An interesting exploration of why more atheist societies are more decent than religious ones, and why claims that religious people are “more pleasant” fall apart on closer examination.

Which ties rather in with a piece about the role of the Mormon church in the passing of the ban on same-sex marriage in California. Apparently the proposition was pushed through with support from “Catholics, evangelical Christians, conservative black and Latino pastors, and myriad smaller ethnic groups with strong religious ties”, as well as the Mormons – now that is what you call an unholy coalition.

Sadly, if perhaps not entirely surprisingly, the referendum in San Francisco for decriminalisation of sex work was defeated. But, say its proponents, they are getting closer.

Less seriously, but also sadly, a move to name the city’s sewage works after George W Bust was also defeated.

And in New Zealand, the pretty solidly leftwing prime minister Helen Clarke has been beaten by a rightwinger. That leaves only five women at the head of governments around the world.

But, says Katha Pollitt in an interesting and not entirely tongue-in-cheek piece in the Nation, the presence of Sarah Pallin on the US stage has had positive effects:

Palin’s presence on the Republican ticket forced family-values conservatives to give public support to working mothers, equal marriages, pregnant teens and their much-maligned parents. Talk-show frothers, Christian zealots and professional antifeminists–Rush Limbaugh and Phyllis Schlafly–insisted that a mother of five, including a “special-needs” newborn, could perfectly well manage governing a state (a really big state, as we were frequently reminded), while simultaneously running for veep and, who knows, field-dressing a moose.

Spent an interesting if chilly evening knocking up voters for the Kentish Town council byelection. The most fascinating voter was a woman whose son answered the door and who asked me in. She was seated in a lounge chair, with Green and Labour leaflets spread in front of her. There was only two hours until the polls closed, and she would definitely vote, but she was trying to make up her mind, and really agonising over it. She grilled me on the full range of issues, the candidates etc, for at least 10 minutes.

If only all voters took such care and paid such attention.

Which brings me to the US election – you might not have a “real” vote, but you can have a virtual one.

And the KT result? Well the fact that I’m not listing it here will tell you it wasn’t a great one from my point of view. You can find it here. The Lib Dems haven’t been punished for their councillor running off to Arizona, or for their 6am day of poll leaflet delivery, which certainly annoyed one voter I spoke to who owns a small, barking dog….