Would you want your little one learning the ins and outs of gay life in elementary school?? The school board representing Minnesota’s largest school district on Monday night will consider scrapping a controversial policy requiring teachers not to discuss homosexuality in school. The Anoka-Hennepin School District’s sexual orientation curriculum policy, adopted in 2009, bars teachers from taking a position on homosexuality in the classroom and says such matters are best addressed outside of school. It’s become known as the neutrality policy. During Monday night’s hearing, the school board will propose replacing that policy with a “controversial topics curriculum policy” that, according to the proposed wording, “recognizes the importance of providing information about controversial topics in a democracy.” However, it states that teachers and staff “shall not advocate personal beliefs or opinions” regarding those controversial topics — which are not named — in the classroom. It’s one of many changes being considered to the district’s harassment, violence, and discrimination policy and its religious activities policy. The so-called “neutrality policy” triggered a federal lawsuit by students who allege the policy creates a toxic environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender students — or students perceived to be LGBT. What say you? Hit the comments section and speak your piece. Source More On Bossip! Must Be Nice: Chad Ochocinco Gives His Future Wife A Maserati And Other Expensive A$$ Gifts For Her Birthday (Photos) SMH: Peep The 15 Black And Latina Bangers Who Made Men’s Health’s 100 “Hottest Women Of All Time List,” Only One Made The Top Ten Which One Would You Wife? “Basketball Wives: Miami” Reveal A Few Shots From Their Season 4 Promo Photoshoot Ballers: Britney Spears Renting This Beautiful Thousand Oaks Mansion For $25K A Month
Ten dollar HOLLER! San Francisco just became the first U.S. city to raise their minimum wage above $10. Well that’s a “lil positivity” at least! The sad part about it is that while the increase will benefit non-salaried workers, it’s not gonna help them as much as they probably need it — and the worst news is the increase may put some small businesses out of commission! San Franciscans passed a proposition in 2003 that requires the city to increase the minimum wage each year, using a formula tied to inflation and the cost of living. It’s just another way the progressive people of the City by the Bay have shown their support for the working-class in a locale where labor unions remain strong and housing costs are sky high. Karl Kramer of the San Francisco Living Wage Coalition said a decent wage for a single adult without children in the city would be $15, and that doubles when you have at least one child or more. But like other advocates of better wages, he’s still pleased that San Francisco will be the first in the nation to top $10. “It helps workers’ morale in a time of economic crisis; they feel that they’re able to tread water and get some relief from the recession,” said Kramer. While the city is at the forefront of attempting to provide a decent living wage, most employees say it’s still not a wage to live on, that the 32-cent hike seems like peanuts. And some employers say it could lead to layoffs by small businesses already forced to pay federal, state and city payroll taxes as well as a slew of other city-mandated taxes. Daniel Scherotter, chef and owner of Palio D’Asti, an upscale Italian restaurant in the Financial District, said the city’s minimum wage hike from $9.92 to $10.24 means that his highest-paid employees — the waiters who make most of their income from tips — will see more money in their pockets while his salaried kitchen staff will have to take the hit. If Scherotter raised menu prices to make up the difference, he’d risk going out of business in this economy. What the average San Franciscan may not know, he said, is that business owners also must pay another $1.23 to $1.85 an hour per employee for health-care coverage if they don’t offer health insurance. San Francisco is also the only city in the state that charges a payroll tax of 1.5 percent; it also mandates nine paid sick days annually per employee. “So that drives me nuts, that as a chef, I have to cut my kitchen allowance,” Scherotter said. “What I pay for a waiter is more than double what Manhattan pays, it’s more than double what Chicago pays, and it’s four times what Boston pays. And those are … other big, expensive, pro-labor cities. But I pay what they all pay added together for tipped employees.” Scherotter said the double whammy of recession and wage hikes has led to eight layoffs in his kitchen in the last four years. “We hear that all the time,” said Steve Falk, president and CEO of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. He said that by the time you add up all the mandates and taxes that city employers must pay for their minimum-wage workers, the payroll burden is at least 25 to 40 percent higher than other Bay Area cities. He gave the example of catering companies bidding for the contract at the city’s Treasure Island. In the end it went to a Napa firm over a San Francisco catering company because Napa was able to come in lower. “You can’t on one hand as a city impose mandates and fees on a local business and then exclude them because their costs are too high when they go to bid on a city contract or a city service,” Falk said. The chamber of commerce is calling on the city to build in a 25 to 30 percent bid allowance for San Francisco companies. “Fortunately, it’s a very attractive place to own a business and businesses thrive here because of the number of visitors,” Falk said. “But we always worry: where’s the tipping point?” That tipping point needs to lean toward the worker, said David Madland, director of the American Worker Project at the Washington, D.C.-based Center for American Progress Action Fund. He said the best studies on minimum wage indicate that the benefits outweigh the burdens placed on employers. “I think it’s a big deal when a city is making a commitment that says, `Our workers are going to get paid a livable wage for a day’s work,”‘ he said. “It’s also very important that in today’s economy when a core problem is lack of demand … that a city is actively taking steps to put more money into consumers’ pockets.” Source h1> More On Bossip! Must Be Nice: Chad Ochocinco Gives His Future Wife A Maserati And Other Expensive A$$ Gifts For Her Birthday (Photos) SMH: Peep The 15 Black And Latina Bangers Who Made Men’s Health’s 100 “Hottest Women Of All Time List,” Only One Made The Top Ten Which One Would You Wife? “Basketball Wives: Miami” Reveal A Few Shots From Their Season 4 Promo Photoshoot Ballers: Britney Spears Renting This Beautiful Thousand Oaks Mansion For $25K A Month Source
Britney Spears’ 30th birthday was December 2, but the singer blew out the candles on her birthday cake on Saturday, the final night of her Femme Fatale tour. “Having an amazing time at the end of my tour,” she Tweeted. “Belated bday party!” Sons Sean Preston and Jayden James helped her mark her final night in San Juan. Spears, who wrapped up her whirlwind concert extravaganza, said she’s prepared for the holidays, as well. “Looks like my xmas list is complete!” she wrote . Happy birthday, Britney! Aside from wrapping presents, there may be one more item on Spears’ holiday list. Sources say her boyfriend Jason Trawick, is ready to pop the question . Widely credited with helping bring Brit back from the brink, her former agent (he’s now just her partner in love) has been a constant in her life for years. What her next career move is remains to be seen, but she’s earned some rest after this tour – and hopefully she’ll have plenty to celebrate this month!
Congratulations are in order for RGIII: Although Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck was the Heisman Trophy favorite in both the preseason and throughout much of the 2011 regular season, the Heisman race hadn’t been this wide open in years. There was a pool of about 7-8 players who all could make a case as to why they deserved to be invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony, but it came down to five: Luck, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, Wisconsin running back Montee Ball, Alabama running back Trent Richardson and LSU cornerback/punt returner Tyrann Matheiu. In the end, though, the 77th Heisman Trophy was awarded to Robert Griffin III. RGIII grabbed 405 of 846 first-place votes and 1,687 points to take home the trophy; Luck, was the runner up for the second consecutive year with 247 first place points and 1,407 points; Richardson received 138 first place votes and 978 points. Ball and Matheiu finished fourth and fifth in the voting, respectively. “This is unbelievably believable,” said Griffin, who threw for 3,998 yards and accounting for 45 total touchdowns this season. “To Baylor nation, I say this is a forever moment, may we be blessed enough to have more of these in the future.” Source , WENN
Dayyumm, Brit Brit is ballin’ out with this new rental… Via Realtor.com: Britney Spears, is on the move again. This time around, Britney is headed for Thousand Oaks, California where, according to The Real Estalker, she will be leasing a “big, beige stone and stucco mcmansion that overlooks one of the fairways” at the posh golf community of Sherwood Country Club Estates. If sources hold true, Britney will be slightly downsizing with her next real estate move. She was previously leasing a 19,100-square-foot mansion with 10-bedrooms and 13-bathroooms in Hidden Hills, California; however, her new spread is reportedly a two-story structure that measures in at a little over 10,500-square-feet and includes a total of a five bathrooms and six-and-a-half baths. The Thousand Oaks property features fine, custom-designed aesthetic details such as inlaid marble and wood flooring, heavily detailed wrought-iron staircases and exposed-beam ceilings in various areas throughout. The home also includes a wealth of desirable amenities like a sprawling entertainment room, custom theater, wood-paneled library and chef’s kitchen. The resort-style backyard looks out over the golf course and comes complete with a massive cabana and outdoor kitchen combination, infinity pool and an expansive field of grass that could be the perfect play area for Britney’s children, Sean and Jayden. Peep pics…
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar announced some sad news today. A month after they announced her pregnancy with their 20th child , their doctor was unable to find a heartbeat and told her she suffered a miscarriage. “After the appointment, we came back home and told the children,” says Michelle , 45. “We had just been talking about baby names last night and they were getting excited about naming a boy or a girl. It has been a real sad disappointment.” She says the family will select a name after they know if the baby, miscarried in the second trimester, was a boy or girl, and then plan to have a funeral. “I feel like my heart broke telling my children,” says Michelle. “They have all been so excited about this baby and looking forward to April coming around and having a new little one in our arms. That was the most difficult.” Still, she adds that the family’s faith perseveres: “The Lord is the giver of life and he can choose when that life is ready to go on and be with Him.” The stars of TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting weathered myriad medical ordeal with their youngest daughter, Josie-Brookyln, born in December 2009. This is actually her second miscarriage. Michelle lost a baby during her second pregnancy. She was taking oral birth control then, citing that as a big reason the pair decided they’d leave the number of children they have “up to God.” In light of these events, should the Duggars still try for a 20th?
“Super Bass” rapper Nicki Minaj marked her 29th year on this planet today. This morning, while well wishes poured in, she responded with a simple message on Twitter: “No wishes. Just thanks. Gratitude. To God be the glory.” Holla. That didn’t stop some of her friends from giving props to the talented, often-pink-haired diva … including BFF and touring mate Britney Spears! Watch Brit’s brief YouTube birthday message to Minaj: Britney Spears Wishes Nicki Minaj Happy Birthday Kicking off a birthday with a video from Britney is a great way to get it rolling. Going out in outrageous wigs and Rainbow Brite style outfits likely followed. In honor of her 29th, take a look at some fun additions to THG’s gallery of Nicki Minaj pictures over the past year, then wish her a happy b-day below!
‘We’re gonna make a hit record,’ rapper says of ‘Jersey Shore’ star’s 2012 project. By Nadeska Alexis 50 Cent Photo: MTV News As early as April of this year, rumblings on the Web hinted that 50 Cent might sign “Jersey Shore” star and former Britney Spears tourmate Pauly D to his label, G-Note Records. But the deal wasn’t confirmed until this week when both Fif and his new signee spread the word on Twitter . During the launch party for his SMS Audio headphones line in NYC on Monday night, 50 Cent gave MTV News a few details on Pauly D’s upcoming album, due out in 2012. “Pauly’s project is not all his performance on the actual records,” Fif explained. “It’s more like what you would get from a DJ Khaled or DJ Drama but also what you would get from David Guetta — so it’s a cross between those two worlds, and I think it’s exciting.” A cross between two of the most notorious hip-hop DJs and one of the most popular electronic DJs certainly sounds like a winning combination for Pauly D, who has already built a solid fanbase in reality TV. And with plans for Pauly to star in his own MTV show in the coming months, 50 is even more confident that the hair-gel fanatic is primed to blow up. “He obviously has a huge platform moving forward. His show is a spin-off from ‘Jersey Shore,’ ” 50 said. “And being in front of large audiences every night DJing — we’re gonna make a hit record out of the actual material that we have around and some of the new stuff that we’ll put together.” Maybe fans will get a chance to see 50 Cent and Pauly D working together on the album when the Rhode Island native finally debuts his own reality show . Earlier this year, Pauly D gave MTV News an idea of what fans might expect from the story line. “It’ll be probably along the lines of, I used to be this DJ in Rhode Island, DJing two sets a week, hustling, promoting,” he explained. “And all of a sudden, I’m on this show, and now they’re sending private jets for me to DJ for these huge crowds, yet I’m still the same guy that was DJing for 200 people, just loving life.” The show hasn’t received an airdate just yet, but by the time it does, DJ Pauly D may well be an international superstar. Related Artists 50 Cent
Pop star Britney Spears gave a free outdoor concert Sunday in Mexico City. The singer’s Femme Fatale arrived South of the Border for a ticketed show at Foro Sol stadium Saturday night, then continued with a free concert at the Monument to the Revolution in the city center last night. The event drew an estimated 50,000 fans. Here’s a clip of Britney, who just turned 30 Friday, performing: Britney Spears Performs in Mexico Mexico City’s leftist leaders have made large-scale public parties a populist hallmark of governments in recent years, arguing that many residents of the city are unable to pay exorbitant ticket prices for concerts or for vacations outside the city. The capital sets up landlocked “beaches” featuring sand and pools during the warmer months, and an ice rink in the holiday season. Both initiatives have proved popular. It is unclear how they scored a name as big as Britney Spears to perform at such an event, or if any money was paid to the singer, but it was 100% free for the public.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo has already established itself as the perfect forum for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s haunting, crunchy musical stylings, but the full breadth of its soundtrack is a bit of a disappointment: It’s only three full-length CDs! Damn it. That’s barely enough music to occupy me during a four-hour flight from Los Angeles to Chicago. Underachievers. Find out where you can get the soundtrack’s Karen O.-led cover of “Immigrant Song,” as well as a few clips from the new package, after the jump.
