Elmhurst College officials weren’t looking to blaze trails when they added to their admission application: “Would you consider yourself to be a member of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered) community?”

With that one line, though, they became the first college in the country to ask potential students directly about their sexual orientation or gender identity.

“Increasing diversity is part of our mission statement,” said Gary Rold, Elmhurst’s dean of admissions. “This is simply closing the loop, in many ways, of another group who has a very strong identity. It may not be race and religion but it’s an important part of who they are.”

The question will appear on applications for those freshman and transfer students hoping to start in the fall of 2012. Like admissions questions about race, ethnicity or religion, answering the question is completely optional and does not affect admission decisions. Students can check “yes,” “no,” or “prefer not to answer.”

Those who answer “yes” may be eligible for a scholarship worth up to one-third of tuition, not unusual because about 60 percent of incoming students receive some type of scholarship aid, Rold said. More importantly, he said, knowing students’ sexual orientation will help officials direct incoming students toward services or groups that might help them make an easier transition to college life.

Interesting! I think this is a really great step. Though I’m surprised (but weirdly proud… go western suburbs?) that Elmhurst is the first to do this.

On July 27, the retailer introduced a special promotion for the month of Ramadan on their blog, Whole Story, featuring special recipes and product giveaways for the month. This promotion also coincided with the introduction of a new halal-certified product line in Whole Foods stores.

[…]

Unsurprisingly, the campaign garnered the notice of right-wing bloggers who promptly branded Whole Foods as “jihadist” and “anti-Israel.” The absurdity of this position may have been easily dismissed if not for the subsequent reaction by leadership at the company.

On Tuesday, the Houston Press published a report revealing the text of an internal email circulated by Whole Foods executives to the chain’s stores.

“It is probably best that we don’t specifically call out or ‘promote’ Ramadan … We should not highlight Ramadan in signage in our stores as that could be considered ‘Celebrating or promoting’ Ramadan.”

This is ridiculous.

This is not a cri de coeur for the failed and failing. Nor is it a lament for the impoverished. Mob violence, despicable and inexcusable, must always be condemned. But those terrorising and trashing London are also a symptom of a wider malaise. In uneasy societies, people power – whether offered or stolen – can be toxic.

[…]

This is not a gospel of determinism, for poverty does not ordain lawlessness. Nor, however, is it sufficient to heap contempt on the rioters as if they are a pariah caste.

Stephen Fry linked this article on twitter and I think it explains the situation a bit better…

I wish there wasn’t so much racial conflict in Wisconsin… I just don’t get it. It’s 2011, people.

Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies seized $120,000 worth of cocaine at a Glen Ellyn restaurant this morning.  

At 9:30 a.m. Thursday, about 20 law enforcement officers arrested seven individuals after executing a search warrant for narcotics at La Playa Cantina located at 690 Roosevelt Rd. in Glen Ellyn, according to officials. 

Bummer! I’ve lived by this restaurant my whole life and never eaten there. My mom went once and said it was a little sketch but the food was delicious so I was hoping to go someday… guess that won’t be happening, haha.

Finally! Would’ve been nice to have this last year when I didn’t have a TV in my dorm.

OH WAIT. I have WOW, sooo… that sucks.

Most of the usual toys and games that you would find in any nursery are there - dolls, tractors, sand pits, and so on - but they are placed deliberately side-by-side to encourage a child to play with whatever he or she chooses.

At Egalia boys are free to dress up and to play with dolls, if that is what they want to do.

For the director of the pre-school, Lotta Rajalin, it is all about giving children a wider choice, and not limiting them to social expectations based on gender.

“We want to give the whole spectrum of life, not just half - that’s why we are doing this. We want the children to get to know all the things in life, not to just see half of it,” she told BBC World Service.

Sweden is so interesting. This is a very innovative and fascinating concept and I’ll be really curious to see how the students and school are doing in a few years’ time. Learning about gender roles/expectations was always my favorite part about psychology and sociology classes.