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imIMConversations in real time.12139403imfalsefalsespacernotembeddedimOpening the Screening DoorSlatewriters and editors discuss whether new cancer-screening guidelines should be considered a harbinger of health care rationing.noOpening the Screening DoorSlate writers and editors debate the ramifications of new cancer-screening guidelines.noThis week, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended that most women begin regular mammograms starting at age 50 instead of 40. Days later, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists revised its guidelines on cervical cancer screening: Now it suggests women receive their first Pap smears later than previously recommended and, depending on certain risk factors, get them less frequently. The move to reduce unnecessary screening has some critics of health care reform suggesting that America is moving headlong toward rationing care. In a Facebook note today, Sarah Palin wrote, "We need to carefully watch this debate as it coincides with Capitol Hill's debate and determine whether we are witnessing the early stages of that rationed care before the Senate bill is rushed through as well." After chief political correspondent John Dickerson sent Palin's note around, Slate staffers began debating what, exactly, rationing is; the value of screening; and the relationship between patients and the medical community. An edited transcript of the discussion is below.truenotochyperlinkno2009112035157PMFridayNovNovember1511/20/2009 8:51:57 PM6339432911700000002009112035157PMFridayNovNovember1511/20/2009 8:51:57 PM633943291170000000imBonus BabiesSlate's editors squabble about whether Wall Street deserved its bonuses.noBonus BabiesSlate's editors squabble about whether Wall Street deserved its bonuses.noNews that Wall Street firms recently paid $18 billion in bonuses inspired an e-mail argument among Slate editors. Usually we try to wait until our ideas are fully developed before we publish them, but in this case, we thought the half-baked arguments might interest readers.truenotochyperlinkno200913054542PMFridayJanJanuary171/30/2009 10:45:42 PM633689343420000000200913054542PMFridayJanJanuary171/30/2009 10:45:42 PM633689343420000000imThe Thinking Girl's Barbie?Torie Bosch1/123122/2202502/malonen.gif4242http://img.slate.com/mediafalse2009101113602PMThursdayOctOctober2310/2/2009 3:36:02 AM6339003696210319412009101113602PMThursdayOctOctober2310/2/2009 3:36:02 AM6339003696210319412009101113602PMThursdayOctOctober2310/2/2009 3:36:02 AM633900369621031941false2008101711643PMFridayOctOctober1310/17/2008 5:16:43 PM6335984620300000002008101711643PMFridayOctOctober1310/17/2008 5:16:43 PM633598462030000000falseSlate women discuss the American Girl dolls, books, movie, and message.noThe Thinking Girl's Barbie?Slate women discuss the American Girl dolls, books, movie, and message.noKit Kittredge: An American Girl opened nationwide in theaters this week. The movie, which tells the story of a girl growing up during the Great Depression, is the first big-screen film based on the American Girl dolls. Pleasant Co., founded in 1986 and later sold to Mattel, made American Girl a cultural phenomenon by marketing lines of dolls with their own books, accessories, and even furniture—not to mention a magazine, arts and crafts products, and customized dolls to look like you. Even Barack Obama's daughters have them—the Obama campaign tells Slate that the two "love American Girl. Malia (who will be 10 on Friday) and Sasha (who is 7) have both the personalized dolls, and others, including Kaya and Samantha." Four Slate women who grew up with American Girl saw the movie and discussed whether the product line encourages reading or shopping, what kinds of role models the characters make, and more. (Note: This discussion contains mild spoilers about Kit Kittredge.)truenotochyperlinkno20087335225PMThursdayJulJuly157/3/2008 7:52:25 PM63350697145000000020087335225PMThursdayJulJuly157/3/2008 7:52:25 PM633506971450000000imSpoiling Sex and the CityErinn Bucklan1/123122/2202502/orourkem.gif4242http://img.slate.com/mediafalse2009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM6338671141576492442009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM6338671141576492442009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM633867114157649244false2008101711651PMFridayOctOctober1310/17/2008 5:16:51 PM6335984621100000002008101711651PMFridayOctOctober1310/17/2008 5:16:51 PM6335984621100000001/123122/2202502/stevensd.gif4242http://img.slate.com/mediafalse2009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM6338671141578054932009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM6338671141578054932009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM633867114157805493false2008101711658PMFridayOctOctober1310/17/2008 5:16:58 PM6335984621800000002008101711658PMFridayOctOctober1310/17/2008 5:16:58 PM6335984621800000001/123122/123123/2055730/2056485/thomas_june.jpg4242http://img.slate.com/mediafalse2009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM6338671141579617422009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM6338671141579617422009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM633867114157961742false2009120105322AMTuesdayJanJanuary101/20/2009 3:53:22 PM6336804560200000002009120105322AMTuesdayJanJanuary101/20/2009 3:53:22 PM633680456020000000falseFour women argue about the clothes, the men, and the ending.noSpoiling Sex and the CityFour women discuss the ending of Sex and the City.noReaders take note: This discussion is designed to be read by people who have already seen the Sex and the City film. There are REALLY BIG SPOILERS ahead. GIGANTIC, ENORMOUS SPOILERS right in the VERY FIRST LINES. Read at your own risk.truenotochyperlinkno200853174609AMSaturdayMayMay75/31/2008 11:46:09 AM633478167690000000200853174609AMSaturdayMayMay75/31/2008 11:46:09 AM633478167690000000imWhen Did American Idol Get So Emotionally Violent?Slate staffers discuss.noWhen Did American Idol Get So Emotionally Violent?When did American Idol get so emotionally violent?noThe seventh season of American Idol debuted this week with a new focus on the contestants' biographies and back stories. After the first episode aired, Slate contributors and staffers began to consider what they'd seen. Is the show meaner than it used to be? Why the focus on sad-sack freaks? Read our whole discussion below:truenotochyperlinkno200811752519PMThursdayJanJanuary171/17/2008 10:25:19 PM633361875190000000200811752519PMThursdayJanJanuary171/17/2008 10:25:19 PM633361875190000000200782854653PMTuesdayAugAugust178/28/2007 9:46:53 PM633239200130000000200782854653PMTuesdayAugAugust178/28/2007 9:46:53 PM633239200130000000falsetruetruetruetruetruetrue2007828122153PMTuesdayAugAugust128/28/2007 4:21:53 PM633239005130000000200782854653PMTuesdayAugAugust178/28/2007 9:46:53 PM633239200130000000

imIMConversations in real time.12139403imfalsefalsespacernotembeddedimOpening the Screening DoorSlatewriters and editors discuss whether new cancer-screening guidelines should be considered a harbinger of health care rationing.noOpening the Screening DoorSlate writers and editors debate the ramifications of new cancer-screening guidelines.noThis week, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended that most women begin regular mammograms starting at age 50 instead of 40. Days later, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists revised its guidelines on cervical cancer screening: Now it suggests women receive their first Pap smears later than previously recommended and, depending on certain risk factors, get them less frequently. The move to reduce unnecessary screening has some critics of health care reform suggesting that America is moving headlong toward rationing care. In a Facebook note today, Sarah Palin wrote, "We need to carefully watch this debate as it coincides with Capitol Hill's debate and determine whether we are witnessing the early stages of that rationed care before the Senate bill is rushed through as well." After chief political correspondent John Dickerson sent Palin's note around, Slate staffers began debating what, exactly, rationing is; the value of screening; and the relationship between patients and the medical community. An edited transcript of the discussion is below.truenotochyperlinkno2009112035157PMFridayNovNovember1511/20/2009 8:51:57 PM6339432911700000002009112035157PMFridayNovNovember1511/20/2009 8:51:57 PM633943291170000000imBonus BabiesSlate's editors squabble about whether Wall Street deserved its bonuses.noBonus BabiesSlate's editors squabble about whether Wall Street deserved its bonuses.noNews that Wall Street firms recently paid $18 billion in bonuses inspired an e-mail argument among Slate editors. Usually we try to wait until our ideas are fully developed before we publish them, but in this case, we thought the half-baked arguments might interest readers.truenotochyperlinkno200913054542PMFridayJanJanuary171/30/2009 10:45:42 PM633689343420000000200913054542PMFridayJanJanuary171/30/2009 10:45:42 PM633689343420000000imThe Thinking Girl's Barbie?Torie Bosch1/123122/2202502/malonen.gif4242http://img.slate.com/mediafalse2009101113602PMThursdayOctOctober2310/2/2009 3:36:02 AM6339003696210319412009101113602PMThursdayOctOctober2310/2/2009 3:36:02 AM6339003696210319412009101113602PMThursdayOctOctober2310/2/2009 3:36:02 AM633900369621031941false2008101711643PMFridayOctOctober1310/17/2008 5:16:43 PM6335984620300000002008101711643PMFridayOctOctober1310/17/2008 5:16:43 PM633598462030000000falseSlate women discuss the American Girl dolls, books, movie, and message.noThe Thinking Girl's Barbie?Slate women discuss the American Girl dolls, books, movie, and message.noKit Kittredge: An American Girl opened nationwide in theaters this week. The movie, which tells the story of a girl growing up during the Great Depression, is the first big-screen film based on the American Girl dolls. Pleasant Co., founded in 1986 and later sold to Mattel, made American Girl a cultural phenomenon by marketing lines of dolls with their own books, accessories, and even furniture—not to mention a magazine, arts and crafts products, and customized dolls to look like you. Even Barack Obama's daughters have them—the Obama campaign tells Slate that the two "love American Girl. Malia (who will be 10 on Friday) and Sasha (who is 7) have both the personalized dolls, and others, including Kaya and Samantha." Four Slate women who grew up with American Girl saw the movie and discussed whether the product line encourages reading or shopping, what kinds of role models the characters make, and more. (Note: This discussion contains mild spoilers about Kit Kittredge.)truenotochyperlinkno20087335225PMThursdayJulJuly157/3/2008 7:52:25 PM63350697145000000020087335225PMThursdayJulJuly157/3/2008 7:52:25 PM633506971450000000imSpoiling Sex and the CityErinn Bucklan1/123122/2202502/orourkem.gif4242http://img.slate.com/mediafalse2009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM6338671141576492442009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM6338671141576492442009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM633867114157649244false2008101711651PMFridayOctOctober1310/17/2008 5:16:51 PM6335984621100000002008101711651PMFridayOctOctober1310/17/2008 5:16:51 PM6335984621100000001/123122/2202502/stevensd.gif4242http://img.slate.com/mediafalse2009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM6338671141578054932009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM6338671141578054932009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM633867114157805493false2008101711658PMFridayOctOctober1310/17/2008 5:16:58 PM6335984621800000002008101711658PMFridayOctOctober1310/17/2008 5:16:58 PM6335984621800000001/123122/123123/2055730/2056485/thomas_june.jpg4242http://img.slate.com/mediafalse2009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM6338671141579617422009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM6338671141579617422009824115015AMMondayAugAugust118/24/2009 3:50:15 PM633867114157961742false2009120105322AMTuesdayJanJanuary101/20/2009 3:53:22 PM6336804560200000002009120105322AMTuesdayJanJanuary101/20/2009 3:53:22 PM633680456020000000falseFour women argue about the clothes, the men, and the ending.noSpoiling Sex and the CityFour women discuss the ending of Sex and the City.noReaders take note: This discussion is designed to be read by people who have already seen the Sex and the City film. There are REALLY BIG SPOILERS ahead. GIGANTIC, ENORMOUS SPOILERS right in the VERY FIRST LINES. Read at your own risk.truenotochyperlinkno200853174609AMSaturdayMayMay75/31/2008 11:46:09 AM633478167690000000200853174609AMSaturdayMayMay75/31/2008 11:46:09 AM633478167690000000imWhen Did American Idol Get So Emotionally Violent?Slate staffers discuss.noWhen Did American Idol Get So Emotionally Violent?When did American Idol get so emotionally violent?noThe seventh season of American Idol debuted this week with a new focus on the contestants' biographies and back stories. After the first episode aired, Slate contributors and staffers began to consider what they'd seen. Is the show meaner than it used to be? Why the focus on sad-sack freaks? Read our whole discussion below:truenotochyperlinkno200811752519PMThursdayJanJanuary171/17/2008 10:25:19 PM633361875190000000200811752519PMThursdayJanJanuary171/17/2008 10:25:19 PM633361875190000000200782854653PMTuesdayAugAugust178/28/2007 9:46:53 PM633239200130000000200782854653PMTuesdayAugAugust178/28/2007 9:46:53 PM633239200130000000falsetruetruetruetruetruetrue2007828122153PMTuesdayAugAugust128/28/2007 4:21:53 PM633239005130000000200782854653PMTuesdayAugAugust178/28/2007 9:46:53 PM633239200130000000

Aug. 28, 2007, 12:21 PM ET

 
 
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