TresSugar

Woman Implanted With Wrong Embryo to Give Birth

TresSugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Carolyn Savage was elated when she was told her implanted embryo had taken, and she was pregnant with her fourth, and last, child. After her first pregnancy, Carolyn faced a host of life-threatening problems, and two of her children had been born prematurely. Determined to have a fourth child, she and her husband Sean resorted to in vitro fertilization.

And then they received the unthinkable news from the fertility clinic: another couple's embryo had been implanted. After consulting lawyers and the biological parents, the Savages decided Carolyn would carry the baby to term and then give it up to its parents. Although the legal option was theirs, because of their beliefs, they chose not to terminate the pregnancy. Carolyn has decided to have her remaining embryos implanted in a surrogate who will carry and deliver her fourth child.

As advanced as reproductive technology is, we have yet to catch up with ways of handling the ethical dilemmas that arise when things go wrong. What if Carolyn didn't want to carry another person's baby and decided to terminate it? Legally, the biological parents would not have had recourse, but imagine how tragic her decision would have been for all involved. What do you think about fertility advancements? Are they necessary, or should people just adopt or be content with the number of children they have?

Saudi Vice Patrol Gears Up For a Summer of Enforcement

TresSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:00:00 -0700

Yesterday we examined Americans' sometimes confusing morals - but could you imagine if the US had a vice patrol to enforce them? Residents in Saudi Arabia do face that reality, as the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice is gearing up for a Summer of morality patrol.

What will get you potentially jailed or publicly flogged? Punishable vices range from: alcohol consumption, prostitution, keeping shops open during prayer time, congregating in public with a non-related member of the opposite sex, and driving . . . if you're a woman.

Luckily for everyone, especially women who need to get somewhere, change is slowly coming to the Islamic country. King Abdullah appointed a new head of the religious police who is thought to be more moderate. The group also hired outside marketing experts to help it soften its image and apologized for arresting a man that kissed his wife in a parking lot. But like I said, the change is coming slowly - the virtue police have yet to abandon plans to install video cameras in malls to keep a better eye on people.

Alaska Inquiry Finds that Sarah Palin Abused Powers

LibertySugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:13:12 -0700

An investigation by the Alaska Legislature, released this evening, concluded that Sarah Palin abused the powers of the office of Governor of Alaska by pressuring subordinates with the goal of getting her ex-brother-in-law State Trooper Michael Wooton fired. The 236-page report, at the center of "Troopergate," also found that she was within her powers when she dismissed the public safety commissioner, who was the boss of the ex-brother-in-law.

The report, which could now have national implications, holds that Palin violated the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act when she exerted pressure, and when she allowed her husband to do so, too. It states:

Such impermissible and repeated contacts create conflicts of interests for subordinate employees who must choose to either please a superior or run the risk of facing that superior’s displeasure and the possible consequences of that displeasure.

The legal and political implications of the report are uncertain. The Alaska legislature could censure Palin, and US voters may question the McCain campaign's characterization of Palin as a reformer.

Source

Fox News Gives NY Times Reporters Yellow Teeth, Big Nose

LibertySugar — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:00:02 -0700

When I came across these photos, I couldn't believe my eyes. Yesterday on Fox and Friends, Fox News aired photos of New York Times reporters, calling them "attack dogs." In the photos, reporters Jacques Steinbert and Steven Reddicliffe became the victims of yellow teeth, a receding hairline, and exaggerated features.

The Fox hosts were upset with Steinberg's recent article "Fox News Finds Its Rivals Closing In" which declared that CNN and MSNCB have added viewers at "far more dramatic rate" than Fox, so far this election. When asked if the NY Times would respond to the image doctoring, the paper's Culture Editor Sam Sifton said no thanks: "It is fighting with a pig, everyone gets dirty and the pig likes it."

Fox News has found some pretty creative ways to outrage me lately. What should be done to address this visual dishonesty? To see the video, read more.

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You Asked: Are We Too Different to Make It Work?

DearSugar — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar,

I've been dating this guy that I really like for a few months now and we've fallen quickly in love. I'm 26, he's 31 and this is the first serious relationship for both of us. We have a pretty good relationship for the most part, but when we touch upon sensitive subjects, things can turn a little sour. He loves luxuries (Italian designer clothing, nice restaurants, etc) but I prefer more simple things because I'd like to save money for the future. I want to get a master's degree within the next couple of years and he's stuck in a low paying job and doesn't seem to be doing much about it. I make more than him. He says he wants to find something better, but when I presented him with an opportunity that I heard about, he was more concerned about the transportation to that job than the wonderful opportunity. The job is only 35 minutes away by car and it pays a lot more than what he makes now.

When I was starting out in the working world, I did everything I could to find a good job, even if it meant I had to drive 40 minutes to work. My family did the same. He says he wants something better but that he isn't sure about what he wants to do in the future. I feel like we are on two different levels in our life and I'm starting to wonder if our relationship can work. I've talked to my parents about this and they feel like we are just too different, that we have different morals and that it could never work. I know he loves me and I want to be with him too, but now I'm confused. What do you think? - Mismatched Malorie

To see Dear Sugar's answer read more

Dear Mismatched Malorie,

You've heard of opposites attracting, and while I feel that saying holds true in some cases, I happen to believe it's the similar traits that really make for a long lasting partnership. Money and work ethic are huge subjects that must be discussed before entering into a long term relationship. Since you have such different views on life goals now, and since you're already becoming so irritated by his lack of drive to better his occupation, keep in mind that it could only get worse later down the road. I'm pretty sure you don't want to be a harping, nagging girlfriend and unfortunately, it's not very likely that you'll be able to change him.

One thing to keep in mind is how you react to each other when you do touch upon those sensitive subjects. It's important to have your own beliefs while respecting each others. I would keep getting to know each other better and follow your own feelings about this, not your parents. If you have to really question whether or not you're too different to make it work, chances are the answer is yes, but before you give up, make sure you have all the evidence you need to make the right decision. Good luck.

Source

Some Doctors Object to the Pill on Moral Grounds

TresSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0700

In the very first episode of Mad Men, Peggy Olson goes to the gynecologist seeking a prescription for the pill. Watching the scene, I cringed as the doctor grills Peggy about why she would want the contraceptive pills if she were not married. He says: "As a doctor we'd like to think that putting a woman in this situation isn't going to turn her into some sort of strumpet." Although he gave her the prescription, he tells Peggy he will take her off the medicine if she "abuses" it.

If you're thinking: thank goodness I don't live in the 1960s when doctors were allowed to pass judgment on our sex lives, think again! A recent USA Today story explains how doctors are using conscience clauses to object to the pill as well as to abortion. One doctor in San Antonio told the paper that the pill would not protect her patient from the "emotional trauma from multiple partners" or sexually transmitted diseases. She said: "I could not ethically give that type of medication to a single woman." Wow. This modern doctor goes even further than the one featured on Mad Men!

The Bush administration enacted an ambitious conscience clause that says that hospitals receiving federal money cannot refuse to hire nurses or doctors who morally object to abortion or even certain forms of birth control. These regulations, which could limit access to contraception for women who rely on public clinics or those who live in rural areas, have yet to be rolled back by President Obama as promised. What do you think about doctors who withhold contraception from women because of moral objections?

British Baby to Be Breast Cancer Gene Free

LibertySugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:00:10 -0700

A British woman will soon give birth to a baby guaranteed to be free of hereditary breast cancer. Out of 11 embryos, five were free of the breast cancer gene, and two were implanted in the mother.

The father had the gene, and his sister, mother, grandmother, and cousin all had cancer. Now, the breast cancer-causing gene has been purged from the couple's lineage. Of course the baby will be susceptible to environmental cancer-causing factors.

I worry that if genetic selection becomes widespread, we may forfeit diversity, while excluding useful genes from the pool. Of course, it makes sense that a mother chose the healthiest embryo during in vitro fertilization - I just wonder if we really know which embryo is the "healthiest" in the long run.

Is embryo screening a courageous way for parents to spare their children from painful diseases? Should the law address the moral issues accompanied with selective pregnancies? Could we end up making humans more susceptible to disease, if we manipulate the gene pool too much?

Source

Will David Letterman's Antics Turn Off Women Viewers?

TresSugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0700

David Letterman surprised viewers last week by revealing that he had affairs with multiple women on his staff. The confession raises ethical concerns, such as whether Letterman used his position of power to get in bed with female underlings. But besides these ethical questions, some people want to know what this means for his ratings.

The AP wonders if the "creepy" revelation, along with previous spats with Sarah Palin that many considered to be sexist, will turn women off so much that they turn off his show. (Note: women make up 58 percent of Dave's audience.) Back in June, Letterman said Palin sported the "slutty flight attendant look," and he caught heat for making an indecent joke about Palin's young daughter.

Following the latest scandal, Dave is in good shape. His ratings were up 22 percent Thursday night. But who knows, maybe his apparent womanizing will make some viewers change the channel.

Front Page: David Letterman Reveals Affairs, Extortion Attempt

TresSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:00:05 -0700

David Letterman revealed on his show last night that he was recently blackmailed for $2 million. The extortionist threatened to go public with information that the talk show host had sexual relationships with female members of his staff.- BuzzSugar
The US unemployment rate has reached 9.8 percent, as 263,000 jobs were lost in September. - Wall Street Journal
During his five-hour trip to Copenhagen, President Obama said granting the 2016 Olympics to Chicago would give the US a chance to "welcome the world back to our neighborhood." - AP
Senator John Ensign may have violated ethics laws when he had an affair with his aide's wife and then sought to find her husband a job. - New York Times
Following talks in Geneva, Iran has agreed to move most of its known enriched uranium out of the country. - Reuters

Ask an Agnostic: I Cheated on My Husband and Feel Guilty

TresSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Conventional Wisdom is a different kind of advice column. Your questions will be answered by people from all walks of life rather than by advice experts. This week, a Christian woman who cheated on her husband feels guilty and needs advice; she'll get some from an agnostic. If you have a question, you can submit them here.

This week's question:

I have a confession to make: I'm having an affair. I'm a good woman, and I do love my husband very deeply but I have a problem with being alone and he is not here. I have always had a problem with cheating and I have never been faithful in a relationship. I recently ended the affair but the guilt is killing me and I don't know what to do, especially as a Christian woman.

Signed,
Guilty as Sin

To hear what an agnostic has to say, read more

Dear Guilty,

I don't know what to tell you "as a Christian woman," as I am an agnostic woman and religion doesn't factor into my life, but I will tell you what I know about cheaters and cheating. It may not assuage your guilt, but perhaps it will help you to figure out why you continue to sabotage your relationships and undermine your self-esteem, and hopefully it will get you into therapy or counseling to get to the bottom of why you keep stepping out on people you say you love so deeply.

I have a theory about cheaters: they don't feel too good about themselves. I've heard many justifications for cheating, and they all seem to be variations on the theme of, "I'm being cheated, so I have a free pass to cheat." Let's say they feel cheated because they're not being paid attention to by their partner. Instead of expressing this to the partner and seeing how they can remedy it to their mutual satisfaction (or, if there's no remedy, to get the hell out of the relationship), they grab onto what they can to fill that void, their partner be damned. It's a passive-aggressive act that seems to say, "I am too powerless (or chicken) to directly confront this head-on, so I will get what I can on the down-low."

Or let's say they're jealous of their partner, who might be more successful, happier or have more sexual experience than they. Cheating for them accomplishes two things. Out of resentment that life hasn't given them what they wanted, and out of a feeling of egoic deficiency - they get a quick fix of attention from another person (filling a void inside by outside validation), and they secretly punish their partner for having what they don't.

You say you've never been faithful in a relationship, so although you almost blame your husband for your cheating ("he is not here"), you also admit you are the one with the problem. This is a good first step. So what to do now? There are two schools of thought about what you should do if you've cheated and stopped.

One school says that to tell the person you cheated on would be selfish; all it would accomplish is to put your burden on them. This school of thought says you should just suck it up and vow to yourself you'll never do it again. Another school says that you must come clean and give the other person a chance to decide whether or not they want to forgive you or work on the relationship with you.

This is a personal decision I can't make for you. For me, cheating is an (almost) irreparable act of contempt for the person you're in a relationship with. If it happened to me, I would want to have the chance to determine whether or not the person who did it was a) truly sorry, and b) sure it wouldn't happen again. I don't think I'd want someone of questionable ethics to decide on my behalf. Plus, I'd have more respect for someone who came clean even at the risk of losing the relationship.

What seems most important to me is that you figure out why, especially if you believe in the pretty rigid moral code of Christianity (especially when it comes to sexual matters), you keep on cheating? Maybe you are rebelling against this moral code. What do you lack within your marriage (but more importantly, within yourself) that you're getting from attention outside your marriage? (Maybe your husband travels a lot, leaving you alone. Lots of people are alone, though, without feeling empty inside. This is an important distinction.) Are you someone who doesn't feel comfortable confronting others, or asking for what you want? This "people-pleasing" attitude often means a lot of repressed anger, which can lead to cheating.

Whatever you decide to do, the first step I would recommend you take is to repair the relationship you have with yourself. If your actions don't square with your beliefs about right and wrong, you need to confront that first before you begin to heal your relationship with your husband. Hope that helps and good luck to you.