Notification of a parent or guardian puts girls in abusive homes in a very bad situation. By the time they have jumped through the hoops required to appeal to a judge about why it isn't safe for them to notify, it will be too late for an early abortion. I get why parents would want to know, but I also have seen enough teen pregnancies in my years as a teacher to fear that mandated notification leads to desperate teens and illegal and unsafe abortions.

And what Kristin said!

Empty Space At A McCain Rally In Ohio Today

Plus the space is pretty small to begin with... looks like a small high school gymnasium.

By the time they have jumped through the hoops required to appeal to a judge about why it isn't safe for them to notify, it will be too late for an early abortion.

"A minor seeking a waiver would not have to pay court fees, would be provided other assistance in the case by the court, and would be entitled to an attorney appointed by the court. The identity of the minor would be kept confidential. The court would generally have to hear and issue a ruling within three business days of receiving the waiver request. The appellate court would generally have to hear and decide any appeal within four business days."

When I came out of the oral surgeon's to wait for my bus it was snowing - lightly - sprinkling really. At one point during the bus trip home it started snowing madly.

But it's not snowing at all now. I guess it's all moved east of me.

I actually reconfigured my monitors at work to DualView for the purpose of puppycam-ing it all day.

Seconding Perkins's Prop 4 HELL NO.

I've actually been looking at the websites for No on 4 and No on 8 to see if I could manage an evening of phonebanking for either one--I have hideous phone fear, but I hate that I care so much about the issues and haven't been able to donate money. Time is better than nothing.

And, it turns out, the No on 8 office in SF needs miscellaneous office help in the evenings, not just phone banking, so maybe I can go down one evening this week and be useful without facing the dreaded phones.

I've been there now!!!

Yay for seeing the Water Tower! I like its grandiose Victorian pomposity all wrapped up in Joliet limestone. Laga used to have Oscar Wilde's observation about the Water Tower as a tagline, about it being "a castellated monstrosity with pepper pots stuck all over it."

Kathy, I'm glad you were okay w/ not meeting up.

I was so tired after my 8-hour shift at the bookstore that, when I came home to your voice mail that you had to bail, quite frankly, I cheered. We definitely have to arrange a get-together next time you're in town, maybe a brunch on Saturday or Sunday, and see if more Chicagoistas can join us!

"A minor seeking a waiver would not have to pay court fees, would be provided other assistance in the case by the court, and would be entitled to an attorney appointed by the court. The identity of the minor would be kept confidential. The court would generally have to hear and issue a ruling within three business days of receiving the waiver request. The appellate court would generally have to hear and decide any appeal within four business days."

Gut reaction: Lip service. Doesn't mean anything when you are talking about the reality in most situations.

I used to have phone fear. Now I am impervious. I got that through phonebanking. They can only fume ineffectually after all. Not that I haven't been called every name but a child of god over the years. (Nice family values, babe!)