Argentina

What's the quickest way to find a missing child in a crowded place? While American answers may range from contacting authorities to launching a search or issuing Amber Alerts, in Argentina they start with something a bit simpler. A colleague told me about her traveling friend's post on Facebook. It said:

"Yesterday, whilst sitting in the middle of an extremely crowded beach near Mar del Plata, Argentina, a slow, small chorus of claps started up and proceeded to grow in number as more people joined in. I was perplexed, and even more so when my companions also joined the chorus without hesitation. I asked my friend what was happening, and she explained that in Argentina, when someone encounters a lost child in a crowded area and can't find the parent they start to clap. Then those around join in and so on, thus alerting the parent(s) as to the child's whereabouts. She said the same thing had happened for her on more than one occasion when she was a child, as she had a tendency to wander. It was an example of community working together that I had not previously encountered, and I was impressed. Once the parent(s) and child are reunited, there is a big cheer and more applause. So [the] only weakness I see is that I am not sure what happens if a second child gets lost at precisely that moment . . . "

Have you heard of things similar to this?

Legal gay marriage and a female president might lead you to believe that Argentina is a progressive beacon, but according to a new report from Human Rights Watch, women in the country have inadequate control over their reproductive health. The report "documents the many obstacles women and girls face in getting the reproductive health care services to which they are entitled, such as contraception, voluntary sterilization procedures, and abortion after rape." Barriers include long delays, unnecessary referrals to other clinics, demands for spousal permission contrary to law, financial barriers, and outright refusal of care by medical providers.

One commentator for the Guardian says the new report highlights why the UN needs to get serious about establishing its women's agency. The hope is that "UN Women" could do for women what UNICEF has done for children of the world. Although the female-dedicated agency was approved in 2009, political concerns have prevented the development of UN Women.

What's so controversial about an agency that will promote women's rights and work toward gender equality? Find out more after the jump.

• Argentina first Latin American country to legalize gay marriage— Huffington Post
• Why human trafficking gets ignored — NY Times
• Joan Rivers offers to pay for Lindsay Lohan's rehab after Twitter war — NY Post
• Mix of sports and starlets at ESPY Awards — PopSugar
• Take it back: no love child for soccer star Landon Donovan — People
• Bristol and Levi's awkward engagement video — The Frisky
• Facebook app lightens skin in photo to promote skin lightening cream in India — Salon

• Aida Mollenkamp will star in a second show called Foodcrafters. — Eater SF
• An interview with the authors of Shut Up, Foodies. — Eat Me Daily
• Recipes that make the most of Spring ingredients. — Chow
• What to eat when traveling in Argentina. — The Epi-Log
• Find out who made the cut on this year's Top 100 Bay Area restaurants list. — Grub Street SF
• How fabulous is this Grumpy Old Men-themed birthday party? — Hostess With the Mostess
• What to do with leftover Easter eggs. — Serious Eats
• Congratulations to the winners of Saveur's first annual Best Food Blog Awards. — Saveur

Women competing for Argentina's Miss Pole Dance Sudamerica 2009 performed in downtown Buenos Aires yesterday. Pole dancing competitions have taken off in the US too, and some of you previously took issue with the fact that a highly sexualized activity is now a competitive sport. Still, you have to admit that these women are showing off some serious skill. Between these photos and the footage from the Miss Plastic Surgery pageant held in Hungary last week, I'm not sure what competition they'll think of next!

Update: During his emotional press conference, Gov. Sanford admitted to having an extramarital affair with a woman in Argentina.

I've heard of guys up and disappearing before, but the story of South Carolina governor Mark Sanford's disappearance takes it to a whole new level. This week, the governor's staff insisted that no one had heard from him since last Thursday because he was (nude?) hiking the Appalachian Trial. That story fell apart when a local newspaper found him last night at the Atlanta airport returning from Argentina, according to the governor.

On the one hand, I'm sure I'd want to just get away from the glaring public eye if I were a politician, too. But something seems fishy considering he left without telling his wife, kids, or, staff. I'm having trouble buying that he secretly went to Argentina all by himself just to relax. There are many strange details: his wife is not shy about being pissed, his cars were reportedly found at the Columbia, SC, airport and the Atlanta airport, and his staff has been lying about knowing his whereabouts.

Many theories are spinning in my head. Was the governor taking tango lessons? Dealing with an affair gone wrong? Having a nervous breakdown? Or just taking a little solo vacation . . . for a week . . . without telling anyone . . . when he's the governor of South Carolina?

While we wait for word from the governor (apparently he's having a press conference soon) let's indulge in some idle speculation. What you think best explains this strange story?

• South Carolina's Gov. Mark Sanford, who has been missing since last Thursday, has returned from Argentina. While his wife said she had no idea where he was, his staff said he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail, which appears to have been false. — New York Times
• Dick Cheney has received a $2 million plus book deal for his memoirs. — Politico
• Conan O'Brien paid tribute to the late Ed McMahon on last night's The Tonight Show. — NBC
• A new study shows that teens and young adults who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer later in life. — Web MD
• Joseph Brooks, the 71-year-old Oscar-winning composer who wrote "You Light Up My Life," has been charge with raping or sexually assaulting 11 different women. He allegedly used Craigslist to carry out his crimes. — New York Post