TresSugar

News Flash: Texas Says Abstinence-Only Doesn't Work

TresSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Putting facts - like rising teen pregnancy and STD rates - together with some common sense, Texas school districts are beginning to ditch abstinence-only education programs.

Texas has the third-highest teen pregnancy rate in the US and it also spends the most on abstinence-only education. One school district official explained the decision to step away from an abstinence-only approach:

"We don’t think abstinence-only is working. . . Both approaches to sex education teach that refraining from sexual activity is the safest choice for teens. But abstinence-only gives limited information about contraceptives and condoms and tends to downplay their effectiveness, while abstinence-plus stresses the importance of using such protection if teens are sexually active."

Focusing on "abstinence-plus" education sounds like a healthy compromise that will keep students, well, healthy and help them avoid unwanted pregnancies. Do you agree?

Front Page: Severe Turbulence Injures 26, 4 Seriously

TresSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:00:39 -0700

At least 26 people were injured, four seriously, after a Continental Airlines jet headed from Brazil to Texas hit extreme turbulence this morning. The jet was forced to land in Miami, FL. - CNN
An Australian girl is suing Kentucky Fried Chicken for millions, claiming she was left crippled after eating contaminated food from the chain. - Times
An ad blasting Lou Dobbs is set to appear on CNN. - Huffington Post
The US is considering moving prisoners from Guantanamo Bay to a new prison in the US with its own courtrooms for military and civilian tribunals. - Voice of America
A lack of volunteers willing to participate in clinical trials may slow the fight against cancer. - NY Times

Stink 'Em Up! Woman Clears Bank With Her Perfume

TresSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:00:00 -0700

This happened in Texas, the land of big hair, and apparently - perfume so strong it landed 34 in the hospital, made dozens of other hapless victims ill, and prompted 150 people to flee a bank on Wednesday after a woman innocently pulled out a bottle of perfume and sprayed.

At first, a couple bank tellers complained of headaches and chest pains. An announcement was made that anyone feeling ill could exit the building - prompting 150 people to split. When all was said and done and it was determined that it was perfume and not a carbon monoxide leak that was making people sick - 34 people ended up in the hospital.

This might be a novel way to rob a bank, all girly-like. Instead of packing heat while wearing a ski mask, just walk in, pull a bottle of perfume out, and start spraying.

Police still don't know what kind of perfume was sprayed that could cause this kind of mayhem. I have my ideas - what do you think it was?

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Stonewall Uprising: Past and Present

TresSugar — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0700

This weekend in Fort Worth, TX, police raided a gay bar and arrested seven customers for public intoxication. Arresting people for being drunk in a bar sounds like a great use of police resources - there's obviously something more going on here. While the police say they were conducting a typical inspection when some customers made sexual advances toward them, the club owner says that's a lie. Now, locals in the area are continuing to protest the raid.

Coincidentally, this latest raid of a gay bar, which left one man in the hospital with bleeding in his brain after officers threw him to the ground to handcuff him, comes on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. On Saturday June 28, 1969, the Stonewall Inn in Greenwhich Village, NYC was raided by police because its customers were gay. Although such raids were common at the time, the patrons resisted and sparked four nights of riots and demonstrations against discrimination.

Today, President Obama will publicly commemorate the uprising, which many consider the beginning of the gay rights movement. Some proponents of equal rights for LGBT Americans say Obama has not put his words of support into action. The weekend's events in Fort Worth adds evidence to their claim that a lot of crucial work must be done in this country to protect the rights and safety of everyone.

Texas Bills Victims For Rape Kits Despite Funding

TresSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Nobody likes to answer a phone call from a bill collector. But imagine you're a rape victim, and that bill is for your rape kit - the invasive procedure conducted to collect DNA evidence.

Across the US, authorities drag their feet when it comes to using DNA evidence to prosecute rape. In LA County, 12,669 such rape kits sit in storage. But in Texas it's worse. Rape victims receive delinquent bills from the hospital and phone calls from creditors demanding they pay thousands of dollars for evidence collection. The bills present a financial burden, but they also serve a second dose of trauma for victims trying to heal.

Shockingly, a shortage of funds does not motivate the policy. The Texas crime victim compensation fund has a large surplus that could cover the costs. In addition, the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program, named after a victim whose assailant wasn't arrested for six years thanks to an untested kit, offers generous federal funding for rape kit testing.

Since it's not for a lack of money, what's happening in Texas offers troubling evidence that society does not consider rape a serious crime.

To see a video report on this practice in Texas, read more.

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Briefing Book! Lawmaker Wants US Chinese to Change Names

CitizenSugar — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 12:30:09 -0700

Texas lawmaker says Chinese immigrants should change their names to something easier for Americans to deal with. - Indecision Forever
Why hasn't Obama solved piracy? - Wonkette
Competition among budget travel sites saves you money. - SavvySugar
Polish politician upset about gay elephant. - The Daily Beast
What's the difference between a man with postpartum depression and a total jerk? - Jezebel
Ninety-eight-year-old woman knits while trapped under rubble for 30 hours. - GiggleSugar

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Polyglamorous? Oprah Visits Polygamists, Gets Hair Secrets

CitizenSugar — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:00:36 -0700

It's good to be Oprah. Well, most of the time. Dreams of infiltrating polygamist compounds come and go, but daytime's queen got to live it, going as she is with a TV crew. Thank goodness for that! Though she didn't get any FLDS secrets - unless you want that poof!

So what was she told? The FLDS is definitely not racist. Sister wives? Learn about themselves through conflict. Kids? No need for play when there's work. Teen girls? Trust their parents will choose the right husbands. Underage marriage? Um. Answers ranged from "absolutely not" to "not really, no." Oh.

But she did get straight answers on their long hair. BTW, poof height does not correspond with righteousness. "It's just a style," Oprah's told, "come back in 10 years." Will do! To see how they get the look, read more.

People Checks In With Polygamous Ranch Children Year Later

CitizenSugar — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 03:00:47 -0700

Last April, authorities in Texas seized 439 children from their homes, thanks to suspected sexual abuse on the FLDS polygamous compound where they lived. The children were returned to their homes after the Texas Supreme Court found that the state had illegally seized the children from the FLDS ranch. One year later People magazine has checked back in with the families that captured America's attention.

The parents are still transitioning the children back into life on the compound, after the kids were kept from their families for two months and "exposed" to mysterious modern marvels like baseball, bikes, and TV.

The caretakers dressed them in mainstream clothes such as shorts(!) and introduced the children to a different way of life. One mother said her children "had so many toys thrown at them. Toys tend to teach children to be selfish. We make it real and useful to them. Gloria loves to do the dishes. If you cultivate that, then they're happy."

Will you be picking up this issue of People to learn more about life on the polygamous ranch?

Bad Times Keep Us Put: Migration to South and West Slows

CitizenSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:00:23 -0800

The intuitive trend in America to move to where the land is open and the climate warm has hit a road bump. Thanks to the housing crisis, which makes the idea of taking on a new mortgage scary and risky, people are staying put.

The population slowdown specifically hit the western and southern states, which had seen huge growth and migration over the last decade. While this trend could mean less traffic and more space for those already living there, it could also lead to less political influence. Based on current projections, California might lose a seat in Congress for the first time ever following the 2010 Census.

Still, a population slow down in the South and West doesn't mean other regions are growing faster. In 2008, Utah was the fastest growing state, followed by Arizona, Texas, North Carolina, and South Carolina. And Michigan and Rhode Island actually lost population.

Have tough times made you shelve any plans for moving?

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Briefing Book! Texas to Lose Influence When Bush Leaves DC

LibertySugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:30:23 -0800

Texas: OK to mess with Texas? When Bush leaves office, Texas becomes just another state after decades of influence. - Politico
Rivals: Want a peek inside yesterday's McCain-Obama meeting? Take a look at a completely made-up slideshow dramatization. - 23/6
Airports: Traveling for the holidays? Five carry-on items to prevent airport spending. - SavvySugar
Clinton: Republicans should be happy if Hillary becomes secretary of state? Hillary's criticism of Obama's foreign policy could warm the hearts of neoconservatives. – Huffington Post

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