hedgehog.

[squeequeg]

The painters have started work. What began as just a constant scraping noise, not unlike a giant hedgehog attempting to scratch itself against the house, has grown into multiple scrapings and bangings. Like an army of hedgehogs.

I think I may try to spend the day away from the apartment.

In other news, I saw an article about how federal guidelines on sex and AIDS education are now federally required to stress the limitations of condoms. Does this strike anyone else as weird? I mean, teaching sex ed by emphasizing condom failure rates seems a little like teaching drivers' ed by emphasizing seat belt failure rates. Yeah, neither of them is perfect, sometimes you'll die even if you used them, and if you're being an idiot about the correct way to use them then you're definitely more at risk, but if you're going to drive then it's safer to use a seat belt.

Abstinence teaching only works for a while -- maybe enough that those taught are now psychologically ready for sex, which is good in some ways -- but they don't know how to protect themselves once they're ready. This isn't so much about teaching values any more as about teaching survival skills.

Anyway. Rant over.

Comments

[ltlbird.livejournal.com]

Hooray for giant hedgehogs! Since I own a hedgehog, I can affirm that the critters make some pretty weird noises from time to time. Percy occasionally squeaks in a way that I still can't comprehend.

As for sex ed, I agree that the emphasis on failure rates is a little weird. I suspect it's one of those compromises that had to be made to get a law through. Argh. I heard some interesting stats about abstinence pledges this weekend. Apparently, as you say, they work for a while, but once the kids who have pledged start having sex, they are much less likely to use condoms (I believe 40% of pledgers reported using them as compared to 60% of non-pledgers). One expert suggested that kids who have focused on abstinence previously view sex more emotionally than other kids, so they are less likely to think of or want to bring up the practical aspects, like protection. If you talk to them, they know they should use protection, but they may feel that the person they finally decide to have sex with is The One, so they don't worry about it. A related stat is that in communities where abstinence pledge groups have high enrollments STD rates are also higher than normal. Leads me to believe that some sort of combination of the two approaches needs to be developed such that teens (who are unquestionably hedonistic) learn that the decision to have sex should not be made lightly, but that once they take that step, no matter how much they love and trust their partner, they need to protect themselves.