More: Mourners: NJ Carjacking Victim Was Ethical, Kind

Murray said all four arrived at the mall in a Suburban vehicle. After the carjacking, two left the scene in the Suburban and two left in the Range Rover. Murray added that it was unclear who fired the shots and wouldn’t comment on their relationship.

Murray said it was unclear when the four would appear in court because of the upcoming Christmas holiday but added it would likely be early next week.

A law enforcement official said that the men arrested could face the death penalty, though capital punishment in New Jersey is prohibited. Prosecutors will determine whether or not to charge the men in the federal system, where the death penalty is a possible form of punishment.

ABC News’ Colleen Curry, Josh Margolin and Jason Volack contributed to this report.

Categories
Food And Recipes

Tomato Mozzarella

Tomato Mozzarella

Note: – low cal (low carb – high protein)
– quick and easy

Ingredients (1serving):
– 100 g low fat mozzarella
– 1 tomato
– balsamic syrup
– fresh black pepper and salt
– fresh basil (unfortunately I didn’t have any)

– Served with a salad. I made this with rocket, dandelion salad, olives, red peppers (paprika), radish and sundried tomatos

Directions:
– Clean and cut the tomato and mozzarella
– add some fresh black pepper, salt and balsamic syrup
– serve with a salad

Nutritional facts (1serving):
Energy: 194 cal
Protein: 22 g
Carbohydrates: 4 g (sugar 3 g)
Fat: 10 g (saturated 7 g)
Fiber: 2 g

Created and made by www.facebook.com/FitnessRecipes

Categories
oral sex Politics

New York Assemblyman Sent Staffer Video of Himself Receiving Oral Sex

Okay, so this is a change. I’m usually pointing out the so-called family values of Republican politicians accused of various sexual crimes from rape to child pornography. But this sickness is no respecter of political affiliation. So with that said, this is a story of a Democratic Assemblyman in New York, who allegedly sent videos of himself doing various sexual acts to his female staffers.

Three female former aides working under 62-year-old Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak—who, naturally, is married and has children—have filed a notice of claim detailing sexual harassment allegations against him. According to the employees—Annalise Freling, Jamie Campbell and Kimberly Snickles —Gabryszak frequently made inappropriate comments to them; he allegedly told then 28-year-old Freling, “I got a boner when I walked into the office today when I saw you,” and “You’re so hot, you know what I want to do with you,” for instance, and is accused of inviting 26-year-old Snickles to a massage parlor and telling her he was “more of a ‘butt’ guy than a ‘boobs’ guy.”

If that’s not skeevy enough, Gabryszak, a Democrat, also allegedly sent Freling a video of “him in a bathroom, either receiving or pretending to be receiving fellatio,” under the premise of sending her a recording of constituents. And, oh, there’s more: Gabryszak allegedly told Freling he wanted to “lick her,” asked female employees to spent the night in his Albany apartment, suggested they wear bikinis to events, joked he had a tattoo on his penis, regularly talked about prostitutes and strip clubs and was generally just an all-around creep, according to the claim.

The employees say the harassment was allegedly ongoing for several years, and they all finally resigned between March and October of this year, according to the claim: “The behavior was so severe, persistent and pervasive that the claimants had no alternative other than to leave their employment.” Now, they’re reportedly hoping Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver takes action against Gabryszak—good luck with that!

Categories
Healthcare ObamaCare Politics

States See Huge Increase in Healthcare Sign up

WASHINGTON – States with their own well-running health insurance exchanges reported Wednesday an increase of 30 percent to 40 percent in enrollments from last week to this week.

“We’re seeing huge interest,” said Peter Lee, director of California’s exchange, during a conference call sponsored by Families USA, a health care advocacy group that supports the Affordable Care Act.

Six months ago, “no American knew about” the state exchanges.

In the first week of December, 50,000 people signed up for insurance in California.

Last week, 15,000 people were signing up every day, Lee said. He expects the interest to increase as local organizations, such as libraries or even cities, launch their own campaigns to encourage people to buy health insurance.

Lee and other officials in states that have expanded Medicaid coverage and spent millions promoting their exchanges said they are seeing an increasing diversity among the people buying insurance and the types they are purchasing.

The numbers show interest in buying insurance is increasing after the initial problems that hurt the site when it launched Oct. 1, said Ron Pollack, the founding executive director of Families USA. States that are doing well, he said, can share how they succeeded with other states and the federal government.

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