The state of the culture

So, let's recap.  Women in their 20s and 30s have grown up beating the boys in math class, knowing that combat is an option for them, celebrating "Girl Power" and in general watching all traditional male-female roles go out the window.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0ffdwBUL78

I'm sure what the value of this report is except maybe as a call for action to agencies that probably already know their own missions in addressing some of the problems identified:

A new report on the biggest threats to the health and well-being of Indiana's adolescents says the state's public health system needs to do a better job helping young people avoid unhealthy habits that can last a lifetime.

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I was almost halfway through this article from the Indiana Daily Student when I started thinking, "Oh, come on, this can't be true!" Then I finally went back to the top and saw the note identifying it as satire for the Radish, a humor page published by the IDS at the end of each school section:

At a children's racing carnival in Australia, swimmers in the past have competed for a team, not for themselves, because of, you guessed it, adults worried about their precious self-esteem. But this year, there will be competitive events as well. Guess why:

Nearly 300 children have registered for individual events at the carnival.

If we start seeing an epidemic of young people getting loaded on beer, blame it on the president:

Today's evidence that the End Times might be nearer than we think:

Michael Jackson fans have launched a campaign calling for the superstar to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

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Just when we thought the Michael Jackson moaning and wailing couldn't get any sillier, the lamentations take an absolutely surreal turn:

Detroit -- Two hearses jammed with stuffed animals left in memory of Michael Jackson were given a two-car police escort Friday to the toys' burial at Woodlawn Cemetery, leaving police officials highly critical of the decision afterward.

 [. . .]

If you're looking for a day trip to tell the grandkids about, a mere $55 will let you board a bus in Chicago and travel to beautiful downtown Gary to see all the influences that turned Michael Jackson into the unique human being he was. You can see his boyhood home that, though "modest" has a kitchen and even indoor plumbing. You can see the now-defunct Mr. Lucky's lounge, where the Jackson 5 held one of their first performances.

The Pentagon wants the military to become smoke-free:

Pentagon health experts are urging Defense Secretary Robert Gates to ban the use of tobacco by troops and end its sale on military property, a change that could dramatically alter a culture intertwined with smoking.