Bulletin Board

I thought I'd introduce a new feature to the blog so that I can post some of those items I come across that don't quite warrant an entire blog post in-and-of themselves, but that are too intriguing to keep to myself. I'm calling this new feature Bulletin Board for obvious reasons. These are the types of items you might tear out and stick on your bulletin board if you came across them in real life.

Prevention of Youth Crime Can Start During Pregnancy
Researchers Julie Brousseau and Mireille Jetté of Prevention are attempting to deal with some of the root causes of youth crime by identifying risk factors that tend to carry over from generation to generation and taking steps to try to break the cycle of inter-generational problems, starting when a mother first becomes pregnant.

Oh, Do You Know the Muffin Gran?
Here's proof positive that you can pass down your entrepreneurial vision to your kids and your grandkids. The granddaughter of one of the co-authors of the 1980's cookbook megahit Muffin Mania mega has released a revised second edition of her grandmother's cookbook.

Autism Re-Defined
Two parents from Nova Scotia have written a tell-it-like-it-is account of how their lives play out day-to-day as they cope with the joys and challenges of their sons' autism. "Autism means ... having to absorb glaring and judgmental stares if there is a meltdown at the grocery store, or the mall, or the bus, or the sidewalk. And rather than people offering a helping hand, you hear... 'Why don’t you control your kid.' 'Why’s that boy screaming mommy?' 'What a bad parent.' It means making sure they are wearing a red T-shirt with the words Autism Summer Camp on the back and the front when we do go out, to try and avoid the condemnation." - From Life on Mars by Charlene and David Croft (an excerpt from their forthcoming book Little Rain Men).

Affluenza
Just in time for holiday shopping season -- a link to this PBS documentary about the root causes of overspending and what they mean for our society and the future of the planet. The fabulous retro footage of car ads, dream kitchens, and bored/unhappy shoppers make Affluenza a must watch before you hit the malls. (More.)  If the film leaves you looking for solutions, you may want to check out the viewers' guide which was created to accompany the sequel, Escape from Affluenza.