July 2006

New York State Marriage Ruling: Further Details

The New York Court of Appeals today offered two main “rational” reasons why the Legislature could refuse to recognize same-sex marriage: Because opposite-sex couples can become parents as a result of accident or impulse, the state could find that “promoting stability in opposite-sex relationships will help children more.” The state could also find “that it […]

Breaking News: New York Court Uses Childbearing to Rule Against Guarantee of Same-Sex Marriage

The New York Court of Appeals this morning ruled that “the state Constitution does not guarantee a right to marriage for same-sex couples.” Even more infuriatingly, they used what I call the supposed “heterosexual-marriage childbearing privilege,” to do so, saying, “There are at least two grounds that rationally support the limitation on marriage that the

Martina Retires—But First, the Quarterfinals

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has announced that she’ll retire this year. Martina, who will turn 50 in October, has not yet decided on her last tournament, but insists, “It’s time.” She says she wants to spend more time at home, promoting her new book, and “devoting more time to her partner, her animals and her

The Benefits of Breast Milk

Two recent studies offer further support for the benefits of breast milk. One, appearing in this month’s Pediatrics magazine, claims that babies who are breast-fed for more than three months are less likely to become bedwetters. Non-bedwetters had also been breastfed for an average of three months longer than bedwetters. The researchers caution, however, that

New York Same-Sex Marriage Ruling Still Pending

No news yet on the New York State same-sex marriage ruling, although rumors were that it could have happened today. I’m guessing that even if the judges have decided amongst themselves, they may have held off an announcement because today’s news cycle was full of the North Korean missle test and Ken Lay’s death. Or

Activity Idea: Videotape Storytime

Here’s an easy activity idea: When grandparents, other relatives, or close friends come for a visit, videotape them reading stories to your child. You’ll soon compile a nice alternative to commercial videos for those times when your child insists on watching something. It’s a nice way to keep a family connection even when relatives live

Mombian Books: Badges

Last week, I launched the beta test of Mombian Books, a place where we can share recommendations of good books for and about our families. Because it’s a group effort, it will reflect a wider variety of books and viewpoints than a list compiled by one person. I’ve just created some Mombian Books badges you

Happy 4th of July!

Many of us in the U. S. will reflect today on the state of our country, and how well it upholds the historical ideals of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Many of us will conclude it comes up short under the current administration. Despite this, I do believe the American system is a

Sticks and Stones

My partner and I have always agreed not to allow toy guns (or real ones, for that matter) into our home. I’m not even sure our three-year-old knows what they are. An incident today, however, highlighted the hurdles we’re up against in raising a boy who will not glorify guns and violence. We were taking

Remember the Nightlight

As we head into prime vacation season, here’s a bit of advice if you’re staying at hotels with your kids. First, know that it’s often no more expensive to stay at a all-suite hotel than a single-room one. Having a “living room” space can be good if you don’t want to bed down at the

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