Will she "Win one for the Cleft Lip -per"? While we folks with facial differences often aspire to appear average or normal, it's not everyday that one of us is singled out for being above average, looks-wise. In Katie Barrow's case, she's been selected to be one of the 12 finalists to compete in the Miss Canada Globe beauty pageant in Toronto this summer. This is no Para-Pageant limited to special folks like the eminently-admirable Para Olympics going on in Sochi at this very moment. This … [Read more...]
Final take on the NFL Bullying Brouhaha
But wait, the NFL bullying saga gets even more complicated as these news bulletins attest: Another relative newbie on the Dolphins team, quarterback Ryan Tannehill, is quoted as saying, “If you asked Jonathan Martin who his best friend is on this team two weeks ago, he’d say Richie Incognito.”This quote from the guy whom the two offensive linemen, Martin and Incognito, are paid to protect! QB Tannehill also said that Richie was the first guy to stand up for Jonathan when anything went … [Read more...]
First take on NFL “Bullying” Scandal.
Before revealing my thoughts on the Jonathan Martin-vs-Richie Incognito bullying flap, here is CBS Sports.com's report on the essentials of the situation by reporter Jason La Canfora. The basics of the alleged bullying. Last week's flare-up between Martin and his teammates, “was not an isolated incident -- not even close,” one source said. “It's been going on almost since they drafted him.” Other players on the team said it was fairly widely known within the team that the offensive linemen … [Read more...]
Second take on the Bullying Brawl in the NFL
So, what bullying info has emerged in the week since the relationship between two Miami Dolphins became public? Some snippets from recent mass media accounts: Evidence in the form of a tape surfaces that Richie Incognito’s text and other exchanges with Jonathan Martin crossed the line. “According to ESPN's Adam Schafer, the most egregious of these exchanges was a highly graphic voicemail Incognito left in April 2013, in which Incognito called Martin a "[mulatto} piece of s**t," … [Read more...]
Incredible Athletes who’ve Overcome Birth Defects & Disabilities
Next time you want to veg out on that couch, think of the incredible athletes who've overcome birth defects (e.g., cerebral palsy, spina bifida, fibular hemimelia) and acquired disabilities (e.g.,cancer, war injuries, auto accidents). For info on a dozen or so disabled athletes--including Paralympic gold medalist Tatyanna McFadden and major league pitcher Jim Abbott, pictured here-- see … [Read more...]
Angry Parents feel JC Penney’s ad Promotes Bullying.
You may've seen the ad which debuted on You Tube August 4, It features a mom taking about how she plans to take her kids to JC Penney so they can get new clothes for school. The narrating "mom" loves J C Penneys for her kids because the store's "Got all the other brands they have to have." The ad ends with a teenage boy sitting with others in a school cafeteria. As the mom says, "I've been told the stuff can make or break your entire year," the kid suddenly is all alone in the … [Read more...]
More Reverse Looksism. Fired for being ‘Too Hot.’
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention other situations where “Reverse Looksism” has reared its ugly head, pardon my pun. Besides the stories of Melissa Nelson and Katherine Jenkins which I related in prior blog posts, these have surfaced of late: According to the Irreverent Lawyer blog, bosses told Lauren Odes, 29, she was “too hot” and her figure too sexy for her job in New York City. Managers at Native Intimates---which is owned by Orthodox Jews---also told her to wear baggy clothes. They soon … [Read more...]