Saturday, February 26, 2005
Kansas AG to Women's Wombs: "You will be mine, you will be mine all mine"
The Attorney General for the State of Kansas is on the warpath, hoping to peer inside the wombs and sex lives of females. The esteemed Phill Kline wants to lower the boom on women and teenagers who had sex before the age of 16 (its illegal there), as well as those who may have had abortions after the 22nd week of the pregnancy. On top of that, he wants details on the sexual history for at least 90 women who fall into these categories.
This 'law' limiting abortions after 22 weeks is particularly troubling. Many insurance companies restrict the number of ultrasounds per patient, limiting a woman's opportunity to closely monitor a fetus' growth and development. Moreover,"many structural abnormalities in the fetus can be reliably diagnosed by an ultrasound scan, and these can usually be made before 20 weeks." But 'many' does not mean 'all', no woman can be assured that she'd be able to have this diagnostic test before the 22nd week of pregnancy.
Here's the kicker: severe deformaties and life-threatening defects in unborn fetuses may go undetected until later in the pregnancy, in some cases indicating whether or not a child could survive outside of the womb. In these cases, the mother's life is not 'in danger', but its clear that the fetus either won't survive or might have a small chance to survive with grave consequences. In Kansas, mothers now have a jurisdictional clock to watch as they are making decisions about the future of a high-risk pregnancy.
Don't mothers have enough to worry about? Do they really need to consult a lawyer and Father Time first?
As for arresting those who have sex before the age of 16, Mr. Kline had better start building new prisons in the middle of his wheat fields since we all know that roughly half of kids lose their virginity within the general vicinity of their 16th birthday. Well, maybe not in Kansas. According to the CDC's most recent report on teen sexual behavior and well-being, Kansas is completely abstinent. The CDC did not secure any participation from Kansas for this otherwise revealing study. It seems that Mr. Kline's would rather rely on his methodology for unearthing the sexual habits of Kansans.
The Attorney General for the State of Kansas is on the warpath, hoping to peer inside the wombs and sex lives of females. The esteemed Phill Kline wants to lower the boom on women and teenagers who had sex before the age of 16 (its illegal there), as well as those who may have had abortions after the 22nd week of the pregnancy. On top of that, he wants details on the sexual history for at least 90 women who fall into these categories.
This 'law' limiting abortions after 22 weeks is particularly troubling. Many insurance companies restrict the number of ultrasounds per patient, limiting a woman's opportunity to closely monitor a fetus' growth and development. Moreover,"many structural abnormalities in the fetus can be reliably diagnosed by an ultrasound scan, and these can usually be made before 20 weeks." But 'many' does not mean 'all', no woman can be assured that she'd be able to have this diagnostic test before the 22nd week of pregnancy.
Here's the kicker: severe deformaties and life-threatening defects in unborn fetuses may go undetected until later in the pregnancy, in some cases indicating whether or not a child could survive outside of the womb. In these cases, the mother's life is not 'in danger', but its clear that the fetus either won't survive or might have a small chance to survive with grave consequences. In Kansas, mothers now have a jurisdictional clock to watch as they are making decisions about the future of a high-risk pregnancy.
Don't mothers have enough to worry about? Do they really need to consult a lawyer and Father Time first?
As for arresting those who have sex before the age of 16, Mr. Kline had better start building new prisons in the middle of his wheat fields since we all know that roughly half of kids lose their virginity within the general vicinity of their 16th birthday. Well, maybe not in Kansas. According to the CDC's most recent report on teen sexual behavior and well-being, Kansas is completely abstinent. The CDC did not secure any participation from Kansas for this otherwise revealing study. It seems that Mr. Kline's would rather rely on his methodology for unearthing the sexual habits of Kansans.
Monday, February 21, 2005
Got Nukes? No Problem!
Who says being the leader of a bankrupt nation with no appreciable natural resources is a bad thing.
Kim Jong Il is livin' large. This turkey gives Saddam Hussein's reign a run for its money.Here's a guy who wags his finger at the United States, kills thousands of his own people via starvation and/or a modern day Gulag, threatens the very existence (on a daily basis) of the United States' closest ally on the East Asian mainland, and actually possesses nuclear arms in violation of dozens of international treaties -- yet President Bush turns the other cheek for this member of the 'Axis of Evil'.
Methinks Kim Il Jong is friggin' THRILLED that he does not have any oil under that dusty North Korean soil. Or maybe he's just happy to have not run afoul with Bush 41. What's not to love about United State foreign policy?
Who says being the leader of a bankrupt nation with no appreciable natural resources is a bad thing.
Kim Jong Il is livin' large. This turkey gives Saddam Hussein's reign a run for its money.Here's a guy who wags his finger at the United States, kills thousands of his own people via starvation and/or a modern day Gulag, threatens the very existence (on a daily basis) of the United States' closest ally on the East Asian mainland, and actually possesses nuclear arms in violation of dozens of international treaties -- yet President Bush turns the other cheek for this member of the 'Axis of Evil'.
Methinks Kim Il Jong is friggin' THRILLED that he does not have any oil under that dusty North Korean soil. Or maybe he's just happy to have not run afoul with Bush 41. What's not to love about United State foreign policy?
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Beer is Good
And one of my favorite Web sites, The Beer Advocate, can help you decide which beer should be the subject of your next binge drinking experience. One of my favorite beers is Sprecher's Special Amber, reviewed here by about three dozen folks.
Sprecher is a terrific brewery in suburban Milwaukee -- I just wish they had a distributor that could throw a few cases into my zip code. All the Sprecher beers are terrific, most notably the Black Bavarian, Dopple Bock and India Pale Ale. My favorite aspect of any Sprecher beer? The hefty 16-ounce bottles!
And one of my favorite Web sites, The Beer Advocate, can help you decide which beer should be the subject of your next binge drinking experience. One of my favorite beers is Sprecher's Special Amber, reviewed here by about three dozen folks.
Sprecher is a terrific brewery in suburban Milwaukee -- I just wish they had a distributor that could throw a few cases into my zip code. All the Sprecher beers are terrific, most notably the Black Bavarian, Dopple Bock and India Pale Ale. My favorite aspect of any Sprecher beer? The hefty 16-ounce bottles!
Monday, February 14, 2005
My High School Interogatory
OK, so I've been delinquent in updating this blog since launching the Internet's best resource for Marquette Basketball. For the dozen(s) of you that I've disappointed of late, I give you the ultimate in blogospherian delight: the complete ripoff of another blog.
With props to Pete over at A Perfectly Cromulent Blog, here's my High School Interrogatory:
What year was it?
Graduated in 1987
What were your three favorite bands (performers)?
Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Van Halen. Could I be more cliche? In my defense, I was onto Metallica way before they emerged as a juggernaut. Heck, I even saw them open for Ozzy back in early 1986.
Which bands did you hate?
REM, Depeche Mode, New Order, The Communards
What was your favorite outfit?
KLOL 'Runaway Radio' t-shirt and a jean jacket to go with my nifty black Converse Weapon hightops. Wearing a t-shirt from a Houston radio station made me feel like such a headbangin' bad ass.
What was up with your hair?
I had a near-mullett once but was not able to make it work. Mostly, it was just a dry, brown puffy mess.
Who were your best friends?
Rather than best friends, I had a circle of about a half-dozen friends, some closer than others. And the one I stay in touch with the most didn't even go to my high school. I remember standing around at graduation practice realizing that I'd never see most of these people again as long as I live. I was right.
What did you do after school?
Played basketball (well, I mean, I was on the team)
Where did you work?
Skaggs Alpha-Beta. I sacked groceries there for a couple of summers before moving onto Pizza Hut. I also participated in a control group for an allergy study for a day. Honest.
Did you take the bus?
Nope. Parents took care of the trip until I could drive. At that time, I became the proud owner of the Blue Bullet -- a not-so-fast 1979 Chevy Malibu with a vinyl top. I always wanted this to become some sort of cool, signature car. But there were too many rebuilt classic Mustangs in the parking lot for me to overcome.
Who did you have a crush on?
Most of the girls that I knew would never date me.
Did you fight with your parents?
Sure. But what would adolescence be without that? This must be the stupidest question on the list.
Who did you have a CELEBRITY crush on?
Like Pete, I'd have to say Diane Lane from Streets of Fire. Also, Heather Locklear from Dynasty (Sammy Jo was hot!), and any SI cover girl of that era.
Did you smoke cigarettes?
No.
Did you lug all of your books around in your backpack all day because you were too nervous to find your locker?
No. I'd algorithmically arranged the contents of my bag based on class locations and materials required. Routinely going back to a locker was beneath me.
Did you have a ‘clique’?
Nah. I was rather dorky for much of high school. I knew it wasn't the end game that so many folks seemed to think it was. Truth is, I couldn't wait to graduate and get outta town.
Did you have "The Max" like Zach, Kelly, and Slater?
As with Pete, Pepe's and its neighbor, Whataburger were about it. College Station was incredibly boring.
Admit it, were you popular?
Nope. Though one of my senior year 'highlights' was the day I was able to cross-dress as a dance team member. Supposedly this was reserved for the popular senior guys in the last pep rally of the year. I am not sure, but I think someone called in sick. And looking back on it -- that was kinda dumb.
Who did you want to be just like?
Eddie or Alex Van Halen. No doubt about it. Well, maybe Larry Bird.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A college basketball coach. Lets just say life took a different turn, thankfully.
Where did you think you’d be at the age you are now?
Well, I always wanted to live in NYC, so I've essentially nailed that one. Beyond that, I never thought much about life past the age of 21 anyway.
OK, so I've been delinquent in updating this blog since launching the Internet's best resource for Marquette Basketball. For the dozen(s) of you that I've disappointed of late, I give you the ultimate in blogospherian delight: the complete ripoff of another blog.
With props to Pete over at A Perfectly Cromulent Blog, here's my High School Interrogatory:
What year was it?
Graduated in 1987
What were your three favorite bands (performers)?
Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Van Halen. Could I be more cliche? In my defense, I was onto Metallica way before they emerged as a juggernaut. Heck, I even saw them open for Ozzy back in early 1986.
Which bands did you hate?
REM, Depeche Mode, New Order, The Communards
What was your favorite outfit?
KLOL 'Runaway Radio' t-shirt and a jean jacket to go with my nifty black Converse Weapon hightops. Wearing a t-shirt from a Houston radio station made me feel like such a headbangin' bad ass.
What was up with your hair?
I had a near-mullett once but was not able to make it work. Mostly, it was just a dry, brown puffy mess.
Who were your best friends?
Rather than best friends, I had a circle of about a half-dozen friends, some closer than others. And the one I stay in touch with the most didn't even go to my high school. I remember standing around at graduation practice realizing that I'd never see most of these people again as long as I live. I was right.
What did you do after school?
Played basketball (well, I mean, I was on the team)
Where did you work?
Skaggs Alpha-Beta. I sacked groceries there for a couple of summers before moving onto Pizza Hut. I also participated in a control group for an allergy study for a day. Honest.
Did you take the bus?
Nope. Parents took care of the trip until I could drive. At that time, I became the proud owner of the Blue Bullet -- a not-so-fast 1979 Chevy Malibu with a vinyl top. I always wanted this to become some sort of cool, signature car. But there were too many rebuilt classic Mustangs in the parking lot for me to overcome.
Who did you have a crush on?
Most of the girls that I knew would never date me.
Did you fight with your parents?
Sure. But what would adolescence be without that? This must be the stupidest question on the list.
Who did you have a CELEBRITY crush on?
Like Pete, I'd have to say Diane Lane from Streets of Fire. Also, Heather Locklear from Dynasty (Sammy Jo was hot!), and any SI cover girl of that era.
Did you smoke cigarettes?
No.
Did you lug all of your books around in your backpack all day because you were too nervous to find your locker?
No. I'd algorithmically arranged the contents of my bag based on class locations and materials required. Routinely going back to a locker was beneath me.
Did you have a ‘clique’?
Nah. I was rather dorky for much of high school. I knew it wasn't the end game that so many folks seemed to think it was. Truth is, I couldn't wait to graduate and get outta town.
Did you have "The Max" like Zach, Kelly, and Slater?
As with Pete, Pepe's and its neighbor, Whataburger were about it. College Station was incredibly boring.
Admit it, were you popular?
Nope. Though one of my senior year 'highlights' was the day I was able to cross-dress as a dance team member. Supposedly this was reserved for the popular senior guys in the last pep rally of the year. I am not sure, but I think someone called in sick. And looking back on it -- that was kinda dumb.
Who did you want to be just like?
Eddie or Alex Van Halen. No doubt about it. Well, maybe Larry Bird.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A college basketball coach. Lets just say life took a different turn, thankfully.
Where did you think you’d be at the age you are now?
Well, I always wanted to live in NYC, so I've essentially nailed that one. Beyond that, I never thought much about life past the age of 21 anyway.
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Dropping a Pair
Many of you might remember the clever Comedy Central bit that spoofed the MasterCard '..priceless' ads. Dennis Leary delivered the closing sequence in that one, preparing to lose his part of his manhood as payback for the Red Sox claiming the 2004 World Series Championship.
Well, this silly Welshman upped the ante by dropping a pair. Literally. As payback for some drunken bet, he performed a quick double amputution when his rugby squad beat the English team (what would he have done if his squad beat the French!). Being down no balls and one quick strike in baseball ain't bad - - - but it sure hurts in rugby.
Many of you might remember the clever Comedy Central bit that spoofed the MasterCard '..priceless' ads. Dennis Leary delivered the closing sequence in that one, preparing to lose his part of his manhood as payback for the Red Sox claiming the 2004 World Series Championship.
Well, this silly Welshman upped the ante by dropping a pair. Literally. As payback for some drunken bet, he performed a quick double amputution when his rugby squad beat the English team (what would he have done if his squad beat the French!). Being down no balls and one quick strike in baseball ain't bad - - - but it sure hurts in rugby.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
"You're out of order!"
USA Today has often been called a paper without a soul because of its lack of a definitive editorial voice, so today's oped caught me by surprise.
Chalk it up to my naivete on the subject of judicial perks. Sitting Supreme Court justices and Federal judges are cashing in on their seat of power at a remarkable rate. Poor ol' Clarence Thomas has accepted more than $42,000 in gifts since 1998 -- that'll buy plenty of Coke-a-Cola to share with your female clerks, judge. We also know about the absurdity of Scalia's hunting trip with Dick Cheney at a time when the court was considering a case involving the vice president was being heard.
Thomas and Scalia are not alone, "More than 500 judges have gone to seminars funded by groups or corporations that favor conservative free-market positions on issues that repeatedly come before the courts. The lessons have been taught at a golf resort in Tucson and a Montana ranch retreat. After the trips created a ruckus, the judges cut back on public disclosure of the value of such trips."
I'd expected more from the top judiciary minds in this nation. These folks are selected to serve lifetime appointments in these roles, yet they want to change the rules so they can squirrel away even more perks? Acute self-interest ought not be a prerequisite to leading our nation's judiciary.
USA Today has often been called a paper without a soul because of its lack of a definitive editorial voice, so today's oped caught me by surprise.
Chalk it up to my naivete on the subject of judicial perks. Sitting Supreme Court justices and Federal judges are cashing in on their seat of power at a remarkable rate. Poor ol' Clarence Thomas has accepted more than $42,000 in gifts since 1998 -- that'll buy plenty of Coke-a-Cola to share with your female clerks, judge. We also know about the absurdity of Scalia's hunting trip with Dick Cheney at a time when the court was considering a case involving the vice president was being heard.
Thomas and Scalia are not alone, "More than 500 judges have gone to seminars funded by groups or corporations that favor conservative free-market positions on issues that repeatedly come before the courts. The lessons have been taught at a golf resort in Tucson and a Montana ranch retreat. After the trips created a ruckus, the judges cut back on public disclosure of the value of such trips."
I'd expected more from the top judiciary minds in this nation. These folks are selected to serve lifetime appointments in these roles, yet they want to change the rules so they can squirrel away even more perks? Acute self-interest ought not be a prerequisite to leading our nation's judiciary.
