For Jon Lovitz it was no laughing matter. And unlike his cult Saturday Night Live sketch, he wasn't lying when he used Twitter to expose a nasty show of anti-Semitism involving maple syrup and dog poop.
The 'prank' involved three teenaged girls who targeted his friend's daughter by leaving this unsolicited gift on her doorstep.
"This is an insult to all of us," tweeted 54-year-old Lovitz, a SNL alumnus. “Let them be famous as Jew haters. Pls RT,” he added, requesting that his some 28,000 followers share their photo.
As their handiwork didn't cause permanent damage, the girls couldn't be charged by police. One of the moms, however, who drove them to the California home in the middle of the night is being investigated, and the school expelled all three vandals.
Now if only all bullies and bigots could be named and shamed this way, the world would be on its way to becoming a better place.
But the man responsible for bringing the girls their just deserts was modest. "I merely stood up for him. AND all Jews as this is how it starts. I didn't make this an international story. The world did."
It's official. Miss Transgender can now become Miss Universe, largely thanks to the work of a tenacious 23-year-old from Vancouver.
From next year, transgender women will be allowed to participate in the world's biggest beauty pageant. Officials are currently changing the policy wording (that contestants be "naturally born" female) to make it inclusive of women born as men, like Jenna Talackova, who underwent a sex change four years ago.
Trials for next year's Miss Universe pageant begin this summer, after Talackova lobbied singlehandedly to compete alongside other women. GLAAD, a gay and lesbian advocacy group, took up her cause, prompting the Miss Universe Organization to review the case.
"We want to give credit where credit is due, and the decision to include transgender women in our beauty competitions is a result of our ongoing discussions with GLAAD," said president of the Miss Universe Organization, Paula Shugart. "We have a long history of supporting equality for all women, and this was something we took very seriously."
Transgender women are now able to take part in the Olympics, NCAA, the Girl Scouts of America and The CW's America's Next Top Model.
As for Talackova, she will legitimately vie for the crown among so many beautiful women. She has a boyfriend and hopes to have children some day. "Yes, I want to have two children."
Should transgender women should be able to take part in distinctly female clubs and activities? And vice-versa? Is gender something you're born with or something you take on?
It's a sad sign of the times that we need to designate a certain month to earth awareness. If you tend to start sentences with 'In my day...' then this post is for you.
"Get nostalgic. Take a moment to talk to a grandparent—or even a peer—about his or her favorite nature memories from childhood – was it skipping stones? A favorite picture book about elephants? Drawing horses? Climbing trees? These simple memories might be enough to remind you just how easy it can be to make nature part of your own parenting style.
Think manageable. Connecting kids with nature doesn’t require a family trip to Yellowstone (phew). What it really takes is getting your kids curious about animals, wildlife and the outdoors—the world beyond their house and school. What do baby turtles eat? Why do leaves change colors? How do fish breath underwater? What kind of insect is that in your backyard? Hikes, museums, books and videos can all help spark that fascination.
Teach early lessons. Intuitively, we know kids need to learn about and appreciate nature. But what are the real benefits? For one, it’s a sensory explosion for their young minds. R]eading about how birds build nests, watching a baby elephant play, touching a sheep’s coat, smelling a rose or digging a carrot out of the soil—all of this stimulates curiosity in young minds."
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