The murder of abortion provider Dr. George Tiller on May 31st has resulted in a lot of conversation about abortion. It’s a topic frequently hushed, or spoken about more around its politics than the actual procedure, the experience itself and the real women who have abortions. So this increased discussion is certainly something potentially positive happening because of something horribly tragic. More discussion around anything which is or may be treated as unspeakable is always a good thing.

I've watched a few lectures from the TED conferences which have been put online this year and really enjoyed most them, even if I do disagree with some of the speakers on what they say... I just watched the following video where Aimee Mullins, an amputee, athlete, actress and model speaks on what she views as a shift in attitudes from a negative view of disabilities to an understanding of individuality and how her experiences with physical disabilities are also an illumination of potential, possibility and the creativity central to humanity.

How my legs give me super powers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ0iMulicgg

Her legs were amputated at 1 years old and following dramatic success as a college athlete with prosthetic legs was exposed to the media at a TED conference in 1998, since then she found huge interest from artists, designers and fashion magazines. She says in the video that she thereby came to a realisation that "a prosthetic limb doesn't represent a need to replace loss...