The percent of teens having sex is at the lowest it's ever been. The rate of condom use is the highest it's ever been. A product of our sex education programs or less than replacement level issues in our industrialized nation?
"In 2005, 47 percent of high school students - 6.7 million - reported having had sexual intercourse, down from 54 percent in 1991. The rate of those who reported having had sex has remained the same since 2003."(ChildStats)
Although I believe that teen birth is not a good thing; it does beg some questions. The theory is that the youth education efforts as well the HIV/AIDS epidemic have led to the trend of falling birth rates among teens.
What I wonder is, is this a product of the industrialization evolution process. The proof is in the pudding; many european countries have total population birth rates below replacement level. Meaning: Each couple is having less then 2 children on average. Which means the population is diminishing with each generation that operates at below replacement level. Oddly enough the birth rates for muslim countries are around 6 children per couple.
"Of those who had sex during a three-month period in 2005, 63 percent - about 9 million - used condoms. That's up from 46 percent in 1991."(ChildStats)
This statisitic I believe represents the population of teens who are looking to their professional future; and making sure with each act that they can maintain their freedom from having a child. This is a bold thing; in other modes of production, for example with agriculturalism - families start having kids early and have lots of them. Also in Horticulturalism and Pastoralism. The only other Mode of Production that resembles the birth rate changes and sexual equality and egalitarian relationships in families is foragers.
Foragers are known for having replacement level birth rates. They also had many kilometers per person; and often would not give birth much. Due to a lack of food - women missed menstrual cycles due to starvation and lack of nutrients. Even in the unlikely event that they concieve; they would breast feed for an extended period of time: in the attempt to prevent another birth.
However, What we're seeing in our nation is just above replacement level birth rates. With many similarly modeled industrialized nations operating at below replacement level birth rates it is interesting to note that - although doing fairly well for birth rates as an industrialized nation - we are slowing down though.
"The teen birth rate, the report said, was 21 per 1,000 young women ages 15-17 in 2005 - an all-time low. It was down from 39 births per 1,000 teens in 1991."(ChildStats)
What I wonder is if this drop in teen birth rates may in some represent the values and ideals of an upcoming generation of children brought up on computers and everything technological that is advancing so quickly. I think so... I'm not saying that we are immediately in need of upping our birthrates like some of the European countries need to; but just that it is something to look out for in the future.
The report was released by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics - a consortium of federal agencies that includes the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Census Bureau and the Administration for Children and Families.
Report available after midnight: http://childstats.gov
Teen Birth Rates All-Time Low: Symptom of Industrialization?
Chinese Weight-loss Patch Under Scrutiny
The most recent fake product to be revealed as a faulty chinese product:
A topical weight-loss patch
The patch was marketed on t.v. commercials as being the reason Chelsea Clinton lost 26.5 pounds in a month. The instructions on the product say to just stick on the area of your body where you want the weightloss and the fat will just ooze out of you. It was marketed as a product made in America; although the name barely translates into "America Seven-Point Thinness".
After some testing by the China Central Television agency it was revealed that the oilly discharge that was secreted from the patch was caused by the patch itself when it is applied to a warm object; and that no weight-loss happens at all.
Somehow; the makers of the topical patch were able to make 200 million yuan, or $26.32 million before they got investigated.
Due to all the recent faulty products and poisonous toothpaste that has been discovered china's place as a major manufacturing capital of world is in jeopardy. "Made In China" seems to bring more negative connotations then positive nowadays. Who knows what the next product will be that China has to pull from the selves.
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSPEK1575020070709?feedType=RSS&rpc=22&sp=true
U.S. to market itself to foreign travellers
Bill S. 1661, recently approved by the Senate Commerce Committee, will start a non-profit public-private corporation whose mission would be to market the United States as a tourist location and work with other agencies to resolve issues that deter travel to the United States.
Apparently the U.S. is the last "global destination" to implement such a program. Many countries spend millions a year in advertising to increase tourism. Greek spends roughly $150 million a year, Australia $113 Million, Britain $90 Million.
This decision to pro-actively attract tourist to the U.S. comes at a time when travel to the U.S. has been at a low, due mostly to visa issues, the increased airport security since 9/11 and fear of the inconveniences it could cause; not to mention how the global image of U.S. has suffered due to the highly unpopular war on terror.
"The global pie of international travel is steadily increasing, while the U.S. share has been slowly decreasing," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the Travel Industry Association.
Hopefully this bill can change that; it plans to draw most of it's funding from Industry contributions (foreign business delegates have also been visiting less) and an additional $10 visa fee.
Source: Original Article
