By the 1920s, 38 states prohibited whites from marrying blacks, “mulattos,” Japanese, Chinese, Indians, “Mongolians,” “Malays” or Filipinos. Twelve states would not issue a marriage license if one partner was a drunk, an addict or a “mental defect.” Eighteen states set barriers to remarriage after divorce.

In the mid-20th century, governments began to get out of the business of deciding which couples were “fit” to marry. Courts invalidated laws against interracial marriage, struck down other barriers and even extended marriage rights to prisoners.
...
Perhaps it’s time to revert to a much older marital tradition. Let churches decide which marriages they deem “licit.” But let couples — gay or straight — decide if they want the legal protections and obligations of a committed relationship.

-janelane, approvingly

Taking Marriage Private - New York Times

“We suspected at that time the child had been surreptitiously given” [GHB] by a family member or friend of the family, he said by phone from Sydney on Wednesday.

A follow-up test two days later showed that the GHB had disappeared from the boy’s body, which confirmed that the chemical had been ingested and was not occurring because of a genetic disorder. It was then that Dr. Carpenter learned that the boy had vomited beads before and after going into a shallow coma.

Dr. Carpenter obtained more of the boy’s beads and tested them in a mass spectrometer, a device that helps identify chemical compounds. “I saw a large peak of a substance I didn’t recognize,” he said.

The “peak” was an obscure industrial chemical used to prevent water-soluble glues from becoming sticky before they are needed. But when ingested, the chemical quickly breaks down to become GHB. The United States tightly restricts the chemical’s sale and places GHB in the same category as heroin.

This is a fascinating read on finding dangerous chemicals in toys. It took a little over a month from the first Australian child becoming ill to pull the toys from global store shelves.

Until Bush gets off his hiney and puts in some government oversight, my nieces and nephew are getting video games and clothes.

-janelane

Sleuthing for a Danger in Toy Beads - New York Times

Woo-hoo! The big 2-7!

Party forthcoming, just as soon as our house has chairs. :-)

-janelane, the ball-and-chain that cares

Closing day was Friday, and Acidus and I are proud homeowners at last! Now we just need to buy more than two rooms of furniture so we can party, party, party. :-)

-janelane

We bought a house!

"Kathy Griffin's offensive remarks will not be part of the E! telecast on Saturday night," the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences said in a statement Monday.

In her speech, Griffin said that "a lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus."

She went on to hold up her Emmy, make an off-color remark about Christ and proclaim, "This award is my god now!"

The comedian's remarks were condemned Monday by Catholic League President Bill Donohue, who called them a "vulgar, in-your-face brand of hate speech."

According to the TV academy and E!, when the four hour-plus ceremony is edited into a two-hour program, Griffin's remarks will be shown in "an abbreviated version" in which some language may be bleeped.

The program was in production and unfinished, an E! spokeswoman said Monday.

Requests for comment were left Monday evening by phone and e-mail with Griffin's publicist. They were not immediately returned.

The Catholic League, an anti-defamation group, called on the TV academy to "denounce Griffin's obscene and blasphemous comment" at Sunday's ceremony.

The academy said Monday it had no plans to address the issue in the prime-time broadcast.

The organization may have another delicate issue to consider, this one involving an off-color fake music video that aired last December on "Saturday Night Live" and won a creative arts Emmy for best song.

Andy Samberg of "SNL" said Saturday that he had yet to be asked by the TV academy to perform the tune with Timberlake on the Fox broadcast, but he was willing. Timberlake, on a concert tour, is scheduled to be in Los Angeles next weekend.

The subject of their "(Blank) in a Box" video: wrapping a certain part of the male anatomy and presenting it to a loved one as a holiday present.

The academy has said that "show elements are in the process of being worked out."

ROFLMAO! Someone actually shows some creativity on cable TV, Emmy gives them an award for it, then turns around and censors them! The irony is simply delicious.

Griffin's 'offensive' Emmy speech to be censored - CNN.com

As of June 30, almost one in four subprime loans that Countrywide services was delinquent, up from 15 percent in the same period last year, according to company filings. Almost 10 percent were delinquent by 90 days or more, compared with last year’s rate of 5.35 percent.

Whoa. Qualitative and quantitative look at the mortgage industry and Countrywide's personal contribution.

I wonder how many of Atlanta's foreclosure woes are due to murky lending practices and not just ignorant borrowing.

-janelane

Inside the Countrywide Lending Spree - New York Times

Wow.

Holy shit!

Disabled Breakdancers (this is not funny, this is inspiring)

Aack! The spammers are attacking! The spammers are attacking!

-janelane, fuck those blogs!

The good news is that almost 80 percent of children and teenagers who get diagnoses of cancer today become long-term survivors.

Holy cow!

-janelane

Cancer Care Seeks to Take Patients Beyond Survival - New York Times

I *heart* the intarweb.

-janelane

Atlanta Drink Specials