So sorry. I flaked and scheduled the open thread for 9 a.m.! -Elisa

What's up?

As someone who has done environmental activism for MomsRising, I was relieved to see the chemicals, phthalates, come under fire in a 60 Minutes segment. Phthalates are commonly found in everyday plastic products like shampoos, shower curtains and even some toys like rubber duckies. Some studies have linked them to sexual deformities in boys like undescended testes.

Whenever any chemical comes under fire, lobbyists and lawyers for product manufacturers immediately try to cast doubt by saying there are so many chemicals in the environment that we just don't know for sure if it is "name your chemical here" that is causing birth defects. It is tricky, in that we often can't see the damage caused by industrial chemicals until years-long exposure, or "accumulative body burden." We are just now seeing the outcome of long-term exposure -- everything from obesity, ADHD, and autism are on the rise -- as our kids are exposed to more than 200 industrial chemicals, most of which didn't exist two generations ago, according to WebMD. That's why it is important to hold manufacturers' foot to the fire. Thank you, 60 Minutes!

Elle Magazine had a fascinating discussion on "paternal reproductive rights." In this case, some libertarian men argued that they should have input on a woman's choice, and shouldn't pay child support if they have made clear that they don't want to be fathers. New York Times's Lisa Belkin also wrote about this article. My take: if a man really doesn't want to be a father, he should wear a condom, or even better, get a vasectomy. Otherwise, he has no business telling a woman he has willingly slept with that she can't deliver a child or have an abortion. And no, I don't think pregnancy and birth have the same affect on a man's body -- or emotional health -- as they do a woman's.

School budget cuts are having widespread implications, including the elimination of district-run summer programs, according to the Huffington Post. These cuts come even after President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan have called for longer schools days and shorter summer vacations.

In more depressing education news: the Houston Chronicle ran an article on how tens of thousands of college students in the state are not actually prepared to do the work.

From the bizarre files: late actress Brittany Murphy's husband was found dead in their home, according to the Huffington Post. British screenwriter Simon Monjack, 39, died of natural causes, police said.

What else is in the news? What's up with you?