NYTimes reports on the latest incarnation of we-deserve-it-all-and-our-way-too feminism. MRAs and fathers could take a lesson: organization and collective action are the key to successful lobbying. Alas the sad truth is that it doesn't matter if you're right or wrong, if what you want is fair or not to someone else-- squeaky wheels get the grease... and the money, and the attention, etc., etc. Of course it also helps to have chivalry working for you, too. Excerpt:

'A generation of mothers who are largely perceived as postfeminist in every way, from sex to economic discrimination, has begun a consciousness-raising that is almost old-fashioned were it not for the technology involved. Raised to believe that girls could accomplish anything, these women have reached parenthood, only to find they faced many of the same pay, equity and work-family balance issues that were being fought over decades before. From that awakening, they say, has come the inkling of a new movement.

It is with a deep sense of gratitude I can report that HB 704, to renew the NH Commission on the Status of Men (CSM), passed its first test with flying colors. The CSM is due to expire in September of this year, and this bill extends it indefinitely. The bill passed the House Executive Departments and Administration Committee on Thursday with a 15-to-1 vote in favor of the bill. Not only that, but members of the ED&A Committee have expressed strong and sincere concerns that the Commission continue its work, and are likely to play an active role in promoting it further. I'd like to profusely thank everyone who sent the ED&A Committee e-mails asking them to support the bill.

Our work is not over yet, though. In order for the Commission to receive funding, its fiscal note of $60k/year must pass the House Finance Committee. I'll post details about that effort when I find out when we can expect the bill to move into that Committee.

Thanks to Marc A. for the heads up on this story. Good work, F4J! Excerpt:

'“THREE men dressed as cartoon character Fred Flintstone evaded tight security and scaled Stonehenge in the latest protest by protest group Fathers 4 Justice.

“They climbed the ancient monument at 9.15 am today and unfurled a banner with the message ‘Drag the family courts out of the Stone Age.’'

Story here. Excerpt:

"A woman was sentenced Thursday to life in prison with parole for killing her 3-year-old developmentally disabled foster son by binding him in blankets and tape and leaving him inside a closet for a weekend."

"A day earlier, jurors convicted Liz Carroll, 30, of murder and other charges. Under the life sentence for murder, she has no possibility for parole for 15 years. Some of the other sentences must be served consecutively."

Story here. Excerpt:

"A 9-year-old boy was in protective custody after his mother slapped him and hit his head against a brick wall in front of a teacher, then dragged him in front of the class and invited his classmates to make fun of him, police said."

Story here. Excerpt:

"Political party Feminist Initiative (FI) has received a state grant to which it is not entitled.

The state body charged with awarding grants to gender equality projects decided in January to give a total of 8.3 million kronor to 27 women's organisations. One of the beneficiaries was FI, which received an 'establishment grant' worth 400,000 kronor, opinion website Friktion.se reports.

The rules governing the distribution of state grants to women's organisations clearly state that political parties intending to stand for general election are not eligible."

Looks like she won't be doing any time. As reported previously, the woman who McMissiled another driver is now getting probation.

Story here. The article authors bring up the speculation regarding ethnicity and class, but I rather think there is a more compelling "reason": she's a mother. When the perp is a father, it seems to have little effect in these cases, does it? Excerpt:

'She said that she stands by her decision to report the incident, believing that Hall's actions were potentially dangerous and certainly illegal, but that the punishment should fit the crime. She called the jury's sentence "excessive."

"Finally, while one can argue that incarceration may help to discourage others from this type of behavior, this would come at a very high price for Ms. Hall -- a price that in my opinion is too high," Fowle wrote. "Surely the publicity that this matter has already gotten should discourage any thoughtful person from following Ms. Hall's example."'

After the earlier article about the woman who couldn't handle being cut off, here's one who solved her problem of people tailgating her, with a gun. Excerpt:

'A 39-year-old armed Macomb Township woman couldn’t handle the pressure of her morning work commute, police said today.

According to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office, Bernadette Head, 39, in a 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier, entered I-94 westbound from Hall Road about 8:10 a.m. Wednesday when a Dodge Ram pickup rode her tail.

When the 46-year-old driver from New Baltimore eventually pulled up alongside her, she pointed her 9mm handgun and fired one round at his tires.'

In the name of religious purity, no men allowed on an island for no other reason than that they are men! Story here. Seems that Iranian women need a "men-free" island in order to be safe to enjoy their vacations. And it's in line with Islamic law, too (seems they are picking and choosing when to implement it and when not to, aren't they?).

"Men-free". Like "Rodent-free", or "care-free". Men-free banks, men-free subway cars, men-free hotels, men-free islands...

Don't let this article's title fool you. While they claim to be paying them an equal wage, women athletes at Wimbleton play fewer matches per set than the male athletes, so they're being paid more.

Complete story here. Excerpt:

'NEW DELHI: In probably the first case of its kind, a husband sought divorce from his wife on the ground of mental cruelty.

The latter was convicted by the trial court for murdering their three children, threatening to lodge false cases against her husband and even going to the extent of threatening to kill him.

On the day of her conviction by the trial court in Rajasthan, she threatened her husband with dire consequences. As she was pregnant at that time, she was granted bail and while on bail, she filed dowry harassment cases against her husband, which the police after investigation certified as false.'

All,

We keep getting submissions for the recent spiked-drinks-aren't-really-spiked articles as reported in the UK press. Please note that this story has already been published here on MANN.

One reason a submitted story might not get published is that it or another posting covering the matter already has been. [Use the site search if you are not sure that a particular story has or hasn't been published yet on MANN.] But if you want to add a different link or other commentary you have for a particular issue, just post it in the 'Comments' section of the relevant MANN posting.

Story here. Excerpt:

'A teenage babysitter who stabbed her employer to death after becoming infatuated with her young boyfriend has been jailed for life

Kelly Ross murdered her rival, mother-of-two Tracy Ann Meade, in a fit of jealousy after becoming terrified she would lose her new lover.
...
Yesterday an Old Bailey judge told Ross, now 17, she would have to serve a minimum of ten and a half years in prison.'

Story here. Excerpt:

'While the number of unmarried adults rose in 2005, the number who chose to wed dropped by 10 per cent, producing the lowest marriage rates since they were first calculated in 1862.

Figures released today by the Office for National Statistics show the marriage rate for men was 24.2 per 1,000 unmarried men aged 16 and over, down from 27.8 in 2004.'

I found this rather interesting story on "Best of Craigslist" regarding a man whose girlfriend tried to entrap him into marriage (and child support) by getting pregnant by a "bad boy." Little did she know that he had had a vasectomy shortly before meeting her. The rest of the story is ... priceless!

Steve