The American Heart Association has just updated its guidelines for CPR, making the process easier to learn and do, even for those with minimal training. It’s my opinion that anyone with kids, or anyone with childcare responsibilities, should be certified in CPR. If you took a course in preparation for your child’s birth, and your […]
Blogging Baby reports today on some new statistics about lesbian and gay couples in the Netherlands. The number of such couples either married or in a registered partnership is on the rise, although they comprise just over 1% of all cohabiting couples in the country. While about 9% of such couples have children, this represents
One of the advantages of hosting Thanksgiving this year was that my parents stayed for a few days to help babysit. My partner and I were able to run some errands, including a trip to IKEA, our favorite home-furnishing store. IKEA is fun with kids, too—in fact, it’s one of the most kid-friendly stores that’s
A bit of quick fun for the holiday: Take a moment to participate in the poll on the right and help me solve the age-old question: Is it “Itsy-Bitsy Spider” or “Eensy-Weensy Spider”? Posts here will be sporadic the rest of the week until my extended family has departed. Have a great Thanksgiving, if you’re
Those of you cooking turkeys this holiday season may want to read these tips from Catherine Cutter of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, on how to avoid Salmonella, Campylobacter, and other bacteria-borne illnesses while preparing and serving the big bird and associated trimmings. If you’re of the vegetarian persuasion, or are hosting vegetarians or
An Arkansas state appellate court is now reviewing a law that bans foster parents from having “adult homosexuals” in their households. The law was struck down last year, but the state is appealing the decision. What amuses me here is the attached definition of a “homosexual” as “any person who voluntarily and knowingly engages in
World Against Toys Causing Harm (W.A.T.C.H.) yesterday issued its annual 10 Worst Toys list for 2005. The list contains expected items, like paintball shooters, but also stuffed ponies and baby dolls of certain brands. Take a look, just in case.
Ever wonder why there are no colored bubbles? If you have kids, chances are you’ve played with bubble solutions that shimmer and shine, but which are basically clear. Bubbles in a solid hue, however, are a non-trivial problem in chemistry. Until recently, no one had created one. This didn’t deter inventor Tim Kehoe, however, and
After the last post, I thought you might want something uplifting: Research presented last week at the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting indicates that sweets relieve stress. This may not be news to many of us, but now we know why it works: sweets cause the body to produce lower levels of glucocorticoid stress hormones.
Same-sex couples can’t marry in Georgia, but children can, as long as they have unprotected premarital sex and conceive a child. This nearly forgotten Georgia law came to light last week when a 37-year-old woman was arrested for having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy. The woman had wed the boy several days before,
