From the Mailbag

Shaker L emails that the story about Jennifer Figge swimming the Atlantic was at best shitty reporting and at worst a hoax. Sorry for passing on bad info, Shakers.

Everyone in the multiverse has sent me pictures, story links, etc. about Ms. Sam the Koala who was given water and rescued from the Australian brushfire by firefighter David Trees. Pet's linked it in the Morning Readings, and it's been linked in comments, and I know there's still a ton of interest, so here's an update I hope you'll enjoy:

Embedded video from CNN Video

Shaker Siobhan_the_Not_Very_Evil sends this story about convicts' right, or lack thereof, to DNA which may prove their innocence.

Shaker Joel forwards this article with the note: "The state of South Carolina, with one of the worst unemployment rates in the country, now wants to charge people with high BMIs an extra $300 per year for insurance. They interchange the ideas of 'obese' and 'high BMI score,' assuming they mean the same thing, and implicitly blame the overweight for health care costs. I won't question their assertion that SC has one of the highest rates of obesity and diabetes in the country, but does it make any sense in a rational world to then make affordable health care less, well, affordable?"

Shaker Ivy sends a heads-up about Justice for Jason. Cara's got more here.

Shaker Hillevi passes on this story about a man who murdered his wife. Check out the tacit victim-blaming: If only she hadn't changed her Facebook profile to say she was single! Tsk, tsk. Adds H: "And the story is in the technology section. It makes me nauseous to think about the editorial conversation which decided that. 'Oh another domestic violence story. Bo-ring. Hmm. I know, spice it up and make it interesting with the technology angle'."

Shaker Skywind sends this terrible story about an incarcerated woman in Florida whose pregnancy crisis was not properly treated, leaving the fetus dead and the woman on the verge of septic shock.

Meanwhile, Shaker Lena sends this terrible story, about another woman in Florida who went in for an abortion at a dodgy clinic and ended up delivering a live baby, which was then thrown in the trash.

And Shaker Kathy sends this story about a Jacksonville State University freshman claiming discrimination from Pi Kappa Phi after the fraternity allegedly denied his bid to join after hearing rumors that he's gay.

(What is going on in Florida?!)

And Shaker E sends on this post at Cracked compiling what they have deemed the 8 most misogynist TV ads. E also sends "A word of warning: the article is off to a rough start and then the ads just get worse." Too true.

As always, please feel free to leave links to good stuff you're reading in comments…

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