Story here. Excerpt:

"The nation's first openly lesbian big-city fire chief was demoted without severance pay Friday amid allegations of discrimination and sexual harassment."

"She will be completely and permanently stripped of ever holding leadership or management in the city," the mayor said. "She has been severely and significantly demoted, and her pay will be cut by $40,000."

Special thanks to Joseph Neff and Benjamin Niolet, Staff Writers at the News and Observer for this article. Excerpt:

'DURHAM - To press forward in the Duke University lacrosse case, District Attorney Mike Nifong must rely on scanty evidence while deflecting serious questions about whether he broke the law or violated the ethics rules governing prosecutors.

Nifong has acknowledged that the case now hangs on what the accuser says from the witness stand in a hearing scheduled for February. Meanwhile, pressure on Nifong continues to build.'

Article here. Excerpt:

"This is a betrayal. If this rape allegation was false, then it is the lowest thing a woman can do to other women."

"It's not just about the Duke case. It's about all the other cases involving a sports culture that objectifies women and rewards a ridiculous hubris and machismo."

"A real problem exists in this sports culture, and a false rape accusation in such a public case serves only to hurt the real victims everywhere else."

--

Ed. note: The author of the article can be reached at gcouch-at-suntimes.com.

Letters to the editor can be sent through this form.

Story here. Excerpt:

"A 32-year-old woman has been arrested on charges of first-degree attempted murder and child abuse after being accused of forcing her 10-month-old daughter to drink bleach."

"Liverine Cajuste told Winter Haven Police Department officers that she tried to kill herself and her daughter, Luciene Beawbrin, because she was depressed."

Story here. Excerpt:

"A 23-year old Newton woman was arrested Thursday morning and charged with making a false rape report to authorities."

"On Nov. 6, Sereca Thomas, 23, of Spring Street, told Newton Police she was attacked and sexually assaulted in the lower Spring Street area by Hispanic men late Nov. 3."

"Thomas was charged with a disorderly persons offense."

F.Y.I... A lower misdemeanor type criminal matter is under the "Disorderly Person" offense

This is not current events, but is still timely, "Seasonally Correct."
You might want to check the toys you get the kids "twice."

the Barbie Liberation Organization

BLO #1
"Teen Talk Barbie proved to be the final straw. People who were already upset at Barbie’s anorexic figure and her way of turning play into superficial consumerism couldn’t believe their ears when Barbie’s electric voice box giggled:
“Math is hard!”
“I love shopping!”
“Will we ever have enough clothes?”

and

BLO #1

Story here. Excerpt:

"Finnerty said Collin, 20, had completed final exams this week at Hofstra, where he enrolled after leaving Duke."

"It's tough on him ... It's taken a year out of his life and keeps him out of school and off the lacrosse field, so it's very unfair. But he's hanging in there, working hard."

Article here.

Another article about the refuted wage gap. Typical "cherry picked" statistics that continue to manipulate society. I must be fair, some opinions in this article are generally more fair than typical wage gap articles. Excerpt:

"There is no proof that discrimination is the cause of the remaining pay gap, Ms. Blau said. It is possible that the average man, brought up to view himself the main breadwinner, is more committed to his job than the average woman."

"The other view is that women consider money a top priority less often than men do. Many may relish the chance to care for children or parents and prefer jobs, like those in the nonprofit sector, that allow them to influence other people’s lives."

Story here. Excerpt:

'DURHAM, N.C. - Prosecutors dropped rape charges Friday against three Duke University lacrosse players accused of attacking a stripper at a team party, a defense attorney said. Joseph Cheshire, an attorney for one of the three players, said charges of kidnapping and sexual offense remain in place.

District Attorney Mike Nifong did not immediately return calls seeking comment.'

Back issues of The National Coalition of Free Men's periodic magazine, "Transitions" are now available online through the San Diego Men's Center.

Back Issues of Transitions Available Here

NCFM's "Transitions" has a number of articles, not available elsewhere, and some of the letters to the editor provide insight into problems facing men around the U.S., and around the world.

For those of you with a penchant for more news about men's issues, you should find the additional information of value.

Thanks to Marc A. for the heads-up on this editorial in the NY Times. Excerpt:

'The library in Georgia where Mr. Wilson works is in prison. He is two years into a sentence for engaging in consensual oral sex with a 15-year-old girl at a New Year’s Eve party when he was 17. He won’t be eligible for parole until he has served 10 years, essentially sacrificing his remaining youth to an obvious miscarriage of justice.

As Shaila Dewan reported in The Times this week, Mr. Wilson has been convicted of aggravated child molestation even though he and the girl were both minors at the time. Even if he could win an early release, Mr. Wilson could not go home to his family. He would have to register as a sex offender and would be prohibited from living with his 8-year-old sister. It is all the more disgraceful because the Georgia Supreme Court last week refused to hear his appeal.'

Remember this one? "Mom" is pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. Not at all unexpected, but thought you would weant to see it. Story here.

Notice the article calls her "mentally ill". Notice all her victims were boys. Excerpt:

"SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- A woman who claimed God ordered her to make a human sacrifice chose to kill her three children instead of herself, making her guilty of murder, a prosecutor said Wednesday during closing arguments at the woman's trial.

Prosecutor Linda Allen asked jurors to use their heads, not hearts, to determine Lashuan Harris' fate.

The mentally ill Oakland woman threw her children into San Francisco Bay last year but has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder by reason of insanity.

Story here. Excerpt:

'Charles Vallance, the boy's father, said he was unable to explain to his son what he had done.

"He knows nothing about sex," Vallance said. "There's no way to explain what he's been written up for. He knows it as playing around. He doesn't know it as anything sexual at all."

The incident was described as "sexual harassment" on the school form.
...
The incident will be included in the boy's file while he remains at Lincolnshire, but Mowen said those files do not follow students when they move on to middle school.'

THIS ABOUT SUMS IT UP: Washington County Public Schools spokeswoman Carol Mowen described the incident as a "learning opportunity."

---

Ed. note: This is a different story than the one posted on Dec. 10 regarding the boy accused of "sexual harassment" for hugging a teacher's aide.

Article here. Excerpt:

"Michael Nifong, the prosecutor handling the Duke lacrosse rape case, may single-handedly cause a reconsideration of ‘absolute prosecutorial immunity,’ the legal doctrine by which certain acts of a prosecuting attorney are literally immune from lawsuits or criminal charges."

"People have tried to have Nifong sanctioned on a state and local level. To date, the North Carolina State Bar Association has received at least 17 complaints about Nifong. Because such complaints become public only when copied to the governor or attorney general, there may be many more."

Story here. Excerpt:

"The 26-year-old twins work as teachers at the same California high school. And they're both facing felony charges as a result of an illicit sexual relationship with a female student. According to Riverside County sheriff's investigators, Franca ... had a sexual relationship with the underage girl, for which she was arrested yesterday and charged with lewd acts with a minor. While Antonia was not hit with a sex crime, she was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor because she was allegedly aware of her sister's involvement with the girl. As so-called mandatory reporters, California teachers are required by law to report instances of child abuse or neglect."