A new poll is out by Consumer Reports as told recently in USA Today and elsewhere.

Apparently, the downturn in the economy is leading more people to spend less on Valentine's Day gifts, while the Valentine's Day pastime of having sex remains as popular as ever. One quick word to all those budget-conscious Valentine's Day enthusiasts: If you're not planning to have a child with this person, save yourself the extra $10,000 per year it will take to raise a child, and use some form of contraception if you have sex—it's a gift that will last a lifetime—much longer than the long-stem roses or the doggy bag from that candle-lit dinner.

 Sharon Jayson's piece in USA Today notes that the median age for getting married is now at a record high---26 for women, 28 for men.  In the piece that explores the wait/don't wait conundrum, is this pithy invitation for discussion:  "Marriage used to be the first step into adulthood, but now it is often the last." 

Thoughts? Agree? Disagree? 

In honor of "Let's Talk" month, the Candie's Foundation launched the America, Wake Up PSA campaign, which is designed to encourage teens and adults to talk about sex and teen pregnancy.  One of the PSAs aired this past Monday night following an episode of the wildly popular Gossip Girl, with advance press appearing in the Monday issue of USA Today to the tune of a full page ad. 

But...

Those of you wondering if your memory is going need not fear - you did not in fact see the ad anywhere in Monday's edition of USA Today.  In fact, it was pulled by USA Today on Friday afternoon out of fear of offending its readers.

Now, I'm the last person to impugn the rights of freedom of speech - USA Today has the right to do and print whatever they deem appropriate.  Their 11th hour rejection of the ad doesn't make them bad or unfair.  Instead, I'd argue that it just makes them gigantic 'fraidy cats.  For a major newspaper to reject an ad that simply encourages talking to your kids about sex based on the rationale that it might offend people shows just how inflammatory this issue has gotten.  What's worse, it throws into sharp relief just how much work we still have ahead of us.

Again USA Today has the right to approve/ reject anything they want.  But if it's a matter of offending their readership, in my humble opinion there are a thousand things more offensive than having an honest conversation with your kids about sex.  

But that's just me.