Television Teen Sex Study Flawed

Bestiality is classified as non-marital sex? Thanks, Parents' Television Council!

Teen Sex, Adultery, Lust, Hot Topics on U.S. Prime-time Soaps

http://tinyurl.com/3pjkmg (note the link says they studied prime-time soaps, when in actuality, they studied primetime shows such as "My Name is Earl", "Law and Order: SVU")

This study is outrageously biased. In the news release, the ultra-conservative Parents' Television Council omitted several methodological considerations. I don't understand how they can lump the CW with other major networks since it seems this channel would include many of these topics (because of shows like One Tree Hill, etc.) compared to the other major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX), which are clogged with game shows and reality shows. This study is just as biased as their violence on television study. (Note: They did admit ABC and NBC did not have as many extramarital references)

And then the media blindly publish this research without analyzing its methodology. I would like to know, how did the PTC define lust? Can you see lust? And, how convenient the research was conducted during sweeps week!

On the PTC website (http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/publications/reports/SexonTV/MarriageStudy.pdf), here is what they said: "According to the PTC study, some of the once-taboo-for-TV sexual behaviors that are now found on prime time television include threesomes, partner swapping, pedophilia, necrophilia, bestiality, and sex with prostitutes, in addition to depictions of strippers, references to masturbation, pornography, sex toys, and kinky or fetishistic behaviors." Are they kidding? What primetime TV shows are rampant with necrophilia and bestiality? Law and Order: SVU? And they categorized this as non-marital sex?

In another section, they mentioned incest, pedophilia, and transgender/transsexuals. So these three things do not count as marital sex? Please don't tell me that if a pedophile abused a child or if there was incest on television, they counted that as a nonmarried relationship. Unfortunately, I think they did. Outrageous! And I don't understand the transgender reference, either.

What the study neglected to say is on ALL the channels, including the CWS, they studied 207.5 hours of programming (remember sweeps week was included) and there were 205 references, or approximately one sexual reference per hour. So their 27 to 1 and 2 to 1 ratios are based on small numbers.

On the other hand, if you plop your child in front of the CW, which we all know is littered with tween and teenage sex shows, then there is an issue. But I don't want some biased group scaring me to think our television is rampant with sex and mentions of sex in an "unmarried" context. For a better longitudinal study that looks at sex on television (which has declined since the real primetime soap operas (i.e., Dallas, Knot's Landing) of the 80's,) check out Amir Hetsroni's
"Three Decades of Sexual Content on Prime-Time Network Programming: A Longitudinal Meta-Analytic Review" in the Journal of Communication in 2007.

That's my one cent! Also, I am working on a new website. http://www.tinamccorkindale.com/ where I will post all my work-related posts. Once that gets up and running, I will move some of the content over and use this blog for family stuff.

Lindner Bison is yummy!

While the L.A. County Fair is in town and promoting deep-fried cheeseburgers and fried coke (I don't know how that works but my heart hurts just thinking about it) - Rob and I have started trying to eat local, which means fewer trips to Vons. Michael Pollan's books and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle were sources of inspiration. We don't eat fast food except Chik-Fil-A or Subway so we haven't had to change our habits too much. While scouting local farmers' markets, which can locally be found any day of the week, we stock up on veggies, fruits, eggs, cheese, etc. But the one jewel of the nile we have found is Lindner Bison, where we bought 20 pounds of mix-and-match bison. Leaner than chicken and packed with omega 3s, this grass-fed bison is scrump-dilly-upmtious and bred in Valencia (who knew?) So I highly recommend them (http://www.lindnerbison.com/) - Kathy is extremely nice and will answer any questions you have. I suggest the tenderloin, hamburger meat, and fajita meat. While I don't really like the Sunday Hollywood Farmer's Market, this is where Kathy sets up shop. Bon Appetit!

Not on "Target"

Ahhhhh, Target (or Tar-shea in a french accent). Last weekend, I drove to Tustin, (AKA the land of big box stores and cookie cutter chain restaurants and shops) to eat dinner with my brother. With baby in tow, we had to pick up a few things at the Tustin Target. When I returned to lowly Echo Park, I looked at my receipt and saw I was charged $42 for dog food, which I usually purchase for $37. I'm not one of those crazy coupon people or one who obsesses over paying a few extra cents at the more convenient gas station, but this was a big difference. So I called my local Eagle Rock target who said that some Targets in wealthier areas (which means I don't live in a wealthy area so I have to pronounce it without the french accent) charge higher prices. What??? Needless to say, I returned the dog food, bought the same dog food, and pocketed an Abraham Lincoln.

Sarah Palin as the VP? Really John McCain? Is this the best you can do?

So I wake up this morning to Rob telling me that John McCain has picked his VP - could it be Mitt Romney - or some other dry conservative? Who is Biden going to face in the VP debates? No, it's Sarah Palin - the notorious Governor of Alaska? Who? A 44-year-old mother of five - and why do I say that? Because that is exactly what the media have referenced - she is a mother of five, she is a hockey mom (which is like a soccer mom as the media have also said), and went to work two days after her baby was born (yay?). She is a momager, she has kids, she was PTA president, blah, blah, blah.

And then the media say she is pro-gun - I love it! I enjoy how the media focus on her kids, but no one would ever say, Can Barack lead the country as a father of two? Is she running for head of the Bake Sale Fundraiser? And what about her foreign policy? Can Andy Cooper give her a current events quiz for Pete's sake? Not only that, but how insulting to think that if you would vote for Hilary, it was because she was a woman, so automatically women would vote for Palin. Really? Who are these people? Have they not checked the fundamental philosophies of these two are different? Do they think women are stupid? And with McCain, who unfortunately may keel over at any time, is this really the best choice? But as a democrat, the only thing I have to say (other than the aforementioned) is "Congratulations, President Obama!"

Are you smarter than a fifth grader?

Ok, so I really should be grading, but I couldn't help myself. Rob and I are watching, "Are you smarter than a fifth grader?" and the answer is, "How could you not be?" I mean good gravy, who doesn't know that a sea lion is a mammal, Antarctica is the least populated continent, and how many nouns are in a sentence. Everyone on this show should win a million dollars......