Going Overboard

Will it be 10 things or will it be more? Maybe less. Who can tell? We've survived an earthquake and a hurricane it's time to start living like there's no tomorrow, right? So I guess we start by throwing that 10 Things Tuesday rule to the wind!

1. First up, total fluff. Some delightful shots of #33 for Misti. She's in her first couple of weeks of grad school and it's tough to be doing something new all the time. I know she's got this but every little ounce of support we can send her way is helpful.

2. I know that some people are afraid that it's too easy to get an abortion in these here "United" States. Perhaps this article will ease some fears. "97 percent of ob-gyns had been approached by women wanting an abortion. Yet only 14 percent of those ob-gyns were willing to provide one." I'm no good at math but I can work out some of the simpler problems so I want to point out here that it's not 14% of all ob-gyns, it's 14% of the 97% who were approached. Less than 14% of ob-gyns are willing to provide an abortion. That should make you feel all safe and comfy.

3. I know this topic is going to sound ponderous but I promise, if I can get through the article you can, too. It's about how Iceland's citizens refused to pay back debt incurred by the banking industry in their country and, essentially, took back the nation. I'm not sure it's a direction the US can, or should, manage to go but it seems like important information for us to have.

4. This is also from Lindsay's Tumblr (she's featured a lot in this list). I love this picture of female Olympic athletes and how they all look different and awesome. Since we're living in a time where someone is about to publish a book for young readers glorifying dieting (complete with a cover graphic which I think is inspired by a really old After School Special on bulimia) I hope we get to see a lot more photos of all kinds of women.

5. How many times have I told you that I express myself better writing than I do speaking? Go on, count, I'll wait. Yes, I know it could be a long while and that you might need more toes. Apparently Aunt Becky (or rather, Aunt Becky's Daver) found a study that shows that people who talked about their problems and challenges did not change the way in which they coped with them. People who engaged in daily writing about them were able to change their approach. I may just stop talking all together and start passing notes. I suspect I will become quite popular in singles bars.

6. This one gets a little complicated so if we have to say, "Let's agree to disagree" we can. I won't like it but we can. KBR, a defense contractor in Iraq, is suing a former employee. You see, she was sexually assaulted on the job but they had had the foresight to have every employee sign an agreement to handle all disputes with the employer via mediation. That's apparently pretty common with these sorts of companies and it seems clear why. Rather than be bought off and keep her assault quiet the employee sued. So they're countersuing her. I smell something rotten, even though we aren't in Denmark.

7. I also think that this conversation has a number of facets to it. A self-employed photographer recently fired a group of her clients after discovering them bullying their peers on the internet. It was a bold move and I have to say I admire it even when I can see the side of the devil's advocates in her comments section.

8. Given that we've just been talking about a hurricane, we've just passed the anniversary of Katrina and the kids in Joplin, MO have recently gone back to school I think Sueb0b's post about not having a refrigerator is an important read. It's expensive to buy a fridge but look how expensive it can be not to have one. Makes me want to encourage everyone (again!) to read Nickeled and Dimed before they go running their mouths about welfare queens. (Or really any time. Read the book. It'll stay with you.)

9. I've got to be the last liberal in the country pointing to a photo of Ms. Ronzulli, an Italian politician and mother. That's not going to stop me, though. Can we shift our vision to include parents as a normal part of the workforce?

10. I have to do an informal poll here because I know that my view is skewed. I read the results of this poll and I can't believe it. An average medium dog costs $118 per year in food bills? Is...I mean...seriously? That is not my experience. Is it yours?

11. Schmutzie was on Aiming Low recently extolling the virtues of napping. She actually took a little flack on Twitter about it from Finslippy who is unable to nap and does not like it. Where do you stand on napping? Show your work. I'll be under my desk catching 40 winks while you finish your essay.

12. John Scalzi is always my go to when I want people to clarify and enforce their comments policy. His post on arguing is equally pleasing to me. Before you go off on me about any of the items on this list please read it.

13. My friend, Aaryn Belfer, is the mother in an adoptive family. Her little group went to a camp for interracial adoptive families this summer and she's planning to write more about it. Here's the first post toward that goal. I urge you to read all the comments and then to go on and read everything else you can get from the Belfer canon. We need to talk about race. We need to talk about it sanely. We must never lose our passion.

14. I  can't let this go, either. NJ Governor, Chris Christie wants to bill people who have been sexually assaulted for their rape kits. I hope he also plans to bill victims of robbery for the services of the CSI team.

15. Let's end on a high note. An NYU professor is trying to save the post office. I love the post office. I love writing letters. I am, in fact, reading a book right now where two characters engage in a penpal exchange that made me wildly jealous. Cindy has recently started a penpal initiative with some of her relatives. I think I might spend some of my Labor Day weekend crafting some "just because" postcards. No one is ever going to read a book called, "The Emails of Anton Chekhov" (or whatever writer floats your boat). Let's write some letters people!