TresSugar

Tot Gets Tat: Mom Gets Jailtime?

Natasha Dantzig — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:16:34 PST

Tats on tots? Tattoos are a divisive aesthetic on adults; the thought of a child actually getting their sweet lil skin permanently inked is a pretty unpleasant idea, to say the least. Yet that's exactly what 10-year-old Gaquan Napier did with the full support of his mother Chuntera. According to the law in Georgia, where the family lives, it's illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to get tattooed - with or without parental consent, a fact that Napier claims to have been unaware of when she granted her child permission to permanently mark his body.

This story sounds pretty black-and-white - what was she thinking? - until we learn more details of the reason behind the tattoo. Two years ago, Gaquan was with his older brother Malik when he was struck and killed by a teenage driver at the heartbreaking age of 12. When Gaquan went to his mother and asked her permission to get a tattoo in memory of his deceased brother, Napier said, "It made me feel good to know that he wanted his brother on him."

Napier is currently in custody and facing a charge of misdemeanor child cruelty. In several other states, a child getting inked with the parents' permission is perfectly legal, so do you think this mom deserves to serve time for allowing her son to create a memorial to his big brother?

Is that Legal? The Facts About Maternity and Paternity Leave

LilSugar — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 08:32:19 PDT

Do you know your rights? Maternity leave, paternity leave, and everything in between isn't as straightforward as it could be, and leaves a lot to be desired for many families. What's considered standard practice in some places isn't even an option in others, and there are different laws on both state and federal levels.

How much do you know about the laws that dictate how much time you (or your husband) will get to be at home with your lil one? Take the following quiz to find out.

Take the Quiz

Circumcision Will Not Be Banned in California Anytime Soon

LilSugar — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:40:19 PDT

To cut or not to cut? That's the choice parents of newborn boys face when deciding whether circumcision is the right choice for them. It's a choice that a lot of people, often referring to themselves as "intactivists," don't feel parents should have. Anticircumcision groups in San Francisco gathered over 7,000 signatures in support of a ballot measure that would essentially outlaw circumcision for most male children. The measure was shot down Sunday night when the governor signed a bill prohibiting local governments from banning the controversial practice, leaving the decision to the parents.

Philly Could Fine You $120 For Texting While Walking

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 03:12:31 PDT

Heads up, text addicts: you could be fined if you're caught walking and texting on the streets of Philadelphia! We all know that texting while driving is dangerous, but a new program launched in May called "Give Respect Get Respect" is encouraging motorists, bikers, and pedestrians alike to pay attention while in transit. Fines are being issued for drivers that veer into the bike lane, bikers who run through traffic signals and ride on sidewalks, and even pedestrians are being warned that texting while walking could cost you $120.

Philadelphia isn't the first city to consider fining text-walkers; back in 2008, Chicago introduced a bill that would ban texting while walking due to the high level of injuries caused from pedestrians walking into oncoming traffic, falling off curbs, and running into light posts and telephone poles. Though you can download an app that could help you text and walk with confidence, I'm not sure the city of brotherly love would consider that an acceptable alternative.

California's Social Networking Privacy Act - Way to Go or Going Too Far?

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 18 May 2011 12:11:44 PDT

There's a new law being shopped around California's senate called SB242, or the Social Networking Privacy Act, which requires social networks to allow parents full access to their kids' profiles and even lets them request removal of text or photos from a minor's (under 18) profile. For me, this calls into question the rights of the user. Facebook allows users age 13 and up to open an account, and since these kids are still underage, should their parents have total access to their Facebook accounts? And does the state have a right to step in and make that decision for them? I'm a big proponent of involved parenting when it comes to online activity, but I'm not sure a statewide bill is the answer to keep your kids' online activity clean.

While this bill may sound strict, there is a plus side - the bill would also force social networks to walk users through privacy settings upon signup, explaining what each setting means before the account goes live. I'm all for that action. What do you think about California's SB242?

Shark Fin Bans: Environmentally Conscious or Culturally Insensitive?

Susannah Chen — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 13:00:08 PST

In less than four months, the state of Hawaii will be shark fin-free, and soon, the same could happen in California. The golden state is currently deliberating a piece of legislation that would ban the sale and possession of shark fins, too.

Proponents of the ban don't just cite the inhumane practice of cutting fins off live sharks, but the staggering drop in ocean shark populations as well: 73 million sharks are killed every year, and populations are just 10 percent of what they used to be. And, argues one San Francisco food critic, there are plenty of viable (and innocuous) substitutes for shark's fin.But not everyone feels this way. "The practice of shark's fin soup has been in our culture for thousands of years. There ought to be a way to find a balance between the environment and preserving culture and heritage," California state Sen. Leland Yee maintained.

"While we're at it, I'd also ban Caspian caviar and bluefin tuna until their fisheries recover. No doubt, that would raise an uproar in certain other cultural communities," Chinese-American chef Jonathan Wu retorted. Tell me what you think: is banning shark's fin environmentally conscious, or culturally insensitive?

Source: Flickr User closari

New Way to Beat a Speeding Ticket: Smartphone Apps

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:45:13 PST

I've legitimately been pulled over for speeding a few times in my life (OK, three), but there are those stories told by friends who know someone who was pulled over for speeding but legitimately was under the limit. What follows is a day in court to battle the ticket, waiting, lines, a missed day of work, and most likely traffic school since it's you vs. the law.

However, GPS smartphone apps may prove to be more helpful than just finding directions - they may also help you beat a ticket. In fact, one app helped a man do just that, since it records your speed, route, and location. The app was meant to be used for tracking your runs, but since he had it open and was recording his drive, he was able to get his case tossed out because the app recorded a max speed of 26 miles per hour in a 25 zone, vs. the supposed 40 miles per hour as the traffic cop claimed. Want one of these apps for yourself? Check out a few of them after the break.

Nutrition Fact Labels to Meet Meat Products

Katie Sweeney — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 10:15:26 PST

Today the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a new nutrition labeling system for meat products. Starting on Jan. 1, 2012, 40 of the most common cuts of pork, poultry, beef, and lamb will list the typical nutrition facts. Calories, calories from fat, total fat, saturated fat, sodium, protein, cholesterol, and vitamins will be found on each cut of meat; if they are not readily listed, they will be available for consumers when purchasing. With the government's focus on fighting obesity, this law comes as no surprise. It's another way of informing carnivores about the meat they eat.

What do you think of the news? Do you read nutrition labels?

What Is "Sex by Surprise"?

Colleen Barrett — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 12:10:13 PST

Believe it or not, sex by surprise is actually not an euphemism for rape. It is sex without a condom after a woman requests it - even if the sex is consensual - and it's fine-able in Sweden by 5,000 kronor (about $715).

This is what WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, is actually accused of, and not rape. Though the rape charges were dropped in August, accusations of rape have been popping up since he became America's most wanted tattletale last week for releasing classified State Department documents.

That drama aside, I am intrigued by sex by surprise. Guys go back on condom promises all the time; if he isn't forcing himself on a woman, isn't she equally at fault?

Happy Meal? Alabama Sex Shop Opens Drive-Through

Colleen Barrett — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:00:19 PST

Alabama is the only state in the nation to still have a sex toy ban on the books, but now Pleasures, the one-stop romance shop, is challenging the law. Turns out, there's a loophole: Alabama law makes an exception on the sale of items designed for the "stimulation of human genital organs" for "a bona fide medical, scientific, educational, legislative, judicial, or law enforcement purpose."

Law enforcement purposes?!? Anyway, I'm not here to parse archaic sex laws or insinuate sex toys are used for torture (except, I can't think of anything else?). Instead, let's talk about how entirely retrograde it is to buy a sex toy like it's medical marijuana. Customers must fill out a health questionnaire describing why their physical condition requires a Doc Johnson i-Vibe Rabbit Vibrator.

I'm guessing the drive-through might just be a novelty, because Pleasures is located in a former bank. Yet it's there for those who want privacy but can't wait two days for express delivery. On that note, does anyone know if sex toys can be legally shipped to Alabama? You can log out and tell us in our anonymous, drive-through comments.