Link-Yo-Rama

Politico: So much for 'conversation' on race

The election of Barack Obama, America’s first black president, was supposed to be a sign of our national maturity, a chance to transform the charged, stilted “national conversation” about race into a smarter and more authentic dialogue, led by a president who was also one of the nation's subtlest thinkers and writers on the topic.

Instead, the conversation just got dumber.

The America of 2010 is dominated by racial images out of farce and parody, caricatures not seen since the glory days of Shaft. Fox News often stars a leather-clad New Black Panther, while MSNBC scours the tea party movement for racist elements, which one could probably find in any mass organization in America. Obama’s own, sole foray into the issue of race involved calling a police officer “stupid,” and regretting his own words. Conservative leaders and the NAACP, the venerable civil-rights group, recently engaged in a round of bitter name-calling that left both groups wounded and crying foul.

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"This is the way race plays out all too often these days — as soon as the accusation of racism is made, good will, the benefit of the doubt, presumption of innocence all go out the window. It's seen as a virtue to jump to the least charitable conclusion when the issue is race — those who reserve judgment are accused of naivete or complicity," he said.

Parachuting donkey shocks Russian beachgoers

ABC News: Growing Number of Prosecutions for Videotaping the Police

Fox News: Mass. Parents Angry Over Kids Sent Home With 'Fat Reports'

Shelby, who is 90 pounds and just over four-foot-nine, did not take the letter to heart but fears some of her more sensitive or insecure peers might.

"I just kind of chuckled and threw it back in my backpack," said Shelby. "It was like, whatever. I think I would be considered big for my grade and age but definitely not overweight."

Memorial Elementary School in Medway, Mass., is required by law to calculate each student's BMI to determine healthy proportions.

NY Times: Changing Stance, Administration Now Defends Insurance Mandate as a Tax

Administration officials say the tax argument is a linchpin of their legal case in defense of the health care overhaul and its individual mandate, now being challenged in court by more than 20 states and several private organizations.

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“For us to say that you’ve got to take a responsibility to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase,” the president said last September, in a spirited exchange with George Stephanopoulos on the ABC News program “This Week.”

When Mr. Stephanopoulos said the penalty appeared to fit the dictionary definition of a tax, Mr. Obama replied, “I absolutely reject that notion.”

[Warning: Disturbing Video]

Deadspin's play-by-play:

Alright, I'm back in on this because I've just watched this for the third time already and I'm trying to understand who-insulted-whom and educate myself in the ways of streetwalker justice or comprehend whatever right is being wronged here. It appears Pantsless Pink Tights Pregnant Lady and Blue Dress Pregnant(?) Lady initiated the attack first on the Other Pantsless Lady for doing something that was untoward. Pantsless Pink Tights Pregnant Lady then continues to goad Other Pantsless Lady who now has found comfort in minivan of her friends, but does not appreciate still being provoked after fact. Then, One Surly Gentleman In Gray Shirt accompanying Other Pantsless Lady and White Heavy Metalishchick begins to intervene and tells Pantsless Pink Tights Pregnant Lady that she should stop talking or he will have to become physical because that's the way things are settled in Burger King parking lots in Oakland, regardless if she's pregnant or not. Alas, Pantsless Pink Tights Pregnant Lady goes into Burger King to accumulate weaponry in the form of a plastic baby seat. She then spits at the minivan (an assault!) which infuriates White Heavy Metalishchick who goes all berserko gorilla on Pantless Pink Tights Pregnant Lady. Other Pantsless Lady then begins kidney-punch assault as White Heavy Metalishchick continues berserko gorilla attack. Then Surly Gentleman In Gray Shirt comes in, separates the women, and begins to land thunderous blows to Pantsless Pink Tights Pregnant Lady. (The documentarian of this film interjects that the Pantsless Pink Tights Pregnant Lady should have known this was coming because she was in a Burger King parking lot in Oakland saying not-so-nice things about Oakland, which apparently results in a triple-team beatdown. Duly noted.) But Pantsless Pink Tights Pregnant Lady, full of moxie and pride, continues to bait the minivan even though her face has now sprouted baked potato-sized lumps and a bloody lip. She hurls plastic baby seat at minivan as it drives off. This catches the attention of an Old Lady Dressed Like A Phantom who explains to the Pantsless Pink Tights Pregnant Lady that her mother should become physical with her because she is impolite or something. As we know, Pantless Pink Tights Pregnant Lady does not take kindly to these insults so she gives it right back to Old Lady Dressed Like A Phantom. Bad move, as we come to find out that Old Lady Dressed Like A Phantom is still spry and also has a short fuse, despite her accelerated age. Plus she's wielding a water bottle which, in Oakland, doubles as a bludgeoning device. Old Lady Dressed Like A Phantom storms into Burger King after Pantsless Pink Tights Pregnant Lady. Blue Dress Pregnant(?) Lady has seen enough, though, and does not intervene. This fight dies down quickly because the documentarian is now drawn back outside because a motorcycle cop was just almost run over by a car. Said documentarian reacts to this incident like a tornado chaser spotting an F5 over an empty field in North Dakota. He stops filming, but I assume America continued to eat itself in East Oakland that sultry afternoon.

I can't decide which youtube video to link to.