Fat Tuesday, Dr. Oz, Big Food, Ag-Gag and Agri-Torture, Buzz-Kill; Abortion and Birth Control, Obamacare, VA, Think of the Children, Psych; Gone Viral, Vax Populi

Fat Tuesday

• Court: Teacher Teasing Overweight Student Is Child Abuse
• House GOP wants to cut Michelle Obama's healthy school lunches: These Republicans come from the unhealthiest states
• State high court rules NYC ban on large sodas is illegal—Suck it, Bloomie.
• China to recruit 'more portly' soldiers with brainpower—"China's military relaxes height, eyesight and weight requirements for soldiers in effort to attract more educated personnel, newspaper says."

Dr. Oz

• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Dr. Oz and Nutritional Supplements
• Why Dr. Oz can say anything and keep his medical license
• A Snake Oil Salesman Alive and Well in Dr. Oz
• Twitter gets predictably snarky when Dr. Oz asks, "What are you eating that is Oz Approved"? Salon

Big Food

• Chipotle's anti-Big-Food ad wins Cannes PR award
• How the US Government Helps McDonald's Sell Junk Food—"The feds also helped bring you the Taco Bell Cantina Double Steak Quesadilla and several other fast-food gems."
• Hamburger Chef Jamie Oliver Proves McDonald's Burgers "Unfit for human consumption"
• Monsanto Tries to Patent & Control Natural, Non-GMO Tomatoes
• Whole Foods to pay $800,000 in overpricing case
• U.S. meat producers square off against consumer groups in request to peel back on labeling
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Letter of the Week -- POM Wonderful

Ag-Gag and Agri-Torture

• Undercover animal abuse videos could soon be outlawed
• Canada's Largest Dairy Farm Employees Accused Of Animal Cruelty
• The Abstinence Method—"Dutch farmers just say no to antibiotics for livestock." Gerbert Oosterlaken, owner of Hoeve de Hulsdonk farm, "believes the more you can see, the better."

Buzz-Kill

• Obama orders review of pesticides' effect on bees
• Pesticides threaten birds and bees alike, study says
• Pesticides linked to bee deaths must be banned, scientists say
• French scientists revive assault on pesticide, GM corn
• Study links pesticide exposure in pregnancy to autism

Abortion and Birth Control

• Supreme Court says employers with religious objections can refuse to pay for contraception
• Corporations Are People, And They Have More Rights Than You
• SCOTUS end of term: The Supreme Court’s conservatives are using the First Amendment as a weapon
• 'Supreme Court strikes down abortion clinic buffer zone
• Anti-abortion protesters take advantage of Supreme Court ruling
• Alabama Abortion Clinic Forced To Close Because Its Hallways Aren't Wide Enough
• The Rise of the DIY Abortion in Texas—"A pill that revolutionized reproductive rights in Latin America is now gaining ground on the black market in South Texas."

Obamacare

• McAuliffe Defies GOP: We're 'Moving Forward' With Obamacare Expansion
• Capitol police gave House clerks access to governor's office—"Father's Day budget delivery to the governor's secure suite of offices prompts protests from the administration, which alleged an 'unacceptable' security breach."
• Emails: GOP Secured Majority After VA Dem Promised Job, Phone And Car
• Analysis Shows GOP Fear-Mongering On Obamacare Premiums Is Probably Bogus
• Republicans Finally Admit Why They Really Hate Obamacare
• Here Is the Most Shameless Anti-Obamacare Argument Yet

VA

• White House report: Overhaul VA's 'corrosive culture' Politico
• Letters Claim Vets Were Mistreated At West Palm Beach VA
• Acton Vet Finally Gets VA Doctor's Appointment – 2 Years After He Died
• Obama to name new VA chief

Think of the Children

• Alaska to put free pregnancy tests in bars to curb fetal alcohol syndrome rate
• Is veganism child abuse?—"A mother is arrested for infant neglect after a hospital crisis that began with her veganism." Salon
• Meet the con man selling fake stem cell treatments to children—"Davide Vannoni is playing with people's lives, and the Italian government is paying for it."
• No, PETA, Cow Milk Does Not Cause Autism—"The group that brought you animal-fur horror stories has just launched a campaign claiming cow's milk causes autism. Hold on to your Cheerios, this one needs explaining."

Psych

• Cost of not caring: Stigma set in stone—"People with mental illness face prejudice and discrimination nearly everywhere they turn, from friends and employers and even insurance plans."
• Minnesota teen who planned school massacre: 'I think I'm really mentally ill'
• Stop Telling Your Depressed Friends to "Cheer Up"—"It's more helpful to express that their feelings are valid."

Gone Viral

• Untreatable virus spreading in the Caribbean now afflicts 4,600 LA Times
• Doctors Without Borders: Ebola 'out of control'—Experts say it's just the 'tip of the iceberg' and it's getting worse [WaPo].
• CDC: Up to 86 workers possibly exposed to anthrax

Vax Populi

• One unvaccinated child was patient zero of a measles epidemic
• Measles cases are spreading, despite high vaccination rates. What's going on?—In other news, Jenny allegedly-not-against-vaccinations McCarthy is no longer on 'The View'. WaPo
• First measles case in at least 6 years reported in Pierce County—"The case is connected to eight confirmed cases being investigated in South King County, all among members of the same extended family, officials said."
• Judge Upholds Policy Barring Unvaccinated Students During Illnesses NYT
• Ohio Amish begin vaccinations amid largest measles outbreak in recent U.S. history
• Blast from the Past: Fear and frustration dominated Somali community forum on measles, vaccines and autism

Happy Father's Day, Homme Videos; Paternity, Parenthood, Law and Disorder, Fake Rape, Sexual Assaults, Prison; Sperm, Penis, Circumcisions; Men, Teens; Male Fashion, Facial Hair

Happy Father's Day

• The Rise of the Single Dad—"More than 2.6 million households in America are headed by a single father."
• Growing number of dads home with the kids
• Lev Grossman on his daughter, Lily: How being a father ruined my life and made me a better writer.
• Terminally ill dad can't be there for daughter so gives her life's advice in one letter
• "Modern Family's" modern fathers: The decade's best sitcom is also its most important Salon

Homme Videos

• Baby Misses Dad's Beard
• Baby meets her dad's twin brother for the first time
• 40 year old tantrum

Paternity

• Nebraska high court again rules father's consent necessary for adoption
• Mother Can Exclude Father From Delivery Room, N.J. Judge holds
• Sports radio host Mike Francesca celebrates bad fathers everywhere, calls paternity leave a "scam"—"Your wife doesn't need your help the first couple of days." Salon

Parenthood

• Look-alike College Friends Discover They Are Sisters
• Rogue sperm donor may have fathered hundreds —Vince Vaungh, is that you?
• Judge rules Kan. sperm donor owes child support—Although "he signed a contract waiving his parental rights and responsibilities... the state contended the contract was moot because the parties didn't follow a 1994 Kansas law requiring a licensed physician to perform the artificial insemination when donors were involved."

Law and Disorder

• Male sex abuse reporting soars
• I was fired for denying lusty lady bosses: suit
• Nearly Half of Young Men Say They’ve Had 'Unwanted' Sex—"New study says it's possible for women to rape men: 18% of surveyed guys say women used physical force to make them have sex against their will."
• Chouteau man accused of shooting aunt claims he was tired of having sex with her in exchange for housing
• No jail time for Wausau woman accused of holding 2 men hostage, demanding sex
• Alexandra Rose Williams on good behaviour bond after in-flight bum grope
• Florida mom who had sex with teen son's friend gets asylum in Canada
• Judge questions why 'only the boy' is charged in underage sex case
• 17-year-old boy detained for 'exploiting' woman aged 21
• Tucker Carlson: We Have To 'Pretend' Boys Are Statutory Rape Victims

Fake Rape

• Angelina Jolie lookalike stabs man who refused sex—"Perijoc, who styles herself on Jolie's character in the movie 'Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,' was arrested on the scene and originally tried to claim she was the victim."
• Trainee barrister cried rape 11 times to avoid taking exams, court told—"Rhiannon Brooker, trainee lawyer, is accused of falsely claiming boyfriend repeatedly raped and assaulted her in attempt to dodge Bar exams."
• UA Student Arrested In False Sex Assault Report On Campus
• Jail for woman who told husband she had been raped to hide her affair
• Law graduate found guilty of falsely accusing former boyfriend of rape—A [Women Against Rape (War)] spokesperson said the prosecution of Brooker was 'completely disproportionate,' adding: 'Time and again we see police resources diverted from rape and put into prosecuting women instead.'" Don't you mean prosecuting liars?
• Minnesota Supreme Court reinstates charges against Billings woman accused of false rape claims

Sexual Assaults

• Retired Marine Reveals Secret Suffering of Male Military Rape Victims
• The 'Boys' in the Bunkhouse—"For decades, dozens of men with intellectual disabilities lived in an old schoolhouse and worked in a turkey plant. No one knew just what they endured." NT
• Boys 'rented out' for abuse at Salvation Army boys' home at Bexley in Sydney's south—Those who ran away got beaten up by police.
• Nathaniel Morales of Covenant Life Church convicted of sexually abusing young boys
• UK launches £500,000 fund to help male victims of rape and sexual abuse—"Minister says he wants to break silence on 'taboo' subject after crime survey estimates 72,000 men a year are victims."
• Male rape in America: A new study reveals that men are sexually assaulted almost as often as women

Prison

• Sex in men's prisons: 'The US system cultivates rape. If you treat people like animals, they behave like it'
• Sentenced to Wait: Efforts to End Prison Rape Stall Again—"The Prison Rape Elimination Act was passed in Washington 2003. It still hasn't been fully implemented."
• These 7 GOP Governors Are Refusing to Crack Down on Prison Rape. Now the Obama Administration Is Calling Them Out
• Meet the Vigilante Prisoner Who Beats Up Jail Rapists

Sperm

• Testicular time bomb: Older dads' mutant sperm
• The 6 most bizarre types of sperm found in nature—"You thought that 17-million-year-old sperm was weird? Well, it's in some very strange company." Salon
• Blast from the Past: Sperm-like cells created by scientists

Penis

• Penis politics: Sex, size and stereotypes in the gay community Salon
• Novi Man Discriminated Against For Big Penis, Tiny Speedo
• Exploiting Men's Insecurity About Their Penises Is a Terrible Way to Promote Vegetarianism
• For March Madness fans, vasectomy timing is everything
• 'Accidental Tyler Durden' as Fox news station KDVR airs penis picture during helicopter crash coverage
• Me and my codpiece
• Man accidentally shoots own penis, dies

Circumcisions

• New York Baby Infected With Herpes After Metzitza B'peh Circumcision Rite
• Sexually Transmitted Disease in Infants Following Ritual Circumcisions
• South Africa's dark secret: Botched circumcisions
• Circumcision rates declining in U.S., study says
• Circumcision Rates in the United States: Rising or Falling? What Effect Might the New Affirmative Pediatric Policy Statement Have?
• Penn & Teller: Bullshit on Circumcision
• College Humor: The Real Reason You're Circumcised

Men

• The Tortured Rise of the All-American Bro—"The misogynist portrait of modern American masculinity may be a historical accident. Here's how to fix it."
• Building a Bigger Action Hero—"A mere six-pack doesn't cut it in Hollywood anymore. Today's male stars need 5 percent body fat, massive pecs, and the much-coveted inguinal crease – regardless of what it takes to get there."
• Why Are Handsome Men Such Jerks?

Teens

• War on Boys
• Why teenage boys do stupid things
• More teen boys working as babysitters
• Confirmed: Teenage Boys Use Way, Way Too Much Body Spray
• Steroid Use Much Higher Among Gay and Bi Teen Boys

Male Fashion

• The worst men's grooming trends of all time
• Project Upgrade: Kevin Love—"We noticed Minnesota Timberwolves animal of a power forward Kevin Love has been looking a little shaggy lately. This season he's been playing the best ball of his career, so we called our go-to barber to give him a cut and a shave to match."
• How Men Can Fight Sexism by Wearing Very Short Shorts
• Why Are Guys Afraid to Wear Speedos?—"American men need to get over their Freudian fear of showing off their junk."

Facial Hair

• The Racially Fraught History of the American Beard
• Beard PhD
• Hipster wannabes get facial hair transplants
• Beard envy? Surgery may be the answer
• Mike Napoli says Elvis Andrus should shave off 'embarrassing' beard
• Beards Trim P&G's Sales as 'Movember' Fuels Hairy Look
• 10 Actors Who Improved with Mustaches
• Gillette Loses Its Way in Mustache Flap
• Hot gay daddies—NSFW video by Farenheit80.

World News, Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, UK and Scotland, China, Brazil 2014 and Qatar 2022, MH370; US Politics, Obamanation, Texas, War on Women, Immigrants; Vote Machinations, Campaign Finance Deform, Public-Private Partnerships

World News

• Thai junta pushes 'happiness' project—"Critics say rulers also aim to stifle political dissent." Boston Globe
• Alaa Abdel-Fattah, Icon Of Egypt's 2011 Revolt, Sentenced To 15 Years For Protesting
• Anti-monarchy protests grip Madrid—Spanish lawmakers about to approve abdication.

Ukraine and Russia

• Britain calls up Dad's Army of spies to watch Russia—"Military intelligence chiefs have been re-recruiting Cold War veterans and retired linguists because of a lack of Russian skills to deal with the Ukraine crisis."
• After Ukraine, U.S. trains more special forces in eastern Europe
• Gas row: Ukraine 'won't fall into Russian gas trap'
• Europe Has Finally Found A Way To Make Russia Hurt Economically In Ukraine Crisis
• EU raises 500 mn euros for Ukraine

Israel and Palestine

• Pope says Israelis, Palestinians must seek peace 'undaunted in dialogue'
• Annexation Plan Sparks Threat to Topple Israel Government—"sraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strongest coalition partner threatened to bring down the government if it tries to annex West Bank settlements following the breakdown of Mideast peace talks."
• Netanyahu Is Facing Heat From All Sides For His Handling Of Palestine Peace Talks

UK and Scotland

• JK Rowling donates £1m to Scotland's anti-independence campaign
• Obama says wants Scotland inside the UK, Britain inside the EU
• Lego asks government to remove Scottish independence images—"Toy manufacturer says it is politically neutral and did not provide photos for press release encouraging Scots to stay in UK."

China

• 2nd China Army Unit Implicated in Online Spying NYT
• Toronto man accused of spying, jailed in China—"A Toronto man living in China says he was wrongfully imprisoned after refusing to spy on Canada."
• Vietnam airs video of Chinese ship sinking fishing boat in South China Sea—In the meantime, Chinese oil rigs are on the move.
• Japan Slams China Over Close Encounter of Jets
• Ancient Chinese maps debunk Beijing's sea claims, says Philippine judge SCMP
• China reaches out to India amid tension with Japan, Vietnam
• Hong Kong must accept Beijing's control, China's Communist Party warns—"Nearly a week after more than 100,000 protesters gathered in Hong Kong to remember the Tiananmen crackdown and call for universal suffrage, Beijing issues controversial white paper reminding the former colony it does not enjoy 'full autonomy.'" Hong Kong protests.

Brazil 2014 and Qatar 2022

• Protests and social unrest threaten World Cup kickoff—Police resort to tear gassing protesters.
• Court rules Sao Paulo subway strike 'illegal'—"Workers must pay increased daily fine if they continue action as strike threatens opening game of Brazil World Cup." The union called it off.
• Fifa sponsor demands 'appropriate investigation'—"One of Fifa's main sponsors, Sony, calls for an investigation into the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar."
• Adidas: Qatar 2022 Claims Damaging Sponsors
• Report: Qatar paid $1.7m per vote
• Sepp Blatter launches broadside against the 'racist' British media
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: FIFA and the World Cup

MH370

• Missing Malaysia jet MH370: 'Whistleblower fund' set up
• Oil rig worker fired after claiming to have seen burning MH370 plane crash
• Australia has spent far more than Malaysia

US Politics

• Eric Cantor succumbs to tea party challenger Tuesday—"The House Republican leader succumbs to David Brat, a little-known conservative activist." What happened? WaPo
• Eric Cantor and the tea party purge WaPo
• Wendy Davis Caught On Camera Saying Republicans Dislike 'People Who Don't Look Like Them'
• The Big Lobotomy—"How Republicans made Congress stupid."
• Does Fox News Cause Ignorance, or Do Ignorant Viewers Prefer Fox News?—"A new study reveals the gap between the channel's fans and the rest of America."
• Why I'm No Longer a Republican

Obamanation

• Sen. Graham fights for Obama's impeachment—"Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., will fight for Obama's impeachment. Why--he's up for re-election."
• Is Obama a Tyrant or a Weakling?—"His critics can't seem to decide." Politico
• White House Aides: Bergdahl Criticism Is Proxy for GOP's Obama Hatred

Texas

• Texas GOP splits between social conservatives, libertarians
• Young Republicans Reject Current Texas GOP Platform—"Current and former leadership of the state's Young Republican chapters shared with Breitbart Texas their frustrations with the current Texas Republican platform, and ideas for how it should be fixed."
• Chris Matthews rips Texas Republican platform: 'How wide is this infection of hatred?'

War on Women

• Sarah Palin believes she is the only actual victim of the "war on women"—"Palin thinks President Obama 'fired the first shot' in the 'war on women' that she doesn't believe even exists." Salon
• Republicans think touching Glamour magazine makes them female-friendly Salon
• WaPo Editorial Page Goes Neanderthal For Second Time In A Week

Immigrants

• Arizona Official Says Immigrant Kids in Good Care
• Questions surround surge in migrant kids left at border
• Obama vows urgent action as children make perilous illegal journey into U.S.
• McCain: GOP must pass immigration to compete in 2016—"Without immigration reform, the former presidential candidate says, the Republican Party won't win in 2016."
• Supreme Court rules against immigrants over visa eligibility
• Woman Waits In Line For 21 Years To Immigrate Into US, Then Gets Turned Away For Being Too Old
• Opinion: On Legal Immigration, Supreme Court Gets It Wrong

Vote Machinations

• Texas Seen as "Kind of an Electoral Wasteland"
• Judge Orders 3 Early Voting Days Restored in Ohio
• Why Mississippi's voter ID law hurts the poor—"Mississippi's new voter-identification law suppresses those who cannot afford the cost of a photo ID, writes Robert Reich. How is Mississippi's effort to stop voter fraud is actually a step back?"
• Voter Fraud Is Rare, but Myth Is Widespread—"Many people believe voter impersonation and other kinds of election fraud are much more widespread than they really are." NYT
• Tea Party Candidate Creates Fake Organization, Endorses Herself In Ad
• Sen. Cruz Formally Renounces Canadian Citizenship

Campaign Finance Deform

• NC House lawmakers file resolution calling for constitutional convention to overturn Citizens United
• Republican Congressman Demolishes The Supreme Court's Rationale For Killing Campaign Finance Laws
• Don't fear the Koch brothers. Fear an election that caters only to billionaires—"Forget right or left. Dark money in politics means you'll never know which 'independent' candidate's views were on the market."

Public-Private Partnerships

• Va. lawmaker to resign, paving way for jobs for self, daughter, according to associates—"Sen. Philip Puckett's resignation paves the way for Republicans to pass a budget without Medicaid." Was this straight-up bribery? WaPo
• GOP Rep. Acknowledges That Members Expect Donations For Votes
• Greenhouse—"A free browser extension for Chrome and Safari that exposes the role money plays in Congress. Displays on any web page detailed campaign contribution data for every Senator and Representative, including total amount received and breakdown by industry and by size of donation."

Marriage Equality, Politics and Media, Homophobia, TG; Sex Abuse Scandal, Church and State, Religion; War on Women, Sexism, Abortion and Birth Control, Culture Clash, Rape

Marriage Equality

• South Dakota Couples Challenge Gay Marriage Ban
• North Dakota's same-sex marriage ban to be challenged WaPo
• GOP Congressman Comes Out In Favor Of Marriage Equality
• Gay Marriage Will Destroy the GOP—"If conservatives don't embrace the inevitable, they'll become irrelevant." Politico
• Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi: Gay Marriage Would Cause Harm
• Kan. Democrat who opposes same-sex marriage leaving party for GOP
• Mormon Family That Supported Prop 8 Discovers Their Son Is Gay

Politics and Media

• Obama Proclaims June LGBT Pride Month, Calls Out Congress For 'Injustice' Of Not Passing ENDA
• Anti-Gay Houston Official Threatens To Recall Mayor If Bill Prohibiting Discrimination Passes—Will he push through with it now that it has passed?
• Republican Gay Rights Groups Denied Booths At Texas GOP Convention
• Gay Republican congressional candidate's California office vandalized
• GOP Michigan Guv Backs LGBT Workplace Protections
• Out Gay Pennsylvania Republican Loses GOP Primary, But Will Remain On The Ballot As A Democrat
• Fighter Alex Reid: 'Sex with men doesn't make you gay or bisexual, just like a cigarette doesn't make you a smoker'
• Anderson Cooper on show host who called airing Sam kiss 'wrong'
• Robert De Niro opens up about gay father in 'Out': 'I wish we had spoken about it much more'
• Obamacare Is the Most Important Piece of Gay Rights Legislation Ever Passed

Homophobia

• Mistakenly believing one of them to be gay, two homophobes attack each other
• Couple says they were asked not to come back to East Texas restaurant because they are gay—"Here at Big Earl's we like for men to act like men and for ladies to act like ladies, so we want you to never return."
• Slovak parents fail to block adoption by gay couple
• Aiding Turkey's Gay Inmates—"Ankara's proposal to segregate gay, lesbian and transgender prisoners will do more harm than good." NYT

TG

• What Is This Child Doing in Prison?—"The transgender teenager needs treatment, not isolation." NYT
• Ban lifted on Medicare coverage for sex change surgery WaPo
• Parents make heartwarming tribute to 6-year-old transgender son
• Transgender tipping point: Laverne Cox on the cover of TIME

Sex Abuse Scandal

• Pope Francis to meet with sexual abuse victims
• UN Panel Slams Vatican on Priest Sex-Abuse Scandal
• Archbishop of Manila has been at forefront of sex-abuse scandal reforms
• Australia: Department defends claims sexual abuse commission funding redirected to insulation inquiry
• Protestant Church Faces New Sex-Abuse Scandal as Victims Defy Threats, Censorship to Speak Out

Church and State

• Virginia county board says no followers of 'pre-Christian deities' allowed to deliver prayers
• After Possible Church/State Violation, Mayor Allegedly Tells Atheist: "Take Me to Fucking Court because I Don't Care"
• Sudan to release woman facing death penalty for being Christian—"A Sudanese official says that Meriam Ibrahim will be released from prison. She was raised a Christian by her mother but a court ruled earlier this month that she is Muslim because that was her father's faith. She was sentenced to death by hanging for renouncing Islam."

Religion

• Investigators reveal alleged suicide note, suspect cites recent bible verse
• Evil cult beat woman to death at Chinese McDonalds
• Spies, Cash, and Fear: Inside Christian Money Guru Dave Ramsey's Social Media Witch Hunt—"When critics appeared online, employees say the evangelical financial whiz went ballistic, allegedly firing innocent employees and offering bounties for information."

War on Women

• Limbaugh: Hillary's 'Only And Greatest Achievement' Is 'Being Female'
• Why Jill Abramson's Firing Triggers Women's Worst Fears About Sexism
• National Review Writer: Liberals 'Brainwash' Women To Cry 'Rape'..

Sexism

• Scout Willis topless Instagram protest: Daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore rallies against female nudity policy
• Restaurant Responds to Review Requesting Servers 'Show Some Skin' In Clever Way
• Snapchat CEO 'mortified' by leaked e-mails—"In the e-mails, acquired by Gawker's Valleywag blog, Evan Spiegel encourages fellow Kappa Sigma members to get sorority women drunk enough to have sex, mocks another fraternity by suggesting its members are gay and refers to a different group of sorority members as 'sororisluts.'"

Abortion and Birth Control

• "There is so much shame": Emily Letts on why she filmed her abortion — and what happened next—"Emily Letts' abortion video became a viral sensation. Here's what she was thinking -- and the best reaction she got." Saon
• Commissioners reject KDHE grant—"Price said the long-term form of birth control, an intrauterine device, or IUD, which the grant would fund, was an abortion issue. 'I'm not very smart on this because I'm just a man. But I'm against it,' Price said. He said he was acting on the advice of two physicians." Emphasis mine.
• Things are about to go from bad to worse in Oklahoma: Governor signs off on Texas-style abortion restrictions—"An admitting privilege requirement threatens to leave one clinic to serve 3.8 million people." Salon
• Texas Ed Board Candidate Who Fathered Child at 16: Supports Ten Commandments, Opposes Sex Ed in Schools
• What If We Admitted to Children That Sex Is Primarily About Pleasure?
• Update on SC sex-ed law closer to passage
• Schools return 'suggestive' condoms
• School District To Allow Teachers To Give Condoms To Sixth-Grade Students

Culture Clash

• Pregnant Pakistani woman stoned to death by family—"I killed my daughter as she had insulted all of our family by marrying a man without our consent, and I have no regret over it." Jeebus.\
• Egyptian doctor to stand trial for female genital mutilation in landmark case—"Raslan Fadl, a doctor in a Nile delta village, is accused of killing 13-year-old schoolgirl Sohair al-Bata'a in a botched operation."
• Man killed wife for making vegetarian dinner: prosecutors—"Defense attorney Julie Clark admitted Hussain beat his wife — but argued that he is guilty of only manslaughter because he didn't intend to kill her. In Pakistan, Clark said, beating one's wife is customary."
• Iranian actress Leila Hatami faces public flogging—"Iranian court is asked to order the public flogging of award-winning actress Leila Hatami for greeting Cannes festival president with a kiss."

Rape

• Marital rape is officially legal in India—"A judge in India has officially confirmed that rape laws do not apply to married couples — once you’re legally wed, forced sex is no longer a crime."
• Young Widow to Be Caned After Gang Rape by Sharia Vigilantes—"A 25 yr. old Indonesian widow in Aceh will be caned under sharia law for having an affair. She was gang raped by sharia vigilantes."
• 2 dalit sisters gang-raped, bodies found hanging from tree
• Malaysian teenager gang-raped by 38 men

Snowden; Santa Barbara Massacre, Guns; Comply! Incarcerating Kids, Rape, Bullying; Racism; Religion; I Was Told There Would Be No Math, That's Un-Possible, Educamation; Commencement, Graduation; Law and Disorder

Snowden

• Edward Snowden interview: breaking law was only option, says whistleblower—Watch the interview.
• Edward Snowden: I was a high-tech spy for the CIA and NSA—"Fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden has described himself as a trained spy specialising in electronic surveillance, dismissing claims he was a mere low-level analyst."
• In NBC interview, Snowden says NSA watches our digital thoughts develop
• NSA Releases Email Snowden Sent Before Leaks

Santa Barbara Massacre

• The 'Twisted World' Elliot Rodger Lived In
• Are 'pick-up artists' to blame for Isla Vista shooting?
• Facebook removes page glorifying Isla Vista killer
• Seth Rogen, Judd Apatow blast journalist who suggested their films inspired Elliot Rodger 51
• Tech exec fired for comments about California killer
• Fox News analyst retracts theory about California killer's sexuality—"On a Fox News show Dr. Robi Ludwig wondered if a 22-year-old Californian killed six because women were taking men away from him [Salon]."

Guns

• Victim's Dad Blames Deadly Rampage On NRA, Politicians—"They talk about gun rights. What about Chris's right to live?"
• Father of victim in Santa Barbara shootings to politicians: 'I don't care about your sympathy.' WaPo
• California GOPer Sent Out Pro-Gun Robocall Day After Massacre
• CNN Guest Shames Anchor For Banning Gun Control Talk After Calif. Mass Shooting
• Joe the Plumber: The real victim of Santa Barbara shootings would be me losing my guns
• How the Gun Nuts Try to Excuse Away the Santa Barbara Slaughter—and Why They're All Wrong—"The firearms fanboys have been more creative than usual, scrambling to defend their precious weapons in the wake of the massacre in Santa Barbara. It's only made their excuses lamer."

Comply!

• Second Grader Written Up for 'Seeing' Gun in the Clouds
• Community sounds off after school punishes boy for refusing to stand for pledge
• New York Teacher Tells Atheist Student She's Unpatriotic and Disrespectful for Refusing to Stand for the Pledge
• Students Allegedly Threatened With Suspension To Stop Them From Protesting Pennsylvania's Governor
• Students rebel, police called after 170 high school students suspended for dress code: reports—"Police were called to Duncanville High School in Texas Wednesday to help mitigate the chaos as packs of students were seen on video allegedly throwing food and at least one trash can, myfoxdfw reported."
• Mother wants answers after teenage daughter's armpits were shaved by teacher—"I spoke to the teacher the very next day and she told me that she has the right to do it, it's part of the curriculum."
• Boardman Schools to begin drug testing students

Incarcerating Kids

• Arresting Children Is Now Commonplace in America—"Putting police in schools was supposed to make kids safer, but instead it's resulted in a children and teens being handcuffed."
• Why Are Kids Being Tried in Kangaroo Courts?—'Juvenile courts across the country deny young defendants the constitutional right to an attorney."
• Ohio agrees to reform, eventually eliminate juvenile solitary confinement—"Under the agreement with the DOJ, Ohio will provide mental health treatment rather than rely on solitary confinement."

Rape

• Schoolgirl Punished for Reporting Rape by Fellow Student
• Ohio schools chief accused of destroying evidence—"The superintendent of the eastern Ohio district where two high school football players were found guilty of rape in a high-profile case last year wiped computer hard drives, erased emails and lied to investigators about his knowledge of the allegations against the boys, newly released court documents say."
• Duke student, expelled after sex assault claim, sues for degree

Bullying

• Calif. mom accused of assaulting boy over bullying daughter—"A Northern California woman is facing charges that she grabbed a 12-year-old boy by the throat while confronting him about bullying her daughter, authorities said Sunday."
• Carson moves to criminalize bullying for children as young as 5
• California mayor sparks outrage by telling bullying victims to 'grow a pair'—"The mayor was responding to a student program proposing safe zones around town with signs directing children to places where they could seek refuge from bullies."

Racism

• Academe, an academic blog, reveals common prejudice among professors against white, rural students.
• 'Hump Day' event cancelled after students claim bringing a camel to campus was racist—"Students at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota have cancelled an event to celebrate the end of the year after complaints that bringing a camel on campus could offend those of Middle Eastern cultures."
• The Real Origins of the Religious Right—"They'll tell you it was abortion. Sorry, the historical record's clear: It was segregation."

Religion

• Narconon: Misleading antidrug program back in public schools—Scientology crap.
• Lawsuit claims teachers indoctrinated teens into religious cult
• Why Does This Public High School Football Team in Georgia Have an Official Pastor?
• Christian prayers violated Buncombe school policy
• A Winfield Tradition Comes To An End—"[T]he board of education says they've gotten complaints that McCoy's speeches contain too many religious references, and violate the Supreme Court ruling banning prayer in public schools." Thank FSM.

I Was Told There Would Be No Math

• Think the climate change fight is tough? What about the 17th century fight over math? LATimes
• 2+2=What? Parents rail against Common Core math—"Stacey Jacobson-Francis, 41, of Berkeley, California, said her daughter's homework requires her to know four different ways to add." Who came up with this shit?
• US 'in denial' over poor maths standards

That's Un-Possible

• Florida Lawmaker: Common Core Will Turn 'Every One Of Your Children' Gay
• Company rescinds Ohio man's job offer after learning he was home schooled
• Cole Middle School Cancels Honors Night—"Citing concerns about the "exclusive nature" of the annual honors night at Archie R. Cole Middle School, school officials have decided to scrap the tradition."

Educamation

• Group temporarily withdraws, modifies report accusing U of administrative bloat
• Elementary School 'Pay to Potty' Rule Outrages Parents—Technically monopoly money, and it was girl's decision not to go, but bathroom breaks shouldn't have been part of the prize/price list.
• Study: Black college grads have double the unemployment rate
• America's college students are graduating more indebted than ever
• Deck is stacked against millennials

Speeches

• Commencement meltdown– students are wisely rejecting elite authority
• Haverford College commencement speaker lambastes students
• Charlie Day's Commencement Speech Is the Only One You Need to Hear
• Blast from the Past: Fairness, idealism and other atrocities Commencement advice you're unlikely to hear elsewhere.

Graduation

• Florida high school charging $200 for 'premium' graduation seats
• Ridgewood to withhold diplomas pending class apology—The school has reversed their decision. The superintendent had blogged: "Perhaps it is the final lesson they will take away from high school: there are consequences for behaviors in life."
• Teen Threatened With Graduation Ban For Yearbook Quote
• Arizona high school dedicates yearbook pages to pregnant students
• Students upset to discover yearbook photos were altered to show less skin

Law and Disorder

• Teen tied to shopping cart drowns in Georgia lake
• Peace Sign Stolen From Conn. Playground Honoring Sandy Hook Victim Grace McDonnell
• Man with guns at BU commencement held on high bail
• Student charged with felony via hand sanitizer—"A 14-year-old has been arrested, accused of trying to poison his teacher with hand sanitizer."
• Dear Prudence: I made my teacher lose her job by saying she hurt me.

Bad Mother's Day, Law and Disorder, Mom, #BringBackOurGirls; Abortion and Birth Control, Rape; War on Women; Net Neutrality, FCC, Comcast-TWC Merger

Bad Mother's Day

• Police: Mom was having sex while kids died in hot car
• French mother who held child down as he was raped is handed 20 year prison sentence—"Sabrina Bonner held down her four-year-old son as he was attacked by his stepfather."
• Oviedo mom gets 54 years in prison for sexually abusing her children
• Mom Pleads Guilty To Burning Off 18-Year-Old Son's Penis, Nipples With Lighter
• Mom superglued injured son's genitals
• Trial begins for woman in pregnant friend's killing, theft of fetus—She's been found guilty.
• Court papers: Woman faked pregnancy, stole baby

Law and Disorder

• Pregnant Mom Caught On Video Driving Minivan Into Ocean With Her 3 Kids Inside
• Police: Maryland mom kills 2 of her children during attempted exorcism
• Woman arrested after son's body parts identified
• Mother gets 20 years for infant's death due to 'negligent breastfeeding'
• 7 Babies Found Dead in Utah Home; Woman Arrested

Mom

• Woman Accused Of Lying To Son About Cancer Faces Child Abuse Charge
• Mom exercising with son kicked out of LA Fitness gym
• Dear Prudence: The worst mothers-in-law, and why they have such a bad reputation.

#BringBackOurGirls

• 'I will sell them,' Boko Haram leader says of kidnapped Nigerian girls
• Hundreds of Nigerian Girls Are Missing. Fox News Blames Hillary Clinton.
• 'Dear world, your hashtags won't #BringBackOurGirls'—"Thanks for your concern but calling for America rather than Nigeria to take action does more harm than good, says Jumoke Balogun."
• Amnesty International claims Nigerian military knew Boko Haram was going to attack the school where 200 girls were abducted
• US Marines, Satellite locate missing girls in Sambisa forest #bringbackourgirls

Abortion and Birth Control

• Google removes "deceptive" pregnancy center ads—"NARAL Pro-Choice America has successfully campaigned for the removal of ads for "crisis pregnancy centers" that falsely advertised abortion services." WaPo
• Yahoo yanks anti-abortion ads for violating its policies—"After Google wiped several ads that discouraged women from having abortions because they violated the company's advertising policies, Yahoo now does the same."
• Mississippi May Become the First State Since Roe v. Wade to Be Without a Single Abortion Provider
• For Tennessee Lawmakers, Punishing Pregnant Women Is More Important Than Protecting Fetal Life
• Texas Is Permanently Shutting Abortion Clinics and the Supreme Court Can't Do Anything About It

Rape

• Dallas Rape Crisis Center Would Prefer That Judge Not Send Rapist to Volunteer There
• Afghan couple hack off nose, ears in revenge attack—"Afghan police have arrested the parents of a 14-year-old girl after they attacked a religious cleric and cut off his nose and ears in retaliation for what they say were a series of sexual attacks on their daughter."
• 15-year-old sexually molested in Highlands Regional Medical Center ICU

War on Women

• Limbaugh: Men can reinvent themselves, women can't: Column
• Michele Bachmann's Crazy War on Women's History—"She's on her way out of Washington, she's still championing lost causes so extreme her GOP colleagues won't even get on board."
• MSNBC Producer: Dems Hope GOP Reignites 'War on Women' by Grilling Hillary on Benghazi

Net Neutrality

• Why You Should Care About Net Neutrality—"It's not just about Network Neutrality. It's about power."
• Net Neutrality, Monopoly, and the Death of the Democratic Internet
• Huge coalition led by Amazon, Microsoft, and others take a stand against FCC on net neutrality'
• Sen. Franken spearheads a major campaign to save net neutrality
• Talk of an Internet Fast Lane Is Already Hurting Some Startups—"Some VCs say the FCC's latest net neutrality proposal will raise costs for startups that need fast connections or use a lot of bandwidth."
• U.S. 'net neutrality' plan faces heat from venture capitalists
• Losing Net Neutrality Is The Symptom, Not The Problem: Now Is The Time To Focus On Real Competition
• AT&T claims common carrier rules would ruin the whole Internet—"AT&T is just spouting "scary mumbo-jumbo," net neutrality proponent says."

FCC

• Why the FCC Is Ditching Net Neutrality—"Charts: The 'open internet' is no match for revolving doors and buckets of cash."
• The Solution to the F.C.C.'s Net-Neutrality Problems—"If F.C.C. Chairman Tom Wheeler sticks with his new net-neutrality plan, he could become infamous for killing the open Internet."
• Web host gives FCC a 28.8Kbps slow lane in net neutrality protest—"NeoCities finds FCC's internal IP block, throttles connections to dial-up speed." And you can do it too.
• F.C.C. Commissioner Asks for Delay on New Net Neutrality Rules—Wheeler isn't keen on that. NYT
• FCC chairman sounds like a broken record in response to tech coalition's net neutrality concerns
• The FCC can't handle all the net neutrality calls it's getting, urges people to write emails instead—Don't let up the pressure.

Comcast-TWC Merger

• House Republicans Say Comcast Merger Risks Undue Sway on Channels NYT;
• Sen. Franken: Comcast can't have it both ways
• Why Comcast's $10 a month Internet isn’t all it's cracked up to be WaPo
• Comcast is the one who should pay for network connections, Cogent claims—"Hearing on Comcast/Time Warner Cable merger brings up competition complaints."
• Why Starting A Competitor To Comcast Is Basically Impossible

Marriage Equality, Cases; Schools; Latta, Intolerance, LGBT; War on Women, Abortion and Birth Control; Religion, Think of the Children

Marriage Equality

• Republican Activists Push Party On Gay Marriage
• Illinois GOP Replaces Officials Who Opposed Chairman On Gay Marriage
• Nauseating political cynicism led to inspiring gay marriage triumph—"A new book details how Obama's evolution on marriage equality was orchestrated. It's sickening -- but encouraging." Salon
• Idaho Won't Allow Lesbian Veteran To Be Buried With Her Wife
• Stop twisting the Bible: There is no message against same-sex marriage—"Moses and Paul are being misinterpreted: They were against gang rape and pederasty, not loving relationships." Salon
• Blast from the Past: Wrestler "Stone Cold" Steve Austin Body-Slams Marriage Equality Critics

Cases

• Judge: Indiana Must Recognize Gay Couple's Marriage
• 10th Circuit arguments on gay marriage ban focus on family, fairness
• Ted Olson: Va. gay marriage ban 'flatly unconstitutional'
• Prop 8 lawyer's views on gay marriage evolving
• Italian Court Recognizes Gay Marriage for First Time
• Malta: Same sex unions approved - Celebrations in Valletta - Opposition abstains because of adoptions

Schools

• College basketball player comes out as gay
• Best Protest Ever: Students Walk Out During Anti-Gay Lecture, Leaving Room All but Empty
• Law society rejects school over gay policy—"Ontario's law society has refused to accredit a new law school at a faith-based university over a policy prohibiting same-sex intimacy that some say is discriminatory."
• Publicly funded school with anti-gay policy spurs Alberta review—"Alberta's education minister faced questions today about why tax dollars are going to a school with anti-gay policies."
• Religious Oregon teens wear 'Gay Is Not OK' shirts to school to protest lack of 'straight day'
• Washington school district will hire gay administrator forced out of Catholic school
• Trans teacher reinstated by school board following parent complaints

Latta

• Mayor Who Fired Lesbian Police Chief Caught On Tape In Homophobic Tirade—"I would much rather have.. and I will say this to anybody's face… somebody who drank and drank too much taking care of my child than I had somebody whose lifestyle is questionable around children."
• Latta council fights for chief's job—"Mayor refuses to discuss police leader's dismissal before a packed meeting."
• South Carolina town rallies 'round fired gay police chief

Intolerance

• Tea Party Activist: 'Gay Supremacy Is Becoming A Monster That Carries Greater Evils Than White Supremacy Ever Did'
• Boy Scouts of America Shuts Down Seattle Troop Over Gay Scoutmaster
• Man gets 2 1/2 years for beating disabled brother to 'push the gay out'
• Brunei's new law permits stoning gay people to death
• Mistrust and Hate: The Frightening New Lives of Homosexuals in Uganda
• Serial Killer Arrested For Killing Gay Men In Pakistan
• For young women in China, slash fanfiction is a dangerous hobby

LGBT

• A frat boy's "gay experience"—"I always considered myself straight. What happened with Tom left me questioning everything about my sexuality." Salon
• Artist Creates Unique Portrait of Tom Daley to Combat Hate
• It's Not Just Frozen: Most Disney Movies Are Pro-Gay—"By preaching acceptance and questioning gender, the company's kids films offer a queer-studies crash course."
• Gun Barrel City mayor promises end to police surveillance of gay bar Garlow's
• Chelsea Manning: A Statement on My Legal Name Change

War on Women

• Chelsea Clinton's pregnancy gives birth to new conspiracies—"The news that Hillary Clinton is to become a grandmother has prompted questions about her ability to run for presidency. It's breathtaking sexism."
• Mitch McConnell Says He Stood Up for Women in a Senate Sexual-Harassment Scandal. The Real Story Is Damning.—"McConnell claims he led a 1995 investigation against a GOP senator accused of sexual misconduct. Actually, he took steps to keep it quiet."
• Prominent Republican: Women Need To Be Paid Less So They Can Find Husbands
• GOP Lawmaker Says Women Don't Deserve Equal Pay Because They're Lazier
• GOP Candidate: I'm Not Waging A War On Women Because I'm A Woman

Abortion and Birth Control

• North Dakota abortion ban ruled unconstitutional
• Lawsuit: Texas Hospital Caved to Anti-Abortion Activists' Demands
• Virginia GOPer: Incest exceptions in abortion restrictions unnecessary because sometimes incest is "voluntary"—"Asked to defend the remark, the delegate said, 'I don't care. ... if I say something in public, I say it in public.'" Salon
• South Carolina Bill Wants to Apply 'Stand Your Ground' Law to Fetuses
• Tennessee legislature passes bill to criminalize pregnancy: Women who have stillbirths after using illegal drugs may be charged
• The secret anti-abortion law that's sweeping America—"Pro-lifers can't reverse Roe v Wade. So they're shutting down clinics with red tape and a smile. Don't believe the lie."
• Nearly one-third of morning-after pills in Peru are fake

Religion

• Popes John Paul II and John XXIII made saints in double canonisation
• Pope Francis 'told divorced and remarried woman there is nothing wrong with her taking Communion', Italian newspaper says
• Britain in post-Christian era, says former archbishop of Canterbury—"Lord Williams says time of habitual worship is over and further decline of widespread faith likely in UK."
• "A Masturbation Lawsuit Is Rattling Christian Homeschoolers—"The sexual abuse lawsuit against 'Biblical Patriarchy' leader Doug Phillips is dividing Christian homeschoolers."
• Army approves 'humanist' as religious preference
• Court upholds ban on religious services in NYC public schools
• Shakespeare and atheism: What his works tell us about the playwright's religious views

Think of the Children

• Pope Francis asks forgiveness for child abuse by clergy
• Couple accused in death of daughter, 12, seek to exclude mention of faith healing
• 'Baptism is a crime against children': ECHR
• 'Muslim morality squads' accused of confiscating students' Easter eggs in U.K.
• SC Republican wants to end public schools: Nothing 'in the Bible about state education'
• W. Va. School Removes Bible Verse after Complaint
• US school's Bible class: Sinners will suffer