A great little resource for those of us who occasionally stray into the political topics:

Whether you're a newly minted blogger or a relative old-timer, you've been seeing more and more stories pop up every day about bloggers getting in trouble for what they post.

Like all journalists and publishers, bloggers sometimes publish information that other people don't want published. You might, for example, publish something that someone considers defamatory, republish an AP news story that's under copyright, or write a lengthy piece detailing the alleged crimes of a candidate for public office.

The difference between you and the reporter at your local newspaper is that in many cases, you may not have the benefit of training or resources to help you determine whether what you're doing is legal. And on top of that, sometimes knowing the law doesn't help - in many cases it was written for traditional journalists, and the courts haven't yet decided how it applies to bloggers.

So a woman was kicked off of a Delta Airlines flight because she was breastfeeding her 22 month old daughter and would not cover her with a germy airline blanket.

She was in the next to last row and next to the window. Her husband was right beside her. The stewardess asked her to cover up (they had not taken off yet but had been delayed for three hours) and she said that she had a legal right to breastfeed. The stewardess said she was "offended" and next thing you know, she's kicked off the plane.

As someone who has been on 8 flights in the last three months with a baby and as someone who has breastfed on each and every flight, I think I am qualified to speak on this topic.

Here are some links.

Now, let me address some comments I've heard about this particular story.

1) She shouldn't be breastfeeding a 22 month old.

The world average age for a breastfeeding child is over 2 years, closer to three years. It's only in North America that we have a hang up about breastfeeding and yet don't blink when our 16 year olds dress like slutty mcslutterson.

1a) There's no nutritional value in breastmilk after the first few months.

Breastmilk constantly changes its make-up. This leads many scientists to believe that we were meant to breastfeed longer because our children have different needs.

Ice cream, Big Macs and Doritos don't have much nutritional value either. Sometimes we just eat them for comfort. Just like that baby was doing.

2) She offends me.

Don't you know how to look away? The guy picking his nose two seats over offends me too. I just don't look at him.

The overweight person eating ice cream, Big Macs and Doritos offends me. Maybe next time I'll go up to them and say "your eating offends me... can't you eat something else?" Wouldn't that be fun?

2a) Can't she feed her baby something else?

Have you attempted to take liquids on a plane recently? Even if she wanted to take an empty sippy cup (assuming her daughter drinks from one, not all kids do), the stewardesses will not fill your cup with anything prior to take-off. Ever been in a flight with a child screaming becuase his ears were popping? Guess what helps... drinking and breastfeeding.

3) She should have just covered up.

Oh-ho-ho-ho... me thinks you have never tried to nurse a big baby... a toddler... as someone on one of my groups said "it's like trying to wrap a kitten in a paper bag". Some kids will have none of the blanket. And as a mom I think I'll pass on the rent-a-germ blankets.

It is obvious to me that she chose the most discreet place in the plane that she could find. I know this because I've booked 8 flights in three months and I always ask for the furthest back and next to a window so I can turn my body slightly and nurse my daughter.

3a) Don't I have the right to not be offended?

No, actually, you don't. Check it out... read the constitution. There is no law that says it's illegal for you to be offended. Please refer to #2.

Conversely, this mother does have the legal right to breastfeed wherever she chooses. (In the U.S. it is called the "Right to Breastfeed Act" (H.R. 1848) and was signed into law in 1999)

The law doesn't say the "right to breastfeed under a blanket or in the nearest bathroom".

I cannot take Belinda Stronach. Give it a rest already and quit making me feel embarassed to be a strong woman. You want equality? Then you get the same insults that the men throw at each other.

For those who haven't an idea of what I'm talking about, let me enlighten you:

Belinda was a Conservative MP who was dating Conservative Peter McKay
During a crucial vote she chose to 'cross the floor' and become a Liberal.
Recently she's had an affair with Tie Domi, whose marriage ended. (This was her second affair with a married man... and a hockey player)
Recently McKay allegedly referred to Stronach as a dog.
Now, she can't take a joke from Ralph Klein.

At a 'roast' of Ralph Klein he said, "I don't think Belinda has a Conservative bone in her body. Well... maybe one... speaking of Peter McKay ..."

Belinda is one of those women on a power kick. She thinks that because she is Important that she's not held to the same standards as the rest of us.

Belinda, you crossed the floor in the House of Commons and turned your back on your constituents. That makes you a House Wrecker.

You had an affair with a married man. That makes you a Home Wrecker.

Please suck it up. You can't run with the big dogs if you're gonna pee like a puppy in the morning.

I'm not happy.

Call it a NaNoWriMo induced depression or the winter blues or even the baby blues but I'm just not happy.

I have an expensive hobby. Let's not bother with WHAT it is... but just know that spending $300 a month would be the minimum on the said hobby. Nevermind the time factor... at least three times a week for three hours at a time.

I haven't done it in several years. Financially I haven't made the sacrifice.

But I want to do it. I want so badly to be back up in the saddle. More importantly, I want to have goals. I want to have things to work towards.

Right now it seems that all I do is write. I write and write and write and then when I'm done. Oooh I allow myself to write some more! Yay! Yippee!

There is no carrot dangling anywhere on any stick.

Hobby - $300

But it replaces: mental health days, spa days, gym memberships, vacations...

How do you decide when it's ok to spend money on your hobby? When is a hobby more than a hobby?

YAY! Mir is getting hitched!

Congratulations to one of the most bestest bloggers out there. And the most prolific, I might add...