"New research suggests that simply providing women who have reported engaging in unprotected sex with home pregnancy tests can have a substantial impact on the health of potential newborns."
@Jezzuit: "The simple intervention of providing women who are having unprotected sex with a home pregnancy test could have a substantial impact on the health of potential newborns, according to a Michigan State University study.
'The top reason women do not seek prenatal care is they do not realize they are pregnant," said Nettleman, chairperson of the College of Human Medicine's Department of Medicine. "In addition, women who do not realize they are pregnant will not change harmful behaviors such as drinking and smoking, which can lead to developmental problems in newborns.'"
That Consumer Focus item makes me so happy, and not just because in it we learn that Mr. Mayo convinced WH Smith "to drop Playboy-themed stationary for schoolgirls" -- because, you know, WTF? Playboy-themed stationary for schoolgirls?!
But also he speaks to a lot of different issues and problems with marketing to kids, and does so sounding like a very reasonable and concerned adult to whom it seems only natural that adults would TAKE CARE OF CHILDREN. And further, he suggests that boys might have a problem after being sexualized too early, too, a thing I've really been waiting to hear someone say. Girls may be the primary target of all this, but boys need a chance to grow up, too!
@ellaesther: I am so utterly sick of the overt sexualization of children. And of course it's damaging to both girls and boys!
It's bad enough growing up constantly obsessed with your appearance as a budding young woma (or man). Leave the children out of this insane adult obsession with unattainable "perfection." LET THEM BE CHILDREN!
I was just telling my husband tonight how EXHAUSTING it is just to be perceived as a "decent-looking" female while we are told by culture that our primary value as women is in our beauty. The make-up, the shaving, the dressing sexy but not too sexy, the f-ing heels. Now models are photoshopped to death and we can't even have fucking pores. Gah. It just makes me sick.
@La Chica Lucy: I just ran out to the store with my 4th grade boy to get some stuff he needed for school. While waiting in line, I noticed him looking at the cover of one of the gossip magazines, the one with the two pictures of Jessica Simpson and the tag line "Bullied for her weight."
After a minute, I said "What do you think of that?" He said "Of what?" I said "The fact that some people are saying that in this picture [pointing] she looks fat." He laughed. "Anyone who says that is just stupid." Then I said "Which is a worse insult? Stupid, fat, or annoying?" He said "Well, I think it would be 'stupid'."
Called 911 about deli meat? My friend once called 411 and asked if they knew the lyrics to "Pop Goes the Weasel." She couldn't think of the third line and she didn't have Internet access and it was really bothering her.
I was raised by the older Parental Units and I did have issues socializing with my peers later. Because when you spend most of your life having logical conversations about politics, art, and science your first response to a standard pre-teen is that they are fucking retarded . I honestly had to regress as a kid to fit in...then I never grew up OH YEA!
Delhi high court, you are ridiculous. The guy in question here sounds like a total heel, it's true. It's sad about that lady killing herself. But declaring that to be rape is taking things too far, and you just set a horrible precedent.
Lonely otter, on the other hand, is totes awesome.
i actually agree with this ruling. I think the agreement was only consensual on the basis that the man was willing to marry the woman. if he states he will marry her, knowing that he, in fact, will not marry her, then the agreement is no longer consensual. Although very hard to prove, I agree with the ruling 100%.
@dee_ess_dee_1: I understand where the ruling is coming from, but it's just too much in my opinion. You're right, it's very hard to prove that this was consensual contingent upon marriage, bordering on impossible. I also think that the court wouldn't have given two shits if the poor woman hadn't poisoned herself. The article paints the guy as a sleaze and a first class asshole, but we weren't there, and we really don't know enough about it to make that call ourselves. If he was planning on marrying the woman and changed his mind later, is it still a foul? That sort of thing isn't uncommon. Should we err on the side of caution and call rape on someone who, just as likely as not, honestly thought he would marry a woman and realized later it was a bad idea? And ultimately, this ruling sets people up for some bad and unjust shit to land on them later. I'm always, ALWAYS against bad legal precedents. I also had a male friend who nearly went to prison because of a demonstrably false rape accusation. He was ultimately cleared when reason won out and the accuser recanted, (she had previously claimed demonic possession after she got drunk and gave a BJ, no shit. She had responsibility issues) but he still lost rank, pay, and spent time in the clink without so much as a trial. He didn't get his rank or money back. After that I'm all for rapists getting their due, but let's be as certain as possible they did. Revoked consent after the fact is unusual, I think, but it's not a myth either.
If you want to look better as you age and protect your bones from smashing into a hundred pieces when you fall, and you will when you get older, gain some weight.
That Scholastic thing is such bull. I only ever bought puppy posters and a biography (unauthorized!) of Adam Sandler from the Book Club, and now I work in children's publishing and LOVE READING. Just because they're peddling some crap along with the books doesn't mean there's not a good reason for it. If any reluctant reader picks up a copy of the Golden Compass because it comes with a necklace, it's a WIN.
Fer pete's sake, people. Let's worry about the myriad truly harmful influences in kids' lives, shall we?
@CrossWord: Well, it's not just "here's a trinket to go with your book", it's the amount of crap like sticker books and scooby doo CDs and things you don't read that they sell. My son brings those things home and I honestly have a hard time finding anything worth buying or with any educational or enrichment value. It's a downer, actually.
@Dauphine: but what if the jewelry comes WITH the bsc books, which was the case in a good month of the collector's club and with some super special super specials?! What then?!
@JinxyMcDeath: No, they are Catholic babies who died before they were baptized. That was traditional but not entirely doctrine, however the vast majority of Catholic cemetaries will bury an unbaptized child.
Really, its Northern Ireland. There aren't a lot of Jews/Muslims/etc. even today. Pre-80s the number would have been even smaller.
02/10/09
"New research suggests that simply providing women who have reported engaging in unprotected sex with home pregnancy tests can have a substantial impact on the health of potential newborns."
Is it the grammar I'm not getting? The concept?
02/10/09
'The top reason women do not seek prenatal care is they do not realize they are pregnant," said Nettleman, chairperson of the College of Human Medicine's Department of Medicine. "In addition, women who do not realize they are pregnant will not change harmful behaviors such as drinking and smoking, which can lead to developmental problems in newborns.'"
02/10/09
But also he speaks to a lot of different issues and problems with marketing to kids, and does so sounding like a very reasonable and concerned adult to whom it seems only natural that adults would TAKE CARE OF CHILDREN. And further, he suggests that boys might have a problem after being sexualized too early, too, a thing I've really been waiting to hear someone say. Girls may be the primary target of all this, but boys need a chance to grow up, too!
02/10/09
It's bad enough growing up constantly obsessed with your appearance as a budding young woma (or man). Leave the children out of this insane adult obsession with unattainable "perfection." LET THEM BE CHILDREN!
I was just telling my husband tonight how EXHAUSTING it is just to be perceived as a "decent-looking" female while we are told by culture that our primary value as women is in our beauty. The make-up, the shaving, the dressing sexy but not too sexy, the f-ing heels. Now models are photoshopped to death and we can't even have fucking pores. Gah. It just makes me sick.
/rant
02/10/09
After a minute, I said "What do you think of that?" He said "Of what?" I said "The fact that some people are saying that in this picture [pointing] she looks fat." He laughed. "Anyone who says that is just stupid." Then I said "Which is a worse insult? Stupid, fat, or annoying?" He said "Well, I think it would be 'stupid'."
I do love my boy.
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Lonely otter, on the other hand, is totes awesome.
02/10/09
i actually agree with this ruling. I think the agreement was only consensual on the basis that the man was willing to marry the woman. if he states he will marry her, knowing that he, in fact, will not marry her, then the agreement is no longer consensual. Although very hard to prove, I agree with the ruling 100%.
02/10/09
sorry to ramble.
02/10/09
02/10/09
Fer pete's sake, people. Let's worry about the myriad truly harmful influences in kids' lives, shall we?
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Shame on you, Scholastic. Video games and jewellery have no place within a book club. The book club is for getting new Babysitter's Club books.
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Really, its Northern Ireland. There aren't a lot of Jews/Muslims/etc. even today. Pre-80s the number would have been even smaller.