There are some things you shouldn't share, even among friends. Sex toys spring to mind. Not so for Maggie Gyllenhaal.
The actress, who is currently starring in the new Victorian-era movie Hysteria, about the invention of the vibrator, received so many donations of 'joy toys' that she had no qualms about sharing the wealth with her gal pals.
"By the time I finished the movie I'd been sent maybe 15 vibrators by different people in London with vibrator stores," she said. "It was a pleasant surprise. So I have this incredible collection, and I actually use like one or two of them. I lend them to my friends, and they'll take them for six months at a time."
The actress, who has gravitated toward quirky and unconventional roles, admitted she was drawn to Hysteria because she was interested in "female sexuality".
"I was curious about the invention of the vibrator. It's unusual when you read a romantic comedy where you're curious about what's going to happen. Basically I'm always looking for freedom, for a way to be free in my work."
Fess up. Have you ever lent or borrowed sex toys to/from a friend? Gross or no biggie?
It wasn't your usual show-and-tell session. In a Missouri kindergarten class, a six-year old boy followed his teacher's instructions to the letter. He brought in what was nearest and dearest to his mother: her crack pipe and a few baggies filled with $3,700 worth of crystal meth.
You can just imagine the expression his teacher's face. Of course school official's quickly contacted police, who searched the 32-year-old mom, Michelle Marie Cheatham's home. A search dog named "Boomer" found the crack pipe.
Cheatham was then charged with class C felony possession of a controlled substance and with class C felony endangering the welfare of a child. If convicted, she could face up to seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections or up to one year in the county jail and/or up to a $5,000 fine.
In what was a notable first in Police Chief Richard Downing's career, the crystals brought into school by the child tested positive for methamphetamine.
Needless to say, the child is now under the care of relatives.
Overprotective parents, you need to back off if you want your kids to be more active. So says a study published in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine, which found that children in the park when their parents are hovering over them.
While the initial research sought to establish the best park layouts, scientists came to an unexpected conclusion: parents with a tendency to hover often interrupted children's spontaneous play.
The North Carolina State University study which monitored 2,712 children across 20 parks revealed that younger kids were more active than older children, and basketball and tennis prompted the most activity.
With soaring obesity rates, and September being touted as National Childhood Obesity Month in the U.S., the study is certainly relevant, with one in five 6- to 11-year-old children defined as obese by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Want your kid to run around more? Then stand back. Or better yet: get them to chase you. Tag, you're it!
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