Breaking News Events

[SoNotHer]

Hearing Loss Far More Common Than Expected
HealthDayHealthDay – 14 hrs ago

MONDAY, Nov. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Hearing loss affects about one-fifth of Americans aged 12 and older, a far higher number than previously believed, researchers report. They examined data from people whose hearing was tested during National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys (NHANES) from 2001 to 2008.

Based on the World Health Organization's definition of hearing loss (unable to hear sounds of 25 decibels or less in the speech frequencies), the NHANES data showed that 12.7 percent (30 million people) of the U.S. population aged 12 and older had hearing loss in both ears and 20.3 percent (48 million people) had hearing loss in at least one ear. Previous estimates put the numbers at 21 million to 29 million.

This new study also found that rates of hearing loss nearly doubled with every decade of age, and that women and blacks were significantly less likely to have hearing loss at any age. It's not clear why women and blacks are less likely to experience hearing loss, study leader Dr. Frank Lin said in a university news release.

Lin is an assistant professor with dual appointments in both the department of otolaryngology-head & neck surgery at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and in the department of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. It may be that the female hormone estrogen and the melanin pigment in darker skin could have a protective effect on the inner ear, which Lin and colleagues plan to investigate in future studies.

Lin said the findings of this study, published Nov. 14 in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, will help research into hearing loss and its potential consequences such as cognitive decline, dementia and poor physical functioning.

"This gives us the real scope of the problem for the first time and shows us how big of a problem hearing loss really is," Lin said.

http://news.yahoo.com/hearing-loss-f...210408085.html

[AtLast]

http://rockcenter.msnbc.msn.com/_new...cid=ansmsnbc11

As I watched this, all of the child-sex abuse offender behavior, narcissism, cunning manipulative personality structures and rationalization for their actions I met via my time as a therapist in a child-sexual abuse diversionary program came back! They were over 70 men (and 2 women) in Sacramento County in the mid-1980's that were physicians, coaches, teachers, dentists, plumbers, administrators in business, etc. that no one would ever "suspect." Every damn one of them could make it look like everything and everyone else was the cause of their abusive behavior.

And the minimization they used when talking about their behavior would make you puke. The only "regret" Sandusky has is taking showers with kids!! He wants us to believe that what went on was just "locker room guy kind of behavior- horse-play!" A man in his 50's takes showers with kids 8-10 years old and the public should not question what went on? That, in and of itself is inappropriate and most coaches, teachers or anyone working with children will tell us in no way would they do something like this. Also, this is reminding me of a 45 year old Michael Jackson thinking that sleeping with young kids is OK (yes, I am sorry for his death, but very much believe he was a pedophile).

if my son told me that his coach (no matter the age) was taking showers with him or any kids, I would be so on finding out what the hell is going on.

It's all horse play and a misunderstanding according to Jerry Sandusky......

[Toughy]

It was telling when that pedophile took so long to say he was ummm not sexually attracted to boys....

I'm so fucking disgusted with this. Men's Health magazine had an article giving excuses for why 'good men did nothing'. All the reasons disgusted me, but the one that got me the most was 'cognitive dissonance' meaning despite what you see with your own eyes (McQueery witnessed actual anal rape of a 10 yr old and called his daddy, not the police) you don't believe it because he (the pedophile) is such a good and nice guy.

a friend of mine who worked in child sexual abuse field said that the average pedophile rapes/molests 200 children before being caught.... no I don't have a link, that was what she said...

[Kobi]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service said Tuesday it has lost $5.1 billion in the past year, pushing it closer to imminent default on a multibillion-dollar payment and to future bankruptcy as the weak economy and increased Internet use drive down mail volume.

The financial losses for the year ended Sept. 30 came despite deep cuts of more than 130,000 jobs in recent years and the closing of some smaller local post offices.

Losses will only accelerate in the coming year, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe warned, citing faster-than-expected declines in first-class mail. He implored Congress to take swift, wide-ranging action to stabilize the ailing agency's finances as it nears a legal deadline Friday to pay $5.5 billion into the U.S. Treasury for future retiree health benefits.

Congress is expected to grant a reprieve, but that will only delay the day of reckoning for an agency struggling for relevance in an electronic age. Based on current losses, the Postal Service says it will run out of money — or come dangerously close — next September, forcing it to halt service.

"We are at a point where we require urgent action," Donahoe said.

In the event of a shutdown, private companies such as FedEx and UPS could handle a small portion of the material the post office moves, but they do not go everywhere. No business has shown interest in delivering letters everywhere in the country for a set rate of 44 cents for a first-class letter.

For the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, the post office had income of $65.7 billion, down $1.4 billion from the previous year. Expenses totaled $70.6 billion.

The loss of $5.1 billion was less than a previous estimate of $10 billion, but only because the $5.5 billion payment — originally due Sept. 30 — was deferred until Nov. 18 with the approval of Congress.

In 2010, losses totaled $8.5 billion.

Mail volume this past year totaled 168 billion pieces, compared with 171 billion in 2010, a decline of 1.7 percent. At the same time volume was declining, the post office was required to begin service to thousands of new addresses to accommodate population growth and new businesses.

The Postal Service, an independent agency of government that does not receive tax money for its operations, is not seeking federal funds.

Instead, postal officials want changes in the way they operate so they can save money. They have asked Congress for permission to reduce mail delivery to five days a week, which many lawmakers oppose, and to eliminate or reduce the annual payments of about $5.5 billion to prefund retiree health benefits. The agency also wants the return of at least $6.9 billion it says was overpaid into federal retirement funds.

The service also seeks more layoffs, which are barred by current contracts with its employee unions, and the authority to negotiate with unions on a possible alternate health care system that would cost less.

Postal Service losses have been mounting over the past few years as more private mail and bill payments have been switched to the Internet, and the recession has hurt returns on advertising and other business mail.

Of particular concern has been the decline in lucrative first-class mail, largely consisting of personal letters and cards, bills, payments and similar items. First-class mail volume fell 5.8 percent in 2011, 6.6 percent in 2010, 8.6 percent in 2009 and 4.8 percent in 2008. Traditionally, this mail has produced more than half of total revenue.

Volume for standard mail — advertising and similar items — improved somewhat, indicating some signs of economic recovery. But it generates less income.

The Postal Service has struggled to find its role in an Internet age but insists it can eventually return to profitability with legislative changes. It recently launched a TV advertising campaign that pokes at the vulnerabilities of email or online payment, noting that documents posted on a refrigerator or cork board won't get "hacked" or attacked by a virus. "Give your customers the added security a printed statement or receipt provides — with mail," the ad says.

A postal default on billions of dollars in federal payments wouldn't cause immediate repercussions. There are no criminal or civil penalties for failure to pay, and the health account already contains more than $40 billion so no retiree's benefits are at near-term risk. In June, the Postal Service defaulted on a separate, legally required payment into an employee retirement fund but now says it will make the $1 billion in accumulated payments following a Justice Department review.

Separate proposals recently passed by House and Senate committees would alter or scrap the annual payment requirement while differing widely on points including financial oversight and a reduction to five-day-a-week delivery. Congress is expected to pass a stop-gap spending measure this week that would extend Friday's payment deadline until mid-December.

The Postal Service has said a short-term delay of the $5.5 billion payment won't change its grim forecast of possible bankruptcy next year. Officials also said Tuesday that the proposed legislation currently falls short in reducing health care costs and authorizing immediate five-day-a-week delivery.

"We're hoping for long-term, comprehensive legislation that will solve the issue and make other changes so the Postal Service can be profitable again — not have more delays that just kick the can down the road," postal spokesman David Partenheimer said.

Last month, the post office said it will increase postage rates on Jan. 22, including a 1-cent increase in the cost of first-class mail, to 45 cents. But the rate increase, which is tied to the rate of overall inflation, will make only a small dent in financial losses. The Postal Service hasn't ruled out the possibility of further stamp price increases based on its dire financial circumstances.

The agency is also considering additional layoffs and reviewing about 3,600 underused post offices around the country for closing, many of them in rural areas.

A recent Quinnipiac poll found that registered voters were broadly in favor of ending Saturday deliveries to help with the agency's financial problems, with 79 percent supporting it. Smaller majorities favored raising stamp prices — 60 percent — or closing local branches, about 53 percent.

"The Postal Service is in a tailspin," said Art Sackler, coordinator of the Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service, which represents the private-sector mailing industry. "Without congressional action, there is a strong likelihood the Postal Service will have to shut down sometime next summer, dealing another critical blow to the economy and the 8 million private sector jobs that still depend on the mail."


Catalogue delivery is still thriving tho if the stacks that find my mailbox are any indication.


http://news.yahoo.com/post-office-ne...210808129.html

[SoNotHer]

The APWU (postal carriers union) have been airing some effective ads. I've seen them at the gym. The USPS hires more veterans than any non-military organization, and there's another ad that states that there's a real reason it is in the red - there's money siphoned off the USPS budget every year for another agency.

But you're right, that doesn't stop the catalogs from coming, even when you've asked to be removed from a list.

Originally Posted by Kobi

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service said Tuesday it has lost $5.1 billion in the past year, pushing it closer to imminent default on a multibillion-dollar payment and to future bankruptcy as the weak economy and increased Internet use drive down mail volume.

The financial losses for the year ended Sept. 30 came despite deep cuts of more than 130,000 jobs in recent years and the closing of some smaller local post offices.

Losses will only accelerate in the coming year, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe warned, citing faster-than-expected declines in first-class mail. He implored Congress to take swift, wide-ranging action to stabilize the ailing agency's finances as it nears a legal deadline Friday to pay $5.5 billion into the U.S. Treasury for future retiree health benefits.

Congress is expected to grant a reprieve, but that will only delay the day of reckoning for an agency struggling for relevance in an electronic age. Based on current losses, the Postal Service says it will run out of money — or come dangerously close — next September, forcing it to halt service.

"We are at a point where we require urgent action," Donahoe said.

In the event of a shutdown, private companies such as FedEx and UPS could handle a small portion of the material the post office moves, but they do not go everywhere. No business has shown interest in delivering letters everywhere in the country for a set rate of 44 cents for a first-class letter.

For the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, the post office had income of $65.7 billion, down $1.4 billion from the previous year. Expenses totaled $70.6 billion.

The loss of $5.1 billion was less than a previous estimate of $10 billion, but only because the $5.5 billion payment — originally due Sept. 30 — was deferred until Nov. 18 with the approval of Congress.

In 2010, losses totaled $8.5 billion.

Mail volume this past year totaled 168 billion pieces, compared with 171 billion in 2010, a decline of 1.7 percent. At the same time volume was declining, the post office was required to begin service to thousands of new addresses to accommodate population growth and new businesses.

The Postal Service, an independent agency of government that does not receive tax money for its operations, is not seeking federal funds.

Instead, postal officials want changes in the way they operate so they can save money. They have asked Congress for permission to reduce mail delivery to five days a week, which many lawmakers oppose, and to eliminate or reduce the annual payments of about $5.5 billion to prefund retiree health benefits. The agency also wants the return of at least $6.9 billion it says was overpaid into federal retirement funds.

The service also seeks more layoffs, which are barred by current contracts with its employee unions, and the authority to negotiate with unions on a possible alternate health care system that would cost less.

Postal Service losses have been mounting over the past few years as more private mail and bill payments have been switched to the Internet, and the recession has hurt returns on advertising and other business mail.

Of particular concern has been the decline in lucrative first-class mail, largely consisting of personal letters and cards, bills, payments and similar items. First-class mail volume fell 5.8 percent in 2011, 6.6 percent in 2010, 8.6 percent in 2009 and 4.8 percent in 2008. Traditionally, this mail has produced more than half of total revenue.

Volume for standard mail — advertising and similar items — improved somewhat, indicating some signs of economic recovery. But it generates less income.

The Postal Service has struggled to find its role in an Internet age but insists it can eventually return to profitability with legislative changes. It recently launched a TV advertising campaign that pokes at the vulnerabilities of email or online payment, noting that documents posted on a refrigerator or cork board won't get "hacked" or attacked by a virus. "Give your customers the added security a printed statement or receipt provides — with mail," the ad says.

A postal default on billions of dollars in federal payments wouldn't cause immediate repercussions. There are no criminal or civil penalties for failure to pay, and the health account already contains more than $40 billion so no retiree's benefits are at near-term risk. In June, the Postal Service defaulted on a separate, legally required payment into an employee retirement fund but now says it will make the $1 billion in accumulated payments following a Justice Department review.

Separate proposals recently passed by House and Senate committees would alter or scrap the annual payment requirement while differing widely on points including financial oversight and a reduction to five-day-a-week delivery. Congress is expected to pass a stop-gap spending measure this week that would extend Friday's payment deadline until mid-December.

The Postal Service has said a short-term delay of the $5.5 billion payment won't change its grim forecast of possible bankruptcy next year. Officials also said Tuesday that the proposed legislation currently falls short in reducing health care costs and authorizing immediate five-day-a-week delivery.

"We're hoping for long-term, comprehensive legislation that will solve the issue and make other changes so the Postal Service can be profitable again — not have more delays that just kick the can down the road," postal spokesman David Partenheimer said.

Last month, the post office said it will increase postage rates on Jan. 22, including a 1-cent increase in the cost of first-class mail, to 45 cents. But the rate increase, which is tied to the rate of overall inflation, will make only a small dent in financial losses. The Postal Service hasn't ruled out the possibility of further stamp price increases based on its dire financial circumstances.

The agency is also considering additional layoffs and reviewing about 3,600 underused post offices around the country for closing, many of them in rural areas.

A recent Quinnipiac poll found that registered voters were broadly in favor of ending Saturday deliveries to help with the agency's financial problems, with 79 percent supporting it. Smaller majorities favored raising stamp prices — 60 percent — or closing local branches, about 53 percent.

"The Postal Service is in a tailspin," said Art Sackler, coordinator of the Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service, which represents the private-sector mailing industry. "Without congressional action, there is a strong likelihood the Postal Service will have to shut down sometime next summer, dealing another critical blow to the economy and the 8 million private sector jobs that still depend on the mail."


Catalogue delivery is still thriving tho if the stacks that find my mailbox are any indication.


http://news.yahoo.com/post-office-ne...210808129.html

[Starbuck]

Jesse Wells Reporting
KFOR-TV
November 15, 2011

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A big vote by the Oklahoma City council officially bans job discrimination based on sexual orientation. The change to the city's employment policy, protecting gays and lesbians, drew lots of debate Tuesday morning.

The resolution specifically prevents gays and lesbians from being fired based solely on their sexual preference.

After nearly 90 minutes of discussion, the item passed.

Supporters believe that sends a clear message of equality.

"This is a big step forward," Scott Hamilton said.

"What the council did today was simply right. There's nothing wrong with gay people," Robert Lemon said.

Supporters like Robert argue the change is beneficial because on the state and federal levels sexual orientation is not a protected class.

"It sends a powerful message Oklahoma City won't tolerate discrimination. We're protecting all people," Hamilton said.

"The council voted for inclusion," Ed Shadid said.

Shadid, the resolution's author, said the fight for gay and lesbian rights is a no-brainer.

"Everyone deserves to be included. I think this goes a long way to heal wounds of the past," Shadid said.

Critics though point out the city's proposal is pointless because there's no proof city employees have been discriminated against based on sexual preference.

"This will provide specific protection based on behavior and that in itself is wrong," Paul Blair said.

In lieu of federal protections, many cities nationwide have passed similar ordinances, including our neighbors in Tulsa.

The council ordinance does not apply to any other private businesses.

Copyright © 2011, KFOR-TV

[Toughy]

Originally Posted by SoNotHer

The APWU (postal carriers union) have been airing some effective ads. I've seen them at the gym. The USPS hires more veterans than any non-military organization, and there's another ad that states that there's a real reason it is in the red - there's money siphoned off the USPS budget every year for another agency.

But you're right, that doesn't stop the catalogs from coming, even when you've asked to be removed from a list.

Instead, postal officials want changes in the way they operate so they can save money. They have asked Congress for permission to reduce mail delivery to five days a week, which many lawmakers oppose, and to eliminate or reduce the annual payments of about $5.5 billion to prefund retiree health benefits. The agency also wants the return of at least $6.9 billion it says was overpaid into federal retirement funds.

Actually it's my understanding the real budget issue is having to pre-pay, I think it's 10 years, into the employee retirement fund. Think about that....

[Midnight]

Originally Posted by Kobi

WASHINGTON (AP) —


In the event of a shutdown, private companies such as FedEx and UPS could handle a small portion of the material the post office moves, but they do not go everywhere. No business has shown interest in delivering letters everywhere in the country for a set rate of 44 cents for a first-class letter.



http://news.yahoo.com/post-office-ne...210808129.html

Wow 44cents for a first class letter! We pay 60 cents for standard post. Perhaps they need to up the price of postage

[EnderD_503]

A 10-year-old Illinois girl has committed suicide after enduring bullying that included being called a boy when she had her hair cut short.

Ashlynn Conner, who lived in the small town of Ridge Farm in eastern Illinois, was found hanged in her closet Friday night, and family members believe she took her own life due to bullying and teasing that had gone on for several years, the Associated Press reports.

“When she started cheering for youth football, we’d gotten her hair cut in a bob,” said Lory Hackney, her grandmother. “The kids started making fun of her then. They started calling her a boy.” She was subsequently called “fat,” “ugly,” and “slut,” relatives said.

Vermilion County sheriff Pat Hartshorn said investigators “are not ruling out bullying, but we don’t have any firm evidence to support bullying,” the AP reports.

However, Ashlynn’s mother, Stacy Conner, said the girl came home from school Thursday complaining about taunting by fellow students and asked if she could be home-schooled. Stacy told Ashlynn, a fifth-grade honor roll student who hoped to become a veterinarian, that she would discuss the teasing with her school principal this week. But Friday, shortly after having a phone conversation with a friend about the problem, Ashlynn was discovered hanging in the closet. Hackney, a retired nurse, tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate her granddaughter.

“I don’t know what was so bad she couldn’t wait,” Hackney told the AP.

Source: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_N...ased_Taunting/

This is really disturbing, and just shows how kids can equally reflect society's bigotry. I also don't think law enforcement or her own family should be downplaying the severity of bullying for youth. "I don't know what was so bad she couldn't wait." When you're being tormented every day by your peers, "waiting for it to get better" at the age of 10 isn't something that you often feel you can do. I was bullied a lot as a kid, from about grade 1 to grade 10. I was called everything in the book by my peers, physically and verbally taunted. There was a time when I wasn't planning on making it out of my teen years.

This girl was 10 years old and being called a "slut," "fat," "ugly" and made fun of by her classmates because she had a short hair cut. People don't think it was "bad enough" that she had to find a way out on her own? Adults need to stop expecting kids to be able to deal with bullying alone. That kids need to just "wait it out." Putting up with bullying should not be a prerequisite to making it into adulthood. It's time people stop saying "it gets better," and actually fucking make it better. Stop gendering children so damned much that anyone who presents any variation is pushed to self-hatred. Stop making more and more rigid boxes for kids to be shoved into. Just let them be who they are, and then hopefully other youth will stop bullying their classmates if/when adults decide to stop normalizing bullying, sexism, transphobia and homophobia.

[Toughy]

http://www.thepostgame.com/features/...ing-pain-today

From Another Era And Another Sport, A Sex Abuse Scandal Still Inflicting Pain Today
Thursday, November 10, 2011 2:43 pmWritten by: Jeff Passan
<snip>
Before Jerry Sandusky -- before he allegedly used the Penn State football complex to commit sex crimes with young boys and before the university spent more than a decade covering up his sins and before the grand-jury report revealed the appalling details of his abuse and before the campus rioted over legendary coach Joe Paterno losing his job amid it all -- there was Donald Fitzpatrick, the longtime Red Sox clubhouse manager who lured Ogletree and at least a dozen other young, African-American boys into two decades of systemic sexual abuse
<snip>

[MissItalianDiva]

Source http://blogs.kqed.org/newsfix/

San Francisco – The California Supreme Court today announced that it will file a written opinion at 10 a.m. on Thursday, November 17, 2011, in Perry v. Brown, S189476, a case that involves whether the official proponents of an initiative measure have standing to defend the constitutionality of the measure when the public officials charged with that duty decline to do so.

At the time of filing, the opinion will be available on the California Courts website at this link: http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/opinions.cgi.

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Perry v. Brown on September 6, 2011, in San Francisco.

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Toughy

http://www.thepostgame.com/features/...ing-pain-today

From Another Era And Another Sport, A Sex Abuse Scandal Still Inflicting Pain Today
Thursday, November 10, 2011 2:43 pmWritten by: Jeff Passan
<snip>
Before Jerry Sandusky -- before he allegedly used the Penn State football complex to commit sex crimes with young boys and before the university spent more than a decade covering up his sins and before the grand-jury report revealed the appalling details of his abuse and before the campus rioted over legendary coach Joe Paterno losing his job amid it all -- there was Donald Fitzpatrick, the longtime Red Sox clubhouse manager who lured Ogletree and at least a dozen other young, African-American boys into two decades of systemic sexual abuse
<snip>

Some more about race and the kids assaulted by Sandusky-
http://www.theroot.com/buzz/video-mo...tim-speaks-out

[Corkey]

On MSNBC: Judge in Sandusky case replaced.

Good quite the conflict of interest with the former one.

[Toughy]

Those of you who loved Franco Harris will not like him anymore......he thinks Paterno should NOT be fired.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/footbal...n=ncaaf-wp9995

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Corkey

On MSNBC: Judge in Sandusky case replaced.

Good quite the conflict of interest with the former one.

Yes, it was!

Ugh, though.... the emails Mike McQueary has sent out are now going to possibly cause credability problems for the prosecution- they contradict his Grand Jury testimony!! Maybe the old boys network of protection continues-

http://www.wnep.com/sports/mc-penn-s...,3580453.story

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by AtLast

Yes, it was!

Ugh, though.... the emails Mike McQueary has sent out are now going to possibly cause credability problems for the prosecution- they contradict his Grand Jury testimony!! Maybe the old boys network of protection continues-

http://www.wnep.com/sports/mc-penn-s...,3580453.story

I don't think the case is going to hinge on McQueary, there are more and more survivors coming forward and 2 of the boys are going to testify in open court. Sandusky blew it when he made his remarks to Costas. Instead of looking innocent he looks and sounds guilty as hell. Now it's going to play hell finding a jury for this trial anywhere in PA.

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Corkey

I don't think the case is going to hinge on McQueary, there are more and more survivors coming forward and 2 of the boys are going to testify in open court. Sandusky blew it when he made his remarks to Costas. Instead of looking innocent he looks and sounds guilty as hell. Now it's going to play hell finding a jury for this trial anywhere in PA.

I hope you are right. Oh, yes- that interview!

My heart goes out to those boys and any victims that end up testifying. They will be re-victimized and the defense will so everything to dis-credit them. Sandusky's setting up an at risk popukation through Second Chance was the perfect MO of the kind of abuser he is. This is such a text-book case of child sex abuse by a pediphile with power and "social" standing. Sometimes I think that parents ought to just find a way to take these guys out- but that isn't right either- but I know that feeling, just wanting to kill the abuser. But my kid had to testify as an adolescent against a female perp- it was not fun and there was damage to him from this as well as the abuse. Defense attorneys pick at anything the kid may have done to dis-credit him or her. No winning for victims even when a perp is found guilty and sentenced.

In these cases, I just wish the damn abuser would plead guilty so that the victims don't have to go through what they will be facing. No wonder so many victims don't speak up. It makes me sick!!

My main feelings right now are aimed at hope for the victims and their families in getting help and support.

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by AtLast

I hope you are right. Oh, yes- that interview!

My heart goes out to those boys and any victims that end up testifying. They will be re-victimized and the defense will so everything to dis-credit them. Sandusky's setting up an at risk popukation through Second Chance was the perfect MO of the kind of abuser he is. This is such a text-book case of child sex abuse by a pediphile with power and "social" standing. Sometimes I think that parents ought to just find a way to take these guys out- but that isn't right either- but I know that feeling, just wanting to kill the abuser. But my kid had to testify as an adolescent against a female perp- it was not fun and there was damage to him from this as well as the abuse. Defense attorneys pick at anything the kid may have done to dis-credit him or her. No winning for victims even when a perp is found guilty and sentenced.

In these cases, I just wish the damn abuser would plead guilty so that the victims don't have to go through what they will be facing. No wonder so many victims don't speak up. It makes me sick!!

My main feelings right now are aimed at hope for the victims and their families in getting help and support.

Here's the link.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...n_1099700.html

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Toughy

It was telling when that pedophile took so long to say he was ummm not sexually attracted to boys....

I'm so fucking disgusted with this. Men's Health magazine had an article giving excuses for why 'good men did nothing'. All the reasons disgusted me, but the one that got me the most was 'cognitive dissonance' meaning despite what you see with your own eyes (McQueery witnessed actual anal rape of a 10 yr old and called his daddy, not the police) you don't believe it because he (the pedophile) is such a good and nice guy.

a friend of mine who worked in child sexual abuse field said that the average pedophile rapes/molests 200 children before being caught.... no I don't have a link, that was what she said...

There are many very good studies in the field to back up what this friend said. Oh, yes, the old cog-dis crap!! We need to (as a society) begin real work about the fact that these perps are in our families, our schools, in non-profit, "do-good" organizations- they are everywhere! Sad, but true and so much needs to be done in how parents can learn to really check-out programs and identify signs of abuse with their kids. But, the real work is about tearing down power structures and having sound reporting laws.

It is hard to accept that there is so much of this going on, I know, but we have got to combat denial and educate ourselves about how these guys set up ways to get at kids right under our noses.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Midnight

Wow 44cents for a first class letter! We pay 60 cents for standard post. Perhaps they need to up the price of postage

Ummm...who is "we"? You don't have a location indicated.