Earlier this week, NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne drew a bit of ire from the lactivist community when he made a series of body-shaming comments through his Twitter account after seeing a woman nursing in a grocery store.

Kahne’s comments were the type you’re well familiar with if you’ve been a nursing mother at any point- the standard “that’s nasty, I lost my appetite” kind of thing. Kahne’s attitude in the posts (quoted below) were- not surprisingly- offensive to many who have been in  the position of having to nurse in or near public, and outcry was swift and angry. Kahne originally said:

Just walking through supermarket. See a mom breast feeding little kid. Took second look because I was obviously seeing things. I wasn’t! …One boob put away and one boob hanging!!! #nasty …I don’t feel like shopping anymore or eating…

Initially, Kahne’s response to one angry tweeter (“your [sic] a dumb bitch”) didn’t ameliorate the situation either, but it seems the NASCAR star has changed his position, and he sent a pleasant apology- it seems to indicate that not only is he sorry for the offense caused, but that Kahne also appreciates the folly in his original comments. Kahne begins:

“I understand that my comments regarding breastfeeding posted on Twitter were offensive to some people. For that, I apologize. It was in no way my intention to offend any mother who chooses to breastfeed her child, or, for that matter, anyone who supports breastfeeding children. I want to make that clear… In all honestly, I was surprised by what I saw in a grocery store. I shared that reaction with my fans on Twitter. It obviously wasn’t the correct approach, and, after reading your feedback, I now have a better understanding of why my posts upset some of you.”

Kahne continued:

“My comments were not directed at the mother’s right to breastfeed. They were just a reaction to the location of that choice, and the fashion in which it was executed on that occasion… I respect the mother’s right to feed her child whenever and wherever she pleases.”

Given his initial remarks, it’s heartening such a dramatic reversal so rapidly followed. Oddly enough, if anything, the incident seems to be a testament to the benefits of nursing in public as a way to cement a woman’s right to nurse in public.

What do you think about Kahne’s initial remarks and subsequent apology?

Kasey Kahne Apologizes For Breastfeeding Remarks is a post from: The Inquisitr

In a shocking turn of events, it appears a NASCAR driver is an uneducated, not-very-enlightened hillbilly.

Kasey Kahne, 31, is apparently active in charitable work, but it doesn’t appear to interfere with his personal misogyny or propensity to engage in perpetuating negative stereotypes about women (breastfeeding mothers, in particular.) Racing is traditionally a bit of a boys club- as a non-fan, the only think I know about the one chick that I know of from NASCAR is that she is “hot,” and Kahne seems to have internalized the “boobs are for selling beer” attitude.

The racing star took to Twitter to spew some injudicious comments about a breastfeeding woman who had the nerve to be the mother of a hungry baby in a supermarket, of all places, and though some of the offensive tweets have been removed, they’ve all been preserved because nothing really ever gets fully deleted from the internet. Kahne sent the following series of tweets Monday after being exposed to nursing in public:

Just walking through supermarket. See a mom breast feeding little kid. Took second look because I was obviously seeing things. I wasn’t!

One boob put away and one boob hanging!!! #nasty

I don’t feel like shopping anymore or eating

@KnittingRad And your a dumb b****.

It should be pointed out, in case you missed it, that breastfeeding is not only an act that literally saves the lives of babies all the time, it is also a protected activity in many states. And further, it’s stupid, reckless comments like Kahne’s that push women away from the practice, despite the palpable benefits to both mother and child.

It would be nice if Kahne retracted his comments and apologized to women who are forced to endure such puritanical, misplaced and dangerous attitudes when they have the audacity to feed their babies in public. But in the interim, the NASCAR star should take a look at the chart below, and remind himself that not ever pair of breasts he sees is in fact relevant to him.

Kasey Kahne, NASCAR Driver, Picks on Breastfeeding Moms on Twitter is a post from: The Inquisitr

You see that image at the top of the post?

That apparently is the most expensive photograph in the entire world and proves that some people really do have more money than brains. I mean it’s a pretty plain looking picture really. A nice river maybe but somehow I just don’t think that even the real thing would be worth the price that someone paid for a photographic reproduction.

So how much did some moron pay for this photograph that is titled “Rhein II”?

Try $4.3 million.

Yes that is what I said – $4.3 million for .. well .. a photograph.

via Bit Rebels

The world’s most expensive photograph and you can see it here for free is a post from: The Inquisitr

Long Island got pretty effing hot this weekend, with temps in the super-high three digits on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

One North Shore mom was arrested during the heat wave for going to KMart in Huntington Station Friday and leaving her 13-month-old daughter in an unlocked car in the parking lot while she shopped and temperatures soared. The Mercedes in which the unattended baby was left was unlocked, however, so Suffolk County Police were able to easily reach the child to tend to her when the situation came to light. (As would have any baby grabbers, had a less well-intentioned person come across the kid before law enforcement officials did.)

While a tragedy- whether through kidnapping or hyperthermia- was luckily avoided during the incident on Friday, the story has become viral on the internet due to the child’s grandmother’s Long Island-y response. When local newschannel News12 Long Island (albeit quite ballsily) knocked on the family’s door for comment, 26-year-old Aimee Rachlin’s mother answered. And instead of providing reporter Christine Insinga with a comment, she provided Insinga with a cold drink. To the face.

Rachlin has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, and the baby has been returned to her custody. Do you think the reporter deserved a Poland Spring facial for her cheek?

[Video] Long Island Reporter Doused By Hose Trying to Interview Mom Who Left Baby in Hot Car is a post from: The Inquisitr

It doesn’t matter how you slice it but this idea of buying an umbrella with a rifle stock as its handle is something only a member of the NRA could love.

I mean really, how is it a good idea to be walking around the streets of America, or any other country for that matter, with what resembles a rifle half covered with cloth.

Talk about making yourself a target for constant police shakedown at the very least; but should you insist on being an idiot head over to the Brando site and order yourself one for $18.

via DVICE

Today’s really stupid idea – rifle umbrellas is a post from: The Inquisitr

BeautifulPeople.com, the dating site that is primarily known for trolling the media via a series of outlandish and insulting press releases about their website for people purportedly of above-average physical attractiveness, claims that a ‘Shrek virus’ enabled tens of thousands of uggos to briefly populate their service.

Just about this time last year, the site announced a ‘fertility service’ that was initially pretty people only, they claimed, but then said they relented when they realized ugly people should be able to breed, too:

“Initially, we hesitated to widen the offering to non-beautiful people.  But everyone – including ugly people – would like to bring good looking children in to the world, and we can’t be selfish with our attractive gene pool.”

The site previously had a ‘breach’ of attractiveness, when several members allegedly gained weight over the Christmas holidays- the story was widely carried in the media though there was no indication people all updated their profiles simultaneously with less attractive pics. The people behind the site are at it again- it’s not really clear whether trolling is their business model, or this is just an elaborate performance art stunt.

After they say 30,000 members of sub-par attractiveness were admitted to the site due to a ‘Shrek virus,’ managing editor Greg Hodge made the following comment to the media:

“We got suspicious when tens of thousands of new members were accepted over a six-week period, many of whom were no oil painting.”

“We responded immediately, repairing the damage from the ‘Shrek Virus’ and putting every new member back into the rating module for a legitimate and democratic vote. The result is that we have lost over 30,000 recent members.

“We have sincere regret for the unfortunate people who were wrongly admitted to the site and who believed, albeit for a short while, that they were beautiful. It must be a bitter pill to swallow, but better to have had a slice of heaven then never to have tasted it at all.”

Right. You can read a bit more on Sophos on why the stunt- and possibly the site- are probably not entirely straightforward about their motives.

‘Shrek Virus’ Scare Newest Troll Dating Site Publicity Con is a post from: The Inquisitr

Okay, I get it, Angry Birds is popular and needs to do whatever it an to keep those irritating birds and pigs front and center because after all when that is the only thing you have you need to milk it for whatever you can. But seriously folks a cookbook?

Of course it isn’t just any kind of cookbook but one that centers around eggs.

“An announcement during a presentation at the Open Mobile Summit in London revealed that the developer has been in discussion with Amazon, Apple, and Barnes & Noble about distribution of the book,” reports Gather.

What will you learn to concoct using the Angry Birds cookbook? Egg dishes, duh!

via CBS

Apparently there is also talks about an animated Angry Birds series.

ENOUGH already please.

The Angry Birds marketing insanity continues now with an egg cookbook is a post from: The Inquisitr

In their ever growing commitment to admirable reporting of the day’s serious issues, the New York Post has revealed that the unnamed victim in Saturday’s high-profile alleged rape by former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn lives in housing for HIV victims.

The paper stopped short of revealing the woman’s HIV status specifically, but not out of any journalistic integrity. No, the rag rather couldn’t get the people who run the housing to disclose the confidential data about the woman, even citing medical privacy laws in the piece. Just not, you know, respecting them, or anything.

The paper described the woman’s movements over the years across a few apartments, adding:

According to the agency, it is not uncommon for people with HIV/AIDS to move around.

Housing Works, the agency the Post IDs in their article, condemns the paper’s irresponsibility in publishing the information:

“The Post’s reckless disregard for the sexual assault survivor’s confidentiality potentially jeopardizes her relationships with friends, family, and coworkers, and further victimizes a woman who may have already suffered a grievous attack,” said Housing Works. “The tabloid headline of the story, as well as its glib, vulgar lead sentence are a transparent attempt to fan the flames of AIDSphobia.”

The Post says at the beginning of the piece that Strauss-Kahn “may have more to worry about than a possible prison sentence.” The actual chance of a male contracting HIV from a female during standard heterosexual sex is virtually nil.

New York Post blasted for revealing alleged rape victim’s possible HIV status is a post from: The Inquisitr

When I first saw this post on SlashGear I had to double check its date because I thought for sure this had to be some April Fool’s joke product, but alas it wasn’t.

I you really need to “knock on wood” every time you make a statement then maybe this product for you but really besides looking stupid who would pay $8 for a slice of wood to stick on something. If you are so inclined to look stupid though you can head over to the Suck UK site and order yours now.

[Moron Dept.] About that ‘knock on wood’ saying…. is a post from: The Inquisitr

Look I like Twitter. I spend a lot of time using the service and at one time I even developed a Windows client for it but at some point don’t we have to get a grip and realize that Twitter isn’t the end all, be all to the point we have to do stupid things like having tweets read to us?

I guess not because what you see above, and in the video below, is the newest way to bring your Twitter stream to *cough* life *cough*. Besides being a stupid idea to begin with, these Twimals, as they are called, are freaking stupid looking blobs of plastic.

Really, let’s get a grip here folks.

via Engadget

[Moron Dept.] Have your tweets read to you by a stupid looking blob (Video) is a post from: The Inquisitr

Have you ever been so pissed about a drug deal, you called the cops to complain?

I swear when I was a kid this used to be a joke, “Officer, he stole my weed!” But thanks to the internet, we can find out this actually happens every so often. Most recently, a man in East Hartford, Connecticut delivered himself to police for a drug offense after observing his $40 bag of cocaine seemed a bit light. 35-year-old native of El Salvador Antonio Recinos originally was going to call 911 to report the alleged shorting of narcotics, but happened upon a police officer and made his complaint face to face.

Not surprisingly, the move landed him in the back of a cruiser and he didn’t even have time to enjoy his overpriced bag of coke:

Recinos, who displayed a small bag of cocaine, told the officer that he had been shorted by his dealer. While it is unclear what Recinos, who apparently had been drinking, expected the cop to do on his behalf, he likely did not expect to end up in handcuffs over his consumer complaint.

Recinos was busted for narcotics possession, and released on $5,000 bail.

[TSG via Gawker, Image]

Smartest guy ever in Connecticut complains to cops after being shorted on cocaine deal is a post from: The Inquisitr

I realize that it is rather early in the day for the Moron Dept. post but seriously when I saw this thing come across in my feeds I knew we had the winner for the day.

What you are seeing above is the newest specialty television offering from a company called Hannspree and yes that is a 55-inch LCD flat panel that comes equipped with4 HDMI inputs as well as sporting support for 1080p at 120 Hz. Oh ya, and a stupid looking basketball type frame.

How much for this grotesque looking abomination?

Try $8,999.00 smackers.

Ya, I’m going to rush out and get in the line-up for this thing right now.

via CrunchGear.

[Moron Dept.] A 55-inch basketball television. Ya, Really. is a post from: The Inquisitr

It never ceases to totally amaze me how we, as human create some of the most incredible things that can change the world forever.

Then we get something like – the Dogbrella.

Even worse, this isn’t just someone having fun with Photoshop. Nooo, you can actually spend your hard earned money and get one of those silly assed things.

via DVICE

[Moron Dept.] Dogbrella, what else to say? is a post from: The Inquisitr

What poses more of a threat to the safe and interruption free operation of flights?

People who look like they may be smoking but actually are not smoking? Or people who are deprived of nicotine via both cigarettes and alternate nicotine delivery devices that do not actually impact or harm other airline passengers? I’d personally guess the former- flights interrupted by smokers hiding in bathrooms or placating their addled nerves with cocktails are known if infrequent issues on flights- but it seems the DOT is willing to put their money on the latter.

The regulatory body has decided that even though there’s no indication e-cigarettes have any effect whatsoever on bystanders, the harmless-to-others devices should be banned on commercial flights because… well, because nothing. Because Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to Sen. Frank Lautenberg don’t really seem to know exactly how e-cigarettes work. President of Blu Cigs Jason Healy took a wishy-washy stance on the issue, somewhat validating the undeniably stupid idea that since e-cigarettes look like smoking, criticism of them is somehow valid:

“I understand from an airline’spoint of view the hassles it could create,” said Healy, whose company has partnered with a luxury charter jet company to provide free e-cigs on private flights. “It’s not the actual product, it’s the disruption and explaining to everyone else that it’s not smoke.”

Okay, smoking bans make sense, but now because something reminds us of smoking we have to run screaming from it? While this ban doesn’t affect the majority of people, it should serve as a reminder that the morality police are out in force in this country seeking to ban anything they find distasteful, and something you quite like could be next. This particular ban- which some might argue itself is distasteful- is set to become official this spring.

[MSNBC via Consumerist]

DOT bans e-cigs on flights is a post from: The Inquisitr

How many times have we read a headline to a post on a news site and literally want to shake the person that wrote it because it was just so inanely ridiculous?

It seems that these stupid types of headlines happen in the tech world and the one that I read today over at Seattle PI is a perfect example of these bang your head against the keyboard posts.

The headline was this: Smart phones outsell PCs for the first time.

The allusion here is that somehow smart phones are on parity with computers except they aren’t. Not everyone will own a computer, at least ways what we qualify as one, but just about everyone will at some point own a mobile. Even more to the point a growing number of people will either be buying a smart phone for the first time or they will be moving up to one.

So trying to allude to the fact that smart phones are becoming more popular than computer is a mutts games. Computers come in all shapes and sizes, from huge super computers to desktop sized ones and then there are the laptops and netbooks. However as technology changes so does the desktop and our need for them so not everyone will own a computer.

In contrast you have kids growing up with smart phones attached to their ears or fingers. Smartphones are replacing wired phones at an ever increasing rate. It was inevitable that the number of smart phones out in the world would increase but to put the two on the same playing field is stupid.

Yet another stupid smartphone and computer comparision is a post from: The Inquisitr

The cheerleader mom has nothing over this lunatic who lists her favorite activity on Facebook as “getting drunk” is now headed to jail for running over her cousin, not just once but twice.

Apparently it all started when Melanie Spanopoulos and her cousin, Giselle Penagos, got into a vicious fight over some guy on Facebook who had accepted a friend request from Spanopoulos but not her cousin Giselle Penagos.

After watching the Jets game at a bar, Spanopoulos — whose Facebook page notes that her favorite activities are “getting drunk” and “speaking gibberish” — and Penagos headed home on the Southern State Parkway.

Galgano said that’s when one of the girls found out the other one was in touch with a potential love interest on Facebook.

Spanopoulos’ lawyer, Dennis Lemke, said the man refused Penagos’ friend request but accepted one from his client.

Then the fur flew.

Spanopoulos pulled off the parkway onto a dark street near Elmont Avenue and Penagos got out. When Penagos refused to get back in the van, Spanopoulos allegedly leaped out and the pair wrestled each other to the ground.

The suspect then hopped behind the wheel and plowed into her cousin with the van, cops said. She then allegedly put the vehicle in reverse and smashed into her a second time.

via New York Post

Wow. Not sure what else to say about this.

Catfight over Facebook Casanova gets one woman run over – twice is a post from: The Inquisitr

In other news, To Kill a Mockingbird‘s ending is being changed so that Tom is acquitted and everyone goes out for ice cream, and a chaperone is being written into Lord of the Flies.

Okay, I was exaggerating about the last two, but they may not be far off, considering that a new version of Mark Twain’s American classic Huckleberry Finn is being edited to replace instances of the n-word with “slave,” as well as removal of- I am not kidding about this- the word “Injun.”

Reaction to the edits are controversial, sparking several editorials pointing out that without a record that rampant racism happened, we won’t have a record that rampant racism happened. Or, as eloquently summed up in the Washington Post:

It’s not about avoiding an awkward classroom moment, or they would have removed the word “ejaculate” from Victorian novels, where everybody is always ejaculating about everything… It would be like renaming 1984 2084, “because the current title does not reflect how pleasant life was under the Reagan administration.”

Jim Norton somewhat offensively described the move in such a way that it kind of highlights the white panic surrounding instances of the n-word in historical literature:

New editions of Huckleberry Finn will not have THE N WORD in it. Huck’s pal will now be called Talks-Loud-In-Movie-Theaters Jim.

What do you think? Can the work be edited in such a way and still be sold as an original version of this classic book? Is it cool to edit history like that? Is it more offensive to black people in general to pretend they were never regularly referred to as that word in polite society for most of American history?

[Image]

New version of ‘Huckleberry Finn’ will replace n-word with slave is a post from: The Inquisitr

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was granted bail in London today after being held without bond for a week in Wandsworth prision pending a possible extradition on a range of sex charges.

39-year-old Assange was bailed ahead of a January 11th hearing, but conditions for his release were tight: £240,000 in bond, surety from two individuals, surrender of his passport, a 10 PM curfew, and daily check-ins with police. Even if prosecutors decline to appeal the decision, it is unlikely Assange will be released this evening.

Assange’s mother told press that her son made statements prior to the hearing indicating he believes more sinister forces were at play in pursuing charges against him unrelated to Wikileaks:

Ahead of the hearing, Assange remained defiant, telling his mother from his cell that he was committed to publishing more secret US cables. “My convictions are unfaltering. I remain true to the ideals I have expressed. This circumstance shall not shake them,” Assange said, according to a written statement of his comments supplied to Australia’s Network Seven by his mother Christine.

“We now know that Visa, Mastercard, Paypal and others are instruments of US foreign policy. I am calling for the world to protect my work and my people from these illegal and immoral attacks.”

A lawyer for Assange argued that there was doubt “whether this actual category of rape would be rape under English law.”

Julian Assange granted bail by UK court is a post from: The Inquisitr

Julian Assange was denied bail this afternoon in a British courtroom, but the Wikileaks “lightning rod” told a City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court judge that he will fight extradition on charges he had sex with two women and may not have used a condom.

Assange was asked if he understood that he could consent to being extradited to Sweden to face the charges, to which he replied:

“I understand that and I do not consent.”

Bail on the charges, which are unrelated to the recent and controversial diplomatic cable leaks, was denied on the basis that Assange has access to financial means to flee and evade possible prosecution. A spokesperson for Wikileaks said that regardless of Assange’s legal challenges, the organization would remain operational and wouldn’t be impeded:

Kristinn Hrafnsson said it would not stop release of more secret files and told Reuters on Tuesday: “Wikileaks is operational. We are continuing on the same track as laid out before.

“Any development with regards to Julian Assange will not change the plans we have with regards to the releases today and in the coming days.”

Assange was remanded in custody pending a complete hearing, expected next week.

[Image]

Assange denied bail, tells judge he will fight extradition is a post from: The Inquisitr

Do you rent or otherwise not own the place in which you live? (With parents, your children, a partner…)

If the leader of the Tea Party Nation had his way, you wouldn’t be allowed to vote. No, seriously. During a conservative radio program a few weeks back, Judson Phillips said that he doesn’t believe people who don’t own homes or land should really be allowed that right, due to a lack of “vested interest in the community.” Quote:

The Founding Fathers originally said, they put certain restrictions on who gets the right to vote. It wasn’t you were just a citizen and you got to vote. Some of the restrictions, you know, you obviously would not think about today. But one of those was you had to be a property owner. And that makes a lot of sense, because if you’re a property owner you actually have a vested stake in the community. If you’re not a property owner, you know, I’m sorry but property owners have a little bit more of a vested interest in the community than non-property owners.

Of course, the fact that this would disenfranchise a large number of minorities, city-dwelling liberals and generally poor people probably has very little to do with Phillips’ motivation here.

[ThinkProgress via BoingBoing, Image]

Tea Party Nation leader thinks voting is just for property owners is a post from: The Inquisitr