Mass Teen Pregnancy in Gloucester

[AnneMarble]

Did you hear about the teens in Gloucester, Massachusetts who made a (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/19/eveningnews/main4197525.shtm)
pact to get pregnant (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/19/eveningnews/main4197525.shtm)? There are 17 pregnant teens in one high school
(although it's unclear how many of them took part in the secret pact)!
Most of the "fathers" came from outside of the high school, and one
was a 24-year-old homeless man. :eek: Part of the problem may be
economic depression in the area because teens are left with a void to fill. (But then kids in well-off areas can have a void to fill, too.)


This article (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/20/earlyshow/main4198453.shtml) says the celebrity culture that makes celeb pregnancies
glamorous may be in part to blame for this. But come on. What about
the girls themselves? The parents who didn't notice? The boys and
"men" who got sucked into this? Besides, what are we supposed to do? Ask Angelina to stop having babies? Right. :rolleyes:

[Takvah]

It's a horrendous story... no doubt. I heard that these girls would get tested weekly to see if they were pregnant and rather than being all upset and overwhelmed one girl said, "Yesss!" when given the news.

Oi!

[Appalachian Writer]

I heard the school being bombasted because they didn't pass out some kind of birth control, as if girls who WANTED to get pregnant would use them! I lean not so much to economic conditions but to the cult of celebrity. Britanny Spears's sister, whose name I can't remember, is what? 17? And she's having a baby! Women all over telelvision from the past Murphy Brown to modern soap operas are getting pregnant every day, and the event of becoming a mother is romanticized to the point that it seems all flowers and roses instead of sleepless nights, complete eradication of social life, and many more of the bothersome elements of parenthood. On TV, the baby cries and someone takes it off camera OR the baby NEVER cries but is always smiling and happy. The rigors of parenting go virtually unnoticed amid the pleasure of shopping for baby clothes, etc. There's a new reality show where teens are paired up and given a real baby to care for (closely observed, I hope). The promo is "not a reality show but birth control!" Maybe all our potential little mothers should be made to care for a baby for say "a week or two" with no one to step in save for some dire emergency. That might alter that romanticized idea of raising a child, and then there's childbirth and pregnancy itself! Very few women skid by without some problems during pregnancy, and NO ONE who has a child either from c-section or vaginal delivery can say they enjoyed the process. Nursing? Not as easy as it sounds. Bottle feeding? Okay, but first you have to go through allowing your milk to dry up, also not without discomfort. I wonder if these girls will be so eager to become mothers while all of this is happening?

[clintl]

I think it's too easy to start blaming media influences, rather than what probably really happened, which is that they got together and decided it would be cool to get pregnant at the same time, without thinking about the consequences.

[Appalachian Writer]

I think it's too easy to start blaming media influences, rather than what probably really happened, which is that they got together and decided it would be cool to get pregnant at the same time, without thinking about the consequences.

I know you're right, but I just keep reaching for why such an idea would be formulated. What were they thinking? What made them think that this might be a good idea? Whew! It boggles the mind.

[clintl]

Some teenagers have brains and use them. Some teenagers have brains and choose not to use them.

[InfinityGoddess]

I know you're right, but I just keep reaching for why such an idea would be formulated. What were they thinking? What made them think that this might be a good idea? Whew! It boggles the mind.


This is one reason why, aside from comprehensive sex ed, I would advocate a class where kids are forced to take care of those robot baby dolls, with the rules being that if the thing cries, you can't turn it off; you have to take care of its needs (food, diaper, etc.) and wake up every two hours in the night if you have to. That would cure a lot of the "baybees are sooo cuuuute, I want one too!" mentality right there because then these kids realize that babies are work and that it's perhaps a better idea to wait until you're older.

There is also a solution parents can do too. My mom's rule: You get pregnant or knock someone up, you and you (and your SO) alone are responsible.

Worked for me and my brother because neither of us got into that kind of trouble. Simple, yet effective.

[TerzaRima]

CBS must be having a really slow news day. This kind of thinking--teen pregnancy= hoped for blessing, not curse--has been pretty common among poor African American teens for a couple of generations, and the only reason this is big news and we are all clutching our pearls is that these kids are middle class and white.

My guess is that that there was no "secret pact", and that whole phrase came from a misinterpretation from something one of the teens said. It just sounds like something a teenage girl would say.

[clintl]

It's not just CBS. The NBC Nightly News had a story about it on its broadcast last night.

But, you may be right about the race and socioeconomic status angle.

[Plot Device]

Maybe all our potential little mothers should be made to care for a baby for say "a week or two"

Back in the olden days, that was called "You need to go to your cousin's house this summer and help her with the new baby."


I am appalled at the number of people I meet in modern society who have NEVER logged in even one minute of babysitting time in their entire lives. And what's worse is when I meet a young adult couple where neither the husband nor the wife has ever done any babysitting, and yet they intend to have children. And what's worst of all is when that couple actually does have a child, they are absolutely clueless--talk about the crash-course school of hard knocks.

I think all kids (boys and girls alike) should just plain "do" the whole babysitting scene. Period. They certainly need to be slowly eased into it. Here's my prescribed way to go about it

AGE 10

helping the Mommy out for maybe two hours each afternoon with the basic stuff like running upstairs for the mother and grabbing a clean one-sie, cleaning up the high chair after lunch
rocking a baby after Mommy has just gotten done nursing him/her
keeping to changing table organized
playing with the baby and with the Mommy and learning the Mommy's preferred usage of language and style of play
helping in the bathroom as Mommy gives the baby a bath
helping to feed the baby (under watchful eyes of Mommy)
AGE 12

changing a diaper for the first time (under the watchful eyes of Mommy)
unbuckling the child from the car seat (but NOT buckling him in! not yet!)
carrying the baby upstairs and putting him to bed
staying in the house alone with the baby for maybe half an hour while Mommy goes outside to do gardenning or whatever (but Mommy does not actualy leave the yard or drive away)
AGE 14

Can be left alone with the baby for a full blown babysitting evening.
You might disagree with me about the ages that the kids can be trusted for certain tasks, but I think you see the point of the progression I am suggesting. This is all a perfectly natural (and free) way to undergo a parenting class. It's a very organic thing and its value should not be overlooked.

So many people in the past 30 years never did any of this during their teen years. They never learned a thing about taking care of kids.




.

[William Haskins]

it's the economy, stupid...


This could be perhaps the most bizarre application of James Carville's worn out expression, "It's the economy stupid." "CBS Evening News" linked the economy to the famed pregnancy pact that has received national attention.

The June 19 broadcast of "Evening News" (http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2008/20080620091107.aspx) faulted the ailing economy for 17 Massachusetts high school students agreeing to get pregnant intentionally around the same time so they could raise children together.

According to Gloucester Public Schools Superintendent Christopher Farmer, the girls did it to gain status. CBS correspondent Michelle Miller took it a step further and made an economic connection.

"Status in Gloucester is hard to come by," Miller said. "The once-thriving fishing community has seen jobs drift overseas. Economic depression has left many teens trying to fill the void."


http://newsbusters.org/blogs/jeff-poor/2008/06/20/evening-news-blames-economic-depression-gloucester-pregnancy-pact#new

[Plot Device]

My guess is that that there was no "secret pact", and that whole phrase came from a misinterpretation from something one of the teens said. It just sounds like something a teenage girl would say.


But these girls were incessantly going to their school's health clinic all year long --some every single week-- and constantly getting pregnancy tested again and again (those pregnancy tests costs about $25.00 apiece and are paid for by the taxpayers). They said that 150 pregnancy tests had been administered since September. And the school heath administrators and the principal all claim that these girls were always disappointed--overtly and obviously disappointed--whenever the tests came back negative. And when discussions of birth control came up, the girls would shrug it off and leave--only to return the folllowing week to get yet another Early Pregnancy Test (EPT). This went on all year long since September --the same girls again and again coming back for yet another EPT and being disappointed again and again. And then when a positive hit was registered, the girls were ecstatic and gave each other high-fives.

This behavior is absolutely unheard of. Most teenaged girls throughout this nation in past years would go to their school clinic MAYBE once a year, and they would enter the clinic in quiet, terrified silence. SOMETIMES these girls (in the past) would go alone, and other times with just ONE friend who was their moral support. And then the girl (and her one friend, if there was one), would draw a huge sigh of relief at the news of a negative pregnancy test. And then the clinic administrtaor would discuss birth control with that girl, and USUALLY that girl would go along with that birth control.

But at the Gloucester school the health administrators are shocked and alarmed by this new behavior. The entire purpose of the clinic is being turned on its ear. The justification for providing those EPT's with taxpayer dollars is now being questioned. This is all going far beyond the health of the students and it's become a strange game which is abusing the clinic's resources and grieving the clinic administrators who never in their lives would have imagined any girls would want this so badly.

It's obvious that there was some kind of aggressive peer pressure driven goal that they were all working toward as a group. I don't know if the girls have been using the actual word "pact" themselves, but it has all the earmarks of one.


.

[dgiharris]

I think it's too easy to start blaming media influences, rather than what probably really happened, which is that they got together and decided it would be cool to get pregnant at the same time, without thinking about the consequences.

When these types of things happen, people make the mistake of looking for a 'smoking gun' or the ONE factor responsible for the problem.

In reality, there are multiple reasons and factors that have some probability of influence. My Point?

The media is a SIGNFICANT part of the problem. The media and television are the PRINCIPLE influences on our social 'culture'. Our culture dictates whats cool, what's acceptable, etc. etc. and all this violence, sex, etc on T.V. does influence our culture. The real question we should ask ourselves is how in teh hell did we get to a point in our culture where promiscuity and teen pregnancy has become "cool".

In short, yes, the media is to blame. Are they more at fault than the parents. no, ultimately, the parents are responsible. If I had to take a swag at assigning blame, i'd say: 60% parenting, 30% culture (media), 10% other.


CBS must be having a really slow news day. This kind of thinking--teen pregnancy= hoped for blessing, not curse--has been pretty common among poor African American teens for a couple of generations, and the only reason this is big news and we are all clutching our pearls is that these kids are middle class and white.

My guess is that that there was no "secret pact", and that whole phrase came from a misinterpretation from something one of the teens said. It just sounds like something a teenage girl would say.

IMO you are way off. There is a difference between something being part of the norm, and somethign being a 'blessing'. In the poor black community, teen pregnancy is still frowned upon, it is just so common that it is more 'acceptable'. but it is still not viewed as a celebration by any stretch of the imagination.

As for the secret 'pact', according to Time magazine, the Today show, and other sources, there was a pact. This isn't so far fetched of an idea to believe, kids make stupid pacts all the time.


OVERALL
I think these types of problems are endemic to our culture of sex, drugs, violence, etc. Being a free country, we must take the good with the bad and i'm not sure there is away to avoid it. You could censor but then you'd take away the 'freedoms' we have come to know and love. I think education is the answer. And i'm not talking about stuffing a classroom full of children and letting some old fart lecture them on Morality.

I think something more along the lines of what Plot Device said. I've been babysitting since I was 13 and know full well how much work child raising is. A couple of nights with a screaming toddler is more than enough incentive to use birth control.

Also, parents nowadays need to be parents FIRST and stop being their child's best friend. You cannot be both and if you think you can you are fooling yourselves. I think many of these kids know that if they get pregnant they can just dump the kid off on mommy and daddy. When I was growing up it was made clear that if i had a kid, i'm taking care of it. No going out, no social life, work and go to school and support the kid. But with parents doing everything for thier kids nowadays, many of these kids have no sense of responsibility and as such, don't have to fear the consequences of their actions because they know mommy and daddy will be there (as always) to fix everything.

*sigh*

I'm ranting. End Rant.

Mel...

[MattW]

Those girls should have formed a Suicide Pact and done the gene pool and welfare system a great service.

[Takvah]

Maybe Moveon.org can use these sloppy girls in their next propaganda ad.

[Joe270]

I thought the title read: "Miss Teen Pregnancy. . .", some new pageant or some such.

Never mind.

[TerzaRima]

Those girls should have formed a Suicide Pact and done the gene pool and welfare system a great service.

Maybe Moveon.org can use these sloppy girls in their next propaganda ad.


Wow, I'm just impressed that these girls have mastered human parthenogenesis. Apparently, no males were involved or will be held accountable in this debacle.

[Plot Device]

Wow, I'm just impressed that these girls have mastered human parthenogenesis. Apparently, no males were involved or will be held accountable in this debacle.


Yeah, all those dirty rotten males who coerced these girls into the pregnancy pact and who just kept at the poor females every single weekend since September.











In all seriousness, only one male is being talked about, and he is allegedly a 24-year-old homeless man. So statutory rape charges are being discussed.

[Takvah]

Wow, I'm just impressed that these girls have mastered human parthenogenesis. Apparently, no males were involved or will be held accountable in this debacle.

I blame them too... they should have bagged it... but then I haven't heard that they were part of this delusional pact.

[Plot Device]

Mel, you can rant whenever you want. :)

[pconsidine]

I thought the title read: "Miss Teen Pregnancy. . .", some new pageant or some such.My first thought was "What the hell was in that Kool-Aid?!"

[MattW]

My first thought was "What the hell was in that Kool-Aid?!"Strong swimmers, apparently.

[Plot Device]

Strong swimmers, apparently.


:roll:

[MattW]

Mass Teen Pregnancy in Gloucester, Mass when these girls really could have benefited from going to Mass.

[Jcomp]

I blame them too... they should have bagged it... but then I haven't heard that they were part of this delusional pact.

Still... for God's sake... strap up! Unless the girl punched a hole in the condom, you can only be mad at yourself...

[Cranky]

Still... for God's sake... strap up! Unless the girl punched a hole in the condom, you can only be mad at yourself...

Yup. Takes two to tango, last time I checked.

[MattW]

Yup. Takes two to tango, last time I checked.
If these girls were dead set on getting pregnant, all it takes is one little fib that they've got the protection covered, and many guys might be ... satisfied.

Another reason for men to suit up under all circumstances - protect your ass(ets).

[AnneMarble]

I blame them too... they should have bagged it... but then I haven't heard that they were part of this delusional pact.
From what I heard on the radio this morning (but second hand), they didn't know. I'll be they were shocked when they found out. (More proof why you shouldn't have sex with just anybody. :rolleyes:)

[Cranky]

If these girls were dead set on getting pregnant, all it takes is one little fib that they've got the protection covered, and many guys might be ... satisfied.

Another reason for men to suit up under all circumstances - protect your ass(ets).

Absolutely. But, if you're going to have sex, you really ought to take care of yourself, and not take anyone's word for it. Pills protect against pregnancy, but nothing else.

If I were a guy, I'd have been double-wrapped.

[MattW]

If I were a guy, I'd have been double-wrapped.I bag my junk before logging on to AW.

[AnneMarble]

Absolutely. But, if you're going to have sex, you really ought to take care of yourself, and not take anyone's word for it. Pills protect against pregnancy, but nothing else.
Yup. These were the people for whom the disclaimers on birth control product were written. ("The pill does not protect against sexually transmitted disease, yada yada yada...")

If I were a guy, I'd have been double-wrapped.
I'm not sure if that works that well. I've read double-wrapping can cause the condoms to break. But of course, I probably read it on the Internet. :tongue

[MattW]

More proof why you shouldn't have sex with just anybody......who knows your real name.

[Cranky]

Yup. These were the people for whom the disclaimers on birth control product were written. ("The pill does not protect against sexually transmitted disease, yada yada yada...")


I'm not sure if that works that well. I've read double-wrapping can cause the condoms to break. But of course, I probably read it on the Internet. :tongue

So I've heard. Just my way of saying I wouldn't depend on someone else for protection, is all. :D

Didn't when I was a single female, either.

[AnneMarble]

So I've heard. Just my way of saying I wouldn't depend on someone else for protection, is all. :D

Didn't when I was a single female, either.
I recommend those full-body condoms, just like in The Naked Gun movie. :D

[Cranky]

I recommend those full-body condoms, just like in The Naked Gun movie. :D


Ooooh, sexay! :roll:

[kuwisdelu]

I'm not sure if that works that well. I've read double-wrapping can cause the condoms to break. But of course, I probably read it on the Internet. :tongue

It's true. Think about it. More friction. Never use two condoms together.

[dgiharris]

I'm not sure if that works that well. I've read double-wrapping can cause the condoms to break. But of course, I probably read it on the Internet. :tongue

That is true. Double bagging degrades condoms. Condoms are designed for protecting 'skin' they aren't made for rubber on rubber contact.

THe best use of condoms (to prevent breakage) are lubricated condoms and 'correct' usage, ie putting them on, no air bubbles, leaving a 'little' bit of extra condom on the tip.

End of public service announcement. :e2heartbe

[Jcomp]

So I've heard. Just my way of saying I wouldn't depend on someone else for protection, is all. :D

Didn't when I was a single female, either.

I'm saying. Even if the woman brings a condom the dude is still supposed to say, "Thanks but no thanks, I brought my own." This is standard procedure.

[dgiharris]

I'm saying. Even if the woman brings a condom the dude is still supposed to say, "Thanks but no thanks, I brought my own." This is standard procedure.

Especially if you are worried about a woman 'trapping' you with a kid.

Mel...

[InfinityGoddess]

I'm saying. Even if the woman brings a condom the dude is still supposed to say, "Thanks but no thanks, I brought my own." This is standard procedure.

Or better yet, say no to sex with the girl period if she even looks a bit on the young side. Being charged with statutory rape is nasty business, nastier than getting "trapped".

[kuwisdelu]

The sexiest thing you can do on a first date is ask for an ID and test results.

Clearly.

I thought that was what turned girls on these days?

[Danger Jane]

National news?? Geez.

I always thought Gloucester was one of those rich north shore towns...like a bigger version of the rich south shore towns....

I guess being bigger means it has more dumbasses?? My school had one, POSSIBLY two pregnant girls in the last six years.

I also liked that one girl they interviewed: "Their lives have changed for the better now, they don't party as much, they don't drink as much..."

First of all, you're sophomores in high school.

Second of all, you're pregnant and you don't drink AS MUCH??!?!?!?!?!

W
T
F

[Cranky]

I'm saying. Even if the woman brings a condom the dude is still supposed to say, "Thanks but no thanks, I brought my own." This is standard procedure.

Sounds reasonable to me. :)

[Plot Device]

National news?? Geez.

I always thought Gloucester was one of those rich north shore towns...like a bigger version of the rich south shore towns....

I guess being bigger means it has more dumbasses?? My school had one, POSSIBLY two pregnant girls in the last six years.

I also liked that one girl they interviewed: "Their lives have changed for the better now, they don't party as much, they don't drink as much..."

First of all, you're sophomores in high school.

Second of all, you're pregnant and you don't drink AS MUCH??!?!?!?!?!

W
T
F


How reassuring that the fetuses are being so lovingly taken care of by their young mothers who are responsible enough to PARTIALLY cut back on their partying and drinking during their pregnancies.



So ... you little girls think you want to raise all 17 babies together, eh???? (God forbid any are twins!) Well .... my good friend Mr. Rogers here wants to ask you all: "Can YOU say 'birth defects?' .......... I knew you could!!!"



.

[Christine N.]

I heard they think it's all going to be so cool... yanno, going to the park together, and pushing their babies in their strollers together...

and suffering through colic...
and babies that just wont' sleep...
and endless feedings...
and colds and flu...
and trips to the doctor...

Oh, wait, I bet they didn't think of those, eh? And I can't blame the media, but the parents who LET the media raise their children. It was also noted here that Gloucester is a very Catholic community. Meaning no sex ed in the school, no birth control, and no abortion.

Just another day in the neighborhood. And with that fabulous economy they're experiences, more women and children on the welfare roles.

[pconsidine]

I always thought Gloucester was one of those rich north shore towns...like a bigger version of the rich south shore towns....Nah. Rockport, definitely, but not so much Gloucester. It's kinda funny, too. If I remember right, there's one little road the crosses from Gloucester to Rockport, but the difference between what's on either end is almost frightening.


PS – Thank you for being appropriately amazed at how dumb the whole idea was. It gives me hope for the future. :)

[donroc]

The way things are going in our cuture we may end up seeing on TV a Miss Teen Pregnancy beauty contest or a reality show featuring same.

[Danger Jane]

Nah. Rockport, definitely, but not so much Gloucester. It's kinda funny, too. If I remember right, there's one little road the crosses from Gloucester to Rockport, but the difference between what's on either end is almost frightening.


PS – Thank you for being appropriately amazed at how dumb the whole idea was. It gives me hope for the future. :)

I don't know my Other Parts of Massachusetts well :tongue

Don't have too much hope. I just melted my fingerprints off on the grill.

[MattW]

Don't have too much hope. I just melted my fingerprints off on the grill.Some might say that's fortuitous for your future in high-risk crime.

[WannabeWriter]

With regards to a comment earlier in the thread...

We may live in a free country, but you still need intelligence to use the freedom wisely.

[AnneMarble]

The posters who were suspicious of the pregnancy "pact" may be right after all. The may of Gloucester has made statements (http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/06/23/massachusetts-teenpact.html) saying that there is no evidence that the girls had any sort of "pregnancy pact." Apparently that story came from the high school principal, Joseph Sullivan, who was not involved in today's meeting with the mayor and other officials. Sullivan was "foggy in his memory" when asked where he got the theory from.

The girls are still stupid, whether or not they had a pact.

[benbradley]

The posters who were suspicious of the pregnancy "pact" may be right after all. The may of Gloucester has made statements (http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/06/23/massachusetts-teenpact.html) saying that there is no evidence that the girls had any sort of "pregnancy pact." Apparently that story came from the high school principal, Joseph Sullivan, who was not involved in today's meeting with the mayor and other officials. Sullivan was "foggy in his memory" when asked where he got the theory from.

The girls are still stupid, whether or not they had a pact.
The idea that there are so many girls individually making such a stupid decision may be even more alarming than if they had made a pact.

[pconsidine]

Don't have too much hope. I just melted my fingerprints off on the grill.Oh that's nothing. I deliberately set my hand on fire and still managed to achieve my current lofty position of Publishing Slave. I continue to have hope.

[Christine N.]

Yeah, don't those girls know where babies COME FROM? I'm sorry, there had to be some sort of thing going on there. That's just too much to be coincidental.

[AnneMarble]

Yeah, don't those girls know where babies COME FROM? I'm sorry, there had to be some sort of thing going on there. That's just too much to be coincidental.
I think they did get pregnant deliberately -- that seems to bear out what witnesses said. Now, the controversy is which side to trust. The mayor has come out and said there was no pact. But I heard some discussion of this on Boston's WBZ radio station last night, and the host seemed suspicious of her claims. Some people think the mayor is throwing the principal under the bus.

Also, the reporter who broke the story was on the Today Show this morning, disputing the claims of the mayor. So this story hasn't died yet. By trying to deny the pact, the mayor not only reopened the can of worms, she may have opened a jar of nematodes.

[Sheryl Nantus]

common sense would dictate that this just can't be a coincidence.

mayor's trying to make it all go away...

(broken left pinky finger makes me type less...)

[Christine N.]

If there wasn't some sort of pact/competition/agreement, then there's just a huge outbreak of stupid up there in Gloucester, and something should be done before it spreads.

[AnneMarble]

If there wasn't some sort of pact/competition/agreement, then there's just a huge outbreak of stupid up there in Gloucester, and something should be done before it spreads.
Don't eat any fish sticks for the next couple of weeks, just in case... :eek: (I visited Gloucester once, but all I remember is seeing the statue of the fisherman from the package. Oh, and maybe we saw a museum.)

But seriously folks (rimshot), when two people make statements about a school that is going through a scandal, and one is the principal and the other is the mayor, who do you trust? While school administrators get a lot of flack, in most cases, I'd pay attention to the principal first.

[veinglory]

Common sense doesn't stop this from being largely coincidental. Random events cluster.

[benbradley]

Common sense doesn't stop this from being largely coincidental. Random events cluster.
Still, it could be the "meme" of having a baby that spread, without an actual pact, agreement or conspiracy. I can imagine one of the girls talking to her friends about an older girl with a baby (which there apparently already were a few at the school), saying "Wow, she has a baby, she has someone to LOOOOOVE her!" glamorizing the idea, and that gets repeated around in thier clique a few times, giving several girls the idea that "Well, gee, if I only had a baby to love ME..."


The fact that there are older girls in the school with babies, and that care is available for the babies so the girls can continue school (though limited, only available for a very few babies, as I remember from the article), does tend to show that a girl could have a baby at that high school with "no bad effects" and still stay there and have her friends AND her baby too. From the view of a 14 year old, where's the down side?

The original link is dead, but here are related links. First an update on the original story:

Officials: Principal has ‘foggy’ memory of pregnancy pact story
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1102625 (http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1102625)

Next a "spinoff" story:

Cool to Be Pregnant? The Allure for Teens
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,369290,00.html

[MattW]

I'm noticing BillyThrilzy is conspicuously absent from this thread...

[veinglory]

It might not even be a meme, it could be anything that effect the culture of the males or females, the opportunities available for unsupervised contact, the availability of contraception, etc. For all we know the corner store closed down and that was where the boys used to be able to get condoms.

[pconsidine]

I'm noticing BillyThrilzy is conspicuously absent from this thread...He's got his pre-natal visits to tend to.