Don’t get me wrong. As the son of a single mom, who gave everything she had to raise me with the help of my grandparents, I turned out okay. But at the same time, I wish I’d have had a father who was around and involved.President Obama • Speaking to a predominantly black high school audience at Hyde Park Academy in the South Side of Chicago today, with a slightly different angle on the pro-gun control rhetoric he’s been voicing of late — urging that positive examples in poverty-stricken communities, in family life as well as community life, are also necessary to reduce violence: “…it can feel like the future only extends to the next street corner or the outskirts of town… There are entire neighborhoods where they don’t see an example of somebody succeeding.” source
We knew it was too good to be true. Why didn’t Tancredo realize when he made the bet, or when he agreed to uphold it several days ago, that smoking weed would set a bad example for his grandchildren? source
I’m lacking in recent news updates on this, as the gay media world is abuzz with New York news, but it seems the newspaper that left out a deceased man’s partner from his obituary has gone back on its promise to reprint it.
GLAAD got involved when the man’s partner, Terrance James, noticed his name was missing from the obit. They offered to pay the fee to reprint, and the paper said the money would go to a charity of James’s choice.
Instead, the paper printed an editorial Friday saying they didn’t appreciate James’s motives and they didn’t owe him an apology or a reprinted editorial. The paper has a policy against including non-married partners in obituaries which they’re clearly not willing to change.
The Human Rights Campaign has a petition circulating demanding that the paper apologize and reprint the obituary. Please sign it.
Here’s the editorial where the paper basically attacks the dead man’s partner. The question is, obviously, how hard would it be to change the policy to simply allow life partners? Not hard at all. Problem is, they have to want to do it.
[It is my] understanding the public security authorities are investigating Ai Weiwei according to law on suspicion of economic crimes… This has nothing to do with human rights or freedom of expression.Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei • Seeking to dismiss claims that his government arrested famed artist and dissident Ai Weiwei for political reasons, at a news conference. Weiwei’s family (in addition, frankly, to most everyone else) isn’t buying it. Chinese law states that officials must notify the family of an arrested citizen within 24 hours of the detention, and Ai’s wife has heard nothing: “As of 8 A.M. today, it has been 96 hours since Ai Weiwei was taken away from Beijing airport, and I haven’t heard a single word about him.” source (via • follow)
Rahm Emanuel wins the Chicago mayoral race! With 86% of districts reporting and 55% of the vote, he avoids any chance of a run-off and snags a solid victory. Above, he watches election results with his family in Chicago. Photo Credit: John Gress/Getty Images
That kid on the left looks like a D student who screws around in class all day. Just like his dad.