The Obamas' Off-Limits Topic

• In a recent interview with Ladies Home Journal, Michelle Obama says she would “never talk about weight with my girls.” She adds, “I try not to even talk about my weight. Because you’re right, it is a sensitive issue.”

She says she does encourage them to exercise, but she will never bring up how much they weigh. My girls are preteens and they’re seeing their bodies in a whole different way,” she explained.

• A fake French TV reporter by the name of Hugues-Denver Akassy has been harassing New York women. At least 10 to 12 women have reported being followed, attacked, or otherwise threatened by Akassy, and one even says she was raped. The con artist/sexual predator claims the sex was consensual.
• Australian family planning groups are urging schools across the country to begin installing free condom machines in schools as a way of promoting safe sex and preventing unplanned pregnancy. “I think it’s time we all grew up and realized that we need to protect our young people, not shove this under the carpet,” said Family Planning Victoria chair Sally Cockburn (and yes, that appears to be her real name).
• Do gamers have something against playing with a lead female character? According to a source at the video game giant Activision, they really do. Since 2005, the only games with female leads produced by Activision are based on toys or television, like Barbie or Dora the Explorer. “Activision gave us specific direction to lose the chick,” claims a former employee, who tried to include an Asian female assassin in one of their games.
• We’re all for environmentally-friendly products, but this is taking things a little far: A team of British engineers have built a car that runs entirely on human waste. It uses poop for fuel. But drivers “won’t know the difference.”
• A study from the Afghanistan Health Ministry indicates that attempted suicide is on the rise among Afghan women and girls. A government-backed statement says they have seen a “several-fold increase” in women admitted to hospitals following suicide attempts. Officials mention mental illness, domestic violence, and socio-economic hardship as potential causes.
• A takeout meal from a Chinese restaurant can contain as much fat as a wine glass full of lard, according to a UK study. The meal, which included prawn crackers, crispy duck, chicken balls, and spring rolls was found to contain 132.5 grams of fat.
• A team of German, Austrian and Finnish musicians have created an audio/visual symphony using their own heartbeats. Watch the incredibly cool performance, in which they play their instruments while being wired to heart rate monitors, here.