Once again President Obama and Hillary Clinton top the list of most admired.

Courtesy of Gallup:  

Americans continue to name Hillary Clinton as the woman living anywhere in the world whom they admire most, and name Barack Obama as the man they admire most. Clinton has held the top women's spot in each of the last 13 years and 17 of the last 18, with that streak interrupted only by first lady Laura Bush in 2001 after the 9/11 terror attacks. Obama has been most admired man in each of the last seven years, beginning with 2008, the year he was elected president.

 Okay well I have a few problems with this list.

While I have no bone to pick with who they picked as the top in both the female and male category the fact that Sarah Palin, George W. Bush, and Ben Carson are included calls in to question the intelligence of those being polled.

Though I do find it somewhat satisfying that Hillary, Oprah Winfrey, Malala Yousafzai are the top three on the women's side and that Obama, the Pope, and Bill Clinton are on the top for men.

Some may have moved on to other stories, but the National Enquirer believes there is more to know about the Throwdown at the Hoedown. And I agree.

Courtesy of the National Enquirer:  

You’re all headed to the drunk tank!” That’s what an enraged Sarah Palin is telling her three eldest kids – Track, 25, Bristol, 24, and Willow, 20 – after a police report reveals they were boozed up at a party that turned into a headline-making brawl. 

Cops in Alaska released the report Oct. 9 after prosecutors said no charges would be filed related to the Sept. 6 incident. The former Alaska governor was at the party with her hubby Todd and their brood when the fight broke out. 

“Sarah is livid that her kids have been called ‘belligerent and intoxicated,’” a friend said. 

“It’s a real embarrassment. In a fury, she told them, ‘You’re all headed to the drunk tank!’ She’s not sending them off to rehab, but it’s a clear warning they better clean up their acts.” 

According to the report, obtained by The National ENQUIRER, at least two dust-ups broke out during the incident – one involving Track and Todd, and another involving Bristol. One officer wrote that Track “was angry, heavily intoxicated and acted belligerent.”

Sadly that is the last of the Enquirer's accuracy in reporting this story, because after that they pass on the false information, as reported in other news sources, that Track jumped in to help his dad who was under attack, and that Bristol was dragged around by her feet.

I was actually contacted by the Enquirer last week for more information, and an attempt to get me to reveal my source. However I gave them nothing new, and my sources have no interest in talking to the Enquirer at this time.

So I do not know who this "friend" might be. Though to be honest this certainly sounds like something Palin might say.

And besides anything that keeps the brawl in the spotlight makes me happy.

Which is why I was tickled that it came up while Meghan McCain was making an appearance on the Howard Stern Show: 

“When I first met her, I really liked her because I thought she was a politician like I’d never seen,” said McCain. “She was beautiful, she had children, she had a newborn baby. And, you know, most politicians aren’t like that. They’re much older, and I didn’t have a lot to relate to them about.” 

Since then, McCain’s opinion has changed. 

“And now, it’s very awkward because everybody asks me and, you know, she’s getting arrested or her children are getting arrested, whatever, for brawling and bar fights,” McCain said, referring to a reportedly booze-tinged family brawl Palin was a part of. 

“When people ask me about it,” McCain said, “it’s like my crazy aunt or something that people all want to tell me about.”

Okay that just makes me smile. 

Speaking of smiling I think you will all enjoy Jezebel's comparison of the accomplishments of Bristol Palin to those of recent Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai:  

Two bright young women dominated headlines late last week. On the same day that Malala Yousafzai, 17, won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize, Bristol Palin, 23, was cited in an Alaska police report for getting drunk at a party and punching her host "multiple times." 

Bristol Palin's "heavily intoxicated" behavior had already prompted her famous mother to release a statement describing her daughter as "one of the strongest young women you'll ever meet." Sarah Palin went on to praise Bristol's "work ethic and heart for those less fortunate." 

Sounds like the Nobel Committee gave that Peace Prize to the wrong gal.

Seriously you have to read the side by side comparisons that Jezebel lays out. But I caution against having in liquid in your mouth while doing so.  

Malala Yousafzai becomes youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Courtesy of the Daily Beast: 

Malala Yousafzai has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her courageous, and near fatal, campaign to secure girls’ education. At 17, she is the youngest recipient in the century that the prize has been given. 

The Pakistani campaigner, who survived an assassination attempt at the age of 15, will share the award with Kailash Satyarthi, an Indian activist who has dedicated his life to fighting for the rights of children. 

As the announcement was made Malala was in class at her school in England. She sought refuge in the U.K. after surviving a shot to the head from a Taliban gunman. She has made history today but she will remain in school until classes are out this afternoon, Eason Jordan of The Malala Fund tells The Daily Beast. 

It was Malala’s determination to get to class, despite the wish of extremists in the Swat Valley in Northwest Pakistan, that lead her to become one of the world’s most prominent education campaigners. Her refusal to cover her face and a willingness to speak out in defense of girls’ rights made her a target for the Taliban. Two years ago, a gunman boarded her school bus and fired three shots at her from close range. 

Somehow she survived, and after treatment in Britain, she has continued to campaign – now with a worldwide audience. Last year she spoke at the United Nations in New York, and continued to promote her positive message. “A Talib chose guns to solve [a] problem, we chose our voices,” she said.

Finally a positive story about a young woman making a difference in the world and being recognized for her contribution.

I think we all needed this. 

Bing celebrates the Women of 2013.

I don't know how I missed this earlier, but I did.

As a man I am humbled to my core after viewing these amazing women.

So much courage, perseverance, and joy that it should send message to all of us never to give up and to continue to strive to overcome every obstacle that life throws out way.

You can read more about the woman included in that advertisement here.

Malala Yousafzai's book has been banned in Pakistan for fear it "will only confuse our children." Yeah, it just might give them hope, and that would be confusing.

Courtesy of Pakistan Today:

Malala Yousufzai’s recent book ‘I am Malala’ will be banned completely due to its ‘controversial’ contents in all private schools across the country, Pakistan Today has learnt. 

The decision was announced by All Pakistan Private Schools Federation President Mirza Kashif on Wednesday who said children were idealising Malala and reading her book will leave them in a ‘confused’ state of mind. 

“Our academics have thoroughly studied her (Malala’s) book and have concluded that reading that book will only confuse our children. Malala’s defence of Salmaan Rushdie in the name of freedom of expression, not writing Peace Be Upon Him after the name of prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and criticising the Quranic injunctions about the status of women in testifying as witnesses are only a few things which will challenge the ideological foundations of our next generation,” Kashif said while talking to Pakistan Today. 

Interestingly, the private schools owners have taken the decision on their own while the government has nothing to do with the decision. 

“It (the book) is not part of the curriculum and hence the government has nothing to do with our decision. The federation has taken the decision on its own in order to save children from getting confused,” Kashif added. 

Further explaining the ban, he said, it would not be allowed to keep the book in any school library or use for co-curricular activities - essay writing or debating competitions. 

“We can see from her writing that she has not authored the book herself. Even if she has, it creates a lot of doubt amongst our kids regarding religion which we, being Muslims, can never allow,” he added.

So Malala stands up for education in her country, takes a bullet to the face from the Taliban for her troubles, and this is how Pakistani educators respond?

 I guess this is what's to be expected when religion takes precedence over education.

Okay how did this young woman NOT receive the Nobel Peace Prize?

Courtesy of the Telegraph: 

US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle welcomed Pakistani schoolgirl activist Malala Yousafzai to the Oval Office on Friday. 

Mr Obama met with Malala on the same day the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. 

The Pakistani teen had been considered a front-runner for the prize and was in Washington to speak at two events. 

The teen said in a statement after the meeting that she was honored to meet with the president, who is a Nobel Peace Prize recipient. 

"I thanked President Obama for the United States' work in supporting education in Pakistan and Afghanistan and for Syrian refugees. I also expressed my concerns that drone attacks are fueling terrorism. Innocent victims are killed in these acts, and they lead to resentment among the Pakistani people. If we refocus efforts on education it will make a big impact," she said.

So much wisdom in such a young person.

I think that her opportunities to win that prize are by no means behind her.

I see her as a great leader for her people in the years to come and have little doubt that she will remain a symbol for peace and the importance of education.

So true.

This comes courtesy of a text message from my daughter.

Malala Yousafzai addresses the United Nations. This is an amazing speech, by an equally amazing young woman.

The Taliban tried to shut her up, but all they have done is to create a force that will undoubtedly help to destroy their influence in the Middle East and around the world.

This speech gave me chills.

Mark my words this incredible young woman will someday soon become an incredibly political powerful force in Pakistan and beyond. She is a great representative of her religion, and I have little doubt that there are numerous Muslims in the world who are crying tears of joy for her survival and strength and shame that it was fundamentalists from their religion who tried to snuff out her amazing light.

Fox Nation cannot help but insult Bill Maher even when they are agreeing with him.

Above is the actual headline over at Fox Nation, for a post about a conversation he had on Real Time with Daily Beast editor-in-chief Tina Brown. After that rather unnecessarily insulting headline this is all that they posted by way of description about the conversation:  

On his Friday night broadcast, HBO “Real Time” host Bill Maher said Muslims who mistreat women can “fucking go to hell.” 

Maher began the conversation by discussing with his guest, Daily Beast editor-in-chief Tina Brown, how impressed he was with Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani student who was shot by the Taliban.

Not terribly inflammatory is it?

Here is the video that they posted.

Once again there is nothing there that should anger the Fox News audience. (With the possible exception of that "lesbian art gallery" crack.) So why, you may ask, did they go out of their way to call Maher names when it appears that they are pretty much in agreement with his point of view? (By the way the same is true over at the Daily Caller where the original article was posted.)

Here is my theory. They are still pissy about Maher's frequent jokes at the expense of the women who host Fox News programs, or appear as pundits. ESPECIALLY Sarah Palin who Maher has ridiculed almost as much as yours truly.

So in the minds of the folks over at Fox Nation, Maher is being a hypocrite by suggesting that the men who mistreat women in Islamic nations can "fucking go to hell," because as we know making a joke about a person on cable television is totally on par with throwing acid in their face, or beheading them, or shooting them in the face, as was done with little Malala Yousafzai.

Right?