Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Examines Opposition to, Consequences of New HHS Rule
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that "Under the so-called "conscience rule," scheduled to take effect Jan. 19, any health care provider can refuse to disclose information or provide services to clients without disclosing such actions to supervisors, even if the individual's actions counter the mission of the organization in charge." The newspater notes the widespread opposition to Bush's new provider conscience rule: "Despite 200,000 comments opposing the action, HHS issued the new rule Dec. 18. It will take effect the day before President-elect Barack Obama takes office. Those supporting the new rule expect a battle with the Obama administration over its implementation." Richard Baird, president and chief executive officer for Adagio Health, a family-planning organization that provides services in 23 counties in Western Pennsylvania, told the Post-Gazette, "This is a very detrimental regulation from the public-health perspective," Baird said. "I think it's a parting shot from the Bush administration to thank its supporters."
Religious Right Leaders Grumble over Warren's Planned Invocation
On his US News & World Report blog "God & Country," Dan Gilgoff writes that it's not just progressives who are angry about Rick Warren's invocation at President-Elect Obama's inauguration. Some religious right leaders are displeased that he accepted the invitation, but have been keeping quiet about it. Gilgoff writes, "[C]onservative activist Star Parker breaks the silence, blaming Warren's forum last summer with Obama and Republican presidential nominee John McCain for delivering a chunk of evangelical votes to the pro-choice, pro-gay-rights president-elect." Parker claims that Obama won "legitimacy" with evangelicals in the wake of Rick Warren's Saddleback Forum.
Makes Mothers Vectors for Health Information
The US is saturated by prevention messages, many of them not sticking. The solution? Send health messages through moms, says US News & World Report health blogger Dr. Bernadine Healy. "Mothers largely set the nutritional tone of the household; mothers oversee the healthcare of the family, young and old, husbands and children; and mothers are the biggest consumers of health information in print and on the Web. And with a special status that enables them to relentlessly nag based on their undying maternal love, mothers are positioned to be the lever that pushes detached public-health preaching into personal action." Mothers can model behavior that will stick with their children, says Healy.
Ariel Levy Reviews New and Old Editions of "Joy of Sex," "Our Bodies, Ourselves"
Ariel Levy's New Yorker review of the updated "Joy of Sex" and "Our Bodies, Ourselves," accompanied by an appreciation of the original editions of each, makes for entertaining reading, as does Christine Cuapaiuolo's reaction at Our Bodies, Our Blog. A morsel of Levy's review:
Here’s a trick you might try at home sometime: pick almost any recipe in the “Moosewood.” Now add bacon. You will find that the addition of this decidedly unwholesome ingredient makes the food taste much better. “Our Bodies, Ourselves,” likewise, lacked a certain trayf allure. The revised edition of the book — even the original — is a fantastic resource for educating young women (and very sophisticated girls) about their physicality. But as an erotic reference for adults in 2008 it’s a little vegan.
