I made a change to the user preferences database so that viewing comments will seem more logical. For anyone who kept their comment view as "Oldest First," I have changed this to "Oldest First (Ignore Threads)" so that comments will be displayed from top to bottom in order of their posting. I think this might make reading the comments more consistent and help prevent people from mistakenly replying to the wrong thread. If you find you don't like this, if you're logged in you can always change it under the User Preferences, "Customize Comments" section. This change affects the Anonymous User account, too.

Good news, Bob Rowan has been contacted and he's planning on coming to the chat tonight, as is Wendy McElroy. You know the deal, go to this page at 9:30 PM Eastern Time tonight and log in! Hopefully holiday travel won't impact our turnout too much.

This article in The Tennessean reports on a unique new program being considered by Williamson County schools in Tennessee. The school district may back its diplomas with a warranty. If any student graduating from a Williamson County school is forced to take remedial classes upon entering college, the school system will pay for those classes. Although the issue of boys isn't specifically addressed, this could be incentive for teachers to better address boys' struggles in their classrooms. It is also worth noting that Tennessee is currently one of the lowest-ranked states in the nation for education spending, and is also relatively low in the ranks on quality of education.

In a disturbing article from Australia's Herald Sun, it is revealed that a recent Buffalo University study has found that Ritalin, the most popular drug for treating ADD/ADHD, may cause long term brain damage. "The changes look similar to those with stimulants such as amphetamine and cocaine...One of the genes [modified by large amounts of amphetamine and cocaine] has been linked with addiction when it is activated in certain parts of the brain."

In an Irish Independent article, Betty Cody gives an overview of how society has changed and sends inconsistent messages to men. The article begins with the question, "Do we really need men?" and then meanders along stating some of the problems men have faced with the breakdown of rigid roles for men and women. Overall, I found her tone clinical and unfeeling, and her description of men pretty negative overall (ie, fathers are "not particularly competent" at housework and taking care of their kids). But at least in the end she promotes the idea that men need more advocacy for their issues and that they're not receiving it. It's kind of a lukewarm article.

Trudy W Schuett writes "Ms. Magazine is now owned by the Feminist Majority Foundation. The magazine's offices will move to Los Angeles in Spring 2002. Most of the New York staff has been laid off." As Wendy McElroy put it in her latest ifeminist newsletter, "all attention seems to be focused on the Women of Afghanistan. It is as tho' radical feminism has abandoned domestic politics."

Yes, you read that right...there are only a few strings attached. For only $249, residents of California can now complete all divorce proceedings though a web site, without having to walk into a courtroom. The service can only be used if the couple is divorcing amicably and can agree on asset distribution and child custody. Still, it's surreal to think of people divorcing this way. And my favorite quote in the article: "I really don't believe having something available that makes it easier and costs less money is going to encourage divorce." Uh-huh. Click here for the story from the LA Times.

In one of the most disturbing moves since Ontario's Bill 117, I learned from this UK Independent story that a new law will allow third parties to bring charges of domestic violence against the victim's will. The move is meant to protect women who are too afraid or unwilling to press charges against their abuser. Most disturbingly, "Possible candidates for this role include social services departments, voluntary groups working with survivors of domestic violence as well as the police." The second group is the one I'm most concerned about.

Mike from Men's News Daily writes "This article promotes a new web site/organization that tackles female violence against males." The couple mentioned in the story created the web site HelpingMen.com, which is soliciting personal stories from site visitors. If you'd like to share your story, please stop by there. Update: The link no longer works, but I'd still encourage you to visit helpingmen.com for more info.

Mike LaSalle from Men's News Daily writes "This article from the Sydney Morning Herald purports to document the wage gap between men and women. Another article (this one from the University of Virginia Cavalier Daily), succinctly refutes the superficial reporting of the first. The SMH article appears pitched at an "elementary-school" reading level, while of course the latter article is written by and for a college audience..."

Neil Steyskal writes "The Washington Post is promoting San Francisco's use of hair stylists to help abused women, but the program ignores the men who are victims. Remind them about the abused men: letters@washpost.com."

Neil Steyskal submitted this story from the Sydney Morning Herald about body dysmorphic disorder in men. This is a little talked about problem, and one that is on the rise: "In this month's British Medical Journal, two researchers, Australian David Castle and American Katharine Phillips say body image is becoming almost as big an issue for men as for women...Castle says: "We want people to be healthy, but on the other hand if you look at the sort of images we are being flooded with, nobody could achieve those looks - looks which are extreme.""

I've two articles for your reading on this topic. Tammy Bruce, in her book The New Thought Police says that "political correctness is the principal tactic by which civil rights, feminist, and gay and lesbian organizations exercise political control." According to this Denver Post article,
that's mainly where the terms "terrorised by tolerance" and "silenced by sensitivity" come from. And I've also found a Geoff Metcalf interview with Tammy Bruce herself, so you can get a better insight into what she thinks. It's interesting stuff to be sure.

zerostress sent this link my way, which is a review from the National Post about the new book Spreading Misandry: The Teaching of Contempt for Men in Popular Culture. It's an excellent review, and as soon as I finish a couple of books I'm in the process of reading, I'm definitely going to get a copy.

Emanslave let me know about this web site, which he believes might be the only resource specifically for men in the UK who have been sexually abused or assaulted. The site definitely seems sensitive to men who have been abused, and is performing a national census of men who have had personal experience with this issue.