October 2, 2013

How an 8-year-old girl got some sexist kids' books yanked from the bookstore

How my 8-year-old daughter got some sexist kids' books yanked from the bookstore
BY CONSTANCE COOPER
Our family was browsing in a bookstore when my daughter called out, “Mama, you have to look at this!” Usually this is a happy cry, but not this time.

She'd found a pair of books. One was Boys Only: How to Survive (Almost) Anything! Its cover showed a boy confronting a crocodile. The other book was the girls' version. Its cover had one girl fluffing her hair while wearing a rhinestone-studded miniskirt, and another riding on a zip line while talking on the phone.



It wasn't until my daughter compared the tables of contents, though, that she became irate to the point of tears. In case you might find this as morbidly fascinating as I do, I will reproduce the pages here:





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She insisted we had to tell the manager how unfair these books were, and a nearby employee heard her and asked if she could help. Kudos to Half Price Books: the employee was horrified. She agreed that the books were offensive, and although we hadn't requested it, she yanked all copies (boy and girl) from the shelf. She also gave my daughter a coupon, which she used on a YA fantasy novel.


links and more:
http://www.constancecooper.com/2013/10/how-my-8-year-old-daughter-got-some.html

October 2, 2013

understanding the shutdown:

HERE:
http://imgur.com/gallery/WiyldWL

October 2, 2013

if it quacks like a duck...?

October 2, 2013

'Every Single 1 Of You Opposed To Obamacare & Supporting Shutdown---You Are Attacking MY Family'

.......................

Which brings me to my ultimate point: every single one of you out there who is opposed to "Obamacare," and who may be supporting the House's government shutdown in order to defund it -- you are attacking my family. I don't care what your reasons are, I don't care how morally committed you are to your cause, I don't care what ethical problems you have with more Federal involvement in health insurance. I don't give a rat's ass. My family will always, always, always be more important than your excuse. And all I will ever hear, from any argument you make, is that it's OK for my wife, my daughter, or heck, for me to die in order for you to make your point. That's a line you drew, and for the record, I am not on your side.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/10/02/1243384/-Wherein-I-discuss-Obamacare-on-Facebook

October 2, 2013

DC-Area Restaurants Charging Congress Members More for Their Meals

MORE:
http://gawker.com/dc-area-restaurants-charging-congress-members-more-for-1440212975

October 2, 2013

HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!! - By John Boehner, Speaker Of The House Of Representatives (The Onion)

Help Me
By John Boehner, Speaker Of The House Of Representatives

Help me. Please, God, help me. I’ve lost control and I need help.

.....................

I want to admit something: I’ve cried in my office every day for the last month. During this shutdown I’ve sat there, panicked and alone, scared to death about the next thing they’ll make me do. When they knock on my door, my heart stops. What are they going to make me say next? How are they going to force me to embarrass myself next? Did you know I was once known as a relatively moderate, shrewd politician? That was before 2010. Before the horror began.

They haunt my dreams at night. I have this one nightmare where I’m about to ask for a vote on a clean continuing resolution and then one of them—I think it’s Steve King from Iowa—looks at me with this eerie smile and says, “No, John. No you won’t.” And then the rest of them are suddenly standing behind him and they all chant in a chilling monotone, “No, John. No you won’t.” And then I wake up screaming, “No, John!!! No you won’t!!!” and I’m crying, and my wife is crying, and I’ve sweat through my sheets.

Help me. Help me make this end. Don’t reelect these people. Reelect good, normal people and I promise I’ll be a good speaker from now on. I won’t lie down for the president by any stretch of the imagination, but I’ll work with him if it makes sense and I’ll fight him when it makes sense. That’s how it should be. That’s how it will be if you help me destroy this menace.

I know I helped create this monster, and I apologize. I am so, so sorry. I thought I could control it, but I was wrong. I just need your help to defeat it. Will somebody please help me? Please? Please? Anyone?

HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.theonion.com/articles/the-republican-party-cannot-stand-by-and-let-obama,34074/

October 2, 2013

Grover Norquist on Ted Cruz: ‘He pushed House Republicans into traffic and wandered away’

Grover Norquist on Ted Cruz: ‘He pushed House Republicans into traffic and wandered away’
By Ezra Klein, Published: October 2 at 2:58 pm


Grover Norquist is the president of Americans for Tax Reform and the creator of the anti-tax pledge that nearly every Republican in Congress has signed. We spoke on Tuesday about the government shutdown and its consequences for his agenda.

A transcript of conversation, edited for length and clarity:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/10/02/grover-norquist-ted-cruz-pushed-house-republicans-into-traffic-and-wandered-away/

October 2, 2013

Charles Pierce: Corp $$$ Is The Power Behind ALL OF IT-1 GOAL-Subjugate Population/Workforce

This Is What They Want
By Charles P. Pierce at 10:00am

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the rest:
http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/The_Deep_Game

October 2, 2013

Ann Romney: No Extortion Had You Elected Mitt.

WED OCT 02, 2013 AT 07:40 AM PDT
Ann Romney: No Extortion Had You Elected Mitt.
by TomP

Look, you had your chance. Now you reap the consequences. We warned you. Elect Mitt or we will destroy America. You did not elect Mitt; you elected Barack Obama. Now America pays.

Politico
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/ann-romney-obamacare-mitt-romney-2012-election-97716.html?hp=r9

The Republican Party is a continuing criminal enterprise.

Like a mob enforcer: You did not pay so we burn down your business.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/10/02/1243317/-Ann-Romney-No-Extortion-Had-You-Elected-Mitt

October 2, 2013

Gov. Shutdown: Idaho officials seeking experienced hikers to search for missing woman in Nat'l Park

WED OCT 02, 2013 AT 06:51 AM PDT
Idaho officials seeking experienced hikers to search for missing woman in National Park
by Jen Hayden


Another unfortunate consequence of the government shutdown:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/10/02/1243291/-Idaho-officials-seeking-experienced-hikers-to-search-for-missing-woman-in-National-Park