The Electronic Babysitter

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family Values4 Comments

I read somewhere (on her blog perhaps, or maybe some Facebook survey) that my friend Heather does not intend to have Cassie (her almost one-year-old) watch television in her infancy. A little extreme, I thought.  Maybe even counter-productive to her development.  I mean, it largely depends on what she watches, but I couldn't see the harm.  I mean, aren't those … Read More

Broad-based Sex Education Popular In North Carolina

Ken AshfordEducation, Local Interest, Sex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

From Public Policy Polling survey results released earlier this week, the question was asked: A bill being considered in the Legislature would give parents the choice of having their children receive comprehensive sex education or abstinence only sex education. Would you support this proposal? 69% said "yes"; 31% said "no". Even conservatives (58%) and Republicans (54%) supported the bill by a … Read More

The Latest In The Abortion Battle

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

Oh, no.  It's not over simply because Obama was elected president.  The pro-life crowd is still at it.  Even racheting it up a bit.  Here's what they're doing in North Dakota: A long legal journey could be in store for an anti-abortion bill the North Dakota House passed on Tuesday that would give constitutional rights to fertilized human eggs, the … Read More

They’re Not Going To Pla–ay–ay This Year’s “Rent”

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family Values, TheatreLeave a Comment

The principal at a high school in California said "no" and shut down the drama club's production of Rent.  Mind you, this was the "school edition" of Rent, a cleaned-up version created by the show's producers with Jonathan Larson's estate.  Rent: School Edition cuts some of the harsher language and takes out "Contact" (the orgiistic sex number), but that wasn't good enough for … Read More

Family Values Quote Of The Day

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

From the Sun (UK newspaper): “I thought it would be good to have a baby….. I didn’t think about how we would afford it. I don’t really get pocket money. My dad sometimes gives me £10.” – Alfred Patten, who just became a father at the age of 13 Check out the pictures at the link above.  The kid has that … Read More

Women Fake It More Than Men

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family Values1 Comment

By "it", I mean "romantic interest". They flirt and yet they are thinking: "I wish this guy would just leave me alone. I can't stand the sight of him."….. Specifically, some women seemed to be saying, "I'm interested," and yet they were not, according to what they later reported. So says an Indiana University study.  Details here.

Nathan Tabor On Evolution and Gays

Ken AshfordEducation, Godstuff, Right Wing Punditry/Idiocy, Sex/Morality/Family Values2 Comments

Our locally-living nationally-syndicated columnist, Nathan Tabor, is a howl today.  After trying to make the argument that Obama's policies will effectively result in genocide of African-Americans (yes, he really makes that argument), Tabor writes: But blacks are not the only minority group which could suffer under the Democratic regime in Washington. Democratic leaders believe that children must be taught evolution, … Read More

Wingnuts Go Bats**t Crazy On Krispy Kreme

Ken AshfordObama Opposition, Sex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

Krispy Kreme press release, announcing it'll give you one free donut on inauguration day: "Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. (NYSE: KKD) is honoring American's sense of pride and freedom of choice on Inauguration Day, by offering a free doughnut of choice to every customer on this historic day, Jan. 20. By doing so, participating Krispy Kreme stores nationwide are making an … Read More

Breaking The Species Barrier

Ken AshfordScience & Technology, Sex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

Richard Dawkins wonders: We've mapped the entire human genome; we've mapped the entire chimpanzee genome.  We know they are 98% identical (sorry, evolution opponents).  It shouldn't be hard, therefore, to literally create some sort of interspecies.  Another "missing link".  Lucy the Second, not from the archeological ground, but from the laboratory. It would, he speculates, change the nature of the discussion … Read More

The Final Verdict On Abstinence-Only Sex Education

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

It doesn't work; in fact, it backfires: The new analysis of data from a large federal survey found that more than half of youths became sexually active before marriage regardless of whether they had taken a "virginity pledge," but that the percentage who took precautions against pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases was 10 points lower for pledgers than for non-pledgers. … Read More

More On Warren

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

Really, I don't get this controversy, which is going on its third week. For those distracted by the holidays, you're not missing much.  Basically, it's this:  President-elect Obama picked Pastor Rick Warren to speak at his inauguration.  Pastor Rick Warren opposes gay marriage.  Gays are upset, seeing this as a symbolic slap in the face.  Today, for example, WaPo columnist … Read More

Winston-Salem: Center Of The Sexual Technorevolution?

Ken AshfordLocal Interest, Sex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

First I read this: Scientists are developing an electronic "sex chip" that can be implanted into the brain to stimulate pleasure. The chip works by sending tiny shocks from implanted electrodes in the brain. The technology has been used in the United States to treat Parkinson's disease. But in recent months scientists have been focusing on the area of the … Read More

Short Answers To Simple Questions

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family Values2 Comments

A friend writes: I have made a new observation while in Target this afternoon. Is it just me, or do people no longer have a spacial awareness of other people?  I was staring at the DVD wall and, no joke, four people not only crossed in front of me without pardoning themselves, but they stopped and stood directly in front … Read More

Dugger Family Now Has Two Baseball Teams

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

From this blog, on August 3, 2007: I've blogged about them before, so regular readers of this site might be interested to know that the Dugger couple just welcomed the birth of their 17th kid — a daughter, named Jennifer. Jennifer joins siblings Joshua, 19; John David, 17; Janna, 17; Jill, 16; Jessa, 14; Jinger, 13; Joseph, 12; Josiah, 11; … Read More