Story here. Excerpt:

'An elderly woman convicted of killing her 85-year-old ex-boyfriend because she thought he was seeing another woman was granted a new trial Friday, more than two years after she was sentenced to life in prison.

A jury convicted 81-year-old Lena Driskell of killing Herman Winslow in 2005 at the Atlanta assisted living home where they had both lived, but her new attorneys argued that her defense team was ineffective.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville agreed, saying Driskell's previous lawyers didn't object to key testimony and didn't press for a charge of manslaughter, which carries a lesser sentence.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'Anibal and Vivian Crespo were divorced and rearing their children in the same household when they had a fight, and Vivian asked for a restraining order. Anibal was not charged with any crime, but the judge issued the restraining order, which banned Anibal from his own house and thereby separated him from his children.

Anibal made several good arguments that the New Jersey Prevention of Domestic Violence Act is unconstitutional. Judge Francis B. Schultz rejected most of those arguments, but he cited a long line of cases holding that "clear and convincing evidence" is required in order to take away fundamental rights, such as a parent's right over the care and custody of his children.
...
It's time to restore basic constitutional rights to husbands and fathers by repudiating the feminist agenda that considers men guilty unless proven innocent.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'Researchers also reported that women who have never married adopt children much more often than single men do. But overall, men adopt children at more than twice the rate women do, due largely to men marrying women with children from a previous relationship.
...
That's not really surprising, said Jeff Katz, a consultant on adoption and foster care issues who formerly headed a Rhode Island adoption agency.

"More women get custody of children in divorce cases, so after a divorce the mom is living with her kids and she meets a man, and they get married, and he adopts her children," Katz said.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'Remember back when the mere mention of his name would give you a white-hot jolt to the heart? The sound of his voice was like an exquisite punch to the gut? His hand brushed against yours, and you'd get a warm swelling in the heart region?

Yeah, well these days all you feel is sick to your stomach.

Though it seems most of us spend an inordinate time trying to get one, the truth is, once you land that boyfriend you've always wanted, you discover the truth --relationships can be a giant pain in the rear.
...
...Here are a few signs:
...
• Other times when he's talking, you imagine jamming your index finger into his eye socket."

Via Marc A.: Story here. Excerpt:

'The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday held that disparate residence requirements for unwed male and female citizens over the age of 14 who seek to transmit citizenship to a child born abroad to a non-citizen do not violate equal protection.
...
...the father must have resided in the United States for at least five years after his 14th birthday to confer citizenship on his child. In contrast, an out-of-wedlock child born abroad to a United States citizen mother had only to reside in the country for a continuous period of one year prior to birth...
...
[The appellate judge Pamela Ann Rymer] reasoned that the disparate treatment between mothers and fathers was justified because the government has a substantial interest in avoiding “stateless” children born to citizen mothers, and also a substantial interest in assuring a link between an unwed citizen father and the United States.

This is a rare opportunity to help with expanding the "acceptable dress" opportunities for men. Kilts have long been part of the formal and martial dress tradition of many countries. British troops, especially those from Scotland and Ireland, only stopped wearing kilts when WWI started because it was impractical to get through barbed wire with clothing that was loose. Since that time, few men outside parts of Scotland and Ireland wear kilts regularly despite their being extraordinarily comfortable and also more practical than pants in many circumstances.

Story here. Excerpt:

'When California police discovered an abused girl covered with scars nearly six years ago, they had no idea that the woman allegedly responsible for inflicting the torture was her mother — the friendly cashier they'd encountered at their local fast-food restaurant.

Greisy Valencia, a smiling Colombian immigrant who greeted law enforcement for years at fast-food drive-thrus in Hayward, Calif., hid a horrible secret, police said.
...
The children have been permanently placed in a home and are doing well, investigators said, but the trail to their mother, who is wanted on charges of torture, has run cold. Officials believe she may have fled the country.'

Story here. Excerpt:

'HOUSTON — A woman accused of kidnapping five children says she did so because their biological mother had threatened her life but now says she plans to surrender to police.

The Houston Chronicle reports 44-year-old Rhonda Tavey says she'll surrender today but no additional details were provided about the possible surrender.

Tavey and the children's mother Erica Alphonse tell different versions of events that led to police issuing an Amber Alert for the Houston children.

Tavey, who is white, said all she ever wanted was to do God's will and that she also took the children, who are black, for their own safety.'

Story here. Excerpt:

'Authorities launched a manhunt and issued an amber alert Wednesday for a pregnant woman who allegedly kidnapped her six children from her estranged husband's San Leandro, Calif., home and stole his van during a supervised visit.

The search is on for Enja Moore, 33, who is homeless and living in the Hayward, Calif., area, according to Alameda County Sheriffs Sgt. J.D. Nelson.

Just before midnight during a supervised visit, the father found that his estranged wife, six kids and van were all missing, Nelson told FOX News. He'd been in another part of the house when the children and his wife disappeared.'

MANN admins have been contacted by the producer of a widely-syndicated talk show asking for a possible interview candidate for their show *tomorrow*. This is very short notice indeed, but if you live in the New York City area or can get there by tomorrow and would like the chance to be interviewed on this topic, send an email note to MANN admins at admin-at-mensactivism.org, but you have to act fast!

Story here. Excerpt:

'Manji Yamada was born last month after eggs from an Indian donor were fertilised using the Japanese man's sperm and implanted in the womb of the surrogate Indian mother.

Her biological father split from his wife after the fertilisation process, and his former spouse no longer wants the baby.

In the absence of a surrogacy law in India, the child -- who is an Indian citizen -- will have to be adopted by her Japanese father Ikufumi Yamada, 45.

But Indian law does not allow the adoption of a girl by a single father, lawyers and doctors said.

"There is a legal complication as the father is alone and Indian adoption law says a single male can't adopt a girl," Sanjay Arya, the doctor who is looking after the baby, told AFP by phone from western Jaipur city.'

Anyone from India, do you know if single women are allowed to adopt children, in particular boys?

Video report here. Caption: "I was robbed up here of my right. My dignity was taken. My dignity. How would you feel if it happened to you?"

Her honor allegedly had her bailiff rub her feet, make her meals and spy on other court employees.

Video report here. Caption: "What the (bleep) are you doing in my apartment?"

Should there be an IQ test before people reproduce? I am beginning to wonder.

Story here. Excerpt:

"The supermum who holds down a demanding career while running the family home is falling out of favour, a high-powered academic report said yesterday.
...
Currently, most of the 2.9million children who live below the Government's poverty line come from two-parent families in which only the father works.

At the same time, Labour's flagship tax credits favour single parents over two-parent families in which the mother stays at home.

Professor Jacqueline Scott compared studies of attitudes to working mothers over the past 25 years and found that disillusionment has been escalating since the mid-1990s.'

Here's a real tragic story. Man, this is just stupidity compounded by negligence compounded with nothing short of evil. Excerpt:

"Katelynn Sampson, 7, looked as though she might have been abused for some time, police said Tuesday.
...
Ryan said when emergency workers found Katelynn's body in an apartment in the west-end neighbourhood of Parkdale, there was evidence the Grade 3 student had been sleeping on the floor and had been subject to poor living conditions that he did not want to discuss.
...
Katelynn's legal guardian, 29-year-old Donna Irving, has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the girl's slaying. Ryan confirmed that Irving has been charged and convicted of violent crimes in the past.
...
According to Ryan, Irving was granted sole custody of Katelynn in January, although she has had contact with the girl since May 2007.
...
Child services agencies are investigating whether they played any role in placing Katelynn in Irving's care, Ryan said."