The BobboSphere: Don't believe everything you think.

After nine years, a lawsuit and some 400,000 workplace injuries, the Bush administration is issuing a rule requiring employers to pay for workers’ personal protective safety equipment (PPE)—a measure expected to prevent tens of thousands of workplace injuries every year.

The rule, requiring employers to pay for such safety items as hard hats, lifelines, face shields, gloves and other equipment used by an estimated 20 million workers, was first proposed in 1999, but it was pulled back when the Bush administration came to power. Nearly a year ago, the AFL-CIO and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) filed a lawsuit over the Bush’ administration’s refusal to issue the rule. The lawsuit and congressional appropriations legislation both set a deadline of Nov. 30 for final action by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)—which itself estimates that some 400,000 workers have been injured and another 50 killed because the rule has not been in place.

Although this is certainly welcome news, protective gear does not "cover"(pun intended), the situation of the baristas at the Cowgirls Espresso chain of coffee bars.

Like the unfortunate server in the above cartoon, they are expected to deliver their near-boiling beverages in  protective gear that most people would just call undies. The Cowgirls Espresso servers get paid minimum wage and frankly, the tips can't be great at a coffeeshop.

­According to ­Jessica Valenti over at Feministing, servers at  the Lola Bean Espresso, all quit when the owner informed them they would soon be juggling their java orders Cowgirls Espresso style.

Full disclosure: It was Jessica's article that inspired Estelle Carol and I to create the cartoon that adorns this blog posting.

Unfortunately coffee porn has become quite popular and now Cowgirls Espresso has theme days: Military Monday, Cowgirl Tuesday, Bikini Wednesday, Schoolgirl Thursday and Fantasy Friday. Yikes!

Maybe on Military Monday, the Cowgirl Espresso baristas should hold a court martial for owner of the franchise Lori Bowden.

Or better yet, they should have a Union Day, organize, and then come to work everyday properly attired for handling dangerous hot liquids.

Hey...I would buy my espresso there anytime.