Items of interest found recently in my RSS feed. What did I miss? Please share what you've been reading (and writing!) in the comments.

• Disregarding Probable Cause

– “When there are grounds for suspicion that a person has committed a crime or misdemeanor, and public justice and the good of the community require that the matter should be examined, there is said to be a probable cause for making a charge against the accused, however malicious the intention of the accuser may have been. And probable cause will be presumed till the contrary appears.”

• Is this story stylish, or fashionable?

– “This is an editing failure. It’s a failure of relegating women disproportionately to the “style” sections in the first place, and it’s a failure of letting pieces that are demonstrably not “style” content run under that header, which ultimately has the effect of marginalizing the content. Stories about women, or gay couples, are “special interest” stories only in cultures where privileged classes are not expected to treat members of those populations as their equals.”

• Democracy, it was fun while it lasted.

– “You’ve found someone else – and they’re a lot more wealthy and influential than I am (I maintain that I’m better-looking, but hey, it’s you who has to go to bed with them every night). Democracy, darling, I suspect that they will only be a bad influence on you — they’re almost guaranteed to make you more conservative and definitely less responsive to anyone’s needs but theirs. I mean, why would you bother to think about me when your new beau is footing all your bills? I don’t mean to sound bitter, D, but don’t you see what’s going on here? They own you, baby!”

• Class War, American Style

– “So it’s class warfare but nobody is supposed to notice. Just imagine the corporate power here in smaller states with limited population base and not much money to spend on elections! Just imagine the fear etched into all politicians’ hearts: “What if the IBM or the General Motors decides to take me down?” Just imagine trying to get environmental protection through in states where powerful corporate interests don’t want it. Well, you can stop imagining now because we shall all find out how the best democracy money can buy got even better.”

• Stop talking, woman!

– “It’s hard to get too worked up about such a juvenile exchange, but it’s worth pausing for a moment to make note of his choice of the word “lady.” Only Specter knows what he truly meant by it — but, as a public service announcement for all the men out there, let me just say: Many women interpret “act like a lady” to mean “know your place, little girl.” This comes from spending a lifetime being instructed in various ways to sit back politely, speak up only when called upon and defer to the male ego.”

• The emotional band-aid. How to survive the emotional fallout from rape.

– Just read it.

• A signing explosion

– sign language taught to hearing children – this is why it’s brilliant

• Democracy, we hardly knew ye

– “At last, all Americans have achieved equality before the law: One Dollar, One Vote.”

• Who Will Open the Can of Worms that is the ABC Charter?

– “Who can doubt that those less friendly to the ABC, including News Limited and Sky News, will now be turning their attention to what the Charter says, and leafing through the yellowing pages (well, not really. They are online) of the 2020 summit?”

• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: Pre-Order NOW!!!

– You know you want to

• A fabulous resource for feminists, womanists, disabilism activists, equality activists…

– Word.

Categories: linkfest

Tags: blogging, elections, Read-ems