The Effect of The Video Releases On Public Opinion of Planned Parenthood

Ken AshfordWomen's IssuesLeave a Comment

It appears that the video releases which show Planned Parenthood employees talking about the legal things they do could not be spun in a way to make Planned Parenthood look bad.  In other words, Operation Defund Planned Parenthood is a fail. Yougov, a right-wing polling firm, has found that people’s opinions of PP have barely changed due to the videos. … Read More

Facepalm Quote Of The Day

Ken AshfordWomen's IssuesLeave a Comment

“We have no problem with the girls sitting on the bench. We don’t care who sits on the bench with the teams, that goes for anybody … to sit on the bench.” – National Travel Basketball Association president John Whitely, after telling the boys’ basketball team, the Charlottesville Cavaliers, that they could no longer participate in the tournament because ten-year-old Kymora Johnson … Read More

The New Word For “RINO” (And What It Says About Republicans)

Ken AshfordElection 2016, Immigration and Xenophobia, Race, Republicans, Tea Party, Women's IssuesLeave a Comment

In the early 2000s, just as the wars in the Middle East were ramping up, a new word started appearing in the Internet lexicon: RINO.  It stands for “Republican In Name Only”.  It is an insult hurled from Republicans to any member of the GOP who’s more liberal than a Republican “should be”.  Any politician tagged as a RINO — and many … Read More

Planned Parenthood, the Abortion Debate, and 2016 Elections

Ken AshfordElection 2016, Gubmint Shutdown, Health Care, Polls, Republicans, Women's IssuesLeave a Comment

There is very little to recommend being over the age of 50, but one of the nice things is that it gives perspective and wisdom — the kind of experience that can’t be taught, but can only come from having lived several decades. There is one thing I have learned – abortion rights are not going away. That wasn’t always … Read More

Everybody Hates Everybody

Ken AshfordElection 2016, Polls, Women's IssuesLeave a Comment

From First Read: From the new NBC/WSJ poll we released last night: Almost everyone is in lousy shape. Hillary Clinton’s fav/unfav numbers dropped from 44%-40% (+4) in June to 37%-48% (-11) now — which gives her a worse popularity rating than President Obama has ever had during his presidency. Jeb Bush’s fav/unfav rating, at 26%-40% (-14) is even worse — … Read More

Trump’s Lawyer May Be Dumber Than Trump

Ken AshfordElection 2016, Women's IssuesLeave a Comment

Another day, another Trump scandal. This one is a little different.  Rather than Trump sending the media into a fervor, it was the reverse. Trump, as we all now, has been making hay out of the supposed “rapists” that the government of Mexico is sending into America.  There’s no evidence that undocumented Mexicans are any more responsible for rape than … Read More

What The Judge Got Wrong (And Right) On Bill Cosby

Ken AshfordCourts/Law, Women's IssuesLeave a Comment

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE GO OUT AND REPORT THE FUCKING NEWS?!?!? — Will McAvoy (@WillMcAvoyACN) 9:39 pm – July 7, 2015 That was a real tweet from a fictional person complaining about yesterday’s big story: Greece China The Presidential Election Bill Cosby. It’s all that the news outlets talked about: (CNN) Bill Cosby has admitted to getting prescription Quaaludes to give to … Read More

SCOTUS Round-up: Three More Five-To-Four Decisions Today

Ken AshfordConstitution, Courts/Law, Crime, Energy and Conservation, Supreme Court, Voter Suppression & Voter Security, Women's IssuesLeave a Comment

Today is the last day of the SCOTUS term, and so they issued the last of their opinions.  The two biggest cases — on Obamacare and sames-sex marriage — came out at the end of last week, so a lot fewer people were paying attention this morning.  Here’s what happened: (1)  DEATH PENALTY – The 5-4 decision in Glossip v. … Read More

Do College Rape Prevention Programs Work?

Ken AshfordWomen's IssuesLeave a Comment

Surprisingly, there is not much research on this issue.  But last week, a study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine which helps shed light on the issue. The study first noted what programs don’t seem to work well, or for which there lacks study.  Targeted programs for men and for women that have been evaluated for sexual assault … Read More

The Crazy North Carolina Legislature

Ken AshfordGay Marriage, Local Interest, Sex/Morality/Family Values, Women's Issues1 Comment

(1)  Jerks: Lawmakers passed a bill Wednesday that would make North Carolina one of several states with 72-hour waiting periods for abortions. Gov. Pat McCrory said he planned to sign it, despite the urging of opponents who wanted him to stand by his statement during his 2012 campaign that he would not sign any further restrictions on abortion if elected. … Read More

Catching Up

Ken AshfordGay Marriage, In Passing, Popular Culture, Sex Scandals, Sex/Morality/Family Values, Women's IssuesLeave a Comment

The merry month of May is a busy one.  Fortunately, not a lot is happening news-wise upon which I feel the urge to pontificate at length.  However, I few tidbits are worth at least a passing mention: Yay, Ireland for the feckin’ landslide to legalize same-sex marriage.  Significant, I think, in light of the strong Catholic sentiment there.  Seems that Rome … Read More

New Study Shows One-In-Five Women Sexually Assaulted On Campus

Ken AshfordCrime, Women's IssuesLeave a Comment

A new study published online by the Journal of Adolescent Health finds that almost one-in-five women experience sexual assault ion college.  The study, titled “Incapacitated and Forcible Rape of College Women: Prevalence Across the First Year,” which focused on first-year female students at one New York college, attempted to measure how frequently rape or attempted rape occurred by having female students … Read More

Geller: Blaming Me For Texas Shooting Is Like Blaming A Woman For Her Own Rape

Ken AshfordRight Wing Punditry/Idiocy, Rightwing Extremism/Violence, Women's IssuesLeave a Comment

Bill O’Reilly says he would have done it “another way”.  But that’s not the worst of it. Greta Van Susteren — also on Fox — editorialized against Geller: Van Susteren said that while the group has the right to exercise free speech, they should not have knowingly endangered police officers by doing do. “It is one thing for someone to stand … Read More

Celebrating Nellie Bly

Ken AshfordHistory, Women's IssuesLeave a Comment

You don’t know who Nellie Bly is, do you? She pioneered investigative journalism. — Sorkin Dialogue (@sorkinese) May 5, 2015 Google is celebrating Nellie Bly today with a little cartoony thing.  Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s has written a song in her honor, which is featured in the lovely Google Doodle created by artist Katy Wu. Why Nellie Bly?  Today … Read More