Fans and Their Moms Celebrate End to Bieber Paternity Suit

LOS ANEGLES, California—Across the country, tween girls and their moms are rejoicing over last week’s news that Mariah Yeater had dropper her paternity suit against pop star Justin Bieber. Yeater withdrew her lawsuit after text messages on her phone revealed the possibility that someone other than Bieber fathered Yeater’s 4-month-old Tristyn Anthony Markhouse Yeater whose lengthy name may yield clues as to the father’s actual identity.

“We’re so thrilled,” said 12 year-old Katie Winthrop of Irvine, California. “We knew it wasn’t true!”

“Never say never,” added Winthrop’s mom, Ashley. “Unless it’s a paternity suit.”

A small but dedicated group of fans in Bismarck, North Dakota were ... continue reading

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Texas Governor May Have Addiction to HPV Vaccine

AUSTIN, Texas—A former staffer working for Governor Rick Perry’s election campaign is claiming the presidential hopeful regularly injects himself with the HPV Vaccine. In a phone interview with TMZ, the campaign worker, who wished to remain anonymous, told the reputable news agency that they had witnessed Governor Perry using syringes filled with the HPV vaccine, also known as Gardasil, on numerous occasions.

Asked to comment on the allegations of chronic HPV vaccine use, Governor Perry issued a statement denouncing the claim as being “absolutely false.” However, sources close to the election staff did confirm that... continue reading

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Researchers Predict Duggers Will Rank Second to China in Population by 2029

BENTONVILLE, Arkansas—Sociologists at the University of Southern Texas of Plano predicted that the Duggar family will have the world’s second highest population by the year 2029 making it second only to China. The study comes after Michelle Duggar recently announced on the TODAY Show that she is pregnant with her twentieth child.

The USToP’s research looked at births, deaths, related legislation, and likely disaster scenarios, to include a large meteor impacting fifty miles outside of... continue reading

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Fathers Seek Therapy After George Clooney Deemed Likely To Be a Bad Dad

NEW YORK CITY, New York—Therapists across the country have reported an increase in the number of fathers suffering from Sudden Identity Crisis Syndrome, or SICS, after remarks claiming actor, George Clooney, would probably be a lousy dad. “I haven’t seen this many Clooney-related SICS cases since Batman and Robin,” remarked Michael Clayton, a New York City therapist thought to be the country’s leading SICS expert. “I’ve had to bring in additional staff to handle the overflow.”

Clooney’s paternal prowess was called into question by... continue reading


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Glee National Competition: Of Course They Win. We Didn't Watch This Show for 3 Years to Watch Them Lose

So here’s what you missed on Glee: The New Directions are headed to New York City for Nationals thanks to Puck who stole a garbage truck to break Brittany out of rehab, to keep Santana from being chased by bounty hunters, talk Artie out of being in a street gang, and help Quinn pass Driver’s Ed. But his plan couldn’t bring Mike back to life after dying by electrocution. Meanwhile, Rachel finds her voice again as well as Finn who had locked himself in a closet. Kurt knows how to rock plaid pants and a newsboy cap, while Coach Sylvester says mean things to Mr. Schuester, and, once again, Mercedes and Tina are doing something minor as fill-ins to the cast so they have an even number of cast members. And that’s what you missed on Glee.

Opening Scene: A bus and a garbage truck roll up in front of some theater in New York City, and the Glee Club members all pile out of the vehicles.

Finn: Gee, it’s so …big.

Brittany: That’s what she said.

Santana: Seriously? Why would you say that, Brittany? I thought you liked girls?

Brittany: I do. And I like puppies.

Kurt: Well, you can betchyour Argyle socks this puppy’s going to be one tough competition.

Quinn: Nice plaid pants and hat. Is that what they call a newsboy cap.

Kurt: Why yes it is and thank you for noticing.

Santana: The 1920’s called, and it wants its wardrobe back.

Kurt: Hello, the, uh …the—well I don’t know who called but they left a message asking if you have any other clothes besides that cheerleading uniform. The polyester must be fused to your skin after wearing it for three years.

Rachel: Guys, guys. Stop it. Here we are at Nationals—the biggest achievement of our lives, the final moment before those of us who are seniors will graduate and the writers will take us off the show except for cameo appearances when the ratings are low, and here we are fighting. We’re supposed to be a team.

Finn: Yeah, Rachel’s right guys. We’re gonna get written off the show and make cameo appearances. Also, we’re a team.

Tina: I just wish Mike could be here with us.

Mike: What are you talking about? I’m standing right behind you.

Everyone turns around and looks astonished. Then Mr. Schuester walks around the bus as starts heading for the entrance to the concert hall.

Mr. Schuester: Come on guys. *sniff* We need to get inside and register.

Mercedes: Mr. Schuester, are you okay? You look upset.

Mr. Schuester: No *sniff* I’m fine. [starts crying as he runs into the building]

Artie: He was on the phone with Coach Sylvester. She made fun of his hair, and then he just cracked.

Rachel: I bet if we win that will cheer Mr. Schuester up.

Kurt: And totally validate his existence in life.

Rachel: And that too.

Finn: So if we don’t win…

Puck: Mr. Schue is probably headed for the loony bin.

Mercedes: We’d better get inside

The Glee Club starts to head inside when a piano from four stories up falls right where Mike was standing.

Mike: Wow! Guess I’m just a lucky guy.

* * *

Next Scene: Inside the theater. The Glee Club is behind the stage waiting to take their places as soon as the next school finishes their routine.

Kurt: Artie, what’s the matter? You look more nervous that the rest of us.

Artie: I can’t go out there.

Finn: Why Dude? Don’t tell me you’re getting stage fright now after three years of performing and then all that time in a boy band before auditioning for Glee.

Artie: No. It’s not that. It’s… well, one of the leaders from a rival street gang is out there and he’s going to shoot me on sight.

Santana: That’s not a gang leader—that’s my Uncle, or something.

Brittany: I’m really hungry. Does anyone have a cat?

Puck: You know who’s hungry? Children all over America.

Quinn: Not now, Puck. Gawwwd. You have the worst timing.

Rachel: Stop nagging him, Quinn.

Mercedes: Stop telling us what to do, diva girl!

Finn: Guys, guys—

Kurt: Oh stuff it step-brother-who-only-became-my-step-brother-because-of-a-plot-gimmick-last-year- when-the-ratings-were-horrible.

Finn: No you stuff—

Fight erupts behind stage. Then Mr. Schuester walks up.

Mr. Schuester: Guys, what’s going on? I mean here you are the last chance to sing before half of you get written off the show and we get a bunch of newbies and hope that they are good enough to carry Glee for one more season, and you’re out here fighting like a bunch of school kids. This is it guys. The end of the road, and some of you might end up going back to Broadway, but the rest of you—what do you have? A cameo appearance next year, a lot of commercials if your agent’s any good, maybe even a minor part in a Tyler Perry movie? Right now, you don’t have anything other than this moment on a primetime television program that ends with this series finale.

Finn: Gosh, we’re sorry Mr. Schuester.

Brittany: Yeah, we don’t want to see you in a mental ward.

Mr. Schuester: I don’t want to see you there either, after you find out the only job you’ll ever be able to get is selling cosmetics at Macy’s after this little run on television.

Puck: Mr. Schue, can I say something?

Mr. Schuester: What is it Puck?

Puck: Well, as you all know, I am the cool spokesman for the Child Hunger Ends Here Campaign, and since this is the last you’ll ever hear from me, I am pleeeeeeading with you to get our school signed up for a chance to win that $10,000 grant. There’s lots the school could do, like a canned food drive or just collecting UPC code from select ConAgra brands. There are tons of needy kids out there who don’t know where their next meal is even coming from. It really doesn’t take much.

Mr. Schuester: Puck, I don’t know what’s gotten into you but would you please get out there and sing? The rest of the Glee club started singing the opening number 2 minutes ago.

Puck: Right, Mr. Schue. I’m on it!



…and the New Directions went on to win Nationals, just like everyone expected them to do for the past three years. And while most of them never got steady work as actors ever again, they all lived happily ever after …except Mickey because, oh my gawd, those bastards had him fall off the stage and break his neck.

* * *


Editor’s Note: Although the above content is a parody of the TV show Glee, the intent is to keep readers engaged as opposed to hearing a public service announcement. Child hunger in a America is much more serious than people realize, and you can help ConAgra, Feeding America, and Schools Fight Hunger simply by asking your school to sign up. We hope that you will. Thanks.

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Army Strong Stories: Airborne. All The Way Part 2

The following is Part 2 in a series recounting a recent visit to the Army's Airborne Training School at Ft. Benning, Georgia. You can read Part 1HERE.


Army Strong Stories: The Swing Landing Trainer

SSG Webb
At the headquarters building of the 1-507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, the unit responsible for the Airborne School, we joined Richy Rosado, our PAO contact who then gave us a quick briefing on the Regiment’s history. Rosado, himself was and 10 year Army veteran, having served in both the Ranger Regiment and Special Forces, details revealed after it was mentioned that not only was I jump qualified, but also that my father served in Special Forces during Vietnam.

Prior to this Rosado and I did what all soldiers typically do when meeting someone for the first time—size the other up until we’re convinced of their legitimacy. It's something of a reflex. From day one, you'er trained to depend on the soldier to your right and left, and naturally you want to know if those standing with you are the real deal. Common history and shared experiences can speed that assessment up, although my long, unruly hair and unshaven face probably didn’t make the best initial impression.

The same drill was repeated upon being introduced several minutes later to Staff Sergeant Webb who had been assigned to escort us around. SSG Webb’s ruddy complexion said he spent a lot of time outdoors, and his solid frame filled out the ACU’s (Army Combat Uniform) he was wearing. The firm handshake confirmed his level of fitness.

Note to self: Do more push-ups.

DC 3 used in WW2 and Beyond
From here, SSG Webb walked us up an asphalted track past the Airborne Walk memorial, which is flanked on either side by a DC-3 and C-119, airplanes relics used by paratroopers in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. Along the way, SSG Webb pointed out the various training apparatuses lining Eubanks Field. He spoke in that official tone professional soldier use when talking to civilians until someone mentioned that I was Airborne qualified.

“Oh. You know the drill then,” he said in a suddenly less formal tone, and his face loosened in relief, realizing he didn’t have to explain everything to the same level of detail. The reaction, however, made me feel guilty for not saying anything earlier. I didn’t want to be that obnoxious guy who’s all “been there, done that.” Yet by the same token, one of the biggest annoyances to enlisted soldiers is wasting their time. Officers--the smart ones--try to avoid doing this. Having been both sides of this fence--enlisted and officer--this is the last thing I wanted to do during my visit.

“When did you go through, sir?” SSG Webb asked.

I had to think a moment. “97,” I replied. Fourteen years? It's been that long already?

The four of us chatted for a few moments when a truck rolled up, and out stepped a man who I, at first, mistook for one of the school’s cadre until he introduced himself as Rick Jones, a contractor from California. Jones’s association with the Airborne School is an interesting one. The president of R.J. Manufacturing, a company specializing in producing ropes, Jones was contacted by the Army to develop a long-lasting rope to replace those used on a device at the Airborne School known as the Swing Landing Trainer (SLT).


Watch the Swing Landing Trainer in Action
Jones explains his redesigns to the SLT

The SLT is a contraption I'm familiar with to put it mildly. Its purpose is to simulate the final moments prior to performing a Parachute Landing Fall (PLF). Students stand on a platform roughly ten feet high where they are fitted with a harness that, in my time, was suspended by a set of four ropes hanging from a set of pulleys. Four students on the ground would pull those ropes tight as you jumped off the platform and swung in the air until the class instructor gave the command, at which point the students would release the ropes, thus allowing you to execute a picture-perfect PLF.

The problem with the SLT, though, was that with the thousands of students going through training, the ropes tended to wear out quickly, and the Army turned to Jones for help with something more durable. Jones did the Army one better. After studying the problem, Jones redesigned the entire apparatus by affixing the harness to the four corners of an H-shaped, metal frame suspended by a cable looped through a ceiling-mounted pulley and then run back down to a release lever operated by the instructor.

This may not sound like much, but considering the savings in maintenance costs Jones provided the Army, that money can be applied elsewhere. What’s more, as opposed to the arbitrary heights a student would be dropped from on the old SLT, the new configuration drops students from a consistent height, which has resulted in fewer injury-related withdrawals, particularly among females.

The imposing 250 ft Towers
What immediately strikes you about Jones is his passion for, not only this project, but for the Army as well. His excitement in detailing the finite aspects of the SLT’s engineering, is hard to miss.

“I do have a business to run,” Jones said. “But if I could, I think I’d do this for nothing.”

His assertion is believable considering Jones could’ve provided the Army with new ropes and then charged them for replacements over time. As the company’s owner, he could easily send someone to Ft. Benning to check the SLT’s equipment. Instead, he makes the trips himself, and often helps out with other projects when he’s in town. Later that day he would be climbing to the top of the 250ft tower to assist with a maintenance check. Climbing 250 feet up some metal frame-like structure when technically you don’t have to, demonstrates dedication …in an extreme way.


Next Week: Airborne 5000 and the 34 ft Tower
* * *

To read more about today's soldiers, check out Army Strong Stories, blog posts actually written by the men and women serving in the United States Army.


It's still Movember everyone, please help me as I raise funds for finding a cure to prostate cancer while also growing silly facial hair to prove my dedication. Yes, that's right, I'm asking you to donate a few bucks to the cause. Remember, the ass you save may be your own.

Disclaimer: In accordance with FTC regulations, it is necessary for me to disclose that the Army paid for my travel, lodging, and meal expenses during my trip to Fort Benning, Georgia.

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Can Fatherhood Really Change Bad Boys?

If you’ve noticed an increase of Planned Parenthood literature at your local methadone clinic, jailhouse, or AA gathering lately, it might have something to do with Oregon State University’s recently released findings claiming that fatherhood cuts down on smoking, drinking, and crime. The 20-year study, conducted in a series of annual interviews, followed more than 200 at-risk boys from the time they were 12 through to age 31, at the conclusion of which, roughly two-thirds of the participants had fathered childern.

The study also noted that the most dramatic behavioral changes occurred in men who became fathers in their late 20’s and 30’s. The study did not evaluate why age played a factor in relation to the degree of change. However, the researchers suggested that the overall conclusions opened up an opportunity to approach men in such circumstances with positive... read more

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Do Dads Have More of a Cultural Foothold Than We Think?

Last week on “Babble Voices”, Catherine Conners moderated an all-star ensemble of parent bloggers, writers, and TV personalities as they prophesized the apocalyptic 2012 end to fathers who will be wiped from the face of the earth by eight-foot tall Amazonian mothers, wielding blood-drenched swords while carrying slumbering infant offspring in the Baby Bjorn baby carriers strapped to their iron breastplate… hold on a second, let me recheck my notes. No, I’m sorry, that’s incorrect. The actual issue being debated was as to whether dads were losing their paternal relevance in age when cultural narratives indicate mothers can raise children free an independent from fathers whose only function in life is a proclivity for tripping over their own junk.

Conners’s thought-provoking question elicited a range of well-articulated opinions from the panel, which was fairly represented by the X and Y chromosomes. Most agreed a ... read more





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Army Strong Stories: Airborne. All The Way.

With today being Veteran's Day, I'm kicking off a series of posts about my recent return visit to the Army's Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia. It's my hope to convey, not only the amount of training the troops receive, but also the greater sacrifices that soldiers and their families have been making, particularly over the past decade. Today, as you're tweeting, and commenting on your social media sites, please take the time to show your appreciation for the sacrifices our brave men and women have made on our behalf. Thank you.

This past month I had the opportunity to visit the Army’s Fort Benning near Columbus, Georgia. This was not my first time on the post, which is home to units of the 3rd Infantry Division, the 75th Ranger Regiment, and a host of training course that include Airborne School, Ranger School, and as of recently, the Armor School. During the latter part of my military career, I had been here several times to attend training, the last being the Infantry Captain’s Career Course almost a decade ago.

Much has happened since then—the terrorist attacks on 9-11, the still ongoing war in Afghanistan, the controversial invasion and subsequently prolonged occupation of Iraq—events that have changed everyone’s life in this country at least to some extent. The Army, after much hard fighting and repeated, long-term deployments, has changed too.

So had I. Knowing this brought on a low level uneasiness that I hinted at with my Army liaison, Brianna Gallett on our ride from Atlanta to Benning.

“Just because you’ve been in the Army before doesn’t mean everyone’s going to welcome you with open arms,” I explained. “They’ve been through a lot of hardcore stuff, so they could really give a crap about what I did back in the day.” I thought about one of my good friends from my officer days and the extreme circumstances he faced as a company commander (These experiences were later captured in the book, They Fought For Each Other.

Gallett, who has been working with the Army for a while now, seemed to understand. Over the course of this time, she has developed some strong relationships with a number of soldiers whose character, professionalism, and dedication has fostered a level of respect that’s morphed into an unspoken passion for her work.

“I’m halfway through your friend’s book right now. It’s incredible to see what [soldiers] are going through,” she said. “It really puts things into context. They really were fighting for one another.”

* * *

The next morning I got up early and doubled-checked my canvas backpack to make sure I had all the equipment I might need for the day—pens, paper, camera, flip video, tape recorder, extra batteries. In the Army, this is known as a Pre-Combat Inspection, or PCI. It’s a routine so ingrained in me that even years later, I still do it anytime I leave the house no matter if it’s a short errand or an out-of-town trip. Some things just stick with you.

Downstairs at breakfast, the hotel restaurant was still in the process of opening, and the only other people joining me at that hour were a few guys in their early twenties sporting crew-cuts, a dead giveaway that they were soldiers. Judging by the number of tattoos on their muscled arms and the varied T-shirt announcing their proficiency at aggressively disposing of bad guys, I could tell they were part of one of the Ranger Regiment.

“I do bad things to bad people,” read one shirt with a menacing skull that further punctuated the message. And indeed they do. Members of the Ranger Regiment are the elite of the Army’s light infantry, and their mission is to be a highly skilled shock force. It was the Rangers who fought against mobs of Somali gunman as popularized by the movie, Blackhawk Down, and it was the Rangers who were the first ground troops in Afghanistan, parachuting into Kandahar to secure an airfield and raid Taliban hideouts. Death from above.

Watch this video to see Rangers in action


* * *

The focus of my visit, however, wasn’t the Rangers, but rather the Army’s Basic Airborne School, which all soldiers who are either in the Ranger Regiment, assigned to Airborne designated units, or otherwise directed must pass. The course is three weeks long, each of which marking a different phase. Ground Week, Tower Week, and Jump Week.

These phases are somewhat self-explanatory. After passing the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), students spend the rest of the week learning how to execute the Parachute Landing Fall (PLF), as well as how to exit an airplane correctly. Week two is where the fun begins as you test your fear of heights by jumping from the 34ft Tower. Finally, in week three you qualify for you wings, provided you make five successful jumps from a perfectly good airplane at 1,250ft in both day and night conditions.

A short time after breakfast, Gallett and I drove from the hotel to Ft. Benning where we would me our contact from the Army’s Public Affairs Office (PAO), and then follow him to the Airborne School’s headquarters building for an informal orientation.

“Looking familiar?” Gallett asked as we made our way across the post.

I smiled. “Oh, yeah,” I said. “We used to do PT up and down these streets all the time. Right over there, that’s the barracks I stayed at for the Infantry Officer Basic Course.” These two massive, Spanish tiled Cuartels constructed between 1930 and 1939 formed a U around a large grassy area where my class would hold morning formations for PT and clean our equipment after field training exercises. There was a nostalgic giddiness that came over me, reflecting on those moments of sitting around, BSing with your buddies while stripping layers of carbon off of the various parts of your weapon.

But mixed with familiar was also the new, the most notable of this being the housing. You can tell a lot about how much an Army post cares about families by the condition of buildings they house them in. I’m not going to lie, I’ve seen some run down communities in my days. The townhomes my young family and I were assigned to at Fort Drum, New York had large holes in the exterior walls allowing critters in. At night my (first) wife and I would watch from the living room as rats ran back and forth in the dining room.

That didn’t seem to be the case now from what I could see. Pristine communities with pretty houses lined streets with trimmed yards—a stark contrast from the rundown, one story duplexes that were being torn down in some cases in order to make way for better facilities. It was genuinely impressive.

Next Week: Airborne School and the Swing Landing Trainer

To read more about today's soldiers, check out Army Strong Stories, blog posts actually written by the men and women serving in the United States Army.




Disclaimer: In accordance with FTC regulations, it is necessary for me to disclose that the Army paid for my travel, lodging, and meal expenses during my trip to Fort Benning, Georgia.

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Glee Regionals: Singing to Ocean’s 11 and Puck’s Daring Rescue Plan

So here’s what you missed on Glee: The New Directions are on their way to Regionals after their win at Sectionals even though Rachel has no voice, Finn’s missing, Artie’s in a street gang, Mike’s dead—again—and Quinn’s failing Home-Ec. Meanwhile, Santana’s being chased by Dog the Bounty Hunter for violating her parole; Brittany’s in Celebrity Rehab for a cat-eating addiction; and Puck’s facing felony charges for stealing lunch money, only he’s not stealing lunch money; he’s trying to help end child hunger. But all is not lost because Kurt is looking fly in a puffy shirt and vintage Mork and Mindy, rainbow suspender; Sue is plotting something even more diabolical than before for Mr. Schuester; and Mercedes and Tina are doing… something worthy of their roles as supporting cast members. And that’s what you missed on Glee.

Opening scene: Kurt, Rachel, Mercedes, and Tina are in the Glee Club room waiting for practice to start.

Mercedes: It’s great we’re headed to Regionals tomorrow, but there’s only four of us.

Mike walking into the room: Don’t you mean five of us?

Tina: Mike! You’re alive!

Mike: Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?

Just then a loose wire falls from the ceiling, electrocuting Mike until he’s a charred corpse laying on the floor.

Rachel [in sign language]: Oh my gawd! They killed Mikey! You bastards!

Kurt: Hmmm. Yeah, that usually happens later in the story. Guess we’re back to four.

Mercedes: You mean three. The only way Rachel can help is if the judges are all hearing impaired.

Rachel, frowning, [in sign language]: Come on guys, this is serious. What are we going to do?

Mr. Schuester enters the classroom: Sorry I’m late gang; Sue slashed the tires on my Smart Car… Hey, where is everyone? …and what’s wrong with Rachel’s hands? It that a nervous tick, because if it is, my OCD girlfriend—

Tina: It’s sign language Mr. Schu. Rachel can’t talk.

Mr. Schuester: —she’s so cute and adorable, but she makes me wrap my head in plastic wrap before she’ll kiss me—

Kurt: Uh, Mr. Shu? All due respect, we really don’t care about your Saran Wrap serenade right now.

Mercedes: Yeah, Mr. Schu. What are we going to do about Regionals tomorrow?

Mr. Shuester: …you guys should see how many boxes of surgical gloves this woman goes through in a night…

Puck crawling out an air duct: I know what we can do.

Everyone: Puck! What are you doing here?

Puck: The cops wouldn’t let me have my one phone call, so I had to bust out. And that’s what we’re going to do about getting everyone back—bust them out.

Kurt: Cool, like a caper movie! I’m glad I’m wearing the right shirt for it.

Tina: It is pretty fly with those Mork and Mindy, rainbow suspenders.

Mr. Shuester: A caper movie, huh? This give me an idea, guys. We’re going to sing the entire soundtrack to Ocean’s 11.

Mercedes: George Clooney and Brad Pitt sang in those movies?

Mr. Shuester: Before Clooney and Pitt, there was Sinatra, Dino and the Rat Pack. They were the original Ocean’s 11 that broke into the Vegas casinos. And they sang their whole way through it.

Puck: Cool guys …singing? Come on, Mr. Schu.

Mr. Schuester: Uh huh. In fact, there’s a great scene where Sammy Davis Jr. is doing this number while posing as a garbage truck driver.

Mercedes: A garbage truck driver. And I suppose you want me to take that song because I’m black?

Mr. Schuester: ‘Fraid not, Mercedes. I’m giving that one to Puck, because he Jewish.

Puck: A garbage truck! That’s perfect Mr. Schu!

Mr. Schuester: How’s a garbage truck perfect, Puck?

Puck: Don’t you get it? A garbage truck can solve everything—it’s bulletproof so we can rescue Artie from the gang. It’s strong enough to smash through the walls at Celebrity Rehab where Brittany’s at, and it’s big, so we can just run right over Dog the Bounty Hunter when we grab Santana, aaaaaand, Quinn can use it to pass her Driver’s Ed final this afternoon and be back in Glee Club again.

Rachel [in sign language]: What about Finn?

Puck: He’s trapped in the janitor’s closet down the hall. It locks from the inside so we just need to explain the directions for using a doorknob.

Kurt: Well what are we waiting for? Let’s go!

Everyone: Yeah! Come on!

Puck: Hold on.

Mr. Schuester: What is it Puck?

Puck: My phone call—well, Twitter actually.

Mercedes: You’re on Twitter?

Puck: Uhhh-Yeaaaah. @Mark_Salling, maybe you've heard of me? But we have to wait until after a public meeting on Twitter hosted by @ConAgra.

Rachel [in sign language]: Seriously?

Puck: Hey, Ending Child Hunger is important, okay.

Mr. Schuester: Guys he’s right. I’ve been trying to get McKinley signed up, but Coach Sylvester won’t let the school signed up unless I agree to give her the entire $10,000 grant we could get if we win the drawing. When’s the meet up, Puck?

Puck: It’s this Thursday, November 10th at Noon, Eastern time. There’s a hashtag for it too #ChildHunger, but you can easily monitor the chat through this handy deal [Flips open a smart-phone].

Everyone: oooOOOOooo, a smart phone.

Puck: And if you’re thinking about doing it, you can RSVP on Facebook too.

Mr. Schuester: Thanks, Puck. Maybe, next time, you should think about collecting select ConAgra UPC box tops instead of stealing other people’s lunch money.

Puck: Uh, Mr. Schu, I know. I’m the spokesperson for the Child Hunger Ends Here Campaign with Feeding America and Schools Fight Hunger.

Mr. Schuester: Then maybe, helping set up a food drive would be better than scaring kids to give you their lunch money.

Puck: Mr. Schu—

Mr. Schuester: That’s enough, Puck. Now don’t you have a garbage truck to hot-wire? And hey, gang, while Puck’s off at that meet up, we’ve got time to start practicing the Ocean’s 11 soundtrack! And it just so happens I have DVD of it right here!



But at the last minute, right before the Glee Club took the stage at Regionals, Mr. Schuester changed his mind, and the New Directions went with this instead.



What would the judges decide? Stay tuned for the next and final installment of Glee


* * *

Editor’s Note: Although the above content is a parody of the TV show Glee, the intent is to keep readers engaged as opposed to hearing a public service announcement. Child hunger in a America is much more serious than people realize, and you can help ConAgra, Feeding America, and Schools Fight Hunger simply by asking your school to sign up. We hope that you will. Thanks.

Disclaimer: True, I am being compensated for my efforts with ConAgra as part of this campaign, but it in no way sways my opinion about hungry children in need of food.

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Blog-In, November 8th, 2011: A Letter to the Presidential Candidates

This blog is in coordination with a number of other parent bloggers who want to communicate their concerns and needs to the political candidates, not only running for the Presidency, but also for Congress. We as parents, regardless of differing political ideologies, should be involved in the democratic process. We are mothers and fathers fed up with the political rhetoric being fed to us, and it's our responsibility to urge potential candidates to focus on the real issues that matter to American families. Even if you don't agree with these policies, that's okay (and I'm not going to get in a pissing match with anyone over what's listed below either), but take the time to find out what issues matter to you and your families, and share them with your party's candidates.




Dear 2012 Presidential Candidates,

We are your future constituents and we are parents.

We are American mothers and fathers and grandparents and guardians. Our families might be the most diverse in the world. Blended and combined in endless permutations, we represent every major religion, political ideology and ethnic culture that exists. We are made from equal parts biology and choice. Our children come to us in every way possible—including fertility miracles, adoption, and remarriage.

Our very modern families embody the freedom that defines America. We embody America. We are rich in diversity, but we are united in our family values. We come together today, with one voice, to express our grave disappointment in the national political discourse.

The 2012 countdown has barely begun and we are already being bombarded with the warmed-over, hypocritical rhetoric of 2008. We are living in a time where 15.1% of Americans now live in poverty, the actual unemployment rate stands at 16%, and we are spending close to $170 billion annually between the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan*.

Given the current state of affairs we would expect every candidate to focus on the issues that truly matter: job creation, debt-relief, taxes, education, poverty, and ending the war(s). Instead, it is already clear to us that the conversation has been hijacked, with the goal of further polarizing our nation into a politically motivated and falsely created class-war.

We will not stand for another campaign year in which politicians presume to know what our family values are as they relate to the nation.

To be clear, here are our family values:

Affordable health care, including family planning, for all Americans. We will not tolerate any candidate using the shield of “Choice” to blind us from the issues that really matter. When funding is stripped from organizations like Planned Parenthood, access to sliding-scale health care (including yearly pap smears & mammograms), comprehensive sex education, and family planning is blocked from the poorest of the population.

Access to education, and the ability to actually use it. We want quality, affordable, federally-funded pre-K programs made available in every State, in order to provide an even starting point for all children enrolled in public schools— regardless of the wealth of the district or town they live in.

A reinstatement of regulations for banks and full prosecution for those who engaged in fraudulent lending practices. We want full accountability —investigation, indictment and prosecution— of those individuals and institutions who engaged in fraudulent lending practices and who helped create the massive foreclosures that left many families homeless or struggling to keep their homes.

A return of strict environmental regulations protecting water, air, food, and land that were removed in the last two decades. We want our children to grow up in a world not weighed down by the strains of pollution and global warming. Between BPA in our products, sky-rocketing rates of asthma in kids, questionable hormones in our over-processed food, and more, we need leaders who will put our needs and safety over the desires and profits of large corporations.

Family planning, healthcare, education, economic solvency and environmental safety: these are our national family values.

Candidates who demonstrate the ability to understand the gravity of these issues, and their impact on our families, and who can provide actual, viable solutions to these problems will garner our support and our votes.

We believe in this democratic system of ours, and we will continue to use our voices and our votes to see that it reaches its fullest potential.

Sincerely,

Your future constituents,

The mothers & fathers of America




If you would like to forward this letter to your elected officials, you can find their contact info at the following links:

The House

The Senate

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