World record for simultaneous kissing

Something just for a bit of fun: ( copied from this site)

Mexico wins new kissing record

MEXICO CITY (AFP) — Mexico puckered its way to a new record on Valentine's Day, when nearly 40,000 people locked lips with their sweeties to beat the world record of simultaneous kisses, previously held by Britain.
The new record was set late Saturday, when 39,897 people crowded into the Mexican capital for the group smooch.

"There are 42,225 people on site, but unfortunately you did not all participate in the record," announced Carlos Martinez, a Guinness official who was monitoring the crowds.
"The number of participants is 39,987 and the new record for the number of people kissing simultaneously goes to Mexico," he said.

The British record had been 32,648 people.

Tourist groups and community activists organized the event to make a statement against violence in Mexico, where more than 5,300 people were killed in 2008 due to a rash of drug feuds and rampant criminal activity.
The group kiss also aimed to send a message to a local mayor who tried to ban kissing in the public square.

The kiss "sends a message to the whole world about Mexico's respect for al kinds of freedoms," said local tourist official Alejandro Rojas Diaz.

Sex ed by teens for teens

Just a reminder that this site is really good. Looking at all of the writer site editers I didn't see anyone over 18. Go have a look.
As an example here is one of thier youtube videos:

underground photoshop activitst

Thanks to the About Face blog ( link on the left) for this info re people in Germany posting the photoshop techniques that have been - done directly on to subway ads so that everyone can see how fake they really are:

Go here to see more of the work.

Sexual Health Awareness Week -2009

Don't forget it all starts the 14th of Feburary: Go here to see what activities are on.

Web Porn+young people

I have been thinking about this alot lately: Its a hard subject to consider objectively. In the past after reading 'The Porn Report' I started feeling okay about porn, how people use it and see it. However..... I think I am reconsidering my position. 'The Porn report ' was as a study of adult users who were happy to admit using porn - also much of the research was pre easy internet access.

I would dearly love to see some qualitative research about young people ( from the age that they start accessing computers), what they think about the imagry they see, how do they see this as fitting into 'media' how do they discern what is real and acceptable or not real and unaccepptable? Does it bother them? Does it make any difference or not??? I have my own ideas after talking with my children and thier friends. - but of course research and ethics makes it very difficult to 'do' research on young people.
Anyway - I am not saying Porn is good or Bad. I would just like to know its impact on our young people.
You may want to have a look at this site for some information re research.

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL

I just wanted t0o remind people of this site that I posted a few years ago. Please have a look - and...... If you see a 'You are beautiful' sticker in the most unlikely place around Adelaide - I may have put it there. This site epitomises what youth work is to me: Here is thier statement.

"You Are Beautiful is a simple, powerful statement which is incorporated into the over absorption of mass media and lifestyles that are wrapped in consumer culture. The intention behind this project is to reach beyond ourselves as individuals to make a difference by creating moments of positive self realization. We're just attempting to make the world a little better. Intention is the most important aspect of the You Are Beautiful project in its idea of purity. Nothing is sacred. Everything that has a perceived value becomes commodified. We work extremely hard that this message is received as a simple act of kindness, and nothing more.Advertising elicits a response to buy, where this project elicits a response to do something. The attempt with You Are Beautiful is to create activism instead of consumerism. You Are Beautiful uses the medium of advertising and commercialization to spread a positive message. Projects like these make a difference in the world by catching us in the midst of daily life and creating moments of positive self realization. "

More - 'Whats Happening to Our Girls'

Just in case my previous post didnt get you interested enough to check this book out of the Shine library ( or buy it yourselves). Here are a few more quotes.

"The number of teen girls who resort to self injury has increased so much that cutting has been labelled the new anorexia....While it is hard to know exactly how many girls are cutting themselves, because THEY DO SO IN SECRET, it is now estimated that 1 in 10 do so"

" Curious girls dont have to venture far to to learn more about self mutilation. There is plenty of material from the net. Here girls can read about the intimate details of celebrity self mutilators from Princess Diana to Courtney Love. If the don't know it already they'll discover how Christina Ricci used to burn herlelf with a cigarette and how Agelina Jolie., also a cutter, wore a shirt with her first husbands name written in her blood to thier wedding. Should girls log on to such sites as self-injury.net they will access to everything...."


WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? LETS ALL GET A BIT MORE KNOWLEDGABLE-LETS STOP THIS STUFF.
Lud

Female Circumcision

Please have a look at the article on the right: Genital Mutilation: Gambia Takes On As National Program UAB Project To Abolish FGM.

This looks like something really innovative and appropriate to me

( or click here)

YAZ Pill

Take action and go beyond birth control with YAZ (drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol). YAZ is THE ONLY birth control proven to treat emotional and physical symptoms of PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) that are severe enough to impact the lives of women who choose the Pill for contraception. Plus, YAZ with drsp is also proven to help treat moderate acne*.( Taken from the YAZ website)

Here is what one of our SHine Drs said about the so called new pill YAZ media hype. "YAZ is packaged in a different form 24 days hormone tables, 4 sugar pills therefore shorter lighter bleeds and less likelihood of ovulation occurring. Slightly lower dose (20 mcg) than the usual COCP dose (30 -35mcg). May get slightly lighter bleed. No different to any other combined pills in that most of them are also on the PBS for premenstrual syndrome as well as contraception.

I guess the moral is - dont believe all the media hype ( what a surprise). This may work for some women and not for others - why not just take a continuous dose and stop the bleeding alltogether??

Loves Me, Loves me Not

I just watched a brilliant dvd ( that SHine has in our library) it is called Loves Me, Loves Me Not.

This is an Australian documentary of a young girl (Angela Barker) who was a victim of relationship violence. In the documentary her friends, parents, neighbours and friends of the perpertrator are interviewed. Angela herself is unable to speak because of the injuries she suffered.

This would be great to use as preventative stuff with young women and men. BUT it is heart wrenching and brings tears to my eyes.