They also sometimes collect black and “troubled” children, often from overseas, and then pass them off to unscreened volunteers when they decide they can’t handle them anymore. Only read that link if you’re prepared to get really depressed or are already a complete cynic concerning human nature.

It may seem that way, but it’s overwhelmingly not. The Guardian has a link to this report from the University of Chicago that basically demonstrates that sex-selective abortion is not really an issue in the US. In fact, Asian Americans have on average somewhat more girls than white Americans. Now, this is not to say…

I have come to wearily accept top sheets as a peculiar necessity of living in the US, or at least, living with my husband in our particular part of the US. I still prefer a naked (?) duvet cover, but between my husband’s insistence that it would be “icky” to sleep without one, the way it gets so damn hot here but I…

I love watching that movie when I am sick. Actually, I like watching all of Sophia Coppola’s movies when I am ill. They are very gently paced and beautifully framed and altogether very distracting in a soothing way, which is what I respond to when I’m ill.

I loved reading this, thank you! I actually loved being 27, I felt like it was the perfect age because no-one had any particular expectations of me. There wasn’t the pressure to go out and dance all night and get crunk, but I could still do it without raising eyebrows, and being married and owning a house was just…

I think it’s worth getting a moisturizer with SPF in it. The thing about sun damage (in terms of skin aging and the far more serious concern about skin cancer) is that it’s cumulative. When I used to work at a dermatologist’s office we had a lot of older men in particular, typically farmers, coming in to get things…

Basically there’s no good answer to this one. There are SPF make-up setting sprays out there which should solve the problem (Coola makes one, but it’s pricey for something you’d probably use a lot) but they usually have mixed reviews at best. I think this must be something people are feverishly working on behind the…

I have! I used buy the same 10 pack and they’re great- the lemon and the tomato one don’t do much for my skin, but the red wine and the rice milk ones are DIVINE. My skin always looks really taut and even (but not dry) after I use them. I usually do a mask once or twice a week so buying them in bulk really works for…

The masks are TOTALLY worth it. I keep meaning to buy 1 pack of the red wine ones, because they are great, but there are other great ones so I always go back to the variety pack. I use a mask at least once a week and those packs will see me through almost three months, so it’s good value as far as I’m concerned.

I wrote my master’s dissertation on female robots in visual culture a few years ago, so I’m always interested to see the topic come up. I think the points about prostitution are worth thinking about deeply. What’s almost more interesting than the gender binary it throws into relief is how complex our reactions to our…

I mean, they basically did- there was very little actual dancing in that arrangement; he just moved her from pose position to pose position.

I have to admit that as someone with no natural rhythm, timing, or even basic coordination, I watched the clip purely because I didn’t think it could be as bad as I am in Zumba.

Yeah, my parents have a great picture of me sleeping under a twin duvet on the living room floor- my head is poking out one end and our lurcher’s is poking out the other. Both on pillows. They are just leggy cuddle-bunnies. I did indeed grow up in the UK, hence both lurchers and duvets :-)

I feel you, nuerosis twin. Someone from my agency also called me to tell me they couldn’t find confirmation that I’d graduated from the school where I took my masters. It took 30 minutes of me simultaneously holding my graduation certificate and scrolling through facebook pictures of me at my commencement to convince…

I would love a greyhound. My family had rescue lurchers and greyhounds growing up and I adore them. Can’t at the moment because everyone in our household works 9 hour days. Except for the cats, who haven’t lifted a bloody paw to carry their own weight.

Oh yeah. I got a job offer a week ago for a position that I was supposed to start on Monday, but the company decided to run a criminal background check in my home country in addition to the US, so I got a call yesterday telling me I can’t start for another two weeks until they get the report back. And then today…

I must admit, I find many American’s parent’s determination that their offspring should absolutely be involved in something, usually multiple things, beyond the mere task of being a child. Is it based on a belief that it gives children confidence, or character? Is it because they think it will give them something to…

I have fine straight hair and I use conditioner even though my hair is only a bit longer than a buzzcut. It makes it look shinier and it lies much better. I also use a shine cream on it. Without that stuff my hair sticks up like a puffball.

I use that Eucerin mosituriser and it’s great. It’s not thick, sinks in very easily, and doesn’t have any smell to speak of. Also, it’s very medially-looking, so a good gateway product for men who are hesitant about using “girly stuff” (although very little could be girlier than a body soap called “romance.” I guess…

I was gonna say. Honestly, unless you’re using lotion every day, don’t even bother using body wash- especially not that crappy thin stuff. Sure it’s cheap, but it’s basically skin paint-stripper.