Happy Birthday, V'ger!

35-Year-Old Voyager 2 Probe Is NASA's Longest Mission Ever | Space.com

I don't remember the launch of the Voyager probes (even though I was 12), but I remember all the excitement as they reached Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Good times.

And still going strong at 35 and about 9 billion miles from Earth.

Voyager 1 is about 11 billion miles away. It was launched about two weeks after Voyager 2.

Oh dear. Doesn't Atkins know when to shut up?

Akin Clarifies 'Legitimate Rape' Comments: Women Make 'False Claims' About Being Raped

Akin is apparently unaware of the first rule of holes.

A lot of people would ask, though, in the absence of an obvious baby's daddy

I would like to hope "some" people would ask, but hoping never made shit true. However, like above, I'd always guess sperm bank over raped--I assume if someone wants me to know they've been raped, they'll tell me. Them getting pregnant doesn't change that at all. Anyone can feel free to lie to me in that situation if it makes shit easier, but I am not going to ask unless we have the sort of relationship where I'm startled you haven't volunteered the information, and I'm reacting out of surprise.

I'd like to think, despite the stats, who goes to rape? Who looks at someone and thinks "something really unpleasant happened to you". It's like if someone tells me someone in their life died, but not how, I never assume murder. I've got to be told that.

I think those women forced into unwanted pregnancies should have access to a bank of names of the politicians and legislators in their home states and cities who are opposed in any way to choice. When the time comes, one of those names goes on the form under "father," and when she leaves the hospital, both the child and the bills are the problem of the "father." Further, the names of those rude, vocal, anti-choice "volunteers" should be part of that bank, too. Make them directly responsible for *their* choices.

GOOD ONE.

ita, I don't think anyone is saying they would ask "WAS IT RAPE?!?" Just they would ask questions about the pregnancy--was it planned, was it an accident, is the father in the picture, etc. All of which are horribly rude questions, but would get asked nonetheless. And people would probably be horrified and shocked to hear "Well, I was raped". But asking anything about that shit is just going to further require she think about it--even if she answers with a lie about some secret boyfriend or one-night stand

Akin Clarifies 'Legitimate Rape' Comments: Women Make 'False Claims' About Being Raped

I think The Onion has it about right:

[link]

Yeah, you'd really have to prepare yourself to say something to everyone. Even if it's just "the father's not in the picture. period."

Akin Clarifies 'Legitimate Rape' Comments: Women Make 'False Claims' About Being Raped

Well, I'd like him to clarify his comments about women's physiology in light of his backpedaling. Did he mean that telling the truth about being raped is what allows the women to produce the magical No-Pregnancy-Here powers?

Because that's the only thing I can deduce. You know, using SCIENCE. Since he's so big into science, and all.

Won't someone think of the poor, innocent men who get accused of rape and the darling fetuses that result from it?

My rage is reaching a fever pitch.