Topless activist inspires France’s Marianne stamp
A postage stamp depicting France’s cultural symbol Marianne has touched off a flurry of controversy after one of its creators revealed it was inspired by a topless feminist activist who hacked down a Christian cross in Kiev last year with a chainsaw.
The new stamp depicts a youthful Marianne, a symbol of the French republic, wearing a Phrygian conical cap but does not show her topless. It was unveiled recently by President Francois Hollande as part of Bastille Day celebrations.
Photographer and designer Olivier Ciappa said on his Twitter account that he was inspired by a number of women but most of all by Inna Shevchenko, a veteran member of the Femen group of feminist activists, which often stages bare-breasted protests. Ciappa’s comments triggered many reactions — for and against — on Twitter and Facebook. The small right-wing Christian Democrat party called for a boycott of the stamp, which will be used for sending letters throughout the country.Ukrainian activist Shevchenko, who welcomed the news with a provocative message on her Twitter account, announced recently that she had been granted asylum in France. (Reuters)
Chinese airline seeks older ‘flight aunties’
Chinese carrier Spring Airlines said it is seeking older women, preferably married mothers, to add “flight aunties” to its team of flight attendants. The airline said applicants for the positions of “flight aunties” should be between the ages of 25 and 45, with preference given to married women with children.Spring Airlines said it wants to expand its team of flight attendants beyond the typical younger women. Some Asian airlines are known to hold beauty pageant-like events to hire the most attractive young women. Xiao Fei, a Spring Airlines recruitment official, said the company believes older mothers might be better prepared to handle situations such as crying babies during flights. (UPI)
90-pound dog chatters teeth in fear upon meeting kitten
Sadie is a 90-pound labrador who could theoretically strike fear into the hearts of would-be criminals. Well, so long as it’s not a cat burglar. That’s because the seven-year-old dog appeared terrified when meeting her owner’s new kitten, even chattering her teeth in a video that has gone viral.She’s not sure about this,” Sadie’s owner, Tom Frost, says in the video. “She’s afraid to even look at her.”
The video has been clicked on more than 400,000 times since it was first posted. In the six-minute clip, Sadie seems genuinely perplexed, and more than a little nervous, about how she should behave around her new feline companion.The kitten, for its part, seems largely uninterested. She does casually wave a paw at Sadie’s nose, triggering the dog’s chattering teeth. (Yahoo News)
Florida restaurant owner fires employees by text message
It’s never a message anyone wants to hear: You’re fired. But getting a pink slip by text message came as a shock.local Florida station WFTV reported that Jodi Jackson, a chef who had worked for Barducci’s Italian Bistro in Winter Park, Florida, found out she was out of a job by a text message from owner Gregory Kennedy.
“I think it’s immoral. I think it’s cowardice,” Jackson told WFTV. The text message to the staffer on July 4 read, “I unfortunately need to inform you that I have been forced to close Barducci’s effective immediately.”According to the cook, at least 12 other employees received the same message. The surprise July 4 firing gave no notice, the employee said. The restaurant is now shut down, and Jackson says the workers are waiting for their final paychecks. “I think we all deserve our compensation for money he’s already made from us,” Jackson told the TV station. (Yahoo News)
96-Year-Old Refuses To be Robbed
A masked robber apparently thought the 96-year-old owner of a neighbourhood grocery store in Marshfield would be an easy target for his crime. But, he was so wrong.Margaretta Wolf has owned the store bearing her family name for 54 years. And she wasn’t about to turn over her cash to the armed intruder after he ordered her to open the cash register. “I said: ‘I’m not opening up that cash register and that’s it, I’m not opening it. I said you can have all the Tootsie Rolls you want but I am not opening that cash register,’” said Wolf. The man in the silver mask and carrying a knife continued to give Wolf orders during the robbery attempt. “He said, ‘Walk in the back of the store,’ I said, ‘I’m not walking any place, I’m standing right here,’” Wolf recounted.
The elderly store owner stood her ground when the man flashed a pocketknife and placed it on the counter. “I said, ‘I’ll press a button and I’ll have somebody here in seconds,’” she said. Wolf said the would-be robber appeared frustrated, looked around, spotted a security camera in the corner, grabbed the knife and fled. (Huffington Post)