FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

What is up with Arizona? Within a matter of days, state lawmakers have passed two controversial measures that are sparking a national debate.
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First - there's the so-called birther bill, which passed the Arizona house. It's meant to clarify the birthplace of a potential president - and would require Pres. Obama to show his birth certificate in order to be on Arizona's ballot if he runs for re-election in 2012. The same would go for any candidate who hopes to be on the state's ballot.

This all goes back to the "birther" movement... and those conspiracy theories about the Hawaiian-born Mr. Obama. There were also questions during the 2008 presidential campaign about Arizona's own Sen. John McCain - he was born in the Panama Canal Zone, which was considered a U.S. territory in 1936, at the time of his birth.

Democrats in Arizona are blasting the birther bill... along with a tough immigration measure that's now sitting on the governor's desk - and is likely to wind up in court if she signs it into law.

As we reported in the Cafferty File - the Arizona Senate passed the immigration bill earlier this week. It would allow police to arrest people who can't prove they're in the country legally. Police in this country traditionally don't stop people for no reason and ask "to see their papers."

Critics say these two measures taken together are turning Arizona into "the laughingstock of the nation." It's a title that used to belong to Florida.

Even a former Bush press secretary is critical... Dana Perino says although stronger enforcement is needed when it comes to illegal immigration, this measure goes too far... and she says the so-called birther measure should be rescinded.

Here’s my question to you: What is Arizona thinking?

Interested to know which ones made it on air?

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FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

It's no secret divorces can be ugly, messy and uncomfortable in so many ways... but now there's research that suggests divorce is also one of the top reasons for suicide among men.
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AOL News reports that the stress and sadness associated with divorce take a much tougher toll on men than women.

Experts say suicide rates are higher among divorced men - and lowest among those who are still married. Single men fall in between.

One sociologist who studies family structure and suicide rates says divorced men are almost 40 percent more likely to commit suicide than those who are still married. That number jumps to 50 percent for a man who is widowed.

Yet for women there's a statistically insignificant difference when it comes to the risk for suicide among those who are married, divorced or widowed.

Some think it's because marriage provides a support system that men rely on much more than women. There are also studies that show married men take fewer risks and are healthier - less likely to smoke, drink or use drugs.

Another reason why women might be less suicidal is because of the children. Women often remain the primary caretakers for kids after divorce; and research shows that for every additional child in a home, the adult is less and less likely to commit suicide.

Overall - men in this country are four times more likely than women to take their own lives.

Here’s my question to you: Why does divorce make men more suicidal than women?

Interested to know which ones made it on air?

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(PHOTO CREDIT: FunnyJunk.com)

FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

Walmart is under fire for selling black Barbie dolls at nearly half the price of white ones - in at least one store.

Photos first appeared on a Web site called FunnyJunk.com showing Mattel's Ballerina Barbie - the white doll - with a price tag of almost $6.

These dolls are on the shelf right next to Ballerina Teresa - the black doll - with a reduced price of $3.

The photo was apparently taken at a Louisiana Walmart store.

Walmart says this was a business decision... telling ABC News that the price reduction was meant to clear shelf space for new spring inventory. They say many items are marked for clearance, adding "both are great dolls... one was marked down due to its lower sales to hopefully increase purchase from customers."

That reasoning works for lots and lots of products, but maybe not in this case. Not everything can always come down to a business decision.

Critics charge Walmart should have been more sensitive when it came to these dolls - they say that even if it's not intentional, the chain is sending a message that "we value blackness less than whiteness."

One sociologist says that when white dolls sell more than black dolls - it is because black parents are more likely than white parents to buy a doll of a different race for their kids. She suggests Walmart should have kept the dolls at the same price in order not to reinforce any "ugly inequalities."

Here’s my question to you: What message does it send when Walmart sells black Barbie dolls for less than white ones?

Interested to know which ones made it on air?

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FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

Hiding debt could hurt a relationship more than adultery.

It's no secret that Americans are swimming in credit card debt - but a piece on CNNMoney.com describes how some husbands, wives and even children try to keep the debt a secret from their loved ones.
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One expert says hidden debt is "a form of cheating so subtle you don't even know you're doing it."

The problem is when one half of a couple tries to hide debt, it's impossible to keep it hidden forever. This article describes one case where a Dallas woman started racking up thousands of dollars in debt behind her husband's back.

She opened up a credit card and started shopping to relieve stress - planning to pay it off each month. Well, that didn't happen... And her husband found out her secret when he checked the family's credit report; he says it was a slap in the face.

In other cases - one spouse might rack up credit card debt in order to get a small business off the ground... only to be discovered when the family goes to take out a loan, etc.

And, it's not just spouses who lie about money. Children sometimes do it too. This piece talks about a son who got interested in the stock market as a kid, and wound up losing $250,000 day trading - a lot of it was his mother's money.

Money is always a sensitive issue... and it's certainly ended more than a few relationships.

Here’s my question to you: Is hiding debt the same as cheating?

Interested to know which ones made it on air?

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A killer whale at SeaWorld in San Diego. This is not the same orca involved in yesterday's trainer death at SeaWorld Orlando. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)

FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

The death of a whale trainer at SeaWorld never had to happen.

The park has canceled whale shows today and is re-evaluating safety procedures - a day after a 12,000 lb. killer whale grabbed the trainer's ponytail, dragged her underwater and killed her.

The 22-ft. long killer whale has been linked to two other deaths, including the drowning of a trainer and some idiot who apparently climbed into the whale's tank one night.

One marine biologist says in yesterday's death, the whale may simply have been trying to play with the trainer or get her attention - because that's how whales play with seals and sea lions in the wild - tossing them in the air.

She says killer whales normally live in groups with their families - and males stay with their mothers their entire lives. They rely on their family for social structure and play - and cover hundreds of miles of ocean. She says situations like this cause stress. Duh.

PETA wants SeaWorld to stop confining these animals to an area that's like the "size of a bathtub" to them... and forcing them to perform silly tricks over and over. That's not what they were meant to do here.

And this isn't just about killer whales. Wild animals are not meant to be kept in places like circuses - where there are many reports of abuse - or small cages in zoos - or forced to perform in places like Las Vegas, where a tiger attacked its handler during a Siegfried and Roy show a few years ago.

And inevitably when someone playing around with these wild animals gets attacked, it's the animal that gets put down. It ought to be the other way around.

Here’s my question to you: Should wild animals be used as entertainment?

Interested to know which ones made it on air?

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FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

If you're lucky enough to have a job, a record number of you aren't satisfied with it.
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A new survey shows only 45-percent of workers are happy with what they do - that's the lowest level ever recorded in more than 22-years.

Part of the reason, of course, is the worst recession since the Great Depression. But it's not just the recession. Worker dissatisfaction has actually been increasing for more than two decades.

Here's some of what this survey found:

• Only about half of workers find their jobs interesting... also a new low in this poll's history

• Incomes haven't kept up with inflation: most wages grew in the 80s and 90s... but have been shrinking since 2000

• The soaring cost of health insurance means workers' take home less money at the end of the day...

Other key findings in this poll done by the "The Conference Board":

• Workers under 25 years old were the most dissatisfied with their jobs

• 43 percent of workers say they feel secure in their jobs

• 56 percent say they like their coworkers

• 56 percent say they're satisfied with their commute

• 51 percent say they're satisfied with their boss.

Economists say that if this trend in job satisfaction isn't reversed... it could wind up hurting innovation along with America's competitiveness and productivity. And with unemployment at levels we haven't seen in decades, it's difficult to imagine being able to address this issue any time soon.

Here’s my question to you: How satisfied are you with your job?

Interested to know which ones made it on air?

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FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

Some children are reaching the age of 3 without being able to say a single word.
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The London Times reports on a survey that also shows boys are almost twice as likely as girls to have difficulties learning to speak. The average baby speaks their first word at around 10 or 11 months... but this poll done in the UK shows four-percent of parents report their child said nothing until 3 years old. At that age - toddlers should be able to use up to 300 words, including adjectives, and string them together.

The poll of more than 1,000 parents also shows almost one in six parents say their child had problems learning to talk... that figure rises to one in four when it comes to parents of boys.

On average - girls say their first word sooner... and string words together at a younger age.

Experts say late speech development can lead to problems - like low academic achievement or mental health issues. They say that it takes lots of help and encouragement in order for children to learn how to talk... parents need to talk to their kids, read stories, play word games, point out new objects, etc. Translation: Some parents need to focus on their kids and engage them more.

This is scary stuff here... if some kids aren't talking until they're 3, it can cause issues for the rest of their lives... when it's time to read, write, communicate, etc.

Here’s my question to you: How serious a problem is it if some children reach age 3 without saying a single word?

Interested to know which ones made it on air?

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