Cop deals with scared, possibly “threatening” dog the right way

In case all those doggycide reports get you down, here’s another case where a police officer deals with a frightened and possibly aggressive dog that’s on the loose without even moving to unholster his weapon:

Transcript: (click the [+/-] to open/close →)

[−]

Plattsburg, MO police officer and self-proclaimed “dog-lover” Nick Sheppard responds to a call about a dog with its leg stuck in a chain link fence. The large pooch appears scared and possibly in pain, prompting Sheppard to hesitate and wonder whether the animal may be aggressive. But he nonetheless cuts the dog’s leg free, and the animal runs off out of sight.

Sheppard then looks around for the dog and finds it sitting in the driver’s seat of his patrol car, just chilling and looking happy.

Kudos to Plattsburg, Missouri officer Nick Sheppard for doing the right thing and breaking the wearisome pattern of law enforcement agents responding to potentially threatening animals with immediate lethal force. (And a doggy bone to that pooch for being almost bizarrely prescient.)

(via Dogs Shot by Police | Facebook)

World’s best dad wears a skirt for his crossdressing son

Nils Pickert & son

In which a German father and his five-year-old boy see your childhood taunt of “My dad can beat up your dad!” and raise you this magnificent example of loving courage:

"My five year old son likes to wear dresses," says German dad Nils Pickert.

Back when he lived in West Berlin, it was certainly a conversation-starter, but not much more than that. Now, however, Pickert and his son live in a "very traditional" South German village where his son's predilection for dresses is the talk of the town.

"I didn't want to talk my son into not wearing dresses and skirts," Pickert tells the German feminist magazine EMMA. "He didn't make friends in doing that in Berlin already and after a lot of contemplation I had only one option left: To broaden my shoulders for my little buddy and dress in a skirt myself."

From the translated article at the first link, above, we see that Mr. Pickert well and truly gets it:

Yes, I’m one of those dads, that try to raise their children equal. I’m not one of those academic daddies that ramble about gender equality during their studies and then, as soon as a child’s in the house, still relapse into those fluffy gender roles: He’s finding fulfilment in his carrier and she’s doing the rest.

Wait, you mean he came to the conclusion that forcibly imposing rigid gender roles upon children and preventing them from expressing what they truly feel like inside may be corrosive to their development all on his own, without being corrupted and pussified by all those crazy, hysterical feminazis and queers with all their crazy ideas about equal treatment? Fancy that.

And the best part is how the ending to this tale is sure to send a thousand conformists’ heads ass-plodin’:

And what's the little guy doing by now? He's painting his fingernails. He thinks it looks pretty on my nails, too. He's simply smiling, when other boys ( and it's nearly always boys) want to make fun of him and says: "You only don't dare to wear skirts and dresses because your dads don't dare to either." That's how broad his own shoulders have become by now. And all thanks to daddy in a skirt.

You know, slippery slopes aren’t all bad, really. And while no-one who’s been through grade school can deny that little Pickert Jr. is undoubtedly in for some rough times ahead, he’s incredibly lucky to have a father who’s ready to go to bat for him whenever needed. I do think he should be just fine.

And at any rate, how’s that for a rejoinder? “Oh, yeah? Well, my dad has the guts to wear a skirt in public because he loves his son enough to allow him to wear a dress. Does yours?”

(via @GodlessPoutine)

Tags: Nils Pickert • crossdressing • EMMA • gender roles

Anti-doggycide in Baltimore, Maryland

The obvious and unfortunate effect of the maxim that bad news will always be louder than happy news is that we tend to seriously underestimate just how much good there is in the world, even when we can’t go five minutes without hearing about the latest robbery, defrauding … or household pet being slaughtered by police under suspicious circumstances. Speaking of which, here’s a much-needed uplifting tale to illustrate that there are good and competent cops out there, such as Ofc. Dan Waskiewicz of Baltimore, who sent this email to the pitbull advocacy blog, Modified k9, describing his recent encounter with an allegedly “vicious” dog:

Hey,

I'm a Police Officer in Baltimore City. I am originally from Wilkes-Barre, and I am a fan of your organization and Pit Bulls. Today I received a call while on duty about a vicious dog chasing kids. When I came on the scene, I noticed people yelling out their windows at the dog. I followed the dog into an ally to see how it was acting. Going on my own approach, being a dog lover, I got out of my car and called the "vicious dog" over to me. The dog came over with it's tail between it's legs and panting. I grabbed my water bottle and the dog sat down next to me and began licking my pants. I started giving the dog water. I brought the dog over and waited for the pound to show up. My partner was not a fan of dogs and was startled by my approach. I suggested to him that this dog cannot be put down, and should be taken to a shelter. We took it upon ourselves to take the dog to the shelter, and transported it in the back seat in the back of our patrol car. Then I decided that I wanted to keep the dog, and spoke to the shelter about the steps to take to adopt it. The dog was originally kept outside and was filthy, and now it just might have a new home. I know you like positive pictures so I have attached a few. Have a great day and keep up the good work!

Officer Dan Waskiewicz
Baltimore City Police

Now this is how it’s done. No rash judgment, no shooting on-sight based on unreliable random witnesses, and best of all, no knee-jerk prejudice against an animal for belonging to a particular breed. Just a calm and rational approach with a perfectly happy outcome. Not to tell other cops how to do their jobs – wait, that’s actually exactly what I’m doing – but they really need to start looking at their more level-headed peers for guidance. There might just be a few less cadavers in the end.

Keep up the good work yourself, Officer Waskiewicz. Meanwhile, be sure to head over to the original post to see all those heart-tingling pics of the (very happy) pooch and his rescuer.

(via @radleybalko)

Tags: Dan Waskiewicz • pitbulls • dogs • Baltimore, MD • Modified k9

Daily Blend: Monday, June 11, 2012

Zachery Swezey

Washington faith-healing parents who let their son ^[pictured] die from a ruptured appendix rather than call a doctor agree to a plea deal to avoid jail time.
(via Joe. My. God.)

Another U.S. Republican Congressman wants to cram his ideological penis^[SFW] where it doesn’t belong.

On the bogus threat of Shariah Law.
(via The Agitator)

Pentagon suspends program equipping domestic law enforcement with military hardware because police grow more militarized keep losing it.

Pregnant Chicago woman tased, arrested and bullied after allegedly ripping up cop’s parking ticket.
(via The Agitator)

Analysis: Google data indicates that racism cost President Obama around 3-5% of the popular vote in ’08.
(via @jennifurret)

The Oatmeal shows how FunnyJunk hosts hundreds of stolen Oatmeal comics. FunnyJunk replies by trying to bully Oatmeal out of $20,000. Oatmeal eviscerates them.

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: JaLea Swezey • Greg Swezey • Zachery Swezey • faith healing • Church of the First Born • U.S. House of Representatives • school boards • Timothy Walberg • HR 662 • prayer • Christians • Steve Chapman • Shariah Law • Islam • laws • Pentagon • U.S. Military • 1033 Program • Taser • Chicago Police Department • police brutality • Tiffany Rent • Google • racism • racists • Barack Obama • The Oatmeal • FunnyJunk • Charles Carreon

This school bulletin board notice needs to spread

I can only hope this is genuine:

Some twerps just don’t learn until faced with the thought of being forced to eat their underpants.

(via Joe. My. God.)

Tags: gays • gay teens • football • schools • bullies

Daily Blend: Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Jerad Wheeler

DeKalb County cop ^[pictured] who committed doggycide at the wrong address in January now under investigation for kicking a pregnant woman in the stomach.
(via @radleybalko)

Far-Rightists, hate groups and assorted anti-gay wingnuts everywhere react to President Obama’s newly professed support for gay marriage, while Mitt Romney tries desperately to stay relevant.

Inherently dangerous and aggressive dog loses a limb to save its owner’s life.
(via Rob F)

“The person who follows the pursuit of reason unflinchingly toward its end will be atheistic or, at best, agnostic.” — noted Christian apologist and dishonest fraud, William Lane Craig.
(via Rob F)

Institute of Obvious Research: Dogs display remarkable empathy with humans. One of my earliest memories of dogs was when I was in time-out as a four-year-old and my grandma’s beloved golden lab came up to me all meekly and just stared at me with his fuzzy head in my lap. My mother said he knew I was sad and wanted to comfort me. I still miss him.
(via @NESCent)

This almost makes me like Miracle Whip. (Almost.)
(via The Agitator)

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: DeKalb County, GA • Raven Dozier • Jerad Wheeler • police brutality • Barack Obama • gay marriage • marriage equality • same-sex marriage • wingnuts • conservatives • hate groups • pitbulls • dogs • William Lane Craig • WLC • agnosticism • reason • empathy • animal psychology • Miracle Whip • mayonnaise • Stephen Colbert • The Colbert Report

Daily Blend: Friday, February 03, 2012

Today in new words: “abandon-porn” for those awesome/creepy photos of decrepit places and monuments.

VICTORY?: Komen for the Cure ^[pictured] releases subtly passive-aggressive apology and restores grants to Planed Parenthood … or does it?
(via @breakingnews)

Meanwhile, major kudos to NYC Mayor Bloomberg for pledging $250,000 to Planned Parenthood over Komen for the Cure flap.

“Hoes before embryos”, or why Republicans should use Planned Parenthood to curb terrorism!
(via Lena)

Abandon-porn: New York City’s forgotten North Brother Island.
(via The Agitator)

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: Planned Parenthood • Susan G. Komen for the Cure • Michael Bloomberg • the girl with the blog • Republicans • New York City • leper colonies • abandon-porn • North Brother Island

Daily Blend: Friday, January 27, 2012

Rep. Larry Pittman (R-NC)

• Arkansas man Tased, beaten and arrested despite having committed no crime. Court partially sides with him, awards him … $1.

• Whoopsie: Pastor and Rep. Larry Pittman (R-NC) accidentally sends out mass email calling for “public hangings” for “abortionists, rapists and kidnappers”.
  (via @radleybalko)

• The Internet: Rallying people around good causes like never before.

• 40 questions for fundy Christians.
  (via Rob F)

• Headline of the day: Drug-fueled-orgy-ruined-by-bear-spray edition.
  (via @radleybalko)

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: Derrol Kirby III • Danielle Ingram • James Marschewski • police brutality • excessive force • Larry Pittman • hanging • capital punishment • public execution • Reddit • Omari • Faaraja • orphanages • Christians • Christianity • fundamentalism • fundamentalists • Stephen Barclay • Leanne Reid • bear repellant • bear spray • orgies • Owen Greenan

Daily Blend: Thursday, January 26, 2012

Bill Gates

• Shorter Washington State police: “There’s no good evidence for it, but we think your kids might all be getting hooked on heroin.”
  (via The Agitator)

• “In sum, Obama has deftly and intelligently pursued ignominious and ignoble foreign-policy goals.”

• The Land of the Free slips to #47 in world press freedom index. (Canada is #10 – yay?)
  (via The Agitator)

• Funny world: Founder ^[pictured] of evil technological empire is quickly becoming the greatest philanthropist in human history.

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: heroin • Washington • Dave Hoag • Glenn Greenwald • Barack Obama • foreign policy • Press Freedom Index • Reporters Without Borders • USA • United States • Canada • Bill Gates • Microsoft • Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation • charity • Global Fund

Daily Blend: Monday, December 26, 2011

Siobhan Reynolds, RIP

So, y’all working on figuring out what your soon-to-be-short-lived New Year’s resolutions will be?

• Even former officers don’t go to jail: Indianapolis ex-cop gets probation for arson attacks.
  (via The Agitator)

• Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) signs law banning domestic partnership benefits for state employees.
  (via Joe. My. God.)

• Anti-piracy logic: Guy harmlessly uploads early version of blockbuster movie (and arguably helps its box office ranking), gets thrown behind bars for a whole year. Totally reasonable.

• Damn. Siobhan Reynolds ^[pictured], pain relief warrior and governmental censorship victim, killed in plane crash.

• I wish you a Portal Christmas tree.
  (via The Agitator)

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: Jesse Russell • IMPD • Rick Snyder • domestic partnership • domestic partnership benefits • HB 4770 • X-Men Origins: Wolverine • Gilberto Sanchez • Margaret Morrow • Siobhan Reynolds • chronic pain • Pain Relief Network • Tonya Treadway • Portal • Christmas • Christmas tree

Daily Blend: Friday, September 23, 2011

Rick Santorum

“Cheering an execution, then cheering letting an uninsured man die, now booing a soldier in Iraq. GOP debate audiences, you never disappoint.” — @MarkHarrisNYC

• Canada has stupid drug laws, too: New anti-pot legislation could overwhelm British Columbian jails.

• Today in fucked-up: Rick Santorum ^[pictured] brought his dead, prematurely born infant son home for his young children to “[kiss] and cuddl[e]” for hours.
  (via @todayspolitics)

• Mother orders two school-bus bullies to leave her son alone, gets banned from school grounds and bus stop. I wish I could applaud her in person.
  (via @todayspolitics)

• Oh, dear.

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: Republicans • GOP • British Columbia • marijuana • pot • jails • Rick Santorum • Gabriel Santorum • Karen Santorum • Tanya Sidney • Sovante Griffin • churches • church signs • sexual exploitation • Clairmont Baptist Church

Daily Blend: Friday, September 02, 2011

Brooke Collins with Fudge

• Where are all the moderate Muslims? Why, right here.

• Australia on the verge of bankrupting its Scientology branch by forcing the church to pay its workers.
  (via RichardDawkins.net)

• Badass of the day: Alaskan woman ^[pictured] punches a bear in the face to save her dog.
  (via The Agitator)

• This is fucking brilliant. Epic kudos to this student (and here’s hoping she never gets caught).
  (via @PersonalFailure)

• Noooo, randomly psychotic beloved celebrities!

• Funniest edition of Emails from an Asshole in a long time.

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: Muslims • Islam • terrorism • Scientology • Australia • Sea Org • Brooke Collins • Juneau, AK • bears • dogs • Nekochan • libraries • schools • Catholic schools • private schools • Cracked.com • misogyny • Bill Maher • children • Meatloaf • Celebrity Apprentice • Gary Busey • David Russell • Lily Tomlin • Christian Bale • Quentin Tarantino • Emails from an Asshole • Jeep Comanche • funny • trolls

Actual patriotism amongst the rich … in France

Liliane Bettencourt

In the US, you are considered a patriot (at least by some) if you go around clamoring for your own elected leader to fail and for your government to be overthrown and replaced by anti-reality theocrats. Elsewhere, you are considered a patriot if you actually do something to help your country, especially if no-one even asked you to in the first place. Cue France [original emphasis]:

The French government will add an extra tax of 3 percent on annual income above 500,000 euros ($721,000). Prime Minister said the increase will remain in place until France’s deficit is back under 3 percent of its GDP, and the tax increase comes after some of France’s wealthiest citizens asked for a tax increase in a spirit of “solidarity.”

More details from the BBC:

Sixteen executives, including Europe's richest woman, the L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, had offered in an open letter to pay a "special contribution" in a spirit of "solidarity".

It appeared on the website of the French magazine Le Nouvel Observateur.

It was signed by some of France's most high-profile chief executives, including Christophe de Margerie of oil firm Total, Frederic Oudea of bank Societe Generale, and Air France's Jean-Cyril Spinetta.

They said: "We, the presidents and leaders of industry, businessmen and women, bankers and wealthy citizens would like the richest people to have to pay a 'special contribution'."

They said they had benefited from the French system and that: "When the public finances deficit and the prospects of a worsening state debt threaten the future of France and Europe and when the government is asking everybody for solidarity, it seems necessary for us to contribute."

Traitors! Socialists! Marxists! Cheese-eating surrender monkeys!

Or – just maybe – they’re intelligent and reasonable people who realize that sharing a tiny fraction more of their considerable wealth to help their fellow countryfolk in a time of economic hardship may actually be the right thing to do. Such a radical theory, I know.

Tags: France • Liliane Bettencourt • taxes

Daily Blend: Friday, August 19, 2011

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

US media ignores heroic Norwegian lesbian couple

Hege Dalen and Toril Hansen

It’s those filthy, immoral, society-burning gheyz again. When they’re not busy kicking puppies and orchestrating the pulverization of Christendom, you can always count on them to be up to absolutely no good, such as … risking their lives to save dozens of teenagers during a terrorist rampage?:

Hege Dalen and her spouse, Toril Hansen were near Utöyan having dinner on the opposite shore across from the ill-fated campsite, when they began to hear gunfire and screaming on the island.

“We were eating. Then shooting and then the awful screaming. We saw how the young people ran in panic into the lake,” says Dale to HS in an interview.

The couple immediately took action and pushed the boat into Lake Tyrifjorden.

Dalen and Hansen drove the boat to the island, picked up from the water victims in shock, the young and wounded, and transported them to the opposite shore to the mainland. Between runs they saw that the bullets had hit the right side of the boat.

Since there were so many and not all fit at once aboard, they returned to the island four times.

They were able to rescue 40 young people from the clutches of the killer.

“We did not sleep last night at all. Today, we have been together and talked about the events,” Dalen said.

Of course, it’s clear how this latest bit of unbridled selfless heroism was really just a publicity stunt to promote their evil ways. Which is obviously why, as I write this, the US mainstream media hasn’t uttered a single peep about it; they’re far too cunning and journalistically ethical and honest to fall for such a sleazy bid for attention as repeatedly putting oneself in mortal danger to save dozens of young lives from a gun-toting madman. That’s just amateurish.

Just you wait. Next thing you know, these same-sex perverts are gonna go and single-handedly fix the global economy and wrestle Cthulhu back into the pits of the ocean. Let’s hope the brave US media doesn’t mention them then, either.

(via Pharyngula)

Tags: Hege Dalen • Toril Hansen • Anders Breivik • Norway • CNN • ABC News • MSNBC • Fox News • The Washington Post • The New York Times

Daily Blend: Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Gretchen Carlson

• Police chief Jeff Gilbert of Quartzsite, Arizona places town under martial law due to ongoing feud with mayor. Fire him immediately.
  (via @radleybalko)

• Media Matters on Fox News’s Gretchen Carlson’s [pictured] bogus outrage over supposed anti-Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) sexism.

• Great takedown of “psychic detectives” on Cracked.

• Spanish surgeons perform first ever double leg transplant.
  (via AMERICAblog News)

• Utterly awesome: Windows 8 will reportedly allow users to play Xbox 360 games on their PCs.

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: Quartzsite, AZ • Jennifer Jones • Ed Foster • Gretchen Carlson • Fox News • Keith Ellison • Michele Bachmann • psychics • psychic detectives • Spain • Pedro Cavadas • Windows 8 • Microsoft Windows • Xbox 360

Daily Blend: Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Planned Parenthood logo

• Congratulations, Republicans: Tens of thousands of Indiana Medicaid patients bite the dust due to impending shutdown of Planned Parenthood [pictured] services.

• Measles rates soar due to lack of vaccinations.

• Georgia officials horrified to discover that enacting legislation forcing illegal immigrants out is indeed forcing illegal immigrants out, destroying their agricultural sector in the process.
  (via The Agitator)

• Nebraska prisons now at 141% capacity. Bah, they can hold up until 180%, right?
  (via The Agitator)

• Possible answer to why women live longer: Being male is bad for your health. (So to speak.)
  (via The Daily Grail)

• British soldier killed in Afghanistan, leaves friends over $160,000 for a wild vacation in Las Vegas in his memory.
  (via The Agitator)

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: Planned Parenthood • Medicaid • Indiana • GOP • Measles • children • Georgia • farming • illegal immigrants • Nebraska • Alan White • women • David Hart • Las Vegas

Daily Blend: Thursday, June 16, 2011

Ben Alley

• More technological cluelessness: Senators want to make it a crime to stream copyrighted content (such as embedding YouTube videos on a blog).
  (via The Agitator)

• “In sophomore year, Ben [Alley] [pictured] informed his parents that he is gay. They informed him he wouldn't be coming home after school the next day -- or ever again.”
  (via Dispatches from the Culture Wars)

• Excellent essay by John Cheese at Cracked.com: It really does get better, and not just for LGBT teens.

• Well, damn. Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) resigns over the latest stupid-inane-pseudo-“scandal”.
  (via @todayspolitics)

• Glenn Greenwald on US politics: Tyranny and war-mongering? Let it slide. Political “sex scandal”? OMG FIRE HIM NAAOOO

• Man fired after asking for a modified schedule to deal with his wife’s cancer.

• Samuel L. Jackson reads the “children’s book” Go the Fuck to Sleep.
  (via The Agitator)

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: YouTube • US Senate • Amy Klobuchar • John Cornyn • Christopher Coons • Ben Alley • Christians • homophobia • John Cheese • Cracked.com • adolescence • Anthony Weiner • sex scandals • Weinergate • Glenn Greenwald • USA • Congress • Carl Sorabella • Kathy Sorabella • Haynes Management • Samuel L. Jackson • Go the Fuck to Sleep

Dan Savage wins Webby Award for “It Gets Better Project”

I’m not really a fan of Dan Savage, but no-one could have deserved the honor of winning this Webby Award more than he did for his “Special Achievement” in uniting the Web in a message of hope through his “It Gets Better” campaign:

Kudos to him, and everyone else involved in the propagation of his message.

(via Joe. My. God.)

Tags: It Gets Better Project • Dan Savage • Webby Awards

Dr. Jack Kevorkian dies peacefully at 83

Dr. Jack Kevorkian with his assisted suicide machine [full size (380×205)]

One of the leaders of the assisted suicide/Right-to-Die movement, the inestimable Dr. Jack “Dr. Death Dignity” Kevorkian, has passed away:

Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the audacious Michigan pathologist dubbed "Dr. Death" for his role in assisting the suicides of more than 100 terminally ill people, died early Friday at a Detroit-area hospital after a brief illness.

Kevorkian, 83, died about 2:30 a.m. at William Beaumont Hospital in Michigan, close friend and prominent attorney Mayer Morganroth said.

Morganroth said it appears Kevorkian — who had been hospitalized since last month with pneumonia and kidney problems — suffered a pulmonary thrombosis when a blood clot from his leg broke free and lodged in his heart, according to the Detroit Free Press.

After helping so many suffering and terminal people ease out of their misery, the good doctor finally finds his respite as well. May he rest in peace.

Now, let the “pro-life” sliming begin continue!

Tags: Jack Kevorkian • assisted suicide