Wal-mart Black Friday Rush Results In A Fatality

Black Friday should not really be black. And stores should not hold back customers just to create a line of those greedy to purchase a hot item like a Wii. When will it stop? A Wal-Mart employee died and four others were hurt in the Black Friday rush to get into the Valley Stream Wal-mart this morning. How could any one not say this is a marketing scheme gone bad? The injuries occurred as the shoppers crammed into the Wal-Mart when the doors opened at 5 a.m.
Shoppers knocked a 34 year old Wal-mart employee to the ground at 5:03 a.m. In other words, by playing on greed of getting a resource artificially believed to be in short supply, injuries occurred within three minutes of the mad house beginning. The story ends with this 34-year-old suffering a fatal heart attack.

A 28-year-old pregnant woman was also injured. Fortunately, her baby is fine. And the marketing was a failure any way. The store was closed to incoming shoppers following the incident. Those already inside were allowed to make their purchases and leave.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., in Bentonville, Ark., have been quiet about the incident. "Local authorities are looking into the situation,"according to Wal-Mart representative Dan Fogleman.

Store managers have some common sense. Shoppers have some common courtesy. After all. what is the rush? Aren't we suppose to be in a recession or something?

Teacher David Grant Accused of Striking 8 Year Old Student

"Be thankful that it is not another teacher sleeping with a student."
"Is that suppose to make it all seem better?"

The couple were discussing the latest alleged teacher mishap down in Florida. David Adam Grant, an elementary school teacher, was arrested by Fort Lauderdale police for punching an 8-year-old student in the face.

Grant, a 36 year old art teacher at Sunland Elementary School, surrendered to the police Tuesday in connection with the November 5 incident. According to police, a "preliminary investigations revealed that an 8-year-old student ... had been battered."
Reportedly the young boy was struck near his left eye. Grant faces child abuse charges. The incident remains under investigation and Grant is to be presumed innocent until otherwise proven.

Eryn Bloomfield Hopes To Reunite With Her Son (Who Is Accused of Murdering His Dad) Over The Holidays

Eryn Bloomfield, the mother of an 8-year-old boy suspected in the shooting deaths of his father (Vincent Romero) and another man (Tim Romans), says that her son "loved his dad." Vincent Romero and Tim Romans were found dead in Romero's house in St. Johns, Arizona. Eryn Bloomfield maintained her son's innocence on ABC's "Good Morning America."

Prosecutors in Apache County, Arizona, recently dismissed one of the two murder charges. (This apparently was the charge for the murder of his father.) A videotape of the boy's police interview initially denied any involvement in the shootings, but later said he had shot his already-wounded father "because he was suffering." Boy interview with police » The video may not be admissible because no attorney or parent was present. Interrogation 'out of bounds'

The boy lived with his 29 year old dad in St. Johns, Arizona. His mom lives in Mississippi.
The mother had weekly visitation rights and holiday visitation. Tim Romans rented a room in Romero's home. Both were killed with a .22-caliber weapon. Why the interrogation is troubling »
Bloomfield will be allowed 48 hours with her son at home over the Thanksgiving holiday. Otherwise, he is in a juvenile detention facility. A court-appointed guardian will be present during the visit.

Listen to the tapes. The boy does not sound like a killer. Was he coerced into a confession?

Indiana Adopts A Rule Restricting Judges From Surfing the Internet

An ex parte communication is a one-sided communication with the judge.
Black’s Law Dictionary defines ex parte as “on one side only; by or for one party; done for in
behalf of or on the application of, one party.” This can be an important issue for both lawyers and non lawyers. Ex parte communications are prohibited in order to preserve the fundamental fairness of the American legal system. Consequently, judges and attorneys are forbidden by the
Indiana Rules of Court from engaging in ex parte communications.

The federal law also prohibits ex parte communication in order to provides due process for participants in the legal system. Due process includes the right to notice of the complaint or criminal charge, the right to be notified of and to be present at a hearing, and the right to confront and cross-examine witnesses. Our system of justice is founded upon the principle that a person has the opportunity to present his own evidence and witnesses in support of his case. This means that judges are to decide the case based solely on the evidence and testimony in the court. With the advent of the internet, the fear is that judges may have been conducting their own independent research. For example, it may not be admissible in a child custody case that one of the parties has been charged with multiple crimes but never convicted. Nevertheless, if the judge uses the internet, she may learn of such charges which otherwise would not be admissible.

A new Judicial Cannon, 2.9 C will go into effect January 1, 2009. It would seem to prohibit Indiana judges from using the internet to learn more about the background on cases. Is this good or bad? Should all states adopt such a rule?

Why Dogs Make Better Mates Then People - by Viper

1. The later you are, the more excited your dogs are to see you.

2. Dogs don't notice if you call them by another dog's name.

3. Dogs like it if you leave a lot of things on the floor.

4. A dog's parents never visit.

5. Dogs agree that you have to raise your voice to get your point across.

6. You never have to wait for a dog; they're ready to go 24 hours a day.

7. Dogs find you amusing when you're drunk..

8. Dogs like to go hunting and fishing.

9. A dog will not wake you up at night to ask, "If I died, would you get another dog?"

10. If a dog has babies, you can put an ad in the paper and give them away.

11. A dog will let you put a studded collar on it without calling you a pervert.

12. If a dog smells another dog on you, they don't get mad. They just think it's interesting.

13. Dogs like to ride in the back of a pickup truck.

14. If a dog leaves, it won't take half of your stuff.


Viper

For scientific research that proves pets are better partners then humans, follow this LINK.

Michel Lapointe Knows Where The Beef Is... More Importantly, He Knows That Beef Can Buy You An Early Release!

For some folks, weight has always been a problem. But for some, being overweight can translate into preferential treatment. Michel Lapointe may fit that category. He weights 430-pounds. He was serving time in a Canadian prison but was released early because the facility could not accommodate his massive frame.

The Quebec Parole Board sided with Michel's claims that he just did not fit in the prison scene. Given his good behavior and what could be legitimate health concerns, Michel received early parole. "Big Mike," as he's known, was in the joint for conspiracy and drug trafficking. Rumor has it he celebrated his early release by a great meal.

For the next few days Legal Pub will be catching up on new law for 2009. So don't expect a new post for a few days.

Mark Cuban Needs To Consider Taking the Fifth Amendment Or Defusing the Cuban Missile Crisis!

Mark Cuban is accused of insider trading by the SEC Relating to Mamma.com
Mark Cuban faces charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for violating Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. Mark, take some good advice from an old fashion Indiana lawyer, keep your mouth shut! This is not an NBA matter. The potential jail time almost always occurs because some one is found to have lied under oath. Follow your lawyers advice. If I were that lawyer, I would tell you to keep your mouth shut and pay the fine without admitting any guilt. Steroids did not get Bonds in trouble. Allegedly lieing under oath did. You can testify truthfully and still be found to have lied under oath. Think of it as a trap and don't take the bait. Despite this advice, it may be hard for Mark to stay quiet.

The billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks is accused of insider trading over the sale of 600,000 shares of Mamma.com. The SEC's lawsuit did not specify what fines the commission intends to seek. Cuban became a billionaire by selling his company, Broadcast.com, to Yahoo while he was living in Bloomington, Indiana. In 2000, Mark purchased the Dallas Mavericks $285 million from H. Ross Perot Jr. Cuban became a very hands-on owner, spending his time on the court rather than up in the owner's box. Mark even has his own blog.

Mark is not afraid to celebrate or scream at officials or players. Consequently, he has had his share of spats with NBA commissioner David Stern. The league has fined Cuban in the neighborhood of $1.6 million for inappropriate comments and/or actions. For example, In 2002, Cuban commented about an NBA head of officiating, "I wouldn't hire him to manage a Dairy Queen." D.Q. challenged Cuban to work in one of its stores for a day. Cuban accepted, and found out it is not so easy of a job.

Similarly, when former Maverick Michael Finley returned to Dallas in the 2005-06 season, the owner encouraged fans to shower him with boos. Cuban's biggest fine came after the 2006 NBA Finals. He was fined $250,000 for inappropriate conduct during Game 5. Cuban has expressed interest in buying the Chicago Cubs in July 2008. Not likely that will ever happen!

So, what has Cuban in hot water? Supposedly, he invested in Mamma.com, a conglomerate type of search engine start up company in 2004. However, Cuban dumped his entire investment in the company in 2004 after allegedly finding out from Mamma that their private funding money dipped by 10%. Since the SEC kind of frowns on investors using insider information to avoid financial losses, charges were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

Mark Cuban denies all accusations of wrong doing. He will want to fight. But the SEC, like the TSA, FBI and City Hall, is not someone you want on your bad side. A word to the wise, Mark. You have come a long way since we drank beer in Bloomington. Now is the time to keep your mouth shut and stay where you are in the social heirarchy. Men smarter than you have made the mistake to testify under oath in such high profile proceedings.

Keep in mind all parties, especially Mark, are presumed to be innocent!

Top Interest Cases In Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois For 2008

Say what you want about Kentucky family trees, but when it comes to civil law, Kentucky juries understand what to do. A jury awarded $2.5 million to a Kentucky teenager who was severely beaten by members of a Ku Klux Klan group. The Defendants apparently mistakenly thought the victim was an illegal Latino immigrant. The plaintiff, Jordan Gruver, then 16, was mistakenly targeted and beaten by the defendants. Specifically, the civil jury found that the Imperial Klans of America and its founder wrongfully beat 16-year-old Jordan Gruver. Gruver is an American citizen of Panamanian and is of Native-American descent. $1.5 million was for compensatory damages. $1 million was for punitive damages against "Imperial Wizard" Ron Edwards.

This verdict, if it stands on appeal, could break the Klan group, allowing the teen and the law center to seize the group's assets. The Imperial Klans of America is apparently the owner of a headquarters on a 15-acre compound in Dawson Springs, Kentucky. The Plaintiff was represented by SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center) founder and chief trial attorney Morris Dees. The suit was tried against the Imperial Klans of America and two of its leaders, Ron Edwards and "Grant Titan" Jarred R. Hensley. The jury deliberated for five hours after three days of testimony. As a result of the attack, Gruver suffered a broken jaw, broken left forearm, two cracked ribs and some cuts and bruises. He may have some nerve damage and some psychological trauma. "The people of Meade County, Kentucky, have spoken loudly and clearly. And what they've said is that ethnic violence has no place in our society, that those who promote hate and violence will be held accountable and made to pay a steep price," Dees said.

In Indiana, Peggy Sue White's surviving Spouse, David White brought a wrongful death law suit against Dr. Dennis Cavanaugh and Pathology Associates. Peggy White, a known asthmatic, was a 52 year old woman who went into Pathology Associates for an elective stress test. The Terre Haute Medical Lab technician took her medical history. Dr. Cavanaugh then underwent an adenosine stress test. Approximately three minutes into the test the Mrs. White developed extreme shortness of breath and shortly there after, died. Plaintiff's alleged that the Physician's Desk Reference says that adenosine is strictly contraindicated in patients with known or suspected asthma. The matter was submitted to a medical review panel which unanimously found that both Dennis Cavanaugh and Pathology Associates failed to meet the requisite standard of care and that as a result Peggy Sue White died. After a five day trial involving 11 expert witnesses, the jury returned a defendant's verdict for both Dr. Cavanaugh and Pathology Associates. Plaintiff was represented by Michael Miller of Indianapolis and both defendants were represented by Scott M. Kyrouac of Terre Haute. The Plaintiff's estate filed a motion to correct errors which was denied.

Also in Indiana, Roger Vuckovich, age 45, went to the ER where he was diagnosed with Kidney stones. He was discharged from the ER. He wnt home to bed and died from an abdominal aortic aneurysm. His surviving spouse, Cynthia, was critical of Dr. Sareen, Dr. El-Naggar and the staff of St. Catherine Hospital for failing to properly diagnosis her husband. The medical review panel unanimously concluded that Dr. El-Naggar, Dr. Sareen, and the hospital did not breach the standard of care. Plaintiff proceeded to trial against Dr. Sareen. Dr. Sareen denied that he was negligent and that a CT scan in the ER was necessary. The jury returned a verdict for the Plaintiff and against the defendant, Dr. Sareen, in the amount of $4,450,000. The parties stipulated to a remittitur down to $1,250,000 which was the applicable statutory cap. Plaintiff was represented by Barry D. Rooth and Holly S.C. Wojcik. Defendant was represented by John M. McCrum and Kirk D. Bagrowski.

In Illinois, a judge recently denied a motion by attorneys for the Catholic Diocese of Belleville to set aside a $5 million civil jury verdict against the church for damages suffered by a former altar boy. St. Clair County Circuit Judge Lloyd Cueto issued his one-sentence order that may trigger an appeal. St. Louis attorney David Wells represents the diocese. Belleville Bishop Edward Braxton will make the final decision on an appeal. He could not be reached.
On Aug. 27, after an 8 day trial, a jury awarded James Wisniewski, 47, of Champaign, $5 million in damages and medical costs. Wisniewki alleged that the Rev. Raymond Kownacki sexually abused him for five years beginning when he was a 13 year old altar boy at St. Theresa's Church in Salem. Kownacki, 73, of Dupo, does not wish to comment. He remains a priest and receives retirement pay but cannot wear a priestly collar or perform any church duties.
Belleville attorneys Mike Weilmuenster and Steve Wigginton presented diocesan documents obtained during discovery that allegedly showed that former Belleville Bishop James Keleher and others knew that Kownacki was a child rapist. Nevertheless, he was apparently repeatedly reassigned to unsuspecting parishes. The Illinois Supreme Court refused to stop the trial on grounds that the lawsuit was barred by statute of limitations and other legal time limits. The damages include $2.4 million for compensatory damages including medical costs and $2.6 million in punitive damages.

Rebecca Willis, 56 Year Old Dirty Dancer, Settles Lawsuit For $275,000.

Folks in Marshall, North Carolina know the cost of good clean dancing. It is $275,000. Just ask Rebecca Willis. The town has apparently agreed to pay Willis $275,000 in exchange for settling litigation over the town's ban of Willis from the Marshall Community Center, a local hangout. The ban was in place because other patrons complained about Willis' dirty dancing. Eight years ago, at the age of 56, Rebecca Willis was accused of gyrating and simulating sexual intercourse with her partner while dancing. At the time she was allegedly wearing a skirt so short it exposed her underwear. Rebecca considers her dancing "exuberant and flamboyant" but not obscene. Rebecca gets $275,000 and she agrees to never return to the community center.

Twice in the past five years the case had gone before a federal district court judge and twice before the court of appeals. In May a three-judge panel of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals said it could proceed to trial on the question of whether the town violated Willis’ Constitutional right to equal protection under the 14th Amendment by banning her from the town's public music arena. The staff claimed that they banned her because she had acted in an obscene manner, showing her underwear and dancing crudely. Willis contended that she was dancing appropriately.

Rebecca's attorney was Jon Sasser. The American Civil Liberties Union announced the settlement Thursday. Larry Leake, the attorney for the town, believes that the town did nothing wrong. But Willis said in a statement that the settlement sends a message that the town should allow for diversity and free expression.

To the town of Marshall, just be thankful that she is not a teacher dancing in front of students.

Foreclosure Crisis Is Major Challenge For New Administration While Stripteasing Teacher May Solve The Dropout Rate!

Hey Mr. President elect, I know you are doing all you can, to help your fellow man. But I am out of work. I need a job I'm out of work. That seems to be the tune being sung across the country. Let's strip away all the myths and deal with the facts. The ramifications of a struggling economy are beginning to become apparent. Another 84,868 homes were lost to foreclosure in October, according to today's report. Last month 279,561 borrowers received foreclosure filings according to RealtyTrac. That's a 5% increase from September, and up 25% from October 2007. A total of 936,439 homes have been lost to foreclosure since August, 2007.

Some states have adopted legislation to freeze foreclosures and give homeowners a chance to modify their mortgages. This has slowed the rate of foreclosures. However, there are still 25% more foreclosures this year when compared to last year.

Almost any given day there is a story about job layoffs or plant closing. So, Mr. President Elect it will soon be your move. Hope you have a real plan...

Here is one author's suggestion: How Obama should fix the economy

And while President Obama is at it, perhaps he can solve the drop out rate too. Surfer Dude says that if more teachers were like this Hungarian Teacher in the video, the drop out rate among young males would decline. Apparently some Hungarian teens played a game of Truth or Dare with their teacher. She decided to keep their interest with her rendition of a striptease. Parents were rightfully upset, but the local education officials have no plans to fire her. Her class attendance rate is nearly 100%. video of the incident (SFW).

Reports Of A Christmas Grinch Carjacker With A Bag Of Rear Window Sticker Is A Hoax ~by Legal Pub

A concerned senior citizen submitted this warning to Legal Pub. I doubt that it has happened often, but it is still worth considering. According to the officer, a woman reported that she parked in a public area. When she started to drive away she noticed a sticker on the rear window of the car. When she took it off after she got home, it appeared to be a receipt for gas. She decided to call the local police and it was suggested that if you see a paper or sticker on your rear windshield to not get out of the car to remove it. It could be someone waiting for you to get out of your car so that they can hijack it.

Is it a legitimate threat? Probably not. It sounds like another internet rumor. Well, just to be on the safe side, if you look into the rear view mirror to back out of your parking space and notice a piece of paper stuck to the rear window, don't get out to remove it. This way, a carjacker won't have the opportunity to take your car and your belongings inside the car.

Has it happened? While it is conceivable in the course of the world that this has happened, Snopes.com claims it is a false rumor which started in 2004 erroneously attributing the warning to detective Bledsoe (Montgomery County, Texas). Over the years other officers have erroneously passed along the email. http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/carjack.asp

A preliminary scan of the internet fails to reveal a single case documenting such a method of car jacking. So, Virginia, let me be the one to break the news: there is no Christmas Grinch Carjacker with a bag full of rear window stickers.

Buck Burnette Kicked Off University of Texas Football Team For Dumb*ss Remark About President Elect Obama ~ Story Idea From Austin American-Statesman

Does a college student have a right to free speech on Facebook? Buck Burnette exercised incredibly poor judgment when he apparently displayed either blatant prejudice or an ignorant sense of humor. But should he have been dimissed from the University of Texas football team?
The Austin American-Statesman has reported that Buck was dismissed from the team due to remarks he made on his Facebook page about President-elect Obama.
The backup center Buck Burnette apparently updated the Facebook page shortly after Obama's election and allegedly wrote that hunters should get their guns. The page has been deleted from Facebook but not before it apparently scarred some readers. Burnette apparently recognized his mistake and wrote an apology that said, "Clearly I was in the wrong for what I did and I apologize for being a sore loser."

Will the ACLU jump to the defense of the 6-2, 305-pound Burnette? If not, would they have defended a woman or a person of color if they were kicked off a college team for saying something stupid about President George Bush? This is not to condone Burnette's actions, which at best demonstrated horrible judgment. At worst it showed that he is ignorant. But the real question remains, does someone have a right to free speech in this country or not?

Blond Bombshell's Rules For A Successful Break Up!

Rebecca Romijn is extremely self-conscious about her body right now. (You can't help but notice she is pregnant.) She apparently is impressed with Jerry O'Connell's fathering skills. That is cool, but talking about her divorce with John Stamos breaks Shell's rules of recovery. Rebecca wanted to publicly discredit the rumor that she divorced Stamos because she did not want kids. Why bother, Rebecca?

Listen folks, there are rules for a successful break up.The less you talk about your ex the better. Here are some more guidelines for those challenged by lack of common sense.

1. The tabloids reported that pop star Britney Spears broke up with her now-ex-husband Kevin Federline via a text message. If true, that is really a bad move. Text messages, emails, Facebooks, MySpace are not the best medium for ending a romantic relationship!

2. First, don't stalk after a break up. That includes Christmas cards and birthday cards. Nothing ruins a special occasion more than hearing from the person who messed up your life. Don't send them to your ex. It is stalking!

3. Now its easier to be the dumper as opposed to the dumpee. After all, it was your idea to break up. Act like it was even if it wasn't. If you were smart, you probably had a replacement lined up anyway. On Friends, it was called "a backup."

4. At all costs, refuse to be a bad person. That means no phone calls asking if you ex is "okay." This goes for Facebook and MySpace. It is rather presumptuous to assume your ex was damaged by the breakup. Furthermore, don't send your ex a request to be "friends." It is uncool and will be seen as rubbing in your ex's demotion to "buddy" status.

5. Take your ex off your mass mailing list. Your ex probably hated your lame jokes during the relationship and undoubtedly your jokes did not improve after the breakup.

6. Another pet peeve is the martyr act. If you run into your ex, don't pretend that your life is all gloom and doom in the hopes of garnering a "sympathy scr*w." Instead, be polite, be discreet, and keep the encounter brief. Save the theatrics. Same is true for your ex' family. Stay away from them. They are not your relations any more. Similarly, don't begin a relationship with your ex's close friend. It is not cool. No one will think highly of you for such an acquisition.

7. Booty calls. Don't do it. Nothing is worse then breaking up with someone only to have them come back for a quickie. Talk about prolonging the recovery period. If it did not work the first time, it is doubtful that it will work the second or third time.

Be smart people, it is a jungle out there. Even in Hollywood.

Shell

Changes In State Law Based On 2008 Election

Some where in the euphoria over the Presidential election, the voters decisions on some other issues got buried in the background. For example, the Los Angeles County Registrar's Office stopped issuing same-sex marriage licenses after the voters passed a measure to eliminate the right of gay couples to marry. Specifically, voters in California, Arizona and Florida weighed in on constitutional bans on same-sex marriage. Apparently, 52 percent of voters approved California's Proposition 8. The amendment to the state constitution overrides a state Supreme Court ruling in May that legalized same-sex marriage. Folks at ProtectMarriage.com nearly danced in the streets. It is a good thing that they did not because the streets were already crowded. Thousands of demonstrators filled streets in Los Angeles Wednesday displaying their disappointment at the apparent passage of a ballot initiative to ban gay and lesbian marriages.
Hundreds of protesters staged a half-hour sit-in outside CNN's Los Angeles bureau on Sunset Boulevard. Ellen DeGeneres said she is "saddened beyond belief" over the proposed amendment. (DeGeneres is married to actress Portia de Rossi.)

In Arizona, a similar measure failed in 2006. But in 2008, Proposition 102 passed with 56 percent of the vote.

Florida voters approved that state's amendment, 62 percent to 38 percent. Arizona, California and Florida were the only states to consider constitutional amendments banning gay and lesbian marriages.

In Arkansas, 57% supported a measure to prohibit unmarried sexual partners from adopting children or from serving as foster parents. The measure applies to opposite-sex as well as same-sex couples.

Colorado rejected a measure defining a person to "include any human being from the moment of fertilization." This would have banned abortion.

South Dakota rejected a proposal to prohibit abortion except in cases of rape, incest or where the mother's life is at risk.

Michigan chose to amend the state constitution to permit human embryonic stem cell research. The embryos, which must have been created for fertility treatment purposes, would have to be ones that would have otherwise been discarded. Michigan became the 13th state to legalize marijuana for medical purposes, with 63 percent of the vote.

Massachusetts approved an initiative to decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

Nebraska now prohibits the state government from discriminating against or granting preferential treatment to people based on race, ethnicity, color, sex or national origin.

Washington appears to have approved an initiative allowing adults with six months or less to live to request lethal medication prescribed by a physician.

Arizonans decide to reform state laws prohibiting the employment of illegal immigrants. Under Proposition 202, only employers who know that an employee does not have legal status would risk having their business licenses suspended or revoked.

Massachusetts rejected a proposal to cut the state personal income tax rate in half for 2009 and eliminate the state personal income tax starting in 2010. A similar proposal also failed in North Dakota..

Maryland approved a constitutional amendment to authorize the use of video lottery terminals, or slot machines in the state to fund public education.

So, if you missed these on the ballet or in the news, read em and weep.

President Elect Obama Sybolizes Hope In 2009

Today can be no day without recognizing Barack Obama for his historic triumph. Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, you must recognize that President Elect Obama symbolizes the American Dream that anything is possible. Was the election result a surprise? Certainly not. Ask Republican insiders when they knew the fight was lost. Most will volunteer that as soon as McCain's stopped campaigning during the financial crisis. Saving the economy was never going to be a strong point for Senator McCain who'd said earlier it was not his strong suit. His bid to get in front with a dramatic departure from the campaign trail was a huge miscalculation. This did nothing to quash concerns about his judgment and leadership abilities. (Ticking off David Letterman was a huge mistake when Oprah was already in the Obama camp!) Defeat was never guaranteed. But from the sound of his excellent concession speech, he took a long time preparing for it.

Teen Pregnancy Rate A Reason For New Television Programming?

Let's hear it for the RAND Corporation. They have finally stated what parents have known for years, sex on television is strongly associated with teen pregnancy. But will such a study help develop prevention programs? Doubtful.

Adolescents with a high level of exposure to sexually charged t.v. shows are twice as likely to get pregnant or impregnate someone as those who watch shows like The Andy Griffith Show. Will more dialogue about sex in the media, reduce the pregnancy rate as Anita Chandra, the study's lead author and behavioral scientist at RAND suggests? Again, doubtful.
Supposedly, according to Chandra for every hour of TV time, there is 10 minutes of sexual content. So why should that be surprising. The news has covered teen stars who are having sex. High-profile teen pregnancies in spotlight

Even Lifetime Television has lots of kissing and bedroom scenes. Could it be that teen pregnancy has more to do with how parents raise their children? Why not put the blame where it belongs?
The RAND study, published in the November edition of the journal Pediatrics, looked at the results of three surveys of about 2,000 adolescents ages 12 to 17 from 2001 to 2004.

But did the study go far enough? While it correlates the amount of time watching televised sexual content with teen pregnancy , the local barber Joe says horse feathers. According to Joe, if teens watched t.v. 24 hours a day in their parents home, then there would be no time to fornicate. Sally at the salon balks at Joe's suggestion but instead claims that parents forcing their teen age daughter to have Depo Provera shots for birth control is the answer.

The RAND study also found that adolescents living in a two-parent household had a lower probability of pregnancy. Is that because maybe Dads really do matter? Perhaps all the radical dads out there encouraging daughters to participate in sports instead of chase boys really is a good thing. Does recommending parents staying together constitute discriminatory behavior since African-Americans, girls, and adolescents with behavioral problems had a higher likelihood of getting pregnant or impregnating someone according to the study?

Dr. Yolanda Wimberly, an assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at the Morehouse School of Medicine and the medical director for the Center for Excellence in Sexual Health. has the quote of the week. "You cannot expect to have a sexually saturated society with all of your media outlets, but then, at the same time, be surprised when this influences people and their behaviors." Just what does that mean, doc? If that were true, then as many of 25% of all marriage would not be "sexless marriages." Of course, that assumes that there are TVs in those households...

The days of relying on The Andy Griffith Show writer's to teach our children morals and values s over. Parents need to be parents. That includes discussing the risks of sex and suggesting safe sex when appropriate. RAND stop wasting time and money on the obvious. Instead, use the money to finance education programs and to begin redistributing the wealth like soon to be President Obama advocates. After all, The National Institutes of Health reported in July that teen pregnancies rose in the United States from 2005 to 2006 for the first time since 1991. With better parenting, this can be just a statistical anomaly.