Three years into the war, tens of thousands of American troops remain targets of a growing Iraqi insurgency.

From its onset, the labor movement has been at the forefront of the fight to improve working conditions and workplace safety. At the local level, knowing their union has their back gives workers the confidence and support they need to stand up and report harassment, poor working conditions, or workplace safety violations.

Workers should not be prevented from bargaining with the companies that help set their wages, benefits, schedules, and workplace conditions.

Instituting equal pay is especially important because families in our country increasingly rely on women's wages to make ends meet. When women bring home less money each day, it means they have less for the everyday needs of their families - groceries, rent, child care, and doctors' visits.

For me, I feel empowered when I use my body to exercise, play sports, and explore the world. My body allows me to sing, dance, talk, feel - and eat a damn good piece of cheesecake.

Exercise is more important than diet for me because it's a twofer. It keeps me in good physical shape, and it relieves stress. And when you're a representative of the public, there's never a shortage of things to do.

When scientists are asked what they are working on, their response is seldom 'Finding the origin of the universe' or 'Seeking to cure cancer.' Usually, they will claim to be tackling a very specific problem - a small piece of the jigsaw that builds up the big picture.

I know people who have gone into career death spins, and that's something you're always aware of as a writer.