One Latina kicking some major ass: There is a Houston charter school that targets immigrants to start or continue their high school education. In the NPR piece, they mention a woman who DIVORCED her husband because he didn't like her going to school. Her boss also is being an ass by keeping her at work so she misses class. But she's still optimistic about school.

Two Chicago Sun-Times reporters kicking ass: First, my feminist mama crush, Cindy Richards reports back from the Personal PAC annual meeting with some grim facts:

*Illinois is the only state in the Midwest, indeed the only state between the two coasts, without the restrictions on abortion other states use to intimidate women seeking a legal abortion.

*Indiana requires pregnant teens to get the consent of both parents before having an abortion. Last month, that meant an Indiana teen had to ask a judge to approve her abortion because her parents were in the midst of a bitter divorce and refused to sign the form.

*Last week in Missouri, several hundred women were forced, by law, to listen to and watch a litany of anti-abortion propaganda before being allowed to have an abortion.

*This week, a woman in northern Wisconsin who had been raped and became pregnant had to drive more than 300 miles to get an abortion. When she arrived at the medical facility, she was told that abortion is the only medical procedure where the law requires a 48-hour waiting period. She missed two days of work at her minimum- wage job and slept in her car while waiting to get the abortion.

*In Iowa, the law prohibits emergency room doctors from telling female sexual assault victims that emergency contraceptives or a double dose of birth control taken within 72 hours of the assault can prevent a pregnancy.

*A state senator in Virginia has introduced a bill that would require every Virginia woman who had a miscarriage to report to law enforcement in person within 24 hours of the miscarriage to sign a statement swearing she did not cause an abortion.

Next up, Jennifer Hunter gives us her view of KISS-FM's ugly "Breasts Christmas Ever" contest:

What kind of perverse message does this send to young women who are already so self-conscious about their bodies? The majority of listeners at the station are women between the ages of 18 and 34, and 30 percent are impressionable teenagers. According to the National Association of Eating Disorders, 80 percent of American women dislike their appearance.

Unfortunately, neither the regional vice president at Kiss FM, Earl Jones, or the program manager, Rod Phillips, had the guts to talk to me about their station's obnoxious contest.

It's pretty sad that these 2 men didn't have the balls to defend their breast contest. Hey, maybe another radio station can provide them with a ball augmentation!

(Almost) Three years to smoke-free Chicago! The City Council just approved a measure to make Chicago smoke-free.

The ban takes effect Jan. 16. Smoking is allowed in freestanding bars and taverns, and within 15 feet of any restaurant bar, until July 1, 2008. A tavern is defined as an establishment that earns at least 65 percent of its revenues from liquor sales.

Additionally, if a restaurant bar or tavern can show it has installed air purification equipment that ensures the same air quality inside as outside, it will be granted a permanent exemption from the smoking ban. Eleventh-hour negotiations were necessary overnight to resolve the air purification issue.

Of course, you know what is next? Now that I should be able to bring Ella to any place without fear of her breathing in smoke, I'm sure there will be a ban on kids. But until then, let's go eat! After January 16th that is. Maybe my dry cleaning bill will go down. There's nothing worse than a smoke-filled wool coat.

She's out: Kim Ng did not get the Dodgers GM position. I know, it's kinda old news, but I keep forgetting to mention it. But the chances are good that we'll have her to celebrate in the future. That's the problem with glass ceilings...they are made of glass and are breakable.

Labels: abortion, latina