The budget war wages on as the DNC gets a new chairwoman. Elsewhere, more students are being educated online and it’s causing a controversy over the motive behind the method, Bristol Palin makes bank for her nonprofit work advocating for teen abstinence, Facebook moves to a campus that will surely rival Google’s, Angelina Jolie’s new tat is causing a stir and everyone’s favorite Twilight stars could be headed for splits-ville.
CRUCIAL:
Budget Wars: Down to the Wire, http://politi.co/i6zmxC
Boehner discussed a possibility of $40 billion in cuts, a smaller number than ever before. President Obama has made it clear that he will not sign a stopgap bill until the 2011 budget has been resolved, meaning a government shutdown on Friday is still a possibility.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz Will Be New DNC Chair, http://abcn.ws/e2PQBn
Joe Biden announced that Wasserman Schultz will replace the current chair Tim Kaine as he runs for Senate in Virginia. Wasserman Schultz will be “the first woman elected by the full membership to serve as chair” assuming she passed the election, which is considered “a formality.”
Members to Limit Staff Furloughs, http://bit.ly/gVmIMu
In the event that the government does shut down, many congressional leaders have said they will still report to work on Monday with their staff, and most hope not to furlough anyone. The effects of a shutdown would be felt throughout the capital, with even the tour guides worried about the outcome.
More Pupils Are Learning Online, Fueling Debate on Quality, http://nyti.ms/eGoBM8
There is much debate over whether online classes are beneficial for students or are simply a money saving technique. Being able to offer Chinese classes even when a school cannot afford a Chinese teacher is one example of how these classes can benefit students, but the ease of cheating and other factors that remain to be seen make some question the reason for online courses.
Bristol Palin’s Nonprofit Paid Her Seven Times What it Spent on Actual Teen Pregnancy Prevention, http://bit.ly/haM6gs
Bristol Palin was paid $262,500 in 2009 for her role at a nonprofit geared towards preventing teen pregnancy. Exuberant amounts of money was also spent on ads, including one with “The Situation” of MTVs Jersey Shore. Minimal money went directly toward the cause of the nonprofit.
Kristin Neff: Why We Should Stop Chasing Self Esteem and Start Developing Self Compassion, http://huff.to/i9AXUz
Neff explains how self esteem implies that one must think they are better than everyone else, but self compassion is what we should really be seeking. Self compassion leads individuals to love themselves and “doesn’t demand that we evaluate ourselves positively or that we see ourselves as better than others. Rather, the positive emotions of self-compassion kick in exactly when self-esteem falls down; when we don’t meet our expectations or fail in some way.”
A Corporate Campus Made to Mirror Facebook, http://nyti.ms/hOBQKj
Facebook will be making its new home outside of San Fransisco, in a 57 acre campus. The space is being modified to add bike paths and walking trails, as well as update the cafeterias and other parts of the existing space. The town of Menlo Park has a population of 30,000, and it expects that Facebook will draw a bigger crowd to the town, despite the fact that workers have little reason to leave the site given the services provided by Facebook.
CULTURAL:
Angelina Jolie caught in the middle of rough crowd in Tunisia: http://bit.ly/hZOI2t
And her new tattoo sparks adoption rumors: http://aol.it/eFoMLv
Darren Criss talks ‘Glee’ Reality Show, New Warblers Album, and Possible ‘Glee’ Spin-Off: http://bit.ly/fDUmI2
Rumors of Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart breakup: http://bit.ly/g8YWXv
Tiger Mom’s tactics work, daughter accepted to Harvard: http://bit.ly/guB0Ny
