The Toast's "Fictional Characters Whose Lives Would Have Vastly Been Improved By An Abortion"

I'm really digging The Toast, the feminist/humor/smarty pants digital magazine from Mallory Ortberg and Nicole Cliffe (formerly of The Hairpin). And I just wanted to do a quick shout out to a piece I really enjoyed last week (with the above title). It's funny (because, it's supposed to be), but it's also totally true (except for Harry Potter - gotta disagree there!). It kind of shows how annoying and lame pregnancy can be as a plot device, and it also show how interesting abortion could be as a plot device, though it's so rarely used (except on Obvious Child which was obviously the super great exception that proves the rule).

You Ain't Cool Unless You Support Planned Parenthood*

Lena Dunham's book tour t-shirt says, "Lena [Heart] Planned Parenthood." And now tons of celebs are wearing them! It's a great way to raise awareness for Planned Parenthood (and Lena's book). Planned Parenthood is also going to be doing nine events in coordination with the book tour throughout October. You can check out them all the celeb photos at HuffPo.

*Yes that was a Billy Madison reference for some terrible reason.

Sugar: It's In Your Dinner

I love watching John Oliver stick it to The Man. In this case, The Candy Man.



And now just because it's in your head:



He does sell it pretty dang hard.

Obamacare: Lowering Premiums

This is a pretty BFD. TPM's headline that the fact that Obamacare is lowering - instead of increasing - premiums around the country is something the GOP doesn't want you to see is totally accurate. This, along with other factors like the fact that Obamacare hasn't been the disaster the GOP "knew" it would be, is why it's slowly but surely stopped being a 2014 elections issue. Just as Social Security and Medicare quickly blended into the, "Of course we have this safety net/protection," Obamacare, too, is quietly becoming just another thing Americans assume they have, and appreciate without really acknowledge or even know they appreciate.

Great News! Donating a Kidney Does NOT Affect Lifespan!

I'm pretty sure we already knew this, but another study has confirmed that donating a kidney - even in older patients - does not increase risk of death or heart disease.

Let's all go celebrate by donating a kidney*!

*Unless you already have donated a kidney or have a donated kidney inside of you.

Satanists, Pretty Cool People

Satanists are at it again. First, it was erecting a giant statue of Baphomet in the Oklahoma capitol. Now, they're turning the Hobby Lobby ruling on its head, saying that they should be exempt from the restrictive, anti-choice "informed consent" laws all around the country on the basis that their religion is based in scientific fact, and therefore they cannot abide by laws that are based on fear, junk, and political bias. In their words:

 In response to what The Satanic Temple have dubbed a “pernicious encroachment” of “informed consent” laws regarding abortion, the organization is asserting a religious exemption from the burden of state­mandated “informational” abortion materials for those who share their deeply held beliefs. According to their website, “The Satanic Temple believes that the body is inviolable ­­ subject to one’s own will alone.” Further, “we strive to make all decisions regarding personal health based on the best scientific understanding of the world, regardless of the religious or political beliefs of others.” (Full Statement)

It's a simple, powerful argument, and one the Satanists agree that any woman should make when presented with these informed consent requirements. Unlike Hobby Lobby, Satanists are starting to make a lot of sense. Who knew?

[via Jezebel]

In other news, Texas is down 20 abortion clinics

Just one year after Texas passed one of the harshest reproductive rights restrictions in the country, half of Texas' 40 abortion clinics have closed. By next year, the entire state will be down to six. This is a tragedy, and another reason why we must elect Wendy Davis and other pro-choice candidates to stand up for women's rights.

Besides, if conservatives really wanted to help and protect future generations, they'd embrace the Medicaid expansion. Since they refuse to do that, I can't take the idea that they care about anyone but themselves seriously.

This is what happens when you take away women's rights

The Atlantic has a sobering look at the reality of the pro-life movement and the wreckage it causes.

Keep that in mind, SCOTUS.

Tobacco is Wacko if You're a Teen Farmer

Daily Show did a great segment on the super, horrible legal loophole that allows teenagers to work on tobacco farms:

The Daily Show
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The saddest part of the segment is how self-aware the tobacco farmer is - he's not just some deluded guy they found. He legitimately knows what he's doing to these kids and thinks it's totally ok.

Also, Sam Bee = amazeballs.

Adam Scott as Derek Huff Doesn't Want You to Sign up for Obamacare

I haven't seen Step Brothers all the way through - and by all the way through I mean the only part I've seen is where the bunk bed collapses, and that was two weeks ago when I was flipping through channels. But it seems like Adam Scott's character in it, Derek Huff, is a real gem. Watch below as he hates on health insurance, really pushing you to not sign up via healthcare.gov by March 31st!

A Message from Step Brothers' Adam Scott from Funny Or Die      

[via HuffPo]

"Not Having Kids," A Drug Ad I Can Get Behind

"Not Having Kids" could be the hot new wonder drug. True, it has some side effects, but also a lot of perks.



Funny stuff!

[via HuffPo]

5th Kidneyversary Nails!

January 8th marked my fifth Kidneyversary (anniversary of my kidney transplant). Still going strong!

I marked the occasion with some orange kidney nails (orange as a shout-out to NKF!).

What do you think?

Oral Fixation: Bun in the Oven

So proud of my sister for telling her story at "Oral Fixation: Bun in the Oven" this year.

I've always been a strong supporter of women's rights, but it was truly eye-opening to have it all hit home so directly this year.

It was so scary, educational, and inspiring watching Wendy Davis' filibuster, knowing that the outcome had direct implications for my sister and her husband's lives. Scary because if she had received the test results a few weeks later, she would not have been able to have her procedure in Texas. Educational because, while I know one in three women have an abortion, I never knew before why a woman would have one after 20 weeks. Now I do. If more people watched Nicole's story and the stories of the many women like her, I know they'd rethink their opinions on abortions after 20 weeks. And i was inspiring to see someone stand up so strongly for women's rights during a time when they're being taken away slowly but surely nationwide. Just today, the Supreme Court agreed to hear an absurd case arguing that a corporation (Hobby Lobby) can refuse to cover contraception - contraception! - for their employees on the grounds of religious freedom. As Colbert would say, I laugh to keep myself from crying. It's that bad.

In order for women's rights to stop being attacked all over the country, more brave women like my sister need to share their abortion stories (and electing Wendy Davis as Governor of TX can't hurt, too!)

Nine Things Progressives Can Be Thankful For

ThinkProgress has a great list of Nine Things Progressives Can Be Thankful For this year. They're all excellent points, and it's important to remind ourselves that despite the setbacks and growing insanity of the GOP, there are still big things out there moving in the right direction. That alone is something to be thankful for.

Happy (Belated) Thanksgiving!

I almost forgot to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! Here it is: HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

I'm grateful for the (seven or so?) of you who read this blog, because I'm 99% sure I know who all of you are, and I really appreciate that you care enough about to me to keep my page views above zero. It's just you and people Googling "artful stews" looking for elaborate soup recipes and clicking on this by accident. Honestly, though, I'm grateful for those soup lovers and their mistaken clicks, too.

I've been crazy-blessed this year (and every year!), and I hope that I maintain enough perspective to share my blessings with everyone around me and appreciate what an incredibly lucky and wonderful life I lead. Thank you.

TPM's Realist's Take on Obamacare

Another well-written piece of perspective on Obamacare, this time from Talking Points Memo. Oh, Josh Marshall, how you soothe the soul with logic.

Paul Krugman on Obamacare's Secret Success

This is what I'm talking about! Also this! Gotta love when Krugman doesn't have to wear his "this is how we're destroying America and/or the world" hat. Yay, Affordable Care Act!

International Day For The Elimination Of Violence Against Women

Today is the International Day For The Elimination Of Violence Against Women. You can read more about it here and here. Important stuff.

Screw You, Cancer - Glamour Series

Really awesome webseries from Glamour called "Screw You, Cancer" by comedian Caitlin Brodnick. Check it out.



And that's just the first episode. You can watch the rest on at Glamour.

[via Comic's Comic]

New Spoon for Parkinson and Tremor Patients

A new spoon designed by Lift Labs helps cancel out a person's tremor when eating meals.

Here's the promotional video demonstrating the product:



What a great invention! One of the best jokes from the new Michael J Fox Show last week was about how determined Michael is to serve eggs (as a personal victory) even though it's taking a long time and the rest of his family is extremely hungry. This invention could make that joke irrelevant! Not that I want jokes to be irrelevant, but you know what I'm saying.

[via Neatorama]