| Women for Trump Cabinet: Haley picked for UN, DeVos for Ed Posted: 23 Nov 2016 05:16 PM PST  PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Injecting the first diversity into his Cabinet-to-be, Donald Trump selected two Republican women on Wednesday who had unflattering things to say about him during the presidential campaign: South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and charter school advocate Betsy DeVos to lead the Department of Education.
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| Everyday household objects more qualified for public office than Trump's cabinet Posted: 23 Nov 2016 03:12 PM PST  As Trump slowly fills out his cabinet, Clinton supporters and #NeverTrumpers alike are silently watching as the democracy they've always loved face plants in front of their very eyes. People who've never held elected office or who were best known for their leadership in the alt-right movement now have some of the most powerful jobs in the world. For millions of Americans, the appointments are jarring, leading them to believe that anyone — anything — would be better than these people. SEE ALSO: A rat holding a bunch of keys and other predictions I have for President Trump's cabinet Below is a list of everyday household items that would be conceivably more qualified and less dangerous for Trump's America than the people he's chosen. 1. For the position of HUD secretary: this vacuum cleaner Image: nikkytok/ap images Ben Carson appears to be Trump's top pick for Security of Housing and Urban Development. Carson, who ran for president, recently admitted that "he has no government experience, he's never run a federal agency." This vacuum cleaner has conceivably spent more time (picking up crumbs) in the Oval Office than Carson has, and at least it doesn't believe that pyramids were built to store grain. 2. For Attorney General: the sock I found on my living room floor Image: Michal Ludwiczak From the outside, the sock may not look like much. But at least it didn't receive an endorsement from former KKK member David Duke and never once called the NAACP "un-American." Vote sock for Attorney General! 3. For National Security Advisor: this adorable Beanie Baby Say what you will about Beanie Babies, but at least they didn't say that "Islamism" is a "vicious cancer" in the bodies of all Muslims that "has to be excised" like retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn. This bear doesn't want to have a war with Iran — it just wants to be cuddled while we're having a war with Iran. Go Beanie Baby Go! 4. For Chief White House Strategist: this roll of paper towels Image: photobalance/ap images Who do you want to direct federal policy: one of the prime leaders of the alt-right who wants to "bitch-slap the Republican Party," or these innocent rolls of paper towels, who just want to clean up your mess? 5. For Vice President: this beautiful Christmas wreath Image: wikimedia Millions of Americans would probably prefer to have this seasonal, affordable Christmas wreath for Vice President than a man who wanted to take away funding for AIDS research and supports conversion therapy for LGBTQ people. 6. For Chief of Staff: a Roomba Image: coffeekai/ap images For many, Roombas and Reince Preibus are basically the same thing: independently moving robots, except Roombas can at least play cool music sometimes. 7. For Director of the CIA: the pillow that you cry into every night Image: Africa Studio/ap images Who do you trust to hold your secrets: your soft pillow that you whisper all your secrets into, or Mike Pompeo, who appears to be super keen on reinstating waterboarding and other forms of torture? 8. For Secretary of Defense: this wooden door Image: koldunova/ap images This wooden door may be more likely to prevent terrorist attacks than a retired Marine general who once proudly exclaimed, "It's fun to shoot some people!" 9. For Secretary of Education: this lamp Image: destina/ap images Say what you will about lamps, but they shed more light into the world than Betsy DeVos, who some worry will destroy public schools. America, you decide. BONUS: President Obama brings Medal of Freedom winners to tears
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| Trump picks wealthy activist for education secretary Posted: 23 Nov 2016 11:28 AM PST  US President-elect Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he intends to nominate Betsy DeVos, a wealthy Republican campaigner for alternatives to public schools, as his education secretary. DeVos is the second woman Trump has tapped to fill a cabinet position. DeVos is a Republican megadonor from Michigan who has been active in promoting school choice, a movement that advocates the use of tax credits and vouchers to allow parents to opt out of the public school system.
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| Ancient 'thinking person' statuette unearthed in Israel Posted: 23 Nov 2016 04:17 AM PST  A team of Israeli archaeologists and high school students have unearthed a 3,800-year-old pottery jug bearing a statuette of a person who appears deep in thought, sitting with knees bent and head rested on hand. The Israel Antiquities Authority said on Wednesday the jug, dating back to what archaeologists refer to as the Middle Bronze Age, had been found during an excavation in Yehud, a Tel Aviv suburb. "It seems that at first the jug, which is typical of the period, was prepared and afterwards the unique sculpture was added, the likes of which have never before been discovered in previous research," said Gilad Itach, who directed the excavation, which included teenage diggers.
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| In German schools, steep learning curve for refugees and teachers Posted: 22 Nov 2016 07:58 PM PST  For 15-year-old Mustafa, the trickiest part about learning German is knowing when to use the articles der, die or das. "And the umlaut," his classmate Majd reminds him, sending both Syrian teens groaning in mock frustration at the vowel alteration, one of the quirks of German grammar. Mustafa, Majd and their families were among the nearly 900,000 migrants who streamed into Germany last year.
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