Via ChannelNewsAsia.com.

I’m listening to the senators rambling on in their opening statements for Sam Alito’s hearings. Dick Durbin just discussed how much he has considered abortion with respect to the law, his own religious views, etc. and that he has come to the conclusion that we should ensure

“that we don’t make that decision [to have an abortion] a crime except in those extreme circumstances.”

He looked a bit confused when he said it. Did his speech writer screw up, or did I miss something? In what “extreme circumastances” would Dick Durbin make abortion a crime? Or is he have a flashback to 1989, when he said…

I believe we should end abortion on demand, and at every opportunity I have translated this belief into votes in the House of Representatives. I am opposed to the use of federal funds to pay for elective abortions, and will continue to support amendments to prohibit the funding of elective abortions for federal employees and Medicaid recipients. Also, notwithstanding the result in Webster, I continue to believe the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade should be reversed.

Prof Bainbridge has a great point by point take down of the New York Times editorial about Alito.

He points out the omitted pieces of the story about abortion, presidential power, congressional power, and one person one vote. Here’s a sample, go read the whole thing here.

The NY Times says:

• ABORTION Judge Alito has not only opposed Roe v. Wade, he has also worked to overturn it. When he applied for a promotion in the Reagan administration in 1985, he wrote that he was “particularly proud” of his legal arguments “that the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion.” In meetings with senators, Judge Alito has talked about his respect for Roe, but he has said nothing to discourage his supporters on the religious right who back him because they believe he will vote to overturn it. The American people have a right to know, unambiguously, where Judge Alito stands on Roe.

Here’s what the NY Times didn’t tell you:

• “Samuel Alito supported limited abortion rights in 3 out of 4 rulings ….” - Wikipedia
• “What is remarkable in both cases is that Judge Alito recommended against taking the position that more senior, politically appointed officials were urging the solicitor general to take before the court. In the abortion case, not only the head of the civil division but also other high-ranking officials were urging that I, as the solicitor general at the time, ask the court to overturn Roe v. Wade. The bottom line of Judge Alito’s memo was that I should not do that.” - Charles Fried, former Solicitor General and Alito’s former boss

AnalPhilosopher has more on the same editorial. And so does Ann Althouse.

Man, this photo is just nuts. Can you imagine trying to get anything accomplished (or for that matter, even looking normal for the camera) with this sort of thing going on around you? I’m glad I’m not a Supreme Court Nominee, those photographers would drive me nuts. :-)

I just hope they kick the reporters out before they try to have a real conversation.

Business 2.0 asked 49 different business leaders or visionaries “what single philosophy they swear by more than any other — in business, life or both. ”

Eliot Spitzer said: “”Never write when you can talk. Never talk when you can nod. And never put anything in an e-mail.”

If you have medical problems and want to keep your sense of humor, these shirts are for you. Dr. Helen, who is Glenn Reynolds‘ wife, is highlighted on the site.

The Chicago Trib featured the T’s here.

The MedTees T-shirts are the brainchild of Evanston Northwestern physician Wes Fisher and his wife, Diane. Fed up with a culture that they say resists the natural processes of aging and illness like leprosy, the Fishers’ idea allows patients and people with illnesses to poke fun at their ailments.

“It’s kind of a countercultural idea,” Wes Fisher said in the kitchen of his home. “People in Western culture really don’t think it’s OK to have an illness or be sick. We have a media image of the perfect body.”

Helen’s story is here.

Women have been led to believe that breast cancer is the number one killer of women. This could not be further from the truth. Almost one half million women die each year from heart disease. Breast cancer kills only 40,000. The sad part is that half of all the women who have a heart attack each year die before they reach the hospital. I believe this is partly because women do not take symptoms of heart attacks seriously–they wait too long before going to the hospital and do not address heart issues with their doctors. Doctors are to blame at times; they buy into the myth that women are more likely to get breast cancer and that heart disease is for men.