Article here. Excerpt:

'This Sunday, one group of kids across the country will be giving their fathers ties, sports gear, homemade art, or some other tokens to express their appreciation on Father's Day. Unfortunately, there will be another group of kids for whom the holiday is a painful reminder that they don't have a relationship with their fathers.

Why do a growing portion of kids in America have no active father in their lives to celebrate this weekend?

According to Dr. Helen Smith in her new book, Men on Strike: Why Men are Boycotting Marriage, Fatherhood, and the American Dream -- and Why it Matters, one reason is that society is stacking the deck against men, causing many to go "on strike" from traditional responsibilities. These men aren't just lazy, but instead are making choices based on incentives.

I just saw a typical "dumb dad" TV spot for Hotels.com in which a father arrives at a hotel in the woods with his wife and kids. The hotel that he chose from a brochure turns out to be in ruins, and he gets chased around by a bear. Meanwhile, mom is in the SUV with the kids and smugly dismisses dumb old dad before looking up a room on Hotels.com which turns out to be much better. What a wonderful tribute to dads on Father's Day. I certainly won't be looking up hotels on Hotels.com.

Article here. Excerpt:

'In April Breitbart News reported that West Virginia 8th grader Jared Marcum was suspended for refusing to take off an NRA t-shirt he wore to school. And details now indicate the 8th grader could face a $500 fine and up to a year in jail for obstruction charges.

Fox News reports that on June 13 Marcum appeared before a judge "and was officially charged with obstructing an officer." Moreover, the judge has allowed "the prosecution to move forward" with its case against Marcum.

Logan City Police officer James Adkins says that Marcum refused to quit talking when asked to remove the shirt. The officer said this hindered his ability to do his job.

Marcum's father remains confident and stands by his son: "Me, I'm more of a fighter and so is Jared and eventually we're going to get through this. I don't think it should have ever gone this far."'

Article here. Excerpt:

Father's Day is always a bit ambivalently marked here at MANN, not unlike Veterans Day. The issue is that for some men, being a dad (like being a veteran) has turned out to be very fulfilling and a source of pride, satisfaction, etc. But for others, not so much.

So to all the dads out there, I can only say this: I hope this day for each of you is as good as it can be for whatever your personal situation is.

Article here. Excerpt:

Article here. Excerpt:

There's much more of interest in this book. About, for example, the inculcation of virulently anti-male attitudes at all levels of the Swedish educational system. ("Boys cry when they hear how bad they and their father are and men have always been.") About how the system rewards irresponsibility on the part of young unmarried mothers and the men who impregnate them. ("With a baby, a single parent sidesteps all waiting lines and the child may be the only means to an apartment for decades.") About a national self-hatred so fierce that "schools have asked pupils not to wear [Swedish flag] t-shirts or wave the yellow and blue flag as it could be interpreted as racist." About a country where adults admire and envy youth beyond all reason, and accordingly exhibit greater levels of hedonism and infantilism than their counterparts anywhere else on the planet. And about levels of anti-Semitism that made international headlines yet again just the other day, when Israel's Eurovision delegation was harassed and threatened on the streets of Malmö.

Article here. Excerpt:

'This won't be popular with many people and will be viewed as reprehensible by those who profit from the continuing war on boys in public education, but the truth is that our cherished public educational institutions are growing more militantly anti-male with each passing generation.

Article here. Excerpt:

'WASHINGTON, Jun 10, 2013 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- A father's love and full involvement in his children's lives is crucial to their health, well-being, and development.

Fathers influence the physical well-being of their children in a number of ways -- by being engaged in their lives, supporting a mother's health, or by ensuring that children get the preventive services, such as vaccinations and well-baby checkups, they need to stay healthy. Fathers make a difference.

Studies have shown a father's own health makes a difference to their children's health. Active toddlers, for example, are more likely to have fathers with a lower Body Mass Index than less active children.

Article here. Excerpt:

Article here. Excerpt:

'We live in an era of "men deserts", says the Centre for Social Justice. One day my children will look on me with worshipful eyes and say: "Mother, how did we survive the man drought of the early 21st century?" as if I'm some Mad Max of the spunkless years. This Sunday is Father's Day, the traditional time to pay tribute to any man you haven't driven screaming from your fanny ghetto after mating. But what to buy?
...
The report criticises agencies that intervene in cases of domestic abuse for failing to recognise fathers as caregivers, on the grounds that "many perpetrators desire a more positive relationship with their children, and this can be a powerful motivator for change." Here, the CSJ is subordinating the safety of children to the potential self-improvement of abusers. Because this report, with its wobbly stats and its exaggerated claims, isn't actually about what's best for children: it's about the fear that some women and children might be perfectly OK without a masculine hand hanging over the household.'

Story here. Excerpt:

'A former sixth-grade teacher and mother of two pleaded guilty to having sex with a student, Southern California authorities said Friday.

Malia Brooks, who taught at Garden Grove Elementary in Simi Valley, pleaded guilty Thursday to three counts of lewd conduct with a child under 14, said Ventura County Deputy District Attorney Erin Meister.

The judge indicated that Brooks will likely receive a six-year prison term when sentenced on August 23, Meister said. Bail was set at $2 million for the 32-year-old Brooks, who remains in custody.

"Malia Brooks has a mental illness. For 31 years, she was a law-abiding citizen," her attorney, Ron Bamieh, said. "Something had to occur for her to drastically change who she was. It's not like she is attracted to 12 year-old boys."'

Article here. Obama remarked that a better child support system would get fathers more involved?! Excerpt:

'WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says there's no substitute for the love and support that fathers provide.

In his weekly Internet and radio address, Obama is wishing Americans a happy Father's Day. He laments that his own father wasn't around and says he's still working to be a better father.

Obama says being a dad isn't easy for anyone - gay, straight, grandparent or foster parent. He says he wants to encourage marriage and strong families by reforming child support laws to get more fathers engaged. He says businesses, faith groups and communities have a role to play.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'Assume for a moment that your employer let you decide when and where you worked — you might arrive early so you could leave in time to care for a child, or work part of the week from home. Or perhaps you want to reduce your hours for a while to care for an aging parent. How would you be perceived if you raised your hand for one of these options?

"Many times these policies are on the books, but informally everyone knows you are penalized for using them,” said Joan C. Williams, founding director of the Center for Work-Life Law at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, referring to the array of flexible work arrangements some employers offer. “I invented the term ‘flexibility stigma’ to describe that phenomenon. Recent studies have found that it is alive and well, and it functions quite differently for women than it does for men.”

Article here. Excerpt:

'NEWS ads are urging men to take the bull "by the balls" and take charge of their mental health.

It's part of a new multi-million dollar "Man Therapy" campaign funded by the federal government that's urging men to take action on depression and anxiety - and reminding them a real man looks out for his mates.

Mental Health Minister Mark Butler said the number of male deaths from suicide in 2011 were almost twice that of road deaths, making suicide the biggest killer of Australian males between 15 and 44.

Mr Butler said the tragedy was most men did not seek help for their underlying mental health issue.

The Man Therapy campaign being rolled out by Beyondblue hoped to change that and get through to men using humour.'