World Book Night! (First year for US give-aways!)

I volunteered for World Book Night this year, and I just picked up my books today! So excited! I'm giving away The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, since it's rather a perfect intersection of social justice and science geekery for me. Monday I'm going to take RTA to work and give the books away on the bus/train.

Also, bonus wheeled backpack with the Cleveland Public Library logo on it! I refuse to stop carrying backpacks, so this is a wonderful little freebie for me.

This post is going to be about World Book Night (because they're awesome and I'm trying to spread the word), and about The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, since it is also awesome and I'm also trying to spread the word.
( lots more back here )

OHIO BOWL-A-THON! Help Strike Down Barriers to Abortion Access

Preterm Access Fund
Cleveland Pro Choice Escorts -- Please support my awesome friends and co-escorts! (each team member raises funds separately, so I'm selfishly linking to my partner Chad's fundraising page, since I have to work that day)
More: WE’RE GOING BALLS-OUT FOR ABORTION FUNDING!


Same event, notice about the Central Ohio (Columbus) event:
OHIO BOWL-A-THON!
3rd Annual Women Have Options Bowl-a-Thon
Where: Sequoia Pro Bowl
5501 Sandalwood Blvd
Columbus, Ohio 43229
Sunday, April 29
1pm - 4pm

Help Strike Down Barriers to Abortion Access

Women Have Options (WHO/O) is having their 2012 Bowl-a-Thon until April 29, 2012 to help raise money for women who want abortions and need some financial help in order to get an abortion. WHO provides financial assistance to the majority of clinics in Ohio. Hey, if you're still mulling over the bit about bowling, just remember: One of the great things about a bowl-a-thon is that you don't even have to bowl! ;)

You can find out more info about the bowl-a-thon at the link below.

http://bowlathon.nnaf.org/nnafbowl/fundevent.asp?nnaffundid=21

If you don't live in Ohio, you can learn if there's a bowl-a-thon near you by going to bowlathon.nnaf.org and clicking on "Find Event."

Here's a link to WHO's website and below that their own words saying what they are about.

http://womenhaveoptions.org/

In WHO's own words:

Women Have Options (WHO/O) is Ohio’s statewide abortion fund. We believe that every woman should be able to make her own reproductive decisions—and we work to make that a reality in Ohio. We help low-income women afford their reproductive choices because justice demands that all women be able to make personal decisions about pregnancy and childbearing.
Support us as we fight for reproductive justice. Join us in protecting women’s lives and women’s futures.

On to the Linketies!

Still doing a lot of catch up here (yes, a bulk delete would be more efficient and wouldn't end the world. Good luck convincing my obstinately obsessive brainmeats on that matter).

ONTD_Political/ABCNews: Planned Parenthood ended nonsurgical abortions at its Wisconsin clinics Friday because of a new state law that subjects doctors who perform abortions but don't follow certain procedures to criminal penalties.
The law, signed by Gov. Scott Walker two weeks ago after the Republican-controlled state Legislature passed it earlier this year, took effect Friday.
It mandates that women having nonsurgical abortions visit the same doctor three times and that doctors ensure the woman is having the procedure voluntarily and without coercion. Failure to follow those requirements could result in felony charges against the doctor.
The law does not affect emergency contraception, known as the morning-after pill.
Planned Parenthood president and chief executive officer Teri Huyck said because of confusion over the new law, nonsurgical abortions are being suspended. Planned Parenthood will continue to provide surgical abortions at its clinics in Madison, Milwaukee and the Appleton area, its leaders said.



PlainDealer: Funny, frank 'In the Next Room, or the vibrator play' performed brilliantly at Cleveland Play House -- I've been hearing really good things about this, and my carpool coworker is going to see it this weekend. I'd really like to make it sometime before they close, if I can.

ONTD_Political: Concluding that racial bias played a significant factor in the sentencing of a man to death here 18 years ago, a judge on Friday ordered that the convict’s sentence be reduced to life in prison without parole, the first such decision under North Carolina’s controversial Racial Justice Act.

Jezebel: The Ten Scariest Places to Have Ladyparts in America
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland's also a one of America's rape capitals. And with legislators concentrating on regulating pregnancy rather than protecting women, it doesn't look like that rate will decrease anytime soon.
Legislators in the worst state in America to drive across are currently debating a "heartbeat bill," which will ban all abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected at about 8 weeks. The law's bullshit and will likely be blocked from ever being enforced by a judge with some damn sense, but, like most crazy abortion laws, it's the thought that counts. And the fact that men in power in Ohio would call a fetus to testify in favor of a law taking power away from women is a pretty terrifying thought indeed.
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