Strollerderby : states

Best Places to Raise Your Kid in America

editors — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:22:00 GMT

Business Week just published their second annual Best Places To Raise Your Kid 2009. This year, they went state-by-state. Towns were judged primarily on school performance and safety, but other criteria like affordability and crime rates were also weighed. So, without further adieu, the top towns to raise your little ones. Do you already live in one them? Should your hometown have made the list? Tell us why! --Andrea Zimmerman

Huntsville, Alabama
Anchorage, Alaska
Gilbert, Arizona
Springdale, Arkansas
Arcadia, California
Fort Collins, Colorado
West Haven, Connecticut
Wilmington, Delaware
Pembroke Pines, Florida
Warner Robins, Georgia
Honolulu, Hawaii
Boise City, Idaho
Mount Prospect, Illinois
Fort Wayne, Indiana
West Des Moines, Iowa
Overland Park, Kansas
Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky
Bossier City, Louisiana
Portland, Maine
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Malden, Massachusetts
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Eagan, Minnesota
Biloxi, Mississippi
Lee's Summit, Missouri
Billings, Montana
Omaha, Nebraska
Paradise, Nevada
Nashua, New Hampshire
Edison, New Jersey
Rio Rancho, New Mexico
New Rochelle, New York
Jacksonville, North Carolina
Bismarck, North Dakota
Columbus, Ohio
Lawton, Oklahoma
Bend, Oregon
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Rock Hill, South Carolina
Souix Falls, South Dakota
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Euless, Texas
Orem, Utah
Burlington, Vermont
Virgina Beach, Virginia
Bellevue; Washington
Charleston, West Virginia
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Casper, Wyoming

Halloween Not So Festive For Sex Offenders

Kelly Mills — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 14:35:00 GMT

Most of the year we say, "Hey kids, don't take candy from strangers." The exception of course is Halloween, when we have kids actually solicit for candy, and 'aw yeah' for that. Some states are taking measures to prevent registered violent and child sex offenders from participating in the holiday, a thought that made my fears of pumpkin smashing seem a little more trivial.

In Maryland, 1,200 sex offenders received a letter instructing them to stay at home, turn off the porch lights, and not answer the door. They also received a sign with a scared-looking pumpkin on it, that reads "No candy at this residence". The letter begins, "Halloween provides a rare opportunity for you to demonstrate to your neighbors that you are making a sincere effort to change the direction of your life." And as part of that effort, I think your house is gonna get egged this year.

Other states are adopting similar measures, and in Missouri, four offenders and the ACLU are challenging it. Louisiana has banned sex offenders from wearing masks on Halloween and during carnival season. Are the rules a violation of civil liberties, or a necessary measure? Will they effectively protect kids? You tell me.

Most wanted puts deadbeat dads...and one mom online

Scary teen kidnappers going to jail

States Turn Down Abstinence-Only Sex Ed Funds In Favor of Teaching, You Know, Actual Sex Ed

Kelly Mills — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 21:33:00 GMT

Federal money for Cold Showers 101 may someday be a thing of the past. More and more states are declaring they will not apply for federal funding for abstinence-only sex education programs, and a couple others have applied but stated they will not stick with the abstinence-only curriculum, therefore rendering themselves ineligible. If you don't think this is a big deal, remember, these states are turning down MONEY--your tax dollars, in fact. That says something. Now why would states say they won't try and get the funds? "The jump in states opting out follows a series of reports questioning the effectiveness of the approach, including one commissioned by Congress that was released earlier this year. In addition, federal health officials reported last week that a 14-year drop in teenage pregnancy rates appeared to have reversed." Great.

Oh, but I absolutely loooove the response of supporters of "just say no" sex ed. Stan Koutstaal of the Department of Health and Human Services says "My greatest concern about states dropping out is that these are valuable services and programs. It's the youths in these states who are missing out." Youths who really, really need to sit in a classroom and be told all about the evils of sex without any information that could actually benefit them. Yeah, totally missing out. And Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence Education Association says the abstinence programs don't just waggle fingers and tsk tsk, but "They include relationship-building skills and medically accurate discussions of sexually transmitted diseases and contraception." Kids, this is a condom. It might help protect you from STDs, but since you won't be having sex, you don't need to know how it works. This, however, is what syphillis looks like, and you don't want that, do you?

I must confess this is one of those issues that gets me more irate than almost anything else, so I'm giddy that states are taking a stand. Now perhaps the money I send to the federal government could be used for education programs that aren't utter crap? Really, abstinence-only policy makers who ignore research and reality can kiss my ass without protection.

The "Greenest" U.S. States: Is Yours One?

Karen Murphy — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 19:19:00 GMT

So when are we all going to drive hybrids, no wait, ride our bikes everywhere? And eat local. And shut down the corporate polluters. And reduce our reliance on oil, foreign or domestic? Next year, maybe? Uh, maybe not. But in the meantime, you can rate your home state with other U.S. states in terms of "green"ness. And mock the states that rank lower than yours. But I'll bet you'll be surprised who made the top ten (though the bottom-dwellers probably already know who they are).

So Forbes did an America's Greenest States thing, which, I don't know, may be useful, or not, depending on your perspective (and maybe which state you call home). They evaluated things like carbon footprint, "green" architecture and design, energy consumption, toxic waste, clean water and clean air.

So you're already thinking environmentalist states, right? And maybe the clean air of the Rockies? What about New Jersey?

New Jersey?? ("get a rope")

Oh hell, I'll just give you the top ten:

Vermont
Oregon
Washington
Hawaii
Maryland
Connecticut
New Jersey
Rhode Island
New York
Arizona

Yeah, I'm having trouble with a couple of those, too. Probably the same ones you're thinking of. And what about California, something of a leader in "green" legislation? Well, have you ever seen the brown air of L.A. or the Bay Area? Yeah, that. We used to have smog alerts when I was a kid, I'll bet they still do.

The bottom, you ask? You had to ask. [sigh]

Last five are: Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Indiana, and the lovely West Virginia. Mostly because they just don't care.

Want the full list? Here you go! Now, mock away!