Monday, May. 20, 2013 2:38PM EDT

Will we celebrate ‘Victoria and First Peoples Day’ next year?

Carly Weeks

Is it time to rethink the name of Canada's Victoria Day holiday? A number of well-known Canadians, including Margaret Atwood, Susan Aglukark, Elizabeth May and Gordon Pinsent are part of a group urging Canadians to sign a petition to rename the holiday Victoria and First Peoples Day.

The petition had just over 900 signatures at the time this piece was posted online.

Monday, May. 20, 2013 12:50PM EDT

What would Angelina do? British man has prostate removed in preventative surgery

Carly Weeks

If you had a genetic mutation that greatly increased your odds of cancer, what would you do? Opt for regular screenings that could help catch the disease early in its development, or immediately undergo surgery to remove the at-risk body part?

It's a question more people are thinking about after news came out last week that superstar actress Angelina Jolie had undergone a preventative double mastectomy in February because she carried a mutated gene that increased her risk of getting breast cancer.

Monday, May. 20, 2013 11:27AM EDT

Why Justin Bieber was booed at the Billboard Awards (and probably deserved it)

Peter Scowen

Are all of Justin Bieber’s recent missteps starting to catch up with him?

The once-sanctified teen pop star was roundly booed Sunday night when he won the first Milestone Award at the Billboard Awards show in Las Vegas Sunday night. The boos could be clearly heard amid the cheers, and it seemed to catch Bieber off-guard.

Friday, May. 17, 2013 6:14PM EDT

Good tip: Customer leaves 7,471-per-cent gratuity at restaurant

Zosia Bielski

Indianapolis waitress CeCe Bruce got a sweet tip on Wednesday, and this time Jay-Z wasn’t involved.

A regular customer named “Miss Jo” saw the waitress having trouble with patrons at an nearby table and decided to help pay for the service-related headache. Miss Jo left a $446 (U.S.) tip on her humble bill of $5.97. (The math on that? 7,471 per cent.)

Friday, May. 17, 2013 3:04PM EDT

Would you turn to plastic surgery for the perfect profile pic?

Zosia Bielski

American plastic surgeons are seeing a 31 per cent increase in patients who are obsessed with how they look across social media platforms, writes Time’s Alexandra Sifferlin.

In other words, people aren’t just rendered insecure by flawless celebrities any more: their self-esteem is also annihilated by Facefriends pouting seductively in perfectly posed selfies.

Friday, May. 17, 2013 10:49AM EDT

New York artist faces backlash over voyeuristic photos

Amy Verner

Imagine going to an art show opening only to discover that you are unwittingly captured in one of the artist’s works. And not just on the street, but napping, cleaning or reading in your own apartment.

A New York artist is facing backlash over photos currently on display in a Chelsea gallery that show carefully cropped images of residents in a building across the street from his studio.

Thursday, May. 16, 2013 7:03PM EDT

Does ‘Netflix adultery’ count as cheating?

Amberly McAteer

The definition of cheating can be a hot topic – is it kissing another woman? Is it flirting with a colleague? Or, as Netflix will have you believe, is it watching a television show without your partner’s knowledge?

In a rather clever new campaign, the Intenet-based television and movie service said that “Netflix adultery” affects half of relationships, based on a study of 2,000 American couples.

Thursday, May. 16, 2013 12:29PM EDT

You have to see this: Men try to simulate childbirth pain

Dave McGinn

Men will never really know just how painful childbirth is, but that hasn’t stopped two Michigan men from doing their best to try.

A video of the men being electrocuted as a way to simulate contractions has gone viral with more than 870,000 views on Vimeo.

The men, members of the Kensington Church, set up the stunt with a bit of jokey banter at the start of the video.

Thursday, May. 16, 2013 9:59AM EDT

From crying Spock to sobbing Leafs fans: Is male stoicism a thing of the past?

ANDREW RYAN

Expect an outcry among manly men and sci-fi purists (not necessarily the same group) who go to see the new movie Star Trek Into Darkness. While the film apparently delivers the requisite thrills and aliens, there’s a scene in which the Vulcan character Spock, played by Zachary Quinto, cries. And not just a tear or two trickling down his cheek during a touching moment, but a full-on crying jag.

Wednesday, May. 15, 2013 4:56PM EDT

Really? Rich people jumping the queue at Disney World by hiring disabled ‘guides’

ANDREW RYAN

So much for it being a small world after all.

Some entitled Manhattan moms are reportedly hiring disabled people to pose as family members so they can bypass lines for rides at Disney World. Welcome to life with the 1-per-centers.

According to The New York Post, the well-heeled moms are allegedly (and secretly) paying up to $130 (U.S.) an hour to hire a disabled guide through a service called Dream Tours Florida.

Wednesday, May. 15, 2013 1:52PM EDT

Mad at Abercrombie’s anti-plus-size stance? Don’t do what this guy did

Peter Scowen

Are Abercrombie & Fitch garments the uniform of “douchebags” and “narcissistic date rapists?” That’s the satirical take of a self-styled Los Angeles writer and cultural critic in a video he made in response to allegations that the clothing brand is run by an elitist body-fascist.

Greg Karber was clearly angered after an industry analyst was quoted last week as saying that A&F doesn’t sell any women’s sizes bigger than large because, in the analyst’s words, Abercrombie CEO Mike Jeffries “doesn't want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people.”

Wednesday, May. 15, 2013 9:36AM EDT

Why did Angelina Jolie get a double mastectomy? ‘Medical hexing,’ says one doctor

AMY VERNER

What if Angelina Jolie had elected to use her mind to ward off cancer instead of a preventative double mastectomy?

It’s the type of question that smacks of quackery. Yet it’s a premise suggested in an article titled, “Was Angelina Jolie ‘Medically Hexed?’ ”

By yesterday afternoon, once word had spread that the Hollywood star and mother of six is a carrier of the BRCA1 gene mutation that put her at high-risk of breast cancer, news sites and health-related blogs rushed to provide background information on the gene and how it significantly increases a woman’s risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer, or both.

Tuesday, May. 14, 2013 5:32PM EDT

Why this Tiger Baby won’t be emulating her Tiger Mom

ADRIANA BARTON

Next to namby-pamby helicopter parents, Tiger Moms – with their tough-as-nails approach to child-rearing – suddenly looked good. But Tiger cubs who have escaped their clutches are having the last roar.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, novelist Kim Wong Keltner described the humiliation she experienced as the youngest child of fiercely strict Chinese parents.

Tuesday, May. 14, 2013 1:58PM EDT

Will Angelina Jolie’s mastectomy inspire other women to follow her lead?

Wency Leung

Angelina Jolie got genetic testing for breast cancer. Will you?

It may seem absurd to seek medical testing just because a Hollywood star does, but celebrities do have significant influence over the general public.

As Jolie herself wrote in her op-ed piece in The New York Times on Tuesday, she wanted to go public with the news that she had a preventative double mastectomy after learning she carried a BRCA1 gene that increased her risk of breast cancer to help other women.

Tuesday, May. 14, 2013 10:03AM EDT

Angelina Jolie: A double mastectomy isn’t as simple as she makes it sound

ANN HUI

In her op-ed in the New York Times, Angelina Jolie describes her decision as simple. “Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much I could,” she wrote. “I made a decision to have a preventive double mastectomy.”

In her effort to spread awareness and encourage more women to seek out preventive treatment, Jolie paints a picture of her double mastectomy as relatively simple and pain-free. She includes some of the ugly details: of the “nipple delay” procedure, she described some pain and bruising, and of the major surgery, she wrote “it does feel like a scene out of a science-fiction film.”

Monday, May. 13, 2013 1:37PM EDT

Do we really need a new season of 24 and Jack Bauer?

Peter Scowen

Looks like Jack Bauer is going to have another really, really bad day. Fox Television has announced it is bringing back the ruthless superspy in a new 12-episode season of 24, the groundbreaking show that made Canadian actor Kiefer Sutherland an international star.

The episodes will begin airing next year in May, right in time for the sweeps period. Fox is obviously looking for a hit to boost its rating, but the return of 24 is raising questions about the show in particular, and about television in general.

Monday, May. 13, 2013 11:36AM EDT

4 very likely Game 7 scenarios for the Toronto Maple Leafs

Peter Scowen

Leafs Nation, the sovereign state of insanity within whose boundaries live the fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs, is on high alert today (Monday). After Sunday night’s solid 2-1 victory in Game 6 versus the Boston Bruins, the team’s loyal but success-starved followers are now three periods away from the Toronto version of a Stanley Cup victory, i.e. making the playoffs and not being eliminated in the first round.

Monday, May. 13, 2013 9:48AM EDT

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield covers David Bowie; proves he’s coolest man on (and off) Earth

WENCY LEUNG

“Here am I sitting in a tin can, the last glimpse of the world. Planet Earth is blue and there’s nothing left to do…”

If Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield hasn’t captured your heart and inspired your awe over the past five months with his Twitter messages from space, his parting music video from the International Space Station before returning to Earth today surely will.

Friday, May. 10, 2013 6:52PM EDT

Why survival stories like the Bangladeshi factory rescue are so captivating

Zosia Bielski

As the death toll surpassed 1,000 in the Bangladeshi garment factory disaster, remarkable details emerged about Reshma, a seamstress who survived for 17 days in the rubble. Rescued Friday, Reshma had subsisted on spare amounts of water and dried food, which ran out after 15 days.

“I heard voices of the rescue workers for the past several days. I kept hitting the wreckage with sticks and rods just to attract their attention,” the woman told Somoy TV from her hospital bed. “No one heard me. … I never dreamed I’d see the daylight again.”

Friday, May. 10, 2013 3:44PM EDT

How do women really feel about handiwork? A new survey tries to find out

Zosia Bielski

Put down the flowers and hand her a wrench?

Craftsman, the tool company, topped the ranks for mothers in a new survey that graded 1,100 brands.

The survey involved 6,000 mothers of children under age 18 who rated their favourite companies based on criteria that included reputation, the quality and value of their products and the women’s own “willingness to recommend.”

Friday, May. 10, 2013 10:36AM EDT

The one Ryan Gosling meme you just have to see

Amy Verner

Did you eat cereal this morning for breakfast? Well, we know someone who didn’t: Ryan Gosling.

Or at least, he doesn’t in a series of cleverly edited movie clips titled Ryan Gosling Won’t Eat His Cereal.

Watch them and you’ll agree: They’re grrrreat!

In each of the Vine posts, a mysterious spoon floats awkwardly into the frame toward Gosling’s mouth. Like a baby refusing to eat his puréed peas, Gosling appears to be swatting it away or flaring his nostrils in fear.

Thursday, May. 09, 2013 3:13PM EDT

Time magazine’s new millennials cover: Are we done bashing a generation yet?

Peter Scowen

After the Me Generation, what comes next? According to Time magazine’s latest issue and its predictably viral cover, it’s the Me Me Me Generation.

The cover shows a young adult woman lying one the ground, Narcissus-like, while gazing in self-admiration into her smartphone. The title “The Me Me Me Generation” is splashed across the photo, along with the subtitle “Millennials are lazy, self-entitled narcissists who still live with their parents.”

Thursday, May. 09, 2013 12:29PM EDT

Happy Mother's Day? Kobe Bryant sues mom for trying to sell his old stuff

Dave McGinn

It turns out the parents of NBA superstars are just like regular parents: At a certain point, they want to get all their kids’ crap out of the house. For Kobe Bryant and his mom, however, where things get awkward is when this brings on a lawsuit.

Bryant is fighting his mother in court to prevent her from auctioning off some of his memorabilia that dates back to his high-school days and early in his career with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Thursday, May. 09, 2013 10:09AM EDT

His criminal record: Does Ohio rescuer Charles Ramsey’s rap sheet matter?

WENCY LEUNG

As the Hot Button pointed out earlier this week, the public’s delight in Charles Ramsey is arguably tinged with racial stereotyping. And the entertainment value of his viral media interview and 911 call has overshadowed the important fact that Ramsey had mistaken Amanda Berry’s screams as a domestic violence dispute and had rushed to help her anyway.

Wednesday, May. 08, 2013 5:27PM EDT

Do Tiger Moms raise perfect children or messed-up kids? New research weighs in

Andrew Ryan

Memo to all current and prospective Tiger Moms: The extreme parenting method doesn’t work and may hurt your kids in the long haul, new research suggests.

For those unfamiliar with the term, a Tiger Mom is a fiercely strict mother who pushes her children to work hard at their studies and even restricts their free time so they can continually achieve high grades. Think helicopter parenting meets the U.S. Marine Corps.

Wednesday, May. 08, 2013 1:02PM EDT

How much will Canadians spend for Mother's Day? (Don't tell mom)

Peter Scowen

It’s been a good year for moms, apparently: Canadians plan to spend more on gifts for Mother’s Day this year than they did last year, according to a poll conducted for the Bank of Montreal.

Canadians will spend an average of $107, compared to a mere $84 last year, the BMO-Pollara poll found.

While not considered a leading economic indicator, the large jump in Mother’s Day spending intentions will come as good news to florists, greeting card manufacturers and the Keg restaurant chain.

Wednesday, May. 08, 2013 10:19AM EDT

Women will always fall for bearded musicians, studies find

AMY VERNER

Men, take note: Your chances of scoring a woman increase when she sees you with an instrument.

Puns aside, this seems to be the conclusion reached by a team of French researchers whose study was published in the Psychology of Music journal last week.

According to the study’s abstract, they enlisted a young man to flirt with 300 women under three different scenarios: holding a guitar case, carrying a gym bag and appearing empty-handed.

Tuesday, May. 07, 2013 5:29PM EDT

In Ohio missing women case, neighbour Charles Ramsey is more Good Samaritan than comic relief

ADRIANA BARTON

Amid the horrific news of three rape victims trapped for a decade in an Ohio home, the neighbour who rescued them has given the world a dose of comic relief.

“Bro, I knew something was wrong when a little pretty white girl ran into a black man’s arms. … dead giveaway,” said the neighbour, Charles Ramsey, explaining the events that led to the release of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, in an ABC News video posted Monday.

Tuesday, May. 07, 2013 12:27PM EDT

Dave Grohl rants: ‘It’s destroying the next generation of musicians!’

Dave McGinn

To say that Foo Fighters front man and former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl is not a fan of televised singing contests is like saying Simon Cowell is only a tad prickly.

“When I think about kids watching a TV show like American Idol or The Voice , then they think, ‘Oh, okay, that’s how you become a musician, you stand in line for eight f****** hours with 800 people at a convention centre and then you sing your heart out for someone and then they tell you it’s not f****** good enough.’ Can you imagine?” he said to Sky magazine back in March.

Tuesday, May. 07, 2013 9:16AM EDT

How much did the CIA change Zero Dark Thirty? New documents offer a glimpse

Ann Hui

In January of this year, director Kathryn Bigelow appeared on The Colbert Report to defend her film Zero Dark Thirty, the subject of much controversy over its depiction of torture. Had she been “duped” by intelligence sources into making the case for torture, host Stephen Colbert wanted to know? Ms. Bigelow’s staunchly denied this at the time, saying “the movie is a ‘fair assessment’ of what’s known.”

Monday, May. 06, 2013 6:16PM EDT

Why are bikini shots of Alanis Morissette making the rounds?

Andrew Ryan

Is it really news when a mother spends a day at the beach with her toddler son and husband?

Apparently so when the mother in question is Canadian songbird Alanis Morissette and she appears considerably heavier than most people remember her.

Photos of the Grammy-winning singer taken on a Hawaiian beach over the weekend were making the rounds on the usual entertainment sites on Monday morning. Morisette, 38, is wearing no makeup in the photos and appears perfectly content as she watches her two-year-old son Ever playing in the sand. Most of the sites also featured photos of Morissette cuddling with her husband Mario “MC Souleye” Treadway during their resort vacation.

Monday, May. 06, 2013 10:06AM EDT

Posting food photos online may lead to weight problems, expert warns

WENCY LEUNG

Food photos rank right up there with baby snapshots and cat memes when it comes to the most common images people share online.

But according to the CBC, if you’re posting pictures of almost everything you eat, you may have a health problem.

The CBC reported Valerie Taylor, the mental-health chair of the Canadian Obesity Network, warned that posting of food photos may reflect the extent to which some individuals regard the role of food in their lives.

Friday, May. 03, 2013 6:53PM EDT

‘It’s hard being married.’ Why does Gwyneth Paltrow try so hard to be authentic?

Zosia Bielski

Gwyneth Paltrow-haters are licking their chops for an interview being published next week in Glamour magazine: Here, the Goop maven reveals she’s been through “terrible times” with her husband of 10 years, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.

“It’s hard being married. You go through great times, you go through terrible times. We’re the same as any couple,” Paltrow promised. “I asked my dad once, ‘How did you and Mum stay married for 33 years?’ And he said, ‘Well, we never wanted to get divorced at the same time.’ And I think that’s what happens.”

Friday, May. 03, 2013 3:12PM EDT

Millennials want to be rich, have everything – but don’t want to work hard, study finds

Zosia Bielski

Today’s teens are more materialistic but less willing to work for their toys than baby boomers were when they were in high school, according to an incendiary new study that assessed the work ethic of three generations of high-school seniors.

“Compared to previous generations, recent high-school graduates are more likely to want lots of money and nice things, but less likely to say they’re willing to work hard to earn them,” study co-author and San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge said in a release. Twenge called this disparity the “fantasy gap” – Salon called it “delusional.”

Friday, May. 03, 2013 9:55AM EDT

Why Anne Frank’s diary isn’t pornographic

AMY VERNER

To the extent that you remember reading the diary of Anne Frank, you probably don’t remember reading the part where Frank ponders the physiology of her genitalia.

That’s because the section did not appear in the original publication (the one most of us read in school). Frank’s father, Otto Frank, removed it from the manuscript that subsequently appeared as the first book. But an unabridged “Definitive Edition” was published in 2007 and it is this version that has got a mother from Northville, Mich., all riled up.

Thursday, May. 02, 2013 6:52PM EDT

‘Someone is bullying my Justin and that makes me mad,’ says Margaret Trudeau

Amberly McAteer

Just in time for Mother’s Day, Margaret Trudeau gives us reason to love a good strong mom.

Mrs. Trudeau has come out swinging against the Prime Minister and his attacks on her son, telling a North Bay audience “someone is bullying my Justin and that makes me mad.”

According to the North Bay Nipissing News, Mrs. Trudeau said she’s been trying to keep, er, mum about matters of politics for fear of saying the wrong thing – but this time, she couldn’t resist.

Thursday, May. 02, 2013 1:32PM EDT

What's the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church's beef with dead country star George Jones?

ANDREW RYAN

With all the trouble going on in the world today, does God really have time to hate a dead country star and a gay basketball player?

Of course he does, at least according to the ever-vigilant and forever inventive members of the Westboro Baptist Church. The tiny church in Topeka, Kan., has once again generated national news coverage by announcing its plans to picket the funeral of George Jones in Nashville. So much for resting in peace.

Thursday, May. 02, 2013 9:43AM EDT

'I AM NOT MY PARENTS': Why Ireland Baldwin doesn’t appreciate comparisons to Alec and Kim Basinger

WENCY LEUNG

Don’t you just hate it when people compare you to your parents?

Ireland Baldwin knows just the feeling. The 17-year-old daughter of Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin says she receives plenty of negative remarks from people about her looks (although it’s hard to imagine finding any physical flaws on the gorgeous, leggy teen model). But according to Jezebel, Baldwin’s biggest complaint is having people compare her with her beautiful Oscar-winning mother and remind her of an ugly phone recording, leaked in 2007, in which her father called her a “rude, thoughtless little pig.”

Wednesday, May. 01, 2013 1:47PM EDT

Have you seen Martha Stewart's online dating profile yet? (We're serious)

ERIN ANDERSSEN

Martha Stewart wants someone to love. So where does a craft maven, multimillionaire businesswoman and former prison inmate go for a date? Where everyone else is looking, naturally: on the Internet.

In what is surely a PR coup for Match.com, Stewart is seeking prospective suitors on the popular dating website, as confirmed by one of her representatives to Business Insider. Under the user-name “the goodlonglife,” which is the title of her latest book (another happenstance PR plug), she’s an “athletic and toned” social-drinking 71-year-old divorcée with “an adventurous spirit” and grown kids. (While nearly everything else is on the table, she’d rather not share her faith at this early stage.) The professionally posed profile picture is fabulous.

Wednesday, May. 01, 2013 1:35PM EDT

Jennifer Aniston delays wedding to avoid association with Brangelina, report says

Wency Leung

No one wants their ex to overshadow their wedding day. But would you go out of your way to plan your nuptials around your former flame?

According to Us Weekly, that’s exactly what Jennifer Aniston is doing. The magazine claims that the actress has postponed her wedding with fiancé Justin Theroux to dodge any perceived overlap with the impending marriage between her ex-husband Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Wednesday, May. 01, 2013 10:50AM EDT

'Revolutionary morning sex!' Cosmarxpolitan mixes Marx, snark and Cosmopolitan mag

AMY VERNER

No, that’s not a typo; the magazine is called Cosmarxpolitan.

Just in time for May Day (Labour Day in Europe), a new parody Tumblr answers all your burning questions about sex, dating and beauty – plus it features a young Stalin in skimpy black briefs.

In short, it offers “fun fearless freedom from the oppression of capitalism.”

Tuesday, Apr. 30, 2013 7:10PM EDT

Is Catherine Zeta-Jones doing the right thing with ‘maintenance’ treatment for bipolar?

ADRIANA BARTON

There’s no telling whether Catherine Zeta-Jones is doing fine.

The actress readmitted herself to a hospital Monday to get help for bipolar disorder, People reports. Zeta-Jones is participating in a 30-day program as a form of “maintenance” treatment, a source told TMZ.

Her rep, Cece Yorke, confirmed the news. “Catherine has proactively checked into a health-care facility,” she told People, adding that Zeta-Jones “is committed to periodic care in order to manage her health.”

Tuesday, Apr. 30, 2013 4:26PM EDT

Lego’s sexist construction worker mini-figures need to pipe down

Erin Anderssen

Q: What did one Lego mini-figure construction worker say with a leer to the female mini-figure walking by his bulldozer?

A: “Hey babe!”

While shopping for his son a few weeks ago, journalist Josh Stearns discovered a set of Lego-branded stickers. Then he noticed that one of the stickers featured a construction Lego figure in sunglasses waving his hands, with the phrase “Hey babe!” written at his feet. Stearns blogged about the discovery, prompting a flurry of online reaction, and received a tepid apology from the toy company’s senior communications director in Denmark.

Tuesday, Apr. 30, 2013 9:42AM EDT

Who didn’t like Jason Collins' coming out party? This ESPN reporter (plus a few more…)

Ann Hui

It looks like the love fest for Jason Collins has officially ended.

While response to the NBA player’s announcement in Sports Illustrated that he is gay remains overwhelmingly positive, a few dissenters have publicly spoken out to denounce him.

In a series of appearances on air, ESPN analyst Chris Broussard criticized the player for “openly living in unrepentant sin,” and, in particular, took issue with Collins describing himself as Christian. Broussard’s comments, which sparked an uproar online, prompted ESPN to later release a statement saying: “We regret that a respectful discussion of personal viewpoints became a distraction from today’s news. ESPN is fully committed to diversity and welcomes Jason Collins’ announcement.”

Monday, Apr. 29, 2013 7:33PM EDT

Has this bratty dad gone too far?

ZOSIA BIELSKI

Dad’s a serious brat.

A video of a Canadian father bouncing lightweight balls off his son’s head in a ball pit is making the rounds online, with the predictable chorus of readers chiming in on his parenting skills.

The video, titled “The Small, Unspoken Joys of Parenting,” shows father and child goofing around in a ball pit. “See, when my son comes to these places he plays his own games, but so do I,” says the dad, whose game involves bouncing the feathery light balls off a plastic play structure and clocking his kid in the head with them. The little boy barely registers the first strikes but then glares at dad, scolding, “It hit my head.” Dad titters and lies, “I think the balls are broken.”

Monday, Apr. 29, 2013 1:08PM EDT

Why NBA player Jason Collins coming out as gay matters (and why we wish it didn't)

ERIN ANDERSSEN

“I’m a 34-year-old NBA centre. I’m black. And I’m gay.”

With these three sentences, the Washington Wizards centre Jason Collins became the first openly gay active NBA basketball player. In a deeply personal firsthand account that appears in the latest edition of Sport Illustrated, Collin describes decades of secrecy, breaking the news to his supportive family and explains how the Boston Marathon bombings prompted a decision he’d been contemplating for a while.

Monday, Apr. 29, 2013 10:08AM EDT

‘Daddy, remember that time we died?’ Parents share creepy things their kids say

WENCY LEUNG

Sure, children often say the funniest things. But sometimes their innocent musings can be downright disturbing.

As the Telegraph reports, a thread on the online forum Reddit has quickly gone viral by asking, “Parents of Reddit, what is the creepiest thing your young child has ever said to you?”

Some submissions recount children uttering (unintentionally) evil threats.

Friday, Apr. 26, 2013 4:10PM EDT

‘Got 2 grams for $40’: Comedian’s widespread drug-offer prank reveals questionable parenting skills

Zosia Bielski

Canadian comedian Nathan Fielder’s challenge to his fans to “accidentally” text their parents about a drug deal is extremely funny, a charming portrait of child-parent repartee we rarely get to see. But it’s also a compelling showcase of diverse parenting styles.

On Thursday, Fielder, star of the Comedy Central show Nathan For You, tweeted this prank to his followers: “text your parents ‘got 2 grams for $40’ then right after ‘Sorry ignore that txt. Not for you.’”

Friday, Apr. 26, 2013 9:13AM EDT

Beyoncé a bad role model for girls, says open letter to Michelle Obama

Amy Verner

Beyoncé is a good role model for young girls. Discuss.

This debate is currently unfolding online thanks to Rakhi Kumar, who posted an open letter to Michelle Obama on Huffington Post bemoaning her disappointment that the First Lady listens to the performer with her impressionable daughters.

Kumar, an author and editor based in California, seems especially offended by the glittery, sexy bodysuit that Beyoncé is wearing on her new Mrs. Carter World Tour.

Thursday, Apr. 25, 2013 6:24PM EDT

30 hours a week and then some: When did Canada become a nation of TV-watching zombies?

ANDREW RYAN

It’s official: We have become a TV nation.

According to a new study, Canada has become the land of people glued to TV screens and tablets. A new report released by BBM Canada, the average Canadian adult watches a hefty 30 hours of television a week, which averages out to an average of four hours and 20 minutes of TV a day. Make your own connections to the inexorable rise in obesity among Canadians.