The price of divorce. You might think that the current trend of having and raising children out or wedlock or from divorced families does not effect you, but it does. It effects every taxpaying American. Studies estimate that the cost to US taxpayers is about $112 billion a year. They are calling it “family fragmentation”, and these days, nearly 40% of children are born out of wedlock. What makes up the $112 billion?

“…calculations were based on the assumption that households headed by a single female have relatively high poverty rates, leading to higher spending on welfare, health care, criminal justice and education for those raised in the disadvantaged homes. The $112 billion estimate includes the cost of federal, state and local government programs, and lost tax revenue at all levels of government.”

The study was commissioned by 4 groups who are trying to encourage more traditional families, and would like to see government money going into programs that benefit married couples. Those with opposing views say that these marriage programs are a good idea but by themselves are not going to put a dent in the $112 billion amount, and think that creating more decent, stable jobs is the way forward.

What would you do… to save your child’s life? A couple in Canada are in the middle of a controversy because they are trying to conceive a child that is a genetic match to their existing child who is battling leukemia. They are wanting to do pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, where the embryo is tested to ensure a match before it is implanted. Canadian hospitals are unwilling to do this, so the couple will be traveling to America for the procedure. The father can see how it could raise ethical questions, but all they are trying to do is save the life of their child.

Where is it???? Nicole Kidman is in her seventh month of pregnancy… where is she hiding the baby? (ok…I admit to being a wee bit jealous!)