Ignorance is Bliss

Well, if they don't know they have private parts, maybe girls won't use them. Right? Oh, maybe not, since condoms are still ok.

Condoms in, Anatomy Out: Grocery Chain Banishes Seventeen Magazine for 'Vagina 101' Story
By Rukmini Callimachi Associated Press Writer

Published: Oct 26, 2005

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - This month, the following things were readily available to any teenage girl who stepped into an Albertsons store: at least four brands of condoms. A recent Men's Health magazine article called "Six Secret Ways to Turn Her On." Cosmopolitan's tips on how to make your own sex video.

The following item, though, was unavailable in any of Albertsons' 2,500 locations: the October issue of Seventeen Magazine.

The chain pulled that issue from shelves earlier this month. The reason? An article on women's anatomy.

Lighten up Francis

The White House is not amused by The Onion, a newspaper that often spoofs the Bush administration, and has asked it to stop using the presidential seal on its Web site.

The seal was still on the Web site www.theonion.com on Tuesday at the spot where President George W. Bush's weekly radio address is parodied.

With headlines like "Bush To Appoint Someone To Be In Charge Of Country" and "Bush Subconsciously Sizes Up Spain For Invasion," The Onion is popular with readers looking for a little laughter with their politics.

White House spokesman Trent Duffy said people who work in the executive mansion do have a sense of humor, but not when it comes to breaking regulations.

"When any official sign or seal is being used inappropriately the party is notified," Duffy said.

"You cannot pick and choose where to enforce that rule. It's important that the seal or any White House insignia not be used inappropriately," he said.

Duffy said while he does not personally read The Onion, he admitted knowing others in the White House who do. "Like everyone else, we like a good laugh."

Scott Dikkers, editor-in-chief of the satirical newspaper, said its lawyer disagrees with the White House assessment.

"I've been seeing the presidential seal used in comedy programs most of my life and to my knowledge none of them have been asked not to use it by the White House," Dikkers said.

"I would advise them to look for that other guy Osama (bin Laden) ... rather than comedians. I don't think we pose much of a threat," Dikkers said.

From SaveRoe

Imagine walking into a pharmacy with a prescription and being told by the pharmacist, "I won't fill it. It's my right not to fill it." It's outrageous to think this is possible, but this is exactly what happened to a 26-year-old woman who presented a
prescription for emergency contraception at a Target in Fenton, MO, on September 30.

Join Planned Parenthood in demanding that every woman's pills be filled -- now!

ETA: This is the response from Target:

Dear Target Guest,

Target is extremely disappointed that Planned Parenthood is spreading misleading information about an alleged incident at a Target pharmacy in Missouri and our policies on emergency contraception. The accounts being reported are inaccurate and exaggerated. Our policy is comparable to that of many other national retailers and the recommendations of the American Pharmacists Association.

Target consistently ensures that prescriptions for emergency contraception are filled. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we also are legally required to accommodate our team members’ sincerely held religious beliefs as required by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In the unusual event that a Target pharmacist’s sincerely held religious beliefs conflict with filling a guest’s prescription for emergency contraception, Target policy requires our pharmacists to take responsibility for ensuring that the guest’s prescription is filled in a timely and respectful manner. If it is not done in this manner, disciplinary action will be taken.

Target abides by all state and local laws and, in the event that other laws conflict with our policy, we will follow the law.

We appreciate the opportunity to clarify our position and correct misinformation.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Hanson

Target Executive Offices

Oh, and by the way...

A controversial Indiana bill sponsored State Rep. Patricia Miller (Indianapolis), that would have prevented gay and single people from using medical procedures to become pregnant has been dropped.

Miller's statement about why she dropped it?

“The issue has become more complex than anticipated and will be withdrawn from consideration by the Health Finance Commission.”

When you get the chance, try to work your way through the text of the bill (pdf file).

Do I feel a Draft?

Automatic enrollment in ROTC provokes protest at high school
By MARK SOMMER
News Staff Reporter
10/6/2005

Wendy Van Scoter, a Lovejoy area resident, says her 14-year-old daughter, Jennifer Brown, was placed in Junior ROTC without her knowledge. She said she never received a letter from the school.

Unless they opted out, freshmen at Hutchinson-Central Technical High School were automatically enrolled this fall in Junior ROTC.
About 300 parents of freshmen received letters in August, informing them their children would be enrolled in the daily, 42-minute program unless they objected before the start of school. About 190 students at the school on South Elmwood Avenue were in the program when classes began. The number dropped to 157 following objections by parents and students, who were reassigned to study hall.

As to the legality of this practice?

State education law says "enrollment and participation in [Junior ROTC] is voluntary on the part of the student, and written consent of a parent or guardian is [required]."

Principal David Greco, a strong supporter of Junior ROTC, said he believes the policy is legal and does not violate state education law.

"I don't feel I have done anything wrong," Greco said. "Any parent that didn't comply in time with their child was processed out of the class in a reasonable manner."

Greco said he was following a little-known provision of the federal No Child Left Behind law - and not the state law on Junior ROTC - that makes federal funding for schools contingent on providing the military with student contact lists. Also under the law, the schools are required to let students and/or their parents opt off such lists.

Hm. "Providing the military with student contact lists" = "Automatic enrollment in Jr. ROTC"
Not how I'd have chosen to interpret it.

Here's a site explaining the NCLB provision, and how to opt out of the contact lists, among other things:
http://www.leavemychildalone.com/

George Will: "the president has forfeited his right to be trusted as a custodian of the Constitution"

It is not important that she be confirmed because there is no evidence that she is among the leading lights of American jurisprudence, or that she possesses talents commensurate with the Supreme Court's tasks. The president's "argument" for her amounts to: Trust me. There is no reason to, for several reasons.

He has neither the inclination nor the ability to make sophisticated judgments about competing approaches to construing the Constitution. Few presidents acquire such abilities in the course of their pre-presidential careers, and this president particularly is not disposed to such reflections.

Furthermore, there is no reason to believe that Miers's nomination resulted from the president's careful consultation with people capable of such judgments. If 100 such people had been asked to list 100 individuals who have given evidence of the reflectiveness and excellence requisite in a justice, Miers's name probably would not have appeared in any of the 10,000 places on those lists.

In addition, the president has forfeited his right to be trusted as a custodian of the Constitution. The forfeiture occurred March 27, 2002, when, in a private act betokening an uneasy conscience, he signed the McCain-Feingold law expanding government regulation of the timing, quantity and content of political speech. The day before the 2000 Iowa caucuses he was asked -- to ensure a considered response from him, he had been told in advance that he would be asked -- whether McCain-Feingold's core purposes are unconstitutional. He unhesitatingly said, "I agree." Asked if he thought presidents have a duty, pursuant to their oath to defend the Constitution, to make an independent judgment about the constitutionality of bills and to veto those he thinks unconstitutional, he briskly said, "I do."

It's a juicy essay. Check it out. When you lose George Will AND Ann Coulter, you're in deep dark poo-poo.