Jan
26
2015

Dad Calls Out Daughter's Racist Bullies in YouTube Video

Racists Raising Racists

Dad Calls Out Daughter's Racist Bullies in YouTube Video

Brad Knudson didn't know how to react when he saw an abusive Snapchat video directed at his adopted African-American daughter. So he filmed the video before it disappeared, and then created his own YouTube rant. (Be warned; NSFW because it contains racist and explicit language.)

Neonatal Nurse Sues Hospital After This Racist Request

Then he tried to get the parents of the kids to own up. The depressing part is that when Knudson finally managed to make contact, he himself was then subjected to racist taunts from the teens' dad, who found nothing wrong with the video and admitted to using that kind of language at home all the time.

Memo to parents: racist jerks tend to raise racist jerks. Gah; where do you go from there? 

“I have a beautiful African-American daughter who I love more than life itself and would do anything for,” said Knudson in the video, claiming he took action because he didn't want his daughter to suffer and end up committing suicide from bullying, which is a legitimate fear for many parents in today's climate.

Whoopi Goldberg Defends Justin Bieber's Racial Slur

After receiving numerous hateful voicemails, Knudson outed the twins' father as Deron Puro. And to prove there is some poetic justice at work on social media, Puro has since been fired from his job.

It's demoralizing to see the cycle of racism being perpetuated from generation to generation. Since there was no hope of changing poisonous attitudes like Puro's, Knudson did the next best thing: he bolstered his daughter and made sure he knew just how much she was loved and valued. He's leading by example that his daughter doesn't have to take abuse sitting down.

Increasingly, frustrated at the lack of action from schools and authorities, parents are the ones stepping up when their kids are being abused. While social shaming isn't the answer to bullying, sometimes it's the only weapon we have access to when we enter the ring. 

You tell me: Should parents confront their kids' bullies?

Jan
23
2015

"Fifty Shades of Grey" Fan Animates Movie's Missing Scene

...um, thank you?

"Fifty Shades of Grey" Fan Animates Movie's Missing Scene

Nothing spells romance quite like used tampons. Wait, what? Fortunately/unfortunately one of the most infamous scenes from Fifty Shades of Grey (the novel) won't feature in Fifty Shades (the movie), to be released on Valentine's Day. 

Die-hards may be disappointed at the omission of the scene—in which Christian amorously tugs on Anastasia Steele's little blue string. But fear not, a dedicated fan took it upon herself to animate the moment, and reader, it's glorious.
 
5 Books To Read After Finishing 50 Shades of Grey

Is it strange that director Sam Taylor-Johnson decided to axe such a memorable scene? Uh, no, but I bet she wishes reporters would quit bloody asking her about it.

“It was never even discussed,” Taylor-Johnson told Variety, claiming the sex had to be toned down through two rewrites of the screenplay. “The story, of course, is of equal importance. We tried to balance the narrative correctly, so one doesn’t feel like it’s drowning in the other.”

Narrative? Story? You have to wonder whether Taylor-Johnson read the same book as I did. Indeed, the scene is pure gold, and it's kind of tragic that it was passed over or discarded along with the soggy tampon:

“When did you start your period, Anastasia?” he asks out of the blue, gazing down at me.

“Err… yesterday,” I mumble in my highly aroused state.

“Good.” He releases me and turns me around.

“Hold on to the sink,” he orders and pulls my hips back again, like he did in the playroom, so I’m bending down.

He reaches between my legs and pulls on the blue string…


In the interests of keeping the site PG-13, that's all you'll get here. You'll need to consult the manuscript for all the ensuing 'Whoa's' and 'Jeez's' and 'Oh Baby's,' which one writer likens to Smash Mouth lyrics. 

Without further ado, for your unadulterated pleasure, is the fan-imation. I have a feeling the movie won't live up to the 'toon.
 

Image Source: YouTube

Jan
23
2015

Boy Helps Visually Impaired Read Using this Simple Toy

13 Year-Old's Lego Project Turns Into Revolutionary Startup

Boy Helps Visually Impaired Read Using this Simple Toy

Whoever thinks that Lego is just a toy should think again. A teen from Liverpool used the building blocks to replicate Holocaust dioramas for a history project, while on this side of the pond, an eighth-grader in California fashioned the bricks into a new Braille-printing machine. Really.

If Your Child Is Crazy About Lego You May Want To Enroll Her In This School

Though 13 year-old Shubham Banerjee's mom was initially dubious, her doubts were eased when tech biggie Intel invested in the startup, Braigo Labs (a mashup of his name and his medium).

So those school science fairs aren't just child's play. They can be the breeding ground for real innovations.
 
Shubham's machine had its origins from a Lego robotics kit, but evolved into a potentially revolutionary tool for the visually impaired: a Braille printer that would allow visually impaired to perform basic household tasks like printing out labels, letters and shopping lists.
 


The story goes that Shubham asked his folks how blind people read. And like most busy parents, they simply retorted: "Google it." After some research, Shubham was dismayed to discover that Braille printers, or embossers as they are called, cost upwards of $2,000. In other words, the printers are only affordable to a select few, and totally off limits to developing countries.

He thought: "I know that there is a simpler way to do this," and set about creating his own prototype that would cost around $350 and weigh much less than current models.
 
This Dad Built A Pancake Maker Out Of Lego

Fast forward, and blessed with financial backing from his parents, Braigo Labs was created last summer. That prototype has evolved using parts from a desktop printer and an Intel computer chip. The company, which invested in the project, claims the boy is probably the youngest entrepreneur with whom they have worked.

"He's solving a real problem, and he wants to go off and disrupt an existing industry. And that's really what it's all about," said Intel director, Edward Ross.

Parents, perk up your ears. Shubham is proof that those far-fetched ideas may not be as far-fetched as they seem. Kids, after all, are the real innovators, the ones who really think beyond the box, often casting a fresh perspective on stale problems. It's our job to get them thinking about how they can apply that creativity in the real world. 

When you believe in a kid, there's no telling what might happen.
 
Image Source: WikiCommons