What it looks like when we've run out of things to offend us

When we've run out of things to offend us, we start digging and scrounging to find something—anything—even remotely controversial. Leave it to a publication like The New York Times to find controversy in kids dressing up as superheroes. In this particular case, white kids dressing up as Black Panther:

Black Panther costumes—whether the character's full raiment or just his claws and mask—are on toy store shelves (and, of course, on Amazon) in anticipation of the film's Feb. 16 release. At best, the character get-ups speak to the enthusiastic embrace of a black superhero. At worst, they could be perceived as an unwitting form of cultural appropriation, which has in recent years become a subject of freighted discourse.

Exactly how a white kid could be guilty of "cultural appropriation" by dressing up as a fictional comic book character created by two white guys is beyond me, but apparently this is a serious discussion parents are supposed to be having with their kids.

Find all the examples of racism in this swim safety poster

Let's play a game. See how many examples of racism you can find in this poster put out by the Red Cross. Ready? Set? Go!

If you couldn't find any examples racism, then you failed the test. As a white, middle-class person, you need to check your privilege and admit that you are incapable of understanding the kind of pain and suffering endured by those who have to deal with being triggered by the never-ending barrage of micro-aggressions inflicted by people such as yourself. You need to strive to be more like Margaret Sawyer, who took one look at that poster and recognized it for the racist propaganda that it is.

We now live in a world in which the mere hint of logic, reason, and rationality can be considered racist and intolerant. The sooner you get used to that fact, the better.

Brand new trailer for 'The Peanuts Movie'

I must admit that I'm impressed. The movie promises to appeal to a new generation while remaining true to the classic comics and TV specials we old folks know and love.

Man 'unboxes' his new family in clever video parody

If you've spent any amount of time on YouTube, you've run across more than a few "unboxing" videos featuring people eager to share the joy of opening their latest purchase. This one has them all beat:


(via 22 Words)

School to arm students with canned food to ward off gun-toting intruders

There is no stupidity quite like the stupidity demonstrated by central planners. How else can you explain an idiotic idea like arming students with canned food to give them a fighting chance against a school shooter?


Sure. Bring a can of creamed corn to a gun fight and see what happens. If these "experts" really cared about the students in their charge, they would at least teach them how to weaponize school and office supplies.

Reluctant dads at a One Direction concert

(via Tastefully Offensive)

11-year-old wins 7th annual Doodle 4 Google competition

11-year-old Audrey Zhang of Long Island won the 2014 Doodle 4 Google competition with her drawing of a futuristic water purifier.

The folks at Google helped Audrey turn her doodle into a moving animation. She was rewarded with a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 grant for her school.

Read more here.

Marketing genius: Girl Scout sells cookies outside medical marijuana shop

Location, location, location...


(via Independent Journal Review)

Introducing a Barbie Doll for homeschoolers

Imagine the hours of entertainment your little ones will get out of the new Homeschool Barbie:

As homeschooling has grown in popularity, there's a Barbie™ to meet every need. The Protestant Christian version comes with a miniature Bible (the complete King James version!) and will recite Scripture verses when her hand is pressed. Catholic Homeschool Barbie™ wears a crucifix, chapel veil, and can lead your children in praying the Rosary (in your choice of Latin or English) when her hands are placed together. Secular Homeschool Barbie™ comes complete with a grain mill and Birkenstocks™, and shares her favorite home remedies & recipes with a pat on the back. All three dolls include a variety of Math curricula with manipulatives and chalkboards with tiny real chalk!

And what would a teacher be without students? Children for Homeschool Barbie™ are available in a variety packs of seven girls & boys ranging in age from four to ten, in your choice of matching or non-matching outfits. (Cloth-diapered infants & toddlers sold separately)

Contrary to popular belief, we homeschooling families do have a sense of humor. :)

(via Facebook)

Barbie without makeup

Barbie has been criticized for giving young girls an unrealistic image of beauty. Perhaps the critics are right. Artist Eddi Aguirre shows us the real Barbie, sans makeup:

How to condition your child to live in a police state

What other reason could there be for including this in a children's book?

The page in question is from the book Olivia Goes to Venice, by Ian Falconer. It currently has many more negative ratings than positive. Here are a few 1-star review excerpts:

Bronzino
Truly appalling that a children's book includes an illustration of TSA-like goons searching a "child" for weapons. Even more appalling is that Olivia "is pleased" by this search. Children should not be raised on fear nor should they be taught to believe illegal search and seizure is normal and proper.

Ranger_Fan73
No redeeming qualities about this book. Skip for your toddler. The getting searched at the airport sent shivers down my spine.

M. L. Browne
Falconer's gone mad. Either that, or totalitarian.

bcc mee
After seeing video footage of a young girl being groped by TSA agents, I am appalled that this book would see fit to include the main character "pleased" at being inspected for weapons. What kind of message is this? We seem to have one generation that is not aware of our civil liberties and now we're raising another generation that will never know the freedoms we once had.

Matt and Andy's Mom
I guess the only way to reach little children with government agendas is to get them before they are old enough to think for themselves, telling them that the proper response is to be pleased.

Little brother + quack sound + Nerf gun = Pavlovian conditioning experiment

It's not bullying if it's done in the name of science, right?


(via 22 Words)

Extreme Barbie Jeep racing

Those of you who thought those kid-sized Barbie Jeeps were just for little girls, think again.


(via The Poke)

Star Trek: The Middle School Musical

In a word: fascinating.

7-year-old cancer patient scores 69-yard touchdown

Seven-year-old Jack Hoffman has been fighting brain cancer, but that didn't stop him from being the MVP at Nebraska's spring football game on Saturday. I think it will be difficult to top this as the most heartwarming moment in sports this year.

School locked down for hours due to Nerf gun threat

In the aftermath of any tragic shooting, you can expect to see stories like this:


Yet another reason I'm glad we educate our kids at home, where our Nerf guns remain loaded and accessible at all times.

Full-length, live-action version of Toy Story

Young Arizona filmmakers, Jonason Pauley and Jesse Perrotta, shot a full-length, scene-by-scene, live-action version of Toy Story. Yeah, it's pretty cool!

(via Kottke)

iPotty for iPad

Yes, it comes with a splash guard. No, there isn't an adult version.

More here.

Tolkien fan re-creates hobbit house with 2,600 balloons

Balloon artist Jeremy Telford of Utah built a life-size replica of Bag End, the house belonging to Bilbo Baggins in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. The inflatable structure required 2,600 balloons and took nearly 40 hours to complete.

The best part is that he let his three kids demolish the whole thing when he was done.


(via Dave Barry's Blog)

Father sends son's toy train into space

What little boy wouldn't like to send his favorite toy on an epic journey into space? That's what Ron Fugelseth did for his four-year-old son. Check it out: