A Brief History of Birth Control

1550 B.C.An Egyptian manuscript called the Ebers Papyrus directs women on how to mix dates, acacia and honey into a paste, smear it over wool and use it as a pessary to prevent conception 1700sCasanova’s memoirs detail his experiments in birth control, from sheep-bladder condoms to the use of half a lemon as a makeshift cervical cap 1839Charles Goodyear invents the technology to vulcanize rubber and puts it to use manufacturing rubber condoms, intrauterine devices, douching syringes and “womb veils” 1873Congress passes an antiobscenity law that deems birth control info obscene and outlaws its dissemination. At the time, the U.S.

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The White House Readies a Stealth Stimulus

White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett was adamant Sunday, when asked if President Obama was considering a so-called “second stimulus” to deal with the rising unemployment rate. “I think it’s too soon, it’s premature to say is a second stimulus needed,” she told David Gregory, the host of NBC’s Meet the Press

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Abortion support falls sharply, new research finds

Support for abortion rights has fallen sharply in the past year, with Americans now split roughly 50-50 between those who back legal access to abortion and those who oppose it, according to a new survey. The findings mark a dramatic shift in public opinion, supporters of abortion rights have outnumbered opponents for many years, with one brief exception, studies have shown

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Bill Clinton: ‘Vast right-wing conspiracy’ as ‘virulent’ as ever

The “vast right-wing conspiracy” that attacked him during his presidency has been weakened, but continues to operate against President Obama, former President Clinton said Sunday. On NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Clinton was asked about the term his wife Hillary Clinton, now secretary of state, famously coined

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