A group of teenage girls, fourteen and fifteen years old, had the brilliant idea of writing their mobile phone numbers on their backs with blue skin cream so that boys could see them when the girls were sunbathing. The girls were hoping to attract some attention, but admitted that they got some they weren't looking for. "An old guy tried to talk to me. He was trying to take pictures of us," said one fifteen-year-old.
Nikki Goldstein, author of Girlforce, thinks it's a bad idea. "They're in their bikinis, showing off their bodies, objectifying themselves in a way that is, to my mind, a bit trashy," she explained. "Really what they're saying is 'Dial me up for sex'." Child protection experts are warning other girls not to follow this example and Goldstein notes that "we'd never advise girls to broadcast their phone number on the internet or anywhere that could make them a target."
The girls themselves see it as just being a good bit of fun, especially since they're not planning on going any further than chatting. "We come for both the beach and the boys, but I'm taken, so it's all good," said one. Unfortunately, it's not always "all good" and not everyone at the beach is someone you want to have your phone number.
When San Francisco first graders took a special field trip to surprise their beloved teacher at her wedding, they learned a few things about marriage. "Marriage is people falling in love" said one student, "You stay with someone the rest of your life."
People who support Proposal 8 -- which would ban same sex marriage in California -- are using the field trip as "an example" of how kids would learn about same sex marriage in school if the measure doesn't pass. But school administrators and most of the classroom parents approved of the field trip, saying it was a "teachable moment" and an opportunity to make memories. Two parents opted out of the trip, and their children stayed behind with another first grade class.
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As a teacher who frequently had to justify my field trips to school administrators, I think this is a gray area, but not because of the gender of the people getting married. Is a wedding an appropriate learning experience for a first grader? As a member of a community, yes. As a school child, I'm not so sure, though the kids did get to take a city bus and visit City Hall, so there's that.
But as a parent, I probably would have let my child go. An hour and a half out of their day to share such an important occasion with a beloved teacher is worth the lost class time. What do you think?
It is hard to find anything good to say about the economic crisis that has gripped not just the United States, but much of the world. People are losing their retirement savings, their jobs, their homes, their sense of security. Many of us have altered our normal spending habits and instead of going out to dinner or a movie, we stay home and find something else to do. Apparently in Britain, that 'something else' is sex. And according to some, this at-home recreation is having an impact on the sales maternity clothes, pregnancy tests, and sex toys (not necessarily in that order).
While many businesses are downsizing and wondering just how they will survive, those who specialize in sex-related merchandise are experiencing a boom. Pharmacies report a 20% increase in the sales of pregnancy tests and one chain selling maternity wear boasts of a 46% increase. As Miranda Levy, editor of Mother & Baby Magazine, points out: "What's cheaper and more fun than making babies?
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Making babies with the help of sex toys, that's what! One online sex toy shop claims to have experienced a 27% increase in sales since the economy began melting down. "We are gobsmacked by the upturn in sales, while everyone else seems to be suffering. We've especially noticed the rise in sales of couples' toys, showing that people are buying for play with their partners," said Monique Carty, a spokesperson for the store.
I think it is great that couples are rekindling their romance in these times of trouble. But in about nine months, those who end up shopping in the maternity stores are going to find that staying home and having sex is a play now, pay later kind of fun. Ultimately, dinner and a movie would have been much cheaper.
How does a woman signal to a man that she is fertile and about to ovulate? Researchers have found that women raise the pitch of their voice when talking in social situations; the better the timing for conception, the higher the pitch. This, apparently, makes them more attractive to members of the opposite sex.
The researchers at the University of California recorded female undergraduate students and noted that they spoke in higher tones when they were nearer to an egg being released. The difference, however, only showed up when they said a sentence they would normally say in a social setting, such as "hi, I'm a student at UCLA." The change was not apparent for simple vowel sounds.
A study at the State University of New York recently found that men and women both preferred female voices more when the speaker was more fertile; perhaps now we know why. Perhaps, also, we know why sopranos always get the lead roles.
Boy meets girl. Boy and girl fall in love. Boy and girl find out they are related.
Lifetime Movie Network or just your average Australian romance?
Australian laws are forcing gays and lesbians to seek "unregulated" sperm donors in order to have children, worrying state officials who say a generation of half-siblings could commit "accident incest" if the trend continues.
One man is thought to have impregnated at least 30 lesbians, while another man's sperm may have been used to father 29 babies.
According to FOXNews, sperm donation in South Australia is limited to heterosexual couples experiencing infertility and other reproductive hurdles, forcing same-sex couples to seek "donations" from willing parties online, or from casual sex. The same laws also require sperm donors to reveal their identities, putting off many men from donating at legitimate clinics.
Authorities fear that the children could grow up, meet and form sexual relationships with one another -- they are particularly worried because 29 half-siblings may all reside in Adelaide, one "big county town." Doctors fault the laws, which they say push gays and lesbians outside the system to have children of their own, and called for the South Australian laws to be repealed.
Ambitious entrepreneurs take note -- the DNA analysis business is going to be HUGE down under.
When I married the first time, I was quite young and didn't think twice about taking my husband's last name as my own. That's what a woman does when she marries, right? But when I married again nearly 20 years later, I didn't even consider taking my new husband's name. Well, maybe I considered it. But after realizing that he didn't care what I called myself, I knew that I would always and forever be a Maple. What we didn't discuss during those pre-marital negotiations was him taking my last name.
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I don't think he would have done it even if I had suggested it, but there are men who would - and do - happily change their last names to that of their wives. There are no real statistics on the subject, but anecdotal evidence suggests that this might even be a trend. And while this trend my seem terribly modern to some, it was actually not uncommon in 14th and 15th century England for men to take their wives' last names if hers was more prominent.
These days, I imagine a man would have a better reason than popularity to exchange the name he was born with for his wife's. Maybe hers is easier to pronounce. Maybe a hyphenated version of both their names would be long and awkward. Or maybe he just likes her name better. I understand why couples want to have the same last name - to show they are united as a family and for the sake of the children. But I see no reason why it must be his last name. Do you?
Three years ago, Lindsay Burke didn't know about abusive relationships and it cost her her life. She was killed by her boyfriend who was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Lindsay Burke may not have recognized the signs or known what to do, but other teens will, thanks to a new law that bears her name.
The Lindsay Ann Burke Act requires that the topic of dating violence be a part of the health courses in all public middle and high schools. "You teach sex ed, you teach `don't do drugs,' you teach `don't drink,' you should also be teaching `don't be a victim of domestic violence,'" said Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch who helped get the act passed by the legislature.
"If this could happen to her, this could happen to anyone," said Lindsay's mother, Ann Burke. Burke and her husband, Chris, started the campaign to pass the new law. Texas also has a requirement to include awareness of dating violence and several other states encourage it, but Rhode Island's law goes the furthest, requiring the subject be taught annually from seventh grade through twelfth.
Personally, I can't imagine anyone who wants to be considered human hurting another, especially one they care about, but I know it happens. I'd also like to think my kids will be strong enough -- physically and mentally -- to not permit such treatment. I also know, however, that strength is worthless without training, so I'm all in favor of this. I hope that when my kids get to middle school, this will be a part of their classes too.
New relationships are exciting and overflowing with romance. But as the years pass, couples are less likely to spend time on nurturing this side of their relationship. Throw in a couple of busy kids, pets, and two full time jobs, and well ... who has time for candlelight dinners?
But a recent poll of 4,000 couples found that the key to a happy partnership is romance. Specifically, couples who considered themselves happy or very happy said that the secret to a happy marriage includes four hugs a day and seven nights together a month, including two dinner dates. Happy couples also enjoy:
two romantic walks a month
one kid-free night to the bar or movies
one gift a month, of flowers or something different
one night alone, away from each other
Am I the only one feeling a little pressure here? Two dinner dates, two romantic walks, one gift, and a trip to the movies every month? I'm not even sure we could afford all that romance! But in all seriousness, what this study does point out is that affection, romance, and just letting your partner know that they are one of the most important pieces of your busy life is key to a long, happy marriage.
Money is a hot-button issue in many relationships, and when one spouse is more dedicated to the mall than their marriage it can spell disaster. Being married to an over-spender can result in debt and divorce, according to psychologists. And don't think the faltering economy will stop them -- a survey of 1,000 households recently released by HSBC Bank USA revealed that more than half had splurged on something in the recent past, and many did so just because it felt good.
If you're married to someone with "gotta have it" syndrome, you can save your marriage if you tackle the problem together. The first step, experts say, is recognizing that the behavior does have an underlying cause. Most compulsive shoppers are dealing with issues that range from feeling neglected to low self-esteem. Then sit down together, analyze your partner's spending triggers, and write down a plan of attack.
I'm the first one to take out my credit card, but my husband and I agreed to set -- and stick to -- a strict budget this year. We also combined our checking accounts for the first time in our marriage. Knowing I'm accountable to him makes it a lot easier to ask myself, "do I really need that?"
Are you the thrifty one, or do you buy impulsively in spite of your budget?
Nine years old is a good age to play jump-rope, dress up dolls, and maybe, just maybe, start thinking about boys as something other than totally gross. Wedding plans should be strictly the fairytales and pumpkin kind and definitely not the actual type. Unfortunately, there are those who think that nine is the perfect age for a young girl to get married.
In Britain, thousands of young girls, as young as nine, are being forced into marriages and schools are being asked to be ever more vigilant for children at risk and who suddenly stop showing up. "The youngest child we have dealt with was nine years old," said Jasvinder Sanghera, director of Karma Nirvana, a national telephone helpline for girls forced into marriage. "The girl told her teacher she was going to be forced to marry someone and initially she was not believed." Thankfully, the girl was eventually placed into foster care.
The problem is bad enough that the government operates a Forced Marriage Unit, jointly funded by the Home Office and Foreign Office. I don't know what kind of parent thinks its okay for a nine-year-old to get married. I have a thirteen-year-old niece and there's no way I would want her to miss out on her life just to satisfy some dirty old man's need to marry.
I guess my husband and I are old-fashioned. A recent survey found that men -- long thought to be in charge of the remote control -- are starting to hand control of the TV over to women. But at our house, unless it's Thursday night, our clicker has his name on it.
But despite our traditional roles -- he brings home the bacon, I fry it up ... well ... usually in the microwave -- our decision-making process about issues big and small is a little more modern. We're partners, plain and simple.
According to the same survey mentioned above, women are taking the lead in family decision making. Forty three percent reported that they pay the bills, plan weekend activities, decide what to watch, and choose big ticket purchases, while only 26% of men reported making those decisions. What surprised researchers was that, although it wasn't a choice on the survey, 31% of couples volunteered that they made those decisions together.
That's, perhaps, my favorite part of this survey. Marriage is a lot more fun not when you finally get to hold the remote (or be in charge), but when you can find common ground for sharing experiences together.
Ah, the rumor mill. It was a'buzzin' with the notion that recent newlywed Mariah Carey is pregnant. Then it went on to buzz that Carey would announce her pregnancy on an upcoming stint with talk show guru Oprah Winfrey. Well, it looks like that ain't so, on any level.
According to Oprah's flack, the Butterfly singer has no plans spilling the beans on her show. The spokesperson did not make any statement as to verify if Carey is pregnant. The Glitter star's reps have been denying her pregnancy ever since she married Nick Cannon in a whirlwind.
Mimi certainly doesn't look pregnant. The singer has been quick to reveal her latest attempts at having the perfect body, which have been successful. Perhaps marriage--and maybe even pregnancy--have been good to her. Time, not the media, will tell.
These days, you can get just about anything on-line. Apparently, "just about anything" includes a sperm donor. I don't know how legitimate this is, but given the purchases made by the Golden Palace Casino, and the recent auctions for young women's virginity, it certainly could be real, even if it isn't. A blogger has decided that she's ready to have a baby and, not having a handy man around the house, has posted on her blog looking for one.
Amy Jones says she is twenty-six years old, has "most of a PhD in Biophysics and will be finishing my JD before the child is born" and will be able to work from home, for the most part, once she returns to work. Going by the picture posted (which may or may not be of the young lady in question), I would think she would have little or no trouble finding a "sperm donor" in the real world, without putting it all out there on the internet. It strikes me as a little sensationalist and unnecessary.
Further, if she is really interested in raising a child (and not just some hot unprotected sex), why not consider adopting? Then she wouldn't have to go through nine months of discomfort at best and sheer hell at worst. Even if she is desperate for a genetic connection, at twenty-six, she's still got at least a dozen years to find a partner to help raise the kid. I'm not saying two parents are necessary, but it sure makes it a lot easier. Truth be told, I'm not sure what to think of this. What say you?
Kate Moss has been known for a lot of things. In the eighties she was the face of the Calvin Klein fragrance Obsession. She was a supermodel. She was constantly embattled over her (lack of) weight. Then she had a child, and normalcy returned, until she was constantly in the spotlight for drugs and alleged partying ways.
In fact, rumor had it that Kate split from her most recent boyfriend, rocker Jamie Hince, because of her lifestyle. Not so, insists a source, who claims the real reason the couple split is that Moss was ready to become a mom again. According to the source the supermodel was keen to add to her family, which already consists of five-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.
So maybe Kate really is like the rest of us? She wanted a commitment, couldn't get one from the guy--he wanted to focus on his band--and perhaps she felt the clock ticking. Or not. I mean, this woman carries handbags that are worth more than my rent. But hey, you gotta feel for a woman who, if it's true, puts her family (and her biological needs) first. Good luck, Kate!
Kate's no stranger to the camera. Perhaps if she succeeds in becoming a mom again, she can join the ranks of these pregnant cover girls:
A group of teenage girls, fourteen and fifteen years old, had the brilliant idea of writing their mobile phone numbers on their backs with blue skin cream so that boys could see them when the girls were sunbathing. The girls were hoping to attract some attention, but admitted that they got some they weren't looking for. "An old guy tried to talk to me. He was trying to take pictures of us," said one fifteen-year-old.
It is hard to find anything good to say about the economic crisis that has gripped not just the United States, but much of the world. People are losing their retirement savings, their jobs, their homes, their sense of security. Many of us have altered our normal spending habits and instead of going out to dinner or a movie, we stay home and find something else to do. Apparently in Britain, 
How does a woman signal to a man that she is fertile and about to ovulate? Researchers have found that women 
Boy meets girl. Boy and girl fall in love. Boy and girl find out they are related.
When I married the first time, I was quite young and didn't think twice about taking my husband's last name as my own. That's what a woman does when she marries, right? But when I married again nearly 20 years later, I didn't even consider taking my new husband's name. Well, maybe I considered it. But after realizing that he didn't care what I called myself, I knew that I would always and forever be a Maple. What we didn't discuss during those pre-marital negotiations was him taking my last name. 
Three years ago, Lindsay Burke didn't know about abusive relationships and it cost her her life. She was killed by her boyfriend who was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Lindsay Burke may not have recognized the signs or known what to do, but other teens will, thanks to 
New relationships are exciting and overflowing with romance. But as the years pass, couples are less likely to spend time on nurturing this side of their relationship. Throw in a couple of busy kids, pets, and two full time jobs, and well ... who has time for candlelight dinners?
Money is a hot-button issue in many relationships, and when one spouse is more dedicated to the mall than their marriage it can spell disaster.
Nine years old is a good age to play jump-rope, dress up dolls, and maybe, just maybe, start thinking about boys as something other than totally gross. Wedding plans should be strictly the fairytales and pumpkin kind and definitely not the actual type. Unfortunately, there are those who think that nine is the perfect age for 
I guess my husband and I are old-fashioned. A recent survey found that men -- long thought to be in charge of the remote control -- are starting to hand control of the TV over to women. But at our house, unless it's Thursday night, our clicker has his name on it. 
These days, you can get just about anything on-line. Apparently, "just about anything" includes a sperm donor. I don't know how legitimate this is, but given the purchases made by the 
