Tag Archives: grandparents

"Children of All Ages Delighted by Enslavement of Topsy the Circus Elephant" – The Onion

I'm so, so, SO amazed at “The Onion,” who always publishess THE funniest “news” articles. This time, the staff of writers outdid themselves, and no one is laughing. I'm grateful as all hell for their clever contribution………. Children Of All Ages Delighted By Enslavement Of Topsy The Elephant June 2, 2010 | ISSUE 46•22 Photo: Topsy charms the crowd with a “silly hula dance” that he has been conditioned to fear performing incorrectly. TUCSON, AZ—Cheers, laughter, and applause filled the big top tent at the Ringling Bros. Circus Saturday as children of all ages were captivated by the savage enslavement of Topsy the elephant. Whether young or just young at heart, thrilled audience members watched with glee as a circus trainer forced the frightened Topsy to perform tricks by brutally poking and prodding the traumatized 4-year-old pachyderm. “He's such a funny happy elephant,” said 8-year-old Madison Helms, referring to the abused creature that spends the majority of his time chained up in a cramped, feces-covered enclosure. “He loves being in the circus!” The crowd reportedly let out loud gasps and vigorously clapped when Topsy stood up on his hind legs, an unnatural and excruciatingly painful movement that stresses and permanently damages the 8,000-pound elephant's joints. Topsy also delighted the audience after the trainer repeatedly thrust a hooked rod into his skin, causing the miserable animal to lift one leg and his trunk to simulate waving. “Aww…” said the assembled circus-goers, who were taken by the cuteness of the barbaric spectacle. Branden Helger, 9, said Topsy was his favorite performer at Ringling Bros. because the elephant knew how to do neat tricks like pretending to limp. The third-grader also excitedly pointed out the “cool necklace” clamped on the animal's foot. Topsy and the other elephant performers, who are separated from each other at all times, preventing the socialization that's so crucial to their well-being, received a standing ovation from the crowd when they marched into the center ring, nervously rocking back and forth. “Look, they're dancing,” said 5-year-old Jonah Meeks, mistaking the elephants' constant swaying for something that wasn't a maladaptive behavior caused by serious psychological trauma. “I can dance like an elephant, too. Look at me!” Unaware that the elephant was terrified of the glaring stage lights, deafening crowd noise, and constant beatings, Phil Wingren, who brought his family to the circus, remarked that Topsy must relish being a star. “Boy, that Topsy's got it made,” Wingren said to his children, referring to the mistreated, severely neglected creature, who is exposed to numerous diseases and receives no medical attention except when dirt is rubbed into his wounds to hide them from the public. “Always in the spotlight and everybody pampering you. That lucky elephant.” “Look, he even has his own ball,” continued Wingren, referring to the most hated object in Topsy's life. Attending the circus with her grandparents, Gretchen Anderson, 4, was delighted by Topsy and by the other pachyderms as well. “There's his mama,” Anderson said of an elephant unrelated to Topsy, who has not seen his parents since being torn away from them shortly after birth, and last nestled up to his mother when he tried to suckle at her corpse shortly after poachers killed her. “They have a big happy family.” Eyewitnesses who spotted the trainer patting the side of Topsy's body during the final trick were convinced the elephant and the man were best friends, though in fact the look of reverie on Topsy's face was the result of his daydreaming about stomping and crushing the cruel asshole's head like an overripe melon. http://www.theonion.com/articles/children-of-all-ages-delighted-by-enslavement-o… added by: EthicalVegan

Powerball Winner Missouri – Chris Shaw

Chris Shaw is an instant millionaire. Chris Shaw of Missouri is the newest Powerball jackpot winner who won $258 million in an instant. The 29-year old Missouri man who was raised by his grandparents in rural areas of Missouri. Chris Shaw is the winner of the 10th largest Powerball jackpot ever. He said that he only had almost $30 in his bank account and having real problems with money every time. He recently bought a car from his friend. And the payment of this car became a huge problem. But not anymore when he instantly won a whooping $258 million . He is indeed a lucky guy. This new Powerball winner Missouri man is an instant millionaire, plus an instant star. If you want to watch videos about this newest Powerball winner , you can go here: Chris Shaw is the Newest Powerball Winner Powerball Winner Missouri – Chris Shaw is a post from: Daily World Buzz Continue reading

Angelina Jolie Pregnant

Right now, it#39;s all about quality time between the Jolie-Pitt kids and their grandparents. Brad#39;s parents are staying with the family in Venice, while Angelina continues to shoot The Tourist with Johnny Depp. Six is still enough for the Jolie-Pitts. A source close to Angelina Jolie calls a new report claiming the actress is three-months pregnant with her seventh child “totally false.” A rep for the actress also denies the pregnancy reports. On Tuesday, Knox, 1½, took his daily balcony b

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Angelina Jolie Pregnant

Big Love: A Birth and a Death

As the fourth season becomes more overstuffed than a Martha Stewart Thanksgiving turkey, I’m starting to wonder just where all this operatic muck is going to take us. Let’s dispense with the big thing first. At the very end of the episode, we found out that Alby’s conflicted boyfriend Dale had hung himself in the little loveshack apartment Alby had rented for them. He’d been outed to Bill and, I think we’re to assume, his wife by Alby’s horrid spouse, played by the always-excellent Anne Dudek. So that’s horrible. Lots of folks are talking about what a big surprise it was, but I don’t see it that way at all, really. I mean, what were you expecting? That the tortured and illicit gay love between two Mormons on a show that is pretty cruel to all of its characters would end with a happy gone-marryin’ trip to Iowa? Maybe the hanging thing was surprising in its suddenness, but I’m not shocked it ended up there. What Alby does now — to his wife, and possibly to Bill — is what I’m worried about. The rest of episode was creepy and bleak and sad as well. We got a glimpse of a seedy motel where a bunch compounders were gathered for some fabulous sealing ceremonies. Scared young women cowering and crying in hotel rooms while gross old men knitted their doom. The whole Kansas compound folks are appropriately gross and crazy, and it was especially disturbing to see Cara Lynn being stroked by some creeper with six other wives. Luckily Nicki, regressing into a teenagerdom she never had (or something — there was a crazy outfit, that’s all I know) came to the rescue, and wasn’t stopped by an oddly sedate JJ. I assume we’ll get an explanation for all of that, namely why JJ kept saying “It isn’t what it looks like,” and I’m sure his reasons aren’t terribly noble. Oh, and how masterfully creepy was Zeljko Ivanek in the scene where he “seduced” Nicki’s mom? The mumbled song and long underpants and strange blue glow… Ugh, it was all terrifying. And that was a grown woman who’d done all this before. Imagine a thirteen year old in the same situation. Or, you know, don’t, actually. Moving on. The whole Ana plotline I thought was a bit… Well, I just don’t know why they would add yet ANOTHER element to this crazily crowded season. Was Ana ever really that compelling of a character anyway? And now she has to be pregnant with Bill’s premaritally-conceived love child, giving Barb yet another thing to be angry about? Maybe they’re going to hook this story in with another one and by season’s end we’ll say “Ohhhhhh, that’s why,” but right now I’m just not seeing it. They have enough balls up in the air right now. We don’t need another big pregnant one. Perhaps the wackiest of all the wacky stories is Ben’s new-found “independence,” which involves him hanging around with his grandmother and creepy, rabbity grandfather in Mexico. You know, eating authentic Mexican shrimp cocktail in a dusty parking lot. And meeting with fat, gay exotic bird smugglers who want nothing more than to touch Ben’s hair. Oh, and said fat, gay exotic bird smuggler? Well, he just happens to be hooked up with the menacing Green clan, who popped up at the end to take Ben and his grandparents away for messing with their bird trade. The scary cross-dressing wife lady had a Luger! While a bit over-the-top, the complete insanity of Hollis Green and his brood is delightful to watch. Honestly, I don’t find much of the casino/Sissy Spacek stuff terribly engaging. Maybe because I don’t really understand what’s going on. I liked Sissy saying “There’s nothing here to scary anybody” because it was funny and Barb’s monologue about the ocean because it was melancholy, but other than that the most I can glean from the plot is that Sissy is there to help them with, like, Politics… and stuff. What I do know for sure is that Barb is slowly (or not so slowly) becoming the head of the whole gaming operation and designing ice cream bars and self-actualizing and all that, so good for her. Same is going down for Margene, who’s giving lady-positive (but not feminist!) speeches at Toastmasters meetings. Nicki is the only one not branching out, because she doesn’t know how, so I suppose that little outfit (sideways ponytail, raccoony eye makeup, scandalously short skirt) was her sad little attempt at being like the other wives. This season is sort of about woman power, but only sort of. Honestly, I don’t really know just what the heck the major theme is here. Maybe there isn’t one! Maybe there are lots of little ones. Or maybe the theme is that everything is weird and unpredictable and often times more unpleasant than pleasant. Maybe it’s about the cost of secrets, the price we pay to compartmentalize ourselves and segregate certain parts of our heart from others. Naturally Bill’s grand dream, revealed toward the very end, is to come out as polygamists and go live in a laughably big mansion situated on top of a winy hill, all together, finally smooshed into one. There was something a little Norman Bates or Addams Family about the gigantic and strangely wild Victorian, and I kind of doubt that they’ll actually end up moving in there. Would the wives really want to give up their own houses? Increasingly, it seems unlikely. But, yes. Dale is dead. What will this do for all the UEB stuff? How does Alby explain the dead guy in an empty apartment that he’s renting? Is he going to exact revenge on someone or, also possible, everyone ? We shall see! Last night, Wanda said she had “a great foreboding.” Well, so do I. I think this whole season does. Though just what that dark mass looming there on the horizon is exactly, I still don’t know.

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Big Love: A Birth and a Death

Jessica Szohr Defends ‘Gossip Girl’ Threesome Plot

‘Not everyone is going to agree with what we’re doing,’ star tells MTV News.

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Jessica Szohr Defends ‘Gossip Girl’ Threesome Plot

Jean Shorts

…somehow still the nerdiest thing about this picture. Contribute: Add an image, link, video or comment

Anvil Shooting

Looking for a new hobby? Look no further.

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Anvil Shooting

Retirement Community Hates Children

A retirement community in Florida is fighting to evict a 6 year old girl from her house, where she lives with her grandparents. According to their bylaws, no one under the age of 55 is allowed to live in the community. This is the most evil town of Grandmas and Grandpas ever.

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Retirement Community Hates Children